USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 32
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Among the attorneys of Mercer County, John M. Wilson has been practicing law for some ten years or more, and is now state's attorney, serving his second term in that office.
A very prominent young attorney practicing in Mercer County for some four or five years was George Burnett, also his father. They both came from Michigan to Illinois and the father had been a Methodist minister there, and engaged with others in tearing up the Michigan Central Railroad, and the elder Burnett had resigned from the ministry and barely escaped the state prison, and removed to Mercer County. He was quite an intelligent man, but was not a suc- cessful lawyer, for he seemed to have the idea that the law was based upon such technicalities that it was not created to promote justice but to defeat justice; but the younger man was a well-read lawyer and could make a fine, logical argument. He afterwards removed to Madison County at Edwardsville, and was for many years chief coun- sel in St. Louis of the Wabash Railroad Company; and his father removed to Montgomery County from Aledo.
John C. Wharton was another attorney in Mercer County and held the office of state's attorney for eight years. He was educated at the college at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, read law there with Woolson & Babb and then read law with Isaac N. Bassett in Aledo, and in 1875 commenced the practice of law in Aledo as a co-partner with Isaac N. Bassett, and was elected state's attorney in 1876 and again in 1880, and continued to practice law with I. N. Bassett until 1888, when he removed to Omaha, Nebraska, where he is still living, being at the present time postmaster of Omaha. Mr. Wharton was a fine trial attorney and tried a great many cases in the Mercer Circuit Court, and was an excellent prosecutor as state's attorney. He was
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also quite a politician, being a republican, and was a speaker not only in Mercer County, but in other counties, on political questions.
Frank Martin was another Mercer County lawyer who read law with John C. Pepper, and was married to Mr. Pepper's oldest daugh- ter. Mr. Martin removed to Fall City, Nebraska, and engaged in practice there, and some years later removed to Omaha and was an attorney of prominence and ability. He is now dead.
Of the other attorneys mentioned in Mercer County who are now living, it is not deemed proper to say anything particular in regard to their ability. But the Mercer County bar still maintains a high position and has taken a very active part in endeavoring to have the members of the bar of the county take high, ethical positions.
There was a local bar association formed more than forty years ago which had for its object the purpose of encouraging all the mem- bers of the bar in becoming proficient in their profession, and espe- cially in observing the ethical rules applicable to the members of the profession; and its further object to cultivate kindly, social feelings between the members of the bar, and to adopt some rules in reference to the fee bills in the trial of costs. It is very difficult, however, to adopt any rules fixing the prices to be charged by attorneys for their services, and any fee bill that was fixed by the association would be only to fix the minimum fee to be charged, and it was of very little service to the bar or to anyone else.
The association, however, has been of great benefit otherwise to the bar, to the court, to the litigants, and to the people of the county, by arranging the dockets and arranging the time when a jury was to be called, and having their cases fixed so that the litigants did not have to remain with their witnesses for several days awaiting trials, and so as not to keep jurors and other officers on expense awaiting jury trials while the pleadings were being settled and the cases tried that were submitted to the court.
There are other attorneys that have not been mentioned that were perhaps of equal importance, some forgotten or overlooked ; and many of those not mentioned, as well as those mentioned, who were not prominent in practice and were not identified with cases that were deemed of great importance.
Alexander McArthur, however, who has not been mentioned, served as clerk of the Circuit Court, and afterwards settled at Wash- ington City, and practiced at Denver for a few years and came to Aledo, was quite a prominent attorney, being at one time a copartner of George A. Cooke, the present Supreme Court justice, and served for a number of years as master in chancery. Vol. 1-21
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John C. Pepper, Benj. C. Taliaferro and Isaac N. Bassett were delegates to the Illinois state convention that inaugurated and formed the Illinois State Bar Association at Springfield in 1877; Mr. Pepper and Mr. Taliaferro both being dead, and Mr. Bassett still being a member of the association. Robert L. Watson, William T. Church and William J. Graham are also members of the Illinois State Bar Association.
The Illinois State Bar Association at its first meeting appointed a committee to procure an enactment of a law creating the Appellate Court of the State of Illinois, and through the efforts of that com- mittee the Appellate Court act was passed. The Illinois State Bar ' Association has been active in procuring other legislation; among the acts was one reforming the practice act. Another act has been before the Legislature for two years; an act proposed by the Illinois State Bar Association to make a sweeping change of the practice act, but the act has never been passed upon by the Legislature.
Among other attorneys in Mercer County was Charles J. Bartle- son, who read law with John S. Thompson, and was admitted to practice about 1870, and removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, some five or six years later and became a prominent attorney there, and subsequently removed to Spokane, Washington, where he died in 1912. He was a very able lawyer and had some very important litigation while remaining in Minneapolis.
Among other important cases in the Circuit Court of Mercer County was one against John Valentine in the April term, 1865. Valentine was indicted for murder for killing a woman in Richland Grove Township, and in the first trial in the Mercer Circuit Court the jury disagreed, on second trial he was found guilty of murder, but on motion a new trial was granted and then the defendant took a change of venue to Henry County. George W. Pleasants was one of his attorneys, and was elected judge of the Circuit Court, which included Henry County, and consequently the case was continued for a time on account of the judge not being competent to sit on his trial, and the only witnesses that could testify against him died or left the State of Illinois so that they could not be procured, and he was acquitted. Subsequently this same John Valentine killed a man in Henry County, and was tried, convicted and hung for the crime.
In the spring of 1856 there was a conspiracy entered into by four men-David Bradbury, Frank Folmsby, Walter Hatch and James Pullen-to burglarize a gun shop in Keithsburg, get arms, and then proceed to rob indiscriminately the people in the Village of Keiths- burg. One of the conspirators, however, entered into the agreement
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under the advice of some friends in Keithsburg. James Pullen, who was acquainted with the persons and to whom they proposed for him to be a party in the burglary and robbery, made the agreement with them on the advice of friends, and time was fixed in which they would go in the night and enter the gun shop, arm themselves, and then proceed to the robbery. Pullen informed the authorities in Keithsburg of the time fixed for the burglary, and with the other three he came from the Iowa side in a skiff to Keithsburg at a late hour in the night and proceeded to enter the gun shop; Pullen being among the first to enter there, and another one entering, when the police, who were secreted near by, appeared on the scene. Bradbury and Pullen were arrested; the other two got in the skiff and escaped, but Hatch was arrested a day or two afterwards. Bradbury was subsequently tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary; Hatch took a change of venue to Rock Island County, and was imprisoned there in the jail with a provision that he might be released by giving bond for $1,500 for his appearance for trial. In lieu of giving bond the sheriff accepted $1,500 and let Hatch go free and he never ap- peared. Subsequently the board of supervisors authorized Isaac N. Bassett, who was then treasurer of Mercer County, to proceed against Rock Island County to recover the forfeiture, but the board of super- visors of Rock Island County refused to pay the same, and thereupon suit was brought against the county and judgment recovered for the amount of money deposited, the same having been paid by the sheriff of the county into the county treasury of Rock Island County.
At the December term, 1859, there were on the docket 133 chan- cery cases; at the April term, 1859, there were 778 common law cases, and the firm of Bassett, Willits & Bassett was engaged in 242 of these cases. The docket was larger than it otherwise would have been on account of the arbitrary position that Judge Thompson took in calling the dockets for trial. He refused to call the docket of the return cases at the first term after the suits were brought, consequently all the cases brought at the term preceding April, 1859, went over to that term, unless they were voluntarily dismissed. There was no authority for the judge to pass the cases over, and if he had called the docket perhaps there would have been 100 cases disposed of on default and as many more tried at the previous term. This resulted also in an injustice to the people of Mercer County espe- cially. The merchants of the county almost universally bought their goods in the market of Chicago, St. Louis or in the eastern cities of Boston, New York and Philadelphia. The non-residents of the state could bring their suits in the Federal Court and proceed to get
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judgment at once against the merchants for the non-payment of their debts; and the statute then provided that a suit in the state courts might be brought against the defendant in the county where he re- sided or was found, and also might be brought to the county where the contract of indebtedness was incurred. Consequently persons indebted to merchants in Chicago for goods could be sued in the Chicago courts, where no such arbitrary rules prevailed in regard to calling the docket. The result was that the merchants in Mercer County were prevented from getting judgment and enforcing pay- ment against those indebted to them, while they could be sued in the Federal or Cook County courts, and judgment taken against them.
In the foregoing list of attorneys there were some omissions, among them John F. Main, who was born in this county and was admitted to practice law here and engaged in the active practice for some three or four years in Aledo. He was well educated and about ten or twelve years ago moved to Seattle, Washington, and subse- quently was elected judge of the Circuit Court there and in 1913 was elected one of the justices of the Supreme Court of Washington. The following is the list of attorneys who are members of the bar in Mercer County in active practice, including those on the bench, to-wit: Isaac N. Bassett, George A. Cooke, justice of the Supreme Court; Henry E. Burgess, judge of County Court; John M. Wilson, state's attorney ; Robert L. Watson, master in chancery; William T. Church, Friend L. Church, William J. Graham, Paul G. Graham, Oscar E. Carlstrom, David A. Hebel, Homer D. Dines, George W. Werts, L. D. Kirkpatrick, and James A. Allen.
CHAPTER XV
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
In the early settlement of the territory there were centers of in- fluence, moral forces, divine light, which are not now appreciated to their full value. There were many in the county at Keithsburg, New Boston, Pleasant Bluff and Duncan Prairie. They did much to give Mercer County a splendid heritage. The men who served in these early days were of a strong, true and noble type. Of these were Revs. Eld. Harris, E. Underwood, J. C. Post, T. M. Mat- thews, C. C. Moore, J. P. R. Young, William Whitehead, G. W. Benton, J. K. Barry, E. J. Odell. One of these, Elijah Jordan Odell, is still living at his home in Joy, Mercer County, Illinois. He is in good health, and is now at the ripe old age of over ninety, awaiting the reward of his labors. Besides these there were Baptist religious centers at Millersburg, Sugar Grove and Hamlet. The Hamlet Church is now the Reynolds Church, the Sugar Grove and Millers- burg interests have been taken up by the present Antioch Church.
The Methodist Church no doubt is the pioneer church of the county, and no doubt it was the first church organization in New Boston. The first church building in the county was erected in New Boston, it being the Methodist There was a Baptist church in New Boston that may have been erected about the same time; also a Universalist church building erected in New Boston Town- ship near the foot of the bluff. All of these churches in the early history of the county had church organizations and pastors. I do not think the Baptists had any pastor after 1855. A man by the name of Brunhall was the last pastor and held the last services in the church, and the church has long ago been abandoned. The sand has blown in the windows and over it, as it was located south of the Patterson Hotel. It was the general custom of the Methodist people to hold camp meetings in some grove, and in Mercer County the location was in Sugar Grove, northeast of Aledo, about three miles northeast of the north side of Edwards. This was a fine grove of hard maple trees on the farm of John M. Ashbaugh. The meetings were held in that grove for a great many years, and later some time perhaps in the early '70s, they were changed to the east side of the public highway on the land of John Artz, but not more than one-
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eighth of a mile from the former place. They have not been held, however, for over thirty years. At these meetings persons came from all over the county and for forty or fifty miles away. A great many of them would bring their families and some live in tents, but the majority of those who camped on the ground had inclosed buildings made of "ruff" lumber. There was a building for the minister, and a platform in front of it where they would speak in conducting the services, and in front of that platform there was a little inclosure of logs, where the zealous shouting Methodists would be seated, and frequently prayer meetings and other special meetings would be held there in that inclosure. It was called by the vulgar "the bull pen," and during the meetings every one seemed to vie with the other in seeing who could make the most noise by responses and by prayer or otherwise. They would join in singing a song, and then in praying, some one being called on to lead, but so many would join in praying and in responding that the leader would not be heard above the din of the other voices. In 1867 at the close of the meet- ing, which was on Monday, the members present formed in a line some two or three hundred, and then commenced singing, "Shall We Journey to the River," etc., and the one at the head would start and go around and shake hands with all of the others, and then the second, and so on, until the last one had passed around. It was very wonderful and glorious to hear the singing, all joining in the song, and to see the people shake hands with each other with joy and glad- ness.
Another early Methodist church in the county was in the Village of Berlin, in Richland Grove Township, now the Village of Sew- dona. This church was erected in 1834 and is still standing, but the organization no longer exists.
There was a United Brethren church at Keithsburg in the earlier years, Thomas Marlat being the minister, or, at least, one of the earliest ministers. Saint Clair Ross was a minister of that denom- ination in 1855-56. The church organization went out of existence a great many years ago, and the only United Brethren church in the county is one that now is at Sherrard, in Richland Grove Township. The only Universalist church now existing in the county is one in Suez Township.
The Wesleyan Methodists early in the county history organized in Henry County, and from there the services were commenced at Hopewell, in Rivoli Township, where a church was subsequently organized and remained in existence with a pastor until very re- cently. The church building is still there, but the society has au-
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. SEATON
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thorized the trustees to dispose of the church and close the same. There was one more Wesleyan church in Greene Township, west of Viola, which existed for quite a number of years, and Joshua MI. Snyder was the pastor for a great number of years.
There was a Presbyterian church once organized in New Boston about 1870, and erected a church building and had services for a few years, but the society and church have gone out of existence.
The Christian Scientists in Aledo and perhaps some other places have an organization, but no church building.
The Mormons Anti-Polygamists have a small church in Millers- burg, but do not have services now, and also have a church in Duncan Township, which still holds services. There is an organization also of some kind in Aledo, but they have a special school held at the private home of Mordecai Terry.
The Spiritualists are and have been for many years tolerably strong in New Boston, and for several years they had Sunday services there in a public hall. They do not have any such services any longer, but have their seances.
The Seventh Day Adventists have a church southwest of Aledo, in Millersburg Township, and a church building. They are the only organization of the kind in the county.
There is a Free Methodist church organization in Sherrard and the only one in the county.
The Free Presbyterian Church had an organization in the Car- nahan Settlement, east of Aledo, in Greene Township, and in the Kiddoo Settlement, west of Aledo and south of Joy in Millersburg Township, some time prior to 1852. There was a church building by the society in the Kiddoo neighborhood and the services in the Carnahan neighborhood were held in a building that was used for some other purpose. Probably Joseph Whitham was the first pastor in 1852, or about that time, to 1856. Then the Rev. James S. Poage came to Aledo and a society was organized here in 1859 or 1860, and a church was erected on the ground where the Methodist Epis- copal Church now stands, and the original Free Presbyterian Church is part of the Methodist Church that is now reconstructed. Rev. James S. Poage served as pastor for all three of the churches until they were disorganized some time after the close of the Civil war, about 1867 or 1868, and no church of that denomination now exists in the county. Rev. James S. Poage was one of the ablest ministers of any denomination in the county. A man of excellent ability and very popular with the people; he died in Aledo about ten years ago.
There was an Episcopal church erected in Aledo some time between 1865 and 1870 on the lot just east of the north park, where
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Mr. Hartman now lives. The Reverend Mr. Chamberlain was for many years the pastor of that church and one or two others at differ- ent times whose names I do not remember, were installed as pastors. The church was very feeble and had to have assistance in the erection of its building and in the payment of the pastor, and services ceased some thirty years ago, and the church building and lot was sold to Mr. Hartman about three years ago. He took down the building and erected his private residence on the ground. So far as can be learned there never has been any other Episcopal church society in the county.
There was a German Lutheran church organized in Aledo in the early years of 1856 or 1857 and the Reverend Mr. Hammer was the pastor for some two or three years, and they had services in Aledo every alternate Sunday, but the church was disorganized during the early '6os and the Swedish Lutheran Church has taken its place subsequently.
There was a Congregational church organization in Viola in the early '50s. There was a Congregational church organized in Aledo about 1868 and they erected a building on the southeast corner of Col- lege Avenue and Tenth Street, which is now occupied by George Werts, Sr. The church was organized particularly through the instrumentality of Judge John S. Thompson. Judge Thompson had become, with his wife, a member of the Presbyterian Church of Aledo, and in a few years thereafter the minister of the church, Mr. Williams, got into a quarrel and the judge took part in the quarrel and organized a second Presbyterian church. After the Second Presbyterian Church was organized, about 1868, a few years, the Congregational Church was organized by him, and the most of the members of the Second Presbyterian Church went with him and the Second Church went out of existence. This church re- mained until some time in 1893 or 1894, perhaps a little later, and among the ministers was Rev. Robert Nourse, for two or three years, who was a very able minister and afterwards became a lecturer of some notoriety in the United States. The church had some very prominent persons as members and held a very prominent position for years, but on account of deaths of some of the members, it was deemed wise to disorganize. The church at Viola also went out of existence. There is a Congregational church now at Sherrard, and one in New Windsor, which are still in existence.
In 1856 there were but three Free Presbyterian churches in the county, viz .: (1) In the Kiddoo neighborhood near what is now
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Joy; (2) in the Carnahan neighborhood east of what is now Aledo; and (3) in Aledo, the latter being established by Rev. J. S. Poage. The negroes having been freed during the Civil war, the Free Pres- byterian Church went out of existence soon afterward. Mr. Poage then became a member of the Presbyterian Church, but in the '70s served the Congregational congregations at Aledo, New Windsor and Rio.
The Mercer County Ministerial Association has been in exist- ence ever since soon after the Civil war and has done much to prevent a clash of the sects or creeds. Their mission is one of peace for all seekers after righteousness and salvation. Prominent ministers from abroad often address this association. In 1870 they held a four days' convention at Aledo and ended with a grand concert, of which Prof. P. P. Bliss, of Chicago, the famous sacred musical composer, was conductor.
The County Bible Society and the County Sunday School Associa- tion have been prominent and active for a great many years. It would be difficult to tell all the good they have accomplished. In 1888 there were forty-three Sunday schools in the county, with a total membership of 3,489. The Sabbath school workers held normal institutes with much success. Thomas Candor was for many years president of the County Bible Society.
Occasionally, conferences of the different denominations have been held in this county. George R. Wendling replied to Robert G. Ingersoll at Aledo in June, 1878. An immense audience heard him. Right Reverend Bishop Burgess spoke here about the same time on "When He Came to Himself," from the parable of the prodigal son. At all times in early years the camp meetings at Sugar Grove were famous for the religious zeal kindled, the number of church mem- bers secured and the remarkable sermons of the old-time ministers.
The great revival of Reed and Grant in 1899 was a memorable religious advancement. They were given a chorus of 100 voices. At the first meeting were 600 persons. Twenty converts were secured in the first four days and 125 at the end of one week. But the revival conducted by "Billy" Sunday in 1905 surpassed any- thing of the kind ever held here. A total of 959 converts were secured in two weeks at Aledo and the contributions amounted to $1,919.13. He went to Keithsburg and conducted a few stirring meetings. Wood and Rice, evangelists, were here in 1910 and secured a number of converts. Evangelist Redding held forth at the Methodist Church. Aledo, in February, 1913. In 1907 Hicks and Galloway, evangelists,
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conducted a series of meetings at Keithsburg and in the end secured 456 converts. This was a grand awakening.
Now will follow a more specific description of the churches late and early so far as information has been received after persistent inquiry.
The first meeting for the purpose of organizing a church at Aledo was held at a schoolhouse near the village, November 8, 1856. The Rev. William Townley, Rev. John H. Nevius, together with Thomas Candor, an elder of the Pope River Presbyterian Church, were the committee appointed for the purpose of organizing a new church at Aledo. Services were held on that day and on Sabbath, November 9th, and the organization was completed on Monday, November 10th. The members who joined at that time were: James Officer and Mary Jane Officer, his wife; Jacob Vanbuskirk and Mary Ann Vanbuskirk, his wife; William McCandless and Sarah Ann McCandless, his wife; John McKee, Martha Detwiler, David Brown, Edgar Allen and Eliza Allen, his wife; Simeon Macy and Amanda M. Macy, his wife; Eliza B. Townley, Hattie B. Townley and Margaret Beck. The first elders were William W. McCandless and Edgar Allen, and the first deacon was Jacob Vanbuskirk. Rev. E. K. Lynn was the first installed pastor. The first board of trustees was Simeon Macy, John McKee and John S. Thompson. Rev. William Townley, formerly of Crown Point, Indiana, was the first minister. On July 18, 1858, Mrs. Mary Wilson, widow of Judge J. M. Wilson, was received on certificate from the church of Galesburg, Illinois, and has been a member of this church longer than any other person at this time.
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