USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 60
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HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
in number over a thousand. The whole county was agog with excitement over the novelty of a town " so far from no place." as they expressed it. Not- withstanding the uninviting, wild location, lots sold at from the high figure of $75 up to the extravagant price of $300-the latter price for choice lots in the sup- posed-to-be future business center of the town. Soon after the sale, David Dare put up the first building in the new town-a blacksmith-shop-in the east part of the laid-out town, on Lot 14, Block 14, now owned by David Powell, on which is a neat dwelling, occupied by E. J. Eggleston. The next was a frame building for mercantile business, erected by Henry Keefer (who is now an agricultural implement dealer in Lincoln, Neb.), the same fall, near the laid-out line of the railroad, in Fractional Block 13, which, as soon as com- pleted, was occupied by A. A. Cargill (now senior member of the firm of Car- gill & Swing) and W. L. Woodward, who opened and operated the first store in town. After some years and several changes in the business firms occupying it. this house was wholly abandoned as a mercantile establishment. But this building is of historie interest in mummerous other ways, Here was centered the first recognition of our town by the Government of the United States, by establishing in it a post office : and President Buchanan conferred upon A. A. Cargill the distinguished honor of the appointment as its Postmaster-the first Postmaster of the town. Another is that the upper story was used as the initiatory step and nucleus of the crowning glory and pride of our town to-day -our public schools; and Miss Rhoda Allen (now Mrs. J. L. Hlastings) was the teacher who taught the first school. Here. Mason City Lodge, No. 403, A., F. & A. M., was organized under dispensation, early in the year 1864. Here, also, in the spring of 1866, the nucleus of the first newspaper in the town was founded, in a small job office. by Elder J. M. Haughey and Sheridan Eulass, who, at the time, were engaged in the picture business at that place. Here. also, the first religious services were held, Rev. Mr. Holtsclaw, a Baptist minister of Crane Creek, officiating.
The second store was that of C. Hume, on the corner of Tonica and Chest- unt streets, but this building was removed some years ago, and its site occupied by the handsome brick buildings known as La Forge Block. The old frame building was erected by Joseph Elliott late in the fall of 1558, and, in the upper story of which was organized early the following spring the Presbyterian Church of this city, with Rev. John Andrews as Pastor.
The third store was that of Abraham and S. D. Swing, the building which now stands a short distance northeast of the La Forge elevator.
The first hotel was a small frame, erected by William Hibberd, which still stands on the north side of the Sherman House. This house was built late in the fall of 1857, on a lot donated by Mr. Straut for that purpose, and was ded- icated on Christmas night by a dance, which was attended, for the novelty of the thing, by parties from all the surrounding towns. The summer of 1858, Henry Keefer erected the building which is now the wooden part of the St. Nicholas
551
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Hotel, which, as soon as completed, commenced business with Jeremiah Deitrich as proprietor. The same year, John Sutley built the house which now stands on the northeast corner of Tonica and Chestnut streets, and commenced hotel business in the name of the Sutley House, but which was given the name of Lion House by the town wags because the sign bore the figures of two lions. In those days, and up to 1867. all building material, merchandise and every other imported commodity had to be hauled with teams from Pekin, Lincoln and Havana, and that was a very profitable though laborious business, and neces- itated exposure to all kinds of weather. The first and still the largest steam grain-elevator was erected in 1868, by Jefferson Brown and Nicholas Travis, and is now know as the La Forge elevator.
The first wedding of resident parties in town, was that of Sheridan Eulass and Miss Emma Hibberd, daughter of Squire Hibberd, October 12, 1859, the ceremony being performed by Rev. S. Wheadon, of Havana.
The first child born in town was Charles M. Keefer, son of Henry Keefer, in December, 1857.
Although, in 1858, our people were few in number. the " fire of '76 " burned deeply and fervently in their patriotic hearts, and they decided to have a regular old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration and public dinner, which they did in no half-way manner. Every man, woman and child in the town staked their reputations and fortunes upon the success of the enterprise, and with one accord expunged the word failure from their vocabulary. With these fundamentals to commence with, it is almost superfluous to say the celebration and all of its con- comitants were an immense success. That was a year in which this section was visited by frost every month of the year, and the July frost came on the morn- ing of the 4th. At an early hour in the morning, long processions of teams came in from all directions, and by 10 o'clock an immense crowd, for this sparsely settled country, had gathered in. A platform had been erected, and seats, tem- porarily constructed of such building material as could be found loose, were pro- vided. R. A. Hfurt, one of the early merchants and the village lawyer, read the Declaration of Independence, and Hon. William Walker, a prominent lawyer of Havana, delivered the oration, after which the hosts were martialed and con- ducted in good order to the extensive and burdened tables, where all were sumpt- nously fed from the lavish contributions of the people.
The 4th of July. 1867, witnessed the advent of the first locomotive engine in Mason City, and was hailed with great demonstrations of delight by the peo- ple, which wound up with a free fight between the railroad construction hands and our town bloods. The completion of the road to Bloomington that same fall opened a new era in our commerce, both in produce and merchandise. Chi- cago, which had before been looked upon as a far-away and almost inaccessible metropolis, suddenly was brought near, and a very small amount of business was a sufficient inducement to make a visit there. Business enterprise of all kinds ran
552
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
wild with excitement, and all the mechanical labor within reach was brought into requisition to supply the demand in the construction of new buildings, both of mercantile houses and dwellings. Improved and improved lots commanded almost fabulous prices, and the demand for residence locations indneed the lay- ing-ont of the Northeast and West Additions, the former of which was soon dotted with handsome dwellings. For a few years, the prosperity and growth of the town was the wonder and the admiration or envy. as interests might inspire, of all the country and adjoining towns.
Our own people were not indifferent to their growing importance as a town, and the village government under which their public affairs were administered began to look too small in name to some of our more pretentious citizens : $0. late in the Session of the Legislature. the winter of 1868-69. a few of these high-toned gentry of city ambition went down to Springfield and procured the passage of a special charter act, incorporating our village as a city. A large majority of our citizens were thunder-struck with surprise when they learned the fact, and denonneed it as an imposition and a fraud : but the edict had gone forth, and there was no alternative but to submit to the new order of things. under protest. The parties who procured this charter have never been certainly known to the public up to this day, and probably never will be until some one of them discloses it in a dying confession. By this charter, the city was divided into four wards, and the first election was held in April. 1869. the result of which will appear in its proper order.
Mason City was organized as a village by an ordinance approved April 7, 1866, signed by J. P. Walker, President of the Board of Trustees, and attested by J. A. Walker. Clerk of the Board, including in the corporate limits the original plat. This form of government continued until the spring of 1869. when the first election under the new charter took place, as above stated. At the city election, the following officers were elected : T. J. Watkins, Mayor : Thomas Lamoreux, City Judge : S. N. Hornbuckle, City Marshal ; William Warnock, Jr., City Collector ; Dr. I. N. Ellsberry, Alderman, First Ward; J. C. Montgomery, Alderman, Second Ward : S. D. Swing, Alderman, Third Ward : Dr. J. A. W. Davis, Alderman, Fourth Ward. Officers appointed by the new Council : Dr. J. A. Walker, Treasurer ; S. N. Hornbuckle, Assessor ; G. W. Ellsberry, Clerk.
City election April 4, 1870: H. T. Strawn, Mayor ; Well. Housworth, City Marshal : D. M. Childs, City Collector ; D. E. Le Sourd, Alderman, First Ward; J. A. Phelps, Alderman, Second Ward ; John Pritchett. Alderman. Third Ward ; George Young, Alderman, Fourth Ward; R. C. Dement (appointed). City Clerk. Judge Lamoreux and Marshal Housworth having resigned, a special election was held December, 1870, to fill the vacancies, which resulted in the election of J. S. Shuck, City Judge. and George Tippey, Marshal.
553
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
City election April 5, 1871 : Luther Naylor, Mayor ; M. C. Vanloon, City Marshal; F. N. Smith, City Collector ; H. M. Anderson, Alderman, First Ward ; George A. Withers, Alderman, Second Ward; N. Travis, Alderman, Third Ward ; J. S. Gates, Alderman, Fourth Ward. Officers appointed by the Council : J. F. Culp, City Clerk ; John Lazell, Treasurer. F. N. Smith having failed to qualify as Collector, and Judge Shuck having resigned, a special election to fill the vacancies was held August 1, 1871, at which J. H. Wandle was elected City Judge, and Jeremiah Riggins was elected Collector.
City election, April 1, 1872 : Luther Naylor, Mayor; Joseph Statler, City Judge ; A. S. Jackson, City Marshal; Rev. S. S. Martin, City Collector. Aldermen-H. M. Anderson, First Ward ; Andrew McElhany, Second Ward ; N. Travis, Third Ward ; J. S. Gates, Fourth Ward.
J. F. Culp was re-appointed City Clerk, and John Lazell, Treasurer.
A petition, as provided by law, having been presented to the City Council, an election was ordered to take place August 5, 1872, to vote upon the question of organizing under the general incorporation act, which was carried by a large majority of the voters, who were glad of an opportunity to " set down on " the old " Tweed charter," as they contemptuously called the one which they were then under. This required a change in the boundaries of the wards, as it was found, by a census, that we were entitled to but three wards and two Aldermen from each ward. The Clerk and Treasurer now became elective officers, and a City Attorney was added to the list. The city government went into operation under the general incorporation act at the beginning of the next fiscal year.
City election, April 15, 1873: T. J. Watkins, Mayor; J. C. Warnock, City Clerk : John Lazell, City Treasurer : W. P. Freeman, City Attorney ; Jacob Benscoter, Police Magistrate; Dennis Pride (appointed), City Marshal. Aldermen-A. A. Cargill, J. S. Gates, First Ward ; W. I. Kincaid, J. C. Ells- berry, Second Ward ; W. S. Chenoweth, L. D. Case, Third Ward.
City election, April 21, 1874 : Aldermen-Dr. J. A. Walker, First Ward ; W. I. Kincaid, Second Ward ; M. C. Vanloon (to fill vacancy), Second Ward ; S. D. Swing, Third Ward. John Lazell, City Treasurer ; J. C. Warnock, City Clerk ; G. W. Ellsberry, City Attorney ; John B. Wilson (appointed), City Marshal.
City election, April 20, 1875 : T. J. Watkins, Mayor ; J. C. Warnock, City Clerk ; John Lazell, City Treasurer ; I. R. Brown, City Attorney. Ald- ermen-J. S. Gates, First Ward; M. C. Vanloon, Second Ward; W. S. Che- noweth, Third Ward. John B. Wilson (appointed), City Marshal.
City election, April 18, 1876: J. C. Warnock, City Clerk ; John Lazell, City Treasurer; I. R. Brown, City Attorney. Aldermen-Augustus Green, First Ward; John Dietrich, Second Ward : S. D. Swing, Third Ward. D. E. Lessourd (appointed), City Marshal.
554
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
City election, April 17. 1877 : T. J. Watkins. Mayor: J. C. Warnock, City Clerk ; John Lazell, City Treasurer ; W. A. Bartholomew, City Attorney; D. E. Lessourd (appointed), City Marshal. Aldermen-J. S. Gates. First Ward ; F. N. Smith. Second Ward ; Luther Naylor, Third Ward.
J. C. Warnock having resigned the office of City Clerk, an election was ordered by the Council to take place October 16, 1877. to fill the vacancy. The election was held, but was decided to be unwarranted by the charter, consequently null and void, and the vote was not canvassed. At the meet- ing of October 27, 1877, the Mayor appointed W. H. Weaver to fill the vacancy.
City election, April 16, 1878: J. C. Johnson, Police Magistrate. Alder- men-Nelson Warnock. First Ward; John Dietrich. Second Ward ; S. D. Swing, Third Ward. D. E. Lessourd (appointed), City Marshal.
Mayor Watkins having died soon after this election, Alderman J. S. Gates was unanimously appointed Mayor for the unexpired term, by his colleagues in the Council.
In consequence of the continued absence of W. H. Weaver in business, the office of City Clerk was declared vacant at the meeting of April 5, 1879, and Frank M. Conchay was appointed to fill the vacancy.
City election, April 15, 1879 : J. C. Warnock, Mayor ; F. M. Conehay, City Clerk : J. H. Faith, City Treasurer ; I. R. Brown, City Attorney. Aldermen-Dr. A. M. Bird, First Ward; Henry Wakeman, Second Ward ; J. C. Ambrose, Third Ward. D. E. Lessourd (appointed), City Marshal.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
In this connection we will give a list of the principal township officers elected at the annual town meetings since the adoption of township organization. We will state, however, that the two Justices of the Peace elected in this township after it was organized a voting precinct and thereby separated from Salt Creek Township were William Hibberd and William Pollock in 1857. In 1861, William Hibberd was succeeded by his brother 'Israel Hibberd, who, with the exception of one short interval, has held the office by re-election from that time until now.
The first election under township organization was held in the old frame schoolhouse (which was recently removed and converted into a machine-shop), April 1. 1862, at which town meeting Rev. John Andrews presided as Modera- tor, and George Young acted as Clerk.
The full list of officers elected at that meeting was as follows : R. A. Hurt, Supervisor ; John H. Duvall, Town Clerk ; John S. Wilburn, Assessor ; Will- iam Warnock, Jr., Collector ; C. Hume, Overseer Poor ; J. C. Temple, W. HI. Mitchell, E. M. Douglas, Commissioners of Highways ; Israel Hibberd, Dr. W. J. Chamblin, Justices of the Peace ; J. L. Hastings, William McDown, Constables.
555
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Year.
Supervisor.
Town Clerk.
Assessor.
Collector.
1869 B. A. Rosebrough.
Abram Swing.
W. J. Chamblin
William Warnock, Jr.
1864 J. S. Wilburn
Abram Swing.
Joseph Taylor
William Warnock, Jr.
1865J. S. Wilburn.
Samuel Sites ...
Joseph Taylor
William Warnock, Ir.
1866,J. L. Hastings
Dr. J. A. Walker.
S. D. Swing.
William Warnock, Jr.
1867 Cortes Hume.
Israel libberd ..
Joseph Taylor.
J. S. Wilburn.
1868,J. S. Baner.
William Hibberd.
Nelson Warnock
William Warnock, Jr.
1869,Edward Copland
G. W. Ellsberry
D. W. Wilson
William Warnock, Jr.
1870D E. LeSourd
S. M. Badger ..
Joseph Taylor
J. A. Phelps.
1871 D. E. LeSourd
J. C. Ellsberry
Joseph Taylor
S. M. Badger.
1872 W. Il. Mitchell.
J. J. Strome.
Joseph Taylor.
S. M. Badger.
1873 D. E. LeSourd
Dr. J. A. Walker.
Joseph Taylor.
J. C. Ellsberry.
1874 Augustus Green.
U. Naylor
Joseph Taylor
Dr. J. A. Walker.
1875 P. Norton ..
J. C. Ellsberry ..
Joseplı Taylor
B. A. Rosebrough.
1876 B. A. Rosebrough.
J. C. Ellsberry.
A. L. Clary
J. C. Johnson.
1877 B. A. Rosebrough.
J. C. Ellsberry
A. S. Jackson
.J. II. Faith.
1878 B. A. Rosebrough.
... .. J. C. Ellsberry.
A. S. Jackson
George Brooker.
1879 B. A. Rosebrough.
. .. J. C. Ellsberry.
A. S. Jackson.
W. H. Tooker.
CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
While Mason City has much to be proud of in general improvements, bus- iness facilities and beauty of location and surrounding country, none of these transcends in importance and influence her public schools, for here her children are provided a good and substantial education, thorough in every department, from the fundamentals well up into the classics and the higher mathematics.
In 1860, a frame school building was erected in the east part of town, which served its purpose well until the population rendered a more commodious building necessary. After renting such additional rooms as could be obtained to accommodate the pupils, a large three-story brick building on the west side was projected, and, after considerable contention, it was decided at an election to build a $20.000 schoolhouse on the half-block donated for that purpose by Mr. Straut, in his West Addition. This building is three stories in height, with two schoolrooms on each floor. It was built the year 1868, and, as soon as completed, a graded school was organized, with Prof. F. C. Garbutt as Principal.
In 1877, our school population had further increased until another school building was demanded, and, to meet that demand, the beautiful new brick schoolhouse on the east side was built, at a cost of about $7,000. This is a substantial two-story brick, with two schoolrooms on cach floor.
The names of the Principals who have presided over our graded public schools, since their organization as such, are as follows, in the order of their succession : F. C. Garbutt, three years ; G. W. Dominique, three years ; W. H. Williamson, two years; C. L. Raymond, one year ; W. H. Williamson, one year ; O. T. Denny, one year. We give a list of teachers employed each term since 1876, in the order of their respective grades :
Term commencing September, 1876: Prof. C. L. Raymond, Principal ; Miss L. Effie Peter, Mrs. Sara E. Pierce, Miss Hettie I. Hamilton, Miss
556
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Nellie E. Wiekizer, Miss Belle May, Mrs. M. A. Slade, Miss Josie Yost, Miss Lilla Cook.
Term commencing September, 1877: Prof. W. H. Williamson, Principal; Mrs. Sara E. Pierce, Mrs. M. A. Slade, Miss Nellie E. Wickizer, Miss Josie Yost, Miss Emma Patterson. Miss Belle May. Miss Rinta Lamoreux, Miss Lilla Cook.
Term commencing September. 1878: Prof. O. T. Denny, Principal ; Mrs. Sara E. Pierce, Miss Agnes A. Gamble, Miss Olive A. Hudson, Miss Nellie E. Wickizer, Miss Belle May, Miss Ida Patten, Miss Rinta Lamoreux, Miss Lilla Cook.
Term commencing September, 1879: Prof. O. T. Denny, Principal; Mrs. Sara E. Pierce. Miss Agnes A. Gamble, Miss Olive A. Hudson, Miss Adelia Henry. Miss Belle May, Miss Gertie Chase, Miss Rinta Lamoreux, Miss Lilla Cook.
The country district schools throughout the township are all in good condi- tion, and each district is provided with a good schoolhouse. The ladies are to be especially commended for the heroism with which they have contended against and effectually broken down the old pioneer prejudice against them as school teachers, until now their abilities are recognized and appreciated in this grand and noble avocation, and, by dint of inexorable perseverance, they are largely in the majority as teachers in this township.
The names of the School Treasurers of the township from its organization down to the present time are as follows, in the order of succession; First, Michael Swing; second, Rev. L. R. Hastings ; third, William Warnock, Jr .; fourth, Henry Cease : fifth, John Lazell, present incumbent.
The report of the Township Treasurer for this year shows the following statistics :
Number males under twenty-one years of age
579
Number females under twenty-one years of age.
513
Total under twenty-one years of age.
1,092
Number males between the ages of six and twenty-one ..
372
Number females between the nges of six and twenty-one.
Total between the ages of six and twenty-one 634
Number School Districts in township ..
Number districts having school five months or more
4
Whole number public schools in township
Whole number months of school. 30
Average number months of school
t-
Number male pupils enrolled
264
Number female pupils enrolled.
245
Total pupils enrolled 500
3
Number female teachers employed.
Total teachers employed 12
24
Number months taught by males
72
Number months taught by females
Total months taught
96
Number male tenchers employed
557
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Grand total days' attendance ..
63,355₺
Number graded schools in township ....
1
Number months taught in graded school. 8
Number public high schools in township.
1
Whole number schoolhouses in township.
5
Principal township fund. $1 291 28
Amount of township fund invested or loaned 1,291 28
Highest monthly wages paid any male teacher 100 00
Highest monthly wages paid any female teacher
45 00
Lowest monthly wages paid any male teacher
30 00
Lowest monthly wages paid any female teacher.
27 50
Average monthly wages paid male teachers.
59 72
Average monthly wages paid female teachers.
39 53
Amount borrowed for building purposes. 9,600 00
Amount district tax levy for school purposes (1878).
7,250 00
Estimated value of school property 18,000 00
Estimated value school apparatus.
100 00
Paid male teachers last year
1,433 50
Paid female teachers last year
2,846 82
Paid for repairs and improvements
9 90
Paid for school furniture
40
Paid for fuel and incidental expenses.
664 73
Paid Township Treasurer for services.
121 25
Paid interest on district bonds.
536 75
Paid on outstanding indebtedness
500 00
Paid Treasurer Township 21, Range 5
182 68
Total expenditures during year
6,252 03
The County Superintendent of Schools is a resident of this city, and the above is from the last report of the Township Treasurer, on file in the County Superintendent's office.
The first Board of School Directors in this town was composed of Messrs. William Hibberd, Dr. A. R. Cooper and L. D. Cox. The present Board is composed of A. A. Cargill, L. B. Eulass and Mrs. T. C. Chamblin. The latter is the first lady upon whom the official honor of an elective school office was ever conferred in this county.
TRAGEDIES.
While this city has always maintained a high moral standard, it is not wholly exempt from those shocking tragedies into which perverse humanity often develops. The first was in the fall of 1864, a few days after the Presi- dential election, when political bitterness and strife had reached and assumed its most desperate depth. Frank M. Jones, who came into this vicinity from Virginia about a year before the tragical event now under consideration, had, from the accident of his nativity, coupled with his undisguised and outspoken sentiments on the political question of the day, incurred the hostility of several parties of the opposite political belief, which was fully reciprocated by Jones, and the bitterness soon ripened into a crisis. Jones was teaching school at the time, a mile and a half south of town, and, learning that a man from Salt
558
HISTORY OF MASON COUNTY.
Creek Township, named Moses Thompson, had been in town several days watching for him, to "settle a grudge" that had been engendered on election- day. about a week before, he armed himself with a double-barrel shotgun, and, in the evening, after school was dismissed, proceeded to town. He saw Thomp- son out on the south side of a saloon which was kept in a building a short dis- tance northwest of where the La Forge grain elevator now stands, and heard his threats against him (Jones), upon which, from the rear of A. & S. D. Swing's store, through which he passed, he fired upon Thompson, mortally wounding him. from the effects of which he died next day. Jones leisurely departed, and was never captured and brought to trial. It is reported that he went to Missouri, and, a few years after, was himself shot and killed.
The next was the tragical death of Dr. W. J. Chamblin, in the spring of 1871, at the hands of Zopher Case. This grew out of a land title contest with reference to a beautiful quarter-section adjoining town, on the southeast. Case moved a house on to one forty-acre lot of the disputed land. claiming title from one Tunison, Chamblin's contestant. Case moved his house on the premises in the night, and moved his family into it. which brought about an ejectment suit. In plowing, in the spring of 1871, Dr. Chamblin ordered his men to plow across Case's front yard. in the forenoon of the day of this tragical event : but Case would not allow them to do so. The matter was reported to Dr. Chamblin by his men at noon, and, when they went out to work in the afternoon, he took a shotgun and bade his plowmen follow him, which they did. He proceeded a short distance in advance of the teams toward Case's premises, and, when he reached the disputed line. Case, who was watching him from his door, took up his shotgun and fired upon the Doctor, killing him instantly. C'ase surrendered to the authorities, and, after a tedious drag and continuance from time to time of the case in the Circuit Court, was finally acquitted, and he, too, in July, 1876. met a violent death at the hands of the night-watchman, John B. Wilson, who was acquitted by the grand jury.
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