USA > Illinois > Christian County > Past and present of Christian County, Illinois > Part 25
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owes a special duty to the comrades who bore the brunt of battle and he has sought to do their memory honor, having contributed a bronze group for the Sokliers' Monument erected at Linwood cemetery near Pana in 1895, and he and his wife have presented to the Rosemond Grove cemetery a splendid soldiers' monument, the granite pedestal bearing the figure, heroic in size, of Abra- ham Lincoln, after the design and modeling of Charles J. Mulligan, sculptor, of Chi- cago, a work which has already achieved national fame and a cut of which will be seen elsewhere in this publication. The paternal grandmother and two uncles of Mrs. Kitchell lie at rest in those grounds, to which Mrs. Kitchell has recently added fifty acres as a future permanent addition to the cemetery, which for natural beauty and attractiveness in its surroundings is un- surpassed anywhere in the west.
Mr. Kitchell has devoted much of his time to matters connected with the growth of the city in which he resides, having had faith in its future. He invested largely of his means in the development of two of the four coal mines which form so important a part of its industries, but parted with his interests in the mines when their success was assured. He came to Pana in the fall of 1866. He is now in a measure retired from the active practice of his profession. He is a member of the Grand Army Post and is serving his second term as com. mander. He has been president of the Pana Public Library Board since its organization. In the management of his farming interests, in the transaction of such matters as daily devolve upon a lawyer who does principally an office business and in the varied duties pertaining to his position as a citizen at large he finds his time fairly occupied.
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CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
C. O. GATES.
One of the prominent representatives of the journalistic profession in Christian county is the gentleman whose name heads this brief notice, the well known editor and proprietor of the Mount Auburn Tribune. He is numbered among the native sons of Illinois, his birth occurring in Sangamon county, May 12, 1868. His parents, Fines M. and May A. (Shelton) Gates, were na- tives of Kentucky and came to Illinois in 1864, locating in Sangamon county. where the town of Thayer is now situated. The father became one of the leading contractors of that locality and died there on the 24th of December, 1872. The mother is still liv- ing and is now the wife of A. M. Jenkins, of Muhlenberg county, Kentucky.
During his boyhood C. O. Gates attended the district schools and on attaining his ma- jority started out in life for himself as a farmer. He subsequently went to Mon- mouth, Illinois, where he worked for the Monmouth Mining & Manufacturing Com- pany for two years, and then removed to Divernon, Sangamon county, buying out the Divernon Star, which he published for two years. After selling that paper he started the Chapin Record, which he sold in 1898. and then returned to Divernon, where he worked in the mines until the fall of 1902. He then came to Mount Auburn and pur- chased The Tribune, which he has already made one of the leading papers of the county, its circulation having greatly in- creased since it came into his possession. He has now erected a business block in the village where he has opened a first class book and stationery store. He is a very en- ergetic business man and well deserves the success that has come to him.
On the 2d of March, 1893, Mr. Gates was
united in marriage to Miss Edith V. Colli- flower, a daughter of Jolin Colliflower, of Divernon, and to them have been born three children : Hazel O., Phineas C. and Daisy Mae. By his ballot Mr. Gates supports the Democratic party. He takes an active in- terest in civic societies and is now serving as chancellor commander of Racy Lodge, No. 629, K. P., of Mount Auburn. He also be- longs to Grove City Lodge, No. 275, I. O. O. F., and Mount Auburn Camp, No. 2849, M. W. A.
JAMES H. ALEXANDER.
James H. Alexander is serving as justice of the peace in Morrisonville, a position which he has filled for fifteen years with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituents. He is thoroughly impartial in meting out justice, his opinions being un- biased by either fear or favor, and his fidel- ity to the trust reposed in him is above ques- tion. He is regarded as one of the leading and most highly respected citizens of Morri- sonville and it is therefore consistent that he be represented in a work whose province is the portrayal of the lives of the prominent men of Christian county.
Mr. Alexander was born in Rush county, Indiana, October 9, 1840, and is a son of Reuben Alexander, who was born March 4, 1814, and is still living. The latter, who was a successful farmer throughout his ac- tive business life, is now living retired. His father was James Alexander, who lived to be ninety-six years of age, while his sister, Mrs. Nancy Spence, was a centenarian. In fact the family is noted for longevity. The family is of Scotch origin and was founded in the Carolinas in colonial days.
In the county of his nativity James H. Alexander continued to make his home until
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January 7, 1883, and to its public schools lie is indebted for the educational advan- tages he enjoyed. In early life he learned the carpenter's trade and after becoming an expert workman he engaged in contracting and building for some time. Two winters he engaged in teaching school in Shelby county, Indiana, and then returned to In- dianapolis, Indiana, where he worked at his trade for seven years, and was next em- ployed in a foundry for the manufacture of car wheels at Lafayette, that state, until coming to Morrisonville, Illinois, in 1883. Here he worked at the carpenter's trade and engaged in contracting for four years, at the end of which time he was elected to his pres- ent position and has since given his attention to the duties of that office. During his in- cumbency he has never had a decision re- versed by the superior courts, which could probably be said of no other justice in the state who has served as long as he has. He is now doing some fire insurance and from both sources he derives a good income.
During the dark days of the Civil war Mr. Alexander enlisted August 6, 1862, and followed the varying fortunes of war in the campaign from Lebanon, Kentucky, to Munfordville, that state, where he was taken prisoner on the 17th of September, 1862, but was paroled forty-eight hours later and sent to Indianapolis, where he was kept until exchanged in April. 1863. Being taken ill he was sent to the hospital at Stone River, July 3, 1863, and was later transferred to hospital No. 9 at Louisville, Kentucky. Sub- sequently he was detailed to go to New York, but was again taken ill and returned to the hospital at Louisville, where he re- mained until discharged from the service August 4, 1863. All this trouble was caused by measles and his lungs being affected.
While a prisoner of war Mr. Alexander
was married October 19, 1862, to Miss Charlotta Humphreys, a daughter of George and Elizabeth ( Hardsley) Humphreys, who belonged to old Kentucky families. By this union the following children have been born, namely : Elmer E., who died at the age of sixteen years; Josephine, who married J. B. Davenport and has three chil- dren. Gail, Ralph and Carrie: Harvey G., who resides in Chicago and is connected with a wholesale seed store in that city; Emma B., who married William H. Davenport and has two children, Marie and Hattie: Sherman and Sheridan, twins, the former a plasterer of Kokomo, Indi- ana, and the latter a member of the Third United States Cavalry, who was sta- tioned at Asynaboyne, Montana, for a time, but is now in Evanston, Illinois; and Mrs. Carrie Tyler, who lives in Morrisonville and has two children, George and Ralph.
Besides the office of justice of the peace Mr. Alexander has served as mayor of Mor- risonville and as assessor of the township. He is public spirited and progressive and takes a deep interest in the welfare of his adopted county, doing all in his power to ad- vance her interests. In all the relations of life he has been found true and faithful to every trust reposed in him.
C. A. MANNERS.
In the history of the men of the past and present who have figured prominently in Taylorville in connection with its public af- fairs, its substantial progress and its up- building C. A. Manners should be men- tioned. He was a leading railroad builder of this part of the state and his active and honorable career won him the unqualified confidence and esteem of those with whom
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he was associated. He was born in Somer- went to Leadville, Colorado, where he was set county, New Jersey, on the 2d of August, engaged in mining for a number of years. after which he returned to Christian county and here spent his remaining days. 1827, and was a son of John and Penelope Manners. When quite young he went to sea, spending eight years on the water, after which he returned to New Jersey and com- pleted his education in the schools of that state. Manifesting special aptitude in his studies he soon became qualified for teaching and followed that pursuit for tivo terms.
On the expiration of that period Mr. Man- ners resolved to try his fortune in the west and made his way to Illinois, locating in Christian county in 1851, among its early settlers. From that time until his death he was an active supporter of all measures for the general good and as a business man he became well known. In the year of his ar- rival he was elected county surveyor of Christian county and acted in that capacity for three years. In 1859 he became connected with the surveying department of the United States, to fix the boundary between the states of Kansas and Nebraska, and .he continued upon the public surveys of the latter state un- til 1860. In that year he returned to Illinois and in 1862 he was elected sheriff of Chris- tian county, which position he filled with promptness, fidelity and fearlessness for two years. Mr. Manners then began contracting for the construction of railroads and was one of the oldest and most successful railroad builders of the west at that time. He thor- oughly understood the mechanical principles underlying railroad construction and the work which he performed was always of a most satisfactory character. It was his cus- tom to carry forward to successful comple- tion whatever he undertook and as a result of his business ability, careful management and unfaltering energy he accumulated a very desirable competence. At one time lie
On the 2d of October, 1861, Mr. Man- ners was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- beth A. Long, a daughter of Major Thomas Long, of Taylorville, who built the first hotel in this city. He won his title by serv- ice in the Black Hawk war. His son, Fran- cis Monroe Long, enlisted in 1861 in the Union Army, became captain of Company G of the Forty-first Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, was later promoted to the rank of major, and in 1863 died of wounds sus- tained on the field of battle. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Manners were born two children : Frances C., now the wife of G. T. Horner, of Taylorville ; and Thomas J., who died in 1887.
Mr. Manners held membership with the Masonic fraternity in Taylorville, and in politics he was a Democrat, believing in the principles of the party which he therefore stanchly advocated. A self-made man, he deserved the highest praise which that term implies. He was resolute and industrious and he utilized his time to the best advan- tage. As the years passed his labors re- sulted in bringing to him splendid success and he also gained an untarnished reputa- tion by reason of his fidelity to the ethics which control commercial and industrial life. He passed away in 1887, leaving to his family an untarnished record. His widow now owns fourteen hundred acres of land near Taylorville and also the residence occupied by herself and her brother. Her farming interests are very valuable and re- turn to her a splendid rental, which enables her to enjoy all .of the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.
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PAST AND PRESENT
DORICE DWIGHT SHUMWAY.
Prominent among the energetic. farsee- ing and successful business men of Taylor- ville is the subject of this sketch. Integrity, activity and energy have been the crowning points of his success, and his connection with various enterprises and industries has been of decided advantage to the city and county, promoting their material welfare in no tin- certain manner.
A native of Christian county, Mr. Shum- way was born on a farm, about four miles east of Taylorville. December 19, 1845, and is the second son and third child in the fam- ily of D. D. and Emily R. A. (Rountree) Shumway. He spent the first few years of his life on the farm where he was born, and his education was begun in the country schools. After the removal of the family to Taylorville, he attended the city schools for a short time, also the academy at Hills- boro.
Mr. Shumway began his business career at the age of twelve years. In the spring of 1857, he entered the store of W. W. Anderson as clerk. IIe worked for Mr. An- derson until the fall of 1860, at the same time serving as deputy postmaster of Tay- lorville. His health failing, he returned to his father's farm and remained until the fall of 1863, when he entered the State Uni- versity at Normal, Illinois, remaining dur- ing the winter of 1863 and 1864, but failing health again caused him to abandon his studies. He taught a country school in the winter of 1864 and 1865.
It was in 1866 that Mr. Shumway com- menced business on his own account, form- ing a partnership with his uncle, A. H. H. Rountree in merchandising at Hillsboro, which connection was maintained until the ist of January, 1869, when Mr. Shumway sold his interest in the store to his partner
and returned to Taylorville to become a part- ner in the firm of Shumway & Sons, pro- prietors of a general store. The death of his father, which occurred in the spring of 1870, necessitated the closing out of this business. During the following summer, our subject and his brother, H. P. Shumway, compiled the first set of abstract books made in Christian county. These books are now in use in the abstract office in this city.
In 1871 Mr. Shumway became interested in the banking business, in partnership with W. W. Anderson, under the firm name of IV. W. Anderson & Company, and in 1874 they opened a branch house at Pana, Illinois, under the name of Anderson & Shumway. which was transferred later to Messrs. Hay- ward & Schuyler of that place. On his re- turn to Taylorville, Mr. Shumway assumed the management of the banking business here, and continued in charge until 1882, when he retired from the firm.
He subsequently opened a grocery store. which he carried on until 1889. On the organization of the Taylorville Coal Con- pany, in 1887, he became one of the stock- holders and was made its secretary. In 1890 he was made president and general manager and retained that position until its merger with the Springfield Coal Mining Company in January, 1903. Mr. Shumway retained an interest in the Springfield Coal Mining Company and is vice president and treasurer of same. The Springfield Coal Mining Company is operating six coal mines in Sangamon and Christian counties, having an annual output at this time of more than a million and a quarter tons annually. This company has nearly two thousand men in its employ and ranks one of the largest coal producers in the state.
Mr. Shumway does not confine his at- tention alone to the coal industry, but is also
9. 9. 11
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engaged in farming and stockraising; is many, May 29, 1852, a son of Joseph C. and president and largest stockholder in the Christian County Implement Company and The Henson & Cheney Hardware Company, both of these concerns doing a large and lucrative business; is stockholder, director and vice president of the First National Bank, and also owner of nearly all the stock in the Citizens Gas Light & Fuel Company, which is operated by his son G. F. Shumway, who is president and general manager. Mr. Shumway also owns an interest in and is treasurer of the Taylorville Electric Com- pany.
Mr. Shumway was married September 25, 1877, in Salem, Illinois, to Miss Mary Ida Finley, the only child of Dr. W. M. and Lucy W. Finley, of that place. She was born in White county, Illinois, and comes of one of the pioneer families of southern Illinois. Three children have been born of this union, namely : Glenn Finley, Hiram McLain and Dorice Dwight. Mrs. Shum- way takes a leading part in all social func- tions in the city, being prominent in woman's club work. She is a member of the Cum- berland Presbyterian church.
For two years Mr. Shumway served in the city council and was chairman of the board of water works, which had charge of the construction of the present efficient sys- tem now in use. He is public spirited in an eminent degree and never withholds his sup- port from any enterprise which he believes calculated to advance the interests of city and county. He has an extensive circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the state.
REV. JOSEPH DECHENE.
Rev. Joseph Dechene, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic church at Assumption, was born on the Rhine, at Aix-la-chapelle, Ger-
Theresia (de Beus) Dechene, the former born in Aix-la-Chapelle, February 1, 1816, the latter born May 1, 1821. The grand- father, Egidius Dechene, was archivist in the courthouse at Aix-la-chapelle for forty years and died in 1849, at the age of eighty- two years. The mother's people were of French birth. Unto the parents of Rev. Dechene were born eight children, of whom he was the seventh in order of birth. He is now the only one living, having survived his parents, two sisters and five brothers. His father was a shoe merchant.
Rev. Joseph Dechene pursued a college course at Aix-la-chapelle and afterward be- came a student in the University of Lou- vain, Belgium, in which institution he com- pleted the courses in philosophy and theol- ogy and was graduated on the Ist of July, 1878. After leaving college he pursued the study of architecture and mechanism at the Polytechnicum in Aix-la-chapelle, having an opportunity to receive instruction in those branches without cost. His time was thus largely occupied in 1869 and 1870. He was ordained to the priesthood in the cathe- dral at Mechlin, Belgium, on the 16th of June, 1878-two weeks before his gradua- tion from the University of Louvain. His entire education was received in Europe and in October, 1878, he came to America to enter upon the work of the church in the new world. In November he was sent to take charge of the congregation of St. Mary's in Assumption, where he remained until May, 1880, when he resigned. In May of the following year he returned to Europe and became an assistant pastor in Aix-la- Chapelle, but in 1883 he again came to the United States, and has at different times been pastor of Catholic churches in central
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Illinois, at Springfield, Litchfield, Mount Sterling and Assumption.
In 1894 Father Dechene made an ex- tended trip to Europe, visiting Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. He went especially for historical purposes and remained abroad for about six months. In October, 1897, he again became pastor of the church in Assumption, where he has since remained. In the same year he took out naturalization papers and be- came an American citizen, and since that time his views and efforts have been demo- cratic in the true American sense of the word. He is a confirmed opponent of social- ism and of anarchy and on the contrary is a lover of public order as prescribed by his church, country and state. Since October, 1892, he has been an active member of the Society for the Propagation of Christian Art, the headquarters of which are at Mu- nich, Germany. A man of scholarly attain- ments and wide learning he speaks several languages and is thus able to read the liter- ature of many countries in the original. He is a most zealous and earnest worker for his church and people, and under his guidance St. Mary's has made rapid and substantial advance in membership and spiritual growth.
In this connection it will certainly be in- teresting to know something of the history of the church. The first Catholic colony was established at Assumption in 1857, by Hon. E. E. Malhiat, who had bought a large tract of land in this locality from the Illinois Central Railroad Company. The first resi- dent priest was Father Charles Gonant, who had been ordained only a short time before in the cathedral at Alton, Illinois, by Rt. Rev. J. T. Junker, first bishop of Alton, in 1858. The next priest was Father Detour, the third Father Bedard, the fourth Father Recouvreur and the fifth Father Jacques.
Up to the year 1870 the temporal affairs of the church were managed by the priest with the assistance of a committee variously ap- pointed. In 1870 a board of trustees was regularly incorporated under the state law passed by the Illinois legislature in 1869. The first board of trustees of the Roman Catholic congregation of Assumption was composed of the following gentlemen: Rt. Rev. P. J. Baltes, second bishop of Alton ; V. Rev. J. Jansen, chancellor and vicar gen- eral ; Rev. J. A. Jacques ; David Bourdelais, Sr., and John Cashin. The papers of in- corporation were signed in the presence of 'Squire Rains and duly recorded in Taylor- ville. On the 7th of June, 1871, the second annual board of trustees came into power, being the Rt. Rev. Bishop, the vicar gen- eral, the officiating priest and David Bour- delais, Sr., and Joseph Turgeon. These two gentlemen were appointed by the bishop to serve on the board until the Ist of January, 1873, as found in the church records.
The first general subscription for a new church was made January 15, 1867. The subscriptions, fairs and festivals provided the means required for building the new church. By September 1, 1872, the church was under roof, but without doors and win- dows, unfloored and unplastered, the lot un- fenced and a debt of seven hundred dollars, bearing ten per cent. interest, had been in- curred. There was neither priest house nor schoolhouse until June, 1874, when the first priest house was built, the following gentle- men constituting the committee having this in charge: Patrick Foley, Edmund Trot- tier, Michael Krebs, Alie Michael and David Lacharite. The house was put up for eight hundred dollars. For want of funds the stairs and many other things were left un- finished. Toward the end of 1874 Father Jacques left the congregation.
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In the spring of 1875 Rev. Caspar With- oph, born in Germany, educated for the priesthood in the American College at Lou- vain, Belgium, took charge of the congrega- tion, remaining until August, 1878. There was a long succession of bad crops in this state and thus funds could not be secured to carry on the work of improvement in the church property. The church was still with- out plastering or ceiling and the house in a very unsatisfactory condition when Rev. De- chene took the place in 1878, as the successor of Rev. Father Kempen. Under the adminis- tration of Rev. Father Dechene, however, many improvements were made, the church being plastered and ceiled, the house painted and furnished. The funds for these im- provements were raised by subscription and fairs. In May, 1880, Rev. Dechene resigned and in November of that year Rev. Adam Leufgen became pastor of the congregation. He took up a subscription and bought a new bell for two hundred and fifty dollars. In May, 1881, illness compelled him to go to the hospital and the congregation remained without a rector for six months. Rev. P. J. Virnich, of Hillsboro, Illinois, said mass a few Sundays in the church during those months. Rev. A. J. Pennartz, like his three immediate predecessors, was a native of the Rhine province of Germany and like them also a pupil in Louvain. He became rector in October, 1881. He found some three hundred dollars in the hands of the trustees intended for the building of a steeple, but the woodwork and roof of the church need- ing repairing it was decided to use the money in that way. In 1888 Father Pennartz was promoted to the rectorship of St. Peter's and Paul's church, at Springfield, Illinois, and was succeeded by Rev. H. Ader, whose ad- ministration was quite successful as he made many improvements and greatly increased
the financial strength of the church. In 1895 Father Mahoney took charge and in. Feb- ruary, 1897, was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Carroll, a zealous and very successful young priest, who left the congregation in October of that year, when Father Dechene again became its pastor, taking charge a second time, after an absence of sixteen years. During his administration the parochial school has been established with one hun- dred and fifty pupils in attendance. A com- modious schoolhouse of beautiful design was erected in 1900 and in 1903 a new resi- dence for the Dominican Sisters who have charge of the school. The same year the new pastoral residence was built-a credit to the congregation and an ornament to the city. The aggregate cost of these improve- ments was twelve thousand dollars, almost all paid down and the balance being secured by subscriptions, so that St. Mary's church is one of the best equipped in the way of im- provements and financial standing in central Illinois.
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