Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 56

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 56

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Many of our citizens have a most pleasant recollection of attending the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage in 1902. In 1857, he was seized with the wander-lust, and started on a . tour of observation through the then distant western state of Illinois. He visited Litchfield, hence this story. When the North and Sonth clashed, and Father Abraham called for volnn- teers, Mr. Van Deusen organized a company. The Illinois quota at that particular time was full, but such was not the case over in Mis- souri where sentiment was sadly divided. On the solicitation of Major Weber; he took his company to St. Louis where it became a part of the Sixth Missonri Infantry, as Company H. He served as captain until 1864. when he was commissioned lieutenant colonel, and com- manded the regiment until the end of the war. After the war he began an active business career in this city, serving for many years as cashier of the bank above mentioned, and its successor, Beach, Martin & Company; as city treasurer, and was for many years a member of the school board, participating in all move- ments to give Litchfield additional school build- ings, and a strong teaching corps.

"Every community. I dare say, has had its odd character; some man with a dominant per- sonality. yet different from his fellow men ; some man who has all of the aspirations and ambitions of the present, but yet reminds one of a fashion plate of a past generation. Litch- field has had one such character. Back in 1884 I was walking along on the south side of the public square in Carlinville one bright spring morning when I met a tall. lithe, square-shoul- dered young man with flowing black hair and a black mustache. He was immaculately clean, wore a long frock and a silk hat. Had he changed the hat to a slonch he would have been a splendid reproduction of John T. Mccutcheon's famous cartoon of "The Mysterious Stranger." I inquired, as any stranger naturally would, who he was. and was informed that it was Col. Amos Snooks Oller of Staunton, the great labor orator. Amos Oller was born and raised out in the Hornsby neighborhood. He was ambitions, and worked for the funds to carry him through a short course at Valparaiso, Ind. He studied law, and came on the scene of public activity at a time when 'Isms' were running rampant throughout the country. The Grange movement, the Green Back party, and the labor movement were each scrambling for a position in the spot-

928

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

light. Amos Oller tried all of them. Along in the early eighties he came to Litchfield and made a speech on the labor question, using a box in the city park as a platform. The late B. S. Hood was the local correspondent for the Globe Democrat, and on the following day a glowing account of the meeting and the great speech by Col. Amos Snooks Oller appeared in that paper. The name stuck to him, and he was proud of it. In the early spring of 1889, at a time when Litchfield was enjoying a won- derful streak of prosperity, Colonel Oller came to Litchfield and hung his shingle out to catch every passing breeze. He had not been here long until there was a strike at the Litchfield Car Works of one day's duration. It was speedily announced that Colonel Oller, the great labor leader, would address the dissatisfied workingmen. The city park had a splendid crowd when the Colonel mounted his box, which he probably brought with him. He immediately became the poor man's lawyer, much to his dis- comfort, but greatly to the benefit of the latter. He was a man of great forensic ability, and was satisfied with a box or a barrel for a forum. In 1898, when the city court was established, prominent, conservative men used system, poll books, challengers, carriages and workers of sundry degrees. Not so with Colonel Oller; he nightly, wherever a crowd would assemble, and they always assembled, mounted his box and spoke to the 'plain' people. He was elected by the plain people. It is related by many who can vouch for the story that on one occasion he walked to Hillsboro to defend a client who was as penniless as himself. He was eccentric, it is true, but there are few today who would raise a hand in condemnation. Many of us remember his theories on mental telepathy and the occult sciences, but we will remember him all the longer on account of his numerous lengthy dis- cussions on those subjects. The Colonel raised and educated his family here, but since his death in March, 1910, his children, all of whom are doing well, have scattered, until at this time none of the family remains in our midst."

LITCHFIELD CHURCHES.

The Litchfield Christian Church has at the present time, we think, the largest membership in the county. It was organized about 1856, and struggled along for many years without any marked growth till a few years ago, when its

upward building became pronounced. At first the membership was very small, the original organizers being as follows: Mrs. Matilda O'Bannon, Mrs. Adaline Elliott, Mrs. John C. Young, John C. Young, John W. Keller and wife, John Waldrup and wife and Jacob Voyles and wife. At present the membership is 700. The church has a church house valued at $12,000, and contributes to the charities and philanthropies of the church annually about $3000. The ministers who have served this church in the past have been as follows : Aquilla Sims, John C. Tully, W. F. Parker, S. M. Jefferson, Robert Porter, Eli Fisher, F. M. Phillips, U. M. Browder, J. A. Movity, W. A. Ingram, J. E. Willis, B. B. McGraw, C. F. Mortimer, W. S. Errett, J. W. B. Smith, Robert Grieve, F. W. Collins, M. L. Anthony, J. O. Henry, C. D. Purlee, M. S. Johnson, J. M. Elam, Benjamin N. Mitchell, Charles W. Ross, and the present pastor Rev. Ivan W, Agee, who has con- tributed this information.

The Litchfield Presbyterian Church was or- ganized February 9, 1856, with a membership of thirteen, as follows: John M. Paden, Samuel A. Paden, James N. McElvain', Angelina A. McEl- vain, R. N. Paden, Illionis E. Paden, Polly M. Paden, Daniel Brokaw, Caroline Brokaw, Lydia J. Crawford, Martha Crawford, Isaac Skillman, and Mrs. E. M. Bryan. The first pastor was Rev. Peter Hassinger who was in charge in 1857 and 185S. He was followed by the following ministers: B. H. Charles, six months; R. M. Roberts, 1859-1SGS; A. S. Foster, 186S-1873; S. I. McKee, 1873-1875; A. J. Clark, 1875-1877 ; D. W. Evans, 1878-1SS1; W. B. Minton, 1SS1-1SS5; D. K. Campbell, 1SSG-1890; E. P. Miller, 1891- 1897; W. J. Tull, 1897-1899; J. A. Gerhard, 1899-1902; E. W. Holler, 1902-1904; W. F. Gib- son, 1911-1913, and the present pastor, D. H. Cramer, who has been here since 1913. The church has a present membership of 210. The church has a very good house of worship worth $35,000, supplied with pipe organ and all modern equipment for a church of its size; and a manse worth about $6000. The contributions of the church for charitable, philanthropic and church purposes now aggregate $3500 per year.

Besides the churches of Litchfield here briefly described, there are also others, that we have not historical data at hand to describe, that are as important as civilizing and uplifting forces in the city. The Roman Catholics have a large church under the care of Rev. Father P. F. Car-

HIGH SCHOOL, LITCHFIELD

ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, LITCHFIELD

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, LITCHFIELD

929

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

roll. The German Catholics have an organiza- tion under the pastorate of Father James Tel- ken. The English Lutherans also have a strong church under the ministry of Rev. J. A. Han- ning. The Baptist denomination is represented* by an active church under the ministry of Reverend Toomey, and the Free Methodists are represented in the city by an organization under the pastoral care of Rev. Harry Emigi. The Universalists are holding services in the city library building for the present under the care of Rev. Rupert Holloway.

MEN, NEWSPAPERS AND POLITICS.

In the chapter on the Press, we have given a history of the newspapers of Litchfield. It is not the purpose to repeat what is given there, but the men and the political opinions they stood for necessitate mentioning the newspapers of the times in which their activities are a part of Litchfield's history. We therefore again quote from S. W. Kessinger's series of articles on "The Men I Have Known."

"I have yet to meet the man who has gained worldly goods from the pursuit of the news- paper business. That is merely a sidelight on history. Litchfield has many newspaper men, a few journalists, and fewer editors. We have many country newspapers, but few country editors. The country editor was a man of edu- cation, the 'know-how' of writing, and a broad conception of political and current events. His editorial column, no matter how obscure the vicinity in which it was published, teemed with editorials of as great, and frequently greater merit than many of the metropolitan papers. Litchfield, in the past, had two real editors, H. A. Coolidge and B. S. Hood. For the first four years of its existence Litchfield had no news- paper. In 1858, H. A. Coolidge came from Caze- novia, N. Y., and launched the Litchfield Jour- nal. It was Democratic in policy. But as far back as 1850 the Whigs, afterwards Republicans, decided that they must have a mouthpiece. Money was subscribed by enterprising citizens of Hillsboro. Litchfield and Butler, and an out- fit was purchased. Daniel W. Munn, a Hills- boro lawyer, gave due bills to those who had contributed to the plant, and became the first editor of the Illinois Free Press. Hon. E. South- worth, who is still one of our honored citizens, was the Litchfield editor of the Litchfield de- partment in the late fifties, with B. S. Hood

as assistant. Within a year Mr. Hood became editor of the Litchfield department, and was identified with the newspaper business in Litch- field from that time up to February 26, 1887, when the writer succeeded him. J. G. Hutchin- son of Hillsboro was the publisher and also con- tributed to the columns of the Free Press. He is said to have not only been a splendid printer, but a fluent and logical writer. At that time there were but two other papers in the county : the Montgomery County Herald of Hillsboro, and the Litchfield Journal. During the forma- tion of the Republican party, and afterwards, there was a bitter factional fight among the stockholders of the Free Press. The office was moved to Litchfield in 1861, but after a few months shortage of cash, to say nothing of cordwood and pumpkins, it was moved back to Hillsboro. The paper ceased publication in 1862. Mr. Munn entered the army, and Mr. Hutchin- son sought new pastures.

"The year 1862 brought a decisive battle between the Monitor and Merrimac off Hampton Roads. To quote Mr. Hood : 'The peace-at-any- price men organized themselves into secret so- cieties known as "Knights of the Golden Circle" and were bold, aggressive and threatening. The possibility of a civil war among the citizens of Illinois and others of the border states was ad- mitted, and the result anxiously discussed. The spring elections of 1863, however, showed a reaction. The violent threats of the K. G. C.'s drove hundreds of conservative men over to the union party which was composed of former Republicans and war Democrats. One impor- tant factor in this reactionary movement was "The Union League," a secret association organ- ized to fight the K. G. C.'s with their own weapons. The first Union League in Mont- gomery county was organized in Litchfield just in time to carry the city election in March, 1863.'

"The Union Leagues of Montgomery county were responsible for the establishment of a newspaper to take the place of the Illinois Free Press, which had ceased publication the year before. Daniel V. Mum. now a captain since joining the army, gave permission to use the Free Press material. The late Captain John W. Kitchell of Pana, then a resident of Hills- boro, offered his services as editor and manager of the new paper, without pay, provided he should be guaranteed against financial loss. The proposition was accepted and the members of the several Union Leagues over the county

930

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

signed such an agreement. Then came the try- ing hour when the baby had to be named. The task finally fell to B. S. Hood, who was to be the Litchfield editor, with the understanding that he was to select some name having nothing in com- mon with Illinois Free Press, and that it should contain the word 'Union.' Mr. Hood, remember- ing the naval victory at Hampton Roads the year before, chose 'The Union Monitor.' The first number was issued May 1, 1863. Mr. Hood says: The Union Monitor was a success from the start, nnion men thereafter being united and enthusiastic in its support. In the course of a month Mr. Thomas Russell bought the office of Capt. Munn, assuming all of the old Free Press bills of the latter. Capt. Kitchell continued to be the editor-in-chief, and was assisted by B. S. Hood. When Mr. Kitchell retired, Mr. J. E. Henry, from Greenville, succeeded him.'

"At this point Mr. Hood and P. A. Randle, of this city, who is an old-time printer, disagree. H. A, Coolidge had found the newspaper busi- ness unprofitable. As evidence of that fact, he stated in his history of Litchfield, written in 1881, that on several occasions the total casli taken in from Monday morning until Saturday night would not exceed the sum of fifty cents. He was a man of splendid education, and opened a subscription school in his residence on West Kirkham Street, now occupied by Thomas F. Blankley. There are a number of residents of this city and surrounding towns who attended his school. I know of three, N. Clearwater and Ted Kirkpatrick of this city, and J. S. Kessin- ger of Raymond. Mr. Hood claims that E. J. C. Alexander came from Greenville and purchased the Journal office of Mr. Coolidge in the autumn of 1865. Mr. Randle claims that the transaction took place in 1863. Be that as it may, Mr. Alexander started the Litchfield News, a Repub- lican paper. Shortly afterwards he made an arrangement with Mr. Russell by which the News was made a part of the Union Monitor, Mr. Alexander ruiming the Litchfield office for job printing only. A year or so later Mr. Alexander purchased the Monitor office, and printed two editions, the Union Monitor dated Hillsboro, and the Litchfield News dated Litch- field. With the exception of headings, the edi- tions were exactly alike. In December, 1867, Mr. Alexander changed his politics, and sold the Monitor and News offices to B. S. Hood, who moved the former to Litchfield and, consolidat-

ing offices, changed the name of the Litchfield edition to the Republican Union. In May, 1868, he again changed the name of the Litchfield edition to The Litchfield Union Monitor. The papers passed through all the infantile diseases of country newspapers of those times, to-wit: weekly to semi-weekly and back again; from six to seven, and then to eiglit columns folio, and back again until the 'patent innard' solved the problem and they became dignified six column, quarto sheets with the aforesaid 'patent innard.'

"To return to Mr. Alexander. After selling out to Mr. Hood, he moved to Hillsboro and was soon the editor of a Democratic paper. He became so active in politics that in 1872 he was elected to the general assembly, after which he dropped out of public view until he appeared in Litchfield again as editor of a Democratic paper in the fall of 1887. He remained here but a short while, when he retired to Bond county where he died on August 9, 1915, at the ripe old age of 86 years.

"On January 1, 1870, Charles L, Bangs and Edward Gray came from Carlinville, purchased the Monitor office, and continued the several editions. In the fall of that year the Hillsboro edition was discontinued, and in its place was issued the Hillsboro News-Letter, an office hav- ing been established in that city with material partly taken from the Monitor office in Litch- field. Mr. Bangs moved to Hillsboro and took personal charge of the News-Letter. Two years later Messrs. Bangs and Gray divided, the former taking the Hillsboro, and the latter the Litchfield office. The News-Letter is now the Montgomery News, over which C. W. and C. P. Bliss preside with becoming ease and grace,

"In 1871 Messrs. Kimball and Taylor, of Belleville, in connection with George B. Litch- field, started the Litchfield Independent. The lure of the printing office towel and the longing for the smell of ink brought H. A. Coolidge back to the editorial chair. Shortly afterwards Mr. Gray, who had become the sole owner of the Monitor, sold to the new firm, who dropped the name Independent. The Fithians, William W., John B., and Edward, became editors and mana- gers of the Monitor. A little later Mr. Taylor purchased Mr. Kimball's interest in the printing office and proceeded to clean house. He dis- charged the Fithians, and installed Edward Feagan, a St. Louis printer and reporter, as

931

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

editor, manager and foreman. The Monitor, which had appeared as a semi-weekly for some time, now became a weekly.

"The campaign of 1872 opened with great euthusiasm. Martial music filled the air." General Grant was opposed by Horace Greeley for the presidency. The 'tanner boys' marched in great possessions. Mr. Coolidge purchased the Monitor and took as a partner George B. Litchfield, who had been running a job printing office. The Fithian boys, after leaving the Moni- tor, had started the Litchfield Review. It died a natural death after a few issues and the material was purchased by Messrs. Coolidge and Litchfield, and the town again had but one newspaper and one printing office. This did not last long, however, for a year later Mr. Litch- field seceded, taking his material, and started the Litchfield Democrat, with Robert S. Young as editor.

"The Litchfield Democrat in time became the Prairie City Advocate, and had many editors, among them being Charles Tobin, Suddeth and Milnor, Frank Shutt, Judson and Roberts, W. A. Judson, James Cox and E. J. C. Alexander. Mr. Alexander took charge of the Advocate in the fall of 1887, and remained but a few months, meeting with indifferent success. In the early spring of 18SS Fred C. Beeman, who was a local democratic politician of well known ability, dis- covered that if he owned a democratic paper he could secure the delinquent tax list, which was a rare and juicy sweetmeat in those days. The plant was easily acquired, as will be explained later. Mr. Beeman changed the name of the paper to the Litchfield Herald. In November of that year Mr. Beeman sold the paper to R. P. Boultou, of Troy, Mo., and then began a rapid shifting of scenery, the firm changing to Boulton & Parrott, Boulton & Cornelius, Boulton & Wil- son. Boulton & Kelly, and back to R. P. Boultou. In 1890 Mr. Boulton started the Daily Herald, now consolidated with the News-Herald. J. Stanley Cline succeeded Mr. Boulton as editor and remained at his post until the consolidation of the Daily News and Daily Herald in the fall of 1906.

"In January, 1887, Frank M. Roberts arrived from Jerseyville with a Washington hand press and a pocket full of type and launched the Litch- field Daily News. It, too, had editors and editors. Mr. Roberts, in less than three years, bade the town farewell, leaving. it was rumored, under cover of darkness. His wife, Mrs. Clara Roberts,

edited the paper for a while and then sold out to James H. Cox. After a few years Mr. Cox leased the paper to E. Joe and D. Walter Potts, who called the paper the Daily Reveille. It did not succeed any better under the new name, and Mr. Cox again became editor and restored the former name. In 1896 he sold the paper to Charles Murphy, who came here from Iowa. A few months later Mr. Murphy formed a partner- ship with J. M. Weber, who brought the Ray- mond Reigster to Litchfield in the deal.

"In 1878 B. S. Hood and Charles A. Walker bought the Monitor of H. A. Coolidge, and the latter retired permanently from the business in this city. He secured a position in the gov- ernment printing office at Washington, where he served as proof reader until the election of Grover Cleveland in 1884, when he was given leave of absence. He spent the years of that administration in this city, and returned to work in Washington with the incoming of President Harrison in 1889, and retained his position until his death in December, 1894. Mr. Hood soon purchased the interest of Mr. Walker. During the campaign of 1880 he published Litchfield's first daily, returning to the weekly when the campaign was over. In 1881 he brought the first power press to Litchfield, a Country Camp- bell, which was considered a marvel in its day. John G. Campbell became his partner at this time.

"In 1883 Mr. Campbell leased Mr. Hood's inter- est and continued the business alone for a short time, when Charles Hood. sou of B. S. Hood, who had been foreman of the office for some time became a partner. They continued the business until December, 1885, when they took all of the presses and type of any value and moved to Wellington, Kas., where they started the Wel- lington Monitor. B. S. Hood again assumed con- trol of the destinies of the Litchfield Monitor and with the worn-out material and a second hand hand press, sat down to wait for a purchaser.

"On Monday, December 27, 1886, the writer came to Litchfield to spend the holidays with relatives. He called on Mr. Hood and learned that the paper was for sale. I couldu't buy a sandwich, but later in the day learned that the paper was for lease. I formed the acquaintance of William J. Warden, the forcman. He was a Democrat, but a good printer, and we agreed that we would lease the plant and that I should be the editor, and Mr. Warden the foreman and business manager. Mr. Warden was supporting

932

HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY

a family, and I was single. We put in a new job press and a considerable amount of new type. Our advertising grew, but by November oť that year the books showed that Mr. Warden had eaten his share of the new equipment. I bought him out and he departed for Los Angeles, Cal., where, I understand, he is doing a thriving job printing business.

"As previously stated, Mr. Boulton started the Daily Herald early in April, 1890. That made two dailies. Parm Randle, who had been run- ning a job office for years, broke into the field with the Daily Republican. That made three dailies. I could not conscientiously remain in the weekly field alone, so within three weeks time the Morning Monitor entered the field, making four daily papers in a town of 6,000 inhabitants. Randle quit after a hundred issues. I continued for four years, and returned to the weekly field. Litchfield now had three weekly and two daily newspapers, which was considerably more than the editors could stand, to say nothing of the town. In 1902 the Daily News, J. M. Weber, proprietor, and my paper, the Monitor both Re- publican, were consolidated, with Mr. Weber as manager, and myself as editor. The sheriff got that outfit in July 1906.

"I must go backward. In 1882 a few enter- prising citizens who were not satisfied with the editorial conduct of the Monitor, organized a stock company and started the Litchfield Cour- ier. They employed James Stanley as editor. And, by the way, Stanley was some editor. He peeved Dr. William Barefoot, alderman from the Third ward, who was chairman of the committee on public buildings and grounds, about ruining the trees in the City Park by topping them, to such an extent that the doctor, who wasn't much bigger than a pint of soap, challenged him to fight a duel. Stanley chose brick bats at a dis- tance of two hundred yards, and the sanguinary battle was averted. The backers of the Courier became afflicted with 'that tired feeling' by 1885, and the plant finally passed into the hands of Frank Shutt, publisher of the Advocate.

"In the early spring of 1901, Trainer and Drake came here from Blue Mound, this state, and launched the Morning Press. At the end of one hundred days, Mr. Drake eloped with the typewriter (the machine if you please) and the paper ceased publication. The following spring, Mr. Trainer, owner of the outfit, made ar- rangements with Robert E. Lee and C. O. Rich- ards of this city to relaunch the Morning Press.

The boys went to work with a vim. They met J. Stanley Cline on the street one night and asked him if he wanted a job. Stanley wanted anything he could get his hands on, and took it, and immediately started upon a newspaper career that lasted for some time. The Press died again. Lee took what money there was on hand, and Dick Richards took the material.

"In 1903 a company composed of R. P. Boulton, Charles Woodruff, C. O. Richards, S. O. Harvel, E. E. Burson, and the late J. W. Cline purchased the Herald from Mr. Boulton. Mr. Woodruff became manager and 'Jim' Cline editor. In 1906, after the sheriff was mean enough to grab the News and Monitor, Mr. Burson, and others, consolidated the News, Monitor and Herald, and for about a week there was but one newspaper in Litchfield. At the end of that week I started the Illinois Free Press. It was published until July 1, 1914, when, having no plant, and no overhead expense, it quit the field until times are more auspicious.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II, Part 56

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