Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 51

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 51

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for the occasion, which are to be used entirely by the ladies, eight hundred of whom can thus be accommodated.

Quincy Daily Ilerald, Tuesday morning, Octo- ber 12, 1858 :

On Wednesday morning, 13th inst., at 912 o'clock, a procession will be formed at the court- house, in this city, in which every person who prefers the election of Ilon. S. A. Douglas to Hon. A. Lincoln to the United States Senate is invited to participate.

The procession will leave the courthouse at 91/2 o'clock, precisely, and will proceed to Broad- way, up Broadway to Twelfth street, throwing the right of procession on Twelfth and front south, where the delegations from the northern part of the county will be attached; thence to Maine, throwing right of procession on Maine, and attach all the delegations from the east and south of the county; thence proceeding down Maine street to Third, up Third to the Virginia House, where the river delegations will be at- tached, and will then take the right of the pro- cession ; which will then proceed to Vermont, up Vermont to Seventh, down Seventh to Hamp- shire, down Hampshire to Fourth, and around the public square to the southeast corner, where the procession will enter and surround the stand, whereupon Judge Douglas will make his appear- ance and in a few remarks adjourn the crowd until half past 2 o'clock, when the discussion between himself and Mr. Lincoln will commence.

I. T. WILSON, Chief Marshal.

Quincy Daily IIerald, Saturday morning, Oe- tober 16. 1858 :

The most magnificent display that has ever been made in this city was made by the democracy on Tuesday last on the occasion of the reception of Judge Douglas. Our distinguished senator was received at half past 9 o'clock at the railroad depot amid the booming of cannon and a most splendid display of torchlights and transpar- encies, accompanied by the welcoming, enthu- siastie shouts of not less than a thousand live democrats. *

* Four hundred blazing torches and beautiful transparencies in proportion, with bands of music and a procession more than half a mile in length. * * The streets of the city. literally thronged with people in honor of the great statesman, was a sight that did the hearts of the democracy good to witness. * * * Judge Douglas was escorted by the procession to the Quiney House, where, with three times three hearty and enthusiastic cheers, the democracy left him for the night, repairing, however, to the public square, where they were addressed in a most able, enthusiastic and unanswerable man- ner by Dr. Bane, after which the demonstra- tions of the evening were brought to a close.

Quincy Daily Herald, Friday morning. Octo- ber 15, 1858:

The democracy of Illinois have reason to be proud of the demonstration in the city on Wednesday last, the day that had been appointed for a joint discussion between Senator Douglas and Mr. Lincoln. At an early hour in the morn- ing the crowds that everywhere thronged the streets of our city gave indication that a great day was before us. At about 10 o'clock a procession of the democracy, composed ex- clusively of delegations from the county town- ships, under the direction of Dr. Wilson, the chief marshal. made its appearance upon the publie square. This procession was over an hour passing the Quincy Honse: and it is thought to have not been less than two miles in length. * * * As the procession passed the Quincy House Judge Donglas made his appearance at a second story window, where he was greeted with cheer after cheer along the whole line. The procession was afterwards joined by large dele- gations from Brown county and from various points in Missouri. It was the largest proces- sion that was ever seen in Qniney. At 12 o'clock the procession was disbanded. * * At 2 * o'clock some twelve or fifteen thousand persons assembled around the stand upon the public somare, where they were addressed for an hour by Mr. Lincoln, who was followed in a speech of an hour and a half by Judge Douglas, and the debate closed with a response of half an hour by Mr. Lincoln. # # # The democracy assembled again in the evening around the stand in the publie square, no house in the city being large enough to contain the fourth of them, where they were addressed by Mr. Artzen of this city and Mr. Reed of Keokuk. Thus began, and thus ended the day-the most glorious to the demoe- racy that Quincy ever saw.

Quincy Daily Whig and Republican, Friday morning, October 15, 1858:

Wednesday was a day that will long be re- membered by the citizens of Quincy and by the great crowd of people who were in attendance to listen to the great discussion between Lincoln and Donglas. They came from all quarters, from all parts of the district, and from lowa and Mis- souri.

Douglas arrived on Tuesday night, and the Douglasites got up a kind of torchlight proces- sion to receive him. The thing was a most miser- able fizzle.

On Wednesday morning at an early hour our streets were thronged with people. The repub- lean procession formed on Broadway for the purpose of receiving Mr. Lincoln. It was one of the finest demonstrations that ever occurred in this city. It is impossible to arrive at anything like a reliable estimate of the numbers in the procession.

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Mr. Lincoln was received at the depot and greeted with enthusiastic cheers by the erowd. The procession then proceeded through the prin- cipal streets of the city to the residence of Hon. O. H. Browning, where a beautiful and elegant boquet was presented by the republican ladies of Quiney, through the bands of John Tillson, Esq .. our candidate for senator, in a neat and appro- priate speech, which elicited mueh applause. Mr. Lincoln replied in a few brief remarks, saying that it was a sonree of much gratification to him to find that the ladies everywhere took such a deep interest in this contest. Before and at the elose of the presentation a choir of young ladies and gentlemen present sang, to the air of " Co- lumbia, the Gem of the Ocean," a very appro- priate campaign song. The procession was then disbanded for dinner.

Long before the speaking commeneed the pub- lie square literally swarmed with people. The number present is variously estimated at from eight to fourteen thousand. Mr. Lincoln opened the debate. * * *

The republicans have reason to congratulate themselves upon the success of the day.

The only incident of a disagreeable character was the falling of the seats which had been put up for the ladies. They were crowded at the time and the fall created great consternation. Two or three ladies were injured, but no one seriously or severely.

Quiney Daily Whig and Republican, Saturday morning, October 16, 1858 :

On Wednesday night the courthouse was lit- erally jammed with people. Speeches were made by Karl Schurtz, Jackson Grinshaw and B. M. Prentiss.

WOODLAND CEMETERY.

Woodland Cemetery is located in the south- west portion of the city, and is bounded by Jef- ferson street on the north, Van Buren on the south, Fifth street on the east and the river bank on the west.

Woodland Cemetery is, beyond question, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country. Its situation on the bluff is such that from it is secured one of the finest and most extended views to be found on the Mississippi river.

It was laid out in April, 1846. It originally contained somewhat less than forty acres. In 1857 4.65 acres were added, and now the ceme- tery is estimated to contain about forty-three acres. The grounds were once part of the estate of Gov. John Wood, the founder of Quincy, who presented them to the city. Fronting on Fifth street is the tomb of the late Timothy Rogers, which is said to be one of the finest in the coun- try. The National Cemetery formerly oeenpied

the northwest portion of the grounds, but some four years ago the government removed it to Graceland. A great many soldiers are buried here, however, in private lots. A handsome monument dedicated to United States soldiers is situated in the western part of the cemetery.

Woodland Cemetery is one of the most bean- tifnl in the middle west. It is managed through the Woodland Cemetery Association, of which Mr. Il. P. Walton is president; Mr. George F. Miller, vice president ; Mrs. Mary Cober, secre- tary, and Mr. E. J. Parker, treasurer. Messrs. George Wells and T. D. Woodruff are also direet- ors of the association. Adam Thron has been the efficient superintendent for many years.

GREENMOUNT CEMETERY.

This cemetery was laid out in 1875 by the Greenmount Cemetery Association. The board of directors of this association consists of four- teen members, of which Mr. Joseph Iloener is the present president and Mr. Henry G. Garrelts is the secretary. Mr. Walter Dingerson is the efficient caretaker of the cemetery. Greenmount is on South Twelfth street, across the street from South Park and just north of Harrison street. It is one of the most beautiful and attractive cemeteries in the city.

GRACELAND CEMETERY.

The Graceland Cemetery, at Thirty-sixth and Maine streets, was organized January 18, 1895, by the Quiney Cemetery Association.

The president of this association is L. E. Em- mons ; vice president, Anton Binkert : treasurer, T. C. Poling : secretary, William F. Hagen ; other members of the board of trustees are D. F. Wil- cox, E. Best, J. T. Blainey, JJoseph Freiberg, Sr .. Thomas T. Dyke.

The National Cemetery is now a part of Grace- land, having been removed there from Woodland four years ago.

THE HEBREW CEMETERY.

The Hebrew Cemetery, called the " Valley of Peace," is located in the northeastern part of the city, near what is now known as Walton Heights. The board of directors are : Messrs. David Vasen, M. Kingsbaker, M. Joseph and David Stern.

TIIE ROMAN CATHOLIC CEMETERIES.

The St. Peter's Cemetery is located east of Thirtieth street, on Broadway. It is under the management of the congregation of St. Peter's Church. St. Rose Church people also bury at St. Peter's, while all other Catholic societies bury at St. Boniface, which is under the direet control of St. Boniface Church and is located on State street, east of Twentieth.

HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY

INTRODUCTION

In the dawn of its history Adams county is seen, in common with other portions of Illinois, thinly populated by tribes of savages. The first Europeans to visit this wilderness were the en- voys of religion and commerce. More than two hundred and thirty years ago Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, the latter a Quebec-born fur trader. crossed Wisconsin by the Fox and Wis- consin rivers and descended the majestic Missis- sippi, passing along the borders of Adams county and it is quite probable they made a brief halt at or near where the beautiful Gem City now stands. In corroboration of this, Marquette mentions in his journal of that voyage the bluffs upon the eastern bank of the river, with a rude sketch of the same.

From that time until 1811 the history of the country which now comprises Adams county is not recorded. There is a slight rumor to the effect that one Bauvet, a French trader, located on the bluffs of Quiney, but was soon afterwards killed by the Indians. A legend comes down from the same shadowy source that there was an Indian village on the bhiffs near Quincy, and that Indians made frequent camps south of this point. Evidences still remain, however, of a per- manent occupation by members of the Sauk tribe near the banks of Bear creek. In 1813 Gen. Iloward. with two regimentsof mounted rangers from Illinois and Missouri, on an expedition to the north part of the territory, passed this point and found the remnants of some rough stone chimneys and a few wigwam poles along the shore near the bluffs. The legendary stories of the existence of this savage village of the Sank tribe, which Hourished here in the olden time. relate that its uncivilized inhabitants, on hearing of the approach of Gen. Howard and his two regiments of mounted rangers, fled from their homes and left the village to the tender mercies of the palefaces. Gen. Iloward's rangers, upon their arrival at the place. burned the village and passed on.

From this time for a period of about six years neither legend, romance nor record chronicles anything of the future Adams county.

Willard Keyes, one of the pioneers of Adams county, says in his lecture before the New Eng- land Society : " We floated past the model city ( Quiney) on the 10th of May, 1819. unconscious of our future destiny in its eventful history."

Justus I. Perigo, who resided on what is now the eastern portion of Fall Creek township, was doubtless the first actual settler in Adams county, as he was here in 1820. The coming of Asa Tyrer, in the summer of 1820, searching for his land, and also of John Wood in 1821. who came to find land for a man named Flynn, and his sub- sequent settlement, with his partner, Willard Keyes, are fully described in the history of Quincy. The immigration to the county in the next few years following was not very rapid, most of those who came settling in the Bear creek and Rock creek sections, and some few in and near Quincy. More than one-half the land com- prising the military tract was land granted to the soldiers of 1812, and was not subject to entry, and as none could be purchased except what was known as the bounty lands the settlement was much retarded on that account.

As part of the Northwest Territory. in 1790 all of Illinois south of what is now Peoria was made the county of St. Clair, with Cahokia as the county seat. In 1812 the northern portion of St. Clair, above St. Louis, was created Madison county, with Edwardsville as the county seat. the county extending to the Wisconsin line. Illi- nois was admitted to the Union as a state April 18, 1818. On the 31st of January. 1821. all of Madison county between the Illinois and Missis- sippi rivers was detached and made Pike county. with Cole's Grove. now Gilead. in Calhoun county, as the county seat.

On the 14th day of September. 1824, John Wood inserted the following notice in the Ed- wardsville Spectator: A petition will be pre- sented to the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at its next session, praying for the estab-

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lishment of a new county, to be formed from the county of Pike and the parts attached, the south- ern boundary of which shall be between towns three and four, south of the base line.

Ang. 17 (12t). (Signed) JOHN WOOD.

The notice having been published twelve times, as required by the law then in force relating to the formation of new counties, the General As- sembly took prompt action in considering the matter presented in the petition of Mr. Wood, and at the following session passed a bill which was approved on the 18th of January, 1825, of which the following is a copy :

The County of Adams was formed out of the counties of Pike and Fulton and the attached parts, by an act of the Legislature, approved Jan. 18, 1825, Act : Be it enacted, that all that traet of country within the following boundaries, to-wit: beginning at the place where the town- ship line between townships three south and four south touches the Mississippi river, thence east on said line to the range line between ranges four and five west, thence north on said range line to the northeast corner of township two north, range five west, thence west on said township line to the Mississippi river, and thenee down said river to the place of beginning, shall constitute a county, to be called the county of Adams.

The same act appointed a committee consisting of Seymore Kellog of Morgan county, Joel Wright of Montgomery county and David Dut- ton of Pike county to select a permanent seat of justice for the new county. They were directed to meet at the house of Ebenezer Harkness, in said county, on the first Monday of the next April, or within seven days thereafter; and after taking the oath before a justice of the peace, to locate the seat of justice for the future accommo- dation and convenience of the people; to proceed to fix the seat of justice. They were to forthwith make a copy of their proceedings and file the same in the office of the recorder of Pike county. The history of their action in this matter and the origin of the names of the county and the county seat are recorded elsewhere. It is sufficient to say that a majority of the committee met April 30, 1825, and officially announced that the north- west quarter of section 2, town 2 sonth, range 9 west of 4th principal meridian, was the county seat of Adams county, and named the designated place Quincy.

On the 2d of July, 1825, in pursuance of an order of the judge of the Circuit Court, the first. election for county officers was held at the cabin of Willard Keyes; about forty votes were east, and Levi Wells, Peter Journey and Willard Keyes were elected county commissioners.

Peter Journey, a Jerseyman by birth, resided at the lower end of the bluffs, some ten miles south of Quincy, in what is now Fall Creek town-

ship; Willard Keyes of Quiney lived at what is now the foot of Vermont street, and Levi Wells resided near what is now the village of Payson. The county had at this time an estimated popula- tion of about seventy.

The first County Court of Adams county was duly organized at the house of Willard Keyes in Quiney on Monday, July 4, 1825. Messrs. Jour- ney, Keyes and Wells, all being present, and Earl Pierce was appointed a special constable for the court, and Henry H. Snow was appointed derk, having Earl Pierce and Levi Hudley as his bondsmen. Fra Pierce was deputed to take the census of the county, and other matters of regular business were considered.

The county of Adams was one of the first to adopt township organization. On Tuesday, De- cember 6, 1849, an order was made by the County Commissioners' Court appointing Thomas En- low, Augustus E. Bowles and William Berry commissioners to divide the county into towns, as provided by an act of the Legislature, pro- viding for the township organization of any county, after having so determined by a ma- jority vote being cast in its favor at any general election. The report of these commissioners was filed in the County Court on the 8th day of March, 1850. They divided the county, accord- ing to provisions of the act in force April 16, 1849, into twenty towns and " laid the same off by metes and bounds," adopting a name for each in accordance with the expressed wish of the in- habitants of said town respectively, selecting a name when the inhabitants of any town failed to agree.

The first meeting of the Board of Supervisors, under the law provided for township organiza- tion, was held on the third day of June, 1850, " through the call of the county clerk, by the approval of many of the Board of Supervisors." This meeting was held in the court room in the old conrt honse, which stood on Fifth street, between Maine and Hampshire, in Quincy. W. 11. Tandy was elected chairman of the board for that session.

Adams county lies on the western border of the state, and is bounded on the north by Hancock county, on the east by Brown and Pike counties, on the south by Pike county, and it is separated from Missouri on the west by the Mississippi river. It embraces an area of eight hundred and thirty-eight square miles, or a little more than twenty-three townships, divided for purposes of local goverment into twenty-two towns. It is well watered, thorough surface drainage being afforded by immerons creeks flowing into the great river which forms its western boundary. Mention has been made of Bear creek, which drains the northern portion of the county ; Me- Gee's creek drains the eastern and central, and

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MeDonald's, or lloman's, creek, Hadley creek and Mill creek interseet the southern, southwest- ern portion. These streams, together with abun- dant, fine, fresh water springs, furnish a plenti- ful supply of water for the stock growers. The uplands of the county are nearly equally divided into timber and prairie, the timber portions be- ing mainly restricted to the broken lands in the vicinity of the streams. The general elevation of the prairie region above the level of the Missis- sippi, at low water, is from two hundred to two hundred and eighty feet. Except for about two miles in the vicinity of Quiney, where the bluffs approach near to the river bank, a belt of alluvial bottom land from one to five miles in width ex- tends the whole length of the county, from north to south, along the western border. By means of drainage and the erection of levees to prevent overflow from the river, they have been made the finest farm lands in the country. The destruc- tion of native forests in Adams county has been very great, but there still remains small portions of these former extensive tracts, containing nearly one hundred species of native forest trees, oak, hickory, ash, elm, walnut, maple, sycamore, red bud, hawthorn and others.

The climate of Adams county is pleasant and healthful, and perpetual breezes blow over the cultivated lands, modifying the summer heat. The seasons come with great regularity, favoring agriculture, and the rainfall is abundant and seasonable, averaging about 38 to 40 inches. The fluctuations in temperature are often great and sudden, especially in the transition scasons, but the vital statistics show that the climate is re- markably healthful. while the crop reports bear witness to its high fitness for agricultural devel- opment and the growth of great and valuable supplies of breadstuffs. New methods of scien- tifie farming, the use of modern machinery, the extension of careful under-draining and the in- telligence of hundreds of skilled farmers, are de- veloping valuable agricultural properties.

The population of the county at the last een- sus, 1900, was nearly 70,000.

The equalized assessed valuation of lands in the county for the year 1904 was $3,705,923; of city, town and village lots, $3,426,690; of per- sonal property, $3,184,810; of railroads, $11,- 178,420 (C., B. & Q .: A. & St. L .: Wabash, and O. K. C. & E.).

The total state tax for this county in the same years. $56,897.75; county tax, $77,527.15; school tax was $168,059.44; road and bridge tax, $33,- 696.48 : other taxes, sufficient to make a total for the county, including cities and villages, $605,- 828.06.

The finances of Adams county are on the se- curest of foundations. At the present time the county has no bonded indebtedness.

CHLAPTER XLVIII.

THIE GEOLOGY OF ADAMS COUNTY.

By William A. Redenbaugh, Ph. D.

To the ordinary reader a purely geological description is like so much Greek. For this reason the author has decided to depart from the usual custom of describing formations and strata with their complicated classifications and confusing nomenclature. Instead. sup- pose we take a stroll along the bluffs of Quiney. If we visit the quarries in the lower part of the city and look up at the cliffs above us we see, eapping the bluff. a layer of clay about sixty feet thick. This rests upon a foundation of solid rock, consisting of lime- stock with layers of flint or chert in it. If we observe closely we see that the upper twelve or fifteen feet of rock is very cherty and the layers of limestone between the layers of chert are thin, while the lower portion con- tains less chert and makes excellent building stone.

Geologists have named the lower formation Burlington limestone, the upper thin bedded rock the Keokuk limestone, and the clay sur- mounting the rock, the loess. As we go toward the north we can trace these layers along the bluffs, and we find opposite the steamboat landing the Keokuk limestone is of such qual- ity that it can be profitably quarried. As we go farther north the Keokuk formation grows thicker, and north of the city is extensively quarried. The thin-bedded cherty layers are overlaid by thicker and more regular beds of bluish-gray limestones, which may be seen to good advantage along some of the small streams northeast of Quiney. The foundation limestone of Gov. Wood's mansion is of this rock, obtained from a quarry about three miles northeast of Quiney. In this quarry the limestone is seen to be overlaid by brown shale containing geodes or "nigger heads." Where the geode beds are well developed the geodes appear as siliceons nodules of various sizes, some of them a foot or more in diam- eter. Some of them are solid spheres of erys- talline quartz covered externally with a thin coating of chalcedony. Others are hollow and have their inner faces covered with beau- tiful erystals of quartz, calcite or dolomite, or with the mammillary form of chalcedony. Crystals of arragonite, iron pyrites and zinc blende are also occasionally found in these geodes, and the finest cabinet specimens of the crystallized minerals above mentioned to be found in the state are obtained from this bed. The shales and shaly limestones in which

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 51

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228