USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 71
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MARENGO, a city of McHenry County, settled in 1835, incorporated as a town in 1857 and, as a city, in 1893; lies 68 miles northwest of Chicago. on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. It is in the heart of a dairying and fruit-growing dis- trict; has a foundry, stove works, condensed inilk plant, canning factory, water-works, elec-
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tric lights, has six churches, good schools and two weekly newspapers. Population (1880), 1,264; (1890), 1, 445; (1900), 2,005.
MARINE, a village of Madison County, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 27 miles northeast of St. Louis. Several of its earliest settlers were sea captains from the East, from whom the "Marine Settlement" obtained its name. Popu- lation (1880) 774; (1890.), 637; (1900), 666.
MARION, the county-seat of Williamson County, 172 miles southeast of Springfield, on the Illinois Central and Chicago & Eastern 'Illinois Railroads; in agricultural and coal region; has cotton and woolen mills, electric cars, water- works, ice and cold-storage plant, dry pressed brick factory, six churches, a graded school, and three newspapers. Pop. (1890), 1,338; (1900), 2,510.
MARION COUNTY, located near the center of the southern half of the State, with an area of 580 square miles; was organized in 1823, and, by the census of 1900, had a population of 30,446. About half the county is prairie, the chief prod- ucts being tobacco, wool and fruit. The remainder is timbered land. It is watered by the tributaries of the Kaskaskia and Little Wabash Rivers. The bottom lands have a heavy growth of choice timber, and a deep, rich soil. A large portion of the county is underlaid with a thin vein of coal, and the rocks all belong to the upper coal measures. Sandstone and building sand are also abundant. Ample shipping facilities are afforded by the Illinois Central and theBaltimore & Ohio (S.W.) Railroads. Salem is the county-seat, but Centralia is the largest and most important town, being a railroad junction and center of an extensive fruit-trade. Sandoval is a thriving town at the junction of the Illinois Central and the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroads.
MARISSA, a village of St. Clair County, on the St. Louis & Cairo Short Line Railroad, 39 miles southeast of St. Louis. It is in a farming and mining district ; has two banks, a newspaper and a magazine. Population (1890), 876; (1900), 1,086.
MAROA, a city in Macon County, on the Illi- nois Central Railroad, 13 miles north of Decatur and 31 miles south of Bloomington. The city has three elevators, an agricultural implement fao- tory, water-works system, electric light plant, telephone service, two banks, one newspaper, three churches and a graded school. Population (1880), 870; (1890), 1,164; (1900), 1,213.
MARQUETTE, (Father) Jacques, a French missionary and explorer, born at Laon, France, in 1637. He became a Jesuit at the age of 17, and, twelve years later (1666), was ordained a priest.
The same year he sailed for Canada, landing at Quebec. For eighteen months he devoted him- self chiefly to the study of Indian dialects, and, in 1668, accompanied a party of Nez-Perces to ? Lake Superior, where he founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie. Later, after various vicissi- tudes, he went to Mackinac, and, in that vicinity, founded the Mission of St. Ignace and built a rude church. In 1673 he accompanied Joliet on his voyage of discovery down the Mississippi, the two setting out from Green Bay on May 17, and reaching the Mississippi, by way of the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, June 17. (For an interesting translation of Marquette's quaint narrative of the expedition, see Shea's "Discovery and Explo- ration of the Mississippi," N. Y., 1852.) In Sep- tember, 1673, after leaving the Illinois and stop- ping for some time among the Indians near "Starved Rock," he returned to Green Bay much broken in health. · In October, 1674, under orders from his superior, he set out to establish a mis- sion at Kaskaskia on the Upper Illinois. In December he reached the present site of Chicago, where he was compelled to halt because of exhaustion. On March 29, 1675, he resumed his journey, and reached Kaskaskia, after much suffering, on April 8. After laboring indefati- gably and making many converts, failing health compelled him to start on his return to Macki- nac. Before the voyage was completed he died, May 18, 1675, at the mouth of a stream which long bore his name-but is not the present Mar- quette River-on the eastern shore of Lake Michi- gan. His remains were subsequently removed to Point St. Ignace. He was the first to attempt to explain the lake tides, and modern science has not improved his theory.
MARSEILLES, a city on the Illinois River, in La Salle County, 8 miles east of Ottawa, and 77 miles southwest of Chicago, on the line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Ex- cellent water power is furnished by a dam across the river. The city has several factories, among the leading products being flour, paper and agricultural implements. Coal is mined in the vicinity. The grain trade is large, sufficient to support three elevators. There are three papers (one daily). Population (1890), 2,210; (1900), 2,559; (1903, est.), 3,100.
MARSH, Benjamin F., Congressman, born in Wythe Township, Hancock County, Ill., was edu- cated at private schools and at Jubilee College, leaving the latter institution one year before graduation. He read law under the tutelage of his brother, Judge J. W. Marsh, of Warsaw, and was
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admitted to the bar in 1860. The same year he was an unsuccessful candidate for State's Attorney. Immediately upon the first call for troops in 1861, he raised a company of cavalry, and, going to Springfield, tendered it to Governor Yates. No cavalry having been called for, the Governor felt constrained to decline it. On his way home Mr. Marsh stopped at Quincy and enlisted as a private in the Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, in which regi- ment he served until July 4, 1861, when Gov- ernor Yates advised him by telegraph of his readiness to accept his cavalry company. Returning to Warsaw he recruited another com- pany within a few days, of which he was com- inissioned Captain, and which was attached to the Second Illinois Cavalry. He served in the army until January, 1866, being four times wounded, and rising to the rank of Colonel. On his return home he interested himself in politics. In 1869 he was a Republican candidate for the State Constitutional Convention, and. in 1876, was elected to represent the Tenth Illinois Dis- trict in Congress, and re-elected in 1878 and 1880. In 1885 he was appointed a member of the Rail- road and Warehouse Commission, serving until 1889. In 1894 he was again elected to Congress from his old district, which, under the new apportionment, had become the Fifteenth, was re-elected in 1896, and again in 1898. In the Fifty-fifth Congress he was a member of the House Committee on Military Affairs and Chair- man of the Committee on Militia.
MARSH, William, jurist, was born at Moravia, . N. Y., May 11, 1822; was educated at Groton Academy and Union College, graduating from the latter in 1842. He studied law, in part, in the office of Millard Fillmore, at Buffalo, and was admitted to the bar in 1845, practicing at Ithaca until 1854, when he removed to Quincy, Ill. Here he continued in practice, in partnership, at differ- ent periods, with prominent lawyers of that city, until elected to the Circuit bench in 1885, serv- ing until 1891. Died, April 14, 1894.
MARSHALL, the county-seat of Clark County, and an incorporated city, 1613 miles southwest of Terre Haute, Ind., and a point of intersection of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis and the Vandalia Railroads. The surrounding country is devoted to farming and stock-raising. The city has woolen, flour, saw and planing mills, and milk condensing plant. It has two banks, eight churches and a good public school system, which includes city and township high schools, and three newspapers. Population (1890), 1,900; (1900), 2,077.
MARSHALL, Samuel S., lawyer and Con- gressman, was born in Gallatin County, Ill., in 1824; studied law and soon after located at McLeansboro. In 1846 he was chosen a member of the lower house of the Fifteenth General Assembly, but resigned, early in the following year, to become State's Attorney, serving until 1848; was Judge of the Circuit Court from 1851 to 1854, and again from 1861 to 1865; was delegate from the State-at-large to the Charleston and Baltimore Conventions of 1860, and to the National Union Convention at Philadelphia in 1866. In 1861 he received the complimentary vote of his party in the Legislature for United States Senator, and was similarly honored in the Fortieth Congress (1867) by receiving the Demo- cratic support for Speaker of the House. He was first elected to Congress in 1854, re-elected in 1856, and, later, served continuously from 1865 to 1875, when he returned to the practice of his profession. Died, July 26, 1890.
MARSHALL COUNTY, situated in the north- central pårt of the State, with an area of 400 square miles-named for Chief Justice John Mar- shall. Settlers began to arrive in 1827, and county organization was effected in 1839. The Illinois River bisects the county, which is also drained by Sugar Creek. The surface is gener- ally level prairie, except along the river, although occasionally undulating. The soil is fertile, corn, wheat, hay and oats forming the staple agricultural products. Hogs are raised in great number, and coal is extensively mined. Lacon is the county-seat. Population (1880), 15,053; (1890), 13,653; (1900), 16,370.
MARTIN, (Gen.) James S., ex-Congressman and soldier, was born in Scott County, Va., August 19, 1826, educated in the common schools, and, at the age of 20, accompanied his parents to Southern Illinois, settling in Marion County. He served as a non-commissioned officer in the war with Mexico. In 1849, he was elected Clerk of the Marion County Court, which office he filled for twelve years. By profession he is a lawyer, and has been in active practice when not in public or military life. For a number of years he was a member of the Republican State Central Committee. In 1862 he was commis- sioned Colonel of the One Hundred and Eleventh Illinois Volunteers, and, at the close of the war, brevetted Brigadier-General. On his return home he was elected County Judge of Marion County, and, in 1868, appointed United States Pension Agent. The latter post he resigned in 1872, hav- ing been elected, as a Republican, to represent
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the Sixteenth District in the Forty-third Con- gress. He was Commander of the Grand Army for the Department of Illinois in 1889-90.
MARTINSVILLE, a village of Clark County, on the Terre Haute & Indianapolis (Vandalia) Railroad, 11 miles southwest of Marshall; has two banks and one newspaper. Population (1880), 663; (1890), 779; (1900), 1,000.
MASCOUTAH, a city in St. Clair County, 25 miles from St. Louis and 11 miles east of Belle- ville, on the line of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Coal-mining and agriculture are the principal industries of the surrounding country. The city has flour mills, a brickyard, dairy, school, churches, and electric line. Population (1880), 2,558; (1890), 2,032; (1900), 2,171.
MASON, Roswell B., civil engineer, was born in Oneida County, N. Y., Sept. 19, 1805; in his boyhood was employed as a teamster on the Erie Canal, a year later (1822) accepting a position as rodman under Edward F. Gay, assistant-engineer in charge of construction. Subsequently he was employed on the Schuylkill and Morris Canals, on the latter becoming assistant-engineer and, finally, chief and superintendent. Other works with which Mr. Mason was connected in a similar capacity were the Pennsylvania Canal and the Housatonic, New York & New Haven and the Vermont Valley Railroads. In 1851 le came west and took charge of the construction of the Illinois Central Railroad, a work which required five years for its completion. The next four years were spent as contractor in the construction of roads in Iowa and Wisconsin, until 1860, when he became Superintendent of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, but remained only one year, in 1861 accepting the position of Controller of the land department of the Illinois Central Railroad, which he retained until 1867. The next two years were occupied in the service of the State in lowering the summit of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. In 1869 he was elected Mayor of the city of Chicago, and it was in the closing days of his term that the great fire of 1871 occurred, testing his executive ability to the utmost. From 1873 to 1883 he served as one of the Trustees of tlie Illinois Industrial University, and was one of the incorporators, and a life-long Director, of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary of the Nortli- west. Died, Jan. 1, 1892 .- Edward Gay (Mason), son of the preceding, was born at Bridgeport, Conn., August 23, 1839; came with his father's family. in 1852, to Chicago, where he attended school for several years, after which he entered Yale College, graduating there in 1860. He then
studied law, and, later, became a member of the law firm of Mattocks & Mason, but subsequently, in conjunction with two brothers, organized the firm of Mason Brothers, for the prosecution of a real-estate and law business. In 1881 Mr. Mason was one of the organizers of the Chicago Musical Festival, which was instrumental in bringing Theodore Thomas to Chicago. In 1887 he became President of the Chicago Historical Society, as the successor of Elihu B. Washburne, retaining the position until his death, Dec. 18, 1898. During his incumbency, the commodious building, now occupied by the Historical Society Library, was erected, and he added largely to the resources of the Society by the collection of rare manuscripts and other historical records. He was the author of several historical works, including "Illinois in the Eighteenth Century," "Kaskaskia and Its Parish Records," besides papers on La Salle and the first settlers of Illinois, and "The Story of James Willing-An Episode of the American Revolution." He also edited a volume entitled "Early Chicago and Illinois," which was pub- lished under the auspices of the Chicago Histor- ical Society. Mr. Mason was, for several years, a Trustee of Yale University and, about the time of his death, was prominently talked of for President of that institution, as successor to President Timothy Dwight.
MASON, William E., United States Senator, was born at Franklinville, Cattaraugus County, N. Y., July 7, 1850, and accompanied his parents to Bentonsport, Iowa, in 1858. He was educated at the Bentonsport Academy and at Birmingham College. From 1866 to 1870 he taught school, the last two years at Des Moines. In that city he studied law with Hon. Thomas F. Withrow, who afterward admitted him to partnership. In 1872 he removed to Chicago, where he has since prac- ticed his profession. He soon embarked in poli- tics, and, in 1878, was elected to the lower liouse of the General Assembly, and, in 1882, to the State Senate. In 1884 he was the regular Repub- lican candidate for Congress in the Third Illinois District (then strongly Republican), but, owing to party dissensions, was defeated by James H. Ward, a Democrat. In 1886, and again in 1888, he was elected to Congress, but, in 1890, was defeated for re-election by Allan C. Durborow. He is a vigorous and effective campaign speaker. In 1897 he was elected United States Senator, receiving in the Legislature 125 votes to 77 for Jolın P. Altgeld, the Democratic candidate.
MASON CITY, a prosperous city in Mason County, at the intersection of the Chicago &
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Alton and the Havana branch of the Illinois Central Railroads, 18 miles west by north of Lincoln, and about 30 miles north of Springfield. Being in the heart of a rich corn-growing district, it is an important shipping point for that com- modity. It has four churches, two banks, two newspapers, brick works, flour-mills, grain-ele- vators and a carriage factory. Population (1880), 1,714; (1890), 1,869; (1900), 1,890.
MASON COUNTY, organized in 1841, with a population of about 2,000; population (1900), 17,491, and area of 560 square miles,-named for a county in Kentucky. It lies a little northwest of the center of the State, the Illinois and Sanga- mon Rivers forming its west and its south bound- aries. The soil, while sandy, is fertile. The chief staple is corn, and the county offers excel- lent opportunities for viticulture. The American pioneer of Mason County was probably Maj. Ossian B. Ross, who settled at Havana in 1832. Not until 1837, however, can immigration be said to have set in rapidly. Havana was first chosen as the county seat, but Bath enjoyed the honor for a few years, the county offices being per- manently removed to the former point in 1851. Mason City is an important shipping point on the Chicago & Alton Railroad
MASONS, ANCIENT ORDER OF FREE AND ACCEPTED. (See Free-Masons.)
MASSAC COUNTY, an extreme southern county of the State and one of the smallest, its area, being but little more than 240 square miles, with a population (1900) of 13,110-named for Fort Massac, within its borders. The surface is hilly toward the north, but the bottom lands along the Ohio River are swampy and liable to frequent overflows. A considerable portion of the natural resources consists of timber-oak, wal- nut, poplar, hickory, cypress and cottonwood abounding. Saw-mills are found in nearly every town, and considerable grain and tobacco are raised. The original settlers were largely from Ohio, Kentucky and North Carolina, and hospi- tality is traditional. Metropolis, on the Ohio River, is the county-seat. It was laid off in 1839, although Massac County was not separately organized until 1843. At Massac City may be seen the ruins of the early French fort of that name.
MASSAC COUNTY REBELLION, the name commonly given to an outbreak of mob violence which occurred in Massac County, in 1845-46. An arrested criminal having asserted that an organ- ized band of thieves and robbers existed, and having given the names of a large number of the
alleged members, popular excitement rose to fever heat. A company of self-appointed "regu- lators" was formed, whose acts were so arbitrary that, at the August election of 1846, a Sheriff and County Clerk were elected on the avowed issue of opposition to these irregular tactics. This served to stimulate the "regulators" to renewed activity. Many persons were forced to leave the county on suspicion, and others tortured into making confession. In consequence, some leading "regulators" were thrown into jail, only to be soon released by their friends, who ordered the Sheriff and County Clerk to leave the county. The feud rapidly grew, both in proportions and in inten- . sity. Governor French made two futile efforts to restore order through mediation, and the ordinary processes of law were also found unavailing. Judge Scates was threatened with lynching Only 60 men dared to serve in the Sheriff's posse, and these surrendered upon promise of personal immunity from violence. This pledge was not regarded, several members of the posse being led away as prisoners, some of whom, it was believed, were drowned in the Ohio River. All the incarcer- ated "regulators" were again released, the Sheriff and his supporters were once more ordered to leave, and fresh seizures and outrages followed each other in quick succession. To remedy this condition of affairs, the Legislature of 1847 enacted a law creating district courts, under the provi- sions of which a Judge might hold court in any county in his circuit. This virtually conferred upon the Judge the right to change the venue at his own discretion, and thus secure juries unbiased by local or partisan feeling. The effect of this legislation was highly beneficial in restoring quiet, although the embers of the feud still smoldered and intermittently leaped into flame for several years thereafter.
MATHENY, Charles R., pioneer, was born in Loudoun County, Va., March 6, 1786, licensed as a Methodist preacher, in Kentucky, and, in 1805, came to St. Clair County (then in Indiana Terri- tory), as a missionary. Later, he studied law and was admitted to the bar; served in the Third Territorial (1817) and the Second State Legisla- tures (1820-22); removed, in 1821, to the newly organized county of Sangamon, where he was appointed the first County Clerk, remaining in office eighteen years, also for some years holding, at the same time, the offices of Circuit Clerk, Recorder and Probate Judge. Died, while County Clerk, in 1839 .- Noah W. (Matheny), son of the preceding, was born in St. Clair County, Ill., July 31, 1815; was assistant of his father in the
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County Clerk's office in Sangamon County, and, on the death of the latter, (November, 1839), was elected his successor, and re-elected for eight con- secutive terms, serving until 1873. Died, April 30, 1877 .- James H. (Matheny), another son, born Oct. 30, 1818, in St. Clair County ; served in his youthı as Clerk in various local offices; was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847, elected Circuit Clerk in 1852, at the close of his term beginning the practice of law; was com- missioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Volunteers, in October, 1862, and, after the siege of Vicksburg, served as Judge Advocate until July, 1864, when he resigned. He then returned to his profession, but, in 1873, was elected County Judge of Sanga- mon County, holding the office by repeated re- elections until his deatlı, Sept. 7, 1890,-having resided in Springfield 68 years.
MATHER, Thomas, pioneer merchant, was born, April 24, 1795, at Simsbury, Hartford County, Conn .; in early manhood was engaged for a time in business in New York City, but, in the spring of 1818, came to Kaskaskia, Ill., where he soon after became associated in business with James L. Lamb and others. This firm was afterwards quite extensively engaged in trade with New Orleans. Later he became one of the founders of the town of Chester. In 1820 Mr. Mather was elected to the lower branch of the Second General Assembly from Randolph County, was re-elected to the Third (serving for a part of the session as Speaker), and again to the Fourth, but, before the expiration of his last term, resigned to accept an appointment from Presi- dent John Quincy Adams as Commissioner to locate the military road from Independence to Santa Fe, and to conclude treaties with the Indians along the line. In the Legislature of 1822 he was one of the most determined oppo- nents of the scheme for securing a pro-slavery Constitution. In 1828 lie was again elected to the House and, in 1832, to the Senate for a term or four years. He also served as Colonel on the staff of Governor Coles, and was supported for the United States Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John McLean, in 1830. Having removed to Springfield in 1835, he became promi- nent in business affairs there in connection with his former partner, Mr. James L. Lamb; in 1837 was appointed a member of the first Board of Fund Commissioners for the State under the internal improvement system; also served seven years as President of the Springfield branch of the State Bank; was connected, as a stock-
holder, with the construction of the Sangamon & Morgan (now Wabash) Railroad, extending from Springfield to the Illinois river at Naples, and was also identified, financially, with the old Chi- cago & Galena Union Railroad. From 1835 until his death, Colonel Mather served as one of the Trustees of Illinois College at Jacksonville, and was a liberal contributor to the endowment of that institution. His death occurred during a visit to Philadelphia, March 28, 1853.
MATTESON, Joel Aldrich, ninth regularly elected Governor of Illinois (1853-57), was born in Watertown, N. Y., August 8, 1808; after some experience in business and as a teacher, in 1831 he went to South Carolina, where he was foreman in the construction of the first railroad in that State. In 1834 he removed to Illinois, where he became a contractor on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and also engaged in manufacturing at Joliet. After serving three terms in the State Senate, he was elected Governor in 1852, and, in 1855, was defeated by Lyman Trumbull for the United States Senatorship. At the close of his gubernatorial term he was complimented by the Legislature, and retired to private life a popular man. Later, there were developed grave scandals in connection with the refunding of certain canal scrip, with which his name-unfortunately -was connected. He turned over property to the State of the value of nearly $250,000, for its indemnification. He finally took up his resi- dence in Chicago, and later spent considerable time in travel in Europe. He was for many years the lessee and President of the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Died in Chicago, Jan. 31, 1873.
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