Mermaid House Hotel

This beautiful and thriving little city is located on the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, twenty-two miles east of St. Louis, and about eleven miles north-east from Belleville, the county-seat. It is eligibly situated, on a gracefully sloping hill, and commands a fine view of the surrounding country. The city is nicely laid out, and contains many elegant residences. The streets are broad, with good side-walks, and well shaded. The south-east quarter of section nineteen, upon which the original town was laid out, was entered by Henry White, September 24, 1814. Thri first house was erected by Gillis Maddeaux. It was constructed of logs, and was situated in the south-eastern part of the town, but has long since disappeared. The next was erected by Joseph Akin, and stood just south-east of the present public square, on the lot now owned by Mrs. Flint. Joseph Hathaway built a two-story log cabin on west Main street where Neuman's saloon now stands. Thomas Ray, the proprietor of the west end of the town, built the next, a little west on the same block. Another log house was built just opposite these, on the sam 3 street by Nathan Horner. Adam Vinyard also built a house in the east part of town. The first store was established as early as 1818, by Gov. Kinney, and kept by his nephew, Abraham Kinney. Thomas Ray, Nathan Horner, Mulligan & Sublett, Samuel and Andrew Christy and James Riggin opened stores soon afterwards. These and perhaps a few more log buildings were erected on the present site of Lebanon prior to 1820- In that year Gov. Kinney erected the hotel « Veranda," which is still standing and forms a part of the Bishop House. It is brick, and in those days it was considered a very handsome building. This, then, became a stage stand, being located on the line of the Vincennes and St. Louis stage route. A post-office was established and mails were received by stage twice a day. About this time Gov. Kinney built an oxmill for grinding flour. In 1821 Col. E. B. Clempson erected the first frame house. This now forms a part of H. H. Horner's resi- 43 '

Passage source: History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With Illustrations ... and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1881.

The town was laid out by Gov. William Kinney and Thomas Ray. It was surveyed and platted by Aaron Reed, Jr., and filed in the office of county Recorder July 27, 1825. Since then there have been twenty-one additions made to the original plat. In 1828 there were not more than thirty cabins and houses in the place. There were two stores, one kept by Nathan Horner and the other by James Riggin, a grocery, or saloon, kept by Josiah Crocker, and a log school-house with oiled paper for windows, where school and religious meetings were held. The Lebanon Seminary (McKendree College) was also partially completed and the school established. In the fall of 1832 a large store-house was erected and a complete stock of general goods was opened by Horner and Hypes. Benjamin Hypes, of this firm, was born in Virginia in 1810, and came here from Ohio, and was an early and prominent business man from 1828 to 1863, and is still living here much esteemed by the community. Joseph Hypes, his brother, was also born in Virginia, in 1798. He came here as early as 1821, and engaged in the milling business, and subsequently in the manufacture of carriages and wagons. He is yet living, hale and hearty, at his residence in this city. James Riggin, a Tennesseean, was an early and enterprising merchant, and died here in 1858. His excellent wife survived him until a few years ago. Esquire Thomas Williams built a tannery establishment here in 1829, and operated it successfully and profitably for many years-. He died about 1865, and left a handsome estate. Lyman Adams, an old sea captain, built a hotel here in 1830, known as the "Mermaid House." He was also an early merchant, and an active business-man He died here in the decade of 1850. The hotel " Veranda," mentioned above, was first occupied by Jeremiah Johnson, a noted hotel-keeper. He was for many years proprietor of the old Missouri Hotel in St. Louis, and opened the " Veranda " in 1820, which he occupied until his death, about 1836. Theodore W. Gray, a native of Maryland, located in Lebanon in 1824 and engaged in the tailoring business, at which he acquired a competency, and is now enjoying a retired life, much respected by the citizens. These are a few of the very earliest and most successful business-men of the place.

Passage source: History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With Illustrations ... and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers, published 1881.

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Read the whole chapter on Lebanon Township - 36,345 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.