Early Schools: Part 2

"The school next after this seems to have been taught by NORMAN HYDE in 1825. Hyde was the first Probate Judge of Peoria County. He was elected January 1825 and was commissioned by Governor EDWARD COLE. He was a surveyor and his handwriting shows he was an educated man.

"In the papers of the Probate Court in the estate of JAMES LATHAM is an account, from which I make the following extract:

ESTATE OF JAMES LATHAM
TO
N. HYDE, DR.

1825
March 16, to amount of school subscription ............................................. $7.00

June 22, to amount of School Bill ............................................................ $6.95

August 24, to amount of last quarter of school ......................................... $2.51

"This extract from an account arising in 1825, before any tax could be levied, or before any school officers were elected is tolerably good evidence that Norman Hyde taught here in 1825.

"It is probable the next school in Peoria was taught by MRS. MARIA HARKNESS, she was certainly the first female teacher and there begin to be clearer glimpses of the school, taught by a dame now almost forgotten. Maria Harkness was the daughter of ISAAC WALTERS and the wife of JAMES P. HARKNESS. In a letter written in 1879 and furnished President Gregory for his information concerning her school, she says:

"In May, 1826, as was then the custom, I wrote out an articles of agreement proposing to teach a school at Peoria, as Fort Clark had then come to be called, enumerating the branches I propose to teach -- spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and needle work, at $1.50 per scholar for a term of 3 months and board. The teachers in those days boarded around among the patrons on the school. Thirty scholars were subscribed and I had an average attendance of 24. My patrons were Judge Latham, then Indian Agent; Dr. Augustus Langworthy; Joseph Ogee, Indian Interpreter; John L. Bogardus; John Dixon; John Parker; George Sharp; William and Abner Eads; Capt. Joseph Moffitt and Isaac Waters (who was the father of the teacher). The school was commenced in a log cabin owned by William Holland, the village blacksmith, where it was continued but one week because there were no windows and no light except the open door. It was opened the second week and completed in Ogee's new hewed log cabin, which was afterwards used as a court house."

"This is the first and most definite account we have of the schools in early Peoria. The teachers and all the pupils so far as known are long since dead.

"Maria Harkness left several acquaintances in Peoria County among whom may be mentioned Mrs. Emerson, residing on Evans Street; Mrs. Lovell Harrison, residing on Hurlburt Street and some others from whom it may be gathered she was in many respects a remarkable woman for the times. She was educated beyond most women of that early day. She was entirely capable as a teacher, of more advanced scholars than attended her school in Peoria. Some time in about the 1840's, two pupils in one of the schools (probably Page's) were discussing with each other some question in grammer [when] an old lady, a total stranger to both of them, heard them some time and at length interrupted the discussion and gave them a clear explanation to [the] great astonishment of both of them. It turned out the old lady was Maria Harkness. Her latter days were somewhat embittered. She claimed title through her father to a tract of land in the upper part of the city, now worth perhaps a million of dollars, and to which she attempted to establish her rights. She was defeated by lapse of time and perhaps through lack of friends and means to push her rights. She was at length sent to the poor house, from which she was rescued by her son. She went to Minnesota some time in the 1850's. She adopted and wore bloomer costume for several years while in litigation about her land and until her death. E. C. Harkness of Elmwood was her son.

"In his HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY, Johnson says that Isaac Essex taught school here about 1823 or 1824. This is probably a mistake. Essex came here, according to his own statement to Mrs. Shallenberger, in her history of Stark County in 1826. He probably taught school here that winter. He did not reach Peoria until the latter part of November and Mrs. Harkness taught school in the summer of 1826, she must have preceeded him. Essex was a strong anti-slavery man though born in Virginia, he was an active Methodist, and, in fact, a very decided man. He was born in Albermarle County, Virginia in 1800.

"On the 25th of December, 1821, Christmas Day, he married Miss Isabel Williams and removed to Ohio. From Ohio he removed to Illinois, reaching Peoria the 26th of November, 1826.Crossing the river at Sharp's Ferry. When he reached Peoria he had $14.00 in cash, a small stock of household goods and a team. He found shelter for his family and that winter taught a mission school under some arrangement with the Rev. Jesse Walker, the first Methodist preacher and the first Protestant preacher north of Alton.

"He established Mission Schools at various points in northern Illinois for the Indians. One here at Peoria, one at Mission Point near Ottawa. White children were admitted but the schools were called mission schools. The next summer Essex left his family and went into what is now Essex Township, Stark County, split clap boards and cut logs for a cabin. He then took his family and went there. It was then Putnam County, afterwards Stark County. He put up his cabin and to use his own phrase: "Cut out a log and moved in."

"In 1832 the Blackhawk War was raging; the families in this part of the state concentrated for safety, he moved his family to Peoria where he again taught school for a short time. The war scare being over he surrendered his school to a Mr. Allen and returned to his farm in Stark County. He was a man of strong personality, a well known and highly respected citizen of Essex Township, which was named after him. He accumulated considerable property and afterwards moved to Rock Island County where he died in 1877.

"I can find no trace of Mr. Allen to whom Essex is said to have surrendered his school. The name of Henry Allen appears as one of the first voters on the first poll books in 1825, and Archibald Allen's name is found in the first assessment list returned by John L. Bogardus in 1825. It may have been either of these gentlemen, nothing is certainly known of them. It was probably Archibald Allen whose name appears in the fourth class of those assigned to build a school house.

"Probably the next school was taught by Samuel C. McClure [who was] one of the owners of the land on which Bigelow & Underhill's Addition to Peoria was located. It is said that McClure taught here. H. C. Wright, now residing at Henry in reply to an inquiry writes as follows:

Henry, Illinois -- January 23, 1900
H. W. Wells -- Peoria, Illinois

Dear Sir:
Referring to your letter of November 18th. The first school I attended in Peoria was in the old Log Court House on Water Street near Bridge. I think it was in 1830, and that teacher's name was McClure. Jackson and Washington Sharp, who lived South of Peoria, and Frank Moffitt on the Kickapoo, were among the scholars. I remember, but its been years since I have heard from any of them. The second school house that I remember was a Frame Building on Washington Street. It seems to me it was there I first met Moses Dusenberry. My recollection is that the Washington Street School was built just after the Black Hawk War. I attended school in the log house before the war.

Yours,
H. C. Wright

"Among the early teachers in Peoria was Charles Ballance [who] came here in 1831. He had taught school for two winters in Kentucky before coming and after reaching Peoria, in the fall of 1832, taught school for a short time, he tells his own story very modestly in his history of Peoria. He says:
"I believe the first school attempted in Peoria was in the fall of 1832, the author seeing some children running about and learning that there was no school in the village rented a room and opened a school, but it was so badly patronized for want of children that it soon closed."

"Here he stops. His subsequent history is tolerably familiar to our citizens. He died August 10, 1872. Ballance also says in his history, the first house that was uilt in Peoria on purpose for a school house, was built by the author in 1846, on a lot on Walnut Street, between Washington and Adams Streets, on the corner of the alley on the lower side, a private school was kept there until the public school was opened under the law of 1857. It seems a little strange that there was no school house in Peoria until as late as 1846, but school houses were scarce 54 years ago. Miss Kate Keller taught in that house in 1846 and 1847. She had a tolerably large school for the times. She was the daughter of Rev. Isaac Keller, and still lives at Keller Station, a few miles out on the Rock Island and Peoria Railroad. She was an excellent teacher. Several of the Ballance children attended her school. She devised a scheme of rewards which greatly stimulated her scholars. When any scholar was perfect in any study for an entire week she gave a "reward of merit card", on which was a request for the child's parents to pay it a "pickayune" (63 cents). One little girl, Miss Jennie Ballance, succeeded in getting these rewards to the amount of $1.25 in one term and of course her father paid her the money and she felt as though she owned the earth.

"Michael Pfeifer, the hardware merchant on Bridge Street, afterwards bought this old school house and in 1862 moved it to Washington Street, 2 or 3 doors below Maple, where it is now standing in good repair. It has had a kitchen built on the rear, otherwise it is as it was 54 years ago.

"The next school concerning which any information has come to us, was kept by Isaac Sheldon Dewey, in 1832, who taught in the log structure before mentioned on the bank of the river. Information as to this school is given by Moses Dusenbery, an excellent and well preserved gentleman, residing at 102 Jackson Street. He is a brick-layer and plasterer by trade, an excellent workman, who still works daily at that business, not-withstanding he is verging towards 80 years. His recollection is clear and bears evidence of truthfulness on its face. He says, "I first went to school to Mr. Dewey in 1832. I know it was 1832 because it was the year before the great meteoric shower, which they say took place in November 1833."

"He describes the storm, he says some one was on the other side of the river who came to notify Col. Menard that some member of his family was sick. [**NOTE: Menard kept a trading store on the corner of Main and Water Street, but his family lived on the other side of the river.]
The messenger called several times, but could not arouse the ferryman, a Mr. Dusenbery, then a lad of about 14 years old, went in a skiff and brought him to this side, on returning with his passenger, about the middle of the stream, the shower of meteors began. He was not frightened but when he reached his home, climbed on top of his father's log cabin, in order to see how the stars fell or how near they came to the earth. The falling of the stars, he says, made it as light as day, people were much frightened, many were praying and thinking the world was coming to an end. He says he did not go to school very long, at least not a full term, when Mr. Dewey was taken sick and the school was closed.

"Hiram Wright, now living at Henry, and who writes the letter given above, and Henry Moffitt, were among the scholars and probably with Mr. Dusenbery, the only ones who now survive. Henry Moffitt was probably the first white child born in Peoria County. He lives in the lower part of the city. Dewey was rather a small man, he had a scar on his face caused as Mr. Dusenbery thinks, by a gun shot wound, which somewhat marred its regularity. He was probably about 30 or thereabouts. He died and was buried in Peoria a number of years ago. His son, Thomas Dewey, now lives on Glendale Avenue.

"Mr. Dusenbery tells a characteristic anecdote of the first and only Sunday School he remembers. This he thinks was held in the log cabin on the bank of the river. The school was opened one Sunday afternoon and the lesson about to begin when one of the boys listening leaned out the window a moment and then shouted STEAMBOAT, by thunder, and bounded out of the room. He was followed by the teacher and all the scholars and that ended the Sunday school for that day at least.

"The next teacher of whom we have any account was Miss Elizabeth Morrow. She taught two or three terms here commencing probably in the summer of 1832 or 1833 in the log cabin before mentioned, and later in the little frame building which stood on Main Street, opposite the Court House where the Herron Block now stands. This building was leased to her by Charles Ballance. Se was a good looking woman, medium sized, blonde complexion, and wore linsey woolsey dress, then worn by all women. Among her pupils was Capt. J. H. Hall who attended in the little frame building opposite the Court House. He is perhaps the only one now living in Peoria. Miss Morrow went away, came back in 1836 and taught in a private house on Main Street. The house was occupied by a family named Little. Miss Morrow boarded with the family and taught in one room in the house. She next taught in a house near and above where the First National Bank now stands on the corner of Main and Washington Street. P. C. Bartlett well remembers attending this school. He says his father lived in a little yellow frame house on the corner of Adams and Hamilton Street, where the Eldrick Smith Block now stands. He says he sometimes heard wolves in the night which came to steal pigs or chickens from Mr. Anderson, who lived lower down on Main Street.

"Miss Morrow afterwards married Amos Stevens, a prosperous man living near Elmwood in Peoria County. She died about 1838.

"About 1833, or 1834, Cyrus W. Parker taught one term here. The family came from Ohio in a lumber wagon; they struck the Illinois river somewhere below here, when the sold their team and came here by boat. On reaching Peoria, he found some trouble in getting shelter for his family. At length he managed to get his family provided for and secured a log shanty, where he opened a school. This was probably in the old Court House. He afterwards moved his family to Washington, Tazewell County, where he died some 30 or more years ago. The latter part of his life he was nearly blind; he was an excellent teacher.

"Mr. Douglass was the next to teach a winter school according to memory of old settlers. He taught in a little frame building not far from where Anthony's Bank now stands on Main Street in 1836 or 1837 and afterwards in the First Congregational Church, a one-story frame building just across the alley above Rouse's hall. It was plastered both inside and outside and was built in 1835. It was claimed to be the first church building in Peoria.

"In 1835 Miss Sarah Bigelow, who subsequently married Jas. C. Armstrong married Jas. C. Armstrong, and is now a widow residing at 1009 Jackson Street, also taught a summer school. Her school was well attended. Miss Margaret Rouse, now Mrs. Winchell and her sister, Mrs. Capt. Sweeney, and one or two of the Hamlin children were among her pupils. Mrs. Winchell is probably now the only one now living in Peoria. Mrs. Armstrong was for years Librarian of the Peoria Mercantile Library, and though now in feeble health, her mental faculties are unimpaired. She was an excellent teacher and popular with her pupils and patrons.

"Miss Jane Taggert, a daughter of Matthew Taggert, taught in what was then known as Hunts Row, somewhere near 1838. Hunts Row was a row of frame buildings on the corner of Adams and Fulton Streets; each house consisted of one room about 14 feet square. They were built by Judge Hunt to rent. If the family of new comers was able to get one room, they thought they were well provided for at that time. Miss Taggert afterwards taught on Washington Street, on the lot now occupied as Proctor's Lumber Yard.

"She afterwards taught in a house known as the Cleveland House. It was situated on Jefferson Avenue on the corner of Fayette Street. It was afterwards moved to the lower end just above the alley, between Jefferson and Madison Avenue. It was a large house for the times. The Taggert family lived there and Miss Taggert taught in one of the rooms. The lot is now owned by Mr. Schradzki, who has torn down the old house. T. B. McFadden; Clint Farrell; Miss Richardson, now Mrs. Lovell Harrison; Sanford Richardson, many years a missionary in Syria; and Aunt Lizzy Aiken, the well known army nurse were among her scholars. The house was known as the Cleveland House, probably because Henry W. Cleveland built it and lived there in 1836. Miss Taggert was a rather precise, formal lady, but was reasonably well qualified as a teacher at that time. Later she lived with her father in a little low frame building on Jefferson Avenue across from Greeley School. She was small, below the size of women usually and was a strict disciplinarian. The family have disappeared and are probably all dead.

[Addition by J. Crandell..."Miss Abbey Lovett and Miss Louisa Aldrich, graduates of Mr. Holyoke, were employed as assistants; Miss Aldrich taught Latin and Greek and Miss Lovett taught French. Page's Academy was a popular school and was reasonably profitable to the proprietor. During the early part of this school, Miss Boardman, who was his wife's sister, and his wife, were his assistants. Mrs. Lovell Harrison, now residing on Hurlburt street, was one of his pupils, and speaks in very high terms of the efficiency of his school. The Rev. Page was a small man, below the ordinary size; his wife and Miss Boardman were large, as much over the ordinary size for women as Page was below the ordinary size for men. Page on one occasion announced to the school that business called him away, that he should be gone until after dinner and that he was compelled to leave the school in charge of his wife in the morning. He charged the scholars to be good boys and not make any disturbance, etc. He had hardly gone, when one of the boys, said to be Bob Cox or Daniel Van Bard, took a large pin and bent it so that it could be placed on a set where it would pierce the tender extremity of any one who would sit down. One of the boys managed unnoticed to slip this pin on the chair of the Mistress, who presently sat down on it. The teacher screamed, ran out of the room, and the boys had the balance of that forenoon to themselves. Capt. John H. Hall, Clint Farrell, Murry Blakesley, Daniel Van Baird, Bob Cox, Sanford Richardson and many others were among his pupils. For some boyish prank played on the teacher, Page was one day about to thrash one or two of these boys. The boys, however, made common cause with each other and all of them grabbed their caps and ran out. Their continued absence gave page some uneasiness and after school he started to find them, which he did. He told them to come back and he would not punish any of them. The boys went back to school and the escapade was overlooked. They say Page treated them very kindly after that. end of addition by J. Crandell]