USA > Illinois > Menard County > Some interesting Menard County homes > Part 2
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In 1841 James M. Rutledge married Miss Margaret C. Harris. They were the parents of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. Four of their children, David, Samuel, Matilda and Robert, died in childhood and are buried in the Abraham Goodpasture cemetery just south of this home. Mr. Rutledge stated before his death that this cemetery was erroneously called Old Concord cemetery. This is the same little cemetery in which Ann Rutledge, a first cousin of James M. Rutledge, was originally buried. William and Susannah Rut- ledge were the last persons buried in this cemetery.
Their other children were John Rutledge, who was drowned in Nebraska in 1862, Ann Eliza Rutledge (Mrs. Edward Traylor), Mary (Mrs. John Moore), James B., Thomas Harris, Lura (Mrs. Milton Comingore), Harriett (Mrs. Andrew Park), Catherine Susannah (Mrs. J. H. Clary), Harvey E., and Emma (Mrs. Henry S. Houghton).
John James Rutledge, who was an uncleto James McGrady Rutledge, owned a tavern at New Salem where Lincoln boarded. Being a frequent visitor of his uncle and family, he often shared the shack bed with Lincoln. He also was a chain carrier for Abe Lincoln when he surveyed in the settlement where they lived.
When Mr. and Mrs. Rutledge decided to retire in 1889, they moved to Pe- tersburg where they built a home and spent the remainder of their lives. This home is now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Miller and Mrs. William Ramsay.
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Grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Rutledge living in Petersburg are: James Park, Miss Stella Park, Mrs. Edith Worthington and Kirby Rut- ledge.
The house and farm were then purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Grosboll, both of whom came from Denmark. After living on a farm near Atterberry, the Grosboll family moved to this house. Mr. and Mrs. Grosboll were the par- ents of five children: Cyrus who married Hazel Henderson, Ella, Matha (Mrs. Edward Harms), Anna (Mrs. Harry Schirding), and Harry.
Solidly and splendidly preserved, this house which overlooks the burial ground where Lincoln often visited the grave of Ann Rutledge, remains in the Grosboll family today. It is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Grosboll, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Grosboll.
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Jonathan Colby Home
his house, located on what is known as the Five Point Road, about 3 1/2 miles southwest of Petersburg, was built by Jonathan Colby in 1845. The two-story addition to the east and the cupola were added in 1864. This house was built about fifty feet south and about fifty feet east of where the old log cabin stood in which the family lived before this home was built.
Jonathan Colby was born near Concord, New Hampshire in 1808, arriving in Menard county in 1834. Land at that time could be purchased for $1.25 an acre. Mr. Colby eventually became the owner of 1400 acres of land.
Jonathan Colby was married to Lydia Ingalls, a native of Connecticut, and they were the parents of the following children: William Colby, who married Elizabeth Dobbs, the daughter of Gilbert Dobbs, a Presbyterian minister; Mary Colby, who married Adam Dixon; Sarah, who married John T. Beekman; Henry, who married Mary Ellen Bone, daughter of Robert Bone; Maria, who married H. K. P. Rucker; and Grovenor Colby.
It was through the generosity of the above named Mary Colby Dixon, who in her will left money to be usedfor a bridge to span the Sangamon River just north of the New Salem State Park, that the present bridge was built in 1940.
Jonathan Colby died in 1885 and Lydia Colby in 1858.
Mr. and Mrs. William Colby were the parents of Alfred, Lydia, Alice and William Colby, Jr .; Mr. and Mrs. John Beekman were the parents of four chil- dren, Flora Belle and Francis Ingalls, who died in infancy, Lucy Maria (who married Thomas M. Robertson), and Jonathan Colby Beekman (who married Kate Golden); Mr. and Mrs. Henry Colby were the parents of Arthur Colby (who married Laura Bates), and Nellie Colby (who married Rev. John T. Cherry). Col. and Mrs. Rucker were the parents of two children, a daughter who died in infancy and William Colby Rucker.
Today this interesting old house, which for over a century has witnessed happiness and sadness, stands vacant and forlorn. At the present time it is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Paul McCubbin.
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Conant House
W illiam Sullivan Conant was the son of Sullivan and Lydia Hemingway Conant, and was born in Massachusetts. The family moved to Spring- field, Illinois, where his father worked as a cabinet maker. W. S. Conant came to Petersburg in 1849.
This house, built of red brick with white trim, was built by William S. Conant, a funeral director and furniture dealer. He was also a cabinet maker, his first shop being located on the south lot of the present high school grounds.
Later Mr. Conant and his son, James Conant, operated their business on the second floor of the building now occupied by the H. P. Satorius Furniture Store. Caskets were built in the back of the establishment by the Conants.
Wm. S. Conant purchased a tract of land east of Petersburg in 1858 which he laid out into blocks and lots, which is now Rose Hill cemetery. The ceme- tery was incorporated in 1859, Mr. Conant being one of the directors.
Mr. Conant died in 1887, the business being taken over by his son.
The house was then sold to Henry C. Levering, who was born in 1849, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cave Levering. His wife was the former Julia Chatterton of Springfield. He was in the grocery and department store business with Her- man Harms, under the firm name of Harms, Levering & Clary. In 1890 they erected a large building at the southwest corner of the square, which in later years was occupied by the Menard County Farm Bureau. This building was torn down when the Junior High School was built. Groceries were sold on the east side of the building, while the larger section to the west was used for the sale of drygoods, clothing, rugs, curtains, etc. This was a very fine store. Mr. Levering also owned a farm south of Petersburg, now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pierce.
They were the parents of two sons, Paul, who married Margaret Hughes of Petersburg, and Harry C. Levering.
Following the death of Mr. and Mrs. Levering, the house was sold to Mrs. Edna Sayre and Miss Wilma Greene, but was sold when they moved to Cali- fornia to Dr. and Mrs. T. F. Carter, who occupied the home with their son, William Carter.
The house was later sold to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cherry. They with their two daughters Donna and Paula resided there for several years. The house is still owned by the Cherry family.
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419 So. Eighth Street, Petersburg
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Conover Home
R obert Conover, who fought in the War of 1812, came to Illinois from Ken- tucky in 1822. He was accompanied on this trip to Illinois by his three widowed sisters, Mrs. Spears who later married John Spears, Mrs. Mc- Neeley who married a man named Wilcox, and the third sister, Elizabeth Cald- well.
Robert Conover settled on the prairie at Clary's Grove, where he built a log cabin and planted a large grove of trees. In 1826 a new red brick house was built, the bricks used being burned in the field near the present home. When completed this was a very finetwo-story home, with a walnut staircase, which remains in what is left of the old house. The house was named "Cedar Nook".
The story has been told through the years that the basement of this house was used as an underground railroad where shelter was provided for slaves traveling north.
On Christmas Day in 1824, the Clary's Grove Baptist Chiu ch was organ- ized, the first pastor being Jacob Gum, with Robert Conover as clerk. The early meetings of this society were held for the most part alternately in the Robert Conover home or the home of his neighbor, Georg- pears.
Robert Conover was twice married. His first wite was Mary Spears, daughter of Mary Neely Spears and George Spears. Mrs. Conover died in 1850. Mr. Conover was later married to Sarah Ann Osburn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Enos Osburn. They were the parents of four children: Mary, who became the wife of Charles Horner, Judson, John, and Annella, who married a Rev. Rood. Mr. Conover died in 1871.
In 1881 Mrs. Conover was married to George Spears who died in 1891. Mrs. Sarah Conover Spears died in 1908. The Conovers were buried in the little family burial plot on their farm, but were later removed to Oakland cemetery near Petersburg.
One ponders the fate which has overtaken so many of the once handsome old houses. This house which at one time boasted two full stories and a veranda to the east, now stands with only the smaller section of the west end of the house remaining. When the house was changed, it was covered with stucco, which is now crumbling, showing the old bricks.
The house passed through various ownerships before it came into the possession of Mr. and Mrs. George Daniels. It is now owned by their daughter, Mrs. Loren Grider of Tallula.
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Davidson House
W hen Peter Lukins and George Warburton, who owned 160 acres which is the present site of the city of Petersburg, became discouraged and sold out to John Taylor and Hezekiah King, thetown was resurveyed by Abra- ham Lincoln, and the replat of the town was recorded on Feb. 22, 1836.
The following year, 1837, George A. Davidson and his brother Ishom G. Davidson built this house at the corner of Seventh Street and Lincoln Avenue, then called Spring and Main Streets. George and Ishom Davidson and their brother Jackson Davidson, came to Menard county from Kentucky, and were among the first merchants of Petersburg. They first settled around Green_ ville, Illinois, coming to Menard county around 1834-35. Their store was lo- cated in a building which stood just north of the house now occupied by Mrs. Ollie Pillsbury, which at that time was the business district of the village. Their store is said to have been the second store in the village.
Mrs. Ishom Davidson was a sister of Rev. Springer, a Methodist circuit rider. George Davidson eventually moved to Greenview and Ishom Davidson moved to Fulton county. They were related to John Taylor, one of the original proprietors of Petersburg.
Today this house, with its thick walls, stands as sturdy as when built. Modernized and so livable is the house that one cannot help but wonder at the skill of the early builders.
This house was bought and sold several times. In 1924, it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Septimus Weatherby, one of Menard County's pioneer fam- ilies. Mrs. Weatherby, the former Ellnora Bennett, was the daughter of Dr. Richard Bennett. Mr. Weatherby's family originally came from England. They came to Menard county in a covered wagon from Cape May, New Jersey in 1844, settling on a farm inthe Rock Creek community. Mr. and Mrs. Weather- by were the parents of six children: Emma Dell and Francis Edward who died in infancy; Weaver, who married Anna Rhodes; Charles, who died in World War I; Emmett, who married Mattie Bates; and Mary, who married Harold Smoot.
The house was occupied for several years by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Smoot, and since the death of Mr. Smoot has been occupied by Mrs. Smoot.
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George Davidson House
9 n 1837 George Davidson built this brick house in Petersburg. This charming, sturdy home, stands at 112 East Lincoln Ave., and is one of the first homes built after the early settlers arrived in Petersburg. George Davidson and his brother Ishom were merchants, and came to Menard county from Kentucky in 1834-35.
In 1840, Davidson was sued by Stephen Logan, who was a law partner of Lincoln, and eventually became owner of the house by a mortgage foreclosure. The house was later owned by L. A. Whipp, and again changed hands when it was purchased by Jacob Smith in 1906.
Jacob Smith was a member of one of Petersburg's oldest families, the oldest house now standing in the city, having been built by his grandfather. He was born in Petersburg in 1855, the son of John and Jane Davis Smith. At the time of his death in 1937, he was one of the oldest master plumbers in the state of Illinois. Not only was "Jake" Smith a master plumber, but he was in- terested in other occupations as well. In the early years of Old Salem Chau- tauqua, he owned and operated a small stern-wheel steam boat, the "Minetta", which carried passengers from Chautauqua to the present site of New Salem State Park. He also used his boat to transfer parties coming by way of the Hofing Feed Yard, which was located across the river just west of Chautauqua Grounds. Many people from the south and southwest stabled their horses at the feed lot while they attended the programs. Boat trips were made as often as required for the transfer of all coming that way, at the rate of five cents each way. Capt. Smith also had a fleet of 14 row boats for rent.
Jacob Smith was at one time also interested in the circus business. Orton's Circus was the first circus to enter the state of Florida, making the trip there by horse-drawn wagons. Among the performers inthis group were Mr. Smith, who was a tight rope walker, and Joseph Feagans, father of Joseph Feagans, Sr., of this city, who conducted the circus band. The circus remained there six months.
Mr. Smith was twice married. Hisfirst wife was Miss Mollie Ball. They were the parents of two sons, Harry and John, Mrs. Smith died in 1887. In 1889 he was married to Mrs. Julia Etta Thompson Sutton. They were the parents of six children: Earl, Robert Burns, Ernest, Minetta (Walker), and Bessie (Tranos). One son died in infancy.
Following the death of Mr. and Mrs. Smith the house was occupied by their daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Spyrus Tranos, Mr. Tranos being owner of the Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Parlor for many years.
The house is now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Engle Willis.
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Dowell House
M any interesting details may be seen in this old dwelling which was built by Thomas F. Dowell in 1827. This imposing brick house, one of the first built in Menard county, stands hidden back in the field about a half mile east of the Petersburg-Atterberry blacktop road. The entrance is about four miles west of Petersburg. This house has 11 huge rooms, three fireplaces and a large veranda extends across the north side of the house.
John Dowell emigrated in the 1700's from Scotland and was one of the pio- neers who broke the virgil soil of Albemarle county, Virginia. He received grants for more than 1000 acres inthat section, the grants being from George the Second, King of England. John Dowell died it is believed, during the Rev- olutionary War. He left four sons, John, William, Ambrose and Thomas. All had large families and from them the Dowell family which came to Menard county are descendants.
Reuben Dowell migrated to Kentucky about 1813. He was married to Nancy Taylor, who was related to the Virginia Taylors and to several of the earlier presidents, including Madison and Monroe. Reuben and Nancy Taylor Dowell were the parents of Thomas Dowell.
Thomas Dowell married Anna Beck, who was related to President Buch- anan. They migrated to Illinois about 1824, and settled at Little Grove where this house is located, their land costing $1.25 per acre. They were the parents 14 children: Joseph, Reuben, Preston Boe, George W., Lewis, Sarah, Martha (Montgomery), John, Thomas, Bluford, William, Isabel, Anna Beck and Samuel. Joseph and John died in childhood, Bluford went to war and never returned, and Preston Boe went to Australia. William married Lydia Summers, a grand- daughter of Jacob Bale, who purchased the Rutledge Inn at New Salem in 1841. They were the parents of three daughters, Mary Ellen (Belding), Frances May (Taylor) and Viola.
Following the death of her mother, Anna Beck Dowell lived on the farm with her father and later married Eli Reep, a Civil War veteran. The Reeps were the parents of 11 children: Frank, who died in childhood, Nancy (married Walter Gum), Thomas P. (Laura Shipp), Martha (Charles Clark), Eli (Regina Capinas), Mary (Lewis Golden), Maude (Charles Batterton), Edward (Mrs. Daisy Phillips), Homer, Ethel (Chester Gum), and one child died in infancy. This family lived with Mr. Dowell until his death when they became owners of the farm.
George Dowell married Polly Watkins, daughter of Thomas Watkins Sr., and they moved to Mason county where they lived on a farm. They had four children: Thomas Franklin, Alvin, David and Mary, who was called Mollie. Fol_ lowing the death of his wife, Mr. Dowell was married a second time to a Miss Reed of Mason county. Their children were: George and Joseph Dowell. Joseph died when twenty years old and George became a surgeon in Indianapolis.
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When his father remarried, Thomas F. Dowell came to the Reep home to live. He lived here until his marriage to Miss Nancy Bradley. They had four children: Emery, Belle, Levi and Nona. After his wife died he was married to Miss Minnie Morris, and they were the parents of seven children: Juanita (married George Bast), Edna (Elmer Lynn), Lois (Virgil Forden), Mary (Line- baugh), Virginia (Cecil Godbey), Thomas, and Lola Mae (Arnold).
Thomas Dowell's orchard is said to have furnished the first fruit in Me- nard county.
This house and farm are now owned by Mrs. Martha Hopwood, Mrs. Hop- wood using the house as a summer home.
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Edmunds Springs Bath House
7 his house, located just east of the Sangamon River bridge, east of Pe- tersburg, was at one time a boarding house, located near the east en- trance of Old Salem Chautauqua Grounds. The old boarding house stood near a coal mine, where one may still see a fenced in area where the air shaft was located. This boarding house was leased to and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hawkins, who later became caretakers of Old Salem Chautauqua. When theOld Salem Mine burned in July 1906, the house was moved by Otto Lenz to its present location, to be used as a bath house. So severe was the mine fire, that three coal cars belonging to the C. P. & St. L. Railroad, were also burned. This mine employed 60 men.
This house replaced the old Petersburg Brewery, a large two-story brick building which was owned and operated by Wolfgang Feulner. The machine shed which was attached to this building is still standing, a small brick building which stands to the east of the house and is painted white. Three large caves were built in the steep hillside, where kegs of beer were stored and chilled. These caves are intact today and are of great interest, mutely testifying of another era. Grape vines covered the entire hillside, the grapes being used at the brewery for making wine. Only remnants of the vineyard remain today.
Following the death of his father in Germany, Otto Lenz came to America with his mother in 1880, coming directly to Petersburg. In 1884 he started a bottling plant in the old brewery building. Across the street west of this house is located a sulphur spring which Mr. Lenz decided to make use of. The min- eral springs water was deodorized, carbonated, bottled in pints and splits and one quarter million bottles were sold annually throughout the entire United States. They were sold under the names Sulpho_Hygeia and Edmunds Springs Water.
Above the house to the east is located a spring, which was known as Ed- munds Springs. A gazabo was built over the spring, and bleachers were built to the south of the gazabo, to care for the crowd of people who came to hear band concerts. Joseph Feagans, father of Joseph Feagans Sr. of Petersburg, brought his German Band to entertain here on Sunday afternoons.
Not only was the sulphur springs water used for medicinal purposes, but the water at Edmunds Springs was alsoused for that purpose. Baths were giv- en in this house, the ailing were not only to drink the spring water but to use it for bathing also. Excerpts from an advertisement which appeared in the Pe- tersburg Democrat in 1887 state: "Their use will affect a permanent cure of rheumatism, neuralgia, most cases of catarrah, and almost any kind of skin disease". The name of William Meyer appeared at the bottom of the advertise- ment.
The Petersburg Bottling Works moved into Petersburg in 1889, locating in a building which stood at the corner of Fifth and Sangamon streets.
The old hotel has been used as a residence for many years, changing own- ers many times. In 1960 it was purchased and restored by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Fillbright. Following Mr. Fillbright's death in 1966 it has been occupied by Mrs. Fillbright.
Today Edmunds Springs is still running, overflowing into the Sangamon River below.
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Edmunds Springs
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Dr. Elliott Home
J n 1873, a group of Petersburg men who were indebted to a doctor for years of service, decided to pay off this indebtedness by building him a new home. This home is located at 418 North 8th street and the doctor for whom the house was built was Dr. Charles E. Elliott.
Built of brick, this fine two_story house has five rooms downstairs and four upstairs.
Dr. Elliott was born in Portage county, Ohio in 1835. In 1857 he was mar- ried to Miss Mary Ann Earl of his native county. They were the parents of one child, A. Everest Elliott. Dr. Elliott came to Petersburg in 1869, where he built up a large practice.
The house was later sold to William C. Smoot and was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Miller and their family for about thirty years.
Robert Don Leavey Miller was born in Missouri in 1838, the son of Wil- liam and Agnes Mitchell Miller. Pages could be written about the capabilities of this man. To him the present generation is indebted for preserving the early history of Menard county in two books, Past and Present Menard County and History of Mason and Menard Counties. R. D. Miller was an ordained minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He organized the Cumberland Pres_ byterian Church in Petersburg, was instrumental in helping build their church, and served as their pastor for over sixyears. He also helped build the church at Lebanon and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Fancy Prairie, where he served as pastor for a time. Mr. Miller was an attorney, was County Su- perintendent of Schools of Menard county for 23 years, and taught school for 16 years.
In 1856 he was married to Miss Charlotte A. Riche in Missouri. They were the parents of seven children: Sarah, married Edward Drake; Mary A., known to her many school pupils as Miss Mollie; Emma married Harmon J. Marbold; George Mitchell, who was killed by a train in 1879 and is the subject of the book "Mitch Miller" by Edgar Lee Masters; Leyria, married Dillon Ross; Pauline married Frank Chapman; and R. D. who died in childhood. Pauline Chapman studied music in Europe, and in April of 1907, sang a concert in a new playhouse dedicated to Mozart in Berlin.
When the Miller family moved into their large new home across the street east of this house, it was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. John Laning.
Later the house was owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Levin Laning. Mrs. Laning was Miss Jessie Butt of Kansas City. Following the death of Mrs. Laning the house was sold to Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Finney.
David Bertric Finney married Miss Christine Lewis. They were the par- ents of four children: Richard, Arthur, David Jr., and Catherine Ann (Mac_ Dougal). David Finney, known to his countless friends as "Dave", was a 33 de- gree Mason, was a Past Potentate of Ansar Shrine and a Past Grand Command- er of the State of Illinois. Mr. Finney's death occurred in 1957. Today the home is occupied by Mrs. Finney.
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Estep House
6 his little white clapboard house stands close to the sidewalk at the corner of Fifth and Rutledge Streets, and many passersby fail to realize it has the distinction of being the oldest house on the present site of Pe- tersburg. It was erected by Elijah Estep in 1826, and was located near the tread mill which was also owned and operated by Mr. Estep. The mill, which was run by horse_power, was used for sawing timber.
The claim for this site was made by his son, James Estep, who came to this community in 1820. He was later joined by his father and brother Enoch.
James Estep was born in North Carolina in 1795. He was married to Miss Abigail Teter of Virginia in 1816. James Estep and his family eventually moved to Mason county where he died in 1857. They had four sons: George, William, David and James Jr.
Of unusual interest is the fact that unlike the houses of that period, the house was not built of logs. Because of the availability of lumber from the mill upon the property, the house was constructed of sawed lumber.
The house was later occupied by James Catlett and his wife Mary Hatchett Catlett, who came here from Lexington, Kentucky. They were the parents of a daughter, Melvina, who was born in Lexington in 1843. Melvina was married to S. J. Hinman and the Hinman family became owners of the little home follow- ing the death of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Hinman were the parents of six chil_ dren: Mary (Stanley), William, James, John, Charles and Scott.
Following the death of Mr. and Mrs. Hinmanthe house was owned and oc_ cupied by their son Charles Hinman and his wife Amelia Smith Hinman. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hinman were the parents of two children, Ira and Marie.
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