USA > Illinois > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
8. Elbright
Mankind may, primarily, be classed in two grand divisions : workers, and drones ; and probably in no other creation in the divine economy is the pro- portion of the latter to the former so great as in what poets, scholars, and prophets all unite in calling, "God's greatest handiwork." Not only is this seeming paradox true, but it is also true, and far more to be regretted, that while the condition of the human race has been and is now being rapidly improved, by the energy and wisdom of the human mind, idleness, with its concomitants, (vice, misery and crime) instead of decreasing proportionately, is rather increasing; and what is still more strange, the increase is not so much among the poor and illiterate as among the descendants of the wealthy and refined. Wealth has given comparatively little or nothing to the race ; poverty has assisted, stimulated, and regenerated it. Poverty has given to the world the men of most brilliant intellect, uncontrolable ambition, and tireless energy, and from among thie ranks of the poor to-day, as it has always been, are being drawn the men who breathe the breath of life into inanimate substances, who give us our wisdom, our letters and works of art, and who make our laws and adıninister them. To this class of workers belongs the Hon. Fontaine E. Albright. He was born in Simpson County, Kentucky, Dec. 20th, 1845, and was the fourth child of a family of eight of Rev. Isaac N. and India Durham Albright. His parents were natives of Tennessee, his father being of German descent and his mother of English parentage. In 1846 they moved with their infant son to Johnson County, in this State, wherc they remained a year, when they removed to Union County, where Mr. Albright, Sr., still resides, and where his wife died in 1859. Young Albright had few or no opportunities during his youth for acquiring an education, and when twelve years old, commenced work in the Circuit Clerk's office, under Judge Thomas Hiliman. For the next three years he worked alternately, winter and summer, in the office and on the farm, and with indefatigable in- dustry, devoting every spare moment to studying law. When eighteen years old, feeling the want of a more extended knowledge of literary and scientific
subjects, he entered McKendree College, remaining therc two years, and ap- plying himself with his usual assiduity. In 1867 he was admitted to the Bar, and commenced practice at Cairo. The same year he was elected Pro- secuting Attorney of the Court of Common Pleas, which position he held three years. In 1871 he removed to Murphysboro', where he immediately secured a lucrative practice, and formed a partnership with the late Senator Blanchard, which continued until the latter's death. He married August 1st, 1871, Maggie S., the accomplished daughter of Judge Shannessy, of Cairo. In 1874 he was elected representative for the 50th district, composed of Jackson, Union and Alexander Counties. He was re-elected in 1876. The same energy and perseverance he displayed in getting knowledge, in becoming proficient in his profession, and in improving his pecuniary con- dition, he evinced in serving his constituency. Here it was that his emi- nent abilities as a worker and legislator shone forth in what we fear has too truly been called a hive of drones. He originated the bill for the regulation of the practice of medicine; he introduced and secured the passage of the bill granting subsidies to State and County Agricultural Societies ; he intro- duced the Compulsory Education bill, which only failed of passage by three votes; he also introduced a bill abolishing registration, except in cities of fifty thousand inhabitants ; he it was that made the motion by which the bill to relieve the railroads of paying the State $3,000,000 was killed, and there- by relieving the tax-payers of that burden. His political sentiments are in accord with the principles of the Democratic party, of which he is a distinguished member, and which he has frequently been called upon to serve. As a law- yer, Mr. Albright has few equals and no superiors of his age practicing at the Bar of this State. He is a clear, terse, and logical speaker, a clever and polished gentleman. Truly au honorable and enviable record for one who is hardly more than thirty years old, and who twenty short years ago was following the plow, an awkward and illiterate country lad.
MURPHYSBORO' TOWNSHIP ..
HIS township comprises the great coal-producing region of the County It is bounded on the north by Somerset, on the east by Carbondale, on the south by Ridge, and on the west by Sand Ridge township. It is well timbered. The Big Muddy enters in the north-east and leaves it in the north-west, pursuing a tortuous course.
Murphysboro' is tbe largest town, and is in the northern part of the town- ship. It contains also several mining villages aud bamlets, among which is Mount Carbon. It is traversed from east to west by the G. T. M. M. & T. Co.'s Rail Road, and from north to south by tbe Cairo and St. Louis Nar- row Gauge.
James Davis, Joseph French, and the Hollidays, were the first settlers. The soil of the township is warm, and in the lower levels very fertile. Much of it is adapted to fruit raising. The people are frugal, industrious and moral. Much of tbe township history will be found comprised in tbe history of Murphysboro' that follows.
HISTORY OF MURPHYSBORO'.
By George Kennedy, Jr.
Murphysboro' was laid out originally on a twenty-acre lot, which is nearly identical with that described as the east half of the south-west quarter of section four, town nine south, range two west, of the third principal meridian, and which was donated for the purpose of founding the village government, by Dr. John Logan, father of Ex-Senator John A. Logan, of Illinois. The village was named in honor of Mr. William C. Murphy, who was one of the commissioners in selecting tbe site, and who labored for favors in the State Legislature.
Murphysboro' became the county-seat in the year 1843 ; Brownsville, the former county· seat, having been deserted from its want of facilities, and its distance from the centre of the County. Murphysboro' was chosen becaus- it was near to the centre of the County, of a more healthful situation than the former town, and the fact that it could be more easily approached from all directions. In those early times, when bridges were less often found than now, Big Muddy River was quite an item in the transportation of goods and people, and the presence of two shoals in close proximity to the site of the town may be said to have influenced tbe commissioners in selecting the location.
Tbe Court House at Brownsville was burned in 1843, and was in the fol- lowing year rebuilt in Murphysboro', which place bas been the capital since then. It was built upon a lot occupying the centre of the tract donated by Dr. Logan. The centre of tbis square is the centre of the present city incor- poration. There was also built on the same square a jail, of wood, which was used as the county prison until the latter part of 1864 or tbe early part of 1865. At the March term of the County Court in 1864, the sum of $15,000 was bonded for the purpose of building a jail. This amount was paid for tbe present building, situated on Main street, one block south of the court bouse.
The town continued under village government until 1867, when it was of such a population as to warrant a charter as an incorporated city. Accord- ingly it was organized under a special act of the Legislature of 1867, but the instrument was one of so many faults as to be almost useless. This instru- ment fixed the boundaries as follows, viz. : " A tract of land one and one- half mile square, the centre of the present Court House square to be the centre of said tract ; provided, that this sball not include any land south of
the Big Muddy River." This provision, excepting land on the south side of Big Muddy was made through the influence of the Mt. Carbon Coal and Railroad Company, whose works are mostly situated in the tract excepted. The taxes of a young city were wbat this company objected to.
The incorporation is situated on a part 'of sections three, four, five, eight, and nine of town nine, south, range two west, of the third principal meridian, and part of sections thirty-two, thirty-three, and thirty-four of town eight, south, range two west, in Jackson County ; being about one hundred and seventy-eight miles south of Springfield, and fifteen miles east of the Missis- sippi River. The whole of the incorporation is not laid out as yet in blocks and streets ; but since the original plat was made many additions have been made. In these additions great irregularity has been allowed, and now many streets are seen to stop directly in front of dwellings in several parts of the city. It is a fact, maps of the city until late years have shown one street with neither outlet nor inlet.
Under the provisions of the charter, the first City Council was elected in 1867. Michael F. Swartzcope was elected Mayor, but declined to serve, in consequence of which John Ford was elected. The following gentlemen composed the Board of Aldermen : Hugh Crawford, John F. Cover, Conrad Schrodt, and Wm. H. Logan, vice Adam Bryden, declined to serve. The other officers were: City Clerk, Charles W. Schirmer ; City Treasurer, Thomas M. Logan ; City Attorney, J. Banks Mayham ; Police Magistrate, John M. Hanson.
The following gentlemen were afterward chosen Mayor, viz. : In 1868, Frederic C. Bierer ; in 1869 and 1870, Israel Blanchard ; in 1871, Martin A. Rose ; in 1872, Hugh Crawford ; in 1873, Thomas F. Hord; in 1874; John B. Mayham ; in 1875, Martin A. Ross ; in 1876 and 1877, John M. Gill, the present incumbent. The present Board of Aldermen comprises Messrs. H. H. Fox, G. H. C. Bodeker, M. A. Ross, Wm. A. Saylor, Benj. Spieth, and O. L. Mahoney. Police Magistrate, W. S. Murphy ; City At- torney, J. Brett; Marshal, J. Fitzgerald; Street Commissioner, Medard Lucier.
Around Murphysboro' are distributed quite a number of smaller towns, mostly inhabited by the employees of the public works. Mount Carbon, on the south side of Big Muddy River, is composed of numerous collections of houses, known by the local names of "White Row," " Brown Row," "Smoky Row," " Fiddlers' Row," etc., which have been given them by rea- son of some peculiarity of locality or color of the houses. The Gartside mines, and the Lewis mines and coke ovens have collected in their imme- diate vicinity a number of tenement houses for the occupancy of their work- men. These last are mostly on the line of the Cairo and St. Louis Narrow Gauge Railroad.
In the year 1875 the city was, by vote of the people, organize l under the General Incorporation Law, with the same boundaries as under the charter. The city was then divided into three wards to be represented by two alder- men each, whereas before there had been but four, thus making six. An ordinance was then adopted limiting tbe building of framc houses above a certain size in any of the blocks adjacent to the Court House square, and as a consequence a look of stability and beauty is gradually growing upon this portion of the city. On the lots adjacent to the square are the brick houses of Messrs. Desberger, Willis, Andrews, Gill, Kent and Palmer, King, Kennedy, Logan, Crawford, Hord, Rodgers, W. S. Murphy and H. H Fox, togetber with the County Prison, for which so much was paid. By judicious legisla- tion they have been weeding out, so to speak, the tumble-down structures wbicb for so long a time disgraced tbe streets and jeopardized tbe safety of life and property.
In the year 1810 coal was first mined in the vicinity of Murphysboro', on
69
70
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
the south side of the Big Muddy. The coal thus mined was shipped to New Orleans in flat-boats. From that time to the present, public works of one kind or another have been in constant operation in and around Murphysboro'. In 1822 Governor Joseph Duncan loaded several boat-loads of coal for the market at New Orleans. For a long time coal mining was the only public industry, of whatever kind, carried on within the region around Murphys- boro', although salt was manufactured from the saline springs at Brownsville, only five miles distant.
The Jackson County Coal Company operated in this section for many years, carrying the coal from the drift at Murphysboro', on the south side of Muddy, to a point on this river below the "fish-trap " shoal, where now the Narrow-Gauge railroad crosses, in small cars, on a sort of tramway.
This company continued operations nutil early in the year 1864, at which time the Graud Tower Mining, Manufacturing and Transportation Company began work by purchasing from the older company their works and lands. This company has ever since been in successful operation, although at one time it was virtually bankrupted by reason of a failure in a coal contract, caused by a strike of their coal miners, in 1870. This event is spoken of by the people generally as the "great strike." It was an event long to be remembered by everyone who was in Murphysboro' at the time,-the tronblesomc time with the "black-legs," the terror of those who were so called. During this time the police courts were rarely out of work.
A ralilroad twenty-five miles in length was built by this company, extend- ing from Carbondale, on the liue of the Illinois Central railroad, through Mt. Carbou, built up on the south side of Muddy, at Murphysboro', to Grand Tower, on the Mississippi river.
Along the line of the railroad at this point they sunk three coal shafts, and supplicd them with the necessary machinery for hoisting, etc., beside continuing to work the drift of the Jackson County Company spoken of before. One of these shafts has been since burned, but not till after an un- derground conuection had been formed with cach of the other two, by means of which coal could be taken from thic one burned.
The first train over the road, after its completion, was in 1867, drawn by the engine " Logan," and in charge of Peter M. Post, conductor.
In prosperous times this company has in its employ constantly from one thousand to twelve hundred men at the works in Mt. Carbon. This com- pany also built at Mt. Carbon a saw-mill, which was burned, and rebuilt soon after. Afterward were built a machine shop, a car shop, a fonndry, an engine house, and turn-table. The car shop was burned, and has never been rebuilt. The machiuc shop and foundry are eacli in successful operation, doing all the new work aud repairing for the various departments of the works. They built a railroad depot and store-room, which has been burned, and since have been built separate buildings near the former site.
The Cairo and St. Lonis Narrow Gauge Railroad passes through the western part of the town, and along the line of this road have been built numerous houscs, which present a great contrast when compared with the corn fields which before occupied the scene of their construction. It was completed from St. Louis to Murphysboro' in the year 18-, but from Cairo to this poiut it was uot completed until in the year 18 -.
This road, although on au unsound basis financially, is nevertheless quite useful, in that it materially increases the convenience of communicating with the outer world. The freight tariff is quite an item with the people of Mur- physboro', and it has materially decreased the same. The coal resources north of Muddy have been developed by its influence.
The attention of capitalists was early called to the vast coal deposits in Jackson County, and especially around Murphysboro', as being the best and most marketable coal in the West. After the building of the Cairo and St. Louis Narrow Gauge became a certainty, great tracts of land were either purchased or leased by these capitalists for the purpose of taking coal there- from. This coal was to be shipped to the St. Louis market by way of this railroad.
The Gartside Coal Company purchased the coal under many acres of land north of Murphysboro', the owners reserving the surface for purposes of agriculture. Other tracts were purchased outright by this company. Along the line of the railroad it erected four shafts, supplied with eugines and the necessary appurtenances for hoisting, all of which are within two miles of Murphysboro'. To one of these, No. 2, is attached a saw-mill, with which is manufactured lumber sufficient for all the building of the company, either the necessary shops, etc., or the tenement houses which have been built for the accommodation of the employees. Two of the fonr shafts built are suf- fered to lie idle for want of market for the products. The two worked are,
however, capable of producing three thousand tons of coal per week. When doing full work they make work for seven hundred men.
The Lewis Coal Company has purchased both land and coal in great quantities farther north than the Gartside, and have sunk one shaft on the farm of. Mr. Samuel Bouscher, two miles north of Murphysboro'. This shaft makes work for four hundred hands, and is capable of loading in the railroad cars two thousand tons of coal per week. A Coke Company has been established during the past winter of 1876, and has built ovens near the shaft of the Lewis Company, and proposes to convert the otherwise un- saleable " slack " into coke. These works employ numerous hands, and have caused the building of a respectable village near the scene of the daily labor of the occupants.
The Monnt Carbon mines are capable of producing six thousand tons per week, Gartside six thousand, and Lewis two thousand, making the enor- mous amount of fourteen thousand tons of coal per week, which might be sent out from this point with the present facilities, which might be increased if there was a demand equal to the supply.
The amount of general merchandise which is necessarily consumed by these laborers in such works, and the quantities of produce usually inter- changed for supplies by an agricultural community like that which surrounds Murphysboro' on every side, is very great. Consequently many stores are indispensable to the general welfare, and this accounts for the many mer- chants in the town.
Murphysboro', like all other villages away from any other great thorough . fare, was possessed of primitive customs aud pcople. The stores were few, and not by any means wealthy. Every storekeeper was obliged to keep in stock a little of almost every sort of merchandise. As the town grew, so grew the stores ; but the merchant finds it very hard to sell out one part of his business withont selling all of it. Many of the first merchants in the town are here and in business yet; and each store which has been of later origin has found it necessary in order to gain trade, to introduce a mixed stock, consequently the stores of Murphysboro' are very inuch on the order of the medley.
There are at present doing business in the city uo less than nineteen stores in which groceries form a portion of the stock. Of these, uinc have for sale more or less dry goods, and five of these have a department of clothing, and all keep boots and shoes. Of the uinetecn, eleven keep tinware, while only two of them are hardware stores, and these are also furniture and general house-furnishing stores. Four drug stores, three of whichi keep stationery and books, are in business in the city at present.
Five butcher's shops, six shoe shops, one harness shop, one tailor shop, one cigar factory, two tin shops, one watch and jewelry shop, six smith shops, one planing mill, one foundry, sixteen saloons and five restaurants, together with a wholesale liquor establishment and three millinery stores, make up the business portion of the town.
Beside these, there are two inills and a foundry which deserve notice. One of these, owned by Messrs. Yantis & Covey, is located in the south part of the city, near the Big Muddy. This mill was built in the year 1854, and has been running ever since, this being the oldest mill, except one within the borders of Jackson County. The present proprietors have greatly improved the machinery and workings of the mill, and it is now capable of producing seven hundred barrels of flour per week.
The other, owned by Messrs. Gill & Ford, is located in the north-west part of the city. This mill is ncarly new, and is situated where was formerly one burned down, owned by Mr. J. M. Gill, one of the present proprietors.
A plaining mill and general wood-working establishment, is located near the last named mill, and is owned and operated by Mr. H. S. McElhose.
Messrs. James and Walter Alexander, practical machinists, have erected, on the line of the Cairo & St. Lonis Railroad, in the southwest part of the towu, a machine shop and a foundry. They are prepared to do all kinds of cast- ing and machine work. Some of the largest and most beautiful of the builders' iron work used in the city, has been manufactured at their foundry. They experienced a severe loss by the burning of the building used as a foundry, some years ago.
Two brick-yards are now in operation and mannfacture all the brick used in the building in the city, and many thousands are shipped by way of the Narrow Gange R. R. to foreign points.
Two wagon and carriage shops and four general blacksmith shops are kept busy by the farmers and the citizens in the repair of their implements and - in the mannfacture of new work.
In September, 1856. the Methodist Episcopal Church building was dedi-
yours Truly G. W Andrews (COUNTY JUDGE
Judge GEORGE W. ANDREWS, the present Judge of Jackson county, is & native of Ohio, born near Dayton, February 22, 1842, and is the sixth of a family of eleven children of Samuel and Margaret Andrews. The elder, Andrews was born in the state of Pennsylvania, and settled in Ohio about the year 1809. Having come there with his parents, and now at an ad- vanced age is hale and hearty. George W., when young, received his liter- ary education at the Hayesville College, Ohio, and subsequently became a student at the University of Michigan, where his education was completed. On his return home in the spring of 1863 he commenced reading law in the office of McMahon & Houk, of Dayton, and during the fall and winters of 1863 '64, and '65 he attended the law department of the University of Michi- gan, graduating in the spring of '65. He soon after commenced the prac- tice at Jonesboro', Ill., remaining there only a short time, when he located in De-Soto, and became a law partner of Prof. Cyrus Thomas. In the spring of 1866 he moved to Murphysboro', where he has since resided. Here his ability and energy soon won him a fair share of the practice. In politics he
has always been a strong Democrat, and is one of the able and efficient workers for the success of his party in the county.
On the 19th December, 1867, he was married to Miss Jennie S. Howe, and they have been blessed with an interesting family of four children, all of whom are living. The Judge is a prominent member of the Masonic order, being a Sir Knight, and has also attained a membership in the encampment of the honored order of Odd Fellows. In 1867 he was appointed by Judge Greene, who was the Presiding Judge of the circuit, to the office of Master in Chan- cery, and held the office for ten consecutive years, discharging the duties with eminent satisfaction to the citizens of the county. In the fall of 1877 he was the candidate of the Democratic party for the office of County Judge, and was elected over his opponents, Messrs. Pugh and Stevens, there being, three parties in the field. As a lawyer, the Judge has always stood well with the members of the Bar, and his election will attest more than anything we could say of the appreciation and confidence reposed in him by his fellow-citizens.
of Banks Mayham
Yours Truly
Sew Smith
yours
Truly
Geowifile
71
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
cated. This building was the first, and for a long time the only church edi- fice in the town. It is located one square west of the south-west corner of the Court-house Square; is a frame building, one story high, and about forty by sixty feet on the inside. The M. E. society also owns a parsonage, which is located in Logan's last addition to the city, directly on the west end of Manning street.
The Presbyterians attempted the construction of a church building many years ago, but failed in the attempt. They went as far as to enclose a two- story frame building, which was afterwards abandoned and used as a shelter by all the hogs, "cattle, horses, etc., in the neighborhood, which were allowed to run at large, while windows were used as targets for the boys to practice the art of throwing stones. The building was finally purchased by a gentle- man and transformed into an opera house in the upper story and a dram- shop below. It is now used only as the headquarters of the Egyptian fire company, and as a place for keeping their hook and ladder apparatus.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.