History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 38

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989

USA > Illinois > Logan County > History of Logan County, Illinois > Part 38

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ASSESSED VALUATION IN 1885.

Acres of improved land, 347,418; value of same, $5,359,057; average value, $15.43; acres of unimproved land, 41,531; value, $272,840; average value, $6.57; total lands, 388,949 acres, valued at $5,631,897, or $14.48 per acre; number of improved lots, 4,759; value, $703,155; average value, $147.75; unimproved lots, 2,698; value, $51,288; average valne, $19; total number of lots, 7,457, valued at $754,443, or $101.17 each; number of horses, 11,335; value, $277,969; average value, $24.52; neat cattle, 20,052; valne, $236,969; average value, $11.82; mules and asses, 1,766; value, $46,015; average value, $26.06; sheep, 6,184; value, 9,448; av- erage value, $1.53; hogs, 42,825; value, $102,521; average value, $2.39; steam engines, 49; value, $7,885; average value, $160.91; fire and burglar-proof safes, 81; value, $2,579; average value, $31.84; billiard and other tables, 31; value, $735; average value, $23.71; carriages and wagons, 4,262; value, $52,114; average value, $12.23; watches and clocks, 3,308; value, $9,570; average value, $2.89; sewing and knitting machines, 2,219; value, $12,247; average value, $5.22; pianos, 246; valne, $10,587; average value, $43.04; melodeons and organs, 465; value, $8,185; average value, $17.60; franchises, $105; annuities, $200; goods and merchandise, $123,981; materials and manufactured articles, $8,001; manufact-

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urers' tools and machinery, $5,116; agricultural tools and ma- chinery, $61,710; gold and silver plate and plated ware, $613; diamonds and jewelry, $165; moneys of bank, banker, or broker, $25,676; credits of same, $2,844; moneys of others, $65,994; credits of others, $59,888; bonds and stocks, $1,168; properties of other companies or corporations, $2,857; property of saloons and eating houses, $520; household and office furniture, $96,731; in- vestments in real estate and improvements thereon, $1,275; grain of all kinds, $63,938; all other property not otherwise listed, $29,- 543; total value of personal property, $1,327, 149.

TAXATION FOR 1884.

Total equalized valuation, $8,791,615; State tax, $30,770.46; county tax, $57,145.48; township tax, $7,459.88; road and bridge taxes, $41,158.14; county bond interest tax, $11,429.01; township bond interest tax. $24,592.90; township bond sinking fund tax, $13,816.02; corporation tax, $34,191.90; district school tax, $68,- 257.07; district road tax, $1,441.77; dog taxes, $1,863; delinquent taxes, $5,508.64; interest and costs, $3,726.88; total taxes, $309,- 126.15.

POPULATION.

Immigration into Logan County was largest in the decades 1840-'50 and 1850-'60. In the latter year the population was 14,272. In 1870 the census showed 23,053, and since then there has been little increase, on account of a large exodus to Dakota and other Western regions. In 1880 the population was 25,037; in 1885 it was probably 27,000.

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CHAPTER XVI.

- CITY OF LINCOLN.

EARLY HISTORY .- PROGRESS .- MUNICIPAL HISTORY .- LIST OF CITY OFFICERS, 1865-'85 .- COAL MINES .- BANKS .- PRESS .- EDUCA- TIONAL .- RELIGIOUS .- LIBRARY .- ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE-MINDED. -LODGES, ETC .- BIOGRAPHICAL.

This city of 6,000 inhabitants, which was named in honor of Abraham Lincoln when he was a popular attorney of Springfield, and which has now been for a third of a century the seat of Logan County, owes its existence to no chance, but to private enterprise and good judgment. The manner of its founding, as told by one of the principals concerned, is as follows:

Colonel R. B. Latham, then sheriff of the county, was engaged to procure the right of way through Logan County for the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and was promised by the chief engineer, Mr. Lee, the location of a station. A depot was already fixed upon at Elkhart, and as the company then made the stations about ten miles apart, section 31 of town 20, range 2 west, or near Postville, would be another point. Another important matter decided the location here. The people decided a more central seat of justice than Mt. Pulaski, and also wanted it on the railroad. Postville, the first county seat petitioned for its location, and while the question was being agitated, the Chicago & Alton Railroad was surveyed. As Postville was almost a mile from this road, that fact was against it in the matter. Colbey Knapp was in the Legislature the winter of 1852-'3, and presented the bill giving the people the right to vote for the removal. The present site of Lincoln was then owned by a Mr. Loose, living near Greencastle, Pennsylvania, who, with his brother, had entered it about the year 1836 or 1837. No sooner had he assented to its sale than Colonel Latham started immediately for Pennsylvania, to obtain the deed, not wishing to wait its transmission by mail. He purchased the land on behalf of himself, John D. Gillett, and Virgil Hickox, and telegraphed at once to the latter to have inserted in the act the quarter-section (417)

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purchased as the future county seat, instead of Postville. This was done; and the act passed, being approved February 14, 1853. In the spring the survey of the new town began. Conaway Peuce, then county surveyor, laid out the town, the proprietors making the streets parallel with the railroad, instead of following the car- dinal points. The entire plat was not completed until some time in the summer. Work was being done at this time on the rail- road, and by August construction trains were running from Spring- field to this point. Here the company had a large wood-shed and water-tank. In one end of the shed they made a depot. The stage company had their stables here, and passengers coming on the construction trains to this point would be taken by stage to Bloomington, there to connect with the Illinois Central Railroad, then just completed. As the Chicago & Alton Road was built, a station was made about every ten miles, when the stage companies would remove their stables to that point and carry passengers therefrom.

The sale of lots in Lincoln was advertised to take place August 29, and that morning a construction train was run from Springfield, bringing many buyers, among them Mr. Lincoln, who remarked during the sale, as he walked around inspecting the lots, that they were cheap and desirable, but he was unable to buy. Quite a number of people were here from various parts of the county, es- pecially those desirous of purchasing lots for a future home. Ninety lots were sold, varying in price from $40 to $150. The most valu- able were those fronting on the railroad, or on Chicago street. The total proceeds were about $6,000, a handsome advance on the pur- chase price of the land, that being $8 per acre, or $1,280. All this had occurred before the vote was taken by the people for the re- moval of the county seat from Mt. Pulaski. Yet so confident were the proprietors of the new town that the change would be made and their location selected, that they caused all this to be done, guaranteeing to each purchaser the location of the seat of justice or a forfeiture of the sale.

In a short time building began. John Allison erected the first house on the plat-a dwelling, east of the railroad, on Chicago street. A grocery was built by Samuel Long. This was the first busi- ness house in Lincoln. As Postville was near, the carpenters who did not live there boarded at the hotel built there in 1836 or '37. Just south of Long's grocery E. Boren and Jesse Forbes erected the second store and began business in December. This store was

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burned on December 8, 1871, eighteen years after building. Michael Hinrichsen purchased a dwelling built by I. N. Buck, the first station agent. In January, 1854, Colonel Latham, then liv- ing at Mt. Pulaski, began the erection of the old Lincoln House, afterward known as the Eagle Hotel. He hired two men to do the work, and as soon as the building season opened, broke ground for its construction. Colonel R. B. Latham has done more for the city of Lincoln, and through it for the county, than any other. He has erected several fine business houses in the city, and has always been the foremost in advancing its interests. There is not a church, or school, or any beneficent object therein that has not re- ceived pecuniary aid from him, as well as personal endeavors on his part for their advancement. The hotel occupied the site of the present Lincoln House. It was constructed of wood, was two stories in height, and was opened to the public January 1, 1855. The proprietor then was D. M. Jackson, who, in 1857, purchased . it of the Town Site Company, and, after keeping it a few years, sold it to a Mr. Holderman. He, being unable to pay for it, gave it up, and it came again into the Town Site Company's possession. In 1868 they sold it to Henry Palmer, who changed the name to the Eagle Hotel, and kept it until it was destroyed by fire, on the 19th of April, 1870. During Mr. Holderman's time a third story was added, and during Mr. Palmer's time a brick addition built to it. Among the merchants locating from 1853 to 1857 may be men- tioned B. & F. M. Hinrichsen, Edgar & Johnson, Kahn Brothers, Howser & Metcalf, John W. Logan, G. F. Stillman, Howser & Hig- gins, Kelso & Boren and T. Blackburn. The first hall in town was built by George Musick, in 1855, and occupied the present site of Dustin's bank. It remained there until 1873, when it was removed to make room for the erection of the bank. During its time it was used for religious services, public meetings, by secret societies, for dances, or for almost any gathering. Until 1856 every house, except the depot, was built of wood. The court-house was com- pleted early in that year. These were of brick, and were the first buildings in town built of this material. The first brick business house was built about the middle of the Lincoln House block, front- ing Chicago street. Across the street, south, quite a number of frame buildings were built by Roach & Hansby, across the street, west from Long's grocery. Before this it was a very common sight to see piles of sacks of grain waiting shipment. As there was no place to store grain, the farmers would pile it along the railroad,

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cover it with canvas or boards, and leave it until a car could be obtained. About the same time this elevator was erected, William M. Dustin built an elevator. Here he and B. H. Brainard opened the first bank in Lincoln.

In addition to the hall built by George Musick in 1855, one was erected in 1857 by Logan, Cox & Co., for the use of the Masonic fraternity. The Odd Fellows' Hall was built by William Roach this same year. By the year 1857, quite a number of houses had been erected, both as business houses and dwellings, and by the year 1862 over 2,000 people lived in town, and the trade was as- suming vast proportions. The Methodists had built a church in 1857 (now the Presbyterian church), and other denominations were preparing to occupy the field. A good school was started, the town was incorporated, and Lincoln began to show signs of solid improvement. In 1867 John D. Gillett, who has erected more fine buildings in town than any other, began the building of a large three-story brick building on the corner of Broadway and Kickapoo street. The next year he built two large stores on Broadway, over which is a hall used for lectures, theatere, dances, etc. In 1871 he built two stores on Kickapoo street. In 1873 there were erected the Musick block, two stores; Latham's block, four stores (Colonel Latham has erected almost as many buildings as Mr. Gillett); the Dustin block, six stores; Parker's block, four stores; the Brewer block, four stores; the National Bank block, two stores; G. W. Webb, two; while a number of one-room stores were constructed, in addition to many dwellings, shops, and houses of various kinds. In no year since has there been an equal amount of building. Since the war business has improved rapidly. Several large brick business houses have been erected. Three good wagon-makers have large shops, quite a number of smaller ones are seen, and a variety of other tradespeople find constant employment here. The present Lincoln Hotel, the largest in town, as well as in the county, was built by John D. Gillett during the summer of 1875. It oc- cupies the site of the old Lincoln House, and is 108 x 109 feet in size. The basement and lower story are occupied as'stores, while the second, third and fourth are used as the hotel proper. The cost of the structure was about $50,000. During this same year about 100 dwellings were erected in town.

Lincoln has at various times suffered disastrously from fire. Be- fore 1870, or for seventeen years after the first buildings were erected, fires rarely occurred. With the exception of the court-

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house, burned on the night of April 14, 1857, only four small buildings were destroyed during the years mentioned. Since April 1, 1870, the city has been visited by that destroyer not less than a score of times, each occasion laying waste valuable property. The buildings now erected are almost always of brick, and cantion is taken in their construction, thereby preventing the recurrence of these disasters. The city's business portion now presents substan- tial buildings, and danger from this source is materially lessened.

Lincoln was incorporated under the general law in 1855, two years later under a special act, and continued thus until 1865, when the two towns of Postville and Lincoln united and formed the present city of Lincoln. This was necessary for the good of each town, and as the limits of Lincoln by that date extended to those of Postville, no necessity for two organizations existed. The name of Postville was therefore dropped, and it became the Fourth Ward of Lincoln. Had the desire of its people been carried out in the removal of the county seat to its first habitation, Lincoln would never have existed; but the former town being off the rail- road, and its property very much shrunken in value, and having no moneyed, energetic men to push its interests, it gave way to its more powerful competitor.

MUNICIPAL HISTORY.

Lincoln was incorporated under the general State law, as above stated, early in the year 1855. During the spring of that year the first board of village officers was elected. It consisted of the fol- lowing persons: Ezra Boren, Geo. W. Edgar, Hopkins C. Judy, Robert Leslie and John E. Cummings. These were sworn in office by David T. Lee. At their first meeting they organized by elect- ing Geo. W. Edgar, President of the Board, and J. E. Cummings, Clerk. The board then appointed Geo. W. Stillman, Street Com- missioner; J. W. Ratikin, Assessor; Joseph F. Benner, Treasurer, and Leroy F. Brown, Constable. At the next meeting, held on November 19, ordinances for the government of the town were adopted; the evenings for the regular meetings of the board were appointed, and the boundaries of the town defined. The clause in the minutes of the proceedings of the board, relating to the limits of the town, reads as follows: "The limits of the town of Lincoln shall be the northwest quarter of section 31, town 20, range 2 west of the third principal meridian; the east half of the northeast quarter of section 36, town 20, range 3 west of the third principal

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meridian; and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 35, town 20, range 3 west of the third principal meridian." This territory comprised 320 acres. The original town plat contained about one hundred acres, but ere long was increased by numerous additions, the principal ones being made by Colonel Latham, Mr. Wyatt and Mr. Gillett. The proceedings of the first meetings of the trustees, the town charter, its amendments, and the ordinances adopted, were published in the Illinois Citizen, then conducted by Messrs. Reed & Austin.

Ere long the sale of intoxicating liquors began to attract atten- tion, and the board was compelled to adopt means to regulate its sale. Hence, on the 19th of January, 1856, an ordinance was passed, requiring a license to be obtained, and regulating the sale of the article. The license was fixed at $300, and a bond of $500 was also required. Licenses regulating peddlers and other itiner- ant tradesmen were also required, and fines established in case of the failure of those interested obtaining them. The name of the paper already referred to had changed to the Lincoln Citizen, and in it were published the ordinances recently adopted. The high liquor license and bond were, however, at subsequent meetings of the board reduced.

As the town grew in population and business, the necessity of its incorporation as a village, to enable it to comply better and more fully with the existing laws, and to better maintain its government, became evident, and on February 18, 1857, the act incorporating the town of Lincoln was approved by the Governor and became a law. A new Board of Trustees was elected, of which James S. Jones was appointed clerk. The proceedings of these meetinge, as well as all the public printing at that date, were published in the Logan County Democrat, edited by H. H. Simmons.

Under this act, with various changes, Lincoln existed as a town until 1865, when, by an act of the Legislature approved Feb. 16, the two towns of Postville, the old county seat, and Lincoln were united under the name of the " City of Lincoln." From the rec- ords of the Board of Trustees of the town of Lincoln, it appears that the trustees of Postville were the first to suggest the union of the two towns, thereby forming a city.

Section first of the act reads as follows:

"Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in General Assembly: That the towns of Postville and Lin- coln, in Logan County, Illinois, be and they are hereby, merged

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into one, to be known and called hereafter by the name of 'The City of Lincoln.'"

Section second relates to the boundaries of the new town; section third, to the additions thereafter to be made to it; section fourth, to the name and style of the city as a corporate body; and section fifth, to the division of the city into four wards. The charter for- ther specified the officers of the city, their duties, terms of office, salaries and fees, and manner of election.

The officers to be chosen were a mayor, city justice, city treas- urer and two aldermen from each ward. The town board of Lin- coln, at a meeting on March 2, 1865, ordered that the election be held in each ward at the school-house therein on March 13, to fill these offices. The votes being counted on the evening of election day, Joseph C. Webster was declared elected Mayor; Joseph T. Benner, City Justice, and Solomon Kahn, City Treasurer. The Aldermen from the First Ward were Marvin Brewer, elected for two years, and Franklin Fisk, one year; from the Second Ward, T. F. La- due, for two years; A. M. Fellows, for one year; from the Third Ward, Hiram Sherman and Lot H. Crawford, each of whom received an equal number of votes; and from the Fourth Ward, J. M. Shackleford, for two years, and J. F. Boy, for one year. At the first meeting of the city council, the aldermen from the Third Ward drew lots to determine who should hold the office two years. The lot fell to Mr. Sherman, who took his seat accord- ingly.

At the first meeting of the council, W. D. Wyatt was chosen City Clerk; James Coddington, Assessor; W. D. Wyatt, Attorney, and Charles C. Brackett, Marshal.

Among the important acts of the State Legislature demanding attention was the act to establish graded schools in towns and cities, and to provide for their maintenance. This act was ap- proved February 16, 1865, and among the earliest acts of the council of Lincoln was the order for an election to be held in each ward in the city to choose one director therefrom, all of whom, when elected, were to constitute the Board of Education for the city. This election was held on Tuesday, the 11th day of April, 1865, and resulted in the choice of one director from each ward, who constituted this board until they were succeeded by the Board of Inspectors, elected in 1867.

From the union of the two towns the substantial growth of Lincoln began. Each year brought a new set of officers, all'of

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whom made the welfare of the city the paramount interest, and all labored for its advancement. We subjoin here the list of officers for the city of Lincoln and their terms of service. It will, how- ever, be observed that the result of the election of each year only is given, one-half of the aldermen holding two years:

1865-Mayor, Joseph C. Webster; Clerk, W. D. Wyatt; City Justice, Joseph F. Benner, elected for four years; Treasurer, Solo- mon Kahn; Attorney, W. D. Wyatt; Councilmen, First Ward, Marvin Brewer and Franklin Fisk; Second Ward, T. F. Ladue and A. M. Fellows; Third Ward, Hiram Sherman and Lot H. Craw- ford; Fourth Ward, J. M. Shackleford and J. F. Boy; Marshal, C. C. Brackett.

1866-Mayor, Silas Beason; Clerk, J. F. Benner; Treasurer, S. Kahu; Attorney, Rufus Mayfield; Marshal, J. S. Randolph; Street Commissioner, James H. Russell; Councilmen, First Ward, John Wyatt; Second Ward, A. C. Boyd; Third Ward, Henry Sturges; Fourth Ward, David Bumcrats.

1867-Mayor, Silas Beason; Clerk, J. F. Benner; Treasurer, S. Kabn; Attorney, James T. Hoblit; Marshal, Walter B. McNeal; Street Commissioner, James H. Russell; Councilmen, First Ward, Mark W. Barrett; Second Ward, T. F. Ladue; Third Ward, E. P. Hurlbut; Fourth Ward, John F. Boy.

1868-Mayor, Silas Beason; Clerk, Albert Cadwallader; Marshal, W. B. McNeal; Attorney, Edmund Lynch; Street Commissioner, Samuel Switzer; Councilmen, First Ward, J. C. Ross; Second Ward, J. A. Niles; Third Ward, John N. Lipp and James S. Ran- dolph; Fourth Ward, Hamilton Tibbitts.

1869-Mayor, Colbey Knapp; Clerk, George W. Montague; At- torney, James T. Hoblit; Marshal, Thomas B. Parker; City Jus- tice, Joseph F. Benner; Treasurer, S. Kahn; Street Commissioner, Samuel Switzer; Councilmen, First Ward; N. E. Pegram; Second Ward, F. C. W. Koehnle; Third Ward, Israel McCord; Fourth Ward, Henry Rathburn and W. A. Cowdrey.

1870-Mayor, George Warren; Clerk, G. W. Montague; At- torney, Edmund Lynch; Treasurer, S. Kahn; Street Commissioner, Samuel Switzer; Councilmen, First Ward, H. F. Elliott; Second Ward, Nelson Andrew; Third Ward, William P. Randolph; Fourth Ward, J. M. Shackleford. For this year, owing to a law passed in the General Assembly, two additional supervisors were allowed for the city of Lincoln; one for that part of the city in- cluded in East Lincoln Township, the First and Second wards, and

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one for the Third and Fourth wards, or that part of the city in West Lincoln Township. For the First and Second wards, T. J. Larson was elected, and for the Third and Fourth wards, A. R. Crihfield.

1871-Mayor, Abram Mayfield; Clerk, G. W. Montagne; At- torney, Edmund Lynch; Treasurer, S. Kahn; Marshal, T. J. Lari- son; Street Commissioner, P. H. Beach; Councilmen, First Ward, N. E. Pegram; Second Ward, H. Maltby; Third Ward, James Congden; Fourth. Ward, H. Rathburn; First and Second Ward, Supervisor, William Markworth; Third and Fourth Ward, A. R. Crihfield.

1872-Mayor, Abram Mayfield; Clerk, C. M. Knapp; Attorney, T. T. Beach; Treasurer, S. Kahn; Marshal, David Hummell; Street Commissioner, P. H. Beach; Councilmen, First Ward, H. F. Elliott; Second Ward, Hiram Sherman; Third .Ward, Silas Beason; Fourth Ward, John J. Russell; Supervisor, First and Second wards, Simon Rock; Third and Fourth wards, A. R. Crih- field.

1873-Mayor, Abram Mayfield; Clerk, C. M. Knapp; Treas- urer, S. Kahn; Attorney, E. G. Hudson; City Justice, P. H. Knight; Marshal, R. B. Fryar; Street Commissioner, H. M. Le- vally; Councilmen, First Ward, H. Simonton; Second Ward, James Ritchey; Third Ward, William Hargadine; Fourth Ward, Daniel Baldwin; Supervisor, First and Second wards, Simon Rock; Third and Fourth wards, A. R. Crihfield.

1874-Mayor, Abram Mayfield; Clerk, C. M. Knapp; Treas- urer, S. Kahn; Attorney, E. G. Hudson; Marshal, R. B. Fryar; Street Commissioner, H. M. Levally; Councilmen, First Ward, John Wyatt; Second Ward, H. Sherman; Third Ward, W. H. Rigdon; Fourth Ward, John J. Russell; Supervisor, First and Second wards, H. Abbott; Third and Fourth wards, Israel Mc- Cord.

1875-Mayor, Abram Mayfield; Clerk, C. M. Knapp; Treas- urer, S. Kahn; Attorney, C. J. Forsyth; Marshal, Charles Phil- lips; Street Commissioner, H. M. Levally; Councilmen, First Ward, H. Simonton; Second Ward, S. Rock; Third Ward, J. B. Montague; Fourth Ward, George L. Oglevie. At the session of the Legislature the winter previous to this election, the offices of the additional supervisors were abolished.

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History of Logan County, Illinois, Part 38

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co. Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Number of Pages: 989

Author: Inter-State Publishing Co.
Publication date: 1886
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 989