USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 31
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EGAN, William Bradshaw, M.D., pioneer phy- sican, was born in Ireland, Sept. 28, 1808; spent some time during his youth in the study of sur- gery in England, later attending lectures at Dub- lin. About 1828 he went to Canada, taught for a time in the schools of Quebec and Montreal and, in 1830, was licensed by the Medical Board of New Jersey and began practice at Newark in that State, later practicing in New York. In 1833 he removed to Chicago and was early recog- nized as a prominent physician; on July 4, 1836, delivered the address at the breaking of ground for the Illinois & Michigan Canal. During the early years of his residence in Chicago, Dr. Egan was owner of the block on which the Tremont House stands, and erected a number of houses there. He was a zealous Democrat and a delegate to the first Convention of that party, held at Joliet in 1843; was elected County Recorder in 1844 and Representative in the Eighteenth Gen- eral Assembly (1853-54). Died, Oct. 27, 1860.
ELBURN, a village of Kane County, on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, 8 miles west of Geneva. It has banks and a weekly news- paper. Population (1890), 584; (1900), 606.
ELDORADO, a town in Saline County, on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis, the
Louisville & Nashville, and the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroads; has a bank and one newspaper; district argicultural. Population, (1900), 1,445.
ELDRIDGE, Hamilton N., lawyer and soldier, was born at South Williamstown, Mass., August, 1837; graduated at Williams College in the class with President Garfield, in 1856, and at Albany Law School, in 1857; soon afterward came to Chicago and began practice; in 1862 assisted in organizing the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, of which he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel, before the end of the year being promoted to the position of Colonel; dis- tinguished himself at Arkansas Post, Chicka- mauga and in the battles before Vicksburg, winning the rank of Brevet Brigadier-General, but, after two years' service, was compelled to retire on account of disability, being carried east on a stretcher. Subsequently he recovered suffi- ciently to resume his profession, but died in Chicago, Dec. 1, 1882, much regretted by a large circle of friends, with whom he was exceedingly popular.
ELECTIONS. The elections of public officers in Illinois are of two general classes: (I) those conducted in accordance with United States laws, and (II) those conducted exclusively under State laws.
I. To the first class belong: (1) the election of United States Senators; (2) Presidential Elect- ors, and (3 ) Representatives in Congress. 1. (UNITED STATES SENATORS). The election of United States Senators, while an act of the State Legislature, is conducted solely under forms pre- scribed by the laws of the United States. These make it the duty of the Legislature, on the second Tuesday after convening at the session next pre- ceding the expiration of the term for which any Senator may have been chosen, to proceed to elect his successor in the following manner: Each House is required, on the day designated, in open session and by the viva voce vote of each member present, to name some person for United States Senator, the result of the balloting to be entered on the journals of the respective Houses. At twelve o'clock (M.) on the day following the day of election, the members of the two Houses meet in joint assembly, when the journals of both Houses are read. If it appears that the same person has received a majority of all the votes in each House, he is declared elected Senator. If, however, no one has received such majority, or if either House has failed to take proceedings as required on the preceding day, then the members
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of the two Houses, in joint assembly, proceed to ballot for Senator by viva voce vote of members present. The person receiving a majority of all the votes cast-a majority of the members of both Houses being present and voting-is declared elected; otherwise the joint assembly is renewed at noon each legislative day of the session, and at least one ballot taken until a Senator is chosen. When a vacancy exists in the Senate at the time of the assembling of the Legislature, the same rule prevails as to the time of holding an election to fill it; and, if a vacancy occurs during the session, the Legislature is required to proceed to an election on the second Tuesday after having received official notice of such vacancy. The tenure of a United States Senator for a full term is six years-the regular term beginning with a new Congress-the two Senators from each State belonging to different "classes," so that their terms expire alternately at periods of two and four years from each other .- 2. (PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS). The choice of Electors of President and Vice-President is made by popular vote taken quadrennially on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The date of such election is fixed by act of Congress, being the same as that for Congressman, although the State Legislature prescribes the manner of conducting it and making returns of the same. The number of Electors chosen equals the number of Senators and Representatives taken together (in 1899 it was twenty-four), and they are elected on a gen- eral ticket, a plurality of votes being sufficient to elect. Electors meet at the State capital on the second Monday of January after their election (Act of Congress, 1887), to cast the vote of the State .- 3. (MEMBERS OF CONGRESS). The elec- tion of Representatives in Congress is also lield under United States law, occurring biennially (on the even years) simultaneously with the gen- eral State election in November. Should Congress select a different date for such election, it would be the duty of the Legislature to recognize it by a corresponding change in the State law relating to the election of Congressmen. The tenure of a Congressman is two years, the election being by Districts instead of a general ticket, as in the case of Presidential Electors-the term of each Representative for a full term beginning with a new Congress, on the 4th of March of the odd years following a general election. (See Con- gressional Apportionment.)
II. All officers under the State Government- except Boards of Trustees of charitable and penal institutions or the heads of certain departments,
which are made appointive by the Governor-are elected by popular vote. Apart from county officers they consist of three classes: (1) Legisla- tive; (2) Executive; (3) Judicial - which are chosen at different times and for different periods. 1. (LEGISLATURE). Legislative officers consist of Senators and Representatives, chosen at elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, biennially. The regular term of a Senator (of whom there are fifty-one under the present Constitution) is four years; twenty-five (those in Districts bearing even numbers) being chosen on the years in which a President and Governor are elected, and the other twenty-six at the intermediate period two years later. Thus, one-half of each State Senate is composed of what are called "hold-over" Senators. Representatives are elected biennially at the November election, and hold office two years. The qualifications as to eligibility for a seat in the State Senate require that the incumbent shall be 25 years of age, while 21 years renders one eligible to a seat in the House-the Constitution requiring that each shall have been a resident of the State for five years, and of the District for which he is chosen, two years next preceding his election. (See Legislative Apportionment and Minority Repre- sentation.) - 2. (EXECUTIVE OFFICERS). The officers constituting the Executive Department include the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Attorney-General. Each of these, except the State Treasurer, holds office four years and-with the exception of the Treasurer and Superintend- ent of Public Instruction-are elected at the general election at which Presidential Electors are chosen. The election of State Superintendent occurs on the intermediate (even) years, and that of State Treasurer every two years coincidently with the election of Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction, respectively. (See Execu- tive Officers.) In addition to the State officers already named, three Trustees of the University of Illinois are elected biennially at the general election in November, each holding office for six years. These trustees (nine in number), with the Governor, President of the State Board of Agriculture and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, constitute the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois .- 3. (JUDICIARY). The Judicial Department embraces Judges of the Supreme, Circuit and County Courts, and such other subordinate officials as may be connected with the administration of justice. For the
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election of members of the Supreme Court the State is divided into seven Districts, each of which elects a Justice of the Supreme Court for a term of nine years. The elections in five of these - the First, Second, Third, Sixth and Seventh-occur on the first Monday in June every ninth year from 1879, the last election having occurred in June, 1897. The elections in the other two Districts occur at similar periods of nine years from 1876 and 1873, respectively-the last election in the Fourth District having occurred in June, 1893, and that in the Fifth in 1891 .- Circuit Judges are chosen on the first Monday in June every six years, counting from 1873. Judges of the Superior Court of Cook County are elected every six years at the November election .- Clerks of the Supreme and Appellate Courts are elected at the November election for six years, the last election having occurred in 1896. Under the act of April 2, 1897, consolidating the Supreme Court into one Grand Division, the number of Supreme Court Clerks is reduced to one, although the Clerks elected in 1896 remain in office and have charge of the records of their several Divisions until the expiration of their terms in 1902. The Supreme Court holds five terms annually at Spring- field, beginning, respectively, on the first Tuesday of October, December, February, April and June.
(OTHER OFFICERS). (a) Members of the State Board of Equalization (one for every Congres- sional District) are elective every four years at the same time as Congressmen. (b) County officers (except County Commissioners not under township organization) hold office for four years and are chosen at the November election as follows: (1) At the general election at which the Governor is chosen-Clerk of the Circuit Court, State's Attorney, Recorder of Deeds (in counties having a population of 60,000 or over), Coroner and County Surveyor. (2) On inter- mediate years-Sheriff, County Judge, Probate Judge (in counties having a population of 70,000 and over), County Clerk, Treasurer, Superintend- ent of Schools, and Clerk of Criminal Court of Cook County. (c) In counties not under town- ship organization a Board of County Commission- ers is elected, one being chosen in November of each year, and each holding office three years. (d) Under the general law the polls open at 8 a. m., and close at 7 p. m. In cities accepting an Act of the Legislature passed in 1885, the hour of opening the polls is 6 a. m., and of closing 4 p. m. (See also Australian Ballot.)
ELECTORS, QUALIFICATIONS OF. (See Suffrage.)
ELGIN, an important city of Northern Illinois, in Kane County, on Fox River and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and Chicago & Northwest- ern Railroads, besides two rural electric lines, 36 miles northwest of Chicago; has valuable water- power and over fifty manufacturing establish- ments, including the National Watch Factory and the Cook Publishing Company, both among the most extensive of their kind in the world; is also a great dairy center with extensive creameries and milk-condensing works. The quotations of its Butter and Cheese Exchange are telegraphed to all the great commercial centers and regulate the prices of these commodities throughout the country. Elgin is the seat of the Northern (Illi- nois) Hospital for the Insane, and has a handsome Government (postoffice) building, fine public library and many handsome residences. It has had a rapid growth in the past twenty years. Population (1890), 17,823; (1900), 22,433.
ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN RAILWAY. The main line of this road extends west from Dyer on the Indiana State line to Joliet, thence northeast to Waukegan. The total length of the line (1898) is 192.72 miles, of which 159.93 miles are in Illi- nois. The entire capital of the company, includ- ing stock and indebtedness, amounted (1898), to $13,799,630-more than $71,000 per mile. Its total earnings in Illinois for the same year were $1,212, - 026, and its entire expenditure in the State, $1,156,146. The company paid in taxes, the same year, $48,876. Branch lines extend southerly from Walker Junction to Coster, where connec- tion is made with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and northwesterly from Normantown, on the main line, to Aurora. -(HISTORY). The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Rail- way was chartered in 1887 and absorbed the Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway, from Joliet to Aurora (21 miles), which had been commenced in 1886 and was completed in 1888, with extensions from Joliet to Spaulding, Ill., and from Joliet to McCool, Ind. In January, 1891, the Company purchased all the properties and franchises of the Gardner, Coal City & Normantown and the Waukegan & Southwestern Railway Companies (formerly operated under lease). The former of these two roads was chartered in 1889 and opened in 1890. The system forms a belt line around Chicago, intersecting all railroads entering that city from every direction. Its traffic is chiefly in the transportation of freight.
ELIZABETHTOWN, the county-seat of Hardin County. It stands on the north bank of the Ohio River, 44 miles above Paducah, Ky., and about
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125 miles southeast of Belleville; has a brick and tile factory, large tie trade, two churches, two flouring mills, a bank, and one newspaper. Pop- ulation (1890), 652; (1900), 668.
ELKHART, a town of Logan County, on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, 18 miles northeast of Springfield; is a rich farming section; has a coal shaft. Population (1890), 414; (1900), 553.
ELKIN, William F., pioneer and early legisla- tor, was born in Clark County, Ky., April 13, 1792; after spending several years in Ohio and Indiana, came to Sangamon County, Ill., in 1825; was elected to the Sixth, Tenth and Eleventh General Assemblies, being one of the "Long Nine" from Sangamon County and, in 1861, was appointed by his former colleague (Abraham Lincoln) Register of the Land Office at Spring- field, resigning in 1872. Died, in 1878.
ELLIS, Edward F. W., soldier, was born at Wilton, Maine, April 15, 1819; studied law and was admitted to the bar in Ohio; spent three years (1849-52) in California, serving in the Legislature of that State in 1851, and proving himself an earnest opponent of slavery; returned to Ohio the next year, and, in 1854, removed to Rockford, Ill., where he embarked in the banking business. Soon after the firing on Fort Sumter, he organ- ized the Ellis Rifles, which having been attached to the Fifteenth Illinois, he was elected Lieuten- ant-Colonel of the regiment; was in command at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and was killed while bravely leading on his men.
ELLIS, (Rev.) John Millot, early home mis- sionary, was born in Keene, N. H., July 14, 1793; came to Illinois as a home missionary of the Presbyterian Church at an early day, and served for a time as pastor of churches at Kaskaskia and Jacksonville, and was one of the influential factors in securing the location of Illinois Col- lege at the latter place. His wife also conducted, for some years, a private school for young ladies at Jacksonville, which developed into the Jack- sonville Female Academy in 1833, and is still maintained after a history of over sixty years. Mr. Ellis was later associated with the establish- ment of Wabash College, at Crawfordsville, Ind., finally returning to New Hampshire, where, in 1840, he was pastor of a church at East Hanover. In 1844 he again entered the service of the Soci- ety for Promoting Collegiate and Theological Education in the West. Died, August 6, 1855.
ELLSWORTH, Ephraim Elmer, soldier, first victim of the Civil War, was born at Mechanics- ville, Saratoga County, N. Y., April 23, 1837. He came to Chicago at an early age, studied law,
and became a patent solicitor. In 1860 he raised · a regiment of Zouaves in Chicago, which became famous for the perfection of its discipline and drill, and of which he was commissioned Colonel. In 1861 he accompanied President Lincoln to Washington, going from there to New York, where he recruited and organized a Zouave regiment composed of firemen. He became its Colonel and the regiment was ordered to Alexan- dria, Va. While stationed there Colonel Ells- worth observed that a Confederate flag was flying above a hotel owned by one Jackson. Rushing to the roof, he tore it down, but before he reached the street was shot and killed by Jackson, who was in turn shot by Frank H. Brownell, one of Ellsworth's men. He was the first Union soldier killed in the war. Died, May 24, 1861.
ELMHURST (formerly Cottage Hill), a village of Du Page County, on the Chicago Great Western and Ill. Cent. Railroads, 15 miles west of Chicago; is the seat of the Evangelical Seminary; has elec- tric interurban line, two papers, stone quarry, electric light, water and sewerage systems, high school, and churches. Pop. (1900), 1,728.
ELMWOOD, a town of Peoria County, on the Galesburg and Peoria and Buda and Rushville branches of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 26 miles west-northwest of Peoria; the principal industries are coal-mining and corn and tomato canning; has a bank and one newspaper. Population (1890), 1,548; (1900), 1,582.
EL PASO, a city in Woodford County, 17 miles north of Bloomington, 33 miles east of Peoria, at the crossing Illinois Central and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroads; in agricultural district; has two national banks, three grain elevators, two high schools, two newspapers, nine churches. Pop. (1890), 1,353; (1900), 1,441; (1903, est.), 1,600.
EMBARRAS RIVER, rises in Champaign County and runs southward through the counties of Douglas, Coles and Cumberland, to Newton, in Jasper County, where it turns to the southeast, passing through Lawrence County, and entering the Wabash River about seven miles below Vin- cennes. It is nearly 150 miles long.
EMMERSON, Charles, jurist, was born at North Haverhill, Grafton County, N. H., April 15, 1811; came to Illinois in 1833, first settling at Jackson- ville, where he spent one term in Illinois College, then studied law at Springfield, and, having been admitted to the bar, began practice at Decatur, where he spent the remainder of his life except three years (1847-50) during which he resided at Paris, Edgar County. In 1850 he was elected to
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the Legislature, and, in 1853, to the Circuit bench, serving on the latter by re-election till 1867. The latter year he was a candidate for Justice of the Supreme Court, but was defeated by the late Judge Pinkney H. Walker. In 1869 he was elected to the State Constitutional Convention, but died in April, 1870, while the Convention was still in session.
ENFIELD, a town of White County, at the intersection of the Louisville & Nashville with the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railway, 10 miles west of Carmi; is the seat of Southern Illi- nois College. The town also has a bank and one newspaper. Population (1880), 717; (1890), 870; (1900), 971; (1903, est.), 1,000.
ENGLISH, Joseph G., banker, was born at Rising Sun, Ind., Dec. 17, 1820; lived for a time at Perrysville and La Fayette in that State, finally engaging in merchandising in the former; in 1853 removed to Danville, Ill., where he formed a partnership with John L. Tincher in mercantile business; later conducted a private banking busi- ness and, in 1863, established the First National Bank, of which he has been President over twenty years. He served two terms as Mayor of Dan- ville, in 1872 was elected a member of the State Board of Equalization, and, for more than twenty years, has been one of the Directors of the Chicago & Eastern Railroad. At the present time Mr. English, having practically retired from busi- ness, is spending most of his time in the West.
ENOS, Pascal Paoli, pioneer, was born at Windsor, Conn., in 1770; graduated at Dartmouth College in 1794, studied law, and, after spending some years in Vermont, where he served as High Sheriff of Windsor County, in September, 1815, removed West, stopping first at Cincinnati. A year later he descended the Ohio by flat-boat to Shawneetown, Ill., crossed the State by land, finally locating at St. Charles, Mo., and later at St. Louis. Thien, having purchased a tract of land in Madison County, Ill., he remained there about two years, when, in 1823, having received from President Monroe the appointment of Receiver of the newly established Land Office at Springfield, he removed thither, making it his permanent home. He was one of the original purchasers of the land on which the city of Springfield now stands, and joined with Maj. Elijah Iles, Jolın Taylor and Thomas Cox, the other patentees, in laying out the town, to which they first gave the name of Calhoun. Mr. Enos remained in office through the administration of President John Quincy Adams, but was removed by President Jackson for political reasons, in 1829. Died, at
Springfield, April, 1832 .- Pascal P. (Enos), Jr., eldest son of Mr. Enos, was born in St. Charles, Mo., Nov. 28, 1816; was elected Representative in the General Assembly from Sangamon County in 1852, and served by appointment of Justice McLean of the Supreme Court as Clerk of the United States Circuit Court, being reappointed by Judge David Davis, dying in office, Feb. 17, 1867 .- Zimri A. (Enos), another son, was born Sept. 29, 1821, is a citizen of Springfield - has served as County Surveyor and Alderman of the city .- Julia R., a daughter, was born in Spring- field, Dec. 20, 1832, is the widow of the late O. M. Hatch, Secretary of State(1857-65).
EPLER, Cyrus, lawyer and jurist, was born at Charleston, Clark County, Ind., Nov. 12, 1825; graduated at Illinois College, Jackson- ville, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1852, being elected State's Attorney the same year; also served as a member of the General Assembly two terms (1857-61) and as Master in Chancery for Morgan County, 1867-73. In 1873 he was elected Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit and was re-elected successively in 1879, '85 and '91, serving four terms, and retiring in 1897. During his entire professional and official career his home has been in Jacksonville.
EQUALITY, a village of Gallatin County, on the Shawneetown Division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, 11 miles west-northwest of Shawneetown. It was for a time, in early days, the county-seat of Gallatin County and market for the salt manufactured in that vicinity. Some coal is mined in the neighborhood. One weekly paper is published here. Population (1880), 500; (1890), 622; (1900), 898.
ERIE, a village of Whiteside County, on the Rock Island and Sterling Division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 30 miles north- east of Rock Island. Population (1880), 537; (1890), 535; (1900), 768.
EUREKA, the county-seat of Woodford County, incorporated in 1856, situated 19 miles east of Peoria; is in the heart of a rich stock-raising and agricultural district. The principal mechanical industry is a large canning factory. Besides having good grammar and high schools, it is also the seat of Eureka College, under the control of the Christian denomination, in connection with which are a Normal School and a Biblical Insti- tute. The town has a handsome courthouse and a jail, two weekly and one monthly paper. Eureka became the county-seat of Woodford County in 1896, the change from Metamora being
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due to the central location and more convenient accessibility of the former from all parts of the county. Population (1880), 1,185; (1890), 1,481; (1900), 1,661.
EUREKA COLLEGE, located at Eureka, Wood- ford County, and chartered in 1855, distinctively under the care and supervision of the "Christian" or "Campbellite" denomination. The primary aim of its founders was to prepare young men for the ministry, while at the same time affording facilities for liberal culture. It was chartered in 1855, and its growth, while gradual, has been steady. Besides a preparatory department and a business school, the college maintains a collegiate department (with classical and scientific courses) and a theological school, the latter being designed to fit young men for the ministry of the denomi- nation. Both male and female matriculates are received. In 1896 there was a faculty of eighteen professors and assistants, and an attendance of some 325 students, nearly one-third of whom were females. The total value of the institution's property is $144,000, which includes an endow- ment of $45,000 and real estate valued at $85,000.
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