History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 119

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 119
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 119

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).

March 18, 1848, a committee was appointed to select ground for cemetery and church edifice. The site where the stone church now stands was selected. Rev. Peter Downey died in great peace on Sab- bath, March 23, 1856.

The Catholic church was built in 1880, and located on the south side of Elm street. The building, which is about 25×40, cost $1,500. The pastor is Rev. Wm. Murphy. The building, while in process of erection, was struck by lightning, which damaged it to the amount of fifty dollars. Previous to the erection of the church in Gladstone,

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mass was held around at the dwelling-houses of the members of the church. There are at present about twenty-five members of this church here, whose nationality is principally of the Emerald Isle.

The South Henderson United Presbyterian church is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, organizations in Henderson county. The church, with its parsonage and a greater part of its membership, is located in the South Henderson precinct. In the spring of 1829 David Findley, with his two sons, David and John, and his son-in-law, William R. Jamison, with their families, emigrated from Clark county, Indiana, and settled on the banks of South Henderson. After the Black Hawk war other emigrants of psalm-singing Presbyterians joined these brethren until a goodly number were hungering in this Hender- son county wilderness for preaching. After some preliminary talk they held a meeting, and as the minute is undoubtedly the oldest of its kind in the county, it is inserted entire :

"Agreeably to appointment a meeting was held at the house of William R. Jamison, March 25, 1834, by the members of the Associate Reformed church, and others favorable to the propagation of the gospel, for the purpose of consulting and entering into the most important measure for that purpose. After prayer and consultation it was

"Resolved, That Messrs. Erwin and Jamison be appointed a com- mittee to draft a petition for ministerial services from the Indiana Presbytery of the A. R. church ; also a paper for subscription for the support of a minister if any be sent.

"Said committee reported. The former was adopted and the latter subscribed to by every adult male present.

"Resolved, That the minutes of this meeting be forwarded to the editor of the 'Christian Intelligencer and Evangelical Guardian,' with a request for their publication in that periodical, that emigrants to the west, and such as might join us in propagating the gospel, may know where we are and what we are doing, or trying to do, in the cause of religion. DAVID FINDLEY, Chairman."

" WILLIAM R. JAMISON, Clerk."

In answer to this petition Rev. Jeremiah Morrow came and preached two Sabbaths in Mr. Jamison's log barn, in August, 1834, and Mr. Thomas Turner preached two more Sabbaths in the same building in the spring of 1835.

Revs. Alexander Blaikie, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Hugh Parks, of St. Clairsville, Ohio, preached and organized the congrega- tion on July 4, 1835. It was organized with fifty-nine members : about twenty were received on certificate and the remainder on the confession of their faith. William R. Jamison and John Giles were elected elders.

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None of these original fifty-nine are members of the congregation at the present time ; most of them are dead and the others have moved away. The living ones at this date are : Col. W. D. Henderson, at Red Oak, Iowa; James Findley Martin, of Walton, Kansas; Mrs. Rachel Gordon, of Biggsville; James Campbell, of Monmouth ; Mrs. Jane C. Dunlap, Mrs. Nancy Barton, Mary J. Courtney ; Daniel Ritchie and David Findley, Jr., in the Willamette Valley, Oregon.

First among church buildings must rank William R. Jamison's log barn. It was used for preaching on almost all occasions, and also the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper were celebrated in it. Doubtless a very pleasant place it was to the early fathers. It is still standing in the field on the Samuel Lynn place, but, like the genera- tion who worshiped in it, old age is dismantling its strength and marring its beauty. The first church building was erected on the lot now owned by the church, and a few feet to the north of the present church, in 1837. It was a frame building about forty feet square, was not fully completed for several years, and then was found to be too small for the congregation. It was used until 1855, when it was sold and removed to Biggsville, where it is still in use as a grain warehouse on the track of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad.

On March 2, 1854, the pent-up feeling of the congregation took this form : "Resolved, That we proceed immediately to build a new meeting-house on the site now occupied by the old one." Through the summer the stone walls were put up and the building inclosed. In the next summer the church was finished, and dedicated on July 4, 1855. It is a stone building about 50× 80 feet, and cost about $4,000. It is still in use, making a very pleasant country church-home for a good many people.

The names of W. M. Graham, Samuel McDill, Sr., John E. Thomp- son, A. P. Lessly, William A. Foster, W. Alex. Findley, M. Secrist, Robert McDill, J. H. MeDill, and W. J. Hutchison appear on the records as building and collecting committees.

On September 7, 1868, the congregation bought a parsonage as a pastor's residence. It is about three miles away from the church, in the village of Coloma, but near schools and neighbors. It is a two- story frame dwelling, with barn, orchard and pasture, in all about eight acres, where a poetical parson may find a pleasant home.

The congregation was furnished with preaching by "supplies," that is, by ministers who, under appointment by presbytery, look after the interests of several congregations at one time. Of these supplies Rev. John Wallace labored longer than any other one. Rev. John L. Freetly was the first pastor, and began his work April 1, 1842, and

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continued until April 1, 1846. Mr. Freetly was a graduate of the Western University, Pennsylvania. and Alleghany Theological Semi- nary. Afterward was supply at Ross Grove, Illinois, and died at Harmony, Illinois, December 22, 1878, aged sixty-six.

Rev. Robert Ross was second pastor ; began labor April, 1849, ending April 8, 1857. Mr. Ross was a graduate of Franklin College, Ohio, and Theological Seminary at Oxford. Afterward labored as agent for Monmouth College until his death, October 30, 1873, aged fifty-eight. Rev. J. A. P. McGaw, D.D., was third ; began April 1, 1858, ended February 20, 1867. A graduate of Miami University, Ohio, and Oxford Theological Seminary. Is at present pastor of a large Presbyterian church at Toledo, Ohio. Rev. Samuel W. Lorimer was the fourth ; began June 1, 1868, ended March 31, 1875. A gradu- ate of Franklin College, Olio, and Xenia Theological Seminary. Is now pastor of the United Presbyterian church at Mulberry, Missouri. Rev. Andrew Renwick is fifth and present pastor ; began his labors October 24, 1875. A graduate of Monmouth College and Xenia Theological Seminary.

The Sabbath school is flourishing, with about one hundred mem- bers, with John Mekemson, superintendent. There are two weekly prayer meetings, one at Coloma school-house and one at record school- house. both well attended. The present board of trustees consists of I. H. M. McQuown, R. K. N. Glenn and John M. Mill. The session consists of the pastor. Andrew Renwick, with elders Andrew Mekem- son, W. A. Findley, W. B. Graham and A. O. McQuown.

[For the above in regard to the United Presbyterian church, we are indebted to Rev. Andrew Renwick, present pastor .- ED.]

GLADSTONE,

A village of 600 inhabitants, formerly called Sagetown, is located on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, at the junction of the Oqnawka, Keithsburg and Galva branch of the same road. It is nine and a half miles from Burlington, Iowa, thirty-two from Galesburg, five and a half from Oqnawka, and 197 from Chicago. It is advan- tageously situated on a level tract of sandy soil contiguons to tlie Mississippi river bluffs, which afford fine building places for the most gorgeous mansions.

Being situated nearer the center of the county than any other town on the railroad in it, and an excellent site for a small city. it is des- tined to become the most business, prosperous and populous town in the county. There is a bountiful supply of water, wood and excellent stone close at hand, making it a desirable location for mannfactories.

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

The streets extend due north and south and east and west.

The streets are sixty feet wide and the alleys twenty. The lots are fifty-four feet front and 125 feet deep, excepting fractional ones.

The names of the streets running north and south, beginning on the west, are as follows: Dallis, Olena, Rariton, Main and Warren ; of those east and west, beginning on the north, are Sycamore, Walnut and Elm.

Though most of the buildings are ordinary wooden ones, there are some good. substantial buildings. both public and private.

Among some of the best dwellings may be mentioned Messrs. Win. Hammack's, Henry Coat's, Alec McFarland's, Geo. Sottle's, Alec Lynn's, Eliza Gunter's, Andrew Williamson's, Chris. Graff's and the Russell heirs'. The public buildings are the two school houses, one on the north and the other on the south side of the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy railroad, the town hall, Catholic church, Methodist church, Presbyterian church, W. Fort's storehouse, A. McFarland's storehouse. G. Sage's storehouse, C. Lilteich's storehouse, depot, F. Galbrath's old distillery, refinery building, Geo. Sottle's saloon, C. Lilteich's hotel, in which J. Lilteich's saloon is kept, Marsden's hotel, Geo. Sottle's hotel, warehouse. C. Lilteich claims to have kept the first groceries for sale in the village, in connection with whisky and other drinks, in the same building in which he now resides, in 1856.

On the north side of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, in the same room in which J. C. Tolman keeps his drug and grocery store. Gideon Airs, in 1859, sold the first goods in the village and also in the township. He was succeeded by Obin & Son.

In a small log building on the north side of the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy railroad, and west of the Galva branch, in the western part of the town, in 1856 one Patrick Grady carried on blacksmithing, the first of the kind in the hamlet of Sagetown. Lucius Cook was the first mail and station agent, and Julius Gifford carried the mail to Oquawka. Golden, the first postmaster, left with funds not belonging to him. G. Airs was the next postmaster, after which there was no post- office for one and one half years. C. Lilteich kept the post-office in a candy jar for some time. The mail was sent by Col. Patterson from Oquawka to him. He was afterward postmaster four years. It has since been a success.

It was laid out on sections 14 and 15 by Judge Rice, of Oquawka, in 1856, and named after Mr. Gideon Sage, on whose land it was laid out. At first it was called under several different names. Wright Lynn called it Lynntown, Lucius Cook, Cookville, Alec McFarland,

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Limestone Cottage, and G. Sage, Sagetown, by which it has ever since been known until 1881, when it was changed from Sagetown to Gladstone.

A petition to the county judge of Henderson county was presented on March 28, 1881, by the voters of the villages of Sagetown and Lynn, Henderson county, Illinois, "praying for the submission of the question of incorporating the territory of the S. E. { of the S. E. ¿ of Sec. 9, S. 3 of the S. W. ¿ of Sec. 10, N. W. { of Sec. 15, E. } of the N. E. Į of Sec. 16, T. 10, R. 5, as a village under the general incor- poration act of the State of Illinois, under the corporate name of the village of Gladstone."

The question of incorporation was submitted to the voters of said territory on April 16, 1881.

The judges of election were S. M. Gearhart, Thorton Hedges and Benj. French.

Votes cast were as follows : For incorporation, seventy-six votes ; against incorporation, twelve votes. There being a majority of sixty- four votes for the corporation under the name of Gladstone, Sagetown was no more, and the village has since been called Gladstone.

On May 17, 1881. William Hammack, J. S. MeFarland, John Butterfield, J. C. Tolman, Andrew Williamson and Henry Coats were elected village trustees, and J. R. Glover justice of the peace. At the first regular meeting, May 26, 1881, J. R. Glover was elected clerk of the board, C. E. Crandall, village constable and street supervisor ; W. H. Graham, treasurer, and J. S. McFarland, president of the board.

Gladstone has three stores, and are as follows, with names of owners : J. C. Tolman, grocery and drug store; Thorton Hedge, grocery store; J. W. Pence, dry goods store ; two hotels, Star House, M. Cunningham, proprietor, and Commercial House, Mrs. Marsden, proprietress ; two saloons, one kept by Geo. Sottle and the other by John Lilteich; one barber, William Hulet; two blacksmiths, J. S. McFarland, Hulet ; one meat market, Win. Wooden and Misler, owners ; one doctor, Dr. Bulsford; one feed mill, run by D. C. Ward ; manufactory and refinery of grape sugar, glucose and sorgum syrups ; and one carpenter shop, John James.

The population of Gladstone contains a large foreign element, most of which are Swedes, some Irish and Germans. The citizens are of small means, honest, industrious, law-abiding people. Their occupa- tions are principally railroad laborers, quarry hands and stone cutters.

Though there are five church organizations the church-going people are in the minority, as any thoughtful individual would expect from their occupations and juxtaposition of nationalities.

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From "Oquawka Spectator," January 23, 1857 : "An affray of a serious character occurred at Oquawka Junction last week, the particu- lars of which are nearly as follows : Two Irishmen got into a quarrel, angry words passed between them, and during the quarrel threats of vio- lence were made by both parties. At length one of the men picked up a gun and discharged it at the other, who stood but a few feet off. The gun was loaded with slugs, which took effect upon his shoulder, neck and face, inflicting several frightful wounds. He is still alive and, it is thought, will probably recover. The other man immediately fled and has not since been heard from. On the 21st of January, 1857, an Irishman, who had delirium tremens, left the house where he had been confined, and afterward tried to enter, but the lady of the house, being alone, became frightened and would not admit him. It was very cold. When found in the morning his limbs were frozen and he himself stiff. He afterward died from its effects."

"The crowd at the fourth of July celebration in 1873 was augmented by two trains running from this place. The morning train from Keiths- burg brought down about fifty persons, and from this point we under- stand there were about 250. 'The Earthquakes' made their appear- ance in grotesque costume and performed their part for the amusement of the crowd. The grounds were arranged with stands and seats on North Hill, and the performance came off as per programme. Rev. S. W. Lorimer made an eloquent prayer. The Declaration of Inde- pendence was impressively read by J. M. Akin, and the oration made by Hon J. J. Glenn. We learn from some who were there that the orator acquitted himself to the satisfaction of the large crowd and with credit to himself as a public speaker." -- Oquawka Spectator, July 10, 1873.

Mr. E. Rise was the president ; Col. Samuel Hutchison, marshal ; J. S. McDaniel, assistant marshal.

GLADSTONE'S REFINERY.

This is the largest, most extensive and valuable industry in IIen- derson county, now incorporated under the name of Gladstone Refin- ing Company, and having an invested capital in buildings and ma- chinery of $126,000. It was first incorporated in 1878, under the title of the Excelsior Refining Company, with Geo. R. Crittenden, president, Amos T. Hall, treasurer, and Jonathan Turner, general manager. This firm continued until November. 23, 1880, when Hall bought out Turner's interest, and Turner retiring, Mason, of Burling- ton, became general manager. Crittenden dying September 27, 1881,

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the refinery closed up late in the fall and remained so until they opened up for repairs, to fit up for the manufacture of sorghum syrups in June.

The company was reorganized in the spring of 1882, with Geo. S. Willits, president; L. O. Godard, secretary ; II. A. Hall, treasurer, Chicago ; E. Chamberlain, vice-president and general manager, Bur- lington, Iowa, under the firm of Gladstone Refining Company. The new Sagetown distillery was valued at $4,000 when the company took possession of it. This, with the additional buildings, improvements and machinery, is valued at $126,000.

The original building was the new distillery of Sagetown, now Gladstone, about 40×70, three stories high, and built of stone. To this has been added an L on the north, 65×35, and one on the east, 25×40, and additional stories, making part of the main building five stories high.

This company manufactures grape sugar, glucose, and sorghum syrups, for which, at this writing, the company is putting in additional machinery. The principal machinery for the manufacture of the arti- cles named above are as follows : ten steam pumps, costing from $500 to $2,000 ; one vacuum pump that cost $7,000 ; milling machinery, $4,000 ; cane mill and crusher, $5,000, the weight of which is 54,000 pounds ; steam, liquid and water pipes, $5,000; nine bone and coal filters, $5,000; two filter presses, $5,000 each, for finishing goods ; one 125-horse power engine (old style), $3,000; three bone mills, $1,000 each. Its capacity was 400 bushels per day when last in opera- tion. The company is now fitting it up for a capacity of 1,000 bushels per day. They employ about forty men in the works. When they begin the manufacture of sorghum syrups it will require more. The average pay-roll for three years has been $1,800 per month. The company finds market for its goods in all the large cities.

With the machinery that is being put in now they will make syrups from sorghum that will compare favorably with the syrups made from the cane of the south. The company induced a number of the farmers to plant cane to the amount of about 350 acres, including Mr. W. Hammnek's 130 acres, which he hired teams to put in and cultivate for him, which they will work up this fall into syrups.

STONE QUARRY.

One morning in the early spring, a prominent contractor of build- ings, of Chicago, Illinois, was approached by a prominent official of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad and requested to go down to a station near Burlington to examine some stone indications there. This contractor was Mr. Wallbaum, and a few days later, accompanied

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by the chief engineer of that railroad, he stepped off the train at Biggsville, and taking a hand-car they proceeded slowly down the track, scrutinizing closely the banks on both sides of South Henderson. At a point about one and a half miles above Gladstone they stopped, as the quick eye of the present owner of the stone quarry perceived good indications. A few minutes' investigation sufficed to convince Mr. Wallbaum of the superior quality of the stone and the calls for it in the building of bridges across the Mississippi, such as the Hannibal, besides others in the near vicinity. Having learned the owner's name he at once sought him and purchased the land, some five hundred acres. in all. He began at the quarry nearest Gladstone and worked it for a long time. After the quarry was opened out he traveled, taking orders for stone and buildings for several years. He came down from Chicago in 1876 and opened another quarry farther up the creek of South Hen- derson, where he is at present engaged quarrying and cutting stone. Here he carries on an extensive business which amounts to $60,000 or $80,000 annually. The shipment of stone averages from eight to ten car loads per day. He works from fifty to eighty men, part of whom are stone cutters.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Prominent among the names of those who have succeeded well in this township is to be found that of JOHN N. BRUEN. His parents, who were of Scotch ancestry, were natives of New Jersey, and in this state, in the village of Bloomfield, Mr. Bruen himself was born on October 8, 1825. Here, also, his grandfather had lived and labored, having been one of those who favored the temperance movement, then agitated for the first time, and energized his belief by destroying his currant orchard, from which he annually made large quantities of wine. In this village, lying some ten miles west of New York city, Mr. Bruen passed his childhood and early youth, amid the best of surroundings and influences, having received, in addition to the training of the village schools; several years' training in the Bloomfield Academy. In the summer of 1844, while in his nineteenth year, Mr. Bruen received an offer that was to affect his whole after destiny. Thomas Gould, his uncle, who was in the war of 1812, offered him one half the land he had drawn for his services in this war if Mr. Bruen would remain upon it for five years and improve it. This land lay in Hen- derson county, Illinois. After some reflection the offer was accepted, and a few weeks later, on one of the early summer days, Mr. Bruen, then in his nineteenth year, accompanied by his father, stepped on board the Capital, a new steamboat just beginning service on the Ohio,

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then about to start down the river for the far western lands. This was at the time of the now noted high waters of 1844, and after a journey of three weeks, made mostly by water, Mr. Bruen landed at Oquawka, Henderson county, having passed Nauvoo on the day Joseph Smith, of Mormon fame, was shot. After stopping a few days at the old pioneer hotel, kept by Knowles & Perkins, names that will be recog- nized by all old settlers, he went out to look at his uncle's land, which lay in Sec. 27, T. 10, R. 5. He at once hired out to Mr. I. J. Brooks, at first for seven dollars and then for eight dollars a month. During this summer he broke five acres of land, and in the spring of 1845 he traded Mr. Samuel Galbraith a rifle to break ten acres more. In order to make further improvements on his farm he traded stone to Johnny B. Fort for the use of his oxen, old Broad and Berry, noted as being the biggest oxen in the country. In the fall of 1845, having plowed his land with these oxen, he sowed it to winter wheat, and during the winter fenced it, with the aid of Samuel Evans, giving him his silver watch to help him split the rails. The next spring Mr. Bruen rented ground of Mr. Brooks, and during the summer he fell very sick, but through the kindness and skill of Mrs. Brooks, came through his sickness in safety. His wheat Mr. Bruen cradled and Francis K. Gib- son bound. After threshing it with the first cleaner ever brought in the county, he hauled his wheat to Burlington, where he sold it to the old Walker Stone mills for thirty cents a bushel. In 1848 occurred an incident of great after value to Mr. Bruen. A friend asked him to sign a note with him for forty dollars. This note Mr. Bruen had to pay, and from that time he has never been asked to, sign a note with- out thinking of the old note of forty dollars which he paid for with corn he hauled to Oquawka and sold for ten cents a bushel. In the fall of 1849, having raised fifty acres of sod corn, Mr. Bruen went to S. S. Philp and borrowed money to buy twenty head of steers, at $15 a head, offering Mr. Philp one half the profits, after estimating the value of the corn at ten cents a bushel. After selling these cattle three months later at $30 a head, Mr. Bruen went into partnership with Mr. Philp, which continued up to the time of the latter's failure, who paid Mr. Bruen the compliment of saying he had never through him, in any business transaction, lost a dollar during the ten years of partnership. From this time Mr. Bruen began to branch ont in his financial dealings, from the beginning evincing rare business qualifications. During the first ten years of his stay in Henderson county he never saw a person he knew in his eastern home, nor did he hear from them often, as every letter in those days cost twenty-five cents. On September 14, 1848, he was married to Miss Mary Jane Sharpless, daughter of Noah

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Sharpless, a resident of Maryland. Of this marriage six children were born. Of these two, Francis James and Annie L., died in infancy ; a third, Thomas Gould, died at the age of thirteen ; three are living. William S., the eldest, who has charge of his father's farm in Henderson county, was born on February 12, 1853. After attending school three years at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, he was married on February 25, 1874, to Miss E. Stevenson, dangliter of Espy Steven- son, of Fort Madison, Iowa. By this marriage they have two children, the elder John E. and the younger Mabel Ida. He gives his attention mostly to farming and stock raising, doing something in the way of raising the Belmont horses, some of which have made excellent speed. Charles E., the second living son, after graduating at Eastman's National Business College, went to Mills county, Iowa, and though but nineteen years of age, took charge of his father's farm of 2,250

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 119

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424