Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 35

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810

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Montgomery County has three of these com- panies, incorporated with their principal offices within the county, and one unincorporated. Be- sides these there are two others that have an- thority to operate in certain townships within this county, but with offices in other counties. We will briefly describe the companies ineorpo- rated with offices in this county.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

The Montgomery County Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company was organized and incorporated January 4, 1890, and began business March 1, 1890. It was then known as the Hillsboro Mutual Fire Insurance Company, changing its name and form in 1914 to a county company, with permission to add adjacent unoccupied ter- ritory. The following were the directors and officers elected at the time of its organization : George D. Taylor, Litchfield, director and presi- dent; A. T. Strange, Walshville, secretary and director ; H. A. Cress, Hillsboro, director and treasurer ; James S. Moody, Fillmore; Andrew Killpatrick, Hillsboro; Matthew W. Miller, Hillsboro; Henry H. Hitchings, Raymond ; Robert Morrell, Butler, and H. F. Mansfield, Hillsboro, directors. At that time its member- ship was only seventy-seven and the property that was then written for insurance aggregated only $62,000. Beginning with these small amounts the membership and amount at risk have steadily gained ever year, and at the close of business December 31, 1915, its members num- bered 1,230 and the amount at risk aggregated the sum of $1,958,139.00.

During the first year the company only sus- tained one loss amounting to $500.00 which was, in proportion to ability to pay, the largest loss the company ever had, though it has had many since far greater in the amount. Losses have increased in proportion to the growth of the company. In 1915 the losses adjusted num- bered thirty-seven and the total amount was $4,149.17. Since the company was organized twenty-six years ago, the total number of losses adjusted has been 437 to the close of 1915 and the total paid on them, $59,479.98. Its average rate of assessment has averaged a little less than twenty-five cents on the hundred insured per year. As compared with the rates charged by stock companies, the mutuals have saved a little over ten cents per hundred, thus pro- viding its members a saving of many thousands of dollars. During the entire period of twenty- six years Mr. Strange has had the charge of the company's office, having had to give up his farm- ing and establish headquarters in Hillsboro, where the company, with its allied companies, have an elegant suite of rooms open to the members at all times, who utilize the con- veniences of the office with the utmost freedom.

E. N. LYLES AND FAMILY

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mr. Taylor has also been the president for the same long period. Mr. Cress was the treasurer one year, C. M. Paisley for one year, and James S. Moody for two years; then the treasurer's office went to Mr. Hitchings for twelve years and when he declined re-election, Mr. Rebhan was made his successor, and still ably fills the office. J. C. Barrett has been vice president since 1896. Changes are occasionally made in the board, but usually on account of death or inability to remain on it. Only three of the original members of the board are still on it, as will be seen from the personnel of the present board, which is as follows: H. M. Gates for township 7-2; Charles D. Moody for township S-2; George N. Allen for township 7-3; George Frame for township S-3; A. T. Strange for township 7-4; H. A. Cress for township S-4; G. C. Barrett for township 9-4; W. C. Rebhan for township 10-4; Geo. D. Taylor for township 7-5; Charles H. Brokaw for township S-5; George W. Wallis for township 9-5; Morgan Corlew for township 10-5, and K. C. Kent for the townships of King and Ricks.

PANA DISTRICT MUTUAL WIND STORM INSURANCE COMPANY.

The Pana District Mutual Wind Storm In- surance Company was organized in 1894 by the representatives of the various mutual fire com- panies in the territory occupied by them, to in- sure against wind storm, for the reason that their charters did not permit them to insure against damage from wind, nor would it have been practical, owing to the smallness of their territorial limits. At the time of its organiza- tion. December 6, 1894, it embraced within its jurisdiction the following counties : Montgom- ery, Christian, Macoupin, Shelby, Bond, Fayette, Effingham, Coles. Moultrie, and Macon. The fol- lowing directors and officers constitued the first board : Samuel Harper, president and director, Shelby County ; A. T. Strange, secretary and di- rector, Montgomery County ; W. E. Killam, treasurer and director, Shelby County ; Jacob Haller. Montgomery County ; James Branyan, Christian County; James Ridge, Christian County ; E. T. Rice, Macoupin County; John Herwig, Montgomery County; Simon Schwende- man. Bond County ; W. M. Fogler, Fayette County; F. A. Pauchert, Shelby County, and George D. Taylor, Montgomery County. Of the officers it is pleasing to note the few changes.

Mr. Strange, who also is in charge of the Mont- gomery County Mutual Fire Company, has had the control of the company's office since its or- ganization. Mr. Killam has handled the com- pany's funds for the entire twenty-one years and there is no thought of change, nor has there been any charge of corruption made against him. . Mr. Harper remained president till failing health compelled him to ask to be relieved, and Mr. Taylor succeeded him and is still presid- ing over the deliberations of the company. At the time of organization the company had en- rolled as members 160 property owners, with property offered for insurance to the amount of $123,099. The number of members and the amount at risk has been increased from year to year at an average of about $500,000 per annum, and when business was closed Decem- ber 31, 1915, there were enrolled 3,727 mem- bers and risks to the amount of $6,511,SSS. The territory has been added to from time to time by the addition of the following counties : Clark, Jersey, Greene, Edgar, Iroquois, Cumberland, Champaign, Vermillion, Piatt, Ford, and Doug- las, so that now it includes twenty-one counties in its jurisdiction. During the first several years its losses were insignificant, but have gradually increased as its amount at risk has grown. During 1915 the company adjusted 214 losses, aggregating $5,873.63. For the twenty- two years of the company's activity S45 losses had been adjusted and paid up to the close of 1915, at an average cost of about one-tenth the usual charges for farm insurance against wind by the stock companies. This company's policy is broad in its terms, the officers have been liberal in their adjusting, and the standing of the company is regarded above question by the best informed business men, who are generally supporters and friends of the company.

NOKOMIS MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.

The Nokomis Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized March 15, 1876, and began busi- ness April 20, 1876. It embraced at the time of its organization five townships in Montgom- ery County, adding later one from Christian County. The first secretary and manager of this company was A. F. Weaver. The com- pany began with a very limited membership and amount at risk, but has steadily grown. until at the close of business December 31, 1915, the members numbered 809 and amount at risk ag-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

gregated $1,248,181. The company has had about the usual experiences and succeeded in about the same measure as have other com- panies of its size. It has not tried to increase its territory or it might have accomplished much more for the cause. The officers at the last report were: Samuel Shoemaker, secretary, and Jacob Haller, president. Its other directors were: E. B. Pocock, Audubon Township; R. B. Warnsing, Rountree Township; William Brock- man and Fred Schnippe, Greenwood Township; W. E. Morain and Mr. Cariker, Irving Town- ship, and William Casseberry, Nokomis Town- ship.

FARMERS MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION OF VIRDEN.

The Farmers Mutual Aid Insurance Company was organized and began business in 1883, with headquarters at Virden, in Macoupin County, and the territory embraced within its charter limitations included three townships, Bois D'Arc, Pitman and Harvel, in Montgomery County. It is a strong mutual company and has had uni- form success during its entire career. It has at this time $2,150,680 of property insured, a fair share of which is in Montgomery County. John Ball of this county was for many years its trusted treasurer. John Gelder is the presi- dent and Fred C. Hoppen is the secretary. At the close of business last December it had a balance in the bank of $1,598, thus being in good shape to meet the losses as they may oc- cur, with a neat cash balance on hand and the authority conferred on the company to borrow temporarily on assessment, it is in a very desir- able condition.

UNITED AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION OF LITCHFIELD.

The United Automobile Association of Litch- field is a recently organized company, for the purpose of insuring automobiles against fire accident, burglary and similar calamities, and experience has shown this to be practicable. Its officers are A. R. Smith, president and treasurer ; Mason V. Carter, secretary, and Charles F. Mol- low, general manager. The claim of this new venture is that its bonds as capital must be al- proved by the state superintendent of insur- ance, and that it is to be run at cost, all premium charges not used to be returned to the payees.

INDUSTRIAL SUMMARY.

No community is normal or even desirable, that does not develop an industrial life. Our so-called resorts, where all is expended and nothing produced, are barnacles on our ship of civilization. It therefore is a pleasure to speak of the industrial development of our county and people. Farming: We mention farming first because we think it should always have the first place, as it is the original source of all wealth. Farming for the supply of local demands is just beginning to fill that want in the manner that it should. Heretofore the farmers have man- aged to live off of, and to secure money enough from their land, by selling to foreign markets the surplus they, perchance, might be able to spare and from which they might pay for their lands and homes. Little was returned to the soil, and the tilling of it became a drudgery, uninviting and unattractive. The farmer was supposed to have "hayseed in his hair and wear mud boots," and was, in the eyes of the dudes of the towns, regarded as a sort of curiosity. For this condition the farmer has himself alone to blame. But a change has come and the ener- getic farmer has become the backbone of a large part of our forward movements in nearly all lines. He no longer yields to the party lash in politics; he is now desirable as a bank director, or a stockholder in many of our in- dustries ; his children attend the city high schools and carry off the majority of the diplomas; and in farming he is now selling to the towns and cities inside our own county for local consumption what they need and returning to 'his soil more than he takes from it. His home, in many instances, is becoming a palace that the town people are pleased to be invited into to rest and recuperate from the impure air and the evils of the underlife of the towns and cities. That our county can support a popula- tion of double what we now have is a mod- erate statement, and, from present appearances, this will be done in the near future.

Mining: We place mining as second to farm- ing, as it is a development of nature's repository for the basis of other developments. We have, as above mentioned, coal mines at Hillsboro, one at Kortkamp, one at Witt, one at Coalton, one at Wenonah, one at Farmersville, one at Litch- field, one at Coffeen. and one at Pana in active operation. Besides these there are mines at

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IIISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

East Litchfield and at Taylor Springs not now is peculiarly desirable because of the fact that a large proportion of its employees will be women, thus benefiting the people we already have, rather than inducing a lot of place seek- ers here, many of whom might be undesirable as citizens. The Schram Glass Works is a in running condition. There are several coal fields that have been sold to capitalists, who will develop them in the near future. From the many borings that have been made in the county it is now known that coal in paying quantities and of a good quality exists under . Hillsboro enterprise of large proportions cov- practically all our soil. It is. not supposable ering several acres of land in building, employ- ing some 250 people, and adding very greatly to the volume of the shipping to and from our county. The chief incentive to these plants in locating in our county was the abundance, and high quality, of the coal to be obtained here at moderate expense, and we may add that the same incentive, we assume, will be a virile one in inducing others to locate in our midst. that this known wealth will be permitted to remain undeveloped for any great length of time. These mines are giving employment to a large number of men, many, and the more desirable of who, are buying and paying for homes among us, thus aiding in developing our social life as well as that of a commercial character.

Railroads : Montgomery County has decided advantages over many other counties of the state in the fact that we have railroad advan- tages excelled in only a few counties. The Wabash, the Burlington and the Illinois Central cross our county from north to south; the Big Four, the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and the Clover Leaf cross the county from east to west ; and besides these we have the Illinois Traction System extending east in our county as far as the county seat. These, with others in contem- plation, place our people in touch with the world of commerce and in position so the trav- eler may come to and go from our county with comfort. Railroads are arteries of trade, and coursing through these arteries we have today the largest local business between St. Louis and Indianapolis, or between Centralia and Spring- field.

Manufactures : The American Radiator Com- pany has a large plant in Litchfield. covering some ten acres of land. employing some 250 peo- ple or inore. with railroad switches into their yards, and producing an output staple in char- acter and immense in quantity. The American Smelter Company and the Lanyan Zinc Com- pany each have large plants in Hillsboro cov- ering perhaps some twenty-five acres of land, and giving employment to about 1,000 men, pro- ducing zinc for shipment to the factories and sulphuric acid for shipment to the consumers in such quantities as to place them among the great inudstries of that character of the world. The Brown Shoe Company has just erected a large plant at Litchfield that will give employ- ment to perhaps 300 to 400 people in the man- ufacture of a staple that gives assurance of per- manency, and we may say of this plant that it

Local Advantages: Besides these enterprises of great financial magnitude we have every local advantage possessed by other localities, such as rural mail routes practically covering our en- tire county with a network of service for mail and parcels post that bring the news and minor trade to our doors, and gives employment to quite a number of deserving people. Then we have two systems of telephone service-the Bell system, under the management of a county com- pany, and the Mutual system, organized and operated by home people-which supply us with something like 4,000 telephones and connect all the communities or towns together with a bond of mutual interest not possessed by those less fortunate. In these various industrial enter- prises. not including the farmers. we are now employing over 5.000 people, furnishing a larger part of them with homes, educating their chil- dren, and supplying them with religious oppor- tunities, looking after the indigent and poor among them, and in many ways aiding in secur- ing their comfort, and we may say, the larger part appreciate the help and opportunities thus extended. If those who are so shortsighted as to make beasts of themselves by patronizing booze joints, whether licensed or of the blind pig quality, and those whose selfish impulses lead them to adopt fault-finding doctrines of the anarchist as embodied in the public news- papers and loud-mouthed advocates of the so- called socialists of this day. would only see that we are a liberal-hearted. patriotic and dem- ocratic people with earnest desire and helpful purpose toward the humblest among us, it would lighten their burdens and make universal that happiness and spirit of good will that ever char- acterizes a loyal and Christian people.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

CHAPTER XVIII.

FRATERNAL ORDERS.

MT. MORIAH MASONIC LODGE-DONNELLSON MA- SONIC LODGE-IRVING MASONIC LODGE-NOKOMIS MASONIC LODGE-WALSHVILLE MASONIC LODGE- BUTLER MASONIC LODGE-LITCHFIELD MASONIC LODGE-FILLMORE MASONIC LODGE-COFFEEN MA- SONIC LODGE-OLD TIME MASONIC CELEBRATION -ROYAL ARCH MASONS-ELLIOTT CHAPTER- HILLSBORO CHAPTER-EASTERN STAR-HERMON CHAPTER, O. E. S .- LAVONNE CHAPTER, O. E. S .- ODD FELLOWS-MONTGOMERY ODD FELLOWS LODGE -SHERMAN ODD FELLOWS LODGE-WAGGONER ODD FELLOWS LODGE-RAYMOND ODD FELLOWS LODGE -HARVEL ODD FELLOWS LODGE-OIL CITY ODD FELLOWS LODGE-WITT ODD FELLOWS LODGE- SCHRAM CITY ODD FELLOWS LODGE-VAN BURENS- BURG ODD FELLOW'S LODGE-FILLMORE ODD FEL- LOWS LODGE-REBEKAHS OF HILLSBORO-LITCH- FIELD-NOKOMIS-RAYMOND-SCHRAM CITY- FILLMORE-LITCHFIELD CAMP MODERN WOODMEN -NOKOMIS CAMP-WITT CAMP-HARVEL CAMP- BUTLER GROVE CAMP-WALSHVILLE CAMP-COF- FEEN CAMP - DONNELLSON CAMP - HURRICANE CAJIP-IRVING CAMP-WAGGONER CAMP-FARM- ERSVILLE CAMP- GOLDEN ROD

CAMP ROYAL NEIGHBORS-IRVING CAMP ROYAL NEIGHBORS- COFFEEN CAMP ROYAL NEIGHBORS - HILLSBORO CAMP ROYAL NEIGHBORS-FILLMORE CAMP ROYAL NEIGHBORS-LITCHFIELD CAMP ROYAL NEIGH- BORS-FOREST LODGE ORDER OF MOOSE-LITCH- FIELD LODGE ORDER OF MOOSE-BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS-RETROSPECT OF LODGE INTERESTS.

MIT. MORIAH MASONIC LODGE.

We give a list of the Masonic lodges of the county, with their present officers and member- ship. As the lodge of Hillsboro, Mt. Moriah, No. 51, A. F. & A. M., is the oldest and to an extent the parent of all the others, we give here a brief history of its organization and growth. The first recorded communication was held August 31, 1839. A dispensation was applied for under date of August 18, 1839, to the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and subsequently granted un- der the name of Mt. Moriah Lodge, with only

a few members, and a charter subsequently oh- tained as Hillsboro Lodge No. 33 with C. B. Blockburger as the w. m .; Hail Kingsley, s. w .; Martin Kingsley, j. w .; M. L. Stinson, secretary ; Aaron Knapp, tyler, and Stephen Abhot, treas- urer. The lodge worked under that charter till after the Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois has been organized in 1840. C. B. Blockburger was the moving spirit in the organization and was the worshipful master in 1839 and 1840 and also during 1841 and 1842. After the charter had been granted by the Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri, the first permanent place of meeting was in the second story of the brick building now occupied by Warren Neff as a residence. It was then the property of C. B. Blockburger. The first man to take the degrees in the lodge and in Montgomery County was J. Brockfield. He was initiated September 7 and raised December 14, 1839. In 1840 a sec- ond story was built over the tin shop of Mr. Blockburger just north of the Neff residence, as a lodge hall, on a contract with Mr. Block- burger. The first officers elected under the Missouri charter were: C. B. Blockburger, w. m .; Hail Kingsley, s w., and Martin Kingsley, j. w., appointed by the Grand Lodge; and Jacob Lingofelter, treasurer ; J. B. Collins, sec- retary ; Alfred Durant, s. d., and Ira Boone, j. d.

On February 22, 1841, the lodge, then having a membership of eighteen, celebrated Washing- ton's birthday, this being the first public func- tion ever held in Montgomery County by a Masonic body. The lodge continued to act un- der its Missouri charter until 1848, when the charter was obtained from the Illinois Grand Lodge and the Missouri charter surrendered, and the name Mt. Moriah No. 51 obtained. The first officers under the new charter were: Ira Millard, w. m .; Ira Boone, s. w .; Jeremiah Hart, j. w., John S. Hillis, treasurer; John H. Rolston, secretary; M. J. Blockburger, s. d .; McKinzie Turner, j. d .; J. C. McHenry and W. S. Shawn, stewards, and Jacob Lingofelter, tyler. Succeeding Blockburger in the chair, unl- der the Missouri charter, was Ira Millard, 1843 and 1844. In 1845, under the direction of Alfred Durant as worshipful master, a dispensation was obtained from the Grand Lodge of Illinois, and in 1848, while Ira Millard was again wor- shipful master, a charter was obtained as Mt. Moriah No. 51, under which name and number the lodge has continued to work till the present.

There was considerable difficulty in obtaining

John D. Maxey and Family

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

a charter from the Illinois Grand Lodge, owing to the fact that there was friction between the grand lodges of the two states. The Grand Lodge of Missouri did not want to concede the rights claimed by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, and even some of the members of Hillsboro lodge did not have the coufidence in the stabil- ity of the Illinois Grand Lodge that inspired them to cooperate with the others in working for a transfer of allegiauce. This difference led to much discontent, so that in 1846 the char- ter was arrested, the lodge beiug allowed to retain its property and effects. During October, 1846, the grand master of the state of Missouri recommended to the Grand Lodge of Illinois that the lodge be allowed to reorganize under its old charter, and in future report their work to the Grand Lodge of Illinois. The Grand Master of Illinois, William Lavely, resented this apparent attempt to dictate to the Illinois Grand Lodge, and in his reply said: "Not be- iug able to understand by what rule the Grand Lodge could resuscitate the charter granted by another Grand Lodge, and by it subsequently forfeited, and authorized the members under it to reorganize and work, and not desiring to countenance in any manner whatever the con- tiuued infringement upon our jurisdiction as assumed and exercised by the most worshipful grand lord of Missouri in holding on to other lodges in our state with such pertinacity, as she continues to do, notwithstanding the repeated efforts on the part of this Grand Lodge to have our sister Grand Lodge of Missouri withdraw her jurisdiction from our rightful territory. After stating my objections to the brethren at Hillsboro to granting their request or of com- plying with the recommendation of the most worshipful grand lord of Missouri, I tendered them the aforesaid dispensation under which they might organize and have a legal existence until the preseut meeting of the Grand Lodge, not requiring any fee at the time, which dis- pensation they accepted. . In view of all the circumstances attending the cause, I would rec- ommend that their work be approved, that a charter be granted, and that the fees for both the dispensation and charter, except the grand secretary's fees, be remitted." Accordingly, un- der this recommendation of October 4, 1848, Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 51 was legally chartered by the Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois. Ira Millard was then the worshipful master and continued to fill the chair till 1850, when Joseph

Rolston was elected as his successor. In 1855 the lodge joined in with the Odd Fellows and built a lodge room over the brick drug store of Dr. Haskell, now the office of J. J. Frey & Company, the cornerstone being placed at the southwest corner of the building where anyone can plainly see it today. This cornerstone was laid by District Deputy Grand Master James H. Hibbard. In 1867 Stokes Clotfelter made a proposition to the lodge to build a third story for the lodge purposes over his proposed brick store building, and the proposition was ac- cepted. The hall was completed and occupied for the first time on May 7, 1868.

The first officers elected after the new hall was occupied were : O. H. Shimer, w. m .; Wooten Harris, s. w .; W. P. Johnson. j. w .; J. W. Rol- ston, treasurer; C. M. Wooll, secretary; John Watsou, s. d .; Amos Miller, j. d .; M. L. More- house and W. F. Stoddard, stewards, and George L. Warren, tyler. The members who were raised just before aud during the first year in the new hall were as follows: L. H. Mossler, September 26, 1867; W. H. Auginbaugh, Sep- tember 10, 1867; J. R. Barry, January 7, 1868 ; David S. Gilmore, March 19, 186S; Charles P. Newman, January 30, 186S; Chris Hossman, February 20, 1868; James F. Futchinson, Feb- ruary 20, 186S; Robt. Y. Bryan, February 20, 186S; Noah Draper, March 26, 1S6S; W. H. Logan, March 26, 1SGS ; Marcus L. Cooper, March 26. 186S ; Thomas J. Reeves, February 11, 1868; Thomas W. McDavid, May 20, 186S.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 35

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 810

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897, ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913, ed. cn; Strange, Alexander T., ed
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 810