LI B HAHY OF THE UN IVER.SITY OF ILLINOIS 977.332 Kllffl 1938 LIBRAS /5 ,-/- MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT Revised Edition jir-s^r^rap^^ MOUNT MORRIS PAST AND PRESENT Revised Edition ^An Illustrated History of the Village of Mount Morris Ogle County, Illinois CELEBRATING THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF MOUNT MORRIS First Edition Published in 1900 by Kable Brothers Second Edition Published in 1938 by Harry G. Kable Vj. Hlfltll HM. \iM xM Vn xAu uAu wi/Vm ^Ak ^Au xM Mw mMVii ii/Vu mj/Vm iAm wj. JT J-L-£-L XL 2X TX TT TT-Tr TV JT TV JT TtjT tljT Tl jT tt-jT Tt> jT tT,jt tt, jT TV Rr^*n^ ^.r-~-^r ^ ^r^^*« ^.r-- «^^ ^^^^^^ W^^,* *TW ^^-^*^^ ^^..^^ ^r^-^^-T^ ^r^ -^^ ^T~»^*^ K^^^^K ^^»^^W ^^-•■•^^ Copyright, 1938, by H. G. Kable EXPLANATION The most of the illustrations used in this vol- ume were not made especially for this purpose hut were gathered from various sources, largely from the Hies of the Mount Morris Index. This accounts for the fact that there is such a va- riety of sizes and screens, which naturally de- tracts from the typographical appearance of the hook. KABLE BROTHERS COMPANY, MOUNT MORRIS, ILL. ??? K This revised edition of Mount Morris: Past and Present" is dedicated to the memory of my twin brother Harvey J. Kable who passed away April 13, 1931 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/mountmorrispastpOOilkabl Treface To %evised Edition An old Latin author wrote: "Many great men lived before Agamemnon, but that all memorial of them had perished for want of a chronicler." • THIRTY-EIGHT years have elapsed since my brother and I, then at the rather youthful age of twenty years, attempted the somewhat pre- tentious task of compiling and printing a history of Mount Morris. Fortunately at that time, many of the original pioneers of the township who came here as early as 1837 were still living and first-hand information was available by personally interviewing these men and women who were ac- tually the first white people to inhabit the village and who endured the hardships of those early days in building their log cabins and breaking the virgin prairie. Aside from the tremendous task of compiling the matter contained in the book, the mechanical work of typesetting and printing the book was no small undertaking with the meagre equipment in the office of the Mount Morris Index which about that time had just moved into the old frame building vacated by the Brethren Publishing House located on the northeastern corner of the college campus. The type was set by hand and the printing done two pages at a time on a job press. A great deal of the actual me- chanical work was done by A. H. Rittenhouse and the excellent job of print- ing of the book can be attributed to his ability as a printer. In bringing out this second edition of "Mount Morris: Past and Present" some of the original matter has been omitted and the balance brought up to date. Many more pictures have been added and the value of the old pic- tures increased by more complete descriptive matter. One difficult problem in connection with compiling accurate data in regard to the early history of Mount Morris is the unfortunate fact that no files have been preserved of the newspapers published in the village up to the year 1896. Half a dozen newspapers were published intermittently during the period from 1842 to 1896 but only a few scattered copies have been found. Doubtless many important happenings could have been gleaned from these old newspapers had they been available. The one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the village seems to be an appropriate time to bring this history up to date. It is therefore hoped by the author that the effort and expense of this edition will be justified. At any rate, the task of rewriting and revising the book has been a pleasant one and well worth the effort in personal satisfaction. Many persons have generously given valuable assistance in this work, for which the author is more than grateful. This volume also marks the fortieth anniversary of the founding of Kable Brothers Company, which started as an ordinary country newspaper plant in September, 1898, and grew from almost nothing to a gigantic printing establishment, employing over eight hundred people. HARRY G. KABLE. September, 1938. CONTENTS Chapter Page 1. EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT 11 2. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 39 3. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 77 4. INCORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP 93 5. ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 101 6. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 117 7. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 155 8. VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS 207 9. THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 221 10. COMING OF THE RAILROAD 245 11. TORNADOES 251 12. CEMETERIES 261 13. WAR HISTORY 273 14. THE POST OFFICE 299 15. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS 309 16. MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 333 17. MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS " 351 18. MEN AND WOMEN OF YESTERDAY 365 19. MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 391 20. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 413 INDEX of Illustrations and Biographies 451 MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT Revised Edition Chapter I EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT THE year 1937 marked an impor- tant milestone in the history of Mount Morris. Over one hun- dred years have passed since the first immigrants from the eastern states pushed their way across mountains and rivers to what was then the wild fron- tier of civilization, — the State of Illi- nois. A company of these pioneers from the State of Maryland made the first permanent settlement in the wilderness which now under a far different ap- pearance bears the name of Mount Mor- ris. Here, where the primeval forest had never been traversed, save by the foot of the red man or by herds of deer and other game, they hewed the rough timber for their dwellings, and estab- lished themselves in a colony for the purpose of promoting their general welfare. How well they succeeded, the far-reaching influence of the school they established and the charming little town of Mount Morris are living testimonials. If by some magic power, one could be carried back a century and view this area from the air, there would appear an unbroken expanse of prairie grass, dotted here and there with patches of wild flowers and covered with tall grass so heavy in some places as to be al- most impassable. Flanked on all sides would appear an irregular fringe of tim- ber. How beautiful in its wild solitude, compared with what we see today! A description of the region around Mount Morris as it appeared in 1837, as told by the first settlers, is most fas- cinating. The present site of the vil- lage was an open prairie. What is now the center of the business section was then the crest of a hill of considerable size, the land sloping from it in all di- rections. Before the view was obstruct- ed by buildings and trees, the altitude of this hill was very perceptible. Most of the ravines and hollows were in a wet, boggy state; and the streams and ponds retained the water from rains much longer than now. There abound- ed hundreds of flowing springs, which have long since ceased to flow, owing to the tiling of the low places and the development of the soil. The prairie land on the crest of the hill on which Mount Morris was built contained about ten square miles. This prairie was entirely surrounded by heavy timber. The timber line came very close to the present village limits on the north, but about two or three miles to the east, south and west. The first settlers built their log cabins at the edge of the timber in order to have fuel and building material, and invari- ably near some of the fine springs of cool, running water. The log cabins built at that time were of the most primitive character. They were generally one -story structures, with no modern conveniences of any kind. The roofs were made of clap- boards which consisted of thin slabs called "shakes," about three or four feet long, split from logs. In the absence of nails, the tiers of these rude shingles were held down by lodge poles. These cabins generally consisted of only one or two rooms with sometimes an attic, reached through a hole in the ceiling with a pole ladder. The floors gener- ally consisted of the bare ground and the furniture was of the most meagre home-made sort. As mentioned before, the first settlers built their cabins along the edge of the timber. Later arrivals, however, real- izing the value of the fertile prairie land, started to take up claims there. Probably the first prairie sod was plowed in 1834, but many years passed before the entire prairie was cultivated. 11 12 mount morris: past and present JOHN PHELPS had the distinction of being the first white man to settle in the vicinity of Mount Morris. He was born in Bedford County, Va., on August 8, 1796, and in 1810 moved with his father to Wilson County, Tenn. In September, 1814, he enlisted in the army and fought through the campaign against the British at New Orleans. His biography tells of terrible hardships endured in going to and from his home and New Orleans. He came to Illinois in 1827 and located at Galena where he opened a store and engaged in lead mining. In 1833, he came down Rock River on an exploring ex- pedition and entered a claim several miles east of the present site of Mount Morris. He built a log cabin on this claim in 1834, the ruins of which can still be seen. He moved his family to this cabin in the spring of 1835. In 1863, he built a fine brick house west of his log cabin, where he lived until his death April 1, 1874, aged 78 years. He is buried in Riverview Cemetery near Oregon. Mr. Phelps was married March 14, 1816, to Sarah Rogan Carlin, who died in 1879. They had three children as follows: James C. T. Phelps, who married Ann E. Swingley; Sarah Phelps, who married Wesley Johnson; Napoleon Phelps (died in 1857), who married Mary Thomas. THE FIRST SETTLERS L3 Unlike many sections of Illinois, Mount Morris was entirely free from tragedies with the Indians; in fact, the warlike tribes had been driven west- ward before this part of the country be- came settled. Ogle County was origi- nally a part of the hunting grounds of the Winnebagoes and Potawatomies, and their trails from one grove to an- other were easily discernable, while hundreds of their arrowheads and other weapons have been and are still being found in all parts of the township. In 1832 occurred the terrible Black Hawk War, and as a result all of the red men, except a few dozen peaceful families, were driven westward. At that early day, no settlers had yet stopped here and consequently the Indian trouble was all over when civilization began to dawn in this vicinity. The only sight which the early settlers ever got of these swarthy aborigines was an oc- casional band crossing the plains in quest of game. These were the most quiet and peaceful of the Indian tribes of the country, but they finally became dissatisfied with the restrictions of their treaty with the whites and followed their more warlike brethren to the wil- derness west of the Mississippi, leaving their former lands free to the onward march of civilization. THE FIRST SETTLERS FROM the most reliable information, it appears that John Phelps was the original pioneer in this vicinity, having visited the county and taken up a claim several miles east of Mount Morris in November, 1833. He returned in 1834 and built the log cabin, a picture of which appears in this chapter, and the following year moved his family to the cabin, arriving on the 17th day of May, 1835. Mr. Phelps wrote an autobiogra- phy, in which he tells of the events leading up to his settlement in Ogle County. A part of it is here reproduced: "I had conceived a plan and formed a fixed determination to explore the beautiful valley of Rock River, which I had passed through in the year 1829. My object was to make a location as near as possible on a true line leading from Chicago to Galena, believing at some future day at the crossing at Rock River, it would be a very important point. In order to get all the light I could in regard to this locality, I care- fully examined the map of the territory embracing the Rock River Valley, the locality of Chicago and that of Galena, ascertaining the distance. Both places stand south of the northern boundary of the state. All things being arranged, the Frenchman and myself set out on our exploring expedition from near Mineral Point on the Pecatonica in a small canoe. We expected to reach Rock River in two days but owing to the crookedness of the stream it was seven days before we reached it. By this time our scanty supply of provi- sions had given out and we were forced to supply ourselves by the aid of our guns. We found pheasants, squirrels and other game were plentiful. We lived well with the exception of bread. "We descended Rock River to where Rockford is now located; there we made a short stop and examined that section on both sides of the river, but we found too great a scarcity of timber for a settlement, besides I believed it too near the state line; that the true line from Chicago to Galena was far south of that place. We then descended to where Byron now stands. There we stopped and looked at the surrounding country, believing that was about far enough south, but there was the same objection on account of timber. We still pursued our journey down the river about one mile above where Oregon now stands. We saw a tent on the west bank of the river, near the northeast corner of the present fair grounds. I said to my com- panion, 'There is an Indian wigwam, we will stop and see if we can get some- thing to eat.' He said it was no wigwam but a white man's tent. We landed and, going to the tent, I was agreeably sur- prised to meet my old friend, Col. Wm. Hamilton, a son of the celebrated Alex. Hamilton who was killed in a duel by Aaron Burr. I had made his acquaint- ance in my early settlement in the lead mines. I had not seen him for five or 14 mount morris: past and present THIS LOG CABIN was undoubtedly the first white man's habitation built in the vicinity of Mount Morris. It was erected by John Phelps in 1834 on the edge of the timber at a spot about two miles east of Mount Morris on the farm now owned by Martin Buhs, a short distance from State Route 64. The above picture was taken prob- ably twenty-five years ago, but since that time the roof has fallen in and very little is left of this historic building. It is to be greatly regretted that something was not done to permanently preserve this historic spot and keep the cabin in repair. THE ABOVE is all that remains in 1938 of the old Phelps log cabin built in 1834. The old fireplaces at each end of the cabin are still standing. THE MARYLAND COLONY 15 six years. He seemed astonished to meet me amongst the Indians and in- quired what had brought me there. I told him I was on an exploring expedi- tion to look at the country and if I liked it, to locate and make it my home. He said I need not go any further, that I was in the right spot. He said he had a contract from the Government to sur- vey into townships a large portion of the Rock River country. He said he could give me directions where I could fine one of the best locations he had ever seen, that it embraced good tim- ber, good water with a beautiful rolling prairie running down between two fine groves of timber about three miles west of where we were. We were hungry and he had dinner prepared for us. He was about to raise camp and prosecute his work on his line. He had been there a day or two, cooking and pre- paring to continue his work. After we had finished eating, he took down his tent, packed up and started on his line, but before he left he gave us a week's supply of bread and cut a middling of bacon in two and gave us half. Being thus supplied with provisions we had nothing to prevent us from making a thorough examination on both sides of the river. This being done I was satis- fied it would make a fine settlement. I made the first claim where my farm is. My next object was to make a claim where I intended making the road from Galena to cross the river. On exam- ining the bank on both sides, found there could be a good road where Ore- gon now stands, so I made my claim there. This was in November, 1833. The object of our journey being ac- complished and fully satisfactory, we packed our blankets, left our canoe and steered our course for the lead mines on foot. We arrived there in three days, undergoing much fatigue, hardship and suffering on our route. "In the spring of 1834, with my two brothers, B. T. and G. W. Phelps, one hired man and myself, we set out from Schuyler County with teams, provi- sions, and farming implements to com- mence opening the farm on which I now live. We planted and fenced forty acres in corn, built a house and re- turned home with the intention of moving my family up that fall, but on reflection, it was thought best to win- ter there, as we had plenty of food for our stock at home and would move up early in the spring. So my brother, B. T., and myself came up in the fall to gather the corn and build a ferry boat. After we had gathered our corn we re- turned home. I moved the family up in the spring of 1835, arriving on the 17th day of May, and found all our corn had been taken by the Indians and had to depend upon grass to supply my teams and haul our provisions from Galena. We laid out the road in the fall from Chicago to. Galena and early in the spring laid out the town of Oregon." THE MARYLAND COLONY IN the summer of 1836, Samuel M. Hitt and Capt. Nathaniel Swingley came on an exploring trip from Wash- ington County, Md., to the locality now known as Mount Morris Township and found the Phelps family living on their claim east of Mount Morris; Larkin Baker had a cabin and a claim about four miles southeast, subsequently owned by Daniel Price; David Worden lived several miles southwest; and probably several others had settled along the edge of the timber. Hitt and Swingley went out upon the prairie and made several claims, in- cluding the present site of Mount Mor- ris. They remained here during the summer but in the autumn returned to Maryland and hired a number of men to settle with them in the new country, promising to pay them one dollar per day for service in building houses, split- ting rails, building fence, breaking the prairie and harvesting the crops. Among those thus engaged were Michael Bovey, Adam, Daniel and John Stover, Balka Niehoff, Samuel Grove, Eli Householder, William McDannel, Abram and Jona- than Myers, and Fred Finkbohnar. This party started for their new homes in the west in the spring of 1837. Householder, McDannel, and Daniel If. mount morris: past and present Stover were accompanied by their wives. Mrs. Elizabeth Ankney (sister of Nathaniel Swingley), with her little son, Albertus, and her daughter, Anna, was also a member of the party. (Anna later married Wm. Watts.) They trav- eled by wagons to Wheeling, W. Va., by boat on the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Peru, and the remain- ing distance by wagon. Early in the \ ■:"^- £& CAPT. NATHANIEL SWINGLEY was one of the founders of the original "Maryland Colony." He was born at Hagerstown, Md., in November, 1807, and came to Ogle County in the summer of 1836 with Samuel M. Hitt and they took up claims which included the present site of Mount Morris. They returned to Maryland in the fall and then came back with their families in the spring of 1837. Capt. Swingley continued to live in this vicinity for a number of years and later located at Creston where he died March 17, 1883. He married Eliza Sharer, who died in 1879. They had seven children and their descendants are as fol- lows: John H. Swingley, married Sophia Banks; Ann Swingley, married James C. T. Phelps; Nicholas Swingley, married Jane Woodard; Urilla Swingley, married Francis Clark; James A. Swingley, mar- ried Helen Harrison; Jacob Swingley, married Jane Harrison; Upton Swingley, married Frances Potter (died in 1870). SAMUEL M. HITT was one of the found- ers of Mount Morris. He was the son of Martin and Margaret Hitt and was born in Bourbon County, Ky., Jan. 22, 1799. The family moved to near Urbana, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, later moving to Washington County, Md. In 1823, he married Barbara Ann Hershey, and they became the parents of 12 children, only six of whom lived beyond childhood. They were Andrew M., Robert S., George, John W., Joseph E., and Margaret C, who mar- ried Prof. D. J. Pinckney. Mr. Hitt came to Mount Morris in 1836 with Capt. Na- thaniel Swingley, and they were the first to take up claims on the present site of Mount Morris. They were instrumental in bringing the "Maryland Colony" to Mount Morris. He brought his family in the spring of 1837 and settled on a tract of land northwest of Mount Morris, later known as the Christian Zumdahl farm, where he died, Nov. 16, 1859. Mr. Hitt was engaged in many business enterprises in Mount Morris. He and F. G. Petrie con- ducted a general store in the early forties and he was actively interested in Rock River Seminary. spring they arrived at a vacant cabin in Fridley's grove, east of the present site of Mount Morris. This cabin had been built and occupied by Judge Ford, afterward governor of the state. Here the first "Maryland Colony," as these settlers were afterward termed, re- mained for two weeks, while the men- folks proceeded to erect their cabins. The first one built by them was a THE MARYLAND COLONY 17 THIS LOG CABIN was probably built about the year 1836 by Thomas Ford, who later served a term as Governor of Illinois. It was located in what was later known as the Fridley Grove, about three miles east of Mount Morris, later owned by Wilson Glasgow, and it was in this cabin that the first group of settlers from Maryland lived while the men were building other cabins to live in. This cabin was purchased by John Fridley in September, 1837, and Mr. Fridley's sons, John, Benjamin, Andrew, David and Jacob, spent their boyhood days in it. Unfortunately this old landmark burned down a num- ber of years ago. double log-cabin, on the claim by Mrs. Ankney, about three-quarters of a mile southwest of the present village of Mount Morris. Half of this house was moved, at a later day, down into the grove near a spring, and was finally torn down. The other half stood in the field a few rods east of the former resi- dence of N. A. Watts, and was used as an implement house for a number of years, when it, too, shared the fate of its partner and was torn down for fuel. Unfortunately, no photograph was ever taken of this historic old building. In the two small rooms of this cabin lived four families, — those of Mrs. Ankney and Eli Householder in one part, and Messrs. Stover and McDannel in the other. While this cabin was being complet- ed, the entire party remained in the Ford cabin. A bake-oven, constructed by Mrs. Ankney, was used in prepar- ing their food, and at night they slept on "wagoner" beds, which consisted of plain mattresses, rolled up during the day and spread out on the floor at night. Several other cabins were soon com- pleted, however, and the members of the colony became more comfortably located. Mr. Swingley kept the men that he had brought along busily en- gaged in cutting down trees, splitting rails and building fences, and cultivat- ing several small fields of grain for which prairie sod had been broken in the spring. Of these early settlers who constitut- ed the Maryland colony, most of them remained in the vicinity. Michael Bovey took up a claim northwest of town and lived there until old age com- pelled him to retire, when he moved to town. Eli Householder lived here two years and then moved six miles south, where he died in 1896. Samuel M. Hitt built a log cabin on one of his claims, about three miles west of town, later known as the Zumdahl property. There with his family, in- 18 mount morris: past and present eluding Margaret, Andrew, Robert, George, John and Joseph, he lived un- til his death in 1859. In 1858, he began the erection of a fine stone residence, and although it was not quite com- pleted, he and his family were living in it at the time of his death. This house was owned and occupied later for many years by Christian Zumdahl. Capt. Nathaniel Swingley, who with Samuel Hitt brought the Maryland col- ony to Mount Morris, established his claim several miles east of Mount Mor- ris, later known as the Keedy farm. He lived there until 1850 when he joined the rush for the goldfields of Cali- fornia. After three years in California, he returned to Ogle County and locat- ed at Creston, where he died. THE RICE AND WAGNER FAMILIES AMONG the settlers from Washing- Jl\ ton County, Md., early in the spring of 1837, were the large families of Jacob Rice and John Wagner. Each of these families consisted of ten children and the trip was made overland in "prairie schooners." Imagine if you can the tre- mendous task of these two pioneers of transporting these large families to an unknown new country and providing for their wants far from civilization. One of the children of the Wagner fam- ily, David C. Wagner, told of these ex- periences in a paper which he read at the Ogle County Old Settlers' Reunion held in Mount Morris during the sum- mer of 1904. Part of his address was as follows: "I can assure it affords me untold pleasure to meet with this little band of pioneers. The announcement of this meeting brings back to me reminis- JACOB RICE was one of the pioneers who came to Mount Morris in 1837. He was a farmer of Washington County, Md., and was of German descent. He took up a claim several miles north of Mount Morris and built a log cabin for his large family. The mother was Mary Roland; she died three years after arriving here, leaving twelve motherless children. The names of the children are as follows, in the order of their age: Barbara (Mrs. Maysilles) ; David, who lived at Byron; Joshua, who started for California and was never heard from; John, who resided in Leaf River Township; Susan, who married Elias Thomas; Lydia, who mar- ried Benjamin Hiestand; Elizabeth, who married Ezra Thomas; Jacob and Simon, who lived in Mount Morris; Mary, who married Daniel Etnyre; Isaac, of Mount Morris; William, who died at age of 21. Mr. Rice married again to Catherine Funk (better known as Aunt Kitty Rice) who mothered his large family of chil- dren. She died in 1900 at the age of 103 years. Mr. Rice died on his farm, April 25, 1870. cences of early days, in fact, youthful days. My father with ten children, left Washington County, Md., in the fall of 1836. He stopped over winter near Springfield, Ohio — then known as the 'back-woods' — and in the early spring of 1837, he and Uncle Jacob Rice (who left Maryland with us, having the same number in his family as our own), started west on horseback, the objec- tive point being Rock River. At this time there were no settlements, except what were known as 'squatters' who had located all the timber lands with a view to accommodate the incoming im- migrants. My father paid about $3,000 for two timber lots. He and Uncle Rice then returned to Ohio for their families. My recollection is that we crossed Rock River at Oregon on the 9th of June, 1837. I remember quite well that the ferry boat's capacity was limited to four horses a trip. Father and Uncle Rice each had a six-horse wagon such as were known in the country at that time as 'prairie schooners.' Each one of these wagons had to be divested of its con- tents because of the incapacity of the ferry boats. This was the most tedious obstacle we encountered in our thou- sand mile westward movement. Hav- ing landed on the western bank of Rock River upon which the 'great city' of Oregon was located, we went within three miles of what was to be our future home. "Now came a comforting contribution from Judge Ford, who proferred the use of a log cabin which he had pur- chased from a squatter. It was located one mile from where we expected and did build the first double-hewn log house in Ogle County, without invidious distinction was denominated a palace in THE RICE AND WAGNER FAMILIES 1!) THE JOHN WAGNER FAMILY consisted of the above twelve children, ten of whom came to Mount Morris with their parents in 1837. The other two were born after the family arrived. The parents were John and Catherine (Rice) Wagner who were natives of Washington County, Md. They made the trip by horses and wagons along with the Jacob Rice family, which also consisted of ten children. The Wagner children shown above are, from left to right, top row, Mrs. Elizabeth Timmerman, Mrs. Susan Wertz; second row, Mrs. Sarah Good, Mrs. Barbara McNeill; third row, Mrs. Hannah Knodle, Nehemiah Wagner, Mrs. Kate Griffin; fourth row, David Wagner, Reuben Wag- ner; fifth row, Joseph Wagner, Benj. Wagner, John Wagner. All of these children lived beyond their sixtieth year before the family circle was broken, but all of them have now passed away. Three of the sons, Benjamin, David and Nehemiah served in the Civil War. 20 mount morris: past and present the wilderness. This cabin, used with our caravans of wagons, afforded un- usual facilities for prosecuting our work for a home. In addition to our big wagon, we had two smaller ones and one 'carryall.' These were used for all purposes except cooking and dining. "Now as to the first family settlers in Ogle County, west of Rock River, I believe that my father, John Wagner m mi DR. ISAAC RICE was a prominent citizen of Mount Morris for many years and also an old settler, coming here in 1837 with his parents, Jacob and Mary (Roland) Rice. He was born in Washington County, Md., Oct. 28, 1826, and was one of 12 chil- dren. He was one of the first students of Rock River Seminary, and was a room- mate of Shelby M. Cullom, who later be- came U. S. Senator from Illinois. He was a graduate of Rush Medical College, but he never practiced medicine and engaged in teaching and farming instead. His homestead was located north of Mount Morris. He retired and moved to Mount Morris in 1876. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives for the 28th and 29th General Assemblies, and aft- erwards served in the State Senate from 1880 to 1884. In 1877, associated with Major Chas. Newcomer, he established the Bank of Mount Morris. He traveled quite ex- tensively and made three trips abroad. In 1857, he married Sarah Hiestand, and they had three children: Roland, who died in infancy; Anna, who died at the age of 18, and Joseph L. Mr. Rice died May 3, 1897, at the age of 71 years, and Mrs. Rice died July 18, 1921. with ten children, and Jacob Rice with a like number of children, were the pioneers and the first of the Maryland Colony in Ogle County at least. Of course there may have been others at this time locating homes, some of whose families were then on the way and would arrive later in the summer and fall of the same year. Samuel Hitt was then arranging for a strong colony from Maryland. John Phelps of Tennessee, who preceded his family, was preparing a home for them, and many others pros- pecting for new homes; but for absolute family settlement from Maryland, our families in my opinion took precedence." After the Wagner family settled here, two more children were born and this remarkable family of six sons and six daughters all lived to ripe old ages. The circle was not broken until the death of Joseph in 1891, at which time the eldest was aged 75 years and the young- CALEB MARSHALL was one of the few of the settlers who arrived in Mount Mor- ris in the spring of 1837. He was born in Massachusetts, Nov. 5, 1777, and was of English and French nationality. He was twice married, his first wife dy- ing in 1809, and they had but one daugh- ter. His second wife was Louisa San- born and they were married in 1818 in the State of New York. They settled on a farm in Clinton County, New York, where the following children were born to them: Caleb S., Elmira E. (Mrs. Wm. Spencer), Lucian, Phila (Mrs. John V. Gale), Mary (Mrs. Solon Crowell), Reu- ben S. The Marshall family started for Illinois in 1834 but on arriving at Cleve- land, Ohio, they heard alarming reports about the Indians so they remained in Ohio for about two years. In October, 1836, Caleb Marshall left his family in Cleveland and came to Mount Morris and made claim to a half section of land sev- eral miles north of town which became the Marshall homestead. Lake naviga- tion having suspended when he was ready to return to Cleveland, he walked the entire distance back to that city. In February, 1837, the family left Cleveland for their new home. The trip was made overland and they arrived at Oregon March 19, 1837, after being about four weeks on the road. They were com- pelled to wait several weeks before cross- ing Rock River because of the floating ice. They took possession of the claim previously made by Mr. Marshall and built a log cabin 12x24 feet, where they continued to live for many years. The father died in the original cabin on May 17, 1860, and the mother on August 12, 1857. THE REV. THOS. S. HITT FAMILY 21 est 49 years. The Wagner homestead was located three miles northeast of Mount Morris, later owned by George W. Carr. The Jacob Rice family which accom- panied the Wagner family also con- sisted of ten children. They took up a homestead north of town, and here the large family was raised and scattered to different parts of the country. Those of the family best known in Ogle County were Isaac Rice, father of Joseph L. Rice; John Rice, father of John H. Rice; and Jacob Rice, father of Fred N., William (Timothy Bunker), and El- dridge. All three of the above genera- tions have passed away leaving no de- scendants. Two of the daughters were Mrs. Daniel Etnyre of Oregon and Mrs. Susan Thomas of Leaf River. Another prominent family which ar- rived in 1837 was that of Caleb Mar- shall. His son, Reuben S. Marshall, raised a large family on the old home- stead, three miles north of town, and a number of his descendants are now liv- ing in Mount Morris and vicinity. THE REV. THOS. S. HITT FAMILY IATER in the year 1837, in which the d body of settlers already described as the first Maryland colony came to the township, there also came the Rev. Thomas S. Hitt. Rev. Hitt and wife left Ohio in a carriage in the fall of 1837 to examine the new country of which his brother, Samuel, had written such favorable accounts. He was a Meth- odist minister and expected to continue his work in the new country. On ar- MRS. MARGARET (HITT) PINCKNEY was the daughter of Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, sister of Hon. Robert R. Hitt and wife of Prof. Daniel J. Pinckney. She was born in Maryland on June 25, 1824, and came with her parents to Mount Morris in 1837. She was a student of Rock River Seminary until her marriage in 1844 to Prof. Daniel J. Pinckney, principal of the seminary. Following her husband's death, which oc- curred June 7, 1883, she moved to Chicago where she lived with her daughter, Mrs. Thyetta Gilson, until her death on June 4, 1905. rival here in September, he occupied a house which Martin Reynolds, a brother-in-law, was then completing on the site of what is familiarly known as the Lohafer farm, west of town. Later he invested in a tract of land two and one -half miles south of town. This tract embraced one thousand acres, one hun- dred of which was broken. Rev. Hitt, however, soon moved to a claim which his brother, Samuel, had reserved for him. This claim consisted of what is now the Railroad Addition to the vil- lage and the land immediately north- west. Here Rev. Hitt lived until his death in 1852. In September, 1837, John Fridley pur- chased the old Ford cabin and claim, where he continued to live until the time of his death, when it became the property of his sons, Andrew, David, John, Jacob and Benjamin, whose de- scendants live in this vicinity. These settlers who arrived in 1837 were well pleased with the new coun- try, and consequently in the following spring, 1838, at the solicitation of Samuel Hitt and Nathaniel Swingley, who had induced many of the settlers to come the previous year, a large number of fam- JOHN W. HITT, early settler of Mount Morris, died Sept. 3, 1903, at the age of 71 years. He was the son of Samuel M. Hitt, and came to Mount Morris with his father with the first Maryland col- ony in 1837. He and Thomas Mumma built the first creamery in Mount Morris, and he served the township as super- visor for a number of years. He enlist- ed in the Civil War as a private in the 4th Illinois Cavalry and was promoted to quartermaster. He moved to Missouri in 1885. 22 mount morris: past and present : :-,;,., •'. , . .'',:' 7" * - REV. THOMAS S. HITT, besides being an early settler of Mount Morris, was a pioneer Methodist minister, and was largely instrumental in securing Rock River Seminary for Mount Morris. He was the son of Martin and Margaret (Smith) Hitt and was born in Bourbon County, Ky., Feb. 14, 1797. He was educated for the Methodist ministry and preached at various points in Ohio and Indiana. In 1830, he married Miss Emily John. In 1837, he decided to come to Mount Morris, where his brothers Samuel M. and Daniel F., had just located. He established his homestead on a 400- acre claim just north and west of the present village limits of Mount Morris. He took a great interest in the religious and educational interests of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Hitt raised five sons and three daughters: John Hitt, for many years deputy collector of customs in Chicago; Robert R. Hitt, for 20 years representative in Congress from this district: Martin E., Thomas M. and Henry P., who located in South Dakota; Elizabeth, wife of Capt. R. B. Wagner; Margaret (Mrs. Albert Newcomer) and Maria, wife of Major Chas. Newcomer. Rev. Hitt died in 1852 and Mrs. Hitt in 1881. They are buried in Oakwood Cemetery. THE REV. THOS. S. HITT FAMILY 23 REUBEN S. MARSHALL came to Mount Morris with his parents, Caleb and Louisa (Sanborn) Marshall, in 1837, when he was but ten years old. They settled on a claim several miles north of Mount Morris where Mr. Marshall lived continuously until the time of his death, June 16, 1907. He was born in Clinton County, N.Y., Oct. 5, 1827, and was nearly 80 years of age at the time of his death. Mr. Marshall was married Jan. 30, 1850, to Matilda Steffa and they had twelve children: William C, Mary E., Mrs. Emma Clements, Ira W., Chas. C, Albertus S., Francis C, Ida C, John C, Mrs. Grace M. Rinehart, Mrs. Viola Bock and Oliver. Mrs. Marshall died Feb. 24, 1875. ilies, known as the Maryland colony proper, left their eastern homes in Maryland and came to Mount Morris. Many of them took up claims here, while others went to Carroll County and other places. Among these fam- ilies were the Hers, the Etnyres, the Sprechers, the Aliens and many others. In May, A. Quinby Allen arrived and taught the first school in Mount Morris Township. Others who came at that time were Philip Sprecher, John Coff- man, John Smith, Henry Artz, Michael Brantner, Henry Sharer, Henry Hie- stand and John Wallace. These are all familiar names in Mount Morris and many of the descendants of these early settlers still live in this vicinity. Among others who came in the early forties, should be mentioned Jacob Tur- ney, Michael Swingley, David Mumma, William Printz, Jonas Shafstall, Moses Crowell, Jacob Buck, Daniel Wolfe, Joseph Rowe, Jacob Detrick, Samuel S. Fouts, Benjamin Myers, Silas Snyder, Adam Patterson, Otho Wallace, Solo- mon Nally, Henry A. Neff, Bartholomew and Benjamin McNutt, Jacob Hiestand, William Watts, Daniel and Frederick B. Brayton, Peter, Emanuel, Jonathan, Jacob and Joseph Knodle, many of them with their families. Still later came Benjamin Swingley, Frank Hamil- ton, Samuel Newcomer and son Charles, George Avey (father of Josiah Avey) , Emanuel, Henry and Andrew New- comer, Joseph and Frisby Watts and scores of others. About this time they began to come so rapidly that it would be useless to attempt to keep track of them. In fact, the Maryland people never ceased coming, and today the JOHN F. FRIDLEY was probably the first child born in the "Maryland Colony" and was the son of John and Nancy (Hoover) Fridley, early pioneers of 1837. He was born in the old Ford cabin, Sept. 30, 1838, and lived his entire life in Mount Morris and Rockvale Townships. He died Dec. 16, 1910, at the age of 72 years. He was married three times, his first marriage occurring in 1863 to Elizabeth Hildebrand, to whom a son and six daughters were born: Irvin Fridley, May (Mrs. Wm. Ham- mer) , Anna (Mrs. Fred Domer) , Elizabeth (Mrs. Wm. Castle), Grace (Mrs. Frank Muller), Ella (Mrs. Carlton Wolf), and Nettie (Mrs. Dale Betebenner). The mother died in 1884. Mr. Fridley's second marriage occurred in 1886 to Mrs. Cecelia Middlekauff, who mothered his large family of children. She died in 1906 and several years later Mr. Fridley married Mrs. Alice Winter, who survived him. 24 mount morris: past and present great majority of the residents of Mount Morris Township are either natives of Maryland or children of emigrants from that state. It was a noticeable fact, and one often commented upon, that the obituaries of those dying in this com- munity, as published in Mount Morris papers, almost invariably contained the clause, "was born in Washington Coun- ty, Md." Many of them came from Hagerstown in that county. THE VIGILANTES MUCH more than what has already been said concerning the appear- ance and condition of the country in the thirties and early forties and of pioneer life in those days, could yet be written. As has been stated, the Indians had practically left this part of the country when the first settlers arrived, and no trouble was experienced with them. But the township did not entirely escape from the ravages of the early bands of THOMAS FORD took up a claim of 1000 acres located about three miles east of Mount Morris about the year 1836, on which stood the log cabin in which a num- ber of the old settlers (who arrived in 1837) stopped while the first cabins were being built. It is not known whether Ford actually built and lived in this cabin or whether it had been built by a squatter previous to the time he took up the claim. He sold the cabin and claim to John Frid- ley in 1837. Mr. Ford was born in Union- town, Pa., in 1800, and came to Illinois where he was educated. He became a prominent man, first being appointed cir- cuit judge and was elected governor of the state in 1842. He died at Peoria, 111., Nov. 2, 1850. prairie robbers who harassed the set- tlers principally by stealing their horses and smuggling them during the night- time along certain lines of dishonest settlers, somewhat in the manner of the "underground railway" by which slaves were aided in their flight to Can- ada before the war. These prairie pirates were well organized all over the country, being a combination of horse thieves, counterfeiters and murderers. At a very early day they held almost undisputed and unobstructed dominion throughout this whole section of the country, and very few of the honest set- tlers were fortunate enough to keep their property from being swept into the network these land pirates had spread around them. The principal leaders of this gang of cut-throats were John Driscoll, John Brodie and Samuel Aikens and their eight sons, and Wil- liam Bridge and Norton Royce. Al- though none of them were residents of the township, their operations were often carried on in this vicinity. Their nefarious transactions became so in- tolerable at last that an organization of settlers, known as Vigilantes, was formed, the members of which pro- ceeded to clear the country of these vil- lians in a summary manner. A man by the name of John Campbell, of White PHILIP T. SPRECHER, the first Sprecher to locate in Mount Morris, was one of the original pioneers who arrived in 1837. The homestead was established on a claim one and one -half miles east of Mount Morris on what is now known as the Moats farm. Later he moved to the vil- lage where he died when more than 80 years of age, having survived his wife about one year. The wife's name was Catherine Houke. There were three sons and two daughters in the family as fol- lows: Daniel, who died many years ago; John, who became a prominent merchant in Mount Morris; George, who was a farmer and later moved to Zion City; Anna, who married Henry Moats and purchased the old homestead; and Mary, who married George Windle. THE FIRST SETTLERS 25 ti THE DA YES THAT WUZ" This letter, written from Mount Morris by a Marylander in 18U6, is a colorful literary document and gives a rare picture of the times, re- produced as it was penned, in the author's own style, spelling and all. (Postmarked) Mt. Morris, Ills., November 23rd, 1846. (Postage) 10c. Mr. David Ports, Lappens X Roads, Washington County, Md. Well old friend I take this opportunity to forward you a few lines to inform you that we are all well at present and hoping theas few lines will find you all ingoing the same blessing— it has been pretty sickley all around us with the chils and fever and some cases of the bilious f eaver but not many deths— I suppose you heard of the deth of my father. He was- ant well from the time we left Maryland til his deth— And I supose you heard of the deth of old Mr. Palmer and Isaack Emore — it tis bin the sicklist spring and fall that has bin sinse any of our Mary- landers has bin out heare— Well I must let you heare what I think of this little valley as I cal it for it tis onley about 800 miles to the Alagany and 2000 to the Rocka mounten— I must tel you the truth I don't wish myself back you may depend on it to be a slave. I am in a free state and a plenty of worke and good wages. 1 can get more for my family by wirking 2 days in the week than you can and wirk 6 and I will give you my reason for saying so. I make my dollar per day in the summer and get into the winter one Dollar pir hundred for making rails and in the fall you get 4 bushels of corn for one days wirking on the stack — well this fall porks will bring abught 2 dollars and maybe 2.50— wheat is selling heare from 30 to 37 V 2 corn from 10 to 12V 2 — po- tatoes we don't keep any account of them and the best I ever eat is hear — if you will pleas to bring me a waggon load of ap- pels and sider I will give you 4 bushels of potatoes for one bushel of appels. And then you can raise as much off one acre heare as you can raise of 3 in Maryland. Mr. Curren bild a house 16 by 20 on Mr. S. Hitt land last winter —he found all and I done the wirk and I get for a tirm of years. He break up some land— and I just put holes in the sod and planted my potatoes pumpkins cabbage and never done anything til I dug them and had better potatoes than I ever had among your stones — I forgot to tel you the price of beef I can buy the best of beef for from 2 to 3c pir pound — and it would do your hart good to sea the . . . prairie hens partredges, rabbits wild geese ducks and then go to Rock River with us when we cetch pike that will way from 20 to 25 pounds and stur- geons that way from 70 to 100 lb. and all kinds of the best fish — I am nitting a sain (sein) 50 yards long for Mr. Heth brother James and myself — James lives 3 miles and Will 8 from me and doing will— I live one mile and half from Mt. Morris —And if I could get my money I ben by (would buy) 20 akers one mile from Mt. Morris and all my old Marylanders around me — the man that owns the land is abilden am another place a mile from it and wants money bad so now its my time if I had my mony. I want you to get to see H. Palmer and tel him to go and see Dr. Titghman and then let him tel you what luck and wright to me — also I rote to V. Taves laste fall abut some business and haven got any answer — I wold like to no what he has done for me — also I rote to Thos. Albaste and haven't got any answer — but I reken out of site out of mind. I got a letter from E. Blom and a mail paper — and by what I see in it I think all the Locofokes has turned rong side out — you have made a pore sho. I am glad that I am out of the scrape — so I think you and some more had better come to this free state— before you get to be a whig. O I forgot to tel you the prise of whis- key, Ohio Whiskey is 60c per gallon — the rot-gut that they make heare is 37V2 but when you drink it you must hold your brith and it tastes a week old by 6 days and if you get any in the summer you must hurry home as it will get sawer. And if you wold see Mrs. Albart how she can jump abut you wold think it was a gal of 16 and she never was hartier than she has ben this summer— my old woman, Mrs. Albart, Lawrence, Mary and the rest of my family send their best respects to you and wife and Miss Pof- fenbarger and to all thare enquireing friends — also my respects to all my old friends and if you and some more will come over some Saturday I will have you some Ohio whiskey and a good mess of our big fish and some fried venison — I must close and I hope you will get my letter and will see Mr. Palmer you wiil rite and I hope to heare that you are a comin to this fine cuntra — Nothing more but still remain your old friend. (Signed) O. H. Wallace. Nov. 24, 1846. P.S. If you have any noshen to come out heare and if you want me to attend to anything abught your farthers estate I will with pleasure. Smith lives abught 30 miles from me and if you want me I will find out if your farther maid a will or not and how it stands. It wold ben the best thing you ever done to come out here — and a good many more of my old friends to make a easy and a good liv- ing—I want you to see V. David Davis — I want to know what he has done for me for I must have a meshean augar — he can get achance to send it by some one in the spring— Don't fale and right to me as soon as you see the persons I have menshend— and I will be happy to hear from you and all my old friends. 26 mount morris: past and present Rock, captain of the Vigilantes, was shot by the Driscolls in 1841, and imme- diately the entire country was scoured until the murderers were caught. A brief trial was given them, the entire one hundred and eleven Vigilantes serving as a jury, and being found guilty, they were shot without further parley, each being pierced by over fifty rifle balls. By this vigorous action, the settlers protected their interests very effectually until the time when the reg- ular courts of justice dealt with this class of criminals. A number of set- tlers from this vicinity had a hand in the execution of the Driscolls. NATHANIEL ALBERTUS ANKNEY died April 9, 1913, aged 79V 2 years. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Swingley) Ankney, and was born near Hagerstown, Md., August 17, 1833. At the age of four years, Mr. Ankney was brought to Mount Morris by his widowed mother, with a party of emigrants from Maryland, the trip being made overland by teams and requiring over a month. They arrived in the spring of 1837 and Mr. Ankney con- tinued to live in Mount Morris the rest of his life except for about nine years that he spent at an early day in Mississippi and California. He was engaged in farming from 1866 to 1883, when he moved to town and followed his trade of carpenter. In 1869 he married Margaret Mumma, daugh- ter of Shafer and Naomi Mumma, and they had one daughter, Mae. Mrs. Ankney died in 1904. WILLIAM H. WATTS was among the early settlers to arrive at Mount Morris. He made a claim of 300 acres south of Mount Morris and this land has been in the Watts family ever since. Mr. Watts was born Jan. 29, 1819, at Funkstown, Md. He was a carpenter by trade and helped to build many of the first houses in Mount Morris. He worked on "Old Sandstone" during the entire time it was being built. He also broke much of the ground in the vicinity with an ox team. In 1849, he was married to Anna Amelia Ankney by Rev. N. J. Stroh. They had 11 children as fol- lows: Thomas O., Albertus N., Ella E. (Mrs. Albert Fahrney), Mary Ann and Martha Ann (twins), William H., Anna Mae, James L., John E., Fred L., and Oliver S. Mr. Watts died Feb. 11, 1899, at the age of 80 years, and Mrs. Watts died Feb. 21, 1897, aged 67 years. PRAIRIE FIRES ANOTHER serious difficulty with ±\. which the early settlers had to contend, was the prairie fires. Occa- sionally some careless settler would allow fire to get started in the long, dry prairie grass and before it could be put out, the flames, fed by the thick growth of vegetation, would soon be speeding across the prairie with the speed of the wind, often faster than a horse could gallop — a leaping, devouring wall of flame and smoke. The settlers attempted to protect their homes from this danger by plowing a wide tract of land around their cabins, over which the flames could not leap. Occasionally, persons THE FIRST SETTLERS 21 11 ^ o G 0) 'OS (UTS £.a «H CO «fl OS CO 0) o ^ IflH • S o.S fl co 2£.c co fl +^ Pi S-i (U 0) 03— o ST 1 £ ^ Oh ^ d] PS"* HH O 5-1 EHI-5 ft 2H mount morris: past and present were caught out on the prairies by these fires, and were compelled to adopt quick measures for safety, if flight were found impossible, by starting a new fire at the place where they stood. This, caught by the wind, would soon start ahead and burn a tract upon which they could ad- vance and be free from the fire advanc- ing in the rear. When the country be- came fairly well settled, and one of these fires would get started, the men over the whole neighborhood would turn out to fight the devouring element. WILD GAME THE early settlers found an abun- dance of wild game roaming over the prairie and in the forests. The most plentiful were the deer, thousands of which were native in this part of Illi- «9t MICHAEL BOVEY came to Mount Mor- ris with the "Maryland Colony" in the spring of 1837. He was born near Clear Spring, Md., Nov. 15, 1818, and was mar- ried there, but his wife died several years later. Soon after arriving at Mount Mor- ris, where he worked for Capt. Nathaniel Swingley, he took up a claim in Maryland Township. He built a cabin on this claim and lived there for many years. In 1839, he married again to Margaret Welsh, and four children were born to them: Mary C. (Mrs. David Petrie), Samuel, Elizabeth (Mrs. Josiah Avey), and Lewis. Mrs. Bovey died in 1880 and Mr. Bovey moved to Mount Morris where he died in 1910 at the age of 92 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Josiah Avey. CAPT. PETER HOUSEHOLDER came to Mount Morris with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Householder, in 1837, with the first Maryland colony, when he was only two years old, and lived his entire life here. He was born August 10, 1835, at Williamsport, Md., and died in Mount Morris, March 14, 1914, at the age of nearly 79 years. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in Co. H, 34th 111. Inf., under Capt. J. M. Miller of Mount Morris. He was promoted to first lieutenant and later to captain of his company. He was wound- ed at the Battle of Stone River in 1862 and at Resaca in 1864. He was married in 1869 to Annie A. Sheets, to whom were born six children: Claude, William, Roy, Earl, Melvin and Blanche (Mrs. Arthur D. Klontz). nois. They roamed in herds of from twenty-five to one hundred. These herds were to be found roaming on the prairie during the daytime but retreated to the timber at night. The settlers were able to keep a liberal supply of venison on hand most of the time. Small game was also very plentiful. Prairie chickens were very numerous and hunters could bag them by the hundred. Wild ducks were also plenti- ful in certain seasons and they afforded many delicious repasts for the hard- working pioneers. There were rabbits on the prairie and plenty of squirrels and pheasants in the timber. In addition to the game, there were two varieties of wolves, the grey and the red, the latter being much smaller and more numerous. These animals FOUNDING THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS 29 were too small and timid to do the set- tlers bodily harm, but they sometimes made the night hideous with their barking and yelping. During the win- ter when food became scarce, they be- came quite bold in attacking some of the smaller domestic animals. The thick prairie grass harbored a large variety of snakes, some of them being of a poisonous variety. Rattle- snakes were probably the most numer- ous, and occasionally some of the set- tlers were bitten by them, but they knew the proper treatment to avoid fatal results. Copperheads, blue racers and bull snakes were also plentiful, but in a few years the country was freed from these dangerous pests. FOUNDING THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS THE stories of the founding of Mount Morris and of Rock River Seminary are one and the same, and in a chapter devoted to the latter the subject is treated at some length. It will suffice to say here that the Illinois Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which was deeply interested in the cause of education, had, at the earnest solicita- PETER KNODLE, son of Jonathan and Barbara Knodle, was born in Washington County, Md., Jan. 12, 1822. He came to Mount Morris in 1841 and assisted in the office of the Rock River Register, which was the first newspaper published in Ogle County. For many years Mr. Knodle was a familiar sight on the streets of Mount Morris. From the building of the railroad through Mount Morris until his death in 1892, Mr. Knodle was the owner of the bus and dray line, a period of over 20 years. In 1848, he married Mary Stauf- fer, and they had four children: Geo. M., Mary A., Alice I., and Andrew. His first wife died and in 1863 he married Mrs. Mary Crowell, and they had one child, Leona M. Mr. Knodle served the commu- nity as constable, tax collector, sheriff and school trustee. tion of many of the then limited mem- bers of the church in the state, con- cluded to establish a seminary in Illi- nois, and appointed a committee to select a location. The members of the Maryland colony determined to land the enterprise if possible, and finally, having pledged an extraordinarily large sum, both in cash and in lands, they succeeded. The committee on May 4, 1839, proceeded to select a site for the proposed seminary, which was destined to exercise such an important influence in northern Illinois, and they drove the stake for the building on the summit of the open prairie. From this point the committee had a commanding view of the surrounding country, dotted on every side with near-approaching REUBEN WAGNER, early settler and member of the well-known Wagner fam- ily, died Oct. 8, 1903, aged 76V 2 years. He was born April 8, 1827, near Hagerstown, Md., and at the age of ten years came with his parents in 1837 to Mount Morris. In 1853, he married Leah Brubaker, and they had four children, Harry, Nettie, William and Edwin. He engaged in farming, later owned a livery business in Mount Morris, and also spent a number of years in Polo and Chicago, retiring to Mount Morris two years before his death. 30 mount morris: past and present HENRY L. THOMAS, son of Joshua and Salina Thomas, was born in Washington County, Md., Oct. 24, 1838, and died in Mount Morris, Feb. 3, 1927, aged 88 years. When he was but two years old, his par- ents came to Ogle County, making the trip by team, which required six weeks. The family settled near Mount Morris and lived a truly pioneer life. In 1866, Mr. Thomas married Mary Ellen Felker and they finally settled on a farm northeast of Mount Morris, which was the family home until 1907, when they moved to Mount Morris. There were nine children in the family: Lillie, Ada and Nellie, who r>re- ceded the father in death, and Edgar, Florence E. (Mr. Chas. Zoller), Chas. H., Fred H., Kathryn (Mrs. Ed. Mumma), and Noble F. The mother died Feb. 13, 1928, aged nearly 82 years. groves. All of the cabins built up to that time were located in or near the edge of the timber, and not a building was standing within what now constitutes the corporate limits of Mount Morris. Thus the selection of this site in the center of the prairie at the crest of the hill constituted the real founding of the village. The contract for the erection of the first seminary building was let to James B. McCoy for the sum of $18,000.00 and work was begun immediately. Before starting work on the seminary building, Mr. McCoy first erected a frame building in which to board his workmen. This building was actually the first house built within the present corporate limits of the village. It was located within the present campus lim- its on the south side, and after it had served its purpose it was moved in 1841 to the southwest side of town where it was occupied for many years as a resi- dence by William Fouke. The cornerstone of the seminary building was laid on July 4, 1839. This building stood through many years of usefulness but was finally torn down in 1893 to make room for the erection of a ladies' dormitory, which was built a few rods west of the old foundation. The next building erected was a barn by Rev. John Sharp in 1840, but living quarters being in great demand at that JOSEPH WAGNER was one of the very earliest pioneers of Ogle County. He was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Wagner, and was born near Boonsboro, Md., Sept. 21, 1826, and died at his home in Mount Morris, Jan. 14, 1908, aged over 81 years. He was of a family of 11 children and they came overland from Maryland in 1838, settling on a farm five miles north of Mount Morris. He engaged in farming until 15 years before his death when he retired to Mount Morris. Mr. Wagner was totally deaf for 30 years. He was married in 1859 to Susan Gearheart and seven children were born to them: Rosa B. Diehl, Mary E. Thomas, Rev. D. G. Wagner, Clara E. Ross, Samuel A. Wagner, Edith K. Roberts and W. F. Wagner. FOUNDING THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS 31 time, it was later divided into two apartments and occupied by Rev. Philo Judson and Frederick Petrie and their families, with one family in each room. The next house built, the first one ex- pressly for a residence, was a brick structure erected on the northeast cor- ner opposite the Methodist Church. It was used for a time as a hotel and was finally torn down in 1872 by Andrew Newcomer who built a large frame building in its place which stood for many years and was recently replaced by a modern residence. After the completion of the first semi- nary building, there was quite a build- ing boom in the years 1840 and 1841 and on Jan. 1, 1842, there were twenty-one houses in the village. During the first several years the seminary was the only enterprise in the village, the inhab- itants being principally those connected with that institution. The Rock River Register, Mount Morris's first news- paper, which was established in the latter part of 1841, contained the follow- JACOB A. KNODLE, early pioneer, died Oct. 23, 1903, aged 80 years. He was born near Fairplay, Md., Oct. 10, 1823. He was one of the nine children of Jonathan and Barbara Knodle, who in 1841 came to Mount Morris to make their home. They made the trip in an emigrant wagon. The father was the publisher of the Rock River Register, the first newspaper in Mount Morris, and Jacob doubtless worked in this primitive printing plant. He was first married in 1848 to Ann Little, and they had a son, Frank F. The mother died in 1855, and Mr. Knodle married again, after thirteen years, to Hannah Wagner, who survived him. Mr. Knodle lived in Mount Morris over 62 years. He was a wood worker by trade. BENJAMIN SWINGLEY was one of the early settlers in Mount Morris Township. He came west with his father, Michael Swingley, in 1842. He was born in Wash- ington County, Md., Sept. 17, 1816. He was married Nov. 31, 1837, to Catherine Her- shey, and was the father of eight children: John H., Oliver H., Mrs. John E. McCoy, Mrs. Samuel Mumma, Mrs. Jacob G. Mil- ler, Mrs. Wm. H. Rowe, Mrs. Henry Domer and Mrs. Joseph Moats. Mr. Swingley died Sept. 8, 1905, aged 89 years. ing item in its issue of Jan. 1, 1842: "We hail from the top of Mount Mor- ris; and it is our purpose, while we reign editorially, to hail very effectually — each of our conglomerations being of the 'weight of a talent.' Most seriously, we hail from the new and hale little village of Mount Morris, in Ogle County, State of Illinois (en passant, we shall not be very ill in noise; we hope to do a share of noise — but to Ogle shall be far from us!) . Well, Mount Morris was well founded in the spring of 1841, and it is now already found, when not yet ten months old, to hold 282 souls, inclusive of the teachers and students of Rock River Seminary, which dignifies the center of the village. This day, Jan. 1, 1842, the citizens number 137 and the town consists of twenty-one houses. Mount Morris is five miles west of Ore- gon city, in the same county, and eighty miles west of Chicago. It is handsomely situated on a considerably elevated por- tion of one of the most beautiful and extraordinary prairies which distin- guish Illinois — especially the Rock River region, for abundance and excellence of 32 mount morris: past and present MRS. SARAH HIESTAND RICE was born in Washington County, Md., Jan. 27, 1836, and was brought to Mount Morris by her parents, Henry and Elizabeth Hiestand in 1837, when she was only one year old. The family settled on a farm north of town where Mrs. Rice grew to womanhood. In January, 1857, she was married to Dr. Isaac Rice, and three children were born to them: Roland, who died in infancy; Anna, who died at the age of 18, and Jo- seph L. Rice, who died in 1931. Mrs. Rice died July 18, 1921, aged over 85 years. The father died in 1897, and there are no sur- vivors of this family. agricultural productions. Mount Morris is named in honor of Bishop Morris, of the M. E. Church." In regard to the actual naming of Mount Morris, there is some question. In a history of Ogle County, published in 1878 by H. F. Kett & Co., the follow- ing appears on page 296: "Mount Morris (was named) after Bishop Morris, an eminent divine of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This dis- tinguished and Worthy Bishop died at his home in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, a few years ago." On page 470 of the same history ap- pears the following: "During the summer and fall of 1839, a portion of the prairie around the building in process of erection was sur- veyed and platted by D. Fletcher Hitt, and the embryo town was named Mount Morris. The Rock River Register, in 1842, stated that the town was named in honor of Bishop Robert Morris, and this is the prevailing impression among the present survivors of that day. Pro- fessor Pinckney states, on the authority of Horace Miller, Esq., of Kishwaukee, that he, Miller, gave this town its name in honor of Mount Morris, Genesee County, N.Y., his former residence. Mr. Miller was a prominent and influential member of the Methodist Church at Kishwaukee, who had been active in his efforts to secure the location of the Seminary at that point. He had failed, but he was still deeply interested in the enterprise; was one of the first trustees of the institution, and, under the cir- cumstances, it is very natural to suppose that he might have been permitted the honor of naming the town where it was located. It seems probable that both may be correct. Judge Miller, having suggested the name of his old town, the Methodist Elders at once adopted it, MRS. BARBARA McNEILL died April 21, 1915, aged nearly 80 years. She was born in Washington County, Md., October 6, 1835, and she was a member of the large Wagner family which arrived in Mount Morris in the spring of 1837. Her parents were John and Catherine (Rice) Wagner and there were twelve children in the family, two of whom were born after the family arrived in Mount Morris. Barbara Wagner was married in 1857 to Dr. F. A. McNeill, a prominent physician of Mount Morris, who died in 1872. Dr. McNeill had four children by a previous marriage, and the second union brought four children, Katherine (who became a famous singer) and Frank and two who died in infancy. FOUNDING THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT MORRIS 33 BISHOP THOMAS A. MORRIS, after whom the Village of Mount Morris was named, was a senior bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was born in Virginia about 1794. He began his ministerial work in the Ohio Conference in 1816 and traveled ex- tensively in several of the western states for nearly twenty years, experiencing many privations and adventures which were incident to the early Methodist ministry in the west. In 1834 he was appointed editor of the Western Christian Advocate at Cincinnati and in 1836 was ordained a bishop. He was small of stature, noticeably rotund, and with a physiognomy grave but not severe. He lived to be about 80 years of age and died in Springfield, Ohio. It is not known whether he was ever in Mount Morris but it is quite possible that he was, during the early Rock River Seminary days. 34 mount morris: past and present because it was in honor of Bishop Mor- ris as well." John McFarland built one of the first houses in the village and John Ankney, who had settled at Elkhorn Grove soon after the Blackhawk War, moved to Mount Morris in order to educate his children, and built a house in town. Dr. James J. Beatty, who came from Mary- land, was the first physician. He died on the plains, while en route for California, in 1851. The first birth in the village was that of John R. Petrie, son of F. G. Petrie, about 1840. The first burial in the cemetery was a little daughter of Na- thaniel Swingley. LAYING OUT OF THE VILLAGE THE Village of Mount Morris was officially laid out in 1841 by the trustees of Rock River Seminary who owned the entire tract of land on which the village now stands. The Seminary reserved eight blocks for its purposes and laid out 27 blocks containing 310 lots. The south half of the space re- served for the Seminary was to be laid out as a Botanical Garden but later this was cut up into blocks and is now known as the Botanical Addition. For many years the two blocks imme- diately west of the present campus were not laid out and a wooden fence sur- rounded the entire four blocks com- prising the seminary property. The two west blocks were eventually laid out in lots and these two blocks are known as the Seminary Addition to the village. The original layout of the village as surveyed by Rock River Seminary is shown on the opposite page. This lay- out is recorded at Oregon as follows: "Daniel F. Hitt, Deputy Surveyor for Ogle County, Illinois, certifies that he was employed by the Trustees of the Rock River Seminary to survey and lay out said town and that he commenced on April 5, 1841, and surveyed and laid out the said town, commencing at the quarter-section corner on the East boundary of Section 27, Township 24, Range 9 East of the 4th P.M., and run due east at a variation of 8° East 864 feet and there set a post and stone for the extreme northeast corner of said town, and thence run due south 1520 feet and there set a post and stone for the extreme southeast corner of said town, and thence run due west 3366 feet, and there set a post and stone for the extreme southwest corner of said town, and thence run due north 1520 feet and there set a post and stone for the ex- treme northwest corner of said town, and from thence run due east 2502 feet to the place of beginning, and then sub- divided all the within plat of ground into blocks, lots, streets and public grounds, making 27 blocks and 310 lots, all of equal size except the lots in the second and third tiers of blocks, which only differ from the rest by being five feet shorter North and South; and 14 streets, all of which are 66 feet wide except the most northern one, which is JOHN ANKNEY, early pioneer of Ogle County and a resident of Mount Morris in the early fifties, was born in Somer- set County, Pa., Sept. 15, 1787, a son of Peter and Mary M. (Kimmel) Ankney. He came to Illinois in 1818 and settled in Jackson County, where he lived until 1827, when he located at Galena. In December, 1829, with some others, he was appointed to lay out a road from Galena to Dixon's Ferry, and it was during this work that he made a claim near Buf- falo Grove (now Polo). On his return after finishing the survey, he discovered that Isaac Chambers had selected the same spot for his home, so Mr. Ankney went about a half mile west, on the north side of Buffalo Creek, and made a second claim. In January, 1830, Mr. Ank- ney and his two eldest sons, Harrison B. and Oliver R., built a cabin on the claim and the rest of the family came to the new home in April of the following spring. The first wedding ever celebrated in that vicinity was the marriage of Mr. Ankney's only daughter to S. M. Journey, early in 1832. In 1849, Mr. Ankney moved to Mount Morris where he built a house, and in March, 1849, was appointed postmaster, which position he held until his death, June 15, 1853. He apparently was engaged in business, as the Mount Morris Gazette in January, 1851, carried his advertise- ment headed "Horse Farrier," stating that he had a well-selected stock of horse medicines on hand. Nothing more is known of his family except that he had another son, T. C. Ankney, who was in the grocery business in the early fifties, doing business as Ankney's Auction and Commission Store. LAYING OUT OF THE VILLAGE :if) o h 13 3190 O H H h- 1- LU LL LU ILl u_ LLI HI Cvi UJ cO UJ CM CM ULl CO CM H \- H H I- - m _ L33*1±S 3l*j X ro Z < Z O z o LL !£> UJ h- Z UJ O O CM UJ CO UJ £ Cl & Qd Lc/ CM £ H h H 1- h- h- h I (/) 10 (/) <0 I D O CO o . 133^19 * J3 HD1313 N Z < 2 00 Z o U- h- UJ z UJ u 00 CO C£> z < CM - L33£JJ-S s a" 10NA3* C £fe CO a> ^Q a> 0)' w a; tjTj Q)J3 CO Si £Eh£ So a> ., 0) cu 11 'I 3 CO o >» •2 a CO fl M £ W 53 O T5 Eh co ■+3 co 3 two a; _S A o « d ■ > r c3 o <*> o co 6 o ^" o S M P T3 X5 O 3 CO 3 a o 36 mount morris: past and present only 10 feet wide and it runs east and west along the quarter-section line, and three public squares; the most cen- tral one is the square in which the Sem- inary stands and is 990 feet east and west and 574 feet wide north and south, and one lying immediately along the south side of the last described square (or Seminary square) is the same length and is 594 feet wide north and south and is reserved for a Botanical Garden. "S. M. Hitt, Martin Reynolds, John Sharp, Thos. S. Hitt, John Wallace and Lander S. Walker, Trustees of the Rock River Seminary, acknowledge the said plat to be their act and deed, and that they have caused the same to be re- MICHAEL E. MILLER came to Mount Morris from Maryland in 1842 with his parents when he was but a year old. Most of his life was spent cultivating his farm west of town. He also owned and oper- ated the Mount Morris Creamery for sev- eral years and later had a general store in the Seibert Block. He died June 12, 1906, at the age of 65 years. In January, 1866, he married Elizabeth Welty, and to them were born fourteen children. Three died in infancy, the others being Mrs. Mary Neiman, Mrs. Grace Davenport, Mrs. Ida Potter, Oliver L., George M., Mrs. Bertha Bennett, Mrs. Daisy New- comer, Mrs. Carrie Keplinger, Daniel L., Mrs. Anna Hanes and Susan V. served and laid out as therein repre- sented, the streets for public use and the lots for the Trustees of Mount Mor- ris for the use of Mount Morris Semi- nary." It appears that the original survey and plat of the Village was not properly recorded and in 1875 the Village Board of Trustees employed A. Q. Allen to make a new survey which brought out the interesting fact that the chain used for the original survey was too long. The record of this re -survey as it was officially filed with the Recorder of Deeds is as follows: "A. Q. Allen, County Surveyor of Ogle County, certifies that at the request and by the authority of the Board of Trus- tees of the Corporation of Mount Mor- ris, he made a re -survey of the Original Town of Mount Morris (there appear- ing no plat upon record of the same) and having ascertained, both by ob- servation and personal examination of the chain by which the original survey was made, that it was 8/10 of a foot too long, he made the survey to correspond with said measurement and marked on the plat the exact size of the lots, blocks, streets and alleys in feet and tenths of a foot, and that the plat made by him is a correct representation of the plan and location of said town as made by Fletch- er Hitt in the original survey of said town, and that he found the old orig- inal stones still standing; that said town is situated, as shown by said plat, partly on the South East V± of Section 27 and partly on the South West x k of Section 26, Township 24 North, Range 9 East of the 4th P.M., and that this sur- vey was made to correspond as near as practicable with the original survey thereof. "Samuel Lookabaugh, President, and Samuel Mumma, Secretary, certify that said survey and plat was made in ac- cordance with an order of the Board of Trustees of the corporation of Mount Morris, inasmuch as there appeared no plat of record of the original survey; said order was passed for the express purpose of perpetuating said survey and the more fully to confirm the titles to the lots in said town, and to conform more fully to the law in such cases made and provided." THE FIRST SETTLERS 37 co ■*-* o . s ft* t/J as t-J ■rj t> a; r fial S w+j x; bcc b SU C CO O £ tn o 5 £ c-i fife. o^-C^ o "£ IS . "£ W 2 ft rt ^ .."co S eg ^ oq • - i— ( a; ^ c +-• Wj* o o C EKJ H 03 CU W fn i2 OiO s. ^2 o 0355™ g-fl W CD i . too m >W O' O • O G * o.S S &£ »§ ^ c T3^ toed w a a 6 © g E.83.s.sgs EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 415 fl oJ G .53 2 S3 wS>,5 H d ja* . c"3 fl'i 55 ^ 5> c • tmr 1 s a r aj 0> C G . G C/2 a; +j G -^ G J^gS* £ s ° .0 • . «a"8 • K.' 5 « W 3g£gsg£ 3^2 °^: c ~ "3 j5^£ca>§°£ W to rjrrt co" •* oO g ig M — o o mOG^-GO^ 1 ^ ^ O w 3^£ ca G o ^£ G ro t3o°T3^ w co ^ > o.5£ g£ p c ^c5^ . 9. rt a Qco g^**^ 44 mount morris: past and present building, together with various other structures of more or less importance, were erected. During 1894, more build- ings were put up in Mount Morris than all the other Ogle County towns com- bined. The next building boom in Mount Morris commenced after the Kable plant began to grow rapidly in its new loca- tion at the north end of town. This building boom has never let up since that time except for several years dur- ing the depression of 1932-1935. Robert Newcomer in 1920 opened up the Hitt Addition in the northwest cor- ner of town and Joseph Young later opened up an addition to the west of the Hitt Addition. Then in 1930 Kable Brothers Company laid out the Kable UPTON MILLER, for many years a prominent business man of Mount Morris, died April 8, 1903, aged 75 years. He was born in Washington County, Md., March 21, 1828. He was the only undertaker in Mount Morris for nearly thirty years, and officiated at hundreds of funerals of Mount Morris people. He also built most of the coffins with his own hands. Mr. Miller came to Mount Morris in 1857, and was continuously in business for nearly fifty years, being followed by his son, Wm. H. Miller. He married Maria Louise Davis in 1849, and they had six children: Wil- liam H., Cyrus, Eliza J., John D., Mary E., and Thomas M. Mrs. Miller died in 1885, and in 1887 he was again married to Catherine (Koontz) Newcomer. PETER FUNK, an early settler of Mount Morris, died Sept. 11, 1902, aged nearly 85 years. He was born at Beaver Creek, Md., Jan. 18, 1818, and came to Mount Morris in 1845. He conducted a blacksmith shop as early as 1851 and later opened the first livery stable in Mount Morris in 1852. He married Sarah A. Horner, who died in 1851. He was married again in 1852 to Isabella Heller, to whom were born seven children. Addition directly west of the plant. Dur- ing this period, many new houses have been built in these three new additions. The fact of the matter is that building of new residences has lagged consider- ably behind the actual needs required by the growth of the Kable plant and many employes have been compelled to find living quarters in Oregon and other nearby towns. Chapman Brothers History of Ogle County, published in 1886, gave the following list of business firms in Mount Morris at that time: "The business and material interests of Mount Morris have always been of a substantial character, and this is true with the fall of 1885, as well as in all its past history. At that time the general merchandise was controlled by Sprecher & Clevidence and George Windle, who both carried good stocks of all goods usually found in stores of this kind. D. N. Wingert was a dealer in dry goods, EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 45 THIS PICTURE was taken about 1873 and shows Blair's Hotel at the left. This hotel was opened by W. S. Blair in the spring of 1851 and contained sixteen rooms for guests. It was used for a hotel for over thirty years. In later years, it was remodeled for a residence by Dr. G. B. McCosh and now occupied by Dr. J. H. Ritson. The brick house at the right was occupied for many years as a residence by Samuel Knodle, and is still standing. THIS IS THE WAY the business section of Mount Morris looked in 1876, looking south from the corner now occupied by the Wishard Building. Note the old town pump in the center of the intersection and the muddy condition of the street; also the large sign of Sharer & Swingley, who at that time were in the grocery business. 46 mount morris: past and present and in a separate room carried a fine stock of groceries. In addition to Mr. Wingert, the grocery trade was con- trolled by Holly C. Clark (who also carried a line of boots) , Newcomer Bros., and A. R. Binkley; Armstrong & Price were clever dealers in hardware and carried a large stock. A. W. Bray- ton, as successor of the first firm ever in trade in Mount Morris, carried a fine line of drugs, books and stationery. Peyton Skinner and Henry Gebhardt were boot and shoe makers. The furni- ture trade was in the hands of Wm. Miller, who was also undertaker. A. R. SAMUEL KNODLE was a prominent fig- ure in the business circles of Mount Mor- ris for many years. He was the son of Samuel and Jane Knodle and was born at Fairplay, Md., Aug. 4, 1820. He died Feb. 10, 1907, at the age of 87 years. For nearly 50 years he was continuously in business in Mount Morris, the greater part of the time in the jewelry business, and several times in the printing business. He taught school in the east, and came to Mount Morris in 1856, intending to teach school here, but instead opened a jewelry shop in the Eldorado House, conducted by Jonathan Mumma, and continued in that business until he retired in 1900. He filled many public offices in Mount Morris, in- cluding township clerk, village clerk, township collector, and member and presi- dent of the village board of trustees. Mr. Knodle married Ellen Dick in 1843, and they had nine children, five of whom died quite young. The others were Ernest, Edwin, Mrs. G. E. Coffman and Mrs. Jennie Walker. Mr. and Mrs. Knodle cele- brated their golden wedding anniversary Jan. 12, 1893. MRS. SARAH J. COGGINS came to Mount Morris in 1845 and for over 50 years was engaged in the dressmaking and millinery business. In 1847, she married Thos. J. Coggins. Their son, Chas. T. Coggins, established the Mount Morris Index in 1890. Mrs. Coggins passed away May 6, 1911 at the age of 82 years. Binkley and H. E. Binkley each had restaurants where the hungry were fed. E. O. Startzman was the baker of the town. Mrs. Susie Sharer and Mrs. Sarah Coggins were milliners. Sprecher & Clevidence were dealers in grain, and also were engaged in the stock trade, together with Samuel Mumma. Wm. H. Jackson carried on the creamery busi- ness quite extensively, distributing quite a large amount of money among the farmers in the vicinity. Jacob Fager was in the jewelry business, and Joseph Thomas in the harness trade, each of whom had a good trade. Joseph Hos- king was the photographer. Newcomer & Mumma supplied the people with fresh meat. The banking business was conducted by Newcomer & Rice, men of experience and reliable in every respect. W. D. Rathbun was the livery-man. The lumber trade was in the hands of the Minnesota Lumber Co., represented here by Chas. Buck. The wagon mak- ers were Benj. Tracy, Jacob Knodle, Alferd Doward. The blacksmiths were Calvin Potter, Peter Valentine, Nicho- EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 47 THIS BIRD'S-EYE VIEW of the south business block of Mount Morris was taken about 1870, looking east from the top of "Old Sandstone." The brick building to the left is the only one now standing. The Methodist church had not yet been built. THIS picture was taken in 1900 and shows in the foreground a rag-tag parade on the Fourth of July. Note the old brick building at the right which stood on the corner now occupied by the Wishard Building. This old house was used as a hotel in the early days. The frame building at the left was used for many years by the Brethren Publish- ing House but was occupied by the Index office when this picture was taken. 48 mount morris: past and present las Koontz. The barbers were Joseph Patterson and Boone Washington. The medical profession was ably represented by Drs. David Newcomer, Wm. P. Speaker, Geo. B. McCosh and Joseph I. Mershon. The legal profession and the office of Justice of the Peace were rep- resented by John Weller and Daniel Fager. As an architect and builder, N. E. Buser represented the profession. Benj. JOHN SPRECHER, a prominent Mount Morris merchant for fifty years, was born in Washington County, Md., Sept. 22, 1832, the son of Philip and Catherine (Houke) Sprecher, and came to Mount Morris with his parents in 1839. He mar- ried Lydia Palmer in 1857; their children are George, John, Ella, Frank, Fred, Mae, Charles, Catherine, and Wentworth. Dur- ing the first seven years of his marriage he engaged in farming, then opened a general dry goods store in Mount Morris in 1866 in partnership with H. H. Clevi- dence in a building on the corner of Center and Wesley Streets. In 1876, Mr. Sprecher erected the building now known as the Masonic Building, and the firm of Sprecher & Clevidence occupied these spacious quarters until its dissolution in 1891, when L. C. Stanley of Chippewa Falls, Wis., bought the business. Mr. Sprecher re-entered the dry goods busi- ness in 1893 and continued in it under the firm name of John Sorecher & Co. until his death April 29, 1911, at the age of 79 years. His wife died Dec. 20, 1919, aged 81 years. The firm of John Sprecher & Co. continues under the competent man- agement and supervision of Catherine Sprecher Miller, assisted by her broth- ers, Charles C. and Wentworth W. Sprecher. HENRY H. CLEVIDENCE, prominent business man, died Jan. 26, 1901, aged 65 years. He was born in Washington Coun- ty, Md., Jan. 18, 1836. He came to Mount Morris when 25 years of age and for nearly 40 years was engaged in business in Mount Morris, first in the mercantile business for 25 years with John Sprecher and later in the farm machinery and grain business. He served the town as super- visor, as town clerk, as village trustee and for two years as president of the village board. He married Sophia E. Mid- dlekauff, and they had eleven children. Those well known in Mount Morris were Mrs. Clara Wingert, Howard, Arthur, Bert and Earl. Seibert was the owner of a fine hall and an opera house." It is impossible to compile a complete list of all business and professional men who have conducted business enter- prises during the 100 years since the founding of the village, for the reason that no newspaper files except a few scattered copies are available prior to 1896. All available files and county his- tories have been searched and the list made as complete as possible. The busi- ness men and firms listed in this chap- ter do not include any who were in business at the time this book was pub- lished, as they are included in the chap- ter, "Mount Morris of Today." ELIAS BAKER was one of the im- portant men in the early days of Mount EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 49 Morris and was connected with many of the early business enterprises. He was a native of Boonsboro, Md., where he was born June 11, 1817. He learned the car- penter trade and came to Mount Morris in 1838. In partnership with James B. McCoy, he built a one-story machine shop in 1844 on the corner now occupied by the Methodist Church, where they en- gaged in the manufacture of traveling threshing machines. From 1850 to 1856, Mr. Baker was engaged in the mer- cantile business with F. B. Brayton and also in the publishing of the Mount Mor- ris Gazette. He served three terms as supervisor of Mount Morris Township and in 1852 was elected Sheriff of Ogle County. He later engaged in farming for eight years near Mount Morris and in 1868, he moved to Polo where he engaged in the lumber and grain business. He died in Polo in 1885. Mr. Baker was mar- ried in Mount Morris in 1848 to Mary M. Swingley, daughter of Michael Swingley, and they had two children, Frank H. and Vernie (Mrs. James W. Allaben). DANIEL L. WINGERT died January 6, 1913, aged 92 years. He was born at Clearspring, Md., Oct. 26, 1820, and moved with his parents to Winchester, Ohio, when he was eleven years old. He came to Illinois in 1846, locating at Franklin Grove, where he purchased a farm. In 1875 he came to Mount Morris and en- gaged in the grocery business for twenty years, known as D. L. Wingert & Co. He was a plasterer and stone mason by trade. He married Nancy Foreman Oct. 26, 1843, and they had three children, two of whom survived him, Marcus D. Wingert and Mrs. Alice Trostle. Mrs. Wingert died in 1886, and he was married again in 1890 to Mrs. Catherine Butterbaugh, who died in 1900. EMANUEL NEWCOMER was born March 11, 1829, near Hagerstown, Md., and died Oct. 5, 1928, lacking less than six months of being 100 years old. At the age of 15, he drove with a party from Maryland to Mount Morris, the trip re- quiring 42 days. For 84 years he lived in or near Mount Morris with the exception of four years in Missouri and five years in Tennessee, from 1883 to 1892. In the early eighties he owned a grocery busi- ness in Mount Morris. In 1853, he was married to Isabel Knock, and ten chil- dren were born to them, only two of whom survived him, Mrs. Martha Miller and Parnell Newcomer. Mr. Newcomer was active in the Church of the Brethren, having been elected to the ministry in 1869 and ordained to the eldership in 1888. GEORGE FOUKE died April 19, 1900, aged 95V2 years, after living in Mount Morris for 55 years. He was born in Shepherdstown, Va., Sept. 29, 1804. He was a shoemaker by trade and came to Mount Morris in 1846. Before coming west he married Elizabeth Harmison who died in 1888, after which he lived with his adopted daughter, Mrs. H. J. Farwell. WILLIAM J. FOUKE was born April 6, 1828, at Shepherdstown, Va., and came to Ogle County in 1846. He was a shoe- maker by trade. He served during the Civil War in Co. H, 34th Illinois Infantry. In 1865, he married Sarah Sheets and they had five children. He died Nov. 28, 1900, aged nearly 73 years. ORVILLE N. ADAMS of Galena opened a general store in Mount Morris about 1850, known as the Adams Cheap Store, and after several years he took in Prof. D. J. Pinckney as a partner. After a year the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Adams departed to other fields. 50 mount morris: past and present DR. JOHN McCOSH, father of the well- known Mount Morris family of that name, was of Scotch ancestry. He was a graduate of the Philadelphia Medical Col- lege and practiced for some years before coming to Mount Morris in 1864, and he continued his practice here until his death in 1883, aged 60 years. He married Elizabeth Snowberger and they had nine children as follows: James, David S., John, Winfield Scott, George B., Benja- min and Sarah (twins), Susan (Mrs. Chas. Sharer) and Lucia (Mrs. Milo Maltbie) . SAMUEL BRENTS opened the second store of any importance in Mount Morris in 1843. It was a general store and was located in a small brick building which stood on the northeast corner of Wesley and Front St., which was later replaced by the large brick building known as the Seibert Block. Mr. Brents sold out to S. M. Hitt and F. G. Petrie. DR. JAMES J. BEATTY was the first physician in Mount Morris, locating here in the early forties. He had an extensive practice and covered considerable terri- tory on horseback. He was once caught in a prairie fire and both horse and rid- er were terribly burned. Dr. Beatty re- covered but the horse died. A few years later he started for the California gold fields but was taken sick and died on the prairie. JAMES CLARK built the first hotel in Mount Morris in the early forties. This was a brick building which stood on the corner of Wesley and Main Sts., where the Wishard Building now stands. After running this tavern for a short time, un- der the name of the "New York House," he returned to his farm at Washington Grove and rented his tavern to Mr. Brayton. WILLIAM S. BLAIR, who was pro- prietor of the Blair Hotel in Mount Mor- ris in the early fifties, was born in Craw- ford County, Pa., May 31, 1816, and came to Ogle County in 1837. He opened the hotel in the spring of 1851 in the brick building on the corner of McKendrie and Bangs St., and continued to operate it un- til about 1880. The Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, contained the following notice: "This house has been recently erected and opened by the proprietor, Mr. Wm. Blair, in Mount Morris with a view to the accommodation of the traveling public, where he is at all times prepared to minister to the wants of those who may favor him with their patronage. His table will be supplied with the best the market affords and the other arrange- ments of- the house shall be such as will give satisfaction to all. He can also offer good stabling with a good supply of oats, corn and hay for horses." In 1838, Mr. Blair married Jeannette Locke Blair and they had four children: Mercy A., Sam- uel R., Mary H., and Florence W. (Mrs. Geo. B. McCosh). Mr. Blair passed away in 1890. S. N. BEAUBEIN conducted a harness and saddle business in Mount Morris in 1851, in the house formerly occupied by W. S. Blair. He was also prepared to do carriage trimming. DR. WILLIAM T. SPEAKER was one of the early physicians in Mount Morris. He was born in Leaf River Township, June 12, 1851, and was the son of Noah and Catherine (Garvin) Speaker. He attended Rock River Seminary and graduated from the Chicago Medical College in 1878. He practiced in Mount Morris from 1878 to 1887 and then moved to Manson, Iowa, where he died May 2, 1918. Dr. Speaker married Inez E. Beecher in 1878, and they had four children as follows: Clifford B., married May Marquart; Faith, married Chas. I. Jackson; Ethel, married Louis M. Potter; Lelia, married Chester W. Duncan. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 51 BRAYTON & BAKER, consisting of a partnership of F. B. Brayton and Elias Baker, conducted a general store in the fifties and handled a general line of dry goods, hardware, groceries, drugs, paints, etc. They were extensive advertisers in the early Mount Morris newspapers. The Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independent Watchman announced the dissolution of the firm. DR. BENJ. G. STEPHENS, one of the earliest practicing physicians in Mount Morris, was born in Cornwall, England, June 22, 1827, and located in Mount Mor- ris in 1841. He was a graduate of Rush Medical College in 1850 and located in Mount Morris to begin his practice. His office was over Wood & Petrie's store. He was very prominent in civic affairs; was connected with the early Mount Morris newspapers, and served as president of the village board of trustees in the sev- enties. In 1870, he married Florence Hov- erland, and they had four children: Fan- ny, Mary E., George and Hugh. Dr. Stephens died in 1879 and for many years Mrs. Stephens was a teacher in the pub- lic school. She passed away in 1930. DR. DAVID NEWCOMER was a promi- nent physician in Mount Morris for near- ly 30 years. He was the son of Daniel and Barbara (Stone) Newcomer and was born July 26, 1830, near Greencastle, Pa. He graduated from the Jefferson Medical College in 1859, and began the practice of medicine at Upton, Pa., until 1862, when he joined the army in the Civil War as surgeon of the 26th Pennsylvania Infan- try. After the war he located for six years at Martinsburg, W.Va., and came to Mount Morris in 1871, where he practiced medicine for nearly thirty years. He mar- ried Mary Shelly Funk in 1851, and they had six children: Mary K. (Mrs. W. W. Solenberger), Barbara A. (Mrs. J. W. Thomas), David W., Harry C. and two children that died in infancy. Dr. New- comer died Oct. 19, 1900, aged 70 years. DR. J. B. MOATS, son of John W. and Rebecca Moats, was born in Mount Mor- ris Township, Oct. 2, 1863, and died in Kansas City in February, 1934, aged 70 years. He graduated from the dental de- partment of Iowa State University in 1891, and began the practice of dentistry in Mount Morris and continued for a num- ber of years until he moved to Kansas City. He married Grace Swingley, daugh- ter of Benj. Swingley. Two sons, Ollie and Fred, were born. The mother died in 1897, and Mr. Moats was again married in 1899 to Isadore Rinehart. WOOD & PETRIE, a partnership of Enoch Wood and Frederick G. Petrie, con- ducted a general store in Mount Morris in the early fifties. They handled dry goods, hardware, groceries and books. The Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, an- nounced the dissolution of the firm and that the business would be continued by Enoch Wood at the old stand. HENRY FROST announced in the Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, that he had selected Mount Morris as his fu- ture residence and that he was prepared to make pumps of the very best kind upon the shortest notice. J. K. FROST announced in the July 3, 1851, issue of the Mount Morris Gazette that he had opened a new grocery store in the room formerly occupied by Clark & Misner where he was constantly receiv- ing from Peru groceries of every descrip- tion. JOHN GRAHAM informed the citizens of Mount Morris in the Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, that he had opened a shop on Main Street, next door to his residence, where he was prepared to manufacture chairs of various descrip- tions and of the best and most substan- tial materials. UNIVERSITY OF iiiiwais LIBRARY 52 mount morris: past and present ^% .a c W O « 2 w OS EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 53 54 mount morris: past and present JOHN R. DEPPEN was born at Reading, Pa., March 17, 1831, and died Feb. 17, 1908, aged nearly 77 years. He lived in Mount Morris for a number of years and in about 1880 built the town's first opera house, where he also opened a grocery store and bakery. This building later be- came the furniture establishment of Wm. H. Miller, and is now used for band quar- ters. Mrs. Deppen died in 1907. They had one son, Geo. W. Deppen. WM. LITTLE & SON advertised in 1851 that they had secured a large supply of seasoned lumber and were prepared to carry on a wagon-making business; also that they had a blacksmith shop in con- nection with their business. They were located on East Main St. Mr. Little moved his family to Mount Morris from Colum- bus City, Iowa, in 1846. DR. E. W. MYERS inserted a business card in the Mount Morris Gazette of 1851 in which he stated "Having selected Mount Morris as my future residence, would respectfully tender my profession- al services to the citizens of Mount Mor- ris and the adjacent country." His office was at his residence on Main St. BRAYTON, BAKER & PETRIE rented an old sawmill located on Pine Creek in 1853 about a mile below the dam, and fitted it up for the manufacture of lin- seed oil. This work they continued for about two years, turning out about two barrels of oil per day. Later they erected a new mill south of town on the farm of Jacob Hilger. This was a large two-story structure with a stone basement. A saw- mill was added, which was operated by a steam engine. This enterprise was oper- ated for about 20 years under the super- vision of Jacob Hilger. During this time, Ernest W. Brayton, son of F. B. Brayton, a lad of about 10 years, was killed by coming in contact with the rapidly-re- volving saw. The business later became unprofitable and the building was moved to Oregon. J. D. HAYS & CO. advertised the Mount Morris Machine Shop in June, 1857, and were ready to do machine work in wood, iron or leather and general re- pair work. Many years later "Uncle Jim- mie" Hays had a little shop back of his old home, just north of the Lutheran Church. WOOD, PETRIE & BRYANT adver- tised stoves, and all kinds of tin, copper and sheet iron ware in the Mount Mor- ris Gazette in January, 1851. DR. ISENHART advertised in July, 1852, that he could be found at his residence in Mount Morris and was prepared to perform all needful operations in the line of dentistry. PETRIE & FARWELL (Frederick G. Petrie and H. J. Farwell) advertised in July, 1852, that they were receiving new goods in their store formerly occupied by Wood & Petrie. They carried dry goods, hardware, clothing, paints and groceries. SAMUEL P. MUMMA died October 17, 1912, aged 68 years. He was the son of Daniel S. and Naomi Mumma, and was born in Pine Creek Township, October 4, 1844. He attended the country school and Rock River Seminary. On leaving the farm in 1871, Mr. Mumma opened the first meat market in Mount Morris, and con- tinued in that business for nine years, then sold out and devoted the rest of his life to the grain and stock business, part of the time in partnership with Henry H. Clevidence. On Feb. 22, 1870, he was unit- ed in marriage to Louisa Swingley, and they had four children, Willis, Edgar, Mrs. Oliver Watts and Mrs. Clinton Miller. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 55 HOTEL ROHRER as it appeared shortly after it was built in 1894 by Chas. Rohrer. Note the town pump in the foreground and the unpaved street. The shed-like building and house to the west were the office and home of John Weller. THIS PICTURE of the good old horse and buggy days was taken in 1895 before the advent of the auto, looking south on Wesley Ave. Note the many horse-drawn vehicles at the right and the old plank sidewalk in front of the stores. 56 mount morris: past and present IRA W. WINGERT died February 20. 1912, aged 53 years. He was born June 12, 1859, near Franklin Grove. He came to Mount Morris in the fall of 1881 and clerked for three years in Daniel Win- gert's grocery. Then he worked for four years in a similar capacity for H. C. Clark and later entered into partnership with Mr. Clark in the lumber and coal business as Clark & Wingert. A. E. Clevi- dence later took Mr. Clark's place in the partnership and the firm name was changed to Wingert & Clevidence, which continued until the death of Mr. Win- gert in 1912. On October 15, 1885, he mar- ried Clara Clevidence, and one daughter, Maurine, was born to them. WILLIAM HEDGES advertised in the Mount Morris Gazette in January, 1851, that he was prepared to carry on the coopering business in all its branches, making and repairing meat tubs, water buckets, lard kegs, barrel churns, etc. He also advertised the Mount Morris Nursery, located a half mile south of town. PEYTON SKINNER died June 2, 1897, aged nearly 82 years. He was born in Loudin County, Va., August 3, 1815, and came to Mount Morris in April, 1854. He was one of Mount Morris's pioneer busi- ness men and conducted a boot and shoe shop here from 1854 until two years prior to his death. In 1837, he married Miss Leander Fletcher, and four sons and eight daughters were born to them. Only two children survived the father, F. F. Skinner and Mrs. Eugene King. Mr. Skinner was a member of the Methodist Church and of the Masonic fraternity. EDWARD DAVIS conducted a confec- tionery business in 1856, largely patron- ized by students of Rock River Seminary. ATCHISON & CLEMS conducted a clothing store in Mount Morris in 1856, but no information is available as to the individuals connected with this firm. D. S. AND S. H. COFFMAN, who pur- chased the general store of Petrie & Far- well, advertised in 1857 a full line of dry goods, shoes, clothing, hardware and groceries. JONATHAN MUMMA built the first hotel on the site of the present Kable Inn in the year 1854. He named it the Eldo- rado House and he kept boarders, princi- pally students of Rock River Seminary, until 1858. He also opened a store in a room in the same building at the same time. He sold th^ hotel to J. M. Webb and the store to Potter & Webb. WILLIAM H. MILLER, son of Upton and Maria (Davis) Miller, was born in Washington County, Md., July 23, 1850, and died in Mount Morris, August 22, 1927, aged 77 years. He was the oldest of six children and the family came to Mount Morris in 1857. He attended the schools of Mount Morris, including Rock River Seminary. He worked with his father in the furniture and undertaking business and took a special course in em- balming. The father retired in 1892 and the subject of this sketch continued the business until the time of his death. For many years he was the only undertaker in Mount Morris and had charge of hun- dreds of funerals of Mount Morris peo- ple. He was secretary of the local Odd Fellows lodge for over 25 years, and served the community for many years as town clerk, village treasurer and school treasurer. In 1878, he married Mary Ellen Wallace, and they had three children. Mrs. Maude Crawford, Mrs. Edith Alter, and Mrs. Florence Saunders. The mother died in 1924 and the three children have also passed away. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 57 WALTER WOLFE was in the bakery and confectionery business in Mount Morris for several years beginning in 1899. He later moved to Oklahoma where he was killed in a railroad accident in 1916. DR. J. NEWCOMER, physician and sur- geon, inserted his business card in the Northwestern Republican of June 13, 1857, stating that he was located on Main Street in the office formerly occupied by Dr. Stephens. GREGOR THOMPSON was born in Den- mark, July 17, 1860, and died in Mount Morris, Jan. 7, 1935, aged 74% years. He came to America from Denmark when 21 years of age and located in Mount Morris in 1887. For a period of nearly 40 years, he conducted a tailoring establishment, and in 1893 he erected the building at the northeast corner of Wesley Ave. and Main St. He was a talented musician and was a prominent member of the local Masonic lodge. In 1916, he married Miss Mary Thomas, and they had two children, Har- riet and a son who died in infancy. ARTHUR M. NEWCOMER died August 21, 1914, aged 66 years. He was the son of Andrew and Eliza Newcomer and was born in Mount Morris April 3, 1848. He spent his entire life in Mount Morris and died in the same block in which he was born. He attended our public school and Rock River Seminary. He worked at his trade of plasterer for about 15 years and for many years, beginning in 1885, was in the grocery business in Mount Morris with his brother, William. He held a number of offices in Mount Morris, in- cluding tax collector, justice of the peace, village clerk, member of the village board of trustees, and member of the board of education. In 1875, Mr. Newcomer mar- ried Laura J. Shank, and they had two children, Howard and Edna. H. I. LITTLE & CO. advertised in 1857 that they were prepared to manufacture buggies and wagons for one or two horses and for one or two seats on short notice. They were also prepared to do all kinds of blacksmithing and horseshoeing. This was a partnership between H. I. Little, Wm. Little and J. A. Knodle. H. F. & A. NEWCOMER advertised in 1857 that they had on hand a full line of furniture in their store a few doors east of Brayton & Baker's on Front Street. They also stated: "We are also prepared to make coffins at the shortest notice and attend with hearse." GEORGE TOMS conducted a barber shop in Mount Morris for a period including 1900, after which he located elsewhere. He was the son of John Toms, a resident of Mount Morris. 58 mount morris: past and present ROBERT C. McCREDIE came to Mount Morris in the nineties and purchased the local creamery from Campbell & McMas- ter. During his ownership, the building burned to the ground but was rebuilt. He finally moved with his family to Sun- nyside, Wash. JOSEPH S. NYE conducted the first hardware store of any importance in Mount Morris. In 1857, he bought the tin shop and hardware end of the business of Brayton & Baker, and for its accommo- dation built the brick building on the corner of Wesley and Front Sts., now oc- cupied by Hough's Hardware. He con- ducted the business for ten years and finally moved the stock to Lanark. He was the son of Mrs. Harriet Nye and was born in Dover, England. He came to Mount Morris in 1853 with his brother. John H. Nye. See picture on page 376. A. POPE advertised the Ogle County Book Store in the June 13, 1857, issue of the Northwestern Republican. He handled school books, stationery and maps. POTTER & WEBB advertised in the Northwestern Republican of June 18, 1857, a full line of dry goods and gro- ceries, at the store on the corner of Wes- ley Ave. and Center Street, formerly oc- cupied by Jonathan Mumma. JOHN LONG advertised a new confec- tionery store in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independent Watchman. He handled confectionery, fruits, cigars, chewing to- bacco, etc. He was located under the Brayton & Baker Building, opposite Fouke's grocery store. DR. J. S. VAUGHAN, dentist, had an office at Blair's Hotel in Mount Morris in 1858. H. N. RYAN inserted a business card in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independ- ent Watchman, announcing his profession as attornery-at-law, notary public and insurance agent. JOHN P. HAND was a partner of F. B. Brayton in the drug business in the early seventies. Later he became a well-known lawyer and was appointed to the Supreme Court of Illinois. DR. THOMAS WINSTON, physician and surgeon, inserted his business card in the Dec. 1, 1858, issue of the Independ- ent Watchman. His office was with Dr. Francis A. McNeill in Brayton & Baker's new building. He served as surgeon with the 92nd 111. Inf. during the Civil War. WENTWORTH W. WHEELER was a prominent figure in business circles in Mount Morris for many years. He was the son of T. A. and Abbie (Whitcomb) Wheeler and was born Sept. 6, 1847, at St. Charles, 111. He attended the public schools of St. Charles and, when 18 years of age, enlisted in the 141st 111. Volun- teers. After the war, he assisted his fath- er on his farm and lumber yard. He came to Mount Morris in 1870 and engaged in the implement business and later clerked for Sprecher & Clevidence. In 1881, he and his brother-in-law, John H. Swing- ley, moved to Kansas City and engaged in the coal and feed business. He returned to Mount Morris in 1899 and bought an interest in the Sprecher & Wheeler Dry Goods Co. In 1905 he bought the O. S. Watts grocery, later selling a half in- terest to Thos. Watts. In 1908, he returned to Kansas City where he associated with the Townley Metal & Hardware Co. until he retired in 1922. He died at his home in Kansas City, Aug. 18, 1924. Mr. Wheeler married Luella M. Sharer in 1874 and they had one daughter, Anna. After Mr. Wheeler's death, Mrs. Wheeler and Miss Anna returned to Mount Morris where Mrs. Wheeler died Jan. 27, 1930. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 59 60 mount morris: past and present JOSEPH T. BAKER died June 20, 1905, aged 62 x /2 years. He was born in Pine Creek Township in 1842, three years after his parents arrived from Martinsburg, W.Va., in 1839. He spent his boyhood days in Pine Creek Township, and in 1862, he enlisted in Co. K, 69th Illinois Infantry, at Polo and served 100 days. He drifted around for a number of years in various occupations, including a number of years at Falls City, Nebr. He returned to Mount Morris in 1893 and in 1895 went into the lumber and coal business with N. E. Buser and later with Frank Coffman. Mr. Baker was married twice, first to Anna Herbert, to whom five children were born, Jasper and Alma and three who died young. He married a second time to Mrs. Julia Lester. GEORGE H. RINER came to Mount Morris in 1873 and operated as a carpen- ter and builder. Later he formed partner- ship with H. C. Clark under the firm name of Riner & Clark, and they operated a lumber yard which was purchased from Philip Sprecher. Mr. Riner was born in Berkeley County, West Va. ELIJAH LOTT was engaged in the mercantile business in Mount Morris from 1872 to 1875. He also engaged in farming. He was born in Danville, Pa- in 1806. CHAS. U. NIMAN conducted a livery stable in Mount Morris, having purchased the business of John H. Miller in 1899. Later he engaged in farming in the vicin- ity of Mount Morris and near Grandview, Wash. He was the son of Samuel and Sarah (Weller) Niman and was born in Pine Creek Township, Nov. 17, 1868. In 1900, he married Minnie M. Kable, and they have five children: Hale K., Dorothy E., Donald O., Roger C, and Ruth M. Mr. Niman is employed as janitor at the Kable plant. J. M. SMITH, associated with a Mr. Prickard, started a hardware store in Mount Morris in 1870. Mr. Prickard re- tired from the business and Mr. Smith continued until about 1878 when he sold out to I. B. Kinne. WILLIAM H. BULL established a gro- cery business in 1875 in the brick build- ing opposite the present township hall. After a few years he sold out to Benjamin Rine, who in turn sold to Holly Clark and Ira Wingert. S. A. SHRINER opened a harness shop in Mount Morris in November, 1898, coming here from Dixon, and continued for sev- eral years. FRANK COFFMAN died May 22, 1918, aged 49 years. He was born in Pine Creek Township, May 5, 1869, and was the son of John C. and Mary (Welty) Coffman. He attended the local public school and Mount Morris College. In January, 1898, he married Grace McCoy, and they estab- lished their home in Mount Morris, where Mr. Coffman engaged in the building ma- terial and fuel business in partnership with Joseph T. Baker, under the firm name of Baker & Coffman. Two children were born to them, Eugene and Hugh. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 6a 62 mount morris: past and present WILLIAM A. NEWCOMER, son of An- drew and Eliza (Hamilton) Newcomer, was born in Mount Morris, March 29, 1850, and died Feb. 24, 1927, aged nearly 77 years. He attended school in the old Miller schoolhouse and Rock River Sem- inary. In 1871, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, Ninth Infantry, serving five years. He had many interesting experiences in Indian warfare and was mustered out of Custer's army only two weeks before his company was annihilated in the famous Custer Massacre. He returned to Mount Morris in 1876 and engaged in the grocery business with his father until the latter's death in 1885. His .brother, Arthur M., then joined the firm under the name A. M. and W. A. Newcomer, William dropped out of the firm for awhile and conducted another grocery in partnership with John Tice, but later sold out and again joined his brother, Eventually Howard New- comer became a member of the firm in place of his father, A. M. In April, 1886, Mr. Newcomer was married to Lottie E. Rohrer, who survived him and died in 1929. J. D. ARMSTRONG, born at Spring- field, 111., Aug. 7, 1852, was engaged in the hardware business in Mount Morris in the eighties, first in partnership with W. E. Cushing (Cushing & Armstrong) and later with C. E. Price (Armstrong & Price) . Mr. Price retired from the busi- ness and Mr. Armstrong later sold out to J. M. Piper. BENJ. MUMMA was first associated in the meat market business with Samuel Middour, but later purchased Middour's interest and conducted the business for many years, after which Henry H. and Ernest E. Newcomer purchased it. Mr. Mumma's ad appeared in the Ogle Coun- ty Democrat of Dec. 21, 1882. ANDREW NEWCOMER, father of A. M. & W. A. Newcomer, was justice of the peace and real estate agent in 1858. His office was a few doors east of Brayton & Baker's new store, on the south side of Front Street. In 1866, he started a small store in this same location. This was later the home of Robert Crosby. He sold the business to Geo. Windle, but on the re- turn of his son, William, from the army in 1876, the two started another grocery with the firm name of A. & W. A. New- comer, located on the corner of Front and McKendrie Sts. They continued until the death of the father, when A. M. New- comer took the father's place in the busi- ness. SAMUEL LOOKABAUGH died Sept. 4, 1899, aged 72 years. He was born in Washington County, Md., in 1827. He was engaged in the mercantile business in Mount Morris from 1865 to 1872 in part- nership with Samuel Middour. In 1848, he married Mary E. Gross and came to Mount Morris in 1865. They were the parents of nine children. AUGUST T. OLSON, son of Hans and Anna Olson, was born Nov. 8, 1864, at Malmo, Sweden. He came to the United States in 1880, and worked as a chef in Denver. Later he moved to Mt. Carroll, 111., where he operated the Glenview Ho- tel for six years. He came to Mount Mor- ris in 1898 and purchased the Hotel Rohr- er. He changed the name of the hotel to the Olson Hotel and operated it until 1921, when he sold it to Kable Brothers Company. Later he opened Olson's Res- taurant, which he operated for a number of years. He is a member of the Masons and Odd Fellows. In 1883, he married Dina Gifford at Denver, and there were four children: Carl Oscar, Glenn William, Floyd E., and Cecil Harriett. Mrs. Olson died in 1916. Mr. Olson was married again in 1931 to Bessie Raney. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 63 DR. JOSEPH I. MERSHON, who was born in Jones County, Iowa, Nov. 25, 1849, was a physician in Mount Morris for about eleven years beginning in 1874. He then located in Mount Carroll where he lived until his death in 1899. He mar- ried Mary Jane McMurrin and they had five children: Geneva (married F. G. Stearns), Mable C. (married Roy W. Gra- ham), Noble C. Joseph I. (deceased), and Dr. Glenn E. Mershon, who is now DR. GLENN E. MERSHON a practicing physician in Mount Carroll. He also has a son, Donald G., who is a physician, thus making three generations in the medical profession. All of the Mershon children were born in Mount Morris except Geneva. Dr. Glenn Mer- shon attended Mount Carroll High School and Mount Morris College. He graduated from the Barnes University Medical in St. Louis in 1901. He has practiced in Mount Carroll since that time. JOHN H. NYE, for many years a pros- perous farmer in Mount Morris Town- ship, and later a resident of the village, was born in Dover, England, Dec. 31, 1831. He was 19 years old when he came to the United States. He learned the trade of carpenter in New York and came to Mount Morris in 1853 where he assisted in the construction of Rock River Semi- nary. He engaged in farming until 1870, when he moved to Mount Morris. He established the first lumber yard in Mount Morris about 1872 after the com- pletion of the railroad. He later sold the business to Henry Gilbert. In 1857, he advertised in the Northwestern Republi- can that he had purchased the right for one-half of the United States for the sale of the famous Hays Lard Lamps. Kerosene or electric lamps were unknown at that time. Mr. Nye was married to Marie Beebe in 1852 and four daughters were born to them. The mother passed away in 1859 and Mr. Nye was married again in 1860 to Catherine (Coffman) Stonebraker, widow of Michael Stone - braker. Two children were born to them, Frank C. (deceased) and Ulysses C. In 1896, Mr. and Mrs. Nye went to Califor- nia to spend the winter and Mr. Nye died in Los Angeles on Feb. 28, 1896. Mrs. Nye lived until March 27, 1910. See pic- ture on page 376. A. V. JOHNSTON, who conducted a jew- elry store in Mount Morris, for a number of years, died April 23, 1931, at the age of 67 years. He was the son of Isaiah and Anna Johnston and was born April 8, 1864, at New Castle, Pa. He moved from Pennsylvania to Marion, Ohio, in 1902. and came to Mount Morris in 1907, when he purchased the jewelry business of H. E. Newcomer, which he continued until ill health forced him to retire. He was married to Ida Brown and they had two sons, Harry and Clarence. The mother died in 1906 and Mr. Johnston was mar- ried again to Addie Tucker Stoll, who with a step-daughter, Mrs. R. C. Hoff- mann, and the two sons survive. DR. J. F. CANODE, son of Wm. L. and Mary Canode, was born Jan. 23, 1863, at Greenwood, Pa., and came to Ogle Coun- ty with his parents in 1876. After engag- ing in various lines of business in Oregon, he entered the Chicago College of Dental Surgery and graduated in 1898. He lo- cated in Mount Morris where he prac- ticed dentistry for a number of years and then moved to Oregon. He was mar- ried in 1896 to Lucy A. Seyster and they had two children, Mary and Morris. 64 mount morris: past and present JAMES M. WEBB conducted a hotel in Mount Morris before the Civil War. He was born at Lunenburg, Vt., July 8, 1817, and was the son of Samuel Webb. He came to Mount Morris in 1840 and served as Justice of the Peace and later was elected County Judge. In 1858, he pur- chased the Eldorado House from Jona- than Mumma and continued to operate it as the Webb Hotel until his death of consumption in 1859, after which Mrs. Webb continued to conduct the hotel for many years. The building was on the present site of the Kable Inn. While run- ning the hotel, Mr. Webb was also in the mercantile business in the same building with a Mr. Potter with the firm name of Potter & Webb. Mr. Webb was married in 1848 to Caroline J. Jones, daughter of Rev. W. P. Jones, who was a student at Rock River Seminary. They had three children: James M., Samuel T. (who was station agent in Mount Morris) and Linna Alice, who married George Wirtz. DR. GEORGE B. McCOSH was a well- known physician in Mount Morris for thirty-five years. He was of the famous musical family of Dr. John and Elizabeth McCosh, and was born at Quincy, Pa., March 4, 1855. He died Dec. 5, 1915, aged nearly 61 years. He came to Mount Mor- ris with his parents in the early sixties, and after attending the local schools, en- tered Rush Medical College, from which he graduated in 1880. Returning to Mount Morris, he entered the practice of medi- cine with his father, who died in 1883. He continued to practice in Mount Mor- ris for 35 years. He conducted a drug store in Mount Morris for a number of years, part of the time in partnership with C. H. Mishler. Dr. McCosh was mar- ried in 1881 to Wanda Blair, and they had six children: Blair (died in 1926), Gladys (Mrs. T. R. Trawick), Jeanette (died in infancy), Mac (died in 1935). Jean (Mrs. Edwin B. Scott), and Marion. Other well-known members of the musi- cal McCosh family were Mrs. Lucia Maltbie, James McCosh, David S. Mc- Cosh, Benjamin McCosh, Mrs. Jacob Strock, and Mrs. Chas. H. Sharer. DR. CAROLINE L. PARKER was Mount Morris's only woman doctor. She maintained her office and residence with Mrs. E. A. Newcomer on Center St. in 1882. She specialized in obstetrics and diseases of women and children. B. F. SHEETS, operating as B. F. Sheets & Co., purchased the hardware business of Hitt, Smith & Co., about the year 1880 and later sold out to Cushing & Arm- strong. CHAS. B. STANGER operated a tailor shop in Mount Morris in the eighties. He was born in Maryland in 1829 and came to Mount Morris in 1870. DR. W. W. HANES, son of Samuel and Mary (Walkup) Hanes, was born in Pine Creek Township, June 13, 1861, and died in Mount Morris, March 11, 1924, aged nearly 63 years. His childhood was passed at the family home five miles south of Mount Morris. After preliminary educa- tion, he entered the Physio-Medical In- stitute at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated in 1883. He commenced the practice of medicine at Adeline and lo- cated in Mount Morris in 1886, where he administered to the sick continuously for 38 years. He served as Coroner of Ogle County for sixteen years and sev- eral terms as President of the Village Board of Trustees. He was a member of the local Masonic lodge. In 1889, he was married to Georgia Rohrer, and they had one son, Ernest. Mrs. Hanes died Jan. 28, 1925. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 65 DANIEL H. SMITH, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Ackerson) Smith, was born in Orange County, N.Y., July 21, 1830, and came to Ogle County in 1856. He engaged in farming and in about the year 1878 purchased the hardware business of David Rine and George Sprecher, which was operated under the name of Hitt, Smith & Co. They eventually sold out to B. F. Sheets & Co. Mr. Smith also pur- chased the south elevator in 1882 from Daniel Sprecher, which he later sold to Thos. C. Williams. In 1865, he married Martha A. Little, and they had five chil- dren: Mabel, Burt, Eldridge, Nellie and Olive G. I. B. KINNE & SON conducted a hard- ware store in Mount Morris in the early eighties. Their advertisement appeared in the Ogle County Democrat in September, 1882. DAVID RINE died Sept. 4, 1898, aged 62 years. He was born near Newville, Pa., Feb. 14, 1836, and came to Mount Morris with his parents in 1853. In 1859, he married Eliza C. Sharer. For a num- ber of years, Mr. Rine was in the grocery business in Mount Morris, with the firm of Rine & Marshall. In 1883, he sold out his business interest and moved to Kan- sas City, but returned to Mount Morris about a year previous to his death. For a number of years he was choir leader at the Lutheran Church. He had three brothers, Benjamin, William and John, and a sister, Mrs. Margaret Stroh. C. H. WHITMAN conducted a jewelry store in Mount Morris about the year 1900 and thereafter. He married Anna M. Rine, daughter of Benj. Rine. The family moved to Belvidere. X DR. ROYAL O. BROWN, son of Perry and Lena (Seise) Brown, was born at Freeport, 111., Nov. 15, 1874, and died Dec. 15, 1934, aged 60 years. He attended grade school in Freeport and graduated from the Madison, Wis., High School in 1894. He also graduated from the University of Chicago and Rush Medical College. After serving his internship, he located in Mount Morris in 1903, but moved to Forreston in 1905, where he stayed 10 years, returning to Mount Morris in 1915, where he contin- ued to practice until his death in 1934. In 1904, he married Miss Marie Jones, and they had one son, Russell. DANIEL SPRECHER, a prominent fig- ure in the early days of Mount Morris, was the son of Philip T. and Catherine (Houke) Sprecher and came to Mount Morris with his parents in 1839. He en- gaged in farming for a time, then located in Mount Morris where he engaged in the grain business and built the north elevator in 1875 which he sold to H. H. Clevidence and John Sprecher in 1879. He also built the south elevator in 1882 and later sold it to Daniel Smith. In the early forties he married Barbara Kauff- man, and they had eight children as fol- lows: Amos, Philip T., Lewis C, William (who died at 23), Harvey, Daniel, Eliza (Mrs. Roher Eakle), and Samuel. The mother died at the age of 39, and later he married Mary Eakle, who also passed away and he was married a third time to Mrs. Elnora Hedges. Mr. Sprecher passed away May 4, 1888. H. M. AND WM. N. GILBERT operated a general store in Mount Morris in 1878, succeeding Gilbert & King. DR. A. R. LONG, dentist, was located in Mount Morris in 1882. His business card appeared in the Sept. 14 issue of the Ogle County Democrat. 66 mount morris: past and present R. E. ARNOLD was born November 18. 1867, at Burlington, W. Va. He gradu- ated from Bridge water College, Bridge - water, Va., in 1889, receiving an A.B. degree. Traveled during 1892 and 1893 in England, Scotland and Wales in com- mercial business. Came to Illinois in 1893 and located at Mount Morris. He conducted a drygoods business in Mount Morris from 1894 to April 1, 1900. He married Irena Amick, daughter of Jos- eph Amick, Sept. 1, 1897. Moved to Elgin, 111., April 1, 1900. Spent the following three years in commercial traveling, cov- ering most of the United States. He was elected business manager and treasurer of the Brethren Publishing House at Elgin, 111., in 1904 and has served in that capacity continuously to the present time. A son, Ralph E., is married and in busi- iness at Biglerville, Pa. A daughter, Lois Virginia, is a physical educational teacher in the Junior High School at Lansing, Mich. E. O. STARTZMAN conducted a con- fectionery store and bakery in Mount Morris for nearly 25 years, beginning in about 1880. He owned the brick building which stood on the present site of the Township Hall. Mr. Startzman moved to Freeport where he passed away. J. N. STONEBRAKER conducted a con- fectionery in the "Mammoth Block" in Mount Morris in the early eighties. His advertisement appeared in the Nov. 3, 1881, issue of the Ogle County Democrat. RINER, MOORE & CLARK advertised a new firm in August, 1881. They did a general contracting business and handled lumber and building material. Z. W. BUCK succeeded Riner & Clark in the lumber business in Mount Morris in about 1882. LOOKABAUGH, TEETER & CO. ad- vertised a dry goods and grocery store in the Ogle County Democrat in 1882. ED. CRIPE conducted a grocery busi- ness in Mount Morris in the nineties and later combined his stock with the dry goods stock of F. K. Spalding. He was a brother of D. S. Cripe and was a former student of Mount Morris College. GEORGE W. DEPPEN conducted a grocery and dry goods business in Mount Morris in the nineties. Previous to that he engaged in farming south of town. He was the son of John R. Deppen, and was born Oct. 13, 1863, at Nachusa, 111., and died at Rockford, Mar. 17, 1931. In 1882, he married Nettie J. Neff and they had two sons, Merritt and Roy. The family moved to Rockford in 1907 where Mr. Deppen engaged in the grocery business for 20 years. Mrs. Deppen died May 18, 1927. The elder son, Merritt, was a pro- fessional musician for many years. He is now employed in the Rockford postoffice. EDWARD JIMMERSON operated a restaurant in the nineties in the building south of the John Sprecher store. He had a wife and three children: John, Edward and Esther. A. H. KNODLE, doing business as A. H. Knodle & Co., in the early nineties bought the general store of L. C. Stan- ley (formerly the Sprecher & Clevidence store) and after several years sold the business to F. K. Spalding. ALBERT C. LOOKABAUGH, son of Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lookabaugh, was born at Funkstown, Pa., Jan. 11, 1854, and died Dec. 18, 1929, aged nearly 76 years. He came to Mount Morris at the age of 21, and worked at his trade of blacksmith the greater part of his life. In 1878, he was married to Mary D. Davis, and six children were born to them: Elsie (Mrs. H. E. Longman), Lulu (Mrs. George Fouch), Ruth (Mrs. Theodore Horst), Charles Clifford (deceased) and Nellie (deceased). EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES G7 THIS PICTURE was taken about the year 1920 and shows the interior of the Citizens Bank in its first location on Wesley Avenue. Those in the picture are, left to right, Joseph L. Rice, Benj. S. Price, Daniel L. Miller. BENJAMIN E. AVEY was engaged in business in Mount Morris in 1899 and several years thereafter. He is the son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Bovey) Avey and was born in Lincoln Township, Aug. 3, 1874. He attended Mount Morris Col- lege and the Zanerian Art College of Co- lumbus, Ohio. Later he filled several posi- tions as teacher of art, and in January, 1899, returned to Mount Morris and pur- chased the confectionery business of Otho Baker, which he conducted for a year. He then opened a hardware store in the frame building owned by George Sprecher, which stood on the present site of the Wishard Building. After several years he disposed of this business and since that time has been a traveling sales- man. He married Maude Rowe and they have two sons. DANIEL L. KEES was born at Shanghai, W. Va., Sept. 30, 1868, and died in Mount Morris, April 30, 1936, aged 68 years. He came to Mount Morris in 1901 and engaged in farming for several years, then oper- ated a confectionery for 25 years. In 1919, he married Mrs. Etta Bruner, who passed away in 1928. He was survived by four brothers and four sisters, all residing in the east. mount morris: past and present ARTHUR W. BRAYTON, son of Fred- erick B. and Charlotte (Wheeler) Bray- ton, was born in Mount Morris, Jan. 7, 1847, and died Jan. 19, 1922, aged 75 years. The name of Brayton has been prominent in Mount Morris since the founding of the village. The grandfather, Daniel Brayton, established the first store in Mount Morris in 1841, which was handed down to his son, Frederick B. Brayton, who in turn handed it down to the sub- ject of this sketch, Arthur W. Brayton. Mr. Brayton lived in Mount Morris all his life, attending the public school and Rock River Seminary, in which institu- tion he taught mathematics for several years. In 1871, he took a course in teleg- raphy in Chicago, and in December of the same year became the first station agent of the Chicago & Iowa Railroad in Mount Morris. Later he became a clerk in his father's store and became a regis- tered pharmacist in 1881, then succeeded to the ownership of the store until he sold out to S. E. Avey and O. E. Mar- shall. The remainder of his life he looked after his extensive fruit farm and other interests. He was actively interested in many affairs of the village. He was presi- dent of the Village Board of Trustees for a number of years, and a director of Kable Brothers Company from 1903 to the time of his death. In 1876, Mr. Bray- ton was married to Harriet Grigsby, of Lena, and three children were born to them: Louis, Bruce LeRoy (died in 1928) and Ernest. J. M. RINEDOLLAR conducted a pho- tograph gallery in the nineties. The gal- lery was located upstairs over Brayton's drug store. WILLIAM H. STEWART, son of John and Laura Stewart, was born at Mar- tinsburg, W.Va., and died in Mount Mor- ris, March 1, 1923, aged 65 years. He came to Mount Morris with his parents when he was only seven years old. He worked at the carpenter trade for a while with his father, but during the greater part of his life he conducted a barber shop in Mount Morris. In 1886, he married Susie Huffmaster, and three children were born to them— Maud and May, who died in childhood, and Maurice, who lives in Mount Morris. Mrs. Stewart died in 1915. L. C. STANLEY, of Chippewa Falls, bought out the general store of Sprecher & Clevidence in 1891, and after conduct- ing the business for several years sold out to A. H. Knodle & Co. CHARLES H. SHARER, son of Henry and Sara (Felker) Sharer, was born in Mount Morris, Sept. 25, 1859, and died May 19, 1935, aged 75 years. He was educated in Mount Morris, including Rock River Sem- inary, and graduated from Northwestern University in 1883. He was a staunch sup- porter of education and during his years of service as president of the High School Board of Education the school was in- creased to a four-year course. He also served with distinction as president of the Village Board of Trustees, and was in- strumental in having the principal streets of the village paved. Most of his life was devoted to various business enterprises in Mount Morris. In 1895, he became a part- ner of J. A. Brubaker in the grocery and dry goods business, and several years later purchased the grocery end of the business which he conducted for many years. He finally sold out to J. P. Hol- singer and operated a dairy farm for several years until he retired. He was an active member of the Methodist Church. In 1887, he married Susan Mc- Cosh, daughter of Dr. John McCosh. Sev- en children were born to them: George (died in infancy), Elizabeth Hill (died in 1928) , Wentworth, Max, Mrs. Ruth Hardt, Dwight S., and Robert. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 69 F. K. SPALDING came to Mount Mor- ris about 1895 and purchased the general store of A. H. Knodle & Co., and after several years combined it with the gro- cery business of Ed. Cripe. He later moved to the state of Washington. THOMAS C. WILLIAMS operated a nursery on his farm just east of Mount Morris. He was also engaged in the grain- buying business having purchased the south elevator from Daniel Smith in the eighties. He moved his family to Sunny- side, Calif., where he died some years ago. NATHANIEL E. BUSER, son of Jere- miah and Mary Ellen Buser, was born at South Mountain, Md., April 28, 1851, and died in Mount Morris, April 16, 1931, aged 80 years. He came to Mount Morris with his mother in 1868 and completed his education. Later he taught school for a time and then took up his life's work as carpenter and builder. He became a licensed architect and contractor. Nearly all of the important buildings in Mount Morris and dozens of the residences were constructed by him and stand as monu- ments to his genius in his chosen voca- tion. He also built many schools, churches and residences in surrounding towns. He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity and the Church of the Brethren. He was married in 1872 to Arbanna C. Middle- kauff, and six children were born to them: Floy, (Mrs. John Wine), Pearl (Mrs. F. A. Myers), Robert E., Ruby (Mrs. Albright), and two that died in infancy. In 1906, he married Ivey D. Ever- sole, who died in 1919, and in 1921 he mar- ried Nora Gouker, who survived him. JOSEPH L. RICE, son of Isaac and Sarah Hiestand Rice, was born on the Rice farm, north of Mount Morris, Dec. 23, 1866, and died June 9, 1931, aged 65 years. He attended Rock River Seminary and graduated from Northwestern University at Evanston. After graduation in 1893, he and his cousin, John H. Rice, established the Citizens Bank of Mount Morris, and he served as president until he retired several years before his death. He served as an officer and director of Kable Broth- ers Company from the organization of that company until his death. He was one of Mount Morris's most prominent and influential citizens and was affiliated with every important movement for the bet- terment of the community. In 1893, he was married to Miss Emily Newcomer, who passed away in 1929. GEORGE WINDLE, prominent farmer and business man of Mount Morris, was the son of William and Mary (Kretsinger) Windle and was born Nov. 18, 1841, at Shenandoah, Va. The family consisting of ten children moved to a farm a few miles south of Mount Morris in 1855. He attend- ed Rock River Seminary and in 1865 mar- ried Mary Ellen Sprecher, daughter of Philip and Catherine Sprecher, pioneers of this vicinity. They had a family of five children: Chas. E., who died at the age of 19; Mary Catheryn, wife of J. H. Harnly; Addie, wife of Ira R. Henderick- son; Orpah Irene, wife of Harry Bibler; and Philip, living near Harrison, 111. Mr. Windle was a successful farmer and at the time of his death owned considerable real estate. He was engaged for a num- ber of years in the mercantile business in Mount Morris. Mr. Windle died May 22, 1913, and Mrs. Windle died Jan. 28, 1920. 70 mount morris: past and present ROY HOUSEHOLDER conducted a pho- tograph gallery over the Brayton store for a number of years, but later moved to Rockford. He was the son of Peter and Anna (Sheets) Householder and was born and raised in Mount Morris. JACOB STROCK purchased the gro- cery business conducted by John Tice in 1891 and conducted it for over ten years, selling out to Fred Middlekauff. He then moved to Colorado, where he died. CHAS. E. ROHRER built the front sec- tion of the present Kable Inn in 1894 and conducted it as the Hotel Rohrer until his death on Dec. 3, 1895, aged 35 years. He was the youngest of a family of 11 chil- dren and was born in Rohersville, Md., Oct. 24, 1860. Before coming to Mount Morris he was clerk at the Central House in Forreston. On March 28, 1889, he mar- ried Miss Dora Boekholder, who later be- came the wife of Dr. David F. Stevens. JOHN H. RICE, son of John and Eliza Kendall Rice, was born in Leaf River Township, Aug. 8, 1859, and died July 13, 1931, aged 72 years. He was the youngest of a family of five children. He attended Mount Morris College and Beloit College. He came to Mount Morris in 1887 and was employed in the Bank of Mount Mor- ris by Major Newcomer. In 1893, he and his cousin, Joseph L. Rice, organized the Citizens Bank, and continued as cashier of that bank for a number of years. In 1906, he married Miss Maude Rohrer, who died Jan. 1, 1936. SAMUEL W. BARNHIZER died Dec. 20, 1899, aged 50 years. He was born in Pine Creek Township, Nov. 26, 1849, son of John and Elizabeth Barnhizer. He mar- ried Mary Elizabeth Royer, Nov. 12, 1876, and they had three children, Bertha, Minnie and Paul. He was engaged in the furniture business in Mount Morris in the nineties, in partnership with T. J. Watkins, with the firm name of Watkins & Barnhizer. J. A. BRUBAKER in about 1895, doing business as J. A. Brubaker & Co., pur- chased the grocery and dry goods store of Daniel Wingert, and later took in Chas. H. Sharer as a partner. After several years he sold the grocery department to Mr. Sharer and the dry goods to R. E. Arnold. OLIVER E. MARSHALL, son of Reuben S. and Matilda (Steffa) Marshall, was born on the Marshall homestead north of Mount Morris, March 21, 1873. He at- tended the community school and then entered Mount Morris College in 1886. He graduated from the Northwestern School of Pharmacy in 1893. He purchased the drug business of McCosh & Mishler in 1900, which he conducted until 1911, when he sold to F. J. Dean. He later owned drug stores in Lanark and Rock- ford, but returned to Mount Morris in 1933, where he is an employe of the Mount Morris Pharmacy. Mr. Marshall was married in 1903 to Mrs. Cora Drum- mond. He is a 32nd Degree Mason and was at one time Master of the local Ma- sonic lodge. FRED B. STARK conducted a jewelry store and watch repair shop in Mount Morris in 1898 and several years there- after. He located in St. Paul when he left Mount Morris. J. H. LAMBING conducted a black- smith shop in Mount Morris, beginning in the year 1900. His shop was located south of the old Startzman Building. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 71 WILLIAM DOMER, son of Samuel and Rachel (Varner) Domer, was born April 21, 1859, in Leaf River Township, and died in Mount Morris, Jan. 23, 1935, aged 76 years. For many years Mr. Domer conducted a livery stable in Mount Mor- ris and later a general teaming business. In 1881, he married Mary K. Alter and four children were born to them: Jesse M., Percy E., Mrs. Ethel Tracy and Bes- sie. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Dec. 19, 1931. The mother died Nov. 28, 1932. ANDREW H. DAHL operated a shoe repair shop in Mount Morris during the nineties. His ad appeared in the Dec. 9, 1896, issue of the Mount Morris News. J. I. HOUSEWERT came to Mount Mor- ris to operate the Hotel Rohrer in 1896 following the death of the owner, Chas. Rohrer, and continued in that capacity until the hotel was purchased by A. T. Olson in 1898. FRED L. WATTS, son of William and Anna (Ankney) Watts, was born on the Watts homestead south of Mount Morris on Feb. 17, 1869. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School and from the commercial department of Mount Morris College in 1892. He engaged in farming for a time, then purchased the harness business of J. D. Miller, in 1902. Later he engaged in the grocery business dur- ing several different periods. He then purchased the Wm. Rowe farm, north of town, where he lived from 1926 to 1934, when he retired to Mount Morris. He served several terms on the village board and was Democratic committeeman for 20 years. He is a 32nd degree Mason. Mr. Watts was married in 1894 to Fannie Felker. Mrs. Watts passed away Dec. 25, 1923. Mr. Watts was married in 1926 to Elizabeth Slifer. DAVID S. CRIPE, son of Tobias and Anna Cripe, was born in Sacramento, Calif., Feb. 17, 1864, and died June 4, 1928, aged 64 years. In 1887, he came to Mount Morris and attended the College for three years, and in 1891 he started in the mercantile business in Mount Morris, which he continued for 37 years. In 1891 he married Elva Newcomer, and seven children were born to them, three of whom died in infancy. Those remaining are Elmer, Merl, Mrs. Mary Wright and Mrs. Cora Birdsill, together with the mother. NEWCOMER BROTHERS (Henry and Ernest) conducted the City Meat Market for a number of years. The former later went to farming and the latter became a traveling salesman. O. E. HUFF came from Egan City in 1902 and bought the bakery and restaur- ant of Walter Wolfe, which he continued to operate for a number of years. FRED C. SCOTT purchased the grocery store of Jacob Strock in 1902 and con- ducted the business for several years. He was a former resident of Oregon. G. W. HAMLIN purchased the dry goods store of R. E. Arnold in 1900 and con- ducted it for several years. He came here from Rochelle. 72 mount morris: past and present C. F. ZOLLER sold pianos and organs in Mount Morris in 1902 and several years following. He married Florence Thomas, daughter of Henry Thomas. HENRY E. NEWCOMER died March 6, 1906, aged 36 years. He was born in Mount Morris, March 25, 1870, and was educated in the local public school. His parents were Henry F. and Elizabeth Ann (Knodle) Newcomer. He conducted a very successful business in Mount Mor- ris, consisting of a jewelry and stationery store and insurance business. He was married in 1901 to Lanah H. Janssen, who since his death has successfully continued the insurance business. W. H. JOHNSON opened an undertak- ing and furniture establishment in Mount Morris in 1907, which he later sold to Louis Finch. Dr. J. B. BYWATER was a practicing physician in Mount Morris in 1909. His office was located over the Price & Blair hardware. CALVIN H. MISHLER, son of Emanuel and Susannah Mishler, was born at Kent, 111., August 21, 1857, and died Oct. 29, 1929, aged 72 years. He attended Rock River Seminary and Iowa State Normal College, and taught school in Iowa for several years. He located in Mount Mor- ris in 1888 and was engaged for 15 years as carpenter and builder, later conducted a drug and book store for a number of years, and worked at the Kable plant for four years. He served the community as Village Trustee, as Village Clerk, and as Justice of the Peace. In 1883, he mar- ried Louise A. Miller, and they had five children: Mrs. Evangeline Olson, Mrs. Vinette McRae, Max and Eugene, twin sons, and a child that died in fancy. BYERS BROTHERS conducted a livery stable in Mount Morris beginning in 1903. They purchased the business of Chas. Niman. JESSE B. BAKENER bought the gro- cery store of A. M. Newcomer in 1904 and conducted it for several years, finally selling the business to Flory & Son. FRED W. RINE, son of Benjamin Rine, conducted a barber shop in Mount Morris beginning in 1904. His shop was located over the Watts store. FLORY & SON (A. M. Flory and Elmer Flory) purchased the grocery store of Jesse B. Bakener in 1905 and continued the business several years. B. I. GRANGER (colored) for several years, beginning in 1905, conducted a barber shop in Mount Morris. He was the son of Mrs. Margaret Granger and was born in Mount Morris. DR. L. W. MUNGER, dentist, practiced in Mount Morris for several years, be- ginning in 1909, with offices in the Bray- ton Block. FRED A. MIDDLEKAUFF was born at Beaver Creek, Md., Nov. 15, 1858, and died in Mount Morris, April 19, 1930, aged 71V2 years. At the age of 17, he came to Illinois, where he farmed for a while near Polo and later conducted a res- taurant in Polo. He came to Mount Mor- ris in 1903 and engaged in the grocery business until the time of his death. In 1905, he married Miss Minnie Longman, and they had two children, Mrs. Winfield Colvin and Robert Middlekauff. The mother died in July, 1937. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 73 •S c^^ij W g . CO," wg> few .sjg« En- W) o O 52osS ^ k-3 rr" QJ ^ w.a.S o 73 £ •><» s • .a 5' cO G-^ 0«+HQ. O >> ^£ )««W I sill k^O CO .. ° 5flG 3 C Is h_ w CO cu W JW ft iO CO lias* 74 mount morris: past and present FRED LONG, son of Andrew J. Long, operated a livery stable for a number of years in a barn located just north of the present Wishard Building. He is now an employe in the electrotype foundry at the Kable plant. THOMAS O. WATTS died Oct. 23, 1919, aged nearly 69 years. He was born Jan. 10, 1851, in Pine Creek Township, and was the eldest son of William and Anna Watts, early pioneers. He engaged in farming for a number of years and after moving to Mount Morris conducted a grocery store about the year 1906 and thereafter. He was married to Martha Avey in 1876, and two children were born to them, Grace (Mrs. Frank Baker) and Earl Watts. Mrs. Watts died July 12, 1931, aged 80 years. J. P. HOLSINGER, son of Christian and Barbara Holsinger, was born at Baker Summit, Pa., Oct. 17, 1864, and died July 7, 1931, aged nearly 67 years. He came to Mount Morris in 1894 to attend Mount Morris College. After finishing school he remained in Mount Morris and associated with R. E. Arnold, C. H. Sharer and O. S. Watts. In 1913, he purchased the Shar- er grocery, which he conducted until the time of his death. He was an active mem- ber of the Church of the Brethren and a trustee of Mount Morris College. In 1887, he was married to Minnie Biddle, and two sons were born to them, Clyde and Paul. LEWIS A. BRINKER operated a Ford automobile agency and service station in Mount Morris for a number of years and in recent years has been an employe in the press room of Kable Brothers Com- pany. He was the son of John and Dora- tha (Neidenkirchen) Brinker and was born in Maryland Township. He married Anna Garkey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Garkey. OLIVER S. WATTS, son of William and Anna (Ankney) Watts, was born in Pine Creek Township, March 28, 1871. He at- tended the Pine Creek country school and Mount Morris Public School; also gradu- ated from the commercial department of Mount Morris College in 1892. He en- gaged in the grocery business in Mount Morris for a number of years and later in the dry goods business with J. P. Holsinger. In 1898, he married Ada E. Mumma, and they had one daughter, Marian, who died at the age of nine years. it ' PAUL KENT came to Mount Morris in 1927 and for five years conducted a Ford agency and service station. For the last five years he has been an employe of Kable Brothers Company. Mr. Kent is the son of Gustav and Clara Kent and was born in Chicago, June 15, 1894. He was raised in Chicago and educated in Chicago public schools. He was a private in the army during the World War. He is a member of the American Legion, the Masons and a former Kiwanian. He was first president of the Mount Morris Busi- ness Men's League and has been active in civic affairs. Mr. Kent married Frances Dickerman and they have two sons, Wil- liam and Robert. EARLY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES 75 CLINTON E. PRICE, son of Samuel and Sarah Long Price, was born near Mount Morris, Nov. 27, 1854, and died at Mount Morris, July 10, 1937, aged nearly 83 years. Practically his entire life was spent in Mount Morris, most of the time engaged in the hardware, plumbing and heating business. He purchased the hardware business of J. M. Piper in 1890, and con- ducted it for a number of years. His brother, Benj. S. Price, became associated with him and later he sold his interest to George Blair. In later years, he operated a plumbing and heating business, until his death in 1937. In 1885, he married Catherine Winders, who passed away in 1919. They had one daughter, Mrs. Pauline Metzger. Mr. Price was again married in 1923 to Miss Lula Barber. JOSEPH FREDERICK O'HARA, son of John and Laurinda O'Hara, was born at Port Byron, 111., March 25, 1872, and died at Mount Morris, May 26, 1934, aged 62 years. In 1900, he married Miss Aimee Rees, and two children. Vera and Mary, were born to them. Following the death of his wife in 1911, Mr. O'Hara moved to Mount Morris from Port Byron, and for 23 years conducted a barber shop, mak- ing his home with Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Rees. JAMES L. WATTS, fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. William Watts, was born on the home farm in Pine Creek Township, August 27, 1864, and died in Mount Mor- ris, Jan. 22, 1925, aged 60y 2 years. He farmed the home place for a number of years, then moved to town and conducted a harness shop, after which he had charge of the village pumping station. In 1902, he married Mrs. Ida Castle Baker, who sur- vived him. They had no children. LESLIE STONE started a restaurant in 1911 in the room now occupied by Crat- ty's clothing store. Later he operated the hotel dining room. DR. JOHN A. GARDINER practiced in Mount Morris from 1913 to 1918. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto with degrees of Master of Arts in 1907 and Doctor of Medicine in 1911. He served his interneship at St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago and located in Mount Morris in 1913. In 1918, he moved to LaGrange, 111., where he has a lucrative practice. Dr. Gardiner was born in 1883 at Walton, On- tario, Canada. While in Mount Morris, in 1916, he married Edith Miles and they have a son, Miles Gardiner. JOHN W. WINE, son of Jacob W. and Katherine Brubaker Wine, was born in Northampton, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1873, and died Dec. 25, 1927, aged nearly 53 years. He was educated at Bridgewater, Va., and at Mount Morris College, and then 76 mount morris: past and present filled several responsible positions in Louisiana and Missouri. In 1907, he came to Mount Morris and was connected with the Buser Company, the Farmers' Ele- vator Company and in the coal business for himself. In 1921, he became cashier of the Citizens State Bank. He served on the school board and village board and two terms as mayor. In 1896, Mr. Wine married Floy A. Buser, and three daugh- ters were born to them, Lucille, Lois, and Florence. ARTHUR E. CLEVIDENCE, son of Henry H. and Sophia Clevidence, was born in Mount Morris, June 11, 1869. He attended public school in Mount Morris and also Mount Morris College. He was associated with his father in the grain and imple- ment business, and continued to conduct the business after the death of his father in 1901. In January, 1903, he and Ira W. Wingert went into partnership, combin- ing the lumber business of Mr. Wingert. This partnership continued until the death of Mr. Wingert in 1912. In 1895, Mr. Clevidence married Lillie D. Billig, who passed away in 1935. JOHN H. SWINGLEY was born near Hagerstown, Md., Oct. 12, 1840, and died at Mount Morris, July 22, 1922, aged near- ly 82 years. In 1846, he came to Illinois with his parents, Benjamin and Catherine (Hershey) Swingley, and located three miles north of Mount Morris, which be- came the Swingley homestead. His broth- er, Oliver and two sisters, Ellen and Louise, came with the parents from the east, and four sisters were born here, viz., Anna, Laura, Alice and Grace. Mr. Swingley spent most of his life in or near Mount Morris. He engaged in farm- ing for a number of years, and later went into the grocery business with Henry Sharer and later with Daniel Wingert. He spent about ten years in business at Kansas City, Mo. In 1868, he married Anna D. Sharer, and three children were born to them — Charles, Frank and Cor- nelia (Mrs. George Farwell). Mrs. Swing- ley died Nov. 16, 1930. DR. W. G. DAHLKE, dentist, practiced his profession in Mount Morris, begin- ning in 1922. He was located in the Wish- ard Building. J. ELMER CLAPPER, son of Ludwig and Malinda (Himes) Clapper, was born at Rogersville, Ind., April 8, 1870. He gradu- ated from the High School at Madrid, Nebr., in 1891 and attended the Western Normal School at Lincoln, Nebr., in 1892. He taught school for several years, then engaged in farming until 1904. He served as clerk in the Sharer and Middlekauff groceries. From 1910 to 1920 he was in the grocery business at Maryland, then re- turned to Mount Morris and in partner- ship with Chas. Eigenbrode purchased the Murdock grocery. He purchased Engen- brode's interest in 1926 and sold out in 1931. In 1937, he was elected as assessor of Mount Morris Township. Mr. Clapper was married in 1907 to Grace Hanstine and they have two sons, Ivan H. and Robert L. Chapter 3 INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE IN an investigation of the past history of the churches, schools, and even of the Township of Mount Morris, it is found that the old records, in the majority of cases, have been woefully neglected, many of the old books being entirely lost sight of. In the case of the village, however, the clerks whose duty it was to keep the minutes of the pro- ceedings of the Village Board of Trus- tees preserved the old records from the time of the first movement toward or- ganization of the corporation to the present time. From the time when the first settlers built their rude dwellings within the present limits of Mount Morris, late in the thirties, until 1848, Mount Morris was simply a precinct of Ogle County. The first step toward incorporation was made Dec. 28, 1847, when copies of the following notice were posted about the town: A MEETING of the inhabitants of the town of Mount Morris will be held at the chapel of said town on Saturday, the 8th day of Janu- ary (1848), at 2 o'clock for the purpose of determining whether we will incorporate said town. (Signed) MANY CITIZENS. Mount Morris, Dec. 28, 1847. In conformity to the above notice, a meeting of the white male inhabitants, of lawful age, who had been residents of the village six months immediately preceding this date, or who were own- ers of freehold property in the village, was held, as ordered, in the seminary chapel, at the time specified. On mo- tion, Daniel Brayton was called to the chair and F. G. Petrie appointed clerk. A viva voce vote, to decide whether the village should be incorporated, was then taken. Nineteen votes were cast in favor of the measure and none against. The following notice was also posted by Daniel Brayton on the 28th day of December, 1847: NOTICE A meeting of the inhabitants of Mount Morris will be held in the chapel of Rock River Seminary on the 15th day of January, 1848, at 2 o'clock P.M., for the purpose of electing, viva voce, five (resi- dents and freeholders of said town) trus- tees of the same. Mount Morris, Jan. 8, 1848. F. G. PETRIE, Clerk. This meeting was duly held, and the following trustees were chosen: Aaron C. Marston, Andrew Newcomer, James J. Beatty, Jonathan Knodle, Sr., and William McCune. On the 22nd day of January, 1848, this board, with A. C. Marston as clerk, formulated and passed eight ordinances, which form the groundwork of the present village ordi- nances. They are quite interesting from the fact that they are the first laws passed by the first Board of Trustees of Mount Morris. They are as follows: PREAMBLE. We, the president and trustees of the town of Mount Morris, as a body cor- porate and acting in accordance with the powers vested in Chapter 25, Section 12, of the revised statutes of the state of Illinois, do hereby declare and make known the following, as below sub- joined, to be nuisances within our juris- diction, and that after ten days' public notice being given, the same shall take effect. Any person or persons persist- ing, in whole or in part, in any infringe- ment of the laws herein provided or enacted by said Board of Trustees, be it unto them made known that civil proc- ess will be immediately issued against them according to the laws herein pro- vided. ARTICLE 1.— Be it ordained by the president and Board of Trustees of the town of Mount Morris that the boundaries 77 78 mount morris: past and present of said corporation shall be as follows: Commencing at a stake set at the south- west corner of the land owned by the Rock River Seminary, thence on a line due north one mile, thence east one mile, thence south one mile, thence west one mile to the place of beginning. ARTICLE 2.— Be it further ordained by the president and Board of Trustees of the town of Mount Morris, that the li- censing of groceries for the purpose of retailing spiritous or malt liquors within the jurisdiction of the corporation is strictly injurious to the good and well- being of the citizens of said corporation. ARTICLE 3.— Resolved, therefore, and be it ordained by the president and trus- tees aforesaid, that the sale or vending of spiritous or malt liquor is, by virtue of this ordinance, strictly prohibited, and any person or persons found violating said ordinance, he or they shall be sub- ject to pay a fine of not exceeding five dollars for each offense. ARTICLE 4.— Provided always and be it ordained by the president and Board of Trustees of the town of Mount Morris, that a permit may be granted from time to time for the sale of spiritous liquors for medical and mechanical purposes, and for none other. ARTICLE 5.— Be it ordained by the president and trustees of the town of Mount Morris, that all gambling and drunkenness of whatsoever class may be, is, by virtue of this ordinance, declared a nuisance and will be proceeded against as such; and any person or persons found violating said ordinance shall be subject to pay a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars for each offense. ARTICLE 6.— Be it ordained by the president and trustees aforesaid, that all shows, circuses, theaters, or exhibitions of that class, not having license under seal of the president of the Board of Trustees of the town of Mount Morris are, by virtue of this ordinance, strictly forbidden to exhibit such shows, theaters or performances, under a penalty of pay- ing a fine not exceeding twenty-five dol- lars for each offense. ARTICLE 7.— Be it ordained by the president and trustees of the town of Mount Morris, that all riotous behavior, such as quarreling, fighting, or in any way disturbing the quiet and peace of the citizens of said town, is strictly for- bidden. Any person or persons wantonly or presumptuously violating this ordi- nance shall pay a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars for each offense. ARTICLE 8.— Be it ordaind by the president and Board of Trustees of the town of Mount Morris, that horse-racing is hereby strictly forbidden and prohibit- ed within the limits of this corporation is, by this ordinance, declared a nuisance, and any person or persons violating this ordinance shall pay a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars for each offense. The record next contains six more ordinances, passed by the same board in a meeting held April 5, 1848. The first prohibited persons from suffering the carcasses of animals, owned or claimed by them, to remain unburied, and pro- vided a penalty for the same. The sec- ond prohibited the indecent exhibition of animals in the village. The third pro- vided that all male residents of the village, who had arrived at the age of twenty-one years, should labor three days on the roads, streets or alleys, as they might be directed by the supervi- sor of the same; and further provided that any one neglecting to do so when notified should be fined one dollar for each day's labor neglected, the same to be laid out on the streets where labor might be required. The fourth pro- vided a penalty and method of prosecu- tion of persons who should idle away their time, or act disorderly, or refuse to obey the supervisor under whose charge they were placed when working on the streets. The fifth specified the duties of the supervisor of the town. The sixth provided penalties for the wanton or malicious destruction of property within the corporation. At this same meeting the board passed the fol- lowing resolution: Resolved, That all trials shall be be- fore the president of the board and con- ducted in the same manner as they are before justices of the peace, and all fees and costs proceeding therefrom shall be the same as if issued before a justice of the peace. These two meetings of the board ap- pear to have been the only ones. No corporation officers were appointed, and for several years nothing further was done, at least there are no records of any elections until Jan. 1, 1856, when the following notice appeared: ELECTION NOTICE There will be an election held at the house of William S. Blair in the town of Mount Morris, on the 15th day of Janu- ary, 1856, for the purpose of electing five trustees of the town of Mount Morris, in Ogle County, Illinois. F. G. PETRIE, Clerk. Mount Morris, Jan. 1, 1856. Jacob Coffman, Frederick B. Bray ton and D. A. Potter were appointed judges of this election. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 70 1111 C O p ^ fc fc 2 ■ J " 1 W CO 0) • CO Jh TJ^ o 0hT5 0)"^ ©_ C ^^ o^ co 3 o ^.S2 c3 o § •° o S £ « 0)" C r& 'S O^^ CO H fi 3 « > O £ £W~ J a- fill 2 °-g O 0> JCm g* qS H O^TJ cu S §33s w « 5 w 2 80 mount morris: past and present As a result of this election, Jacob Coffman, David A. Potter, Elias Baker, William Schultz and Henry I. Little were the trustees elected. The whole number of votes cast was thirty-six. The poll-list was as follows: A. H. Baily Jonathan Knodle Hiram Beard Peter Knodle, Jr. W. S. Blair E. W. Little F. B. Brayton William Little L. J. Brogunier Jesse Mayberry Richard Brown Jonathan Mumma C. R. Cheney Andrew Newcomer E. M. Cheney J. A. Noel Thomas Clems Robert O'Neal D. S. Coffman D. A. Potter Simon H. Coffman Peyton Skinner Jacob Coffman B. F. Shyrock Henry Coggins B. R. Thomas B. Cooper Ezra Toms J. D. Hays John F. Wallace G. W. Harshman J. M. Webb William Hedges John Winders J. A. Knodle Thomas Winston The newly-elected board met and organized Jan. 19, 1856. D. A. Potter was elected president; William Schultz, clerk; Jacob Coffman, treasurer; and Peter Knodle, Jr., constable. The first business of importance transacted was concerning the taxes. By a unanimous vote the motion was carried that a tax be raised of fifty cents on the one hun- dred dollars of all the real estate within the limits of the corporation, according to the last assessment, for the purpose of making sidewalks and improvements of roads, streets and alleys within the cor- poration. The ordinances passed by the trustees in 1848 were reenacted at this meeting. Peter Knodle, Jr., was appointed corporation tax-collector. Feb. 15, 1856, it was provided that six- teen blocks of sidewalk be built, and the same to be made three feet wide and of two -inch plank, the lots in front of walks to be taxed to pay three -fourths of cost of same. Feb. 22, 1856, a tax of fifty cents on the one hundred dollars was again levied on all real estate in the corpora- tion, and the collector authorized to proceed to collect the general tax in ten days. March 7, Jacob Coffman was appointed street commissioner. April 11, the cost of building sixty-six feet of sidewalk was estimated at $13.34 by the trustees. June 13, all huckstering was forbidden in the seminary square and within the bounds of the streets sur- rounding the same; also the sale and firing of firecrackers or any kind of fireworks was prohibited within the limits of the corporation, except by per- mit. March 28, 1857, fifty dollars was ap- propriated to build a pound. April 22, William Schultz was appointed assessor and his compensation fixed at $1.50 per day. William H. Coho was appointed constable and poundmaster. May 1, Jonathan Mumma was appointed street commissioner with a compensation of $1.25 per day. Provision was also made for nine more blocks of sidewalk, the owners of land to pay three -fourths of the cost of building in front of their lots. May 15, Lewis Fletcher was ap- pointed collector for the ensuing year, his compensation to be three per cent. A tax of five mills was levied on all taxable property. March 1, 1858, the spring election took place in the house of W. S. Blair. Jacob Coffman, D. A. Potter and William Schultz were judges. New names ap- pearing on the polling-list were those of Elias Williams, Nelson Potter, S. V. Miller, William Knodle, Jeremiah Stuff, Warren Little, Eugene Mattison, George Davis, H. I. Little, B. G. Stephens, D. C. Wagner, A. Q. Allen, H. N. Ryan, Sam- uel Knodle, J. L. Nye, D. Routzhan, George W. Fouke, L. Fletcher, Reuben Wagner, Andrew Newcomer, F. A. Mc- Neill, Michael Noel, H. A. Neff, L. Red- field, A. B. Pickard, William Schultz, H. H. George, Solomon Davis, L. H. Coffman, W. S. Pope, H. H. Newcomer, Charles Brook, E. Baker, and J. M. Webb. The trustees elected for the fol- lowing year were Elias Baker, D. A. Potter, J. B. McCoy, William Schultz, and J. McClelland Miller. The following, the latter part of the oath of office taken by the trustees at this time and for several years later, would sound rather queer, and, of course, would be entirely unnecessary at this time: "Also we do solemnly swear that we have not fought a duel, nor sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel, the probable issue of which might have been the death of either party, nor in any manner aided or assisted in such duel, nor been know- ingly the bearer of any such challenge or acceptance since the adoption of the INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 81 W* i M*"*'! ' THIS IS A VIEW looking south from the top of "Old Sandstone" about the year 1870. The schoolhouse in the distance had just been built. Note the small size of the pine trees, also the old wooden fence in the foreground, which entirely surrounded the cam- pus of Rock River Seminary, which then consisted of four blocks, including the two blocks immediately west of the present campus. Constitution, and that we will not be so engaged or concerned, directly or indi- rectly, in or about such duel during our continuance in office. So help us God!" This part was dropped in 1871, and a briefer form adopted. The board organized March 19, 1858, with D. A. Potter president and William Schultz clerk. J. B. McCoy was elected treasurer; H. N. Ryan, corporation at- torney; J. S. Nye, constable and pound- master; J. McClelland Miller, street commissioner; William Schultz, corpor- ation assessor. April 9, J. McClelland Miller was elected collector and Peter Knodle, Jr., assessor. April 14, an ordi- nance was passed, providing that many of the sidewalks of the town be widened from three to four feet. The tax levy for this year was forty cents on the one hundred dollars. At the spring election of 1859, eighty- eight votes were cast, and Elias Baker, James B. McCoy, Henry Neff, Samuel Knodle, and Andrew Newcomer were elected trustees. At their first meeting, Elias Baker was chosen president; Sam- uel Knodle, clerk; and H. A. Neff, treas- urer. Later, Samuel Knodle was elected collector and town constable, and Jona- than Knodle, street commissioner and poundmaster. Sept. 2, a tax of twenty- five cents on the one hundred dollars valuation of real and personal property was assessed. March 5, 1860, at the annual election, fifty-three votes were cast, and J. B. McCoy, Andrew Newcomer, Samuel Knodle, Henry A. Neff, and James M. Webb were elected trustees. Andrew Newcomer was elected president; Sam- uel Knodle, clerk; and Henry A. Neff, treasurer. The board appointed Peter Knodle, Jr., and William L. Coho cor- poration constables, and Jacob Coffman, street commissioner. A tax levy of twenty cents on the one hundred dollars was made for the year. The same trustees were re-elected in 1861, and the president, clerk, and treas- urer remained the same. A tax rate of twenty cents was again levied for the year. December 7, 1861, the following peti- tion, signed by twenty- six citizens, was presented to the board: To the Honorable Board of Trustees of the Village of Mount Morris: Gentlemen: In view of the fact that an ordinance of this village against the sale of beer, etc., is daily violated by certain shopkeepers, and of the fact that all good 82 mount morris: past and present citizens desire the abatement of this nuisance; Therefore, we, the undersigned, beg that your body will assemble and either call a public meeting of the citizens, to take some measures for the supression of this traffic, or that you will yourselves, having knowledge of the fact named, take due course for the execution of the law, and in maintaining temperance and the honor of our community. In compliance with the above, the board called a meeting of the citizens of the village, to devise some means to suppress the nuisance. The meeting was held in the Methodist church, but no record of the action taken by the assembly can be found. The tax rate for 1862 was placed at ten cents on the one hundred dollars. The trustees for this year were the same as the year previous. March 2, 1863, seventy-nine votes were recorded at the election. The trus- tees elected were all new men, as fol- lows: James Clark, W. H. Atchison, H. I. Little, F. B. Brayton, A. Q. Allen. They organized with James Clark as president; A. Q. Allen, clerk; and Wil- liam H. Atchison, treasurer. This board continued in office two years. July 25, 1864, Peter Funk was appointed pound- master and William Bull, street commis- sioner. In 1865, votes polled, twenty-three. Trustees elected: James B. McCoy (president), A. Newcomer (clerk), Henry I. Little (treasurer), J. McClel- land Miller, and F. B. Brayton. Ap- pointments: J. McClelland Miller, street commissioner at $2.50 per day; Peter Knodle, constable; William Nichols, poundmaster. In 1866, twenty-nine votes were polled. Trustees elected: F. B. Bray- ton (president), Andrew Newcomer (clerk), Henry I. Little (treasurer), Martin T. Rohrer, and J. McClelland Miller. Appointments: J. McClelland Miller, street commissioner; Peter Kno- dle, constable; William Fish, pound- master. (The pound at this time, and a number of years previous, appeared to have been used a great deal for the imprisonment of hogs, many of which were allowed to run upon the streets. The trustees often had occasion to legislate upon this nuisance.) In 1867, twenty-four votes were polled. The trustees elected were the same as the previous year. Appoint- ments: Stephen H. Cheney, road com- missioner; William Myers, assistant. A tax of fifty cents on the one hundred dollars was assessed for the year's ex- penses. In 1868, forty -seven votes were polled. Trustees elected: Elias Williams, Samuel Knodle, Morris Gaffin, John Sprecher, Henry Middlekauff. There is no record that the members of this board ever took the oath of office or held a single meeting during their year of office. From appearances, the board of the year previous met in their stead. In 1869, the board of 1867 was again elected in the spring election, in March. They chose F. B. Brayton president, M. T. Rohrer clerk, and W. I. Little treas- urer. In 1870, eighty-two votes were polled. Trustees elected: F. B. Brayton (presi- dent), M. T. Rohrer (clerk), W. I. Lit- tle (treasurer), A. Newcomer, and Sam- uel Lookabaugh. Commencing at this election, the president was elected by direct vote instead of being selected by the trustees from among their own number, as was done heretofore. April 27, this board passed a stringent ordi- nance, "relating to the sale and traffic in wine, rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, beer, cider, or other intoxicating li- quors." For the ensuing year a rate of one dollar on each one hundred dollars' worth of property was levied. In 1871, eighty-eight votes were polled. The board elected was as fol- lows: Samuel Knodle, president; Ezra Toms (clerk), Upton Miller (treasurer), M. Stroh, S. H. Cheney. A tax of two dollars on each one hundred dollars was levied for the ensuing year. January 27, a considerable amount of new side- walk was ordered built and the contract let to John T. Stewart at thirty-five cents per rod. In 1872, seventy-six votes were polled. Board elected: Henry Sharer, president; Jonathan Knodle (clerk), Henry Clevi- dence (treasurer) , Henry H. Newcomer, John Startzman. More sidewalks were laid this year to keep up with the rapid growth of the village. A tax of $500 was levied for corporation purposes for the ensuing year. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 83 THIS VIEW OF MOUNT MORRIS was taken about 1870, looking southwest from the top of "Old Sandstone." Notice in the foreground that the campus extended a long distance to the west and was surrounded by a board fence. In fact every property had a fence around it in those days, because every one kept cows and horses which were permitted to graze on the streets and vacant lots. The brick house at the left used to be the Methodist parsonage and is still standing. In 1873, fifty-seven votes were polled. Board elected: Martin T. Rohrer, presi- dent; Samuel Lookabaugh (clerk), Henry H. Clevidence (treasurer), Oli- ver H. Swingley, John French. S. H. Cheney was appointed street commis- sioner, and a tax of $700 was levied. In 1874, seventy votes were polled. Board elected: Samuel Lookabaugh, president; Samuel Mumma (clerk), Henry Sharer, J. A. Knodle, H. H. Clevidence. Stephen H. Cheney was re- appointed street commissioner, and a tax of $800 levied. On Feb. 25, 1875, a petition was presented to this board, asking that an election be held to vote for or against village organization un- der the general law, enacted by the General Assembly of Illinois. The pe- tition was granted and the election was set for March 27, 1875, with H. I. Little, Elijah Scott, and John Sharer, judges, and Peter Householder and A. W. Little, clerks of the election. The election re- sulted in favor of the proposed village organization, thirty-five votes being cast for the measure to one against. In 1875, an election was called and held April 20, to elect six trustees, a village clerk and police magistrate, as required by the new organization. The result was as follows: Andrew New- comer, I. H. Allen, H. I. Little, H. H. Clevidence, Peter Householder, J. M. Piper, trustees; village clerk and police magistrate, M. T. Rohrer. The vote polled was 110. O. H. Swingley was appointed treasurer, and Stephen H. Cheney, street commissioner. Septem- ber 4, a tax levy of $500 was made. September 17, a considerable amount of new sidewalk was ordered built at a cost of thirty-four cents per rod. In 1876, the village officers elected were as follows: John H. Swingley, H. H. Clevidence, Henry I. Little, Joseph M. Piper, J. A. Knodle, Charles Miles, trustees; Martin T. Rohrer, village clerk. Mr. Little was selected as president. A. W. Little received the appointment of street commissioner, and J. B. McCoy that of village constable. The annual appropriation bill was passed July 29, providing a tax of $625. Later an addi- tional appropriation of $100 was made, to build a calaboose. 84 mount morris: past and present The election held April 17, 1877, was as follows: For trustees, Henry Clevi- dence, John H. Swingley, Samuel Mum- ma, Benj. G. Stephens, Jacob A. Knodle, Thomas Williams; village clerk, John Sharer. B. G. Stephens was chosen president. O. H. Swingley was ap- pointed treasurer; Peter Funk, street commissioner; and J. B. McCoy, village constable. The annual appropriation was $500. In 1878, the election was held April 16, and resulted as follows: For trustees, H. L. Smith, T. C. Williams, H. H. New- comer, L. J. Brogunier, H. H. Clevi- dence, W. S. Blair; village clerk, Arthur M. Newcomer. H. H. Clevidence was chosen president. Appointments: O. H. Swingley, village treasurer; Rigdon Mc- Coy, street commissioner; Addison W. Neff, village constable. During this year the first licensed saloon was opened by W. H. Wallace, who paid $400 per annum for the privilege. Licenses were also granted to Pool Brothers and Solomon Davis to run billiard halls. An appro- priation of $400 was made for all pur- poses for the ensuing year. B. F. Tracy was appointed street commissioner Sept. 9, to fill vacancy, for the remainder of the term. In 1879, the election resulted as fol- lows: Trustees, John W. Hitt, John H. Nye, Charles C. Miles, George W. Shank, Lewis Sprecher, J. F. Whitman; village clerk, Edward Mooney. John W. Hitt was elected president. Appointments for the year: O. H. Swingley, village treasurer; James B. McCoy, village con- stable; H. C. Clark, street commissioner. A levy of $500 was made to meet the year's expenses. In 1880, the election resulted as fol- lows: Trustees, Charles Newcomer, Peyton Skinner, George H. Riner, John French, Samuel Middour, H. H. Thomas; clerk, E. L. Mooney. License was made an issue at this election, and apparently a very strong sentiment had arisen against the saloons, as the result shows that 174 votes were cast against and not one for license. The board organized with Charles Newcomer as president. At this time the term of the trustees was changed from one to two years, three of the six to be elected every year. It being necessary to divide the board into two classes, one to serve one year and the other, two, lots were cast, which resulted as follows: Charles Newcomer, Peyton Skinner, and John French were to serve one year, and George H. Riner, Samuel Middour, and H. H. Thomas, two years. Appointments for the year: Village constable, A. W. Neff; treasurer, O. H. Swingley; village clerk, to fill vacancy caused by resignation of clerk- elect, Holly C. Clark; street commis- sioner, B. F. Tracy. Later H. L. Smith was chosen to succeed Mr. Neff as vil- lage constable. The sum of $1,075 was appropriated for the year's expenses. In 1881, the three new trustees elect- ed were Andrew Newcomer, George Sprecher, and John French. Holly Clark was elected village clerk and Andrew Newcomer was chosen president. Ap- pointments: O. H. Swingley, treasurer; B. F. Tracy, street commissioner; Ro- bert Crosby, marshal. Rigdon McCoy was later chosen to succeed Mr. Crosby as marshal. The annual appropriation was $800. In 1882, the trustees elected were as follows: H. H. Clevidence, Luther J. Brogunier, Archibald S. McCoy; village clerk, W. H. Miller. H. H. Clevidence was chosen president. Appointments: David Rine, treasurer; B. F. Stouffer, marshal; Robert Crosby, street commis- sioner. A saloon and a billiard-hall were licensed by this board, the former paying a license of $500. The annual appropriation bill amounted to $1,000. Rigdon McCoy acted as marshal during the latter part of the fiscal year. In 1883, the officers elected were as follows: Trustees, George Sprecher, David Newcomer, A. E. Canode; clerk, Samuel Knodle. H. H. Clevidence was chosen president. Appointments: David Rine, treasurer; Robert Crosby, street commissioner. No appropriation ap- pears to have been made. In 1884, the trustees elected were Isaac Rice, Benjamin F. Mumma, John Harmon; to fill vacancy, John Stewart. Samuel Knodle was elected village clerk, and Isaac Rice was chosen presi- dent. Appointments: A. M. Newcomer, treasurer; John E. Miller, street com- missioner and marshal; George S. Cheney, assistant marshal. William C. Withers was appointed street commis- INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 85 FOR MANY YEARS the two-story building on the left was owned by the Village of Mount Morris and used as a meeting place for the Village Board of Trustees. The small building at the right was used as the village jail or calaboose as it was called, but it was a very rare occurrence when any unruly citizen had to be confined there. How- ever, tramps were occasionally allowed to sleep there. These buildings were torn down a few years ago and the new township hall used until the village erected its own building in 1921. sioner, to fill vacancy, during the latter part of the year. Appropriation, $1,884. The records of this year show consid- erable activity on the part of the board in suppressing the illicit sale of liquor. In 1885, trustees elected: David New- comer, John T. Stewart, Jacob Good; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Isaac Rice was again selected president. Appointments: A. M. Newcomer, treasurer; William C. Withers, street commissioner and mar- shal. Appropriation, $1,000. In 1886, trustees elected: William H. Jackson, Benj. F. Tracy, Peter House- holder; clerk, Samuel Knodle. David Newcomer was selected president. Ap- pointments: A. M. Newcomer, treasurer; William C. Withers, street commis- sioner; George S. Cheney, marshal and poundmaster. The office of marshal was later transferred to Jacob Withers. In May of this year, the village hall and lot were purchased of John Sprecher for $300. The calaboose was moved upon the newly-purchased lot, and the remainder used as a pound. In August, the board commenced the work of revising the ordinances, which were afterward published in pamphlet form. Jacob Good, an honored member of the board, died during this term, and reso- lutions of respect were passed and spread upon the minutes. The annual appropriation amounted to $1,500. In 1887, trustees elected: Full term, David Newcomer, John T. Stewart, Samuel Rowe; to fill vacancy, Oliver H. Swingley; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Dr. Newcomer was again chosen president. Appointments: William C. Withers, 86 mount morris: past and present street commissioner; A. M. Newcomer, treasurer. Annual appropriation $1,000. In 1888, the election resulted as fol- lows: For president, Charles Newcomer; trustees, Daniel N. Wingert, Joseph M. Piper, Charles Sharer; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Appointments: Benjamin F. Tracy, street commissioner and marshal; A. M. Newcomer, treasurer. Kerosene lamps for lighting the streets were pur- chased in August and placed on the principal corners of the town. The ap- propriation for the fiscal year amounted to $1,000. In 1889, the election resulted as fol- lows: For president, Charles Newcomer; trustees, George Sprecher, John T. Stewart, George B. McCosh; clerk, Sam- uel Knodle. Appointments: A. M. New- comer, treasurer; Samuel Rowe, marshal and street commissioner. In July of this year, three large cisterns, to provide water in case of fire, were built, each cistern having a capacity of 150 barrels. They have long since been filled up. A fire company of seven persons was formed at this time. The annual appro- priation was $1,000. In 1890, the election resulted as fol- lows: For president, Charles Newcomer; trustees, A. E. Canode, Clinton E. Price, Henry H. Newcomer; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Appointments: William H. Miller, treasurer; Samuel Rowe, marshal and street commissioner. Annual ap- propriation, $1,000. In 1891, result of election: For presi- dent, Charles Newcomer; trustees, George B. McCosh, Henry L. Smith, Jacob Craley; clerk, Samuel Knodle. The question whether a village tax of one mill should be levied for a public library was an issue at this election. Seventy-one votes were cast in favor of, and one against, the proposition. William Miller and Samuel Rowe were reappointed treasurer and marshal and street commissioner respectively. The annual appropriation was $1,500. In 1892, result of election: For presi- dent, Charles Newcomer; trustees, Sam- uel P. Mumma, A. M. Newcomer, Daniel B. Keedy; clerk, Samuel Knodle. William Miller was again appointed treasurer and Samuel Rowe, street com- missioner and marshal. The annual appropriation was $1,650. In 1893, result of election: For presi- dent, W. H. Jackson; trustees, Philip T. Sprecher, Charles H. Sharer, C. H. Mishler; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Officers of the year previous were reappointed. The street leading to the depot, known as "Midway," was opened and macada- mized. Annual appropriation, $1,850. In 1894, result of election: For presi- dent, W. W. Hanes; trustees, Clinton E. Price, Henry L. Smith, Benj. Rine; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Officers of the previ- ous year were reappointed. During the summer the first five blocks (5,728 square feet) of tar-concrete walk were constructed by J. F. Wisner, of Rock- ford. The annual appropriation bill amounted to $2,500. At the meeting of the board on Feb. 4, 1895, the following petition, signed by N. E. Buser, Charles Newcomer, Joseph Amick, L. A. Plate, R. E. Arnold, Simon E. Yundt, and 168 others, was submitted for their consid- eration: To the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Mount Morris: Gentlemen: The undersigned, citizens and tax-payers of Mount Morris, feeling that the time has arrived when the vil- lage should have a system of water- works, herewith submit this petition, and respectfully ask your honorable body to take the legal preliminary measures nec- essary to submit the question of water- works to the voters of the village at the coming spring election — said water-works not to exceed $15,000, and to be so con- structed as to furnish ample protection from fire to the lumber yard of Clark & Wingert, the elevators, and Chain-Stay Fence factory, on the north side; P. T. Sprecher, A. W. Brayton, and John Rice, on the east side; the creamery, Old Folks' Home, and public school building, on the south side; Mr. Lutz and John French, on the west side; and all property included within the above limits. The ordinance prohibiting the pas- turing of cattle on the streets was ordered to be strictly enforced, and the practice was effectually done away with. In 1895, result of election: For presi- dent, W. W. Hanes; trustees, full terms, John H. Rice, Philip T. Sprecher, W. A. Newcomer; to fill vacancy, Ira W. Win- gert; clerk, Samuel Knodle. The ques- tion whether a waterworks system should be put in was voted upon, 96 votes being cast in favor of, and 69 in opposition to the measure. The officers of the year previous were reappointed. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 87 THIS OLD LANDMARK, which stood for years on the corner now occupied by the Village Hall, was torn down in April, 1906. This building was used for many years as a livery stable and was built in the fifties by Benj. and David Wagner. It passed through many ownerships over a period of fifty years, among them being H. L. Smith, Chas. Niman and Dr. A. W. Price. May 6, it was ordered that bonds to the amount of $8,000 be issued by the village to apply on the construction of water- works. May 14, a special meeting of the board was held to consider the kind of water-works that would be suitable. A number of authorities were consulted, and a committee appointed with power to let the contract for the system, visited Amboy, and reported in favor of a steel tower. June 27, the annual appropria- tion ordinance was passed, providing $400 for interest on water-works bonds, $1,500 for increase of water system, and $1,400 for other purposes, making a total of $3,300, the largest sum ever appro- priated for village purposes, previous to that time. July 24, the contract for drilling the artesian well was let to J. P. Miller & Co., of Chicago, and Aug. 8, the contract for the tower, power- house, and equipment complete, was let to the United States Wind, Engine and Pump Co., of Batavia, for $6,163. April 6, 1898, the following ordinance was passed: Be it ordained by the president and Board of Trustees of the village of Mount Morris, that all sidewalk on the principal streets hereafter to be constructed shall be laid of tar-concrete, stone, brick, or artificial stone, excepting the sidewalk in front of stores and other business houses on Wesley avenue and other business streets, where it may be impracticable or undesirable to lay walks with other ma- terial than planks or boards. In 1896, result of election: For presi- dent, W. W. Hanes; trustees, Ira W. Wingert, Edward Slater, Benj. Rine; clerk, Samuel Knodle. William H. Mil- ler was again appointed village treas- urer and Samuel Rowe, marshal and street commissioner. In July, complete settlement was made for the water- works system, the amount of the bill being $6,435.94. The annual appropria- tion bill amounted to $3,300, $400 being mount morris: past and present set aside for interest on bonds, $1,500 for increase of water-works system, and the balance for sidewalks, streets, and con- tingencies. In 1897, result of election: For presi- dent, A. W. Bray ton; trustees, Philip T. Sprecher, H. E. Newcomer, W. A. New- comer; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Appoint- ments: William H. Miller, treasurer; Samuel Rowe, marshal and street com- missioner; C. H. Whitman, fire marshal. During the spring of this year, 2,169 lineal feet of tar-concrete walk was laid, aggregating about seven blocks, in addition to the wide walk leading to the depot. The annual appropriation pro- vided 3,300, of which $1,200 was de- signed for increasing the water-works system. In 1898, result of election: For presi- dent, A. W. Brayton; trustees, A. E. Clevidence, Benj. Rine, Ira W. Wingert; clerk, Samuel Knodle. Appointments: William H. Miller, treasurer; Samuel Rowe, marshal; C. H. Whitman, fire marshal; George Lampert, street com- missioner. In April, 7,561 V2 lineal feet of tar-concrete walk was laid. Appro- priation, $3,300, of which amount $900 was for increase of water system and $700 for walks. In 1899, the election resulted as fol- lows: For president, W. W. Hanes; trus- tees, H. E. Newcomer, W. A. Newcomer, Philip T. Sprecher; clerk, Samuel Kno- dle. Appointments, William H. Miller, treasurer; Samuel Rowe, marshal; George Lampert, street commissioner. Appropriation, $3,300. No provision was made for the extension of the water- mains, an extra large amount being set aside for sidewalks. In July of this year, the street commissioner purchased an improved road-grader, with which much good work was done on un- macadamized streets. Nearly 3,000 lineal feet of tar-concrete walk was laid dur- ing the year. In 1900, the election resulted as follows: For president, W. W. Hanes; trustees, Ira W. Wingert, Benj. Rine, William Peacock; clerk, B. E. Avey. Appointments, Roy Householder, treas- urer; Samuel Rowe, manager of pump- ing-station; William Keedy, marshal and street commissioner. The annual appropriation bill, passed June 7, again provided $3,300 for current expenses during the fiscal year. In August, Wil- liam Keedy resigned, and William Withers was appointed street commis- sioner, while the duties of marshal were again assumed by Samuel Rowe. From 1901 to 1938, the village officers elected were as follows: 1901— President, John E. McCoy; Trus- tees, Wm. Peacock, Ben Rine, P. T. Sprecher, I. W. Wingert, Wm. Marshall, Price Stouffer; Clerk, B. E. Avey; Treas- urer, J. G. Miller. 1902— President, John E. McCoy; Trus- tees, Wm. Marshall, P. T. Sprecher, Price Stouffer, Frank Baker, Emanuel Slifer, C. H. Whitman; Clerk, B. E. Avey; Treas- urer, J. G. Miller. 1903— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, Frank Baker, Emanuel Slifer, C. H. Whit- man, A. E. Canode, O. C. Gloss, J. O. Thomas; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treas- urer, J. G. Miller. 1904— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, CHARLES E. BOSTON, son of Benj. F. and Tilitha Dalton Boston, was born May 6, 1878, at Girard, 111. He came to Mount Morris in 1914 to enter the employ of the Buser Concrete Construction Co. as fore- man, where he worked until 1928, when he opened the Boston Electric & Sporting Goods Store. In 1931, he entered the em- ploy of the village, first as manager of the community gymnasium, then super- intendent of water department, now head of water and sewer department. He also served as village president and trustee for several terms, and clerk of Moont Morris Township for six years. In 1902, he mar- ried Virgie L. Campbell, and they have two sons, Carroll E. and Stanley D. They own their home at 112 Emily Street. INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 89 90 mount morris: past and present A. E. Canode, O. C. Gloss, J. O. Thomas, C. H. Mishler, A. W. Price, G. E. Weaver; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1905— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, A. E. Canode, J. O. Thomas, A. W. Bray- ton, J. P. Holsinger, R. C. McCready, John Rice; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1906— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, A. W. Brayton, A. E. Canode, J. P. Hol- singer, R. C. McCready, John Rice, J. O. Thomas; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treas- urer, P. T. Sprecher, 1907— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, A. W. Brayton, J. P. Holsinger, J. H. Rice, J. O. Thomas, Ira Hendrickson, Dr. D. F. OTTO A. HUDSON was elected President of the Village Board of Trustees in 1934 and reelected for a four-year term in 1937. He is the son of Willey and Mary (Stewart) Hudson and was born August 14, 1886, near Fair Oaks, Ind. He learned the trade of electrotyper and came to Mount Morris to enter the employ of Kable Brothers Company from Hammond, Ind., in 1924. In 1914, he married Esther D. Lord, and they have four children as follows: Richard S., Robert W., Ralph F. and Louise Elsie. Mr. Hudson was cornet- ist for nine years in the Kable Brothers Company (129th Infantry) Band. His son, Richard, won the state high school cham- pionship as pianist while in high school, and his youngest son, Ralph, is becoming a talented violinist. Mr. Hudson is an ac- tive member of the local Masonic Lodge, having served as Master for two years and secretary for nine years. Stevens; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treas- urer, P. T. Sprecher. 1908— President, W. D. Davis; Trustees, Ira Hendrickson, John Rice, J. O. Thomas, Frank Coffman, A. H. Dunne, Chas. Wish- ard; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1909— President, Dr. J. H. Ritson; Trus- tees, Frank Coffman, A. H. Dunne, Ira Hendrickson, Chas. Wishard, LeRoy Her, Ed. Marvin; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, J. E. Clapper. 1910— President, Dr. J. H. Ritson; Trus- tees, A. H. Dunne, Ira Hendrickson, Le- Roy Her, Ed. Marvin, Dr. J. F. Stevens, Price Stouffer; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1911 — President, Joseph L. Rice; Trus- tees, A. H. Dunne, Dr. D. F. Stevens, Price Stouffer, A. T. Olson, John Tice, John Wine; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1912— President, Joseph L. Rice; Trus- tees, A. H. Dunne, A. T. Olson, Price Stouffer, John Wine, L. C. Sprecher; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1913— President, John H. Rice; Trustees, A. H. Dunne, A. T. Olson, L. C. Sprecher, Price Stouffer, John Wine, W. H. Mc- Cready; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treas- urer, P. T. Sprecher. 1914 — President, John H. Rice; Trustees, A. H. Dunne, A. T. Olson, Price Stouffer, John Wine, Fred Frederickson, Wm. Mar- shall; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1915— President, John H. Rice; Trustees, A. H. Dunne, Fred Frederickson, Wm. Marshall, A. T. Olson, W. P. Stouffer, John Wine; Clerk, A. M. Newcomer; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1916— President, John H. Rice; Trustees, A. H. Dunne, Wm. Marshall, A. T. Olson, F. Jacobs, Harvey J. Kable, B. S. Price; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1917— President, John H. Rice; Trustees, A. H. Dunne, F. Jacobs, H. J. Kable, A. T. Olson, B. S. Price, Louis Paul; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, P. T. Sprecher. 1918— President, John H. Miller (Later succeeded by A. H. Rittenhouse) ; Trus- tees, F. Jacobs, Louis Paul, Clinton Mil- ler, Wm. Peacock, John Rudy, W. E. West; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasur- er, P. T. Sprecher. 1919 — President, Robert H. Newcomer; Trustees, F. Jacobs, Louis Paul, Wm. Pea- cock, W. E. West, Roy Brayton, Fred Watts; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treas- urer, P. T. Sprecher. 1920— President, Dr. J. H. Ritson; Trus- tees, Roy Brayton, F. Jacobs, Wm. Pea- cock, Fred Watts, W. E. West, Ray Hol- singer; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treas- urer, P. T. Sprecher. 1921— President, John W. Wine; Trus- tees, Ray Holsinger, Wm. Peacock, W. E. West, Geo. Farwell, D. C. Tracy, Chas. Wishard; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Louis C. Sprecher. 1922— President, John W. Wine; Trus- INCORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE 91 92 mount morris: past and present BIRD'S-EYE VIEW of Mount Morris looking northwest from the water tower about the year 1900. Note the Geo. Sprecher homestead in the center background where the Kable plant now stands. tees, Geo. Farwell, Wm. Peacock, D. C. Tracy, W. E. West, Chas. Wishard, Frank Light; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasur- er, Louis C. Sprecher. 1923— President, Dr. J. H. Ritson; Trus- tees, F. Jacobs, Frank Light, Wm. Pea- cock, Fred Watts, W. E. West, A. S. Barre; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treas- urer, Louis C. Sprecher. 1924— President, Dr. J. H. Ritson; Trus- tees, A. S. Barre, F. Jacobs, Fred Watts, W. E. West, S. E. Avey, Sr., Alvin Hurdle; Clerk, Roy Cratty; Treasurer, Chas. H. Sharer. 1925— President, D. C. Tracy; Trustees, S. E. Avey, Sr., Avin Hurdle, W. E. West, B. A. Baker, H. E. Coffman, W. B. Stouf- fer; Clerk, Roy Cratty; Treasurer, Mrs. Lanah Newcomer. 1926— President, D. C. Tracy; Trustees, B. A. Baker, H. E. Coffman, W. B. Stouf- fer, Frank Hilger, Dan L. Miller, Dan Samsel; Clerk, C. H. Mishler; Treasurer, Mrs. Lanah Newcomer. 1927— President, Chas. H. Sharer; Trus- tees, H. E. Coffman, Frank Hilger, Dan L. Miller, Dan Samsel, W. B. Stouffer, Joe Young; Clerk, C. H. Mishler; Treasurer, Fred Frederickson. 1928— President, Chas. H. Sharer; Trus- tees, H. E. Coffman, Frank Hilger, W. B. Stouffer, Dan Samsel, Joe Young, Chas. Boston; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treas- urer, H. M. Knodle. 1929— President, Chas. H. Sharer; Trus- tees, Chas. Boston, Frank Hilger, Dan Samsel, B. A. Baker, Otto Hudson, Geo. H. Warwick; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1930— President, Chas. H. Sharer; Trus- tees, B. A. Baker, Chas. Boston, Frank Hilger, Otto Hudson, Dan Samsel, Geo. H. Warwick; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1931— President, Chas. E. Boston; Trus- tees, B. A. Baker, Frank Hilger, Otto Hudson, Dan Samsel, Geo. H. Warwick, R. E. Buser; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1932— President, Chas. E. Boston; Trus- tees, B. A. Baker, R. E. Buser, Frank Hil- ger, Otto Hudson, Dan Samsel, Geo. H. Warwick; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer. Dan Miller. 1933— President, Chas. E. Boston; Trus- tees, B. A. Baker, R. E. Buser, Frank Hilger, Otto Hudson, Dan Samsel, Geo. H. Warwick; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1934— President, Chas. E. Boston; Trus- tees, B. A. Baker, R. E. Buser, Frank Hil- ger, Otto Hudson, Dan Samsel, Geo. H. Warwick; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1935— President, Otto Hudson; Trustees, B. A. Baker, Frank Hilger, Louis F. Brayton, Nelson Bruner, H. E. Coffman, Chas. Edson; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1936— President, Otto Hudson; Trustees, B. A. Baker, Louis F. Brayton, Nelson Bruner, H. E. Coffman, Chas. Edson, Frank Hilger; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. 1937— President, Otto Hudson; Trustees, Nelson Bruner, Chas. Edson, Frank Hil- ger, Syril E. Avey, H. E. Longman, H. A. Patterson; Clerk, Fred Frederickson; Treasurer, Dan Miller. Chapter 4 INCORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP THE Township of Mount Morris was organized in the year 1850, under the Township Organization Law, passed by the State Legislature in February of the year previous. The first town meeting was held on the sec- ond day of April, 1850, in the chapel of Rock River Seminary, for the purpose of choosing town officers. At this meet- ing, D. J. Pinckney was moderator and Benj. G. Stephens, clerk. A resolution was passed to divide the township into six road districts, and an overseer of highways was appointed for each dis- trict. The election of town officers, as required by law to be elected by ballot, resulted as follows: For supervisor, James B. McCoy; town clerk, A. Q. Allen; assessor, M. Garman; collector, Jonathan Knodle, Sr.; highway commis- sioners, Abram Thomas, Jacob Myers, Henry Hiestand; constables, Peter Kno- dle, Henry Little; justices of the peace, James M. Webb, Henry Little; overseer of the poor, Benj. G. Stephens. The voters at this first township elec- tion numbered 107, many of whose names are probably forgotten by the present citizens of Mount Morris. The list will be of interest to many, and is as follows: Michael Garman, Sr. Henry Neff O. N. Adams Stephen Adams Henry Agard A. Q. Allen John Ankney Talbot C. Ankney Daniel Arnold George Avey Matthew Ayers Elias Baker David Beard Jacob Beard John Beard J. J. Beatty Aaron Billig Matthew Blair W. S. Blair F. B. Brayton George Brayton Thomas Bryant David Butterbaugh Joel R. Carll L. S. Carll Stephen H. Cheney Henry Clarke Henry Coffman Jacob Coffman Cooper Crews William Falkler S. M. Fellows George Fouke James Fouke Samuel Foutz Peter Funk Samuel Garber Michael Garman, Jr. Peter Glasgow David Gloss John F. Grosh William Grubb Charles M. Haller John Hammer John Harmon, Jr. James D. Hays William Hedges Alexander Hedrick Benj. Hedrick Salathiel Highbarger Jacob Rice, Jr. Jacob Hoffman John Rice Jacob Hykas Martin Rodermel N. J. Judson Andrew Rowland Jacob A. Knodle John Schultz Jonathan Knodle, Jr.William Schultz Jonathan Knodle, SrJonas Shafstall Peter Knodle Daniel Sprecher Peter Knodle, Sr. Philip Sprecher Andrew Newcomer Henry Newcomer C. C. Olds John Palmer Adam Patterson F. G. Petrie Washington Phelps Jacob Philips D. J. Pinckney John Reitzell Isaac Rice Benj. G. Stephens William Stephens N. J. Stroh Samuel Swingley Abraham Thomas Henry Thomas Samuel Thomas John Wallace Lawrence Wallace Otho Wallace James M. Webb Samuel Webb Thomas Winn Enoch Wood John Lauderbaugh Henry Little William Little A. C. Marston Richard McClain J. B. McCoy Walter McNutt Samuel McMillen Jacob Meyers Jonathan Meyers John Miller Samuel S. Miller C. Misner James Mitten Joseph Muller From the time of this first town meet- ing in April, 1850, the meetings have been continued regularly in that month each year, being known as "Annual Town Meetings." The principal busi- ness to come before these meetings is the election, by ballot, of township offi- cers, the appointment of overseers of highways of the several road districts into which the township is divided, the appropriation of funds to defray the ex- penses of the township, and the passage of a few laws found necessary from year to year for the welfare of the gen- eral public. The poll -list of 1852 is interesting from the fact that in it are found the 93 94 mount morris: past and present names of Hon. Shelby M. Cullom and General John A. Rawlins, who were evidently students at the seminary at that time. The poll-list of 1860 is an exceptionally large one, containing the names of 235 voters. October 29, 1864, a special town meet- ing was held, and the question voted upon whether the town should or should not levy a tax sufficient to pay the ex- penses incurred in furnishing eleven volunteers for the service of the United States, in accordance with the call of the President for more troops, issued a short time previous. There were 151 votes polled, 134 in favor of the tax and 17 against. June 30, 1870, a special town meeting was held to vote for or against a dona- tion of $75,000 to the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Company. This question is discussed more fully in the chapter on the coming of the railroad. Township Officers A complete list of all township officers elected from 1850 to the present time is as follows: Supervisors 1850— James B. McCoy 1851— Benjamin T. Hedrick 1852 — Andrew Newcomer 1853— Joel R. Carll 1854 — Samuel Garber (Being a Dunk- ard preacher, and it being against the rules of his church for members to hold civil office, he refused to serve. Henry Hiestand was appointed in his place.) 1855-1857— Elias Baker 1858— Daniel Sprecher 1859-1860— Francis A. McNeill 1861— John W. Hitt 1862-1868— B. T. Hedrick 1869— John W. Hitt 1870-1872— Charles Newcomer 1873-1878— John W. Hitt 1879-1888— M. E. Gretzendaner 1889— R. S. Marshall 1890-1892— H. H. Clevidence 1893-1896-William Stahlhut 1897-1906— George V. Farwell 1907-1918— Lewis C. Sprecher 1919-1936— John H. Miller 1937-1938— Jess H. Smith Township Clerks 1850— A. Q. Allen 1851— John F. Grosh 1852-1853— Lyman S. Carll 1854— William Schultz 1855— B. K. Shryock 1856— William Schultz 1857— A. Q. Allen 1858 — Lyman Coffman 1859-1860— Samuel Knodle 1861-1862— George W. Marshall 1863-1864— James M. Webb 1865-1868— Martin T. Rohrer 1869-1870— Frederick B. Brayton 1871— H. H. Clevidence 1872— J. M. Piper 1873-1877— H. H. Clevidence 1878— William H. Miller 1879— Lewis Sprecher 1880— John H. Swingley 1881-1887— William H. Miller 1888— H. H. Clevidence 1889— John H. Miller 1890— Henry Lohafer 1891— Philip T. Sprecher 1892— Daniel B. Keedy 1893 — Jonathan Hiestand 1894-1927— William H. Miller 1928-1930— John I. Newcomer 1931-1937— Chas. E. Boston Township Assessors 1850— M. Garman 1851— William Schultz 1852— Henry Hiestand 1853— Otho Wallace 1854— Samuel Long 1855— A. Q. Allen 1856— George W. Phelps 1857 — Daniel Sprecher 1858— Martin T. Rohrer 1859— Elijah Lott 1860— James M. Webb 1861-1862— Michael Garman 1863 — Isaac Newcomer 1864-1865— Andrew Newcomer 1866— A. Q. Allen 1867— James M. Webb 1868-1869— William Falkler 1870— Elijah Lott 1871— Abraham Thomas 1872-1875— Francis W. Stonebraker 1876— Martin T. Rohrer 1877— Charles Smith 1878-1880— Abraham Thomas 1881-1884— Charles Smith 1885— William H. McCoy 1886-1889— Charles H. Allen 1890— Alfred C. Middlekauff 1891-1899— Charles H. Allen 1900— S. C. Kinsey 1901-1917— Chas. H. Allen 1918-1923— C. E. Price 1924-1936— Jess H. Smith 1937— Elmer Clapper Township Collectors 1850-1852— Jonathan Knodle 1853-1854— Alexander Hedrick 1855-1860— Peter Knodle 1861— John McC. Miller 1862-1863— Peter Knodle 1864— James M. Webb 1865-1867— Peter Knodle 1868— John McC. Miller 1869-1871— Peyton Skinner 1872— Henry H. Newcomer 1873— George W. Fouke TOWNSHIP OFFICERS 95 1874— John Sharer 1875— Muhlenburg Stroh 1876— Samuel Knodle 1877— Samuel Lookabaugh 1878-1879— Joseph Guynn 1880-1881— A. M. Newcomer 1882— Jonathan Knodle 1883-1884— Benjamin Rine 1885— Charles V. Davis 1886-1887— Leslie S. Hill 1888— James D. Hays 1889— Ira Wingert 1890— Henry L. Smith 1891-1892— William H. Miller 1893— Daniel B. Keedy 1894— C. C. Gimple 1895— Vance C. Miller 1896— C. C. Gimple 1897— S. C. Kinsey 1898-1905— S. J. Hess 1906— S. E. Avey 1907— Vance C. Miller 1908-1916— Lloyd Merryman All county taxes from the year 1917 to the present were collected by the County Treasurer at Oregon, due to the elimination of the township tax collec- tors in 1916. THE ABOVE PLAT of Mount Morris Township which appeared in the Combination Atlas of Ogle County, published in 1872, shows the original claims of many of the settlers who came to this country in the early thirties and forties. Note the large claims of D. J. Pinckney and James B. McCoy just west and south of Mount Morris; also the Hitt estate to the north and the Henry Sharer land to the southeast. Other well-known men who owned farms at that time in the township as shown on this map are F. B. Brayton, Rev. N. J. Stroh, A. Quinby Allen, H. J. Farwell, Benj. H. Fridley, John Fridley, Melchor Newcomer, F. W. Stonebraker, R. S. Marshall and many others. In the extreme southeast corner may be seen the property of John Phelps where the first log cabin was built in 1834. 96 mount morris: past and present GEORGE V. FARWELL, son of Henry J. and Mahala (Fouke) Farwell, was born March 18, 1860, at the Farwell homestead south of Mount Morris. He farmed the home farm until he retired and moved to Mount Morris in 1918. He served as su- pervisor of Mount Morris Township for ten years, was village trustee for one term, and director of School District No. 61 for one term. He is a member of the local Masonic lodge. Mr. Farwell married Cornelia Swingley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Swingley, in 1902, and they have one daughter, Louise, who married Geo. E. Wilson. They own a fine home at 309 E. Brayton Road. Highway Commissioners 1850— Abram Thomas, Jacob Myers, Henry Hiestand 1851— Joel R. Carll, Jacob Turney, Hen- ry Sharer 1852— Joel R. Carll, Jacob Myers, Abram Thomas 1853— George Swingley, Henry Hies- tand, Lyman S. Carll 1854— A. Q. Allen, Jacob Coffman, Wil- liam Falkler 1855— Jacob Coffman, A. Q. Allen, H. J. Farwell 1856— Abram Thomas, Jacob Coffman, Samuel Long 1857— Jacob Coffman, J. B. McCoy, L. S. Carll 1858— Joel R. Carll, Jacob Coffman, Michael Stonebraker 1859— William Rine, Joel R. Carll, Jacob Coffman 1860 — Same as year previous 1861— William Rine, Joel R. Carll, B. F. Hedrick 1862— William Rine 1863— Martin T. Rohrer 1864— Jacob Phillips 1865— H. J. Farwell 1866— Reuben Marshall 1867— Jacob Phillips 1868— H. J. Farwell 1869— Reuben Marshall 1870— William Lohafer 1871— Charles Smith 1872— Reuben Marshall 1873— William Lohafer 1874— Charles Smith 1875— W. S. Blake 1876— R. S. Marshall 1877-1878— Jonathan Shafstal 1879— R. S. Marshall 1880— Jacob G. Miller 1881-1882— Jonathan Shafstal 1883— Jacob G. Miller 1884— Jonathan Shafstal 1885— R. S. Marshall 1886— Henry Stahlhut 1887— George V. Farwell 1888— R. S. Marshall 1889— Henry Stahlhut 1890— Christian Zumdahl 1891-1892— R. S. Marshall 1893— George V. Farwell 1894— R. S. Marshall 1895— Frank Muller 1836— George V. Farwell 1897— R. S. Marshall 1898— Edward Potter LEWIS C. SPRECHER served as Super- visor of Mount Morris Township from 1907 to 1918. He was the son of Daniel and Barbara (Coffman) Sprecher, was born near Mount Morris, Jan. 20, 1849, and died May 27, 1928, aged 79 years. He lived his entire life in or near Mount Morris and for many years was active in political, church and business circles of the village. In 1879, he married Ann Lookabaugh, who died in 1907. They had one daughter, Mrs. Edith Rowe. INCORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP 97 -•>f..'^^«»' t *$* a A Cfl c £ o H w u u o ^ oil ^ c g'-g 3^ °3 b« ^2 CO T3S CD N "8 i2 co G0H3 CC'TJ ^ "1 & ■J+* *^^ ffi , 98 mount morris: past and present JOHN H. MILLER served as Supervisor of Mount Morris Township from 1919 to 1936. He was the son of Abram and Bar- bara Miller, and was born on the Miller homestead, three miles northwest of Mount Morris, Dec. 24, 1865. He died in Mount Morris, Dec. 3, 1936, aged nearly 71 years. He engaged in farming for a number of years, operated a livery stable in Mount Morris for a time, and later became a traveling salesman for an im- plement house. He served one term as president of the village board of trustees and 16 years as Supervisor of Mount Mor- ris Township. In 1890, he married Miss Myrtle Rine, who passed away in August, 1922. There were two children, Mrs. Mabel Boydston and Harold. In 1927 he was unit- ed in marriage to Miss Catherine Sprech- er, present manager of the John Sprecher dry goods store. 1899— W. E. McCready 1900— Ira W. Marshall 1901— Eugene Wallace 1902— W. E. McCready 1903—1. W. Marshall 1904— E. E. Potter 1905— W. E. McCready 1906— Noble F. Thomas 1907— E. E. Potter 1908— W. E. McCready 1909— Joseph W. Mayer 1910— E. E. Potter 1911— W. E. McCready 1912— Joseph W. Mayer 1913— E. E. Potter 1914-1921— C. F. Tice 1922-1937— Chas. Swingley Justices of the Peace 1850-1853— James M. Webb, Henry Little 1854-1857— Benjamin T. Hedrick, James M. Webb 1858-1859— James M. Webb, Charles M. Haller 1860-1861— Joel R. Carll 1862-1865— James M. Webb, Andrew Newcomer 1866-1869— James M. Webb, Andrew Newcomer 1870 — Elijah Lott, Andrew Newcomer 1871-1873— Elijah Lott, Daniel Thomas 1874— William Rine 1875-1876— Andrew Newcomer 1877-1880— Peyton Skinner, John Weller 1881-1884— Andrew Newcomer, A. Q. Allen 1885-1888— John Weller, Daniel Fager 1889-1892— John Weller, R. D. McClure 1893-1896— R. D. McClure, H. G. KaufT- man 1897-1900— R. D. McClure, Jonathan Hiestand 1901-1914— A. M. Newcomer, Jonathan Hiestand 1915-1917— H. C. Clark, Jonathan Hies- tand 1918-1920— J. Hiestand 1921-1923— H 1924-1923— Harvey Long, Mishler 1930-1932— Harvey Long, E. W. Middour 1933-1937— Robert W. Hough, E. W. Middour I. Newcomer, Jonathan Clark, Amos N. Baker Calvin H. JESSE H. SMITH, supervisor for Mount Morris Township, is the son of Henry L. and Carrie (Knodle) Smith and was born April 6, 1897. He graduated from Mount Morris High School in 1913. He was tax assessor from 1928 to 1937 when he re- signed to succeed John H. Miller as su- pervisor. He enlisted July, 1917, with Company K, 129th Infantry, and was dis- charged because of physical disqualifica- tion. He is a member of the Business Men's League and the local Masonic Lodge. Mr. Smith was married in 1920 to Olive Middlekauff and they have two children, Jean and Donald. TOWNSHIP OFFICERS 99 Constables Note — Judging from the records, the office of constable was filled in a very erratic manner. Some years there were two officers elected; some years, only one, and frequently, none at all. The term of service also varied, being of dif- ferent lengths until 1881, when it was fixed at four years. 1850— Peter Knodle, Henry Little 1851-1854— Peter Knodle, James Fouke 1855-1856— Peter Knodle, Alex. A. Cook 1857-1858— Lewis Fletcher, William L. Coho 1859-1860— Peter Knodle, William L. Coho 1861— William Bull 1862— Peter Knodle 1863-1865— William Bull, Peter Knodle 1866— William Bull, Peter Knodle 1867-1870— William Bull, Peter Knodle 1871-1872— John Black, A. M. Doward 1873-1875— Franklin W. Black, William Bull 1876— A. W. Little 1877-1879— J. B. McCoy, Samuel Mumma 1880— James B. McCoy 1881-1884— Henry L. Smith, Benj. F. Tracy 1885-1888— Charles Smith, Daniel B. Keedy 1889-1892— Charles Domer 1893-1896— Charles H. Keedy 18)7-1900— George H. Myers, Fred. Long 1901-1904— O. E. Huff, Jonathan Hies- tand 1905-1907— A. M. Newcomer, Frank C. Keedy 1908— Wm. H. Domer, Frank C. Keedy 1909— Grant Unger, Frank C. Keedy 1910-1912— Grant Unger, I. N. Potter 1913-1914— William H. Domer, I. N. Potter 1916-1917— William H. Rudy 1917-1924—1. N. Potter, 1925-1928—1. N. Potter, 1929-1932—1. N. Potter, 1933-1936—1. N. Potter, W. E. Hill 1937—1. N. Potter, Abe Deacon School Trustees 1870— Henry Sharer 1871— John E. McCoy 1872— Isaac Rice Smith, William Rubsamen, William Domer, John C. C. Crowell Wm. Ballard James Rouse 1873 — Henry Sharer 1874— John E. McCoy 1875-1876— Henry T. Moats 1877— John E. McCoy 1878— Levi Kerns 1879— Henry T. Moats 1880— John E. McCoy 1881— Levi Kerns 1882— John Weller 1883— John E. McCoy 1884— Levi Kerns 1885— W. S. Blake 1886— John E. Tice 1887— Jacob O. Thomas 1888— W. S. Blake 1889— William Stahlhut 1890— Josiah Avey 18^1-1892— Jacob O. Thomas 1893— Andrew Gigous 1894— Jacob O. Thomas 1895— C. A. Zumdahl 1896— Andrew Gigous 1897— Oliver Gloss 1898— W. A. Newcomer 1899— Andrew Gigous 1900— William Stahlhut 1901— C. A. Zumdahl 1902— Andrew Gigous 1903— James H. Stevens 1904— C. A. Zumdahl 1905 — Andrew Gigous 1906 — James H. Stevens 1907— C. A. Zumdahl 1908— Andrew Gigous 1909 — James H. Stevens 1910— C. A. Zumdahl 1911— Lewis Paul 1912— James H. Stevens 1913— C. A. Zumdahl 1914 — George Appel 1915— Lewis Paul lyl6— Joseph C. Muller 1917— George Appel 1918— Lewis Paul 1919— Joseph C. Muller 1920— George Appel 1921— Charles Stengel 1922— Joseph C. Muller 1923— Charles Stengel 1924— Charles Zumdahl 1925— Joseph C. Muller 1926— Charles Stengel 1927— Charles Zumdahl 1928— Joseph C. Muller 1929— Charles Stengel 1930— Joseph C. Muller 1931— Charles Stengel 1932— Charles Stengel 1933-1934— Joseph C. Muller 1935-1936— Charles Zumdahl 1937— Charles Stengel 100 mount morris: past and present Chapter 5 ROCK RIVER SEMINARY THE name Rock River Seminary is perhaps fading from the memory of the younger generation, but to the older citizens of Mount Morris, and to thousands scattered all over this broad land, the remembrances of that grand old institution of learning will live until they are effaced by the hand of Death. During the most palmy days of the seminary, Mount Morris enjoyed the distinction of being the great liter- ary center of the northwest, and was justly proud of "Old Sandstone," stand- ing so prominently in the center of the dignified little village. In reviewing the progress of this institution, it must be remembered that its pupils were gath- ered from a very wide extent of terri- tory. There are probably more young men and women now in one-half of Ogle County, who desire and need the advantages of such an institution, than there were then in all northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, and Rock River Seminary was the only institu- tion of the kind then in existence in all this great territory. For this reason, if for no other, the seminary exerted a commanding influence in all this re- gion. It is not strange, therefore, that, during the long term of its existence, the school played a very important part in moulding the destinies of the inhabi- tants of the comparatively unknown northwest — a part that cannot be told in words, but which is nevertheless written in characters ineffaceable upon the hearts of those who within the walls of "Old Sandstone" received their in- spiration to become noble men and women and to be of use in the world, the fruits of whose endeavor eternity alone can reveal. Rock River Seminary was founded in the year 1839, chiefly by the exertions of a few public- spirited settlers living in the vicinity. These gentlemen were strong advocates of liberal education and had previously instituted and sup- ported a school called the Pine Creek Grammar School, taught by A. Quinby Allen. They conceived the idea of de- veloping this school into an institution of learning of high character; and, after consultation, they decided that the Rev. Thomas S. Hitt should attend the Illinois Conference of the M. E. Church, in ses- sion at Jacksonville in 1838, for the pur- pose of inducing that body to take the Pine Creek Grammar School under its special charge and develop it into an institution of high standing. Rev. Hitt laid the matter before the Conference, of which Rev. John Clark was Presiding Elder, and urged that body to become directly interested in the little school then just established by the Maryland colonists. The Confer- ence, however, while deeply interested in the cause of education, was inclined to consider such action of doubtful pro- priety; but, after mature deliberation, appointed a committee to select a suit- able location in Northern Illinois for a seminary. That committee was com- posed of Rev. John Clark, Rev. Leander S. Walker, Rev. Thomas S. Hitt and Rev. P. R. Borien, who were to receive propositions from various places desir- ing the seminary, and willing to con- tribute to its foundation and support. Propositions were received from Joliet, Chicago, Roscoe, Kishwaukee and the Maryland Colony. Roscoe and Kish- waukee, then prosperous cities, now nearly forgotten, were, with the Mary- land Colony, the principal competitors. When Mr. Hitt returned with this proposition, a few large-hearted far- seeing and public-spirited settlers living in the vicinity — Samuel M. Hitt, John Wallace, Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, Capt. 101 102 mount morris: past and present Nathaniel Swingley, Martin Reynolds, C. B. Artz, David Warden, and two or three others — determined to secure the location for the "Maryland Colony." Numerous consultations were held, a general line of action agreed upon, and each pledged a liberal contribution — so liberal that when the fact that they had hardly had time since their arrival to secure comfortable dwellings for their families, their enthusiasm appears in- deed astonishing. Eight thousand dol- lars and 480 acres of land were pledged, a heavy burden to be boldly assumed on behalf of the rising and future gen- erations by a little handful of men in a new country, where money was scarce and laborers few. In the spring of 1839, the committee visited all the locations from which propositions had been received, closing their tour with the Maryland Colony, where they arrived about the 1st of May. May 3, 1839, the members visited Mr. Allen's school and after witnessing the exercises, requested the school to retire that they might have the room for consultation. It is needless to add that the teachers and pupils did not go far, but gathered in groups around the building where they could hear the dis- cussions within. Several of the citizens, in their anxiety for the result, also lin- gered near. The discussions were ani- mated. Some of the members favored Kishwaukee, others Roscoe, and the session was protracted far into the night. But at last the chairman threw his in- fluence in favor of the "Maryland Col- ony," and this settled the question. The anxious listeners outside gave vent to their feelings by throwing up their hats and making the "welkin ring" with their joyous hurrahs. The next day, May 4, 1839, the com- mittee proceeded to select a site for the future seminary, which was destined to exercise such an important influence in Northern Illinois, and "drove the stake" on the summit into which the grandly rolling prairie crested, where the com- mittee had a commanding view of a large extent of country of almost mar- velous beauty, dotted on every side with near approaching groves. No time was lost. The energetic founders of the institute held a meeting at once, and selected a building com- mittee consisting of Messrs. Samuel M. Hitt, Nathaniel Swingley and C. B. Artz. This committee received plans and pro- posals from James B. McCoy and Elias Etnyre. That of Mr. McCoy was ac- cepted, and the contract was awarded to him for $18,000.00. Work was commenced at once and pushed with such energy that arrange- ments were made to lay the corner- stone on the 4th day of July following, with appropriate ceremonies. On the day appointed, the basement walls were partly laid, and at the southwest angle the walls had been raised sufficiently high to support the corner-stone. The people collected from far and near, for it was an occasion of intense interest to them. It was estimated that there were over five hundred people present, which was an immense throng for such a thinly-populated country. For the pu- pils of that little pioneer "grammar" school, it was a glorious gala day, and "dress parade" is no adequate appella- tion to designate their appearance, mar- shaled in double file, in front of that old log schoolhouse, with their teacher at their head and provided with a banner, bearing upon one side the words "United We Stand, Divided We Fall," and upon the other "Science and Virtue." The wild delight of their young hearts leaped forth from their sparkling eyes, and their very feet kept willing time to the music of the hour, as they marched with proud and elastic step to the beautiful spot where the cornerstone of a mag- nificent temple of instruction for their benefit was to be laid. In the receptacle prepared for the purpose were deposited copies of all the Methodist papers and periodicals of the day, a sample of the silver coin of the United States, a full history of the enterprise to that date, with the names of the building committee, enclosed in a glass bottle and hermetically sealed. The cornerstone was laid and the ora- tion pronounced by Rev. Thomas S. Hitt. The half dozen families then re- siding within a radius of five or six miles had spread tables on the grounds east of the building, bountifully sup- plied, and here, at the close of the serv- ices, they fed the multitude. The occa- ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 103 JAMES B. McCOY was the builder of the original "Old Sandstone." He was awarded the contract for $18,000, and started the work in the spring of 1839, when there was not a single building within the present limits of Mount Morris. Mr. McCoy was born Aug. 14, 1810, in Washington County, Md., and came here in 1838. Later he married Elizabeth Ankney, a widow lady who came with the first colony from Washington County, Md., in 1837. He was a large man and they raised a family of five sons, all of whom were more than six feet tall. Their names were John E., James B., Archi- bald S., William H. and Allen J. Mr. McCoy died Jan. 14, 1871, at the age of 62 years. 104 mount morris: past and present THIS is the first house actually built within the present corporate limits of Mount Morris. It was erected in 1839 by James B. McCoy in which to house and feed his car- penters while building the first seminary building on what was selected as the site of Rock River Seminary. In 1841, this frame building was moved to the southeast part of town where it was used for many years as a residence by William Fouke. Later it was used as a barn and was torn down in 1921. sion marked a new era in the history of the pioneer settlement of the North- west, and the day was long to be re- membered. During the summer and fall of 1839, a portion of the prairie around the building in process of erection was sur- veyed and platted by D. Fletcher Hitt, and the embryo town was named Mount Morris. The Rock River Register, in 1842, stated that the town was named in honor of Bishop Robert Morris of the Methodist Church. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held Nov. 18, 1839, at which Rev. John Clark, Rev. B. Weed, Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, John Wallace, Horace Miller, C. B. Artz, Dr. J. J. Beatty, Capt. Nathaniel Swingley and S. M. Bowman were present. Rev. John Clark was elected president; Rev. B. Weed, vice-president; Rev. Samuel M. Hitt, treasurer; S. M. Bowman, secre- tary; and Grant Goodrich, George D. H. Wilcoxon and James Johnson were elected members of the board. At this meeting, Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, who had been appointed agent of the institution, and who was its agent for a long time afterward, and to whom was largely entrusted the management of its affairs, reported the amount of con- tributions that had been pledged, and was authorized to raise money upon the sale of scholarships as follows: For one year, $25; for two years, $50; for four years, $100; perpetual, $500. In con- junction with the building committee, he was authorized to negotiate a loan of $4,000, and clothed with power to call future meetings of the trustees. In an historical sketch of this institution, written later by Robert R. Hitt, it was remarked, "The facility with which this institution glided into debt was a marked characteristic in its history." At this November meeting, it was re- solved to apply to the next Legislature for an act of incorporation, and a com- mittee, consisting of Rev. John Clark, Hon. Thomas Ford and C. B. Artz, was appointed to draft a charter to be sub- ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 105 mitted to the General Assembly of Illi- nois. Another committee, consisting of Revs. John Clark, B. Weed, Thomas S. Hitt, James J. Beatty and Horace Mil- ler, was appointed to employ a princi- pal and teachers. A special meeting of the Board of Trustees was held in Oregon, Jan. 27, 1840, at which John Clark, Thomas S. Hitt, C. B. Artz, Nathaniel Swingley, M. Reynolds, John Wallace, Thomas Ford and Horace Miller were present. At this meeting, the following resolution was adopted: "Resolved, That a circular be drafted and addressed to the several presiding elders of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the northern part of Illinois, and the Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa, setting forth the present condition and ultimate design of the Rock River Seminary, and earnestly requesting them to use their influence with the several traveling and local preachers and others in their respective districts to take up, as soon as practicable, col- lections in small sums from all individ- uals who may be willing to contribute to the erection of said Seminary." In anticipation of the opening of the school, it was ordered that the price of board of students under 15 years of age should be $1.50 per week; over that age $1.75. The rates of tuition were also established, and it was agreed that John Wallace should act as steward of the Seminary. The efforts to raise money were energetically continued through the winter of 1839-40, with considerable success, and the originators of this bold scheme to establish a seminary in the wilderness began to feel confident of success. At an adjourned meeting of the board, May 30, 1840, the committee reported the engagement of Prof. Joseph N. Waggoner, of the Genesee (N.Y.) Wes- leyan Seminary, and an arrangement was made with him to allow him $30 for his traveling expenses to this coun- ty, and $20 per month for his services as teacher, for three months, from June 1. The seminary building was not ready for occupation on the 1st of June, and Mr. Waggoner taught school during the summer in the log school house, where Mr. A. Q. Allen had first wielded the birch. The annual session of the Rockford Conference was appointed at Mount Morris, in the fall of 1840. It was ex- pected that the Seminary building would be so far completed that the meeting could be accommodated be- neath its roof. But in this the people were disappointed; the plastering was not done, and they held a camp -meeting in the grove, about two miles northwest of the unfinished edifice. At the session of the Rock River Con- ference, at Mount Morris, Sept. 2, 1840, the following Board of Trustees for Rock River Seminary was appointed: John Clark, Samuel M. Hitt, John H. Rountree, J. B. Crist, Anthony Pitzer, Nathaniel Swingley, Leander S. Walker, James Mitchell, John Sinclair, C. Burr Artz, Thomas Ford, Bartholomew Weed, Thomas S. Hitt and James J. Beatty, and on the evening of the same day the new Board organized by the choice of John Clark, president, and Thomas S. Hitt, secretary. October 2, 1840, Rev. John Sharp was appointed steward; T. S. Hitt, John Wallace, Anthony Pitzer and John Sharp were appointed an executive committee. Thomas S. Hitt was ap- pointed to make a final settlement with Mr. McCoy. Prof. Waggoner's wages were continued as first agreed upon until the commencement of the first term, when his salary was to be fixed at $300 a year. The first term of the Rock River Sem- inary commenced on the first Friday in November, 1840, and continued twenty- two weeks, with a goodly number of students when the fact is remembered that the country was very sparsely settled. The first board of instruction consisted of Prof. Joseph N. Waggoner, principal and professor of languages; Rev. Lyman Catlin, professor of mathe- matics; and Miss Cornelia N. Russell, preceptress. The second term commenced the first Friday in May, 1841, with the same board of instruction and a primary de- partment in charge of Mrs. Fanny Rus- sell. This was the town school, under the charge of the Seminary, and of 106 mount morris: past and present course increased the number of stu- dents. The primary department was discontinued in 1843. December 29, 1840, the following reso- lutions were adopted: "Resolved, That lots be donated to applicants applying until the 1st of June next, who shall build a house of stone, brick or frame not less than 16 x 24 feet, IV2 stories high, to be fit for occupancy by the 1st of January, 1842, or sooner. Resolved, That all lots in the town of Mount Mor- ris be deeded with the proviso that houses of ill fame, gambling and retail- ing of ardent spirits be prohibited." January 3, 1841, the Seminary was formally dedicated, the address on the interesting occasion being delivered by Samuel N. Samples, a lawyer of Oregon. Rev. Luke Hitchcock was appointed as an additional special agent to assist Mr. Hitt, whose health had become impaired. By act of the General Assembly of Illinois, approved Feb. 18, 1841, the Rock River Seminary was incorporated. The corporators named in the act were John Clark, Leander S. Walker, Thomas S. Hitt, Jacob B. Crist, C. Burr Artz, Sam- uel M. Hitt, John Wallace, Nathaniel Swingley, Anthony Pitzer and James J. Beatty. The number of trustees was not to exceed twelve, exclusive of the prin- cipal, or presiding officer of the Semin- ary, who was made, ex-officio, a mem- ber of the Board. At a special meeting of the corpora- tion, April 29, 1841, the charter was un- animously accepted; and on the 6th of May, J. Clark was elected chairman; T. S. Hitt, secretary; and A. Pitzer, treasurer. Mr. Catlin, who remained in the in- stitution several years, was a good teacher, Miss Cornelia N. Russell was an accomplished teacher, and a lady whose sweetness of character and skill as a teacher was never forgotten by the hundreds of students who attended dur- ing her term of service. Prof. Waggoner proved himself to be an able and faith- ful instructor. In later years he became a prosperous bookseller at Galena. April 8, 1842, Rev. Daniel J. Pinckney was elected principal of the Seminary. He was, when elected, a professor in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminarv (N.Y.) . Prof. Pinckney arrived at Chicago on the 5th of August, 1842, where the Rock River Conference was in session, and at Mount Morris the Saturday night fol- lowing. The next day, Sabbath, he ad- dressed the people. Upon his arrival, he found the institution heavily bur- dened with debt (over $16,000), ths building unfinished, and only sixteen students in attendance. From that time until the commencement of the fall and winter term in November, he traveled extensively and lectured in the princi- pal towns of northern Illinois and Wis- consin in the interest of the institution and for securing students. The fall term opened with one hundred and fifty stu- dents, and from that time onward it was successful in its literary and scientific departments, but, for reasons already shown, was much embarrased finan- fjfP "* PROF. DANIEL J. PINCKNEY came to Mount Morris in August, 1842, to assume the duties of principal of Rock River Sem- inary, which position he held for about thirteen years. Later on, Prof. Pinckney became the editor of the Mount Morris Gazette and also of the Mount Morris Independent, two early newspapers, and he was also connected with several mer- cantile enterprises. Prof. Pinckney, before coming to Mount Morris, was a teacher in the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, a Methodist institution of Lima, N.Y. He established his home west of Mount Mor- ris on what was later known as the Lo- hafer farm. He married Margaret C. Hitt, daughter of Samuel M. Hitt. Prof. Pinck- ney died in 1888 and Mrs. Pinckney in 1905. They are buried in Oakwood Ceme- tery. ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 107 cially. There seems to have been no lack of students, the great difficulty be- ing the want of sufficient accommoda- tions for those who desired to attend. During his administration, a large num- ber of young men received their edu- cation at this institution, remaining sev- eral years after they entered, until they graduated. In March, 1845, in consequence of ill health, Prof. Pinckney left the institu- tion temporarily in charge of Prof. S. R. Thorpe, his able and efficient assistant, for the remainder of the term. At the end of that term Prof. Pinckney and P. Judson, secretary of the board, were appointed to secure the services of Dr. J. C. Finley, formerly of McKendree College, who became principal and re- mained in charge about a year, when Prof. Pinckney again resumed the po- sition. In 1847, Prof. Pinckney was elected a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion, and, during his absence, left Prof. Fellows in charge of the Seminary. August 21, 1847, Rev. Carmi C. Olds was elected principal of the Seminary, who continued until March 6, 1850, when he tendered his resignation, and Prof. S. M. Fellows was elected acting principal for the balance of the term. May 7, 1850, Prof. Pinckney, J. J. Beatty and Enoch Wood were appointed a com- mittee to make arrangements in regard to the formation of a new faculty. June 26, 1850, Prof. D. J. Pinckney was again elected principal; but as he could not take full charge of the Sem- inary until the commencement of the winter term of 1850-51, on the 29th of July, Prof. S. M. Fellows was appointed acting principal for the fall term of 1850. The old Seminary building was no longer large enough to accommodate the large number of students who nocked to this institution, which had become the leading literary institution of Northern Illinois, and it was necessary to enlarge it or erect a new one. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees, September 9, 1850, action was taken, and the follow- ing resolution adopted: Resolved, that we advertise in the Mount Morris Gazette to receive pro- posals for stone and brick work, and other materials, for the walls of a new Seminary building, forty by one hun- dred and twenty feet, four stories high, until the 1st of October, 1850. Prof. D. J. Pinckney, Enoch Wood and A. C. Marsten were appointed a com- mittee to make a plan of the building. May 12, 1851, the executive committee was authorized to close a contract with Jacob Myers for the erection of the walls of the new Seminary building, and work was commenced soon afterward. June 7, 1851, the scholarship system was adopted for the purpose of endow- ing the Rock River Seminary. The JACOB M. MYERS was the contractor who built the four-story stone building now known as "Old Sandstone." The building was started in 1853 but was not completed until 1855 because of a lack of funds. Mr. Myers was assisted with the mason work by his brother, Jonathan Myers. Daniel Fager, son-in-law of Jacob Myers, made the "hoist jack" which was used to hoist the stone and mortar for the building. The stone used for the building was quarried at Pine Creek. Mr. Myers came to Ogle County in the spring of 1837 from Boonsboro, Md., with his wife and five children, and settled at West Grove, west of Mount Morris. Be- sides "Old Sandstone," he also built the original Pine Creek mill in 1845, and the little stone church at West Grove. Mr. Myers was born in Berks County, Pa., April 18, 1799, and died at West Grove, Aug. 26, 1877. His wife, who was Eliza- beth Gloss, died April 6, 1877. 108 mount morris: past and present THIS PICTURE of Rock River Seminary was taken about the year 1857, on the occa- sion of some kind of a celebration, as indicated by the large crowd gathered in front of the buildings. Note the fence which enclosed the campus at that time. The building on the right was the original building erected in 1839, and was torn down many years ago, to make room for a girls' dormitory. scholarships were to be made perpetual, and sold for $60. Messrs. Pinckney, Crews and Wood were appointed a com- mittee to draft a plan for issuing them, and make the necessary preparations for doing so. March 1, 1852, it was ordered that the "Botanical Garden, containing thirteen and a half acres, be surveyed, divided into forty-eight lots, and recorded as an addition to the town of Mount Morris." December 30, 1852, the trustees re- solved to apply to the Legislature for an act of incorporation as a university; appointed Messrs. Pinckney, Fellows and Little to draft a charter, and re- quested Mr. Pinckney to go to Spring- field in the interest of the movement, which he did, and secured the passage of an amendment conferring university privileges upon the institution. In January, 1853, Mr. Pinckney re- signed as principal, and Prof. George L. Little was elected. He was succeeded by Prof. Spencer S. Matteson, at the commencement of the fall term, who died in November, 1853; and Prof. Pinckney again assumed active control of the school. The records of the Board of Trustees thus far do not indicate the progress of the new building, but it had been pro- gressing, for on the 28th of June, 1854, it was estimated that $6,000 would be sufficient to complete it, and the fol- lowing resolution was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, that we raise twelve thou- sand dollars on well secured pledges, to be appropriated to the payment of the debts of the R. R. Seminary, and to the finishing and furnishing of the new building. Provided the said sum of twelve thousand dollars shall be thus pledged and secured by the 20th day of September next." ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 109 In June, 1855, Prof. Pinckney re- signed, and his active connection with the institution ceased. For more than thirteen years he had devoted his time, energies and money to advance the prosperity and usefulness of Rock River Seminary, and had been its principal most of the time during that period. During Prof. Pinckney's long and suc- cessful administration the Seminary ex- erted a powerful influence in moulding the destinies of the comparatively un- known Northwest, which will continue to be felt through all coming genera- tions. It is stated he never expelled a student from the institution, and he enjoyed to a remarkable degree the respect, confidence and affection of his pupils, and the esteem of his associates. Although he was no longer connected with the Seminary as its principal, he remained a member of the Board of Trustees until 1858. Prof. Pinckney was succeeded as principal by Prof. W. T. Harlow, who was elected in June, 1855, and soon after, the school was opened in the new building. June 25, 1858, an arrangement was made with Profs. Harlow and Pope to take the educational and boarding de- partments on their own responsibility, employing and paying their assistants, they to return the buildings at the end of the year, in good condition. June 23, 1859, the executive commit- tee was authorized to "confer and ne- gotiate with any stock company that may be formed, for the purpose of pur- chasing and running the Seminary as a stock concern." On the same day, the contract with Messrs. Harlow and Pope was renewed for another year. June 28, 1860, the Board resolved to "let Profs. W. T. Harlow and W. S. Pope have the institution on the same terms for the coming year as they have had it in the past." June 28, 1865, Prof. Harlow resigned as principal, and Profs. John William- son and O. F. Matteson were elected associate principals. October, 1867, Rev. J. M. Caldwell was elected principal for one year, and he was re-elected in 1868, upon condi- tion that he employ and pay his asso- ciates. June 23, 1869, the entire faculty hav- ing resigned, Prof. Brush, of "Upper Iowa University," was elected principal, "he to select his own assistants," but did not accept the position and on the 22nd of July, Rev. R. H. Wilkinson was elected, who served until June, 1870, when he resigned; and on the 28th of September following, a contract was made with Rev. S. H. Adams to "run the Seminary according to the provi- sions of the charter; and to have all the revenues from the same," until said revenue reaches the sum of $4,000, with elaborate provisions for the disposition of any surplus that might accrue in ex- cess of that amount. June 21, 1871, John Williamson and Sarah H. Steven- son were requested to assume control of the institution, but it does not appear that they complied. The school was suspended and no further meetings of the Board are recorded until May 7, 1873, when the following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That the executive commit- tee be authorized to make, in connec- tion with R. R. Hitt, such arrangements with Wm. Harrison or some other per- son or parties, as will "secure the open- ing of the school and running the same, without incurring expense or liability to the Trustees." At this meeting there were present F. G. Petrie, M. T. Ellingwood, H. J. PROF. JOHN WILLIAMSON, together with Prof. O. F. Matteson, were associate principals of Rock River Seminary from 1865 to 1868, following the regime of Prof. W. T. Harlow. 110 mount morris: past and present Farwell, W. H. Atchison, A. Newcomer and F. B. Brayton. September 16, 1873, the executive committee reported that "they, to- gether with R. R. Hitt, had secured the services of N. C. Dougherty, as princi- pal, together with a full and competent faculty, under whose management the school had been opened with the most satisfactory results," and recommended that they be elected and confirmed. Accordingly Prof. N. C. Dougherty was elected principal; R. Arthur Ed- wards, professor of Latin and Greek; Miss Lottie M. Smith, preceptress; Miss Maria Hitt, teacher of music. In 1878, the Board of Trustees con- sisted of F. G. Petrie, president; Fred- erick B. Brayton, secretary; Hon. Robert R. Hitt, N. C. Dougherty, (ex officio), Andrew Newcomer, Rev. Richard Ed- wards, Rev. W. H. Tibbals, Rev. W. A. Burns, B. F. Sheets, Capt. John W. Hitt, Chas. Newcomer, Isaac Rice and Jack- son Farwell. The faculty consisted of Newton C. Dougherty, principal; Richard A. Ed- wards, instructor in Latin and Greek; John H. Parr, instructor in natural sci- ence and mathematics; Florence Farns- worth, instructor in reading and gram- mar; Edward L. Wells, instructor in the science and art of teaching; Florence Brayton, instructor in instrumental mu- sic; Lillian D. Brayton, instructor in penciling and painting. Toward the close of the principalship of Prof. Dougherty, the seminary bore the appearance of prosperity, but an expensive faculty was too much of a burden upon the financial resources of the institution, and the school finally closed down in 1878 for that reason. Then, too, the Methodists had estab- lished at Evanston a much larger and better-equipped school known as the Northwestern University, which en- croached very seriously upon the terri- tory from which the seminary had drawn her students. The heavy mort- gage upon the property of the seminary finally ended the administration of the Methodists. To satisfy the creditors the property was sold, Hon. R. R. Hitt being the purchaser. Mr. Hitt kept the seminary property in his possession for some time, but finally disposed of the two old buildings and campus to Elder Melchor Newcomer for the sum of six thousand dollars. The two blocks west of the present campus, now known as the Seminary Addition, Mr. Hitt had platted and sold in lots. Thus ended the career of the re- nowned and time-honored Rock River Seminary, after a checkered but influ- ential life of forty years. The following extract from a histori- cal sketch, contained in the catalog of the Institution for 1874 was written by Robert R. Hitt: "The country was then very sparsely settled — a wide region of far-sweeping prairies, with winding strips of wood- land following the course of the streams — the few people scattered here and there were mostly persons with narrow means, working diligently to open farms, living in small, inconvenient, temporary houses, with the pressure of necessity — clothing, food, the improve- ment of land, their stock and crops — to divert their attention from the future value of education to their sons and daughters. They generally possessed more individual energy and force of character than is found in the average citizen nowadays, and responded readily to the appeals of the agents of the Semi- nary and the enthusiastic Methodist circuit riders, who entered upon this cause as heartily as they do upon every other good thing. The students who came were, many of them, crude and awkward beginners; a few were ad- vanced by previous advantages in the east, but they were generally of good families, and their education in the school was preceded and supplemented by home and social education, render- ing it ten-fold more valuable. They grew up with the spirit of the period upon them, the energy characteristic of a new country, and, as a result, there is a surprising proportion of those whose names occur as students in the catalog of those days who have risen to distinction as clergymen, lawyers, mer- chants, politicians, editors, influential and substantial citizens, or accom- plished, useful and honored women. Among those who appeared in the first catalog were Dr. Augustus H. Ankeny, ROCK RIVER SEMINARY 111 CONGRESSMAN ROBERT R. HITT was probably the most distinguished citizen that Mount Morris ever produced. His father was Rev. Thomas S. Hitt, a Methodist minis- ter, who brought his family to Mount Morris in the fall of 1837. Robert, the second son, was born at Urbana, Ohio, Jan. 16, 1834, and was therefore only three years of age when he arrived here. He received his first learning under A. Quinby Allen in a private school. He attended Rock River Seminary in Mount Morris, and later grad- uated from Asbury Academy, Greencastle, Ind., in 1855. He began his career as a law reporter and newspaper writer in Chicago in 1857. He became an adept shorthand reporter and reported the famous Lincoln-Douglas debate in 1858. In 1868, he made an extensive tour of Europe and eastern countries. In 1873, when Rock River Seminary was in financial trouble, he purchased the property and gave financial support. Later he sold it to Melchor Newcomer and it became a Dun- kard institution. In 1874, he was appointed by Pres. Grant to be first secretary of the American Legation at Paris. Under Pres. Garfield, he was appointed Assistant Secre- tary of State, under Secretary Blaine. In 1882, he was nominated by the Republicans for Representative in Congress from this district and was elected in the fall election by a large majority over his Democratic opponent, J. S. Ticknor. He took his seat in December, 1882, and was continuously elected thereafter until his death in 1906. For a number of years he was chairman of the important committee on Foreign Affairs. In 1874, Mr. Hitt married Miss Sallie Reynolds of Lafayette, Ind., and they had two sons, Robert Reynolds and Wm. Floyd. He passed away Sept. 20, 1906, at the age of 72 years, and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery. Mrs. Hitt is still living in Washington 112 mount morris: past and present later a leading and wealthy citizen of Clinton, Iowa; T. C. Ankeny, of Viroqua, editor of the Wisconsin Independent; Rev. Jno. Emery Clark, a well-known Methodist educator; John B. Cheney, afterward a brilliant lawyer; Albert Deere, the manufacturer of the Deere plow, at Moline; Prof. S. M. Fellows, long a teacher here, a man of great worth and thorough scholarship; Rich- ard N. Hamilton, of Chicago; James C. T. Phelps, William J. Mix of Oregon; Rev. Wm. R. Irvine, Hon. James D. Turner, Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, after- ward a prominent lawyer, a soldier of distinction in the Mexican war, and in the Civil War rising to the rank of a General officer, fell gallantly fighting at Shiloh; Gen. M. R. M. Wallace, brother of the preceding, who became Judge of the Cook County Court; Capt. John F. Wallace, another brother, who served in the army and died at Galveston, Texas. Among the ladies, Margaret C. Hitt, wife of Hon. D. J. Pinckney; Helen M. Judson, wife of Gov. Jno. L. Beveridge; Elizabeth Reynolds, wife of Hon. L. P. Sanger. Scores of others, equally well known and honored, might be men- tioned from the 156 names in the first catalog." Since the writing of the foregoing in 1874, some of the persons mentioned advanced to still more prominent posi- tions. In addition to those already men- tioned must also be added the former member of Congress from this District, Hon. Robert R. Hitt; John W. Hitt, for many years a prominent citizen of Mount Morris; Robert S. Hitt, of Chi- cago; Dr. Benj. G. Stephens, who died in Mount Morris many years ago; Al- mira M. Robertson, later Mrs. A. M. Bacon of Oregon; Ann E. Swingley, later Mrs. J. C. Phelps of Oregon; John Hitt, Deputy Collector of Customs at Chicago over thirty years; James Mar- tin, afterwards a professor in the insti- tution, and later principal of a semi- nary near Sacramento, Cal. During later years when Prof. Pinckney was principal, a great many other promi- nent men attended the seminary, among whom were Gen. John A. Rawlins, Sec- retary of War under President Grant; Gov. John L. Beveridge; Senator Shelby M. Cullom; Hon. G. L. Fort, member of Congress; Hon. James H. Beveridge, ex-State Treasurer; Hon. Henry L. Magoon, at one time member of Con- gress from Wisconsin; Rev. Dr. Fowler, editor of the Christian Advocate and Journal, New York; Daniel H. Wheeler, afterward professor at Cornell College and Northwestern University at Evans- ton, and later editor of the Methodist at New York; Hon. Moses Hallett, after- ward United States Judge in Colorado; John V. Farwell, a partner in one of the largest wholesale dry -goods houses in Chicago; Congressman George W. Curtis, of Iowa; James H. Cartwright, Chief Justice of Illinois; John P. Hand, Justice Supreme Court of Illinois; Judge Theodore D. Murphy, Woodstock, Illi- nois; Judge Edmund W. Burke, Chi- cago; Judge Lucien C. Blanchard, Os- kaloosa, Iowa; Judge Reuben C. Basse tt, Seneca, Kansas; Gen. Smith D. Atkins, Freeport, Illinois; Prof. Fernando San- ford, Leland Stanford University, Cali- fornia; and many others who achieved success, but cannot readily be traced. STUDENTS REUNION OF 1886 IN December, 1885, after the institu- tion had been under the control of the Brethren for several years, a num- ber of the citizens of Mount Morris, who still harbored a warm affection in their hearts for the old school, conceived the idea of having a reunion of the alumni of the seminary, together with all those who attended from its origin in 1839 to the close in 1879. The plan received enthusiastic support, and the reunion, which occurred in June, 1886, was a great success. The first move toward the carrying out of the project was the calling of a meeting in Febru- ary, which resulted in the appointment of the following officers: Hon. R. R. Hitt, president; A. W. Brayton, treas- urer; Dr. W. T. Speaker, secretary. As many names and addresses of old stu- dents and teachers were obtained as possible, and a circular issued, request- ing names and addresses of others. This circular was sent to about three hun- dred persons, and from this small nu- cleus the whereabouts of more than sixteen hundred of "Old Sandstone's" graduates and students were learned. STUDENTS REUNION OF 1886 113 m> -: o >0 CG C 0> •+-, CO C/2T3 aox Chapter 6 MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE AS has been noted in the preceding l\ chapter, Rock River Seminary, -*• ■■»■ during the seventies, became in- volved financially and finally was forced to close her doors in 1878, after a glori- ous career of forty years. Hon. R. R. Hitt purchased the property and after standing idle for a year, Mr. Hitt dis- posed of the two east blocks of the property on which the two old buildings stood to Melchor S. Newcomer for the sum of $6,000. This marked the begin- ning of the movement to establish an educational institution for the Church of the Brethren, or Dunkards, as they were more commonly known. With the moral support of John H. Moore, M. M. Eshelman, Samuel C. Price, John Price, Daniel Wingert, and others, Elder New- comer associated with him J. W. Stein of Missouri and D. L. Miller, each tak- ing a third interest. Mr. Stein was elected president and Mr. Miller secre- tary and business manager. After ex- pending several thousand dollars in improvements, the three gentlemen re- opened the school under the name of Rock River Seminary and Collegiate Institute. A catalog and a circular were issued, a competent faculty engaged, and all preparations made to reestablish the institution. On Aug. 20, 1879, the first term of the school under the management of these Brethren was opened. Sixty students — a very encouraging beginning consid- ering all the circumstances — were in attendance. Prof. Stein displayed re- markable ability as president of the college and as an instructor, but in the year 1881 he became the principal of an escapade, the equal of which never oc- curred in Mount Morris before or since. On pretense of going to Europe for his health, he left his wife and family and eloped with his ward, Miss Delilah Tombaugh, who had been living with the family and attending the college. The desertion of the institution by President Stein was a hard blow on the infant school. The block of ground west of the college campus had been pur- chased, a new college building planned, a farm of 160 acres was being negotiated for, and the prospects for the success of the school were very bright. Then came the blow as a clap of thunder from a clear sky. And discouragements came not singly. At that time, at a conference of the Northern District of Illinois of the church, all the elders, save one, advised Newcomer and Miller to close the school. Under these most depress- ing influences, the entire burden resting on the two men, the building project was abandoned, the negotiations for the farm ended, and the block of ground, now built over with substantial resi- dences, was allowed to revert to the original owners. After the departure of President Stein, D. L. Miller became president and also continued as business manager of the college, which rather dignified title the institution was then beginning to as- sume. Under his management the pat- ronage of the school rapidly increased, young men and women coming from all parts of the country where members of the Church of the Brethren were lo- cated. In 1884, the trustees obtained a new charter for the school and changed the name to Mount Morris College. The capital stock at that time amounted to $30,000. In that year, Prof. J. G. Royer came here with his family from Indiana and invested considerable money in stock. He was then elected president, which position he filled with much credit for twenty years. From that time the advancement of the college was 117 118 mount morris: past and present MELCHOR S. NEWCOMER, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Newcomer, was born in Washington County, Md., Jan. 28, 1842, and died Feb. 18, 1920, aged 78 years. At the age of 12, he came to Illinois with his parents, who settled on a farm six miles northwest of Mount Morris. He continued to reside in or near Mount Morris the remainder of his life. He was one of the organizers of Mount Morris College in 1879, after the close of Rock River Seminary. He was elected to the ministry of the Brethren Church in 1869, and served the West Branch congregation for a number of years. He was married in 1865 to Mary Eliza Hammer, and they had nine children. Four of them preceded the father in death and those remaining were Elizabeth Mertz, Ruth Shelly, Elva Cripe, Grace and John. Mrs. Newcomer died April 30, 1920, aged 77 years. steady, and its development was noted with much pleasure by the citizens of Mount Morris. Each year new improve- ments were added and the equipment and facilities of the college greatly in- creased for the better accommodation of the young men and women who came from nearly all parts of the Union to develop their moral and intellectual capabilities. During the latter part of the eighties, the two original seminary buildings be- came entirely inadequate for the grow- ing necessities of the college. Accord- ingly, plans were set on foot for the erecting of a new building. About $20,- 000 were necessary for the erection of the desired building, and Pres. Royer started to solicit the amount by sub- scription throughout the Brotherhood. The canvass proved successful and the contract was given to N. E. Buser. Ground was broken for the building in PROF. J. W. STEIN was the first presi- dent of Mount Morris College from 1879 to 1881, when he disappeared under very peculiar circumstances. It appears that when Prof. Stein and his family came to Mount Morris they were accompanied by Miss Delilah Tombaugh, who is said to have been a girl of strikingly handsome face and form. She came to Mount Morris to enjoy the educational advantages of the college. In intellect she was far the su- perior of Mrs. Stein, and she and Stein were constantly studying together, pos- sessing, it is said, an affinity of tastes. The result of this companionship can be conjectured. Though there was a differ- ence of twenty years in their ages, the president of the college and his pupil fell in love with each other. The vigilant public soon discovered this fact and Stein commenced to devise ways and means to evade the consequences of his guilty amour. He gave out that the duties of the presidency were weighing upon him to such an extent that it was imperative for him to take a trip to Europe in order to recuperate. He also represented that Miss Tombaugh was to be married to a young man named Petri, in Chicago, and he accompanied her thither, returning with a glowing account of the wedding. Later he started on his supposed trip to Europe. With the exception of a letter from New York and one from Vienna, nothing further was heard from him for two years. The Brethren became alarmed, and through Congressman Hitt, then As- sistant Secretary of State, inquiries were set on foot and search made by ministers and consuls in all the principal cities of Europe for six months, but without suc- cess. At last Stein was given up for dead. Two years later, however, a letter came from the missing man, who was living in Portland, Oregon. In his communication, Stein confessed that he had never been to Europe, but that he was living with Miss Tombaugh on a government claim in Oregon. The letter from Vienna was only a blind, he having given it at New York to a German tourist, who mailed it for him when he arrived at the Austrian capital. The news of Stein's duplicity came upon the Brethren like a thunder- bolt out of a clear sky. They had re- posed the utmost confidence in him as a reliable educator and a faithful min- ister of the gospel. Under the circum- stances, they were compelled to disown him. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 119 ELDER D. L. MILLER, one of Mount Morris' most distinguished citizens, was born near Hagerstown, Md., Oct. 5, 1841, and died June 7, 1921, aged nearly 80 years. His boyhood was spent in his father's mill in Maryland, and he came to Ogle County in 1860. In 1868, he married Elizabeth Talley, and they located in Polo, where Mr. Miller engaged in business for 13 years. In 1879, he came to Mount Morris to become part owner and business manager of Mount Morris College. He was also the principal owner of the Brethren Publishing Company and for many years editor of the Gospel Messenger. In later years he gave his holdings in both institutions to the Brethren Church. He was elected to the ministry of the church, and before his death was given the title of bishop. He was doubtless the most prominent and best known figure in the church, because of his many lecture tours among the churches, concerning his fre- quent trips to the Holy Land, and his several trips around the world. He wrote a number of books on his travels, among them being "Wanderings in the Bible Lands," "Seven Churches of Asia," "Girdling the Globe," and "The Eternal Verities." Mrs. Miller, who accompanied him on most of his travels, died in 1926. They had no children. 120 mount morris: past and present PROF. J. G. ROYER, for twenty years president of Mount Morris College, died January 25, 1917, aged 79 years. He was the son of Jacob and Susan (Myers) Royer, and was born in Union County, Pa., on April 22, 1838. At the age of 16, he began to teach school, and taught in various places in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, and in 1884 he identified himself with Mount Morris College. He served as president of the institution for a pe- riod of twenty years, and thousands of young people came under his influence. He gave himself wholly to the cause of Christian education, and the college pros- pered under his guidance. He was also a minister of the Brethren Church. In 1861, he was married to Elizabeth Reiff, to whom were born one son and seven daughters as follows: Galen B. Royer, Susie (Mrs. E. S. Young), Nettie (Mrs. J. A. Brubaker), Lillie (Mrs. James Fo- gerty), Ida (Mrs. J. M. Myers), Josephine (Mrs. G. W. Brumbaugh), Myrtle (Mrs. M. R. Myers) and Mary Royer. Mrs. Royer died Nov. 21, 1927, aged 89 years. March, 1890, and it was completed and ready for occupancy at the beginning of the fall term of 1891. This building is a plain substantial, brick-veneered building with 72 feet front and, includ- ing a spacious chapel, 122 feet long. It was built on the north side of the cam- pus and was known as "College Hall." In the year 1893, a new dormitory for the ladies was found to be a necessity, and the historic "Old Sandstone," which had been used for that purpose for so many years, was leveled to the ground and a larger and more modern structure erected. The new dormitory cost in the neighborhood of $10,000, and was erected by N. E. Buser, who also erected College Hall. The building was a fine three- story brick-veneered structure, with a basement; its dimensions were 30 x 80 feet. It was situated several rods to the west of the old seminary building. The greater part of the basement was taken JOHN EZRA MILLER was president of Mount Morris College from 1904 to 1915, following the long term of service of Prof. J. G. Royer. Prof. Miller was born near Milledgeville, 111., March 13, 1865. He entered Mount Morris College in 1884 and graduated in 1892 with the B.L. degree. He then entered the University of Michigan and received his BA. degree in 1894. For six years he taught Latin and Greek in Mount Morris College and in 1900 went to the University of Illinois, taught Latin and Greek for four years and received his Master's degree in 1902. In 1904, he accepted the position of president of Mount Morris College, which he held until 1915, when he resigned and accepted an editorial position with the Brethren Publishing House at Elgin where he is now located. In 1912, he re- ceived the degree of LL.D. from Mount Morris College. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 121 122 mount morris: past and present PROF. J. S. NOFFSINGER, who was president of Mount Morris College from 1915 to 1918, is a man of large experience and high attainments in the field of edu- cation. He was the son of Amos and Fianna (Neidech) Noffsinger, and was born Dec. 21, 1886, at Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from the Dayton High School in 1904 and attended Bethany Biblical Seminary in Chicago from 1906 to 1908. He attended Mount Morris College from 1908 to 1913, receiving his A. B. degree. He continued his education at the Univer- sity of Chicago, with A. M. degree in 1915, and Columbia University with Ph.D. degree in 1925. His wide experience as an educator started as a teacher in the public schools at Dayton, Ohio; for two years he was superintendent of schools in Bayombong, Philippine Is- lands; two years superintendent of schools at Ashton, 111.; 1915-1918, President of Mount Morris College; 1918-1921, pastor, Church of the Brethren, Brooklyn, N.Y.; 1918-1924, inspector, Federal Board for Vocational Education, New York City; 1924-26, member staff, Carnegie Corpor- ation of New York; 1921-1934, secre- tary, General Education Board, Church of the Brethren, and since 1926 has been executive director of the National Home Study Council. He is also author of a number of books. Prof. Noffsinger mar- ried Florence M. Wieand in 1912 and they have a daughter, Pauline J. (Mrs. E. A. Joliet). Their present address is 3635 Ordway St., N.W., Washington, D.C. up for the college dining-hall. With the exception of several parlors, the upper three stories were divided into rooms for the accommodation of about seventy of the fair sex. A year or so after the erection of the two new buildings, a number of changes in "Old Sandstone" No. 2 became nec- essary, there being a demand for more rooms for young men. Consequently, the building was given a thorough over- hauling. Every floor and partition was torn out; in fact, everything was changed except the walls. President J. G. Royer continued at the head of the college for a period of twenty years, during which time he had the pleasure of seeing College Hall erected in 1890, Ladies' Dormitory in 1893 and Old Sandstone remodeled in 1896. He retired from the presidency in the spring of 1904 and engaged in evangelistic work until his death in 1917. In casting about for a new president, the trustees selected John Ezra Miller, a former student, and he took charge in 1904 and successfully conducted the in- stitution until 1915 when he resigned. During this period, the new auditor- ium-gymnasium was erected in 1908. On Jan. 15, 1912, at 2 p.m., "Old Sand- stone," crowded with students at the time, was found to be on fire, and by PROF. LEVI S. SHIVELY served as pres- ident of Mount Morris College from 1918 to 1921. He was born near Cerro Gordo, 111., and came to Mount Morris to attend the college. He was professor of Mathe- matics in Mount Morris College from 1908 to 1928, except for two years in Chicago. He did graduate work in the University of Chicago from 1915 to 1917 and received his A.M. degree in 1916 and Ph.D. in 1917. In 1928, he became associate professor of mathematics in Ball State Teachers Col- lege at Muncie, Ind., and at present is serving as acting dean of that school. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 123 THIS IS ALL that was left of historic "Old Sandstone" after the disastrous fire of Jan. 15, 1912. The thick heavy walls were found to be solid and were used in rebuild- ing the structure. The new floors were made of reinforced concrete which resisted the fire of April 12, 1931. nightfall only the outer walls of the building were left standing. The walls were found to be uninjured and with the generous response of townspeople and former students, the building was rebuilt with reinforced concrete floors. This work was completed for the open- ing of school in the fall of 1913. During the regime of Pres. J. E. Miller, from 1904 to 1915, the college continued to develop rapidly. Pres. Miller had associated with him, as a Board of Management, D. D. Culler, M. W. Em- mert, George W. Furrey, and N. J. Miller. Upon the resignation of the latter two, M. M. Sherrick, I. R. Hend- rickson and L. S. Shively were added to the board. When Pres. Miller resigned in 1915 the Board of Management was discon- tinued and a Board of Trustees as- sumed control and directed the affairs of the school for the six cooperating church districts in Illinois, Iowa, Wis- consin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and eastern Montana. During the period following the resig- nation of Pres. Miller and the closing of the school in 1932, six different men served the college as presidents for periods of from one to four years. All of these men were competent, con- scientious educators, but the increasing difficulty of financial problems made it impossible to operate the college suc- cessfully. The support of the church gradually waned and it became inevit- able that sooner or later the college would be forced to close. In 1915, the Board of Trustees se- lected J. S. Noffsinger, a former stu- dent, as president and he served ac- ceptably for three years. He was fol- lowed by Levi S. Shively, also a former student and instructor, who served as president until 1921. A. J. Brumbaugh then became president for a four-year term and was followed by W. W. Peters, who came from Manchester College, and who made a supreme effort to put the school on a firm foundation, but he found it an impossible task and re- signed in 1928. O. W. Neher served as president the following year and in 1929, C. Ernest Davis came from Cali- fornia and assumed the presidency, only to encounter fresh financial diffi- culties due to the great depression. He 124 mount morris: past and present . ■ ., .'■ •V 3 s a'"E i§ o £ to 23 o 0>^Q . ^j COCO E .Sgx w ^12x X P CC P,fi O W !0O 0.3 MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 125 H3 t/3 CD CD C Sh ft co o > !h ^ o -^ C o o . •-T3 O Ah CO . o cj-O ^ Sh CD £ o o ^^ ^ ^r^ CD (D MV u o « CD CJi CC Sh,^ ^ CO - "jj3 PQ ..9ri I o-. ft ftT3 °£3 il8§ ""aw g.§ . CM ;3 Cr- 1 O C0«4H -M CD O C° CD 5h fe 0) &^ c c f-t o o «> o ■*-> iz c^ « - cc^J gcfl 3 £ ,Q O'TS 0) e^ HH CD ft " rS ft H 'w co 126 mount morris: past and present PROF. A. J. BRUMBAUGH served as president of Mount Morris College dur- ing the school years of 1921 to 1925. He came to Mount Morris as a student in 1910 and graduated with the class of 1914. He continued his education at the Uni- versity of Chicago, receiving his M. A. degree in 1918 and his Ph. D. degree in 1929. At present he is professor of educa- tion and dean of the college in the Uni- versity of Chicago. Prof. Brumbaugh is the son of Francis and Frances (Gehman) Brumbaugh and was born in Stark Coun- ty, Ohio, Feb. 14, 1890. In 1914, he married Ruth Sherrick, daughter of Prof. M. M. Sherrick, and they have two children. Robert S. and Dorothy June. fought valiantly against overwhelming odds and finally in the spring of 1932 the Board of Trustees decided to close the school and merge with the Brethren school at North Manchester, Ind. Mount Morris College made valuable contributions to the work of the world through her students and alumni. Her representatives are in every continent. More than thirty-five missionaries of the Church of the Brethren have re- ceived at least part of their training at Mount Morris. She has given two hundred sixty-five ministers, besides other religious leaders, to Christian service in the home land. She counts among her former students many of national importance in education, busi- ness and government. To thousands of men and women the names of "Mount Morris" and "Old Sandstone" awaken pleasant memories of the institution that gave them new visions, great ideals and a spirit of service. In its closing years Mount Morris put on a program that showed ag- gressive leadership. The great fire of April, 1931, which took three of the five campus buildings, quickly mani- fested the loyalty of her friends and the buildings were restored within a few months. An important adjunct in the life of Rock River Seminary and Mount Morris College were the Amphictyon and Phil- orhetorian Literary Societies. Scores of men who have achieved fame in the various avenues of life derived their power of oratory from their early at- tempts at speaking and debating in these literary societies. The halls of our na- tional Congress have often rung with the stirring oratory of men who attrib- ute much of their success to the early training which they received from their society work. The history of both the societies extends further back than that PROF. W. W. PETERS came to Mount Morris as president of Mount Morris College in September, 1925. He is a native of Virginia and secured his education at Manchester College and Ohio State Uni- versity where he was granted his Mas- ter's degree in 1922. He also did graduate work at Columbia University in New York City. He resigned as president of the college in 1928 to study at the Uni- versity of Illinois. At present he is dean and professor of education at Drury Col- lege, Springfield, Mo. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 127 of Mount Morris College, the Amphic- tyon being nearly as old as Rock River Seminary. It was organized in about the year 1846 and, with the exception of a number of short-lived organizations, was the only literary society in the seminary until the winter of 1851-52, when a division occurred in the Am- phictyon ranks, and the Philorhetorian Literary Society was organized. It seems that there were many of the "Amphics" who resided in the country and no longer had any connection with the school, or took any interest in the society except to attend on special occasions, to take prominent part in controlling elections, etc. The other members were students, who were ac- tive in literary work, many of them being young people of more than ordi- nary ability. Trouble naturally grew PROF. O. W. NEHER served as president of Mount Morris College during the school year 1928-1929. He came to Mount Morris as a student in the academy in 1910 and graduated from the college in 1916. Later he attended Iowa State Col- lege and the University of Chicago. He taught in Mount Morris Academy from 1911 to 1916 and in the college from 1924 to 1932. At present he is instructor in the biology department of Manchester Col- lege at North Manchester, Ind., and pas- tor of the Antioch Church. Prof. Neher is the son of David and Lucinda (Warner) Neher and was born June 22, 1887, at Petroleum, Ind. He married Etha Mae Trostle in 1920 and they have three chil- dren: Dortha Jean, Lois Leone and Rob- ert Trostle. Prof. Neher is a brother of George Neher of Mount Morris. C. ERNEST DAVIS, president of Mount Morris College from 1929 until the college closed in 1932, was the son of Chas. W. and Linna (Worster) Davis and was born Jan. 23, 1893, at Lawrenceburg, Tenn. He was educated at La Verne College and the College of the Pacific. He taught four years in the public schools of California, and also taught two years in La Verne College. He was ordained a minister in the Church of the Brethren and held pas- torates at Chico, Calif., Patterson, Calif., Wenatchee, Wash., and Independence, Kans. He came to Mount Morris from Wenatchee, Wash., and in 1932 went to In- dependence, Kans., where he served as pastor for nearly four years. From 1936 to 1938 he was professor of Religious Educa- tion and field representative of McPher- son College, McPherson, Kans. On August 1, 1938, he became president of La Verne College, his alma mater, at La Verne, Calif. Mr. Davis married in 1915 to Miss Grace Heisel and they have five children: Philip B., Barbara E., Charles E., John R., Rodney and Virginia C. While serv- ing as president of Mount Morris Col- lege, Prof. Davis made an excellent record fighting an up-hill battle against the lack of proper financial support. out of such a condition of affairs, and there was an attempt made to exclude those members who were no longer active. There were some turbulent scenes, and finally a part of the mem- bers drew off and formed another soci- ety, which they called the Philorhetor- ian. The Amphictyon Society originally held its meetings in the historic old chapel at the north end of the basement of the original "Old Sandstone." After the organization of the Philorhetorian Society, separate rooms on the upper floor were assigned to the societies. 128 mount morris: past and present #f MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 129 > o tf p a co as o +* ►? '-+2 co<*-< g3£ o ^ra .sgSsa ■8 &55 § ■g (1) W CO d2 a 03 C Oi t; t, u « 5 1— i T3 _zi CD +^1— 1 O OS <— ' > „ CO Uh ft coXJ'C 130 mount morris: past and present THIS is all that was left of the three large buildings after the disastrous fire of April 12, 1931. The ladies dormitory in the foreground was completely destroyed and the gymnasium at the right was gutted so that it could not be restored. "Old Sandstone," however, having reinforced concrete floors, was not damaged below the third floor except by water and was restored by putting on a new roof. The two other buildings on the campus were not damaged to any great extent. When the building now known as "Old Sandstone" was completed, the socie- ties occupied rooms on the fourth floor, the "Amphics" at the east end and the "Philos" at the west end. When "Col- lege Hall" was erected, fine quarters were provided on the third floor for both societies and they continued to prosper until the closing of the college. Because of the lack of proper finances, the College was shut down in 1932 and the property was deeded in trust to I. D. Leatherman, Harvey Long and E. R. Henricks, who on Oct. 28, 1932, sold the property to Kable Brothers Com- pany, who assumed all outstanding in- debtedness of the College and took over the entire property, including all ac- counts receivable. Thus ended, after a period of nearly 100 years, a career of this institution of learning which during the greater part of that period was almost the sole busi- ness of the community. During this long period thousands came to Mount Morris from all points of the compass and while the venture was never a very prosperous one, the efforts put forth by the educators of Rock River Seminary and Mount Morris College were doubt- less well worth while, for many of the students received an education and in- spiration here that led to their later success in life in many vocations. Since the sale of the College property to Kable Brothers Company, the various buildings have been disposed of. The center strip containing the new gymna- sium and the band shell was deeded to the Village of Mount Morris. The north side of the property was sold to Kable News Company and they in turn sold the northwest corner to the United States Government for a post office site. The old boys' dormitory on the south- west corner was sold to Mrs. Edith Kable, who converted it into an apart- ment house. Old Sandstone and the southeast corner of the campus to- gether with the heating plant remain the property of Kable Brothers Company. The list of those graduating in liter- ary courses is as follows: 1881 — Harry C. Newcomer, Alfonzo G. Newcomer, E. D. Peifer, A. W. Vaniman, Angie Yarger, S. H. Anrand, Fred N. Rice. 1882— Adaline Hohf Beery, J. H. Bru- baker, J. T. Brubaker, L. H. Eby, Flora Grant Mershon, Reba Kosier Newcomer, J. Carson Miller, Mary E. Miller, C. W. Lehman, Isaac H. Miller. 1883— Jennie Fearer, Albert Gebhardt, MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 131 John Heckman, A. L. Shute, Jennie Mack- ay, Anna L. Sharp Davis, E. S. Young, Grant Mahan, Albert Motschman, Mary J. Stees, Annie S. Miller, Kate Kepner, G. E. Dawson, G. N. Falkenstein. 1884— Effie Mackay, B. G. Davis, E. A. Orr, Marcellus Rohrbaugh, Elmer San- ford, Levi Benbow, S. L. Hanger, Edward C. Page, Georgia Bixler Jenks. 1885— James M. Neff, Cyrus Newcomer, Allen P. Sword, W. B. Thompson, Jennie Tice Peifer. 1886— James M. Neff, E. B. Hohf, G. L. Shoemaker, Abba Fager, Elva Newcomer Cripe, M. Eliza Canode. 1887— J. K. Shellenberger, Laura V. Ullom, J. P. Yoder. 1888— C. E. Culp, Ida Royer Myers, Net- tie Royer Brubaker, Lizzie Shaw Evans, Fannie Stephens, Chauncey Vaniman, C. M. Vaniman, Cyrus Walleck. 1889— Alice J. Boone, Charles Carpenter, Anna Gouckly Hohf, W. Lewis Eikenber- ry, Charles Lehman, Ed. Markley, T. M. Miller, Nettie Royer Brubaker, Salome Stoner Myers, Vinnie Stoner, Ida Shellen- berger Oren, Wilbur B. Stover. 1890— J. E. Miller, Minnie Windle Harn- ley, T. T. Myers, Tobias J. C. Diekhoff, Lillie Royer Fogerty, N. R. Baker, Frank Mertz, Ivey D. Eversole, J. N. Brubaker, Will Mertz, O. Perry Hoover, Ida M. Wagner Hoff, E. J. Zern, Mary Emmert Stover, Will E. Carpenter, Daisy Kemp. 1891— Wilbur B. Stover, Ida M. Royer Myers, Salome A. Stoner Myers, J. Z. Gilbert, Ella Amick Eckerle, Dollie Ste- phens, Lou Ella Replogle, W. I. T. Hoover, Sarah Whitmore Harnley. 1892— Tobias J. C. Diekhoff, J. E. Miller, W. L. Eikenberry, O. P. Hoover, C. F. Ford, G. V. Goshorn, J. D. Clear, S. S. Young, E. N. Goshorn, Anna Eversole, W. P. Rodabaugh, W. I. Thomas, E. R. Yundt, M. S. Bolinger, J. H. Harnley. 1893— G. W. Tanreuther, N. J. Brubaker, Bertha I. Miller, D. D. Culler, D. L. For- ney, M. W. Emmert, S. C. Garber, M. Alice King Eby, N. J. Miller, Lydia E. Taylor, H. M. Barwick, Salome A. Stoner Myers. 1894— E. R. Yundt, E. N. Goshorn, I. B. Hendrickson, J. S. Flory, E. C. Thomas, O. L. Shaw, A. M. Stine, L. A. Pollock, Charles Leckrone, O. R. Myers, Katherine Hershey Young, M. W. Emmert, Anna May Miller, H. M. Spickler. 1895— Maude Carpenter, S. M. Hoover, Josephine Royer, Delia Snyder Lehner, Lizzie Grater. 1896— G. W. Furrey, J. W. Thomas, O. A. Fackler, L. H. Carpenter, S. A. Long, Vi- ola Trostle Undt. 1897— J. B. Carpenter, Lucia McCosh, Lizzie Myers Emmert, Arthur M. Stine, Etta Moore Long, Delia Myers Peifer, J. M. Myers, Mamie Yarger, Nettie Felt- house, C. H. Shock, S. A. Long. 1898— E. T. Keiser, Lulu Kable, J. C. Shaw, Etta Rowland, Harvey J. Kable, Dollie Kepner, H. B. Metzger, W. H. Wey- bright, Emma Horning, Thomas E. New- comer, Blanche Lentz, J. D. Suter. 1899— Calvin McNelly, J. P. Wilson, Ma- THE AMPHICTYON LITERARY SOCIETY HALL was located on the third floor of "College Hall," opposite the Philorhetorian Hall, and many students got valuable ex- perience in public speaking in participating in these Friday night programs. Many town people regularly attended these literary society meetings. 132 mount morris: past and present MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 133 CM CO ■**« li"J tO t— OOOiOHNMTfmtOt-WOiOHNM^mWf-OOmOr- INCO^mtDt-OOQOH mtoixxiosoH 134 mount morris: past and present • V PROF. GEORGE W. FURREY was born near Monticello, Ind., July 4, 1867, and died at Evanston, 111., June 22, 1926, aged 59 years. His parents moved to Colorado when he was a lad, where he attended school. Later he entered Mount Morris College, where he graduated, and later graduated from the University of Michi- gan. He then returned to Mount Morris College as teacher of mathematics, which position he held for a number of years, after which he taught in Northwestern Academy at Evanston and in the Chicago public schools. Prof. Furrey married Miss Martha Hershey and they had four chil- dren; Margaret, Gladys, Darwin and Joyce. rie Strickfaden, Elmer Meztger, J. S. Flory, Cora Amick, Leslie Rees, W. S. Sanford, Myrtle Royer, O. G. Brubaker. 1900— Frank C. Scott, B. L. Brayton, William Hohl, Edna Felder, Lizzie Shirk, O. T. Sadler, Frank D. Miller, B. B. Baker, A. B. Keller, E. H. Price, C. K. Burkholder, Reuben Marshall, I. E. Finney. 1901— Oren L. Clapper, Martha McClure, Florence Shaw, Burton Strock. 1902— Nora Arnold, Chas. Holsinger, E. R. Hoover, B. S. Kiester, D. J. Lichty, Minerva Metzger, Alice Moore, Elmer S. Shank, F. F. Suter. 1903— Bertha Brunskill, O. D. Buck, Orpha A. Foft, H. M. Foglesonger, Lloyd Holsinger, Philip Kuhl, Anna Miller, Maud C. Newcomer, Ruth Whitehead. 1904— George W. Blair, Q. O. Gilbert, Elizabeth Griswold, B. F. Heckman, Ma- rie Jasper, G. W. Kieffaber, Harvey Long, Nana B. McNelly, Jennie T. Miller, Eunice Moore, Paul Nickey, Cyrus W. Plum, Ella Royer, W. H. Royer, Levi S. Shively. 1905— Zelda M. Ayres, Kathryn Bark- doll, Robert E. Buser, Demetrius Chiri- ghotis, Minnie Cripe, Ida Cripe, Carrie Eisenbise, Ernest L. Highbarger, Arthur D. Klontz, Eva S. Lichty, Bertha McNett, Ernest O. Palmer, Edgar E. Rothrock, S. H. Sherfy. 1906 — Alice Begeman, Jennie Blough, Effie Buckingham, Chas. Cushing, Clyde Davis, R. H. Durborow, Uriah J. Fike, Mattie Lehman, Edith Miles, Ella Miller, Verna Olson, Grace Peacock, Ira Smith, Mary Thomas, Lela Wirt. 1907— Frank S. Barkdoll, Enoch Eby, J. Price Heckman, Mildred Hinds, Edith Knapp, Samuel Long, John I. Marker, Daniel L. Miller, Barbara Nickey, Eva Palmer, Frank H. Senger, Chas. W. Slifer, Ray R. Thomas, Ida Ward, Roy O. War- berg. 1908— Minnie Barnhizer, Benj. F. Buck- ingham, Ida E. Buckingham, Cornelia A. Crawford, O. Stuart Hamer, Clark M. Heckman, Lloyd T. Motter, Helen Nowe, Roy H. Roberts, Mrs. W. A. Robinson, Chas. W. Sharer. 1909— Estella Arnold, Leo R. Blicken- staff, Helen L. Cushing, Arta L. Demy, Lottie M. Eller, Ernest F. Hanes, Hazel G. Kable, Hazel L. Kretsinger, Arvel A. Landes, Julius A. Lehman, Wm. H. Mey- PROF. AARON L. CLAIR died March 23, 1911, as a result of injuries received in a saw mill accident at Willard, Wis. He was the son of Preston and Mary Clair and was born on a farm near Lena, 111., July 25, 1866, and at the time of his untimely death he was nearly 45 years of age. At the age of 23, he entered Mount Morris College, and graduated from the commercial department in 1890. In 1893, he was chosen principal of the department and business manager of the college. He served in this capacity for nine years, and in 1904 he resigned. In 1906, he moved to Willard, Wis., where he met his death. On June 16, 1892, he was married to Elizabeth R. Albright, and they had seven children. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 135 ers, Nora Mae Miller, Arthur E. Myers, Joseph G. Nickey, Cora M. Rebman, Hu- bert O. Shaw, Samuel L. Whistler, Pre- cious J. Zuck. 1910— Verna Blickenstaff, Frank Bock, Orley G. Davis, Emma Dinnes, Orla S. Dinnes, Irvin J. Gibson, Ernest C. Miller, Clarence C. Mote, David M. Sharer, Vi- ola B. Snively, Grace G. Steele, Goldie E. Swartz, Myrtle E. Whisler, Ethel G. Whitmer, Florence M. Wieand, Clifford C. Windle, Ruth B. Wylie, Samuel J. Yohn, Nora M. Shively. 1911— May E. Dinnes, Alice M. Gibbel, A. Clare Irvin, Dayton P. Klepinger, Martha E. Oliver, Elizabeth Sharer, Gert- rude Sharp, Ruth Sherrick, Bessie E. Stimson, Jacob J. Storm, Dora M. Wag- ner. 1912— Edith Brubaker, Minnie Bucking- ham, Velma Landis, Arthur Miller, Lorin Mayer, Frances Miller, Illegia Miller, John Mitchell, Harvey Swartz, Erma Switzer, Bertha Tholen, Maurine Wingert, Helen Wylie. Note — From this point, in addition to the names of four-year graduates, is also given the present location and occupation of each graduate. This information was MICHAEL W. EMMERT, son of Theo- dore and Catherine Wolfe Emmert, was born on a farm north of Mount Morris, March 2, 1870, and died July 21, 1931, aged 61 years. At the age of five, he moved with his parents to a farm near Adel, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. When 18 years of age he entered Mount Morris College and later attended Drake Univer- sity and Chicago University. He became a minister of the Brethren Church and in 1900 was elected dean of the Bible De- partment of Mount Morris College, which work he continued for 12 years, after which he became field manager for the college. In 1899, he married Elizabeth Myers, and they had five children: Em- ery M., Walter Leroy, Viola C. Stone, Marie Brady and Ruth E. Cannon. PROF. D. D. CULLER died December 3, 1915, at the age of 50 years. He was born near Clay City, Ind., Nov. 11, 1865. After the usual common school education and some teaching in rural schools, he en- tered Mount Morris College and grad- uated with the class of 1893. In 1896, he received the degree of Ph.B. from De- Pauw University, the degree of A.M. from the University of Michigan in 1902, and the degree of Ph.D. from Denver Uni- versity in 1904. After graduating from DePauw, he taught four years in Mount Morris College, and in 1904 became a member of the management, which obli- gation he efficiently discharged until a few months before his death. Prof. Culler was married in 1896 to Mina Hoover of Ohio, and to them were born five children. Two died in infancy, and those surviving are Dr. Arthur Merl Culler of Dayton, Ohio; Mary Esther Hazzard of Mount Morris; and Miriam Elizabeth Sperberg of Havana, Cuba. compiled in July, 1938, and the addresses given are the latest available. 1913— O. Stuart Hamer, No. Manchester, Ind., college professor; J. Hugh Heckman, deceased; John S. Noff singer, 3635 Ord- way St., N.W., Washington, D.C., educa- tor; J. B. White, 1701 Archwood Ave., Nashville, Tenn., teacher. 1914— A. J. Brumbaugh, 5630 Kenwood Ave., Chicago, 111., Dean, Univ. of Chica- go; W. H. Meyers, Fresno, Calif., R. 7, Box 266, farmer; Frank A. Myers, 265 N. Flint St., Canton, 111., pastor; David Shorb, Fontanet Courts, 1400 Fairmont S., N.W., Washington, D.C., attorney; G j£ igJA %> co > ^ o « G O 8* -§2 ^jj ^ to o . G w «-Q> OB G U ^ & K i2 ^3 Sw 9Tl ..PhC/3 Sh~ £ ° 73 ^ £ G <^< ►J «-G co g «5 3||«8Q <3,G si „^ „ PQ SifcS-G ^ 8**1.5 & OS:G >> !> fc „,i?t>. CO O O MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 137 > o a o curi co WW 9 g | w CJ CO - coS O J5 •"3 CW „ O O o CO o§ C ^2 W> • CT5 CO 3C Q o iJ - O PQOgO 138 mount morris: past and present PROF. M. M. SHERRICK came to Mount Morris in 1906 as professor of modern lan- guages and education. He was born at Three Rivers, Mich., and graduated from Coe College in 1896 and from the Univer- sity of Michigan in 1902. He taught at Manchester College before coming to Mount Morris and returned there in 1923. He married Minnie Buck in 1892. Amy Naomi (Trout) White, 1701 Arch- wood Ave., Nashville, Tenn., teacher. 1915— Leo Blickenstaff, 1720 Crilly St., Chicago, 111.; H. Walter Blough, Benton, 111., business; Ruth (Sherrick) Brum- baugh, 5630 Kenwood Ave., Chicago, 111.; Wm. A. Robinson, 450 95th St., Brooklyn, N.Y., Y.M.C.A. director. 1916—0. W. Neher, No. Manchester, Ind., college professor; D. A. Stouffer, Whittier H.S., Whittier, Calif., school supt. 1917— John Barwick, 142 E. Market St., York, Pa., travel service; Homer Blough, Clear Lake, Iowa, pastor; Carol (Miller) Blough, Clear Lake, Iowa; Lewis H. Brumbaugh, 33 Ridge Road, Westminister, Md., college professor; Amos R. Eiken- berry, No. Manchester, Ind., college pro- fessor; Ira H. Frantz, No. Manchester, Ind., minister; Nora (Reber) Hollenberg, 121 Rosedale, Modesta, Calif.; Merlin G. Miller, 1502 W. 15th St., Emporia, Kan., college teacher; Florence (Wieand) Noff- singer, 3635 Ordway St., N.W., Washing- ton, D.C.; Howard Price, deceased; Doro- thy Sherrick, 6437 Kimbark Ave., Chicago, 111.; Chalmer Shull, Vada, Thana District, India; Harlan Smith, 1604 15th St., Eldora, Iowa; J. Elmer Wagoner, deceased. 1918— Hugh Bonar, 916 N. 10th St., Mani- towoc, Wis., school supt.; F. J. Byer, 707 W. 3rd St., Williamsburg, Pa.; Forrest Eisenbise, 122 N. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Calif., pastor; Viola (Eisenbise) Gerdes, Sterling, 111.; I. J. Gibson, Astoria, 111., teacher; Ethel (Mummert) Gibson, As- toria, 111. 1918— Harvey Long, Mount Morris, 111., business; Jennie (Blough) Miller, de- ceased; Benjamin Summer, Mooreland, Ind., pastor. 1919— J. Howard Blough, 1105 Hershey, Muscatine, Iowa, pastor; Mabel (Miller) Bonar, 916 N. 10th St., Manitowoc, Wis.; Andrew Butterbaugh, deceased; Ralph Fahrney, 721 W. 17th St., Cedar Falls, Iowa, college professor; Irene (Van Dyke) Fierheller, 927 So. Oak Ave., Freeport, 111.; Velma (Frantz) Gear, Fruita, Colo.; J. W. Lear, Glendora, Calif., pastor; Wal- ter K. Mahan, Rehobeth, Md., farmer; Ed- na (Kessler) McCann, Jones, Okla.; Eliza- beth (Kimmel) Miller, No. English, Iowa; Lawrence A. Miller, N. English, Iowa, physician; Galen B. Royer, Huntingdon, Pa., pastor; Charles Seeley, Oakland, Calif., business; J. Emmert Stover, La Verne, Calif., teacher; Ira Wagenman, 5631 Kenwood Ave., Chicago, 111., teacher; Florence (Wirt) Yohn, Clarendon Hills, 111. 1920— Elva Brower, 910 Midland Savings Bldg., Denver, Colo., business; Dr. A. M. Culler, 530 Fidelity Bldg., Dayton, Ohio, physician; Paul J. Gibbel, Gettysburg, Ohio, physician; Forrest A. Miller, North English, Iowa; Etha (Trostle) Neher, No. Manchester, Ind.; Paul Sherrick, 740 N. Wabash, Chicago, 111., business; Harvey Snell, Riverdale, Calif., principal; Lucille (Royer) Strohm, 603 S. Judson, Ft. Scott, Kansas; Milo Zimmerman, Mount Morris, 111., business. MYRTLE ROYER MYERS, daughter of Prof. J. G. and Elizabeth (Reiff) Royer, was born at Monticello, Ind., July 18, 1880, and came with her parents to Mount Morris in 1882. She graduated from the commercial, academic, music and art de- partments of Mount Morris College and taught music and art in the college from 1900 to 1904. In 1903 she graduated from Chicago Musical College. She sang at many college affairs, led the singing in the Brethren church for many years and trained college glee clubs. She was mar- ried in 1904 to Millard R. Myers and they have three children: Sarah Elizabeth (Mrs. Robert Gollan), Millard R. and William L. Mrs. Myers is now interested in art and is doing painting in water colors and oil. The family home is at 4380 Central Ave., Western Springs, 111. MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 139 1921— Paul F. Bechtold, Wakarusa, Kansas, salesman; Mae (Hersch) Blough, 1105 Hershey, Muscatine, Iowa; Eugene R. Davis, 420 Wellington St., Waterloo, Iowa; Elsie (Hersch) Davis, 420 Welling- ton St., Waterloo, Iowa; Russell Dierdorf, Blue Mound, Kansas, pastor; Verda (Herschberger) Gibbel, Gettysburg, Ohio; Galen Lehman, Springfield, 111., pastor; Lola (Buck) Lizer, Mount Morris, 111.; Clifford Paul, Lima, Ohio, R. 5, pastor- teacher; O. B. Redenbo, Lyndon, 111., school supt.; Iva (Wolfe) Riley, Preston, Minn.; Blanche Stauffer, 802 N. Lafayette Blvd., South Bend, Ind., teacher-librarian; Neva (Moust) Summy, Waterloo, Iowa, R. 2; Lutie M. (Sargent) Weaver, Johns- town, Pa., R. 1. 1922— Mabel (Planning) Anderson, Pres- WILLIAM E. WEST came to Mount Mor- ris in 1915 to become business manager of Mount Morris College. Mrs. West served as matron for one year. He was the son of Amos E. and Margaret (Brown) West and was born March 28, 1868, at Batavia, Iowa. He attended country schools in Iowa and a teachers' normal school. He taught country schools for 12 years and engaged in farming in Iowa from 1898 to 1915. After his term of six years as business manager of the college he entered the employ of Kable Brothers Company. He was elected to the ministry of the Church of the Brethren in 1898, and while farming in Iowa he served as pastor of the home church at Ankney, Iowa, for 17 years. In recent years he has served as pastor of the churches at Shannon and Cherry Grove. He served on the Village Board of Trus- tees from 1918 to 1926. Mr. West was mar- ried in 1889 to Ida Jane Miller and they had three children: Orville S., Pearl (Mrs. Curtis McCauley) and a daughter that died in infancy. GEORGE H. WARWICK came to Mount Morris to take charge of the agriculture department of Mount Morris College and after the closing of the college entered the employ of Kable Brothers Company where he has charge of the storeroom. He is the son of Thos. W. Warwick and was born March 18, 1889, at Wolsey, S.Dak. He married Blanche Taylor and they own their home at 201 Emily St. ton, Minn.; Lela (Revis) Andrist, Crosby, N. Dak.; Fannie (Bucher) Becker, 150 S. Vermont Ave., Glendora, Calif.; Vera (Kessler) Garst, Leaf River, 111.; Joy G. Lichty, 167 Oak Rd., Stow, Ohio, research chemist; Pearl (West) McCauley, Roa- noke, 111.; Bessie (Waddelow) Michael, Mount Morris, 111.; Grace Miller, Lincoln H.S., Manitowoc, Wis., teacher; Galene J. Myers, Cando, N.Dak.; Harry L. Smith, Beaver, Iowa, business; Mabel Stouffer, Mount Morris, 111., teacher; Bennett T. Stutsman, deceased; Esther (Snavely) Wickert, 6414 Pollard St., Los Angeles, Calif.; Ira C. Wickert, 6414 Polard St., Los Angeles, Calif., counselor, city schools. 1923— Emery Emmert, Liberty Road, R. 7, Lexington, Ky., Univ. Prof.; Leota (Herschberger) Fahrney, 721 W. 17th St., Cedar Falls, Iowa; Emerson Fike, Rock Falls, 111., R. 1, farmer; Harold Flory, 702 E. Homer St., Michigan City, Ind.; John S. Flory, Bridgewater, Va.; Paul Gnagey, Orangeville, 111., school supt.; Ralph Gnagey, Adel, Iowa, business; Vernon Hohnadel, Gratiot, Wis., business; Lloyd F. Hoover, 6409 Sangamon St., Chicago. 111.; C. G. Kulkarni; Edna (Grove) Lichty, 167 Oak R., Stow, Ohio; Ella (Eikenberry) Lucas, Greene, Iowa; Makanji Patel, 427 Welch Ave., Ames, Iowa; Edna (Wolf) Shively, 2110 W. Jack- son, Muncie, Ind.; Mabel (Brubaker) Stover, La Verne, Calif.; Orpha (Frantz) Stutsman, Foosland, 111., teacher; Ruth Ulrey, 3435 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, 111.; Jane Wingard, Mount Morris, 111., teacher. 1924— Miriam (Stover) Beery, San Di- mas, Calif.; LeRoy Emmert, Townsend, Mont., principal; Irene (Creel) Emmert, Townsend, Mont.; Lee Farringer, 1119 N. 10th St., Phoenix, Ariz., teacher; Anna Hamer, 608 Iowa St., Storm Lake, Iowa, 140 mount morris: past and present MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 141 UNDEFEATED MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE BASEBALL TEAM OF 1910: Top row, left to right, Prof. I. R. Hendrickson (manager), Chas. Holsinger, Roy Baker, Julius Lehman, Dan Miller; middle row, Max Sharer, Mac McCosh, Bert Baker; front row, Wentworth Sharer, Clifford Miller. college instructor; Esther (Culler) Haz- zard, Mount Morris, 111.; Clarence Heck- man, Garkida, Nigeria via Jos, West Afri- ca, missionary; Lucille (Gibson) Heckman, Garkida, Nigeria via Jos, West Africa, missionary; Josephine (Waddelow) ' Hes- kett, Odessa, Nebr., teacher; Harold A. Hoff, Mount Morris, 111., high school supt.; Darwin James McCann, Jones, Okla.; Clair E. Miller, 744 Elm St., Webster City, Iowa, school principal; Margaret (Hersch) Mil- ler, 744 Elm St., Webster City, Iowa; Mil- dred Miller, 1922 1st Ave. E., Cedar Ra- pids, Iowa, librarian; Raymond Pollock, Adel, Iowa, farmer; Galen Russell, Chap- paqua, New York, minister; George Say- lor, 417 S. Lincoln Ave., Eagle Grove, Iowa; Harry Storey, 601 So. Second St., Fairfield, Iowa; Gayle Wickert, deceased. 1925— Edwin Coffman, 413 B. Ave. East, Albia, Iowa, teacher; Elsie Finckh, Gear, W. Virginia, teacher; Ralph Flory, Naper- ville, 111.; Burton Forney, 267 Olive St., Claremont, Calif., teacher; Edith (Ben- tall) Gnagey, Adel, Iowa; George Grove, South English, Iowa, farmer; Melvin Hill, Leland, 111.; Mabel (Price) Hoff, Mount Morris, 111.; Ralph Landes, 324 Wash- ington Blvd., Oak Park, 111.; Fred Miller, Polo, 111., farmer; Wilbur Ogden, Hills- dale, 111., school principal; Vera O'Hara, 508 S. 5th St., Effingham, 111., teacher; D. L. Royer, Adel, Iowa, farmer; Harold Royer, Lassa, via Maiduguri, Nigeria, W. Africa, missionary; Merlin Royer, Dallas Center, Iowa, farmer; Cramer Thomas, Yorkville, 111., school supt.; Theodore Wiersema, Pontiac, Mich., teacher; Mil- dred (Zoller) Wieresma, Pontiac, Mich. 1926— Mary Alice (Price) Bechtold, Mount Morris, 111.; Mary (Swank) Boyd, 28 Magnolia Ave., Sebring, Fla.; Elgin Bucher, Freeport, 111.; Grace (Pol- lock) Bucher, deceased; Rankin Creel, 115 N. Roosevelt, Cherokee, Iowa; John B. Fitz, W. Salem, Wis., minister; Robert Fridley, Mount Morris, 111., farmer; Lelo Gnagey, Chadwick, 111., school supt.; Horace Hedgecock, Mount Morris, 111., printer; Russell Hop wood, 328 Bellah Ave., Lindsay, Calif.; Paul Miller, Che- halis, Wash., R. 3; Glen Montz, Emmett, Idaho, pastor; Hugh Moss, Bismarck, 111., Box 132, teacher; Lester Ogden, Fairdale, 111., school principal; Earl Saylor, 3626 Richmond Blvd., Oakland, Calif., printer; James Stover, Wenatchee, Wash., busi- ness; Paul B. Studebaker, Modesta, Calif., pastor; Stella (Starr) Swank, Brighton, Fla.; Lois (Lichty) Thomas, Yorkville, 111.; Darrel Toms, Mount Morris, 111.; Pauline (Fike) Werner, Milledgeville, 142 mount morris: past and present CHARMING view of the north entrance of "Old Sandstone." This building was erected in 1853, was remodeled in 1895 and was gutted by fire on Jan. 15, 1912. It was rebuilt immediately and greatly improved from an architectural standpoint. Then again the building was partially destroyed in the disastrous fire of April 12, 1931, but was restored without a great deal of expense. MOUNT MOlRRIS COLLEGE 143 111.; Walter Zimmerman, McCracken, Kansas, care R. E. Nubel. 1927— Otto Baldwin, Edgewood, 111., teacher; Clarence Denekas, Kings, 111., minister; Earl M. Edwards, 123 S. Mason Ave., Amboy, 111., pastor; Helen (Hoak) Eikenberry, 511 5th Ave., Sterling, 111.; John Glawe, Yorkville, 111., teacher; Irene (Royer) Glawe, Yorkville, 111.; Ruth Glessner, Camington, N.Dak., nurse; Eldo R. Henricks, Mount Morris, 111., teacher; Hazel Messer, Dahanu Rd., Thana Dist., India, missionary; Blanche (Snell) Miller, Polo, 111.; Wayne Pagles, Rockford, 111.; Silvia (Miller) Reed, de- ceased; Gladys (Hawbaker) Royer, Lassa, via Maiduguri, Nigeria, West Africa. 1927— Bertha Sanford, Ashton, 111.; Ralph Sanford, Ashton, 111., farmer; Cecil Sell, Parnell, Mo., pastor-teacher; Ethel (Wingard) Taylor, Glasgow, Mont. 1928— Harold Bower, Hartsburg, 111., teacher; Anna May Gans, Kline, W.Va., missionary-teacher; Merle Hawbecker, Mount Morris, 111., teacher; Ruth (But- ler) Hayes, Kings, 111.; Clarence R. Hodge, Lake Geneva, Wis., school supt.; Rubye (Mitchell) McCauley, Freeport, 111., R. 1; Merlyn Miller, No. English Iowa; Milo Mook, 127 S. Mercer St., New Wilmington, Pa., pastor; Faye Racop, Lawrenceville, 111., farmer; Marie (Roy- er) Racop, Lawrenceville, 111.; Percy Paul Ralston, Sheldon, Iowa, farmer; Ray Schechter, 7722 Cornell Ave., Chicago, 111., business; Maude Sharp, Fredericksburg, Iowa, teacher; Grover Stroh, Davis, 111.; Edward Thomas, Oregon, 111., farmer; Florine (Redenbo) Thomas, Oregon, 111.; Theodore Thomas, Oregon, 111., farmer; Eva Trostle, deceased; Theodore Watne, Shabbona, 111., school supt.; Russell Wel- ler, Keystone, Ind., teacher-paster; Flor- ine Wickert, 1918 S. 5th St., Springfield, 111., business; Mary Willis, Linden, Wis., writer; Martha (Hamer) Wingerd, Elk- hart, Iowa; Paul Wingerd, Elkhart, Iowa, pastor; Lydia Wirt, Lewiston, Minn., teacher; Mabelle Woessner, Shannon, 111.; Richard Woy, Cordova, 111., teacher. 1929— Ellsworth Coffman, So. English, Iowa; Lois (Royer) Colwell, Fontanelle, Iowa; Gladys Heckman, Mt. Olive, 111., teacher; Mildred (Starr) Harner, 3515 Van Buren St., Chicago, 111.; Clara (Leh- man) Long, Mount Morris, 111.; Helen G. Miller, Waterloo, Iowa, R. 2; Tressie Myers, Kinross, Iowa; Erma (Kerr) Pet- ry, Rock Lake, N.Dak.; Wendell W. Rol- ston, Hampshire, 111., farmer; Mary Say- lor, Elgin, 111., nurse; Anna (Ralston) Schecter, 7722 Cornell Ave., Chicago, 111.; Stacy Shenton, 1548 Lyon St., Des Moines, Iowa, pastor; D. C. Snider, Franklin Grove, 111., business; Emerson Stitzel, Dakota, 111., teacher; Ivy (McNutt) Vought, 11 S. Austin Blvd., Chicago, 111.; Lyle Wheeler, Claremont Hotel, Klamath Falls, Oregon. 1930— Noble A. Bolinger, Rock Island, 111., pastor; Bertha A. (Snell) Bucher, Bradford, 111.; Ralph G. Bucher, Brad- ford, 111.; D. L. Butler, Eldora Iowa, R. 2, farmer; M. H. Diehl, Mount Mor- ris, 111., business; Jesse George Frid- ley, Mount Morris, 111., farmer; Ralph BASKET BALL TEAM of Mount Morris College, season of 1911-12. Left to right, sit- ting, Emmert Wolf, Raymond Stouffer, Everett Wilson; standing, Robert Mohler (man- ager), Harvey Swartz, Murray Welty, Ralph Mahoy, Ray Baker (coach). MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 145 146 mount morris: past and present FACULTY OF MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE about the year 1886. Front row, left to right, Galen B. Royer, S. Z. Sharp, J. G. Royer, E. A. Orr and E. S. Young; second row, Prof. J. B. Middleton, F. W. Hanawalt, Prof. J. C. Hanschett and James Neff. Friesner, Houston, Tex.; J. Peter Graham, 46 School Sqdn., Randolph Field, Texas, U.S. Army Air Corps; Verne Guldin, Orangeville, 111., farmer; James L. Hay, Oregon, 111., farmer; Nellie Mae (Avey) Johnson, Wakefield, Mich.; Jefferson Mathis, Norborne, Mo., pastor; Melissa McMulin, Albia, Iowa, R. 4, teacher; Ruth Messer, 6039 Woodlawn Ave., Chicago, 111.; Lester Nunn, Mount Morris, 111.; Ralph R. Petry, Rock Lake, N.Dak., pas- tor; Gerald S. Powers, Mount Morris, 111.; Glorynne (Hill) Root, Mount Mor- ris, 111.; Francis Shenefelt, Polo, 111., farm er: Pauline (Stutsman) Stitzel, Dakota, 111. 1931 — A. Lynn Brower, So. English, Iowa; Albert C. Greve, Astoria, 111.; Ethel (Sanford) Hardesty, Ashton, 111.; John I. Masterson, Forreston, 111. school prin- cipal; Helen I. Miller, 1216 W. Bethune, Detroit, Mich., business; Mary O'Hara, Iowa City, Iowa, care State University, nurse; Nelson Rittenhouse, Mount Mor- ris, 111., business; W. C. Sell, 300 Northern Ave., W. Kettnning, Pa., evangelist; Har- old Wilson, Mount Morris, 111.; Marie Thompson, 215 Madison Ave., Dixon, 111., teacher. 1932— Ruth Bowers, 4110 Midway Ave., Dayton, Ohio; Alice (Emmert) Brown, Annapolis, Md.; Mark Burner, Pres- ton, Minn., R. 2, pastor; Ruby (Thomp- son) Burner, Preston, Minn., R. 2, teach- er; Doris Butterbaugh, Lanark, 111.; Mil- dred (Bruce) Capps, Forreston, 111.; Nina (Coffman) Pfouts, Franklin Grove, 111., teacher; Raymond Cram, 717 W. Pleasant Ave., Freeport, 111., salesman; Feme Duf- fey, Cando, N.Dak., teacher; Samuel Gar- ber, Leon, Iowa, farmer; Glaydon Miller, Mount Morris, 111.; Margaret (Long) Mitchell, Mount Morris, 111.; Pauline (Trostle) Montz, 2427 3rd St., LaVerne, Calif.; Willard Powers, Mount Morris, 111., business; Virginia (Hagaman) Ritten- house, Mount Morris, 111.; Merlin Root, Mount Morris, 111.; Edwin J. Schrock, 805 Hammond Ave., Waterloo, Iowa, business; Roy T. Steinhagen, Leaf River, 111., farm- er; Clell Tarrence, Leon, Iowa, farmer; John O. Thomas, Oregon, 111.; Paul J. Shenefelt, Polo, 111.; Josephine (Glavin- cheff) Nash, Chicago, 111.; Crawford Mendenhall, Mount Morris, 111., business; Gertrude (Zuck) Diehl, Mount Morris, 111. PROFESSORS OF MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 147 PROFESSORS OF MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE AN alphabetical list of members of JTY the faculty of Mount Morris Col- lege during the last 30 years of the school's existence shows an astonishing number of names of professors who as a general rule stayed only for short periods. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that the College was not finan- cially able to pay fancy salaries and these teachers stayed only until more lucrative positions were available else- where. D. FRANK ADAMS, B.S., Professor of Agriculture, 1920. NOAH H. ALLAMAN, Arithmetic, 1909. MARY E. ARMOUR, B.S., Instructor in Voice and Physical Education for Girls, 1928. ETTA ARNOLD, Preceptress, 1914-1915. PAUL BECHTOLD, Assistant Instruc- tor in History, 1918. GENEVIEVE BERGSTRESSER, B.S., A.M., Professor of History, 1917. W. O. BECKNER, A.M., B.D., Dean of the College and Professor of Bible, 1924- 25. LEON F. BEERY, Voice, Piano and Theory, 1913-15. BARTON G. D. BISHOPP, B.S., Agri- cultural Sciences and Chemistry, 1904. MARION F. BLISS, B.O., Expression and English, 1914-15. H. WALTER BLOUGH, Physical Di- rector, 1909-10. NOBLE A. BOLINGER, B.A., Instruc- tor in Printing, 1928-29. HUGH BONAR, A.B., 1918. Bookkeeping, LORRAINE BROWN THOMAS, A.B. B.Mus., Piano, 1922-32. ORA GEORGE BRUBAKER, Physi- ology, 1907-1908. A. J. BRUMBAUGH, A.B., Mount Mor- ris College, 1914; A.M., University of Chi- cago, 1918: President Mount Morris Col- lege, 1921-25. GREEK CLASS at Mount Morris College in 1889: Back row, E. J. Zern, Reuben Cart, Tobias Diekhoff, I. N. Brubaker, Lydia Hanawalt; Middle row, J. E. Miller, T. T. Myers, Prof. E. J. Shaw, N. R. Baker, O. Perry Hoover; Front row, J. Z. Gilbert, W. B. Stover. Of this group, Zern, Diekhoff, Brubaker, Hanawalt, Myers, Shaw, Hoover and Stover are dead. Myers and Hoover both died while members of the faculty of Juniata Col- lege. Baker has just retired from school work after 50 years of service. He was a leader in education in Alabama. Gilbert has been teaching science for years at Los Angeles and has made a great record in discovering and studying prehistoric remains in California. Diekhoff was on the German faculty of Michigan University from 1893 until his recent death. He was slated to become head of the German department at the time of his death. 148 mount morris: past and present *■»«•-• A ,. FOOTBALL SQUAD, 1928: Front row, Charles Hunt, Ralph Bucher, Roger Niman, Everett Johnson, Clyde Coffman, Carl Terpening, Ralph Petry, Harold Jepson, Everett Wright; second row, Clarence Van Antwerp, (coach), Lawrence Ralston, D. N. Crick - ette, Warren Shook, Wendell Ralston, Albert Greve, Ralph Friesner, Ellsworth CofTman: third row, Henry Brammon, Paul Shenefelt, Milton Guyer, Harry Messenger, Glenn Moore, Gerald Powers, Francis Shenefelt, Jay Daughenbaugh, Orlo Auman; back row, Verne Guldin, Nelson Rittenhouse, James Hay, Walter Frady, Roy Brady, Stacey An- derson, Paul Greene, Glaydon Miller. L. H. BRUMBAUGH, A.B., Mount Mor- ris College, 1917; A.M., University of Chicago, 1919; B.D., Yale University, 1920. Professor of Bible, 1919. RUTH S. BRUMBAUGH, A.B., Profes- sor of Expression and English, 1915-17. ANDREW BUTTERBAUGH, Instructor in Manual Training, 1918. W. ARTHUR CABLE, A.B., Ph.B., Pro- fessor of Public Speaking, 1921-22. CHARLOTTE CIPRIANI, Docteur de l'Universite de Paris (Lettres), Profes- sor of Modern Languages, 1920-22. ROBERT C. CLARK, A.B., B.S., Dean of the Department of Agriculture, 1919- 22. A. R. COFFMAN, M.A., M.Th., Profes- sor of Bible, 1926-32. IRENE CREEL, Instructor in Sub- freshman Ancient History, 1923. DAVID D. CULLER, Ph.B., DePauw University, 1896; A.M., University of Michigan, 1902; Ph.D., Denver University, 1904. English, 1904-15. MRS. MINA CULLER, Dean of Women, 1918-1931. MARY CULLEY, Shorthand and typ- ing, 1914. C. ERNEST DAVIS, B.S.L., M.A., Presi- dent of Mount Morris College, 1929-31. L. M. DeARVIL, Instructor in Band and Orchestral Instruments, 1923-24. MARGARET ANN DeVOL, B.S., In- structor in Home Economics, 1929-30. JOHN L. DICKSON, A.M., B.D., Pas- tor of Mount Morris M.E. Church, and professor of Philosophy, 1924. ROY DILLING, Professor of Voice, 1920-21. JOHN L. DONALDSON, Ph.D., Profes- sor of History and Political Science, 1915. CHARLOTTE EASTON, A.M., Profes- sor of Biology, 1918-1919. E. C. EDWARDS, instructor in public speaking, 1926. A. R. EIKENBERRY, A.B., Acting Pro- fessor of Agriculture, 1917-18. FLORENCE R. ELWELL, A.M., Pro- fessor of Greek and Latin, 1915. M. W. EMMERT, A.B., D.D., Professor, 1904-22; Financial Agent, 1922-26. EFFIE EPTON, Ph.B., Expression and Rhetoric, 1910. MIRIAM FACKLER, A.M., Professor of English and Public Speaking, 1925-27. RALPH R. FAHRNEY, A.M., Profes- sor of History and Political Science, 1922-24. URIAH J. FIKE, A.B., Biology, 1913-14. PROFESSORS OF MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 149 J. A. FOLEY, B.S., Athletic Coach and Director of Physical Education, 1925. VELMA FRANTZ, A.B., Typewriting, 1919. GEORGE WASHINGTON FURREY, Ph. B., Mathematic, Physics and Philoso- phy, 1904-08. PETER GLAVINCHEF, M.S., Registrar and Professor of Chemistry, 1922-32. MABEL GOSHORN, preceptress, 1909. FRANCES K. GOULD, A.M., Profes- sor of English, 1920-22. MARY J. GOURLEY, A.M., Professor of Biology, 1914-16. ELINOR GRANT, Elocution and Physi- cal Culture, 1907-08. JEANETTE GREGG, Voice, Theory, Chorus work and Piano, 1905. STUART HAMER, Geography, 1910. AGNES HANMER, Voice, Piano, Har- mony, History, 1910. VIVIAN YVONNE HARNLY, B.A., Director of Physical Education for wom- en and instructor in speech, 1929-31. HERBERT L. HART, A.M., Professor of Biology and Director of Physical Edu- cation, 1922-23. W. L. HARTER, A.B., Professor of Ag- riculture, 1915-17. KATHERINE HAWBECKER, Instruc- tor in Domestic Science, 1914-16. HEBER M. HAYS, Ph.D., Professor of English and French, 1917. ESTHER HAZZARD, B.A., Professor of Home Economics, 1928. JOHN H. HEDGCOCK, B.S., Professor of Agriculture, 1923. E. R. HENRICKS, B.A., Business Man- ager and Treasurer, and Assistant Pro- fessor of Education, 1928-32. IRA R. HENDRICKSON, Ph. B., His- tory and Latin, 1904-1915. MRS. IRA R. HENDRICKSON, Art, Drawing and Penmanship, 1910-24. JENNIE MAY HIATT, M.A., Professor of Modern Language, 1926-28. ERNEST L. HIGHBARGER, A.B., Pro- fessor of Greek and Latin, 1917-18. MRS. W. E. HILL, Instructor in Music, 1918-19. MILDRED E. HINDS, A.M., Professor of Biology, 1916-18. HAROLD HOFF, Instructor in Sub- freshman Physics, 1922-23. ALMA HOLLINGER, Arithmetic, 1910. AGNES MARY HOLLISTER, Mus.B., Professor of Piano, 1920. EVA M. HOLMAN, Voice, Chorus, Piano, Harmony and History of Music, 1907. HAROLD S. HULBERT, Science, 1909. EDWIN D. HULL, B.S., M.S., Profes- sor of Biology, 1919. MARGUERITE JENKINS, A.B., A.M., Professor of English and Public Speaking, 1923-25. I i't |K3f!j ': -■ ::,-m f . i \ ' HI •a » 3j |V *# ▼ . r ^ -' **£?% 1 I 1 l I 1 % - M V V s MEN'S GLEE CLUB, 1930-1931: Front row, Robert Royer, Glenn Grove, Robert Grey, Prof. J. Leslie Pierce (director), Sylvan Arnold, Clarence Yeager, Elmer Butler; sec- ond row, Lynn Brower, Everett Falconer, Harly Mikesell, Nelson Potter, Charles Solyom, Harold Wilson; back row, Clell Tarrence, Sherman Bucher, Wayne Carr, Everett Brubaker, Edwin Schrock. 150 mount morris: past and present 1 o^ 1 o CJ O+J M O "0 2 fcO-^ CO >>* O) i— i - 0) o 3 "££ CO CO yi .gc H 'A o -P Sh COTS £ g-gw CO 4-1 COg w e a cost of ad accom ed by Mr for fifteei -^>rG en a ^WlS >>c CJ o o§ 3 CO •+-> 73 ans 'P o CO s O O -«,bh U)o C/3 _g CJ CO Oi-H 2 ^S '3 £ CO^, W T 1 1 0) of 3 a. a 0) o 43 G o> M JJ ^s O c T3-S O o> -£ ~S "t^ OJO 0)^ a CO a „ T3 o *v> OJ s t-l (U +J Q& J 3 < CO o K «J -M £> °. £ c pq o m c t; C/3 cc 0) 0) T3 to Sh > MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 151 0) ' V W) !h C .3 ft £ § o 2 « c H S G CO . CO o^ co3« CO tuo£l 0) O sh w cO .3 2 2^3 o O CO S-iJT^ L ^ cuca +3^.2 °0^co C •3.S 3 h w h" < c^ g g^ S ^ tuo "3 o w « C O ^ « CO , . CO v+"v oj co g co 152 mount morris: past and present AIRPLANE view of Mount Morris College campus, showing the ruins of the old gym- nasium and the new gymnasium to the right. HARLAN B. KAUFFMAN, A.B., In- structor in Latin, 1917. CHARLES KELTNER, Agriculture and Geology, 1910-15. GEORGE KIEFFABER, Grammar, 1910. ESTHER KLOTZSCHE, A.B., Professor of Home Economics, 1922-24. ELIZABETH KRAFKA, A.M., Profes- sor of Biology, 1920-21. JOHN A. LANGSTON, A.B., M.S., Pro- fessor of Chemistry, 1919. EUNICE P. LAUER, B.S., Instructor in Home Economics, 1921. GUSTAV A. LAUTERBACH, M.Acc't, Bookkeeping, Commercial Law, Drawing and Penmanship, 1905-06. GLADYS LEAVELL, A.B., Chemistry, Physics and Domestic Science, 1914. H. L. LEWIS, instructor in typewriting, 1921. EDITH M. LING, Mus.G., Instructor in Piano and Theory, 1913-18. ROY LITTLE, A.B., English and Geog- raphy, 1914. WILLIAM S. LIVENGOOD, Jr., A.B.. Athletic Coach and Director of Physical Education, 1926-27. LUCILE LONG, M.A., Professor of English, 1928-32. ROY LONG, B. ACCTS., Head of Com- mercial Department, 1918. A. B. LOVE, B.S., Instructor in Agri- culture, 1921-22. WALTER K. MAHAN, A.B., Instructor in Spanish, 1916-19. MRS. EVA DAVIS-MARTIN, Voice, Theory, Chorus Work and Piano, 1906. DARWIN J. McCANN, Instructor in Bookkeeping, 1921. MRS. EDNA McNEEL, Oil, Water Color, Pastel, 1908-09. CHARLES A. MENDENHALL, Instruc- tor in Band and Orchestra Instruments, 1922. CAROL MILLER, Instructor of Physics, 1915-16. CLAIR MILLER, Instructor in Sub- freshman American History, 1923. E. G. MILLER, Zanerian College, M.M.C., Penmanship and Drawing, 1904- 07. MRS. E. S. MILLER, A.B., A.M., Pro- fessor of Modern Languages, 1923. JOHN EZRA MILLER, A.M., President and professor of Greek and Latin, 1904- 15. KATHERINE MILLER, Instructor in Voice and Theory, 1913-18. MERLIN G. MILLER, A.B., Professor of History and Political Science, 1924-27. NORMAN J. MILLER, B.S., Biological Sciences, 1904-05. EFFA B. MITCHELL, Instructor in Piano, 1916-17. ROBERT E. MOHLER, A.B., Physical Director, Education, 1909-13. VERA MOORE, M.A., Professor of Latin and French, 1931-32. C. S. MORRIS, A.M., Professor of Mathematics and Physics, 1915-16. PROFESSORS OF MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE 153 LILLIAN H. K. MORRIS, Critic Teach- er, 1923-24. FRANCIS MYERS, Instructor in Music, 1919-21. GALENE MYERS, History, 1921. LOIS MYERS. A.B.. Professor of Mod- ern Languages, 1924-26. LURA ELOISE NEFF, Piano, Harmony, Counterpoint, Composition and History of Music, 1904-08. O. W. NEHER, M.S., Professor of Bio- logical Sciences and Dean of Men. Pres- ident, 1928-29. V. GRACE NEHER, B.Acc'ts, Shorthand and Typewriting, 1913. J. S. NOFFSINGER, A.M., President and Professor of Education, 1915-18. ULYSSES C. NYE, B.Mus., Piano and Harmony, Director of Music, 1909-13. W. L. OGDEN, M.S., Professor of Math- ematics, 1928-32. H. FREDERICK PARKER, B.S., Ath- letic Coach and Director of Physical Edu- cation for Men, 1929-1932. MARGARET M. PEALE, A.B., Profes- sor of Domestic Science, 1920. W W. PETERS, A.M., President and Professor of Education, 1925-28. JOHN LESLIE PIERCE, B.A., Instruc- tor in Voice, 1930-31. FRANCES PROW ANT, Instructor in Algebra, 1918. ROY H. PUTERBAUGH, Commercial Law, 1908-09. H. S. RANDOLPH, A.M., Professor of Bible, 1919. H. HERBERT RATCLIFF, A.B., Science and Agriculture, 1905-07. LESLIE E. REES, A.B., Greek and Lat- in, 1904-05. BESS M. REITZEL, A.B., Professor of Home Economics, 1925-27. MRS. BONNIE BAIRD REPLOGLE, Voice, Piano and History of Music, 1908- 10. F. G. REPLOGLE, B.Accts., Principal of Commercial Department, 1915-17. VIVIAN RETZLAFF, M.A., Professor of Modern Languages, 1929-31. BERTHA ANN REUTER, A.M., Pro- fessor of History, 1916-17. EDNA M. ROBINSON, A.M., Ph.D., Professor of English, 1917-1919. WILLIAM A. ROBINSON, A.B., M.Acc'ts, Principal of Commercial De- partment. Bookkeeping, Commercial Law, Shorthand and Typewriting, 1915. MIRIAM ROSE, Voice, Theory and Chorus Work, 1904. MIRIAM ROSECRANS, Instructor in Latin, 1918. ELLA E. RUEBHAUSEN, B.S., Ph.D., Professor and Head of Modern Language Department, 1917-19. RACHAEL SANDERS, B.S., Instructor in Domestic Science, 1919. JENNIE SELLERS, Preceptress, 1910. WENTWORTH SHARER, A.B., Direc- tor of Athletics, 1919. SAMUEL H. SHERFEY, A.B., Biology. 1906-10. EARL E. SHERFF, A.B., Science, 1907- 08. DOROTHY M. SHERRICK, A.B., In- structor in Voice, 1922. MARVIN MANAN SHERRICK, A.M.. Litt. D., L.H.D., Registrar and Professor of Philosophy, 1906-22. ARTHUR W. SHIVELY, M.A., Dean and Professor of Education, 1928-32. GLADYS S. SHIVELY, M.A., Instruc- tor in Education, 1928-32. LEVI S. SHIVELY, A.M., Ph.D., Dean and Professor of Mathematics and Phy- sics. President, 1918-21. SARAH S. SHUTT, Instructor in Short- hand and Typewriting, 1918. FLORENCE M. SHUTTS, Instructor in Music, 1918-19. ANDREW N. SMITH, B.S., Dean of Men and Professor of Agriculture, 1924. W. HARLAN SMITH, A.B., Instructor in Algebra, 1919. ELIZABETH SNIDER, Expression, 1909. FRED E. SORRENSON, A.B., Expres- sion and English, 1913. ADALINE STANLEY, A.B., A.M., Pro- fessor of English, 1919. D. A. STOUFFER, Coach, 1914-16. M. E. STOUFFER, Instructor in Pen- manship, 1916-17. J. EMMERT STOVER, A.B., B.D., In- structor in Voice and Glee Clubs and Librarian, 1926-27. WILBUR BRENNER STOVER, A.B., D.D., Professor of Missions, 1921. GROVER T. STROH, Instructor of Voice and Glee Club, 1925. HARVEY P. SWARTZ, Physical Direc- tor, 1914. LOLA SWIFT, United States History, 1909. OLIVE SWIFT, Orthography, 1910. AMMON SWOPE, A.B., Mathematics and Physics, 1912. CHARLES V. TAYLOR, Penmanship. 1908-09. FAY TIETSWORTH, Elocution and Physical Culture, 1905-06. AMY TROUT, A.B., Mathematics, Physics and Latin, 1914-15. C. O. VAN ANTWERP, B.A., Athletic Coach ? 1^" o 3 cj 4) g OTJ g-ggfc*"gj W a W Cfl g H^J o h tC O ^ CtI £3 THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 163 .2.8.2 «S £ ss qjp^ s^ .a >>n£, m >X a» > _£ QJ „ w cy b^.— i s^ a> o | 111 | ||| > -£ O Co - CO £ otPh co lit Jl»g •vl-SiiS 0.2 i 9*1 tf ell D>=r! coX! vS $ 0, W -C^W^ £^g *^ cu o» __, o - :,r otfl Wcb 8,2Wfc 164 mount morris: past and present they had been arranged, the best scholar was allowed to go into the room and take his choice; after his return, the second best took his turn, and so on until the least deserving carried away the leavings. William Stewart remem- bered that she was very severe in her methods of punishment, but failed to mention, however, if it was because he was particularly mischievous or not, that his memory was so keen on that point. One of her ways of bringing culprits to justice was to come up be- hind the victim and getting him by the forelock pull him upon his tip-toes until he expected his scalp to part with his cranium. Another method, for many years a favorite among "schoolmarms," was to get a grip on that convenient handle, the ear, and twist it until the offender was glad to choose between losing his ear or coming to time. The dunce cap also came into frequent use. Nevertheless she was a good teacher and taught many a "young idea how to shoot." Her school continued in the old house until after the war, and was dis- continued probably in 1866 or 1867. Mrs. Crofts left the village about that time with her son, Lee Crofts, and went west. Before tracing the village schools fur- ther, it would be well to make mention of the old schoolhouse built by Jacob Rice, father of Dr. Isaac Rice. It was simply a roughly-constructed log-house, situated north of town, and its history dates back almost to the beginning of the Pine Creek Grammar School. Isaac Rice, then a youth of eighteen years, was one of the first teachers in the school. Reuben Marshall was a pupil at this institution of learning, and re- membered the house to have been an exceedingly rough structure. It was built in the hollow north of the Jacob Rice residence and east of the cemetery. One winter there was considerable trou- ble between the teacher and the pupils, and finally the large boys tore the old THIS SCHOOL PICTURE, taken in 1894, includes faces of quite a few pupils who are still living in the community; most of them have moved elsewhere and a few have died. Those in the picture are, bottom row, left to right: Martha McClure, Alice Moore, Grace Withers, Carrie Plate, Gladys McCosh, Laura Beard, Bessie McNett; 2nd row, Mildred Strock, Delia Baker, Allie Williams, Lulu Lookabaugh, Ruby Buser, Ollie McCoy, Anna Myers, Mabel Holsinger, Elva Lizer, Mignon Whistler; 3d row, Mrs. Florence Stephens (teacher), Grace Price, Maud Zellers, Vernie Wolf, May Watkins, Pearl Hershey, Ada Withers, Elsie Griswold, Lela Blake, Mina Middour, Edith Sprech- er; 4th row, Blair McCosh, Harry Eshelman, Guy Smith, Ernest Bray ton, Roy Cheney, Guy Blake, Roy Palmer, Carl Stutsman, George Funk; top row, Earl Clevidence, Lee Smith, Charlie Peacock, Ray Allen, Ernest Bruner, Wilbur Mumma. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 165 ^£ --« oT2 l: •rt qj ^ -M ShX lis g§: 5 - .^^H-« 3 | a; C g g 2 ^ _ c. ■+■» 5 *-« do 5-1 4) O vTn ' c ° o zS 05 O £►-} O > P ^ £ > j- ^ £ E-Q .. 03tf W „ 166 mount morris: past and present building down, piled the logs on a heap, and burned them. Mr. Marshall remem- bered that one day several dogs ran a deer out of the woods near the school - house, and there being a crust on the snow which the animal's sharp hoofs penetrated, the boys easily headed it upon an expanse of snow and knocked it on the head with an axe. The inci- dent was quite thrilling. Among the teachers in this school were Joshua and Isaac Rice, John A. Wagner, Alfred Brown, John W. Ritz, John O'Connor, Julia Holcombe, Charles F. Lynn, and Robert Deppenham. In the year 1868, the present large stone schoolhouse, located on block 5 of the Botanical Addition, was com- pleted at a cost of $10,000. At first there were but four rooms in the building and only three of these were used, there being but three teachers and three de- partments. Miss Frances Hoverland (Mrs. Crawford) who had been princi- pal in the old building was again elected and served in that capacity from 1868 to 1872 — the first four years that the new building was in use. Miss Florence Hoverland taught during the first two years, until the time of her marriage to Dr. B. G. Stephens. The other teachers during these four years were Cornelia A. Sterns, May Quigley and Olive Antis- del. Lottie Rohrer (Mrs. W. A. New- comer) was an advanced student and heard a number of classes for the prin- cipal. Prof. Joseph M. Piper succeeded Miss Hoverland and remained principal four years. The teachers during these four years, 1872 to 1876, as nearly as can be determined, were as follows: Frankie Rosier, Ella Fisher, Miss Eichholts, John P. Hand (later a supreme court judge of Illinois) , Helen A. Knight, John Ham- mond, Lottie Waggoner (daughter of Prof. Joseph Waggoner, first principal of Rock River Seminary) , and Addie McKean. About this time a fourth department was added and the number of teachers raised to four. Horace G. Kauffman was elected principal in the fall of 1876, with Holly C. Clark in the grammar de- partment; Ella Fisher, intermediate; and Lottie Waggoner, primary. The members of the first graduating class received their diplomas in the spring of 1878, at the close of Mr. Kauff- man's second year. Before that time the scholars attended only until some- thing turned up for them to do, and they left whenever they pleased, without completing any prescribed course of study. It was during this year that the first course of study was outlined and printed in pamphlet form. The roster of teachers and graduates from 1877 to the present time is as fol- lows: 1877-1878— H. G. Kauffman (principal), H. C. Clark, Mrs. Rebecca Kauffman, Lot- tie Waggoner. Graduates: Susie McCosh, (Mrs. C. H. Sharer), Eva Davis, Fred Knodle, Harry Little, Charles Davis. 1878-1879— H. G. Kauffman (principal), H. C. Clark, Mrs. Kauffman, Helen A. Knight. Graduates: Laura Hedges (Mrs. Swift), Lillie Farwell (Mrs. Harry Cush- ing), Mary Weller (Mrs. George Shry- ock), Clara Clevidence (Mrs. Ira Wing- ert), Clara Noel, Alfonzo Newcomer. 1879-1880— Miss Virginia Brown (princi- pal), Mrs. Carey, (name of intermediate teacher not obtainable) . Francis E. Craw- ford. Graduates: Martin Rohrer Jr., Min- nie Rohrer, Lillie Myers, Jessie Knodle, Georgie Bixler, Jennie Weller (Mrs. Hana- walt), Anna Thomas, Viola Greger. 1880-1881— Miss Virginia Brown (prin- cipal), Mrs. Carey, Hattie Barlow, Fran- ces E. Crawford. About this time the higher rooms of the school began to enter into a state of disorder, which gradually became worse through the two succeeding years and culminated in the almost com- plete disorganization of the highest room under the principalship of Prof. Burbank, mention of which is made later. It ap- pears that Miss Brown made no attempt to graduate a class in the second year of her principalship. Those who were in the highest class and would have gradu- ated at the end of the year were U. C. Nye, Verne Clevidence Phelps, Alice Lookabaugh Fager, Joshur Ohr, Nettie Long, Mollie Skinner, Arthur Nalley, and probably several others. 1881-1882— B. Earl Berry (principal), Mrs. Berry, Florence E. Stephens, Fran- ces E. Crawford. As principal, Prof. Berry did not prove to be a much better disciplinarian than Miss Brown, and the school did not prosper. There was no graduating class at the end of this year. Among those who were in attendance in the advance class were Ida Funk Fitz, Isabel Funk Fitz, Hattie Davis, Mabel Holsinger, Lucia McCosh, Flora Thomas Shellenberger, Parnell Newcomer, Myrtle Rine Miller, Frank Palmer, Ralph Trine, William Startzman, Howard Long and Cyrus Newcomer. 1882-1883— The teaching force remained the same as the year previous, except that THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 167 Clara Middlekauff succeeded Mrs. Berry in the grammar department. In Prof. Berry's room the order became worse and the attendance smaller, so much so that at the end of the year there was again no pretense toward the graduation of the advance class, which consisted partly of the class of the preceding year. 1883-1884— During the four years of Miss Brown's and Prof. Berry's principal- ship, the disorder and confusion of the advance rooms became so flagrant that the attention of the school board was finally drawn to the matter, and they resolved to hire a principal who could restrain the mischievous natures of the pupils and again bring the work up to a standard of excellence. Prof. Charles Burbank, of Byron, was the man engaged, but the board erred in their selection, as the sequel will show. With the inten- tion of quelling the turbulent spirits by ruling with an iron hand, Prof. Burbank entered the schoolroom the first morning and injudiciously informed the pupils who had assembled that he "could lick the whole school with one hand tied be- hind his back," and that dire conse- quences would follow any attempt to dis- order or insubordination. These tactics, as many will remember, only aroused the ire of the boys, and the order, or rather disorder, was much worse than previous- ly. The first serious trouble arose one day when Prof. Burbank left his room and went into the Grammar room, to settle several youngsters for his wife, who had charge there. He had not proceeded far when the boys made a rush for him, seized him on all sides and gave him an old-fashioned drubbing. While this was in progress, John Seibert ran out into the front hall, and, opening the door of the high school, shouted: "Come on, boys, we've got him!" which added to the ex- citement. Finally, the members of the school board arrived and settled the dis- turbance. A few days later the pupils of the professor's own room became incensed at some inconsistency on his part, and a "free-for-all" was again precipitated. Heavy double slates, erasers, books, and all manner of missiles were hurled at the unfortunate pedagogue. Most of the boys were aggressive, but a few of the older ones, Z. O. Doward principally, tried to keep the bellicose faction from injuring the professor. In the scuffle the organ was thrown from the platform and badly damaged. The besieged instructor finally escaped to his desk and hastily penned a note to the directors and dis- patched one of the more timid scholars with it. It is remembered that after the missive had been written, upon the bot- tom of the sheet, he stamped a large blotch of blood from a deep cut in his hand, caused by a slate, to impress the directors with the urgency of the case. Trouble frequently arose after this, but Prof. Burbank worried through the re- mainder of the year. It is said that to insure his safety the school board ac- companied him to the depot when he left town. The boys and girls who attended that year are often heard talking over those "stirring times." At the end of the year no graduating exercises were held, but diplomas were granted to Carrie Well- ler. May McCoy and Maude Newcomer. 1884-1885— To build up the school after the exciting times of the year previous, the board hired Horace G. Kauffman, who had proved a good disciplinarian during his former term of service. During the year the primary department, which in- cluded about one hundred pupils, was divided into two sections, — the First Pri- mary and the Second Primary, Frances E. Crawford being engaged to teach the latter, and Lillie Farwell the former. The other teachers were Mrs. Kauffman and Florence E. Stephens. The graduates were H. E. Newcomer, Emily Newcomer (Mrs. J. L. Rice), Fannie Stephens and Grace McCoy (Mrs. Frank Coffman). 1885-1886— Mr. Kauffman was re-engaged as principal, but being in poor health, went east and left the work in the hands of Mrs. Kauffman. The other teachers were Karen Hollinger, assistant principal; Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Crawford, and Miss Farwell. Class of 1886: Daisy Kemp, Mat- tie Newcomer, Minnie Stouffer, Lillian Hess, Dollie Stephens, Bert Clevidence, Eugene Thomas. 1886-1887— During the summer of 1886, the addition on the west side of the build- ing was made, to be used as a recitation room. Later, the primary department was moved into this addition and the prin- cipal's room divided into two parts. The teachers were H. G. Kauffman, Mrs. Re- becca Kauffman, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Crawford and Miss Farwell. Class of 1887: Claude Householder and Daniel Brogu- nier. 1887-1888— Teachers, same as preceding year, except that Miss Elsie West took Miss Farwell's place. Mrs. Kauffman re- signed the assistant principalship at the end of the winter term, and Emery I. Neff completed the year in her place. Class of 1888: Nettie Kinsey, Ada Mumma, Oliver Sprecher. 1888-1889— Teachers engaged, same as preceding year. Mr. Kauffman was again compelled to leave the school on account of ill-health, and with the consent of the board left the principalship in the hands of Alfonzo G. Newcomer, who had just graduated from Cornell University. Mr. Newcomer proved to be a very able in- structor. His graduating class consisted of Minnie Kable, Ida Castle, Ollie Smith and Morris Newcomer. 1889-1890 — A new principal was secured in the person of T. E. DeButts. The other teachers were Alice J. Boone, Mrs. Ste- phens, Mrs. Crawford, Fannie Stephens. Class of 1890: Solomon Avey, Allie Kable, Minerva Eversole, Edward C. Thomas. 1890-1891 — Teachers, same as preceding year. Class of 1891: Joseph Granger, Bert Thomas, Benton Kinsey, Kittie Sprecher. 168 mount morris: past and present CVJ CM >T Ci .3 exiS ^ M iJ-g W as a> — • U 05 CUTS .as o o , as j_ e^ j3 w -"jc p 2 ft-B £ o t - as .^ h as o W T3 o o ;3 ^Tf o 2.3 o ill P. H?^ O ^ Q 2 rt m C^J.2 J33 3 eMTSoo rH ^tH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 169 170 mount morris: past and present 1891-1892— Prof. DeButts remained only two years and he was succeeded by C. W. Egner. The other teachers were An- toinette Shryock, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Crawford, Fannie Stephens. Class of 1892: Anita Holsinger, Lulu Kable, Pearl Wil- liams, Lulu Koontz, Mae Ankney, William Myers, George Toms, Hugh Stephens, Bessie Griswold, Benj. Price, Grace Han- stine. 1892-1893 — Teachers, same as preceding year. Class of 1893: George Schelling, Pearl Buser, Emma Plate. 1893-1894 — Teachers of previous year again hired. Class of 1894: Louis Bray ton, Maude Thomas, Earl Householder, Lucy Buck. 1894-1895— E. E. Winders succeeded Prof. Egner in 1894 and the teachers under him were Antoinette Shryock, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. Crawford, Fannie Stephens. Class of 1895: Lee Stonebraker, Anna Bollinger, Agnes McDannel. 1895-1896— E. E. Winders (principal), Lydia Pierce, Ella Rohrer, Mrs. Crawford, Mary McClure. Class of 1896: Burton Strock, Harvey Kable, Harry Kable, May Driscoll, Maude Rowe, Reuben Marshall, Riner Clark, Edward Jimmerson, Roy Brayton. PROF. ELBERT E. WINDERS was prin- cipal of the Mount Morris Public School from 1894 to 1897. He was born in Mount Morris, April 14, 1861, and died Nov. 2, 1897, aged 36 years. He was educated in the Mount Morris Public School and Rock River Seminary. He married Ella Miller, April 10, 1895. He was an accomplished musician, and the author of this book can testify as to his ability as a teacher, being a graduate under him in 1896. SYLVESTER A. LONG was principal of Mount Morris public schools for two years from 1898 to 1900. He was a graduate of Mount Morris College and later became a brilliant lecturer with a national reputa- tion. He married Etta Moore, a Mount Morris girl, and they are now living at Wichita, Kans. 1896-1897— E. E. Winders (principal), Mary McClure, Lillian Hess, Mrs. Craw- ford, Ella Rohrer. Class of 1897: Ada Allen, Gertrude Eshelman, Amanda Lutz, William Pool, Melvin Householder, Rob- ert Newcomer, Roy Jackson, Bessie Mar- shall, Minnie Longman. 1897-1898— Prof. Winders was compelled to resign on account of ill health and he was succeeded in 1897 by A. E. Elmore, who was assisted by Mary McClure, Lil- lian Hess, Mrs. Crawford, Ella Rohrer. Class of '98, Mary Nazarene, Chas. Pea- cock, Martha McClure, Allie Williams, Earl Clevidence, Pearl Rank, Lura Neff. 1898-1899— Prof. Elmore stayed only one year and in 1898 the board secured the services of S. A. Long, a brilliant gradu- ate of Mount Morris College. His assist- ants were Mary McClure, Lillian Hess, Mrs. Crawford, Lulu Kable. During the latter part of the year, at the suggestion of the energetic principal, Prof. Long, the board lengthened the course of study a year, making three years of high school work. Owing to this fact there was no graduating class. A fine laboratory was added to the school during the year, Prof. Long soliciting the money for the same. 1899-1900— S. A. Long (principal), Mary McClure, Lillian Hess, Mrs. Crawford, Lulu Kable, Ella Rohrer. Class of 1900: Vernon Rees, Ray Allen, Mina Middour, Bessie McNett, Earl Thomas, Florine Scott. In June the course of study was revised according to the action of the board the year previous, and published in pamphlet form. 1900-1901— Prof. Long was succeeded in the fall of 1900 by Prof. Geo. A. Jacobs. The other teachers were lone Billig, Lillian THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 171 ^"C .w - s. MOJOJ £^ cm en ±2-^:3 3 O Sh^co PS .eg-oJ^U (hS > g^-c-- eg ■s*B id 0) o cm cm m eo co i-l ^ ^ ^ w w JJSgSgS 9lfcl3rf fa * H y m fl h cri wgn. 172 mount morris: past and present Hess, Mrs. Frances E. Crawford, Lulu Ka- ble, Jennie Harley. Graduates: Jelis Mc- Coy, Ida Nazarene, Harry Rowe. 1901-1902— Geo. A. Jacobs (principal), Frank Scott, Frances E. Crawford, Lillian Hess, Lulu Kable, Jennie Harley. Grad- uates: Bertha McNett, Edith Miles, Edith Miller, Merritt Miller, Edward Rowe, Phoebe Stoner, John Stutesman, Lela Tice, Ada Wolfe. 1902-1903— Geo. A. Jacobs (principal), Mary McClure, Anita Metzgar, Frances E. Crawford, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Har- ley. Graduates: Florence Allen, L. Roy Cheney, Ernest Highbarger, Matilda Leh- ner. 1903-1904— Following the three-year term of Prof. Jacobs, Miss Mary McClure was elected principal, beginning in the fall term of 1903, and continued in this po- sition for eleven years. The other teach- ers were Chas. Holsinger, Lillian Hess, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Margaret Proctor. Graduates: Cornelia Crawford, Charles Cushing, Clyde Davis, Merritt Deppen, Harry Emmert, Martha Geiger, Blanche Householder, Glenn Olson, Grace Peacock, Vera Rees, Mary Thomas, Roy Thomas. 1904-1905— Mary McClure (principal), Chas. Holsinger, Elsie Emmert, Lillian Hess, Jennie Harley, Margaret Proctor. Graduates: Katie Driscoll, Anna Miller, Daniel Miller, Ray Palmer, Marcus Slifer, Eva Withers, Pearl Jones, Edward Allen. 1905-1906— Mary McClure (principal), MARY E. McCLURE was superintendent of the Mount Morris High School for eleven years. She was the daughter of Robert D. and Elizabeth (Allen) McClure and was born Nov. 1, 1874, at Haldane, 111. She attended the local public schools, Mount Morris College and the University of Wisconsin. She taught in the local high school and served capably as super- intendent from 1903 to 1914. Chas. Holsinger, Elsie Emmert, Lillian Hess, Jennie Harley, Mollie Dutcher. Graduates: Ira Baldwin, Minnie Barn- hizer, Clyde Holsinger, Lela Keedy, Glad- ys Newcomer, Charles Wentworth Sharer. 1906-1907— Mary McClure, (principal), Chas. Holsinger, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Olive Swift, Lillian Hess. Grad- uates: Helen Cushing, Ernest Hanes, Ha- zel Kable, Hazel Kretsinger, Mable Mum- ma, Perley Rees, Max Sharer, Hubert Shaw, Claude Smith, Lura Stine, May Swift, Clifford Windle. 1907-1908— Mary McClure (principal), Chas. Holsinger, Lillian Hess, Bertha Mc- Nett, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley. Gradu- ates: Florence Bopp, Nelson Bruner, Ar- thur Irvin, Mac McCosh, Clifford Miller, June Noble, Wm. Boyd Stouffer, Ruth Wylie. 1908-1909— Mary McClure (principal) , Chas. Holsinger, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess. Graduates: Mamie Drummond, Nora Gouker, Frank Hilger, Ray Holsinger, Ma- bel Miller, Elizabeth Sharer, Bessie Whit- man. 1909-1910— Mary McClure (principal) , Clyde Bates, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess. Graduates: Florence Miller, Frances Miller, Vinette Mishler, Helen Wylie. 1910-1911— Mary McClure (principal), Clyde Bates, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess. Graduates: Hugh Bonar, Lottie Gigeous, Luetta Hoff- man, Gladys Huff, Ruth Kable, Hubert Knodle, Ruth Lizer, Dorothy Muller, Ce- cile Olson, Ruth Sharer, Murray Welty. 1911-1912— Mary McClure (principal), Clyde Bates, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Harley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess. Graduates: Gladys Avey, Edith Barnhizer, Marie Keplinger, Mattie Kerns, Madge Tracy. 1912-1913— Mary McClure (principal), Harvey Long, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Har- ley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess, G. E. Weaver. Graduates: Lloyd Diehl, Clara Hoffman, Rosalie King, Marion McCosh, Harvey Miller, Wilbur Miller, Eva New- comer, Jesse Smith, Lucile Wine. 1913-1914— Mary McClure (principal). Harvey Long, Elsie Emmert, Jennie Har- ley, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess. Gradu- ates: Orville Diehl, Vera Kessler, Alice Mortimore, Maude Smith, Carrie Stevens, Thayer Stine (also graduated from four- year course in 1916), Mary Stouffer. 1914-1915— Prof. A. J. Brumbaugh was elected superintendent to take the place of Miss McClure and the Board of Educa- tion decided to add another year to the school. The other teachers were Harvey Long, Elsie Emmert, Gerda Sederholm, Bertha McNett, Lillian Hess and G. E. Weaver. There was no regular graduating class but John Jacobs, Clifford Paul and Mabel Stouffer were given three-year di- plomas. 1915-1916— Prof. Ira R. Hendrickson, for many years a teacher at Mount Morris College, was selected to head the faculty, THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 173 -i x. h -C a) ■if £3 CO CO . ■+-» og 2* St *£ I* So <2 w)co Sic* 2< „, A O »-a <3 a> gs O CO 174 mount morris: past and present THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 175 %£* .Si CO -' ft ft CO pK O) CO id' Oh £ t ccK, us; <^ . U o OS 5 fc- 1 %&*%£ Salt! COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 185 J* * t % Z 1 * * ** ' J0rl.. 'jfti' HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS OF 1922. Front row, left to right, Ethel Davis, Gladys Plum, Donna Bibler, Mildred Crawford, Marjorie Walker; second row, Thorn- ton Prugh, Harold Middlekauff, Irlene Walker, Maurita Peacock, Lucille Hanes, George Hendrickson, Robert Sharer; back row, Merl Cripe, John Glotfelty, David Kabele, Henry Stengel, Gerald Hough, John Towns, Darrell Toms, Carroll Boston, Harry Bock, Leland Cratty. GRADUATING CLASS of 1923 of the Mount Morris High School. Upper row, left to right: Stanley Boston, Amy Eigenbrode, Harlan McNett, Irvin Zumdahl, Mary Wish- ard, Dorothy Niman, Ralph Sanford, Ruth Miller, Burton Avey, Mark Crawford; front row, Eva Carr, Marian Miller, Guinivere Asay, Anna Vetrovec, Helen Fossler, Sadie Seyster, Bernice Moats. 186 mount morris: past and present THIS Mount Morris High School Basketball Team of 1922 won the Ogle County cham- pionship in a tournament at Rochelle. Those in the picture are, back row, from lefl to right, John Glotfelty, Darrell Toms, Went worth Sharer (coach), Emmert Samsel, Harry Bock; front row, Robert Sharer, George Hendrickson, Harold Middlekauff, Thornton Prugh. Ford, Fulton Freedlund, Wilma Hammann, William Hightower, Wayne Hollinger, Rosalie Jern, Virginia Kable, James Mc- Gee, Jane McGee, Gwenevere Miller, Denelda Parkinson, Vernie Mae Pitten- ger, Robert Robbins, Eugene Rouse, Lois Samsel, Lloyd Sprecher, Alma Stengle, Esther Stengle, Josephine Stimax, Flor- ence Thomas, Cletus Walker, William Webster, Cleo Whetsel, Anna Zellers, Darrell Zellers, Ward Zimmerman. 1934-1935— Grade faculty: Harold Pat- terson (Supt.), Grace Pfiel, Vera Rhone, Ruth Berry, Jane Wingard, Oma Abuhl, Ealy Grobe, Jean Lindberg, Evelyn Blom- quist. High School faculty: I. R. Hendrickson (Supt.), Paul J. Yoe, Mary M. McColl, J. Leslie Pierce, Marian Sympson, Edna Coulson, Wendall Schrader, Marian Dean, E. R. Henricks, Beth Hower. Graduates: William Asp, Elbert Barbee, Margaret Beard, Ralph Blake, Helen Blecker, Lois Bruner, Clarence Chambers, Richard Dierdorf, Evonne Few, Ralph Fry, Dorothy Garkey, Mary E. Hanes, Merle Henricks, Donald Horst, Clyde James, Lou Cartha Jones, Gordon Kim- mel, Earl King, Eunice Long, Robert Marshall, Tom Martin, Marian McNett, Hubert Moats, Wayne Mumma, George Myers, Irene Priller, George Ray, Ethel Reiken, Roy Rowe, Elnora Suter, William Unger, Bernice Van Arsdale, John Wal- lace. 1935-1936— Grade faculty: Harold Pat- terson (Supt.), Alice Lambert, Kathleen Peugh, Ruth Berry, Jane Wingard, Jane Locke, Thelma Mott, Virgil Turner, Merle Hawbecker, J. Leslie Pierce, Beth Hower. High School faculty: I. R. Hendrickson (Supt.), Paul J. Yoe : Mary M. McColl, J. Leslie Pierce, Marian Sympson, Edna Coulson, Wendall Schrader, E. R. Hen- ricks, Nellie Bishop, Beth Hower. Graduates: Carmen Baker, Robert Binkley, Harlan Blake, Harold Blake, Lola Blake, Lawrence Chambers, Olive Conrad, Louise Curley, Myron Davis, Lester Deets, Fred Drexler, Jeanne Dun- can, Audrey Estes, Esther Fossler, Frank Graf, Blanche Hammer, Stanley James, Esther Kretsinger, Emmert McCune, Raymond Moody, Keithra Palmer, C. Mae Pieper, Gordon Pittenger, Joe Rit- son, Josephine Rock, Nellie Shoemaker, COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 187 > CO a) 3 a) "^•Ti f-> o^$g i— i«4-t v o COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 189 Cu O G ^ w ^° i-l S J3 o j 2--J: E +,->>£ 3 bT °* o2 J Eh cc - fS 17 CQ >> m n^ & £S£6 190 mount morris: past and present HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA OF 1928: Front row, left to right, Cleo Stimax, Alice Emmert, Harriet Rees, Helma Horst, Helen Pearce, Robert Gloss; back row, Roderick Kelsey, Cecil Armbruster, Floyd Barbee, Forrest Young, Miss Marjorie Babbitt (direc- tor), Chas. Finch, Lloyd Pearce, Leslie Watt, Robert Middlekauff, Merrill Meeker. Gilbert Silvius, La Verne Stauffer, Donald Stonebraker, Harry Suter, Helen Thomas, Samuel Thomas, Harriet Thompson, John Tice, Martha Wright. 1936-1937— Grade faculty: Harold Pat- terson (Supt.), Alice Lambert, Kathleen Peugh, Ruth Berry, Jane Wingard, Jane Locke, Thelma Mott, Virgil Turner, Merle Hawbecker, J. Leslie Pierce, Beth Hower. High School faculty: I. R. Hendrickson (Supt.), Paul J. Yoe, Mary M. McColl, J. Leslie Pierce, Marian Sympson, Edna Coulson, Wendall Schrader, E. R. Hen- ricks, Nellie Bishop, L. N. Patton, Beth Hower. Graduates: Mark Asp, Donald Avey, Harvey Billsborough, Joyce Brewer, Rob- ert Clapper, Leo Crocker, Burton Davis, Lorene Davis, Murray DeArvil, Jane De- vine, Minnie Diehl, Doris Doyle, Marjorie Ford, Fay Forman, Elsie Heinhorst, Dale Henricks, Francine Hilger, Helen Holsing- er, Phyllis Hoover, Florence Huthansel, Mathias Huthansel, Elmer Keller, Harriet Kreider, Oscar Leekley, Lois Lingle, Doris Marsh, Floyd McChesney, Robert Merri- man, Ronald Miller, Leone Nalley, Ray- mond Newcomer, Adelaide Noble, Ruth Parkinson, Preston Pittenger, Melvin Priller, Dixie Rick, Margaret Rowe, Ar- thur Sander, Delbert Schell, Albert Schlagenhaufen, Dorothy Silvius, Loraine Stull, Sara Jane Tice, Clarence Tracy, Betty Yerkey, Marjorie Yerkey, Archie Zellers, Doris Zimmerman. 1937-1938— Grade faculty: Harold Pat- terson (Supt.), Alice Lambert, Kathleen Peugh, Ruth Berry, Jane Wingard, Jane Locke, Thelma Mott, Virgil Turner, Merle Hawbecker, Elizabeth McDanels, Beth Hower. High School faculty: I. R. Hendrickson (Supt.), Paul J. Yoe, Mary M. McColl, Marian Sympson, Edna Coulson, Wendall Schrader, E. R. Henricks, Nellie Bishop, L. N. Patton, Beth Hower, Irene Sweet. Graduates: George Finch, Lee Loomis, Francis Baker, Charlotte Avey, Ethel Bal- luff, Helen Barnhizer, Arlene Binkley, Eugene Blake, Robert Brewer, James Bruner, Talmage Castle, Willis Castle, Robert Cratty, Bonnie Croft, Warren Davidson, Mildred Dierdorff, Mildred Estes, Christine Freedlund, Evelyn Graf, Marian Guiles, Jeanette Hammann, Nor- ma Hammer, Roger Haney, Harlan Herz- feldt, Marian Hilger, Paul Johnson, Carl Kirtz, Raymond Link, Rebecca McNett, Bette Martin, Ruth Meeker, Alvin Mes- ser, Leland Messer, Earl Muller, Delbert Newcomer, Richard Park, Velma Paul, Donald Personnette, Morris Pieper, Ruby Pieper, Marilyn Ransone, Joe Robbins, Glenn Rock, June Rowe, Frances Sawyer, COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 191 CO- S&2S 192 mount morris: past and present ■H H Th Of fcf« rf „ o 2 > & CM O fc £"cc £ °l*a . ^ P^Tj CU S CU CO s° Q & 2 «_ o III O^ 8 > 2 Eh rj >.W a, £ £>£ ..a Oq COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 193 HIGH SCHOOL FACULTY, 1928-1929: Upper row, left to right, Freda Schmidt, Mar- jorie Babbitt, Esther Carlson, Vivian Ellis; lower row, Wilbur Ogden, Ira R. Hen- drickson (superintendent), Paul Yoe. BASKETBALL SQUAD of 1928-29 of Mount Morris High School. Front row, left to right, Harold Longman, Kenneth Zellers, Harold Ridenour, Roy Allen; second row, William Selby, Leland Rittenhouse, Chas. Finch, Robert Allen; standing, William Price (manager), George Carr, Lloyd Pearce, Chas. Muller, Nelson Potter, Marlin Carr, Coach Paul Yoe. co^g'* ££So ^«;s gill BaSf >» Q 3 +^> CO S-l "^ ■— { o cu A > w sh 1|1 § SI cci>pq ..Kg gffil a 8 Pi £2*§ £«£ It 2 *>% CO H C SSS 111 II 196 Eldon Smith, Merle Snodgrass, La Verne Sprecher, Pauline Sprecher, Louise Stiger, Lois Stonebraker, Ruth Taylor, Feme Thomas, Edward Webster, Wilbur Whet- zel, Velma Zellers. Since the opening of the school year in 1926 the upper three grades of the grade school have been operating under a departmental organization whereby each of the teachers, in grades six, seven and eight, teach special subjects to all pupils in these grades. During the pres- ent school year (1937-1938) the local grade school became the first city ele- mentary school in Ogle County to re- ceive a "Superior" rating from the State Department of Public Instruction. The IP h Is 1)9 mount morris: past and present achievement of this rating is the result of a carefully-planned program of im- provement, carried on by the Board of Education over a period of years. Brief sketches of the grade school teachers follow: Miss Alice Lambert, DeKalb, 111. Graduate normal training course at Northern Illinois State Teachers Col- lege with additional work at Colorado University and the University of Wash- ington. Teaches first grade and conducts the summer kindergarten. Came here in 1935 from the DeKalb County schools. Miss Kathleen Peugh, Coleta, 111. Graduate of the normal training course . IP r ) mm JUNIOR CLASS OF 1931, all of whom graduated in 1932: Top row, left to right, Roy Allen, Lavonne Armbruster, Walter Blake, Doris Buser, Russell Colburn, Mildred Davis, Harold Eykamp, Marie Fossler, Margaret Fridley, Bernice Fry; second row, Paul Fry, Virginia Gloss, Belva Hammer, Helen Hanes, Opal Herzfeldt, Dorothy Horton, Ina James, Robert Kable, Kathryn Keller, Elsie Klepfer; third row, Vivian Koontz, Glenn Kretsinger, Roberta Long, Harold Longman, Lyle Meeker, Georgia Messer, Lloyd Nalley, Clarine Pearce, Ruth Pieper, Elaine Rothermel; fourth row, Merlin Shook, Edna Sizemore, Anna Stengel, Grace Stengel, Myron Stengel, Forrest Stevens, Marian Stonebraker, Frances Stull, Helen Tice; bottom row, Robert Thomas, Lois Unger, Margaret Weller, Howard Wells, Lillie Womack, Martha Wright, Irene Zellers, Kenneth Zellers. COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 197 BOYS' GLEE CLUB. 1937: Front row, Bryant Zimmerman, Gene Nunn, Conroy Baker, Wilbur Whetzel, Martin Deets, John Yoe, J. Leslie Pierce (director) ; second row, Eugene Stull, Richard Park, Dale Henricks, Eldon Smith, Robert Robinson, Richard Steffen; third row, Eugene Marshall, Mark Asp, Fay Forman, Lee Loomis, Robert Newcomer, Matthias Huthansel; back row, Clarence Tracy, Delbert Schell, Wallace Smith, Robert Kump, James Bruner, Harold Ross. ... GIRLS' GLEE CLUB, 1937: Front row, left to right, Doris Zimmerman, Lorene Davis, Betty Martin, Dorothy Silvius, Ethel Balluff, Doris Marsh, J. Leslie Pierce (director) ; second row, Maryalice Olsen, Evelyn Graf, Charlotte Avey, Pauline Stengel, Harriet Kreider, Francine Hilger; third row, Jennette Hammann, Rebecca McNett, Darlene Duckworth, Adelaide Noble, Evone Cain, Phyllis Hoover, Doris Hoover; back row, Helen Barnhizer, Jane Devine, Isabel Kelsey, Mildred Dierdorff, Ruth Meeker, Velma Paul. 198 mount morris: past and present at Northern Illinois State Teachers Col- lege with additional work at Colorado University. Teaches second grade and came here in 1934 from the Genoa, 111., public schools. Miss Ruth Berry, Lee Center, 111. Graduate of the normal training course at the Illinois State Normal University with additional work at National Col- lege of Education at Evanston, 111., and the State Teachers College at White- water, Wis. Teaches the third grade and came here in 1926 from the public schools of Portland, Ore. Miss Jane Wingard, Mount Morris, 111. A.B. degree from Mount Morris College with additional work at the University of Chicago and Montana University. Teaches the fourth grade and came here in 1925 from South Da- kota to take charge of the practice teaching of Mount Morris College. Miss Jane Locke, Rockford, 111. Grad- uate of the normal training course at the Northern Illinois State Teachers Col- lege with additional work at the Uni- versity of Wisconsin and the University of Washington. Came here in 1934 from the Teachers College. Miss Thelma Mott, Pontiac, 111. A.B. degree from Eureka College with addi- tional work at the Illinois State Normal University and the University of Colo- rado. Teaches English, reading and spelling in the junior high school and is the home room advisor for the sixth grade. Came here in 1934 from the Winnebago County schools. Miss Virgil Turner, Ridott, 111. Gradu- ate from the normal training course at the Northern Illinois State Teachers College with additional work at the University of Wisconsin and the Uni- versity of Washington. Teaches physical education, home economics and general science in the junior high school and acts as home room advisor for the sev- enth grade. Came here in 1934 from the public schools of Ridott, 111. Mr. Merle Hawbecker, Lanark, 111. Graduate with A.B. degree from Mount Morris College with advanced work at A COMBINATION grade and high school band has been in existence for several years. Miss Beth Hower is the present instructor and director, and the organization has made a very creditable showing. The above picture was taken in 1937 and the members are as follows: Top row, J. Q. Davis, Lee Loomis, Delbert Schell, Ronald Miller, James Bruner, Burton Davis, Edward Webster, Clarence Tracy, Richard McNett; third row, Richard StefTen, Richard Park, Matthias Huthansel, Dale Henricks, Evone Cain, Doro- thy Silvius, Velma Paul, Robert Knodle, Robert Kump, Marshal Woodworth; second row, Donald Marsh, Harriet Kreider, Jeanette Hammann, Kenneth Muller, Mary Edson, Tena Suter, Claremont Michael, Thomas Ivins, Edward Miller; front row, Lorene Da- vis, Maryalice Olsen, Robert Johnson, Richard Fry, Arnold Blecker, Andrew Bolinger, John Yoe, Ronald Lizer, William Chaffee, Doris Zimmerman, Beth Hower. COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 199 T3 u g - WflD> o^a g CO S-. £ >Q «£ 5-1 « s co^ y^^ £ M ft coc/2 c^S oS Sffl ft « j£ a> £ C o w 3 <» rt Wfa 2 co .fa . u CD o w £;=Hc3(3£§>S OT3 fl^'-H „fV» CO £ e ^ O o ^ w 5! TIq Ccm.22 o> S^ Qw ^,-e <§2 W w CD ^H-hQ, <-i -* ft co .53 ^ . .i^* o ^os o-i3 a co w 6gSpJrf -8S fl fl o^hH Sbw a; C 'w^ i ft Wr O O « g ^2 W S ftpq .3 wR COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZED 205 206 mount morris: past and present Chapter 8 VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS IT IS generally conceded that the printing press is one of the most potent factors in molding the des- tiny of a newly-settled territory, but it is also a fact, however, that it is among those the least appreciated by the peo- ple when called upon to sustain it. The first settlers of Mount Morris Township had no access to daily papers, and even weeklies very rarely found their way into their hands; for mails were irregu- lar and infrequent, the mode of trans- porting them being by horseback, and very often that means failed. The only papers taken by the people during the early days were possibly a few eastern journals and some religious papers. The great esteem in which all edu- cational interests were held by the first settlers of Ogle County is evidenced by the fact that when the country was yet almost a wilderness the cornerstone of "Old Sandstone," or Rock River Semi- nary, was laid, on the fourth day of July, 1839. Consequently it was thought generally in the east that among a peo- ple so thoroughly imbued with the im- portance of educational advantages, a newspaper would find a ready support, but this estimate, as the sequel will show, proved a serious mistake to the projectors of the first newspaper ven- ture in Mount Morris. The principals in this enterprise were Jonathan and Emanuel Knodle, of Washington County, Md., the former as publisher and the latter as editor of the proposed paper. These gentlemen purchased the press and materials with which a small paper entitled The Casket was printed at Boonsboro, Md., and on the sixteenth day of July, 1841, the former, accom- panied by his family and with their household goods, including the said printing outfit, set out in wagons for Mount Morris. When they arrived at Wheeling, W. Va., finding their loads too heavy to be drawn by the teams, the press and printing materials were shipped from there by boat around to Savanna, Illinois. In a letter dated Peoria, 111., October 27, 1841, Emanuel Knodle wrote to his brother, Samuel, in the east: "We found it necessary to go to St. Louis for some type, rules, composing sticks, etc. When I left Mount Morris, on the twenty-fifth, we had not yet heard of our press and type, but think that by this time they should have come around to Savanna." A later letter shows that the equipment was received from Peru, instead of Savanna. The water being low in the Mississippi, the boats could not ascend as far as Savanna. Decem- ber 8, the outfit was moved into a house built west of the Seminary property by Samuel McFarland during the spring previous. This house, of which a half- tone appears on page 208, stood until the year 1900, when it was partly torn down, and the remainder moved to the south part of town where it was used as a barn by William Domer. More is said concerning this house in the pre- vious chapter upon the public schools. The shed-like addition on the right hand is the part in which the printing- office was located. During the remainder of the month of December, Messrs. Emanuel and Jonathan Knodle, and also Peter, Jacob and Joseph Knodle, and Joseph Hooper, were hard at work to "bring order out of chaos," which was the condition in which the material was found after its long and perilous journey by land and water. Composition rollers had to be made and a hundred and one other articles supplied, which in so new a country presented almost insurmount- able difficulties, the crowning trouble 207 208 MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT THIS OLD HOUSE was an interesting landmark in Mount Morris for the reason that the first newspaper in Mount Morris or Ogle County, the Rock River Register, was established here Jan. 1, 1842, by Jonathan and Emanuel Knodle, who brought the printing outfit from Boonsboro, Md. This house was built in 1841 by Samuel McFar- land and was last occupied by Mrs. Susan Heminger. It was torn down in March, 1900, to make way for Elder D. L. Miller's new residence. About the year 1860, Mrs. Caro- line Crofts started a private school in the front room of this old house, and continued until after the Civil War. After the close of the Crofts school, the old house sunk into obscurity. It was used as a residence and saw many changes of ownership. of all being that the bed of the press was broken when the attempt was made to put it in place. This press was known as a "Ramage" and was nearly the exact style of that used by Benj. Franklin, which now stands in the Na- tional Gallery at Washington. In a diary kept by Peter Knodle, son of the publisher, he gave the following details concerning the setting up of this pioneer printing plant: "Arrived — From St. Louis, Emanuel Knodle, Nov. 18. He brought our press as far as Peru. He purchased type and other materials. "Received — Our press on November 29. "Distributing — Commenced distributing type Dec. 16, and also made a table for the forms, a galley, and other sundry ar- ticles for the office. "Trip to Chicago— On Friday, Dec. 17, father and Jacob Knodle started to Chi- cago to procure a stove for the printing office, printing paper and many other ar- ticles. "Removed — Our press on Wednesday, Dec. 18, to Mr. McFarland's in a room that he rented to us. "Composition Roller — I made a compo- sition roller on Saturday evening, Dec. 18. I got through with it about nine o'clock. I had a little difficulty in moulding it the first trial, it being too stiff, and we had to boil it a little more until it got a little thinner. "Accident— On Monday, Dec. 20, I was leveling the composing stone in the press, and by pressing on it, it cracked clean across the width of the stone. "Setting Type — Commenced setting type on Monday, Dec. 23. "Arrived — Father arrived from Chicago, Dec. 26 with printing paper and stove for the office." All obstacles in the way of this pio- neer newspaper enterprise were at last overcome, however, and on the first of January, 1842, the first number of the Rock River Register was issued from the old house and distributed to its patrons, thus going on record as the first news- paper published in Ogle County. It was a small five -column sheet, printed one VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS 209 a a EH 3D a a a k h- 1 a a o a a w hlJJl.tll*'"-'* • e s o u -5 ■21JSB c - i e jj 2 Hi to-s Q- oS k P •- S >. 1 £ s .= 9. i- = .- s -s a flat ■§?."£ -a «•= c & 2 5S«2 •o.s S S .8-8 * 8.8 *•* •.« a 8.2 s-s- c-o,^ -« x «r«22.aMg.eg-g-- igs g_a f SiS-^-s "I"? a § £ J if! J "2 6 "° «2 <-^ = 3 S O ca — ^i « 4) o - « n -C c 5! — O J3 q. ■Bit-lJ 8 F-a an S S 1*° 8 i'5a.a i'=n 8 2* s o ~ H _ _ 4) U en " W)u vT i o 5 83- •»Hl£?:l3MiJli:*: c, o 0°2 j"jo 3 S »-3 3 rt fccS ^S2>2.£:^ Nil?Ii 5 b-2 £ - 3 g M © 2 -"° £ aj 'S).^ ** 5 ■§ . 2 » i» ■= go 5 5 | ■§ „- tflc C ^ -^ r. £ — v to tT.2 - rj »_5 ^ 3 a. 2 a ° £ a * - - ~.S ...2 §C l^^-S--^ "^' ?0 " l« S 2-^-" c--i 1 -i)^_3o' 0[ :i.j-j-. ; .»-o_.2 0()'i ..:»■£ 8 8 e 1 III i PC « & tog . . a g - g EC s fi 5* 0) O ^8 ^8S .a -d Oh G Z, - T3 % . a 'c~ 3 ■o! 1 o _-.=) jw "hi H U s. o 1 § _ "£ *H S - C (1) * 1 1 3J3 o « ijj ^2 «n 3 1 \: JO ft ||] £^ ■1-3 • ft Tj2 C> ^•f- E« ll' p H.|°| <-Q ? ri | J o rt 1,5 1 Cflj^ tf§ •3 « 2 O o S "'* %% CO it- E-.^ fcs "S-o S £^ Ml O 3 = "i-= Cd W s «■; S ft < W» &9 O r~< X w « -1 (J o Q o > p" H ! ft* i o H 5>= C « T t~ > o E Er- s I 212 mount morris: past and present was professedly neutral in politics, but the editor was very independent in the expression of his opinions, and some- times the paper inclined somewhat strongly to the party with which he affiliated. The printing of the first num- ber of the Gazette was a notable event in the history of both town and county, and occasioned as much excitement as did the completion of the railroad twenty years later. The Gazette, how- ever, was not a success financially and the publishers, after a year's experience, discovered that its publication was a losing business, and in the spring of 1851 disposed of the material to R. C. Burchell, of Oregon, who removed it to that place and established the Ogle County Gazette, afterward the Reporter, which still exists. The sale of the mate- rial, however, does not appear to have stopped the Mount Morris Gazette. No. 3 of the second volume, dated May 29, 1851, bears the name of Brayton, Baker & Co., publishers, and Prof. Pinckney, editor. It says that there were no press, type or printers in Mount Morris at that time, and although the paper was pub- lished there, it was printed elsewhere, probably by Mr. Burchell at Oregon. But this manner of publishing a news- paper did not suit the enterprising citi- zens of Mount Morris who organized a joint stock company, purchased a new outfit, and No. 3, dated June 26, was beautifully printed in new type, and was one of the handsomest papers ever printed in the county. It was under the editorial charge of Professors D. J. Pinckney and S. M. Fellows, and it is needless to add was conducted with signal ability. The Mount Morris Gazette of July 3, 1851, Vol. 2, No. 5, published by Brayton, Baker & Co., contained the following editorial: "Some of our readers may conclude that as we are situated a little off from the great thoroughfares, our facilities for supplying them with such a paper as they need would be inferior to those possessed by many other places. It is true, our mail arrangements do not equal those of many points, but we are sufficiently well supplied for all the purposes of the paper we publish. We have a daily mail from Chicago, and a tri- weekly from the northwest and from the south, and can place before our readers the state of the market or any other news interesting to them, as early as our neighbors. And, in other respects our facilities are vastly superior to al- most any paper in this section of the country. We are situated so that we can at any time procure essays upon a vari- ety of subjects, from competent persons, and we can always present as large an amount of choice, original articles as we choose. When we recollect that it is the original matter which gives a local pa- per its chief value, this consideration will be acknowledged of no little impor- tance. Our office is fitted up with a new press, new types, new everything, and we have a printer who knows how to use them to the best advantage. And on our part we purpose to use every exertion to make the Mount Morris Gazette just such a paper as every par- ent will wish to introduce into his family." The paper was not self-sustaining, however, and after a year's experience, the company rented the offices to Messrs. Chas. C. Allen and Smith D. Atkins, then attending school at Rock River Seminary. These gentlemen, by devot- ing a part of their time to the office and the remainder to their studies, were enabled to prolong its existence until the spring of 1853, when the plant was sold to them and removed to Savanna, 111. Many years later when Mr. Allen died in his home in California, Mr. Smith who had become a well-known pub- lisher in Freeport, wrote of his former partner in the Freeport Journal as fol- lows: "Chas. Allen is dead. He died in Los Angeles, Calif., at 79 years of age. He learned his trade, a printer, here in Freeport, in the Prairie Democrat office, about 1849. He went from here to Mount Morris, 111., and for several years pub- lished the Mount Morris Gazette, on contract for the owners. We worked in that printing office for Mr. Allen, two hours in the forenoon and two hours in the afternoon, for our board, and there attended Mount Morris Seminary. At- tending that school then were Shelby M. Cullom, John L. Beverage, Chas. B. Farwell, Robert R. Hitt, John A. Raw- lins, and many others who became dis- VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS 213 g s& » 8$ ^ 11 i; a a n it U HIS 73 Oj ^ Si, £>CC ^B — i- J2 CO co 0) 0) CO £2 < o u w pq £ £>^ Oh- 1 g rvi . e SI'S B G£ hS ^ m, i ? t?2 Ms ,-"€ ^e-J *i W) g '2 c 'Sod O <1> «M > ^3 ! "• sift fill! s* s*. . II ■": O l| |*' •> 2 ! illi i -1 • •* 3' *!§-. Z I J | * ~i * J^l! X Ila* o >•* **| S^S*! - f]|| ars ? a II ^ Et, r, III! O S5 *1 J 2 . -' S 3 ' « 3 1 a a k a 9 « ! J 1 H 8 s MJ*i !ll=l s 2t *s f 3 **? fl^ liii 8 %j e ■a - 2 >< M ffi> I }. £ — « \' "m u ■< a g 3 s — Oh 5 * W 5 58 lij K? 1 si' > III !p CJ3 D£ (ft 00 c of c t >■ •£ < <= £ > • T—t < to cZ a as> C^ to LU CO ^ 3 cs c^ H h- H- t/f V O I z x: >* J 5 72 -J £ £ "\ to 11 s ftf 5 O c or - ■J o a O j= w (.' £ *1 > H t/> 60 ( Z S2 t D O •^ o ri • £ » UJ 5 * § •J 1 s H h 1 «< s CO ' - ' w 2 5 3 3 g "o e ■a 2 - - 1,1 UJ a £ or 3 3 ' * D e a. -J 2 H § *• c 5 K-5 .£ o Si « W CO .OS CO o > CO sf ffi"S H 3 si a* H I ^ £ CO ft.y II ~3 oo djO oo.S i-H +J f.g ■M ft l» "73 -f^ ii •g.i-S SSfg .a w c Mi H-a? P«5 218 mount morris: past and present chapter on "The Printing Industry." The plant was purchased for $800, of which $500 was borrowed from a local citizen and a note for $300 given for the balance. The Index office was located over the Sharer grocery, now the sales room of the Illinois Northern Utilities Company. The equipment was antiquated, but in September, 1899, it was moved to the building on the northeastern corner of the college campus just vacated by the Brethren Publishing House, which had moved to Elgin. New equipment was added and the little plant started to grow. Kable Brothers continued to pub- lish the Index until 1930, a period of 32 years, when it was sold to Worthington Thomas, who has been the publisher since that time. During the long period that Kable Brothers published the In- dex, there were besides the Kables a number of editors, the most talented of which was Robert Toole, who was a very versatile and humorous writer. Other writers for various periods of time were Walter Basye, W. I. Prugh, A. S. Barre, A. H. Rittenhouse and Worthington Thomas. MOUNT MORRIS NEWS May 20, 1896, Mount Morris acquired a second newspaper — the Mount Morris News, edited and published by Charles H. Canode, with M. Eliza Canode as associate editor. The News was contin- ued under this management for four and one-half years. In October, 1900, Mr. Canode sold out to A. H. Ritten- house, who after a few months consoli- dated with the Index, in February, 1901. The plant was situated upstairs over the grocery store of the Newcomer Com- pany, now the Cratty clothing store. THE CONSTITUTION-DEMO- CRAT In October, 1902, Kable Brothers & Rittenhouse, publishers of the Mount Morris Index, acquired the Constitu- tion-Democrat, a Democratic paper pre- viously published at Oregon. It was brought to Mount Morris and Robert R. McClure installed as editor. The first issue printed in Mount Morris was dated Oct. 2, 1902, Vol. 37, No. 14. The only difference between the Constitu- tion-Democrat and the Index was that the first page of the former was devoted to Democratic editorials. The first issue contained the following information in regard to the origin of the Constitution- Democrat: "Mount Morris people re-' member that the Democrat was origi- nally started in Mount Morris by Mr. John Sharer, under the caption of the Ogle County Democrat, of which Mr. Sharer was editor and Dr. B. G. Stevens, associate editor. It was formed from the ruin of the Mount Morris Independ- WORTHINGTON H. THOMAS, editor and publisher of the Mount Morris Index, is the son of Noble F. and Susan (Young) Thomas and was born on the Thomas farm near Mount Morris, Aug. 16, 1898. He was born during the same month that H. J. and H. G. Kable purchased the Mount Morris Index, which he became editor of 25 years later. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1917, attended the University of Illinois in 1918 and Mount Morris College in 1919 and 1920. He became assistant editor of the Index for Kable Brothers Company in 1922 and in 1930 purchased the property, since which time he has been the editor and publisher. While at the University of Illinois, he received three months train- ing in Co. B, S.A.T.C. He is a member of the American Legion, Moose, Business Men's League and Kiwanis. In 1928, he married Miss Lorraine Brown, former teacher of piano in Mount Morris College, and they have two children, Alan Keith and Nancy Adeline. VILLAGE NEWSPAPERS 219 THIS PICTURE shows the equipment and working force of the Index plant in 1898. Allie Kable sits at the case at the left, Harry Kable at the job press and Harvey Kable at the old cylinder press. THIS old press was brought to Mount Morris at the time of the establishment of the Mount Morris Independent in 1876. It was known as a "Guernsey," and was manu- factured by L. T. Guernsey of Rutland, Vt., and it was probably built about the year 1852. It was operated by a crank which can be seen on the right side of the press. Note the large flywheel on the left side of the press. This press was used by John Sharer for nine years for printing the Ogle County Democrat, and then for eight years by Chas. T. Coggins to print the Mount Morris Index. Kable Brothers used the press for a year while located over the Sharer grocery. It was sold to a publisher at Chadwick. In the above picture, Harry Kable stands on the chair at the right of the press and Harvey Kable at the rear. 220 mount morris: past and present ent. Mr. Sharer launched it forth in May, 1877, and continued to publish it in Mount Morris for twelve years, when it was moved to Oregon and changed to the Independent- Democrat. Mr. Sharer dropped out after a year and his part- ner, Mr. Wagner, continued running it. Later it was published in conjunction with the Ogle County Republican. In the fall of 1900, it was consolidated with the Ogle County Constitution, by Cal- vert and Locke, two young men from Rockford. Mr. Locke became discour- aged after the defeat of the Democratic Party in the subsequent presidential election, and Mr. Calvert continued the paper to the present." On Jan. 1, 1903, the name was changed back to the Ogle County Democrat, and after about a year was consolidated with the Mount Morris Index. MOUNT MORRIS MONITOR The latest newspaper enterprise was started in a small way by G. C. Boswell in September, 1934, in connection with a small printing establishment. The Monitor was taken over in June, 1935, by F. G. Meeker who conducted it until July, 1936, when he sold out to John W. Tilton of Rochelle, who continued to publish the paper but changed the name to the Mount Morris Leader. It was printed in Rochelle and after being edited by several different employes was finally consolidated with the Mount Morris Index, which is now the only newspaper in Mount Morris. ii "- Chapter 9 THE PRINTING INDUSTRY (This chapter written by Milo D. Zimmerman) MOUNT MORRIS has become known all over the United States as a printing community. The establishment of the little plant in 1842 for the printing of the Rock River Register was the beginning of the in- dustry and during the next forty years there were a number of small plants established to print the various news- papers as described in the preceding chapter. BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE IN the year 1880, M. M. Eshelman moved a private printing outfit to Mount Morris from Lanark, where he had been publishing a Dunkard paper known as the Brethren at Work. He continued the same here with a circu- lation of about four thousand, occupy- ing, at that time, quarters in the Seibert block. In 1881, Mr. Eshelman failed and the business was purchased by Elders D. L. Miller and Joseph Amick. In 1884 these gentlemen consolidated with their plant that of the Primitive Christian, of Huntingdon, Pa., and changed the name to the Gospel Messenger. From that time until 1896 the company began the pub- lication of a large number of church papers, books and tracts, and built up a very profitable business. In 1898 the entire publishing business was turned over to the Brethren Church. In Sep- tember, 1899, the printing plant and publishing business was moved from Mount Morris to a new brick building at Elgin, 111., taking along about fifty people, including the families of Joseph Amick, Eld. J. H. Moore, Grant Mahan, L. A. Plate, S. M. Eshelman, Chas. Eshelman, James Moore, Galen B. Royer and Daniel Beard. This move was made in order to secure better mailing and shipping facilities. At about this time, however, began the development of another printing in- dustry in Mount Morris, which has proven conclusively that this move on JOSEPH AMICK died at Elgin, 111., Jan. 4, 1915, aged 80 years. For many years Mr. Amick was business manager of the Brethren Publishing House in Mount Morris. He was born in Mifflin County, Pa., Oct. 28, 1834, and after a number of years spent in teaching and farming, he came to Mount Morris in 1881 and bought a half interest in the "Brethren at Work." He was associated with Elder D. L. Miller in developing the publishing business, which was eventually turned over to the Brethren Church. When the business was moved to Elgin in 1899, Mr. Amick went along and continued as business manager until ill health forced him to retire. He was married twice, first to Susan Mertz, to whom seven children were born, five of whom died in early life. The mother died in 1870. In 1871, he married Hannah Reiff, and to this union were born three daugh- ters: Almira, Irenea and Cora. 221 222 mount morris: past and present the part of the Brethren was not nec- essary and perhaps they might have been better off had they remained in Mount Morris. THE KABLE PLANT THE beginning, development and present position of Kable Brothers Company is typical of the rise of Amer- ican business. In the minds of the twin eighteen-year-old brothers, who took over the abandoned country print shop of Chas. T. Coggins in the summer of 1898, there could hardly have been the faintest premonition of what that step was to result in forty years later. Be- fore the turn of the century Mount Morris was a typical mid -western coun- try town. Today it is a city in minia- ture. While almost every town in Ogle County records a static, if not a falling, population in this period, Mount Morris has more than doubled the number of its inhabitants. This growth and the present prosperous condition of our cit- i #m *** THE KABLE TWINS as they appeared several years after the family moved to Mount Morris from Lanark in 1882. izens has come entirely from the devel- opment of the printing plant. Mount Morris College contributed for awhile, but there has been a steady population increase even since its doors closed in 1932. In the fall of 1896, Harry Kable, six- teen and just out of school, got a job with Charles H. Canode, publisher of the Mount Morris News, as printer's devil. The Sept. 16, 1896, issue of that paper records the event with these few words: "Harry Kable is 'holding a case' in the News office." The Brethren Pub- lishing House, now located at Elgin, was also operating in Mount Morris, and Harry went to work for them the fol- lowing year. (At this point it is inter- esting to note that the Brethren con- cern, feeling that Mount Morris was not large enough to support their grow- ing official printery, decided to move to Elgin. Today it is doing only one- seventh as much business as Kable Brothers Company, and employs only about a hundred people.) When the aforementioned Coggins disappeared from the scene, Harry persuaded his brother Harvey, who had just completed two years in Mount Morris College, to join with him in taking over the shop. A deal was made with the wife of the missing publisher and the boys started off on their career. Coggins published the Mount Morris Index, the other local weekly, and did the usual class of printing that was to be found in such a shop in those days. The young brothers decided to operate as a partnership. An older sister, Allie, went to work for them, and soon learned to set type. An- other early associate was A. H. Ritten- house, who became a partner several years later, when the Mount Morris News, which he had purchased from Chas. H. Canode, was consolidated with the Index. The Coggins print shop was located on the second floor of what is now the local office of the Illinois Northern Util- ities Company. In 1899, when the Brethren Publishing House moved away and left their building on the north- east corner of the campus standing vacant, the twin brothers decided it was time, in view of their expanding business, to seek more commodious THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 223 ■^m^smSi^^^^iZ * 4| THIS frame building was the home of the Index from 1900 to 1906 and was located just west of the present Wishard Building. This is a part of the Brethren Publishing House building which was moved to this location from the corner of the college campus. quarters. They bought the abandoned Brethren building and later moved part of it across the street to the site now occupied by the Granada Theatre. The remainder of the Brethren building was torn down. The most ambitious venture under- taken at that time was the publication of the first volume of "Mount Morris: Past and Present." Most of this was written by the more scholarly inclined of the twins, Harvey, who shouldered the laborious task of interviewing old- timers and leading citizens for material. The type was set by hand, and the book printed two pages at a time. There are no records to show whether the venture was a financial success, but it kept them busy for many months. The work was completed in 1900. The September 28, 1904, issue of the Index contains an account of the first serious step to build up a printing in- dustry in Mount Morris, as follows: "On the evening of August 12, a meet- ing of representative men of Mount Morris was held in the Citizens Bank, at which the publishers of this paper attempted to show to those assembled that the most rapidly growing enter- prise in the town and the one capable of the greatest amount of future expan- sion is the printing business of which the home paper, the Index, is the nucleus. Figures of the past six years' business were given, showing an in- crease of more than 50 per cent for each year. Printing contracts providing ad- ditional business for the coming year 100 per cent greater than the last year were shown and served to convince those present that the enterprise is a good thing to take hold of. It was de- cided to incorporate the business with $15,000 capital stock. Kable Bros. & Rittenhouse agreed to turn over the building, lot and entire business to the stock company for eight-fifteenths of the stock, which was agreed upon. It was further planned to sell the remain- ing stock to cover some outstanding in- debtedness on new machinery and pro- vide some working capital. All of those present at the meeting subscribed for stock and a meeting of stockholders was called to be held at the Index of- fice Aug. 21, for the purpose of elect- ing directors. The following were se- lected: H. E. Newcomer, J. L. Rice, J. H. Rice, A. W. Brayton, A. H. Ritten- 224 mount morris: past and present house, H. J. Kable and H. G. Kable. The charter from the Secretary of State was received early in September. The meeting of the directors for the purpose of organizing was held in the Citizens Bank last Friday evening. The follow- ing officers were elected: Joseph L. Rice, president; H. E. Newcomer, vice- president; Harvey J. Kable, secretary and treasurer. A complete set of by- laws was adopted at the same time and the future of the business was dis- cussed. All were well pleased with the prospects for the success of the com- pany. The business will be turned over to the new company October 1. The corporate name is Kable Bros. & Rit- tenhouse Co." Up until this time A. H. Rittenhouse had been only a part-time employee. He was an older and more experienced printer, and he now assumed the major part of the mechanical supervision of the plant until he severed his active connection with the Company in 1906. In that year he followed the Brethren concern to Elgin, and was employed there until 1917. He then returned to Mount Morris to assume various execu- tive positions with the Company, in- cluding plant superintendent, until 1932, when he resigned on account of ill health. He died February 4, 1935. In the summer of 1904, a bid was sub- mitted for printing The Mystic Worker, official monthly publication of the Mys- tic Workers of the World, Fulton, 111. When the contract was awarded to the young printers, they realized for the first time that they had bitten off almost more than they could chew. Meeting the situation with typical resourceful- ness, they borrowed money to buy a bigger gasoline engine and a new press, and when the issues came around each month, worked without regard for the clock or the weather until the 40,000 eight-page papers were in the mails. This printing contract proved to be the acorn from which the mighty oak has grown, because it opened up a field of printing that no one, up until then, had exploited. The following year a contract was made with The Columbian Knights, Chicago, for printing their official paper, and each year thereafter saw the ac- quisition of more business of this char- acter. Special services of various kinds were developed to attract fraternal so- ciety editors, and within a period of ten years Kable Brothers Company was known the length and breadth of the land as specialists in the printing of fraternal society publications. Other printing was done, including catalogs, occasionally a book, circulars, leaflets, pamphlets and booklets, but the back- bone of the business up until about 1925 ABRAM H. RITTENHOUSE, son of Jo- seph and Anna Haldeman Rittenhouse, was born Feb. 13, 1879, at Myerstown, Pa., and died in Mount Morris, Feb. 4, 1935, aged 56 years. At an early age, his family moved to Norristown, Pa., where he was educated. He learned the printing trade at Norristown and Philadelphia. In 1898, he came to Mount Morris to enter the employ of the Brethren Publishing House, where he stayed until the Breth- ren plant was moved to Elgin. He then became associated with Kable Brothers and during that period did most of the mechanical work on the first edition of "Mount Morris: Past and Present." Later he followed the Brethren Publishing House to Elgin, where he remained for a number of years, finally returning to Mount Morris in 1917, and took a position with Kable Brothers Company, eventually becoming superintendent of the plant. Ill health forced him to retire in 1931. Dur- ing a considerable period, he was editor of the Mount Morris Index. He served a term as president of the Village Board of Trustees and also on the school board. In 1900, he was married to Etta M. Shirk, and two sons were born to them: Nelson H. and Leland S. THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 225 "5 5 ^ « W o> o . HffiO.S 226 mount morris: past and present THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 227 ONE OF the reasons for locating the Kable plant at the depot was the rapidly increas- ing volume of mail which had to be hauled to the train as shown above. Now the mail is trucked direct into mail cars which are switched into the building. Lew Lizer is the driver of the dray shown above. was fraternal society publication print- ing. Only twice during that time was an excursion made into other fields. In 1909, the Company acquired the Mount Morris Electric Light Company, and sold current to the villagers. This ar- rangement was discontinued in 1912. In 1913, equipment was installed for printing and waxing bread wrappers, but this work proved unprofitable and was discontinued in 1916, the machinery being sold to a concern in Wisconsin specializing in bread-wrapper printing. From 1904 to 1906, business continued to come in so rapidly that it was nec- essary to plan for even larger space. In the latter year there was erected the structure that is now used as a central heating plant for all of the buildings on the campus, but these quarters were THIS picture shows the Kable plant in course of construction in the summer of 1909. It was built by N. E. Buser. 228 mount morris: past and present s& o £ A O -M y S-t sii o +-> aO" £0 . 0> rH Hi ■p THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 229 %; a, be co E • co • °iB 5 o ■a. a ^ fl . QJ HMMTfintflt-OOCnOHNI SWA » . p . . ,, — i CO ,£ QOOWOKU O 0) mis ;>£sSfl • CO O COpfl fl o 03 'fl 03 SI CO*-* fl^H O H .26 fcw ■'■ -,« *•*#£' H CO >> fl W J-l 2-fl U fl J-, g^O*fl££flJS|cott :s u - 5"3 fl ^lJ „, Ph iS ^ ^ i- 1 w T3 -^ O 03 cO,iS O u 2 O CO : o^.iS.2 W M^LrJtoc^odoJOTH*c\icv5Tt m lo m 0) £^ CO 0)-^ ^„ ^h . CO CO OJ UWPQCQ Sot) 0) S3 fc-fl l^(§:fl-fl S3 SJ 5 tj5 in so i )COfOCO< *=2 <$ _ Si ^hcq fl S> fl'g»>»>6 QJ.fl OT3 fl £ Sic n ^5 i C ;> ,fl r fl c ° l Jflffi r ^ ".,*"■ £3 03 , — i M 03 'fl'flj fl 2 Sua IU eS^.w flSW 5 - |r O ^5.fl ftU fl -flC/2 CO"© HNM'*lrt50t»0005OHNM'>£ . 3 o • >>-* fc^ Jh s-. "£ sh w sh S-O eg «g ja^ ^a> . eo 2 os KE£hPhW (DrH S N o ec C .S wtf +3 >>" e^-^ ^g 2 cr gP^J , 1^ ~ ev»« ^ *^ * if ** jfr'W*'* V73 O efl CCQQ s WW qj ec ec o W Jh w>0 5-3 ►SI'S « £;?^ r£^ CO ooerso ? GO HHHr- li— It-Hi— I CM CM C\] CN1 CM C*5 CM t-HtHt-Hi— IHh HHHHr- 1 tHt-Hi—I >>CJ T3 > CO CO Sh 0) I' _fl !> CO Sh 2 3 w 3 S-1J5 M S S O « 3 ?P^. w >pq tf o -h.2.2^ • fB-aJ <" eg a> a . . ecij a» ec )COCOQOCOOi&)OiOiO^O^i 232 mount morris: past and present MILO D. ZIMMERMAN, secretary and director of Kable Brothers Company, is the son of Rev. Horace E. and Annie E. (Doub) Zimmerman and was born Oct. 7, 1894, at Tannersville, Pa. He graduated from the Hagerstown (Md.) High School, in June, 1912. Came to Mount Morris the same month and took a clerical position with Kable Brothers Company. Spent one semester at Carthage College, Carthage, 111., in 1914. Entered Mount Morris Col- lege in September, 1914, and graduated June, 1920, meanwhile working part time at the printing plant and spending eight months in training camp during the war. He taught in Mount Morris College Acad- emy during 1920-21 and was principal of the public school at Fairhope, Ala., 1921- 22. Accepted position in sales department of Kable Brothers Company in 1922, elected to board of directors in 1927, and secretary of the company in 1931. He is a member of the Lutheran Church; charter member local post of the American Le- gion; Loyal Order of Moose; Sunset Golf Club; president of the Kiwanis Club, 1936; Grade School board 1924-26; presi- dent of the Community Chest 1937 and 1938; elected to Library Board 1937. He was married in December, 1915, to Hazel Kable and they have three children, Ward, Doris and Bryant. not large enough for long. In 1909, the first section of the present building was erected. With characteristic foresight the structure was designed in such a way that additions could be made at a minimum cost and maximum of con- venience. Subsequent events proved the wisdom of this plan, because ten years later fifty per cent more space was added, and on an average of about every five years thereafter the building was enlarged, the latest addition having been erected in the fall of 1936. The floor space area in this fortieth anni- versary year is 147,537 square feet — about two and three-quarter acres. Contrary to the experience of most printers, the business operated profit- HARVEY LONG has been connected with Kable Brothers Company since 1923, first as accountant and later as director and assistant treasurer. He was the son of John and Nancy (Bigler) Long and was born at Bradford, Ohio, July 31, 1882. He was of a family of eight children. He at- tended the country school near his home in Ohio and then came to Mount Morris College where he received his A.B. degree in 1904. He was active in athletics and he and Lloyd Holsinger organized and played on the first basketball team. After finish- ing college, he taught two years at Brook - ville. He married Anna Trostle in 1908 and they settled on a farm in Wisconsin for four years, then returned to Mount Morris where he taught in the high school for six years. He then taught two years in the Shattuck (Minn.) Military School and was principal of the Franklin Grove High School for three years. He then returned to Mount Morris again and has since been connected with Kable Brothers Company. He has been justice of the peace, president of the high school board, treasurer of Mount Morris Building and Loan Assn., and held various other responsible posi- tions. Mr. and Mrs. Long have two daughters: Margaret, who married H. C. Mitchell, and Roberta, who married Earl Gabrielson. THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 233 HAROLD D. ROSS, superintendent and director of Kable Brothers Company, is the son of a United Brethren minister, Rev. H. O. Ross, and was born at Adeline, 111., July 4, 1896. His mother's maiden name was Mary Elizabeth Demuth. Harold is the second son of a family of seven children, the others being Frederick, Vir- ginia, Julia, Douglas, Rachel and Charles. He attended schools where his father was pastor, including Castalia, Gladbrook and Moravia, Iowa, and Wall, S. Dak. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1916 and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1917 and 1918. He started work for Kable Brothers Company in 1913 on part time while attending school and started regular work in 1918, served an appren- ticeship in the composing room, and worked his way up until he was appointed superintendent of the plant in 1931. He has been a member of the grade school board since 1927 and is a member of the library board. He is past master of the local Masonic lodge and past worthy patron of the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the American Legion, the Loyal Order of Moose, the Methodist Church, and a director of the Mount Mor- ris Building & Loan Assn. Mr. Ross was married in 1921 to Dorothy Sharp Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben G. Davis. They have three sons: Harold D. Jr., Wil- liam D., and Andrew S. ably right from the start. Except for the year 1911, there is an unbroken dividend record from the time of in- corporation to 1931, beginning at eight percent, dropping to two percent in 1910, and then raising to ten percent in 1920. This rate, including one stock dividend and several extras in cash, was maintained for eleven years. Fol- lowing the trend of industry in general, profits dropped off sharply during the depression years following 1931, and dividend payments have been on a re- duced basis since then. The business grew too rapidly to be financed entirely out of undistributed profits. Whenever an expansion pro- gram was launched, the capitalization of the corporation was increased, and the stock readily taken up either by old or new stockholders. Because the Com- pany was making money and paying good dividends, securing additional cap- ital was not a difficult problem. The $800.00 which was borrowed in 1898 to buy out the Coggins plant was all the MAURICE SAMSEL, production mana- ger with Kable Brothers Company, is the son of Daniel R. and Helen M. (Stouffer) Samsel and was born in Mount Morris, Jan. 10, 1904. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1921 and in 1923 started an apprenticeship in the com- posing room of Kable Brothers Company. After completing his apprenticeship he served as assistant foreman and foreman of the editorial department, assistant to the superintendent for one year and is now serving as production manager. He served two years in the National Guard as a member of the 129th Infantry Band. He is a member of the Church of the Brethren. Mr. Samsel was married in 1925 to Ethel Shaw and they have two boys: James Eugene and Gary Lee. 234 mount morris: past and present HARVEY J. KABLE HARVEY J. AND HARRY G. KABLE, twin sons of John and Elizabeth (Speicher) Kable, were born July 15, 1880, at Lanark, 111. The father and mother were both of German descent, the former being a native of Pennsylvania and the mother came from Ohio. The family moved to Mount Morris from Lanark in 1882 and Mr. Kable engaged in the carpet weaving business. The twins started in the public school under Miss Lillie Farwell (Mrs. Harry Cushing) as teacher. They graduated in 1896 under Prin- cipal E. E. Winders. Harvey spent the next two years attending Mount Morris College (graduating from the academy in 1898) while Harry was learning the printing trade in the Mount Morris News and Brethren Publishing House plants. With this preparation of two years, the brothers bought the Mount Morris Index and embarked in the print- ing business. For many years they had a unique plan of exchanging jobs on the first day of each year. This continued until the death of Harvey in 1931. Outside of busi- ness, their hobby was music. They organized, maintained and played in the local band THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 235 HARRY G. KABLE for over thirty -five years and also sang in the Lutheran Church choir for about the ^Harvey Kable was married in 1903 to Miss Pearl Hershey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hershey, and thev have three children: Forrest, Justin and Virginia. He was taken ill in 1928 and passed away April 13, 1931, aged nearly 51 years. Harry Kable was married in 1906 to Miss Edith Walkup, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Walkup, and they have one son, Robert R. Mr. Kable is now president and treasurer of Kable Brothers Company, director and chairman of the board of Kable News Company, organizer and president of the Mount Morris Building and Loan Asso- ciation. He is a member of the Masons, Consistory, Shrine, Moose, Kiwanis Club and the Lutheran Church. „,.,.„ , -, The three sons of the brothers have completed their college education and are now actively connected with the Kable plant in responsible positions. 236 mount morris: past and present FORREST T. KABLE, eldest son of Har- vey J. Kable, is connected with the sales department of Kable Brothers Company, and spends much of his time on the road. He was born in Mount Morris, May 13, 1907, and graduated from the local high school in 1925. He later attended the University of Illinois and the University of Michigan. He is married to Bernice Bruner and they have two daughters, Diane Lee and Joan. He was a member for six years of the 129th Infantry Band, Illinois National Guard. was sold and this was retired by 1915. In its forty years of life, the Company has had four different presidents, one man, Joseph L. Rice, serving at two different times. The Board of Directors, except from 1927 to 1935, has always been composed of seven men. During that eight-year period there were nine. The lists of presidents and directors fol- low: Presidents Joseph L. Rice 1904-1907 Arthur W. Bray ton 1907-1922 Joseph L. Rice 1922-1924 Harvey J. Kable 1924-1931 Harry G. Kable 1931- Directors Elected Retired Harry G. Kable 1904 Harvey J. Kable 1904 1931* Abram H. Rittenhouse 1904 1906 Joseph L. Rice 1904 1931* Arthur W. Bray ton 1904 1922* John H. Rice 1904 1907 Henry E. Newcomer 1904 1905 Samuel P. Mumma 1905 1912* Ulysses C. Nye 1906 1908 Nathaniel E. Buser 1907 1923 John E. Tice 1908 1917* Holly C. Clark 1912 1923 new money invested in the business until incorporation in 1904. The capital structure beginning at that point grew as follows: 1904 $ 15,000 1906 35,000 1908 100,000 1917 150,000 1919 250,000 1920 500,000 1923 750,000 1926 1,000,000 1931 1,250,000 Of the present total capitalization, $250,000 is in preferred stock, all the rest being common. There are more than 400 stockholders, and although much stock is still held locally, there is a great deal that has found its way, through transfers and inheritances, to distant points. No one person or group owns a majority of the stock. A ten- year bond issue for $35,000 was author- ized in 1911, but only two-thirds of it JUSTIN M. KABLE, second son of Harvey J. Kable, is in charge of Kable Brothers Company's Chicago sales and service office at 160 N. LaSalle St. He was born in Mount Morris, Dec. 17, 1910. He attended the local schools and spent two years at the Staunton Military Academy at Staun- ton, Va. He graduated from Carthage College in 1933. He married Velma Galor and they have two children, Philip Harvey and Valerie Ann. He was a member for three years of the 129th Infantry Band, Illinois National Guard. THE PRINTING INDUSTRY 237 Solomon E. Avey 1917 1935 Fred J. Dean 1922 1935 James W. Watt 1923 William J. Emerson 1923 1935 Milo D. Zimmerman 1927 Samuel J. Campbell 1927 Harvey Long 1931 Charles E. Stuart 1931 1935 Harold D. Ross 1935 Glenn O. Sensiba 1935 *By death. From the time of its incorporation the Company has had only three secretaries —Harvey Kable, 1904 to 1910; Harry Kable, from that year until 1931; and Milo Zimmerman since then. The treas- urer was either one of the two brothers for the entire period, with the excep- tion of three years, 1930-1933, when that office was held by Samuel J. Camp- bell. For a number of years, Hazel Kable (now Mrs. Milo Zimmerman) served efficiently as assistant treasurer. Harvey Long has held the office of as- HERLOCK E. LONGMAN has been building superintendent and foreman of stock department in the Kable plant since July 1916. Previous to that he was em- ployed by the Buser Company for 21 years as carpenter. He is the son of John Long- man and was born in Washington County, Md., Oct. 28, 1875. He married Elsie Looka- baugh and they own a fine home at 110 E. Center St. For many years he was a valued member of the local band and served three years with the band at Camp Grant with the 129th Infantry. HARRY F. LONGMAN is one of the very first employes of Kable Brothers Com- pany, having started work in November, 1906. For a number of years he has been foreman of the bindery. He was born at Keedysville, Md., Dec. 29, 1872, and is the son of John Longman. He married Lulu E. Kable and they have three children, Faith (Mrs. Ray Siebert), Joyce (wife of Rev. Richard Roth), and Harold. sistant treasurer since 1927. Officers at the present time are: President and Treasurer, Harry G. Kable; Vice-presi- dent, Samuel J. Campbell; Secretary, Milo D. Zimmerman; Assistant Treas- urer, Harvey Long. On April 13, 1931, after three years of failing health, Harvey J. Kable died. Until this time the brothers had been inseparable, not alone in the business enterprise which they had brought to such a magnificent success, but outside of business. Before 1902, all type was set by hand, and the lone press was operated by man power. In that year the first linotype was purchased. This necessitated the installation of power equipment, and a small gasoline engine served the pur- pose in 1904. In that epochal year, when it was found necessary to have more power to run the new press to print The Mystic Worker, a bigger en- gine was bought and hooked up to a line shaft. This furnished power both for press and linotype. From that time on new equipment was added as the plant was successively enlarged to han- dle the steadily increasing volume of 238 mount morris: past and present £ 2 s • rj Jh CC N 3 ^ CO „ <3 w q "^ OT3 CD . U a> it. S o o M bo . .s * ft c s-° 53 c ft g a* g , g 3 g S g o -P o . +» 3^ >=;£ p> £ n % 6 5 fi • g£ gS« §S? 2o to o P. « p. 5 o N O a> *"&« SO c 3 ^^ o ^ p^ w S 2 S * S*s .•£« to +?£ -P 0.£ ft p rt C CO .-,n O ."P W _- 0) • 43 — ; CQ . •* J S .PhJj /-S /— » <"K — > — - ,-v y-v ,-v >-s < r-tc CO ^0 CD > ^ "5 o ||§ £*& h 2 G Eh 3^ W^ o O 244 mount morris: past and present 1920 611,825 1921 793,267 1922 849,519 1923 1,122,067 1924 1,448,512 1925 1,639,528 1926 1,994,690 1927 2,328,145 1928 2,514,197 1929 2,820,255 1930 3,274,818 1931 2,915,308 1932 2,491,413 1933 2,398,811 1934 2,435,674 1935 2,733,209 1936 2,949,612 1937 3,389,793 1938 (estimated) 3,500,000 The company has a sales and service office in Chicago at 160 N. LaSalle St., in charge of Justin Kable. A. L. Jones is also connected with the Chicago office as salesman. The company also has an office at 420 Lexington Ave., New York City, in charge of Wm. M. Cotton. Both sales offices are connected by teletype and the Mount Morris office has a direct private wire to Chicago. MOUNT MORRIS PRESS K. M. Reynolds operates a printing establishment in Mount Morris, known as the Mount Morris Press. He is the son of Charles and Mabel (Graves) Reynolds and was born Nov. 30, 1905, at Lostant, 111. He attended the Lostant public schools and the Western Military Academy at Alton, 111. He started in the printing business at Lostant, worked for awhile in Chicago, and located in Mount Morris in June, 1935. The plant is located in a frame building back of the Wishard Building. He is assisted by Mrs. Reynolds and they specialize in commercial printing. He is a mem- ber of the Masons and Business Men's League. Mr. Reynolds was married in 1924 to Etta Mae Defenbaugh. Chapter 10 COMING OF THE RAILROAD THE history of Mount Morris might properly be divided into two epochs — one reaching from the time of its founding in 1839 until the coming of the railroad in 1871, and the second from 1871 until the present time. During the period embraced in this first epoch, Mount Morris was isolated from the world, and the restlessness of her citizens knew no bounds. Merchandise of all kinds had to be transported by team from Polo and other towns and grain was hauled long distances to mar- ket. Passengers and the mails were transported by the old-time stage coach or on horseback. At last Mount Morris people began to be very impatient for a railroad and the subject became the principal topic of discussion both in the home and on the groceryman's store box. Every rumor of a possible railway project was grasped by the anxious peo- ple and every effort made to encourage any such enterprises. It was as early as 1853 when this "railroad fever" began to take hold of the people throughout this part of the county, caused no doubt by the success of the Illinois Central Railroad, built through the west part of the county in that year. Numerous lines were projected, and the people were called upon to aid in their con- struction by subscriptions to capital stock, donations and loans of credit, both in their individual and corporate capacities. Among those that were pro- jected about this time was the Chicago, St. Charles & Mississippi Air Line Rail- road, which was designed to cross Ogle County from east to west. The board of supervisors of the county met and voted in favor of taking $100,000 in the capital stock of this railroad. This railroad like many others failed to materialize, how- ever. The next railroad project to cause hope to rise in the breasts of the people was that of the Ogle & Carroll County Railroad Company which was incorpor- ated in 1857 by the General Assembly of Illinois. Section two authorized the company to "locate, construct and com- plete, maintain and operate a railroad from the town of Lane (now Rochelle), in the county of Ogle, to the town of Oregon in same county; from thence to the town of Mount Morris; from thence on the most eligible and direct route to or near the town of Mt. Carroll, in the county of Carroll; from thence to the Mississippi River." The company was also empowered to construct said rail- road east from Oregon to the city of Chicago. The capital stock was fixed at one million dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each. The com- pany made but little effort to organize under the original act, and two years later the charter was amended by "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act to incorporate the Ogle & Carroll County Railroad Company,' " approved Feb. 24, 1859. The company then organized and elected directors, among whom was Frederick G. Petrie, of Mount Morris, who was elected president. After this railroad company was ac- tually organized in 1859, still there were apparently no better prospects of a railroad through Oregon and Mount Morris than before. Notwithstanding the fact that Oregon and other towns had repeatedly voted aid, the company had accomplished nothing toward the construction of the road as late as 1867. The nearest railroad point to Oregon, was at Franklin Grove, Lee County, on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, twelve miles away. Finally, however, the right man became interested in the railroad scheme and there began to be evidence of the railroad becoming a 245 246 mount morris: past and present reality. Concerning this, Rett's History of Ogle County says: "In the spring of 1867, shortly after the last vote of the town of Oregon (a vote to donate $50,000 to the company, under certain specified conditions and restrictions) , the contract to build a new wagon bridge across Rock River at Ore- gon was awarded to Messrs. Canda & Hinckley, of Chicago. Mr. Francis E. Hinckley had the supervision of the work. While here Mr. Hinckley became aware of the existence of the charter of the Ogle & Carroll County Railroad Company and the condition of its affairs. He became interested, investigated the matter and determined that the road should be built. He waited upon the officers of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, who expressed a willingness to carry out the terms of the contract with the old G. & C. U. Company, and agreed to furnish the iron and ties as soon as the work of grading was com- pleted, and the preliminaries relating to use of cars, drawbacks, etc., should be arranged. The firm of Canda & Hinck- ley dissolved and Mr. Hinckley assumed sole control 'having,' it is authoritatively stated, 'possessed himself of a contract for the rights and franchises of the Ogle & Carroll County Railroad Company.' " It seems, however, that this old com- pany became disorganized and many of the old members, together with Mr. Hinckley as the moving spirit, applied to the General Assembly for the incor- poration of the company under a new name, the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Company. The Assembly passed the act of incorporation March 3, 1869. This act provided that "all such persons as may become stockholders in the corpora- tion" should be a body politic and corporate, etc. This company was authorized to locate, construct, complete, maintain and operate a railroad from Chicago to a crossing of Rock River at or near the town of Oregon, thence through Ogle and Carroll Counties to the Mississippi River at Savanna; thence up said river to Galena and the north- ern boundary of the state. The capital stock was fixed at one million dollars, in shares of one hundred dollars each, and might be increased by the directors to any sum not exceeding five millions. The act provided that the several towns, villages and cities along or near the route of the railroad, in their corporate capacity, might subscribe to the stock of the company or make donations thereto, or lend their credit to the com- pany to aid in constructing or equipping the road, provided, that no such sub- scription, donation or loan should be made until the same should be voted for by the people of the respective towns, cities or villages. The Chicago & Iowa Railroad Com- pany was organized soon after its in- corporation, by the election of Francis E. Hinckley, James V. Gale, Frederick G. Petrie, Elias S. Potter and David B. Stiles, directors; and the board organ- ized by the election of Francis E. Hinck- ley, president, and James V. Gale, vice- president. Thenceforward the work was prosecuted by this company, entirely superseding the Ogle & Carroll County Railroad Company. In fact, the corpor- ation act authorized the construction of this railroad over substantially the same route as the proposed Ogle & Carroll County Railroad. The promoters of the scheme proceeded immediately to solicit aid of the various towns and cities along the route, as provided by the corpora- tion act. Oregon was the first to respond and voted to donate $50,000 to the enter- prise, by a vote of 152 to 1. During the summer and autumn of 1869, the engineers of the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Company surveyed and located the road from Rochelle to Ore- gon, the work of grading was com- menced and nearly completed. When it had nearly been finished, Henry Keep, of New York, had been elected president of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, and when Mr. Hinckley ap- plied for the iron, which had been promised by that company, he was told that it could not be furnished him. Mr. Hinckley, accompanied by Mr. Petrie, immediately went to New York, but Mr. Keep could be induced to give no rea- son for violating the agreement, further than that it was not to be the policy of his company to foster or encourage any more branches. This failure, or refusal, of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company to furnish the iron and ties for the road delayed its completion, but Mr. COMING OF THE RAILROAD 247 Hinckley and his associates at length succeeded in making satisfactory ar- rangements with Mr. Joy, president of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- road Company, for a connection with that road at Aurora. An appeal was then made to the cities and towns along the proposed line of the road for aid. Aurora voted one hundred thousand dollars, Flagg fifty thousand, Mount Morris and Forreston each seventy-five thousand, Alto, Lee County, thirty-three thousand, and several of the towns be- tween Alto and Aurora twenty-five thousand dollars each, Pine Rock ten thousand dollars, Nashua five thousand dollars. After all these appropriations had been made Mr. Hinckley and his friends had no trouble in interesting New York capitalists to the extent of advancing a million dollars on a first mortgage, and late in the fall of 1870 grading commenced in Aurora, and on the thirty-first of December, 1870, the construction train reached Rochelle. Concerning the appropriation of $75,- 000 by the township of Mount Morris toward the building of this railroad, the township clerk's record book says: "At a special town meeting held in the town of Mount Morris in the county of Ogle and state of Illinois, at the shop of A. W. Little, on the 30th day of June, A.D. 1870, to vote for or against a donation to the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Company. The meeting was called to order by Frederick B. Brayton, town clerk. M. T. Rohrer was, on motion of Wm. H. Atchi- son, duly chosen as moderator, who be- ing duly sworn by F. B. Brayton, town clerk of said town, entered upon the duties of his office. The polls for the election for or against donation were opened, proclamation thereof being first made by the clerk." Following this is the poll list of 269 voters who partici- pated, and the result of the election, as follows: For donation, one hundred and sixty-three votes; against donation, one hundred and six votes. Here a word regarding these many donations will be in order. It was an exceedingly peculiar or rather remark- able piece of scheming and financiering on the part of Mr. Hinckley, who was really the principal owner of the road, how he managed, with little or no capi- tal of his own to start with, to build and equip this railroad, by actual out-and- out donations, and came out in the end with a fortune. In fact it might literally be said that the people of Illinois delib- erately handed him over a sufficient sum of money to build himself a railroad. Although the statement seems some- what hyperbolical, it is not far from the truth. The fact of the case is, the peo- ple were placed in a rather queer position with a difficult question to de- cide upon. Men came along and made propositions that if aid would be voted the railroad could be built and many well knew that the coming of the rail- road would surely be worth to the community the amount of money to be paid,— $25,000, $50,000, or $75,000, as the case might be, but on the other hand there was that objection to the thought of deliberately handing over money to a man or company of men and creating for them fortunes, merely because they were in a position to ask it. This latter way of looking at the matter and other objections to these donations were evi- dent to many people and there was a strong minority in opposition, and bit- ter animosities sprang up, which unfor- tunately are not allayed even yet in some places. The strong opposition by the minority in many towns caused quarrels, and much litigation was en- tailed upon the people in consequence. The majority of the people, however, believed the flattering tales which the railroad projectors told them, and will- ingly voted the aid requested, as men- tioned before. They were led to believe that every man's farm would be a for- tune if they would but aid liberally in the construction of railroads. After a time their dearly-bought experience led them to discover the folly of such a course, and in the latter part of 1870 they amended their constitution to pro- hibit such corporate action in an amend- ment to the organic law of the state providing that "no county, city, town, township or other municipality shall ever become subscriber to the capital stock of any railroad or private corpor- ation, or make donation to, or loan its credit in aid of such corporation." The minority, which had opposed the original voting of donations, took every 248 mount morris: past and present opportunity to prevent the issuing of the bonds and also the payment after they had been issued, which action was the cause of the trouble afterward encoun- tered by Mount Morris and, in fact, all points along the line. Many towns re- fused to issue the bonds voted, and some actually avoided the payment by taking advantage of certain technical errors in regard to the legality of the elections when the donations were voted, or some trifling breach of the agreement on the part of the railroad company; others compromised, but many were compelled to pay the full amount, besides a great deal more to cover expenses incurred during litigation. Concerning Mount Morris's well-known unsuccessful at- tempt to avoid the payment, more is said farther on, in the chronological or- der of events. As stated before, the Chicago & Iowa Railroad was completed as far as Ro- chelle in December, 1870. It was farther completed from Rochelle to a point on the east bank of Rock River, opposite Oregon, April 1, 1871, and regular trains for passengers and freight put on. The bridge across Rock River was completed and the cars crossed it for the first time, Oct. 20, 1871. During the summer of 1871 work progressed on the grading of the road between Oregon and Mount Morris, which was watched with great interest by the people of the township, delighted as they were at the thought of having a railroad. The first passen- ger train was run to Mount Morris Nov. 12, 1871, and the people celebrated the event in grand style. An elegant public supper was given in honor of the rail- road officials. As soon as the road was completed to Forreston, a connection was made with the Illinois Central Railroad, which opened a route from Chicago to Sioux City, Iowa. A contract was made be- tween the two roads by which the cars of the Illinois Central reached Chicago over the Chicago & Iowa Railroad. New depots were erected along the line in 1872; through trains between Chicago and Dubuque were put on, and the road entered upon a period of good manage- ment and general prosperity. The Illi- nois Central continued to run trains over this road to Chicago until about 1888, when their own road was com- pleted through Freeport and Rockford to that city. The first station agent in Mount Mor- ris was Mr. A. W. Brayton, later a pros- perous druggist and book-seller in the village. His night operator was H. D. Judson, a young man who had made his home with the family of F. B. Brayton. Mr. Judson advanced rapidly in favor with the railroad company and later became superintendent of the road. He acted as night operator under A. W. Brayton and later succeeded Mr. Bray- ton as agent, with Samuel Rohrer and later "Bob" Lillie as night operators. The succession of agents and operators since that time cannot be definitely ascertained, but the following is prob- ably nearly correct, the agent being mentioned first and the night operator second: C. E. Holbrook and Lyle New- comer, Ed. L. Mooney and George Shank, Thomas Webb and F. F. Knodle, F. F. Knodle and J. D. Miller, and since 1888, after the Illinois Central trains ceased running, and the night operator was dispensed with,— F. F. Knodle, Reu- ben Godfrey (three years) , S. G. Brown (three years), and F. C. Remmer. Fol- lowing Remmer, came Elmer Cutts who remained for a number of years, then J. O. Pahaly for a short period. C. O. Jern, the present agent, has been in charge since 1913. The record of the big fight carried on by Mount Morris for so many years in an attempt to avoid the payment of the money voted to be donated to the rail- road is in some respects a rather pecul- iar piece of history. The complications arising in the case render the task of tracing it one of great delicacy. As to the propriety of voting the donation of $75,000 in the first place, there is of course a diversity of opinion, and also upon the right and wrong of attempting to evade the payment of the same, but it is not the purpose of this book to ren- der any verdicts, one way or another, but merely to give the facts in the case. Undoubtedly the township has derived $75,000 worth of actual benefit from the presence of the railroad and would not part with it for that amount of money, or even for the larger amount which was paid in consequence of the addition of COMING OF THE RAILROAD 249 C. O. JERN, who has been agent for the Burlington Railroad in Mount Morris since 1913, was born Jan. 17, 1881, at Vaderstad, Sweden, and came to the United States in 1890. He studied teleg- raphy at Oquawka, 111., and has worked as agent and telegrapher for the Burling- ton Railroad at Viola, Bradford, Chapin, Arenzville and Eola, coming to Mount Morris in April, 1913. He has been a member of the grade school board and a charter member of the Kiwanis Club. He married Marguerite Hill and they have one daughter, Rosalie (Mrs. Franklyn Balluff ) . interest during the period of litigation. By the terms upon which the donation of $75,000 was voted by Mount Morris, the company was required to complete the road through the town before the bonds should be issued. While the work was progressing the people apparently regretted their liberality and the minor- ity, who had strongly opposed the measure at the election, decided to do all in their power to prevent the issuing of the bonds. Consequently an injunc- tion, signed by Daniel J. Pinckney, John W. Hitt, Jacob H. Mumma, John E. McCoy, Milton E. Getzendaner and John Sprecher, was drawn up and filed in the circuit court of Ogle County, praying that the township of Mount Morris be restrained from the issuing of bonds for the payment of the seventy - five thousand dollars, or any part there- of, or the interest thereon, or any part thereof; also to restrain the township from causing any tax to be levied for the payment of the same. In the writ, an alleged illegality of the election, when the donation was voted, was claimed as the pretext for filing the injunction. The injunction was temporarily granted and the case brought up in the circuit court. But while the slow processes of law were at work on the matter, negotiations were in progress between Mr. Hinckley and Supervisor J. W. Hitt for an amic- able settlement of the matter, and an agreement was finally reached to com- promise the bond issue at $50,000. This arrangement was decided upon by the people at a special town meeting held March 19, 1875. Regarding this meeting and its action the old village record book has the following: Special town meeting met at the shop of A. W. Little in pursuance of call. On motion A. Newcomer, Esq., was chosen moderator and O. H. Swingley, secretary. On motion, the meeting adjourned to Sei- bert Hall. The hour of two o'clock, P.M., having arrived, the meeting proceeded to business. On motion the supervisor (J. W. Hitt) of the town of Mount Morris was requested to make a full statement to the meeting of all correspondence and ne- gotiations that had taken place between himself and Mr. Hinckley with regard to the settlement of the claim of the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Company against the town, whereupon the supervisor made a full statement of all that had taken place between himself and Mr. Hinckley, in- cluding Mr. Hinckley's proposition for a final settlement of the question at issue, viz., That the Chicago & Iowa Railroad Com- pany would accept bond to the amount of $50,000 dated March 1, 1875, running not to exceed ten years, at ten per cent annual interest, or in lieu thereof $45,000 in cash in full liquidation of said claim. After full and free discussion the follow- ing resolutions were adopted without a dissenting voice. Resolved, that after a full consideration of the terms of the proposition made by Mr. F. E. Hinckley, president of the Chi- cago & Iowa Railroad Company through our supervisor to settle the claim of said company against the town, now in litiga- tion, we regard said proposition as alike fair and honorable on the part of Mr. Hinckley, and are of the opinion that the same ought to be accepted in the same spirit in which it is offered. Resolved, That fully recognizing the services rendered the town by the parties who, with honest and consistent purpose, have so persistently contested the issue of the bonds of the town to the amount of $75,000 we are partly in favor of so ar- ranging the settlement with Mr. Hinckley that they shall receive, at the expense of 250 mount morris: past and present the town, the sum of $1,600, being the amount they have expended in lawyers' fees, traveling expenses and court charges. Resolved, That the parties in the suit and the town authorities be and are here- by requested to conclude the settlement without unnecessary delay. On motion of A. Q. Allen, the follow- ing was offered and unanimously adopt- ed: Resolved, That we are largely indebted to our supervisor, J. W. Hitt, Esq., for the faithful, efficient and successful man- ner in which he has conducted these ne- gotiations and guarded the interests of the town, and that a vote of thanks be and is hereby tendered him. A. Newcomer, Moderator. O. H. Swingley, Secretary. In compliance with the above, bonds to the amount of $50,000 were issued to the railroad company and sold, the Ger- man Insurance Company of Freeport purchasing most of them. According to the above agreement the bonds and in- terest were to be paid in ten years and the matter rested quietly for seven years. Then again in 1882, seven years after the bonds had been issued, plans were again laid by the minority who opposed the payment, to restrain the officials from levying any tax at the ex- piration of the ten years with which to pay the bonds. Accordingly a second injunction was filed in the circuit court in that year by John Harmon, Samuel Domer, Daniel Fager and Reuben S. Marshall. The case came up in the cir- cuit court shortly after and was finally decided against the town. It was then appealed to the supreme court of the state of Illinois and in the year 1888, was finally also settled there, the verdict again going against the town, and the injunction was dissolved, after a con- tinuous term of lawing extending over a period of about six years. The decision in 1888 by the supreme court dissolving the injunction did not yet bring the town to its last extremity and the payment was further staved off several years by electing town clerks and immediately sending them away, and paying them to stay away. It being necessary to have the signature of the clerk on the paper making the levy, this very effectually preventing the neces- sary levy and the owners of the bonds were still compelled to carry the indebt- edness. Finally, however, as many peo- ple anticipated, the town was compelled to give up and the injudicious fight was discontinued. N. A. Watts became clerk of the town and not being willing to "skip" as his predecessors had done, the payment of the vast sum of money, then more than doubled by the accumulation of the ten per cent interest, became nc longer avoidable and the levy was made for the first payment, — the sum of $47,- 000, — which was collected by D. B. Keedy, in the spring of 1894. This large payment, more than three times as large as the usual tax, was met with consider- able difficulty by many taxpayers, but with a year's notice to prepare for it, few people were actually crippled financially, and all were glad that the attempt was made after it had been paid. The heavy debt hanging over the town was a great menace to its prosper- ity, and it was certainly a wise measure to no longer delay its obliteration. Not only did the former condition of affairs drive people away who might have set- tled in the township, but the credit of the township was kept worthless. By this one stroke, the payment of the $47,000, Mount Morris was again put upon a solid financial basis and the best of credit restored. The remaining $50,000 of the debt was disposed of by the issuing of new bonds to be paid off in yearly installments. A special town meeting was held to make this arrangement and the result of this election was 250 votes in favor of issu- ing the bonds and 61 against. It seems, however, that these bonds were not accepted and new arrangements were necessary. A special election was called by posting notices in ten of the most public places in said town, also by notice being published in the Mount Morris Index. The question of the issuing of new bonds, substantially as quoted in the above petition, was voted upon on the 26th day of May, 1894, the date set for the election, and the following result obtained: For issuing the bonds, 248 votes; against issuing the bonds, 43 votes. These bonds were then issued and accepted by the creditors of the town. And thus the matter was finally amicably settled. The payment of the remaining portion of the debt continued each year and the last payment was made in the year 1909. Chapter 11 TORNADOES IN the history of Mount Morris is recorded the occurrence of three tornadoes, one passing directly over the village on the morning of June 8, 1874, the second devastating a path of destruction across the southeast corner of the township on the evening of May 18, 1898. The third occurred on May 9, 1918, and came dangerously near to the town. Fortunately no lives were lost in any of the three tornadoes, al- though considerable property was destroyed on all three occasions. TORNADO OF JUNE 8, 1874 This "twister" passed as nearly through the exact center of the village as would be possible from the fact that the college campus lay immediately in its path, the roof of the large stone dormitory being partly carried away. Concerning this tornado the following newspaper writeup was sent to the Ogle County Grange for publication by some resident of Mount Morris, and appeared in that paper. It gives a good idea of the storm: "About five o'clock this morning two great black clouds, one from the east and one from the west, were seen approaching. Over the northwest portion of Mount Morris they met and spread devastation far and wide. For about ten minutes there was a terrible roaring of wind and crash- ing of trees and houses. Then followed the calm. Citizens hurried together from all quarters. S. Mumma's stables were completely wrecked. The pieces were scattered in every direction, some even passing through the siding and plastering of the houses of adjoining residents. The horses and a yard full of stock escaped unhurt. The harnesses were carried across the garden and rolled in the mud. One new buggy was torn in pieces and much fruit destroyed. Sidney Redfield's house was staved in and carried clear off its foundation. His wife was severely injured but the baby was dragged unhurt from under a pile of debris. Peter Glasgow's house was completely riddled by flying fence -boards and other missies; stove broken into bits, barn destroyed, the gar- den deprived of its fence, and many fruit trees blown down. Mr. James Withers lost one entire part of his house. Close by was the residence of Widow Weakle, the windows of which were broken, sash and glass. The raging storm next seized the residence of Elder Walker, now occupied by F. Black, and tore up his trees, demol- ished the barn and out-houses; ripped up the fence and sidewalk, sending one large timber through a window across a bed containing two men, and smashed into the partition on the other side. The occupants were some injured by the flying glass. One rocking-chair took a flying leap into the Seminary yard. Mrs. M. A. McKean lost half the roof of her house. The ad- joining residence of Mrs. E. Crofts re- ceived but little damage, but the fruit trees were laid in all directions. Two large cherry trees standing close to the house were completely twisted off. Thence the storm swept over the Seminary tear- ing off the west half of the roof and scat- tering the debris over the principal street. It injured Seibert some, smashing in half the front of his billiard hall. The east end of D. Rine's agricultural house was lifted and moved around upon the foundation of Sprecher & Clevidence's new storehouse. In the southeast part of town the gable end of the brick residence of Widow Mc- Coy was tumbled in upon nice furniture and fine carpets. The barn and out-build- ings were severely racked. Both gable ends of the brick residence of E. Lott were thrown in upon the nicely-furnished rooms. One hundred apple trees and a barn were destroyed for A. Cunningham. The town residence of A. Q. Allen lost part of its roofing. The barn and fence of George Fouke were blown down. Such was the destruction wrought here in so short a time that no one had time to be- come frightened or be aware of the ex- tent of the danger before it was all over. Then they found this part of the town to have been subjected to a terrible calamity. No lives were lost and none seriously hurt." TORNADO OF MAY 18, 1898 The tornado of 1874 was a wonderful exhibition of the marvelous power which the winds are able to exercise, but compared with that terrible devas- 251 252 mount morris: past and present SNAPSHOT OF THE TERRIBLE TORNADO which passed south of Mount Morris on May 18, 1898. Prof. W. L. Eikenberry had the presence of mind to catch this remarkable snapshot. tating cloud which hewed a path of destruction across Ogle County in 1898, it was a tame affair. All have a vivid remembrance of that 18th day of May. Those who had an opportunity of view- ing the huge, black, revolving cloud and heard its sullen roar as it licked up every available object and whirled it into the terrible vortex above, grind- ing and mincing and scattering to the four winds, will never forget it. During the afternoon of the day of the storm the appearance and man- euvers of the clouds were remarkable. At times far overhead could be seen light clouds floating lazily in one direc- tion, while much farther beneath were blacker, heavier clouds moving in ex- actly the opposite direction, showing that there were two distinct layers of air. Fitful gusts of wind and short showers of rain and hail were fre- quent during the afternoon, but toward five o'clock the air became still and calm, and remained so for about an hour. The clouds were of inky black- ness, sometimes of slightly different hues, and presented a most ominous appearance. Not a leaf was astir; the atmosphere became oppressive and breathing difficult. Between five and six o'clock persons out of doors de- tected a dull rumble coming from the southwest which at first was supposed to have been thunder, but the persis- tency of the sound and its gradual in- crease in volume soon attracted atten- tion, and persons in the country and the south and west parts of town were appalled by the appearance and rapid approach of one of those funnel-shaped clouds, the identity of which was not long in doubt in the mind of anyone. The cloud continued to approach in a path apparently headed for Mount Morris, but when within about three miles from town could be seen to shift more to the southward, which was af- terward proved by an examination of its path. This change carried the cloud about a mile south of town and it very soon receded in the distance, disap- pearing from view beyond Rock River. Although this storm passed over only TORNADOES 253 TOO 505 ^^ w od !*^ a; >> S^ H^ W C S 3 wo J- £° p en a* ° £^ So O o K^ 5>§ *£ 254 mount morris: past and present DESTRUCTION WROUGHT on the D. E. Price farm, south of Mount Morris, occu- pied by Carlton Wolf, by the tornado of May 18, 1898. a small corner of Mount Morris Town- ship, it will probably not be out of place to trace its terrible work through a part of Buffalo, Pine Creek and Rock- vale Townships, considering the fact that it came so near the village, and traversed a territory so familiar to Mount Morris people. After leaving the vicinity of Polo the cloud encountered the G. E. Fahrney premises, about three miles west of Stratford, and demolished the resi- dence, barn, and all the outbuildings, his farm machinery being destroyed and considerable stock killed and in- jured. The family escaped death in the cellar. The barn of the farm of Mr. Fahrney 's mother, a little farther east, was in the track of the tornado, and was demolished. One mile east of Mr. Fahrney 's premises the lawn trees at the residence of George Garnhart were uprooted, but the house and barn escaped with but slight damage. At this place a wing of the cloud swung to the southward and swept a path through about one -half mile north of Stratford, demolishing the barn on the Charles Hayes farm. The main body of the cloud crossed the farm of William Coffman, one mile northwest of Strat- ford and almost completely obliterated the fine residence and farm buildings, which covered nearly an acre of ground. The next day the place pre- sented a desolate appearance, and was viewed by hundreds of people. Men were gathering up wounded pigs, calves, etc., in the barnyard, and eighty rods northeast of the house five horses were being buried that had been car- ried away with the barn. The inmates of the house had a narrow escape. They all went to the cellar except the hired man who had gone upstairs for his pocketbook, which was in his Sunday pants. While he was on the second floor the building was carried away and he was dashed to the ground with the falling timbers, receiving only a few scratches. He crawled out of the wreck and spied his pants hanging on a tree near by with the money safe. The fam- ily had taken refuge in the northwest corner of the cellar, where nothing in- jured them. A pitchfork and set of harness were dropped just in front of them but no heavy timbers fell near them. Had they taken refuge in any other part of the cellar the result might have been otherwise, as it was filled with the collapsed walls, and no one could have escaped. From the Coffman farm the whirling monster passed north of George Clevi- dence's residence, and sweeping through his pasture field, killed a number of cattle and horses. It next encountered the tenant property of Charles Wel- ler, which was occupied by Samuel Lawrence. The house was carried but a short distance from the foundation and demolished. Here the safe part of the cellar was the southeast corner, where the family had fortunately taken shelter. The remainder of the cellar was filled with timbers, stones and bricks; and a pig sty, which had occu- pied a position about fifty feet to the southeast, was picked up and dropped TORNADOES 255 in upon the mass of rubbish. The corner sought by the family came also near proving a death trap, a large cookstove having landed upon the wall just over their heads. Had it been moved but a few feet farther they would have been crushed. The next residence was that of Joseph Artz. A large barn, 24x64 feet was swept away, very little of it being left to mark the spot. The roof was taken off of the west side of the house and several corn cribs damaged. A new granary which stood about twenty rods west of the residence was demolished, and a new buggy and considerable farm machinery destroyed. Mr. Artz had a fine lawn, set with immense shade trees in which he had taken much pride. After the passage of the storm these large trees were found either uprooted or broken off and the beauty of the place sadly ruined. The roadway was completely blocked by the trunks of some of the trees carried from this yard. One of the most peculiar sights along this route was the manner in which the buildings upon the farm of William Ambrose were handled. The residence was built of brick and stood on the brow of a hill about ten rods back from the road. The entire wall on the south side of this brick structure was drawn out, leaving the floors and rooms on that side exposed. All of the furniture was carried from one of the rooms on the second floor while another retained only the bedstead and springs, ready to receive again the bedding if it ever should be found. The large bank barn was entirely carried away except the lower floor and wall and machinery which was dropped on the south side and badly damaged. Leaving this scene of destruction the cloud passed near the farm of Charles D. Weller, one wing demolishing sheds, tearing doors from the barn and scattering his farm machinery over the surrounding coun- try. A hay loader in one of the sheds was literally torn to pieces. Mr. Weller was the only man in that section who had his loss covered by tornado insur- ance. The tornado crossed Pine Creek about five rods north of the Pine Creek bridge and entered the timber owned by William Watts and Oliver Coffman, doing serious damage. Trees were felled into the road from either side, com- pletely blocking it, and a large amount of cord-wood ranked in the east part of the timber, south of the road, was scattered over the fields for half a mile to the eastward, as were also the rails from the fences along the road. Amos Baker and family fled to the fields upon the approach of the cloud and escaped its fury, as did also their house, al- though numerous trees were broken down. Across the road in the field a roll of fence wire weighing four hun- RUINS OF THE BARN on the Fridley farm, south of Mount Morris, by the tornado of May 18, 1898. 256 mount morris: past and present dred pounds was picked up and carried half a mile and then dropped in the outer course of the storm. A wing moved out south of the main body and did considerable damage on the Samuel Price farm. The Salem church escaped, although several rods of fence immedi- ately north of the structure were de- molished. The tornado now appeared to gather new energy and swept across the open field north of the residence on the farm owned by Elder D. E. Price, unroofing the north part of the house and com- pletely demolishing the barn. A large pine tree in the yard had part of its top mowed off as if cut to order. The barn was 34 by 56 feet with a granary 26 by 34 feet. Nearly 1000 bushels of oats and about 900 bushels of corn were stored in the barn and granary, but the greater part was saved, as the floors were not moved. The farm was occu- pied by Carlton Wolfe, who was a heavy loser in the storm. His binder, plows, corn planter, and other machin- ery were broken beyond repair and a number of cattle, horses and hogs were badly injured. One horse was carried fifty rods and afterward found with a piece of timber firmly imbedded in its back. The residence of Benj. Fridley, about one and one-half miles south of Mount Morris, was the next place directly in the path of the tornado and there it was that the terrified residents of the village first closely inspected the awful work of the storm. The house, barn and every out-building were so com- pletely swept away that nothing was left to indicate the former abode of the family save the cellar walls, an old battered fence and the mud-plastered stumps of several trees which had stood in the yard. So complete was the ruin that the mind could scarcely be forced to believe the truth, presented before one's very eyes. Excepting a few splin- tered boards and planks scattered near the foundation and in the field to the eastward, hardly a vestage of the house and its furnishings could be found. It would seem that the great bulk of the material used in the construction of the buildings could have been found, at least within a radius of a mile, but such was not the case; it was evidently car- ried into the vortex of the mighty whirlwind, churned into a million atoms and strewn along the path of destruction for many miles. At this place occurred the first injury to hu- man life along the path described. Mr. Fridley, his daughters, Mattie and Bes- sie, and sons, John and Benj., decended to the cellar at the approach of the cloud, but John, the eldest son, left the cellar to investigate and was caught by the storm on the south side of the house. He seized hold of a tree, and in some miraculous manner succeeded in clinging to it until the fearful disturb- ance had passed, nothwithstanding the fact that the tree was broken off not far above his head and the bark skinned off of the stump nearly to the ground. He was exceedingly fortunate that he escaped with his life and as it was, he had one leg broken, and sus- tained numerous severe bruises caused by being struck by flying missiles. The others of the family who remained in the cellar were only slightly injured by flying debris, Mr. Fridley being bruised the most. Here there were many curi- ous sights, such as chickens with every feather blown off running about as if to escape the kettle, and animals with pieces of boards driven into them. The path of the storm both west and east of the Fridley place presented a most re- markable aspect, because of the thor- oughness with which all fences and vegetation were swept away and the clear definition of its limits, shown by the thick slimy mud with which every- thing remaining was covered. The old Fridley place, along the rail- road, occupied by Jacob Bonar next was visited by the funnel-shaped cloud, and although the house was unharmed the huge bank barn was left in a heap of ruins. Mrs. Bonar, and her brother, David Hedrick, were milking in the barn at the time, but both escaped without serious injury. Mr. Bonar lost much valuable farm machinery. At this place there were further evidences of the terrible force of the storm. Pine sticks, some of them not more than a quarter of an inch thick, were driven through inch boards in the gable of the corn crib, and the steel wind-mill tower TORNADOES 257 S-. TJ +-> CD 0) c J3 S B -M 0) o 6 § TJ 1o fl w) w « > 73 *5 fl ft CO QJ O 3 ft s S^ CO CD T3 ** O s «H H o o w to ^ a) 5 P? cu o 5s .C • Sh _2 -t-> en «M C _ <1> 5-i CD • S <5 cd . 5 .a CO •£ CD t/j - 0) >5 C/3 S-f "t* 'Sh cc 3 55 ^ 2 ° O 'g X! 5! *tt >>C CD W) °,a o,c c DUth way ndati ; in t o clu ^.a op >» r^ s-,^ 51 0) s^^? ^ u+i OT 1 h „.§Si£ jamin ed an s left who hn E. G-G cc >iO » £H CO «<< w g *£,;>, o.g-gjg S °T3 _ 5h Sg co c cd hr 1 o cd S Engt3 co o 258 mount morris: past and present i o W) - is, belong 1898. Tho Beard. C , Mrs. Cc e. Morr y 18, Liver node anod coo con 3'td'aJ C 53 o O 8j £ fl ; of M rnado e Sam uchan Bucha |ss n g MBE dby msel. Kno , and hH PQ .« u > s a as s w Q£ fl £ c - £ u jpq"S £ 01 So H^ ESl ^ /. *5 306 mount morris: past and present WORKING FORCE of the Mount Morris Post Office: Front row, left to right: John S. Buck, city carrier; Walter Waddelow, clerk; Edna Neher, clerk; George E. Neher, clerk; Dale M. Lizer, clerk; middle row, George C. Emmert, rural carrier; LeRoy L. Garman, charman; Raymond P. Moore, janitor; Walter S. McNett, rural carrier; Raymond Young, substitute clerk; back row, Maurice McNett, substitute city carrier; Emmert J. Wolfe, assistant postmaster; Ivan E. Rothermel, clerk; Dwight S. Sharer, postmaster; Jay Bechtold, city carrier. Another regular clerk, Ray Holsinger, does not appear in the picture. THE ABOVE picture was taken on the occasion of the first air mail to be sent by plane direct from Mount Morris, on May 20, 1938. There were 1,100 letters in the pouch and Pilot Raymond Young de- livered the pouch to Moline, 111., where it was transferred to a Chicago plane. This was during National Air Mail Week, celebrated all over the United States. Those in the picture are, left to right, S. J. Campbell, J. W. Watt, H. G. Kable, D. S. Sharer (postmaster), Raymond Young (pilot), and E. J. Wolf (assistant postmaster) . THE POST OFFICE 307 General, and the principal speaker was Senator William H. Dieterich. The present employes of the post office in addition to Postmaster Sharer are as follows: Assistant postmaster, Emmert Wolfe; clerks, Walter W. Waddelow, Dale M. Lizer, Ray Holsinger, George E. Neher, Edna Neher, Ivan Rothermel, THEODORE BRUNER died August 4, 1910, aged 50 years. He was the son of Hiram and Elizabeth Bruner and was born July 5, 1860, at Somerset, Pa., and came to Mount Morris in 1893. In 1879, he married Etta McCoy, to whom were born one daughter, who died in infancy, and three sons — Ernest, Otho and Nelson. When rural free delivery was started out of Mount Morris, Mr. Bruner became the first carrier on Route No. 2, which he continued for six years until the time of his death. JOHN M. LEEK was the first mail car- rier on Rural Route No. 1 out of Mount Morris, established in April, 1904. He had formerly been engaged in farming near Mount Morris. Raymond Young; city carriers, Jay Bechtold, John S. Buck; rural carriers, Walter S. McNett, George Emmert; sub- stitute carrier, Maurice S. McNett; janitor, Raymond P. Moore; assistant janitor, LeRoy Garman. The first rural mail routes out of Mount Morris were established April 1, 1904. John L. Leek and T. L. Bruner were appointed as the first rural car- riers. The first deliveries were made with horses for transportation. City mail delivery was first estab- lished during the term of Postmaster B. S. Price. 308 mount morris: past and present §5 go o .s fl Eh C his W3 « o H^ > CO CT3 . . 0) cflUX! co »h73 a ° Sh o co cy w oj S co * a b ^»m £ 5^ CO w o «i 535 P x W CD O TJT5 . B^O o ^^ .d. co B 43 B o a> £ io 73 CO 0) c CO^J a w co "qP - • -B J* CD • ' JOo ^COX OJ ,M «m o • Sh 0--i (_, CO C a a ^ o> a co rvvr 1 cd^ 3 -B < a fa 342 mount morris: past and present KB-62 COVJ-^ CO t-l o o B (5«i .3 . - oj3 CO CO^^ O CO M gj g O £ 9 W d ^tf O , • 0) ~ w I J £ •sags-* 52 w i-i L-'O 01 CO +- 1 g, "U ffl r rj - to g|-x« C PO.H s c-s gda gj S o C «h 2 5? ^ £^ e s c . ^ CO'O 0)M fl coh ««*>>;§ glial MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 343 THIS BAND STAND was erected on the college campus in 1917 at a cost of $500. Herlock Longman solicited the funds for building the stand and superintended its con- struction. This stand was replaced in 1922 by the present shell. THE TUBA or bass section of the Kable Brothers Company Band in 1920. From left to right, H. E. Longman, Emmert Wolfe, Leslie Rees and Harry Rock. 344 mount morris: past and present FRANCIS A. MYERS, well-known com- poser and bandmaster, came to Mount Morris in 1920 and was director of the Kable band for three years, during which time the organization made marked prog- ress. Prof. Myers returned to Utica, N.Y., where work. he has since continued his band for two different periods, first in 1905 and again in 1909 and 1910. David S. McCosh directed the band during the season of 1906 and also from 1911 to 1915. Dr. George B. McCosh was the director during the season of 1907. From 1916 to 1920, the band had a MURDOCH J. MACDONALD, talented cornet and xylophone soloist, and band- master, came to Mount Morris to take charge of the Kable band in November. 1927. The concert season of 1928 was one of the most popular in the history of the band. Mrs. Macdonald, a professional vocalist, added much to the programs. Mr. Macdonald is now located in Detroit. different director each season, as fol- lows: 1916, M. G. Rader; 1917, James Watson; 1918, Joseph Vezetti; 1919, Ned Smith. In 1920, Francis A. Myers came to Mount Morris from Utica, New York, and over a period of three years built the organization up to a fine 50-piece concert band. During this period the band shell was erected. From that time until the present, the band has been recognized as one of the finest concert bands in the country. GERALD HUFFMAN, talented cornet so- loist and assistant director of the Kable band, came to Mount Morris in February, 1930. He previously played with Sousa's Band, the United States Navy Band, Smith's Scotch Highlanders and other organizations. He belongs to a musical family and is considered one of the very best cornet soloists in the country. Prof. Myers left in 1922 and was suc- ceed in 1923 by L. M. DeArvil, who proved to be a competent bandmaster and continued to improve the organiza- tion for a period of four years. During this period the band became the regi- mental band of the 129th Infantry, Illi- nois National Guard, which position it has held up to the present time. Each year in August the band goes to MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 345 346 mount morris: past and present u 0) c . 3 0) >> OS 0>T5 <° OS °§ ►J _: <2 > MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 347 HOWARD C. BRONSON, director of the Kable Brothers Company Band since 1929, was the son of Fred M. and Elsie (Dodgson) Bronson, and was born at Algona, Iowa, Nov. 4, 1889. He attended the Watertown (S. Dak.) Grade and High Schools, the Sioux Falls Business College and the Long Island School of Music. He became a professional musi- cian and was a member of the famous Sousa Band for seven years. He was con- nected with the 4th Regiment Band of the South Dakota National Guard, and assistant bandmaster in the U. S. Navy. In the World War he was a commissioned bandmaster. Since coming to Mount Morris, he has commanded the 129th In- fantry Band with the present rank of cap- tain. Since 1935 he has been president of the U. S. Army & Navy Bandsmen's As- sociation. He is employed by Kable Brothers Company as purchasing agent and personnel director. Mr. Bronson was married in 1927 to Frances Tidrick and they have a daughter, Barbara Jean. He is a member of the Masons, Consistory, Shrine, Elks, Moose and the local Lu- theran Church. Camp Grant near Rockford for two weeks' military training. During the first three or four years band contests were held among all of the regimental bands in camp and in every instance the Kable band won first prize, repre- sented by a large silver cup. Mr. DeArvil resigned his position at the end of the concert season in 1927 and Murdoch J. Macdonald became the bandmaster during the year 1928. He brought several professional musicians with him, together with his talented wife, who was a professional vocal soloist, and the concert season of 1928 was a very popular one. Mr. Macdonald stayed but one season and Dudley H. McCosh, son of the former bandmaster, David S. McCosh, was engaged in October, 1928, but his health failed and he died in January, 1929. Howard C. Bronson, a former army and navy bandmaster and for seven years clarinetist with the Sousa Band, was engaged in February, 1929, and has been director of the band until the present time. He has kept up the high standards of the band maintained by his predecessors and has gained a na- tional reputation as a bandmaster. Dur- ing this period he has taken the band to Camp Grant each summer and was promoted from Warrant Officer to Lieu- tenant, and now has the rank of Cap- tain on the staff of the commanding officer of the regiment. On a number of occasions the band has broadcast concerts from various radio stations and at a concert on De- cember 11, 1924, from Station WOC, Davenport, Iowa, L. M. DeArvil con- ducting, over 1,800 telegrams and let- ters were received from every state in the Union, except four western states, and from nearly every province in Canada. During the 40 years intervening since the organization of the band in 1897, weekly concerts have been given dur- ing the summer months from the band stand on the college campus. Except for several seasons these concerts have always been given on Saturday night and increasingly large crowds have gathered to listen to these concerts. The first bandstand was erected on the corner of the campus across from the hotel. This was later moved to the center of the campus and was later torn down to be replaced by a larger stand to accommodate the increased size of the band. In 1922, the present band shell was constructed and has a capacity for a band of 60 members. 348 mount morris: past and present w ffi ^ B" '"* CO o la « JHa n o ?2 C O ^ »° s- ' "55 2 ° -o J>ol Q E" 1 "r &J n" V ^ >> o n aj Mx o X3 m cc y co o^3 5 S B 5 co H+^ u roOOo^ co fc. • 53H .. O £ Q pq i^i_c GX! o co UJ-g «j c35 - g<3_qEH R£ cfl « «3^d So -Q .7! *>< W S.SP5 o > & ^ co o «-£ - C m C I B^ a> g < §£ gS 2.H ja MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS 349 rj o CO +j .A' S 2 O C f! Qg.-s-gr si 8 !- « . B<* M cu r d co aj W £c0°£ 350 mount morris: past and present OFFICERS OF THE 129th INFANTRY BAND, taken while the band was in training at Camp Grant in August, 1929. Left to right, Sergeant Alfred L. Ivins, Drum Major Wm. D. Mack, Sergeant F. V. Pearce, Corporal John E. Towns, Lieutenant Harry G. Kable, Corporal Harold C. Pearce, Warrant Officer Howard C. Bronson, Corporal Axel A. Johnson, Staff Sergeant Albert B. Crosswait, Corporal C. W. Sharer, Sergeant Donald C. Clark. KABLE BROTHERS 129th INFANTRY BAND playing a concert before the Hall of Science, Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago, 111., August, 1933, Capt. Howard C. Bronson, conducting. A letter from Mr. N. A. Owings, chief of events division, Cen- tury of Progress, said this of the band: "Of course, you know that we have had prob- ably the largest collection of bands ever assembled in our programs and among all these the 129th Infantry Band stands in first rank." Chapter 17 MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS MASONS SAMUEL H. Davis Lodge, No. 96, A. F. & A. M., has a history dating back nearly 90 years. It was or- ganized some time before 1850, the ex- act date of which does not appear on the records of the society. After organ- ization it worked under a dispensation for several years until a charter was obtained and reorganization effected October 6, 1851. The first principal of- ficers under the charter were Isaiah Wilcoxson, W. M.; James Clark, S. W.; Wm. Little, J. W. Others of the first members after the charter had been ob- tained were Joseph S. Nye, Thomas Winston, Joseph Hale, W. T. Harlow, Elbridge W. Little, Nathaniel A. Ank- ney, Wm. A. Plantz, Isaac Rice, Francis A. McNeill, Peter Knodle, Jonathan Knodle, H. I. Little, Benjamin K. Shry- ock, Ansel Streeter, S. H. Clems, John Donaldson, D. B. Turney, Abraham Pope, Edward Knock, James H. Fouke, Daniel Highbarger, John Stanger, Ben- jamin Swingley, W. S. Pope, James M. Webb. A Bible belonging to the lodge and which was presented by the ladies of Mount Morris at the time these men, who are now all dead, were members of the society, is still to be found in the lodge -room. It bears the date June 24, 1851. James Clark, who filled the office of S. W. at the time of the charter organ- ization in 1851, afterward enjoyed the noted distinction of being the "oldest Mason in the world." He was made a Mason at Sunbury, Ohio, in 1820, and remained in good standing in the soci- ety until the time of his death, which occurred in the nineties at his home in Quincy, 111. He lived in Mount Morris for a number of years and took active part in all doings of the lodge. He finally moved from Mount Morris to Quincy, 111. Several years before his death, when he became widely known as the oldest Mason in the world, the Masons of Sheffield, England, sent to Quincy to secure a portrait of him. At the time of the organization of the Masonic fraternity in Mount Morris, they occupied what is known as the "Old Masonic Hall," where many of the old pioneer and prominent citizens of Mount Morris met regularly for many years. In the view on page 43, repro- duced from a photograph taken in about 1870, can be seen the venerable old building, the upper story of which was used for the hall. It is numbered 18. It was later torn down. November 17, 1876, the Samuel H. Davis Lodge, No. 96, of Mount Morris, and Forreston Lodge No. 413, were con- solidated under the former name, with O. H. Swingley, W. M.; D. Rine, S. W.; and J. H. Nye, J. W. The complete list of past masters of the lodge from the organization in 1850 until the present time is as follows: 1850, Isaiah Wilcoxson; 1851-1854, Wil- liam Little; 1855, Mathew Blair; 1856, William Little; 1857, F. A. McNeill; 1858, J. M. Miller; 1859, F. A. McNeill; 1860- 1864, H. I. Little; 1865-1866, B. K. Shry- ock; 1867-1871, H. I. Little; 1872-1873, John W. Hitt; 1874, N. C. Daugherty; 1875, John W. Hitt; 1876, O. H. Swing- ley; 1877, H. I. Little; 1878, J. H. Nye; 1879, B. K. Shryock; 1880-1883, John W. Hitt; 1884, Peter Householder; 1885, O. H. Swingley; 1886, Peter Household- er; 1887-1889, A. W. Brayton; 1890-1894, T. C. Williams; 1895-1898, D. F. Stevens; 1899-1900, Gregor Thompson; 1901-1905, R. C. McCredie; 1906, U. C. Nye; 1907- 1908, S. E. Avey; 1909-1910, O. E. Mar- shall; 1911-1912, D. F. Stevens; 1913- 1915, Gregor Thompson; 1916-1917, Fred 351 352 mount morris: past and present MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS 353 L. Watts; 1918, H. C. Clark; 1919, W. I. Prugh; 1920, P. C. Rees; 1921-1922, Frank Rowe; 1923-1924, Otto Herzfeldt; 1925, Gregor Thompson; 1926-1927, Har- old Ross; 1928-1929, Otto Hudson; 1930- 1931, Ralph Crowell; 1932, Douglas Ross; 1933, Joseph Horton; 1934, Ralph Crow- ell; 1935-1936, Frank Rowe; 1937, Car- roll Boston. The present officers of the lodge are Maurice Buser, master; J. Harvey Wright, senior warden; Gerald Powers, junior warden; Fred Frederickson, trasurer; Otto Hudson, secretary; Car- roll Boston, chaplain; Paul Yoe, senior deacon; Donald Riedl, junior deacon; William Price, senior steward; Willard Van Stone, junior steward; Roy Avey, marshal; Howard Newcomer, tyler. EASTERN STAR THE Mount Morris Chapter, Order Eastern Star, was instituted Feb. 19, 1924, and received its charter Oct. 16, 1924. This is an organization of both men and women and membership is limited to Masons and wives, sisters and daughters of Masons. Following is the list of Worthy Ma- trons and Worthy Patrons who have served Mount Morris Chapter since it was organized in 1924. Worthy Matrons: Edna Newcomer, 1924-1925; Jewel Cox, 1926-1927; Ma- bel Boydston, 1928; Agnes Price, 1929; Maud Miller, 1930-1931; Elsie Priller, 1932-1933; Olive Rohleder, 1934; Avis Blakley, 1935; Ruth Toms, 1936; Armin- nie Boston, 1937; Marylena Van Stone, 1938. Worthy Patrons: Donald Jennison, 1924-1925; Otto Herzfeldt, 1926-1927; Harold Ross, 1928-1929-1930; Lynn El- liott, 1931-1932; Solomon E. Avey, 1933- 1934; Frank Rowe, 1935; J. Harvey Wright, 1936; Carroll Boston, 1937, Wil- lard Van Stone, 1938. Mount Morris Chapter was honored in 1937 by receiving an appointment by the Worthy Grand Matron on her offi- cial visit of Olive Rohleder to serve on the eligibility committee of the Grand Chapter, and again in 1938 by the ap- pointment of Arminnie Boston to serve on the credential committee of the Grand Chapter of Illinois. Meetings of the Chapter are held on the fourth Monday evening of each month at the Masonic Hall. ODD FELLOWS ELYSIAN Lodge, No. 56, I.O.O.F., of Mount Morris was organized under a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, dated July 25, 1849, with the following charter members: George W. Fouke, John F. Grosh, James N. Mar- tin, Daniel Highbarger, Walter Wilson and Emanuel W. Myers. They met in various rooms about town for a time notably in the second story of the old house which stood on the corner south of the Village Hall. In 1850-52, many of the members of the lodge removed to California and elsewhere, weakening the society to such an extent that, in 1853, the charter was surrendered to the Grand Lodge. November 4, 1874, the lodge was re -or- ganized, and the same charter and books were returned to it. The charter mem- bers and gentlemen who procured this re -organization were Henry Sharer, B. G. Stephens, Elijah Lott, G. W. Fouke and W. J. Fouke. After this second organization the lodge met for a number of years in the room over C. H. Sharer's grocery, later used as the Index office. They next rented the room over John Sprecher's store in the Masonic Building, later known as Stanley Hall. Later they came into possession of a hall of their own in the second story of W. A. New- comer's residence, which stood on the corner northeast of the Methodist Church. More recently the lodge had commo- dious quarters on the second floor of the new Wishard Building, but the present meeting place is in the Olson Building in the center of the north bus- iness block. The present officers of the lodge are Raymond Cain, N.G.; O. N. Horton, V.G., Fred Crosby, secretary; tCtcO MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS 355 Ray J. Baker, treasurer; Ray Avey, R.S.N.G.; A. C. Lawson, R.S.V.G.; Bry- ant Messer, Warden; O. E. Stouffer, I.G.; Barney Manfield, O.G.; A. T. Ol- son, Chaplain. The Odd Fellows meet on Wednesday night of each week. They are organ- ized not only as a social fraternity, but have provision for financial assistance to their sick or afflicted members, to be drawn from their beneficiary fund. REBEKAHS SANDSTONE Rebekah Lodge, No. 538, was instituted February 14, 1889, by Deputy Grand Master Electo C. Rey- nolds, of Oregon, with a charter mem- bership of twenty. This charter was signed Nov. 23, 1899. This organization is the ladies' degree of Odd Fellowship, and like it, has for its object advance- ment of the social and fraternal spirit of its members. Gentlemen as well as ladies are admitted. The first officers elected were Julia S. Slater, Noble Grand; Laura S. Lizer, Vice Grand; Edna Newcomer, Treasurer; Harry Knodle, Secretary. The charter members of the lodge were Laura S. Lizer, Maude Rowe, Edna Newcomer, Alice Nail, Julia Slat- er, Lizzie McCready, Anna Rowe, Nora M. Knodle, Lizzie Lizer, Ella Miller, Laura J. Newcomer, Fannie Frederick- son, L. E. Lizer, Harry Knodle, Edward Slater, W. H. Miller, Fred Frederickson, A. M. Newcomer, W. E. McCready, H. G. Newcomer, Samuel Rowe. The present officers of the lodge are Marie Jacobs, N. G.; Kate Robinson, V. G.; Odelia McGee, Sec; Ethel Tracy, Treas. The present membership is 32 and they meet on the second and fourth Fridays in Odd Fellows Hall over Har- rington's barber shop. LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE MOUNT MORRIS Lodge No. 1551, Loyal Order of Moose, was insti- tuted on June 9, 1929, by District Dep- uty Supreme Dictator Earl C. Hasey, of Joliet, 111. A degree team from Ot- tawa (111.) Lodge conferred the work on a class of 85 candidates. The first officers, Harold G. Miller, past dictator; Charles C. Armbruster, dictator; James Rouse, vice-dictator; Milo Zimmerman, prelate; W. H. Thomas, secretary; H. G. Kable, treasurer; Hurlock Longman, I. Wolfe and R. Kelsey, trustees, were appointed by Brother Hasey and were installed by Chas. Marsh, of Rockford Lodge No. 163. For the first two years after the in- stitution of Mount Morris Lodge, the membership showed a gradual increase, reaching a total of 175 members. In 1931, like every other organization, the lodge suffered a loss of more than half its membership, but the roster is show- ing a steady increase, there being about one hundred members at present. The following have served as dicta- tors: Chas. C. Armbruster, 1929-30; H. G. Hagemann, 1930-31; L. G. Schaar, 1931-32; Walter O. Klepfer, 1932-33; John Z. Hughes, 1933-34; Orville Sell, 1934-35; H. G. Hagemann, 1935-36; John Z. Hughes, 1936-37; S. M. Wakenight, 1937-38. From the time of the institution of Mount Morris Lodge until April, 1936, W. H. Thomas was the very efficient and hard-working secretary and a great deal of credit for the success of the lodge is due him. On account of busi- ness interests, Mr. Thomas asked to be relieved of the secretaryship in April of 1936 and Walter O. Klepfer was elected to the office. The complete roster of officers for the year 1938-39 is: Melvin Kitzmiller, dic- tator; S. M. Wakenight, past dictator; Edwin Ports, vice -dictator; Franklin Balluff, prelate; Walter O. Klepfer, secretary; Rolfe Martin, treasurer; Raymond Glotfelty, sergeant-at-arms; Smith Walker, inner guard; William Saunders, outer guard; John Z. Hughes, Frank Hilger and W. H. Thomas, trus- tees. The Loyal Order of Moose seeks to make fraternalism of practical benefit by its educational activities. Every member can point with just pride to Mooseheart, the home and vocational school maintained by the members' con- 156 mount morris: past and present tributions for the dependent children of deceased members; to Moosehaven, located at Orange Park, near Jackson- ville, Florida, for aged members and their wives, and all other philanthropic and charitable activities of the Order. The year 1938 marks the twenty -fifth anniversary of the dedication of Moose- heart, located on the Lincoln Highway between Aurora and Batavia, 111., and the fiftieth anniversary of the reorgan- ization of the Order. MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA MOUNT MORRIS Camp, M. W. A., No. 4526, was organized February 9, 1897, by Deputy Head Counsellor O. B. Olison, with a charter membership of twenty. The first officers elected were as follows: J. H. Miller, Venerable Counsel, Oscar Warble, Worthy Advis- or; A. E. Clevidence, Banker; F. K. Spalding, Clerk; E. E. Winders, Escort; E. J. Allen, Watchman; Samuel Rowe, Sentry; Dr. Hanes, Physician. The first board of managers elected were C. E. Price, 3 years; R. C. McCredie, 2 years, and A. W. Brayton, 1 year. The first member received into the camp was H. G. Newcomer, who was initiated into the mysteries of Wood- craft May 21, 1897. The camp had its most prosperous time during the spring of 1899, " when the membership was raised to over one hundred, a surprisingly large number for one camp in a town of the popula- tion of Mount Morris. The present officers of the Camp are F. M. Baker, Counsel; Dallas Baker, Clerk; Harry Longman, Fred Long and John D. Miller, executive board. The present membership is 26. AMERICAN LEGION MOUNT Morris American Legion Post No. 143 received its charter Sept. 15, 1919, with the following prin- cipal officers: Frank Hilger, command- er; Harold Knodle, adjutant; Harold Ross, finance officer. The Post has been a very live organ- ization from the beginning and has sponsored a fine program of activities for the good of the community and for the assistance of sick or disabled mem- bers. Membership in the Legion is limited to men who were in the U. S. Army or Navy during the World War. The officers of the Post for 1938 are as follows: Dwight S. Sharer, com- mander; Harry A. Schmucker, 1st vice- commander; William B. Stiger, 2nd vice- commander; Frank Hilger, adjutant; Frank Nachtman, finance officer; Ross Silvius, chaplain; Joseph Franklin, ser- geant-at-arms; Hubert Knodle, Paul Barnhizer and Tom Wilson, members of the executive committee. The average membership for the last three years has been 106. VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OGLE COUNTY POST No. 3639, Veterans of Foreign Wars, was or- ganized in Mount Morris, June 26, 1937, and the following officers were in- stalled: Leon Beard, Commander; James White, Senior Vice-Commander; Ray- mond Cain, Junior Vice-Commander; Raymond Moore, Chaplain; Henry Doh- len, Quartermaster; Robert Harvey, Ad- jutant; Lynn Elliott, Officer of the Day; Jay Cratty, Post Service Officer; Alvis Lawson, Guard; Fay Stillman, Color Bearer; Herman Rauch, Color Bearer; Royal Holden, Ralph Mahoy and Ken- rick R. Leekley, Trustees. Membership is confined to soldiers and sailors who have served in the United States Army or Navy on foreign soil or in hostile waters. Although the Ogle County Post is a new organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars have been organized for a number of years and have Posts in every state, also in Europe and Cuba. The organization maintains a home for the widows and orphans of deceased or disabled veterans, lo- MISCELLANEOUS ORGANIZATIONS 357 358 mount morris: past and present i i • i **■■■■ t , :. ^ n ■< ■!,; COLOR GUARD AND FIRING SQUAD of Mount Morris Post No. 146, American Legion. Left to right, Lieut. Harold Knodle, Leon Beard, Jay Cratty, Boyd Grush, Lieut. Henry Dohlen, Ralph Mahoy. Ralph Crowell, Syril Avey, Harvey Miller, Glenn Unger, Frank Hilger, Alfred Davis, Chas. Edson. Picture was taken in 1930. cated near Eaton Rapids, Mich. The membership at the time of or- ganization of the Ogle County Post was 22 which has since been increased to 34. The Post meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 7:30 P.M. at the V.F.W. Hall in the Ritson Bldg. The present officers of the Post are as follows: Royal Holden, Commander; Leon Beard, Senior Vice -Commander; William M. Watson, Junior Vice-Com- mander; Raymond Cain, Chaplain; Howard Eychaner, Quartermaster; Lynn M. Elliott, Adjutant; Leon Medlar, Offi- cer of the Day; Alvis Lawson, Post Service Officer; Daniel Rodemund, Guard; Anton Jansen, Color Bearer; Jay Cratty, Color Bearer; James White, Ralph Mahoy, Royal Holden, Trustees. KIWANIS CLUB THE Mount Morris Kiwanis Club was organized in February, 1926, with the following officers and directors: H. J. Kable, president; Levi S. Shively, vice- president; Robert L. Cratty, secretary; Fred Frederickson, treasurer; Joseph L. Rice, district trustee; Robert W. Hough, Ira R. Hendrickson, Fred J. Dean, Hugh Allen, Dan Starkey, Howard Newcomer, H. E. Coffman, directors. This club was a continuation of a local business men's organization known as the Ben Ezra Club which was organ- ized in January, 1921, with the following officers: J. L. Rice, president; A. E. Clevidence, vice-president; S. E. Avey, secretary; F. J. Dean, treasurer. This club was quite successful but was changed over into a Kiwanis Club be- cause of the advantages of being part of a national organization. During the twelve years since organi- zation the club has materially assisted in many civic enterprises and has been alert at all times in furthering plans for the advancement of the commun- ity. Meetings are held one evening of each week including a luncheon and interesting program presented. Past presidents of the club have been Ira R. Hendrickson, O. A. Hanke, Harold Patterson, Milo Zimmerman, Worthington Thomas and Dwight F. Sharer. P. E. O. SISTERHOOD THE P. E. O. Sisterhood was founded at Iowa Wesleyan College in 1869 as a sorority, but soon grew away from colleges, and is now an independent organization with 2,000 chapters all through the United States, Hawaii, and Canada. It is the only organization of its kind which is not affiliated with a men's organization. At first it was a literary society, but S? ox: g o> 1-1 '-5 ^ "O 2 . ^X b .- G+ 3 *-> a 03 .2^ is* WJ h p tH'5 0) ^d O CC (1) a; O _ W * £ (Dm a^^aP . cc a» c u fQ !h a) i> . CL *^ O (H 0) ^ O O r „T3X OJ X! fl P s« a>-2 m ^! /i« rrt r . rr> OS g O °T3 OT3Xl^ w S *" ° O Ih 2;^^ P b 2 -3 "£ +3 os os fc w „, 6 p c 03 w 5 fi 33° g .s. g p 0> (U^^ £j o P-^P^ W sh 22*3 0) C •J g>5 ° |Z P, S J8 (U REV. DANIEL BRAYTON came to Mount Morris in 1841 and opened the first store in Mount Morris. He was a Methodist minister and came here from the State of New York. He passed away June 30, 1851. He had a family of four children. FREDERICK B. BRAYTON, son of Rev. Daniel Brayton, came to Mount Morris with his father in 1841 and they opened the first store in Mount Morris. After his father's death he con- tinued the business. Mr. Brayton was born in New York State in 1818 and died in Mount Morris in 1897. He had a family of five children. ARTHUR W. BRAYTON, of the third generation of Bray tons, was the son of Frederick B. Brayton and was born in Mount Morris Jan. 7, 1847. He was associated with his father in business and carried on the business after the father's death. He died Jan. 19, 1922, aged 75 years. He had a family of three children. LOUIS FREDERICK BRAYTON, fourth generation, was the son of Arthur W. and Harriet Brayton, and was born April 19, 1877, in Mount Morris. He graduated from the University of Illinois, and became a structural engineer. He married Grace Benjamin and they have two sons, Bruce and Louis Frederick, Jr. LOUIS FREDERICK BRAYTON, Jr., fifth generation, is the son of Louis F. and Grace Brayton, and was born Nov. 20, 1909. He married Flora Heft and they have two sons, Robert Fred- erick and Donald Bruce. They are residents of Detroit. ROBERT FREDERICK BRAYTON, sixth generation, is the son of Louis F., Jr., and Flora Brayton, and was born June 3, 1936. He lives with his parents at Detroit, Mich. MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 403 SIX GENERATIONS OF THE THOMAS FAMILY The name Thomas has been prominent in Mount Morris and vicinity from the earliest pioneer days and a record of six generations of this family is given here. HENRY THOMAS brought his large family to Mount Morris about the year 1840 and took up a large claim about three miles northeast of Mount Morris. He was born in 1783 and was mar- ried in 1808 to Catherine Schechter. They had nine children: Susan (Mrs. John Huffman), Joshua, Elias, Ezra, Abraham, Ruana (Mrs. David Newcomer), Julia Ann (Mrs. Simon meet- ing) , Samuel, Elizabeth (Mrs. Henry Middlekauff) . Mr. Thomas died in 1863 and Mrs. Thomas in 1864. JOSHUA THOMAS, son of Henry and Catherine Thomas, was married twice, first to Salina Landes, and their children were Permelia (who married Robert S. Hitt), Mary Catherine Funk, Henry L., Louis and John. In 1850 Mr. Thomas joined the gold rush to California where he remained two years. In 1862, he married Susan Felker and they had two children, Lee and Frank. The family home is three miles east of Mount Morris. $ 0* 4S&- HENRY L. THOMAS, of the third generation, came to Mount Morris with his father, Joshua Thomas, when he was but two years of age and lived his entire remaining years of 86 years in or near Mount Morris. He married Mary Ellen Felker and they had nine children: Lillie, Ada, Nellie, Edgar, Florence, Chas. H., Fred H., Kathryn and Noble F. Mr. Thomas died in 1927 and Mrs. Thomas in 1928. NOBLE F. THOMAS, of the fourth generation, is the son of Henry L. and Mary Ellen Thomas and was born Dec. 12, 1872, near Mount Morris. He married Susan Young and they have three children: Worthington. Alice (Mrs. Hennebach) and Marion (Mrs. Chester Helland). The family retired from farm- ing and are now living in Mount Morris. WORTHINGTON THOMAS, fifth generation, is the son of Noble F. and Susan (Young) Thomas and was born near Mount Morris, Aug. 16, 1898. He married Miss Lorraine Brown and they have two children. Alan Keith and Nancy Adeline. A more extended biography will be found in the chapter on "Village Newspapers." ALAN KEITH THOMAS represents the sixth generation and is the son of Worthington and Lorraine (Brown) Thomas. He was born Aug. 25, 1933, in Mount Morris, and thus he becomes the youngest standard bearer of the Thomas klan in this vicinity. 404 MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 405 pq 406 mount morris: past and present MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 407 408 MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT P 3 w Z 2.5? 2 ta«fu C fl) 0) M H w h fcffg.8 -q^Ju Sh73 J8 W >> £ ►> Sh CO *h 4^ CO coS cc (Do r^ O q 3 Office jh yi «J«HjqH .y tf 3« o q N u q^ „ > w SSi COrf 1 J CO O; ^ 0) HI1||8 MISCELLANEOUS BIOGRAPHIES AND PICTURES 409 410 mount morris: past and present IN O C^ o fe l c - Mat .H rT-5 ^ g cdyt G" 0) QJ 0) O a co^ 1 CO CJ ■>-'. MARY CATHERINE ( SPRECHER ) MILLER, daughter of John and Alydia Ann (Palmer) Sprecher was born in Mount Morris on June 13, 1875, and at- tended Mount Morris Public Schools and Mount Morris College. She has been con- nected with her father's store in Mount Morris since 1894, and for a number of years has been the efficient manager of the store. She married Supervisor John H. Miller, who passed away in December, 1936. She is a member of the Church of the Brethren. CHARLES C. SPRECHER. son of John and Alydia Ann (Palmer) Sprecher, was born in Mount Morris, Octo- ber 22, 1873, and attended Mount Morris public schools. He has been connected with the Sprecher store since 1903. He is unmarried. WENTWORTH WHEELER SPRECHER, 111"' son of John and Alydia Sprecher, was born in Ann (Palmer) Mount Morris, Dec. 17, 1877, and attended Mount Morris public schools. He has been connected with the Sprech er store since 19 2. Mr. Sprecher was married Sept. 7, 1921, to Essie Pieper and they have two children, John and Lois. 424 DANIEL S. CLAUSSEN, proprietor of the Claussen Garage, is the son of Menne and Grace (Poppenga) Claussen and was born at Oregon, 111., July 3, 1894. He attended the country school and graduated from the Oregon High School. He also attended the Sweeney Automobile School in Kansas City, Mo. He came to Mount Morris in 1928 as an employe of the Central Garage and later established a business of his own. D. B. Allen is in his employ. Mr. Claussen was married in September, 1920, to Luetta M. Harshman and they have four chil- dren: Manley James, Duane Francis, Gloria Joy and Patricia Ann. t ftw mount morris: past and present Rochelle, 111. He graduated from the Ro- chelle High School in 1909. In the World War, he enlisted at Belvidere and was sworn in at Columbus Barracks, Ohio, Oct. 18, 1917. He went overseas Feb. 20, 1918, with the 26th Division and served until Sept. 16, 1919, when he was dis- charged at Camp Lee, Va. He came to Mount Morris in 1926. He belongs to the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Mr. Cratty was married in 1921 to Olivia Carney and they have a son, James. JAY CRATTY is engaged in the cleaning and dyeing business in Mount Morris. He is the son of James and Lettie (Boyle) Cratty and was born Feb. 27, 1890, at H. E. COFFMAN, who owns and operates a coal business, is the son of Frank and Grace (McCoy) Coffman and was born in Mount Morris, Dec. 20, 1900. He gradu- ated from the Mount Morris High School in 1918 and attended Mount Morris Col- lege in 1919. In March, 1922, he started in the coal business for himself. Mr. Coffman has in his employ, Earl Crowell, James Chambers, Louis Borneman and Harvey Hiteman. He built his office building in 1931. He has served on the Village Board of Trustees and the Grade School Board and is a member of the Business Men's League, director of the Mount Morris Building and Loan Association and a member of the local Masonic lodge. He married Ruth Prugh in August, 1922, and they have three children: James, William and Suzanne. Mr. Coffman owns his home at 311 E. Brayton Road. WILLIAM FOUKE owns and operates a barber shop at 200 W. Main St. He is the son of Dorsey and Elizabeth (Alsip) Fouke and was born May 6, 1880, in Mount Morris. He ^attended the Mount Morris public school and has been in the barber business for 25 years. He is a member of the Sons of Civil War Veterans. He is unmarried. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 425 R. L. CRATTY, son of James and Lettie (.rsoyle) Cratty, was born at Rochelle, 111., June 26, 1894. He graduated from the Rochelle High School in 1913, and in 1917 located in Mount Morris in the clothing business. Pie was married in 1916 to Laura Lewis, and two children were born to them, Robert L. and Doris. Mrs. Cratty died in 1932, and Mr. Cratty was remarried in 1935 to Ann Shaw. They reside at 314 E. Brayton Road. Mr. Cratty served two years as Village Clerk and three terms on the High School Board of Trustees. He is a member of the local Masonic Lodge. started in 1931. Merlin Root is in his em- ploy as service man. Mr. Dohlen is the son of John and Benjia (Genandt) Dohlen and was born Sept. 21, 1894, at Ackley, Iowa. He attended school in Mount Mor- ris and attended the Sweeney Auto School at Kansas City. In the World War, he en- listed in April, 1917, in Chicago; was sent to Jefferson Barracks and then to El Paso, Texas. He went to France with the Fifth Engineers and saw active service under fire at Belleau Woods for 32 days. He was on the front line when the armistice was signed. He was discharged at Camp Grant on March 29, 1919. Mr. Dohlen was mar- ried to Ruth Gilbert in 1922 and they have one daughter, Marlene Joyce. He belongs to the Business Men's League, the Amer- ican Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Masons. HENRY G. DOHLEN conducts an electri- cal business in Mount Morris which he OSCAR L. DOWARD, son of Alfred and Annorah (Nichols) Doward, was born in Mount Morris, March 3, 1864. He attended the public school in Mount Morris and then learned the trade of sheet metal worker, which vocation he still follows. He has been in business most of the time for himself. He has been a musician of considerable ability, both vocal and in- strumental. He played bass viol in many of the old orchestras and also had a very low bass voice. He was twice married, first to Helen Lizer, who died in 1901. They had four children: Anna, Daniel, Alfred and Orville. His second marriage was in 1902 to Laura M. Wedge. He died in August, 1938, after the above was writ- ten. JOE DAVIS, who operates the Mount Morris Greenhouse, is the son of Harry and Pearl (Miller) Davis, and was born May 25. 1909, at Polo, 111. He graduated from the Polo High School in 1927 and later worked in the oil business in For- reston and Freeport. He came to Mount Morris in 1936 and took over the Chas. Moore greenhouse. Mr. Davis was mar- ried in 1930 to Louise Lomax and they have a daughter, Marilyn June. 426 mount morris: past and present FRED J. DEAN, prominent citizen and business man of Mount Morris, is the son of Erastus and Charlotte Dean, and was born at Waterman, 111., March 9, 1880. He attended the High School at Waterman and graduated from the Northwestern School of Pharmacy at Chicago. After graduation, he worked in drug stores in Oak Park, St. Charles, Waukegan and Rockford. In 1911, he purchased the drug store of O. E. Marshall in Mount Morris and conducted the business until March, 1930, when he sold out to Hugh Felker. Since then he has been the executive vice- president of the Citizens State Bank. He served a term on the high school board of education and was Democratic precinct committeeman for two terms. He is a charter member and past president of the Kiwanis Club. Mr. Dean was married in 1905 to Jessie Kirkpatrick, and they have three children: Robert K., Genevieve and Everett. which he has continued to the present time. During 17 years of this time he was also in the ice business. He served as village trustee for 12 years. He is un- married. OPAL Z. FREY, nee Kretsinger, owns and operates the Bonnie Beauty Shoppe in Mount Morris. She attended the Egan School and the Northern Illinois State Normal School at DeKalb. She grad- uated from a two-year music course at Mount Morris College in 1926 and taught piano in her home for two years. She also taught in the rural schools in Ogle county for nine years. She graduated from the Famous School of Beauty Culture at Rockford in 1926. She was married to Sam Frey in 1923. They have a daughter, Bonnie Elaine. AUGUST H. DUNNE, son of Simon and Charlotte Dunne, was born Nov. 3, 1877, on the farm home near Mount Morris. After farming a few years, he started in the drayage business in Mount Morris, DR. MURRAY S. DUMONT, practicing physician and surgeon, is the son of Alex F. and Ella (Diehl) Dumont, and was born Nov. 9, 1906, at Nashville, Tenn. He graduated from the Rockford High School in 1923 and received his medical degree from the University of Illinois in 1932. He belongs to the medical reserves of the U. S. Army with rank of first lieu- tenant. He opened offices in Mount Mor- ris in November, 1933, and has built up a nice practice. Dr. Dumont was married in 1933 to Elsie O. Hausrath and they have a daughter, Barbara. HAROLD HALVERSON, manager of the Green Star Restaurant, is the son of Andrew and Jenny (Rudd) Halverson, and was born Feb. 23, 1906, at Capron, 111. He came to Mount Morris in 1934 and has in his employ Mrs. Maude Miller and Mrs. John Helwick. He was married in 1934 to Vada Watts. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 427 Thompson and in 1894 went into business for himself. He has been in business longer than any other business man in Mount Morris. He has been Village Clerk continuously, except for four years, since 1915. He is treasurer of the local Kiwanis Club, treasurer of the Masonic lodge. He is a member of Freeport Consistory, Scot- tish Rite Masons. Mr. Frederickson was married in 1893 to Fannie Wilson, who passed away in 1922. LOUIS G. FINCH came to Mount Morris from Gary, Ind., in 1923. and took over the undertaking business of Wm. H. Johnson. In 1927, he added a complete line of fur- niture. Mr. Finch is the son of Samuel N. and Flora (DeCondres) Finch, and was born Feb. 7, 1887, at North Liberty, Ind. He graduated from the North Liberty High School in 1906, took a business course at the South Bend (Ind.) Business Col- lege, and graduated from the Barnes School of Anatomy, Sanitary Science and Embalming in 1908. In 1910, he married Esther F. Groshaus, and they have two sons: Charles W. and George. FRED FREDERICKSON, veteran business man in Mount Morris, was born and raised in Denmark. He went to school at Aal- borg and attended night school in Copen- hagen while learning the trade of tailor. He worked at his trade in Germany and France and came to Mount Morris in 1892. He worked several years for Gregor R. GERALD HOUGH, junior partner in the Hough Hardware Company, is the son of Robert W. and Julia May (Yetter) Hough, and was born June 10, 1905, at Steward, 111. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1922, at- tended Mount Morris College two years, and graduated from Northwestern Uni- versity School of Commerce with B.S.C. degree in 1926. After graduation he be- came a partner with his father in the hardware business. In 1927. he was mar- ried to Margaret Arnold, and they have two children, Ellen May and Robert Gerald. JOHN G. DOHLEN, manager of the Mount Morris Elevator Company, is the son of John G. and Benjia (Genandt) Dohlen, and was born Aug. 22, 1892, at Ackley, Iowa. He came with his parents to the vicinity of Mount Morris in 1903 and attended the Maple Grove School, then entered Mount Morris College from 1912 to 1916. He also attended Carthage College in 1917. During the period of the World War he served as battalion sergeant major at Camp Grant. He became man- ager of the Mount Morris Elevator Com- pany in 1934. Mr. Dohlen married Ethel Gilbert in 1923 and they have four chil- dren: Gilbert, Elaine, Dolores and Nor- 428 mount morris: past and present FLOYD E. HOLLAND operates the "66" Service Station in Mount Morris. He is the son of Albertus and Ella (Garkey) Holland and was born July 17, 1905, at Leaf River, 111. After attending school in the country and in Mount Morris, he worked as truck driver and put in three years in the Kable plant. After several years as an automobile mechanic, he started for himself in the oil business. He employes Vernon Burke. Mr. Holland was married in 1925 to Freda Hagemann and they have a son, Floyd, Jr. in 1920. He attended Mount Morris Col- lege for one year and then entered the University of Illinois Pharmacy School, from which he graduated in 1925, becom- ing a registered pharmacist in 1926. He worked in Oak Park and Rockford and in 1930 came to Mount Morris and pur- chased the drug business from Fred J. Dean, which he has conducted since as the Felker Pharmacy. In 1927, he married Ruth Newcomer and they have two sons, Albert and Robert. He is a member of the Mount Morris Business Men's League, the Kiwanis Club and the Masonic Lodge. Eugene Nelson is in his employ. HUGH W. FELKER, son of Merritt and Maude Wilson Felker, was born near Leaf River, 111., Nov. 20, 1902. He graduated from the Leaf River High School in 1919 and from the Mount Morris High School DR. OSCAR H. HILL, Optometrist, lo- cated in Mount Morris in August, 1933, and has offices in the Wishard Building. He is the son of Oscar L. and Eleanor (Smith) Hill and was born Sept. 22, 1896, at Freeport, 111. He graduated from the Freeport High School in 1915, and attend- ed the University of Wisconsin one year. He was drafted in the army in June, 1918, in the 48th Infantry at Ft. Thomas, Ky., and discharged from Camp Jackson, S. Car., in February, 1919. He graduated from the Northern Illinois College of Optometry at Chicago in June, 1933, and he has since practiced in Mount Morris. Dr. Hill was married in 1921 to Madeline Schumacher. LEROY GARMAN operates a radio shop at his home at 402 S. McKendrie Ave. He is the son of Clyde and Alva (Cupp) Garman, and he was born Sept. 21, 1909, at Polo, 111. He attended the Dix- on High School and has been in the radio business in Mount Morris since April, 1931. He was married in 1929 to Bernice Mumma and they have four children: Darlene, Darrell, Ronald and Elaine. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 429 HERMAN HAGEMANN, who operates a service station and garage in Mount Mor- ris, is the son of Herman and Margaret (Jenandt) Hagemann, and was born Aug. 23, 1898, at Leaf River, 111. He finished the Fairview Grammar School in 1912 and then took up the trade of carpenter. In June, 1933, he started in the service sta- tion and garage business for himself. He employes Ross Stouffer as assistant. Mr. Hagemann was married in 1923 to Ella Avey and they have five children: Iola, Arnold, Duane, Jerry and Charles. came to Mount Morris first as an employe and later as a partner of W. A. Robinson. In 1932, he purchased the grocery business from J. E. Clapper. He employs Burton Ferguson and Harold Blake. He was mar- ried in 1934 to Alice Siple and has an adopted daughter, Betty Jean. HARPER KOONTZ, who owns the Royal Blue Grocery, is the son of Valentine and Bertha (Wishard) Koontz and was born May 2, 1906, at Waynesboro, Pa. He at- tended the Waynesboro High School and ROBERT S. KELSEY, owner of Kelsey's Meat Market, is the son of Emanuel and Mary (McFee) Kelsey and was born April 16, 1887, in Atwood, Ontario, Canada. He attended public schools at LaMoille and Shurtleff College at Alton, 111. He came to Mount Morris from LaMoille, 111., in 1909 and established his present business in 1916. He employs Harry Meader. He was married in 1911 to June Noble and they have two children, Roderick N. and Isabelle June. He is a member of the local Masonic Lodge. The family home is at 209 E. Front Street. ORVILLE HAZZARD came to Mount Morris in 1928 as manager of the local store of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., which is located at 205 W. Main St. Other employes are Merle and LaVern Stouffer. Mr. Hazzard is the son of Dorr and Nettie (Palmer) Hazzard and was born May 1, 1900, at Leaf River, 111. He attended the Byron High School. He was married in 1927 to Esther Culler and they have a daughter, Jean. DOLORUS HUFFMAN is the propri- etor of the Dolorus Dress Shop at 119 S. Wesley Ave. She is the wife of Gerald Huffman and came to Mount Morris in 1931 from Anderson, Ind. She is a gradu- ate of the Anderson High School and of the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Mu- sic, Indianapolis, Ind. She is an unusu- ally accomplished pianist, and gives piano lessons. 430 mount morris: past and present Morris in 1910 and with Archie Davison purchased the Price & Blair hardware. They operated as Hough & Davison until Jan. 1, 1927, when Mr. Davison retired from the business. Since then, Mr. Hough I and his son, Gerald, have run the business as a partnership. He served two terms on the local board of education, and is now justice of the peace. Mr. Hough was mar- ried in 1898 to May Yetter and they had two sons, Gerald and Erwin (deceased). The family has considerable musical tal- ent and at one time all four of the family were members of the Kable band. Mrs. Hough was pipe organist at the Methodist Church for 22 years. LESLIE C. LUNDGREN, cashier of the Citizens State Bank, was born Aug. 12, 1900, at Alexis, 111. He graduated from the Alexis High School in 1919 and later attended Knox College at Galesburg, 111. He was employed in various banks and later as bank examiner and bank receiver. He came here from Mount Carroll in 1935 to become cashier of the Citizens State Bank. He belongs to the Kiwanis Club and the Masons. ROBERT W. HOUGH, senior partner of the Hough Hardware Company, is the son of William and Maria (Braithwaite) Hough, and was born Dec. 15, 1874, at Compton, 111. He graduated from the Paw Paw High School and took commercial correspondence work. He came to Mount ERNEST LUNDIN, proprietor of the Home Service Laundry, 111 E. Hitt Street, was born Jan. 24, 1891, in Skane, Sweden. He attended school in Sweden and was en- gaged in farming after coming to the United States. He came to Mount Morris in 1934 from Princeton, 111. He was mar- ried in 1935 to Mrs. Julia Slaughter Miller. EDGAR S. MUMMA, son of Samuel P. and Louisa (Swingley) Mumma, was born in Mount Morris, Sept. 24, 1876. He attended the public school in Mount Morris and Mount Morris College. His early life was spent in the live stock business with his father, and from 1902 to 1915 he engaged in farming. In 1915, he purchased the Wm. Shank farm, east of town, which he farmed until 1937, when he moved to town. For twelve years he was manager of the Mount Morris Ship- ping Ass'n. Mr. Mumma was married in 1905 to Kathryn Thomas, daughter of Henry L. and Mary Ellen Thomas. They have a daughter, Dorothy June, who mar- ried Theodore Swan. A son, Robert, died in infancy. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 431 CRAWFORD MENDENHALL, owner of the Gamble Store in Mount Morris, is the son of W. H. and Julia (Steelman) Men- denhall and was born July 17, 1909, at Benton, 111. He graduated from the High School at Green Mountain, Iowa, and from Mount Morris College in 1932. He married Irene Gilbert in September, 1934. DANIEL L. MILLER, Insurance and Real Estate Agent, is the son of Michael E. and Elizabeth (Welty) Miller and was born in Mount Morris, Dec. 24, 1885. He gradu- ated from the Mount Morris High School in 1905 and from Mount Morris College in 1911. He took post-graduate work at Northwestern University at Evanston. He played professional base ball as pitcher in several minor leagues. While pitching for the Dixon Browns, he shut out the Chicago White Sox, giving only three hits, and pitched one game of 19 innings with a score ending 0-0. He pitched three no- hit games during his baseball career. Mr. Miller served as bookkeeper and cashier in the Citizens State Bank for nine years and is now engaged in the general insur- ance and real estate business. He has served as grade school trustee, treasurer of Mount Morris Township, village trus- tee, secretary and treasurer of Oak Wood Cemetery Association and is now vil- lage treasurer and secretary-treasurer of Mount Morris Elevator Company. He is a member of the local Masonic Lodge and Freeport Consistory. Mr. Miller was mar- ried in 1918 to Maude M. Rahn and they have two sons, Ronald E. and Edward L. BARNEY E. MANFIELD, dealer in poul- try, eggs, cream, hides and wool, is a native of Poustuff, Russia, where he was born Dec. 2, 1879. He served in the Rus- sian Army in 1899 and came to the United States in 1903. He worked in New York City, Sycamore, Rochelle and Oregon and located in Mount Morris in 1908, to go into the junk business. He married Jennie Weaver in February, 1917, who assists him in his business. MOLLY HARRINGTON, owner of the Harrington Beauty & Barber Shop, came to Mount Morris from Freeport in 1933, where she previously operated a beauty shop. She has in her employ William P. Heiter and Hilda B. White. Miss Harring- ton is the daughter of George B. and Anna (Bons) Harrington and was born at Forreston, where she graduated from the Forreston High School in 1908. 432 mount morris: past and present LANAH H. NEWCOMER has conducted a successful insurance and real estate business in Mount Morris for twenty-five years, taking over the business of her husband, Henry E. Newcomer, after his death in 1906. She has been secretary of the Mount Morris Building and Loan Association since its organization in 1926. Mrs. Newcomer was born on the Janssen homestead five miles northwest of Mount Morris. She was married to Henry E. Newcomer in 1904, who died March 6, 1906. NORMAN JEWETT, owner of the D. & J. Barber Shop, is the son of Frank and Matilda (Fenten) Jewett and was born Jan. 3, 1909, at Amboy, 111. He graduated from the Amboy High School in 1925 and came to Mount Morris in August, 1933. having purchased the McNett Barber Shop. He belongs to the Business Men's League and the Masons. He was married in August, 1937, to Ethelyn Schrock. CHARLES LAMB, owner of the Gra- nada Theater, came to Mount Morris in 1930 when he purchased the motion pic- ture theater from Henry Laughlin. He has made many improvements in the theater. He has in his employ Claude Ar- bogast, Donald Diehl and Evelyn Graf. He is the son of Charles and Bena (Young) Lamb and was born Jan. 11, 1867, in Middletown, Ohio. He attended the Middletown schools. He belongs to the Mount Morris Business Men's League and is a 32nd degree Mason. Mr. Lamb was married in 1901 to Clara Hesel and they have a son, Russell, who lives at Oregon. LUHRS' COFFEE SHOP is operated in the Brayton Building by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Luhrs and daughter, Maude. Mr. Luhrs is a native of Germany and a naturalized citizen of the United States. The family moved to Mount Morris in December, 1937, from a farm near Oregori. The restaurant which they are operating was first opened in 1930 by Mr. and Mrs. Pettit and has changed hands a number of times since then. C. F. MAMMENGA, in partnership with Atty. Frank Kerr, maintains law offices in the Wishard Building, with their prin- cipal offices in Oregon. The partners have been members of this firm since December, 1927. Mr. Mammenga. the sen- ior member, was born and raised near Oregon. He graduated from Illinois Wes- lcyan College at Bloomington and was admitted to the bar in 1917. Mr. Kerr also graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 1924. This capable firm of lawyers has a con- siderable clientele in Mount Morris as well as in Oregon. ft" * HOWARD G. NEWCOMER has been identified with the grocery business in Mount Morris for many years. At present he is night clerk at the Kable Inn. He is the son of Arthur M. and Laura (Shank) Newcomer and has lived his entire life in Mount Morris except a few years spent in Chicago. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 433 DR. CHARLES J. PRICE has been a prac- ticing physician in Mount Morris since 1900. He is the son of Jacob and Ann Brown Price and was born April 26, 1875, at Forreston, 111. He attended the Forres- ton High School and the University of Illinois. In 1900, he graduated from the Northwestern University and Hahne- mann Medical College, and began his practice in Mount Morris. He enlisted in the Medical Corps July 14, 1918, in the World War. At present he is a member of the U.S. Army Medical Reserves with the rank of major. He belongs to a num- ber of medical and army organizations; also the Masons, Commandery and Shrine. In 1902, Dr. Price married Agnes Belle Chase and they have two children, Margaret (Mrs. James Sathrum) and William. K. R. LEEKLEY, who has operated the plumbing business in Mount Morris since 1917, is the son of John and Caroline (Roberts) Leekley and was born Dec. 10, 1878, at Galena, 111. During the Spanish- American War, he served in Porto Rico with Company M, 6th Volunteer Infantry, He was married in August, 1917, to Mag- gie Raney and they have four children: Robert, Oscar, Richard and Ruth. JARVIS MESSER has been in the dairy business since April, 1937, at 8 E. Center St. He is the son of Vance and Tina (Waycaster) Messer and was born May 25, 1902, at Waynesville, N. C. He came to Mount Morris in 1914 from Stilwell, Okla. He worked for the Buser Concrete Construction Company from 1918 to 1923 and as salesman with Swift & Company, from 1923 to 1933. He married Naomi Esterly in 1923 and they have three chil- dren: Norman, Bernydine and Ronald. LEROY F. KEEDY, owner of the bar- ber shop on East Main Street, is the son of Frank C. and Altha (Coffman) Keedy and was born at Mount Morris, July 30, 1904. He attended the Mount Morris High School and later learned the barber trade, becoming a licensed barber in 1926. He worked in Sterling, Polo, Oregon and Rockford before starting in business for himself in Mount Morris. FLOYD A. MILLER, local manager of the Smith Oil Company, is the son of Isaac and Lydia (Lohr) Miller and was born Oct. 23, 1896, at Adeline, 111. He came to Mount Morris in 1922 and since 1924 has been manager of the Smith Oil Company. Mr. Miller was married in 1922 to Florence Allen and they have one son, Robert. MISS VELMA CARSON conducts the Carney Beauty Salon at 7 S. Wesley Ave. She purchased the business in August, 1938, from Bernice McMullen. She is the daughter of Mrs. Mary Hayenga and was born at Oregon. She is a graduate of the Rochelle High School and received train- ing in beauty culture at Moller's Beauty School, from which she graduated in 1937. DR. DONALD RIEDL, dentist, located in Mount Morris in January, 1933. He is the son of Henry and Bessie (Moore) Riedl, and was born Nov. 22, 1907, at Chicago, 111. He graduated from the Austin High School in 1925 and received the degree of DDS from the University of Illinois in 1932. He is a member of the Masons and Eastern Star, and is a Captain in the Den- tal Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army. He is a member of the Winnebago Dental Society, the Illinois State Dental Society, and the American Dental Association. He was married in 1932 to Gladys Moon and they have a son, Donald Eugene. 434 * * DR. J. H. RITSON has been a practicing dentist in Mount Morris since 1902. He was born in Elk County. Pa., in 1875, and graduated from the Bay City, Mich., High School. He received his D.D.S. degree from Northwestern School of Den- tistry in 1902 and started his practice in Mount Morris. He was president of the Village Board of Trustees for three terms, during which the water and sewer sys- tems were installed. He was also presi- dent of District No. 61 school board for three terms, including the year when the new building was erected. He married Miss McKinglen and they had four chil- dren: Ruth (Mrs. Darrell Toms), Grace, Alice (Mrs. Karl Zastrow), and Joseph. LLOYD F. DIEHL operates the Johnson Service Station in Mount Morris, suc- ceeding Leo McMullen in July, 1938. He was born Feb. 17, 1897, at Panora, Iowa, son of Frank M. and Delia (Heasley) Diehl. He purchased the trucking busi- ness of C. H. Newcomer in the spring of 1936. He is married and has two children, Russell F. and Helen L. The Johnson Service Station is located on the corner of Wesley Ave. and Hitt St. EDWARD H. McGEE has been in the plastering and building material business in Mount Morris since 1914. In June, 1936 the business was incorporated with J. H. McGee, president and treasurer, E. H. McGee, secretary, and O. M. McGee, vice president. Mr. McGee is the son of John F. and Maggie (Van Allen) McGee and was born Sept. 24, 1882, at Little Falls, N.Y. He attended the grade and high schools at Fultonville, N.Y., and the Wa- terville Poultry School. During the Span- ish-American War, he served in the 7th and 15th Cavalry for four years and was discharged in May, 1903. He is a member of the local Masonic Lodge. He was mar- ried in 1911 to Odelia M. Tice and they have three children, John H., James L., and Jane Louise. mount morris: past and present FRANK A. NACHTMAN, proprietor of the South Side Barber Shop, is the son of Frank A. and Mary (Steinkerchn) Nachtman and was born Dec. 29, 1894, at Dyersville, Iowa. During the war he enlisted in July, 1918, and served at Camp Sheridan, Ala., in the 209th Engineers. He was discharged in December, 1918. He is a member of the American Legion. He came to Mount Morris in 1926 from Du- buque, Iowa, as barber for Fred O'Hara and purchased the shop after Mr. O'Hara's death. Earl Avey is employed by him. Mr. Nachtman was married in 1918 to Dora Koerner. J. WALKER ROBBINS, leasee and mana- ger of the Brayton Fruit Farm, came to Mount Morris from Rockford in 1928, where he had managed the Twin Elms Fruit & Poultry Farm. He is the son of William B. and Susan R. (Felps) Robbins, and was born Feb. 14, 1882, at Salisbury, Mo. He graduated from the Armstrong (Mo.) High School in 1898 and attended the Hyde Park Y.M.C.A. night school from 1906 to 1908. From 1908 to 1912, he took a course at the Drexel Conservatory of Music and Expression in Chicago. He has been very active in farm organization work. He organized the Winnebago County Farm Bureau in 1920 and has been a director and secretary-treasurer of the Ogle County Farm Bureau for four years. He is also president of the Ogle County Farmers' Institute, and is a life member of the Illinois Horticulture Society, which he served as president from 1931 to 1934. He has served as local Boy Scout execu- tive for two years and has been secretary of the Mount Morris High School board since 1932. Mr. Robbins was married to Ruth Onthank in 1912, and they have four children: Kathryn (Mrs. Leslie Watt), Phyllis, Robert and J. Walker Jr. MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 435 PRICE STOUFFER, son of Benj. F. and Mary Koontz Stouffer, was born Oct. 19, 1867, at Waynesboro, Pa., and came to Ogle County with his parents in 1874. He engaged in farming for many years and conducted a meat market in Mount Mor- ris for seven years. In recent years he has been a live stock dealer and for 20 years has been a successful auctioneer. He served for six years on the village board and as trustee of the Old Folks' Home. He is a member of the Brethren Church. In 1889, he married Emma Haugh and they had five children as follows: Boyd, Raymond (deceased), Mary, Mabel and Ross. They own their home at 107 W. Hitt St. C. H. NEWCOMER operates an auto- mobile agency and service garage at No. 4 Hannah Avenue. He handles tha Olds- mobile, Willys and Norge line of elec- trical appliances. He is the son of H. H. and Jane (Harmon) Newcomer and was born in Mount Morris, May 9. 1893. He graduated from the Rahe School of Mechanics in Kansas City in 1913 and en- listed in Naval Aviation service at Great Lakes, 111., in 1917. He trained there for eight months and was then transferred to Rock-A-Way Aviation Base at Long Island, N.Y. He was discharged Sept. 30, 1921. He is a member of the Amer- ican Legion. Mr. Newcomer was married in 1935 to Emma Zumdahl. EVERETT R. SMITH, owner of the Pasturite Dairy, is the son of Alfred D. and Louise (Rosencrans) Smith. He was born in 1895 at Albany, 111. He attended the public schools in Albany and came here from Morrison in January, 1937, hav- ing purchased the dairy business from Mrs. Ethel Coleman, which he now op- erates as the Pasturite Dairy. He was married in 1917 to Edith Ann Frost and they have two children, Louise (Mrs. Kenneth Anderson) and Jeanne. GUERDON A. REED succeeded C. Ripp as manager of Kroger's Grocery in Octo- ber, 1937. He is the son of John and Lu- ella (Whitham) Reed and was born May 12, 1900, at Platteville, Wis. He graduated from Platteville State Teachers' College in 1919 and taught mathematics and man- ual arts for five years in Wisconsin. Pre- vious to coming here he had been con- nected with the Western Cooperative Egg & Poultry Association of Tacoma, Wash. He enlisted in 1918 in Student Army Training Corps at Platteville, Wis. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Fox Lake, Wis. Mr. Reed was married in 1923 to Lucile Siney and they have two children, Guerdon A., Jr., and Wesley S. W. BOYD STOUFFER, son of Price and Emma (Haugh) Stouffer, was born Aug. 9, 1890, at Maryland, 111. He graduated from Mount Morris high school in 1908 and finished commercial and liberal arts courses at Mount Morris College in 1912. For ten years he was employed in the advertising and circulation departments of the Poultry Tribune. Then he engaged in the poultry business until 1920, when he went into the hatchery business. He now operates hatcheries in Mount Morris, Oregon and Rochelle. He has associated with him in Mount Morris, James D. Edenbo, who came from Connelsville, Pa. Mr. Stouffer was married in 1923 to Pearl Butterbaugh, and they have two children, Virginia Lois and Sherwood Noel. NELSON H. RITTENHOUSE, son of A. H. and Etta M. (Shirk) Rittenhouse, was born June 25, 1908, at Elgin, 111. He attended the Elgin grammar school and graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1926. He also graduated from Mount Morris College with the Class of 436 mount morris: past and present 1931, and in 1932 took the physical science course at the University of Chicago. He was ordained into the ministry of the Church of the Brethren in 1930 and has been pastor of the Pine Creek Church since 1933. He has been engaged in news- paper distribution for Rockford newspa- pers since 1920 and in general motor trans- portation for the Kable plant and others since 1931. Mr. Rittenhouse was married in 1930 to Virginia Hagemann and they live at 109 W. Main St. DR. H. J. STENGEL, physician and sur- geon, is the son of Joseph E. and Anna (Wilt) Stengel. He was born in Mount Morris, July 17, 1904; graduated from Mount Morris High School in 1922; at- tended Carthage College 1922-1925 and graduated from Loyola University School of Medicine in 1929. He located in Mount Morris in 1931 and has offices in the Wishard Building. He is the village health officer, a member of the local Masonic Lodge and various medical societies. In August, 1932, he married Helen Anderson and they reside at 211 Emily Street. W. A. ROBINSON came to Mount Morris in 1926 and operated a meat market for three years, then moved to his present quarters where he operates a grocery and meat market. He is the son of Charles and Cynthia (Williams) Robinson and was born Jan. 4, 1882, at Morris, 111. He graduated from the Niles, Mich., High School in 1899. He is a member of the Mount Morris Business Men's League. At present he has in his employ Valorris Van Arsdale, Peter H. Peterson, Leonard Derby, Ralph Schell, Arthur Barnhart, Kenneth Kretsinger and Vincent Reine- ma. Mr. Robinson was married in 1905 to Katherine O'Dare and they have an adopted son, Robert L. DAN B. STARKEY, owner of the Kable Inn, came to Mount Morris in 1925 as editor of Outdoor Recreation and presi- dent of the Recreation Publishing Co. He is a native of Wisconsin and was for years a newspaper man, serving as po- litical editor, Washington correspondent, and filling many positions, including that of war correspondent during the Spanish-American War. He was private secretary to Governor Edward Scofield of Wisconsin and was given the title of "Colonel" as the result of serving as a special aid-de-camp and military secre- tary of the Wisconsin National Guard. He became a publisher through the purchase of the Northwestern Sportsman, which was later changed to the Outer's Book and later to Outdoor Recreation. It was moved to Mount Morris in 1925. In 1927, it merged with Outdoor Life, by which name it is still known. Col. Starkey took over the Kable Inn in April, 1933, and has striven to make the hotel an institution in which the community could take pride. He has regarded the hotel not merely as a private business but as a public responsi- bility. When the nation-wide celebration of President Roosevelt's birthday was planned in January, 1934, Col. Starkey decided to do something about it. By telegraphing the White House he found out that the President's favorite dish was scrambled eggs, which were served at the dinner. The Associated Press and the Columbia Broadcasting Company gave this wide publicity. Col. Starkey has attracted a great deal of attention by the Kable Inn art galleries. Knowing there was considerable artistic talent in Mount Morris he conceived the idea of letting the local artists exhibit their work on the walls of the lobby and dining room. Later artists from other localities were invited to display their paintings and over 2,000 paintings have MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 437 been displayed in this manner including those of Theodore Johnson, Theodosia Park Breed, John Nolf, Holger Jensen, Oscar Soellner, Florence Wilkins Furst, Anna Coy, Marques E. Reitzel, Myrtle Royer Myers, and others. Local artists who have exhibited their work are Doro- thy Niman, Milledge Newton, Burton Avey, Lloyd Wright, Trine Mann, Lizzie Shirk, Mrs. Ira Hendrickson, James Fer- guson and Maude McClure. These exhib- its have attracted people from a wide range of territory and have been the means of considerable publicity for th2 Inn and Mount Morris. O. E. STOUFFER, owner of the Mount Morris Dairy, is the son of Hiram and Annie (Ridenour) Stouffer and was born in Mount Morris, Sept. 22, 1882. He at- tended Mount Morris Public School, grad- uated from the State Center (Iowa) High School in 1900 and attended Iowa State College at Ames. He engaged in farming for a number of years and for the last twenty years has owned and operated the Mount Morris Dairy. He employes Clar- ence Carr and George Hamilton. Mr. Stouffer was married in 1905 to Effa Carr. DR. DAVID F. STEVENS, veterinarian, is the son of David F. and Elizabeth (Fisher) Stevens. He was born March 5, 1852, at Three Springs, Pa. He attended public school in Pennsylvania and gradu- ated in 1888 from the Ontario Veterinary College, Toronto, Ont., Canada, and be- came a licensed veterinarian. He has practiced in Mount Morris continuously since 1888. He is a Past Master and oldest living member of the local Masonic Lodge. Dr. Stevens was married in 1898 to Mrs. Dora Rohrer and they have one son, Forrest. See picture on page 352. MRS. HANNAH C. SHOOK, insurance agent, whose maiden name was Hannah Sikkink, was born at Sheboygan, Wis., and married J. H. F. Shook in 1892. They have six children: Marilla (Mrs. Ed. Heu- sinkveld), Eva (Mrs. Frank Graf), Bes- sie (Mrs. Lester Nunn), Warren F., John C., and Merlin L. Mrs. Shook is a grad- uate of the Palmer School of Chiroprac- tic and formerly practiced in Mount Mor- ris and Oregon with her son-in-law, L. E. Nunn. She came to Mount Morris in 1921 and is now in the insurance business. RALPH R. THOMAS, retired farmer and member of the high school board, is the son of Geo. S. and Elizabeth (Wolf) Thomas and was born Aug. 6, 1885, near Leaf River, 111. He learned the trade of blacksmith and wagon-maker and fol- lowed that trade for seven years in Wis- consin; lived in California for 14 years, and has been a resident in or near Mount Morris for 22 years, where he has been active in farm and school affairs. In 1907 he married Edith May Buterbaugh and they have six children: Grover S., Mary E. (Mrs. Oscar Barnhart), Robert E., Florence E. (Mrs. Wm. Suhring), Helen E. and Ada Fern. 438 mount morris: past and present gig** H cc > o ft MOUNT MORRIS OF TODAY 439 C. C. WEAVER has owned and operated a jewelry store in Mount Morris since 1926. He came here originally from Free- port in 1917 to open a branch jewelry store for a Freeport firm, Emerick & Ringer. He is the son of George and Anna (Clair) Weaver and was born May 31, 1876, at Freeport, 111. He attended the Freeport schools and then learned the jewelers trade. He was married twice, his second wife being Miss Mabel Shaw. He has two children, Elmore and Margaret, by his first marriage. FRANK SECKY, who operates the rec- reation hall and tavern in the Baker Building, is the son of Joseph and Anna (Ruzicka) Secky and was born Jan. 23, 1893, in Prachovice, Czechoslovakia. He attended grammar school in his native country and came to the United States in 1910, receiving his citizenship papers in 1918. He enlisted in the army in 1917 at Schenectady, N. Y., in Company E, 2nd Infantry, New York National Guard. He was transferred to the 42nd Machine Gun Battalion, 50th Infantry, at Fort Riley, Kans. He belongs to the Business Men's League and the American Legion. He was married in 1913 in New York to Betty Wokal. EUGENE B. TRACY, Junior member of the contracting firm of D. C. Tracy & Son, is the son of Dennis C. and Mae (Baker) Tracy and was born Jan. 29, 1909, at Mount Morris. He graduated from the Mount Morris High School in 1926 and has since engaged in carpenter work. In 1935, he went into partnership with his father with the firm name of D. C. Tracy & Son. Mr. Tracy was married in 1935 to Nelle Garrison and they live at 302 Emily Street. JOHN SPRECHER & Company is prob- ably the oldest continuous business firm in Mount Morris. In April, 1866, John Sprecher and Henry H. Clevidence started the business under the name of Sprecher & Clevidence. This partnership continued until March, 1891, when they sold out to L. C. Stanley of Chippewa Falls, Wis. In the fall of 1893, John Sprecher started in business again under the firm name of John Sprecher & Co.. and continued until his death in April, 1911. Since then, the business has been carried on under the efficient management of Katherine Sprech- er Miller, ably assisted by her two broth- ers, Charles C. and Wentworth Sprecher. The firm is now composed of Katherine Sprecher Miller, Wentworth W. Sprecher, Ella B. Sprecher and Addie May Axton as equal partners. The company conducts a very complete dry goods business. CHARLES A. WISHARD was born July 25, 1873, at Waynesboro, Pa. He graduated from the Waynesboro High School in 1892 and attended the Bryant & Stratton Busi- ness College at Baltimore, Md. He came to Mount Morris in 1898 and since that time has been actively engaged in various enterprises. He was in the meat market business for eight years with Upton Powell; he built the Central Garage and sold automobiles for six years. He started the first motion picture theatre in what is now Hagemann's Service Station. In 1920, he built the large building which bears his name on the corner of Wesley and Main Streets. He has served as president of the Citizens State Bank since 1924. He is now operating a number of large farms in the vicinity of Mount Morris. He en- listed for service in the Spanish- American War, but was not called for service. He was a member of the Illinois National Guard for four years. In 1904, he mar- ried Elizabeth Stoner, and they had two daughters, Mary and Mildred. Mrs. Wishard passed away in 1928. 440 mount morris: past and present HARRY SCHMUCKER, who was in the garage business in Mount Morris from 1934 to 1938, purchased the Granada Cafe in March, 1938, from Elgin Bucher. Mr. Schmucker was born Aug. 13, 1896, at Johnstown, Pa. He attended grade and high school at Dixon, 111., and took train- ing in automotive mechanics at Detroit. During the war, he entered the motor transportation corps at Jefferson Bar- racks, Mo., in May, 1917. He is past presi- dent of the Mount Morris Business Men's League, member of the American Legion and the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Schmuck- er was married to Stella Sorrenson and they have four children: Charles, Stanley, Harriet and Margaret. 3 Bachman, Carolyn 192 Bakener, Jesse B 72 Baker, Albert M 365 Baker, Amos N 365 Baker, Bert A 132, 142, 422 Baker, Chas 341, 419 Baker, Conroy 197, 201 Baker, Dallas 181 Baker, Delia 164 Baker, Edward F 367 Baker, Elias 48 Baker, Eugene 200, 284 Baker, Francis 204 Baker, Frank 162 Baker, Grace Watts 37 Baker, Harlan 201 Baker, Harry 163, 165 Baker, Helen 200 Baker, Joseph T 60, 280 Baker, N. R 147 Baker, Otho 162 Baker, Otho W 365 Baker, Ray 143, 401 Baker, Roy 132, 141, 284, 399, 401 Baker, Samuel H 365 Baker, Susie 162 Baker, Urilla 73, 171 Ballard, Leta 189 Ballard, Opal 201 Balluff, Edward 195 Balluff, Ethel 197, 204 Barbee, Floyd 190 Barber, Lula 231 Barbegello, James 418 Barkman, Louis 231 Barnhart, William 284 Barnhizer, Helen 197, 204 Barnhizer, Isaac 274, 280 Barnhizer, John M 368 Barnhizer, Max 284, 445 Barnhizer, Paul 230, 284, 445 Barnhizer, Samuel W 70 Barnes, Gladys 179 Barre, Arthur S 231, 239, 285 Basye, Walter 354 Bates, Clyde 132 Bates, Mrs. Clyde 132 Battis, Rev. E. M 311 Bear, Levi R 52, 334 Beard, Charles 201 Beard, Laura 164, 168 Beard, Leon 285, 358 Beard, Mary 132 Beard, Oliver 258, 274, 280 Beard, Raymond 285 Beard, Roy 171 Beard, Ruth 195 Bearman, Leroy 201 Beatty, Dr. James J 50 Beaubein, S. N 50 Bechtold, J 307 Bechtold, Nelson 132 Berg, Walter E 239 Berry, Ruth 198, 199 Bibler, Donna 185 Bickf ord, Raymond 285 Billig, D. lone 173 Billig, Mrs. Samuel 408 Binkley, A. R 53, 273 Binkley, Arlene 204 Binkley, Marian 201 Bishop, Charlie. 411 Bishop, Chester 132 Bishop, Nellie 202, 205 451 452 mount morris: past and present Blair, Mrs. G. W 132 Blair, Helen 189 Blair, Millie 132 Blair, Orletta 132 Blair, Samuel R 274, 280 Blair, William S 50 Blake, Allison 418 Blake, Gene 204 Blake, Guy 164 Blake, Lela 164 Blake, Millard Filmore 391 Blake, Walter 196 Blake, William S 365 Blecker, Arnold 198 Blecker, Daniel 367 Blecker, Ray 231, 239 Blickenstaff, Verna 132 Blough, Dorsey 132 Blough, Walter 132 Bock, David M 230, 365 Bock, Frank 132 Bock, George 132 Bock, Harry 185, 186 Bock, Matilda 132 Bock, Mrs. Viola 409 Boegel, Fred 285, 445 Bolinger, Andrew 198 Bolinger, Noble A 332 Bollinger, Anna 163 Bonar, Hugh S 285, 395 Book, May 132 Book, Myrtle 132 Boone, Alice J 162 Boston, Carroll 185, 348, 422 Boston, Charles E 88 Boston, Stanley 185 Boyer, Ariana 132 Boyer, Earl 136 Bovey, Michael 28, 38 Bovey, Susan 408 Bovey, Vernie 163, 165 Bowman, Hazel 132 Boydston, E. L 230 Boydston, Mabel 231 Boyle, Dr. Paul 419 Brady, Roy 148 Brammon, Henry 148 Brandt, Ada 230 Brantner, Michael 38 Brantner, Uriah 280 Brautignan, Lorraine 201 Brayton, Arthur W 53, 68, 402 Brayton, Rev. Daniel 40, 402 Brayton, Ernest 164, 168, 339, 340 Brayton, Frederick B 300, 402 Brayton, George 41 Brayton, Louis F 162, 402 Brayton, Louis F. Jr 402 Brayton, Robert F 402 Brayton, Roy. 163, 169, 174, 336, 339, 340, 368 Breitzke, Wm 239 Brents, Samuel 50 Brewer, Robert 204 Bricknell, Edwin 274 Bricknell, Lewis 280 Brinker, Frank 341 Brinker, Fred 230 Brinker, Gerald 201 Brinker, Lewis A 74, 348 Brinker, Marian 201 Brinker, Mary 231 Brinker, Royal 230 Bronson, Howard 239, 287, 347, 350 Brower, Lynn 149 Brown, Dr. Royal 65 Brown, Mrs. R. 73 Brown, Russell 187, 348 Brown, Samuel 132 Brubaker, Albert 171 Brubaker, Cora 171 Brubaker, Earl D 132 Brubaker, Elmer 171 Brubaker, Eva 132 Brubaker, Everett 136, 149 Brubaker, Gail 132 Brubaker, I. N 147 Brubaker, J. A 70 Brubaker, Rosa 73 Brumbaugh, A. J 126 Bruner, Ernest 164, 419 Bruner, James 197, 198, 200, 204 Bruner, Nelson 89 Bruner, Otho 284 Bruner, Theodore 306 Brunskill, Ella 231 Bry, Clifford H 348 Bucher, Clara 192 Bucher, Ralph 136, 137, 148 Bucher, Sherman 136, 149 Buck, John S 307 Buck, Z. W 66 Buckley, Wm. J 132 Bull, William H 60 Burchby, Warren 239 Burke, Myrtle 201 Burke, Robert 200 Burkhart, Viola 132 Burton. Frank 285 Buser, Doris 196 Buser, Floy 162 Buser, Maurice 188, 348, 422 Buser, Nathaniel E 69 Buser, Pearl 73, 162 Buser, Robert 163, 165, 336, 339, 419 Buser, Ruby 164 Bush, Jennie 187 Bush, Martha 195 Buterbaugh, Edward C 366 Butterbaugh, Andrew 132 Butterbaugh, Pearl 184 Butterbaugh, Velma 194 Butler, D. L 189 Butler, Elmer 149 Bywater, Dr. J. B 72 CAIN, Evone 197, 198, 201 Cain, Rufus 285 Cain, Raymond 286 Camling, Marie 184 Campbell, S. J 238, 307, 450 Canfield, Emma 132 Canode, A. E 367 Canode, Buchanan 258 Canode, Mrs. Buchanan 258 Canode, Chas. H 216 Canode. Frank 341 Canode, Dr. J. F 63 Canode, Vera 258 Carlson, Esther 193 Carpenter, Jesse 140 Carr, Eugene 195 Carr, Ethel 231 Carr, Eva 185 Carr, Frank 195 Carr, George 193 Carr, Geo. W 368 Carr, Irwin 368 Carr, James W 366 Carr, Marlin 193, 195 Carr, Wayne 149 Carrick, John 140 Carruthers, Harry 230 INDEX 453 Carson, Velma 433 Cart, Reuben 147 Cartwright, Barton H 309 Castle, Harry 73, 357 Castle, Talmage 204 Castle, Willis 204 Cattoen, Adrian J 239 Chaffee, George W 283, 348 Chaffee, William 198 Chambers, Bernice 201 Chambers, Bryant 285 Chambers, Edward 285 Chambers, Lura Neff 168, 175, 396 Cheney, Carl 162, 399 Cheney, Roy 164 Churchill, Geo 348 Clair, Aaron L 121, 134 Clapper, Ivan 189 Clapper, J. Elmer 76 Clapper, Rev. Oren L 395 Clark, Donald 285, 348, 350 Clark, Holly C 53, 280, 303, 352 Clark, Howard 286 Clark, James 50 Clark, Riner 163, 165, 169, 174 Clark, Robert '. 342 Clark, Roscoe C 395 Claussen, Duane 200 Claussen, Manley 201 Claussen, Daniel S 424 Clements, Mrs. Emma 409 Clevidence, Arthur E 76 Clevidence, Earl . 140, 164, 168, 175, 336, 339, 340 Clevidence, Helen 184 Clevidence, Henry H 48, 53 Coblentz, Wilford 201 Coddington, Jessie 184 Coddington, Madeline 180 Coffman, Clarence 132 Coffman, Clyde 137, 148 Coffman, Ellsworth 148 Coffman, Frank 60 Coffman, H. E 424 Coffman, Jim 200 Coffman, Oliver W 367 Coffman, Vernon 137 Coggins, Chas. T 216 Colburn, Russell 196, 361 Cole, Chester 132 Colvin, Arthur 348 Colvin, Fred 239, 348 Colvin, Winfield 187 Conrad, Harry 195, 361 Corbett, Dorothy 200 Corbett, Frank 286 Corbett, Howard 194, 418 Corbett, Lois 200 Corbett, Russell 201 Corning, Philo 171 Correll, Frank 132 Coulson, Edna 202, 205 Cover, Bessie 132 Cowan, Roy 171 Coyne, Nora 231 Cramer, Mrs. Lettie 422 Cratty, Bob 204 Cratty, Jay 286, 358, 424 Cratty, Leland 185 Cratty, R. L 425 Crawford, Chas 370 Crawford, Mrs. Frances E 158, 173 Crawford, Mark 185 Crawford, Mildred 185 Crickette, D. N 148 Cripe, David S 71 Cripe, Ed 66 Cripe, Elmer 286 Cripe, Ethel 132 Cripe, Lona 132 Cripe, Mary 184 Cripe, Merl 185 Croft, Bonnie 204 Crocker, Rosalie 194 Crump, Erne 171 Crosby, Fred 140, 162, 230, 283, 357 Crosby, Robert 162, 163, 275, 280 Crowell, C. C 52 Crowell, Ralph 230, 286, 358, 445 Crosswait, Albert B 350 Culler, D. D 132, 135 Culler, Merle 286 Culler, Miriam 194 Cully, Mary 132 Cushing, Charles 286 Cushing, Harry 392, 411 Cushing, Helen 178 Cushing, Lillie Farwell 392 DAHL, ANDREW H 71 Dahl, Edna 231 Dahlke, Dr. W. G 76 Daily, Ruth 132 Daughenbaugh, Jay 136, 137, 148 Davidson, Warren 204 Davis, Alfred 286, 358, 445 Davis, Burton 198 Davis, Clyde 225, 341 Davis, Dora 192 Davis, Edward 56 Davis, C. Ernest 127 Davis, Ethel 185 Davis, G. W 280 Davis, Ira 194 Davis, J. Q 198 Davis, Joe 425 Davis, Lewis L 275, 280 Davis, Lorene 197, 198 Davis, Mildred 196 Davis, Orley G 132 Davis, Pauline 189 Davis, Wm. D 368 Davison, Elbert 348 Davison, Jean 201 Davison, Marjorie 187 Dean, Everett 361 Dean, Fred J 426 Dean, Robert 191, 348 DeArvil, L. M 346, 348 DeArvil, Murray 200 DeButts, T. E 162, 163 Deets, Martin 197 Deppen, George W 66 Deppen, John R 54 Deppen, Merritt 336, 337, 340, 341 Deppen, Roy 341 Devine, Jane 197 Deyo, Clifford 286 Dickens, Rev. B. A 312 Dickson, Elizabeth 187 Dickson, Robert 201 Diehl, Abram B 369 Diehl, Earl 287 Diehl, Erratt 132 Diehl, Lloyd 287 Diehl, Lloyd F 434 Diehl, Lois 201 Diehl, Max 201 Diehl, Opal 189 Diehl, Orval W 287 Diehl, Orville 400 Diehl, Robert 201 Diehl, Russell 201 454 mount morris: past and present Diehl, Wayne 179, 287 Diekhoff, Tobias 147 Dierdorff, John W 368 Dierdorff, Mildred 197, 204 Dierdorff, Russel 179 Dierdorff, Virgil 132, 230 Dinnes, Emma 132 Dinnes, Mae 132 Dinnes, O. S 132 Dohlen, Carrie 231 Dohlen, George 287 Dohlen, Henry 288, 358, 359, 425, 445 Dohlen, John G 369 Dohlen, John G. Jr 287, 427 Domer, Bessie .231 Domer, Percy 288 Domer, Samuel 369 Domer, William 71 Donaldson, Harry 288 Donaldson, John 341, 342, 401 Dorn, Albert 348 Dow, Vernena 132 Doward, Alfred M 275, 280 Doward, Orville 288 Doward, Oscar 334, 336, 425 Drexler, Frederick 38 Drexler, Roderick 201 Driscoll, Katie 171 Driscoll, Lizzie 165, 168, 175 Driscoll, May 163, 165, 169, 174 Duckworth, Darlene 197, 201 Duket, E. R 230 Dumont. Dr. Murray S 426 Dunn, Alice 189 Dunn, Florence 189 Dunne, August H 411, 426 Dusing, Donald 204 E ASTON, ANNA 162 Eatinger, Lawrence 201 Eatinger, Warren 200 Eby, Samuel 288 Edson, Chas 89, 239, 240, 288, 358 Edson, Mary Bea 198, 201 Eigenbrode, Amy 185 Eikenberrv, W. L 121 Eller, Milford 132 Elliott, Lynn 288, 445 Ellis, Vivian 193 Elmore, A. E 175 Emmert, Alice -..190, 192 Emmert, Barbara 408 Emmert, Dale 230 Emmert, Daniel 371 Emmert, George C 307, 341 Emmert, Marie 189 Emmert, Michael W 135 Erwin, Glen 132 Eshelman, Anna 165 Eshelman, Charley 162 Eshelman, Gertrude 174 Eshelman, Harry 164, 168, 175 Eshelman, Samuel M 370 Estes, Mildred 204 Estes, Pauline 201 Etnoyer, Mabel 132 Etnyre, Mary 408 Eversole, Daniel 369 Eversole, Daniel B 230, 369 Eychner, Pauline 132 Eykamp, Grace 187 Eykamp, Harold 196 Eykamp, Leonard 194 FAGER, TRESSIE 132 Fahrney, Ada 37 Fahrney, Alvin 37 Fahrney, Albert 37 Fahrney, Ella Watts 37 Fahrney, Willis 37 Falconer, Everett 149 Farwell, George V 96 Farwell, Henry J 370 Feldkirchner, Iva 132 Feldkirchner, Pearl 132 Felker, Harold 398 Felker, Hugh W 184, 398, 428 Felker, Mildred 398 Felker, Paul 398 Felker, Willoughby M 371, 398 Felker, Mrs. Willoughby 398 Fike, Grayce 132 Fike, Lizzie 132 Fike, U. J 132 Filburn, Russel 132 Finch, Chas 190, 193 Finch, George 204 Finch, Louis G 427 Finnen, J. A 230 Fisher, Bessie 225 Fisher, James . 239 Forney, Clinton 408 Forney, David 408 Forney, Mrs. David 408 Ford, Chas 334, 399 Ford, Rev. Leander 316 Ford, Thomas 24 Forman, Fay 197 Fossler, Helen 185 Fossler, Lois 201 Fossler, Marie 196 Fouke, Frederick D 275, 280 Fouke, George 49 Fouke, Nora 162 Fouke, Wm.. . .163, 165, 174, 336, 339, 340, 424 Fouke, William J 49 Foutz, Mabel 132 Florea, J. H 447 Franklin, Joseph S 288 Frawert, Clinton 230, 288 Frawert, Fred 280 Frawert, Henry 371 Frawert, Mary 231 Frederickson, Elvinus 288 Frederickson, Fred 52, 89, 358, 427 Freeman, Mary 189 French, John H 369 French, Sam 163, 165 Fry, Bernice 196 Fry, Galen 200 Fry, Paul 196 Fry, Richard 198 Frey, Opal Z 426 Frey, Shirley 201 Fridley, Benj. H 370 Fridley, David 275 Fridley, Jesse 189 Fridley, John F 23 Fridley, Margaret 196 Freedlund, Chas 231, 239 Freedlund. Christine 204 Friesner. Ralph 136, 148 Frost, Henry '. 51 Frost, J. K 51 Fulton, Fred 187 Funk, Anna 408 Funk, George 164, 168 Funk, Michael 408 Funk, Mrs. Michael 408 Funk, Peter 44, 408 Funk, Mrs. Peter 408 Furniss, Wm 132 455 Furrey, George W 121, 134 GARDINER, DR. JOHN A 75 Garkey, Roy 230 Garman, Leroy 307, 428 Gann, Leslie 288 Gerdes, Ephraim 132 Gibbel, Alice 132 Gibbel, Chas 132 Gibbs, James C 370 Gibbs, William H 275 Gibson, Irvin 132 Gilbert, J. Z 147 Giles, Marian 204 Glasgow, Frank 354 Glasgow, Philip 288 Gloss, Bertha 73 Gloss, Clayton G 225, 230, 340, 341, 342, 348, 372 Gloss, Oliver C 372 Gloss, Robert 190, 361 Gloss, Virginia 196 Glotfelty, John 185, 186, 239 Glotfelty, Melvin 188, 191 Gnagey, Clarence 132 Good, Sarah 19 Goodrich, Virgil 288 Goshorn, Willard B 132 Goughnour, Silas S 73, 225, 341 Gouker, Nora 132 Grady, Howard 179 Grady, Vivian 231 Grady, Walter 148 Graf, Evelyn 197, 204 Graf, Frank 288, 348, 445 Graf, John 201 Graf, Kathryn 201 Graham, John 51 Graham, Jack 136, 137 Granger, B. 1 72 Granger, Grace 163, 165 Granger, Joe 162 Granger, Margaret 373 Grant, Mabelle 132 Green, Helen 192 Greene, Paul 136, 137, 148 Greve, Albert 136, 137, 148 Grey, Robert 149 Griffin, Kate 19 Grimm, Samuel M 372 Griswold, Elizabeth 73, 162 Griswold, Ella 408 Griswold, Elsie 73, 164, 168 Griswold, George 408 Griswold, Mrs. Geo 408 Griswold, Harvey 408 Grove, Glenn 149 Grove, Helen 201 Grush, Boyd 288, 358, 400, 445 Guiles, Doris 201 Guldin. Verne 136, 148 Gumbel, Elmer 348 Guyer, Milton 148 HACKER, WILLIAM 136 Hagemann, Herman 429 Halverson. Harold 426 Hamer, Clarence 132 Hamer, Stuart 132 Hamlin, G. W - 71 Hammann, Jeannette 197, 198, 204 Hammer, Belva 196 Hammer, Eliza 408 Hammer, Norma 204 Hammett, Grover . C 231 Hanawalt, F. W 146 Hanawalt, Lydia 147 Hand, John P 58 Hanes, Ernest 178, 288 Hanes, Helen 196 Hanes, Lucille 185 Hanes, Dr. W. W 64 Haney, Rodger 204 Hanke, O. A 447, 448 Hanschett, J. C 146 Hansen, Phyllis 188 Hanstine, Clarence 73, 171 Hanstine, Edith 162 Hanstine, John H 373 Harley , Jennie 173 Harnley, Morris 132 Harrington, Molly 431 Harris, Fred 132 Harris, John 280 Harshbarger, Homer 201 Harvey, Robert 289 Hay, James 148 Hays, Harold 132 Hays, Heber M 121 Hawbecker, Merle 198, 199 Hazzard, Orville 429 Healey, Hazel 231 Heathrington, Blanche 201 Hecker, A. E 231, 239, 240 Hedgecock, Horace 348 Hedges, William 56 Hedges, William Harley 372 Henricks, Dale 197, 198, 200 Henricks, Eldo R 202, 205 Hendrickson, George 185, 186 Hendrickson, Ira R 132, 141, 176, 193, 204, 205, 359 Hendrickson, Vivian 184 Herzfeldt, Harlan 204 Herzfeldt, Opal 196 Herzfeldt, Otto 231, 239 Hess, Lillian 173 Hess, Sidney J ....225, 396 Hewitt, Emma 132 Hiestand, Elva 231 Hiestand, Jonathan 372 Hightower, Bernice 194 Hightower, Rev. C. H 320, 348 Hightower, Keller 195 Hilger, Bessie 231 Hilger, Francine 197 Hilger, Frank 89, 231, 239, 289, 358, 445 Hilger, Fred 392 Hilger, Fred, Jr 400 Hilger, Jeanette 201 Hilger, Marian 204 Hill, Glorynne 189 Hill, Harry 163 Hill, Dr. Oscar H 289, 428 Hilligas, Martha 179 Hinds, Mildred 132 Hinds, Milford 132, 337 Hird, George 288 Hitchcock, Luke 311 Hitt, John W 21 Hitt, Robert R Ill Hitt, Samuel M 16 Hitt, Rev. Thomas S 22 Hoff, Harold A 202 Hoffman, Katherine McNeill 371 Hoffman, Sophia 179 Holden, Royal 289 Holland, Floyd E 428 Hollar, Victor H 289 Hollinger, Alma 132 Hollinger, Ernest 132 Holsinger, Anita 162 456 mount morris: past and present Holsinger, Chas 132, 141, 165 Holsinger, Emanuel 354 Holsinger, J. P 74, 326 Holsinger, Levi R 276 Holsinger, Lloyd 395 Holsinger, Mabel 164, 171 Holsinger, Paul B 289, 400 Holsinger, Ray 132, 289 Holsinger, Wm 372 Hoover, Doris 197 Hoover, O. Perry 147 Hoover, Phyllis 197 Horst. Darlene 201 Horst, Helma 190, 194 Horst, Leo 201 Horst, Marjorie 200 Horst, Merville 194 Horst, Theodore 289 Horton, Beatrice 194 Horton, Dorothy 196 Hosking, Joseph M 276 Hough, Erwin 188, 348 Hough, Gerald 185, 427 Hough, Robert W 430 Householder, Earl 162 Householder, Melvin 140, 165, 174 Householder, Capt. Peter 28, 276, 280 Householder, Roy 70, 162 Householder, Wm 399 Housewert, J. 1 71 Hower, Beth 198, 202 Hoy, Ed 132 Hudson, Otto 89, 90, 348 Hudson, Robert 201 Huff, O. E 71 Huffman, Dolorus 429 Huffman, Gerald 344 Hulbert, H S 132 Hunt, Charles 148 Hurdle, Alvin D 231, 289 Hurdle, Darrell 200 Huthansel, Matthias 197, 198 Huthansel, Otto 289 Hyland, Edward J 230, 289 Hyland, Virginia 201 ILER, RAY 341 Incontro, Louis 239 Irvin, Arthur C 372 Irvin, A. Clare 132, 289 Isenhart, Dr 54 Ivins, Alfred L 289, 348, 350 Ivins, Thomas 198 JACKSON, ROY 165, 174, 339, 340 Jackson, W. H 52 Jacobs, Foneticus 354, 373 Jacobs, Geo. A 173 Jacobs, John 230, 348 Jacobs, Lucille 194 James, Ina 196 James, Ollie 189 Jenison, Donald 231 Jenison, Leonard 230 Jenkins, Belle 132 Jenkins, Marie 132 Jepson, Harold 148 Jern, C. 249 Jewett, Norman 432 Jimmerson, Edward 66 Jimmerson, Edward, Jr. . . . 163, 165, 169, 174 Jimmerson, John 162 Jindra, Adolph C 230, 290 Jiracek, Pearl 200 Jiracek, Wm 239 Johnston, Addie 231 Johnston, A. V 63, 230 Johnson, Axel A 239, 290, 350 Johnson, Everett 148 Johnson, Leslie 326 Johnson, Paul 204 Johnson, Ray 361 Johnson, Robert 198 Johnson, Royal 191 Johnson, W. H 72 Jones, Glenn E 230 Jordan, Stacey 136, 137 Joseph, Netta 132 Judson, Hale D 373 KABLE, ALLIE 73, 219, 225 Kable, Edith Walkup 410 Kable, Elizabeth Ann 410 Kable, Forrest 188, 191, 236, 348, 410 Kable, Harry G 73, 163, 165, 169, 174, 219, 222, 225, 231, 235, 238, 239, 307, 336, 339, 340, 341, 342, 348, 350, 410 Kable, Harvey J.. 163, 165, 169, 174. 219, 222, 225, 231, 234, 337, 339, 340, 341, 342, 348, 410 Kable, John A 374, 410 Kable, Justin M 195, 236, 410 Kable, Pearl Hershey 164, 168, 410 Kable, Robert R 196, 239, 410 Kable, Ruth 410 Kable, Virginia 410 Kabele, David 185 Kanode, John T 374 Kapperman, Letta 132 Kauffman, Horace G 160 Keedy, Alice 189 Keedy, Edward 374 Keedy, Merritt 290 Keedy, Pearl 194 Keedy, William H 357, 374, 399 Kees, Daniel L 67, 73 Keller, Harry 195 Keller, Kathryn 196 Kelsey, Isabel 197, 201 Kelsey, Robert S 429 Kelsey, Roderick 190 Keltner, Chas. H 394 Keltner, Stanley 132 Kent, Paul 74, 239, 290 Keplinger, Ada 188 Keplinger, Jennie 162 Keplinger, Wm. Frisby 382 Kerns, Levi L 374 Kerns, Susie 73 Kessler, Henry 181 Kindlund, N. C 231 King, Ferdinand 374 Kinsey, Benton 162 Kinzie, Raymond 200 Kirk, Charles 290 Kirtz, Carl 204 Kirtz, Mariorie 200 Kitzmiller. Evelyn 189 Klepfer, Elsie. 196 Klepfer, Walter 239, 241 Klepinger, Dayton 132 Klontz, Rev. Arthur D 394 Knodle, A. H 66 Knodle, Alice 168 Knodle, Mrs. Cora 258 Knodle, Floyd 165. 258 Knodle, Frank 336, 337, 342 Knodle, Hannah 19 Knodle, Harold 290, 358, 359 Knodle, Hubert 290 Knodle, Jacob A 31 Knodle, Jonathan 210 Knodle, Maud 162 457 Knodle, Peter 29 Knodle, Robert 198, 201 Knodle, Samuel 46, 258 Koeller, Walter 132 Koontz, Harper 429 Koontz, Nicholas T 373 Koontz, Vivian 196 Kosier, Bess 132 Kreider, Harriet 197, 198 Kretsinger, Glenn 196, 361 Kretsinger, Hazel 178 Kump, Robert 197, 198, 201 IAMB, CHAS 432 <• Lamb, Russell 136 Lambert, Alice 196, 199 Lambing, J. H 70 Langdon, Paul 230 La Rue, Jesse S 290 Lauzon, C. J 290 Lawson, Alvis 231, 283 Leek, John M 306 Leekley, K R 433 Leekley, Richard 201 Leekley, Ruth 201 Lehman, Julius 141 Leonard, Pauline 201 Leonard, Tom 200 Lewis, Wm 132 Light, Leon 230, 239 Lingel, Robert 192 Link, Donald 201 Link, Raymond 204 Lipe, Rev. L 318 Listenberger, Harold 290 Little, Wm 54 Lizer, Dale M 181, 307 Lizer, Elva 164, 171 Lizer, Luther 227, 230, 354 Lizer, Ralph 181, 230, 348 Lizer, Ronald 198 Locke, Jane 198, 199 Lohafer, Neahlie 180 Lohafer, Nettie 168 Lohafer, Pearl 171 Lohafer, Rosa 165 Lohafer, Ruth 179 Lohafer, Wm. Sr 374 Lohafer, Wm 374 Long, Adelia 132 Long, Andrew J 375 Long, A. R 65 Long, Curtis 137, 192 Long, Emerson 398 Long, Fred 74, 230 Long, Harry 136 Long, Harvey 180, 181, 232, 238, 239 Long, Harvey L 290 Long, John 58 Long, Modest 132 Long, Roberta 196 Long, Roy C 290 Long, Sylvester A 170 Long, Willoughby 398 Longman, Faith 231, 410 Longman, Harold 193, 196, 410 Longman, Harry F....231, 237, 239, 341, 410 Longman, Herlock E 89, 231, 237, 239, 342, 343, 348, 357 Longman, John 276, 280 Longman, Joyce 195, 410 Longman, Lulu Kable 162, 173, 410 Longman, Minnie 73, 165, 174 Loomis, A. P 447 Loomis. Lee 197, 198, 200, 204 Lott, Elijah 60 Lookabaugh, Albert C 52, 66 Lookabaugh, Charlie 171 Lookabaugh, Jacob 276 Lookabaugh, John D 376 Lookabaugh, Lillian 187 Lookabaugh, Lulu 164, 168 Lookabaugh, Samuel 62 Lookabaugh, Vernie 165 Luhrs, Peter 432 Lundgren, Leslie 430 Lundholm, Joseph 291 Lundin, Ernest 430 Luther, Edward 239 Lutz, Lulu 132 Lyons, Rev. Chas 314 MacDONALD, MURDOCH J 344 Mack, Wm. D 350 Macdonald, Murdoch J 344 Mack, Wm. D 350 Madden, Orlo 179, 291 Magoon, Henry 334 Mahoy, Ralph.... 143, 230, 231, 291, 358, 400 Makel, Paul 291 Mammenga, Claus 432 Manfield, Barney E 431 Mann, Heathcote 291 Manny, Clara 200 Manny, Rev. William L 314 Martin, Betty 197, 204 Marsh, Chas. T 276, 376 Marsh, Doris 197 Marsh, Donald 198, 201 Marsh, Frederick H 277, 376 Marsh, Gilbert M 354 Marsh, Harriet Haylor 376 Marker, Claude 132 Marshall, Alburtus 409 Marshall, Bessie 174 Marshall, Caleb 20 Marshall, Eugene 197, 201 Marshall, Frank 399, 409 Marshall, Gertrude 73 Marshall, Ira 409 Marshall, Jesse 171 Marshall, John 230, 409 Marshall, Lloyd W 291 Marshall, Oliver E 70, 409 Marshall, Reuben S 23 Marshall, Reuben 73, 165, 169, 174, 409 Marshall, Walter 230 Marshall, Wm. C 377, 409 Martin, Paul 400 Marvin, Edward 342 Masterson, John 136 McCann, Elbert 132 McChesney, J. F 348 McColl, Mary Marlowe 202, 205 McClure, Mary 162, 172, 178 McClure, Maud 162, 443 McClure, Ray 163 McClure, Robert D 277, 280 McCosh, Blair 164, 168, 336, 339 McCosh, David S 333, 336, 339, 342 McCosh, Dudley 140, 291 McCosh, Dr. George B 64, 337 McCosh, Gladys 164, 168 McCosh, Jean 132 McCosh, Dr. John 50 McCosh, Leighton 168, 339 McCosh, Lucia 121 McCosh, Mac 132, 141, 291, 341, 342, 400 McCoy, Alvis 162 McCoy, Clesta 201 McCoy, Ed 132 McCoy, James B 103 458 mount morris: past and present McCoy, James 376 McCoy, Jelie 171 McCoy, Jesse 171 McCoy, Jim 162 McCoy, John E 302 McCoy, Ollie 164 McCoy, O. T 230, 291, 445 McCoy, Robert 163, 165 McCready, Elizabeth 376 McCready, Mary 187 McCready, Wm. E 277, 280 McCreadie, Robert C 58 McCune, Rev. F. E 325 McDanels, Betty 199 McDonald, Lulu 231 McGee, Edward H 283, 434 McHenry, Ben 230 McHenry, Pauline 201 McKean, James 310 McKee, Clara 201 McKee, Leona 201 McKim, Howard 201 McKinglen, Anna 231 McLaughlin, Minnie 231 McLeod, A. J 230 McNeel, Edna 132 McNeel, Marshall 398 McNeill, Barbara 19, 32 McNeill, Dr. Francis A 278 McNett, Bertha 171 McNett, Bessie 164, 168 McNett, Chas 357 McNett, Ethel 188 McNett, Harlan 185 McNett, John 375 McNett, Maurice 192, 307 McNett, Rebecca 197, 204 McNett, Richard 198, 201 McNett, Robert 191 McNett. Walter S 307, 341, 354 Meader, Dorothy 201 Meader, Harry 361 Meader, Mark 230 Medlar, Leon A 292 Mendenhall, Crawford 431 Meeker, Lyle 196 Meeker, Merrill 190, 192 Meeker, Ruth 197, 204 Mershon, Dr. Glenn E 63 Mershon, Dr. Joseph 1 63 Merriman, C. E 230 Merriman, Jeanne 201 Merriman, Russell 200 Merryman, Edith 171 Merryman, John 277, 280 Merryman. Lloyd 231 Messenger, Harry 148 Messer, Alvin 204 Messer, Edna Mae 201 Messer, Georgia 196 Messer, Jarvis 433 Messer, Kenneth 445 Messer, Leland 204 Messer, Nina 189 Messer, Russell 201 Michael, Claremont 198, 200 Michael, Francis 230 Michael, Fred 230 Middlekauff, Austin 376 Middlekauff, Fred 72, 73, 411 Middlekauff, Harold 185, 186 Middlekauff, Henry 390 Middlekauff, Josiah 377 Middlekauff, June 187 Middlekauff, Robert 190, 192 Middlekauff, Roy 230 Middleton, J. B 146 Middour, Harriet 378 Middour, Mina 164, 168 Middour, Samuel 376 Mikesell, Harly 149 Miles, Chas. C 376 Miles, Edith 171 Mills, Fred Donovan 239, 241, 348 Mishler, Calvin H 72 Mishler, Eugene 400 Mishler, John 132 Mishler, Maxwell 180, 292, 342, 400 Mishler, Vinette 132 Mitchell, Effa 132 Mitchell, Frank C 292 Mitchell, Walter 230 Mix, Fred A 230 Mix, Margaret 231 Miller, Anna 132 Miller, Arthur 132 Miller, Bertha 171 Miller, Blanche 188 Miller, Carrie E 397 Miller, Clifford 132, 141, 341, 401 Miller, Dale 230, 292 Miller, Elder D. L 119, 398 Miller, Mrs. D. L 398 Miller, Daniel L....67, 89, 132, 141, 326 ,431 Miller, David 192 Miller, Donald 201 Miller, Edith 171 Miller, Edward 198, 200, 201 Miller, Eva 195 Miller, Florence 171 Miller, Floyd A 433 Miller, Glaydon 136, 148 Miller, Harold G 239, 292 Miller, Harvey 230, 292, 358, 445 Miller, Jacob G 377 Miller, J. D 52, 397 Miller, John Ezra 120, 132, 147 Miller, John H 98 Miller, John M 378 Miller, Catherine Sprecher 423 Miller, Katherine 230 Miller, Lewis D 377 Miller, Lois 188 Miller, Mabel 132 Miller, Marian 185 Miller, Maude 171 Miller, May 132 Miller, Merritt S 171, 335, 336, 341 Miller, Michael E 36 Miller, Mvrtle 163, 165 Miller, Oliver 230 Miller, Robert 200 Miller, Ronald 198, 200 Miller, Ruth 185 Miller, Susan 231 Miller, Upton 44 Miller, Wilbur 230. 292 Miller, Wm. H 53, 56 Miller, Myrtle 174 Miller, W. R 231 Moats, Bernice 185 Moats, Henry T 379 Moats, Dr. J. B 51, 336 Mohler, Lulu 132 Mohler Robt 132, 143 Mongan, James 283 Mongan, Odelia 201 Mongan, Wm 357 Moore, Alice 164 Moore, Glenn 148 INDEX 459 Moore, Helen 188 Moore, J. H 321 Moore, Raymond P 292, 307 Morningstar, Elmer R 292 Mote, Clarence 132 Morris, Bishop Thomas A 33 Mortimore, Alice 132 Mortimore, Wanda 132 Mortimore, Myrta 132 Moser, Alfred 292 Mott, Thelma 198, 199 Moulton, William 292 Mulcay, Donald 137 Muller, Chas 193, 194 Muller, Earl 204 Muller, Kenneth 198, 201 Mumma, Anna Rice 408 Mumma, Benj 62 Mumma, Edgar S 430 Mumma, Grace 165 Mumma, James L 378 Mumma, Jonathan 56 Mumma, Mable 178 Mumma, Ruth 132 Mumma, Samuel P 54 Mumma, Wilbur 164, 168 Mumma, Willis S 375 Munger, Dr. L. W 72 Murphy, Nellie 231 Myers, Anna 164, 168 Myers, A. E 132 Myers, B. F 348 Myers, Edward 354 Myers, Dr. E. W 54 Myers, Francis A 344 Myers, Frank 132 Myers, Jacob M 107 Myers, Lottie 163, 165 Myers, Myrtle Royer 73, 138, 163 Myers, Nellie 162 Myers, O. R 121 Myers, T. T 147 Myers, Will 162 NACHTMAN, FRANK A... 292, 434, 445 Nalley, Dorothy 201 Nalley, Edna 188 Nalley, Gladys 187 Nalley, Lloyd 196 Nalley, Wm 379 Nazarene, Rev. F. W 311 Nazarene, Mary 175 Neff, Addison W 53, 379, 411 Neff, Henry A 378 Neff, James 146 Neher, Edna 307 Neher, Ella 132 Neher, George 307 Neher, Grace 132 Neher, O. W 127 Newcomer, Alf onzo G 161 Newcomer, Andrew 62 Newcomer, Mrs. Andrew 408 Newcomer, Arthur M 57 Newcomer, Chas 258, 381 Newcomer, Clifford H 292, 435 Newcomer, Daniel H 380 Newcomer, Dr. David 51 Newcomer, David 140, 379 Newcomer, Delbert 204 Newcomer, Edna .165, 168 Newcomer, Emanuel 49 Newcomer, Florence 194 Newcomer, Grace 293 Newcomer, Henry Clay 298 Newcomer, Henry E 72 Newcomer, Henry H 278 Newcomer, Howard G 162, 399, 432 Newcomer, Dr. J 57 Newcomer, Lanah H 432 Newcomer, Margaret 378 Newcomer, Marie Hitt 380 Newcomer, Melchor S 118 Newcomer, Morris 399 Newcomer, Robert 165, 174, 197, 201 Newcomer, Thomas 140, 163, 334 Newcomer, William A 53, 62 Nickey, Joseph 132 Niman, Chas. U 60, 410 Niman, Don 410 Niman, Dorothy 185, 410 Niman, Hale 410 Niman, Minnie Kable 410 Niman, Roger 148, 410 Niman, Ruth 194, 410 Noble. Adelaide 197 Noble, Jeannette 231 Noble, Lulu Koontz 162 Noble, Marion 179 Noffsinger, Charles 200 Noff singer, John S 122, 132 Norris, Flossie 200 Nunn, Eugene 197, 201 Nutt, Viola 231 Nye, Catherine 380 Nye, John H 63, 376 Nye, Joseph S 58, 376 Nye, Ulysses C 132, 335, 341 OCKEN, LAURA 189 Ogden, Wilbur 193 O'Hara, Joseph Frederick 75 O'Hara, Mary 184 O'Hara, Vera 184 Oliver, Martha 132 Olsen, Maryalice 197, 198, 201 Olsen, Walter 293, 445 Olson, August T 62 Olson, Mrs. A. T 411 Olson, Carl Oscar 73, 336, 340, 342, 396 Olson. Floyd E 132, 396 Orr, E. A 146 Oxley, Ditha 192 Oxley, Paul 194 PAGE, EDWARD C 381 Palmer, Charlotte 201 Palmer, Daniel 293 Palmer, Grace 165, 168, 225 Palmer, Harold R 89, 293 Palmer, Leona 200 Palmer, Norma 201 Palmer, Robert J 293 Palmer, Roy 164 Park, Richard 197, 198, 204 Parker, Dr. Caroline L 64 Parker, Fred 136, 137 Parkinson, Clayton 132 Parkinson, Joyce 201 Parrott, Charles 293 Parsons, Lester 132 Patterson, Harold 89, 182, 199 Patterson, Robert 382 Patton, Leigh N 202, 205 Paul, Elmer 189, 191 Paul, George H 293 Paul, Lucille 231 Paul, Velma 197, 198, 204 Peacock. Charlie 164, 168, 175, 382 Peacock, Maurita 185 Peacock, T. W 171, 354 Pearce, Clarine 196 460 mount morris: past and present Pearce, F. V 348, 350 Pearce, Harold C 239, 348, 350 Pearce, Helen 190, 192 Pearce, Lloyd 190, 193, 194 Personnette, Donald 204 Peters, W. W 126 Petrie, Frederick G 300 Petrie, John R 379 Petry, Ralph 136, 148 Pettegrew, Chas 411 Peugh, Kathleen 196, 199 Phelps, John 12 Pieper, Ada 194 Pieper, Anton 382 Pieper, Doris 200 Pieper, Morris 204 Pieper, Ruby 204 Pieper, Ruth 196 Pierce, J. Leslie 149, 183, 197 Pierce, Lydia 168 Pinckney, Prof. Daniel J 106 Pinckney, Margaret Hitt 21 Pinckney, Merritt W 379 Pine, Jane 231 Piper, Joseph M 381 Pittenger, Carol 201 Pittenger, Kenneth 194 Pittenger, U. B 230 Plate, Carrie 164, 168, 175 Plate, Emma 162 Plum, Gladys 185 Pond, Willard 379 Poole, Wm 165 Pope, A 58 Ports, Edwin S 239 Potter, Leland 192 Potter, Luther 162 Potter, Nelson T 380 Potter, Nelson 149, 193, 194 Potter, Robert 283 Powell, Kittie 163, 165, 174 Powers, Gerald 136, 148 Powers, Willard 136, 137 Price, Dr. A. W 382 Price, Benj. S 67, 73, 162, 230, 304 Price, Mrs. B. S 73 Price, Dr. C. J 73, 293, 341, 411, 433 Price, Mrs. C. J 73, 411 Price, Clinton E 52, 75 Price, David E 321 Price, Grace 164, 231 Price, Mary 132 Price, Nannie 163 Price, William 193, 194, 361 Priller, George 239 Priller, Melvin 200 Prugh, Kitty 189 Prugh, Pridmore 181, 230 Prugh, Ruth 231 Prugh, Thornton 185, 186 Prugh, W. 1 231, 352 Puterbaugh, Lulu 132 Puterbaugh, Roy 132 Pyper, Lulu 231 V^UINLAN, MAURICE L 293 RALSON, LAWRENCE 148 Ralston, Wendell 148 Raney, Chas 163, 165 Raney, Edward 293 Raney, Eli H 293, 445 Raney, John 294 Rank, Pearl 165, 168, 175 Ransone, Marilyn 204 Rausch, Betty 200 Reed, Guerdon 293, 435 Rees, Rev. J. M 380 Rees, Harriet 190, 194 Rees, Leslie E..73, 231, 336, 339, 340, 342, 343 Rees, Paul 231 Rees, Perley 178, 181, 230, 341, 352, 401 Rees, Vera 231 Rees, Vernon V 73, 336, 339, 340, 401 Reiff, Benj 132 Reimer, Louis 231 Reitzel, Harry 354 Remington, Lottie 231 Remington, R. C 230 Replogle, Grace 132 Replogle, Orpha 132 Rice, Barbara 383, 408 Rice, Catherine 383, 408 Rice, Emily Newcomer 383 Rice, Dr. Isaac 20 Rice, Jacob 18 Rice, John H 70, 399, 411 Rice, Joseph L 67, 69 Rice, Sarah Hiestand 32 Rice, Wm. A 384 Ridenour, Benj 382 Ridenour, Daniel 278, 280 Ridenour, Harold 193, 194 Ridenour, John Howard 294 Ridenour, Leo 201 Riedl, Dr. Donald 433 Rieken, John 294 Rieken, Nettie 132 Rine, Benjamin H 278, 280 Rine, David 65 Rine, Fred W 72 Rinedollar, J. M 68 Rinehart, Chas 140 Rinehart, Mrs. Grace 409 Rinehart, Howard 140 Riner, George H 60 Ritson, Alice 188 Ritson, Grace 187 Ritson, Dr. J. H 341, 434 Rittenhouse, Abram H 224, 230 Rittenhouse, Leland 193, 194, 239 Rittenhouse, Nelson 148, 189, 435 Robertson, Russel 294 Robbins, J. Walker 434 Robbins, Joe 204 Robinson, Robert 197, 201 Robinson, W. A 436 Rock, Harry 230, 342, 343, 348 Rock, Joseph H 230, 342 Rock Orval 342 Rodeffer, Gladys 195 Rodeffer, Harold 195 Rodeffer, Ira 326 Rodeffer, J. S 230, 326 Rodeffer, Maud 230 Rodermund, Daniel F 294 Rogers, Harm .132 Rohns, Edna 187 Rohns, Lizzie 231 Rohrer, Chas. E 70 Rohrer, Ella 171 Rohrer, Martin T 384 Roland, Verne 140, 336 Roller, Hazel 231 Root, Rev. L. H 325 Root, Merlin 136 Rose, Frank 201 Rose, Mary 200 Ross, Chas 187 Ross, David B 230 461 Ross, Douglas 184, 230, 239 Ross, Fred 294 Ross Harold D 180, 230, 233, 238, 239, 294, 400 Ross, Harold Jr 197, 201 Ross, Rachel 231 Ross, William 200 Rothermel, Edward 132 Rothermel, Elaine 196 Rothermel, Ivan E 307 Rothermel, Merlin 200 Rouse, Alma 200 Rouse, James 239, 241, 294, 348, 445 Routzhan, Mabel 163 Rowe, Ed 171 Rowe, Frank 352 Rowe, Harry 171 Rowe, June 204 Rowe, Maude 163, 165, 169, 174 Rowe, Samuel 357 Rowe, Wm. H 383 Royer, Benj 230 Royer, Galen B 146 Royer, Harry 136 Royer, Prof. J 120, 121, 146 Royer, Josephine 121 Royer, Olive 231 Royer, Robert 149 Royston, Harold 348 Royston, Marvin 348 Royston, Rev. W. E 348 Rubsamen, Lulu 163 Rudy, John 354 Ryan, H. N 58 SADLER, O. T 140 Samsel, Bernice 184 Samsel, Bruce 258 Samsel, Dorothy 192 Samsel, Emmert 186, 187 Samsel, Maurice 233, 239 Samsel, Ralph 181 Samsel, William 258 Sanderson, Gerald G 294, 447 Sanford, Ethel 187 Sanford, Mary 189 Sanford, Ralph 185 Satterfield, Edna 188 Saunders, Leroy 200 Saunders, Roy 230 Sawyer, Frances 204 Sawyer, Peggy 200 Schaar, Frances 195 Schell, Delbert 197, 198 Schelling, George 162 Schelling, May 163, 165 Schmidt, Freda 193 Schmucker, Charles 201 Schmucker, Harry 294, 440 Schnulle, Pauline 1% Schrader, Wendell H 200, 202, 205 Schrieber, Bernice 201 Schrock, Edwin 149 Schryock, Antoinette 165 Schulta, Harvey 132 Schumaker, Katie 132 Scott, Florine 168 Scott, Fred C 71 Secky, Frank 294, 439 Seibert, Ray „ 230, 348 Selby, John 194 Selby, William 193, 194 Sellers, Logan 132 Seneff, J. H 230 Sensiba, Glenn 238 Seyster, David F 330 Sey ster, Sadie 185 Sharer, Bess 132 Sharer, Chas. H 53, 68 Sharer, Dwight S 181, 294, 299, 307 Sharer, Henry 38, 301 Sharer, John 214, 225 Sharer, Max 132, 141, 178, 337, 341, 342, 348, 401 Sharer, Robert 185, 186 Sharer, Wentworth 132, 141, 186, 294, 337, 341, 342, 348, 350, 400, 401 Shank, Elmer 163, 340 Shank, Geo. W 383 Sharp, Gertrude 132 Sharp, Prof. S. Z 146, 384 Shaw, E. J 147 Shaw. Ethel 231 Shaw, Forrest 180, 400 Shaw, Howard 132, 294 Shaw, Hubert 132, 178, 294 Shaw, Richard 385 Shearer, Agnes 132 Shearer, Clinton 132 Shearer, Edna 132 Shearer, Jacob 132 Sheets, B. F 64 Sheller, Glen 132 Shenefelt, Francis 136, 148 Shenefelt, Paul 136, 137, 148 Sherrick, Dorothy 132 Sherrick, Prof. M. M 132, 138 Sherrick, Paul H 295 Sherrick, Ruth 132 Shiflet, Anfield 132 Shiley, Frank 225 Shire, Pearl 132 Shirk, Lizzie 231 Shively, Emma 132 Shively, Prof. Levi S 122, 132, 236 Shively, Nora 132 Shively, Viola 132 Shively, Willard 192 Shoemaker, Elmer 230 Shoemaker, Helen 201 Shook, Hannah C 437 Shook, Marilla 132 Shook, Merlin 196 Shook, Warren 148, 191 Showe, Carl 295 Shriner, S. A 60 Shugars, Earl C 294 Shugars, Edwin 230 Silvius, Dorothy 197, 198 Silvius, George 230 Silvius, John 132 Silvius, Ross 230, 295, 445 Simester, James 184 Sitz, Conrad A 225 Sizemore, Edna 196 Skinner, Peyton 56 Slaughter, Florine 188 Slaughter, Julia 179, 231 Slifer, Carrie 231 Slifer, Emanuel 384 Slifer, Martha 231 Small. John 280 Small, M. C 447 Smith, Annabelle 73 Smith, Belva 132 Smith, Chas. D 386 Smith, Chas. E 386 Smith, Clark 195 Smith, Claude 178, 295 Smith, Daniel H 65 Smith, Eldon 197, 204 Smith, Everett R 435 462 mount morris: past and present Smith, Floyd 163 Smith, Guy 164, 168, 175 Smith, Henry L 279 Smith, Irvin 132 Smith, Jean 201 Smith, Jeanne 200 Smith, Jesse H 98, 230. 295, 400 Smith, Joe 163 Smith, John M 279 Smith, J. M 60 Smith, Lee 164. 168 Smith, Lester 162 Smith, Lloyd P 230 Smith, Martha 378 Smith, Wallace 197, 201 Smyth, Grayce 132 Snodgrass, Margaret 201 Snodgrass, Merle 204 Snodgrass, Myrtice 187 Snodgrass, Ralph 192 Snodgrass, Ruth 201 Snowberger, Elmer 326 Snowberger, Kathryn 188 Snyder, Elizabeth 132 Snyder, Marion 132 Soitz, Victor P 441 Solyom, Charles 149 Sprecher, Ada 184, 231 Sprecher, Bert 162 Sprecher, Charles 423 Sprecher, Daniel 65 Sprecher, Edith 164. 168 Sprecher. George 386 Sprecher, Harry 171, 230 Sprecher, Howard 171, 230 Sprecher, John 48 Sprecher, Josephine 187 Sprecher, Catherine 162, 423 Sprecher. LaVerna 204 Sprecher, Lewis C 96 Sprecher, Lois 200 Sprecher, Oliver L 397 Sprecher, Philip T. (1) 24 Sprecher. Philip T. (2) 386 Sprecher, Philip T. (3) 391 Sprecher, Samuel 386, 411 Sprecher, Thomas 1 283, 440 Sprecher, Wentworth 163. 165, 423 Spalding, F. K 69 Speaker, Dr. William T 50 Spielman, Agnes 231 Spielman, Anna 168. 175, 231 Spielman, Melvin P 385 Spiker, Charles H 295 Spiker, Charles 200 Spiker, Dorothy 201 Spoerlein, Sarah 132 Spurgeon, Harvey 132 Stage, Evelyn 189 Stanger, Chas. B 64 Stanley, L. C 68 Stark, Fred B 70 Starkey, Dan B 436 Startzman, E. 53, 66 Statler, Rev. Foster B 328 Steck, Lester 162, 163 Steele, Grace 132 Steffen, Fred 295 Steffen, Richard 197. 198. 201 Stengel, Anna 196 Stengel, Erma 194 Stengel, Grace 196 Stengel, Dr. H. J 185, 436 Stengel, Myron 196 Stengel, Pauline 197. 204 Stengel, Velda 195 Stephens, Dr. Benj. G 51 Stephens, Florence E 158, 163, 164 Stephens, Hugh 162 Stevens, Dr. David F 352, 437 Stevens, Forrest 196 Stevens, James H 279, 280 Stewart, James T 387 Stewart, Maurice 230 Stewart, William H ....52, 68 Stiess, Maude 132 Stiger, Louise 204 Stiger, Mary Louise 200 Stiger, Wm. B 295 Stimax, Cleo 190, 194 Stine, Lura 178 Stine, Thayer 180 Stine, W. L 386 Stone, Leslie 75 Stonebraker, Chas. V 386 Stonebraker, Emma 376 Stonebraker, Francis W 385 Stonebraker, Frank S 393 Stonebraker, Frank 231 Stonebraker, J. N 66 Stonebraker, Lee 283 Stonebraker, Lois 204 Stonebraker, Marian 196 Stoub, Dan 200 Stouffer, Boyd 132, 435 Stouffer, F. K 354 Stouffer, Harry 132, 295 Stouffer, Hiram 230 Stouffer, Martin 295 Stouffer, Mary 132 Stouffer, O. E 437 Stouffer, Orville 354 Stouffer, Price 326, 411, 435 Stouffer, Raymond 143, 400 Stover, Daniel 327 Stover, Emmert 327 Stover, Helen 327 Stover, James 327 Stover, John H 283, 295 Stover, Miriam 327 Stover, Wilbur B 147, 327 Stover, Mrs. Wilbur B 327 Strite, Joseph 295 Strock, Burton. . . .165, 169, 174, 336, 339, 340 Strock, Jacob 52, 70, 399 Strock, Mildred 164, 168, 336 Stroh, Rev. Nicholas J 316 Strohecher. Dale 200 Studebaker, Ethel 132 Stuff, Eugene 201 Stull, Eugene 197 Stull Frances 196 Stutsman, Carl 164, 168, 171, 341 Summers, Lillian 201 Summy, Buy 132 Suter, Gladys 231 Suter, Hazel 231 Suter, Henry Carl 295 Suter, Paul 230 Suter, Tena 198, 200 Swan, Theodore 239 Swank, Marguerite 132 Swartz, Goldie 132 Swartz, Harvey 132, 143 Sweeley , Roy 140 Sweet, Irene Freeman 202, 205 Swift, Lola 132 Swift, Martha 231 Swift, May 178 Swingley, Benjamin 31, 38 Swingley, John H 76 Swingley, Michael 385 INDEX 463 Swingley, Capt. Nathaniel 16 Swingley, Oliver H 301 Switzer, Erma 132 Switzer, Jessie 132 Swope, Anion 132 Sympspn, Marian 202, 205 TARRENCE, CLELL 136, 137, 149 Taylor, Chas. V 132 Taylor, Louise 194 Taylor, Ruth 204 Teague, Flora E 121 Terpening, Carl 148 Thomas, Alan Keith 403 Thomas, Alice 179 Thomas, Bert 162, 399 Thomas, Daniel 388 Thomas, Edward 140 Thomas, Flora 162 Thomas, Henry L 30, 403 Thomas, Henry 403 Thomas, Feme 204 Thomas, Irvin 334 Thomas, Jacob 386 Thomas, John 136, 137, 192 Thomas, John 334 Thomas, Joshua 403 Thomas, Mary 187 Thomas, Mary 195 Thomas, Noble F 403 Thomas, Ralph R 437 Thomas, Rhoda 163, 165 Thomas, Robert 196 Thomas, Roy 341 Thomas, Susanna 387 Thomas, Theodore 187 Thomas, Worthington 179, 218, 295, 403 Thompson, Gregor 57, 334, 352, 411 Tice, Cleggett F 387 Tice, Franklin N 302 Tice, Helen 196 Tice, James 295 Tice, John E 387 Tice, Maurice 341 Tilden, Bert 230, 296, 359 Tilden, Robert 230 Timmerman, Elizabeth 19 Toms, Darrell 185, 186 Toms, George 57, 162 Toole, Robert 231, 342 Tovelle, Roy 171 Towns, Annette 201 Towns, Charles 201, 296, 348 Towns, John 185, 348, 350 Tracy, Benj 280, 281 Tracy, Clarence 197, 198 Tracy, Dennis C 357, 440 Tracy, Eugene B 439 Tracy, Harold 188, 191, 348 Trail, Mabel 231 Trine, Ralph Waldo 394 Trine, Samuel G 281 Trine, Virgil 387, 399 Trostle, Anna 225 Trostle, Ephraim 388 Trump, C. B 230 Turner, Virgil 198, 199 UNGER, CHAS 280, 281 Unger, Charley 400 Unger, Charlotte 188 Unger, Glenn 230, 296, 358, 400 Unger, Grant 410 Unger, Grant Jr 296 Unger, Lloyd 230 Unger, Lois 196 VAN ANTWERP, CLARENCE 148 Van Arsdale, Harriet 194 Vancil, Joel 132 Vanimann, Arthur 132 Vaughan, Dr. J. S 58 Vetrovec, Anna 185 Vetrovec, Bessie 188 Vetrovec, Joe 195 Vetter, Bertha 231 Vetter, Laura 231 Vezzetti, Joseph 338 Vincent, J. H 310 WADDELOW, DONALD 201 Waddelow, Feme 200 Waddelow, Josephine 184 Waddelow, Walter 296, 307, 445 Wagenman, Ira M 296 Wagner, Benj 19 Wagner, Carl W 296 Wagner, Clark 132 Wagner, David 19, 132 Wagner, Dora 132 Wagner, John 19 Wagner, Joseph 19, 30 Wagner, Laura 132 Wagner, Letha 184 Wagner, Nehemiah 19 Wagner, Reuben 19, 29 Wagner, Ruth 184 Waite, Galen 132 Walker, Irlene 185 Walker, John 163 Walker, Marjorie 185 Walkup, Clyde 230 Walkup, Harold 296 Wallace, Helen 201 Wallace, Lawrence L 389 Wallace, Lewis 387 Walrath, H. C 339 Warwick, George H 139, 296 Watts, Anna Ankney 37 Watts, Anna 195 Watts, Earl 37 Watts, Ella McNett 37 Watts, Fanny Felker 37 Watts, Fred L 37, 71, 352 Watts, James L 37, 75, 357 Watts, Jeanette 187, 398 Watts, John 37 Watts, Martha Avey 37 Watts, Martha 37 Watts, Mollie 37 Watts, Nathaniel A 37, 390 Watts, Oliver, S 37, 74 Watts, Robert R 296 Watts, Thomas 37, 74 Watts, Victoria Weller 37 Watts, William H 26, 37 Watts, William 37 Watkins, Ivy 162 Watkins, Lee 162 Watkins, Mav 164, 168 Watson, William 296 Watson, James 338 Watt, Dorothy 201 Watt, Leslie A 190, 195, 447 Watt, James W 238, 307, 446, 447 Weaver, Abraham 282 Weaver, C. C 439 Weaver, Chas 336, 337, 341 Weaver, Edith 231 Weaver, G. E 121 Weaver, Grace 231 Weaver, Mable 231 Webb, James M 64 464 mount morris: past and present Webster, Chas 230, 447 Webster, Edward 198, 204 Webster, Luella 231 Weller, Chas. R 281 Weller, Frances 184 Weller, Harriet 201 Weller, John: 388 Weller, Margaret 196 Wells, Howard 196 Welty, Murray 143 Wertz, Susan 19 Wesner, Dallas 280 West, William E 139, 326 West, Mrs. William E 139 Wheeler, Burton C 225 Wheeler, Wentworth W 58 Wheldon, Myron C 239 Whetzel, Wilbur 197, 204 Whistler, Emma 165, 168 Whistler, Mignon 164, 171 Whistler, Myrtle 132, 171 Whistler, Samuel 165 White, Emma 188 Whitman, Bess 132 Whitman, C. H 52, 65 Whitmer, Ethel . . .132 Whitmer, John 132 Whitmer, Maude 132 Wible, Earl 239 Wickert, Wilbur 136 Wickler, Harold 136 Wieand, Florence 132 Williams, Allie 164, 168, 175 Williams, Betty 200 Williams, Earl 230 Williams, Ella 231 Williams, Pearl 162 Williams, Thomas C 69 Williams, William Clark 312 Williamson, Geo 132 Williamson, Prof. John 109 Willifred, Frank 132 Wilson, Everett 143 Wilson, Harold 149 Wilson, Mrs. Ida 409 Wilson, Thomas 296 Wiltz, Rev. Harold W 332 Winders, Bert 296 Winders, Elizabeth Ann 389 Winders, Elbert E 169, 170, 174, 334 Winders, Ella 258 Winders, Vinnie 163 Windle, Cleo 195 Windle, Clifford C 132, 178, 296, 342 Windle, George 69, 388 Windle, Philip 165 Windle, Velda 189 Wine, Florence 184 Wine, Rev. G. E 328 Wine, John W 75 Wine, Lois 180 Wine, Ruth 132, 194 Wingard, Jane 198, 199 Wing, Ethel May 231 Wingert, Daniel L 49 Wingert, Ira W 53, 56 Winston, Dr. Thomas 58 Wise, Alma 132 Wishard, Charles A 283, 439 Wishard, Mary 185 Wishard, Mildred 187 Withers, Ada 164 Withers, Carl 230, 354, 400 Withers, Grace 164 Withers, Howard 399 Withers, Jacob H 280, 282 Withers, John 280, 282 Withers, Maud 162 Withers, Roy 73 Withers, William 282 Wittge, Emma 201 Wohlschlegel, Wm 441 Wold, Harold 136 Wolf, Carlton E 390 Wolf, Emmert J 143, 304, 307, 343 Wolf, Flora 162 Wolf, John 389 Wolf, Mary 165, 171 Wolf, Vernie 164 Wolfe, Emma 231 Wolfe, Grace 171 Wolfe, Morris 168 Wolfe, Nellie 171 Wolfe, Walter 57 Womack, Lillie 196 Woodworth, Marshall 198 Woy, Richard 187 Wragg, Winfred 200 Wright, Everett 148 Wright, Martha 196 Wyckoff, Wilbur 189 Wylie, Helen 132 Wylie, Ruth 132 Wynne, Audrey 200 Wynne, Donald F 296 Y EAGER, CLARENCE 136, 149 Yerkey, Ernest 239 Yetter, Hazel 132 Yetter, John 389 Yoder, Adon A 449 Yoder, Allen 191, 348 Yoder, Frank 187 Yoder, Harry 447 Yoe, John 197, 198, 201 Yoe, Paul 193, 202, 205 Yohn, Samuel 132 Yorke, Myron W 239 Young, Daniel W 388 Young, Prof. E. S 146 Young, Forrest 190, 195 Young, George W 388 Young, Raymond 192, 307 ZELLERS, ANNA 408 Zellers, Archie 200 Zellers, Daniel 390, 408 Zellers, Harry 132 Zellers, Irene 196 Zellers, Kenneth 193, 196 Zellers, Maud 164 Zellers, Velma 204 Zern, E. J 147 Zichuhr, Ralph H 440 Zimmerman, Bryant 197, 201 Zimmerman, Doris 197, 198 Zimmerman, Hazel Kable 132, 178, 410 Zimmerman, Horace E 318 Zimmerman, Milo D..232, 238, 239, 296, 410 Zimmerman, Ward 410 Zoller, C. F 72 Zook, Samuel 132 Zumdahl, August H 390 Zumdahl, Christian A 389 Zumdahl, Frederick 390 Zumdahl, Irvin 185 Zumdahl, Iva 184 Zumdahl, Lawrence 200 Zumdahl, Phyllis 201