Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County, Part 164

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

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work by employing them; the first State insti- tution to teach methodically articulation and lip-reading; first to establish a really useful library, containing over 15,000 volumes of his- tory, poetry, fiction, travel, science, art, biog- raphy and carefully chosen reference works. Dr. Gillett made fitness the sole test for em- ployment of teachers, a fact so widely known that from this corps of instructors ten have been called to superintend similar institutions.

Dr. Gillett wielded a ready and powerful pen. In evidence of this fact stands the paper read before the convention of American Instructors at Indianapolis in 1870, which was formally adopted by a unanimous vote as the expression of the views of the profession. This document has been one of the authoritative guides in the organization and management of boarding schools for the deaf. He made some written contributions to science, and his formal reports have a brevity, force and fecundity of ideas, instead of words, that have caused them to be highly valued. In the midst of his many duties he made time for much evangelistic and Sun- day-school work. He was President of the In- ternational Sunday-school Convention at Indi- anapolis in 1872, which, under the leadership of B. F. Jacobs, adopted the International Sys- tem of Uniform Lessons; and for fourteen years he was a member of the International Committee and in close touch with the great biblical students and Sunday-school workers ·associated with him in the preparation of the courses of Scripture study. Deeply interested in Freemasonry, he was a charter member and First Eminent Commander of Hospitaler Com- mandery, No. 31, K. T., of Jacksonville. He was married May 2, 1854, to Ellen M. Phipps, of Indianapolis, who survives him. Their chil- dren are: Charles P. Gillett, present Superin- tendent of the institution with which his fa- ther was identified so long; Philip F. Gillett, M. D., of Elgin, Ill .; Mrs. Harriet G. Cole, of New York City; and Alma Gillett, of Jackson- ville.

Dr. Gillett's pupils loved him, his associates and contemporaries respected 'and admired him, his intimates and his family perhaps alone fully recognized "the sweetness and nobility of character, the loftiness of aim, the loyalty to country, to friends, to duty, and all the sweet assemblage of noble parts of a personality deserving of honor, worthy of loving remem-

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brance," and a high ensample for the emula- tive following of American youth entering upon the realities of life. In the "American Annals" Joseph C. Gordon, who succeeded Dr. Gillett as Superintendent, gave an estimate of the char- acter and services of the latter, a portion of which follows: "True to the traditions of the older schools for the deaf, no labor or duty affecting the pupils was delegated to others so long as it was possible for Dr. Gillett to per- form it himself. ... Under his influence large numbers professed religion. The spirit- ual welfare of the deaf was always nearest Dr. Gillett's heart, and one outcome of this interest was his establishment of a mission station for the deaf in Chicago, which has grown into an organized church with numerous outlying sta- tions, served by a regular pastor with several assistants. . . . In reorganizing the Illinois school Dr. Gillett established and maintained high standards in the selection of experienced teachers specially qualified for the work, so far as possible. In carrying out his policy a few teachers were trained in the school; but, be- lieving that 'it required seven years to make a teacher,' Dr. Gillett preferred to draw upon other schools. He sought out superior talent earnestly, and during his superintendency the institutions in at least eleven States were drawn upon in his efforts to obtain able assist- ants. In the long run these obligations were well repaid, for the Illinois school has furnished ten Superintendents for schools in other States, besides two college professors and one college President. During Dr. Gillett's superin- tendency a number of additions were made to the land owned by the institution. Perhaps nothing better illustrates the Doctor's perti- nacity of purpose than the fact that a valuable addition to the front lawn was secured by him only after presenting the matter to successive legislatures for twenty-nine years before success was attained. . . .

"It will be remembered that the first con- ference of principals, which was held in Wash- ington City in May, 1868, was called mainly to determine what attitude the old institutions should take in regard to teaching speech to the deaf, a subject brought prominently before the profession at that time by the opening of oral schools in New York City and in Northampton, Mass., and by Dr. Gallaudet's report upon his visit to schools in Europe. Although Dr. Gil-

lett had been trained as a 'sign teacher,' and at that time was unfamiliar with any other meth- od of instruction, he, in company with Harvey W. Milligan, M. D., at that time at the head of the Wisconsin school, concluded to brave the prejudice of the times and to visit the North- ampton school in order to judge for himself of the practicability and efficiency of the instruc- tion there afforded without recourse to the sign language. The work there done was a revela- tion to these gentlemen, and they did not hesi- tate to assume a liberal attitude toward the in- novation. Dr. Gillett at once became a leader in the progressive wing of the profession, which secured modification of some of the resolutions presented to the conference and the passage of the resolution favorable to the teaching of speech in all schools for the deaf. Immediately upon his return home he presented a special re- port to the Trustees and Governor, and with the consent of the authorities an oral depart- ment was established in the Illinois school at the opening of the term in September, 1868.

"The pitiful condition of children not deaf, but feeble-minded, appealed so strongly to the sympathies of Dr. Gillett that he took active measures in their behalf, and after much urg- ing the Legislature was induced to found the Illinois Institution for Feeble-minded Children. This new institution was located temporarily near the State School for the Deaf, with Dr. Gillett as Superintendent; he remained in charge until he found a worthy successor in the person of Dr. C. T. Wilbur. Dr. Gillett was instrumental in the organization ,of the Illinois State Board of Charities, which prob- ably largely owes its establishment to his ener- getic efforts in that direction. The active di- rection of this board was tendered to him, but he declined the appointment. . . .

"Early in life Dr. Gillett connected himself with the Methodist Church, and was always active in religious work. ... He engaged in evangelistic and Sunday-school work through- out the State, laboring with his personal friends, Stephen Paxson, William Reynolds, A. G. Tyng, John H. Vincent and Dwight L. Moody, in efforts which have left their impress upon the State. He was also active during the Civil War in the work of the Christian Commission, and thus became a close personal friend of George H. Stuart, President of the Commission. . . . He was a delegate to three General Conferences

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

of his own church. In 1888 he was Chairman of the Sunday-school Committee of the General Conference, and he was twice President of the Illinois State Sunday-school Convention. He was President of the Eleventh Convention of the Instructors of the Deaf, which met in Califor- nia in 1886. It might be said that this was a trans-continental convention, which was an in- formal session, at least, on a special train all the way from Chicago to California, the ar- rangements for which were made by Dr. Gillett.

"After thirty-seven and one-half years of con- tinuous service as Superintendent of the Illi- nois School, Dr. Gillett's connection with the school was severed in consequence of the intro- duction of the so-called spoils system, with a change of administration in the State. Dr. Gillett was called almost immediately to a wider and, in some respects, more important field of usefulness, as President of the American Asso- ciation to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf, in which capacity he visited every State and every school for the deaf in the Union. ... His great energies were directed to aiding the work of teaching speech to the deaf, a cause which had the approval of the profes- sion in America as expressed by the action of several conferences of principals and conven- tions of instructors, and the Doctor's visits to the various institutions proved occasions of great profit in almost every instance. Dr. Gil- lett's health did not prove equal to the great strain placed upon him, and growing infirmi- ties finally compelled him to abandon an active career. . The closing years of his life were spent in the retirement of his home until the end came."

GILLETT, Charles Phipps, Superintendent of the Illinois School for the Deaf, Jacksonville, Ill., was born in the institution of which he is now the head, the son of the late Philip Goode and Ellen M. ( Phipps) Gillett. (A detailed sketch of his father's life will be found immedi- ately preceding in this work.) After attending the public schools of Jacksonville he entered Illinois College, where he continued his studies until 1881. In that year he became assistant to his father, then Superintendent of the institu- tion, his official position being that of Secretary to the Superintendent. Subsequently he was appointed to the post of Assistant Superintend- ent, and occupied that position until 1893, when

his father relinquished the superintendency of the school. During the winter of 1893-4 Mr. Gillett filled the place of the Superintendent of the Minnesota State Institution at Faribault, the latter being temporarily absent from his post. During the term of 1898-99, he was an in- structor in the Louisiana State School for the Deaf, at Baton Rouge, La. In May, 1900, he be- came a teacher in the Illinois Institution, and remained in that capacity until April 12, 1903, when he was elected Superintendent. It will thus be seen he has spent practically all the maturer years of his life in the work of educat- ing the deaf. The post he now occupies, which was filled by his lamented father for a period of more than thirty-seven years, carries with it great responsibilities, as well as great possi- bilities. Mr. Gillett is faithfully carrying for- ward the magnificent work which gained a tre- mendous impetus under his father's wise and most efficient management, and practically ev- ery waking hour of every day is devoted to the task of maintaining and, wherever possible, ad- vancing the standard of the school.

GILLHAM, (Hon.) James .- Hon. James Gill- ham was one of the best known pioneers of the county. He was a veritable prince in all the qualities that are supposed to unite in the physical, mental and moral character of a noble and worthy prince. He also located at a very early date within the present bounds of Scott County, near Riggston. Mr. Gillham was a member of the Senate during the session of the Thirteenth General Assembly. As a man and as a citizen he left his impress deeply and broadly on the community in which he lived.

GILLHAM, (Hon.) William .- William Gillham was one of the noblest of Morgan County pio- neers. He lived in what is now Scott County, near where Riggston is situated. He was re- peatedly elected County Commissioner, and was a member of the Lower House of the Eleventh General Assembly.

GILLHAM, William Waits, a well known un- dertaker of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Ill., was born on the old Gillham homestead, fifteen miles west of Jacksonville, January 9, 1872, the son of William A. and Rebecca (Waits) Gill- ham, who were natives respectively of Illinois and Kentucky. The founder of the American

John Roberts on

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

family was Thomas Gillham, a native of North- ern Ireland and of the Presbyterian faith, who came to the United States in 1730 and settled in Virginia. He was the father of seven sons and four daughters, and all his sons and his four sons-in-law served in the Revolutionary War. The author of a "History of the State of Illi- nois," published in 1849, says that the Gillhams were strong supporters of morality and order. Though born in a slave State they recognized the corrupting influence of that institution, and firmly opposed its introduction into Illinois. The same authority claims that the Convention party of 1824 owed its defeat to the Gillham family and their kinsmen, who, in an almost solid phalanx, cast 500 votes against the propo- sition to make Illinois a slave State. James Gillham, one of this stalwart company and the grandfather of William W. Gillham, moved to Illinois from the Carolinas in 1805, taking up Government land in what was afterward Mor- . gan County, and is now in Scott County. The tract is one of the three or four farms in Scott County which has remained in the same name, as when preempted from the Government. James Gillham died in 1869, honored and be- loved by a host of friends.

Judge William A. Gillham was born on this farm in September, 1833. He was educated at McKendree College and Illinois College. He served four years as County Judge of Scott County, and was widely known for the impar- tiality and inflexible justice of his judicial rul- ings. In 1856 he was united in marriage with Rebecca Waits, who was born in 1836, in Harri- son County, Ky. He departed this life at the old home, June 27, 1902.

William W. Gillham attended the public schools in boyhood, afterward graduating from Eureka College, and from the United States School of Embalming in New York. After finishing his preparation for practical life, he located in Winchester, Ill., where, in 1896 he established the firm of Gillham & Barton, undertakers. In 1898 he moved to Jacksonville, where he established a rapidly increasing busi- ness. Mr. Gillham is a member of the Illinois State Undertakers' Association.

On November 27, 1901, Mr. Gillham was united in marriage with Eva Davenport, of Jacksonville, daughter of L. M. and Adeline (Magill) Davenport.

Fraternally, Mr. Gillham is affiliated with the A. F. & A. M., Jacksonville Lodge, No. 570; Illinois Lodge, No. 4, I. O. O. F .; K. of P. Lodge, No. 152; M. W. A. Lodge, No. 912; D. O. K. K. Lodge, No. 62; and Delaware Tribe, I. O. R. R. Religiously, Mr. Gillham is a very active mem- ber of the Christian Church, in which he was elected Deacon in 1904. He also has the honor of serving on the board which supervises the erection of the new Christian Church edifice in Jacksonville.

GOLTRA, John Wright, one of the early mer- chants of Jacksonville, was born at Bound Brook, N. J., May 26, 1813, a son of Oliver and Phæbe (Compton) Goltra. In youth he learned the trade of a hatmaker, and, strong in the con- viction that Illinois would prove a profitable field for that industry, started overland for this State, in the spring of 1835. He traveled on an Indian pony, the journey consuming forty days, and soon after arriving in Jacksonville estab- lished a small store and hat manufactory on the south side of the Public Square, where he re- mained until 1850. During this time he made, by hand, practically all the hats he sold. The material employed in their manufacture was, for the greater part, beaver and Russian fur. The hats were soft and flexible, weighed about twelve ounces, sold for an average price of $10 in gold coin, and usually lasted about ten years. This manufactory was the first of its kind in Jacksonville, and, in fact, in this section of the State. Mr. Goltra was known as an expert and painstaking workman, and the product of his establishment found a ready sale throughout a considerable territory surrounding Jackson- ville. In 1850 he removed to the store build- ing now occupied by Frank Byrns, on the southwest corner of the Public Square, where he continued in business until his death. Dur- ing the later years of his life he combined with his trade the business of merchant tailoring, in partnership with Joseph Tomlinson.

Mr. Goltra was a man of deep religious con- victions. When he arrived in Jacksonville, there were not more than a half-dozen adher- ents to the Baptist denomination in the place. He became one of the most active leaders in that denomination in the city, and largely through his efforts the organization of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville was made pos-

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

sible. For the last thirty-five years of his life he served as Deacon in that church. In poli- tics he was originally a Whig, but became a Republican upon the organization of the latter party in 1856. He was united in marriage with Mary A. L. Becraft, who was born in Ken- tucky, August 4, 1820, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aquila Becraft. Mr. Becraft came to Mor- gan County about 1828, and settled upon land, a portion of which now is occupied by the Dia- mond Grove Cemetery. His wife died at the age of fifty years. They were the parents of the following named children: Maria, deceased; Judson A .; Mattie F., deceased, wife of Marcus Hook; Mary, deceased wife of Willard Franch; and Emma, wife of Samuel T. Anderson.

GOLTRA, Judson A., retired merchant living in Jacksonville, Ill., was born in Jacksonville May 13, 1843, the son of John W. and Mary A. (Becraft) Goltra. (A sketch of his father's life will be found preceding in this volume.) After attending the public schools of Jackson- ville, he engaged in business as a clerk in his father's hat store, and following the death of his father, continued to operate the establish- ment until 1895 with Charles Goltra as a part- ner. In the last-mentioned year he disposed of his establishment to J. V. Read, who, in 1900, sold out to the firm of Byrns & Goltra, consist- ing of Frank Byrns and Walter W. Goltra, a son of Judson A. The latter retired from the firm in 1902, since which time the business has been conducted by Mr. Byrns.

Mr. Goltra has always been an active Repub- lican, but has never sought political office. He was a charter member of Jacksonville Lodge, No. 152, K. of P., but is not now identified with the order. On May 21, 1867, he married Eliza- beth E. Weller, who was born in Canton, Mo., Oc- tober 6, 1842, a daughter of Jesse Weller, who removed to Jacksonville for the purpose of edu- cating his children in the Athenæum. Her death occurred February 20, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Gol- tra became the parents of the following named children: Albert E., deceased; Thomas A., de- ceased; Walter W .; Jessie A., wife of Percy Stone, of Springfield, Ill .; Emma E. and Roy, residing at home.

GORDON, John, one of the oldest citizens of Morgan County, Ill., and for a long period one of the prominent residents of Jacksonville, Ill.,

was born July 29, 1824, on his father's home- stead, near Lynnville, Morgan County. His boyhood home was a one-room log cabin, 20 by 20 feet in dimensions. The first school he at- tended, taught by a Mr. Brisbain, was in a log house with a puncheon floor, and greased paper for windows, the room being a portion of a dwelling. At a later period, a log house was built for a subscription school, with similar floor and windows, split slabs for seats and mud chimneys. The teacher was L. B. Tankers- ley.

At the age of nineteen years Mr. Gordon re- moved to Steubenville, Ohio, where he attended Scott's Academy for two years. Being the eldest boy, he helped to operate his moth- er's farm, which he afterward bought, re- siding on it until 1879, when he moved to Jack- sonville. In 1880, he was appointed Postmaster of the city of Jacksonville by President Hayes; .also served in that capacity under the Garfield administration, and retained the office one year under the administration of President Cleveland -in all serving nine years.

In 1848 Mr. Gordon engaged in the general mercantile business at Lynnville, Ill., and re- tained his interest in the concern until 1890. In 1879 he embarked in the wholesale and retail grocery line at Jacksonville, continuing in that line in partnership with John R. Loar, for five years, when he sold out his interest in the concern. He is now the owner of land near Lynnville.

On December 1, 1850, Mr. Gordon was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah Campbell, a daugh- ter of Nimrod Funk, who was a soldier under General Jackson, at New Orleans. This union resulted in seven children as follows: William E., a farmer, who lives in Scott County, Ill .; John B., an attorney and Judge of one of the courts of Seattle, Wash .; Frank T., a farmer near Lynnville, Ill .; Virginia, who lives in Jacksonville, and is the widow of Richard Va- sey; Lilly, wife of Alfred W. Agee, an attorney of Ogden, Utah; Louisa, a teacher in Texas; and Jessie B., widow of Frank Johnson, who was County Superintendent of Schools of Mor- gan County. On September 5, 1879, six years after the death of the mother of the above- mentioned family, Mr. Gordon was married to Mrs. Mary E., widow of Frank Dayton, and one , son was the offspring of this union-Harry C., who lives in St. Louis.

RESIDENCE OF COL. J. R. ROBERTSON, 1203 WEST STATE ST., JACKSONVILLE.

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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.

In politics, Mr. Gordon was at first a Whig, but lias been a Republican since the organiza- tion of that party, and voted for Gen. John C. Fremont. He served two terms (1872-76) as Rep- resentative in the Illinois Legislature, and offi- ciated for twenty years as Justice of the Peace.

Fraternally, Mr. Gordon is affiliated with the

Mr. Graff is identified with the Odd Fellows, A. F. & A. M., in which order he has been very . the Modern Woodmen of America, the Elks prominent, having joined it at Lynnville in and the Knights of Pythias. He was married October 6, 1887, to Alice, daughter of James W. Johnson of Arcadia, and they have one child, a daughter named Lula Fairree. 1865. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Jacksonville Chapter and Commandery, and Past Master of the local lodge, which he has represented in the Grand Lodge. He is also identified with the I. O. O. F., which order he joined about the year 1865. Religiously, he is a member of the Christian Church.

Mr. Gordon has been a Director in the Jack- sonville National Bank, and for a number of years was one of the Trustees of the Central Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville. During a long, busy and useful career he has been one of the conspicuous factors in all that pertains to the prosperity and welfare of the community in which he lives.

GRAFF, Charles Brice, County Clerk of Morgan County, residing in Jacksonville, Ill., was born near Prentice, that county, April 21, 1868, the son of Washington and Elizabeth F. (Owen) Graff. (A sketch of his father's life will be found following in this volume.) He was edu- cated in the district schools of his neighbor- hood and at Brown's Business College of Jack- sonville. Upon leaving the latter institution he assisted his father on the family homestead un- til 1890, when he purchased a farm situated about five miles below Virginia, Cass County. One year later he sold this property and pur- chased a farm of 203 acres near Prentice, which is still in his possession. For two years he was engaged in the grain business and general mer- chandising at Prentice in partnership with Charles R. Lewis, but has devoted himself principally to agriculture.

Like his father and his grandfather, Mr. Graff is a firm believer in the principles of the Republican party, to whose success he has al- ways contributed of his time and labor. While residing upon his farm he filled the offices of Road Commissioner, School Director and Jus- tice of the Peace. In 1896 he was the nominee of his party for the office of County Commis- sioner, but was defeated at the polls by 120 votes. In 1898 he was nominated for the office

of County Treasurer, but was defeated by 160 votes. In 1902 he received the nomination for the office of County Clerk, and was elected by a majority of 175 votes, despite the fact that the county, with rare exceptions, has always given a Democratic majority.

Mr. Graff is a man of exceptional business ability, and unquestioned integrity, and, re- gardless of politics, enjoys the confidence of all classes. He and his brother, Zadock W., settled all the affairs pertaining to their father's estate to the satisfaction of all concerned. He has brought the same intelligence and discernment into the administration of county affairs as he has always exhibited in the conduct of his pri- vate business, giving evidence of his belief that public office is a public trust of the highest nature.

GRAFF, Washington, (deceased), who was one of the most successful and highly respected pio- neer agriculturists of Morgan County, was born in Nelson, Ky., in 1826, a son of David and Susan Graff. His father, who was also a native of Kentucky, brought his family to Illinois in 1834, locating about a mile and a half south of the site of Arnold in Township 15, Range 9, where he purchased a claim which had been en- tered upon by another man. Two years later he took up a quarter section of Government land located directly west of the site of Arnold, which he made his home for the remainder of lıis life. His energy was directed to the im- provement of his land and the raising of stock, in both of which undertakings he was fairly successful. Politically he was a Whig and a stanchi Abolitionist. He died February 4, 1850, and in the will which he left it is interesting to note some of the valuations placed upon live- stock. While horses were appraised at $40 each, cows were quoted at $8, hogs at $1, and sheep at the remarkable value of seventy-five cents. The valuation placed upon wagons was extremely high, on account of the expense of making them in those days.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Morgan County, Part 164

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Short, William F., 1829- 4n
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286