USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
· In early times the people of Belleville were, during the winter months, especially, often kept for days and weeks without the receipt of a mail package or letter. The postage then on a single letter was twenty-five cents, even for a short distance. In those days the eastern- bound mail did not come through Belleville, but took a more circuitous route, north of that point. This was eventually changed, however, and the mail was sent through Belleville, first with one horse, then with two, and eventually with a coach and four horses. Col. J. L. D. Morrison, when a boy, carried the mail to and from Kaskaskia and intermediate points, and Belleville. In this service "Don" rode a French pony, and made his trips in a very prompt and efficient manner. That was the only mode of transmitting mail to and from Belleville in those days.
Mr. Glasgow and Mr. Gay, of St. Louis, and a Mr. Cohen, who was a son-in-law of Dr. Heath and a silversmith by trade, all left for St. Louis, pending the agitation of the question of negro slavery. All the above named men were pio- neer Methodists of Belleville, and before they
738
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
left had organized and established a church and Sunday School. They also established a library society, and built a hall for the same, on the southeast corner of Second South and High Streets, and built and established an acad- emy, near where the German Methodist Church now stands. After the incorporation of the town these gentlemen exercised, through the Board of Trustees, such influence as to secure the passage of stringent Sunday ordinances, under which many were severely punished by fine and otherwise. By this course-which was soon condemned as too intolerant-those well meaning men rendered themselves quite ob- noxious to the majority of the people. Rigid intolerance, enveloped with a garb of legal for- mulas, lived just long enough to beget a spirit of rebellion against the constituted authorities of the new county-seat. In the conflict of opin- ions that supervened the whilom law-and-order men were made to bite the dust, and the au- thority of the trustees being ignored, for a time the wildest vagaries of the most profligate were the rule of action-if it is proper to say, in this connection, that anarchy is subject to any rule. The exercise of the municipal func- tions were, for a while, entirely suspended. The library and the academy were closed up and abandoned. The church, however, was kept alive, though the members had no building specially set apart for preaching and other reli- gious exercises. Gradually, but quickly, the town of Belleville, after reverting to an almost primi- tive state of barbarism, was rescued therefrom and resumed its municipal functions with Thomas Harrison as President of the Board of Trustees.
BUSINESS BEGINNINGS .- When the restoration of the town was undertaken order was soon brought out of chaos by the enactment and strict enforcement of wholesome laws and or- dinances. From that period until about 1823 the town was well governed and continued to prosper. Before this time Belleville had re- ceived many important accessions to her pop- ulation from Southern States, some of whom located in town, and others on farms in the immediate vicinity. Most of these had large families, and owned and brought along their negroes. Their right to hold them as slaves, however, was at once brought in question, and this supposed right was hotly contested by some one or more at every succeding term of
court, for four or five years. The question was finally settled by setting the negroes free. Many leading citizens moved to St. Louis, and others to the lead regions in and about Galena. To St. Louis, however, the largest number seemed to be attracted, for a new life was then dawn- ing upon that city, which was begotten of the recent application of steam to river navigation.
The expense of the war with England, and with the Indians, had severely taxed the pro- ductive energies of the people, and its effects were felt even in the most remote settlements of the Territories. The new county-seat had been no stranger to hard times and the general scarcity of money, so severely felt for several years in the most important business centers of the country, and her embarrassments were increased by the withdrawal of the capital and industry of so many energetic and enterprising men. Business of all sorts seemed for a time to be stagnant, and the streets of the future city were overgrown with offensive weeds, even in the most public thoroughfares. Corn sold as low as seven cents a bushel, good cows for five or six dollars a head, and hogs for from a dollar to a dollar-and-a-half a hundred weight.
Blair, discouraged with the prospect, sold out to Etienne Pensoneau, and he in turn sold out to Governor Edwards, to whose wealth, talents and energy the new county-seat was largely in- debted for an impetus, such as, perhaps, no other single individual could then have given her. But until 1828, the new town did not show much sign of life, either by erecting buildings or otherwise. At that time there were but two German families there-those of Jacob Maurer and Conrad Bornmann, both of whom were blacksmiths.
About 1829, the Germans began to pour in, and, taking advantage of the low price at which almost everything was then held, bought, in most instances for cash, many of the finest locations in town and country.
Governor Edwards had established a store in Belleville with a fine stock of goods. The Governor still lived in Edwardsville, and James Mitchell was his local agent for the sale of his goods. In a year or two afterwards he moved to Belleville, and took personal charge of the store, when Mr. Mitchell opened a store on his own account. Governor Edwards offered liberal inducements to mechanics and others, by giving them building lots at a merely nom-
739
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
inal price and allowing them to make their own terms as to the time of payment.
Most of the first settlers had then removed from Belleville. The Harrison family had . started an ox-mill, James Tannehill had erected a distillery, and the building of a new Court House was contemplated. The Governor was advertising the town far and near, and emi- gration again began to pour in, both from Eu- rope and other points.
Wesley Coleman and his wife Mary, with their two children, John and Hester, came to Belleville from New Orleans in 1832. At one time Mr. Coleman owned a tract of land embrac- ing much of what is now the city of Belleville. He helped to lay out the town, and named Charles Street for his grandson, Charles Affleck. The Colemans spent several years on a farm lo- cated where the Stolberg property now is, near Eimer's Hill. They were upright, hon- orable citizens and left to their descendants the legacy of an untarnished reputation. About 1851 they moved to Chester, Ill. John Cole- man, the son, taught a private school in Belle- ville, and later taught Latin in McKendree Col- lege. Afterwards he moved to Sparta, where he edited the "Sparta Freeman," an anti-slavery paper. Hester Coleman was married to James Affleck in 1835. She died in 1857, at the age of thirty-seven years. Mr. Affleck died in 1902.
Lewis W. Myers opened the first hat store in Belleville; Jefferson Goforth and David Miley also, each subsequently kept a hat store. Myers long remained in that business, Goforth and Miley only a short time.
At one time the tanning of leather was car- ried on extensively; among those engaged in the business were Richard Chandler, who had an extensive yard and the machinery neces- sary for tanning, on the Heckel planing-mill site. That tannery was afterwards operated by Talbott, John Eckert, Brooks, Beard, and lastly, David Swyer.
The saddlery and harness manufacturing business was carried on somewhat extensively. Judge John D. Hughes employed a large force of journeymen and supplied a large territory with saddles, bridles and harness-for every- body rode on horseback then, carriages not having come into general use. Tailoring was also an important branch of business, and The- odore Gray, a man named Spilliard, John Black- well, Robert Hughes, a man named Lyons and others supplied the demand in that line.
Large quantities of light cooper's work was also made in Belleville in those days. Arthur Ellis filled many contracts, but he sold most of his work to Nathan Cole, a heavy beef and pork-packer in Illinoistown. Among other busi- ness houses were to be found a fair proportion of shoe shops, blacksmith shops, etc.
Before 1829, Jacob Maurer and Conrad Born- mann were both engaged in blacksmithing. At that time there were but few Germans in this neighborhood. Soon after that Mr. Fleishbein started a brewery, which was a pioneer in its line. George Busch erected the old Anderson Brewery, and other breweries came in rapid succession. Cooking stoves were first brought into use here about 1834. Before then the old chimney corner log furnished the only con- venience for cooking known to the villagers.
As heretofore stated, the original name of the settlement was Compton Hill, and although that name was changed to Belleville soon after the selection of the place as the county-seat, the change was not generally concurred in by the people until some time thereafter. Very much of the substantial growth of Belleville is at- tributed to the opening up and successful op- eration of the coal mines in its vicinity, and the consequent impetus given to manufactur- ing enterprises by the certainty of a plentiful supply of cheap fuel, throughout the whole year.
The first railroad in this State was that built, in 1836, by Governor Reynolds and others, from the mines at the Bluffs, a few miles below Belle- ville, down to the river opposite St. Louis. This road ( first constructed as a tramway) was about six miles long, and in its construction the engineer had to bridge a lake over two thou- sand feet across. The bridge was built on piles driven eighty feet into the mud and water. These piles were fastened one on the top of the other, and battered down with pile-drivers of 1,400 pounds weight. The later railroad his- tory of the town is fully indicated in another chapter. Belleville is an important station on the Illinois Central, the Louisville & Nashville and the Southern Railroad, and the East St. Louis & Suburban Electric Railway. Four ex- press companies are represented there-the Adams, American and Southern, and the Belle- ville and St. Louis Transfer Company. Tele- graph Service is furnished by the Western Union, and telephone by the Bell and Kinloch systems.
740
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
The first macadamized road ever constructed in the State was that built from Belleville to East St. Louis, a distance of fourteen miles. The charter under which this road was built was obtained in 1847, and the construction of the road was begun shortly after that time. Be- fore then, it was almost impossible to haul pro- duce to market in wet and wintry weather. This road, modernized and improved, has be- come famous as "the Rock Road."
Among the early industrial elements of Belle- ville's prosperity, the manufacture of flour is, perhaps, entitled to a first place. Its mills made it a point of attraction for all the farmers round about. Among the earliest of these mills may be noticed one owned by Hosea Riggs, which, though two miles east, drew consider- able business to the town. It was run by horse- power, and furnished much of the meal that was consumed locally. Another, located on the St. Louis road, was an ox-mill, and furnished a considerable amount of breadstuffs for home consumption. It was owned and run by Sam- uel Ogle. Mathew Roach had another mill, run by horse-power and a tug-rope. But this only furnished a small amount of breadstuffs. It was located five miles southwest of Belleville. When these primitive mills were not in order, patrons were at liberty to avail themselves of the mill and machinery, doing their own labor and using their own teams as motive power; but even then, they were required to leave one-quarter of the grain as toll for the owner of the mill.
The manufacture of flour, however, grew to great proportions in Belleville. In the early times, Harrison & Co. and Timothy Hinckley hauled their flour in sacks, through the mud- there was then no turnpike or railroad to East St. Louis-and crossed the river by ferry, re- tailed it in the St. Louis market. This was the practice until 1834-35, when they began packing flour in barrels, and selling it by com- mission. At that time Harrison's mill was the only steam flouring mill in Southern Illinois, and its business extended through all the ad- jacent country in Illinois and Missouri.
COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF BELLEVILLE. [Contrib- uted by R. W. Ropiequet.]-"Belleville is one of the oldest and most substantial cities of Illi- . nois. As the county-seat of St. Clair County, it has within its limits the different county in- stitutions. Incorporated as a city in 1850, it
has throughout all the years occupied a most prominent position among the leading cities of the State.
"In natural advantages it is surpassed by no other city of the Prairie State. Lying in the midst of the most fertile fields, in its earlier years it was known as the leading agricul- tural community of Illinois. The fertility of the surrounding country attracted the choicest of emigrants, chiefly from Germany. Their thrift and industry were soon rewarded with the richest returns from the prodigal fields they were tilling, and Belleville, as the center, reaped its abundant harvest. As the result, its commercial life was built upon the most solid foundation, and has been noted for its strength and conservatism ever since. In 1852 the first coal mine was sunk, and a new era was opened in the industrial life of the city; for Belle- ville is founded upon and surrounded by well- nigh inexhaustible fields of coal. This new in- dustry not only furnishes employment for a large number of people, but also gave a sub- stantial basis for successful manufacture.
"The commercial history of Belleville is the simple story of the progress of an honest, so ber and industrious people, who conservatively built, upon superior natural advantages, a struc- ture of commercial and industrial success not surpassed by any city in Illinois. It has been peculiarly free from all financial booms, as well as unshaken by the panics that have swept the country. Its progress has been steady, but its foundation has been stable, and it has stood as a synonym of financial integ- rity and firmness.
"A glance at Belleville from the standpoint of the statistician will verify the claim thus advanced for it. Its three banks have a capital of $400,000 with deposits of almost four mil- lions; and this the wealth not of a favored few, but the savings of an industrious, every- day class of people; for, while Belleville has very few, if any, of the over-rich, it has none of the submerged poor. It is a city of homes; possibly more people, in proportion to the pop- ulation, owning their homes than in any other community in the country.
"Important as an agricultural center-for Belleville has not lost this distinction-it is rather as a manufacturing city that it is now noted. Every form of various industries is represented, and their products are readily
741
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
sought not only in every portion of our own land, but the world over. Here are found large agricultural implement establishments, nail- mills, flouring-mills, breweries, distilleries, foundries and stone manufactories, glass works, shoe factories, brick yards and other industries too numerous to mention. All of these are in a prosperous condition. Failures among them are unknown. To an army of workmen they furnish employment. More than seven thou- sand men, with a weekly pay-roll averaging $175,000, are employed by Belleville's manu- facturing and mining industries. The annual output runs up to five millions of dollars, and a steady increase in the value of this output is added yearly; for, to the commercial world, the brand mark of "Belleville" on a manufac- tured product is a guarantee as to its quality. Known as a conservative city and its people as a conservative people, it has avoided the pitfalls of commercial speculation that have caused so many cities to spring up like Jonah's gourd and to collapse with the morning sun. The commercial life of its people, as well as of its individual business man, tells the simple story of steady onward march to a lasting success; for the strength and characteristics of its Teutonic ancestry are displayed on every page of its history.
"The water supply of Belleville is ample; for the manufacturer the lake supply is furnished, while from a deep well system the private con- sumer receives water whose purity is not ex- celled, if it is equaled, by that of any other city in the State.
"Beautifully situated amongst rolling prai- ries, the surrounding country furnishes a food supply which makes living cheap; with the best of schools and church facilities, Belleville furnishes an ideal home, both for the employer and the employe.
"Three great systems of steam railways, united by a belt line, connect Belleville with the outer world, and to the great metropolis of the Mississippi Valley, but a few miles away. It is tied with an interurban electric line, which also connects Belleville with various surround- ing cities of the country. Thus it enjoys all the advantages of the large cosmopolitan cen- ters, without the attendant disadvantages.
"The spirit of improvement that is notice- able all over the country is dominant in Belle- ville. Mileś upon miles of improved streets
have been built, with others under process of construction. Other municipal improvements are under way which will soon place Belle- ville at the fore-front of the improved cities of the State. The business world is alert to the betterment and advancement of the city. The manufacturers and the merchants have their individual organizations, while the Com- mercial Club centers within its ranks the lead- ing business and professional men of the city, united for the purpose of advancing its indus- . trial and commercial life. A Good Government League, composed of the most prominent citi- zens, looks after the municipal political affairs and, in consequence, Belleville enjoys a busi- ness administration free from political entan- glements and graft.
"Thus, with natural advantages unexcelled and surrounded by fields yielding nature's rich- est harvests, underlaid with coal, with an am- ple supply of water and superior railroad facil- ities, Belleville, with its 20,000 inhabitants, has a substantial foundation for its present com- mercial supremacy, and which promises to make it the leading commercial center of the south- ern part of the State of Illinois."
The above, from the pen of the Secretary of the Commercial Club of Belleville, does not overstate the conditions of the Belleville of yes- terday and of today.
POPULATION .- According to the census recent- ly completed under the direction of the Board of Education, Belleville has a population of 19,- 730, exclusive of a large population living in the suburbs. The population of the city is divided as follows: Male adults, 5,806; female adults, 5,595; minor males, 4,200; minor females, 4,- 129. The population of the suburbs are as fol- lows: Tower Grove, 440; Abend's Heights, 46; Commercial Place, 218; Swansea, 411; Belle- vue, 279; Abend's Addition, 122; Highland Sub- urb, 62; Berger's, West's and Bevirt's Additions, 91; South Bellevue Suburbs, 87; Brandenburg- er's, 61.
This census shows that Belleville has one family of fourteen members, three families of thirteen, four families of twelve, twenty-four families of eleven, forty-eight families of ten. These families are only those in which the en- tire family reside at home. Those in which there are members living elsewhere, or alone, are not included. There is no race suicide in Belleville. More than four per cent. of the
742
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
population is confined to seventy-nine families, the smallest of which is composed of ten members.
MAYORS AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS .- Belleville became an incorporated city in the year 1850, and adopted the charter of the city of Spring- field as her fundamental law. At that time Theodore J. Krafft was elected the first Mayor. Since then the following citizens have presided over the councils of the city: In 1851, Edward Abend; 1852, J. W. Pulliam; 1853, Joseph B. Underwood; 1854, William C. Davis (who did not serve out his entire term, but was succeed- ed the same year by James W. Hughes) ; 1855- 56, James W. Hughes; 1857-58, Edward Abend; 1859-60, Peter Wilding (who did not serve out his term, but was succeeded in 1860 by Frederick H. Pieper) ; 1861-62, Henry Goede- king; 1863-64, Charles Palm; 1865, Herman Burckhardt; 1866, Joseph Kirkpatrick; 1867-68, Frederick Ropiequet; 1869-70, Henry Abend; 1871-72, Peter Wilding; 1873-74, H. G. Weber; 1875-76, Peter Wilding; 1877-78, Henry A. Kircher; 1879-80, Peter Wilding; 1881-82, Ben- jamin West, Jr .; 1883-84, H. G. Weber; 1885-86, Michael Reis; 1887-88, H. G. Weber; 1889, Louis Bartel (died in office) ; 1890, William White (to fill unexpired term); 1890, Jefferson Rainey; 1891-92, H. G. Weber; 1893-94, F. C. Knoebel; 1895-96, Frederick Sunkel; 1897-98, E. F. Wink- ler; 1899-1900, Henry J. Fredericks; 1901, John B. Hay; 1902, A. L. Halstead (to fill unexpired term of Mr. Hay, elected County Judge) ; 1903- 04, F. J. Kern; 1905-06, F. J. Kern.
The result of the municipal election in Belle- ville in 1906 was due to the fact that there was practically only one ticket in the field, that of the Good Government and Improvement party. The election of Mayor, Clerk and other head officials will not be held until the spring of 1907. The following ticket was elect- ed in full by the Good Government party:
Assessor, Henry Dietrich, Jr .; Chief Super- visor, John Schultz; Assistant Supervisors, John Voegtle and Louis E. Tiemann. Alder- men-First ward, William R. Merker; Second ward, David Dahlem; Third ward, Lincoln Wright; Fifth ward, George H. Thebus; Sixth ward, William Claus; Seventh ward, John Blum. It was a re-election for all of the can- didates excepting Dahlem, Tiemann and Claus. In the Fourth ward Alexander Kuhn, independ- ent, defeated Fred A. Loeffler, Good Govern-
ment, by thirty-five votes. In the Fifth ward George A. Neubarth, independent, was defeat- ed by George H. 'I hebus, Good Government, by 126 votes, and in the Third ward Lincoln Wright, Good Government, won over Tony Wan- drascheck by twenty-three votes. Other candi- dates of the Good Government party had no opposition.
The proposition to annex Oakland addition carried by a large majority.
At the inaugural meeting of the present Belle- ville City Council, Mayor Kern announced the following appointments, which were unani- mously confirmed by the Council :
City Engineer, L. L. Harper; City Counselor, A. H. Baer; Superintendent of Streets, Wil- liam Grandcolas; Health Officer, Dr. A. L. Reuss; Weight and Market Master, Clifford James; Cemetery Superintendent, John Ren- sing; Coal Oil Inspector, Phillip Grombach; Assistant City Engineer, Fred Deutschmann; Chief of Police, William Nebgen; Captain of Police, George F. Schilling; Sergeant of Police, Thomas Wade; Patrolmen-Jacob Zulauf, Demp- cey Neal, James Corwin, Gustave Klamm, Henry Schreck, William Wetzel, Joseph Bux, August Mertens, Henry Yerk, John Gebhard, Jr., Wal- ter Keeton, Louis Adams, Rufus Rogers, Fred W. Deppe and E. V. Cannady, Jr .; Chief of Fire Department, Frank Dinges; Assistant Chiefs, Oliver J. Hartnagel and Charles Wade; Fire- men-Henry Kunz, Martin Keck, Thomas Bos- worth, Walter Greber, William Bader, Sam Merker, Frank Mayer, James Bosworth, Louis Miller, Charles Daubach, Conrad Lauf and Philip Voegtle; Board of Health-Albert Goe- litz, George Rauschkolb, Dr. E. G. Schmitt and Dr. B. H. Portuondo.
The appointments were all hold-overs with the exception of William Grandcolas, who suc- ceeded John Gebhard as. Street Inspector by reason of the consolidation of that office with that of Boiler Inspector and Steam Roller En- gineer.
The committees for the year 1906-07, as ap- pointed by the Mayor, are as follows:
Railroads-Blum, Wright and Dahlem; Finance-Merker, Bedel and Claus; Improve- nients-Hartnagel, Hermann and Winter; Light -Bedel, Hartnagel and Claus; Judiciary- Wright, Thebus and Bedel; License-Claus, Wetzlau and Herrmann; Ordinance-Wright, Dahlem and Merker; Streets and Grades-
743
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Winter, Hartnagel, Bedel, Herrmann, Blum, Wright and Kuhn; Fire and Water-Thebus, Winter and Herrmann; Marshal's Report- Herrmann, Merker and Blum; Collector's Re- port-Wetzlau, Winter and Claus; Clerk's Re- port-Blum, Merker and Thebus; Justice of the Peace Report-Merker, Dahlem and Wetzlau; Claims-Dahlem, Wetzlau and Thebus; Police- Winter, Wright, Merker and Blum; Cemetery- Bedel, Hartnagel and Wetzlau; Weigher's Re- port-Hartnagel, Wetzlau and Herrmann.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.