Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 85

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 85

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

was erected and named Fort Clark, in honor of Col. George Rogers Clark. It had one (if not two) block-houses, with magazines and quarters for officers and men. It was finally evacuated in 1818, and was soon afterwards burned by the Indians. Although a trading-post had been maintained here, at intervals, after the affair of 1812, there was no attempt made to rebuild the town until 1819, when Americans began to arrive .- In 1824 a post of the American Fur Com- pany was established here by John Hamlin, the company having already had, for five years, a station at Wesley City, three miles farther down the river. Hamlin also traded in pork and other products, and was the first to introduce keel- boats on the Illinois River. By transferring his cargo to lighter draft boats, when necessary, he made the trip from Peoria to Chicago entirely by water, going from the Des Plaines to Mud Lake, and thence to the South Branch of the Chicago River, without unloading. In 1834 the town had but seven frame houses and twenty-one log cabins. It was incorporated as a town in 1835 (Rudolphus Rouse being the first President), and, as the City of Peoria, ten years later (Wm. Hale being the first Mayor) .- Peoria is an important railway and business center, eleven railroad lines concentrating here. It presents many attractive features, such as handsome residences, fine views of river, bluff and valley scenery, with an elab- orate system of parks and drives. An excellent school system is liberally supported, and its public buildings (national, county and city) are fine and costly. Its churches are elegant and well attended, the leading denominations being Methodist Episcopal, Congregational, Presby- terian, Baptist, Protestant and Reformed Episco- pal, Lutheran, Evangelical and Roman Catholic. It is the seat of Bradley Polytechnic Institute, a young and flourishing scientific school affiliated with the University of Chicago, and richly en- dowed through the munificence of Mrs. Lydia Bradley, who devotes her whole estate, of at least a million dollars, to this object. Right Rev. John L. Spaulding, Bishop of the Roman Catho- lic diocese of Peoria, is erecting a handsome and costly building for the Spaulding Institute, a school for the higher education of young men .- At Bartonville, a suburb of Peoria, on an eleva- tion commanding a magnificent view of the Illi- nois River valley for many miles, the State has located an asylum for the incurable insane. It is now in process of erection, and is intended to be one of the most complete of its kind in the world. Peoria lies in a corn and coal region, is noted for

the number and extent of its distilleries, and, in 1890, ranked eighth among the grain markets of the country. It also has an extensive commerce with Chicago, St. Louis and other important cities; was credited, by the census of 1890, with 554 manufacturing establishments, representing 90 different branches of industry, with a capital of $15,072,567 and an estimated annual product of $55,504,523. Its leading industries are the manu- facture of distilled and malt liquors, agricultural implements, glucose and machine-shop products. Its contributions to the internal revenue of the country are second only to those of the New York district. Population (1870), 22,849; (1880), 29,259; (1890), 41. 024; (1900), 56,100; (1910), 66,950.

PEORIA COUNTY, originally a part of Fulton County, but cut off in 1825. It took its name from the Peoria Indians, who occupied that region when it was first discovered. As first organized, it included the present counties of Jo Daviess and Cook, with many others in the northern part of the State. At that time there were less than 1,500 inhabitants in the entire region; and John Hamlin, a Justice of the Peace, on his return froin Green Bay (whither he had accompanied William S. Hamilton, a son of Alexander Hamil- ton, with a drove of cattle for the fort there), solemnized, at Chicago, the marriage of Alex- ander Wolcott, then Indian Agent, with a daughter of John Kinzie. The original Peoria County has been subdivided into thirty counties, among them being some of the largest and rich- est in the State. The first county officer was Norman Hyde, who was elected Judge of the Probate Court by the Legislature in January, 1825. His commission from Governor Coles was dated on the eighteenth of that month, but he did not qualify until June 4, following, when he took the oath of office before Jolin Dixon, Circuit Clerk, who founded the city that bears his name. Meanwhile, Mr. Hyde had been appointed the first Clerk of the County Commissioners' Court, and served in that capacity until entering upon his duties as Probate Judge. The first election of county officers was held, March 7, 1825, at the house of William Eads. Nathan Dillon, Joseph Smith, and William Holland were chosen Com- missioners; Samuel Fulton Sheriff, and William Phillips Coroner. The first County Treasurer was Aaron Hawley, and the first general election of officers took place in 1826. The first court house was a log cabin, and the first term of the Circuit Court began Nov. 14, 1825, John York Sawyer sitting on the bench, with John Dixon, Clerk; Samuel Fulton, Sheriff; and John

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

Twiney, the Attorney-General, present. Peoria County is, at present, one of the wealthiest and most populous counties in the State. Its soil is fertile and its manufactures numerous, especially at Peoria, the county-seat and principal city (which see). The area of the county is 630 square miles, and its population (1880), 55,353; (1890), 70,378; (1900), 88,608; (1910), 100,255.

PEORIA LAKE, an expansion of the Illinois River, forming the eastern boundary of Peoria County, which it separates from the counties of Woodford and Tazewell. It is about 20 miles long and 212 miles broad at the widest part.

PEORIA, ATLANTA & DECATUR RAIL- ROAD. (See Terre Haute & Peoria Railroad.)

PEORIA, DECATUR & EVANSVILLE RAIL- WAY. The total length of this line, extending from Peoria, Ill., to Evansville, Ind., is 330.87 miles, all owned by the company, of which 273 miles are in Illinois. It extends from Pekin, southeast to Grayville, on the Wabash River-is single track, unballasted, and of standard gauge. Between Pekin and Peoria the company uses the tracks of the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway, of which it is one-fourth owner. Between Hervey City and Midland Junction it has trackage privi- leges over the line owned jointly by the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville and the Terre Haute & Peoria Companies (7.5 miles). Between Midland Junction and Decatur (2.4 miles) the tracks of the Illinois Central are used, the two lines having terminal facilities at Decatur in common. The rails are of fifty-two and sixty-pound steel .- (HISTORY.) The main line of the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway is the result of the consoli- dation of several lines built under separate char- ters. (1) The Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad, chartered in 1867, built in 1869-71, and operated the latter year, was leased to the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway, but sold to representatives of the bond-holders, on account of default on interest, in 1876, and reorganized as the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway. (2) The Decatur, Sullivan & Mattoon Railroad, (projected from Decatur to Mattoon), was incorporated in 1871, completed from Mattoon to Hervey City, in 1872, and, the same year, consolidated with the Chi- cago & Great Southern; in January, 1874, the Decatur line passed into the hands of a receiver, and, in 1877, having been sold under foreclosure, was reorganized as the Decatur, Mattoon & Soutli- ern Railroad. In 1879 it was placed in the hands of trustees, but the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway having acquired a controlling interest during the same year, the two lines were con-

solidated under the name of the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway Company. (3) The Gray- ville & Mattoon Railroad, chartered in 1857, was consolidated in 1872 with the Mount Vernon & Grayville Railroad (projected). the new corpo- ration taking the name of the Chicago & Illinois Southern (already mentioned). In 1872 the latter corporation was consolidated with the Decatur, Sullivan & Mattoon Railroad, under the name of the Chicago & Illinois Southern Railway. Both consolidations, however, were set aside by decree of the United States District Court, in 1876, and the partially graded road and franchises of the Grayville & Mattoon lines sold, under foreclosure, to the contractors for the construction; 20 miles of the line from Olney to Newton, were completed during the month of September of that year, and the entire line, from Grayville to Mattoon, in 1878. In 1880 this line was sold, under decree of foreclosure, to the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway Company, which had already acquired the Decatur & Mattoon Division-thus placing the entire line, from Peoria to Grayville, in the hands of one corporation. A line under the name of the Evansville & Peoria Railroad, chartered in Indiana in 1880, was consolidated, the same year, with the Illinois corporation under the name of the latter, and completed from Grayville to Evansville in 1882. (4) The Chicago & Ohio River Railroad-chartered, in 1869, as the Dan- ville, Olney & Ohio River Railroad-was con- structed, as a narrow-gauge line, from Kansas to West Liberty, in 1878-81; in the latter year was changed to standard gauge and completed, in 1883, from Sidell to Olney (86 miles). The same year it went into the hands of a receiver, was sold under foreclosure, in February, 1886, and reorgan- ized, in May following, as the Chicago & Ohio River Railroad; was consolidated with the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway, in 1893, and used as the Chicago Division of that line. The property and franchises of the entire line passed into the hands of receivers in 1894, and are still (1898) under their management.

PEORIA, PEKIN & JACKSONVILLE RAIL- ROAD. (See Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Rail- road of Illinois.)

PEORIA & BUREAU VALLEY RAILROAD, a short line, 46.7 miles in lengthi, operated by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Com- pany, extending from Peoria to Bureau Junction, Ill. It was incorporated, Feb. 12, 1853, com- pleted the following year, and leased to the Rock Island in perpetuity, April 14, 1854, the annual rental being $125,000. The par value of the

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capital stock is $1,500,000. Annual dividends of 8 per cent are guaranteed, payable semi-annu- ally. (See Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway.)

PEORIA & EASTERN RAILROAD. Of this line the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company is the lessee. Its total length is 35012 miles, 132 of which lie in Illinois -123 being owned by the Company. That por- tion within this State extends east from Pekin to the Indiana State line, in addition to which the Company has trackage facilities over the line of the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway (9 miles) to Peoria. The gauge is standard. The track is single, laid with sixty and sixty-seven-pound steel rails and ballasted almost wholly with gravel. The capital stock is $10,000,000. In 1895 it had a bonded debt of $13,603,000 and a floating debt of $1,261,130, making a total capitalization of $24,864, 130 .- (HISTORY.) The original of this corporation was the Danville, Urbana, Blooming- ton & Pekin Railroad, which was consolidated, in July, 1869, with the Indianapolis, Crawfords- ville & Danville Railroad-the new corporation taking the name of the Indianapolis, Blooming- ton & Western-and was opened to Pekin the same year. In 1874 it passed into the hands of a receiver, was sold under foreclosure in 1879, and

reorganized as the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railway Company. The next change occurred in 1881, when it was consolidated with an Ohio corporation (the Ohio, Indiana & Pacific Railroad), again undergoing a slight change of name in its reorganization as the Indiana, Bloom- ington & Western Railroad Company. In 1886 it again got into financial straits, was placed in charge of a receiver and sold to a reorganization committee, and, in January, 1887, took the name of the Ohio, Indiana & Western Railway Com- pany. The final reorganization, under its present name, took place in February, 1890, when it was leased to the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, by which it is operated. (See Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway.)

PEORIA & HANNIBAL RAILROAD. (See Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. )

PEORIA & OQUAWKA RAILROAD. (See Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.)

PEORIA & PEKIN UNION RAILWAY. A line connecting the cities of Peoria and Pekin, which are only 8 miles apart. It was chartered in 1880, and acquired, by purchase, the tracks of the Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville and the Peoria & Spring- field Railroads, between the two cities named in

its title, giving it control of two lines, which are used by nearly all the railroads entering both cities from the east side of the Illinois River. The mileage, including both divisions, is 18.14 miles, second tracks and sidings increasing the total to nearly 60 miles. The track is of standard gauge, about two-thirds being laid with steel rails. The total cost of construction was $4,350,987. Its total capitalization (1898) was $4,177, 763, includ- ing $1,000,000 in stock, and a funded debt of $2,904,000. The capital stock is held in equal amounts (each 2,500 shares) by the Wabash, the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville, the Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis and the Peoria & Eastern coni- panies, witlı 1,000 shares by the Lake Erie & Western. Terminal charges and annual rentals are also paid by the Terre Haute & Peoria and the Iowa Central Railways.

PEORIA & SPRINGFIELD RAILROAD. (See Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Railroad of Illinois.)

PEOTONE, a village of Will County, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 41 miles south-south west from Chicago; has some manufactures, a bank and a newspaper. The surrounding country is agricultural. Pop. (1900), 1,003; (1910), 1,207.

PERCY, a village of Randolph County, at the intersection of the Wabash, Chester & Western and the Mobile & Ohio Railways. Population (1890), 360; (1900), 660; (1910), 1,033.

PERROT, Nicholas, a French explorer, wno visited the valley of the Fox River (of Wisconsin) and the country around the great lakes, at various times between 1670 and 1690. He was present, as a guide and interpreter, at the celebrated con- ference held at Sault Ste. Marie, in 1671, which was attended by fifteen Frenchmen and repre- sentatives from seventeen Indian tribes, and at which the Sieur de Lusson took formal possession of Lakes Huron and Superior, with the surround- ing region and "all the country southward to the sea," in the name of Louis XIV. of France. Perrot was the first to discover lead in the West, and, for several years, was Commandant in the Green Bay district. As a chronicler he was intelligent, interesting and accurate. His writ. ings were not published until 1864, but have always been highly prized as authority.

PERRY, a town of Pike County; has a bank and a newspaper. Population (1880), 770; (1890), 705; (1900), 642; (1910), 649.

PERRY COUNTY, 'ies in the southwest quarter of the State, with an area of 432 square miles and a population (1900) of 19,830. It was organized' as a county in 1827, and named for Com. Oliver H. Perry. The general surface is rolling,

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although flat prairies occupy a considerable por- tion, interspersed with "post-oak flats." Limestone is found in the southern, and sandstone in the northern, sections, but the chief mineral wealth of the county is coal, which is abundant, and, at several points, easily mined, some of it being of a superior quality. Salt is manufactured, to some extent, and the chief agricultural output is wheat. Pinckneyville, the county-seat, has a central position and a population of about 2,70C. Duquoir is the largest city. Beaucoup Creek is the principal stream, and the county is crossed by several lines of railroad. Pop. (1910), 22,088.

PERU, a city in La Salle County, at the head of navigation on the Illinois River, which is here spanned by a handsome bridge. It is distant 100 miles southwest from Chicago, and the same dis- tance north-northeast from Springfield. It is connected by street cars with La Salle, one mile distant, which is the terminus of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. It is situated in a rich coal- mining region, is an important trade center, and has several manufacturing establishments, includ- ing zinc smelting works, rolling mills, nickeloid factory, metal novelty works, gas engine factory, tile works, plow, scale and patent-pump factories, foundries and machine shops, flour and saw mills, clock factory, etc. Two national banks, with a combined capital of $200,000, are located at Peru, and one daily and one weekly paper. Population (1890), 5,550; (1900), 6,863; (1910), 7,984.

PETERSBURG, a city of Menard County, and the county-seat, on the Sangamon River. at the intersection Chicago & Alton with the Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Railway; 23 miles northwest of Springfield and 28 miles northeast of Jackson- ville. The town was surveyed and platted by Abraham Lincoln in 1837, and is the seat of the "Old Salem" Chautauqua. It has machine shops, two banks, two weekly papers and nine churches. The manufactures include woolen goods, brick and drain-tile, bed-springs, mattresses, and canned goods. Pop. (1900), 2,807; (1910), 2,587.

PETERS, Onslow, lawyer and jurist, was born in Massachusetts, graduated at Brown Univer- sity, and was admitted to the bar and practiced law in his native State until 1837, when he set- tled at Peoria, Ill. He served in the Constitu- tional Convention of 1847. was elected to the bench of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit in 1853, and re-elected in 1855. Died, Feb. 28, 1856.

PHILO, a village of Champaign, on the Wabash Railroad, six miles northeast of Tolono; is a grain and produce shipping point; has a bank and one weekly paper. Pop. (1900), 502; (1910), 562.

PHILLIPS, David L , journalist and politician, was born where the town of Marion, Williamson County, Ill., now stands, Oct. 28, 1823; came to St. Clair County in childhood, his father settling near Belleville; began teaching at an early age, and, when about 18, joined the Baptist Church, and, after a brief course with the distinguished Dr. Peck, at his Rock Spring Seminary, two years later entered the ministry, serving churches in Washington and other Southern Illinois counties, finally taking charge of a church at Jonesboro. Though originally a Democrat, his advanced views on slavery led to a disagreement with his church, and he withdrew; then accepted a posi- tion as paymaster in the construction department of the Illinois Central Railroad, finally being transferred to that of Land Agent for the South- ern section, in this capacity visiting different parts of the State from one end of the main line to the other. About 1854 he became associated with the management of "The Jonesboro Ga- zette," a Democratic paper, which, during his con- nection with it (some two years), he made an earnest opponent of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. At the Anti-Nebraska Editorial Convention (which see), held at Decatur, Feb. 22, 1856, he was appointed a member of their State Central Committee, and, as such, joined in the call for the first Republican State Convention, held at Bloom- ington in May following, where he served as Vice-President for his District, and was nomi- nated for Presidential Elector on the Fremont ticket. Two years later (1858) he was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for Congress in the Southern District, being defeated by John A. Logan; was again in the State Convention of 1860, and a delegate to the National Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln for President the first time; was appointed by Mr. Lincoln United States Marshal for the Southern District in 1861, and re-appointed in 1865, but resigned after Andrew Johnson's defection in 1866. Dur- ing 1862 Mr. Phillips became part proprietor of "The State Journal" at Springfield, retaining this relation until 1878, at intervals performing editorial service; also took a prominent part in organizing and equipping the One Hundred and Ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers (sometimes called the "Phillips Regiment"), and, in 1865, was one of the committee of citizens sent to escort the remains of President Lincoln to Springfield. He joined in the Liberal Republican movement at Cincinnati in 1872, but, in 1876, was in line with his former party associates, and served in that year as an unsuccessful candidate

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for Congress, in the Springfield District, in oppo- sition to William M. Springer, early the following year receiving the appointment of Postmaster for the city of Springfield from President Hayes. Died, at Springfield, June 19, 1880.

PHILLIPS, George S., author, was born at Peterborough, England, in January, 1816; gradu- ated at Cambridge, and came to the United States, engaging in journalism. In 1845 he returned to England, and, for a time, was editor of "The Leeds Times," still later being Principal of the People's College at Huddersfield. Return- ing to the United States, he came to Cook County, and, about 1866-68, was a writer of sketches over the nom de plume of "January Searle" for "The Chicago Republican"-later was literary editor of "The New York Sun" for several years. His mind becoming impaired, he was placed in an asylum at Trenton, N. J., finally dying at Morris- town, N. J., Jan. 14, 1889. Mr. Phillips was the' author of several volumes, chiefly sketches of travel and biography.

PHILLIPS, Jesse J., lawyer, soldier and jurist, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., May 22, 1837. Shortly after graduating from the Hillsboro Academy, he read law, and was admitted to the bar in 1860. In 1861 he organized a company of volunteers, of which he was chosen Captain, and which was attached to the Ninth Illinois Infantry. Captain Phillips was successively advanced to the rank of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel; resigned on account of disability, in August, 1864, but was brevetted Brigadier-General at the close of the war. His military record was exceptionally brilliant He was wounded three times at Shiloh, and was personally thanked and compli- mented by Generals Grant and Oglesby for gal- lantry and efficient service. At the termination of the struggle he returned to Hillsboro and engaged in practice. In 1866, and again in 1868, he was the Democratic candidate for State Treas- urer, but was both times defeated. In 1879 he was elected to the bench of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, and re-elected in 1885. In 1890 he was assigned to the bench of the Appellate Court of the Fourth District, and, in 1893, was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice John M. Scholfield, his term expiring in 1897, when he was re-elected to succeed himself, but died before the expiration

. of his term, Feb. 16, 1901.

PHILLIPS, Joseph, early jurist, was born in Tennessee, received a classical and legal edu- cation, and served as a Captain in the War of

1812; in 1816 was appointed Secretary of Illinois Territory, serving until the admission of Illinois as a State, when he became the first Chief Jus- tice of the Supreme Court, serving until July, 1822, when he resigned, being succeeded on the bench by John Reynolds, afterwards Governor. In 1822 he was a candidate for Governor in the interest of the advocates of a pro-slavery amend- ment of the State Constitution, but was defeated by Edward Coles, the leader of the anti-slavery party. (See Coles, Edward, and Slavery and Slave Laws.) He appears from the "Edwards Papers" to have been in Illinois as late as 1832, but is said eventually to have returned to Tennessee. The date of his death is unknown.

PIANKESHAWS, THE, a branch of the Miami tribe of Indians. Their name, like those of their brethren, underwent many mutations of orthog- raphy, the tribe being referred to, variously, as the "Pou-an-ke-kiahs," the "Pi-an-gie-shaws," the "Pi-an-qui-shaws," and the "Py-an-ke- shaws." They were less numerous. than the Weas, their numerical strength ranking lowest among the bands of the Miamis. At the time La Salle planted his colony around Starved Rock, their warriors numbered 150. Subsequent to the dispersion of this colony they (alone of the Miamis) occupied portions of the present territory of Illi- nois, having villages on the Vermilion and Wabash Rivers. Their earliest inclinations toward the whites were friendly, the French traders having intermarried with women of the tribe soon after the advent of the first explor- ers. Col. George Rogers Clark experienced little difficulty in securing their allegiance to the new government which he proclaimed. In the san- guinary raids (usually followed by reprisals), which marked Western history during the years immediately succeeding the Revolution, the Piankeshaws took no part; yet the outrages, per- petrated upon peaceable colonists, had so stirred the settlers' blood, that all Indians were included ' in the general thirst for vengeance, and each was unceremoniously dispatched as soon as seen. The Piankeshaws appealed to Washington for protec- tion, and the President issued a special procla- mation in their behalf. After the cession of the last remnant of the Miami territory to the United States, the tribe was removed to a Kansas reser- vation, and its last remnant finally found a home in Indian Territory. (See also Miamis; Weas.)

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 85

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