Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 108

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388

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UNDERWOOD, William H., lawyer, legislator and jurist, was born at Schoharie Court House, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1818, and, after admission to the bar, removed to Belleville, Ill., where he began practice in 1840. The following year he was elected State's Attorney, and re-elected in 1843. In 1846 he was chosen a member of the lower house of the General Assembly, and, in 1848-54, sat as Judge of the Second Circuit. During this period he declined a nomination to Congress, although equivalent to an election. In 1856 he was elected State Senator, and re-elected in 1860. He was a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1869-70, and, in 1870. was again elected to the Senate, retiring to private life in 1872. Died, Sept. 23, 1875.

UNION COUNTY, one of the fifteen counties into which Illinois was divided at the time of its admission as a State-having been organized, under the Territorial Government, in January, 1818. It is situated in the southern division of the State, bounded on the west by the Mississippi River, and has an area of 400 square miles. The eastern and interior portions are drained by the Cache River and Clear Creek. The western part of the county comprises the broad, rich bottom lands lying along the Mississippi. but is subject to frequent overflow, while the eastern portion is hilly, and most of its area originally heavily tim- bered. The county is especially rich in minerals. Iron-ore, lead, bituminous coal, chalk, alum and

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potter's clay are found in considerable abun- dance. Several lines of railway (the most impor- tant being the Illinois Central) either cross or tap the county. The chief occupation is agri- culture, although manufacturing is carried on to a limited extent. Fruit is extensively cultivated. Jonesboro is the county-seat, and Cobden and Anna important shipping stations. The latter is the location of the Southern Hospital for the Insane. The population of the county, in 1890, was 21,529. Being next to St. Clair, Randolph and Gallatin, one of the earliest settled counties in the State, many prominent men found their first home, on coming into the State, at Jones- boro, and this region, for a time, exerted a strong influence in public affairs.

UNION LEAGUE OF AMERICA, a secret polit- ical and patriotic order which had its origin early in the late Civil War, for the avowed pur- pose of sustaining the cause of the Union and counteracting the machinations of the secret organizations designed to promote the success of the Rebellion. The first regular Council of the order was organized at Pekin, Tazewell County, June 25, 1862, consisting of eleven members, as follows: John W. Glasgow, Dr. D. A. Cheever, Hart Montgomery, Maj. Richard N. Cullom (father of Senator Cullom), Alexander Small, Rev. J. W. M. Vernon, George H. Harlow (after- ward Secretary of State), Charles Turner, Col. Jonathan Merriam, Henry Pratt and L. F. Gar- rett. One of the number was a Union refugee from Tennessee, who dictated the first oath from memory, as administered to members of à some- what similar order which had been organized among the Unionists of his own State. It sol- emnly pledged the taker. (1) to preserve invio- late the secrets and business of the order; (2) to "support, maintain, protect and defend the civil liberties of the Union of these United States against all enemies, either domestic or foreign, at all times and under all circumstances," even "if necessary, to the sacrifice of life"; (3) to aid in electing only true Union men to offices of trust in the town, county, State and General Government; (4) to assist, protect and defend any member of the order who might be in peril from his connection with the order, and (5) to obey all laws, rules or regulations of any Council to which the taker of the oath might be attached. The oath was taken upon the Bible, the Decla- ration of Independence and Constitution of the United States, the taker pledging his sacred honor to its fulfillment. A special reason for the organization existed in the activity, about this

time, of the "Knights of the Golden Circle," a disloyal organization which had been introduced from the South, and which afterwards took the name, in the North, of "American Knights" and "Sons of Liberty." (See Secret Treasonable Soci- eties.) Three months later, the organization had extended to a number of other counties of the State and, on the 25th of September following, the first State Council met at Bloomington- twelve counties being represented-and a State organization was effected. At this meeting the following general officers were chosen: Grand President - Judge Mark Bangs, of Marshall County (now of Chicago); Grand Vice-President -Prof. Daniel Wilkin, of McLean; Grand Secre- tary-George H. Harlow, of Tazewell; Grand Treasurer-H. S. Austin, of Peoria, Grand Mar- shal-J. R. Gorin, of Macon; Grand Herald- A. Gould, of Henry; Grand Sentinel-John E. Rosette, of Sangamon. An Executive Committee was also appointed, consisting of Joseph Medill of "The Chicago Tribune"; Dr. A. J. McFar- land, of Morgan County ; J. K. Warren, of Macon; Rev. J. C. Rybolt, of La Salle; the President, Judge Bangs; Enoch Emery, of Peoria; and John E. Rosette. Under the direction of this Committee, with Mr. Medill as its Chairman, the constitution and by-laws were thoroughly revised and a new ritual adopted, which materi- ally changed the phraseology and removed some of the crudities of the original obligation, as well as increased the beauty and impressiveness of the initiatory ceremonies. New signs, grips and pass-words were also adopted, which were finally accepted by the various organizations of the order throughout the Union, which, by this time, included many soldiers in the army, as well as civilians. The second Grand (or State) Council was held at Springfield, January 14, 1863, with only seven counties represented. The limited representation was discouraging, but the mem- bers took heart from the inspiring words of Gov- ernor Yates, addressed to a committee of the order who waited upon him. At a special ses- sion of the Executive Committee, held at Peoria, six days later, a vigorous campaign was mapped out, under which agents were sent into nearly every county in the State. In Oc- tober, 1862, the strength of the order in Illi- nois was estimated at three to five thousand; a few months later, the number of enrolled members had increased to 50,000 - so rapid had been the growth of the order. On March 25, 1863, a Grand Council met in Chicago- 404 Councils in Illinois being represented, with

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a number from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wiscon- sin, Iowa and Minnesota. At this meeting a Committee was appointed to prepare a plan of organization for a National Grand Council, whichi was carried out at Cleveland, Ohio, on the 20thlı of May following-the constitution, ritual and signs of the Illinois organization being adopted with slight modifications. The revised obligation -taken upon the Bible, the Declaration of Inde- pendence and the Constitution of the United States-bound members of the League to "sup- port, protect and defend the Government of the United States and the flag thereof, against all enemies, foreign and domestic," and to"bear true faith and allegiance to the same"; to "defend the State against invasion or insurrection"; to support only "true and reliable men" for offices of trust and profit; to protect and defend worthy members, and to preserve inviolate the secrets of the order. The address to new mem- bers was a model of impressiveness and a powerful appeal to their patriotism. The organization extended rapidly, not only throughout the North- west, but in the South also, especially in the army. In 1864 the number of Councils in Illinois was estimated at 1,300, with a membership of 175,000; and it is estimated that the total mem- bership, throughout the Union, was 2,000,000. The influence of the silent, but zealous and effect- ive, operations of the organization, was shown, not only in the stimulus given to enlistments and support of the war policy of the Government, but in the raising of supplies for the sick and wounded soldiers in the field. Within a few weeks before the fall of Vicksburg, over $25,000 in cash, besides large quantities of stores, were sent to Col. John Williams (then in charge of the Sanitary Bureau at Springfield), as the direct result of appeals made through circulars sent out by the officers of the "League." Large contri- butions of money and supplies also reached the sick and wounded in hospital through the medium of the Sanitary Commission in Chicago. Zealous efforts were made by the opposition to get at the secrets of the order, and, in one case, a complete copy of the ritual was published by one of their organs; but the effect was so far the reverse of what was anticipated, that this line of attack was not continued. During the stormy session of the Legislature in 1863, the League is said to have rendered effective service in protecting Gov- ernor Yates from threatened assassination. It continued its silent but effective operations until the complete overthrow of the rebellion, when it ceased to exist as a political organization.

UNITED STATES SENATORS. The follow- ing is a list of United States senators from Illinois, from the date of the admission of the State into the Union until 1899, with the date and duration of the term of each: Ninian Edwards, 1818-24; Jesse B. Thomas, Sr., 1818-29; John McLean, 1824-25 and 1829-30; Elias Kent Kane, 1825-35; David Jewett Baker, Nov. 12 to Dec. 11, 1830; John M. Robinson, 1830-41; William L. D. Ewing, 1835-37; Richard M. Young, 1837-43; Samuel Mc- Roberts, 1841-43; Sidney Breese, 1843-49; James Semple, 1843-47; Stephen A. Douglas, 1847-61; James Shields, 1849-55; Lyman Trumbull, 1855-73; Orville H. Browning, 1861-63; William A. Rich- ardson, 1863-65; Richard Yates, 1865-71; John A. Logan, 1871-77 and 1879-86; Richard J. Oglesby, 1873-79; David Davis, 1877-83; Shelby M. Cullom, first elected in 1883, and re-elected in '89 and '95, his third term expiring in 1901; Charles B. Far- well, 1887-91; John McAuley Palmer, 1891-97; William E. Mason, elected in 1897, for the term expiring, March 4, 1903.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (The New). One of the leading educational institutions of the country, located at Chicago. It is the outgrowth of an attempt, put forth by the American Educa- tional Society (organized at Washington in 1888), to supply the place which the original institution of the same name had been designed to fill. (See University of Chicago-The Old.) The following year, Mr. John D. Rockefeller of New York ten- (lered a contribution of $600, 000 toward the endow- ment of the enterprise, conditioned upon securing additional pledges to the amount of $400,000 by June 1, 1890. The offer was accepted, and the sum promptly raised. In addition, a site, covering four blocks of land in the city of Chicago, was secured-two and one-half blocks being acquired by purchase for $282,500, and one and one-half (valued at $125,000) donated by Mr. Marshall Field. A charter was secured and an organiza- tion effected, Sept. 10, 1890. The Presidency of the institution was tendered to, and accepted by, Dr. William R. Harper. Since that time the University has been the recipient of other gener- ous benefactions by Mr. Rockefeller and others, until the aggregate donations (1898) exceed $10,- 000,000. Of this amount over one-half has been contributed by Mr. Rockefeller, while he has pledged himself to make additional contributions of $2,000,000, conditioned upon the raising of a like sum, from other donors, by Jan. 1, 1900. The buildings erected on the campus, prior to 1896. include a chemical laboratory costing $182,000; a lecture hall. $150,000; a physical laboratory,

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$150,000; a museum, $100,000; an academy dor- mitory, $30,000; three dormitories for women, $150,000; two dormitories for men, $100,000, to which several important additions were made during 1896 and 97. The faculty embraces over 150 instructors, selected with reference to their fitness for their respective departments from among the most eminent scholars in America and Europe. Women are admitted as students and graduated upon an equality with men. The work of practical instruction began in October, 1892, with 589 registered students, coming from nearly every Northern State, and including 250 gradu- ates from other institutions, to which accessions were made, during the year, raising the aggregate to over 900. The second year the number ex- ceeded 1,100; the third, it rose to 1,750, and the fourth (1895-96), to some 2,000, including repre- sentatives from every State of the Union, besides many from foreign countries. Special features of the institution include the admission of gradu- ates from other institutions to a post-graduate course, and the University Extension Division, which is conducted largely by means of lecture courses, in other cities, or through lecture centers in the vicinity of the University, non-resident students having the privilege of written exami- nations. The various libraries embrace over 300,000 volumes, of which nearly 60,000 belong to what are called the "Departmental Libraries," besides a large and valuable collection of maps and pamphlets.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (The Old), an educational institution at Chicago, under the care of the Baptist denomination, for some years known as the Douglas University. Senator Stephen A. Douglas offered, in 1854, to donate ten acres of land, in what was then near the southern border of the city of Chicago, as a site for an institution of learning, provided buildings cost- ing $100,000, be erected thereon within a stipu- lated time. The corner-stone of the main building was laid, July 4, 1857, but the financial panic of that year prevented its completion, and Mr. Doug- las extended the time, and finally deeded the land to the trustees without reserve. For eighteen years the institution led a precarious existence, struggling under a heavy debt. By 1885, mort- gages to the amount of $320,000 having accumu- lated, the trustees abandoned further effort, and acquiesced in the sale of the property under fore- closure proceedings. The original plan of the institution contemplated preparatory and col- legiate departments, together with a college of law and a theological school.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, the leading edu- cational institution under the control of the State, located at Champaign and Urbana. It was founded in 1867, although, as early as 1863, the Legislature had accepted an act of Congress of July 2, 1862, which provided for the granting of large tracts of public lands to States which should undertake to found colleges, where agri- culture and the mechanic arts should be taught, though not to the exclusion of classical and scien- tific studies. Under this act Illinois was entitled to 480,000 acres,-30,000 acres for each Sena- tor and Representative in Congress-and land- scrip therefor was issued and placed in the hands of Governor Yates. Under the State law, a Board . of Trustees was appointed and organized in March, 1867-the institution being formally located the same year. Departments and courses of study were decided upon, and Dr. John M. Gregory of Michigan, chosen Regent. Of the land granted by Congress,, 25,000 acres were reserved, and 455,000 sold for $319,178. Subsequently, some 9,000 acres more were sold for $121,640, and the land undisposed of will, it is thought, ultimately swell the endowment fund to $600,000. The mechanical building was begun and completed in 1871, and it is claimed that this was the first machine shop erected in America, for strictly educational purposes. The main building was formally opened in December, 1873. Various other buildings were erected later, as necessity required. The various courses of study open to matriculates include agriculture, chemistry, polytechnics, military tactics, natural and gen- eral science, literature, and trade and commerce, to which medicine was added, by the affiliation of the Chicago College of Physicians and Sur- geons, in 1897. Since 1871 the institution has been open to women. The State laboratory is located there and an experiment station was established in 1887. Quarterly bulletins, showing the results obtained at the latter, are sent to all farmers throughout the State who may desire them. The University's revenues were still further increased, in 1890, by a Congressional donation of $15,000 per annum to each institution organized under the act of 1862, the same to be increased $1,000 anually, until the amount should reach $25,000. A new engineering hall was dedicated in 1894, and a library building in 1895. The value of property aggregates nearly $1,500,000. The first name of the institution was the Illinois Industrial University, but, in 1885, this was changed to the "University of Illinois." In 1887 the Trustees (of whom there are nine)

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Natural History Hall. University Hall.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA.

Library Hall. Campus View.

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Military Hall. Machinery Hall.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, URBANA.

Engineering Hall. Chemical Laboratory.

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were made elective by popular vote-three being elective every two years. Dr. Gregory resigned the office of Regent in 1880, and was succeeded by Dr. Selim H. Peabody, who had theretofore filled the chair of mechanical engineering and physics. Dr. Peabody having resigned in 1891, the duties of Regent were discharged by Prof. Thomas J. Burrill, until August, 1894, when Dr. Andrew Sloan Draper, former State Superintend- ent of Public Instruction for the State of New York, was installed as President. The corps of instruction includes some thirty Professors, with an equal number of Assistant Professors, and over forty Instructors and Assistants, besides a number of special lecturers, demonstrators and teachers in the Preparatory Department, not in- cluding the Medical Department located in Chi- cago. The total number of students during the year 1898-99 was 1,824, of whom 1,492 were men and 332 women. Of these, 867 were connected with the Literary Department (or college proper), 26 with the Winter School of Agriculture, 71 with the Law School, 514 with the School of Medicine, 158 with the School of Pharmacy and 179 with the Preparatory Department. The total appropriations made by the State to the University, up to the beginning of the year 1896, amounted to $1,303,000. During the year 1895 a new Machinery Building (50x250 feet) was com- pleted and dedicated. The other buildings com- prise a Chemical Laboratory, Wood and Metal Shops, Engineering Hall, Mechanical and Elec- trical Laboratory, Military Hall, Natural History Hall, Astronomical Observatory, University Hall and Art Gallery. A Library Building, 167 by 113 feet, and capable of accommodating a library of 150,000 volumes, is one of the latest structures erected, having been dedicated, with appropriate ceremonies, June 8, 1897. The University Li- brary embraces 40,000 volumes and 2,500 pam- phlets, besides 7,000 volumes and 16, 000 pamphlets in the State Laboratory of Natural History and the Agricultural Experiment Station. The insti- tution was seriously embarrassed financially, for a time, in consequence of the illegal use of its funds by the Treasurer in office between 1893 and 1897, but the losses were made good by act of the Fortieth General Assembly, at its regular session in 1897, appropriating funds for its reim- bursement. Attendance for the year 1899-00, 2,250.

UNORGANIZED COUNTIES. In addition to the 102 counties into which Illinois is divided, acts were passed by the General Assembly, at different times, providing for the organiza- tion of a number of others, a few of which

were subsequently organized under different names, but the majority of which were never organized at all-the proposition for such or- ganization being rejected by vote of the people within the proposed boundaries, or allowed to lapse by non-action. These unorganized coun- ties, with the date of the several acts authorizing them, and the territory which they were in- tended to include, were as follows: Allen County (1841) - comprising portions of Sanga- mon, Morgan and Macoupin Counties; Audobon (Audubon) County (1843)-from portions of Mont- gomery, Fayette and Shelby; Benton County (1843)-from Morgan, Greene and Macoupin; Coffee County (1837)-with substantially the same territory now comprised within the bound- aries of Stark County, authorized two years later; Dane County (1839)-name changed to Christian in 1840; Harrison County (1855)- from McLean, Champaign and Vermilion, com- prising territory since partially incorporated in Ford County; Holines County (1857)-from Champaigu and Vermilion; Marquette County (1843), changed (1847) to Highland-compris- ing the northern portion of Adams, (this act was accepted, with Columbus as the county- seat, but organization finally vacated); Michi- gan County (1837)-from a part of Cook; Milton County (1843)-from the south part of Vermil- ion; Okaw County (1841)-comprising substan- tially the same territory as Moultrie, organized under act of 1843; Oregon County (1851)-from parts of Sangamon, Morgan and Macoupin Coun- ties, and covering substantially the same terri- tory as proposed to be incorporated in Allen County ten years earlier. The last act of this character was passed in 1867, when an attempt was made to organize Lincoln County out of parts of Champaign and Vermilion, but which failed for want of an affirmative vote.

UPPER ALTON, a city of Madison County, situated on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, about 11/2 miles northeast of Alton-laid out in 1816. It has several churches, and is the seat of Shurtleff College, an institution controlled by the Baptist denomination. Beds of excellent clay are found in the vicinity, and the city has manufactories of brick, tile (drain and roofing) and of stoneware. Population (1880), 1,534; (1890), 1,803.

UPTON, George Putnam, journalist, was born at Roxbury, Mass., Oct. 25, 1834; graduated from Brown University in 1854, removed to Chicago in 1855, and began newspaper work on "The Native American," the following year taking the place of city editor of "The Evening Jour-

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nal." In 1862, Mr. Upton became musical critic on "The Chicago Tribune," serving for a time also as its war correspondent in the field, later (about 1881) taking a place on the general edi- torial staff, which he still retains. He is regarded as an authority on musical and dramatic topics. Mr. Upton is also a stockholder in, and, for sev- eral years, has been Vice-President of the "Trib- une" Company. Besides numerous contributions to magazines, his works include: "Letters of Peregrine Pickle" (1869) ; "Memories, a Story of German Love," translated from the German of Max Muller (1879) ; "Woman in Music" (1880) ; "Lives of German Composers" (3 vols .- 1883-84) ; besides four volumes of standard operas, oratorios, cantatas, and symphonies (1885-88).

URBANA, a city, and the county-seat of Champaign County ; situated on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis, the Illinois Cen- tral and the Wabash Railways. It is 31 miles west of Danville and 50 miles east-southeast of Bloomington. Agriculture and coal-mining are conducted in the surrounding region. The city's mechanical industries include two flouring mills, a foundry, a machine shop, and manufac- tories of farm implements and of furniture. There are five churches, two banks (one National), and one daily and two weekly news- papers. Urbana is the seat of the University of Illinois. Population (1880), 2,942; (1890), 3,511.

USREY, William J., editor and soldier, was born at Washington (near Natchez), Miss., May 16, 1827; was educated at Natchez, and, before reaching manhood, came to Macon County, Ill., where he engaged in teaching until 1846, when he enlisted as a private in Company C, Fourth Illinois Volunteers, for the Mexican War. In 1855, he joined with a Mr. Wingate in the estab- lishment, at Decatur, of "The Illinois State Chron- icle," of which he soon after took sole charge, conducting the paper until 1861, when he enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteers and was appointed Adjutant. Although born and edu- cated in a slave State, Mr. Usrey was an earnest opponent of slavery, as proved by the attitude of his paper in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill. He was one of the most zealous endorsers of the proposition for a conference of the Anti- Nebraska editors of the State of Illinois, to agree upon a line of policy in opposition to the further extension of slavery, and, when that body met at Decatur, on Feb. 22, 1856, he served as its Secre- tary, thus taking a prominent part in the initial steps which resulted in the organization of the Republican party in Illinois. (See Anti-Nebraska

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 108

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1388

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388