East Oakland Township

East Oakland Township

This enterprising little village is situated on the Illinois Midland Railroad, about twenty miles northwest from Paris. It was surveyed and laid out by Reubin Canterbury, County Surveyor, for Madison Ashmore, on the 12th of May, 1835. James Ashmore built the first residence in the village. McCord built a residence soon after the one built by Ashmore. Some say that McCord's was built before the village was laid out, while others hold to the fact as given above. The first store was kept by a man named McCleland Another was opened very soon after McCleland's, by a Mr. Trembly, but neither lasted long, and both "broke" in the business. Says the ^eraM reminiscence : "For the next four years, no goods of any kind, save what a peddler might bring in, were sold in Oakland. Our trading had to be done in Charleston or Paris. Not a spool nor a thread, nor even a pin, was to be had short of these towns. There was nothing here to buy goods with. Four-year-old steers went at $10 per head, and the only good horse we ever owned we bought for $50. Corn for many years never rated above 10 cents per bushel, and then was not considered a merchantable article."

The next effort at merchandising was made by Robert Mosely. In 1844, he opened a small stock of goods, and for a time had what little trade there was, all to himself. John Mills and R. T. Hackett were the next merchants, and about this time " Matt" Ashmore opened a kind of curiosity shop in Pemberton's old tavern stand. In the year 1847, Pemberton went into partnership Avith Mosely, and thus began their long partnership business. But we have neither time nor space to follow the mercantile business through its long and eventful career to the present time. Other points demand our attention.

The first tavern in Oakland was kept by Daniel Payne, soon after the laying-out of the village, and the next, perhaps, was kept by 'Squire Pemberton. The village at present has two first-rate hotels - the Oakland House, kept by H. A. Frederick, and the Union Hotel, by Mrs. Jones. The first post office was kept by McCleland, elsewhere mentioned as the first merchant. The present Postmaster is L. C. Thornton. The first blacksmith in the village was a man named Maxon, and his shop was a counterpart of that described by Longfellow, except that instead of the "spreading chestnut-tree" it stood under a spreading oak-tree. We are informed that it consisted mainly of a bellows and anvil, rigged up under an oak tree, and that there was no building belonging to it. The first doctor to practice in this section was of the name of Montague, but of him we learned but little. The next was perhaps Dr. H. Rutherford, who came here in 1840, and practiced the healing profession until he amassed quite a snug fortune, and physicians became so plenty that he could retire from a long life of laborious work.

In 1854, Clement & Clark built a steam-mill in the village of Oakland. It was a great institution in this primitive settlement, and people came for miles to see the engine work, and were frightened out of their wits when the steam blew off. A sash saw was added to it, but was soon dispensed with. The mill has several times changed proprietors and is now owned by John Burwell. The Smith mill, as it is called, is of rather recent building, and was put up by W. P. West some eight or ten years ago. The Herald's reminiscences thus speak of the originator of this last enterprise : " This man was what might be termed a fool for luck, and a spendthrift by nature. His father gave him a large farm at Culver's Grove. Getting embarrassed, he sold out, came down to this part of the country, and worried awhile with the McConkey mill. He next got hold of the Frank Williams' steam grist and saw mill. He succeeded in trading this worthless property to Thomas Kinney for a good farm in Edgar County. Selling the farm, he commenced building the mill before referred to, and at the same time he set up a grocery. About this time he succeeded in becoming guardian for the William Franklin heirs, for whom he drew pension money to the amount of $1,100. His luck continuing good, his grocery burnt down, and he received $1,500 of insurance. His borrowed money began pressing him and he sold out to his partner, W. 0. Smith, at a very good figure. If he had stopped here he would have had a good living remaining, but a man of the name of Foulke, of

Kansas, sold him an old rattle-trap of a mill for $5,000, worth about that many cents. This stroke finished him, cleaned him up, and it is said that he is still following up the mill business, but in a second-hand way."

The largo grain elevator standing by the railroad was built in 1875-76 by F. R. Coffman. One had been built here in 1872, and burned a short time after, when this one was built in its place. It is now owned by Dr. Rutherford, and is an excellent building, well-appointed in every particular, with steampower and with a capacity of 15,000 or 20,000 bushels of grain. It is standing idle at present.

The Oakland National Bank was established in 1874, with L. S. Cash, President, and John Rutherford, Cashier. The same officers still have charge of it, and are gentlemen of excellent business attainments, energy and enterprise.

Village Organization

The village of Oakland was incorporated years ago, but as the first records were not to be had we could not get the exact date, nor the names of the first Board of Trustees. The present Board is as follows, viz., William Henderson, M. W. Ammerman, J. W. Stokes, Frank Pleasant, J. R. Lawson and Merrill Hackett. William Henderson is President of the Board ; W. M. Bowman, Villat^e Clerk ; A. A. Dunseth, Police Magistrate, and John Tibbs, Town Marshal.

The first church was organized by the Old-School Presbytei'ians in the year 1831. They built a small log church on the site of the " upper grave-yard," which afterward was turned into a schoolhouse. They next erected a frame building on the public square, 25x40 feet, but for lack of funds never finished it. It was finally abandoned, and, in 1844, their present church edifice was erected. Rev. Isaac Bennett was one of the first preachers. He was a native of Philadelphia, was educated at Princeton and was a man of much intelligence and refinement. He was averse to noise, the cry of a child, when preaching, totally upset him. After his marriage, a "change came over the spirit of his dreams," and when two, three or four children had gathered about his knees, he was altogether another person, and could study his sermons better than ever and " preach right along in the stiifest kind of a squall." Rev. Mr. Montgomery was another preacher of this congregation ; also Rev. Mr. McDonald and Rev. Mr. Venable, of Paris. At present, there is no regular pastor. A good Sunday school is maintained, of which Mr. Eckard is Superintendent.

The Cumberland Presbyterians organized a society in 1843, under the Rev. James Ashmore, a son of Amos Ashmore and a brother to the wife of Rev. Mr. Bennett. They have an elegant little frame church in the village and a flourishing society. Rev. J. P. Campbell is the present Pastor. R. G. Forsythe is Superintendent of the Sunday school connected with this Church.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized by Rev. Arthur Bradshaw in 1858. Their church was built soon after its organization. The society is large and flourishing, and is under the pastoral charge at present of Rev. Mr. Lacy. Of the Sunday school of the Church, N, P. Smith is Superintendent.

The first school in Oakland was taught by Madison Ashmore, but the year is not now remembered. The first schoolhouse was a small frame building, which was used as a temple of learning until the building of the present large brick, some nine years ago. It is a spacious edifice, well designed for school purposes and cost about $7,000. Prof. Failing is Principal of the school at present ; Miss Lida Reel, Miss Kate Crawford and Miss Jessie Burr, teachers.

A. D. 1856. The first officers were Thomas J. Don Carlos, Master ; William D. Martin, Senior Warden ; Alfred D. Pemberton, Junior Warden ; John W. Kurtz, Treasurer ; Robert Mosely, Secretary. The present officers are : H. D. Williams, Master ; E. H. Warden, Senior Warden ; L. B. Crawford, Junior Warden ; L. S. Cash, Treasurer ; N. P. Smith, Secretary ; John Rutherford, Senior Deacon ; R. G. Forsythe, Junior Deacon, and John Menaugh, Tiler, with seventy members on the roll.

Oakland Chapter, No. 153, Royal Arch Masons, was organized October 24, 1872, with the following officers: A. P. Forsythe, High Priest ; S. M. Cash, King, and R. F. Larimer, Scribe. The present officers are : John Rutherford, High Priest; S. A. Reel, King ; R. F. Larimer, Scribe ; Jo. W. Clement, Captain of the Host ; D. H. Gordon, Principal Sojourner ; H. D. Williams, Royal Arch Captain ; L. B. Crawford, R. G. Forsythe, A. J. Taylor, Masters of the Veils ; L. S. Cash, Treasurer, and E. H. Warden, Secretary, with thirty members.

Oakland Lodge, No. 1,192, Knights of Honor, was instituted September 5, 1878, by Stanley Walker, D. D. Charter members: L. S. Cash, M. B. Valodin, W. C. Lacy, N. P. Smith, N. R. Moore, D. A. Rice, Rev. J. P. Campbell, William Henderson, Shep Florer, W. H. Glass, W. J. Peak, J. W. Turner, Lewis Kees, B. F. Smith, M. R. Williams, R. L. Burns, J. G. Hamilton and R. M. Young. The first officers were M. B. Valodin, D.; William Henderson, V. D.; L. S. Cash, Treasurer; D. A. Rice, R.; M. R. Williams, F. R.; N. P. Smith, D. and R. Present officers: William Henderson, D.;

Oakland Lodge No. 545, I. 0. 0. F., was instituted April 8, 1874. The charter members were A. A. Dunseth, A. M. Merrill, R. S. Smedley, J. P. Coons, James Stiles, of which A. A. Dunseth was first Noble Grand ; A. M. Merrill, Vice Grand ; and R. S. Smedly, Secretary, and A. A. Dunseth the first Representative. The present officers are : D. A. Rice, Noble Grand ; R. Gomel, Vice Grand ; William M. Bowman, Secretary, and N. P. Smith, Deputy Representative.

Welcome Encampment, No. 24, I. 0. 0. F., organized January 5, 1876. It is the old No. 24, of Charleston, which surrendered its charter during the war, and hence lost its number. The first officers were : J. G. Crawford, C. P.; S. M. Cash, H. P.; J. A. Johnson, S. W.; J. C. Bandy, J. W.; N. P. Smith, Scribe. The present officers are Robert Rutherford, C. P., and N. P. Smith, Scribe, with twelve members.

The first newspaper in Oakland was the Herald, and was established by J. W. Crane in 1875. It is at present owned by S. A. Reel & Co., with Rev. J. P. Campbell as editor. It is an eight-page paper, presents a fine appearance, and is one of the spiciest sheets in the county. The Oakland Ledger is a small paper, recently established in the village, and is an interesting little journal.

Oakland comprises some fifteen or twenty stores of all classes, including dry goods, grocery stores, hardware stores, furniture stores, etc., also a full line of shops of all kinds, blacksmith, wagon-makers, harness-makers, etc., etc. It has two good hotels, three churches, one excellent schoolhouse, two steammills, one grain elevator, a railroad and depot, and its full share of professional men.

The village has two cemeteries ; one is some distance from the village, in a northeast direction, and was laid out before the village. Many of the old settlers and pioneers sleep in the " upper grave-yard," as this burying-ground is called. The other is nearer the village, and was laid out in 1855. It is a pretty little cemetery, and is well beautified and adorned with trees and shrubbery.

In conclusion of this chapter, we would say that Oakland is a model little village, with the most favorable prospects for a bright future. Though'in early days it had the name of being a rough place, with some rough characters in it, yet education and civilization have done their work, and a more refined little city cannot be found in this or surrounding counties.