History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 101

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 101

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"The growth of the Association has been steady and permanent, starting with about forty members they now have over two hun- dred. In 1875, they commenced publishing a monthly gospel paper the "Y. M. C. A. Herald," which was published regularly till the third year, and since then has been pub lished occasionally for gratuitous circulation. Ever since its publication it has been circulated at our county and State Fairs, as many as six thousand being circulated at one. The Associa- tion has a tent on the grounds and the General Secretary spends the week distributing the " Herald" Tracts, Testaments, etc., and in per- sonal work. Much good bas resulted from this work. July 1, 1877, the Association secured the services of William F. Bischoff as General Secre- tary, and for over four years he has performed the duties of the office in a most faithful and conscientious manner, and the work of the Asso- ciation has been greatly developed through his self-denying labors. The need of such an officer was felt from the first, butlit seemed almost too good to hope they would ever be able to secure one, but the way was opened and the proper person brought to the field.

"The work of the Association opened up gradu- ally, commencing with two meetings. Two more were opened the first winter, one of these being the praise meeting, which has since grown to such proportions as to sometimes fill our large churches. Then cottage prayer meetings, open air meetings, jail services, daily prayer meetings, Bible study, boys' meetings, and other fields of Christian usefulness being occupied, over one hundred and fifty devotional meetings of various kinds being held in a single month, reaching many thousand people of all classes with the Gospel invitation. Different branches of work have been added from time to time till we have now branch work for boys, railroad men, Ger- mans, Swedes, Sunday Schools, and commercial travelers; under the direction of earnest workers among these classes. Besides the devotional work, one branch of which is given to the eleven members of the board of directors, and the branch work, we have the following committees: Finance, Publication, Rooms and Library, Socials and Lectures, Music, Tract and Invitation, Visi- tation of the Sick, and Membership.

"The reading rooms have on file about one hundred papers and magazines, and the library contains over four hundred volumes of instruc- tive and valuable books. The object of this Association, as stated in the Constitution, shall be the development of Christian char-

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acter and activity in its members ; the pro- motion of Evangelical religion ; the cultiva- tion of Christian sympathy, and the improve- ment of the spiritual, intellectual and social condition of young men.

" The Association, though still in its infancy, and has already accomplished much in this di- reetion, but having an object that all who love the Master can not fail not only to approve, but heartily co-operate in, when onee understood. We hope, with increased means of usefulness, with a building arranged and devoted especially to this purpose, and with ripened experience to rightly direet the efforts put forth, to become a blessing and help to every young man and boy in our midst, and direet them to so live that they may be useful and happy lives in this world, and spend an eternity in bliss at the Father's right hand."

IN HONOR OF THE DEAD.

In France, the memory of those who have died in the military service, with which is ever associated national honor and love of country, is fondly cherished by the people, and their love and gratitude find a most fitting expression in the custom observed each spring, when the grass is greenest and the flowers most beautiful, in the decking of graves where the loved remains lie, or of the tablets erected in memory of those lost on the fields of battle.

In 1868, General Logan, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued an address, recommending the 30th day of May be set apart in which the brave soldiers who volunteered to defend the Union and to preserve the govern- ment of our fathers, were to have similar remem- brances. The sacred spot where their remains lie were to be strewn with flowers by their sur- viving comrades.

"How sleep the brave who sink to rest.

By all a country's wishes blest,

When spring, with dewy fingers cold Returns to deck their hallowed mould, She there shall dress a greener sod

Than fancy's feet have ever trod! By fairy hands their knell is rung,

By forms unseen their dirge is sung. There honor comes, a pilgrim gray, To bless the surf, that wraps their clay; And Freedom shall awhile repair,

To dwell a weeping hermit, there."

The first public decoration of soldiers' graves in this county was on Saturday, May 30, 1868, according to the recommendation of the Com- mander of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Senate chamber of the old State House was the place where the ladies met for the arrange-

ment of the flowers and evergreens into wreaths and boquets. Tables loaded with flowers, and baskets of evergreens, were scattered about the room, and around them were gathered a large number of ladies, all absorbed in the delicate and artistic work of arranging and weaving the rare and beautiful flowers into forms indicating that the fair artists possessed highly cultivated and exquisite taste in such matters. The hearts of all were in the work, and they felt it a duty thus to honor the noble dead.

At one o'eloek, p. m., the committee, consist- ing of ladies and gentlemen, appointed to deco- rate the graves of those buried at Camp Butler Cemetery, met at the State House and marched to the Wabash depot where a train was in readi- ness to carry them to the ground. On the ar- rival of the train at the site of old Camp Butler, the company formed in procession, and marched to the spot where rests the remains of many Union soldiers, who died in the hospital at this eamp. The cemetery is situated on rising ground only a short distance from the old camp ground, and is surrounded with a good pieket fence, everything about it being in excellent order.

The graves, numbering several hundred, are furnished with white headstones, upon which are inscribed, with few exceptions, the name, age and number of regiment to which the deceased belonged. On arriving at the entrance of the cemetery, every visitor was provided with flow- ers, and proceeded to the shade of a tree, where the services of the occasion commenced by the whole assembly joining in singing the patriotic and soul-stirring hymn of "America." -

"My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee, I sing. Land where my fathers, died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From every mountaim side, Let Freedom ring."

After singing, Rev. Mr. Carr offered a solemn and impressive prayer. At the conclusion of the prayer, Dr. George T. Allen made a few re- marks. He commenced by referring to the seenes he had witnessed, in which our soldiers had shown their love of country and the cause of liberty, many of whom had sealed their devo- tion with their lives. The graves around us, he said, contained the remains of those who had fallen in defense of the country, and we should remember their virtues and patriotism, as we placed the flowers upon their last earthly rest- ing place. The number buried here were but few compared with the number that perished

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during the war, where death held high carnival. He then spoke of the great number that had died in hospitals as being equal to those who had perished upon the battle-fields, and in this connection spoke in appropriate terms of the death of the noble Lincoln, who perished by the assassin's hand, and the gloom that over- shadowed the Nation as the dreadful news spread over the land. In closing his brief ad- dress, he again referred to the noble dead which they had come to honor, and trusted that the beautiful custom of decorating the soldiers' graves with flowers might be continued in after years, thereby calling up memories of the past which would result in good to all.

General Tyndale, of Philadelphia, then made a few remarks, after which the ladies and gen- tlemen proceeded to decorate the graves, placing at the head of each a beautiful boquet or wreath of flowers, and in some cases strewing the grave with flowers. Some of the most beautiful flowers and wreaths were placed upon the graves of the "unknown" dead, a touching testimonial that though their names were unknown, their patriotism was remembered by grateful hearts.

The ceremony concluded, the people returned to the shade, when Colonel George H. Harlow requested the assembly to raise their right hands, and as they did so, he read in a distinct and im- pressive manner, the following:

" Before Almighty God, and within the pre- cincts of the last resting place of our heroic dead, we renew our devotion to the Union and the cause for which they gave their lives, and we here again renew our vows to defend and perpetuate Freedom and the Union; to all of which we pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor; so help us God."

At three o'clock p. m., the committee appointed to visit Oak Ridge Cemetery, accompanied by several hundred citizens, proceeded to the ceme- tery, and on arriving there, assembled around the tomb of Abraham Lincoln, which had pre- viously been decorated with flowers by a com- pany of ladies. On arriving at the tomb, E. L. Gross made some brief and eloquent remarks ap- propriate to the occasion, when the committee proceeded to decorate the graves of the Union so diers with flowers. The Catholic cemetery was then visited, and the graves of the Union soldiers there interred were decorated in like manner with the others. Hutchinson cemetery was also visited and flowers laid upon the graves of Union soldiers sleeping there.

In each succeeding anniversary, since 1868, Decoration Day has been observed, but perhaps

never more faithfully observed than May 30, 1881. The streets, even early in the forenoon, began to evince signs of a crowded city, and be- fore twelve o'clock arriving excursion trains from all directions had swelled the number of strangers to several thousands. Most of the visitors arrived by way of the Ohio & Mississippi Road, one train, due at nine-thirty, from the east carrying two thousand one hundred people. Other trains were also crowded.

At 8:30 the members of the Stephenson Post, Grand Army of the Republic, a number of ex- soldiers and many citizens assembled in front of the Grand Army Hall, on the east side of the square, and at nine o'clock they boarded the street cars and proceeded to Oak Ridge Cemetery under the command of Major Chapin.

AT OAK RIDGE.

On arriving at the street car terminus the crowd assembled in line and with muffled drums playing a funeral dirge marched through the cemetery decorating in turn the grave of each fallen comrade. The ceremony of the Grand Army was, in short, carried out in full with great impressiveness and solemnity.

After the decoration of the soldiers' graves the procession moved to the National Lincoln Monument. On arriving at the entrance of the tomb the many assembled comrades, with un- covered heads and hearts full of emotion, marched in the tomb and around the beautifully decorated sarcophagus containing the sacred ashes of the illustrious dead, depositing cluster after cluster of beautiful blossoms, until the martyred President slept beneath a wilderness of flowers.

It seemed that the hearts of each and all present instinctively turned back to the review of the life of that great man who had arisen from the lower walks of life by the force of his own genius and the Godliness of a gentle mind, step by step, in spite of adversity, to the Chief Magistracy of a great Republic; and every mind seemed sad as they contemplated the sad and tragic end of that great man, whose life motto had been: " Charity for all, malice toward none." Over the arched entrance of the tomb the name Lincoln had been previously entwined in an artistic manner, with evergreens and flowers.

After the passage of the procession through the tomb, they congregated in front of the en- trance, when the choir, with Miss Minnie Good- win as organist, sang several hymns appropriate to the occasion.

After this, the comrades returned to the city, while most of the visitors remained at the cem-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

etery, many of them going over and through the monument, under the genial guardianship of J. C. Power, Secretary of the " Lincoln Guard of Honor," and Custodian of the monument.

THE AFTERNOON EXERCISES.

At 12 m., a train was prepared to leave the Wabash depot for Camp Butler, but, in conse- quence of the threatening appearance of the weather, portending rain, it did not depart until some minutes later. It was completely crowded, containing the different classes of people who yearly visit the old camp ground, many bent upon having a good time, some to escape the confinement of the stores and shops for a short time, while not a few more wore upon their faces the expression indicative of the sad and solemn duty they were going to perform. Arriving at the station, a half-mile walk soon brought the visitors to the entrance of the National Ceme- tery, wherein the ensign waved at half-mast.

It was raining quite briskly when the veterans arrived, and they took to shelter until the storm was over.

AT CAMP BUTLER.

At 3:15 the storm was over, the train from the city had arrived, and the escort, composed of the Watch Factory band and the Governor's Guard, filed into the cemetery, followed by the members of Stephenson Post and veterans in line. The band played a dirge until arriving at the stand, where the following memorial services were conducted by Post Commander Chapin and Comrades of the Post.

The Post Commander first spoke as follows :

"In memory of the honored and heroic dead, whose remains here find rest and repose, we will deposit these flowers. May the lessons of purity which they symbolize rest in our hearts, and in- cite in us the emotions of patriotism which they exemplified in life and death.

"In honor of our comrades slain in Freedom's battle, or dying from wounds received in defense of all we hold most dear, we will place these flowers upon the graves. The green turf above them will fade, these beautiful flowers wither and die, but the lesson will remain, and our children and their children will be taught the duty of honoring those who die for their country.

"Death comes to us all ; none shall escape his relentless mandate. The highest potentate and the humblest toiler must at last take their places in the bosom of the earth ; and it becomes us all to be ready for the messenger we must obey. Our comrades, upon whose graves we scatter

flowers, and whose memories we thus revive and celebrate, died in the performance of the noblest of duties, and met the Destroyer where every patriot would desire to meet him-beneath the folds of our starry banner, and in defense of that cause in which it is sweet and pleasant to die-the cause of our country.

"As the grass will spring anew from the storms and dearth of winter-as other flowers will come to take the place of these, so soon to fade-so be it ours for ourselves and our genera- tion, to keep bright the memory of our fallen comrades."

The graves were then decorated by comrades detailed by the Commander, after which the choir sang Memorial Hymn and the Chaplain offered prayer as follows:

"God of Battles, Father of all, amid these monuments of the dead, we seek Thee, with whom there is no death. Open every eye to behold Him who changed the night of death into morning. In the depths of our hearts we would hear the celestial word, 'I am the resur- rection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.' As comrade after comrade departs, and we march on with ranks broken, help us to be faithful unto Thee and to each other. We beseech Thee, look in mercy on the widows and children of deceased comrades,and with Thine own tenderness, console and comfort those bereaved by the events which call us here. Bless and save our country with the peace of freedom and righteousness; and through Thy great mercy may we all meet at last with joy, before Thy throne in Heaven; and to Thy great name shall be praise for ever and ever." [All comrades] "Amen."

Post Commander-" Adjutant, for what pur- pose is this meeting called ?"

Adjutant-" To pay our tribute of respect to the memory of our late comrades."

Commander- 'To-day is the festival of our dead. We unite to honor the memory of our brave and beloved, to enrich and ennoble our lives by recalling a public heroism and a private worth that are immortal; to encourage by one solemn service a more zealous and stalwart patriotism. Festival of the dead! Yes, though many eyes are clouded with tears, though many hearts are heavy with regret, though many lives are desolate because of the father and brother, the husband and lover who did not come back; though every grave which a tender reverence or love adorns with flowers is the shrine of a sor- row whose influence is still potent, though its first keen poignancy has been dulled-despite of

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

all, to-day is a festival-a festival of our dead- no less a festival because it is full of solemnity.

"And now, as in this silent camping ground of our dead, with soldierly tenderness and love, we garland these passionless mounds, let us recall those who made their breasts a barricade be- tween our country and its foes. Let us recall their toil, their sufferings, their heroism, their supreme fidelity in camp, in prison pen, on the battle-field and in hospital, that the flag under which they fought and from the shadows of whose folds they were promoted, may never be dishonored, that the country for whose union and supremacy they surrendered life, may have the fervent and enthusiatic devotion of every citizen, that as we stand by every grave as before an altar we may pledge our manhood that, so help us God, the memory of our dead shall encourage and strengthen in us all a more loyal patriotism."

The choir then sang an appropriate hymn.

Chaplain-"'What man is that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? If a man die, shall he live again ? '"'

Comrades-"Jesus Christ said : 'I am the resur- rection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die.' "

Chaplain-""'Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions ; I go to pre- pare the way for you.'"

Comrades-" 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Yea, saith the spirit ; that they may rest from their labors.' "

Chaplain-"' They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more.'"

Comrades-" 'Neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.' "

Chaplain-"'For the lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and lead them unto fountains of water.'"

Comrades-""'And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes.''

Chaplain-"There shall be no more death ; neither sorrow nor crying ; neither shall there be any more pain.' "

Comrades-"'For the former things are passed away.'"

When these exercises were concluded the choir sang with good effect " The Brave, Noble and True." The Post Commander then intro- duced to the audience in a few appropriate words the orator of the occasion, Rev. T. A.

Parker, who, with matchless delivery, spoke eloquently and impressively as follows :

MR. PARKER'S ORATION.

" Two grand commemorations will be held during the year 1881. The people of this Nation, who love it in their inmost hearts, and feel pride in its history, will be twice gathered to honor the memory of the heroic dead. The first of these two memorial occasions we are here to celebrate-to decorate the graves of our Union soldiers; to recall their services, from the hour when the call of Abraham Lincoln summoned them to arms, onward to that sublime day when the last armed foe went down under the walls of Richmond-sixteen years ago-and the flags of the Union rose, like stars, over a hundred victorious battle fields. As the child- hood of the Nation passes by these graves, its eager lips will ask: ' What does it all mean ? Why did the soldiers die? What story do these fragrant flowers repeat? ' The answer will be given, to-day, throughout this wide Nation, in ever-varying fragments of history-from the day in 1861, when the wrath of the patriot millions rose like the sea, and rolled onward in billows of carnage and flame, and broke at last into rest when the Master said, 'Peace; be still!'

"The second memorial ceremony will be held at Yorktown in October next; and when the grand pagentry is over, the passing generations will agam ask, ' What does it mean? Why was this granite column erected? What story of the Nation's life do its dumb stones repeat.' The answer is nearly similar to that of to-day. From the pine forests of Maine to the uttermost ham- let of California, the story will be told to the listening ear and graven in the hearts of the American childhood. When the story of both events shall be heard they will seem almost the same. For as we gaze back through the shadowy past of a hundred years ago to Yorktown, and then to the vivid past of sixteen years ago to Richmond, they are strangely alike! At York- town the Colonial Government arose to its feet and stood one among the free peoples of the earth. At Richmond the United States arose once more to its feet and stood vindicated and majestic among the Nations of the earth. At Yorktown the starry flag rose to its place in the sky as the proud flag of England went down. At Richmond, once again, the same starry flag rose to its place in the sky as the proud ensign of the Southern Confederacy went down to the dust. At Yorktown the last battle of any moment was fought, and the last foe of free government on this continent surrendered. At Richmond

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the last great battle was won, and the last foe of the Union submitted. Yonder is the elm tree that shaded Washington and Cornwallis, when the sword of the latter was given into the hands of the General-in-Chief of the armies of the United Colonies; here stands the apple tree that shaded Grant and Lee, when the sword of the latter was offered to the hand of the former, the General-in Chief of the armies of the United States, and with it passed away forever the last lingering hope of secession. The living soldiers on the ramparts of Yorktown salute their com- rades on the ramparts of Richmond, and the blood of their brave comrades flowing from the trenches of both places mingles in the waters of the bright river that murmurs eternally at their feet. But from both events, the most prominent figures that shall be summoned to receive honor, will be the soldier of the Revolution and the soldier of the Union. They shall march to- gether along the fields of the Nation's history, while all the good shall hail and crown their honored shades.

"Therefore we assemble to-day with a sense of increased significance in the ceremony. We have no granite columns to uncover, newly dedi- cated to the duty of perpetuating the memory of the services and sacrifices of the soldier-dead; but we do have a memorial newly grown-for everywhere is their monument! It rises in annual resurrection at our feet. Its colors are painted by a divine hand, and its mingled frag- rance breathes a celestial breath. 'Take us,' they seem to say, 'and weave chaplets for the brave. Take us and dedicate us to the memory of the heroic dead; we endure while stone and brass shall perish. The generations as they come and go in endless procession shall greet us, and greeting shall bear us to the graves of the brave. Year by year we shall call to the people, in the great march onward, to halt; come for awhile and over the shrines of the soldier-dead recall their heroic virtues and their great sacri- fice.' We take up our part of that duty, and in recalling their virtues I can do it in no manner more effective than to bring to your notice

THE CHARACTER OF THE UNION SOLDIER.

"First, then, we recall the element of patriotism which decorated the character of the soldiers sleeping here. Patriotism has, indeed, many definitions, and takes many forms of action. Some times it is Industry-the hundred-handed giant-wielding the mighty forces of agriculture, of commerce and manufactures, with a pro- found confidence in the stability of the govern- ment. Sometimes it is statesmanship, wisely

planning and safely guiding toward the future of the Nation. Sometimes it is eloquence, voicing in prophecy the thoughts that lie dumb in the popular heart. Sometimes it is song translating the love of the people for their native land. Sometimes it is prayer, rising sublime to God. Sometimes it is woman's poetical and tender ministry at the cot of the soldier, wounded, sick or dying. Sometimes it is justice, speaking the conscience of the people against the vices that corrupt the body politic and the wrongs that hinder the free movement of this Nation onward to its destiny.

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History of Sangamon County, Illinois, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 101

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084