USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Historic sketch and biographical album of Shelby County, Illinois > Part 19
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was born May, 1863. through the influence of
Judge S. W. Moulton and Mr. W. J. Henry. both lawyers here. They felt that the cause of the Union should be espoused by some news- paper in Shelbyville and induced J. W. John- son, a bright young man of some newspaper ex- perience, to start such a paper, assuring him of their financial support. Johnson purchased the defunct Freeman plant and began, his pros- pectus stating-"The Shelby County Union will be devoted to the suppression of the rebel- lion in the South, and Copperheadism in the North." Richard Conch. Ral Carr and Jacob Swallow (now proprietor of The Pana Pallad- ium) worked in the office and Johnson's trench- ant pen and dauntless courage produced a strong paper. In July. 1864. John A. Young took a half interest in The Union. Johnson withdrew in February, 1865. Then Richard Couch took the paper and soll a half interest to P'. T. Martin in March. 1867. and the latter assumed full possession in July. 1867. Martin sold an interest to his brother. E. H. in March. 1871. who had been his local editor. In Aug- ust. 1872. another brother. H. L .. became a member of the firm. P. T. went out in De- cember. 1873, and one year later H. L. be- came sole owner, and he has managed ably and has made the Union a paying plant since. He began issuing
THE DAILY UNION
in January. 1887, his brother. Harry M .. (now Shelbyville's postmaster) as editor -- and he filled the post with marked sprightliness. The Mar- tins are all clear and forcible writers with a flowing, easy style. James L. Darby succeed- ed H. M. as editor and manager, and The Daily has continued. under his pen and man- agerial methods, to be bright. breezy. prosper- ous and popular.
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
SHELBY COUNTY INDEPENDENT.
began its career, August 6, 1874, with Dr. E. E. Waggoner and J. Win. Lloyd as editors and proprietors. While the paper was called Independent, it was democratic from the first. as any who knew its editors would know and as its salutatory clearly outlined when it said : "We expect to stand firmly by the fundamental doctrines of this republic, that governments de- rive their just powers from the consent of the governed : that the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor probi- bited by it, are reserved to the states, respective- ly, or to the public ; that the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be con- strued to deny or disparage others retained by the people. We are opposed to a protective tariff, to the national banking system, to all monopolies, to all class legisla- tion bribery and corruption."
Mr. Lloyd withdrew in July, 1875, and Dr. Waggoner took sole ownership and in October, 1876, he said : "Believing that at least one of the three or four democratic newspapers pub- lished in this county ought to bear the family name, we this week send this paper out to its many readers and friends as
THE SHELBYVILLE DEMOCRAT.
and hope they may be pleased with its new name." Dr. Waggoner was a ready, lucid and forceful writer and regarded as one of the best political editors in the state; and made The Democrat an influential political paper. In August, 1885 he sold to T. J. and Geo. R. Gray- bill. In 1887, February 1, the firm became Graybill Bros. & Co., with G. W. Cook as the Co. Geo. R. Graybill was editor and manager till Cook became a partner, when the latter took charge of the management. The Demo-
crat has a large circulation and is a prosperous and influential journal, because energy and honesty will have their reward.
THE CHURCH AND HOME
was a monthly paper started by J. L. Douthit, which he named
OUR BEST WORDS
about April, 1880. He ran a phohibition weekly during the campaign of 1886; and soon after he . issued two publications, the monthly religious edition and the weekly prohibition edition. The monthly was discontinued. 1890, and he sold to J. S. Barnum in 1892. Mr. Barnum changed it to a populist paper and called it
THE PEOPLE'S PAPER.
Mr. Barnum was a good writer, but his paper was not patronized well enough and was dis- continued.
Mr. Douthit soon issued another monthly paper called
SIMPLE TRUTH.
In October. 1894, he bought back the name and has since published Our Best Words. Mr. Douthit is a talented writer with a remark- arbly clear and logical style and is making (). B. W. a paper which, judged from a prohibition standpoint, is one of the best.
A. M. Anderson bought a small newspaper plant from Joseph Prior of Clinton, Illinois, and took it to Windsor and began the publica- tion of
THE WINDSOR SENTINEL,
May, 25. 1876. On January 7, 1877. the plant was taken to Paris. It was but a short time.
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
however, till the wisdom of the Windsor citi- zens, who knew that a local paper was a good enterprise for the delight and convenience of the people of the village as well as a great force toward the proper growth and progress of the community, induced Anderson to get another plant and continue The Sentinel. He opened up again in March, soon changed the name to
THE DOLLAR SENTINEL.
and it flourished and struggled fitfully till Au- gust. 1879. when it ceased. the plant being re- moved to Shelbyville. Windsor knew another newspaper enterprise. May 28, 1878, when Warden Bros. began
THE WINDSOR GAZETTE.
J. L. Warden soon became sole proprietor and made a good local newspaper of it. It next came into the hands of Charles and Thomas Miner (our present Sheriff) about 1889. and was conducted with energy and ability by them till, in a year or so, they soll to Wm. E. Mc- Cormick (our present Circuit Clerk) who man- aged it with good business method for about a year, when he disposed of it to Bart Grider. who sold it after a short time to the present proprietors, Lilly & Dunscomb, who have an all home print paper on a paying basis. Mr. Dunscomb is a fine printer and Mr. Lilly is a good editor and manager, and The Gazette is neat and prosperous.
THE WINDSOR ADVOCATE
was a thriving local paper published in Wind- sor for a time, about 1885. by I. H. and Chas. Gilpin, and it was one of the newsiest and best. Charley Gilpin was a ready writer and a good localizer.
M. A. Bates brought press and type from Altamont and issued the first copy of
THE STEWARDSON ENTERPRISE.
June 7. 1878. A. M. Anderson and H. Martin got control of the paper in a few months. Not long after. C. D. Shumard bought Anderson's interest. In June. 1879. W. B. Townsend took Shumard's interest and the business was continued as Harry Martin & Co .. and in the December following. A. M. Anderson got possession and for a time made a good paper. He was an editor of force and dash. Sept. 16, 1887. W. H. Fagen and Zip Wilson started the Stewardson Clipper. Mr. Wilson stepped out in a few months and Fagen has since developed The Clipper to its present force as a good local paper. a paying business. Ile has a good office. a good circula- tion. Fagen is genial and capable, and has a popular paper.
When a stock company, composed of prominent Greenbackers, purchased the Wind- sor Sentinel in 1879. they issued the first num- ber of
THE GREENBACK HERALD
in Shelbyville. October 18. 1879. Tom Stuart and G. W. Cook ran the paper. Cook was a young printer with a genius for good manage- ment and quick and artistic work as a printer. and Stuart was a brilliant writer, and had the "rag baby" not sickened with what proved its fatal disease, later. The Herald no doubt. would have developed to a permanent and a leading place in country journalism. Cook withdrew, Stuart died and the management was taken by M. A. Bates, who was succeeded by Charles Reeves, and he by Elder Linn ; and then Mr. Eaton of Champaign had charge awhile.
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
Tower Hill first knew the delight of its own paper. August 20, 1880, when M. A. Bates established
THE TRUE DEMOCRAT
there. November 15 of the first year of its life. Jacob Swallow of The Pana Palladium bought The True Democrat and made an independent paper of it. and after it had been run awhile by Nin Alexander it was gathered to its fathers. T. G. Holt & I. K. Story next essayed the rug- ged seas of newspaperdom in Tower Hill with
THE TOWER HILL BREEZE
about 1892. In about a year Mr. Holt took full control. It was not long till Holt died, when C. G. Huntoon bought the plant and ran the paper awhile. Thos. P. Smith took it from him about 1896, and held it about six months, when he soll to W. E. McCormick, who. for about a year held it, when he sold to H. J. Hamlin and C. W. Steward: and they, feeling unable to undertake continuance of the enter- prise, sold to U. G. Huntoon, who has since managed The Breeze with ability. it being pop- ular, breezy and a paying business, of great value to the town as well as to Mr. Huntoon.
J. Wm. Lloyd and Geo. R. Wendling. in January, 1868, presented
THE COMMERCIAL.
which they published for awhile as a trade paper. Other enterprises of like character were started and soon ended, either because they had served their purpose or because they did not produce results. One of these was
THE APIARY,
started by E. Homrighous and J. W. Johnson, who made it interesting ; but they soon let it fall.
In June. 1893. W. S. Baichley began pub- lishing
THE SIGEL ADVOCATE.
and continued with profit to Sigel and more or less benefit to himself till he sold to W. . A. Smith in October, 1896, when the present pro- prietor. P. C. Trager. took ownsership and has since been making it a good local paper that is doing Sigel and Mr. Trager profit.
It was 1872 that J. F. Harner established
THE COWDEN HERALD.
In 1888 N. E. MeGrail began
THE COWDEN ENTERPRISE.
In 1889 E. W. Anderson established THE COWDEN HERALD.
W. H. Taylor took charge of The Herald in 1891, and carried forward the business for about two years. These newspaper enterprises in Cowden were attended with more or less success, the village having a paper most of the time till March, 18. 1892, when the present office of
THE REFLECTOR
was established by O. A. Jewett, and it has since been doing a fairly good business. It was independent in politics till a few years ago. when it became a republican paper. Mr. Jewett has a popular prsonality and is making a good paper:
There have been several newspapers start- ed in Herrick, but they did not last long. The last one there was by J. A. Quicksall, who moved his plant to Strasburg in 1899.
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
Oconee had several newspapers started but they all soon fell by the wayside, and she now has none.
It was in June, 1872, that A. M. Anderson. editor. and John P. Marnel, as publisher, issued the first newspaper ever in Moweaqua, and called it
THE MOWEAQUA REGISTER.
Anderson's incisive editorial style was enjoyed by the Moweaquans till December. 1875. when it was sold to Arnold Hughes, the payment being guaranteed by ten leading citizens of the village who knew the worth to a town of a newspaper. For about two years Hughes ran it alone-when the enterprise was no more- the material passing to the citizens who stood surety for him. After about a year. the 7th of March. 1878. F. M. Hughes bought the plant and started The Register again, and fought ad- verse conditions for another two years, when it ceased-the plant being taken away. January 12, 1882. ()'Banion & Co .. of Maroa, started
THE MAIL
in Moweaqua with W. A. Steidley (now a suc- cessful newspaper man in Louisiana), as editor. It was printed in Maron and distributed in Mo- weaqua till March, 1882, when Steidley bought it and opened up at home in Moweaqua. In the following September C. M. Hiter and A. Gilliland bought it and within the year sold it to J. W. Crane. In August, 1886, Hiter issued
THE CALL.
which later came into the hands of Pease Bros .. and then Fred & Burres, and finally to Winter & Neblock. In May. 1889. W. A. Steidley took it and combined it with The Mail, which had
been moving along through the efforts of Crane : then Johnson & Elsum, and then Pease Bros .. tin sold to Steidley. July 26. 1889, at which time he gave his paper the name of both.
THE CALL-MAIL.
April 1: 1893. the present proprietor and editor. Bryce P. Smith, bought and has since been making a pronounced success of the paper as a money-maker, and an influence-maker. It is today published in its own building, has a mod- ern plant and enjoys prosperity.
E. D. Bacon. Wm. Whitworth, Bella A. Whitworth. J. E. Gregory and Josiah Berry formed a stock company and placed J. H. Rockwell in charge as editor and manager of what they called
THE SHELBY COUNTY REPUBLICAN.
On Good Friday, 1893. the first issue came out. In about three months the editorial chair show- ed up vacant and The Republican had "shuffled off." Fred S. Pease and Lee Dale bought the plant via the mortgage sale route and presented their first number of
THE SHELBY COUNTY CITIZEN.
June 22. 1893. For less than half a year it re- posed in a "Peaceful Dale, as it were." a mem- ory. Then C. W. Crane took the material and produced
THE MOWEAQUA REPUBLICAN.
History repeated itself again and the plant sank out of sight. October 11. 1894. Mrs. Wm. Whitworth got possession of the office, added material, and has since carried forward the en- terprise with patience. energy and ability, and
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
the paper has influence and standing as a con- sistent Republican organ and a reliable busi- ness concern.
In Findlay, December 3. 1892, J. G. Cut- ler brought forth the first number of
THIE FINDLAY ENTERPRISE.
In May, Hubert Wright bought the paper, who conducted it with honor and credit till May, 1806, when he sold to John W. Moore, who bravely bore aloft its banner till the sheriff sold it in August. 1897. It was resurrected in a short time, by its founder. J. G. Cutler, who had been a Chicago printer after he soll out ; and he has since been carrying forward The En- terprise. He bought both outfits new from Chicago to conform to what he thought a vil- lage newspaper plant should be and now has a paying business. Mr. Cutler has good busi- ness methods and enjoys the respect of a good constituency. The Enterprise was independent in politics till September, 1900, when it an- nounced that it would from then be a republi- can paper.
In November, 1895. W. II. Fagen started a little newspaper in Strasburg, with Harry Cartlidge as editor. In May, 1896, he sold to Thomas Inman, who conducted it till the fol- lowing December, when it suspended. Cart- lidge and Inman made neat and reliable papers and helped their town by advertising it through
their editorials and their ads-but the fiekl was too small, and could not support it. Mr. J. H. Quicksall started
THE HERALD.
which he is now managing with a degree of success.
The Shelby County Press, today, embody- ing Our Best Words, The Union, The Leader, The Democrat, in Shelbyville: The Breeze in Tower Hill: The Republican and The Call-Mail in Moweaqua: The Reflector in Cowden; The Enterprise in Findlay; The Gazette in Wind- sor : The Herald in Strasburg; The Clipper in Stewardson and The Advocate in Sigel-thir- teen newspapers-most of them managed to produce profits about equal to the profits re- sulting from other legitimate business with the same investment and managed with the same energy and sense, is a considerable part of the business activity and moral influence of Shel- by county. Thirteen agencies are continuously commending before the public every good example of successful achieve- ment in moral worth in business. politics and social life. The Press is constantly urging public enterprise, official honesty, social purity and private virtue. The editors and pro- prietors of these concerns are some of our best and most public-spirited citizens. The Shelby County Press is the friend of progress and is receiving a loyal support from our appreciative people.
DR. GEORGE W. MAUZEY.
THE SCHOOLS.
CHAPTER XI.
The great commonwealth of Illinois is justly proud of her public school system, which occupies a place in the front rank of the school systems throughout the states of the Union. Prior to the year 1853. however, matters per- taining to education had been in rather a con- fused state, no law having as yet been enacted which was satisfactory to the people at large. Frequent changes were made in the school laws, but their betterment seemed to go from bad to worse until it looked as though the edu- cational affairs of the state were assuming a chaotic condition.
In the year above mentioned the General Assembly passed a bill bearing upon the sub- ject, which was introduced by Honorable S. W. Moulton, of Shelbyville. By the provisions of this bill the office of State Superintendent was made a separate one, to be filled by appointment by the Governor until the general election in 1855, and bi-ennially by election. thereafter : and directed the superintendent who should be appointed to frame a bill for the unification of the school system of the state. Hon. N. W. Edwards was appointed the first State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, and to him be- longs the honor of framing such bill as spoken of above, which was readily accepted by the Legislature, and adopted as a law, February 15. 1858. This system was the first to really make
the schools free, by providing for a sufficient state and local tax for their support, and it con- stitutes the body of the present excellent free school system of Illinois. Important modifica- tions have been made from time to time, not- ¿ bly in 1872 and 1879. The management of the system is in the hands of a board of three direc- tors, one elected each year for three years, for each district : a board of trustees, elected in the same manner. with a treasurer whom they ap- point bi-ennially. for each township : a county superintendent, elected for four years, for each county : and a state superintendent, elected for four years.
The sources from which the common school and other public educational revenue is (lerived. are as follows: The three per cent. fund. surplus revenue, seminary fund. county fund. township fund, fines and forfeitures, the state appropriation of one million dollars an- nually, and the district tax fund. On petition of fifty qualified voters. boards of trustees are authorized to establish township High schools. Provision is made for boards of education with special powers, in districts having two thou- sand or more inhabitants.
Such is a brief statement of the general out- lines of the present school system of our state : and founded upon such a system it is not a source of wonder that there has been such a steady and wonderful development in our schools, and they must ever continue to be the first means for securing the prosperity and hap- piness of our commonwealth.
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
THE EARLY SCHOOLS.
In scope, character and influence the carly schools of Shelby county were not unlike those of other new districts. AAmongst the carly set- tlers could occasionally be found one who would voice such a sentiment : "I never had no eddication an' my children can git along as 1 have :" but such irrational parents were scarce. Most of the parents, realizing that their own success and usefulness had been retarded by a lack of education, were anxious that their chil- dren should have better educational advantages than they, themselves, had. They perhaps had never heard the old proverb, "\ little learning is a dangerous thing :" or, hearing it. they were slow to believe it, and were quite willing to be- lieve the "dangerous thing" something worth seeking. Thus, among the sturdy pioneers there were many warm friends and advocates of schools. Resulting from this, schools were established with almost the first settlement of the county, and always in a neighborhood just as soon as a sufficient number of pupils could be gathered.
We shall not attempt a comparison of the early schools with those of today, for it would resolve itself into a "contrast." Still the old- time school had its mission, the old school-mas- ter his duties ; and how faithfully and self-sacri- ficingly these were met is fully attested by many for whom, in those schools and by those mas- ters, was laid the foundation of a splendid edu- cation which has prepared them for occupying positions of trust and honor among men. Many a man, prominent in public life in the recent past, could point back to the little log school house of pioneer days, and say : "There- in was the beginning of my success." All honor, then, to the "old master" who, with ferule or
hazel-switch would enforce his commands and preserve the dignity of the school.
It has been said that the old-style school master was generally an individual whose fit- ness for the position he assumed was attested by the fact that he had never succeeded at any- thing else, and for whom dame Nature had done little. and culture nothing at all. Be that as it may, yet. there were among the carly teachers and those who were in the ranks sixty years ago, men of genuine worth, possessed of much good, sound sense, who, if they could not impart information concerning Latin roots and Greek verbs, were able to and did instil into their pupils much of that which was of more practical use to them in their carly life in a "new" country. It is remembered that amongst the teachers in the "thirties and forties" could now and then be found a college man, and a genius was not uncommon. Even a graduate of Yale, who had reputation for poetical pro- ductions, was amongst the number.
The first school in the county of Shelby was taught by one Moses Story, who was the forerunner of the hundreds of able teachers who have since honored the profession. For a quarter of a century after he finished the first term, he was a well known character of the county, and is yet kindly remembered by many who knew him in those days.
Elias Miller was another of the pioneer teachers of whom honorable mention should be made. He came to the county before its or- . ganization, and, being a widower, made his home with Barnet Bone. For several years he was engaged in teaching, and was considered one of the foremost in his profession. Later he married again, and lived for a number of years in Shelbyville. Mr. Miller lost his life by exposure to the cold. One day, during the win-
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HISTORIC SKETCH.
ter of 1837. he started for Dry Point township . to visit friends. He lost his way in the timber. and after wandering about until evening was obliged to spend the night in the woods. It was bitterly cold. and death resulted from the exposure. John Price, the Greens, 'Squire R. Davis, and Addison Smith were also well- known teachers in the early days. Davis was the man who discovered a new method for solving arithmetical problems, and Smith was the teacher who first taught the rustic youths that the earth was spherical.
The first school house in this county was built in 1821. in that region now known as Big Spring township, and stood on or near the land upon which Ormsby Vanwinckle settled. Doubtless in it was taught the first school of the county, being the one conducted by Mr. Story. This school house was a neat hewn-log structure, more comfortable than some which were erected later. These primal "institutions of learning" were of a very crude type of archi- tecture. They were built of logs, generally un- hewn, chinked and daubed, and having a capac- ious fire-place at one end of the room. The aarth was often the only floor, though in sonte of them puncheons, or split logs, served as a floor. Others, built for use only during the summer, for the accommodation of the little children, were without windows, light being ad- mitted through the open doorway and through the cracks which were found between the logs. It was but seldom that glass was used in the windows which did exist, greased paper serv- ing in the stead of that commodity. The furni- ture was of the rudest type and contrasts pain- fully with that of our modern school houses. For a desk for writing purposes they had a rough shelf along one side of the room, while a split log, with the flat side smoothed with the
adz, and supported on wooden pins, served as a bench upon which to seat the scholars.
The individual plan of instruction was the system generally followed. The first class in the morning was called to recite by the teach- er's quick. sharp : "Rise : manners: take your seats." Then followed slow. monotonous, ex- pressionless reading of each pupil in turn. The reading concluded, the class turned and swung their feet over the bench toward the wall and the " 'ritin' " began: in which exercise they used copy-books made from plain foolscap. and attempted to imitate the "copy' at the top of the page, which had been placed there by the master. Following this was the "rithmetic" lesson, which, like the writing exercise, occu- pied much of the teacher's time and attention. as he usually had to frequently refer to the manuscript book in his desk, in which all the problems in the arithmetic had been worked out, or the solutions copied from the book of some old schoolnaster. In the meantime the second class had its turn at "the three R's." and so on. down to the youngest child, who had been sent to school for the sole purpose of re- lieving the mother of its care. These earlier schools served their purpose, but gradually gave way to better ones that prepared the way for the most excellent schools of the present.
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