USA > Illinois > Warren County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Warren County, Volume II > Part 41
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year following D. S. and Frank W. Harding
were made assistant cashiers. In 1873, F. W. Harding was elected cashier, succeeding Mr. Jones, and the next year George F. Harding succceeded his father, A. C. Harding, as presi- dent of the bank, resigning his position, how- ever, after a brief period and being succeeded by David Rankin. The year 1874 also wit- nessed another change, Amos W. Harding suc- ceeding F. W. Harding as cashier. It was dur- ing the above year also that the bank was re- moved to its present location on the northeast corner of East Broadway and the square. The directors elected in 1874 were: A. C. Harding, Chauncy Hardin, Wm. B. Boyd, George Snyder, Cyrus L. Buck, Almon Kidder and Azro Patter- son. In 1875 W. B. Young was elected cashier, and continued to hold this important position for twenty-four years, being identified with the bank for a longer period than any other officer who has ever served that institution. In 1876 David Rankin severed his connection with the bank and William Hanna succeeded him as president. Mr. Hanna continued as president and active manager of the bank until 1884, when his interests were transferred to Henry Tubbs. During the same year Mr. Tubbs was elected president of the bank, and continued in that position to the time of his death in 1899. In 1888 H. B. Smith was made assistant cash- ier, continuing in that capacity until 1890, when he was succeeded by E. D. Brady. In 1890, the Monmouth National Bank underwent re-organization, assuming the new title of the National Bank of Monmouth. There were few changes, however, either in the management of the bank or in the distribution of its stock, and the business of the institution continued without interruption. In 1894 James French was elected assistant cashier to succeed E. D. Brady, and has rendered service in this capac- ity up to the present time. In 1899, after the resignation of W. B. Young, Willard C. Tubbs, of Kirkwood, Ill., was elected to succeed him as cashier, and during the following year W. Harrison Frantz was made successor of Henry Tubbs, deceased, as president of the bank. In 1902, Mr. Frantz tendered his resignation as president and G. S. Tubbs was elected to suc- ceed him. The present officers of the bank are: G. S. Tubbs, president; W. H. Frantz, vice president; W. C. Tubbs, cashier; James French, assistant cashier; W. H. Woods and D. E. Gayer, tellers; F. A. Martin, bookkeeper. The
Tred & Harding.
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
directors are Wm. K. Stewart, W. H. Frantz, E. C. Linn, Geo. E. Miller, Henry L. Jewell, O. S. French, Ivory Quinby, Robert Porter, Wm. Firoved, W. C. Tubbs and G. S. Tubbs. The working capital of the bank is $325,000 and the average deposits are $400,000.
The Second National Bank was organized October 20, 1874, with a capital of $50,000. C. Hardin was president; John G. Wilson, vice president; F. W. Harding cashier; and C. Har- din, H. G. Harding, J. R. Webster, John G. Wilson, Alex. Rankin, Alpheus Lewis and J. H. Stewart directors. The bank commenced business January 7, 1875, in the building at the corner of East Broadway and South First street now occupied as a drug store by Frank John- son; but on October 13, 1884, bought at receiv- er's sale the building formerly occupied by the First National Bank, on the east side of the square south of Broadway, and soon afterward occupied it. The building is a handsome one, well suited to the purpose, and fitted with all the appliances for successful banking. J. R. Webster succeeded John G. Wilson as vice president January 15, 1877, and at the same time Fred E. Harding was chosen assistant cashier. June 1, 1878, F. W. Harding resigned as cashier and was succeeded by Fred E. Hard- ing. H. D. Harding was made assistant cashier November 2, 1881, but resigned and F. W. Hard- ing succeeded him. On the death of the presi- dent, G. Hardin, Fred E. Harding was chosen president of the bank January 16, 1892, with F. W. Harding as cashier and H. B. Webster assistant cashier. September 15, 1884, the cap- ital stock of the bank was increased to $75,000. The business of the bank has shown a good growth, and since its organization it has de- clared dividends to its stockholders to the amount of $196,250, and set aside $108,966.17 to account of surplus and undivided profits. On July 10, 1902, the bank had on deposit $450,- 105.82, with loans (including stocks and bonds) amounting to $454,739.55. The surplus and un- divided profits were $115,335.52. The present officers of the bank are: Fred E. Harding, president; J. R. Webster, vice president; F. W. Harding, cashier; H. B. Webster, assistant cashier; E. C. Hardin, teller; Fred E. Harding, J. R. Webster, H. H. Pattee, D. S. Hardin, C. D. Hardin, C. P. Avenell and John S. Brown, direc- tors.
.
The People's National Bank was organized in April, 1890, and commenced business in July,
William F. Smith and Wm. S. Weir were the prime movers in the organization, and the offi- cers were: Wm. S. Weir, president; Wm. F. Smith, vice president; George E. Armsby, second vice president; H. B. Smith, cashier; W. S. Weir, Wm. F. Smith, W. B. Smith, J. C. Dun- bar, N. T. Patton, Sr., George E. Armsby and Aaron Bowers directors. The bank bought the Smith & Dunbar corner on the south side of the square and Main street, and it is fitted up with the latest improved bank fixtures. The institution has had a remarkable and steady growtli, as shown by its last official statement to the Comptroller of the Currency in April, 1902, when it had a capital of $75,000, a surplus and undivided profits amounting to $55,000; and deposits aggregating $469,024.04. The present officers of the bank are: George E. Armsby, president; John C. Dunbar, vice presi- dent; H. B. Smith, cashier; E. D. Brady, assis- tant cashier; George E. Armsby, John C. Dun- bar, N. T. Patton, Sr., H. B. Smith, Wm. H. Brooks, Aaron Bowers and Wm. B. Weir, di- rectors.
The First National Bank of Monmouth was organized in July, 1863, with a capital stock of $50,000, and was the thirty-eighth bank or- ganized under the national banking laws. The first directors were John Brown, Joseph Mar- tin, Ivory Quinby, William Laferty, Draper Bab- cock, Joseph Stevenson and Newton Barr; with John Brown as president and Wm W. Gregg as cashier. The bank commenced business about the middle of November, in a room on the north side of the square, succeeding the pri- vate banking firm of Gregg & Hubbard. Soon the bank was removed to the southwest corner of the square and South Main street, the room at present occupied by E. I. Camm. After the fire of 1871 the bank bought the corner on the east side of the square south of Broadway, and erected the building now occupied by the Second National Bank, moving into it as soon as completed in 1873. Mr. Gregg was succeed- ed as cashier January 1, 1867, by B. T. O. Hub- bard, who remained in that position until the failure of the bank in 1884. The bank was closed April 8, 1884, on discovery of a heavy defalcation on the part of the cashier, amount- ing to more than $100,000. Robert M. Steven- son, of Tarkio, was appointed receiver on rec- ommendation of officers of the bank, but a pro- test was made by stockholders because of his connection with the bank, and Guy Stapp was
778
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
named in his place. Joseph Martin was presi- dent of the institution when it failed, and Jo- seph Stevenson was vice president.
In the summer of 1884, after the failure of the First National Bank, a movement was set on foot to establish another bank. The capital stock was subscribed, and the name decided on as the Warren County National Bank. On the day set for perfecting the organization, many of the subscribers to stock withdrew their names and the movement fell to pieces.
In April, 1891, the auditor of state granted permission for the organization of the Farm- ers' State Bank of Warren County, with a cap- ital stock of $100,000. The incorporators were Justice A. M. Craig, of Galesburg; George M. Murphy, of Ottawa; William C. Norcross, M. W. Hall, James P. Firoved, Ivory Quinby, L. D. Robinson, D. C. Hanna, S. T. Shelton and others. About the first of August, the bank, which had not yet commenced business, was merged with the Monmouth National Bank into the National Bank of Monmouth.
The first bank in Monmouth was a private institution started by Ivory Quinby and James Mackoy, under the firm name of Quinby & Mackoy, soon after the completion of the Peoria and Oquawka railroad (now tne main line of the Burlington.) Mr. Quinby later became sole owner, and in September, 1859, because of im- paired health, he transferred the business to Gregg & Hubbard. This firm made an assign- ment in 1861 to Mr. Quinby. Other private banks in the early days were those of E. L. Chapman, afterwards merged into the First Na- tional Bank, and Claudius Jones & Co., merged into the Monmouth National Bank.
CHAPTER XXIX.
.
The Monmouth Atlas the First Newspaper in the City. Now in its Fifty-seventh year- The Review. Foriy-Seven Years Old. Has had but Two Editors During That Time- Other Papers Past and Present.
The first paper published in Warren county was The Monmouth Atlas, established by C. K. Smith & Co. October 30, 1846. The paper at first was a six-column folio, all home print
(there were no patent sides or plates in those days.) At first it contained but little mention of local matters. Perhaps little was going on in the young city, but more likely it was be- cause in those days things at home were not much reckoned. In October, 1857, the plant was purchased by John S. Clark, and he with his son, Sam S. Clark, conducted it for a few months ty years, with the exception of a few months in 1871 when it was published by Thomas M. Nichol & Co. A daily edition was published from September 29, 1884, until May 9, 1885. In Jan- uary, 1886, The Atlas was consolidated with McCosh's Evening Gazette and became the weekly edition of the Gazette. After McCosh's removal to Galesburg in 1888, there were sev- eral changes, the paper being owned by a local company, then by A. O. Rupp, who published The Evening Journal in connection with it for a short time, finally going to the wall. March 23, 1892, the plant was purchased by J. D. Dif- fenbaugh for a local company, and April 22 of the same year it was consolidated with The Advance, which had been established a short time before by J. Frank Barnes. The new paper was known as the Republican-Atlas-Ad- vance for a while, then the Advance part of the name was dropped, and it is now The Re- publican-Atlas. The paper is published by the Monmouth Republican Printing Co., with Geo. C. Rankin as editor and C. F. Buck business manager. E. O. Phillips and Miss Belle Ran- kin are assistants in the editorial and business departments, and Sam S. Clark is in charge of the mechanical department.
The Monmouth Democrat made its first ap- pearance the first week in August, 1852. Hoshea & Ashton were the publishers. The paper only lasted a year or so, the publishers moving to Macomb and engaging in the same work there.
The Monmouth Review was established by Alexander Hamilton Swain December 28, 1855. This was shortly after the dissolution of the old Whig party and while the Republican party was being formed. Mr. Swain was a Democrat, and in his salutatory declared his attachment to the principles of the Democratic party, and he gave faithful support to all the nominees of his party while he conducted the paper. The first home of The Review was in a small build- ing on the east side of South Main street be- tween the square and First avenue. It was a small room and contained an old-style hand press and some type, but no other machinery.
Hugh P. Mofer
779
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
After a number of years the office was re- moved to an upstairs room on South First street, near to Broadway, and later back to an upstairs room on South Main street near where it was at the first. From 1882 to 1886 the office was in Carr's block on South Main street, the room now known as No. 107. November 12, 1886, Mr. Swain sold the Review to J. D. Diffen- baugh and Hugh R. Moffet, and the office was moved to its present location at 112 West First avenue. There has been but one change in the editorial management of the paper since it was founded. Mr. Moffet, the present editor, was in the employ of Mr. Swain as city editor for three years before he and Mr. Diffenbaugh purchased the paper, and was Mr. Swain's successor as editor. April 5, 1877, the new publishers began issuing The Review as a semi- weekly, and in December following they dis- carded "patents" and since that time the paper has been wholly printed at home. August 18, 1888, the first copy of the Daily Review was issued. Its publication was continued until July 20, 1889, whe nit was sold to A. O. Rupp, of the Atlas, who changed the name of the daily to The Evening Journal. Mr. Diffenbaugh then disposed of his interest in The Review to Irwin A. Ewing, and the new firm of Moffet & Ewing continued the publication of the semi- weekly edition, beginning also the publication of a tri-weekly edition October 1 of the same year. November 1, 1890, in connection with George C. Rankin, they bought back the daily franchise from A. O. Rupp and resumed the publication of the Daily Review, discontinuing the tri-weekly edition. Col. Rankin took no active part in the management of the paper, re- maining only a silent partner. He sold his in- terest to Messrs. Moffet & Ewing in April, 1895, who have conducted the business under the name of the Review Printing Co. The office is well equipped with machinery, the type for the newspaper being set on a Simplex (Uni- type) typesetting machine purchased in May, 1901. The Daily Review is a member of the Associated Press, and receives the regular af- ternoon news report of that organization. It has a certified circulation of more than 1,900 daily, of which about 1,100 are in the city of Monmouth. The semi-weekly edition is pub- lished on Monday and Thursday evenings. The Review gave up its political connections upon the change in management ip 1886, and is not now a party organ, but devotes itself strictly
to news gathering and independent editorial comment. The paper is deservedly popular at home and in its own county, and in Hender- son and Mercer counties it is also highly es- teemed for its telegraphic news service and market reports. Hugh R. Moffet is editor; Ir- win A. Ewing, business manager; R. S. Rus- sell, assistant business manager; James M. Porter, city editor; H. A. Hanna, reporter; A. G. Brown, collector; and Miss Helen Tinker, bookkeeper and stenographer. Seven hands are employed in the composing room, four in the press room ,and fourteen carriers are need- ed in the distribution of the daily edition to city subscribers.
With the opening of 1857 a religious paper was launched in Monmouth, and known as the United Presbyterian of the West. It was edit- ed by Rev. David McDill. Later, the paper was consolidated witn the Christian Instructor, now published at Philadelphia.
The Monmouth College Clipper was next in point of time. It was first issued in June, 1867, by students of Monmouth College, with J. L. Dryden, P. J. Addison, R. S. Wallace and W. M. Crighton as editors. Later ventures in college journalism have been The College Courier; The Monmouth Collegian; The Annex, which was a consolidation of the two before named; The Ravelings; and The Oracle, which is being pub- lished at the present time. The Junior Class issues an annual, called also The Ravelings. The college papers are mentioned more partic- ularly in the historical sketch of the College.
In the spring of 1874 the Midland Monthly was started in Monmouth. Its editor and pub- lisher was W. D. Pratt, a mere youth of seven, teen or eighteen years, but he made the maga- zine a superior one, and a credit to Monmouth and the west. Some of the best writers con- tributed to its columns. The publication was discontinued at the end of five months.
The Monmouth Leader was established in the spring of 1873 by Thaddeus S. Clarke, formerly of Macomb. Mr. Clarke died the following Oc- tober, and his brother, S. J. Clarke, continued the publication of the paper for about six months and then took it to Abingdon where it was issued as the Abingdon Leader.
Rev. A. G. McCoy published The Home Pro- tectionist, advocating the principles of the Pro- hibition Home Protection party, during the campaign of 1882, starting the publication about the 1st of September. Mr. McCoy was
780
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
himself the candidate of that party for state senator. After the campaign he removed to Chicago, where he had charge of The Christian Instructor for several years.
The School Chronicle was the name of an educational journal started in 1886 by L. H. Bristol. The publisher's time was too much taken up with his duties as a teacher, and he discontinued its publication in December, 1887.
The Warren County Democrat was started September 29, 1887, by Butler & Henderson, who came here from Lewistown. The paper has seen many changes in ownership. Butler & Henderson were succeeded in December, 1888, by the Democrat Publishing. Co., with N. J. McCormick as editor. He was followed by H. C. Cook and Louis I. Hutchins in May, 1893. September 7 following The Democrat was con- solidated with the McMillan-McDonald job printing office, the Warren County Publishing Company being organized with W. B. Eicher as editor. He was followed by J. A. Gilmore. January 27, 1897, the company was consolidated with the City Directory Publishing Company, and since that time has been issued as the weekly edition of The Evening Gazette. J. H. Delano was the first editor under the new ar- rangement, and J. W. Lusk is now in charge.
The Advance was launched October 18, 1889, by J. Frank Barnes, as a Republican paper. This was while The Atlas was in alien hands, and The Advance for a while gave promise of securing the entire party support. With the revival of The Atlas, however, there was no need of two party organs, and they were con- solidated April 22, 1892, under the name The Republican-Atlas-Advance.
The Evening Hour was a small daily started by E. J. Clarke about the middle of February, 1894. It failed to get the necessary support and was discontinued after three weeks.
The Evening Gazette was started October 1, 1880, by George G. McCosh, who previous to that time had been employed in The Review and other printing offices in Monmouth. It commenced as a five-column tolio, with patent side, and was a most unpretentious affair. n a year or so the paper was enlarged to six and then seven columns, later the afternoon tele- graphic news report of the United Press was secured, and The Gazette became a paper of considerable reputation in Warren and sur- rounding counties. In January, 1886, The At- las was consolidated with the Gazette, the two
papers being published by a corporation styled the Monmouth Printing Co. C. J. Wood, now a practicing attorney in Chicago, was managing editor for a number of years, and I. A. Ewing and J. M. Porter, now of The Review, got their early newspaper training on this paper. In the spring of 1888, citizens of Galesburg se- cured the removal of The Gazette to that city on a guarantee of $2,000 worth of business, and security for a loan of $5,000. Papers were pub- lished in both cities for a few weeks, then about the middle of July the paper here was discon- tinued.
The Truth was a weekly paper established by L. B. Patterson in the spring of 1892. It was the organ of the Anti-License party in the municipal campaign of that spring, then through the presidential campaign supported the Prohibition ticket. It was edited in turn by J. Ross Carpenter, Charles F. Wishart and T. W. Todd. Mr. Todd discontinued it as an unprofitable investment.
The present Evening Gazette, the second paper of that name published in Monmouth, was started in April, 1896, from the job office of E. J. Clarke and S. L. Hamilton by a stock company known as the City Directory Printing Company and capitalized at $4,000. Mr. Clarke was editor and business manager, and Mr. Hamilton superintendent of the mechanical de- partment. January 23, 1897, after the paper had been running nearly a year, a combination was made by which the City Directory Print- ing Company and the Warren County Pub- lishing Company, publishers of the Warren County Democrat, were consolidated under the name of the latter company. Dr. J. H. De- lano was made editor-in-chief and manager, with E. J. Clark a sicty editor. In November, 1897, J. W. Lusk succeeded Mr. Clarke as city editor, and in June of the following year Dr. Delano gave way to Mr. Lusk as editor- in-chief. At that time also J. M. Mccutcheon became business manager of the concern, which position he held for two years, when he was succeeded by L. E. Wallace. In February, 1900, the company was reorganized, incorporated and the name changed to the Warren County Printing Company. It is capitalized at $10,- 000. The present officers are: J. C. Dunbar, president; J. M. Mccutcheon, vice president; J. D. Hickman, treasurer; L. E. Wallace, sec- retary and business manager; J. W. Lusk, edi- tor.
1 Yours July John Brown
781
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXX.
Sketches of the Various Manufacturing Insti- tutions of the City-Most of Them are Prosperous and Doing Much for the City- Some Suffer by Fire-Factories of Bygone Days.
The Weir Plow Company was in its day an industry of which the citizens of Monmouth were justly proud. In 1859 William S. Weir, then living in the Little York neighborhood, began experimenting with a corn plow, which he soon perfected and on which he secured a patent in December, 1862. Coming into Mon- mouth the next spring, with a small force of men, he made a number of plows in the old Christian church, on North Second street, where the armory of Company H now stands. In 1863 a shop was built on the east side of North C street between Broadway and Archer avenue. The factory was removed in 1865 to South Fourth street near the old passenger depot, where a building 100x36 was erected, and a force of 25 men employed. The works were destroyed by fire in January, 1867, with a loss of $35,000, including 1,200 cultivators. The next fall the Weir Plow Company was incorporated by W. S. Weir, William Hanna, W. B. Boyd and Joseph Stevenson, with a capital of $25,- 000. The capacity of the plant was then con- siderably increased. In 1871 the large shops on South Main street, south of the railroad, were erected, and these were added to as the demands of the growing business required. The capital stock was increased to $500,000, and the company carried on the manufacture of cultivators, plows, harrows and other farm- ing implements, their product going all over the United States and into Mexico and other foreign countries. In 1886 Mr. Weir sold his interests to William Hanna, and the latter, together with his son J. R. Hanna and Delos P. Phelps, carried on the business. June 11, 1892, the Hanna stock was sold to Martin Kingman ,of Peoria, who took control Septem- ber 1 of that year. In 1895 the owners of the plant decided to remove it to East Moline, but before this was done, on the night of De- cember 12, 1895, the entire factory was burned to the ground, only the office, foundry and warehouses being saved, and entailing a loss
of $150,000. Temporary buildings were erected and the work of manufacturing continued on a small scale. During the summer of 1898 the company made an assignment to protect claims held by the Kingman Company, of Peoria, and on September 15 of that year the property was sold at assignee's sale, being bought by the Kingman Company for $35,000. The next spring what was left of the factory was re- moved to Averyville, near Peoria. The ground on which the Weir shops stood are now owned by the Monmouth Plow Company.
The Monmouth Mining and Manufacturing Company was organized in September, 1872, to develop the clay and coal veins which had been found a few years before by J. M. White and A. M. Black just east of the city and north of the railroad. Prospecting for coal had com- menced there in 1869 or early in 1870, and min- ing was under way by the middle of June of the latter year. The vein of coal was two and one- half feet thick and at a depth of forty-five feet. Continuing the prospecting, the proprietors found at a depth of eighty-five feet a strata of very fine tile clay,a barrel of which was sent to an Ohio factory for examination and test- ing, and was pronounced there the finest ever seen. The company was then organized with a capital of $50,000, which soon afterward was increased to $100,000, but later reduced to the original figure. The first officers were: Will- iam H. Koonce, president; George D. Hender- son, secretary; and J. S. Spriggs, treasurer. The buildings were erected in 1873, and the manufacture of sewer pipe began August 25 of that year. Soon after the company also un- dertook the manufacture of paving brick and other clay goods. The working of the clay proved more profitable than the coal mining, and in a short time the latter part of the busi- ness was abandoned. William Hanna became interested in the company in 1877, and was made its president. The next year he pur- chased the Spriggs interests, and from that time the works were controlled by Mr. Hanna and his son, J. R. Hanna. The present officers of the company are: J. R. Hanna, president; Mrs. W. D. Brereton, vice president; C. C. Merredith, secretary and treasurer; J. R. Han- na, Mrs. W. D. Brereton, W. D. Brereton, C. C. Merredith and E. E. Wallace, directors.
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