Venice, Illinois

A straggling village was commenced on the island opposite the present village soon after the running of the ferryboat Brooklyn, and in 1841 the name of Venice was given the place by Dr. Cornelius Campbell, who, in conjunction with Charles F. Stamps, laid out the town. It was made a matter of record November 22d, 1841. Its progress and reverses have already been presented up to its complete annihilation in 1851. For years thereafter its growth was slow. June 24th, 1873, an election was held to determine whether the town should be incorporated. It resulted in seventy-nine votes for and one against incorporation. Prior to this a public meeting was held June 6th, 1873, to consi. ler the propriety of an incorporation under the General Laws of the State. A petition was drawn up, and thirtyseven residents signed it. The act of incorporation was consummated June 28, 1873, and Henry Robinson, Joseph Froehly, Theodore Selb, Francis McCambridge, William R iberts and John Kaseberg were elected members of the first board of trustees July 22d, 1873. Henry Robinson was chosen jresident, and Thomas "W. Kinder secretary. At present the members are: Henry Robinson, J. Fxoehly, Theodore Selb, Fred Kohl, Frank McCambridge. Henry Robins m. president, and C. S. Youree, clerk. Several of the first elected members have served continually since. Under the management of the Board improvements of a valuable character in the way of grading and macadamizing have been set on foot and successfully prosecuted. The jSIethodist Episcopal church building was erected in 1870, at a ost of 81,500. Seating capacity, 300. Catholic church, built 1881-'2, is an attractive house of public worship. Venice has long been proud of her graded school. The building occupies a pleasant site, half a mile from the principal business street of the village, and is a handsome two story brick edifice, well adapted to its uses. It was erected in 1868. The Venice Elevator was erected in 1871 by a stock company. Messrs. R. P. Tansey and John J. Mitchell were the prime movers, as they have since been the earnest ab-tturs of the enterprise. At first its capacity was 300,000 bushels grain. During the year 1881 this was doubled, so that the present capacity is 600.000 bushels. During the year 1881 over 3,000,000 bushels wheat were handled here. Its accessibility to both rail and river will commend it to shippers, so that a prosperous future awaits it.

Passage source: History of Madison County, Illinois ... With Biographical Sketches .., published 1882.

The Venice Branch Union Stock Yards were established in 1874. They have a capacity for handling ten thousand head of hogs and five thousand head of cattle. W. A. Ramsay, Manager ; J. J. Fletcher, Superintendent. In the matter of mills Venice has been unfortunate. Bell Bros., of Indianapolis, Indiana, erected an extensive saw-mill on the banks of the Mississippi, on the original town site of Venice, in 1877. It had a capacity for rawing from eighteen to twenty thousand feet of lumber per diem, and gave employment to twenty-five men. In 1882 it was moved to Memphis. The Venice Flouring Milh were built by Glenn Bros, in 1871, at a cost of 822,000. They were afterward doubled in capacity, and 823,000 were expended in additional machinery and building. They had five run of burrs, and were capable of turning out tour hundred barrels of flour daily. Keohler Bros, were the proprietors. On the 13th of March, 1882, they were entirely destroyed by fire.

Passage source: History of Madison County, Illinois ... With Biographical Sketches .., published 1882.

The population of the town of Venice, according to the census of 1880, was 613. Its future is bright with promise. Its railroad facilities are constantly being increased. Its manufactories just commencing to attract attention, will make Venice in time a large suburb of St. Louis.

Passage source: History of Madison County, Illinois ... With Biographical Sketches .., published 1882.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Venice Township.