Jasper County Residents
Residing at the Illinois Southern Hospital for the Insane
©Transcribed by Kim Torp

Various years

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1874

Leo Raef, grandson of Mathias Raef was brought to town on last Tuesday and tried and convicted of insanity. He will be taken to Jacksonville in a few days. Newton Weekly Press, August 20, 1874

Our County Clerk received a letter the other day from the authorities of the Insane Asylum at Jacksonville stating that Samuel Smallwood had made his escape. Newton Weekly Press, Sep 3, 1874

1875

Mrs. Caroline Nelson has been declared insane and sent to Anna. Newton Press, January 28, 1875

Our worthy Sheriff, John W. Selby, started to the Anna Insane Asylum on Tuesday morning with Wm. N. Miller, who was convicted of insanity at this place about four weeks ago. Miller was from Granville township, and we understand religion is the cause of his insanity. Newton Press, July 22, 1875

We are informed that Samuel Smallwood is in the country again. It will be remembered that he is the identical Sam that stabbed Jake Bowers and George Wise, in this place about three or four years ago, from which Bowers died. Smallwood was sent to the Insane Asylum on charge of insanity, and has either been discharged by the authorieis of the Asylum or has made his escape, probably the latter. We learn that he has made threats since his return against several persons and asserts that he intends to carry them into execution. The authorities should take him in charge for fear another tragical occurrence will take place still more serious that the one when Bowers lost his life. Newton Press, Oct. 14, 1875

1880

From Supplemental Schedule No. 1 to the 1880 Federal Census

"Insane Inhabitants in the Illinois Southern Hospital for the Insane at Anna, Union County"

Name	City/Town	Form of Disease	Duration of present attack	Total # of attacks	Age at which first attack occurred	Does this person require restraints	Length of time in asylum	Epiletic/ Suicidal/ Homicidal
Reaf, Leo	Newton	Mania	12	1	8	no	6 yrs	epileptic
Miller, W.W.	Newton	Melancholia	5 ½	1	25	no	5 yrs
Huss, Henry	Newton	Mania	3	1	23	no	3 yrs
McReynolds, J.S.	Newton	Mania	3 mo.	1	44	no	2 yrs
Lipscomb, Malinda	Newton	Mania puerple	15 mos	1	25	no	3 mos
Nelson, Caroline	Newton	Mania, acute	5 ½ yrs	2	47	no	5 ¼ yrs
Hass, Thresa	St. Marie	Mania, chronic	11 ½ yrs	1	49	no	6 ½ yrs

1889

The County's Unfortunates

Published in the Newton Press January 16, 1889: "The report of the superintendent of the Illinois Southern Hospital for the Insane at Anna shows the following inmates from Jasper county and their condition:"

Name	Date of Admission	Condition
Leo Raef	August 25, 1874	Incurable
Caroline Nelson	April 21, 1875	Incurable
Wm. W. Miller	October 11, 1878	Incurable
Elizabeth Hayes	July 29, 1882	Not improving
Jonathan Downey	January 3, 1884	Improved
Marshall Vint	April 4, 1884	Unimproved
Elizabeth Conley	June 25, 1884	Dementia
Abraham Keller	October 7, 1885	Unimproved
Laura B. Youngman	January 25, 1887	Not improved
Elizabeth Cary	October 24, 1887	Not improved
Alphonzo M. Thompson	January 7, 1888	Declining
Rosella Mardis	May 3, 1888	Improved

"Mrs. Hayes is now at home. The crowded condition of the asylum suggests enormous extravagance, somewhere, as the appropriations for enlargement, etc. have been unusually large. The penal and charitable institutions need overhauling and new men put in them. The old barnacles appear to be there only for the purpose of squandering money."

1891

Jasper County Residents Who Were Adjudged Insane

(as reported in The Newton Press)

• Mrs. Florence Chapman of Granville was adjudged insane yesterday. Newton Press, April 16, 1891

• Mrs. Bella Bleasor, wife of superintendent of Schools at Ste. Marie, was adjudged insane Saturday, caused by puerperal fever. July 22, 1891

• John Brandstein and wife conveyed John D. Ward and Mrs. Mattie A. Burford to the asylum at Anna. June 3, 1891

• Josephus Reed judged insane and W.N. Stuart appointed conservator for him. July 8, 1891

• John Harris, Irish tramp, judged insane. Nov 4, 1891

• Jacob Isley (one of the wealthiest farmers in the western part of the county) was adjudged insane. Nov. 18, 1891

• Frank Milott, step-son of John Cunningham's was adjudged insane. Nov. 18, 1891

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1892

Jasper's Insane Patients

(Newton Press, Feb. 17, 1892) "The following is the report of the superintendent of the asylum for the insane at Anna as to the mental and physical condition of the inmates from Jasper County"

Name	Physical	Mental
Mattie Buford	Good	Improved
John D. Ward	Good	Stationary
Josephus Reed	Good	Much improved
Caroline O. Nelson	Good	Much improved
Rosella Mardis	Good	Stationary
Louisa Carpenter	Good	Stationary
Abraham Kelley	Good	Stationary
Jonathan A. Downey	Good	Stationary
Wm. W. Miller	Good	Stationary
Leo Raef	Good	Stationary
Marshall Vint	Good	Stationary
John Harris	Good	Stationary
Frank Milet	Good	Improved
Mrs. Belle Blea_er from St. Marie, and Mrs. Laura B. Youngman of West Liberty, have been discharged.

1892

• Mrs Nancy Burcham, of Fox twp, and Will Chaney, of Crooked Creek, have been adjudged insane. Deputy Sheriff Leffler and N.F. Richardson took Mrs. Burcham to Anna; and Sheriff Trainor conveyed Chaney there. Jan. 20, 1892

• E.F. Campbell, telegraph operator at Westfield, was adjudged insane and sent to the asylum from Marshall last week. He was formerly at Montrose. March 2, 1892

• Frank Hapney, who lived with his parents near Lis, aged 22, was adjudged insane and taken to Anna. July 13, 1892

• Mrs. Mary Smith, who lives in the south part of town is mentally insane. July 27, 1892

• Mrs. Emily Thompson was taken to the asylum at Anna on Monday. Reported October 19, 1892

• Mrs. Alice Smith was adjudged insane last week and taken to the asylum at Anna by Sheriff Trainor, accompanied by his daughter, Miss Emma and Mrs. A.J. Woods. Mrs. Smith had a severe attack enroute and is very weak and not likely to recover. Wednesday, August 3, 1892

1901

• Anna E. Sparks, admitted Septembe 7,1901, pauper; physical condition good, mental condition stationary.

• Nellie Block, admitted November 19, 1901, bond;physical condition good, mental condition improved

1902

Following is a report of the Jasper county patients under the care of the Illinois Asylum for the Incurable Insane, at Peoria:

• A.H. Keller, admitted February 15, 1902, county; physical condition good, mental condition stationary.
• Lucy A. Mitchell, admitted April 2, 1902, county; physical condition good, mental condition stationary.
• Elizabeth King, admitted April 2, 1902, county; physical condition good, mental condition worse.
• Elvira J. Hopper, admitted May 3, 1902, bond; physical condition good, mental condition improved.
• Mollie R. McCoy, admitted May 5, 1902, pauper; recovered and discharged March 25, 1903
• Mary J. Biers, admitted July 19, 1902, pauper; mind improved and discharged June 11, 1903
• Benjamine Trainor, admitted August 22, 1902. bond; physical condition good, mental condition stationary.

1903

• James French, admitted January 4, 1903, bond; physical condition good, mental condition improved.
• Melissa J. Bryan, admitted January 12, 1903, pauper; recovered and discharged March 13, 1903.
• Jennie Martin, admitted February 11, 1903, bond; physical condition good, mental condition improved.
• Claude Burke, admitted April 23, 1903, pauper; physical condition fair, mental condition stationary.
• Maggie Bower, admitted May 2, 1903, bond; physical condition good, mental codition improved.
• Rebecca Crail, admitted June 29, 1903, pauper; physical condition good, mental condition unchanged.

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1926

• Miss Nettie Foltz of near Gila, a middle-aged woman, was adjudged insane at a hearing Monday afternoon. She had been at the State Hospital in Anna once before about 5 years ago. Dec. 14, 1926

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