USA > Illinois > McLean County > The good old times in McLean County, Illinois : containing two hundred and sixty-one sketches of old settlers, a complete historical sketch of the Black Hawk war and descriptions of all matters of interest relating to McLean County > Part 4
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NEWSPAPERS.
THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN M'LEAN COUNTY AND THE FIRST EDITOR.
In 1836 Bloomington became a very "lively" little town and some of its citizens became anxious for a newspaper. General Gridley, who was then a merchant in Bloomington, was about to go to the East for his fall supply of goods, and he was instructed by Jesse W. Fell and James Allin, who, with him, became pro- prietors, to lay in a stock of type, printing presses, compositors, editors, &c. He did so, and engaged Mr. William Hill and Mr. W. B. Brittain, of Philadelphia .. These parties shipped their printing material during the fore part of October for Blooming- ton by way of New Orleans, St. Louis and Pekin. About a week afterwards Messrs. Hill and Brittain started, coming by way of Pittsburg, down the Ohio river, up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Pekin, and thence across to Bloomington. The latter part of their journey was accomplished on horseback. At that time no bridge had been built across the Mackinaw, and as the stream was high, it was thought they would be obliged to swim their horses. Under this impression Mr. Brittain plunged in. As he was mounted on a small horse he was wet to the waist ; but Mr. Hill, being on a large horse, stood on its back and went through dry shod. They arrived in Bloomington about eight o'clock that evening (October 25), Mr. Brittain nearly frozen and not favorably impressed with the unbridged water courses of Illinois. They remained in Bloomington for about two months without hearing anything of their printing material, and Mr. Brittain, becoming discouraged, disposed of his interest to Mr. IIill, and returned to Philadelphia. A few days after he left, word came that the material had reached Pekin. It was brought across to Bloomington by little Benjamin Depew, in a six-horse team, and on the first of January, 1837, it was arranged in an
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NEWSPAPERS.
office which was fitted up in the northeast room of the old (then new) Court House. On the fourteenth of January the first number of the Bloomington Observer and Mc Lean County Advocate was published. After carrying it on through many difficulties and vexations for one year, Mr. Hill sold out to Mr. Jesse W. Fell, who continued it about a year and a half and then disposed of it to other parties, who removed it to Peoria. Mr. Hill re- turned to Philadelphia in the spring of 1839, where he worked at the printing business, and did not return to the West until 1849. At that time he located at St. Louis and there engaged in job printing. He was soon after joined by William Mc Kee, and they together purchased the office and paper of the Missouri Democrat. They afterwards purchased the office and paper of the St. Louis Union, united the two papers and continued them under the title of the Missouri Democrat, a Freesoil paper. After two or three years, politics becoming a good deal mixed, Mr. Hill became disgusted and sold out to F. P. Blair, Jr. and B. Gratz Brown. In 1855 he returned to McLean County, having purchased a small place a short distance northeast of the city. In the spring of 1860 he went with a party from McLean Coun- ty to the newly discovered gold mines in Colorado. After spending six or eight months in the mountains and vicinity and seeing the prairie dogs, jack rabbits, buffaloes, and big Indians, and watching the regular Sunday gladiatorial sports among the miners, in which pistols, bowie knives, &c., were in general use, and after getting a glimpse of the elephant as he passed down the Western slope, Mr. Hill and his party returned to their homes, satisfied that if the same means and exertions were used here, a fortune could be made about as quickly.
Mr. Hill has for the last four years lived in Bloomington. He is now upwards of sixty years of age, healthy and active, and though in easy circumstances, continues to follow his business, preferring anything to idleness.
Mr. Hill was born Nov. 18, 1811, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, where he received his education. He went into a print- ing office in Philadelphia at the age of fifteen, where he remained until he came West in 1836. Just before coming West he did as a good many other young men do when starting for a new country-was married. His children, two daughters and one
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NEWSPAPERS.
son, are all happily married. He has been, in political matters, first a Whig and then a Republican. Mr. Hill is not a large man, being rather less than the medium height. He has a very intelligent and pleasing countenance, is a very pleasant writer and has a lively appreciation of the humorous. He is much respected and the first paper in MeLean County under his man- agement must have been very popular.
BLOOMINGTON PANTAGRAPH.
The first paper published in Bloomington was the Blooming- ton Observer and Me Lean County Advocate, the first number of which was issued January 14th, 1837. William Hill, now em- ployed as a compositor in the Pantagraph job office, was its edi- tor and publisher. It was a small, five column weekly, non- political. Mr. Hill published the Observer about a year, then sold it to Mr. Jesse W. Fell (now a resident of Normal), who continued it about eighteen months. The paper was then dis- continued for about seven years. In 1846 Mr. C. P. Merriman (now of the Leader) revived the paper as the Western Whig. It was afterwards owned and conducted by Johnson & Underwood, Jesse W. Fell, and Merriman (C. P.) and Morris. Mr. Fell changed its name to the Intelligencer and Mr. Merriman invented for it the name of the Pantagraph while he and Morris owned it together. The proprietors of the Pantagraph therefore con- sider it to be the oldest paper in the city, and regularly de- scended from the Bloomington Observer and Mc Lean County Ad- vocate, which was published in 1837.
The early numbers of The Observer speak of meetings called for the purpose of establishing a public library in Bloomington, but very little seems to have been done for such an undertaking. Market houses and water works were also discussed at that early day. The mails were carried to Peoria and Springfield twice a weck, to all other points once a week, or not so often. Merriman & Morris issued a daily edition while the paper was in their hands, but this did not pay and it was soon discontinued. In 1855 the Pantagraph office was destroyed by the first great fire Bloomington ever experienced. It was then owned by Merriman & Morris, who soon after sold it to William E. Foote, C. P. Merriman con-
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NEWSPAPERS.
tinning to edit the paper for six months afterwards, or until June, 1856, when Edward J. Lewis became its editor. Mr. Lewis con- tinned to edit the paper until January, 1860. During this pe- riod the daily was successfully started, the first number being issued February 23, 1857, and was published continuously during Mr. Foote's proprietorship. W. R. McCracken was local editor during the greater portion of the time. Franklin Price and Charles L. Steele also had charge of the local columns succes- sively. During this period (1858) the office was fired by an in- cendiary. But some compositors, who slept in a room below the office, were awakened by the barking of a dog kept by them, and they promptly extinguished the flames. This dog, called ". Major," was a favorite in the office and remained a great pet until his death. His portrait was painted and kept hung up in the office for a long time (between the pictures of George Wash- ington and Florence Nightingale !) During Mr. Foote's pro- prietorship (1855 to 1860) the Pantagraph office became known throughout the West for the excellence of its job printing. Mr. Foote was a job printer of great skill and fine taste. In 1858 specimens of the Pantagraph job printing took the first premium at the great St. Louis Fair, at the National Fair in Chicago the same year and at the Illinois State Fair.
In the early part of 1860 the office was sold to Judge Merri- man, and his brother, C. P. Merriman, was made editor. The daily was discontinued but soon after revived. The paper was purchased early in 1861 by Carpenter & Steele, and E. J. Lewis was again made editor and remained so until the breaking out of the war, when he entered the army, (August, 1861). It was then successively edited by H. B. Norton, Thomas Moore, Cap- tain J. H. Burnham, and others. The paper afterwards par- tially changed hands and was owned by Messrs. Carpenter, Steele, Briggs & Packard, and one of them, Rev. F. J. Briggs, was editor. The paper afterwards was sold to Scibird & Waters, who, after conducting it rather less than a year, sold it to a com- pany composed of Jesse W. Fell, W. O. Davis and James P. Taylor. Mr. Davis is now the sole proprietor. Under the pro- prietorship of Fell & Company the paper was edited for a while by Mr. B. F. Diggs, who was succeeded by Dr. E. R. Roe, who in turn was succeeded by E. J. Lewis a little more than two
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NEWSPAPERS.
years ago. D. A. Ray has been local editor most of the time for several years. W. Il. Whitehead was also assistant editor for a considerable time, and is now in charge of the local columns. Under the management of Mr. E. J. Lewis and Mr. W. H. Whitehead, the Pantagraph is very efficiently conducted in all of its departments.
The job office of the Pantagraph is one of the best in Illinois, and the job printing is remarkable for its good taste. German printing of all kinds, under the supervision of Mr. Bach, is exe- cuted in the best of style.
THE LEADER (Daily and, Weekly.)
The Weekly Leader was started by John S. Scibird and Orin Waters, proprietors, and Elias Smith, editor, November 15, 1868, and soon attained to a fair circulation and influence. Its success became so flattering that on the twenty-second of February, 1870, its proprietors began the publication of the Daily Leader, which is ably conducted and well supported. The political de- partment was edited by B. F. Diggs and C. P. Merriman suc- cessively, and the local department by Thomas Moore, Elias Smith, B. F. Diggs, M. F. Leland and J. W. Nichols. The paper is now published by the Leader Company with Orin Waters as general manager and C. P. Merriman and J. W. Nichols as editors. The paper has always been Republican in politics and so contiunes.
The Leader Company publish, in addition to their daily and weekly, the Alumni Journal, fifteen hundred copies per month ; the Little. Watchman, a Sunday-school paper, seven thousand copies per week; the Real Estate Journal, two thousand per month.
The Job Office .of the Leader is large and well conducted under the supervision of Mr. E. P. Penniman, who displays the best of taste in everything pertaining to his department.
THE ANTI-MONOPOLIST ( Weekly).
The Bloomington. Democrat was started in Bloomington in April, 1868, by S. S. Parke, Esq. Previous to this the Demo- cratie party had attempted to establish a party organ, but failed, showing that with newspapers, as with all other matters, it is
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NEWSPAPERS.
individual enterprise which brings success. This paper was Democratic in polities as its name indicates, but during the last campaign it strongly and effectively advocated the principles of the Liberal party. On the fourteenth of August, 1873, the edi- torial management of this paper went into the hands of Joseph Carter, and the paper became the Anti-Monopolist. This paper, on the 1st of January, was merged with the Mc Lean County Anti- Monopolist, at Saybrook, which office has been moved to Bloom- ington, and the paper adopted the title of the Anti- Monopolist. It is now very ably edited, and its articles are frequently quoted in other papers.
THE REPUBLICAN ( Weekly.)
The Republican was started in Bloomington in 1866, by S. P. Remington and A. B. Holmes. It was Republican in politics and has remained so ever since. Its first editor was Major S. P. Remington. Its present proprietors are A. B. Holmes & Bro. It is a very pleasant, reliable paper and has the confidence of the community.
ILLINOIS TRADE JOURNAL.
This paper was started in November, 1872, by Goff & Hewitt, As it has recently been brought into existence, it has not yet made a history. It is a commercial paper, at present owned and edited by A. J. Goff, one of its founders.
Mr. Goff formerly published the Bloomington Journal, which he started in January, 1868. This paper succeeded the Mc Lean County Journal, which had been published by E. B. Buck. In November, 1868, the Bloomington Journal was sold to Scibird & Waters, in whose hands it was succeeded by the Leader. While Mr. Goff published the Journal he issued an edition of that paper in Normal, called the Review, for which Mr. Ray of the Panta- graph acted as local editor.
THE BANNER OF HOLINESS.
This paper was started October 5, 1872, by Henry Reynolds and Rey. John P. Brooks. It is purely a religious paper, and its conductors hope and believe that it is the means of doing much good.
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NEWSPAPERS.
MCLEAN COUNTY DEUTSCHE PRESSE-(German Weekly.)
The Presse was started by a company, of which the present editor and proprietor, Johannes Koester, was a member in 1871. He soon afterwards became sole editor and proprietor. During the last campaign the paper favored the Liberal movement.
THE WEEKLY ENTERPRISE, OF LEXINGTON.
The Enterprise was started on the first of January, 1873, by Charles M. King, who is editor and proprietor. It takes no sides in political matters as its editor does not consider it old enough to vote.
SAYBROOK BANNER.
This paper was for a long time published in Lexington, but on the eighteenth of December, 1872, was removed to Saybrook. It was started by H. H. Parkinson and by him first edited. Mr. Parkinson is the present proprietor of the paper. Messrs. Sabin & Van Voris were for a time connected with this paper. It is independent in politics as well as in name. The paper stands high in point of ability and fairness. One thing connected with it is certainly very marvelous-" it is said that the people take a great interest in it." It must indeed be a very interesting paper. The Banner was changed to the Mc Lean County Anti- Monopolist, and subsequently consolidated with the Anti-Monopo- list of Bloomington.
CHENOA TIMES.
The Chenoa Times was started in July, 1867, by McMurtrie & Dyer, editors and proprietors, under very flattering circum- stances, with a good subscription list. It was edited successively by McMurtrie & Dyer, Miss L. M. Dyer, Mr. C. M. King, Mr. C. R. Spore and John & Bovard. The latter are now its editors and proprietors.
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BLOOMINGTON.
IN the fall of 1829, James Allin came from Vandalia, Fayette County, Illinois, to the north end of Blooming Grove and here opened a store. In the spring of 1830 he built a double log house, with one room for a dwelling and the other for a store. During that year a number of gentlemen took active measures to secure the location of a county seat at the north end of Bloom- ing Grove, and the legislature of 1830 and '31 passed the act for the formation of the county of McLean. A board of three commissioners was appointed to locate the county seat. They were Jonathan Pugh of Macon County, Lemuel Lee of Van- dalia, and a certain Mr. Freeman. They were instructed to look over the county and locate the county seat on the second Mon- day in February or within five days thereafter ; but the winter of the deep snow made it impossible for them to locate it at that time, and they were unable to make their report until the fol- lowing April. The following is the report :
"APRIL 21, 1831.
We the commissioners appointed to locate a county seat in the county of McLean on the second Monday of February or within five days thereafter, owing to the severity of the weather and the depth of snow it was impossible for us to proceed to lo- cate the same at the time specified by law; but as soon there- after as practicable we proceeded to examine the situation of the county, and have located the same on the land of James Allin, on the north end of the Blooming Grove, for which we have his obligation for a donation of twenty-two acres and a half of land.
LEMUEL LEE, JONATHAN PUGH."
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BLOOMINGTON.
The Fourth of July, 1831, was a great day at Blooming Grove, for on that day the town of Bloomington came into be- ing. The lots of the original town were then sold at auction. The town then contained twelve squares and was bounded by North, Front, East and West streets. On the record of the pro- ceedings of the County Court appears the following :
"FOURTH OF JULY, 1831.
" The Court proceeded to sell the lots of the town of Bloom- ington. James Allin was appointed agent to execute deeds and Isaac Baker to take acknowledgments. (Recorded in Book Z.)"
The lots were cried off by William Orendorff as auctioneer. The bidding was lively and the excitement great. The highest price paid for any lot was fifty-two dollars, which was given by A. Gridley for town lot number sixty, where the McLean County Bank now stands. Bloomington was a lively town from the start, for it numbered among its citizens many men who have since shown the most extraordinary foresight and business sa- gacity. These men were united and earnest and determined that the town should be pushed into prosperity at all hazards. They were sharpened by strange experiences.
The first addition to the town of Bloomington was made by James Allin, and the plat was recorded August 1, 1831. It con- sisted of a tier and a half of squares on the south of the original town and two tiers of squares on the west, making twelve squares and six half squares.
James Allin worked for the growth and prosperity of the town with the most untiring zeal, and was most enthusiastic in his hopes for its development and future prosperity. He said it was on a direct line between the rapids of the Illinois River and Cairo, on a line between Chicago and St. Louis, and on a line between Columbus, Ohio, and Flint Rock, (Burlington) Iowa. It was situated on the edge of one of the prettiest groves in Illinois. He lived to see his fondest hopes realized, as the town, of which he was the founder, grew to an inland city. But it was not because it was on a line between great points, for other towns, not so fortunate, have quite as good a location ; it was not alone because it was situated on the edge of a pretty grove or because the soil was productive; but it grew and prospered because its citizens were determined that it should grow and
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BLOOMINGTON.
prosper. They worked for it and obtained for it every advan- tage; they had faith in it, and it grew and continues growing.
The first court in MeLean County was held in James Allin's double log cabin, in that part which he used as a dwelling. But on the fifth of January, 1832, the Commissioners' Court adopted a plan for building a court house as follows :
"A building of one story high, eighteen feet by thirty, to be finished as a comfortable dwelling house, and order that the clerk give public notice for selling out the (erection of the) building aforesaid to the lowest and best bidder on the sixth day of March next."
At the time appointed, the building of the court house was bid off to A. Gridley for three hundred and thirty-nine dollars and seventy-five cents. It was built by him and accepted in De- cember, 1832. It was situated on the west side of the public square. The jail was built by William Dimmitt for $321.
The interests of the little town were watchfully guarded, and in 1834 it numbered one hundred and eighty persons, according to a census taken by Allen Withers. During the next two years the rush of people to Illinois from the East was wonderful, and the town grew in 1836 to number four hundred and fifty souls.
The early merchants of Bloomington were liberal, enter- prising men. The following from the pen of John W. Billings places the condition of the town in the early days in a clear light:
"James Allin first displayed goods at the place now occupied by Dr. Stipp as a dwelling, but soon moved up street, and about the year 1839 built a brick on the corner of Main and Front streets, the present site of the Livingston clothing house. The mercantile firm of Gridley & Covel stood upon the site of the McLean County Bank. This firm did perhaps more business than any one house at that time and bore the brunt of the hard times. After a while they closed out their mercantile matters and went into a steam mill for carding wool and grinding wheat, doing business for a large extent of country. Haines & Son were dry goods merchants. More & Crow (not black) kept a mercantile house on the corner of Main and Front streets ; but their establishment passed into the hands of B. F. Wood, who was afterwards drowned in the Missouri River. Mr. Goodcop,
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BLOOMINGTON.
German from Philadelphia, flourished for a while in the mer- cantile line, but returned to the city of broadbrims. A hard- ware firm by the name of Freylies Brothers settled about the year 1835, but soon disappeared, their places being supplied by George Dietrich about the year 1839. Mr. Dietrich was an in- dustrious, enterprising young man, who has accumulated a for- tune and retired from business and lives at Normal, honored and respected by all. The first plastering mason in Blooming- ton was William Goodheart, a Scotchman by birth, a former soldier in the army of the great Napoleon, a Methodist class leader, and one whose life corresponded with his teaching. He died at a ripe old age, leaving sons and daughters, worthy citi- zens. Father Goodheart burned the first brick in this vicinity, and Robert Guthrie was the next in this line of business. In an early day J. M. Caleb kept a public house opposite Paist & Mar- mon's drug store, where we received our daily rations. Some of the lady boarders were so fastidious that they nearly fainted on a hot day, when Postmaster Brown had the audacity to seat himself at the dinner table without a coat. The Big Tavern was kept by F. S. Dean, a New York yankee, near the present McLean County Bank, and was burned in 1855 or '56.
" A Mr. Bonesteel was among the first owners of steam mills. His mill was on the water 'run, then called a slough, between Main and Albert streets, butwassburned down at an early day. Another steam mill, built by O. Covel, was burned down some years after. A steam saw mill, which stood between Centre and Madison streets, and was owned by B. F. Wood, was also burned. An Indian family living near was suspected of setting it on fire, and some young men (mostly of the " baser sort") at- tacked and destroyed their house and drove them off, though they were probably innocent.
The people in those days were obliged to have their fun. A long-legged, awkward young man, named Peter Bonesteel, was arrested for some pretended offence and brought into Court; but after a trial was discharged. He was afraid to leave the court house, as he thought the boys would lynch him. At last they became uproarious, pushed him out of the door and shouted, " Run, Pete, run !" He did run, sure enough, and be- ing tall, long-legged, with heavy boots, the mud an inch or two
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BLOOMINGTON.
in depth, with a scare upon his mind and a lot of wolfish boys behind, he made such time as would make a locomotive jealous, leaving the howling hounds far in the rear, stopping not until he crouched on the bottom of his father's cellar in Pone Hollow. But he was a good boy and of a good family and did not deserve such treatment.
Many of those who were in business in early days, have suc- ceeded well. Lewis Bunn and Abraham Brokaw were among the first plow and wagon makers in MeLean County. Elijah Rockhold, now deceased, was for a long while chief architect and builder in Bloomington. Jesse Fell, a member of the Soci- ety of Friends, father of J. W. Fell of Normal and a large fam- ily of other children, most of them still living in MeLean County, came to Bloomington when it was in its swaddling clothes. Mother Fell, as is usual with Friends, often preached to us, as the spirit moved, many good and remembered lessons. Father Fell also had a word for all, well-timed to profit. But their earthly pilgrimage has long since ended ; they have obeyed the mandate : "Come up higher." Mr. Robert Guthrie was also a nurse to the infant Bloomington, settling first on the Flagg farm, but soon selling out and coming down to Front street. Perhaps he was the first regular plastering mason here. William Brewer, the first tanner and currier, died about the year 1844 or '45.
About the year 1849 or '50 the California gold excitement was greatest and Bloomington sent out a large delegation of some of her best citizens. Dan. Robinson, since deceased, Ly- man Ferre, at that time of wagon and carriage notoriety, Seth H. Adams, familiarly known as Speedy Adams, and John M. Loving and many others started for the golden El Dorado. Doctor Colburn went some little distance, but returned. Rev. D. J. Perry gave them a parting address, and one of his ideas was particularly note-worthy. He said : "Many of the thou- sands now leaving for the farther West think they are going out of the world, where they may think, do and act as they please, while the truth is, they are going right into the world, where people from all climes and tongues are now congregating, each peculiarly jealous of his rights and ready to maintain them ; the great I Am watches them with a no less jealous eye than if they remained at home." Sound doctrine.
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