Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 69

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

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while driving through the grounds of the institu- tion a few days previous. - Emily Webster Chandler (Lippincott), wife of the preceding, was born March 13, 1833, at Chandlerville, Cass County, Ill., the daughter of Dr. Charles Chand- ler, a prominent physician widely known in that section of the State; was educated at Jacksonville Female Academy, and married, Dec. 25, 1851, to Dr. (afterwards General) Charles E. Lippincott. Soon after the death of her husband, in Septem- ber, 1887, Mrs. Lippincott, who had already endeared herself by her acts of kindness to the veterans in the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, was appointed Matron of the institution, serving until her death, May 21, 1895. The respect in which she was held by the old soldiers, to whose com- fort and necessities she had ministered in hos- pital and elsewhere, was shown in a most touching manner at the time of her death, and on the removal of her remains to be laid by the side of her husband, in Oak Ridge Cemetery at Spring- field.

LIPPINCOTT, (Rev.) Thomas, early clergy- man, was born in Salem, N. J., in 1791; in 1817 started west, arriving in St. Louis in February, 1818; the same year established himself in mer- cantile business at Milton, then a place of some importance near Alton. This place proving unhealthy, he subsequently removed to Edwards- ville, where he was for a time employed as clerk in the Land Office. He afterwards served as Secretary of the Senate (1822-23). That he was a man of education and high intelligence, as well as a strong opponent of slavery, is shown by his writings, in conjunction with Judge Samuel D. Lockwood, George Churchill and others, in oppo- sition to the scheme for securing the adoption of a pro-slavery Constitution in Illinois in 1824. In 1825 he purchased from Hooper Warren "The Edwardsville Spectator," which he edited for a year or more, but soon after entered the ministry of the Presbyterian Church and became an influ- ential factor in building up that denomination in Illinois. He was also partly instrumental in securing the location of Illinois College at Jack- sonville. He died at Pana, Ill., April 13, 1869. Gen. Charles E. Lippincott, State Auditor (1869-77), was a son of the subject of this sketch.

LIQUOR LAWS. In the early history of the State, the question of the regulation of the sale of intoxicants was virtually relegated to the control of the local authorities, who granted license, col- lected fees, and fixed the tariff of charges. As early as 1851, however, the General Assembly, with a view to mitigating what it was felt had

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become a growing evil, enacted a law popularly known as the "quart law," which, it was hoped, would do away with the indiscriminate sale of liquor by the glass. The law failed to meet the expectation of its framers and supporters, and, in 1855, a prohibitory law was submitted to the elect- ors, which was rejected at the polls. Since that date a general license system has prevailed, except in certain towns and cities where prohibitory ordinances were adopted. The regulations gov- erning the traffic, therefore, have been widely variant in different localities. The Legislature, however, has always possessed the same constitu- tional power to regulate the sale of intoxicants, as aconite, henbane, strychnine, or other poisons. In 1879 the Woman's Christian Temperance Union began the agitation of the license question from a new standpoint. In March of that year, a delegation of Illinois women, headed by Miss Frances E. Willard, presented to the Legislature a monster petition, signed by 80,000 voters and 100,000 women, praying for the amendment of the State Constitution, so as to give females above the age of 21 the right to vote upon the granting of licenses in the localities of their residences. Miss Willard and Mrs. J. Ellen Foster, of Iowa, addressed the House in its favor, and Miss Willard spoke to the Senate on the same lines. The measure was defeated in the House by a vote of fifty-five to fifty-three, and the Senate took no action. In 1881 the same bill was introduced anew, but again failed of passage. Nevertheless, persistent agitation was not without its results. In 1883 the Legislature enacted what is generally termed the "High License Law," by the provi- sions of which a minimum license of $500 per annum was imposed for the sale of alcoholic drinks, and $150 for malt liquors, with the authority on the part of municipalities to impose a still higher rate by ordinance. This measure was made largely a partisan issue, the Repub- licans voting almost solidly for it, and the Demo- crats almost solidly opposing it. The bill was promptly signed by Governor Hamilton. The liquor laws of Illinois, therefore, at the present time are based upon local option, high license and local supervision. The criminal code of the State contains the customary provisions respecting the sale of stimulants to minors and other prohibited parties, or at forbidden times, but, in the larger cities, many of the provisions of the State law are rendered practically inoperative by the municipal ordinances, or absolutely nullified by the indifference or studied neglect of the local officials.

LITCHFIELD, the principal city of Mont- gomery County, on the C. C. C. & St. Louis, Wabash and the Illinois Central, C. B. & Q., and the Illinois Traction System, with three other short-line railways, 43 miles south of Springfield and 47 miles northeast of St. Louis. The sur- rounding country is fertile, undulating prairie, in which are found coal, oil and natural gas. A coal mine is operated within the corporate lim- its. Grain is extensively raised and Litchfield has elevators, flouring mills, a can factory, etc. The output of the manufacturing establishments also includes foundry and machine shop prod- ucts, brick and tile, gas lamps, brooms, ginger ale and cider. The city is lighted by both gas and electricity, and has a Holly water-works sys- tem, a public library and public parks, three banks, twelve churches, high and graded schools, and an Ursuline convent, a Catholic hospital, and one weekly and two daily newspapers. Pop- ulation (1890), 5,811; (1900), 5,918; (1910), 5,971.

LITCHFIELD, CARROLLTON & WESTERN RAILROAD, a line which extends from Colum- biana, on the Illinois River, to Barnett, Ill., 51.5 miles; is of standard gauge, the track being laid with fifty-six pound steel rails. It was opened for business, in three different sections, from 1883 to 1887, and for three years was operated in con- nection with the Jacksonville Southeastern Railway. In May, 1890, the latter was sold under foreclosure, and, in November, 1893, the Litch- field, Carrollton & Western reverted to the former owners. Six months later it passed into the hands of a receiver, by whom (up to 1898) it has since been operated. The general offices are at Carlinville.

LITTLE, George, merchant and banker, was born in Columbia, Pa., in 1808; came to Rush- ville, Ill., in 1836, embarking in the mercantile business, which he prosecuted sixty years. In 1865 he established the Bank of Rushville, of which he was President, in these two branches of business amassing a large fortune. Died, March 5, 1896.

LITTLE VERMILION RIVER rises in Ver- milion County, Ill., and flows eastwardly into Indiana, emptying into the Wabash in Vermilion County, Ind.

LITTLE WABASH RIVER, rises in Effingham and Cumberland Counties, flows east and south through Clay, Wayne and White, and enters the Wabash River about 8 miles above the mouth of the latter. Its estimated length is about 180 miles.

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LITTLER, David T., lawyer and State Senator, was born at Clifton, Greene County, Ohio, Feb. 7, 1836; was educated in the common schools in his native State and, at twenty-one, removed to Lincoln, Ill., where he worked at the carpenter's trade for two years, meanwhile studying law. He was admitted to the bar in 1860, soon after was elected a Justice of the Peace, and later appointed Master in Chancery. In 1866 he was appointed by President Johnson Collector of Internal Revenue for the Eighth District, but resigned in 1868, removing to Springfield the same year, where he entered into partnership with the late Henry S. Greene, Milton Hay being admitted to the firm soon after, the partnership continuing until 1881. In 1882 Mr. Littler was elected Representative in the Thirty-fourth General Assembly from Sangamon County, was re-elected in 1886, and returned to the Senate in 1894, serv- ing in the latter body four years. In both Houses Mr. Littler took a prominent part in legislation on the revenue question. Died June 23, 1902.

LIVERMORE, Mary Ashton, reformer and phi- lanthropist, was born (Mary Ashton Rice) in Boston, Mass., Dec. 19, 1821; taught for a time in a female seminary in Charlestown, and spent two years as a governess in Southern Virginia; later married Rev. Daniel P. Livermore, a Universalist minister, who held pastorates at various places in Massachusetts and at Quincy, Ill., becoming editor of "The New Covenant" at Chicago, in 1857. During this time Mrs. Livermore wrote much for denominational papers and in assisting her husband; in 1862 was appointed an agent, and traveled extensively in the interest of the United States Sanitary Commission, visiting hospitals and camps in the Mississippi Valley ; also took a prominent part in the great North- western Sanitary Fair at Chicago in 1863. In her later years she labored and lectured extensively in the interest of woman suffrage and temperance, was also the author of several volumes, one entitled "Pen Pictures of Chicago" (1865). Her last home was in Boston. Died May 23, 1905.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, situated about mid- way between Chicago and Springfield. The sur- face is rolling toward the east, but is level in the west; area, 1,026 square miles; population (1900), 42,035, named for Edward Livingston. It was organized in 1837, the first Commissioners being Robert Breckenridge, Jonathan Moon and Daniel Rockwood. Pontiac was selected as the county- seat, the proprietors donating ample lands and $3,000 in cash for the erection of public buildings. Vermilion River and Indian Creek are the prin-

cipal streams. Coal underlies the entire county, and shafts are in successful operation at various points. It is one of the chief agricultural coun- ties of the State, the yield of oats and corn being large. Stock-raising is also extensively carried on. The development of the county really dates from the opening of the Chicago & Alton Rail- road in 1854, since which date it has been crossed by numerous other lines. Pontiac, the county- seat, is situated on the Vermilion, is a railroad center and the site of the State Reform School. Its population in 1890 was 2,784. Dwight has attained a wide reputation as the seat of the parent "Keeley" Institute for the cure of the liquor habit. County population (1910), 40,465.

LOCKPORT, a village in Will County, laid out in 1837 and incorporated in 1853; situated 33 miles southwest of Chicago, on the Des Plaines River, the Illinois & Michigan Canal, the Atchi- son, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Chicago & Alton Railroads. The surrounding region is agricul- tural; limestone is extensively quarried. Manu- factures are flour, oatmeal, brass goods, paper and strawboard. It has ten churches, a public and high school, parochial schools, a bank, gas plant. electric car lines, and one weekly paper. The controlling works of the Chicago Drainage Canal and offices of the Illinois & Michigan Canal are located here. Population (1890), 2 449; (1900), 2,659; (1910), 2,555.

LOCKWOOD, Samuel Drake, jurist, was born at Poundridge, Westchester County, N. Y., August 2, 1789; left fatherless at the age of ten, after a few months at a private school in New Jersey, he went to live with an uncle (Francis Drake) at Waterford, N. Y., with whom he studied law, being admitted to the bar at Batavia, N. Y., in 1811. In 1813 he removed to Auburn, and later became Master in Chancery. In 1818 he descended the Ohio River upon a flat-boat in company with William H. Brown, afterwards of Chicago, and walking across the country from Shawneetown, arrived at Kaskaskia in Decem- ber, but finally settled at Carmi, where he remained a year. In 1821 he was elected Attor- ney-General of the State, but resigned the fol- lowing year to accept the position of Secretary of State, to which he was appointed by Governor Coles, and which he filled only three months, when President Monroe made him Receiver of Public Moneys at Edwardsville. About the same time he was also appointed agent of the First Board of Canal Commissioners. The Legislature of 1824-25 elected him Judge of the Supreme Court, his service extending until the adoption

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of the Constitution of 1848, which he assisted in framing as a Delegate from Morgan County. In 1851 he was made State Trustee of the Illinois Central Railroad, which office he held until his death. He was always an uncompromising antagonist of slavery and a leading supporter of Governor Coles in opposition to the plan to secure a pro-slavery Constitution in 1824. His personal and political integrity was recognized by all parties. From 1828 to 1853 Judge Lockwood was a citizen of Jacksonville, where he proved him- self an efficient friend and patron of Illinois Col- lege, serving for over a quarter of a century as one of its Trustees, and was also influential in securing several of the State charitable institu- tions there. His later years were spent at Batavia, where he died, April 23, 1874, in the 85th year of his age.

LODA, a village of Iroquois County, on the Chicago Division of the Illinois Central Railway, 4 miles north of Paxton. The region is agricul- tural, and the town has considerable local trade. It also has a bank and one weekly paper. Pop. (1890), 598; (1900), 668; (1910), 603.

LOGAN, Cornelius Ambrose, physician and diplomatist, born at Deerfield, Mass., August 6, 1836, the son of a dramatist of the same name; was educated at Auburn Academy and served as Medical Superintendent of St. John's Hospital, Cincinnati, and, later, as Professor in the Hos- pital at Leavenworth, Kan. In 1873 he was appointed United States Minister to Chili, after- wards served as Minister to Guatemala, and again (1881) as Minister to Chili, remaining until 1883. He was for twelve years editor of "The Medical Herald," Leavenworth, Kan., and edited the works of his relative, Gen. John A. Logan (1886), besides contributing to foreign medical publi- cations and publishing two or three volumes on medical and sanitary questions. Resides in Chicago.

LOGAN, John, physician and soldier, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, Dec. 30, 1809; at six years of age was taken to Missouri, his family settling near the Grand Tower among the Shaw- nee and Delaware Indians. He began business as clerk in a New Orleans commission house, but returning to Illinois in 1830, engaged in the blacksmith trade for two years; in 1831 enlisted in the Ninth Regiment Illinois Militia and took part in the Indian troubles of that year and the Black Hawk War of 1832, later being Colonel of the Forty-fourth Regiment State Militia. At the close of the Black Hawk War he settled in Carlinville, and having graduated in medicine,

engaged in practice in that place until 1861. At the beginning of the war he raised a company for the Seventh Illinois Volunteers, but the quota being already full, it was not accepted. He was finally commissioned Colonel of the Thirty- second Illinois Volunteers, and reported to Gen- ' eral Grant at Cairo, in January, 1862, a few weeks later taking part in the battles of Forts Henry and Donelson. Subsequently he had command of the Fourth Division of the Army of the Ten- nessee under General Hurlbut. His regiment lost heavily at the battle of Shiloh, he himself being severely wounded and compelled to leave the field. In December, 1864, he was discharged with the brevet rank of Brigadier-General. In 1866 Colonel Logan was appointed by President Johnson United States Marshal for the Southern District of Illinois, serving until 1870, when he resumed the practice of his profession at Carlin- ville. Originally a Democrat, he became a Republican on the organization of that party, serving as a delegate to the first Republican State Convention at Bloomington in 1856. He was a man of strong personal characteristics and an earnest patriot. Died at his home at Carlinville, August 24, 1885.

LOGAN, John Alexander, soldier and states- man, was born at old Brownsville, the original county-seat of Jackson County, Ill., Feb. 9, 1826, the son of Dr. John Logan, a native of Ireland and an early immigrant into Illinois, where he attained prominence as a public man. Young Logan volunteered as a private in the Mexican War, but was soon promoted to a lieutenancy, and afterwards became Quartermaster of his regiment. He was elected Clerk of Jackson County in 1849, but resigned the office to prose- cute his law studies. Having graduated from Louisville University in 1851, he entered into ' partnership with his uncle, Alexander M. Jenk- ins; was elected to the Legislature as a Democrat in 1852, and again in 1856, having been Prosecut- ing Attorney in the interim. He was chosen a Presidential Elector on the Democratic ticket in 1856, was elected to Congress in 1858, and again in 1860, as a Douglas Democrat. During the special session of Congress in 1861, he left his seat, and fought in the ranks at Bull Run. In September, 1861, he organized the Thirty-first Regiment Illinois Infantry, and was commis- sioned by Governor Yates its Colonel. His mili- tary career was brilliant, and he rapidly rose to be Major-General. President Johnson tendered him the mission to Mexico, which he declined. In 1866 he was elected as a Republican to Con-

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gress for the State-at-large, and acted as one of the managers in the impeachment trial of tlie President; was twice re-elected and, in 1871, was chosen United States Senator, as he was again in 1879. In 1884 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Presidential nomination at the Republican Convention in Chicago, but was finally placed on the ticket for the Vice-Presidency with James G. Blaine, the ticket being defeated in November following. In 1885 he was again elected Senator, but died during his term at Washington, Dec. 26, 1886. General Logan was the author of "The Great Conspiracy" and of "The Volunteer Soldier of America." In 1897 an equestrian statue was erected to his memory on the Lake Front Park in Chicago.

LOGAN, Stephen Trigg, eminent Illinois jurist, was born in Franklin County, Ky., Feb. 24, 1800; studied law at Glasgow, Ky., and was admitted to the bar before attaining his majority. After practicing in his native State some ten years, in 1832 he emigrated to Illinois, settling in Sanga- mon County, one year later opening an office at Springfield. In 1835 he was elevated to the bench of the First Judicial Circuit; resigned two years later, was re-commissioned in 1839, but again resigned. In 1842, and again in 1844 and 1846, he was elected to tlie General Assem- bly; also served as a member of the Consti- tutional Convention of 1847. Between 1841 and 1844 he was a partner of Abraham Lin- coln. In 1854 he was again cliosen a member of the lower house of the Legislature, was a delegate to the Republican National Conven- tion in 1860, and, in 1861, was commissioned by Governor Yates to represent Illinois in the Peace Conference, which assembled in Wash- ington. Soon afterward he retired to private life. As an advocate his ability was widely recognized. Died at Springfield, July 17, 1880.

LOGAN COUNTY, situated in the central part of the State, and having an area of about 620 square miles. Its surface is chiefly a level or moderately undulating prairie, with some high ridges, as at Elkhart. Its soil is extremely fertile and well drained by numerous creeks. Coal- mining is successfully carried on. The other staple products are corn, wheat, oats, hay, cattle and pork. Settlers began to locate in 1819-22, and the county was organized in 1839, being originally cut off from Sangamon. In 1840 a portion of Tazewell was added and, in 1845, a part of De Witt County. It was named in honor of Dr. John Logan, father of Senator John A. Logan. Postville was the first county-seat, but,

in 1847, a change was made to Mount Pulaski, and, later, to Lincoln, which is the present capi- tal. Pop. (1900), 28,680; (1910), 30,216.

LOMBARD, a village of Dupage County, on the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago & North Western Railways, 20 miles west of Chicago. Pop. (1900), 590; (1910), 883.

LOMBARD UNIVERSITY, an institution at Galesburg under control of the Universalist denomination, founded in 1851. It has prepara- tory, collegiate and theological departments. The collegiate department includes both classical and scientific courses, with a specially arranged course of three years for young women, who con- stitute nearly half the number of students. The University lias an endowment of $200,000, and owns additional property, real and personal, of the value of $100,000. In 1898 it reported a fac- ulty of thirteen professors, with an attendance of 191 students.

LONDON MILLS, a village and railway station of Fulton County, on the Fulton Narrow Gauge and Iowa Central Railroads, 19 miles southeast of Galesburg. The district is agricultural; the town has banks and a weekly paper; fine brick clay is mined. Pop. (1900), 528; (1910), 555.

LONG, Stephen Harriman, civil engineer, was born in Hopkinton, N. H., Dec. 30, 1784; gradu- ated at Dartmouth College in 1809, and, after teaching some years, entered the United States Army in December, 1814, as a Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, acting as Assistant Professor of Mathematics at West Point; in 1816 was trans- ferred to the Topographical Engineers with the brevet rank of Major. From 1818 to 1823 he had charge of explorations between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, and, in 1823-24, to the sources of the Mississippi. One of the highest peaks of the Rocky Mountains was named in his honor. Between 1827 and 1830 he was employed as a civil engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and from 1837 to 1840, as Engineer- in-Chief of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, in Georgia, where he introduced a system of curves and a new kind of truss bridge afterwards gener- ally adopted. On the organization of the Topo- graphical Engineers as a separate corps in 1838, he became Major of that body, and, in 1861, chief, with the rank of Colonel, An account of his first expedition to the Rocky Mountains (1819-20) by Dr. Edwin James, was published in 1823, and the following year appeared "Long's Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River, Lake of the Woods, Etc." He was a member of the Ameri- can Philosophical Society and the author of the

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first original treatise on railroad building ever published in this country, under the title of "Railroad Manual" (1829). During the latter days of his life his home was at Alton, Ill., where he died, Sept. 4, 1864. Though retired from active service in June, 1863, he continued in the discharge of important duties up to his death.

LONGENECKER, Joel M., lawyer, was born in Crawford County, Ill., June 12, 1847; before reaching his eighteenth year he enlisted in the Fifth Illinois Cavalry, serving until the close of the war. After attending the high school at Robinson and teaching for some time, he began the study of law and was admitted to the bar at Olney in 1870; served two years as City Attorney and four (1877-81) as Prosecuting Attorney, in the latter year removing to Chicago. Here, in 1884, he be- came the assistant of Luther Laflin Mills in the office of Prosecuting Attorney of Cook County, retaining that position with Mr. Mills' successor, Judge Grinnell. On the promotion of the latter to the bench, in 1886, Mr. Longenecker succeeded to the office of Prosecuting Attorney, continuing in that position until 1892. While in this office he conducted a large number of important crimi- nal cases, the most important, perhaps, being the trial of the murderers of Dr. Cronin, in which he gained a wide reputation for skill and ability as a prosecutor in criminal cases. Died Sept. 19, 1906.

LOOMIS, (Rev.) Hubbell, clergyman and edu- cator, was born in Colchester, Conn., May 31, 1775; prepared for college in the common schools and at Plainfield Academy, in his native State, finally graduating at Union College, N. Y., in 1799-having supported himself during a con- siderable part of his educational course by manual labor and teaching. He subsequently studied theology, and, for twenty-four years, served as pastor of a Congregational church at Willington, Conn., meanwhile fitting a number of young men for college, including among them Dr. Jared Sparks, afterwards President of Har- vard College and author of numerous historical works. About 1829 his views on the subject of baptism underwent a change, resulting in his uniting himself with the Baptist Church. Com- ing to Illinois soon after, he spent some time at Kaskaskia and Edwardsville, and, in 1832, located at Upper Alton, where he became a prominent factor in laying the foundation of Shurtleff Col- lege, first by the establishment of the Baptist Seminary, of which he was the Principal for several years, and later by assisting, in 1835, to secure the charter of the college in which the seminary was merged. His name stood first on

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 69

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