USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 104
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Ill. The latter year he entered upon the duties of Treasurer of Kankakee County, serviug, by successive re-elections, until 1880, when he re- signed to take the position of State Auditor, to which he was elected a second time in 1884. In all these positions Mr. Swigert has proved him- self au upright, capable and high-minded public official. Of late years his residence has been in Chicago.
SWING, (Rev.) David, clergyman and pulpit orator, was born of German ancestry, at Ciucin- nati, Ohio, August 23, 1836. After 1837 (his father dying about this time), the family resided for a time at Reedsburgh, and, later, ou a farm near Williamsburgh, in Clermout County, in the same State. In 1852, having graduated from the Miami (Ohio) University, he commenced the study of theology, but, in 1854, accepted the position of Professor of Languages in his Alma Mater, which he continued to fill for thirteen years. ITis first pastorate was in connection with the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Chi- cago, which he assumed in 1866. His church edifice was destroyed in the great Chicago fire, but was later rebuilt. As a preacher he was popular; but, in April, 1874, he was placed on trial, before an ecclesiastical court of his own denomi- nation, on charges of heresy. He was acquitted by the trial court, but, before the appeal taken by the prosecution could be heard, he personally withdrew from affiliation with the denomination. Shortly afterward he became pastor of an inde- pendent religious organizatiou knowu as the "Central Church," preaching, first at McVicker's Theatre and, afterward, at Central Music Hall, Chicago. He was a fluent and popular speaker on all themes, a frequent and valued contributor to numerous magazines, as well as the author of several volumes. Among his best known books are "Motives of Life," "Truths for To-day," and "Club Essays." Died, in Chicago, Oct. 3, 1894.
SYCAMORE, the county-seat of De Kalb County (founded in 1836), 56 miles west of Chi- cago, at the intersection of the Chicago & North- western and the Chicago Great Western Rail- roads; lies iu a regiou devoted to agriculture, dairying and stock-raising. The city itself cou- tains several factories, the principal products being agricultural implements, flour, insulated wire, brick, tile, varnish, furniture, soap and carriages and wagons. There are also works for canniug vegetables and fruit, besides two creainer- ies. The town is lighted by electricity, aud lias high-pressure water-works. There are eleven churches, three graded public schools and a
young ladies' seminary. Population (1880), 3,028; (1890), 2,987; (1900), 3,653.
TAFT, Lorado, sculptor, was born at Elmwood, Peoria Couuty, Ill., April 29, 1860; at an early age evinced a predilection for sculpture aud began modeling; graduated at the University of Illinois in 1880, then went to Paris and studied sculpture in the famous Ecole des Beaux Arts until 1885. The following year he settled in Chi cago, finally becoming associated with the Chi- cago Art Institute. He has been a lecturer ou art iu the Chicago University. Mr. Taft fur- uished the decorations of the Horticultural Build- ing on the World's Fair Grounds, in 1893.
TALCOTT, Mancel, business man, was born in Rome, N. Y., Oct. 12, 1817; attended the com- mon schools until 17 years of age, when he set out for the West, traveling ou foot from Detroit to Chicago, and thence to Park Ridge, where he worked at farming uutil 1850. Then, having followed the occupation of a miuer for some time, in California, with some success, he united with Horace M. Singer in establishing the firm of Singer & Talcott, stone-dealers, which lasted dur- ing most of his life. He served as a member of the Chicago City Council, on the Board of County Commissioners, as a member of the Police Board, and was one of the founders of the First National Bank, and President, for several years, of the Stock Yards National Bank. Liberal and public- spirited, he contributed freely to works of charity. Died, June 5, 1878.
TALCOTT, (Capt.) William, soldier of the War of 1812 and pioneer, was born in Gilead, Conn., March 6, 1774; emigrated to Rome, Oneida County, N. Y., in 1810, and eugaged in farming; served as a Lieutenant in the Queida County inilitia during the War of 1812-14, being stationed at Sackett's Harbor under the command of Gen. Winfield Scott. In 1835, in company with his eldest son, Thomas B. Talcott, he made an ex- tended tour through the West, fiually selecting a location in Illinois at the junction of Rock River aud the Pecatonica, where the town of Rockton now stauds-there being only two white families, at that time, within the present limits of Winne- bago County. Two years later (1837), he brought his family to this point, with his sons took up a considerable body of Government land aud erected two mills, to which customers came from a long distance. In 1838 Captain Talcott took part in the organization of the first Congre- gational Church in that section of the State. A zealous anti-slavery man, he supported James G.
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Birney (the Liberty candidate for President) in 1844, continuing to act with that party until the organization of the Republican party in 1856; was deeply interested in the War for the Union, but died before its conclusion, Sept. 2, 1864 .- Maj. Thomas B. (Talcott), oldest son of the pre- ceding, was born at Hebron, Conn, April 17, .806; was taken to Rome, N. Y., by his father in nfancy, and, after reaching maturity, engaged in mercantile business with his brother in Che- mung County ; in 1835 accompanied his father in a tour through the West, finally locating at Rockton, where he engaged in agriculture. On the organization of Winnebago County, in 1836, he was elected one of the first County Commis- sioners, and, in 1850, to the State Senate, serving four years. He also held various local offices. Died, Sept. 30, 1894 .- Hon. Wait (Talcott), second son of Capt. William Talcott, was born at He- bron, Conn., Oct. 17, 1807, and taken to Rome, N. Y., where he remained until his 19th year, when he engaged in business at Booneville and, still later, in Utica; in 1838, removed to Illinois and joined his father at Rockton, finally becoming a citizen of Rockford, where, in his later years, he was extensively engaged in manu- facturing, having become, in 1854, with his brother Sylvester, a partner of the firm of J. H. Manny & Co., in the manufacture of the Manny reaper and mower. He was an original anti- slavery man and, at one time, a Free-Soil caudidate for Congress, but became a zealous Republican and ardent friend of Abraham Lincoln, whom he employed as an attorney in the famous suit of McCormick vs. the Manny Reaper Company for infringement of patent. In 1854 he was elected to the State Seuate, succeeding his brother, Thomas B., and was the first Collector of Internal Revenue in the Second District, appointed by Mr. Lincoln in 1862, and continuing in office some five years. Though too old for active service in the field, during the Civil War, he voluntarily hired a substitute to take liis place. Mr. Talcott was one of the original incorporators and Trus- tees of Beloit College, and a founder of Rockford Female Seminary, remaining a trustee of each for many years. Died, June 7, 1890 .- Sylvester (Talcott), third sou of William Talcott, born at Rome, N. Y., Oct. 14, 1810; when of age, engaged in mercantile business in Chemung County ; iu 1837 removed, with other members of the family, to Winnebago County, Ill., where he joined his father in the entry of Government lands and tlie erection of mills, as already detailed. IIe became one of the first Justices of the Peace in Winne-
bago County, also served as Supervisor for a number of years and, although a farmer, became interested, in 1854, with his brother Wait, in the Manny Reaper Company at Rockford. He also followed the example of his brother, just named, in furnishing a substitute for the War of the Rebellion, though too old for service himself. Died, June 19, 1885 .- Henry Walter (Talcott), fourth son of William Talcott, was born at Rome, N. Y., Feb. 13, 1814; came with his father to Winnebago County, Ill., in 1835, and was connected with his father and brothers in busi- ness. Died, Dec. 9, 1870 .- Dwight Lewis (Tal- cott), oldest son of Henry Walter Talcott, born iu Winnebago County; at the age of 17 years enlisted at Belvidere, in January, 1864, as a soldier in the Ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry ; served as provost guard some two months at Fort Picker- ing, near Memphis, and later took part in many of the important battles of that year in Missis- sippi and Tennessee. Having been captured at Campbellsville, Tenn., he was taken to Anderson- ville, Ga., where he suffered all the horrors of that famous prison-pen, until March, 1865, when he was released, arriving at home a helpless skeleton, the day after Abraham Lincoln's assas- sination. Mr. Talcott subsequently settled in Muscatine County, Iowa.
TALLULA, a prosperous village of Menard County, ou the Jacksonville branch of the Chi- cago & Alton Railway, 24 miles northeast of Jacksonville; is in the midst of a grain, coal- mining, and stock-growing region; has a local bank and newspaper. Pop. (1890), 445; (1900), 639.
TAMAROA, a village in Perry County, situated at the junction of the Illinois Central with the Wabash, Chester & Western Railroad, 8 miles north of Duquoin, and 57 miles east-southeast of Belleville. It has a bank, a newspaper office, a large public school, five churches and two flour- ing mills. Coal is mined here and exported in large quantities. Pop. (1900), 853.
TAMAROA & MOUNT VERNON RAILROAD. (See Wabash, Chester & Western Railroad.)
TANNER, Edward Allen, clergyman and edu- cator, was born of New England ancestry, at Waverly, Ill., Nov. 29, 1837-being the first child who could claim nativity there; was educated in the local schools and at Illinois College, graduating from the latter in 1857; spent four years teaching in his native place and at Jack- sonville; theu accepted the Professorship of Latin in Pacific University at Portland, Oregon, remaining four years, when he returned to his Alma Mater (1865), assuming there the chair of
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Latin and Rhetoric. In 1881 he was appointed financial agent of the latter institution, and, in 1882, its President. While in Oregon he had been ordained a minister of the Congregational Church, and, for a considerable period during his connection with Illinois College, officiated as Chaplain of the Central Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville, besides supplying local and other pulpits. He labored earnestly for the benefit of the institution under his charge, and, during his incumbency, added materially to its endowment and resources. Died, at Jackson- ville, Feb. 8, 1892.
TANNER, John R., Governor, was born in Warrick County, Ind., April 4, 1844, and brought to Southern Illinois in boyhood, where he grew up on a farm in the vicinity of Carbondale, enjoying only such educational advantages as were afforded by the common school; in 1863, at the age of 19, enlisted in the Ninety-eighth Illi- nois Volunteers, serving until June, 1865, when he was transferred to the Sixty-first, and finally mustered out in September following. All the male members of Governor Tanner's family were soldiers of the late war, his father dying in a rebel prison at Columbus, Miss., one of his bro- thers suffering the same fate from wounds at Nash- ville, Tenn., and another brother dying in hospital at Pine Bluff, Ark. Only one of this patriotic family, besides Governor Tanner, still survives- Mr. J. M. Tanner of Clay County, who left the service with the rank of Lieutenant of the Thir- teenth Illinois Cavalry. Returning from the war, Mr. Tanner established himself in business as a farmer in Clay County, later engaging suc- cessfully in the milling and lumber business as the partner of his brother. The public positions held by him, since the war, include those of Sheriff of Clay County (1870-72), Clerk of the Cir- cuit Court (1872-76), and State Senator (1880-83). During the latter year he received the appoint- ment of United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois, serving until after the acces- sion of President Cleveland in 1885. In 1886, he was the Republican nominee for State Treasurer and was elected by an unusually large majority ; in 1891 was appointed, by Governor Fifer, a member of the Railroad and Warehouse Commis- sion, but, in 1892, received the appointment of Assistant United States Treasurer at Chicago, continuing in the latter office until December, 1893. For ten years (1874-84) he was a member of the Republican State Central Committee, re- turning to that body in 1894, when he was chosen Chairman and conducted the campaign which
resulted in the unprecedented Republican suc- cesses of that year: In 1896 he received the nomination of his party for Governor, and was elected over Gov. John P. Altgeld, his Demo- cratic opponent, by a plurality of over 113,000, and a majority, over all, of nearly 90,000 votes.
TANNER, Tazewell B., jurist, was born in Henry County, Va., and came to Jefferson County, Ill., about 1846 or '47, at first taking a position as teacher and Superintendent of Public Schools. Later, he was connected with "The Jeffersonian," a Democratic paper at Mount Ver- non, and, in 1849, went to the gold regions of California, meeting with reasonable success as a miner. Returning in a year or two, he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court, and, while in the discharge of his duties, prosecuted the study of law, finally, on admission to the bar, entering into partnership with the late Col. Thomas S. Casey. In 1854 he was elected Representative in the Nineteenth General Assembly, and was in- strumental in securing the appropriation for the erection of a Supreme Court building at Mount Vernon. In 1862 he served as a Delegate to the State Constitutional Convention of that year ; was elected Circuit Judge in 1873, and, in 1877, was assigned to duty on the Appellate bench, but, at the expiration of his term, declined a re-election and resumed the practice of his profession at Mount Vernon. Died, March 25, 1880.
TAXATION, in its legal sense, the mode of raising revenue. In its general sense its purposes are the support of the State and local govern- ments, the promotion of the public good by fostering education and works of public improve- ment, the protection of society by the preser- vation of order and the punishment of crime, and the support of the helpless and destitute. In practice, and as prescribed by the Constitution, the raising of revenue is required to be done "by levying a tax by valuation, so that every person and corporation shall pay a tax in proportion to the value of his, her or its property-such value to be ascertained by some person or persons, to be elected or appointed in such manner as the Gen- eral Assembly shall direct, and not otherwise." (State Constitution, 1870-Art. Revenue, Sec. 1.) The person selected under the law to make this valuation is the Assessor of the county or the township (in counties under township organiza- tion), and he is required to make a return to the County Board at its July meeting each year-the latter having authority to hear complaints of tax- payers and adjust inequalities when found to exist. It is made the duty of the Assessor to
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include in his return, as real-estate, all lands and the buildings or other improvements erected thereon; and, under the head of personal prop- erty, all tangible effects, besides moneys, credits, bonds or stocks, shares of stock of companies or corporations, investments, annuities, franchises, royalties, etc. Property used for school, church or cemetery purposes, as well as public buildings and other property belonging to the State and General Government, municipalities, public charities, public libraries, agricultural and scien- tific societies, are declared exempt. Nominally, all property subject to taxation is required to be assessed at its cash valuation ; but, in reality, the valuation, of late years, has been on a basis of twenty-five to thirty-three per cent of its esti- mated cash value. In the larger cities, however, the valuation is often much lower than this, while very large amounts escape assessment altogether. The Revenue Act, passed at the special session of the Fortieth General Assembly (1898), requires the Assessor to make a return of alt property subject to taxation in his district, at its cash valuation, upon which a Board of Review fixes a tax on the basis of twenty per cent of such cash valuation. An abstract of the property assessment of each county goes before the State Board of Equalization, at its annual meeting in August, for the purpose of comparison and equal- izing valuations between counties, but the Board has no power to modify the assessments of indi- vidual tax-payers. (See State Board of Equali- zation.) This Board has exclusive power to fix the valuation for purposes of taxation of the capital stock or franchises of companies (except certain specified manufacturing corporations), in- corporated under the State laws, together with the "railroad track" and "rolling stock" of railroads, and the capital stock of railroads and telegraph lines, and to fix the distribution of the latter between counties in which they lie .- The Consti- tution of 1848 empowered the Legislature to impose a capitation tax, of not less than fifty cents nor more than one dollar, upon each free white male citizen entitled to the right of suf- frage, between the ages of 21 and 60 years, but the Constitution of 1870 grants no such power, though it authorizes the extension of the "objects and subjects of taxation" in accordance with the principle contained in the first section of the Revenue Article .- Special assessments in cities, for the construction of sewers, pavements, etc., being local and in the form of benefits, cannot be said to come under the head of general tax- ation. The same is to be said of revenue derived
from fines and penalties, which are forms of punishment for specific offenses, and go to the benefit of certain specified funds.
TAYLOR, Abner, ex-Congressman, is a native of Maine, and a resident of Chicago. He has been in active business all his life as contractor, builder and merchant, and, for some time, a member of the wholesale dry-goods firm of J. V. Farwell & Co., of Chicago. He was a member of the Thirty- fourth General Assembly, a delegate to the National Republican Convention of 1884, and represented the First Illinois District in the Fifty- first and Fifty-second Congresses, 1889 to 1893. Mr. Taylor was one of the contractors for the erection of the new State Capitol of Texas.
TAYLOR, Benjamin Franklin, journalist, poet and lecturer, was born at Lowville, N. Y., July 19, 1819; graduated at Madison University in 1839, the next year becoming literary and dra- matic critic of "The Chicago Evening Journal." Here, in a few years, he acquired a wide reputa- tion as a journalist and poet, and was much in demand as a lecturer on literary topics. His letters from the field during the Rebellion, as war correspondent of "The Evening Journal," won for him even a greater popularity, and were complimented by translation into more than one European language. After the war, he gave his attention more unreservedly to literature, his principal works appearing after that date. His publications in book form, including both prose and poetry, comprise the following: "Attractions of Language" (1845); "January and June" (1853); "Pictures in Camp and Field" (1871) : "The World on Wheels" (1873); "Old Time Pic- tures and Sheaves of Rhyme" (1874); "Songs of Yesterday" (1877); "Summer Savory Gleaned from Rural Nooks" (1879); "Between the Gates" -pictures of California life-(1881); "Dulce Domum, the Burden of Song" (1884), and "Theo- philus Trent, or Old Times in the Oak Openings," a novel (1887). The last was in the hands of the publishers at his death, Feb. 27, 1887. Among his most popular poems are "The Isle of the Long Ago," "The Old Village Choir, " and "Rhymes of the River." "The London Times" complimented Mr. Taylor with the title of "The Oliver Gold- smith of America."
TAYLOR, Edmund Dick, early Indian-trader and legislator, was born at Fairfield C. H., Va., Oct. 18, 1802-the son of a commissary in the army of the Revolution, under General Greene. and a cousin of General (later, President) Zachary Taylor; left his native State in his youth and, at an early day, came to Springfield, Ill., where he
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opened an Indian-trading post and general store; was elected from Sangamon County to the lower branch of the Seventh General Assembly (1830) and re-elected in 1832-the latter year being a competitor of Abraham Lincoln, whom he defeated. In 1834 he was elected to the State Senate and, at the next session of the Legislature, was one of the celebrated "Long Nine" who secured the removal of the State Capital to Springfield. He resigned before the close of his term to accept, from President Jackson, the ap- pointment of Receiver of Public Moneys at Chi- cago. Here he became one of the promoters of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad (1837), serving as one of the Commissioners to secure subscriptions of stock, and was also active in advocating the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. The title of "Colonel," by which he was known during most of his life, was acquired by service, with that rank, on the staff of Gov. John Reynolds, during the Black Hawk War of 1832. After coming to Chicago, Colonel Taylor became one of the Trustees of the Chicago branch of the State Bank, and was later identified with various banking enterprises, as also a some- what extensive operator in real estate. An active Democrat in the early part of his career in Illi- nois, Colonel Taylor was one of the members of his party to take ground against the Kansas-Neb- raska bill in 1854, and advocated the election of General Bissell to the governorship in 1856. In 1860 he was again in line with his party in sup- port of Senator Douglas for the Presidency, and was an opponent of the war policy of the Govern- ment still later, as shown by his participation in the celebrated "Peace Convention" at Spring- field, of June 17, 1863. In the latter years of liis life he became extensively interested in coal lands in La Salle and adjoining counties, and, for a considerable time, served as President of the Northern Illinois Coal & Mining Company, his home, during a part of this period, being at Mendota. Died, in Chicago, Dec. 4, 1891.
TAYLORVILLE, a city and county-seat of Christian County, on the South Fork of the Sanga- mon River and on the Wabash Railway at its point of intersection with the Springfield Division of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern. It is about 27 miles southeast of Springfield, and 28 miles southwest of Decatur. It has several banks, flour mills, paper mill, electric light and gas plants, water-works, two coal mines, carriage and wagon shops, a manufactory of farming implements, two daily and weekly papers, nine churches and five graded and township high
schools. Much coal is mined in this vicinity. Pop. (1890), 2,839; (1900), 4,248.
TAZEWELL COUNTY, a central county on the Illinois River; was first settled in 1823 and organized in 1827; has an area of 650 square miles -was named for Governor Tazewell of Virginia. It is drained by the Illinois and Mackinaw Rivers and traversed by several lines of railway. The surface is generally level, the soil alluvial and rich, but, requiring drainage, especially on the river bottoms. Gravel, coal and sandstone are found, but, generally speaking, Tazewell is an agricultural county. The cereals are extensively cultivated; wool is also clipped, and there are dairy interests of some importance. Distilling is extensively conducted at Pekin, the county-seat, which is also the seat of other mechanical indus- tries. (See also Pekin.) Population of the county (1880), 29,666; (1890), 29,556; (1900), 33,221.
TEMPLE, John Taylor, M.D., early Chicago physician, born in Virginia in 1804, graduated in medicine at Middlebury College, Vt., in 1830, and, in 1833, arrived in Chicago. At this time he had a contract for carrying the United States mail from Chicago to Fort Howard, near Green Bay, and the following year undertook a similar con- tract between Chicago and Ottawa. Having sold these out three years later, he devoted his atten- tion to the practice of his profession, though interested, for a time, in contracts for the con- struction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. Dr. Temple was instrumental in erecting the first house (after Rev. Jesse Walker's missionary station at Wolf Point), for public religious worship in Chicago, and, although himself a Baptist, it was used in common by Protestant denominations. He was a member of the first Board of Trustees of Rush Medical College, though he later became a convert to homeopathy, and finally, removing to St. Louis, assisted in founding the St. Louis School of Homeopathy, dying there, Feb. 24, 1877.
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