Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 9

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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now constituting a part of the Jacksonville di- vision of the Chicago & Alton Railroad; also served for many years as a Trustee of Illinois College. In the latter years of lfis life he was, for a considerable period, the law partner of ex-Gov- ernor and ex-Senator Richard Yates. Judge Berdan was the ardent political friend and admirer of Abraham Lincoln, as well as an inti- mate friend and frequent correspondent of the poet Longfellow, besides being the correspondent, during a long period of his life, of a number of other prominent literary men. Pierre Irving, the nephew and biographer of Washington Irving. was his brother-in-law through the marriage of a favorite sister. Judge Berdan died at Jackson- ville, August 24, 1884.

BERGEN, (Rev.) John G., pioneer clergyman, was born at Hightstown, N. J., Nov. 27, 1790; studied theology, and, after two years' service as tutor at Princeton and sixteen years as pastor of a Presbyterian church at Madison, N. J., in 1828 came to Springfield, Ill., and assisted in the erection of the first Protestant church in' the central part of the State, of which he remained pastor until 1848. Died, at Springfield, Jan. 17, 1872.

BERGGREN, Augustus W., legislator, born in Sweden, August 17, 1840; came to the United States at 16 years of age and located at Oneida. Knox County, Ill., afterwards removing to Gales- burg; held various offices, including that of Sheriff of Knox County (1873-81), State Senator (1881-89)-serving as President pro tem. of the Senate 1887-89, and was Warden of the State penitentiary at Joliet, 1888-91. He was for many years the very able and efficient President of the Covenant Mutual Life Association of Illinois, and is now its Treasurer.

BERGIER, (Rev.) J, a secular priest, born in France, and an early missionary in Illinois. He labored among the Tamaroas, being in chargeof the mission at Cahokia from 1700 to his death in 1710.

BERRY, Orville F., lawyer and legislator, was born in McDonough County, III., Feb. 16, 1852; early left an orphan and, after working for some time on a farm, removed to Carthage, Hancock County, where he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1877; in 1883 was elected Mayor of Carthage and twice re-elected; was elected to the State Senate in 1888 and '92, and, in 1891, took a prominent part in securing the enactment of the compulsory education clause in the common school law. Mr. Berry presided over the Repub- lican State Convention of 1896, the same year was a candidate for re-election to the State Senate,

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

but the certificate was awarded to his Democratic competitor, who was declared elected by 164 plurality. On a contest before the Senate at the first session of the Fortieth General Assembly, the seat was awarded to Mr. Berry on the ground of illegality in the rulings of the Secretary of State affecting the vote of his opponent.

BERRY, (Col.) William W., lawyer and sol- dier, was born in Kentucky, Feb. 22, 1834, and educated at Oxford, Ohio. His home being then in Covington, he studied law in Cincinnati, and, at the age of 23, began practice at Louisville, Ky., being married two years later to Miss Georgie Hewitt of Frankfort. Early in 1861 he entered the Civil War on the Union side as Major of the Louisville Legion, and subsequently served in the Army of the Cumberland, marching to the sea with Sherman and, during the period of his service, receiving four wounds. After the close of the war he was offered the position of Gov- ernor of one of the Territories, but, determining not to go further west than Illinois, declined. For three years he was located and in practice at Winchester, Ill., but removed to Quincy in 1874, where he afterwards resided. He always took a warm interest in politics and, in local affairs, was a leader of his party. He was an organizer of the G. A. R. Post at Quincy and its first Com- mander, and, in 1884-85, served as Commander of the State Department of the G. A. R. He organ- ized a Young Men's Republican Club, as he believed that the young minds should take an active part in politics. He was one of the com- mittee of seven appointed by the Governor to locate the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home for Illinois, and, after spending six months inspecting vari- ous sites offered, the institution was finally located at Quincy; was also Trustee of Knox College, at Galesburg, for several years. He was frequently urged by his party friends to run for public office, but it was so much against his nature to ask for even one vote, that he would not consent. He died at his home in Quincy, much regretted, May 6, 1895.

BESTOR, George C., legislator, born in Wash- ington City, April 11, 1811; was assistant docu- ment clerk in the House of Representatives eight years; came to Illinois in 1835 and engaged in real-estate business at Peoria; was twice ap- pointed Postmaster of that city (1842 and 1861) and three times elected Mayor; served as finan- cial agent of the Peoria & Oquawka (now Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad), and a Director of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw; a delegate to the Whig National Convention of 1852; a State

Senator (1858-62), and an ardent friend of Abra- ham Lincoln. Died, in Washington, May 14, 1872, while prosecuting a claim against the Government for the construction of gunboats during the war.

BETHALTO, a village of Madison County, on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, 25 miles north of St. Louis. Popula- tion (1880), 628; (1890), 879.

BETHANY, a village in Moultrie County, on the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railroad, 20 miles southeast of Decatur; is in a farming dis- trict; has a local newspaper. Population (1880), 269; (1890), 688.

BETTIE STUART INSTITUTE, an institu- tion for young ladies at Springfield, Ill., founded in 1868 by Mrs. Mary McKee Homes, who con- ducted it for some twenty years, until her death. Its report for 1898 shows a faculty of ten instruct- ors and 125 pupils. Its property is valued at $23,500. Its course of instruction embraces the preparatory and classical branches, together with music, oratory and fine arts.

BEVERIDGE, James H., State Treasurer, was born in Washington County, N. Y., in 1828: served as State Treasurer, 1865-67, later acted as Secretary of the Commission which built the State Capitol. His later years were spent in superintending a large dairy farm near Sandwich, De Kalb County, where he died in January, 1896.

BEVERIDGE, John L., ex-Governor, was born in Greenwich, N. Y., July 6, 1824; came to Illi- nois, 1842, and, after spending some two years in Granville Academy and Rock River Seminary, went to Tennessee, where he engaged in teaching while studying law. Having been admitted to the bar, he returned to Illinois in 1851, first locat- ing at Sycamore, but three years later established himself in Chicago. During the first year of the war he assisted to raise the Eighth Regiment Illi- nois Cavalry, and was commissioned first as Cap- tain and still later Major; two years later became Colonel of the Seventeenth Cavalry, which he commanded to the close of the war, being mustered out, February, 1866, with the rank of brevet Brigadier-General. After the war he held the office of Sheriff of Cook County four years; in 1870 was elected to the State Senate, and, in the following year, Congressman-at-large to succeed General Logan, elected to the United States Senate; resigned this office in January, 1873, having been elected Lieutenant-Governor, and a few weeks later succeeded to the govern- orship by the election of Governor Oglesby to the United States Senate. In 1881 he was appointed,

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

by President Arthur, Assistant United States Treasurer for Chicago, serving until after Cleve- land's first election. His present home (1898), is near Los Angeles, Cal.

BIENVILLE, Jean Baptiste le Moyne, Sieur de, was born at Montreal, Canada, Feb. 23, 1680, and was the French Governor of Louisiana at the time the Illinois country was included in that province. He had several brothers, a number of whom played important parts in the early history of the province. Bienville first visited Louisi- ana, in company with his brother Iberville, in 1698, their object being to establish a French colony near the mouth of the Mississippi. The first settlement was made at Biloxi, Dec. 6, 1699, and Sanvolle, another brother, was placed in charge. The latter was afterward made Governor of Louisiana, and, at his death (1701), he was succeeded by Bienville, who transferred the seat of government to Mobile. In 1704 he was joined by his brother Chateaugay, who brought seven- teen settlers from Canada. Soon afterwards Iberville died, and Bienville was recalled to France in 1707, but was reinstated the following year. Finding the Indians worthless as tillers of the soil, he seriously suggested to the home gov- ernment the expediency of trading off the copper- colored aborigines for negroes from the West Indies, three Indians to be reckoned as equiva- lent to two blacks. In 1713 Cadillac was sent out as Governor, Bienville being made Lieutenant- Governor. The two quarreled. Cadillac was superseded by Epinay in 1717, and, in 1718, Law's first expedition arrived (see Company of the West), and brought a Governor's commission for Bienville. The latter soon after founded New Orleans, which became the seat of government for the province (which then included Illinois), in 1723. In January, 1724, he was again summoned to France to answer charges; was removed in disgrace in 1726, but reinstated in 1733 and given the rank of Lieutenant-General. Failing in vari- ous expeditions against the Chickasaw Indians, he was again superseded in 1743, returning to France, where he died in 1768.

BIGGS, William, pioneer, Judge and legislator, was born in Maryland in 1753, enlisted in the Revolutionary army, and served as an officer under Colonel George Rogers Clark in the expe- dition for the capture of Illinois from the British in 1778. He settled in Bellefontaine (now Monroe County) soon after the close of the war. He was Sheriff of St. Clair County for many years, and later Justice of the Peace and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He also represented his

county in the Territorial Legislatures of In- diana and Illinois. Died, in St. Clair County, in 1827.

BIGGSVILLE, a village of Henderson County, on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, 15 miles northeast of Burlington; has a bank and two newspapers; considerable grain and live- stock are shipped here. Population (1880), 358; (1890), 487.

BIG MUDDY RIVER, a stream formed by the union of two branches which rise in Jefferson County. It runs south and southwest through Franklin and Jackson Counties, and enters the Mississippi about five miles below Grand Tower. Its length is estimated at 140 miles.

BILLINGS, Aibert Merritt, capitalist, was born in New Hampshire, April 19, 1814, educated in the common schools of his native State and Vermont, and, at the age of 22, became Sheriff of Windsor County, Vt., Later he was proprietor for a time of the mail stage-coach line between Concord, N. H., and Boston, but, having sold out, invested his means in the securities of the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway and became identified with the business interests of Chicago. In the '50's he became associated with Cornelius K. Garrison in the People's Gas Company of Chi- cago, of which he served as President from 1859 to 1888. In 1890 Mr. Billings hecame extensively interested in the street railway enterprises of Mr. C. B. Holmes, resulting in his becoming the pro- prietor of the street railway system at Memphis, Tenn., valued, in 1897, at $3,000,000. In early life he had been associated with Commodore Vanderbilt in the operation of the Hudson River steamboat lines of the latter. In addition to his other business enterprises, he was principal owner and, during the last twenty-five years of his life, President of the Home National and Home Savings Banks of Chicago. Died, Feb. 7, 1897, leaving an estate valued at several millions of dollars.

BILLINGS, Henry W., was born at Conway, Mass., July 11, 1814, graduated at Amherst Col- lege at twenty years of age, and began the study of law with Judge Foote, of Cleveland, Ohio, was admitted to the bar two years later and practiced there some two years longer. He then removed to St. Louis, Mo., later resided for a time at Waterloo and Cairo, Ill., but, in 1845, settled at Alton ; was elected Mayor of that city in 1851, and the first Judge of the newly organized City Court, in 1859, serving in this position six years. In 1869 he was elected a Delegate from Madison County to the State Constitutional Convention of

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

1869-70, but died before the expiration of the ses- sion, on April 19, 1870.

BIRKBECK, Morris, early colonist, was born in England about 1762 or 1763, emigrated to America in 1817, and settled in Edwards County, Ill. He purchased a large tract of land and in- duced a large colony of English artisans, laborers and farmers to settle upon the same, founding the town of New Albion. He was an active, un- compromising opponent of slavery, and was an important factor in defeating the scheme to make Illinois a slave State. He was appointed Secre- tary of State by Governor Coles in October, 1824, but resigned at the end of three months, a hostile Legislature having refused to confirm him. A strong writer and a frequent contributor to the press, his letters and published works attracted attention both in this country and in Europe. Principal among the latter were: "Notes on a Journey Through France" (1815); "Notes on a Journey Through America" (1818), and "Letters from Illinois" (1818). Died from drowning in 1825, aged about 63 years. (See Slavery and Slave Laws.)

BISSELL, William H., first Republican Gov- ernor of Illinois, was born near Cooperstown, N. Y., on April 25, 1811, graduated in medicine at Philadelphia in 1835, and, after practicing a short time in Steuben County, N. Y., removed to Mon- roe County, Ill. In 1840 he was elected a Repre- sentative in the General Assembly, where he soon attained high rank as a debater. He studied law and practiced in Belleville, St. Clair County, be- coming Prosecuting Attorney for that county in 1844. He served as Colonel of the Second Illinois Volunteers during the Mexican War, and achieved distinction at Buena Vista. He represented Illi- nois in Congress from 1849 to 1855, being first elected as an Independent Democrat. On the pas- sage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, he left the Demo- cratic party and, in 1856, was elected Governor on the Republican ticket. While in Congress he was challenged by Jefferson Davis after an inter- change of heated words respecting the relative courage of Northern and Southern soldiers, spoken in debate. Bissell accepted the challenge, naming muskets at thirty paces. Mr. Davis's friends objected, and the duel never occurred. Died in office, at Springfield, Ill., March 18, 1860.

BLACK, John C., lawyer and soldier, was born at Lexington, Miss., Jan. 29, 1839, and re- moved with his parents to Illinois, in 1847. He graduated from Wabash College, Ind., and, in 1867, was admitted to the bar, beginning practice at Danville. He enlisted in the Union army at

the outbreak of the Rebellion, serving with gal- lantry and distinction from April 15, 1861, to August 15, 1865, retiring with the rank of Briga- dier-General by brevet. He was an unsuccessful candidate on the Democratic ticket for Lieuten- ant-Governor in 1872, and Delegate-at-large to the Democratic National Convention of 1864. Dur- ing President Cleveland's first term he became Commissioner of Pensions, filling that office from March 17, 1885, to March 27, 1889. On retiring from that office he removed to Chicago and, in 1892, was elected Congressman-at-large, on the Democratic ticket. In 1895 he was appointed by President Cleveland United States District Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, serving until the close of the year 1898.

BLACKBURN UNIVERSITY, located at Car- linville, Macoupin County. It owes its origin to the efforts of Dr. Gideon Blackburn, who, having induced friends in the East to unite with him in the purchase of Illinois lands at Government price, in 1837 conveyed 16,656 acres of these lands, situated in ten different counties, in trust for the founding of an institution of learning, intended particularly "to qualify young men for the gospel ministry." The citizens of Carlinville donated funds wherewith to purchase eighty acres of land, near that city, as a site, which was included in the deed of trust. The enterprise lay dormant for many years, and it was not until 1857 that the institution was formally incorpo- rated, and ten years later it was little more than a high school, giving one course of instruction considered particularly adapted to prospective students of theology. At present (1898) there are about 110 students in attendance, a faculty of twelve instructors, and a theological, as well as preparatory and collegiate departments. The institution owns property valued at $110,000, of which $50,000 is represented by real estate and $40,000 by endowment funds.

BLACK HAWK, a Chief of the Sac tribe of Indians, reputed to have been born at Kaskaskia in 1767. (It is also claimed that he was born on Rock River, as well as within the present limits of Hancock County.) Conceiving that his people had been wrongfully despoiled of lands belonging to them, in 1832 he inaugurated what is con- monly known as the Black Hawk War. His Indian name was Makabaimishekiakiak, signify- ing Black Sparrow Hawk. He was ambitious, but susceptible to flattery, and while having many of the qualities of leadership, was lacking in moral force. He was always attached to British inter- ests, and unquestionably received British aid of a

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

substantial sort. After his defeat he was made the ward of Keokuk, another Chief, which humiliation of his pride broke his heart. He died on a reservation set apart for him in Iowa, in 1838, aged 71. His body is said to have been exhumed nine months after death, and his articu- lated skeleton is alleged to have been preserved in the rooms of the Burlington (Ia.) Historical Society until 1855, when it was destroyed by fire. (See also Black Hawk War.)

BLACKSTONE, Timothy B., Railway Presi- dent, was born at Branford, Conn., March 28, 1829. After receiving a common school educa- tion, supplemented by a course in a neighboring academy, at 18 he began the practical study of engineering in a corps employed by the New York & New Hampshire Railway Company, and the same year became assistant engineer on the Stockbridge & Pittsfield Railway. While thus employed he applied himself diligently to the study of the theoretical science of engineering, and, on coming to Illinois in 1851, was qualified to accept and fill the position of division engineer (from Bloomington to Dixon) on the Illinois Cen- tral Railway. On the completion of the main line of that road in 1855, he was appointed Chief Engineer of the Joliet & Chicago Railroad, later becoming financially interested therein, and being chosen President of the corporation on the completion of the line. In January, 1864, the Chicago & Joliet was leased in perpetuity to the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company. Mr. Black- stone then became a Director in the latter organi- zation and, in April following, was chosen its President. This office he filled uninterruptedly until April 1,1899, when the road passed into the hands of a syndicate of other lines. He was also one of the original incorporators of the Union Stock Yards Company, and was its President from 1864 to 1868. His career as a railroad man was con- spicuous for its long service, the uninterrupted success of his management of the enterprises entrusted to his hands and his studious regard for the interests of stockholders. This was illustrated by the fact that, for some thirty years, the Chicago & Alton Railroad paid dividends on its preferred and common stock, ranging from 6 to 81% per cent per annum, and, on disposing of his stock conse- quent on the transfer of the line to a new corpora- tion in 1899, Mr. Blackstone rejected offers for his stock-aggregating nearly one-third of the whole -which would have netted him one million dol- lars in excess of the amount he actually received, because he was unwilling to use his position to reap an advantage over smaller stockholders.

BLACKWELL, Robert S., lawyer, was born at Belleville, Ill., in 1823. He belonged to a prominent family in the early history of the State, his father, David Blackwell, who was also a lawyer and settled in Belleville about 1819, having been a member of the Second General Assembly (1820) from St. Clair County, and also of the Fourth and Fifth. In April, 1823, he was appointed by Governor Coles Secretary of State, succeeding Judge Samuel D. Lockwood, after- wards a Justice of the Supreme Court, who had just received from President Monroe the appoint- ment of Receiver of Public Moneys at the Edwardsville Land Office. Mr. Blackwell served in the Secretary's office to October, 1824, dnring a part of the time acting as editor of"The Illinois Intelligencer," which had been removed from Kaskaskia to Vandalia, and in which he strongly opposed the policy of making Illinois a slave State. He finally died in Belleville. Robert Blackwell, a brother of David and the uncle of the subject of this sketch, was joint owner with Daniel P. Cook, of "The Illinois Herald"-after- wards "The Intelligencer" - at Kaskaskia, in 1816, and in April, 1817, succeeded Cook in the office of Territorial Auditor of Public Accounts, being himself succeeded by Elijah C. Berry, who had become his partner on "The Intelligencer," and served as Auditor until the organization of the State Government in 1818. Blackwell & Berry were chosen State Printers after the removal of the State capital to Vandalia in 1820, serving in this capacity for some years. Robert Blackwell located at Vandalia and served as a member of the House from Fayette County in the Eighth and Ninth General Assemblies (1832-36) and in the Senate, 1840-42. Robert S .- the son of David, and the younger member of this somewhat famous and historic family-whose name stands at the head of this paragraph, attended the common schools at Belleville in his boyhood, but in early manhood removed to Galena, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He later studied law with Hon. O. H. Browning at Quincy, beginning practice at Rushville, where he was associated for a time with Judge Minshall. In 1852 he removed to Chicago, having for his first partner Corydon Beckwith, afterwards of the Supreme Court, still later being associated with a number of prominent lawyers of that day. He is de- scribed by his biographers as "an able lawyer, an eloquent advocate and a brilliant scholar." "Blackwell on Tax Titles," from his pen, has been accepted by the profession as a high authority on that branch of law. He also published a revision

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

of the Statutes in 1858, and began an "Abstract of Decisions of the Supreme Court," which had reached the third or fourth volume at his death, May 16, 1863.

BLAIR, William, merchant, was born at Homer, Cortland County, N. Y., May 20, 1818, being descended through five generations of New England ancestors. After attending school in the town of Cortland, which became his father's residence, at the age of 14 he obtained employ- ment in a stove and hardware store, four years later (1836) coming to Joliet, Ill., to take charge of a branch store which the firm had established there. The next year he purchased the stock and continued the business on his own account. In August, 1842, he removed to Chicago, where he established the earliest and one of the most extensive wholesale hardware concerns in that city, with which he remained connected nearly fifty years. During this period he was associated with various partners, including C. B. Nelson, E. G. Hall, O. W. Belden, James H. Horton and others, besides, at times, conducting the business alone. He suffered by the fire of 1871 in common with other business men of Chicago, but promptly resumed business and, within the next two or three years, had erected business blocks, succes- sively, on Lake and Randolph Streets, but retired from business in 1888. He was a Director of the Merchants' National Bank of Chicago from its organization in 1865, as also for a time of the Atlantic & Pacific Telegraph Company and the Chicago Gaslight & Coke Company, a Trustee of Lake Forest University, one of the Managers of the Presbyterian Hospital and a member of the Chicago Historical Society. Died in Chicago, May 10, 1899.

BLAKELY, David, journalist, was born in Franklin County, Vt., in 1834; learned the print- er's trade and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1857. He was a member of a musical family which, under the name of "The Blakely Family," made several successful tours of the West. He engaged in journalism at Rochester, Minn., and, in 1862, was elected Secretary of State and ex-officio Superintendent of Schools, serving until 1865, when he resigned and, in partnership with a brother, bought "The Chicago Evening Post," with which he was connected at the time of the great fire and for some time after- ward. Later, he returned to Minnesota and became one of the proprietors and a member of the editorial staff of "The St. Paul Pioneer-Press." In his later years Mr. Blakely was President of the Blakely Printing Company, of Chicago, also

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 9

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