Weekly column published in The Rushville Times with information furnished by officials of the Schuyler Jail Museum.

January 5, 2000
By Edie Fishel
    The board members of the Schuyler Jail Museum regret the recent resignations of two of our board members. Maxine Sargent, who has been our recording secretary for several years, and Suzanne Miller, who was in charge of publicity and putting together our quarterly, "The Schuylerite", in addition to writing the column, "Genealogically Speaking" every week. We are grateful to both of these women for the many tasks they have done for the museum.
    I, Edie Fishel, with the help of Dan Norton, will try to provide information for the Genealogically Speaking column each week. We will try to deal with topics of genealogical and historical interest of Schuyler and the surrounding counties.
    Some recent additions to our genealogical library are: American Naturalization Records; Searching American Military Records; Western New York Land Transactions; Where to Write for County Maps; Upper Canada Naturalization Records; Genealogical Abstracts from Tennessee; and Ten Thousand Missouri Taxpayers. We also recently obtained the 1880 Hancock County Illinois Census - Vol. 1 - The Northeast Townships - Durham, Fountain, Hancock, LaHarpe and Pilot Grove Townships. Vol. 2 - The Northwest Townships - Dallas, Nauvoo, Pontoosue, Rock Creek and Sonora Township. Our library books may not be taken out of the library, but anyone is welcome to come and look at them.
    For those of you who may not be interested in genealogy but are interested in history, we have many county histories, not only of Illinois counties, but of counties throughout the U. S. We also try to get anything that is published by the surrounding counties of genealogical or historical nature. Our library also has newspapers from Schuyler, Brown, Fulton and Cass counties on microfilm and is getting many of the Family-Tree Maker CDs that can be viewed on our computer. For anyone interested in genealogy, we have many family histories, family files, military records, court records, cemetery records, obituaries, immigration books, and church records. We invite you to come and see our holdings, use them and enjoy them.
    The museum section is closed for the winter, re-opening in April. The genealogical section is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1-5 p.m. until April.

January 12, 2000
    May we help preserve your heirlooms? The jail museum is in need of a few items for the kitchen display in the new room. We especially need an old kitchen cookstove and a kitchen cupboard. If anyone has one of these items that they would be willing to donate to the museum, please call the museum at 322-4327 (Sat. or Sun., 1-5 p.m.).
    Volunteers have been busy this winter moving items into the new addition, getting ready for the April opening. A sneak preview of the new addition revealed a school room, a chapel, a parlor, and a partial kitchen, already assembled. We are very excited about this new room. It fulfills the long needed space to properly display some of our beautiful antiques and memorabilia of Schuyler County.
    If any of you are interested in architecture, the 1985 volume, Schuyler County Illinois History, has many photos of old homes in Schuyler County. Some of them are: the Erwin home on North Liberty Street in 1912; the Monroe home, which is now the Worthington Funeral Home; the DeWitt home in Littleton; the John H. Kelly home; and the Robert Young home in Oakland Township, built in 1898.
    A few of our family histories available are the Curless, Bates, Danner, Scripps, Van Order (4 vols.), Malcomson, Robertson, Wheelhouse, Lyberger and the Skiles families. These and many other books can be seen in our library.
    January 1865 Schuyler County Marriages as taken from The Schuylerite, Vol. 20, Number one: Jan. 5, 1865 - John A Harver and Margaret E. Watts; Jan. 5, 1865 - James A. Chitwood & Sarah E. Gillette; Jan. 8, 1865 - William Atkinson and Eliza Tyree; Ja. 4, 1865 - A. Henry Clarke & Elizabeth M. Young. (Continued next week.)
    The membership dues for the year 2000 are now being taken. The dues include four issues of The Schuylerite. Our membership year is from January to January. You do not have to be a member to use our facility but we would appreciate a donation from non-members.
    Remember: Every family tree has some sap in it. -- Edie Fishel

January 19, 2000
    Reading about the death of John C. Scripps, 100 years ago, in the Jan. 12 issue of The Rushville Times, reminded me of the prominence of the Scripps family. Not only are they known for their accomplishments in the field of journalism, but in science, medicine and education as well. Throughout the years, with all of their acquisitions and accomplishments, they still remember and contribute to Rushville, where their roots are firmly planted.
    The following article is taken from "This is Schuyler County Illinois," by John Drury, 1955.
    Edward Wyllis Scripps - "In the year 1854 there was born in the Scripps farmhouse, just west of Rushville, a baby boy who was given the name of Edward Wyllis. As destiny would have it, Edward Wyllis Scripps grew up to become one of America's foremost newspaper publishers. He also became founder of the great world-wide news-gathering agency, the United Press. Furthermore, he was one of the donors of Scripps Park, an attractive recreation area, occupying the site of the old Scripps farm.
    It was on June 18, 1854, that E. W. Scripps was born in the farmhouse just west of Rushville. After growing to maturity here, Scripps went to Detroit and joined the staff of the Detroit Tribune, then being published by his brother, James. After this paper was destroyed by fire in 1875, James Scripps founded a new one, the Detroit Evening News, and appointed E. W. Scripps as city editor.
    Three years later, E. W. Scripps entered the publishing field himself, establishing the Cleveland Penny Press (afterwards the Cleveland Press), a newspaper that was successful from the start. He then acquired other newspapers in Ohio, and in 1896, formed an agency with Milton A. McRae to supply cable news to his papers. It was known as the Scripps-McRae Press Association.
    In 1901, Scripps formed the Newspaper Enterprise Association for the providing of feature stories to local newspapers. Later he became associated with Roy W. Howard and out of this came the Scripps-Howard Newspaper Alliance, parent body of the United Press. At one period, Scripps owned 30 newspapers. He was deeply interested in science and found Science Service, a new bureau for spreading scientific knowledge.
    He also established the Scripps Foundation for Population Research at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and the Scripps Institution for Oceanographic Research at the University of California. He retired from active life in 1920. In 1924 he transferred control of his various interest to his son, Robert P. Scripps. The newspaper publisher died on his yacht off West Africa on March 12, 1926.
    It was in 1922 that E. W. Scripps gave Scripps Park to the town of Rushville. In this he was joined by his two sisters, Virginia and Ellen Browning Scripps. The latter contributed an additional $100,000 for the construction of a community house in the park. She also provided for a golf course, tennis courts and an athletic field."
    In our museum, we have a large Scripps display case that hold many interesting items of the Scripps family. Money for this case was donated by the Scripps family.
    1865 Schuyler County Marriages: Jan. 7, 1865 - William W. Shepherd and Elizabeth Strahan; Jan. 8, 1865 - Enoch Rittenhouse and Lucinda  Terrill; Jan. 12, 1865 - Nathan Wilson and Josephine Parker; Jan. 16, 1865 - Harrison Owen and Martha Allen.
    The genealogy section of the museum is open 1-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday until April 1. The museum section is closed until April 1.
  Gene-Allergy - Its a contagious disease. -- Edie Fishel

January 26, 2000
    This week I would like to recognize the curator of our museum, Nancy Stauffer. As curator, it is Nancy's job to organize, display and record every item, no matter how small or large, in the museum. She has an accession sheet for each item that is in the museum. The accession sheet contains the item's history, who owned it, who brought it in, and, if possible, the age of the item. These sheet are numbered and kept in a file and in a computer. When a person visits the museum and sees the hundreds of items we have, one realizes that the organizing and record keeping of these items is no easy task.
    Jan. 1865 Schuyler County Illinois Marriages: Jan. 17, 1865 - Daniel Waugh and Harriett Suddeth; Jan. 18, 1865 - Eli Rucker and Mary J. Warren; Jan. 22, 1865 - Daniel Shaw and Charlotte Roach; Jan. 29, 1865 - William R. Sours and Sarah A. Londry.
  The Schuyler Citizen, April 24, 1884 - Decrees for divorces: Cristelia C. Simpson vs. Geo. Simpson; Chloris M. France vs. Julien France; George Avery vs. Amanda Avery; Flora J. Gobble vs. Henry H. Gobble; and Charles Yates vs. Lydia M. Yates.
  The Schuyler Citizen, June 5, 1884 - "A curled mustache is the lastest freak of fashion. New York barbers produce a beautiful curl for 25 cents."
  The Schuyler Citizen, Dec. 6, 1883 -"Two young ladies were reproved yesterday at church for laughing."
    The previous can be seen in The Schuylerite, Vol. 20, Number One.
  Schuyler County, Illinois History, 1983 - Marble Statue at Scripps park - "The Italian marble statue 'Let There Be Light' is located near the tennis courts at Scripps Park. The statue weighs five and one-half tons and sits on a three and one-half ton of granite base.
    The statue was made by American sculptor George Gray Bernard. It was purchased by Alvert Morris Bagby and placed at the entrance of Scripps Park in memory of his parents, John Curtis Bagby and Mary Agnes Scripps Bagby in 1936 and in December of 1957 it was moved to its present location."
    Books in our library: Mayflower Families, Vol. 1-18; Mayflower Births and Deaths, Vol. 1 and 2; The Famine Immigrants, Vols. 1-7; History of Westmoreland Co., Pa. 1882; and Kentucky Marriage Records.
    Family Histories: Beghtol; Dale and Welty; Garrison; Markley-Butler; Corbridge and Bland families; Points-Thornton; Unland; and Sargent (3).
    CD's for the computer: World Family Tree, and Super Bundles, 2-7. Each of these super bundles contain about five volumes of family trees. They can be a gold mine to a genealogist.
    The museum section is closed until April 1. The genealogy section is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. until April 1.
--Edie Fishel

February 2, 2000
    The following was taken from the Feb. 21, 1924 issue of The Augusta Eagle. Big Wheat Crop Threshed in Winter--Rushville Men Finish Threshing 770 Acres of Wheat on Jan. 31.
    "On the last day of January, Curtis Mathews and Earl Wells, who, in partnership, had a 770 acre wheat crop in the Coal Creek Drainage district, finished their threshing.
    The crop totaled more than 20,000 bushels and they had been on the threshing job intermittently since August, the wet weather in the fall and early winter holding up the work. Late in the winter they kept their machine going steadily and were threshing when the thermometer was below zero and even on the day it went 18 degrees below.
    When the late autumn rains came they had 9,100 bushels of wheat threshed, but were forced to suspend operations and stack the wheat remaining in the field.
    This of itself was a big job, and when the unthreshed wheat was taken from the field there were 101 stacks. Jackson Ward, who was retired from farming and moved to Rushville, again took to the field as a stacker and John Walker, Milton Toland and Geo. Illman were also doing the job and these old time stackers did a good job, as even tho the wheat was wet when it went into the stack it turned out fairly well when threshed and tested 49 lbs.
    One of the stacks was burned, but the remaining hundred turned out more than 13,000 bushels of grain, which ran the total yield of 22,100 bushels on the 770 acre tract.
    Messrs. Mathews and Wells were held up in putting in the fall crop by the wet weather which delayed their threshing and this year they have only 300 acres planted to wheat. They were unable to seed ground they had plowed last fall and this will be planted in corn. Rushville Times."
    Family histories in our library: Pace, Paisley, Shupe, Sorrell, Shannon, Winston, Wilmot, Wilson, Foster, Fowler, and Gardner.
    Books in our library: Genealogies of Virginia Families, Vol. 1-5; Swiss and German Pioneer Settlers; Emigrants to Pennsylvania; The Tenmile Country (PA) and Its Pioneer Families; and Cemetery Records of Knox Co. OH. Vols. 1 & 2.
    The Prairie Farmer's Directory of Brown & Schuyler Counties, IL. 1918, has the following businesses listed: Bader: C. W. Fowler--Blacksmith; Jones & Co.--General Store; Thos. L. Sherrill--General Store; Birmingham: A. Stoneking & Son--General Store; Stoner Bros.--General Store; Willey & Frakes--Blacksmith; Bluff City: Roy Dixon--General Store; and Stewart Dixon--General Store.
    Genealogy is like Hide and Seek: They hide and I seek! --Edie Fishel

February 9, 2000
    The following article is taken in part from the Aug. 7, 1952 issue of The Augusta Eagle. Ruth Phillips of Augusta shared it with me.
  Teacher of Lincoln is Buried in Schuyler County -- "Tucked away in a corner of a quiet meadow in the northwest corner of Schuyler County is the grave of an almost unknown man who may have had a great influence on the life of Abraham Lincoln.
    His name which will ring familiar in only a few ears - is Azel Dorsey.
    Mr. Dorsey's fame arises in that he is one of few men who guided young Lincoln during the few months of the future president's skimpy formal education."
    "Just what influence, if any, Mr. Dorsey had on the future of Lincoln is not known and it is doubtful if it will ever be known. It is not even known for how long a time Dorsey taught Lincoln.
    About all that is certain is this: Dorsey was one of three itinerant teachers who taught Lincoln while he lived in Spencer County, Ind., in his boyhood." - "Dorsey, it is believed was the last teacher Lincoln had.
    "What little information is available on Dorsey was provided by the late J. B. Oakleaf who in 1930 wrote an article on him in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society.
    Dorsey, Mr. Oakleaf reported, had been a soldier in the War of 1812 before settling in Indiana. He later moved to the Military Tract in Schuyler County. (The Military Tract was land given to veterans of the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 as bonuses.)
    In 1828, Dorsey became a patron of the Rushville Post Office and also taught school in Schuyler County. Records in the recorder's office in Rushville show Dorsey owned property in both Camden and Huntsville townships.
    Mr. Oakleaf reports that when he found the grave on the Theodore King farm, about half mile south of the village of Huntsville, the grave had not been kept and the tombstone had been knocked over. Only inscription on the stone was: Azel W. Dorsey, Died Sept. 13, 1858. Aged 73 yrs., 10 mos., 8 days.
    Apparently interest in Dorsey grew for in 1932, the late Logan Settles of Rushville, who claimed he was related to Lincoln, obtained a stone from Lincoln's tomb in Springfield and had it erected over the grave. The original stone was embedded in the newer one.
    Inscription on the new stone is "Erected by Logan Settles in memory of Azel Dorsey, school teacher of Abram Lincoln 1826, Stone from Lincoln's Tomb. 1932."
    An iron picket fence has been erected around the stone."
    Recent queries received by our museum are Verna DeClerck, Aledo, Ill., who needs information on the Elijah and Henry Hampton families. She would also like to know the place of birth and date and place of death of Henry Hampton; Delna Powell, Las Vegas, Nev., needs cemetery records of Parkers who died in Brown County; Eric Johnson, Avon Lake, Ohio, wants information on Alexander Moore, who married Sarah Davis, 1849, Schuyler County, then moved to Plymouth, Ill.; Mrs. R. A. Pritchett, Virginia Beach, Virg., needs information on John K. Sherill and wife Martha Esther Walton Ramsey. If anyone has information on these families, please call the museum.
    For the researchers of Cass County families, we have the Cline Funeral Home Records, Vols. 1-5, covering the years 1885-1996. Also, the Northcutt and Sager Funeral Home Records, 1941-1996 and the Litner Funeral Home Records of Chandlerville, 1887-1965. These are not published books and the museum is one of the few places they can be found.
    Another reminder: We are now accepting dues for the year 2000.
    Hours: Genealogy section - 1-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Museum section remains closed until April 1. --Edie Fishel.

February 16, 2000
    THE FREDERICK BRICKYARD - The Brick and Tile Plant of Frederick was, at one time, an important business, making brick, hollow building tile, paving brick and field drainage tile. In the 60 odd years of its existence, it gave employment to many men in the Frederick area.
    The fire clay was obtained from the hills surrounding Frederick. The clay was mixed with water in the pugmill then passed through the appropriate dies to form bricks or tile. They were then transferred to drying sheds for curing. After drying for several days, they were stacked in the kilns, where they were fired or baked for many hours. The bricks and building tiles were used in many local homes and businesses. The church and two earlier schools were built with local brick. In the later years, most of the production was confined to field drainage tile.
    The earlies recorded owner was Pulaski Farwell, who in September 1883 leased the brickyard to Atkinson and Oloff of Rock Island, who had the contract for 470,000 bricks for the Beardstown school. The next recorded owner was Rebman and Derry, followed by Edward Hill. Later the plant was operated by the firm of Witt and Churchill. In 1928 it was sold to O. D. (Jack) Harkrader who operated it under the name of Frederick Brick and Tile for 19 years. In 1947, it was sold to four men from St. Louis, who used the name Illinois Valley Brick and Tile Co. It ceased operation in the early 1950s.
    The preceding information came from the Schuyler County Illinois History, 1983.
    1918 Schuyler County Illinois Business Directory: Brooklyn: G. H. Black - Blacksmith, J. E. Camp - Drugs, J. J. Dowling - General Store; Browning: Robt. Allen - Shoes, Bader & Fleming - Coal & Feed, J. R. Bates - Meats, W. J. Crafton - livery, A. L. Derry - Bakery, C. E. Everhart and Co. General Store, E. C. Hamm - Restaurant, H. M. Pettigrew - General Store, Pfeil Bros. - General Store, A. H. Stambaugh - Groceries & Meats, E. A. Stambaugh - General Store, J. H. Trone - General Store, J. M. Walten - Feed Mill, and G. E. Weirharr - Garage.
    Anyone who has researched their family history knows the importance of an obituary. In an obituary you cannot only find parent's names, including the maternal surname, but the names of siblings, children grandchildren, etc. An obituary also tells where the deceased was born and where they died helping to document your findings. Our genealogical library has several binders of obituaries from various newspapers. These include: The Rushville Times, The Peoria Journal Star, The Augusta Eagle, The Macomb Journal, The Astoria Argus, The Jacksonville Journal Courier, The Vermont Tribune, The Mt. Sterling Democrat Message and The Beardstown Illinoian Star.
    Family histories in our library: Fish, Farrar, Ewing, Ellis (V. 1 & 2), Efaw, Bond, Brown (2), Bucher, Burgard-Hollinger, and Black.
    Our winter hours until April 1 are Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. The museum section remains closed until April 1. Phone 217-322-6975. --Edie Fishel

February 23, 2000
    Since all of the counties are now taking applications for census takers, I thought the following poem would be appropriate.

The Census Taker
It was the first day of census, and all though the land;
    The pollster was ready, a black book in hand.
He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride;
    His book and some quills were tucked close by his side.
A long winding ride down a road barely there;
    Toward the smell of fresh baking bread wafting, up through the air.
The woman was tired, with lines on her face;
    And wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place.
She gave him some water, as they sat at the table;
    And she answered his questions - the best she was able.
He asked of her children. Yes, she had quite a few;
    The oldest was twenty, the youngest was two.
She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red;
    His sister, she whispered, was napping in bed.
She noted each person who lived there with pride;
    And she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one inside.
He noted the sex, the color, the age.
    The marks from the quill soon filled up the page.
At the number of children, she nodded her head;
    And saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead.
The places of birth she "never forgot";
    Was it Kansas? or Utah? or Oregon - or not?
They came from Scotland, of that she was clear;
    But she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here.
The spoke of employment, of schooling and such;
    They could read some, and write some, though really not much.
When the questions were answered, his job there was done;
    So he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun.
We can almost imagine his voice loud and clear;
    "May God bless you all of another ten years."
Now picture a time warp - its' now you and me;
    As we search for the people on our family tree.
We squint at the census and scroll down so slow;
    As we search for that entry from long, long ago.
Could they only imagine on that long ago day;
    That the entries they made would effect us this way?
If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel;
    And the searching that makes them so increasingly real.
We can hear if we listen the words they impart;
    Through our blood in our veins and their voice in our heart.
--Author Unknown

    Our volunteers have been busy all winter getting the museum and library ready to open in April. There has been a number of changes on the genealogy side, making research easier. The big change is our new south addition. The lawyer's office, parlor, chapel, kitchen, and school room are now complete.
    You know you are a genealogist when you have more pictures of tombstones than of the kids. --Edie Fishel

March 1, 2000
    Since the museum section re-opens in about six weeks, I would like to talk about some of the items we have in the museum. One display, that is a favorite to almost everyone, is our chapel. Our chapel is now featured in our new addition.
    The focal point of the chapel is the beautiful stained glass window from the Memorial Chapel Church in Woodstock Township. The trustees of the Palm Cemetery gave permission to Everitte and Donald Rittenhouse to remove the window from Memorial Chapel and donate it to the Schuyler Jail Museum. It was donated in the memory of the George Naught family and the first trustees of the Union Church Association; Sylvester Valentine, Leonard Houser, and Lawrence Bowers.
    Memorial Chapel Church was built during the summer of 1917 out of the need for a church in that area. Mr. and Mrs. George Naught gave some land adjacent to Palm Cemetery for its location. Memorial Chapel was organized as a nondenominational church with people of all denominations welcomed. There was never a regular resident minister. A minister from one of the Rushville churches or another neighboring church held the services.
    Some of the families who supported the church were the Clyde Browns, Sylvester Valentines, George Naughts, Elmer Griffiths, Clarence Swisher, Leonard Houser, Ella Sweeney, Homer Dean, Henry Clement, Charles Young, Ben Haley, Adolph Korte, David Landreth and George Shupe.
    Family histories in our library: Bales, Banks, Clark, Conrad, Dooley, Dunlap (2), Everhart, Farrar, Lancaster, Nall, Peckenpaughs, and Tyson.
    Resource books: New York Census - 1790; New Your 1830 Census; Ross County, Ohio Marriage Records, Vols. 1 & 2; The Wuertumberg Emigration Index, Vols. 1-6; North Carolina Wills; and Kentuckians In Illinois.
  Schuyler County Business Directory - 1918: Littleton: Bader & Co. - Grain; D. E. Cox - Grocer; G. G. Dean - Plumber & Tinner; C. L. DeWitt - General Store; Edward Hamm - Garage; L. L. Horney - General Store; S. C. Jones - Garage; W. A. Kelly - General Store; W. H. Kettering - Harness; Thos. F. Pickard - Blacksmith; Rudolph Rinehart - Meats; Wesley Sargent - Machine Shop; and C. D. Wells - Restaurant.
    The Jail Museum's winter hours: Genealogy section open Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; museum section closed until April 1.
   You know you are a genealogist when you have to watch the credits of a movie to see if any of the surnames are the ones you are researching.--Edie Fishel

March 8, 2000
    Attention all museum volunteers: March 14, at noon, has been set for the museum potluck lunch. Bring a covered dish to share and your own table service, drinks will be furnished. Besides the good food and fellowship, this is an opportunity for all volunteers to see the changes that have been made.
    Last week, I wrote about the stained glass window from the Memorial Chapel Church. There are several other lovely pieces in the chapel room. Two such pieces are the organ and ornate hunging lamp. Both of these were used in the McTyeire Chapel. McTyeire Chapel, 1890-1980, was located in the southwest corner of the northwest one quarter of Section 15 of Rushville Township. It was part of a three point circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
    "The Methodist Episcopal Church South was founded in 1844 as the result of controversy over the issue of slavery. In the 1880's and 1870's their building was in Rushville on South Jackson Street and is still standing. The founders of McTyeire included J. J. Sargent, John Byers, and W. I. Demaree." (Schuyler County Illinois History, 1983)
    In 1880, McTyeire voted to merge with the First United Methodist Church of Rushville. Other interesting items in the chapel include two elaborate chairs that were used in the Rushville Presbyterian Church, a pew from the Pleasant View Methodist Church, two candleholders that were used in St. Rose Catholic Church, a rostrum/Bible stand from the Fairview Church - Huntsville Township, two attendance/hymn boards from the Curry Chapel.
    We invite everyone to come and see these artifacts when the museum opens in April. Also, there are many interesting articles in the 1983 edition of Schuyler County Illinois History, about the churches and schools of Schuyler County.
    Family histories in our library: Persinger, The Pethtel Way, Rogers, Ruddick, Shaw, Sherrill, Toland, Tracy, Waters, Winters.
    Resource books: History of Washington Co., PA; Marriage Licenses of Jefferson County, KS; Maine Wills, 1640-1760, Part 1 & 2; Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa; Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution; Genealogies of Connecticut Families, Vol. 1-3.
    Our genealogy section is open 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, until April 1. The museum is closed until April 1. --Edie Fishel.

March 15, 2000
    In a previous article I mentioned the rostrum/Bible stand from the Fairview Methodist Church being in our chapel room. I have found the following information on the Fairview Methodist Church.
    In 1915 several of the neighbors of the Clark School District decided to have a Sunday School in the Clark Schoolhouse. This proved so successful that after a year, the congregation could not be accommodated in the school. Rev. Frank Lathrop was appointed to serve the Camden congregation. He began 22 nights of revival meetings in October 1916. Soon the people decided to build a church. Matt Tweedell donated the land on which to build the church at the four corners in the southeast corner of Huntsville Township. The building committee consisted of F. H. Lathrop, Arthur McClelland, B. Tweedell and George W. Pemberton. Ed Daly of Camden was hired to build the church.
    To help raise money for the church, the Ladies Aid pieced and quilted a quilt made of strips. On each strip was embroidered as many names as it could hold. Each name was sold for a dime. When the strips were filled and the quilt completed, it was sold at a pie supper at a good price.
    Another money making project was the Ephworth League sold patches to be sewn on a pair of pants, with a donation under each patch. They traveled all over selling patches.
    The name of the church was chosen by each member putting a name in a hat. The name Fairview was drawn, being submitted by Mrs. Kizzie Roberts.
    In October 1917, the church was completed. They had no trouble raising the $4,000 that it cost to build the building. In fact, they had $150 left after expenses.
    The trustees of the new church were Arthur McClelland, William B. Tweedell, James Veach, George Pemberton, Marion Roberts, James Perkins, Laurence Buss, and Truman Hignight.
    The Fairview Church continued to operate until the late 1930s. After a dwindling membership, the doors were finally closed and the building sold. The pews, piano, pulpit and furnace were divided among the Shiloh, Bethany and Camden churches. In 1939, the church was demolished. The home of Mabel Vaughn in Rushville is constructed from some of its lumber.
    Our genalogical society exhanges our quarterly, The Schuylerite, with several different genealogical groups all over the United States. This resource is often missed by our researchers. I would like to remind all researchers to look over these exchanges. We might have just the state and county you are looking for.
    Schuyler County Business Directory - 1918: Mabel: J. C. Davis - General Store; Pine Grove: C. E. Canin and Son - General Store; J. P. Dutton - Blacksmith; Pleasant view: R. Black - Blacksmith; Anthony V. Gragg - General Store; Geo. L. Parks - Shoe Repair; A. V. Strong - General Store.
    You know you are a genealogist when you explain why you can't go 25 miles for Sunday dinner, but can go 100 miles to check out another cemetery. --Edit Fishel.

March 29, 2000
    This coming Saturday, April 1, the Schuyler Jail Museum will begin its summer hours of being open seven days a week from 1-5 p.m. These hours will be in effect until Nov. 1. We invite everyone to come and see what the museum has to offer. If you are not interested in genealogy, the museum section holds many items of historical interest from Schuyler County.
    Rushville, previously called Rushton, was named after Dr. Benjamin Rush. Dr. Benjamin Rush was born near Philadelphia, Penn., in 1745 and died in 1813. Dr. Rush is often referred to as the Father of American Medicine. He graduated from Princeton University and studied medicine in London and Paris. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an outstanding member of the Continental Congress. He became professor of chemistry at Philadelphia Medical College and, in 1774, founded, the James Pemberton, the first anti-slavery society in America. In 1785, Dr. Rush established the first dispensary in the United States at Philadelphia. In 1788, Dr. Rush was appointed treasurer of the U. S. Mint in Philadelphia.
    I would like to remind the genealogical researchers in the area about our family files. We have several filing cabinets full of family files. Whenever the museum receives a query, a file is made of the surname being researched. The original letter, along with a copy of the material found, is filed under the surname being researched. Also, many people have given the museum their genealogical material. These family files are not just of Schuyler County surnames but of the surrounding counties as well. When searching a family, try our family files. You may find your searching has already been done.
    In 1912, the Camp Fire Girls of Rushville were: Mildred Dace, Mary McCreery, Faye Campbell, Gladys Greer, Mary Robeson, Faye Elgin, Lula Bowman, Eleanor Nell, Gertrude Swanson, Esther Mourning, Pearl Nelson, Mary Rowland, Frances Lawler, Coleen Hess, Maude Ingles, Miss Chapman, Miriam Steinmiller, Bernice Lawler and Della Babcock. The previous are pictured in the 1985 edition of Schuyler County Illinois History.
    You know you have become a gene-aholic when you can recite your lineage back eight generations, but can't remember your nephew's name. --Edie Fishel

April 5, 2000
    During the month of March, the genealogy section of the museum had visitors register from Jacksonville, Beardstown, Virginia, Astoria, Havana, Macomb, Galesburg, Rushville, and Chicago. Remember, now the entire jail museum is open seven days a week, from 1-5 p.m. for your convenience.
    We have recently received several new Adams County Illinois books for genealogical research. They are: Divorce Index, Adams County, IL; Quincy Memorial Park Cemetery and Early Quincy Cemeteries; St. Boniface Cemetery, Quincy, IL; and Adams County, IL, Coroner Inquest 1834-1906. The Coroner Inquest book is quite interesting because it not only give the date of death, but also the cause of death. We also have many other Adams County, Illinois books to aid in your search.
    The jail museum has a barbershop display that is sure to bring back memories from days gone by. It includes a barber chair that was used by Ernest Robinson; a barber pole from the Tyson Barbershop; a permanent wave machine used in the 1930s and 1940s; and various old scissors, straight razors and curling irons. There is also a picture of an old barber shop featuring Glenn Luthridge, Bernie Ray Foster, Robert Bradbury and John Fox. We invite you to stop by and see the Barber Shop and the other displays in the museum.
    Again, I would like to bring to your attention the old newspapers that the museum has on microfilm. These old newspapers are a very important source of information for the genealogical researcher. We have recently purchased more films of the Beardstown Illinoian Star and The Augusta Eagle. Following is a list of the newspapers that we now have on microfilm: The Illinoian Star, 1908-1980; The Argus Searchlight & The Astoria South Fulton Argus, 1894-1994; The Augusta Eagle, 1917-1987; The Democrat Message - Mt. Sterling, 1881-1990; The Vermont Union, 1898-1976; The Schuyler Citizen, 1851-1901, and the Rushville Times, 1856-1993.
    Remember that genealogy is a search for the greatest treasures - our ancestors. Edie Fishel.

April 12, 2000
    The "Museum Gang" wants to wish Lavina Walton a speedy recovery. We hope you will be back with us soon.
    In early 1826, the town of Rushville was just getting organized. The first house was built in the town by John B. Terry. It was a small log house located south of the school house grounds. About the same time, Hart Fellows built a log dwelling on the northeast corner of the square. The first town lots were sold July 4, 1826. The first merchandise sold in town was around 1828 or 1829 by a person from Jacksonville. His stock, which consisted of a few groceries and dry-goods, was kept in the house of Hart Fellows and was only temporary. Benjamin Chadsey was the next to engage in business. He purchased his goods in St. Louis, shipped them up the Illinois River in keel boats and brought the merchandise to Rushville. His merchandise was also kept in the house of Hart Fellows. Mr. Fellows acted as his clerk for one year and then became a partner under the firm name of Chadsey and Fellows. Mr. Fellows erected a frame store near his dwelling from which the business was conducted. The first tavern license was granted to Orris McCartney, Nov. 3, 1825, for which he paid three dollars to the treasury and one dollar to the clerk.
    The first brick edifice to be built was the courthouse, finished in 1830. The school house was the second brick building, and the third was the old Methodist Church.
    One of the first manufacturing efforts for Rushville was the firm of Hodge & Hunter, who established a wool carding factory in 1831. It was located on Congress Street and existed for several years. Also, in 1831, Geer Brothers started a business for the manufacturing of horn combs. This proved non-profitable and soon closed. James Blackburn erected a tannery on Lafayette Street in 1830. He sold out to George Baker and commenced the practice of medicine. Thus, we have some of the earliest businesses of Rushville.
    Family histories in our library include Workman, The Irish Wisley's, Wheeler, Wilson and Dodds, Pettijohn, Pickard, Ritchey, Richardson and Carlock, Rowland, Houser, Hughes, and Howk.
    Research books in our library: "Pioneers and Makers of Arkansas," "Pioneers and Residents of West Central Alabama," "Index to 1860 Census of Calif.,"1870 CT. Census," "Index to 1850 Del. Census," and "Marriages and Land Lottery Lists - Hancock County, Ga."
    We have moved all of our area newspaper obituaries into one section, making research of them easier.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum is now open seven days a week from 1-5 p.m. --Edie Fishel

April 19, 2000
    Do you like to read about the Gold Rush? In the genealogical section of the museum, there is a three-ring binder, containing the accounts of two men from Schuyler County who went to the Gold Rush. The binder contains The Journals and Letter of Simon Doile and the Diary of James S. Tolles.
    The journals of Simon Doile contain the diaries of his two trips across the plains to California, 1849-1851 and 1854-1856, letter from his diggings, 1849-1853 and an account of his return home via the Isthmus in 1856. The Tolles diary accounts his trip to California, April - August 1849 and his experiences in California, February - April 1850. James Tolles, with his father, brother John and 87 other men from Rushville, started to California in the spring of 1849. He kept a diary on his way to California and for five years after he reached there. Many details are recorded about his Rushville companions and the news he heard from home. Some of the Rushville people mentioned are: the Holloways, Taylors, J. D. Manlove, Major Hart Fellows, Witt, John Lamberts, James Doyle, Edward Stephenson, Jesse Oldham, John McNeely, Ella Fellows, Daniel Berry, Jos. Burton, Grove Cunningham and many more. Both of these works provide a very interesting insight into the daily lives and struggles of these adventerous people who crossed the plains to seek their fortune.
    The 1917 Fulton County Business Directory has the following businesses listed for Astoria (A-C): Alexander Lumber Co.; Anderson & Sons - Harness; Astoria Auto and Machinery Co.; Astoria Creamery Association; Bader & Co.; - Coal and Grain; Baird, R. O. - Photographer; Baldry, S. J. - Blacksmith; Base, W. H. - Agriculture Implements; Bell, J. J. - Billiards; Best Auto Co. - Automobiles and Supplies; Brady, S. R. - Restaurant; Brenneman, A. F. & F. H.; Bucker, H. S. - Telephone Exchange; Callans, Jos. - Manufacturer and Retail Cigars; Camp Bros. - Restaurant; Cassell, W. W. - Auto and Garage; Condit, W. F. - Cloth and Men's Furngs.; and Cooper Bros. - Groceries.
    An early business in Schuyler County was the elevator of Little and Ray, which was situated at the switch of the C. B. & Q. railway. It was built in 1868 at a cost of $3,000. The structure was of regular elevator style, about 28 x 36 feet on the ground and 56 feet high. It had a capacity of elevating 2,500 bushels of grain daily with a storage capacity of 15,000 bushels. It was operated by horse power in the basement.
    Learn about Schuyler County - visit the Schuyler Jail Museum. The hours are 1-5 p.m. daily.
    Isn't genealogy fun? The answer to one problem, leads to two more!
    The Schuyler Jail Museum will be closed Easter Sunday, April 23. --Edie Fishel