USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Sainte Marie > History of Sainte Marie, Saint Mary's Church and Sainte Marie Township, Precincts 1 and 2, Jasper County, Illinois, celebrating [the quasquicentennial] Sept. 1, 2, 3, 1962 > Part 6
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Two huge halls ran through the house, and the curved stair-rail that led from the lower to the upper rooms still bears the axe marks showing how crude were the tools they had to work with. The beautiful stairway is now worn to a satin smoothness by the many hands which have grasped it. Window sills. like the door steps and the arch above each door and window, were made of sandstone dug from the river bed and shaped to fit. They are in as good condition today as when they were put into place.
The huge wine cellar, too, was a work of art with its arched ceiling of brick and no visible supports whatever. There were no fireplaces in the new home. Franklin stoves were just coming into the country. These stoves, made of cast iron and burning huge sticks of hickory wood, were installed.
About this time a railroad was being built through Sainte Marie. Joseph Petar Huber, like so many of his neighbors, was ever willing to further the good of the community, put aside his own work, and helped for days to set ties and lay the heavy rails, all without pay. A new brick Church was planned and built in Sainte Mary's. He had little to give, but he could work, and this he did, until the Church was finished.
Years passed, George and John left home to seek their fortunes elsewhere. That little boy of two was now a grown man. In 1883, he married Mary Josephine Valbert. Now the third generation was growing up, and the old house rang with childish laughter. There were 11 people around the dining table, and the farm grew larger each year. In 1910, Joseph Petar Huber became ill and as his "boys" stood anxiously around his bed, on a cold Dec. 7 evening, he told them it was time to "Go forth". His dreams had all come true, he could die happy in the knowledge that what started out with a loaned cabin was now a well-stocked farm of several hundred acres which his sons could take over.
Years passed, that little boy of two was now a grand- father. He, too, grew old and tired. In 1916 he passed away and handed the old homestead to the third genera- tion, and the fourth was growing up. It was like old times. Again there were 11 people around the dining table. Another gang of youngsters looked for wild flow- ers and mushrooms in the wood pastures, picked berries, gathered nuts in the fall and rowed the boats on the river.
More years passed. Now the fourth generation took over and the fifth was growing up. The sixth visited at the old homestead one summer. As the fifth generation grew toward high school it became increasingly difficult to get them to school.
A modern home on a gravel road with a school bus stopping in front of the door was to be had, so the fourth and fifth generations moved away, leaving the old home-
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House Prominent in Sainte Marie History
This is the old home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Picquet, Sainte Marie pioneers. This photo was difficult to print to the printer's desired standards because the engraving had to be made from a previously published picture and not from the original.
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stead alone and desolate. Now the wind whistles through the empty barns and granaries, sighs mournfully through age-loosened door and window casements, across empty rooms where so many happy people have lived. The old brick house looks with bare un-curtained windows out across the river, the hearth fire started in a cabin almost 90 years ago has died out. As the snow drifts down on it this next cold Dec. 7 evening, laying a mantle of white on the buildings, the old Huber homestead will seem to know.
Its days of usefulness are done.
Mound Builders and Indians
The first people who inhabited this part of Illinois were the mound builders. Just what their tribal name was is not known. In the extreme southwest part of Sainte Marie Township is a huge mound. Longer than wide, many say it is a formation of nature rather than a mound built by people.
In the Book "Plains, Indiana" published by National Geographic Magazine, I found a paragraph where it de- scribes Indian Mounds as some being longer than wide or around.
Many years ago, some of the early settlers built a tower on the mound and placed a telescope in it. Here you could climb up possibly 50 feet, then looking about one could see for miles in all directions.
Many broken bits of pottery, arrow heads and other Indian relics have been found on and about the Mound by farmers clearing the land and otherwise farming it.
There were many Indians in this part of Illinois, the Illini, Miami, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Sauk and Fox after the white man came. They were friendly Indians too that came each fall to hunt for the abundance of game in the Embarras bottoms and to trap for furs.
At a set time, fur traders from Vincennes would come to buy the peltry from the Indians. The Trading Post was on Dedication Hill and the early settlers were always in- terested spectators. Being farmers and interested in building homesteads they did not trap fur-bearing ani- mals, no matter what the price paid for them. They hunted for food, and unless it was a predatory animal, for all they cared, the wild things could run free.
Some of the Indian relics found around Sainte Marie Township have been put together on a bulletin board by E. C. Alblinger and can be seen at the Sanite Marie State Bank.
Axe heads, drills, skinning knives, pounding stones or grinding stones used to grind their grain, round balls no doubt used in playing games, arrow heads large and small have been found. Some are large ones used with bow and arrow to shoot wild turkey, geese and ducks, others are smaller for game like rabbit, quail and prairie chicken, all beautifully made and very sharp.
Indian Burial Grounds
Here, too, in Sainte Marie Township, Indian burial grounds came to light many years after the Indians were disbanded and gone. Some went farther west, others took up residence in reservations like Fork Wayne in Indiana. One such burial ground was found on Grandfather Huber's farm. We children were born and grew up on this farm in a huge old red brick house. It was east of Sainte Marie across the Embarras River on a series of sand hills that
began a few miles below Willow Hill and ended a few miles below Sainte Marie on the bend of the river.
Here on these sand hills beneath the huge forest trees, their tepees had some protection. With an abun- dance of game, and the river full of fishes, it was an Indian paradise indeed. Here Grandfather, father and my brother Lawrence were putting in a line fence, so that the older cattle could drink at the river and the younger stock water at the barns, and all could run in the woods pasture. In digging a post-hole with a post digger, they brought up a hard object. After scraping away the sand and dirt, they found it to be a human jaw-bone. The bone was large and coarse, the teeth worn down as though the owner had done some hard, tough chewing. Grandfather feared a murder had been committed on his farm, but our brother, being young and more venturesome, said, "Let's see what more is down there Grandpa".
The second digger-full brought to light part of a skull with reddish hair still clinging to it. This did not solve the mystery so they dug again, and this time several Indian beads were in the sand. Then they knew they had accidentally dug into an Indian burial ground. Looking about them they .could see they were on a sandy, high knoll and a series of mounds circled about the top of each of the mounds, no doubt a burial place. Of course the story got out and on Sunday following the authorities came from Sainte Marie.
"Didn't Mr. Huber know it was against the law to dig into burial grounds without a permit ?" Grandfather explained it had been an accident. "Just where are these Indian relics?" That gave one the idea it was curiosity that brought them, rather than the wish to uphold the law.
Again Grandfather explained how, after the family had looked at the object and the children wondered and talked about the people who roved these hills before them, he had returned the objects to where he had found them, covered them over, and left the Indian dead rest in peace.
Old Justice of Peace Books 1867
In an old Justice of the Peace book, found at the town hall, there were many interesting cases with names no longer in Sainte Marie. Under the date of July 25, 1875, was this entry:
Now comes Addison Fulton-files complaint for one sheep damaged by dogs unknown. Randsom Graham and Haddock Graham, after hearing evidence, it was allowed Addison Fulton was entitled to $3.00 for loss of said sheep. -Michael Kratzmeyer J. P.
June 11, 1881:
Now comes Minnie Love and complains that the Dan- ville, Olney and Ohio River Railroad Company failed to pay her a certain demand, being a board bill, of a man employed by said company, and expressly agreed to pay said board bill. The bill was $150.00, paid .- Francis Alt- hause J. P.
May 3, 1893:
Now comes Mary Lowisa Gass, makes and files her complaint under oath, charging William Donham with making threat to do her bodily harm with a deadly weapon. The defendant, failing to pay his fine, was committed to the Village Calaboose, to work out his fine on the village street under the supervision of the street commissioner .- Eugene Hartrich J. P.
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The Sainte Marie of 1962
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Across the top, Alblinger & Kirts Hardware and Alblinger & Kirts Garage. On the left, second from top, Sainte Marie State Bank; on the right of the bank, Town Hall. Third row, left, Hartrich Bros. Elevator, and right, Hartrich Bros. Mill; bottom row, left, Bob Swisher's Marathon Service Station, and right, Ed Barthelme's Sons Store.
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Oct. 1, 1891:
Now comes Minnie Leggett-Makes and files a com- plaint under oath that her neighbor Noah Deffendefer stole one hive of bees, worth $1.00 .- Wm. Pictor J. P.
Chattel Mortgages contained in the old books intrigue one too.
Dec. 30, 1893:
Chattel Mortgage made by Mrs. Lily Russel in favor of Edward Latson, to secure the payment of one prom- isary note of even date, for $125.00 with 7 per cent inter- est from date until paid. One gray mare, 12 years old, called Kate, one bay horse, 10 years old, called Prince, one yearling colt, called Frank, one muley cow, one Stude- baker wagon, one Deering mowing machine. The Mort- gagor to retain possession of said property mortgaged until payment be made. Acknowledged before me by Mrs. Russel and entered this 30th day of Dec., 1893 .- Eugene Hartrich J. P.
May 3, 1891:
Now comes William Wenz, makes and files affidavit for writ in attachment against Noah Fairfield, the follow- ing goods and chattel worth $19.65: One team of mules, soon to be 8 years old. This trial to be held 8th day of May, 1891, at 9:00 o'clock A. M. Neither party appear- ing, it is considered by this court as case dismissed .- Francis Althaus, J. P.
In so many of the chattel mortgages, the people lost their belongings. In reading over these records, I often wondered how they could make a living after their horses, mules, cows and machinery were taken away from them. In looking through these old Justice of the Peace books, I marvelled at the fine hand-writing, page after page, as many as 75 to 100 pages without one blot, mistake, or misspelled word. Some of it was written so long ago no doubt they used quill pens. The finest was written by Francis Althaus, William Pictor and E. J. Gangloff.
From Sainte Marie Tribune Jan. 13, 1905 Pond Grove News
Who thought Pond Grove was dead ?
Plenty of snow and ice. Tuesday morning the ther- mometer said it was the coldest weather we've had this winter.
Sammy Sterchi has built a new addition to his mill- shed. Sammy has a big new engine, 21 horse power, and a good set of hands. He will now make the business pay.
Bits and Pieces
D. L. Stewart advertises he pays the highest prices for poultry, eggs, butter, hides, beeswax and tallow.
Walter and Henry Picquet have the thanks of the community for cleaning off the streets with their new snow plough during this last snow storm.
In the Jan. 13 issue of Sainte Marie Tribune we find this choice item:
"If the gentleman who stole my small-pox vest out of my coal-shed will please return same, I will vaccinate him free of charge in order to protect the community."- Dr. W. A. Wenz.
"Mrs. W. A. Wenz purchased the three white wyan- dotte chickens which drew the first prize, at the Rich- land County Fair."
Xavier Picquet Mansion
(Written at the Time the Old Mansion Was Taken Down)
There is always a sadness in seeing an old landmark being torn down, especially when it is an old home.
Such is the case of the Xavier Picquet home in Sainte Marie, where the present owners, Jerome Hartrich and sons Albert and Harold, are tearing down the old Picquet home.
Built in 1839 by Jacques Picquet, father of Joseph Xavier and James Jr., the old mansion is of French Colonial design. Many homes similar to it may still be seen in the old French quarters of New Orleans, La.
Beams Still Solid
The three story house measured 50x60 ft. with ceil- ings 12 ft. high. Huge beams 12 in. square run the full length of the house and are pinned at the crosses with wooden pegs, all of white oak, for which Sainte Marie Township is justly famous, and all hewed by hand.
Despite their age of 111 years the beams and pegs are as solid today as the day they were put into place.
Oak lathes, too, were hewed by hand, and the plaster in between is a mixture of clay and straw.
Bricks used in building tlie home were fashioned by hand and burned in a kiln not far from the homestead.
Great fireplaces in every room gave one an idea of the manner in which the house was heated.
After seeing the blackened fireplace in the kitchen one can envision the many tasty roasts that found their way to the table.
Three stairways: The one in the front, a beautiful curved stairway, one in the rear, and one outside which led to the upper floors. A hall way 10 ft. wide ran the full length of the house, ran through the center of the dwelling opening onto a balcony with huge pillars of sandstone topped with walnut columns 24 inches thick. Although weather beaten, they are as solid as the day they were put in place.
In the library on the second floor, doors and shelves are of solid native walnut, and the walls and cupboards 24 inches deep all made of walnut and reaching from floor to ceiling. The walnut paneled doors leading from the hall way into the living room and library are 6x9 fect in size.
They were made in France for the convent of Saint Mary's of the Woods in Indiana, but came by mistake to Sainte Marie. The task of getting them to their destina- tion by ox teams was so great, the Picquets' purchased them and installed them in the mansion.
For several years the entire Picquet family lived in this house. In 1850 Joseph Picquet left for France to marry Rosine Muller. When he returned with his bride he built a beautiful home of his own just two blocks north of the old family home. Many years later this home was given to the Sisters of Charity, Springfield, Ill. When they gave it up, it went to the S. C. J. Priests of the Sacred Heart Missionaries.
Returning from the Civil War with the rank of lieu- tenant, Xavier Picquet married Elizabeth Hartrich. In 1867 he fell heir to the old homestead. It was he who raised his family. In 1933 Jerome Hartrich purchased the mansion and restored much of its old glamor. The prob- lem of making a modern home of it was too great, how- ever, and after a few years, the days of the old mansion were numbered: Jerome Hartrich built a new home near the mansion. After surviving 111 years of gracious living
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A Building and People You Know
Left row of photos: Top, U. S. Post Office in Sainte Marie, dedicated in 1961; center, servers with Rev. Fr. George Windsor, pastor of St. Mary's Church of the Assumption; bottom photo, left to right, Mrs. Monica Geiger, Joe N. Yost and Mrs. Shirley (Stone) Kraus, members of the committee of St. Valentine Church in the Bend named to help with arrangements for the Quasquicentennial celebration.
Right row of photos: Top, Children's Choir of St. Mary's Church with Sister M. Ruthanne, O. B .; center photo, Sainte Marie School staff, front row, left to right, Sister Marie, Sister M. Valeria and Sister M. Ruthanne, back row, left to right. Mrs. Melba Rose Sheridan, secertary, Mrs. Maxine Hartrich, nurse, Vincent Keller, Mrs. W. E. (Helen) Baker and Henry Kirts; bottom photo, School Band, of which Mrs. Genevieve Wilson of Newton is the director.
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the old French colonial mansion was reduced to dust and rubble. Harold Hartrich and his family now live in the new house built to replace the old Picquet Mansion.
Sainte Marie Bank Serves Wide Area
The late Severine F. Laugel started a financial move- ment in Sainte Maric more than 57 years ago that led to what is now the Sainte Marie State Bank, an institution which serves an area far wider than its immediate locale.
On April 26, 1905, Louis Huss, D. P. Ochs, Frank L. Merceret, Severine Laugel, Arthur Pictor, Joseph Picquet, A. J. Litzelman, Anselm Spitzer, J. M. Miller, William Reis, F. E. Kraus, Charles Litzelman, C. P. Harmon, P. C. Berns, Joseph Kaufmann, F. W. Kuechler, W. A. Wenz, William F. Mason, S. P. Berns, Jacob Rennier and Charles Barthelme formed a partnership to conduct a general banking business under the name of the Bank of Sainte Marie.
The business commenced on June 12, 1905, in the two- room, metal clad building north of Hartrich's Grocery with Frank L. Merceret as cashier.
Total resources on June 30, 1905, were $17,024.29.
The quarters now occupied by the bank were built in 1911.
On Dec. 14, 1920, the Bank of Sainte Marie was granted a charter by the State of Illinois to operate as a state bank, and the name was changed to Sainte Marie State Bank.
Total assets on June 30, 1962, were $2,383,084.69.
Early day advertisements of the bank carried the slogan: "If you have money, we want it; if you want money, we have it."
This was designed to show the two-fold purpose of the bank: 1, to provide a safe place for people to deposit their funds, and, 2, to furnish a place where they could borrow money for worthwhile purposes.
Today's slogan is, "The bank where a depositor never lost a dollar."
Ed Barthelme, who served the bank as president for many years, died in 1957. Present officers are:
President, E. C. Alblinger; vice-president, Merle D. Yost; cashier, Mary Jean Ping; assistant cashier, James S. Geltz, and teller, Mrs. Geneva Swortfiger.
Directors besides Mr. Alblinger and Mr. Yost are Mrs. Mildred Alblinger and Mrs. Edna Laugel Peters.
Robbed in 1920
One of the highlights in the history of the bank came at 11:15 a. m. Wednesday, July 21, 1920, when three men held up Cashier Irenis C. Barthelme and Gus Richards, the latter a customer who entered while the robbery was in progress.
The bandits took all the cash and paper resources of the bank except 78c. The loot amounted to $39,982.98, and all but 6c of the total was recovered.
All three bandits and their accomplices were captured.
The late J. A. Eaton Sr. was sheriff at the time, and Paul Girhard was his deputy. Deputy U. S. Marshal William Pippin and City Marshal Dan Miller also were given special mention for their work on the case. W. E. Isley was state's attorney.
A large number of private citizens were used in the formation of a posse to capture the final bandit.
Germans Join French; Remember Band?
As the years passed in the history of Sainte Marie more settlers came in, many of them Germans.
It was odd how French and German people could not get along as neighbors in the Old World, but in the U. S. they could live side by side, work together for community, church and school without friction. It seemed that the very air was charged with peace and good will.
As a rule, where you find a dozen or more Germans you will find a little German band. Such a band was or- ganized in Sainte Marie. They played music for church picnics, socials and suppers and wedding parties. As a member grew older and winded, a younger man would step into his place. So it went for years.
As a very small child I remember Grandfather Huber would invite the Little Band over to the old Brick house for a Sunday afternoon concert. They would play out in the yard under the shade trees. Grandpa kept time with his foot, a far away look in his eyes as though he was remembering some happy time in his youth, back in the Father land.
After a few numbers like the Blue Danube and Vien- nese Waltz, Grandpa would pass a pitcher of home made wine or cider for refreshments. Then the band would play again. It always seemed that the second half of the con- cert had more "oompah" than the first.
Toward evening the band boys would gather up their instruments and music, go trooping down the hill, cross the Embarras River in the skiff and go marching up the river road, keeping time to the big bass drum beaten by Drum Major Richard Pictor.
Industries and Fishing in Area
In about the year 1910, there were so many herds of fine dairy cattle around the community that the farmers decided to build a creamery in Sainte Marie. This they did, hired Val C. Weurth of Sauk City, Wis., as butter maker with S. O. Alblinger as assistant. This went on for years, bringing thousands of dollars to the people around the town.
The creamery burned to the ground in 1915 and was not rebuilt.
In 1937 the Libby Canning Co. put a tomato station in town. This, too, was on the Xavier Picquet estate. J. J. Hartrich was manager. Although the plant only operated for a few years, the tomatoes grown were as fine as could be found anywhere and brought thousands of dollars into the community.
Levee
In 1922 the people in and around Sainte Marie, grow- ing tired of the embarrassing way the river had of rising so fast and furiously, decided to levee the river bottoms and save their precious crops. This, of course, was a tre- mendous undertaking. Crawford and Callihan, dragline contractors, were contracted.
Above Sainte Marie it was the Sainte Marie Drainage District. James Kaufmann, Joseph Clark and Alex Ritz were district commissioners.
Below Sainte Marie it was the Captain Pond District, with Anthony Reis, William Houser and A. C. Bolander as commissioners.
The levees have been broken by floods. The break in June, 1957, was the worst of all.
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Scenes From Today and the Past
Left row: Top, Beautiful Sacred Heart Mission House, center, the rectory of St. Mary's Parish, bottom, Sainte Marie School; right row, top, St. Mary's Parish Hall, center, the old sawmill of A. C. Bolander in Sainte Marie, and bottom, the old Kraus Distillery in the Bend, destroyed by fire in August, 1901. The distillery was built in about 1890 by F. E. Kraus and George Dovel. They made and sold bonded liquor. Mash left after the liquor was distilled was fed to the cattle.
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Sainte Marie Once Had Hospital
In 1911 and 1912 Joseph Picquet and his daughter, Miss Marie, built a new brick house just east of the old one. The Sisters of St. Francis, a nursing order from Springfield, Ill., were looking for a place in the country.
Mr. Picquet donated his old home and a plot of ground to this order. They proceeded to build a two-story, 15- room addition to it.
Ran Four Years
The sisters cared for patients in the hospital and also did some home nursing. The hospital was known as "Home of Holy Name of Mary."
Sister Sabastina was the superior, and Sister Urbana was head nurse. 'The hospital began operations in 1913 but because of poor roads, making it hard to get patients to and from the hospital, the sisters gave it up in 1917. The house was vacant for awhile, but not for long.
The Sacred Heart Missionaries from Germany were seeking a place for the novitiate in the North American province. Through a long and devious correspondence, Father P. J. Virnich, then pastor of St. Mary's church, heard about it. He cordially invited them to come to Sainte Marie, went with them to Springfield to see Bishop Griffin and ask his permission to enter this diocese.
It was graciously given and on March 19, 1925, Father Fohromann took possession of the house which had been the home of the founder of Sainte Marie, Joseph Picquet. Soon afterward the Sisters of St. Francis deeded the prop- erty to the Sacred Heart Missions.
Beautiful Monastery
Now they had the first foundation of their order in the North American province. In 1925 Father Fohroman, the pioneer of the province, came to Sainte Marie to stay. They continued to clean, clear and to build till now it is one of the most beautiful monasteries in the state of Illinois.
The highlight of their foundation here in Sainte Marie is the building of a beautiful new chapel. At the bless- ing of the chapel Bishop Griffin called it, "An unique temple, a gem, in our province."
Mr. Picquet, who lived only a few months in his beau- tiful new home, has long since passed away. Mrs. Char- lotte Rudd, a granddaughter, gave the lovely home to the Sacred Heart Mission.
Dr. Leon J. Willien
Joseph Picquet made eight trips back to France and on his third trip back to the United States, there accom- panied him a young widow, Mrs. Leon Willien, and her four-year-old son Leon. Mrs. Willien was a sister of the first Ferdinand and Theodore Hartrich in Sainte Marie. They settled at Sainte Marie, Jasper County, Ill.
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