USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 41
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Allen F. Glover was a tailor here in 1846. James Heaton came here in 1852 and moved out to Bald Bluff. Jerome A. Sweezy was a lumber dealer and merchant here in 1852. Other business men in the early times were John J. Hawkins, Thomas Marlott, Thomas A. Cummins, Charles J. Simpson, Robert C. Humbert, Clarence S. Frick, Capt. J. P. Wykoff, Capt. David M. Holsted, Hugh Scott, C. S. Orth and Dr. Samuel Kelly. Later business men were Fred- erick B. Burgett, Samuel Evans, Philip Gore and many others. The early physicians were E. L. Marshall, Campbell, Adams, Rodecker, Kelly, Coe, Humbert, Allen and E. P. Willits. Early lawyers here were Isaac N. Bassett, Elias Willits, John R. Bassett, Luther T. Ball, John C. Pepper, Benjamin C. Taliaferro, John S. Thompson,
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Lewis W. Thompson and a little later Walter J. Pepper and L. D. Kirkpatrick.
McCune's Steamboat Company ran a packet line between St. Louis and Keokuk in the early '50s. They did a large business, which greatly increased at the time of the Civil war. The stock of this company ran up to $400 per share, but the construction of the railroads cut down the business so that the stock fell to par. The Northwestern Packet Company ran a line from St. Louis to St. Paul and did a large business also. Its business likewise declined after the war. The St. Louis & St. Paul Company had a fine line of steamers. The Diamond Jo Line of more recent years is still in existence. It was named for Jo Reynolds, who was in his way a remarkable character. He built the narrow gauge line from the main road to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Other early lines were the Keokuk & Rock Island, which owned two steamers called City of New Boston and City of Keithsburg; the Keokuk and Burlington, Quincy & Keokuk, and others. It was not difficult to reach any point on the river from Keithsburg in the '50s and '6os. Capt. Walter Blair established a line between Burlington and Rock Island. It was called the Carnival Packet Company. He and his company yet control the lines from Burlington to Keokuk and from Keokuk to Quincy. Before the construction of railroads nearly all traffic with New Boston was done by way of steamboats on the river. This business was entirely cut off during the winter months when the river was frozen. Accordingly the merchants were obliged to lay in their supplies in the fall in sufficient quantity to carry them through the winter. When the ice left in the spring it was no unusual sight to see three or four vessels at Keithsburg at one time loading or unloading goods. They brought in large quantities of merchandise and took away all they could carry of oats, corn, wheat, etc. In the fall of 1853 William Gayle & Company received at Keithsburg the following goods, which was supposed to last them through the winter : 100 hogshead sugar, 300 barrels New Orleans molasses, 500 ten- gallon kegs New Orleans molasses, 500 boxes soap, 250 cases boots and shoes, 500 boxes candles, 100 boxes tea, 300 bags coffee, 2,500 kegs nails, 150 cases dry goods and clothing. There was an immense quantity of other miscellaneous supplies in addition. Many stoves were brought here by boat, one steamboat being entirely loaded with them.
During the season of 1854-5 Gayle & Company packed nearly five thousand hogs and had in store over thirteen thousand bushels of wheat and 25,000 bushels of corn. All this was sent off in the spring
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of 1855. At that time the Ben Campbell, Capt. R. F. Bartlett, and the J. McKee, Capt. Leroy Dodge, were busy vessels on the river. In July, 1855, the following were the leading merchants at Keiths- burg: William Gayle & Company, J. C. Cabeen, Daniel Keith, Sheriff & Willett, B. P. Frick & Company, Gore & Gamble, A. Rife, W. H. Ungles, F. Power & Company, R. & J. C. Brisben, William Whiting, C. Falders, R. C. Cabeen, Henry Oldham, Thomas Souster, J. Thompson, J. H. Marshall, Truman Lord, J. C. McCandless and T. H. Freeman. In the summer of 1855 many brick buildings were erected in the village. By the last of June it was noted that twenty new buildings of frame and brick were either finished or under way.
In January, 1856, Mr. Keith sold his residence to J. B. Matlack. At that time John H. Marshall conducted a large flour mill and Hodson & Reese bought a new steam ferry but did not start it until some time later. One of the new buildings was owned by Mr. Gayle and in it was the famous Apollo Hall, which was used by the town for almost every public purpose for many years. In 1858 among other business men were Hughes & Cain, brokers, collectors and exchange dealers; P. T. Hughes, general store; Matlack & Butter- field, druggists; Joseph Henry, druggist. At that time the saloon license at Keithsburg was $200.
In 1858 the merchants suffered much from wild cat currency then in existence. Particularly were the bills of the Nebraska Wild Cat Bank objectionable and worthless. Their actual value was as low as 25 cents on the dollar and at no time was the actual value of any such currency known. Merchants usually discounted the paper a little below what the quotations actually showed. In June, 1861, P. T. Hughes & Company advertised to buy up all the shin-plaster currency in circulation at its actual market value, which was taken at Chicago specie prices. In the spring of 1865 H. M. Bruce & Company, the latter being a Mr. Kibby, established a small bank at Keithsburg. Mr. Bruce was the active man. Without seeming to do so they made great efforts to secure deposits and in a short time succeeded in obtaining about twelve thousand dollars. On the 20th of April the door was closed and thereon was a notice to the effect that the banker had gone to Chicago but would return in a few days. Nothing more was heard of him until 1866. Thomas Cabeen, who was affected by this transaction, went to Chicago to find out what had become of Bruce and Kibby. He learned that the latter was in Coles County, engaged in promoting another bank scheme. Mr. Cabeen went there, but Mr. Kibby evaded him. John C. Pepper was sent to find him and discovered him in Ohio, arrested him and
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brought him back to Chicago. There Mr. Pepper compromised with him to receive a sum of money for the $1,400 worth of deposit certificates held by Mr. Pepper. In 1866 Bruce was discovered in Canada. He was visited but refused to come back to the United States. In October, 1866, he returned of his own accord and was arrested in Michigan, where he was found at work on a farm. He was handcuffed and jailed at Kalamazoo, and finally brought to Chicago and thence to Keithsburg. In the end very little of the defalcation was recovered.
The pork packed at Keithsburg during the winter of 1858-9 was almost exactly ten thousand head of hogs. Pork was worth at that time about six dollars per hundred. New Boston packed almost as many the same winter. At that time a petition was sent to the Legis- lature to change the name of Keithsburg to Cornwall but the attempt failed. In August, 1857, the Keithsburg Observer passed to W. R. Calhoun. As stated in the issue, it was independent in all things and neutral in nothing. In 1860 V. B. Schouf was editor of the Keiths- burg Press, a democratic organ. The Observer died out after a short time but in December, 1861, was revived by J. A. J. Birdsall, who continued it as a five column folio. The Observer had had a hazardous experience for a number of years. It was suspended in the fall of 1858 but was revived by a number of democrats who desired an organ and who started it again as the Mercer County Democrat. The Observer had been independent but in this period of political excitement and change the democrats desired a newspaper to sup- port their principles and policies. The newly issued Observer was an unflinching opponent of black republicanism. In fact the whole policy of the Observer was changed as was also the name. The objects of the newspaper, as stated, were to advance the principles of democracy, to urge the reelection of Stephen A. Douglas to United States senator, and to war on black republicanism. Mr. Birdsall continued as editor until 1865. The Keithsburg News flourished for a time with W. H. Heaton as editor. This paper is yet issued but has undergone many changes. The Keithsburg Observer has passed away long ago. Theodore Glancey was editor of the Observer in 1867. Colonel McManus was connected with it but later sold to H. Mintun. In 1870 the Observer was suspended for want of sup- port but about six weeks later came out again and was independent in politics. It passed to a Mr. Armstrong, of Iowa, in 1870. He paid $900 for it but did not continue with it long. Soon afterward Glancey & Thomas started the Keithsburg Karana and ran it suc- cessfully for some time. In 1874 the Keithsburg News again
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appeared under W. C. Brown but in a few months it passed to Taylor & Blackman. It was neutral in politics. In the spring of 1877 the Keithsburg News was resurrected by Will H. Heaton.
Philip Coonrod was a wagon manufacturer in Keithsburg in 1857. He invented a riding plow, or cultivator, of which large numbers were sold by Mr. Frick, a merchant. In 1859 the leading merchants at Keithsburg were C. S. Orth & Company, C. P. Elder & Company, E. B. Starkweather, A. Frazier, P. T. Hughes, Humphrey & Evans, R. Gray, Philip Coonrod and others.
In August, 1860, Thomas B. Cabeen estimated the shipments from Keithsburg from August 12, 1859, to July 23, 1860, as follows: Shelled corn, 319,150 bushels; wheat, 69,425 bushels; rye, 14,871 bushels ; oats, 13,719 bushels ; barley, 850 bushels ; millet seed, 1,424 bushels; potatoes, 4,050 bushels; not yet shipped, 38,500 bushels; amount still in the county not counted, 100,000 bushels; totals, 606,989 bushels. In addition he estimated the following shipments : Hay, 383 bales ; flour, 100 sacks ; dry hides, 675 ; tallow, 3,600 pounds ; chickens, 70 dozen ; eggs, 48 barrels; hams, shoulders, etc., 406 casks of 850 pounds each ; sides, 7,376 pieces ; lard, 1,044 barrels. In the winter of 1859-60, 6,000 hogs were packed at Keithsburg and the winter of 1858-9, 13,000 head. The amounts hauled to New Boston, Muscatine, Andalusia, Camden, Rock Island, Monmouth and other points, raised the quantity shipped to over 1,000,000 bushels of grain. During the winter of 1860-61, there were packed at Keithsburg 4,823 hogs, their average weight being 2301/2 pounds. The best two hogs were marketed by John Brown, of Ohio Grove; they weighed 486 pounds each. He received a premium of $5 from the packers. The best ten hogs were brought in by Mr. Reynolds, their average weight being 3881/2 pounds ; he received a premium of $8. The best twenty hogs were marketed by Burnett & Sons, their average weight being 326 pounds ; he was paid a premium of $10. The best large lot of hogs was brought in by Martin Bear; they numbered 82; the average weight was 284; he received a premium of $15. Pettis Finch delivered two hogs that averaged 4781/2 pounds. David Finch sold thirty-one, the average weight being 29512 pounds. A. Frazier marketed five hogs, the average weight being 350 pounds. Brady Willits, J. W. Hueston, A. B. Childs and Harrison Riggs also delivered choice lots. One very fine lot of hogs driven in from Bridgers' Corners averaged 288 pounds. The best single hog delivered during the season was marketed by Rev. J. S. Poage, of Aledo; it weighed 528 pounds. The amounts of grain received at Keithsburg in February, 1860, were enormous. In one day as high
High School
Lift Bridge Lower View Shows Lift Open for Passing Vessels
Third and Main Street Methodist Episcopal Church
VIEWS OF KEITHSBURG
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as 300 wagon loads of corn and wheat, besides many others of oats, corn, etc., were weighed there. A resident going out of town met one morning forty wagons loaded with wheat and corn coming to town in the first ten miles. At this time the price of wheat had advanced to nearly a dollar a bushel.
On July 4, 1870, a very destructive fire occurred at Keithsburg. It was started in the livery stable of H. N. Ives and two young boys who were sleeping therein lost their lives. Their names were Ives and Demsler. Among the buildings destroyed were the Nelson House, the residence of Mrs. Wade, a large corn crib, owned by Mr. Holland, Joseph Thompson's house and several other structures. Many buildings were saved by being covered with wet blankets. The town seemed to lack in early times means for fighting fires. In 1871 the Farmers National Bank of Keithsburg was established with the following officers : William Drury, president; T. B. Cabeen, vice president; C. S. Orth, cashier; Solomon Wolf, John T. Mc- Ginnis, B. D. Ellett and B. P. Frick, directors. A general banking business was commenced and carried on. Its capital was $50,000, all the stock being subscribed and paid up.
In 1871 baseball took a firm hold upon this county. The game had been played here before but this year a county league was formed and games were played for money. The club at Keithsburg was called Ictaries and the one at Aledo was called Andes. At an impor- tant game in Aledo the Andes had forty-eight runs and the Ictaries, thirty. The players of the Andes were Ward, Shearer, Falloway. Mentzer, Henderson, Porter, Law, Moore and McDonald. Those of the Ictaries were Marshall, Frick (C. S.), Frazier, Hinzie, Flynn. Frick (C. H.), Cabeen, Lloyd and one other.
In the fall of 1870 a new ferry was started at Keithsburg and in one day sixty teams were taken across. In December of this year passenger trains began making regular trips to the town. The county board fixed the ferry rates as follows: Two horses and wagon, $1.50; horse and wagon, $1; man and horse, 50 cents; footman. 25 cents ; cattle over two years old, 25 cents per head ; others 10 cents per head ; hogs and sheep, 10 cents per head.
In May, 1872, the distillery was destroyed by fire, the loss being about twenty-five thousand dollars, with an insurance of about fifteen thousand dollars.
Lloyd's large hotel was erected in 1871. Huron Island near Keithsburg had a bad reputation in early times. Liquor dealers and other law breakers were wont to gather there and hold high carnival without fear of molestation from officers of the law. Occasionally
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when the iniquity became too great the citizens of Keithsburg would make a raid upon the island and drive off the miscreants. In time they came to be called the Huron Island devils.
About 1880 the Keithsburg Reading and Conversational Club was organized and became one of the strongest mediums of literary culture ever in that community. The members took much interest in the work and made a special study of the lives (1) of the great poets; (2) great historians; (3) great novelists ; (+) great orators. They discussed and analyzed thoroughly the literary merits of the works of Bryant, Browning, Emerson, Longfellow, Whittier, Poe and others.
In October, 1879, the Keithsburg Bank quit as a national institu- tion and became known thereafter as the Farmers Bank, being organized under the state law.
In 1888 the Mississippi River was higher than ever before since 1851. The water was not quite as high as it was in the latter year but was high enough to flood the streets and compel the merchants in many cases to place their goods in upper stories. In 1883 the new railroad was almost ready for business at Keithsburg. `In 1883 a driving park was established on land donated by T. B. Cabeen, one mile east of the town. L. K. Jenne & Son leased the land and built the track. Here it was that many of the fast horses and many other sports and games were conducted from that period on for many vears. The shooting tournament took place there and several of the greatest shots in the world developed at this park their surprising skill. In 1883 J. Erickson conducted a steam ferry here. About this time the village authorities purchased at Chicago 150 opera chairs and other suitable equipment for the new opera house. The Maggie Reaney was a popular local steamer on the river about this time. Captain Peal was her master.
In 1884 the town voted on the question of issuing bonds for the purchase of those which had been given the Dixon & Quincy Rail- road Company in 1870 and which were still drawing interest at the rate of 10 per cent. The amount was $35,000 and it was desired to refund them at a low rate of interest. This in the end was accom- plished.
The opera house, though good and substantial, was not satisfactory to the people. In the late 'Sos it was remodeled and greatly im- proved. It was then known as the Marshall & Cabeen Opera House. In December, 1888, it was formally opened by the citizens, on which occasion a large audience was present. In 1881 a new paper called the Keithsburg Times was conducted by Wolfe & Cook. In the
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end it was removed to Aledo and merged finally with the Record. H. C. Cook purchased the Keithsburg News in 1889. Theodore Glancey, who for a time had edited the Keithsburg Observer and later the Karana, went to California and became editor of the Even- ing Press at Santa Barbara. He became involved in a controversy there and was shot by C. Gray, the republican candidate for state's attorney. The bullet passed through his wrist and abdomen and he died the next morning. His father was the early owner of Glancey Mills on Pope Creek.
In 1890 Drury, Burgett & Company conducted the bank. The population at that time was 1,540. A large shooting tournament was held here in 1890, on which occasion many noted shots from distant places were present and many large prizes were offered and awarded. Early in the 'gos Tom A. Marshall was elected mayor of the city and held the position for many years. He was exceedingly popular, a cultured and companionable man and had many friends throughout the county and the west.
In 1890 it was stated that Keithsburg was the largest grain ship- ping point of its size on the Mississippi River. Immense quantities of sand of excellent quality were unearthed here and shipped by rail to distant points. It is an excellent source of income at this date and will continue to be for many years. Here were some of the largest lumber concerns of the west. It was on the Galva and Keithsburg branch of the C. B. & Q. Railroad and was the western terminus of the Central Iowa Railway extending from Peoria to Mason City. Its water system was planned at this time and soon constructed. This gave it an abundance of pure, healthful water. The Keithsburg Gun Club, of which Tom A. Marshall was a leading member for many years, became known all over the world about this time. Standing purses were offered by the leading citizens and merchants, one for $100 being offered by L. C. Smith.
Late in March, 1891, the village authorities made an offer to the Iowa Central Railroad, if it would build its round house here, to pay half of the expenses, or about eight thousand dollars, for the erection of the same. At a public meeting this proposition was agreed to and in twenty-five minutes $4,500 of the sum needed was pledged. The town wanted the round house. It meant an addition to the population of from thirty-five to fifty families. A special committee was appointed to visit the company and secure the round house if possible.
A newspaper was started by Sweezy and Veach in 1891. Keiths- burg established a city government early in the 'gos and Tom A. Vol. 1-27
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Marshall was the first mayor. A little later a large brick school- house, costing $10,000, was constructed. In the early 'gos during two or three years, about twenty new buildings, many of them brick, were constructed. Secret societies and social clubs were numerous here in the '8os and 'gos. The Mercer County Republic, another paper, was started about 1892. In September of this year a Soldiers' Reunion was held here, which was memorable in the beauty of the speeches made and the great orators present. Over four hundred and ten old soldiers registered. It was about 1892 that the Excelsior Library was established and about two hundred books served as the nucleus for the future collection. At that time the postmaster was Mr. Mertz. The electric plant was started by E. B. Hillman & Company, of Peoria, who later sold the plant to Dr. E. L. Marshall, W. S. Cabeen, Tom A. Marshall and Charles Frayer, who formed a company and elected the first named president, the second named treasurer, the third named secretary and the last named manager. They immediately improved the plant by adding a better boiler and a dynamo completing the equipment in 1893. At the start 175 lights were taken for residences and many others were added later. The new organization became known as the Keithsburg Electric Light & Power Company. The people were proud of the public schools at this time. The high school was in an encouraging condition, with sixty-one pupils. Upper Keithsburg was annexed about the year 1889 or 1890. In 1893 new and improved waterworks were talked of. The question was submitted to a vote, with the following result : For new waterworks, eighty-three; against it, ninety-two. At the same time ninety-seven votes were cast in favor of a new city hall and 177 against the project. At this election T. A. Marshall was made mayor; H. P. Humbert, clerk; F. P. Burgett, treasurer, and S. M. Booe, attorney. The new round house which had been secured at great expense, and which had been the means of increasing the population of Keithsburg to a considerable extent, was damaged by fire in February, 1893. Six engines were almost wholly ruined and several buildings were burned. The round house itself was damaged to the extent of $1,500. The Literary Club in 1893 was the means of adding greatly to the books in the public library. In 1893 the Republican consolidated with the News and was conducted by George Bloomer and George Porter. In July, 1893, the waterworks contract was let to the Monmouth Construction Company and the city issued bonds to the amount of $12,000 for their construction. It was provided that the cost should not exceed $15,000, $3,000 was paid in cash and the rest in bonds. Tax sufficient to meet the bonds
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as they became due and the interest thereon was levied. Although the city had a considerable fire fighting force, yet it seemed some- what incompetent, because the fires usually got the start and were destructive in the extreme. In the fall of 1893 a new hose cart was ordered but in the following October another big fire occurred and swept nearly all the buildings on the river front from Battle Row to Christian Avenue. The rest of the town was saved by hard work. Twenty-eight buildings were destroyed and forty families were thrown out of homes. The total loss was estimated at $30,000. Immediately after this event the people, now fully awake, assembled and reorganized wholly the fire company. A hose team of twenty and a hook and ladder team of thirty were organized. The three wards were divided into signal stations and J. M. Derr was appointed fire marshal. At a firemen's ball and supper held to raise means about this time, a large sum was realized, mostly through the device of voting for two young ladies for sponsors of the hook and ladder and the hose teams. The young ladies who were sponsors of the two fire concerns were known as Sadie C and Cora C. Thus one of the companies were called the Sadie C Hose Company, and the other, Cora C Hook and Ladder Company. The company gave public exhibition and on one occasion ran 227 yards, raised a 20-foot ladder and had men at the top in forty-four seconds. They joined the state association at that time. At last Keithsburg meant business in the way of stopping fires. During the 'gos the temperance war was conducted and is described elsewhere herein. Usually the license ticket carried.
In April, 1897, the Circuit Court appointed a receiver for the Drury, Burgett & Company Bank at Keithsburg. It was solvent but this step was made necessary by the death of William Drury at that time. C. S. Orth was appointed receiver. About this time C. E. Bennett bought the Keithsburg News of Sweezy & Veach. In 1897 Tom A. Marshall served his sixth term as mayor of Keiths- burg. He was again reelected without opposition. The Farmers Bank was organized under the statutes in the fall of 1897. Among the subscribers were H. W. Olcott, K. M. Whitham, John S. Allen, John Swanson, Solomon Wolfe, Francis Harrison, J. L. Allison, Grant M. Wolfe, C. E. Dryden, Leopold Adelsdorf, David Adels- dorf, William Kellogg and others. The managers were Olcott, Whit- ham & Company. The capital was $25,000.
The first paid fire department was established in February, 1900, at House No. 1, with T. A. Marshall in the chair. C. S. Finch was elected chief. Among the members were R. E. Mellinger,
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