The Autobiography of William Theodore Glass
By WILLIAM THEODORE GLASS
The Life Story of a Harrisburger
HARRISBURG, Ill. (1927) — William Theodore Glass, the subject of this
sketch, was born at Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois, September 4, 1855.
At the age of three and one-half years my parents
moved to Pope County, Illinois, and settled in what is know known as the
Hodgeville neighborhood, located on the old Golconda and Vienna road four
miles west of Golconda. In moving to Pope county, the trip was made in
a road wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen or steers, and not by a Ford motor
truck. The first memory I have of life was on this trip, and was this:
My oldest sister was seated on the load of plunder with her face looking
back, carrying me in her lap. Our old milk cow was tied to the back of
the wagon and on coming to quite a large creek or stream of water, the
old cow (I guess from the fact that my parents were of the Presbyterian
faith) did not want to take to the water and so broke her tow line.
Soon after settling in Hodgeville, the Civil War
broke out and my father, along with most other men, volunteered and was
off to war; so there I spent my boyhood days, and I can remember the many
anxious days and nights that were spent by my mothers and many others —
very unpleasant days for them.
Boyhood Days
One of the most vivid recollections of my boyhood
days was after the Civil War when there was such an exodus of people going
west from Kentucky, Tennessee and other states east of us. to western Missouri
and Kansas. I have seen as many as 100 covered wagons pass along this road
in one day, and in the course of a few years you would see quite a lot
of them on their way to old Tennessee to get a drink of good cold water.
I have also seen flocks of as many as 5,000 sheep
being driven over this road to the western plan of Kansas.
I lived with my parents in this neighborhood until
I was 12 years of age. I attended what then was called a public school
in an old log house which was about 24x 28 feet, with a fire place in one
end six feet wide and three feet deep. In the other end of the house was
a log cut out full length. This opening, or window, had a table near which
was used as a writing desk hence, my inability as a scribe. Instead of
having steam heat, the school was heated only by the old fireplace, and
boys had to cut and get the wood to burn in it.
In September, 1867, when I was 12 years of age,
my uncle, William A. dickey and family came down from their home in Gallatin
county near where Ridgway is now located, to visit our folks, and as he
had no boy, proposed that I go home with him. As my father had three sons,
of whom I was the youngest, and as none of us were of any assistance to
him, he said I might go hoe with Uncle Will if I wished to do so. So I
went to my uncle's and as he was one of the most prosperous farmers in
that country, I had a good chance to learn to know what farm life was.
I lived with my uncle three years and then returned to my parents. Although
I received only my board and clothes, and the clothes were homespun, yet
the training I received during the three years stay with my uncle I consider
was worth more than any three years' salary I ever earned.
The Shawneetown and Edgewood railroad, now the
B & O was built during my stay in Gallatin county, by the late Thos.
S. Ridgway, and I was on the first train that came as far south as where
Ridgway is now located and bought peanuts and popcorn in the first shack
that was built in the town, it being located where the band stand now stands.
The last of my school days were spent at the Willis
school which is to this day located on the same school lot one mile west
of Ridgway, which was 57 years ago.
In October, 1870, I went back to my parents who
still lived in the Hodgeville school district in Pope county. Here the
old Mill Creek Baptist church was located in this neighborhood, it being
the home church in which Elder W. E. Baker was brought up. We were boys
together and I heard him preach his first sermon at the old church about
54 years ago. On the Sunday night of his meeting, as we had it then (not
church' I had the courage to ask a young lady to accompany me, or as we
would say today, asked to escort her, and she said "Yes, sir."
I have not forgotten yet how I seemed to have risen in the estimation of
the ladies so suddenly.
When I was 17 years of age, my parents moved to
Old Brownfield, at which place I spent the next six years of my life, and
as is natural with most boys, thought I was one of the leading lights in
society. My father being a cooper in trade, on moving to Brownfield, went
to work at his trade for John R. Brown who was one of the big potato merchants
of Pope county.
I worked in the cooper shops for five years. We
had a Cooper's Union, and one of our rules was that there were no barrels
made on what we called blue Monday. We simply ground our tools and put
them in shape for the week. The barrels made were mostly for potatoes,
but we also made barrels for pork, lard, whiskey, and win and also made
kegs.
During my first three years which included by seventeenth
to twentieth birthdays, I made good wages for those times, and when it
came to a Fourth of July picnic and barn dance, I was "hard to lead,"
along with Penn Trovillion now of Golconda and Grundy Lewis of New Brownfield.
We all wore very high heeled boots and had more striped candy than most
of the other boys.
During my three years of courting days with the
young ladies, at Old Brownfield, I concluded Miss Mary J. Dill was the
one I needed for a partner through life, so on December 25, 1874, we were
united in marriage by Justice of the Peace W. S. Hodge. We spent the first
two years of our married life at Brownfield, but in the year 1876, we moved
to Samoth which is located in the northwest corner of Massac county. We
lived there nine years, during which time I worked six years for W. T.
Cagle, who operated a flour mill. Most of my work was making flour barrels
and the remainder was at a saw mill and at other labor which I could find.
During this six years I built my first home on a plot of ground which I
brought and which had on it at the time a one-room box house, sixteen feet
square, in which we moved. At the end of the six years time, I built an
addition to it, and when it was completed, we had a nice four room house,
all built of good yellow poplar, well painted, with a brick chimney, the
first of the kind in the town.
The next three years, I was in partnership with
the late Moses Johnson, and we ran what might be called a general repair
and blacksmith shop. We also did the undertaking for the neighborhood,
but in place of carrying caskets in stock as is done now at from $50 to
$1,000, when we had a call for a burial, went out to the lumber yard, got
lumber, made the coffin and covered it with black alpaca cloth. Or if the
family was called well to do people, we would use black velvet which would
cost the family $109. The cheaper funerals cost from $2 to $6.
I spent the first 12 years of my married life as
mentioned above and during the ten years in Samoth had built my first home
and as my plot of ground was 120 x 300 feet, I had room for quite a lot
of fruit and shrubbery. I never forgot one salesman with whom I placed
an order for some shrubbery, who advised me to include two horse chestnut
trees in my order, as he said they were very nice shade trees and the nuts
were three times as large as the ordinary chestnuts. So when my trees came
to bearing age, I found I had two nice buckeye trees. So, I might say,
to my Harrisburg friends, beware of our old friend Tim Ledford.
At the end of 12 years married life, I had a wife
and four children with a nice little home, but as my responsibilities were
getting greater and my opportunities were not any better. I mentioned to
my wife that we should sell our home and find some place where we could
have greater opportunities to make a living. Of course this did not seem
to meet with her hearty approval, but we came to an agreement as to the
question of looking up a new location and after hunting a purchaser for
our home, finally sold it at $375. As Metropolis was our county seat and
we had friends there, we decided to look over conditions ther but I could
not see anything for me there.
At this time New Burnside was said to be a very
flourishing little town, and although I had never been there, I had a friend
there who was in the mill business, having what at that time was called
an up-to-date mill. Not knowing anything of the place, I told my wife I
would get on my pony and go up to Vienna and take the train o see the place.
So about sundown there came the old "cannon ball" which was soon
up to the new prospective town of New Burnside. Getting there after night,
I put up for the night, and next morning looked up my old friend H. Choat
who was the head of the milling business. I soon made my business known
to him and he said at once that I had come to the very place I was looking
for. He and I spent the day looking around and he said the great chance
to do things was there, but I took the train home that evening, fully satisfied
there was nothing in that place for me.
Time passed on until I had but three more weeks
until we had to give possession of our home, and I began to get anxious
as to where we would go.
I had some information that Harrisburg, up in Saline
county, was a good town, I also leaned that there was a man there by the
name of Nathaniel Johnson who was in the general repair business and who
had a partner who wished to sell his interest in the business.
The following Sunday evening, I caught up my pony,
went to Vienna, took passage on the same old "Cannon Ball" train
and went to Harrisburg, where I made inquiry as to where Mr. Johnson lived
It was 7:30 o'clock and someone told me to go up to a street which was
called Poplar, and when I got to the square, to make inquiry as to where
he lived. When I got up to the square, I was referred to the house which
stood on the log now occupied by the Horning hotel, which was known as
the Newell house.
On arriving there, I found no one at home, but
was told Mr. Johnson and his family likely were at the Baptist church,
which proved correct, and they soon came in. I told him who I was and my
business, so he told me I should stay all night with him, which I did.
This was my first night in Harrisburg.
On Monday morning, we went to his shop which was
located on the Seten lot on Vine street, which is now used as a hitch lot.
There, I met J. B. Ford of our town, whom I found to be a nice appearing
gentleman, and I have never had any cause to change my first opinion of
him.
We spent the day together, talking over our trade,
but could hardly get together and in order to catch my train back to Vienna
, I started to leave without making a trade. However, after being seated
in my train, Mr. Ford walked in and said I was traded with at my proposal,
so I handed him a $10 bill. He was to mail copies of the sale contract
the next day and I was to sign them and return a copy.
This was November 16th, 1886, and on Thanksgiving
day I with my family landed in Harrisburg, Illinois, which will be forty-one
years ago the following annual Thanksgiving day. My first home in Harrisburg
was out on West Poplar street in a small house I rented from Uncle James
Macklin, for one month. The house is located about where Mrs. Gaines now
lives. The rent price was $6.00 per month.
By the assistance of Uncle T. Y. Reynolds who was
a friend to any and all, and one who I shall always hold in my memory as
a friend in need, as also a friend indeed, I bought of the late R. W. Goodrich
in the month of December, his home which was located on the southeast corner
of Poplar and Jackson streets where the building known as the Raley building
is located, being now occupied by the Harrisburg Dry Goods Company and
others. The price for this property was $550.00, the lot being 67-203 feet
with a good three room house. Mr. Goodrich built a new home out on the
William M. Christy addition, it being the first house in this addition,
at that time being outside the city limits.
On December 1st, I went to the Johnson and Ford
shop as per agreement, took inventory of the stock and went to work as
a mechanic with N. Johnson. At the end of three years the south two thirds
of this block of ground which was owned by W. F. B. Hibbets, deceased,
was offered for sale by T. Y. Reynolds as administrator of his estate,
and I became the purchaser at the price of $1,100.00. There was located
on this plot of round a two story workshop 40 x 60 feet where the Register
building is now located and a buggy repository of one story, 40 x 60 where
the Standard Oil station is now located. Now the terms of this property
sale was $100.00 cash and twelve months time on the balance of purchase
money. So on the day of sale I went to my old times friends, Dr. Parish
and Major Pickett and asked them if I bid on this property would they go
on my note for the $100.00 at Uncle Bob Mick's bank. They said certainly
they would, and by their aid I made the purchase.
Now to show the people that we speculated somewhat
back in those days, I sold, the same afternoon, to my old-time friend W.
T. Skaggs the south lot now occupied by the post office and Standard Oil
station, for $600. Making this $50 in one Saturday afternoon I thought
was enough. I think the present occupants paid about $20,000 for this property
I sold for $600.
On acquiring the Hibbets property, Moses Johnson
and myself went into business as Glass and Johnson, doing a general line
of repair work. We also made wagons and took up a line of farm tools and
machinery.
Thirty and thirty-five years ago, there was three
or four times as much smithing and farm machinery sales as there is at
this day. We had a Mr. Anderson and Freeman Johnson. Thos. Richardson,
of our city and his brother, Ed, making six of us in the business in addition
to our painter, Thos. R. Clack, and we all had jobs the year around.
Mr. Johnson and I were together three years, and
at this time the late G. W. Robinson came to our town from New Haven, Gallatin
county, and purchased Mr. Johnson's interest in the business which was
continued as Glass and Robinson.
Up to this time, I had always made a hand at the
work bench, but one day I was at work putting in a plow beam in an one-horse
plow which was worth, when done, 75 cents, the job being for our old department
friend, Cap Sloan. When I finished the job, Mr. Robinson took the matter
up with me, and said I should get a man to do the bench work and give my
time to me trade in the warehouse. He said at the end of 30 days if I didn't
think I had been worth $5 or $10 more than at the bench, I could go back.
I never returned to the work bench.
During the business career of myself and Mr. Robinson,
we opened an undertaking business, as there was only one other in town,
being operated by Uncle John Pruett.
The business of Jess Rude is now the continuation
of the one we established.
I will relate one incident that I will not forget
in connection with this line of our business. We had a very prominent man
call in to get a casket for his son who had died. He selected the casket
and had the price quoted to him, which he said seemed to be reasonable,
but he said it looked as though he would soon have another death in his
family, and asked if he made two selections then if he could get a lower
price. What do you say to this as to economy?
In 1894 I bought the old Dorris farm of 120 acres,
located four miles south of Harrisburg in Independence township, paying
$23 an acre. It was sold at a Master's sale on the same day as the Uncle
Sol Ledford farm of 80 acres which is the land on which our Township High
school is located, also the High school addition extending west from the
corner of Sloan and Granger streets to the city cemetery.
This land was purchased by the late W. H. Parish,
Jr., at $40 an acre, and I thought at the time of the sale that afternoon
that I had the best bargain of the two, but found later that my judgment
was very limited as to bargains in real estate.
At the time I made this purchase, the late R. H.
Marsh was the sale agent of the Newton Anderson farm, now the John J. Parish
farm west of the city, and he used all his persuasive power to get me to
buy this farm at $0 an acre. I told him if I failed to get the Dorris farm
at $25 I would buy his place, and as I did not buy it, Uncle Bob Land and
J. J. Parish took it as soon as I released it. You can see that I had very
poor judgment as to values of farm land.
In the spring of 1895 I moved to my farm I bought,
and at the same time kept my interest in business here in town, and during
the time, had Moses Johnson and G. W. Robinson, as partners, and after
their retirement had George B. Dodd, Thos. Marron and John W. Ingram as
partners. I lived on my farm until the fall of 1906, but quit business
here in 1901. I was in business on south Vine street fourteen years, and
in those days it was called "Whiskey Chute" and so it was. I
have stood at my place of business on Saturday and show days when the Colberts
from Eagle Creek and the Bishops and Hales from Raleigh were in town with
a few of our natives mixed in with them, and the whole bunch would get
mixed up with booze. So Uncle Ben Page, Jim Jasper Baker and James Waddell
would close in on them and Vine street from Poplar to Chruch streets was
the battle ground, but the three old heroes always came out the victors.
(Yet, some say prohibition is of no avail.)
I lived on the farm I purchased 14 years, and will
say that if I had my time to live over again, it would be on a farm, for
as I see it, it is about the only life a man can live as a free and true
American citizens. During my residence on the farm, I acquired 100 acres
more land, which gave me 220 acres. During the 14 years, I had with me
my wife and seven children. At the time in fact they had virtually all
become grown, my son Theodore, the youngest, was 15 years old.
The expense of supporting my family never entered
my mind as the products of the farm give us an abundance such as breadstuff,
meat, lard, milk butter, poultry, eggs, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and
berries and enough surplus to buy all the sugar and groceries needed. I
have sold as much as 14 barrels of 40 gallons each of sorghum in this town
in one season, and the wool from a flock of sheep I kept could be exchanged
for much calico and such dress goods as the women wished to buy at the
old George Mugge store.
During my residence on the farm, I served the people
of Independence township three years as highway commissioner, two years
as justice of the peace and four years as supervisor. So with my business
in town, my public duties and my farm work, I was kept busy, and in addition
to this, I had a threshing and clover hulling outfit, but my friends, Billy
Warren and Ivery Armstrong usually took are of this part of my business.
They threshed wheat in Eldorado on the spot where the High school now is
located.
On selling out my business in town, I took in trade
for my stock 160 acres of farm land one mile southwest of Independence,
known as the Ann Mitchell place, which I should have retained, but as usual,
I let it go, selling to the late Jesse Rude, for what was known as the
Major Pickett stock of general merchandise, which was in the building now
occupied by the Thomas L. Ozment Company. I put the stock in at Independence
in charge of S. D. Golden, now deceased.
While living on the farm, I bought of Joel Gillespie
the 80 acres of farm land lying west of Independence school building, which
farm is now owned by Dick Hart. I sold for the price of $1300 and believe
the land now is worth between $6000 and $7000.
On selling out my shop located here on Vine street
I traded to G. W. Robinson the west one-half of the center lot on which
my shop was located for 160 acres of land six miles west of town in Carrier
Mills township, known as the Lemuel Lewis farm and this land was north
of Lucian Nolen's farm, and I took this land at a valuation of $1400. I
had already learned how to make deeds, so I sold it out in two parcels
of 40 acres each and one of 80 acres. In the course of a few years the
mineral right under the land was sold for $40 an acre with the surface
still there well worth another $40 an acre. So I guess there is no doubt
as to my inability as to handling farm land and other real estate. In fact,
I made too many deeds.
In 1905 I sold my farm in Independence township
to Gray Brothers, who were then and are yet large land holders in this
county. The main cause of my quitting the farm was the coal industry starting
up, causing all farm helpers to quit the farm and starting to work in the
mines at from four to six times more than the farm wage. And in looking
over my success as a farm, I am reminded that much of my success was due
to my friends, John P. Butler, Peter Gibbs and my son-in-law, Morris Gaskins,
as through their helped and management I gained much of my success.
In the spring of the year of 1906, I bought twenty
acres of land at Pankeyville, it begin part of the uncle Wes Ingram old
home place, and that year I built a home which is now owned by the heirs
of the late Chas. Dixon.
I moved from the farm to my new home in Pankeyville
on the last day of October, 1906 and on the following November 27th, my
wife, Mary J. Glass died of typhoid fever. So as we see, man can lay his
plans, but God rules and eventually we must all answer His summons, and
the vital question of life should be: "Are we ready for the call?"
December 1, 1907, I was united in marriage with
Mrs. Georgia A. Rude, by the Rev. F. E. Birket, then pastor of the Presbyterian
church of this city. We made the Pankeyville place our home until the summer
of 1907 when I sold this house to the late Asa Parker.
At the time I sold my Pankeyville residence, paving
in Harrisburg had been completed on Church and Granger streets and our
fellow townsman Grant King who lived at the corner of Church and Granger
was dissatisfied and placed his new home on the market. It being on two
paved streets, I thought it very desirable an bought it and moved in July
, 1908. This was my second home in the city, and as I think now, Harrisburg
will continue to be my home town. I wonder if from every point of view
if it could be excelled. We have good farms surrounding our town and we
are in the midst of as good a coal field as is found on this mother earth.
We have a lot of good fruit land; also a lot of as good people as can be
found anywhere.
During my residence here from 1908 until this time,
I have had various occupation. I was in the plumbing business with E. F.
Talley who sold his shop to Heister brothers, and later in the grocery
business. In the year 1915, I built the brick garage building known as
the Jenkins garage and later sold it to Jenkins brothers.
I then bought of C. Wasson my present place at
19 West Church street, and while I paid Mr. Wasson $6,000 for this property,
I could have bought it when I came to Harrisburg for the sum of $300 with
fair improvements on it.
After locating at 19 West Church street, I went
into the automobile business with my son, Theo, taking the agency for the
Reo and Dart cars, which business we operated until five years ago. Since
that time, I have not been in any line of business, and as I am now 70
years old, I feel I have done my little bit in a business way, but hope
to be here quite a while yet to help boost the younger fellows.
I have given a meager history of my meanderings
through life and could have related a great many more happenings, but I
will close this part of the story as to my business life and I shall tell
something as toy life along other lines. As already stated, on December
25, 1875, I took as my wife Miss Mary Dill, who departed this life after
31 years of our wedded life. During this time we had born to us seven children
as follows:
Mrs. Rhoda Gaskins, Eva Ingram of Harrisburg, Mrs.
Lulu Horning, of Urbana, Illinois, Mrs. Mabel Meacham of near Golconda,
Illinois, Mrs. Ester Wiley, Mrs Bessie McCormick and Theo Glass, all of
Harrisburg, Illinois.
I now have living 27 grandchldren and one greandson
dead, he being W. T. Meacham the oddest son of my daughter Mabel Meacham.
I have living three great grandchildren and have one dead, it being the
son of my granddaughter, Mrs. Reba Signor (nee Horning), of Kirkwood, Mo.
My first lodge affiliation was an Odd Fellow, as
I joined the Hurricane lodge No. 617, New Columbia, Illinois, in the year
1882. In the year 1886, after coming to Harrisburg, I had my membership
transferred to Harrisburg I. O. O). F. and at that time Saline Valley loge
was organized. I was living on my farm and took my membership to Saline
Valley to assist in organizing the lodge. I never moved my membership from
there.
In the year 1885, I took the Entered Apprentice
degree in New Columbia Masonic lodge, and after moving to Harrisburg in
the fall of 1887, I was made a Master Mason in Harrisburg Masonic lodge
No. 325, in which lodge I have held membership. In April 1925, I took the
degrees and was made a 32nd degree Mason in the Mississippi Valley consistory
of East St. Louis, also the Shrine in Ainad Temple and I would say right
here that I advise any Master Mason to take the consistory and Shrine work.
The class meeting comes semi-annually and I don't know of any four or five
days recreation any Mason would take that would afford him as much enjoyment
as attending.
I must not forget to relate for the benefit of
my Masonic brethren about my work. As above stated I took the Entered apprentice
degree at New Columbia lodge. I was balloted on, elected and notified to
appear at lodge to be instructed in the mysteries of the Fellowship degree,
and had to pass the scrutinizing eyes of the committee on examination of
which our departed brother Capt. J. H. Pearce was spokesman, and I remember
distinctly that one question, "Where were you made an Entered Apprentice?"
and I answered "At New Columbia, in Massac County, Illinois."
I wish to say that as far as I know from my affiliation
with the fraternal societies I think the Masonic order the base of all
fraternal organization, and man can life the life of a Christian without
being a member of his society, but he cannot be a Mason and not be a Christian
and give reverence to his almighty God.
Now as to my political views, I have always affiliated
with the Republican party as I have always and am still of the opinion
that the principles of the party are the surest and most safe of any party
principles in maintaining the perpetuation of this government. Yet. I have
never allowed my political views to come between me and my fellow man,
either in a social or business way, and today, I have as good and close
friends of the Democratic party in and outside of this town as I have on
earth—men whom I feel and know are friends in deed and in truth.
Since I have lived in this town for the last 20
years, I have served the people of this township six years of three terms
as assessor and two years as deputy, and will mention here, that when I
was doing this work, I could set in my home and tell where each farmer
resided, what section he lived in and what one-quarter section he lived
in.
In addition to being assessor, I shall have served
as assistant supervisor for this township, as a member on the county board
for four years, or eight years, when my term is up in April 1928. At the
present time, I am serving as chairman of the county board an at this tie
I am also at work on the Board of Review with Mr. A. M. Berry of Cottage
Grove and Mr. Harry Butler of Eldorado as my associates with Mr. C. H.
James of Raleigh as clerk.
So far, I have tried to do my duty as an official
to the best of my ability, and stand ready and willing today to face any
act or vote I have cast as to the business pertaining to the county or
township in which I have participated. Now as to my church affiliation.
My grandfather David Barnhill Glass was a member of the First Presbyterian
church of Golconda, Illinois over 100 years ago. His family, which included
my father were all members of the Old Bethany Presbyterian chruch, which
is located four miles West of Golconda on the old Golconda and Vienna road,
which neighborhood is known as Hodgeville.
My first memory of church and Sunday school was
at this place in my boyhood days. In this old church yard lies the remains
of my dear old mother, who died when I was six years of age, and this had
been quite a while ago, yet, the teaching she gave me and brothers and
sisters, is as vivid in my mind as though it was yesterday.
I have also in the old grave yard, one brothers
and one sister who died after reaching manhood and woman hood: also at
the same place grandfathers and grandmother, aunts and uncles, cousins
and boyhood friends too numerous to mention.
It is but natural this church should be one of
the sacred memories of my life, as I yet retain the very image of the man
who was pastor at the time of my first recollection—Marcus Randolph. i
attended this church up to the time I left Pope county. There is one other
pastor I remember at this old church an he was Uncle Peter Well, he being
pastor at the time I left Pope county.
At the age of 30 years, during my residence in
Samoth, Massac county, my brother-in-law Rev. Leroy Clannahan of Metropolis,
Illinois—a Methodist minister, held a series of meeting in our village,
during which meeting I was convicted of my sins and at that time in life
accepted Christ as my personal savior. Yet, let me say to the younger generation,
don't take my life along this line as any criterion to copy, but accept
in you youth your Christ and be the better prepared to fight the battles
of life, and always be ready to meet you God in peace.
At the time I came to Harrisburg to make my home,
there was under way of Construction on the northwest corner of Poplar and
Jackson streets where the Texaco filling station is now located, a building
being erected by the Cumberland Presbyterian people, who were very weak
as to membership, and accordingly finances. So I cast my lot with this
church, and found therein as devout Christians as I ever met. Among them
were Uncle Henry Goodrich, Uncle John Ferrell, Uncle Charley Wilgus, Father
Patton, Father Ramsey, Grandma Sallie Pearce, Mrs. Lou Stiff, Mrs. Kate
Choisser, Mrs. Nell Sloan, Mrs. Mollie Wilgus, Mrs. Moolie Martin and a
great many others too numerous to mention. I have a session record of this
church, and expect it to be preserved as long as I am here.
In the year 1902, the Synods of the two bodies
voted to unite into one body, and while the proposition was opposed by
a goodly number of both churches and quite a lot of our church members
were opposed to the move yet individually I favored the move as I thought
it would be for the betterment of the cause of Christ and especially in
this town, which had two branches of the church, the one located as stated,
and the other on the lot now occupied by the Orpheam theatre.
The churches sold each place and purchased the
lot which was midway between them and built the present house of worship—the
First Presbyterian church building. I was selected from my church as one
of the ruling Elders, and served in this capacity until the uniting of
the two bodies, since which time I continue to do as my grandfather and
father had done before me, making over 100 years service for the three
of us; and if my only son should ever be counted worthy by his church,
there could be no greater reward to me than this to fall to his lot also.
Now I am a Presbyterian by faith and practice,
yet I do not think that there are not as good Christians among the sister
churches. I am glad to know that my ancestors for the past century have
been identified in the pulpit of the Christian religion and am further
pleased to know that at least some of my own children and grandchildren
have taken an active part in their church work.
This brings to a close my story as to my journey
through life, and I have narrated in a general way my activities. As I
have spent the major part of my time here in Harrisburg and this vicinity,
having been here 41 years this coming November, I feel my lot has been
cast with as good people and in as good a town as I could have selected
in Egypt.
When I came here at the age of 30 years about all
the assets I could call my own was my wife and four children, and about
all I have now is my wife. While I have never gathered much of this world's
goods, yet I have no complaint to make. I have had great opportunities
but did not grasp them as some of my fellow townsmen did, yet I have no
one to blame but myself, and I am glad to say I did not envy many man's
financial success, as I had the opportunities and let them pass.
If I had the finances I have spent to enjoy this
journey through life, it would make a nice bank account, but I had rather
have the knowledge and pleasure my money has brought me than the money.
I have been in Canada and over a greater part of
25 states of our union as follows: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico,
Arizona, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas,
Missouri, Arkansas, and in nearly every county in grand old Illinois. And,
as I stated before, I think the pleasure and knowledge gained in my trips
over the country have been worth more than my money.
A brief description as to our town when I came
here is as follows: The east boundary was the Big Four railroad; south,
Gaskins and South streets; west, McKinley Avenue; north, Logan street,
So you see our town today is quite larger than
it was at that time. I have seen Poplar and Church streets so muddy as
to be impassable with a wagon and team. The mail was taken to and from
the depot in a wheel barrow, and it did not take a very big "Irish
buggy" to haul it. At this time there was nothing in the way of sidewalks,
except the board walks. The business was about all located around the public
square, and all the store had sheds or porches in front of them. There
is not a building, except Setens' Hardware store on the east side of the
square, which stood on either side of the square 40 years ago, and the
home of the late Grandma Mick is the only home having the same general
outline as 40 years ago.
There are but two men now living who lived on Poplar
street when I came here. They are W. L. Dorris Sr. and C. P. Skaggs. Of
these Mr. Skaggs is in the same house he lived in at the time. Mr. Dorris
lived at the J. C. Wilson home.
The leading hotel of the time is now the home of
the late Wm. Gregg, and was known as Durham's Repose, it being owned by
Uncle A. Durham and operated by John Norman.
The officials at of Saline county at that time
were: Cap Largent, sheriff; T. Y. Reynolds, circuit clerk; Capt. Jas. H.
Pearce, county clerk; W. H. Parish, Jr., county judge; J. E. Jobe, superintendent
of school; Dr. J. R. Baker, coroner and John J. Parish, state's attorney.
Some of the men living with us now who were citizens
of the town at the time I cam here are: Father Mallonee, Chas. Wilgus,
W. L. Dorris, Sr., C. P. Skaggs, W. T. Skaggs, John T. Gaskins, Clint Otey,
John J. Parish, Dr.. Parish, Dr. Swan, Oliver Ferguson, Alex McKenzie,
Chas. Tate, James E. Jobe, J. B. Ford, John H. Nyberg, Will Gaskins, Sr.,
Oscar Gaskins, Doc Hallock, Frank Lott, Doug Norman, Gold Hughes, and James
L. Cook.
The following were men who were residents of Harrisburg
at the time I came here who have passed beyond the great divide, and you
see the list is much greater:
Dr. Mitchell, Dr. Rathbone, Dr. Rose, Dr. Provine,
Dr. Chancy, Dr. Hudson, Dr. Powell, W. H. Parish, Sr. , Atty. W. H. Parish,
Jr., Atty. Harry Boyer, Atty. W. V. Choisser, Atty. Lonsey Choisser, Atty.
Wm. M. Christy, Atty. W. F. Scott, Atty. R. S. Marsh. Atty. M. S. Whitley,
Atty. Capt. Largent, Capt. Pearce, Capt. Sloan, Capt. Pottsw, Capt. Forgy,
Mr. Ross Seten, Mr. Barnett, Hall, Mrs. Dan Seten, Mr. W. P. Hallock. Mr.
George Seten, Mr. Thos. Y. Reynolds, Judge Warfield, Will Reynolds, Mr.
Otto Heineman, Mr. Bine Ingram, Mr. John McCormack, Daddy Winkleman, Turner
Ware, John Hull, Robt. Mich, John Slaten, Jack Davenport, John McIntyre,
Wm. White, Ed Dewery, Frank Rice, Will McHaney, Mose Stiff, Will Campbell,
Dan Stiff, Will Huddleson, Louis Bowman, John Tate, Henry Compton, Daddy
Parker, Henry Goodrich, J. O. Vinson, Robt. Goodrich, Noah Feazal, John
Ferrell, Zack Beal, Martin Ferrell, Samuel Conover, Jas. R. Martin, Verheese
Conover, Robt. iking, Walter Rathbone, Daddy Patton, James Crank Lofton
Price, William Hibbets, Alex Stunson, Nathaniel Johnson, Peter Albinger,
Moses Johnson, Jonathan Gaskins, Freeman Johnson, Wilson Gaskins, Thos.
Richardson, Riley Gaskins, J. W. Richardson, Geo. (Chick) Gaskins, Matt
Miley, Talt Gaskins, Pleas Taylor, James Macklin, Mitt Baker, Wade Hughes,
Hi Jones, James Metcalk, Joseph Towle, Steve Jones, John Raley, Thos. Jones,
Joe R. Peace. F. J. Ockett, Joe E. Pearce, Jas. Elder, John Pruett, Acel
Durham. M. Demoski, Wesley Horning, Daddy Oschman, H. C. Wheeler, Godred
Wiedeman, Phil Wiedeman, E. W. Wiedeman, George Mitchell, Wm. O'Bryen,
Teo Parrish, Carrol Carl, Ben Page, Pryor Skaggs, Wm. Pankey, John C. Norman,
Chas. Messer, Thos. Shelby, Thos. Hayes, Will Gaskins Jr., J. S. Ferguson,
W. M. Gregg and Doc Hallock who has just passed beyond.
Of the 140 men who were here at the time I came
to Harrisburg 117 lived here until their death and 23 are still living.
We now have but one attorney John J. Parish, two
physicians, Dr. Parish and Dr. Swan and two ex-county officials, Jas. E.
Jobe and John J. Parish, and none who were captains in the Civil war, who
were with us 40 years ago.
O gracious Savior we confess
Our poor cold love and
nothingness
Yet Thou wilt own and Thou wilt bless.
Created May 1, 1998 by Jon Musgrave