USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Jacksonville > Historic Morgan and classic Jacksonville > Part 36
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The following is a true and correct statement of the valuations of property listed for taxation in Morgan county as taken from the records of the county clerk, for the year 1883, and the taxes charged :
CLASS OF PROPERTY.
Corrected valuation ..
per cent.
Equalized
Equalized valuation.
£ Railroad
i Class D, Lands.
¿ Class D, Lots
6 | Class A, Track
524,296
Class B, Rolling stock
126,146
Gas Company and Western Union Telegraph Company.
22,800
Totals
$9,243,761
KIND OF TAX.
Value . . .
Rate .....
of tax.
Amount
Total ....
State tax of 1883
$9,243,761 $ .32 $29,580 03
Forfeited, 1882
532.67
$30,112.70
Jacksonville city bonds.
2,084,418
.44
9.171.43
Forfeited in 1882
239.88
9,460.81
Morgan county bonds
9,243,761
.06
5,546.25
5,567.16
Waverly bonds
166,184]
1.90
3,157 49
3,157.49
Forfeited in 1882.
County .
9 243,760
.75
69,328.20 959.12
70,287.32 1,409.00
Jacksonville
2,084,418
2.20
45,857.19
Forfelted in 18S2
3,808.19
49,665 38
Waverly.
166,184
.85
1,412.56
1,412.56
Franklin
41,272
.25
103 1%
103.18
Murrayville
43.080
.59
254.17
254 17
Lynnville.
29,119
63
177.14
177.14
Drainage.
The following statistics from the assessor's books returned to the county clerk, give the relative amounts and value of the personal property of Morgan county in 1883:
Number ..
value .......
Assessed
Horses.
6,531
$ 298,556
Cattle ..
16,638
330,563
Mules and asses
1,002
48,700
Sheep
10,814
22,796
Hogs ..
22,689
73,277
Steam engines including boilers.
52
5,580
Billiard, pigeon-hole, bagatelle or other similar tables ..
7
179
Carriages and wagons.
2,637
74,845
Watches and clocks.
1,261
9,165
Sewing and knitting machines.
1,470
14.524
Pianofortes.
286
29,090
Melodeons and organs.
295
12,640
Total value
$1,629,745
Personal
$2,159,283
30
$1,511,498
Lands
6,551,326
17
5 437,602
Lots
2,314,982
30
1,620,487
[ Class C, Personal ..
932
Forfeited in 1882
20.91
Forfeited in 1882
Dog tax.
Road tax
No levy.
355.84
10,015
Fire or burglar-proof safes.
Add ...
Deduct.
221
ASSESSMENT VALUES .- CHURCHES AND PASTORS.
VALUES OF UNENUMERATED PROPERTY.
Merchandise ..
Manufactured articles
9.110
Manufactured tools, implements and machinery ..
2.400
Agricultural implements
-12,418
Gold and silver plate, and plate ware.
195
Moneys of banks, bankers, brokers, etc.
50,800
Other moneys.
569,650
Property of corporations.
5,000
Property of saloons and eating houses
1,090
Household property.
151,389
Investments in R. E.
2.400
Grain of all kinds ......
26.688
Shares of stock of State and National Banks
106,000
All other personal property.
4,808
Total assessed value ...
1,230,393
Total assessed value of personal property ..
2,160,560
Railroad property assessed in the county as personal property.
1,330
REAL ESTATE LANDS
Number of Acres. Assessed Value.
Improved lands ..
57,232
293,600
Totals
353,352
$ 6,551.412
TOWN AND CITY LOTS
Number of Lots.
Assessed Value.
Improved lots
3,620
$ 2,222.529
Unimp oved lots.
1,890
106,974
Totals
5,510
$ 2.329,503
Total assessed value of all taxable property in Morgan county.
$11,041,475
NUMBER OF ACRES IN CULTIVATION.
Wheat.
37,296
Corn
118.784
Oats ...
12,013
Meadows ..
30,180
Other field products.
8,011
Number of acres inclosed in pasture ..
S6,066
Number of acres inclosed In orchard
3 790
Number of acres luclosed in woodland 51,232
Jacksonville to-day, January, 1885, contains twenty church organizations, viz:
German Evangelical Lutheran Salem, Rev. Edward Beck.
Mt. Zion (colored) Church, Rev. A. L. Stewart, pastor. No church edifice.
BAPTIST-First, West State near West ; B. F. Simpson, pastor. Mt. Emory (African), Rev. J. O. Bonner, pastor.
METHODIST-Brooklyn M. E., Rev. James Leaton, D D., pastor. Grace M. E., Rev. W. N. McElroy, D. D., pastor. Centenary M. E., Rev. M. D. Hawes, pastor. German M. E., Rev. H. Ellerbeck, pastor. African M. E., Rev. Mr. Jackson, pastor.
PRESBYTERIAN-Central, Rev. A. B. Morey, pastor. First, no pastor ; no church ed- ifice ; worship with Central congregation. Westminster, Rev. Samuel M. Morton, pastor. First Portuguese, no pastor. Second Portuguese, Rev. C. B. Barton, pastor Central Portuguese, Rev. E. N. Pires, pastor.
CHRISTIAN-Church of Christ, Rev. A. N. Gilbert, pastor. Christian (colored), Rev. W. S. Hancock, pastor, no church edifice.
CONGREGATIONAL, Rev. H. E. Butler, pastor.
EPISCOPAL --- Holy Trinity, Rev. J. D. Easter, rector.
ROMAN CATHOLIC-Church of Our Savior, Rev. T. Hickey, pastor.
Of these twenty all but two have pastors and all but three have edifices for worship. Some of these churches are among the finest in the West.
In addition to all other railroad facilities referred to elsewhere, the city is likely to have another Western connection. On March 17th, last, the articles of association for the organization of the Quincy, Jacksonville & Eastern Railway Company were filed in the county recorder's office. The articles set out the name of the corporation thereby created and organized as above, and the purpose and object of the said corporation shall be to build, construct, own and operate a railroad through the counties of Adams, Pike, Scott and Morgan to Jacksonville. Isaac L. Morrison, Lewis S. Olmsted and William D. Sanders are the Jacksonville incorporators
296,120
$ 6,257,812
Unimproved lands
-
$259,445
222
THE DEATH ROLL.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE OLD SETTLERS NECROLOGICAL RECORD FOR 1883-184.
death ...
Date of
NAME.
Age .........
Res inCo.
Nativity ..
September 2S ...
Herbert Carpenter ..
41 41 Illinois
October 3 ......
John Walker
60 56 Kentucky
December 4.
William Richardson
69 52 England
July 13
James B Spires
46 46 Illinois
July S.
John A J Carson
67.57 Virginia
July 5
Morris J. Olive.
37 37 Illinois
August 27
Mrs, Mary Retd ...
72 35 Virginia
July 3
Mrs. Polly Embree.
.3:33 Kentucky
August 10
Mrs. Anua Ainsworth
70 30 England
August 15
Mis. Harriet Moore.
45 45 Illinois
August 16.
l'alma Smith.
48 42 Kentucky
august 10.
Mrs. Sarah Litton
17 58 Kentucky
August 8 ..
Mrs. Eliza J. Stringham
58 44 Massachusetts
May 11
John W. Goltra
71|49 New Jersey
May 14
Stephen Sutton.
69 47 New Jersey
June 21
Jonathan Neely.
74 42 Pennsylvania
June 27
Joseph Liter.
65 50 Kentucky
June 17
Mrs. Hannah S. Vasey.
75 36 England
June 8.
John Gledbill
38 38 Illinois
March 4 T. J. Weatherford.
51 51 Illinois
March 16 William Wright.
75 52 Kentucky
March 6.
Samuel Mckean
63 33 Scotland
August 1 John C. Pfeil
63 45 Germany
August 27 Mrs. B. F. Gass
65 50 Kentucky
August 29
John D. Keedy
50 46 Maryland
October 6 Thomas C. Huckstep.
18 50 Virginia
July 4 Mrs May Ann Hall.
43 40 England
December 7 Mrs. Mary Jacinto.
65 36 Maderia
December 8.
Edward Weil
57 26 Germany 44 30 Ohio
December 20.
Mrs. Mary Fuster.
62 60 New York
December 223
Thomas Rountree
60 40 Kentucky
October 18.
Morris H. Worcester.
34 34 Illinois
October 14.
B F. Rynearson
41 40 Missouri
October 14.
Mrs. Mary Stevenson
72 50 Ohio
October 23 ...
Mrs. Maria Hussey
86 35 New York
November 5
Mrs. Ellen Miles.
46 33 New York
November 10. Mrs. Chastina Simmons
48 30 Ohio
November 18. Henry W. Hunt
42 42 Illinois
November 22.
Miss Cornelia Trask
45 24 Connecticut
Nov mber 29
Mrs. Priscilia J. Hurst.
78 54 Kentucky
September 23.
George Hess
53 35 Germany
November 11.
Cyrus J. Tond
58 45 Pennsylvania
February 12.
Mrs. Ann Alexander
89 44 Ireland
December -
Isaac N. West.
48 35 Ohio
September 5.
John Mapes.
72 53 Missouri
September 10
Wi liam S. Andras
80 49 England
September 12 ..
Jairus Kibbe
85 40 Connecticut
September 15 ..
Mrs. Elizabeth Berry
75 51 Tennessee
September 23 ...
Ebenezer T. Miller.
84 65 Kentucky
S-pteniber 25.
Mrs. Sarah P. Hurst
79 54 Kentucky
May 24. Joseph W. King
75 45 Connecticut
March 8
Peter Kirkman
70 50 Kentucky
April 2
Mrs. Elizabeth E. Scott
48 43 Illinois
May T
Joseph G. Hayden.
74 50 Virginia
Ap il 5 James HI. Mack
43,43 Illinois 65 44 Kentucky
April 7.
Mrs. Hannah Fairbank
86 50 Connecticut
April 11.
Mrs. Sarah A Myers.
39 39 Illinois
April 28
John H. Bohn ..
38 33 North Carolina
April 20
Mrs. Helen V. Stout.
67 45 New Jersey
March 26.
John Edgar Ward
35 35 Illinois
March 28
Mrs. Hulda Carey.
75 40 Virginia
March 25
James Burnes ..
40|40 Ireland
March 21
Richardson Vasey
41 35 England
March 4
John W. King
49 45 Massachusetts
March 5.
George B Daniels
45 45 Illinois
January 16.
Ida Vasconcellos
69 33 Maderia
February 1 Mrs. Joaquin Smith ..
36 35 Maderia
Jannary 31.
Richard Jordan.
-
January 12. Mrs Visenia Smith
147 38 Maderia
March 6 Samuel Mckean
63 33 Scotland
February 17
Albert Price
35 35 Illinois
February 10. Miss Mary F. Allen. .
32 18 Illinois
December 16. Robert P. Macken
42 42 Illinois
September 14 ..
Mrs. Hannah Edwards
35 35 Illinois
September 18 ... Mrs. Mary Killiam.
61 54 |Kentucky
February 23 John M. Cole
64 29 New Jersey
December 18.
Leroy Shulty
-
-
January 17. Mrs. Eva H. Craven.
47 47 Illinois 52 Illinois
April 9 ..
Mary F. Henderson
223
A GENERAL REVIEW AND OUTLOOK.
The State of Illinois has in the city three large institutions, the Central Hospital for the Insane, the Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, and the Insti- tution for the Education of the Blind. Dr. H. F. Carriel has charge of the Hospital for the Insane, Dr. P. G. Gillett that of the Deaf and Dumb Institution, and Rev. F. W. Phillips that of the Blind, all gentlemen who are entirely competent to fulfill the duties of the high positions which they have attained. These institutions now (1884) contain about 1,300 inmates, officers, teachers, attendants, pupils and patients divided as follows : Blind, 168; Insane, 633; Deaf and Dumb, 586.
The principal buildings are the Court House, Opera House, City Hospital, Y. M. C. A. Hall, Sanitarium, Oak Lawn Retreat for Insane, State Institutions for Blind, Deaf and Dumb, and Insane, Dunlap House, Rataichak Hotel, Illinois College, Jacksonville Female Academy, Illinois Female College, Young Ladies' Athenæum, Conservatory of Music, Jacksonville Business College, Washington High School and five public school houses. It has always been an educational center for the west, and so numerous are its schools and so high the grade of scholarship that it has been dubbed "The Athens of the West." It is equally proud of its other well deserved name of the "New Haven of Illinois," on account of the gigantic size and great number of beautiful elms shading its principal streets. The city is lighted with gas-streets and houses. It has never had any rapid growth in population nor done much in the manufacturing line, vet now possesses a very large woolen mill, three brick yards, two carriage manufactories, four flouring mills and some smaller industries.
A street railway line furnishes easy communication through the two principal streets (State and Main) from depots to State institutions at western and southern city limits. No running stream furnishes water power but an excellent system of reservoirs supplies water abundantly for city and fire department use. There are no city steam fire engines but four paid hose companies and a hook and ladder brigade. The churches number over a score, including all the leading sects and many handsome and commodious buildings. The Y. M. C. A. has a fine building-the best of its kind in the State outside of Chicago and owned by the association-and takes charge of a Public Library and Free Reading Room Illinois College and its literary societies have three other libraries. A Library Association and the Deaf and Dumb Institution also possess large book collections.
With the growth of our city has grown our capacity to entertain travelers, whether brought to our place by business or pleasure. Our hotels are constantly being beauti fied and enlarged, and passing into hands that understand their business. The patron- age annually received by our leading hotels from commercial travelers alone is a big thing in itself. Take the Rataichak Hotel, on East State street, just completed, as an exam- ple. It is a large and elegant building, which not only adds much to the general appearance of that part of the city, but is one of the permanent kind of enterprises that we like to see built up and encouraged in our community. It will doubtless prove a paying invest- ment.
The hardware, stove and furniture trade has assumed large proportions in our city within the last few years. Small rooms and meagre stocks have been supplanted by commodious buildings and assortments rivaling in size those of metropolitan establish- ments. There is very little jobbing, but the retailers have customers that come from great distances, and the Jacksonville market supplies a large territory.
The principal shipments are horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, flour and walnut logs. Be. sides the Opera House there are three public halls, seating altogether 1,650 persons. The assessed valuation of real and personal property in 1882 was $2,827,320, reduced by the State Board of Equalization to $1,979,224. The total bonded indebtedness is now only $154,500.
There is nothing in the entire catalogue of a city's advantages so positive to ad- vance its commercial growth, and to raise it in the scale of mercantile importance among cities, as its communications with the outside world. In this respect, Jackson-
224
RAILROADS-SOIL-BANKS-STREET PAVING.
ville is not wanting, but has the necessary railroad advantages, to meet the requirements of all kinds of business. The extension of the Jacksonville Southeastern to Centralia, recently, has its many advantages, and will eventually result in the bringing of a con- siderable amount of business to the city from the southeast, that has heretofore been going elsewhere, while another avenue for competition on freights has been added. Through the great Wabash line, Jacksonville has an outlet for traffic east and west, and by the Peoria branch, north; while the Chicago & Alton gives direct transportation north, south and southwest. The sharp competition waged between these great corpor- ations, the C. & A. and the Wabash has the beneficial result of cheapening transporta- tion; hence no inland city of the size of Jacksonville, possesses such advantages in this respect.
The soil of the vicinity is a rich black loam, with an almost unbroken level surface and only enough timber land to supply home consumption of wood. Two daily news. papers, with weekly editions, one Republican (Journal, Weekly established in 1831, Daily in 1866,) and one Democratic (Courier) are published, besides two college news- papers. There are three job printing offices Hon. John Gordon is postmaster. The city is now entitled to free mail delivery and expects soon to have the carrier system. The United States and Pacific Express and Western Union Telegraph Companies have offices. There are five solid banking and saving institutions. Three of these have capi- tal as follows: Jacksonville National, $260,000; First National, $200,000; Central Savings, $100,000, and two private concerns. M. P. Ayers & Co., and Hockenhull, King & Elliott, which do not publish amount of capital, but do a very large business.
Jacksonville has often been famed for good "turnouts." Her smooth and well shaded streets are splendid boulevards for pleasure driving, and hence a taste for fine equipages has been cultivated. Of course many cannot afford the luxury of a team of their own, and hence livery and feed stables have sprung up, wherein all classes of vehicles and horses for driving, wedding or funeral purposes, can be procured.
In its proper place mention should have been made of the Young Men's Christian Association, which for years has had a good organization here, and which lately has completed a very handsome edifice on Morgan street, devoted to the fulfillment of the aims and objects for which the association was organized. A public library and read- ing room find a home within the walls of the Association building, and are open day and evening to all who are desirous of availing themselves of the benefits there to be found.
The health of the city has always been remarkable, the average death-rate being much lower than in the majority of cities of the west. The U. S. census statistics puts Jacksonville in the front rank in point of health.
With its admirable Fire Department, in connection with the abundant and conve- nient supply of water, a disastrous fire is almost impossible.
With its well officered and equipped Military Company, the Morgan Cadets, it vies with neighbor cities in promoting and fostering this strong arm of security and defense, a well-ordered and drilled militia. The number of brave boys in blue who volunteered to stem the tide of treason in our late civil war, of which Jacksonville and Morgan county furnished their full share, shows how fully we could rely on them in any hour of danger.
The initiatory steps in the matter of paving the principal streets with the best of hard burned brick, have proven most conclusively that Jacksonvillians are awakening to a most important sense of duty they owe to themselves and the business interests of the community and the enterprise will now be pushed forward until the principal avenues for travel in our city are put in the best possible condition.
At no time in the history of Jacksonville, now 58 years old, have her various inter- ests been in a more satisfactory.condition than at present, and it is with a considerable degree of pride that she shows the world the onward march of progress and the pros- perity that has attended the efforts of her business community the past few years.
·
225
CHURCHES-SCHOOLS-CLUBS-TOBACCO.
With some 13,000 inhabitants, her situation, surroundings, growth, improvements and prospects, she is the peerless inland city of the west. Her position is commanding and beautiful; her broad streets and avenues are finely shaded ; her palatial dwellings are set in commodious lawns, dotted with evergreens and flowers; her numerous public buildings are costly and rich in architectural finish ; her halls and business houses are solid, roomy and convenient. Gas works, water works and street cars, are in success- ful operation ; railroads lead out in six different directions. While noted for the three State benevolent institutions which are elegantly situated within the city limits, giving her a State-wide reputation, the city is no less renowned for her schools, academies and colleges, the seat of learning and art.
In the political world it has exerted its full share of influence in moulding public opinion and laws, resulting in the rapid advancement of our State to its present envia- ble position. It has furnished a Secretary of State, five Judges of the Circuit and one of the Supreme Court a State Superintendent of schools, two Governors, two members of Congress and a United States Senator; in each case, men of distinguished ability, who have reflected honor upon their State and Nation.
In the religious world, her church-going population is comfortably accommodated in some twenty different houses of worship, costing all the way from $2,000 up to $10,- 000, $20,000 and $40,000 each ; and while our city suffered the loss of the finest one of these church buildings, the First Presbyterian, in a recent fire, we have every assurance that it will be rebuilt at no distant day-possibly more elegant and tasty in appearance than before. Every shade of religious belief can find a home, as there are all kinds to choose from.
In addition to the work of benevolence carried on in our churches, our citizens are characterized for their activity and liberality in this direction through societies. We have our Free Masons and Odd Fellows, United Workmen, Knights of Honor, Royal Templars, Y. M. C. A., the Woman's Christian Association, the Orphan's Home, City Hospital, Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and other worthy organizations. Great and good work is being effected by all these organizations.
Her citizens are also widely celebrated for the attention paid to music and the arts. There is perhaps no city in the State with so many pianos, musical instruments and able teachers of music, in proportion to the inhabitants. Her reputation in this regard has attracted pupils from all portions of the west to receive the benefit of the training and instruction of her competent professors. Culture is indispensable to progress, and that city which is not fully abreast of the times in all the varied requirements of art and learning, will surely fall behind in the race for assured success.
In her numerous literary and scientific clubs, her citizens find time to exercise . their minds and improve their taste. D.D.'s, L.L. D.'s, A. M.'s, M.D.'s and gentlemen with no titles to their names, all take a part and bear their portion of the labor, and share equally in the enjoyment of its result. The ability to contribute is only exceeded by the desire to excel in literary attainments. The ladies, not to be behind, as they never are indeed, in any good work, have their Sorosis, P. E. O., and other societies, which afford them ample room for discussion, for composition and general improve- ment.
In addition to the educational establishments already spoken of, there are four ward schools and a High School, appertaining to Jacksonville proper, which are under the supervision of a school board, which has ample power in the selection of the city superintendent of schools, the principals and subordinate teachers in the ward schools, as well as in determining the course of study to be pursued in each.
Jacksonville has never been famous for the amount of capital and enterprise in- vested in manufacturing, yet this division of commerce is growing upon us, and few realize the number of men now employed by our city manufacturers, and the number of families supported by home industries. Take the tobacco trade alone. Three large establishments, and several smaller ones are constantly turning out man's favorite weed
226
MANUFACTURES-ELECTION OF 1884-HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
in its various shapes, employing many hands and paying a large revenue to the govern- ment.
The addition of an extensive tile factory, in 1883, to our manufacturing interests, is one of great importance, and it should be the duty of every resident to use his or her influence-let it be great or small-to induce other like institutions to settle among us. We need more manufactories.
The Woolen Mills of Capps & Sons, continues to be the chief manufacturing es- tablishment of the city, carrying on a business of half a million annually.
Two very large and two small flour mills do a very large business in that line, and manufacture the very best flour in the western market.
Business stability is a fact that can easily be verified by the records. There have been fewer business failures in our city and county, the past ten or twenty years, than in any other section of the State. This speaks volumes for the management of our financial and business institutions, and the ability to maintain themselves under all circumstances in a prudent and careful manner. These are extremely encouraging facts, that go to show that the business interests of Jacksonville and Morgan county are on a solid basis, and that speculation and involvement in debt have not been indulged in to the same extent as in other localities. With these facts before them, our citizens should feel greatly stimulated and become aroused to renewed efforts in the extension of their business.
Jacksonville has a grand future before her. With no city of its size within 33 miles on the east, 80 miles on the south or west, or north, she can command the trade of the intervening country-the most beautiful and productive of any in our glorious State. To do this there must be enterprise, liberality, intelligent concentration and uni- versal interest among all her citizens. Manufactures will be increased, the jobbing and retail trade enlarged, and every facility afforded for active growth and expansion.
The Central Presbyterian church, after the departure to Belleview College of Dr. Harsha, gave a unanimous call to Rev. A. B. Morey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, who accepted and is now ministering most acceptably to them as well as to the First church which has continued to worship with them since September, 1883.
The election of November 4, 1884, resulted in a complete Democratic victory for county and national tickets. Hon. Edward L. McDonald, states attorney, was elected as Representative to the General Assembly and he took his seat in that body January 7th, 1885. Mr. Charles A. Barnes was elected states attorney, Mr. John N. Marsh re-elected circuit clerk, D H. Sorrells was elected county commissioner, John R. Knollenberg coroner and T. D. Richardson surveyor. At this election the county again failed to give the requisite majority to the proposition to adopt township organization.
On May 21, 1883, the hardest frosts and freeze ever known in the county occurred in the night. Everything in the way of vegetables that had come up was killed, potatoes, beans and corn especially suffered. On the 22d there was another frost finishing the destruction of the little still undamaged. All grapes and tomatoes were destroyed.
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