USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 72
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For some years after the organization of the county, these lands were placed in the hands of trustees in each town- ship, but about the year 1835, the com- missioners' court appointed Samuel Smith as the commissioner of the school lands of the county. He served in this capacity until the year 1838, when he was succeeded by Moses O. Bledsoe, so long connected with the official life of the county, in the most responsible po- sitions. A sketch of him is given else- where and need not be repeated.
In 1840, Luther Tunnel was elected to
this office and served for about a year and was succeeded by James O. Graves in the month of Sept., 1841, and served until the spring of 1842, when Calvin Tunnel was installed in the office and served three years, until his successor was appointed.
D. Pinkerton was the next to fill the position and held it for two years.
Joseph Pierson served as county com- missioner of school land for the next 10 years, from 1847, being re-appointed his own successor every alternate year. He was an excellent man and a faithful officer.
Dr. J. B. Samuel, a sketch of whom appears in the Medical chapter of this work, was the next incumbent of the office, being elected in 1857, and filled it for two years.
Stephen F. Corrington was elected to the office of commissioner of the school lands in 1859, and re-elected in 1861, 1863, 1865 and 1867, occupying the office for ten years. Mr. Corrington is, at present, a prominent member of the bar of Greene county, and is noticed at length in that connection.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Rev. C. A. Worley was the first elected to this office, in 1869. He was a well educated, able officer, and served the county in this capacity for four years.
Mrs. Catherine Hopkins succeeded Mr. Worley in this office, defeating S. F. Corrington at the general election of 1873. She served one term of four years, most creditably.
D. F. King, the present state's attor- ney, was elected to the office of super- intendent of schools in Nov., 1877, and ably filled the position for the succeed-
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ing four years. Mr. King is also noticed at length in the chapter devoted to the Bar of Greene county, in this volume, to which the reader is referred.
W. J. Roberts, the present affable su- perintendent of schools, was elected to fill that office in Nov., 1882. He is no- ticed in connection with the Press of the county.
DEVELOPMENT.
Greene county, like all new counties, in its infancy was not blessed with pub- lic or district schools, and the rising generation was limited to draw what knowledge they did attain from spas- modic attempts at subscription schools, that were established wherever the pop- ulation was large enough to warrant the attempt, and which sprang up and died out with surprising regularity. The rude log cabin school, the only "benign mother" of some of the most eminent men of the country, and the foundation of the education of most of the mem- bers of the older resident families was laid in these humble cradles of learn- ing. The 16th section of land in each congressional district was granted to each county for educational purposes, but there was little or no sale for it, at more than the govern- inent price, of $1.25 per acre, and the income from that source was small. About the year 1835, public attention was drawn to the matter of educational advantages, and the district schools be- gan to dot the prairie, or nestle in the woods throughout the county. Here and there they were scattred, log cabins of humble appearance, often miles apart, while mischievous urchins, of both sex, trudged through dust or mud, for long
distances, to receive the rudiments of an education. With the progress of years, the development of the school system went on, until, to-day, it is not inferior to any county in the state of a like age and population. The following statistics are taken from the report of the county superintendent of schools for the year ending June, 1885. At that time there were:
Number of males in the county between
the ages of 6 and 21 4,070
Number of females 3,845
Number of districts in the county 93
Number of graded schools
Number of ungraded schools. 87
Number of male teachers employed ... 67
Number of female teachers employed .. 91
Number of males enrolled in graded schools 1,030
Number of females. 1,137
Number of males enrolled in ungraded schools 2,054
Number of females. 1.773
Whole number enrolled.
5,994
Whole number of public high schools. 3
Number of brick school houses 11
Number of stone school houses. 1
Number of frame school houses. 81
Number of school houses built during the year.
Number of districts having libraries. 9
Number of volumes in same. 261
Average monthly wages paid male teachers 51.04
Average for female teachers.
35.11
Amount of district tax levy for schools. 56,253.21
Estimated value of school property 131,590,00
Estimated value of school libraries. 595.00
Estimated value of school apparatus 1,667.00
Holders of state certificates employed in county 2
Number of first grade teachers' certifi- cates issued. 25
Number of second grade. 101
Number teachers' certificates to males 56
Number to females. 70
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY. 605
Number of male applicants rejected .... 15
Number of females.
First grade certificates renewed during the year.
Second grade certificates.
Number of days spent in institute
16 work . 10
Number of teachers' meetings held in
4 the county. 10
12 Amount of bonded school debt .. $ 5.250,00
CHAPTER VII.
COUNTY SOCIETIES.
Greene county has two societies that are county institutions, and of which they are justly proud. These are the Agricultural Association and the Old Settlers' Society. No history would be complete without an account of each of them and they are herewith given.
GREENE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
On the 15th of April, 1854, was insti- tuted a society, known as the Greene County Agricultural and Mechanical Association. The first officers were as follows: Luman Curtius, president; Joshua C. Winters, vice president; A. W. Bridges, treasurer; Francis P. Ved- der, secretary; and Samuel Thomas, Jacob Bowman, Linus E. Worcester, B. Baldwin, L. J. Patterson, A. J. White- side, A. Sweeten, Michael Kinser, Wil- liam Halbert, J. W. Calvin, T. W. Vigus, W. L. Greene, Samuel Long- street, David Thompson, J. H. VanArs- dale, G. L. Burruss, W. H. Ellis, I. R. Istrom, John Rives, Martin Thorpe, T. J. Short, Benjamin King, Perry McCon- athy, J. D. Martin, Elon Eldred and William Black, executive committee.
The first annual fair was held on the farm of J. E. Brace, a short distance
northwest of the city of Carrollton, on the 12th of Oct., 1854. Judging from the newspapers of the day, this was a brilliant success in every way, and the display of stock, especially horses, was superior to most anything in any other county or state fair. Among the lead- ing competitors for premiums, were most of the leading citizens of the period, among whom were Anthony Potts, James J. Eldred, Eri Edwards, Silas Eldred, James W. Gregory. Jere- miah Turpin, Elon Eldred, Elijah Dee, R. N. Neece, William Crane, J. H. Waller, Michael Kinser, J. P. Hender- son, Daniel Morfoot, Benjamin Rood- house, Anthony S. Seeley, Peter Rood- house, William Black, G. L. Burruss, L. H. Thomas, J. E. Brace, Samuel Longstreet, and others. Neither were the ladies behind-hand in their depart- ments, premiums being awarded to Mrs. J. J. Thomas, Mrs. William Potts, Mrs. Benjamin Baldwin, Mrs. J. I. Thomas, Mrs. E. Morfoot, Mrs. John T. Wil- liams. Mrs. Dr. Ilardtner, Mrs. Luman Curtius, Misses Pierson, Mrs. J. B. El- dred, Mrs. David Dodgson, and others. At that time the society numbered some 230 members, which kept rapidly in-
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
creasing. Since the organization of the association the following gentlemen have filled the position of president: D. M. Woodson, George L. Burruss, Joseph Ballinger, Jacob Bowman, B. F. Baldwin, E. M. Husted, L. S. Eldrde, Benjamin Roodhouse, George W. Davis. Benjamin Roodhouse is the present president, and N. J. Andrews, secre- tary.
The second annual exposition was held on grounds belonging to the soci- ety, or to 160 stockholders, south of Carrollton, near the present site of the public school building. They had fenced this in and built stalls, and other conveniences, and it was used by the society, until the fairs grew to such a magnitude that the place was incon- veniently small, so, in 1860, the present large and beautiful grounds were pur- chased by the association. The im- provements from the old park were moved here, and many new ones added. One beautiful and convenient feature of these grounds, is the great abundance of trees, affording a delightful shade from the midsummer sun, and adding to the beauty and picturesqueness of the place.
The first financial statement of which there is any record, is that of the year 1856. It is as follows: Receipts from annual fair, $950.15; paid for premiums, $500; expenses, $45.95; balance on hand, after paying all indebtedness, $404.20.
At the earlier exhibitions, the premi- ums were almost always of silverware, and frequently, on running over the old treasurer's reports, there is often found a list of silverware left on hand. Dur- ing successive years the receipts of the
fairs were as follows: 1857, $1,338.15; 1858, $1,615.37; 1859, $1,882.85; 1860, $2,025.82, and so on, the expenses, of course, increasing in the same propor- tion.
In 1866, the present neat, tasty and convenient amphitheater was built. In 1872, the name of the association was changed to that of Greene County Agri- cultural Board. During the dark days of the war, when people's minds were filled with other things besides fairs, these exhibitions did not pay, and when brighter days dawned, which was not until 1874, the board found itself ham- pered with a debt something like $6,000. In order that this might be paid off, and that the future prosperity of the as- sociation insured, in the fall of the year, a resolution was passed to form a new corporation, and D. M. Woodson, J. W. Gregory, G. L. Burruss, J. II. Rives, S. F. Greene, L. F. Wheeler and John Kaser were appointed incorporators. License was issued Feb. 27, 1875, which authorized G. W. Davis, J. F. Ballinger, L. S. Eldred, G. L. Burruss, N. J. Andrews, J. H. Rives and George W. Witt, as commissioners, to open the books of subscription, to the capital stock of the Greene County Agricul- tural and Mechanical Association. Eighty-three persons subscribed for stock, at $50 per share. With this, the $6,000 of indebtedness was paid off, and the charter of the association was granted, by the secretary of the state, bearing date March 26, 1875. The cap- ital stock was afterward increased to $8,000. The new society took posses- sion of the property of its predecessor, and a more prosperous era dawned. The more recent fairs have bccen highly
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
. 607
successful, until to-day, the county fairs of Greene county have been raised to such a degree that they are now ranked among the first in the state.
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
The society grew out of a meeting held in Oct., 1871, in response to the follow ing invitation which appeared in the Carrollton Gazette, in the issue of Sept. 30, of that year:
"As the matter has been so often spoken of in the papers, and by a large number of the old settlers of Greene county.and it would seem appropriate that such a meeting should be held on my farm, a cordial invitation is hereby extended to all citizens who were residents of the county before the deep snow, to assem- ble in the grove one-quarter of a mile south of my residence, it being on the south end of the first 80 acres of land settled in this county, on Saturday, Oct. 21, 1871, at 10 o'clock a. m. The object of the meeting will be to organize an Old Settlers' Association for Greene county, and to listen to addresses appro- priate for the occasion. Should the weather prove unfavorable for an out- door meeting at the time, I am requested to say that the meeting will be held at the court house, in Carrollton, instead of the grove on my premises. As this matter has now been so generally agreed upon by our old citizens, it is expected that a large and interesting meeting will be held, and that all will give special heed to this first meeting of the old settlers. Respectfully,
SAMUEL THOMAS."
The 21st of Oct. was a bright, pleas- ant day, and about 150 old settlers, to- gether with a large concourse of younger
persons, assembled in the beautiful Thomas grove, southwest of Carrollton. This wood is located on the south end of the first 80 acres of land entered by Mr. Thomas, in 1818, and selected as a squatter's claim some time previous. At about 11 o'clock the Carrollton cor- net band played an old time selection, and the company was called to order by David Pierson. Col. Jacob Bowman was chosen chairman, and on taking the chair, invited Rev. C. J. Gardiner, to offer prayer. This venerable and reverend gentleman kneeled upon the grass and leaves in front of the speaker's stand, and, while the many aged heads were bowed,a solemnity was manifested befitting the occasion, and words appro- priately impressive were uttered, in- voking the blessing of God upon those whose lives had been so long spared in his mercy,and beseeching a continuance of divine favor. The chair then sug- gested that the appointment of a com- mittee on permanent organization would be in order. Whereupon, Hon. David Pierson, Thomas Black, C. J. Gardiner, Jordan Howard, and T. J. Short were chosen. On motion, Hon. D. M. Wood- son, Judge A. Hinton, Peter Hobson, Isham Linder, and Martin Bowman were selected as a committee on resolu- tions. At this point, the chairman, than whom there is none more skilled in the management of a dinner party, remarked that the committees would need some little time in which to pre- pare their reports-that the good wives and daughters were present with bounti- fully ladened baskets-that the hour had arrived and the tables would be spread upon the green, and, while the band struck up another good old tune,
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
the meeting adjourned for dinner. The dinner was bountiful in quantity, dainty in preparation, and the best in quality, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. After an intermission of an hour, the band rendered another selection, and that being finished, Col. Bowman called the meeting to order, and asked for the report of the committee on permanent organization. David Pierson, the chair- man of the same, presented the fol- lowing:
Your committee would respectfully recommend:
1. That a society be formed to be de- nominated the Old Settlers' Society of Greene county.
2. That the officers consist of a presi- dent, 10 vice-presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer.
3. That the following persons be chosen as such officers: Capt. Jacob Robley, of Bluffdale, president; Sam- uel Thomas, Judge Alfred Hinton, Gen- oral Jacob Fry, Major J. C. C. Parks, Anthony Potts, Peter Hobson, Martin Bowman, Rev. C. J. Gardner, Judge Thomas J. Short and David Pierson, vice-presidents, H. S. Clay; secretary, Col. Jacob Bowman, treasurer.
Remarks and addresses, chiefly rem- iniscences and anecdotes of early times, were then made by Samuel Thomas, the pioneer of the pioneers of Greene county, Alfred Hinton, J. C. C. Parks, Jacob Fry, David M. Woodson, and several others. These occupied the time until quite late, and the interest was fully kept up. In the course of these various remarks, it became known that Marvel Morris and Isham Linder had been residents of what now con- stitutes the state of Illinois longer than
anyone present, the former for 62, the latter for 61 years. Richard Robley was the oldest person present, having been born in 1790.
On Nov. 11th, at meeting held in Car- rollton, held according to a resolution passed at the first meeting, D. W. Woodson, Isham Linder, Dr. J. B. Samuel, Alfred Hinton, and T. W. Vigus were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and set of by-laws for the government of the organization. The meeting then adjourned.
At an adjourned meeting held at Car- rollton on the Sth Jan., 1872, the above committee presented the following con- stitution, which was adopted:
('onstitution.
ARTICLE I .- This society shall be called the " Greene County Old Settlers' Association," and shall consist, 1st. Of all persons, who, at any time prior to the year 1830, were residents of Illinois, and such persons upon signing the con- stitution, shall be designated as senior members. 2d. All persons residents of Illinois, who shall have resided in the county of Greene since 1845. Such per- sons upon signing the constitution, shall be designated as junior members. The rights privileges and immunities of the senior and junior classes shall be held in common, without distinction or pref- erence. 3d. Honorary members, who may be received by vote at any regular meeting of the association.
ART. II .- The officers of the associa- tion shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, assistant secretary, and treas- urer, to be chosen annually, and whose duties are indicated in their titles. Also one vice-president in each precinct in
609
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
the county, whose duty it shall be to aid the other officers of the association in obtaining historical incidents, bio- graphical sketches, and statistical in- formation of our pioneer history, and also to ascertain and report to the sec- retary from time to time, all the deaths or removals from the county of mem- bers of the association, that may occur in their several precincts during the year.
ART. III .- This association shall hold its annual meeting at some convenient place in the county, to be selected by the president of the association, on the last Wednesday of August in each year. The president and secretary shall have power to call special meetings of the as- sociation.
ART. IV. Every member of the asso- ciation on signing the constitution, shall furnish the secretary, either orally or in writing, a statement, giving the time and place of his birth, the year in which he became a resident of Illinois, and of Greene county, and shall pay to the treasurer the sum of 50 cents, and annu- ally thereafter the sum of 50 cents, which shall constitute membership for himself and wife. The money thus paid shall be used to defray the contin- gent expenses of the association, and for no other purpose.
ART. V .- The treasurer shall report at each annual meeting, a statement of all receipts and expenditures, and no moneys shall be paid out by him, ex- cept by vote of the association, or by the unanimous consent of the president, vice-president and secretary, who are hereby constituted the executive com- mittee of the association.
ART. VI .- The association by a vote
of a majority present at a regular meet- ing, may expel any member for habitual intoxication or grossly immoral con- duct.
ART. VII .- It shall be the duty of each member of the association, as far as may be,, to furnish in a form suitable for preservation, such facts and inci- dents of his early life, and in relation to the first settlement of the county, as he may deem of sufficient interest to be preserved ; and the secretary shall pre- serve them in such form as he may deem proper.
ART. VIII .- The secretary shall keep a book, to be called " The Old Settler's Record," in which he shall enter this constitution, and keep the proceedings of each meeting of the association ; he shall also keep a register of the names of the different members, the place of their birth, the year they became resi- dents of Illinois, so far as he can ascer- tain the same, and at each annual meet- ing he shall read the names of those who have died, or who have removed from the county during the year.
ART. IX .- This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the association. A vote of two-thirds of the members present at such meeting shall be required in favor of such amend- ment.
An election was then held, which re- sulted in the choice of the following officers: Samuel Thomas, pres .; Alfred Hinton, vice-pres .; H. L. Clay, sec .; Dr. Clinton Armstrong, ass't sec; Jor- dan Howard, treas .; and John W. Huitt, of Carrollton; James W. Gregory, of White Hall; Isham Linder, of Green- field; N. M. Perry, Kane; John Rood- house, Roodhouse; Martin Thorpe, Fay-
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
ette; Richard Robley, Bluffdale; G. L. Burruss, Eastern; Jesse C. Parks, Mount Airy; L. J. Patterson, Northwestern; Perry McConathy, Mineral Springs; Perry Clendennen, Woodville; Michael Kinser, Walkerville; and Michael Wal- trip, New Providence, precinct vice- presidents.
The second regular meeting of the association was held at the fair grounds, at Carrollton, and the pioneers listened to addresses by Dennis Davis, of Mis- souri, Judge D. M. Woodson, Cyrus Tolman and others. In 1873, a third meeting was held, and was very inter- esting. Remarks were made by Col. Joshua C. Winters, Everett Griswold, Rev. H. A. Guild and others.
In 1874, one of the most interesting meetings of the society was held, on the authority of the county newspapers, and was one of the largest ever held, of the kind. Dr. S. H. Culver, Dr. B. C. Wood, D. M. Woodson, and Newton Cloud, of Morgan county, enlivened the proceedings with addresses. Appropri- ate resolutions were passed, on receipt of the announcement of the death of Samuel Thomas, Heman Goodrich, Titus Vigus, J. C. C. Parks, and Ever- ett Griswold.
In 1875, the annual meeting was held at the fair ground, when about 3,500 per- sons were present. The speakers were Rev. B. B. Hamilton, of White Hall; Hon. W. C. Flagg, of Madison county; and Hon. Joseph Morton, of Morgan county. The death of Dr. J. B. Samuel was duly reported. A special commit- tee made a report of those present who were over 70 years of age; there were 3 over 90,; 7 over 80, and 46 between 70 and 80.
Every year these pleasant reunions have been kept up, the last occurring on the 26th of Aug., 1885, when a large number were present.
The call to order was made by the president, Edwin Woolley, at noon.
Mr. McPherron, of Carrollton, led in singing.
Rev. Davidson made a short prayer, and the president, after a few remarks, appointed the following committees:
On resolutions and obituaries, Rev. D. H. Stubblefield, Ed. Miner, E. J. Pearce and T. J. Price.
On nominations, N. J. Andrews, Alex. King, W. H. Cannedy, Edgar Griswold and S. F. Greene.
On finance, to assist the vice-presi- dents, F. M. Fishback and Edgar Gris- wold.
The president then announced that no further business would be transacted until after dinner.
The speakers were James Slaten, B. B. Hamilton, Nelson English, J. C. Winters, R. H. Davis and Nathan Mi- ner.
The addresses were all short, but were in the main quite interesting.
The following are the present officers, chosen at this meeting:
President- Edwin Woolley, Green- field.
Secretary-Ed. Miner, Carrollton.
Treasurer-John Howard, Carrollton. And the following vice-presidents:
Athensville-F. M. Grider.
Rubicon-M. S. Melvin.
Rockbridge-L. F. Williams. Kane-S. G. Gardiner.
Linder-G. L. Burruss.
Wrights-A. J. Wright.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Roodhouse-E. M. Husted. White Hall-J. C. Winters. Carrollton-C. Armstrong. Woodville-W. Maberry. Bluffdale-F. M. Fishbaek.
Walkerville-B. Gillingham. Patterson-A. S. Seely.
Executive committee-N. J. Andrews, T. J. Carlin, John Hardcastle, Ornan Pierson, A. M. Cunningham.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
From the commencement of the gov- ernment there have been two antago- nistie principles contending for mastery -slavery and freedom. Sometimes smouldering and even invisible; but the seeds were there and ever and anon would burst into flames, carrying de- struetion, death and desolation with it. A repetition of that great conflict which, for ages, agitated our globe-the conflict between aristocratic usurpation and popular rights. History is crowded with descriptions and seenes of this irrepressible confliet. Two thousand years ago, when the aristocracy of Rome was headed by Caius Pompey, Julius Cæsar, espousing the cause of the peo- ple, unfurled the banner of equal rights, and striding through oceans of blood which tossed their surges over every portion of the habitable globe, over- threw the aristocratic commonwealth and reared over the ruins the imperial commonwealth. Again on the field of Pharsalia, the aristocratie banner was trailed in the dust, and democracy, although exceedingly imperfeet, became victor. It was aristocracy trying to keep its heel on the head of democracy
which deluged the Roman empire in blood.
But the nobles regained foothold, and regardless of these lessons, renewed their oppression. Again they com- meneed sowing the seed which must surely bring forth terrible fruit. Over 200 years ago the aristocraey of France, housed in magnificent palaces, mounted on war horses, with pampered men-at- arms ready to ride rough-shod on every embassage of violence, trampled upon the suffering serfs, until humanity eould no longer endure it. The masses of the people were deprived of every privi- lege, save of toiling for their masters.
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