Jefferson County, Illinois - Chapter 15: Temperance Work in Mount Vernon, 1909

Chapter 15: Temperance Work in Mount Vernon

The temperance cause engrossed the attention of our early settlers, members of all the churches and many outsiders - especially the female portion, which is always right on the temperance question. It is and always has been the opinion of the writer that the women ought to have a vote on the local option temperance question, for they are always more disturbed by the liquor traffic than the sterner sex can possibly be - in fact, they are the chief sufferers from the baneful effects of the dastardly stuff, either licensed or unlicensed, and they ought to have at least an equal voice with the distillers, brewers and saloon keepers in saying whether it shall rule or ruin.

The first temperance organization in Jefferson county was the "Mount Vernon Temperance Society," formed in 1832, which showed how the early settlers felt on the subject. The first pledge was like this: "We, the members of this society, mutually agree to abstain from the use of ardent spirits, and use our influence in every mild and prudent way with others for the same purpose." John Baugh was president and Samuel Goodrich vice-president; Joel Pace secretary. As nearly the whole outfit was kin to many of the people now living we think not inappropriate to give at least some of their names as connected with this important subject : Abraham T. Casey, Samuel Cummins, William Criswell, Zadok Casey, Abraham Knapp, Lewis Johnson, Joseph Pace, Edward and John Maxey, John Milburn, James Overbay, Abe Buffington, Ed King, Bennett Maxey, Thomas M. Casey, Sam Goodrich, Dave Little, John Parker, Jonathan Wells, Rhodan Allen, John C. Casey, James Brown, Nathaniel Parker, Henry Goodrich, John Scott, D. Baugh, Elihu Maxey, Lloyd Buffington, William Maxey, S. W. Carpenter, Goodman Elkins, J. G. D., W. M. A., H. B. and Eddy Maxey, Green Wells, Azariah Bruce, W. F. Johnson. Reuben Crosno, John and Russell Tyler, Jarvis Pierce, John M. Pace, Ransom Moss, William Bangamon, E. H. Ridgway, Joel Harlow, Green Depriest, William Hicks, Gasaway Elkins, Robert Yearwood, H. T. Pace and, in fact, nearly the whole male population of the county. Besides, here is the first place since the organization of the county where women were permitted to assert themselves, and as the list comprises the mothers and grandmothers of our present generation, we cannot refrain from giving it :

Polly Baugh, Margaret Jane and Susan Buffington, Ann, Martha, Margaret and Caroline Anderson, Parmelia Pace, Sofronia Scott, Jerusha Wells, Kesiah, Sarah and Cynthia Scott, May Knapp, Rebecca Wilkerson, May Atwood, Phoebe Pace, Patsy

Maranda, Calender, Elgeilina, Armilda and Mary Goodrich, Milly Baugh, Mary Pace, Sarah Tyler, Hannah Taylor, Sarah Maxwell, Delia Hunt, Polly Maxey, Vylinda and EHzabeth Casey, Harriet Casey, Rhoda Overbay, Catherine Tyler, Patsy Bruce, Lucinda Allen, Polly and Rachael Crosno, Millie Carpenter, Patsy, Emily, Elizabeth, Johnson, Clarissa Johnson, Elizabeth Wells, Lucinda Overbay, Elizabeth Baugh, Sarah Maxey, Emily Baugh, Nancy Pace. Quite a number of other "dear mothers and sisters" signed the pledge later at a meeting, which was addressed by Zadok Casey. Rev. John Johnson came in 1834 and took an active part in the temperance work. Elder VanCleve came in and helped. This society kept up till 1840, when another, engineered by Judge Scates, H. T. Pace, James Kirby and others and William J. Stephenson, John Johnson, James Kirby, Joel F. Watson, J. R. Satterfield were moving spirits in it. They imported many good speakers like Johnson Pierson, S. D. Marshall, John Moore, S. S. Hayes, John Dougherty, Dr. Roe, R. F. Wingate and others, who helped boom the cause. This society took charge of the 4th of July celebration, 1843, and James M. Pace, Wesley Johnson, C. T. Pace and Thomas S. Casey, all students at the old Mount Vernon Academy, were the orators~they believed in "home talent" in those days. In 1855, through the influence of Judge Scates and James Leaton, a division of the Sons of Temperance and also a Lodge of Cadets of Temperance were organized. We remember taking the Cadets' pledge, which made us abstain both from the use of whiskey and tobacco, and it is one of the most pleasant reflections of our later life that we have kept the pledge. After while the Sons of Temperance was merged into the order of Good Templars, but a division arose, a new division of the Sons of Temperance was started and the result was both orders suffered. The next temperance revival was in 1878-9. Colonel Campbell, Rev. G. W.

Hughey and Miss Frances E. Willard elocuted and nearly everybody donned the blue ribbon - and went temperate whether they quit drinking or not. At this time the Ladies' Christian Temperance Union was formed by Miss Willard and Mrs. Anderson (the same organization which is at the front yet). The first president was Mrs. Sarah A. Gray; vice-president, Mrs. Sue Pace, and Mrs. Louisa Bogan, secretary, Mrs. Mary S. Pace; treasurer, Mrs. Margaret A. Johnson. This organization takes more of the form of an educational institution and is still vigorously at work, being the very best backing the temperance cause has in all the land. They distribute temperance documents, hold jubilees and are granted space in their county papers to give something sound and sensible each week for the cause. The little white ribbon we see on so many of the real temperance people - the fair sex - tells us who are the workers in the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Although denied the privilege of voting, still they are a potent force in the great cause, and in the final triumph, when temperance everywhere prevails, it will be truthfully said of these noble women, "they did what they could," and that is all that even an angel can do. As a still further tribute to the ladies we may mention that when the city fathers agreed to license saloons for one thousand dollars cash, if the majority of all persons of twenty-one years said so, the women voted and said "no," by a vote of five hundred and thirty and they were rewarded by ten years' temperance rule in Mount Vernon, at the end of which time, by the aid of St. Louis, Belleville and East Mount Vernon, the whiskey element prevailed and elected a Mayor and whiskey council. It is due to our people to say that only about ten per cent, of the whiskey vote at this election were actual residents of Mount Vernon, who had at heart the real welfare of the town. Nine-tenths of the real citizens were anti-license and seeing the increase of drunkenness after the election, made them more so.

The "whiskeyites" of Mount Vernon, finding themselves balked in the license business, set themselves to work to incorporate the village of East Mount Vernon, so as to put up licensed saloons there. Of course there was no thought of the advantages of better government on the part of those who had charge of the new village, and it would have been a part of Mount Vernon in a short time, anyway. The petition was signed by thirty persons. The village was eighty rods wide by a mile long, skirting the eastern limits of the city and most of the inhabitants were known to be license people. An election was ordered and resulted in twenty-six votes for village organization to one against. But it was evident that the whole proceedings were illegal, but a board of trustees were chosen and thirty ordinances were adopted. But the saloons produced their legitimate fruit - the order in the village grew from bad to worse until the good people would stand it no longer and they went into court to show up the illegality of the whole thing. At the December term of court, a judgment of ouster was obtained and an appeal granted. The grounds for ouster were that the village never had the three hundred inhabitants required by law and the whole thing finally fell through. But the fall of East Mount Vernon brought all the whiskey forces to our next city election and helped carry their ticket through. There never was a time when the majority of the real citizens of Mount Vernon were not opposed to the traffic, but solely for financial reasons, a few church members always favored the license, in one way or another and even when the vote was squarely against them, the "whiskeyites," who were harmless as doves and wise as serpents, were ready with some scheme to license the curse, or if that failed, would institute "blind tigers" and openly violate the law in order to bring no-license into disrepute. We have in mind now where a mayor promised a mass meeting of citizens that he would, if elected, do whatever the voters told him to do in the hcense question. They told him "no hcense" by a decisive vote, but he gave the casting vote for hcense within a month after. Also, where a City Attorney took pay from the city to draft a local option ordinance and in court a few weeks later, as the attorney for the whiskey vendor, pleaded that the ordinance was not worth the paper on which it was written- - all in the interest of the license business, plainly showing that the traffic has no regard for either promises or law - except to evade or stultify it. So matters went on, sometimes with license and sometimes with blind tigers - until four years ago, the present Mayor, William B. Williams, came into office and announced that according to the vote of the people. Mount Vernon would have neither license nor blind tigers, and he, together with officers like himself, have carried out the expressed wish of the people, as nearly as possible - at least ninety per cent, closer than any previous admmistration. All this plainly showed that officers fail only because they were afraid of offending some customer, or losing some votes should they happen to run for office - or it may be, some were weak-kneed on general principles. These men are generally the ones who boast that they can drink or let it alone, but seldom let it alone when it is on tap. They seem to forget that the strong-minded man is the one that lets it severely alone.

The contest between the temperance folks and the liquor traffic in Mount Vernon has been duplicated in the other towns of the county, and the same methods used to override the voice of the people - just as everywhere else; and what we say of Mount Vernon will apply with about equal force to Dix, Woodlawn, Waltonville, Ina, Bonnie, Belle Rive, Opdyke and Bluford.

For four years Jefferson county has been without saloons and find it is better for all parties that it remain so. And it will remain so, if we do all the good we can, in all the ways we can, and to all the people we can, and

"So live that when thy summons comes to join The innumerable caravan, that moves To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take His chamber in the silent halls of death. Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night Scourged to his dungeon; but sustained and soothed By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave. Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

Benevolent Orders

When the curtains of the night are pinned back by the stars and the beautiful moon leaps to the sky, we find that we have benevolent orders and lodges galore, not only in Mount Vernon, but in Woodlawn, Dix, Belle Rive, Opdyke, Ina, Bonnie, Waltonville - in fact, it almost looks like we were lodge-ridden. Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 3 1 , Free and Accepted Masons, was organized here in 1845, and among the charter members were: W. A. Thomas, W. W. Bennett and W. H. Short, who were the first officers. This order has steadily held its own during all these years. Its hall is now over the opera house, in connection with the Knights of Pythias, Hubbard Chapter, No. 1 60, which is also in a flourishing condition, also a chapter of the Eastern Star.

Marion Lodge, No. 13, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in the same year, 1845. Its charter members were: John W. Greetham, James B. Tolle, Thomas Metzler. William White, Henry Wood, W. Duff. Green came the next year and gave the order a boost. Dr. Green was a good Odd Fellow, but a more faithful worker in the ranks than James B. Tolle never rode the goat. Dr. Green rose to be presiding officer of the state and was often a delegate to the Grand Lodge. Herdman, Gibson, Baltzel and others soon came and Marion Lodge today remembers them all as faithful members and consistent workers. Jefferson Encampment had such workers as J. K. Albright, R. L. Stratton, J. S. Bogan, Dr. Welborn, T. H. McBride. J. B. Tolle. W. D. Green. Marion Lodge has a splendid membership and now owns the building in which it meets and in which the Ham National Bank is located.

The Knights of Honor Lodge, No. 683, and the Grand Army of the Republic Post, No. 508, meet in their hall in the Gibson building. North Ninth street. The insurance feature keeps the Knights of Honor together. The Grand Army of the Republic, unlike other orders, has no field to recruit from - ^being composed only of soldiers of the great Civil war, and as a consequence, its ranks are continually thinning and soon the last roll-call will be sounded and the last veteran mustered out. But a few years ago, there were five posts in the county - at Mount Vernon, Dix, Waltonvillle, Woodlawn and Belle Rive. Now, the one at the county seat is the only one left and there are many vacant chairs at its monthly meetings.

Then we have the Knights of Pythias, a fine lodge of young men, with the Uniform Rank attached; the Modern Woodmen, another splendid lodge, carrying the insurance feature, and a large membership; the Ben Hurs; the Red Men; the Elks, the Eagles and almost anything else you can call for - besides several, the Iron Hall, Mutual Aid, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Knights and Ladies of Security, Evening Star, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen and others who have long since brought up their "unfinished business" and closed their books.

it does of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, brotherhood orders will continue to come and go and try to fill the "long felt want." If we, as church members, would write our names in kindness, love and mercy on the hearts of those who come in contact with us, we would not so soon be forgotten, and men would not be seeking brotherhood in the dingy, blind-folded lodge rooms. Good deeds shine as brightly on earth as the stars in heaven.