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 45
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 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120
The present officers are: J. A. Thews, president ; D. Lynch, J. F. House, John Bahls. Fred Timm and Win. Schultz. trustees ; Alexan- der Field, clerk : L. M. Taylor, treasurer : M. M. Woodward, police magistrate.
As will be seen. the residents are principally Germans, and are an industrious, intelligent and worthy class of people, most of them being in the employ of the railroad company.
.
347
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
CAR-SHOPS.
The machine and repair shops of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company are located near here, having located in this place by a vote of Danville township, giving to the company $75,000 on condition of their permanent location. The car-shop is 75 × 142, brick, two stories high ; machine shop, 75×142, brick ; round-house, with twelve stalls, is 210 feet in length, of brick and stone; the blacksmith shop, 50×100, brick; paint shop, 16×24, frame; office and store, 16×30, frame; oil room, 16×25, frame.
The business carried on here is largely the repair and rebuilding of cars, coaches and locomotives of the company, though new ones can be built throughout when occasion requires. The business has been so depressed that new rolling stock has been bought cheaper than it could be made here,- a condition of things not likely to remain long. The works are under the charge of A. Cook, who has had many years' ex- perience on various eastern roads. There are two hundred and seventy- five men employed, and the pay roll for labor alone amounts to $11,- 000, being an average of $40 per man per month.
SOUTH DANVILLE.
South Danville is that portion of the township which lies immedi- ately across the river south of the city, where the coal mining opera- tions of Mr. A. C. Daniel are carried on.
The village was incorporated in 1874. In February, John A. Lewis and thirty-five others, petitioned the county court to order an election to vote for or against incorporating under the general act, with the fol- lowing boundaries : commencing at the Wabash railway bridge, thence southwest with said railroad to a point where the state road from Dan- ville to Georgetown crosses said railroad ; thence west to the Paris & Danville road (now Danville & Southwestern); thence north to the Vermilion River; thence along said river to the place of beginning. The petition set forth that there were five hundred persons residing within said limits. The election was held March 14, at which 77 votes were cast - 51 being for incorporation and 25 against.
An election was held April 22, for six trustees to put the organiza- tion into effect, at which 73 votes were cast. James Bracewell, James Hall, David Frazee, Joseph Anderson and M. C. Wilkinson were elected. B. T. Hodges and J. H. Lewis received an equal number of votes, and were in consequence summoned before his honor, Judge Hanford, to "draw straws." Lewis drew the short straw, and by this apparent game of chance, the dignity of a trustee of South Danville fell upon Hodges.
!
348
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
David Frazee was elected president, and H. J. Hall, clerk. The Board of Trustees provided a set of ordinances for the government of the village, and set the wheels of government in motion.
In 1875 the following were elected trustees : Isaac Bracewell, Sam- uel Trisler, Hugh Graham, Joseph Robson, Lewis Bracewell, Philip Pusoy, and Francis Jones was elected clerk.
The present officers are Isaac Bracewell, president ; F. Jones, clerk ; H. J. Hall, police magistrate ; James Bracewell, treasurer ; W. J. Bran- nock and Sylvester Royce, constables.
By ordinance, trustees receive one dollar for each regular meeting and fifty cents for each called meeting; treasurer and clerk, one dollar and twenty-five cents for each meeting. The citizens of South Dan- ville are largely engaged in coal mining which is being carried on there.
ORGANIZATION.
There seems to be an undne amount of mystery thrown around the official life of the city of Danville. That it was early incorporated is generally known, but at a fire which occurred about 1867 all the records of the city were destroyed. Later, or about 1872, the clerk ran away, or for some other reason it became an object for some one to make away with the records,- or, to put it in the other form, there are no records in the city clerk's office prior to 1872.
In the year 1855 a new special charter was given by the legislature, which repealed the former one, and established the limits of the city which should contain all of the original town, and such additions as had been platted, or such as should farther be regularly platted and re- corded as additions to it. In 1867 the old charter seems to have been worn out, or at least it was burned up with the records, and a new one was granted, under which the city operated until 1874, when it became incorporated under the general act of 1872.
The following have served as mayors since its organization : J. C. Winslow, J. G. English, W. W. R. Woodbury, T. H. Myers, L. T. Dickason.
The city is now divided into five wards, each entitled to two alder- men. The following is the list of officers at present : Mayor, L. T. Dickason ; clerk, A. C. Freeman ; treasurer, T. B. Castleman : attor- ney, G. F. Tincher ; aldermen -1st ward, P. Carey, A. Sieferman ; 2d ward, A. H. Patterson, B. Brittingham ; 3d ward, W. A. Young, D. Watrons ; 4th ward, E. Good, H. W. Beckwith ; 5th ward, John Schario, W. C. McReynolds ; marshal, Leonard Myers : fire-depart- ment chief, W. II. Taylor ; engineer, J. M. Partlow ; police magistrate, John McMahon. The following table of population has been compiled
349
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
from " Coffeen's Hand-Book of Vermilion County," and other sources : In 1826, none; 1827, probably 15; 1828, about 55; 1830, nearly 100; 1835, about 500 ; 1840, 503 ; 1845. nearly 600; 1850, 736; 1855, 1,125 ; 1860, 1,632; 1865, nearly 3,000 : 1870, township, 7,181; 1875, no cen- sus was taken ; 1879, township from careful estimates, 13,324.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Of the fire department of the city of Danville but little can be said up to May 6, 1867, at which time Lincoln Fire Company, No. 1, was organized. The company consisted of forty members, without pay, except the empty honors of serving the public - not for glory, but for pastime. They, however, did the best they could with the inferior apparatus at their command, which consisted of a kind of hook and ladder trnek, bearing about the same relation to the modern hook and ladder apparatns as does the old flint-lock musket of a century ago to the modern Henry rifle. Of this company D. A. Childs was elected foreman ; M. Redford, assistant foreman ; Charles Eoff, secretary, and C. Y. Yates, treasurer.
In the year 1867, during the administration of J. C. Winslow as mayor, a second hand engine and 299 feet of leather hose was pur- chased for $1,200, and for the time the company felt proud of their machine and the people felt secure from the destructive element. But the former soon became tired of the toy, and lost interest as they found to their sorrow that instead of pastime it was real labor, plenty of curses and no glory ; and the latter began to feel less seenre as here and there through the city a stable or a shed or a dwelling destroyed by fire gave evidence of the lack of means of effectually "fighting fire." However, things ran along after a fashion until 1872, when, during the administration of T. H. Myers as mayor, it was determined by the council to purchase a steam fire engine. The committee on fire and water at that time consisted of N. S. Monroe, W. H. Taylor and Wm. A. Brown. To this committee was intrusted the selection and purchase of the engine.
After mature deliberation it was determined to purchase one of Messrs. Silsby & Co's rotary engines, also an additional hose cart and 500 feet of best rubber hose. The purchase gave a new impetus to the fire department, and the company was reorganized on a more tangible basis. The number of members was fixed at sixteen, and salaries snit -. able to the services performed, and of the ability of the city to pay, given to each. Under the new organization the fire department began to rise in importance and efficiency, new water supplies were provided, and the citizens slept with a feeling of security hitherto unknown. As
350
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
the city increased in size and number of risks, additional protection was found, if not an absolute necessity at least advisable, and an addi- tional steamer was purchased in 1875 by the committee appointed for the purpose, which consisted of W. Il. Taylor, P. Carey and G. W. Hooton. After witnessing a severe test of several leading engines, the committee selected another of the Silsby engines. After the indorse- ment of a citizens' committee, appointed to report on the same subject, the council purchased the engine, and the city of Danville now justly boasts of a fire department and apparatus unexcelled by those of any city of its size.
Under the excellent supervision of W. H. Taylor, chairman of the committee, all the modern improvements have been introduced. These consist of a heater, by which the water is kept boiling continually, thus facilitating the raising of steam, and thereby saving time; a good team of horses for the engine and hose eart have been purchased, and all of the apparatus is kept in readiness to be used at a moment's warning.
Since 1874 little change has been made in the company, except the appointment of two engineers, one of which is on duty continually. In the year 1879 the company was reorganized, and the office of chief of fire department created. W. H. Taylor was appointed chief, and under his supervision the engines and apparatus have been put in the best possible condition. The following is a list of officers and members of the company, as constituted at this writing, with salaries attached :
W. H. Taylor, Chief of Fire Department. $55 per month.
George Lupt, First Engineer 50
Putnam Russell, Second Engineer
50
W. D. Dearing 50
Isaac Hurlacker
20 per quarter.
E. Peables
20
66
A. Brant ..
15
C. Lindsey
15
William Dallas
13
J. Peables
13
..
E. Brant
13
M. Yearkes
13
66
Charles Adams
13 per month.
Frank Wells
13 66
James Harrison
13
Jackson Brideman 13
George Cox.
13
66
DANVILLE TURN-VEREIN.
This peculiarly German society, established for the purpose of de- veloping the muscle and thereby of condueing to the health of its members, was instituted March 22, 1874, with a membership of twenty-
351
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
five. The first officers were: A. Sieferman, president ; A. Oberdorfer, vice-president : John Bross, secretary ; E. Flemming, treasurer, and Henry Grube, leader of gymnastics. Active steps were immediately taken for the erection of a suitable building in which to practice the art of physical development, and in the following year a frame building was completed, and on the 25th of December was dedicated with fitting ceremonies to the use for which it was designed. This building, how- ever, was destined to a short existence, for on the 9th of February. 1877, only a little over a year after its dedication, it was destroyed by fire. With that pluck and steadfastness of purpose bred, perhaps, in part by the exercises of the gymnasium, they went to work again, and a building much superior followed the same season. This, the present fine hall, is of brick, and is 35 x 90 feet in size, with an addition 14× 30 feet. It was complete and dedicated on the 12th day of Angust, 1877. Its value is $4,000. The present membership of the society is about sixty, of which A. Schatz is president; John Seidel, vice-president ; E. Blankenburg, first secretary; F. Blankenburg, second secretary : Fred Theis, treasurer : H. Grube, first leader of gymnastics, and John Molter. second leader.
GEGENSEITIGE DEUTSCHE UNTERSTÜTZUNGS VEREIN.
This society, though it has to non-speaking Germans an unpro- nounceable name, is yet a very popular and well-patronized institution, established, as its name indicates, for the purpose of mutual aid among its members. It ranks high financially and otherwise among the societies of Danville. The society was organized February 7, 1872, with A. Sieferman as president ; George Dudenhofer, vice-president ; E. Blankenburg, secretary ; W. Schatz, financial secretary, and Stacy Miller, treasurer. The meetings of the society are held in Turner hall.
THE BOOK TRADE.
Nothing indicates more clearly the status of a community in culture and enterprise than the condition of its book trade, for it marks both the intelligence and liberality of a people to find in their midst well- supplied book stores.
In 1868 Danville was just starting out vigorously in its new march of progress. It was about this time that Mr. Coffeen came to Danville and started the first exclusive book store in this place. Previously the book trade had been left to notion dealers and merchants carrying other lines of goods. Mr. Coffeen opened in a store-room belonging to C. K. Mires, now occupied by Elliott's dry-goods store. By enterprise and a proper appreciation of the wants of the growing city, he built up a very
352
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
prosperous book trade, and afterward, in 1874. built the elegant store- room on Main street opposite the court-house, where the book store of Coffeen & Pollock is now kept. An idea of this establishment may be obtained from the accompanying illustration :
WELCOME
S
INTERIOR OF COFFEEN & POLLOCK'S BOOK STORE.
About the same time that Mr. Coffeen moved his book store to its present location, Mr. McCorkle opened ont a store of similar character in the room now ocenpied by E. J. Draper's grocery store. This store continued until 1876. In the meantime L. B. Abdill started in the trade on the east side of Main street. Mr. Abdill has been quite pros- perons, and his is one of the many excellent stores of the city.
W. W. R. Woodbury, druggist, also handles goods in this line, and carries a large and well selected stock of drugs and notions.
Besides the regular book stores mentioned there are two news stands that seem to be doing a good business in periodical literature.
CHURCHIES.
The following extract from a sermon delivered by Rev. A. L. Brooks on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Presbyterian church of this place, is a fitting tribute, not only to that particular society, but applies with equal propriety to the church in general :
353
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
" We arrogate nothing when we say that it is a church of the living God, that it has been a pillar and ground of those great fundamental and vital truths by which the city in which it is located has been blessed and prospered. We do not hesitate to say that the influence of the church has been very significant and benign upon all the material and social and religious interests of the city. Her teachings have been in accordance with the wisdom and righteousness and love and grace of God. They have served to hold in check the tendencies to lawless- ness and crime; they have enforced public morality, stimulated the desire for good government, for commercial integrity, for social purity. C'onscience has been enlightened and its judgment enforced. It has carried the peace and piety of our holy religion into many of the homes of the city. It has restrained the youth from the follies and crimes that affliet the homes and communities where church influences are not in the ascendant. It has drawn to our city some of the best and most permanent of our business and social element. It has exerted a signifi- cant influence on the educational interests of our community. It has been the conservator of good order and peace, but especially and supremely has it exerted a mighty influence in maintaining these great and fundamental doctrines by which alone is it possible to lead men out from under the dominion and condemnation of sin. It has done a work for this city which no mere secular institution could have done. It has been more to the material, social and christian prosperity than any single industry could have been. It has been more to the happi- ness and welfare of our families than any or all of the worldly endow- ments of a gracious providence could have been without it. It has brought to us the best returns of all the investments we have made of our worldly substance, and it has brought us into the highest and noblest fellowship of the pure on earth and of the sinless in heaven."
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Presbyterian is the pioneer church of this city and of this part of the country. Though religious services had been held prior to 1829. no definitely organized society existed until the date named. This church was organized on the Sth day of March, 1829, by Rev. Samuel Baldridge, with the following eight persons as the original members : Dr. Asa R. Palmer, Josiah Alexander, Elizabeth Alexander, Mary Ann Alexander, Solomon Gilbert, Submit Gilbert, Lucy Gilbert, and Parmela Tomlinson. Of these Dr. Palmer was selected as first ruling elder. Of the eight named, but one, Lucy Gilbert, still survives. The names given will be recognized as among the most worthy and honored citizens of the city. Their work in the church was unselfish. 23
354
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
and their influence for good was acknowledged by all. Rev. Samuel Baldridge, who was instrumental in organizing the church, was also first pastor, officiating in that capacity, however, but a few months. The honors of the enterprise seem, however, to cluster around the name of the Rev. Enoch Kingsbury, who came to the church in the early part of 1831, and settled here permanently in the year following. Mr. Kingsbury is remembered as a patriot, a hero, a philanthropist, a christian and an enthusiast in the work chosen by him. He served the church as pastor faithfully and most acceptably for over twenty years, and gave up the pastorate after it became absolutely necessary from failing health. Afterward he was engaged in various religious and benevolent enterprises, and labored enthusiastically until 1868, when he received the summons to " come up higher," with the approbation, " Well done thou good and faithful servant."
This church has prospered well, both financially and spiritually, under the labors of Mr. Kingsbury and his successors. The present member- ship numbers two hundred and eighty-seven, of which Rev. A. L. Brooks is present pastor. Under the pastorate of Mr. Brooks, extending from December, 1870, to the present writing, the church has been in a most flourishing condition, there having been received as members during that period two hundred and thirty-seven, ninety-one of whom have been on profession of faith.
Rev. A. L. Brooks was born in Madison county, New York, June 19, 1819, and is the son of Jesse and Olivia (Lyon) Brooks. His father was a native of Connecticut, and in his early life was a merchant, and in later life postmaster and magistrate of Mayville, New York. His mother was a native of Vermont.
Mr. Brooks received the principal part of his education at Trenton. New York, where he graduated in 1842. He also graduated at Auburn Seminary in 1845. In 1846 he was ordained as a minister, and settled at Hamilton of the state named. In 1856 he came west and settled in Chicago, where he remained seven years with the Third Presbyterian Church of that city. From Chicago he went to Peoria, remaining three years in charge of the Fulton Street Presbyterian Church : thence to Decatur, as pastor of the New School Church of that city for three years ; and finally, in 1870, to Danville, as already related.
During the first six years of the existence of the church, its meetings were held in the old log court-house, in private houses and vacant rooms in different places, as circumstances demanded or permitted. In 1835, by great personal sacrifice on the part of its friends, a house of worship was erected on the site of the present church. This is believed to have been the second Presbyterian church building in the east part of the
355
DANVILLE TOWNSHIP.
state. This church building proved to be really historical. It was used for many years for almost all public gatherings, Sunday-schools and other schools. The building was used until, on account of the great prosperity of the church, a new house of worship was an actual necessity. This was accomplished in 1858, by the erection of the present commodious and convenient building. The house was dedi- cated to the worship of God on the 24th of December, 1865, the ser- mon on that occasion being preached by the Rev. Joseph II. Tuttle, president of Wabash College. The cost of the present building was a little more than $12,000.
A very interesting and joyful event was the holding, on the Sth and 9th of March of the present year (1879), the semi-centennial of the organization of the society. On that occasion Rev. A. L. Brooks, who, as before intimated, has been connected with the church during its most flourishing period, preached a historical sermon, and other mem- bers related interesting incidents, and laid before the society much other valuable facts relating to the church's history. These items have all been compiled and printed in a neat pamphlet, to which the reader is referred for a more detailed account of this historical church enter- prise.
In connection with the church is a flourishing Sunday-school, whose organization was almost coincident. The school at present writing is under the efficient superintendency of Mr. Park T. Martin.
METHODIST CHURCH.
The first appointment made by the Methodist church at Danville was in 1829, though perhaps some meetings had been held a year earlier. This was then a portion of the Eugene circuit, and covered, also, appointments in Indiana and all of what is now Vermilion and Champaign counties. It was a four weeks' circuit, the preachers upon it holding services every day in the week. Rev. James McKain, a sketch of whose useful life and valuable services to the infant church is given more fully in Blount township, and Rev. J. E. French, of whom the reader will find further notice under the head of Elwood, were the first preachers on this circuit. After them, Rev. William Harshey and Rev. Cotton James appear to have been next.
In February, 1836, G. W. Wallace made a warranty deed to the county commissioners (in trust) for the lot upon which the church now stands. The deed was made to the commissioners for the reason . that there seem to have been no trustees of the church at that time. In the meantime services were being held in private residences, in the old log school-house with greased paper windows, and on some occa-
356
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY.
sions, when the narrowness of these quarters (on account of larger con- gregations) required more room, in the groves - God's first temples - adjacent to the village. The first class leader. as now remembered, was Isaac Mckinney, who resided near Kyger's mill. He walked to town and back for the purpose of holding the meetings.
Among the first members of the class and church were Samuel Whitman and wife. Harvey Luddington and wife, James Hulce and wife. Mrs. Mary Seonce and a few others.
About the time the deed from Wallace was made for the lot, the building which now stands in the rear of their present house of wor- ship, and now used as a blacksmith shop, was erected. The frame building alluded to cost about $800, and continued in nse until the present building was erected. The new church cost $13,500, and at the time of its erection was considered one of the finest houses of wor- ship in eastern Illinois. Indeed, for solidity and convenience it is yet hardly excelled, but its size, though at the time of its erection thought to be commensurate for all time to come, has not prevented several new organizations, which, like swarms of bees, have emerged from the parent hive and gone forth to work in other portions of the Lord's field.
A Sabbath-school was organized in connection with the church, almost coincident with the organization of the first church society. At first there were probably two dozen scholars. Now. besides the large number attending other schools of this denomination in and about the city, the parent school has over three hundred members. The present superintendent is George Abdill. under whose wise supervision the school has attained a degree of excellence seldom enjoyed by schools of this character. The minister in charge of the North Street Church is Rev. F. A. Parker.
Kimber Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in February, 1869, and was so named in honor of the memory of the late Rev. Isaac C. Kimber. No suggestion of this society can be traced to a remoter date than a Sunday afternoon of the month above named. An inde- pendent Sabbath-school, under the management of Methodist people, held in a frame school-house in the northwestern part of the city, had been dismissed, when a number of officers and teachers tarried to gather up the books, ete., and while thus employed, incidentally and without premeditation the chorister of the school remarked that a church building was desirable for the accommodation of the school. This led to remarks by others. and it may be said that the church was born there and then. They who were present and took part in the conversation were Joseph G. English, Maria L. English, Jacob L. Hill,
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.