Madison County, Illinois - Chapter 66: Marine Township, 1912

Pioneer Settlers - The Decade 1820-1830 - The Founder of Marine - Few Descend ants Left - Patriotism - Marine Village - A Midnight Tragedy - Churches.

Probably the most beautiful and inviting township in Madison county, considered topo¬ graphically, is Marine, township 4, range 6. Its landscape is unexcelled for attractiveness, and its soil as fertile and responsive as it is fair to look upon. The name sounds peculiar for an inland township until it is explained that this saline cognomen was given it in honor of a colony of former sea captains who settled there the year the state was admitted to the Union. The township is centrally located be¬ ing bounded on the north by Alhambra, east by Saline, south by St. Jacob and west by Pin Oak. It is watered by Silver creek which passes through the center of the township from north to south. The surface is gently un¬ dulating.

The first settlers in the township were Maj. Isaac H. Ferguson and his brother-in-law, John Warwick, who settled in section 33, and built cabins. Brink's history says: "Maj. Fer¬ guson came to the county in 1806 and first set¬ tled in what is now Fort Russell township. His son, John L. Ferguson, was born in a block house within the Fort Russell stockade, in 1807. Other pioneers were John Woods, George Newcomb, Joseph and Absalom Fer¬ guson, Aquilla Delahide, Abraham Howard and John Dean in 1813-14. Chester Pain, John Campbell, John Giger and Thos. Breeze in 1815. Rowland P. Allen, Paris Mason, James and Hail Mason, Elijah Ellison and their families, 1 . W. Smith, Wm. Townsend, Daniel Tallman and others came to Edwardsville in 1817." The following spring R. P. Allen and Elijah Ellison located in Marine and made improvements in section 28. The former subsequently returned to New York but came west again and died in 1858 at the residence of his son, Dr. George T. Allen, in Alton, where he had removed from Marine. In 1819 Capt. Curtis Blakeman, George C. Allen, James Breath, Justice Deselherst and David Mead, all former ship-masters, came with their families from the east. There also came with them David and Henry B. Thorp and James Sackett. Elizur Judd, of Connecticut, came in 1822. A colony of seventy-two set¬ tled in the township in 1818. Among them were the Barnaby, French, Johnson, Anderson, Shinn, Mathews and Balster families. Wil¬ liam McAdams, a soldier of the Revolution, settled in section 35 in 1819. James Ground, an Englishman, came in 1820, and built the first frame house in the township. J. W. Jeffress, of Virginia, was an early settler. His two sons, A. W. and E. J. Jeffress, became leading citizens. Tbe first death was that of Elijah Ferguson in 1815. The first marriage was that of Lefferd French and Sarah Math¬ ews. The first school was taught by Arthur Travis, in Maj. Ferguson's smoke house in

1814, and the first sermon was preached at the Major's house in 1813 by Rev. Samuel Lindley, a Baptist missionary. A Union church building was erected in section 33, in 1821. A post office was established before Marine was laid out, Maj. Ferguson and R. P. Allen alternating as postmasters. The present postmaster of Marine is Mark Shep¬ ard, who follows many predecessors but none more popular and efficient than the present in¬ cumbent. The first tavern was kept by Eben Twiss in section 11, in 1820, and the first mill, an ox-tread mill, was built by Capt. Blakeman in 1823.

Between 1820 and 1830 Marine had a larger proportion of eastern people within its boun¬ daries than any other township in the county. They formed an intelligent, educated and re¬ ligious community, and came to the country possessed of means prepared to develop their new homes on a broad and intelligent basis. Rev. Thomas Lippincott, in his reminiscences, gives the following graphic picture of life in the new community prior to 1830: "Marine settlement was an institution of the early days. In the year 1817 Rowland P. Allen came out to Illinois as a pioneer to explore for himself and some of his sea-faring friends with a view to settlement. He was the father of Dr. George T. Allen, later of Alton. He made choice of the prairie lying between Silver creek and the middle fork or Peck's branch of Silver creek. It was certainly a well-chosen spot. The next year a colony of those who had long traversed the ocean, settled on this prairie. Capt. Curtis Blakeman, Capt. George C. Allen, with two or three others of the same vocation, and the original discoverer, R. P. Al¬ len, settled in the lower part ; and the following year Capt. James Breath came out in company with another group, yet in connection with the former and pitched his tent for a few years on Silver creek on the same prairie, some eight or ten miles north of them, and then re¬ moved to the immediate neighborhood of his brother mariners. And so the place took the name of Marine settlement. Col. John Shinn, a practical manufacturing chemist of Phila¬ delphia, bought a farm in the same place, and afterwards William C. Wiggins, getting tired of keeping tavern in Edwardsville, built and dwelt in the prairie, a little while, until the well-known enterprise started by his brother, Samuel Wiggins, and known as Wiggins' ferry, called him to busy life again. James Ground, father of Samuel Ground, and Jacob Balster were well-known early settlers, also, and Isaac Ferguson had preceded them all. The settlement soon became known as an in¬ telligent, enterprising and prosperous commu¬ nity; and many comforts and even refinements of social life were enjoyed in advance of most others. Capt. Blakeman was early elected to the Legislature and always enjoyed the confi¬ dence and respect of the people. He was a man of wide experience ; he had "crossed the line," the equator, forty-four times and made eleven voyages to China. His house, ever open to hospitality, contained many articles of ori¬ ental furniture, both curious and useful, which showed the ornamental handiwork of the celes¬ tials. Capt. George C. Allen was another fine specimen of the retired seaman. His genial spirits strongly attracted people to his house and the ever cheerful and abundant hospital¬ ity of his congenial wife made it a resort for a large circle of friends. I believe he was always a special favorite as I know his wife was. It is fit that their long time friend and fellow seaman be spoken of in this connection. Capt. Breath had the advantage of his friends in having received a liberal education. His nautical neighbors used to say that he was as good a seaman and commander as ever sailed out of New York harbor, and that his one eye (he had lost one) saw everything. He had a high sense of honor and integrity - and

Rowland P. Allen, the founder of Marine, though not a sailor, cannot be omitted in this connection. He brought them together ; dwelt in the midst of them ; was related to one of the families and was at once the connecting link and vivifying spirit of the whole. And he survived them all. His last days were spent in the indulgence of a cheerful hope, with his only son, Dr. Geo. T. Allen, and he was not unknown to the present generation of Madison county.

"Morris Birbeck, of Edwards county, was an Englishman - a farmer - and a man of ex¬ tensive acquirements. Fie first visited Illinois before it became a state. On his return to England he wrote a book which was so enteresting and so reliable that it brought a number of the reading classes to Illinois in its earliest infancy. Among those thus influenced were the Leggett family and the Marine settlement founders. Mr. Birbeck, subsequently returned to America and founded the famous English settlement at Albion, Edwards county."

It is sad to relate that but few of the de¬ scendants of these early settlers from New York and New England remain in the county. They have died off or moved to other loca¬ tions. The second and third generations had the same wanderlust as their fathers from the east, and themselves drifted away farther north or west leaving the old homes to emi¬ grants flocking into the township from the lands beyond the sea. The names of the Al¬ lens, Masons, Fergusons, Blakemans, Breaths, Grounds and other founders have almost dis¬ appeared from the rolls of the township. There are various of their descendants remain¬ ing in the female line, but nearly all the old family names of the original colonists are miss¬ ing. Their lands are now farmed by frugal, industrious Germans. The Ellisons and the Sacketts are exceptions. C. M. Ellison, son of Jacob Ellison, and grandson of Elijah El¬ lison, still resides on the old homestead, three miles northeast of the village, and descendants of James Sackett are also living in the town¬ ship.

Marine township had a splendid record of patriotic service during the war for the Union. The names of practically all the old families are found on the rolls of Illinois volunteers. For example, among the officers are found the names of Adjutant James W. Allen, son of Dr. Allen and grandson of R. P. Allen ; also Capt. Samuel T. Mason and Lieut. Harry Mason Scarritt, descendants of the Mason colonists. Co. F, ioth Illinois cavalry, was made up mainly from Marine with Isaac H. Ferguson, captain; Felix Droll and Wm. Schwerdsfeger, lieutenants. Co. G, 117th Illinois Infty., was commanded successively by Captains Curtis Blakeman, Jr., Alex. J. Gregg and David T. Todd, all of Marine. Dr. Geo. T. Allen, Ma¬ rine's first physician, or sharing that honor with Dr. P. P. Green, entered the army as surgeon and rose to the grade of medical in¬ spector with the rank of colonel.

Marine is an agricultural township, raising all the staple crops in profusion, and gives prominence to the dairying interests. It is traversed by the Illinois Central railroad, for¬ merly the St. Louis & Eastern, which gives the farmers good shipping facilities. The main county road from Edwardsville to High¬ land passes centrally through the township.

The population of Marine has remained al¬ most stationary during the last twenty years. In 1890, it had 1,650 inhabitants; in 1900, 1,653; in I9IO> I»5I5- When township organ¬ ization was adopted in 1876 John L. Ferguson was elected the first supervisor and served

Marine village is the commercial metropolis of the township and an important station on the Illinois Central. It had a population of 637 in 1890; 666 in 1900 and 685 in 1910. It supports eight saloons, or one to every 85 of population. Estimating five persons to every voter, gives it one saloon to every seventeen voters. The village is laid out at right angles and the streets and avenues are broad and wellshaded. The dust is laid in the streets by liberal applications of crude oil. Marine occupies the site of a town projected in 1820 and called Madison. Its promoters were Curtis Blakeman, R. P. Allen, Geo. C. Allen, Pierre Tal¬ leur, Adrian Hegeman, Abraham Beck, Nehemiah Allen, W. M. O'Hara, Justus Post and Theophilus W. Smith. The last-named was a lawyer and a resident of Edwardsville. He was elected to the Illinois Supreme Bench in 1825 and served until his death in 1842. The village as it now exists was laid out in 1834 on sections 16, 17, 20 and 21, by George W.

Welsh, James Semple, J. W. Jeffress and Abra¬ ham Breath. It was incorporated March 8, 1867, and re-incorporated under the general law April 23, 1888.

The principal industry of Marine is the Cable Flour Mill, built in 1866 by Curtis Blakeman, Jr., John B. Parker and Jacob Spies, with three run of stone. It was enlarged in 1876 by Charles Valier and Jacob Spies and its capac¬ ity increased to 200 barrels per day. It has since been further enlarged and its daily capac¬ ity increased to 500 barrels. The iron tank elevators attached have a capacity of 100,000 bushels of wheat. The main building is four stories high and has cooper shops as an annex. It is conducted by the Valier-Spies Milling Co.

Marine pays special attention to the educa¬ tional interests of the rising generation. Its school house is a handsome two-story brick edifice erected in 1874 in the center of attrac¬ tive school grounds.

A splendid park in the center of town, shaded by grand old trees, is a great attrac¬ tion. It is provided with a stand where the Marine band discourses the latest melodies.

The park was donated to the village by the late Abraham Breath, subsequently a resident of Alton. The bank of Marine has a capital of $25,000. The president is C. B. Munday; vice president, J. B. Farthing; cashier, O. H. Gehrs ; directors, Dr. J. B. Farthing, Louis Kolb, C. B. Munday, Geo. W. Wilson, Henry Junker, William May, C. Claven, Fred Schreiber.

The ladies of Marine keep abreast of the times in culture and progessive attainment. This finds expression in the handsome Chapter House of the American Woman's League which they maintain.

The civic administration of Marine is in the hands of Wm. Scheurer, president; trustees, Otto Gehrs, Aug. Van Dorsten, Wm. Weber, Charles Meyer, C. D. Talleur, Otto Neudecker. William Brandes has served many years as village clerk. L. A. Richardson is counsellor. The village has an excellent newspaper, the Marine Telegram, published by a stock com¬ pany. L. C. Heim is the editor. He is a gifted and versatile journalist and also fish warden for this district.

Among the leading Germans who came to Marine in early days were W. H. Gerke, father of Judge H. C. Gerke, who arrived in 1831. Val. Mueller, who also came in the thirties; Val. May, in 1846, the Kaufmans in 1842; Henry Hoyer, the oracle of the village and a most genial gentleman, came in 1844, and is an authority on the early families.

A remarkable tragedy shocked the good peo¬ ple of Marine in the summer of 1910. The story, in brief, is as follows, as developed by testimony in court: A plumber named John Burton, of Alton, a young man of good charac¬ ter, came to Marine to do the plumbing work for a builder. After finishing his job in the evening he started for the depot to return home, but by some mischance missed his train. He had been paid for his work and had some

$27.00 in his pocket book. He returned to the village and entered the saloon of Leo Wentz, where he remained for some time. Besides the saloon keeper he met a man named Louis Wipprecht. He told of having missed the train, and the two men proposed that he pass the night with them in a shed near the saloon. He agreed and the three retired to the shed where they lay down on the floor to sleep. Burton put his pocket book in his coat and placed the garment under his head. Dur¬ ing the night, he testified, he felt some one tak¬ ing his coat from under his head. All three were large powerful men, but Burton was a noted athlete and wrestler. He grappled with the intruder and a terrible struggle en¬ sued. The second man joined in the fray in aid of his comrade. The sequel was that Bur¬ ton got a strangle hold on each of his antagon¬ ists in turn and choked them until they ceased to struggle. He did not realize, at the time, that he had killed them, but, having freed himself, he went down the street until he came to a house where there was a light. He entered the house and told the inmates what had occurred. The alarm was given and a crowd gathered at the fatal spot, and found two men lying dead on the floor, both hav¬ ing been strangled. Great excitement en¬ sued and Burton was hurried to Edwardsville by the officials in an automobile. The tragedy occurred on the 17th day of August. Burton was indicted at the next Oc¬ tober term of the circuit court, but his attor¬ ney, Col. John J. Brenholt, of Alton, procured his release on a $15,000 bond. The trial was postponed until the January, 1911, term of court, when, after an exciting trial, lasting three days, Burton was acquitted on his plea of self defense. Many witnesses were sum¬ moned but no one, of course, had seen the fear¬ ful encounter in the dark and the plea of the ac¬ cused that he had acted in self defense of his own life could not be shaken. The evidence submitted by the defense was sufficient to con- vince the jury and their verdict was doubtless a just one. The pocket book was never found. The case was ably prosecuted by J. F. Gillham, state's attorney, and the defense success¬ fully conducted by Col. Brenholt.

The first organized church society in the township was the Presbyterian. It was con¬ stituted November 2, 1833, with sixteen mem¬ bers. The first pastor was Roswell Brooks, followed in the early days by Robert Blake,

Thos. Lippincott, Jas. R. Dunn and other pio¬ neer preachers. The first elders were: James Breath, James M. Nichols and George W. Welsh. A frame meeting house was built in 1851. Prior to that all denominations used the same building. From 1864 to 1879 and per¬ haps later, the maintenance of the church and Sunday school was mainly due to the labors and devotion of Elder Lewis Potter and wife. The churches now existing in Marine are St. Elizabeth Catholic church, the German Evan¬ gelical and the Christian, all having com¬ modious houses of worship.