USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County. A centennial address delivered by Hon. William A. Grimshaw, at Pittsfield, Pike County, Illinois, July 4, 1876 > Part 3
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Colonel Daniel B. Bush, Jr., was afterwards in command of that regiment and served with distinction. He is now in California.
The 99th Illinois Infantry was all enlisted in Pike county and served from 1862 until the end of the war. Colonel George W. K. Bailey was the first Colonel, being wounded severely at Vicksburg, the command fell on the Lieutenant Colonel, Asa C. Matthews, who distinguished himself therein and at the latter part of the war was sent on a commission against Indians who had been active in the war of rebellion.
The 101st Illinois, under Governor Wood, had many men from Pike. Almost every leading family of Pike county was represented in the regiment which were in the field, and it is impossible at this time to make up a Roll of Honor. If made it would redound to the glory of the brave boys in blue from old Pike.
Reuben B. Hatch, formerly a resident of Griggsville, a native of New Hampshire, more recently before his death, of Pittsfield, Pike county, Illinois, was appointed Quartermaster of Union troops in 1862, and did an immense deal of vigorous work in his department to forward the Union troops from Cairo to the field. Under General Grant he was pres- ent at the battle field of Belmont. He was with the department as Quar- termaster at the surrender of Vicksburg, and was during his service a most energetic officer, ranking as Colonel, and being the ranking Quarter- master of the army with Grant in the Mississippi Valley. He Is buried at Griggsville, Illinois, and was interred with Masonic Honors.
Captain Benj. Matthews of Perry, is an old settler and a man of energy and great respectability. Although past the age when military duty could be exacted, he entered at the organization of the 99th Illinois and went to the field, serving with credit.
Captain George T. Edwards, the well-known host of the Griggsville and now Pittsfield House, was also a Captain in the 99th Illinois, and proved a stirring, brave officer, as he had been a superior Sheriff in the county.
"The paths of glory lead but to the grave."
Colonel Daniel H. Gilmer, a member of the bar, of great popularity, Master in Chancery of the Circuit Court of Pike county, and in successful practice of his profession, impelled by his patriotism, entered an Illinois regiment. His promotion was rapid and he soon was Colonel. He follow-
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
ed the fluctuating fortunes of the war, and bravely leading his regiment fell in the Union army at the bloody battle of Stone river. His body. after tedious search, was found and was buried with distinguised honor in the cemetery south of Pittsfield. Many mourned for the gallant "Dick."
Major Samuel Hayes, once a very active lawyer, and a partner of Hon. C. L. Higbee before he became Judge, was an exceedingly jovial man, popular amongst the young. He was truly brave. When a mere youth he had been with the army of the United States in Mexico and went through the bloody fields. He entered the volunteer service in the 16th Illinois during the rebellion as Captain. He was immediately elected a Major of that regiment, went to the field, and after service in Missouri and the South, having always been a vigilant, brave officer, he died of dis- ease engendered in the service of his country and is buried in the Pitts- field Cemetery, west of town.
Edward G. Bush, a son of Colonel Daniel B., Senior, is now a Major in the Regular Army of the United States. He has seen mucn service and has been promoted for gallantry; he is a good scholar and brave officer. He was the only cadet sent from Pike county to the West Point U. S. Military Academy, at which he was for a time Professor of Spanish, and graduated therefrom with honor and has continued in the United States Army. He is now with his regiment in Texas.
Dorus E. Bates, son of Dorus Bates, Esq., of Pittsfield, an early Justice of the Peace, was a Lieutenant in Sherman's regiment of United States Regulars, and was wounded in the siege of Vicksburg, under Grant. He was shot down at the siege and lost his arm from the wound received. He is now a worthy pensioner, and was in action an intrepid soldier and from boyhood has had many escapes from loss of life. He seemed to have a charmed life.
Jonathan Winans, Jr., was a private in the 8th Illinois and was with his regiment under Oglesby in many deadly battles. He was wounded al- most unto death at; he was crippled for life, and it is a miracle that he now survives. He is a pensioner, and truly deserves the money received.
THE SNY CARTE LEVEE
Upon the immediate lands on the Mississippi bottom has been con- structed at a cost of $650,000, an earth embankment, or levee, continuous throughout the length of the west side of said county of Pike. It begins at a sand ridge on the river Mississippi in Adams county, and meandering along said river through Pike, passes into Calhoun county, to the inter- section of Hamburg Bay with said river. It is about fifty-two miles in length.
This structure was made, under general legislation of Illinois, by Commissioners William Dustin, John G. Wheelock and George W. Jones, appointed by the County Court of Pike county in 1872. Dustin's place, after his death, was filled by Benjamin F. Westlake.
This levee was carried through, after being underway over two years, by completion in the spring of 1875. It withstood a flood from the river and also very high water from the inland creeks in that year, but in April, 1876, owing to very rapid rises in the Mississippi and exceedingly high winds prevailing for several days, the levee was broken from the river side, the water pouring in destroying large and valuable crops of growing wheat and floating off fences, drowning out inhabitants. No lives were lost, but spring planting was retarded. Stock had to be withdrawn.
The land-owners have caused contracts to be let to repair the three
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
breeches in the levee, which are rapidly proceeding, with the prospect of corn crops being raised, planted in June, 1876.
RAILROADS
The county has paid, or contributed in bonds, $250,000 towards building the Hannibal & Naples Railroad, about 38 miles long, crossing the county from east to west, and the branch road, the Louisiana & Pike County Road, from the aforesaid road at Maysville to the corporation of Pittsfield on the north line, about six miles. The Townships of Pittsfield and Newburg paid in bonds about $31,000 to this branch road, and $100,000 was paid thereon out of the first named subscription. .
Several passenger and freight trains pass daily on these roads.
By these roads daily connection may be had to the Atlantic and Pacific, the entire trip in eight or ten days across the continent.
The Chicago & Alton Railway has a branch road from its Jackson- ville branch to Louisiana, Missouri, traversing the southern tier of town- ships of Pike. This branch crosses the Illinois river by a bridge, with a draw to pass steamers, the bridge and road being in Pearl township at the Illinois. This road crosses on a magnificent bridge the Mississippi river to Louisiana, Missouri.
The Toledo, Wabash & Western operates the aforesaid Hannibal & Naples Road and the six mile branch to Pittsfield.
The Toledo, Wabash & Western aforesaid operates a road to Quincy which just crosses the northeast corner of Pike county on a bridge across the Illinois river.
This road uses a bridge across the Mississippi river at Hannibal, which is a rail and wagon road bridge.
The Quincy, Alton & St. Louis Railroad is constructed and operated from Quincy to Hannibal, and also to Louisiana. These pass through townships in stid Levee District in Pike county.
These roads all have fine steam engines, elegant passenger coaches and freight cars passing daily.
MAIL FACILITIES NOW AND THEN
In 1833, and for many years, one weekly mail entered the county from the southeast, coming from St. Louis and going to Galena and inter- mediate offices (and those scarce), carried by change of horses, and by many contractors, in leather bags across the horse.
Some years after Pittsfield was laid out a tri-weekly horseback mail was carried from Jacksonville and other points east, then a tri-weekly mail coach to Pittsfield, for many years ran daily, with a delivery of mails from many points; in about two and a half days from New York and five from California to Pittsfield. Postage across the continent three cents for ordinary letters and regulated by weight. Mails now are carried by railroad trains to Pittsfield and distributed to parts of Pike daily and portions two or three times weekly. At all points a daily mail can be reached by a few miles travel.
TELEGRAPH LINES
These have offices in all the railroad towns of Pike and hourly dis- patches are sent.
EXPRESS LINES AND OFFICES
These are in many of the towns, and daily deliver packages of value and general articles.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
ELECTIONS AT AN EARLY DAY
When Pike was as defined in 1821, some exciting elections came off as well as in later years. The wars of the roses were almost fought over. Towns and voters were scarce as at old Sarum in England, but votes counted; so when the Ross family and the Atlas party were candidates there was a lively time electioneering from the mouth of the Illinois river all the way to Galena, in the present county of Jo Daviess, that being as lively a place and as populous as any in the State, was a precinct of Pike county. Think of sending to rally voters 300 miles and then to send again and almost fight to get returns of elections! Such were the trials of the candidates in an early day. How much better now. If an office- holder he may have been in the whiskey ring and have a fine to pay and to go to jail.
Fancy poll books were made in those earlier days, with fictitious names thereon, to beat the Ross party.
THE LAWYERS OF PIKE
The living members of the Pike county bar number men of promi- nence in the forum and in the halls of legislation.
C. L. Higbee is one of the most eminent of the Circuit Judges.
Daniel Brown Bush, the senior in years, was a native of and from the State of Massachusetts and was born in 1790. He was a member of the Massachusetts legislature and followed his profession in that State. He came to Pittsfield in 1834. He has filled many lucrative public offices, having been School Commissioner and County, or Probate Judge, Post- master of Pittsfield, Justice of the Peace, and in all offices and in his pro- fession has been a man of spotless reputation.
W. R. Archer is an honored and useful State Senator and has twice been a member of Constitutional Conventions of Illinois.
Colonel A. C. Matthews, at the bar, on the stump and in the tented field, as well as in the office of United States Revenue Collector, has dis- tinguished himself.
Zachariah N. Garbutt, the original editor of the Free Press, of this county, was a member of the bar and for a time Master in Chancery of tlie county; he was a very merry soul. In the Mormon War he earned laurels by piling big sweet potatoes for the troops of Anti-Mormons. Earnest and somewhat original in his opinions, very independent in the expression of his thoughts, he was an upright man and something of a genius. He died before he had reached the meridian of life.
"Life's a short summer-man a flower-
He dies. alas! how soon! he dies."
BAR AND BENCH
James Ward, lately resident, of Griggsville a native of Ohio, a mem- ber of the bar, a Justice of the Peace, re-elected because of his business habits and honesty, and once a Probate Judge, filled the several stations officially just named and passed through life highly respected and success- ful. He left a worthy family and numerous relatives.
LORD COKE
The Speaker of the Lobby, "who mixed reason with pleasure and wisdom with mirth," James W. Whitney, was a native of Massachusetts, a man of considerable early education, having some knowledge of Latin. He came to Illinois before the organization of the State government, which took place in 1818. He resided at an early day at or near Ed-
*
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
wardsville, in Madison county, in this State. He was very taciturn when the subject of his own life was introduced; some suppose he left memoirs thereof, if so, this writer has been unsuccessful in finding such. The earliest Record Book of the Circuit Court of Pike county contains his handwriting and he was in 1821 Clerk of that Court; he wrote a peculiar hand and if style of writing is an index he should have been an oddity; he was such in some respects. One at first sight would in the earlier days of Pittsfield have taken him to be a well preserved preacher or school- master of the days of the earlier Adamses. His dress was plain to home- liness, not being very prosperous and being indifferent in matters of that kind, his hair was sparse, was combed all to the back of his head and tied often with a buckskin string or old blick shoestring as a queue. He was a cosmopolite of Illinois (so to speak). His journeys were generally made, especially on the Military Tract, on foot and alone; he had an ex- tensive acquaintance, he put up where night found him, with a friend. Upon such trips he was garrulous and carried the news, when newspapers were scarce. He lived often alone in a log cabin, at times at the city of Quincy, and thereafter in Pike county, in Pleasant Hill township. He never had a large library, but bore the name of a learned man amongst those little used to books.
Whitney acquired from this reputation the name of "Lord Coke." He was delighted to be so called, and he was thus extensively and better known than by his proper name.
When theaters and shows were rare, at the convening of the Illinois Legislature all were agog. citizens, judges, and legislators to witness the convening of "The Lobby." It was a great event. A, great throng would assemble and after some ceremony "Lord Coke" would mount the stand and call the house to order. He would deliver his annual message, which would be received with cheers and laughter. Many hits and jokes were embodied in the message. Sometimes the satire was very broad and Lord Coke hurt his standing with the Supreme Court by a farcial account of that Court and leading members of the bir meeting to "exterminate the varmints" of the State.
Lord Coke presided over the Lobby with magisterial sway, and when mock heroics moved the man he would be a very important personage. The Lobby was organized by appointing subordinate officers and numerous committees; the titles and functions of those committees would be of the most ludicrous character, and the members composing the same of physi- cal form, public standing, and personal bearing the most opposite of the position and character is assigned on committee.
As an instance, Colonel Thomas Mather, President of the State Bank of Illinois, was a man short in stature, but of great rotundity of person, quiet in demeanor; Judge Thomas Brown and Jesse Thomas, Jr., were fine, portly-looking gentlemen. Such as these Lord Coke would announce, and that in print, as the most suitable members of a committee on gym- nastics and ground and lofty tumbling.
At the meetings of the Lobby, which were frequent, sometimes nightly during the session of the Legislature, in the earlier days of Illi- nois, reports of committees would be called for and were submitted. These would be in accord with the burlesque titles of the committees; these reports were often written by Coke himself and there was a broad personality in them rather Hudibrastic.
At the sessions of the Lobby would be seen the prominent men of the State, including Judges, members of the Legislature and or the Bar.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
When legislation assumed grave proportions, involving popular topics, as the "Illinois Canal and Internal Improvements," or "The Banks of the State," you would see Murray McConnel, John J. Hardin, Douglass, Lincoln, Linder, Cavalry, and others on the floor taking part in debates produced by resolutions offered in the Lobby. These would be ably con- ducted and with great spice of debate. Some matters very prejudicial to the State were considered in a popular but not statesmanlike manner in this debating society of the State.
The "Internal Improvement System of Illinois," which engulfed Illinois in a worse than useless debt, owes its paternity to the spirit of the Lobby.
The Canal and the Illinois Central Railroad, and the more modern roads of the State, are not to be understood as included in the unfavor- able comment as to improvements.
The system proposed in the Lobby was too lavish, indiscriminate and expensive for the times. And yet how much of its project has been since carried out.
Lord Coke never was a family man in Illinois. It is said there was a hidden sorrow in this particular before he came to Illinois.
At the bar, Whitney was not successful. There was a want of prac- tical, everyday sense and his law was often obsolete. He is dead many years and passed away less noticed in his demise than many men of less note.
ALPHEUS WHEELER
"A youth to fortune and to fame unknown,
Fair science frowned not on his humble birth."
Who that ever saw his tall, ungainly form and heard him address a public body could ever forget him?
He was a member of the bars; he came to Pike county in 1833 or 1834, and resided for sometime at Highland then occasionally preaching. In 1838 and 1840 he was elected to the Legislature of Illinois, and in that body he was regarded as an oddity. He made some of his peculiar speeches and in his career in the Legislature encountered the wit and humor of another marked man, but of a more elevated type of manhood and education, namely, Usher F. Linder, who died recently at Chicago. Linder told his story of the old woman and her pet coon on Wheeler in the Legislature and broke down the influence Wheeler and his friends anticipated he would have therein. For some years Wheeler had a law office in Pittsfield and obtained considerable business; he took great pride in his oratorical efforts, and made some lofty flights in his forensic dis- plays.
On one occasion Wheeler addressed the jury and said, in reply to the mere remark from Woodson that he submitted the case without any speech, which was intended to prevent Wheeler from speaking: "Gentle- men, I admire the State's Attorney; he has shown the most sublime elo- quence, as from some men it consists in most profund silence."
Again he said of Woodson: "His eloquence is like the tall thunder amongst the lefty oaks, coming down for to split things."
This speeceh caused some one who had a ready hand at a rough pencil sketch to draw a picture of a man's head with a big nose elevated in a tree top, that was upon the west wall of the Court room at Pittsfield, and remained there for many years, until the house was whitened up oll the inside. That big nose was a caricature of Wheeler's.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
Wheeler brought many suits for trespass and other causes, and on the trial of these much merriment was produced for the Judge, lawyers, jurors and citizens. Courts were great occasions in those days and drew crowds.
In a case for killing a cow, Wheeler, in reply to points made by O. H. Browning, then and now eminent, said: "The gentleman tells you Gentlemen of the Jury, that the plaintiff, my client, cannot recover in this suit because the cow war'nt no cow, because she never had a calf, but that she war a heifer. Gentlemen, that are not the notion of a sound and legal lawyer, but the notion of a musharoon." This almost convulsed the Court House with laughter.
Another objection of Browning's in this case that Wheeler answered was thus expressed : "Gentlenien of the Jury, Mr. Browning says that cow war'nt worth a cent. Now, gentlemen, where were there ever a cow that war'nt worth a cent? That cow were worth something for her meat, if she war'nt worth nothing for a milk cow-she war worth something for her horns, she war worth something for her hide, if not for her meat or milk, and gentlemen, she war wortli something because the tail goes with the hide."
The cause of Browning's point was that Wheeler had failed to prove by witnesses the worth of the cow.
A suit brought by Wheeler for one Harpool against his brother, was for damage done to hogs, by cutting the toe nails off the hogs so as to prevent them from climbing. Wheeler, in describing the injury to the hogs, insisted that the hogs had a right to toe nails and a right to climb, and that, although they had done damage, yet it was laid down "root hog or die."
One Zumwalt was indicted for destroying a mill-dam of Doctor Hezekiah Dodge's. Wheeler in this case assailed the character of Dr. Dodge, who was a respectable man and whom the Jury did believe. Zum- walt was convicted upon evidence that he had said at his son-in-law's, on the night of the destruction of the dam of Dodge: "Just now the mus- rats are working on old Dodge's dam." Wheeler said of Dodge on the trial: "Dr. Dodge are a man so devoid of truth that when he speaks the truth he are griped."
During another of the lofty flights of Wheeler, a wag, John Jay Ross, a lawyer and a man who made and enjoyed a joke, laughed so at one of Wheeler's speeches that he became excited and turned upon Ross in a very contemptuous way, with a majestic sweep of his long arm, brought down at Ross, said: "I wish I had a tater, I would throw it down your throat."
The speech of Wheeler was not closed that evening, and the next morning early, when Wheeler was again addressing the Jury, and Ross at the bar table, by some hand several large potatoes were put down in sight of Wheeler's eye. He fired up and let out a torrent of invective on Ross, every one, Judge and all, in a loud roar of laughter.
Wheeler once in a fine frenzy parodied Shakespeare thus:
"Who steals my purse steals trash,
Robs me of that which not enriches him but makes me poor, all to injure my client."
Wheeler went to southwestern Missouri, Bates county, before the war, and we lost sight of him-he is said to be dead.
Strother R. Grigsby was formerly County Clerk and is now our respected County Judge.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
J. G. Pettingil has been School Superintendent of Pike and is highly esteemed.
J. M. Bush is so well known as Editor of the Democrat that he needs no commentary. He has been long Master in Chancery of Pike, and has been a State Senator, filling these positions all most acceptably. He is a son of Daniel B. Bush and a brother of the Junior of that name.
James S. Irwin is well known as a prominent lawyer and has for niany years had a large practice.
The younger bar must wait for the next history to record their ex- ploits. There are many useful and intelligent men amongst them. In- dustry, temperance and integrity will ensure them success.
" PRAYER ARDENT OPENS HEAVEN "
ยท Amongst those long gathered to the rest of the blessed we mention the Rev. William Carter, for twenty-five years the influential good father in God and pastor of the Congregational Church in Pittsfield, a ripe scholar and pious man, he had his peculiarities, but no man of better and truer manhood ever lived here.
Dr. Orin S. Campbell, who died some years since, went to Atlas in 1833 or 1834 and resided there practicing his profession of medicine as a partner of Henry J. Ross, M. D., and afterwards removed to Pittsfield; he was also in partnership for a time with Dr. Worthington, and during his career as a physician was of great repute and very successful. He was a superior scholar and a man of great pleasantry with men. His memory is yet green amongst us.
Dr. Benjamin Norris, a graduate of Brown University, in the class with Prentice; of the Louisville Journal, came in 1835 to Pittsfield. He was a native of Rhode Island. He was long a leading physician, and very useful and successful, as numerous families can well attest. He was skilled as an entomologist and sent some valuable and rare specimens of insects to the Smithsonian Institution; he had some rare specimens and a large cabinet of insects collected by himself, which he left in high state of preservation at his death.
We again recur to the living, and cannot speak of all, but tax our memory as to those widely known and conspicuous at an early day. Such are those who lay the foundations of society in new lands.
Dr. Alfred C. Baker of Barry now, at an early day of Pittsfield, once a partner of Dr. Worthington, is noted in his profession. He is a man of originality and intellect; he is a brother of the illustrious General E. D. Baker, distinguished in Illinois when a resident, and thereafter a Senator of the United States, from California, who was slain by treachery at Ball's Bluff in Virginia. He was a man of brilliant intellect, an orator and the finest English belle letter scholar, when residing in Illinois; as a leader in our halls of legislation, on the stump and at the bar, he often address- ed the Court and popular assemblies in Pike county in his most inimitable manner.
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