USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Witt > Witt centennial : Witt, Montgomery County, Illinois, 1868-1968 > Part 9
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Financial interests connected the Big Four Railroad, after purchasing mine No. 12. sank a new mine one-half mile north of the town of Witt. By 1906 they were hoisting
coal. It was in operation until Armistice Day, 1918. Several different companie, operated the mine. The superintendent of the mine when it closed was William T. Haywood.
In those days the miners had to walk to work and there were no wash houses-the men had to wash at home. This was a bitter experience, especially in the winter with snow and ice on the ground.
MINE NO. 2
This picture was a bunch of men from Paisley who formed a comic band to be in one of Witt's Labor Day parades. The only one we recognize is Joe Morris holding the goat. The sign on the cart reads Cora and Zucco - First and last chance. Ocean side saloon. Drop in. men. 6 for 25 cents. This was taken by the side of the club saloon in Paisley.
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These are top men who worked at mine No. 14. The only one we recog- nize is Noah Ransdell.
Livery barn owned by Rufus Barringer. Mr. Barringer is in center of picture holding horse's head. The others are un- known. This barn was south of Broadway where the present lum- ber yard now stands, but it was facing the railroad.
This burro belonged to the Powis family-also the hack. The picture was tak- en in front of the Oland Hotel. The sign on porch reads "Rates by day". The girl in cart is Pearl Holmes Hope, but we do not rec- ognize the men.
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LABOR DAY MORNING
1909
The large lump of coal was brought up out of the mine the day before, and weighed 2,000 pounds. Some of the men in the picture are Jesse Cook, Arthur Fox, Bob Purdy, Tom Seddon, Peter Griffiths, Walter Lee, Harry Holmes, Teddy Whitley, Tom Shelton, Joe Reardon, Iva Fox, John Worthington, Auston
Dodd, Jos. Yearsley and Jack Holmes.
These mules were brought up out of the mine to be used in the parade. They were used in the mine to pull the coal cars. The Deering Coal Co. owned the mine at this time.
Sam Paslavsky Dry Goods and Clothing Store and Carriker Grocery
Sam Paslavsky came to Witt about 1904 and started in business in the building which was later the Fesser Butcher Shop. In a few months the Odd Fellows built a new build- ing and he moved into it. A few years later he built the big building in the picture. He also built a nice home known as the Walter
Pyle home on West Broadway. The store building has been used by the Lions Club for several years.
The Carriker Store was first known as Carriker & Maxey, and was moved from the old original Witt.
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These are pupils and former teachers who attended the re- union Aug. 23, 1963, of the old school, Pleasent View, better known as Gooseneck.
This old school was once part of the first settlement in Witt township, near the old cemetery and the M. E. Church which was moved in to Witt many years ago. The school has also been torn down. Two of the teach- ers who taught in this school are still living, Mrs. Mae Fox Pyle, now living in Laura Charles Nursing Home, and Mrs. Edna Pyle Hubbard, wife of Dr. E. D. Hubbard, now living in Florida. There could be others we do not know about. These two mentioned attended the reunion.
Pictured are, front row, Orville Carriker,
Mrs. Edna Hubbard, Mrs. Mae Pyle, Edith Armentrout, Ethel Carriker, Deana Comp- ton Collins, Mrs. Ethel Armentrout, Mrs. Alta Armentrout, Edna Hoehn; Standing, George Bote, Dr. E. D. Hubbard, Russel Armentrout, Harry Carriker, Henry Collins, Ina Carriker, Eugene Shelton, Bertha Brummet Shelton, Elbert Armentrout, Margaret Rushford Hoehn, Alvin Hoehn, Henry Huber and Mrs. Huber, Mary Thumb Armentrout, Leslie Armentrout and Homer Armentrout.
A number of the pupils are still living, but were unable to attend the reunion.
These two men were marshalls who headed the miners parade on Labor Day. The man on the left was Charles Dunaway, better known as Cherokee, and Will Hartline (his wife was Nellie Culberson Hart- line). These men were brothers-in-law. Horse on right was owned by Harry Holmes.
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Watch tower once stood across road from the car wash. George Welch was the operator. It was later moved east of the Lee crossing, across the road from the junk yard. It burned when the buildings across the street burned in the big Witt fire.
This was the First Aid Class held for men in Witt, during the years of 1936 and 1937 under the direction of the W.P.A. Class- es were held once a week. Teachers were Eugene Shelton and Charles Holloway. Pic- tured are, front row, first two are unknown, Wm. Auld, Henry Vollmer and Jos. Yearsley, back row, Eugene Shelton, Sam Bogle, C. DeLuka, Charles Holloway, teacher, and the woman was also a teacher from the Red Cross.
This was the Women's First Aid Class held once a week with Charles Holloway as teacher. The first woman is unknown, next is Ava Rufus Hilt, Molly Hartline; standing, Grace Hartline Scobel, Agnes Lowe, Charles Holloway and Bertha Shelton.
The Oland National Bank was organized by Alonzo Betty soon after the towns of Witt and Paisley were united in 1905. The early officers of the bank were: Robert Dixon, President; Dr. Chas. H. Lockhart, Vice Pres- ident; Henry F. Hoehn, Cashier; and Directors were Robert Dixon, Dr. Lockhart, Jesse Os- born, Fred Mitchell, H. F. Hoehn, J. E. Hilt and Luke Weber.
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The Witt Depot was once across the road from the Lynn Shelton home and the old Fred Pfertner and Avena store buildings. Both Witt and Paisley had depots but the railroad objected to two depots within a mile. When Witt and Paisley became one village, a new depot was built at the east end of Broadway across from Mine No. 12. After we no longer hac passenger service, it was torn down and moved to Rountree township where it is used as a Sportsmen's Gun Club House.
Bill Conway and his Standard Oil truck during a snow storm on May 2, 1929. Bill bought out the business from Robert Hiller in 1927 and retired at the age of 65. He delivered Standard products in Witt and the surrounding country. This is the first new truck he owned.
Teenagers of yesterday- Regina Pircher Conway, Grace Powis, Freda Pircher Cadman, Ruth Beasley Pow- is, Frances Pircher, Alta Beasley Perry, Eva Marfell Leighs and Bertha Brummet Shelton.
Quite a contrast in styles of then and now.
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The old livery barn owned by Bennet Leach at the time this was taken. It stood where the Library now stands. The man holding the white mule is Eligh Robert- son and man with cane hold- ing team is Jesse Kithcarth.
Broadway on a busy day show- ing Tony Selleto's Saloon, Wm. Betty's Grocery and Meat Mark- et, Brown's
Tailor Shop, O'Dowd's Picture Show and the Oland Hotel. These are some of the oldest buildings on Broadway, when the open Fords and Chevys were in style.
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Labor Day Parade showing horse drawn carriage with mayor and speaker of the day. Richard Holmes, Mar- shall of the day, is riding horse. One hundred miners marched in the parade. The Miners' Union sponsored the Labor Day.
James Redmond
Jim Redmond was born in Queens Coun- ty, Ireland on May 8, 1870 and came to Witt shortly before the turn of the century. After his arrival here, he first worked in the mines and later operated Redmond's Saloon in Pais- ley. He also owned and operated a soda pop bottling works in Paisley. He was assisted by the late James Mullin along with a concrete business which they operated. It was con- crete from this business that went into the laying of many of Witt's sidewalks and the old Witt Water Tower. He was instrumental in the building of St. Barbara's Catholic Parish in Witt, and the cemetery. He also served as city councilman. Mr. Redmond died Nov. 19, 1917
Alonzo A. Betty
To this man belongs a large part of the credit for the present city of Witt. For it was he who was one of the promoters.
He was born in Litchfield township Jan.
18, 1853, a son of Isaac and Louisa Betty, na- tives of Tennessee. He was raised on a farm in Butler Grove. In 1895, he came to Witt which was then a cluster of buildings. It was largely through his efforts that the city of Witt began to develop. He aided in the coal mine development and became Vice Presi- dent and director of the Montgomery Coal Co. He organized the Oland National Bank and the Oland Brick and Tile Co. He laid out the Oland Park addition to the city, which now includes Broadway and the principal part of Witt. He also laid out the second Cromer addition to the city. He entered the real estate business and built many of Witt's finest residences. He owned the property up- on which the Witt School is now located.
He had five children: Roy, Elmer, Wil- liam, Lincoln and Ralph. William, better known as Bill, operated a store and meat market on Broadway for many years.
Supt. of Streets Richard Brummet and two of his helpers, Fred Brummet and Henry Grantham, when the sidewalks and all cross- ings were cleaned after every rain and snow. This was taken soon after they had finished planting the trees in the city park. Some were not present when the picture was taken.
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Dr. I. W. Burns, with his family, came to Witt in the early 1900's, and had a drug store with his office in the rear. He lived in the rented property now owned by Bill Degg, and later he built the home : ow owned by Al Lowe.
In 1913 or 1914 they moved to Roanoke, Virginia. Dr. Burns died of a heart attack on a train going to a small town where he had been called.
When he left Witt he sold his drug store- to Dr. T. Coderre, who later built a new store, now Joe Cabello's.
Dr. and Mrs. Burns had three daughters, Marian, Lucia ard Bernice, and one son, Thomas.
Redmond's Saloon in Paisley
About the turn of the cen- tury, Jimmy Redmond establish- ed a saloon in Paisley near the Ernst-Zimmer Elevator on prop- erty which is now the Larry Lowe residence. The famous Blue Goose Saloon was a block away. Pictured above are Jimmy Red- mond, Billy McGuane, unidenti- fied man, Thomas Hadley Sr., Jim Clydesdale, Allen Auld, Peter, Jce and Jim Diggle, unidentified man and Andy Redmond at far right.
SALOON. JAS-REDMOND.
A train pulling into the Witt depot years ago when old Witt was located along the Big Four tracks. Houses in the background are those located along what is now Route 16.
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Some Photos From The Album Of Dr. Lockhart
The building which housed Dr. Lock- hart's office. It was located on the corner of Rodgers and Hirst Streets, across from what is now the Lynn Shelton residence. Fred Pfertner maintained the dry goods store be- low. The office was upstairs.
1
The Old Paisley Depot. (Men Unidentified)
Interior of Dr. Lockhart's office shortly after 1900.
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Old Witt located along the Big Four railroad tracks as it appeared shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Many of the buildings were destroyed by a great fire which occurred years later.
Witt Depot
As It Was Located In Old Witt Near Lee's Store
1
The first school in Witt. It was brought in from the country and located east of town near the Leo Verricker property.
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The original Witt Methodist Church brought in from the country and located one block east of Lee's crossing before it was torn down
St. Barbara's Catholic Church at its present location, and as it was brought from Nokomis
Miss Cora Lipe going for a hay- ride with some of her pupils. Miss Lips was teacher in Witt Schools for many years. In this picture are Miss Lipe and the pupils we recognize are Eva Marfell Leighs, Velma Spooner, Grace Powis and Leslie Armentrout.
Stauder & Hoehn float in a Labor Day Parade about 60 years ago.
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Dixon & Shupping Elevator lo- cated on what is now Route 16 across from Lee's Store.
Paisley Elevator shortly after 1900 and what is now the Zimmer Elevator.
PAISLEY ELEVATOR OP.
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Some Scenes In Witt Taken In The Year Of Our Centennial - 1968
1868-WITT, ILLINOIS-1968 CENTENNIAL & LABOR DAY HOMECOMING CELEBRATION AUG. 29 THRU SEPT. 2
Mayor Louis Schwartz and Postman Arnold Lapsansky dedicate the signs placed on the east and west approaches to the city beginning the 1968 Witt Centennial. The signs were made and install- ed by Mr. Lapsansky.
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U. S. Post Office On Broadway In Witt
U.S.POS. OFFICE
With the building of the Indianapolis And St. Louis R. R. in 1869, the village of Witt came into existence. The first store was opened by William Wood and in it was also placed the first Post Office. The first postman was a man by the name of Keys. George Paisley secured a Post Office for Paisley after the turn of the century and the first postman there was Miss Kate Daly.
However, after a bitter struggle, the two villages fused and there became one Post Office. At present it is located on Broadway in the Joe Cabello building. Mr. Arnold Lap- sansky is Postman and Mrs. Doris Lapsansky is assistant. John Yuna is rural mail carrier.
WITT 1100
SPEED LIMIT 40
Population Sign on the western approach to Witt on Route 16 showing population in 1968
Park house and pavilion constructed on West Broadway in the early 1960's by the Witt Lions Club. The park and buildings are used by the community for social affairs.
Witt's Oldest Citizen
Mrs. Lucinda Winter, mother of retired teacher, Mrs. Fanny Thompson, will celebrate her 101st birthday September 21 of this year. She was born in 1867 in Saline County, Illi- nois and came here to live with her daughter, Fanny, in 1964, and is now a patient at the Laura Charles Nursing Home in Witt.
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Pumping And Water Softening Station
Witt's water system was first approved for construction in 1918 at a cost of $18,000. The pumping station is located Northeast of the city and the tower in the original Witt Park across from the school. In the early 1950's water softening was added and a new tower constructed to replace the old con- crete tower.
Sanitary Lagoon For Sewage Disposal
The latest improvement to the city was the construction of the sanitary sewer in 1965 at a cost of approximately $350,000. It was completed only through a grant from the Fed- eral government which financed almost one- half of the cost. The lagoon is located along Route 16 about one-half mile north of the city.
The unique feature of the Witt business section has long been the boulevard on Broadway. Built in 1917, at the same time bricks were laid for sidewalks and street. New sidewalk and blacktopping was ac- complished in the early 1960's.
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MAIN ST
# BROADWAY 4
Street signs were a new addition to the city in 1966. Finances for their purchase, as well as the actual planning and installation was by the Witt Lions Club.
Medical Building on Third and Broad- way, built by the local Lions Club through the help of local citizens. It was built in 1965 in an effort to secure a physician for the com- munity.
In May shortly before the 1967-68 school year ended, the entire student body and faculty celebrated Centenni- al Day. All were dressed in clothes appropriate for the occasion and class studies and displays were geared for the event. The picture shows the grade school pupils in Centennial clothes on the playground west of the school.
In 1960 the Witt Lions Club began the renewal of the Ole Witt Labor Days. With the help of the people of the community and the surrounding area, they have rebuilt a Homecoming celebration that equals or surpasses those of by-gone days. Shown here are prize win- ning floats and parade entries.
Witt Labor Day 1966
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Mel': Bakery
Little League
CUBS
Security National Bank of Witt
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The Sycamore pictured was planted on the Christopher Armentrout property in the 1840's. He was the third permanent set- tler in Witt township upon what is now the John Armentrout farm. This tree is now over 125 years old. This Centennial Vol- ume, as is with this tree, we offer to our children and our children's children so they in future years will know wherein their roots are planted.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Those who have labored on the pages found in this volume wish to express their thanks to those who contributed in its fulfillment in any way. It would have been most difficult to com- pile the story of Witt without the assistance of those family and business histories which are herein produced; those who gave freely of their time, advice, knowledge and pictures; those who contributed financially; and many, many more. It would be more difficult to name each individually.
However, we would be amiss if we did not thank Mr. Eddie Hargrave, who sketched the drawing of Broadway on the cover; Miss Frances Pircher extends her grateful thanks to Mr. Duane McKee whose research on early Witt History was an invaluable aid to her writing of the history of the city. And we would like to thank Mr. Joe Cabello, Jr., and Mr. William Conway for the many pictures presented of Witt 1968.
Our hope is that the fruits of our labors be your joy, pleasure, and satisfaction in read- ing this volume.
ANDREW SARSANY
7200-S49. PB-15 C BT
Free Press.Progress Print, Nokomis, Il1.
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DERMA-BOUND R
PAT. NO. 3.161,42)
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA
977.382W783 C001 WITT CENTENNIAL WITT, ILL.
3 0112 025398139
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