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 105

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 105

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).

The next theatre in Springfield was the old Metropolitan Theatre, an old frame building which stood on the ground now occupied by the Western Hotel. This theatre was used as a place of amusement up to the close of the war, and on its stage appeared some of the most prominent people on the stage.

From a local paper published in the fall of 1881, the same writer gave the following remi- niscences of the "Amusements of Springfield," covering a period of about twenty-five years:

"It has been a number of years since Spring- field has had a place called an opera house, but prior to that she was well supplied with numer- ous halls, all of which served as places for the traveling showmen to exhibit their different entertainments in and furnish amusement for our people at that time. Among the old halls

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IHISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

were Capitol Hall, which was in the third story of the old Bunn's bank building, (now used as an Odd Fellow's hall,) Concert Hall, on the north side of the square, now used as a photo- graph gallery; Cook's Hall, east side of the square, and Burkhardt's Hall, the last named being used of late years as a hall for dane- ing, and Metropolitan Hall, located in the old frame building on the ground now occupied by by the Western Hotel. In these old halls, Maggie Mitchell, Siddons, Jennie Hight, Virginia Howard, Laura Keene, Edwin Forest, Edwin Booth, MeKean Buchanan, Bob. Meldrum and other stellar attractions made their appearance, while the numerous other traveling attractions filled engagements at some one of the above halls. R. Rudolph, who several years ago was a prominent citizen of Springfield, recognizing the want of a first-class place of amusement, erected on the corner of Sixth and Jefferson streets, what was termed by him an opera house, and was known as Rudolph's Opera House, but which should have been more properly named and called Rudolph's Folly, for it was a great barn of an edifice with no accommodations in it either for the audience or actor. The building was always considered by many of our people unsafe, and it is probably well that it was burned down as it was, for it might have fell and been the means of destroying many lives if it had remained and been used as a place of amusement for any length of time.

" When Rudolph's Opera House was first opened, the manager was George J. Deagle, of St. Louis, who not knowing anything of the peo- ple of the city, brought a very poor company ( with one or two exceptions) to commence the season. The opening was made before the build- ing was entirely finished, the opening attraction being J. B. Studley in the play of 'Eustache Baudin.' Aside from Mr. Studley and the comedy roles of Edwin Wight and wife, the rest of the company were very poor indeed, and the newspapers being outspoken in their denuncia- tion of the performance, manager Deagle closed the house at the end of the first week-for two weeks-until he could engage a better lot of people. At his opening of the season the second time his company was a much better one, and in- cluded among its members, besides Mr. and Mrs. Wight, J. K. Vernon, Frank Rose and Annie Ward. The latter named has been dead for a number of years past. Deagle kept the house open, playing some first-class attractions during the whole season, and the next season R. Ru- doph, with J. H1. Huntley as business manager,

gave another season of amusements to the people of the city. During these two seasons of a regular theatre in Springfield, many well known celebri- ties appeared and were well patronized by our people. Among those who filled engagements at this house were Lotta, Laura Keene, who was the stellar attraction playing in the play of 'Our American Cousin' at Ford's Theatre, the night President Lincoln was assassinated, and who alone had the presence of mind to lift and hold up the wounded man's head after the act was committed; Vestvali, Sue Denin, Emelie Mel- ville, Edwin Forrest, Mollie Williams and Felix Vincent, Mrs. Farren and W. E. Sheriden, Es- telle Potter, Kate Fisher, and others whose names are now forgotten. Lotta played a three week's engagement while here, and strange as it may seem to many now, her house was large every night of the engagement. Forrest, who played his master-part of 'Richelieu' and ap- peared in 'Jack Cade,' also, had two of the largest audiences ever assembled in the old house. The writer remembers a little incident connected with Forrest during his stay in this city, which goes to prove that the man's nature was not hard and cold as many newspaper writ- ers of to-day would make people think. The great actor was walking along one of our streets during the day while in Springfield, when, upon passing a stairway near the square, a little tod- dling child came out on the walk directly in front of the old tragedian. At the sight of the little one a smile lit up the face of Forrest, and stooping down he lifted the babe up in his arms and with it walked up and down the pavement, all the time talking to the little one, and neither looking at or speaking to any one passing by. The mother of the babe who was in the stair- way at the time looking on, was the wife of a mechanic in the city. She did not know who the old gentleman was who had her child in his arms, but seemed to enjoy the pleasure the little one's prattle afforded him, and waited until For- rest had tired himself out with the exercise, and placing the child before its mother, walked on his way without even speaking to the mother or letting her know who had been so much taken up with the little one. His heart could not have been so hard, nor was he so void of feeling when a little child's prattle could so thoroughly enter- tain him as did this little one.

"Susan Denin was probably the most beauti- ful as well as the most business-like lady artist that ever appeared in the opera house. She would alone go to the printing offices and give her own instructions to the printer who was en-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

gaged in composing any of her printing; telling him just what lines to display, and when her directions were carefully followed out she never complained of any work executed for her. Vestvali, termed 'the magnificent,' failed to keep the whole of her engagement here because of too much wine drinking, which incapacitated her for acting. This talented artiste has been dead several years. Emelie Melville, one of the best lady attractions at this house, was accompa- nied here by her mother, and while in the city, every Sabbath morning and evening the mother and daughter might have been seen in attend- ance at one of our churches, plainly dressed, worshiping the Father above with all the devo- tion of true Christians, which they most cer- tainly bore evidence of being at all times. Ed- win Wight, comedian and stage manager of the house for a long term, was a good actor and a pleasant gentleman. Mr. Wight is at present a resident of St. Louis, and during the fall and winter seasons, passes his time in managing a small company of his own, playing in the smaller towns. Mrs. Farren, who, during her stay at the opera house here, made many friends, is still before the public, though well along in years. W. E. Sheridan is at present staring in the legitimate. J. K. Ver- non, who was leading man at the opera house here, is at present acting in variety houses in the larger cities. Annie Ward is dead; she departed this life several years ago, after having first at- tained quite a high place in the dramatic world. Her old 'flame,' Frank Rose, was afterwards married to another lady, and they are both act- ing now in stock companies in the east.

"Before closing this sketch, I wish to make mention of the jolly old leader of the orchestra at this house, Professor Fessenden. The Pro- fessor was a capital leader, and as jovial and pleasant a man as one would wish to meet with, and added much to the entertainments of that time by the excellent music he furnished.

"During the seasons of 1868-9, the Stock Com- pany of the Olympic Theater, St. Louis, made frequent visits to this city, appearing here during the engagement of other attractions at the thea- ter in St. Louis. This company was managed by Mr. Frank Evans, the leading man of the company, who at present is manager and leading man for the Bartley Campbell Galley Slave Company. Among the people who were mem- bers of the Olympic Company appearing here, we remember Mr. Frank Evans, Mr. J. W. Albaugh, Mary Mitchell, (sister of Maggie) Bob Duncan and Dolly Davenport, both of whom are

since dead, W. P. Sheldon, the comedian, Miss Frankie McClellan, who afterwards became Mrs. Dolly Davenport, and Mrs. W. P. Sheldon. It was during one of the engagements of the Olympic Company in this city, that Mr. Frank Evans first played the role of Claude Melnotte, which performance was so highly praised by the local critics at that time.

"As before stated the old Rudolph Opera House was destroyed by fire, and on its site Jacob Bunn, Esq., erected a hall which was used as an opera house until the building was purchased by George W. Chatterton and afterwards altered with enlarged additions, and the present new and elegant Opera House built in its place, which the people of Springfield are favored with at present. The new house was opened by a concert of mixed talent, headed by M'Il Litta, and since that time many of the best attractions in the country have appeared on its stage."

BIOGRAPHICAL.

With the exception of works on fiction, no class of literature is read more, or more sought after in public libraries, than biography. There is always a desire to know something about those of whom we have heard; something of the life work of individuals. In response to this general desire, we give short biographical sketches of many of the leading men and women in this county. These sketches, for convenience of reference, and to save the necessity of index- ing, are arranged in alphebetical order. Repre- sentatives of the Bar are found in connection with the Bar history, pages seventy-six to one hundred and thirty-nine.

Capt. John M. Adair, Springfield, Ill., was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1840. When eight years of age his parents emi- grated to Carroll county, Illinois; he was reared on a farm until seventeen years of age, when he was employed as a clerk, which occupation he followed till 1861; he then enlisted in the Forty- fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, Company E, as a private; was mustered in at Mount Carroll, Illinois, September 14th, 1861; thence to Camp Washburn, Galena, Illinois; was promoted to First Sergeant November 22, 1861. Regiment moved to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where it re- mained until January 12, 1862; was promoted to Second Lieutenant, December 1, 1861; 1rom Chicago went to Cairo, and February 3, 1862, left Cairo for Fort Henry, where they were to intercept the rebels; from Fort Ilenry he went to Fort Donalson, and participated in its capture; remained until March 4, 1862, when they broke camp and marched to the Tennessee river, where

74-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

they took boats for Savannah; then to Pittsburg Landing, where his regiment was engaged both days; was also at the siege and capture of Cor- inth. During the summer of 1862, he was sta- tioned at Jackson, Tennessee, and the regiment was detailed to guard the railroad company, being assigned to Toon's Station, twenty-two miles from Jackson. On the 29th day of. August, Armstrong's cavalry raided the country in the vicinity of Jackson, and struck Toon's Station, where a severe scrimmage took place; November 2, broke camp at Jackson, and participated in the Mississippi campaign to Oxford, under General Grant, and whi e on this move, the regiment had to subsist on ear corn (allowing three ears for a jation,) for two weeks; they, in the meantime, constructed a mill to grind it into meal. The command returned to Memphis, remained in camp for a time, and then proceeded down the Mississippi river and participated in the capture of Vicksburg. While on the Mississippi cam- paign, Captain Adair was promoted to Second Lieutenant November 4th, 1862, and soon there- after to First Lieutenant.

During the Vicksburg campaign and the greater part of the time of the siege, he was in command of the company, as Fisk, captain of the company, was on detached duty.

During the siege of Vicksburg Captain Fisk was promoted to Major of his regiment, and Captain Adair received another promotion as his successor and earned his title of Captain during that memorable siege.

After the capture of Vicksburg and during the summer of 1863, Captain Adair was on detached service as Assistant Provost Marshal at Vicks- bnrg, in charge of river transportation and general business of the city. In the fall of 1863 the regiment veteranized, and the following spring was given a veteran furlough for thirty days. Captain Adair was relieved as Assistant Provost Marshal, and returned to his home with the regiment. In April, 1864, he returned to duty, the Forty-fifth Regiment being attached to the Seventeenth Army Corps, when they par- ticipated in the Atlantic campaign.

Capt. Adair resigned on account of ill health and returned to his home in Mt. Carroll, in 1865. Shortly after was employed as Deputy Circuit Clerk of Carroll county, under Maj. Nase in Mt. Carroll, where he remained nntil 1868; during the term, and in the winter of 1867, was Assis- tant Secretary of the State Senate; in the summer of 1868, bought the Carroll County Gazette, at Lanark, Illinois, and was associated with J. R. Howlett in its publication until the spring of

1871; in 1869, was elected chief enrolling and engrossing clerk of the Senate. After disposing of his interest in the Gazette, he became sole publisher and proprietor of the Mt. Carroll Mirror, which he conducted until 1874; in July of the same year he was appointed by Colonel Harlow, Secretary of State, to take charge of the department of indexes and archives in the office of the Secretary of State, which position he has held since, with the exception of the winter of 1881, when he was chief clerk of the Secretary of the State. The work upon which Captain Adair has been engaged, is one of great impor- tance to the public service, and to be fully appre- ciated it must be understood that until his appointment, the files of the State department were in utter confusion, and the records without the means of reference. Out of this disorder and confusion, system and order have been wrought, and it is doubtful if any State in the Union has a better system of indexes or a more ready means of reference to its flles and records than Illinois, at least as far as the work has pro- gressed, for it is proper to say that it is not yet complete. It was organized and systemized under the intelligent direction of Captain Adair, and perhaps no person in the State has so full a knowledge of facts and State Legislative history as he has, in consequence of his long and inti- mate association with the public business and the special business of the departments.

In 1878, Mr. Adair married Miss Rebecca T. Halderman, of Mt. Carroll, a daughter of Na- thaniel and Elizabeth Halderman, .

General Moses K. Anderson, Springfield, was born near Bowling Green, Kentucky, November 11, 1803; was reared on a farm, and received a limited education, having to go three miles, on foot, to school. The school building was a log structure; the seats being made from slabs of logs, and pins put in for legs. His father and mother died when he was very young, and he went to live with an uncle, William Anderson, who treated him as a son.

In 1827, he married Miss Cassarilla, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Strond, of Dixon county, Tennessee, and the following year came to this county, where Mrs. A. died, August 17, 1850, leaving six daughters and three sons. For his second wife Mr. A. married his wife's sister, who was a mother to his children. She also died, November 24, 1880. After coming to this county, Mr. A. located in Cartwright township. Being without means, he was forced to borrow money of Eli C. Blankenship, and pay fifty per cent. interest. Having purchased eighty acres

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

of land, he built a log cabin, twelve feet square; it was their kitchen, parlor and loom-room, his wife also spinning and weaving clothing for the family and their neighbors. Mrs. Anderson was a sincere Christian, being a member of the Christian Church, and was loved and respected by all who knew her. They went to church with an ox team and double wagon, leading one ox with a rope, and tying him to a sapling during service. Mr. A. remained on the farm until 1860, when he came to Springfield, where he has lived most of the time since.

The General accumulated a large tract of land, and was the second largest tax payer in the county. Previous to the Black Hawk war, he was elected Colonel of a regiment of militia, and at that time was Captain of a company, but was never ordered out. Shortly after the war he was elected Brigadier General of the malitia of the State, having competed with Colonel Dawson, of this county, and Colonel Bailey, of Tazewell county. At the time the State Capital was removed to this city, Colonel Berry was Adjutant General. As it was necessary for him to be a citizen of the county, and he being en- gaged in business, he resigned his office, and General Anderson was appointed by Governor Carlin to fill his place; he held the office for eighteen years. He was Justice of the Peace twenty-eight years, and held several other local offices of trust.

Thomas' Armstrong, of the firm of R. B. Zim- merman & Co., is a native of Dublin, Ireland; born in May, 1831. He learned the painter's trade there, beginning at the age of fourteen years, and pursued it till he crossed the Atlantic, in 1862, locating immediately in Springfield, Illinois. He was employed as a journeyman by Mr. Zimmerman until he became a member of the firm, in 1871. They keep a large stock of wall papers, window shades, glass, oils and painters' supplies; do all kinds of painting, graining, frescoing and sign writing, at which they work from fifteen to twenty-five men. Mr. Armstrong was married in his native country to Margaret Ostenburg, in 1856. They have five children.

I. M. Asbury, M. D., Springfield, Illinois, was born in McLanesboro, Hamilton county, Illinois, July 6, 1848, son of Wesley and Susan M. (Mitchell) Asbury ; father a native of North Carolina, and came to this State in 1844; at present engaged in farming ; mother a native of Illinois. Her father, Ichabod Mitchell, was among the earliest settlers of Hamilton county, and was elected the first Treasurer of the county.

The subject of this sketch was reared in his native town, where he received an elementary school education. When sixteen years of age he enlisted in the Sixtieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Company A, and remained until the close of the war. He participated in the march to the sea, with Sherman. After the war ended he attended the High School of McLanesboro, and in the meantime read medicine with Dr. David Barry ; in 1868, he went to Minnesota, where he was employed in a drug store, and at the same time, continued his medical studies ; in two years, returned to Illinois, when he studied under his old preceptor; in 1871, at- tended lectures at Cincinnati Eclectic Medical College, and graduated may 19, 1873. The Doctor is a member of the Masonic order ; was Master Mason, and represented his old lodge in McLanesboro three years. January 1, 1877, he married Miss Mary Webb, daughter of John Webb, of Hamilton county, Illinois, where she was born. He is a member of the Illinois State Eclectic Medical Society.

William B. Baker, lumber merchant, corner Wabash Railroad and Jefferson street, and pro- prietor of planing mill on Ninth street, keeps in yard a large stock of building and finishing lumber, shingles, lath, sash, doors, blinds, mould- ings, lime, plaster, sewer-pipe, etc., in which he has a large retail and some wholesale trade. His sales for 1880, counting lumber by the foot, and lath and shingles by the thousand, footed up between three and four million, besides those of other articles. His mill is a frame building erected in 1872, thirty by fifty-five feet, and equipped with machinery and appliances for doing all kinds of planing, sawing and lumber- yard work, with a capacity for dressing twenty- five thousand feet per day.

Mr. Baker was born in Connecticut in 1843; came to Springfield, Illinois, in 1852; began learning the machinist trade when thirteen years of age, and continued in that business until he went into the lumber trade, in company with J. H. Schuck, as Schuck & Baker, in 1865. At the. end of twelve years he became sole owner, and has since carried on business alone. January 1, 1881, he formed a partnership with Mr. Hintze, of Chicago, and established a wholesale business in sash, doors, blinds and mouldings, on Lumber street in that city, which is doing an extensive trade. In June, 1861, Mr. Baker enlisted in the United States Service as a member of Company I, Seventh Illinois Infantry; served three years and was mustered out in August, 1854. In De- cember of that year was united in marriage with

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Miss Adelia, youngest daughter of James L. Hill, of Springfield. They are the parents of one son, Ralph Norton Baker, thirteen years old.

George A. Ballou, grocer, 320 North Sixth street, opened the business in his present loca- tion in the spring of 1865, and is consequently one of the oldest grocers in the city. His store is 18x100 feet, crowded with a general assort- ment of family groceries and provisions. He also has a feature of flour and feed. IIe carries on a large retail trade, extending over a large portion of the city, employing three to four hands and two delivery teams.

Mr. Ballou was born and reared in New Hampshire; at the age of twenty years he came west and located near Keokuk, Iowa, being en- tirely unacquainted with any person, and having but one gold dollar as cash capital. For about five years he taught school in Iowa and Illinois; at the end of which time he came to Springfield and embarked in his present line of merchan- dising. In 1864 Mr. Ballou was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary J. Robertson, of Jackson- ville, Illinois, who was born and reared in San- gamon county. Six sons and a daughter have been born to them, of whom the daughter and one son are deceased. The five sons range in age from sixteen to eight years. Mr. Ballou is a member of Lodge No. 465, I. O. O. F., and one of the Directors of the Springfield Board of Trade. Mrs. B. is connected with the Baptist Church.

Alexander Ballou married Susan Ray; and the subject of this sketch is the second of their family of five sons, four of whom were soldiers in the late civil war; two lost their lives in the service. Mr. Ballou and one brother and mother are all now alive, the latter residing in his native State.

George Baumann, grocer, Springfield, Illi- nois, was born in the State of Baden, Germany, October 21, 1835. When fifteen years of age, he came to the United States; landed in New Orleans, then via boat to St. Louis, where he . remained a short time, thence to Springfield; worked by the month a short time, then went to Dorwin & Dickey, and learned the trade of tinner; remained with them nine years; after- wards bought the interest of Dorwin; formed a partnership with a man named Robinson, and remained in company with him four years, when he sold out and went in company with a Mr. Kennett, and was with him one year; then en- gaged with Robinson again, and continued in the business until 1871; formed a partnership with Mr. Leggott, and was with him until 1873,

when he embarked in his present business, which he has followed since. He married Miss Cath- erine Dinkel, and they have seven children-five boys and two girls. He is a member of the order of I. O. O. F. Lodge 166, of Springfield, Illinois.

Joseph Baum, marble dealer, Springfield, Illi- nois, was born in Colon, Germany, October 3, 1828. When seventeen years old he traveled through the principal countries of Europe, and at the age of twenty, was put into the Prussian army, where he remained four years. In 1848, he was in the Polish war, where he lost the sight of one of his eyes. In 1854 he landed in New York, where he worked for Fisher & Beard four years ; from there went to Charleston, S. C .; was there at the breaking out of the war, when he was doing a thriving business. With difficulty he left the South with his wife and four chil- dren. Through the influence of friends, he got a passport of Governor Pickens, and they started for Richmond; endured many trials and hard- ships before arriving at Richmond. Receiving a hint that whisky was better to buy his way than money, be bought some for $30 per bottle, which was a great help to him. He started out from Richmond, having added one more to his number, a French lady who wanted to get through the lines; but after many a long day, camping out nights, and being robbed by every- body he came in contact with, he finally suc- ceeded in crossing the Potomac, paying $10 in gold, per head, for ferrying them over, and reached the Union lines; from there he went to New York, where he commenced work; in 1864 came to Chicago, where he was employed to do the fine work on Crosby's Opera House; remained there a short time, then came to Springfield, and has been in business here ever since. He mar- ried Miss Antonette Schundy, of Germany; by this union there were eleven children, ten of whom are living, five sons and five daughters.

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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 105

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