Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 94

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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Rock"-is a peculiar grotto-like formation, caused by a ravine which enters the Vermilion at this point. Ascending this ravine from its mouth, for a quarter of a mile, between almost perpen- dicular walls, the road terminates abruptly at a dome-like overhanging rock which widens at this point to about 150 feet in diameter at the base, with a height of about 75 feet. A clear spring of water gushes from the base of the cliff, and, at certain seasons of the year, a beautiul water-fall pours from the cliffs into a little lake at the bot- tom of the chasm. There is much other striking scenery higher up, on both the Illinois and Fox Rivers .- A point which arrested the attention of the earliest explorers in this region was Mount Joliet, near the city of that name. It is first mentioned by St. Cosme in 1698, and has been variously known as Monjolly, Mont Jolie, Mount Juliet, and Mount Joliet. It had an elevation, in early times, of about 30 feet with a level top 1,300 by 225 feet. Prof. O. H. Marshall, in "The American Antiquarian," expresses the opinion that, originally, it was an island in the river, which, at a remote period, swept down the valley of the Des Plaines. Mount Joliet was a favorite rallying point of Illinois Indians, who were accustomed to hold their councils at its base .- The scenery along Rock River is not striking from its boldness, but it attracted the attention of early explorers by the picturesque beauty of its groves, undulating plains and sheets of water. The highest and most abrupt elevations are met with in Jo Daviess County, near the Wisconsin State line. Pilot Knob, a natural mound about three miles south of Galena and two miles from the Mississippi, has been a landmark well known to tourists and river men ever since the Upper Mississippi began to be navigated. Towering above the surrounding bluffs, it reaches an alti- tude of some 430 feet above the ordinary level of Fever River. A chain of some half dozen of these mounds extends some four or five miles in a north- easterly direction from Pilot Knob, Waddel's and Jackson's Mounds being conspicuous among them. There are also some castellated rocks around the city of Galena which are very strik- ing. Charles Mound, 'belonging to the system already referred to, is believed to be the highest elevation in the State. It stands near the Wis- consin State line, and, according to Prof. Rolfe, has an altitude of 314 feet above the Illinois Cen- tral Railroad at Scales' Mound Station, and, 1,257 feet above the Gulf of Mexico.

SCHAUMBERG, a village in Schaumberg Township, Cook County. Population, 573.

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SCHNEIDER, George, journalist and banker, was born at Pirmasens, Bavaria, Dec. 13, 1823. Being sentenced to death for his participation in the attempted rebellion of 1848. he escaped to America in 1849, going from New York to Cleve- land, and afterwards to St. Louis. There, in con- nection with his brother, he established a German daily-"The New Era"-which was intensely anti-slavery and exerted a decided political influ- ence, especially among persons of German birth. In 1851 he removed to Chicago, where he became editor of "The Staats Zeitung," in which he vigorously opposed the Kansas-Nebraska bill on its introduction by Senator Douglas. His attitude and articles gave such offense to the partisan friends of this measure, that "The Zeitung" was threatened with destruction by a mob in 1855. He early took advanced ground in opposition to slavery, and was a member of the convention of Anti-Nebraska editors, held at Decatur in 1856, and of the first Republican State Convention, held at Bloomington the same year, as well as of the National Republican Conventions of 1856 and 1860, participating in the nomination of both John C. Fremont and Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency. In 1861 he was a member of the Chicago Union Defense Committee, and was appointed, by Mr. Lincoln, Consul-General at Elsinore, Denmark. Returning to America in 1862, he disposed of his interest in "The Staats Zeitung" and was appointed the first Collector of Internal Revenue for the Chicago District. On retiring from this office he engaged in banking, subsequently becoming President of the National Bank of Illinois, with which he was associated for a quarter of a century. In 1877 President Hayes tendered him the ministry to Switzerland, which he declined. In 1880 he was chosen Presi- dential Elector for the State-at-large, also serving for a number of years as a member of the Repub- lican State Central Committee.

SCHOFIELD, John McAllister, Major-General, was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y., Sept 29, 1831; brought to Bristol, Kendall County, Ill., in 1843, and, two years later, removed to Freeport ; graduated from the United States Military Acad- emy, in 1853, as classmate of Generals McPherson and Sheridan; was assigned to the artillery ser- vice and served two years in Florida, after which he spent five years (1855-60) as an instructor at West Point. At the beginning of the Civil War he was on leave of absence, acting as Professor of Physics in Washington University at St. Louis, but, waiving his leave. he at once returned to duty and was appointed mustering officer;

then, by permission of the War Department, entered the First Missouri Volunteers as Major, serving as Chief of Staff to General Lyon in the early battles in Missouri, including Wilson's Creek. His subsequent career included the organization of the Missouri State Militia (1862), command of the Army of the Frontier in South- west Missouri, command of the Department of the Missouri and Ohio, participation in the Atlanta campaign and co-operation with Sher- man in the capture of the rebel Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina -- his army having been transferred for this purpose, from Tennessee by way of Washington. After the close of the war he went on a special mission to Mexico to investigate the French occupation of that country ; was commander of the Department of the Potomac, and served as Secretary of War, by appointment of President Johnson, from June, 1868, to March, 1869. On retiring from the Cabi- net he was commissioned a full Major-General and held various Division and Department com- mands until 1886, when, on the death of General Sherman, he succeeded to the command of the Army, with headquarters at Washington. He was retired under the age limit, Sept. 29, 1895. His present home is in Washington.

SCHOLFIELD, John, jurist, was born in Clark County, Ill., in 1834; acquired the rudiments of an education in the common schools during hoy- hood, meanwhile gaining some knowledge of the higher branches through toilsome application to text-books without a preceptor. At the age of 20 he entered the law school at Louisville, Ky., graduating two years later, and beginning prac- tice at Marshall, Ill. He defrayed his expenses at the law school from the proceeds of the sale of a small piece of land to which he had fallen heir. In 1856 he was elected State's Attorney, and, in 1860, was chosen to represent his county in the Legislature. After serving one term he returned to his professional career and succeeded in build- ing up a profitable practice. In 1869-70 he repre- sented Clark and Cumberland Counties in the Constitutional Convention, and, in 1870, became Solicitor for the Vandalia Railroad. In 1873 he was elected to fill the vacancy on the bench of the Supreme Court of the State for the Middle Grand Division, caused by the resignation of Judge Anthony Thornton, and re-elected without oppo- sition in 18,9 and 1888. Died, in office, Feb. 13, 1893. It has been claimed that President Cleve- land would have tendered him the Chief Justice- ship of the United States Supreme Court, had he not insistently declined to accept the honor.

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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

SCHOOL-HOUSES, EARLY. The primitive school-houses of Illinois were built of logs, and were extremely rude, as regards both structure and furnishing. Indeed, the earliest pioneers rarely erected a special building to be used as a school-house. An old smoke-house, an abandoned dwelling, an old block-house, or the loft or one end of a settler's cabin not unfrequently answered the purpose, and the church and the court-house were often made to accommodate the school. When a school-house, as such, was to be built, the men of the district gathered at the site selected. bringing their axes and a few other tools, with their ox-teams, and devoted four or five days to constructing a house into which, perhaps, not a nail was driven. Trees were ent from the public lands, and, without hewing, fashioned into a cabin. Sixteen feet square was usually con- sidered the proper dimensions. In the walls were cut two holes, one for a door to admit light and air, and the other for the open fireplace, from which rose a chimney, usually built of sticks and mud, on the outside. Danger of fire was averted by thickly lining the inside of the chimney with clay mortar. Sometimes, but only with great labor, stone was substituted for mortar made from the clay soil. The chimneys were always wide, seldom less than six feet, and sometimes extending across one entire end of the building. The fuel used was wood cut directly from the forest, frequently in its green state. dragged to the spot in the form of logs or entire trees to be cut by the older pupils in lengths suited to the width of the chimney. Occasionally there was no chimney, the fire, in some of the most primi- tive structures, being built on the earth and the smoke escaping through a hole in the roof. In such houses a long board was set up on the wind- ward side, and shifted from side to side as the wind varied. Stones or logs answered for andirons, clapboards served as shovels, and no one complained of the lack of tongs. Roofs were made of roughly split clapboards, held in place by "weight poles" laid on the hoards, and by sup- ports starting from "eaves poles." The space between the logs, which constituted the walls of the building, was filled in with blocks of wood or "chinking," and the crevices, both exterior and interior, daubed over with clay mortar, in which straw was sometimes mixed to increase its adhesiveness. On one side of the structure one or two logs were sometimes cut out to allow the admission of light; and, as glass could not always be procured, rain and snow were excluded and light admitted by the use of greased paper. Over

this space a board, attached to the outer wall by leather hinges, was sometimes suspended to keep out the storms. The placing of a glass window in a country school-house at Edwardsville, in 1824, was considered an important event. Ordi- narily the floor was of the natural earth, although this was sometimes covered with a layer of clay, firmly packed down. Only the more pretentious school-houses had "puncheon floors"; i. e., floors made of split logs roughly hewn. Few had "ceilings" (so-called), the latter being usually made of clapboards, sometimes of bark, on which was spread earth, to keep out the cold. The seats were also of puncheons (without backs) supported on four legs made of pieces of poles inserted through augur holes. No one had a desk, except the advanced pupils who were learning to write. For their convenience a broader and smoother puncheon was fastened into the wall by wooden pins, in such a way that it would slope downward toward the pupil, the front being supported by a brace extending from the wall. When a pupil was writing he faced the wall. When he had finished this task, he "reversed him- self" and faced the teacher and his schoolmates. These adjuncts completed the furnishings, with the exception of a split-bottomed chair for the teacher (who seldom had a desk) and a pail, or "piggin." of water, with a gourd for a drinking cup. Rough and uncouth as these structures were, they were evidences of public spirit and of appreciation of the advantages of education. They were built and maintained by mutual aid and sacrifice, and, in them, some of the great men of the State and Nation obtained that primary training which formed the foundation of their subsequent careers. (See Education.)

SCHUYLER COUNTY, located in the western portion of the State, has an area of 430 square miles, and was named for Gen. Philip Schuyler. The first American settlers arrived in 1823, and, among the earliest pioneers, were Calvin Hobart, William H. Taylor and Orris McCartney. The county was organized from a portion of Pike County, in 1825, the first Commissioners being Thomas Blair, Thomas McKee and Samuel Hor- ney. The Commissioners appointed to locate the county-seat, selected a site in the eastern part of the county ahout one mile west of the present village of Pleasant View, to which the name of Beardstown was given, and where the earliest court was held, Judge John York Sawyer presid- ing, with Hart Fellows as Clerk, and Orris Mc- Cartney, Sheriff. This location, however, proving unsatisfactory, new Commissioners were ap-

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pointed, who, in the early part of 1826, selected the present site of the city of Rushville, some five miles west of the point originally chosen. The new seat of justice was first called Rushton, in honor of Dr. Benjamin Rush, but the name was afterwards changed to Rushville. Ephraim Eggleston was the pioneer of Rushville. The surface of the county is rolling, and the region contains excellent farming land, which is well watered by the Illinois River and numerous creeks. Population (1880), 16,249; (1890), 16,213.

SCHWATKA, Frederick, Arctic explorer, was born at Galena, Ill., Sept. 29, 1849; graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1871, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Third Cavalry, serving on the frontier until 1877, meantime studying law and medicine, being admitted to the bar in 1875, and graduating in medicine in 1876. Having his interest excited by reports of traces of Sir John Franklin's expedi- tion, found by the Esquimaux, he obtained leave of absence in 1878, and, with Wm. H. Gilder as second in command, sailed from New York in the "Eothen," June 19, for King William's Land. The party returned, Sept. 22, 1880, having found and buried the skeletons of many of Franklin's party, besides discovering relics which tended to clear up the mystery of their fate. During this period he made a sledge journey of 3,251 miles. Again, in 1883, he headed an exploring expedition up the Yukon River. After a brief return to army duty he tendered his resignation in 1885, and the next year led a special expedition to Alaska, under the auspices of "The New York Times," later making a voyage of discovery among the Aleutian Islands. In 1889 he con- ducted an expedition to Northern Mexico, where he found many interesting relics of Aztec civili- zation and of the cliff and cave-dwellers. He received the Roquette Arctic Medal from the Geographical Society of Paris, and a medal from the Imperial Geographical Society of Russia; also published several volumes relating to his re- searches, under the titles, "Along Alaska's Great River"; "The Franklin Search Under Lieutenant Schwatka"; "Nimrod of the North"; and "Children of the Cold." Died, at Portland, Ore., Nov. 2, 1892.

SCOTT, James W., journalist, was born in Walworth County, Wis., June 26, 1849, the son of a printer. editor and publisher. While a boy he accompanied his father to Galena, where the latter established a newspaper, and where he learned the printer's trade. After graduating from the Galena high school, he entered Beloit

College, but left at the end of his sophomore year. Going to New York, he became interested in flori- culture, at the same time contributing short articles to horticultural periodicals. Later he was a compositor in Washington. His first news- paper venture was the publication of a weekly newspaper in Maryland in 1872. Returning to Illinois, conjointly with his father he started "The Industrial Press" at Galena, but, in 1875, removed to Chicago. There he purchased "The Daily National Hotel Reporter," from which he withdrew a few years later. In May, 1881, in conjunction with others, he organized The Chi- cago Herald Company, in which he ultimately secured a controlling interest. His journalistic and executive capability soon brought additional responsibilities. He was chosen President of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, of the Chicago Press Club, and of the United Press -the latter being an organization for the collec- tion and dissemination of telegraphic news to jouruals throughout the United States and Can- ada. He was also conspicuously connected witlı the preliminary organization of the World's Columbiau Exposition, and Chairman of the Press Committee. In 1893 he started an evening paper at Chicago, which he named "The Post." Early in 1895 he purchased "The Chicago Times." intending to consolidate it with "The Herald." but before the final consummation of his plans, he died suddenly, while on a business visit in New York, April 14, 1895.

SCOTT, John M., lawyer and jurist, was born in St. Clair County, Ill., August 1, 1824; his father being of Scotch-Irish descent and his mother a Virginian. His attendance upon dis- trict schools was supplemented by private tuition, and his early education was the best that the comparatively new country afforded. He read law at Belleville, was admitted to the bar in 1848, removed to McLean County, which con- tinued to be his home for nearly fifty years. He served as County School Commissioner from 1849 to 1852, and, in the latter year, waselected County Judge. In 1856 he was an unsuccessful Repub- lican candidate for the State Senate, frequently speaking from the same platform with Abraham Lincoln. In 1862 he was elected Judge of the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, to succeed David Davis on the elevation of the latter to the bench of the United States Supreme Court, and was re-elected in 1867. In 1870, a new judicial election being rendered necessary by the adoption of the new Constitution, Judge Scott was chosen Justice of the Supreme Court

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for a term of nine years; was re-elected in 1879, but declined a renomination in 1888. The latter years of his life were devoted to his private affairs. Died, at Bloomington, Jan. 21, 1898. Shortly before his death Judge Scott published a volume containing a History of the Illinois Supreme Court, including brief sketches of the early occupants of the Supreme Court bench and early lawyers of the State.

SCOTT, Matthew Thompson, agriculturist and real-estate operator, was born at Lexington, Ky., Feb. 24, 1828; graduated at Centre College in 1846, then spent several years looking after his father's landed interests in Ohio, when he came to Illinois and invested largely in lands for him- self and others. He laid out the town of Chenoa in 1856; lived in Springfield in 1870-72, when he removed to Bloomington, where he organized the McLean County Coal Company, remaining as its head until his death; was also the founder of "The Bloomington Bulletin," in 1878. Died, at Bloomington, May 21, 1891.

SCOTT, Owen, journalist and ex-Congressman, was born in Jackson . Township, Effingham County, Ill., July 6, 1848, reared on a farm, and, after receiving a thorough common-school edu- cation, became a teacher, and was, for eight years, Superintendent of Schools for his native county. In January, 1874, he was admitted to the bar, but abandoned practice, ten years later, to engage in newspaper work. His first publi- cation was "The Effingham Democrat," which he left to become proprietor and manager of "The Bloomington Bulletin." He was also publisher of "The Illinois Freemason," a monthly periodi- cal. Before removing to Bloomington he filled the offices of City Attorney and Mayor of Effing- ham, and also served as Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue. In 1890 he was elected as a Democrat from the Fourteenth Illinois District to the Fifty-second Congress. In 1892 he was a candidate for re-election, but was defeated by his Republican opponent, Benjamin F. Funk. Dur- ing the past few years, Mr. Scott has been editor of "The Bloomington Leader."

SCOTT COUNTY, lies in the western part of the State adjoining the Illinois River, and has an area of 248 square miles. The region was origi- nally owned by the Kickapoo Indians, who ceded it to the Government by the treaty of Edwardsville, July 30, 1819. Six months later (in January, 1820) a party of Kentuckians settled near Lynnville (now in Morgan County), their names being Thomas Stevens, James Scott, Alfred Miller, Thomas Allen, John Scott and

Adam Miller. Allen erected the first house in the county, John Scott the second and Adam Miller the third. About the same time came Stephen M. Umpstead, whose wife was the first white woman in the county. Other pioneers were Jedediah Webster, Stephen Pierce, Joseph Dens- more, Jesse Roberts, and Samuel Bogard. The country was rough and the conveniences of civi- lization few and remote. Settlers took their corn to Edwardsville to be ground, and went to Alton for their mail. Turbulence early showed itself, and, in 1822, a band of "Regulators" was organized from the best citizens, who meted out a rough and ready sort of justice, until 1830, occasionally shooting a desperado at his cabin door. Scott County was cut off from Morgan and organized in 1839. It contains good farming land, much of it being originally timbered, and it is well watered by the Illinois River and numerous small streams. Winchester is the county-seat. Population of the county (1880), 10,741; (1890), 10,304.

SCRIPPS, John L., journalist, was born near Cape Girardeau, Mo., Feb. 18, 1818; was taken to Rushville, Ill., in childhood, and educated at McKendree College; studied law and came to Chicago in 1847, with the intention of practicing, but, a year or so later, bought a third interest in "The Chicago Tribune," which had been estab- lished during the previous year. In 1852 he withdrew from "The Tribune," and, in conjunc- tion with William Bross (afterwards Lieuten- ant-Governor), established "The Daily Demo- cratic Press," which was consolidated with "The Tribune" in July, 1858, under the name of "The Press and Tribune," Mr. Scripps remaining one of the editors of the new concern. In 1861 he was appointed, by Mr. Lincoln, Postmaster of the city of Chicago, serving until 1865, when, having sold his interest in "The Tribune," he engaged in the banking business as a member of the firm of Scripps, Preston & Kean. His health, however, soon showed signs of failure, and he died, Sept. 21, 1866, at Minneapolis, Minn., whither he had gone in hopes of restoration. Mr. Scripps was a finished and able writer who did much to elevate the standard of Chicago journalism.

SCROGGS, George, journalist, was born at Wilmington, Clinton, County, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1842 -the son of Dr. John W. Scroggs, who came to Champaign County, Ill., in 1851, and, in 1858, took charge of "The Central Illinois Gazette." In 1866-67 Dr. Scroggs was active in securing the location of the State University at Champaign, afterwards serving as a member of the first Board

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of Trustees of that institution. The son, at the age of 15, became an apprentice in his father's printing office, continuing until 1862, when he enlisted as a private in the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being promoted through the positions of Sergeant-Major and Second Lieutenant, and finally serving on the staffs of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis and Gen. James D. Morgan, but declining a commission as Adju- tant of the Sixtieth Illinois. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and the march with Sherman to the sea, in the latter being severely wounded at Bentonville, N. C. He remained in the service until July, 1865, when he resigned; then entered the Uni- versity at Champaign, later studied law, mean- while writing for "The Champaign Gazette and Union," of which he finally became sole propri- etor. In 1877 he was appointed an Aid-de-Camp on the staff of Governor Cullom, and, the follow- ing year, was elected to the Thirty-first General Assembly, but, before the close of the session (1879), received the appointment of United States Consul to Hamburg, Germany. He was com- pelled to surrender this position, a year later, on account of ill-health, and, returning home, died, Oct. 15, 1880.

SEATONVILLE, a village in Hall Township, Bureau County. Population (1890), 536.

SECRETARIES OF STATE. The following is a list of the Secretaries of State of Illinois from its admission into the Union down to the present time (1899), with the date and duration of the term of each incumbent: Elias Kent Kane, 1818-22; Samuel D. Lockwood, 1822-23; David Blackwell. 1823-24; Morris Birkbeck, October, 1824 to January, 1825 (failed of confirmation by the Senate) ; George Forquer, 1825-28; Alexander Pope Field, 1828-40; Stephen A. Douglas, 1840-41 (served three months-resigned to take a seat on the Supreme bench) ; Lyinan Trumbull. 1841-43; Thompson Campbell, 1843-46; Horace S. Cooley, 1846-50; David L. Gregg. 1850-53; Alexander Starne, 1853-57; Ozias M. Hatch, 1857-65; Sharon Tyndale, 1865-69; Edward Rummel, 1869-73; George H. Harlow, 1873-81; Henry D. Dement, 1881-89; Isaac N. Pearson, 1889-93; William H. Hinrichsen, 1893-97; James A. Rose, 1897 -. Nathaniel Pope and Joseph Phillips were the only Secretaries of Illinois during the Territorial period, the former serving from 1809 to 1816, and the latter from 1816 to 1818. Under the first Con- stitution (1818) the office of the Secretary of State was filled by appointment by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 94

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