Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 97

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 97

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SHAW, James, lawyer, jurist, was born in Ire- land, May 3, 1832, brought to this country in in- fancy and grew up on a farm in Cass County, Ill. ; graduated from Illinois College in 1857, and, after admission to the bar, began practice at Mount Carroll. In 1870 he was elected to the lower house of the General Assembly, being re-elected in 1872, '76 and '78. He was Speaker of the House during the session of 1877, and one of the Republican leaders on the floor during the suc- ceeding session. In 1872 he was chosen a Presi- dential Elector, and, in 1891, to a seat on the Circuit bench from the Thirteenth Circuit, and, in 1897 was re-elected for the Fifteenth Circuit.

SHAWNEETOWN, a city and the county-seat of Gallatin County, on the Ohio River 120 miles from its mouth and at the terminus of the Shaw- neetown Divisions of the Baltimore & Ohio South- western and the Louisville & Nashville Railroads; is one of the oldest towns in the State, having been laid out in 1808, and noted for the number of prominent men who resided there at an early day. Coal is extensively mined in that section, and Shawneetown is one of the largest shipping points for lumber, coal and farm products between Cairo and Louisville, navigation being open the year round. Some manufacturing is done here; the city has several mills, a foundry and machine shop. two or three banks, several churches, good schools and two weekly papers. Since the disastrous floods of 1884 and 1898, Shaw- neetown has reconstructed its levee system on a substantial scale, which is now believed to furnish

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ample protection against the recurrence of similar disaster. Pop. (1900), 1 698; (1910), 1,863.

SHEAHAN, James W., journalist, was born in Baltimore, Md., spent his early life, after reaching manhood, in Washington City as a Congressional Reporter, and, in 1847, reported the proceedings of the Illinois State Constitutional Convention at Springfield. Through the influence of Senator Douglas he was induced, in 1854, to accept the editorship of "The Young America" newspaper at Chicago, which was soon after changed to "The Chicago Times." Here he remained until the fall of 1860, when, "The Times" having been sold and consolidated with "The Herald," a Buchanan-Breckenridge organ, he established a new paper called "The Morning Post." This he made representative of the views of the "War Democrats" as against "The Times," which was opposed to the war. In May, 1865, he sold the plant of "The Post" and it became "The Chicago Republican" - now "Inter Ocean." A few months later. Mr. Sheahan accepted a position as chief writer on the editorial staff of "The Chicago Tribune," which he retained until his death, June 17, 1883.

SHEFFIELD, a prosperous village of Bureau County, on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, 44 miles east of Rock Island; has valu- able coal mines, a bank and one newspaper. Pop. (1900), 1,265; (1910), 1,009.

SHELBY COUNTY, lies south of the center of the State, and contains an area of 760 square miles. The tide of immigration to this county was at first from Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, although later it began to set in from the Northern States. The first cabin in the county was built by Simeon Wakefield on what is now the site of Williamsburg, first called Cold Spring. Joseph Daniel was the earliest settler in what is now Shelbyville, pre-empting ten acres, which he soon afterward sold to Joseph Oliver,' the pioneer merchant of the county, and father of the first white child born within its limits. Other pioneers were Shimei Wakefield, Levi Casey and Samuel Hall. In lieu of hats the early settlers wore caps made of squirrel or coon skin, with the tails dangling at the backs, and he was regarded as well dressed who boasted a fringed buckskin shirt and trousers, with moccasins. The county was formed in 1827, and Shelbyville made the county-seat. Both county and town are named in honor of Governor Shelby, of Ken- tucky. County Judge Joseph Oliver held the first court in the cabin of Barnett Bone, and Judge Theophilus W. Smith presided over the

first Circuit Court in 1828. Coal is abundant, and limestone and sandstone are also found. The surface is somewhat rolling and well wooded. The Little Wabash and Kaskaskia Rivers flow through the central and southeastern portions. The county lies in the very heart of the great corn belt of the State, and has excellent transpor- tation facilities, being penetrated by four lines of railway. Population (1880), 30,270; (1890), 31,- 191; (1900), 32.126; (1910), 31,693.

SHELBYVILLE, the county-seat and an incor- porated city of Shelby County, on the Kaskaskia River and two lines of railway, 32 miles southeast of Decatur. Agriculture is carried on exten- sively, and there is considerable coal mining in the immediate vicinity. The city has two flour- ing mills, a handle factory, a creamery, one National and one State bank, one daily and three weekly papers and one monthly periodical, an Orphans' Home, ten churches, two graded schools, and a public library. Population (1890), 3,162; (1900), 3,546; (1910), 3,590.

SHELDON, a village of Iroquois County, at the intersection of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis and the Toledo, Peoria & Western Rail- ways, 9 miles east of Watseka; has two banks and a newspaper. The region is agricultural. Pop. (1890), 910; (1900), 1,103; (1910), 1,143.

SHELDON, Benjamin R., jurist, was born in Massachusetts in 1813, graduated from Williams College in 1831, studied law at the Yale Law School, and was admitted to practice in 1836. Emigrating to Illinois, he located temporarily at Hennepin, Putnam County, but soon removed to Galena, and finally to Rockford. In 1848 he was elected Circuit Judge of the Sixth Circuit, whichi afterwards being divided, he was assigned to the Fourteenth Circuit, remaining until 1870, when he was elected a Justice of the Supreme Court, presiding as Chief Justice in 1877. He was re- elected in 1879, but retired in 1888, being suc- ceeded by the late Justice Bailey. Died, April

13, 1897.

SHEPPARD, Nathan, author and lecturer, was born in Baltimore, Md., Nov. 9, 1834; graduated at Rochester Theological Seminary in 1839; dur- ing the Civil War was special correspondent of "The New York World" and "The Chicago Jour- nal" and "Tribune," and, during the Franco- German War, of "The Cincinnati Gazette;" also served as special American correspondent of "The London Times," and was a contributor to "Frazer's Magazine" and "Temple Bar." In 1873 he became a lecturer on Modern English Liter- ature and Rhetoric in Chicago University and,

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four years later, accepted a similar position in Allegheny College; also spent four years in Europe, lecturing in the principal towns of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1884 he founded the "Athenaeum" at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., of which he was President until his death, early in 1888. "The Dickens Reader," "Character Read- ings from George Eliot" and "Essays of George Eliot" were among the volumes issued by him between 1881 and 1887. Died in New York City, Jan. 24, 1888.

SHERMAN, Alson Smith, early Chicago Mayor, was born at Barre, Vt., April 21, 1811, remaining there until 1836, when he came to Chicago and began business as a contractor and builder. Sev- eral years later he opened the first stone quarries at Lemont, Ill. Mr. Sherman spent many years in the service of Chicago as a public official. From 1840 to 1842 he was Captain of a company of militia; for two years served as Chief of the Fire Department, and was elected Alderman in 1842, serving again in 1846. In 1844, he was chosen Mayor, his administration being marked by the first extensive public improvements made in Chicago. After his term as Mayor he did much to secure a better water supply for the city. He was especially interested in promoting common school education, being for several years a member of the City School Board. He was Vice-President of the first Board of Trustees of Northwestern University. Retired from active pursuits, Mr. Sherman spent his last years at Wau- kegan, Ill., dying Aug. 22, 1903 .- Oren (Sherman) brother of the preceding and early Chicago mer- chant, was born at Barre, Vt., March 5, 1816. After spending several years in a mercantile house in Montpelier, Vt., at the age of twenty he came west, first to New Buffalo, Mich., and, in 1836, to Chicago, opening a dry-goods store there the next spring. With various partners Mr. Sherman continued in a general mercantile busi- ness until 1853, at the same time being extensively engaged in the provision trade, one-half the entire transactions in pork in the city passing through Lis hands. Next he engaged in developing stone quarries at Lemont, Ill. ; also became extensively interested in the marble business, continuing in this until a few years after the panic of 1873, when he retired in consequence of a shock of paralysis. Died, in Chicago, Dec. 15, 1898.

SHERMAN, Elijah B., lawyer, was born at Fairfield, Vt., June 18, 1832-his family being distantly related to Roger Sherman, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the late Gen. W. T. Sherman; gained his education in the

common schools and at Middlebury College, where he graduated in 1860; began teaching, but soon after enlisted as a private in the war for the Union; received a Lieutenant's commission, and served until captured on the eve of the battle at Antietam, when he was paroled and sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, awaiting exchange. During this period he commenced reading law and, hav - ing resigned his commission, graduated from the law department of Chicago University in 1864 In 1876 he was elected Representative in the General Assembly from Cook County, and re- elected in 1878, and the following year appointed Master in Chancery of the United States District Court, a position which he last occupied. He had repeatedly been called upon to deliver addresses on political, literary and patriotic occasions, one of these being before the alumni of his alma mater, in 1884, when he was complimented with the degree of LL.D. Died May 1, 1910.

SHIELDS, James, soldier and United States Senator, was born in Ireland in 1810, emigrated to the United States at the age of sixteen, and began the practice of law at Kaskaskia in 1832. He was elected to the Legislature in 1836, and State Auditor in 1839. In 1843 he became a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, and, in 1845, was made Commissioner of the General Land Office. In July, 1846, he was commissioned Brigadier-General in the Mexican War gaining the brevet of Major-General at Cerro-Gordo, where he was severely wounded. He was again wounded at Chapultepec, and mustered out in 1848. The same year he was appointed Governor of Oregon Territory. In 1849 the Democrats in the Illinois Legislature elected him Senator, and he resigned his office in Oregon. In 1856 he removed to Minnesota, and, in 1858, was chosen United States Senator from that State, his term expiring in 1859, when he established a residence in California. At the outbreak of the Civil War (1861) he was superintending a mine in Mexico, but at once hastened to Washington to tender his services to the Governmnet. He was commis- sioned Brigadier-General, and served with dis- tinction until March, 1863, when the effect of numerous wounds caused him to resign. He sub- sequently removed to Missouri, practicing law at Carrollton and serving in the Legislature of that State in 1874 and 1879. In the latter year he was elected United States Senator to fill out the unex- pired term of Senator Bogy, who had died in office-serving only six weeks, but being the only man in the history of the country who filled the office of United States Senator from three differ.

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ent States. Died, at Ottumwa, Iowa, June 1, 1879.

SHERIDAN, a village of La Salle County, on C., B. & Q. R. R., Peoria Branch. Pop. (1910), 506.

SHERRARD, a village of Mercer County, a coal mining district. Pop. (1910), 906.

SHIPMAN, George E., M.D., physician and philanthropist, born in New York City, March 4, 1820; graduated at the University of New York in 1839, and took a course in the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons; practiced for a time at Peoria, Ill., but, in 1846, located in Chicago, where he assisted in organizing the first Homeopathic Hospital in that city, aud, in 1855, was one of the first Trustees of Hahnemann College. In 1871 he established, in Chicago, the Foundlings' Home at his own expense, giving to it the latter years of his life. Died, Jan. 20, 1893.

SHOREY, Daniel Lewis, lawyer and philan- thropist, was born at Jonesborough, Washington County, Maine, Jan. 31, 1824; educated at Phil- lips Academy, Andover, Mass., and at Dartmouth College, graduating from the latter in 1851; taught two years in Washington City, meanwhile reading law, afterwards taking a course at Dane Law School, Cambridge; was admitted to the bar in Boston in 1854, the next year locating at Davenport, Iowa, where he remained ten years. In 1865 he removed to Chicago, where he prose- cuted his profession until 1890, when he retired. Mr. Shorey was prominent in the establishment of the Chicago Public Library, and a member of the first Library Board; was also a prominent member of the Chicago Literary Club, and was a Director in the new University of Chicago and deeply interested in its prosperity. Died, in Chi- cago, March 4, 1899.

SHORT, (Rev.) William F., clergyman and educator, was born in Ohio in 1829, brought to Morgan County, Ill., in childhood, and lived upon a farm until 20 years of age, when he entered McKendree College, spending his senior year, however, at Wesleyan University, Bloomington, where he graduated in 1854. He had meanwhile accepted a call to the Missouri Conference Semi- nary at Jackson, Mo .; where he remained three years, when he returned to Illinois, serving churches at Jacksonville and elsewhere, for a part of the time being Presiding Elder of the Jacksonville District. In 1875 he was elected President of Illinois Female College at Jackson- ville, continuing in that position until 1893, when he was appointed Superintendent of the Illinois State Institution for the Blind at the same place, but resigned early in 1897. Dr. Short received

the degree of D.D., conferred upon him by Ohio Wesleyan University Died Aug. 29, 1909.

SHOUP, George L., United States Senator, was born at Kittanning, Pa., June 15, 1836, came to Illinois in 1852, his father locating on a stock- farm near Galesburg; in 1859 removed to Colo- rado, where he engaged in mining and mercantile business until 1861, when he enlisted in a com- pany of scouts, being advanced from the rank of First Lieutenant to the Colonelcy of the Third Colorado Cavalry, meanwhile serving as Delegate to the State Constitutional Convention of 1864. Retiring to private life, he again engaged in mer- cantile and mining business, first in Nevada and then in Idaho; served two terms in the Terri- torial Legislature of the latter, was appointed Territorial Governor in 1889 and, in 1890, was chosen the first Governor of the State, in October of the same year being elected to the United States Senate, and re-elected in 1895 for a second term, which ends in 1901. Senator Shoup is one of the few Western Senators who remained faith- ful to the regular Republican organization, during the political campaign of 1896.

SHOWALTER, John W., jurist, was born in Mason County, Ky., Feb. 8, 1844; resided some years in Scott County in that State, and was educated in the local schools, at Maysville and Ohio University, finally graduating at Yale Col- lege in 1867; came to Chicago in 1869, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1870. IIe returned to Kentucky after the fire of 1871, but, in 1872, again came to Chicago and entered the employment of the firm of Moore & Caulfield, with whom he had been before the fire. In 1879 he became a member of the firm of Abbott, Oliver & Showalter (later, Oliver & Showalter), where he remained until his appointment as United States Circuit Judge, in March, 1895. Died, in Chicago, Dec. 12, 1898.

SHUMAN, Andrew, journalist and Lieutenant- Governor, was born at Manor, Lancaster County, Pa., Nov. 8, 1830. His father dying in 1837, he was reared by an uncle. At the age of 15 he became an apprentice in the office of "The Lan- caster Union and Sentinel." A year later he ac- companied his employer to Auburn, N. Y., working for two years on "The Daily Advertiser" of that city, then known as Governor Seward's "home organ." At the age of 18 he edited, published and distributed -during his leisure hours-a small weekly paper called "The Auburnian." At the conclusion of his apprenticeship he was em- ployed, for a year or two, in editing and publish- ing "The Cayuga Chief," a temperance journal.

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In 1851 he entered Hamilton College, but, before the completion of his junior year, consented, at the solicitation of friends of William H. Seward, to assume editorial control of "The Syracuse Daily Journal." In July, 1856, he came to Chi- cago, to accept an editorial position on "The Evening Journal" of that city, later becoming editor-in-chief and President of the Journal Com- pany. From 1865 to 1870 (first by executive appointment and afterward by popular election) he was a Commissioner of the Illinois State Peni- tentiary at Joliet, resigning the office four years before the expiration of his term. In 1876 he was elected Lieutenant-Governor on the Repub- lican ticket. Owing to declining health, he abandoned active journalistic work in 1888, dying in Chicago, May 5, 1890. His home during the latter years of his life was at Evanston. Governor Shuman was author of a romance entitled "Loves of a Lawyer," besides numerous addresses before literary, commercial and scien- tific associations.

SHUMWAY, Dorice Dwight, merchant, was born at Williamsburg, Worcester County, Mass., Sept. 28, 1813, descended from French Huguenot ancestry; came to Zanesville, Ohio, in 1837, and to Montgomery County, Ill., in 1841; married a daugliter of Hiram Rountree, an early resident of Hillsboro, and, in 1843, located in Christian County ; was engaged for a time in merchandis- ing at Taylorville, but retired in 1858, thereafter giving his attention to a large landed estate. In 1846 he was chosen Representative in the General Assembly, served in the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1847, and four years as County Judge of Christian County. Died, May 9, 1870 .- Hiram P. (Shumway), eldest son of the preceding, was born in Montgomery County, Ill., June, 1842; spent his boyhood on a farm in Christian County and in his father's store at Taylorville; took an academy course and, in 1864, engaged in mercan- tile business; was Representative in the Twenty- eighth General Assembly and Senator in the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh, afterwards removing to Springfield, where he engaged in the stone business. Died April 30, 1903.

SHURTLEFF COLLEGE, an institution located at Upper Alton, and the third estab- lished in Illinois. It was originally incorporated as the "Alton College" in 1831, under a special charter which was not accepted, but re-incorpo- rated in 1835, in an "omnibus bill" with Illi- nois and McKendree Colleges. (See Early Col- leges.) Its primal origin was a school at Rock Spring in St. Clair County, founded about 1824,

by Rev. John M. Peck. This became the "Rock Spring Seminary" in 1827, and, about 1831, was united with an academy at Upper Alton. This was the nucleus of "Alton" (afterward "Shurt- leff") College. As far as it its denominational control is concerned, it has always been domi- nated by Baptist influence. Dr. Peck's original idea was to found a school for teaching theology and Biblical literature, but this project was at first inhibited by the State. Hubbard Loomis and John Russell were among the first instruc- tors. Later, Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff donated the college $10,000, and the institution was named in his honor. College classes were not organized until 1840, and several years elapsed before a class graduated. Its endowment in 1898 was over $126,000, in addition to $125,000 worth of real and personal property. About 255 students were in attendance. Besides preparatory and collegiate departments, the college also maintains a theo- logical school. It has a faculty of twenty instructors and is co-educational.

SIBLEY, Joseph, lawyer and jurist, was born at Westfield, Mass .; in 1818; learned the trade of a whip-maker and afterwards engaged in mer- chandising. In 1843 he began the study of law at Syracuse, N. Y., and, upon admission to the bar, came west, finally settling at Nauvoo, Han- cock County. He maintained a neutral attitude during the Mormon troubles, thus giving offense to a section of the community. In 1847 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Legislature, but was elected in 1850, and re-elected in 1852. In 1853 he removed to Warsaw, and, in 1855, was elected Judge of the Circuit Court, and re-elected in 1861, '67 and '73, being assigned to the bench of the Appellate Court of the Second District, in 1877. His residence, after 1865, was at Quincy, where he died, June 18, 1897.

SIDELL, a village of Vermillion County, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois and Cincinnati, Hamil- ton & Dayton Railroads; has a bank, electric light plant and a newspaper. Pop. (1910), 741.

SIDNEY, a village of Champaign County, on the main line of the Wabash Railway, at the junction of a branch to Champaign, 48 miles east-northeast of Decatur. It is in a farming district; has a bank and a newspaper. Pop. (1900), 564; (1910), 481.

SILVIS, a village of Rock Island County, three miles east of the city of Rock Island and north of Rock River; incorporated 1906; adjacent to a rich coal producing district, and a manufacturing point. Pop. (1910), 1,163.

SIM, (Dr.) William, pioneer physician, was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1795, came to

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America in early manhood, and was the first phy- sician to settle at Golconda, in Pope County, which he represented in the Fourth and Fifth General Assemblies (1824 and '28). He married a Miss Elizabeth Jack of Philadelphia, making the journey from Golconda to Philadelphia for that purpose on horseback. He had a family of five children, one son, Dr. Francis L. Sim, rising to distinction as a physician, and, for a time, being President of a Medical College at Memphis, Tenn. The elder Dr. Sim died at Golconda, in 1868.

SIMS, James, early legislator and Methodist preacher, was a native of South Carolina, but removed to Kentucky in early manhood, thence to St. Clair County, Ill., and, in 1820, to Sanga- mon County, where he was elected, in 1822, as the first Representative from that county in the Third General Assembly. At the succeeding ses- sion of the Legislature, he was one of those who voted against the Convention resolution designed to prepare the way for making Illinois a slave State. Mr. Sims resided for a time in Menard County, but finally removed to Morgan.

SINGER, Horace M., capitalist, was born in Schnectady, N. Y., Oct. 1, 1823; came to Chicago in 1836 and found employment on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, serving as superintendent of repairs upon the Canal until 1853. While thus employed he became one of the proprietors of the stone-quarries at Lemont, managed by the firm of Singer & Talcott until about 1890, when they became the property of the Western Stone Company. Originally a Democrat, he became a Republican during the Civil War, and served as a member of the Twenty-fifth General Assembly (1867) for Cook County, was elected County Com- missioner in 1870, and was Chairman of the Republican County Central Committee in 1880. He was also associated with several financial institutions, being a director of the First National Bank and of the Auditorium Company of Chi- cago, and a member of the Union League and Calumet Clubs. Died, at Pasadena, Cal., Dec. 28, 1896.

SINGLETON, James W., Congressman, born at Paxton, Va., Nov. 23, 1811; was educated at the Winchester (Va.) Academy, and removed to Illinois in 1833, settling first at Mount Sterling, Brown County, and, some twenty years later, near Quincy. By profession he was a lawyer, and was prominent in political and commercial affairs. In his later years he devoted consider- able attention to stock-raising. He was elected Brigadier-General of the Illinois militia in 1844,

being identified to some extent with the "Mor- mon War"; was a member of the Constitutional Conventions of 1847 and 1862, served six terms in the Legislature, and was elected, on the Demo- cratic ticket, to Congress in 1878, and again in 1880. In 1882 he ran as an independent Demo- crat, but was defeated by the regular nominee of his party, James M. Riggs. During the War of the Rebellion he was one of the most conspicuous leaders of the "peace party." He constructed the Quincy & Toledo (now part of the Wabash) and the Quincy, Alton & St. Louis (now part of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy) Railways, being President of both companies. His death occurred at Baltimore, Md., April 4, 1892.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 97

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