USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Past and present of Montgomery County, Illinois > Part 58
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a law as fixed as we find it in the physical world. When we have emerged from these pe- riods of depression, we have swung to financial heights much greater than we had ever known before. This condition can be noted in a coun- try whose natural resources are as yet int par- tially developed, and I am safe in prophesying that, though we may have our financial panics recurring with automatic precision every twenty years, yet we will come forth from each of them with renewed spirit. with higher aspiration and with strengthened purpose, which shall enable up as a people to realize conditions of pros- perity and happiness such as has been nn- known to any people that have lived before us. AAmong the many things that have contributed to the development of the state, has been her great trunk lines of railroad that cross and re- cross the state in almost every direction. By means of these arteries of commerce, the pro- duets of her field and her factory have always been accessible to the best markets. The first strike on the part of labor, of which we have an account, occurred during the first administra- tion of Mr. Cullom. Centers of disturbance were Chicago, East St. Louis and Braidwood. These disturbances were soon quelled and the wheels of industry again set in motion. Gov- ernor Cullom, having been re-elected in the fall of 1880, was inaugurated January 10. 1881. In his message he announced to the people that the last dollar of the state debt had been paid or provided for. The only amounts not paid were twenty-three thousand dollars. upon which in- terest had stopped, and which had never been presented for collection and supposed to have been lost. There is about nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars due from the state to the school fund, and which can not be paid. as this fund only requires the interest on the amount. As the state annually collects and pays out the sum of one million dollars to the counties. to be distributed per capita for school purposes. it is simply a legal fiction to regard the former as a debt. The term of David Davis, as senator from Ilinois, having expired. Governor Cullom was chosen to fill his place and this promoted Lieutenant Governor John M. Hamilton to the position made vacant by the resignation of the governor. Governor Hamilton's administration
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is rather meager of events that would be of interest to the reader. He was succeeded in 1885 by Unele Dick Oglesby, who for the third time had been elected to the office of governor of the state. Suceceding to the governorship at a time when much political d scontent manifested itself, proves the affection in which the people of the state held the venerable sokhier, but the political skies were beginning to darken and the hold of the Republican party had begun to lose its grasp upon the independent voter. We find at this time Elijah M. Haines, an independent, elected to the speakership of the legislature by a Democratic vote, and this marked the begin- ning of a struggle which finally culminated in the election of a Democrat in the person of John M. Palmer to the United States senate. Joseph W. Fifer became governor of the state in 1889. after one of the most spirited canvasses between the Democratic party, represented by John M. Palmer, and the successful candidate. Mr. Fifer, representing the Republicans. Mr. Fifer received but twelve thousand plurality over General Palmer in this election. General Fifer, while a most estimable man, seems to have lacked that force of character which leads to a strong and forceful administration. While his incumbence of the office of governor is free from scandal and corruption, yet it lacked pop- ular approval at the succeeding election John P'. Altgeld, of Cook county, a German born, yet American raised citizen, was nominated by the Democrats to oppose Governor Fifer. The flag law and the compulsory school law gave much offener to the German population of the state. and, as these laws were regarded as of Repub- lican origin, that party was held to a strict ac- countability at the polls in the autumn of 1892. Altgeld was elected governor by a plurality over Mr. Fifer of thirty-two thousand votes. In January. 1893, Mr. Altgeld assumed the duties of governor and his administration, though most vigorous, fell upon times and conditions that marked his administration with bitter and acri- monious charges and counter-charges between Mr. Altgold, the governor of the state of Illi- nois, and Grover Cleveland, the then president of the United States. Overshadowing all other items of interest. during the administration of Mr. Altgeld was the strike of the railroad em-
plages of the several roads converging in the city of Chicago. It was during this period that the national administration assumed the right to employ the Federal army in the sup- pression of riot in a sovereign state over the pro- tests of its governor. It would seem strange to the student of history to find that the represen- tative of the Democratic party, in the person of the president of the I'nited States, setting at naught what had been regarded as a cardinal principle of that party since the formation of the government. It is not within the province of this paper to take issue with either of the parties to this contest. Suffice it, however, that we may remark that we consider the able de- fence of Governor Altgold as unparalleled in the array of argument which he produces to maintain the position which he took, and agam, we might say that it ill-becomes the retired president to attack the position of his late an- tagonist, who by the circumstance of death is not in a position to reply to his bitter anath- emas. It might not be ont of place in com- menting upon the administration of John P. Altgeld to observe that, while there seems to have been lack of appreciation of the reforms which he inaugurated, of the evidences which he gave of a devotion to duty and a fearless dis- charge of those duties, regardless of personal in- terest. that the careful student will give to the efforts of Mr. Altgeld a place in the affairs of state that will be as enduring as our fabric of government. Governor Altgeld was re-nom- inated in 1896, and under the banner of Wil- liam Jennings Bryan went down to defeat in the political tidal wave that engulfed the Demo- cratie party that year. His opponent, John R. Tanner, was elected by a majority of over one hundred thousand and was inaugurated govern- or January 11, 1892. Mr. Tanner was a man of strong force of character, and it has been ro- marked that he little brooked what stood in the way to the consummation of his purposes. In other words, he was regarded by many as an unscrupulous politician. That he possessed nerve, was shown in more than one instance during his term of office. We might cite his action in the Virden riots, when he threatened to bring the state militia against the imported miners during the strike troubles of 1892. In
PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
justice to this peculiar, yet remarkable man, we may say that no official has ever done directly or indirectly for organized labor in the state of Illinois, as was done by John R. Tanner. His friends were most extravagant in their praises of his constancy to a friend, while his enemies, even in his own party, heaped upon him the most bitter abuse. The factions into which he split the Republican party yet remain as a legacy of the Tanner regime. Succeeding Governor Tanner is Richard Y. Yates, of Jack- sonville. This young man is the son of the elder Richard Yates, frequently spoken of as the war governor. Young Mr. Yates is also a man of force, though possessed of a disposition to reward only his friends. That he has made a good governor neither Democrats nor Repub- licans will attempt to deny, but his Republican opponents attributed to him the disposition and spirit of a party tyrant. In consequence, many forces were arrayed against him when he sought a re-nomination before a convention of his own party to the office of governor. Never in the history of any state has there been so long pro- tracted struggle over the nomination ior the office of governor in any party. Mr. Yates was at last defeated, but out of that defeat came victory, for by party manipulation, he was able to dictate the nomination of his friend, Mr. Dencen. We will say, relative to the ad- ministration of Mr. Yates, that it will take high place along with that of many of its prede- cessors. His effort to defeat graft. his vetoos of measures and appropriations that were in- tended for personal and private gain on the part of certain promoters and legislative grafters, ought certainly to endear Governor Yates to the common people, the tax-payers of the state. The present United States senators both belong to the Republican party. The senior senator, Shelby Cullom, has served his stato in that capacity for three terms, and is regarded among the strong men of the senate. Mr. Cullom be- longs to that type of statesmen that is fast disappearing. Absolutely honest, he is the more easily imposed upon by the professional politician, and during the long period of his services as senator, some criticism has attached in several instances to his position relative to certain measures that have passed the senate.
Uncle Shelby, as he is familiarly called, has never been accused, however. of using his official position to further personal end, and when the long roll is called that contains the honored list of Illinois statesmen, the name of Shelby M. Cullom will find a place there. Al- bert J. Hopkins, the junior senator of our state, is not so well known. but in so far as he has represented us in the upper house of congress, his vote has been with his party on all questions advocated by the federal administration. In this there is strong contrast between Mr. Hop- kins and his predecessor, "Billy" Mason. Sen- ator Mason, it will be remembered, opposed the administration in its Philippine policy. holding with Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, that no warrant existed in the government of the islands for a violation of the principle "That the right to govern rests upon the consent of the governed," and his speeches in the senate were rather caustic in their arraignment of the administration for its un-American policy. For this challenge to the administration Senator Mason forfeited his seat in the upper branch of congress. While Senator Hoar received from the legislature of Massachusetts the on- dorsement of his state by a re-election to that most august body. It would seem that the conservative New Englander is not so easily disturbed over a difference of opinion that may arise over new and unsolved problems. Let us hope that this spirit of conservatism and fair- ness may became more universal. The present congressman representing the district of which Montgomery county is a part is the Hon. Ben F. Caldwell. He is serving his third term as a Democrat, yet he is broad enough. after each and every election, to remember that he is the representative of all the people of his district. As a senator in the state legislature he was author of what is known as the "gross weight" bill. This measure provides for the weighing of coal at all mines before it is screened. and thus the miner receives payment for the full weight of the coal. Until the pass- age of this bill there was continual friction be- tween the operators on the one side and the miners on the other. The question of the size of the screen. which allowed a separation of the small coal from the lump coal. was con-
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tinually obtruding itself between a satisfactory agreement to the parties concerned. This bill before mentioned entirely eliminated this fea- ture of the matter and thereby paved the way to an agreement between operators and miners that has been satisfactory and productive of the best interests of cach. We venture the remark that in no other state where the min- ing industry is so large is there less friction between employer and employe. The present representative in the state legislature from Montgomery county is the Hon. Edward Rice, of Litchfield. That he has served his constitu- eney well is not questioned, yet how little can the representative of a district accomplish for the good of his people, especially if he be- longs to the minority of his party! It is a notorious fact that under existing conditions we have no popular government save that which the speaker and a few committeemen see fit to allow. No discussion of publie measures save those reported out of the committees at the dictation of special interest as represented by those who are fortunate enough to be on the "inside." This condition in the several legis- Jatures, regardless of party, has become so prevalent that the people are clamoring for a
way by which legislation that is demanded may be accomplished, some states having adopted the Swiss principle of the "initiative and referendum," and in this way they hope to be able to secure for themselves what they can not expect to have by their representatives. We understand that Mr. Rice is favorable to a constitutional amendment providing for this radically Democratic measure. Such a law would entirely eliminate the possibility of boodling, and the lobbyist, whose purpose at our state capital is to corrupt legislation at its fountain head, would find such protection thrown about the people's representatives that it would be impossible to secure through cor- ruption the passage of laws detrimental to the publie good. We hope the good sense of all our people will require at the hands of our representatives the submission of an amend- ment to our constitution providing for the "initiative and referendum." In conclusion to this article I desire to state that much incor- porated herein has been taken from "Blanch- ard's Notes on the History of the State of Illi- nois." Also some of the data was gathered from "The Gazeteer of Illinois," published by J. M. Peek, 1834. THE AUTHOR.
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
A STORY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
That John Ilill settled on the Hurricane in the autumn of 1816 or the early spring of 181? is a fact easy to be established. Ir in the spring of 1812, however, others may contend that John Hill was not the first settler in Montgomery county. From what we are able to gather we are led to conclude that the first settlement was made by Mr. lill in the au- tumn of 1816. and that his brother, Henry Hill, with others arrived in the spring of 1812. As the story runs. we must chronicle a tradition that one Robert Briggs claimed to have settled in that part of Montgomery coun- ty north of the present city of Litchfield in the year 1816. We have no means by which we may confirm this tradition. nor do we have any desire to deny to Mr. Briggs the honor of having made the first settlement in the coun- ty, but we will say that there is lack of suthi- cient evidence to warrant us in making the statement that his settlement antedated that of John Hill. The Kickapoo Indians occupied the county in various settlements when the first white settlers came to take possession of it. Among those who settled in the south- eastern part of Montgomery county were Jo- soph Williams, Henry Pyatt. William MeDa- vid. John and Henry Hill. Jesse Johnson, TIenry Sears, Aaron Casey, Harris Reavis. Jo- seph and Charles Wright. Easton Whitton, John Kirkpatrick. Henry Rowe. John Russell, David Bradford. James Card, John Levi and
a few others whose names have been forgotten. In the settlement near ILill-boro, made in 1817-18, history records the following: Alex- ander MeWilliams, Solomon Pruitt. John Nor- ton, Roland Shepherd, Jarvis Forchand. Gor- don Crandall. William Clark. David McCoy. Nicholas Lockerman. Hugh Kirkpatrick. Mel- cher Fogleman, William Gritlith. JJoseph Me- Adams, James Street. Luke Steel. John Mc- Phail, Joel Smith. David Kirkpatrick. Jesse Townsend. Jacob Cross. John Butler and Israel Seward. John Nussman, William Braz- zelton. the schoolmaster. At about the same time we find a settlement being made in south- eastern part of the county near the present vil- lage of Walshville. Among those who settled here were Nicholas Voyles. William Stevens. Austin Grisham. James Baker and John Jor- dan. The latter was a Baptist minister. who preached the first sormon in Montgomery county, though that honor has been claimed for James Street. of the Hillsboro settlement. and also for Henry Sears, of the Hurricane settlement. It is well to remark that it is re- corded in a previous history of Montgomery county that the Rev. James Street in 1817 held a meeting at the house of David McCoy. of the Hillsboro settlement. This anthority further states that the Rev. Henry Sears, of Hurricane settlement, was the first resident minister of the county. In 1820 the Hills- boro settlement organized a church body and built. in 1821, a rude place of worship. con- structed of logs with a dirt floor and puncheon
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pews. It was here in the wilderness that we find this uncouth and primitive tabernacle; but who shall say that within its walls wor- shiped a people not less God-fearing than their descendants, whose magnificent temples of wor- ship are examples of architecture that would astonish the fathers? I hardly think that in the progress which we have made in material things since our sires met in the forest and their humble places of worship we have made a degree of spiritual progress commensurate with our opportunities and our wider knowl- edge of other things. Is it possible that with all our boasted achievements in the physical world there is absolutely no progress in the spiritual ?
In offering a remark upon this subject ] am pleased to say that it is my belief that the perfeet work of grace in the human heart has never been improved upon since our Savior walked and talked along the shore- of Gali- lee : that while we may embellish our places of worship and make them fit places for the Master's use. vet we must not forget that these do not constitute any part of the king- dom of God. for the Master hath said. "The kingdom of heaven is within you." While we think it perfectly proper and right to build beautiful houses of worship and dedicate them to holy purposes, yet not the house nor its sur- roundings or furnishings can of themselves bring men to Christ. but those who worship there and whose lives are consistent with the teachings of the lowly Nazarene are the cle- ments which persuade men that there is a higher and a more perfect way of life. The desire for the salvation of men is so strong upon every Christian heart that it amounts to a passion approaching that of our Lord; hence the intense carnestness and often fanatical ef- forts of certain Christian men and women to convert the world in a day, nor can they un- derstand why. in the providences of God, the world moves so slowly toward conviction, toward conversion, toward righteousness. Tt has been the experience of the writer through several years of religious life that to worry because we can not accomplish in a day what Jesus himself did not accomplish in His time only wastes energy and spirit and renders us
the more incompetent to perform the service which is ours. Let us, therefore, as Christian men and women, go forth bearing precious seeds and the promise that sometime, some- where, we shall gather precious sheaves. To the old church in the wilderness and to the little schoolhouse on the hillside, doubtless, we are indebted for the strong and sturdy charac- ter of the men and women of that generation that is passing-our fathers and mothers. We have had more advantages than they, better schools, and withal a better environment ; but are we better men and women? We have a higher culture, which gives us, possibly, a keener appreciation of the artistic, and the lines of beauty might appeal to our sense of form: yet the true and the good found as re- sponsive vibration in the hearts of our fathers and our mothers as we have ever known. I am not pessimistic, neither am I such an optimist as to believe that the law of compensation is not just as exacting in the moral world as in the physical, and that the moral sense of a people is blunted by the inordinately wild and reckless chase for the material things of the world. This digression from the subject of history I hope will not be without some inter- est to the reader. As old Tuhal Cain was the first blacksmith in the world, so Melcher Fogle- man enjoys the distinction of having been the first blacksmith in Montgomery county. An- other colony came from Kentucky and settled near where Fillmore is located. Among those whose names are preserved were James Card, Thomas J. Todd, Henry and Peter Hill and Mark Mason. This was abont the year 1820. In the same year recruits were made to the settlement at Hillsboro, and among those were Thomas C. TInghes, Hiram Rountree, Daniel Sherer, John Tilson. Daniel Meredith. Thomas Robinson, John Yoakum, John Elder and oth- ers. Possibly the most valuable acquisition to Montgomery county at this time was Hiram Rountree. Judge Rountree, as he was known to the people of Montgomery county for a pe- riod of half a century, was one of the most remarkable men of his time. In the formation of this county, and during its earlier expe- riences. Judge Rountree directed its affairs in nearly every department of administration.
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The earlier records of Montgomery county were all kept by him, and it is a matter of no little interest to spend an hour looking through the records as kept by Judge Rountree fifty or sixty years ago. The writer has heard his father relate the following anecdote relative to Judge Rountree: On the occasion of a visit by a gentleman from one of the eastern states to this county, in the early '30s, he questioned one of the citizens of Hillsboro as to who was the recording clerk. The answer, Rountree. Who is your probate judge? Again the answer, Rountree. And who is your commissioner ? Again the citizen replied. Rountree. The idea that one man could fill all of the offices seemed so ludicrous to the stranger that he exclaimed : "My God, are there no other men capable of filling office in this county?" This story is only told to show the high esteem in which Judge Rountree was held and the absolute faith which the early citizens had in his ability to discharge the duties of the several offices to which they elected him. As Judge Roun- tree occupied so conspicnous a place in the early history of the county, I will append the short biographical sketch given in l'errin's "History of Montgomery County." published in 1882: "Judge Hiram Rountree was a rul- ing spirit in llillsboro for many years. exert- ing a greater influence than any man, perhaps, that has ever lived in the place. and deserves more than mere passing notice in these pages. lle was a native of North Carolina. where he was born December 22. 1:94, but his early life was spent mostly in Kentucky. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 under General Shelby, the first governor of Kentucky. He studied law in Bowling Green, and in 1817 removed to Edwardsville, Illinois, thence to Fayette county and to the state capital. Vanda- lia, where for several sessions he was enrolling clerk of the house of representatives. In 1821 he removed to Montgomery county, and as cir- cuit clerk organized it. The remainder of his life was spent in the county, and there were few positions of importance that he had not held at some time during his long and useful career. It is sufficient, however, to remark here that for forty-eight years in succession he served the county in an official capacity. Ile
was a zealous member of the Methodist church from the year 1818 to the time of his death, March 5, 1823, and his Christian life is still familiar to many of the older residents of the city and county." It might be well to add that in honor of Judge Rountree one of the townships has been named for him. But so long as Montgomery county preserves her early records there will be no occasion to have other reminders to keep for other generations memo- ries of Hiram Rountree. Montgomery county was organized in 1821 by act of the general assembly, approved February 12 of that year. Its boundaries were as follows: Beginning at the southeast corner of section 24, township 7: north range 2, west of the third parallel meridian, thence west eighteen miles to the southwest corner of section 19, in town-hip ?, range 5, west. and thence south to the south line of said township, thence west to the south- west corner, thence north to the northwest cor- ner of township 12, thence east twenty-four miles to the northeast corner of township 12, north. and range 2, west, thence south to the place of beginning, to be known as Montgom- ery county. Melcher Fogleman. James Street and Joseph Wright were appointed commission- ers to locate the seat of justice for said county. The newly-created county was named in honor of General Montgomery, who fell before Que- bee. The student of history, as he recalls the roll of the several counties of Illinois. discovers that he has a record of the most illustrious names known to American history. It will be observed that the eastern boundary of our coun- ty extended as far north as our present western boundary, but in the year 1839, on the forma- tion of Dane county, now called Christian, a large slice was taken out of the northeast cor- ner, leaving it in its present irregular shape. The commissioners appointed to locate the county seat met at the house of Joseph Me- Adams for the purpose of determining the proper site. Under the act providing for the creation of the county and the selection of a site as county seat, the owner of the land upon which the site was to be located should donate twenty acres for public buildings. After much deliberation the commissioners selected what was known as the MeAdams place, which is
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