Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I, Part 87

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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POST, Truman Marcellus, D.D., clergyman, was born at Middlebury, Vt., June 3, 1810; gradu- ated at Middlebury College in 1829, was Principal of Castleton Academy for a year, and a tutor at Middlebury two years, meanwhile studying law. After a winter spent in Washington, listening to the orators of the time in Congress and before the Supreme Court, including Clay, Webster, Wirt and their contemporaries, he went west in 1833, first visiting St. Louis, but finally settling at Jacksonville, Ill., where he was admitted to the bar, but soon after accepted the Professorship of Classical Languages in Illinois College, and later that of History; then began the study of theology, was ordained in 1840, and assumed the pastorship of the Congregational Church in Jack- sonville. In 1847 he was called to the pastorate of the Third Presbyterian Church of St. Louis, and, in 1851, to the First Congregational Church, of which the former furnished the nucleus. For a year or two after removing to St. Louis, he continued his lectures on history at Illinois Col- lege for a short period each year; also held the professorship of Ancient and Modern History in Washington University, in St. Louis; in 1873-75 was Southworth lecturer on Congregationalism in Andover Theological Seminary and, for sev- eral years, Professor of Ecclesiastical History in Chicago Theological Seminary. His splendid diction and his noble style of oratory caused him to be much sought after as a public lecturer or platform speaker at college commencements, while his purity of life and refinement of charac- ter attracted to him all with whom he came in personal contact. He received the degree of

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D.D. from Middlebury College in 1855; was a fre- quent contributor to "The Biblical Repository" and other religious publications, and, besides numerous addresses, sermons and pamphlets, he was the author of a volume entitled "The Skep- tical Era in Modern History" (New York, 1856). He resigned his pastorate in January, 1882, but continued to be a frequent speaker, either in the pulpit or on the lecture platform, nearly to the period of his death, which occurred in St. Louis, Dec. 31, 1886. For a quarter of a century he was one of the Trustees of Monticello Female Semi- nary, at Godfrey, Ill., being, for a considerable portion of the time, President of the Board.

POTTAWATOMIES, THE, an Indian tribe, one of the three subdivisions of the Ojibwas (or Ojibbeways), who, in turn, constituted a numer- ous family of the Algonquins. The other branches were the Ottawa and the Chippewas. The latter, however, retained the family name, and hence some writers have regarded the "Ojib- beways" and the "Chippewas" as essentially identical. This interchanging of names has been a prolific source of error. Inherently, the dis- tinction was analogous to that existing between genus and species, although a confusion of nomenclature has naturally resulted in errors more or less serious. These three tribes early separated, the Pottawatomies going south from Green Bay along the western shore of Lake Michigan. The meaning of the name is, "we are making a fire," and the word is a translation into the Pottawatomie language of the name first given to the tribe by the Miamis. These Indians were tall, fierce and haughty, and the tribe was divided into four branches, or clans, called by names which signify, respectively, the golden carp, the tortoise, the crab and the frog. Accord- ing to the "Jesuit Relations," the Pottawatomies were first met by the French, on the north of Lake Huron, in 1639-40. More than a quarter of a century later (1666) Father Allouez speaks of them as dwellers on the shores of Lake Michigan. The same Father described them as idolatrous and polygamous, yet as possessing a rude civility and as being kindly disposed toward the French. This friendship continued unbroken until the expulsion of the latter from the Northwest. About 1678 they spread southward from Green Bay to the head of Lake Michigan, a portion of the tribe settling in Illinois as far south as the Kankakee and Illinois Rivers, crowding the Winnebagoes and the Sacs and Foxes on the west, and advancing, on the east, into the country of the Miamis as far as the Wabash and the

Maumee. They fought on the side of the French in the French and Indian War, and later took part in the conspiracy of Pontiac to capture and reduce the British posts, and were so influenced by Tecumseh and the Prophet that a considerable number of their warri- ors fought against General Harrison at Tippe- canoe. During the War of 1812 they actively supported the British. They were also prominent at the Chicago massacre. Schoolcraft says of them, "They were foremost at all treaties where lands were to be ceded, clamoring for the lion's share of all presents and annuities, particularly where these last were the price paid for the sale of other lands than their own." The Pottawato- mies were parties to the treaties at Chicago in 1832 and 1833, and were among the last of the tribes to remove beyond the Mississippi, their final emigration not taking place until 1838. In 1846 the scattered fragments of this tribe coalesced with those of the Chippewas and Ottawas, and formed the Pottawatomie nation. They ceded all their lands, wherever located, to the United States, for $850,000, agreeing to accept 576,000 acres in Kansas in lieu of $87,000 of this amount. Through the rapacity and trespasses of white settlers, this reservation was soon dismembered, and the lands passed into other hands. In 1867, under an ena- bling act of Congress, 1,400 of the nation (then estimated at 2,500) became citizens. Their pres- ent location is in the southeastern part of Okla- loma.

POWELL, John Wesley, Ph.D., LL.D., geolo- gist and anthropologist, was born at Mount Morris N. Y., March 24, 1834, the son of a Methodist itinerant preacher, passing his early life at vari- ous places in Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois; studied for a time in Illinois College (Jacksonville), and subsequently in Wheaton College, but, in 1854, began a special course at Oberlin, Ohio, teaching at intervals in public schools. Having a predi- lection for the natural sciences, he spent much time in making collections, which he placed in various Illinois institutions. Entering the army in 1861 as a private of the Twentieth Illinois Volunteers, he later became a Captain of the Second Illinois Artillery, being finally promoted Major. He lost his right arm at the battle of Shiloh, but returned to his regiment as soon as sufficiently recovered, and continued in active service to the close of the war. In 1865 he became Professor of Geology and Curator of the Museum in Illinois Wesleyan University at Bloomington, but resigned to accept a similar position in the State Normal University. In 1867 he began his

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greatest work in connection with science by leading a class of pupils to the mountains of Colorado for the study of geology, which he fol- lowed, a year later, by a more thorough survey of the cañon of the Colorado River than had ever before been attempted. This led to provision by Congress, in 1870, for a topographical and geo- logical survey of the Colorado and its tributaries, which was appropriately placed under his direc- tion. Later, he was placed in charge of the Bureau of Ethnology in connection with the Smithsonian Institute, and, again in 1881, was assigned to the directorship of the United States Geological Survey, later becoming Director of the Bureau of Ethnology, in connection with the Smithsonian Institute in Washington City, where (1899) he still remains. In 1886 Major Powell received the degree of Ph.D. froin Heidel- berg University, and that of LL.D. from Har- vard the same year. He is also a member of the leading scientific associations of the country, while his reports and addresses fill numerous volumes issued by the Government.

POWELL, William Henry, soldier and manu- facturer, was born in South Wales, May 10, 1825; came to America in 1830, was educated in the common schools of Tennessee, and (1856-61) was manager of a manufacturing company at Iron- ton, Ohio; in 1861, became Captain of a West Virginia cavalry company, and was advanced through the grades of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel; was wounded while leading a charge at Wytheville, Va., left on the field, captured and confined in Libby Prison six months. After ex- change he led a cavalry division in the Army of the Shenandoah; was made Brigadier-General in October, 1864; after the war settled in West Vir- ginia, and was a Republican Presidential Elector in 1868. He is now at the head of a nail mill and foundry in Belleville, and was Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic for the Department of Illinois during 1895-96.

PRAIRIE CITY, a village in McDonough County, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 23 miles southwest from Galesburg and 17 miles northeast of Macomb; has a carriage factory, flour mill, elevators, lumber and stock yards, a nursery, a bank, four churches and two weekly papers. Pop (1890), 812; (1900), 818.

PRAIRIE DU PONT, (in English, Bridge Prairie), an early French settlement, one mile south of Cahokia. It was commenced about 1760, located on the banks of a creek, on which was the first mill, operated by water-power, in that section, having been erected by missionaries

from St. Sulpice, in 1754. In 1765 the village contained fourteen families. In 1844 it was inundated and nearly destroyed.

PRAIRIE du ROCHER, (in English, Prairie of the Rock), an early French village in what is now Monroe County, which began to spring up near Fort Chartres (see Fort Chartres), and by 1722 had grown to be a considerable settlement. It stood at the foot of the Mississippi bluffs, about four miles northeast of the fort. Like other French villages in Illinois, it had its church and priest, its common field and commons. Many of the houses were picturesque cottages built of limestone. The ancient village is now extinct ; yet, near the outlet of a creek which runs through the bluff, may be seen the vestiges of a water mill, said to have been erccted by the Jesuits during the days of French occupation.

PRENTICE, William S., Methodist Episcopal clergyman, was born in St. Clair County, Ill., in 1819; licensed as a Methodist preacher in 1849, and filled pastoratcs at Paris, Danville, Carlin- ville, Springfield, Jacksonville and other places- the latter part of his life, serving as Presiding Elder; was a delegate to the General Conference of 1860, and regularly re-elected from 1872 to the end of his life. During the latter part of his life his home was in Springfield. Died, June 28, 1887.

PRENTISS, Benjamin Mayberry, soldier, was born at Belleville, Wood County, Va., Nov. 23, 1819; in 1835 accompanied his parents to Mis- souri, and, in 1841, removed to Quincy, Ill., where he learned a trade, afterwards embarking in the commission business. In 1844-45 he was Lieuten- ant of a company sent against the Mormons at Nauvoo, later serving as Captain of Volunteers in the Mexican War. In 1860 he was an unsuccess- ful Republican candidate for Congress; at the outbreak of the Civil War tendered his services to Governor Yates, and was commissioned Colonel of the Tenth Illinois Volunteers, was almost immediately promoted to Brigadier-General and placed in command at Cairo, so continuing until relieved by General Grant, in September, 1861. At the battle of Shiloh, in April following, he was captured with most of his command, after a most vigorous fight with a superior rebel force, but, in 1862, was exchanged and brevetted Major- General of Volunteers. He was a member of the court-martial that tried Gen. Fitzjohn Porter, and, as commander at Helena, Ark., defeated the Confederate Generals Holmes and Price on July 3, 1863. He resigned his commission, Oct. 28, 1863. In 1869 he was appointed by President Grant Pension Agent at Quincy, serving four

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years. At present (1898) General Prentiss' resi- dence is at Bethany, Mo., where he served as Postmaster, during the administration of Presi- dent Benjamin Harrison, and was reappointed by President McKinley. Died Feb. 8, 1901.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS. (See Elections.) PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL, located at Chi- cago, was organized in 1883 by a number of wealthy and liberal Presbyterians, "for the pur- pose of affording medical and surgical aid to sick and disabled persons, and to provide them, while inmates of the hospital, with the ministrations of the gospel, agreeably to the doctrines and forms of the Presbyterian Church " Rush Med- ical College offered a portion of its ground as a site (see Rush Medical College), and through generous subscriptions, a well-planned building was erected, capable of accommodating about 250 patients. A corridor connects the college and hospital buildings. The medical staff comprises eighteen of Chicago's best known physicians and surgeons.

PRESBYTERIANS, THE. The first Presby- terian society in Illinois was organized by Rev. James McGready, of Kentucky, in 1816, at Sharon, White County. Revs. Samuel J. Mills and Daniel Smith, also Presbyterians, had visited the State in 1814, as representatives of the Massa- chusetts Missionary Society, but had formed no society. The members of the Sharon church were almost all immigrants from the South, and were largely of Scotch-Irish extraction. Two other churches were established in 1819-one at Shoal Creek, Bond County, and the other at Edwardsville. In 1825 there were but three Presbyterian ministers in Illinois-Revs. Stephen Bliss, John Brich and B. F. Spilman. Ten years later there were 80 churches, with a membership of 2,500 and 60 ministers. In 1880 the number of churches had increased to 487; but, in 1890, (as shown by the United States census) there were less. In the latter year there were 405 ministers and 52,945 members. The Synod of Illinois is the highest ecclesiastical court of the denomination in the State, and, under its jurisdiction, the church maintains two seminaries: one (the Mc- Cormick) at Chicago, and the other (the Black- burn University) at Carlinville. The organ of the denomination is "The Interior," founded by Cyrus H. McCormick, and published weekly at Chicago, with William C. Gray as editor. The Illinois Synod embraced within its jurisdiction (1895) eleven Presbyteries, to which were attached 483 churches, 464 ministers and a membership of 63,247. (See also Religious Denominations.)

PRICKETT, Abraham, pioneer merchant, was born near Lexington, Ky., came to Madison County, Ill., in 1808; was employed for a time in the drug business in St. Louis, then opened a store at Edwardsville, where, in 1813, he received from the first County Court of Madison County. a license to retail merchandise. In 1818, he served as one of the three Delegates from Madison County to the Convention which framed the first State Constitution, and, the same year, was elected a Representative in the First General Assembly; was also Postmaster of the town of Edwardsville for a number of years. In 1825 he removed to Adams County and laid out an addi- tion to the city of Quincy; was also engaged there in trade with the Indians. In 1836, while engaged on a Government contract for the re- moval of snags and other obstructions to the navi- gation of Red River, he died at Natchitoches, La. -George W. (Prickett) a son of the preceding, and afterwards a citizen of Chicago, is said to have been the first white child born in Edwards- ville .- Isaac (Prickett), a brother of Abraham, came to St. Louis in 1815, and to Edwardsville in 1818, where he was engaged in mercantile busi- ness with his brother and, later, on his own account. He held the offices of Postmaster, Pub- lic Administrator, Quartermaster-General of State Militia, Inspector of the State Penitentiary, and, from 1838 to '42, was Receiver of Public Moneys at Edwardsville, dying in 1844.

PRICKETT, David, pioneer lawyer, was born in Franklin County, Ga., Sept. 21, 1800; in early childhood was taken by his parents to Kentucky and from there to Edwardsville, Ill. He gradu- ated from Transylvania University, and, in 1821, began the practice of law; was the first Supreme Court Reporter of Illinois, Judge of the Madison County Probate Court, Representative in the General Assembly (1826-28), Aid-de-Camp to General Whiteside in the Black Hawk War, State's Attorney for Springfield Judicial Circuit (1837), Treasurer of the Board of Canal Commis- sioners (1840), Director of the State Bank of Illi- nois (1842), Clerk of the House of Representatives for ten sessions and Assistant Clerk of the same at the time of his death, March 1, 1847.

PRINCE, David, physician and surgeon, was born in Brooklyne, Windham County, Conn., June 21, 1816; removed with his parents to Canandaigua, N. Y., and was educated in the academy there; began the study of medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, finishing at the Ohio Medical College, Cin- cinnati, where he was associated, for a year and a

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half, with the celebrated surgeon, Dr. Muzzy. In 1843 he came to Jacksonville, Ill., and, for two years, was Professor of Anatomy in the Medical Department of Illinois College; later, spent five years practicing in St. Louis, and lecturing on surgery in the St. Louis Medical College, when, returning to Jacksonville in 1852, he established himself in practice there, devoting special atten- tion to surgery, in which he had already won a wide reputation. During the latter part of the Civil War lie served, for fourteen months, as Brigade Surgeon in the Army of the Potomac, and, on the capture of a portion of his brigade, voluntarily surrendered himself that he might attend the captives of his command in Libby Prison. After the close of the war he was employed for some months, by the Sanitary Com- mission, in writing a medical history of the war. He visited Europe twice, first in 1881 as a dele- gate to the International Medical Congress in London, and again as a member of the Copen- hagen Congress of 1884-at each visit making careful inspection of the hospitals in London, Paris, and Berlin. About 1867 he established a Sanitarium in Jacksonville for the treatment of surgical cases and chronic diseases, to which he gave the closing years of his life. Thoroughly devoted to his profession, liberal, public-spirited and sagacious in the adoption of new methods, he stood in the front rank of his profession, and his death was mourned by large numbers who had received the benefit of his ministrations without money and without price. He was member of a number of leading professional associations, besides local literary and social organizations. Died, at Jacksonville, Dec. 19, 1889.

PRINCE, Edward, lawyer, was born at West Bloomfield, Ontario County, N. Y., Dec. 8, 1832; attended school at Payson, Ill., and Illinois Col- lege, Jacksonville, graduating from the latter in 1852; studied law at Quincy, and after admission to the bar in 1853, began dealing in real estate. In 1861 he offered his services to Governor Yates, was made Captain and Drill-master of cavalry and, a few months later, commissioned Lieuten- ant-Colonel of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, tak- ing part, as second in command, in the celebrated "Grierson raid" through Mississippi, in 1863, serving until discharged with the rank of Colonel of his regiment, in 1864. After the war he gave considerable attention to engineering and the construction of a system of water-works for the city of Quincy, where he now resides.

PRINCE, George W., lawyer and Congressman, born in Tazewell County, Ill., March 4, 1854; was

educated in the public schools and at Knox Col- lege, graduating from the latter in 1878. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1880; was elected City Attorney of Galesburg the following year; served as chairman of the Knox County Republican Central Committee in 1884, and, in 1888, was elected Representative in the General Assembly and re-elected two years later. In 1892 he was the Republican nominee for Attorney-General of the State of Illinois, but was defeated with the rest of the State ticket; at a special election, hield in April, 1895, he was chosen Representative in Congress from the Tenth District to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Col. Philip Sidney Post, which had occurred in January preceding. In common with a majority of his colleagues, Mr. Prince was re-elected in 1896, receiving a plurality of nearly 16,000 votes, and was elected for a third term in November, 1898.

PRINCETON, a city and the county-seat of Bureau County, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 22 miles west-southwest of Mendota, and 104 miles west-southwest of Chi- cago; has a court house, gas-works, electric lights, graded and high schools, numerous churches, three newspapers and several banks. Coal is mined five miles east, and the manufac- tures include flour, carriages and farm imple- ments. Pop. (1890), 3,396; (1900), 4,023. Prince· ton is populated with one of the most intelligent and progressive communities in the State. It was the home of Owen Lovejoy during the greater part of his life in Illinois.

PRINCETON & WESTERN RAILWAY. (See Chicago & Northwestern Railway.)

PRINCEVILLE, a village of Peoria County, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Rock Island & Peoria Railways, 22 miles northwest of Peoria; is a trade center for a prosperous agricul- tural region. Population (1890), 641; (1900), 735

PROPHETSTOWN, a town in Whiteside County, on Rock River and the Fulton Branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 45 miles northwest of Mendota; has some manu- factures, three banks and two newspapers. Pop. (1890), 694; (1900), 1,143.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. (See Minority Representation. )

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The pioneer Episcopal clergyman in this State was the Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, who was made Bishop of Illinois in 1835, and was the founder of Jubi- lee College. (See Chase, Rev. Philander.) The State at present is organized under the provincial

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system, the province comprising the dioceses of Chicago, Quincy and Springfield. At its head (1898) is the Rt. Rev. William E. McLaren, Bisliop of Chicago. Rev. George F. Seymour of Spring- field is Bishop of the Springfield Diocese, with C. R. Hale, Coadjutor at Cairo, and Rev. Alex- ander Burgess, Bishop of the Quincy Diocese, with residence at Peoria. The numerical strengtlı of the church in Illinois is not great, although between 1880 and 1890 its membership was almost dloubled. In 1840 there were but eighteen parishes, with thirteen clergymen and a member- ship of 267. By 1880 the number of parishes had increased to 89, there being 127 ministers and 9,842 communicants. The United States Census of 1890 showed the following figures: Parishes, 197; clergymen, 150, membership, 18,609. Total contributions (1890) for general church and mis- sion work, $373,798. The chief educational insti- tution of the denomination in the West is the Western Theological Seminary at Chicago. (See also Religious Denominations.)

PRYOR, Joseph Everett, pioneer and early steamboat captain, was born in Virginia, August 10, 1787-the son of a non-commissioned officer of the Revolution, who emigrated to Kentucky about 1790 and settled near Louisville, which was then a fort with some twenty log cabins. In 1813 the son located where Golconda, Pope County, now stands, and early in life adopted the calling of a boatman, which he pursued some forty years. At this time he held a commission as a "Falls Pilot, " and piloted the first steamer that ascended the Ohio River from New Orleans. During his long service no accident happened to any steamer for which he was responsible, althoughi the Mis- sissippi then bristled with snags. He owned and commanded the steamer Telegraph, which was sunk, in 1835, by collision with the Duke of Orleans on the Mississippi, but, owing to his pres- ence of mind and the good discipline of his crew, no lives were lost. The salient features of his character were a boundless benevolence mani- fested to others, and his dauntless courage, dis- played not only in the face of dangers met in his career as a boatman, but in his encounters with robbers who then infested portions of Southern Illinois. He had a reputation as a skillful pilot and popular commander not excelled by any of his contemporaries. He died, at his home in Pope County, Oct. 5, 1851, leaving one daughter, now Mrs. Cornelia P. Bozman, of Cairo, Ill.

PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, SUPERINTEND- ENTS OF. (See Superintendents of Public Instruction.)

PUGH, Isaac C., soldier, was born in Christian County, Ky., Nov. 23, 1805; came to Illinois, in 1821, with his father, who first settled in Shelby County, but, in 1829, removed to Macon County, where the subject of this sketch resided until his death, at Decatur, Nov. 14, 1874. General Pugh served in three wars-first in the Black Hawk War of 1832; then, with the rank of Captain and Field Officer in the Fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers (Col. E. D. Baker's) in the war with Mexico, and, during the Civil War, entering upon the latter as Colonel of the Forty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in September, 1861, and being mustered out with the rank of full Briga- dier-General in August, 1864, when his regiment was consolidated with the Fifty-third. He took part with his regiment in the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh, and in the operations around Vicksburg, being wounded at the latter. In the year of his retirement from the army (1864) he was elected a Representative in the Twenty-fourth General Assembly, and, the fol- lowing year, was chosen County-Clerk of Macon County, serving four years.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I, Part 87

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