USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Quincy and Adams County history and representative men, Vol. I > Part 64
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QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY
NORTHEAST TOWNSHIP'
The name of this flourishing township is well named from its geographical location in Adams County. In 1829 Alexander Oliver settled on seetion 2, in the northeastern part of the township, bring- ing with him a wife and ten children, equally divided as to sex. So that the immediate accession to the population of the township was considerable. Two of the sons afterward entered the Methodist ministry. Notwithstanding the seare occasioned by the Black Hawk war, the unusual privations caused by the " winter of the deep show," and other drawbacks, discouragements and privations, the Oliver family planted themselves permanently and proved worthy pioneers of the western country. The Marlows were of the second installment of early settlers, and Hanson Marlow, born in 1831. was the first native white of the township. In 1833 the first marriage ceremony was performed by 'Squire Christopher C. Yates, the pioneer justice of the peace. In the same year the settlers built their first school- house on section 4, in the extreme northern part of what is now Northeast Township, and Rev. W. H. Ralstin preached the first sermon at the log cabin of John Hiber, a preacher of the Methodist Church. Not long afterward the Presbyterians built a house of worship on seetion 36, in the southeast corner of the present town- ship. Rev. William Crain was the minister and was actively en- gaged in his good work for many years thereafter.
The Township of Northeast was organized in 1850, by the election of the following : Benjamin Gould, supervisor; William Burke. clerk ; William Ketchum, assessor; J. J. Graham, collector: B. N. Galliher, overseer of the poor: Mitchell Alexander and JJames J. Graham, justices of the peace; Robert B. Combs and William F. Crain. eonstables; E. B. Hough. Elliott Combs and Clements Rob- bins, commissioners of highways.
FOUNDING OF KEOKUK JUNCTION
The Village of Golden, on the southwestern township line in see- tion 31, was first known as Keokuk Junction. In 1862 the Wabash Railway located its branch line from Clayton to Keokuk, Iowa, and J. H. Wendell ocenpied a shack on the east side of the tracks near their junetion with the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad. Some rods south of the Junction and between the tracks of the two railroads he put up a small building and opened a saloon therein. It was also his residence for nearly ten years, and during that period he erected a number of other structures of a more permanent nature. But the first really solid eitizen to arrive was L. U. Albers, who opened a small store. During the same year he was joined by G. II. Buss, who started a larger store on the east side of the "Q" rail- way a few rods south of the present crossing of Smith Street. Th' two also established a grain house, which gave the place quite an air
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of business. There was no side-track yet; so the empty ears were left on the main track, eoming up by the construction train and being taken back loaded in the evening.
The Albers-Buss partnership did not long endure. After a few months Mr. Albers sold his interest to Mr. Buss, who moved the stock to his new store on Smith Street. Although the C., B. & Q. at first refused to recognize the Junction as a station and goods bound for that point had to be shipped to La Prairie, that matter changed for the better when the postoffice of Keokuk Junction was established in
L. U. ALBERS, FIRST BUSINESS MAN
the fall of 1863 and Mr. Albers appointed postmaster. In April of the following year he also succeeded John P. Harlow as station agent. Mr. Albers then transferred the postoffice to the depot, where it remained until 1868, when he relinquished the duties of both positions.
The next building was a two-story hotel ereeted by J. H. Dendell on the southwest corner of West Front and Park streets, where the King Block now stands.
On lot 2, bloek 8, south of West Front Street, Jurgen Ehmen erected a dwelling in 1863. He had been in charge of a water pumping plant on Bear Creek south of town, but after the new well
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was finished in Golden he became manager of it and the old plant was abandoned,
In 1864 Thomas Cain built a residence on West Front Street, but soon afterward sold it to a Mr. Spencer, who started the first shoe shop in Keokuk Junction.
THE JUNCTION PLATTED
The town was laid out in 1866 on the west half of the southeast quarter of section 31. The site was platted into seventeen blocks, duly divided by streets and alleys, and ten acres were given to the Wabash Railroad for depot grounds, The first sale of lots, which was held September 9, 1866, brought about $3,500. The original town site was part of the estate of Robert E. Scott, deceased, of Virginia, of which Nehemiah Bushnell, of Quiney, was administrator; but the Civil war had brought such complications to the estate that the titles to the lots could only run from those in possession-"squatters, " pure and simple.
The Legislature of 1867 granted the aet of incorporation to Keokuk Junction, and on the first of April, of that year, the following officials were elected : John Lyle, justice of the peace: John H. Wendell, constable : L. U. Albers, George W. Myers, Andreas M. Fruhling and William Hanna, board of trustees. In March, 1873, the townsmen voted to incorporate under the general law of the state which had been but recently passed under the name of "Village Organization Laws." Not long afterward the name of the Village of Keokuk Junction was changed to Golden,
THE GOLDEN OF TODAY
The Village of Golden, as it is today, is the center of a thriving trade and a large number of progressive people. The riches of the surrounding country are inideated by the nature of the industries and business which have built up the village. The milling of wheat, corn and other grains has always been a leading industry, and the Emminga family is more closely and prominently identified with it than any other. Henry R. Emminga brought his family from Ger- many to Clayton Township in 1850. Four years later he erected the Custom Mill, just east of Keokuk Junetion. Its two run of stone were propelled by wind power, and it became very popular with the early settlers of the country for miles around. In 1863 Mr. Emminga returned to Germany, where he remained for nine years. In the meantime his son, Harm Il. Emminga, had thoroughly mas- tered the business and industry, and in 1873, with the father, he erected the Prairie Mills, likewise propelled by wind. immediately south of what soon afterward became Golden. The present steam establishment manufactures corn meal, buckwheat and graham flour. There is a grist mill operated by F. B. Franzen about a mile from town.
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The Golden Elevator and Mill Company also operates an elevator Gi about 100.000 bushels capacity, and deals extensively in live stock. especially hogs.
In 1891 H. H. Emminga established the People's Exchange Bank at Golden. A new building for its accommodation was completed in 1905. John J. Emminga. the son of the founder. is now president of the bank. The latter is also proprietor of a creamery at Golden.
Among the other institutions in which Golden takes pride are the mannfactory of the Lightning Seed Sower. H. H. Franzen. pro-
EMIMINGA'S OLD MILL
prietor, and the plant, or the service station. of the Illinois (Standard) Oil Company.
SCHOOL AND NEWSPAPER
As early as possible the children of those who had settled in the southern part of the township were provided with educational priv- ileges. The Civil war had retarded all such endeavors, but in 1865, when its end was in sight, the citizens of Keokuk Junction and neigh- borhood raised sufficient funds to erect a little schoolhouse on the southwest corner of the old Ostermann Farm, about a mile north of town. They engaged H. E. Selby to teach it at $35 per month (soon raised to $50). The school was conducted in that building for a number of years. But the Town of Keokuk Junction reached such proportions that in 1869 the village was formed into a separate school
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distriet and a $3.000 house erected to meet the requirements. Within a few years an addition to it was required and again. within a com- paratively recent period. a modern two-story brik structure has replaced the other outgrown schoolhouses. An addition was made to it in 1917. H. Mitchell is now in charge of the village . hol. grad- uates from which are eredited to the state colleges and universities without re-examination.
The home newspaper. Golden New Era, is one of the live instit 1- tions of the village. It was founded October 15. 1831, by H. H. Emminga, with Frank P. Hillyer as printer and edit r. At tir: it was a five-column sheet. but was soon enlarged to a six-eoluun quart . its present size. In 1:92 Messrs. C. W. Stinson and E. T. Selly took charge of it and conducted it until June 19. 1913. when Mr. Selby became its sole proprietor. In 1894 Mr. Stinson again assumed control. and in the following year sold to Frank Groves, who, in turn, disposed of the paper to John P. Berkman. Mr. Beckman con- dueted it from 1904 until 1911. when W. J. Wible & Son purchased it and are its present owners.
THE CHURCHES OF GOLDEN
The church-going community of Golden-anl it is very large- is divided between two Lutheran societies and the Methodist and United Presbyterian churches.
Immanuel's congregation Lutheran . in charge of Rev. Henry Lindemann, dates its foundation from 1867. Previous to that year the parish was included in that of South Prairie. A number of its members living west of Keokuk Junction reguested their pastor. Rev. .J. T. Boetticher, to conduct serviees in the new village in order that they might not be compelled to take long drives to South Prairie. He consented and services were held in the C .. B. & Q. depot. Later an organization was effected with fifty-three charter members. of whom Peter Ostermann is the only one living. In May. 1569. a house of worship was dedicated under Rev. J. Tjaden, on the site of the handsome editiee now occupied by the congregation. He remained but a few months, after which there was a vacancy of a number of years. Rev. P. Kleinlein served from 1576 to 1550. The Congrega- tion was incorporated in 1573 and in 1877 Trinity congregation was separated from the parent society. Rev. C. Zlomke succeeded to the pastorate in 1880: Rev. F. W. A. Liefeld in 1-$3; Rev. F. Alpers. in 1>>9: Rev. A. P. Meyer. 1905: Rev. II. Lindemann, 1910. The first period of Mr. Lindemann's pastorate was marked by the completion of the beautiful church in which Immanuel's congregation now worships. The parish school was founded during the pastorate of Rev. C. Zlomke, and is a very important adjunet to the activities of Immanuel's congregation.
Religions services in the English language were heldl in the Wabash Depot, alternately by Methodists and Presbyterians. until the autumn r.19
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of 1869, when the distriet schoolhouse was completed and used as a Union meeting house. A Union Sunday school, which had also been organized, occupied the new building. Religious arrangements were thus continued until the Methodists erected their house of worship on Albers Street in 1872.
Rev. Robert Chapman was pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, then located at the southwest corner of Albers and Congress streets. It was first known as Simpson's Chapel and was part of the old La Prairie eircuit. William Beekett, James Whitford and Wil- liam Striekler were the trustees of the chapel who formed the building committee for the ereetion of the first house of worship. When the name of the town was changed from Keokuk Junetion to Golden in the middle '70s, the church adopted its present title-the First
FRONT STREET, GOLDEN
Methodist Episcopal Church of Golden. It is now under the pas- torate of Rev. G. A. Cox. Among those who have served the church between the first and the last ministers mentioned were Revs. G. Garner, O. P. Nash, C. Y. Hecox, A. M. Dunnaven, Samuel Middle- ton, Lewis Walden, T. J. Bryant, Curtis Powell, J. W. Madison, J. M. Johnson, R. L. Smith, W. D. Atkinson, W. T. Evans, P. Slagel, Charles Wehrman, E. Hale Fuller, and A. F. Waters. It was during the pastorate of Rev. P. Slagel, in 1895, that the old church building was remodeled and made adaptable to inereased requirements.
As stated, Trinity Lutheran congregation separated from Im- manuel's in 1875, on the 18th of May. In December, 1877, its first honse of worship was erected, and the continuons inerease in mem- bership made it necessary to enlarge and rebuild it in 1904. Rev. Hugo Dorrow has been the pastor of Trinity congregation for nearly a quarter of a century. Attached to it is also a large parochial sehool.
QUINCY AND ADAMS COUNTY
The I'nited Presbyterian Church of Golden was organized about twenty-six years ago, and is really an offshoot of the Clayton society. which had then been in existence for nearly half a century. The official records show that, under instructions from the Monmouth Presbytery, the session of the Clayton United Presbyterian Church met at the Methodist Church in Golden for the purpose of organiz- ing a local United Presbyterian Church under the jurisdiction of the presbytery named. There were eighteen charter members of the new organization, of whom twelve were Wallaces. The first elders were James A. Wallace, Sr., William Wallace and James A. Wallace, Jr .; the trustees, William Wallace, John T. MeClintock and J. M. Wal- iace. The two congregations of Clayton and Golden formed one charge and were served by Rev. J. J. Thompson ( 1892-94). Rev. MI. Wallace Lorimer (1897-99). Rev. Thomas A. Mckernon. Trom 1900 until the disbandment of the Clayton congregation in November, 1902. Mr. MeKernon continued to serve the Golden congregation until July, 1908. In the same year Rev. J. M. MeConnell was called to the Golden Church. Rev. Charles II. Mitchell served from 1910 to 1914; Rev. Harry F. Whitmyer, 1915-17, and Rev. David A. MeChung has held the pastorate since the latter year. The only house of worship erected by the United Presbyterians was completed in 1893.
CHAPTER XVIII
MENDON AND LORAINE
PIONEERS OF MENDON TOWNSHIP-MENDON VILLAGE PLATTED EARLY POLITICAL CENTER-CHURCHES AND LODGES-MENDON INCOR- PORATED AS A VILLAGE-THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER-THE BANKS- KEENE TOWNSHIP SETTLED-THE STEINER FAMILY-LORAINE VILLAGE.
The northwestern and central portions of Adams County between Rock and Bear creeks have always embraced some of the best agricul- tural, live stock and dairy sections of that portion of the state. Set- tlers came in early, have been unusually permanent and the lands have therefore been continuously improved and increased in value. The region named was originally called the Bear Creek country, and when township organization was adopted in 1850 it was erected, as an entirety, into Ursa Township, thus retaining the "Bear" part of the name. In 1851 the four tiers of sections south of Bear Creek to the base line, ten miles in length, were set apart from Ursa Township to form Mendon. That is the territory to which this portion of the chapter is confined.
PIONEERS OF MENDON TOWNSHIP
Ebenezer Riddle appears to have been the first to settle in that portion of the county. He was a Kentuckian and in 1829 located on the southeast quarter of section 9, where he built his eabin and left descendants to inherit the land which he then purchased. In the same year Col. Martin Shuey settled on Mendon Prairie, just over the line in Honey Creek Township. John C. Hardy located on seetion 29, Mendon Township, in 1830, and within the next few years Samuel Bradley, John B. Chittenden, the Bentons, the Baldwins and other thrifty Connecticut Yankees came to the Prairie and formed there a prosperous settlement.
MENDON VILLAGE PLATTED
In 1833 the settlement was first laid out .as the Town of Fairfield by John B. Chittenden, Benjamin Baldwin and Daniel Benton, but as the proprietors were soon notified by the postoffice department that there was another Fairfield in the state they changed it to Mendon.
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In the year of its platting E. A. Strong opened a blacksmith shop, and while working at his forge he studied theology and eventually became prominent in the Episcopalian ministry. A postoffice was established in 1834 and Abram Benton was placed in charge of it. Daniel Benton was the first merchant, but the postmaster soon sule- eeeded him in business and continued to conduct a growing general store for half a century. S. R. Chittenden was also a pioneer mer- chant. his sons followed him and his descendants to still later genera- tions are in business at Mendon. The grain elevator of the present
PIONEER BLACKSMITH SHOP OF MENDON
is owned and operated by a member of the Chittenden family (C. A. Chittenden).
EARLY POLITICAL CENTER
The fertility of Mendon prairie, with the consequent development of the region, gave the village quite a standing as a political rallying point in the early days when so much of the electioneering was done in the rural districts. For example, in the William Henry Harrison campaign of 1840 a grand whig barbecue was held at Mendon Village, and hundreds came in for miles around to attend it and consume the roasted carcasses of oxen, sheep and hogs, representative of the riches of the Bear Creek country. Upon that particular occasion Daniel Nntt was manager of the roasts and the eloquent O. H. Browning, the principal speaker.
It is said that the first school in the village was taught in JJ. B. Chittenden's house, during 1832, by the Miss Burgess who became Mrs. Willard Keyes, of Quincy. She lived only a short time after her marriage. What was considered to be quite a handsome brick sehool- house was erected in 1-76.
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CHURCHES AND LODGES
In 1833 the church people of the town erected the Union Meet- ing House, in which those of any religious faith could meet if they could secure the services of a minister. The Congregationalists also organized a church in February of that year, and theirs was said to be the first society of that demonination in Illinois. They erected a frame meeting house in 1838, a larger structure in 1853, and the edifiee in which they now worship in 1905. The old Congregational church was purchased by the Mendon Improvement Company and transformed into a public hall. Rev. Milton J. Norton is the present pastor in charge.
The Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mendon was organized in April, 1853, at the town hall, and the meeting house was dedicated
THE MENDON IHIGH SCHOOL
August 5, 1854. It is still standing and is one of the old landmarks of the place. Rev. Joseph C. Miller is serving as pastor.
Zion Episcopal Church has also been organized for many years, Dr. D. E. Johnstone being its pastor ; the Methodist society is in charge of Reverend MeNally, of New Canton, Illinois, and St. Edward's Catholic Church is served by Rev. Father Paul Reinfels.
Considering its size, Mendon has a number of rather strong lodges. Mendon Lodge No. 449, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in 1865; Mendon Chapter No. 157, Royal Areh Masons, in 1873, with a present membership of about fifty, and Mendon Star Chapter, No. 153, Order Eastern Star, instituted in 1889, has a mem- bership of 95. There are also Mendon Lodge, No. 877, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Mendon Rebekah Lodge: Golden Grain Camp No. 422, Royal Neighbors, and the Tri-Mutual. and the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, Camp 751.
When the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at Men- don in 1839 the cireuit included all of Adams County, as well as
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considerable adjoining territory. The Quiney district, over which Peter Cartwright was presiding elder, was formed in 1832, and in- eluded nearly all the western half of Illinois. Enos Thompson was the first pastor of the Mendon cirenit. A meeting house was creeted in Mendon during 1840, which was replaced by the house of worship built in 1854. Rev. Mr. MeNally, of New Canton, Ilinois, is in charge of the present Mendon circuit.
MENDON INCORPORATED AS A VILLAGE
Mendon had made such a showing as a town by the late '60s that the villagers applied for incorporation. This was effected by special act of the Legislature in 1867, its corporate boundaries embracing an
1
MENDON CITY PARK
area of one mile square. In the early '90s it was incorporated as a village under the general laws of the state. Since that time it has increased in population and general attractiveness. Nothing has con- tributed more to that development than the coming of the Quincy & Warsaw Railroad to its doors in 1870. Col. John B. Chittenden, the original proprietor and platter of the town, set aside a beautiful plat of ground for a public park. It was gradually improved, the most noteworthy single addition to its attraction being made in 1876, when it was bordered by a row of fine sugar maple trees, appropriately called Centennial Row. They have since developed into a feature of real beauty.
The present Village of Mendon is a pretty, prosperous com- munity, well adapted for residence and comfortable living. Its streets are kept in good condition and well lighted by electricity. Light and power are furnished by a private company, of which James Thompson is president. Fire protection is afforded by a volunteer
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force of twenty men. The village authorities have provided special cisterns for that purpose, with a gas engine as the chief feature of the apparatus.
THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER
In 1877, seven years after the coming of the railroad, Mendon's first newspaper made its appearance. It was the Mendon Enter- prise ; publishers, C. A. Bristol & Co. After several changes of own- ership it was purchased by Jacob R. Urech in 1878, and the name changed to the Mendon Dispatch. The late D. H. Darby was editor for several years. In 1883 W. H. MeIntyre purchased an interest in the paper and became its editor ; later, he became its sole owner. In 1899 he disposed of the paper to J. R. and C. H. Urech, who continued its publication, under the name of J. R. Urech & Son, until Angust, 1911. At that date it was purchased by its present editor and pro- prietor, Joseph B. Frisbie.
THE BANKS
Mendon has two substantial banks. The oldest, the Mendon State Bank, was established as a private institution in April, 1889, by J. S. Wallace & Brother. They condneted a general banking business until February, 1895, when they disposed of their interest and the concern was reorganized under the name of the Mendon Bank, which still later became a state institution, as at present. C. A. Chittenden is its president.
KEENE TOWNSHIP SETTLED
Keene Township, in the extreme northern portion of the county, is in the old Bear Creek country and abundantly watered by the upper tributaries of that stream. South Fork, Thurman Creek, Middle Fork and Big Neck Creek are the chief water-courses which have made the region so finely adapted both to stock raising and soil cultivation. These streams also were bordered with dense growths of timber in the early times, and they still bear evidences of their former prodigality in that regard. Fertile prairies lay outside the timber belts, or are interspersed by them. The pioneers therefore were attracted to the Bear Creek country at a very early period in the history of the county.
About 1834 Joel Benton, Thomas Hudson, Ralph Harden and John Caldwell took timber claims, with enough prairie land for agricultural purposes, and were the advance guard of a prosperous colony of set- tlers who opened up farms and founded homesteads during the fol- lowing thirty years or more. The first schoolhouse in the township was built of logs in 1843 on section 16 (the school section), about a mile north of the present Village of Loraine. The Methodists were
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the first to organize a church society, in 1860. They called it the Union Society and erected a frame house of worship on seetion 24, in the eastern part of the township. It was organized with fifteen mem- bers, with Granville Bond as pastor and Samnel Curless as class leader.
In 1852 Seals' Corn Cracker, the first mill in the township, was erected on seetion 21, a short distance south of what is now the site of Loraine.
THE STEINER FAMILY
Of the pioneer families who settled in Keene Township, the mem- bers of which have been closely identified with the continuous devel-
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THE LATE GEORGE STEINER
opment of the county, none is more widely known and respected than the Steiners. Michael Steiner eame to Quincy in 1836, and after working in a mill there for about five years, moved to a homestead location about three miles northeast of the present Village of Loraine, where he resided with his wife and growing family until his death in 1892. It was there, on the Steiner place, that George was born in 1848. In manhood he bought land in seetion 5 and in other localities in the Bear Creek country, engaged in live stock raising as well as farming and Iand investments, his operations extending over into Hancock County. Later he moved to the Village of Loraine and estab- lished the State Bank, of which he was president at the time of his death, December 2, 1917. Hle spent the last few years of his life at his pleasant home in Loraine. The deceased left a widow, six sons and two daughters. Among the former are John II. Steiner, county
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