USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., gathered from mattter furnished by the Mercer County Historical Society, interviews with old settlers, county, township and other records, and extracts from files of papers, pamphlets, and such other sources as have been available : containing also a short history of Henderson County > Part 14
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
Philip Weaver were teachers of good reputation in the lower depart- ments in the long ago, prior to the war. Rebecca Weaver and Josie L. Calhoun taught several years in succession at a later period. Of the present teachers Miss J. Hannah Willits presides over the grammar department, and has been connected with the school as teacher nearly twenty years. Miss Julia Willett is employed in the first intermediate, Miss Mary Thomson in the second, Miss Alice Sheriff in the third. and R. W. Kile in the primary. Mr. Kile commenced, in the school in 1865, and since 1870 has been continuously employed. He first began teaching in Ohio in 1846. In the spring of 1850 he emigrated to this town. and has taught until the present time without intermission, excepting three years when he was fighting the battles of his country.
The school-house is a strong, two-story brick edifice, with low ceilings, but apartments that are models of neatness and taste. They are all seated with patent furniture and heated with Snead's school room heater and ventilator, and supplied with necessary charts and apparatus of approved kinds. The main part is 30×56 feet on the foundation, and the wing in the rear, built in 1875, is 26×36 feet in dimension. The location is on block 7, second addition. This is the best school building in Mercer county. Under its efficient manage- ment for several years past the school has taken a rank inferior to no other of similar grade anywhere.
In Keithsburg select schools have flourished with no common success. and their number has not been small. As far back as the autumn of 1855 a Miss Mulky opened a female seminary in Apollo Hall. She retired from the work at the close of the spring term of 1857. The Misses Todd immediately organized the Keithsburg Seminary, but it is not known how long it was continued. The sessions were held in the Methodist church. The Rev. C. M. Wright started the Mercer Female College in 1863, in the Orth house, subsequently occupying the Masonic building. Late in 1864 the reverend educator was commissioned chaplain of the 102d Ill. reg .. on the request of the rank and file, and at once departed for his new field of labor. He was very ably assisted by the Misses Mary W. Evans and Emily J. Whit- lock, from Pennsylvania, and probably by Miss Louisa B. Gass. The first two ladies remained in charge of the school after Wright's with- drawal, and the institution was kept up about three years. J. S. McMillan, another tutor of rare qualification, gave instruction there immediately after, and Miss Gass kept select schools in the same place. Mrs. Lou Kessel also taught several schools of the same class. Five or six years ago W. P. Allen had a business school in Apollo Hall. These do not comprise all. but are the principal ones. The veteran
147
KEITHSBURG TOWNSHIP.
pedagogne, Rezin W. Kile, has organized and taught numerous "pay schools." These private schools have usually been well patronized.
Until recently this township was divided into but two districts. It now contains three, and will likely remain without important change for a long time. District No. 2 extends from east to west across the north part of the township and is two miles wide north and south. No. 3 embraces sections 14, 24, part of 23, including Upper Keiths- burg, and all of 13, except the E. $ N. E. 4, which, with sections 25 and 36, is attached to Abington for school purposes. The rest of the township constitutes No. 1, having Keithsburg in the center. District No. 3 was formed from No. 1, after a long and determined contest. The first effort for a division was made about eight years ago. A vote had been taken on the question of authorizing a bonded debt to enlarge the school-house in Keithsburg, and was adversely decided. As soon as the movement for a division was begun the opportunity was seized by those favoring the extension (which was seriously needed) to obtain the necessary authority by election. As the law then stood a district with a bonded debt could not be dismembered. Before the inhabitants in the proposed district began the agitation, the want of more room in the school building was not apparent to the majority. As soon as a separation was seriously attempted it was instantly recognized with sweeping unanimity. The debt was made and the addition built. The matter slumbered some two years, then the petitioners revived it, on the technical failure of the board of trustees to follow the exact require- ments of the law concerning the registration of the bonds. The trustees denied their prayer, and the subject was allowed to rest. In the mean- time the law was changed so as to permit a division of bonded districts and an apportionment of their liabilities. In 1880 the struggle was renewed. Some additions to the mumber of pupils had been made in the dissatisfied territory, and the bounds were now extended by the petitioners, enlarging the proposed district. They went to work this time with every advantage in their favor. The trustees again rejected their claims. The case went to the county superintendent on appeal. The application was successful. But before proceedings could be taken upon the order of the superintendent, an injunction was served upon the trustees and treasurer, restraining them from any action in the premises until the question should come.before the circuit court of Mercer county for review. Here the decision of the superintendent was sustained. An appeal was next carried to the appellate court, sitting in Ottawa, and on February 28, 1881, the judgment of the lower court was affirmed. This victory was followed by the election of directors for the new district on March 19. These were H. S. Scott, David Pardee and
148
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
O. A. Wilson. The enumeration of scholars at this time was fifty- seven. A school-house was straightway built at an expense of $700.
RELIGION.
Preaching in Keithsburg was of irregular occurrence until near 1850. Several persons are mentioned as having held meetings before that time, but it was individual rather than organized work that was done. The Rev. Vail was probably the earliest Presbyterian, and the Rev. Crittenden was another who visited this locality at a somewhat later date. He was here in 1849, and very likely before and after. The Rev. Gregg, Universalist, held early meetings. Various Metho- dist ministers came to lead the hearts of men, but the names of most of them, no doubt. are lost. The Rev. Kirkpatrick is remembered, and the local preachers. Thomas L. Doughty, of New Boston, and James Ross, a United Brethren, of this township. The last two are best known, for they were a part of the people and their ministry covered longer periods. Services took place wherever a room could be found that would accommodate the small audiences. After 1845 Willett's warehouse was used ; in 1849 the old brick school-house was built. and then resort was had to that; and in 1851 the court-house was finished, when that also was occupied for the same purpose.
The first Sunday school in Keithsburg, except one as early as 1844, in the cooper shop on block 13, corner of Main and Seventh streets. was started in August, 1849, and was founded and taught by John Heaton and Mrs. Lucretia Freeman. About two dozen little boys and girls were regular attendants. After thirty years' improvement in everything else, the editor of the "News" says "this was the best behaved school we were ever in, and was a complete success." They met from Sabbath to Sabbath on the lot where Dennis Murto's house is situated. In the spring of 1850 another school was organized in the brick school-house. Uncle John Kile was the superintendent, and W. H. Heaton secretary. At that day Mrs. Thomas Hiatt was the only Methodist living in the town, but a few months later the number was advanced to two by the arrival of Col. George S. Pierce. Within two miles of town were John Wilson, James Gibson, B. L. IJardin, John Kile and John Eekley, all Methodists. These could not always attend, so it became necessary to reorganize the school, and W. L. Mathews was chosen superintendent, and B. C. Cabeen taught the bible class. Of the ladies, Mrs. Mathews. Mrs. Freeman, and Mrs. Hiatt were active workers. The young ladies were: Maggie and Emma Ungles, Mary Jane Mount. Maria Heaton, Mary Pie, and three by the name of Williamson. The singing, which J. W.
149
KEITHSBURG TOWNSHIP.
Doughty led in splendid style, was excellent, and, according to testi- mony, has not since been excelled in Keithsburg. The present editor of the "News," writing of this school, says: "Uncle John Kile did the praying for the school when he was there. In his absence, the superintendent or secretary read from the scriptures, and a hymn was sung. We had a committee on attendance, and if a scholar or teacher was not in his or her place, next Sunday he or she was called on, and a reason had to be given and reported for absence. . We will remark that this school, for two years, was not under the auspices of any church, yet it embraced about all the children in the town."
The first circuit preaching was begun in the autumn of 1849 by the Rev. Pierce T. Rhodes, who was on the New Boston circuit and held meetings every two weeks. He was a man of too much business energy and capacity .to fail to work up an interest favorable to the building of a meeting-house, and therefore we find that in the fall of 1851 a brick church was erected on the northwest corner of block 13, original plat, at a cost of some $1,600. It was not entirely finished and plastered till 1853. The Rev. Chandler, of Peoria, conducted the dedicatorial services. The Rev. C. M. Wright came shortly after, and superseded Rhodes. From this time to 1860 the history of the church is a blank. In that year Keithsburg, which had heretofore belonged to the New Boston circuit, was erected into a separate one. Mr. B. L. Hardin furnishes a list of pastors from 1860, and we use it as it comes to our hands, although it does not complete the period by one year: Job Mills, two years; - Steward, two years; C. M. Wright, one year; J. L. Phares, one year; - Stafford, one year ; G. W. Brown, one year; J. Winser, one year ; S. Brink, three years ; A. R. Morgan, two years; L. B. Dennis, one year; J. Smith. two years ; Richard Haney, one year; G. W. Martin, one year; C. B. Couch, one year ; and the present minister, H. S. Humes, who came upon this charge in the conference year 1881-2.
About 1856 the society purchased from Robert Keith the old brick school-house; the walls they partly tore down and rebuilt for a parsonage on the original foundation.
The Rev. Stephen Brink conducted a great revival in 1871 and added over one hundred to the membership. He was a very popular preacher and successful revivalist, and taking the movement in the church at its highest tide led the society at once into building their present imposing edifice. This was done in the year 1872. The site was purchased from Bennett Hurst for $1,300 and the okl church was taken by him in payment of $100. John Mell. Wilson, B. L. Hardin. Dr. C. S. Hollingsworth, Merrick A. Weaver and William Gayle were
150
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
the building committee. The entire cost' was $10,000. Chaplain McCabe dedicated it on the 29th of October, and on this occasion $3,715 were subscribed. Over $550 were never collected ; a loan of $300 had been obtained from the church extension fund ; these amounts with interest brought the society in time into debt for $1,300. A new subscription was raised in 1880 and this was paid off. The church is a two-story frame 38×60 feet on the ground. There are 140 members enrolled, and the condition of the society is good. The Sabbath school, with II. L. Long as superintendent almost consecu- tively for twelve years, has an average of over 100 scholars. Some of the oldest and most active members have been John McH. Wilson, John Nevius and B. L. Hardin. The two first have gone to try the reality of the faith they professed.
The first Presbyterian minister who settled and lived in Keiths- burg was the Rev. Smith. This was before the church was finished. A number of persons of this faith having their membership in the Pope Creek church in Ohio Grove township, in 1854 enclosed the house they now own, but were not able to finish it for use until three years afterward. May 2, 1857, the present society was organized with twenty-eight members, and was named the "First Presbyterian Church of Keithsburg." Joseph P. Wycoff and Paul Sheriff were elected ruling elders, and Dr. I. N. Anderson deacon. Two days after, Paul Sheriff, A. B. Sheriff and Harvey Senter were chosen trustees. The Rev. E. K. Lynn was the first to supply the church after the organiza- tion ; he preached half the time for one year. The Rev. Samuel Hart commenced his labors in the spring of 1858 and ministered to the church till September 2, 1862. During this period twenty-six members were added. The Rev. H. Hanson came as stated supply November 2d. and ended his pastorate ten years afterward, November 1, 1872. The church was increased during this time by the reception of eighty- four members. From the last date until October 15, 1873, only occa- sional supplies filled the pulpit, but at this time the Rev. John L. Martyn commenced his ministrations as regular pastor. He was superseded October 15, 1876, by the Rev. J. E. Williamson. The latter gave place, October 16, 1879, to the Rev. Thomas Hicklin, who. remained one year. There was no stated supply again until the pres- ent occupant of the pulpit, the Rev. R. H. Fulton, commenced his labors in September, 1881. In December, 1859, Philip Gore was elected deacon. November 30, 1862, Dr. I. N. Anderson was elected, ordained and installed a ruling elder. Ile was removed by death January 22, 1863. Dr. Samuel Kelly was elected ruling elder March 13, 1869, and ordained next day. Calvin S. Orth and W. S. Home
.
151
KEITHSBURG TOWNSHIP.
were elected and ordained deacons on the same days. George S. Wolf was elected a ruling elder December 16, 1876, and was installed next day, the usual form of ordination being dispensed with as unnecessary for the reason that he had been an elder in the Reformed church. In 1866 an American church organ was placed in the church ; in the winter of 1867-8 a new bell was hung in the steeple ; October 25, 1871, the society paid $100 for five Gothic chairs and a marble-top communion table ; March 15, 1872, a new communion service was purchased at an expense of $65; and in 1875 the church was reno- vated at an outlay of $1.000. The building is 36×54 feet, built of brick, graceful without and tasteful within, where it is cheery and agreeable, without any of that air of the dungeon so common in houses of this description. The number of members is forty-five. An organized Sunday school is maintained.
St. Mary's Catholic church comprises in its membership not fewer than fifty families. Mass was celebrated in this place over thirty years. ago, but the people had no regular pastor until Father Lorimer, of Monmouth, established stated services in 1865. He continued in charge of the parish until the Rev. R. P. O'Neill came in 1867. Under the pastorate of the latter funds were raised, and in 1869 a house of worship was enclosed and subsequently finished. The Rev. Bowles came next after Father O'Neill and remained until 1872, and was suc- ceeded by Father Halpin, who was followed in 1875 by Father O'Farrell. The first priest to settle in the parish was the Rev. Weldon, who arrived in 1877, and in October began the erection of the parson- age. This stands on Thirteenth street, adjoining the church, and was finished the following spring and furnished at a total cost of $2,000. The Rev. C. F. O'Neill took charge of this society in 1879 and was. replaced the same year by the Rev. William McKenna, who ministered until early in 1882, when the Rev. B. H. Corley took his place. The church is situated in the southeast part of the town, in Sheriff's addi- tion, on land one-half of which was donated by T. B. Cabeen. It is cruciform, 24×72 feet in the main part, with a transept 24×56, and was built at a cost of about 86,000. This property is vested in the bishop of the diocese, according to the custom and laws of this church. In the early history of the society services were held in the old court- house and at the residence of Dennis Murto.
The Rev. Bernard II. Corley, present pastor, was born in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, March 11, 1855, and is the son of Michael and Elizabeth (McCaron) Corley. His father is a mixer of colors used in printing calicoes, and resides in Providence, where the mother of Father Corley died March 4, 1882. He was educated at the Jesuit
152
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
college of St. Mary at Montreal, and at the Ottawa University, of Canada, and finished his studies at the latter institution. His ordina- tion took place at Peoria, Illinois, in June, 1879, and he at once became assistant pastor at Bloomington, where he remained one year. He was next called to the pastorate of Lewiston, from whence he went to Monmouth as assistant, and in the present year was settled over this parish.
The United Brethren society in Keithsburg, now dissolved, was formed in the winter of 1849-50. and was the first of this denomination in the county. The original members were St. Clair Ross and wife. James Goldsberry and wife, a Mr. Mapes and wife, and a few others. The pastors were : J. L. Condon, 1849-51; O. F. Smith, 1851-3 ; B. Wagner, 1853-4; P. W. Knowles. 1854-6; G. W. Keller, 1856-7: Rev. Weaver, 1857-8; D. F. Bear, 1858-9; J. W. C. Toll and P. Watts, 1859-60 : D. Stanley, 1860-62; J. B. Speaks, 1862-3 ; St. Clair Ross, 1863-5 ; Rev. Bugby, 1865-6; E. Godfrey, 1866-7; B. Wag- ner, 1867-9; O. F. Smith, from 1869 to the spring of 1872, A. Shes- ler finishing the conference year; B. Wagner. 1872-4; A. G. Smith, 1874-5; S. P. Davis and A. A. Wolf, 1875-6; Z. Pease, 1876-8; Percival Spurlock, 1878-9; O. O. Smith, 1879-81; and A. Worman, the present pastor on the charge, who occasionally preaches to the few unorganized members of the old society. About 1857 the erection of a church was begun, but the house was not completed until four years afterward. It is a low brick, 36×50 feet, now beginning to show signs of decay.
A Christian society was organized here about 1856, but traveling preachers of this denomination stopped here and held services, begin- ning some years earlier. The Rev. Davidson, of Monmouth, was the main dependence of these people at first. Others well remembered were the Shortridges, Revs. Wallace, Moses B. Warren and W. B. Fisk. The latter was here three or four years, and it was in his pas- torate that the unnsed church standing in the east part of the town was built. This was done in 1866. The Rev. J. B. Royal occupied the pulpit about ten years ago.
FARMERS' BANK.
This institution began business in Keithsburg in April, 1871, as the Farmers' National Bank, with a capital of $50,000, and was the second bank ever organized in Mercer county, and the only one under the national banking act. The stockholders are William Drury, F. P. Burgett, T. B. Cabeen, R. J. Cabeen, John Seaton, Hiram Burgett, B. P. Friek, Thomas S. Flack, C. S. Orth, Mrs. Julia H. Frick, and
153
KEITIISBURG TOWNSHIP'.
Mrs. Vashti Drury. William Drury, one of the wealthiest and most valued citizens of Mercer county, has been president from the begin- ning. and Hon. Thomas B. Cabeen. of Keithsburg, vice-president. C. S. Orth was the first cashier. In 1874 the capital was doubled. . and the same year Mr. Orth resigned and was succeeded by F. P. Burgett. who had been connected with the bank from the first opening. as assistant cashier. On January 1, 1880. the charter was surrendered. and the bank became a private corporation. It passed through the crisis of 1873 without shock, and its integrity and reputation rest upon a firm basis.
Mr. Cabeen is of Irish lineage. His grandfather. Thomas Cabeen. had seven sons and two daughters born and reared in Ireland, and who emigrated to this country at different times, and settled in various localities. Ilis father, Samuel Cabeen. crossed the Atlantic in 1808 and had his home first in Pennsylvania. where he married Miss Eliza- beth P. Wright. In 1815 he removed to Muskingum county. Ohio. In 1836 these parents with their five sons, Thomas. Joshua. Samuel, Robert, and Richard, removed to Mercer county and improved a home in Ohio Grove township. The father died at his residence, May 1, 1856, when sixty-eight years of age. He was a man of good talents and natural Irish wit and versatility ; his conversation was intelligent and sparkling and always enlivened with appropriate quotations from his favorite poet Burns. Mr. Thomas B. Cabeen was born December 15. 1815 ; he learned the carpenter's trade, and for the first dozen years that he lived in Mercer county was employed at that useful occupation. In conjunction with Abram B. Sheriff he built the first frame house south of Pope creek; in 1845 he did some of the first carpenter work in Keithsburg. and the next year the joiner work on the first brick house in the place, which was owned by Robert Keith. He and Mr. Sheriff built under contract the first court-house in Mercer county. for which they received about $1.400. It was begun March 6. 1839, and was finished the same year. This was situated at Millers- burg: a two-story frame. still standing. During the time that Mr. Cabeen was chifly engaged at his trade he also improved a farm of 160 acres in Ohio Grove township. He settled in Keithsburg in 1845. and from 1847 to 1848 he was a clerk for the firm of Noble & Gayle : in the latter year he gave up his position with that firm to accept the office of clerk of the circuit court, which he filled with satisfaction until 1856. In 1862 he was elected by the democrats to the lower house of the general assembly to represent the counties of Mercer and Henderson. For over thirty years Mr. Cabeen has been a prominent business man of his county, and has been most of that time largely interested in real
154
HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.
estate transactions. He owns 2,000 acres of valuable land besides a. large amount of town property. HIe celebrated his nuptials with Miss Lucy, daughter of William and Sarah (McHerron) Wilson, on June 26, 1849. She was a native of Danville, Pennsylvania; and her father's family removed to Mercer county about 1837. Mr. Cabeen's children have been : William S., Sarah E., and Boyd W. The last died in infancy. William was married in 1881 to Miss Lou Dempster, and Sarah is now the wife of Thomas A. Marshall. Mr. Cabeen's. mother died December 6. 1874, ripe in years.
Mr. Frederick P. Burgett, cashier, was born in Hartland, Windsor county, Vermont, April 24, 1839, and is the oldest child of Hiram and Charlotte (Willard) Burgett. In 1851 he emigrated with his parents to Ellisville, Fulton county, Illinois, and lived there till 1859; in that. year he went to Nashville, Tennessee, and remained there till 1864, clerking in the principal hotels. In 1867 lie came to Keithsburg and at once engaged in selling dry goods; after two years he changed to lumber and was in that business the same length of time; then in 1871 he assisted in organizing the Farmers' National Bank and became assistant cashier. Since 1875 Mr. Burgett has owned a well improved farm of 800 acres ten miles southeast of Keithsburg, mostly in pasture , and meadow, and devoted to stock-raising. He regards ample and comfortable shelter as indispensable to the profitable rearing of domestic animals, and purposes to improve his place with barns and sheds to furnish sufficient housing for all the stock that his large farm can support. Ile is introducing improved strains of blood into his cattle ; and as a favorite scheme of breeding he is giving special atten- tion to rearing a distinctive type of horses which shall combine the. qualities of roadster and draft horse and produce a class useful, and even superior, for all purposes. Mr. Burgett is a Mason and a repub- lican. In 1880 he was a delegate to the republican state convention at Springfield, and was elected a delegate under the unit rule to the republican national convention at Chicago; but he and his associate appointees were not seated by the latter body. December 20, 1867, he was married to Miss Mary J., daughter of the late B. D. Ellett, Esq. Her father was an early settler in Mercer county, having begun a home- in New Boston township in 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Burgett have four children : Grace, Bessie, Louis O., and Kate.
Mr. Cornelius O'Leary, book-keeper and assistant cashier, was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, March 25, 1826. In 1848 he emigrated to this country, arriving in New York on the 19th of June. He came directly to Wisconsin and became employed in the pineries, transacting: business principally for Francis Biron of Grand Rapids, Wisconsin,.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.