USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 39
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
Contempory with the Danville Building Association, The Vermilion County Association was organized on the serial plan, organized capital, $5,000,000. Its officers were J. G. Holden, president; Dudley Watrous, vice president; C. I .. English, treasurer; B. E. Bandy, secretary; J. B. Mann, attorney. The assets of the association at its last annual statement in January, 1910, were $879,563.54. March 21, 1882, The Home Building Association was organized on the serial plan. Authorized capital, $5,000,000. Its officers were Achilles Martin, presi- dent; W. D. Lindsey, vice president ; James H. Phillips, secretary ; F. W. Pen- well, treasurer; W. A. Young, attorney. The monthly payments on each share in this association was $1,000. This association was very popular from the date of its organization, and in eight years its assets were about one-third of a million dollars. In November, 1903. The Danville and Home Building Asso- ciation, being practically under the same management, and then on the same plan, it was voted by the directors of each to merge the two associations and wind up the Home. The Home is yet in existence, but its assets, at its last statement, had been reduced to $19,717.25.
In November, 1884, The Fidelity Investment and Building Association was organized on the same plan, with authorized capital, $10,000,000. Its first offi- cers were : president, C. H. Giddings, vice president, Louis Platt ; treasurer, C. U. Feldkamp; secretary, W. F. E. Gurley; attorney, W. J. Calhoun.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE PROFESSION OF MEDICINE IN VERMILION COUNTY.
The profession of medicine in the early days in Vermilion County was not of much importance. The healing art was relegated to the Indian doctor and the mid- wife. The first physicians recorded as having practice in this region came from as far away as Palestine. Absalom Starr hurt his heel and it did not get bet- ter, so he and his family went back to Palestine and there seemed nothing that could be done to save the foot. Coming back to Vermilion County an Indian doc- tor cured it, however. The first physicians who made their home in the county were Dr. Isaac Smith, Dr. Heyward, Dr. Asa Palmer, Dr. Holmes and Dr. Wood.
Dr. Isaac Smith built the first house or rather occupied the first building in Georgetown as an office in which to keep his little stock of "calomel and jalep, salts and senna, lancet and forceps." This latter found frequent use since the profession of dentistry had not as yet been established. Dr. Smith was a man of good education and excellent characteristics. He was a successful practitioner and found much to do in the treatment of fevers, and other ills incident to a pioneer residence in Vermilion County. His residence was but short, when he moved to Macinaw. 1
Dr. Asa Palmer located in Danville in about 1825, and became the first permanent physician in Vermilion County. His practice extended in every di- rection for many miles. He was an eastern man coming to Vermilion County from the state of New York. In connection with his son he established the first drug store in Danville.
Dr. Heyward located in Georgetown in 1829. He continued his practice here for ten years, after which he moved to his farm in Carroll township where he resided until 1871, when he moved to Indianola. In 1831, Dr. Heyward married Sarah Barnett, daughter of George Barnett, and sister of the well known Rob- ert Barnett. Dr. Heyward, although a politician as well as a physician, did not let any thing interfere with his professional work. At the time of his coming into the county there were three other physicians here; they were Dr. Palmer, Dr. Holmes and Dr. Blood.
Dr. David Knight was another of these early physicians; so also was Dr. W. P. Davis. The latter was a practitioner living in Georgetown.
309
310
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
Dr. William Fithian came to Vermilion County and located in Danville. He was one of the most distinguished physicians ever living in the county.
Dr. Fithian continued in active practice during almost sixty years after coming to Danville. During that time he saw many changes made in both pro- fessional and social life. During these years he was, probably as widely known as any man in Illinois. He was a typical pioneer physician, he would often be in the saddle for weeks at a time, excepting for a very few hours of sleep he might snatch at night. He made his trips on horseback, keeping from six to ten head of horses all in constant work. His practice extended as far west as Bloomington, in McLean County; south to and into Edgar County; north into Iroquois and Kankakee Counties, and at times even to Chicago, and east far into the state of Indiana. When he went on these long rides he always had a pack- age of tea with him and when he could not get the hot water to make a cup of the beverage, he would chew the tea grounds. Dr. Fithian was a politician, as well as a physician, and as such he was very well known. He was in the state legislature at the time the great appropriations were voted for internal improve- ments, and he did his best to keep the legislation from proceeding, seeing but one result from such wild propositions for spending the people's money. When Dr. Fithian found he had not enough influence to stop legislation, he proceeded to make the most of his knowledge of the matter and had the appropriation made for the North Cross Railroad, expended on abutments and grading in Ver- milion County.
With the many physicians in Vermilion County during all the years since the coming of Dr. Asa Palmer, there are a few who have distinguished them- selves. Dr. Fithian ·is one of these. Another was Dr. George Wheeler Jones who came to Danville just after the close of the Civil war. Dr. Jones had served three years as assistant surgeon of the 63rd Regiment, Indiana Volunteers. He went into the army after a very short practice in Terre Haute, Indiana. Dr. Jones went to Wabash college and took his training in study of medicine in Lind University later Chicago medical college of Northwestern University, from which he was graduated in 1861. While in Chicago he took special training under Dr. Byford. For two years he was one of the surgeons in charge of the field hospitals of the third division of the 23d army corps. He served with Sher- man in the Atlanta campaign, and also in the operations against Hood's army in Tennessee. He carried the scars of the wound received as the result of the explosion of a shell, as long as he lived. Dr. Jones had a splendid record as physician and surgeon, both in the army and afterward in general practice. When he graduated from the medical college he took the honors of his class, and his was the prize thesis. The theme of this was the subject so little understood at that time, that of milk sickness. Dr. Jones was very active in his profession, being abreast or in some instances, ahead of his time. His practice was not lim- ited to his immediate home town, and his reputation as a practitioner was by no means altogether local. Dr. Jones was a member of many medical societies, among them being the Vermilion County Medical Society, The Illinois Central Medical Society, The Chicago Medical Society, The Illinois State Medical So- ciety, the Mississippi Valley Medical Society, and the American Medical Society. He was very active in all these organizations and a tireless worker in every line
311
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
of professional work. He was a delegate to the International Medical Congress at Washington, D. C., in 1888.
Dr. Jones was an earnest student and a ready worker. He was one of those rare physicians who seemed to have the healing touch. It has been said that, although having died years ago, yet is remembered and more often men- tioned and quoted than any other physician in Vermilion County. Dr. Jones gave his strength and efforts to the practice of his profession among his friends and when his health failed, and he was obliged to go to the Bermuda Islands to re- cuperate, he died, January, 1895.
The advance in the profession of medicine has been rapid and far reach- ing during the last few years. One in particular of the resident physicians has made a good record in his special work so that he is said to be one of the six physicians of the state outside of Chicago who have won distinction in his particular line.
Dr. W. A. Cochrane takes the line of bacteriological findings. He has been working in this line of investigation for four or more years, and being a true scientist, feels that he has but just begun to study. Dr. Cochrane has been treat- ing tuberculosis with tuberculin for several years using the opsonic index. He carries on a line of original investigation with painstaking care and promises to reach greater distinction. Dr. Cochrane makes all diagnosis of infectious diseases according to the Wassermann reaction. While there are other physicians who use the microscope, and may become experts yet it is safe to predict that Dr. Cochrane will distinguish himself and reflect credit on Vermilion County even to a greater extent in the future in the line which he is following.
Some of the physicians coming to Vermilion County before 1840 were Dr. Davis, Dr. Holmes, and Dr. A. M. C. Hawes. After this date there were Dr. J. R. Holloway, Dr. Samuel H. Vredenburg, and Dr. W. D. Craig.
The first of these three settled in Salem, the second settled in Newtown and lived there for many years, a country practitioner, who learned the ills to which this region was subjected and by constant practice was enabled to find the best way of effecting cures. Dr. Craig, Dr. A. H. Kimbrough and Dr. Cloyd all were located in Georgetown. Dr. Wilkins was another practitioner of New- town. Dr. Porter, Dr. Ralston, Dr. J. H. Farris, Dr. Smith and Dr. Griffin were here in about that time. Another of the early physicians who locate in Newton was Dr. O'Ferrell. One of the men living in Danville who as a boy had his home not far from Newtown, tells with a kind recollection of how Dr. O'Ferrell is inseparately connected with the old gray horse he rode when go- ing on his professional work. To this man Dr. O'Ferrell seemed to spend his entire time on that one horse. The tribute paid to this oldtime physician and his personal care of the sick is well worth the discomforts of that early day riding around the country to heal the sick.
A little later Ridge Farm added to the list of physicians in Vermilion County the names of Dr. McCaffey, Dr. A. A. Sulcer, Dr. G. R. Steele, and Dr. W. R. Nash.
Dr. S. W. Jones was a popular physician in Catlin before he moved to Dan- ville where he is yet living. The two Drs. Humphrey were located in Danville
312
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
at an early date and were quite well liked practitioners. Dr. Balsch (Georgetown), Dr. John R. Livingood (Rossville), and Dr. J. M. Baum (Indianola), were all prominent in the profession while they were at work. Dr. R. Vandoren, Dr. Jolın E. Butz (Potomac), Dr. S. T. Smith (Oakwood), Drs. J. L. Hull, Wm. Porter (Higginsville).
The Vermilion County Medical Society has been in existence for years but interest was lagging or perhaps was at a very low ebb as indications would show when in 1897 the society took on a new lease of life. It was at this meet- ing that the following physicians were present and a new society or rather the old one was given new life: Drs. Brown, Fairhall, T. E. Walton, S. C. Clidden, R. Gillett, P. H. Barton, W. H. Paul, M. L. Horn, M. A. Cochran, J. W. Moore. E. E. Clar and J. M. Wright. The date of this meeting was November 12. 1897. This society has prospered and now counts about one hundred members.
In the spring of 1903, the Vermilion County Medical Society became af- filiated with the Illinois State Medical Society, and the members of the Ver- milion County were also members of the State Medical Society. That implies a stack that can work in both direction for the best interests of all concerned the members of one of the societies ought to be the member of both to do the most with either. The members of the Vermilion County Medical Society are in large majority residents of Danville.
The Danville Medical society is another society more in the nature of a club. This is the outgrowth of the desire on the part of a limited number of physicians to do post graduate work. The membership is so far limited to twenty and comprise those who are anxious to advance in the profession. This society holds semi-monthly meetings, one of which is of a social nature. They have rooms nicely fitted up in the Temple building and have constantly on file all of the best medical journals published in any language. A librarian is in constant attendance and everything done to aid and encourage each in the ad- vancing methods and means of the medical profession.
The Aesculapian Society of the Mississippi Valley has as members one or two of the Danville physicians. Dr. E. B. Coolley was president of the society in 1910. Dr. Coolley is one of Danville's physicians.
THE DRUG TRADE.
In the early days of Vermilion County drugs and medicines were a part of the stock in trade of the practicing physician. There was no need of a store where one would go to buy his own drugs. The fields and woods furnished simple helps to health and the doctor did the rest. A little later the demand for quinine, calomel, and other necessities of life in the Wabash valley, was met by the sale of these independently first in the general store and later from a stock of their own. Since the general store sold drugs, just as the department stores now sell them, long before drug stores were known, it is difficult to establish a date when the trade began, and the history of the drug trade in Vermilion county must of necessity become a history of the trade in Danville. The pioneer drug store in Danville was the well known Woodbury store which has been in business
313
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
continuously for nearly fifty-one years. Last winter this store celebrated the fiftieth year of its existence.
When W. W. R. Woodbury returned to Danville after having finished his studies in Rush Medical College, in 1850, he became a druggist. His partner was James A. D. Sconce. Mr. Sconce had been in the drug trade for six years, and the young physician, who wanted to try a partnership with him, paid $563,6. The firm had to pay the enormous sum of $75 per year for rent. Danville's pop- ulation at this time was 736. All merchandise came by way of the Wabash river to Perrysville or Covington, Indiana, thence was hauled across country. There were no traveling men at that time, and all the drugs must needs be bought by the proprietor going to the eastern cities once or twice per year. The amount of sales of this firm can be estimated by the bill yet in existence from one firm of a purchase at one semi-annual trip of $2,000. Their customers came from fifty miles in every direction. The firm of Sconce and Woodbury did business for three years and then Mr. Sconce sold his interest to Stephen Mires and John W. Mires. The firm name became Woodbury & Co., and this arrangement continued for four years. Meanwhile the population of Danville increased. In 1857, another change in the firm name put the business under the entire charge of Mr. Woodbury, and from that time until 1885 the store was the W. W. R. Woodbury store. In 1860 the population of Danville was 1,632 which ten years before this time was but 736. In 1885 the firm name changed once more, becoming A. G. Woodbury. In 1903 the Woodbury Drug Co. was formed and the business has been done under this name ever since.
Just after the war the Jones Bros.' drug store was opened at the corner of Main and Hazel streets. This building was put up for the purpose of housing the store and it yet remains standing, having been used for a drug store for forty years. This firm comprised Dr. George Wheeler Jones and his brother, James S. Jones or "Jim," as he was familiarly called. Dr. Jones practiced in Danville and the country surrounding, and his brother who was a fine business man, con- ducted the drug store. This firm was continued until the death of the younger brother. The stock and building were sold to Waterman and Irwin, who continued the business. In 1874 there were four drug stores in Danville. They were Woodbury's Jones Bros.', E. E. Boudinot, and E. C. Winslow. Baum's made the fifth. The Baum drug store came to Danville in that year. The next year Irwin and Waterman sold out, and in a year and a half, Franz came. The Franz drug store was on Vermilion street above North street. He sold out to Taylor & Bro. & Genung. It was at this time that Kesper on Washington ave., moved to Georgetown. Dixon succeeded Hakey on East Main street. Stickrod clerked for Nungesser on Vermilion street. Lindsey had a store on Logan ave. and sold out to Gus Hall. Gus Hall, on north Vermilion street, sold to Mr. Thomas. Kesper started a store out by the Junction and sold out to Mr. Ed- wards. Winslow sold his stock to Stebe and he sold to Johnson. Morrow bought out Nungesser and Carter and shipped the stock out of town. Irwin sold his store to John Boudinot, who kept it for a time and in turn sold it to Johnson, and Irwin bought it back, and later sold it to Overman. Franz sold his store, on Vermilion street, to a man from Milford, who in turn sold to the Owen-Raney firm. J. W. Plaster, of the firm of Plaster Drug Co., started his store, and
314
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
has been running it continuously since. The Baum drug store started in Marsh- field, Indiana, being a branch store from Covington, Indiana. In 1874, a branch store was started at Gibson City and moved to Danville. This drug store was housed in the room on Vermilion street, owned by D. Gregg, for four years and two months, at the end of which time it was moved into the Daniels building, where it remained twelve years. In 1818, Mr. Baum put up the building where he is at present. This is one of the best buildings in eastern Illinois. It is abso- lutely fire proof, being built entirely of steel and stone.
HOSPITALS.
LAKEVIEW.
In December, 1892, Herman Schuckai, Chas. A. Crane, Horace Reed, M. S. Brown, C. H. Little, John A. Griffin, Hiram Woods, C. L. Hawley, Thos. L. Spellman applied for and received a charter for the formation of the Protestant Hospital Association, afterwards changed to Lake View Hospital 'Association.
They rented a building on East Fairchild street where they cared for patients until the present building was completed and formally dedicated March 12, 1896. The present building has a capacity of 40 beds with a modern operating room and a complete sterilizing plant. They treat 300 to 400 patients a year and number some of the best physicians and surgeons of the city on their staff. The hospital maintains a training school for nurses containing a three-year course of instruc- tion in nursing and the care of patients. The school has 46 graduates who do private nursing and 10 young ladies in training at present.
ST. ELIZABETH.
The St. Elizabethi hospital was established in Danville in 1882, August I. It was housed in a frame building but soon outgrew that. In 1888, it was put into the new building where more conveniences could be had. This was the only hospital in Vermilion County for many years and the good done by the faithful sisters can never be estimated. In 1900, the west wing was added and the effi- ciency of the hospital was increased. But yet there was not enough room for all the calls made up on the care demanded. In 1904 another addition was made and since that time the hospital has been complete. The building is large airy, and well furnished. It is well lighted, all the rooms being pleasant and so arranged as to make them perfectly sanitary. Every care is taken and there is no better equipped hospital in the country than the St. Elizabeth at Danville. The capacity of this hospital at this time is one hundred and twenty-five patients. The loca- tion on the corner of Green and Elizabeth streets is one of advantage. It is away from the noise and confusion of the down town stores and yet is not far away from travelled streets. The trolley runs within a block of the door and the situa- tion is quite favorable. The St. Elizabeth hospital is an institution of which Dan- ville may well be proud and for which the whole county needs be very thankful.
CHAPTER XXX. THE BENCH AND BAR-THE FEDERAL COURT.
THE BENCH AND BAR.
When Illinois was admitted to the Union as a state, the territory which now comprises Vermilion County, was practically uninhabited, with the possible ex- ception of a few hunters and trappers who had no permanent places of abode. Crawford County at that time extended from its present southern boundary as far north as the Wisconsin line, including in its jurisdiction the entire eastern section of the state. The county seat was located at Palestine, a small town on the Wabash river at the foot of LaMotte creek.
Whenever the inhabitants in any locality became sufficiently numerous, the old county was divided, and a new one struck off. So it was, that in the latter part of 1818 Clark County was created from the northern and more unsettled portion of Crawford. Aurora, the county seat, was a little village on the Wabash river. In 1823 Clark County in turn was divided, and all north of its present northern limits was termed Edgar County, with the county seat at Paris. By 1826 there were a number of settlers along the Vermilion river. A new county was therefore organized and called Vermilion.
At that time Vermilion County extended over the territory now included in the counties of Champaign, Iroquois and Ford; also a large portion of Livingston, Grundy and Will. But as the population increased, these counties were cut off until in 1859 Vermilion had assumed the proportions which it still maintains.
The act of the General Assembly which established Vermilion County, also provided for the appointment of three commissioners whose duty it was to determine upon a suitable location for a county seat. It was further provided that the owners of such land as might be selected by the commission, should donate at least twenty acres to the county. The county was empowered to have a sale of such land, the proceeds to be employed in the erection of the necessary county buildings. The commissioners selected a place about six miles west of Danville along the Salt Fork river. The lessee of the land, however, refused to surrender the requisite twenty acres. A new commission was con- sequently appointed by the governor, and on January 31, 1827, recommended that the county seat be located on the east of the North Fork and north of the Vermilion rivers upon lands donated by Dan W. Beckwith and Guy W. Smith. The recommendation met with approval, and the county seat was located at its present site, and the town given the name "Danville."
315
316
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
The population of most of the counties was very small, and the amount of legal business correspondingly small. It was therefore provided under the con- stitution of 1818 to have one circuit judge for each circuit, which was composed of several counties. All the judges were selected by a joint ballot of both branches of the General Assembly and held office during good behavior.
The first court held in this county was by Judge James A. Wattles, March 6, 1826, at the house of James D. Butler, located on what is now the main street of Catlin. In 1827 Judge William Wilson held court at the houses of Asa Elliott, in Butler's Point, and Amos Williams, which was located within the limits of Danville, the new county seat. The first court house, which was completed in 1829, was a small, incommodious structure, situated on the south- west corner of the square. The rapidly increasing legal business soon rendered it entirely inadequate. Plans were made for a larger and better building, but it was not until 1833, however, that a new brick court house was constructed on the northeast corner of the square. The new building was two stories in height and about fifty feet square. The lower floor was used for the court room, the second floor for the jury rooms, and a few of the county offices.
There was no provision in the constitution of 1818 for a county judge. The probate work of the county was transacted before a probate justice of the peace. Amos Williams, who held many offices of public trust, served in that capacity from 1826 until 1837. He was succeeded by Norman D. Palmer, who held the office until the adoption of the constitution of 1848, which placed the jurisdiction of probate matters in a county judge.
Since the legal business arising in any county at this time was so small, it was the custom for attorneys to itinerate the circuit attending the holdings of court at the various county seats. Many men of ability and prominence ap- peared regularly at the sessions of court held in Vermilion County. One of the most successful and popular of the non-resident attorneys was Abraham Lincoln, who, although living in Springfield, did an extensive business in this county. Judge Treat, who later served as a federal judge, held court in Ver- milion County during the 'forties. The names of E. D. Baker who later served a term as governor of Oregon, Judge David Davis, of the United States Su- preme Court and United States Senate, Usher F. Linder, Leonard P. Sweat and D. W. Voorhees, stand out preeminent as the leading practitioners of their day.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.