Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 38

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

USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 38

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Donald McLean

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

that so eminent an authority recognizes the answer in so important an historical work, may be taken as approving the answer as correct or as the best answer known to science today.

HILLSBORO COMMERCIAL CLUB.

Some years ago the business men of Hillsboro organized a Commercial Club known as the Hillsboro Commercial Club. It included within its membership nearly all of the strongest busi- ness men of the city. Among its officers have been A. M. Howell, H. C. Latham, J. J. Frey as presidents and its most active secretary was F. H. Brown. This organization brought the Hills- boro Hotel, the Schram Automatic Sealer Com- pany, the Lanyon and American Smelters to Hillsboro. It has supported and made the Southern Illinois Light and Power Company, with its allied industries in Hillsboro and over twenty other towns, and it had built the City Railway to the depot, it encouraged and induced the Hillsboro Brick, and Tile Company and other industries and business men to locate here, and is now looking to interest other indus- tries in this section.

HILLSBORO WOMAN'S CLUB.

At the time of the organization in 1914, the Hillsboro Woman's Club had the following officers: Mrs. A. M. Howell, president ; Mrs. J. O. Fisher, first vice president ; Miss Clara Noter- man. second vice president ; Mrs. H. M. Dorses, third vice president; Mrs. E. C. Chase, fourth vice president ; Mrs. H. A. Cress, Jr., recording secretary ; Mrs. J. Harvey Brown, corresponding secretary ; Mrs. James P. Brown, treasurer, witlı department heads: Mrs. Nellie B. White, litera- ture; Mrs. John R. Challacombe, household science ; Mrs. La Rue Lindberg, music; Mrs. S. E. Wahburn, philanthropy and Mrs. Dillon Swingle, civic improvements. The club has bi- monthly meetings, which are well attended. It has an enrollment of about 150 members. Its activities, in musical culture, in the promotion of domestic science, in the furthering of the cause of the city hospital, and in tlie encourage- ment to street cleaning and the beautifying of our homes and in other lines, have been very salutary. The officers for 1916 are as follows: President, Mrs. James P. Brown; first vice president, Mrs. J. J. Frey ; second vice presi -; dent, Mrs. J. R. Challacombe; third vice presi-

dent, Mrs. Harry Hargrave; fourth vice president, Mrs. Frank Helston; recording sec- retary, Mrs. Hugh Fink; corresponding secre- tary, Miss Alice Helston and treasurer, Mrs. H. A. Cress.

BUTLER GROVE HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE CLUB.

The following paper is by Mrs. Amelia West- cott :

"The Butler Grove Household Science Club was organized in November, 1901, and has met regularly since that time and is now in splendid condition with a membership of about seventy- five. The objects of the club are to promote the interest of home making and housekeeping by careful study of the composition of foods and the combinations and preparations best calcu- lated to meet the needs of the body ; to study the lack of sanitation in our homes and surround- ings which may threaten the health and vitality of our families with the view of improvement ; to study the improvement of our kitchens as well as the architecture of the whole house for com- fort and convenience and the saving of labor in housekeeping; and last but not the least to endeavor to secure instruction along these lines in all the schools of this township that the health of the coming generation may be pre- served. Miss Clara Brookman was the first president and Mrs. Maggie Wallis the first sec- retary. Mrs. Ida Turner Brown followed Miss Brookman as president serving for twelve con- secutive years, declining to take a rest, Mrs. Amelia Westcott taking her place for one year, and Mrs. Brown being induced to assume the duties of president at the end of the year. Mrs. Westcott has served as secretary the most of the time for the past five years and is now the secretary. Meetings are held on the afternoons of the first Thursday of every month, at the homes of the members in alphabetical order. At these meetings, interesting and instructive papers, debates, demonstrations as well as music and amusements are rendered as per pro- grams previously announced. At the present time a committee, with Mrs. Harriet Turner as chairman are perfecting a plan for getting house- hold science taught in all the schools of the township. On the rolls of members we now have the following : Mrs. Carrie Barrett, Mrs. Emma Barrett, Mrs. Ruby Berry, Mrs. Hazel Bremer, Mrs. Ida Turner Brown, Mrs. Edna Burris, Mrs. Mary Burris, Mrs. Amy Busby, Mrs. Anna Cass,

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IIISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mrs. Fannie Chisholm, Mrs. Mabel Cooper, Miss Anna Cory, Miss Edna Cory, Mrs. Vera Cory, Miss Bessie Douglas, Miss Elizabeth Ellim, Mrs. Gertrude Frenknecht, Mrs. Anetta Fish, Mrs. Josephine Grantham, Miss Ruth Grantham, Mrs. Lizzie Grassell, Mrs. Jessie Grassell, Mrs. Mary Grassell, Miss Etta Grassell, Mrs. Louis Greene, Mrs. Grace Harris, Mrs. Ina Hodges, Mrs. C. H. Hoes, Mrs. T. S. Hoes, Miss Florida Howard, Miss Anna Hughes, Mrs. Doratha Johnson, Mrs. Carrie Laughlan, Mrs. Celia Lawrence, Mrs. Maude Luddeke, Mrs. Maria Luddeman, Miss Josephine Luddeman, Mrs. Lelia Masters, Mrs. Nellie McLean, Mrs. Lula Mitts, Miss Grace Os- born, Mrs. Nellie Osborn, Mrs. Lylah Reagan, Mrs. May Robertson, Mrs. Minnie Robertson, Mrs. Carrie Sammons, Mrs. Nellie Sammons, Mrs. Ella Schweppe, Mrs. Ferne Turner, Mrs. F. B. Turner, Mrs. Harriett Turner, Mrs. Wilma Tur- ner, Mrs. Anna Van Hyning, Mrs. Maggie Wallis, Mrs. Ella Ward, Mrs. Ethel Ward, Mrs. Mae Ward, Mrs. Adelia Ware, Mrs. Elsie Ware, Mrs. Ida Ware, Mrs. Lottie Ware. Mrs. Mayme Ware, Miss Mary Ware, Mrs. Mina Ware, Miss Fannie Washburn, Mrs. Gale Welch, Miss Nettie Welge, Mrs. Anna Weller, Mrs. Maud Weller, Mrs. Minnie Weller, Mrs. Amelia Westcott, Mrs. Mary Wiley, Mrs. Faye Woods and Mrs. Maria Woods. Those who signed the original organization papers in 1901, were: Mrs. Clara Brookman, Mrs. Mary Burris, Mrs. W. A. Charles, Mrs. T. S. Hoes, Mrs. Mary Elliman, Miss Cammilla Jenkins, Mrs. Harriett Turner, Mrs. F. B. Tur- ner, Mrs. Mayme Ware, Mrs. Adelia Aten Ware and Mrs. Maggie Wallis."

WOODSBORO COUNTRY LIFE CLUB.

The Woodsboro Country Life Club was organ- ized at the Woodsboro Church, December 11. 1913, as a local chapter of the Collegiate Country Life Club of America. The first officers were as follows : President, Charles Attebury ; vice presi- dent, Rue Paden ; secretary, Carrie Callahan ; treasurer, S. R. Paden; program committee, Verna Ault, Clara Attebury and Earl Blackburn. The meetings are held the first and third Thurs- day evenings of each month at the Woodsboro Church. For these meetings a program is arranged consisting of talks, lectures or essays relating to farm life and occasionally readings or plays are given merely for entertainment. It is the object of the Country Life Club through these programs and meetings to help develop a

permanent agriculture, to be found in better farming, better. business and better living; and, believing that there should be a closer co-opera- tion of rural forces to these ends, the above society was organized. The Country Life Club is for the use of every person in Woodsboro community who wishes to help develop a better community spirit and higher type of farm life. The present officers are as follows: President. Earl Blackburn; vice president, Charles Atte- bury ; secretary, Mary McPhail ; treasurer, S. R. Paden; librarian, Carrie Callahan.

DONNELLSON HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE CLUB.

The Donnellson Household Science Club was organized in April, 1910, with the following first officers : Mrs. Charles L. Laws, president ; Mrs. Josephine McCaslin, vice president ; Mrs. John M. Hampton, secretary; and Mrs. W. A. Bigham, treasurer. There were thirty-two mem- bers at the time of organization. Meetings are held every three weeks at the homes of the members, at which working programs are ren- dered. The club has led in many activities, and is endeavoring to foster and advance the com- munity interests. Under its auspices many pub- lic gatherings, demonstrations, lectures, and ob- servations of public days, have been held. The present officers are : Mrs. A. B. Cary, president, Mrs. A. E. Taylor, first vice president ; Mrs. John M. Hampton, second vice president and Mrs. W. H. Young, secretary and treasurer.

ZANESVILLE HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE CLUB.

In June, 1913, the progressive ladies of Zanes- ville Township and vicinity organized a woman's club, adopting the above name as indicative of the scope of their intended activities. This township has no towns. Its population is rural in associations as well as environment. This club organized with a membership of twenty- three, and has steadily grown by the addition of the most progressive of the community until now the membership is fifty. Those most active in the organization and who served as the first officers were : Mrs. Effie Ash, president : Miss Mae Crawford, vice president ; Mrs. Kate Craw- ford, treasurer ; and Mrs. Zella Echoff, secretary. The club holds monthly meetings in the homes of members according to convenience. The pro- grams of these meetings, are prepared in advance, and consist of readings, and discus-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

sions of all topics of interest to the farmer housewife, the mothers, and others of the family. Music is freely interspersed, and demonstra- tions of methods, and displays of productions, are interesting features. Refreshments are fre- quently served, especially on the occasion of a general invitation to all the members of the family and their visitors to attend. The club members are enthusiastic and feel that the meet- ings have given an aid to farm life not before enjoyed and that inestimable benefits have been derived from the sessions and associations. The present efficient officers are : Mrs. Effie Ash, president; Mrs. Eva Mckown, vice president ; Mrs. Kate Crawford, treasurer ; Miss Mae Craw- ford, secretary.

IRVING IMPROVEMENT CLUB.

In 1913 the citizens of Irving organized an improvement club or league for the purpose of making and securing such improvements in the interest of the public, as could not be obtained through the town authorities. This club was composed in part of Mrs. J. R. Kelley, who was also elected the first president; Mrs. R. L. Kelley; J. Cariker; W. M. Berry ; C. H. Tobias ; L. A. File; W. H. File; William Counten ; Dr. R. N. Canaday; P. Cariker; James Drew ; Forest Lingle; Belle Sturges; C. A. Grantham ; C. F. Laws; Lottie Vandeveer and Rose Gran- tham. Mrs. Julius Caraker was elected vice president; Mrs. Forest Lingle, treasurer and Rose Grantham, secretary. The object of this organization was in a word, the improvement of the town by the promoting of special enter- prises or efforts along any line most needed. The membership consists of about twenty of the most active ladies, and including some of the men in the village. The village has a splendid little park, but there were no seats there in which to rest and enjoy its shade and beauty, and the first thing this league did was to seat the park with a sufficient number of good ash benches. Then it was seen that the park would not be in- viting to the best people without being properly lighted and the league proceeded to raise the necessary funds and secure a system of electric lights over the park so as to give the light necessary to make it attractive. The next thing which the ladies determined was most needed, was a place where women with babies, or those tired and in need of rest, might go without

embarrassment and secure the needed accommo- dations and comforts. Accordingly a women's restroom was established after raising the funds required, and the thanks are due for this valu- able acquisition to the activity of the ladies and the generosity of the men for this evidence of the refinement and philanthropic spirit of the Irving citizens. Other things are in contempla- tion, and the Irving Improvement Club is doing much for the village's betterment. The officers today are: President, Mrs. R. L. Kelley ; vice president, Mrs. Julius Cariker ; treasurer, Mrs. Forest Lingle, and secretary, Mrs. Lottie Vande- veer.

COFFEEN HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE CLUB.

The ladies of Coffeen and vicinity met on November 10, 1915 and organized a woman's club under the above name. This club has a membership of twenty members, and bids fair to grow and become an important factor in the social affairs of the community. The officers elected and still serving are : Mrs. Jennie Thomp- son, president ; Mrs. Mattie Canady. secretary and treasurer; and Mrs. Bertha Berry, vice president. Mrs. Thompson defines the duties or functions of the club "To enlighten homemakers in modern methods of keeping house and home and help to make the art of housekeeping worth while."

HOME COMFORT CLUB.

This is purely a rural organization of several Fears standing, and consists of the more enter- prising housewives of the Waveland and Ed- wards settlements, south of Hillsboro. The meetings of the club are held monthly in the homes of its members in itinerant fashion, and the membership is limited to those who are conl- panionable and conventional. The present mem- bership is twenty-two and there is not a drone among them. When the Farmer's Institute of the county offered a prize for the club that would send the largest percent of its member- ship to the county institute, of course this club won, for they are all workers. As the name indicates they are devoted to home comfort, and they adhere strictly to that object, believ- ing the comfort of the home is the greatest duty of the wife and mother. The present offi- cers are : Mrs. Elizabeth Edwards, president ;

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Mrs. Lena Shepherd, vice president; Mrs. Bulah Bost, secretary and treasurer. Mrs. L. F. Lewey furnishes this information with a commendable amount of pride in the success of the club, to which, we may say, she has contributed no small share.

HILLSBORO GUN CLUB.

The Hillsboro Gun Club consists of about forty members, who are enthusiasts as marks- men, and who have a wide reputation in the field of shooting sport. In the tournament of the American Trapshooters in 1916, out of the 683 entrants, 225 of them came from this club. Ten members shot in the recent Grand American Handicap. This club is a credit to the city and the county.

SNOW BIRDS.

Hillsboro has a remarkably well preserved lot of elderly people, who meet from time to time to exchange oldtime stories and refresh them- selves with remembrances of their youth. We name a few of them. William Bowles, aged eighty-eight years; Mrs. William Bowles, aged eighty-nine years; Mrs. Sarah Chambers, lives near Hillsboro, aged ninety-six years; Hender- son Howard, living at Butler, aged ninety years ; Benjamin Wilton, aged eighty-six years; Robert Mann, aged eighty-five years ; D. M. Starr, aged eighty-two years ; Taylor Sammons, aged eighty- one years; George W. Potter, aged eighty-two years; Fred Notermann, aged eighty years : George Warren, aged eighty-five years; Richard Barrett, aged eighty-one years; W. P. Baker, aged eighty-one years; Christian Kober, aged eighty-three years; J. A. Page, aged sixty-eight years ; Mattie Canaday, aged seventy-four years ; Frank Keel, aged seventy-five years; Elijah Wright, living at Fillmore, aged ninety-one years; J. Q. Bost, living at Fillmore, aged eighty years; J. A. Clotfelter, aged seventy- seven years ; J. M. Kelley, living at Irving, aged eighty-two years; A. C. Williams, aged eighty- six years; Dexter Mack, aged seventy-eight years ; E. T. Grisham, aged eighty-one years ; B. F. McLain, aged eighty-nine years. Possibly before this goes into print some of these "Snow Birds" will have passed away, but others nearly so old, are nearing the eligible age for member- ship. Even your scribe has hair nearing the

proper color, and he may soon apply for entrance into this club.

While the members of the Snow Bird Club are from time to time being called to their well earned reward, yet they are as rapidly being in- creased by those who by right living and clear consciences have passed the eightieth milestone. E. T. Grisham at ninety-one; William Bowles at eighty-nine; Francis Phillips at eighty-nine; Frank Mclain at ninety; A. F. Weathers at eighty-four and William P. Baker at eighty-two are among those to pass over, while Capt. John F. Glenn, Henry H. Hitchings, Martha L. Cana- day, Hon. George W. Paisley, Hon. W. A. Young, Abe Brokaw, Mrs. Harriet Mansfield, Mrs. Sarah Short and many others are now eligible to mein- bership, by reason of having lived their four score. These octogenarians are distinguished by the retention of their mental and physical fac- ulties unimpaired to such ripe ages. As an example we mention this incident. During the Chautauqua Assembly of 1917, in his eighty- eighth year, Prof. Williams, who for sixty years taught music, was called upon by the manager of the Chautauqua to come to the platform and show what right living will do for a man with his voice, and he responded by rendering the Star Spangled Banner with a strong clear tone that was easily heard by the 500 people who were present, who were both enraptured and aston- ished. As an example of longevity seldom known, we mention the fact that Joshua Me- Elfresh of Zanesville Township, after serving in the Mexican and Civil wars, and carrying the marks of three wounds received in battle, died September 19, 1917, at the age of one hundred years, seven months and five days. His many friends and relatives joined in celebrating his century birthday on March 14, 1917, at his home in Zanesville Township.

ANCIENT HILLSBORO CLUB.

Once upon a time, as the story books say, there was in active operation a club of young men in Hillsboro, now do not ask me who composed the club, for that was when the writer was a weenie kid, and this information comes from an elegant sober old gentleman, who died a few years ago, and who was an officer in the aforementioned club, and one of the active participants in the event here related, though the victim knew it not. · The real object of the club was fun, and they had it. An initiation ceremonial was

El.MLeau.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

adopted, and what it did not do for the candi- date, would be easier to tell than the things that the ceremonial did do. A certain young man from the southwestern part of the county came to Hillsboro to get work, and getting it went to the job, and soon had an acquaintance among the young men of the town. Some of these in- vited the young man to join the club with the jawbreakiug name, and thinking it was some- thing very important he readily consented. Now the young man, it must be admitted, was a ver- dant young fellow, inexperienced in the ways of town life and unsuspecting and timid withal, and never ouce thought that his young friends would play any tricks on a comparative stranger. But he was doomed to be disappointed in his estimate of these young men. They were not so innocent as he supposed by a long shot, as the result will show. When the young man went to the place he was taken iuto a room and told to wait till the head "giastic cutis" was ready for the ceremony. He was then blind- folded aud taken in, and for at least two hours every singular device known to these young bucks was practiced on his mind and body, until the young men were exhausted from laugh- ter, and the victim from torture, and when finally he was untied and allowed to get to the door, he struck a bee line for the community from which he came, not waiting for the return of the sun, or for even his clothes and though he lived in the county the rest of his days, Hillsboro never saw his face again till ouly a few years before his death which occurred some forty-five years after the event here described. Some of his grand-children are inhabitants of the city today, and would be surprised if I were to tell this story, in all its details.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

Prior to 1913 no systematic effort had been made to preserve the old time records, and the evidences of old customs and habits of living, except such as were to be found in official records that was made necessary by the exigen- cies of business. In August, 1913, a call was sent out to about 150 prominent old people to organ- ize, in which the following purposes were stated. "Your attention is called to the advisability of organizing a county historical society. The necessity for such a society has been suggested for the purpose of making a permanent record of the many interesting events of the past and present of our county ; of compiling and pre-

serviug a record of the privatious, achievements, failures of the notable men and women, mostly old settlers, who have contributed to the growth and success of our county, and of collecting and placing on permanent exhibition the relics and reminders of pioneer life, and also of prehistoric tribes and life within the bounds of our county, for the information and education of the pre- sent and future citizens of our county. It is thought that the organization of a county his- torical society would be the proper step to take in the accomplishment of these purposes. Such a society would co-operate with the Old Settlers Association and with the State Historical Society in similiar work over the state." In response to this call, which was signed by A. T. Strange, E. C. Richards and Jane Vawters, sixty people signified their willingness to become mem- bers. Accordingly an organization was effected on September 26, with Edward C. Richards as president ; Amos Miller first vice president ; Jane Vawters, second vice president ; Frank P. Winchester, recording secretary ; R. E. Gifford, treasurer, and A. T. Strange, corresponding sec- retary. In September, 1915, a re-orgauization was effected re-electing Mr. Richards, Mr. Gif- ford, Mr. Strange and Mrs. Vawters, and elect- ing Lyman Ware, vice president and Mrs. Laura Clotfelter, recording secretary. The society at once began the collection of forgotten history and old relics, securiug a place in their temporary storage. In 1916, the society deter- miued to present the needs of the society and its importance as a county auxillary, and ask the county to assume the custody of the relics of the county's past history, and provide a place in the courthouse for their custody and care. The muatter was received favorably by the super- visors and a place ordered provided for in the basement of the courthouse. Quite a large amount of the historical facts gleaned from the past of the county is presented to the public in these pages, and it is intended to continue the work as the society cau get the required data. The society continues to act as the custodian of the relics for the present, though they now belong to the county. The work of the organiz- ers is purely unselfish and philanthropic.

OTHER CLUBS.

We have given a brief sketch of such clubs as have been reported with sufficient data to describe. Aside from those answering inquiries,

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the energetic ladies of Raymond have a house- hold science club of good proportions, of which Mrs. Winnefred Goby is the present president, and Miss Mabel McNaughton the present secre- tary. Nokomis also has a similar club with Mrs. Clementine Hopper as the president, and Mrs. Sara Thacker as the secretary. Doubtless there are other clubs that are filling important niches in the walls of progress that we are daily build- ing, but we cannot include them all, and content ourselves with a sufficient number to impress the public that club life is no small part of the virile forces that enter into the modern social fabric of our civilization.

CHAPTER XX.

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.

ORIGIN-F. D. HUBBEL POST-F. D. HUBBEL WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS-NOKOMIS POST-COTTINGHAM POST- UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA-KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE-UNION LEAGUE OF LITCH- FIELD-HISTORY OF THE CLINGMAN RAID.

ORIGIN.

The Grand Army of the Republic of Illinois is the cradle of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic. The founder was Dr. Benjamin Franklin Stephenson, a surgeon of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. He was assisted in the work of organ- ization by Rev. W. J. Ruttger, a Methodist clergyman and chaplain of the above regiment. During the Civil War these comrades had dis- cussed a brotherhood of the survivors, and after the close of their army service, they, assisted by others, prepared a ritual for the proposed organi- zation. Two printers of Decatur, Isaac Coltrin and Joseph Prior, who had served in the army, were employed to set the type for the ritual. The first post of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic was organized by Doctor Stephenson, assisted by Capt. John S. Phelps, at Decatur, April 6, 1866, the fourth anniversary of the first day's battle of Shiloh. There were twelve charter members. The last survivor, Christian Reebsam, of Bloomington, died in 1914. The first national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 38

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