USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 35
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EARLY SETTLERS.
To reach the beginning of Taylorville Town- ship it is necessary to go back as far as 1818,
which was an important era in the Illinois his- tory as it marks the admission of the state into the Union, when John S. Sinnet came into that part of Illinois now embraced in the present township of Taylorville in Christian County.
Following John S. Sinnet, Mrs. Prents, a widow came into the township with her sons, William C., John and Simeon, and not long thereafter Daniel C. Goode became a resident of the county. Other pioneers were: William Wallis, a Mr. Langley, Jesse Murphy, Aaron Vandeveer, the Young family, comprising Col. Thomas S., Marcus L. and John, John Gore, Sr., Thomas Dawson, Thomas S. Leachman, Frank Hanes, Ezekiel S. Young, William Thomas, Mor- gan Goode, James Waddle, John W. Wheat, Philip C. Ferguson, James R. Lucas, the East- ham and Gooden families, W. S. Frick and H. M. Vandeveer.
PIONEER INCIDENTS.
The first marriage accredited to Taylorville Township took place on January 1, 1841 when John Gilbert and Clara Ann Young were united in marriage by Rev. Aaron Vandeveer. Their marriage license was the twenty-sixth to be issued in Christian County. Sarah Lucas was the first white child born in Taylorville Town- ship. The first death was that of "Cockle" Reece who owned and operated the first grocery in Taylorville. The pioneers of Taylorville Township passed throughout the same experi- ences which fell to the lot of all early settlers in this part of Illinois. Foodstuffs were costly and hard to obtain so that the pioneers had to rely upon themselves and their ability to use natural products to eke out their larder. Fortu- nately for them wild game abounded, while many of the streams carried fish which were to be had for the catching. Wild honey was plentiful and many of the men gained distinc- tion as bee hunters. Not only did these hunt- ers look for the honey, but for the wax as well, for it had then, as now, a distinct market value, and could be sold, or traded at any of the larger points.
EARLY ROADS.
The roads were non-existent, or consisted of a widened Indian trail, or an equally poor one made by the feet of the whites as they wended their laborious way along between their tiny cabins and the settlements where they could do
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OLD SOLDIERS' MONUMENT, OAK HILL CEMETERY, TAYLORVILLE
HIGH SCHOOL, TAYLORVILLE
TEMPLE OF THE TAYLORVILLE LODGE, No. 1516 LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
their trading. Generally these roads were im- passable save to the trusty horses, so journeys had to be made on horseback. It was many years after the formation of Christian County before proper transportation facilities were af- forded by the railroads, and when court was held, the judge and attorneys rode to the county seat, as did all of the parties to the pending suits who owned horses, the remainder trudging along on foot.
AMUSEMENTS.
Political campaigns afforded great entertain- ment inasmuch as then men of prominence went about making speeches which were listened to by the entire community, and local and national questions were freely discussed. The pioneers were a sturdy people, much more inclined to take life serionsly and soberly, than to strive to find new forms of amusement. They did not shirk amusements, on the contrary they looked for- ward eagerly to whatever offered relaxation from their strenuous daily toil, but they did not regard fun as the main object in life, and per- haps because of that while there was less in- dividual wealth in those days, there was very much less poverty, and crime seldom paid this section a visit.
TAYLORVILLE.
There is little history of Taylorville Town- ship that can be separated from that relating to the city of Taylorville, for as it is an im- portant business center, as well as the county seat, all matters pertaining to the township, naturally centers in the municipality that bears the same name.
LOCATION.
Taylorville bears the distinction of being equi- distant between Springfield, Decatur, Shelby- ville and Hillsboro. It had its beginnings on May 24, 1839, when the county seat was here located by a commission appointed by the legis- lature for that purpose, and the land selected was then the property of Daniel C. Goode who had entered it from the government December 14, 1835. Mr. Goode conveyed the property to Dr. Richard F. Barrett and John Taylor, M. Eastham and Robert Allen who had it surveyed and platted. At the time this site was selected for the county seat, Allentown and Edinburg were candidates for the honor, and it has always
been a matter of conjecture as to the reason that led the commissioners to select a site then farm land, instead of an already established com- munity. Perhaps in so doing they displayed ex- cellent judgment, for had one or other of the towns named been selected jealousy would have been fostered, and in time factions would have arisen that might have precipitated one of those distressing county seat fights which have al- most disrupted some of the counties of Illinois and other states. As it is there has never been any question about changing the location of the county seat, and Christian County has been spared the expense of moving its county build- ings and records, and has been able to concen- trate upon the one point so that today Taylor- ville is admittedly one of the model county seats of the country.
ADDITIONS.
The original plat of Taylorville contained SO acres, or 360 lots. Since then the following additions have been made to it : Anderson's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Additions ; Armstrong's Addition ; Barrett's Addition ; Barnes' Addition; Chew's Addition ; Coleman's Addition; Cheney's Addi- tion ; City Park Addition; City Park Out Lots ; City Park 2nd Addition; Colegrove's 1st and 2nd Additions ; Drennan's Addition; Dougher- ty's Addition ; Frink's Addition ; Foy and Sharp's Addition ; Goodrich's 1st and 2nd Additions ; Goodrich's 3rd Addition ; Good's Addition ; Haw- thorue, Hogan and Potts, Hogan and Drennan, Highland Park, Highland Park Sub Extended, Harrington Heights, Hewitt's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Sub Division; Jaynes, Kinney's Lemmon's, Lemaster's, Lewis and Colegrove, Milligan, Maxwell's, Murray's, Phillip's, Powell's, Ryan's 1st and 2nd Additions, Rick's and Gan- dy's ; Rockwell's Additions; Thompson, Turn- er's, and Shumway 1st, 2nd, 3rd Additions, Shumway & Johnson's, Snodgrass & Wilkinson, Voss, Vollintine's 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Additions ; Wilkinson's 1st, 2nd and 3rd, A. J. Willey's Sub. Division ; Wilkinson & Johnson's Addition.
The city as a whole now comprises about 500 acres, or about 450 blocks.
PRINCIPAL STREETS.
The principal streets are: Adams, Ash, Bid- well, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Cottage, Elm, England, Esther, First, Florence, Franklin, Gandy Avenue, Madison, Main, Main Cross,
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Market, North, Oak, Palmer, Park, Pawnee, East Pleasant, Poplar, Prairie, Rich, Second, Steven- son, Third, Thompson, Vandeveer, Vine, Walnut, Washington, Webster, Wyandotte. The popu- lation approximates 8,000 people, but there are fully three times as many people who look to Taylorville as a source of supply, and of this number, many bring grain, stock and other sup- plies to this point for shipment to outside mar- kets.
POST OFFICE.
The post office was established early, and was kept in the courthouse, H. M. Vandeveer being the first postmaster. Rural free delivery was established out of Taylorville, July 1, 1902. Three routes were established at that time and later increased to seven. On March 15, 1917 a re-adjustment of routes was made and the sev- enth was eliminated. City carrier service was begun on December 1, 1902. At present there are five city carriers serving the patrons of the postoffice.
The postal receipts of the Taylorville office now aggregate approximately $19,000 annually and more than 27,000 money orders were issued and paid during the year ending which repre- sents a money order business estimated at more than $100,000 annually. Postmaster T. J. Cun- ningham and his force have been housed in a new building since August 1, 1917. This building has been erected on a lot 150 by 135 feet, which is a portion of Walnut block, lying one block south of the square. This lot was purchased from the Vandeveers at a cost of $12,000. The building is 80 by 60 feet in size and it contains a large work room, 30 feet by SO feet, post- master's office, vault, money order office, an elegant lobby and spaces for several sections of boxes. A basement extends under the entire building. It contains the boiler for heating the building, a large store room and toilets, shower bath and rest rooms for the employees. The building completed has cost about $60,000. An interesting feature of the new building is an arrangement which permits an inspector, him- self unobserved, to see what is going on in any department of the office. This system is called the "silent policeman."
ORIGIN OF NAME.
Taylorville was named for John Taylor, one of the commissioners who located the county
seat at this point, a man of note at Spring- field where he resided. For many years he was a well known factor in affairs of this part of the state as he was registrar of the land office.
EARLY RESIDENTS.
The first house of Taylorville was a small frame one. 12x12 feet, erected by H. M. Vande- veer in 1839, and as he had been appointed clerk of the new county, he used his residence for all county purposes until the erection of the court- house in 1840, when his records were moved to their proper quarters. During the winter of 1839-40, some buildings were moved from Allen- ton and Edinburg. With the shifting of a busi- ness center, goes the population and many find it cheaper to move buildings already erected, than to chance their lying idle while new ones are put up at the newer town. There are many cases where almost an entire community is shifted, business concerns, residents and houses. Samuel Reece kept the first grocery store in a residence that had been moved from Edinburg. His stock of goods was in one end, while he lived in the other. The second store was opened by Dr. Alexander Ralston and a Mr. Gilbert, in what had been the office of Dr. Ralston. About this time Benjamin L. Yates opened a general store. During the year 1846 the firni of Walker, Phelps & Co. of Carlinville brought what was then regarded as a very large stock of goods to a small store on the north side of the public square. This stock was valued at $1,700, and people were amazed at the magnitude of the undertaking. The first physician of Taylorville was Dr. Slater, and Dr. Ralston was the second. Other early physicians were: Drs. Higby, Chapman and Goudy. Rev. Michael Shunk preached the first sermon at Taylor- ville.
EARLY PRICES.
Until the building of the railroad, however, Taylorville grew very slowly. The Great Eastern stage line passed through the place daily, but stocks of goods were transported with difficulty, and farmers had to haul their wheat to Spring- field and then only received from thirty-five to forty cents per bushel for it. Pork was worth $1.50 per hundredweight. Beef sold for $2.00 per hundredweight. With butter from five to six cents per pound, and potatoes from fifteen
Mary . A. Leinhart e
George Leinhart
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
to twenty cents a bushel there was not much in- centive to the farmer to exert himself to pro- duce much more than he needed for his own use, and as he had but little money he could not spend a large amount, and so trade lan- guished, for then as now, the wealth and pros- perity of the community was dependent upon the financial condition of the farmers.
MANUFACTURERS.
Abel Connor, a blacksmith, has the distinction of being the first manufacturer of Taylorville, for he produced a number of articles in his blacksmith shop for the farmers. Jesse Langley built a mill on Spring Branch in 1837, located a mile and one-half east of Taylorville, and obtained his power by means of an inclined wheel driven by cows, perhaps the only one of its kind in the county. For three or four years Mr. Langley operated the mill to grind corn and barley for a distillery he also conducted, and to grind the grain for his neighbors. Later he sold this mill and it was taken to the Northi Fork. Dr. Goudy built the first steam grist and saw mill at Taylorville in 1850. It had only one set of burrs but it cost $2,000 and was regarded as a very pretentious plant in its day. Its loca- tion in the southeastern part of Taylorville, proved an incentive to the growth of the place, and new residences built of the lumber sawed by this mill, sprung up all over the place. It was burned in 1853. The first steam flouring mill was erected in the western part of Taylor- ville during 1853 by William T. Sprouse & Com- pany, and was really an excellent plant. During 1860, after it has changed hands several times, the mill was bought by C. W. Davis and turned into a woolen factory. In 1872 it was con- verted back into a custom flouring mill, but later was abandoned. V. T. Priest built a merchant steam flouring mill during 1859, locating it in the southern part of Taylorville. It had four pairs of burrs, and was operated under the name of Forest Mills. The cost of this mill was $15,000, and it was destroyed by fire in 1872. Another steam flouring mill was built in 1868 by Reuben Wilkinson, John W. Price and William S. Moore. This mill which has been operated , under the name of the Ruth Mills, cost $30,000. It is now operated by Baughman Bros. under the name of the Ora Home Milling Co. An- other early concern was that of Sattley Bros. who manufactured agricultural implements, or-
ganizing their concern in 1869. They had an output in 1880 of about 600 sulky plows, about the same number of walking plows and about 400 cultivators.
LATER INDUSTRIES.
18GS ORA HOME MILLING COMPANY. In Reuben Wilkinson, John W. Price and William S. Moore erected a steam flouring mill known as the "Ruth Mills" in the northeast part of the village of Taylorville, on the Ohio & Michi- gan Railroad, now the Baltimore & Ohio. This mill was operated by Price and Wilkinson with success for more than forty years. In June, 1911, it was bought by S. E. Baughman and his two sons, Warren Baughman and Sam Baugh- man as equal partners and the name changed to the Ora Home Milling Company, under which name it is now operated. In 1916, S. E. Baughman died and since that time the busi- ness has been carried on by Warren and Samuel Baughman. The mill is equipped with the latest improvements and appliances and has a capacity for manufacturing 200 barrels of four every twenty-four hours. Two brands of flour are now being manufactured in this mill, the Ora Home, made from hard wheat, and the Golden Crown, a soft wheat flour. Cornmeal and graham flour are also produced. For some time the principal markets for Taylorville flour have been Chicago and the east. Lately, how- ever, some contracts have been taken for ex- port. The proprietors are not certain that they want to bid for the foreign trade, but in view of the conditions created by the World War which is now going on, it is likely that Taylor- ville will help to feed the American and Allied armies in Europe through the Ora Home Mills.
THE E-Z OPENER BAG COMPANY are manufac- turers of the famous oak brands of paper bags. The White Oak Mills where the paper is made is an important Taylorville plant located at the northeast city limits on the Wabash Railroad. The plant occupies several frame buildings and a new three-story brick building 180x275 feet in dimensions, where from thirty-five to forty tons of paper are made daily. H. E. Westervelt of South Bend, Ind., is president of the company, E. C. Westervelt is vice president, Frank Brewer is treasurer and general manager, and O. L. Hammond is secretary. The company own and operate bag factories at Decatur, Ill .. Fulton, N. Y., and Orange, Tex., and the Live
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Oak Pulp and Paper Mills at Braithwaite, La. The local plant gives employment at present to about fifty skilled hands. For some time prior to 1910 bag machines were in operation in the Taylorville factory. About that time, however, they were removed to Decatur and since then the plant has been devoted ex- clusively to the manufacture of paper.
THE CABIRANGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY was originally located at Belleville, Ill., where they did a flourishing business in the manufac- ture of cooking ranges under the management of L. R. Halloway, In 1917 the advantages of Taylorville as a manufacturing center were brought to the attention of the company through the activities of the hustling Taylorville cham- ber of commerce. A stock company was soon organized and the business removed from Belle- ville. The old Hirschfield and Piper foundry on Cherokee Street was made over to suit the needs of the new business and suitable ma- chinery was installed. This company manu- factures a stove called a Cabirange which burns hard or soft coal, wood, coke or gas. The stove is made in three models, one for coal, one for gas and a combination model which burns either coal or gas. The Cabirange is claimed to be the most efficient, economical and scientific range ever offered to the public. The company is composed of the following men : Glenn Shumway, president; L. R. Holloway, manager and secretary ; E. R. Wright, treasurer. Many other prominent business men are stockholders.
RAILROADS.
For many years Taylorville strove to secure a railroad through the town, and those outside the county seat were interested in any measure that had for its object the uniting of the dif- ferent and outlying sections of the county with the seat of government, as well as with distant markets. It was not until 1856 that anything definite was accomplished, but in that year Dr. Goudy went to the legislature and secured from that body a liberal charter for the Pana and Springfield Railroad, and perfected the charter of the Decatur and East St. Louis Railroad. While nothing was done with these charters, the matter was kept before the public, and subse- quently Taylorville secured its railroad, the Pana and Springfield running its first train over its tracks from Pana on October 28, 1869. Soon thereafter the Decatur and St. Louis Railroad
was completed, and from then on Taylorville has had a steady and healthy growth, and since 1910 the increase has been phenomenal. The Balti- more & Ohio Railroad, the Wabash Railroad and the Chicago & Illinois Midland Railroad pass through the city at this time.
CITY INCORPORATION.
In 1882 it was decided to present to the people at a general election held April 18, 1882, a measure providing for the incorporation of Taylorville as a city, which was carried by a decisive vote. Accordingly Taylorville was in- corporated as a city, and the following officials were elected on May 31, 1882: Thomas W. Long, mayor; James White, city clerk ; George B. Crooker, city attorney ; F. P. Drennan, treas- urer ; A. S. Martin, superintendent of streets ; John Kennell, city marshal; and Marshall Sat- tley, D. D. Shumway, Charles Powell, Patrick Honan, S. II. Skiles, Peter C. Rape, aldermen.
MAYORS,
Since then the following have served Taylor- ville as mayors : B. V. Martin, 1883-85; James A. Culver, 1885-86; A. P. Osborne, 1886-87 ; J. R. Smith, 1887-89; James B. Ricks, 1889-91; H. Jayne, 1891-93; R. B, Temple; E. Bach; R. B. Temple ; F. A. Zimmerman; W. R. Nickodemus ; James W. Leigh; A. T. Kinney, 1907-1911; T. J. Downey, 1911-13; Walter Provine, 1913-15; W. S. Scott, 1915-17.
CITY CLERKS.
Since 1882 the following have served Taylor- ville as city clerks : James M. Lydy ; William A. Whitecraft; John Perry, 1887-88; T. E. Mc- Caskill, 1888-89; E. J. Rhodes, 1889-91; Frank Rogers, 1891-96; J. F. Henson, 1896-97; Charles Campbell, 1897-1907 ; John Bumgardner, 1907-13; Noah Jones, 1913-17 ; James Hunter, 1917 -.
CITY ATTORNEYS.
The city attorneys have been as follows : Joseph C. Creighton, 1883; Sherman H. Haines, 1889-90; Thomas A. Adams, 1890-91; James B. Abrams, 1891-93; W. S. Greer, 1893-95; David M. Sharp, 1895-97 ; A. H. Raines, 1897, resigned, Leroy Anderson appointed ; Leroy Anderson, 1899-1903; James E. Sharrock, 1903-05; Arthur
J. O. Leinhart.
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
Yockey, 1905-07; L. J. Taylor, 1907-11; Harry B. Hershey, 1911-12; George Wallace, appointed, 1912-13; E. E. Adams, 1913-17.
CITY MARSHALS.
During 1SS9 W. R. Eltzroth was marshal; and E. A. Campbell served in 1891.
CITY TREASURERS.
The treasurers have been as follows: Ben F. Simpson, 1SS9; C. A. Parish, 1891; J. W. Bum- gardner, 1893 ; A. S. Martin, 1895 ; W. D. Hoover, 1897.
POLICE MAGISTRATES.
The police magistrates have been as follows : K. E. Willcockson, 1884-88; John E. Hogan, 1888-92; W. H. Kaup, 1892-96; Alfred Adams, 1896.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
In addition to the county buildings at Taylor- ville, which are treated of at length elsewhere in this work, the city has the following public buildings: A fine Carnegie library, a commo- dious city hall, and an elegant government build- ing which was erected in 1917. Taylorville has not been backward in giving its people the ad- vantage of modern improvements, and early began an agitation for securing city water. For some time the matter was held pending a proper appreciation of the question, but eventually a definite beginning was made. The city secures an inexhaustible supply of excellent water from two large wells which tap a subterranean lake.
Taylorville has some of the best paved streets and sidewalks in the county. These improve- ments add very materially to the beauty of the city, which is recognized as one of the most desirable residence locations in this part of the state.
LIBRARY.
The Taylorville Public Library had its begin- ning when several prominent women met in the lecture room of the Christian Church on Janu- ary 11, 1898, and organized the Taylorville Woman's Club for the distinct purpose of found- ing a "City Library." Those present were:
Mrs. C. R. Spicer, Mrs. Winifred Taylor, Mrs. S. K. Strother, Mrs. J. C. Tureman, Mrs. W. E. Andrews, Mrs. D. D. Shumway and Miss Mar- garet S. Martin. Mrs. Tureman was made presi- dent and Mrs. Spicer, secretary. The club, true to its object soon appointed a library committee with Mrs. S. S. Taylor, chairman. This com- mittee, by entertainments made a beginning of what was known as the Library Fund. The fol- lowing year with Mrs. M. Bonbrake as chairman, this committee canvassed the town soliciting books and periodicals suitable for a library and reading room.
When 700 books had been collected, the com- mittee called upon the city council at its regular meeting in November, 1899, presenting the 700 volumes to the city as a nucleus for a public library. The club agreed to maintain the same for one year upon condition that the city furnish a suitable room for library and reading room, maintain same by city tax and at all times give to women a majority representation on the board of directors. Mayor E. Bach and board of alder- men received the committee, accepted the books and provided a pleasant room on the first floor of the city hall, appropriating fifty dollars to- ward its furnishing.
At a meeting of the city council, December 18, 1899, an ordinance was passed in accordance with the statute of the State of Illinois, levying a tax of not more than two mills on the dollar for the maintenance of a public library. A board of directors was appointed by the mayor. They were: Mrs. W. E. Andrews, Mrs. M. Bon- brake, Mrs. J. C. Tureman, Mrs. Bly, Mrs. J. B. Ricks, Miss Martin, Mrs. Evans, Mr. C. H. Shamel and Mr. L. B. Purnell. On January 3, 1900, this board of directors met and organized, electing Mrs. J. C. Tureman, president ; Miss Martin, secretary and Mrs. Ricks, treasurer. Mrs. Nina S. White was employed as librarian and much credit is due her for her faithful in- terest in getting the library fully established. On January 6, 1900, the library was formally opened to the public, with a reception given by the Woman's Club, more than 500 citizens called and expressed their delight that Taylorville was at last in possession of this educational feature.
Mrs. White resigned as librarian in Septem- ber, 1900, and Miss Eva Bourne was placed in charge. In November, 1900, the library was moved to a large room on the second floor of a building on the west side of the square, known as the Shumway block, the use of the room
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY
being donated for one year by Hon. J. N. C. of great help and a valuable member. Mr. C. Shumway. M. Parker, who died in 1916 was perhaps the most valuable member and the most interested man on the board. His whole life was given to things educational and his influence, his busi- ness judgment and kind personality will remain with his co-workers always as a benediction.
The Woman's Club according to agreement maintained the library from time of organiza- tion, until March, 1901 (when the first tax was collected and paid into the library fund) raising for this purpose, under the direction of Mrs. Bonbrake and Mrs. D. W. Johnston, as chair- man of committees the sum of $418.63. This sum was augmented later by a second series of lectures, known as the Library Lecture Course. After doing excellent work as librarian for two years, Miss Bourne resigned in December, 1902. and Miss Aline Emery was elected librarian.
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