1882 History
Chapter 8 – City of Hillsboro
CITY OF HILLSBORO — LAID OUT AS THE COUNTY SEAT — ITS LOCATION, ETC. — FIRST SALE OF LOTS — STREETS AND ADDITIONS — THE FIRST INHABITANT — JUDGE ROUNTREE — OTHER PIONEERS — FIRST FRAME AND FIRST BRICK HOUSE — STORES, SHOPS, MILLS, ETC. — AN INCIDENT — MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES — THE GRAIN TRADE AND RAILROAD — COURT HOUSES AND JAILS — INCORPORATION OF THE CITY, ETC.
"Full sixty years have come and gone
Since we commenced life's rugged way —
Facing December's fleecy snows,
And plucking flowers that grew in May,"
By W. H. Perrin
THE events which led to the birth of Hillsboro originated in the general
dissatisfaction of the people of the first seat of justice of Montgomery
County, as noted in a preceding chapter. Hence, an act was passed by the
Legislature, January 30, 1823, authorizing the relocation of the county
seat, and appointing three Commissioners, viz.: Newton Coffey, Maj. James
Wilson and Harris Reavis, for that purpose. The site selected by them was
that of the present city of Hillsboro, the land of which was at the time
owned by Newton Coffey, one of the Commissioners. In conformity with the
provisions of the act, he executed a deed for twenty acres of land, June 30,
1823, for the purpose of defraying the expense of erecting public buildings.
Upon this twenty acres, the original town of Hillsboro was laid out, and the
sale of lots took place August 12, 1823. In another twelve months, the city
may celebrate its three score years.
Hillsboro is beautifully situated on high rolling ground, commanding a fine view of the surrounding country, and on the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, some sixty-five miles nearly northeast of St. Louis, and about two hundred miles southwest of Chicago, the great commercial metropolis of Illinois and the Northwest. It is a city of about two thousand inhabitants, and is noted for its intelligent and enterprising inhabitants, for its excellent schools and handsome and spacious churches. It is a healthy place — what might be termed by enterprising physicians "distressingly healthy" — its high and dry location being a safeguard against the malarial fevers prevalent in early times in the lower lands.
The area embraced within the limits of the present city of Hillsboro is sufficient for a place of 20,000 inhabitants. To the stranger it would appear that the town was laid out without shape or design, and this, we learn, is to some extent true. Says Mr. Rountree: "The territory was of such shape, being filled up with hills and hollows, springs and running streams, it was deemed almost impossible that the streets could ever become harmonious by labor, the hollows filled up and the space economized, and, even if it could, there would never be no necessity for it, the original town being only north of Col. Walters' hotel (now the American House) on each side of Main street, and ending south of the public schoolhouse. The distance east and west being from the section line to Hamilton street, and this embraced almost all the level land, and even then there was a deep hollow running southwardly from George Brown's house through the Eccles and Col. Walters' property; also, there was, and still is, in part, a series of hollows along Hamilton street. To avoid one hollow, John Tillson, in making his addition east and south of Col. Walters' hotel, made a jog (seemingly necessary then) to find good ground there for streets. Cress and Wright afterward laid out a few lots south and west of Solomon Harkey's property, running the lots far down the hill, while Hiram Rountree made an addition on the north, which was relaid out by Harry Wilton. The other additions were made many years later."
The first settler upon the site of Hillsboro was a German, named John Nussman. The land was owned, or, rather, was entered for the purpose of laying out a town, by Newton Coffey, who had first settled in the southern part of the county. Previously, however, Nussman, who had emigrated from North Carolina, had settled upon it. His cabin stood upon the ground occupied by the residence of the late A. H. H. Rountree, and where Mrs. Rountree now lives. Mr. Nussman raised a large family of children, some of whom are, we believe, still citizens of the city and county. He was also one of Hillsboro's early mechanics, and carried on a wagon shop — the first, perhaps, in Montgomery County. Among other early settlers of the town of Hillsboro were the "Wrights, Joseph Miller, John Tillson, Lloyd Martin, David B. Jackson, Hiram Rountree, James Rutledge, and others now forgotten. Jackson built the first frame house in Hillsboro, which is now a portion of the old American House. He was quite an enterprising man in his day — an early merchant, a tavern keeper, surveyor, saw-mill, etc., etc., and an energetic business man generally. He has a son, William K. Jackson, still living in the town.
Judge Hiram Rountree was a ruling spirit in Hillsboro for many years, exerting a greater influence than any man, perhaps, that has ever lived in the place, and deserves more than a mere passing notice in these pages. He was a native of North Carolina, where he was born December 22, 1794, but his early life was spent mostly in Kentucky. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, under Gen. Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky, and who was a Revolutionary officer, and the hero of King's Mountain. He studied law in Bowling Green, Ky., and, in 1817, removed to Edwardsville, Ill., where he taught school for two years. He afterward removed to Fayette County, when the capital of the State was at Vandalia, and for several sessions was Enrolling Clerk of the House of Representatives. In 1821, he removed to Montgomery County, and, as Circuit Clerk, organized it. The remainder of his life was spent in the county, and there were few positions of importance but what he held at some time during his long and useful life. His official career has been so often alluded to in these pages that it is unnecessary to repeat it here. Suffice it, for forty-eight years in succession he served the county in an official capacity. He was a zealous member of the Methodist Church from the year 1818 to the time of his death, March 5, 1873, and his Christian life is still familiar to many residents of the city and county.
Joel Wright was the first Sheriff of the county, and was from one of the Eastern States. He served as Sheriff from 1821 until 1826. James Wright was the son of a widow lady, known as "Granny" Wright, who lived in a cabin in Hillsboro, on the place recently occupied by Henry Haller. The following incident is related of "Granny" Wright, who is described as an "estimable woman, of strong, good sense and ardent friendships." She, it is said, always had corn to sell, and would demand a very high price for it. In measuring it, however, she always told them to "heap it up, to heap it up as long as it would lie on; that if the old boy ever got her, it should be for high prices, and not for scant measure.'' The manner of measurement, she intended, should bring the price down about fair.
John Tillson, prominently mentioned in connection with the church and school history, was the first Treasurer of Montgomery County. He first settled on the Scherer place, some three miles southwest of Hillsboro, and was originally from Boston, Mass., but emigrated West while still a bachelor. He went back to Boston and married, brought his wife to his new settlement, where he resided till after Hillsboro was made the county seat, when he removed to the town and built the first brick house ever erected in Hillsboro. The house was a large, massive, two-story edifice, and was built under the supervision of John Nickerson and David Eddy. Nickerson also made the brick, but they were not of a good quality, and hence the house was not thought to be a success. It stood for many years, however, and was finally torn down, and the brick used in buildings erected down near the railroad.
Mr. Tillson was also the first Postmaster of Hillsboro, likewise the first merchant, and one of Hillsboro's most energetic and useful citizens. He engaged largely in land speculations in this as well as in other counties, and handled large sums of money. In the early struggles of the State to build railroads, which proved so disastrous to Illinois finances, he was one of the Fund Commissioners, and prospered well until the great crash of 1837, from which he never fully recovered financially. By that he lost largely, and soon after disposed of his landed property here, and was no more identified with the county. He raised quite a large family of children, none of whom live here now. Gen. Tillson, of Quincy, who attained considerable distinction in the late civil war, was his son. Mr. Tillson died suddenly, of apoplexy, in Peoria.
James Rutledge came to Hillsboro about the year 1825, and settled on a lot recently occupied by George Paisley. He was one of the first, if not the first, tavern-keeper in the town. He raised a large family of children, among whom may be mentioned Thomas J. Rutledge, an attorney, and Dr. H. R. Rutledge, dentist, both now of Hillsboro.
Our space, however, will not admit of extended sketches of the early settlers and business men of Hillsboro, but in the biographical department of this volume, such sketches will be more fully given. We might fill many chapters with sketches and incidents of the pioneers of the town, but must confine our work to historical facts.
The village was now laid out and permanently established, as we might say. It was the county seat, and the commercial center of a rich area of country. This brought merchants, mechanics and tradesmen to the place, with the intention of entering into active business life. We have stated already that John Tillson opened the first store in Hillsboro, and that he was the first merchant in the county, having first opened a store at his residence before Hillsboro was laid out, and then removing it to the town.
The second store in Hillsboro is believed to have been opened by John Prentice, about the year 1825. He came from St. Clair County to Hillsboro and lived in the "Granny Wright cabin," as it was called. There were but few houses in the town at that time, and Mr. Prentice opened his store in a log cabin which stood near the present Ralston brick storehouse. The following is told of his settlement in Hillsboro. Before moving here, he came on a prospecting tour, and for the purpose of consulting with the citizens as to the propriety of locating here. He asked them if they thought he could sell on an average $5 worth of goods a day, to which he received a most decided "No'' in response. He then asked if he could sell an average of $4 worth a day. Upon this proposition, the testimony was divided, when he asked if he could sell an average of $3 a day. They believed unanimously that he could. With this encouraging prospect ahead of him — the selling of $3 worth of goods per day on an average — he decided to locate in Hillsboro. His store was a general country store, and contained iron, nails, salt, sugar, molasses, whisky, dry goods, axes, common cutlery, dye stuffs, etc., etc. He brought on a few hundred dollars' worth of goods and opened out his store in full blast, but made no grand display, such as now attends the opening of a new mercantile establishment, such as flaming posters, newspaper puffs, fine show windows, etc. Mr. Prentice kept his goods on his shelves, behind and under his counters, and in front, but inside the building. He continued long in the business in Hillsboro, but his family all scattered off to other localities, and none now live even in this county. Another of the early mercantile establishments of Hillsboro was that of Charles Holmes. He opened his first stock of goods in a log house where Union Block now stands, about 1832 or 1833. John S. Hayward, from Boston, became a partner. Mr. Tillson was also a silent partner for a time. About 1842, they dissolved, and Holmes and Tillson retired. Holmes went to St. Louis, amassed a fortune and died there. Tillson had embarrassed himself in his land speculations, and with him Mr. Hayward. The crash of 1837 had paralyzed all enterprises, and the holding and paying taxes on land became burdensome. Hayward by some means released himself from his entanglements with Mr. Tillson, and, seeing his way clear, and, by years of residence in Illinois, became satisfied that lands would eventually be valuable, he sold out his store and engaged in land agencies. He commenced the purchase of the lands held by Eastern land companies at very low figures, and, through his friends in the East, was enabled to hold them until the real prosperity returned, when he sold them at advanced prices, re-invested his funds and finally became very wealthy. He was a discreet man, public-spirited, and took an active part in securing the railroad to Hillsboro. Somewhat late in life, he married Miss Harriet F. Comstock, a daughter of Deacon Cornstock, of whom Mr. Rountree, in his reminiscences, relates the following incident:
Deacon Comstock had an exceptionally long nose, and, having the end of his nose skinned on one occasion, he applied a circular piece of black court plaster to it. While officiating in church one day in that condition, he saw on the floor what he thought was the court plaster, and, picking it up, moistened it and placed it upon his nose, quietly took his seat and engaged in pious meditation. But smiles and nudges, nods and winks all around him convinced him that his neighbors were otherwise engaged. All of his pious frowns and dignity could not reduce them to order. Merriment and fun had possessed them, even of his own large, well-trained family. He was horrified and shocked at their ill-timed levity. But his daughter pointed to the end of his nose, where he had placed what he took to be court plaster, but what was really the ticket of one of the "Coates' Spools," which, in beautiful gilt letters, was "warranted 200 yards," and which, being placed upon the end of a very long nose, seemed to the congregation to be peculiarly applicable. The good Deacon was never able to escape the joke as long as he lived.
Other merchants came to Hillsboro and opened stores, but to follow them in detail would be tedious. Other branches of business, in the meantime, were established in the town. Hotels were built and accommodations for "man and beast" offered to the wayfaring man who came along. We have already alluded to the taverns built by Jackson and Rutledge. Mr. Rountree says of the latter: "His was the first old-fashioned tavern sign we ever saw, embodying, as it did, a large tiger on a white ground, surrounded by his name and occupation. His, as well as Mr. Jackson's, were houses of entertainment, and not houses for the sale of liquors, though they both came under the same law. Any one who kept a grocery for the sale of liquor was compelled to take out a tavern-keeper's license, ranging from $5 to $20, and were under bonds to keep sufficient room and bedding for the entertainment of at least two persons, with sufficient provender and stabling for their horses. It was optional with them whether they sold liquors, and, though they may have kept them for the use of their guests, we cannot remember ever to have heard of them selling otherwise than in a private way." Other taverns were opened by enterprising people in the new town.
Hillsboro flourished in a moderate, old-fogy way, growing slowly but somewhat surely. Merchants, mechanics, etc., came in and gave the town a healthy impetus. Among the earliest citizens were mechanics, who proved excellent citizens. Nussman, the first inhabitant, was a wagon-maker, and also established a distillery in an early day. The distillation of whisky then was not a disreputable business, as it is now; neither was the drinking of it so strongly condemned. Indeed, it was deemed essential in a new country like this was. His distillery was carried on for some time, when it gave place to a tan-yard, a business more honorable, if less profitable. Joseph Miller carried on a tan-yard also, as one of the very early industries of Hillsboro. Jacob Wilson was one of the earliest shoemakers, and used to go from house to house, making up shoes for the entire family. John Slater was another of the pioneer shoemakers. So was Deacon Alexander Scott. The following incident is related of the good Deacon's wife. She survived him some years, and, when near her end, but still able to be around, she had a dream so vivid and life-like that she accepted it as an omen, and prepared herself accordingly. She dreamed that her husband came to her, not as he left her, an old man, but young and handsome as when he visited her as a lover, and told her he wanted them to be married early in October. This she accepted as an omen that she would then depart and be again united to him. She visited her friends for the last time, as she maintained, made all her preparations, and, when all was done, she sickened, and, early in October, she died, having steadily refused all remedies looking to her recovery. This romance was so contrary to her natural disposition that she firmly believed that the spirit of her husband had warned her of her approaching dissolution.
Among the early blacksmiths of Hillsboro were Nathan and Burton Harmon and a Mr. Hutchinson. W. A. Morrison and Kimball Prince were the next blacksmiths, perhaps, who located in the town. Fred Hillsabeck was also an early blacksmith. Another of the early blacksmiths was Ned Gossage, as he was called. He lived in a small log cabin, with no floor but the ground, and his shop was a similar structure. Mr. Wesley Seymour is supposed to be the next wagon-maker to Nussman. John Meisenheimer was also a wagon-maker and a carpenter. John Dickerson, David Eddy, Ira Boone and Hudson Berry were the first brick-makers of the town. William Brewer established a turning-lathe very early, and manufactured furniture, working in wood work generally. Thomas Sturtevant, Alfred Durant, E. B. Hubbell and James Blackman were of the same trade, and followed the business for years.
The first steam mill in the town was built by John Tillson. It was originally started by David B. Jackson as an ox tread-mill for sawing lumber. But Tillson enlarged it, supplied steam and made a flouring and saw mill, which was of great benefit to the town and community. It was burned down about 1840. No town in Central or Southern Illinois is better supplied with mills than Hillsboro is at the present day. That of Glenn Bros, is a very paragon of excellence, while there are several mills in town, quite as good, but of smaller capacity.
Hillsboro has never made any pretentions toward manufactories. A few rather small ones, such as Gunning's, which was burned early in 1873, and the woolen factory in the south end of town, a few small wagon and carriage factories, comprise her manufacturing ventures. She has never aspired to anything beyond being a quiet, retail business town. The grain trade is perhaps the largest business carried on in the town. Since the opening of the I. & St. L. R. R., in 1855, Hillsboro has become the center of a large grain trade. An immense quantity of corn, oats and wheat, is annually shipped from this point. Enterprising buyers are always on hand in the grain season, who keep up with the market price and always pay the very best figures. The completion of the railroad gave the town quite an impetus, and from that time it grew more rapidly in population than it ever had before. Persons often wonder, particularly strangers, why the depot is away down under the hill where it is, instead of being east from the court house. The principal reason, we have been informed, was in consequence of a little game of "loggerheads," played between the railroad people and the citizens of the town. The railroad people wanted to run their road through the south end of the town, a route the citizens very rightly objected to. Hence, to gratify a little malice, the railroad people then placed their depot as far off as possible and in the most inconvenient location. But with the depot in an out-of-the-way place and the road down under the hill, it has been the crowning event in the history of Hillsboro, and given her an increase of business, prosperity and importance she had never known before.
The first court house built in Montgomery was in Hillsboro, as the general dissatisfaction of Hamilton as the county seat had prevented the erection of a court house at that place. But when Hillsboro was selected as the future seat of justice, it was believed the selection would remain permanent, and therefore arrangements were at once entered into for the building of a court house. It was of simple architecture and material, but up to the spirit of the times in which it was built. It was twenty-five feet square, a story and a half high, of hewed logs, the cracks well chinked, two glass windows of 8x10 glass, one for the room below and one above. The floors were of plank, as well as the doors, instead of puncheons and clapboards, and the roof was of shingles. Primitive as this building may appear, when compared to Hillsboro's present temple of justice, it was, in that early day, by far the most pretentious building in the embryonic city, and a great improvement on the residences of the people. It was situated on the southeast corner of the square, where it did duty until the next one was built — 1836-37. When the log house was finally removed, the logs were used in a small building still standing back of the photograph gallery. The first Clerk's office was also built of logs, and is, or was until recently, standing, a solitary relic of the pioneer period, near the Methodist Church.
The original jail was a log structure, and a very formidable prison for that early period, when criminals were not so smart as they are now, nor so thoroughly educated in crime as they are in this fast age. It was of hewed logs and the walls were of three thicknesses — two horizontal and one perpendicular tier. When torn down to give place to a more modem "bastile,'' many of the logs were used for street crossings, thus displaying a spirit of economy worthy of imitation in these latter days.
The old log court house faithfully served its day and generation, and was used in other capacities than meting out justice to the offenders of the law. It was used by most of the religious denominations until they built church edifices and for all public meetings. The first term of court held in it was on the 17th and 18th of June, 1824, Judge Thomas Reynolds presiding. Joel Wright was Sheriff; Jarvis Forehand, Coroner, and Hiram Rountree, Clerk. As an item of interest to the present Clerks of the Court, it might be well to state that the fees of Hiram Rountree were $8 for the first year he held the office of Clerk. The following incident related of Mr. Rountree, and the first term of the Circuit Court held in Montgomery County, is given here as illustrative of the primitive days of the county. The first term of the Circuit Court was held at Joseph McAdams,' before the county seat had been located at Hillsboro. Hiram Rountree, with his family, was residing at the house of Joseph McAdams, a cabin of two rooms, and in one of them the court was held, while Mrs. Rountree retired to the other with her two children until court should adjourn. Judge Reynolds very calmly and dignifiedly, it is said, reposed his "judicial honor" on the side of the bed. Mr. Rountree sat in a splint-bottomed chair — the only one in the room, by the side of a walnut table made of puncheons, smoothed off with the ax, both chair and table his own manufacture, and, with a goose-quill pen, kept the records and administered the oaths, etc.
Somewhere about the year 1836 or 1837, a new court house was built, and the old log structure was removed. This second building was a frame, and was a square edifice, two stories high, the lower story the courtroom, and the upper story divided into offices. The court-room being below, about two-thirds of the floor was mother earth; the remainder was laid of plank and was two or three feet above the ground, with a railing or banisters around it. And inside of this railing was the Judge's stand, Clerk's desk, lawyers' tables, etc., etc. The spectators and lookers-on remained outside of the railing, where they could spit their tobacco juice in the dust without any lynx-eyed officer "to molest or make them afraid.'' During the recesses of the court, the hogs occupied the room, and made a bed-chamber under the floor, which, as we have said, was two or three feet above the ground. This small square, frame building, with roof running up to a point in the center, with a small cupola set on top, very much resembling a chicken-coop, was used as a court house until about 1854, when it was displaced by a brick building, at a cost of some $5,000. It was a two-story house, with large columns in front supporting a portico, something in the style of the present academy building. Some years later, a wing was added to it, the upper story of which formed the jail and the lower story the jury-room, etc. This building is still standing and serving the county as a court house, though it has been considerably repaired since the late war. It stood, however, until 1868, without material change, when it was very substantially repaired and transformed into its present magnificence.
The court house as it now stands is but the old one remodeled. As is the case in many other counties in Illinois, there has been quite a contest between Hillsboro and Litchfield in regard to the county seat — on the part of Litchfield to possess it and on that of Hillsboro to hold it. It is said that "possession is nine points in law," and hence Hillsboro holds "nine points" against Litchfield in the contest. When the subject came up, soon after the close of the war, as to the propriety of building a new court house, the question of removal to Litchfield was feared by those opposed to removal, if the project was undertaken to build a new house out and out, and hence it was finally resolved to merely "rejuvenate" the old one, and thereby save the county the expense of erecting a new and costly building. The sequel proved that the improvement of old buildings was not wholly devoid of cost. After deciding upon repairing the old court house, an architect was brought down from Chicago, who drew plans and designs for the work, and from them the present building was made out of the old one, at a cost of something like $120,000 and $15,000 or $20,000 more for finishing the jail. In order to carry out the original design of repairing the old building, some half dozen or so of the old brick were left in the new house, which, notwithstanding all that has been said, or may be said about it, is a handsome and imposing structure and a credit to the county and the people. When we look at the sum expended on it, it appears to be a rather costly edifice, but the difference in the price of material and labor then and now considered, perhaps the cost is not extravagant. It is a comfortable and convenient house, as well as an imposing one. The court-room, which will comfortably seat about 500 persons, is in the second story, together with jury-rooms, consultation-rooms, etc., while the first story is taken up with offices, comprising those of County and Circuit Clerk, County Judge, Recorder, Sheriff and County Superintendent of Schools.
The jail and the Sheriff's residence is in the north end or side of the building, and is quite a convenient part of the designs. The jail is in the top story, while the Sheriff's residence is in the second, the house being three stories high on this side. The prison portion is finished up in the most safe and substantial manner, and is intended to keep an evil-doer, when once incarcerated in it, until he is taken out by the proper authorities. The court house is situated on the highest ground within the city's limits, and stands as a way-mark to the passing traveler, and is usually the first object observable when approaching the town. From the lofty tower which ascends skyward from the southwest corner, a fine view can be had of the country for miles around. Indeed, one with a good pair of eyes, on a clear morning, may look away to the West, across the States of Missouri and Arkansas, and see the buffalo grazing on the prairies of Texas. Fact! The handsome court house, with its spacious court-room elegantly furnished, conveniently arranged offices, substantial jail and Sheriff's comfortable residence, taken all together, present quite a contrast to the old log buildings of fifty years ago.
Hillsboro was laid out as a village, as we have seen, in 1823. It was incorporated as a town under the State law, and was governed by a Board of Trustees, with the necessary officers for the proper administration of its affairs. It remained under this style of government until 1869, when it was incorporated as a city, by an act of the Legislature approved March 30 of that year. It was, under its charter as a city, divided into four wards, represented by members in a Common Council, of which the Mayor was and is the presiding officer. Since its organization as a city, the following gentlemen have served as Mayor, viz., John T. Maddux, 1869; Fred Noterman, 1870; Paul Walters, 1871; Fred Noterman, 1872; A. H. Brown, 1873; A. H. H. Rountree, 1874; E. S. Burns, 1875; John F. Glenn, 1876; M. M Walsh, 1877; George H. Blackwelder, 1878; William Conklin, 1879; Charles B. Rhoads, 1880; Ben E. Johnson, 1881; Ben E. Johnson, 1882.
In March, 1882, the city was re-organized under a special State law regulating the municipal government of cities. This order of things necessitated a new division of the city into districts or wards. Hitherto, under the old regime, the city was divided into four wards, but when re-organized and re-divided, it was laid off into three wards. Each of these are represented in the Common Council by two members, who, with the Mayor and Clerk, comprise the municipal government. The present Council (1882) is as follows: W. L. Blackburn, J. M. Cress, members from the First Ward; A. H. May, B. Philips, members from the Second Ward; J. M. Truitt W. M. Neff, members from the Third Ward, with Simon Kahn, City Clerk; C. H Witherspoon, City Treasurer, and Ben E. Johnson, Mayor.
The streets, buildings (residences and business houses) of Hillsboro are as good, if not better, than are to be found in the majority of cities of her size and wealth in the State. It is true that the people generally of Illinois towns and cities do not take as much pains, nor spend as much money in beautifying their streets, parks, etc., as some of the older States farther east. The streets of Hillsboro are beautifully shaded with trees, and, with a little care and taste, might be made exceedingly attractive. Many handsome residences and grounds are an ornament to the city, and show a refinement of taste that should extend to the beautifying of the streets and the purchasing and laying-out of a park. Young people require a summer resort and a promenade, and the addition to Hillsboro of a public park would be a judicious investment by the city authorities, and relieve the railroad depot of crowds of idle visitors. The business houses, as a class, are good, of modern style and arrangements, and every class of retail business is represented, from the banking house and first-class store, down to the most ordinary shops, and the annual trade of the city will compare favorably with that of any of its sister cities.
In looking back over the sixty years that have come and gone, we see the few log cabins that stood upon the crest of a hill, grown and expanded into a flourishing little city, instinct with life and the bustle of business. We have traced its growth and development in trade and traffic briefly for the sixty years that have elapsed since it was selected as the seat of justice of Montgomery County. We have seen how its first inhabitants settled down in the proverbial log cabin, and, by honest toil and strict integrity in their daily life and transactions, became prosperous and happy. And now we close the record of its growth, development and business, and, in the chapters succeeding, take up other branches of its history.
Extracted 24 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, published in 1882, pages 221-231.
