History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Illinois > Union County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 61
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 61
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 61

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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JUISTORY OF ALEXANDER COUNTY.

which position he has held ever since except during the interval of his Judgeship. When in the popular branch of the Legislature, he war Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and received that appointment from the Speaker. Hon. W. R. Morrison, because of his leadership in that body, a position he easily held, also, when he occupied a place in the State Senate.

Judge Green is now in the prime of his in- tellectnal life, and already has he filled the measure of a just ambition, not so much by the eminence of the political or judicial po- sitions he has filled. as by the unalloyed re- spect and confidence he has inspired in all men -- political friend or foe-in the many public and private positions of trust and honor be has filled during the years since hi- majority. As a practicing attorney in the various courts. it is the very highest compliment to his ability and integrity in the statement above of his long connection with the legal affairs in Southern Illinois, of the Central Railroad. a vast corporation, whose interests are counted by the millions of dollars-and which cannot afford to jeop- ardize ite welfare by the mistake of the em- ployment as ite representative of any but the beet talents.

We have attempted to illustrate his varied talents more by a brief reference to what he Lae done than by mere descriptive words of assertion. And, as we intimated above, his pen was wielded by the hand of a strong and able writer in politics, history of literature. The writer hereof at one time (this was sub) rom then) was associated with Judge Green in the general editorial of a daily Democrat- 1e paper, by which it was arranged he was to do the leading political articles, and the writer of these lines was to do the light skirmishing, the flying artillery, as it were, and it is not an overdrawn assertion to say

that here, in the midst of his other multi- plicity of labors, he did his work with facil- ity and great ability.

It is given to but few men to possess such varied talents and to so excel in all. It is the interesting story of an intellectual life, of great mental activity, of the highest order of integrity and a clear, ripe judgment.

Judge G W. Wall was born in Chilli- cothe, Ohio, April 22, 1839, the son of George T. and Maria H. (Adams) Wall, of Rhode Island. The family came to Illinois in 1899, and located in Perry County. George Willard Wall was a student in McKendree College, Illinois, but graduated at Michigan University in 1858. He then went to Cairo and read law in the office of C. I. Simons, and afterward attended the Cin- cinnati Law School, graduating in 1859, and was at once admitted to the bar, and located in Duquoin. In 1856, he was in the firm of Mulkey, Wall & Wheeler-office Cairo- which continued for six years. For many years, and until he was elected Circuit Judge, he was the attorney of the Illinois Central Railroad. He labored all his life under the disadvantage of being of slight stature, and had the smooth, beardless, boyish face that made him look too young and inexperienced to inspire confidence, yet his great talent forced the way to early recognition. In 1861, he was elected a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and took an ac- tive and prominent part in its deliberations, although the youngest member of that body. In 1864, he was elected State's Attorney for the Third Judicial District, where he served four years. In 1868, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention. In 1869, he was again elected to the State Con- stitutional Convention, and by the side of Judge Scholfield, was one of the best mem- bers of that strong body. He is now Judge

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HISTORY OF ALEXANDER COUNTY.

of the Circuit Court and of the Appellate Court, and in this position is esteemed by the bar of the State as one of our ablest Judges.

Reuben Sloan Yocum, the subject of this sketch, is descended on the mother's side from English-Irish stock, his grandfather, Col. John A. Sloan, Clarion County, Penn., having been of Irish extraction, and his great-grandmother a Cromwell. On the father's side, the descent is Swedish-Eng- lish. The Swedish ancestors came to this country in the seventeenth century and united later with their English neighbors, one of the families being the Balls, of Vir- ginina. His grandparents were married by the accomplished scholar, Rev. N. Collin, D. D., of Upsal, Sweden, who presided over the Wicaco Church, called Gloria Dei (Phil- adelphia from 1786 till 1831), and was the last pastor appointed by the crown, the col- onists having then become too thoroughly Anglicized to appreciate the mother tongue.

Shortly before the late civil war, and while Judge Yocum was a schoolboy, his parents moved from Kentucky to Cairo, Ill. There he entered the law office of Messrs. Mulkey & Baker, but no sooner had the lad been fairly introduced to the ponderous para- graphs of Blackstone than the tocsin of war sounded and he awoke one bright April morning to find the streets patroled and the commons alive with warriors of nondescript ap- pearance. The confusion in politics affected both social and business relations, and the youthful disciple of law was compelled to lay aside his ambitious projects and enter into active life. Living almost in the the- ater of war, he very naturally became con- nected with military operations. At the close of the war he was engaged in the com- mission and forwarding business. Afterward he accepted a position in the City National

Bank of Cairo, which he relinquished in 1872 to enter the race for the office of Circuit Clerk of Alexander County. He was elected, and during the term resumed his study of the law under his old preceptor, Judge Mul- key. Admitted to the bar before the Su- preme Court at Mount Vernon, June, 1877, elected County Judge November, 1877. Since the term closed in 1882, he has ap- plied himself to the practice of his pro- fession.

Judge Yocum is yet a young man, but lit- tle more than upon the threshold of life, and has builded wisely and well. Possessing abilities of a high order, a reputation for integrity unsurpassed, of the finest social qualities, his future is most bright and cheering, and will warrant his freinds in in- dulging .in the highest anticipations of his future life, which all hope may be long and pleasant.

Judge H. K. S. Omelveny, a native of Monroe County, Ill., was born about 1821. His father was one of the early pioneers in Illinois, and was a prominent politician and a man noted for strong rugged sense and manly, sterling qualities.

Judge Omelveny was commissioned Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, vice Breese, resigned, March 1, 1858, and served out the term and retired from the bench, command- ing the entire respect of all and the conti- dence of the entire bar. He was a man of elegant manners, pleasing address and kind- ness of heart. A thorough lawyer and of high integrity, his loss was greatly felt in Marion County when he removed his resi- dence to Cairo, immediately after the expira- tion of his term of office, in the early part of 1863. When he came to Cairo, he formed a partnership with Louis Honk, and the new firm at once entered upon a large and lucra- tive practice. In 1867, Judge Omelveny

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went to Los Angeles, Cal., and there in- vested largely in real estate, and made for himself an elegant home, where he now re- sides.

Louis Honck left Cairo about the same time and located in Cape Girardeau, where he is now the possessor of large wealth.

Hon. D. T. Linegar was born in Milford, Clermont Co., Ohio, February 12, 1830. While an infant, his father's family removed to Hamilton County, and from thence, in 1840, to Spencer, Ind. David T. here grew to be a young man, and profiting by the com- mon schools of the county was qualified at an early age and commenced life as a school teacher. He was too lazy to whip the children to death, and the consequence was he made a successful and popular teacher. While pursuing this occupation. he borrowed Black- stone and commenced reading law, and in 1856 he was admitted to the bar in Rockport, Ind. He then engaged in publishing a paper for one year in Princeton-the Courier -when he sold his printing office and en- tered upon the practice of his profession in that town. In 1856, he came to Wayne County, Ill., landing in the old town of Fairfield the day of the Presidential election. He probably now rejoices that he was de- prived of the folly of worse than throwing away his first vote for President on Fremont in that election. In 1861, he suffered the martyrdom of being imported into Cairo, as the Republican Postmaster, and after filling this position for a term, opened an office and resumed the practice of law. He was elected, as a Democrat, to the Legislature in 1880, and was re-elected in 1882, and is at present a member of the House, where, from his first entry, he has been a leading member. Linegar is not up in the books. In fact, what is called book education has had no attraction for him. It is said that for every

page of manuscript he ever wrote there were nearly as many mistakes as words, and yet his abilities as a lawyer, politician and ora- tor are 'of the highest type. He finds no equals in Southern Illinois as a speaker, either before a court, jury or upon the hust- ings, and his friends say of him that upon a moment's notice, and upon any subject, he can make a great speech and talk either an hour or a day just as his friends advise him they desire. Among the boys he is "Dave," genial, jolly, rotund and as plain and com- mon as an old shoe, and yet "scare him up," as Dr. Dunning says, when a speech is wanted at a town riot, a church festival, a political meeting or in an important law case in court, and he has but to pull up his coat collar, run his fingers through his hair a time or two and rub his eyes and he is ready to fill the emergency, no matter what it may be.

Among the ten thousand rare and inter- esting events in Linegar's life, was his race as a Republican for Congress against John A. Logan. Of course, Linegar had no hopes of an election, and yet it was a labor of love to follow Johnny all over the district and literally knife him upon every stump. Circumstances were all in favor of John, but he learned that with all these in his favor he was no match for Linegar, and he soon came to fear and shun him. Had the surroundings been changed, as is now the political faith of these two men, he would have run Logan into the river at the first encounter.

A carefully collected biography of the many interesting and amusing incidents of his life would be as interesting as the best romance, and we much regret that our space is too limited 'to give them in full.

Judge W. J. Allen was born in Wilson County, Tenn., June 9, 1828. His father, Willis Allen, also a native of Tennessee,

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removed to Williamson, Ill., in 1829, where he farmed until 1834, when he was elect- ed Sheriff of Franklin County. He was in the Legislature of 1838, and in 1841 was elected State's Attorney in the circuit com- prising thirteen of the counties of Southern Illinois. This occurred before he had read law or been even admitted to the bar. He was soon after licensed as an attorney, and became a prominent and able lawyer. He was four years in Congress, and was Judge of the Circuit Court at the time of his death, which occurred on the 17th of April, 1859, in the fifty-third year of his age.

William Joshua Allen was one of four brothers, two of whom were lawyers. John S. and Josiah J., and the other, Robert M., a merchant. The two former died; one, John S., in early life, and Josiah from in- juries received in the late war He was a Captain in an Illinois regiment.

William J. passed successfully, fought out the difficulties of the log schoolhouse, and was then transferred to the celebrated board- ing school of B. G. Roots, at Tamaroa, Ill., and afterward was deputy in the Circuit Clerk's office. In 1847 and 1848, he at- tended the law school at Louisville, Ky., and was admitted to the bar in June of the latter year, after which he located in Metrop- olis, where he soon grew to be a prominent lawyer. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislature from the counties of Johnson and Williamson, having removed to Williamson County and formed a partnership with his father. He served four years in the Legis- lature. He afterward formed a law partner- ship with John A. Logan. In 1859, he was elected Judge of the Twenty-sixth Judicial Circuit, succeeding his father to that office. In November, 1861, he was elected a mem- ber of the Constitutional Convention. In 1862, he was elected to Congress, vice John

A. Logan, resigned to go into the army. Judge Allen was re-elected to Congress and served out his term.

Judge Allen in all his positions in life- eminent as they were-has shown com- manding abilities. He is a ripe scholar, a great orator and a just Judge.

He now resides in Carbondale, having re- moved to that place from Cairo in 1874, ar. duously engaged in the practice of the law, and whether at home or before the highest courts of the nation, he finds but few equals and no superiors.

John M. Lansden's complete biography will be found in another part of this volume. Of all the lawyers that have in the past or that now make Cairo their home we know of none so thoroughly a lawyer who has made the fullest use of his books. He is a schol- arly man in the highest meaning of the term; a man who thinks out the great prin . ciples of the law and applies them with great force and clearness to a court. An ar- gument on a point of law always comes from his hands as complete and perfect as the finest classic. He is an ornament to the profession, an honor to the legal profession of the State.

Of the many lawyers who came to Cairo and engaged for a period in the practice of the law we can now recall Fountain E. Al- bright, now residing in Murphysboro; George S. Pidgeon, of Los Angeles, Cal .; Lewis P Butler, Patrick H. Pope, John Linegar, J. P. Boyd, who came from Decatur, and after residing here a short time, went South and died; the Munns; M. J. Inscore, now of Anna; James H. Smith came from Anna and is now a resident of Chicago.

The present bar of Cairo consists of the firm of Green & Gilbert (W. B. and M. F. Gilbert), John M. Lansden, S. P. Wheeler, George Fisher, Mulkey & Leak, George W.

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HISTORY OF ALEXANDER COUNTY.

and William E. Hendricks, D. T. Linegar, Walter Warden, at present County Attorney, vice Damron, Judge Reuben S. Yocum and Albert Smith.

In 1865, there was an effort to establish

in Cairo a regular branch of the Supreme Court. The act passed the Legislature con- ditionally, and the conditions were never complied with, and the project fell through.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PRECINCTS OF ALEXANDER COUNTY-TOPOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES-THEIR EARLY SETTLEMENT-DANGERS AND HARDSHIPS OF THE PIONEERS -VILLAGES- SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES- MODERN IMPROVEMENTS, ETC.

" For them light labor spread her wholesome store, Just gave what life required, but gave no more." - Goldsmith.

THE first years of settlement in Southern Illinois were years of extreme privation to the hardy pioneers, who had pitched their tents and built their squatters' cabins in this then great wilderness. The land "was productive, but their modes of cultivating it are primitive, and their implements of hus- bandry rude in the extreme. So, manage as they might-toil and labor, day in and day out-Mother Earth only " gave what life re- quired, but gave on more." The life they lived was not enviable, but they bore it un- complainingly, and the indomitable energy of the large majority of them eventually won for them comfortable homes.

After what has been written in the preced- ing chapters on Alexander County, there re- mains but little to be said of the different precincts, without needless repetition. The geology, the general topographical features, .agriculture, Indian and pre-historic, together with other topics of interest pertaining to the county, have been already given. And now, a few words of each election precinct will conclude the history of Alexander County.

Elco Precinct .- This division of the

county was formerly called Hazlewood, in honor of a family of that name, who were among the most prominent of the early settlers. A considerable portion of the land is high and rolling. It is watered by Cana, Mill and Sandy Creeks, and which afford ample drainage. The timber is mostly oak, poplar, ash, hickory, etc., and originally was pretty heavy in certain sections. The precinct is bounded on the north by Union County, on the east by the Cache River, on the south by Unity Precinct and on the west by Clear Creek Precinct. The St. Louis & Cairo Narrow Gauge Railroad runs through the precinct, and has added materially to the prosperity of the people.

Settlements were made early in what now forms Elco Precinct. Among its pioneers we may mention Squire Thomas Whittaker, Reason Heater, M. Hartline, the Hazlewoods, William Thompson and others. This is but an imperfect list of the early settlers, but many of them are mentioned in the preced- ing chapters, and in the biographical depart- ment. Hence, a record here would be but a repetition of what has already been said of them.

Elco is well supplied with schools and churches. Where and by whom the first

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school was taught we are unable to say. At present, we find some half-dozen school- houses in the precinct, most of them good, commodious houses. Cauble Schoolhouse is in the northwestern part; the Palmer School- house is five miles west of Elco Station, on Richard Palmer's farm, and was built in 1882; Hazlewood Schoolhouse is near J. F. Short's, and was built in 1881; the Huffman Schoolhouse was built in 1880. There is a schoolhouse for colored people four miles south of Elco, and another of the same kind near White Pond farm.

An organization of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South is maintained in the Palm- er Schoolhouse. On Sandy Creek, about seven miles from Elco Station, is both a Methodist and Baptist Church. Union Grove Church has a membership of about fifty fam- ilies. There is a Southern Methodist Church in Elco Village. Also, a Methodist Episcopal Church flourishes here. The church building was erected in 1879, and cost about $800 Rev. John Harris is the present pastor.

Elco Village was laid out on land owned by Felix Hazlewood, and originally was three blocks. each containing eight lots. It was called Hazlewood, after the post office which had previously been established, and named for the Hazlewood family. It was afterward changed to Toledo, and finally to Elco. It received the latter name from the following circumstance: E. Leavenworth and Duncan had a store here under the firm name of E. Leavenworth & Co. One day a number of men were sitting out in front of the store, on goods boxes, when the subject of chang- ing the name came up. Some one called at- tention to one of Leavenworth's empty dry goods boxes, which had been marked E. L. & Co., and suggested the name Elco. The suggestion was adopted, and the place has borne the name ever since.

. The first residence in Elco is said to have been erected by A. P. Grear. Samuel Brier- ly built the first storehouse. Leavenworth & Duncan built a saw mill in 1872, which is still standing. Duncan now lives at Pulaski, and Leavenworth died a few years ago at Dongola. The first schoolhouse used was a log cabin standing about a mile north of the village. Some five years ago, a new one was built in town. It is a frame, 24x36 feet, and one story high. The village is quite a flourishing place, and does considerable busi- ness.

Clear Creek Precinct .- This precinct lies west of Elco, and originally embraced the county to the Mississippi River. But recent- ly the western portion has been cut off, and a new precinct created, called Cape Girar- deau. Clear Creek Precinct contains much good land, and its surface features are very similar to Elco Precinct. A part of it over- flows, but in the lower part the land rises to an elevation above high water mark, and so continues until below Santa Fé, where bot- toms again appear. It is a fine agricultural region, outside of the bottoms subject to overflow, and many excellent farms are ob- servable. The precinct is without railroads, but has a steamboat landing at Clear Creek Post Office, in the northern part.

The settlement of Clear Creek dates back to an early period. William Walker, it is claimed, came to the county previous to that great chronological period, the earthquake of 1811. He settled on the river, near the mouth of Clear Creek, but afterward moved up under the bluff, near Rifle Creek. He camped there for awhile, and then opened a farm some four miles east of the river, where he died. During the Black Hawk war, he belonged to a company of rangers that went from this county. Samuel Philips lived on Sexton Creek; Moses Philips lived in the

Als Williams M.B.

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HISTORY OF ALEXANDER COUNTY.

bottom; William Brocker was an early settler, etc., etc. There were a number of other settlers who came in early, but their names are forgotten. Moses Philips was an early Justice of the Peace.

Among the churches was a Baptist Church at the Minton farm. There was an early Methodist organization, which met, mostly, at the people's houses. There are several schoolhouses in the precinct. One of the pioneer schools was taught near where Jesse Minton now lives. There are no villages in Clear Creek, nor manufacturing establish- ments; it is wholly an agricultural region.

Cape Girardeau Precinct .- This is a newly-created division of the county, and was cut off from Clear Creek Precinct about 1880. It lies on the river, below the mouth of Clear Creek, and comprises some twelve or fifteen sections. It is diversified between bottom and high, rolling lands, and was originally a timbered region. It boasts of some good farms.

Among the early settlers were Joseph Giles, Tapley White, Thomas J. McClure, Jesse W. Minton, Smith Minton, Stephen and Lewis James, John Kendall, Lewis Will- iams and others. Joseph Giles settled near the ferry at Cape Girardeau; Tapley White was a very early Justice of the Peace, and the Mintons settled early in the county. The Jameses lived on the road out toward Clear Creek; John Walker lived about half a mile from Clear Creek, and Thomas Peterson, one of the very oldest settlers, lived at the mouth of Clear Creek. George D. Gordon kept the first store, at Clear Creek Landing. Richard Edmonson had a store and saloon very early, and Lewis Williams had the first blacksmith shop, at the mouth of Clear Creek.

There are no towns or villages in the pre- cinct to amount to anything. Clear Creek Landing has for years been quite a business

point, but by no means a town. A store and a post office and a steamboat landing has been the height of its ambition. Jasper Cully & Co. have a store here at present. P. H. McRaven also has a store here. East Cape Girardeau is equally as (small a place as Clear Creek Landing. A blacksmith shop and two saloons, with a few other houses, form the town. The precinct has no rail- roads, but has the advantage of the river. The name is received from Cape Girardeau, Mo., which is situated on the other side of the river.

Thebes Precinct .- This precinct lies on the river south of Clear Creek and Cape Girardeau Precincts. It is small, having but fifteen sections in it. It is mostly high land, and in places hilly, with but little bot- tom subject to inundation from the river. For boundaries, it has Clear Creek Precinct on the north, Unity Precinct on the east, Santa Fé on the south and the Mississippi River on the west. A number of small streams flow through it into the Mississippi. Thebes Precinct has been the scene of much of the history of Alexander County, having for years contained the county seat. Some early settlements were also made in the pre- cinct. Among the early settlers, though, perhaps, they were not the first, were David Brown, Moses Miller, Ransom Thompson, John Clutts, William Bracken, Judge Light- ner and others. Some of these were early settlers in other portions of the county, and are so mentioned, but they afterward located here and were here prior to 1830. Judge Lightner was a very prominent man and came to this county very early. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and came here-or rather to Cape Girardeau, Mo .- on the first steamboat, it is said, that ever plowed the great Father of Waters. He resided at Cape Girardeau until 1835, when he came to 28

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this county, and first settled in Clear Creek Precinct, where, for some time, he carried on a saw mill, and when Thebes became the county seat he came here. He has been dead several years. He was County Judge, and held other offices, and was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and prominence.

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 61

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948