History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 109

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180


USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 109


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


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In the spring of 1835 Col. James Frame, his wife (Mary), three sons and three daughters ; George Whitfield Rounsaville, his wife (Mary), a daughter of Frame, came from Indiana, and built their cabin near the center of the east half of N. W. 2, S. 16, T. 26, R. 14 W. They brought a hand-mill, which was much used by the neighbors for grinding corn ; it was the second mill on the creek. In 1836 Rounsaville moved to Plato and kept a boarding house when the steam mill was being built; they soon returned and commenced a farm, near Frame's, on the same section. Rounsaville died in 1857; one son was killed at the battle of Shiloh, and the widow soon after the war moved to Kansas. Thomas Frame, one of the three sons, was in Danville on December 19, 1836, and entered the northwest quarter of the S. W. of Sec. 15, T. 26, R. 14; on his way home the next day was frozen to death ; he was buried on his late pur- chased land. This was the fourth deatlı. James Frame, Jr., erected his first cabin on the same land in about 1842. To obtain fire when they first came, Rounsaville carried a tea-kettle of coals from Lindsey's,


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five miles. Jacob Knoyer and Jane Frame were married about April 5. 1840 ; the snow was about a foot deep, and the visitors went in sleds. The second election was lield at Col. Frame's, the first Monday of August, 1836. Levi Thompson, Jacob O. Feather and the Colonel were appointed judges by the court; two of them being absent, Ira Lindsey and Hamilton Jefferson filled their places. James Smith and Jonathan Wright were the clerks ; there were present and voted besides these : John Miller, Jesse Amos, Joseph Wright and Jedediah Darby. Jonas Smith, Thompson and Feather were the other three voters in the precinct.


James McKuhn, a native of Kentucky, came to Miller's in the fall of 1836, and died in about two months; this was the third death. William Whiteman settled on the Hull Farm in 1836, remained there about two years, when he sold to George L. Conn. Whiteman went back to the Wabash, and in a few years to California.


In the early part of May, 1836, Thomas M. Pangborn, Caleb Jew- ett and Oliver Miller came from Ohio by way of Parish's Grove, to Milford, then to Levi Thompson's, on their way to the Rock river country to find a place to settle. Before going further they concluded to examine the land on Spring creek. They went up on the east side, crossed over to Frame's and stopped over night; the next day on the north side to Smith's, where they stopped three days, during which time they selected land and went by the way of the Butterfield trail to Danville, where they entered their several lots. T. M. Pangborn entered 220 acres, the present Doolittle Farm, and for his brother (Ransom) 80 acres, his present farm, and 80 acres of timber. Jewett entered the Horace Barnes Farm, 80 acres of timber and other lands, where J. W. Grubbs and David Risser live, and a lot near John Miller's. Oliver Miller entered the W. A. Davis Farm. Jewett at once returned and built a cabin on the north end of his timber lot, a few rods east of the Pangborn burying-ground. On October 2, 1837, the Pangborns and Harpers moved into the Jewett cabin : the Har- pers had bought that lot of Jewett.


Ten grown persons, Samuel and Mary Harper, Thomas M. and Jane Pangborn, Alexander and Diana Harper, Ransom Pangborn and Samuel H., Margaret and Mary Ann Harper, wintered in this sixteen- feet-square building. In December, Jolinson T., infant son of Thomas M. and Jane, died ; he was one year old, and was the first person buried in that burying-ground. The next spring Thomas built his cabin a few rods from his child's grave, and lived there until 1845, when he erected a new house of hewed logs, on the Butterfield trail. April 10, 1856, it was destroyed by fire, and the southi house, on the same farm, was at


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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.


once erected on the same place. Mr. Pangborn was elected associate judge in 1853, and served four years. Ransom B. Pangborn married Margaret Harper, June 24, 1838 ; this was the third marriage in the settlement. They lived with Thomas till the fall of 1840, when he moved on his own land, which he now owns. Alexander Harper entered the E. ¿ of the S.E. ¿ of Sec. 19, and commenced living there in 1838. His widow, Diana Harper, lives on the same farm. He died February 14, 1845. Mary Ann died March 25, 1839. Samuel H. Harper and his parents continued to live in the Jewett cabin till 1839, when they moved it to the prairie, where he now resides. Samuel H. Harper married Mary Lehigh, April 16, 1839. Father Harper died


PIONEER LOG CABIN.


February 23, 1846, and his widow July 9, 1852; they were natives of Pennsylvania. The two Pangborns and the latter Harper have raised large families who, with their parents, occupy respectable positions in the community. One of the first things this little colony did in the spring of 1838 was to carefully plant a parcel of apple seed they had brought from Ohio; from these seeds came the first of their orchards.


On the return of Lindsey, Lehigh and Grice, from their prospecting tour in the fall of 1834, they found Samuel Mason Ayers at Covington, and when Lindsey returned to build his cabin Grice and Ayers accom- panied him. Ayers remained about a month, made a claim, and returned to Virginia. In the fall of 1835 or 1836 he moved his family, and spent the winter at Lindsey's, whose wife was his sister, and the next


Hor M. Sanglow


LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


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ONARGA TOWNSHIP.


spring moved to his claim, lot 2, N.E. ¿ of Sec. 1, T. 25, R. 10. Eliz- abeth, his first wife, died April 25, 1854, and was buried in the Lehigh burying-ground, where four of her infant children were also buried.


In the spring of 1837 or 1838 a fruit-tree peddler appeared on Upper Spring creek. Lindsey, Wright, the Smiths and the widow Lehigh bought out his entire load and set their orchards. Miller not getting any of these trees, went to the Wabash with an ox-team, and purchased enough for a small orchard. These were the first fruit trees planted, and some of them bear fine apples to this day, as the writer can bear witness.


Reuben Skeels, with his wife (Sally), four sons (Henry, Orvis, Nel- son and Reed), two daughters (Cyntha, and Almira Root with her two children, Clinton D. and Mary Ann), came with the Pangborns and Harpers. Mr. Skeels was through this county in June, 1836, with Stephen Tripp, and bought land of James Smith, and also made a claim. Tripp made his selections and settled on the Iroquois river, near Plato. Skeels built his cabin on the N.W. ¿ of Sec. 31, T. 26, R. 14. South of the ditch, near the northwest corner of that lot of land. This was his home for many years. His wife died July 16, 1838. In April, 1843, he married Hannah Kyrk, by whom there were two sons (Irvin and Orvis), now living near the old home. His second wife died April.6, 1855, aged forty-eight years, and he April 22, 1864, aged seventy-six years. Henry Skeels married Sally Roberts, of Ash Grove, April 18, 1839; Ira Lindsey, Esq., went to that settlement to tie the matrimonial knot. In 1841 Skeels commenced the Pierce farm in N. . ¿ of S.E. 4, Sec. 31, T. 26, R. 14, and died February 4, 1849. Robert Skeels and Mrs. David Bullington are two of his children. The same year his brother Orvis improved the Metzger place. He married Rachel Brock, of Ash Grove, March 26, 1840, and died September 19, 1841. John Kyrk bought the Oliver and Nelson-Miller land, and moved on it in the spring of 1837. His cabin stood a few rods from the present residence of W. S. Davis ; the artesian spring close by determined the location of his dwelling. There were two sons (Isaac A. and William) and three daughters (Hannah, Mary and Mahala); the latter married Loved Evans. Kyrk brought a hand-mill with him. It was the third of that class in the precinct. Kyrk died May 5, and his wife August 13, 1847.


Benjamin W. Rackhold, with his wife (Sarah), and several children, came in the spring of 1837. Their cabin was being raised on the day the Pangborns and Harpers drove past on their way to the Jewett cabin. It was about a half mile south of Wright's. Mr. Rackhold died July 29, 1854, and his wife September 23, 1856. Melissa Jane,


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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.


their eldest daughter, married John Oldridge. Tobiatha is the wife of John Judy, of Fountain Creek.


Hamilton Jefferson, a native of Alexandria, Virginia, with Sarah (his wife), and her son (Spencer Sayers), their four sons (Henry, Ham- ilton, George and Thomas); their five daughters (Ann Maria, Cerene, Ophana, Hannah and Martha), with the families of Seth Jones, Henry Jones and Jephtha Hayman, twenty-six persons in all, embarked March 23, 1835, with their household goods, at Graham's landing, Meigs county, Ohio, in a boat seventy-five feet in length and about twelve in width. They floated down the Ohio nearly 1,000 miles to the Wabash ; up the latter river they towed and poled their bark 400 miles to Tilson's Ferry, where they landed on the 8th of May. For thirty days the men labored at the oars, poles and tow-ropes, forcing the boat up the stream. At night on the 10th they were in George- town, Vermilion county, Illinois. In the summer of 1836 Jefferson and the two Joneses came to Iroquois county to select land for their homes. They made claims on the Iroquois; the Joneses remained there, but Jefferson abandoned his claim when informed by the Indians that colts and pappooses could not be raised there on account of the cold fever (milk sickness); they assured him these desirable accompani- ments of farm and home life were in no danger of that disease on Spring creek. This brought him to the point of timber ever afterward known as Jefferson's Point. He entered the W. ¿ of S.W. ¿ of Sec. 12, T. 26, R. 14 W., and in February, 1837, built a cabin. In October he moved his family to their new home. At this time he hauled fifteen bushels of corn meal and a half-barrel of flour from Danville. After getting well settled his first work was to construct, with a seven pound wedge, a spring pole and a log made concave on top, a machine for pounding hominy. The machine occupied one end of the dwelling ; it was a grand success in preparing that kind of food for a family of twelve persons. Jefferson and his step-son Sayers had raised a crop in the neighborhood that season. Two daughters were added to this already large family after arriving in Illinois, one while living in Ver- milion county, the other in their new home. Thomas, and Hannah Oppy are the only representatives left. Hamilton went to California about 1854, and has not been heard from for over twenty-three years. Mrs. Jefferson, while on a visit to her relatives in Ohio, died, October, 1858, and was buried there. January 10, 1859, he married Mrs. Nancy Eoff, with whom he lived till his death, September 28, 1878, leaving one daughter by her, who lives with her mother in Onarga. The sec- ond year Jefferson resided on the creek he dug a well forty-eight feet deep; finding no water he bored twelve feet, when the water suddenly


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came up, filling the excavation several feet. The water was so impreg- nated with sulphur that it was never used. The boring was accom- plished by a pod auger made from a dry hickory rail ; the cutting part was cased with tin from milk pans. This is the first boring for water in the county of which we have any knowledge.


John Churchman, his wife Caroline, and three or four children, came in 1837, probably in the spring. His dwelling stood on the N. W. ¿ of Sec. 15, T. 26, R. 14, on the east side of a small ravine. A large cottonwood tree now marks the place. He entered several tracts of land, and made some improvements. In 1848 he sold out and went to California, where he died. The family then moved to South Amer- ica, where the widow died, leaving several of the children in the latter country.


William D. Robinson commenced a farm adjoining and north of Jonathan Wright's in 1838. With much energy and good calculation he accumulated a fine property. Mr. Robinson died January 3, 1856, at forty-seven years of age. His wife, Lovina, died March 26, 1854, aged thirty-eight years.


Henry Root drove a horse-team from Ohio in the fall of 1838, and late in December arrived at Reuben Skeel's, where his family had been for more than a year. Root made a cabin on the S. W. fractional { of Sec. 30, T. 26, R. 11 E., where he now lives. This has been super- seded by a frame house. The back pension of $1,700 which Mrs. Root has lately secured, on account of the death of her son, Clinton D. Root, in the late war, has enabled them to build a nice residence for their old age.


. From this date, while the advent of new settlers is of equal import- ance, as regards the individuals our time and space will allow only the brief mention of their names, without adverting in detail to their sub- sequent movements. Among the last named are remembered Loved Evans, Dr. Andrew E. Manderville, a skillful physician, Thomas A. Norvell, keeper of the first hotel in Onarga, Moses Oppy, a notorious hunter, John Freeman, Daniel Cavin, who taught the first school in the Pangborn cabin, and Seneca and Carlos Amsbary. The Dean brothers were also among the early settlers. They were all school teachers, and have left their impress upon many who were then among the youth but have now grown to manhood and womanhood in these. and other parts.


John Shipley was the first blacksmith. He came in 1848. Before this Milford afforded the nearest facilities of this kind.


For the first fifteen years the settlers found abundance of game in the timber and on the prairie. Deer had to be herded from the corn-


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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.


field, and they were often found feeding among the cattle. Venison was always on their tables. Wild fowl, ducks, geese, brants and prairie chickens were too plenty to be profitable. Wild hogs for some years furnished pork, and for a few years a stray flock of turkeys could be found. At the same time the land was almost overrun with snakes. Often, in closing a land of a few acres plowing, the last day's work was fraught with danger to man and beast from the numerous rattlesnakes, driven, day by day, to the center. They were so plenty that the sturdy oxen would become almost unmanageable. It was not uncommon for a man, in a month's breaking sod, to kill a hundred or more of these poisonous reptiles. In early spring the more harmless snakes would come from their winter quarters in great numbers, and in a sudden chill they would gather in masses as large as a bushel basket and re- main for the warm rays of the sun to give them more life. T. Lindsey attatked such a mass with an ax, and demolished a large number of them.


Corn bread was the staple in that line. For weeks at a time wheat bread would not appear. The children were glad to see a visitor at the cabin, especially a neighbor woman or the preacher, for their presence told of warm biscuit. In most of the families flour bread was furnished on Sundays. This made Sunday a welcome day to the little folks, and the parents felt thankful that they were so well provided for. The . reader may think such a life would be unendurable, but, in the lan- , guage of an old settler, " You could stand it if you had to."


SCHOOLS.


Besides being a religious and law-abiding people, the first set- tlers of Onarga knew the importance and value of education, and at an early day put forth an honorable effort in that direction. In the fall of 1836 a school was organized, and taught by Marilla Ayers. In the Lehigh cabin, Louisa Wright taught in the same room in 1837. In 1838 Mrs. Diana Harper taught about twenty scholars in the same place. For her services she received $1.50 per week, which was regarded at that time as high wages. William Prentiss taught the following winter in one of the Amos cabins. Caroline Grice and Nelson Skeels were teachers in an early day in the Lindsey neighborhood. Caroline Webster, daughter of Chauncey Webster, of Sugar Creek, was employed in the summer of 1839. John Wil- son was employed in the winter of 1840-41, and kept a school of about thirty scholars. The house was about thirty rods southeast of H. Lyon's residence. It soon became necessary to liave a school in the Pangborn neighborhood, and in the winter of 1842-3 Thomas


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ONARGA TOWNSHIP.


M. Pangborn taught in one of the Kyrk cabins, where Ruth Hib- bard's dwelling now stands. The next fall, late in November, a log school-house was built on the west bluff of the basin, northeast of E. Doolittle's dwelling; the ditch at that place occupies the site. Daniel Cavin was the teacher tliat winter, and Alvira Lehigh the next summer. At this time there were two schools on Upper Spring creek. In the summer of 1843, after Lindsey's family moved into their brick house, Mrs. Lindsey taught a school in their cabin. In 1845 there were two schools ; in 1850, four ; in 1858, seven ; in 1860, nine ; and 1880, thirteen. Among the teachers from 1840 to 1850, we find Rev. T. B. Hall, Mary Darling, Julia Leggett, Mahlon Boyd, Mary Vroman. From. 1850 to 1860: Maranda Miller, Addison Lockwood, Mary Evans, Violetta Boswell, James Lindsey, Alfred Fletcher, Miss V. Bennett, Dr. E. P. Squires, T. M. Snow, J. Edwin Smith, Miss M. E. Needham, Hezekiah Storms, Lizzie Hastings,


M. Wilson, Molly Denton, C. R. Eager. The number of schools, from the first one, in 1836, has kept pace with the increase of pop- ulation, and their efficiency is well attested by the general intelligence of the people. It has been said for many years, by the postal clerks, that more reading matter came to Onarga, in proportion to its popu- lation, than to any other town on the Illinois Central railroad. The village has for many years been the educational center of the county.


In the fall of 1856 H. H. and F. L. Stone built a school-house on their addition to the town, and that winter D. P. Norton taught the first school in the village. The following May a building on the east side of the railroad, where A. K. Doe now resides, was rented, and Harriet M. Messer (now Culver) was employed three months. In August, 1857, Union school district No. 1 was organized, and at the election on October 6, Dr. J. L. Parmalee, Enoch C. Hall and William C. Moore were elected directors. The same teacher, with Helen Skeels (now Eager) as her assistant, was employed for the winter of 1857-8. The school was in the stone school-house. The difference in compensation for the same kind of work, in 1838 and 1858, is shown by $6 per month in the former year, and $28 in the latter.


The rapid growth of the village made it necessary to furnish more and better rooms for schools; and, in the spring of 1858, a house 30×48, 12 feet high, was built. For putting up this structure Horace Pinney was paid $1,025. At that time it was the largest and best school building in the county. Fannie E. Murdock and Jennie Shef- field opened the school in this house about the middle of July.


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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.


A. C. Burnham (now a resident of Champaign) in 1860, opened a private school in the upper room of C. A. Newton's store building. At one time a private school was taught in the house now occupied for a dwelling by J. C. Culver, Mrs. Culver being the teacher.


July 19, 1867, the directors contracted with Ralph McKenney, Cyrus Austin and R. B. Cultra for the erection of a two-story brick school-house, 32×50. It was completed that year, dedicated Janu- ary 6, 1868, and cost, when furnished, $5,749.57. The year following an English cast-steel bell, costing $140, was put in the tower.


As early as 1865 schools were organized for the colored children, who at that time had no school rights under the laws of the great state of Illinois. The expense of such schools was paid by contri- bution till, on December 28, 1868, the board of directors "voted to admit the children of the colored population of suitable age to all the rights and privileges in the public school which other children have"; A. E. Donaldson and M. H. Messer for, and J. C. Culver against, the proposition. This action of the board drew forth a shower of opposition, and January 1, 1869, the citizens held a meeting, and by resolution requested the school officers to open a separate school for the colored people in their church at least six months each year, and pay the expense out of the common school fund. Consequently, in November, 1869, Miss Annie Allen was employed at $33 per month to take charge of such school. It soon became apparent that it would not be a judicious expenditure of money to continue this school in the spring for the few who would attend in the warm weather, and there being plenty of vacant seats in the brick house, to it they finally found their way, and in a year or two the separate school for their benefit was discontinued. In 1872 F. P. Beach took the contract to build an addition to the school building, 25×40, two stories, with a mansard roof. When completed and furnished it cost $4,189.92. It is a beau- tiful structure, an ornament and a credit to the town. The seating capacity of the house is 275. The present directors are : George B. Winter, James B. Baldwin and Joseph D. Long; the teachers are : A. K. Carmichael, principal ; Mrs. Kate Hanby, Mrs. Eva L. Evans, Lizzie Soule, Hattie Harper and Mary Slattery. It is worthy of note that Miss Soule has been a teacher in this school since 1865, except in 1872. Mrs. A. E. Rumley was a teacher for five years, Hattie Davis for six years, and Hattie Harper for five years; Mrs. Kate Hanby eight years out of eleven.


Besides the public and private schools above mentioned, the Rev. John Thomas, pastor of the Presbyterian church, opened a select


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ONARGA TOWNSHIP.


school in about 1862. The rooms over Pierson's store were used for that purpose. This school continued about two years, and was suc- cessful. In the spring of 1865 W. P. Pierson, at his own expense, erected a substantial building, and May 1, 1865, Emily and Mary Wilson opened a school in it. It was known as the Onarga Institute. Under the management of these ladies the school became well and favorably known. In the winter of 1868 it numbered over 100 pupils, and four teachers were constantly employed. The Rev. A. G. Wilson attended to some of the advanced classes. Mr. Wilson was president of the official board. This school continued till June, 1872, when it suspended.


GRAND PRAIRIE SEMINARY AND COMMERCIAL COLLEGE.


In the spring of 1863 the following questions were submitted by the Rev. P. T. Rhodes, presiding elder of the Middleport district, to each of the quarterly conferences in his charge : First, "Does the country which the said district embraces, and the country contiguous to the same, demand a high-grade seminary ?" Second, "If so, should the M. E. church establish an institution of learning of a character adapted to meet the wants of a rapidly growing section of our state ? " Upon mature deliberation each quarterly conference elected a delegate, whose duty was, with the preacher in charge, to attend a convention to be held at Onarga in an early part of the summer. June 10, 1863, the educational convention of Middleport district met at Onarga. At 9 o'clock A. M. P. T. Rhodes was called to the chair. G. W. Gray, J. H. Rhea and O. W. Pollard were committee on credentials, and they reported that Dr. Steward, of Chebanse ; A. O. Whiteman, of Sheldon ; C. D. Chapman, of Chebanse ; Lorenzo Beech, of Fairbury ; Alonzo Taylor, of Ash Grove, and M. H. Messer, of Onarga, were proper delegates. P. T. Rhodes was declared a inember of the convention, he being the presiding elder of the dis- trict. The friends of the movement, from Buckley and Kankakee city, and other places, were invited to participate in the discussion. The places competing for the location of the institution were Kan- kakee city, Onarga, Buckley and Middleport; Onarga on the final vote receiving 13 out of the 22 votes cast. The following persons were appointed to call a meeting, according to the statutes, to elect trustees, and to decide upon a name for the institution : W. P. Pierson, W. G. Riggs, P. T. Rhodes, Charles H. Wood and G. W. Gray. Pursuant to a call made by the committee appointed, a meeting was held June 26, 1863, and P. T. Rhodes, Ransom B. Pangborn, Samuel H. Harper, Winslow Woods, of Onarga; William G. Riggs, of


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Buckley ; C. D. Chapman, of Chebanse ; and I. J. Krack, of Forest- ville, were elected trustees. C. H. Wood was elected treasurer. July 9, P. T. Rhodes was appointed financial agent for Grand Prairie Seminary, to solicit funds and appoint local agents. It was determined to open the school by October 1, and the M. E. church was used for a school-room. Shortly afterward a building, 14×40, 9 feet high, was erected on the church lot, and used for school purposes till the seminary was completed. Rev. George W. Gray was elected principal, and his wife professor of languages and natural sciences. It was thought best to organize a primary department, and J. E. Smith was appointed to take charge of it and teach vocal music. In April, 1864, G. W. Gray and wife were continued in their respective positions. Rev. O. W. Pollard was elected professor of commercial science ; Mrs. Sarah Marston, preceptress ; Mrs. Louis A. Crawford, teacher of instrumental music ; Hattie Packer, teacher of German ; Charles H. Wood, commercial law. J. E. Smith retained control of the primary department. .. Before it was decided to locate the insti- tution at Onarga, the citizens, with their usual liberality, had sub- scribed toward the erection of the necessary buildings about $7,000: Elder Rhodes, with his untiring energy, commenced the work early in the spring of 1864, and in the latter part of the summer a build- ing, 40×60, three stories high, was completed, and in the fall occu- pied by the institute. The structure cost $10,000, and to fence the grounds and improve the same left a debt of $1,100 to be provided for. At this time, the fall of 1864, the institute was well organized ; with a full official board, a complete corps of efficient teachers, a sharp and energetic financial agent, and a fine building located in the central part of a rich farming district, rapidly increasing in popula- tion, and under patronage of a most powerful church organization in the northwest, this school commenced its work. Rev. G. W. Gray resigned February 27, 1865, and O. W. Pollard was elected the second president of Grand Prairie Seminary. In the fall of 1867, a colored man applied for admission to the school. The faculty held a meeting for consultation and decided to admit him ; this created much opposition among some of the patrons of the school, and the official board was asked to disapprove the faculty's decision; the result was, the faculty was sustained. In April, 1868, the stock- holders decided to admit persons of color to thie seminary. In No- vember, 1868, D. K. Pierson, of Chicago, donated $500 for the seminary library, provided a similar sum be added to it. The records of the next April state that $1,000 has been added to the library. This includes the D. K. Pierson contribution, which was made in




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