Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1, Part 46

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 864

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mother-in-law, Mrs. Benjamin Stiiiman, a widow, with three sons and three daughters, and they soon went on to the north side of the Sanga- mon River, where they settied in what is now Williams Township. Mr. Stewart died at the home of his daughter, Roxana Stewart, April 16, 1872, In the ninety-fifth year of his age.

Wililam A. Stewart, a son of the preceding, who was born in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1809, and came with his father to Sangamon County in 1820, served as a soldier in the Black Hawk War and was a uephew of Maj. Josiah Stiliman, of Stiiiman Run memory. During the Civil War he was connected with the navai service on the Mississippi River under command of Com. Foote, being employed in fitting out gunboats and as pilot, and later serving as Government Inspec- tor of steamboats at Cincinnati. The head of the Stillman family was Mrs. Abigall Stillman, widow of Benjamin Stiliman and mother of Josiah Stiiiman.

William Proctor came in 1820 or '21, settiing on Section 7 in what is now Wlliiams Township, but iater sold his piace to Isaac Constant, and went to Lewiston, Fulton County, where he died about 1874.

Ambrose Cooper was born in Botetourt County, Va., in 1796, was taken by his parents to Smith County, Tenn., in 1821 moved to St. Clair Coun- ty, Iil., and in the fall of 1823 to Sangamon County, settling two miles east of the vliiage of Sherman. He served as a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and the later years of his life were spent in Ciear Lake Township. Meredith Cooper, a brother of Ambrose, came about the same time and settied in what is now Fancy Creek Town- ship, west of the village of Sherman.

John Simpson, born in Tennessee in 1801, when a young man went to St. Clair County, Ili., there married Mary Tayior, and after living for a short time in Shelby County, came to Sangamon County in 1824, locating in Williams Township.

Jacob Yocum, born in a fort or biock-house in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1810 married Mary Booth, and after spending a number of years In Montgomery County, that State, in 1827 came to Marion County, Iil., aud thence, in November, 1828, to what is now Williams Township.

John Taylor, born in Maryland In 1772, in childhood was taken by his parents to South Carolina, where he married Susan Mobley and, in 1818, came to White County, Iii., removed thence in 1819 to Wayne County, and, in 1829,

Oldfield

1900

John D. Schuff

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

to Sangamon County, settiing on Woif Creek, Williams Township. Three of his children, Simeou, James and Isaac, settied permanentiy in Sangamon County.

Isaac Constant, born in Clarke County, Ky., Aprii 3, 1789, married in 1811, and in October, 1830, moved to Sangamon County, Ili., settiing in Williams Township. George W., a son of Isaac Constant, was born near Winchester, Ky., in 1818, and came with his father to Sangamon County in 1830, and became one of the prominent land-hoiders in Williams Township.

Others who came before or about the period of the "deep snow," included David Riddie, Michaei Mann, Captain Hathaway, Solomon Brundage, John Staliings and Samuei Wiison.

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS .- The first school in the townsbip was taught in the winter of 1822- 23 in a log cabin on Fancy Creek by Patrick Lynch. Another early teacher was Erastus Wright, who was iater a well-known citizen of Springfield. His school in Williams Township was taught in a cabin on Section 7 as early as 1823.

Elder Stephen Engiand is thought to have con- ducted the first religious exercises, aithough Revs. Sims, Cormack and Cartwright were early itinerants in this field, representing the Meth- odist denomination. The first reguiar service conducted by a Methodist minister was held in the house of David Riddle in 1821.

The first marriage was that of Philo Beers and Martha Stillman, this being aiso the first marriage to take piace north of the Sangamon.

MILLS .- The first mili in Williams Townsbip for grinding grain was a band-mili run by horse- power, put in operation by a Mr. Herbert in 1820, but was continued only two years. This is ciaimed by some to have been the first mili north of the Sangamon River.

David Riddle also built a water-miil on Wolf Creek in 1825, with two run of burrs-one for wheat and one for corn. This was conducted at different periods by Thomas Constant, Alexander Edmonds, John Simpson, George Fisher and John Johnson, the latter demolishing the mili in 1854.

VILLAGES .- The first attempt to start a village in Williams Township was made in April, 1836, when a viliage under the name of "Cicero" was platted by Archibald F. Constant, but it had no growth and passed out of existence.

What is now the village of Williamsviiie,

tweive miies east of north from the city of Springfield, was platted on laud owned by Abra- ham V. Fiagg, on Section 4 in Williams Town- ship, in 1853, and the first public sale of iots was heid on September 14th of that year. The place was first called Benton, in honor of Senator Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri, but about the time of the application for the establishment of a postoffice there in 1854, the name was changed to Williamsville. This was also about the time of the construction of the Springfield & Bloom- ington Division of the Chicago & Aiton Railroad, which had its influence in promoting the growth of the village. Its location in the heart of a prosperous agriculturai aud stock-growing region has made it an important point for the shipping of grain and live stock. Schools and churches of different denominations are weii represented in Williamsville. The village was formaily in- corporated in 1866, and according to the census of 1910 had a population of 600.

There are two other railway stations besides Williamsviiie in the township, Seibytown, on the Chicago & Alton, two miles southwest of Wii- iiamsville, and Barclay, on the Illinois Centrai Railroad, in the center of a coal-mining district. in the southeast corner of the township. The iatter has a population of about 250.

The population of Williams Townsbip (1910), was 2,011.

WOODSIDE TOWNSHIP.

Woodside Township, situated in the centrai part of Sangamon County, embraces the whole of Town 15 N., R. 5 W., with the exception of a small area in the northern part of the congres- sional township embraced in the city of Spring- field and Capitai Township. It is bounded on the north by Capital and Springfield Townships, east by Rochester, south by Bali and west by Cur- ran Township. The township is watered in the southern part by Lick Creek and the eastern part by Sugar Creek and their branches, is weil sup- plied with timber along the streams, and the rest of the township consists of rich prairie iand.

The first permanent settiement in the town- ship was made in 1819 by Zachariah Peter, who came to what is now Sangamon County during the previous year and spent several months with Robert Puliiam, the first settler in Baii Town- ship, as well as in Sangamon County. In the

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

spring of 1819 Mr. Peter located a claim on Sec- tion 27 in Woodside Township. He was a native / of Amherst County, Va., and at two years of age was taken by his parents to Washington County, Ky., where he remained until coming to Illinois in 1818. He served by appointment of the Legislature as oue of three Commissioners to locate the county-seat of Sangamon County, and for many years was one of the County Commis- sioners. He died in Springfield, Angust 5, 1864.

Other early settlers of this region Included Jesse Southwick and his son William; Nicholas, Alfred and Thompson Pyle; George Stout, Joseph Insley, William Higgins, Thomas Cloyd, William Ilawes, Willlam Jones and Joseph Withrow.

Joseph Insley came in 1819 and settled on Section 27 in what is now Williams Townshlp, served for a number of years as Justice of the Peace and died in 1867.

Jesse Southwick was born near Lehanon, Conn., about 1762, there married Nancy Moore and later moved to Oneida County, N. Y., where their four children died of what was called the "cold plague." After living a number of years in Sene- ca County, N. Y., in 1819 he embarked with his . family at Olean Point, Cattarangus County, N. Y., on a flatboat, and in company with James Stewart and others mentioned in the sketch of Williams Township, descended the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers to Shawneetown, Ill., comlng thence to Milton, near Alton, In Madison County, and in March, 1820, came to what is now Sanga- mon Connty, settling on Sugar Creek, slx and a half iniles southeast of Springfield within the present limits of Woodside Township. He died September 25, 1826, and his wife In 1845.

Willlain Southwick, the son of Jesse South- wick, was born at Junlus, Seneca County, N. Y., Fehrnary 9, 1807, in 1820 came with hs father's family to what is uow Woodside Township, in Sangamon Connty, being then thirteen years old, and there spent the remainder of his life on the farm on which his father first located. Three sons of William Southwick-David, James W. . and John-served as soldiers during the Civil War.

Thomas Cloyd, sou of David Cloyd, was born in Botetonrt County, Va., Jannary 14, 1798, went with his parents in 1815 to Washington County, Ky., there married Ann Withrow in 1820, and in 1824 removed to Fayette County, Ill., whence one year later he come to Sangamon County, first

settling In Curran Township, but later became a resident of Woodside Township.

Nicholas Pyle came from England before the Revolutionary War, and settled in South Car- olina, there married and reared a famlly, finally coming to St. Clair County, Ili., with his aged wife and two youngest sons, Thompson and Al- fred. In 1825 he came to Sangamon County, locating in what is now Woodslde Township, where he died some four years later. Thompson Pyle died in 1870 and his brother Alfred in St. Clair County in 1853.

George Stont was one of the first comers to Williams Township but later removed to Texas, whence he returned to Iilinois and died at the home of his son Cooper in Washington County.

Joseph Witiirow, a native of Pennsylvania, for several years lived in Virginia and Kentucky, but in 1825 moved to what is now Woodside Township, Sangamon County, where he died in 1850.

Japhet A. Ball, born in Madison County, Ky., July 5, 1800. while a young man learned the trade of a blacksmith, with his brother John, at Clarksville, Tenn., married Sarah Henderson iu 1828, and after living for a time at Eddyville, Ky., in December, 1825, came to Woodside Town- ship, Sangamon Connty.

George Bryan, a native of North Carolina, born in 1758, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and In 1780 is reputed to have come withi Daniel Boone to Kentucky, locating in the vici- nity of what afterwards became the city of Lex- ington. In 1834 Mr. Bryan came with some of his children and grandchildren to Sangamon Connty, Ill .. later making frequent visits on horseback to Kentucky. He dled November 22, 1845, at the age of uearly eighty-eight years, and was buried near Woodside Station.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES :- The first school in Woodside Township was taught in the historic log schoolhonse sometime previous to the "deep snow." The first free schooi was established in 1845 near tile Woodside Station.

No record has been preserved of the first re- Iiglous exercises in Woodside Towuship, but it is thought probably that they were conducted by . Rev. James Sims, who was one of the early Methodist preachers in this vicinity. During 1838 a subscription was started for the erection of a church building, which resulted in the erec- tion in 1839 of the "Old Harmony Church" on the site of what is now the cemetery near Wood-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

side Station. This was constructed largely by the subscribers, but iater has given place to a more modern building.

The Bethel Church was organized by Elder A. J. Kane of Springfield, and has had a prosperous growth. The congregation met for worship in the schoolhouse in the neighborbood uutii 1861, when a house of worship was erected in conjunction with the Baptists.

INDURTRIAL ENTERPRISES. - Woodside Towu- slilp, being an especially rich agricultural and stock-growlug region in close proxinulty to tbe city of Springfield, has naturally become the cen- ter of extensive and constantly growing dairying industry. What was known as the Sangamou County Dalry was established by Tisdale and Whitcomb in 1876, and this bas had a prosper- ous development.

The coal mining ludustry has been especially successful in Woodside Township, the Powers mine, adjacent to Iies Junction, just soutb of Springfield, being opened in 1866, the second mine put in operation in Sangamon County, a year after the discovery of coal by E. P. How- lett at Riverton. The first shaft was sunk to a deptlı of 250 feet. when a vein of five and a half to six feet was discovered, and mines have been operated successfully in this vicinity ever since, although the mining fieid in Sangamou County has siuce been greatiy extended, especially east and north of the city of Springfield. For many years Sangamon County was the largest pro- ducer of coal, but in 1907 it took second rank, being surpassed by Williamson County, with St. Clair County third on the list.

Woodside Township, being closely connected with the city of Springfield, which embraces a smali area originaliy constituting a part of Woodside Township, contains no incorporated villages, aithough there are five rallway sta- tions within its limits : Iles at the junction of the Chicago & Alton and the Wabash Rallroads ; Woodside Station on the Chicago & Alton Rail- road; Toronto and Galton on tbe Ililnols Cen- tral, and Tansey on the Baltimore & Obio South- western. The Wabash Railroad also runs through the northwestern portion of the town- ship.

The population of Woodside Townsblp (1910), was 2,232.

CHIAPTER XVIII.

SANGAMON COUNTY PRESS.

INFLUENCE OF TIIE PUBLIC PRESS-ITS EVOLUTION IN ILLINOIS-NUMBER OF PERIODICAL PUBLICA- TIONS IN TIIE STATE IN 1911-HISTORY OF SPRINGFIELD PAPERS-SANGAMON SPECTATOR TIIE FIRST NEWSPAPER VENTURE-LATER PUBLICA- TIONS-THE SANGAMO JOURNAL FOUNDED BY SIMEON FRANCIS IN 1831-SUBSEQUENT CHANGES AND LATER EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS-BECOMES TIIE ILLINOIS STATE JOURNAL IN 1855-ILLINOIS STATE REGISTER REMOVED FROM VANDALIA TO SPRINGFIELD IN 1839-SUBSEQUENT HISTORY- LATER AND PRESENT DAILY PAPERS-CAMPAIGN JOURNALS-GERMAN PAPERS->FRATERNITY AND PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS-SUMMARY OF COUNTY RURAL PRESS-TOTAL OF PUBLICATIONS IN SANGAMON COUNTY IN 1911.

(By Paui Selby.)

No profession or branch of business under any form of government by wbich freedom of speech and of the press Is assured, is capable of ex- ercising so wide au influence, for evll or for good, upon publle sentiment and popular opinion in the community in which It circulates and finds the largest number of its readers, as tbe daily and weekly journals or the magazines of less frequeut Issue, especially when conducted with intelilgence and ability. This is especialiy true of the press In American communitles, where the discussion of questions of popular Interest on economic and pollticai Issues are more freely conducted, and reacb a larger pro- portlou of appreciative readers than in any other country in the world. The press is not only consulted for information regarding current events, but is studied by a large class of readers for suggestlons as to personai actlon with ref- erence to politicai, moral and economie questions. In Illinois, it has not merely kept pace with the growth of population, industriai aud financiai development, but has ied every otber brancb of industry and enterprise in development as to methods and extent, utilizing every species of electrical and mechanical Invention for tbe col- lection of news and the piacing it before the

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

public with as littie delay as possible. In tbis respect its growth in the last half-century has been as extraordinary as tbat of any other in- dustry or business enterprise, and in no other State has this evidence of progress been more strikingly exemplified tban in Illinois.

According to the "Newspaper Directory" for 1911, issued by N. M. Ayer & Son, the whole number of newspapers and periodicals being published in the State of Illinois for that year aggregated 1792, this number being exceeded only by that of the State of New York, which amounted for the same period to 1988, while Pennsylvania ranked as third with 1402, the in- crease in Illinois in two years (1909-11) hav- ing been 92; in New York, 11, and the de- crease in Pennsylvania 73. Of the whole num- ber of publications in Illinois a little over 500 were issued in the city of Chicago, representing creed, industry and profession, as well as many foreign (European) nationalities and languages. As to frequency of issue the total of 1792 was classified as follows: Daily, 181; tri-weekly, 2; semi-weekly, 37; weekly, 1,084; fort-nightly, 3; three times per montb, 1; semi-monthly, 29; monthly, 438; semi-quarterly, 1; bi-monthly, 7; quarterly, 9-tbe different places of publication amounting to 648.

SPRINGFIELD NEWSPAPERS .- It appears to be a well authenticated fact that the first newspaper issued in Sangamon County was the "Sangamo Spectator," which was established in Springfield in the latter part of 1826 by Hooper Warren, tbe most notable of the pioneer journalists of Iili- nois, both on account of the number of newspa- per ventures with which he was associated at different times, and the importance of the issues with which he had to deal, as well as the in- fluence he exerted during the formative period of State history. Mr. Warren is reputed to have come to Springfield during the winter of 1826- 27, as the result of his retirement from the "Edwardsville Spectator" in 1825, after having previously spent a short time in connection with the "National Crisis" at Cincinnati, Ohio. After spending about three years in Springfield, dur- ing which time he did most of the work, both mechanical and editorial, on the "Spectator," be sold out to S. C. Meredith, the paper then taking the name of the "Sangamo Gazette."

Under its new name tbe "Gazette" had but a brief existence, during the year 1830 being followed by the "Courier," established by George

Forquer, then Attorney-General of Illinois, in conjunction with his half-brother, Thomas Ford, afterwards Governor of the State, but his ven- ure does not appear to have lasted more than one year. There is a tradition that Samuel S. Brooks, who had been connected with the pub- lication of the "Crisis' at Edwardsville after Hooper Warren ieft that place, established tile "Illinois Heraid" at Springfield about 1830 or '31, but this seems to have had a shorter life than any of its predecessors.

ILLINOIS STATE JOURNAL .- Tbe year 1831 marked an epoch in the history of journalism in Springfield and Illinois when Simeon Fran- cis, a thoroughly trained printer in his native State of Connecticut, and who had had con- siderable experience in newspaper work in Buf- falo, N. Y., and elsewhere, came to Springfield and, in the fail of that year, in conjunction with his brotber, Josiah Francis, established the "Sangamo Journal" as a weekly paper, which ultimately became the "Illinois State Journal." The first issue of the "Sangamno Journal" bears the date of November 10, 1831, and the paper bas had a continuous existence to the present time, covering a longer period than any other paper in the State, while its files-the most com- plete to be found in the State-are being care- fully preserved in the library of the State His- torical Society. The first location of the office was at the southwest corner of Wasbington and Fiftb Streets, but in 1835 it was removed to a frame building erected by the Francis Brothers on the northeast corner of Sixth and Washington Streets. Here it remained about eighteen years, when the firm took possession of a commodious brick building a half block farther north on Sixth Street, which continued to be the place of publication under different proprietorships, untii November, 1879, when it was removed to its present location on South Sixtb Street just north of the Leland Hotel.

The first issue of the paper was as a weekly, a six-column folio sheet, but on October 24, 1835, it was enlarged to seven columns, still later undergoing various changes and enlargements, one of these being tbe taking on of the eight- page or quarto form. In September, 1847, the name of tile paper was changed to the "Illinois Journal," about the same time Albert T. Bledsoe, who was a graduate of West Point, and later gained some reputation as a lawyer and minister of the Methodist Church South, becoming asso-

MOSES SCHROYER

MRS. MOSES SCHROYER

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY

ciate editor for a short time. In August, 1855, a few weeks after the retirement of Mr. Francis, the paper took its present name of "Illinois State Journal."

On June 13, 1848, the first daily edition was issued. This was a three-column (12 inches long) four-page sheet, and contained the first telegraphic dispatch published by a Springfield paper. Eleven days later the size was increased to four columns, aud in January, 1830, and again iu December, 1853, it underwent other enlarge- meuts. About the beginning of the Civil War it was enlarged to a seven-column. aud stiil later to au eight-column, foiio; in July, 1880, was changed to a six-columu quarto, and still iater, under its present management, to a seven- column quarto shect. At the present time, daily (Including Sunday), semi-weekly and weekiy editions are published.

From its first issue the "Journal" was a sturdy champion of the political principles of the Whig party as advocated by Henry Clay and, although its publishers, in consequence of their Eastern origin, had to face considerabie preju- dlće in a community made up largely of citi- zens of Southern birth, there is evidence that it exerted much political influence in the fact that Sangamon County almost uniformly returned a majority for the candidate for office on the Whig ticket up to the date of the organiza- tion of the Republican party. While Simeon Francis was united with his brothers in the management of the paper during this period, his uame always stood at the head of the con- cern untii the sale of the paper to Messrs. Bailhache & Baker, and his final retirement in July, 1855.

Mr. Francis was a uative of Wethersfield, Conn., born May 14, 1796, served an apprentice- ship in a printing office in New Haven, and later began his newspaper career at New Lon- din, Conn., and Buffalo, N. Y., coming to Spring- fieid, Iii., in 1831, and there establishing the "Sangamo Journal," the early history of which has already been given. He was a man of quiet unobtrusive habits, but sturdy character, and always gave his support, as an editor and a citizen, to measures tending to the promotion of public interests. He was one of the most zealous supporters of the Illinois State Agricul- tural Society and for several years served as its Recording Secretary, in this capacity taking a prominent part in the first State Fairs. After

his retirement from the "Journal," he estab- lished the "Illinois Farmer," which he continued for some three years, when he went to Oregon, was there connected with the publication of the "Oregon Farmer," served as President of the Oregon Agricultural Society and, during the Civil War, was appointed by President Lincoln Paymaster in the regular army, spending the last two years of his life in retirement on half- pay. During his connection with newspaper work in Springfield, Mr. Francis became the close personal friend of Mr. Lincoln, and much of the reputation of the paper and the wide acquaintance throughout the State with Mr. Liu- coln's character and his attitude on important State and National issues grew out of this rela- tionship. Mr. Francis died at Portland, Oregon, October 25, 1872.

William H. Bailhache and Edward L. Baker, the successors of Simeon Francis in proprietor- ship of the "Illinois State Journal," had pre- viously been connected with the "Alton (Iil.) Telegraph." Mr. Baker was a native of Kaskas- kia, Ill., a son of David J. Baker, a prominent lawyer in early Illinois history. Bailhache as- sumed business management of the paper and Baker became editor, tinis relation continuing until after the beginning of the Civil War. During the war MIr. Bailhache became Assistant Quartermaster, with the rank of Captain, by ap- polntment of Mr. Lincoln, later being promoted to Major by brevet. After the war he resumed his connection with the "Journal" for a time, was later associated with the "Quincy Whig." and for four years was Receiver of Public Mon- eys at Santa Fe, N. M., but on March 12, 1905, died at San Diego, Cal., where he had held the position of Special Agent for the Treasury De- partment by appointment of President Mckinley.

Mr. Baker retained his connection with the "Journal" until 1873, in the meantime having served as Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Springfield District from 1869 untli the abolition of that office. Iu 1874, by appointment of Presi- dent Grant, he assumed the duties of United States Consul at Buenos Ayres, S. A., continu- Ing in that position twenty-five years, and dis- charging the duties with efficiency and to the satisfaction of the Government untii his death on July 8, 1897, as the result of a railroad ac- 'cident in the city of Buenos Ayres. (Fuller sketches of both Maj. Bailhache and Mr. Baker

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume II, part 1, Part 46

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913 Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 864

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago, Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 864