USA > Illinois > Woodford County > The Woodford County history > Part 25
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The impressive brick grade school was burned to the ground in May of 19IS. It was said that the building was set afire. However, nothing was ever proved. While the new grade school was being built, the elementary grades held school in the vil- lage hall. High school classes didn't recon- vene until the new building was finished; thus, it held only four and one-half months of school in the following sehool term. The succeeding school was built on the same place. This school was used for both grade and high school until about 1937 when another concrete block, two-room and basement school was built at the corner of State Route Twenty-six and Illinois Street. Four years of high school were taught here. Mrs. Angie Smith was hired as principal. The Spring Bay High School No. 119 lost its recognition by the state in 1951. This action by the state forced the elosing of the Spring Bay High School and the area com- prising the Riverview Grade School Dis- triet was automatically annexed to the Metamora High School District.
In 1955 the rural elementary schools were consolidated to form the present Riverview Grade School District No. 2, which is a struggling enterprise. An elec- tion was held to vote on the question of whether or not bonds should be sold to finance the building of a school to house all the grades in one building. The propo- sition passed three to one. The school has had three additions, yet today it has be- come crowded, again, needing more space and more teachers.
Doctors
The first physician who practiced in this section was Dr. Langworth of Peoria, whose large practice extended over on this side of the river. A Dr. Allen practiced in Spring Bay in the early years around the I900's, but little is known of him since he stayed a very short time. The only doctors that have stayed with Spring Bay have been Dr. John G. Zeller and Dr. Herman G. Eichhorn.
Dr. John G. Zeller, one of the prominent men of the village and township, came from Bavaria, Germany, in 1847. While at- tending the St. Louis Medical College he met the girl he was later to marry, Fred- erika C. Nicholas, in 1855. She was born in Prussia in 1826, and died in May IS65, leaving four children, Charles A., George A., Josephine M., and Frederika C., Dr. Zeller then married Caroline Winkler. There were three surviving ehildren from this marriage, Julius, Christine, and Wil- liam.
Dr. Zeller came up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers by boat and seeing the pos- sibilities in Spring Bay, took a little cabin that had been deserted. After he had be- eome established, he went back for his wife. There were few buildings in the township at this time. When he started his practice he walked to make house calls until he could afford a horse. He would go 15 miles to deliver a baby for the grand sum of one dollar. A man of intelligence and education, he always took an active part in everything calculated to promote the advancement of his town. The court
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records of the local police magistrate (an office he held the first years, as well as coroner), justice of peace records, the township and village records all showed him to have been very active.
Dr. John G. Zeller devoted considerable attention to grape culture, and was the first to introduce the Coneord. Hartford, and the Virginia Seedling in this section. The Concord has proven to be the only suitable one for this climate.
Dr. George Zeller, son of Dr. John G. Zeller, was another of the Zellers to take an active interest in his village and com- munity. Dr. George Zeller served his coun- try in the Spanish American War, and after that served 30 years in the Welfare Depart- ment of the State Ilospital for the insane at Bartonville, Illinois. At his retirement he remained at the hospital as consulting as- sistant to the new managing officers. He did much research in mental illness prior to being recognized as one of the world's foremost alienists. Dr. G. Zeller was one of the first hospital managers in the country to bring about reform in the care of the insane. He began a system of classification of the various types of insanity with a plan of care and treatment for each. Just re- cently a new clinic in Peoria, Illinois, has been given the Zeller name in honor of Dr. George Zeller.
The only other well known doctor from Spring Bay was a cousin of Dr. George Zeller, Dr. Herman G. Eichhorn. Born at Spring Bay April 20, 1872, he was the old- est son of Peter and Catherine Winkler Eichhorn. He graduated from Northwest- ern University, where he received his medi- cal degree in 1896. Setting up an office in Spring Bay, he began his career as a coun- try doctor, praetieing here for 18 years be- fore he moved to Peoria and opened offiees in the Central National Bank Building in 1914.
After 50 years he retired from aetive practice and moved back to Spring Bay, where he established a small office in his home and continued to see patients until his death September 28, 1962.
During the years when residents of
Spring Bay had to depend on doctors from the towns of other commmities, women often depended on mid-wives for deliver- ing babies. Mrs. Minnie Fischer (92 years old-oldest resident of Spring Bay) often was called even before the doctor was called. The roads were sometimes impass- able and telephone service unreliable. It was the custom in those days to deliver the babies at home. Mrs. Fischer says she has no idea how many babies she has helped to deliver. She lost count long ago.
Fire Department and Jail
There is very little information about the first jail, except references to the cala- boose in the old court records and in the minutes of the village board meetings. In the earlier days the jail and fire department were housed in the same building.
The people now living in Spring Bay, who remember the fire department in the early 1900's, say that if the fire was near the firehouse the men would pull the wagon that held the tank of water to the fire, and if the fire was more than two blocks away, someone hitched his team to the wagon to pull it to the fire. On Deeora- tion Day the fire wagon and tank were decorated and the Spring Bay Band and school children would march from the jail house to the cemetery for the ceremony at the cemetery. In January of 1919 the vil- lage paid 50 cents to Revilo Smith for re- moving the ice from the "fire tank."
For years Spring Bay was without a fire department until the Spring Bay Volunteer Fire Department was organized December 10, 1952. Fire House No. 1 stands where the old Eichhorn brewery stood. The ground was given by J. George Zeller.
Fire House No. 2 was built in the fall of 1964 and spring of 1965 on State Route 26, south of the Grandview Mobile Home Court in the northern edge of Tazewell County. Floyd Wilky gave the ground on a 20-year lease with option of renewing the lease in exchange for fire protection for the trailer court. The fire department has five trucks and rescue equipment. The county judge appoints the board of trustees. Pres-
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ent board is Oliver E. Garber, president; Bruno H. Baldacci, treasurer; and Eugene McCarty, secretary.
The first jail stood on Oregon Street, be- tween Illinois and Caroline. The second building that housed the jail still stands today, in a deplorable condition. In the summer, grass grows in the gutters. This building was first built as a dwelling and saloon combination by William Walker. Mrs. Minnie Fischer, born April 1I, 1875 (a daughter of Mathias Alfred Williams), moved into the building with her family when she was ten. It was sometime after this that the building became the jail for the village.
In the early days the constable was paid by the arrests he made; an example in February 1920, the village voted to pay the constable $2 per month plus a percentage of the fines levied from each arrest. In July 1934, George Faller was appointed as special policeman with a salary of $1.50 per week and allowed a $1.50 for each arrest. The books of the village for the month of August showed that everything must have been quiet, or George was very tolerant of misdemeaners, since he received payment for only one fine.
War Record
This township, though small, was no lag- gard in furnishing soldiers in the Civil War. Many Spring Bay men served in the Eighty- fifth Illinois Vohmteer Infantry and the Seventy-seventh Regiment Illinois Volun- teer Infantry.
The Spanish American War of 1898 took a number of the men from Spring Bay as can be seen from the inscription on the monuments in the cemeteries in the town- ship.
Our small township was also well repre- sented in the first World War.
Of all our boys who served in the Sec- ond World War, only two failed to return -Frank Hardcastle died overseas and Gil- bert Loser was killed in action.
Spring Bay has furnished her quota of boys to the War of Vietnam-some who
have served and returned; others who are in training or fighting now.
Churches
Perhaps the first religious services in this township were held by the Methodists, who sent their ministers here at a very early date. Who preached the first sermon is not known, but a Methodist minister-a Rev. Mr. Lattey-was one of the first. Before 1905 there were no churches in the com- munity and the people met in private homes or the village hall for religious serv- ices. The old records of the village show that the village board did not charge any fee for a funeral service held in the hall, but did sometimes charge a small fee for church services.
Mrs. Harriet Hurlbert, daughter of An- gus McQueen (who came to Spring Bay in 1837), organized a Sunday School that was conducted in the town hall. It flourished for more than 50 years. Mrs. Hurlbert had two daughters, who were a great help to her in her church work. It is said that Fanny Hurlbert refused to walk on the cement walks after they were built by the village because some of the money to build them was from the revenue from the sale of liquor licenses. (Mr. Hurlbert read the address welcoming President Martin Van Buren, when he honored Peoria with a visit. He later joined the gold rush in 185I and never returned. )
First Church. The Hollands Grove Cir- cuit sent preachers to Spring Bay for many years without apparent results. Twenty-six different men served from 1861 to 1899. Phillip Boucher served from 1899 to 1902 and claimed he was the first preacher to be allowed to stay overnight in Spring Bay. In the days of F. Thiess, from 1902 to 1905, the attitude of the people changed, follow- ing a revival meeting in which some were converted. Mrs. Caroline Zeller and Mrs. Katherine Guenther, ( sisters) each gave $1,000 toward erection of a church and parsonage. The church was dedicated on June 4, 1905. ( Pastor at that time was F. W. Doede.) It was known as the Evangelical Association. The building cost $4,700 and
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3
EUB Church. Evangelical United Brethren Church in Spring Bay.
the indebtedness was still $2,300 on the day of dedication. By the end of the day, and after three services, the people had raised the additional money to pay the debt. In 1910, Rev. W. Albrecht was pastor. From 1910 until 1934 the church had 11 pastors. Rev. J. F. Sahlin served from 1935 to 1952 and is the best known of the pastors. In October 1922, the name was changed to Evangelical Church following a merger. The parsonage burned on February 28, 1933, and was rebuilt the following sum- mer.
In 1947, the name was again changed to the Evangelical United Brethren Church following a merger with the United Breth- ren in Christ. Work was begun in 1950 on the north wing Christian Education Unit, which was dedicated September 16, 1951.
In 1956-57 remodeling was done and the building was rededicated on October 20, 1957.
Bayview Baptist Church. The Bayview Baptist Church was organized by Mr. and Mrs. Ogle Riple and Mr. and Mrs. George Cagle, with approximately 15 members. They met at first in the village hall. Mr. Ogle Riple was the first minister. In 1955, during the ministry of Charles Hargraves and with a membership of approximately 40, a building was erected in the northwest
corner of Bayview. Gerald Thompson is the present minister.
Cemeteries
There are, in this year of 1968, ten burial plots to be found in Spring Bay Township. Eight of them are small, ranging in size from two to two dozen graves with mark- ers. These are scattered about the com- munity. The other two are organized ceme- teries-the Spring Bay Cemetery and the Sand Hill Cemetery.
The Sand Hill Cemetery. a beautiful lit- tle cemetery upon the hillside, a mile north of Spring Creek on the Spring Bay black- top, contains the graves of some of the earliest settlers. Maintenance is financed by taxation and the cemetery board of three consists of Jack Rahn. John Schaer, and Ernest Berry.
The largest cemetery in the township is the Spring Bay Cemetery, east of the north- cast corner of the village. The cemetery board was organized February 29, 1929, and a certificate of incorporation was filed March 12. 1929. The board consisted of six members appointed by the county judge. In 1966 it was cut to five members. The first board members were William Zeller, president; Roy Belsly, treasurer; Ilarry Winkler, clerk; Walter Hoffman, Lewis
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Goehring, and Oliver Garber. The upkeep of the cemetery is financed through a per- manent care fund (three-fourths of the money from the sale of lots). The remain- ing one-fourth is used for operating ex- penses. The older part of the cemetery began as a Goehring family burial plot; Goehring being the first settler on the ground.
Organizations in the Community
There have been many organizations in the community during its history; 1836 to 1968.
One of the most popular organizations was the Spring Bay Band that was organ- ized in 1909. Spring Bay had a chapter of Red Cross in 1917 and they were the first ones to use the new park pavilion for a Fourth of July benefit dance.
The Grangers, No. 1863, was organized in 1932. It had a program of recreation and education for its members, yet it also served as recreation center for the com- munity. Members of the Zeller family con- tributed much to the building of the Grange hall.
The American Legion Post 1115 of Spring Bay is the oldest organization in the community at the present time. It was or- ganized December 10, 1946, with 15 mem- bers-Lou Kohl was commander, and Wil- liam Miller, adjutant.
Spring Bay Legion Officers
Commander-Harry Reeves Vice Commander-Ernest Berry Finance Officer-Jack Rahn Adjutant-Robert Pears
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 1115 was organized early in 1947.
The Legion sponsors the Little League ball team. Since 1951, they have held a Watermelon Festival (third week of Au- gust ) as the major fund raising drive. This festival gives Spring Bay its major com- munity entertainment of the year. The festival consists of a large exhibit tent for merchants of the surrounding area, a earni- val, concessions, food tent, watermelons and cantaloupes by the hundreds, plus
three nights of free entertainment.
The C.P.A., Community Club of Parents, of Spring Bay Township (organized in 1954) was instrumental in organizing the three sehools; Spring Bay, Bluffview, and Hillside into one school district-The Con- solidated Sehool District No. 2 of Wood- ford County. The school was named River- view School. After a few years, attendance and interest in the Club dropped, so the club reformed into the present day P.T.A. and is affiliated with the National P.T.A. organization.
Historical Places
Spring Bay has many historical spots, but few of them are marked. There are no signs of the levee, except for a few rocks, seen when the Illinois River is at its lowest stage. All signs of the Hoshor Mill, the Eichhorn Brewery, in faet, all of the earliest buildings are gone. There are several houses in the Bay that average 100 to per- haps 125 years in age, such as the former home of Dr. H. Eichhorn, now occupied by William Mitchel; the old home of Mrs. Guenther, now owned by Joe Loser; and the home of Captain C. A. and Kate Zeller now owned by Clara Louise Zeller, their granddaughter. It was considered the man- sion of the Bay and still remains the most beautiful home in Spring Bay Village.
The Cave. The only other significant heritage from the pioneer days is the man-made cave which was built one-half mile south of Spring Bay, Illinois, on the Spring Bay blacktop road. Peter Eichhorn, Sr. located in Spring Bay, Ill., and built a brewery and also the cave.
This underground cave is very impres- sive having depth of 60 feet with a ceiling which is arehed to a height of 12 feet. The entire cave is constructed of limestone, which was transported down the Illinois River by boat from Joliet, Ill. long before the Civil War.
Reminiscences of a Thriving Era
In Spring Bay's golden days, before the decline, a farmer could take his grain into one of the warehouses and while in town
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could purchase or trade for anything from axle grease, hairpins, hard candies, garters, corsets, calico dresses to nails, wire, or rope. There were hardware stores, grocer- ies, farm supply stores, blacksmith shops, shoe cobbler, cabinet maker, and last but not least the saloon where he could buy the "cup that cheers," and swap gossip with other patrons. Beer was a nickel a glass (man sized), and whiskey a dime a shot. and there was plenty of trade to supply business for three saloons. The licenses averaged for most of the years, $500. Busi- ness began to decline a little in 1860, but not to any great degree until the beginning of the 19th century. The railroads provided a more rapid and economical connection with the outside markets of the Middle West and reduced the interest in the slower and less efficient transportation at the water port in Spring Bay. The village board, fully aware of the problems of the community, tried in 1901 to rejuvenate the river traffic by leasing lots 13 and 14 ( the site of the old levee) to Smith and Hippen Co. of Pekin, for 25 years for $25. The village do- nated $200 to the company to help repair the levee. The company again leased the levee in 1926 for another ten years for $25, but ceased doing business by 1930. Sol Winkler was the first manager at the ware- house, which stood high on pilings. The area underneath was fenced to hold cattle and hogs until the day of shipment by boat to the northern markets.
Three business enterprises kept steadily going while others came and went. One was Kate Zeller's combination grocery, dry goods, and harness store. Mrs. Zeller opened the store, known as Kate's, soon after her marriage to Captain C. A. Zeller in January 1880, and operated it until the late 1920's. The other grocery belonged to Mary Glauser Shawgo, who operated her store from about 1914 until her death in 1940.
In 1930 Bessie Dunnington opened a gas- oline station on Lake Street. In the first year she added soft drinks and ice cream and it became a meeting place for the younger set. There was a need for such a
place as it was either here or the tavern for any publie informal get-together. After an attempted robbery after sunset at Mary Shawgo's grocery, Mary refused to remain open after dark; at the request of the farm people who worked until dark, Bessie Dun- nington began to stock flour, sugar, salt, and other staples; thus she drifted into the grocery business which she ran until 1940.
Walter Stramka opened his gas station in 1940 and moved into his newly erected grocery and service station in 1950. Also in 1940, Arthur Dixon opened a grocery and gasoline business.
In 1951, there were only three business enterprises left in Spring Bay, two grocer- ies and one tavern, the Walter Stramka store and the George Loser store. George operated his grocery and service station until 1956. Charley Barth owned the tavern in 1951.
Down through time this area has had dealers in lumber-Gottfried Jung was one of the first. Ernest Fredericks, Ege, Hoshor, Lewis Williams, Scheerers, Spillman, Hoff- man, Loser, Loveless, Bennett, and perhaps others had saw mills at one time or another. Spring Bay afforded plenty of timber for all the early buildings and farm purposes, though the best of it, such as walnut, was quickly thinned out. The finishing lumber of white walnut for Metamora Courthouse came from the Johnson Milling Co. of Spring Bay. Now there is very little hardwood timber left in the township.
The all time flourishing business from the first days until today has been the saloon.
"Rough Little Town in the '80's"
Spring Bay in its heyday won a reputa- tion as a "rough little town." No doubt the abundance of saloons had something to do with this reputation. Log rollings, house raisings, "corn bees" for the men and the quilting bees for the women were numer- ous, always winding up with a dance at night. An occasional horse race enlivened the scene, at which times whiskey flowed, things became lively, and a bloody nose and bruised head were sometimes the re- sult of this innocent pastime. If a judgment
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can be made from the records of the justice of peace office, around 1885, every Satur- day night things became lively in Spring Bay and some excitement could always be found. With the flow of the beverages from the saloons, old grudges and imagined grudges erupted into fights, and sometimes just for the pure fun of it all, fist fights could be expected. Monday morning in 1885 and years of that era there would be the hearings before John C. Zeller, Pete Loser or another of the justices of the peace. The following was taken from cases tried and recorded. The names have been omitted for obvious reasons: "State of Illi- nois, Woodford County, People vs. -; Personally appeared before J. C. Zeller - -, who being duly sworn deposes and says that he has just and reasonable grounds to believe that --- did at and within the County of Woodford and the State of Illinois on or about the 23rd of January 1885, unlawfully beat, strike, kick, scratch, choke, assault, and batter one -- against the peace and dignity of the people of the State of Illinois, and contrary to the form of the Statute, Warrant issued and defendant brought into court on the 30th of January 1885. Prisoners gave bond and trial continued to February 9, 1885 at 9 o'clock A.M." Defendants (there were four of them ) appeared and pleaded guilty to the charges of assault and battery and were fined the amount of $3 and costs. John C. Zeller, J.P.
The court cost usually brought the cost approximately to $8. Another case arising from the same period and is referred to in the records as a riot was: "State of Illinois, Woodford County, People vs. ( some of the same group mentioned above) et al. Riot. Personally appeared before J. C. Zeller, J. P. - who being duly sworn deposes and says that he has just and rea- sonable grounds to believe that --- did and within the County of Woodford, and State of Illinois, on or about the 24th day of January 1885 unlawfully with force and violence break and destroy the sash win- dows glass and doors of the house of - and in a violent manner lay seige -
to house of by shooting into the windows, throwing deadly missiles, threat- ening the life of said - seriously en- dangering the lives of numerous occupants of the house then and there being contrary to the form of the Statute. Warrant issued and defendants brought into court January 30, 1885." Prisoners gave bond and trial continued to February 9, 1885, at 9 o'clock A.M. Later the defendants were found guilty and duly fined. The more serious cases were bound over to the Circuit Court in Metamora.
From the above cases we can see why the village enacted the following ordinance of which only one part is here recorded: Sec. I, ord. 2-That it shall be unlawful for any person or persons within the vil- lage to make or create any loud or unusual noise by blowing of horns, bugles, or other instruments, or by beating drums, kettles, or other sounding vessels, or by the ringing of bells, or crying of goods tending to col- lection of persons on the street or side- walks, or by loud boisterous singing, bel- lowing, whooping, sereaming, hollowing, scolding, traducing, threatening, quarrel- ing, swearing, cursing, challenging to fight, uttering obscene languages or conversation, or by creating false alarms as by crying fire, watch for police, nor shall any persons in said town disturb peace of any street, lane, alley, neighborhood or person by any of the means whatever, and every person convicted of any of the offenses enumer- ated in this section shall forfeit and pay a sum not less than three nor more than one hundred dollars each offense .- 1886, July- Charles A. Zeller, President; Thomas C. Loveless, town clerk.
On the Fourth of July there were usually planned festivities-parades, pienies, and dances-at the park pavilion. Steamboats arrived in port every week; the medi- cine show came to town, or some theatrical group would give a play such as "Uncle Tom's Cabin," or the old Cotton Blossom Showboat would make an appearance. The best way to get to Peoria (after it had be- come a metropolis) was to go by boat in the morning, do the shopping, and then re-
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