USA > Illinois > Macon County > Decatur > Past and present of the City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois > Part 17
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C. E. Schroll was born October 5, 1803, in Macon county, Illinois. Graduated from the Decatur schools in 1885, carrying the honors of his class through the entire four years of the course. He secured his higher literary and law education in Harvard Uni- versity from which he was admitted to the bar August 30, 1889. In September of the same year he became a member of the firm of Buckingham & Schroll for the practice of law. This partnership was dissolved at the end of six years, since which time he has practiced alone.
Benjamin F. Shipley was born near Van- dalia in Fayette county, Illinois, February 14, 1850. After completing the Vandalia schools he took up the study of law. While pursuing his law studies he was elected county superintendent of schools of Fay- ette county, Illinois, which position he held ten years. In 1886 he came to Maroa and was elected superintendent of the Maroa schools, holding the position seven years. In 1893 he began the practice of law in Maroa, having been admitted to the bar in 1889.
Hugh Crea is one of the oldest practition- ers in Decatur, and one of the most success- [1l. For a number of years he was a mem- ber of the firm of Crea, Ewing & Walker. While he has never held office he has al- ways been considered safe counsel in a po- litical campaign. Il. H. Crea is a son of llugh Crea and is also well established in his practice. Some time after he took up the practice of law he located in Monticello, where he remained for some years, but a few years ago he re-located in Decatur.
OUR HONORED DEAD.
Macon county was favorably represented in the Civil war, as the appended list of brave soldiers, who never survived the or- deal so silently testify. The name of Our Abraham Lincoln, who was among us in his youth and early manhood and whose early law practice as well was also among us, will naturally head its list. In 1832 he was chosen captain of his company in the Black Ilawk war. In 1834 he was honored by being elected to the Illinois Legislature. By his successive elections he served in the House continually until 1842. He next served as representative in the Thirteenth Congress from 1847 to 1849. In 1860 he was elected President of the United States and re-elected in 1804.
Richard J. Oglesby was commissioned lieutenant of the Fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers and served through the Mexican war, taking part in the battles of Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo. In 1860 he was elected to the state Senate but resigned to accept the colonelcy of the Eighth Illinois Volun- teers. Through gallantry at Ft. Henry, Ft. Donelson and Corinth, he rose to be major general, being wounded at the latter place. He resigned his commission on account of disability in May, 1804, and the following November was elected governor of Illinois. In 1872 he was re-elected governor, but two weeks after his inauguration he resigned to accept a seat in the United States Senate, to which he was elected by the State Legis- lature in 1873. In 1884 he was elected gov- ernor for the third time, being the only man in the history of the state who was thus honored.
I. C. Pugh served as captain in the Black Ilawk war. He was captain of Company C in the Mexican war, taking part in the bat- tles of Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo; his company captured Santa Anna's cork leg. Ile was colonel of the Forty-first regiment
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in the Civil war and for bravery was pro moted to brigadier general
Joel S. Post in 1840 entered the service as a Mexican soldier and was made quarter master with the rank of captain. From 1850 to iSoo he was a representative in the state Legislature from Macon county.
Arthur J. Gallagher was a sokher in the Mexican war, in the command of Colonel Bissell, later governor of Illinois. He par- ticipated in the battle of Buena Vista. In 1802 he raised a company of cavalry for the Civil war, remaining in the army one year. In INK) he was elected circuit judge of the old Sixteenth circuit, which position he held until 18;3.
William Grason enlisted in the army in 1802 and was elected sergeant of Company A. One Hundred and Sixteenth Illinois In- fantry. The regiment formed part of the Second Division, Fifth Army Corps, under General Sherman. He was engaged in the battle of Tallehoochee, was in the first at- tack on Vicksburg and the siege of the city : also at Arkansas Post. In the charge at Ft. Hill he was shot in the left lung. He was in the charge at Vicksburg May 19 which almost annihilated his company, but thirteen of them returning from the charge. He was again wounded at Jonesboro, Vla- hama. He was in the " March to the Sea." taking part in the grand review at Wash- ington. He was made lientenant April 28. 1803, and mustered out captain June 7.
William HI. Shorb entered the army in 1861 from Green Castle, Pennsylvania. He was at once made orderly sergeant of Com- pane C. Second Pennsylvania Regiment. which he himself had raised. He took part in the Banks expedition. During his serv- ice he was made sergeant major ; later see- ond lieutenant, and soon after first lieuten- ant. He was wounded in front of Peters- burg by the explosion of a shell. Being dis-
abled for duty he was make quarter master serving in this position until his discharge.
Ansel Tupper entered the army in 18ot and was made hentenant colonel of the forty - first Hhnois Infantry. In the same veer he took part in the battles of It. Henry, 1.t. Donelson, and Pittsburg Land- ing losing his hie at the latter place. April 6. 1802.
Jesse Il. Moore entered the service in 1802 as colonel of the One Hundred and lif- teenth Regiment Infantry. He was in the battles of Inka, Chickamauga, charge at Tunnel Hill, Georgia : Resaca, Georgia. His regiment helped drive General Bragg's army, then in command of Hood, out of the valley of the Cumberland. In 1805 le was promoted brevet brigadier general.
N. 1. Tupper enlisted in the army in 1802, was made colonel of the One Hun- dred and Sixteenth Infantry. He was en- gaged in the battles of Chickasaw. Arkansas l'est, the charge at Vicksburg, and was present at its surrender; was at Jackson, Mississippi: Missionary Ridge. Resaca, Georgia, Dallas, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain. Stone Mountain. Ezra Chapel. Atlanta, Jonesboro, "Sherman's March to the Sea." Ft. Mc Allister, Pocatalgo, and Bentonville, North Carolina. The citizens of Macon county have created in Green- wood cemetery a monument to the memory of the two Colonels Tupper's patriotic serv- ice
George R Steele went into the army as heutenant of the Forty-first and was pro- moted to major on General MePherson's staff.
W. D. Blackburn was promoted lienten- ant colonel in 1863: he took part in the hat- tles of Inka and Corinth.
7 Appleton, promoted to major in 1861; killed in battle, 1861.
W. F. Clark, Sest sergeant 'killed 'n Lat- tle in 1862.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
George W. Kaylor, corporal ; killed in bat- tle in 1862.
Marion Ashmead, corporal; killed in bat- tle in 1862.
Abner H. Jordon, corporal ; killed in bat- tle in 1862.
Frank Leeper, captain : first man from Macon county killed in battle.
D. W. Greenwalt, sergeant ; died at Bird's Point, Missouri, in 1861.
Michael Mathews, corporal ; killed at Ft. Donelson in 1862.
George S. Leach, corporal; killed at Ft. Donelson in 1802.
John B. Lowell, corporal : died at Bird's Point, Missouri, in 1861.
Marcellus Warner, corporal ; killed at Raymond. Mississippi, in 1863.
H. J. Marsh, second lieutenant : killed at Ft. Donelson in 1862.
C. P. A. Goddard, corporal; died in 1863. Charles Fechner, corporal : killed at Shiloh in 1862.
J. W. Alexandre. colonel ; killed in battle in 1863.
Joseph C. Alvord. second lieutenant ; killed in battle in 1862.
Elijah Smith, corporal; killed at Stone River in 1862.
John F. Weitzel, captain ; killed at Chick- amauga in 1863.
John McTwain, major : killed at Kenesaw Mountain in 1864.
George F. Deitz, first lieutenant ; died in 1863.
F. M. Long, major; killed in battle in 1863.
Lewis B. Morton, first sergeant; died at Paducah, Kentucky, in 1861.
Bryant Kelsey, sergeant : died in 1863.
David S. Morse, sergeant : died at Mos- cow. Tennessee, in 1863.
William H. Hecock, corporal ; killed at Jackson. Mississippi, in 1863.
Fred O. Spooner, corporal ; killed at Shi- loh in 1862.
Jackson A. Alelick, second lieutenant ; died at Mound City in 1862.
W. S. Oglesby, captain; killed in battle in 1862.
Joseph Yick, sergeant ; died in 1862.
Jacob Graham, corporal : killed at Shiloh in 1862.
John C. Cox. second lieutenant ; died in 1862.
John II. Huffner, captain ; killed in battle in 1862.
Chris Cornelly, second lieutenant ; killed in battle in 1863.
J. M. B. Peterson, corporal : died at Jack- son, Tennessee, in 1862.
David Robinson, corporal: died at Jack- son, Tennessee, in 1862.
William Kinman, lieutenant colonel ; killed in battle in 1863.
J. A. Jones. second assistant surgeon ; killed by guerrillas, Tunnel Hill, Georgia, in 1864.
Matt Freeman, first lientenant ; died in 1863.
Jacob Porter, first lieutenant ; killed in battle in 1864.
David Reed, second lieutenant; died in 1862.
Anderson Froman. lieutenant colonel ; died in 1864.
Guston F. Hardy, captain ; died in 1803.
John B. Perdue, first lieutenant ; died in 1863.
Samuel Baty, corporal; killed at Vicks- burg in 1863.
John S. Taylor, first lieutenant ; killed in 1863.
Thomas White, captain ; killed in battle in 1863.
John W. Ellis, first sergeant; died at Young's Point in 1863.
W. P. Camp. sergeant ; died at Millikin's Bend in 1863.
John B. Davidson, sergeant; died at Young's Point in 1863.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
Israel W. Markel, corporal; died at Mem- phis in 1803.
R. G. Warnick, corporal, died at Mem- phis 111 1503
G. 1. Williams, sergeant; ched on Steamer City of Memphis in 1803.
D. 1. Armstrong, corporal ; died at Si. Loms m 1803.
John F. Bowser, corporal; died at Chat- tanooga it 1804.
Davil Gth, corporal, died at Chickasaw Rayon in 1802.
J. B. Streeter, corporal ; died at Annap olis 111 1803.
J. G. Long, corporal ; died at Richmond, a prisoner of war, in 1804.
Lewis J. lyman, captam ; died June, 1803. Joseph D. Moon, first heutenant ; died in 1805.
John B. Futt, first heutenant; died m 1503.
I. R. P'ratt, second heutenant; died in 1803.
J. C. Stanbury, second heutenant , died m 1813.
Alonzo B. Davis, captain ; died in 1803.
Lafayette Helm, second lieutenant ; died 111 1803.
lsom Summons, first heutenant ; died in 1504.
Theodore Short, second lieutenant ; died 11 IN13.
N. I Wheeler, second lieutenant ; killed at sige of Vicksburg in 1803.
Thomas Met anu, sergeant ; died at Milli- kin's Bend in 1803.
John Burtroff, corporal ; died at Mound
John Herrin, corporal: died at Young's
By referring to the roster of the comm- panic raised in Macon county, you will find over two hundred others out of the two thousand and over from Macon, who never wore the stripes, that gave up their Uses
for their country and their home- that we, their descendants, unight enjoy the blessings of peace and prosperity.
FORTY YEARS AGO.
1892.
Christmas Reminiscences for the Young People.
It is just forty years ago this blessed day since the writer first set foot in the town of Decatur. On the 6th day of December, 1852. with a corps of eighteen men, we set out from Springfield, Illinois, to make a survey for the Wabash chen called the Great Western) Railroad, and reached Decatur on Christmas day, which was then a little hamlet containing scarcely five hundred souls. The country was sparsely settled and after leaving the Sangamon river at Riverton (then called " Jim-town " ), a trackless, treeless, houseless prairie pre- sented itself as far as the eye could reach, save to the south where the sangamon tim- ber skirted above the horizon to relieve the monotony of the scene, and to a young man fresh from the hills of New England the prospect was the of intense interest and awful grandeur The country abounded with aleer, wolt and countless thousands of geese, duck and prairie chickens. The deer Were so tame that we frequently approached them near enough to see their large and beautiful eyes. The weather was quite mild, simular to the winter weather we have been having recently, so we suffered little from cold The party was composed of young men full of ambition and enthusiasm and. at times, we made the lonely prairie ring with shouts, laughter, and song. Sometimes we were trouble to go enough to cat for. being dependent upon the settlers along the umler, who were very few and far be- Bien," and though they were very has pitable and never turbed in away, they were
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
not always prepared to entertain so many hungry men, but did the best they could to appease our appetites and make us com- fortable for the night. There was so little change in the natural features of the coun- try that but few incidents occurred to break the monotony of the scenery. When we reached the site where Illiopolis is located we found some stakes that had been set there more than fifteen years before, for the purpose of marking out the ground for the state capital-that point having been de- cided upon by some enterprising specula- tors as being the geographical center of the state of Illinois, and, therefore, the proper place to locate the capital. A little further cast and we were on the land of the future "King of Niantic," Jesse Lockhart, Esq., and, although a long way off, "the King" spied us and hastened to see who it was bold enough to invade his domain without his royal permission. We informed him that the construction of a railroad through his kingdom was contemplated, and that we were engaged in making a survey for that purpose : but the king was wroth and declared that he wanted no railroad through his ground, and that if we set stakes on his ground for that purpose he would pro- ceed to pull them up. We replied that although the railroad company had the right to make the survey, it was liable for any damage done, and hoped he would not disturb the stakes. But Jesse was inexorable and said the railroads would ruin the country by scaring away the stock and destroying the range; that he had just left a country which was all fenced in (Ken- tucky) to come to a country where there was plenty of room. But as we had no time to argue that point, we left "the King" to act as he thought best. But on our return over the line a short time after, sure enough we found that the stakes had been removed, and went to Jesse's cabin and there saw them lying in a pile near his door. We
again expostulated with him, saying the stakes certainly could do no harm. So finally. Jesse became ashamed of his con- duct and helped replace them, and ever afterward was a good friend of the road. When we reached the place where Niantic now is, it was growing dark. A light snow had fallen during the day and the ground was covered. Where we were to stay that night we knew not. Nothing to be seen so far as the eye could reach but the "beau- tiful." Our only refuge was to "break for the timber" four miles south of us, which we reached in about an hour. striking " Ding- man's Point " where we met Mr. Dingman. We informed him who we were and what we wanted. He cordially invited us into his house, where we for the first time saw the genial countenance of our since illus- trious townsman. Richard J. Oglesby, who was on his way home from Springfield, horseback. and had stopped with Dingman to feed his horse and get his supper. (f course when "Dick " found out what our business was, he. as well as Mr. Dingman, became much interested in us. Mr. Ding- man's family was sick and though he could not entertain us at his house, he supplied us with bread, ham and potatoes, and directed us to an unoccupied cabin, a short distance away, in which was a large fire-place, and with plenty of wood and straw we cooked our supper and made our beds, thus pass- ing a very comfortable night. On Christ- mas day we got near enough to Decatur to make the town our headquarters, and therefore marched in with the whole outfit; the arrival of the Great Western Railroad Engineering Corps into the village was soon noised about. and the villagers were at once astir, for it was not only a very unusual event, but marked a very important epoch in the history and progress of the little town. We quartered with Landlady Harrell, who kept the hotel called " Social Hall." which stood on the site now occupied by the St.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON NORATY
Nicholas. She was a very worthy woman latter road got into Decatur the following and knew how to keep a hotel. We were winter from the north. To the casual reader there may not appear anything of much in terest of importance in the simple narrative by one of the pioneers in railroad construc Hom in this state, but when considered in it's connection with the beginning of a great system of railroads that has made the de- velopment of the resources of the great and powerful state of Whois possible, and has been the prime cause of bringing millions of people from all parts of the civilized world without her borders, with the count- less millions of wealth these people have created, and who are the most prosperous, most intelligent and happiest people on earth, and have made Illinois the Empire State of the great West, and which will soon be the first state in the U'mon, as its great metropolis on the lakes of the north is destined to become the greatest and most important enty in America, and one of the greatest in the world: a city almut to give unto all the people of the earth the grandest exhibition as a result of labor, art, science and literature that man has ever looked upon. When considered in this connection it becomes a matter of much importance to all interested in the history and progress of the state of Inois, and of all the United States of America. that night given a reception, ball and sup per. The late Jame - Shoaf, Faq . publisher of Shouff's Gazette, was the leading spirit of the occasion, The ball was held in the old court house, which stood in the south- est corner of the square now Lincoln Park) and was torn down about twenty five years ago. Some of the peculiar features of the ball were that the gentlemen wore heavy boots with pants inside the legs of them; and that the music consisted of one fiddle played by Matt Johnson, who was a character in these days. He dissamed to wear a coat, and sitting in a chair with a "little brown jug " by his side, at the close of each " cotillion " he would regale him- self from the contents of the jug. Among the citizens present at the reception were Col P'ugh, Sheriff Wheeler, Henry P'rather, Um. Cautrall, Col. Carter, S. K. Thomp- son, all of whom are long smee dead ; Hon. J. J. l'edicord. Gios. Oglesby and perhaps a few others still living were also present. These men were the active business men of these days, men, each of whom, in their respective calling, did their part to make the city of Decatur what it now is. They were the pioneers and laid the foundation upon which the city now stands, and to them much is due for its present and future pro- Sulhvan Burgess. perity. We found here, too, in advance of Decatur, Ill. Dec. 25. 1802. n- the Illinois Central R. R. Co., resident engineers, the late H. ( Plant and C. 1. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF DECATUR. Tuttle and their assistants, who met us cor- dially and with professional etiquette ten- By Enoch A. Gastman. dered us the use of their office, which was gladly accepted, and they also gave us much valuable mformation.
In the spring of 1854 the cars were run- ning on the Wabash to Wylie's Switch (now called Troutman), and got it . De- catur in the fall of the sthe year and hanled the iron for the Illinois Central from the Ilmois river to lay its track south; the
The early settlers of central Illinois were not able to give much attention to popular education. They were busy in providing food and shelter for their wives and chil- dren But as soon as the in medhate neces- sities of hte were provided, the parents be- gan to seek ways to secure at least the ele ments ci an colocation for their children. At first this was done through private
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
schools. A subscription paper would be circulated in the neighborhood and if enough money was promised to pay the teacher a very moderate salary the school would be opened. The teacher generally boarded around among the families, stay- ing a week or longer in each household, ac- cording to the number of pupils which it furnished to the school. If the teacher had a home of his own he would be paid a somewhat better salary, but he would be expected to receive in payment butter, eggs, pork, potatoes, and such other arti- cles as he could use in his own family. These schools usually continued in session but a few months in each year. Often they were so inefficient that but little was ac- complished during the term.
Reading, writing, spelling, and arithmetic made up the course of study. The rod was freely used not only to correct the infrac- tions of the rules of good behavior but to induce the better preparation of assigned lessons.
Early in the history of the state men be- gan to see that these schools could not pro- duce an intelligent citizenship and different bills were introduced into the Legislature to provide for a system of free public schools.
The present school law of Illinois is based upon an act of the General Assembly ap- proved February 15, 1855. The essential feature of that act was that of taxing all of the property of the state for the education of all the children of the state. It also made it obligatory upon all districts to maintain schools free to all the children for at least six months in the year. A law passed in 1849 allowed the people to vote that a tax should be levied upon the prop- erty of the district for the support of free public schools. Comparatively few districts in the state took advantage of this permis- sion. But Decatur early organized under
the provisions of that act. The following is on file in the office of the county clerk :
At a meeting of the inhabitants, legal vot- ers, of school district No. I. in township 16, N. R. 2 E., in Macon county, held at the court house in Decatur, on the 26th day of July, A. D. 1851, in pursuance of legal no- tice given by the directors of said school district for the purpose of voting for or against levying a tax for school purposes. It is certified by the chairman and secre- tary of said meeting to the directors of said district that at said meeting there was cast for levying a tax of ten cents on the one hundred dollars worth of taxable property in said district for the repairs of the * brick school house and furnishing same 30 votes, and against levying said tax 12 votes and that the following is a list of the resident tax payers in said district :
One hundred seventy names are given. Wm. Prather, Clerk. (Seal.)
The collector's book for 1851 is lost and it is impossible to say that the tax was ex- tended and collected, but the probability is that the wish of the voters was carried out. It is believed that this is the first school tax that was paid in Decatur. No school tax seems to have been levied in 1852, or in 1853. but the collector's book of 1854 shows that such a tax was collected.
The following is on file in the county clerk's ·office :
We the undersigned president and clerk of the board of directors for district number one in township 16 N., R. 2 E., in the coun- ty of Macon and state of Illinois, do hereby certify that the said board have estimated and required to be levied for the year 1855, the rate of fifty cents on each one hundred
* It is believed that this refers to the old Masonic hall which stood at the corner of North Water and North Park streets. It was erected in the early '4os by an arrangement between the citizens and the Masons. It was probably the first school house in the city
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MACON COUNTY.
dollars valuation of all the taxable property in said district for the purpose of building a school house, and the rate of five cents on each hundred dollars valuation of tax- able property in the said district for general expenses connected with schools in said dis- trict. Given under our hands this 30th day of June, 1855. Daniel Barnes, Pres. E. G. Falconer, Clerk.
Total value of all property in Decatur clistrict, $445,716. Great Western R. R. ex- cepted.
The money received from the first part of the above levy was probably used in building the front part of the Church street school.
The law of 1855 gave the township trus- tees power to levy taxes for general school purposes and the following is on file :
We the undersigned board of trustees of township number 16 north, range 2 cast, in the county of Macon and state of Illinois, do hereby certify that as a board of trus- tees we have estimated and required to be levied for the year 1855, for general school purposes and extending terms of schools the rate of three mills on each dollar's valu- ation of taxable property in said township. Given under our hands this 30th day of April, A. D. 1855.
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