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DECATUR
presented two different pictures in the fifties.
The scene at the beginning of the ten year
period was that of a crude, raw village, in
which life went on serenely, with nothing to
disturb the even tenor of its way. The
picture at the end of the period was that of a
hustling, busy city, with better homes, with
factories, newspapers, railroads, and with
wide-awake and enterprising citizens.
That ten year period brought Decatur first of
all its railroads. Of almost as much
importance, however, were the aggressive
citizens, who had come here to make their homes.
They started factories, mills, stores, which
helped to build up the city.
CITY CHARTER
It was during this period that Decatur
realized that it was no more a town, but a city.
It had become possessed with ambition and pride.
Better times had come and better buildings were
being erected. The name of town became too
insignificant. Hence, steps were taken to
have it incorporated as a city, and when it
received its charter in 1855, Decatur became a
city in reality.
 E
EAST MAIN STREET IN 1856
Looking east from Lincoln Square. Made
from painting by Robert
Whitfield of New York state, apprentice under R.
F. Jones, painter.
Imagine, if you can, the appearance of
Decatur in the early '50s. Streets were
unpaved and undrained, deep in mud in rainy
seasons. The only sidewalks were of wood.1
Loose boards flopped up and down as pedestrians
passed along. Hogs were the street
scavengers, and the family cow on her way to
pasture was a familiar sight. Homes and
stores were mostly low one-story structures, a
two-story building appearing only occasionally.
The business part of town was still confined
largely to the original territory platted,
bounded by Wood, Church, Prairie and Water
streets. The population was in the
neighborhood of 600. Mail came only a few
times a week. The stage coach was the
means of transportation into or out of the town.
2
Early in the decade came the excitement of
the gold rush to California. Dozens of
Macon county men left to seek their fortunes in
the west. Some returned with money which
they invested in land and laid out new additions
to the city.
After William Martin began the
manufacture of brick in Decatur, brick buildings
became more numerous. Some of them are
still standing today. They were
substantial, large dwellings, or business
houses, will constructed. Up to that time
brick had been hauled in, mostly from Edgar
county.
Mr. Martin came to Decatur in 1852.3
He thought Decatur clay would make brick, and he
took some to St. Louis to have it tested.
The brick, which was made from that clay was
brought back to Decatur by Mr. Martin and
put on exhibition, labeled "Brick Made from
Decatur Clay." The brick was tested in
every way and found to be good.
There are no brick makers here. Mr.
Martin made another trip to St. Louis, this
time returning with wagons loaded with men,
household goods, and equipment for making brick.
The men were Ben Metz, John Brant,
Frank Meyer and Henry Meyer.
They were soon busy making brick.
After a time Mr. Martin sold his
interest in the new business to Ben Metz.
The ground between Broadway and Webster, from
Decatur to Lawrence streets, was the site of the
brick yard.
The first brick made there were used as a
foundation for the barn at the Johns home on
Johns Hill, and the Johns house was the
first house built out of this Decatur-made
brick.
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES
Decatur began making progress in a business
and industrial way. Kramer &
McClelland were making wagons, carriages and
buggies, the business having been started by S.
B. McClelland in 1854. He later
sold his interest to Joseph E. McClelland.
Joseph Mills, long identified with the
lumber business in Decatur, came in 1853, and
established a lumber yard. He had visited
several towns in Illinois, and hearing that
Decatur was to have two railroads - more than
any other town could boast - he thought it would
be a good place to locate. On his way here
he had come over the old Northern Cross railroad
from Naples to Jacksonville.
Mr. Mills' first building job was the
Humphrey house on East Eldorado street, later
St. Teresa's academy. During his business
career here, he had at different times as
partner D. C. Shockley and W. B. Harry.
Mr. Mills sold his lumber business in
1911 to the Lyon Lumber company. He died
in 1913.
Theodore Hildebrandt came to Decatur
in 1853 and began work for Dr. W. A. Barnes in
his drug store. For fifty-six years
afterwards he was identified with the drug
business here, having a store of his own for
many years.
The Henkle and Condell mill,
known as the Illinois Central mill, was built in
1855 at Main and Broadway. In 1859 it
burned, but was rebuilt by Henkle,
Shellabarger and Priest, who had
purchased it. Priest and Company
afterwards ran this mill.
Gus A. Smith was conducting a buggy
factory, and employed fifty men, probably more
than any other factory here then. He
shipped buggies to the far west and south.
Among store which were established were I. W.
Ehrman's clothing and tailor shop, W. F.
Busher's
shoe store, Peake's jewelry store, the
Imboden market, and City Book store.
J. G. Starr, in 1856 started a harness
shop which in later years, sold goods all over
the United States. Mr. Starr died
in 1878, the Business being carried on by his
three sons, W. H., J. S. and Harry Starr.
They were succeeded by C. A. and W. C. Starr,
grandsons of J. G. Starr. Now it is
an automobile business, the automobile having
crowded out the harness and buggy.
T. Richard and A. Keck started
the manufacture of beer in 1856, selling out in
1862 to Edward
Harpstrite and Henry Shlaudeman.
The plant was located at Broadway and Cantrell,
and became known as the Decatur Steam brewery.
The Morehouse & Wells store was
opened in 1859, by S. P. Morehouse and W.
T. Wells. Later Mr. Morehouse
was succeeded by his son, George E. Morehouse.
In 1882 C. M. Hurst
and H. H. Bishop entered the firm.
Hieronymus Mueller opened a gunsmith
and repair shop in 1858. The Decatur
Woolen Mills, which became one of
Decatur's leading industries, were started in
1859, by Boyd, Haskell and
Company.
The members of the firm were William H.
Boyd of Maryland, L. C. Haskell of
New York, and W. J.
Myers of Pennsylvania. The firm
made blankets, jeans, yarns, flannels and other
articles of wool, and did carding and spinning.
For a time the annual output was $75,000.
In 1868 the mills were destroyed by fire, but
were rebuilt. The building is now part of
the Walrus Manufacturing company plant.
In 1856 Swingley and Amos started a lumber
business which was sold later to C. P. Thatcher,
who in turn sold to Gaddis and Huff.
The Messrs. Swingley, Kaufman
and Amos erected a ill in 1857 at the
corner of Water street and the Great Western
railroad. It was known as the Great
Western mill. Later it became the nucleus
of the Shellabarger mill.
What is now the Curtis jewelry store
was started in 1858 by S. D. Lilliston,
who continued business until 1869. Otto E.
Curtis was the next owner. In 1885 the
firm became Otto E. Curtis
and Brother and in 1899 it became the Frank
Curtis company. Now it is owned by
Walter Flora.
John R. Race, whose name was connected
with the clothing business for fifty years, came
in 1855. He started a store in 1857.
Later his brother, James W. Race, and
Casper Elwood became partners and the
firm name was J. R. Race & Co. In
1889 the Race Clothing Manufacturing company was
organized, and it continued in business until
1904.
David Martin started a lime and brick
yard in Decatur in 1858, later selling cement
also, and the business has continued until the
present, now being owned by Macknet and
Waggoner. As far back as 1842 Mr.
Martin had a lime kiln in Christian county,
about 28 miles from Decatur, and sold a great
deal of lime in Macon county. He put down
a block of cement street paving in Morgan
street, north from Cerro Gordo, the first
concrete street paving in Decatur. That
was about 1885 and 1886.
Mr. Martin also erected the first
house made of concrete blocks. It was in
the 500 block East Cerro Gordo street, south
side.
John McGinnes, Decatur's first
stenographer and one of eight in the country at
that time, came to Decatur in the early '50s to
become bookkeeper for Stamper &
Condell, and for years afterwards was
identified with the business life of Decatur as
bank cashier and merchant. He said he once
made a shorthand report of a speech by Abraham
Lincoln in a famous murder case tried in
Powers hall. Mr. McGinnes
built an elevator at what is now Elwin, called
the place Wheatland, and shipped from there the
first shelled corn sent out of the county.
The name of the place was changed to Elwin when
it was found there already was a Wheatland in
Illinois.
Decatur men were fond of their cigars and
Joseph Michl began making them in 1858 to
supply their needs. His name is still
represented in Joseph Michl's Sons.
James B. Shoaff started the newspaper
business in Decatur in 1851 when he established
the Shoaff's
Weekly Gazette. In 1855 Usrey and
Wingate began publishing the Chronicle.
The Democrat, Herald and Magnet were other
newspapers started a little later.
The fair grounds, which later became Fairview
park, were laid out in 1857. State and
county fairs were held there.
Substantial brick business buildings began to
appear during this period in Decatur. One
of the first was the block on East Main street,
south side of the 100 block, which was erected
by William Powers in 1856. They
were three stories in height, and Decatur was
quite proud of them. Mr. Powers
also erected a building at the southeast corner
of East Main and Water streets in 1856, and
James Millikin put up one across the
street in 1858.
Among other prominent citizens who came to
Decatur during this decade and who afterwards
were identified with the business life and
history of the city were Franklin Priest,
Charles Laux, John K. Warren, D.
S. Shellabarger, John Ullrich,
George S. Durfee, E. A. Jones, E.
McNabb, Martin P. Murphey, John
Imboden, William L. Hammer, L. L.
Burrows, Dr. J. B. T. Stapp
and G. W. Bright.
Frederick Mattes arrived and was soon
in the business of making brick. His
family is still in that business.
SCENE ON EAST MAIN IN THE 50's
Site now occupied by the Millikin bank.
Among the physicians who came were Dr. W. A.
Barnes, father of the late Dr. William
Barnes; Dr. E. W. Moore, Dr. Samuel
McBride, and Dr. W. J. Chenoweth.
One man who afterwards became famous as an
inventor came. That was W. H. Bramble,
inventor of the cultivator, grain scale, Yale
lock, postoffice lock box, and other articles.
Mr. Bramble invented many different kinds
of locks.
SOCIETY
We begin reading of Decatur "society" in the
'50s. The influx of well-to-do and
cultured people from the east added much to the
social atmosphere of the city Balls, parties,
entertainments, made the town gay. Amateur
performances of historic and musical nature were
popular, according to Mrs. Jane M. Johns.
The anxious young suitor of the day serenaded
his lady love beneath her window in true
romantic fashion. It usually took an
entire group to do the serenading, however, and
one bunch in particular took along a melodeon to
add to the harmony. This "glee club" was
composed of George Wessels, Bob McCabe,
Theodore Hildebrandt, Frank Hays
and Will Martin. Wessels,
noted as a singer, was the leader of the crowd.
Other prominent young men of the period were
Charles Tuttle, Sheridan
Wait, Richard J. Oglesby, J. Y.
Braden, W. H. Ennis, William T.
Wells and Charles P. Thatcher.
Dick Oglesby was becoming popular as a
speaker, especially after his tour abroad.
William Ennis became one of the county's
most extensive land owners, acquiring thousands
of acres. He married Miss Louie
Harrison, one of the popular young women of
the time.
A big social event of the '50s was a masked
ball in 1855 for the benefit of the poor.
It was held in The Revere house. The
profits went to the destitute widow of one of
the railroad workman.
TURNVEREIN
The Decatur Turnverein, organized Feb.
28, 1858, was an active athletic and social
organization, which flourished for many years.
John Ruhl was the first president.
In 1887 the organization bought Turner park on
South Broadway, and about 1889 erected a
building there. By 1894 the society had
200 members and property worth from $16,000 to
$20,000. It promoted athletics,
principally fencing, boxing, wrestling, etc.,
and won honors in tournaments, including the
national meet at Milwaukee in 1893. The
Turnverein went out of existence soon after
1910.
The property of this society is now the
Girls' Welfare home.
CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
The Greenwood cemetery association was
organized March 27, 1857, by electing William
Martin, Sr., president, Nathan W. Tupper,
treasurer, John Ricketts, David L.
Allen and Daniel C. Lockwood
directors. Henry Prather was the
man credited with the beautiful arrangement of
the cemetery grounds and the improvements made
on them. For several years prior to his
death in 1869 he was president of the
association. Bodies had been buried in
that location as early as 1839 or 1840.
Many were removed there from King's cemetery,
when that land was laid off in town lots.
Decatur had its first big fire in 1859, when
a block of frame buildings on East Main and
Water streets burned.4
Three-story brick buildings arose in their
places.
CHURCH AND SCHOOL
The period during the '50s was active in
school and church lines. It was during
that time that public schools had their start,
as told in another chapter, and Decatur had its
first real public school building, the Big
Brick.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Built in 1856
A number of churches were organized.
The First Presbyterian church had its beginning
at meeting May 1, 1852, at the home of Samuel
Powers. In 1855 a frame building was
erected on East Main street, and in 1856 the
church began the construction of a brick
building on West Prairie, the site now occupied
by the Y. M. C. A. It was not completed
until 1859. That building was used until
the present building was erected in 1890-91,
during the pastorate of Rev. W. H.
Penhallegon.
The Antioch Baptist church was organized in
1858, with fourteen members.
The United Brethren church was started in
1856 by Rev. M. Ambrose, with seven
members.
The Universalist church, now extinct, was
organized in 1854 by Rev. D. P. Bunn with
nine charter members. A house of worship
was erected in the 100 block East Prairie
street, and it was enlarged in 1876.
The Church of God was organized in May, 1857,
by Elder A. J. Fenton, with eleven
charter members.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church was organized
in 1854. Its first church house was a
frame building in the 700 block West Prairie.
It was erected in 1857 by Father Prendergast.
St. John's Episcopal church was organized in
1855, with fifteen members.
SECOND METHODIST CHURCH BUILDING
In 1852 the Methodist church purchased for
$150 a lot at the northwest corner of Prairie
and Water streets, formerly the site of the
jail, and work began on a new brick building.
It was completed and dedicated in 1854.5
An innovation was an organ, despite vigorous
protestations of Rev. Peter Cartwright,
who called it a "work of the devil."
The Baptist church erected a brick house of
worship at the corner of Water and William
streets. It was dedicated Dec. 27, 1857.
The Christian church also erected a new brick
house of worship at the corner of North Main and
North streets.
Back in the '50s the subject of temperance
was being agitated. In 1855 Macon county
voted by a majority of 83 for a tax on whisky,
in the state-wide referendum, although the
proposition failed to carry in the state.
The Illinois State Chronicle, Decatur newspaper,
at that time reported that Glorious old Macon
county has done her work."
In 1856 took place the meeting at the
Cassell house, where steps were first
taken toward the organization of the Republican
party in Illinois. It was a meeting of
editors opposed to the Nebraska bill, the topic
of interest of the day.
Decatur's population according to the census
of 1860 was 3,849. Decatur by that time
had a good start toward becoming a real city.
------------------
1.
The first brick sidewalk, according to N. L.
Krone,
was laid in 1856. It was around what is
now the Bachrach corner on Lincoln Square.
2.
Frank L. Hays, who first came to Decatur in 1855,
said that when the stage drew up in front of the Harrell house
with a great flourish, nearly all the male
inhabitants of the town were out to meet it.
Most of the men in the crowd were barefoot.
It was a new sight to Mr. Hays to see a
crowd of grown-up men in their bare feet.
The
Stamper and
Condell store, which was started in Decatur in
1843, was then at the northeast corner of
Lincoln square, in a two story brick building
twenty feet wide. That building can be
seen in the illustration, "East Main Street in
1856". It was one of two brick buildings
here at the time, and was known as the Brick
store. The first later secured twenty feet
more of ground to the north and erected a new
building. For many years this was the
leading store in Decatur. The firm
dissolved about 1870.
The picture on Page 188
also shows other stores of the'50s.
Immediately east of the court house (the
building at the extreme right of the picture)
was the Roberts drug store in the little frame
building which stood on the present site of the
West drug store building. In the first
three-story building beyond was the Gazette
office. This building (still standing) is
believed to be the oldest three-story building
in Decatur. Immediately beyond that
building is the Powers block. In one of
the small buildings east of that block was the
Barnes drug store.
The brick building at the corner (still
standing) housed the
Griswold hardware
store. Across the street, east, was Tom
Albert's restaurant.
3. William
Martin had a packing
house in Decatur and introduced sugar cured hams
and bacon.
Martin's sugar cured
hams gained a reputation all over the country.
4. The fire of Dec. 30, 1859,
started in Lowenstein
& Bros. Young America clothing store on East
Main street, then spread to Wingate's New York
stare, John Holsworth's
bakery on East Main, and to James
Faust's hat and cap store on Water street.
On the west it reached William
Scanlan's clothing store,
Fuller and
Benton's auction store and George
Goodman's grocery.
The total loss was around $30,000. Four of
the buildings belonged to
J. F. Montgomery, and
he had no insurance on them. C. H.
Fuller and Goodman
& Baker were other losers.
After the fire the Weekly
Gazette said: "Let us wake up. Let
the city council appoint fire wardens, prepare
ladders, and buckets and build cisterns, and be
ready to protect our people against another such
calamity.
5. When the second Methodist
church was built, a furnace was installed.
It was the first furnace in Decatur
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