In 1878, the newspapers reported about President Rutherford Hayes, the yellow fever epidemic in New Orleans, and discussed bimetallism with gold and silver both supporting the currency. This was sometimes called the Gilded Age, but your ancestors’ lives in Lawrence County were hardly “gilded”.

A little over a decade after the Civil War, Lawrence County Illinois was a flourishing agriculturally based county. Oil had not been discovered yet.  The population in 1870 was 12,533 and ten years later it had only increased by 1000 souls. Churchgoers outnumbered sinners.

The trains ran north/ south and east /west. Every rural neighborhood had a church and a school and a country store. There were no high schools. The streets weren’t paved and there weren’t any public utilities. But Bridgeport, Lawrenceville, Sumner, Pinkstaff, Birds, Chauncey, and St Francisville were the beacons of civilization. The researchers decided to do a deep dive into the year 1878 in Lawence County to see what life was really like. 

The year 1878 opened with snow and a tidal wave of Temperance meetings and people wearing blue ribbons signifying they had signed a pledge to avoid Demon Rum, beer, and other home wrecking spirits. Saloon owners published ads that they would not serve young boys or family men, trying to keep their businesses alive.

There was a new iron bridge over the Embarras River erected at a cost of $3700. D A Watts had the finest Poland China hogs in the county. Photographs could be purchased for $2.60 per dozen at Miller’s photo gallery opposite Watts Hotel in Lawrenceville.

Mary Buntin published the Rural Republican after her father’s death and was highly respected by editors of neighboring newspapers. The editor of the Mount Carmel Register called her “neat, spicy, pure and able.” Ed Schmalhausen operated the Drug Emporium in Lawrenceville.  Mrs. J Vallia advertised her dressmaking business upstairs over Mrs. Gilberts residence stating that she would make calico suits for women starting as low as $1.00. J T Dollahan, the dentist, left Russellville and moved to Sumner but saw patients at the Buchanan House on Mondays in Lawrenceville.

J E Nickerson advertised that he was a house, sign and carriage painter in Bridgeport and did plain and ornamental painting, as well as graining, glazing and paper hanging. A C Gosnell was a boot and shoemaker and did harness repair. H K Lanterman was the host of the Centennial Hotel in Bridgeport, and his wife served the best food the market had available. There was a hotel in Sumner called the Empire Hotel.  (Quality of food was not mentioned.)

Mrs. Robert Barnett of Zion neighborhood returned from Chicago where she had had an eye operation.  She had been blind for a good many years and came back with her eyes entirely cured. Thomas Childress, one of the oldest residents in the county took his first railroad ride from Pinkstaff to Lawrence.  (Yes, this kind of news did make the paper.) The Board of Commissioners gave A. Adams a license to run a ferry boat across the Embarras river at Mussel Shoals.

Mary J McConnell and husband James divorced. James Ward sued James Vance for burning a brush pile on which dead varmints made the atmosphere fragrant. The defendant was found not guilty. A tramp hung himself near Bridgeport. A P Wolf was a doctor in Russellville as was T J Ford.

The undertakers Propes and Struble advertised that they had coffins, caskets, and burial cases on hand and could be made to order at short notice.  Coffins for paupers cost $6.00.  They also were furniture makers and did wagon and carriage repairs. Chas Teschmacher was the insurance agent to insure dwellings against fire and lightning. S P Barton of Lawrenceville was the agent for D & T N Green, millers in Indianapolis. He advertised he would buy 30,000 bushels of local wheat.

The Paris and Danville RR advertised that the train would leave Chicago at 9:05 am and arrive in Lawrenceville at 8:57 pm. The winter term for schools would close in March.  A new depot was built in Sumner by the O & M RR (this was the east/west road). Mrs. Corrie and Mrs. Turner owned millinery shops in Sumner. Mr. William Applegate started for Oregon in his emigrant wagon. The reporter also noted that “emigrant wagons almost without number had passed through this place this week.”

The veterinary in Lawrenceville was Daniel Swinehart; the Blacksmith operated at Propes old stand opposite the P & D railroad. (This was the north/south railroad.) The gunsmith was John Trombly.

Attorneys in Lawrenceville were B B Green and J Fields who were located upstairs in Tracy’s Building; B Callahan and T B Huffman with an office in the courthouse; H C Sands and O Smith whose office was in the southeast room on the first floor of the courthouse.  D L Brewer and Wm Robinson were located one door east of the post office. (not the one in use now)

Henry Ward Beecher passed through Lawrenceville. (He was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe and a clergyman. He was forced to give lectures to pay his attorney fees for his adultery trial.) H M Wagner was the tombstone merchant. His business was located 6 ½ miles northwest of Sumner. He sold American and Italian marble, as well as Concord, Quincy and Scotch granite, made into monuments, tablets, tombs and gravestones. His prices included delivery and set up. His traveling salesman J H Dodwell took orders for delivery in June and September.

S D Diltz patented a fruit canning rack.  Unrelated to this but still newsworthy was that local fruit was injured but not killed by a late frost. Mr. Bussard was the village blacksmith for Pinkstaff. The Rural Republican newspaper office moved to a new building built by A G Wineman east of the courthouse.  Warner Bros store in Bridgeport was the Walmart of the day selling groceries, boots, dry goods, notions, and cookware. 

Moustaches were fashionable.  Lawrenceville girls were teaching the Bridgeport girls how to chew gum. Mrs. Cooper of Bridgeport advertised a full assortment of Notions, Millinery, and Fancy Goods of all types, including kid gloves, hosiery, collars, cuffs, corsets, silk handkerchiefs and ribbons. 

Roads had been bad all winter, deep in mud, so the editor asked that the candidate for Road Supervisor be one who would put every man to work a whole week with his team of horses.  4% of sheep (or 212) in Lawrence County the year before were killed by dogs.  The county paid out $530 to compensate for the losses. Dr. Maxwell was sued and acquitted for intentionally or accidentally prescribing an overdose of morphine that caused the death of old Mrs. Brines.

Rat hunting was all the rage. School districts would each appoint two captains and choose up sides among all the men and boys. Young and old could enter into the sport apparently, as long as you weren’t female. The hunt would last one week.  The first week a reporter noted that one school district had killed 2,071 rats and another had numbered 3,117 rats.  “But the crowning beauty of it all so far as any opponent was concerned,” again according to the reporter, “was a grand supper where the ladies, though they could not enjoy the hunt, could have the pleasure of fixing the supper.” (Hopefully it was not rat-tail stew.)

(continued tomorrow0