USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 74
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McNEELEY, Thompson W., lawyer and ex-Con- gressman, was born in Jacksonville, Ill., Oct. 5, 1835, and graduated at Lombard University, Galesburg, at the age of 21. The following year he was licensed to practice, but continued to pur- sue his professional studies, attending the Law University at Louisville, Ky., from which insti- tution he graduated in 1859. He was a meniber of the Constitutional Convention of 1862, and chairman of the Democratic State Central Com- mittee in 1878. From 1869 to 1873 he represented his District in Congress, resuming his practice at Petersburg, Menard County, after his retire- ment.
McNULTA, John, soldier and ex-Congressman, was born in New York City, Nov. 9, 1837, received an academic education, was admitted to the bar, and settled at Bloomington, in this State, while yet a young man. On May 3, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Union army, and served until August 9, 1865, rising, successively, to the rank of Captain, Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel and Brevet Brigadier-General. From 1869 to 1873 lie was a member of the lower house of the General Assembly from McLean County, and, in 1872, was elected to the Forty-third Congress, as a Repub- lican. General McNulta has been prominent in the councils of the Republican party, standing second on the ballot for a candidate for Governor, in the State Convention of 1888, and serving as Permanent President of the State Convention of 1890. In 1896 he was one of the most earnest advocates of the nomination of Mr. Mckinley for President. Some of his most important work, within the past few years, has been performed in connection with receiverships of certain railway and other corporations, especially that of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad, from 1884 to 1890. He is now (1898) Receiver of the National Bank of Illinois, Chicago. Died Feb. 22, 1900.
McPHERSON, Simeon J., clergyman, de- scended from the Clan McPherson of Scotland, was born at Mumford, Monroe County, N. Y., Jan. 19, 1850; prepared for college at Leroy and Fulton, and graduated at Princeton, N. J., in 1874. Then, after a year's service as teacher of mathematics at his Alma Mater, he entered the Theological
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Seminary there, and graduated from that depart- ment in 1879, having in the meantime traveled through Europe, Egypt and Palestine. He was licensed to preach by the Rochester Presbytery in 1877, and spent three years (1879-82) in pas- toral labor at East Orange, N. J .; when he ac- cepted a call to the Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago, remaining until the early part of 1899, when he tendered his resignation to accept the position of Director of the Lawrenceville Prepar- atory Academy of Princeton College, N. J.
McROBERTS, Josiah, jurist, was born in Monroe County, Ill., June 12, 1820; graduated from St. Mary's College (Mo.) in 1839; studied law at Danville, Ill., with his brother Samuel, and, in 1842, entered the law department of Transylvania University, graduating in 1844, after which he at once began practice. In 1846 he was elected to the State Senate for the Cham- paign and Vermilion District, at the expiration of his term removing to Joliet. In 1852 he was appointed by Governor Matteson Trustee of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which office he held for four years. In 1866 he was appointed Circuit Court Judge by Governor Oglesby, to fill a va- cancy, and was re-elected in 1867, '73, '79, and '85, but died a few months after his last election.
McROBERTS, Samuel, United States Sena- tor, was born in Monroe County, Ill., Feb. 20, 1799; graduated from Transylvania University in 1819; in 1821, was elected the first Circuit Clerk of his native county, and, in 1825, appointed Circuit Judge, which office he held for three years. In 1828 he was elected State Senator, representing the district comprising Monroe, Clinton and Washington Counties. Later he was appointed United States District Attorney by President Jackson, but soon resigned to become Receiver of Public Moneys at Danville, by appointment of President Van Buren, and, in 1839, Solicitor of the General Land Office at Washington. Resigning the latter office in the fall of 1841, at the next session of the Illinois Legislature he was elected United States Senator to succeed John M. Robinson, deceased. Died, at Cincinnati, Ohio, March 22, 1843, being suc- ceeded by James Semple.
McVICKER, James Hubert, actor and theat- rical manager, was born in New York City, Feb. 14, 1822; thrown upon his own resources by the death of his father in infancy and the necessity of assisting to support his widowed mother, he early engaged in various occupations, until, at the age of 15, he became an apprentice in the office of "The St. Louis Republican," three years
later becoming a journeyman printer. He first appeared on the stage in the St. Charles Theater, New Orleans, in 1843; two years later was prin- cipal comedian in Rice's Theater, Chicago, re- maining until 1852, when he made a tour of the country, appearing in Yankee characters. About 1855 he made a tour of England and, on his return, commenced building his first Chicago theater, which was opened, Nov. 3, 1857, and was conducted with varied fortune until burned down in the great fire of 1871. Rebuilt and remodeled from time to time, it burned down a second time in August, 1890, the losses from these several fires having imposed upon Mr. McVicker a heavy burden. Although an excellent comedian, Mr. McVicker did not appear on the stage after 1882, from that date giving his attention entirely to management. He enjoyed in an eminent degree the respect and confidence, not only of the profession, but of the general public. Died in Chicago, March 7, 1896.
McWILLIAMS, David, banker, Dwight, Ill., was born in Belmont County, Ohio, Jan. 14, 1834; was brought to Illinois in infancy and grew up on a farm until 14 years of age, when he entered the office of the Pittsfield (Pike County) "Free Press" as an apprentice. In 1849 he engaged in the lumber trade with his father, the management of which devolved upon him a few years later. In the early 50's he was, for a time, a student in Illinois College at Jacksonville, but did not graduate; in 1855 removed to Dwight, Livingston County, then a new town on the line of the Chi- cago & Alton Railroad, which had been completed to that point a few months previous. Here he erected the first store building in the town, and put in a $2,000 stock of goods on borrowed capi- tal, remaining in the mercantile business for eighteen years, and retaining an interest in the establishment seven years longer. In the mean- time, while engaged in merchandising, he began a banking business, which was enlarged on his retirement from the former, receiving his entire attention. The profits derived from his banking business were invested in farm lands until he became one of the largest land-owners in Living- ston County. Mr. McWilliams is one of the original members of the first Methodist Episcopal Church organized at Dwight, and has served as a lay delegate to several General Conferences of that denomination, as well as a delegate to the Ecumenical Council in London in 1881; has also been a liberal contributor to the support of vari- ous literary and theological institutions of the church, and has served for many years as a Trus-
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tee of the Northwestern University at Evanston. In politics he is a zealous Republican, and has repeatedly served as a delegate to the State Con- ventions of that party, including the Bloomington Convention of 1856, and was a candidate for Presidential Elector for the Ninth District on the Blaine ticket in 1884. He has made several ex- tended tours to Europe and other foreign coun- tries, the last including a trip to Egypt and the Holy Land, during 1898-99.
MECHANICSBURG, a village of Sangamon County, near the Wabash Railway, 13 miles east of Springfield. Population (1880), 396; (1890), 426; (1900), 476.
MEDILL, Joseph, editor and newspaper pub- lisher, was born, April 6, 1823, in the vicinity (now a part of the city) of St. Jolin, N. B., of Scotch- Irish parentage, but remotely of Huguenot descent. At nine years of age he accompanied his parents to Stark County, Ohio, where he enjoyed suclı educational advantages as belonged to that region and period. He entered an acad- emy with a view to preparing for college, but his family having suffered from a fire, he was com- pelled to turn his attention to business; studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1846, and began practice at New Philadelphia, in Tuscarawas County. Here he caught the spirit of journalism by frequent visits to the office of a local paper, learned to set type and to work a hand-press. In 1849 he bought a paper at Coshocton, of which he assumed editorial charge, employing his brothers as assistants in various capacities. The name of this paper was "The Coshocton Whig," which he soon changed to "The Republican," in which he dealt vigorous blows at political and other abuses, which several times brought upon him assaults from his political opponents-that being the style of political argument in those days. Two years later, having sold out "The Repub- lican," he established "The Daily Forest City" at Cleveland-a Whig paper with free-soil proclivi- ties. The following year "The Forest City" was consolidated witlı "The Free-Democrat," a Free- Soil paper under the editorship of John C. Vaughan, a South Carolina Abolitionist, the new paper taking the name of "The Cleveland Leader." Mr. Medill, with the co-operation of Mr. Vaughan, then went to work to secure the consolidation of the elements opposed to slavery in one compact organization. In this he was aided by the introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill in Congress, in December, 1853, and, before its passage in May following, Mr. Medill had begun to agitate tlie question of a union of all
opposed to that measure in a new party under the name "Republican." During the winter of 1854-55 he received a call from Gen. J. D. Web- ster, at that time part owner of "The Chicago Tribune," which resulted in his visiting Chicago a few months later, and his purchase of an inter- est in the paper, his connection with the concern dating from June 18, 1855. He was almost immediately joined by Dr. Charles H. Ray, who had been editor of "The Galena Jeffersonian," and, still later, by J. C. Vaughan and Alfred Cowles, who had been associated with him on "The Cleveland Leader." Mr. Medill assumed the position of managing editor, and, on the retirement of Dr. Ray, in 1863, became editor-in- chief until 1866, when he gave place to Horace White, now of "The New York Evening Post." During the Civil War period he was a zealous supporter of President Lincoln's emancipation policy, and served, for a time, as President of the "Loyal League," which proved such an influ- ential factor in upholding the hands of the Gov- ernment during the darkest period of the rebellion. In 1869 Mr. Medill was elected to the State Constitutional Convention, and, in that body, was the leading advocate of the principle of "minority representation" in the election of Representatives, as it was finally incorporated in the Constitution. In 1871 he was appointed by President Grant a member of the first Civil Service Commission, representing a principle to which he ever remained thoroughly committed. A few weeks after the great fire of the same year, he was elected Mayor of the city of Chicago. The financial condition of the city at the time, and other questions in issue, involved great diffi- culties and responsibilities, which he met in a way to command general approval. During his administration the Chicago Public Library was established, Mr. Medill delivering the address at its opening, Jan. 1, 1873. Near the close of his term as Mayor, he resigned the office and spent the following year in Europe. Almost simultane- ously with his return from his European trip, he secured a controlling interest in "The Tribune," resuming control of the paper, Nov. 9, 1874, which, as editor-in-chief, he retained for the remainder of his life of nearly twenty-five years. The growth of the paper in business and influence, from the beginning of his connection with it, was one of the marvels of journalism, making it easily one of the most successful newspaper ventures in the United States, if not in the world. Early in December, 1898, Mr. Medill went to San Antonio, Texas, hoping to receive relief in that
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mild climate from a chronic disease which had been troubling him for years, but died in that oity, March 16, 1899, within three weeks of hav- ing reached his 76th birthday. The conspicuous features of his character were a strong individu- ality and indomitable perseverance, which led him never to accept defeat. A few weeks previ- ous to his death, facts were developed going to show that, in 1881, he was offered, by President Garfield, the position of Postmaster-General, which was declined, when he was tendered the choice of any position in the Cabinet except two which had been previously promised; also, that he was offered a position in President Harrison's Cabinet, in 1889.
MEDILL, (Maj.) William H., soldier, was born at Massillon, Ohio, Nov. 5, 1835; in 1855, came to Chicago and was associated with "The Prairie Farmer." Subsequently he was editor of "The Stark County (Ohio) Republican," but again returning to Chicago, at the beginning of the war, was employed on "The Tribune," of which his brother (Hon. Joseph Medill) was editor. After a few months' service in Barker's Dragoons (a short-time organization), in Septem- ber, 1861, he joined the Eighth Illinois Cavalry (Colonel Farnsworth's), and, declining an election as Major, was chosen Senior Captain. The regi- ment soon joined the Army of the Potomac. By the promotion of his superior officers Captain Medill was finally advanced to the command, and, during the Peninsular campaign of 1862, led his troops on a reconnoissance within twelve miles of Richmond. At the battle of Gettysburg he had command of a portion of his regiment, acquit- ting himself with great credit. A few days after, while attacking a party of rebels who were attempting to build a bridge across the Potomac at Williamsburg, he received a fatal wound through the lungs, dying at Frederick City, July 16, 1863.
MEEKER, Moses, pioneer, was born in New- ark, N. J., June 17, 1790; removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1817, engaging in the manufacture of white lead until 1822, when he headed a pioneer expedition to the frontier settlement at Galena, Ill., to enter upon the business of smelting lead- ore. He served as Captain of a company in the Black Hawk War, later removing to Iowa County, Wis., where he built the first smelting works in that Territory, served in the Territorial Legislature (1840-43) and in the first Constitu- tional Convention (1846). A "History of the Early Lead Regions," by him, appears in the sixtlı volume of "The Wisconsin Historical Soci-
ety Collections." Died, at Shullsburg, Wis., July 7, 1865.
MELROSE, a suburb of Chicago, 11 miles west of the initial station of the Chicago & North- western Railroad, upon which it is located. It has two or three churches, some manufacturing establishments and one weekly paper. Popula- tion (1890), 1,050; (1900), 2,592.
MEMBRE, Zenobius, French missionary, was born in France in 1645; accompanied La Salle on his expedition to Illinois in 1679, and remained at Fort Creve-Cœur with Henry de Tonty ; descended the Mississippi with La Salle in 1682; returned to France and wrote a history of the expedition, and, in 1684, accompanied La Salle on his final expedition ; is supposed to have landed with La Salle in Texas, and there to have been massacred by the natives in 1687. (See La Salle and Tonty.)
MENARD, Pierre, French pioneer and first Lieutenant-Governor, was born at St. Antoine, Can., Oct. 7, 1766; settled at Kaskaskia, in 1790, and engaged in trade. Becoming interested in politics, he was elected to the Territorial Council of Indiana, and later to the Legislative Council of Illinois Territory, being presiding officer of the latter until the admission of Illinois as a State. He was, for several years, Government Agent, and in this capacity negotiated several important treaties with the Indians, of whose characteris- tics he seemed to have an intuitive perception. He was of a nervous temperament, impulsive and generous. In 1818 he was elected the first Lieu- tenant-Governor of the new State. His term of office having expired, he retired to private life and the care of his extensive business. He died at Kaskaskia, in June, 1844, leaving what was then considered a large estate. Among his assets, however, were found a large number of promis- sory notes, which he had endorsed for personal friends, besides many uncollectable accounts from poor people, to whom he had sold goods through pure generosity. Menard County was named for him, and a statue in his honor stands in the capitol grounds at Springfield, erected by the son of his old partner-Charles Pierre Chou- teau, of St. Louis.
MENARD COUNTY, near the geographical center of the State, and originally a part of Sangamon, but separately organized in 1839, the Provisional Commissioners being Joseph Wat- kins, William Engle and George W. Simpson. The county was named in honor of Pierre Menard, who settled at Kaskaskia prior to the Territorial organization of Illinois. (See Menard, Pierre.) Cotton was an important crop until 1830, when
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agriculture underwent a change. Stock-raising is now extensively carried on. Three fine veins of bituminous coal underlie the county. Among early American settlers may be mentioned the Clarys, Matthew Rogers, Amor Batterton, Solo- mon Pruitt and William Gideon. The names of Meadows, Montgomery, Green, Boyer and Grant are also familiar to early settlers. The county furnished a company of eighty-six volunteers for the Mexican War. The county-seat is at Peters- burg. The area of the county is 320 square miles, and its population, under the last census, 14,336. In 1829 was laid out the town of Salem, now extinct, but for some years the home of Abraham Lincoln, who was once its Postmaster, and who marched thence to the Black Hawk War as Captain of a company.
MENDON, a town of Adams County, on the Burlington & Quincy Division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway, 15 miles northeast of Quincy ; has a bank and a newspaper; is sur- rounded by a farming and stock-raising district. Population (1880), 652; (1890). 640; (1900), 627.
MENDOTA, a city in La Salle County, founded in 1853, at the junction of the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy with its Rochelle and Fulton branches and the Illinois Central Railway, 80 miles south- west of Chicago. It has eight churches, three graded and two high schools, and a public li- brary. Wartburg Seminary (Lutheran, opened in 1853) is located here. The chief industrial plants are two iron foundries, machine shops, plow works and a brewery. The city has three banks and four weekly newspapers. The sur- rounding country is agricultural and the city has considerable local trade. Population (1890), 3,542; (1900), 3,736.
MERCER COUNTY, a western county, with an area of 555 square miles and a population (1900) of 20,945 -named for Gen. Hugh Mercer. The Mississippi forms the western boundary, and along this river the earliest American settlements were made. William Dennison, a Pennsylvanian, settled in New Boston Township in 1828, and, before the expiration of a half dozen years, the Vannattas, Keith, Jackson, Wilson, Farlow, Bridges, Perry and Fleharty had arrived. Mer- cer County was separated from Warren, and specially organized in 1825. The soil is a rich, black loam, admirably adapted to the cultivation of cereals. A good quality of building stone is found at various points. Aledo is the county- seat. The county lies on the outskirts of the Illinois coal fields and mining was commenced in 1845.
MERCY HOSPITAL, located in Chicago, and the first permanent hospital in the State-char- tered in 1847 or 1848 as the "Illinois General Hospital of the Lakes." No steps were taken toward organization until 1850, when, with a scanty fund scarcely exceeding $150, twelve beds were secured and placed on one floor of a board- ing house, whose proprietress was engaged as nurse and stewardess. Drs. N. S. Davis and Daniel Brainard were, respectively, the first physician and surgeon in charge. In 1851 the hospital was given in charge of the Sisters of Mercy, who at once enlarged and improved the accommodations, and, in 1852, changed its name to Mercy Hospital. Three or four years later, a removal was made to a building previously occu- pied as an orphan asylum. Being the only pub- lic hospital in the city, its wards were constantly overcrowded, and, in 1869, a more capacious and better arranged building was erected. This edifice it has continued to occupy, althoughi many additions and improvements have been, and are still being, made. The Sisters of Mercy own the grounds and buildings, and' manage the nursing and all the domestic and financial affairs of the institution. The present medical staff (1896) consists of thirteen physicians and surgeons, besides three internes, or resident practitioners.
MEREDOSIA, a town in Morgan County, on the east bank of the Illinois River and on the Wabash Railway, some 58 miles west of Spring- field; is a grain shipping point and fishing and hunting resort. It was the first Illinois River point to be connected with the State capital by railroad in 1838. Population (1890), 621; (1900), 700.
MERRIAM, (Col.) Jonathan, soldier, legisla- tor and farmer, was born in Vermont, Nov. 1, 1834; was brought to Springfield, Ill., when two years old, living afterwards at Alton, his parents finally locating, in 1841, in Tazewell County, where he now resides-wlien not officially em- ployed-pursuing the occupation of a farmer. He was educated at Wesleyan University, Blooming- ton, and at McKendree College; entered the Union army in 1862, being commissioned Lieu- tenant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Seven- teenth Illinois Infantry, and serving to the close of the war. During the Civil War period he was one of the founders of the "Union League of America," which proved so influential a factor in sustaining the war policy of the Government. He was also a member of the State Constitutional Convention of 1869-70; an unsuccessful Repub- lican nominee for Congress in 1870; served as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Springfield
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District from 1873 to '83, was a Representative in the Thirty-ninth and Fortieth General Assem- blies, and, in 1897, was appointed, by President Mckinley, Pension Agent for the State of Illinois, with headquarters in Chicago. Thoroughly pa- triotic and of incorruptible integrity, he has won the respect and confidence of all in every public position he has been called to fill.
MERRILL, Stephen Mason, Methodist Episco- pal Bishop, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, Sept. 16, 1825. entered the Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1864, as a travel- ing preacher, and, four years later, became editor of "The Western Christian Advocate," at Cin- cinnati. He was ordained Bishop at Brooklyn in 1872, and, after two years spent in Minnesota, removed to Chicago, where lie still resides. The degree of D.D. was conferred upon him by Ohio Wesleyan University, in 1868, and that of LL.D. by the Northwestern University, in 1886. He has published "Christian Baptism" (Cincinnati, 1876); "New Testament Idea of Hell" (1878) ; "Second Coming of Christ" (1879) ; "Aspects of Christian Experience" (1882) ; "Digest of Metho- dist Law" (1885) ; and "Outlines of Thought on Probation" (1886).
MERRITT, John W., journalist, was born in New York City, July 4, 1806; studied law and practiced, for a time, with the celebrated James T. Brady as a partner. In 1841 he removed to St. Clair County, Ill., purchased and, from 1848 to '51, conducted "The Belleville Advocate"; later. removed to Salem, Ill., where he established "The Salem Advocate"; served as Assistant Sec- retary of the State Constitutional Convention of 1862, and as Representative in the Twenty-third General Assembly. In 1864 he purchased "The State Register" at Springfield, and was its editor for several years. Died, Nov. 16, 1878 .- Thomas E. (Merritt), son of the preceding, lawyer and politician, was born in New York City, April 29, 1834; at six years of age was brought by his father to Illinois, where he attended the common schools and later learned the trade of carriage- painting. Subsequently he read law, and was admitted to the bar, at Springfield, in 1862. In 1868 he was elected, as a Democrat, to the lower house of the General Assembly from the Salem District, and was re-elected to the same body in 1870, '74, '76, '86 and '88. He also served two terms in the Senate (1878-'86), making an almost continuous service in the General Assembly of eighteen years. He has repeatedly been a mem- ber of State conventions of his party, and stands as one of its trusted representatives .- Maj .- Gen.
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