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Life Sketches
When Elijah McCormick, Sr., came to Illinois in 1819 there was a lone log cabin situated on the present site of Brooklyn, occupied by a colored family. The state of Illinois had been admitted one year. In the fifties the land was owned by Captain Davis, an early river man, and while in his possession was laid out as a town in 1850 and chartered by a special act of the legislature in 1855, twelve years after Massac became a county. The point was then known as the Davis Landing.
The early history of Brooklyn is quite interesting. Along in the fifties parties could lay out a town, place a value upon the land deposit a plat of said town with the auditor of the state, establish a private, free, or wild cat bank, and issue paper money to the value of said lots. Men living in Massac county accordingly "laid off" the village, drew a map of the same, which also showed the railroad survey upon which they claimed a road was "sure to be built immediately," valued the lots at $400.00 an acre and issued their wild cat money, thereon from their bank offices of which were opened in Metropolis, and Brooklyn. Then it was that men carried what was called a detector with which to compare the thousands of dollars of flat money, to determine the genuine. Then it was that a creditor dodged the debtor and locked his door at night for fear of being paid on account in currency that the next hour might prove worthless.
Soon after this Brooklyn went down and did not revive until the war, when a slight "boom" struck the town and it increased in population but again started down hill until the coming of the railroad in 1888. Along with the railroad came the "boot legger," who promiscuously sold whiskey to man and boy until the good citizens proposed to stop lawlessness which made the nights hideous.
Accordingly Dr. J.D. Young and others re-organized under the special charter in 1888 and instituted a municipal government for self-protection. In 1890 the organization was changed to that of a village under the general statute and has been so conducted since. Dr. J.D. Young became the first mayor and served a number of terms; William Pell succeeded him for several terms, who was followed by Dr. C.A. Mozeley, he by O.H. Margrave, and Mr. Pell is mayor at present.
Brooklyn lies across the Ohio river and a little below Paducah, Ky. It is on the Illinois shore in Massac county, Illinois, and is the second largest city in the county, but in point of growth surpasses them all. At the coming of the railroad the inhabitants did not exceed 100 souls, but it gradually increased in size and volume of business until it has attained its present enviable proportions. Within the last three years the population has more than doubled, the volume of business greatly increased, the quality of buildings improved, and the character of the little city changed. It now contains fully 1,500 people, intelligent, industrious and moral.
The Christian church is a splendid building and that body maintains a large congregation. The Methodist Episcopal church also has a neat and commodious house of worship. The Missionary Baptists have an organization and are a potent factor for good. The colored people also maintain an African methodist, General Baptist and Missionary Baptist churches.
In 1870 they had no school. Four years ago (1896) two white teachers and one colored teacher instructed the children. Their school houses were over crowded frames. Today they have a two-story brick, high school, heated with a furnace, fitted with slate black board and well equipped throughout with helpful apparatus and books. Professor A.L. Whittenburg, a professional teacher of experience and good record, is principal. He has prepared a three-year high school course and presented the same to the Board of Education in a neatly printed pamphlet. The common school course of the state is used as the basis below the high school. Miss Ann Farrow, a graduate of Metropolis schools, is his assistant. Mesdames G. Lay Wolfe and Fannie Williamson, both excellent teachers, are the instructors of the grades. One colored teacher is employed.
The first Board of Education, six members and a president, was elected in April, 1900. Mrs. Durham is president. the members are Andrew Utterback, O.H. Margrave, Mrs. Dr. C.A. Mozley, John Chapman, John Black and Mrs. P.H. Murray. They are extending every possible aid to the teachers and propose to maintain a school system worthy their progressive little city.
The reason for this growth is due first to the character of the pushing business men; second, to the most excellent farming community which surrounds the little city; third, to the transfer of the Illinois Central trains across the Ohio river at this point, and the location of their extensive train yards there; and fourth, to the fact that it has been made the transfer point of freight from the steamboats to the railroad for northern markets and especially the greatest distributing point for railroad ties in the world. These are made on the timberlands of the Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee and Wabash and either rafted or shipped in huge barges to Brooklyn to be transferred by the millions to the railroads. Over five thousand dollars each week are paid the tie laborers in wages. At one time 32 steamboats were moving about the wharf while the author counted nine on Nov. 20, 1900, and this is below the average daily number to be seen there. The United States dredge boat is now lengthening the harbor.
The Brooklyn Eagle, a six column quarto, was established by Messrs. Page and Wolfe in August 1898, and is still published by the latter, G. Lay Wolfe. It has a large circulation and has been a material aid in the development of Brooklyn.
The character of the buildings has undergone a marvelous change. From the average river town house of logs, boards, etc., there are being erected at any time from three to ten modern frame dwellings, while lately J.R. Smith & Sons of Paducah have erected a commodious three apartment, two story brick business house to be occupied by the Utterback Brothers. Several more will be built in the spring. It is a question of only a short time when a bank will also be instituted.
The present hustling village board is composed of William Pell, mayor; O.M. Morglin, city clerk; Felix Kalbacker, treasurer; R.B. Lytton, marshal; police magistrate, Judge Deegan; Messrs. J.L. Massie, A.M.J. Todd, P.H. Murray, G.W. Russel, John Chapman and Joseph Phillips, aldermen. They meet the evening of the first Tuesday of each month.
Andrew Utterback and Butterworth conduct an extensive grocery as does also C. Marshall; A.P. Utterback & Co. ahve conducted a large dry goods and furnishing store for several years; J.L. Massie maintains an immense general store, as do also O.S. Butler and John Chapman; Smith Utterback sells a fine line of hardware exclusively, while J.L. King keeps the furniture store; Felix Kalbacker is the baker and grocer; Mrs. J.E. Dingman and E. McCormick each have a stock of general merchandise; Dr. M.M. Glass and E. Baugh each conduct first class drug stores; Jacob Fry is the proprietor and operator of the Brooklyn flouring mills. There are two barber shops, four saloons, the Brooklyn cedar post factory, A.J. Weaver's livery stable, the round house, offices of the Ayre & Lord Tie Company, the William Drugger and H.W. Meyer hotels, Drs. Young, Johnson, Mozeley, Dodd and Glass, practicing Physicians; Attorney Henley and as a most important factor, Jasper Margrave, real estate agent.
The largest private enterprise is the milling interest of O.H. Margrave, ex-mayor of Brooklyn. Mr. Margrave began with a saw mill on the river front, cutting building and wagon timbers. He has by business sagacity and energy gradually expanded until he is now constructing a large saw mill and planing mill of enormous capacity, which will be a great assistance to the city.
Today Brooklyn offers superior river and railroad facilities to manufacturing industries and is ready and willing to cooperate in the location of the same.
Elijah Young, father of the Hon. J.D. Young was born Oct. 2, 1803 in Hopkinsville, Ky., of French Huguenot anestors, who had formerly settled at Jamestown, Va., in an early day. He was a slave holder and raised a regiment for the Mexican war. He wielding considerable influence politically and many politicians of wide reputation visited him. In 1885 he died in Mt. Vernon, Ill., while passing through that place. His wife was Anna Stilly, whose ancestry was of North Carolina, where she was born. She married her husband in Henry county, Tennessee, 1841. While visiting her son, the doctor, in Pellonia, she died Dec. 23, 1880.
John Decatur Young was born to Elijah and Anna Young in Henry county, Tennessee, Oct. 18, 1844. He attended Bethel Academy one year and was principally educated under the private instruction of his cousin, who was a proficient teacher.
Upon the death of his father, the estate was declared insolvent and at the early age of eleven years our subject was thrown upon his own responsibility and the care of a widowed mother with three other children became his portion. Though never taught to labor the brave lad farmed courageously from 1855 to 1860, when the family came to New Colombia, Illinois, and had 25 cents upon their arrival. He harmed until July, 1862, when he enlisted in Company B, 120th Illinois regiment, and served until the close of the war. During his war service he served six months in the prison hell, Andersonville.
Returning from the war he again farmed and married Miss Lucy, daughter of Mr. Calhoun, New Colombia, Illinois. In 1868 he rented out the farm and began the study of medicine with Drs. Norris and Bratton. In 1870 he came to Pellonia and entered his profession, and matriculated in the Louisville Medical College in 1873, graduating in 1874. After practicing successfully for the fourth of a century he retired in 1899 on account of failing health. He has been an active member of all the leading medical societies and has been a member of the pension board of United States examining physicians and surgeons, and was removed in 1884 for offensive partisanship.
Besides work along lines of his chosen profession Dr. Young was the first mayor of Brooklyn serving several terms, member of the school board, and elected president of the Board of Education in December, 1900. In 1880 he was elected by the republicans as a member of the legislature of Illinois and was chairman of the committee which secured the passage of a bill to make the extensive and valuable geological survey of Illinois under the direction of Professor Northern. He has been prominently mentioned for state senator and congressman, but ill health has always interfered. Mrs. Laura Adkins, wife of Dr. Adkins, and States Attorney F.R. Young are their only children.
Mr. Mitchell Pell, was born and reared in Indiana. In 1836 he married Susan J. Badger, who died August, 1840 and he married Miss E.A. Badger, December 7, 1841. Several children were born but died early. Elizabeth Josephine, however was born at Rose Claire, Ill., where her parents lived, Jan. 8, 1844. She is now Mrs. Samuel Atwell of Metropolis. Mrs. Pell died Dec. 31, 1845, and Mr. Pell was married to M.A. Steele April 8, 1947, and she died March 30, 1851.
March 24, 1861, Mr. Pell was united in marriage to Rebecca Louisa Patterson and they are the parents of three living children, William, born July 25, 1862; Mitchell, Jr., born March 16, 1871, and Alma Alice, born April 2, 1867, and now the wife of Phillip H. Murray, one of Brooklyn's leading citizens. Mrs. Pell still lives in the old home in Brooklyn. Mr. Pell went to Metropolis to invoice a cargo of meat, etc., purchased three for him preparatory to its being sent down the river. His horse was at the home of his son-in-law, Captain Samuel Atwell, and while going from the wharf to the house he was stricken with paralysis and died Jan. 24, 1871.
Mr. Pell was one of early citizens of Brooklyn, coming before 1850. In fact, he materially aided in the development of the village. He was a Methodist and republican. When he first came to Brooklyn his health was very poor. Later he improved and opened a general store which he conducted over fifteen years. His name is preserved in the post office, "Pellonia."
William Henry Clay Pell, oldest son of Mitchell and Rebecca Louisa Pell, born in Brooklyn, July 25, 1861, educated in the common schools, conducted a grocery store for a number of years, sold out, bought the tow boat "Maggie Belle" and has for several years been engaged in the tie business.
He has served his city in many ways, was elected mayor a number of terms, and when the citizens cast about for a suitable candidate last spring he was prevailed upon to again serve them. Mr. Pell is a zealous and influential republican and lives with his mother in the old home to comfort and protect her in her old age.
Dr. Charlie Almus Mozley, is the son of Captain J.T. Mozley of Co. B., 120th Illinois, and Margaret E. (Worley) Mozley. His father was a native of Tennessee, who came to Grantsburg township, Johnson county and has established a splendid fruit farm. His mother, formerly Miss Margaret E. Worley, was born in Johnson county.
The natal day of Dr. Charles A. Mozley was September 27, 1872, on his father's farm in Johnson county, Ill. He was educated in the public schools and spent his early years in agriculture.
He held a teacher's certificate, but never taught. Instead he began to read medicine in 1890 with Drs. Bratton and McCall of Vienna, Johnson county. In September 1890, he matriculated in the college of Physicians at St. Louis, Mo., and graduated March 4, 1892.
Returning home he formed a partnership in the practice of medicine with Dr. Walker at Wartrace P.O., Old Grantsburg, Johnson county, Ill., which continued until he located at Hillerman, Massac county, Illinois, in May, 1893, remaining there three years when he located at Brooklyn, Illinois, April 1896, and has built up a splendid practice. December 1900, he graduated in the correspondence course of the College of Hygiene, Champaign, Ill.
From June, 1899 to July 1900, he conducted a drug store in Brooklyn. In 1899 and 1900 he was secretary of the local board of health, conducting the delicate correspondence with the state board during the great epidemic of small pox. In 1898 he was elected mayor of Brooklyn and served with credit.
June 25, 1893, he and Miss Ella Phillips were married. She is the daughter of Joseph and Pernina Phillips and was born June 6, 1875, in Franklin county, Ill. Mrs. Mozley has been a successful teacher and is at present clerk of the Brooklyn Board of Education. They have one child, Paul Phillips, born September 29, 1895.
Elder G. Lay Wolfe, editor and publisher of the Brooklyn Eagle, is the son of R. Jay Wolfe, a veteran of the Civil war in company D, 8th Illinois. He was born in Delaware county, Indiana, Feb. 10, 1959, reared on a farm and attended the common school.
He established circulating libraries a number of years and became conversant with many of our best authors. In March 1891, he was converted and untied with the Christian church at Cisne, Illinois, and on July 3, 1891, was married to Miss Minnie Truscott of that place.
A desire to preach the gospel lay hold upon him and to better prepare for the ministry he attended Eureka college. He has been a pastor of the Christian churches at Heyworth, Kenney, Vienna and Brooklyn, Ills., serving three years with the latter congregation. His strongest faculty, however, is in the evangelistic field, having held meetings with marked success in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee.
In Kenney, he purchased "The Herald," an independent weekly newspaper, which he greatly improved and sold. In August, 1898, in connection with O.J. Page, he founded the Brooklyn Eagle, at first an independent, but later a republican weekly newspaper of large circulation and inestimable value to Brooklyn, and which he still publishes. In the late campaign he made a number of telling speeches.
Mrs. Minnie, wife of G. Lay Wolfe, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Truscott, Cisne, Wayne county, Illinois, born March 1, 1867. She received a good education and early became a teacher, filling many of the best positions offered by her profession in her native county, and receiving the highest commendation of her superintendents.
In 1891 she married Mr. Wolfe and was appointed postmaster of Cisne by President McKinley. She is one of the teachers at present in the Brooklyn public schools, giving abundant satisfaction.
Dwight Roland Stone is the son of James Stone, born Feb. 14, 1845 in Calloway county, Ky. His father was born near Nashville, Tenn., April 10, 1810, farmed, taught school, moved to western Kentucky and was county surveyor. He died in Graves county, Ky., Jan. 1, 1881. Roland Stone, grandfather of our subject, came from Londonberry, Ireland, when three years of age, and died in about 1850 at a ripe old age. His mother's maiden name was Paulina Hicks, born in Henry county, Tenn., about 1816, and died Dec. 23, 1880, in the same room, where her husband died one week later. Her father, William M. Hicks, hunted and fought the Indians in Tennessee with Davie Crockett. His father was killed by the Tories in South Carolina during the Revolution. William Absher, her maternal grandfather, was a Revolutionary soldier who was with Washington at Yorktown.
Dwight R. Stone attended subscription school, labored on the farm while young and when the war broke out served several years with his brother as a Union scout in western Kentucky and Tennessee. In June 1864, he enlisted at Paducah in the First Kentucky State Guards, third battalion, company A, and served throughout the war. For seven mothers, he was with Gregory.
In 1870 Mr. Stone came to Massac county, located on a farm three miles from Brooklyn, which he sold in 1898 and he resided in Brooklyn several years, where he has an elegant home.
In politics Mr. Stone is zealously republican, has served his community as constable for five terms, village marshal of Brooklyn, township treasurer, 6-5, for twelve years, and is a deputy sheriff at present.
February 6, 1865, he and Miss Hannah J. Congleton were married. She is the daughter of James Congleton, a veteran of both the Mexican and civil wars, and was born June 25, 1849 in Graves county, Ky. They have no children.
Solomon Lytton, Sr., was the son of Caleb Lytton, who settled on the site of Evansville, Ind., and died there. Solomon came to Illinois in 1827 and settled in Brooklyn precinct. He later occupied a farm in Washington precinct and died in about 1877. His wife was Miss Ada Babb, daughter of Caleb Babb, of Kentucky. She died four years before her husband. They were the parents of nineteen children, of whom six are yet living.
Solomon Lytton, Jr., one of sons, was born in Washington precinct May 5, 1839, and Catherine King, who became his wife, was born Aug. 30, 1843, in the same precinct. She was the daughter of Reuben King. They were married Nov. 3, 1859, and have five sons: James B., Amaziah, Robert B., Charles E., Arthur and Eugene, and two girls, Mamie and Ella. Mr. Lytton has been school director and justice of the peace. They live in Brooklyn, where he buys grain. Mr. Lytton and his father were members of the first republican convention in Massac county.
Robert B., or as is commonly called, "R.B." is the fourth child, born Dec. 13, 1866, in Washington precinct, reared on the farm, educated in the rural schools, and early took a deep interest in the welfare of the community.
He served on the school board when just old enough, and road commissioner of district No. 2 for three years. He was precinct committeeman on the republican county central committee for a number of years.
In February, 1896, he went to Brooklyn and engaged in the carpenter's trade. May 3rd, 1899, he was elected village marshal and re-elected by a handsome plurality in 1900, which office he now holds. He was elected president of the Brooklyn McKinley and Yates club during the campaign. For two years he was a volunteer in company G, eighth Illinois state guards, and when the company was disbanded served two years more in the Fourth regiment. He is a member of Orestes lodge Knights of Pythias No. 268, is affable, gentle, manly and has many friends.
Dr. Benjamin Rush was a member of the continental congress from Pennsylvania and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. George Rush, grandfather of our subject, was a native of New Jersey, the father of Dr. C.S. Rush, who was born in New Jersey, Aug. 26, 1824, reared in Philadelphia and graduated as a pharmacist and physician.
For several years he practiced his profession and kept a drug store in the Quaker City, later coming to Paducah, Ky., where he conducted a drug store. Here he met and married Harriet E. Vance about 1849. She was born in West Virginia. There eleven children were born, Charles and Owen D. live in Massac county, William V. lives in New Hope, Saline County, and Agnes E. is the wife of John S. Lewis, a leading citizen of Carbondale, Ill. In 1853, Dr. Rush moved from Paducah, Ky., to his large farm in Washington precinct, Massac county, where he built up an extensive practice. He has lived in Metropolis since 1891 and is now retired.
George Rush was born May 22, 1851, in Paducah, Ky., attended the public schools and in 1870 began clerking in A.D. Davis, dry goods store, Metropolis, which he continued to do for three and one half years. His health being bad he carpentered, went south and thence to Corning, Iowa, where he clerked ten years and returned to Washington precinct to open a grocery store.
Later he moved to Brooklyn before the railroad came and opened a store. He purchased and disposed of five different stocks of goods in Brooklyn during his experience as a merchant.
In 1891 he entered the service of the Ohio and Mississippi Towing Co. and in the fall of 1892 purchased their towboat and barges. The panic set in and property previously very valuable became practically worthless. A storm also wrecked the towboat requiring $1,400 to repair and refloat it. The outfit was sold to parties who failed to pay for it and resulted in a total loss. In February 1900, he entered the employ of Naugle, Holcomb & Co. as their shipping clerk.
Although a partisan republican Mr. Rush was appointed postmaster by Grover Cleveland during his first term and continued under President Harrison. He was reappointed under President McKinley. The office paid $75.00 a year when he was first made postmaster. It pays $600 and clerk hire now.
August 5, 1878, he and Miss Lizzie Stockton, of Philadelphia, were married. She was born and reared in that city and is a close descendant of Commodore Stockton. They have three children, Owen J., Helen L., and Herbert.
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