The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

found in large quantities, and which is supposed to contain mineral properties that may be converted into something valuable. This vein, or bed of stone. was found at a depth of about eighty feet, and is seven feet in thickness. Speaking of it at the time, the Independent Blade said :

The stone is strongly impregnated with mineral, mostly iron In color it is gray and dark brown. It also has an oily substance, that shows itself very plainly when immersed in water, the oil rising to the surface. Experiments have been made with this stone ground to powder and mixed with oil for painting purposes, and to all appearances it makes an excellent article. We have samples of this paint in this office, which may be seen. Further tests will be made. and should it turn out as is now anticipated, there is a mine of wealth in it, and the manufac- ture of mineral paint may be commenced at once in this city.

This shaft is owned by Knight, Gibb & Co. They bought six acres of Mr. Marsh, with the privilege of mining under seventy acres more, belonging to the same party. They reached coal-a vein four and a half feet thick-at a depth of 176 feet, and at an expenditure of about $10,000. This is the third shaft that has been successfully sunk in the environs of Fairbury, and, next to grain. coal mining is the most extensive line of business engaged in by its citizens. Aside from the amount furnished the railroads, the trade is of a local character, mostly, and very extensive of that kind.

The first bank was established in Fairbury by Judge McDowell and Nathan E. Lyman, in 1864, and was known as the Fairbury Bank. In 1867, Jno. . J .. Taylor was admitted a partner, and it finally developed into the First National Bank, and was organized as such in 1874, with Isaac P. McDowell as President. and Nathan E. Lyman (now of Rockford, Ill.) as Cashier. I. P. McDowell is still President, and T. S. O. McDowell is Cashier. Bartlett, Beech & Dominy commenced the banking business June 15, 1874, and still conduct it in all its branches.

A woolen-mill was built here about the year 1867-68, by three brothers from New York, named Barnard. It was supposed at one time that sheep raising would prove a very profitable business in this section of the country, and a number of farmers embarked in it extensively. A man named Hiner, living a little west of Fairbury, had at one time over 1,300 head of sheep. but after considerable experimenting, it was found to be a failure. Owing to the wet nature of so much of the land, the disease called " foot rot " prevailed to an extent to render the raising of sheep not only expensive, but entirely profitless, and it was finally abandoned altogether. From this fact, the woolen-mill proved a failure, and the parties owning it took out the machinery and moved it to Los Angelos, Cal., where sheep are a spontaneous growth and are cultivated to an extent calculated to make a mill of its caliber profitable. The Chicago & Paducah Railroad Company purchased the old building, after the machinery had been removed, with the intention of converting it into a grain elevator, but tlie partial failure of crops for the past year or two has prevented, and it still stands an empty shell, a monument of misplaced investment.

The Fairbury Union Agricultural Board was incorporated under legislative act in 1876. The certificate of organization is signed by Geo. H. Harlow, Secre-

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

tary of State, under the great seal, and is dated January 19, 1876. It was organ- ized and officers duly elected March 25th, as follows : John Virgin, President ; John G. Steers, Vice President ; C. C. Bartlett, Treasurer, and Smith Olney, Secretary. The first Board of Directors were Jacob B. Bally, Stephen Herr, Henry Kingman, John F. Myers, Henry Skinner and George W. Mvers, whose terms expire in 1877 : and Robert Elmore, J. F. Earnhart, Owen Finegan, D. L. Murdock, R. E. Norman, D. R. Potter and Benjamin Cumpston, whose terms expire in 1878. Their grounds consist of about twenty-one acres of land, pur- chased at an aggregate cost of $2,800, and are located just south of the village and are excellently adapted to the purpose for which they are used. They are well improved and enclosed with a substantial fence and have large and com- modious buildings.

The first exhibition of the association was held in September, 1876, and con- tinued four days. The last election of officers resulted as follows: John Virgin, President ; Joel Strawn, Vice President ; C. C. Bartlett, Treasurer, and H. L. Bruce, Secretary. It is a Union Association of Livingston and McLean Coun- ties : is in a flourishing condition and is patronized and supported by both counties in a liberal manner.

The Masonic and Odd Fellows' societies are well represented in the village of Fairbury, by all the grades of those honorable bodies. Tarbolton Lodge, No. 351, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered October 3, 1860, and the document authorizing its existence as a body was signed by D. C. Cre- gier. Grand Master of Illinois at that time, and J. H. Miles, Grand Secretary. Charter members-Aaron Weider, L. H. Nash, R. Rumbold, J. B. Hulsey, O. P. Ross, S. C. Roberts, H. Remington and some others, of whom O. P. Ross

and H. Remington alone are now members. Aaron Weider was the first Worshipful Master. At present. Smith Olney is Master ; T. W. Duffey, Sec- retary, and 104 members are on the records. The Lodge Hall was burned March 29, 1875, and the loss in paraphernalia, furniture, etc., was about $2,000. The hall did not belong to them, but was rented for Lodge purposes, so that the loss of the building did not fall on them. The Lodge was originally organized in Remington's parlor, and continued to meet there until other rooms were pro- cured.

Fairbury Chapter, No. 99, Royal Arch Masons, was chartered October 5, 1866, and their charter signed by J. A. DeLancey, Grand High Priest of the State, and J. H. Miles. Grand Secretary. The first High Priest was J. W. Peck, and H. Remington was the first Secretary. At present, W. H. Allen is High Priest, and Smith Olney, Secretary, with a present membership of 83.

. Fairbury Council, No. 36, Royal and Select Masters, was chartered January 11, 1868, and J. W. Peck was the first T ... I .. G .. M ... , and M. Osman the first Recorder. By a joint act of the Grand Chapter and the Grand Council of Illinois, the degrees of the latter are now conferred in the Chapter, and the Council, as a body. is discontinued.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

St. Paul Commandery, No. 36, Knight Templars, was chartered Oct. 26, 1870. Sir D. C. Cregier was then Grand Commander of the State, and as such signed the charter authorizing its organization. The first Eminent Com- mander was Sir J. J. Wright, and Sir John Zimmerman, Recorder. There are at present 56 members upon the books, and Sir John Zimmerman is Com- mander, and Sir Demas Elliott, Recorder.

Livingston Lodge, No. 290, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized under dispensation August 15, 1860, and chartered Oct. 12th of the same year. The charter members were J. F. Blackburn, John J. Young, W. H. Strevelle, John T. Bowen and John Zimmerman. Of these, there are still living Blackburn and Zimmerman, but the latter only is still a member of the body. The present Noble Grand is J. F. Earnhart, and J. M. Thornton is Sec- retary, with 44 members.

Fairbury Encampment, No. 71. I. O. O. F., was chartered Oct. 8, 1867, and has a large membership. At present, Benj. P. Lightfoot is Chief Patriarch ; T. W. Gore, Scribe.

The history of the press extends back but a dozen years in this little city. In 1866, H. S. Decker commenced the publication of a paper called the Journal, in Fairbury, but soon sold out to I. P. McDowell, who, after a short time, sold it to a man named Eastman, and he continued to publish it until 1873. In 1871, the Dimmicks commenced the publication of the Independent, and in 1876, C. B. Holmes commenced the Blade. These papers were pub- lished in the interests of the east and west ends of the village for a time, when J. S. Scibird, formerly of Bloomington, purchased the two, and consolidated them, upon the principle that "in union there is strength," and from the com- bination brought forth a kind of journalistic Siamese twins, known as the Independent-Blade. It is independent in politics, well and ably edited, and is one of the flourishing newspapers of the county.

John Virgin, J. C. Morrison and Decatur Veach formed a company, some years ago, for the purpose of importing Norman horses. In 1870, Virgin was sent out and brought the first lot across the Atlantic to this county. Their partnership was soon dissolved by the death of Veach, but Virgin still continues in the business, and has imported some very fine specimens of this popular breed.

The most extensive manufacturing of any kind in the village is George W. Kring's. He commenced, in 1866, the manufacture of cultivators, a business he is still engaged in. Lately. he has added the manufacture of check-rowers, which he makes a specialty.

The village of Fairbury makes no pretensions to wholesale business, or to extensive manufacturing, but is merely a retail place, and as such every line of business is well represented. Many large mercantile firms, whose bases no financial storms can shake, are doing a heavy but safe business.

As noted in another place, this village and township have the advantage of two railroads. The Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw, formerly known as the Peoria

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

& Oquawka Railroad, in the early period of its existence had a hard struggle for life. It was poor and moneyless, and, as is usually the case under such circum- stances, every one gave it a kick down the hill. No stock was taken in it in this immediate vicinity, except a little toward building a station. Owing to their straitened circumstances, and their inability to pay their obligations, the bitterest enmity arose between the road and the town, and attachments were made against everything in the way of property belonging to the road, liable to such process, and even freight bills were garnisheed before they could be collected. Every occasion was sought to annoy each other, and they did not always stop at annoyance, but did considerable injury. A train passed through the town one very dry, windy day at full speed, with fires and steam at a high stage, and emitting from its smoke-stack great blazing cinders, which caught in some combustible matter, communicated to the town, and a destructive confla- gration was the result. When the train arrived at Forrest, the next station, the engineer looked back and saw the dense smoke, then remarked that he set the - - town of Fairbury on fire as he came through. The road, how- ever, lived and prospered, and grew out of its financial troubles, and is to-day one of the prosperous roads in the country. Its name was changed from Peoria & Oquawka to Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway, and it is a great trunk line between East and West. It was finished through here in 1857, and there are few roads at the present time in the State of Illinois that are doing a heavier business.

The Chicago & Paducah Road is a valuable addition to this section of the county, as it unites it by rail with the county seat, and also gives competi- tion in the shipment of freights, which are extremely heavy from this point- as much, perhaps, as from any other in Livingston County. As an illustra- tion of its importance, we give some statistical facts, kindly furnished by Mr. Winters, of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw, and Mr. Rogers, of the Chicago & Paducah, which are as follows for the year 1877 :

TOLEDO, PEORIA & WARSAW RAILROAD.

Freight forwarded. 600 car loads in bulk.

Freight forwarded. 60 car loads stock.

Freight forwarded 300 car loads of coal.

Total freight forwarded for the year. about 960 car loads.

Amount received on freight for year 1877, about. $24,000 00

Amount of ticket sales for year 1877. 12,000 00

CHICAGO & PADUCAH RAILROAD.

Freight forwarded-total grain, stock and coal 617 car loads.

Amount received on freight for 1877 $17,617 84

Amount ticket sales for 1877 7,990 20

Fairbury has been a most unfortunate town in the way of fires, and it would be rather difficult, perhaps, to find another place of its size that has been so often and so disastrously visited by the "fire fiend." The first great fire occur- red in October. 1868, and is the one already alluded to as catching from a pass-

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

ing locomotive, on the T., P. & W. R. R. It commenced in the Dresser Warehouse, located in East End, and communicated to a row of wooden build- ings on the north side of Locust street. Eighteen stores were burned, little of the contents saved, and the loss estimated at $75,000. Two other serious fires occurred in 1869, though neither was quite as destruetive as the one just men- tioned. In the month of February, a fire broke out in a frame store building on the corner of Locust and Fourth streets, belonging to I. P. McDowell, and communicated to a row of wooden buildings adjoining on the west. Ten buildings were burned, some goods saved, and loss estimated at $20,000. Another fire occurred this year. It originated in a wagon shop, owned by N. S. McDonald, in the West End, and simultaneously in Elliott's jewelry store, in East End, as though by a preconcerted arrangement of incendiaries to burn and plunder the entire town. Seven buildings were totally destroyed, with a loss of about $12,500.

In addition to the hostile feelings mentioned as existing between the vil- lage and the T., P. & W. Railway, for years, quite a kindred feeling existed between the east and west ends of the village, and mutterings, " deep and dire,'' were often indulged in between the sections, which bade fair, at times, to burst out like some of their own conflagrations. As this is an unpleasant part of our work, however, we will draw the veil over these human frailties, with a Bible admonition to the citizens, to " dwell together in unity."

The village has provided itself with a pretty good and efficient fire depart- ment, and organized volunteer companies. In 1874, they purchased a couple of hand engines, at a cost of about $1,800, and the village government allowed them $100 for keeping their fire taekle in good working order, while the remain- der of their services is gratuitous.

One of the most interesting and exciting little ineidents that has ever occurred in this village, perhaps, was the first exercising of the rights of fran- chise by a member of the " Fifteenth Amendment." Richard Quarles, known nearly all over MeLean and Livingston Counties as "Side Hill Dick," on account of one leg being several inches shorter than the other, was the first colored man to cast a ballot at an election in Fairbury. The occasion was the election of township officers. in the Spring of 1870, and called out nearly as many people, to witness the performance, as would a cireus. But no one chal- lenged or contested his right to vote, and it passed off all in good humor.

There are living in and around Fairbury about 100 negroes. They came mostly from Mr. Sullivant's, in Ford County, who imported them to work on his large farm : but as times grew hard and dull, he would get rid of his col- ored help, and they would wander toward Fairbury, where they found homes. They have always conducted themselves in an orderly manner, with a disposi- tion to work and get along in the world. The Supervisor says he has given less charity to negroes, in proportion, than to whites ; and, taken all together, nothing can truthfully be said to their disadvantage. They have a church. of

Respectfully CHATSWORTH

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

the Methodist Episcopal denomination, with a regular Pastor, Rev. Aaron Ward, of Pontiac, and a local preacher, also, Rev. Washington Farrer. A Sunday school is in full operation at their church, under the superintendence of James Allen, which is well attended. Their children go to the common schools, and share all the advantages of education equally with white chil- dren.

The village has a very handsome little cemetery, which was surveyed by Isaac R. Clarke, August 30, 1855, and was originally one-fourth of northwest quarter of Section 2, and has had an addition made to it since it was laid out, of about six acres of ground. It is well improved and set in trees and shrub- bery, and much respect shown by the living to the dead. The first burial in this cemetery was a Mrs. Hughes, wife of David Hughes, and was interred soon after the grounds were laid out.

Fairbury was originally called South Avoca, but was changed by Chenute, as noted in another place. It is situated at the crossing of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw and the Chicago & Paducah Railroads, twelve miles from Pontiac ' and 103 miles from Chicago. Though claiming a population variously estimated at from 2,500 to 3,000, it is still under village organization. The bar is repre- sented here by Hon. D. L. Murdock, State's Attorney, Judge W. G. McDowell, A. J. Clarke, R. T. Perry and J. D. Fraley, all of whom are menof ability. There are other able men in the place, but space forbids the mention of the names of all who have distinguished themselves, but will give only the following, who were identified with the army during the late war: Jo. H. Scibird, Major of the Seventieth Illinois Infantry ; John W. Morris, Captain of Company C. Sixty-eighth Illinois Infantry ; J. M. Wright, Lieutenant in Second Illinois Cavalry ; John Zimmerman, Lieutenant in Third Illinois Cavalry ; H. H. Staf- ford, First Lieutenant Company H, Seventy-second Indiana Infantry, living at present in Fairbury.

The following went into the army from Fairbury, but are now residing in other places : Rev. A. J. Cropsey, a Methodist preacher. Major of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and since the war has represented his district in the Lower House of the State Legislature. He at present lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. B. E. Robinson, First Lieutenant Company I, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served a full term in Andersonville prison, with all its horrors. He has served three terms as Sheriff of Livingston County, having been elected in 1872, 1874 and 1876, and is a candidate again for re-election. No man has ever held the office three terms in succession, since township organization. Byron Phelps, a son of Orin Phelps, mentioned as one of the early settlers of Forrest Township, was a Lieutenant in the Third Illinois Cav- alry, and after the close of the war was elected County Clerk, an office he filled satisfactorily for four years, and at present lives in Decatur, Ill. Aaron Weider was an officer in the Third Cavalry, and after the war was Treasurer of the county for four years. W. H. H. McDowell was Second Lieutenant in

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

the One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Illinois Infantry, and lives now in Pontiac. As to those who carried muskets, their names and regiments will be found in the general war record, on another page of this work. Henry H. Rogers, a son of S. S. Rogers, of Fairbury, was educated at the Naval Academy at Annapo- lis, Md. ; and when he graduated last Summer (1877), was appointed a midship- man on board of the U. S. steamer Pensacola, and is at present stationed at Mare Island, near San Francisco.

The medical fraternity of the village is as follows : Drs. S. M. & H. E. W. Barnes, J. F. Fraley, D. Brewer and James Pearson ; Dr. J. R. Rayburn, dentist.

Fairbury Guards, Company C, Tenth Battalion of the Illinois State Guards, with regimental headquarters at Dwight, Ill., was organized in October, 1877, with the following officers: J. L. Sacriste, Captain; J. M. Wright, First Lieutenant ; J. W. Morris, Second Lieutenant; and J. S. DeWolf, Orderly Sergeant.

Last but not least in the history of the village of Fairbury, we would men- tion in the most complimentary terms the Scibird Zouave Cadets, a company of small boys from 10 to 14 years old, and but recently organized into a military company. They have now forty members, and are being drilled in genuine military style by J. II. Scibird, Major of the Seventieth Illinois In- fantry, during the late war. Their uniform consists of red pants, blue shirts, red caps with blue top, white stockings and shoes. They have toy guns made under the direction of Maj. Scibird, and are pine stocks with tin barrels. Maj. Scibird takes great pride in drilling the little fellows, and, in justice to them, we must say that they do honor to their drill-master. Their evolutions are per- formed with perfect military precision, and older soldiers might learn much from their maneuvers. The country need fear no danger from enemies at home, or from foes abroad, which produces such manly and soldierly little boys as the Zouave Cadets. The following are their officers : Joe H. Scibird, Captain ;* Thomas Baker, First Lieutenant : Willie Van Doorn, Second Lieutenant ; Charley Rettenmayer, First Sergeant; Herman Gillett, Second Sergeant ; Fred Baker, Third Sergeant; Frank Duell, Fourth Sergeant ; Fred Wright, Fifth Sergeant; Grant McDowell, First Corporal ; George Decker, Second Corporal ; Clarence Murdock, Third Corporal ; Eddie Smith, Fourth Corporal ; Thomas Langabeer, Fifth Corporal ; Henry Sweet, Sixth Corporal ; Bruce Amsbury, Seventh Corporal ; Robby Mack, Eighth Corporal.

And perhaps Napoleon, Wellington, Washington or Lee never wore their official greatness with more dignity than do these embryo generals. But we leave them with a word of encouragement, and a kind wish for their future happiness :

" There's a page in their story, too bright to be lost ! May souls so heroic win laurels and praises

Eternal, beyond where the dark stream is crossed."

*The boys insisted on Maj. Scibird, who had organized and drilled them, being their Captain, and so unanimously elected him.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

BELLE PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.

Belle Prairie is known as Township 25 north, Range 6 east of the 3d Prin- cipal Meridian, and is fractional, containing only about half the amount of ter- ritory embraced in a regular Congressional Township. It lies in the extreme southern part of the county, bounded on the south and west by Ford and Mc- Lean Counties ; on the east by Fayette Township; on the north by Indian Grove, and is all prairie land, except a small body, comprising but a section or so. adjoining the latter township. The land is rolling, or gently undulating, affording good drainage, and the soil is rich and very productive. It is entirely devoted to farming and stock-raising, and contains no cities or villages, nor even a post office or store. However, the people are not deprived of these accom- paniments of civilization. There are plenty of them within easy reach, and several situated on the territorial limits, are liberally patronized and supported by the citizens of Belle Prairie.

This township is noted for being the scene of the first permanent settlement in Livingston County. In the Fall of 1830, a single emigrant wagon drew up at the head of the grove of timber, afterward named by the whites Indian Grove, and the owner of the wagon, or "prairie schooner," as the big " cov- ered wagons " of the emigrants were sometimes called, proceeded to pitch his tent on the banks of Indian Creek, which has its source in this vicinity. This early pioneer was Valentine Martin Darnall, recognized as the first actual set- tler of the county. He was born in Virginia, and, when a mere child, his parents removed to Kentucky, and settled in Boone County, one and a quarter miles from Boonesboro, the site of the first settlement made in the " Dark and Bloody Ground " by the " pale face," and where Daniel Boone, the pioneer, built a fort more than a century ago. His parents died there while he was yet quite young, and some years after attaining his manhood, and having taken to himself a life partner, he came to Illinois, arriving in the settlement above Pleasant Hill, on the Mackinaw River, in October, 1830. He had three brothers-in-law living at that place, and he left his wagon and family with them while he came over to Indian Grove on a prospecting tour. After deciding upon his location, he borrowed a wagon from a brother-in-law to avoid unloading, and again loading his own, and having procured some grain, went over on the San- gamon River, eight miles from Springfield, to mill,* as he could not live, he says, even in a wilderness, without something to eat. He was gone fourteen days, as the miller couldn't or wouldn't grind for him sooner, nor hire him the mill to grind it for himself. On the 26th of October, he got back to the settle- ment, and on the 27th came over to the spot destined to be his home for many years. The first thing after pitching his tent, and getting " a bite to eat," was to cut down a " board tree " and " chop off a cut "-he had no saw-which he cut eight feet long and quartered, in order that he might "rive " boards by fire-

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 32

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884