Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 134

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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POPULATION AND SOCIAL LIFE.

Although the white population of the city is very largely American, there is a considerable admixture of the foreign element. There are also about a thousand negroes. In the early years of its history the white inhabitants were almost wholly Americans and the number of negroes was small. With the building of the railroad came very many Irish, attracted by prospect of work in the construction gangs. A large Swedish immigration soon came, citizens of that nationality now forming by far the most numerous element of the foreign-born popuia- tion. Large numbers of them may be found in all the wards except the first and fifth. The Irish live mainly in the fifth and seventh. The negroes have two settlements-one in the west- ern part of the fifth ward, and another, about a third larger, in the fourth, extending east and west of the Knoxville road. The following table of population, taken chiefly from the United States Census returns, shows the growth of Galesburg more in detail:

Foreign

Population. born. Negroes.

1840

323

. . . .

....

1850

882

....

...

1853 (Estimated)

1,400

....

1856 (Estimated)

4,000

....

1860

4,953

....

1870

10,158

3,136

575

1880

11,437

4,124

1890

15,264

3,641

729

1899 (Estimated) 20,500

. . ....

The number of foreign-born given in the table includes the total for the whole county. In 1890 that total was 4,697. Assuming the ratlo to have been the same in 1880, the number of residents of foreign birth in the city in that year was about 3,300.

The social life of Galesburg is very active. The place is in touch with the outside world to a larger extent than is common with small places, owing to its excellent railroad facilities, and therefore does not fall into the rut of provincialism so deeply or easily as is often the case with towns of small size. This social life, however, in a sense radiates from the colleges. It is largely due to their influence that so many clubs exist here. Literary clubs, musical, social and business clubs fill a large part of Gales- burg life. Besides these there are numerous fraternal organizations for mutual aid. All these have caused the city to become widely known as most sociable and hospitable. The at- mosphere of the higher social life is distinctive- ly literary, a fact doubtless attributable to the influence of the schools as well as to that of the many literary clubs here among the ladies.

INSURANCE COMPANIES.

Through the fraternities have grown up two large life insurance companies, the Covenant Mutual Life Association, originally restricted to Odd Fellows, and the Scandinavian Mutual Aid Association. They do a very large amount of business. In fact, it is chiefly due to the immense volume of mail received and sent out by them that the Galesburg postoffice ranks eighth in the State as regards postal business and second in reference to money order re- ceipts. In 1883 the free delivery system was es- tablished, the first delivery being made April 1, 1883. In 1894 the office was moved into the new Government building on the southwest cor- ner of Cherry and Simmons streets. The first postmaster was Professor Nehemiah H. Losey.

HISTORICAL EPOCHS.

Galesburg history may be divided into four periods. The first extends from the inception of the town to the coming of the railroad, and includes the years between 1835 and 1854. Dur- ing this period Knox College was the life of the place. Then, too, Lombard was founded, and new growth was made, aside from Knox.

The second period is from 1854 to 1860. This was a time of great growth and activity, in- duced by the building of the railroad and the

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KNOX COUNTY.

general spirit of speculation then everywhere prevailing. It was also a time of great depres- sion, following the disastrous bank failures of the country and the consequent collapse of spec- ulation. The city charter was obtained in this period.

The third is from 1860 to 1887. The troubles growing out of the war; the grading of the pub- lic schools; the county seat controversy; the incorporation in 1876 under the general law; the erection of new county buildings; the com- ing of the Narrow Gauge railroad in 1882, and the building of the Rio branch of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy in 1886; the building of waterworks and the introduction of street paving; these are the features of these twenty- seven years. Speculation was dead, and the growth of the city was in small ratio, but preparation was made for the growth that bas come in the years that have followed. The culmination of the third period was the $60,000 subscription which secured the entry of the Santa Fe railroad.

The building of this road in 1887 ushered in the last period, extending from 1887 to the pres- ent time. This has been marked by increased activity in every line. New city improvements, waterworks, electric lights, twenty miles of pav- Ing, electric street cars, a new postoffice build- ing, new houses and new business blocks have Increased land values and improved the city almost beyond recognition. The times of panic have been a severe test of the worth and char- acter of past development. It is therefore proof of the solid basis of Galesburg's growth, that there have not been any serious failures, and it is the unanimous testimony of all observers, that Galesburg has endured the strain of hard times better than any other place of similar size In the West.

CHURCHES.

According to the last census there were in Knox County seventy-eight churches, worth $432,026, and eighty-three congregations, with 11,388 communicants.

MISSIONARY BAPTIST.

First Baptist Church. - Organized with thirty members, January 15, 1848. Edifice, northwest corner of Broad and Tompkins streets; dedicated in 1851; sold, with lot, for two thousand dollars in 1865, to the Board of Education. Frame building erected on Cherry street and dedicated April 9, 1868;

cost thirty thousand dollars; burned December 19, 1892. Present church dedicated January 21, 1894; cost, $33,800. In 1857, seceding members formed the Cherry Street Church, Rev. S. Kings- bury being the first pastor. The division sorely tried both churches, and Rev. I. Fargo, pastor of the Cherry Street Church, earnestly sought reunion, which finally was suggested by the First Church in a courteous note sent the Cherry Street congregation on October 9, 1864. The reunion was effected November 9, following, Rev. W. W. Moore being pastor. Rev. W. H. Geistweit is now pastor. It has five hundred and sixty members; one hundred and fifty in the Young People's Union, and three hundred in the Sunday school, which has been made one of the strongest in Galesburg by the efforts of E. R. Drake, Superintendent from 1880 to the present time, with the exception of eighteen months.

Second Baptist Church (African) .- Organized in the fall of 1865 by Revs.

J. W. Jackson and R. DeBaptiste, with ten members. Edifice, corner South and Cherry streets; pur- chased in 1867; property worth about five thou- sand dollars. First pastor, Rev. William Falk- ner; present pastor, Rev. D. E. Murff; member- ship, one hundred and eight.

Swedish Baptist Church. - Organized in November, 1888. Meetings first held at 314 East Main street. Sixty-five members, and about the same number of scholars in three Sunday schools, conducted at the hall, near Lin- coln street, and in East Galesburg. First pastor, Rev. G. Karlson. In 1898, the congregation erected a fine new edifice on North Chambers street, at a cost of about four thousand dollars. It is a handsome church, though small. Dedi- cated December 18, 1898. Present pastor, Rev. Axel Webster.

CATHOLIC.

St. Patrick's Church, corner Academy and Third streets. Corpus Christi, corner Prairie and South streets. Rev. J. O'Neil, came to St. Patrick's in 1857, being its first pastor. His successor, Rev. J. Power, completed the erection of the church edifice in 1863. In the Spring of 1864 came Rev. M. Howard, who re- mained till 1877. Rev. Joseph Costa then came to act as pastor, and to build Catholic schools. St. Patrick's was considered too small and in- conveniently located. Therefore, in May, 1884, the corner stone of Corpus Christi was laid, the building being dedicated by Bishop Spauld-

CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH.

CORPUS CHRISTI LYCEUM AND UNIVERSITY.

673

KNOX COUNTY.

ing, of Peoria, October 4, 1885. Cost, includ- ing lot, $35,000. Rectory just north of church. In 1888 the congregation was divided, half go- ing back to St. Patrick's, where Rev. J. Tonello Is pastor. About four hundred families in both parishes. Rev. Joseph Costa, still pastor of Corpus Christi, deserves most of the credit for the new church.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

Organized April 11, 1872. Building purchased May 26, 1872; abandoned, 1892. New church erected on West street, near Ferris, in that year; cost, twelve thousand dollars. First pastor, Rev. J. B. Allen; present, Rev. S. B. Moore. Member- ship, three hundred and thirty-two. Sunday- school enrollment, one hundred and forty; W. D. Godfrey, Superintendent.

CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS.

At one time the denomination had a church organization here, with John Wheeler as preacher. There is no preacher at present, but meetings are held every Sunday in Carr Hall.

CONGREGATIONAL.

Old First Church .- Its organization was almost coincident with the founding of Galesburg. In February, 1837, several meet- ings were held by Galesburg colonists, which resulted in the adoption of a Con- fession of Faith, on the twenty-fifth of that month. First pastor, Rev. George W. Gale; first installed pastor, Rev. H. H. Kellogg, in- stalled by Knox Presbytery February 3, 1846. By the end of 1845, three hundred and forty- two members' names were on the church roll. So many had been Congregationalists that a compromise with the strict Presbyterian form was necessary. In 1854 anti-slavery resolutions were passed, and the attention of the Presby- tery called to them. That body would not re- cede from its position, and on October 6, 1855, the church formally withdrew from connection with the Presbyterian communion, and in 1856, called itself the "First Church of Christ," in- stead of "Presbyterian Church of Galesburg," its original name. At first it had contained all the Galesburg Christians. Hence, when any denomination grew large enough, its adherents withdrew from the First Church and organized one of their own creed. Thus the First Church came to be known as the "Mother of Churches." Probably to this is due the fact that for several years all good enterprises requiring support from any large part of the community found

their starting point in the "Old First." The building was a great task for the early days. The work required several years, for the colon- ists had to be their own architects and con- tractors, masons and carpenters. The first Knox College Commencement exercises were held here in June, 1846, but the edifice was not dedicated until June, 1848. The audience room was for a long time the largest in Galesburg. The principal meetings of all kinds were held there, and the church came to be the most vener- able landmark in the city. But it became un- safe, and on January 1, 1895, the congregation reunited with the First Congregational Church, which had gone out in 1855, and the old build- ing was torn down. Its last pastor (the first pastor of the reunited Central Church) was Rev. O. F. Sherrill. There had been a total membership of 1,828, of whom four hundred and seventy-eight were active members when the reunion was effected.

First Congregational Church. - Organized November 9, 1855, by forty-seven members of the "Old First." By February, 1858, eighty-two more had joined from the old church. The first pastor was Rev. Edward Beecher. In 1856 the "Brick Church," on Broad street, between Simmons and Tompkins, was built at an outlay of fifteen thousand dollars. The great storm of May 13, 1858, blew over the tall spire, which was replaced by the short tower now surmounting the edifice. To aid in this repairing, Henry Ward Beecher, brother of the pastor, lectured in Galesburg, donating the proceeds to the church. Mrs. Henry Hitchcock presented the parsonage, on the corner of Broad and North streets. Rev. H. A. Bushnell, the last pastor, resigned in 1894. One thousand and sixty-two had joined the church, of whom three hundred and thirty-one were members when the union with the First Church was agreed upon.

Knox Street Church .- This society grew out of the Old Mission Sunday school, and was formed to meet the demand for a church in the southeastern part of the city. Organized in August, 1894, by Rev. W. H. Wannamaker, with twenty-two members. Edifice, corner of Day and Knox streets; dedicated June 24, 1895; cost, $3,700. Ground is owned for a parsonage. First pastor, Rev. E. E. Day; present pastor, Rev. J. R. Stead. Thirty-six members; one hundred and ninety-three Sunday school schol- ars, and sixty-five members of the Young Peo- ple's Society of Christian Endeavor.

674

KNOX COUNTY.

East Main Street Church .- Organized August 8, 1894, as the Union Congregational Church of Galesburg. Present name adopted in September, 1895. The congregation uses the chapel of "Old First." Cost of lot, where is room also for parsonage, and of moving chapel was $4,100. Present membership, seventy-one, with one hundred and twenty in the Sunday school, which was organized August 15, 1894. E. R. Gesler is Superintendent. Rev. B. F. Cokely, first pastor; Rev. Leroy Royce, present pastor.

Central Church .- Organized January 1, 1895, by the reunion of the First and First Con- gregational Churches. The congregation met in the "Brick Church" until December 4, 1898, when it moved into its new edifice, on the southwest corner of the public square, where the "Old First" had formerly stood. This is the hand- somest church building in the county. It is of raindrop sandstone, and cost $74,000. It seats nearly two thousand, has ample Sunday school room and a large choir loft. It is the pride of all Galesburg, and a lasting monument to local skill and industry, for architects and contractors are Galesburg men; Gottschalk and Beadle being the architects, and O. C. Housel the contractor. Rev. W. A. Vincent is pastor, and W. H. Spin- ner Sunday school superintendent. There are eight hundred and fifty communicants, and six hundred in the Sunday school; while the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor has a membership of one hundred and sixty.

EPISCOPAL.

St. John's Church .- Organized by Rev. C. A. Nybladh, with about two hundred and fifty members of the First Lutheran Church of Gales- burg, some of whom afterward returned to the Lutheran faith. A fine edifice has been started on the corner of Kellogg and Ferris streets, but it has not yet been completed, owing to lack of funds.

Grace Church .- Organized in the Spring of 1858. Church built in 1859, on southwest corner of Prairie and Tompkins streets. Property now worth seven thousand dollars. Rev. William T. Smithetle, first rector; at present Rev. E. F. Gee is in charge of the parish. Present membership, one hundred and ninety-five, with sixty schol- ars in Sunday school.

LUTHERAN.

First Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. -Organized August 24, 1851, by Rev. L. P. Esp-

jom. The congregation bought the old Method- ist Episcopal Church building. Present church, corner Seminary and Waters streets, built 1869. Parsonage two doors south of church. Prop- erty worth $27,000. First pastor, Rev. F. N. Hasselquist; at present, Dr. Peter Peterson. Membership, twelve hundred. Sunday school enrollment, five hundred and fifty-six.

Zion Lutheran .- In 1889, two hundred fam- ilies left the first Lutheran Church, under the guidance of Rev. C. A. Nybladh, to form an Episcopal church, now St. John's. Some wished to return to the Lutheran faith, and accordingly formed a church of their own. They meet in McKnight's Hall, but have no pastor at present.

German Lutheran Church .- Organized, 1864. Bought the old Universalist Church building, and held services there until 1882, when the present edifice was built on Tompkins, near Seminary street. Parsonage just east of church. Rev. A. E. Reinke, of Kewanee, preaches here every third Sunday. First pastor, Rev. G. Gruber. Church has twenty-five members and a Sunday school with twenty scholars.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL.

The first church organization was formed in 1847, by Rev. J. J. Hedstrom. A small edifice was erected in 1851, on the corner of Kellogg and Tompkins streets, where the present church stands. Peter Cartwright preached the dedi- catory sermon. It was merely an appointment in the Knoxville circuit until 1855, when Rev. M. S. Haney was assigned as a regular pastor. In 1872, the old parsonage was torn down and its site, which adjoined that of the church, was thrown into the church lot, and the adjacent property on the west was purchased. On the site thus obtained the present church building was begun. Dedicated February 27, 1876. Its cost was $32,000. In 1895, extensive repairs and improvements were made, involving an outlay of $20,000. The church has eight hundred and twenty members and six hundred and twenty- five in the Sunday school. The Epworth League is flourishing. Rev. T. W. McVety is the present pastor.

African Methodist Episcopal. - Edifice on Tompkins street, between Cherry and Prairie; erected in 1876; value about four thousand dol- lars. Membership about two hundred and fifty; and an enrollment of one hundred in the Sun- day school. Rev. J. W. Malone is pastor.

Swedish Methodist Episcopal .- Organized in 1851, by Rev. J. J. Hedstrom. First pastor, Rev.

CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, GALESBURG, ILL .- BUILT IN 1898-9,

675

KNOX COUNTY.

A. J. Anderson, who came in 1857, just after the first church was built. The present edifice, which stands on the corner of Waters and Kel- logg streets, was erected in 1872, at a cost of seventeen thousand dollars. Parsonage com- pleted in 1886, on lot just east of church. Mem- bership, three hundred and ten; Sunday school attendance, two hundred nd sixty-five. Present pastor, Rev. Olof Johnson.

Swedish Mission .- Organized in August, 1868, by forty members of the Lutheran Church, who had belonged to the Free Church of Sweden. Church built on Simmons street, near Kellogg, in 1869. Parsonage on East Grove street. Prop- erty worth ten thousand dollars. First pastor, Rev. Mr. Bergenskold. Rev. John Selstrom is pastor at present. The church has two hun- dred members and a Sunday school enrollment of one hundred and sixty.

PRESBYTERIAN.

First Presbyterian Church. (See "Old First" Church, under Congregational.)

Second Presbyterian Church .- Organized May 29, 1851, by a committee composed of G. W. Gale, D. D., Chairman, with thirty-seven mem- hers from the First Church. Merged in "Pres- byterian Church" in 1870. Rev. Dr. Gale was the first and Rev. S. Pratt the last pastor. Edi- fice built on South street, just east of Cherry, and used till 1856. Then was built a new church, at the corner of Main and Kellogg streets, at a cost of $2,500. On June 12, 1864, the corner stone of a new building on Cherry street, south of Tompkins, was laid. This was completed in 1865, and involved an outlay of $25,000.

Presbyterian Church .- Organized December 30, 1894, hy Revs. R. C. Matthews and T. S. Vaill, with eighteen members. Merged in a union church in 1870. Revs. T. S. Vaill, I. N. Candee, D. D., G. Norcross, D. D., and S. T. Wilson, D. D., have been its pastors. Edifice built in 1857, at the southwest corner of Cedar and North streets; removed in 1865 to a lot on Simmons street, at the head of Boone's avenue.

Presbyterian Church of Galesburg .- Formed by union of the two churches last mentioned on March 1, 1870. Rev. L. Pratt was the first pas- tor. At that time there were about three hun- dred members. Rev. W. H. Spence is the pres- ent pastor. The church has about five hundred communicants, and the Sunday school enroll- ment exceeds three hundred. The Young Peo- ple's Society of Christian Endeavor has a

membership of one hundred and fifty. The congregation occupied the edifice of the Second Church on Cherry street, until it burned, No- vember 30, 1891. The present building, on the corner of Ferris and Prairie streets, was dedi- cated December 3, 1893. It is a handsome structure, of gray sandstone, and cost $62,000. It was the first of the new stone churches here, and is the finest, with the exception of Central Church. It seats nine hundred in the audi- torium proper, and two thousand when the Sun- day school rooms are thrown open.

SALVATION ARMY.

Only one branch in Knox County. Located at Galesburg, with headquarters in its hall on south side of the public square.

UNIVERSALIST.

The society organization was completed in January, 1855. The church was organized under Dr. O. A. Skinner in the Fall of 1857. In the Autumn of 1855, the building of the Second Presbyterian Church was purchased. A new edifice was dedicated in January, 1864, its cost, including lot on the corner of Tompkins and Prairie streets, where the present church stands, being more than eleven thousand dollars. It was torn down May 6, 1894. The present edifice, a stone building costing $27,000, was dedicated May 5, 1895. Membership, one hundred and sixty, with a flourishing Sunday school. First pastor, Rev. William S. Ballou; present pastor, Rev. G. B. Stocking.

VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA.

Organized in the early part of 1896, at the time of the great split in the Salvation Army.

GALESBURG MISSION SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Founded in 1858, hy members of the Presby- terian and Congregational churches. Later other denominations joined in the work, but ultimately withdrew. At first a railroad car was used as a meeting-place, being furnished through the kindness of Superintendent H. Hitchcock. In 1861 a chapel was built on ground belonging to the Burlington road, and this was moved, in 1866, to its present location, on South Seminary street, near the Peoria track. At first a city missionary was appointed, Deacon Leon- ard serving until his death, February 11, 1865. But for some years no such appointment has been made. Much good has been accomplished through this medium, and one church (Knox Street Congregational) has grown out of it.

676

KNOX COUNTY.

THE PRESS.

The first newspaper in Knox County was the "Knox Intelligencer," edited and printed by Rev. C. R. Fisk, and first published in the early part of 1849. It lived about two years, during a part of which time the office was on the south- west corner of the public square. The second paper, the "Northwestern Gazeteer," was first issued September 23, 1849, Southwick Davis be- ing editor and manager. It also suspended pub- Iication after about two years. These papers were religious journals, the first being a Pres- byterian and the second a Congregationalist publication.

The "News-Letter" was started in the latter part of 1850 by W. S. Gale, G. C. Lanphere and Dr. James Bunce, taking the place of the "In- telligencer." It was the especial champion of the railroad project, and published some very good articles on the subject. Its office was on the west side of the public square. About 1852, it was purchased by S. G. Cowan, who changed its name to the "News-Letter and Henry County News." At first neutral in politics, it inclined to Free Soil doctrines toward the end of its existence. In the Fall of 1853, J. W. Lane pur- chased the paper, and it became the "Western Freeman." Mr. Lane injected an intense anti- slavery spirit into its columns, and it lived but two months. The plant was purchased by Southwick Davis and William H. Holcomb, who issued the first number of the "Galesburg Free Democrat" January 5, 1854, which was also anti-slavery in politics. November 30, 1854, William J. Woods purchased the paper, and B. F. Haskins became the editor, and was suc- ceeded by C. J. Sellon March 8, 1855. On July 26, 1855, it was bought by R. H. Whiting, S. W. Brown and D. H. Frisbie. November 1, 1855, S. D. McDonald took charge of it, and Decem- ber 11, 1855, W. J. Woods again bought it, Mr. Sellon once more becoming editor. In August, 1856, Mr. Woods sold out to J. H. Sherman, who, March 17, 1857, changed the name to "Daily Free Democrat." In 1865, Messrs. Bailey and McClelland purchased the plant and from it published the "Free Press." On November 20, 1872, they disposed of the journal to General M. S. Barnes, who for some time published both a daily and weekly edition. He changed the name to the "Leader" and later, in June, 1882, to "Press and People." In February, 1883, Ger- shom Martin bought the paper and published it as a democratic weekly until his death, early in 1894. In March of that year it passed into the

hands of the proprietors of the "Spectator," and was consolidated with that paper, which was at that time the only democratic paper in Gales- burg.

The "Spectator" had been founded about May 1, 1890, by M. F. Cunningham and A. G. Husted. They published it as partners, until August, 1894, when Mr. Cunningham bought out Mr. Husted. March 20, 1895, he sold a half interest to J. A. Andrews. They conducted the paper until Octo- ber 30, 1895, when Mr. Cunningham disposed of his interest to George Gallarno. Up to March 15, 1896, the journal was run under the firm name of Gallarno and Andrews. Then Mr. Gal- Iarno sold to his partner and Mr. Andrews pub- lished and edited the paper alone up to Septem- ber 15, 1898, when E. F. Sooy purchased a half interest. It is now a six column quarto weekly, and has a circulation of about eleven hundred.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 134

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