Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Edgar County, Part 109

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell
Number of Pages: 876

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

a number from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wiscon- sin, Iowa and Minnesota. At this meeting a Committee was appointed to prepare a plan of organization for a National Grand Council, which was carried out at Cleveland, Ohio, on the 20th of May following-the constitution, ritual and. signs of the Illinois organization being adopted with slight modifications. The revised obligation -taken upon the Bible, the Declaration of Inde- pendence and the Constitution of the United States-bound members of the League to "sup- port, protect and defend the Government of the United States and the flag thereof, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, " and to"bear true faith and allegiance to the same"; to "defend the State against invasion or insurrection"; to support only "true and reliable men" for offices of trust and profit; to protect and defend worthy members, and to preserve inviolate the secrets of the order. The address to new mem- bers was a model of impressiveness and a powerful appeal to their patriotism. The organization extended rapidly, not only throughout the North- west, but in the South also, especially in the army. In 1864 the number of Councils in Illinois was estimated at 1,300, with a membership of 175,000; and it is estimated that the total mem- bership, throughout the Union, was 2,000,000. The influence of the silent, but zealous and effect- ive, operations of the organization, was shown, not only in the stimulus given to enlistments and support of the war policy of the Government, but in the raising of supplies for the sick and wounded soldiers in the field. Within a few weeks before the fall of Vicksburg, over $25,000 in cash, besides large quantities of stores, were sent to Col. John Williams (then in charge of the Sanitary Bureau at Springfield), as the direct result of appeals made through circulars sent out by the officers of the "League." Large contri- butions of money and supplies also reached the sick and wounded in hospital through the medium of the Sanitary Commission in Chicago. Zealous efforts were made by the opposition to get at the secrets of the order, and, in one case, a complete copy of the ritual was published by one of their organs; but the effect was so far the reverse of what was anticipated, that this line of attack was not continued. During the stormy session of the Legislature in 1863, the League is said to have rendered effective service in protecting Gov- ernor Yates from threatened assassination. It continued its silent but effective operations until the complete overthrow of the rebellion, when it ceased to exist as a political organization.

UNITED STATES SENATORS. The follow- ing is a list of United States senators from Illinois, from the date of the admission of the State into the Union until 1899, with the date and duration of the term of each: Ninian Edwards, 1818-24; Jesse B. Thomas, Sr., 1818-29; John McLean, 1824-25 and 1829-30; Elias Kent Kane, 1825-35; David Jewett Baker, Nov. 12 to Dec. 11, 1830; John M. Robinson, 1830-41; William L. D. Ewing, 1835-37; Richard M. Young, 1837-43; Samuel Mc- Roberts, 1841-43; Sidney Breese, 1843-49; James Semple, 1843-47; Stephen A. Douglas, 1847-61; James Shields, 1849-55; Lyman Trumbull, 1855-73; Orville H. Browning, 1861-63; William A. Rich- ardson, 1863-65; Richard Yates, 1865-71; John A. Logan, 1871-77 and 1879-86; Richard J. Oglesby, 1873-79; David Davis, 1877-83; Shelby M. Cullom, first elected in 1883, and re-elected in '89 and '95, his third term expiring in 1901; Charles B. Far- well, 1887-91; John McAuley Palmer, 1891-97; William E. Mason, elected in 1897, for the term expiring, March 4, 1903.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (The New). One of the leading educational institutions of the country, located at Chicago. It is the outgrowth of an attempt, put forth by the American Educa- tional Society (organized at Washington in 1888), to supply the place which the original institution of the same name had been designed to fill. (See University of Chicago-The Old.) The following year, Mr. John D. Rockefeller of New York ten- dered a contribution of $600,000 toward the endow- ment of the enterprise, conditioned upon securing additional pledges to the amount of $400,000 by June 1, 1890. The offer was accepted, and the sum promptly raised. In addition, a site, covering four blocks of land in the city of Chicago, was secured-two and one-half blocks being acquired by purchase for $282,500, and one and one-half (valued at $125,000) donated by Mr. Marshall Field. A charter was secured and an organiza- tion effected, Sept. 10, 1890. The Presidency of the institution was tendered to, and accepted by, Dr. William R. Harper. Since that time the University has been the recipient of other gener- ous benefactions by Mr. Rockefeller and others, until the aggregate donations (1898) exceed $10,- 000,000. Of this amount over one-half has been contributed by Mr. Rockefeller, while he has pledged himself to make additional contributions of $2,000,000, conditioned upon the raising of a like sum, from other donors, by Jan. 1, 1900. The buildings erected on the campus, prior to 1896, include a chemical laboratory costing $182,000; a lecture hall, $150,000; a physical laboratory

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

$150,000; a museum, $100,000; an academy dor- mitory, $30,000; three dormitories for women, $150,000; two dormitories for men, $100,000, to which several important additions were made during 1896 and '97. The faculty embraces over 150 instructors, selected with reference to their fitness for their respective departments from among the most eminent scholars in America and Europe. Women are admitted as students and graduated upon an equality with men. The work of practical instruction began in October, 1892, with 589 registered students, coming from nearly every Northern State, and including 250 gradu- ates from other institutions, to which accessions were made, during the year, raising the aggregate to over 900. The second year the number ex- ceeded 1,100; the third, it rose to 1,750, and the fourth (1895-96), to some 2,000, including repre- sentatives from every State of the Union, besides many from foreign countries. Special features of the institution include the admission of gradu- ates from other institutions to a post-graduate course, and the University Extension Division, which is conducted largely by means of lecture courses, in other cities, or through lecture centers in the vicinity of the University, non-resident students having the privilege of written exami- nations. The various libraries embrace over 300,000 volumes, of which nearly 60,000 belong to what are called the "Departmental Libraries," besides a large and valuable collection of maps and pamphlets.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (The Old), an educational institution at Chicago, under the care of the Baptist denomination, for some years known as the Douglas University. Senator Stephen A. Douglas offered, in 1854, to donate ten acres of land, in what was then near the southern border of the city of Chicago, as a site for an institution of learning, provided buildings cost- ing $100,000, be erected thereon within a stipu- lated time. The corner-stone of the main building was laid, July 4, 1857, but the financial panic of that year prevented its completion, and Mr. Doug- las extended the time, and finally deeded the land to the trustees without reserve. For eighteen years the institution led a precarious existence, struggling under a heavy debt. By 1885, mort- gages to the amount of $320,000 having accumu- lated, the trustees abandoned further effort, and acquiesced in the sale of the property under fore- closure proceedings. The original plan of the institution contemplated preparatory and col- legiate departments, together with a college of law and a theological school.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, the leading edu- cational institution under control of the State, located at Urbana and adjoining the city of Champaign. The Legislature at the session of 1863 accepted a grant of 480,000 acres of land under Act of Congress, approved July 2, 1862, making an appropriation of public lands to States-30,000 acres for each Senator and each Representative in Congress-establishing colleges for teaching agri- culture and the mechanic arts, though not to the exclusion of classical and scientific studies. Land- scrip under this grant was issued and placed in the hands of Governor Yates, and a Board of Trustees appointed under the State law was organ- ized in March, 1867, the institution being located the same year. Departments and courses of study were established, and Dr. John M. Gregory, of Michigan, was chosen Regent (President) .- The landscrip issued to Illinois was sold at an early day for what it would bring in open market, except 25,000 acres, which was located. in Ne- braska and Minnesota. This has recently been sold, realizing a larger sum than was received for all the scrip otherwise disposed of. The entire sum thus secured for permanent endowment ag- gregates $613,026. The University revenues were further increased by donations from Congress to each institution organized under the Act of 1862, of $15,000 per annum for the maintenance of an Agricultural Experiment Station, and, in 1890, of a similar amount for instruction-the latter to be increased $1,000 annually until it should reach $25,000 .- A mechanical building was erected in 1871, and this is claimed to have been the first of its kind in America intended for strictly educa- tional purposes. What was called "the main building" was formally opened in December, 1873. Other buildings embrace a "Science Hall," opened in 1892; a new "Engineering Hall," 1894; a fine Library Building, 1897. Eleven other prin- cipal structures and a number of smaller ones have been erected as conditions required. The value of property aggregates nearly $2,500,000, and appropriations from the State, for all purposes, previous to 1904, foot up $5,123,517.90 .-- Since 1871 the institution has been open to women. The courses of study embrace agriculture, chem- istry, polytechnics, military tactics, natural and general sciences, languages and literature, eco- nomics, household science, trade and commerce. The Graduate School dates from 1891. In 1896 the Chicago College of Pharmacy was connected with the University: a College of Law and a Library School were opened in 1897, and the same year the Chicago College of Physicians and 'Sur-

Natural History Hall. University Hall.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA.

Library Hall. Campus View.

MANZ

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Military Hall Machinery Hall.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA.

Engineering Hall. Chemical Laboratory.

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

geons was affiliated as the College of Medicine-a School of Dentistry being added to the latter in 1901. In 1885 the State Laboratory of Natural History was transferred from Normal, Ill., and an Agricultural Experiment Station entablished in 1888, from which bulletins are sent to farmers throughout the State who may desire them .- The first name of the Institution was "Illinois Indus- trial University," but, in 1885, this was changed to "University of Illinois." In 1887 the Trustees (of whom there are nine) were made elective by popular vote-three being elected every two years, each holding office six years. Dr. Gregory, having resigned the office of Regent in 1880, was succeeded by Dr. Selim H. Peabody, who had been Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineer- ing. Dr. Peabody resigned in 1891. The duties of Regent were then discharged by Prof. Thomas J. Burrill until August, 1894, when Dr. Andrew Sloan Draper, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of New York, was installed as President, serving until 1904 .- The corps of instruction (1904) includes over 100 Pro- fessors, 60 Associate and Assistant Professors and 200 Instructors and Assistants, besides special lecturers, demonstrators and clerks. The num- ber of students has increased rapidly in recent years, as shown by the following totals for suc- cessive years from 1890-91 to 1903-04, inclusive: 519; 583; 714; 743; 810; 852; 1,075: 1,582; 1,824; 2,234; 2,505; 2,932; 3,289; 3,589. Of the last num- ber, 2,271 were men and 718 women. During 1903-04 there were in all departments at Urbana, 2,547 students (256 being in the Preparatory Aca- demy); and in the three Professional Departments in Chicago, 1,042, of whom 694 were in the Col- lege of Medicine, 185 in the School of Pharmacy, and 163 in the School of Dentistry. The Univer- sity Library contains 63,700 volumes and 14,500 pamphlets, not including 5,350 volumes and 15,850 pamphlets in the State Laboratory of Nat- ural History .- The University occupies a con- spicuous and attractive site, embracing 220 acres adjacent to the line between Urbana and Cham- paign, and near the residence portion of the two cities. The athletic field of 11 acres, on which stand the gymnasium and armory, is enclosed with an ornamental iron fence. The campus, otherwise, is an open and beautiful park with fine landscape effects.

UNORGANIZED COUNTIES. In addition to the 102 counties into which Illinois is divided, acts were passed by the General Assembly, at different times, providing for the organiza- tion of a number of others, a few of which

were subsequently organized under different names, but the majority of which were never organized at all-the proposition for such or- ganization being rejected by vote of the people within the proposed boundaries, or allowed to lapse by non-action. These unorganized coun- ties, with the date of the several acts authorizing them, and the territory which they were in- tended to include, were as follows: Allen County (1841) - comprising portions of Sanga- mon, Morgan and Macoupin Counties; Audobon (Audubon) County (1843)-from portions of Mont- gomery, Fayette and Shelby; Benton County (1843)-from Morgan, Greene and Macoupin; Coffee County (1837)-with substantially the same territory now comprised within the bound- aries of Stark County, authorized two years later; Dane County (1839)-name changed to Christian in 1840; Harrison County (1855)- from McLean, Champaign and Vermilion, com- prising territory since partially incorporated in Ford County; Holmes County (1857)-from Champaign and Vermilion; Marquette County (1843), changed (1847) to Highland-compris- ing the northern portion of Adams, (this act was accepted, with Columbus as the county- seat, but organization finally vacated); Michi- gan County (1837)-from a part of Cook; Milton County (1843)-from the south part of Vermil- ion; Okaw County (1841)-comprising substan- tially the same territory as Moultrie, organized under act of 1843; Oregon County (1851)-from parts of Sangamon, Morgan and Macoupin Coun- ties, and covering substantially the same terri- tory as proposed to be incorporated in Allen County ten years earlier. The last act of this character was passed in 1867, when an attempt was made to organize Lincoln County out o.' parts of Champaign and Vermilion, but which failed for want of an affirmative vote.

UPPER ALTON, a city of Madison County, situated on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, about 12 miles northeast of Alton -laid out in 1816. It has several churches, and is the seat of Shurtleff College and the Western Military Academy, the former founded about 1831, and controlled by the Baptist denomination. Beds of excellent clay are found in the vicinity and utilized in pottery manufacture. Pop. (1890), 1,803; (1900), 2,373.

UPTON, George Putnam, journalist, was born at Roxbury, Mass., Oct. 25, 1834; graduated from Brown University in 1854, removed to Chicago in 1855, and began newspaper work on "The Native American," the following year taking the place of city editor of "The Evening Jour-

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nal." In 1862, Mr. Upton became musical critic on "The Chicago Tribune," serving for a time also as its war correspondent in the field, later (about 1881) taking a place on tlie general edi- torial staff, which he still retains. He is regarded as an authority on musical and dramatic topics. Mr. Upton is also a stockholder in, and, for sev- eral years, has been Vice-President of the "Trib- une" Company. Besides numerous contributions to magazines, his works include: "Letters of Peregrine Pickle" (1869) ; "Memories, a Story of German Love," translated from the German of Max Muller (1879) ; "Woman in Music" (1880) ; "Lives of German Composers" (3 vols .- 1883-84); besides four volumes of standard operas, oratorios, cantatas, and symphonies (1885-88).

URBANA, a flourishing city, the county-seat of Champaign County, on the "Big Four," the Illinois Central and the Wabash Railways: 130 miles south of Chicago and 31 miles west of Dan- ville; in agricultural and coal-mining region. The mechanical industries include extensive rail- road shops, manufacture of brick, suspenders and lawn-mowers. The Cunningham Deaconesses' Home and Orphanage is located here. The city has water-works, gas and electric light plants, electric car-lines (local and interurban), superior schools, nine churches, three banks and three newspapers. Urbana is the seat of the University of Illinois. Pop. (1890), 3,511; (1900), 5,728.

USREY, William J., editor and soldier, was born at Washington (near Natchez), Miss., May 16, 1827; was educated at Natchez, and, before reaching manhood, came to Macon County, Ill., where he engaged in teaching until 1846, when he enlisted as a private in Company C, Fourth Illinois Volunteers, for the Mexican War. In 1855, he joined with a Mr. Wingate in the estab- lishment, at Decatur, of ,"The Illinois State Chron- icle," of which he soon after took sole charge, conducting the paper until 1861, when he enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteers and was appointed Adjutant. Although born and edu- cated in a slave State, Mr. Usrey was an earnest opponent of slavery, as proved by the attitude of his paper in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. He was one of the most zealous endorsers of the proposition for a conference of the Anti- Nebraska editors of the State of Illinois, to agree upon a line of policy in opposition to the furtlier extension of slavery, and, when that body met at Decatur, on Feb. 22, 1856, he served as its Secre- tary, thus taking a prominent part in the initial steps which resulted in the organization of the Republican party in Illinois. (See Anti-Nebraska

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 Kaskaskia 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; (1890), 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 Springfield, 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

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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 first 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, Evansville & 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 cross 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 vicin- ity of Danville. Population (1880), 41,588; (1890), 49,905; (1900), 65,635.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Edgar County, Part 109

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Number of Pages: 876

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell
Number of Pages: 876