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 Touring 
 Historic Jacksonville 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 Edited by 
 LILLIAN IRLAND DANSKIN 
 
 Published by 
 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
 
 Jacksonville, Illinois 
 1927
 
 
 ^/';. ,- . 
 
 A Century Old City 
 
 Classic Jacksonville had her one hundredth 
 birthday in 1925. On April 26, 1825 the survey 
 of the original plat of Jacksonville was record- 
 ed, and that is considered the birthday of this 
 elm-shaded city. This was an important village 
 when Chicago was an Indian trading post. No 
 city in Illinois is so rich in historic interest nor 
 so blessed with educational institutions. 
 
 Let us take a drive about the streets of this 
 most interesting and classic city. Starting at the 
 west side of the square, on the right hand is the 
 Ayers National Bank, the oldest in Jacksonville, 
 which was organized by M. P. and A. E. Ayers 
 in 1852. It is the second in point of age in the 
 
 ^ State. 
 
 a In driving up West State Street, one follows 
 
 % the old State road, which was the highway be- 
 tween S'pringfield, Naples, and Meredosia, and 
 other points on the IlHnois River. This was the 
 
 \^ main artery of travel then. Note the way the 
 land slopes down each way from the street, 
 showing how the main roads followed the high- 
 est points. 
 
 Out this state road July 4th, 1861, marched 
 Colonel Ulysses S. Grant, with his raw regiment, 
 the 21st Illinois Infantry. They camped at the 
 Fair Grounds, just west of the Illinois School for 
 the Deaf, and there Colonel Grant watched his 
 
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 soldiers and kept bootleggers from selling 
 whiskey to them. 
 
 One block west of the square stands the third 
 Morgan County court house, built in 1868. Here 
 may be seen a tablet to Stephen A. Douglas who 
 located in Jacksonville in 1834, and was the 
 first state's attorney. Here he was first called 
 'The Little Giant." From this town he was sent 
 to the legislature in 1836. 
 
 In the same block, opposite the New Dunlap 
 Hotel, stands a building with wrought iron trim- 
 ming around the porches. This was an early 
 tavern in the old days. 
 
 At the next corner there is the unusual sight 
 of a church on each of the four corners. On the 
 northeast, State Street Presbyterian; southeast. 
 Trinity Episcopal (the oldest Episcopal church 
 in Illinois) ; northwest, the First Baptist, and on 
 the southwest, Grace Methodist Episcopal. On 
 the cite of this handsome stone edifice stood the 
 pioneer home of Dr. Ero Chandler, the first phy- 
 sician in Jacksonville. 
 
 In the next block we see the new $300,000.00 
 Newton Bateman Memorial High School, named 
 for one of Jacksonville's most noted citizens. 
 He was an early graduate of Illinois College and 
 later principal of the first district school, built 
 on the site of this fine high school. He was 
 State Superintendent of Public Instruction from 
 1858 to 1863, and in that time organized the 
 public school system of Illinois. Later he was 
 for years president of Knox College. 
 
 About two blocks west on the south side of 
 5
 
 the street, near the corner of Westminster, 
 stands the modest house which was the home of 
 the second Richard Yates — the third governor 
 Jacksonville gave to Illinois. He was born and 
 raised in this city, and was governor from 1901 
 to 1905. 
 
 In the next block, the house at 907 was the 
 home of Newton Bateman. At 1019 West State 
 stands the former home of Porter Clay, brother 
 of the famous Henry Clay. He lived here in 
 1830, and was one of the first directors of the 
 "Deaf and Dumb Asylum" which was provided 
 for in a bill passed by the legislature in 1838-39. 
 
 A few blocks farther west the tour ap- 
 proaches Duncan Park — named for the first 
 governor Jacksonville gave to Illinois — Gov. 
 Joseph Duncan, who served from 1834 to 1838. 
 He was also congressman and secured to the 
 State of Illinois from Wisconsin, the northern 
 strip on which Chicago stands, thus giving Illi- 
 nois a lake port. His beautiful home which 
 stands back in the park, and is now the Chapter 
 House of the Rev. James Caldwell Chapter, 
 Daughters of the American Revolution, was 
 built in the late 30's, and is little changed since 
 he lived there. It is one of the very few homes 
 of early governors yet standing in the State. 
 The outside weather-boards are of solid black 
 walnut. In this house Martin VanBuren (Presi- 
 dent in 1837), Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. 
 Douglas, Daniel Webster, and many other men 
 of national reputation were entertained with 
 lavish southern hospitality. 
 
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 Coming out of the park at the corner of Web- 
 ster Avenue and West State Street, one may 
 look north two blocks to Lafayette Avenue, 
 where in June 1837, Daniel Webster spoke 
 under a magnificent elm which ''tho' lost to 
 sight" is still **to memory dear." 
 
 At the west side of Webster Avenue stands 
 the fine Illinois School for the Deaf. Provided 
 for by an act of the legislature in 1838-39, with 
 the munificent fund of $1,500.00 appropriated, 
 it was not built until 1843. It is one of the oldest 
 and largest schools for the deaf in the United 
 States and has had, for most of its history, men 
 of fine vision and culture to direct it. There are 
 about five hundred pupils, with a teaching force 
 of fifty instructors. 
 
 Turning east now, on West College Avenue, 
 one passes the site of the home of William J. 
 Bryan, who was graduated from Illinois College 
 in 1881, was married and practiced law here, 
 later removing to Lincoln, Nebraska. A large 
 granite boulder marks this site. 
 
 In the next block on the south stands the 
 beautiful campus and buildings of Illinois Col- 
 lege — the oldest college west of the Alleghanies 
 — chartered in 1829. Beecher Hall, named for 
 the first president, Edward Beecher — a brother 
 of Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher 
 Stowe — is still in use. From this college three 
 governors of Illinois, a candidate three times for 
 president, lawyers, judges, presidents of col- 
 leges, congressmen, and noted divines have been 
 graduated with honors. William Herndon, Lin- 
 
 9
 
 coin's law partner, was a student here in 1837. 
 In 1929 the college will celebrate its one hun- 
 dredth anniversary. 
 
 In the block opposite the college, at 1162 
 West College Avenue, stood the home of Jona- 
 than B. Turner. He was the father of the bill 
 providing for land grant universities, and intro- 
 duced the Osage orange hedge to the western 
 pioneers who could not afford to build fences. 
 
 Several blocks farther east, one passes the 
 beautiful campus of Academy Hall, now the 
 girls' dormitory of Illinois College, but founded 
 in 1830, and then called the Jacksonville Female 
 Academy. Notice the magnificent sweep of the 
 elm trees on this campus. From this school Mrs. 
 W. J. Bryan, then Mary Baird, was graduated 
 in 1881. 
 
 In the next block, at 344 stands the former 
 home of Judge William E. Thomas, who taught 
 the first school in the town in 1826, his salary 
 being raised by subscriptions. He paid $1.00 a 
 week for board, washing and fuel — paid in 
 pork, cattle or produce. 
 
 At the corner of South Main and West College 
 Avenue stood the house in which Ellen Hardin 
 Walworth was born. She was the daughter of 
 General John J. Hardin, who fell at the battle 
 of Buena Vista, Mexico, in 1847. She was one 
 of the three founders of the National Society, 
 Daughters of the American Revolution, and a 
 fine marble tablet on the building which stands 
 here, has been erected to her memory by the 
 local chapter. 
 
 11
 
 Turning south, at this corner on Main Street, 
 one is following the old road which led in 
 pioneer days to Vandalia, the State capitol, and 
 to St. Louis. 
 
 A mile south of the square is located the Jack- 
 sonville State Hospital for the Insane. In 1846 
 Dorothea Dix the noted philanthropist, visited 
 Jacksonville to assist in establishing a hospital 
 for the insane. The result of her earnest and 
 spirited efforts was the creation of the present 
 hospital by the Illinois Legislature of 1847. It 
 lies in a beautiful 160 acre tract of land, and the 
 numerous buildings house patients and attend- 
 ants to the number of almost 3,500. 
 
 Of less historic interest, but of great value as 
 a city's play ground is beautiful Nichols Park 
 which lies about a mile southeast of the State 
 Hospital. This lovely spot, with its lakes, golf 
 links, municipal swimming pool, flower gardens 
 and fine trees, was the gift of Samuel W. 
 Nichols, who is living still to receive the thanks 
 a grateful city renders him. 
 
 Returning north, to the corner of College Ave- 
 nue, and South Main Street, one turns east and 
 at the southeast corner of College Avenue and 
 Mauvaisterre Street stands an old building 
 which is interesting because it was the birth- 
 place of Charles Ray, the movie actor. Next is 
 the site of the first school taught in the city by 
 WilKam E. Thomas. 
 
 Turning north at Clay Avenue, the tourist 
 passes along one side of the campus of the Illi- 
 nois Woman's College, which claims to be the 
 
 13
 
 largest college under one roof in the United 
 States. It was chartered in 1847 as the Illinois 
 Conference Female Academy, and in 1852 was 
 re-chartered as a Female College. It is still 
 under the supervision of the Methodist Church 
 and is a fine institution with about five hundred 
 students from all parts of the United States. 
 
 Just east of the Woman's College stands Routt 
 College, a Catholic institution, which is co-edu- 
 cational. Across the street stands Our Savior's 
 Hospital, under the control of the Order of the 
 Holy Cross. This site is historically interesting 
 because the east part of the building was the 
 home of the War Governor of Illinois, Richard 
 Yates. Here he lived, and here the younger 
 Yates was born. The elder Yates died in St. 
 Louis, Mo., November 28, 1873, but his widow 
 and family occupied this home for many years 
 after his death. 
 
 In the next block east stands Passavant Hos- 
 pital. On this site stood the home of General 
 John J. Hardin, from whence he went to die on 
 a Mexican battle field. He secured in 1839, the 
 passage of the first local option liquor law in 
 Illinois. This was also the site of the first ser- 
 mon in Morgan County — preached by Rev. Jos. 
 Easey, a Methodist Episcopal minister. 
 
 Next east, after crossing the tracks of the 
 Chicago & Alton and C, B. & Q. railroads, the 
 State School for the Blind appears. In 1847 a 
 blind man, Samuel Bacon, came to Jacksonville 
 to interest citizens in a school for the blind. He 
 was told to get some pupils together and show 
 
 15
 
 ACADKMV JiALI., ILLIX(JIS COLLKCK (JIRl.S' I K tRM !'!'( : i: Y
 
 what could be done. After an exhibition be- 
 fore the legislature, they passed a bill establish- 
 ing the "Illinois Institution for the Education of 
 the Blind." This was the fourth school of its 
 kind to be opened in the United States. Since 
 1849, thousands of pupils have graduated and 
 gone out to live useful lives in their home com- 
 munities. 
 
 Farther east about two blocks, stands the for- 
 mer home of Brigadier General Benjamin Grier- 
 son, of the United States Army, who saw valiant 
 service in the Civil War and in the Indian up- 
 risings, and who made the celebrated raid with- 
 in the enemies' lines in Mississippi during the 
 Civil War. 
 
 In Central Park stood the first and second 
 court houses of Morgan County. The latter w^as 
 a brick building costing $4,000.00 and it stood 
 in the southwest corner of the park. In this 
 building Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, 
 Governor Joseph Duncan, and other intellectual 
 giants practiced law. 
 
 Jacksonville was a noted station on the 
 ''Underground Railroad." In the early thirties 
 Ebenezer Carter, Jonathan B. Turner, Elihu 
 Wolcott, D. B. Ayers, Samuel Adams, Daniel C. 
 Pierson and Dr. M. M. L. Reed were very active, 
 as were some students at Illinois College. The 
 farm home of Ebenezer Carter, south of town, 
 was an important local station, and many Vv^ere 
 the slaves who found refuge and succor there. 
 
 In June, 1832, William Cullen Bryant visited 
 his brothers who lived in Jacksonville. He re- 
 
 17
 
 ported the buildings here were better than those 
 in Springfield. 
 
 In 1833 was organized the Ladies' Society for 
 the Promotion of Education of Females. This 
 was the first Woman's Club in the United States 
 and the first club in the world to be officered by 
 women, and is in existence today, now being 
 called "The Ladies' Education Society." 
 
 In 1836 Rev. Peter Akers organized the Eben- 
 ezer Manual Labor School, near Ebenezer 
 Church. This was the first Methodist Theo- 
 logical school in America and the first manual 
 training school in Illinois. In 1843 the first 
 medical school in Illinois was established as a 
 department of Illinois College. 
 
 In 1837, the Illinois Teachers' Association 
 was organized at Illinois College commence- 
 ment. This was the first organization of 
 teachers in Illinois. 
 
 Another unique institution is the Woolen Mills 
 of J. Capps & Sons, founded in 1839. It is said 
 to be the only mill in the United States where 
 they take the raw wool in at one end of the mill 
 and turn it out a finished suit of clothes at the 
 other end. The grandsons of the founder are 
 the managers and owners. 
 
 In 1849 Jacksonville became the refuge of 
 350 Portuguese Colonists who fled from relig- 
 ious persecution in the Island of Madeira. In 
 1852, 211 more came and in 1855, 274 more. 
 These people have been largely members of the 
 Presbyterian church and the Northminster Pres- 
 byterian church is now the lineal descendent of 
 
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 a Presbyterian church formed in 1845 in Ma- 
 deira. 
 
 Of later historical interest, following the 
 World War, the first band of Gold Star Mothers 
 was organized in Jacksonville, which now is a 
 National organization. 
 
 Jacksonville had the first open air school 
 (outside of Cook County) in Illinois, opened in 
 January, 1915. 
 
 It also had the first full-time County health 
 officer — beginning in May, 1922. 
 
 Entering Jacksonville from the east on Routes 
 10 and 3 the tourist passes the Oak Lawn Sani- 
 tarium — Morgan County's tuberculosis sani- 
 tarium. Leaving Jacksonville, going west on 
 Route 36, one passes the beautiful and com- 
 modious Norbury Sanatorium, a private hospital 
 for nervous diseases. 
 
 S\\IMMIXG POOL. NICHOLS PARK 
 
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 O, Jacksonville, fair Jacksonville, 
 Thy history thrills our hearts : 
 
 May we, as those of olden time, 
 
 Be strong to make thy pages bright, 
 Till our brief days are done. 
 
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 HEADS OF IXSTITUTIOXS 
 
 Mayor E. E. Crabtree 
 
 Mayor-elect J.J. Reeve 
 
 Superintendent of Schools Ben F. Shafer 
 
 Illinois State School for Deaf Col. John Reig 
 
 Jacksonville State Hospital Dr. E. L. Hill 
 
 Illinois School for Blind Robert W. Woolston 
 
 Illinois College C. H. Rammelkamp, President 
 
 Illinois Woman's College. . . .C. P. McClelland, President 
 Routt College Father Costello 
 
 SERVICE CLUBS 
 
 Business and Professional Women. . .Jennie C. Rabjohns 
 
 Rotary Club Harry M. Andre 
 
 Kiwanis John Larson 
 
 Lions H. H. Vasconcellos 
 
 Triangle John Murray 
 
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 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
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 TOURING HISTORIC JACKSONVILLE JACKSONVIL