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 83

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 83

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508

IHISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

Yates was defeated on the Nebraska issue, by only about two hundred votes, in the district which had given Pierce, two years before, two thousand majority over Scott. Six years later, he was elected Governor by the party, for the aid in the formation of which he had suffered this defeat.

Richard Yates occupied the chair of State during the most critical period of our country's history. In the fate of the Nation was involved the destiny of the States. The life-struggle of the former derived its sustenance from the loy- alty of the latter. The position of Governor of a great State was, therefore, important and responsible, as it was capable of being exerted for vast good or immense evil. Need it be said that in this trying period he discharged his duty with patriotic fidelity to the cause of the Nation? Governor Yates had many valuable attributes for his high station in this ordeal of the country. His loyalty was as undoubted as it proved itself true. He was the close personal friend of Presi- dent Lincoln. His ardent devotion to the Union was founded upon a deep love for it. While he had been early identified with the formation of the Republican party, he had not been con- nected with the old Abolitionists, among whom were persons who preferred the success of their hobby to the safety of the Union. But above all, he had a deep hold upon the affections of the people, won by his moving eloquence and genial manners. He inspired strong attachments among his partisan friends. Nature had faslı- ioned him to be admired by the masses. Hand- some, erect and symmetrical in person, with a winning address and a magnetic power, few men possessed more of the elements of popularity. His oratory, into the spirit of which he entered with apparent forgetfulness of self was scholarly and captivating, the hearer hardly knowing why he was transported. Though less logical than eloquent, he reasoned well, and always inspired deep and enduring partisan attachments. He was social and convivial to an eminent degree, traits of character which, however, were sub- jected to little of puritanical denial; but in the very excesses of his appetites he has carried with him the sympathies of the people, almost irrespective of party, on account of his many noble attributes of head and heart.

The very creditable military efforts of this State during the war of the rebellion, in putting her quotas, aggregating the enormous number of two hundred thousand soldiers, in the field, were ever promptly and ably seconded by his Excel- lency; he was ambitious to deserve the title of

the soldier's friend. His proclamations calling for volunteers are impassionate appeals, urging the duties and requirements of patriotism upon the people; and his special messages to the last Dem- ocratic legislature of this State, pleading material aid for the sick and wounded soldiers of Illinois regiments, breathe a deep fervor of noble senti- ment and feeling rarely equalled in beauty or felicity of expression. Generally his messages on political or civil affairs were able and compre hensive; though on these subjects, particularly the former, his style is, perhaps, too florid and diffuse. There were no State civil events of an engrossing character during Governor Yates' ad- ministration. Two years of it, however, were replete with partisan quarrels of great bitterness, during the sitting of the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1862, and the sessions of the last Demo- cratic legislature in 1863, which latter body he finally squelched by his act of prorogation.

Mr. Yates was subsequently elected United States Senator, and served the full term of six years with great ability. He died in St. Louis.

JAMES D. HENRY.

James D. Henry was a native of Pennsylvania. Being compelled to labor for his support from early childhood, he was barely able to read and write when he arrived at the age of manhood. In 1822, he emigrated to Illinois, and settled at Edwardsville, where he labored as a mechanic during the day and attended school at night. He next engaged in merchandizing there, and in 1826 moved to Springfield, where he continued in the same business, and was soon after elected sheriff of Sangamon county. While discharg- ing his duties as sheriff, the Winnebago war of 1827 came on. A battalion of four companies was raised, and under command of Colonel Thomas M. Neale, with Mr. Henry as Adjutant, started in pursuit of the savages. Six of the leaders gave themselves up, and thus ended the campaign.

When the Black Hawk war began in 1831, Adjutant Henry was appointed to command the first of two battalions from Sangamon county. The Indians retreated before the soldiers crossed the Mississippi river, and the chiefs returned and made a treaty of peace June 30, 1831. In the spring of 1832, when the chief, Black Hawk again commenced hostilities, Colonel Henry was once more appointed to command a battalion; but before meeting the enemy, the term of en- listment of the whole eighteen hundred men in the field expired. A regiment was immediately organized or those among the disbanded forces

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

who were willing to volunteer for the purpose of holding the savages in check while more perma- nent forces could be raised. Colonel Henry. acted as Lieutenant Colonel of this temporary organization. Three thousand two hundred men were raised, and Lieutenant-Colonel Henry was appointed General of the third brigade of twelve hundred men. General Henry commanded in the battle of Wisconsin, July 21, and the battle of Bad Axe, August 2, 1832, winning both battles, which terminated the war. He had achieved these victories against not only the wishes, but machinations, of the officers of the regular army.

On his return from the scene of conflict, the citizens of Springfield gave him a public recep- tion in recognition of his services; but owing to his extreme sensitiveness in presence of the la- dies, he never entered the apartment presided over by them. The exposures and hardships of the campaign brought on disease of the lungs, and he went South, hoping by spending the fol- lowing winter in a warm climate to avert its ef- fects; but it was too late. He died March 4, 1834, in New Orleans. Such was his singular modesty that those in whose hands he fell for the closing scenes of his life, did not know until after his death that he was General Henry, the hero of the Black Hawk war. Governor Ford, in his History of Illinois, speaks of General Henry as the idol of the people, and says: " If he had lived he would have been elected Governor of the State in 1834, by more than twenty thou- sand majority; and this would have been done against his own will, by the spontaneous action of the people."

ANDREW M'CORMACK.

Andrew McCormack, one of the celebrated "Long Nine" members of the legislature from Sangamon county, was born in Nashville, Ten- nessee, April 27, 1801. His father was born near Dublin, Ireland, and his mother (whose maiden name was McFarren,) came from the north of Ireland. They were Protestants, and left their native country during the rebellion of 1788, and were married in America. They moved with their family from Nashville, Tennessee, to Flem- ming county, Kentucky, and Mr. McCormack died there about 1815, leaving the family, con- sisting of the mother, four brothers and three sisters, to the care of Andrew. He managed to keep them together until they were able to take care of themselves. Being studiously inclined, he worked in the day and studied at night. He brought his mother and all the children to San- gamon county about 1829, settling on Fancy creek. Shortly after he went to work in the Ga-

lena lead mines, and during some Indian troub- les there, he was Captain of a company of vol- unteers. On his return he moved to Springfield, and was married July 27, 1834, on Sugar creek, to Ann S. Short.

Andrew McCormack was a stone-cutter and a brick-mason. Ile represented Sangamon county in the State Legislature, and was one of the "Long Nine." He was mayor of the city for 1843 and 1844, and was a man of great physical strength, standing six feet two and a half inches in height, and weighing two hundred and eighty pounds.

Andrew McCormack died in Springfield, Janu- ary 24, 1857.

ROBERT L. WILSON.

Another of the "Long Nine " was Robert L. Wilson, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1805. His parents were Scotch-Irish, their ancestors having emi- grated from Scotland and settled near the city of Belfast, soon after the conquest of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell, in the sixteenth century. In 1778 they sailed for America, settling in York county, Pennsylvania. In 1782, they moved to Washington county, Pennsylvania, on pack horses, as there had not then been any roads made across the Allegheny mountains. From Washington county, where the subject of our sketch was born, the family moved in 1810 to Zanesville, Ohio, where his father died in 1821, and Robert L., then sixteen years of age, deter- mined to educate himself. He first qualified himself for teaching a country school, and taught until he laid up some money, with which he entered Franklin College, Ohio. He sustained himself during his college course in the same way, and graduated in four years. In the fall of 1831 he went to Kentucky, where he taught an academy and studied law. He was married March 28, 1833, in Sharpsburg, Bath county, Kentucky, to Eliza J. Kincaid, and admitted to the bar as an attorney at law. They soon after moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1833, at Athens. That not now being a part of Sangamon county, he would not prop- erly be included as an early settler of this county, but his having been one of the " Long Nine " is sufficient reason for including his sketch here. Mr. Wilson was elected in August, 1836, as one of the seven Representatives of Sangamon county, who, with the two Senators, made up what was known as the "Long Nine" who served in the legislature of 1836, '37, and secured the removal of the capital of Illinois from Vandalia to Spring- field. Ile moved with his family from San-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

gamon county in 1840, to Sterling, Whiteside county.

Soon after Mr. Wilson moved to Sterling, he was appointed clerk of the Circuit Court, to which office he was elected five times, serving continuously until December 1, 1860. Eight years of that time he served as Probate Judge. He was in Washington, D. C., when Fort Sum- ter fell, and enlisted as a private in a battalion commanded by Cassius M. Clay, and called the Clay Guard. It numbered four hundred, mostly non-residents, and acted as night police, guard- ing the city at the most critical time in its his- tory. As soon as the New York Seventh Regi- ment reached Washington, the Clay Guard was relieved and mustered out. Mr. Wilson returned to Sterling, Illinois, and assisted in raising Com- pany A, Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry, and was elected Captain, but declined in favor of the First Lieutenant. He started for Washington on the fourth of July, and called on President Lincoln on the seventh to tender his services in any ca- pacity where he could be useful. Mr. Lincoln said he had made out a list of his old friends before leaving Springfield, that he might ap- point them to office, and said, "I have appointed all down to your name. Now, what do you wish?" Mr. Wilson said he thought he could discharge the duties of quartermaster. Mr. Lincoln said, "I can do better than that for you," and made him paymaster. His appointment was made out on the sixth, and he was confirmed by the Senate, August 7, 1861. He was placed on duty at Washington City, and was soon af- terward ordered to St. Louis. In the two suc- ceeding years he paid out nearly four million dollars, principally in the West and South. Af- ter the fall of Vicksburg he was ordered to Springfield, Illinois, and promoted to the rank of Colonel for meritorous services. He was mustered out November 15, 1865. During his four years and four months service he received and disbursed about seven million dollars, to near one hundred thousand soldiers, without a shadow of suspicion against his character.

On the 10th of May, 1875, he started alone on a trip of observation and sight-seeing in Europe. He left New York on the steamer Rhein, one of the Bremen line. He arrived at Southampton May 20th, and in London the same day, where he spent one week visiting objects of interest. From London to Dover, crossing the Straits to Calais, France, thence by way of Bolougne and Amiens to Paris, with its three millions of in- habitants. He spent three weeks in Paris, sight-seeing and gleaning knowledge from every

source. From Paris he went by way of Fon- tainblue up the river Seine, through Mount Cenis tunnel to Turin, Italy, and through Genoa, Pisa, Leghorn and other Italian cities to Rome, where he spent two weeks visiting objects of historic interest. From Rome he went south to Naples, passed Appi Forum and the three tav- erns. He visited Mount Vesuvius, and looked into its crater of boiling lava. Spent one day each at Pompeii and Herculaneum, and return- ing to Rome, went to Florence, where he spent a few days. Crossed the Appenines to Venice, the city built two miles from the shore, in the Adriatic sea. Ascended the river Po, through Lombardy, and the city of Verona, to Milan. Crossed the Alps by way of the Simplon Pass, reaching an altitude of twelve thousand feet above the sea. Descended the river Rhone and Lake Geneva to the city of Geneva and Berne, the capital of Switzerland. From there he re- turned to Paris, thence to London, where be spent two weeks more. Visited other parts of England, thence to Edinburg, Stirling and many points of interest in Scotland. Went through freland and Wales, thence to Liverpool. Sailed on the steanier Baltic to New York and home. He was four months out, at a total cost of seven hundred and fifty dollars.

Mr. Wilson died in Whiteside county in 1880. WILLIAM F. ELKIN.

William F. Elkin was born April 13, 1792, in Clarke county, Kentucky. In 1811 he moved to Xenia, Ohio, and was there married to Eliza- beth Constant. In 1820, the family moved to Brownsville, Indiana, and then to Sangamon county, in 1825. In 1828, Mr. Elkin was elected a member of the legislature, and served one term. In 1831, he raised a company and was Captain of it in the Black Hawk War of that year. He was again elected to represent the county in the legislature in 1836 and in 1838, and was, consequently, a member of the legisla- ture that enacted the law for the removal of the capital from Vandalia to Springfield, and there- fore one of the "Long Nine" from Sangamon county. ITis last labors in the legislature was at its first meeting in Springfield in called session, December 9, 1839. In 1840 and 1842 he was elected sheriff of Sangamon county. He was appointed Register of the United States Land Office at Springfield, in September, 1861, by his old "Long Nine" colleague, Abraham Lincoln. In 1867 he moved to Decatur, but held the office in Springfield until 1872, when he resigned.

William F. Elkin died about 1878.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

JOHN CALHOUN.

Though not a citizen of Sangamon county at the time of his death, John Calhoun lived so long here, and was so well and favorably known that a sketch of him is not out of place in this connection.

John Calhoun was born October 14, 1808, in Boston, Massachusetts, and in 1821 accompanied his father to the Mohawk Valley, in New York. After finishing his studies at the Canajoharie Academy, he studied law at Fort Plain, both in Montgomery county. In 1830 he came to Spring- field, Illinois, and resumed the study of law, sustaining himself by teaching a select school. He took part in the Black Hawk war of 1831-2, and after its close, was appointed by the Gov- ernor of the State, Surveyor of Sangamon county. He induced Abraham Lincoln to study surveying, in order to become his deputy. From that time the chain of friendship between them continued bright to the end of their lives, although they were ardent partizans of different schools of politics.

John Calhoun entered the political field in 1835, being the Democratic candidate that year for the State Senate of Illinois, but there being a large Whig majority in the county, he was defeated by Archer G. Herndon. In 1838 he was elected to represent Sangamon county in the State legislature. In 1841 he, with John Duff, completed the railroad from Jacksonville to Springfield, being the first to reach the State Capital. In 1842 he was appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court of Sangamon county, by Judge Treat. In 1844 he was one of the Presidential Electors of Illinois for President Polk. In 1849- '50-'51, he was successively elected mayor of Springfield. In 1852 he was one of the Presi- dential Electors of Illinois for President Pierce, and was selected by his colleagues to carry the vote to Washington City. In 1854 he was ap- pointed, by President Pierce, Surveyor General of Kansas and Nebraska, and moved his family to Kansas.

Here he entered a political field with new and exciting sectional elements. He was elected a delegate to the convention that framed what has passed into history at the Lecompton Constitu- tion. He became the President of that body, which was composed of unscrupulous pro-slavery adventurers, with a small number of conserva- tive members, among whom was the President. That odious instrument would have been adopted by the convention without submitting it to a vote of the people, had it not been for the deter- mined opposition of President Calhoun, who

threatened to resign, and opposed it by every method in his power, unless it was submitted; and when it came to the polls he voted against adopting the pro-slavery clause. That instru- ment provided that the President of the conven- tion should count the vote and report the result.

Soon after this duty was discharged he started for Washington City, leaving all the returns and papers relating to the election with one, L. A. McLane, Chief Clerk of the Surveyor General's office. He has been described as "A brilliant clerk, but vain, vacillating and ambitious of do- ing smart things, and economical of the truth generally." The instructions given to him by General Calhoun before starting east, was to af- ford every facility to any body of respectable men to examine the returns, as evidences of dis- satisfaction were already apparent, and the con- viction soon became general that a stupendous fraud had been committed against the ballot. Soon the excitement became intense, endanger- ing the lives of some of the conspicuous actors, and McLane became alarmed. General Thomas L. Ewing, Jr. and Judge Smith called upon him, with a letter from Mr. Calhoun, instructing the clerk to let those gentlemen examine the returns. Mr. McLane falsely stated to Messrs. Ewing and Smith that the returns were not in his posses- sion; that General Calhoun had taken them with him when he left for Washington. A few evenings later, McLane attended a ball at Law- rence, where he was plied with good cheer, at- tentions and flattery, so grateful to his appetite and vanity, and after becoming mellow by the oc- casion, a Lawrence belle, acting the part of Delilah, drew from him the secret of the coveted papers. The next day he was called upon by a committee of the Territorial Legislature, who demanded the returns, when he again denied having them in his possession. He was then summoned before a committee of the legislature, and there stated under oath that General Calhoun had taken the returns with him. The cross-ques- tions revealed to him the fact that the Lawrence belle had betrayed him. Realizing his position, he returned that night to Lecompton, and with a few cronies, put the returns in a candle box and buried it under a wood pile. A porter in the Surveyor-General's office, by the name of Charles Torrey who had for a long time acted as a spy for the enemies of General Calhoun, watched the operation, and gave the informa- tion. A company of men from Lawrence soon after uncarthed the box and bore away the prize. The exposure of MeLane's villainy was now complete, and he precepitately fled the Territory,

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

with a mob in close pursuit. Thus the odium of the dastardly acts of this man were nnjustly visited upon General Calhoun. Unqualified abuse and misrepresentations were heaped upon him, and spread broadcast over the country by the press. That broke down his spirits, and he soon after left the Territory, went to St. Joseph, Missouri, and died there. He deserved a better fate. He was a man of genial, hopeful, generous temperament; ever ready to serve or defend a friend, but rarely defending himself, except on the spur of the moment; of great ability, and for a time was the best political orator in the State of Illinois. He was brilliant, but deficient in practical application. President Lincoln has been heard to say that John Calhoun was the strongest man he had ever met on the stump; that he could manage Douglas, but that Calhoun always gave him his hands full.

As a lawyer, Mr. Calhoun was always regarded by his brother attorneys as one of the most talented of the many bright legal lights of the Sangamon County Bar. Mr. Calhoun died Octo- ber 25, 1859, at St. Joseph, Missouri.

GENERAL E. B. HARLAN.

Emory B. Harlan was born at West Union, Ohio, on the 16th day of December, 1839. His father, Enoch Harlan, was a member of the Society of Friends, hence his early education was in that rigorous school. He graduated at an Ohio college, and removed with his father's family to Marion county, in the State of Illinois.

At the outbreak of the war he was residing in Salem, Illinois, and being of an ardent tempera- ment and patriotic, in August 1861 he answered the call of his country. He enlisted in the 49th Infantry, and won renown and successive pro- motions. Appointed Second Lieutenant of Com- pany D., 49th Illinois Infantry, December 30, 1861; in the succeeding February he was pro- moted to the First Lieutenancy of that company. On June 17, 1863 he was detailed by order of General Grant as Acting Assistant Adjutant General, Fourth Brigade, First Division, Six- teenth Army Corps, and reported for duty to Brigadier General Hugh Ewing, at Louisville, Kentucky. In February, 1865, when Major- General John M. Palmer took command of the Department of Kentucky, Captain Harlan was made Adjutant-General of the department, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. May 22, 1866 he received the brevet rank of Major, a week later the brevet rank of Lieutenant Colo- nel, and on August 28, 1866, he was brevetted Brigadier General of Volunteers. All his ad- vancements having been in recognition of his

meritorious and faithful services. At the close of the war he was tendered a commission in the regular army, but declined it, took up his resi- dence with his father. then at Decatur, and com- menced the practice of law. On the 4th of July, 1864, he married, at Salem, Illinois, Miss Mary A. Crandwell, who survives him. In 1869, Gov- ernor Palmer remembering his faithful services during the war, called General Harlan to the position of Private Secretary, and he remained so during Governor Palmer's term of office. Conceiving a taste for literary work, he largely abandoned the law to enter the newspaper field, and became Springfield correspondent to the Chicago Tribune and the Evening Journal, of that city. In this enlarged field of usefulness he labored with zeal and faithfulness. He became associated with the Journal as its legislative re- porter and in his connection with the press gen- erally, developed a marked degree of ability, at- taining recognition and eminence among the res- ident members of the fraternity as an indefatiga- ble worker, alive to the duties of correspondent, and especially as a gatherer of news. In personal and social relations he was one whom to know was to honor and admire, and those with whom his profession called him to intimate association cherished for him the strongest feelings of per- sonal regard.

In the varied relations of life he was re spected, as a citizen honest and upright; a gen tleman whose influence was most happy. His do- mestic life was one of unalloyed happiness and his thoughtfulness and consideration of his family often found expression, during the last few days of his life, to those who waited by his bedside ministering to his wants with watchful eyes and willing hands, in the vain hope of postponing the fatal hour.

In the inner home circle, where his warm im- pulses, his generous feelings, his purity of life, the attributes of a loving husband and father, were best known and appreciated, his death is a bereavement indeed. Cut down in the midst of a career of usefulness, in the prime of life, he leaves to mourn his irreparable loss a devoted wife and four children.

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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 83

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