USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois, 1810-1962 > Part 6
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The rebuilding of the devastated area began as soon as possible. Food, clothing, money and everything that was lacking were soon forthcoming, and the pressing needs were relieved.
Our first hospital was the emergency one in the Appellate Court Building to care for those hunt in the 1888 tonnado. In 1895, Dr. Frank and Will McClane erected a handsome three-story frame building at the corner of Twentieth and College. Excelsion Sanatorium, as it was called, was the first attempt at a hospital, and yet it was opened only to the patients of the Dr. McClanes. This forty-room hospital specialized in all kinds of baths -- "turkish, Russian, electric,
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shower, needle and plunge. " The setup was rather elaborate for that time. The advertisement stated that Dr. McClane"has ever had before him the idea of hygiene and hygienic surroundings. He built the struc- ture where sunlight may reign supreme." In spite of its elaborate setup, the hospital failed financially.
The development of hospitals down to the present Good Samari- tan, which is partially housed in the more than a hundred-year-old General C. W. Pavey home on North Twelfth Street, might be used as a future topic for discussion. This old home is on the old Lincoln Trail and is the former residence of Joel Pace, Junior, whose father was a Revolutionary War soldier. This house is said by some to be the first brick building in Jefferson County. (EDITORIAL NOTE: This building has since been razed, and the present Good Samaritan Hospital was dedicated in 1952, )
As one stands on the north of Jordan Street looking toward the Master Baking Company building, Swift's building and the high school football field, little does he realize that once these places made up a famous eight to ten-acre pank known to Jefferson County as the Greenlawn Springs. The strongest mineral waters of the county were these springs of Dr. William Duff Green. They, issued from the side of a shallow navine, at the same level, a few feet from each other. All contained a considerable quantity of iron combined with other salts; yet no two were quite the same, the difference being in the quantity of the salts. All the springs except one were cool as a deep cellar; this one because of its warmer temperature was called the "Tepid Spring" by In Green. This spring because of its saline character did not freeze in winter. Dr. Green felt that at least three of these springs had a medicinal effect. Diseases that these waters seemed to help were liver and kidney diseases, dyspepsia, rheumatism, and gout. One spring seemed to be very effective in preventing those diseases which children are prone to have during their first and second, summers.
On January 1, 1909, the last of the original Jefferson County settlers -- Robert Harlow -- died. He was brought into the county in 1819, an infant of two years. He spent his entire life in East Salem within a radius of two miles of where he died, never appearing in public except to attend the local Baptist church on to vote the
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Democratic ticket. He was a good, quiet man, but took little part in county matters. In Harlow is buried at East Salem Cemetery.
The following are brief sketches of information interesting at least to us:
The famous Governon Stinson Anderson's farm east of lit. Vernon really began east of our present Eighth Street, and in later years became Dr. Green's farm.
The Charlie Poole home on the corner of Eighth and Jordan was built by Thomas Cunningham in the 1840's. (EDITORIAL NOTE: This building on the southwest corner of the street has since been razed. )
The log cabin built by Uncle Jimmy Maxey for his wife was moved from their farm to the lot southwest of the home built by Walter liaxey on the corner of Ninth and Taylor. Later the big, home was sold to the Eliots, and now it is owned by Mrs. Grace Hoit. The cabin, camouflaged by green shingles and an addition on the west, still stands on the southwest corner of the lot.
The old building occupied by the lit. Vernon Willing Company beginning in the 1880's is still standing on South Tenth Street between the Missouri Pacific and the freight tracks of the L & N. During the 1890's the mill's capacity was 150 barrels, with the elevator having a capacity of 25,000 bushels.
John Riley floss, who was born May 13, 1830, was the first one to introduce Cotswold sheep, Jersey cattle and the Berkshire breed of hogs into Jefferson County. During the Civil War, Captain Moss's duty as Provost Marshall of the 11th District was to take a fort on Skillet Fork River held by a number of disloyal men and to capture all such who were in hiding on in other ways seeking to evade military service. His name became a tennon to the disloyal element in his district, for . he was very proficient in carrying out his duty.
Amos B. Barnett, who used to live on a big farm near Belle Rive, was one of six men who organized the Republican party in this county in 1856. His father, Thomas Barnett, died in litt. Vernon in 1850 at the age of 94. Thomas Barnett went through the Revolutionary War as one of George Washington's bodyguards.
According to the records of the D. A. R., which we feel are not complete, the following Revolutionary Wan soldiers are buried here
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in Jefferson County. At Pleasant Grove Cemetery are B. N. lilaxey, Joseph lidleen, Peter Owen, Nathaniel Parker, Loyd Ward, Thomas Badgett, Asa Bateman; at Pace is Joel Pace; at Old Union may be found William Tong
The deadliness of cholera can be seen in the now of graves in the William Frizzell family lot at Old Union, for in 1847 the entire family -- Frizzell, his wife, and their two children-died from cholera. In 1898 Mt. Vernon had its first woman Lawyer, Mrs. Emma Blood, a member of the firm of Blood and Blood.
Dr. John Watson came to Jefferson County in 1821. He was the only physician, but the people were so healthy he had time to assess the county, too, receiving $17 for it. This was about enough money to buy an ounce of quinine,
According to Brinkenhoff's history of Marion County, part of that county was formed in 1823 from the northern part of Jefferson County. Zadok Casey gave the name Marion in honor of the close friend of his father and general in the Revolutionary Van -- General Marion.
One of the early records of the Circuit Clerk at the court house is the record of William Maxey's emancipation of his negro slave girl, Eliza, who came with his family from Tennessee. This record is dated February 8, 1830. According to Walter Maxey's history, this was perhaps the first Legal emancipation of a slave in the state of Illinois. Time goes on: and records, sites, events and names of by- gone days are fast fading into the realms of the past. We hope that these facts just recorded will help in some small way to perpetuate the story of Jefferson County.
THE CASEy FAMILY
There is no doubt but that the Casey people who were pioneer citizens of the community played one of the most important roles in the founding and developing of lit. Vernon. The Caseys who came to and settled in this area were from a stock of study people who were not afraid to explore the virgin country and open up new areas of civilization. Several of the ancestors of the Casey family that mi- grated to the Illinois country participated in the War fon Independence
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and demonstrated gallantny in action. These people were the descendants of ABNER CASEY who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and married a Jelsh lady.
Near the middle of the 18th century Abner Casey and his wife decided to come to the "New World" that was talked so much about in Europe. Upon their arrival on the western shores, they settled in Virginia on the Roanoke River near the famous family of Edmund Randolph. Abner and his wife were the parents of four children, three sons and one daughter. The sons were named mores, Randolph and Levi, but the daughter's name is unknown. Another source states that there was also a son named Benjamin. The first three of ribner Casey's sons served in the Revolution. Iloses was a captain, Randolph served as a sergeant, and Levi was first a colonel and later promoted to brigadier general. It has not been found what rank Benjamin held on what military organ- ization he served in.
Randolph Casey, the father of Zadok (whose biography will be found laten in detail), was serving unden General Francis Marion , "the Swamp Fox of the Santee" at the time that Marion was holding a truce treaty with British officers and invited them to eat with them. The menu consisted of roasted sweet potatoes with nothing else. In making a written report to their commanding officers, the Britishers stated, "Soldiers content to live on such fare can never be defeated."
Abner Casey and family moved to South Carolina about 1763 and settled near Spartanburg; this is the reason for his sons' having service with South Carolina troops instead of Virginia troops. It is believed that Abner passed away between 1790 and 1800. After the pall of Charlestown, the British authorities considered South Carolina as being under British control; but there were still many rebellious ones who stoutly stood out for the American cause. It is reported that some of the well known "rebels, " including General Williamson and Colonel layson, came to the British camp and sought protection. Levi Casey, along with others, said they would have no part of it, as they were staunch patriots of the American cause and would take the risk. Then Captain Alexander Boyce died, his brother john Boyce joined a militia company that was commanded by Levi Casey and Thomas Dugan. After the famous battle of King's Mountain in which Levi
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Casey participated, John Boyce left for home, which was not far from the battle scene and had only been home long enough to greet his family when to his surprise four men appeared at his door. They were headed by lilliam Cunningham and the despised and dreaded Tony, Robert Macomb. John Boyce left quickly on foot, with Cunningham after him As Cun- ningham was mounted, he quickly caught up with Boyce before he could get into a thicket that was dense enough to prevent the horse from traveling any panthen and struck a blow that severed three of Boyce's fingers. Boyce got away, had his would dressed as soon as possible, then mounted a horse and started on to report the incident to his commander, Lieutenant Levi Casey. This incident stirred the tempen of Casey's men to the "boiling point." A small number of "rebel" troops started after the four British criminals and overtook them at the Cnonee River. 'Then Casey's men came in contact with the savage Britishers, they paid for their act with the supreme sacrifice. The result was that they became occupants of a grave in mother earth.
General Levi Casey became interested in political activity shortly after the war with Britain had ended. He continued to live in South Carolina, and during the remaining years of his life he held a number of elective offices. In 1733 he was selected to serve on a committee to divide several districts into counties, which included the county of his residence. This county was called ilinety-six; after the dividing of these districts, Casey's home was in Newberry County, South Carolina. An act was passed in 1761 (the year that the war for independence closed) which provided for the appointment of seven jus- tices to hold count in Newberry, and Levi Casey was chosen as one of the first justices under this law. In 1792, he was given the appoint- ment of one of the three county judges for that area. General Casey also assisted in making selection of the location for the court house. The property of John Coates was decided to be the site of the seat of justice.
The popularity of Levi Casey was growing rapidly by this time. In 1793 he was elected State Senator Prom Newberry County, and nine years later he won a seat in the House of Representatives in Congress. He continued to serve in this capacity from march 4, 1303, until the time of his death on February 1, 1207. It is interesting to
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As stated above, Randolph and Mary had one daughter. Her name was Charity Casey. She was born in South Carolina and was married in Tennessee after the family migrated to that state from Georgia. Samuel Casey was the seventh of Randolph Casey's children. He remained in the south for several years after other members of the family had migrated to Illinois. Samuel came to Jefferson County in 1822, the en Ilinois was involved in the Black Hawk Jan. As we mentioned before, several of Samuel's brothers settled in and around the hamlet of litt. Vennon; but he settled at the edge of Grand Prairie. He made that locality his home for the remaining eighteen years of his life until his death in 1350.
Zadok Casey, whom history recognizes as one of the "founding fathers" of the King (ity, was the youngest member of the family of Randolph and liany Jane Casey. He was born March 7, 1796 in Green County, Georgia, and was married prion to his coming to the Prairie State. A more detailed biographical sketch of his life will be found later.
The following list brings together the names of the children o2 Randolph and Mary Jane (Pennington) Casey and the names of their spouses: Levi, bonn about 1768, mannied lollie Shernel; Randolph, Jr., born 1769, mannied Sallie Perkins; Isaac, bonn 1770, first married Elizabeth lickay and later Jennie Bullock; Abraham, bonn 1772, married Nancy Baker; Charity, date of birth unknown, mannied William DePriest; Hiram, bonn 1790, mannied Catherine DePriest (It is not now known whether or not lilliam DePriest and Catherine DePriest were relatives); Samuel, born 1793, married Ruth Gilbert; and Zadok, bonn 1796, married Rachel King.
William Casey was the eldest son of Isaac Casey and a nephew of Zadok Casey. He came to Jefferson County in 1817, the same year that his uncle Zadok established residence in the area. William lived in Jefferson County for about twenty years, then decided to move to the northern part of the state. Chicago was a small village when William made his journey northwand. After living in the north part of the new state for a year on two, he decided that he would prefer to come back and spend the remainder of his life in the community that he assisted in developing. He decided to watch the little hamlet now
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and prosper, realizing that he played a prominent part in giving birth to a new locality, As stated elsewhere, William Casey granted twenty acres of land to the new county for the purpose of establishing the permanent seat of justice. This twenty-acre tract included what is now the county court yand in ilt. Vernon and the downtown business district. William is reported to have accumulated a considerable amount of wealth during his Lifetime.
Abraham T. Casey, a brother of William, was a minister but it is not known what religious faith he represented. He was married to Vylinda l'axey the year that the county was organized. Abraham and his wife had their home on what was later called Salem Road. He preached at many places in all directions from Mt. Vernon. He passed away in 1834 .
Thomas M. Casey "first saw the light of the world" in 1001 in the border state of Kentucky. He arrived in Jefferson County, Illinois, with his parents in 1817. Two years later he was married to Harriet laxey in October, 1819. The Maxey family also played a very active part in the development of the new community of lift. Vernon. Thomas Casey was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Abraham P. Casey, son of Randolph, Sr., was born in South Carolina and came to Jefferson County in 1818. He lived in the lit. Vernon area only a few years, then moved to the community that was known as Grand Prairie, where he built the first dwelling house in that area. He laten decided to return to the lit. Vernon community. It is reported that he did not like to live in one locality very long and that he moved several times. Later in life he moved to Missouri and. remained there until his death in the early 1240's. His wife lived until a few months after the close of the Civil War. Abraham P. Casey was the father of five sons and two daughters: John C., Green ?. , Franklin S., Isaac, Clarissa and Elizabeth.
Franklin S. Casey married Rhoda Taylor. He was a very ag- gressive man and was interested in business and politics. He was a participant in the Black Hawk . Jan in which he was commissioned first lieutenant in Captain Bowman's company. This was the only wan that Abraham Lincoln had military service in, and it seems possible that Lieutenant Casey and Lincoln, knew each other. Franklin served a number
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of terms as county judge. He also had the honor of being a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1848. This latter assignment may have been the greatest achievement of his life. He died in 1871.
Zadok Casey
A name that has been written immortally on the pages of lit. Vernon history is that of Zadok Casey. His activity in public life, both as a clergyman and as a statesman, was a priceless contribution to the welfare of this community. He is credited with helping to make lit. Vernon one of the leading cities of "Little Coupt." Reverend Casey was not contented with the life of a private citizen. It was his aim and ambition to engage in the kind of life that would shape and mold a better civilization for posterity. His sterling qualities were no doubt at least partly attributable to his upbringing and his heritage.
As stated bejone, he descended from a family of sturdy pioneers of Irish-Welsh immigrants. He was the son of Randolph Casey, a veteran of the Man for Independence. He was a nephew of General Levi Casey who played a prominent pant in driving the "ned coats" from American soil. Zadok was the youngest child of Randolph and Many, Jane (Pennington) Casey. All of the children except Zadok were born in South Carolina. The family moved to Georgia about 1795, and Zadok was born on March 7, 1796, in Green County, Georgia.
In 1803, Randolph Casey moved his family from their Georgia home to Smith County, Tennessee, where he died in 1813. Zadok was seventeen years of age at the time of his father's death and was already thinking of following some of his olden brothers who had come to the Illinois Territory by that time. He was a firm believer in christianity and was a follower of the Methodist faith. Carly in like he was authorized by the Methodist Church to serve that faith as a clergyman, and began his ministerial work while residing in Tennessee. Shortly after his twentieth birthday, Zadok married Rachel King in Tennessee. Zadok and Rachel started their journey to Illinois in 1817, when he was twenty-one years of age. The trip was slow and hazardous, as the country was full of Indians and wild animals. It is reported that they brought all of their physical goods on a horse; these consisted of a skillet, rifle, a few cooking utensils and their
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clothing. His wife node the horse and Zadok walked and let the horse, carrying, the rifle.
Their place of arrival was not far from the original Shiloh Methodist Church, which was located a few miles northwest of where live. Vernon was to be built. After arriving safely at their destination they camped for the night, and while Rachel was preparing the evening meal, Zadok, who was a firm believer in prayer and divine guidance, knelt beside a tree and offered prayer and thanksgiving on the safe journey that they had experienced from the south land.
Then Zadok Casey came to the midwest, he came to stay. He was of the type of personality that was aggressive and made past advancement. No sooner had he arrived at his destination than he began the construction of a dwelling for his family. This was, of course, constructed of logs, as there was no sawed Lumber to be had. is he was an authorized minister prior to his leaving Tennessee, it was his desire to continue the practice of his profession in the new locality. There were no organized churches in the vicinity when he came here, but this did not prevent him from proclaiming the Gospel to the people at every opportunity. He delivered sermons to groups at religious services for miles around when the worship services were held in homes. After methodist churches were built in this area, he was called upon to preach to local groups in all directions. Rev. Casey was one of the best known men in the lit. Vernon area during the period of its development.
In addition to being a clergyman, he took an active interest in political life. The legislature had been moved from its original location at Kaskaskia to Vandalie. For a number of jeans the members of the General Assembly were elected to represent the county of their residence. Within three years after moving to Illinois, Zadok Casey decided to enter the race for a seat in the legislature. His opponent was a In. Inclean from "White Count;, and Casey was defeated in this can- paion. Though he was young, and many young men would have been so discouraged from the depeat that they would have given up a political career, Casey was determined to hold up his courage and try it again. Two years later (1322) he was a candidate for the same office against the same candidate, and by this time his popularity and influence had
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increased materially with the voters, so that he was elected. At the end of the two-year term he sought the office as an incumbent and won. He served in the lower house of the Legislature for two consecutive tens. He served Jefferson County for four full years in the House of Representatives.
In 1326 Mr. Casey entered the race for the State Senate and won. He served in this capacity until 1830, then decided to file his name in the race for Lieutenant Governor, which he won. John Reynolds was the governor during this period. Zadok Casey did not finish his term as lieutenant governor, as he entered the congressional nace in the fall of 1332.
The Black Hawk ilan had it's beginning in the spring of 1831, and it was thought that this conflict would be finished in a few months. The Indian chief, Black Hawk, decided to try to drive the white settlers out of thein territory the following year, and hostilities were resumed. Governor Reynolds called for troops from this state to suppress the Indians and was given a quick response. Companies of troops were organized from different parts of the state, including Pepperson County. Records prepared by several sources indicate that Zadok Casey decided to join a company of soldkens that were organized in lit. Vernon in the spring of 1832. It is not shown whether or not he resigned as lieu- tenant governon prion to joining the military company. The conflict
was of short duration, as the Indians surrendered on August 2, 1332.
As stated above, Casey was a candidate for Congress in 1832 and was elected. In 1833 he was sworn in, and he served continuously for the next ten years as a member of Congress from this area. Casey was defeated in 1842 in the congressional race and returned to private life in the list. Vernon area for the next five years.
In 1847, Zadok Casey was elected to the Constitutional Conven- tion. It is reported that he wielded a lange influence in causing the Supreme Court to be located in the King City.
In 1852 he entered the political anena again, as he was elected to the Illinois General Assembly. He was a state senator at the time of" his death.
Zadok Casey is credited with being one of the principal founders of lit. Vernon. The public service that he rendered to the county and to the state beans this out. Many have said that he was a
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"born leader" among men. While he was serving in the legislature there were times when discussions anose that caused considerable discussion so that the speaker of the house would quite often say, "We will Leave this question to the gentleman from Jefferson County for an opinion." His opinions on Legislative matters were respected by a great many of his colleagues. Members of Congress from the various states soon learned that Governor Casey from Illinois, as he was called, possessed sound judgment in the enactment of federal Legislation.
.While Zadok Casey aspined to elective office and possessed the ability for that vocation, he nevertheless continued the practice of the profession to which he had been summoned in early life. itis belie, in Christianity was so strong that he continued his work as a minister until the time of his death. Beyond any doubt. the like that Zadok Casey lived and the contributions that he made helped to mold lit. Vernon in being one of the most civilized and progressive com- munities in Southern Illinois. It can rightfully be said that Zadok Casey lived a full and distinguished life.
His colorful career came to a close during the Civil . Jan, as he passed away on September 4, 1862. He died at Caseyville, Illi- nois, and the remains were brought to lift. Vernon and buried in Old Union Cemetery. His wife died January 26, 1868, and she was buried close by her husband's grave.
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