The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 60

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > Illinois > McLean County > The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 60

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

Bloomington, entered into partnership with him, and the firm remained in business on that corner fourteen years and was quite successful. Since retiring from business, Mr. Greenman has had a good deal to do with the schools, and his prompt, correct business habits have been of great service to the community in many ways. His health is not very good now ; has headache a good deal when folks bother him. but he looks as though he would hold out several years yet.

Richard Edwards took the store which Greenman left in 1844, and continued in business several years. B. E. Dodson rented in the hotel at first, and after that he occupied the building on the corner of Center street and the public square.

Kimler & Bishop opened business about 1847, where the meat market now is. They continued a few years and then bought the old harness-shop, and moved it east to its present position, and built the corner store, and Minor Bishop con- tinued to trade there. L. H. & B. F. Park occupied the old meat market building which K. & B. had got out of, a few years, and then bought en the other side of the street east, where Stearns' boot and shoe store now is. This firm continued until the rebellion, when it was dissolved by the military service of L. H. Park, and Mr. B. F. Park continued in trade until he died. L. H. returned and commenced business again and still remains in business, the oldest in mercantile life in town.

Baker & Greenman, after a few years' trade in the frame building on the corner of Center street and the public square, moved it off and built the present fine brick build- ing in 1857, at a cost of $3,000. It was a fine building for its day and was a eredit to the builders, for it was, like them, substantial and business-like.

E. L. Morehouse & Son drove quite a brisk trade for a time, and Mr. McLean, from Farmer City, was here awhile.

T. J. Barnett commenced trade about 1852, like his predecessors, in the "old meat market." The next year, he built the post office building, which was the first brick building in Le Roy and was way out of the "business center," for up to that time all the trade was on Center street within one block of the public square. Bar- nett continued in the post office building ten years and then bought the Greenman brick building and still owns it. For a time he was in partnership with J. Keenan. This made a strong firm, and sold in flush times $55,000 worth per year. Crumbaugh & Reed did a large trade in 1854 and 1855. David Cheney carried on a considerable trade here for some years. Amos Neal put up the first log house in Le Roy in 1835, and the next year T. J. Barnett built the next one near by it, on Block 15, where Wright's blacksmith-shop now stands. It was a good-sized building for the times, 14x16. It was built for his mother who continued to occupy it until he was able to do something better for her.

Mr. Conkling put up a number of small frame buildings on his lots, intending them to help sell his lots. Mr. Neal took the contract for putting up a lot of them. The lumber to cover and finish them was split out, and dressed down with a drawing-knife. They were small and decidedly primitive. Some are now standing. The speculation proved abortive, and the panic of 1837 carried him with it.

Dr. Moran, a well-educated physician, came to Buckles' Grove in 1834, and con- tinued to practice his profession here until he moved to Springfield, in 1857. Dr. Welden bought him out and remained three or four years, and went to Covington, Ind. Dr. Stephen Noble, a nephew of Dr. Noble of Randolph, came here in 1850 and

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

remained till 1865. when he went to Bloomington, where he died in 1871. He came to the county in 1831, and studied medicine with his uncle and at Bloomington. He came to Le Roy to enter a partnership with Dr. Cheney. He was several times Presi- dent of the County Medical Society, and once of the State Society.

The first goods brought here were purchased at St. Louis and brought up the river to Pekin, which was the sea-port for all this country till 1855, when the building of rail- roads changed all trade to Chicago. Farmers hauled their wheat to Pekin (corn could not be sold at any price), and sometimes went to Chicago with loads to get salt, which was one of the articles of prime necessity among so many cattle, and could not be got at St. Louis without paying too much for it.

At first, the people had to go to the Wabash and to the Illinois River to get grind- ing done. They had small horse-mills along the timber. The first good mill built here was by Elisha Gibbs, about 1841, on the south side of town. It was about 40x46, two and a half stories high, and had one set of three-foot stones, a saw-mill, aud two sets of carding machinery. It was run by steam, and cost about $4,000. It was in all respects a good mill for the times. It was burned in 1844.

Buckles & Farmer built a steam grist and saw mill about 1853, on the cast side of town. It came into the hands of Morehouse, and burned about 1856.

Hobert & Dickerson built the large steam mill near the railroad depot, three. blocks west of the public square, in 1859, at an expense of about $30,000. Dickerson sold to Bruner & Barnum, and Bruner to Keenan. Barnum & Keenan now run it strong-handed, and, in connection with it, their large grain and lumber trade. It is a first-class mill, and, probably, the best one in the eastern part of the county.

The Le Roy races were the standard Saturday sport of the old town, long before circuses and other ways of spending money had come into vogue. The race-track ran entirely around the town, which was then confined to the few blocks lying around the hotel. Every Saturday that the weather was suitable, the crack runners from the surrounding country showed their speed and tried their mettle on this track. Dr. Winn, from Waynesville, the Funks, who always had good horses, old Sammy Ogden, from upon the Mackinaw, with his " Clear the Kitchen " and " Juliet ;" Yazel, froin Saybrook, and other old sports who never could see any fun in trotting, were generally here. The Bloomington boys used to come down and leave their tracks on the sand and their money with the boys. Betting ran high, and men were drawn to the place whose presence gave rise to many well-founded rumors of more objectionable vocations than horse-racing. An impression got abroad that, under the cover of " the races," gam- bling, counterfeiting and kindred crimes were not unknown in Le Roy. How much truth there was in these surmises is not our province to decide, but racing, betting and drinking were common, and from these it is fair to presume that men with criminal intent were drawn there.

The growth of the town was slow, and for a long time there was not much to encourage, but there are now many substantial and good buildings, which reflect credit on the builders. S. D. Baker, of the firm of Greenman & Baker, who now resides in Bloomington, built, in 1849, a nice two-story frame house on the north side of the pub- lic square, in which he lived twenty-five years. In 1850, Mr. Greenman built the house now owned and occupied by Rev. D. R. Taylor. In 1855, he built the house now occupied by John Young. Dr. S. W. Noble built a good residence, now occupied

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

by T. J. Barnett. M. E. Ferguson built the house now occupied by Mrs. Arnold as the Cottage Hotel, in 1862, and J. H. Arnold built the one now occupied by Mr. Mur- ray in 1865.

Dr. Fisher built and occupies the finest brick residence in town, in the northeast corner of the city. It is a neat and tasty building. John Kline, the present Super- visor of Empire, built, about the same time, a frame residence of the same style of architecture, near by Dr. Fisher's. Dr. Cheney and A. C. King put up nice residences about 1860, in the north part of town.

P. P. Watt and Dr. Cheney put up a fine brick block of three two-story-and-base- ment stores on Center street. B. F. Brinley built a similar store, and L. H. Park and the Odd Fellows a similar one. J. Keenan built the two-story brick on the corner of Chestnut and Center streets, now occupied by his store and bank. G. W. Potts built the brick store now occupied by him and owned by Keenan.

Mr. Joseph Keenan has been for some years one of most energetic business men of Le Roy. Besides his store and bank, he is interested in the mill, the lumber and grain trade, and alive to every interest which is vital to Le Roy.

NEWSPAPERS.

The first newspaper ever issued in Le Roy was the Exchange, published by J. W. Wolfe September 29, 1870. It contained an account of the excursion train, the first one run over the I., B. & W. R. R., from Urbana through Bloomington to Peoria on the 13th of September, containing seven coaches, filled with the guests of the road, participating in this opening. The paper was well conducted and showed a healthy amount of advertising patronage. He continued it about two years. He is now pub- lishing the Citizen at Mt. Pulaski.

While the Exchange was still being published, Mr. J. S. Harper, the great news- paper " starter," who has started more papers and run fewer beyond the first six months than any other man in the State, commenced, in 1871, the publication of the Sucker State. Harper had a kind of pre-emption on " starting papers " in this State. Most any newspaper man can count up about three dozen of his various enterprises, without much effort of memory. It never made a particle of difference to him whether there was an opening or not-whether the location had all the papers it could support-if he could find a vacant loft, he just moved in and went to work. This lived as long as any of his papers, and then he struck Saybrook, where his reception was no more encourag- ing, and he came back to Le Roy.

In November, 1874, C. M. Davis commenced the publication of the Enterprise, a five-column quarto, independent in politics. It is a neatly-printed, well-conducted sheet, devoted to the local interests of Le Roy, and apparently receiving an encouraging support.

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES.

The first intelligent account of stated preaching and church organization comes from Father Silas Waters, who, for nearly fifty years has been a soldier of the Cross here fighting in the M. E. division of the church militant. The year he came to Buckles' Grove, Rev. James Latta was a missionary here, and held his meetings in William Conaway's house. A class was organized, of which Mr. Waters was leader, composed of eleven members, by Rev. S. R. Begg in 1831. William, Nancy and Chalton Conaway,

Was VanSchoich,

BLOOMINGTON

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

Matilda Barnett, James Merrifield and wife, Jane and Rachel Conaway, Silas and Chris- tiana Waters and Catharine Barnett were members of this first class. Preaching service was held every four weeks by Mr. Begg. The circuit embraced Hurley's Grove (Farmer City), Old Town, Bloomington, Randolph's Grove and Hidell's Grove (Clin- ton ), larger than a Presiding Elder's district now. William Crissey and William Royal followed Begg on this field. The Clearwater schoolhouse was built in 1834, and they began to have the service there. Rev. Z. Hall, Mr. Cummings, J. E. French and Mr. Mozier served the little church when it met in the schoolhouse. The church was com- menced in 1838. Edgar Conkling gave the lot, which was about sixty rods north of the present church. The building was 30x45, and it was no easy matter in those discour- aging times to get the church built, and thus a renewed effort was made to get it seated. It was completed in all its necessary appointments in 1840. The seats were good, but not very comfortable. The pulpit was a three-story affair. Some years later, a bell was put in. The names of those who acted as pastors during the occupancy of this church, as recollected by Mr. Waters, were Richard Bird, Mr. Gentry, James Rucker, Mr. Hendal, Sam. Martin, Sampson Shinn, Preston Wood, Mr. Norton, Ira Emer- son, B. Barthlow, Mr. Aymold, Harker Smith and Amos Garner.

One of the ministers created a considerable feeling during the Black Hawk war, by saying in a sermon that if the Indians should come to his house in his absence and murder and scalp his family he would not be justified in killing them. These peace doctrines were not very popular.

This old church was sold in 1867 to Elias Wall for a barn, and the present brick edifice erected. It is 40x60, with spire, and cost about $10,000, free of debt. D. L. Morehouse and Silas Waters were the leading spirits in the building. Rev. Amos Gar- ner was Pastor. It was then Le Roy circuit. The following year it was divided. The following pastors have served no church since : Greenbury Garner, James Sey- mour, Mr. Bates, C. B. Obinchane, W. C. Lacey, P. De Clark, S. H. Whittock, J. Seymour, Mr. McCoy, J. D. Fry. A Sabbath school is maintained, averaging about two hundred members, largely through the instrumentality of Mr. Waters, Mr. Davi- son, T. F. Hamand, Mr. Barley and Mr. Fry. The official brethren are Silas Waters, D. L. Morehouse, Henry Long, James Kimler and B. F. Brinley. It belongs to the Bloomington district.

The Cumberland Presbyterians were among the first to establish regular religious services here. The Rev. R. D. Taylor (an imperfect sketch of whose life and services in this part of the State will be found in " Downs"), the Revs. Archer and Neal John- son, and the Rev. James Davis were believed to be the earliest Christian ministers of that denomination working in the field. The Buckles family were attached to that Church, and naturally took an interest in getting a house of worship and regular preach- ing. Mr. Taylor still resides in Le Roy. Mr. Johnson went to Kansas and died there three years ago. Mr. Davis lives on the Mackinaw. This belonged to the Mackinaw Presbytery as early as 1838, for in that year Mr. Taylor was ordained to the Christian ministry by that body, he having been licensed to preach before leaving Kentucky, in 1836.

Just when the Church was organized seems to be involved in obscurity. Thomas Buckles and James Rutledge were the first Elders; and with J. D. Baker and Peter Buckles, were the leaders in getting up the first house of worship. Elisha Gibbs put

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

up the frame and Mr. Smith inclosed it, after which, Mr. Gibbs and his son put in the seats.

No one seems to be found to father the architecture of this old church, which, from all accounts, was one of the oddities of the age. It was forty feet square, and the entrance was at the side, under the eaves, back in the alley. The windows had about fifty lights of glass each, which were square. The pulpit way up to the ceiling. Rev. A. J. Thomas, who for a long time was supply, and afterward Pastor, first came here in 1851, and while living at Atlanta, came here frequently to preach. In 1857, he moved here on account of the advantages of the seminary which was constructed here under the auspices of the Cumberland Church. Mr. Thomas had been educated in Indiana. He served the Church as stated supply until 1858. For a year, R. D. Taylor and William M. Taylor, now of Macon County, preached, and Mr. Thomas was installed Pastor, which relation he maintained for twelve years. During his pastorate, the present neat- brick church was built, in 1863. It is 36x50, with spire 72 feet high. Downey & Hardy were architects and builders. It cost $3,600, and is free from debt. Mr. Thomas still lives here, and is now in the employ of the Bloomington Chair Company as purchasing agent. He was a preacher of more than ordinary force, and under his pas- toral labor, the Church increased in numbers to 230 members, built their fine church, maintained a good Sabbath school, and grew in strength and efficiency.

Since the close of Mr. Thomas' labors, Rev. R. T. Marlon, Rev. J. D. Best and Rev. M. H. Kimberlin have preached, each for a year or two. Rev. J. R. Laurence, of Lincoln, supplies the pulpit half of the time.

Connected with the Church, as really a part of its work, was the Le Roy Seminary, an institution for higher education than the common schools of that day furnished- Rev. Robert Patten, from Tennessee, had charge of it from 1854 to 1859, and had sev- eral assistants. Miss Maltby, Mr. Roach and Miss Conkling were engaged in teaching. The Seminary was a success until the building-up of the graded common school, when it was abandoned. The building stood in the north part of town, and was used by the graded school until the new brick edifice was completed, and then moved to and became a part of the hotel.

The Le Roy graded school, which is the successor of the Seminary, occupied that building for a few years, when the citizens decided to have something better.

In 1864, E. E. Greenman, Dr. Cheney and B. F. Park were Directors, and they purchased Block 112 of Conkling's Addition, paying $150, and built the two-story brick schoolhouse, 34x48, at a cost of 84,200.

W. A. Munroe was first Principal, then J. W. Barley, J. X. Wilson, C. A. Barley and M. Jess. The school officers have been fortunate, perhaps attentive to their trust is a better term, in the selection of princip als for this school. Mr. C. A. Barley, who taught the school for five years previous to the five-years term of the present Principal, was a thorough teacher, with peculiar fitness for management, and excellent judgment in all that appertains to efficiency and welfare of the school. When Mr. Jess, the present Principal, took the school, he found it in first-rate condition. He pays a high tribute, evidently a just one, to Mr. Barley's administration of the schools. Since he left the school, Mr. Barley has been in business in Le Roy, as insurance and real estate agent, and, with the useful dis- position which possesses him, is often called into serving the public in ways almost innumerable. No oue in Le Roy ever thinks of starting a society, company or any

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

public undertaking, without Charley Barley's assistance. Really a useful man in the community and one who is willing to be so. In clerical work he has few superiors.

Mr. M. Jess, who has, since Mr. Barley's close five years ago, had charge of the schools, was educated in New York, has taught ten years in Champaign County and at Farmer City, giving everywhere good satisfaction. He grades the school in cleven sec- tions from the primer through to the graduation from the high school, without reference to the time employed. When the pupil has performed the work in one section, he is promoted to another, making the teacher responsible for the proper conduct and instruc- tion of the pupil.

The course embraces languages, higher mathematics, civil government, the sciences and history. Each pupil who passes a satisfactory examination is given a diploma, cer- tifying his or her completion of the prescribed course. The graduating classes average about nine ; and most of the graduates have made successful teachers.

Mr. Jess is an accomplished educator, seeming to control without an effort, with a wealth of resource without limit for interesting and leading his pupils up the hill of knowl- edge. From the estimation in which he is held, it seems as though his tenure is certain.

The average attendance for the winter term was 275. The teachers are, First Assistant, Miss Anna Sutherland ; intermediate, Miss Susan E. Irwin ; second primary, Miss Alice King ; first primary, Miss Nora Kline.

Le Roy Lodge, No. 221, F. & A. M., was instituted by dispensation granted January 28, 1856. Charter dated October, 1956. The charter members were: D. Cheney, W. M .; Hiram Buck, S. W .; S. D. Baker, J. W .; J. M. Downey, E. E. Greenman, S. W. Noble, J. W. Hagel. Three of them are still members. The Lodge numbers now about sixty. Dr. Cheney has held Master's chair for a long time. The present officers are : C. M. Davis, W. M .; A. Sigler, S. W .; A. D. Davis, J. W .; R. S. Howard, Treasurer ; T. F. Hamand, Secretary ; Dr. J. F. McKensie, Senior Deacon; T. J. Baddeley, Junior Deacon; J. W. Humphrey, H. I. Barnum, Stewards.

The Lodge can hardly be called a dark-lantern affair, for its night for mecting is the Tuesday before the full moon. Thus, if almanacs can be relied on, having moonlight for their meetings.

Lodge No. 149, I. O. O. F., was organized in 1854, with sixteen members. Of the original members, B. F. Parks is the only one left in the Lodge now. Present mem- bership, fifty-three. More than two hundred and fifteen have belonged at different times. The Lodge has been very successful. It owns the lodge-room, and has funds besides. James Wright is N. G .; W. C. Cochran, V. G .; Z. Chick, Secretary and Lodge Deputy. Meets cach Thursday evening whether there is a moon visible or not.

Le Roy Encampment No. 32 numbers twenty-three members. Alexander McIlfresh, C. P .; James Wright, H. P .; W. C. Cochran, S. W .; J. H. Cochran, Scribe; G. S. Crumbaugh, Treasurer. Mects second and fourth Fridays of each month. The Encamp- ment is joint-owner of the hall with the Lodge.

The Empire Building and Loan Association was organized under authority of an act of the Legislature " to enable associations of persons to become a body corporate to loan money to their own members," June 3, 1874. C. A. Barley, B. Brinley, J. M. Stearns, S. F. Barnum, A. R. Arbuckle, are the corporators. S. F. Barnum, President; C. A. Barley. Secretary ; J. Keenan, Treasurer. The capital stock is 1,000 shares of $100 each. There are now 100 members, and about $55,000 in the fund. Interest is

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HISTORY OF MCLEAN COUNTY.

payable monthly at six per centum. In its workings it has proved a complete success. The object is to enable laboring men to own their own homes for just about what they would otherwise pay for rent. So far, about forty have been assisted to get homes. The charter is limited to eight years.

The Le Roy Library and Reading Association was organized in May, 1875, by Dr. T. D. Fisher, C. A. Barley and C. M. Davis. The capital stock is $5 a share. There were eight to commence with. Subscriptions to the capital stock could be paid in books. Mrs. N. T. Humphrey, President; Dr. Fisher, Vice President; G. L. Sheldon, Secretary; Mrs. T. A. Taylor, Librarian. There are 700 volumes. Loan tickets are $2 per year, or 75 cents per quarter. Stock- holders pay, $100 per year. The affairs of the Association are under the management of an Executive Committee. Mrs. Taylor has been Librarian from the beginning. From her last report it appears 1,500 books had been taken out during the year.

While yet in its infancy, no one can estimate the influence of this in the present, or on the future. There are already many valuable books upon its shelves. We notice sets of " Chambers' Miseellany," Rollins' and Macauley's histories, Wilson's " Rise and Fall of the Slave Power," " Plutarch's Lives," and many of the standard works of travel, history, fiction and poetry. The citizens can well afford to give it a wider influence. The Havana, Rantoul & Eastern Railroad is, or at least the recently built section from Fisher to Le Roy is, a Le Roy enterprise, and its history belongs here.

March 24, 1876, the company was organized here to build a narrow-gauge road from Fisher to Le Roy, an extension of the road already built from Rantoul to Fisher. James Bishop was elected President, C. A. Barley, Secretary, and J. Keenan, Treas- urer. This action was taken because the people of Empire Township, which had donated $75,000 to the I., B. & W. R. R., felt that they had been discriminated against in the matter of freights, and they had assurances that if this road was built, their grain could be shipped off at less freight than they were paying.

Fifteen thousand dollars was subscribed to the stock, when the death of Mr. Bishop put a stop to the matter for awhile. In the spring of 1868, B. J. Gifford, of Rantoul, was elected President, the capital stock was increased to $30,000, the right of way was mostly donated, and in ten months from his election, the road was built and in running order. Two-thirds of this stock was subscribed in Empire Township, cre- ating no debt. The road thus built is twenty-three miles long, and has eight stations on it. It has already met all expectations, freights are lower than ever before, and the road is doing a good business. It has good Eastern connections, and will, probably, in time, he continued west to Havana.

The successive Postmasters of Le Roy have been Hiram Buck, Dr. S. J. Weldon, S. D. Baker, James Kimler, S. A. Moore, G. D. Crumbaugh and J. W. Brown.

CITY ORGANIZATION.

The town of Le Roy was incorporated in 1853, and remained under town organi- zation until the spring of 1874, when the fire which burned out the corner opposite the Le Roy House, burned up the town records. In this fire, two stores, Sill's drug store, a hotel, ten-pin alley, Dr. Fisher's office and two other wooden buildings were destroyed. A petition was presented to the Board to permit a city organization. A census was taken, which showed a population of 1,018.

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The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, Part 60

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Le Baron, Wm., Jr. & Co., Chicago, Pub
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron, Jr.
Number of Pages: 1092