Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 124

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1130

USA > Illinois > Knox County > Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois > Part 124

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).

The defects of the charter caused the enterprise to drag, and in the meantime the people of Peoria organized a new company under an old charter which had been granted to Andrew Gray to build a road ten miles in a westerly direction from Peoria, and finally pass through Farmington and thence direct to Burlington, leaving Knoxville and Galesburg to the north. It was called the Peoria & Mississippi Railroad Company. The people of Knoxville favored this road to having no railroad in the county. How- ever, Feb. 10, 1851, the defects in the charter of the Peoria & Oquawka Company were remedied by the Legislature, which allowed the company to com- mence work with a less amount of stock paid in, and providing, also, for the road to run through Knox- ville and Monmouth, with Galesburg left to the north. This did not satisfy the citizens of Gales- burg, so, Feb. 15, 1851, the Central Military Tract Railroad Company was incorporated, with William McMurtry, C. S. Colton, James Bunce, W. S. Gale, Geo. C. Lanphere, H. H. May, W. A. Wood, Alfred Brown, Alvah Wheeler, Peter Grouse, Amos Ward, Patrick Dunn, Daniel Meek, Silas Willard, A. C. Wiley, and their asssociates and successors, a body politic and corporate, under the name and style of the Central Military Tract Railroad Company, with power to build a railroad from Galesburg in a north- easterly course to some point on the Rock Island & La Salle Railroad.

On the 19th of June, 1852, their charter was so amended as to give them the right " to build a road from Galesburg, in a northeasterly direction, on the . most direct and eligible route toward the city of Chicago, to a point to be designated by said com- pany on or near the line of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, or on or near the line of any other railroad, or railroads, communicating with or ex- tending to the city of Chicago." This charter was the result of the deliberations of a coterie of men who were wont to meet in the office of W. S. Gale, on the south side of the Square in Galesburg, and talk over railroad matters. Among these men were C. S. Colton, W. S. Gale, Silas Willard, Geo. C. Lanphere and James Bunce. They were aided in their scheme by Marcus Osborn, of Rock Island. Their first charter was written in this office, and George C. Lanphere, the only Democrat in the ring, was sent to the Legislature, which was Democratic, to have the bill "passed. Under this charter a survey was

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KNOX COUNTY.

made by Messrs. Whipple, Wentworth and Churchill. Sheffield was the point aimed at.

Plans and estimates were made and the line from Galesburg to Sheffield, on the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, was put under contract in the winter of 1851-52. The contracts were revoked, however, and there was nothing done, the company having changed its plans and decided to meet the Chicago & Aurora Railroad at Mendota.

On Feb. 12, 1849, " The Aurora Branch Railroad Company' was incorporated to build a road from Aurora to the "Galena & Chicago Railroad;" on June 22, 1852, this act was so amended as to allow them to extend their road from Aurora in a south- westerly direction, on the most practicable route, to a point at least 15 miles north of La Salle, and when such extension may intersect any railroad built or to be built northward, " then to form a connection with any such railroad."

On Feb. 1, 1851, power was granted to the North- ern Cross Railroad to build a lateral branch from some point on that road in Adams County, and run- ning thence or the most expedient and eligible route through the Military Tract, terminating at the most advantageous point at or near the southern termina- tion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, with a proviso that the said company should not locate or construct this branch upon any line east of the town of Knox- ville .. June 21, 1852, this act was further modified so as "to authorize the said Northern Cross Railroad Company to terminate the lateral branch of said road at any point where the said railroad may con- nect with any other railroad extending northward to the city of Chicago."

The change in the plans of the Central Military Tract Company was caused by the following circum- stances : While the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad interests were being slowly worked up by local sub- scriptions, C. S. Colton, being in the East, met acci- dentally, in Boston, J. W. Grimes, of Burlington, Iowa, who was a member of the State Senate, and Mr. Wadsworth, of Chicago, President of the Chi- cago & Aurora Railroad, a branch of the Galena & Chicago Railroad; and after a conference they de- cided that an independent route direct to Chicago was the most practicable line.

Mr. Colton returned home and had a conference with his railroad friends, and it was determined to have their charter changed. It was found impos-

sible to secure Eastern capital to aid in the construc- tion of railroads while the rates for transportation were subject to and controlled by State legislation. This was made a distinct issue at the time. It was held that if capitalists put their money into railroads they must have the control over the freight and pas- senger tariff. Accordingly, a special charter was prepared similar to that of the Illinois Central, which removed the objections above referred to, and gave the company entire control of their property, the same as any personal property, with full power to establish and regulate their rates of transportation. Mr. Col- ton was delegated to go to Springfield and secure the passage of this special charter through the Legis- lature, which was done. He also had the amend- ment of June 21, 1852, above referred to, at the same time the Aurora extension amendment was made. It was here he met for the first time James F. Joy, who became interested in Colton's plans, and who suggested to him the changing of the terminus of the lateral branch of the Northern Cross Road, and securing the interest of the Quincy people in this branch, and here undoubtedly was the birth of what was to be the future gigantic Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, and the pride of the State. Subse- quently, James W. Brooks, President of the Michigan Central Railroad Company, and James F. Joy, both of Detroit, Mich., interested themselves in the Central Military Tract Road, and proposed that if the people along the route from Galesburg to Mendota would subscribe $300,000, they would furnish enough more to complete the grading of the road and laying of the ties; and when that was done they would borrow money on the bonds of the company to complete the road and put it in operation. One of the first meet- ings held in Galesburg for the purpose of raising stock was at the old academy building. The first three subscribers were James Bunce, James Bull and Henry Ferris. Dr. Bunce is dead, Mr. Bull never paid his subscription, and Mr. Ferris is the oldest stockholder of the road now in Galesburg.

After several months of canvassing for subscrip- tions to the new company of the C., B. & Q. R. R., for the $300,000 required as a guarantee for the con- struction of the road, they were still short of the re- quired amount by $50,000. At this juncture Messrs. Joy and Brooks came to Galesburg and gave notice that they could not promise a further extension of time on behalf of their principals, who had agreed to

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KNOX COUNTY.

build the road when the $300,000 was subscribed on the line of the road. This was a critical time, for $50,000 must be immediately raised, or the whole enterprise be abandoned, and all the work lost. Every precinct had been canvassed, and every effort made to complete the amount, but to no purpose. At this vital moment C. S. Colton and Silas Willard, who had been the principal movers in the enterprise, consulted together and finally determined to risk everything on the success of the undertaking. They subscribed the necessary $50,000, thereby binding all the other subscribers, and also the Eastern capi- talists, to their contract for building the road. This subscription proved a heavy load for these gentlemen to carry, and they were compelled to borrow the en- tire amount at the rate of ten per cent, their own means being fully absorbed in their business. It was several years before their stock paid a cent of dividend.

In 1852 a survey was made from Galesburg to Mendota by Chief Engineer W. P. Whipple, assisted by B. B. Wentworth and Prof. Gen. Churchill. The road at first had been surveyed through Henderson, but afterward it was thrown four miles east to straighten the line and avoid the banks of Hender- son Creek. During this period Knoxville was fight- ing Galesburg, and tried to get the Northern Cross Road to come to that place.

Throughout the years 1851-52 the people between Peoria and Burlington were anxiously waiting for their road to go ahead. The terminal cities, by a corpora- tion vote, subscribed each $75,000 stock. Burling- ton got ahead of Oquawka, and then Henderson County, by a vote of 100 majority, refused to take any stock in the road.

On June 20, 1851, the stockholders of the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad met at Knoxville, after notice by the Commissioners, and elected their first Board of Directors, as follows : Charles Mason and J. W. Grimes, of Bloomington ; A. C. Harding and Samuel Webster, of Monmouth; James Knox and Julius Manning, of Knoxville; Asa D. Reed, of Farming- ton ; Rudolphus Rouse and Washington Cockle, of Peoria, to serve one year. James Knox was chosen President; Robert 1 .. Hannaman, Secretary, and Will- iam Phelps, Treasurer. The first contract for grad- ing on this road was let in October, 1851, at the Peoria end.

After a long negotiation between the managers of the

Central Military Tract and the Northern Cross Com- panies, carried on by C. S. Colton for the former and N. Bushnell for the latter, a junction of the two roads was made at Galesburg, which was subsequently rati- fied by the Legislature. In August, the Northern Cross Company agreed to meet the Central Military Tract at Galesburg. June 15, 1853, H. Rouse was chosen President of the P. & O. Co .; W. Cockle, Sec- retary, J. P. Hotchkiss, Treasurer, and Julius Man- ning, Attorney. The board accepted the amendment to the charter providing for the "Eastern Extension " from Peoria.

By September of that year, all parts of this road were under contract. Burlington organized for a northern extension to the Missouri River. Prior to this, or Oct. 14, 1852, the Central Military Tract Company increased their stock from $100,000 to $600,000, and elected the following Directors : James WV. Brooks, Henry Ledyard, James F. Joy and G. V. N. Lothrop, of Detroit; I. H. Burch, C. G. Ham- mond and John H. Kinzie, of Chicago; C. S. Col- ton, W. S. Gale, James Bunce and Silas Willard, of Galesburg ; William McMurtry, of Henderson, and John H. Bryant, of Princeton.

Mr. Brooks was elected President; J. M. Berrien, Chief Engineer; David Sanborn, of Galesburg, Sec- retary and Treasurer. The Engineer's and Treas- urer's offices were to be at Galesburg, and assess- ments were to be made on the stock at the rate of five per cent a month. The work progressed finely. The cars reached Princeton Sept. 11, 1854, and on December 7 the first locomotive steamed into Gales- burg.

When the eastern end of the P. & O. Road was completed to Elmwood, and the western end to Mon- mouth, work ceased. George C. Bestor, of Peoria, was President ; Henry Nollte, Secretary, and J. P. Hotchkiss, Treasurer. For some time the officers failed to report to the public the operations of this road, which created dissatisfaction, and when, in July, they called for the balance of the stock, the subscrib- ers were suspicious that something was wrong. William S. Maus, of Peoria, James Knox, of Knox- ville, and A. C. Harding, of Monmouth, entered into a contract to finish the road between the above-men- tioned points, but, being unable to carry out their contract, they sold out to the Central Military Tract Company, the latter agreeing to complete, equip and operate the road.

1006

KNOX COUNTY.

The road from Burlington to Peoria was not com- pleted until about the close of the year 1854, the first passenger train running through the following spring. Abut this time the Chicago & Aurora, the Northern Cross, the Central Military Tract and the Peoria & Oquawka Companies were all consolidated under the name of the "Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company," this name being adopted from the terminal points of the lines that formed the consolidation. James W. Brooks was elected President of the company. Upon the con- solidation of these lines, Galesburg was made a cen- tral division, which was placed under the supervision of Henry Hitchcock, who for years faithfully and with marked ability managed its affairs. This large corporation now has control of what was formerly known as the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad. This road was aided in its construction by Warren County, which issued its bonds to the amount of $284,000, at eight per cent interest, a large portion of which is still outstanding, as well as other coun- ties along the route. This road was completed in 1870, the first passenger train running into Mon- mouth August 22, same year, making the connection to St. Louis. Connection was made with Rock Island November 11. The remainder of its line the company was never able to complete. It was sold under foreclosure of mortgage, April 21, 1876, to the St. Louis, Rock Island & Chicago Railroad Con- pany, and subsequently came under the control of the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co., and is known as its St. Louis Branch. This road is said to have cost $11,- 000,000. It was sold for $1,600,000. The bond- holders were mostly in Germany, and they lost about six sevenths of their investment.

An important branch road belonging to this corpo- ration is the Buda & Rushville line. This road runs from Rushville to Buda, a distance of 109 miles. It enters this county in Salem Township, run- ning north to Yates City; then east on the Peoria branch to Elmwood and northeasterly to Buda, where it forms a junction with the main line.

In 1884 the large, handsome, new passenger de- pot was completed. It was opened to the public May 10, and the first train came to its platform on this day. It is an elegant and very conveniently arranged station-house, two stories high, and of com-

posite style of architecture, and an ornament to the city.

Galesburg is the headquarters of the Galesburg Division. Here are located the company's car-shops, round-house, locomotive department, bridge depart- ment and stock-yards.

The C., B. & Q. R. R. Co. has 104 miles of track in this county. In the Galesburg Division there are 504 miles. The equalization of its property in the county for 1885 was $877,017 ; in the city, $224,352. The returns from the ticket office were about $212,- o00. The local receipts on freight were nearly $126,000. The average number of employes in the different shops is 500, who, with the trainmen, etc., increase the number to about 1,400.

In this sketch of this road we have only aimed at giving the history of its inception, the events which culminated in the consolidation of the different rail- road enterprises which resulted in the organization of the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co., and its operations in Knox County, whose rails now carry the product of millions of acres of land, and move the population of a continent. This company has the reputation of having one of the best tracks in the United States. Its coaches are elegant, and are of the best made. A double steel rail track is laid now on nearly all its lines, and its trains are always run to the closest time. The management of the road is in keeping with its equipment. From the President down, all are courteous, obliging and faithful in the discharge of their respective duties.

The Fulton County Narrow-Gauge R. R.

HIS road runs from Galesburg to Havana, Ill., a distance of 6 1 miles, passing through London Mills, Ellisville, Fairview,Cuba and Lewistown. It is a narrow-gauge road and was completed in 1882. It passes through a rich bituminous coal country, which contributes a large portion of its freight traffic, and which has been of great value to the city of Galesburg, This road has been a success, and its business is constantly increasing. Its track is smooth and its road-bed good. Two passenger trains run each way daily.

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KNOX COUNTY.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Old Settlers' Association.

T is now nearly 60 years since the first settlement of Knox County, and two of its earliest settlers, Maj. McKee and Daniel Robertson, are still living here. The interest surrounding the early settlements and the ties formed there by the pioneers are very strong. The trials, hardships, struggles and pleasures of pio- neer life bind with indissoluble ties the hearts of those who have in such relations been brought to- gether; and it was to keep up the memories of the early life and renew the associations of bygone years that the Old Settlers' Association was organ- ized. It is to be regretted, however, that such as- sociations are not organized sooner, and that more complete records are not kept of the important events of the early days, of arrivals, births, mar- riages, deaths, removals and other incidents. Had this been done more generally, it would have been of great assistance to the biographer, and added much to the literature of the county, and been invaluable to every community. After many deliberations among the old settlers regarding the formation of some so- ciety which would have the effect of perpetuating the incidents of early pioneer days, and also the as- sociations formed then, a call was made for a meet- ing to be held at Knoxville, April 3, 1867. About 400 old settlers responded to the call, the result of which was the organization of the " Old Settlers" Association." Maj. Thomas McKee called the meet- ing to order. Several speeches were made, giving

interesting reminiscences of pioneer life. Daniel Robertson was elected President ; Maj. McKee, Vice- President, and Dennis Clark and Robert L. Hanna- man, Secretaries. Mr. Robertson not being present, Maj. McKee acted in his place.

The next meeting was held at Galesburg, Sept. 9, 1859, which was addressed by Wm. MeMurtry. There was a large attendance, and an enjoyable time was had. Mr. McMurtry, in his speech, among the many interesting things said, that during the period of six years while he was Justice of the Peace at Hender- son Grove, there was only one case on his docket, and that was amicably adjusted without trial. The next meeting of the society was at Gilson, Sept. 9, 1871. There was a good turnout here and an inter- mingling of old friends.

In 1872 the association met at the Fair Grounds in Knoxville, and again in 1877 and 1878. Since that time meetings have been held pretty regularly. Minutes of the meetings of this association have not been regularly kept, hence the history must neces- sarily be incomplete.

In 1885, Aug. 20, the Old Settlers' Associatio- held their annual meeting at Gilbert's Park, in Knox- ville. There was a large crowd, eloquent addresses and a good dinner. After this it would be super- Auous to say that there was a good time. Hon. Rufus W. Miles, the old friend of Lincoln, was the orator of the day, and that good old citizen, Ander- son Barnett (poet-laureate of Knoxville), was the poet. Speeches were made by Maj. Thomas Me- Kee, Col. Carr and others.

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KNOX COUNTY.

After the election of officers, the Association ad- journed to meet the third Thursday in August, 1886, at Gilbert's Park. Officers elected : John G. West, President, and O. I .. Campbell, Secretary. Messrs. Campbell, Miles and Eads were appointed to collect statistics, and form the Association into a regular organization.

The following poem, by Anderson Barnett, will be a fitting close to the history of the Old Settlers' As- sociation :

OLD FRIENDS.

" Old friends," what magical words! They are music embellished with love,

Emotions come forth from the sounds they produce As light from the ether above.

The days of my childhood and youth, My friends of those years long since past,

As long as my senses my thoughts can control, Those soul-pleasing memories shall last.

As I sit by my fireside and think Of my father and mother now dead.

My mind will revert to the seenes of my youth And the many kind words that they said.

Their faces remembered so well, Their features I cannot mistake. So often in dreams I go back to my youth And ponder those scenes when awake.

Where are they ? those friends that I knew So well in the morning of life?

My brothers and sisters who shared all my joys And sorrows abounding so rife ?

Companions endeared to me then By many compassionate ties,

I now look back through the vista of years To those pleasures and sorrows and sighs.

Many years have passed with their fruitage, And flowers so brilliant and gay.

But those dear companions of childhood and youth, Dear to me as life, where are they ?

Agricultural Board.

T a very early day in the history of Knox County, the people felt the need of an or- ganization of some kind, for the perfection and development of their agricultural interests. To this end much time and thought were de- voted by some of the ablest men, who sought to determine the best method to accomplish the highest good of the community at large.

This work was begun by the establishment of local clubs. These were continued until the year 1851, and the Agricultural Board was organized, with Robert L. Hannaman as President and P. H. Sanford

as Secretary. The first meeting of the society, held in that year, was highly successful, fully attended and interesting in the extreme to its adherents. It met at Knoxville, but subsequently grounds were purchased and the location settled upon at Gales- burg.

Since that time many improvements have been made and a half-mile track built, the work entire amounting to $10,000. All these efforts in behalf of Knox County's good have proven worthy their originators, as farming interests have been advanced in no small degree. Annually this society holds a meeting and its exhibits are rarely, if ever, equaled in this State. Its displays of live stock, products of the soil, works of art and fancy work, in every department, are unexcelled. This county feels an honest pride and pleasure in its growth and progress, but more largely in its agricultural devel- opment. Its present officers are M. L. Overstreet, President ; D. M. Eiker, Vice-President ; O. L. Campbell, Secretary ; I. B. Gault, Treasurer; Will- iam Arms, General Superintendent, and D. B. Hug- gins, Chief Marshal.

County Officials.

NOX COUNTY has been especially favored from its first organization, in 1830, down to the present time, in having honest and ca- pable officials. Very few counties in the State, if any, can present a list of officials that will compare more favorably for character, ability and integrity.

The following is a list of the various officials serv- ing the county :

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

Riggs Pennington, Philip Hash, Charles Hans- ford, Alex. Frakes, Thos. Maxwell, Humphrey Finch, John G. Roundtree, James Ferguson, Alfred Brown, Joseph Rowe, Jonathan Rice, John H. Wentworth, Asa Haynes, Eldert Runkle, John Jackson, Samuel B. Anderson, Daniel Meek, Martin B. Mason and Manyweather Brown.

COUNTY CLERKS.

John G. Sanburn .. .1830-37 Henry J. Runkle . 1837-47 James S. Egan .. . . ... . . . . 1865-69 John S. Winter ........ .. 186g-82 Zelotes Cooley .. .1847-57 Albert J. Perry .. .... 1882-86

John S. Winter .. . 1857-65

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CIRCUIT CLERKS.

John G. Sanburn. . . 18 30-45

Achilles Shannon 1845-46

James W. Temple .1867-73

T. J. Hale. .. 1847-52

Geo. L. Hannaman ..... . 1873-84

Josiah Gale. .1884-86 Cephas Arnis 1856-60

PROBATE JUDGES.

John G. Sanburn ... .1835-

W.n. King .... 1839-43

Henry J. Runkle .... .. 1836-

Robert L. Hannaman . . . . 1843-49

COUNTY JUDGES.

Geo. C. Lanphere. ....... 1850-54

A. M. Craig ... .... . . .. . 1862-66

H. G. Reynolds. 1854-58

Dennis Clark ............ J866-86

COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.

Wm. H. Whitton . 1849-53

Frederick Christianer ... . 1869-73

J. H. Noteware .. . . 1853-55

Mary Allen West . ...... .. 1873-82

P. H. Sanford .. 1855-61

W'm. L. Steele .. . . 1882-85

J. H. Knapp. .1861-69

G. W. Oldfather .. . 1885-86

CORONERS.

Joseph Henderson. .. 1851-52

Levi Massie. . 1865-70

J. W. Brewer. 1853-54

Jessie W. Kimball .1871-72

Joseph Henderson .. . 1855-56

Albert S. Slater .. . . 1873-76

W'm. Hamilton 1857-58

D). W. Aldrich . . 1876-82

Alvin H. Potter. .1859-60

Albert S. Stater 1882-84

Reuben Bailey .. 1861-62

.1863-64

COUNTY TREASURERS.

John B. Gum. .1830-33

Wm. McGowan . 1855-59

Chas. Hansford.

. 1833-35

George Davis. 1859-61

George Newman.

. 1835~37

T. A. E. Holcomb. 1861-63

John Eads

.1837-43

John A. West .. 1863-65

Henry Arms .. .1843-46

Thos. Harrison. 1865-67

Zelotes Cooley .1846-47

Homer Gaines 1867-69

David Edgerton

1847-49

Edwin T. Ellett ... 1860-71

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Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois, Part 124

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company Number of Pages: 1130

Author: Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo and Chicago; Chapman Brothers, pub
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1130