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

Wednesday, May 2, 2001
    The Schuyler Jail Museum’s open house will be this weekend, May 5 and 6.  It will be from 1-5p.m. each day.  On Saturday, May 5, at 1p.m. there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new addition, the Schuyler Room and on Sunday, May 6, at 2p.m., the History Essay Awards will be given.  We would like to invite everyone to come and tour the museum.  We guarantee that you will be surprised at the holdings we have.
    An item of interest to see for anyone interested in military memorabilia or having had someone from Schuyler County in the military, is the new military display case.  It contains items from almost every war and many pictures of Schuyler County veterans.  You will not want to miss seeing this display.
    I have mentioned before the new quilt display in the reception room.  These quilts have been very well displayed and you will certainly enjoy viewing them.  There is a quilt made by Martha McCormick Eckroy, who spun the thread and wove the cloth for the quilt.  Mrs. Eckroy was born in Virginia in 1806, married George Eckroy in 1836, and came to Schuyler County in 1841.  She was the mother of seven children and left 22 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren at the time of her death in 1888.  Several of the quilts have many names embroidered on them.  One such quilt, made by Anna Anderson in 1886 for a benefit for the Presbyterian Church’s first pipe organ, has over 500 names on it.  Also, a quilt made in 1918 by the ladies of Bainbridge Township to benefit the Red Cross, has many names on it.
If you are interested in sports you will want to see the new sports room now being furnished.  It now has many trophies of Schuyler teams with more pictures, etc., to be added later.  This room is just getting started but contains many interesting items.
    There are just a few of the many interesting displays contained in the museum.  Please come and see them.  The Schuyler Jail Museum is totally supported by volunteer help and donations and takes many hours of work to maintain.  You are invited to see a part of Schuyler County that has been preserved for future generations.
    Our regular hours are from 1p.m. to 5p.m., seven days a week.  We will be closed May 13 for Mother’s Day and May 27 and 28 for Memorial Day.
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, May 9, 2001
    This last weekend, during open house, another milestone for the Schuyler Jail Museum was reached.  The ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the newest addition to the Schuyler Jail Museum, was held on Saturday.  The Rev. Harold Hedden composed and read a very appropriate prayer preceding the cutting of the ribbon by Nancy Stauffer, the museum’s curator.
    Sunday the History Awards were presented to the winning students by Lavina Walton.  This year’s winning entries were: 1st place, “John Scripps, The Chronicles of His Life,” by Amy Wade; 2nd place, “The Honorable Pinkney H. Walker- Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court,” by Evan Harrison; and 3rd place- “Extinct Towns in Schuyler County,” by Jordan Ringenberg.  These essays, as well as the other entries, are in a three-ringed binder in the heritage room of the museum.
    Where does the Schuyler Jail Museum stand in relationship to other businesses and enterprises in the town of Rushville?  We, at the museum, know very well that not everyone is interested in genealogy, not everyone is interested in preserving history, nor, is everyone interested in a museum of any type.  But, we are very proud of what we have and the hard work that many people do in conjunction with it.  We do provide a service and generate business for the town of Rushville.
    Do the people of Rushville realize that, in the months of May, June, July and August 2000, there were people from 26 of the 50 states, doing research in the genealogy section of the museum?  This does not include people who just visit the museum or that are from other parts of Illinois. Many of these people eat in Rushville’s restaurants, buy gas at Rushville’s stations, and stay in Rushville’s motels and campground.
     The Schuyler Jail Museum may look small, but it is a museum that every person in Schuyler County should be proud of.  Come and see what a great little museum there is at 200 S. Congress, Rushville.  It’s free.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum will be closed this Sunday, May 13, for Mother’s Day.
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, May 16, 2001
    Next Sunday Rushville High School will hold its graduation ceremony.  These young men and women are our leaders of tomorrow.  Many will carry their careers to other cities, states and countries and some will stay in this area.  One hundred years ago, the graduating class of 1901, consisted of: Doane L. Dixon, a banker in Colombus, Mont.; Edna Eales; Ammy Edgar, a physician in New York City; Mark Harvey, a machinist in Moline; Linneas Hoffer; David E. Jackson, a clergyman in Ipava; Elsie Loring and Lenna McCabe.
    During the summer months, there are many people coming to the Schuyler Jail Museum to research their family lines.  Many times they encounter medical terms in obituaries and death certificates that are no longer used today.  Following are some of these terms and what they are today: apoplexy-stroke, bad blood-syphilis, Brights disease-serious kidney disease, consumption-tuberculosis, dropsy-congestive heart failure, fatty liver-cirrhosis, glandular fever-mononucleosis, grippe-influenza, jail fever-typhus, lock jaw-tetanus, lung fever-pneumonia, lung sickness-tuberculosis, podarga-gout, quinsy-strptococcal tonsillities, and scrofula-tuberculosis of the neck lymph nodes.  Many of these illnesses occurred in epidemic proportions in our ancestors’ time, causing many of their deaths.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum is open seven days a week from 1-5p.m. Come and visit.
 
Ancestors
If you could see your ancestors
All standing in a row.
Would you be proud of them?
Or don’t you really location.
Strange discoveries are sometimes made,
In climbing the family tree,
Occasionally one if found in line,
Who shocks his progeny.
If you could see your ancestors,
all standing in a row,
Perhaps there might be one or two,
You wouldn’t care to know.
Now turn the question right about,
And take another view.
When you shall meet your ancestors,
Will they be proud of you?
                                              –Author Unknown
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, May 23, 2001
    The Schuyler Jail Museum will be closed May 27 and May 28 for the observance of the Memorial Day weekend.  On May 29, the Schuyler Jail Museum will continue being open from 1-5p.m., seven days a week.
     This Memorial Day remember all of the men and women from Schuyler County, as well as the nation, that served in our military forces. I have mentioned many times the new military display case in the Schuyler Room and how proud we are of it.  We also have a case containing many commendation medals, including purple hearts and bronze stars, of many of our Schuyler citizens.
    Another case contains a collection of very unique flags.  There is a 31 start flag from 1858 that belonged to Josiah Parrotte, a 33 star flag that was used by the G.A.R. Post of Brooklyn, a 38 star flag, a 45 star flag from 1896, a 10 star flag from 1876, a 46 star flag, several 48 star flags and several service star flags.  These two cases are of special interest to any military curious person.
    These last two weeks of school have brought many school children to the museum on field trips.  I assisted with 80 plus fifth graders last week and was quite pleased with their interest, manners, and discipline.  One of the main attractions for them was the new sports room.  Most of them could relate to someone’s name or picture in there.  The same was true for the military case and the multiplex of school and business pictures.  We hope they will come again.
    The regular monthly Schuyler Jail Museum board meeting was held May 21.  Melba reported that we now have 417 members.  Maxine reported there were 141 visitors who signed the register during the last month.  It is noteworthy that during the first two weeks of May there were visitors from the states of Iowa, Texas, Connecticut, Louisiana, North Carolina, Washington, Nebraska, Arizona, and California.  Also there were visitors from the Illinois towns of Lewistown, Quincy, Mt. Sterling, Chandlerville, Monmouth, Springfield, Beardstown, Huntsville, Barry, Vermont, Moline, and Roseville.  It looks as if it might be a busy summer.  Won’t you join us?
    You know you are a genealogist when: “I need to spend just a little more time at the courthouse” means forget the cleaning, washing, dinner, chores; the day is shot.
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, May 30, 2001
    A few weeks ago, two of our members, Lavina Walton and Judy Ward, went to Nebraska to search for missing links in their family trees.  While there, they purchased several Nebraska genealogy books for the Schuyler Jail Museum library.  They are: Franklin County, NE Homesteaders; Phelps County NE Marriages; Macon (Franklin Co.) Nebraska 1872-1997; Phelps County Nebraska 1873-1980; Harlan County NE Cemeteries; Tombstone Readings From the Greenwood Cemetery Franklin Nebraska; An Index to the Marriage Records of Franklin County Nebraska 1872-1990 and Tombstone Readings from Franklin County Nebraska Cemeteries.  They also purchased Oregon Trail (Voyage of Discovery) and Pony Express(Voyage of Discovery).  These Nebraska books provide a valuable source of information for many Schuyler County researchers.  Why?  It seems that between the years of 1875 and 1885, there were several families, namely the Garretts, Wilmots, Skiles, and Lynches, from the Browning-Frederick area of Schuyler County, that went to this area of Nebraska.  If you are researching any of these surnames, you may just find some missing links in these books.
    In the 1800's, almost every village had their own band to provide entertainment for their citizens.  In 1898, the village of Brooklyn had a very well-known band composed of 16 instruments.  The members were Dr. J.E. Camp-B flat cornet; E.S. Chapman- E flat cornet; E.S. Blackburn- Solo B flat cornet; T.D. Lewis- 1st B flat cornet; Clint Hillyer, 2nd B flat cornet; Ed Robinson- Solo Alto; William Hite- 1st Alto; Everett Atchley- 2nd Alto; William Reeves- 3rd Alto; S.G. McAuley- 1st Tenor; Ora Estinger- 2nd Tenor; Major Crone- Baritone; G.A. Lantz- Tuba; C.A. Lantz- Bass drummer; and Henry Lewis- Tenor drummer.  The Schuyler Jail Museum has a case in which is displayed many of the instruments from these early bands.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum’s hours are from 1p.m. to 5p.m. daily.
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, June 6, 2001
    Almost everyone around Schuyler County is aware of the famous Scripps family and their achievements.  Do you know that Rushville has had its share of other successful businessmen?  The following is from an article that appeared in the Fall 1991 issue of The Schuylerite.  It first appeared in the July 5, 1923 issue of The Rushville Times and was written by John E. Vaughn, a Springfield newspaper man.
    “Rushville is the home of Ross Hall, a successful attorney and unsuccessful politician.  Here, too, was reared William Peterson, the noted miniature painter.  Here lives Lewis Jarman, legislator and constitution maker.
    “Rushville produced a state executive in the person of Governor Drake of Iowa. And there was that distinguished Judge Pinkney H. Walker of the supreme bench; and John C. Bagby who beat Rev. Henderson Ritchie for Congress to the amazement of all the good folks thereabouts.
    “You can’t think of Rushville without thinking of James Teel, farmer legislator, who nosed out Bill Compton in 1894 or of Banker John S. Little, who was wont to come to Springfield to put spokes in the wheels of private banking bills.  Your attention is called to the fact that Rushville had a representative on the first state board of equalization, William H. Ray; and that it got another in 1888 and Henry Craske was elected.
     “Rushville has had its share of jurists and statesmen and successful business men.  It thinks well of itself, and with good reason.”
    There is still time to renew you membership in the Schuyler Jail Museum or join as a new member.  The dues are $15 a year. Our year runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Our quarterly, The Schuylerite, is sent to each member.  The spring and summer 2001 issues are about to be sent.  Some of the very interesting articles contained in the spring issue are: Wills and Estates 1850-1868, Local Chronology for 1901, Interments Rushville Cemetery 1881 and the Oldest Settlers 1880.  The summer issue contains very informative articles and obituaries relating to the Thomas Moore, M.D. family.  Both of these issues contain valuable information for the Schuyler County researcher.
    Remember the Schuyler Jail Museum is open seven days a week from 1-5p.m.
–Edie Fishel

Wednesday, June 13, 2001
     The Schuyler Jail Museum was closed Tuesday, June 6, in respect for Nelson Eifert whose funeral was that day.  He was the husband of our president, Evelyn Eifert.  We hope the closing did not inconvenience anyone.  Death has also entered another board member’s family in the last two weeks.  Charles Young lost his son-in-law in a motorcycle accident recently.  The thoughts of the “museum family” are with both of these families at this time.
In 1909, The Schuyler Citizen published a series of articles on commercial businesses in Schuyler County.  The following was printed about the Dean House, proprietor John Black, in Frederick.
    “It is said that there are two things that no man should choose for another, a wife and a hotel- for the only reward one is apt to get for his service is the ill will of the one for whom he may choose, for a wife or a hotel that would be highly satisfactory to one man, may come very far from suiting another.  Yet we think we run no risk in recommending the Dean House at Frederick for this is one of those liberally managed homelike hotels that everybody likes and Mr. and Mrs. Black are both unsparing in their efforts to make their guests feel at home, to lodge them well, feed them well, and treat them well in every respect and the facilities at their command are such as to enable them to make very satisfactory rates.  The hotel is neat and homelike in appearance, the rooms are comfortably furnished, while that which is served in the dining room is the best, is cooked and served in a most appetizing manner and is provided in abundance.  Dishes like mother used to make attest the capability of the genius who presides over the kitchen. There is also a feed barn in the rear of the house and here ‘mans best friend’ the horse, is properly fed and looked after.
    Taken all in all the Dean House at Frederick is a good one and is popular with the traveling public who have Frederick on their routes.  Mr. Black has had one control of this hotel since December 1908.  He is of a good natured disposition, enjoys a wide acquaintance and many friends and as a citizen has at heart all things calculated for the benefit of the village.
    The new Sports Room is developing nicely.  Many new items have been added recently.  This was one of the favorite rooms of the school children when they toured the museum.  The jail museum is open seven days a week, 1-5p.m.
 - Edie Fishel

Wednesday, June 20, 2001
    Nathan Parrish wrote of things that the people of Pleasantview had to be thankful for.  From his article, he was quite proud of the little village.  The following article is taken from the Spring 1995 issue of The Schuylerlite.  I am not certain as to the date of the original article, but, it had to be between 1913 and 1920 when Wilson was president.
“I am going to tell the readers a few things that the citizens of Pleasantview have to be thankful for.
They are located in the center of a good rich farming country; soil is a rich fertile loam that will produce anything from red clover to a Jimpson stalk.
    Their sons and daughters are always young, light hearted and cheerful because they drink of the pure cold water that is in abundance and inhale the pure air that abounds in our village.
    We have two churches and splendid concrete walks leading to them, of which our citizens takes their choice and attend the services each Lord’s day.
    We have two stores to trade at and can buy as cheap from them as any one can from a Chicago mail order house.
    We have a good blacksmith and wood shop where you can get anything repaired in first class shape.
    We have a good physician who answers all calls promptly both day and night.
    We have on of the best public schools in the county outside of Rushville, the county seat.......
    We also have a stock buyer, H. Myers, who will buy any kind of an animal from a poodle dog to an elephant.
    We can boast of our carpenters, who can build anything from a flower stand to a mansion.  We also have painters that can paint them to a perfection.  We also have paper hangers that are up-to-date.
    We have a feed mill where the miller can crack a sack of corn as quick as the best of them.  The last, but not least, we are all glad that Wilson is our president instead of Teddy.  With all of these privileges and conveniences, would you not like to come and live in our village?”
    He was indeed proud of Pleasantview.  Pleasantview seemed to serve the needs of its people quite well for that time.
To learn about the histories of Schuyler’s villages and see pictures of them, visit the Schuyler Jail Museum.  The museum is open seven days a week, 1p.m. to 5p.m.
 - Edie Fishel

Wednesday, June 27, 2001
    The Schuyler Jail Museum will be closed July 4. The regular hours for the museum are from 1-5 p.m., seven days a week.
    The Schuyler County Fair will again begin this weekend. The fair has always been a very big event for the county and surrounding area. The following are a few items I have found relating to early fairs in the county.
    Aug. 4, 1858-The Schuyler Citizen reported the following: “Fair Grounds-It is situated in the N. E. corner of the Poor Farm, just one mile west of Rushville and comprises about 8 acres. It is enclosed with a substantial fence of oak plank and is entered from the north and east. Some 40 or more stalls for stock will be erected on the west and south sides, also pens for hogs, etc. A tent 20 x 40 will be erected for the ladies dept., with two aisles running lengthwise through it. A large ring will be prepared for the display of stock, with a stand in the center for the judges and the brass band. On the north side of the ground is a fine place for hitching horses.”
    On Oct. 6, 1858, The Schuyler Citizen reported the following, “... All agree that this Fair has far excelled its predecessors. The grounds were larger, a better system of ticketing was employed, a finer variety of articles exhibited, a larger attendance, less confusion, etc. Etc....we are ashamed to say that certain individuals, with more appetite than brains shocked the good sense of all present, by eating up, smearing over, the breads, cakes, preserve, jellies, etc..... Officers elected for next year were: Pres. Charles Wells, Vice Presidents, Simon Doyle and J.D. Manlove, R. Sec. C.H. Sweeney,-Cor. Sec., J.C. Scripps-Treas. J.L. Anderson-Comm. S.B. Ramsey, R.H. Griffith, Wm. Davis T. Whitson.”
    Officers for the 1891 fair were: Pres. A.C. Edgar, Vice Pres.-Chas M. Doyle, Sec.-Hugh W. Greer, Treas.-John S. Little, Directors: Geo. Montooth-Oakland, Samuel E. Ellis-Littleton, Henry Taylor-Brooklyn, M. Whetstone-Birmingham; Wm. Woods Jr.-Huntsville, M.E. Cady-Camden, Those. Haber-Buenavista, E.M. Anderson-Rushville, C.B. Workman-Browning, John Hinton-Frederick, L.F. Taylor-Bainbridge, Jeff. E. Thompson- Woodstock, General Superintendent - John W. Goodwin Marshal of Ring- James Edwards and Chief of Police- John H. Beckerdite.
    “All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” Kadinger Quotes

Wednesday, July 4, 2001
    At the June board meeting of the Schuyler Jail Museum, it was reported that 141 visitors signed the guest register during the last month. A great many of these were tracking their ancestry lines back to their immigrant country, which, in this area, the majority came from Germany. Several days ago, the museum experienced a reverse happening. There were three gentlemen from Germany searching their ancestors here. They had been to Ohio and Oklahoma and having no results stopped in Rushville. They were searching the Bauer/Bower line and found one of their ancestors buried in Messerer Cemetery. One of the men still lives on the family land in Germany. They were quite amazed at all the information they found in our library, especially since Rushville is such a small town.
    If you want to research your family history, start here. The Schuyler Jail Museum has many records, not only of Schuyler County but the surrounding counties as well. Someone approached me the other day and asked if there were old pictures of Rushville in the museum. Yes, we have many pictures of Rushville in the early years. So, if you are not interested in genealogy but would like to view the early history of Schuyler County, visit the museum. You will probably be surprised at our holdings.
     Did you know that in 1918, according to the Prairie Farmer’s Directory of Brown and Schuyler Counties, the village of Camden had two blacksmiths, two restaurants, one general store, one grocery store, one drug store, one bank and an Agricultural Implement business?
    The Schuyler Jail Museum is open seven days a week from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. You are always welcome.

Wednesday, July 11, 2001
    Have you ever wondered what it is like for the first family that came into what is now Schuyler County? The following is the first part of the account of the first family to venture into the land we now call Schuyler County, Illinois. It was written in 1880 by Norris Hobart of Mankato, Minnesota. This article can be found in the Spring 1995 issue of the Schuylerite.
    “Fifty-Seven Years Ago-Story of the Arrival of The First Family in Schuyler-Just fifty-seven years ago today the first family that ever settled in what is now Schuyler County, Illinois, crossed the Illinois River, at the point where Beardstown now stands, on the ice, then followed a bee-hunter’s trail up the river, in the timber to the slough, then turned west to the prairie, then up the river to where Frederick now stands, then west, through the thick bottom timber and brush, to the bluff, where the road from Rushville goes down, and up which went a deeply worn Indian trail. But a large bee-tree had been felled across the narrow ridge and we were obliged to keep up the hollow to the left till a point was found up which the team could take the loaded wagon.
    Having gotten up the bluff we stopped for dinner and to rest our team about one mile from the bottom, and kindling a fire by a large log, there and then the first meal of victuals were ever cooked by a white woman in the county of Schuyler was cooked by Mother, Mrs. Sarah Hobart. The day was bright and the sun shone warm so that the wild bees were out, and while preparing dinner a bee tree was found and cut, which supplied us with about two gallons of beautiful honey.
    Dinner over we wended our way to the east end of the Rushville prairie, on the northwest quarter, section 22, 2 north, 1 west, and crossing the prairie in a north-westerly direction, we stopped at a camp eight by twelve, covered with brasswood (lynn) puncheons on the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 16, 2 north, 1 west, which had been built by Orris McCartney and Samuel Gooch, both of whom made Morgan County their home till late in May. Soon a small cabin was put up and as soon as a floor was put in it, though made of logs and hewed on one side, we gladly left our primitive Schuyler home (the dear old camp) as we had been terribly drenched with rain in it.
   Then Schuyler County had not been set off from Pike County, which embraced the whole military tract. At that time what is not Schuyler could boast of only seven souls as her entire population. They were Calvin Hobart and Sarah Hobart, his wife, Norris Hobart, Chauncey Hobart, Truman Hobart and Elizabeth Hobart, William H. Taylor, father of N.H. Taylor--now a resident of Rushville and Samuel Gooch.” (Continued next week)
    Visit the Schuyler Jail Museum. It is open seven days a week from 1p.m. to 5p.m.

Wednesday, July 18, 2001
    The Story of the Arrival of the First Family in Schuyler (Continued from July 11)
    “Two days after our arrival in Rushville prairie, W.H. Taylor and the writer went to the landing again, and on the morning of the 23rd of February brought over our last load of goods on the ice. After getting the load onto the ice on the bay above the landing (now Beardstown) we found the ice so thin that we dared not proceed so we took the team from the wagon and I led one horse over while the other was hitched by a long chain to the wagon tongue and drew the load safely over, this being the last opportunity of that kind for several years.
    “Such was Schuyler County fifty-seven years ago. Then no steamboats had ever ascended the Illinois River, a keel boat being the most majestic craft that had ever floated upon its waters. Then the nearest store was at St. Louis, the nearest blacksmith shop at Carrolton, the nearest post office at Sangamon where Petersburg now stands, and the nearest physician at Diamond Grove, while our nearest neighbor was at the landing, twelve miles away, and over the river.
    “A few days after the first cabin was habitable my father put up another on the southeast quarter of section 16, and by the middle of March had a nice garden cleared and fenced which was soon planted with potatoes, onions, lettuce, radishes, beans and vines being planted after the danger of frost had passed. This was the first soil ever cultivated in Schuyler County. Having a good yoke of oxen and a heavy span of horses they were kept busy turning the soil as long as it was supposed anything would mature before frost.
    “In May of the same year, McCartney and Gooch and a hired man, Isaac M. Rouse, came over from Morgan County and cleared a small field on section 27, 2 north 1 west and planted it in corn. This was the second field ever planted in the county.
    “There are but two of the first seven inhabitants of Schuyler County now living--myself and my twin brother, Rec. Chauncey Hobart--Norris Hobart, Mankato, Minnesota. February 19, 1880.”
    Can you imagine being one of only seven inhabitants of a new land? To learn more about the early history of Schuyler County, come to the Schuyler Jail Museum. The Schuyler Jail Museum is open seven days a week from 1-5 p.m. The genealogical area of the museum has been quite bustling this summer. July 1-9, there were researchers from nine states other than Illinois and from eight other towns in Illinois.

Wednesday, August 1, 2001
    In 1899, James Mitchell of Browning, wrote of some interesting observations about a rail trip to Chicago. The same trip today is almost a daily event to some people. In 1899 the trip began in Galesburg and ended, four hours later, at the Union Depot in Chicago.
    “Strangers in Chicago should take no chances of acquiring a disease by drinking lake water. Beer is too cheap and plentiful. A ‘schooner’ holding over a quart can be had for a nickel.”
    “The cheap restaurant is a great institution in the Windy City. I noticed at many places placards and signs offering meals as low as five cents. I tackled one nice clean looking place which seemed to be of a better class. I had a good steak, potatoes, a large cup of good coffee, bread and butter, a plate of good wheat cakes with maple syrup, and the whole business cost the exorbitant sum of eight cents! The lady cashier said they paid $90 per month rent, employed 15 to 20 hands, and fed over a thousand people daily, and made some money.”  In 1899, the elevated railroad system was carrying an average of one hundred thousand passengers daily. Think of what that number is today.
     The Schuyler Jail Museum library has recently obtained the following new books. “Skamania County Washington Census Records, 1860-1870, 1880-1885 and 1887,” “Clark County Washington Death Records, 1891-1903,” “Skamania County Washington Marriage Records,” “Clark County Washington Pioneers,” “Clark County Washington Census, Vol. 1-4,” “Clark County Marriage, Vol. 1-4" and “The Family of Moses Jousts Skiles of TN and IL.” The library has many research books relating to states other than Illinois. We may have just the one for you need.
    Visit the Schuyler Jail Museum, 200 S. Congress, Rushville. The hours are from 1-5 p.m. daily and there is no admittance charge. (It’s also cool.)

Wednesday, August 8, 2001
    The coordinator of our new sports room of the Schuyler Jail Museum needs your help. He is in need of pictures of any Schuyler baseball teams (little league, minor league, colt league, etc.) from 1955 to the present time (especially from 1955 to 1975). Donations of these pictures are welcomed. If you have some of these pictures and do not want to part with them, the museum has the means to copy them. So, dig into those old albums and drawers full of pictures and share your old team pictures. Much work and research has gone into the new sports room and these pictures will enhance it further. The pictures may be brought to the museum or you may call the museum, 322-6975, for more information. Your help with this project will be appreciated.
    Do you know where Sugar Ridge is located in Schuyler County? “Sugar Ridge is in the east side of Huntsville Township on the Rushville and Augusta mail route, and got its name on account of having a molasses factory on it. It still holds its name on account of its having more pretty girls than any other ridge in the county on it.” –Old News Items from The Schuyler Citizen, 1884.
    From the Aug. 3,1893 edition of the paper: “About 400 pounds of bass have been caught here with hook and line since last writing, 64 pounds being our individual share of the total catch.”
    You are encouraged to visit the Schuyler Jail Museum. Young and old especially like the sports room. The museum is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Wednesday, August 15, 2001
   The Schuyler Citizen, Jan. 15, 1862, issue has an interesting article about the Rushville schools. The article was evidently written by a teacher visiting the various schools for evaluation purposes. The following are excerpts from that article. Is there any comparison to our present day classrooms?
    “Mr. Murphy’s school room was clean and the light well mellowed by buff curtains, but what an atmosphere! No ventilation, not a window that could be lowered, and yet an hour’s work would enable the teacher to remedy the evil in any state of weather. I came from the room with a headache, wondering how scholars could study well in such an air!  The order was good, especially among the girls; the recitations in mental arithmetic and reading were very creditable....”
    “In the seminary,” Mr. English has a hard task to perform. He has some scholars who need rigid government and plain rules strictly enforced, if need be, or much of his time will be worse than lost. The teacher will, I am sure, excuse me if I draw a picture for some of the parents to look upon, for it will show some of the material he has to work with. Here it is: boys eating hazel nuts at recess and snapping the shells across the room, leaving them to be tramped upon with attendant noise; teacher goes to them and request them to quit, and turns his back; snap go the shells again. Teacher busy with class, boy eats an apple and puts the core on another’s book, he throws it at another, guilty boys pretends innocence and complains; teacher ashamed of their conduct and mortified, gave mild reproof. Do the parents of these boys know how they behave? Would they not help make the school better if they should see and know the part their boys enact in the everyday life?....”
    In Miss Morehouse’s room, more time was spent. This was an orderly school, and the leading idea gained was the thoroughness which she requires and receives of her primary scholars. Short lesson, but well learned - not how much, but how well, is emphatically her motto....There were bright thoughts and clear little heads in that room.”
    “Your schools, like others, can be improved, but may I respectfully suggest, they will never be until parents and directors fully realize and know what they now are. That can only be done by visitation.”  -A Teacher.
    If you would like something to do on these hot summer days, come to the Schuyler Jail Museum and read these old newspapers, that we have on microfilm. The museum is open from 1-5 p.m., seven days a week.

Wednesday, August 22, 2001
    I recently found a letter written in 1852 by a man from Ostfriesland who had settled in the Alton area of Illinois. Ostfriesland is located in the northwest part of Germany by the North Sea and Holland. It is also the area from which people of the Golden/Camp Point area came. The letter gives us an insight as to why some of the people of that time migrated to the new land. Living in America today, it is sometimes hard for us to realize the social and economic situations of Europe in the 1800's.
     Writing to his family in Germany, the man states, “I neither want to encourage you to move here nor dissuade you from doing so. I believe, however, that you can live much better here, and your children will have the best prospects.  One lives much better here and much more comfortably.” .... “if one wants to go out, one drives or rides on horseback. You can eat meat and ham here as soon as you have animals. You can keep horses, cattle, pigs in great numbers, and you can graze them or feed them very quickly and cheaply. The soil is rich enough for all kinds of fruits of the field. The taxes raised are very low. Nobody bothers you, neither a government overseer, nor a policeman, nor some other government employee, nor even a beggar.”..... “Everybody esteems you if you are honest. Pride, haughtiness, and overbearing attitude because of one’s social standing don’t exist here.”
    The Schuyler Jail Museum lost one of its most esteemed members with the death of Hilma Mermillion. Hilma was the first curator of the museum, working endless hours in that capacity. Although she had not been able to be at the museum for several years, she will be missed and always remembered.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum’s summer hours are in effect until Nov. 1. It is open from 1-5 p.m., seven days a week.

Wednesday, August 29, 2001
    The Schuyler Jail Museum will be closed this Sunday and Monday, Sept. 2 and 3, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume the normal hours, 1-5p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
    Labor Day developed out of the industrial revolution, recognizing the importance of the hard work of the working class of people. It was first observed in September 1882. Today it has become a symbol of the end of summer, the end of vacation and the beginning of school.
    The Schuyler Jail Museum board met on Monday, Aug. 27. It was reported that we now have 431 members with seven new members added since last month. It was reported that 163 visitors signed the register since the last meeting. Also, it was voted to name the large middle room of the museum the “Hilma Mermillion Room.” As I noted before, Hilma was the first curator of the museum and passed away recently.
    The museum has several new books about Randolph Co., Mo., for your genealogical researching. They are: St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Moberly, Randolph Co., Mo; Memorial Park Cemetery, Moberly, Mo.; Randolph County Marriages (1860-1870, 1871-1880, and 1871-1880); Early Recollections of Geo. Dameron, Randolph County, Mo., and Old Families of Randolph County, Mo. These books are a great addition to our Missouri research material.
    I would like to remind the genealogical researcher, that the Schuyler Jail Museum does have many books of research material from states other than Illinois. If your ancestor left Schuyler County for another state, we may have the material you need. We add new material to our library quite frequently.