USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois, 1810-1962 > Part 5
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Upon the death of Susan Moss, Old Shiloh Cemetery was laid out by Governon Casey, William lilaxey, and Lewis Johnson in the year 1820.
Old Union Cemetery has many historic memories. Here one can find the graves of Zadok Casey (enclosed in iron fencing), Rhodo. Allen, Asa Watson, the early Johnsons, and Harvey T. Pace, along with many of the other early settlers of this period.
In our wanderings through the old cemeteries we found Pleasant Grove to be more interesting to us than Old Union; perhaps the ease in locating the graves without fighting tall grass, weeds, poison ivy, etc., at Pleasant Grove was the chief reason. At Pleasant Grove there is a tablet upon which the following is written:
"In memory of an infant first child of Thomas li and Harriet Casey which was still born July 9, 1820. The above was the first interment made in this Church yard, the land being donated by its parents to the liethodist Episcopal Church for burial and other purposes forever. "
Also at this cemetery can be found the graves of William Maxey, his wife, and his ten children with one exception. One of these children was the famous Henry Burchette Maxey, so named by father William for the famous minister Henry Bunchette. Burchette, as he is more commonly called, built the first house on the public square, which was torn down in order to build the Third National Bank. Here, too, can
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be found the grave and marker of Peten Owen, a Revolutionary Wan soldier in Col. Nelson's Virginia Regiment.
A panoramic story of early Jefferson County settlers is recorded on the tombstones in the various old cemeteries in the county. A careful study of Puce Cemetery, Old Union, Shiloh, Pleasant Grove, and others, will recount those who laid the foundation for the develop- ment of Jefferson County. Unfortunately, the graves of many of the early settlers are unmarked and unknown
The first marriage of record in the county was that of a daughter of Joseph Jordan to Ganison Greenwood, a son of Fleming Green- wood. Among the early marriages there are a few of special note. On the fifth of October, 1819, Zadok Casey performed a triple wedding with Harriet l'axey to Thomas M. Casey, Vylinda Maxey to Abraham I. Casey, and Bennett N. Maxey to Sally Overbay, adopted daughter of the Caseys, being the young people concerned. It was the largest wedding of the period in style, in number of guests, and in the number of brides and grooms. Every family in the county was invited; all who could attended, and the "good cheer" was the best the county afforded.
A very humorous account was told concerning the first wedding ceremony performed by William Maxey, one of the first justices of peace, who was appointed in 1821. Being naturally shy and reserved film, Maxey. dreaded this first marriage ceremony, uniting Ransom filoss and Anna Johnson. The marriage took place July 6, 1821, and William had care- fully practiced the service. He thought he "knew his piece;" but when the time came, he lost his cue and became confused. Some say he commenced to recite the Declaration of Independence and discovering his mistake, he went back; starting over, he drifted into the Consti- tution of the United States. Finally with the aid of a Methodist book of discipline and Clank's commentaries, he concluded with this prayer to the "Land have mercy on their souls."
In the fall of 1822 Jordan's Prairie (Rome Township) was quite disturbed when news came at Sabbath services being conducted by Zadok Casey that little Erasmus Howell, age six on seven, son of Thomas Howell (who Later became the second sheriff of Jefferson County), was lost in the woods. The service was dismissed while all joined in the hunt for Erasmus. From Sunday to Wednesday the search continued. On
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Thursday morning Green P. Casey, on the Centralia Road, was feeding ". horses when from the southeast he heand a wail. He began to search to see if it were a child on a panther. He found Erasmus nearly starved in the tall grass. Casey took the little boy to his home, Led him bread and milk, then took him to the Howells.
Let us turn to lift. Vernon Township and the City of lilt. Vernon. The first settlers of this township -- Isaac Casey, William his son, Brunetta his daughter, and Isaac Hicks, his son-in-law ~ came in the spring of 1816 from the Ohio River near Cave-in-Rock and made camp on the northern edge of the prairie just east of where the Appellate Court building now stands. After the camp had been deserted and rotted down, a locust tree sprang up on the old chimney pile -- the same tree that stood so long in the street east of the Appellate Court House.
In this day of high priced real estate the prices of the first sale of lots in lift. Vernon seem unbelievably low. Yet with the medium of exchange being generally the skins of animals, perhaps these prices were not so low in those early days. What is now the First National Bank lot (southwest corner of Tenth and Main) first sold for $136. It was on this site that Burchette lilaxey, grandfather of loss laxey, built the first house in the town. Bond's corner sold for $160. It was on this conner in the woods that Zadok Casey used to preach, When word was spread that Casey was to preach, so popular was he that all who could gathered to hear him.
When Joel Pace, Senior, came to Jefferson County in 1819, he had been appointed by Judge Brown of Shawneetown, "Judge of the Realm, " to three offices -- Circuit Clerk of Jefferson County, Recorder, and Notary Public. After coming to the county, he was also appointed county clerk Not only did Pace find time to attend to these four offices, but also he taught school at Shiloh, the first school in the county.
One of the nather interesting early anecdotes about Mit. Ver- non has to do with a general fight (1820) in which nearly the whole population of the county took part. I. Johnson says:
"It was said that some of the laxeys had said that the lilaxeys and the Caseys were going to rule the county. John Abbott determined to refute the idea by whipping the first one of them he might meet. This was noised abroad, and it fell to Elihu llaxey to measure strength
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with Abbott. They met in town one day when nearly everybody else was there, and at it they went like a couple of modern pugilists. Every- body got excited; even Uncle Jimmy Johnson threw his old straw hat as far as he could send it and requested any other man that wanted to Right to come to him, while Jim Abbott danced around and said, 'anybody that whips John Abbott will have to whip Jim;' but Billy Casey picked Jim up and carried him off. The fight lasted about five minutes. It was roughly estimated that every man in town had his hat, coat, on vest off, calling for someone to fight him.
As our county grew, law enforcement became necessary. The circuit court October term in 1820 returned an indictment against Ferdinand Herrin for counterfeiting, and for the first time the county needed a jail. (It is interesting to note that while the first court house cost $160, the first jail - on the southwest corner of Harrison and Ninth -- cost $320. The difference in the price was due to the number of logs used: 50 to 60 for the court house, over 200 for the jail) (EDITORIAL NOTE: The old county jail building now stands in the lit. Vernon City Park. ) The prisonen was taken to the White County jail, from which he escaped. Upon his necapture, he was taken to Old Covington in Washington County until his trial in June Court of 1821. After he was found guilty, the judge (Judge Joseph Phillips) sentenced him to a $20 fine plus costs plus whipping of thinty-nine stripes on his bane back at 6:30 that evening. He was to be jailed until fine and costs were paid. The largest gathering of Jefferson County-ites to that time witnessed the whipping. Wages were so low and payment in jail so poon that Hernin was finally released with fine and costs still unpaid.
The court had nothing of special interest to us until the April term, 1841, when an indictment of murder was returned against Rollin Bradley changing him with the death of one Elijah P. King. Both King and Bradley lived in Elk Prairie. Bradley was an industrious man who kept a barrel of whiskey and who gained property as was common in those days. He became a determined and dangerous man. King, who came to Bradley's for whiskey, quannelled with Bradley; and, taking a chair, knocked Bradley down and Left him insensible. Upon regaining consciousness, Bradley swore revenge and said he'd kill King on sight. The next day when King came back to Bradley's for mone whiskey, Bradley shot and killed King. Then Bradley fled, but later he was captured and tried for murder. The trial lasted from November 30 to December 8,
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1041, with the verdict guilty being given. The sentence was hanging on January 3, 1842, between the hours of twelve and two. Bradley seemed indifferent to the proceedings of the trial, and at the con- clusion he arose to get a drink of water as if nothing had happened. Bluford Hayes, a friend, returned from Springfield with a pardon for Bradley, thus disappointing a lange crowd which had assembled for the execution.
On the lighten side, a humorous story is told of a count scene in iebben Township. Some years ago when Squire marlous as justice of the peace was trying a case on a certain improvement, a nat nan across the count room floor and caught a chicken, Some one with great gravity made a motion that the nat be tried pon contempt of court.
In 1840, the year before the Bradley trial, the circuit court was forced to meet in the unfinished methodist Episcopal Church (just a jew feet north of the present city hall on North 11th Street on the parking lot) because it was the only noom in town lange enough. While the count was in session, Abraham Lincoln and john A. Inc(Lernand, Whig and Democratic candidates for presidential elections, came to address the people. lic( lennand was given the entire noon intermission to speak; but when Lincoln began, the judge called count to order and political talks were banned. In. Kirby, owner of the Kirby Hotel, said he was "on fair play even in a dog fight;" so he invited Lincoln and the crowd to the shade in front of his hotel (present Sears, Roebuck Com- pany, the Lincoln Building). Lincoln mounted the huge goods box Kinby set forth, and the crowd listened to his political speech, laughing and swearing at him for another hour on two. The Daughters of the American Revolution have placed a bronze tablet on the side of the entrance into the Lincoln Building (Sears, Roebuck), marking the spot where Lincoln spoke. Two members of the Jefferson County Historical Society, Vernadel Wood and Donis Cummings, unveiled this tablet.
One of the outstanding historical sites in mt. Vernon is the appellate Count Building. In. Perrin in his "History of Jefferson County" speaks of the judiciary branch of the government as "It is the jewel that from the cluster niven would leave all a dark and hopeless chaos." Localizing, we can say that lilt. Vernon and Jefferson County may well be termed the "seat of" justices and home of judges." In 1848
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litt. Vernon, as well as Springfield and Ottawa, was made the site for one of the Supreme Court seats. Zadok Casey and Judge Scates were greatly responsible for Mt. Vernon's being chosen as one of these three seats. From 1848 until November, 1853, Supreme Court met in the old Odd Fellow Hall on lilain Street, paying an annual nent of $75. From November, 1353, until the $16, 000 Supreme Court Building was completed, the court met in the Masonic Hall over Joel Pace's store.
This Supreme Court made it. Vernon the political headquarters of Southern Illinois, for the great lawyers would spend days and weeks here at the protracted sittings of the court. These men would, of course, talk low and politics in their leisure time. Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John A. Logan, John A. lic(Lenand, and others would sit in the old Mt. Vernon Inn and talk to a select circle of boards. When they retired to their rooms for the evening, John A. Wall would blacken their boots for the next day's appearance in court. With the money, he thus earned, lin. Wall says he purchased his first pain of red top boots. The Supreme Court Building is now known as the Appellate Count; for, since the Supreme Court meets in Springfield, the Appellate Count has been held here. This building houses a law library which is one of the largest and most valuable in Illinois, and few finer can be found in the United States.
In 1845, April 30, Marion Lodge J. O. O. F. was organized. The charter members were John W. Greetham, James B. Tolle, Thomas lilets- Len, Hebert Woods, and William White. Dr. W. D. Green became a member next year and rapidly rose to the position of presiding officer of the Grand Lodge of the State.
Mit Vernon Lodge No. 31 A. F. and A. M. charter was dated October 9, 1845, to William !). Bennett, M. ; W. A. Thomas, S. V. ; W. H. Short, J. "). At first they met, like everybody else in those days, where they could. Their first hall entitled to that name was in the room over the stone of Joel Pace and Son, corner of lain and Union (Tenth) Streets. After the Stratton and Johnson building was erected at the corner of Washington and Bunyan (Ninth and Broadway), the order met on the second floor of that building.
The H. W. Hubbard Chapter No. 160, R. A. In., dates back to October 31, 1873. The principal officers were C. H. Patton, H. P. ; R. A. D. Wilbanks, K .; S. S. Ponter, S.
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The Masonic Hall (Fraternal Hall), which burned to the ground on November 11, 1944, was once the old Opera House. The lilt. Vernon Daily Register for Saturday, June 24, 1893, discusses the Opera House, This building was one of the finest and best opera houses in Southern Illinois, the joint property of the Knights of Pythias and the Free lilasons. It was lighted by electricity (1893), heated by a furnace, furnished with opera chains, elegant scenery and curtains, and it cost over $10, 000. The opera house was on the first floor, with the two lodges named having the second floor. This opera house was later ne- modeled to a three-stony structure for use of the A. F. and A. M. and the K. P.
In the early days fine sometimes devastated small communities. lit. Vernon was fortunate in not having many serious fines. In February, 1842, the first big fine occurred. The lange two-stony building occu- pied by :1. J. Kirby that stood where Mennill's livery stable laten stood on the corner of lain and Casey (Eleventh) was entirely destroyed by Planes.
The next fine of any consequence was in the spring of 1863 when the tobacco warehouse of Vannell and Holloman near East Main Street was destroyed. In 1854 during the mayorship of B. C. Wells the first regulan fire department was established in lieu of the old bucket brigade,
The entire block on the north of the public square, which later became the Phoenix Block, was swept by fine lanch 9, 1368. This fire was changed to a tailor who worked in a little shop. He had been arrested and fined for brutal treatment of his bound boy. This man dis- appeared about the time the fire broke out. It was supposed he fined his shop to get revenge for the people's having him prosecuted. Since the buildings were wooden and mud was foun inches deep in the street, it was impossible to save the buildings and difficult to save the con- tenis of the buildings. In the frenzy of the fine, thousands of dol- lars' worth of goods were thrown into the street and trampled in the mud. Just twelve months later, on March 16, 1869, the court house burned. Rumor said that the fire originated in some late nevels of W. & Coffey, the sheriff. All the books and nearly all the papers be- longing to the offices were saved. J. S. Bogan, who in answer to an
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unusual call was going to his office in the dead of night to issue papers, discovered the fine.
On May 27, 1874, when the men had just gotten home from the day's work at the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad Company machine shops, prolonged sounding of the whistle was heard, and lit, Vernonites gathered to see the flames sweep over the combustible roofing of the shops. Little of the machinery was saved, and the building was a total loss. During the same year, the wooden factory and mills of J. B. Tolle burned, thus causing fin. Tolle to be ruined financially.
Times have certainly changed the ideas and customs of a town. Today the fire department prides itself on its speed in reaching fines. It is interesting to note public opinion in 1897 in regard to the "speeding fire department." The following article appeared in the Mt. Vernon Daily News for Saturday, May 8, 1897:
"Stop It.
"It's time to call a halt in the fast and neckless manner in which the fine wagon is driven through the streets of litt. Vernon. Last night on a call to practice the wagon dashed down East Main Street with the horses on full run, causing a scurrying to cover of pedestrians, bicyclists, and buggies whose occupants were out for a ride. At this hour it is usual for children to throng the streets, and a team dashing down on them at such a terrific rate of speed as that at which the wagon is usually driven, is liable to confuse the little ones and cause them to run into, instead of away from the danger. This thing has got to be stopped on it will be only a question of a very short time till we will be called upon to record a tragedy for which there can be no possible excuse. The driver of the wagon lays himself open to prose- cution every time he drives at a too rapid on reckless gait, and it is the duty of our officers to see that the law is enforced.
"Sec. 1, Ordinance No, 159, provides under a penalty of not less than five dollars, 'That no person shall ride on drive any horse, mule on other animal, in on through any street, on avenue, on alley of the city of litt. Vernon at a violent nate of speed, on at a greater speed than at the rate of six miles an hour.
"And Sec, 5, Ordinance No. 138, provides under a penalty of not less than three non more than fifty dollars that 'in no case shall the fine wagon, on hose and ladder wagon, be driven to a fine on alarm of fine in a mannen calculated to endanger the safety of persons on property in the streets on avenues of said city." From this it can be seen that every time the fine wagon is driven a rate to exceed six miles per hour, on is driven in a mannen calculated to endanger the safety of any person in the street, the person or persons so offending are subject to a heavy fine. Were there any valid excuse for this wild driving the fault could be condoned, but when no plea of justification
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can be set up in extenuation of the thing, further than a desire to show off, we demand that a stop be put to the practice and a unanimous public backs this demand. "1
There are two anecdotes of the period previous to the Civil l'an which might be included in our items of interest.
Thomas file(nary, Field Township, kept a station on the under- ground railroad. One day Andrew and William, his two sons, blacked their faces and hands at their father's charcoal pit, then went over into Rome Township to the home of one Harmon who boasted how he would treat the "niggers." As soon as the Harmon women saw the "niggers, " they left their washing at the spring and nan for the house. The boys disappeared in the woods, cleaned themselves at the branch, then hurried back to the Harmon's to join in searching for the Negroes. The joke was too good to keep, so the boys told it. The next election day, a free-for-all fight occurred between the Harmon and lic(nany factions (Abolition vs Slavery).
Mr. John A. Wall, one of the historians of Jefferson County, told than when he was just a boy he accompanied A. M. Grant, the jailon, to feed the inmates of our log jail. He also remembers of carelessly (perhaps intentionally) letting a kind-hearted old slave who had been captured and posted as a stray on runaway get away to freedom. The jailon had put the old slave out in the truck patch (City Hall now) to hoe conn. In the conversation with John Wall the old slave said he'd like to go to Canada to be free. Wall said for him to go if he wanted to. "God bless you, young massa, " said the slave, and up the branch in the direction of Uncle Tom Casey's he went. At suppertime Wall ne- ported the absence of the old slave."
In September, 1858, a very exciting event occurred near Dix. Our grandfather used to tell the story, as did most of those who knew of the happening. The state fair was being held in Centralia at that time. Professor Wilson each evening went up in his baloon to the gasping interest of the spectators. Sailing a short distance, he would descend, return to Centralia, and be ready for the next day's performance. On the last evening, he sailed toward Jefferson County. Coming down on the farm of lin. Harvey in Rome (now Dix) neighborhood, he bargained with lin. Harvey to haul the balloon and its owner back to Centralia; meanwhile he had fastened the grabhook of the balloon to a nail in an
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old worn fence. The Harvey's two children, four and six years of age, wanting to see inside the balloon, were placed in the basket by Pro- Lesson Wilson. A sudden gust of wind swayed the balloon; the nail gave way, and up the balloon went, sailing away to the southwest, leaving behind the frantic parents and the professor. Even though it was almost dank when the balloon escaped its mooning, people immediately searched the area for the children. Just at daybreak Squire Atchison, living in the southern part of Moores Prairie, went to the barn to feed the horses, and seeing something in a tree nearby, naised an alarm. There the children were found still asleep lying in the basket of the balloon After being thoroughly warmed and fed, the children were brought to lit. Vernon and then to their parents.
In 1860 an Agricultural Association was organized here in Jefferson County for the purpose of displaying unusual products in the farm world. With some changes, this early association became our fair. The officers of this first association were: J. R. Allen, president; Jeremiah Taylor, secretary; Dr. E. E. Welborn, corresponding secretary; and Joel Pace, treasurer. From A. M. Grant a forty-acre plot of land was bought for the fair grounds for the sum of $800 with 10% interest until paid. This plot with plenty of shade, wood, and water from Casey Creek was in the southeastern part of Mt. Vernon. The first pain, held on the 23rd, 24th and 25th of October, 1860, was well attended and proved quite successful. Because of Civil War excitement, no fair was held in 1862. The association functioned, met and elected officers at. regular intervals until May 10, 1879, when agreement was "signed, sealed and delivered" to the Jefferson County Fain Association (a joint-stock company). The fairs continued to be a grand social reunion with people of lit. Vernon and surrounding counties. In the early 1900's a new fair association was formed by some of the young business men. "Since then, the fains have been held at the extreme southern end of the corporation east of Tenth Street.
Perhaps the greatest disaster to come to lift. Vernon was the tornado which struck on February 19, 1888, on a Sunday afternoon about dusk, a short time after the dismissal of afternoon church services. The tornado swept over the heaviest populated pant -- from the Beal homestead between what is now South Fifteenth and South Seventeenth
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near Logan Street to east of the Franklin School -- razing the court house and most of the business section, resulting in thirty being killed, 1250 made homeless, 329 residences either blown away on burned, and 518 buildings being damaged.
Since the Appellate Court Building was not in the path of the storm, it was converted into a hospital and morgue. The Presby- terian Church (across the street to the south of the Appellate Court House) was made a depot of supplies. Dr. Walter !atson was in charge of the hospital, which was maintained and operated for sixty days. Clara Barton personally took change of the Red Cross relief, which amounted to about $150, 000 worth of supplies.
Nashville was the first town to respond to the call for help. It sent men and fire fighting equipment which quickly brought the flames under control. Evansville, Indiana, sent a special train with twenty-nine physicians who worked with our doctors in setting up the Appellate Court Hospital. Centralia also responded with fire fighting equipment manned by thirty-nine men and with four doctors assisting the doctors already here.
Frank Bogan in the February 19, 1925, issue of the Register- News gave these figures in regard to buildings in the immediate path of the storm: 378 one-stony frame buildings occupied by 350 persons; 88 two-story frame buildings occupied by 350 persons; 41 two-story brick buildings occupied by 94 persons; 5 one-story brick residences occupied by 19 persons. The total number of buildings damaged on destroyed was 518; the total number of occupants was 1242; 329 buildings were in ruins.
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