USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 24
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FARMERS AND THEIR FARMS.
The census of 1840, the first taken after the organization of Cass County, gives 582 persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in this county. By 1870 there were 2,231 engaged in farming, and we had 92,902 acres of improved lands, and
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of unimproved woodland, 33,493 acres; other unimproved lands, 6,604 acres. All of this land was valued at $4,591,535. It will be interesting to note that in 1910 the farm lands amounted to 207,007 acres, and the woodland land, 26,114 acres, and the unimproved included in or con- nected with farms, 13,161 acres. The value of all tarm lands was placed at $24,458,480. The values have nearly doubled since 1900, when they were at $12,658,084, an increase of 93.2 per cent.
A comparison of the figures of the production of the cereals in the county in the years 1870 and 1910 will show better than any words what progress has been made in agriculture.
1870 1910
Wheat, 139,219 bu. Wheat, 765,025 bu. Corn, 2,675,106 bu.
Corn, 1,146,980 bu.
Oats, 2,772 bu. Oats, 393,2Số bu.
Rye, 4,136 bu.
Rye, 5,293 bu.
Hay, 4,136 tons. Hay, 10,337 tons.
All other crops have increased in like ratio.
Quoting of additional figures would add little to the value of the information. The above clearly proves that the farmers of Cass County have kept up with the improved conditions and the progress of the times.
INCREASED HOME COMFORT.
The homes of the farmers have been greatly improved, and many indeed that within the mem- ory of persons yet living, had but log cabins or other rude, comfortless houses, now have every modern convenience, including a water supply throughout the house, electrie lights, and hot air or steam heat, and every detail the ingenuity of man has provided to make home life enjoyable, in the way of material comforts.
CASS COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. -
About 1853 the matter of organizing agricul- tural societies and of holding county fairs was agitated throughout the state, and many such were organized. On January 2, 1856, the Cass County Agricultural Society was organized at the courthouse at Beardstown, At a subsequent meeting held at Virginia, on June 15 of the same year, a constitution for the society was reported by a committee which had been previously appointed to draft and present the same, and was adopted. Nothing further was done that year, but in the following year it was thought
best to incorporate a Fair Grounds Association, and an application was made to the Legislature, through Dr. Samuel Christy, who then repre- sented Cass County in the lower house, and a charter was granted on February 17, 1857. The incorporators named were : John Prunty, William Stevenson, Samuel H. Petefish, Jacob Ward, James M. Hill, David Epler, and Isaae M. Stri- bling. The name given the organization was The Cass County Fair Grounds Association. This association purchased of Robert Hall 10 acres of ground adjoining Virginia on the west, and leased it to the agricultural society which had been organized the previous year. Both societies were composed of nearly the same persons, and frequently the same men were elected officers of both organizations. The first officers of the agricultural society were: Francis Arenz, presi- dent ; Ezra Dutch, treasurer ; John W. Sweeny, secretary, and John W. Seamon, James Hickey, Milton Stribling, John Prunty and Ebenezer Fish, directors. This organization continued in existence and held annual fairs until about 1886, when it was discontinued. New officers were elected each year and exhibits of live stock and agricultural products were encouraged by the offer of liberal prizes. These tairs were a great source of entertainment, education and culture, and their effect was felt by the agricultural com- munity, and aided materially in producing the excellent results in farming shown by the com- parative figures given above.
THE VIRGINIA PARK ASSOCIATION.
The Virginia Park Association had been organ- ized aud incorporated July 8, 1881, by R. W. Rabourn, George Conover and J. N. Gridley, who opened books for stock and a large number of persons interested in agriculture and stock rais- ing subscribed. The last few county fairs were held under the auspices of this association which had bought the old fair grounds. The last one was held in 1889. Following that a few racing meets were held, but no agricultural fairs until 1891, when John McHenry and Charles A. Mar- tin concluded to attempt the holding of a fair themselves. The association offered generously to donate the use of its grounds, and these two gentlemen proceeded to select a suitable corps of assistants and held what was known as "The Big Fair," and it was, in fact, a big fair. The Farmers' Alliance was then still in existence, and it was thought advisable to interest that
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body. The best attractions were sought and many obtained. That year was about the begin- ning ot the scheme of sending out "advertising cars" by some of the western land companies to advertise their land by exhibiting products of the soil, etc. One of these exhibits was secured from Texas, and the B. & O. S. W. Rail- road Company was induced to lay a spur track into the grounds. The car made a very attract- ive and interesting exhibit. Another feature of the fair was addresses by prominent persons on the afternoon of each day. No county fair in the state ever gathered together on tour suc- cessive afternoons so many prominent and able men of national repute as were gathered in Virginia the second week in Angust, 1891. There were : Gov. Joseph Fifer, of Illinois, who was then in the executive chair; ex Governor Hnb- bard, of Texas, who had been ambassador to Japan under President Cleveland ; ex-Governor and Senator Palmer of Illinois, and Senator Peffer, the Populist, of Kansas. It is needless to say that this array of prominent visitors attracted a large audience, which, together with all the other attractions and exhibits, made the fair very successful. The next year the same persons held a fair, however with less success, but without financial loss, but, feeling that the risk was too great, and because of the further fact that the World's Columbian Exposition was to be held at Chicago in 1893, and many people believing, with excellent reason, that there would be very little interest taken in local fairs, it was decided not to hold another fair. The appre- hension of the interference of the World's Fair proved to be well founded, as connty fairs all over the state suffered very materially thereby. Cass County has never since held an agricultural fair. At the March term of the Circuit Court of Cass County, in 1910, a bill was filed to dis- solve the Park Association, upon which bill a decree was rendered during the January term of said court in 1911, and on February 11, 1911, a sale of the real estate of the association, the old Fair Grounds, was made to Marcellus C. Petefish, who built thereon a fine residence, and turned the beautiful park into a splendid suburban home.
FARMERS' INSTITUTES.
By legislative act, approved June 24, 1895, Farmers' Institutes were organized, regular meetings being required held in each of the con-
gressional districts once a year. Connty organ- izations were formed, and Cass County, which has always been active in any movement to advance the interests of the farming industries or better its condition, formed an organization, and has been holding meetings annnally for a number of years. The purpose and original design of this organization was to enconrage practical education among the farmers, and to assist in developing the agricultural resources of the state. To this end, at the meetings, such topics as cultivation of varions crops, the care and breeding of domestic animals, dairying, horticulture, farm drainage, and improvement of highways, are discussed, and a lecture is usually delivered on some one or other of these subjects by some one scientifically and practically informed. The effect of the work of this organ- ization has been materially felt, and the excel- lent results are seen in every locality of the county. Very much of the increased production and valuable improvement are traceable to the active participation in this movement by the energetic farmers of Cass County.
CHAPTER XVI.
EDUCATION.
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PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEAD-THE ENABLING ACT-CON- STITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1870 ON EDUCA- TION-A BEGINNING OF THE FREE SCHOOL SYS- TEM-AGITATION FOR APPOINTMENT OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT -- FREE SCHOOL ACT PASSED IN 1855 -- NONE BUT FREE SCHOOLS NOW IN CASS COUNTY-VIRGINIA SEMINARY OF PROVIDENCE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-VIRGINIA SEMINARY OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH- UNION COLLEGE OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBY- TERIAN CHURCH-REVIEW OF EARLY SCHOOLS- TEACHERS AND PUPILS RECALLED-MONROE PRE- CINCT EARLIEST IN THE FIELD-WALNUT GROVE OR PRINCETON-RICHMOND PRECINCT-PUNCHEON GROVE - HICKORY - BLUFF SPRINGS - OREGON- PANTHER CREEK OR CHANDLERVILLE-ARENZ- VILLE -- ASHLAND - HISTORY OF BEARDSTOWN SCHOOLS BY HON. JOHN LISTMAN-ONE TEACHER RETAINED FOR ALMOST A HALF CENTURY-VIR-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
GINIA SCHOOLS-LARGE LOSSES BY FIRE-FINE MODERN STRUCTURE-APPORTIONMENT OF TEACH- ERS - SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS LEAD.
The educational interests of Cass County are represented almost exclusively by the public schools. With the exception of a few parochial schools, maintained by some of the church organ- izations, which do not in any way interfere with the attendance of their pupils on the public schools, the whole school system and institutions of learning are under the supervision of the officers created by the school laws establishing a free school system for the state of Illinois. The state was very slow in adopting the sug- gestion made in the ordinance of 1787, "for the government of the territory northwest of the River Ohio," which appears in Article III of that ordinance and is as follows: "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good govern- ment and happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged."
THE ENABLING ACT.
The act of Congress of April 18, 1818, to enable the people of Illinois to form a constitution and state government, commonly spoken of as "the enabling act," emphasized the idea that schools should have governmental support by submit- ting for acceptance by the state, the proposition contained in an act of Congress passed May 17, establishing the rectangular system of land measure, that section number 16 in every town- ship (and when such section has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, as contiguous as may be) shall be granted to the state, for the use of the inhab- itants of such township for the use of schools. The constitutional convention for the new state of Illinois met at Kaskaskia, and on August 26, 1818, passed an ordinance accepting the ena- bling act, including the proposition concerning the reservation of section 16 of every township for the use of the schools. Notwithstanding this reminder before them, the delegates to that con- vention omitted to mention the subject in the constitution. Not a word was said about schools in the entire instrument, and although there was, under the reservation, thousands of acres of valuable land set aside as a source of revenue
for this most laudable purpose, no safeguards were thrown about the control of management of this vast estate. There was no word of encouragement, much less any mandatory pro- visions concerning the establishment of schools to reap the benefits of the wise and generous donation of the general government. Nor was the second constitution any better. It made no reference directly to the establishing of schools, but only incidentally mentioned the subject in section 3 of article 9, providing that certain property including necessary school property should be exempt from taxation, and again in section 5 of the same article, vesting corporate authorities, including school districts with power to "assess and collect taxes for corporate pur- poses."
It was not until the constitutional convention of 1870 that the citizens of the state appear to have deemed the subject of sufficient importance to entitle it to notice. That constitutional con- vention devoted an entire article of the new constitution to education.
The first section is in the following manda- tory language.
"The General Assembly shall provide a thor- ough and efficient system of free schools whereby all children of this state inay receive a good common school education." These words are few, but are broad and sweeping in their import. They have received a very liberal construction by the Supreme court of this state.
The second section provides for the faithful application of all school funds, donations of prop- erty, grants and gifts to the objects for which they were made. Had some provisions of a like character been incorporated in the first consti- tution, or even in the second, there would have been less devastation of the school property and especially of the school land reserved by the government. There would have been no selling of vast territories of the school lands at inade- quate prices, and the money borrowed by the state to pay current expenses. The third section prohibited the making of any grant or appropria- tion of public funds for or in aid of any church or sectarian purpose. The last section provided for the election and qualification of a county superintendent of schools for each county. The public schools are products of evolution in the educational line. It is true that after a certain period in the life of our state, and for that mat- ter of all the western states, there appeared to be a new birth of educational thought and meth-
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
ods of pedagogy, and indeed in everything per- taining to the teaching and training of the child mind, but, nevertheless when it is examined closely, it will be found to be an evolution of the early system of subscription schools.
BEGINNING OF FREE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The first attempt to establish a free school systein for the entire state was made by Hon. Joseph Duncan, in 1825, then state senator from Jackson County, who subsequently became a congressman, and later governor of the state of Illinois. The act was passed in January, 1825, and provided that two dollars ont of every hun- dred received in the state treasury should be appropriated and distributed to those who paid taxes or subscriptions towards the support of schools. The aggregate revenues of the state at that time, however, were so small that the snm realized from the measure amounted to less than $1,000 per annum. While nothing defi- nite came of this act, and it was repealed in 1829, yet it was in the right direction, and no donbt had its influence on later legislation. The appointment of a state superintendent of, public instruction was agitated from abont the time Cass County was created, 1837, and was urged by educational conventions and by the limited educational press, and even in the legislature, but there was no provision of law for it, and it was not until 1854 that an act was passed creat- ing the office. The Hon. Ninian W. Edwards was appointed by Gov. Joel Matteson and held the office for two years.
The legislature of 1855 passed an act which was approved February 15, 1855, providing for a complete system of free schools for the entire state. The constitution of 1848 was then in force, but although it said nothing in encourage- ment of schools, free or otherwise, yet it did not Jimit the powers of the legislature in matters of school legislation, and hence it was slow methods of evolution that delayed the cnact- ment of any measnre helpful in a general sense towards building up an efficient school system. The constitution of 1870, as has been intimated, did not interfere with the prior school legisla- tion, but made it mandatory npon the legislature to maintain what legislation we had, or enact better, in order that the state might have an efficient free school system. A great many amendments have been made to the school law of 1855, but the general system that law laid out
yet prevails and nnder it Illinois has evolved as excellent a school system, and as practical educa- tional institutions as are to be found in any of the states of the Union.
As was said in the beginning of this chapter, Cass County has the public free school system, only. It has no seminaries, universities or col- leges. At one time there was a seminary, which was later changed in name at least to a college, but that is long since ont of existence. In 1857 the legislature passed an act approved Feb- rnary 16 of that year, incorporating the "Vir- ginia Seminary of Providence Presbyterian Church," with the following persons named as incorporators : James White, A. G. Angier, George Wilson, R. B. Conn, J. N. White, John Rodgers, H. R. Lewis, Samuel McClure, William Stephenson, A. Taylor, S. W. Neely, J. Van Eaton, and N. B. Beers. No seminary ever seems to have been built, bought or conducted by this corporation so far as can be learned.
By an act of legislature approved June 14, 1852, the "Virginia Seminary of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church" was incorporated. This corporation purchased a tract of land in the . southwest corner of section 3, and a small tract adjoining in section 10, township 17, range 10, West, in Cass County, and by 1854 had built a good sized edifice to be nsed as a seminary. The school was opened and conducted until the spring of 1857, when for some reason which is unknown and cannot be learned, an application was made to the legislature for a change of name, and by an act of that body approved June 1, 1857, the name was changed to the "Union College of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church," and by that name succeeded to all corporate rights and property of the former cor- poration. It is not known who the first instruct- ors were. I. H. Miller had charge in 1860, and Rev. McDowell from about 1863 to 1865. The college did not prosper, and the church digni- taries who had originally founded it became discouraged, the building was becoming greatly in need of repair, and it was thought best by the incorporators and the Presbytery to dispose of the property. Upon investigation, however, it was found no anthority existed in the trustees to sell or dispose of their burden, and to relieve the situation, a new corporation was formed, and incorporated as an amendment to the two pre- vious acts mentioned. The act was approved and in force March S, 1869. The original name was assumed, the new incorporators being :
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Thomas Wilson, Henry H. Hall, John Rodgers, Henry Freeman, Milton Berry, William Camp- bell, A. C. Crandall, J. B. Craft, Z. W. Gatton, and their successors. They were vested with all the rights and property of the former seminary and the Union College, and power to sell and convey the property was conferred. The school continued for another year, and then, it being very apparent that even under the new cor- poration it had not long to live, the Sangamon Presbytery of the Cumberland church, pursuant to the authority granted them in the last named act, concluded to sell and dispose of the property before it became absolutely useless. Thereupon it met upon September 2, 1870, and directed the trustees to sell the property, adopting the fol- lowing obituary resolutions :
"Whereas, the Virginia Seminary of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church is in a dilapidated condition, unsuited to keep a school therein with- out extensive repairs, and whereas, there is no money in the board treasury with which to repair, and whereas, the seminary has ever failed to meet the wishes and expectations of its best friends, and whereas, three of the school districts including Virginia, have consolidated for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a graded school in the town, and whereas, the directors of the united districts have caused an election to be held which has resulted in authorizing them to borrow $5,000 to be spent in purchasing school property, and whereas, they have determined to commence building this fall in the event they cannot buy the seminary, in which case we could not compete with this school nor sell the property ; therefore, resolved : That as Presbytery we instruct our. board of trustees to sell the entire seminary property to the directors of Union District No. 1, town of Vir- ginia, Cass County, Ill., for school purposes alone."
The price was fixed at $5,000, and the trustees were left to agree upon such terms as they thought best as to payments, interest on deferred payments. etc. Following this authority, the trustees sold the property to the trustees of schools of township 17, n., range 10, w., for the use of the inhabitants of the Union District. The deed bears date of May 17, 1871. The orig- inal building was built by George W. Weaver, a contractor and builder of Beardstown, and after the Union District took possession extensive repairs were made and the building served as a public school for many years. The
seminary went by the name Union College for a long time, even after the name had been changed back to that under which it was first incorporated. With this one exception, however, as before stated, institutions of learning in Cass County have been the public tree schools.
REVIEW OF EARLY SCHOOLS.
A review of the early schools of the county will be of interest. Outside of the towns and villages and even in some of them, it is difficult to obtain definite information, as to the estab- lishment of schools in the various parts of the county before and about the time of the adoption of the free school system, but the following is fairly accurate, and will at least serve the pur- pose of enlightening the present and future gen- erations of the difficulties under which the rudi- ments of an education were obtained by onr forefathers.
Thomas S. Berry came from Virginia in 1829, a distance of over 900 miles, on horseback, carry- ing all he possessed in the way of worldly goods in saddle bags. He stayed with Benjamin Strib- ling on a farm about one and one-halt miles west of the present site of Virginia, the first winter, and the next two winters he taught a subscription school in a cabin near the Strib- ling home. He seems to have been the first teacher in the central part of Cass County. William Holmes, afterwards the first representa- tive in the legislature from Cass County, taught the first school held near Sngar Grove, now a part of Philadelphia Precinct, in 1831. The school was held in the cabin of Mr. Holmes, which he had built when he came into the county. and had abandoned for the new frame house he built further north. Mr. Holmes is said to have been an excellent teacher, but rather too kindhearted and lenient with the unruly. Keel- ing Berry taught a subscription, or what was sometimes termed a select school from November, 1839, to September, 1840, in a log house built on section 27, township 17, range 10.
EARLIEST IN THE FIELD.
Monroe Precinct seems to have been the carli- est in the field with a school. James Davis had come to the neighborhood in 1826, and entered the west half of the southwest quarter of sec- tion 12, township 17, range 11, and being of a progressive nature and realizing that it was
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
necessary to facilitate legitimate progress by providing opportunities for the children to acquire some schooling, proposed to the neigh- bors, in 1829, that if they would render assist- ance, he would permit a schoolhouse to be built on his land, suggesting as a location a spot south of his house on the south side of the highway which ran westerly about where the present highway is along the George Davis farm, and that he would contribute money and labor as well in order to provide a place where the chil- dren might be taught at least their "a-b-abs." Within a month from the time this generous offer was made, an appreciative collection of settlers had a log schoolhouse up and provided with puncheon benches for the children to sit on, and a large 2-inch plank set up on four stout iegs or pegs for the teacher's desk; and some greased paper pasted over the openings cut in certain of the logs, for windows. Behold the temple of learning was ready for use. Jesse Pierce was the first teacher, and had for some of his pupils the Clark children, David, Thomas and Patience; James A., Julia Ann, John and Thomas Davis ; Emily Spencer, Jake Shoopman, James and Nelson Graves, George Savage, Logan, Samuel and Mary Wilson, and Isaiah and Syl- vester Huffman. William Chapman was the next teacher and taught for one term, when he was followed by John Gelespie, who was an excellent teacher and remained several terms. The burning of the old schoolhouse terminated his connection with the district. The chimney of this schoolhouse was built like most of the chimneys of the residence cabins, that is with sticks laid up like the logs of a house, and daubed with mud. Inside the fireplace the daub- ing was thicker and was supposed to be burned hard like brick and impervious to the fire, but a portion had cracked and fallen out and one night the chimney got on fire and soon spread to the building and burned it to the ground. The people soon had another cabin up and supplied it with glass windows, much to the delight and pride of the children.
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