USA > Illinois > Coles County > The History of Coles County, Illinois map of Coles County; history of Illinois history of Northwest Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, &c., &c > Part 24
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*These fairs were held on the commons, we are told, the Society having no grounds of its own.
264
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
President : D. J. Van Deren, Secretary ; B. F. Jones, J. K. Decker, M. F. Hackett. a portion of the Board of Directors; Thomas G. Chambers, Treas- urer. The present Secretary is informed that the Society, having complied with the act of February 14, 1855, received from the Treasurer of State the sum of $50, as authorized by that act. Before the election of the present Secretary, but at what time he is not informed, the Society had purchased seven and three-fifths acres of land for the use of the same for its fair grounds, and had paid the sum of $100 in part payment for the same, the title to which remains yet unperfected."
The act of February 14, 1855, referred to in the foregoing records, is as follows :
An Act to encourage the formation of County Agricultural Societies.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That whenever the President and Treasurer of any County Agricultural Society shall certify that the sum of (at least ) fifty dollars has been collected, and is in the hands of the Treasurer for the use of said society, the Tre isurer of this State shall, when called upon for that purpose, pay to the said Treasurer or fiscal agent or officer of said society, the sum of fifty dol- lars ; and the receipt of said Treasurer of such society therefor shall entitle the said Treasurer of this State to a credit for that amount in the settlements of his account as such State Treasurer.
SEC. 2. The said sum of fifty dollars, thus appropriated, shall be expended in the purpose of premiums, to be procured and distributed under the direction of said societies respectively in the manner prescribed in the constitution, by-laws, or other regulations of said societies.
SEC. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
The act of February 15, 1855, also alluded to in the extract from the minutes of the Society, provides for the incorporation of such societies, the mode of forming them, who shall be members, etc., and gives the usual privi- leges of all corporate bodies. But its great length and lack of interest to the general reader, are sufficient excuses for omitting it here. Under these acts the Society revived, as already stated, took new lease of life, and commenced business in earnest. The minutes, however, of the first meeting, under the new dispensation, being lost, the proceedings of that fair are " as a sealed book." The proceedings of 1856 are given in full, together with the premium-lists, officers and all matters of interest occurring during the year. At a meeting of Society held in the Court House, June 2, 1856, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year : John Cofer, President ; William Miller, Vice President ; H. J. Keeler, Secretary ; Thomas G. Chambers, Treasurer ; B. F. Jones, J. T. Cunningham, J. K. Decker, M. F. Hackett and James Hammett. Executive Committee. At a meeting of the officers, held soon after their election, they met and made out a list of premiums, also a list of what should be exhibited. It is as follows :
FIRST DAY .- DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Ilorses .- Best stallion, 4 years old and over, Class 1, No. 1 $6 00
Second best 3 00
Best stallion, 3 years old, Class 1, No. 2. 3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best stallion, 2 years old, Class 1, No. 3. , 00
265
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Horses .- Second best. 2 00
Best stallion, 1 year old, Class 1, No. 4. 3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best sucking horse-colt, Class 1, No. 5. 3 00
Second best.
2 00
Best brood-mare, 4 years old and over, Class 2, No. 1
6 00
Second best
3 00
Best filly, 3 years old, Class 2, No. 2.
3 00
Second best.
2 00
Best filly, 2 years old, Class 2, No. 3
3 00
Second best. 2 00
3 00
Second best.
2 00
Best sucking mare-colt, Class 2, No. 5.
3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best pair horses or mares, Class 3, No. 1 5 00
Best saddle horse or mare, Class 3, No. 2 3 00
Best buggy horse or mare, Class 3, No. 3. 3 00
Jacks .- Best jack, 3 years old and over, Class 4, No. 1 3 00
Second best 2 00
Best jack, 2 years old, Class 4, No. 2
3 00
Second best.
2 00
Best jack 1 year old, Class 4, No. 3.
3 00
Second best.
2 00
Best sucking jack-colt, Class 4, No. 4.
3 00
Second best
2 00
Jennies .- Best jenny, 3 years old and over, Class 5, No. 1 Second best
2 00
Best jenny, 2 years old, Class 5, No. 2.
3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best jenny, 1 year old, Class 5, No. 3.
3 00
Second best.
: 00
Best sucking jenny colt, Class 5, No. 4
3 00
Second best.
2 00
Mules .- Best pair of mules, Class 6, No. 1
00
Best sucking mule-colt, Class 6, No. 2 3 00
Cattle .- Best bull, 4 years old and over, Class 7, No. 1 5 00
Second best. 3 00
3 00
Second best
2 00
Best bull, 2 years old, Class 7, No. 3.
3 00
Second best ..
2 00
Best bull, 1 year old, Class 7, No. 4 3 00
2 00
Best sucking bull-calf, Class 7, No. 5. 3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best cow, 4 years old and over, Class 8, No. 1 8 00
Second best 3 00
Best heifer, 3 years old, Class 8, No. 2. 3 00
Second best 2 00
Best heifer, 2 years old, Class 8, No. 3. 3 00
Second best 2 00
Best heifer, 1 year old, Class 8, No. 4. 3 00
Second best.
Best bull, 3 years old, Class 7, No. 2.
3 00
Best filly, 1 year old, Class 2, No. 4.
266
IIISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Cattle .- Second best 2 00
Best sucking heifer-calf, Class 8, No. 5. 3 00
Second best. 2 00
Best pair work cattle, Class 9, No. 1. 5 00
Sheep .- Best buck, Class 10, No. 1 $2 00
Second best buck .. 1 00
Best ewe, Class 10, No. 1 2 00
Second best ewe .. 1 00
Swine .- Best boar, 1 year old and over, Class 11, No. 1 3 00
Best boar 6 months old and under 12 months old, Class 11, No. 2. 3 00
Best pig under 6 months old, Class 11, No. 3 .. 2 00
Best breed-sow, 1 year old and over, Class 11, No. 4. 3 00
Best breed-sow, 6 months and under 12 months old, Class 11, No. 5, 3 00
Poultry .- Best pair of chickens, Class 12, No. 1 2 00
Second best pair of chickens 1 00
Farming Utensils .- Best sod plow, Class 13. 3 00
Best Subsoil plow, Class 13. 3 00
Best harrow, Class 13 2 00
Best land-roller, Class 13 2 00
Best mower and reaper combined, Class 13 5 00
Best thresher and separator, Class 13. 5 00
Best seed-sower, Class 13. 3 00
Best hay-rake, Class 13. 2 00
Mechanical Department .- Best harness for all purposes, Class 14, No. 1 3 00
Second best harness for all purposes 2 00
Best riding-saddle, Class 14, No. 2 .. 3 00
Second best riding-saddle. 2 00
Agricultural Products .- Best acre of wheat (dimension and quality indorsed by responsible, disinterested party), to be reported to the Secretary prior to November 10, with instruction as to soil, time and manner of sowing, tillage of ground, species of wheat, etc., Class 15, No. 1 5 00
Best acre of corn (with same conditions as to the wheat, etc.), Class 15, No. 2. 5 00
Fruit Department .- Greatest and best variety of apples, with statement as to soil, slope of ground, etc., and any concurrent facts or con- ditions by which it is believed its superiority had been induced, Class 16, No. 1. 3 00
Second best and greatest variety (same statement ). 2 00
Greatest and best variety of fruits, with statement as above relative to each, species, etc., Class 16, No. 2. 3 00
Second greatest and best variety (såme statement). 2 00
SECOND DAY .- LADIES' DEPARTMENT.
Dairy .- Best 5 lbs. butter, with process of manufacture, Class 17, No. 1 .... 2 00
Best 10 lbs. cheese, with process of manufacture, Class 17, No. 2 .. 2 00
Domestic Manufactures .-- Best faney quilt, Class 18, No. 1 2 00
Best coverlet, Class 18, No. 2. 2 00
Best carpet, 10 yards and upward, Class 18, No. 3 .. 2 00
Best rag carpet, 10 yards and upward, Class 18. No. 4 2 00
Best woolen cloth, 10 yards and over, Class 18, No. 5. 3 00
Best jeans, 10 yards and over, Class 18, No. 6. 2 00
Best flannel, 10 yards and over (white, striped or plaid), Class 18
No. 7. 2 00
.
267
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Domestic Manufactures .- Best pair of blankets, Class 18, No. 8. : 00
Best yarn socks, Class 18, No. 9. 50
Best cotton hose, Class 18, No. 10. 50
Fancy or Needle Work .- Best specimen faney needle work, Class 19, No. 1 ... 3 00
Best quality, embracing the greatest variety, of articles useful and ornamental, Class 19, No. 2. 5 00
At a meeting held August 2, 1856, the Board passed a resolution to adopt the list of premiums as above given, and appointed a committee to prepare the fair grounds for the forthcoming exhibition. At a subsequent meeting, an agreement was made with D. J. Van Deren and H. J. Keeler to inclose the grounds. At a meeting September 13, it was ordered that a well be dug and curbed upon the Society's grounds ; badges were ordered for life members, and for the officers. Robert Leith was appointed Marshal; E. W. True, J. R. Jeffries, James Shoemaker, William Jones and Richard Champion, Deputy Marshals, together with some other unimportant matters pertaining to the fair soon to take place, were arranged.
The fair came off on the 24th and 25th of September, and, from the entrics made in the different classes, seems to have been a very interesting and success- ful meeting. Particularly were the stock classes well represented, and a num- ber of entries made in each class. The Secretary published a report which is copied in the records, showing the list of Judges for the articles and stock adjudged, and the names of those to whom premiums were awarded, but its extreme length forbids its insertion in this work, however interesting it might prove to our readers. especially those who are engaged in stock-raising.
But it is impossible to follow the Society through all the years since its re-organization in 1855. Suffice it, that at the present time it is in a flourish- ing state, and the people of the county are justly proud of their association. The last meeting took place in September, 1878, occupying five days, the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st; the premium-list embraces ten pages of closely printed matter in a pamphlet printed for gratuitous distribution. The grounds of the Society comprise twenty-four acres well improved, substantially inelosed, with stock-stalls and all necessary buildings, and of a total value of about $6,000. The present officers are as follows, viz., S. D. Dole, of Mattoon, President ; James Shoemaker, of Loxa, I. J. Montfort, of Charleston, T. G. Chambers, of Charleston, M. B. Valodin, of Oakland, Vice Presidents ; E. R. Connely, Samuel Van Meter, C. E. Wilson, Adam Millar and Isaac Flenner, Board of Directors; R. S. Hodgen, Secretary, and J. K. Decker, Treasurer.
The farmers of Coles County have for years past devoted considerable attention to the improvement of their stock, and many of them are at present engaged largely in breeding blooded horses, cattle and hogs. Of horses, the Norman stock is being introduced in the county, and as draft horses are popu- lar, while other blooded horses are receiving some attention. W. A. Whitte- more, H. M. Ashmore, J. W. Wright and I. N. Gibbs are specially engaged in breeding fine horses. Blooded cattle are being more extensively raised, as this
268
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
section of the country is more favorably adapted to cattle than horses. S. C. Ashmore, William Millar, Ambrose Edwards and Isaac Flenner make a specialty of Short Horns. R. L. Reat, of Herefords and Jerseys, and R. S. Hodgen, of Jerseys.
Shepard & Alexander are known. not. only over the State of Illinois, but throughout the entire country, for their fine breed of Poland-China hogs. Their fine specimens of this famous stock of hogs have been exhibited at Chi- cago, St. Louis, Indiana State Fair, Illinois State Fair, Kansas State Fair, and all the surrounding county fairs, where they have been invariably awarded the highest prizes. But we shall refer more particularly to this subject in the history of Charleston Township.
In conclusion of the history of the Agricultural Society and the fine stock of the county, we deem it of some general interest to the reader, to append the following abstract from the Assessor's returns for 1878, as showing the amount of stock, its value, together with other property, and the grain produced for the past year :
Assessed valuation.
Horses, number of head
10,402
$ 208 628
Cattle, 6.
15,973
143,875
Mules and asses, number of head
1,393
30,975
Sheep, number of head
6,971
5,948
Hogs,
35,176
39,746
Steam engines.
20
6,010
Fire-proof safes
50
1,353
Carriages and wagons.
3,664
48,067
Watches and clocks.
3,552
7,754
Sewing machines
1,575
14,854
Piano-fortes.
179
8,366
Melodeons and organs
167
4 579
Improved lands.
268,863
3,333,290
Unimproved lands.
49,491
249,074
Improved town and city lots
2,4633
769,909
Unimproved town and city lots
3,384
76,325
Total value of assessed property in the county*
$5,642,818
No. of acres of wheat in 1878.
19,500
No. of acres of corn in 1878
100,616
No. of acres of oats in 1878
10,075
No. of acres of meadow in 1878
24,549
No. of acres of other field products.
6,300
No. of acres of inclosed pasture.
07,408
No. of acres of orchard.
6,706
No. of acres of wood-land.
53,200
THE COUNTY FARM.
" The poor ye have with you alway." Originally, the mode of taking care of the poor of the county, was through an officer in each township or elec- tion precinct, styled " Overseer of the Poor," who looked after the welfare of the *Several items of taxable property not given in the above table.
269
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
poor and needy, supplied their wants and, at a regular meeting, brought his bill before the County Board. But this system was found to be rather expen- sive, the county, it is said, having paid out as much as $12,000 in a single year for the benefit of its poor. So this mode was changed to a county farm. Some time during the war the county purchased a small tract of land in Pleasant Grove Township, but becoming dissatisfied with this, from some cause or other, probably its location at the very edge of the county, it was sold in 1865, and forty acres bought in La Fayette Township. After using this a few years in the capacity of a county farm, it was sold and 258 acres purchased in 1870, in Ashmore Township. Upon this farm substantial buildings have been erected, and all necessaries and conveniences prepared for taking care of the poor com- fortably. The main building is a substantial two-story brick, and will accom- modate about sixty persons. This farm, at the time of its purchase by the county, was well improved, having a comfortable frame residence, barns and all necessary outbuildings, so that the only additional expense to the purchase of the land was the erection of the brick building above referred to. Upon a written request to the Superintendent of the farm, Joshua Ricketts, Esq., we received the following, which we give in full, as it contains much of general interest, as well as some valuable hints : " The number at present in our County Poorhouse is thirty-three. This is about the average for the year. There are twenty-one females and twelve males. Four of the imnates are over eighty years of age; two of them are white and two black. One of these blacks is supposed to be at least 100 years old. The blacks are both females, and were slaves until freed by the emancipation proclamation of President Lincoln. Old John Golliday, well known to many of the citizens of the county, having been a resident for over forty years, was once the lawful owner of 400 acres of good land in Morgan Township, but by not doing right, he lost it all, and now has to be taken care of at the expense of the public. I am convinced that fully nine- tenths of all pauperism in this county may be traced either directly or indi- rectly to the use of intoxicating drinks. Not that there were that number who were drunkards, but the sin of others has, in many cases, visited the children to the third and fourth generations. It is but a few days since a poor, degraded creature left the house to return to his old haunts, where he can again wallow in the ditch, steeped in the fire of the still. This same man said that he felt as if could drink fully three inches of whisky, so anxious was he to get back to his old rum-holes. I am thoroughly satisfied that there would be no real neces- sity for poorhouses if intoxicating liquors were banished from the land.
" As to the mode of conducting the house, we have a set of rules for the gov- ernment of inmates, which are hung up in the house so that all can know what is required of them. The Supervisors of the various townships are ex-officio Overseers of the Poor of their respective townships, and by their order the Su- perintendent receives and takes under his care those who are dependent and help- less. The county owns some two hundred and fifty-eight acres of land, about
270
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
two hundred acres of which is plow and grass land ; the remainder is principally timber-land. On the farm is a brick building 38x58 feet, two stories high, and a kitchen attached to the main building, extending some 28 feet in length and 16 in width, with a large porch facing the east. There is also a very comfortable dwelling for the Superintendent and his family and a large barn, with some smaller buildings. There is an orchard of about one hundred and fifty bear- ing trees, consisting of apples, peaches and cherries. In the summer time, the paupers are employed some portion of the time in cultivating tobacco, of which weed they are, as a rule, very fond."
The Superintendent has to enter into a contract with the Board of Super- visors, and give a heavy bond, obligating himself to take care and treat kindly and humanely all who may be placed under his care, stipulating the kind and variety of food that shall be furnished. It is now nine years since the county bought the farm where the Poorhouse is now located, eight miles east of Charles- ton, immediately on the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad. There were twen- ty-seven paupers moved from the old house, four miles west of Charleston, to this place, October 25, 1870, of which number there are remaining on hand at the present time seven-two men and five women. There have been thirty-two deaths at the house, out of some two hundred and fifty persons who have been received and cared for. The attending physician (A. T. Robertson), says it is remarkable what cures have been effected. Most of those who have died were far gone when received. The oldest person who died was Mrs. Anna Higgenbotham, a cousin to Gen. Winfield Scott.
RAILROADS OF THE COUNTY.
To obtain an accurate idea of the railroads of Coles County, one must go back before the day of railroads and note briefly their causes.
The first railways in the world began in the collieries in England, and were simple tramways-wooden rails-on which the cars were hauled by mules. As in many places the way from the collieries to the coal-yards was up an inclined plane, the cars were hauled by the mules up the plane, and allowed to return by their own gravity. " By little and by little," as Charles Dickens would say, the tracks were extended to the shipping points, and, finally, to the chief markets. Then the laborers began to ride to and from their daily tasks ; then others rode ; then a car made to carry only laborers and those desiring to ride was placed on the track ; steam began now and then to be recognized as an important factor among the immense motive powers of the world, and, about 1825, George Stephenson invented and placed in successful operation an engine that drew a train of cars over a wooden railway, protected by an iron covering, at the rate of twelve miles an hour. This road ran from one town to another, over vale and hill, up-hill and down, astonishing the incredulous English, who prophesied only dire disaster and distress would attend the operating of such a monster. Soon the railways, operated by steam, and carrying a train of cars
271
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
that "annihilated both time and space," were coming rapidly into use in the mother country. The American nation, not to be outdone, had caught the con- tagion, and, in 1830, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad commenced active opera- tions to open a similar line, extending westward from that city. In 1826, a tramway was built from Quincy, Mass., the home of the Adams family, to the granite quarries, a few miles away-the pioneer railroad in America. On this primitive affair only mules or horses were used, and it was never put to any other purpose than the hauling of granite from the quarries.
From 1830 to 1835, railroads in the East received a considerable impulse. Improvements of all kinds were being made, a speed of twenty and thirty miles an hour was attained, and the benefits of their construction and use were becoming more apparent.
About this time, it began to occur to the denizens of the Prairie State that their domain was the best place in all the world for such enterprises. "For," argued they, " have we not a rich, productive soil, an even country, requiring but little preparation, and needing no expensive grading, filling or costly bridges. Does not our land bring forth plenty, and, if we had proper means for transporting our products away and bringing money and settlers back to us. what a country we would be !"
A desire always finds a favorable argument and some way to accomplish its ends.
True, there was no money to build such works, and Pennsylvania and other Eastern States which had entered on such schemes had invariably been the losers ; for " rings" would form and steal what they could not get honestly. Yet Illinois soon found a way, and the attempt was made. In his message to the General As- sembly, at the session of 1835, Gov. Joseph Duncan urged the Legislature, now ripe for action, to the furtherance of schemes that were so brilliant in their pros- pects. That body responded by such subsidies and grants to internal improvements as to astonish even the sanguine Governor himself. Before they stopped, so infatuated were they with the glorious future so enchantingly spread out before them, they had entailed a debt of more than $14,000,000, all confidently expected to be paid by the improvements themselves and by the consequent increase in property.
The utopian scheme dazzled the eyes of the Governor, the Legislature and the people. They saw nothing but the most prosperous times ahead, and began at once a system of financiering that in the end well nigh impoverished the State. Gold and silver, the money of the world from its infancy, could, of course, not be had for the fulfillment of the plans, and a system of bonds was instituted, based on the faith of the State, redeemable in a series of years, and payable in coin in the banks in New York. It was confidently predicted that the bonds would not only sell at par, but would command a premium. They were to be paid from the proceeds of the canal and railroads, and were adver- tised as the best securities to be had. The first installment went off easily ; but human greed began to exhibit itself, and " rings " were formed, and, before any
272
HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
one was aware, the bonds of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio-for these States were in the meshes of the same visionary scheme-began to decline. When work began on the Illinois and Michigan Canal, on the Illinois Central Railroad and a few other such enterprises, laborers flocked to the State, prices of everything advanced, and the day of prosperity so confidently predicted in the early stages of the " plan," seemed now at hand. The men of the day, blinded by the ap- parent success of the scheme, like men of this day, seemed to overlook the fact that every article of trade, whether food, labor or merchandise, ad- vanced with the influx of currency issued by the State banks, brought into life by the scheme, and that in this respect things were no cheaper than before. Now, at first $1 would buy but little less than before. Soon it took $2 to buy what $1 would before, and so on, till, when the system collapsed, $100 of State money would buy only as much as $16 in gold.
The projected works were simply marvelous in extent. Almost every county in Illinois was to have a railroad, and in those where none were projected, $200,000 was to be distributed. Work was to begin at both ends of the rail- roads and the canal, and in any other places where heavy grades were encountered. Among the projected routes was one from Cairo to the northern limit of the State, especially to meet the southern end of the canal, this was to run through or near Coles County. Another was projected from Terre Hante. Ind., west- ward to Alton, Ill. It was stipulated by the " Alton interest," as that faction was known in the Senate, that no road should terminate at St. Louis. That city was a rival to Alton, which confidently expected to overtake and pass her opulent neighbor, and, in time, completely overshadow her. Hence, no favors were to be shown the foreign rival. She must be put down some way, and that way could be aided by refusing all means of ingress and egress, save through Alton. For this reason, the road from Terre Haute westward, must stop at Alton, and all business coming from the East must center there. That the railroad was to be built no one for a moment doubted. It was to be known as the Terre Haute & Alton Railroad, and contracts for its construction were let carly in the life of the Internal Improvement system. Work began at both ends and progressed centerward. Grading and filling was done at each ex- tremity, the route determined on, and for a short time progressed favorably. As the bonds of the State declined in value, and its currency fell in a like ratio, the demands of the laborer, unskilled in finance, and caring only for their pay, became more and more exorbitant, and when the failure of the system came, they abruptly abandoned the State, with all manner of maledictions cast upon it. The work on the railroad did not reach Coles County. That on the Illinois Central suffered a similar fate, and no signs of railroads appeared here, save in the surveyor's lines and stakes, and in the losses some of its people suffered from the collapse, and return to a specie basis.
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