USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Jacksonville > Historic Morgan and classic Jacksonville > Part 49
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Ilis name, however, will perhaps be perpetuated longer as that of the founder of institutions of learning, than from any other eause. Ile was the originator of the "Young Ladies' Athenaeum," a school es- tablished in 1864, which enjoyed for the twenty-one years of its existence the pat- rouage of some of our wealthiest and most intelligent families, and which under his superintendency occupied a large field of usefulness. The "Illinois Conservatory of Music" is also the offspring of his untiring energy. Its faculty has embraced many of the finest of European and American professors in both theory and practice, and comprehends a scale of instruction in vocal and instrumental music which can elsewhere be scarcely equalled. Professor Sanders is also the founder and actuary of "The Central Illinois Loan Agency," by which millions of eastern capital have been invested in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, and the business now flowing in the channels it has created has grown into immense proportions. Its principal office is at Jacksonville, branch offices being located at various points in Missouri and Kansas.
Besides all the multiform labors grow. ing out of his intimate connection with these educational and financial institutions, Dr. Sanders has been often called to the assistance of the church, and has repeat- edly filled the pulpits of Jacksonville. For eight years he was the regular supply of the church at Pisgah. At various times he has received calls to the pastorate of churches in Chicago, Cincinnati, and else- where, but has been compelled to decline them. It may be readily inferred that, in founding and fostering so many important institutions, he is in the fortunate posses- sion of rare powers of mind and body. He has a keen faculty for organization, and wrings success out of every enterprise in which he sets out.
His entire career is an exemplitication of remarkable power of concentrating thought and of indomitable persistence. He is a man of strong convictions, frank utterunee, warm impulses, and ceaseless vigilance over the welfare of the interests with which he is identified. Although now orer fifty years of age, and despite
his arduous and ceaseless labors he is in the enjoyment of excellent health and mental vigor. He has had five children all but one of whom are living and two of these are college graduates. His oldest son William B., is in an active law-prac- tice in Cleveland, Ohio. The others- Mrs. Nellie Elliott and her brothers Charles and Clarence are residents of our own city.
See pages 155, 156, 186, 195, 199, 214, 221.
HON. CYRUS EPLER, one of the three judges of the seventh judicial eircuit, was born in Charleston, Clark county, Indiana, November 12th, 1825. He pursued his law studies in the office of Brown & Yates, at Jacksonville, Illinois, in the year 1848, and after an absence of two years continued his studies for one year alone in Jackson- ville. In 1853 he commenced the practice of law as states attorney, having been ad- mitted to the bar in 1852, at Jacksonville, Illinois. Judge Epler was elected States Attorney in November, 1852, in the first judicial district, and was elected a mem- ber of the lower house of the general assembly of the State of Illinois, in the year 1857, and re-elected in 1859, thus serving two terms. Ile also held the office of master of chancery for Morgan county from 1867 to 1873, a term of six years.
In 1873 he was elected judge for a term of six years, and re-elected in 1879 and 1885 to the same position and for the same terms. Judge Epler has given very gen- eral satisfaction upon the bench, his de- cisions having heretofore been regarded as those of a man who seeks to arrive at conclusions which the fact and the law will sustain. During his entire profes- sional life his home has been in this coun- ty and city. Here he has, besides carving for himself an enviable name as a citizen and jurist, reared a family, and some of these arriving at years of maturity are filling places of trust and usefulness in this and other cities. llis oldest son- - Carl, is now City Attorney of Quincy, the second, Ernest is assistant physician in a Cook county hospital.
See pages 117, 129, 130, 148, 295, 266, 269.
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BUST OF GOV. DUNCAN.
TAJ.DUNCAN
HON. JOSEPH DUNCAN, OF JACKSONVILLE.
SIXTH GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, 1834-'38.
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HON. JOSEPH DUNCAN, soldier, statesman, member of congress and governor of Illinois, was born, in February, 1794, at Paris, Bourbon county, Kentucky, and was the youngest son of Major Joseph Duncan, a native of Virginia, who removed to Kentucky at an early period of its settlement, where he died during the childhood of his youngest son. The latter was, in consequence of this event, called at a very tender age to share with his widowed mother the responsibilities of her bereaved family.
In this situation he was distinguished for firmness and steadiness of purpose beyond his years, and for those kind, deep, and generous social affections which characterized his whole life.
Thus his life passed on with little of in- cident to give it peculiarity, other than his superior skill in all the athletic sports of boyhood, until he reached the age of six- teen. At this period he received a com- mission in the United States army, in which he remained until the close of the last war with Great Britain. Notwith- standing his extreme youth, he discharged the duty of a soldier with such vigor and fidelity as to merit and receive through the remainder of his life the thanks of his country. It were enough for his military reputation to name him as one of the in- trepid band of between one and two hun- dred men, who, in the battle of Sandusky, repulsed with tremendous havoc the com- bined British and Indian forces, amount- ing to ten times their own number, and as having commanded, in that splendid affair, notwithstanding his youth, a post of pre-eminent responsibility. For the great services performed on this occasion his grateful country conferred on him, and on each of his associates in the command, a gold-mounted sword as a testimonial to them, and their children after them, that their country is not unmindful of those who nobly peril their lives in her defence. At another time, with a handful of mon under his command, he penetrated one hundred and fifty miles into the interior of upper Canada, and there, enduring all the rigors of a northern winter, watched the movements of the enemy within twenty miles of his camp, and crossed Lake Erie
from Malden to Sandusky in an open yawl, accompanied by only three men.
Again, he made a journey of fifty miles through forests, aeross streams, and amidst hostile Indians, where an Indian guide re- fused to accompany him, in order to exe. cute the orders of his superiors in com- mand. When peace was declared he re tired from the army and for a time devot- ed himself to agricultural pursuits in his native state. In 1818 he removed to Jack- son county, Illinois; and so highly was his military character esteemed that he early received the appointment of Major- General of the militia; and he rendered important military service, in the spring of 1831, in the first outbreak of the "Black Hawk War." In 1823 he was elected to the senate of Illinois from Jackson county for four years. The part of his labors in that body from which he derived the most satisfaction was the bill he introduced, and which was passed, to establish a sys- tem of common schools for the state.
Though the law soon became unpopular and was repealed, it was a noble concep- tion and reflected a lasting honor on the name of its originator.
In 1826, one year before the expiration of his term, he was elected as the only representative of the state in the United States Congress, and was re-elected con- stantly until 1834. One year prior to the expiration of his last congressional term he was elected governor of Illinois. Dur. ing all the political storms that raged throughout the state and nation he enjoyed the reputation of being an honest man.
Ile was neither selfish nor malignant; and was not the personal enemy of his political opponents, nor did he bear them aught of malice. His character as a pub. lie man was marked by enthusiastic patri- otism, an intuitive and generally accurate discernment of the character and motives of those around him, a Napoleon-like rapid- ity in arranging his plans, and a high de. gree of energy in their execution. He ex- ercised great honesty of purpose in the formation of his opinions, and a bold and manly frankness in avowing and advocat- ing them.
Attachment to the cause of education marked the whole course of his life both
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as a citizen and as a public man; and to it he freely and liberally contributed his time, money, personal services and official influence. To Illinois College his services were most valuable, his donations were liberal, and the amount of time and person- al attention which he gratuitously devot- ed to the object was probably greater than the public were aware of.
From 1835 until his death he was a member of its board of trustees, and of the prudential committee, by which the details of the board are generally transact- ed. He was a member of the Presbyterian church, and was ever distinguished for his reverential deportment in public worship, and for those marks of respect and kind- ness which he was accustomed to bestow on the ministers of religion. He was a friend to universal humanity. His affec- tions were limited by no sectional, secta- rian or party lines; but were ready to em- brace true worth, and honor true virtue wherever found.
To raise the money to pay for the land for the State Deaf and Dumb Institution, in February, 1839, Gov. Duncan prepared a subscription paper which he headed with $50, and then secured from others the bal- ance of about $1000, with a part of which the present site, of about six acres, was purchased from the Hon. S. D. Lockwood and David A. Smith, Esq. The balance was subsequently expended in improving the grounds. Gov. Duncan was chosen the first President of the Board of Trustees and remained as such until the time of his death. He died January 15th, 1844, after a short illness, leaving a wife. Three sons died in infancy or early childhood. One son is still living-in Chicago. Three daughters are numbered with the silent majority and two estimable daughters sur- vive both father and mother-Mrs. Mary Putnam, of Davenport, Iowa, and Mrs. Julia S. Kirby, of this city.
Ilis estimable wife survived him many years, continuing her residence in Jack- sonville and growing dearer from year to year to those who knew her but to love her for her true christian worth.
See pages 47, 53, 58, 70, 74, 78, 79, 80, 97, 100, 110, 247, 259.
JULIAN MONSON STURTEVANT was born at Warren, Litchfield county, Connecticut, July 26, 1805, his parents having been Warren Sturtevant and Lucy Tanner, both natives of the same place. He is a descendant of Samuel Sturtevant, who was a farmer in the old Plymouth colony, in 1643. During his childhood, his father removed to what is now Sum- mit county, Ohio, and in the winter fol- lowing this migration, which occured late in 1816, the little household was domiciled in a log cabin, in the heart of what was then an almost interminable forest of Northern Ohio.
Here he spent his youth, obtaining, in the interim of the seasons of farm labor, a good common school education, and here was developed a strong inclination for the work of the Christian ministry.
In his thirteenth year, then ambitious for a collegiate education, he commenced the study of the Latin language with his brother, whose desires were kindred with his own, and together they labored dili- gently, with the limited means placed at their disposal for self-culture. Thus he obtained a very good preparatory standing for a college course, and before his seven- teenth year was thoroughly acquainted with the ÆEneid, Georgics and Bucolics of Virgil, with the works of Sallust and Cæsar, the orations of Cicero, and the more im- portant productions of literature, during the Augustan age, of ancient Rome.
In the summer of 1822, in company with his elder brother and Elizur Wright, since not unknown to fame, he went to New Haven and was enrolled among the Fresh- men of Yale. By careful attention to his studies, by making the most of all the ad- vantages afforded him, he graduated with distinction, in 1826, and in a class of 101 was regarded as one of its best scholars.
Upon his graduation, he assumed the office of Principal in an academy at New Canaan, Connecticut, and retained it for nearly two years, when he entered the Theological Department of Yale. While prosecuting his studies here, he joined an association of his fellow-students, whose object was the selection of some State in the Mississippi Valley, where all should seek their homes ; where they might unite
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their efforts for the founding of churches, schools and a college, and the fostering of all institutions which tended to develop a Christian civilization. Their Eastern friends readily contributed to aid them in this noble mission, and, after considerable correspondence, Illinois was selected as their future home and field of labor. This State was then in its infancy, having in 1830 less than 160,000 inhabitants.
In 1830 Dr. Sturtevant married Eliza- beth Maria Fayerweather, of New Ca- naan, Connecticut, and soon after, accom- panied by his wife and his life-long friend, Rev. Theron Baldwin, he emigated to Illi- nois. In December of that year, he and his associates organized the Board of Trustees of Illinois College, at Jackson- ville, and he was selected to open the in- stitution for the reception of pupils.
On the morning of January 4th, 1831, in an unfinished building, the southern half of what is now known as the Library, he met nine students as its first matricu- lants, and the institution was inaugurated. One year after, Rev. Edward Beecher be. ing selected as President of the college, he was chosen Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, holding that po- sition until 1844, when he was elected to succeed Rev. Mr. Beecher in the Presi- dency of the institution. Since then he has confined his instruction to mental and moral science, resigning the Presidency in 1876.
In 1885, after serving Illinois College since its founding in 1829, 14 years as professor, 32 years as President, and 9 years as ex-President, President Sturtevant, at the ripe age of 80, retired from the institu- tion. We congratulate him on his long and beneficent public career. With in- tellect still vigorous and bright, may he enjoy many years of rest and peace in this community, with the highest interests of which he has been so closely connected for more than half a century.
In 1840 Dr. Sturtevant's wife died. He subsequently married her younger sister, Hannah R. Fayerweather, who still sur- vives. Three of his sons have been grad. uated from Illinois College, one of whom- Dr. Julian M., Jr .- is now a Congrega- tional pastor, in Cleveland, Ohio; and one
-Alfred II .- was for some time a tutor in the institution, and now is farming. The third -- Warren-died at the age of thirty- seven.
Dr. Sturtevant has written voluminously for the newspapers and periodicals, and his articles in the religious weeklies, The Advance, Independent, The Congregational- ist, The New Englander (quarterly), and others, show him to be a writer of no or- dinary culture. Ilis style is smooth and fluent; his reasoning is clear and power- ful; his descriptions the choicest speci- mens of word-painting. He has also made two most scholarly and valuable contribu- tions to library literature in his published volumes entitled "Sect" and "Economics "
In 1863 he visited England and Conti- nental Europe, and as this was during the Rebellion, he had frequent opportunities for ascertaining, with much precision, the character of foreign sentiment regarding the North and South. Upon his return, he delivered and finally published a lec- ture on "British feeling and Its Causes." This discourse was published in England, at the instance of Richard Cobden.
Many years ago he received the degree of D. D., from the University of Missouri and the degree of LL. D., from Iowe Col lege.
See pages 55, 56, 60, 68, 69, 70, 74, 75, 77, 81, 84, 91, 110, 114, 126, 148, 156, 195, 199, 200, 211, 212, 231, 140, 243, 251, 254, 261. 262, 265, 269, 301.
EDWARD L. MCDONALD, a member of one of Jacksonville's oldest families, was of the manor born October 28th, 1849. His early education was obtained at the west ilistrict school, Jacksonville. He attended the Jacksonville Business College as well, and obtained the first scholarship issued by that college. Afterwards he entered Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, in the fall of 1866, but remained there only part of the year, being called home on account of the sickness of his father, Alexander McDonald. Ho entered Illinois College in the fall of 1867, but not con- tinuing the course there, he became en- gaged in the dry goods business as elerk. At the expiration of one year he resumed his studies at Illinois College, and re-
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mained until the graduation of his class in 1871. The following year he com- menced the study of law with Judge Cyrus Epler, and after the latter's election as judge, pursued the reading of law in the office of Henry Stryker, Jr. He also at- tended law lectures at Michigan Universi- ty, Ann Arbor, Michigan, for two terms, and graduated there in the class of 1874, being class orator.
He entered upon the practice of law in this city, in partnership with his brother Frederick A., now County Judge in Wash- ington Territory. He was also for awhile in partnership with Judge Wm. Thomas.
Throughout his life he has been active in politics, taking the Democratic view of all questions, yet he has always been a fair minded and conscientious man. He has been honored by his fellow partisans by many places of trust in the management of party affairs and has acceptably served his county as States Attorney and this legislative district as Representative in the 34th General Assembly, being elected to that body in November, 1884, receiving 5,621 votes, a larger number than his Den- ocratic colleague or Republican opponent. He is a married man now, with a family of four children. His church connections like those of his parents have always been Presbyterian and he is now a member of the State Street Presbyterian Church.
See pages 203, 210, 226, 267.
HON. EDWARD SCOTT was born in Yorkshire, England, May 10, 1828. He is the son of Zachariah and Elizabeth Scott, who emigrated to and settled in Morgan county, four miles west of Jacksonville, in December, 1830. On Christmas day of that year the "deep snow," so frequently spoken of by the old settlers, commenced falling. Mr. Scott had a family of five children, of which the subject of this sketch is the youngest. He died July 2, 1846, at his residence, on section 20, town- ship 15, range 11, where he entered land, on which he resided until he died His wife died, also, in June, 1847. Mr. Scott and his wife were members of the Episco- pal Church.
The subject of this sketch received his education in Morgan county. He fol- .owed farming until 1847. He was next
engaged for two years in completing his education. He engaged in a clerkship with Mr. T. C. Routt, in 18:9, which he followed for three years. He established himself in mercantile business in Jack- sonville, in 1852, which he continued un- til September 15, 1857 The next year he was appointed Deputy Sheriff, and con- tinued in that office two years In Feb- ruary, 1864, he was engaged in the firm of Lambert & Scott, in a wholesale and re- tail grocery business, which he continued until the fall of 1869, when he was elected County Judge,
Judge Scott is now engaged in banking and milling, being a large stockholder and President of the First National Bank, Jacksonville, and active member of the firm of Scott, Hackett & Chambers, pro- prietors of Morgan Mills.
He has been politically, thus far through life, a Democrat. He warmly sustained the flag of our country during the rebellion, by voluntarily putting a man in his place, and other acts of patri- otism.
As the character of Judge Scott is so well known, we will simply say that he is one of the pioneer citizens of Morgan county, and stands conspicuous among the reliable business men of the con- munity in which he has lived, and wou the esteem of a large circle of friends by his many virtues and noble qualities as a citizen.
See pages 65, 108, 180, 181, 190, 226, 228.
JOHN N. MARSH is a native of Sulli- van county, New York, and was born No- vember 20, 1823. He is the youngest child of S. N. Marsh, who was a lumber- dealer.
The subject of our sketch received his early education in the schools of Monti- cello, New York. After leaving school he taught for a period of three years. He then engaged in mercantile pursuits at Bridgeville, New York. He continued in that business, at that place, for three years.
In the fall of 1846 he was married to Miss Thirza N. Ketchum, daughter of Dr. Alex. Ketchum, of Bridgeville. New York. Mr. and Mrs. Marsh have had a
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family of eight children, three boys and five girls.
Inthe spring of 1855 Mr. Marsh removed to Lanesborough, Pennsylvania, where he resided five years, and in the fall of 1860 settled in Jacksonville, Illinois, where for five years he was engaged in the boot und shoe business. He was then appoint- ed Assistant Assessor of Internal Reve- nue, under Johnson's administration, and held that office nearly two years.
Mr. Marsh has given his family a good education in our city, and was so interest- ed in school matters as to be selected as one of the directors of the Walnut Grove District (now First Ward) school, in 1867.
In April, 1872, he was elected City Clerk of Jacksonville, as the "People's" candi- date
He is now filling, in an acceptable way, the important office of Circuit Clerk and Recorder, having been elected thereto, on the Democratic ticket, in 1876, and suc- cessively re-elected in 1880 and 1884.
See pages 181, 185, 203, 210, 226.
WILLIAM THOMAS .- No present cit- izen of Jacksonville was, probably, so close- ly identified with early times here. He was born November 22, 1802, in what was then Warren, but is now Allen county, Kentucky. His parents were natives of Virginia, who in their infancy removed with their parents, to Kentucky, soon af- ter the Indian wars, and married in 1800. They settled in the woods, where they opened a farm, on which they resided for over fifty years.
Ilis education included only the rudi- mentary branches, and was obtained in the rude log cabins of that early day. When he was but eighteen years of age, his father, who was then Sheriff of the county, appointed him his deputy ; his duties being confined to serving notices, summoning witnesses, and collecting taxes. At the expiration of his father's official term, he was made Deputy Clerk of the County Court of Allen county, receiving, in lieu of salary, his board and clothing. He remained in that position about two years, when he accepted a similar place in the county of Warren, at a salary of $200, and there he continued, also, for a year
and a half. While attending to the duties of these offices, he became familiar with the forms of deeds, mortgages and other instruments used in the proceedings of courts ; also with the modes of proceeding and rules of decisions upon important questions of practice. On leaving the Clerk's office, his friends advised him to study and follow the profession of the law. At this time Hon. James T. Moorehead, of Bowling Green, who was afterwards Governor of the State, and a United States Senator, tendered him the use of his office and library free of charge, while his father proposed to board him and wait for his pay from the fees he should receive after his admission to practice. He accepted these kind offiers, and his law-license was issued July 5, 1823, when he engaged in professional duties with Counsellor Moore- head, who had a large practice in Logan county, as attorney for a bank located at Bowling Green, to attend to which Lawyer Thomas went to Russellville, where he re- mained over a year in that service. In December, 1824, he returned to Bowling Green, and entered the office of the Hon. Joseph R. Underwood, to assist the latter in his professional engagements, and con- tinued with him, at a small salary, until September, 1826, when he removed to Illi- nois, and located at Jacksonville, where he has ever since resided. During his first winter here he taught school, and in the spring and fall of 1827 he attended all the courts in the First Judicial Circuit, composed of nine counties, and was for- tunate enough to find some clients.
In the summer of 1827 he volunteered as a private in the mounted militia, called out by Governor Edwards, to protect the miners and settlers of Jo. Daviess county against threatened incursions of the Win- nebago Indians. He was appointed quar- ter-master-seargant, and ultimately filled the post of commisary to the troops. Dur- ing the winter of 1828-29, he attended the Legislature, then sitting at Vandalia, and he reported the proceedings for the only newspaper printed at the seat of govern- ment. During this same session the First Judicial Circuit was divided, and a new circuit was created north of the Illinois river. He received the appointment of
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