USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, together with historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 40
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At Caldwell's Ford the regiment remained until the advance was made which culminated in the battle of Mission Ridge, and the de- feat of the enemy. In this battle it did not take an active part until the enemy was in full retreat, assisting in driving him beyond reach. Learning of the threatened attack of Knoxville by a portion of the forces from the eastern army, it was sent to the relief of that post. Accomplishing that object, it returned and went into camp on Chick- amanga Creek, at a place known as Lee and Gordon Mills, Georgia. Here it awaited the reorganization of the army, and was placed in the 3d brigade, 3d division of the 14th Army Corps, Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, commanding. And now commenced the most vigorous part of the regiment's career, On the advance of the grand army on
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what is known as the "Atlanta campaign," it was under fire many times, and participated in several battles in approaching that city. In the battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Tennessee, and other engagements, the regiment suffered severely, and at the end of that campaign nearly or quite one half of the command that entered upon it were numbered among the dead or wounded. At Kennesaw Mountain, on the fatal 27th of June, 1864, it lost one half of the command. Just previous to the order to charge being given, the regiment mustered two hundred and forty guns. After the charge, and when the list was made of the casualties, it was found that over one half had been killed or wounded. Here fell Col. Har- mon, Capt. Fellows, Capt. Lee, Lient. McLean, and many a brave private, whose names are embalmed in the hearts of friends, and referred to with sadness after a lapse of fifteen years. Col. Harmon had been chiefly instrumental in raising the regiment. He had left honors and a lucrative profession at home, to respond to his eoun- try's call, and gave his life in its defense. His name will be remem- bered so long as a member of the command lives, and venerated by them.
This campaign ended in the battle of Jonesborough, in which the regiment suffered severe loss, as they did at Peach Tree Creek, and the subsequent capture of Atlanta.
At Atlanta a reorganization of the army occurred, and the con- coction of the great campaign known in history as the " March to the Sea," under Sherman. With that army the regiment took up the line of march toward the coast, and without any startling inci- dent aside from skirmishes, ete., reached Savannah about the 20th of December, 1864, and participated in the honor attending the cap- ture of that important post. It lost many men in this campaign, through capture, sickness, etc. Crossing the Savannah at Sister's Ferry, at the commencement of the campaign which culminated in the surrender of the Confederate forces and the suppression of the great rebellion, after the evacuation of Richmond, it advanced with the left wing of the army and participated in its last battle at Ben- tonville, a small town in North Carolina, losing quite heavily. On the surrender of Johnston it marched to Washington, where it re- mained several weeks, and was then sent to Chicago, where it was mustered ont, paid and discharged from the service of the United States after nearly three years of active service, with hardly one-half of those who had started with it from Danville remaining. Many had died or had been killed in action, others had been discharged from disability arising from wounds or diseases contracted by expo-
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sure and the severity of campaign life. and a few, a very few, had been lost by desertion. And thus ended the services of the 125th regiment Illinois Volunteers in the "Great Rebellion."
THE PRESS.
The Illinois Printing Company was organized under the laws of the state. in July. 1874, with a capital stock of $50,000. It has been prosperous from the beginning, and, by fair dealing and energetic effort, has won for itself a large trade in Illinois and adjoining states, and a reputation which places it among the first-class printing and blank-book manufacturing establishments in the state. The com- pany occupy six rooms, 50×100 feet, all of which are filled with the best class of printing and book-binding material. machinery and merchandise adapted to the trade in which it is engaged. The Illi- nois Printing Company was organized when the times were very hard and money scarce. Its rapid and healthy growth has been a matter of surprise to its competitors and wonder to all who are acquainted with its history. It now has an acquaintance and finan- cial standing in commercial circles which enables it to buy goods at the lowest cash figures, thereby making it possible to compete with the best houses in the country. About forty hands have constant employment at this establishment. at the highest ruling wages. The company expects to manufacture 8100,000 worth of goods this year, and find a ready sale for them.
The Danville News was es- tablished in October. 1873. and in July, 1874, passed under the ILLINOIS control of the Illinois Printing PUINTINGE DAILY. WEEKLY NEWS PRINTERS Company. under which manage- STATIONER ment it still remains. The News DAMVILLE NEWS has had a. steady and healthy growth of circulation and influ- ence. and ranks in all respects with the best newspapers in the country. The weekly edition is a handsome quarto of forty- eight columns. The daily edi- DAILY NEWS BUILDING. tion was established on the 13th of October. 1876, at the ear- nest solicitation of the enterprising citizens of Danville, who desired a morning daily which would give them the latest news in
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the famous and critical presidential contest. The Daily News has taken the press dispatches from the first, and at once gained a large circulation in the city and a compass of many miles, which has increased steadily to the present time. With every facility for local and general news-a telegraph office being in the editor's room; a diligent and experienced corps of assistants, the best newspaper library to be found in eastern Illinois, the most careful business management, and a constantly increasing patronage, the weekly and daily News has a bright and promising outlook for the future.
George W. Flynn, president and manager, was born on the 25th of August, 1828, at Bainbridge, Chenango county, New York. He came to Illinois in May, 1849, and was for several years prominently connected with the Urbana Union, Urbana, being a portion of the time sole editor and proprietor; also of the Gazette and Union, Champaign, and of the Champaign County Gazette. He did faithful duty during the war of the rebellion, giving three years' active ser- vice as adjutant of the 25th Ill. Inf. After leaving the army he became the senior member of the firm of G. W. Flynn & Co., job printers and bookbinders, Urbana, Illinois, retaining the position until his removal to Danville, Illinois, in 1874. He was the first to move in the organization of the Illinois Printing Company, and has held the positions of president, manager and director ever since the date of its incorporation.
William Ray Jewell, vice-president and editor, was born in Spen- cer county, Kentucky, August 7, 1837, and removed with his father's family, in boyhood, to Sullivan county, Indiana, settling twenty miles south of Terre Haute. He worked on a farm umtil fifteen years of age, when he entered the printing office of the Wabash Courier at Terre Haute, where he learned the printing business. He worked his way in the printing office through Moses Soule's select school in Terre Haute, read law under the kind assistance of Henry Musgrove and Hon. R. W. Thompson, and subsequently entered and graduated from the Northwestern Christian University, · Indianapolis, Indiana, now Butler University. For some years he was an active and successful preacher of the Christian church. He served in the war of 1861-5, as lieutenant of Co. G, 72d Ind. Inf. Being discharged on account of sickness, he was soon recommis- sioned as captain by Gov. Morton, and assigned to the recruiting service of the state, but soon accepted a call to the 7th Ind. Inf. as their chaplain, with which regiment he was mustered out of the ser- vice at the expiration of the term of enlistment. Mr. Jewell removed from La Fayette, Indiana, to Danville, Illinois, in November, 1873,
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being one of the founders of the News, and one of the original in- corporators of the Illinois Printing Company. He has held the position of vice-president and editor since July, 1875.
Joseph HI. Woodmansee, secretary and treasurer, was born in Butler county, Ohio, March 24, 1830. At the age of seventeen lie went to Cincinnati, where he learned the trade of machinist, and remained in the city until 1854, when he was married to Susan M. Horr, and soon after removed to Paris, Illinois. In 1856 he re- moved to Urbana, Illinois, and in August, 1862, enlisted in Co. G, 76th Reg. Ill. Vol., and was honorably discharged at New Orleans, in June, 1865. In 1871 he was appointed assistant assessor of in- ternal revenue, which position he held until the office was abolished. In 1873 he became a member of the firm of G. W. Flym & Co., printers and blank book makers, and in September, 1874, removed to Danville, Illinois, with the printing office, which was incorporated into the Illinois Printing Company. At the first meeting of the directors of said company he was elected secretary and treasurer, which office he still occupies.
The Danville Daily and Weekly Times, edited and published by . A. G. Smith, is a paper that is widely copied from, and its editorials are often repeated by the press of the state. It is independent re- publican in politics, and is noted for the freedom with which it dis- cusses popular questions. At times it has enjoyed a larger patronage than was ever accorded to any other Danville newspaper. The Times was founded in February, 1868, and has had no change in proprietor- ship.
The Danville Weekly Post was established in the city of Danville, Vermilion county, Illinois, in June, 1878, by Messrs. Jacobs & Thompson. It is the only democratic paper in the county, and has quite an extensive circulation. It is recognized as one of the leading journals of the state printed outside the cities, and is perfectly relia- ble. It is an eight-column quarto, neatly printed ; subscription price, $1.50 per year. Messrs. Jacobs & Thompson, the editors and pro- prietors, are both young men, but have had several years' experience ' in the newspaper business. They were the founders and publishers of the Chrisman (Illinois) Leader, and were running that paper pre- vious to their removal to Danville. They are probably the youngest newspaper men in the state. The junior member of the firm, - Mr. Thompson, - has always taken a very active part in politics, and seems to be somewhat of a favorite among leading politicians through- ont this part of the state.
The Danville Weekly Commercial, the oldest newspaper now
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HISTORY OF VERMILION . COUNTY.
(July, 1879,) published in Vermilion county, was established by the banking and real-estate firm of Short & Wright, and the first number issued on the 5th of April, 1866, under the editorial charge of P. D. Hammond. The paper was originally published in quarto form, eight columns to the page. An A. B. Taylor cylinder press, the first power press ever set up in the county, was used in printing it. In connection with the newspaper department, the presses and mate- rial necessary to a first-class job printing office were added, the whole forming an establishment rarely to be found in a city of the size of Danville at that date. The Commercial has been a firm and consist- ent advocate of the principles held by the republican party, though oftentimes criticising methods and men of its party ; has advocated and still advocates the cause of temperance and prohibition of the liquor traffic; favored the cause of education; shown itself the friend of good morals and religion, and been foremost in favoring such measures of public policy as have added immensely to the growth and prosperity of Danville and Vermilion county. On the 10th of October, 1867, Mr. J. G. Kingsbury became the editorial associate of Mr. Hammond, the latter still remaining the managing editor. At the same date Mr. Wright retired from the firm of Short & Wright, as proprietors, and was succeeded by Abraham Sandusky and An- drew Gundy, old residents of the county, the proprietorship becom- ing merged in the firm of John C. Short & Co.
On the 12th of December, 1867, the proprietors of the Commer- cial purchased the stock, material and good will of the Danville Plaindealer, and merged the latter journal with the former under the name of the Danville Commercial and Plaindealer. Under the consolidation Col. R. H. Johnson, late editor of the Plaindeuler, be- came associate editor with Messrs. Hammond and Kingsbury. With the second number, issued in 1868, the paper was enlarged to a nine- colunm folio. With the issue of May 14, 1868, "Plaindealer " was dropped from the title, and the original name of the paper was re- sumed. With the issue of the Commercial of September 17, 1868, Mr. P. D. Hammond retired from editorial connection with it, in order to assume editorial charge of the Lafayette (Ind.) Journal. Upon this change Mr. J. G. Kingsbury became managing editor, Col. Johnson remaining associate editor, a position he continued to fill until the 25th of March, 1869. With the issue of the Commercial of August 5, 1869, it was announced that Jesse Harper, late of Williams- port, Indiana, had purchased an interest in the paper. On the 14th day of July, 1873, Jesse Harper retired from all editorial connection with, and proprietorship of, the Commercial, having sold his interest to A,
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Harper, his nephew, and brother of O. E. Harper, who became pub- lishers under the firm name of Harper Brothers. From this date until November 20 of the same year the editorial work of the paper was performed by O. E. Harper and Maj. E. A. Routhe. On the latter date Mr. Park T. Martin, of Shelbyville, Illinois, announced through the columns of the Commercial that he had purchased the sole remaining interest of John C. Short & Co., and that he had assmed the editorship from that date, and that the business of the office would be conducted under the firm name of Harpers & Martin. Maj. Routhe was continued on the paper as associate editor.
In the early spring of 1874 Mr. S. H. Huber purchased an interest in the paper, an additional amount of capital was furnished, and the partnership was merged into a joint stock company under the general incorporation law of the state, with the corporate name "The Com- mercial Company of Danville, Illinois." The authorized capital was $15,000, of which $11,200 was paid up, and divided in nearly equal proportions between the four incorporators : O. E. Harper, A. Har- per, Park T. Martin and S. H. Huber. The company was organized by the election of A. Harper as president, and Park T. Martin as secretary and business manager. The latter was continued as man- aging editor, a position still held by him. With the increase of capital great improvements were made in the office, the old hand- power press giving place to a fine Chicago Taylor cylinder, with steam for the motive power, being the first newspaper press in the city run by steam. At the same time the paper was enlarged and changed to a six-column quarto in 'form. In March, 1876, O. E. Harper disposed of his Commercial stock to R. C. Holton, when the latter became superintendent of the mechanical department of the Commercial, a position he still holds. In February, 1877, Messrs. Huber and Martin disposed of their stock to their associates, and Mr. Huber retired from all connection with the office, in order to enter the ministry of the M. E. church. In August, 1878, Mr. A. J. Adams, for some years connected with the business management of the Danville Times, purchased stock and became business manager of the Commercial company, a position he has since held. On the 10th of September, 1878, the first number of the Daily Danville Commercial was issued, and the publication has been continued without intermission as an evening paper since, with a continually increasing list of subscribers, and at this writing, July, 1879, the business of the Commercial company in all its departments is in an encouragingly prosperous condition.
DECD.
DANVILLE.
HISTORY OF TOWNSHIPS.
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
This locality being so intimately connected with the early history of the county, it was found necessary to notice it quite fully in that con- nection. We find, therefore, but little else than the more modern facts, progress, incidents and institutions requiring mention. Those of our readers who have carefully followed us thus far, are, by this time, able to enter into the feelings and sympathies of the early settler, who yet lin- gers for a season with us, and from whom many of the important items contained in these pages have been gleaned. A half century has just passed since the history of this locality, as far as real progress is con- cerned, began ; but what wonderful changes have taken place ! Less than fifty years ago, the people of this county, what few of them there were, lived in log cabins utterly devoid of ornament or adornment. The half of one side of the only room was devoted to the fire-place, at which the members of the family toasted their shins, meanwhile the good wife cooked the simple meal of corn cakes and wild meat at the same fire. The one room was the parlor, kitchen, dining-room and bed- room ; and, in the coldest weather, some of the few domestic animals were kindly given a night's shelter from the storm.
The furniture consisted of a few splint-bottomed or bark-bottomed chairs of the plainest and roughest sort, made by the use of a hatchet, auger and jack-knife ; bedsteads and table of a like character; and a seanty set of cooking utensils, often consisting of no more than a skil- let, a boiling pot and a Dutch oven. Our younger readers will hardly believe us when we say that the whole set of tableware, including pewter plates, knives and forks, would not now be considered cheap at twenty-five cents; but, if your grandmother is still living, you need only ask her to have our statements substantiated. There were no pictures on the walls of the pioneer's cabins, no tapestry hung at the windows, and no carpets were on the puncheon floors.
The ornaments of the walls were the rifle and powder horn, bunches of beans, medicinal herbs and ears of corn for the next planting, sus- pended from pegs driven into the logs of which the walls were built.
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The windows needed no curtains, as they were made of a material which not only kept ont the strong sunlight and the fierce winds of winter, but admitted a sufficient amount of the former for all practical purposes. In this matter, the pioneers displayed an amount of inge- nuity that could be called forth only by the mother of invention- necessity. Sheets of paper were procured and soaked in hog's lard, by which process they became translucent; and these, pasted to some cross stieks in the opening left for the purpose, constituted the window of the ancient log cabin. Puncheon floors were a luxury not to be found in every house, as, in many, the native soil was both floor and carpet. The long winter evenings were spent in conversation over personal events of the day, or of recollections of events of the old homes in the east or south from which they had emigrated. The railroad and telegraph brought no news from the outside world. There were but few books and papers then, the whole library, in many instances, eon- sisting of a Bible, an almanac and a few school books. A tallow dip- an article now almost wholly unknown-afforded the only artificial light.
In 1830 a clock or watch was a great novelty, and our worthy ancestors marked time by the approach of the shadow of the door to the sun mark, or the cravings of the stomach for its ration of corn bread and bacon.
We might go on, describing the ancient modes of farming, of dress, of marketing and of education, to almost an endless length ; suffice it to say that, in all of the departments of life, a corresponding simplicity, or, we had almost said, rudeness, was the rule.
How different we find things now! Luxury of every kind, un- thought of by the old pioneers, abounds everywhere. Industrious hands and active brains have been at work, and to-day we find in almost every honse. not only all of the comforts of life, but the luxuries in endless variety. The old yawning fire-place, with its glowing " baek log, fore stick and middle chunks," have given way to the numerously patented cook and parlor stoves. Books and newspapers are on the table and in the shelves of everybody who wants them. The news from London, dated at 8 o'clock A.M., reaches us, is set up, printed and distributed to the readers of the News and other daily papers of the city by 6 o'clock the same morning, thus beating time in 3,000 miles by two hours. Had you told the old pioneers this would be done in their day, you would have been set down as a lunatic or a fit subject for the ducking-stool. If there was a piano in the county more than forty years ago, we have failed to find a trace of it; and, as for reed organs, they were only invented at abont that time. Now, almost
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every other house has one of these. As to clocks and wateles, every house has one or more, and a chain dangles from the neck or the vest of nearly every man, woman and youth, indicating that a chronometer is at hand to regulate the movements of the wearer.
To enumerate all of the comforts and modern conveniences now in use and to be had, would be to give up most of the space in this book for the purpose of a catalogue of the articles. On every hand we be- hold a wonderful, a rapid, a happy change. A wonderful soil, a re- markable climate, a progressive, economical, industrious and intelligent people combined have done this.
EARLY BUILDINGS.
The old log hotel which Solomon Gilbert built in 1827, stood at the west end of Main street. It only remained in use as a " tavern " a few years. for it soon became distanced by more extensive and grander ones. The old signi, according to the custom of the day, hung in a tree near by. Bluford Runyen built a log house on the rear of the old " Pennsylvania House" property in 1828. He sold this to John Leight, who commenced, but sold to Samuel J. Russell, who built the first part (the north end) of the old tavern in 1832. It stood on the west side of Vermilion street, about half way between the public square and the ".Etna House." It was a very good house for its time, and was the rival of the " McCormack " in public favor. Russell was selling goods on Main street, and soon sold his house to Willison, who in turn sold to Abram Mann, Senior, who had recently come from Eng- land. Mr. Mann put up the southern part of it. The ball-room, which was the necessary appendage to every well-regulated "tavern" in those days, was on the west side, over the dining-room. It remained stand- ing with the old log " house which Runyen built," until 1875, when the march of events called for the lots upon which it stood, for business purposes, and it disappeared. The first part of the famous McCormack House was built by Jesse Gilbert, about 1833. It was a frame build- ing, the planks being fastened on with wooden pins, before nails came into very general use here. Charles S. Galusha built an addition to it soon after. Mr. Cross kept it a while, and then William McCor- mack took it and enlarged it, making it the best hotel in town. Dur- ing the flush days of land office business here, this house acquired a national reputation. The people who came here from all over the country to enter land were accommodated, not exactly in princely style, but in good shape, at the McCormack. No "runner" found it necessary to sound its praises in sonorous notes from stentorian lungs, for it was known and read of all men everywhere. From all over the
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country men came with their saddle-bags and ax-boxes filled with "shiny boys," for "greenbacks" had not then been invented, to buy the land which was soon to make them or their children rich. The building still stands, close by the side of its " successor in office " and in public favor, the beautiful Arlington, types of the better class of two ages of hotel building: the former being as good a building as any country village before railroad times could support, the latter as fine a building as any young city in the land can show.
The corners north of the public square are historical. On the east- ern one, where the court-house now stands, the old, cramped-up build- ing which so long served as the hall of justice for the county of Vermilion, stood. This was not the first court-house, but the first "permanent" one. The two which preceded it were temporary affairs. and were soon dispensed with. The first court-house was the one at Butler's Point, where Judge J. O. Wattles was falsely reported to have been seen paring his toe-nails secundum artem, while the bailiff had the different members of the first grand jury treed by hounds in the tall timber along the Salt Fork. The second one was built of hewn logs, and stood on the west side of the public square, south of Main street. The next one was the old square building which so long served the purpose. For nearly forty years it was the only court-house Vermilion county had. When it burned there were few to mourn its loss. It was about fifty feet square, having the court-room below, with a door upon its south front on the public square, and one on its west on Vermilion street. The judge's bench was on the east side of the court-room, which was in the first story, and the second story was divided into two jury-rooms for the grand and petit juries. The county offices were scattered around town, wherever rooms could be found for them, and necessitated much inconvenience, and had the effect of creating much irregularity in the transaction of business. Norman D. Palmer and G. S. Hubbard were the contractors and Thomas Durham the builder in 1832. A wing was built later for the clerks' offices, which answered the purpose very well for a time.
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