USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 32
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State badges were printed and distributed to the members of these committees, and they, the members, contributed largely to the suceess and enjoyment of the day.
The program for this meeting was as follows: Anniversary Pro
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IHISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
gram, Jerseyville, Ill., August 5, 1910. Ten o'clock A. M., historic par- ade on streets ; eleven o'clock A. M., music by the White Hussar band in the aerodrome; address by Hon. Edward Miner of Carrollton; twelve to twelve-thirty, basket dinner in the courthouse yard; one-thirty P. M., music by the White Hussar band in the aerodrome; recitation, The Jersey County Fair, by Julia Barr Carlin; two-fifteen, address by Judge Adams A. Goodrich, of Chicago; three-fifteen, Reminiscences, addresses by old soldiers; three-thirty, automobile parade, free ride to "Thirty-niners"; four o'clock, music by the White Hussar band on courthouse lawn. Baseball game was played in the afternoon at the National Park. It was impossible for Judge Goodrich to attend on account of other engagements, and addresses were made in the afternoon by Judge George W. Herdman, H. W. Pogue, Rev. Calloway Nash and Edward Kendall of Mexico, Mo. Mr. Kendall was a son of Samuel T. Kendall, who was a candidate against John N. English for sheriff at the first election in this county, and was defeated by a majority of one by Mr. English, who was afterwards elected as the first representative from Jersey County to the Legislature. A few moments after Mr. Ed- ward Kendall had concluded his address, he was taken suddenly ill, and died in a few minutes, which melancholy event cast a gloom over the further exercises. His remains were taken in charge by the Jerseyville Lodge No. 394, A. F. & A. M., and duly cared for, and on the morning of the following day they were escorted to the depot of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, placed upon the train and taken to Mexico, Mo.
There was a very large attendance at this anniversary meeting of the citizens of Jersey County, together with many former citizens who had removed from the county. Later it was determined to hold these anniversary meetings on August 5 of each year, and they have been so held annually since that time with great success, the attendance reach- ing from 5,000 to 10,000 each day.
At the meeting in 1911, Hon. John M. Woodson, of St. Louis, Mo., son of Judge David M. Woodson, long judge of the circuit court of this county, was the orator. In 1912, Hon. Lawrence Y. Sherman, senator from Illinois, was the orator. In 1913, Hon. A. N. Bell of Carlinville was the orator, and addresses were also made by Hon. Henry T. Rainey, member of Congress from this district, E. S. Wells and Minor S. Gowins. In 1914, Hon. Thomas J. Selby of Calhoun County, ex- member of Congress from this district, was the orator, and at the Old Settlers' meeting, William A. (Farmer) Scott of New York was the speaker. In 1915, Hon. George W. Ware, one of the oldest settlers now
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
living in Jerseyville, was the orator. In 1916, Hon. Benjamin F. Cald- well, ex-Congressman from the Springfield district, and a former resident of Greene County, was the orator. At the January meeting, 1917, it was determined by the society that inasmuch as preparations were being made for a centennial celebration in 1918, and committees had been appointed in each of the counties to take up the subject, that the Jersey County Historical Society abandon the anniversary celebration for 1917 and 1918, and transfer all action of that kind to the Centennial Com- mittee for those two years. The Historical Society, through the courtesy and kindness of the county board, have secured a room in the basement of the courthouse for their meetings, and for the collection of old books, relics and other matters concerning the early history of the county, in which may be noted that they have all of the original maps of Jersey County that have been published, and all histories of Jerseyville and Jersey County. They also have the file of the Jersey County Democrat running back to the later years of the sixties, and many other books and papers of value to the antiquarian. They also have copies of the address of Hon. Stephen V. White at Chautauqua in 1900, and of his address delivered at the dedication of a tablet to Joseph Chandler in the Noble Cemetery, a Revolutionary soldier, and to his wife, Eliza Chandler White, who was president of the "Daughters of the American Revolu- tion" in Brooklyn, N. Y., and specific mention should be made of a book entitled "The Story of a Common Soldier," dealing with army life in the Civil War by Judge Leander Stillwell, late of Company D, Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, published in 1917. Another valuable book is the diary of Stephen Beck, which deals with his services during the Civil War. Both these men were reared and educated in the Otter Creek settlement, and received their education at the Hamilton Primary School.
In the opening chapter of Judge Stillwell's book he says :
"I was born September 16, 1843, in Otter Creek Precinct, Jersey County, Ill .; I was living with my parents in the little old log house where I was born when the Civil War began." He enlisted in Company D, Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, on January 6, 1862 ; re-enlisted for three years, February 1, 1864; was honorably mustered out of the service as first lieutenant September 27, 1865, at Camp Butler, Spring- field, Ill., arriving at his Otter Creek home the next day. Later he attended the Albany Law School, and was admitted to the bar. He removed to Kansas in 1867, and settled at Erie, Neosha County, in that state, where he practiced his profession for several years. Still later
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
he was elected to the Legislature, and then was made district judge, which latter office he held for more than twenty years. For four years, during President Taft's administration, he was first assistant eom- missioner of pensions at Washington, D. C.
PRESENT OFFICERS
The present officers of the Jersey County Historieal Society are as , follows: Osear B. Hamilton, president ; Thomas A. Kraus, seeretary ; Dr. A. K. Van Horne, viee president; Edward Cross, treasurer, and Mrs. Rose Wedding, librarian. The township viee presidents are : R. L. Smith, J. L. Seago, T. H. Craig, R. C. Gillham, V. L. Dodge, William Dougherty, W. H. Bartlett, E. Meysenburg, H. C. Dunham and James Wedding. The executive committee is composed of the following mem- bers: Edward Cross, chairman, O. B. Hamilton, C. H. Van Horne and J. W. Beeker.
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CHAPTER XXXI
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
FIRST RAILROAD -- SECOND RAILROAD - FINANCIAL CONDITION - ELECTRIC ROADS-JERSEYVILLE ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY-JERSEY- VILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY-KINLOCK TELEPHONE COMPANY.
FIRST RAILROAD
The first railroad in Jersey County was a portion of the original Chicago & Alton Railroad, running in a northeasterly direction from Alton, by way of Godfrey, to Brighton. It passed through a portion of the town of Piasa, and was constructed in 1854.
SECOND RAILROAD
The second railroad in Jersey County was that portion of the Rock Island Railroad running southeast from White Hall, in Greene County, past Greenville and Rockbridge, and entering Ruyle Township, and from there running in a southeastwardly direction through Kemper, to Medora in Macoupin County. This portion of the road has a sta- tion at Kemper, in Ruyle Township, and it is the only one of this railroad in Jersey County. The station at Kemper was constructed in 1870, and the town of Kemper was platted that same year. During 1880 and 1881, this road was known as the C. P. & St. L. Railroad, and was constructed by a private company, of which James A. Locke was president; Morris R. Locke, secretary ; W. H. Fulkerson, general man- ager ; and Hugh N. Gross, vice president. Later this road was sold to the Gould railroad interests, and under the original contract for right of way this road must be operated from Springfield to the Mississippi River on, or before, January 1, 1882, which connection with the Wa- bash line of road was turned north at Loami in connecting with the Wabash Railroad at Bates in Sangamon County. These trains were run over the Wabash Railroad into Springfield, Ill. Being pressed for
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
tinie in the construction of the road, in order to avoid forfeiture of their contract for right of way, the manager of the railroad constructed the road from Dow to Elsah, over what was known as the "Shoofly," descending from the top of the bluff; and also on trestle work to the bank of the river, and in this way the road was enabled to operate trains from Springfield to the Mississippi River on January 1, 1882. Later that year, the road was completed to Grafton. It was operated as a part of the Wabash system for a number of years, but in 1888 this branch of the Wabash Railroad was sold to other parties, and Henry W. Fisher and Fred Fisher, his brother, were the managers. Under their management the new right of way was secured from Dow to Lock Haven, and thence eastward under the river bluff to Alton, with a branch running west from Lock Haven, and connecting with a portion of the road that extended to Grafton. The original track from Dow to Elsah over the "Shoofly" bluffs was taken up and the railway aban- doned that portion of the road being operated on the reconstructed line from Dow to Alton. This line was later extended from Alton to St. Louis, connecting at Madison with the Merchants' bridge, and going into St. Louis over that bridge. The north end of the bridge was completed from the station at Loami, northeast of Springfield, crossing the Wabash Railroad at Curran, the first station west of Springfield, and running thence northeast into Springfield, and it is still being operated over this linc.
FINANCIAL CONDITION
As a financial venture, the railroad has not been a great success. Several times it has been in the hands of a receiver, but aside from the financial situation, this road has been of great benefit to the commu- mities through which it is operated, and to Jerseyville in particular.
ELECTRIC ROAD
A company was formed of the citizens of Jerseyville to construct an electric line from Alton, through Jerseyville, Carrollton and Jack- sonville, of which Aaron O. Auten was president and A. W. Gross treasurer. The company met with financial troubles and on February 1, 1909, A. W. Gross, who was the main support of the company, died, and later other parties undertook to manage and finance the organiza- tion. They were not able to carry the venture through, a receiver was
Edith m. Updike.
C. D. Updike.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
appointed, but finally the road was completed to the southern part of Jerseyville, and was operated with more or less regularity. This was of great convenience to the people of Jerseyville and the southern part of the county, but in 1918 the parties who had secured control of this line of road secured an order from the State Board of Utilities author- izing them to dismantle the railroad and sell it, and in compliance with this order the road has been dismantled, and was not operated dur- ing 1918.
The above are all the railroads, either steam or electric, that have been constructed or operated in Jersey County from its organization to the present time.
JERSEYVILLE ELECTRIC LIGHT, GAS AND POWER COMPANY
The Jerseyville Electric Light, Gas and Power Company, composed of Wallace Leigh, J. G. Schwarz and Walter E. Carlin, with a capital stock of $20,000.00, began operation December 3, 1887. This corpora- tion was succeeded by another, known as the Jerseyville Light, Heat & Power Company, which was composed of George D. Rosenthal, Joseph- ine Rosenthal, Owen Ford and Anna C. Ford of St. Louis, Mo., with J. F. Christy as superintendent. There was a capital stock of $25 .- 000.00, and the directors held all of it. Under the administration of this new corporation new engines and boilers were installed and a better service was rendered by Superintendent J. F. Christy. Some years ago the Jerseyville Light, Heat & Power Company transferred its interest to the Central Illinois Public Service Company of Mattoon, Ill. Electric lighting is now under the control of the Public Service Com- pany throughout the city of Jerseyville, and the supply of electricity is furnished from the Keokuk Dam.
JERSEYVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY
The Jerseyville Telephone Company was incorporated April 1, 1895, by John G. Schwarz, Jr .; John A. Shephard, Wallace Leigh and Joseph M. Page; duration of the corporation, twenty years. In 1916 a new building was erected by the telephone company, on the east side of South Washington Street, between Arch and Prairie streets, and the most modern and complete switchboard installed. The building is well adapted to the purpose of its construction, and the most modern appliances are used throughout Jerseyville and Jersey County, with long distance connections to all parts of the United States.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
Dr. J. G. Schwarz is secretary and general manager, which position he has held for a number of years, to the entire satisfaction of the company and the public.
The Kinlock Telephone Company maintains long distance lines in this city, but does not transact any local business, and it is operated under the Bell system of telephones.
CARNEGIE FREE LIBRARY, JERSEYVILLE
CHAPTER XXXII
LIBRARIES
FIRST LIBRARY-FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS-CARNEGIE LIBRARY-LIBRARIANS -BOARD OF DIRECTORS-PRESENT FINANCIAL CONDITION-INTEREST SHOWN.
FIRST LIBRARY
The first public library at Jerseyville was started when an ordi- nance was passed by the city council on October 2, 1894, appropriating funds to maintain a city library. In order to establish the enterprise, Senator T. S. Chapman donated the rent of the library for three years. The library was opened May 15, 1895, with 2,865 volumes, and 760 government reports, making a total of 3,623. About 300 volumes were in constant use. Visitors to the library averaged 2,000 a month.
FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The first board of directors was composed of the following: Wallace Leigh, president ; J. J. Wiseman, vice president ; and Edward J. Vaughn, Joshua Pike, Nelle Bowman, Harry R. Gladhill, Allen M. Slaten, T. W. Butler, and Capt. N. Buesen, trustees. Miss Edna L. Curtis was secretary and librarian. This library was continued, with increas- ing patronage, in the room where it was first instituted, and later in the second story of the Vandevoort building, until other plans were completed.
CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
In 1902, through the efforts of George D. Locke, mayor of Jersey- ville; Dr. Harry R. Gladhill, also of Jerseyville, and Hon. Charles S. Strong of New York City, $12,000 was secured from the Carnegie Library Fund, to construct a library building in the city of Jersey-
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
ville for a public library. This building was erected and ready for occupancy, July 15, 1905, at a cost of $11,989.02, leaving a balance of $10.98 of the original $12,000 fund unexpended. The building is one of the neatest, and most complete library rooms in this part of Illinois. Donations of books and other matter were given to the library. The book stacks are the latest and most complete in use, and the furnishings and furniture of the library, consisting of tables, chairs, desks, etc., are of the most modern kind. Miss Edna L. Curtis was the first librarian, and she, with the assistance of Miss Jane Shackelford and Frances Bowman, worked very zealously for several weeks arranging, and cataloging the library for removal to the Carnegie Library build- ing. On July 30, 1903, the new building was dedicated, and that evening it was thrown open to, and the public invited to be present.
LIBRARIANS
The librarians from the opening of the library building to the present time have been as follows: Miss Edna L. Curtis, Miss Catherine Brown- lee, and Mrs. Rose Wedding, who is the present very efficient librarian.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The annual report of the Carnegie Library at Jerseyville, dated April 30, 1918, shows the board of directors of this library to be as follows: J. J. Wiseman, president; Dr. H. R. Gladhill, W. J. Chapman, Dr. H. W. Rich, George Senior, C. K. Cockrell, J. W. Becker, P. M. Hamilton, trustees; and Louis H. Brockman, secretary.
PRESENT FINANCIAL CONDITION
The annual report for the year ending April 30, 1918, shows the following condition :
Unexpended balance
170.18
Received tax levy
2,000.00
Fees, fines, etc. 39.80
Total
$2,200.98
Total receipts
$2,209.98
Total expend'rs
1,474.47
Balance on hand
$ 735.51
HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY 363
Light
$ 40.13
Insurance
184.80
Repairs and Improvements
10.25
Salaries
540.00
Janitor
162.00
Books
170.99
Periodicals
84.15
Binding
76.29
Printing
.50
Stationery and catalogue supplies
15.10
Postage, freight and express
5.22
Miscellaneous
184.44
$1,474.47
Report approved by board,
J. J. Wiseman, pres.,
Louis H. Brockman, sec'y.
Mrs. Rose M. Wedding, librarian, Miss Charlotte Daily, Mrs. Louise McGready, assistants.
INTEREST SHOWN
The interest shown in this library is dealt with in this annual report, as the following proves: At the beginning of the year, ending April 30, 1918, there were in the library, 6,360 volumes, to which during the year there were added 181 volumes. Forty-three newspapers and periodicals were currently received. At the beginning of the year there were registered 1,278 borrowers, to which were added during the year, 283 additional ones. The cards in force on April 30, 1918, were 1,569, of which nine were from the rural districts. The fee for non- residents is one dollar. The population of Jerseyville, as given by the census of 1910, is 4,113. The total circulation of the library during the year ending April 30, 1918, was, adults, 9,913, children, 4,181, total, 14,094. Of this, the adults took out 9,093 in fiction, and the children, 3,679 in fiction. The largest daily circulation was 151 volumes, the smallest was twelve, making an average circulation of forty-six volumes per day. The hours open each week, forty-eight during nine months, and forty-two during the remaining three months. The number of days that the library was open during this year above referred to were 300.
CHAPTER XXXIII
ELSAH TOWNSHIP
FIRST SETTLERS-FIRST MARRIAGES-OTHER EARLY SETTLERS-EMINENCE- RANDOLPH-ELSAH-GEN. JAMES SEMPLE-NOTCH CLIFFE-WHITING WORKS-LOCK HAVEN-SUPERVISORS.
FIRST SETTLERS
Josiah Cummings, John Carroll and William Bates were the first sct- tlers of Elsah Township. John Carroll located on section 15, township 6, range 11, and his brother, Edward Carroll, who came to the country in 1820, was the first white man to die in this precinct, he passing away in 1823. Josiah Cummings and John Carroll made their settlements in 1818. Thomas Carroll, another member of the Carroll family was a tanner by calling, and for three years served Jersey County as one of the three county commissioners. His death occurred in 1870.
Josiah Cummings was born in Connecticut, and took pride in the fact that he had been present at the battle of Bennington, Vt., when the historie Green Mountain boys whipped the seasoned British soldiers. ITis son, Thomas Cummings, was married to a sister of Thomas Carroll.
William Bates was born in North Carolina, and when he arrived in Illinois, he stopped first in Madison County, later coming to Jersey County, and locating at the mouth of the Piasa. His daughter, Hannah Bates became the wife of Josiah T. Askew, a man of considerable prom- inence in the settlement. With William Bates came his son, James Bates, a married man with a family. James Thompson was an early settler in this part of the country. James Basey was the first justice of the peace, and he was elected to this office in 1822.
FIRST MARRIAGE
The marriage of Hannah Bates and Josiah T. Askew took place in 1821, and was the first to be celebrated in this part of the county. Askew
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BREAKING THE SOIL WITH A TRACTION ENGINE
DISKING THE STUBBLE GROUND
WHEAT AND CORN FIELDS
FARM TEAM AT WORK IN THE FIELD
WHEAT IN THE STACK READY FOR THE THRESHER
STEAM THRESHING OUTFIT AT WORK
BALING THE THRESHED STRAW
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
was from Tennessee. He had served for five years in the regular army, and was a person of fine military bearing. For a number of years he was colonel of the militia. At the annual musters, Colonel Askew's spare but erect stature, was one of the features of the occasions, he being well mounted on his favorite horse, and he never failed to make due impres- sion on the bystanders. He was a man of considerable learning and ability, and was prominently connected with the early Baptist Societies. of which he was accustomed to act as clerk. His large tract of land was located on sections 5 and 6, township 6, range 11. He died in 1845, his death, so it is said, having been caused from over-exertion in putting out a fire which was in his fences. Colonel Askew left behind him a diary, which contained many interesting facts in relation to the carly settle- ment of the county, but unfortunately no traces of it, at the date of this writing, can be discovered. The child born in 1823, to Josiah T. Askew and his wife, formerly Hannah Bates, was the first birth of a white child in Jersey Landing precinct.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS
Joseph Piggott settled on section 6, township 6, range 11. He was of French extraction, and was born in either St. Louis, Mo., or in Illinois just across the river from that city, where his father had a Spanish claim. For over thirty years he maintained the reputation, in the neighborhood where he lived, of being a kind hearted man and good citizen.
Just below the present site of Elsah, James Mason, an officer in the land office at Edwardsville, in April, 1828, entered thirty-five acres in section 20, township 6, range 11, and also land in section 21. The same month, Joseph Klunk entered the northeast fraction of section 25, border- ing on the Piasa Creek, where it enters into the Mississippi, east of where the town of Randolph was afterwards projected. Mr. Mason entered additional land in this part of the country the succeeding year, and also made purchases from others who had made entries.
EMINENCE
The first store ever established within the region of country which now constitutes Jersey County, was opened by Henry Mills at the foot of the bluff, on the summit of which the town of Eminence was after- wards laid out. This store was established either in 1829 or 1830, and here the first ferry to be run across the Mississippi River, was estab-
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
lished. Mr. Mills had previously kept a store at Portage des Sioux, imme- diately across the river in St. Charles County, Mo. Before this store was established, the people of the southern part of the county were obliged to go to St. Louis. Eminence was founded by Joseph and Isaac N. Piggott, and was very appropriately named, for it was on top of the bluff, 175 feet above the waters of the Mississippi. In the very zenith of its pros- perity the town only comprised a couple of log houses of no striking architectural pretensions. A post office was once kept at Eminence, and Isaac N. Piggott was postmaster. Like a number of other early Illinois towns, it has vanished from the face of the map.
RANDOLPH
Another forsaken and vanished town of Jersey County was Randolph, which was on the Mississippi River, half a mile above the mouth of Piasa Creek, and was laid out by a man named Bostwick about the same time as Eminence, in either 1836 or 1837. This was the site of the location of one of the earliest settlers of Elsah Township, William Bates. A saw- mill had been established there, and also a store, while there were about a half a dozen dwellings. The prosperity of Randolph declined, and two houses now occupy the site of the former town, the remaining lots having been converted into a farm.
ELSAH
In 1851-52 James Semple purchased from William H. Allen and wife, Addison Greene and other parties, a large body of land in sec- tions 17, 18, 19 and 20, township 6, range 11, the three last named being fractional sections along the Mississippi River. On April 7, 1855, he platted the village of Elsah, on the fractional northwest quarter of section 20, extending north from the river up what was then known as "Askew Hollow," named for Col. Josiah T. Askew, who, during his life- time, owned a sugar camp there. James Mason had entered this tract in 1820.
General Semple was born in Greene County, Ky., January 5, 1798, and there attended school. He studied law, and was admitted to the bar at Louisville, Ky., and in 1828 came to Edwardsville, Ill., where for a time he was engaged in the practice of his profession, meeting with consider- able success. He was a brigadier general during the Black Hawk War, and in 1832 was elected to the State Assembly on the Democratic ticket.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
General Semple was married to Mrs. Mary C. Mizner, a daughter of Dr. Cairns of Monroe County, Ill., who was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention under which the state of Illinois was admitted to the Union. In 1837, General Semple was appointed minister to Bogota by President Van Buren, but resigned and returned to Edwardsville in 1842, and in that year was elected judge of the circuit court, and soon thereafter, judge of the supreme court. He was later appointed United States sen- ator by Governor Ford to fill a vacancy, and then elected for the full term of six years. He invented the first steam traction engine for road travel, and drove it from Alton to Carlinville, on a trip to Springfield, brt on account of bad roads it mired down, and had to be abandoned there. He was a courtly gentleman of the old school, and as has been shown, took an active and leading part among the prominent men of the state and nation. His daughter, Lucy C. was married to Edgar Ames, one of the leading merchants and property owners of St. Louis, Mo., on June 5, 1860, and he died December 9, 1867, and was buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery of St. Louis, leaving a very large estate to his widow and family. Later, Mrs. Lucy V. (Semple) Ames built a large, stone mansion east of Elsah, on top of the bluff, which she named "Notch Cliffe." It was 300 feet above the river level and commanded a mag- nificent view of the counties of St. Charles and St. Louis in Missouri, and the counties of Calhoun, Jersey and Madison in Illinois, and also of the Missouri, Illinois and Mississippi rivers, the latter being in view for twenty miles.
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