USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 47
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153
In 1847 the contest terminated and the coun- ties became reunited with Quincy as the county seat, to which place many of the leading partici- pants of the controversy soon removed. to af- filiate with their enemies.
The "Columbus Advocate" was removed to Nauvoo and became the "Nauvoo Expositor," where its first issue brought down upon it the wrath of Joseph Smith & Co., who condemned it as a nuisance and promptly proceeded to abate the same by dumping it into the Mississippi. For that act. Joe and Hiram Smith were arrested and lodged in the jail at Carthage, where shortly afterward, they were shot and killed.
Regarding the editor of the Columbus Advo- cate. I remember as a boy, hearing my father tell an amusing story : The editor was rather im- pecunious at times, but was always fond of ar- dent drink.
Old Capt. Blaek kept a store where such mer- chandise was sold in quantities of not less than one quart.
The editor was the owner of two one-quart bottles of a brownish tinted glass. At such times
232
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
as he possessed silver he would carry one empty bottle to the store, have it filled, pay for it, return to his office and proceed to consume it. When without silver he would fill one bottle with water, carry the two to the store, hand out the empty one to be filled, replace it in his pocket when filled, and then say to the Captain : " I have no small change today : please charge it."
To such suggestion the Captain would reply : " My dear sir, my whisky costs money, and money I must have when I let it go."
The editor having started toward the door, would reluctantly return, with an expression of much distress upon his countenance, handing the bottle of water to the Captain, who would pour the contents into the barrel through the bunghole and return the empty bottle to the editor, who would depart. apparently very much downeast.
This tontine process was worked upon the bar- rel by the editor and the Captain for some months during the fall without discovery, but with the advent of severe winter weather a elimax was reached, as what fluid remained in the barrel froze solid.
The captain and many of his patrons were very wrathy, but upon deliberation concluded not to proseente, inasmuch as the Captain suffered no loss, as he had sold the water at the price of whisky, and the tontine process had inured to both the moral and physical advantage of many of the inhabitants.
Whether the editor remained with the " Advo- cate " when it was removed to Nauvoo or not I am not sure, but many years afterward I found him installed in charge of the Quincy postoffice (not sixty years after. Mr. Wilcox) in the early sixties, as chief deputy or assistant postmaster, with the HIon. Abram Jonas as his chief.
CHAPTER XLV.
PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC BUILDINGS - PIIILAN- THIROPIC AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
For a good many years the expenditures for buildings of various kinds have averaged well on to $150,000 a year, and there are many busi- ness structures and many notable private resi- denees which have contributed to the architec- tural effects of the city, but specifie mention must be limited to public or semi-public buildings. Concerning these, the years when erected and the cost, are as follows: The present courthouse, bounded by Fifth and Sixth streets and Broad- way and Vermont, erected in 1876, cost $260.000.
The federal building, at Eighth and Hampshire streets, was erected in 1887, the cost being $175,- 000. The building is absolutely fireproof. The present city hall, at Third and Hampshire streets, erected in 1890, cost $39,000. The Hotel New- comb. at Fourth and Maine streets (the site of the old Quiney Hlouse), erected in 1888, at a cost of $124,000. The Empire Theatre, on Eighth street, between Maine and Hampshire streets, erected in 1893. cost $47,000. The C., B. & Q. passenger station, at Second and Oak streets, built in 1899, cost $100,000; the freight house, at Second and Broadway, cost $50,000. The Wabash railway passenger station at Sixth and York streets, erected in 1902, cost $40,000: the freight house, $30,000. Turner Ilall. 926 Ilamp- shire street, erected in 1885 and cost $18,000. The German Young Men's Christian Association building, at Eighth and State streets, was built in 1893 and cost $32,000. The City Central Market building, at Ninth and Ihampshire streets, built in 1897, cost $2,500. The city paid $18,000 for all of the market place ground. The estab- lishment of the market place has been amply justified by the usefulness and popularity of the convenience. The present cell house of the Quincy House of Correction, at Front and Jack- son streets, was built in 1888 and cost $25,000.
BLESSING HOSPITAL.
Blessing Hospital, at Tenth and Spring streets, grew out of the work of the Charitable Aid and Hospital Association, which was founded in 1869 as a society for relief of the poor. True to its original intention, the hospital has always cared for a large number of free patients. In 1873 the association was incorporated, these being the names of the incorporators : John Wood, O. IF. Browning. F. S. Giddings, M. B. Finley, U. S. Penfield, Il. S. Osborn, II. A. Williamson, Gus- tave Levi, E. K. Stone. R. W. Gardner, R. W. McMahan, William B. Bull. Mr. II. S. Osborn was elected president and Mr. E. J. Parker treas- urer. The hospital was built at a cost of $12,000, including land and furnishings, and opened May, 1875. The site, valued at $3,000, was given by Mr. M. B. Denman. In 1895 it became necessary to enlarge the hospital, and a new three-story building was erected, joining the original build- ing on the west. The cost of the addition was about $14,500. Further enlargement became necessary in 1903, and a suitable home for the nurses had become an imperative necessity. To make room for these buildings, and to make the improvements comprehensive and final, it was found desirable to purchase additional land on the east. It was also thought best to pull down the first two-story building, which no longer seemed adequate to its use, and to build upon the same foundations a modern three-story building
233
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
complete in every respect, being fully equipped (as well as the nurses' home) with electricity, steam heat, a system of house telephones, electric elevator and the best plumbing. The steam laun- dry and steam heating plant were installed in a new brick building detached from the hospital and connected with it by a tunnel for the steam pipes. These buildings have been completed at a total cost of over $30.000, making Blessing Hos- pital the most modern and best arranged hospital in the state outside of Chicago. The Training School for Nurses, established in 1891, is now under the efficient management of Miss Mary C. Wheeler, who has also been superintendent of the hospital for the last six years. It is most sue- cessful, not only providing the best class of nurses for the hospital, but supplying families of our own and neighboring cities, and in ad- jacent states. There are now fourteen nurses in the school, and the mumber is constantly in- creasing. The number of patients last year was between 600 and 700, of which a large proportion were charity cases. Blessing Hospital has a small endowment, not exceeding $19,000, which was begun by Mrs. Denman's bequest of $4,000 in March, 1883.
So many good women and men have devoted such time, thought and labor, as well as means toward the well doing of this institution as to make individual credit impracticable, but men- tion must be made of the leading and invaluabk. part taken in the good work by Mrs. Elizabeth G. Parker.
ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL.
Through the efforts of the late Rev. Father Ferdinand, O. S. F., and the Rev. Father Schae- fermeyer, a few sisters of the congregation of the Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis-whose Mother House is in Achen, Germany, the home of the American province being at Hartwell, Ohio-un- der the direction of Sister Eusebia, came to Quincy, May 19. 1866, for the purpose of estab- lishing a hospital in this city. After persistent effort they finally succeeded in receiving suffi- cient encouragement to begin the building of St. Mary's Hospital. March 22, 1867. The corner- stone was laid the following day, in the presence of the mayor, the aldermen, the county officials and an immense concourse of eitizens. This building, which cost about $16,000. and had ac- commodations for about fifty patients, was ready for occupancy October 25 of that year. The first patients were seven persons whom the Sisters had been earing for temporarily in a room of St. Boniface school building. Such was the demand on the hospital that within the next decade en- largement became imperative, and an addition eosting about $20.000 was completed October 18. 1877, by which accommodations were provided
for about one hundred patients. As the years passed and the population increased, and the ex- cellent management of the hospital continued, further enlargement became necessary. In 1900 an addition was erected, at a cost of about $40,- 000. The new structure is four stories, occupies a ground area of 86 by 68 feet, and in point of convenience, comfort, lighting, ventilation and general modern equipment and beauty of design and finish, is one of the very best hospitals in the west. The value of its buildings and ground is not less than $100,000. The entire building area is now about 212 feet long by 68 feet deep. The especial pride of the hospital is the wonderfu! new chapel, which is situated at the west end of the old building. The hospital can now accom- modate 175 patients, and it contained 137 at the beginning of the present year, 1905. The fact that 1,326 patients were cared for during the year 1904 indicates the great extent of the noble work being done by the faithful twenty-two sis- ters, with the help of a few outsiders. Sister Raymunda, Superior, is in charge of the hos- pital. The institution has no endowment, being dependent solely upon the benevolence of those who appreciate the good work done and which has won fame that is widespread. No condition of ereed, color, race or otherwise is required for a patient to get the benefit of the devoted service. So many of our people actively interest them- selves in behalf of this worthy institution as to make individual mention impossible, but the practical zeal manifested for many years by Mr. Frederick Wolf has been so conspicuous as to properly require recognition.
In 1898 an auxiliary organization named St. Mary's Ambulance Society was formed. as a result of whose good work the hospital has a first-class ambulance and excellent service.
WOODLAND HOME.
On January 4, 1853, a number of ladies met at the First Congregational Church in Quincy and organized a society called the " Ladies' I'nion Benevolent Society," the object being to alleviate the present wants of the worthy poor in Quiney, and ultimately to erect a building for destitute widows and orphans. This was the initiative of the charity known today as the Woodland llome for Orphans and Friendless. The board of managers was to consist of one member chosen from each church in the city that contributed to the cause. Two years later fifteen gentlemen-Frederic Collins, Joel Rice, Samuel Holmes, O. II. Browning. Newton Flagg, Charles A. Savage, William Caldwell, John Wheeler, Hiram Rodgers, Nathaniel Pease. John Blatch- ford, Elijah Gove, John W. McFadon, John Wood, Willard Keyes-contributed one hundred dollars each ($1,500) and five acres south of the
234
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
city was purchased for a building site. On Feb- ruary 14, 1855, Woodland Home for Orphans and Friendless was incorporated by a special act of the legislature of the state of Illinois. The fifteen gentlemen named were appointed trustees for life, with the power of filling all vacancies, there- by making the board self-perpetuating. The board of trustees has each year appointed an executive committee of ladies, who have looked after the domestie affairs of the institution. The first executive committee consisted of Mesdames J. T. Holmes, first directress; F. Collins, second directress; C. II. Church, secretary; Littlefield, sub-treasurer, and the following as managers : Mesdames Holton, Rice, Rogers, Leibrie, Brown- ing, Tillson, C. M. Wood, Baldwin, P. Smith, Hays, Jones, Diekhut, Dunn, Price, Gove. Nance, Pittman, Richardson, Keyes, M. Turner, Leasy, Kingman. Kreinhop. S. Iloffman, Ralston. A. Smith and Miss Smeading.
For a few years the children cared for by this charity were boarded in families. Then a house was rented on Tenth street, between Maine and Jersey. In 1867 the property on the northwest corner of Fifth and Washington streets was pur- chased, $13,500 being the price paid, and used for the home of this institution until May 9. 1893, when the Woodland Home family moved into its present commodious quarters at Twenty- seventh and Maine streets. The funds to pay for the land and also the building of the present home were mostly solicited from the citizens of Quincy. The land and buildings cost $17.000.
The institution has received from time to time gifts and bequests, so that now the income from the endowment fund is about one-third of the current expense account, the balance being made up by voluntary donations and other ways and means devised by the ladies of the executive committee.
The work of this institution, as its charter recites, " is to care for the virtuous indigent women and children. "
Since its organization approximately 2,125 in- dividuals have been cared for by the Woodland Home. Homeless children are received and cared for till a suitable home in some worthy family is found for each child. Children of worthy working mothers are also received as boarders. and often fathers place their motherless ones to board in Woodland Home. The working force of the institution consists of five, viz., Miss M. E. Ellis, matron : a cook. housemaid, nurse and janitor.
The present board of trustees is: O. B. Gor- don, president: W. A. Richardson, vice presi- dent ; George Wells, treasurer: E. C. Wells, see- retary : John Wheeler, Nathaniel Pease, J. N. Sprigg. R. W. Gardner, C. H. Williamson, L. E.
Emmons, Sr., E. K. Stone, G. J. Cottrell, J. W. Gardner, George H. Stahl, D. F. Wilcox.
The Ladies' Executive Committee is as fol- lows: Mrs. JJ. W. Gardner, president ; Mrs. A. II. Schmidt, first vice president; Mrs. J. M. Irwin, second vice president ; Mrs. J. N. Sprigg, record- ing secretary ; Mrs. F. M. Bolles, corresponding secretary ; Mrs. E. K. Stone, treasurer : Mrs. D. F. Wileox, Mrs. J. P. Burt. Mrs. George Wells, Mrs. M. Kirtley, Mrs. E. A. Rogers, Mrs. J. Best, Mrs. F. H. Weems, Mrs. W. A. Richardson, Mrs. O. B. Gordon, Mrs. F. T. Hill, Mrs. Bessie Block, Mrs. Leda Toof, Mrs. J. W. Sinnoek, Mrs. P. B. Wil- liams, Mrs. HI. Ilart, Mrs. J. W. Cassidy, Mrs. D. Me Afee, Mrs. E. L. Finley, Mrs. E. E. Stewart.
TIIE OLD PEOPLE'S HOME.
Das Altenheim, or the Old People's IIome, at No. 418 Washington street, was founded May 15, 1890, by the St. Louis Conference of the German M. E. Church. The original building was do- nated by Mr. Charles Pfeiffer, of Quiney, Ill. Three extensions have been made to the build- ing. The present valuation is $25,000. There are thirty-one members in the home at this writing. The successive superintendents have been : Charles Pfeiffer, Mrs. Charles Pfeiffer, William F. Hagen and the Rev. William Baleke. the latter being the present incumbent.
ANNA BROWN HOME FOR THE AGED.
Mrs. Anna E. Brown, widow of Charles Brown, was born in Connecticut, in 1830, and died in Quiney October 22, 1893. Mrs. Brown provided in her will for the establishment of a home for the aged, to which she devised her residence, at the northwest corner of Fifth and Maple streets. and which home she endowed with interest-bear- ing securities worth $55,000. Thus was founded what was named the Anna Brown Home for the Aged, in arranging for which the management spent about $18,000 for a new building and other improvements in 1897. The home was opened in January, 1898. Acceptable applicants only are admitted, and there is an admission fee of $300. The management has been such that the institution is in excellent condition every way. Ilon. W. H. Collins is president, Osman B. Gor- don, vice president : T. C. Poling, treasurer, and George II. Wilson, seeretary, of the corporation. Miss Elizabeth Carelton is matron. At this writing there are twelve women and four men in the home.
ST. VINCENT'S HOME.
St. Vineent's Home, at 1340 North Tenth street, was founded in 1884, by the Sisters' Poor ITandmaids of Jesus Christ, of Fort Wayne, Ind. Four blocks of ground were bought in Cox's ad-
235
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
dition for $7,000. The first building addition to the old Cox house was dedicated September 8, 1885, the cost of the addition being $10,000. The sisters opened the home April 4, 1885, with three inmates. There are now ninety inmates. The present building, which cost about $45,000, was dedicated November 14, 1897. Sister Superior, Venerable Sister Maria Romana is manager of the home.
ST. ALOYSIUS ORPILAN SOCIETY.
St. Aloysius Orphan Society, whose asylum is located at Twentieth and Vine streets, was founded in 1852 by Joseph Kuenster, at the suggestion of Mission Father, the Rev. F. W. Wenninger. The suggestion grew out of effects of the cholera epidemic. The present building was dedicated April 18, 1865. It contains about thirty children at this time. Chris Wand is president of the society and the Rev. Dean Michael Weis, pastor of St. Boniface Catholic Church, is president of the board of trustees.
THE CHEERFUL HOME.
The Cheerful Home Association was founded in 1887 by the late Miss Cornelia A. Collins, a young woman whose noble character was illu- mined by a rarely beautiful spirit of unselfish- ness. The primary object of the movement was to provide a pleasant evening resort for a class of boys who might otherwise be on the streets. While this object has been never lost sight of, the scope of the Cheerful Home work has been greatly extended and with increasing value to boys and girls, to whom regular class instructions in domestic science, sewing, manual training, kindergarten, etc., are given daily. The first meeting place of the association was at No. 215 North Fourth street. In the spring of 1901 Mr. Lorenzo Bull bought the Wells residence prop- erty, No. 241 Jersey street, and donated the same to the Cheerful Home Association, whose oecu- pation of the well adapted building marked a new and wider era in the life of the home. Mr. Bull had secured the property for $5,000 for the pur- pose. In the spring of 1903 Mr. Bull added and equipped a fine gymnasium, at a cost of about $6,000, thus still further enhancing the whole- some attractiveness and usefulness of the insti- tution. The Cheerful Home now benefits be- tween 400 and 500 boys and girls, and at this writing plans are being made for still further enlargement of the good work. So many good people have given of their best thought. time and labor in the furtherance of the welfare of this worthy institution that individual mention is not practicable, but it is certain that only for Mr. Bull's benefactions the home could not have thus enlarged its scope of usefulness, while the services of Miss Mary Bull, the president of the
board of lady managers, has been so invaluable as to call for exceptional recognition. Miss Mary L. Adams, the present efficient chief resident worker at the home, has occupied that position for about two years.
GERMAN YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN AS- SOCIATION.
The Young Men's Christian Association was organized in 1893. Its building, located at Eighth and State streets, cost $32,000. The present membership of the association is in the neighborhood of 250. W. T. Dwire is president of the association, II. C. Spriek, secretary and acting treasurer. The present directors are Her- man Ileidbreder. A. J. Niemeyer, Dr. Ilenry (. Mueller, J. F. Pieper, J. M. Brown, Henry E. Schmiedeskamp and Walter II. Bennett.
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIA- TION.
Through the efforts of Miss Harriet Broad, state secretary of the Young Women's Christian Association, a local association was organized in Quincy, at the Vermont Street M. E. Church Friday evening, February 10, 1905, the charter membership being 433. The first officers are Mrs. Nelson Funk, president : Miss Ida Stewart, vice president ; Mrs. Charles A. Osborn, secre- tary, and Mrs. Ella S. Lewis, treasurer.
THE QUINCY HUMANE SOCIETY.
This society was incorporated under the name of "Quincy Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," July 20, 1880. July 22, 1880, the first officers were cleeted, T. M. Rogers being president ; J. R. Stewart, secretary : Henry Root, treasurer. and Dr. H. W. IIale, superin- tendent. June 20, 1882, the name of the society was changed to " The Quincy Humane Society." October 28, 1893, Anna E. Brown died, leaving a will in which she had bequeathed to the society a large amount, amounting to between $14,000 and $15,000. Some two years later the society came into possession of this fund, the income from which has enabled the society to greatly enlarge and do more efficient work. The present officers of the society are Ilenry P. Walton, presi- dent : J. W. Markus, first vice president : Henry Meisser, second vice president: Dr. R. Woods, treasurer : Lyman MeCarl, secretary, and John Fowley, humane officer. Mr. Walton is serving his eleventh year as president of the society, in the furtherance of whose useful and commend- able work this venerable citizen has manifested the same publie spirited activity that has char- aeterized his course in so many other directions.
236
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Chiefly through the efforts of the late Rev. Samuel HI. Emery, the Historical Society of Quiney, Illinois, was organized Tuesday evening, October 6, 1896, at a meeting held for that pur- pose in the present rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, on the west side of Washington Park. The society was incorporated the same year. " The objeet of the society is to gather up all that relates to the history of Quincy and vicinity. and to provide a safe place to deposit For all pictures, books, portraits, manuscripts, relies and documents of every sort which illus- trate this history." The archives are kept in the tower room of the public library building, where donations are placed as received. Among the prominent events in the life of the society was its celebration of the seventy-eighth anniversary of the founding of Quincy and Adams County. The event took place on the evening of May 1, 1903, in the parlors of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lorenzo Bull delivered the principal ad- dress. The present year, 1905, the society, by a committee consisting of Dr. J. B. Shawgo, Dr. .Joseph Robbins and Mr. George M. Janes, erected a tablet in Washington Park commemorative of the place of the debate between Lincoln and Douglas, October 13, 1858. In deciding on the location, the committee was guided mainly by an opinion from Mr. Lorenzo Bull, in reply to a request from a previous committee for his reeol- lection. Mr. Bull, who was then temporarily in Camden, Maine, wrote to the committee July 26, 1904, as follows: " In reply to yours of the 18th instant, asking for my recollection as to the location of the grand stand oeenpied by the speakers of the Lincoln-Douglas debate, October 13, 1858. I have to say as follows: If Washing- ton Park were divided into four equal square parts, the location of the speakers' stand upon that occasion could be certainly and definitely given as within the southeast quarter of such division. Any attempt at this late date to fix a more precise location by feet and inches must be attended by more or less uncertainty ; but as an approximation I should say that a point about. one hundred feet west from Fifth street and abont forty or fifty feet north from Maine street. would be very nearly correet. The stand faced the east and I listened to the speakers, standing on the south side at a point nearly in front of the present bank building of the State Savings Loan and Trust Company."
Mr. Bull has been president of the Historical Society since its organization and by unanimous choice. The late Timothy M. Rogers was the first recording secretary. The next secretary was the Ilon. W. A. Richardson, who was succeeded by Miss Lonise Maertz, who is now in Cuba,
and who was temporarily succeeded as secretary by Henry Bornmann. Miss Louisa M. Robbins has been recently selected as permanent seere- tary. The late Gen. E. B. Ilamilton was the first vice president at the time of his death. He was succeeded by Cicero F. Perry. The late James Woodruff was seeond vice president at the time of his death. Samnel II. Emery, Jr., is the cor- responding secretary: George M. JJanes, treas- urer : Hon. William 11. Collins, historiographer ; Col. Chauncey II. Castle, anditor. and Mrs. Con- stance E. Ellis, librarian.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.