USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 15
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If some of those early settlers could rise from the grave and come back to their haunts of eighty years ago. their surprise would be far greater than that of Rip Van Winkle when he awoke from his long sleep in the Catskill moun- tains. When the white man came here eighty- five years ago the forests were unbroken; the prairies were yet in their pristine beauty fresh from their Creator's hand. and wore the abode of the wolf and wild deer: the canoe of the Indian glided over the waters of the "Sanga- mo," and the forests echoed to his savage yell. while the paths worn by his moccasined feet served as a guiding trail to the invading pale- face. The flight of years has clothed these "verdant waster" with flocks and herds, with waving harvest-fields and vast forests of rust- ling corn, in which great armies might find speroting ambush. The Indian trail has been obliterated by the railway track, and the os- team and "prairie schooner" are displaced by the locomotive and the automobile. The land- scape where the Indian set his tepee and where his pale-faced snecessor built his pole cabin or his three-faced camp, is now dotted with
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
hundreds of happy homes, churches and school- houses. The silence broken by the war whoop and the death song of the savage, now echor- 10 "The laugh of children, the soft voice Of maidens and the sweet and solemm hymn Of Sabbath worshippers."
The early pioneers of this section met with the same trials and inconveniences that others experienced, and which are described in another place. Churches, schools, societies, etc. are de- scribed in appropriate chapters, but we feel that at this point a word should be said about one particular church-The Baptist church at Ba- kor's Prairie. This is one of the old congrega- tions of that denomination in the county. 1 = was organized in 1835, by the Rev. John Antle. The first place of worship. after the private houses, was a log house which served as a church and schoolhouse. It stood about three miles rast of Petersburg and about the same distance north of where Tice is now located. Later they built a frame church and after it became some- what dilapidated they erected a splendid brick edifice, which they now occupy.
The town of Petersburg. the metropolis of Menard county. is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Sangamon river at the cross- ing of the Chicago. Alton & St. Louis, and the Chicago. Peoria & St. Louis Railways. twenty-one miles north of Springfield and twenty-seven miles from Jacksonville. It ex- tends back from the river on the bluffs, where many beautiful residences are situated. The streets are broad and lined with trees, adding much to the beauty of the place. and in sum- mer protecting from the burning heat of the sun. The public square is a great ornament to the town, being well supplied with forest trees, and in its center stands a splendid conri- house. Intilt in 1897 at a cost of fifty thou- sand dollars. The greater part of the business. as in other Ilinois towns, is around the square. and the buildings are far better than are gen- erally found in towns of its size. Speaking of the streets of Petersburg brings to mind an anecdote of Abraham Lincoln, that we believe has never found its way into print. and as it is absolutely true, and as it illustrates the kind- and benevolent nature of the man. we feel it to be a duty to record it, here and now.
Mr. Lincoln surveyed and platted the town but it happened that, before the plat was thought of a widow lady had built her a house within its limits. When they came to make the sur- vey they found that this house was a few feet ont into the projected street. It would cost something to move the house, and the owner was a widow; the survey was almost done and it would entail both labor and expense to change the whole plat; so Lincoln eut the Gordian knot by making "a jog," as he called it, in the street. This "jog" is in the plat, and in the street- a visible and lasting monument to the kind heart of Mr. Lincolni.
Peter Lukins and George Warburton were the original owners of the one hundred and sixty acres of land that Petersburg now stands on. This tract was part of section 11. town- ship is. range : west. In 1832-3 they laid out the entire tract of one hundred and sixty aeres into blocks and town lots and when this was done they quietly sat down to wait for the city to grow. This one hundred and sixty aeres was rather an extensive foundation for a town seventy-five years ago, and it was prob- ably these ponderous proportions that retarded its growth. At any rate it failed to grow and the proprietors, becoming disgusted. soll out to Hezekiah King and John Taylor. These gentlemen employed Abraham Lincoln. then deputy surveyor of Sangamon county, to sur- vey and replat the town, and this plat was filed for record February 22, 1836. The town was named for Peter Lukins, one of the origi- nal proprietors. The incident. or accident. which led to the naming of the future city Petersburg. instead of Georgetown. occurred in this wise: Peter Lukins and George Warbur- ton. the original projectors of the enterprise. wore cach very anxious to be immortalized in history by bestowing his name on the incipient city and they became involved in a very warm dispute over the question whether it should be called Georgetown. for Warburton. or Peter -- burg. for Lukins. At last they decided to play a game of "old sledge." or "seven-up," then the national game (instead of base or football ). and allow the winner to name the town. Lul- kins won. and rising from his costly seat. a mail-keg. he solemnly and impressively pro-
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
nouneed the word "Petersburg." and the mo- mentous question was forever settled. Elijah E-tep doubtless built the first cabin, or build- ing of any kind that was ever built in the ter- ritory of what is now Petersburg. Estop put up a "tread-wheel" mill here in 1826. This is spoken of more fully in another place. The first store opened in the town was by John Taylor. in 1833. Not a great while after Tay- lor began business, the Davidson Brothers came in with a stock of goods and opened the ser- ond store. It was only a short time after this till John Bennett bought Taylor out and on- gaged in a business that was destined to be his employment for a long time. He was for many years one of the leading merchants and business men of the place. Ile is spoken of more at length in another place. Jordan Mor- ris was the first blacksmith and Peter Lukin> looked after the sales of the people, being a shoemaker. The postothee was established here in 1831, with James Taylor as postmaster. This office was then a very small affair, and the whole thing could have been easily carried in a man's hat. The first practicing lawyer was David M. Rutledge, a brother of "the beautiful Anna Rutledge," the fiancee of Alna- ham Lincoln, and who. had she lived. would have been his wife. Dr. R. E. Bennett was the first resident physician. The first "tavern" was kept by Peter Lukins. It was located in the south part of town and was a very un- pretentious affair but it accommodated in a comfortable way those who patronized it. Mi- er the primitive mill spoken of above, a man by the name of Dorrell built a combined >aw and grist mill, and this served the purpose for the people for a great many years. After this a Mr. Sanford erected a very fine mill at a cost of eighteen thousand dollars. After operating it for several years his sons, .I. D. and E. D. Wright, took charge of it. In a few Years E. D. Wright withdrew from the firm and not long after this 44. D. Wright failed in business, necessitating the sale of the prop- erty. In 1818 the property was bought by E. 12. Gault and D. Fischer, who ran the mill for a number of years, with very good she- ( ... Later it went into the hands of a Mr. Welch, who ran it for a time, but after his
death it was changed into an elevator and is being so run at the present time. In 18? the Eagle Mills were built by Nance, Brother & Company, at a cost of over twenty-four thousand dollars. The Nances ran it about eighteen months when it was bought by Philip Rainey. In connection with Thomas Bartield be ran it for a time and later he was alone in the enterprise. He put in rollers and the "new process," and made it in every respect a very fine mill. After his death his wife ran it for a time. Finally, some twelve or fifteen years ago. Mr. Hettner, of Virginia. Cass county. bought the property and is running the mill with great success. Aaron Hatfield milt a mill in the east part of town about the early 'S0; and ran it for a time. Afterward Charles C'arman ran it for some time and failed to make it pay. Some years ago it was dis- mantled, the machinery taken out and the building has since stood unoccupied. While on the subject of mills it is not out of place to mention the fact that the first steam mill (the one put up by Taylor) was run by an engine that came off a steamboat. (See the chapter on "Steamboats.") Along somewhere about that time a steamboat worked its way up the Sangamon as far as Petersburg, and landed at her busy wharf. but when starting time came she could neither advaner nor back out. so the only thing to do was remain, which she did. Taylor bought the machinery and put it into the mill, as above stated. There are two grain elevators running in Petersburg at the present time. Wilms & Company operate a new ele- vator. built by them some five or six years ago near the track of the Chicago. Peoria & St. Louis Railroad, in the northeast part of town. David Frackelton. Ir .. is running the old mill in the south part of town as an elevator. Both are doing a good business.
In 1901 Mr. Brass, of Virginia, C'ass com- iv. created a canning factory in the north part of town and engaged in canning tomatoes, sweet corn and pinupkins, which at once bid fair to he a queres. He induced the neighboring farm- it's to engage in raising these product - and the enterprise has proved a blessing to the town. The farmers have realized splendidly on the crop- raised : employment has been fur-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
mished for a great nunder of the people of the town: and the owner- have done well. Some years ago D. M. Bone and Charles Mont- gomery created a bed-spring and excelsior face- tory in the east part of the city, which for several years proved a great success and a blessing to the country. Unfortunately just as it had become a decided success, it burned down and the moneyed men of the town re- fused to lend the necessary aid. and one of the proprietors opened the same business in Springfield and the other in Lincoln, Illinois. and both are now large and paying factories. It is extremely unfortunate that these enter- prises did not receive the sympathy and en- couragement of the men of means of the place. There is no town in central Illinois that has more natural advantages and facilities for manufacture than Petersburg and nothing would pay our men of means better than to put their money into such enterprises. It would build up the town in population. it would afford a market for our coal. timber. sand and produce, and furnish employment to hundreds of our citizens. It is strange that this has not been done long ago.
Petersburg has had a very good share of newspaper enterprise. first and last. The first newspaper was published in this place in the fall of 1851. by S. B. Dugger, who called his paper the Petersburg Express. After running the paper for about a year Mr. Dagger sold out to Henry L. Clay, who changed the name of the paper to the Menard Iudex. which was Democratic in politics. In September. 18.58. Mr. Clay sold ont to Hobart Hamilton, and a Mr. Brooks and they changed the politics of the paper to Republican and ran it thus till 1863, when it was cold and removed from the county. Brooks remained with the paper about one year after he and Hamilton took it. and retired from it. saying that after changing the politics of the paper and sending out the first number a- a Republican sheet that the patrons came in by scores, carrying the paper. and would throw it down saying. "There. take Abolition paper." Shortly after the removal of the Index the Northwestern Bay- ti-t. a religions paper, was issued from the In- dos office, and edited by M. P. Hartley. After to F. M. Bryant, who continued the paper till
Hamilton changed the Index to a Republican paper the Menard County Axis was started as a Democratic organ, with C. Clay as editor and publisher. Its first issue was dated April 12. 1859, and it was continued in Clay till 186 ;. when it was purchased by a joint stock company. with M. B. Friend as editor, and its name changed to the Petersburg Democrat. under which name it still continues to be published. Mr. Friend continued in charge of the paper till 18;1. when E. T. McElwain became editor. He continued in editorial con- trol till JJuly 1. 18 ;;. when he was succeeded by A. E. Mick. On July 1. 1828. Mr. Mick associated with himself S. S. Knoles, and so the firm continued for several years, till Free. Wilkinson became editor and after a time John Onstott was associated with him. and this con- tinues to be the firm at the present time. The Petersburg Democrat has been the exponent of Democracy in Menard county for abnost fifty year -. The last two gentlemen have. for many vears, wielded the quill and snapped the edi- torial scissors. in disseminating Democratic doctrine to the denizens of "Little Menard." The Democrat is a stanch and reliable paper. ha- a large circulation. and is regarded as an essential in many households of the county. During the campaign of Filmore, Buchanan and Fremont. in 1856. William Glenn started a paper called The Fillmore Bugle but it closed out at the end of the campaign. In lune. 1868. he Menard County Republican was established. with Richard Richardson a- editor. In about a year he sold out to John T. MeNeely who conducted it till 18; 1. when Bennett and Zane became the proprietors. About a year after this Zane was succeeded by John Frank, who soon retired and was fol- loved by F. M. Bryant, who likewise remained Int a short time, and Bennett was alone for a time. F. J. Dubois then became a partner and assumed editorial control for a year. Early in 1801 the material of the Republican was sold to John Frank, who had started a new paper the August preceding and called it the Menard County Times. It and the Republican were then consolidated and published under the name of The Times. Frank now sold out
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
May 9. ISES, when he sold to G. W. Cain and William Parks. Cain had been running a pa- per in Tallula, and when he bought Taylor ont he changed the name of the paper to the Peter -- burg Observer, and under that name it is still published. Parks sold out about 1902 to Mr. Ruth. who is still running the paper. It is a clean, well edited and popular Republican pa- per. Mr. Ruth also runs a paper in Athens.
Wo tried hard to secure full data concern- ing the papers in other Menard county towns but failed, as our letters of inquiry were for some reason unanswered. Athens. Talhuila and Greenview have cach had a weekly paper for several years. The "Greenview Leader" is pub- lished by James Arnold and is a spicy and up- to-date paper. Mr. Arnold also runs a good job office.
PETERSBURG. THE COUNTY SEAT.
The act of the legislature for the formation of Menard county was passed in the session of 1838-39. the new county including a large part of Mason county, which was not set off till two years later. One of the first questions agitated was that of the location of the sent of justice. The contestants were New Market, Huron. Miller's Ferry. AAthens and Petersburg. and after a short but sanguinary struggle, it was decided in favor of Petersburg, and in the spring of 1839 it became the capital of the county. Its competitors in the struggle for of- ficial greatness, all except Athens, have long since been submerged " 'neath the waves of dark oblivion" and few people now know that such places ever existed in this county. From this time on Petersburg rapidly grew in popu- lation and increased in importance. After the formation of Mason county it was found that by a stroke of good fortune, the county seat had been located almost in the exact geograph- ical center. For four years after the forma- tion of the county. the courts were held in the store of Grimsley & Levering, but in 1813 the courthouse was created at a cost of six thousand, six hundred forty dollars. This old house, with the moss of passing years gather- ing on it. stood fill 1892. It was of the old
Kentucky tobacco-barn style of architecture. and in perfect harmony with the scores of courthouses built sixty-tive and seventy years ago. About the time that the courthouse was built a jail was erected which served the pur- pose till 1820. when a new one was put up at a cost of twenty-two thousand dollars, a far more imposing building than the courthouse. The first jail cost three hundred dollars. In 1897 a new stone courthouse was built on the site of the old one. It cost fifty thousand dol- lars, but while the old courthouse was an old fashioned, weather-beaten affair, it was with sad hearts that the old citizens saw it razed to the ground, on account of the associations connect- ed with it. Its walls had echoed to the voice of such men as Stephen A. Douglas. Abraham Lincoln and many other of the celebrities of those old times. for "there were giants in those days" in the truest sense of that word. This is the history of the county seat, as such, and we now proceed to give a brief sketch of the place as an organized city. under the laws of the state.
Petersburg was organized as a city under the laws of Illinois in 1882. and Dr. F. P. AAntle was elected the first mayor of the city. Ile continued to fill this office, by re-election, till 1885. In April. 1885. Charles R. Collier was elected the second mayor. Mr. Collier served till 1882. when in April of that year James Thompson was elected to that ollice. During this administration the system of waterworks was put in. Diedric Fisher being awarded the contract for the tank, pump. building. etc., at seventeen thousand dollars. In April, 1889. AAnson Thompson was elected mayor and serveo till 1891, when desse M. Out was elected, and by re-election served till 1897. During the terms of 1893 and 1891. the large well wa- sunk to supply water for the waterworks. It is thirty feet from out to out, being twenty-five feet in the clear between the walls and thirty- right feet deep. This well cost the city. all told three thousand dollars. In 1892 the first sanitary sewer was put in. at a total cost of three thousand. five hundred dollar -. Tu 189% Isham C'atleft was elected to the ollice of may- or, and served till 1901. In this year Anson Thompson was again elected and served till
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
100%. when desse M. Ott was again elected and i- serving at the present time. In the year the city bought the Town Hall. paying for the building and lots three thousand. six hundred dollars. During the fall of 1901 the large drainage sewer, on the north side of the square. was put in, at a cost of four thousand dollars. So that in the last fifteen years the city has expended. in much needed improvements, be- side the running expenses of the town. no less than thirty-one thousand. eight hundred dol- lars. The city is in a very prosperous condi- tion financially. In 1899 the old courthouse was torn away and a fifty thousand dollar build- ing erected in its place, which is an ornament to the city and county. A system of electric light> was put in years ago. The wooden buildings, which used to be so numerous around the square, are nearly all torn away, and large. modern, brick buildings have been imilt in their place. We have three large dry-goods stores. Your clothing stores, two jewelry stores, three drug stores, three hardware stores, six grocery stores, two furniture stores, two harness shops. three restaurants, two ten-cent stores, three meatmarkets. one shoe store, two photograph galleries, one mill, four blacksmith shops, two bakeries four barber shops, four millinery stores, three hotels and one marble shop. Be- side this we have in the professions: four den- tists. eight physicians. thirteen lawyers (an unlucky number) and ten preachers. In 189; the "Old Salem" Chautauqua was organized. The board of managers purchased a most beau- tiful piece of land on the banks of the Sanga- mon river, within a mile and a half of the city, and opened the institution in August of that year. From the very first it seemed to Under the direction of such men as N. W. Branson, George Lothringer, Homer J. Tice and others, it could not but be a success. They have a system of waterworks on the ground, a- fine and commodious an anditorimm as any similar institution in the land. A large number of cottages have been created on the grounds and thousands of dollars have been ex- pended in improving and beantifying the grounds. The attendance from the very first has been phenomenal and snecess has marked its every step. Fifteen thousand dollars will
be expended in 1905 in further improvements. by erecting a hotel in keeping with the demands and claims of the Chautauqua.
Petersburg has ton church houses. all of which have regular services. She has three fine school buildings, with a total of over twen- ty commodious rooms. Her growth has never been rapid. but always steady and permanent. During 1903 and 1904 more than twenty resi- dences were erected. cost from two thousand dollars to eight thousand dollars each. The city government is contemplating the paving of the more important streets in the near I'n- ture.
The present city government is as follows: Jesse M. Oft. mayor : aldermen. first ward, Ed. Goodman and MeLean Watkins: second ward. Gaines Greene and Otto Lenz: third ward. . 1. J. Bless and W. W. Williamson.
OFFICERS OF MENARD COUNTY.
SHERIFFS.
The sheriff's of the county have been : James Goldsly, 1839-1844 : N. A. Rankin. 1811-1818: James Taylor, 1818-December, 1848: James G. Long. 1818-1850; B. D. MeAtec. 1850-1852: J. B. Gum. 1852-1854: J. B. Goldsby. 185-1- 1858: J. M. Hurt. 1858-1860; W. C. Smoot. 1860-1862: J. M. Quinn. 1862-1861: J. M. Quinn. 1864-1866: Robert Clary. 1868-1820: Fred Wilkinson. 1820-1822: Wolf Fenher, 1811-1826: Fred Wilkinson, 1826-1820: M. T. Hargraves, 1880-1886: William J. Brewer. 1886-1890: Joseph W. Estill. 1890-1891: 1. W. Hatch. 1894-1898; J. N. Rutledge. 1898- 1902: Edward JJ. Fahay, 1902-1906.
PROBATE JUDGE.
AAsa D. Wright, from 1839 to 1816: Nathan Dresser. 1816 Io 1812: Asa D. Wright from 1812 to 1818. when the office ceased.
RECORDER.
William G. Spears, from 1839 to 1811 : Jacob Il. Laning. from ISI1 to 1842: Cornelius Rourke, from 1812 to 1819, when the office erased.
CORONER.
Martin S. Morris, from 1839 to 1810: George D. Adams, from 1810 1 1812; John E. Raw-
PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY
lins. from Ist? to [S]]: Ira MeGlasson. from ISHI to 1818: Mclean Wood. from 18Is to ISSO: T. P. Garretson, from 1850 to 1852 ; (. Levering. from 1852 to 1853: W. T. Hutch- inson, from 1853 to 1851: William Trent. from 1854 to 1856: F. C. Davis, from 1856 to 1858: J. T. Brooks, from 1858 to 1860: (. Levering. from 1860 to 1862: A. L. Clary. from 1861 to 1869: 1 .. Montgomery, from 1869 to 18;1: G. W. Hicks, from 1811 to 18;4: J. J. Erwin. from IS;) to 1826: L. Ahronheim. from 1826 to 1822: Charles Cowan. from 18;1 to 1880; John Degge, from 1880 to 1882 : John Backes. from 1882 to 1881: William D. Cowan, from 1881 to 1885: William D. MeAtce. from 1885 to 1892: A. 1 .. (Tary. from 1892 to 1901: Dr. Wilkin. from 1904 jo 1908.
SURVEYOR.
Edmund Greer. from 1839 to 1813: John B. Gum. from 1843 to 1819: Anno Ritter, from 1819 to 1855: E. Hall. from 1855 to 1859: D. N. Carithers. From 1859 do 1863: John B. Gum. from 1863 to 1864: A. E. Mick. from 1861 to 1869: A. J. Kelly. from 1869 to 1815; John Tice. Trom 1845 to 1819: Abe Hall, from 1819 to 1883: Anthony Austin. from 1883 to 1888: George C. Power. from 1888 to 1892; James M. Large. from 1892 to 1896: John Tice. from 1896 to 1901: Hobart Hamilton. from 1904 to 1908.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR.
Lewis B. Wynn. from 1843 to 1815: George U. Miles from 1815 to 1819: Mclean Wood. from 1819, till the office ceased to he. two years after.
COUNTY JUDGE.
Jacob Garber. from 1819 to 1853: 0. J. F. Clark. from 1853 to 1861: J. H. Pillsbury. from ISGt to 1865: M. B. Harrison. from 1861 to 1865: C. M. Robertson. from 1865 to 1869 : . 11. Pillsbury. from 1869 to 1823; John Tice. from 18;3 to 1881: 11. IL. Hoagland, from 1881 to 1898; Frank E. Blanc. From 1898 to 1902: George B. Watkins, from 1902 to 1906.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES.
James Mott. commissioned November 20. 1858: J. Rood. commissioned November 23. 1853: C. J. Hutchinson. July. 1851 and 185 ;:
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