Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I, Part 75

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. jt. ed. cn; Wilderman, Alonzo St. Clair, 1839-1904, ed; Wilderman, Augusta A., jt. ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 698

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Wesley (Merritt), another son, was born in New York, June 16, 1836, came with his father to Illi- nois in childhood, and was appointed a cadet at West Point Military Academy from this State, graduating in 1860; became a Second Lieutenant in the regular army, the same year, and was pro- moted to the rank of First Lieutenant, a year later. After the beginning of the Civil War, he was rapidly promoted, reaching the rank of Brigadier-General of Volunteers in 1862, and being mustered out, in 1866, with the brevet rank of Major-General. He re-entered the regular army as Lieutenant-Colonel, was promoted to a colonelcy in 1876, and, in 1887, received a com- · mission as Brigadier-General, in 1897 becoming Major-General. He was in command, for a time, of the Department of the Missouri, but, on his last promotion, was transferred to the Depart- ment of the East, with headquarters at Gov- ernor's Island, N. Y. Soon after the beginning of the war with Spain, he was assigned to the . command of the land forces destined for the Philippines, and appointed Military Governor of the Islands. Towards the close of the year he returned to the United States and resumed his old command at New York.

MESSINGER, John, pioneer surveyor and car- tographer, was born at West Stockbridge, Mass., in 1771, grew up on a farm, but secured a good education, especially in mathematics. Going to Vermont in 1783, he learned the trade of a car- penter and mill-wright; removed to Kentucky in 1799, and, in 1802, to Illinois (then a part of Indi- ana Territory), locating first in the American Bottom and, later, at New Design within the present limits of Monroe County. Two years later he became the proprietor of a mill, and, between 1804 and 1806, taught one of the earliest schools in St. Clair County. The latter year he took up, the vocation of a surveyor, which he fol- lowed for many years as a sub-contractor under William Rector, surveying much of the land in St. Clair and Randolph Counties, and, still later. assisting in determining the northern boundary of the State. He also served for a time as a teacher of mathematics in Rock Spring Seminary ; in 1821 published "A Manual, or Hand-Book, intended for Convenience in Practical Survey- ing," and prepared some of the earlier State and county maps. In 1808 he was elected to the Indiana Territorial Legislature, to fill a vacancy, and took part in the steps which resulted in set- ting up a separate Territorial Government for Illinois, the following year. He also received an appointment as the first Surveyor of St. Clair

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County under the new Territorial Government; was chosen a Delegate from St. Clair County to the Convention of 1818, which framed the first State Constitution, and, the saine year, was elected a Representative in the First General Assembly, serving as Speaker of that body. After leaving New Design, the later years of his life were spent on a farm two and a half miles north of Belleville, where he died in 1846.

METAMORA, a town of Woodford County, on a branch of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, 19 miles east-northeast of Peoria and some thirty miles northwest of Bloomington; is center of a fine farming district. The town has a creamery, soda factory, one bank, three churches, two newspapers, schools and a park. Population (1880). 828; (1900), 758. Metamora was the county-seat of Woodford County until 1899, when the seat of justice was removed to Eureka.

METCALF, Andrew W., lawyer, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, August 6, 1828; educated at Madison College in his native State, graduating in 1846, and, after studying law at Cambridge, Ohio, three years, was admitted to the bar in 1850. The following year he went to Appleton, Wis., but remained only a year, when he removed to St. Louis, then to Edwardsville, and shortly after to Alton, to take charge of the legal busi- ness of George T. Brown, then publisher of "The Alton Courier." In 1853 he returned to Edwards- ville to reside permanently, and, in 1859, was appointed by Governor Bissell State's Attorney for Madison County, serving one year. In 1864 he was elected State Senator for a term of four years; was a delegate to the Republican National Convention of 1872, and, in 1876, a lay delegate from the Southern Illinois Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to the General Con- ference at Baltimore; has also been a Trustee of McKendree College, at Lebanon, Ill., for more than twenty-five years.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, one of the most numerous Protestant church organiza- tions in the United States and in Illinois. Rev. Joseph Lillard was the first preacher of this sect to settle in the Northwest Territory, and Capt. Joseph Ogle was the first class-leader (1795). It is stated that the first American preacher in the American Bottom was Rev. Hosea Riggs (1796). Rev. Benjamin Young took charge of the first Methodist mission in 1803, and, in 1804, this mis- sion was attached to the Cumberland (Tenn.) circuit. Revs. Joseph Oglesby and Charles R. Matheny were among the early circuit riders. In 1820 there were seven circuits in Illinois, and, in

1830, twenty-eight, the actual membership exceeding 10,000. The first Methodist service in Chicago was held by Rev. Jesse Walker, in 1826. The first Methodist society in that city was organized by Rev. Stephen R. Beggs, in June, 1831. By 1835 the number of circuits had in- creased to 61, with 370 ministers and 15,000 mem- bers. Rev. Peter Cartwright was among the early revivalists. The growth of this denomi- nation in the State has been extraordinary. By 1890, it had nearly 2,000 churches, 937 ministers, and 151,000 members-the total number of Metho- dists in the United States, by the same census, being 4,980,240. The church property owned in 1890 (including parsonages) approached $111,000,- 000, and the total contributions were estimated at $2,073,923. The denomination in Illinois sup- ports two theological seminaries and the Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston. "The North- western Christian Advocate," with a circulation of some 30,000, is its official organ in Illinois. (See also Religious Denominations.)

METROPOLIS CITY, the county-seat of Massac County, 156 miles southeast of St. Louis, situated on the Ohio River and on the St. Louis and Paducah Division of the Illinois Central Rail- road. The city was founded in 1839, on the site of old Fort Massac, which was erected by the French, aided by the Indians, about 1711. Its industries consist largely of various forms of wood-working. Saw and planing mills are a commercial factor; other establishments turn out wheel, buggy and wagon material, barrel staves and heads, boxes and baskets, and veneers. There are also flouring mills and potteries. The city has a public library, two banks, water- works, electric lights, numerous churches, high school and graded schools, and three papers. Population (1880), 2,668; (1890), 3,573; (1900), 4,069.

MEXICAN WAR. Briefly stated, this war originated in the annexation of Texas to the United States, early in 1846. There was a dis- agreement as to the western boundary of Texas. Mexico complained of encroachment upon her territory, and hostilities began with the battle of Palo Alto, May 8, and ended with the treaty of peace, concluded at Guadalupe Hidalgo, near the City of Mexico, Feb. 2, 1848. Among the most prominent figures were President Polk, under whose administration annexation was effected, and Gen. Zachary Taylor, who was chief in com- mand in the field at the beginning of the war, and was elected Polk's successor. Illinois furnished more than her full quota of troops for the strug- gle. May 13, 1846, war was declared. On May

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25, Governor Ford issued his proclamation calling for the enlistment of three regiments of infantry, the assessed quota of the State. The response was prompt and general. Alton was named as the rendezvous, and Col. (afterwards General) Sylvester Churchill was the mustering officer. The regiments mustered in were commanded, respectively, by Col. John J. Hardin, Col. Wm. H. Bissell (afterwards Governor) and Col. Ferris Forman. An additional twelve months' regiment (the Fourtli) was accepted, under command of Col. E. D. Baker, who later became United States Senator from Oregon, and fell at the battle of Ball's Bluff, in October, 1861. A second call was made in April, 1847, under which Illinois sent two more regiments, for the war, towards the Mexican frontier. These were commanded by Col. Edward W. B. Newby and Col. James Collins. Independent companies were also tendered and accepted. Besides, there were some 150 volunteers who joined the regiments already in the field. Commanders of the inde- pendent companies were Capts. Adam Dunlap, of Schuyler County; Wyatt B. Stapp, of War- ren; Michael K. Lawler, of Shawneetown, and Josiah Little. Col. John J. Hardin, of the First, was killed at Buena Vista, and the official mor- tuary list includes many names of Illinois' best and bravest sons. After participating in the battle of Buena Vista, the Illinois troops shared in the triumphal entry into the City of Mexico, on Sept. 16, 1847, and (in connection with those from Kentucky) were especially complimented in General Taylor's official report. The Third and Fourth regiments won distinction at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo and the City of Mexico. At the second of these battles, General Shields fell severely (and, as supposed for a time, mortally) wounded. Colonel Baker succeeded Shields, led a gallant charge, and really turned the day at Cerro Gordo. Among the officers honorably named by General Scott, in his official report, were Colonel Forman, Major Harris, Adjutant Fondey, Capt. J. S. Post. and Lieutenants Hammond and Davis. All the Illinois troops were mustered out between May 25, 1847 and Nov. 7, 1848, the inde- pendent companies being the last to quit the service. The total number of volunteers was 6,123, of whom 86 were killed, and 160 wounded, 12 of the latter dying of their wounds. Gallant service in the Mexican War soon became a pass- port to political preferment, and some of the brave soldiers of 1846-47 subsequently achieved merited distinction in civil life. Many also be- came distinguished soldiers in the War of tlie

Rebellion, including such names as John A. Logan, Richard J. Oglesby, M. K. Lawler, James D. Morgan, W. H. L. Wallace, B. M. Prentiss, W. R. Morrison, L. F. Ross, and others. The cost of the war, with $15,000,000 paid for territory annexed, is estimated at $166,500,000 and the extent of territory acquired, nearly 1,000,000 square miles - considerably more than the whole of the present territory of the Republic of Mexico.

MEYER, John, lawyer and legislator, was born in Holland, Feb. 27, 1852; came to Chicago at the age of 12 years; entered the Northwestern Uni- versity, supporting himself by labor during vaca- tions and by teaching in a night school, until his third year in the university, when he became a student in the Union College of Law, being admitted to the bar in 1879; was elected from Cook County to the Thirty-fifth General Assembly (1884), and re-elected to the Thirty-sixth, Thirty- eighth and Thirty-ninth, being chosen Speaker of the latter (Jan. 18, 1895). Died in office, at Free- port, Ill., July 3, 1895, during a special session of the General Assembly.

MIAMIS, The. The preponderance of author- ity favors the belief that this tribe of Indians was originally a part of the Ill-i-ni or Illinois, but the date of their separation from the parent stock cannot be told. It is likely, however, that it occurred before the French pushed their explo- rations from Canada westward and southward, into and along the Mississippi Valley. Father Dablon alludes to the presence of Miamis (whom he calls Ou-mi-a-mi) in a mixed Indian village, near the mouth of Fox River of Wisconsin, in 1670. The orthography of their name is varied. The Iroquois and the British generally knew them as the "Twightwees," and so they were commonly called by the American colonists. The Weas and Piankeshaws were of the same tribe. When La Salle founded his colony at Starved Rock, the Miamis had villages which could muster some 1,950 warriors, of which the Weas had 500 and the Piankeshaws 150, the re- maining 1,300 being Miamis proper. In 1671 (according to a written statement by Charlevoix in 1721), the Miamis occupied three villages: -one on the St. Joseph River, one on the Mau- mee and one on the "Ouabache" (Wabash). They were friendly toward the French until 1694, when a large number of them were massacred by a party of Sioux, who carried firearms which had been furnished them by the Frenchmen. The breach thus caused was never closed. Having become possessed of guns

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themselves, the Miamis were able, not only to hold their own, but also to extend their hunting grounds as far eastward as the Scioto, alternately warring with the French, British and Americans. General Harrison says of them that, ten years before the treaty of Greenville, they could have brought upon the field a body of 3,000 "of the finest light troops in the world," but lacking in discipline and enterprise. Border warfare and smallpox, however, had, by that date (1795), greatly reduced their numerical strength. The main seat of the Miamis was at Fort Wayne, whose residents, because of their superior num- bers and intelligence, dominated all other bands except the Piankeshaws. The physical and moral deterioration of the tribe began immedi- ately after the treaty of Greenville. Little by little, they ceded their lands to the United States, the money received therefor being chiefly squan- dered in debauchery. Decimated by vice and disease, the remnants of this once powerful abo- riginal nation gradually drifted westward across the Mississippi, whence their valorous sires had emigrated two centuries before. The small rem- nant of the band finally settled in Indian Terri- tory, but they have made comparatively little progress toward civilization. (See also Pianke- shaws; Weas.)

MICHAEL REESE HOSPITAL, located in Chicago, under care of the association known as the United Hebrew Charities. Previous to 1871 this association maintained a small hospital for the care of some of its beneficiaries, but it was destroyed in the conflagration of that year, and no immediate effort to rebuild was made. In 1880, however, Michael Reese, a Jewish gentleman who had accumulated a large fortune in Cali- fornia, bequeathed $97,000 to the organization. With this sum, considerably increased by addi- tions from other sources, an imposing building was erected, well arranged and thoroughly equipped for hospital purposes. The institution thus founded was named after its principal bene- factor. Patients are received without discrimi- nation as to race or religion, and more than half those admitted are charity patients. The present medical staff consists of thirteen surgeons and physicians, several of whom are eminent specialists.

MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD. The main line of this road extends from Chicago to Detroit, 270 miles, with trackage facilities from Kensington, 14 miles, over the line of the Illinois Central, to its terminus in Chicago. Branch lines (leased, proprietary and operated) in

Canada, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois swell the total mileage to 1,643.56 miles. - (HISTORY.) The company was chartered in 1846, and purchased from the State of Michigan the line from Detroit to Kalamazoo, 144 miles, of which construction had been begun in 1836. The road was completed to Michigan City in 1850, and, in May, 1852, reached Kensington, Ill. As at present constituted, the road (with its auxiliaries) forms an integral part of what is popularly known as the "Vanderbilt System." Only 35 miles of the entire line are operated in Illinois, of which 29 belong to the Joliet & Northern Indiana branch (which see). The outstanding capital stock (1898) was $18,- 738,000 and the funded debt, $19,101,000. Earn- ings in Illinois the same year, $184,002; total operating expenses, $540,905; taxes, $24,250.

MICHIGAN, LAKE. (See Lake Michigan.)

MIHALOTZY, Geza, soldier, a native of Hun- gary and compatriot of Kossuth in the Magyar struggle; came to Chicago in 1848, in 1861 enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Volunteers (first "Hecker regiment"), and, on the resignation of Colonel Hecker, a few weeks later, was promoted to the Colonelcy. A trained soldier, he served with gallantry and distinction, but was fatally wounded at Buzzard's Roost, Feb. 24, 1864, dying at Chattanooga, March 11, 1864.

MILAN, a town of Rock Island County, on the Rock Island & Peoria Railway, six miles south of Rock Island. It is located on Rock River, has several mills, a bank and a newspaper. Popula- tion (1880), 845; (1890), 692; (1900), 719.

MILBURN, (Rev.) William Henry, clergy- man, was born in Philadelphia, Sept. 26, 1826. At the age of five years he almost totally lost sight in both eyes, as the result of an accident, and subsequent malpractice in their treatment. For a time he was able to decipher letters with difficulty, and thus learned to read. In the face of such obstacles he carried on his studies until 12 years of age, when he accompanied his father's family to Jacksonville, Ill., and, five years later, became an itinerant Methodist preacher. For a time he rode a circuit covering 200 miles, preach- ing, on an average, ten times a week, for $100 per year. In 1845, while on a Mississippi steamboat, he publicly rebuked a number of Congressmen, who were his fellow passengers, for intemperance and gaming. This resulted in his being made Chaplain of the House of Representatives. From 1848 to 1850 he was pastor of a church at Mont- gomery, Ala., during which time he was tried for heresy, and later became pastor of a "Free Church." Again, in 1853, he was chosen Chap-

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lain of Congress. While in Europe, in 1859, he took orders in the Episcopal Church, but returned to Methodisın in 1871. He has since been twice Chaplain of the House (1885 and '87) and three times (1893, '95 and '97) elected to the same posi- tion in the Senate He is generally known as "the blind preacher" and achieved considerable prominence by his eloquence as a lecturer on "What a Blind Man Saw in Europe." Among his published writings are, "Rifle, Axe and Sad- "dlebags" (1856), "Ten Years of Preacher Life" (1858) and "Pioneers, Preachers and People of the Mississippi Valley" (1860).

MILCHRIST, Thomas E., lawyer, was born in the Isle of Man in 1839, and, at the age of eight years, came to America with his parents, who settled in Peoria, Ill. Here he attended school and worked on a farm until the beginning of the Civil War, when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois Volunteers, serving until 1865, and being discharged with the rank of Cap- tain. After the war he read law with John I. Bennett-then of Galena, but later Master in Chancery of the United States Court at Chicago -was admitted to the bar in 1867, and, for a number of years, served as State's Attorney in Henry County. In 1888 he was a delegate from Illinois to the Republican National Convention, and the following year was appointed by Presi- dent Harrison United States District Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Since retiring from office in 1893, Mr. Milchrist has been engaged in private practice in Chicago. In 1898 he was elected a State Senator for the Fifth Dis- trict (city of Chicago) in the Forty-first General Assembly.

MILES, Nelson A., Major-General, was born at Westminster, Mass., August 8, 1839, and, at the breaking out of the Civil War, was engaged in mercantile pursuits in the city of Boston. In October, 1861, he entered the service as a Second Lieutenant in a Massachusetts regiment, dis- tinguished himself at the battles of Fair Oaks, Charles City Cross Roads and Malvern Hill, in one of which he was wounded. In Sep- tember, 1862, he was Colonel of the Sixty- first New York, which he led at Fredericksburg and at Chancellorsville, where he was again severely wounded. He commanded the First Brigade of the First Division of the Second Army Corps in the Richmond campaign, and was made Brigadier-General, May 12, 1864, and Major- General, by brevet, for gallantry shown at Ream's Station, in December of the same year. At the close of the war he was commissioned Colonel of

the Fortieth United States Infantry, and distin- guished himself in campaigns against the Indians ; became a Brigadier-General in 1880, and Major- General in 1890, in the interim being in command of the Department of the Columbia, and, after 1890, of the Missouri, with headquarters at Chi- cago. Here he did much to give efficiency and importance to the post at Fort Sheridan, and, in 1894, rendered valuable service in checking the strike riots about Chicago. Near the close of the year he was transferred to the Department of the East, and, on the retirement of General Schofield in 1895, was placed in command of the army, with headquarters in Washington. During the Spanish-American war (1898) General Miles gave attention to the fitting out of troops for the Cuban and Porto Rican campaigns, and visited Santiago during the siege conducted by General Shafter. but took no active command in the field until the occupation of Porto Rico, which was conducted with rare discrimination and good judgment, and with comparatively little loss of life or suffering to the troops.

MILFORD, a prosperous village of Iroquois County, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Rail- road, 88 miles south of Chicago; is in a rich farm- ing region; has water and sewerage systems, electric lights, two brick and tile works, three large grain elevators, flour mill, three churches, good schools, a public library and a weekly news- paper. It is an important shipping point for grain and live-stock. Population (1890), 957; (1900), 1,077.

MILITARY BOUNTY LANDS. (See Military Tract.)

MILITARY TRACT, a popular name given to a section of the State, set apart under an act of Congress, passed, May 6, 1812, as bounty-lands for soldiers in the war with Great Britain commenc- ing the same year. Similar reservations in the Territories of Michigan and Louisiana (now Arkansas) were provided for in the same act. The lands in Illinois embraced in this act were situated between the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, and extended from the junction of these streams due north, by the Fourth Principal Merid- ian, to the northern boundary of Township 15 north of the "Base Line." This "base line" started about opposite the present site of Beards- town, and extended to a point on the Mississippi about seven miles north of Quincy. The north- ern border of the "Tract" was identical with the northern boundary of Mercer County, which. extended eastward, reached the Illinois about the present village of De Pue, in the southeastern

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part of Bureau County, where the Illinois makes a great bend towards the south, a few miles west of the city of Peru. The distance between the Illinois and the Mississippi, by this line, was about 90 miles, and the entire length of the "Tract," from its northern boundary to the junction of the two rivers, was computed at 169 miles,-con- sisting of 90 miles north of the "base line" and 79 miles south of it, to the junction of the rivers. The "Tract" was surveyed in 1815-16. It com- prised 207 entire townships of six miles square, each, and 61 fractional townships, containing an area of 5,360,000 acres, of which 3,500,000 acres- a little less than two-thirds-were appropriated to military bounties. The residue consisted partly of fractional sections bordering on rivers, partly of fractional quarter-sections bordering on township lines, and containing more or less than 160 acres, and partly of lands that were returned by the sur- veyors as unfit for cultivation. In addition to this, there were large reservations not coming within the above exceptions, being the overplus of lands after satisfying the military claims, and subject to entry and purchase on the same con- ditions as other Government lands. The "Tract" thus embraced the present counties of Calhoun, Pike, Adams, Brown, Schuyler, Hancock, Mc- Donough, Fulton, Peoria, Stark, Knox, Warren, Henderson and Mercer, with parts of Henry, Bureau, Putnam and Marshall-or so much of them as was necessary to meet the demand for bounties. Immigration to this region set in quite actively about 1823, and the development of some portions, for a time, was very rapid; but later, its growth was retarded by the conflict of "tax- titles" and bounty-titles derived by purchase from the original holders. This led to a great deal of litigation, and called for considerable legislation; but since the adjustment of these questions, this region has kept pace with the most favored sections of the State, and it now includes some of the most important and prosperous towns and cities and many of the finest farms in Illinois.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I, Part 75

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. jt. ed. cn; Wilderman, Alonzo St. Clair, 1839-1904, ed; Wilderman, Augusta A., jt. ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. ed. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. jt. ed. cn; Wilderman, Alonzo St. Clair, 1839-1904, ed; Wilderman, Augusta A., jt. ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 698