Full text of "The centennial book : official program of the ceremonies and the pageant in celebration of the centennial of Vermilion, forty-fourth county in the twenty-first state"

"10=23,

ajiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiii iiiiimiiiimmiiiiiiiiiiiti

Daring the first fifty years of life of Ver-
milion County the TELEPHONE was unknown.

During the second fifty years the TELE-
PHONE was invented, perfected, and became a
practical necessity in every home and office.

Truly, the "first fifty years were the hard-
est!"

sni

The Vermilion County
Telephone Company

1876 :-: The Telephone's Fiftieth Year :-: 1926

Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY

"Our fathers in a wondrous age,

Ere yet the earth was small,

Insured to us a heritage,

And doubted not at all

That we, the children of their heart,

Which then did beat so high,

In later time should play like part

For our posterity ....

Dear-bought and clear, a thousand year

Our father's title runs,

Make we likewise their sacrifice,

Defrauding not our sons!"

. ;■■-: ■ ■-- ■ : .■■ - : ;, ;■

, J *

Vermilion County Memorial to Her World War Dead

THE CENTENNIAL
BOOK

OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE
CEREMONIES AND THE
PAGEANT IN CELEBRATION
OF THE CENTENNIAL OF
VERMILION, FORTY-FOURTH
COUNTY IN THE TWENTY-
FIRST STATE

CLINT CLAY TILTON
EDITOR

HELD IN DANVILLE— DANVILLE ON THE DIXIE

IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

1826-1926

An Applanation

Ho! Ye Men and Women of Old Vermilion who dwelt
'neath the shadows of the giant oak and maple, and strode
forth at break of Morn to battle with and finally conquer
the rank growth of the Prairie, in the days when Illinois
was Young ! We call to you to wake and listen to our words
of praise and thanksgiving. We call to you who sleep in
Jimmy Butler's "God's Acre"; to you whose final rest has
been disturbed, when the Greed of Man desecrated the
Burial Ground provided by Amos Williams and to you who
wait the Final Call in a dozen other Grave Yards of the
Early Days.

To you who have solved Life's Mystery an eternity
means naught, but we, who now dwell in the comfort that
your sacrifice made possible, count the days and the weeks
and the months and the years — and the Records of Man
show that Old Vermilion now has reached the Century of
her being.

One Hundred Years ! A short span for the living, and
it is only when one delves into the Records of the Stalwart
Men and Women who came to the Prairies in the Days when
Illinois was Young that we realize that we have reason to
be boastful in this year of Twenty-six.

Therefore, we, who now abide in the peace and plenty
of the Old Vermilion of Nineteen Twenty-six have as-
sembled together in Celebration to do you — the Trail
Blazers and Conquerors of the Wilderness — the full honor
that you merit.

Pioneers of Old Vermilion! In this week, by Parade
and Pageant, and the Words of Clever Talkers we will give
full tribute to your efforts in the Early Day.

Let the bugle call resound that the Men and Women of
Old Vermilion may gather to do honor to our Sires !

WE, THE DESCENDENTS.

Gknrral program

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1926
MORNING

6:00 — National Salute by Company "A".

8:30— Old Settler's Re-Union at Armory,

l Under auspices of Half-Century Club)
i Basket Dinner and Visitation at Noon)

9:30 — Band Concerts — Wabash Station Lawn, Federal Building, World War Memorial, Public
Square.

10:30 — Addresses, Southeast corner of Public Square.

Hon. Roy O. West, Secretary, National Republican Committee.
Native of Georgetown, Illinois, now living in Chicago, Illinois.

Hon. George T. Buckingham, Member law firm of DeFrees, Buckingham & Eaton, General
Counsel for Illinois Power & Light Corporation in Chicago, Illinois. Native of Potomac,
Illinois; now living in Chicago, Illinois.

AFTERNOON
1:30 — Band Concerts.

Inspection of historical relics in business house windows and D. A. R. museum at public
library - .

3:00 — Pioneer and Fraternal Parade.

Under the direction of Mr. Woods H. Martin. This parade will be composed of historic
floats and the various fraternal orders and clubs in the county.

Parades form on North Hazel Street, south on Hazel to North, east on North to Washington,
south on Washington to Main, west on Main to Victory Bridgr, counter-march to Public
Square, north on Vermilion to Williams Street.

EVEN I NO

8:00 — Historical and Symbolical Pageant with a cast of seven hundred people at Illinois-Indiana
Fair Grounds, Danville, Illinois.

10:30— Reveille.

H»

Gkurral Program

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1926

MORNING

6:00 — National Salute by Company "D".

9:30— Band Concerts.

10:30 — Addresses, southeast corner of Public Square.

Judge E. R. E. Kimbrough, born in Edgar county, moved to Vermilion county before the
Civil War. Now living in Danville, Illinois.

Hon. Wayne C. Williams, Ex-Attorney General of Colorado, native of Sidell township, now
living in Denver, Colorado.

AFTERNOON

1 :30 — Dress Parade of Veterans of Four Wars.

Under command of Colonel Hadley, Governor at the National Soldiers' Home.

3 :00 — Educational Parade.

Under direction of Captain L. A. Tuggle, County Superintendent of Schools. Grade Schools
and High Schools from the different Townships in the county participating. Twenty-two
thousand nine hundred pupils enrolled in the schools of Vermilion county.

8:00 — Second Presentation of Historical and Symbolical Pageant at Illinois-Indiana Fair Grounds,
Danville, Illinois.

10:30— Reveille.

EVENING

8:00 — Historical and Symbolical Pageant with a cast of seven hundred people at Illinois-Indiana
Fair Grounds, Danville, Illinois.

10:30— Reveille.

Gkurral Program

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1926

MORNING

6:00 — National Salute by Company "I". (Capt. Beeleri.

9:30 — Band Concerts.

10:30 — Addresses, southeast corner of Public Square.

Hon. John Walker, President of Illinois Federation of Labor. Now living in Springfield,
Illinois.

Hon. Edwin T. Meredith, Ex-Secretary of Agriculture of United States. Publisher and
Managing Editor of "Successful Farming," a farm magazine having over a million circula-
tion. Now living in Des Moines. Iowa.

AFTERNOON
1:30 — Band Concerts.

Visitors invited to inspect Lincoln Tablets at Feldkamp home, Gilbert Street: corner of First
National Bank building; Hubbard Tablet, corner Palmer National Bank building.

3:00— Parade.

Agriculture, Labor, Commerce and Manufacturing. Under the direction of Mr. E. Dean
Huber.

EVENING

8:00 — Last presentation of Historical and Symbolical Pageant at Illinois-Indiana Fair Grounds,
Danville, Illinois.

10:30— Reveille.

(Ulir (Jpurnt ann iEatba nf lienor

THELMA BRANDON
Miss Vance Township

Photo by Wirschlng

ELMA BLANKENBURG
Miss C. & E. I.

Photo by Wirsching

JEANETTE SCHUMAN
Mtss A. B.C.

Photo by Wirsching

AMELIA RAIMER
Miss Kiwanis

(Uir (purrn auft iHaifls of limmr

MABEL A. GRAVES
Miss Rotary

CRETA STRICKLER
Miss Rossville

Photo by Wirsching

JANE CHAPMAN
Miss D. H. S.

LEONA DREWS
Miss B. & P. It".

Pboto by Winching

I'll. .t.. by Si-luill stuili.i

®l}t ((tern anu Maiba of Inner

IRIS KINDER
Miss Catlin

Photo by Wirschlng

BESS FRENCH
Miss Pilot

Photo by Wirschins

MRS. RALPH ELLIOTT
Miss Hoopeston

Photo by Wirschlng

FERN ATTEBURY
Miss Love

Photo by Bowman

HISTORICAL AND SYMBOLICAL PAGEANT AS A TRIBUTE TO THE
PIONEER. AND IN CELEBRATION OF THE CENTEN-
NIAL OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

By EARL C. DARFLER
Pageant Director

PROLOGUE

ARRIVAL OF MISS VERMILION AND ATTENDANTS.

MISS ROSS, MISS BUTLER, MISS GEORGETOWN, MISS McKENDREE, MISS
LOVE, MISS DANVILLE, MISS GRANT, MISS MIDDLEFORK, MISS PILOT, MISS
ELWOOD, MISS OAKWOOD, MISS VANCE, MISS JAMAICA, MISS SIDELL, MISS
CARROLL, MISS CATLIN.

ADDRESS OF WELCOME— By Miss Vermilion.

"Fellow Citizens of Vermilion County and the United States:

"In the name of the inhabitants of this goodly town, and in honor of our celebra-
tion this evening, I bid you all a most cordial welcome.

"Whether you were born within its ancient boundaries, interlacing your affections
with those with whom you compose this incorporated brotherhood in the great family
of the Union, or whether you have forsaken your home, in some foreign country, re-
nouncing all allegiance unto it, and having adopted this as your earthly home, here to
abide as one of its children seeking its peace and its welfare as long as God in His
Providence shall continue you here, or whether you are a native of some other town,
city or state and are here present to enjoy with us this celebration in the name of the
County of Vermilion, in this city of Danville, I extend to each and all of you the
endearing address of 'FELLOW CITIZENS,' and bid you welcome to Danville."

ARRIVAL OF MISS COLUMBIA AND FORTY-EIGHT STATES.

MISS VERMILION: "Welcome, welcome, Columbia, and you, her daughters, FAIR
United States. Welcome to Danville and the Historical Pageant!"

INTERLUDE I.

Father Time:

There time long since has reaped and change has wrought,

Transfigured pages in the "Book of Thought"

Where in recessional has passed away.

Full many a pageant in world's wild play —

Where king and count, philosopher and page,

Have passed to death and dust from age to age,

Where those pale pilgrims, who were counted blest,

The shifting hour glass fulfilled of rest, —

We take you back tonight upon the stage

That you may read this old colonial page,

And, as the leaves of centuries unfold,

Find witches, kings and regicides enscrolled;

Midst magistrates and Puritans therein,

Perchance some jester find or harlequin,

Should laughter fail, not so the living truth;

That keeps its words, archaic or uncouth;

Come back with us, for through its misty door,

With silent step the past returns once more

And, playing gentle ghosts, our cast behold;

Witness these scenes and hear their story told.

And whether friends, our play shall please or pall,

We ask your kindly patience for us all.

12 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Father Time:

"I came, I know not whence, I go I know not whither.

Eyes of things created never upon my coming looked,

Nor shall it see my passing,

First and last of all things I for I AM TIME."

"Look ye upon the dawning of Creation called Universe,

When out of the chaos, order is brought,

You will see the birth of Sky, Flowers, Lands,

And last— M A N, the RED MAN."

EPISODE I.

The Dawning of Creation.

(Note: Just as everything is in perfect harmony with the Creation growing in its
merry play, the voice of Man is heard. This breaks the still harmony of Nature and
in gross confusion the Spirits run and hide under cover of the Forests. Symbolic dances
of Nature.)

The Coming of the Indian.

(Note: This is a typical band of Indians who were found living in small villages
and scattered in roving bands. Everywhere the early settlers came in contact with
these people. Extremely improvident, they cultivated the soil very little and depended
on the chase for a livelihood. Hunting and dancing constituted their pleasure. We
depicit a savage dance.)

INTERLUDE II.

Father Time:

The Powers of the Forest and the Powers of the River

Which menace them always, had to be conquered and bent to their will,

With danger encircling, by day and by night,

Here lit their hearth fires to gleam through the years,

Clear as a beacon light.

EPISODE II.

Spirit of the Wilderness.

(Note: This is a symbolic dance representing the Spirit of the Wilderness in its
most playful mood, with the Powers of the Forest and the Powers of the Rivers, and
the Mist Maidens, merrily dancing in the Forest, when the coming of MAN disturbs
their merry play.)

The Pioneer Man.

(Note: This is purely a symbolical episode showing how the Pioneers conquered
the elements.)

INTERLUDE III.

Father Time:

Witness here ye day of old, see their homes and tents unfold,
Glad of heart the record read, of high courage, faithful deed,
As men build their home and town, coming in from miles around:
Years of Growth and Power to stand,
A Goodly County in a mighty land.

EPISODE III.
The First Settlers of Vermilion County.

SCENE I.
In September, 1819, Joe Barron, Truman Blackman, Lambert Bona, Zariah Cicott,
and four Indian guides came to the site of the Saline and located four miles west of
Danville. Leaving here, they went to Fort Harrison where Truman Blackman, trick-
ster, organized another company and returned a month later. They brought with them
a kettle to test the water in which they found that two gallons of water made four
ounces of salt. Truman Blackman, George Beckwith and Seymour Treat agreed to be
equal partners. Peter Allen and George Beckwith were left in charge while the rest

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 13

returned to Fort Harrison. In November, Seymour Treat and family came up the Wa-
bash and Vermilion rivers, carried their few belongings to the side of the hill where a
cabin had been prepared. This was the beginning of the first settlement.

INTERLUDE IV.

Father Time:

On bare, horizoned seas they deemed them lost,

So many months wind driven and storm tossed,

Across strange wastes each death long day, moved by,

Strange stars relentless, nightly spared their sky;

Yet moved they on these sturdy pioneers,

And held them dauntless against besieging fears;

Found their reward, as their old log book reads,

"A right fair land," and meet for all their needs,

A land with wealth of furs, and treasure trove —

Small wonder that Vermilion Settlers throve.

SCENE 2.
The Salt Works.
The capacity of the iron kettles used in the Salt works were 120 gallons. They
were arranged in a double row, forty kettles in each row, with rock placed closely
around each kettle. Heat was furnished by wood, although they had coal, but did not
know that it could be burned. They averaged 180 bushels of salt a week and it was
sold at SI. 50 a bushel.

SCENE 3.

Father Kingsbury's Church.

Father Kingsbury was preaching one Sunday morning in 1832, when three refugees
came rushing in, declaring the Indians were on their heels. Dan Beckwith with 31
men started out. Later, the Vermilion County rangers under Colonel Moore, with 350
men, left without order and were ordered home when they reached Joliet as it was
found that the Indians were about 200 miles away.

The Dance of Veils.
INTERLUDE V.
Father Time:

Once on a time, our academic ways,

Were trod in simpler guise. In other days

Our fathers learned the hornbook and the rule,

They toed the line or topped the dunce's stool,

An Ancient dame presided as they read,

And if they erred, her thimble rapped each head,

Each little girl a sampler made, in time

And wrought thereon her simple faith in rhyme,

View not these artless ranks with laughing scorn,

Here was the higher education born.

SCENE 4.
The First School.

The first school taught in Vermilion County is said to have been in Elwood town-
ship. It was a log school house one mile west of Vermilion station. Reuben Black, a
lad of eighteen, came from Ohio, and in the winter of 1824-25 secured enough subscrip-
tion pupils to make it worth his while to open a school. He taught one winter. John
Mills sent four children, three sons, and one daughter. Joseph Jackson, an Englishman,
sent two children, Ezekial Hollingsworth sent four children, Henry Canady sent one,
John Haworth sent three, making fourteen in all. The branches taught were reading,
spelling, writing, and some of the older pupils were taught arithmetic. So it was that
these fourteen children, Ira, Millican, John and Rebecca Mills, Nathaniel and Mary
Jackson, Jeremiah, Miles Mahunday, and John Hollingsworth, William Canaday, and
Thomas, David and Elvin Haworth were the first children to go to school in Vermilion
County.

SCENE 5.

The Bucket Brigade.

In the early days the fire departments were composed of volunteer citizens, each
supplying himself with two buckets and a burlap sack to fight the fires with. This
scene depicts an early time fire fight.

14 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

INTERLUDE VI.

Father Time:

And so a county was born to live,

And to this county a name we give VERMILION.

So away with care, let every heart,

With quickened fervor glow,

While we brush the dust from by-gone years,

And bid the records show,

The honored deeds of those who lived many years ago.

SCENE 6.
The First Sale of Lots.
The town was laid out by the county through its commissioners. Dan W. Beck-
with, the county surveyor, was employed by the commissioners to run out 100 lots. The
day of sale having come around, a large number of people were collected, bidding was
lively. Harvey Luddington, acting as auctioneer, and Amos Williams, clerk. Forty-
two lots were sold from which the county realized §922.87. The average price was
$22.00 a lot. The buyers were Gerden S. Hubbard, Indian trader, George Haworth,
first merchant, Alvin Gilbert, first tavern keeper, Eazekiah Cunningham, second mer-
chant, Rev. Kingsbury, John Vance, salt works, Jim Clyman, white trapper.

INTERLUDE VII.
Lincoln Days.

Father Time:

Where the Virginia creeper softly falls,

About the porticoes of Southern halls,

Across the floor colonial couples pace,

And take their graceful postures face to face,

They turn on airy toe and turn on heel,

And dance night long the gay ecstatic reel,

A pigeon wing each lightfoot gallant turns,

And for a space the polished floor he spurns,

The village beauties, crimson flushed in face,

More breathless grow, but still dance on apace.

While through the hall, melodious, haunting thin,

The wistful cadence of the violin,

Makes mute the darkies gathered at the door,

Who smile to watch the dancers on the floor,

And each thinks only with his loyal pride,

His mistress lovelier than all beside.

This is the ballroom scene we show tonight,

Which still resounds with music and delight.

SCENE 7.
An Old-Fashioned Dance.

Judge Davis came in a buggy in 1858, and the lawyers, Abraham Lincoln, Spring-
field; John Stewart, Stephen Logan, Springfield; Henry Whitney, Urbana; Oliver Fick-
land, Charleston; Usher Linder, Charleston, came on horseback, and held court.

This Episode represents an out door court of Judge Davis in the year of 1858.

EPISODE IV.
The World War.

A pageant of dancers representing the Nations of the World War.

United States, France, England, Italy, Holland, Belgium, China, Japan, etc.

FINALE.

Parade of Entire Company.
Pageant under personal direction of Earl C. Darfler, of the Joe Bren Production
Company, Chicago.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 15

1876-1926

lilurlr Jlnr (Eatuum

Who Is Celebrating the Semi-Centennial of His Residence

In Danville

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY ILLINOIS

%*^ "z^V^^ &rf£6i*>H&' fif^^+sj..

~*^ <frtf>, <***\

x///fff

" e jL$-d<if,/nr\ /

7 ../ / . /~>.L-,, Jot) Ja»Qlt.*Am

,.^ %i^

Fac-simile of Original Subscription List to a Purse given to the
Three Commissioners who selected Danville as the Seat of Justice of
Vermilion County. The Original is in the Collection of the Wood-
bury Family, Danville, Illinois.

CENTENNIAL Book OF VICRMIl.toX COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Site (grnems nf (1Mb H mniltmt

1826-1926

By CLINT CLAY TILTON

-LI-
THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT

THE History of a County that was
more than two centuries in the mak-
ing cannot be written in a day, nor
can the wondrous story be told as it should
be in the limits of a Souvenir Booklet.

It is a Record of Romance, with tales of
treachery, daring, suffering, poverty, self-
denial, perseverance, patriotism and a con-
cluding chapter, as it can be written in
L926, when Vermilion County, as a County,
has officially reached the century mark,
with a proper happy ending. Thriving
cities and towns, happy homes and busy,
contented citizens. And, through it all the
thread of Romance that makes the historic
scroll a gripping one.

There is Romance in the fact that over
the land now embraced by Vermilion Coun-
ty have floated the flags of three nations.
First, there was the banner of Imperial
France, by right of discovery and explor-
ation; next the flag of the haughty Briton,
by right of conquest, and then there rippled
in the breezes' the emblem of our newly-
confederated colonies, also by right of con-
quest, for when George Rogers Clark and
his little band of riflemen captured the
British Fort at Post Vincennes in 177'J,
all this territory became a part of the Com-
monwealth of Virginia. And, according to
some ancient Spanish records, discovered
at St. Louis, a few years ago, it came dan-
gerously near being under the emblem of a
fourth nation, when a Spanish army, —
the only one ever to invade United States
soil, — came here in 1781 from St. Louis
and battled with the Kickapoos, who at that
time had a town on the site of the old Salt
Works.

Tis a story worth the telling.

According to the old Spanish Records,
this foolhardy adventure was apparently a
faint echo from far across the sea of a
great European quarrel, the war then being
desperately waged by Spain against Eng-
land. In this cause the isolated Spanish
garrison at St. Louis, — the capital of New
Spain, had boldly determined to bear their

part by a foray against the British fort on
the St. Joseph River, in the present state of
Michigan. In January of that year, a
small band of adventurers, sixty-five in
number, under command of Don Eugenie
Peurre, Don Carlos Tayon, second in rank,
and Don Luis Chevalier, "a man well versed
in the language of the Indians," set out to
capture the fort over which floated the
hated British banner. Sixty Indians from
various tribes also were with the band.
Four hundred miles and more of Indian-
haunted plain and forest stretched between
them and their destination, while at the end
of the trail an enemy lurked behind fortress
walls awaiting their approach, whose
strength only could be conjectured. And
they were heavily laden, too with provi-
sions, ammunition and merchandise, with
which they hoped to buy their way through
the lands of the savage tribes then in close
alliance with England. This march, while
possibly in no way intended at the time
of its conception to involve the struggling
eastern colonies, led directly across Illinois
territory, which already had been won to
the American cause by Clark's Borden-men,
and hence was an armed invasion.

Since it was in the dead of winter the lit-
tle band dared not attempt the more direct
route to the point of attack, for no man
might face the Grand Prairie in winter and
hope to survive. Therefore, they followed
the streams, to have the protection of the
forests, and came in a northeasterly direc-
tion, until the "Salines of the Vermilion"
were reached. Here, according to the old
records, the "army" remained three days,
two of which were taken in parleying with
the Indians in an effort to have them
acknowledge the sovereignty of the Spanish
king. In this they were unsuccessful, and
on the third day a battle was fought, in
which the Spaniards were worsted and
forced to withdraw. Several cannon balls
of foreign manufacture, found embedded
in the bluff near the old "Works" some
years ago, undoubtedly were evidences of
this battle.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The little army retreated in a northeast-
erly direction, finally reached their destin-
ation and surprised and captured the Brit-
ish fort, which they sacked and destroyed.
Spring being at hand, they retired to the
portage of the Kankakee river, where boats
were built, and they floated down the Kan-
kakee, the Illinois and the Mississippi
rivers to St. Louis — and safety.

In the annals of Old Vermilion an Epic,
but in Europe, far across the sea, but a
Gesture in the Drama in which the fighting
strength of two proud nations was in the
cast!

But the Land of Vermilion, in the Chron-
icles of the Whites, is older than that. If
we are to believe the old mildewed records
that repose in vaults in France and in Mon-
treal, which have to do with the story of
Old Kaskaskia and also Fort de Chartres
more than two hundred years have elapsed
since the territory that now comprises
Vermilion County felt the tread of the
White Man. The Vermilion river was
known to the French in the Sixteenth
century, and a knowledge of the "Salines
of the Vermilions" is referred to in French
records as early as 1706. It was then
on the old Detroit-Kaskaskia Trail and
was the half-way stop of the hardy French
peasants who journeyed from Detroit,
overland, to their new home-to-be at
Kaskaskia on the Father of Waters.
Much of romantic interest clusters about
the memory of this old time track from
Detroit to Kaskaskia across the wilderness.
In those far-off days of French ascendency,
when Fort de Chartres was the center of
French power in the great Mississippi val-
ley, and the commandant of the Illinois
country ruled as a little king, this trail
through the old Salt Works witnessed many
a gay and glittering cavalcade. Here

passed fair maids and merry matrons of
France, not a few in the ruffled petticoat
and high-heeled shoes of fashion; beside
them gallant soldiers rode with bow and
smile, their lace-trimmed uniforms gor-
geous in the sunshine. Courtiers of the
French court, friends of the great Louis,
travelled these somber miles of wilderness,
from Detroit, through Vermilion county, to
the mighty Mississippi, and stopped and
rested on this historic spot — the half-way
rest of the Detroit-Kaskaskia trail — while
many an adventurer, his sole wealth the
glittering sword at his side, pressed for-
ward hopefully to his fate in the West.
Troops, travelstained and weary, rested
here, on their way to battle against the
English outposts to the North.

Weird and uncanny the thought that this
historic spot in Vermilion county had been
a resting place for the weary soldiers of
fortune even before the footprints of Boone
had rested in the Land of Kentucky, and
prior to the birth of William Henry Harri-
son, "Hero of Tippecanoe," or Gurden Hub-
bard, whose "Trace," which began at Chi-
cago and ended on the Wabash river, oppo-
site Vincennes, with its principal Post at
Danville, has been given a place in the his-
tory of Illinois.

A Land of Romance, this County of Ver-
milion, in the State of Illinois.

Again in 1750 we have a reference to
these "Salines" in Old Vermilion in the
records in Montreal of the Jesuit Fathers,
who, so say the writers, visited the "Sa-
lines" in that year and found the "largest
Indian village within a six-day journey"
or about 120 miles. It was a village of the
Kickapoos and extended from a point west
of the old "Salines" to within six to eight
miles of where the Vermilion empties into
the Wabash. It occupied both sides of the

FIRST TAVERN IN VERMILION COUNTY
Erected by Major John W. Vance at the old "Salt Works" in 1825.

CENTENNIAL Hook OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

river and the natives showed an advanced
state of civilization, some of them having
rude cabins instead of wigwams and there
were small patches of pumpkins and corn
enclosed with brush fences, which indicated
individual ownership.

Great fellows, those Jesuit Fathers, and
it Is just possible that the "prayer sticks"
used by Keannekeuk, "the Kickapoo Proph-
et," born in this county in 17H7, — when he
formulated his creed and established his
church — Catholic in its weird ritual and
Protestant in its tiresome sermons — may
have been an echo handed down from the
days when the holy fathers labored to save
the souls of the heathens who dwelt on the
banks of the Vermilion.

AMOS WILLIAMS

First County Clerk and one of the most
influential citizens of early Vermilion
County.

More Romance, but withal a wonderful
theme over which the Dreamer may ponder.
A Jesuit fanatic, — a stolid Indian — and
eighty years later here in Old Vermilion a
new Religion, a new Creed and a Church.
Fifty years and the dawn of a new century
— and once more we have official records of
the presence of the white man within the
territory of Old Vermilion. This time it is in
the form of an affidavit and is on file in the
archives at Springfield It was made by
Joseph Barron, for many years Governor
Harrison's interpreter in his dealings with

the Indians, and in it he avers that he
visited the "Salines of the Vermilion" in
1801. and that at that time there was no
evidence of recent occupancy of the region,
and that the cabins were in decay and the
corn fields were overgrown with weeds. He
had heard of the salt springs in the tepees
of the Redmen to the North and came on
a tour of investigation.

Romance? Yes — the Romance of Greed.
And when Greed conies the Pioneer Settler
cannot be far behind.

It was in 1812, when Old Vermilion again
felt the tread of the white man. This was
when Col. Hopkin's Kentucky riflemen came
through this section expecting to join and
co-operate with Governor Edward's column,
from Fort Russell, near Edwardsville, in
an expedition against the Indians. Hop-
kin's band started from Fort Harrison, on
the Wabash, came north through Edgar
and Vermilion counties, thence northwest
through Champaign and Ford. Livings-
ton was penetrated as far as the town of
Strawn, where the sight of distant raging
prairie fires caused the soldiers to mutiny
and retreat.

And two years later, according to the
letter of Isaac Sodowsky, Polish refuge,
who arrived in free America just in time
to enlist and fight for his adopted home in
the second war with England, he was cap-
tured by the British and confined at De-
troit, but escaped. In his journey from the
prison pen to Kentucky, he passed through
the prairie of Old Vermilion and was im-
pressed with its beauties. The memory
lingered and in 1828 he returned and pur-
chased a farm. Here he reared a family
and his bones now are dust in the old
Butler Burial Ground, near Catlin.

More Romance in the story of the Pole,
who so loved Liberty that he left his home
and sailed the sea to come to America and
battle in our second war for the right of
self-government, and the freedom of the
seas.

Four more years, 1818! Uncanny the
thought for you who live in modern homes
with electric lights, the telephone and daily
mail, the radio and the newspaper, that
in 1818, when Illinois was admitted to
statehood, there was not a single white
man within the boundaries of the present
County of Vermilion, in the State of Illi-
nois.

But Pause, — and Look,— and Listen! The
echo of the ax of the pioneer in Indiana
comes on the breezes. The Trail Blazer
soon will be treking into view. 'Tis 1818 —
and Illinois is a State!

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

THE BREAKING OF THE DAWN

WOMAN'S love of personal adorn-
ment and man's craving for salt
were the primary factors in the
early settlement of Vermilion county. As
the settlers gradually came westward from
the towns and farms of the newly confed-
erated colonies, situated along the Atlantic
coast, it always was the blazed trail of
the fur trader" that they followed. While
it is easy to associate the conquering of the
wilderness with the idea that it was in-
spired by the religious zealot, anxious to
carry the cross to the wigwam of the
Indian, it always was the commercial ad-
venturer who financed the operation and
organized the caravans to bear the burdens
of the priests. Close behind the cross,
sometimes hiding in its shadow, came ruth-
less men with guns, and packs of trinkets
and gewgaws, intent solely on stripping the
savage of his pelts, either by force of arms
or through the ancient and honorable art of
barter. Thus it was that the Illinois coun-
try came to be known to the folks back
East.

As early as 1800 cadets in the employ of
John Jacob Astor's American Fur Com-
pany had trafficked with the Indians of the
Wabash country, as this section was known.
In 1819 Gurdon Hubbard, who later was to
become one of the real factors in the build-
ing of Danville, made his first trading trip
to the site of our city, coming overland
from the Bureau River post — now Henne-
pin — of the American company. The trip
was made in January, and was most profit-
able.

It is easy to imagine that there was great
excitement in the Piankeshaw town, then
located on the present site of Danville,
those January days when the White Trad-
ers were here exchanging brilliant-hued
blankets, gaudy calico and glittering beads
for the spoil of their Winter's trap. And
then there was "fire water," too, that might
be had in trade for the skin of the beaver.
Truly a great day this, when the White
Traders came to town. Tt is easy to vizual-
ize the picture of the Indian belles flitting
among the giant maple and oak trees that
then covered the spot, vieing with one an-
other in the display of their finery.

But Time goes on apace. The Winter
blasts give way to the breezes of Spring,
followed by the warmth of Summer, — and
then the shorter day and the twang in the
air that gives to the maple foliage an
Autumn tint tells the Red Denizens whose
tepees dot this spot that Winter will come
again. It is Autumn in Old Vermilion. To
be exact, it is September 22, 1819, and
there is excitement in the village.

The White Men once again are in the
neighborhood, but they have not come to
trade, as they carried no packs, and have
not sought their friendship. Some mystery
here, and the Piankeshaws are worried, as
also are their friends and brothers, the
Kickapoos, whose village clutters the Flats
on the Middle Fork, about five miles from
its mouth. And their fears are well-
founded, for the White Man has come to
stay.

It is the party of Joseph Barron, which
included Truman Blackman, Lambert Bona
and Zachariah Cicott, and four Shawnee
Indians, who were employed as guides.
They were seeking the "Salines of the
Vermilion" with a view to their exploiting.
They were successful in their quest, and
the party returned to Fort Harrison. But
not for long. Capt. Blackman seems to
have been a bit treacherous, and without
the knowledge or consent of Barron organ-
ized a second expedition, consisting of him-
self, his brother, Remember Blackman,
George Beckwith, Seymour Treat, Peter
Allen and Francis Whitcomb. And once
again the "Salines" were located. This was
on the 31st of October, 1819.

They chose a spot that was barren of
vegetation and here a well, three feet deep,
was excavated, and saline water was pro-
cured. This was boiled down in a kettle
brought along for that purpose, and two
gallons of water produced four ounces of
clear salt. A deeper experimental well
nearby was found to yield a much stronger
brine. To these hardy adventurers it
seemed that fortune was in their grasp.

It was agreed by Blackman that Treat,
Beckwith and Whitcomb should be equal
partners in the venture, each to pay his
portion of the expenses. Beckwith and
Whitcomb were left in charge, and the
others returned to Fort Harrison for a
team, tools and provisions, with a view
to operating on a larger scale. In the lat-
ter part of November Treat returned, com-
ing up the Wabash and Vermilion rivers in
a pirogue, with necessary supplies and
bringing his wife and children.

A wife indeed, this Mrs. Treat, who was
willing to follow her husband into a wil-
derness where her nearest neighbor was
at North Arm Prairie, forty miles away.
With the aid of Beckwith and Whitcomb
a rude cabin was hastily erected, and into
this primitive shelter the family moved
and began making it habitable to'face the
terrors of an Illinois winter, harbingers of
which already were at hand. Thus, on
November 27, 1819, the first permanent

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

settler in Vermillion county moved into
his home.

In the meantime Blackmail had gone to
Vandalia for the purpose of establishing
the claim of the company to the Springs.
But, ever a trickster, he made the appli-
cation in his own name only. This, to-
gether with complications regarding the
title of the State to the land, caused delay,
and it was not until 1822 that a lease for
four years was given, and then only after
a lengthy hearing before Old Governor
Bond, who finally managed to satisfy all
claimants.

It was not, however, until 1824, when
Major John \V. Vance came from Urbana,
Ohio, and secured control that salt mak-
ing became a real industry and the little
settlement began to thrive. The major
brought twenty-four large iron kettles by
boat from Louisville, Kentucky, and soon
afterward increased the number to eighty,
with a weekly output of eighty bushels of
salt of good quality. The kettles were
placed in a double row in a furnace con-
structed of stone near the springs, and the
salt was produced by boiling the water, the
degree of fineness depending on the rapid-
ity of evaporation. Although an abundance
of coal lay uncovered within 100 feet of
the Works, wood was used as fuel and was
the principal item of expense, as three
men were kept busy felling trees and haul-
ing timber to keep the furnace fires going.
Two other helpers were employed in pump-
ing and firing. The salt was of a good
quality and found a ready sale at SI. 25 and
SI. 50 a bushel, settlers coming on horse-
back or with slow-going ox teams from all
over the State to procure it. Under the
management of Major Vance the settlement
took on new life. Soon there were a dozen
cabins, a Trading Post and the Vance
Tavern, the first "hotel" to be opened to
the public in Vermilion County. This was
in 1825. Previous to its erection James
Wooden had conducted a boarding house
there, charging his regulars SI. 50 per
week. The Tavern later was moved to a
spot on the old Danville-Urbana road near
St. Joseph, where Joseph Kelly conducted
it for many years.

Increased transportation facilities and
the discovery of the Sciota salt fields in
the Thirties caused business to slump, but
the Works were operated in a small way
until 1840, when Isaac Wolfe, the lessee,
abandoned them.

Of the earlier settlers at the Works
none remained after 1831, except "Mother''
Bloss. whose chief distinction rested in the
fact that she was the mother of Ruby
Bloss, the first bride in the territory now
known as Old Vermilion. The marriage to
Cyrus Douglas occurred January 27, 1825,

when this section was a part of Edgar
County. They were married by 'Squire
Seymour Treat, a justice of the peace of
the latter county, at his home in Den-
mark. Major Vance removed to a farm in
Oakwood township, the Beckwith boys had
moved to Danville, and Francis Whitcomb
and James Wooden were citizens of But-
ler's Point, where their old brick homes
still stand. They were erected in 1845.

Not even a single stone from the fur-
nace remains to mark the location of the
once thriving settlement. All is desolation,
for the historic acres have been invaded
by the greedy coal magnate with his mon-
ster shovel, and once the black diamonds
had been wrested from their hiding place,
the evidences of the vandalism were left
for Nature to cover with wildwood and
tares. True it is that Sentiment seldom
is allowed to retard Progress or stand be-
tween Greed and the Dollar.

The days were many and the days were
long for the wife of Seymour Treat, that
Winter of 'lil-20 at the Salt Works, but
with the bursting of the buds in Spring
came the cheering news that the Settlers
were on the way and she soon would have
neighbors with whom she might hold con-
verse on those topics dear to the woman's
heart. In the Spring Uncle Jimmie But-
ler, a Vermonter, came from Clark County,
Ohio, to Old Vermilion, and took up a
claim near the present site of the town
of Catlin. Here he erected a cabin, put in
a crop, and that Fall returned to Ohio.
The following Spring, he came back with
his family and made permanent settlement.
His cabin stood on the north side of the
State road, and east of the branch that
bears his name. The spot became known
as Butler's Point and at the time Vermilion
county was formed was the largest settle-
ment, its only rivals being Higginsville and
the Salt Works. Being a metropolis caused
the citizens of the Point to put on airs,
and when the "Seat of Justice" was to
be located, so sure were they that the plum
must come to them that no man could be
found who would donate the land required
by the commissioners. Even Old Uncle
Jimmie Butler refused to give of his hold-
ings for this purpose, and his record is
one of sacrifice for public cause or private
charity. He it was who gave the first God's
Acre, and to make sure that his bones, and
those of his good wife, and those of his
good friend, John Vance and his helpmate,
and others whom he loved, might rest un-
disturbed he made the title to the land rest
"in the bones of those who may find rest
here." Poor, trusting Uncle Jimmie. 'Tis
true the bones still rest undisturbed, but
amid such surroundings! In the busy whirl
of today there is no one to give a thought

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

to the old Butler Burial Ground, and the
desolation of the spot would bring a tear.
Weeds and tares and tangled vines, — with
the headstones fallen— 'tis not a pleasant
sight to see. It is located west of Catlin,
near the railroad tracks, but the travel
never stops nor do the passengers give
thought to those pioneers who were here
when Old Vermilion was in the making,
and to whom we owe so much.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Treat had
neighbors. In 1820 Carroll township began
to be crowded. In 1818 "Injun" John
Myers and his bosom friend, Simon Cox,
were there, and two years later witnessed
the advent of Samuel Hogg, Samuel Mun-
nell and William Swank in the township.
John Haworth found a home in what is
now known as Vermilion Grove the samt
year. Henry Johnson has the honor of
being the first in Georgetown, coming there
that year. And in 1821 came the rush.
The population of the territory now known
as Vermilion numbered more than 200 set-
tlers. It was in this year that we wel-
comed Henry Canady from North Caro-

lina, Benjamin Brooks of Indiana and
George Williams of Ohio. This same year
Kentucky sent us Thomas O'Neal, who
found a home at Brook's Point, and Mary-
land contributed Henry Martin, who finally
found permanent rest in Georgetown. It
was in 1822 that Asa Elliott came and
made his home at Butler's Point. Here he
had honors thrust upon him and had the
distinction of being the first justice of the
peace, and it was at his house that the
Methodists organized the first Sunday
school in the county. This was in 1835.
And Asa was a Presbyterian, too, which
shows that he wasn't narrow, — but neither
was any one else in the days when Illinois
was young and Grandfather was a boy.

Great days, those of the early Twenties,
right here in Old Vermilion — that is, if you
are not a slave to modern conveniences.

But Time goes on — and there are serious-
minded men down in Vandalia who are
wondering what will be the conditions
around the "Salines of the Vermilion" in
1826.

THE SUN COMES PEEPING O'ER THE HILLS

IT Was A. D. 1825 and Discontent was
rife in the territory now known as
Old Vermilion. It was the Day of the
Kicker and there was sad need of a Rotary
Club or a Booster Band to straighten mat-
ters. There were but few who failed to
join in the chorus, and even they privately
admitted that a change might help. It all
grew out of the fact that more than six
hundred settlers now dwelt around the
neighborhoods of The Works, Butlers
Point and Denmark and on the farms along
the banks of the Vermilions, and there
were three hundred more who lived nearer
these points than they did Paris, which,
as the "Seat of Justice" of Edgar County,
for judicial purposes not only included this
section, but also all territory as far North
as Lake Michigan. It wasnt right. Why,
not long ago, Marquis Snow had to walk all
the way to Paris when he wanted his li-
cense to marry "Uncle Jimmy" Butler's
daughter, Annis. It was bad enough when
Cy Douglas got his license, but Cy rode a
horse. What was needed was a new county
right here. This would mean that some of
the leading citizens might get an occa-
sional job on the grand jury and make an
honest dollar, too. No Sir-ee, this section
wasn't getting a fair deal. The wav things
were going, there would be a thousand
whites here by Spring.

And besides, Paris never would be a
town. Why, not long ago, the smartest

man in the County had moved up here and
now was settled in a cabin at Butler's
Point. Amos Williams knew when to leave.
And he had moved from Edgar. He knew
the truth, because he had surveyed it for
the government. And Amos was smart in
other ways. He could figure and was the
best writer in the whole State of Illinois.
If Justice ever was meted out and County
Rights given to this section Amos' ability
with the quill would come in handy in keep-
ing the records straight.

And there was no excuse for delay down
at Vandalia. This section had the popu-
lation and the settlers had the title to the
lands direct from the Government, who
had secured it from the Indians in a fair
manner. First, from the Piankeshaws by
treaty in 1805, then from the Pottawato-
mies by the Treaty of St. Mary's in 1818.
then from the Kickapoos by the Treaty of
Edwardsville, in 1819, and then that same
year they made it doubly secure by a spe-
cial treaty at Fort Harrison with "The
Chiefs, Warriors and Head Men of the Tribe
of Kickapoos of the Vermilion," and which
had among others the signature of the
Christian Indian, Keannekeuk, who was
born right here and still lives in the town
North of the "Works." Of course, a lot
of the Kickapoos and Piankeshaws still
lived around here, but that was because the
settlers were good-natured, and not because
they had any rights.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, II. I. IN MS

Thus the pioneers continued to grumble
until January -IK lsili>. when a courier ar-
rived Hum the State Capital with the stir-
ring news that "An Act Establishing Ver-
milion County" had been approved two
days before.

Thus were the sturdy settlers appeased.
Great thing for this section. Guess Old
Ed Coles is a pretty good Governor after
all. Let's send him a present of a sack of
salt right fresh from John Vance's
••Works." Great Idea! This certainly is
a County with a future!

The boundaries of the new County, as
defined by the Enabling Act, extended from
the North boundary of Edgar County to
what is now the South side of Grant and

GURDON SALTSONSTALL HUBBARD

Pioneer Indian Trader who gave his name

to the "Hubbard Trace."

Butler townships, but it included in itj
area what is now the East half of Cham-
paign county, and for judicial purposes all
territory North as far as the Kankakee
river. Chicago never was in Old Yi i-
milion.

In 1833 Champaign and Iroquois coun-
ties were formed and we lost the territory
to the West, but the Northern boundarj
was extended six miles to include (Irani
and Butler townships, and for judicial pur-

poses we had jurisdiction over the land now
known as Ford county, so named in honor
of the Governor who ruled during the Mor-
mon war, until 185;*.

Champaign county was surveyed by Ma-
jor Vance of the Salt Works and for this
service there was an agreed lee id' S'.MIll.llll.
But he never received it. The Major was
a Dreamer, and although he was here in
the days when family fortunes were in the
making, and opportunity was not knock-
ing, but pounding, he died poor. The only
heritage he left his children was a record
of public duty well performed. When his
work was completed he agreed to waive his
fee if permitted to christen the new county
and give a name to it's "Seat of Justice."
Thus came into being Urbana, Champaign
County. Illinois, a counterpart of Cham-
paign County, Ohio, where he had wooed
and won Margaret Rutherford, his first
wife, and whom he had left sleeping in a
hillside near Urbana, in that county, when
he moved nearer the Setting Sun in 1824.

A Strong Man, that fellow Vance, and
one worthy of the friendship of Jimmie
Butler, Gurden Hubbard, "Doc" Fithian,
Amos Williams, George Haworth, Hezekiah
Cunningham, Sylvester Rutledge and a
score of others, who came here when His-
tory was in the making.

The first Commissioner's Court, corre-
sponding to what is now called the County
Board of Supervisors, was held at the resi-
dence of James Butler at Butler's Point,
now Catlin, on March 6, 182G. It consisted
of two members, James Butler and Achilles
Morgan, chosen under the Enabling Act
for the organization of the County. John
B. Alexander, also a Commissioner, was
not present. After the appointment of
Amos Williams as Clerk, the court pro-
ceeded to the election of Charles Martin as
Constable.

At the next meeting, also at Butler's
home, on March 18, the county was divided
into two Townships, the dividing line being
the center of Town 18, the southern portion
to be called Carroll and the other Ripley
Township. William Reed was appointed
assessor and the first grand jury was se-
lected as follows: Jacob Brazelton, fore-
man; John Haworth. Henry Canady, Bur-
nett Starr. Robert Dixon, John Cassidav,
James McClure, Alexander McDonald.
Henrv Johnson, Henry Martin, William
Haworth, Robert Trickle. Isaac M. How-
ard, John Current, John Lamb, Francis
Whitcomb, Amos Wooden, Cyrus Douglas.

Harvey Luddington, George Beckwith and

Jesse Gilbert, J. <>. Wattles. Judge.

The Court was in session one day only;
there was no petit iurv. and but two in-
dictments, William E. Douglas and (',•
Swisher, each for assault.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

It was at this session that the Commis-
sioners appointed by the Governor to select
the location of the "Seat of Justice" for
the new County reported in favor of a
location near the "Salt Works." This site
did not meet with the approval of the ma-
jority of the citizens and Major Vance was
induced to refuse to waive his rights to the
land under his lease from the State. A
second commission, consisting of William
Morgan, Zachariah Peters and John Kirk-
patrick, all of Sangamon County, after
viewing the Salt Works, Brook's Point,
Denmark, Kyger's Mill and Butler's Point,
decided to accept the offer of Dan Beck-
with and Guy Smith of a tract of eighty
acres, and the town of Danville — so named
in honor of Dan Beckwith, — became the
"Seat of Justice" of the County of Ver-
milion, in the State of Illinois. This was
January 31, 1827.

In the meantime the Commissioners'
Court was still functioning, and at their
session June 5, 1826, an order for the pay-
ment of SI was granted in favor of Charles
Martin for his attendance at the March
term of the Circuit Court as Constable.
This was the first money granted and paid
by the County. At this meeting the follow-
ing property was made "subject to a tax
of 1 per cent, viz: horses and cattle over
the age of three years, watches, clocks,
pleasure carriages and stock in trade."

September 4, 1826, a new Commissioners'
Court was organized, Achilles Morgan, Asa
Elliott and James McClure having been
elected. At the next meeting, still at the
home of James Butler, "William Reed this
day appeared in Court and produced his
tax book, by which the levy for the year
1826 appears to be S205.59 in State paper,
on which he claims a deduction for delin-
quents of S7.03, and also TVs per cent for
collecting (S14.89), leaving S183.07, which
is equal to S91.83 in specie."

Dan Beckwith, who had given twenty
acres of the eighty which was donated as a
site for the new town, was given the job
of surveying the new metropolis-to-be.
Amos Williams, he of the facile quill, was
made his assistant. And down in the Dan-
ville Public Library, in a room taken by
the Daughters of the American Revolution
as a Museum may be seen his original plat
of Danville, as filed by him when the
town was born. He had dreams that his
Child would be a River Town, and all the
cross streets from Main led to the Ver-
milion, Amos Williams, who was his helper,
shared in the delusion, and the old Williams
home was perched on the bluff at the foot
of Clark street, where it was hoped the
steamboats from Louisville, from Pitts-
burgh and from New Orleans would land
their passengers and their freight. It was

the first post office. A shrewd man was
Amos and he never overlooked a chance
to turn advance information into pennies.
The plat of New Danville — the "Seat of
Justice" of the County of Vermilion — was
ready, and the Commissioners solemnly
announced that the sale of lots would be
held on April 10, 1827, and that it should
be so advertised in the "Illinois Intelli-
gencer," at Vandalia.

And it came to pass that the Town of
Danville was born on tnat date. Forty-
two lots were sold for 8922.87, an average
of S22 per lot. Harvey Luddington was
the auctioneer.

It was April 11, 1827, and such settlers
as came to view the site of their purchases
of the day before had small reason to re-
joice. There was not a white habitation
m sight. Even the Trading Post of Dan
Beckwith, which was supposed to be within
the confines of the new Town, was hidden
by the bluff, at the foot of West Main
street, which furnished the rear wall for
the shack. But not for long did the site
of the new "Seat of Justice" remain a bar-
ren waste. The Boom had struck Danville!
It was only a matter of days until the
sound of the axeman could be heard as he
hewed the timbers that were to make the
Tavern to be operated by Solomon Gilbert,
at the foot of West Main street, where the
Memorial Monument now stands. He it
was who has the distinction of being Dan-
ville's first advertiser, for in September
of that year, his sign, bearing the legend,
"Gilbert Tavern," was swinging from a
branch of a giant oak near his log hostelry,
and there it swayed in the breezes for
many a year after the Tavern had ceased
to function, a Monument to a man who
had faith in Danville.

And down on the Public Square, on the
site of the present Daniel building, other
men were sweating in the handling of
monster logs, which were used in the erec-
tion of the largest and strongest building
in the new town. This was where George
Haworth was erecting his Monument of
Faith — the two-story log building, which,
it was understood, was to be the stockade
if the Piankeshaws or Kickapoos ever
went on the rampage. It was of two
stories, the upper floor having loopholes for
defense and a water supply was provided
for by the sinking of a well inside its walls.
When completed in the Fall of '27 George
opened his stock of merchandise, which he
had hauled overland from the boat landing
at Perrysville, Indiana, for the inspection
of the Whites, and Gurdon Hubbard util-
ized the other end of the room for his In-
dian Trading Post until such a time as his
new Store — the first frame building to be
erected in the County, the lumber a prod-

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

uct of Seymour Treat's new sawmill at
Denmark, — could be completed on the pres-
ent site of the Palmer Bank. Nearby, on
the site now occupied by the Woodbury
Drug Store Sheriff John Reed and his help-
ers were busy erecting a cabin, which later
was to be sold to the County, for use as a
Court House. And even the County Com-
missioners caught the building craze, and
their first official act was the letting of a
contract for the building of a "Stray
Pound," on the present site of Phillips
Laundry, with a provision that it should
"be made in such a manner as to keep out
hogs." Phillip Stanford was the builder
and it cost the county S9.94. And Amos
Williams was our first poundmaster. His
official duties, however, did not interfere
with the building of a cabin on the site
now occupied by the Herendeen Bakery,
where the first public school was held. And
there were cabins at other spots around
the Town. Danville was building on
Faith — and in the early days there were
none to shirk.

'Twas a busy time — those waning days
of 1827 — here in Danville Town, and the
fact that the Inhabitants failed to establish
the Ferry across the Vermilion until the
Spring "I' '28 may be excused. Then it was
that the Commissioners granted to Samuel
Gilbert a license to operate the same, and
that he might not take advantage of his

monopoly, established as lawful charges:
For crossing man and horses, 12% cents;
wagon and horse, 18% cents; wagon and
two horses, or oxen, 2.~i cents. Persons go-
ing to mill, half the above rates.

Honest Men, those County Commission-
ers, who believed in shielding the public.
They not only protected the Ferry patrons,
but their records for 182tj show that when
Major John Vance applied for his license
to operate a Tavern at "The Works," they
established the following prices: Pint or
half -pint whisky, 12 V 2 cents; quart of
whisky, 25 cents; single horse feed, (i ' i
cents; lodging, 6U cents; meal of victuals,
ls : 4 cents; horse at corn and hay over
night, 18 3 4 cents. The following year, it
is gravely stated in their records, "one
Whiteomb appeared and explained that if
a pint of whisky was worth 12y 2 cents, a
half -pint should cost but 6% cents." It
was so ordered, and to encourage the buy-
ing of larger quantities, the price of a
quart was reduced to 18% cents.

Great days, those of '27 here in Danville,
when rattlesnakes abounded and malaria
was a common ailment !

The waning days of 1827 were here, and
much History had been written. The
County of Vermilion was now a Unit of
a Sovereign State and Danville was its
Capital.

THE SUN IS IN THE HEAVENS

IT was Christmas Day, 1835, and the
Town of Danville was eight years old.
Ordinarily it would have been a festal
day, lor the'erops of the Settlers had been
bounteous and now were safely garnered.
The Town was thriving, too, and housed
six hundred and odd white inhabitants,
while Old Vermilion, by the recently enume-
rated census by the Government, had a
white population of 8,103. There was no
cause for complaint — yet Danville mourned.
Dan Beckwith, in whose honor the town
was christened, lay cold in death in his
cabin in West Main Street. Pneumonia
was the cause. Dr. L. Trabue, who had re-
moved here from Butler's Point in '28, bat-
tled bravely, but his efforts were unavail-
ing. Dan, who had faced the perils of the
wilderness, had courted death in Indian
warfare and had endured the hardships
and hazards of the primitive life of the
border was now no more. And down in
the cabin beside the body, sat a tear-stained
woman, to whom the travail that is the
penalty of motherhood soon must come,
while bv her side were the two children
who had already blessed their union. One

of these, Little Hiram, was destined later
to become a law pupil of the Great Lincoln,
an able lawyer and the foremost authority
in the matter of the early history of Illi-
nois. He also wrote a "History of Ver-
milion County" which ever has been a
model for the Chroniclers of Tales of the
Early Days. But to Dan had come the
peace that must follow one who had lived
the Golden Rule.

And all Danville mourned. Jim Clyman,
hunter and fisherman for sheer love of the
kill, sometime partner of Dan in his Trad-
ing Post in the "Hole in the Hill," and
whose boast it was that razor never had
touched his face nor shear snipped at his
flowing hair, armed with pick and shovel,
wended down to the Old Williams Burying
Ground and dug a grave in the frozen soil.
There were other willing hands to help, but
Jim, with the Soul of a Poet, wanted in
this way to pay last tribute to his Friend.

And over in Leander Rutledge's furni-
ture factory there was no thought of
Christmas cheer as he and his three help-
ers hastily fashioned the walnut coffin,
using for the occasion the seasoned timber

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

he had been saving for the new furniture
to be made for Dr. William Fithian, whose
residence, built to house his Ohio bride of
four years before, was the show place of
the Town.

Two days later the body was laid to
rest in its snow lined grave, after religious
services by gentle Father Kingsbury, who
had come to Old Vermilion as a mission-
ary among the Indians and had remained
to carry on as pastor of the Presbyterian
congregation, assisted by Rev. James
McKain, pioneer Methodist, who braved the
storms to come from his home in Blount.
And there were others from the surround-
ing towns and farms to do him honor.
There were those in the mourning assem-
blage whom Dan had aided in time of
stress; there were those with whom he rode

FATHER ENOCH KINGSBURY
Early Presbyterian Missionary to the In-
dians and Beloved Pastor of early
Danville Presbyterian Church.

when the Vermilion Rangers — fifty strong
— under command of Achilles Morgan, has-
tened to the aid of Chicago when the Win-
nebagos threatened in '27; there were
other comrades who were with him when
he hurried on an hour's notice, toward the
firing line, when the hatless refugee from
Rock river burst in upon Rev. Kingsbury's
services with a call for rescue from the
tomahawks of Black Hawk and his Sacs in
'32. Thirty-one there were in this little
band, and Dan had been their Captain. And
in the concourse were all the veterans of
the davs of '27 and '28 — yes, all except
one. Gurdon Hubbard, pioneer trader, was
missing. He was now in Chicago, where
he moved in '33, after his failure in the

conduct of a "White Man's Store" when
there was no need of the Trading Post
after the Indians were removed to their
reservation farther West in 1831 and '32.
He had disposed of his building and stock
to his brother-in-law, Dr. Fithian, and re-
moved to the smaller town, where he lived
long and prospered. There in the bleak
clearing which was Danville's first ceme-
tery, and is now the site of many homes,
these sturdy men and women faced the icy
blasts while Father Kingsbury breathed a
prayer, and the frozen clods filled the
crypt.

Dan Beckwith is no more. His bones are
dust, but his good sword still may be
seen in the D. A. R. Museum, and the Town
he fathered is still carrying on. Peace to
his ashes. He builded better than he knew.

At the time of Dan Beckwith's passir,,
the Town had indeed made advancement.
In 1828, Murphy & Cunningham had
erected their two story store on the present
site of the Martin block. The lower floor
was used as their salesroom and the second
story was a public hall and the scene of
Rev. Kingsbury's sermons on Sunday. A
government land office had been established
in '31, and Samuel McRoberts, afterward
United States Senator, had come to be Re-
ceiver of Public Moneys. George Scar-
borough & Brother had opened their em-
porium that same year. The following year
McDonall & Rolliston put up the first brick
business room on the southwest corner of
Main and Hazel streets, which for many
years was occupied bv the brewery and
drinking hall conducted by "Citizen" Smith,
and during the winter following the Mexi-
can war, was the loafing place of Gen.
James Shields, noted for having challenged
Abe Lincoln to a duel and also as the only
man who ever was chosen as a United
States Senator by three states — Illinois,
Missouri and Minnesota. The demand for
"hard liquor' also was well taken care of
bv the distillery of W. D. Palmer and Peleg
Cole, established in 1830 on the site now-
occupied by the residence of Will Harts-
horn, Sr., in North Vermilion Street, and
the output was further increased in 1833,
when Henrv Froman came to town and
opened a still house on Brady's Branch.
Froman also built the first flatboat to carry
freight to New Orleans. This was in '34.
The opening of the Government Land
Office caused a demand for more hotels,
and, in '32, Sam J. Russell began the erec-
tion of what was afterwards known as the
Pennsylvania House. It was completed in
'35, on the site now occupied by Kresge's
Ten Cent Store, and contained a ball room
in addition to other apartments. Jesse Gil-
bert b'lilt the McCormick Tavern in 1833,
and this hostelry under the William Mc-

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Cormick management, and later under that
of R. A. Martin, was to have nation-wide
fame as the headquarters of Lincoln, Judge
Davis and other attorneys who traveled
the Old Eighth Circuit. It stood just west
of the present Hotel Lincoln.

Dan had lived to realize his ambition. In
1833, the county, having sold the log court
house to Hezekiah Cunningham, voted to
build a new one. It was of brick, fifty
feet square, two stories high, and stood
on part of the site of the present building.
The lower floor contained but one room
and was used for court purooses, while the
upper floor was divided into four rooms,
for use of visiting jurors and others. The
various county officials had their offices in
different buildings around town, generally
in their homes. Gurdon Hubbard was the
contractor, Thomas Durham did the build-
ing and the brick came from Norman Pal-
mer's yard on the present site of John L.
Tincher's residence in Logan Avenue. It
was destroyed by fire in 1872.

In 1828 Robert Trickle built a water
power grist mill to the left at the end of
Main street, which, on completion he sold
to Solomon Gilbert, who two years later
entered into competition with Seymour
Treat at Denmark, by adding a saw mill.

Yes, Dan Beckwith was with his fathers,
but the Town continued to grow. Two
years later — in 1837— when J. M. Peck,
author of a "Gazetteer of Illinois," visited
the Town he found seven hundred people,
fourteen stores, three groceries, three tav-
erns, five lawyers, six physicians and a
printing office, which issued the "Danville
Weekly Enquirer," our first newspaper.
The Methodists, Baptists and Presbyte-
rians each had congregations "and the
schools were adequate and excellent."

While Danville was making progress it
was a matter of satisfaction that the rest
of the County was keeping step. Rossville
was now a thriving hamlet. Marysville, in
Fremont (now Middlefork) township, was
increasing; Higginsville, the original
"boom" town, was still on the map; Myers-
ville, with Peter Chrisman's mill, had as-
pirations; Butler's Point was really put-
ting on airs; Georgetown, where Ben Can-
naday opened the first dry goods store, was
growing, and Ridgefarm, largely settled by
members of the Society of Friends, was a
substantial settlement. Old Chillicotha,
near which the Weavers, the Baums and
the Sodowskys had settled, was enjoying
a healthy growth, and even Grant town-
ship, which boasted no towns, reported that
many settlers were coming in since John
Bean had the distinction of being the first
in 1830.

Eighteen Thirtv-seven and still making
progress. John W. Vance was in the State

Senate and Dr. William Fithian in the
House. Internal improvement had become
a mania with the lawmakers. We must
have railroads! All that was necessary
was to grant charters and authorize a bond
issue. And thus the session merrily went
on. But Vance and Fithian were hard
headed. They apparently were opposed to
this riot of expenditure — and the men who
wanted the Illinois Central, the Alton and
the Vandalia needed votes. They were will-
ing to trade. Out of all this speculation
came definite propositions. If Vance and
Fithian would support their measures they
would vote that the bond issue for the
Northern Cross Railroad, running from
the Illinois river to Danville, should be is-
sued first, and furthermore, as soon as
the bonds should be sold, work should begin
from each end. Thus it was that the North-
ern Cross came into being. The measure
passed. The bonds were sold, and grading
began. The road was completed from
Meredosia to Springfield and the grading
and installation of bridges from Danville
to the Champaign county line was fin-
ished before the crash came. The State
tried the experiment of running trains on
the completed line between Meredosia and
Springfield until 1847, when it was sold to
Nicholas H. Ridgely, for S21,100. Thus
ended the experiment in Illinois of State
Ownership of Railroads. Danville was
without a railroad but the grading and the
bridges were ready for the commercial ad-
venturer.

It was the year 1840, and the Census
Man, appointed by the Government, said
there were 9,303 people in Old Vermilion,
and this, too, in spite of the exodus of
some of the Mormon converts of Orson
Pratt, in Newell and Blount townships, who
followed their leader to Independence, Mo.
The County Seat was beginning to be citi-
fied. Some of the stores were putting up
wooden awnings and others had hitch-
racks in front for the accommodation of
the country trade. The years kept rolling
on. Eighteen Forty-five and there were
rumors of a war cloud on the Mexican bor-
der. The Whigs were against it. Dan
Clapp in his "Danville Patriot" said so.
He also printed over the signature of Isaac
R. Moores, Postmaster, who had com-
manded the Illinois Rangers when they
served in the Vermilion Battalion in the
Black Hawk War, that mail would arrive
from Lafayette, on Tuesdays. Thursdays
and Saturdays; from Decatur, Wednesdays
and Saturdays; from Paris, Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays; from Chicago,
on Saturdays; from Pittsburg, on Satur-
days.

And then in '46 came the War with Mex-
ico. Vermilion County was against it — but

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

the Flag was under Are! Partisanship was
forgotten. Ike Moores offered to resign his
job and organized a company, with Dr.
Theodore Lemon as first lieutenant. But
more troops were offered than the Govern-
ment would accept, and Old Governor Ford
refused to give them a chance to show their
valor because Old Vermilion had been
against him in the election. But why
worry. It started as a "Democratic" War
and it made "Old Rough and Ready"
President.

And all this time Dan Beckwith's Town
was growing.

The Pennsylvania Tavern had changed
its name to the National Hotel and Othiel
Gilbert was the host, L. R. Noel had a new
hotel in East Main street and the McCor-
mick Tavern was still doing business under
the management of R. A. Martin; E. F.
Palmer & Co. had the leading drug store,
although Dr. James Sconce and his newly

acquired partner, Dr. W. W. R. Wood-
bury, in a room on the site where the
Woodbury store still serves the public,
was making a strong bid for patronage;
W. I. Moore & Co., Jones & Culbertson and
J. Peters were offering mixed stocks; and
W. A. Bailey & Co. offered lower prices at
their store down in Georgetown, on the
Georgetown and Perrysville Plank Road,
the first paved highway West of the Alle-
ghanies. Truly, the man who had his home
in Danville or his farm in Old Vermilion
in 1850 had made a wise investment.

It was Christmas Day, 1850. For fif-
teen years the bones of Dan Beckwith, who
gave his name to our "Seat of Justice,"
had been moldering in the grave, but
Twenty Centuries had passed since the
Son of the Creator of All gave His life on
Calvary, — and all this time the waters had
been rippling down the Vermilion, which
gave the name to the County, in their race
to the sea.

DARK CLOUDS OBSCURE THE SUN

NEW Years Day, 1850. The Govern-
ment Census Man showed that the
population of Old Vermilion in 1850
was 11,402, and from all parts of the
County there were rosy reports of im-
proved conditions of living. New roads
were being laid out and the old ones made
more passable. The fields were being
fenced and the frame house was displacing
the log cabin in many places. Most of the
land had been taken up by actual settlers,
and there were but few large tracts under
single ownership, the exceptions being the
Hoopes tract in Grant; the Mann estate in
Ross, John Smith's (English) and John
Goodwine's in Middlefork; the Daniel Fair-
child holdings in Blount; the W. I. Moore
farms in Pilot; the broad acres of John
Sidell and Joseph M. Sullivant in Sidell, and
the collective possessions of the Sodowsky
brothers in Carroll.

School houses now dotted the County in
sufficient number for the actual needs of
the Settlers, and for the most part were in
charge of competent teachers, — a marked
improvement over conditions in 1824, when
Reuben Block wielded the birch in his little
hut in Carroll township and Hiram Tich-
ner gave meager instruction in the cabin
situated midway between the Salt Works
and Butler's Point, or three years later
when Norton Beckwith taught his twelve
pupils in George Haworth's smoke house in
Danville. It was in 1850 that the Dan-
ville Seminary was founded, the building
being ei-ected in West Main street. At its

inception contributions were solicited from
all, but once it was established it was run
as a closed corporation and none but tried
and true Methodists were allowed either on
the Board of Trustees or as Teachers. This
caused bitterness, and two years later the
Presbyterians organized a corporation and
established the Union Seminary, the build-
ing being erected on the present site of
Judge E. R. E. Kimbrough's home. The
rancor developed over the episode finally
resulted in the famous slander suit insti-
tuted by Dr. William Fithian against
George W. Cassidy, in the trial of which
Lincoln and Oliver L. Davis were attorneys
for the former. It resulted in a verdict of
8556 in favor of the doctor, and the next
Spring the Fighting Cassidy insisted on
listing "Dr. Fithian's Character" as a tax-
able asset, claiming he had bought it for
$556.

Best of all Churches began to dot the
County in sufficient number to give the
moral teaching necessary to the growing
County. Many of these congregations
sprung up in the country districts, in the
building of which Father Enoch Kingsbury,
Presbyterian; Rev. James Ashmore, Cum-
berland Presbyterian; Rev. James McKain,
and Rev. George W. Pate, Methodist, did
yeoman service. The Baptists really were
the pioneers in religious work in the Coun-
ty, but it was not until later that they had
much official strength. It was under Bap-
tist auspices, in 1831, that Keannekeuk,
"the Kickapoo Prophet," delivered his ser-
mon to Danville, to a joint assemblage of

CENTEX MA I. BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

his own congregation and the members of
the local Baptist church. It was given in
Kickapoo and translated, sentence by sen-
tence, as delivered, by Guidon Hubbard,
and written out by Sol Banta, the Town
Lawyer. It afterwards was published in
the Illinois Magazine at Vandalia. The
Society of Friends, down in Elwood, had
organized in that township as early as
1823, and the following year erected the
best constructed cabin in Vermilion Grove
as a place of worship. There was no regu-
lar minister but George Haworth acted as
leader. It was not until 1852 that the
Catholics were organized. In that year
Father Rhian came to Danville and held
services in a building near the present site
of the Big Four station. In 1858 they
built the brick church that still is in ser-
vice at the corner of Green and College
streets.

WARD HILL LAMON
Local Law Partner of Abraham Lincoln and
afterward his personal bodyguard dur-
ing the war between the States.

It was well for the future of Old Ver-
milion that Education and Religious Train-
ing were coming to the fore, as an anti-
dote to the rancor and minor hatreds that
were beginning to engender among the
Settlers. In the earlier day, common needs
had cemented them together, but with im-
proved living the selfishness that is the
heritage of all began to manifest itself in
petty bickerings and open feuds. First,
there was the matter of the change in the
official management of the County. In
1850 Old Vermilion adopted the Township
Organization and instead of electing three
Commissioners to conduct the affairs, eight
Supervisors, — one from each of the eight
townships at that time, Ross, Middlcfork,

Pilot, Newell, Elwood, Carroll, Georgetown
and Danville — were elected as the Govern-
ing Board. In the main the change was
satisfactory, but there was a fighting mi-
nority, and matters smoldered until 1857,
when an election was held to vote on a
proposition to divide the county. It lost —
252 to 36 votes, but in 1859, when the prop-
osition came up to establish Ford County,
this carried 287 to 48.

The question of Slavery was another
bone of contention. Old Vermilion was set-
tled largely by pioneers from the South
and from New England, and in that day
it would have been hard to find two ele-
ments less antagonistic. Politics were rife
and Slavery and States Rights were the
Issues. The establishment of Dan Clapp's
"Patriot," — Whig to the core — and J. flol-
lingsworth's "Citizen" — equally enthusias-
tic for Jackson Democracy, — added to the
discord. It was at this time that party or-
ganizations were formed and the elections
of 1850 were the last at which the County
candidates ran on their merits. From that
time they were found under the party label.

Old Vermilion was pro-Whig and this
may account in some measure for the pop-
ularity of Abram Lincoln, who even before
1850 had attended Court here, coming along
with Judge Stuart, Orlando Ficklin, Usher
P. Linder, and a dozen more who regularly
attended the sessions in Danville. They
would come into Town, from Urbana, along
in the afternoon, and put up at the Old
McCormick Tavern, where a crowd was
sure to be on hand to welcome them. In a
letter Judge Davis testifies to Lincoln's pop-
ularity, and says there were sessions of the
Court here when the "Rail Splitter" would
appear on one side or the other in every
case on the docket. Doubtless that was
the reason of his local partnership with
Ward Hill Lamon — champion wrestler, ar-
dent drinker, learned in law and a demon
in physical combat — in the practice of his
profession, in their office in the Barnum
building, on the present site of the First
National Bank.

"Ward Hill Lamon: His Life Story!"
What a theme for the pen of some man
with the gentleness of Father Enoch Kings-
bury, the wonderful command of descrip-
tive words and poetic phrases of "Uncle
Bill" Jewell and the cold power of analysis
of "Uncle Joe" Mann! Ward Hill Lamon,
the one man whom the Immortal Lincoln
trusted more than any other, and who later
was the chrony and boon companion in
many a drinking bout of 'Gene Field, the
"Poet of Childhood," and who spent the
years of his young manhood as a member
of the old Danville bar in the davs of
Judge E. S. Terry, Judge Oliver Davis,

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Colonel Oscar F. Harmon, who died a hero
at Kennesaw Mountain; John J. Brown,
who later was to be a leader of the Chicago
bar; Judge John Pearson, who dared to
flaunt the authority of the Supreme Court,
because he believed himself in the right;
Isaac P. Walker, who later was to be United
States Senator from Michigan and Major
R. W. Hanford, who had his baptism of
fire in his three years army service and
returned to add to his laurels as a lawyer.

A Fine Old Scout — Ward Hill Lamon:
A Good Lawyer, a Loyal Friend and a Gen-
tleman Who Could Hold His Liquor!

It was in October, 1857, that Danville
came into its own and was assured of its
future. This was when the first train,
drawn by the engine christened "the Pion-
eer," came tooting into town. This was an
echo of the financial orgy of the Legislature
of '37, when charters were issued to any
who would apply and it was believed that
bond issues might be authorized without
thought of the day of reckoning when the
obligations might come due. The Northern

;,»«

(.-,> ..o- '' . v. c us ■■-. ■

JUmK^n-& L&ca<m*

Iv*

\%\*$%%% %& VK^«-

VtNtJfari'W-A y)'p$f\:<Qfihiy- »*. ,,. ■-., -■.;.■.<•

.-VJS&U^Z :.. ..■•. ^ > *:^....,, . . : . ,ji„, .. / x ' '

Fac-simile of Professional Card in Danville
"Citizen" in 1851.

Cross was the first Railroad chartered, and
the original bond issue was exhausted be-
fore the line could be completed. It was
not till 1847, when private capital had been
interested, that the line was completed into
Springfield, and work began to extend the
line on eastward, to connect up with the
Toledo, Wabash & Western, which was
building from the East.

There was a holiday in Old Vermilion
when the first train came steaming across
the new Wabash Bridge and on into town,
and the late James Knight, as Conductor,
stepped from the only car. In November
of that year the line was extended to the
Makemson Timber, where connection was
made with the Indiana road. This was the
meeting point until 1858, when the Eastern
road withdrew to the State line, and there-
after the Great Western, as the road was
known, extended their service to Illiana.
This was the condition in 1861, when Lin-
coln passed through Danville enroute to
Washington, there to remain until an assas-

sin's bullet had laid him low. The Presi-
dential train did not stop in Danville, but
many citizens had driven to State Line, and
there bid their friend good bye.

It was in 1851 that the business men of
Danville first realized that the farming
community must be reckoned with, and it
was decided to hold a County Fair. The
first session was held that year near the
present site of the First Presbyterian
Church and lasted one day. It was a suc-
cess and next year the sessions were pro-
longed till the second day— October,

1852 and were held in the river bottom

near the present Memorial bridge. It was
the biggest event in the history of the
Town. Ward Hill Lamon exhibited a trick
monkey and ran his trotting horse, under
saddle, against his own record; Billy Rey-
nolds' Brass Band— the first ever organized
in the State — played their most popular
airs, and the premiums paid aggregated
§42.85, the highest being S5.00 for the
best stallion, which was awarded to Har-
vey Sodowsky. Alvan Gilbert was given
S3.00 for the best bull — one which he had
purchased from Governor Joseph Vance of
Ohio — and Hiram Catlett of Salt Fork
carried home S3.00 for the three best colts.
Mrs. Cole secured 25 cents for the best
linen stockings. At the close of the Fair,
Sam Frazier bought the prize Gilbert bull
for §50.00 — an unheard of price. The next
year the Fair was removed to Butler's
Point and continued to function until 1898.
The organization was unique inasmuch as
there were no stockholders. The exhibitors
of each year elected the directors for the
next exhibition.

The Old Catlin Fair in its day was an
institution and no one will ever know the
scope of its influence. It was the Daddy of
'em all and it is just possible that Jim Milli-
kin, one of its promoters — then a sheep
raiser near Butler's Point — may have re-
ceived the inspiration that later made him
President of a Decatur Bank and gave him
the funds with which to establish the Uni-
versity that bears his name.

The Old Catlin Fair is no more, but in
the forty odd years of its functioning it
served to give a place in live stock history
to Jacob Oakwood, Sam Baum, Martin
Moudy, Lou Green, Hy Catlett and Henry
Puzey. The old track is overgrown with
weeds, the buildings have disappeared, its
sponsers are no more, but the memory
lingers.

It was 1858 and feeling ran high in
Danville. The Lincoln-Douglas debates
were being held and each contender had
his champions in this Town. There were
hot arguments regarding the merits of the
two men in the Town of Danville — and

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

some of them were settled by a blow. Dan-
ville was not on the list of the favored
Towns, but did have an opportunity of
hearing' the contenders. It was on Sep-
tember 22 that Stephen A. Douglas, "the
Little Giant," made his address from a
stand near the present site of the Park
that bears his name. While here he was
the guest of his friend, Tommv Forbes, al-
though Reason Hooton, who in 1852 had
lacked but two votes of being the nominee
for vice-president on the Democratic ticket;
J. G. English, the banker; Peter Voorhees, a
brother of Daniel of the Silver Tongue;
William M. Payne, ex-Sheriff; William
McCormick, of the Tavern, and other Dem-
ocrats, had pleaded for the privilege.

Lincoln, beloved of men, arrived that
evening from Urbana, and was housed for
the night in the home of his friend, Dr.
William Fithian. At the twilight hour,
loyal friends called to do him honor, but
he had retired to an upper room. His
tight boots refused to accommodate his
swollen feet and he could not come down
to meet them. As a compromise he stepped
out on a balcony and gave words of greet-
ing. Later he was a martyred President
and the balcony is a shrine. Ladies of the
D. A. R. have marked it with a Tablet of
Bronze. Thus accidents sometimes become
History.

The following day he addressed the peo-
ple from a flag-adorned stand and when
two years later he was the candidate of a
new party for the greatest office within the
gift of the people Old Vermilion endorsed
him by a majority of more than six hun-
dred. But Douglas carried his home county
of Sangamon.

It was the vear 1860 and all was not well
in Old Vermilion. The threat of battle wa»

in the air. The South, to save her slaves,
threatened secession. It all hinged on the
election — and when the returns came in
Lincoln had won — the Lincoln whom Old
Vermilion knew and trusted, and the breech
between the men from the Southland and
those from rugged New England — former
friends — was widened. There were threats
and counter-threats, blows were struck in
defense of opinion and clouds obscured the
sunlight of happiness and content here in
Old Vermilion.

And then ;hots were fired on the Flag in
Charleston harbor! No more was Old
Vermilion a divided camp! Vermilion was
for War, and the irk scarce was dry on
Lincoln's call for Volunteers when Captain
Samuel Frazier was ready with his com-
pany. It was April 14, when the first shot
was fired and on May 2, Company C,
Twelfth Infantry, was marching to the
front.

The war was fought and won and the
record of Old Vermilion is a glorious one.
At its close the records showed that the
County had exceeded her quota by seven,
and that out of a population of 19,779 in
1860, she had furnished 2,596 soldiers, and
with a credit for re-enlistments showed
on the official records that she had fur-
nished 3,669 men. And while the men were
at the front, the Women of Old Vermilion
labored in the fields.

April 9, 1865. Lee had surrendered at
Appomattox! The War was over — and the
men of Old Vermilion were coming home!

The Genesis of Old Vermilion was ended.
She was a Sovereign County of a Sover-
eign State of a United Country. The fu-
ture could offer nought but evolution.

THE SUN REACHES THE ZENITH

NINETEEN Hundred Twenty-six: Six-
ty-one years have passed since the
Soldier Boys in Blue came back from
the Southern Battlefields. Only a few of
them are left, and even those who wore the
khaki and marched away with Battery A
in the days of '98 are slowing up. Time
flies. Even the youngsters who crossed the
sea when near the whole world clashed on
foreign fields are showing the effects of the
grind of War. But the Stars and Stripes
still flutter in the breeze and the Grand
Old U. S. A., of which Old Vermilion is a
Unit, has her place in the Sun. Big
changes here since Old Vermilion ceased
her settlements in 1865 and began her in-
tensive development.

When the Boys in Blue came limping
back from the Southland there were but

fifteen Towns and Settlements of size in
Old Vermilion, and their listing makes
strange reading today. Let the Roll be
called : Blue Grass, Marysville, Rossville,
Myersville, Higginsville, Newtown, Den-
mark, Danville, Tilton, Illiana, Catlin,
Fairmount, Chillicothe, Ridgefarm, George-
town. Of these Marysville is now the Vil-
lage of Potomac and Old Chillicothe, after
a span of life as Old Dallas, has ended as
the Town of Indianola, Blue Grass, Myers-
ville, Higginsville and Newtown now are
but memories, and the waters of man-
made Lake Vermilion ripple over the spot
where Seymour Treat's cabin and saw mill
stood in the center of Old Denmark.

But the presence of a few ghost Town-
sites does not spell desolation. To supply
the needs of the dwellers on the bi'oad acres

CENTENNIAL BO JK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

of Old Vermilion and to satisfy the desires
of those who wanted the community life
there have come into active existence since
1867 the City of Hoopeston, the Towns of
Rankin, East Lynn, Cheneyville, Arm-
strong, Henning, Alvin, Bismarck, Fithian,
Collison, Muncie, Oakwood, Westville, Si-
dell, Allerton, Vermilion Grove, and the
Hamlets of Reilly, Ellis, Jamesburg, Bel-
gium, Grape Creek, Hastings, Humrick and
Jamaica.

Of the total land area of 589,440 acres
within the county, 519,338 are under culti-
vation, split up into 3,587 separate farms,
of which 1,706 are operated by their own-
ers and the remainder by tenants. The
assessed value of this land alone is §24,-
444,471. The full value of this land, as
determined by the Department of Com-
merce, is §67,696,591, a fair increase from
S589.440, which was the selling price in
1826. If the figures of the Department of
Commerce are to be taken, then the modest
sum of $11,335,610 must be added for the
worth of the improvements, and in 1819 the
wife of Seymour Treat considered herself
a lucky woman when she moved into her
new cabin, whose only cost was the labor of
building. On these broad acres, in 192o,
were produced 5,213.000 bushels of corn:
501,000 bushels of wheat, 4,112,0000
bushels of oats, 11,000 bushels of barley,
45,000 bushels of rye and 58,000 bushels of
potatoes, while the commercial crop of ap-
ples that year netted 1,000 barrels. Brave
figures, these, but they are furnished by
the government.

This same year of 1925, the Government
Statistics aver that within the county there
were 19,860 horses, 2,160 mules, 12,900 milk
cows, 15,750 other cattle, 16,307 sheep and
63,805 hogs. And in 1826 there were less
than 200 horses and only 107 yoke of oxen
in the County.

Across these broad acres stretch seven
trunk line railroads, with a trackage in the
County of 393.4 miles, four of which center
in Danville. Over the County, outside Town
limits, 227 miles of paved roads make the
operation of an auto a pleasure, and in
1925 12,657 of our citizens availed them-
selves of the opportunity and held owner-
ship in machines of various makes and
ages. For this privilege they paid in taxes
to the Countv on an assessed value of
SI, 4 18,489. But why worry? One of the
first acts of the Commissioners in 1826 was
to levy a tax on "pleasure carriages."

Education, too, has not been neglected.
At present there are 247 district schools in
the County, of which 73 are in towns and
villages, and have more than one room;
174 are the old-time country schools.
Throughout the County are scattered 19
High Schools, everyone of which is an

accredited school at the University of Illi-
nois, and 14 of these are organized under
the Township High School law. Seven hun-
dred thirty-six teachers are employed. The
sum of 81,450,259.07, or more than one-
third of our total tax receipts — 83,322,-
938.69 — is spent in their maintenance. The
total enrollment in the Common Schools
is 19,610 pupils, while 3,287 students
availed themselves last year of the privilege
of attending the various High's.

Religious Teaching, too, has come in for
its share of development since the days
when Father Enoch Kingsbury walked
from one settlement to another to give voice
to the Word of God in some Settler's cabin
to all those who cared to listen. In Dan-
ville and the territory that comprises Old
Vermilion, 133 denominational organiza-
tions dot the landscape with their Houses
of Worship, — a fair representation for a
County with 89,947 population, of which
30,431 — men and women — voted at the
election in 1924.

It was in the Spring of 1836 that Mor-
decai Mobley came into town with his fine
span of horses and opened a branch of the
State Bank of Illinois, in a cabin just east
of the present site of the Palmer National
Bank. It was after sundown of an Autumn
day that he left. No one was a looser, be-
cause the State guaranteed the funds. Mor-
decai left because the local business did
not justify his staying. Mr. Cullum, of
New York, came next in 1852, and with Guy
Merrill as cashier, opened the Stock Securi-
ty Bank. This he sold in 1855 to Dan
Clapp, who was a failure in '56. J. L.
Tincher and J. G. English were his as-
signees, and from this wreck they evolved
their own private Bank, with its wildcat
money, and made the first application which
was received at Washington for a Charter
under the National Bank Act in 1864.
From this grew the First National Bank of
Danville, the pioneer of the five in that city
and the twenty-five that serve the daily
needs of the other towns in the County.
The parent bank began with a capital of
850,000. The combined assets of all the
banks in Old Vermilion now aggregate §20.-
235,460.00. In 1827 a man who could walk
into Gurdon Hubbard's Trading Post with
two beaver-skins was considered wealthy.

When Grandad wanted a home it wasn't
necessary to give a thought to the financial
end of the undertaking. There was no cost
except that the prospective home owner
must provide a bountiful dinner, with
liquid refreshments, and then speed the
word that there was to be a log-raising.
Fellow Settlers did the work and the host
of the day just moved in. Changed condi-
tions demand that real money must be at
hand before work may begin on the home

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, [LLINOIS

of today. Local men have solved the prob-
lem by the establishment of Building Asso-
ciations, where worthy people may borrow,
and repay in monthly installments, "the
same as rent." Six Associations in the
County Seat have enabled Danville to boast
of being a City with more Home Owners,
per capita, than any other Town in the
State. The City of Hoopeston has two, and
the Towns of Fairmount, Ridgefarm, Poto-
mac, Georgetown, Oakwood, Rankin, Ross-
ville and Sidell one each. The combined
assets of the seventeen Associations in the
County now amount to $23,288,450.61.

In 1824, Fidelia, beloved daughter of
Uncle Jimmy Butler, he of Butler's Point,
was sick nigh unto death, and it was nec-
essary for the grieving parent to ride post-
haste to the little settlement on the Wabash
at Perrysville and bring back good Dr.
Reynolds, the only practitioner within a
day's journey, to coax the roses back to the
cheeks of the little sufferer. But that was
in 1824. Today, in Old Vermilion, if Fidelia
should be ailing Uncle Jimmie would have a
choice of 119 men skilled in the science of
healing herbs and curing drugs who could
come on call of 'phone, and should the case
be considered dangerous he would have the
privilege of a room and the services of a
skilled attendant at either the Lakeview or
St. Elizabeth Hospital in the County Seat.
A great step forward since the Thirties,
when but three physicians were available
when Death hovered around the cabins, and
only the services of Grandma Lura Guy-
man might be had when a little stranger
was to add to the population. For twenty
years, the Grand Old Dame carried on as
the pioneer midwife and the night never
was too stormy for her to mount her horse
and ride across the prairies when she knew
that she was soon to hear the wails of a
new-born babe at her journey's end.

One hundred years ago, Joseph Gundy,
sometime of Pennsylvania, but recently of
Vincennes, Indiana, brought his wife, Sally,
to the new home near Myersville, in Xewell
Township, which he had built the year be-
fore. Their little cabin was as well fur-
nished as that of any of the pioneers, but
Sally's regret was that her only source of
reading was the family Bible, which to her
was an oft-told story. Books were scarce in
Old Vermilion in those days and even in
those times the Word of God was the
World's Best Seller. The trouble with Sally
was that she was born before her time. Had
she lived here in 1926 for her daily read-
ing she would have had a choice of two
daily newspapers from Danville and a like
number from Hoopeston, and had she cared
only for a weekly digest of the happenings
here in Old Vermilion, she could have a
choice of weekly newspapers from Fair-

mount, Fithian, Georgetown, Rankin,
Ridgefarm, Rossville and Sidell. If she
had gone in for books, she could have moved
to Ridgefarm, Hoopeston or Danville, each
of which cities now maintain a Free Public
Library, the last named having 36,511 vol-
umes subject to withdrawal. A far cry,
this, from the days when the Bible was the
one book to be found in the cabins of the
Pioneers.

In the Good Old Days each man was his
own Press Agent, but Progress demands
collective advertising. Along with the lux-
uries of living in these days have come the
Booster Clubs, the Ladies' Aids and the
Chambers of Commerce, with their high-
pressure Secretaries, who do the horn
blowing for a community. This is 1926,
and it is meet that the custom of the times
should not be disregarded. Enter the Sec-
retary, with his Budget of Facts:

Vermilon County was the pioneer in the
matter of paved highways, and Danville,
the County Seat, is on the Dixie and the
Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highways.

Hoopeston, in this County, is the great-
est corn-canning center in the United
States. Rossville, nearby, also has a Can-
nery.

The Western Brick Company, at Dan-
ville, is the largest brick-making concern
in the country. The Danville Brick Com-
pany also is located there.

The Hegeler Smelter has a nation-wide
reputation.

The Sugar Creek Creamery is one of the
largest butter-making concerns in the coun-
try, and is still expanding.

Danville, the County Seat, needed an
adequate water supply, and built a Lake
three-fourths of a mile wide and six miles
long.

Danville has five Parks, comprising nine-
ty-five acres, the finest Fair Ground plant
in a hundred miles, a State Armory that
cost S200,000, a Federal Building that cost
S325,000, in the days when building costs
were low; two Children's Homes, two Hos-
pitals, a Tubercular Sanitarium, a Home
for Aged Women, a Y. M. C. A., a Y. W.
C. A., a National Soldiers Home, where
2,200 men who have fought for the Flag
now live in comfort, a new Million Dollar

High School

**********

It was .Midnight in September, 1926.
Down at the foot of Clark Street, in Dan-
ville, in the County of Vermilion, and the
State of Illinois, stood a group of men clad
in the garb that one sees only in the quaint
pictures of the Long Ago. But they wen
Men — Real Men — just the sort one would
seek in time of stress. Eight there were
in the strange gathering there on the rive.
bank, each be-whiskeied and armed with

CF.XTEXXIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

the pistol and the hunting knife that the
fashion of the day decreed. Each? Yes, all
— save one. A closer view revealed that
he was an Indian. He was Keannekeuk,
the Christian Kickapoo, a man of Peace,
and the others were Gurdon Hubbard, Amos
Williams, Dan Beckwith, George Haworth,
Sylvester Rutledge, Harvey Luddington and
Solomon Gilbert. The White Men in the
group were peering intently into the dark-
ness, in the direction of Cayuga, where the
Vermilion empties into the Wabash, but
the Redman's gaze was roving o'er the
landscape. He was seeking to locate the
trees of oak and maple that in his boyhood
had dotted the site of the tepees of his
Friends and Brothers, the Piankeshaws.

"Well, men," said Amos Williams, "we
might as well go home. The Old Vermilion
is falling and no steamboat could get up
here now. But when the next freshet
comes — "

Oh, Hum! Must have been napping.
These tales of the Pioneer Days certainly
are gripping but the figures about condi-
tions now do make one sleepy. Better go
out and see that the car is safely locked
in the garage, then come in and shut off
the steam, cut out the radio, turn out the
light and to bed. Want to get up early,
finish the morning paper and do some tele-
phoning before the mail man comes.
Good night.

CATLIN TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL

One of the Nineteen High Schools in Vermilion County-
Accredited at the University of Illinois.

-and Everyone

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

.<5

THE LINCOLN CIRCUIT

(By LOTTE E. JONES)

\ t rmilion County is distinguished, in that
it is on the Old Lincoln Circuit. The time
between Abraham Lincoln's service as mem-
ber of the Lower House of Congress and
his election as President of the United
States was largely spent by him in travel-
ling the old Eighth Judicial Circuit, prac-
ticing his profession. He was the only
lawyer, other than Judge David Davis, who
went to every court in the district in every
session.

The old Eighth Judicial District was com-
posed of the counties of Sangamon, Menard,
Mason, Tazewell, Woodford, McLean, Lo-
gan, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion,
Edgar, Coles, Shelby, Moultrie, Macon and
Christian. Twice each year, Abraham Lin-
coln "rode the Circuit" in company with
Associate Lawyers who were the most bril-
liant men of the profession.

In 1914, Judge J. O. Cunningham, who
was the last one living of these associates
of Lincoln on the Circuit, and who was
greatly desirous of having the route fol-
lowed in these travels preserved for pos-
terity, interested the Illinois Society Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution, and other
Patriotic People, to express this patriotism
by the noble work of placing suitable mark-
ers along the Highway over which these
men travelled.

The Organization which is responsible for
this marking is the Lincoln Circuit Marking
Association, a corporation under the laws
of the State of Illinois. This great Lincoln
Memorial placed in the heart of the Nation
expresses its sentiment through two mark-
ers of different design. One is placed at
each county seat, and a smaller one is
placed where the highway crosses each
county line. The marker at the county
seats was designed by Henry Bacon, the
artist of the Lincoln Memorial at Washing-
ton, D. C. This marker is a shaft of grey
granite supporting a bronze medallion head
of Lincoln. The beautiful medallion is the
work of the celebrated artist, George Lober,
of New York City.

There are nineteen of these markers of
the county seat design. Logan County has
two, because the county seat of that county
was changed during the time Abraham Lin-
coln "Rode the Circuit." Vermilion County
has two, one being placed at the gateway
of the John R. Thompson Farm as a gift
from the children of John Riley Thompson,
St., to commemorate the strong friendship
between their father and Abraham Lincoln,
as stated on the bronze tablet on the base
of the shaft. The Lincoln Circuit Route
passes in front of the Thompson Farm.

The markers at the county lines are made
of concrete and are designed as a "shrine
on the way," bearing the bust of Lincoln.
The names of the counties connected by
this marker are on the marker facing each
way. The county seat markers bear the
Insignia of the Daughters of the American
ReveJution on the bronze tablet at one cor-
ner, and the monogram of the letters L. C.
M. A. at the corresponding corner. This
monogram is copyrighted, and can appear
only on work erected by the Lincoln Circuit
Marking Association. The markers at the
county seats, with those at the county lines,
hold and continue the circuit travelled by
Lincoln and the other eminent members of
the bar. One other feature of this Lincoln
Memorial is the guidepost, placed at each
cross road on the Circuit, on which is
painted a white circle and the words "Lin-
coln Circuit." Completed, this great Lin-
coln Memorial lies as a necklace of jewels
on the bosom of the Nation, a fitting ex-
pression of loyalty.

The Lincoln Circuit Marking Association
has its home in Danville, the county seat
of Vermilion County, where the annual
meeting is always held. This meeting
comes on the "first Tuesday after the sec-
ond Monday in October." Any and every
one who wants to hold to the memory and
principles of the immortal Lincoln is wel-
come at these meetings. The day following
the meeting, all interested people join in a
pilgrimage over the Circuit, starting from
Danville, thus actually travelling in the
footsteps of Abraham Lincoln.

Some of these who have worked the
hardest, and to whom the greatest credit
for the success of this Lincoln Circuit
Marking is due, have died. There is Judge
Cunningham, George P. Davis, and Judge
Curran, and now our dear Jessie Palmer-
Weber has been lost to us; she served the
cause and interests of the Lincoln Circuit
Marking Association with a never-to-be-
forgotten devotion. With tears and sad-
ness we make this record.

The present officers of the Lincoln Circuit
Marking Association are:

Mr. Lincoln Weldon, President, Blooming-
ton, 111.; Mrs. Eugene Chubbuck. Vice-Pres-
ident, Peoria, 111.; Miss Georgia Osborn.
Secretary, Springfield. 111.; Mr. Andrew
Russel, Treasurer, Jacksonville, 111.

Executive Committee — Dr. 0. L. Schmidt,
Chicago, 111.; Miss Georgia Osborn, Spring-
field. 111.; Mr. L. J. Freese, Eureka, 111.;
Judge L. Y. Stringer, Lincoln, 111.; Miss
Lotte E. Jones, Danville, 111., Chairman.

36 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

? V" o/'J^'j*" X ; ' Cs -

-^ i/i^r?, . ' ' ■ <-■■ : XN

'OL A./y^ , J^W , &U-. <■- /**. •#£• ' ■-'<" ; _•'■■■■■ J
4^/ ^ /*»••< -^«€ '"^'•■s«( & ;••■ <6 ■<<■<; i/.f-' / '--«-

5«V ""^ /<'"■«"' M- tut^&ffcie6-*£ ■'■■/)[/■'■ '■ - ' ■■ ,

.(itt/i/<-<t /f G0kmzM<s£*>G. rod a ***.* ,//•>.' ■; it+J"-;- / • ; *^

-U^J f/ BU.jf4jn.<:{t**+ y £ ~ u - < - I**"- — ^ . jfn
C<ri*fi*&i*f £h«^~ -*i*t- *£./<4i*i*i. Ha<-<- ,U~"<'- „<<~C <.' < ■** /

,/£/«<. <**£«t- rf ifn**, yrrrl *Ui*~i.uJ A (■!'/!< . /. < /- .. > itc^U. ~t
ntv^po*. cj hr+- t*<.6si^-ty rllA. A*'<- 7-1.1 ffu /<>:■_ s „

«■><=.

i •

Fac-simile of letter of Chicago citizens thanking the Vermilion Coun-
ty Rangers for coming to their aid during the Winnebago War in 1827.
The original is in the collection of the Woodbury family, Danville, Illi-
nois.

^ . -**"***.«. . m '» * •' .*. -' '••••'

CENTENNIAL HnuK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Bermtitmt (Emutty 3n War

By JOHN H. LEWMAN

— D-

Vermilion County's militant record be-
gan with the Winnebago war, and while
there were no local casualities and none
smelt powder, the outstanding fact is that
the boys were willing. This was in L827,
when Danville was but a few mouths old.
The war really failed to materialize into
much more than a scare, but there were
rumors and the few white inhabitants of
Fort Dearborn became alarmed for their
safety, and prevailed on Gurdon Hubbard,
who was in the village at the time, to
come to Danville with an appeal for aid.
This he accordingly did, making the trip in
less than twenty hours. In doing this lie-
killed one horse and exhausted another. He
reached the home of Peleg Spencer, two
miles from Danville, in the afternoon of
July 15, 1827. While he rested, Spencer
set out to rouse the settlers. He notified
Alexander McDonald, who in turn carried
the word to his brother-in-law, Hezekiah
Cunningham. The latter was a captain in
the Vermilion Battalion of the state militia,
and rode all night to order his company
to assemble at noon the next day at But-
ler's Point. Other captains did the same,
and at the appointed hour all had assem-
bled, although many had to walk from eight
to tin miles to keep the appointment. Vol-
unteers were called for, and fifty men wert
accepted. Officers for the campaign were
elected, as follows: Captain, Achilles Mor-
gan; first lieutenant. Major Bayles; sec-
ond lieutenant, Col. Isaac R. Moores. Gur-
don Hubbard was named as guide and
"chief of spies." There is no complete
ro ti r of the hand, but from old records it
is known that among others were the fol-
lowing privates: George M. Beckwith, John
Beasley, Hezekiah Cunningham, Julian F.I
lis. Seaman Cox. James Dixon, Asa Elliott,
Francis Foley, William Foley, Ham-
mers, Jacob Heater, Davis, Evan Mor-
gan, John W. Vance, Isaac Goens, Johna-
than Phelps, Joshua Parrish, William
Reed, John Myers, John Saulsbury, J. kirk
man, Anthony Swisher. George Swisher,
Joseph Price, George Weir. John Vaughn,
Xewton Wright, Abel Williams and Fran
cis Whitcomb. Many of the volunteers
lacked horses, and those who wore to re
main at home furnished enough to mount
all but five of the troop. The troop was
then disbanded to meet at Danville the next
day, each man to bring five days rations.

On assembling the next day, through the
generosity of Gurdon Hubbard each man
was provided with a pint of whisky. But
Abel Williams was the only man to take
a supply of coffee, which proved a boon
to the crusaders. On leaving Danville, they
passed through Denmark, where Seymour
Treat was building his saw mill. This with
the exception of Hubbard's trading post
near the present site of Watseka, was the
only habitation seen by the company until
Fort Dearborn was reached four days later.
The inhabitants were overjoyed at their
appearance and during the week they re-
mained on duty there, the men were feasted
to the best to be had.

At the end of ten days a runner brought
the news that the war was over and that
the company might return. This they did,
after being tendered a banquet, in which
a full barrel each of gin, brandy and
whisky was opened for the boys. The band
made the return trip in three days, and
later in 1852, each man received a govern-
ment warrant for eighty acres of land
under the bounty act because of his serv-
ices.

THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
It was on a quiet Sabbath morning in
July, 1832, when the tocsin of war was
again sounded in Vermilion county. Rev.
Enoch Kingsbury was in the midst of one
of his three-hour sermons in the hall over
Murphy & Cunningham's store, southwest
corner of the public square, when the first
of the refugees from the Fox river district
where Black Hawk and his braves were on
the rampage, burst in on the services and
broke up the meeting. He was a badly
scared man, and came into the settlement
hatless, coatless and with only one moc-
casin. He was certain the redskins were
close on his trail, but later developments
proved that none were nearer than 200
miles. Later in the day two more terror-
stricken men arrived. The alarm was has-
tily given, and a call made for volunteers.
Thirty-one men responded. Dan Beckwith
was elected captain and in less than two
hours the band was on the march. They
headed for Joliet. In the party were Dr.
William Fithian, George Beckwith, Othneal
Gilbert, Samuel Russell and Alvan Gilbert.
They remained in the field for ten days,

38 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

A iFragmntt from DUemnrtj a Stroll
of tlje IHmtoreu leak

Many are the Names of the Sons of Old Vermilion who have
given their lives for their Country and their Flag, and in every
War there must be a First Sacrifice. In acknowledgement of a
Debt and as a Tribute to ALL who sleep in a soldier's grave this
Memorial is Written into the Printed Records of the Centennial
of Vermilion County, in the State of Illinois.

Lest we forget : Old Vermilion was in the field when Black
Hawk and his warriors ravaged the Settlements in 1832.

3Jn ifflrmnrtam

WILLIAM BROWN

A Member of the Vermilion County Rangers. Killed and scalped
by Indians while in service on the DuPage river. He was buried,
unmarked but still remembered, where he fell-

3)n J&emnriam

JOHN P. LAFFERTY

A Member of Company C, Twelfth Regiment United States
Infantry, died of Disease at Cairo, Illinois, July 20, 1861, the
First Sacrifice of the War Between the States.

Jht mtenrtam

EDWARD ASHCRAFT

A Member of Battery A, died of disease at Chattanooga, Tennes-
see, July 3, 1898, the first of the two who gave their lives in the
War to give Freedom to the Cubans.

Utt Htptttoriam

HARRY CARPENTER

A Member of Battery A, who was the first to perish by act of
the enemy, when the U. S. Transport Tuscania was torpedoed by
a German sub-marine, February 5, 1918.

And now, while Old Vermilion is celebrating the Deeds of
the Pioneers of the Early Day, we give pause to pay Tribute to
ALL who have Died in Defense of the Flag.

God rest your souls, Heroes of Old Vermilion.

^ _ - •»•*■•' .. . - '» *•- ^ - - '»•-»»

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

when — having been unable to locate an en-
emy they started on the return march.

In the meantime, while Beckwith and his
band were out, the Vermilion county mi-
litia was concentrated at Danville, as Col.
Isaac N. Moores had previously been or-
dered by Governor John Reynolds to have
the Vermilion County Battalion in readi-
ness, in the event their services should be
required. No orders having been received
eight days after the departure of Beck-
with's band, Col. Moores decided to take
I lie field anyway. The band numbered 300,
all mounted and half of them armed with
"Harpers Ferry" rifles, the remainder with
such guns as they could beg or borrow. Col.
Moores was in command with Gurdon Hub-
bard as lieutenant-colonel and John H.
Murphy as aide. Morgan L. Payne was
designated as captain of a "spy company."
The first day's march took them to Hub-
bard's trading post near the present town
of Watseka, where the trader furnished
four wagons, each with four horses and
loaded with necessary supplies. The second
day out, they met Beckwith's contingent
returning. Most of this band, however,
about-faced and accompanied the rangers
toward the front. Beckwith, however, was
forced to return to Danville, as he found
that his business partner, John Reed, had
closed their "store" and was with Moores'
troops.

On reaching Joliet, Capt. Payne and his
command were dispatched thirty miles
north on DuPage river with orders to erect
a fortification, which was done. Col.
Moores also began the erection of fortifica-
tions at Joliet, when he was ordered to
march to Ottawa where the command was
discharged from service and returned
home.

The only casualty of the campaign oc-
curred the day Payne began his blockhouse.
William Brown, a member of his company
and a boy were detailed to take a wagon
and team and proceed about two miles from
camp and gather a load of clapboards
stored there by a settler. While on this de-
tail, they were fired upon by five Indians.
Brown was killed and scalped, but the boy
returned in safety. The Indians ran the
horses off, cut the harness to pieces, and
partially wrecked the wagon, which later
was repaired by Leander Rutledge and
brought back to Danville. The horses,
property of Peleg Spencer, were never re-
covered. William Brown, the dead soldier,
was the son of a widow living near Kyuer's
Mill. His body was buried with military
honors near the spot where he fell.

Thirty days later Captain Payne's com-
pany was relieved from duty and returned
home. Later each member of the battalion
was given land warrants for eighty acres
as a bounty for this service. One of these

was given John Howell, who entered eighty
acres just north of \ oorhees street, this
city, now the center of a fine residential
district.

Quiet prevailed in military circles in Old
Vermilion until May, 1846, when President
Polk declared war on Mexico. This clash
had been brewing for some time, and was
not a popular war among the Whigs of the
county. But the United States was in war.
and of course Vermilion must line up.
There were but few shirkers, and they were
not popular.

The response of Vermilion to the call re
suited in the recruiting of a company of in
fantry, numbering ninety-six, and a cav-
alry troop numbering eighty-seven. The
latter, however, never assembled, as it was
learned that no units of this branch would
be accepted. The roster of the infantry
company follows, and never before has
been made public:

Captain — Issac R. Moores.

Lieutenants — Theodore Lemon, William
A. Jones.

Sergeants — A. C. Spencer, J. B. Alexan-
der, H. Sodowsky, I. S. Swearingen.

Corporals — Robert B. Lemon, William
Trimmell, J. C. Marsh.

Priv

N. Thurman,

A. Luckey,
John Payne,
Henry Jones,
Jonathan Beesley,
Hiram Coleman,
Henry Smith.
Adam Furow,
George Swisher,

J. F. Huffman,
Win. Hamilton,
Lucas Meneely,
Abia Luckey,
David Finley,
G. W. Nelson,

B. Runnien,
A. G. Porter,
G. W. Lewis,
Ebenezer Foster.
Wm. Sodowsky,
I, even Vincent,
John Norris,
William Draper,
Henry S. Forbes,
James Stark,
Joseph V. Davis,
Ezra Snow,
Benj. Young,
John Lander,

A. D. Gio
John Sheets,
Robert Buoy,
Levi Patterson,
Lewis Anderson,
John Bennett,
J. W. Chenoweth.

ATES.

John Olehey,
George Wiley,
I'. McCarroll,
Edward Rouse,
Thomas Pierce,
John Peters,
Wm. Robinson,
Matthew Cole,
William Noel,
John Martin,
A. Musgrave,
L. L. Madden.
11. Stipp,
J, Sodowsky,
J. B. Trent;
Milton Hess,
William Parrish,
Jefferson Clow,

H. Broadwater.

N. J. Norris,
Ananias Buoy,
Benj. Cassell,
Shelton Cannon.
Jesse Harris,
Francis Kslev.
William Hobbs,
G. W. Smith.
John Stark.
James Price,
Jos i oli Norris,
C. McCorkle,

' cis Preston,

T. Kidney,
John Rice.
Jo 'i>h \\ ilson,

.1. l.i ard,

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

THE IMMORTAL LINCOLN
"It was while he was attending court at Danville in
November, 1859, that Lincoln definitely accepted the invi-
tation to deliver the Cooper Union speech in New York
that made him President" — Henry Whitney's Life of Lin-
coln.

• ' »#»■*»

;« »• •-•-; v-. -j ;»#-•-•- v . •-•'

.* «.'••"**.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Stanley Olmsted, John W. Acre,
Abraham Groom, S. K. Starr,
Hugh McGlennen, John Rouse,
W. M. Rutledge, David Cremer,

George Stipp, G. Corbin,

G. K. McGee, W. S. Hammett,

A. Herring, E. Coleman,

Moses Samuel, Musician.
Their intentions were good, but their
valor never was tested. But six regiments
were taken from Illinois, and Old Vermil-
ion, a Whig stronghold, was not favored.
Despite protests Democratic Governor Ford
refused to accept the company, and no Ver-
milion county unit was found in the march
to the City of Mexico.

THE CIVIL WAR.

The inevitable came. After all the years
of argument and contention, the determina-
tion of the great issue was left to the ar-
bitrament of the sword. The South fired
on the flag.

The call to arms came. President Lin-
coln called 75,000 volunteers to serve for
three months to put down the rebellion,
Vermilion County responded to the call.
Captain Samuel E. Frazier organized a
company, which was assigned to the l_'th
Illinois Infantry.

The complete roster follows :

Captain — Samuel Frazier.

Lieutenants — William Mann, Joseph
Kirkland.

Sergeants — William W. Fellows, Doc. C.
Bandy, Leonard Myers, Charles Jackson.

Corporals — Daniel M. Nixon, Henry
Parks, Joseph M. Daueherty.

Musicians — Abiel Dow. Cornelius W.
Lindsay.

Privates.
William Abbott, Thos. L. Marshall,

Anthony Bowman, Perry F. Miller,
G. W. Bandy, Sam P. MacKav,

R. Bloomfield, Hugh B. MacKay,

S. Bloomfield, Francis Marsh,

Kav. Bullock, Jacob Moore,

Mahlen Buttler, Asbury McVicker,

Thomas Bowie, Abel Wad Payne,

E. D. Bennett, Asa A. Pavne,

J. H. Chilcott, A. L. Richardson,

John Cribbage. J. B. Richardson,

James Claypool, John S. Snyder,

Timothy Clawson, Oscar S. Stewart,
Nicholas Carroll, Thomas Short,

J. W. Douglas, George W. Smith.

Joseph Dysert, Wm. It. Scott,

James Dixon, Daniel Snyder,

James B. Davis, David Smith.

Jos. B. Dixon, David Sibbett,

Lysander Doney, John Swannell,

Othniel Gilbert, Geo. H. Hollett,

R. W. Groves, Henry John,

R. W. Handford, S. H. Johnson,
William Hunt, David C. Jones,

Wm. B. Harris, James Kelley,

J. M. Hendricks, \V. L. Klepper,

Ebenezer Harger, John P. Latl'ertv,

William Hill, Moses E. Wright,

Milton Lee, Joseph Shipner,

Joshia Lee, G. M. Search,

Elijah Lindsay, John L. Smith,

('has. Mercerian, J. I. Thompson,

J. W. Medaris, Jesse Upperman,

Wm. M. Myers, R. W. Welch.

Wm. A. Myers, William Worley,

Joseph Mondy, Hiram Zohn,

But unfortunately three months did nut
end the rebellion. Then came the call for
300,000 men to serve for three years or
during the war. Soon the 25th Regiment,
Illinois Volunteers; 35th Regiment, Illinois
Volunteers; the 37th Regiment, Illinois
Volunteers; the 4th Cavalry, 10th Cav-
alry, the 73rd Regiment Illinois Volunteer.-,
the 125th Regiment, Illinois Volunteers;
the 149th Regiment Illinois Volunteers,
were organized. Many companies in these
regiments were furnished by Vermilion
County.

"Eighteen companies of infantry and
one troop of cavalry went out from the
County during the Civil War. Practically
all the 125th Volunteers, which holds its
annual reunion in Danville, were made up
of Vermilion County troops, seven com-
panies in all. These companies averaged
about 100 men to the company. Four
companies of the 135th Regiment were re-
cruited in Vermilion County. Many vol-
unteers from the County enlisted iii regi-
ments organized in other counties in Illi-
nois. Out of a population of 19,000 in
Vermilion County more than 3,600 men en-
listed and went to the front. Vermilion
County escaped the draft. Catlin and
Pilot Townships voted bond issues and paid
a bounty to their soldiers. The following
address to the 25th Illinois was delivered
by the brigade commander at the expira-
tion of its three years enlistment:

"Soldiers of the Twenty-fifth Illinois
Volunteers: As your term of three years'
service has expired, and you are about to
proceed to your state to be mustered out,
it is fitting and proper that the colonel
commanding should express to each and
all his earnest thanks for the cheerful
manhood with which, during the present
campaign, you have submitted to every
hardship, overcome every difficulty, and for
the magnificent heroism with which you
have met and vanquished the foe. Your
deportment in camp has been worthy true
soldiers, while your conduct in battle has
excited the admiration of your companions
in arms. Patriotic thousands and a noble
state will give you a reception worthy of
your sacrifice and your valor. You have
done your duty. The men who rallied

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

under the starry emblem of our nationality
at Pea Ridge, Corinth, Champion Hills,
Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary
Ridge, Noonday Creek, Pinetop Mountain,
Chattahoochee, Peach Tree Creek and At-
lanta, having made history for all time and
coming generations to admire, your services
will ever be gratefully appreciated. Offi-
cers and soldiers farewell. May God guar-
antee to each health, happiness and useful-
ness in coming life, and may our country
soon emerge from the gloom of blood thac
now surrounds it and again enter upon a
career of progress, peace and prosperity."

These regiments, in which so many Ver-
milion County men served, participated in
many, of the great battles of the Civil
War, and the eloquent address of the bri-
gade commander might well and appropri-
ately have been made to every command of
which Vermilion County men were mem-
bers.

History may well and proudly record the
patriotism of the people of Vermilion
County during the great Civil War. No
other County in the Union responded more
loyally in support of the Union than did
Vermilion. All honor to the Veterans of
that great conflict, whose valor saved the
nation. Salute the survivors, who fought
and suffered that our nation might live:
Blessed be the memory of those who have
passed on.

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

Cuba was oppressed by Spain. The
President of the United States, himself a
veteran of the Civil War, decided to find
out the facts. Hon. William J. Calhoun, a
Civil War Veteran, was the man chosen.
Doubtless his report to the President meant
Peace or War. He made his report. War
followed and Cuba was freed and Spain
disappeared from the Western Hemisphere;
let us hope forever.

Vermilion County was represented in this
war. October 10, 1875, Veterans of the
Civil War organized Battery "A." Many-
men, whose names are familiar to most of
us, were among the organizers of this Bat-
tery. The organizers of the Battery paid
for their uniforms as there was no provi-
sion under the law for equipping them. In
the Fall, the members of the Battery de-
cided to celebrate bv firing a cannon in the
Public Square. All the windows in the
neighborhood were broken. The Battery
boys paid for all the broken windows, but
no more cannons were fired in the Public
Square. When the nation declared war
against Spain, Oscar P. Yeager was the
Captain of this splendid Battery. Through
the efforts of Hon. Joseph G. Cannon, Bat-
tery A was called into the service. It was
the only artillery organization in the State

that had the privilege and the honor so to
be called. The Battery participated in the
Porto Rican campaign. It was a splendid
military organization.

Vermilion County never exhibited more
loyalty to our country than it did in the
Spanish-American War. Nearly every man
in the County of military age wanted to
go into the military service. Many men
from the County enlisted in other volun-
teer regiments and in the regular army.
A pacifist was unknown. Many men from
this County served in the Philippine insur-
rection and the Boxer rebellion. Some are
still in the military service. When the
World War came, Battery A was in splen-
did condition, and was soon over seas. Its
Captain, Curtis G. Redden, led the grand
old Battery in France. His ability as an
officer brought him merited promotion.
After the Armistice, while still abroad in
the military service, death struck him
down.

THE WORLD WAR.

The following article appeared in The
American Legion Review. It was written
by Mr. John H. Harrison, a member of
the State Council of Defense during the
World War. The article is entitled "Ver-
milion County in the World War, "and since
it sets forth so succinctly and pithily the
participation of Vermilion County in the
World War, the article is reproduced here.

"Vermilion County, Illinois, of which
Danville is the seat, laid claim during the
war to being the most patriotic county in
America. The honor was disputed but
once, and that was by a small town in the
State of Washington. While that town
equalled the record here, this Vermilion
County as a whole still holds the unique
honor.

"The claim was based on the fact that
this county was not touched by the first
draft, because we had more volunteers in
service than the draft called for. The rec-
ord would have persisted throughout the
war if the government's plan of giving
credit for volunteers had prevailed in all
draft calls. But Uncle Sam conceded that
credit only in the first instance. When
the first call for draft was issued the gov-
ernment announced that the volunteers
from a county already in service would be
credited against the quota called for, and
only enough drafted men would be taken
to make up the quota. Vermilion County
at that time had enough volunteers in the
service to be 25 per cent more than the
draft called for. Therefore the first draft
did not take one man from Vermilion
County.

"Thereafter, when draft calls were made,
quotas were assigned and taken regardless

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

of how many volunteers had already gone.
The volunteer spirit continued in Vermil-
ion County throughout the war, so that
practically nobody would have been drafted
had the credit "for volunteers been con-
tinued.

"Between five and six thousand men were
sent to the training camps from Vermilion
County during the war. Of this number,
probably one-half went overseas and one-
fourth saw active service in the front line
trenches.

"A total of 2,117 men were accepted at
cam]) from this county through the three
draft boards, located at Danville, Hoopes-
ton, and Georgetown ; Danville sending
904; Hoopeston 591, and Georgetown 622.
Three draft registrations were made dur-
ing the war, Danville registering a total of
7,501, Hoopeston 5,468, and Georgetown
,~>..">77. The Hoopeston district extended
down to Danville and the Georgetown dis-
trict consisted of the rest of the county,
the Danville district being composed of the
City of Danville alone.

"Various patriotic organizations began
early to assist in winning shortly after the
war was declared. In fact, two of these
organizations in Danville got to work be-
fore the various military organizations left
the city. Camp Egbert, United Spanish
War Veterans, composed of ex-service men
who served during the Spanish-American
war, undertook the task of furnishing the
three organizations with a mess fund,
knowing more than the civilians did just
what the soldiers would need. Other or-
ganizations assisted, and by means of tag
days the mess funds were secured. Battery
A was given its money, S465, at Ft. Sheri-
dan on the eve of leaving for France;
Company I received its fund, $345, at East
Alton before going to the Texas training
camp, and Company L was taken care of
before it left Danville, receiving $345.

"The Woman's Military Auxiliary, com-
posed for the most part of mothers and sis-
ters of the soldiers, was organized early in
April, 1917, and was functioning as an or-
ganized body when the boot fund was
raised, to furnish hip boots for the Vermil-
ion County soldiers going to France. This
fund was started after a story appeared
in a Chicago newspaper to the effect that
Chicago citizens would equip their soldiers
in the 149th artillery, to which the Dan-
ville Battery belonged, with rubber boots.
It was taken up by the newspapers of Dan-
ville and subscriptions were received at
their offices. The auxiliary also saw to it
that each soldier who went from Danville
was furnished with a kit consisting of
brushes, towels, soap, etc.

"Hip boots were furnished Battery A
soldiers before they left New York for

France, and they were of great benefit to
the Danville boys that first winter in
France, and probably a number of them
now living owe their lives to the thought-
fulness of the citizens of their home town,
for the mud was deep and the rainy season
was on when they arrived in France.

"The Danville Battery received $1,160
for hip trench boots and they took the
boots with them when they went overseas.
Shortly after the boots were purchased,
the government purchased the entire outpul
from the various boot factories and assum-
ed the task of equipping the American
soldiers with trench boots. Danville citizens
could purchase no more, so the money left
in the fund was divided between the other
two companies and distributed upon their
return to Danville at the close of the war.

"The war had not progressed far until
Red Cross organizations were formed in
every city, town and community. Various
other organizations, every one bent on back-
ing up the soldiers to the fullest extent,
were also formed. Food was conserved that
the soldiers might have the very best while
winning the war.

"The state council of defense, with its
county organizations, the neighborhood
committees, the High Twelve Club, Rotary
Club, various lodge organizations, — all com-
bined their efforts towards the one object —
to win the war in the quickest possible time.
Through the efforts of the neighborhood
committee, loyalty pledges were sent to
every person in the county above the age
of 18. Out of a population of approximately
76,000, pledges were received from 44,129.
Only 2,203 refused to sign. A little more
than one-half or 23,384 persons, in Dan-
ville signed, while in Danville Township,
outside the city, there were 2,513. Grant
township came next, with 4,026, and the
Soldiers Home furnished 1,556 more. These
pledges showed beyond a doubt that the
people of Vermilion County were backing
their soldiers.

"Patriotic demonstrations were held in
almost every community, flag raisings were
popular everywhere and the Stars and
Stripes floated from almost every public
building and business house and from thou-
sands of residences.

"This sort of patriotism is a tradition
with Vermilion County. It did not begin
with the World War. It dates back to the
tally Indian Wars, including the Black
Hawk affair, down through the Mexican,
Civil and Spanish-American wars. Ver-
milion County has always been considered
a patriotic county, furnishing its full quota
of soldiers in evers conflict in which the
United States has been engaged, so it was
but natural that Danville and Vermilion

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

County should be in the forefront when
the United States entered the great world
conflict.

"When the World War came there were
four military organizations in the county:
Battery A, 1st Illinois Field Artillery, Dan-
ville; Company I, 5th Illinois Infantry,
Danville; Company L, 8th Illinois In-
fantry, colored; and Company B, 3rd Illi-

nois Infantry, Hoopeston. All these organi-
zations were immediately called into ac-
tive service, Company I going to East Al-
ton even before war was declared. All saw
service overseas.

"Vermilion County, Illinois, has just
cause to be proud of her record in all
matters that call for patriotic sacrifice in
behalf of the country."

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS
Who Delivered an Address in Danville, September 22, 1858.

CENTENNIAL BOOK of VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

FCEANNEKEUK'S SERMON TO THE
WHITE SETTLERS

(From the Illinois Monthly Magazine, at Vandalia, Illinois. August, 1831)

This discourse of Keannekeuk, an Indian
chief of the Kickapoo tribe of Indians, was
delivered at Danville, Illinois, July IT. 1831.
The citizens of the town and its vicinity
had assembled at a Baptist meeting, and
this Indian, who with a part of his tribe

was encamped in the neighbor!) 1. and in

the habit of preaching to his tribe, was
informed that the white people wished to
hear his discourse. He requested G. I).
Hubbard, Esq., who understands the lan-
guage, to interpret Tor him. The congrega-
tion went to the Indian encampment early
in the day, and before preaching com-
menced in the town. The chief caused mats
to be spread upon the ground for his while
audience to sit upon. His Indian brethren
were also seated near him ; he then com-
menced and addressed the assembly for al-
most an hour. .Mi-. Hubbard repeated with
great distinctness and perspicuity, each
sentence, as spoken by the chief, and which
was accurately written down at the time by
Solomon Banta, Esq. It is proper to re-
mark, that Keannekeuk was at one time
give to intemperate. About four years
since, he reformed, and is now esteemed a
correct, pious and excellent man. He has
acquired an astonishing influence over his
red brethren and has induced all of his
particular tribe, supposed to be near two
hundred, and about one hundred Potawato-
mies who have been inveterate drunkards,
to abstain entirely from the use of ardent
spirits. It is proper further to remark thai
Keannekeuk is called a prophet among the
Indians, but is not the old prophet, brother
to Tecumseh, who is known to be not less
odius among the Indians than among the
white, nor is he related to him. Keanne-
keuk appears to be about forty years of
age; is over the ordinary size; and although
an untutored savage, has much in his man-
ner and personal appearance to make him
interesting. He is much attached to the
white, and has had his son at school, with
a view to give him an education.

The speech now presented for publication
derives much of its interest from the fact
that it is the discourse of an uneducated
man of the forest, who is believed to have
done more in his sphere of action in the
cause of temperance, than any other man
has effected, armed with all the power
which is conferred by learning and talent.
The fact of the influence attributed to
Keannekeuk upon this subject is fully at-
tested by gentlemen who are intimately

acquainted with these Indians, and have
known them for many years, and is, there-
fore, entitled to the fullest confidence.

"MY FRIENDS: Where are your
thoughts today? Where were they r yester-
day? Were they fixed upon doing good?
or were you drunk, tattling, or did angei
rest in your hearts? If you have done an;.
of these things, your Great Father in hea-
ven knows it. His eye is upon you. He al-
ways sees you, and will always see you. He
knows all your needs. He has know-ledge of
the smallest transactions of your lives.
Would you not be ashamed if your friends
knew all your bad thoughts and actions?
and are you not ashamed that your Great
Father knows them, and that He marks
them nicely? You would be ashamed of ap-
pearing here to-day with bloated faces and
swelled eyes, accasioned by drunkenness.
You will one day have to go down to the
earth ; what will you do then, if you have
not followed your Great Father's advice,
and kept His Commandments? He has
given us a small path ; it is hard to be fol-
lowed ; He tell you it leads to happiness.

"Some of you are discouraged from fol-
lowing this path, because it is difficult to
find. You take the broad road that leads to
misery. But j t ou ought not to be discour-
aged; mind the book he has given for your
instruction; attend to its commands, and
obey them, and each step you take in this
narrow path will be easier; the way will be-
come smoother, and at the end, great will
be the reward. The broad road some of you
choose, is full of wide and deep pits; they
are filled with fire for the punishment of
all wicked and ill men. All professed drunk-
ards, tattlers, liars, and meddling bodies
are in the broad way; they can never be
received into good places; their deeds are
dark; they never see light. Parents who do
not teach their children the difference be-
tween good and evil, are in the bad road.
Youi Great Father once came into this
world. He came but once, and stayed but a
short time; that is the reason the good path
is so narrow.

"The bad spirit is with you always; he
is abroad upon the face id' the earth, and
traveling in all places; that is the reason
why the way that leads to misery is so
broad.

"The Great Father gave you a good book
filled with commands. If you follow the
commands, you will go into a good place
and be happy forever; but if you do not

4(1

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF YKRMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

keep them you will go into a place prepared
for the wicked, and suffer endless days and
nights of grief. Some of you think you
can indulge in drink once, and then you
resolve to follow the good commands. But
are you sure, if you do indulge once, you
can refrain for the time to come?

"Your Great Father sees all you do. Is
it not almost certain that you will always
be repeating bad deeds? You are all sin-
ners; you can not be too much on yo ir
guard, lest you tread out of the right way
into the broad road. His eye notices the
smallest thing, and if you wish to be good,
your thoughts must be on your Great
Father always; He takes pleasure when he
sees you thoughts are placed on Him. If
you would all be good you would all travel
one road, and there would be but one road,
and your Great Father would be with you
always. But this can not be; every one
knows when he is doing good, and if he
is always conscious of doing good, he will
be received by the Great Father; therefore
guard with care every step you take in your
life. One step a day in the narrow road is
better than fifteen steps a day in the road
to ruin. The door of heaven is always
open, and the Great Father is glad to re-
ceive his children; those who go there will
have happiness without end — will see their
Great Father, and live with him, and neve-
be without Him. If young folks would
but hold as fast to the good book as old and
crippled people do to their canes which sup-
port them there would be no danger of
disobeying its commands. Every day you
obey Him the better it is for you, and tbi
easier it is for you to follow the good path.
You must always notice well where you
step, for fear you may be tempted out of
the right path." When you see assemblies
of amusement, you ought to reflect that to
enter those mav lead you to do things con-
trary to your Great Fathers will.

"He has said he will help those who keep
His commands; therefore you must always
notice your hearts; the heart is the foun-
tain from which good or evil thoughts flow.
You are not mere forms, incapable of
knewledge, but the Great Father has so
made you that you may get a knowledge
within' yourselves, and if you are good, you
will always see Him; if you place your
thoughts upon Him, He will never desert
you; but they who do not place their
thoughts upon" Him will be deserted — they
travel the broad road and fall into the pit;
their lot is fixed — they can not touch, nor
see good; they will be endless darkness—
they never can see their friends, their
father, mother, brothers or sisters; their
friends will be always grieving for them —
they go where none but fools go, such as
drunkards, liars, tattlers, and those who

treat old people ill ; they never can taste
good; nothing can mitigate their sorrow
and the torment they suffer. What will
become of those wicked men who slight the
commands of their Great Father? He gave
them a book containing instructions to en-
lighten them. Who made that book? The
Great Father made it for their good; long
ago he made it, that their and our hearts
might be strong, and that by reading it you
might see Him, and that you might not lose
yourselves; a long time ago He gave th's
to instruct His children, — and can there
yet be such fools as will not receive in-
struction from so good a Father?

"The Great Father, by His Son, once
came upon earth; many people saw Him;
He came in the form of a man, and stayed
a short time on the earth with His children.
He is to come once more, when the wicked
will not be noticed by Him — a great many
hundreds will be lost; then we will see who
had obeyed His book, and kept His com-
mands. If your hearts are fixed on your
Great Father, He will be pleased; but if
they are not, where will you be going? No
supplication will then avail — you will have
no opportunity to kneel to Him — the time
is past, He will not allow it; your friends
can not intercede, fear will overwhelm you,
you will wish to make new resolutions to
obey Him, but you can not, you will go to
the burning pits.

"Your Great Father has implanted in
your hearts a knowledge of good and evil,
and shown you how to obey Him; if you do
not, the time will come when you will not
see yourselves as you are — you will be lost
in darkness — all your former wickedness
will prey upon you. Friends, you all see
my brothers (pointing to his Indian breth-
ren) they do not drink strong liquors as
they once did; they do not shake their fists
at you and abuse you; they do not quarrel
with each other. Their thoughts are upoi
their Great Father; they are not liars and
tattlers, fond of ridiculiing old folks and
children, as they used to be; their conduct
toward their children is different. For a
long time they have refrained from the bad
practices of stealing and drunkenness;
their Great Father will receive them into
His own place, where they will be happy;
they will never hunger nor thirst; they will
see their children around them; their Great
Father loves their hearts, for they are
strong. Why, then, should they not love
Him? He tells them He loves them: He
gives them an opportunity to know Him;
the Great Father has instilled into them a
knowledge of good and evil by His works;
He has not instructed them by books. He
loves His children both red and white. I
have done."

a
o

l-H

fa
O

H
>-<

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Ollir OMrial ^misors

-L>

FOR THE COUNTY OF VERMILION

Fred R. Lloyd, Chairman

Biount C. E. Vandervort

Butler Scott Johnston

Carroll J. A. McMillan

Catlin Fred R. Lloyd

Danville W. F. Baum

Danville John L. Bracewell

Danville Thomas J. Cossey

Danville John W. Dale

Danville Walter V. Dysert

Danville J. E. Epler

Danville Henry Hulce

Danville C. G. Jamison

Danville - . .Frank A. Johnson

Danville Fred J. Lovell

Danville Frank P. Meyer

Danville ... George W. Mm ire

Danville Wm. F. Sheets

Danville B. H. Snyder

Danville Harley Tarpley

Danville . J. W. Telling

Danville . . . . Robert I. Pettigrew

Elwood John Fletcher, Sr.

Georgetown... G. E. Blayney
Georgetown .... William Mover
Georgetown... J. T. Pitchford

Grant Charles E. Cox

Grant Isaac E. Merritt

Grant Dan R. Miller

Jamaica Earl M. Brown

Love Olen Henderson

McKendree A. W. Haworth

Middlefork . . . .Elmer J. Wise

Newell E. D. Brown

Oakwood F. L. Endicott

Pilot Chas. G. Juvinall

Ross U. G. Fairchilds

Sidell Wade A. Holton

Vance A. W. Cast

-□-

FOR THE CITY OF DANVILLE
Claude P. Madden, Chairman

Henry J. Schroeder
Joseph Schatz
Harry W. Moore
Elmer Martin
Edward Harmel
Robert Hart
Clyde Meharry

John W. Robb
Merle Watt
Otis Jones
Ora W. Servies
D. L. Whiteford
Grant Hiatt
Arch Johnson

CENTENNIAL IN >< n< OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Ufrmiluut (SJmuttii (Unttrumal (Erlrbntttmt

-D-

OFPICIALS

J< iin G. Hartshorn, President.

M. |. Wolfokd, Treasurer.
A i i an T. Gordi in, V, retary.

— D-
EXECUTiVE COMMITTEE

FOR THE COUNTV

Thomas J. Cossey, Danville
Henrv Hulce, Danville
Fred Lloyd, G1///11
Frank Meyer, Danville
Fred Lovell, Danville
William P. Sheets, Danville

FOR THE CITY

Henry J. Schroeder, Danville
i H i Jones, Danville
( >. W. Servies, Danville
Elmer Martin, Danville
J. W. Robb, Danville

— O-

OTHER COMMITTEES

HISTORICAL: John H. Lewman, Chairman.

Hon. Joseph G. Cannon, Senator M. B. Bailey, Miss Lotte Jones, Miss Flo

Woodbury.

OFFICIAL SOUVENIR BOOK: A. F. Barker, Chairman,
Norman Dale, Ezekiel Epstein.

PAGEANT: THOMAS J. COSSEY, Chairman.

Joseph J. Smith, Guy Supple, D. R. Swaim, Harry J. Brown, Don Wilson.

FINANCE: Henry J. Si HROEDER, Chairman.
Stanley Myers, Joseph Uhlein.

LABOR UNIONS: Frank J. Levin, Chairman.

AGRICULTURE: Otis Keri her, Chairman.

DECORATIONS: Frank P. Meyer, Chairman.

MUSIC: G. Haven Stephens, Chairman.

SPEAKERS: James A. Meek-, Chairman.

QUEEN CONTEST: Fred Lloyd, Chairman,

W. P. Sheets, Henry Hulce, John H. Harrison, Mrs. Melvin L. Coutant,
Mr-. L. H. Dunham, Mrs. S. R. Driskell, Mrs. E. G. C. Williams.

PARADE: K. C. ROTTGER, Chairman.

\V i II. Martin, Capt. L. A. Tuggle, E. Dean Huber.

CONCESSIONS: Otis Jones, Chairman.

RELICS: GEORGE REARICK, Chairman.
Member- of Half-Century Club.

cover DESIGN: Harlan Steely Jr., Roy Schoenbeck.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

VERMILION COUNTY'S SECOND COURT HOUSE AND JAIL
Built by Gurdon Hubbard in 1833. Burned in 1873.

LITERATORS OF VERMILION COUNTY

Vermilion County has produced but four
people who have attained renoun in the
World of Letters, and by strange co-inci-
dence each of these was an authority on
Early Illinois history. First of all was the
late Hiram Beckwith, whose "History of the
Northwest" never has had an equal and
whose "History of Vermilion County" is
regarded by students as the most complete
history of an Illinois county ever printed.

Miss Lotte E. Jones, of Danville, whose
"Decisive Dates in Illinois History" still is
a text-book, and whose "History of Ver-
milion County," ably filled the gap between
that of the Beckwith book and the Twen-
tieth century.

Mrs. Mary Hartwell Catherwood, of
Hoopeston, whose romances of the early
Jesuits and French explorers still have a

ready sale, had delved deeply into the story
of early Illinois and was regarded as an
authority.

Joseph Kirkland, of Danville, after his
removal to Chicago, was the author of two
historical novels, one of which had for its
hero the grandfather of a prominent Dan-
villean, and whose "History of Chicago" is
considered second only to that of A. T.
Andreas.

Added to this may be mentioned the name
of Guy T. Robinson, Danville newspaper-
man, who is a student of Early Illinois, and
who has added many real contributions to
Vermilion County history through the col-
umns of the newspapers, which, it is hoped,
may some day be collected and issued in
book form.

— C. C. T.

^ •• • •'

.- - . - *#•*•*»■••'- *»V4» * "_v :**v«» v.'v. ••-•■•w

'#-*-•'

.%.■.«/

•.v^.:»,; # >;*\\

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 51

To the Memory of

Amos Williams

He first located at Butler's Point where the
first Circuit Court was held in this County. He
assisted in surveying the County and laying
off the County Seat, and drew all the Plats. He
built the first house in the city in which he has
lived ever since — on Clark street.

He was elected County Clerk, Clerk of the
Commissioners Court, Clerk of the Circuit
Court, Judge of Probate Court, County Re-
corder, Register of Saline Lands, Master in
Chancery, Post Master, and Notary Public.

All these offices he held uninterruptedly
from the organization of this County till 1843,
and some of them till 1849, a period of 23
years. As a County officer, he was remarkably
faithful and attentive to his business, scrupu-
lously exact and correct in his transactions,
kind and obliging to all who sought instruction.

Hence he was deservedly and universally
popular among the people, and for many years
it was the prevailing opinion that no one was
qualified to do County business well, but Amos
Williams.

No charge was ever brought against him for
either the want of competency or fidelity in the
discharge of any of the duties of his offices.

The influence of his correct business habits
will be felt in this and other Counties long
after he is forgotten.

"Peace to his ashes."

(Copied from Vermilion County Republican,
G. Price, Editor, November, 1857.)

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

HOTEL WOLFORD

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

-^ " .-.Wh f-r rP FFi

OPEN NOVEMBER, 1926

HOTELS HELP
COMMUNITIES GROW

--*- -#•-«» .v-.'» •-** - ---•»••-«• »vw»» ••'.»-;*-•* *:r\*.»_^;* ^*v» ^:* *: 4 .\»

CENTENNIAL Book OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The home of your old friends, tried and true

Tea Table-Early Dinner-Mother's Pride

FOOD PRODUCTS

EARLY DINNER COFFEE
"You Can't Mistake the Flavor"

Roasted and Packed by

Peyton-Palmer Co.

DANVILLE, ILL.

54 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

J. I.. Tincher. President C. P. Nelson, Cashier

E. R. E. Kimbkocgh, Vice President C. E. Olmsted. Assistant Cashier

B. C. English. 1 ;. < President W. J. Bamm. Assistant Cashier

J. E. Whitman. Assistant Cashier

First National Bank

of
DANVILLE, ILL.

nnn

ESTABLISHED 1857

nnn

Capital ------- S300.000.00

Surplus and Undivided Profits - S200.000.00

nnn

DIRECTORS

E. R. E. Kimbrough D. W. Bell

J. L. Tincher James A. aIeeks

B- C. English C. P. Nelson

E. G. Stephens

CENTENNIAL \i(» >K OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 55

SECOND
NATIONAL BANK

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

Capital and Surplus $500,000

Established in 1873

56 I ENTENNIAL ECCK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The

Palmer National Bank

DANVILLE, ILL.

Capital - - - - $300,000.00
Surplus - - - - $150,000.00

nnn

We receive the accounts of Banks, Bankers, Corporations, Firms
and Individuals on favorable terms and will be pleased to meet or cor-
respond with those who contemplate making changes or opening new
accounts.

nnn

TRUST DEPARTMENT

This Bank is authorized to act in the following capacities: Executor,
Trustee, Conservator, Guardian, Receiver or any other Trust Capacity.

nnn

OFFICERS

M. J. Wolford, President C- A. White, Asst- Cashier

Thos. Conron, Vice-President J. E. McMillan, Asst. Cashier
J. E. Walker, Cashier Stanley Mires, Asst. Cashier

DIRECTORS

M. J. Wolford C. W. Bandy

Thos. Conron C. K. Palmer

D. M. Fowler W. C. Rankin

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Keeping Step with the

Tears

nnn

From the quill pen and bound book to the bookkeep-
ing machine and loose leaf ledger —

From the old cash till to the automatic money
changer —

From the old time bank to the modern financial

institution with its departments to serve every

banking need, its heavy concrete vaults guarded by

non-burnable steel doors, time locks and electric

burglar alarm systems —

Part of the progress banks have made during the

decades.

This bank has endeavored to keep pace with the
business and personal needs of the people of Ver-
milion County and in its new bank home offers un-
surpassed banking facilities to its community.

nnn

Commercial
Trust and Savings Bank

BAUM BUILDING

41-43 N. Vermilion St.
"A Real Bank in a Live Town."

58 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

American Bank & Trust Co.

Danville, Illinois

□

nnn
n

Capital, Surplus and Profits,
over $300,000

nnn

OFFICERS

A. M. BUSHNELL, President

W. M. ACTON, Vice-President
JAMES A. FOSTER, Cashier

L. O. FROMAN, Ass't Cashier

E. H. BLEVEANS, Ass't Cashier

CENTENNIAL ROOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

3Ft&FittjT SnwBtmmt $c Buttfting
Asportation

137 N. VERMILION ST.
All Through the Years — the Essentials of Sound Investments

SAFETY OF PRINCIPAL

ASSURANCE OF INCOME

(6', for 43 Years) — Convertible

1884 J. W. WEBSTER, Sec'y. 1926

59
-.4.

60 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Danville Benefit & Building
Association

THE OLDEST ASSOCIATION IN DANVILLE
Organized March 1, 1877

ASSETS $6,174,507.91

Pre-paid stock $50.00 per share for sale now. Six per cent compound
interest paid. No monthly dues. New series Sept. 4th.

MUM

M. J. WOLFORD, Secretary

No. 6 E. Main Street— Telephone 345

ri-NTENMAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

<V^i «VN5 «V\^ «v:\U «VN? VN^ V s ? ^^ *V^ «V^ VN^ <V /^ H^n? "V \? VsJ; *V N? "V "^ Vs? V s ? **/-•■£ «V^ V^

Ammratt Builirtng
AaanrtattDn

OF DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

LOUIS PLATT, Secretary

OFFICE 411-13-15 THE TEMPLE

, ^ q,-;^ "V s^ V^£ «*/ ^ JV ^ *V^ V-^ V^ "VNJ «V .^ 1' ^ V : ^ V^ H^ Vn? «V; ; ^ ^ ^ "VN? V>? "V -^

62 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

THE FUTURE

Won't take care of itself

Save part of your income
NOW

Vermilion County
Building Association

141 N. Vermilion St.

H. C. ADAMS, Sec'y

CENTENNIAL BOOK I V VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 63

COLOR

IN GOOD TASTE

Is the keynote of modern building

Our special blends of fine face brick —

"PASTEL"

"PATRICIAN"

"COMMUNITY"
"TUXEDO"
"COLEUS"

"HEATHER MIX"

The Danville Brick Co.

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

;> ^'-> y~\* .,'->

64 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

48 Years of Age

Never Lost a Cent for an Investor

6% COMPOUND INTEREST
Paid to All Investors Alike

Withdrawals Paid on Demand

Equitable
Building Association

E. R. PARTLOW, Secy
25 West Main St. Danville, 111.

CENTENNIAL H< >< >K OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 65

Jin iKrmnrtam

-O-

JAMES BUTLER

Vermilion County's First Dirt Farmer

He came here in the Spring of 1820, and
planted a crop in Catlin Township — the first
cultivated field in the Vermilion Prairies.

-□-

VERMILION COUNTY FARM BUREAU,

Chamber of Commerce Building.

66 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Welcome Danville Guests

AN OCCASION like this, when Danville plays host to thousands of
men, women and children, gives us a peculiar opportunity to express
the Spirit which actuates our store. We would show our sincere
welcome to all — by extending to each and every one, every accommodation
in our power during your stay in the city.

In getting acquainted with the Straus and Louis Company, you will prob-
ably wish to know something of the ideals, purposes, and the policies back
of this store.

Our governing ideal is so to conduct this store that it will deserve, win and
hold the ever-increasing confidence, good will, and patronage of the public.
We believe that to hold your trade we must give you a better service than
you can get elsewhere — better in having the very goods you want — safe-
guarding quality and keeping the prices to the lowest level at which quality
can be bought.

Better in style and value — better in convenience — better in promptness, and
general satisfaction.

This we frankly undertake to do, and this we claim to offer you. As you
get better acquainted with this store and its ways of doing business we
believe you will discover that you can always trust on sight every piece of
merchandise we offer, every statement we make, every promise we give,
and every price we name.

We want you to feel that this is "your store," that it has developed in re-
sponse to the demands of your needs. To these ends we pledge the per-
petual efforts of our organization.

You are invited to make this store your HEADQUARTERS whenever you
are in Danville.

LOOK to Straus and Louis for the first showing
of a new fashion for women, misses and children
— a new color — a new fabric — a new accessorie
— look to Straus and Louis for fashion-rightness.

COA/PAAA^

"Thirty-one Years of Faithful Service"
FIRST IN FASHION— FIRST IN VARIETY— FIRST IN VALUE

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Open for Business

nnnnnnn

nnn

C "WATCH US GROW" my
RAMER & NORTON

-The Store (or All Ihe People"
DANVILLE. ILLINOIS

"Famous For Silks

nnnnnnn

nnn

Everything New

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

1826

1926

A Hearty Welcome to
Tou and Tour Friends

Centennial visitors will find a warm welcome at K. & S.,
new friends as well as old. Centrally located it provides an
excellent meeting place for you and your friends, while in
the store many modern facilities are entirely at your serv-
ice. K. & S. is more than a mere department store — it is a
public institution, proud of Danville as its home and of the
City's 100 years of forward progress.

K.<S?S.Dept. Store Co.

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

•j^^fc^V^N^

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

We Are Serving—

Not Merely Selling!

Serving you to-day so well that you will naturally
come back tomorrow is the aim behind every
transaction. Everyone connected with this or-
ganization is impressed with the principle that
the purchase MUST fulfill the customers expecta-
tions — in quality of fabric — in style correctness —
in wear-giving service.

Improved Facilities for Tour
Convenience

OUR NEW ELEVATOR will meet your approval.
Larger — it affords greater freedom and eliminates
congestion. The double safety doors and other
last-minute safety features typify our efforts to
serve you better.

THE ALTERATION DEPARTMENTS insure the
completion of your garment when you expect it.
REST ROOMS and telephone service are at your
disposal at all times.

DELIVERIES are promptly and carefully made.

YOUR SATISFACTION IS OUR SUCCESS

."*A^V*{»

DANVILLE'S GREATEST STORE

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

"Your Store
Since 1887"

^□^

DANVILLE'S LARGEST EXCLUSIVE
READY-TO-WEAR STORE FOR

Men, Women
& Boys

CENTENNIAL HooK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Being An Economic Factor
In the Community Served

The true function of this Store, as we see
it, is that of serving as a purchasing and dis-
tributing agent for the people of the commun-
ity and the outlying districts.

When the merchant enters business he as-
sumes the responsibility of performing a
public benefaction — that of providing com-
modities and services to his community in a
way that will afford economy and convenience
and of maintaining such environment as is
necessary and desirable to the consumers who
support him.

It he fails in this responsibility, he ceases
to be an economic factor in the community
which he essays to serve.

Since the first Store in this Nation-wide
institution of department stores was opened
in 1902, the outstanding ambition has been to
serve all alike and well. That we have suc-
ceeded is proved by our rapid growth. In
less than a quarter of a century we have be-
come the World's Largest Chain Department
Store Organization.

H O

i— <

H
5/5
Z

H
Z

o
u

gns

«. . ^ *• • •'

•#•-*»•- - -•■•-o ; k v;/»v4';v f /mv»..#;»-»:»;,»i#.;' -v**^*:* '•:•"»'

*0»

•pa

—

0)
0)

w
■ I—

-J

-—

5/5

;□<

—
—

<
Z

o
o
o

u
<

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY", ILLINOIS

Compliments of

£llay system

20 East Main St. Danville, 111.

Men and Women's Ready-to- Wear

MAJOR CORD TIRES

1 year guarantee regardless of mileage.

A. HART, Manager

,~.>

The best Friend you ever had-

A good friend is one that is with you all the time and
where will you rind better clothes than a FRUHAUF
SUIT or OVERCOAT?

Let's get together Fellows!

Genuinely hand tailored Fruhauf Clothes, S45 to $60.
Deutsch Bros, special designed 2 Pant Suits at $35.
Knox-Dobbs and imported Hats from $5 to $10.

"The Shop Distinctive "

Wheaiy Wardrobe Trunks Shirts made to measure

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Always in the Lead —

Where the Styles Come from

LADIES APPAREL AT POPULAR PRICES

HEADQUARTERS FOR ROSAINE HOSIERY

$1.35 and 81.69

All Colors, All Sizes — Guaranteed

^yalCloakCq

WOMEN S GOOD CLOTHES'

Vermilion St., DANVILLE. Illinois

HILLCREST

Danville's Most Beautiful Subdivision

DALE & MASSIE

EXCLUSIVE AGENTS
501-2-.3 BAUM BLDG. TELEPHONE 1195

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The
Store
That
Shows
The New
Things
First

20 NORTH VERMILION ST.
DANVILLE, ILL.

THREE FLOORS— READY-TO-WEAR
FOR MADAME AND MADAMOISELLE

First Floor Dresses Salon — Second Floor Coats and Millinery Salon
Down Stairs, Inexpensive Dept.

Something for Nothing — Usually Gets Nothing

— pay the price of quality

RINGS OF RARE EXCELLENCE

Blue White and Perfect!

Visible Value in finest color and material perfection.
Priced right, by weight, by quality, and comparison.
We urge you to look!

FRED FRAME

Watch Inspector

109 East Main St.. Danville, Illinois
& E. I., C. C. C. & St. L., N. Y. C, P. & E , Waba:

h. I. T. S.

(J*^-

»■» _ •»-•'%•_

- »• •"•".». .» "

• • \».t». '-."■. »*.••..:• • .*

CENTENNIAL B< >< >K OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 77

Bahls-Storm & Shaffer

Fine Footwear

For

Men, Women and Children

110 N. VERMILION ST.
Danville, Illinois

Ries Strauss Co.

16-18 North Vermilion Street

Here's Our Feature Hat

With Silk Bound Edge

It has style and quality you can bank

on — it's correct in every detail, and

has the appearance of hats that cost

much more.

Silk Lined

nnn Pricedat

/ $ 5 00

Ries Strauss Co. ah colors

78 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY", ILLINOIS

Compliments of

Economy Shoe Co.

FRED SPIVEY, Mgr.
— and —

Boord Bros. Clothing Co.

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIillllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Thos. Conron Hardware Co.

"Sellers of Good Goods"

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

IllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllMIIIIIIIIIIIIII

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 79

THE STORE OF BETTER VALUES

120 E. Main
DANVILLE, ILL.

Shoes, Clothing and Furnishings

Hacker's Fair

HEADQUARTERS FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING

207-209 E. Main St.
DANVILLE. ILL.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

CHAS. T. DUDENHOFER

J. ROSS SMITH

DUDENHOFER a*SB BOTTLING CO.

MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF

The Best In Bottled Beverages

110-112 South St. Telephone 644 Danville, 111.

Refresh Yourself, Drink

Delicious and Refreshing

Congratulations

— and —
MANY HAPPY RETURNS

— of—

THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION

EXCLUSIVE BUT NOT EXPENSIVE
Outfitters for Men, Women and Boys

THE BELL

^Danville

I ENTENNIAL Book' OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

GAMMEL & LEWMAN

Grocers and Bakers

Telephones 956 and 957

124 N. Vermilion St.

Danville, Illinois

*•

.book :lion county, ill:

CIGARS

BILLIARDS

LESEURE BROS.

44 N. Vermilion St. — 24 E. Main St.
DANVILLE. ILLINOIS

SODA

LUNCH

SEPTEMBER 2-. a AND 30. 1 -

[> rose three dates hold a separate slab in the tablets of your
- form an epoch in the history of GRAND OLD
VERMILION COUNTY.

,f The GREAT VERMILION COUNTS CEN-

TENNIAI*

Danville, as the hub of the county extends a general invitation to
the world to attend this GREAT CENTENNIAL.
This ■ >ne of the spokes of the Hub, extends to the world

a special invitation.

We want you to know us intimately. We want the Strang-.
our midst to consider this store a home for them alv
Owing to our very central location we shall maintain an LNFOR-
:ON BU7 - "e centennial at front of our new

shoe ._ Bon St

E DREAD you and your friends may obtain information
r your en; yment of our County
and our C I

FRANK P. MEYER

Exclusive Shoes
22 N. Vermilion -

DANVILLE. ILLINOIS

*• • *» ^ . _ •» • •'

.*.».»*

»».».»..

7EXXIAL BO

%urM)ME

ShouldCome

> FIRST

For half a century we have been supplying
good furniture to Vermilion County residents.
We help you turn houses into homes. We have

>fied your grandparents — let - - rve you.

SANDUSKY

Furniture Stoi

FURNITURE OF QUALITY

S7-39 N. Vermilion St. Danville. 111.

g4 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Complete Home Furnishers

-COURTESY-

PENRY

Furniture Co.

433-35-37 E. Main St.
DANVILLE, ILL.

ill

See Us for Home Outfits

CENTENNIAL Book' OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Your Home
Should Come First

EVERY man's home is his castle — a place
where he enjoys life to its fullest!
In spite of the hurry and hustle of
modern living — in spite of the things which
often keeps one away from home — there is
an ever growing consciousness that few
things in life are worth more than a good
home.

Let us add the beauty and comfort of good
furniture to your home.

^ t ^ t ^.^

Olson & Martens

Opposite Postoffii '

DANVILLK, ILLINOIS

86 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Rhodes Burford Co,

House Furnishings

sUss^S

103-105-107 E. Main

Danville, Illinois

Bredehoft & Ball

WHOLESALE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

□nnn

Danville, Illinois

(Etmtjilimcnta of

lakum JniUtstnj

— D-

INTER-STATE BAKING CO.
HERENDEEN BAKINCx CO.
WM. WINTHER & SONS
MUELLER-SPITZ BAKING CO.
ATHENS BAKERY
ALBERT LEINS BAKERY
LINNE BAKING CO.

CENTENNIAL[BOOK OF VERMILION' COUNTY, ILLINOIS

WEBSTER GROCER CO,

WHOLESALE GROCERS

North St. & Washington Ave.
DANVILLE, ILL.

Distributors of

Larabee's "Best, Piilsbury's Best and

Golden Seal Flour

MARVEL BRAND FOOD PRODUCTS

THOMSON & TAYLOR COFFEE
WHITE HOUSE COFFEE AND TEA

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 89

One Hundred Years have proven there is —

NUN BETTER

city than —

DANVILLE

We are proud of its progress.
We are also proud of our

NUN BETTER FOODS

for there is —

NUN BETTER.

Wholesome Foods build healthy people, and
thereby a progressive, healthy city.

Use NUN BETTER as a guarantee of Health.
Prosperity and Happiness.

□ □□

Danville Wholesale Grocery Co.

■i».*v.

90 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY. ILLINOIS

"ALL THE COMFORTS OF HOME"

Can be Enjoyed at the

Hotel Lincoln

NOTED FOR ITS HOME-LIKE ATMOSPHERE,
QUIET, COMFORT AND REFINEMENT.

nnnn
nn

Dining Room and
Coffee Shop

Unexcelled Cuisine and Service
Moderate Charges

nnnn
nn

JOHN J. GRIER CO., J. P. MURPHY.

Owners and Operators Manager

NATIONALLY KNOWN GRIER SERVICE

,~*

••-•-•r- fc v.\-w4*:r^>v*\vr27^^^

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS <M

Yeomans & Shedd

HARDWARE CO.

For 59 years this Company has contributed to the prosperity

of this community and enjoyed a consistent growth with it.

iv t,\t

The building now occupied is on the site purchased by Victor
LeSeure in 1851, and is still owned by his heirs. Few business
houses in the city have had as long and intimate connection with
the life of this City and surrounding country.

Plaza Hotel

Danville's Largest and Best

Plaza Garage

">2 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

"Success Starts in the Kitchen"

THE

Buckler - Moore

Cafeteria

46 N. VERMILION ST.

100 years ago the business of feeding the man
away from home had hardly passed "ye olde
Tavern" stage, where the guest would spend
several hours eating, drinking and swapping
stories with the inn-keeper and other guests.
Time was not important.

The fast-moving age in which we find ourselves
to-day, however, demands that we fill each min-
ute with sixty busy seconds. Eating places, to
meet the new demands have taken the form of
the modern cafeteria where the SERVICE IS
QUICK and EFFICIENT, where GOOD FOOD,
WELL COOKED is TEMPTINGLY AR-
RANGED BEFORE THE EYES, and where
PRICES ARE REASONABLE. Such a place is

THE BUCKLER-MOORE
CAFETERIA

46 N. Vermilion St.

WHEN IN MATTOON, ILL.. EAT AT THE BUCKLER-MOORE.

;».-'»^.v.>v«»;v^vi-4»^v..*'*«^,:.-*»'r.».i^*r»»w,:' v **;

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

An Efficient

Laundry Service

Since J 882

FORTY-FOUR years ago, a little room on West
Main Street and 5 employees. To-day, a mam-
moth laundry and dry cleaning plant with 120
employees !

Such has been the growth of the business es-
tablished by John A. Phillips back in 1882. A steady
growth, based upon service has made possible this
business, which has passed from father to sons, and
which each year is expending and increasing its num-
ber of employees.

No finer laundry in the state can be found than
our splendid new plant at 21 South Vermilion Street.

OUR DRY CLEANING SERVICE

is growing along with our laundry, because we have
exacting standards of service that please even the
most particular persons. You are invited at any time
to visit our plants.

PHILLIPS

Laundry and Dry Cleaning Co.

21-23-25 S. Vermilion Telephone 211-242-243

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Kept Danville Clean
For Years—

Eight years ago the Model Laundry and the Star Laundry "joined
hands" after some 18 or 20 years as separate units, battling to keep Dan-
ville and the County clean — Today, its the same story told with modern
equipment, a story of clean conscientious service.

Telephones 175—676

J. W. SMALLEY, Pres. & Mgr. J. A. O'BRIEN, Vice Pres. & Treas.

LOUIS J. O'BRIEN, Sec'y

Telephones 177 and 141

L. F. Miller & Son

ESTABLISHED 1893
Wholesale Fruits and Produce

WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

Nucoa Nut Margarine

Pet Brand Oranges and Lemons, Capidome, Grape Fruit

Coning Bros. Apples

115 N. Washington Ave. DANVILLE, ILL.

■ •-•- .. _ _ ■••••«»^viv«rv.v.v w »'f»Vfc."*.*» • •*.* ■ •-"» •:•-.* •'.'•"•'**.'•.

CENTENNIAL H< » IK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

i;ii;iiii|:!ii:i,;iiiiiiiiiiiiiii!;iiiii;iiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii.
mniuiHiiuiBDiniirauHHnnaiiiiii!ii<ii!!iiiiiih

THERE NEVER HAS
BEEN ANY MILK
SOLD IN VERMILION
COUNTY IN THE PAST
100 YEARS THAT
COMPARE WITH
BREDEHOFT CREAM
TOP. AND IT COST NO
MORE THAN ORDI-
NARY MILK.

Illlllllllllllllll|||llllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllli:illll!lllll;lll|[||||||l|||!ll|||||!|||l|l|||
1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Bredehoft
Dairy Co.

TELEPHONE 2
619-621 Vermilion St.

H/^ HA? '^ i^5 »AP l*p

sN i: is- n is ■-. Sn 1-, is n is t

BLUE

BANNER DAIRY

EHSOK

The Home of

SAFE MILK

408 W. FAIRCHILD ST. TELEPHONE 1870

o, sB Has? V s» "V s? t<:s? Has?
Ssyf! ii\k *s- t is.' i ii t 3€ H

•»':..- ••*-^^v-'»-»'*»^^j-^^^v^^*^:^^^*^^r^t.#,;*/^^»:^;»*: 4% :

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS ''7

/Trent

> • BROS ^

LUMBER CO.

The Hub of the Lumber Business

nnnn

A PIONEER INDUSTRY OF DANVILLE

FOUNDED ON QUALITY,

THE GOLDEN THREAD OF SATISFACTION.

nnnn

THE HOME OF GOOD Ll'MP.ER & MILL WORK OF QUALITY

98 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF YERMILlo.X COUNTY, ILLINOIS

THE FIRST TELEPHONE

IN VERMILION COUNTY WAS PLACED IN THE

H00T0N LUMBER YARD

Knu

The telephone has been improved, but we continue
to furnish the same excellent quality of building
material which has gone into countless homes since
this yard was established in 1872.

C. B. HOOTON

THE MAIN ONE

MAIN ONE

■ »#•••»% .:•-•♦ • •m.i.iZfS*?* vv- r »x*^:*

CENTENNIAL H< » >K OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Compliments

HILL LUMBER

LUMBER
«16 N. Walnut Street

CO.

Telephones:

7 and 8 DANVILLE,

ILL.

100 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

DANVILLE LUMBER CO.

By "SPLINTERS"
434-44 Gilbert All Telphones 800

YEAGER & SONS

BUILDERS

... ••-•-•<••-.>- /-.'vw-v-v.v-'^'wv."- **■•■•*:» . •-*♦ • •'.• t #/* •:*" i v»v- r » V4 *:»

CENTENNIAL U< » IK OF VERMILION COUNTY, II.I.IX (IS

Kil

Largest in Eastern Illinois

A MODERN ELECTRIC PLANING MILL AND
STEAM DRY KILN

ELLIOTT
LUMBER CO

All Kinds of Building Materials
WEST END SUBWAY— DANVILLE

102

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

E. C. LAMM & CO.

PLANING MILL

IVholesale and Retail Lumber

SINCE 1857

Greetings

from

THE PIONEERS OF THE INDUSTRY

nn
E. C. LAMN & CO.

201 South Vermilion Street, DANVILLE, ILL.
QUALITY LUMBER & MILLWORK

fVebber and Turn ell

Jewelers and Opticians

117 North Vermilion Street
DANVILLE, ILL.

..-••r»v--.'r.v//j'#vo;"J7*v4»;v./'**\ h ../ # *»\»r

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, [LLINOIS 103

Marlatt

Battery Manufacturing

Company

H'^P "V-\p <v\p •V-NP V^P
VnP, <VNP, <^:\P

Automobile, Radio, Farm Lighting and Vehicle Batteries

Automotive and Commercial Rewinding

Motors Generator Armatures

1112 Industrial Avenue

Through Service We Grow"

1IIIIIIIII[|||||||||||||||||I!IIIII1IIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIII!IIIIIIII^

IJ!lllll!l«l«l«lllll!!lllllll»lllll«llllll!lllhlllllllll!ll[llllll»ll!IIUU

Hegeler Zinc Company

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

Manufacturers of

Rolled Zinc-Strips and Coils

Boiler Plates Slab Zinc

Sulphuric Acid

|i||||||||||||||||||||llllllllUIIIIIIII!ll!ll!IIINIIIIIU!llllllllllllllllinilllllllll!lllllll!lllll!IIHIIIII!llll!lll!lllllllllllllinillll^
[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIH

-/••v.v-«»v4»-— >vovvTyr*»'v. ***■•*.% ..*.*• **':%:t>z^r\v»:*;.; #v *\ , «

CENTENNIAL U< » IK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILIKolS

105

USE

Allith-Prouty

GARAGE DOOR HARDWARE

And Your Doors Will Operate Freely and
Close Weather Tieht

WE CAN HANG ON ANY KIND OF DOORS
AND ALWAYS GUARANTEE

Satisfaction in Hardware

106

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

OFFICE, SHOW ROOM and WAREHOUSE located at 619-705 N. Jackson St.

&H£$S3£

Our progress has been steady for fifteen years. The Inland Supply Company
was organized in June, 1911, with quarters on E. Harrison St. In 1913, moved
to E. Van Buren St., which location served us till 1924, when we built the above
plant.

In 1921 our main offices were moved to Chicago where we have also made a
steady growth. In May, 1926, we opened a branch warehouse at Champaign,
which is operated under the jurisdiction of the Danville office.

OUR BUSINESS IS WHOLESALE ONLY OF PLUMB-
ING AND HEATING SUPPLIES. SELLING TO THE
ESTABLISHED PLUMBING TRADE IN ILLINOIS, IN-
DIANA. IOWA AND WISCONSIN.

st!H! still

INLAND SUPPLY COMPANY

DANVILLE

CHICAGO

CHAMPAIGN

/#r*v"-vv4» •'.V» T *VJ.*J7' V *^

-rrw

v«:#.".»*:»\%n.«;

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, [LLINOIS 107

■ n ■ 'iM i:" : i;ii ' ■ .:"! .!■!■ .MM ; I! i! : - i.r ': ':| 'i; Ml i.M ;.i >■ ^i : i: mi in i . :■ ■:: i- mm .mi ■■!! mi !M! M'i .it ::l' i: ■ i; ,,; i:.

!IIIIII!IIIIII!IIIIIIIII!IIU!I!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!I!H I lllllllllllllllllllllll Milllllllllll'

Danville Posting Service

and
Haskell Sign System

mum

PROMINENT AND WELL KNOWN DANVILLE
FIRM WITH BUSINESS OFFICES AT 17 WEST
HARRISON STREET MAINTAINS A POLICY
IN THEIR OUTDOOR ADVERTISING WHICH
ADDS TO THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUN-
ITY AND TO THE ARTISTIC APPEARANCE
OF OUR SURROUNDINGS— A PROGRESSIVE
FIRM WHICH HOLDS THE COOPERATION
AND GOOD WILL OF THE PUBLIC AND AIDS
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DANVILLE AND
VICINITY THROUGH THE ESSENTIAL SERV-
ICE THEY RENDER.

:M u::- in;' -hi! :l mm . 'I i . ■ . i I ■ :i- m :-| l i immim f M: mI =" I in. iiiMn i ;n 1 1 ■. i i i r ;!i...n: mm in n- :!i- i;

lllllllllillllllllllllllilllllllllllllll!llllllllllllllll!lllllllllll!IIIIIN|!|U

HI-

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

We Welcome
You—

Lunches

F. M. MISCH

124 E. Main St.

DANVILLE. ILL.

Sodas

WM. C. SCHULTZ. JR.

Branch Office and Factory Twin City Roofing Company Champaign, 111.

HENRY BIRELINE COMPANY, [Inc.]

Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors

615 N. HAZEL ST.— BIG "4" R. R.

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

CORNICES — Galvanized Iron or Copper

Metallic Skylights Ventilators

ROOFING—

Slate, Tin, Tile, Copper, Felt, Gravel and Ready Roofing

Metal Ceilings and Side Walls
Warm Air Furnaces, Cast or Steel

Growers of Florida Fancy Paper Shell Pecans

ORDERS TAKEN WHOLESALE AND RETAIL

.. . - •• • *v^v- r**-4i*\r^ .'••'*v^.\^*v*v^.v7*~*-»\v.:#."» * :•'.%_# •;• •*'*%.» ^'•'•'* X .V

H. T. LEVERENZ C. C. LEVERENZ

DANVILLE, ILL.

nnn

Best Grades Eastern Kentucky, Indiana White Ash
and Illinois Coal

The

Bee Line Mf g. Co

Factories — Veedersburs, Ind., Danville. 111.

MANUFACTURERS OF

Pants, Overalls & Coats

SOLD EVERYWHERE

110

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

What you must buy
on faith

Beauty of silver, gold and platium, of
precious gems, you can judge for your-
self. But of their quality your only as-
surance is faith in those from whom
you buy. Years of honest dealing have
earned us a reputation for trustworthi-
ness, winning us many patrons and,
among other things, the distinction of
being one of the few jewelers privileged
to sell Gruen Watches.

;\i^r

McKee and Overstreet

JEWELERS AND OPTICIANS

Formerly Fisher & McKee

19 N. Vermilion St.

THE HALLMARK STORE

MEMBER GRUEN WATCH GUILD

% v./* • :*\v.v.''«~*»^v^^** v^7^«r^^^

Charles F. Ehlers, Pres. & Mgr. Charles M. Woodbury, Vice Pres.

Flora M. Woodbury, Sec'y & Treas.

WOODBURY DRUG CO.

Established 1846, Incorporated 1903

80 Years in the Same Business, 66 Years in One Room

The Same Ground, the Same Room, the Same Firm

DANVILLE, ILL.

1846 | |J926

80 YEARS OLD

In the Fall of 1846— the Woodbury Book Co. started in business in
Vermilion County, which is now celebrating its 100th anniversary.

We want to take this opportunity to THANK THE PEOPI.K OF THE
COMMUNITY for its generous patronage during all these years, which
has made it possible for us to have one of the finest and best Book and
Stationery Stores in Illinois.

We trust that we will warrant a continuance of your support,

WOODBURY BOOK CO.

125 North Vermilion Street

T846| |"l927T

112 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

OTTO R. SCHULTZ
HARDWARE CO.

HARDWARE, PAINTS, CHINAWARE, TOYS
155 Vermilion St. Danville, Illinois

nnnn
□□

T. C. ALEXANDER

(Cleve)
SPORTING GOODS AND SUPPLIES

155 N. Vermilion St. Danville, 111.

OPPOSITE FISCHER THEATRE

GULICK DRUG CO.

T. A. GULICK, R. PH., PRES. C. M. KARNS, SECY.

105 N. Vermilion St. DANVILLE, ILL. Telephone 129

// Its Advertised 1l"c Stock It.

Why not try us first. A complete Stock of Drugs, Foun-
tain Pens, Hot Water Bottles, Stationery, Drug Sundries
and Burdsal Paint.

GULICK DRUG CO.

nnnn
nn

Our Chocolate Sundaes Are the Talk of the Town

Whitmans Candies, Choice Perfumes, Shaeffers Pens, Kodaks and Films

Developing and Printing

MORTON'S ONE-HOUR DRYING AUTO ENAMEL

DANVILLE DRUG CO.

THE SAN TOX STORE
15 E. Main St. Telephone 97

^ •••%*:. v-:'#'*~«»t'^^# w ^

CENTENNIAL Hi 'OK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 113

PLASTER DRUG CO.

DANVILLE'S BEST DRUG STORE

Save time — Try us first.

Our Stock Is Complete in Every Detail.
□

108 VERMILION STREET I

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.

Davey's Men's Wear

Home of

Adler Collegian Clothes

Here's hoping that we are all here one hundred years from now.
17 N. VERMILION ST. DANVILLE, ILL.

114

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION" COUNTY, ILLINOIS

BL_— ^1

"Everything In Music"

Has Been Benjamin's Slogan for Over a Half Century

Benjamin's Temple of Music

ESTABLISHED 1876

-4

Headquarters For All

Centennial Visitors

Smoot Drug Co.

DANVILLE, ILL.

VERMILION & HARRISON STS. TELEPHONE 93

^^•w:v-^wr7JT»v*\^iViV ; , .v' , »'«\» !...•» « •■.iif7': , ^ , .*:.v:. w *\;

CENTENNIAL B< >< >K < >F VERMILION COUNTY. ILLINOIS US

for 55 Years

Our Location Has Been a

HARDWARE STORE

DOWLING HARDWARE CO

35 Vermilion St.

Meet Your Friends

Feldkamp Candy Co.

36 N. Vermilion

nnn
Excellent Noon Lunches

116 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

INTER- STATE
WATER CO.

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

CENTENNIAL R()()K OF VERMILION COUNTY. ILLINOIS 117

118

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Memorial Arts Co.

409-411 E. MAIN Telephone 96

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

Mausoleums, Monuments and Markers

"MARK EVERY GRAVE"

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 119

nn<

Compliments of

F. W. WOOLWORTH CO.

5 and 10c STORE
8-10 N. Vermilion St.

□<

Compliments of

S. S. KRESGE CO

25c to $1 Store, 12-14 N. Vermilion St.
5 and 10c Store. 26 N. Vermilion St.

120 CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Pi&ly.Wi^ly

Hint Hi

51 N. Vermilion 807 N. Vermilion

Madison Square 203 Oakwood Ave.

205 East Main 110 Park Street

Saves Thrifty Housewives Many Dollars

Danville Artificial Ice Co.

GEO. M. WRIGHT

Established 1895

nnn

Manufacturers and Distributors of Ice
TELEPHONE 401 Office: 733 E. Cleveland St.

+..- -'•-.• • •-• •*-... .--'••*Vw.-'*»**v...'» •■•*:»--•»*■*•.» . •/* *■*■.* .w.w?

CENTENNIAL H< >< >K OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

121
^4.

[in

Black Servant
Coal Company

General Offices

310 Adams Building

DANVILLE, ILLINOIS

Mines Located at Elkville, Illinois

W. G. HARTSHORN, JR., Pres.

Telephone 2352 and 2353

1111111111111111111111111111111
liililiiilliniiiiiiiii

122

CENTENNIAL BOOK OP VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

The

Commercial-News

Danville, Illinois
ESTABLISHED 1866

J. H. HARRISON, Editor W. J. PARRETT. Manae-pr

> *.

.... :•'•••-%■

;_;»#-•-*»

'- »#•'•» v- ■ •#*■•• -. . ^ »# *■*» ■ ' ' T v/i\^ '

CENTENNIAL lini.K i >|- VI- KM I l.K ).\ CofNTV, ILLINOIS 123

DANVILLE AUBURN AUTO CO.

CADILLAC— AUBURN— OAKLAND— PONTIAC

141-143 North Walnut St. Telephone Main 588-589

OLDEST AUTO DEALER IN THIS SECTION

OF COUNTY

M.\t.\t

Compliments of

BARKMAN CHEVROLET SALES CO.

107 W. NORTH ST.

The Greatest Buick Ever Built

Quiet at Every Point on Speedometer
Shown in 16 Models

DAUBS-VISKNISKKI MOTOR CO.

BUICK SALES AND SERVICE

222-24 W. Main Street
DANVILLE, ILL.

LINCOLN FORD

FORDSON

BARKER MOTOR CAR CO.

Authorized Ford Dealers
Open Evenings 225 W. Main St.

124

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

David Bros, and
Potter

Grain Merchants

JOHN CHRISMAN, Manager

The
Peoples State Bank

COLLISON, ILLINOIS

Davis & Davis

Department Store
Farm Machinery

The
Collison Garage

Tires, Accessories, Gas and Oil

GENE M. CAMPBELL, Mgr.

R. 0. Vinson

Farmer and Banker

T. H. French

Highway Commissioner and
Farmer

Chas. G. Juvinall
& Son

Live Stock Feeders and
Shippers

C. W. Laflen

Farmer and Feeder

*-.» . . '• •'*»;^v-. 1 '*-«** , ».v *-.'*"»'4».^"-"- »*'*'«». k - ■•#■*■*" v ~ m »# *■*■ ' i v.%\\*7

CENTENNIAL H< x iK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 125

THE E. B. COLLINS COMPANY

Wholesale
Al'TO AND RADIO SUPPLIES

214-216 W \l\l\ TELEPHONE MAIN 6 DANVILLE, ILL

AUTO BATTERY & ELECTRIC CO.

D. R. SWAIM

AUTOMOTIVE IGNITION

TELEPHONE 994 HAZEL AND HARRISON STS. DANVILLE, ILL.

DODGE BROTHERS

Motor Cars and Trucks

Sales Service

BYRON BILDERBACK

118 N VERMILION DANVILLE, ILL

AMACK MOTOR COMPANY

STUDEBAKER AUTOMOBILES

■ m

104-106 N. HAZEL fELEPHONE 929 DANVILLE, II. I.

126

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Danville Motor Car Co.

317 North Vermilion Street
Danville, Illinois

HUDSON. ESSEX, MARMON

H. L. Snyder, Manager

Humrichouse Tire Shop

AUTO TIRES, TUBES AND SUPPLIES

Corner North and Hazel Sts.

Danville, Illinois

Howard-Martin Tire Co., Inc.

114-118 N. Hazel St.

We carry complete line Replacement Parts
for all Model Cars

New Low Prices

WILLYS OVERLAND

Fine Motor Cars

TAYLOR MOTOR CO.

252 West Main St.

»>,t* •;*\.Y..** *-*\v^7**s**^vj .'*V4» ■■■./* *-*\» .:./***■.» . - •# *-*\ k .v_v.%\v7.

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS 127

FIRST NATIONAL BANK

CATLIN, ILLINOIS

OFFICERS: DIRECTORS:

R. PUZEY, President R. PUZEY

\V. S. KEENEY, Vice-President W. S. KEENEY

H. E. DOUGLAS, Cashier H. E. DOUGLAS

(.'. X. MICHAEL, Asst. Cashier CHAS. V. TILTON

MAE CHURCH, Asst. Cashier I. G. GUYMON

A. JONES' SONS

"CATLIN'S PIONEER STORE"
75 Years of Service

TELEPHONE 35 CATLIN, ILLINOIS

Compliments of

BROWN BROS.

HARDWARE, LUMBER, IMPLEMENTS AND AUTOMOBILES

BISMARCK, ILL.

B. B. TAYLOR, President WILLIAM DOLAN, Secretary

TAYLOR-ENGLISH COAL CO.

MAIN OFFICE. CATLIN, ILL.

Mines on Wabash R. R. Daily Capacity, 2,000 Tons

The Coal That Gives Service

128

CENTENNIAL BOOK OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Vote for
CLAUDE P. MADDEN

For Sheriff of Vermilion County

ELECTION NOVEMBER 2ND, 1926

You All Know Me

■ l * l > , ^:vj^v4t':vj^^^J^v^ ' v^f*V>^ , *^.M^AV^^ ^y^^

1826 Lest We Forget 1926

HISTORICAL AND SYMBOLICAL PAGEANT

In Celebration of the

CENTENNIAL OF VERMILION COUNTY, ILLINOIS

ILLINOIS-INDIANA FAIRGROUNDS, DANVILLE, ILLINOIS
SEPTEMBER 28, 29, 30, 1926

(By Earl Darfler)

Cast of Characters

PRINCIPALS

FATHER TIME HARMON EASTON

MISS COLUMBIA MRS. EARL TAYLOR

MISS VERMILION COUNTY, QUEEN OF THE CENTENNIAL AND HER

MAIDS OF HONOR.
ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN AND HER MAIDS OF HONOR:

.MISS C. & E. I... ___Elma Blankenburg MISS BLOUNT .Mildred Wyman

MISS PILOT Bess Fiench

MISS CATLIN Iris Kinder

MISS ROTARY Mabel Graves

MISS KIWANIS Amelia Rainier

MISS A. B. C Jeanette Schuman

.MISS B. & P. W LeonaDrews

MISS D. H. S Harriet Chapman

.MISS GRANT Mrs. Ralph Elliott

MISS BUTLER Margaret Liggett

MISS MIDDLEFORK Laura Luckey

MISS ROSS Creta Strickler

MISS NEWELL Grace Young

MISS OAKWOOD ___Uavon Thompson

MISS VANCE Thelma Brandon

MISS JAMAICA Juanita Linville

MISS SIDELl, .Louise Burroughs

MISS CARROLL Jean Coggshall

MISS GEORGETOWN Catherine Rucker

MISS ELWOOD -Uidrey Castle

MISS McKENDREE .Mrs. Pleas Maworth
MISS LOVE FernAttebury

(Arrival of Miss Columbia and the Forty-Eight States:

MISS COLUMBIA MRS. EARL TAYLOR

HER COURT OF FORTY-EIGHT STATES-

Lois Wick Marie Lane

Maiie Jewell Emma Hitchens
Helen Freimeyer Hazel Pavey

Rose Switzer
Rose Shepherd
Ethel KiiiK
Winifred Jones
Helen Carter
Oma Suitt
Etna Smith
Helen Smith
Gladys Coit

Edith Pavey
Ethel Stansberry
Julia Campbell
Reva Clair Hoff
Lucy Hickman
Nellie Spencer
Nora Olmsted
Dorothea Packard
Gladys Brooks

Olive Adams
Ora Phillips
Edna Walters
Marian Dull
Nelle Burt
Anna Smith
Fanny Stockdale
Ida Southworth
Sophia Dillon
Exxa Bennett
Miriam Moore
Clara Schultz

From the Business and Professional Women's Club.

Kate Schultz
Madge Cadwallader
Mabel Redden
Mae Converse
Welmina Moran
Anna Schull
Verna Burnette
Marie Burnette
Jennie Schull
Cecile A. Alles
Margaret White
Mrs. Morris Thompson

Danville. Illinois.

Zella Hackman
Gwendolyn O'Neal
Ruth Osborne
Virginia Miller

"THE DAWNING OF CREATION"

MIST MAIDENS
Wintress Dalby Kathlyn Frazier Mae McEwan

Dorothy Hall Ava Ashby Helen Hannah

Eleanor Hulgren Constance Patton Vera Nickolson

Betty Anne Stewart
Marion Fearherley
Ruth Marie Chaney
Beverly Yarborough
Dorothy Laker
Beverly Morgan
Jane Morrison
Barbara Current

FLOWERS

Betty Lou Miller

Betty Louise Baum

Arlena Swisher

Miriam Johnson

Nancy Knight Lewis

Sara Ruth Sonner

Madeline Stewart

Barbara Morgan Small jlirls from Roselawn District.

Muriel Chanev
Burl Wallace

Mary Redden
Mary Myrtle Jones
Catherine Jane Jackson

TABLEAU
"THE COMING OF THE INDIANS"

CAST OF CHARACTERS
CHIEF KEANNEKEUK A. S. White

GUIDES Paul Billingsley, A. F. Tidrow

HALF BREEDS George L. Queck, John C. Miller, Jess Jenkins

GUARDS Harry Burks, B. L. Stewart

BRAVES Byron Mowery, Frank Gray, Sr., William Toler

war dancers-
Ross Bentley Elvin Schaffer Robert Miller
Frank Gray", Jr. Harold Robertson L. V. Jackson

Freeman Cronk
MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE
L. V. Jackson O. N. Blaisdell H. Bigger E. Bushong

Paul Billingsley Z. M. Brown W. H. Toller Harry Blaisdell

George Queek ' Freeman Cronk Frank Gray, Jr. Howard Hickman

Ross Bentlev Bert Gillim Harry Gray E. A. Dyas

N. C. Bates' H. Morgan Frank Gray, Sr. John Cole

J. C. Miller O. Graham Ralph LaBaw J. T. West

A. F. Tidrow Dick Mantle B. M. Hursh Clyde Meharry

Robert Miller B. O. Bonesteel John Hursh

SQUAWS
Mrs. Vinnie Jenkins Delia Alber Mary Mantle Ruth Vandiner

Mrs. Mabel Sears Mary Breman Evelyn Cramer Deane Tidrow

Miss Harry Hickman Mamie Walsh Jennie Miller

INDIAN CHILDREN
Robert Tidrow Mary Walsh John Walsh Ralph Bentley

PAPOOSE

Louise Ann Hickman

Furnished by IniDroved Order of Redmen Lodge of Danville, Illinois.

" "THE SPIRIT OF THE WILDERNESS"

Portrayed by Darleen Walder

THE SETTLEMENT OF VERMILION COUNTY

JOE BARRON, General William Henry Harrison's Interpreter H. L. Hogland

TRUMAN BLACKMAN Robert Puzey

LAMBERT BONA James Siddell

ZARIAH CICOTT vv- J £ e1 ^ Tay lor

INDIAN GUIDES — E. C. Pate, Frank Taylor, Jean Wolfe, R. Duncan

INDIAN HALF-BREEDS H. C. Clark, Herman Byerly, Russell Jones

REMEMBER BLACKMAN whit Taylor

GEORGE BECKWITH Chas. Boggess

SEYMOUR TREAT Dr. Stansbury

MRS. SEYMOUR TREAT Mrs. Dr. Stansbury

CHILDREN OF THE TREATS Mildred and June Stansbury

PIONEER WOMEN— Mrs. Whit Taylor, Mrs. Wm. Dolan, Mrs. E. A. Church, Mrs.
Chas. Boggess, Mrs. H. C. Clark, Mrs. Joel Taylor, Mrs. Herman Byerly, Mrs. John
Smoot, Mrs. F. H. Meneley. tt

CRIPPLED WOMAN Mrs. H. E. Douglas

CHILDREN— John Clark, Marcilla Dolan, Wm. Dolan, Jr., John Allen Douglas, Hazel
Kirkhart, Velma June Byerly, Jack Jones, Lowell Taylor, Elizabeth and Barbara
Boggess, Leone Bentley, Ruth Burroughs, Elizabeth Carnes, Alta Reynolds, Vanolda
and Wayne Clark.

GUARDS R°y Bentley, W. H. Jones, Kenneth France

Cast furnished by Catlin Township.

THE "WORKS" TAKE ON NEW LIFE
CAST OF CHARACTERS

CYRUS DOUGLAS H E - Douglas

MARCUS SNOW Henry Klayer

MOTHER BLOSS Mrs. Fred L Joy<J

DAUGHTER RUBY " T .- In f z T , j

JAMES WOODEN V, Fr , e /' ™ loy

MAYOR JOHN W. VANCE N. M. Payne

FRANCIS WHITCOMB C. F Byerly

NEPHEW OF JOHN W. VANCE Fred Klayer

DAN BECKWITH Robert Byerly

WM. MORGAN vrv,, ^ H " Lo l

ZARIAH PETERS G. W. Burroughs

JOHN KIRKPATRICK Roy Clark

GUY SMITH Earl Jones

PIONEER WOMEN—

Mrs. G. W. Burroughs Mrs. C. F. Byerly Rebecca Puzey

Mrs Michael Mrs. Robert Byerly Mrs. Nelle Buckner

Mrs. E. H. Lloyd Mrs. C. H. Cord Grace Perry

Cast furnished by Citizens of Catlin.

"THE DANCE OF THE VEILS"

Solo Dancer Jane Bracewell

Mary Agnes licit- Medora Hendrich Ccoi-ui;! Bredehoft

Vlarj Elizabeth Sullen- Ava Ashley Margaret McCormack

Eleanor Baldwin Betty Lou Johnson

erine Alice Prentzel Frances Gaines Mary Jan i Hutton

Catherine Williams Kathryn Bracewell Delina Ercanbrack

"THE LOT SALE IN DANVILLE"
CAST OF CHARACTERS

HARVEY LUDDINGTON, Auctioneer F. H. Meneley

AMOS WILLIAMS. Clerk Lem Neville

1U VKKS

GORDON S. HUBBARD, Indian Trader E. H. LI. .yd

MOTHER BLOSS Mrs. Fred Lloyd

HER DAUGHTER Inez Molt

GEORGE BAWORTH, First Merchant E. A. Jones

ALVIN GILBERT, First Tavern Wm. Dolan

11AZIKIA11 CUNNINGHAM, Second Merchant Thos. Dunkley

REV. KINGSBURY Jno. J. Smoot

JOHN W. VANCE, Salt Works N. M. Payne

JAMES BUTLER H. H. Ki.l.l

JIM CLYMAN. White Trapper Ed. Leverich

OTHER Bl'YERS— H. F. Boring, A. C. Pate. Wm. Pate. Junior Boggess, Edwin Leverich
WOMEN — Vivian Leverich, Esther Nesbitt, Mrs. Roy Bentley, Grace Pate, Reva Gulp,
Juanita Tarrant. Helen Culp, Ruth Church, Mirian Gilkison, Nadine Byerly.
Cast furnished by Citizens of Catlin.

SUNDAY SERVICES IN 1831

CAST OF CHARACTERS
'ATI1ER ENOCH KINGSBURY John Smoot

Congregation at Pre.-byterian ( hurch in Danville.
Mrs. Barlow Inez Stickler Mr. Elbert Roberts

Mrs. Peter.-. .n Hazel Walker Clifton Deck

Mrs. Elbert Robert- Marjorie Cole Paul Wilber

Mrs. Ethel Carte- .Mrs. Earl Besse Earleen Besse

.Mrs. John Ingrain Earl Besse Charles Peterson

Beatrice Allison Clarence Carter Floyd Pasley

Marguerite Draper Fred Thomas Pierce Bowman — Indian

Antoinette Yoder Howard Allison John Ingram — Indian

Yida Jennings

Furnished by the Citizens of Russ Township.

THE HARRISON SCHOOL IN ELWOOI) TOWNSHIP IN 1S2I
In Two Tableau — I. "Industrv." II. "Readin*. 'Ritin', 'Rethmetic"

THE SCHOLARS:
Arthur Gannon Gertrude Trosper Charles Busby

Lynn Pittillo Mary Belle Merrill Milton Busby

Leonard Wright Hazel Ruth Jones Paul Victor Gones

John Boggess Veneta Stowers Catherine Pittillo

Anna Rose Busby Wendell Gannon Helen Wright

Doris Gannon Louis Fletcher

Cast furnished by Citizens of Elwood Township.

OLD TIME FIRE FIGHTERS

William Bell Harold Lewis M. 0. Peterson

Glen Hawkins Harold Lent Wm. Haas

i 'has. Hinkle Sylvester Murray Robert Jones

Jay Green Don Kline Wm. Yarbrough

Cast furnished by the Citizens of Hoopeston.

THE OLD EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

TABLEAU I.
I.— THE COMING OF THE CIRCUIT RIDERS:

CAST OF CHARACTERS

JUDGE DAVIS. Presiding Judge of the Circuit Fred Thomas

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, A Circuit Rider Roscoe Fairchild

OLIVER FICKLIN, Another Circuit Rider___ Paul Wilber

HENRY WHITNEY. Another Circuit Rider Deck Clifton

USHER P. UNDER, Another Circuit Rider Earl Besse

STEPHEN T. LOGAN. Another Circuit Rider Clarence Carter

JOHN STUART. Another Circuit Rider Howard Allison

A. P. FIELD, Another Circuit Rider Mr. Roberts

H._COURT ROOM SPECTATORS.

PIERCE BOWMAN and JOHN
Marguerite Draper
Mrs. John Ingram
Beatrice Allison
Mrs. Peterson
Margery Cole

INGRAM Indiana

Carleen Besse Mrs. Clarence Carter

Antoinette \oder Mrs. Earl Besse

Inez Stickler Vida Jennings

Mrs. Creighten Floyd Pasley

Mrs. Elbert Roberts Charles Peterson

Elsie Yeazel
Beulah Louck
Helen Swigart
Kathleen Catlett

"THE OLD FASHIONED DANCE

THE OLD FASHIONED GIRLS
Margaret Daymude
Ruth Allen
Dorothy Dalbey
Ardith Lewis

Cast furnished by Citizens of Fairmount.

Dorothy Catlett
Violet Burns
Geraldine Smoot
Georgia Parker

Mildred Jones
Charlotte Britton
Amy Britton
Roberta Ashley
Hilda Bemaites

'DANCE OF THE NATIONS"

THE ENGLISH GIRLS
Gertrude Hossion
Cosetto Lawwill
Ida Zemaites
Edith Dean Finley
Janet Goodwin

Georgie Bredehoft
Jane Beckwith
Margaret Lumbrick
Vivian Gray
Pearl Wolfe

Ztlla Hackman
Guendolyn O'Neil
Ruth Osbourne
Virginia Miller

Irene Larrance
Janice Fooshee
Bernice Peoples

THE DUTCH GIRLS
Jane Taylor
Amy Turnell
Mabel Lee
Esther Stroup
Virginia Davidson

THE CHINESE GIRLS
Wintress Dalby
Dorothy Hall
Eleanor Hutlgren
Kathryn Frazier

THE JAPANESE GIRLS
Ilene Hughes
Doris Albert
Irene Wallace

THE ITALIAN GIRLS
Marjorie Houghton
Marjorie Kerr

Vera Orendorf
Marcella Jones
Ruth West
Eva Wright

Betty Greenwood
Annie Turnell
Irma Lenover
Mary Ruth Moore

Ava Ashly
Constance Patton
Mae McEwan
Helen Honack
Vera Nickolson

Willa Isaacs
Marv Atherton
Ella"Marv Hos

Frances Gaines
Mary Jane Reed

Mary Ann Taylor
Elizabeth Lumbrick
Isabelle Fournier

THE FRENCH GIRLS
Alice Madden Mildred Atwood Mildred Ellis

Francis Orvis Inez Mauck Martha Neighbor

Elizabeth Moore Esther Story Kathryn Bushong

June Jenkins Lom'=e Foulk Beatrice Boone

Entire cast furnished by Danville High School.

PARADE OF THE ENTIRE COMPANY.
TABLEAU.
REVILLE.

SIMONE McSHANOG, Musical Director

Personal Direction of EARL DARFLER, of the

JOE BOEN PRODUCING COMPANY.

Chicago

fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMimiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiu*

ILLINOIS

POWER AND LIGHT"

LERVICI

As Much A Tart of Danville
As the City Hall

\n\

Illinois Power and Light Corporation supplies
utility services vitally essential to the welfare of every
resident of this community. Our executives and our
family of employes have their homes here; they at-
tend our churches; their children are pupils in our
schools. Hundreds of our stockholders are residents
of Danville.

Illinois Power and Light Corporation is in ■ the
best sense of the term one of Danville's "home indus-
tries."

This company recognizes that the best interests
of Danville and its citizens are our own best interests
and in the future, as in the past, we shall spare no ef-
fort to promote our mutual well being.

Illinois /

Power and light

Corporation.

24 South Vermilion Street Main 6000

rilllllllllltllllllllliiiillillllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllllUlin: