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The Daily Register, Mt. Vernon, Illinois - February 4, 1895 Wedding Anniversary...On Wednesday, January 16th, 1895, Mr. and Mrs. Josiah WILLIS, of Horse Prairie, among the oldest pioneers of the county, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, at their old most beautiful country residence, located in one of Jefferson County's most fertile prairies, it being surrounded by numerous old elms, oaks, maples, evergreens and shrubs of various kinds, which were planted by and have received the constant care and supervision of Uncle Jo since Sept. 1854. Josiah WILLIS was born in Jackson Co., Tenn., and emigrated to Southern Illinois in April 1834. Mrs. WILLIS was born in Todd Co., Ky., and came to Illinois in 1830. On Jan. 16, 1845, they were married by Joseph HARTLEY. Ten children have been born to them, most of whom are still living. Among those present at the anniversary were W. A. WILLIS, Mrs. J. S. WYATT, of Grand Prairie, Mrs. J. L. SHANKS, of Ashley, Mrs. Dr. A. J. FITZGERRELL and Sherman WILLIS, together with many of their old neighbors and friends from both at home and abroad. Among those present were Rev. J. C. GILLILAND, of Scheller; Mrs. A. BLANCHARD and daughter, Mrs. Maud WYKES, Mrs. E. WARD, of Tamaroa; Mrs. H. A. COCKRUM, M. W. COCKRUM, Rev. Wm. COCKRUM, of Franklin Co., Mrs. M. A. LUSK, Mrs. M. C. JUNKINS, Mrs. Julia MARTIN, Mrs. Lucinda CROUCH and Mrs. Ruth CROUCH. The last named are all old-time settlers, who knew this country in its infancy. Many of the guests honored their host and hostess with valuable presents suited to the occasion. After all had enjoyed the rich and beautiful repast spread upon Uncle Jo's long table,two were appointed to register the names of those present, the number reaching eighty-three. We wish the venerable old couple health and happiness in their declining days and hope to have them live to enjoy many more years of peace and happiness. Daily Register - Mt. Vernon, IL - Monday March 4, 1895 A few days since the Register contained an account of the burning of the Winfield school house, and as a result Wash Ragland, Hawk Ragland, Sheridan Whitlow, Elmer Ford, and Miss Mary J. Ragland were arrested on suspicion, as tracks were found leading from the school house to the home oaf the Raglands and then away again. The accused had a preliminary hearing last Saturday, but after the evidence was in the case was dismissed s to Miss Ragland. The case occupied nearly the whole day and resullted in the acquittal of all the defendants. States Attorney Watson was sick and could not prosecute, so those who had charge of the prosecution employed attorney Eugene Peavler to prosecute. H. G. Jones defended. Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - March 6, 1895 Mr. Raynor GILBERT, of this place, has an old book in which his father kept a faithful record of the family, beginning with the family of Mr. GILBERT's grandfather, which is of great interest to the members of the family and also to others on account of its antiquity, the first entry in the book being made March 9, 1809. The various children born since that time, marriages, deaths and removals of the family are all carefully chronicled. Mr. GILBERT's father came from Ohio here, traveling by water, owning his own boat, which he sold when he reached Shawneetown. After coming here the father settled in Knob Prairie in November, 1839, and put in the first window light that was ever put in a building in Knob Prairie. The building is still standing, but the window has been lost out or broken. Mr. GILBERT also has a Bible which belonged to his grandfather that has a date on the fly leaf of January 28, 1803, written in a bold, clear hand. The book may be much older than this, as the date of its publication does not show, that leaf having been lost. The print is large and easily read, but as in the case of very old books, "f" is often used for "s". (Note: There is a biography in "Facts and Folks" for Eli GILBERT, who is the father of Menzis Raynor and Philo GILBERT plus 15 other children.) Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - May 8, 1895 The First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Mt. Vernon was organized at Home Protection hall last night. Revs. Henry C. YATES of Vincennes, Ind., and C. W. YATES of Albion, with the Elders of the Albion C. P. church officiating as a session in the presence of about two hundred people. The exercises commenced with devotional exercises, a brief sermon by Rev. Henry YATES terminating with a brief exposition of Cumberland doctrine, after which, Rev. C. W. YATES explained the form of church government. When the opportunity was given the following persons identified themselves with the new organization, either by letter from other churches or forthcoming letters or by profession of faith: Samuel GIBSON, Angeline GIBSON, Adella GIBSON, Ellen GIBSON, Ida Palmer, Homer PALMER, L. IRONS, Rose IRONS, Bertha O. KIRBY, J. F. BOGAN, James L. POLLOCK, Florence E. POLLOCK, C. M. POLLOCK, William CAPPS, Mona E. CAPPS, Philip KARSH, Clariss KARSH, Cora ELLIS, Louisa M. BOGAN, John S. BOGAN, W. H. DAMON, Susan S. VARNELL, Daisy VARNELL, E. Leo VARNELL, Emma O. CHANCE, Neone O. CHANCE, Katie L. BUCKHAM, Laura J. MEADOR, Lois GOODALE, Mrs. M. M. GOODALE, Annie L. PACE, Jessie L. PACE, Kate M. PACE, Mary A. CASEY, Mrs. W. B. CASEY, W. B. CASEY, Mary CARLISLE, Dora CARLISLE, Carl H. CROSIER, Mrs. J. G. CROSIER, Frank CROSIER, J. G. CROSIER, J. A. WHEELER, A. H. WHEELER, Harriet TROXTELL, W. F. HENN, Mary N. HENN, Jane GREEN, J. Eva CASEY, Mrs. J. O. TATE, Nancy PACE, Robert E. McMACKIN, Harriet J. McMACKIN, Annie EMMERSON, Ida EMMERSON, Morris EMMERSON. A congregational meeting was held immediately in which an organization was perfected, Bro. C. W. YATES acting as moderator. Morris EMMERSON was elected church clerk and Bros. B. F. MICHELS and Charles EMMERSON, of Albion church, were appointed tellers. It was decided to elect three elders by ballot, without nominations, a majority vote being required to elect. On the first ballot Bros. Samuel GIBSON received 40 votes, W. H. DAMON 42 votes and Morris EMMERSON 40 votes, the remainder being scattered among other brethren, and Bros. GIBSON, DAMON and EMMERSON were declared elected. For deacons Bros. James L. POLLOCK, Albert H. WHEELER and L. IRONS were elected, and William F. HENN, William CAPPS, and James L. POLLOCK were elected trustees by acclamation. Bro. C. W. YATES then ordained the elders and deacons-elect and the meeting was dismissed with the announcement that Rev. Henry Clay YATES would preach at the Opera House next Sunday morning at 10:30 and in the evening at 7:30. At 2 o'clock next Sunday afternoon a Sunday School will be organized at the Opera House, at which time and place all who wish to attend that school will be made welcome, and classes will be organized, teachers selected and officers chosen for the school. Mt. Vernon Register - October 2, 1895 The general and reception committees for the entertainment of the Illinois Ex-prisoners of War Association and the Jefferson County Soldiers' Reunion to be held conjointly at the fair grounds next week, met in the parlors of Goodale's restaurant last night and completed arrangements for making the occasion one of the most successful ever held in this part of the state. Capt. S. H. Watson was selected chairman of the reception committee with Gen. C. W. Pavey as assistant. The matter of police protection for visitors was delegated to Capt. Stephenson. Other persons serving on committees were Will Crooker, Harry W. Watson, Wilbur Satterfield, Frank Moyer, Fred Walker, Pearl Legge, June Davisson, A. B. Roseberry, Ray Hitchcock, Orlie Claybourn, Oscar Easley, Finis Stephenson, F. R. Heiserman, Clarence Harriss, Bert Powlesson, and Elmer Harpool. Mt. Vernon Register - October 9, 1895 Several hundred people were in attendance at the campfire reunion of the Ex-Prisoners of War at the fairgrounds last night. The event was to commemorate the heroism and valor of the citizen soldier from '61 to '65. In one month, the month of August 1863, between 4,500 and 5,000 deaths occurred within the stockade at Andersonville. In all, 13,717 Union soldiers perished in that prison pen. (Andersonville was in Georgia and as many as 30,000 were crowded into a log stockade that enclosed only 16 1/2 acres. More than 12,000 graves are there. Libby and Belle Island were in Richmond. Other prisons were: Rock Island, IL: Johnson's Island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio; and Fort Lafayette in New York harbor. The last surviving Civil War Veteran, Walter Williams, died December 19, 1959 at the age of 117. He was from Houston, Texas and served in the Confederate Army. The last Union Veteran, Albert Woodson died on August 2, 1956 at the age of 109. He was from Duluth, Minnesota.) In the national cemetery at Florence, Ala., 4,000 Federal troops lie buried, only one of whom is known, the rest are unidentified and unknown. In all, nearly 60,000 Northern soldiers died in the military prisons of the Confederacy. At 9 o'clock the Ex-Prisoners Association of the State met in annual session in the county court house. The association has the names of 500 members upon its rolls, not more than 100 of whom were present this morning. A slim showing was accounted for by the fact that the officers of the association failed to secure reduced rates on any of the railroads of the State except those coming into the city. It was naturally expected that many would be kept away by the infirmities of age and the ravages of disease. The meeting was called to order by President Pavey, prayer was offered by Rev. J. Carroll Harris, pastor of the First Baptist Church, and an ex-prisoner. Committees were appointed, after which Springfield was chosen as the place and "Soldiers Day" during the next State Fair as the time of holding the next meeting. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Gen. G. W. Pavey, President, Mt. Vernon; George R. Pinckard, Vice-President, Monticello; Dr. J. Little, Bloomington; Rev. John Hood, Chaplain, Galesburg; C. C. George and E. R. Roberts, Springfield; J. S. Ewell, Adrian; E. B. Keneipp, Mt. Carmel; Dr. J. Little, Bloomington; Executive Committee. More than 4,000 people were present at the fairgrounds by 1 o'clock. The two principal addresses were delivered by Col. Horace A. Clark, of Mattoon, and Chaplain McCabe, a Methodist Minister. Col. Clark made the opening address. "America" and the "Battle Hymn of Republic were sung, followed by Miss Tyson of Jerseyville with a solo, and a medley by the Allman sisters of Salem. There was not such a gathering of people from the surrounding country as was expected at the seventeenth annual reunion. The three day affair closed with an old fashioned soldiers love feast. The following comprises the list of ex-prisoners of war who registered their names as in attendance, with the number of their regiment, present post office address, and place of imprisonment.
Adams, H. W. 89th Ill., Tamaroa; Libby Mt. Vernon IL Register (Weekly) - October 9, 1895 Soldiers and Sailors who registered at the State Fair. The following comprises the list of ex-prisoners of war who registered their names as in attendance, with the number of their regiment, present post office address, and place of imprisonment:
IVES, A. F., 6th Ill. Cav., Bloomington; Andersonville |
For corrections or additions, please contact me: Sandy Bauer
