Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2, Part 12

Author: Dyson, Howard F., 1870- History of Schuyler County. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1126

USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 > Part 12

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Editorial Convention.) After returning from the war he resumed his place as editor of "The Chronicle," but finally retired from newspaper work in 1871. He was twice Postmaster of the city of Decatur, first previous to 1850, and again under the administration of President Grant; served also as a member of the City Council and was a member of the local Post of the G. A. R., and Secretary of the Macon County Association of Mexican War Veterans. Died, at Decatur, Jan. 20, 1894.

UTICA, (also called North Utica), a village of La Salle County, on the Illinois & Michigan Canal and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, 10 miles west of Ottawa. situated on the Illinois River opposite "Starved Rock," also believed to stand on the site of the Kaskaskin village found by the French Explorer, La Salle, when he first visited Illinois. "Utica cement" is produced here; it also has several factories or mills, besides banks and a weekly paper. Popu- lation (1880), 767; (1800), 1,094; (1900), 1,150.

VAN ARNAM, John, lawyer and soldier. was born at Plattsburg, N. Y., March 3, 1820. Hav- ing lost his father at five years of age, he went to live with a farmer, but ran away in his boyhood; later, began teaching, studied law, and was ad- mitted to the bar in New York City, beginning practice at Marshall, Mich. In 1858 he removed to Chicago, and, as a member of the firm of Walker, Van Arnam & Dexter, became promi- nent as a criminal lawyer and railroad attorney, being for a time Solicitor of the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad. In 1862 he assisted in organizing the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry and was commissioned its Colonel, but was compelled to resign on account of illness. After spending some time in California, he resumed practice in Chicago in 1865. His later years were spent in California, dying at San Diego, in that State, April 6, 1890

VANDALIA, the principal city and county-seat of Fayette County. It is situated on the Kas- kaskia River, 30 miles north of Centralia. 62 miles south by west of Decatur, and 68 miles east-northeast of St. Louis. It is an intersecting point for the Illinois Central and the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute Railroads. It was the capital of the State from 1820 to 1839, the seat of government being removed to Springfieldl, the latter year, in accordance with act of the General Assembly passed at the session of 1837. It con- tains a court house (old State Capitol building), six churches, two banks, three weekly papers, a

543

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

graded school, flour, saw and paper mills, foundry, stave and heading mill, carriage and wagon and brick works. Pop. (1890), 2, 144; (1900), 2 665.

VANDEVEER, Horatio M., pioneer lawyer, was born in Washington County, Ind., March 1, 1816; came with his family to Illinois at an early age, settling on Clear Creek, now in Christian County ; taught school and studied law, using books borrowed from the late Hon. John T. Stuart of Springfield; was elected tirst County Recorder of Christian County and. soon after, appointed Circuit Clerk, filling both offices three years. He also held the office of County Judge from 1848 to 1857; was twice chosen Representative in the General Assembly (1842 and 1850) and once to the State Senate (1862); in 1846, enlisted and was chosen Captain of a company for the Mexican War, but, having been rejected on account of the quota being full, was appointed Assistant-Quarter- master, in this capacity serving on the staff of General Taylor at the battle of Buena Vista. Among other offices held by Mr. Vandeveer, were those of Postmaster of Taylorville, Master in Chancery, Presidential Elector (1848), Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1862, and Judge of the Circuit Court (1870-79). In 1868 Judge Vandeveer established the private banking firm of H. M. Vandeveer & Co., at Taylorville, which, in conjunction with his sons, he continued successfully during the remainder of his life. Died, March 12, 1894.

VAN HORNE, William C., Railway Manager and President, was born in Will County, Ill., February, 1843; began his career as a telegraph operator on the Illinois Central Railroad in 1856, was attached to the Michigan Central and Chi- cago & Alton Railroads (1858-72), later being General Manager or General Superintendent of various other lines (1872-79). He next served as General Superintendent of the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul, but soon after became General Manager of the Canadian Pacific, which he assisted to construct to the Pacific Coast; was elected Vice-President of the line in 1884, and its President in 1888. His services have been recog- nized by conferring upon him the order of knighthood by the British Government.

VASSEUR, Noel C., pioneer Indian-trader, was born of French parentage in Canada, Dec. 25, 1799; at the age of 17 made a trip with a trading party to the West, crossing Wisconsin by way of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, the route pursued by Joliet and Marquette in 1673; later, was associ- ated with Gurdon S. Hubbard in the service of the American Fur Company, in 1820 visiting the

region now embraced in Iroquois County, where he and Hubbard subsequently established a trad- ing post among the Pottawatomie Indians, believed to have been the site of the present town of Iroquois. The way of reaching their station from Chicago was by the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers to the Kankakee, and ascending the latter and the Iroquois. Here Vasseur re- mained in trade until the removal of the Indians west of the Mississippi, in which he served as agent of the Government. While in the Iroquois region he married Watseka, a somewhat famous Pottawatomie woman, for whom the town of Watseka was named, and who had previously been the Indian wife of a fellow-trader. His later years were spent at Bourbonnais Grove, in Kankakee County, where he died, Dec. 12, 1879.

VENICE, a city of Madison County, on the Mississippi River opposite St. Louis and 2 miles north of East St. Louis; is touched by six trunk lines of railroad, and at the eastern approach to the new "Merchants' Bridge," with its round- . house, has two ferries to St. Louis, street car line, electric lights, water-works, some manufactures and a newspaper. Pop. - (1890), 932; (1900), 2,450.

VENICE & CARONDELET RAILROAD. (See Louisville. Evenstille & St. Louis (Consolidated) Railroad. )

VERMILION COUNTY, an eastern county, bordering on the Indiana State line, and drained by the Vermilion and Little Vermilion Rivers, from which it takes its name. It was originally organized in 1826, when it extended north to Lake Michigan. Its present area is 926 square miles. The discovery of salt springs, in 1819, aided in attracting immigration to this region, but the manufacture of salt was abandoned many years ago. Early settlers were Seymour Treat, James Butler, Henry Johnston, Harvey Lidington, Gurdon S. Hubbard and Daniel W. Beckwith. James Butler and Achilles Morgan were the first County Commissioners. Many interesting fossil remains have been found, among them the skeleton of a mastodon (1868). Fire clay is found in large quantities, and two coal seams eross the county. The surface is level and the soil fertile. Corn is the chief agricultural product. although oats, wheat, rye, and potatoes are extensively cultivated. Stock-raising and wool-growing are important industries. There are also several manufactories, chiefly at Dan- ville, which is the county-seat. Coal mining is carried on extensively. especially in the viein- ity of Danville. Population (1850), 41,588; (1890). 49,905; (1900), 65,955.

544

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

VERMILION RIVER, a tributary of the Illi- nois; rises in Ford and the northern part of McLean County, and, running northwestward through Livingston and the southern part of La Salle Counties, enters the Illinois kiver nearly opposite the city of La Salle: has a length of about 80 miles.

VERMILION RIVER. an affluent of the Wa- bash, formed by the union of the North, Middle and South Forks, which rise in Illinois, and come together near Danville in this State. It flows southeastward, and enters the Wabash in Vermilion County, Ind. The main stream is about 28 miles long. The South Fork, however, which rises in Champaign County and runs cast- ward, has a length of nearly 75 miles. The Little Vermilion River enters the Wabash about 7 or 8 miles below the Vermilion, which is some- times called the Big Vermilion, by way of distinction.

VERMONT, a village in Fulton County, at junction of Galesburg and St. Louis Division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. 24 miles north of Beardstown : has a carriage manu- factory, flour and saw-mills, brick and tile works. electric light plant, besides two banks, four churches, two graded schools, and one weekly newspaper. An arte-ian well has been sunk here to the depth of 2 600 feet Pop. (1900), 1,195.

VERSAILLES, a town of Brown County, on the Wabash Railway. 48 miles east of Quincy ; is in a timber and agricultural district; has a bank and weekly newspaper. Population (1900), 524.

VIENNA, the county-seat of Johnson County, situated on the Cairo and Vincennes branch of the Cleveland. Cincinnati. Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. 36 :ailes north-northwest of Cairc. It has a court house. several churches, a graded school, banks and two weekly newspapers. Population (1880). 491; (1890), $28; (1900), 1,217.

VIGO, Francois, pioneer and early Indian- trader, was born at Mondovi. Sardinia (Western Italy), in 1747, served as a private soldier, first at Havana and afterwards at New Orleans. When he left the Spanish army he came to St. Louis. then the military headquarters of Spain for Upper Louisiana, where he became a partner of Com- mandant de Leba, and was extensively engaged in the fur-trade among the Indians on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. On the occupation of Kaskaskia by Col. George Rogers Clark in 1778. he rendered valuable aid to the Americans. turn- ing out supplies to feed Clark's destitute soldiers. and accepting Virginia Continental money, at par, in payment, incurring liabilities in excess of

$20.000. This, followed by the confiscation policy of the British Colonel Hamilton, at Vincennes, where Vigo had considerable property, reduced him to extreme penury. H. W. Beckwith says that, towards the close of his life. he lived on his little homestead near Vincennes, in great poverty but cheerful to the last Ife was never recom- pensed during his life for his sacrifices in behalf of the American cause, though a tardy restitution was attempted, after his death, by the United States Government, for the benefit of his heirs. He died, at a ripe old age, at Vincennes, Ind., March 22, 1835.

VILLA RIDGE, a village of Pulaski County, on the Illinois Central Railway. 10 miles north of Cairo. Population, 500.

VINCENNES, Jean Baptiste Bissot, a Canadian explorer, born at Quebec. January. 1688, of aris- tocratic and wealthy ancestry. He was closely connected with Louis Joliet - probably his brother-in-law, although some historians say that he was the latter's nephew. He entered the Canadian army as ensign in 1701. and had a long and varied experience as an Indian fighter. About 1725 he took up his residence on what is now the site of the present city of Vincennes. Ind., which is named in his honor. Here he erected an earth fort and established a trading- post. In 1726, under orders, he co-operated with D'Artaguiette (then the French Governor of Illi- nois) in an expedition against the Chickasaws. The expedition resulted disastrously. Vincennes and D'Artaguiette were captured and burned at the stake, together with Father Senat (a Jesuit priest) and others of the command. (See also D'Artaguiette; French Governors of Illinois. )

VIRDEN, a city of Macoupin County, on the Chicago & Alton and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroads, 21 miles south by west from Springfield, and 31 miles east-southeast of Jack- sonville. It has five churches, two banks, two newspapers, telephone service, electric lights, grain elevators, machine shop, and extensive coal mines. Pop (1900), 2,280; (school census 1903), 3,651.

VIRGINIA, an incorporated city, the county- seat of Cass County, situated at the intersection of the Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis, with the Spring- field Division of the Baltimore & Ohio South- western Railroad. 15 miles north of Jacksonville. and 33 miles west-northwest of Springfield. It lies in the heart of a rich agricultural region. There is a flouring mili here, besides manu- factories of wagons and cigars. The city has two National and one State bank, five churches, a

545

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

high school, and two weekly papers. Pop. (1890), 1.002; (1900). 1.600.

VOCKE, William, lawyer, was born at Min- den, Westphalia (Germany ), in 1839, the son of a Government Secretary in the Prussian service. Having lost his father at an early age, he emi- grated to America in 1856, and, after a short stay in New York, came to Chicago, where he found employment as a paper-carrier for "The Staats-Zeitung," meanwhile giving his attention to the study of law. Later, he became associated with a real-estate firm; on the commencement of the Civil War, enlisted as a private in a three months' regiment, and, finally, in the Twenty-fourth Illinois (the tirst Hecker regi- ment), in which he rose to the rank of Captain. Returning from the army, he was employed as city editor of "The Staats-Zeitung," but, in 1865, became Clerk of the Chicago Police Court, serving until 1860. Meanwhile he had been admittel to the bar, and, on retirement from office, began practice, but, in 1870, was elected Representative in the Twenty-seventh General Assembly, in which he bore a leading part in framing "the burnt record act" made necessary by the fire of 1871. He has since been engaged in the practice of his profession, having been, for a number of years, attorney for the German Consulate at Chicago, also serving, for several years, on the Chicago Board of Education. Mr. Vocke is a man of high literary tastes, as shown by his publication, in 1860, of a volume of poems translated from the German, which has been highly commended, besides a legal work on "The Administration of Justice in the United States, and a Synopsis of the Mode of Procedure in our Federal and State Courts and All Federal and State Laws relating to Subjects of Interest to Aliens, " which has been published in the Ger- man Language, and is highly valued by German lawyers and business men. Mr. Vocke was a member of the Republican National Convention of 1872 at Philadelphia, which nominated General Grant for the Presidency a second time.

VOLK, Leonard Wells, a distinguished Illinois sculptor, born at Wellstown (afterwards Wells), N. Y., Nov. 7, 1828. Later, his father, who was a marble cutter, removed to Pittsfield, Mass., and, at the age of 16, Leonard began work in his shop. In 1848 he came west and began model- ing in clay and drawing at St. Louis, being only self-taught. He married a cousin of Stephen A. Douglas, and the latter, in 1855, aided him in the prosecution of his art studies in Italy. Two years afterward he settled in Chicago, where he

modeled the first portrait bust ever made in the city, having for his subject his first patron-the "Little Giant." The next year (1558) he made a life-size marble statue of Douglas. In 1860 he made a portrait bust of Abraham Lincoln, which passed into the possession of the Chicago His- torical Society and was destroyed in the great fire of 1871. In IsGS-60, and again in 1871-62, he revisited Italy for purposes of study. In 1867 he was elected academician of the Chicago Academy, and was its President for eight years. He was genial, companionable and charitable, and always ready to assist his younger and less fortunate pro- fessional brethren. His best known works are the Douglas Monument, in Chicago, several soldiers' monuments in different parts of the country, the statuary for the Henry Keep mausoleum at Watertown, N. Y., life-size statues of Lincoln and Douglas, in the State House at Springfield, and numerous portrait busts of men eminent in political, ecclesiastical and commercial life. Died, at Osceola, Wis., August 18, 1895.

VOSS, Arno, journalist, lawyer and soldier, born in Prussia. April 16, 1821: emigrated to the United States and was admitted to the bar in Chicago, in 1818, the same year becoming editor of "The Staats-Zeitung"; was elected City Attorney in 1552, and again in 1853; in 1861 became Major of the Sixth Illinois Cavalry, but afterwards assisted in organizing the Twelfth Cavalry, of which he was commissioned Colonel, still later serving with his command in Vir- ginia. Ile was at Harper's Ferry at the time of the capture of that place in September, 1862, but succeeded in cutting his way, with his command, through the rebel lines, escaping into Pennsyl- vania. Compelled by ill-health to leave the serv- ice in 1863, he retired to a farm in Will County, but, in 1869. returned to Chicago, where he served as Master in Chancery and was elected to the lower branch of the General Assembly in 1876, but declined a re-election in 1878. Died, in Chi- cago, March 23, 1988.

WABASH, CHESTER & WESTERN RAIE- ROAD, a railway running from Chester to Mount Vernon, Ill., 63.33 miles, with a branch extend- ing from Chester to Menard. 1.5 miles; total mileage, 64.83. It is of standard gauge, and almost entirely laid with 60-pound steel rails .- (HISTORY.) It was organized, Feb. 20. 1878. as successor to the Iron Mountain, Chester & East- ern Railroad. During the fiscal year 1893-94 the Company purchased the Tamaroa & Mount Ver- non Railroad, extending from Mount Vernon to

546

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

Tamaroa, 22.5 miles. Capital stock (1898), $1,- 250,000; bonded indebtedness, $690,000; total capitalization, 82,024,573.

WABASH COUNTY, situated in the southeast corner of the State; area 220 square miles. The county was carved out from Edwards in 1824, and the first court house built at Centerville, in May, 1826. Later, Mount Carmel was made the county-seat. (See Mount Carmel.) The Wabash River drains the county on the east: other streams are the Bon Pas, Coffee and Crawfish Creeks. The surface is undulating with a fair growth of timber. The chief industries are the raising of live-stock and the cultivation of cere- als. The wool-crop is likewise valuable. The county is crossed by the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis and the Cairo and Vincennes Division of the Cleveland. Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroads. Population (1880), 4.945; (1890), 11,866; (1900), 12,583.

WABASH RAILROAD, an extensive railroad system connecting the cities of Detroit and Toledo, on the east, with Kansas City and Council Bluffs, on the west, with branches to Chicago, St. Louis, Quincy and Altamont, Ill., and to Keokuk and Des Moines, Iowa. The total mileage (1835) is 1,874.96 iniles, of which 677. 1 miles are in Illi- nois-all of the latter being the property of the company, besides 176.7 miles of yard-tracks, sid- ings and spurs. The company has trackage privileges over the Toledo, Peoria & Western (6.5 'miles) between Elvaston and Keokuk bridge, and over the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (21.8 miles) between Camp Point and Quincy .- (HIS- TORY.) A considerable portion of this road in Illinois is constructed on the line upon which the Northern Cross Railroad was projected, in the "internal improvement" scheme adopted in 1837. and embraces the only section of road completed under that scheme-that between the Illinois River and Springfield. (1) The construction of this section was begun by the State, May 11, 1837, the first rail laid, May 9, 1838, the road completed to Jacksonville, Jan. 1, 1840, and to Springfield, May 13, 1842. It was operated for a time by "mule power." but the income was in- sufficient to keep the line in repair and it was finally abandoned In 1817 the line was sold for $21,100 to N. HI. Ridgely and Thomas Mather of Springfield, and by them transferred to. New York capitalists, who organized the Sangamon & Morgan Railroad Company, reconstructed the road from Springfield to Naples and opened it for business in 1849. (2) In 1853 two corporations were organized in Ohio and Indiana, respectively.

under the name of the Toledo & Illinois Railroad and the Lake Erie, Wabash & St. Louis Railroad, which were consolidated as the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad, June 25, 1856. In 1858 these lines were sold separately under foreclo- sure, and tinally reorganized, under a special char- ter granted by the Illinois Legislature, under the name of the Great Western Railroad Company. (3) The Quincy & Toledo Railroad, extending from Camp Point to the Illinois River opposite Meredosia, was constructed in 1858-59, and that. with the Illinois & Southern Iowa (from Clay- ton to Keokuk), was united, July 1, 1865, with the eastern divisions extending to Toledo, the new organization taking the name of the main line, (Toledo, Wabash & Western). (4) The Hannibal & Naples Division (49.6 miles), from Bluffs to Hannibal, Mo., was chartered in 1863, opened for business in 1870 and leased to the Toledo, Wabash & Western. The latter defaulted on its interest in 1875, was placed in the hands of a receiver and, in 1877, was turned over to a new company under the name of the Wabash Railway Company. (3) In 1868 the company, as it then existed, promoted and secured the con- struction, and afterwards acquired the owner- ship. of a line extending from Decatur to East St. Louis (110.5 miles) under the name of the Deca- tur & East St. Louis Railroad. (6) The Eel River Railroad, from Butler to Logansport, Ind., was acquired in 1877, and afterwards extended to Detroit under the name of the Detroit, Butler & St. Louis Railroad, completing the connection from Logansport to Detroit. - In November 18.9. the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway Com- pany was organized, took the property and con- solidated it with certain lines west of the Mississippi, of which the chief was the St. Louis, Kansas City & Northern. A line had been pro- jected from Decatur to Chicago as early as 1870, but. not having been constructed in 1881, the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific purchased what was known as the Chicago & Paducah Railroad. uniting with the main line at Bement, and (by way of the Decatur and St. Louis Division) giv- ing a direct line between Chicago and St. Louis. At this time the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific wat operating the following additional leased lines: Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur (67.2 miles); Hannibal & Central Missouri (0.2 miles); Lafayette. Mun- cie & Bloomington (36.7 miles), and the Lafayette Bloomington & Muncie (80 miles). A connection between Chicago on the west and Toledo and Detroit on the east was established over the Grand Trunk roal in 1852, but. in 1890, the com-

547

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

pany constructed a line from Montpelier, Ohio, to Clark, Ind. (149.7 miles), thence by track lease to Chicago (17.5 miles), giving an independent line between Chicago and Detroit by what is known to investors as the Detroit & Chicago Division.

The total mileage of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific system, in 1884, amounted to over 3,600 miles; but, in May of that year, default having been made in the payment of interest, the work of disintegration began. The main line east of the Mississippi and that on the west were sepa- rated, the latter taking the name of the "Wabash Western." The Eastern Division was placed in the hands of a receiver, so remaining until May, 1889, when the two divisions, having been bought in by a purchasing committee, were consolidated under the present name. The total earnings and income of the road in Illinois, for the fiscal year 1898, were 84,402,621, and the expenses $4,836,110. The total capital invested (1898) was $139,889,643, including capital stock of $52,000,000 and bonds to the amount of $91,- 534,000.

WABASH RIVER, rises in northwestern Ohio, passes into Indiana, and runs northwest to Hun- tington. It then flows nearly due west to Logans- port, thence southwest to Covington, finally turning southward to Terre Haute, a few miles below which it strikes the western boundary of Indiana. It forms the boundary between Illinois and Indiana (taking into account its numerous windings) for some 200 miles. Below Vincennes it runs in a south-southwesterly direction, and enters the Ohio at the south-west extremity of Indiana, near latitude 37° 49' north. Its length is estimated at 557 miles.

WABASH & MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD. (See Illinois Central Railroad.)

WABASH, ST. LOUIS & PACIFIC RAIL- ROAD. (See Wabash Railroad.)

WABASHI & WESTERN RAILROAD. (See Wabash Railroad.)

WAIT, William Smith, pioneer, and original suggestor of the Illinois Central Railroad, was born in Portland, Maine, March 5, 1789, and edu- cated in the public schools of his native place. In his youth he entered a book-publishing house in which his father was a partner, and was for a time associated with the publication of a weekly paper. Later the business was conducted at Boston, and extended over the Eastern, Middle, and Southern States, the subject of this sketch making extensive tours in the interest of the firm. In 1817 he made a tour to the West,

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2, Part 12

Author: Dyson, Howard F., 1870- History of Schuyler County. 4n Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1126

Author: Dyson, Howard F., 1870- History of Schuyler County. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1126