History of Grundy County, Illinois, Part 26

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 506

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

or upper part. He soon managed to get out and report himself for duty at the ferry across the river at Morris, telling the sheriff that he was an old and experienced boat- man and could and would, if permitted, make himself useful in that capacity. Struck with the impudent boldness of the man, and his unquestionable desire to be of use, the sheriff trusted him, not only with his entire liberty, but soon entrusted the entire management and control of the ferry to him. This trust he never attempted to betray, but he used his position as the trusted agent of the sheriff to manage the ferry, in making friends, and protesting his innocence of the crime charged against him, so that when his trial came off he was acquitted, notwithstanding the proof's of his guilt were clear and overwhelming. Hon. B. C. Cook was the prosecutor, and ever after held that the fact of a juror being on the Cottrell jury was a better cause for challenge than any defined in the statute. Ilis first question to a juror was, " Were you a juror on the Cottrell trial?" If the answer was in the affirmative, Mr. Cook's reply was, "stand aside." And this he kept up as long as he practiced law in our court.

THE SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES OF MORRIS.

That Mrs. Ann Nagle, widow of James Nagle, the first elerk of the commissioners' court of Grundy County, opened and taught the first school in Morris, there is no doubt. After the death of her husband in 1843, she opened a private school (for in those days we could have no other as we had no sehool fund) in her double-log cabin, which stood a little southeast of the

present depot of the C. R. I. & P. R. R. in Morris. Of her scholars several survive, among whom are Thomas Mernan, John Hart, widow Reynolds, Jacob Griggs, John Claypool, etc., all living now in Morris. She continued her school for a year or over. The next school was taught by Miss Ade- lia Wilkes, now the widow of E. P. Seeley, deceased, and residing on Washington street. The next was Miss Mary Ilyslap, now Mrs. J. Blanding, and also living on East Washington street in this city. The next was Charles M. Lee, afterward coun- ty judge of Livingston County, Ills. The next was Charles R. Starr, who has since been judge of the circuit court of Kanka- kee County. All of whom, except Mrs. Nagle, occupied the old court house. Of course, there was a school vacation during court weeks. The first record we can find of any school board bears date Dec. 21, 1843, when Peter Griggs, Perry A. Clay- pool and William Brown (who signed his name by making a cross) met at the record- er's office in Morris, and divided township 33, R. 7, as follows: " Ordered, that the E. & of T. 33, of R. 7 E. 3d P. M., on the south side of the Illinois River, shall com- pose one school district to be known and designated by the name of the Mazon Dis- trict, and that the west } of said township on south side of the Illinois River shall compose one school district, to be known and designated by the name of the Wan- pecan District, and all that portion of said township lying north of the Illinois Riv- er shall compose one school district, to be known and designated by the name of Net- tle Creek District. Ordered, that William White, Sen., Barton Halderman and Ed- mund Brown be appointed trustees of

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

schools in the Mazon Distriet. Ordered. that James Robb, William Patteson and James Thompson be appointed trustees of schools in Waupecan Distriet." In Janu- ary, 1844. E. Warren was appointed "Treas- urer of School Lands," on bond of $200. The first school money received by the treasurer of the board of trustees, seems to have been a warrant issned by the Aud- itor of Public Accounts on the State Treas- ury for $18.12, which the treasurer was " directed to sell at ten per cent. discount, and pay Wanpecan Distriet $4.89, Mazon District 84.46, Nettle Creek District $8.27, in anditor's warrants or eash, if sold at ten per cent. discount, and that he retain 50 cents anditor's warrants to purchase a book for the use of the treasurer." It would seem from this that auditor's war- rants on the State Treasury were divisible ad infinitum. At the regular meeting of the board, Oct. 5, 1846, we find the follow- ing entry:

"Whereas it appears that no returns were made in said township except in Wanpe- can district for the year 1845, and the treas- nrer reporting $35.34 auditor's warrants, therefore ordered that Wanpecan distriet receive the sum of $35.34, and the treasurer is ordered to pay out the money to school teachers in said district, entitled to it ae- cording to law, and that the treasurer sell the anditor's warrants on hand at not more than 20 per cent, discount." This, then. was the condition of the obligations of the great State of Illinois thirty-seven years ago. Twenty per cent. discount.

On the Sth of January, 1848, at a regu- lar election held at the house of James Berry, P. A. Armstrong, John Antis and A. G. Barber were elected trustees. This

board selected L. W. Claypool as their treasurer. This board changed the names of the three school districts from Nettle Creek to District 1; Wanpeean to Distriet 2, and Mazon to District 3, Jany. 11, 1845.

At the April meeting, 1845, the treasurer, Mr. Claypool, reported the receipt " from the school commissioners, the school, college and seminary fund appropriated to town 33, R. T. for 1847, in cash $16.34, anditor's warrants 85.90. Also same fund for $18.45, in anditor's warrants $1.91; total $24.15." Ile was ordered to sell the auditor's war- rants at not more than ten per cent. dis- count, and distribute the same in direct ratio on returns of Dist. No. 1, filed Jan'y 20, 1848-95 scholars; Dist. No. 2-22 scholars; Dist. No. 3-48 scholars," total number of scholars in the township, 165. This embraced Morris, Wauponsee and part of Erienna. One hundred and sixty- five persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years. The apportionment of the school fund was made April 5, 1848, as follows: To Distriet 1, $16.68; District 2, 83.17; District 3, 86.91. At the January (1849) meeting of the board, Mr. Claypool, as treasurer, reported that he had on hand eighty-four cents, being one year's interest on Thompson's note. Ordered, that it re- main on hand until next meeting. This note seems to have been for ten dollars and eighty-four eents. At the March meeting, 1849, the treasurer reported the receipt of $19.60 in anditor's warrants, which he sold at ten per cent. discount. This with other funds on hand amounted to $31, for the year, and was apportioned as follows: Dist. No. 1, 817.85; Dist. No. 2, 84.14, and Dist. No. 3. 89.01. At the March meeting, 1850, Dist. No. 1 reported 123; No. 2, 20;

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

No. 3. 42 school children, and the sum of $14.51 was apportioned. Morris got $9.20 of it.

Dr. Antis went to California, and Mr. C. L. P. Hogan was elected to fill the va- cancy. In 1851 L. W. Claypool succeeded Mr. Barber as trustec, and there were $29.07 distributed to the various school districts, of which Morris got St8.32. L. P. Lott succeeded Mr. Claypool as treas- urer. There is no record in 1852 to be found. In 1853 the amount distributed was $110.65, of which Morris got $93.90, on 227 school children. In 1854 Messrs. Hogan. Claypool and C. II. Goold were the trustees, with Mr. Lott as treasurer. We find a plat of a sublivision of Sec. 16, T. 33, R. 7, being the school section do- nated by Congress to each township for the support of schools posted in the record as of May 10, 1854, certified by Geo. H. Kiersted, county surveyor; by P. A. Arm- strong, deputy. A Mr. Jenkins did the surveying. Ile was afterward killed by Gen. Jim Lane, in Kansas, over a claim ditheulty. By this plat said school section was divided into fourteen lots, containing in the aggregate 642 21-100 acres, which were sold by Geo. Fisher, then school com- missioner, for $9,470.08. This was the foundation of our fine schools of Morris. In October, 1854, the number of school children in Dist. No. 1 (Morris) was 711, and the amount distributed for the year ending Oct. 1, 1854. was 879.67, of which Morris got 859.95. In 1855 the distribu- tion was 8419.96, of which $315.97 went to Dist. No. 1. The law was changed in 1555, so the distribution was made upon the actual school attendance. At the Oc- tober meeting of that year $520.19 was

apportioned, and Morris got $133.35 of this amount. In January, 1856, Messrs. Claypool, Goold and C. R. Parmelee were elected trustees, who re-elected Mr. Lott, treasurer. In 1856 there were $2,013.65 apportioned or distributed, and Morris got $1,661.93. In 1857 the amounts were . about the same as for 1855. The school census for 1858 showed that the total num- ber of children between five and twenty-one years was 701; under five years, 419; total, 1.120. School Dist. No. 1 was divided in 1849, forming Dist. No. 5, composed of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, which now are at- taclied to and form part of the town of Erienna, or Aerienna, as more generally spelled.

Hon. L. B. Ray was elected treasurer Jan'y 21, 1864, and has continued in office ever since, except the years 1876 to 1878, when L. F. Beach was treasurer; Mr. C. II. Goold was one of the trustees from 1854 to 1878, a period of twenty-four years of continnous service. The increase of school children in the county from 1856 to 1858, was 774; at the March meeting of the Board of Supervisors, 1858, Supervisors L. W. Claypool, L. P. Lott and Wm. Pierce, special committee to settle with the sel:ool commissioner, submitted a re- port in which they nse the following lan- guage in relation to the increase of school children in T. 32, R. S: " Your committee are also of the opinion that there must, from the nature of the case, be some errors in the returns of the children as returned to the school commissioner: the most glaring of which is in town 32, 8; in their return of 1854 there appears but 192 chil- dren, whereas in 1856 it is 492; this is an alarming increase in the short space of two

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

years, and if it continues in the same ratio for a few years longer, it will make this town one of the most thiekly populated towns in Illinois." We are inclined to the opinion that friend Claypool had not read Fox's Book of Martyrs, or if he had read . it he had forgotten John Rogers with his " nine small children, and one at the breast." Braceville may have been settled by the descendants of this self-same John Rogers, which would explain the " aların- ing increase." Indeed this town of Bracc- ville (32, 8) is in many respects a wonder- ful one; it has more high priced poor land, more railroads, more coal and more chil- dren to the acre than any other town in the county, and is ready to take a contract to double discount 492 children on short no- tice, but we are drifting from our subject,

THIE MORRIS SCHOOLS.

Unable to find the early school records we must depend on our memory largely for facts up to 1859.

The last teacher mentioned by us was Judge Starr. Mrs. W. S. Woolsey, who still lives in Morris, tanght a private school at the court house for several months. Mr. Oliver E. Parmelcc, a druggist (and who was drowned in the canal here while bath- ing in June, 1850), erected the building now occupied by Francis Hall, as a saloon, in 1849; the upper part was in oue room, known as " Parmelce HIall;" this room was rented by the school board, and B. M. Ather- ton, the father-in-law of Mr. Parmelee, was engaged to teach school in this room; he was a man of education and talent; one leg was several inches shorter than the other, hence he used erntehes; naturally of a dom- ineering disposition and irascible temper,

he was anything but a pleasant man, yet his fine intelligence and legal ability (for he was a lawyer by profession) gave him a good standing in the community; barring his severity of manner, he was a very fine teacher, and did much in “ teach- ing the young ideas how to shoot;" indeed, liis school was a sort of County Normal, to which pupils from all over the county eame. Parmelee Hall was used as a school room from 1850 to the fall or winter of 1853, when the district erected the main part of what is now known as the Old Center School House.

In Angust, 1851, a rote of the district was taken upon the question of building a school-house and purchasing lots 1 and 2, B. 11, Chapin's addition to Morris, as a school-house site, which resulted favorably to both propositions, and on the 3d of September of that year, said lots were purchased from Geo. W. Armstrong for $175, and a deed was executed by Mr. A. to School District No. 1, T. 33, R. 7. A contract for the erection of a school-house was awarded to R. S. Jones (as we remem- ber) to build a school-house on said lots thirty by sixty feet, two stories high. There was a deal of fault tinding at what was then considered by some the enormous size of this building. So general was this feeling that the people refused to vote the necessary amount of tax to complete the building the next year, so that work was suspended. But at the next vote upon the subject the appropriation or tax was car- ried and the building completed. If our memory is correct a Mr. Brooks-better known as Bully Brooks-a young man with very red hair and prominent nose, taught, or tried to teach, school in the thea

HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

new school-house in the winter of 1853-4, but was forced to abandon the enterprise by the big boys before his term was out. Miss Sarah Parmelee, or " Aunt Saralı," as she was called, tanght a school in one of the rooms in the spring of 1854.

In September of that year Edward San- ford. A. B., a graduate of old Yale, was indneed to accept the position of principal of the Morris public school. ' A man of magnificent executive ability and a perfect model of systematic order, he made a great suecess of the school. However, he conld not be indneed to teaeli but two years, and closed his duties as such principal July 31, 1856, to enter the law office of E. P. Seeley, since deceased, as a law student. Having been admitted to the bar he became the law partner of Mr. Secley, and remained as such until the death of the latter. Ile is now one of our wealthiest citizens. A little fussy fellow by the name of Smith, from somewhere in Wisconsin, succeeded Mr. Sanford. He had as an assistant a woman, supposed to be his wife, but Dame Rumor said she was some other man's wife, and like the "Ileathen Chinee, they had to go."

In 1859 II. K. Trask, A. B., was princi- pal, with John Trask, Anna Trask, Eliza Baldwin, Sarah Parmelee, and Kate Grant, assistants. Their salaries were as follows: II. K. Trask, $900; John Trask, $750; and 8270 to each lady. The same corps of teachers had charge in 1860 at the same salaries, with Gertrude Vincent as an additional assistant. In August, 1860, the people voted down the proposition to levy a tax to extend schools beyond six months the ensuing year. This caused Mr. Trask, who was, besides being a first-elass teacher, a first-class gentleman, to deeline a

re-appointment here. He left Morris, and went to Wisconsin, where he has remained ever since, and is president of a college there.

At a meeting of the directors, Sept. 14th, it was ordered to have six months school with seven teachers, fixing the salary of the principal at $400 for the six months, and placing the assistants' pay at $25 per monthi. School to commence Oct. 7, 1861. John Trask was made principal, Kate Frame, Anna Trask, Sarah Parmelec, Kate Grant, Fannie A. Hale and Celia Frary were selected as assistants. B. II. Streeter and B. F. Matteson, two of the directors, resigned April 2d, 1862. Robert Long- worth and C. G. Conklin were elected to fill the vacancies April 14, 1862. Mr. Trask was re-engaged with Kate Frame, C. Vanvalkenburgh, S. Wright, K. Morley, C. Frary and A. A. Hennessey, assistants. School commenced Oct. 6, 1862. Andrew Kirkland succeeded Mr. Conklin as director this year. In 1863, Mr. Me Vay was prin- cipal, but the record fails to show what his initials or first names were, what wages lie received, or who were his assistants when the school began or closed, or indeed that we had any school. We find under date of Nov. 16, 1863, Mr. Longworth moved to increase the salary of McVay five dollars per month; whether the motion was carried or lost, the record fails to state. In 1864, W. T. Hopkins succeeded Mr. McBride as director and elerk of the board. This board selected L. B. Searles, principal, on salary of $900, with Misses Morley (now Mrs. Hamilton), Longworth, Hennes- sey, Wright, Hale, Bross and Vincent, at $30 per month each On April 1, 1865, a petition signed by C. Grant, G. W. Lane,

HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

D. D. Spencer, and thirty others was pro- sented to the school board praying the re- moval of Mr. Searles. The record says: "After hearing the defenses, it is ordered that Mr. Searles be discharged." This dis- charge was clearly irregular and illegal. IIe left but collected his salary.

It appears that a Mr. Fisher was em- ployed to finish the year's school as princi- pal. There is no record of it except of the payment of schedules, July 15, 1865, when "Fisher and Miss Morley were allowed $440, Misses Tinkham, Bross. Bean, Harri- son, Hale and Wright, each $120. Mr. Kirkland resigned, when at the election to fill vacancy, and elect a successor to Mr. Longworth, E. B. Hanna and L. P. Lott were elected. Of this board, Judge Ilop- kins was made president, and L. P. Lott, secretary, and this was the starting point of keeping a record of the board. Zorodus Trask of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, was se- leeted principal at $1,200 per annum, with Misses Bross, Bean, Harrison, Tinkham and Hale, assistants, at $300 per annumn cach. The school-house now was too small to accommodate the seholars, and outside rooms were engaged, with Miss Riordan as an additional teacher. In December of that year, tlie wages of the female teachers were raised to $300 per annum. We find by the schedules paid, that a Miss Wheaton was Mr. Trask's first assistant. We have no personal recollection of the lady. Additions were built to the main building this year.

E. B. Hanna was again elceted director in 1866. It was also voted to build a brick school-house in the 3d ward. At the Au- gust meeting, 1866, of the board the school ycar was fixed at forty weeks. This has been the rule ever since. Henry K. Trask

was elected principal, with Misses Jennie Bross, Belle Grant, Sarah Tinkham, Alida Bliss, Fannie IIale, Aliee Riordan and Gertrude Vincent, assistants, for year com- mencing in Sept:, 1866.

The school rooms were so crowded that on the 13th Oct., 1866, the board made a contract with Mrs. Bailey, wife of Rev. G. S. Bailey, to teach from forty to fifty small scholars at their residence, for $400 for forty weeks. Mr. H. K. Trask declining to accept the offer of principal, Mr. Stet- man E. Massey was selected as sneh at $1,000 per annmin. Miss Riordan did not accept the position offered, and Miss Mary E. MeQueston took her place. Miss Vin- cent also resigned in March, 1867, when a Miss Fitch was appointed to the place. Ang. 5, 1867, C. Grant was elected to suc- ceed Judge Hopkins. It was also voted to build a brick school-house in the 4th ward north of the railroad. The site for 3d ward school was purchased Ang. Sth, 1867, for $$50. The board also bought from Thomas Hynds ninety feet sonth end of lot 3, B. 11, Chapin's addition to Morris, adjoining the old school-house, for $200 at this meeting. The school was opened again in Sept., 1867, with S. E. Massey, principal, Belle Grant, Jennie Bross, Fannie Hale, Alida Bliss, Sarah Tinkham, Mary MeQueston and E. B. Fitch, assistants. Goneh & Smith re- ceived the contract to do the mason work on 3d ward school for $1,250. F. II. Will- iams & Co., the carpenter work for $1,500, selecting the Oliver brick as the material. At a meeting of the board July 11th, 1868, lots 6 and 7, B. 9, in Edwards' addition to Morris, were purchased for a school-house site for a brick school-house in the 4thi ward at the sum of $600. The first mis-

HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

take we note in the action of this board, one of the very ablest the city ever had, is in ordering the building of "a one story brick school-house 30 by 40 feet." On the 3d of August, 1868, Geo. W. Lane was elected to succeed Mr. Lott as director. It was also decided to purchase a site, and ereet a brick school-house, in the then 5th, now 2d ward. At a meeting of the new board August 12, 1868, Mr. Grant was elected president and Mr. Hanna secretary, and Mr. Massey was reappointed principal of the schools, with Misses Bross, Bliss, Hale, McQueston, Grant, Hennessey, Ilar- rison, Barstow and Mrs. Phillips, assistants. The principal to be paid $1,000, and each assistant $300. At this meeting the board ordered that the proposed school-house in the 4th ward be of brick and one story high and 30 by 40 feet in size; and the contract was let to Messrs. Kutz and Storr for the carpenter work at 8960. The brick and stone work was let to Wm. Stage at $679. At a meeting of the board September 7, it was decided to make the 4th ward school building two stories instead of one. The lower story 14, the upper 12 feet high. The old teachers were re-employed for en- sning year at same salaries. Mary Grant was added to the list of teachers at the next meeting of the board.

On the 28th of July, 1870, Prof. II. II. C. Miller was elected principal, on a sala- ry of $1,800. Ilis selection proved a very good one. Ile is a man of fine executive ability and seholastie acquirements. On the 1st of September the elerk submitted a sys- tem of grading the schools, which was adopted, and has been but slightly changed since, strange as it may seem, yet it is true that this was the first effort ever made to

establish graded schools in Morris, so far as appears of record.

At a meeting of the board Sept. 30, 1870, on motion of the clerk, the salaries of the assistant teachers were raised from $300 to $340, and the following were selected and assigned:

Center School.

Room No. 2-Miss Emma Green.

“ 3- " Carrie Barstow.

66 4 Dora Schoonmaker.

5-" Jennie A. Bross.

Jennie Wing.

Myra Massey.

In 3d Ward Brick School House.

Room No. 1-Miss Mary Hubbard.

2-Miss Lizzie Hennessey, prin. cipal. 4th Ward Brick.

1-Miss Carrie Bullis.

66 2-Miss M. A. Rippan, princi- pal. 5th Ward Brick.

1-Miss Alida C. Bliss.

2-Miss Minnie Barstow, prin- eipal.

Much feeling sprang up over this assign- ment of teachers, but it proved a very ju- dicions one, and never did the Morris pub- lie schools do better than this year. Prof. Miller proved to be " the right man in the right place," while he was ably assisted in all the departments. This school board adopted the single seat system and render- ed the principal active support in building up a first-class graded publie school. In January, 1871, Mr. Brown resigned, and Mr. F. Caspori was elected his successor. At the regular April election of that year, Mr. Lane was re-elected director without opposition. --

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

On the 21st of June, 1871, " Prof. Miller submitted his annual report of the work- ings of the several schools under his charge, which showed a very flattering condition, and, on motion, it was ordered that said report be published in pamphlet form and that 300 copies be printed for distribu- tion."

This was the first report of the Morris public schools ever printed.

On the 23d of June, 1871, on motion of Mr. Caspori, Prof. Miller's salary was raised to $1,500 per annum, and on motion of Mr. Armstrong, the following assignment and salaries of the assistants were made:

Miss Bliss, assistant to principal, $375

Center School.

Miss Jennie M. Wing, Room 6, 375

Myra Massey, 5, 375

" Dora Schoonmaker, 66

4. 375

" Emma E. Green, 3, 340

Gracie Peirce, 2, 300

3d Ward School.

Mrs. L. Thaver, principal, Room 2, 375

Miss Mary L. Hubbard, 1, 340

4th Ward School.

Miss Ella C. Harrison, No. 2, princi-

pal, 340

Only one room ready for use. 5th Ward School.

Miss Minnie Barstow, No. 2, principal, $375 " Jennie A. Bross, " 1 375

The teachers' salaries paid for previous year was $5,253. The total cost of the year's school was $7,828.17, as appears from the clerk's report. The whole number of persons under 21 years residing in the dis- triet was given at 1,730, and those betweenl 6 and 21 were 1,200, of whom 18 were col- ored. The whole number of enrolled sehol- ars was 852; number of teachers, 13-12

females and 1 male; with + graded schools, with 112 volumes in the publie school li- brary.

This was truly a fine showing. But we are extending this article too long. The teachers selected for the year commencing in September, 1871, were Prof. Miller, prinei- pal, Ada Brumback as his assistant, and Misses Bross, Bliss, Green, Peirce, Harri- son, Mary Foster, Mary J. Henry, Emma Card, Schoonmaker, Hubbard, and Mrs. M. L. Thayer. In March, 1872, Miss Card re- signed on account of poor health, and Miss Julia MeFarland succeeded her as a teacher. At the April election, 1872, Mr. Armstrong was unanimously re-elceted director. On the 15th of June that year, the salary of the teacher of the grammar school was raised to $400. Prof. Miller was again chosen as prin- cipal at $1,500; Miss Lizzie Winters, as his assistant, 8400. The salaries of the other teachers were not changed. The old teach- ers were re-engaged except Misses Brum- back, Greene, Hubbard, M. J. Henry, and Mrs. Thayer, who declined to re-engage. Misses Irene Henry and Elsie F. Hare were employed in their stead. The wages were substantially the same as the prior year.

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History of Grundy County, Illinois, Part 26

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin Number of Pages: 506

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 506