History of Fulton county, Illinois, Part 54

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1096

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

averred, to defend the establishment at the peril of their lives, if it needed be. Among the defenders of the grocery was a constable then serving a term in an adjoining township, a man of nerve, and whose veracity has never been called in question, who addressed a crowd of several hundred men and boys gathered before the door, urging them to aid in protecting the property of the saloon-keeper, at the same time swearing that no woman could enter the door with- out passing over his dead body. This gentleman little dreamed how soon the death he was invoking might be staring him in the face.

"When the time for action came, over two hundred of the most prominent women of Canton marched out of the auction store and arranged themselves in columns, two by two, on the Public Square. The excitement by this time was growing intense. Everybody, male and female, appeared to be upon the Public Square, either as a looker-on or a participant in the mob upon the one side or the other. As the Amazonian column formed, a citizen stepped up to the leader and urged her to desist, saying that the proprietor of 'Sebastopol' was not at home, and urging them at least to give him a chance to defend himself. The ladies responded that they were convened for' business, and that business must go on.

"The line of march was now taken up, the leader carrying a short sword in her hand, which she flourished in quite a martial manner. arriving at the door, the crowd parted, except that three or four de- termined fellows maintained themselves before the door. One of these, the constable referred to above, declared his determination to resist the onslaught, and declared, in response to the quiet and low-spoken 'Stand aside gentlemen : we are going in there,' of the leader, himself as ready for the sacrifice by the remark, 'Not by a d-d sight : you ain't going in unless you go over my dead body.' Mr. Constable was a brave man ; Mr. Constable was a man of truth ; therefore it cannot be doubted that he met with a bloody death right there, as, within one minute after his self-sacrificing declaration, the door against which he and . two or three more braves were standing was shivered to a thousand fragments, by blows well and vigorously aimed from gleaming hatchets that leaped out from the cover of two hundred shawls in unison. > Mr. Constable therefore must have perished, fallen gloriously at his post of duty, then and there.

"The door of ' Sebastopol' demolished, the work of demolition be- gan. Bottles, unoffending candy jars, glasses and decanters, all were smashed into a thousand fragments, and shelving and counters shared the same fate. The cellar contained a large quantity of liqnors. This was invaded, and barrels were knocked in, until the spirituous flood had accumulated on the cellar-floor to the depth of several inches, when they bailed it out and threw it into the street, determined none should be saved. Some of the women had a lighted candle in this cellar, and it was almost a miracle that they

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

had not set fire to the spilled liquor and all have perished with the object of their wrath.

"By the time their destruction of 'Sebastopol' was completed, the fumes of the liquor had ascended to their nostrils; and it is no exaggeration to say that one-half of the ladies were, as temperance advocates, in magnificent order to furnish the fearful example for any ambitious temperance orator who might secure their services. About twenty barrels of liquor, besides his saloon and bar fixtures, were destroyed for Mr. Mallory.

" This work completed, they re-organized and marched to the gro- cery of Mr. Butters, on Main street, just south of the Public Square. Mr. Butters sold nothing stronger than beer, and rolled out the only barrel of it in his possession on the sidewalk, willing to sacrifice it rather than trust the now infuriated Amazonian army within his es- tablishment. This barrel of beer was at once demolished'and the line of march again resumed.

" There was a rectifying establishment, kept by Lamon & Childs, near the present cemetery. Thither the ladies marched, and there, after overawing a feeble effort at resistance on the part of the pro- prietors, marched in and destroyed about thirty barrels of whisky and highwines.

"This establishment destroyed, they returned to the Square and invaded the office of Col. Wm. Babcock, who had a barrel of un- tapped whisky there, that he was saving for domestic use after his boy, then a babe, should become of age. The ladies will probably remember why they did not destroy this barrel.

" All the liquor which the ladies knew to exist in the place having been destroyed, they re-convened at the auction store and passed the following resolution :

" Whereas, We, the ladies of Canton, being wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters, have experienced the dread calamity of seeing our husbands, sons and brothers, made drunkards by the lawless rum- sellers of our town, and having seen the law tried to be enforced in vain ; and whereas, those engaged in the damning business of rum- · selling have been appealed to in vain by moral suasion, to desist and save the peace of our families ; we have therefore, in defense of . our firesides, and with a view to save from destruction those most dear to us on earth, been compelled to destroy the spirituous liquors in our city, and it is now

"Resolved, That, as often as the practice is resumed in Canton or vicinity, we will rid ourselves of its curse,-peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must.

" Canton, April 4, 1856.

"Thus was lignor-at least until a new stock could be procured -put down by the ladies of Canton.

" During the day several fights occurred, between parties who were in sympathy with the ladies on the one side and with the saloon-keepers on the other."

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

CHURCHES,

Methodist Church .- Rev. Jesse Walker, the first Methodist preacher at Canton, was a missionary to the settlement between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and to the Indians in the vicinity of Fort Clark (now Peoria). This was in 1824. Previous to Rev. Walker's appointment to this charge-the Military Traet-Jesse Walker, a local preacher, and his wife, John Honor and wife, Chas. Newcomb and wife, JJohn Orendorff and wife, Isaac Swan and wife, Benoni Haskin and wife, Mr. Barnes and wife and others met and worshiped in Canton, Jesse Williams sometimes preached for them. It is probable that he was the first preacher in Canton. He lived near Canton until 1832. Jesse Walker organized the so- ciety in Canton in 1824. In the spring of 1824 the Missouri Con- ference was divided and the Illinois Conference organized, embracing Illinois and Indiana. Canton was regularly supplied by traveling ministers from the above date until 1832. Peter R. Barring was the first pastor of Canton Circuit. During the ministration of Father Summers they built the first church. He had found a small skeleton of a building that stood on the ground now occupied by the residence of Mr. Babcock. This building had been pushed down and was carried away in piecemeal, even to the foundation. They then erected a small building on the site of the present M. E. church, which, however, was unroofed by the storm of 1835. Rev. P. A. Cool is the present Pastor.

Presbyterian Church .- This Church was formed Sept. 13, 1828, Rev. John M. Ellis presiding, and consisting of the following per- sons: Nathan Jones, Samuel Mallory, William Proctor, Robert Grant, Jane Grant, Matilda Jones and Elizabeth Jacobs. The two first named were chosen Elders. Rev. Ellis preached from II Sam. vi, 11. The following resolution was adopted at a meeting held in Canton July 4, 1830: "Believing that the use of ardent spirits is the cause of forming intemperate appetites and habits, and that while it is continued the evils of intemperance can never be prevented, the members of this Church do agree that we will abstain from the use of distilled spirits, except as a medicine in case of siek- ness or for external application, and that we will not allow the use of them in our families, and neither give nor sell them to our neighbors or friends or persons in our employment, and that we will discountenance the use of them in all ways in the community." Rev. H. Smith presided as moderator of this meeting. Rev. L. Farnum and Rev. R. Barnes were ministers of this Church in the county in 1831; Rev. Robert Stewart from 1834 to '38; Samuel C. MeCune from 1840 to '50; Isaae Bennett from 1851 until his death June 16, 1856; Rev. Geo. Stebbins for six months; Rev. J. V. Dodge from May 24, 1857, until March 1859; Rev. James Coch- ran ; Rev. C. Reed from 1865 to 1868, and Rey. Josiah Moore from 1868 to 1873, when July 6 of that year, Rev. S. C. MeCune, the present Pastor, again received a call. The division of the Presby-

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

terian Church of Canton we give in the sketch of the Congrega- tional Church.

Congregational Church .- On the 13th of September, 1828, a Pres- byterian Church of seven members was formed in Fulton county. This Church had two places of meeting, Canton and Lewistown. In less than two years its membership increased to 89. In August, 1831, it was determined that Rev. Messrs. Barnes and Farnum commence their labors in the county as ministers of this Church. Rev. Romulus Barnes found his principal work at Canton. In 1834 Rev. Robert Stewart, who in a vigorous old age is still engaged in the work of the ministry in this State, became Pastor.

In September, 1838, a document appears rich with the savor of the times, as follows :

"WHEREAS, Our Church has become large, and infected with some of the prevailing heresies and disorders of the times, which are maintained and prac- tieed in our midst ; and whereas, errors are taught and received which are at variance with the Bible and our Confession of Faith, and persons are received to membership from other denominations with all their prejudices alive against our doctrines and order, and without being required to renounce them ; and whereas, these disorders are becoming every day more glaring and bare- faced, and our Church as a body has virtually rejected its own systen of doc- trines and order ; therefore,

" Resolved, That we, the undersigned, Elders and members of this Church, will continue to revere and maintain the doctrines and order of our Church in this place as the Presbyterian Church."

This document, which is not found upon the records of the Church whose history we are now giving, was signed by 2 elders and 18 members. Here was the point of division of the Canton Presby- terian Church, From it two Churches sprang, the New School Pres- byterian, now the Congregational, and the Old School Presbyterian, both of which claim to be the original Church. In the spring of 1844 the church property was amicably divided between the two or- ganizations. In January, 1841, a committee was appointed to draft a plan for re-organizing this Church. In February the report was read, received, and withdrawn upon permission. March 27 a constitution for a new organization was offered. It was amended and adopted April 6. The name of the New School Presbyterian Church of Canton was then given it. May 22, 1841, Rev. L. Spen- cer began his labors with the Church. At a meeting held Jan. 29, 1842, it was voted " that a committee be appointed to draft a con- stitution and rules for organizing a Congregational Church." The committee reported February 4th, and the report was adopted.

In April, 1857, a surplus of funds for the current expenses of the Church was reported and the salary of the pastor was raised from $600 to $800. It was determined to build a new house of worship. A cash subscription of $6,000 had been secured for this purpose ; the foundation had been laid and the building being erected, when the financial crash of 1857 shattered the plans of the building com- mittee. They were obliged to borrow money to finish the basement, which was entered for worship Jan. 1, 1858.

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

At an annual meeting in 1864 the records state as follows: "The Presbyterian Church having appointed a committee to confer with a like committee of the Congregational Church on the subject of the union of the two Churches, Resolred, That we entertain the pro- position and appoint J. H. Ross, J. W. Ingersoll, F. Mccutchen, S. Brown and D. W. Vittum as that committee." The committee subsequently reported that the two committees had agreed upon a formula of doctrine for the united Church and upon a basis of union. The report was accepted and the powers of the committee enlarged, to carry out the financial arrangements preparatory to the union. The new Church was to take the name of the Presbyterian Church of Canton. The church organized with a session, was to stand inde- pendent for two years, after which time a vote would be taken to decide with which of the two General Assemblies they would con- nect. Failing of a two-thirds vote in favor of foreign ecclesiastical connection, the Church continued independent ; but as often as once a year a vote was to be taken until by a two-thirds vote the eccle- siastical relations of the Church were determined. The incumbrance upon the property of the Congregational Church was to be removed and the Presbyterian portion of the united Church was to complete the building. Such harmony and interest prevailed in the Church committees and such the apparent tide of popular feeling in both Churches that the union was considered an accomplished fact. When the committees' plan of union was prepared for popular action in the two Churches, a very small and implacable minority, originally Congregationalists, gave their votes against it in this Church, and in the Presbyterian Church a majority of three was against it. Thus the measure fell through.

In 1865 the Pastor presented his resignation. The gloom of this period was intense. Arrears in current expenses to the amount of $400 was found and the permanent debt rolling up its interest for years. Rev. Henry Mills was invited to visit the Church and a temporary engagement was made. Early in 1866 a serious effort was made to remove the Church debt, which amounted to $11,500. This was all relinquished and the edifice was completed, and on the 15th of the following JJanuary, when it was dedicated, all the indebt- edness had been paid and $25 in the treasury. There had been raised for all purposes, including the relinquishment of claims, $20,851.66. This Church edifice is a fine structure, with 500 sittings in the main audience room, and the lecture and prayer rooms below.

Mr. Mills left the services of the Church in October, 1866, when Rev. Henry Bates was called as supply, and Ang. 15, 1867, he be- came Pastor. He continued to serve the Church until JJan. 19, 1879. May 1, 1879 Rev. Henry Mills was recalled as Pastor. The mem- bership is 166. In the Sunday-schools are 180 scholars. Total contributions for Church purposes $2,271.30. . The record of this Church upon the reforms of the period has been very honorable. The session of the original Presbyterian Church held July 4, 1830,

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

passed a resolution upon the use of distilled spirits which takes the most advanced position. At a meeting April 4, 1848, seven resolutions were passed on the subject of slavery, which by word and emphasis evinces a deep anxiety to be rid of all shadow of responsibility for the hateful system. About a year after the organization of the Con- gregational Church we find it called together to repudiate and de- nounce as stealing, acts which had previously been tolerated, justi- fied and even performed by men of Christian profession and stand- ing. This was the taking of timber from lands of non-residents, the apology being that such owners ought, if not willingly then un- willingly, to share the burthen of the settlement of this country, by which their land acquired value. The resolutions were short and crisp. There is something of the challenge in them, for in a period of , excitement it was popularly charged that the Congregational Church had stolen timber in their house of worship. The truth is, the material was furnished and this church erected by contract, and an insignificant sub-contract was filled with stolen timber; but for this the Church had no responsibility.

Baptist Church .- The germ of this Church bears an carlier date than any other in the Illinois River Baptist Association. On the 14th day of June, 1833, a council was called at the house of William Spencer, in Banner township. Elders John Logan and Gardiner Bartlett were present and a Church of four members was consti- tuted .* These members were Elder John Clark and William Spencer, Anna Clark and Rachel Spencer, and the Church was called the United Baptist Church of Duck Creek. The meetings of the Church were held in private houses until July, 1837, when it asssumed the name of the Canton church. It then numbered 37 members. During that year it was dismissed from the Salem Association and united with the Illinois River Association. Previous to this they were supplied with preaching only part of the time. In November of the same year, Elder G. B. Perry became Pastor, and continued in that relation for 3 years. During the first two years they met at times at the Methodist church and at other times in private houses, and again in the college edifice, which was subsequently de- molished by a severe storm. Their first house of worship was dedi- cated on the fourth Sunday of October, 1839. It cost about $1,500, and was at the time the best house of worship in the Military Tract. Elder Isaac Newell became Pastor of the Church Nov. 11, 1840, and closed his labors here in November, 1843. Elder Isaac Mer- riam preached as a supply for three months. In July, 1844, Elder Alba Gross became the Pastor, and June 7, 1846, resigned. The Church had no Pastor from this time till JJune, 1847, when Elder

#It is claimed by some that Isaac C. Johnson, Phoebe (Dean) JJohnson, James Spencer, Rachel Spencer, Elder West, Mrs. West and Mrs Breed banded themselves together and constituted the first Baptist Church of Canton; El- der West being the first preacher, and that the first meetings were held in his house. This must have occurred in the fall of 1835 or '36.

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

Erastus Miner became Pastor. He closed the Pastorate March 26, 1848. Elder Simon G. Miner was the next Pastor, commencing his labors Nov. 20, 1848. Their meeting-house soon became too small and measures were taken to build a more commodious struc- ture. Their present edifice was completed in February, 1853, at a cost of $13,000. It is 55 by 87 feet in size, with a basement 11 feet high, containing a lecture room and other smaller rooms. The old structure stood upon ground just to the rear of the present building, and is now the Catholic Church. Elder H. G. Weston preached the dedicatory sermon in February, 1853. The member- ship in 1851 was 453; in 1857 it had increased to 526.

Elder Miner served the Church as a Pastor until Dec. 22, 1860, with the exception of one year from Oet. 30, 1858. Elder A. B. Bolton began his labors as Pastor Aug. 18, 1861, and continued till Aug., 1864, where he resigned. In March, 1865, Elder W. R. Webb accepted the position and served until Oct. 1, 1870. Elder D. H. Cooley entered upon the pastorate of the Church Jan. 1, 1871.

First New Jerusalem Church (Swedenborgian) was organized as early as 1840. Among the original members were John F. Randolph and family, Jonas Rawalt and family, G. G. Trites and family and Chas. Barnard. The congregation first worshiped in an old foundry building that stood northwest of the Square one block. Then for one or two years they worshiped in an old church building which stands near the Presbyterian Church. They then purchased a frame carpenter shop which stood two blocks east of the Square and fitted it up and worshiped there until 1876, when they erected their new edifice on East Union street three blocks east of the Square. This is perhaps the finest church structure in the county. It is built of red brick and trimmed with Milwaukee pressed brick, and was erected at a cost of between $4,000 and $5,000. The present mem- ship number about 50. The Trustees are G. G. Trites, Jonas Rawalt and Theodore Barnard. The Pastor is Rev. L. O. Barler, of Chicago. The Pastors who have served the congregation are, first, Rev. D. J. R. Hibbard, then Dr. James L. Millrose, Revs. Preston, Bartell and Dr. G. N. Smith.

United Brethren Church .- This Church was organized May 1, 1869, with 60 members, under the ministration of Rev. James Wornnom ; Trustees-E. B. Parvi, W. B. Shinn, and J. J. Baugh- man. They met then in the old Protestant Methodist church build- ing ; now they meet in a neat building which formerly belonged to the Presbyterians, and which they spent $525 in fixing up. Pres- ent Trustees-H. S. Ronk, P. Wages and J. Shields; Pastor, Rev. T. Smith; present membership 70; annual contribution $800; Church in a more prosperous condition than it has ever been. Sun- day-school attendance, 40; J. Prichard, Superintendent.

Episcopal Methodist .- This people, known also as the Southern Methodists, have a large brick church building in this city. It stands one block from the northeast corner of the Square and was

Jas. Stockdale

(DECEASED) 3. Dr. Moore

Dr. L. W. Cu (DECEASED)

V. D . Coleman Coleman

CANTON

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

erected in 1866 or '67. Rev. Gilmore is Pastor and resides in the parsonage just west of the building. The congregation was organ- ized during the war by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church who were dissatisfied with the strong war sentiment generally vailing among that people.

Lutheran Church .- The Canton congregation is at present not in a prosperous condition. They employ no regular Pastor. Their church edifice, a large frame, stands a few doors from the southwest corner of the Square.

Christian Church .- The Christian Church at Canton was estab- lished Feb. 17, 1878, and has a membership of 62. The place of meeting is at the old Lutheran church on Elm street, and the time 11 A. M. and 8 p. M. Elders, H. E. Puette and D. Auld ; Deacons, Preston Sebree and Sam'l Smith ; Treasurer, Prof. J. Hiller ; Clerk, Sam'l Smith. Sunday School 9:30 A. M. ; Sam'l Smith, Supt.

Catholic Church .- The Roman Catholics of Canton have a church, which is located in the eastern part of the city. The Church is at present in a prosperous condition and has as members some of the leading citizens of the city.

NORRIS.

The little village of Norris is upon the northeast quarter of sec- tion 3 of this township. It is upon the Canton and Farmington township line, and is surrounded by as fine farming community as the county can boast of; but being so near Canton its trade can never assume any great proportions.

PERSONAL SKETCHES.

As a country grows older the more interesting and valuable is its biographical history, and not only so, but the best writers of the country are advocating the more general reading of this class of literature by the young, believing it to exert a better influence upon them than any other class of the literature of the day. With these thoughts in view and in justice to the veterans who have made this township and city what it is we append brief personal sketches of many of them. Nor do we forget those who to-day are actively en- gaged in life's labors.

Daniel. Abbott, State's Attorney, was born in Fulton Co., May 21, 1838. He was educated at the Farmington schools and Lom- bard University, Galesburg, III. He commenced his legal studies in 1859, and read law two and a half years. He was admitted to the Bar in January, 1866, and began the practice of his profession at Canton in March of that year. He has served as Mayor of Can- ton for two ternis, City Attorney, Alderman, ete., and has been State's Attorney since 1872, having been re-elected in 1876. He fills this office with the ability that has so uniformly characterized the gentlemen who have filled the position from the time Hon.

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

Thomas Ford was appointed. As an official, a leading lawyer and a representative citizen, we give Mr. Abbott's portrait in this vol- ume.

Jacob Abbott, attorney, was born in Farmington township, Fulton Co., Ill., April 1, 1850. During his boyhood he had the advan- tages of the country schools only, and at the age of 19 attended the Canton high school 6 months. In March, 1872, he began his legal studies with his brother, Daniel Abbott, in whose office he read law for three years, teaching school each alternate six months. At the spring election of 1875 he was elected Justice of the Peace ; was re-elected in 1877 for 4 years, and also elected City Clerk of Canton. He was admitted to the Bar July 4, 1876. Dec. 20, 1876, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah A. Lawrence, of Canton, and daughter of Wm. and Sarah (Coleman) Lawrence. William, born March 30, 1878, is their only child.

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History of Fulton county, Illinois, Part 54

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1096