Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 31

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724

USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I > Part 31

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).

EDWARDS, Arthur, D.D., clergyman, soldier and editor, was born at Norwalk, Ohio, Nov. 23, 1834; educated at Albion, Mich., and the Wes- leyan University of Ohio, graduating from the latter in 1858; entered the Detroit Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church the same year, was ordained in 1860 and, from 1861 until after the battle of Gettysburg, served as Chaplain of the First Michigan Cavalry, when he resigned to accept the colonelcy of a cavalry regiment. In 1864, he was elected assistant editor of "The Northwestern Christian Advocate" at Chicago, and, on the retirement of Dr. Eddy in 1872, became Editor-in-chief, being re-elected every four years until his death, Mar. 20, 1901. He had also been a member of each General Conference since 1872, was a member of the Ecumenical Con- ference at London in 1881, and held other posi- tions of prominence within the church.

EDWARDS, Cyrus, pioneer lawyer, was born in Montgomery County, Md., Jan. 17, 1793; at the age of seven accompanied his parents to Ken- tucky, where he received his primary education, and studied law; was admitted to the bar at Kas- kaskia, Ill., in 1815, Ninian Edwards (of whom he was the youngest brother) being then Territorial Governor. During the next fourteen years he resided alternately in Missouri and Kentucky, and, in 1829, took up his residence at Edwards- ville. Owing to impaired health he decided to abandon his profession and engage in general business, later becoming a resident of Upper Alton. In 1832 he was elected to the lower house of the Legislature as a Whig, and again, in 1840 and '60, the last time as a Republican; was State

Senator from 1835 to '39, and was also the Whig candidate for Governor, in 1838, in opposition to Thomas Carlin (Democrat), who was elected. He served in the Black Hawk War, was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847, and espe- cially interested in education and in public chari- ties, being, for thirty-five years, a Trustee of Shurtleff College, to which he was a most munificent benefactor, and which conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1852. Died at Upper Alton, September, 1877.

EDWARDS, Ninian, Territorial Governor and - United States Senator, was born in Montgomery County, Md., March 17, 1775; for a time had the celebrated William Wirt as a tutor, completing?1 his course at Dickinson College. At the age of 19 he emigrated to Kentucky, where, after squander- ing considerable money, he studied law and, step by step, rose to be Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals. In 1809 President Madison appointed him the first Territorial Governor of Illinois. This office he held until the admission of Illinois as a State in 1818, when he was elected United Sates Senator and re-elected on the completion of his first (the short) term. In 1826 he was elected Governor of the State, his successful administra- tion terminating in 1830. In 1832 he became a candidate for Congress, but was defeated by Charles Slade. He was able, magnanimous and incorruptible, although charged with aristocratic tendencies which were largely hereditary. Died, at his home at Belleville, on July 20, 1833, of cholera, the disease having been contracted through self-sacrificing efforts to assist sufferers from the epidemic. His demise cast a gloom over the entire State. Two valuable volumes bearing upon State history, comprising his cor- ' respondence with many public men of his time, have been published; the first under the title of "History of Illinois and Life of Ninian Edwards," by his son, the late Ninian Wirt Edwards, and the other "The Edwards Papers," edited by the late Elihu B. Washburne, and printed under the auspices of the Chicago Historical Society .- Ninian Wirt (Edwards), son of Gov. Ninian Edwards, was born at Frankfort, Ky., April 15, 1809, the year his father became Territorial Governor of Illinois; spent his boyhood at Kas- kaskia, Edwardsville and Belleville, and was educated at Transylvania University, graduating in 1833. He married Elizabeth P. Todd, a sister of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, was appointed Attor- ney-General in 1834, but resigned in 1835, when he removed to Springfield. In 1836 he was elected to the Legislature from Sangamon

153

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

County, as the colleague of Abraham Lincoln, being one of the celebrated "Long Nine," and was influential in securing the removal of the State capital to Springfield. He was re-elected to the House in 1838, to the State Senate in 1844, and again to the House in 1848; was also a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention of 1847. Again, in 1850, he was elected to the House, but resigned on account of his change of politics from Whig to Democratic, and, in the election to fill the vacancy, was defeated by James C. Conk- ling. He served as Superintendent of Public Instruction by appointment of Governor Matte- son, 1854-57, and, in 1861, was appointed by President Lincoln, Captain Commissary of Sub- sistence, which position he filled until June, 1865, since which time he remained in private life. He is the author of the "Life and Times of Ninian Edwards" (1870), which was prepared at the request of the State Historical Society. Died, at Springfield, Sept. 2, 1889 .- Benjamin Stevenson (Edwards), lawyer and jurist, another son of Gov. Ninian Edwards, was born at Edwardsville, Ill., June 3, 1818, graduated from Yale College in 1838, and was admitted to the bar the following year. Originally a Whig, he subsequently became a Democrat, was a Delegate to the Con- stitutional Convention of 1862, and, in 1868, was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress in opposi- tion to Shelby M. Cullom. In 1869 he was elected Circuit Judge of the Springfield Circuit, but within eighteen months resigned the position, preferring the excitement and emoluments of private practice to the dignity and scanty salary attaching to the bench. As a lawyer and as a citizen he was universally respected. Died, at his home in Springfield, Feb. 4, 1886, at the time of his decease being President of the Illinois State Bar Association.

EDWARDS, Richard, educator, ex-Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, was born in Cardi- ganshire, Wales, Dec. 23, 1822; emigrated with his parents to Portage County, Ohio, and began life on a farm; later graduated at the State Normal School, Bridgewater, Mass., and from the Polytechnic Institute at Troy, N. Y., receiv- ing the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Civil Engineer; served for a time as a civil engineer on the Boston water works, then beginning a career as a teacher which continued almost unin- terruptedly for thirty-five years. During this period he was connected with the Normal School at Bridgewater; a Boys' High School at Salem, and the State Normal at the same place, coming west in 1857 to establish the Normal School at St.

Louis, Mo., still later becoming Principal of the St. Louis High School, and, in 1862, accepting the Presidency of the State Normal University, at Normal, Ill. It was here where Dr. Edwards, remaining fourteen years, accomplished his greatest work and left his deepest impress upon the educational system of the State by personal contact with its teachers. The next nine years were spent as pastor of the First Congregational church at Princeton, when, after eighteen months in the service of Knox College as Finan- cial Agent, he was again called, in 1886, to a closer connection with the educational field by luis election to the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, serving until 1891, when, having failed of a re-election, he soon after assumed the Presidency of Blackburn University at Carlinville. Failing health, however, com -. pelled his retirement a year later, when he removed to Bloomington, which was his place of residence until his death, March 8, 1908.

EDWARDS COUNTY, situated in the south- eastern part of the State, between Richland and White on the north and south, and Wabash and Wayne on the east and west, and touching the Ohio River on its southeastern border. It was separated from Gallatin County in 1814, during the Territorial period. Its territory was dimin- ished in 1824 by the carving out of Wabash County. The surface is diversified by prairie and timber, the soil fertile and well adapted to the raising of both wheat and corn. The princi- pal streams, besides the Ohio, are Bonpas Creek, on the east, and the Little Wabash River on the west. Palmyra (a place no longer on the map) was the seat for holding the first county court, in 1815, Jolın McIntosh, Seth Gard and William Barney being the Judges. Albion, the present county-seat (population, 937), was laid out by Morris Birkbeck and George Flower (emigrants from England), in 1819, and settled largely by their countrymen, but not incorporated until 1860. The area of the county is 220 square miles, and population, in 1910, 10,049. Grayville, with a population of 2,000 in 1890, is partly in this county, though mostly in White. Edwards County was named in honor of Ninian Edwards. the Territorial Governor of Illinois.

EDWARDSVILLE, the county-seat of Madison County, settled in 1812 and named in honor of Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards; is on four lines of railway and contiguous to two others, 18 miles northeast of St. Louis. Edwardsville was the home of some of the most prominent men in the history of the State, including Governors Ed-

154

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

wards, Coles, and others. It has pressed and shale brickyards, coal mines, flour mills, machine shops, banks, electric street railway, water-works, schools, and churches. In a suburb of the city (LeClaire) is a cooperative manufactory of sani- tary supplies, using large shops and doing a large business. Edwardsville has three newspapers, one daily, one semi-weekly and one weekly. Pop. (1890), 3,561; (1900), 4,157; (1910), 5,014.

EFFINGHAM, an incorporated city, the county- seat of Effingham County, 99 miles northeast of St. Louis and 198 southwest of Chicago; has four papers, creamery, milk condensory, and ice factory. Pop. (1890), 3,260; (1900), 3,774; (1910), 3,898.

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, cut off from Fayette (and separately organized) in 1831-named for Gen. Edward Effingham. It is situated in the central portion of the State, 90 miles northeast of St. Louis; has an area of 486 square miles and a population (1910) of 20,055. T. M. Short, I. Fanchon and William I. Hawkins were the first County Commissioners. Effingham, the county-seat, was platted by Messrs. Alexander and Little in 1854. Messrs. Gillenwater, Hawkins and Brown were among the earliest settlers. Several lines of rail- way cross the county. Agriculture and sheep- raising are leading industries, wool being one of the principal products.

EGAN, William Bradshaw, M.D., pioneer phy- sican, was born in Ireland, Sept. 28, 1808; spent some time during his youth in the study of sur- gery in England, later attending lectures at Dub- lin. About 1828 he went to Canada, taught for a time in the schools of Quebec and Montreal and, in 1830, was licensed by the Medical Board of New Jersey and began practice at Newark in that State, later practicing in New York. In 1833 he removed to Chicago and was early recog- nized as a prominent physician; on July 4, 1836, . ceding the expiration of the term for which any delivered the address at the breaking of ground for the Illinois & Michigan Canal. During the early years of his residence in Chicago, Dr. Egan was owner of the block on which the Tremont House stands, and erected a number of houses there. He was a zealous Democrat and a delegate to the first Convention of that party, held at Joliet in 1843; was elected County Recorder in 1844 and Representative in the Eighteenth Gen- eral Assembly (1853-54). Died, Oct. 27, 1860.

ELBURN, a village of Kane County, on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, 8 miles west of Geneva. It has banks and a weekly news- paper. Population (1900), 606; (1910), 615.

ELDORADO, a city in Saline County, on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis, the

Louisville & Nashville, and the St. Louis, Alton & Terra Haute Railroads; has a bank and two weekly newspapers; district agricultural. Popula- tion, (1900), 1,445; (1910), 3,366.

ELDRIDGE, Hamilton N., lawyer and soldier, was born at South Williamstown, Mass., August, 1837; graduated at Williams College in the class with President Garfield, in 1856, and at Albany Law School, in 1857; soon afterward came to Chicago and began practice; in 1862 assisted in organizing the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteers, of which he was elected Lieutenant-Colonel, before the end of the year being promoted to the position of Colonel; dis- tinguished himself at Arkansas Post, Chicka- mauga and in the battles before Vicksburg, winning the rank of Brevet Brigadier-General, but, after two years' service, was compelled to retire on account of disability, being carried east on a stretcher. Subsequently he recovered suffi- ciently to resume his profession, but died in Chicago, Dec. 1, 1882, much regretted by a large circle of friends, with whom he was exceedingly popular.

ELECTIONS. The elections of public officers in Illinois are of two general classes: (I) those conducted in accordance with United States laws, and (II) those conducted exclusively under State laws.

I. To the first class belong: (1) the election of United States Senators; (2) Presidential Elect- ors, and (3 ) Representatives in Congress. 1. (UNITED STATES SENATORS). The election of United States Senators, while an act of the State Legislature, is conducted solely under forms pre- scribed by the laws of the United States. These make it the duty of the Legislature, on the second Tuesday after convening at the session next pre- Senator may have been chosen, to proceed to elect his successor in the following manner: Each House is required, on the day designated, in open session and by the viva voce vote of each member present, to name some person for United States Senator, the result of the balloting to be entered on the journals of the respective Houses. At twelve o'clock (M.) on the day following the day of election, the members of the two Houses meet in joint assembly, when the journals of both Houses are read. If it appears that the same person has received a majority of all the votes in each House, he is declared elected Senator. If, however, no one has received such majority, or if either House has failed to take proceedings as required on the preceding day, then the members

155

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

of the two Houses, in joint assembly, proceed to ballot for Senator by viva voce vote of members present. The person receiving a majority of all the votes cast-a majority of the members of both Houses being present and voting-is declared elected; otherwise the joint assembly is renewed at noon each legislative day of the session, and at least one ballot taken until a Senator is chosen. When a vacancy exists in the Senate at the time of the assembling of the Legislature, the same rule prevails as to the time of holding an election to fill it; and, if a vacancy occurs during the session, the Legislature is required to proceed to an election on the second Tuesday after having received official notice of such vacancy. The tenure of a United States Senator for a full term is six years-the regular term beginning with a new Congress-the two Senators from each State belonging to different "classes," so that their terms expire alternately at periods of two and four years from each other .- 2. (PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS). The choice of Electors of President and Vice-President is made by popular vote taken quadrennially on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The date of such election is fixed by act of Congress, being the same as that for Congressman, although the State Legislature prescribes the manner of conducting it and making returns of the same. The number of Electors chosen equals the number of Senators and Representatives taken together (in 1899 it was twenty-four), and they are elected on a gen- eral ticket, a plurality of votes being sufficient to elect. Electors meet at the State capital on the second Monday of January after their election (Act of Congress, 1887), to cast the vote of the State .- 3. (MEMBERS OF CONGRESS). The elec- tion of Representatives in Congress is also held under United States law, occurring biennially (on the even years) simultaneously with the gen- eral State election in November. Should Congress select a different date for such election, it would be the duty of the Legislature to recognize it by a corresponding change in the State law relating to the election of Congressmen. The tenure of a Congressman is two years, the election being by Districts instead of a general ticket, as in the case of Presidential Electors-the term of each Representative for a full term beginning with a new Congress, on the 4th of March of the odd years following a general election. (See Con- gressional Apportionment.)

II. All officers under the State Government- except Boards of Trustees of charitable and penal institutions or the heads of certain departments,

which are made appointive by the Governor-are elected by popular vote. Apart from county officers they consist of three classes: (1) Legisla- tive; (2) Executive; (3) Judicial - which are chosen at different times and for different periods. 1. (LEGISLATURE). Legislative officers consist of Senators and Representatives, chosen at elections held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, biennially. The regular term of a Senator (of whom there are fifty-one under the present Constitution) is four years; twenty-five (those in Districts bearing even numbers) being chosen on the years in which a President and Governor are elected, and the other twenty-six at the intermediate period two years later. Thus, one-half of each State Senate is composed of what are called "hold-over" Senators. Representatives are elected biennially at the November election, and hold office two years. The qualifications as to eligibility for a seat in the State Senate require that the incumbent shall be 25 years of age, while 21 years renders one eligible to a seat in the House-the Constitution requiring that each shall have been a resident of the State for five years, and of the District for which he is chosen, two years next preceding his election. (See Legislative Apportionment and Minority Repre- sentation.) - 2. (EXECUTIVE OFFICERS). The officers constituting the Executive Department include the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of Public Accounts, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Attorney General. Each of these, except the State Treasurer, holds office four years and-with the exception of the Treasurer and Superintend- ent of Public Instruction-are elected at the general election at which Presidential Electors are chosen. The election of State Superintendent occurs on the intermediate (even) years, and that of State Treasurer every two years coincidently with the election of Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction, respectively. (See Execu- tive Officers.) In addition to the State officers already named, three Trustees of the University of Illinois are elected biennially at the general election in November, each holding office for six years. These trustees (nine in number), with the Governor, President of the State Board of Agriculture and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, constitute the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois .- 3. (JUDICIARY). The Judicial Department embraces Judges of the Supreme, Circuit and County Courts, and such other subordinate officials as may be connected with the administration of justice. For the

156

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

election of members of the Supreme Court the State is divided into seven Districts, each of which elects a Justice of the Supreme Court for a term of nine years. The elections in five of these - the First, Second, Third, Sixth and Seventh-occur on the first Monday in June every ninth year from 1879, the last election having occurred in June, 1897. The elections in the other two Districts occur at similar periods of nine years from 1876 and 1873, respectively-the last election in the Fourth District having occurred in June, 1893, and that in the Fifth in 1891 .- Circuit Judges are chosen on the first Monday in June every six years, counting from 1873. Judges of the Superior Court of Cook County are elected every six years at the November election .- Clerks of the Supreme and Appellate Courts are elected at the November election for six years, the last election having occurred in 1896. Under the act of April 2, 1897, consolidating the Supreme Court into one Grand Division, the number of Supreme Court Clerks is reduced to one, although the Clerks elected in 1896 remain in office and have charge of the records of their several Divisions until the expiration of their terms in 1902. The Supreme Court holds five terms annually at Spring- field, beginning, respectively, on the first Tuesday of October, December, February, April and June.

(OTHER OFFICERS). (a) Members of the State Board of Equalization (one for every Congres- sional District) are elective every four years at the same time as Congressmen. (b) County officers (except County Commissioners not under township organization) hold office for four years and are chosen at the November election as follows: (1) At the general election at which the Governor is chosen -Clerk of the Circuit Court, State's Attorney, Recorder of Deeds (in counties having a population of 60,000 or over), Coroner and County Surveyor. (2) On inter- mediate years-Sheriff, County Judge, Probate Judge (in counties having a population of 70,000 and over), County Clerk, Treasurer, Superintend- ent of Schools, and Clerk of Criminal Court of Cook County. (c) In counties not under town- ship organization a Board of County Commission- ers is elected, one being chosen in November of each year, and each holding office three years. (d) Under the general law the polls open at 8 a. m., and close at 7 p. m. In cities accepting an Act of the Legislature passed in 1885, the hour of opening the polls is 6 a. m., and of closing 4 p. m. (See also Australian Ballot.)

ELECTORS, QUALIFICATIONS OF. (See Suffrage.)

ELGIN, an important city of Northern Illinois, in Kane County, on Fox River and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul and Chicago & Northwest- ern Railroads, besides two rural electric lines, 36 miles northwest of Chicago; has valuable water- power and over fifty manufacturing establish- ments, including the National Watch Factory and the Cook Publishing Company, both among the most extensive of their kind in the world; is also a great dairy center with extensive creameries and milk-condensing works. The quotations of its Butter and Cheese Exchange are telegraphed to all the great commercial centers and regulate the prices of these commodities throughout the country. Elgin is the seat of the Northern (Illi- nois) Hospital for the Insane, and has a handsome Government (postoffice) building, fine public library and many handsome residences. It has three daily and several weekly newspapers. Pop. (1890), 17,823; (1900), 22,433; (1910), 25,976.

ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN RAILWAY. The main line of this road extends west from Dyer on the Indiana State line to Joliet, thence northeast to Waukegan. The total length of the line (1898) is 192.72 miles, of which 159.93 miles are in Illi- nois. The entire capital of the company, includ- ing stock and indebtedness, amounted (1898), to $13,799,630-more than $71,000 per mile. Its total earnings in Illinois for the same year were $1,212, - 026, 'and its entire expenditure in the State, $1,156,146. The company paid in taxes, the same year, $48,876. Branch lines extend southerly from Walker Junction to Coster, where connec- tion is made with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, and northwesterly from Normantown, on the main line, to Aurora. -(HISTORY). The Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Rail- way was chartered in 1887 and absorbed the Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway, from Joliet to Aurora (21 miles), which had been commenced in 1886 and was completed in 1888, with extensions from Joliet to Spaulding, Ill., and from Joliet to McCool, Ind. In January, 1891, the Company purchased all the properties and franchises of the Gardner, Coal City & Normantown and the Waukegan & Southwestern Railway Companies (formerly operated under lease). The former of these two roads was chartered in 1889 and opened in 1890. The system forms a belt line around Chicago, intersecting all railroads entering that city from every direction. Its traffic is chiefly in the transportation of freight.

ELIZABETHTOWN, the county-seat of Hardin County. It stands on the north bank of the Ohio River, 44 miles above Paducah, Ky., and about

157

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

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.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 31

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857- Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 724

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724