The IC Archivist
Brought to you by the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives at Illinois College
An Illinois College Newsletter, Since 2014
Volume 1, Issue 2
February 16, 2015
The Cannon
By Dan Lewis
One of the many reasons that makes Illinois College the great institution that it
is today is its historical tradition. The oldest college in the state, IC’s buildings,
scholarships, athletic fields, and various plaques around campus carry the names of the
college’s donors, alumni, and friends, dating back hundreds of years
Many of the benches and some of the trees seen and enjoyed around campus
have been donated by entire classes of students upon graduating Illinois College.
Nowadays, students simply donate to the IC Fund along with the rest of their class.
Back in 1995, however, the graduating class decided to do something a little different.
They donated a cannon.
Now, this wasn’t a real cannon. It didn’t shoot cannon balls, it wasn't designed
to sink ships or blast through enemies. It was a noise-maker. The cannon was used to
celebrate a touchdown at home football games, much like you hear and see at other
sporting events and stadiums, such as that of the professional football team Tampa Bay
Buccaneers.
The cannon, according to Director of Development and Alumni Relations Marcia Short, was a Civil War-era
replica designed for noise-making only. Illinois College has strong ties to the Civil War, as the school had connections to
President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist movement and when war broke out, the entire senior class of 1863
joined the cause. All in all, around 240 men from IC fought for the Union. The Union soldiers were known for their blue
uniforms, hence the ‘Blue Boy’ mascot.
Back to the mid-1990s, at every game, a male student from the Sigma Pi Literary Society and a female student
from the Gamma Delta Literary Society would dress in men’s and women’s Civil War-era garb, respectively, and cheer
the Blue Boys on to victory. Marcia Short believes that someone, perhaps
one of these students, was trained in how to fire the cannon safely. James
In This Issue
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Brewer, maintenance technician at Illinois College, believes that former
Athletic Director Bill Merris may have hired an official Civil War
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reenactor to fire the cannon upon each touchdown.
The Cannon
Why aren’t we using this awesome cannon now? Currently, it sits
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in storage in the basement of Memorial Hall, collecting dust.
Campus History Spotlight:
A few years after it was donated, it was tested for defects and was
Beecher Hall
deemed unfit to withstand further firing. Brewer recalls something
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breaking or cracking upon testing. Thus it was plugged up and put away,
Collection Spotlight: Carl E. Black Diary
along with the carriage it sits on, which was donated by the Class of 1996.
and Scrapbooks
There are some who have wanted to put the cannon on display,
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most likely in Bruner Hall, but those conversations and ideas have
Collection Spotlight: Incunabula
seemingly faded away, along with the memory of this historic replica.
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While it may only be a broken, fake cannon from twenty years ago, this
A Look at David A. Smith
cannon is still an important piece of Illinois College history. Hopefully it
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will be properly displayed sometime in the near future so students,
Processing
in Progress
faculty, staff, and visitors can appreciate IC in all of its historic tradition
The
Archives
Online!
and pride.
Campus History Spotlight: Beecher Hall
By Emily Pacini
Many students know the building Beecher
Hall. They know that it is some important, old
building that is near Parker and behind Sturtevant.
To literacies societies, it is their stomping grounds,
but to everyone else it is just another historic
building on a historic campus. However, this
building is not an ordinary building. Built in 1829,
it not only is the oldest building on campus, but the
oldest college building in the state of Illinois.
Originally, known for as just the seminary
building, it was where most of the college classes
started out. It was one of the two building that were
built when the college was founding in 1829.
Unfortunately, the second building was razed in
1954, lasting more than a century after a fire
burned down the north section in 1852. Beecher
Hall was mostly used for the teaching of
Christianity, arithmetic, and Latin.
In 1841, it housed the first medical school
in the state of Illinois. In fact, there is a legend that
students brought cadavers into the building.
However, in dedication of their medical knowledge
they hid the cadavers in the attic of Beecher Hall.
Nonetheless, Beecher Hall has had several
historical figures walk through it hallowed halls.
Men like President Abraham Lincoln, Stephen
Douglas, Mark Twain, and Fredrick Douglas. In 1888, the building was finally given the title it has today, Beecher Hall.
It was named after the first president of the college, Edward Beecher, the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, who served
as president from 1830-44.
In addition, the hall is an official site of the Underground Railroad. Actually, just outside of Beecher Hall was
the famous Elijah Lovejoy protest that took place. President Beecher was a close friend of Lovejoy and when Lovejoy
was murdered, Beecher and the rest of the college became closely tied to the issue. What was to follow was a protest of
his death that took place of the very same grounds the students walk today. In response, the St. Louis papers were
actually very harsh towards Illinois College. Many Midwest papers called President Beecher “a sucker” for even
thinking of supporting Lovejoy. This is because at that time much of southern Illinois was mostly pro-slavery. This is
one of the many reasons why Illinois College has
strong ties with the Underground Railroad today.
Today Beecher Hall is just a quiet
building that sits peacefully next to Barnes
House. However, it was lively with protests and
learning and history. This building may seem
ordinary, but to the students and alums at Illinois
College, it tells a much bigger story. It reminds us
all of a story of right and wrong, of justice and
injustice, and a real sentiment of what we at IC
stand for.
The IC Archivist
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Collection Spotlight: Carl E. Black Diary and Scrapbooks
By Joseph Ritter and Madisyn Shore
Our assignment, as part of our First
Year Seminar Class: Into the Archives with
Professor Jenny Barker-Devine, was to research
an artifact from the archives. We chose this
work because it was interesting connection to
the college as well as being the 100th
anniversary of World War 1.
World War 1 began by the assassination
of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The war will
continue for four years and be fought on several
different continents. The Balkans, the area in
Europe containing countries such as Greece,
Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania,
fought with great brutality. Due to the intense
fighting and famine, the American Red Cross,
as part of the International War Relief Effort,
was sent to Greece and surrounding countries
from 1918-1919.
Carl Black was a graduate of Illinois
College who got his doctoral degree and became
a member of the Morgan County Medical Society and was on the board of directors for Illinois State Medical Society.
He went on to become a war doctor in World War 1 after he failed to be enlisted because of his age. He volunteered for
the American Red Cross and was sent overseas to Greece. Black, on his way to Greece, traveled through many countries
and areas in Europe like France, Crete, and Italy. While he was traveling, he kept a journal of his exploits as well as
several hundred pictures. His diary, which is in our collection, is maintained form October 1918, to August 1919, and his
scrapbook contains four volumes of pictures. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum also has another
collection of Black’s work.
While in Greece, his assignment was not only to care for suffering patients, but also to observe the medical
treatment and the healthcare system in Greece. In his diary, Black mentions starting a nursing school in Greece, to assists
in medical advancements. Also, he observed breadlines and the excavation of an ancient drain.
Evidence in Carl Black’s scrapbook illustrated the intensity of the war. There are images of Serbian refugees
returning home after several years of war, as well as the hanging of several civilians by Bulgarian soldiers in Macedonia.
Evidence in Carl Black’s diary presented interesting aspects of the war. On March 28, 1919, Black recorded a
peace conference being held in Paris. This is a reference to the Treaty of Versailles that would be singed months late on
June 28, 1919, the treaty the officially ended World War 1. Also, Black gives insight to the study of diabetes treatment in
Greece. Black also mentions the outbreak of the Spanish Influenza that would sweep the entire world in the following
years.
The collections are available in the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives, basement of Schewe Library. Our video
assignment, which was also part of our assignment, is available on YouTube. The video goes into more detail and
contains pictures as well as an interview with the esteemed Dr. Robert Kunath of the Illinois College History
Department.
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Note from the editor:
The Carl E. Black diaries have been a focus of the archives for a few years now, with current senior Taylor
Brien doing work on them two years ago. Taylor rehoused the diaries, while also digitizing the scrapbook pages. It is our
hope in the archives to be able to make these digitized scrapbooks and other collections available online in the coming
years.
The IC Archivist
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Collection Spotlight: Incunabula
By Connor Melton and Jacob Palen
Many people know him, but do not know of what his generous donations went towards. Khalaf Al Habtoor, ultra
philanthropist to Illinois College recently gave a large sum of money to do a complete overhaul of the archives possessed
by Illinois College. When Dr. Al Habtoor donated the vast amount of money to provide a complete renovation to Illinois
College’s archives, many students, teachers and faculty did not know exactly what his gift was going towards. The
answer is a multitude of things, from documents that contain an outline of board meetings from the College’s past to less
talked about subjects, such as Illinois College’s collection of Incunabula.
But just what is an Incunabula? Simply put, it is a very old book
written in Latin. The word itself translates into modern English meaning
“from the cradle”, meaning the style they were published in was very new at
the time. These books are extremely rare and are all copied on paper by
printing press and published before the year 1500. The printing press was
invented in the mid-1400’s and at the time was revolutionary. It provided a
way to translate and write books much faster than the previous way which
was hand-written.
These books are extremely rare and have great monetary value. To
give an example, one of the most famous books that fall under the
classification of Incunabula is the Gutenberg Bible. This book has not been
sold in its entirety since the 1970’s when it was last sold to a Japanese
company for $4.9 million, although a single leaflet or page, has been
appraised at over $27,000. To date, there are only estimated 40-60 copies in
existence. The New York Public Library has the most extensive collection of
Gutenberg Bible’s with three in their possession. Theoretically, this means
that the three books are worth over $12 million. Unfortunately, Illinois
College does not have a copy of this book in their archives.
However,
they do possess a collection that’s size is unusual for them to have because of
the student population of the school. The collection that Illinois College has
was a gift that was given to the College by a former professor and dean, Rufus
Crampton, who was an avid collector of these books while he was working at
the college. Mr. Crampton officially joined the Illinois College staff in the
early 1850’s. While Illinois College does not have such an overly expensive
book in it’s collection, it still has absurdly pricey books. Some of the most
expensive books that Illinois College has are
valued at over $20,000. An example of this is a
book that covers the history of the Jewish people
and their conflicts.
Unfortunately, you cannot just walk into
Schewe Library and ask to see these books. They
are kept exclusively in the Archives, which Dr.
Al Habtoor gave money to the school to
renovate. Even then these books are monitored
regularly to ensure their quality is acceptable and
they are still of value. In conclusion, the
donation by Dr. Al Habtoor gave not only the
public records of the college a home, but the
housing and upkeep of these incredibly rare
documents.
The IC Archivist
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A Look at David A. Smith
By Grace Graunke and Alan Shawgo
You find the best things in the most unsuspecting places. Something rare and historically valuable was recently
found in the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives at Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. It is a legal document belonging to
prairie lawyer, David A. Smith, emancipating his slaves he acquired in
Alabama. This document represents the incredible transition from the tight
bonds of slavery to freedom in a safe place.
David A. Smith by Doris Broehl Hopper states, “There is no consistent
record of how many freed slaves actually accompanied the Smiths to Illinois.
Two sources indicated that the 21 slaves they had inherited went with them to
Carlinville [Illinois] in 1837 where they were set free.” Although the details are
fuzzy, the big picture is clear. David A. Smith was a man opposed to slavery
and took actions to help make more free men in a time of great bondage.
David A. Smith was an Illinois abolitionist originally from the South.
He was born on July 18, 1804 near Richmond Virginia. He studied law in or
near Pulaski, Illinois and was admitted to the Bar at the age of 20. When David
was 20 he joined his family in Courtland, Alabama and married his cousin in
Charlotte, Virginia. He was widowed two months later. He then remarried in
1831 to Eliza Eleanor Allan and had three children: Thomas William III, Ann
Mary, and Eliza Eleanor.
Smith inherited slaves from his father, Thomas William Smith, yet
Hopper states that Smith believed along with his father-in-law, John Allan, that
the South was morally wrong religiously, politically, and socially. On March
22, 1837, David Smith petitioned for his slaves to be free in Moulton, Alabama.
Judge James Gallagher signed the document on March 25, 1837, freeing 13
slaves, aged 14 months to 75 years old.
Smith then moved to Carlinville, Illinois that same year where he
became a member of the Board of Trustees of Blackburn Theological Seminary.
He moved to Jacksonville, Illinois in 1839. Smith then became the guardian to
his two sister-in-laws: Sarah Jane and Laura. Eliza then gave birth to seven
more children: David Brainerd, Euphemia Wyeth, Laura Allan, Catharine Barr, twins Sarah Emma and James Edward,
and Hugh Barr. Smith then bought 11 lots of land on Grove Street to build his magnificent house, still present today.
He then began his law practice in Jacksonville with his partner, Colonel John J. Harding, cousin of Mary Todd
Lincoln. Smith became closely associated with
Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Smith
and Lincoln were very close friends and Lincoln
visited Jacksonville frequently. Hopper records,
“Smith and Abraham Lincoln were co-counsel for
Illinois College in law suits relating to transfer of
certain lands belonging to Gideon Blackburn.”
Smith then became an active member and
donor on the Board of Trustees at Illinois College
until his death in 1865. His legacy still remains at
Illinois College, as his family continues to donate
artifacts to keep his memory alive. His house is
still in use by the three female literary societies at
IC and he remains one of Illinois College’s
greatest legacies.
The IC Archivist
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Processing in Progress
By Ryan Flynn
Student workers are currently working on a number of projects, but quite a few students have been working on
processing a very important collection: The Paul Findley Collection.
Work on the Paul Findley Collection began last summer, with interns working on rehousing the documents and
photographs that primarily make up the collection. The rehousing was completely done by the end of the summer, and
now we can say that 22 rehoused boxes have been recorded on Google Drive, which means we now have an index of the
contents of the collection.
When recording the contents, students record the box number, the folder number, the general contents of the
folder, make notes on the contents, and then sometimes include the condition of the contents. Thus far, the collection
includes 22 boxes and 1,451 folders. However, we are not done.
What happens next is students get to go back to the basement of Whipple Hall and continue rehousing the rest of
the collection. That starts the entire process all over again. One major project that will need to be done is photos need to
be placed in sleeves, thus preserving the photo better than just
putting them in folders. So far, there are hundreds of single
photos that have been identified in the collection, with hundreds
of copies to go along with those.
This is generally what happens in every collection,
however, sometimes you must adjust to the different contents of
the collection. This has been one of the largest, if not the largest
collection we have processed to date.
After the processing is finished and everything has been
recorded, most likely the next step will be to digitize the
collection, which entails scanning each document and photo for
later use. This will take hours, but it will be vital in preserving
the documents and will be useful in encouraging researchers to
visit the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives at Illinois College.
The Archives Online!
The IC Archivist is now available online at WordPress. Just go to:
khalafalhabtoorarchives.wordpress.com
You can find all of the articles of this newsletter online as soon as the
newsletter is published. The website is still in the construction phase, so
don’t judge us too harshly! There will be more nice features to come as we
expand our outreach and continue to push the collections we have to researchers, faculty members, community members, and others in the years
to come!
The IC Archivist
Be sure to follow us on social media!
@IC_Archives
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