USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris: past and present, an illustrated history of the township and the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois, in their various stages of development, together with a local biographical directory > Part 10
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PROF. W. LEWIS EIKENBERRY, B. S., professor of the Science department, is the son of William and Susan Eikenberry, and was born near Waterloo, Iowa. July 12, 1871. The famous " little red schoolhouse" also played an important part in the education of this member of the faculty. After leaving the country school, he attended a short time at a private school in Waterloo, and finally came to Mount Morris College in the fall of 1887. and. after two years of solid work, graduated in the Academic class of 1889. In 1890, he again entered the college and did two years of Seminary work, graduating from that department in 1892. In the fall of the same year he enrolled at the Univers- ity of Michigan. Ann Arbor, and graduated after two years, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. He was immediately engaged as professor of Science by his alma mater, and has since filled the position, with the exception of the spring term of 1899 when he made an extended trip through the west for the benefit of his health. Prof. Eikenberry is a practical scientist in every sense of the term. Each day of his life he observes and investigates every phenomenon of nature which comes to his notice, and keeps in touch with the progress of the scientific world. He is one of the exceedingly small number of men who have had the presence of mind and the opportunity to photograph a moving tornado, which feat he accomplished in 1898. Copies of the pic- ture have appeared in quite a number of papers and magazines all over the United States, and, along with a number of other photographs of the effects of the tornado. will be found in a later chapter upon calamaties. Prof. Eikenberry is unmarried. In 1893, he was elected to the first degree of the ministry of the Brethren church, and was later advanced to the second degree. He ranks well among the local ministers of the church. preaching frequently in the college chapel.
PROF. OSCAR R. MYERS comes from the " Keystone" state. He was born at Lewis- town. April 16. 1873, being the son of George S. and Susanna Myers. From the time of his arrival at the school age until the fall of 1889. he attended the public school at Lew- istown and worked in his father's lumher establishment. He then came to Mount Morris College and completed a business course. He then became clerk and book- keeper in the general store of D. N. Wingert & Co., which position he filled fourteen months. He completed the preparatory work and graduated with the Academic class of 1894, but continued two more years in the Seminary department. In 1896, he enter- ed the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. After two years of work, he graduated from that institution with the class of 1898, receiving the degree of Ph. B. He re- turned to the University in the fall of 1898 and in the spring of 1899 received his second degree,-that of Master of Philosophy. In the fall of 1899 he became a member of the faculty of his alma mater, and soon became recognized as one of the best. Prof. Myers is a young man of much energy, as is evidenced by the fact that he worked his way through college by canvassing views during summer vacations. He is unmarried.
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MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE.
PROF. GEORGE W. FURREY. PH. B., has charge of the department of Mathematics. He is a son of Jacob and Sarah Furrey, of White county. Ind .. and was born July 4. 1867. Besides his common school training. he attended the high school at York. Nebr .. and later the Harper Normal School and Business College, at Harper. Kans., from which he graduated with the class of 1890. In 1892. he came to Mount Morris College. and, with the exception of one year. attended regularly until 1896. when he graduated. Another year was spent here in Seminary work, after which he entered the University of Michigan. from which institution he graduated in 1899. receiving the degree of Ph. B. Prof. Furrey possesses marked ability, not only in his specialty but also in literary lines. While in college he made very rapid progress in his studies. completing courses with exceptional thoroughness in much less than the prescribed time. As an instruc- tor in mathematics he is one of the ablest the college has had. He advances his stu- dents rapidly, at the same time getting thorough work from them. Prof. Furrey was married August 26, 1897. to Miss Martha Hershey, daughter of Daniel and Barbara Her- shey, of Mount Morris. They have one little girl. Margaret Lucille, born May 15. 1899.
PROF. GUILFORD E. WEAVER, principal of the Art department, is the son of Solo- mon and Mary Weaver. of Wabash county, Ind., and was born March 3. 1865. His career commenced as a farm-hand and later as a painter. At the latter vocation he awaken- ed his talent for works of art, and his brushes gradually became finer until at last he altogether discarded the clumsy paint daubers and took up the artist's delicate brush and the pen. While taking work in art at a school in Logansport, Ind., his instructor's health failed and young Weaver was appointed in his place. He held this position nearly two years and then entered the Zanerian Art College of Columbus, Ohio, from which institution he graduated after two years' work. Another year was spent at the same college in post-graduate work. Prof. Weaver then traveled throughout north- ern Indiana, organizing art classes and attending county fairs, receiving over one hundred premiums for work exhibited. In 1889, he came to Mount Morris and has been engaged in the college ever since. As a penman. Prof. Weaver has few equals in the state. He also has marked ability in other lines of art, being especially at home with the crayon. He does an extensive mail-order business in card writing, enlarging pictures. etc. Prof. Weaver was married June 13. 1893. to Miss Hattie Brubaker, young- est daughter of Elder and Mrs. D. E. Brubaker, who were residents of the village of Mount Morris. The union has been blessed by three children: viz., Mabel Fawn, born April 18, 1894; Marie Ruth, born January 25. 1897: and Bessie Blanche, born December 23. 1898.
PROF. HEBER M. HAYS. instructor of Latin and Greek. comes from Virginia. He was born at Moore's Store. in that state. May 7. 1876, being the son of Daniel and Sarah Hays. After the usual common school education. Heber spent four years in the Broad- way public schools of his native state. He came to Mount Morris in 1897, and spent two years here. He returned to Virginia in 1899 and entered the State University. By hard work he completed the Latin and Greek in the M. A. course in one year. Upon the withdrawal of Prof. J. E. Miller, at the close of the school year of 1899-1900, the chair of Latin and Greek was tendered to Prof. Hays, who accepted the offer and is filling the position with much credit. While attending college. Prof. Hays exhibited remark- able ability in all lines of work, especially in his chosen line. He is unmarried.
MRS. FLORA E. TEAGUE, professor of Shorthand and Typewriting, is a daughter of David and Susan Kinsey, of Miami county. Ohio, where she was born January 13, 1853. She attended the Covington high school, and also the Normal University at Lebanon. Ohio. During 1890-'91. she was a student of Mount Morris College. and in 1892 was en- gaged as instructor in the Bible department of the college. also in the Shorthand and Typewriting department, and she has held the position ever since, being one of the most valuable members of the faculty. Mrs. Teague is a prominent church worker. having served as Sunday-school superintendent for many years, and in other capaci- ties. She is thoroughly versed in Bible work and is a most competent instructor in that line of knowledge. May 15. 1873, she was married to John J. Teague, at Green- ville. Ohio. She has one daughter. Evelyn. who is the wife of Prof. E. T. Keiser. of Lordsburg College. California.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
MISS JOSEPHINE ROYER. teacher of Elocution and Physical Culture, and matron of Ladies' Hall. is the daughter of Prof. and Mrs. J. G. Royer, and was born near Mon- ticello. Ind .. October 9. 1875. Her higher education was gained in Mount Morris Col- lege. from which she graduated in 1895. and the Columbian School of Oratory. Chicago. In 1895-'96. she taught Latin. German and English at Lordsburg College. Cal .. and the following year was instructor of Elocution at Mount Morris College. For nearly two years after this. she resided at Cando. North Dakota. where she took up a claim of a quarter-section of land. In 1899. she was again engaged as Elocution teacher in her alma mater, and she is still holding the position.
Miss LUCIA McCOSH. of the department of Music is a new member of the faculty of the college. although she served in the same capacity several years ago. when that de- partment was in an undeveloped state. She is a daughter of Dr. John and Elizabeth McCosh. of Mount Morris. She finished the prescribed course of study in the Mount Morris public school. and later completed the Latin-Scientific course in Mount Morris College. graduating in 1897. She also did two years of Seminary German and French. Previous to her work in the college here. she completed a course in shorthand and typewriting in the Omaha (Nebr.) Business College. and spent two years in stenograph- ical work in that city. In 1898, she entered the Chicago Musical College. and gradu- ated in the class of 1900. completing a two years' course in piano. harmony. canon. fugue and musical composition. Her work in this college deserves special mention. She stood second in her class, having a grade of 99. and was one of the fourteen mem- bers of the concerto class, selected from among a class of eighty. to play at the final public examination at graduation.
JESSE D. SUTER. first assistant in the Commercial department. hails from Frank- lin Grove. He gained his early education in the Ashton public school. and afterward tanght a year there, in the Grammar department. He entered Mount Morris College in 1892. and. with the exception of about a year and a half. has been continuously at work here. graduating in a literary course in 1897 and the two years' Commercial course in 1900. He is now working on his third year in Seminary mathematics and other branches of the Seminary department. Mr. Suter is well fitted for his position in the Commercial department.
MICHAEL W. EMMERT. teacher of a number of the common branches. attended Mount Morris College five years. graduating in the Academic department and com- pleting one year Seminary work. He also spent short periods of time in colleges in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Iowa, and taught school several years. He was elevated to the second degree of the ministry of the Brethren church in 1894. and had charge of a mission at Cedar Rapids nearly three years, giving up that work to accept his pres- ent position. He does some Seminary work along with his teaching. August 3. 1899, Mr. Emmert was married to Lizzie Myers, and they have one son. born July 10. 1900.
J. F. SOUDERS became an instructor in the Bible department at the beginning of the fall term of 1900. He comes from Oren, Ohio. near which place he taught school five years. He has attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada. two years at the North Manchester (Ind.) college, and one year at the University of Chicago. He specialized in Bible work and is well skilled in that line. He is a notable addition to the faculty.
MISS MYRTLE ROYER. instructor of Vocal Music. Oil Painting. Water Color and Pastel. is the youngest daughter of Prof. and Mrs. J. G. Royer, and was born near Monticello. Ind. She graduated from the Academic department of Mount Morris Col- lege in 1899, and has also completed one year Seminary work.
WALLACE W. FIKE. assistant in the Penmanship department. is a native of Mil- ledgeville, Ill. He completed a course under Prof. Weaver in 1898. In the following year he became a Benedict. Miss Ella Hangh being the girl of his choice. Mr. Fike is a gentleman possessed of those traits of character that gain recognition and favor in every walk of life.
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MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE.
Athletics have never occupied the exalted position in Mount Morris College that they do in a great number of the institutions of learning. However, all clean sports that help the student to keep a sound mind in a sound body are not objected to by the management. Tennis courts are laid out on the campus, and, when the weather permits, numerous devotees of the game may be seen dexterously passing the lively balls back and forth over the net. In baseball and football the college has never attained to much reputation,-no doubt because the majority of the students are young people who must make every moment of their time tell, and con- sequently they cannot afford to spend much of their time in the required
MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM OF 1899.
practice. Since the school draws most of its students from the farm, an abundance of brawn is always at hand, and, if turned in the right direc- tion, would result in skilled playing, second to none in the county. On this page is shown a view of the football team of 1899. Although organ- ized rather late in the season, the eleven made a very creditable showing. The line-up was as follows: Center, A. B. Keller; right guard, F. D. Miller; left guard, Clyde Bechtelheimer; right tackle, Myron Sager; left tackle, Clayton Gloss; right end, Roy Sweeley; left end, Elmer Shank; right half- back, Verne Roland: left half-back, Earl Clevidence; quarter-back, Wil- liam Fouke: full-back, Dudley McCosh. Substitutes, Preston Stuckey, Marion Wasson.
CHAPTER VII.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
As mentioned already in this volume, the first settlers of Mount Morris township were deeply interested in the cause of education, and were determined that their children should not want for educational priv- ileges. In conformity with these views, Messrs. Hitt and Swingley en- gaged A. Quimby Allen to accompany them west, when they returned for their families in 1838. Soon after they established a school, with Mr. Allen as teacher, in an old log-house which they erected in the grove about eighty rods southwest of the present residence of William Lohafer. This house was torn down many years ago. It was the first school in this sec- tion of the country, and was called the Pine Creek Grammar School, under which rather pretentious title it was the first step toward the founding of Rock River Seminary. The pupils in this school numbered twenty-six, among whom were Margaret C. Hitt, later Mrs. D. J. Pinckney; John W. Hitt, now an influential citizen of Oskaloosa, Iowa; George Hitt, now de- ceased; Andrew W. Hitt, Joseph Hitt, John Hitt, now Deputy Collector of Customs, Chicago; Robert S. Hitt, of Chicago; Hon. Robert R. Hitt, Mar- tin R. M. Wallace, later a judge of Chicago; Elizabeth Reynolds, Caroline M. Reynolds, Ann E. Ankney, later Mrs. Phelps; Urilla Swingley, John H. Swingley, Upton Swingley, Augustus H. Ankney, afterward a leading citi- zen of Clinton, Iowa; Ann M. Ankney, later Mrs. William Watts, deceased; Clinton Helm, later an eminent physician of Rockford; James C. T. Phelps, afterward a farmer near Rochelle; James Reynolds, the Worden boys, Richard McClain's children, and Nathaniel A. Ankney and Peter Householder, both residents of Mount Morris today. The school contin- ued under the direction of Mr. Allen for nearly a year, during which time the scheme of locating the Rock River Seminary here was accomplished. As is noted elsewhere, the first term of the seminary opened in November, 1840. In the spring of 1841, the Pine Creek Grammar School was taken under the wing of the seminary, being conducted under the management of Mrs. Fannie Russell, as the Primary department of that institution. For some reason it was discontinued in 1843. N. A. Ankney was one of the boys who attended during the time the school was under the charge of the seminary. The sessions were held in the basement, in one part of which was the culinary department of the seminary. Mr. Ankney remembers that the boys soon found out that the cook produced an extra fine dough- nut, and often helped themselves from the supply when there was no one about.
For several years after the discontinuance of the Primary department of the seminary, private schools, generally of a short duration, were con-
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THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ducted at different houses in the village. Mrs. Ellen Trine, of this place, remembers of having attended school at five different places. One was in an old house, then owned by Mrs. Fellows, on the site of the new house now. occupied by Mrs. McCosh, on Main street. This was a select school taught by a Miss Bennett. There was another select school taught by Mrs. Stuff, the wife of a Methodist minister, on the lower floor of the old Masonic Hall, on Wesley street, numbered 18 in the engraving on page 51 of this book. The other three which Mrs. Trine attended were the one in Daniel Eversole's house, the Crofts school, and the district school in the old house recently torn down by W. H. Miller. Further mention is made of these three.
THE DANIEL EVERSOLE HOUSE.
Another school of which some of our older citizens have a slight mem- ory was one taught by a Miss Frankinberry and held in the basement of Blair's Hotel, now Dr. G. B. McCosh's residence. Henry Sharer remem- bers a small frame building, standing just west of Dr. McCosh's residence, in which a school was taught at an early day. A. Quimby Allen taught a school in a house during the winter of 1845 '46. Probably a number of other private schools were conducted during the forties and fifties, but lit- tle can be learned concerning them.
After the Primary department of the seminary had been closed, one of the first schools to start up for the enlightenment of the juvenile por- tion of Mount Morris was held in the main part of the residence of Daniel
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
Eversole, on the corner of McKendrie and Center streets. This house was raised and altered somewhat several years ago. An engraving of the building as it appears today is shown on the preceding page. In this old house school was held for about two years, during which time the follow- ing were among the teachers: L. Bell, Major Woodcock and his sister Miss Sarah Woodcock, and James Ransom. There were probably twelve or fifteen pupils in attendance, among whom were N. A. Ankney and Mrs. Ellen Trine. The old house was also used for a number of years as a wagon-shop, and an upstairs room frequently served the Odd Fellows as a lodge-room.
Probably the first school supported by the regular means of taxation was that held in a house on Main street. Later it was occupied as a resi- dence by William H. Miller, who tore it down in the spring of 1900 to make room for his present fine residence. The information concerning the old house is exceedingly obscure, and the little which could be found was gleaned from a score of sources, and may contain some errors. As nearly as can be ascertained, the house was built especially for school purposes either in 1845 or 1846, only a few years after the building of the McFarland house, mention of which is made elsewhere. The building was quite long and narrow, and was divided by a light board partition into two equal apartments, one for the younger and one for the more advanced pupils. Here it was that the great majority of the present middle-aged citizens of Mount Morris gained their education and spent many pleasant hours of their early lives,
"Some upon their books intent.
But more on furtive mischief bent."
The latter part of the quotation was true to a great extent if credit can be given to the laughable stories now related by many of the former pupils. The school continued in the rather hampered quarters afforded by the old house for probably over a score of years. The rooms were very much crowded at the last, so much so that in the summer time visitors would be astonished to find boys sitting on the stove for want of better seats. Dur- ing these years hundreds of people with whom all are familiar attended the school, and many of them are now residents of our village.
Thomas C. Williams was one of the mischievious boys who attended the school; and one day, probably for amusement during some tiresome hour, he copied the names of every pupil attending at that time into his spelling book, one name along the inside margin of each page. With the exception of three or four all of the names are easily legible, and are as follows: Frank Mumma, William McCoy, William H. Miller, William Newcomer, Arthur Newcomer, Harley Hedges, Benj. Hedges, Milton Neff, David McCoy, Lewis Davis, Frank Knodle, Edwin Allen, Samuel Rohrer, Edwin Newcomer, Merritt Pinckney, John Warburton, Edwin Knodle, Frank Baker, Douglas Hedges, Charles Knodle, James Wertz, C. Farwell, Frank Black, Otho Davis, Clayton Startzman, Ed. Startzman, Calvin Mid- dlekauff, David Warburton, John McCosh, Scott McCosh, Melvin Knodle, Ed. Sharp, "Den" Householder, George Coffman, Thomas Williams, Ella
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THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Funk (now Mrs. H. J. Griswold), Alice Pond (now Mrs. Knodle, of Aurora), Ida Newcomer (Mrs. Knodle), Lottie Rohrer (Mrs. William Newcomer), Ida Pinckney (Mrs. Ed. Butt, now dead), Eliza Ohr (Mrs. Forbes, of Iowa), Lib- bie Allen (Mrs. R. D. McClure), Arbanna Middlekauff (Mrs. N. E. Buser), Follie Brayton (Mrs. W. M. Gilbert, State Center, Iowa), Lillie Brayton (Mrs. W. H. Miller, Alpena, S. Dak.), Sarah Ohr (Mrs. Follet), Josie Hays (Mrs. Wise), Laura Neff (first wife of A. S. McCoy), Josie Cheney (deceased), Mary Hedges (deceased), Lizzie Guy (now of Franklin Grove), Susie Typer. Besides the foregoing list a number of others might be noted: Mattie Middlekauff, Charles Allen, Mary Allen, Robert Q. Allen, Cashus Crowell, A. W. Brayton, John Davis, Solomon Nikirk, Thomas and James Neff,
THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING IN MOUNT MORRIS.
[This building was occupied for many years as a residence by W. H. Miller. who removed it in the spring of 1900, to make way for a more modern dwelling.]
Waldo and George Cheney, Lillie and Jennie Knodle, the McCoy and the Stewart boys, and others too numerous to mention.
A complete record of the teachers who taught this school is not ob- tainable. Among them were A. Quimby Allen, Mr. Streeter, Mr. Shultnee, Mr. Cross, John Page, with Hannah Cheney (who later married Mr. Page) as assistant; Holly Allen (father of Charles H. Allen, township assessor), James Allen (a brother of Holly Allen), Enoch Coffman, Miss Sibyl Sam- mis (later married to Andrew Hitt), Miss Helen Coffman, Miss Hattie Lit- tle (now Mrs. Samuel Middour), Miss Christina Coffman, Daniel Rohrer, Morris Gaffin, Maggie Fouke, Miss Miles, and the Misses Frances and Flor-
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
ence Hoverland (who later married Charles Crawford and Dr. B. G. Steph- ens respectively).
Miss Frances Hoverland took charge of the senior room in 1864, and a little later prevailed upon the school board to allow her to write to the east for her sister, Florence, to take the other room, in place of Miss Miles who could not handle the mischievous urchins. These two ladies contin- ued teaching in the old house until the present stone structure was built. Frances, now Mrs. Crawford, is still one of the present corps of teachers, having taught during the entire time except for several years spent in schools in Milledgeville and elsewhere. Thus she has had a hand in the teaching of nearly every boy and girl who has gone through our school, for the remarkably long period of not less than thirty-five years. Children whose parents were disciplined by her in the old schoolhouse have passed, and are still passing, under her instruction. Her sister Florence has al- most a parallel record, having ceased teaching in our public schools but a few years ago.
Many interesting reminiscences can be related concerning the old school days in the Miller house. As is invariably the case, there were nu- merous mischievous spirits among the boys and girls, and their pranks are still remembered by those who were contemporaneous with those "glorious old times." Mrs. Crawford relates a story of how two boys determined to have a vacation from study by hiding all day in the loft, which was merely a little cubby-hole, with neither light nor ventilation. When she arrived at the schoolhouse in the morning-a hot summer day-some of the schol- ars were building a roaring fire in the stove, and, when questioned, signifi- cantly put their fingers to their lips and looked toward the loft. She took in the situation at once and helped the joke along by allowing the boys to remain in the loft and keeping up a good fire to make a healthy heat in the usually hot apartment above. At noon Mrs. Crawford and her sister went through the form of leaving the schoolhouse by walking heavily to the door and opening and closing it, but remaining inside. Imagine the looks on the boys' faces as they slid down from the loft and found them waiting! No further punishment was deemed necessary.
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