USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Historic sketch and biographical album of Shelby County, Illinois > Part 18
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1 was nominated at a convention of citizens, without regard to party, and Judge Aaron Shaw was nominated at a democratic convention. 1 was elected by over eight thousand majority.
1 took my seat on the supreme bench at Ottawa in September. 1870. and served for three years. The cases before the court were double what they are now. Hence the judges were oc- cupied during their entire time. We had no time for play or recreation. I was never behind with my work, and never missed a session of the court during the three years of my service. I never met the judges in conference for reading our opinions that 1 did not have prepared a writ- ten opinion in every case assigned to me. Our practice was to read the abstracts and briefs. confer about the facts and law of the case, and then make a minute of our conclusions. All the judges were required to be present at these con- ferences. When the opinions were written, they were read in the presence of all the judges, and either approved or condemned. Though some of the judges were required to revise, and some- times to re-write. their opinions, I cannot recall a single instance where I had to review any of my opinions.
My resignation as judge has been thought to have been a strange whim. This was not made because of any dislike of the position. In- deed. I had a decided fondness for it. My brother judges were genial and pleasant gentle- men, and well trained lawyers. My association with them, as well as with the members of the
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bar, was always agreeable. I wrote my opinions with great facility, and could have no cause of complaint. But the confinement to me was very unpleasant and irksome in view of the out-door life I had always followed. Besides, my wife was then in poor health, and I felt that more of my time and attention were due to my family.
In December, 1873. I met with some other lawyers in Springfield, and we formed the State Bar association, of which I was the first presi- dent, and was re-elected twice afterwards. This is a good association and should be attended and cherished more by the members of the profes- sion.
In August, 1895. Governor Altgeld, without my knowledge, nominated me, with two other gentlemen, to the senate as a Board of Arbitra- tion under a law of the last legislature. At a meeting of the board I was chosen chairman.
At nearly eighty-seven years of age 1 am still in the active practice of my profession ; en- joy fairly good health ; have a happy and quiet home, and have no fears of the future. I cannot say that my life has been
"A galling load Along a rough, a weary road,"
for 1 have had my full share of honor and hap- piness and enjoyment.
I have always tried to have an uncorrupted conscience ; to be honest in thought and action : to be faithful to duty and to myself, and to so act as to have a proper respect for myself.
"} cannot tell what you and other men think of this life : But for my single self, I had as lief not be, As live to be in awe of such a thing as my- self."
With a trustful reliance upon the goodness
and mercy of the Almighty Father, who has be- stowed my pathway with blessings, I hope to live my allotted time in peace and quietness.
Below, we give a biographical write-up of the writer of this chapter, furnished us by Hon. Walter C. Headen.
HON. GEORGE D. CHAFEE.
No list of the prominent men of Shelby County would be complete without the name of this gentleman.
His life and character are such as to entitle him to prominent place and mention in these permanent and enduring records.
Mr. Chafee was born July 2nd. 1839. in Rutland county, Vermont. This same county was the birthplace of Stephen .A. Douglas and Brigham Young.
His father died when he was three months old, and the old New England home was broken up, and the mother, with her baby, moved to Michigan. She was quite poor, and, at the earliest possible age, the boy was compelled to assist in supporting the family. This he bravely (lid when a mere child, accepting any odd jobs he could find, and part of the time working on a farm at twenty-five cents a day.
At the age of fourteen he lost his right arm in a threshing machine.
The writer of this article distinctly remem- bers a conversation he once heard between Mr. Chafee and a battle-scarred veteran of our Civil war. It was long subsequent to the close of the Rebellion and after Mr. Chafee had resided in Shelbyville for years. On being introduced to Mr. Chafee the old soldier looked at his armless sleeve for a moment and then inquired. "Mr. Chafee, in what battle did you lose your arm?"
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"Sir." replied Chafee, fastening his dark piercing eyes upon his questioner, "I am ashamed to con- fess that I lost that arm in a threshing machine. It is the one deep regret of my life that I did not lose my arm as you received the bullets in your body, namely, in the service and defense of my country and her flag."
This accident changed the whole course of the boy's life. He soon realized that he must fight the battles of life with brain instead of mus- cle. So he turned his attention from manual labor to other kinds of work. He traveled about the country as a peddler through the summer season and taught school during the winter until by pinching economy he had laid away a few dollars. He then entered the law office of Sea- man & Root at Ann Arbor, and studied for a short time.
Upon the organization of the law depart- ment of the great Ann Arbor University, Chafee was one of the first boys to take up the study of the law in that institution. Here, he found a friend in the great law writer and professor. Hon. Thomas M. Cooley. This friendship remained unbroken until the death of the latter a few years ago.
Graduating from the law school in March. 1861. he wandered forth to seek a location, and to learn what life had in store for him. What influence caused him to stop in Shelbyville, he. today, says he does not know. He was friend- less, penniless and alone in the great world. His only possessions were a clean heart. a clear head. one arm, and just about clothes enough on his back "to wad a gun." It is sufficient for the purposes of this article to state. that he dropped into Shelbyville early one spring morning in 1861 : and here, after nearly forty years of active. useful, honorable life. he remains, enjoying the respect and esteem of the thousands of people with whom he has come in contact.
While he has passed the sixtieth mile-stone on life's journey, and his hair has been slightly frosted by the touch of time's finger. he enjoys the prospect of many more years of active busi- ness life.
A few old settlers remember young Chafee's personal appearance when he first came to Shel- byville, and from their descriptions, no one would recognize the present portly Mr. Chafec as the same man. When he first came to Shel- byville, now seems a long time ago: "the shot that was heard around the world." had just been fired at Sumpter: Chafee was young, awkward. over six feet tall, and some say, so slender that it was necessary for him to put on an overcoat before he could cast a shadow. He was an aboli- tionist, an ardent union republican, and an out- spoken advocate for the maintenance of the Union of the States and the suppression of the rebellion. At that time the overwhelming sen- timent of the County was the other way. All of the powerful local influence were against the young man. The spirit of war was burning in every breast. Young Chafee was subjected to all manner of ridicule, abuse and opposition on account of his political view. His life was even threatened, on several occasions. There were but few men in the county then know as "U'nion" men : but they were all lion-hearted and were brave unto death : and young Chafee soon took position in their front ranks. On this ac- count, for a long time. his struggle for a liveli- hood was doubly difficult. During the early part of the Civil war legal business was almost sus- pended, and Mr. Chafee eked out a meagre ex- istence by keeping books for some of the mer- chants, accepting agencies for several insurance companies, and occasionally trying a case be- fore a Justice of the Peace. He took his meals at a hotel kept by Cyrus Hall, afterwards colonel of the 14th regiment, Illinois Infantry, paying
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two dollars per week for his board, and had his office in the second story of a building then standing on the ground now occupied by the First National Bank building, sleeping in his office on a lounge that cost about two dollars and a half.
The United States government shortly found need of such a man, and he was employed to assist in enrolling the County for a draft that was ordered. This work did not have a tendency to add to his popularity.
lle was one of the first persons to engage in the business of obtaining pensions for wound- ed soldiers, and widows, and bounties that the government soon commenced to pay for volun- teers. Also, he held the office of United States Assessor of Internal Revenue for Shelby Coun- ty, and later, for his congressional district.
As before stated. Mr. Chafee came to Shel- byville in the spring of 1861. On the day of his arrival court was in session in the old court honse. then standing in the middle of the public square. He strolled into the court room : Judge Emerson was on the bench : a great crowd was present, as, in those days, people attended court in great throngs, whether directly interested or not. in pending litigation : a man was being tried on a charge of passing counterfeit five dollar coins.
Hon. Samuel W. Moulton, one of the ablest and best lawyers in the state, was defending the fellow, and, as Chafee entered the room, was cross-examining the chief witness for the prose- cution. It seems that this witness had testified very fully and had positively identified a particu- lar coin as the counterfeit. During the examina- tion, Judge Moulton, in such a way as not to be observed by the witness, quietly drew from his pocket five or six genuine coins of the same de- nomination, dropped the alleged counterfeit among them, and quickly held them all out to
the witness and asked him to point out the coun- terfeit. The witness, so taken by surprise, was completely broken down, left the witness stand a discredited man, and Judge Moulton's client was acquitted. This incident opened the way for an acquaintance between Moulton and Chafee which soon ripened into friendship. Judge Moulton recognizing young Chafee's abil- ity, gave him employment in his office.
In 1863 the law firm of Moulton & Chafce was organized and the two men continued as partners until January 1, 1897. The old firm of Moulton & Chafee was famous in its day and continued for a longer period than any partner- ship that has ever existed in the county.
It is worthy of mention, that shortly after this law firm was formed a brick business house was erected on the corner of Main and Morgan streets in Shelbyville, that Moulton & Chafee at once rented a suite of rooms in the new building and that Mr. Chafee still occupies these same rooms, remaining in the same office for nearly forty years.
Mr. Chafee has, through all the years, re- mained a faithful, earnest republican of the stal- wart type, holding high rank in the councils of his party. While not politically ambitious, his party has repeatedly called him to responsible and honorable places. He has been its choice and nominee for both member of congress, and judge of the Circuit court.
In 1876 he was one of the presidential elec- tors from Illinois. This was the election ending in the thrilling contest between Hayes and Til- den for the presidency, and which was finally settled by the Electoral Commission. On ac- count of certain facts in his possession, Mr. Chafee was summoned to Washington as a wit- ness before the Congressional House Committee presided over by Proctor Knott. Here, he be- came acquainted with David Dudley Field, who
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was Mr. Tilden's lawyer in the famous contest : besides many other men of national fame. At this time. he was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
In 1880 he was elected to the Illinois Legis- lature from the Senatorial district composed of the counties of Shelby. Effingham and Cum- berland. This body was known as the 32nd General Assembly. One unusual feature of this particular body, was the fact, that it was con- vened in a second or special session on the call of Governor (now Senator) Shelby M. Cullom. As a rule, but little attention is paid to new mem- bers ; they are supposed to spend a session or two as apprentices ; such, however, was not the case with Mr. Chafee. He was at once appointed chairman of the Railroad and Warehouse Com- mittee, and served as acting chairman of the committee on Judicial Department and Practice. besides holding other important posts. He was a leader in debate, and whenever he took the floor he seldom yielded it until those opposing him "took to the woods." Those deserving it. generally received their full portion of the biting sarcasm and bitter invective of which Mr. Chafee is so easily a master.
On one occasion, the Soldiers Orphans' Home at Normal was being attacked by its ene- mies. Chafee had taken the floor and was ap- pealing to the members to vote the necessary appropriation for its support. Durfee of Deca- tur, interrupted Chafee and demanded informa- tion as to how long the republicans intended to vote away the money of the people for soldiers' orphans, stating that he had been reading Gulli- ver's Travels, and unless the republicans ceased squandering the public money, the state would be washed away by an equally indecent and wasteful use of the taxes the people were being compelled to pay.
Whereupon, Chafee turned upon him and thundered out : "As long as any old soldier has the virility to beget a child, the republican party proposes, in return for the father's patriotism, to care for, and educate such child. I am familiar with Gulliver's Travels, and I beg to inform the gentleman that he and his kind are using the same character of machinery, in their efforts to destroy our state institutions, as was put into the queen's palace, and they will prove wholly inadequate to quench any one of our charitable or benevolent institutions." It is needless to add that the appropriation went through by an overwhelming majority.
Mr. Chafee has been remarkably successful as a business man. By close attention to his affairs he has accumulated much property and is regarded as one of the wealthy men of Shelby- ville, and all without sacrifice of the tender quali- ties necessary to well-rounded character. No man is, or can be. more charitable than he. Those who shall read this article and know Mr. Chafee, will appreciate the truthfulness of the statement, that never at any time or under any conditions has he refused to lend a helping hand or substantial financial assistance to the worthy poor, humble or lowly.
He has probably been at the head of more enterprises for the upholdling of the city and county than any other man ; he has cleared large tracts of land and in this, and other improve- ments, has probably paid to the laboring men of the county as much, if not more money, than any other one man.
Seemingly cold and reserved, those who know him best, well understand that he is a great hearted man and a genuine type of the American Christian gentleman.
-
In May. 1868, he married Miss N. Marie Smith, a daughter of Addison Smith, who was
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one of the old settlers of the county, but who (lied many years ago.
Mrs. Chafee is a sister of Mrs. Anthony Thornton of Shelbyville, and of Col. D. C. Smith of Normal, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Chafee have four children, two sons and two daughters, all of whom have passed from beneath the home roof, and, to the criedit of the father and mother, it is pleasing to state, that all these sons and daughters are leading useful, honorable lives. The two daughters are happily married and live in Boston, Mass. The older son. Dudley, is an architect at Bloomington, this state : the younger son, Dexter, is a doctor of osteopathy at Apple- ton, Wisconsin.
Justice to this sketch demands the mention of one other matter. The writer believes that a man's character is powerfully influenced and di- rected by his environments. To what extent Mr. Chafee may be indebted to a happy and sweet
home life for his long and successful career as a citizen and man cannot be stated ; he probably does not know; but reference to the marvelous powers of song possessed by his gifted wifeought not, and shall not. be omitted. Through all the years, the sentiment and power of this influence must have been a source of inspiration for the man, as it has been, and still is, a pleasure and happiness to her multitude of friends, Through all the years, Mrs. Chafee has never been too busy, never too weary, to respond to calls from her people for the exercise of this rare and magi- cal charm she possesses. Through all the years she has sung, as no other coukl, to us, as a people, in the name of home, love, religion, charity, at the bedside of our departing ones. and to the lonely and bereft on earth, and for which we owe to her a debt of undying gratitude. The life of George D. Chafee can never be prop- erly written without this mention of his noble wife.
GEORGE R. GRAYBILL.
THE PRESS OF SHELBY COUNTY FOR SIXTY YEARS.
By HONORABLE GEORGE R. GRAYBILL.
CHAPTER X.
The Press is the world's informant. The leaders in thought and action in the world of progress learn from the Press what has been made known. Then they apply. discover and invent. We have taken the term Press in its full sense. The restricted meaning of the word is-the Newspaper Press.
The Press is the herald of the everyday life of the people. It tells of your birth, your growth, your education, your social life. your business enterprise, your official record. your home experience. your death. The Press heralds the facts of human existence, progress. achievement. It teaches history and science : about men and things. Popular education comes largely through the Press. Public and private enterprise are largely encouraged. stimulated by the Press. It is the medium of communication between the individual and the public. The law uses the Press as its hand- maiden to proclaim its mandates ; and to pro- tect the taxpayers, by giving publicity to the public business. The Press is the open journal of the history of officialdom. governmental affairs, and as much of the private life of your neighbor as you have any right to know. It moulds public opinion and then reflects it. It tells the facts, reasons about them, suggests remedies or adverse conditions and points to the practical methods for securing advantage. It's the public's entertainer, teacher and friend.
Shelby County interests were first aided by a newspaper in July, 1842, when W. W. Bishop began the publication of the first paper in the county in Shelbyville. It was
THE OKAW.
and it bore a fitful existence for a short time. when it sank beneath the unkind waters of failure and became a memory. Mr. Bishop, feeling himself inadequate for the conditions. declined to Charleston, went to the Mexican war, returned, became judge of Coles county. While Mr. Bishop was a brave soldier and a good Judge, he did not measure up to the abil- ity necessary to conduct a successful news- paper business. The next ambitious gentle- man was Joseph C. Duncan, who established a monthly journal.
THE PRAIRIE FLOWER.
in Shelbyville. He was college-bred. had a per- spicuous style. was a gifted writer, but was rather too poetic, not practical enough to meet the pioneer environments and The Prairie Flower died. Its bloom was not of the quality to attract enough shekels to pay Mr. Duncan's grocer and clothier. Later we hear of him as a successful banker. And this is another ex- ample that is a favorite paradox with a banker -a man who lacks the ability to win success in journalism, yet is well able to shine as a banker.
James Shoaff (father of the present pro- prietor of The Leader) in 1842 was a printer in
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The Okaw or The Prairie Flower office and for awhile conducted The Prairie Flower; but he abandoned this field and afterward indulged in journalism in Charleston.
From about 1847. Shelby County strug- gled along without a newspaper until 1852, when
THIE SHELBYVILLE BANNER
was unfurled to the breezy life of the free de- mocracy a half century ago in Illinois.
Wm. A. Cochran (brother of James 11. Cochran of Ash Grove, where he now resides) with 1). M. Cantrill, bought the Illinois Globe office in Charleston from Jacob P. Brown and issued the first number of The Banner, July, 1852. The Banner had the vigorous impress of Mr. Cochran's Jacksonian personality and fought valiantly for the election of Franklin Pierce for President and Joel Matteson for Governor. Mr. Cochran withdrew and soon a mortgage in the hands of Wm. A. Harrison swallowed the plant and The Banner slept. Theophilis Short bought the sleeping mater- ial and in 1854 it waked for business. The next year P. L. Shutt purchased the paper and made an independent journal of it. He sold to John W. Johnson September 15, 1858, and the name was changed to
THE OKAW PATRIOT.
which he continued as a vigorous advocate of the Stephen A. Douglas democracy. February 14, 1860, Anthony Thornton (Our Grand Old Man, Judge Thornton) took The Patriot and combined it with The Banner, which had just started, December 17, 1859, under the proprie- torship of P. L. Shutt. The Patriot, under the firm of Thornton & Shutt, as printers and man- agers, became at once a most formidable and
influential paper. Judge Thornton tells yet of the junket to Washington City given to western editors by the B. & O. Ry. Co. Mr. Thornton soon retired from the field of journalism; but his clear and logical style has often since been seen in the newspaper column as he enriched its pages with masterful and luminous articles on subjects of pressing public moment. In July, 1863. Mr. Shutt discontinued The Patriot. The next month a stock company of leading democrats was organized and in the following September appeared the first issue of
THE SHELBY COUNTY LEADER.
with W. A. Trower (now an honored retired citizen of this city) as manager and Il. H. Cool- idge as editor. In December Mr. Trower took full ownership and in July. 1865, sold a half in- terest to Rufus Summerlin, who assumed sole proprietorship in August. Soon thereafter. Geo. R. Wendling bought a half interest, and the name of the paper was changed to
THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS TIMES.
Mr. Wendling's brilliant and dashing edi- torials were a feature of The Times for about a vear, when he sold to L. B. Stephenson and W. W. Hess. In October. 1867, Stephenson & Hess sold to Dr. E. E. Waggoner, who sold to Summerlin in 1868, when Summerlin again named the paper The Shelby County Leader. For three years Mr. Summerlin, with his sons, braved the uneasy seas of country journalism with The Leader. Mr. Rufus Summerlin, now a very old man, but erect and kind-hearted, and candid as ever, resides with his son, Leon, at Toledo, Il1. Leon is "marvellously proper" as to character for sobriety and honesty and re- cently sold his newspaper at Toledo to devote his whole time as traveling salesman for a
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printers' material concern. Dolph. another son. is doing a prosperous business as proprietor of The Mattoon Commercial. All the Summer- lins were good printers and gifted writers. In March, 1871. Summerlin sold to W. A. Trower. January, 1873, Trower sold a half interest to W. B. Marshutz, who sold back to Trower in 1875. after a short career as a brilliant original writer and manager. Trower continued the business with his genial nature and careful business method in a successful manner until 1895. when he disposed of the paper to Vallee Har- old, who conducted it with ability till 1899. when Geo. V. Mechler took it, and, after a short career of tireless energy and peculiar method sold to the present proprietor. Thomas B. Shoaff. Harold is an able editorial writer and business manager, and now has the office of editor in a stock company daily-The Portsmouth (Ohio) Times. Mechler is a fra- ternal order promoter with his home in Effing- ham. Mr. Shoaff has a good plant, including a Mergenthaler linotype machine, which his son. James, operates. Mr. Shoaff has had a life-time of experience in newspaper work. is a great hustler and is maintaining the reputa- tion of The Leader for prosperity and influence.
THE SHELBY FREEMAN
was established in Shelbyville by Eli Chittenden in August. 1860. He bought the plant from Pana to advocate the cause of the republican party. His management was not of the kind to meet the exciting conditions of those troublous times and in the spring of 1861. The Freeman was discontinued.
THE SHELBY COUNTY UNION
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