Stark County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Organization and Commissioners Court, 1887 (part 2 of 2)

Stark ( 'ountu and Its Pioneers is the title of this work, issued from the press of the Prairie Chief -aX Caml)ridge, 111., in 1876, and dedicated to the ]iioneer families of the country. Apart entirel}'^ from the ])raiKe wliich should be accorded to the writer or compiler of local history, this vokime should earn for its author both praise and thanks; for in it are found many items, which never could be obtained had she not made the effort prior to 1875. Again, the woi'k bears evidence of her desire to be exhaustive ; it is the result of two and a half years of literary work, and a testimonial for all time to her industrv and her a])preciation of what is due to the past, to the present and to the future. While the volume does not pretend to contain anything like the whole ]:)ioneer story of the county, it forms one of the most valuable contrilmtions to local history which has come under the notice of the writer since 1871, when he entered on historical work.

Pen sl'etches of service in the marine artiUery. In May. 1863 there was ])ublished at Toulon a little book by Oliver "White, under this title. His contributions to the press are generally well ])repared.

Tlis History of tJie 112t]i Pegt. III. Vol. Inf. was completed November 19, 1885, and issued from the press of the Starl' Countij News the same year. The ty])e, paj)er and binding reflect nmch credit on the book depai'tment of that office. Tiie work contains 480 ])ages of ])riiite(l mattei", devoted solely to the 112th i-egiment. The author. Captain I>. F. Thompson, treats his subject exhaustively and well. So thoroughly has his task been performed old comrades of his regiment, after reading the book, sit doAvn content as they did when Lee surrendered, and say : - 'AVe have no more to learn- - it is all there."

The historical addresses of the Hendersons, Miles A. Fuller, Millers, Martin Shallenberger and the historical reminiscences of AY. H. Adams and many others, credited with such stoi'ies in this work, have gone far to Vender the work of the historian light, aiul the benefits to their fellow citizens very material. Beliind all this there is a literary undercurrent prevailing in the county which is manifested in ])apers on s])ecial subjects, and in a few instances cai-ricd into ciiurch and other records.

I cannot leave this subject without touching on the ])oets and ])oetry of the cotmty. In a few instances their verses are introduced ill one or other of the various chapters: but beyond this, and it must be regretted, the character of this record-book will not })ermit their l)ublication. Many of the poets write under assumed names, such as, " Nina,'' while a few subscribe their full names - among whom are the Stewarts and StoufTers. From 185<'. to the ])resent time the county ]U'ess has contained very choice poems fi'om local poets.

Schools And Institute

but, like the poets, their labors must claim only a general notice. So, too, with the debating societies. Their logical contests cannot be recounted ; but in each case the names of the essayists and debators are given in the history of the townshi])s.

In music and })ainting, in law and medicine, the county will more than compare with any other 288 square miles of an equal population in the universe.