USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 23
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PRAIRIE STATE
William H. Allen published the Grafton Phoenix at Grafton, until 1844, when the office was moved to Jerseyville, and in 1849 the name
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WILLIAM KIRBY
EXPERIENCE KIRBY
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
was changed to the Prairie State, at which time a man by the name of Conklin became its proprietor and editor, and it was conducted as an independent paper. For a few months, Abner C. Hinton owned the paper, and then it was bought by a joint stock company, with A. C. Clayton as editor. In 1860 its politics were changed, the policy becom- ing strongly Republican, and in the presidential campaign of that year, it gave unqualified support to Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. In 1862, Charles Williams became the editor, and while it was under his charge, the office was burned, and publication of this paper was never resumed.
DAILY DEMOCRAT
The first Democratic newspaper in Jersey County was the Demo- cratic Union, issued by Thomas Wright in 1854, at Jerseyville. Its publication was continued for two years, and then it was discontinued for a year. In 1857, publication was resumed by Henry H. Howard, who in 1858 was succeeded by John C. Doblebower, who continued the publication of the Democratic Union until 1865, when he retired and the office was taken over by a stock company. The name was then changed to the Jersey County Democrat, and Augustus Smith was made editor. He continued issuing this paper for one year, when the stock company was dissolved, and the paper was purchased by Thomas J. Selby, who was editor and proprietor until October, 1869, when he sold to A. A. Whitlock and L. L. Burr. In September, 1870, J. A. J. Birdsall and J. I. McGready became the proprietors. Mr. Birdsall retired a year later, and Mr. McGready continued as sole proprietor until October, 1880, when he sold to J. M. Page, the present editor and proprietor. In September, 1898, the Daily Democrat was issued, and its publication has been continued, to the present time.
Joseph M. Page, present editor and proprietor of the Jersey County Democrat, was born at Stoughton, Mass., May 20, 1845, and was three years old when he was left an orphan. After attending the schools of Stoughton until he was sixteen years old, Mr. Page was then grad- uated. At that time he attempted to enlist for service during the Civil War, but was rejected on account of his youth. In the spring of 1863, when only eighteen years old, he came to Illinois, and for a time worked on a farm near Greenville, Bond County. He then went to St. Louis, Mo., and was employed in a wholesale grocery house. On August 3, 1864, he succeeded in being accepted as a soldier and enlisted in the Fortieth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and after serving for one year,
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
was honorably discharged in August, 1865, at which time he returned to his old home in Massachusetts, where he remained until the spring of 1866. He then returned to Illinois, coming to Jerseyville as a stranger, and with only twenty-five cents as his financial capital. Im- mediately upon his arrival, he apprenticed himself for a period of three years to William Embly, a carpenter, with the understanding he was to receive $100.00 per year and board. After six months, Mr. Embly discontinued carpentering, following architecture only, and hired Mr. Page out to Nick Smith for fifteen dollars per week. Mr. Page kept to his original contract of two dollars per week and board during the remaining two and one-half years. At the expiration of his three years' contract with Mr. Embly, Nick Smith employed Mr. Page at eighteen dollars per week, showing his appreciation of his services by making him his foreman. Until the spring of 1877, Mr. Page con- tinued carpenter work, and then received the appointment as city marshal of Jerseyville, which office he held for four years, resigning in October, 1880, at which time he purchased the Jersey County Demo- crat. In 1881, he was elected city clerk and treasurer, and held these offices for five years. For thrce terms, from 1887, Mr. Page was mayor of Jerseyville, and it was during his administration that the water works system was inaugurated and completed, and he also installed the elec- tric light system, and the Telephone Company of Jerseyville. For the past thirty-eight years he has been editor and proprietor of the Jersey County Democrat, and he has been otherwise prominent, as for thirty- three years he has been master-in-chancery, which office he still holds; for many years he was secretary of the Illinois Press Association, of which he was president for one year, and for about the same length of time he was corresponding secretary of the National Editorial Associa- tion. In 1897 he organized the Cold Spring Gold Mining and Tunnel Company with a paid up capital of $2,500,000.00. On March 17, 1871, he was married to Miss Sadie Remer, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abram Remer of Jerseyville. They have one son, Dr. Theodore H. Page, a physician, who has been practicing his profession in the city of Peoria for many years.
THE JERSEYVILLE REPUBLICAN
In 1863 the Jerseyville Republican was established by a stock com- pany, with E. P. Haughawaut as editor, and it was issued through the campaign of 1864. In October, 1868, the paper was offered for sale.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
and Col. George P. Smith, of the Jacksonville Journal, became the proprietor. Afterwards Colonel Smith sold the Jacksonville Journal, and the prospective Jerseyville Republican, to Chapin and Glover, in December, 1868, and on January 1, 1869, William H. Edgar became editor of the Jerseyville Republican, and published the first issue of it. On August 25, 1870, Mr. Edgar became proprietor as well as editor, continuing to edit the paper until September 3, 1880, when the Jersey- ville Republican was consolidated with the Examiner, under the name of the Republican Examiner, with William H. Edgar, and Morris R. Locke, former editor of the Examiner, as editors and proprietors. This firm continued until January 12, 1885, when Locke retired, and was succeeded by Frank M. Roberts. Mr. Edgar retired from the new firm, March 27, 1885, and he was succeeded by a Mr. Hedley, the firm becoming Roberts & Hedley. From 1885 to 1891, there were several changes in the proprietorship and editorship of the Jerseyville Repub- lican, and in 1891, the paper was sold to Frank Ladd by Abraliam Locke. In 1895, Mr. Ladd sold it to Joseph W. Becker, who continued editor of the paper until its sale to C. F. Kurz. Mr. Kurz remained as editor and proprietor only a short period, then selling to Pinkerton Bros., who published a live, active, newsy paper, Republican in its politics.
JERSEYVILLE INDEPENDENT
In 1877, Col. William H. Edgar of Jerseyville established the Graf- ton Independent, which was printed at Jerseyville, the first number appearing October 1, 1877. R. R. Claridge appeared as editor of the paper, although it was printed and issued from the office at Jerseyville, and he continued as such until September, 1888, when he purchased the necessary materials and removed his office to Grafton, becoming sole proprietor as well as editor. The Independent continued as a Graf- ton newspaper until 1880. when it was taken back to Jerseyville, and its name changed to the Jerseyville Independent. In April, 1882, Mr. Claridge retired from the editorship and proprietorship, and Lyman T. Waggoner and Allen M. Slaten, under the firm name of Waggoner, be- came the proprietors. Soon thereafter, Mr. Waggoner retired from the firm, Mr. Slaten assuming the entire ownership and control. Later he disposed of the paper to J. M. Giberson of Elsah, and C. H. Kelley, also of Elsah, became the editor and proprietor. In the fall of 1885 the issuance of this paper was discontinued.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
JERSEYVILLE EXAMINER
The Jerseyville Examiner was established in 1878, by the Jerseyville Publishing Company, and Morris R. Locke, William M. Bartlett, Hor- ace N. Belt, James A. Barr, William H. Pogue composed the company, and J. Stirling Harper was the editor. Mr. Harper issued the paper for two weeks, when he withdrew from the paper, and Morris R. Locke be- came the editor in December, 1878, continuing as such until 1880, when the Examiner was consolidated with the Republican, as stated above.
JERSEYVILLE REGISTER
The Jerseyville Register was established in the early part of Novem- ber, 1865, by T. S. Haughawaut, who was editor and proprietor, and it was printed at Jerseyville. The publication was continued until 1868, when Mr. Haughawaut disposed of it to L. Williams, formerly known as "Yank" Williams, who soon afterwards moved to Topeka, Kas., and his son, Charles T. Williams, leased the paper, continuing as its editor and publisher until October, 1868, when the paper was advertised for sale. It was purchased by Col. E. P. Smith of Jacksonville, who estab- lished the Jerseyville Republican.
JERSEYVILLE EVENING NEWS
The Jerseyville Evening News was first issued May 25, 1885, by J. A. Walker and J. A. Blannerhassett. On July 13, 1885, the paper was changed to a morning publication. J. A. Blannerhassett retired on August 17, 1885, and Mr. Walker, after publishing it for some time, sold it, and its publication was discontinued.
DAILY AND WEEKLY JOURNAL
The Daily and Weekly Journal, a Democratic paper, was established by J. I. McGready in 1893, but in the fall of 1895, he sold his interest to Walter E. Carlin and A. F. Ely, who in turn sold the plant in Sep- tember, 1895, to J. M. Page, and its publication was discontinued.
REPUBLICAN CALL
During the campaign of Harrison and Cleveland, the Republican Call was established as a daily and weekly by A. H. Rue, but after about two years, its publication was discontinued.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
WESTERN FARMER
The Western Farmer was published for about a year, by Frank Malott, and then was discontinued.
FREE PRESS
The Free Press succeeded the Jerseyville Independent and was edited by E. Thornton. It was soon discontinued.
POWER OF THE PRESS
It will be seen that during the publication of the various newspapers in Jersey County, that from 1866 and 1867, when T. J. Selby became editor of the Jersey County Democrat, and William H. Edgar became editor of the Jerseyville Republican, that the main interest in news- papers has been concentrated about these two publications, and they have had a very extraordinary influence in moulding the opinions and shaping the actions of the people of Jersey County, and in bringing about their present enlightened and progressive condition.
JOSEPH W. BECKER
Joseph W. Becker was born at Silver Creek, Calhoun County, Ill., January 6, 1865. During the summers, he worked on his father's farm, and attended school in the winter months. In 1883 and 1884, he attended the Central Wesleyan College at Warrenton, Mo., and he also attended the Illinois State Normal School, at Normal, Ill. After teaching school for several years, he located at Hardin, Ill., and established the Leader, and in 1895 he became principal of the Hardin high school, which posi- tion he held for two years. In December, 1894, he sold the Leader, and in 1895 he became the editor and proprietor of the Jerseyville Repub- lican. In 1902, he was appointed postmaster, holding that office until 1906, and from that date until 1914 he was assistant postmaster under William P. Richards. In 1914 he was elected superintendent of schools for Jersey County, which office he still holds, and during his term of office he has been a very active and efficient official. He is also at the head of the Centennial Commission of 1918, appointed for Jersey County and has been since its organization an active member of the Jersey County Historical Society. It was during his administration as postmaster that the business of the postoffice was increased until Jerseyville was able to come into the second class, and he has also taken an active interest in
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
the War Savings Stamp movement, and all modern social reforms. In 1889 Mr. Becker was married to Miss Maggie Cloniger of Summit Grove, Calhoun County, Ill. They have two daughters, namely : Mrs. Edwards of Grafton, Ill., and Miss Nellie Becker, who is at home.
COL. WILLIAM H. EDGAR
Col. William H. Edgar not only is remembered at Jerseyville on account of his connection with newspaper history, but because he served as postmaster of Jerseyville from 1882 to 1886, when he was succeeded by Hon. H. O. Goodrich, who held the office from 1886 to 1890. After the expiration of his term of office as postmaster, Colonel Edgar left the state of Illinois, and later went to Nebraska, where he edited a daily newspaper in the interests of the Republican party. Still later he returned to Illinois, and located at Chicago, where he died December 15, 1917. He was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Jerseyville, December 17. 1917.
MATTHEW C. STANLEY
MRS. MATTHEW C. STANLEY
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CHAPTER XXV
ANTI-SLAVERY AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
FIRST ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY-UNDERGROUND RAILROAD -- FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW-BLACK LAWS-INCIDENTS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD-NO FAILURES.
FIRST ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY
The first anti-slavery society of Jersey County was formed in 1830 in Lofton's Prairie. Thomas McDow was its president, and James Brown its secretary. In May, 1837, Owen Lovejoy made a speech, prob- ably the first ever made by him in Illinois, at a meeting held by this society in. Lofton's Prairie, but it was not the last by several hundred. As a result of the agitation of those times, there was more or less ex- citement in regard to an underground railroad, having a principal depot at Jerseyville, and branches extending into various settlements of the county. It was even thought that some of the citizens of the county knew more of these dark practices than good, law abiding people should. In those days anti-slavery agitators went a step farther in the slave freeing connection with existing parties, and started one of their own. In the contest during 1840 to 1844, if the Liberty party did not fill as many dates as the others, they made quite as much noise and attracted as much attention as the other parties. The following is a quotation from B. B. Hamilton's History of Jersey County, of 1876, in which he goes on to say :
"Among my treasures there is no work that I value higher than the records of the Lofton Anti-Slavery Society. Very many of that society passed away before the agitation had culminated in the war of the rebellion."
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
The murder of Rev. Elijah Lovejoy of Alton, in 1837, and the de- struction of his press, intensified the feeling against slavery, especially
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
in this part of Illinois, and, as has been said above, what was known as the "underground" railroad was agitated and perfected to a certain extent, and in later years was used as a means of assisting runaway slaves from Missouri and other states, to Canada, where their liberties were secure.
FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW
This feeling was further intensified by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law by Congress, which not only gave the slave owners, or the men who claimed to be slave owners, the right to follow runaway slaves into Illinois, but required every citizen of Illinois, and every police officer of the state to assist the so-called slave owner in recapturing and reclaim- ing his property, without any process of court, or record means of identification.
BLACK LAWS
Black laws were enacted by the State Legislature, prohibiting the bringing of colored people into this state for any purpose. During the years that agitation was being carried on, it is doubtless true that many slaves escaped from Missouri, crossed the Mississippi River, and were assisted on their way to Canada.
INCIDENTS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
The anti-slavery people were very discreet and astute in the man- agement of, and their connection with what was known as the "under- ground railroad." In Jerseyville George W. Burke, Newell L. Adams, two brothers, Samuel and Isaac Snedeker, and probably others were supposed to be connected with a good many of these transactions; while at Otterville, Hiram White and several others were similarly suspected. The system had its supporters, according to popular supposition, in Lofton's Prairie Settlement, among the McDows and Whites. An illus- tration of the skill and astuteness with which the anti-slavery people conducted their operations and plans, is related by Barclay Wedding, a son of Benjamin Wedding, to the writer, of a conversation between Thomas Ford, Harley E. Hayes and Benjamin Wedding, the latter the father of the relator. Thomas Ford was a son-in-law of Newell L. Adams, and Harley E. Hayes was a Vermonter and a strong anti-
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
slavery man. The story was that in the fifties before the Civil War, they had word that there was a runaway negro hiding in the timber on Calhoun Point, between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, where the bottom is very heavily timbered. Ford and Hayes drove in a spring wagon to Mason's Landing, and there getting a skiff, went up the river to Camden, where they crossed to the Calhoun side of the Illinois River. On their trip they had seen a man by the name of Bentley, who was a strong pro-slavery man, and was constantly watching for opportunities to catch runaway negroes. It was in the afternoon when they crossed the river, and they found the runaway negro in hiding. About dusk they started back in the skiff across the Illinois River to the Jersey County side, where they were met by Bentley who was looking for them. He immediately seized the negro, and hitched up his one-horse wagon, put the negro in, got in himself, and drove off home to his residence about six or seven miles away. Some little time after the de- parture of Bentley, Mr. Ford went back in the skiff to Calhoun Point and taking the fugitive slave brought him to Jerseyville and he was sent from there to Canada. It is needless to say that Bentley had taken away Harley E. Hayes in mistake for the fugitive slave. They had very skillfully blackened Harley's face and hands, and as it was in the dusk of the evening, and Hayes did not utter a word, Bentley did not know he had a white man instead of a runaway slave, until he arrived at his home.
NO FAILURES
The writer does not remember of a single instance of a failure on the part of the anti-slavery men to carry out their plans, once they secured possession of the runaway slave. Of course at the close of the war, these "underground railroads" became obsolete, but up to then, they were operated successfully through the territory covered by Jersey County, and no slaves ever reached Jerseyville, who were returned to their old masters, as far as the writer knows.
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CHAPTER XXVI
MILITARY HISTORY
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS-WAR OF 1812-BLACK HAWK WAR-MEXICAN WAR-CONDITIONS AT BEGINNING OF CIVIL WAR-CAMPAIGN OF 1860- SOUTH CAROLINA SECEDES-OTHER SECEDING STATES-PEACE CON- VENTION-ORGANIZATION OF
THE CONFEDERACY-INAUGURAL OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN -FALL OF SUMTER - CALL FOR MILITIA - IM- MEDIATE RESPONSE-FURTHER SACRIFICES-JERSEY COUNTY SENTI- MENT-JERSEY COUNTY'S QUOT1-THE CONTRIBUTION OF A WOMAN -ROSTER OF JERSEY COUNTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-NINTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-TWELFTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-FOURTEENTH ILLI- NOIS INFANTRY-EIGHTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-TWENTY-SECOND . ILLINOIS INFANTRY-TWENTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY- THIRTY- FIRST ILLINOIS INFANTRY-TIIIRTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY-THIRTY- THIRD ILLINOIS INFANTRY-SIXTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY-SIXTY- SIXTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-SEVENTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY-
NINETY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-NINETY-NINTH ILLINOIS IN- FANTRY-ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY-ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD ILLINOIS INFANTRY-ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY-ROLL OF HONOR-SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR-WORLD WAR-JERSEY COUNTY'S SERVICE FLAG-EARLY REGISTERED MEN- OTHERS IN SERVICE.
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS
Some of the soldiers of the American Revolution came to Jersey County early in its history, here died, and were buried in its ceme- teries. As far as can be learned, the following list comprises those belonging to this class.
William Gillham, a son of Thomas Gillham, who came from Ireland to Virginia in 1730, later removed to Pendleton, S. C. He espoused the cause of the Colonies, and with his seven sons, and two sons-in-law,
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
enlisted and fought during the American Revolution. After the close of the war, five of the sons moved to the American bottom, locating there in 1802. In 1820, William Gillham, one of the original brothers, and father of John D. and Ezekiel Gillham, and father-in-law of Judge John G. Lofton and John McDow, removed to lands adjoining his sons, where he died in 1825.
Joseph Chandler was born in Vermont, September 10, 1753, and died at the home of his son, Hiram Chandler, in Otter Creek Township, October 4, 1844, aged ninety-one years and twenty-four days. He had his father were in the battle of Bennington, Vt., during the American Revolution, under General Stark. During this battle, his father was killed, but Joseph Chandler survived and served during the remainder of the war. On May 30, 1899, a tablet was unveiled at the grave of Joseph Chandler, in the Noble Cemetery near Otterville, Ill., and Hon. S. V. White, of Brooklyn, N. Y., who was married to a granddaughter of the old soldier, delivered an appropriate address.
William Bates was born in Pennsylvania in 1759. He served during the American Revolution in Col. Charles Pinckney's regiment, First South Carolina, from April to December, 1776. Mr. Bates was pen- sioned by the government. After his death, he was buried in what is now Elsah Township, in 1848.
Jonathan Cooper was born in Maryland, but served as a drummer boy in a Pennsylvania regiment during the American Revolution. After the close of that war, he went to Kentucky, and from thence to what is now English Township, Jersey County, where he died in 1845. While he was living in Kentucky, he was pensioned by the government.
Josiah Cummings was born in Connecticut, of Scotch parentage. His ancestors were pioneers of New England. During the American Revolution, he served under General St. Clair, and was at the battle of Bennington, Vt., and he also served under Anthony Wayne against the Indians. About 1790, Mr. Cummings came to Illinois, stopping first in Monroe County, from whence he later came to Jersey County, locating on section 11-7-11 in 1819, where he remained until his death.
WAR OF 1812
The soldiers of the War of 1812 who came to Jersey County, and are here buried, are as follows: James H. Wedding, John Brown, Philip Grimes, Francis Colean, Henry Babcock, Horatio N. Belt, Jesse Watson, Aaron Trabue, Richard C. Fuller, Col. Josiah Askew.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
BLACK HAWK WAR
Those, who later lived in Jersey County, and are here buried, who served in the Black Hawk War, were as follows: Brig .- Gen. James Sample, Robert Latham, Francis Colean, Gershom Patterson, Jonathan E. Cooper, John N. English, Jacob Lurton, G. W. Suttlemier, David Suttlemier, Jesse Watson, Thomas McDow, John R. Black, Thomas H. Chapman, and Samuel C. Simmons.
MEXICAN WAR
The soldiers of the Mexican War who lived and were buried in Jersey County, are as follows : Edward R. Brigham, W. Harrison Slaten, Samuel C. Ellis, Robert McFarland, George Martin, and James E. Suddeth.
In addition to the above, there were a number of men from Jersey County, in the Mounted Rangers, enlisted in 1820, to assist in the pro- tection of the settlers against Indian depredations. Among, and in that force, were Chauncey Brown, and his brother, Elam Brown, Cyrus Tolman, Col. Charles H. Gregory. These men all came to Jersey County from eastern states when they were young men.
Chauncey Brown was born in Massachusetts in 1799, and he, with his brother, came to Illinois before he was twenty-one years old.
Charles H. Gregory was born in Connecticut, May 28, 1797. His father emigrated to Ohio when Charles H. Gregory was a child, and there he resided until 1818, when he, and Chauncey and Elam Brown came down the Ohio River in a canoe, landing at Shawneetown, from whence they walked overland to Wood River, Madison County, Ill.
Cyrus Tolman was also a native of Massachusetts, who settled in Greene County, Ill., in 1820. Later, he was married to Polly Eldred, and removed to what is now Jersey County.
In 1835, Chauncey Brown came to Jersey County, and settled on a farm in Mississippi Township, which he afterwards sold to Addison Green. In 1840, Chauncey Brown and Cyrus Tolman were elected commissioners of Jersey County. They supervised the building of the courthouse and county buildings and the title to the public square was conveyed to them as commissioners of Jersey County. Chauncey Brown was married to Adeline Gorham of Jacksonville, Morgan County, Ill., in 1825, and in later years, after his removal to Jersey County, on his annual trips to Morgan County to visit his former home, in company with his wife, he would drive from his home to that of Judge Cyrus
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