History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 70

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 70
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 70
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 70

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).

After Hite left, Tom Green came, and prac- ticed law several years. During the time, his brother, E. Bell Green, came, and practiced awhile before he moved to Mt. Carmel, where he still lives and has an extensive practice. His brother Tom went to Kansas City. Then came Hite and Watts from Louisville, Ky., in 1869. They practiced law about two years in Mound City, when they returned to Louisville. In 1859, S. P. Wheeler, now of Cairo, located in Mound City to practice law; he was young in the practice, and young in years, but studious, and gave evidence of much promise in the future, which has been verified. He was gen- erally found defending those charged with vio- To fill the vacancy caused by

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Warner's hasty resignation, A. W. McCormick had been elected Justice and Acting Police Magistrate. The Esquire's education had been neglected in his youth, but he was ever ready to sit in judgment upon his fellow-man when complained of. He came from Memphis, and lived on a flat-boat, with his family, in 1857, but moved on shore before he was elected. The improvements going on at the time in the city brought every character of people to the place, many of them adventurers, consequently there were frequent broils and violations of the statutes. During Esquire McCormick's adminis- tration, Wheeler was before his court constantly defending parties, but day after day, and week after week, his clients were found guilty. This sort of thing began to feel and look discourag- ing to a young lawyer. One day, while thus dis- couraged, he was defending a man before the Squire, and had established the fact, beyond a doubt, that his client was innocent, but the Esquire, with his thumbs in his vest, legs crossed, while he gave his judicial chair a gen- tle motion, found Wheeler's client guilty, ac- companied with a lecture to law-breakers and evil-doers generally. Wheeler was outraged and indignant, and broke out in unmeasured terms of the court and his findings, and said at the close that he would not stand it; that the law and the evidence; that right and justice, had all been violated by the court. This was said before the audience that usually attend the Justice's court. The court adjourned, and the Esquire took Wheeler into an adjoining room, and said : "See here, Dr. Casey told me to decide all the cases in favor of the city, and if you will say nothing more about it, I will decide the next case in favor of any one you may be defending," and that settled the unpleasantness between the court and attorney.

Henry G. Carter came to Mound City with his father, Judge George W. Carter, in 1860. He returned to Kentucky to study law, but came back to Mound City. The first case in

which he ever appeared was in 1862. It was. one in which his father was complainant. The trial was before O. A. Osburne, Esq. His father felt considerable interest in the suit, but be- lieved his son Henry could carry him through it safely. S. P. Wheeler was the opposing counsel. Esquire Osburne had upon his table,. opened at the pages referring to such cases, the latest statutes, " Osling's Justice " and " Haines' Treatise." The trial commenced and pro- ceeded to the close, interspersed on the part of the attorneys with the usual, "I object," but the Esquire referred to his library, and rapidly decided all objections to questions or points of law. The case was closed, and the decision of the Esquire was against George W. Carter, greatly to his disappointment. He turned to his son Henry and said in great earnestness : " My son, I have gone to much trouble and ex- pense to educate you, and fit you for the prac- tice of the law, but if this is, the best you can do, you had better quit it and go to plowing. corn."

Late in 1858, Judge J. R. Emerie came to Mound City from Hillsboro, Ohio. He had. been County Judge of the county, and had been a Member of Congress one term from that district. He was elected Police Magistrate in 1860, and continued to act in that capacity until 1865. A part of the time he cdited the Mound City Gazette, and kept a grocery store, besides practicing law. He died in Mound City in 1869.

James B. Crandell came to Mound City from Caledonia in 1863 ; sold groceries until 1865, when he commenced the practice of law ; since. that time, he has been in active practice, and still resides in Mound City.

Col. E. B. Watkins moved to Mound City from Caledonia in 1869. He was County Clerk, but practiced law ; was elected to the State Legislature in 1876, and died in 1880. He was a man of ability ; he took an active part in politics ; was frequently elected School

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Director, taking great interest in the prosperity and success of the public schools.

H. G. Carter, the present City Attorney, J. P. Roberts ex-County Attorney, and one of the Chester Penitentiary Commissioners, J. B. Crandell and John Linegar, L. M. Bradley, the present County Attorney, Thomas Boyd and W. T. Breeze are the resident attorneys of Mound City.

The Emporium Company, recognizing the press greater than any other means they could employ, to advance the interest of the company. Even before the company was or- ganized in 1856, bought a printing press at Cincinnati and had it shipped to 'Mound City. The first number of the National Emporium was issued in June, 1856. . With the press came the editor, who prints his name at the head of its columns, Dr. Z. Casterline, with J. Walter Waugh, publisher. Dr. Casterline came from Ohio, and J. Walter Waugh from Pennsylvania. Casterline edited the paper about six months, when he departed to some other country. J. Walter Waugh, the pub- lisher, went to Aviston, Ill., and commenced the study of divinity. A few years later, he went to the West Indies as Missionary and is still there enlightening the people upon the great hereafter. When Dr. Casterline vacated the editorial chair, Moses B. Harrell sat down in it, and John A. Waugh, a brother to J. Wal- ter, became its publisher. Harrell came to Mound City from Cairo. He was a ready and graceful writer. He advocated the interests of the Emporium Company, Mound City, and the county with ability. His editorials were full of good sense. The advantages Mound City possessed as a desirable location for manufac- tories were truthfully represented. Harrell was full of wit and repartee, and never came out second best in the tilts he had with his brother editors. He was clear and distinct in all he wrote, and gave great satisfaction to his readers. The Emporium Company's financial

embarrassments indicated retrenchment on their part, and they withdrew their support from the paper, and Harrell withdrew from the editorship in 1859, after which he moved back to Cairo, and edited the Cairo Gazette for a number of years, and from Cairo he went to Chicago, where he now lives, and is connected with a paper at the Stock Yards. Wherever he goes, the people that lived in Mound City during his Emporium days will be glad to know that he lives, and hope, when his time comes, he may die happy.

Upon Mr. Harrell retiring from the paper, its publisher, John A. Waugh, became editor, and continued its editor until 1860. Mr. Waugh became clerk of the Marine Railway Company in 1865. and continued to occupy that posi- tion until the death of Capt. Hambleton, the Superintendent, in 1883. Mr. Waugh is a Christian gentleman ; was elected County Clerk in November, 1882. He made a good editor, a good clerk at the Ways, and is making a good County Clerk. Upon Mr. Waugh's retiring from the Emporium, no paper was published in Mound City until late in 1860. Judge J. R. Emerie started the Mound City Gazette, but it survived only a year. After the collapse of the Gazette, Mound City was not represented by a newspaper until 1864. when J. D. Mondy es- tablished and edited the Mound City Journal, but he was soon. relieved by S. P. Wheeler. Mr. Wheeler continued to edit the paper until 1865, when he published his valedictory, and soon after moved to Cairo, where he still re- sides. He was a bold and independent writer, and advocated the claims of Mound City and Pulaski County with zeal and earnestness. He came to Mound City when comparatively a boy, in 1859. As lawyer, editor and citizen, he is still remembered in the kindest manner by his old friends and associates in Mound City.

H. R. Howard, who had been the publisher of the paper during Wheeler's administration, assumes the duties of editor, and May 26, 1866,

W. L. Hambleton

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he sold the press and all else belonging to it, to Capt. H. F. Potter, who was its editor from that day until he removed to Cairo in 1874, taking his press with him.

Capt. Potter had considered himself a resi- dent of Mound City from 1864, as, while he was at that time in the army, his family lived in Mound City. When the war was over, after having served his country more than four years, he joined his family at Mound City, and soon thereafter, as stated, bought the Mound City Journal. He devoted his entire time and talents to his paper, and it became the organ of the city and county. He discussed, what seemed to be the interest of both town and county with intelligence, and did not over- look State or National affairs. He was con- servative and judicious in all he said, and his paper had much influence wherever read. He now edits the Cairo and Mound City Journal, weekly, and the Cairo Argus, daily. He was elected Circuit Clerk of Pulaski County in 1868, for four years, and was elected Chief Enrolling and Engrossing Clerk of the Senate of the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth General As- sembly, which duties he performed with credit to himself, and to the satisfaction of all inter- ested. While he is not now a citizen of Mound City, her people remember and appreciate him.

The National Emporium, throughout its ex- istence, was neutral in politics, its object and aim being to advance originally the interest of the Emporium Company, and of Mound City. When the name of the paper was changed to the Mound City Journal, and later, when Capt. H. F. Potter purchased it, under his manage- ment it was Democratic.

The Pulaski Patriot was established and first copy issued on the 17th day of June, 1871, by A. J. Alden and B. O. Jones, editor and publisher ; Republican in politics ; a seven-col- umn folio. The second week, F. R. Waggoner as- sociated himself with Alden & Jones in the business, and withdrew November 16 of the

same year. The week following, the firm of Alden & Jones was dissolved. Alden retiring on the 7th of December. B. A. Jones sold the entire outfit of the office to F. R. Waggon- er, who became the editor. On the 1st of Jan- uary, 1872, M. O. H. Turner purchased an in- terest, the firm name being Waggoner & Tur- ner. This firm continued the publication of the Patriot until the 1st of November, 1872, when Turner withdrew. On the 1st of Decem- ber of same year, Fred W. Corson became as- sociated in the business, the firm name of Wag- goner & Corson. On the 10th of April, 1873, Dr. Waggoner withdrew and was succeeded by Ed H. Bintliff, firm name Corson & Bintliff. On the 23d of January, 1874, Bintliff with- drew, and Corson continued alone until the 1st of November, 1874, when he sold the office to Ed S. Ackerman and A. Ackerman, with the latter as editor, who continued to conduct the affairs of the paper until December, 1877, when he retired, and the paper passed entirely into the hands of Ed S. Ackerman, who con- tinned the business until the latter part of July, 1880. During these years, the paper was a seven-column folio, with both sides printed at home, until 1879, when it was enlarged to an eight-column, with one side patent. In July, 1880, J. P. Robarts purchased the office reduced the paper to seven columns printed at home, and continued the publication until the 1st of September, 1881, when L. M. Bradley purchased an interest. The present firm name, Robarts & Bradley, proprietors, always Repub- lican in politics. For the above history of the Patriot we are indebted to W. S. Singleton, local editor.

The first physician to locate in Mound City was Dr. James F. Mahan in 1856. He re- mained only a short time ; the second was Dr. R. M. Embry had his office room No. 10, Shel- ton House, but like Mahan, he soon went farther West. The third practicing physician was Dr. J. H. Brown, and it was in 1856.

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Brown came from Bardstown, Ky. He was an educated and intelligent gentleman. He was retiring and diffident in his manners, was not married, and was reaching that age when a single man was liable to be called a bachelor ; notwithstanding his diffidence, upon an ac- quaintance, he was genial and social. and be- came a favorite with the people. He practiced medicine several years in the city, when he bought a farm three miles northwest of Mound City and moved onto it, and soon became a great enthusiast upon the subject of growing apples, peaches, and all kinds of fruit. He continued the practice of medicine in the country, but his great sympathy for the sick, and their suffering seemed to him as much as they ought to endure, without paying a doctor's bill ; consequently he did not realize much from his profession. Some years ago, he moved back to Kentucky. He pays Mound City and Pulaski County an occasional visit, when he is warmly welcomed by his old-time friends. He was elected City Councilman when living in the city, and while he was living in the country he was elected County Superintendent of Schools. He has never married ; resides at Bardstown, Ky., inhaling the perfumes of the blue grass. Soon after Dr. Brown, came Dr. Stapp, located in Mound City. He was a mid- dle-aged man, with a large family ; he remained a year or two. Where he came from or where he went to is not known. He was followed by Dr. Robert Kelly, who came from Kentucky, and practiced medicine for several years in Mound City with success. He went to Texas, and was never heard of afterward. Dr. A. Gregg was the fifth doctor to locate in Mound City, and lived for several years in the city, practicing medicine. He was an educated physician, and was a surgeon of some reputa- tion. He had practiced medicine in China for a number of years. He bought a lot and built a house; the latter he said represented the style of houses built in China. It was one

story high with low ceiling, with a flat roof and located where Mrs. Capt. Hamble- ton's residence now stands. The Doctor was fond of exhibiting Chinese curios- ities that he had collected while in that country. He moved from Mound City to Memphis. Tenn. In June, 1857, Dr. N. R. Casey came from Mount Vernon, Ill., and located in Mound City. Dr. Genick, an edu- cated German, came next. After remaining several years, he moved to Cairo, and from there to St. Louis, where he died some years ago. During the war, and while the United States Government Hospital remained, the city was full of doctors, those attached to the Hos- pital not refusing a call to see a patient in the city. Some of them remained after the war was over. Among them Dr. A. C. McCoy, who was a long, slim man, with eyes receding, said to have been so from the time he had laid a number of days, supposed to have departed this life, that is, his spirit. He had quite a practice, and gave general satisfac- tion. He at one time became much concerned about the existence of what was known at one time as the Ku Klux. He imagined that they were located in or about Mound City, and that he was liable to meet them almost any dark night ; he moved from the city. Dr. A. Kim- sic, a large, portly gentleman, located in Mound City in 1867. He was rough and bluff, did much practice and was regarded a good physician. His health was bad during the last year that he practiced in Mound City ; he went to St. Louis, Mo., and died in the Sisters' Hos- pital, having been baptized a Catholic before he died, 1874. Dr. F. R. Waggoner came from Shelbyville, Ill., and located in Mound City, and practiced medicine for several years, editing the Patriot paper a part of the time. He moved to Carbondale, receiving an ap- pointment from the Government as Physician to some Indian Agency, and is now somewhere in the Indian Territory. In 1871, Dr. A. N.

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Amonett located in Mound City to practice medicine. He came from Columbia, Massac Co .. Ill., but was originally from Tennessee. He was a young physician of ability. In connection with his practice he purchased the drug store of George Mertz. His health failed him in 1875 ; in 1876, he went to Col- orado, hoping the climate might restore him ; but finding no relief, he started home. At St. Louis he took the Cairo Short-Line Rail- road, but died in his seat in the car, soon after the train passed Belleville. Besides those alluded to, many others have come and gone. Of all the number, N. R. Casey is the only one that still remains in Mound City, he hav- ing been a resident of the place over twenty- six years.

Early in 1857, a frame schoolhouse was built on Walnut street ; it was built by subscription, Gen. Rawlings giving the lot and $50. It was of no great pretensions, but was large enough to hold all the children comfortably, then in the young city. Before the building of the schoolhouse, however, a school had been taught in a small building belonging to Frank Dough- erty, located on the alley between Poplar and Walnut streets. Here the first school was taught by Samuel P. Steel, a young man who had taken Greeley's advice and come West from Pennsylvania. For a number of years, he taught school in Mound City, and gave general satisfaction. He still resides in Pulaski County. At no time since has the necessity of schools been overlooked. When the public funds are exhausted, and the public schools have to close, pay schools are well supported until the public schools commence again. The amount of money expended in the townships for the fiscal year ending April 4, 1883, to wit: District No. 1, $2,381.90 ; District No. 2, $746.36 ; Dis-

trict No. 3. $931.53 ; District No. 4, 8560.18 ; township miscellaneous expenses, $62.38; amount on hand at the end of the year, total, $4,765.40. The number of children attending the public schools during the past year, were 620, and the census shows 225 children under the school age. The School Directors provide a separate and comfortable schoolhouse, and furnish competent teachers for the colored chil- dren. The following were the teachers of the public school during the past year, and salaries paid them : Prof. T. J. Crawford, Principal, salary, $75 per month ; Mrs. Hattie M. Smith, Assistant, $48 ; Miss Flora Marford, Second Assistant, $45 ; Miss Phrona Howard, Third Assistant, $40 ; Miss Maggie Harris, $20; M. M. Avant (colored), and teacher of the colored school, $40, and his wife Assistant, with a salary of $18. The present school Directors are : F. G. Fricke. Edward A. Hayes and Quinn MeCracken. The great fire of 1879 burned the public schoolhouse, and the build- ing used for schools at that time, which left the city without a schoolhouse. The School Direc- tors secured the City Hall building. making such improvements as required, and since then the public schools have occupied it.

Sabbath schools were organized as early as 1857, before there was a church organization. The same year a temperance society was formed, and while several murders have been commit- ted, and the murderers disposed of, without the benefit of judge or jury, which is always to be regretted, even when extenuating circumstances exist, notwithstanding, history records such instances in Mound City, a high regard for morality, the laws of the country. and the law of God, is recognized and observed by the actual citizens.

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CHAPTER VIII .*

MOUND CITY - ITS CHURCH HISTORY - CATHOLIC CHURCH -THE METHODISTS, ETC. - COLORED CHURCHES-FIRES AND THE LOSSES WHICH RESULTED - MANUFACTORIES-SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES-SOMETHING OF THE MERCANTILE BUSINESS- POPULATION OF THE CITY-ITS OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT, ETC.

A S early as 1857, a number of Catholic families lived in Mound City, but had no organization. Father Walsh, from St. Patrick's Church at Cairo, came to Mound City every third or fourth Sunday, and said mass in the schoolhouse, located on Walnut street. Occa- sionally, an effort was made to build a church. Bishop Younker, of the Alton Diocese, which embraced this locality, refusing to send a Priest until a church was built. The effort to build was continued-Jerry Dunleary, P. M. Kelly, C. Buckheart, Mrs. N. R. Casey, James Browner, and indeed all the Catholics living in the place were not only anxious, but zealous, in their efforts to accomplish their object, and in 1863 they had the satisfaction of worshiping in their own church. The Emporium Company gave the lot they built upon. It was located on High street, and runs back to Pearl street, between Railroad avenue and Walnut street. The organization, and the christening of the Church St. Mary's followed its completion. The building was 25x56 feet, and finished and fur- nished in good style. The organization, at that time, was a strong one. A large number of Catholic families were here, many of them con- nected with the naval station, the United States Government Hospital, and the Government works of various kinds. Father Moor was the first priest, followed by Father Elthrop. They were here only a short time, when Father Kuck- enbach came, and while he remained the first house was built, a two-story frame, with one-

story ell. Father Kuckenbach was relieved by Father Walsh, who took charge of the congre- gation. He remained six or seven years, and was a very popular priest, with more than ordi- nary ability. Father O'Conner followed Father Walsh ; he was a young man of ability, but was suffering from the incipient stages of con- sumption. He remained at his post of labor until unable to do so longer, went to the Sister's hospital at Cairo, and from there to Jackson- ville, Ill., where he died. Father Denneher was the next priest. During his administration, the ground upon which is located St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, near Mound City Junction, was bought. The members of the church had long felt the expense and inconvenience of burying their dead in the Catholic cemetery at Villa Ridge, eight miles from Mound City. To avoid this, Mrs. N. R. Casey inaugurated the plan to buy of the Bichtill heirs twenty acres of land embracing the first high ground, north of the Mound City Junction, opposite the Beach Grove Cemetery, and along the line of the Illinois Central Railroad. To do so would cost $200. Mrs. Casey succeeded in raising the amount by subscription. Her Protestant friends of Mound City and Cairo were as liberal as her Catholic friends. She received $20 from Archbishop Spalding, of Baltimore, who was her god father, and had married her and her husband. When the twenty acres were surveyed, it showed a strip of land containing three or four acres, lying between the land bought and the Illinois Central Railroad, com-

*By Dr. N. R. Casey.

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HISTORY OF PULASKI COUNTY.

pletely cutting off the view of the cemetery from the junction and railroad. This strip had also belonged to the Bichtill heirs, but Dr. Crain had a tax deed for it. The agent of the heirs agreed to deed Mrs. Casey this strip of land, provided she secured the deed from Dr. Crain, which she did by paying him $50 and it was added to St. Mary's Catholic Ceme- tery, and upon that high, beautiful elevation, a part of the strip alluded to, Mrs. Casey selected in her life-time, for her last resting place, where she now lies buried.

After Father Denneher, Father Grant came, who did not remain long ; he was followed by Father Masterson, a young priest when he came. He became a favorite with his congrega- tion and with the community. He remained five or six years, when he was relieved from his charge at Mound City and ordered by the Bishop to Cairo ; an effort was made to have the Bishop retain him longer in Mound City, but without success. Father Becker came in his place, who remained one year, when the present priest, Father Eckert came. The church has maintained a Catholic school the greater part of the time since its organization. They have also maintained -a Sunday school. The church built some years ago a one-story schoolhouse, on Fourth street, between Walnut and Poplar. N. R. Casey gave them the lot, while the building was paid for, largely, by pri- vate subscriptions and money raised by festi- vals, etc. The church is out of debt ; while the majority of its members are poor, they are al- ways willing to contribute their mite for the advancement of the church.

In the year 1857, the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, Rev. R. H. Manier of this Conference, and now of Effingham charge, was the first Pastor in charge. For some time, it was connected with Cairo charge. In 1858, Revs. J. A. Scarrett and Lingenfelter were sent as pastors in charge of the work. Inasmuch as no record during the years of

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 70

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