Alton Museum of History and Art, Inc.

Winter 2012

Alton Museum of History and Art, Inc.

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

on the part of man toward

Rights Movement began with a woman as follows:

group of people questioning why

human lives were being unfairly 1) Married women were legally

constricted. Being allowed to live dead in the eyes of the law

life in an atmosphere of religious 2) Women were not allowed to

freedom, having a voice in the

vote

government you support with your 3) Women had to submit to laws

taxes, living free of lifelong

when they had no voice in their

enslavement by another person. formation

These beliefs about how life

4) Married women had no

should be lived were once

property rights

considered outlandish. Over the 5) Husbands had legal power

past seven generations, dramatic over and responsibility for their

social and legal changes have

wives to the extent that they

been accomplished that are now could imprison or beat them with

so accepted that they go

impunity

unnoticed by people whose lives 6) Divorce and child custody

they have changed.

laws favored men, giving no

rights to women

The changes for women that

7) Women had to pay property

have come about over those

taxes although they had no

seven generations in family life, representation in the levying of

religion, government, employment these taxes

and education did not just happen. 8) Most occupations were

Women themselves made these closed to women and when

changes happen. They worked to women did work they were paid

create a better world, and they

only a fraction of what men

succeeded.

earned

9) Women were not allowed to

Elizabeth Cady Stanton used the enter professions such as

Declaration of Independence as medicine or law

the framework for writing what she 10) Women had no means to

titled a "Declaration of

gain an education since no

Sentiments." The same familiar college or university would

words framed her arguments: "We accept female students

hold these truths to be self-

11) With only a few exceptions,

evident; that all men and women women were not allowed to

are created equal; that they are participate in the affairs of the

endowed by their Creator with

church

certain inalienable rights; that

12) Women were robbed of their

among these are life, liberty, and self-confidence and self-respect,

the pursuit of happiness."

and were made totally

dependent on men

Elizabeth Cady Stanton's

enumerated areas of usurpations

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.

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News & Views

ARBUCKLE FAMILY

In the year 1844, twenty-two members of the Arbuckle Family wXeXrXeXfreed 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, ? 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 ? 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 1873 ? 1970

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.

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NEWS & VIEWS

Alton Museum celebrates our city's 175th with an exhibit at Alton Square

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