Atlanta Township (part 4 of 4)

Ahram V. Scott, contractor and builder, of Atlanta, Illinois, was born December 6, 1824, in Onondaga County, New York, a son of Benjamin and Hannah Scott. His father is deceased, and his mother is now a resident of Syracuse, New York. He lived on a farm in his native county till eighteen years of age, when he began learning the carpenter's trade, which he has since followed. September 6, 1849, he was married to Harriet N. Shoudy, a daughter of Henry Shoudy, of Onondaga County. Five children have been born to them - Ansel F., Albert M., Ella M., Edgar H. and Nellie G. Ella is deceased. In 1856 Mr. Scott moved with his family to Logan County, Illinois, and located at Atlanta where for many years he has been one of the leading contractors and builders. He has served as a director of Atlanta public schools lor six years, and for four years was city alderman. He is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, serving as local preacher for many years, and also as class-leader and steward. Mr. Scott gives liberally of his means to the support of his church and all public enterprises for the good of his adopted county.

SiTrmi B. Scott, merchant at Atlanta, is a native of Scotland, born November 7, 1823. "When he was seven years old he came with his parents, George T. and Sarah B. Scott, to America, and first located in Ehode Island. In 1843 the family removed to Logan County, Illinois, and settled on section 26, Eminence Township. In 1852 they removed to Tazewell County, Illinois, where Mrs. Scott died, her husband surviving till 1882. Of their family of nine children seven are living - Elizabeth, Sarah, George, John, "William, Frank, and Simon B., our subject. The latter followed agricultural pursuits till 1879 when he came to Atlanta and engaged in the mercantile business which he has since successfully followed. Jnne 18, 1851, he was married to Nancy Bruner, a daughter of David Bruner, of Eminence Township, Logan County. To them have been born six children - Sarah E., Ada L., OUie B., Fannie F., Mary and Emma. Mary and Emma are deceased. In politics Mr. Scott casts his suffrage with the Republican party. "While a resident of Eminence Township he held the office of treasurer of that township.

James Shores, senior member of the mercantile firm of Shores & Sumner, was born November 20, 1823, in "Wayne County, IlliiMjis, a son of Hiram and Tincy Shores, who were natives of TeuTiessee. He was reared to- manhood in his native county, and obtained a good common-school education. Alter completing his education he tanght seven years in the public schools of Sangamon and Logan counties. He came to Atlanta in 1856 where he has since been variously engaged. The present firm of Shores & Sumner is prospering under his good business management and is meeting with success. December 1, 1849, Mr. Shores was married to Louisa Ewing, a daughter of Joseph and Henrietta Ewing, who were early settlers of Logan County. Six of the eight children born to this union are still living - Arthur J., Alice, Frank, James

C, Georgie and Fern. Mr. Shores has been a director of the Atlanta public schools for years. He has also served as city alderman and for one year he held the office of mayor. He is a consistent member of the Christian church. In politics he is a Prohibitionist.

John A. Snook, a prominent farmer of Atlanta Township, was born March 11, 1820, in Frederick County, Maryland, a son of John and Elizabeth Snook. His parents had a family of five children of whom four are yet living - George, William, Jacob B., and John A. Our subject received but a limited education, and from his youth he has devoted his time to agricultural pursuits which he has followed with success. He left Maryland when eleven years old and went to Muskingum County, Ohio, remaining there several years. He then located in Miami County, where he was married to Alchee Hendricks, a daughter of Albert Hendricks. Of the family of twelve children born to this union eight are living - George "W"., Mary E. , Esther Y., Nancy J., Miranda, Joseph, Jacob and Thomas. Mr. Snook removed from Ohio with his family to Jay County, Indiana, residing there several years. In 1864 he came to Illinois and settled in McLean County, and in the fall of 1866 he removed to Atlanta Township, Logan County, where he still resides. He has a fine farm of 336 acres of land all in a high state of cultivation. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.

Sylvester Strong, an old settler of Atlanta Township, was bom September 3, 1805, in Cincinnati, Ohio, a son of Nathaniel and Loas Strong. When he was an infant he was taken by his grandparents, Noah and Susannah Strong, to Greene County, Ohio, and there he was reared, and received a limited education in the early district schools. He was married November 6, 1828, in Ohio, to Elizabeth Downey, a native of Greene County, born September 3, 1809, a daughter of James and Mary Downey. Three children have been born to this union - John, Mary J. and Emma. The latter is deceased. In 1836 Mr. Strong moved with his family from Ohio to what is now Logan County, Illinois, and entered 160 acres of land in Atlanta Township, on a part of which he still resides. Mr. Strong has been successful in his farming pursuits, owing to his industry and excellent management. He has now a fine farm containing eighty acres of valuable land. In politics he is a Eepublican. Mr. Strong has always taken an interest in every enterprise which he deemed of benefit to his adopted county, and

Andrew Turner, a prominent stock dealer of Atlanta, was born February 24, 1827, a native of Indiana. He is a son of Robert and Catherine Turner, the former a native of Tennessee, and the latter born in South Carolina. The family came to Illinois in 1830, and located in what is now Menard County. In 1831 they removed to De Witt County, remaining there several years. In 18i3 Robert Turner went to Jo Daviess County, his family following him there the next year. During the gold excitement of 1849 he, with several of his sons, including our subject, went to California where he died in 1852. He had a family of eleven children of whom only two survive - Andrew and Charles M. Andrew, the subject of this sketch, returned from California in 1853, and March 4, 1855, he was married to Emma Strong, a daughter of Sylvester and Elizabeth Strong. Two children have been born to them - Lillie J. and Josephine. Josephine is deceased. Mrs. Turner died in 1866, and Mr. Turner was again married, April 14, 1869, to Ella W. Briggs, she being a daughter of J. S. and Amanda Briggs, of Tazewell County, Illinois. The cliildren of this union are - Clyde and Ray. Mr. Turner has served one year as city alderman. He is a member of the Baptist and his wife of the Christian church. In politics he votes the Republican ticket. He is the owner of seventy acres of fine land, located inside the limits of Atlanta.

Charles M. Turner, a resident of Atlanta, is engaged in dealing in and shipping stock. He is a son of Robert and Catherine Turner, and is a native of Illinois, born in De Witt County, September 15, 1835. He received a common-school education, and when a boy he came with his parents to Logan County, where he has since lived, with the exception of the time he spent in California, and in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. December 18, 1856, he was united in marriage to Mary J. Strong, a daughter of Sylvester Strong, of Atlanta Township, Logan County. Six children have been born to this union, five of whom are yet living - Benjamin, Carrie, William, John and Emma. Mr. Turner has been engaged in his present business for many years, which by his good management he has made a success. He is a member of Atlanta Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and in politics he afiSliates with the Republican party.

James Tuttle, an old settler of Atlanta Township, was born in Athens County, Ohio, December 16, 1806. His parents, Chandler and Jane (Neal) Tuttle, were natives of New England, and early settlers of Ohio. They had a family of seven children, of whom three are living - James, Abigail and Cyrus. After the death of his first wife Chandler was married to Catherine Baldwin by whom he had six children. Our subject lived in his native county till about ten years of age, when he moved with his parents to Greene County where he was reared to manhood. He was married in Ohio, March 25, 1830, to Harriet Hatch, and of the six children born to this union three are living - Guy H., Thomas D. and Electa J. Francis M., Margaret and an infant unnamed are deceased. Francis M. served in the late war about three years. He was a First Lieutenant in the Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry. Mrs. Tuttle died September 5, 1866, and Mr. Tuttle was married July 24, 1873, to Emma (Hatch) Turner, who was born in December, 1809. Mr. Tuttle is an energetic and progressive farmer and has met with excellent success in his agricultural pursuits. He is the owner of a fine farm containing 140 acres. In 1847 he was a member of the Old State Constitutional Convention, and for several years served as supervisor of Atlanta Township. In politics he is a Republican.

_ Peter Weed, of Atlanta, is a native of Cayuga County, New York, born April 24, 1795. His parents, Gilbert and Margaret Weed, were natives of Connecticut and New York States respectively. Our subject was reared to manhood in his native State, and received a rudimentary education in the schools of that early day. From his youth he has always followed agricultural pursuits. In 1838 he came to Bloomington, Illinois, remaining there some time. He came to what is now known as Logan County as early as 1843, settling in Atlanta Township, where he still makes his home. He has been twice married, first in New York State to Clarissa Barber, and of eight children born to this union four are living - Caroline M., Phoebe, Lucy A. and Theodore. His second marriage occurred August 27, 1872, to Mrs. Elenora (Pritchett) Buclianan. Mrs. Weed had by her first marriage two daughters - Ida and Eliza. Mr. Weed at one time owned 600 acres of land, occupying the present site of Normal, Illinois, which land he bought at an early day for $1.25 per acre. Notwithstanding his advanced years Mr. Weed is enjoying good health, and he may yet live to be a centenarian. In politics he aifiliates with the Democratic party.

Bosanna White, were natives of New York and Ohio respectively, and when he was a boy he removed with them to Olney, Richland County, Illinois. He received a ^ood education, attending for nearly three years the Illinois Industrial University at Champaign. At the age of eighteen years he began studying telegraphy, and has since filled the position of telegraph operator and station agent at various stations, on several different railway lines, and was for a time agent for the Illinois Midland Railway at Atlanta. He resigned a similar position at Oakland, Illinois, in 1883, to engage in his present mercantile trade at Atlanta, His wife, Kate D., is a daughter of W. S. Dunham, of Atlanta. Mr. and Mrs. White have had three children born to them, two of whom are living - Ada F. and Harry W. In polities Mr. White affiliates with the Republican party. He is a member of the Odd Fellows order.

Source changes here: from History of Logan County Illinois, by Lawrence B. Stringer, published 1911; 5,774 words in this source stream.

Atlanta Township

Another boom town was that of Albany. It was located near Rocky Ford, on the west half of the southeast quarter of section six, and the west half of the northeast quarter of section seven, in township nineteen, north, range three west. The proprietors were John Wright and John Donavan and it was surveyed June 16, 1836, by no less a personage than Abraham Lincoln, later President of the United States. Salt Creek divided the proposed new city into two parts, thus providing excellent drainage, besides giving the' city advertising value, in being located upon a running river. The town as laid out contained fourteen blocks, six belonging to Wright and eight to Donavan. As far as known, the town was always a paper town, no buildings having been erected therein, but the original lot sale was good and transfers of lots continued down, until the fifties, two lots having been sold in 1852, by Ezekiel Bowman to Henry Peck. The lots were not high priced, as the following figures, annexed to the names of certain purchasers in 1836, would indicate: David Enslow, two lots, $40.50; William M. Glenn, one lot, $14.50; William B. Brown, one lot, $13.50;

Town Of Madison

There were two towns by the name of Madison laid out in the county, both in the year 1836. One was located in what is now Chester township, on the east half of the northeast quarter of section twentyseven, on the Lincoln and Mt. Pulaski road, near what was afterwards known as Yankeetown. This town was laid out by one William Carpenter and was surveyed, April 11, 1836, by T. M. Neale, then County Surveyor of Sangamon County, the chain carriers being recorded as Alex Morrow and William Vandeventer. This town contained nineteen blocks. The streets were named Washington, Jefferson,' Madison, Monroe, and from First to Seventh Streets. The plat was vacated, however, by the proprietor, six years later, the venture not having proven a success. Still some lots were sold and when township organization was adopted, in the county, the township, in which the proposed town of Madison had once been located, was called Madison township, in honor of the old town, but was subsequently changed to Chester. There is a cemetery now upon the old site. In August 23, 1836, another town of the name of Madison was laid out, in what is now known as Prairie Creek. That two towns of the same name should be laid out, in the same year, and only some fifteen miles apart, is perhaps due to the fact that, while both were laid out in what is now Logan County, at that time one was in Sangamon and the other in Tazewell County, and probably the proprietors of neither knew of the other. Former President Madison had just died, full of honor and renown, and his was a name with which to conjure. The second town of Madison was laid out by Horace Johnson and Norman H. Purple, of Pennsylvania, and its lots were intended for sale in the East. It was located on the southeast quarter, of section seventeen, township twenty-one, range four. On paper, it contained forty-two blocks, boasted of a Washington Square, had streets lettered from A to G and numbered from First to Sixth. Later, the proprietors assigned their interests in the town, to John B. Sloan, Benjamin M. Robinson and John C. Flanagan. The town never materialized. Its old site was across the road from the present Victory school house and not far from the Prairie Creek town hall.

Town Of Richmond

There was an old platted town of Richmond, in what is now Logan County, which preceded the town lot boom by nearly two years. It also preceded the laying out of Bloomingdale by the same number of years. Richmond was laid out in 1834, Bloomingdale in 1836. Bloomingdale was laid out but a quarter of a mile from the site of Richmond, and the idea of the best location for Bloomingdale was iprobably suggested by the location of the older town. Richmond was surveyed, Aug. 30, 1834, by Thomas C. Wilson, on the west half of the northeast quarter of section thirty-one, north, range two west, then a part of Tazewell County, now of Logan. The proprietor of the town was one Achilles M. Haden, of St. Louis. The plat shows the town to have consisted of nine blocks, with a public square in the center and the streets were named Main, Richmond, Washington and Pine. The first lot sold was on the northeast corner of the public square, 85 feet front, to Daniel Lantis, an early Logan County settler, for twenty-five dollars. All the other lots were subsequently sold, mostly to people in the East. A transfer of a lot described as "Lot Number 15, North of the Publick Square, in Richmond," was made as late as August 3, 1846.

Town Of Rushbrook

The town of Rushbrook was laid out in 1834 and also anticipated the town lot boom. It was located on sections nine and sixteen, in what is now Eminence township, on the southeast quarter of the former section and the northeast quarter of the latter. It was located on Sugar Creek, from which it received its euphonious name, and was about a mile or so from what is now known as the Gold Springs. It was surveyed May 6, 1834, by the Deputy Surveyor of Tazewell County, Thomas C. Wilson. It contained thirty-two blocks and its principal streets were named Main, Middle, North, South, East and West. Its proprietor was Alfred Orendorff.

Town Of London

The Town of London was located on the northeast quarter of section fifteen, in what is now Aetna township. It was surveyed by Thomas R. Skinner, County Surveyor of Logan County, Nov. 3, 1839, being about the first of his official acts, as first Surveyor of the county. It was surveyed for James Randolph, who was the proprietor. The chain carriers were Brooks Randolph and Lemuel Woodward. It contained six blocks and the streets were named Washington, Lafayette, Half and Main. The principal road now running from section fifteen, to the east side of the county, was originally laid out from Main Street of the Town of London.

In some respects the history of Atlanta runs in parallel grooves with that of the county seat. The same condition which created Lincoln created Atlanta, namely, the laying of the Chicago and Alton highway of commerce through the heart of the state. One of the first railroads in the state, it was the first to penetrate Logan County and simultaneous with its establishment the cities of Lincoln and Atlanta were platted and laid out and for several years their growth was parallel. If any difference there was up to 1857, it was Atlanta that was in the lead. After that Lincoln, being the county seat, had the advantage and forged ahead. As Postville, laid out in 1835, was the antecedent of Lincoln, so also was New Castle the antecedent of Atlanta.

Town Of New Castle

In the year of the town boom craze, along with Mt. Pulaski, a year later than Postville and contemporaneous with Bloomingdale, Albany (surveyed by Abraham Lincoln), Madison and Eminence and other now forgotten towns of Logan County, the town of New Castle was laid out on Section 28, of present Atlanta township, by Timothy B. Hoblit and James Allen, Dec. 2, 1836. The former had come from Ohio in 1829 and entered land in that vicinity. The immediate land upon which New Castle was located had been owned by George Forquer, a half brother of Gov. Thomas Ford and later attorney general of Illinois. The town was located on the old stage line between Springfield and Bloomington and it was platted into 150 lots, the streets "on the plat" being named respectively, White, Tremont, Harrison, Van Buren, Jackson, Webster, Main and McLean. The surveyor was Elbert Dickison. The first purchasers of lots were John Nimmo, Cheney Spear, Mahlon S. Hoblit, Cornelius Lambert and Thomas H. Gellatly. New Castle boasted of several stores, a blacksmith shop, and a few residences. The Baptists built a church here in 1839, the first pastor being Rev. J. D. Newell.

The following list of names are found subscribed to a petition for the sale of school lands in the Congressional township in 1841 and will indicate the settlers in and around New Castle at that early date:

Samuel Hoblit, William Gard, Thomas Larison, William Bonine, Samuel Bevan, Henry Hornbaker, John E. Hoblit, John Druly, Ezekiel Hedges, Benjamin Shipley, Isaac A. Dungan, J. D. Tinney, James Shipley, Adam Stephens, Fleming Lynch, W. H. Seward, A. K. Martin, James Hedges, Harvey Turner, James Downey, Sylvester Strong, Samuel Jones, William Houchins, William Foley, Cornelius Lambert, Andrew Fogg, John Wintine, Elisha Bushnell, Jesse Dobby, J. P. Dunham, Joseph M. Cantrall, John Cline, O. T. Crawford, James Barr, Zebulon Cantrall, M. S. Bushnell, Edwin E. Bushnell, John Miller, William Dyer, George Dyer, Henry Williams, Raymond C. Rathbone, Charles Council, Noah Snedaker and Sampson Rees. There were exactly 58 legal voters in the township at that time. Soon after Atlanta was laid out, in 1853, about a mile and a quarter to the northwest of New Castle, the latter town, stores, people and the church, moved into Atlanta.

Town Of Xenia

The town of Atlanta was surveyed and platted, May 22, 1853. The town was not platted, however, as Atlanta, but as Xenia. The proprietors were Richard T. Gill, Morgan Williams and Calvin Riley, but Richard T. Gill was the real promoter. Mr. Gill had come to Illinois in 1840 and had located in Pekin, Tazewell County. He was sheriff of Tazewell County from 1846 to 1850. He came to Logan County in 1852 and early in 1853, having ascertained that the Alton & Sangamon (now the Chicago & Alton) railroad was to be extended from Springfield to Bloomington, he bought of Lemuel Evans, who had entered it, the land on which Atlanta now stands. The proposed new town was surveyed on Section 20, of what is now Atlanta township, by the county surveyor of Logan County, Conaway Pence. As surveyed, the town included 59 blocks and 383 lots. Lots were placed on sale on June 23, 1853, although the railroad was not completed until in the fall. When completed to Atlanta a construction train with two or three coaches made daily trips from Alton and Frink & Company's stages and carried Chicago passengers from Atlanta to Bloomington. The town was first called Xenia at the suggestion of some of the earlier settlers thereabouts, who had come from in and about Xenia, Ohio. The town continued to be called Xenia until 1855, when it was discovered that another town in Illinois had prior claims to the name, and the name Hamilton was suggested, but on application for a postoffice, it was discovered that that name had also been pre-empted. Mr. Gill, who had some time previously visited Atlanta, Georgia, and had been attracted by the town, suggested that the town be called Atlanta and the name was adopted. A short act passed by the Legislature, Feb. 14, 1855, recites: "That from and after the passage of this act, the name of the town of Xenia in Logan County shall be and the same is hereby changed to Atlanta." There was no town government in existence while the town was known as Xenia.

Among those purchasing Xenia lots were: Lewis Eichberg, Wm. A. Downey, James Lambert, John Young, W. S. Leonard, Charles Reise, J. J. Williams, Peter Miller, J. H'. Paullin, John E. Hoblit, Wm. Murphy, Dan Proctor, James Tuttle, Ambrose Hall, Hezekiah Armington, M. L. Fuller, C. C. Keifer, Harvey Turner, W. H. Booker, John Kaufman, J. Q. A. Lewis, A. N. Dills, Philip Foust, W. Deuterman, James Conden, J. R. Ash, A. C. Rankin, George J. Reid, H. C. Montgomery, J. Strong, J. Hamilton, John King, J. S. Greene, Augustus Reise, E. H. Dunnegan, P. Eiterman, B. P. Dalzell, George Dyer, George Denman, J. B. Hunt, George I. Harry, A. L. Waldon, Isaac Gray, Henry Carpenter, Sarah Parker, James Bailey, Peter Bruner, David Howser, J. H. Ball, A. D. Morgan, Joseph Waldon, James Lindsey, J. B. Tenney, Daniel Small, John Jordan and Wm. P. Hunt. The first building in the town was erected by Mr. Gill, at the corner of Vine and Railroad streets. Shortly after, he erected a store building. Other buildings, both for stores and residences went up thick and fast. During 1853 twenty houses were erected, several store buildings and two warehouses. A large school building was erected in 1853, being one of the first structures in the town. The school was chartered Feb. 14, 1855, as Atlanta Seminary; Samuel Bevan, Lemuel Foster, James Tuttle, A. C. Rankin and R. T. Gill being the first trustees. At the end of the year 1855 the town contained over 100 houses and a population of 500. It claimed five dry goods stores, two drug stores, two groceries, four warehouses and a hotel conducted by John Young.

Town Of Atlanta

As before stated by legislative act of Feb. 14, 1855, the name of the town of Xenia was changed to Atlanta. At the same time the town of Atlanta was formally incorporated and the incorporation act provided for government by five trustees and a president of the board, the board to have control of the schools. Before this incorporation there had been a voluntary organization of citizens, known as "the Big Grove rangers," which did effective work in preserving law and order. The first election in the town of Atlanta took place April 2, 1855, and resulted as follows: President, Richard T. Gill; trustees, A. N. Dills, A. K. Martin, William P. Hunt, William S. Leonard and Cornelius Lambert. The first meeting of the board was held April 7th, when the following officers were appointed: J. Henry Ball, clerk; Elza H. Dunagan, constable; Hezekiah Armington, street commissioner. The officers in 1856 were as follows: A. N. Dills, president; A. K. Martin, Cornelius Lambert, A. W. Morgan, Jefferson Howser and Hezekiah Armington, trustees; Harrison Maltby, treasurer; A. J. Turley, attorney; W. W. Higgs, constable; M. C. Hicks, street commissioner. In 1855 the seminary was opened with 75 students, the first instructor being Rev. L. Foster. Additions to the town plat were made in 1855, as follows: John M. Gill and A. M. Morgan's addition, 21 blocks; R. T. Gill's west addition, 27 blocks ; Gill's and Haughey's addition, 18 blocks and Downey's addition, 4 lots. To these in 1856 were added Druley's addition, 19 lots; Wm. P. Hunt's addition; Tenney's addition, 5 blocks; Peter Weed's addition, 2 blocks; Hall and Donnegan's addition, 9 blocks and Boynton Tenny's addition, 10 acres. In 1855 the Baptists erected the first church building on the town site, followed shortly after by the Christians, the Congregationalists and the Methodists. In 1855 buildings began to spring up like magic and from March Ist to June Ist of that year amounted to an average of ten houses per week. During the summer of 1855 there were 155 houses erected, and the town had ten dry goods stores, two drug stores, three furniture stores, two harness shops, three groceries, a hardware, two hotels and a variety of mechanical shops. The population was estimated at 1,200.

A Boom Town

The Logan County Forum, established by S. B. Dugger in July of 1855, was,not only the first paper published in Atlanta, but the first paper published in Logan County. In an issue in 1856 appeared the following description of conditions in Atlanta that year: 'Atlanta is still going ahead. We have a population now that no one places below 1,500. We have eleven dry goods stores, five groceries, three clothing stores, four furniture stores, a book store, a bank, two hardware stores, five grain warehouses, a boot and shoe store, three hotels, two liveries, two saddleries, two jewelry stores, two tailor shops, a cabinet shop, two carriage and wagon shops, three blacksmith shops, a steam mill, a large steam planing mill, a printing office, two bakeries and a beer saloon. We have four lawyers, seven physicians, four ministers and one dentist. The Baptists have a large and beautiful place of worship and 120 members; Rev. E. J. Thomas, pastor. The Congregationalists have a good society of from 40 to 50 members and will erect a church building next year; Rev. L. Foster, pastor. The Methodists have a good society of from 60 to 70 members and have a large house of worship in course of construction; Rev. Mr. Bartholow, minister in charge. The Reformers or Christians have a society of about 75 members; they have a good church building nearly ready for use. The Cumberland Presbyterians also have an organization. We have three schools with an average attendance of over 200 pupils. They are well conducted and have the best of instructors employed. The amount of goods, wares, etc., sold, approximate about as follows: Dry goods, $175,000; lumber, $40,000; furniture, $12,000; stoves and hardware, $20,000; groceries, $12,000; agricultural implements, $8,000; saddlery, $8,000; total, $275,000. There have been delivered here the following amounts of produce: Wheat, 176,840 bushels @ $1.20, $212,208; corn, 86,000 bushels @ 22 cents, $19,920; pork, $90,000; oats, 11,000 bushels @ 25 cents, $2,750; beef cattle, $20,000 ; total, $364,000. We notice a countless number of larger sized buildings going up; among them the three-story, sixty-feet-square brick, just built by H. Armington, on the corner of Vine and Railroad streets, the four story hotel of G. A. Colton on Vine street, the large warehouse of Dill & Houser, with steam elevators for handling grain, two new churches and 80 or go other stores and residences in process of construction. Notwithstanding the number of doctors 'here, there is no place in the west which will show a healthier record than Atlanta. The land on which the town is situated was assessed in 1852 at about $1,200; in 1855, at over $200,000. The revenues of the town last year were over $1,200, which was all spent in public improvements. An ordinance has just been passed requiring sidewalks to be built on both sides of the most prominent streets, which will speedily be complied with. On Tuesday morning of last week, a train of 41 cars arrived at this place, principally loaded with lumber and drawn by two locomotives. It was followed by a second train of 18 cars."

A correspondent of the Springfield Register visiting the town in 1856 wrote to his paper: "We believe the growth of Atlanta is without a parallel in the county. Two years ago there was hardly a building in the place or within a mile of it. Now the village numbers 260 buildings and over 1,000 inhabitants. The buildings are all very good and many of them large and splendid, while all are painted. Being situated upon a prairie where trees have not had time to grow, the village is presented at a single view and looms up like a young city. Mr. Gill entered the town two and a half years ago at $1.25 per acre. He platted it and sold threefourths of the lots at prices merely nominal. By this policy, which is the only one that can build up a village rapidly, the remaining lots have become very valuable. He also sold a quarter section near the town for $5.00 an acre. Mr. Gill has made, we are informed, within two years, $75,000. During the month of August there were sent out of Atlanta on cars 42,000 bushels of wheat and 7,000 bushels of corn. Atlanta may be put down as one of the first class villages of the west."

A communication in the Chicago Tribune in the same year 1856, on the subject of Atlanta, was to the following effect: "Before I visited this renowned place, I had heard much said about it, its business and the country it was supported by, that I almost came to the conclusion that it had only been represented on the bright side, but I confess that I was surprised to find so much of a town and so much done here in the way of business. The place was staked out and the first lots exposed to sale on June 22, 1853, by R. T. Gill, of Pekin, who removed to this point and made it his home. At this time the people of this region of country did their trading at Pekin and Waynesville. The railroad was not completed until late in the season and winter came on and found some 15 or 20 houses on the spot. Business commenced pouring in however and it was found it required more men and more house room. The season of 1854 came on and it will be remembered that in Central and Southern Illinois, the crops were cut short by the drouth, but manifest destiny had written the word city upon the spot and it must be fulfilled. During 1854 about 100 houses were built and in 1855 about 150 more were added. According to my figures Atlanta has about 300 houses and a population of about 1,200, all of whom have found their way here ina little over two years. Over 40 of these houses are business houses. The country for miles around this place is unsurpassed anywhere for fertility, beauty and state of cultivation. It is already densely populated and sends forward to Chicago and St. Louis as much produce as any county of the same extent in the state. Not less-than 110,000 bushels of wheat have been shipped from this point this season. I believe that Atlanta surpasses any town of its age in the state and it is not unreasonable to suppose that in a year or two it will begin to contest the title of Prairie City with its neighbor Bloomington."

Another correspondent, in the same year, wrote the Alton Courier, as follows: "Of all the towns it has been my fortune to visit, since I have been in the rambling trade, Atlanta possesses the largest share of the young American spirit of progressiveness. It is the largest town of its age I have ever seen. It was laid out in May of 1853, has now a population of about 1,500 and the amount of business that is done is immense. "Part of the cause of this extraordinary rapid growth may be found in the fact that the country around is extremely fertile and has been settled about 20 years. For five or six miles around, one-half the land is in cultivation and occupied by thrifty and prosperous farmers. Atlanta is situated on the level prairie a mile and a half from timber, on the line of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis railroad. R. T. Gill and Morgan Williams were the original proprietors. They laid out the town very regularly, with wide, straight streets and erected some very good buildings. The houses are nearly all frame and although mostly small, look very well. The citizens are intelligent, sociable and_ hospitable. They are nearly all Americans, anti-Nebraskans and for the legal prohibition of the liquor traffic by a large majority. From the obliging station agent, I learn that the shipments from here for the six months ending Dec. 31, 1855, was as follows: 129,363 bushels of wheat, 17,245 bushels of corn, 4,080 bushels of oats, 1,560 bushels of rye and barley, 240,000 pounds of dressed pork, 141 barrels of lard, 212 barrels of pork and 151,200 pounds of sundries. During this time the dealers were paid about $175,000 for wheat and $75,000 for pork. There are six grain dealers and one large pork packing establishment. There is a steam flouring mill and a large fanning mill factory. Vacant lots on the business streets are worth from $200 to $500 each and lots suitable for dwellings can be had for from $50 to $150. Within five miles of Atlanta, about one-third of the country is timber, the balance being level prairie,

From these extracts, taken from the issue of June 19, 1856, of the Logan County Forum, now in the possession of H. Cribfield, of Atlanta, it will be seen that at that time Atlanta was one of the boom towns of Illinois, and was known far and wide. Illinois was then counted a "Western State." Had Atlanta continued to grow in subsequent years as it did from 1854 to 1857, it would have been quite a metropolis by this time. Unfortunately the panic of the fall of 1857 dealt a disastrous blow to Atlanta's progress. Building ceased and many families moved away in 1858 and 1859 and a number of mercantile houses closed their doors. By 1860 Atlanta's population was 1,140 and has not materially increased since.

Early Business Concerns

Among the business concerns in Atlanta in 1857 were Shores, Hawes & Co., Ball & Gill, Hamilton & Dugger, A. K. Martin, Sherwood & Fields, Dunham & Maltby, Dills & Houser, Eichberg & Bro., Kirk & Haise, A. J. Ludlam & Co., Milner, Edes & Co., Milner & Co., John A. Crihfield, R. W. Burt, Ira A. Church, E. H. Dunnagan, Hicks & Co., W.N. Smith & Co., Owen Davis, G. B. Dugger, R. H. Killin, J. QO. A. Lewis, G. Mason & Co., J. S. Pallady, J. J. Palmer, John Warner, W S. Hunt, E. S. Wicklin, D. Houser & Sons, Martin & Reed, T. N. Gill & Co., J. H. Mulholland, J. L. Brown, E. Lane, C. H. Strathman, M. S. Hoblit, Johnson & Beymer, John Pallady, H. Armington, Burrit & Hayden, A. B. Sanford, J. C. Hoblit and the Logan House, conducted by Col. Worthington. A civic improvement society formed in 1856 had the following officers: President, A. W. Morgan; vice president, George L. Parker ; secretary, S. D. Fisher; treasurer, J. L. Dugger.

The first fire of any consequence in the new town occurred in 1857 and destroyed what was then known as the Atlanta House, the same being one of the early hotels. On July 4, 1859, a monster Fourth of July celebration was held in the town, which is noteworthy in view of the fact that Abraham Lincoln was present and delivered a short address. Full particulars of this occasion will be found in connection with the chapter on Abraham Lincoln and Logan County, where also will be found an account of Mr. Lincoln rehearsing his famous Freeport speech in the Lincoln-Douglas debate, in the Gill building in Atlanta, on the day prior to the delivery of that address. In 1860 the Atlanta Fair Association was organized and the first fair was held Oct. 9, 10, 11 and 12 of that year. An account of this enterprise, with its continuous success of a half century, is given in the chapter denominated "Agricultural." The fair was incorporated Feb. 15, 1861. R. T. Gill's warehouse burned Jan. 9, 1861, including 7,000 bushels of corn and 1,200 bushels of wheat. About this time also the Civil War broke out and few communities in the state

Early Fires

In 1865 fire again broke out in the town and laid waste all the buildings between Armington's block and Arch street. The same year, another equally disastrous fire destroyed other buildings in the business portion of the town, at which time the town records were unfortunately destroyed. A fire on the night of April 25, 1867, destroyed W. Mix & Company's hardware store, owned by Dr. Rankin; J. F. Hyde & Company's shoe store, owned by Alex Downey; Allen's drug store, owned by W. E. Dicks; Shores, Dunham & Company's store, loss $5,000, besides several other smaller buildings. A fire engine was shipped in from Bloomington or the town would have been destroyed. On July 7, 1867, another fire destroyed the remainder of the block left standing from the fire of April preceding. This fire destroyed Leonard's grocery store, Graser's grocery store, Hicks & James' warehouse, Seth Turner's warehouse, Dunlop's harness shop, Flugel's shoe shop, Mason's grocery, the Downey building, printing office, and other buildings. On July 11th, four days afterward, E. H. Tuttle's warehouse burned.

Following these fires new buildings were generally erected on the burned sites, among them a bank building by Frank Hoblit, a building by Alex Downey and the Union Hall building. The latter was constructed for a hall for general purposes, the first floor being store rooms. The incorporators of the Union Hall Association were Benjamin Bean, James Shores, Alex Downey, Charles B. Van Horn, A. C. Barnes, A. N. Dills and Morgan Williams. The association was incorporated Feb. 25, 1867. The Hawes' building and a Masonic hall was also erected about this time. In 1867 a company was also formed for the purpose of sinking a coal shaft. The boring for coal began Nov. 26th of that year and a good vein of coal was reached at a depth of 245 feet. Owing however to the great difficulty experienced in keeping out the water of the underground lake, the project, after repeated efforts, was abandoned.

The town form of government was relinquished in 1869 and a special act was passed by the Legislature March 11, 1869, creating the city of Atlanta. This act was to take effect upon its adoption by the voters. A vote was taken on the matter March 16th, there being 173 votes favorable to city organization and Ig against. A special election was held March 23 for the election of city officers with the following result: Mayor, Samuel H. Fields; clerk, J. Henry Ball; marshall, J. B. Ransdell; treasurer, L. James; assessor and collector, S. D. Fisher; attorney, William E. Dicks; street commissioner, J. Finfrock. The charter provided for three wards, with one alderman to each ward. The following aldermen were elected: First ward, W. P. Hunt; second ward, George Estabrook; third ward, E. Stuart. The last town officers were A. N. Dills, president; B. F. Gardner, A. J. Randolph, Charles Flugel, J. C. Dunlap, Seth Turner, trustees; treasurer, W. E. Dicks; constable, William Foltz; justice of the peace, Charles J. Ormsby. In 1869 the Atlanta Argus was established by Albion Smith.

At the same time that Atlanta was organized as a city the schools were reorganized under the state law as graded schools. The old Seminary building, which had been used as a high school since 1858, was sold to private parties and removed in 1870 and a three story building erected in its stead at a cost of about $30,000. (See chapter on "City Schools.'"') An electric light plant was established in 1895 and located near the C. & A. tracks south of the depot. Work began on the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur railroad in 1870, the same having been incorporated the year previous. The line was completed in 1874 and a history of this road, now part of the Vandalia system, as it bears upon the history of Atlanta, has been noted in the chapter denominated '"'Transportational."

Later Fires

In 1872 the Baptist church was destroyed by fire and on May 25, 1873, West, Fluss & Company's planing mill burned, at a loss of $7,000. On, April 5, 1874, the Armington three story brick block was destroyed by fire, at a loss of $12,000, and in November of 1876 another fire destroyed Dills & Houser's warehouse. In 1877 new buildings were erected on the sites of those which had burned. Murphy Hall was erected in 1878, as a result of the temperance movement of that year, it being named for Father Murphy, the founder of the Father Murphy Total Abstinence society. Another series of fires began in 1882. On July 5th of that year the freight depot of the Illinois Midland railroad burned. On Oct. 26, 1882, flames destroyed the Turner & Tuttle mills. These mills were built of brick and stone in 1868, by Harvey Turner and J. A. Hoblit, and cost $30,000. At the same time, Armington's elevator, with a capacity of 15,000 bushels of grain, was destroyed by fire. The Atlanta House and the M. E. church were on fire but the flames were extinguished. In 1885 Barnett's carpenter shop and Hilpert's wagon shop were burned and in November of the same year the Cumberland Presbyterian church was consumed. On March 23, 1887, fire also destroyed a row of seven frame buildings on the corner of Vine and Arch streets. These fires resulted in the establishment of the first water works plant in Atlanta in 1887, the same being established by private parties and wells being sunk at the location of the abandoned coal mine. A movement was begun in 1891, looking to the purchasing, by the city, of the water works plant or the establishment, by the city, of a new system. The proposition was submitted to the voters, Sept. 7, 1891, for the issuance of bonds for a city plant and the same was approved by a vote of three to one. A lot was purchased adjoining the old well on the south and a large tube well sunk. A pumping station was also established and a tower erected in 1892. In 1881 the Catholic church edifice was erected and in 1885 the Baptist society erected a new church, at a cost of $4,500, on the site of the one burned in 1872.

The first rural free postal delivery route in Logan County was established out of Atlanta Dec. 4, 1899. The carrier was A. E. Mountjoy and there were 105 families on the route. The route ran north from Atlanta by way of George Verry's, Kenby Elbert Stroud's, W. N. Mountjoy's, Walter Beverly's, the Dempsy farm, George Burt's, Allen Quisenberry's, the Emden road, the Hoerr road, the Pekin Hill road, the Gilbert bridge, the Roades road, the Ludlam corner, John W. Adam's place and back to Atlanta. The second and third routes also ran out of Atlanta, John E. Larison being the first carrier of the former route and Milam Perky first carrier of the latter route. General rural free delivery was established in the county in 1906.

The high school building erected in 1870 succumbed to the flames in the summer of 1908. In its stead was erected in 1908 and 1909 one of the finest high school buildings in the state, a full account of which has been noted in the chapter on "City Schools."" The building was ready for occupancy in September of 1909. In 1906 the new library building was erected, the same being dedicated March 28, 1907. The population of Atlanta is about 1,350.

City Officials

The following is the list of aldermen fot the first, second and third wards respectively, the city council being comprised of three aldermen elected one from each ward annually: