Logan County, Illinois - Chapter 30, 1911

Agricultural

The report of the state board of equalization for the year 1910 shows Logan County possessed of but 1,637 acres of unimproved lands as against 385,171 acres of improved land. This record is only surpassed by one other county in the state. The average value of farm lands per acre is not exceeded by any county in the state, for in this regard Logan County is at the head of the list. In all lines of agricultural pursuit the county has not only held its own but has been a recognized leader. It is without peer as an agricultural center, An indication of the progress of the county in this regard may be seen from the following census figures for the decades named:

Statistical

Logan County contains 2,405 farms and their average size is 158 acres. There are 95 farms of less than 20 acres, 177 farms of 20 and less than 50 acres, 424 farms of 50 and less than 100 acres; 804 farms of 100 and less than 175 acres; 498 farms of 175 and less than 260 acres; 291 farms of 260 and less than 500 acres; 30 farms of 500 and less than 1,000 acres and two farms of 1,000 acres or over. There are 381,037 acres in farm lands.

The Logan County Farmers' Institute had its origin in an institute held at Lincoln, January 12th and 13th, 1888, under the auspices of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture. During that year the state board held a farmers' institute in every congressional district and the one held in Lincoln on the above dates was denominated a congressional district institute. Addresses were made by Gov. R. J. Oglesby, President Dysart 'of the state board, Secretary Mills of the state board, E. C. Lewis of Deer Park, Prof. Wm. McMurtrie of Champaign, H. Augustine of Nor- mal, Prof. George E. Morrow of Champaign, Secretary Johnson of the State Live Stock Commission, Prof. S. A. Forbes of Champaign, E. E. Chester Champaign, S. Noble King, Bloomington; David Gore, Carlinville; Dr. H. C. Johns, Decatur; D. B. Gillham, Alton; Mrs. M. Wemple, Mt. Pulaski; A. M. Caldwell, New Holland, and J. T. Foster, Broadwell. At the close of this institute an informal organization of the Logan County Farmers' Institute Association occurred with the following officers: President, A. B. Nicholson; secretary, T. H. Stokes; vice presidents, Elisha Crane, Andrew Armstrong, George Yocum, John O'Hare, P. R. Marquart, J. Baumann, M. Wemple, R. Jackson, F. S. Applegate, M. E. Leach, J. A. Critchfield, Wm. Rimerman, Wm. McCormick, W. H. Van Meter, J. T. Foster, Frank Sisson and Michael Adolph. The first institute under this organization was held June 2, 1888. Sessions of the institute were held semi-annually for a year or two and then annually. The first display of farm products in connection with these meetings was made at the session of 1891. Until 1895, A. B. Nicholson, J. A. Critchfield, M. Wemple and A. M. Caldwell served as president at different times and T. H. Stokes and H. E. Starkey at secretary.

A more permanent organization of the Farmers' Institute was effected, however, at a meeting of the old committee called together by Secretary Charles F. Mills, of the State Board of Agrictlture, in January of 1896. Rules to govern the institute were then adopted and the following offcers were elected: President, George Wendell; vice president, William Evans; secretary, William Fogarty, Jr.; treasurer, A. B. Nicholson. A township committee was selected as follows: James Armstrong, W. W. Richmond, J. A. Critchfield, J. T. Foster, R. H. Templeman, E. F. L. Rautenberg, L. B. Dean, A. P. Miller, W. H. Van Meter, Marshall Crane, George Yocum, Fred Dittus, J. B. Hanger, John W. Hitchell, Patrick Ryan, W. E. Jones and A. M. Caldwell. The first institute under this organization was held at Gillett's hall, Feb. 14 and 15, 1896. There were 87 entries of corn and many exhibits of wheat, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, cakes, etc. In 1899, the exhibit department of the institute had grown to such an extent that it was divided into departments, with superintendents and assistants, as follows: Cereals and vegetables, J. A. Critchfield, H. P. Purviance, Jesse Denman and John Zeter; horticulture, W. H. Evans; dairy products, Mrs. H. P. Purviance; culinary, Mrs. Ida M. Evans and Miss Mae Musick; canned and preserved goods, Miss Josie Caldwell and Mrs. Belle Schott; apiary, George I. Harry.. A special score card was adopted for judging corn. At this session the Logan County Butter Makers' Association was also formed with the following officers: President, Mrs. H. P. Purviance; vice president, Mrs. J. A. Critchfield; secretary, Miss Lena Lachenmeyer; township committee, Mrs. James Armstrong, Mrs. Adams, Mrs. I. Eisiminger, Mrs. John Stoll, Mrs. J. T. Foster, Mrs. A. R. Oglesby, Mrs. Hardy Council, Mrs.

J. B. Hanger, Mrs. A. M. Caldwell, Miss Emily Thomas. In 1905, the number of exhibits had increased to 93 entries of corn, 41 entries of apples, 62 entries of butter, 84 entries of cakes, 170 entries of canned goods. These entries were in competition for the prizes which are offered each year by the merchants of Lincoln.

The officers of the institute since 1896 have been as follows: Presidents, George Wendell, 1896-97; J. T. Foster, 1897-1905; William H. Evans, 1905-06; Solomon J. Woland, 1906 to the present. Vice presidents, William H. Evans, 1896-97; A. E. Brown, 1897-98; William H. Evans, 1898-1905; William Cooper, 1905-06; Paul D. Foster, 1906-07 ; Marshall Crain, 1907-09; George A. Wieber, 1909 to the present. Secretaries, William Fogarty, 1896-97; James W. Jones, 1897-1902; Donald Danken, 1902-03; H. E. Starkey, 1903 to the present. Treasurers, A. B. Nicholson, 1896-98; C. W. Blackburn, 1898-99; J. A. Critchfield, 1899- 1901; John Zeter, 1902 to the present. Since 1907, W. J. Huston has been General Superintendent. The following are division superintendents: Andrew Armstrong, A. W. Beaver, W. E. Jones, Mrs. C. A. Keys, Lena Lachenmeyer, Alma Armstrong. The following are the present township vice presidents: James Armstrong, A. H. Mountjoy, T. A. Russell; H. P. Purviance;*JohnsLong;S, I: (Nutty, Het) Gale P4. Telfer, Hardy Council, George Stoll, C. D. Benson, William Baumann, A. M. Armstrong, C. R. Bowles, C. F. Sparks, Patrick Ryan, Frank Rimerman. A domestic science organization was effected in 1909, with Mrs. N. E. Newman as president. The present officers are as follows: President, Miss Anna Wodetski; vice president, Mrs. H. O. Merry; secretary, Miss Clara Ryan; treasurer, Miss Amelia Baumann. Mrs. H. P. Purviance was president of the Butter Makers' Association from its organization to her death in 1904, when she was succeeded by Mrs. C. A. Keys. The present officers of that association are as follows: President, Mrs. John Zeter; vice president, Mrs. W. J. Houston; secretary, Miss Marie Gilchrist; township vice presidents, Mrs. Charles Colburn, Mrs. Sarah Adams, Mrs. George McGee, Mrs. W. K. Jones; Mrs. Thomas Beaver, Mrs. H. E. Starkey, Mrs. J. C. Bruner, Mrs. P. J. Telfer, Miss Alma Leimbach, Mrs. Fred Kemmer, Mrs. S. J. Woland, Mrs. Simon Montgomery, Miss Ella Chestnut, Mrs. A. W. Beaver, Mrs. W. H. Crain. At the 1910 institute there were 127 entries of corn, 117 of cakes, 99 of bread, 85 of canned goods, 94 of butter and a large number of entries in small grain and vegetables of all kind.

An annual corn carnival and farmers' institute is held at Mt. Pulaski usually during the first week in December. The officers in 1910 were as follows: President, C. F. Schafer; vice president, Wm. Baumann; secretary, G. H. Hubbard; treasurer, T. A. Scroggin. William Baumann is superintendent of the corn exhibit, John Tendick on small grain and

The Atlanta Union Fair

The Atlanta Union Central Agricultural Society celebrated its fiftieth jubilee anniversary in 1910, having held continuous annual fairs during the entire half century, except the war year of 1862. Few agricultural societies in the state can boast such a record, particularly in view of the fact that the institution is on as substantial a basis at present as it ever was in its history, being substantially out of debt and being thoroughly equipped to maintain a successful agricultural fair. From its inception the idea was to conduct a union fair at Atlanta for the four counties of Logan, McLean, De Witt and Tazewell. Atlanta is located in the half township of Atlanta in Logan 'County, is bounded on the north by Mc- Lean, on the east by De Witt, and Tazewell County is but three miles away. Atlanta township was part of Tazewell County from 1827 to 1830, part of McLean from 1830 to 1839, part of De Witt from 1839 to 1845 and part of Logan since 1845. Atlanta therefore occupies a peculiar strategic position, geographically and historically, as to these four counties and the location of a quatro-county fair, representing these four counties, at Atlanta, is highly appropriate and fitting. Notwithstanding the fact that county fairs in many other counties have become extinct and that the Atlanta fair is not far distant from the great state fair at Springfield, the successful conduct of the Atlanta fair for fifty years, with no signs of diminution in virility, speaks volumes for the enterprise and perseverance of those who have had the institution in charge. During all these fifty years the association has never failed to pay its premiums in full.

Early in the year 1860, the citizens of Atlanta began to agitate the question of locating in Atlanta a union agricultural fair for the four counties above named. It was decided to organize the fair association as a stock company, stock to be $20 per share, and the plan agreed upon was that twenty per cent of the face value of the stock subscribed was to be paid at the time of organization, thirty per cent to be paid when called for and the remaining fifty per cent to be paid in one year after the organization. Ina short time, $4,000 was subscribed and a meeting was then called of the subscribers. The meeting was held April 2, 1860 and Samuel Hoblit was selected as chairman and S. D. Fisher secretary. Resolutions were passed declaring it the sense of the meeting that a union fair be established in Atlanta and asking for the cooperation in this behalf of the citizens of the four counties. A. W. Morgan and R. W. Burt were appointed to solicit for further subscription to the capital stock.

A subsequent meeting was held April 20, 1860, at which the Atlanta Union Central Agricultural Society was formally organized, by the election of the following officers: President, A. W. Morgan; vice presidents,

Isham Atchison and Samuel Hoblit; Directors: A. N. Dills, A. D. Downey, Sylvester Strong, Jonathan Merriam, Joseph A. Pitts, R. W. Burt and A. C. Barnes. It was also decided to purchase grounds and hold the first fair during the coming October. The land purchased consisted of eighteen acres of rolling prairie adjoining the town plat, for which the society was to pay $65 per acre. To this original site, the society has since added some eighteen acres more and improved and beautified as these grounds have been, they have few equals for the purpose in the state. The site having been purchased, the eighteen acres were enclosed with a tight board fence, eight feet high, and within this enclosure the first fair was held Oct. 9, 10, 11 and 12, 1860. On Nov. 3, 1860, after the first fair, officers were again elected as follows: President, A. N. Dills; vice presidents, Joseph Bell, of Logan, J. S. Atchison, of De Witt, G. N. Bryson, of Tazewell and Ezra T. Kenyon, of McLean; recording secretary, S. D. Fisher; corresponding secretary, Benjamin Bean; treasurer. David Kern; directors, A. C. Barnes, J. E. Hoblit, Alexander Downey, P. R. Marquart, A. J. Ludlam, J. A. Pitts and Ellis Dillon.

The society was formally incorporated Feb. 15, 1861. The presidents of the association have been as follows: A. W. Morgan, 1860-61 ; A. N. Dills, 1861-63; A. C. Barnes, 1863-64; J. A. Mills, 1864-65 ; David Kern, 1865-67; Alex. Downey, 1867-68; Joseph Bell, 1868-69; August Reise, 1869-71; Benjamin Bean, 1871-72; W. H. Beverly, 1872-73; P. R. Marquart, 1873-74; August Reise, 1874-76; J. W. Yeazell, 1876-77 ; A.N. Dills, 1877-78; J. H. Bell, 1878-79; August Reise, 1879-80; Frank Hoblit, 1880-82; Ed. Stubblefield from 1882 to the present time. S. D. Fisher, the first secretary of the society, for many years secretary of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture, was secretary of the Atlanta Fair Association from 1860 to 1875, inclusive, except the one year of 1868 when Frank Hoblit was secretary. C. L. Downey was secretary from 1875 to 1880, when J. P. Hieronymous was elected secretary and served in that capacity until he was succeeded by the present secretary, Bist Pumpelly.

In 1880, in connection with the fair, a special old settlers' celebration was inaugurated and in 1881 a monumental log cabin was erected by the pioneers. In 1882, an unhewn log cabin was also constructed. <A full account of these old settlers' meetings annually held in connection with the fair, the erection of the log cabin and the names of the Logan County old settlers who have been awarded prizes at the annual reunions, will be found in the chapter entitled "Old Settlers' Meetings." The Atlanta fair grounds are well located, with plenty of shade and water. It is equipped with commodious buildings, cattle pens, horse stalls, machinery and floral halls, amphitheater, band stand, circular race track and all the appointments of a successful fair.

The present officers of the society are as follows: President, Ed. Stubblefield; secretary, B. I. Pumpelly; treasurer, R. F. Quisenberry; vice presidents, Thomas E. Stubblefield, Roscoe Sumners, George S. Hunter and Laban Hoblit, of Logan County ; directors, Jacob Funk, J. A. Hoblit, E. G. Ransdell, J. R. Patton, Byron Canfield, Joseph Crain and James the Logan County Agricultural Society. It antedated the Atlanta association ten years and conducted annual county fairs at Lincoln from that time until 1889, when it ceased to be active. Still while effective, it constituted an important feature in the life of the county and a history of the county without reference to it would be decidedly incomplete. The first meeting looking to its organization occurred at Lincoln, June 14, 1856. The meeting was called to order by Dr. John Deskins. Samuel Hoblit was made chairman and J. E. Cummings secretary. It was the sense of the meeting that a county fair be established and a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for stock. The value per share of the stock was fixed at $100. A meeting of the subscribers to this stock was held June 28, 1856, at Lincoln, at which an organization was effected. The following officers were selected: President, Colby Knapp; vice president, M. C. Hildreth; secretary, Wm. H. Young; treasurer, Wm. F. Ryan. It was decided to hold the first fair the ensuing October. The following general committee was appointed for the respective voting precincts: Atlanta, James Tuttle, R. Botkin, Samuel Hoblit; Middletown, Colby, Knapp, Thomas Nolan, D. G. Evans; Elkhart, L. B. Dean, F.. Thompson, John Shockey; Salt Creek, D. James, S. Randolph, W. Mathews; Sugar Creek, Smith Stroud, J. Lindsey, Wm. F. Ryan; Prairie Creek, Alex Chesnut, John Linbarger, I. V. Cunningham; Mt. Pulaski, Thomas R. Skinner, John Buckles, John D. Gillett; Lincoln, J. M. Larison, D. Wright, Joseph Reed. A committee on constitution and by-laws was appointed as follows: S. C. Parks, J. E. Cummings, S. B. Dugger, Colby Knapp and N. W. Whittaker.

Following this meeting, ten acres of land was purchased one mile east of Lincoln, part of what is now the Strawn farm, the same was enclosed with a tight board fence and halls, barns, stalls and pens erected. The first fair was held Oct. 9 and 10, 1856. About $400 was distributed in premiums. The whole number of entries were 215. This included horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, household, garden and orchard products, dairy, fancy work, etc. There were 96 premiums awarded and the total receipts were $536. A charter was secured Feb. 19, 1857, and the incorporators were Colby Knapp, R. B. Latham, John D. Gillett, Wm. H. Young, George Musick, W. N. Dustin, James Coddington, David G. Evans, Ezra Boren and I. V. Cunningham. Fairs were held each year under this charter until 1872, when an entire reorganization occurred under the name of the Logan County Agricultural and Mechanical Society, with the following officers: President, Joseph Ream; vice president, George Warren; secretary, C. M. Knapp; treasurer, William M. Dustin; directors, Sorel Doten, Thomas Wendell, John A. Critchfield, George Noble, William Armstrong, Thomas Edes, George W. Edgar, W. A. Mills, George D. Boyden, J. S. Randolph, M. Hinrichsen. The presidents of the association prior to this reorganization had been Colby Knapp, Benjamin Donnan and James Tuttle and the secretaries had been Wm. H. Young and George H. Campbell. In 1883, the fair association consolidated with the Logan County Agricultural Driving Park Association, with A. B. Nicholson, president ; T. H. Stokes, secretary, and B. P. Andrews, treasurer. From 1872 to 1883, Joseph Ream had been president of the fair association and C. M. Knapp, A. B. Nicholson, W. H. Derby, W. A. Corwine and T. H. Stokes, successively secretaries. In 1887, the agricultural features were abandoned and a.race meeting only held that year. In 1888, the agriculture feature was reestablished, but the meeting was not a financial success and in 1889 was again abandoned, since which time no agricultural fair has been held at Lincoln, the affairs of the association being wound up that year and the corporation dissolved. The grounds were sold in April of 1889 for $10,426, the indebtedness of the society being about $6,000.