http://www.atlaspodcasts.org Alliance's Trail to Learning-casts and Syndicated Sites Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:59:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 en hourly 1 Alliance's Trail to Learning-casts and Syndicated Sites". Explore Illinois history with the ATLAS guided map, and create your own custom playlist by visiting http://www.atlaspodcasts.org. Alliance's Trail to Learning-casts and Syndicated Sites Alliance Library System and LearningTimes http://www.ltmaps.net/als/medias/images/feed.jpghttp://www.atlaspodcasts.org no Alliance Library System and LearningTimes info@atlaspodcasts.org http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-lincoln-peoria/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-lincoln-peoria/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:51:38 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=167 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-lincoln-peoria/feed/ 0 In order to understand the significance of Lincoln’s speech at Peoria on October 16, 1854, one must first take a look at the political scene of the time. Abraham Lincoln had retired from politics having served four terms in the Illinois State Legislature and one term in Congress (1846-1848). Between 1848 and 1854, Lincoln was a circuit riding lawyer whose practice was based in Springfield, Illinois. But a piece of legislation introduced by Stephen A. Douglas in May 1854 brought Lincoln out of retirement. The Kansas-Nebraska Act reversed the congressional prohibition on slavery in that section of the Louisiana Territory north of the 36°30 parallel, a restriction on the spread of slavery agreed to in the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Lincoln was appalled by this reversal of three decades of settled policy. He felt that the principles of the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal” with the “inalienable right to liberty” were being reversed and no American should ignore this. His research was carefully conducted in the State Capitol and Lincoln prepared a counterattack on the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Years of preparing for jury trials, litigating in the courts of Illinois, and researching American political history prepared Lincoln’s mind and speech to argue the issues. With his natural aptitude for learning and a mature intellect, Lincoln had masterful grasp of the facts and logic of the case against Kansas-Nebraska. Thus the stage is set for Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas to debate the issues. A few eyewitness and newspaper accounts of their speeches are in existence. In Peoria, Byron C. Bryner was a five-year-old boy when Lincoln arrived to speak in response to Douglas. He published a book in 1924 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Lincoln speech with various recollections. Bryner was concerned that Lincoln’s Peoria speech wasn’t appreciated in 1854 and that it was still overlooked 70 years later. Here are some of Bryner’s recollections from his book entitled, “Abraham Lincoln in Peoria, Illinois”: (1) “The monument in the Peoria Court House square bears the names of 525 boys from Peoria who died between April 1861 and April 1865. The starting point for it all was at Peoria, the 16th day of October, 1854.” “It was the starting point of the race which won for Abraham Lincoln the Presidency of the United States, brought on the War of the Rebellion, led to the death of half million men and twice that number disabled by disease and wounds, made free men and women of four million slaves, and desolated almost every home in the land.” (Page 17) Bryner further reminisces, “Peoria, ‘beautiful view’, for such is the meaning of the word in the language of the Pottawattomies, only a village. Its bluffs covered with oak and hickory and undergrowth of hazel brush and wild blackberry and ravines where wolves still lingered. The political atmosphere of the time: music of bands—of drum and fife with drummers and fifers garbed in colonial costume, the Spirit of 76. Campaign songs, flags mounted on saplings with bunches of leaves at the top with only 34 stars. Floats with pretty girls in white representing Columbia and the states. I see them at night upon the floor of my home—sleeping upon improvised bed—my mother cooking for all. Not a completed railroad in Peoria on October 16, 1854. No telegraph, no sewing machine, no telephone, tallow candles for illumination, butter, eggs, and milk lowered into the cistern to keep fresh. And yet all of the comforts and luxury of today were born of the brain and brawn of that and the succeeding generation. Amidst such scenes Lincoln and Douglas first met in debate in Peoria, October 16, 1854.” Four years before their series of seven formal debates, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Arnold Douglas engaged in a joint discussion of the momentous question of whether Kansas and Nebraska should be admitted as free soil states or [...] Historians generally agree that Lincoln’s Peoria speech was among the most able he ever delivered. “It is a landmark in his career,” wrote Nathaniel Wright Stephenson. “It …lays the abiding foundation of everything he thought thereafter. [...] 00:10:45 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria-whiskey/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria-whiskey/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:37:14 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=157 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria-whiskey/feed/ 0 Peoria is famous worldwide for being the home of Caterpillar, Inc., maker of bright yellow tractors and heavy equipment. However, long ago there were once many industries that thrived in the heart of Illinois. Some would like to forget that it was distilleries and breweries that made Peoria a boom town where fortunes were made almost overnight. Peoria once produced more whiskey than any city in history. The whiskey tax that Peoria paid to the federal government was larger than any other district in the United States, ahead of Chicago and Cincinnati. Many factors contributed to such a large production of alcoholic beverages including Peoria’s ideal location on the Illinois River, good water, an abundance of corn and barley, and excellent transportation facilities. Some believed that the purity of the water was key, but in fact, it was the temperature. The water temperature remained below 50 degrees year round and never varied more than one degree, plus or minus. The first brewery was established in 1837 on the banks of the river by Andrew Eitle, a native of Germany. It became known as the Peoria Brewery. The first distillery was built in 1843 by Almiron S. Cole. He could process 200 bushels of grain a day and paid farmers twelve and a half cents a bushel for their corn. He sold out of the business but returned in 1850 with partners who included William Moss, brother of Lydia Moss Bradley who founded Bradley University, and Tobias Bradley, Lydia’s husband. They built the largest distillery outside of Chicago, processing 1600 bushels of corn a day. From this beginning, Peoria became a center for beer and whiskey. Between 1837 and 1919 there were 24 breweries and 73 distilleries in operation. It was the largest corn-consuming market in the world. The “boom” years of the 1860s and 1870s would forever change the way people looked at Peoria. The Industrial Revolution swept America by storm and Peoria was no exception. Located between the Industrial East and agricultural West, Peoria was the ideal location for a boom economy. Finished iron products from the east met grain and lumber from the west and Peoria needed all of these raw materials for brewing and distilling. “Distillery Row” was the name given to the river bank along the Peoria shore. Year after year, new partnerships and factories changed hands and prospered. Banking, commerce, small businesses and industries also grew. Wines and liquors not produced in Peoria were imported by the barrel and then bottled and labeled and marketed locally. Sometimes a bottler often made a fortune without the trouble of owning a distillery or brew house. Peoria was well on its way to becoming the “Whiskey Capital of the World.” During the boom years, three of the great breweries of Peoria were established: John Gipps Company, Lutz and Lincoln (later the Union Brewery) and Huber Goldbeck’s Old City Brewery (later the Leisy Brewery and then Pabst Brewing Company). For talented immigrants, the opportunity of a lifetime awaited them in Peoria. John Gipps was one of those talented immigrants. A native of England, the lawyer from Cambridge University came to Illinois on a hunting trip in 1848. He opened his brewery in 1867. He went on to organize the Peoria Public Library and served on the Peoria Board of Trade. Edward Leisy was born in Keokuk, Iowa, where his father owned a brewery. He and his brothers came to Peoria when the state of Iowa went dry and purchased the Old City Brewery. Edward and his brother Albert built the Orpheum Theater in 1910. The growing amount of wealth among the distillers and brewers was very beneficial to the city. New buildings, including banks, theaters, and hotels were built. Roads were repaired, railroads built and steamboats docked in Peoria. The population grew rapidly due to the influx of immigrants as Peoria became one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the state outside of Chicago. The 1860s also brought the outbreak [...] Some would like to forget that it was distilleries and breweries that made Peoria a boom town where fortunes were made almost overnight. Peoria once produced more whiskey than any city in history. The whiskey tax that Peoria paid to the federal [...] 00:13:33 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:30:16 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=151 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-peoria/feed/ 0 Standing atop Grand View Drive visitors can see what the Native Americans must have seen 12,000 years ago when they first discovered the lush river valley of Peoria. In 1910, President Teddy Roosevelt coined the phrase, World’s Most Beautiful Drive, when he visited Peoria and toured the two and half miles of Grand View Drive. On a clear day, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the Illinois River valley for more than 30 miles. Archaeologists have traced early man in Peoria as far back as 12,000 years. Artifacts and burial mounds give evidence of Native Americans who were highly organized, ritualistic, and in harmony with nature. The Illini tribe populated the area with the Peoria being one of the principal tribes. They fished the waters of Peoria Lake on the Illinois River and hunted game in the lush valleys. They called the river valley Pimiteoui (PEE-MEE-TWEE) which means “land of great abundance” or “fat lake.” It became known far and wide among Native Americans as a great winter hunting ground. They remained in the area until 1832 when they sold their claims in Illinois and Missouri to the United States. The French were the next nation to populate the area. Theirs was the first European settlement in Illinois and one of the earliest in Middle America. In 1673, French explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet canoed into the Peoria river valley while exploring the Mississippi. A few years later, another French explorer, Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, paddled down the Illinois with 30 men to claim the land for France. They built a small fort on the east bluff of the river and called it Fort Crevecoeur (“broken heart”). This was the first European building to be built in Middle America and was mysteriously abandoned after four months. These words were found burned into the side of an unfinished boat, “Nous sommes tous sauvages” (We are all savages). The next settlement in the area occurred on the Peoria shore in 1691 and was called Fort Pimiteoui. The Illini tribes assisted in the building under the direction of Henri de Tonti. The Jesuits established the Immaculate Conception mission and a small village grew up around the fort. It had trading posts, a blacksmith shop, a winepress, and a windmill. However, after the British victory in the French and Indian War, France was forced to turn the Illinois Territory over to the British. From 1763 to about 1778, Peoria was under the control of the British but the French settlers stayed there and flourished. In 1778, the Illinois Country was captured by George Rogers Clark and turned over to the United States. The War of 1812 brought more strife and violence to the Peoria valley. The Fort was burned the ground and the French were captured and moved down river. The Native Americans who had enjoyed the bounty of the Pimiteoui Valley were forced to abandon it and migrate west. 120 years of French Peoria disappeared forever. Americans took over the area and rebuilt the fort in 1813, calling it Fort Clark. The name was later changed to Peoria to honor the original Native American settlers. Farming began in the area around 1819 and Peoria was on its way as a growing and prosperous community. The importance Peoria’s location on the Illinois River and the abundance of natural resources cannot be underestimated. The riches of the land drew pioneers mostly from the South. Their manufacturing and agricultural skills and their ingenuity were key to the economic boom that occurred. The river provided a low cost way to ship goods. Natural spring water contributed to the production of spirits and beer. Many a family fortune was made from the brewing and distilling business and the surrounding industries. The liquor industry was huge and Peoria became known as the whiskey capital of the world. The Illinois River was far more placid than the Mississippi with its fast currents. It provided an unsurpassed route for transportation and the stage was set for [...] Standing atop Grand View Drive visitors can see what the Native Americans must have seen 12,000 years ago when they first discovered the lush river valley of Peoria. In 1910, President Teddy Roosevelt coined the phrase, World’s Most Beautiful [...] 00:08:48 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-tolton/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-tolton/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:22:32 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=146 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-tolton/feed/ 0 In 1851, Martha Jane Chisley met and later married a slave from a neighbouring plantation, Peter Paul Tolton. Because their masters were Catholic, both Martha and Peter had been baptized Catholic, as it was the custom for the slave owner to baptize and provide some religious instruction to his slaves. Martha and Peter were married in St. Peter’s Church, Brush Creek, Missouri. The owners of Martha and Peter agreed to the marriage with the following conditions: The couple would live on the Eliot plantation, Peter would remain a slave of the neighbouring family, while Martha and her children would remain slaves to the Eliot family. They had three children, Charles, Augustine and Anne. In the summer of 1861, Peter gave in to his strong desire for freedom and left the Eliot plantation in the middle of the night to join the Union Army in St. Louis. It is not known if he engaged in combat but he died of the measles in a St. Louis hospital in 1862. Martha was never notified of his death. Life for a slave on the Eliot farm became increasingly dangerous and Martha was afraid that the Eliot family would sell her children. One night Martha decided to flee, taking her three children, the youngest only about two years old, with her. Heading east towards the Mississippi, they made their way across the fields to Hannibal. Narrowly escaping arrest as runaways by Confederate officials in the town, the family was rescued by Union soldiers who claimed that Hannibal was under Union jurisdiction. Martha and her children were smuggled to the riverbank and loaded into a rowboat. Martha rowed across the Mississippi to land in Illinois and made her way north some twenty miles to Quincy. She settled in the east side of the city, sharing a small home with a widow, Mrs. Davis, and her daughter Mary Ann. The Tolton family went to work in the Dulaney Brothers Tobacco Company as stemmers who stripped the tobacco and prepared it for the rollers. Augustine “Gussy” Tolton was about eight years old. He continued working in the factory for nine years. He also learned how to make horse collars for the Schott Leather Works and Saddlery and spent some time at the J.J. Flynn Soda Bottling Company. Augustine began his schooling in 1868 when he was fourteen. He sat in Louisa Alexanders class in the original Lincoln school, which, at the time, was a log cabin near 10th and Oak. He was able to attend for about three months of the year when the tobacco trade had its off season. The Tolton family moved to 812 Maine Street and Augustine then attended St. Boniface School beginning in 1869. With the support of two priests in Quincy, one of whom was a Franciscan, he looked for a seminary where he could study, but no American seminary was willing to accept an African American student. Hoping against hope and with the help of the minister general of the Franciscans, Augustine Tolton was admitted to Urban College in Rome, the seminary attached to the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, on March 12, 1880 where African students were already enrolled. He was vested in the clerical garb of the College on March 21, 1880. Augustine spent the next three years studying the discipline and continued to reveal the depth and stability of his unique character. On May 6, 1883 he took the Propaganda oath and on May 14 received the Tonsure. His studies clarified his lifes direction and on March 8 and December 20 of 1884 he received Minor Orders. He entered the rank of Deacon on November 8, 1885. When the time came for Augustine to be ordained, the cardinal prefect of the congregation announced that if the Americans had never seen a black priest, it was now time for them to see one. After his ordination on April 24, 1886, Father Tolton was sent home to Quincy, Illinois, where he had a triumphal return. Later, however, he suffered persecution by a fellow priest in a nearby parish. In 1889, Tolton moved to Chicago, and with the [...] When the time came for Augustine to be ordained, the cardinal prefect of the congregation announced that if the Americans had never seen a black priest, it was now time for them to see one. After his ordination on April 24, 1886, Father Tolton was [...] 00:06:27 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-benneson/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-benneson/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:10:29 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=141 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-benneson/feed/ 0 Cora Agnes Benneson was an opinionated woman and a proponent of womans suffrage, yet most of her public energies were spent outside the suffrage arena. She was born in Quincy, Illinois, on June 10, 1851 to Robert Smith and Electra Ann (Park) Benneson, who was known as Annie. Alice, Anna, and Susan (called Lina) were Coras older sisters as she was the youngest of the four. The Benneson family lived in a large, square house at 214 Jersey Street, high on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Her family extensively participated in Quincys politics and education. For example, her father spent fourteen years as the president of Quincys Board of Education and served for many years as the towns mayor, primarily during the Civil War. Her parents also helped to establish the Unitarian church of which her mother served as an officer and Sunday school superintendent. In addition to her mothers work in the church she worked as a school teacher and felt all children needed to excel in authorship. By the time she was twelve, Cora could read and write Latin, was proficient at math, and was quite intrigued with history. She graduated from the Quincy Academy at the age of fifteen with a high school diploma. Cora then enrolled in the Quincy Seminary, a college preparatory school, and graduated when she was eighteen. After graduating from the Seminary, Cora stayed on as an instructor and taught English and composition from 1869 to 1872. Her yearning to continue her education and to become an attorney meant that she had to leave Quincy as there were neither a four-year college nor a law school in the area. She chose to attend the University of Michigan. Cora had such a passion for learning and thoroughly enjoyed writing, editing, reading, and discussing literature which likely started in her early years when she and her older sisters began their own magazine entitled, The Experiment. Each week during family hour her parents would read the articles written by the girls and their mother awarded a small prize for the best article of the week. It is believed that Cora won her first prize at age eight when she wrote a satire on upper-class women. At the University of Michigan she excelled both in academic subjects and in public speaking and served as editor of the student newspaper, The Chronicle. She was the first woman to hold this position. Cora was one of the early members of the Friends In Council in Quincy, a group of women who met weekly to discuss a book read in common and other topics of interest. She was also proud to have founded the original Unity Club, which quickly became the leading forum for bright men and women to discuss the social and political issues of the day. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Cora applied to Harvard Law School. Even though five Harvard alumni wrote letters of recommendation for her, Harvard denied her entrance on the grounds that the equipments were too limited to make suitable provision for receiving women, according to the Administrative Board of the Graduate School. In a letter to Professor Peirce, the Dean of the Harvard Graduate School, Cora wrote: “I appreciate the reasons for your judgment that it would be unwise to pursue the matter at present . . . Perhaps, by the time the Chair left vacant by Dr. Snow is filled, there may be such changes in the Governing Board of Harvard University that I shall be enabled to carry out my purpose.” Even though she was not accepted at Harvard University, she attended law school at the University of Michigan. Of the 175 students in her class, only two were women. In 1880, she was admitted to the Illinois and Michigan bars. It was awhile before she settled into a law practice. In the meantime, her curiosity as to how law was practiced in other parts of the world and the treatment of women under the laws in these countries led Cora to undertake rather extensive [...] Cora Agnes Benneson was an opinionated woman and a proponent of woman's suffrage, yet most of her public energies were spent outside the suffrage arena. She was born in Quincy, Illinois, on June 10, 1851 to Robert Smith and Electra Ann (Park) [...] 00:08:15 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-abbott/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-abbott/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:00:08 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=135 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-abbott/feed/ 0 Peoria’s Most Famous Singer Emma Abbott was a nineteenth century world-renown singer with a lovely soprano voice. She toured the United States and Europe with her own very successful opera company. The Abbott English Opera Company was known for its elaborate costumes and Emma was known for her outstanding voice and great showmanship. Their many successes included “Daughter of the Regiment”, “Chimes of Normandy”, “Bohemian Girl”, “Martha”, “La Traviata”, and “Ruy Blas.” Perhaps her most famous role was that of “Yum Yum” in the Mikado. Emma closed many of her performances by singing, “Last Rose of Summer” and it was her most requested song. Emma Abbott was known as “Peoria’s Foster Daughter” and “Peoria’s Most Famous Singer.” In fact, Emma Abbott was born in Chicago on December 9, 1850. Her father, Seth, was a singing teacher and musician who brought his family to Peoria when Emma was three years old. He had been hired to direct the choir of the First Baptist Church. As a tiny child, Emma displayed evidence of an unusual musical talent, which became more evident as she grew older. Her father taught her to play the guitar and spared no pains in developing her voice. The Peoria City Directory shows that the Abbott family lived in Peoria for sixteen years. Stories were told and embellished over the years of the family’s impoverished lifestyle but Emma’s friend and biographer, Sadie Martin, set the story straight in her 1891 biography of Emma. Seth Abbott attempted to sell insurance and real estate to supplement his income as a singing teacher but he was not particularly successful. His love was music and it was his life. Emma’s mother, Almira, who also possessed a beautiful singing voice, was a very frugal housewife, and Emma did not wear ragged clothing or go without shoes as was reported in the press. A Peoria newspaper documented Emma’s 1859 stage debut. She played her guitar and sang for a group of coal miners in a schoolhouse in Edwards, Illinois, just outside the city of Peoria. No admission was charged and the miners were enthralled with her sweet voice. They took up a collection and Emma was delighted to return home with many coins jingling in her pockets. Around 1862, William Bradbury, a famous composer of the time, visited Peoria to attend a performance by Seth Abbott’s music students. Little Emma Abbott’s voice caught his attention and Mr. Bradbury said of her, “she sings as a lark because she can’t help it, and she sings beautifully, too. There isn’t another voice in the room that compares with hers in possibilities.” He said to Emma later in the day, “My dear, fame and fortune are sure to be yours.” William Bradbury’s comments gave Seth the confidence to pursue Emma’s career. He took her to Chicago to work with a voice teacher and she began to travel the country performing wherever and whenever she could. During her travels, she met and became the protégé of a very famous opera star of the time, Clara Louise Kellogg. This meeting opened many doors for Emma and she was invited to perform in New York City with Miss Kellogg. Critics were not particularly kind but Emma played to packed houses every night. Emma laughingly said, “Either the New Yorkers possessed horrid taste and were unable to distinguish between good work and poor, or else the critics were unduly harsh and unjust in their reviews of my singing. Now, which was it?” While in New York, Emma’s many fans and supporters helped her realize her dream of studying in Europe. They raised $10,000 to help with expenses and around 1872 she went to Milan and Paris to study French, Italian, and German , along with voice and dramatic acting. Emma knew that she needed many skills to become a successful performer. She was determined to succeed and was very disciplined and self-possessed. Emma debuted at Covent Garden Theater in London and her singing set Londoners wild. Encore [...] Emma Abbott was a nineteenth century world-renown singer with a lovely soprano voice. She toured the United States and Europe with her own very successful opera company. The Abbott English Opera Company was known for its elaborate costumes and [...] 00:10:05 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-germann/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-germann/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:43:36 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=122 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-germann/feed/ 0 Melinda Germann is a pioneer. Born in Quincy, Illinois in July 1863 during the War Between the States to Henry and Kate Knapheide, she considered herself a physician who tried hard to serve her patients as well as be a wife and mother. Her father was born in 1824 in Zingrich, Muenster, Germany, but not much is known about her mother and her family, except that they came from Prussia. As a young man, Melinda’s father, Henry, learned the craft of making wagons and traveled to various cities throughout Europe as a journeyman wagon maker. It is a bit ironic that in her later years Melinda returned to Europe from America and traveled to various cities in order to learn more about the craft of medicine. Henry emigrated to America in 1845, when he was approximately 23 years old so his children would be able to live in a land full of freedom and opportunity. Working almost two years in New Orleans, he then traveled up the river to St. Louis where he met and married Catherine Achepohl in 1847. In 1848, the newlyweds moved to Quincy, IL where they remained until their deaths. Melinda was the youngest of six children, eight years younger than the next eldest sibling. She was the baby of the family and very spoiled. She attended public school, and was a member of the Class of 1881 at Quincy High School. Upon graduation, she became a teacher, teaching in Loraine and Mendon for two years. She gave up the monotony of teaching, looking for more rewarding and challenging work as a physician. Three years after graduating from high school, in 1884, Melinda enrolled at the Quincy College of Medicine and graduated in two years in 1886. Soon after graduation from medical school, Melinda decided to gain some additional training before starting her practice. She traveled to Zurich, Paris and Vienna to take several graduate courses in medicine. In those days, a young woman traveling abroad was quite unusual, so the Methodist Traveler’s Aid provided Melinda with a female traveling companion. Upon returning to Quincy after her first trip to Europe, Melinda taught internal medicine at the Quincy College of Medicine and also began to practice medicine, keeping her busy for nearly 50 years. During the first years, she looked very young and was not accepted as a trustworthy physician, so she developed the habit of doing her rounds in a matronly bonnet and a strict, straight-laced black dress, which helped to raise the general estimation of her in the eyes of the patients, particularly the elderly. Through word of mouth, her practice quickly grew. In 1891, Melinda married her beloved husband, Henry Germann, a pharmacist. Sometimes her duties and erratic schedule as a physician put a strain on the household but they were able to have two children. Oftentimes, Melinda would be coming home from an evening taking care of patients just in time to see the children off to school. Life and her practice both flourished in Quincy, and the years and decades started to accumulate. Melinda never sought recognition or fame, but was a trailblazer and well known throughout the medical profession. In 1907, at the annual convention of the American Medical Association in Boston, Melinda presented a paper that was well received by her colleagues. Not only did Melinda serve her community as a physician, but also in 1912, she was elected to a seat on the Board of Education serving there for 17 years. Then in 1917, she was elected to the Board of Supervisors. It was very rewarding to Melinda to live to see both of her children become practicing physicians. Hildegarde Germann Sinnock, her oldest child, attended Vassar, followed by medical school at Johns Hopkins. Her son, Aldo, studied at Northwestern University in Evanston and went on to become a surgeon. Eventually, they both returned to Quincy and became practicing physicians at Blessing Hospital. In 1937, shortly after she retired after 50 years of practice, Melinda Knapheide [...] Melinda Germann is a pioneer. Born in Quincy, Illinois in July 1863 during the War Between the States to Henry and Kate Knapheide, she considered herself a physician who tried hard to serve her patients as well as a wife and mother. Her father [...] 00:04:38 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-bradley/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-bradley/#comments Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:21:04 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=116 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-bradley/feed/ 0 If you turned an estate worth half a million dollars into a fortune of over two million you would be prosperous. If you were the director of a bank for twenty-five years you would be a leader. If you donated a city park and endowed a private college, and if you gave money and land to many community projects, you would be a great philanthropist. If you accomplished all of this as woman in the 19th century, you would be the amazing Lydia Moss Bradley. Lydia Moss was born in Vevay, Indiana on July 30, 1816 the youngest child of Zeally Moss and Jenny Glasscock. Zeally Moss had an adventurous spirit which was passed on to his children, particularly Lydia and her brother, William. Zeally first settled in the state of Kentucky where his parcel of land included slaves. He did not favor the institution of slavery and freed them before moving his family to Indiana. Life in the early 1800s in America was challenging. Lydia was up early in the morning, making butter, preserving meat, and making clothes. Many years later as a wealthy woman, she continued to live a life of thrift, churning her own butter and keeping chickens in the yard of her beautiful home on Moss Avenue, one of Peoria’s finest neighborhoods. Lydia’s father was a successful trader and landowner and she learned from his example. She traded a horse for a piece of wooded land that she cleared herself.  She made a tidy profit when she sold the logs to the local sawmill and got a husband in the bargain as well. Tobias Bradley owned the mill and he and Lydia were married on May 11, 1837, in Vevay. By the early 1840s, Tobias felt that there were more opportunities in Kentucky but Lydia did not want to live in a slave-holding state. Lydia’s brother was living in Peoria and he encouraged them to move to the non-slave state of Illinois. Lydia won this argument and they arrived in 1847. The Bradleys found Peoria, a small settlement of 4000 people, quite different from the rolling countryside of Indiana.  Its location on the Illinois River along with vast woods and level prairie made it a land of opportunity for those who were willing to work hard. William had been one of the first settlers, establishing a trading business along the river. He owned several boats and with Tobias, they established many successful business ventures. Meanwhile the first of many tragedies that were to haunt Lydia’s life occurred just before they left Vevay. Their first child, Rebecca, died in 1845. They came to Peoria with their surviving child, Clarissa, and shortly thereafter, their son Tobias, Jr. was born. Unfortunately, he died on December 3, 1847 and sixteen days, their daughter Clarissa died.  Lydia gave birth to another daughter, Laura in April 1848. Eventually the Bradleys owned over 700 acres in and around Peoria and they built a large brick residence on Moss Avenue. In light of Lydia’s distaste for slavery, it was always rumored that one of their properties was a relay station on the infamous Underground Railroad. Tragedy continued to stalk the Bradleys. Their daughter, Mary, born in 1851, died at the age of ten months and their son William died at the age of two. They doted on their only surviving child, Laura, who also sadly died at the age of 15 in 1864. The Bradleys had buried all six of their children. In their sorrow, they decided to create a memorial to their children and Tobias began planning the building of an orphanage.  However, he was not able to see his plan carried out. Tobias was killed in a carriage accident in 1867. Lydia was at a crossroads in her life. With Tobias’ death and the loss of her daughter she felt the need to continue with the building of an orphanage. However, she soon realized that even her large estate was not enough fulfill this plan. Perhaps because she was at a crossroads or perhaps because she felt the need for companionship, Lydia made a decision she would soon regret. She married Edward Clark in 1869. Lydia was about 100 years ahead [...] If you turned an estate worth half a million dollars into a fortune of over two million you would be prosperous. If you were the director of a bank for twenty-five years you would be a leader. If you donated a city park and endowed a private [...] 00:11:40 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-cashier/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-cashier/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:39:01 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=53 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-cashier/feed/ 0 During the American Civil War, Illinois 250,000 soldiers represented over 10% of the states population. Injuries and disease took their toll and many never returned. Virtually every husband, father, and son, became a soldier. Illinois was a blend of northerners and southerners, and many families were divided by the issues. For example Mary Todd Lincoln whose husband was President of the Union, while her brothers fought for the Confederacy. Women were left to do the work of men gone to war. Many regiments left home with a silk flag made by local women. Boxes and letters from home eased the dullness of the soldiers life. The Ladies Union Aid Society and the Western Sanitary Commission gave the troops critical supplies of clothing and food. The only woman to earn a Congressional Medal of Honor was Dr. Mary E. Walker, who tended soldiers and served four months in a southern prison. During wartime, people began engaging in cross-dressing for various circumstances and motives. This was especially true of women dressed as men since they were officially banned from becoming soldiers. Some women joined to avoid separation from their loved ones as an act of patriotism, to rebel or simply for adventure. Women who have disguised themselves as men include Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (aka Lyons Wakeman), Cousins Mary and Mollie Bell (aka Bob Martin and Tom Parker) and Cathy Williams (aka William Cathay) the first African-American female to pose as a male. Some estimates claim as many as 400 women served as soldiers during the Civil War and as many as 60 women were killed or wounded in battle. However, the ban did not stop Jennie Hodgers. Born on December 25, 1843 in Clogherhead, Ireland, Jennie was a small woman of five feet three inches tall, weighing about 110 pounds. Some reports say her father was a traveling horse trader in Ireland and made her wear boys clothing for convenience and safety on the road. Another account states her stepfather ordered her to dress as a boy to work in a factory in New York. Yet another said she was a stowaway or worked as a cabin boy crossing the Atlantic ocean. Either way, she barely could read or write resulting in a lack of documentation of her birth, life, adventures and how she came to Illinois. Nonetheless on August 6, 1862 Jennie at the tender age of 19 enlisted in the Union Army in Belvidere, Illinois. As a result of President Lincolns call for an additional 300,000 troups, the physicals of soldiers were quick and impersonal. They checked the eyes, the teeth and gave a quick thump on the chest; there was no need to undress. From this day forward, Jennie was known as Albert Cashier, Private First Class, Company G, 95th Illinois Infantry Volunteer and lived the rest of her life as a man. The 95th Infantry was joined at Camp Fuller, near Rockford, Illinois by three other northern regiments, the 74th, the 92nd, and the 94th. On September 29, 1862 they received orders to leave for Louisville, Kentucky. It wasnt until May 18, 1863 that the 95th Infantry engaged in fighting when they participated in the battle at Vicksburg where they lost 7 men. It is said that Albert was captured by Confederate soldiers, but escaped by seizing a gun and fleeing to the Union camp. It is reported that Albert took part in 40 battles and skirmishes but was never injured. According to The Pittsfield Republican, “During the war Cashiers comrades noted that the handsome young Irishman was rather inclined to be offish, but overlooked the soldiers exclusiveness in their admiration for his military bearing and reckless daring.” He was usually called upon when “dependable men were absolutely necessary”. With the end of the war and the assassination of Lincoln, the 95th Illinois Infantry gathered at Camp Butler in Springfield, IL on August 17, 1865. The survivors of the 95th arrived in Belvidere, Illinois on August 22, 1865 and were honored at a public [...] During the American Civil War, Illinois' 250,000 soldiers represented over 10% of the state's population. Injuries and disease took their toll and many never returned. Virtually every husband, father, and son, became a soldier. Illinois was a blend [...] 00:04:10 no http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-reed/ http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-reed/#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2009 04:33:24 +0000 ATLAS http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/?p=75 http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/podcast-reed/feed/ 0 Madame Marie Curie once said, “You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end each of us must work for his own improvement, and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.” This quote beautifully describes the life and work of Mrs. Warren A. Reed. Mrs. Warren A. Reed, also known as Candace McCormick Reed was born on June 17, 1818 in Crab Orchard, Tennessee. Her father was Jourdain M. McCormick., son of James McCormick who was a close relative of Cyrus H. McCormick the inventor of the reaper. Much is not known of Mrs. Reed’s mother except she was the granddaughter of William A. Vardeman and of the Vardeman’s from Kentucky. Candace McCormick married Warren A. Reed in 1842. The couple had five children but only one lived to old age. In 1848, Mr. and Mrs. Reed moved to Quincy, IL and established a gallery over the S. E. Jonas Iron store at the corner of Fifth and Hampshire Streets, later moving to the west side of the square, and then again to a more permanent location at 403 Hampshire Street. The Reed’s advertised their business in the Directory of Dr. Ware on August 2, 1848 stating that Daguerreotypes were $1.50. In 1858, at the tender age of 36, Warren Reed passed away. This left Candace Reed a widow with two children. After her husband’s death Mrs. Reed sold his “stand” and opened her Excelsior Gallery. She continued to raise her children while she found time to assist in the organization of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan, an aid society for Civil War soldiers and their families. She served as a nurse in the army hospitals in Nashville, Chattanooga and Vicksburg where she spent nearly one year. Mrs. Reed also worked hard while at home for the boys who were at the front. Mrs. Reed was one of the first northern women to appear on the battlefield after the terrible battle of Stone River. She was the first woman who met Col. Henry A. Castle of Quincy, IL after the fight. She is attributed to saving the Colonel’s hand as surgeons wanted to amputate it. She would not allow them, for she knew that she could save it if they would let her and she did. Mrs. Reed’s dedication to helping these men was far-reaching as was demonstrated by the love and gratitude shown to her by them at a parade after their return. Men from around the country stepped out of the parade to shake her hand and thank her for nursing them back to health. After the war she returned to Quincy and continued to operate her gallery. Few studios enjoyed the longevity of Mrs. Reeds business. Her pictures featured here are from the collection of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County, Quincy University, and a number of private collections loaned to the Society for this project. Street scenes, wedding portraits, baby photos, a civil war soldier all give us a tantalizing view of what life was like for those who came before us. The images include the well known, such as Quincy founder and Illinois Governor John Wood, and the unidentified as in the carte de visite of a man in boxing tights, his hands in tight fists. Mrs. Candace McCormick Reed died on April 7, 1900 of apoplexy commonly known today as a stroke. According to her obituary, she had been ailing for ten days and on the day of her death sat up part of the afternoon and walked to her bed with assistance. Mrs. Warren A. Reed, also known as Candace McCormick Reed was born on June 17, 1818 in Crab Orchard, Tennessee. Her father was Jourdain M. McCormick., son of James McCormick who was a close relative of Cyrus H. McCormick the inventor of the [...] 00:03:49 no