Madison County, Illinois - Chapter 22: A "spectator" of 1837, 1912

An interesting side light on the men who once constituted the business life of a com¬ munity is offered by the advertisements in the local papers. In Chapter IX of this work the pro-slavery riots of 1837, in Alton, were reviewed. It is therefore appropriate to note the names of business men who were promi¬ nent, at that epoch, in the commercial life of the place. For this purpose a copy of the Alton Spectator of November 9, 1837, is se¬ lected. This paper was then published by William Plessin. His paper of this date con¬ tained no notice of the great pro-slavery riot, save a guarded allusion thereto introducing a statement by the mayor. In the next issue, November 16th, no reference whatever is made to the tragedy that was shaking the nation. Instead thereof we find this wail : "The times are so dull that they afford no news. We have examined all our papers for something new and have not been able to dis¬ cover anything. The only portion of the com¬ munity that strive to make news are the Whig editors. But as implicit reliance cannot be placed on their news we do not think it neces¬ sary to publish it. It wants confirmation."

The idea of looking at home for news seems not to have occurred to Mr. Hessin. The Spectator was a "Democratic-Republi¬ can" paper, a type somewhat prevalent at the present day. But, politics aside, the Specta¬ tor correctly reflected the business life of the

Alton Marine and Fire Insurance Company. Capital stock $100,000; E. Marsh, president; B. I. Gilman, secretary. The directors then were : Simeon Ryder, A. Alexander, Stephen Griggs, Robert DeBow, J. M. Krum, Calvin Reily, A. Corey and J. A. Townsend. Opened for business September 13, 1837.

William Kinney, commissioner, solicits pro¬ posals for the grading, bridging and masonry for the Alton & Mt. Carmel Railroad, from Alton to Edwardsville, fifteen miles.

George Smith and S. C. Pierce, inspectors of the penitentiary, call for proposals for the erection of thirty-two cells for the peniten¬ tiary, of hammered stone, similar to those already erected. Particulars furnished by S. C. Pierce, one of the inspectors, or John R. Woods, superintendent of penitentiary.

But the most prominent advertisement in this paper is that of the delinquent tax list for 1837. It occupies five columns. The names of the owners of the several pieces of property are not given, merely the number of the lots and blocks. The number of pieces of prop¬ erty advertised is 794, a large number for a town of only 2,500 inhabitants and indicates that the panic of 1837 had struck Alton with full force. The sale is advertised by S. W. Robbins, city collector, and is to take place on December 25th. A queer way to celebrate Christmas. Much of the property so adver¬ tised probably belonged to non-residents.

The county delinquent list advertised in same paper December 21, 1837, by W. T. Brown, C. C., amounted to only two columns, or 316 acreage tracts, and appears to have been of lands outside of corporate limits of a paper published seventy-five years ago gives a comprehensive idea of the enterprise of the business men of that day and of the lines of trade they were engaged in, - and also indi¬ cates that the professional men of that day were not opposed to announcing their willing¬ ness to serve the public. Of course the list does not include all the business and profes¬ sional men then located in Alton. It only gives those who were advertisers.

The Spectator was the pioneer paper of Alton, established in 1832, as noted elsewhere, and was certainly enjoying a liberal advertis¬ ing at the period covered by the files of 1837- 8, and it is rather surprising that its publica¬ tion was discontinued early in 1839. The general slump in business following the pro¬ slavery riots and the panic of 1837 probably account for its untimely end.

W. R. Crossman, of the Edzvardsville Re¬ publican, has a copy of the Edwardsville Spec¬ tator of Tuesday, February 19, 1822. It is whole No. 141, edited by Hooper Warren. It is a five-column folio, yellow with age but still quite legible. Its terms to subscribers are two dollars per year, with twenty-five per cent added if payment is delayed. Its advertising rates are one dollar per square, first insertion ; fifty cents each subsequent insertion ; larger advertisements at proportionate rates.

The leading article on the first page is a report, three columns long, of the organiza¬ tion of the first agricultural society in the state, with rules and regulations. This or¬ ganization was effected February 9, 1822, at Edwardsville. Those persons signing the rules and regulations and thereby becoming members are: Micajah Cox, Edward Coles, Curtiss Blakeman, George C. Allen, James Canfield, Jarrot Dugger, Isaac Ferguson, John Murray, Paris Mason, Jordan Uzzell, Row¬ land P. Allen, Henry Kelly, Abraham Prickett, Justus D. Seelhurst, George Churchill, Rob-

The editorial notes are few. The leading article is a criticism of the president for re¬ moving the postmaster at Albany and appoint¬ ing a congressman in his place. Another edi¬ torial paragraph admonishes administrators and judges of probate "who can read" to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the law as regards the publication of notices of settlements of estates "in the nearest news¬ paper." A correspondent indulges in a sar¬ castic communication criticising the campaign of Edward Coles for governor.

J. C. Bruner and David Stucky, partners in the hatting business, publish notice of firm dissolution. R. & J. Pogue advertise for rent "that large and elegant Mansion House in Lower Alton, lately occupied by Charles W. Hunter, containing eight rooms and other convenient outhouses attached to same."

Joseph Conway, county clerk, publishes a legal notice in which Theophilus W. Smith is complainant vs. Jacob C. Mott, et al. Thomas Smith publishes probate notice in settlement of estate of William Smith. William Wood publishes a similar notice in settlement of es¬ tate of Joanna Cox.

Two notices from E. C. Bery, state auditor, one to purchasers of lots in Vandalia and the other to officers of militia. Josias Randle gives notice that he has sued out writ of foreign attachment against the estate of Fran¬ cis Gantz.

P. H. Winchester offers Land Office money, or State paper of Illinois, at small advance, for five hundred dollars in notes of State Bank of Tennessee.

Another advertiser announces that a moder¬ ate sum of Illinois State paper will purchase 160 acres of land in Marine Settlement. In¬ quire at Spectator office.

Land Office Money. The secretary of the treasury gives notice that only bills of follow¬ ing banks will be received at the Edwardsville Land Office: Bank of United States and branches ; Bank of Illinois, Shawneetown ; banks of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond and Baltimore, except City Bank; banks of District of Columbia, except Mer¬ chants and Franklin banks.

The following advertisement tells its own story of old slavery days in Illinois. The re¬ markable thing is that it should appear in a strong anti-slavery paper, like the Spectator :

"Wanted - A young, active, indentured negro woman who can be well recommended for sobriety and honesty. A liberal price will be given for one of above description if appli¬ cation be made immediately. Inquire of the printer."