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 102

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 102

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).

"All these forms of patriotism exist among us. They have nothing heroic about them. But it is a different thing when patriotism springs to arms in defense of the nation's life. It is this form we are to honor-for these soldiers were patriots, and gave to their country and for their country's sake the richest gift they had-their life.

"Had I the power to recall one of the many from his rest in fame's eternal camping ground, how gladly would I do it. Even now I see him, as he stood under the gaze of his countrymen. Yesterday he was but one of the undistinguished millions. To-day he stands distinguished as the volunteer soldier of the Union. How manly the form! How athletic the strength! How firm the poise of the body! The pride of Illinois- the dewy freshness of her prairies beams in his eyes, the hope of her glorious future glows in his soul, and her blood throbs in the brave hearts of her young soldier as he lifts his hand toward Heaven and swears by Him, who notes the spar- row's fall, to be true to the Constitution and laws, and, if necessary, to die, that the government of the people, by the people and for the people should not perish from the earth!

"Do you see him to-day, O, comrades, as he stepped out under the flying flag, when the shrill fife sounded and the drum beat, and marched by your side, on and on over hills, through forests; on and on, through vales and brakes; on and on over mountain and river; on and on, through swamp and over bayous; on and on, as the fiery front of conquest advanced; by skirmish, by conflicts and siege? Do you see him in the circle of the camp-fire; hear the story and the song? By your side in the rugged will- ter and in the pleasant days of summer. Do you see him when the bugle sounds 'to arms!' and the long lines of battle are formed? Do you see him when the tide sweeps on and leaves him broken to pieces on the field, to breathe his last sigh up to the pitying stars-then to be

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borne, in the old, old fashion of the dead to his grave?

" It is this form of patriotism we are here to commemorate, accounting it the purest and noblest which can animate the citizens of this Republic who loves it and its freedom, so much more than home or family or ambition or self, and to dare to die for its defense and perpetuity. "A second element of the character which we desire to commemorate by this beautiful floral display is the self-devotion they exhibited. I do not mean to trace this quality in the incidents of twenty years ago-the muster, the drill camps, the weary marches and the tough campaigns. It is the office of the historian to recount these. Mine is the more pleasant duty of tracing the manifestations of this noble trait of the soldier's character where it snines in star-like radiance, and takes its place in constellation of heroic vir- tues. Their self-devotion included many features. It meant the leaving the farm, the work-shop, the store, the office, the school-room, the church, the quiet ways of life, at the voice of duty. It

meant the march away to an uncertain fate. It meant the separation for an indefinite time from friends, from parents, from wife and children, and not only the separation, but on the part of thousands the firm resistance of tears, of plead- ing voices and hearts breaking with their proph- ecies of woe. It was a path of painful sacrifice for many, and the altar they used was dripping with sweat of an agony which could not be con- trolled. One incident comes to me vividly. A certain regiment is marching through the streets of a town where some of the soldiers lived. The morning had been a parting festival. The new flag-the gift of the town -rode proudly over the moving column. The sidewalks were thronged with crowds of the patriotie cheering and weeping as the soldiers go by. On the way is a neat, white frame house, over which creep the honey-suckle and clematis vine. The window curtain was partly drawn back, just enough to disclose a woman's face, with eyes straining through a mist of tears, and pale with pain of the heart. As they passed, company by company, a little girl sprang from the pavement, shouting, 'There's papa!' On swung the company. The father looked at his child, her blue eyes wide open with surprise, and her bright hair blown about in the wind, but he said no word. With a bound the little one flew after him, now crying bitterly, and in broken words saying, 'Take me papa ! take me!' The manly soldier kept steadily on, but a quiver of grief shook his frame and tears fell upon his bosom. The captain of the

company took up the little one, and carried her sobbing and inconsolable into the cottage by the wayside, where the young mother was. To thousands these words were re-echoed through the years of bitter and bloody strife. And it was no inconsiderable feature of their self-de- votion that they gave themselves to the main- tainance of a doubtful experimcut. Through the confusion of counsel in Congress, and the con- tradictory theories of authority in high places, they could but dimly see how the interests of continned self-government were in the issues; but there was a principle of more immediate ap- plication, by whose aid they were made capable of self-devotion which makes the heroism of Thermoplae doubtful, and the glory of '76 as a star in the splendor of a meridian sun!

"THE SUPREMACY OF THE UNION,

that was the simple bright principle which made possible the devotion of these soldiers to the ex- tent of its utmost requirements. Like a mother stricken by the hand of a younger son, the moth- er-land cried out, 'save me, my children, I have nursed you at my bosom; I have dowered you with a home of peace and plenty; from sea to sea your heritage lies, and your children are my treasnes; I am stricken, save me;'-and the ery of mother-land was as the voice of God. With the impulse of filial devotion they rose and went to her succor, not reasoning nor asking why; for- getting all else-all other differences of State pride and all battle-cries of parties. In the ag- gregate it was sublime unselfishness; in particu- lars it was matchless in the annals of the world. Have you read how the Hebrew mothers in the vales of Palestine consecrated their sons to the battles of the Lord. There are thousands of sto- ries of American mothers who, with similar lofty piety, dedicated their sons to God and the Re- public. Have you read how Greek matrons buckled the swords of their sons, gave them their shields, saying: 'Come back with them or on them.' There were thousands of American matrons who imitated their high heroism. Have you read how the Swiss have come from their cantons to breast the serried tides of despotism ? So can we match their willing devotion. Have you read how the freemen of Scotland, when the watch-fires blazed from peak to peak, swept in solid array to defend their mountain home? So swept the mighty host of our freemen from mountain to lake. Ilave you read how the pa- triots of Ireland went to death gaily as a groom to his bride, happy in the faith that the bannered green of their sires would one day float over their tombs? So went thousands of our patriot

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soldiers to deatb, satisfied that the same starry banner which waved over their cradles would also wave over their graves. Worthy of all ad- miration was the self-devotion they exhibited. It decorates with beauty like that of these May flowers, the sacrifice they gave to their country in the hour of the country's need. It shines re- splendent, as time dims the record of march and siege, and battles lost and won.

" Another trait in the character of these soldiers we honor, was their courage. As a mass they shrank from no duty, although a hundred difficulties guarded that duty and thousands of bayonets opposed them. It is a quality of character which decorates the name of every heroic leader in the majestic march of the race onward. That was a brave heart that beat under St. Panl's serf-mantle when he faced the lions in the arena of Ephesus ; it was a daunt- less soul that animated Arnold Winkelreid, when he gathered a hundred Austrian spears in his bosom, and so made way for liberty ; that was a fearless spirit in John Hampden when he defied his king in the name of English law and English rights; that was a gallant heart that throbbed in Robert Emmet's bosom when he plead for Ireland's independence ; that was a resolute spirit in Washington when he led the forlorn hope of America's freedom through all perils to victory. In fine, to illustrate this quality I must enumerate the long catalogue which Heaven and earth have made us to exem- plify true courage in the fields of Evangelism, of reform, of civil and religious freedom. A soldier without courage would be as a Christian without faith-the very life within would die. At some time in the future historians will write of the courage of these soldiers in that nameless conflict with unseen foes-The subtle foes that crouch in the passes of mountains and lurk in the gloomy recesses of dark forests and venom- ous swamps, of the courage it required to brave the storms of winter on the lonely scout pacing the picket lines ; raiding the Indian wilderness, or struggling hand to hand with the ocean's wind and waves. Courage has a two-fold force -visible and invisible, physical and spiritual. The one is born of blood, the other of the con- science. The one mounts like a proud rider at the first cry of danger and with bounding pulse, set teeth, hot breath and steely nerves, trans- forms the timid into heroes. It is that species which is most admired in song and storied in romance. It is the gift of God, and by its in- strumentality He has moved man to conquest

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over the oppositions of nature, in earth and sea and sky.

"One scene, out of many during the war, will illustrate this virtue. Two armies are sleeping front to front, waiting for the dawn of the day to grapple in deadly battle. A division of each is matched, as if a challenge had been made and accepted. With the light of the day, the two divisions rose to meet the conflict. The solid gray lines came sweeping down the slopes to overwhelm the embattled division silently awaiting the deluge on the brink of the inter- vening valley. The hills shout back the deep and deadly thunder of artillery; the valley counts the roll of musketry; on, and still on, come the unwavering columns. Not a step falters; not a hand trembles. Faster and faster roll the echoes of their guns; hotter flashes the red artillery. Now a single sound rings over the dread clangor; then there is a sudden leap forward; a swelling shout that shakes the flying flags; a rush as of a loosened river, and up! up! up! to the moveless column of blue they sweep -- then fall back from the hedge of bayonets, broken and dispersed, to the sheltering nooks of the hills. It is one out of many, and make the dome of the American temple of fame as bril- liant as the sky at midnight.

"Do not forget that this floral sacrament looks also to that other phase of their courage which met and fought with its invisible foes of pain, wounds and death. Is there need to enumerate these, or to insist that this species of courage has the finer quality and nerve? Who can measure the infinite variety of suffering through which they often passed on the way to these graves? Some writhing on the bloody field of battle; some tortured on the surgeon's table; some fierce in the frenzy of delirium; some wasted by fever; others worn by incurable disease; some starving in prison pens; some with an arm or limb left in the trenches; some mangled with shot or shell; some wearing away hour by hour in hospital and tent, vainly beg- ging for the sight of the dear ones at home; others calm in the patience of duty well done; dying with the renewed ideal of their country bending over them-dear as the sun-regretting nothing of the costly sacrifice they made, passing away under the soothing of womanly nurses, and sleeping at last under the hemlocks and pines of the South.

" 'How sleep the brave who sink to rest By all their country's wishes blest; When spring, with dewy fingers cold, Returns to deck their hallow'd mould,

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She then shall dress a sweeter 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 turf that wraps their clay ; And Freedom shall awhile repair, To dwell a weeping hermit there!' "

" Lest I weary you, I shall give but a brief eulogy of the last characteristic of these sleep- ing soldiers. It is the quality of generosity. 'I have stood by the homely cot of many a dying soldier-young, middle-aged, officer and private, but have never yet heard one syllable of bitter- ness for the foe whose bullets and steel sent them to untimely graves. Generous souls! Many of them went from the cot to Heaven with an all-embracing charity which blessed the friends they loved, and forgave the foes who smote them.' It makes them the more heroic, because they fell battling with brave foes-for history will write the names and deeds of many South- ern soldiers, who illustrated their lost cause and conquered banners with a lofty courage and de- votion. Out of the graves of the Blue grows a stately flower named Victory; out of the graves of the Gray grows another named Submission; they unite, and out of the mingled vitality blos- soms the beautiful flower of Peace, shedding its perfumes on Northern gales and Southern zephyrs.

"But, while we strive to emulate this generous spirit, so nobly characteristic of the soldier dead, we do not invite the childhood of the country here every year to decorate these graves, and not to learn the cause for which they died was the cause of right, as against wrong; the cause of Freedom, as against slavery; the cause of Union, as against its deadly foe, Secession. No false logic of events, no cunning arts of poli- tician, no craven demands of self-interest, shali ever dim the keen sight of the passing genera- tions to the wide distinction between loyalty and treason; between the honor due and paid to the patriot soldier, living and dead, and the charity of forgiveness offered to their foes, sleeping side by side in death, or in life laboring for the peace and perpetuity of the Nation. We lament, with a sorrow never healed, the loss of the gal- lant host of the Union, who died that we might live, but pity the misguided and wasted host who sought to destroy it, and died in the vain attempt. And the blossoms that to-day fall upon their graves are given in the same spirit as the soldiers used to give their crackers and canteens, though face to face in deadly array. But, above all floral offerings to the soldier dead; above all

tributes of eloquence to their noble deeds; above all gift of monumental marble by a patriotic people, is the solemn duty of here renewing our allegiance to the Union, 'that from these hon- ored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly re- solve that the dead shall not have died in vain,' and as reverently as the priest before his altar, so before these sacred shrines devote ourselves to the task of building upon this continent one Republic, great and indivisible-so strong that every government, no matter how powerful it may be, shall fear and reverence it, and so be- neficent that every inhabitant on earth, no mat- ter how desolate he may be, shall find it a refuge and a defense.

"To this great purpose these soldiers were dedicated; to defend it they went to battle; they won at last, after years of unutterable sacrifice, and were borne back in silent legions to rest in the green tents whose curtains are never blown by the winds. Sleep on, O brave men, under the sentinel stars! Sleep on, O, soldiers of the Union under the changeful skies! No sound of war dis- turbs your dreamless sleep! Softly as fall the May blossoms on your graves, so softly treads over you the march of Time, and the feet of pass- ing generations! O, had I the power, I would make a festoon of flowers gathered from the gardens of the North, from the Savannas of the South, from the vales of the East, and from the prairies of the West. I would fold it around the bleached forms of the sailors of the Union navy resting in the sepulchres of the sea, or covered in the tawny sands of the gulf, or swept by the mighty current of the Mississippi, or washed by the silver waves of the Rio Grande. I would wreathe it around the form of every soldier of the Union sleeping in American soil-some in the cemeteries of the Nation; some in the long trenches of battle-fields; some in secret places; some in the forests; some by the river banks; some in lonely graves, unknown, under the shadow of cypress and magnolia trees-and, bind- ing without the States of the Union, would sum- mon the genius of the Nation to say with priestly authority: 'What God has joined together, let no man put assunder." '

Mr. Parker received the undivided attention of the immense audience, and his splendid ora- tion was highly commended by all who had the privilege of hearing it. Upon its conclusion the exercises of the Grand Army were concluded as follows:

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Post Commander-"Comrades, how shall men live?"

Response-"With trust in God and love for one another."

P. C .- "How should comrades of the Grand Army live."

R .- "Having on the whole armor of God, that they may be able to withstand in the evil day."

P. C .- "The last enemy that shall be de- stroyed is death,"

R .- "We thank God, who giveth us the vic- tory through Jesus Christ, our Lord."

After the close of these exercises "America" was sung by the throng, and the exercises closed with the benediction, when all boarded the train and returned to the city.

MASONIC.

The Masonic order was represented in Spring- field as early as 1822, a petition being presented to the Grand officers of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, bearing date April 4, of that year, praying for a dispensation to establish a lodge in this place. This petition was signed by James Latham, Stephen Phelps, Stephen Still- man, Gershom Jayne, Thomas Constant, Charles Wright, Oramel Clark and John More. Stephen Stillman was recommended as first Master; Ger- shom Jayne, Senior Warden, and John More, Junior Warden. The dispensation was granted April 5, 1822. The lodge was instituted and the following additional officers elected and ap- pointed: Moses Broadwell, Treasurer; James C. Stephenson, Secretary; Oramel Clark, S. D .; Thomas Constant, J. D.

The lodge did not seem to flourish for a time in consequence of their being no safe and con- venient place of meeting, Springfield at that time not being provided with many public buildings. Stephen Stillman, the Master of the Lodge, undertook during the summer of 1822 to erect a building in which to meet, but was pre- vented from various causes. Still the Lodge felt justified in asking for a charter from the Grand Lodge at its next regular session, which was granted, and Sangamon Lodge, No. 9, was duly organized on the 23d day of June, 1823.

For some cause the charter of the lodge was arrested by the Grand Lodge of Missouri in 1826, the probable cause being the failure of the Lodge to ask dismissal from the Grand Lodge of Missouri in order to join that of Illi- nois, and failure to pay its dues. No effort was made, so far as is known, to obtain a renewal of the charter, money matters at that time being considerably depressed, and the Morgan excite- ment following shortly after.

Springfield Lodge, No. 4 .- On the 27th of January, 1839, the following named signed a petition addressed to the Grand Lodge of Mis- souri asking a dispensation to open and hold a lodge at Springfield: J. Adams, James R. Gray, Alexander Lindsay, Henry Colestock, Philo Beers, L. S. Cornwell, Martin Doyle, J. R. Braucher, Bela Webster, and James Maxcy. A dispensation bearing date February 25, 1839, was issued, naming James Adams, Master; James R. Gray, Senior Warden; Alexander Lindsay, Junior Warden. The first meeting of the Lodge was held at the American LIonse, April 20, 1839, when the following officers were elected and appointed: Love S. Cornwell, Secre- tary; Maurice Doyle, Treasurer; James Maxcy, Tyler; Philo Brown, S. D ; William Cudmore, J. D .; M. Heim, First M. C .; M. A. Kelley, Second M. C. The Lodge was numbered twenty-six.

A Grand Lodge having been oganized in Illi- nois, Springfield Lodge, No. 26, withdrew from the jurisdiction of Missouri, and united with the Illinois body, receiving from the latter a new charter designating the Lodge as Springfield Lodge No. 4. This charter was received May, 1840. The lodge during this year was quite prosperous, initiating quite a number, among whom was Stephen A. Douglas, who afterwards attained a National reputation as a politician.

In 1841, several members asked leave to with- draw that they might form a new lodge. Leave was granted and their lodge dues for the current quarter remitted them.

Springfield Lodge, No. 4, has had a very pros- perous existence.

Since its organization, the following named, among others, have served in the office of W. M .: James Adams, Meredith Helm, Love S. Cornwell, James Shepherd, Francis A. McNeill, James Zwisler, William Lovely, William B. Warren, J. W. Keyes, James H. Matheny. T. S. Mather is the present W. M., and J. B. Ham- mond, Secretary.

There are now four lodges, one Chapter, and one Commandery in Springfield.

Central Lodge, No. 71, meets the second Mon- day in each month. A. M. Brooks is the present WV. M., and F. Cleverly, Secretary.

Tyrian Lodge, No. 333, meets the third Mon- day in each month. H. M. Davidson, W. M .; H. G. Waldo, Secretary.

St. Paul's Lodge, No. 500, meets the second Tuesday in each month. L. W. Shepherd, W. M .; A. R. Robinson, Secretary.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Springfield Chapter, No. 1, meets the fourth Monday in each month. Henry Wohlgemuth, E. C .; H. G. Waldo, Secretary.

Elwood Commandery No. 6, K. T., was or- ganized under dispensation, granted by R E., Sir Knight James V. G. Blaney, Grand Com- mander, May 16, 1859, as Illinois Commadery U. D., at Masonic Hall, Springfield, Illinois, June 28, 1859, Sir Nelson D. Elwood, of Joliet Commandery, presiding. The dispensation was granted t > Sirs William C. Hobbs, William H. Turner, Mason Brayman, F. K. Nichols, D. C. Mirtin, James Newman, George Thorp, A. R. Robinson and Harmon G. Reynolds. Of these, Sirs Nichols, Brayman, Robinson and Reynolds becime charter members. The charter was granted November 3, 1859. At a subsequent meeting of the Commandery, it was resolved that the name of the Commandery should be changed to Elwood. Since its organization, the Commandery have made pilgrimages to St. Louis, September, 1868; Baltimore, September, 1871; New Orleans, September, 1874; Cleveland, August, 1877; Chicago, August, 1880, partici- pating in the Grand Conclave of the Grand En- campmenc of the United States of America. The following named have held the position of Eminent Commanders of this Commandery: Harmon G. Reynolds, 1860; Charles Fisher, 1861; Phares A. Dorwin, 1862; Newton Bate- man, 1863; William Lavely, 1865; Andrew J. Dunning, 1866; Benjamin C. McQuestan, 1867; Phares A. Dorwin, 1868; Rheuna D. Lawrence, 1869; William Lavely, 1870; Robert L. Mc- Guire, 18:1-2; Rheuna D. Lawrence, 1873; Dwight Brown, 1874; William D. Richardson, 1875; John Cook, 1876-7; Samuel J. Willett, 1878; Jacob B. Hammond, 1879; James H. Matheny, 1880; Henry Wohlgemuth, 1881. The ranks of the Commandery have been thinned by death, as follows: Nelson D. Elwood, Phares A. Dorwin, Walter Whitney, William L. Dough- erty, S. C. Toler, John Brotherton, James W. Sponsler, Nicholas Strott, Lewis B. Smith, Wil- liam A. Turney, Jesse K. Dubois, W. Jarvis London, P. C. Latham, James I. Davidson, F. J. Martin, J. L. Crane, O. HI. Miner, Alfred Sower, C. W. Matheny. The Commandery now numbers one hundred and twenty-eight members, with the following named officers: Henry Wohl- gemuth, Eminent Commander; Joseph D. Myers, Generalissimo; Edward R. Roberts, Cap- tain General; Samuel J. Willett, Prelate, Ed- ward T. Smith, Senior Warden; Robert H. Moor, Junior Warden; John S. Fisher, Treasurer; Charles P. Kane, Recorder; HI. Fayart, Sword

Bearer; Richard Young, Standard Bearer; Nel- son D. Lee, Warden; James W. Watson, Cap- tain of the Guard.

ODD FELLOWSHIP.

This is one of the largest and best of the self-governed benevolent and provident associa- tions.

The institution originated in Manchester, Eng- land, in 1812; some scattering lodges, it appears, existed before this date. The object of the Man- chester organization, it was declared, was to render assistance to every member who may ap- ply, through sickness, distress or otherwise, if he be well attached to the Queen and govern- ment and faithful to the Order; and this is still the basis of the Order in that country. There are about four thousand lodges in England, and the membership is about half a million.

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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 102

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