Alton Museum of History and Art, Inc.
Winter 2012
News & Views
Our Town
Alton incorporated as a city
on July 21, 1837. The city is
commemorating its 175th
anniversary!!!!
Alton Museum is working on a
new exhibit to celebrate the
175th anniversary of Elijah
Lovejoy's martyrdom!!!!
College Ave. Presbyterian
Church is celebrating their 175th
anniversary!!!!
Union Baptist Church
celebrates 175 years!!!!
The great jazz musician,
Miles Davis has received the
official stamp of approval from
the U. S. Post office!!!!
THANK YOU
Alton Community Service
League
The Board of Directors of Alton
Museum of History & Art is
grateful to this wonderful
organization for sharing our
hopes and dreams. We thank
Alton Community Service
League for 40 years of support.
Lovejoy Printing Press
In 1829 the Washington
Press of Samuel Rust was
introduced.
Lovejoy used his press in
Alton, Illinois to work to
abolish slavery. He said:
“But, Gentlemen, as long
as I am an American citizen,
and as long as American
blood runs in these veins, I
shall hold myself at liberty
to speak, to write, to
publish whatever I please
on any subject – being
amenable to the laws of my
country for the same.
“If the laws of my country
fail to protect me I appeal to
God, and with him I
cheerfully rest my cause. I
can die at my post, but I
cannot desert my cause.”
“I have sworn eternal
opposition to slavery, and
by the blessing of God, I
will never go back.”
Elijah P. Lovejoy
Nov. 9, 1802 – Nov. 7, 1837
In a very real sense, the Civil
War’s first casualty fell in Alton,
Illinois, on November 7, 1837. It
was on that day that the first
volley from a pro-slavery mob
ended the life of Elijah Parish
Lovejoy, a courageous idealist
who paid with his life for his
defense of free speech and a free
press and his opposition to
slavery.
Lovejoy was born on his
grandfather’s farm near Albion,
Maine, the first of nine children
born to Daniel Lovejoy and
Elizabeth Pattee. His father was a
minister and farmer; his mother a
devout Christian. Elijah was
named for Daniel’s close friend
and mentor, the Reverend Elijah
Parish.
He was ordained by the Second
Presbytery of Philadelphia as a
Presbyterian minister in April,
1833.
On March 4, 1835, he married
21-year old Celia Ann French.
NEWS & VIEWS
History of Women’s Rights Movement
The history of the Women's
Rights Movement began with a
group of people questioning why
human lives were being unfairly
constricted. Being allowed to live
life in an atmosphere of religious
freedom, having a voice in the
government you support with your
taxes, living free of lifelong
enslavement by another person.
These beliefs about how life
should be lived were once
considered outlandish. Over the
past seven generations, dramatic
social and legal changes have
been accomplished that are now
so accepted that they go
unnoticed by people whose lives
they have changed.
The changes for women that
have come about over those
seven generations in family life,
religion, government, employment
and education did not just happen.
Women themselves made these
changes happen. They worked to
create a better world, and they
succeeded.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton used the
Declaration of Independence as
the framework for writing what she
titled a "Declaration of
Sentiments." The same familiar
words framed her arguments: "We
hold these truths to be selfevident; that all men and women
are created equal; that they are
endowed by their Creator with
certain inalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness."
Elizabeth Cady Stanton's
enumerated areas of usurpations
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on the part of man toward
woman as follows:
1) Married women were legally
dead in the eyes of the law
2) Women were not allowed to
vote
3) Women had to submit to laws
when they had no voice in their
formation
4) Married women had no
property rights
5) Husbands had legal power
over and responsibility for their
wives to the extent that they
could imprison or beat them with
impunity
6) Divorce and child custody
laws favored men, giving no
rights to women
7) Women had to pay property
taxes although they had no
representation in the levying of
these taxes
8) Most occupations were
closed to women and when
women did work they were paid
only a fraction of what men
earned
9) Women were not allowed to
enter professions such as
medicine or law
10) Women had no means to
gain an education since no
college or university would
accept female students
11) With only a few exceptions,
women were not allowed to
participate in the affairs of the
church
12) Women were robbed of their
self-confidence and self-respect,
and were made totally
dependent on men
THE CANIDATE
Charlene Gill
100 Women of Substance
Mary Swopes, Mahogany
Scholarship Heritage
Foundation is currently
working on a special
document profiling and
saluting 100 Women of
Substance. Her goal is to
present 100 scholarships
named in honor of the 100
women.
News & Views
ARBUCKLE FAMILY
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In the year 1844, twenty-two members of the Arbuckle Family were freed by the will of Samuel
Arbuckle. In his will, of August 31, 1843, he states that all women and children would be freed at his
death, but he states that Sam, Robert and Bob “the younger,” would be hired out for 18 months, so
they could earn the means for when they moved on.
They came to Alton because they had older members of their family living here. When Samuel
Arbuckle moved from Kentucky to Missouri he freed some of his older people; In that group
Washington and Mariah Arbuckle. They bought land in Foster Township in 1844.
Following Samuel Arbuckle’s will the emancipated people traveled to Alton in three boats. The
citizens of Alton would not permit them to land at Little Piasa Creek. The boats were taken up to
Piasa Creek. They follow the creek to the northern end. They came ashore near the vicinity of the
village of Piasa, Illinois.
Having earned the means, they were able to purchase land, build cabins and form their own
community. The cabins might have been crude log huts built on the edge of the timber. The only
light in the hut may have been from the open fire place and the sunlight through the door. The
cabins might have been built near the timber to protect them against the wind and storms. They
lived upon the products of their small farms and the wild game which was plentiful.
They were soon able to improve their living conditions and other families joined the community.
Washington Arbuckle told his told his pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Foster Township about his
relatives at Piasa and their desire for a church. The pastor, Elder James Henry Johnson was also a
missionary for the Christ Churches for Humanity and the Wood River Baptist Colored Association.
Elder Johnson then travel to Piasa and founded “Little Flock” Baptist Church and soon had 38
members. Services were held by others until the 1940’s.
Before and after the Civil War some of the people left. There were two families left. One was the
family of John Arbuckle who was a patriarch among the community. He was also the father of
Presley Arbuckle who was the last to be buried in the Arbuckle Cemetery in 1970.
Charlene Johnson / Charlotte E. Johnson
Genealogy
Floyd Arbuckle married Margaret Hunter Cross. Margaret’s mother was a Hunter who married
George Cross. Margaret’s mother had two brothers – Charles and George Hunter. Floyd’s mother
had two sets of children. Douglas Monroe was from the first set of children. Floyd Arbuckle was
from the second set of children. Presley Arbuckle and Floyd Buckle were cousins.
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NEWS & VIEWS
Arbuckle’s in the Civil War
Seven related men, all named Arbuckle, enlisted in the regiment (29th) – five of them in
Company E. The Arbuckle’s were born into slavery near Lexington, Ray County, Missouri.
The patriarch appears to be Cpl. Conrad J. Arbuckle, age 43, (1821) who enlisted in Alton,
Illinois in February 1864. His son Robert S. Arbuckle, 23, (1841) enlisted the same day.
Joseph C. Arbuckle, 21, (1843) his son, ½ brother to Robert, enlisted as a sergeant in the
Company. He was known as Big Joe to distinguish him from another Joseph Arbuckle, 23,
Little Joe, also born in Ray County, Missouri. Also Pvt. William Arbuckle, 28,(1836) joined in
Alton. John P. or C. and Samuel A. Arbuckle, A year later, were the last two to enlist. One
was born in Ray County, Missouri and the other in Alton. They are thought to be sons of
Conrad, and brothers or ½ brothers of Big Joe and Little Joe.
Samuel Arbuckle Sr., born about 1854 in Illinois, died about 1899 in Lancaster,
Nebraska (father listed as Cunard Arbuckle). Joseph Arbuckle, born about 1855, lived
in St. Louis, Mo. in 1880.
Museum Commemorates Life of Presley Arbuckle
Presley Arbuckle
Presley Arbuckle was born in the
Piasa area of Illinois the son of
Josephine and John Elias Arbuckle. Presley
was a classy gentleman and a successful
farmer near Piasa in Shipman Township.
Arbuckle moved to Chicago in 1910. He
married Miss Cora Scott in Chicago, Illinois
in 1913. She was a graduate of Fisk College
in Nashville, Tennessee. She died in child
birth. Presley never married again. He said
he would never have a wife to suffer like she
did.
To allow his five sisters free run of the
house, Presley built a bunk house for himself
and his brothers. In front of the bunkhouse
was a long bench. It was not uncommon to
find 8 to 10 men sitting there swapping
stories. Presley himself was a great
storyteller.
Presley Arbuckle
1873 – 1970
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NEWS & VIEWS
Alton Museum celebrates our city’s 175th with an exhibit at Alton Square
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NEWS & VIEWS
Shurtleff College
Class 2011
Alumni Well
Shurtleff College Cornerstone
1827
Architect Memorial Stone
Shurtleff College
Class 1911
Carpe Diem
Loomis Hall in background
John Mason Peck
1789 – 1858
Shurtleff College
1827 - 1957
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SHURTLEFF COLLEGE ICONS
AMHA Photographer
Brian Combs
NEWS & VIEWS
Shurtleff College Day Information
st
The 41 and Final Official Shurtleff Day was held last year on Sunday, May 1st, 2011 at the Alton
Museum of History and Art in Historic Loomis Hall. The decision was made, due to our dwindling
Shurtleff population (age, illness and death.)
However, all are welcome to visit the campus and Shurtleff Displays at any time in Loomis Hall
which houses the Alton Museum of History and Art.
Dr. Norman Showers, class of 1950, who has been organizing The Shurtleff Day for several
years, welcomes any to come and visit.
Donations are most welcome to help continue the preservation of Loomis Hall which was built in
1832, under the founder, Dr. John Mason Peck.
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
ALTON MUSEUM OF
HISTORY & ART, INC
2809 College Avenue, Alton, IL 62002
(618) 462-2763
NAME
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ADDRESS
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PHONE
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Admission
Adults $5.00
Children $1.00
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Call in Advance for Appointment
618 462-2763
Youth …………........…$5
Senior……….…..…….$20
Active (Single).…..…$25
Family…………….…..$30
History Lover……….$40
Patron of the Arts...$50
Business…….……...$100
Life…………..…….$1,000
Benefactor…….…$5,000
Senior Day
Wednesday $2.50
Groups of 15 or more please
make a reservation for a guided
tour.
[ ] Donation __________________
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NEWS & VIEWS
Alton Museum
of
History & Art, Inc.
2809 College Avenue
Alton, Illinois 62002
Visit our website:
www.altonmuseum.com
President
Norman Showers
President Emeritus
Charlene Gill
Vice President
Brian Combs
Board of Directors
Nancy Alexander
Cathy Bagby
Lee Barham
Patti Culp
Karen Gunter
Bo Jackson
Lois Lobbig
Tarrie Marshall
Bill McKenzie
Douglas Miller
Charles Yancey
Past President
Charlene Johnson
Secretary
John Langley
Treasurer
Lois Mitchell
Volunteers
Cathy Bagby
Brian Combs
Charlene Gill
Charlene Johnson
John Langley
Norman Showers
Jazman Walker
EVENTS
Friday Night at the Museum
2nd Friday each Month
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
The Jazz Festival Lineup
HOSTESS
Vickie Newton
Miles Davis Jazz Festival
Saturday, May 19, 2012
4:30 p.m.
Lewis & Clark College
Trimpe Hall
Tickets $25.00
Lovejoy 175th Anniversary
November 7, 2012
BANDS
Jim Manley
Danita Mumphard
Soulard Blues Band
“History outlives those who would destroy it.”
…anonymous
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