township, receives considerable freight from it, much of the grain in the eastern part of Bath being hauled to Kilbourne and shipped over this road. Thus it will be seen that Bath Township, with the benefit of two railroads and river transportation, is well supplied with shipping facilities.

Mason County adopted township organization in 1861, when some changes were made in the boundaries of the original townships, or election precincts. Bath formerly included in its boundary one half of the present town of Kilbourne, as noticed in the history of that town. Under the new order of things J. H. Allen was the first Supervisor of Bath Township, while J. H. Dierker represents it at present in the honorable County Board.

In politics, Bath Township has always been Democratic, and, since the organization of the Republican party, it has been more strongly Democratic than ever. During the late war, it was loyal to the core, and furnished troops in excess of all calls. No draft occurred in the town during the entire struggle, and it could have stood another call without having been subjected to onepretty good evidence in support of Mr. Lincoln's assertion, that he could never put down the rebellion without the assistance of the War Democrats of the West. Bath turned out a number of shoulder-straps, as well as her full quota of muskets. Among the former, we may mention the gallant Ruggles, noticed in the list of early settlers in another page. He went into the war as Lieutenant and Quartermaster of the First Illinois Cavalry, but was soon promoted to Major of the Third Cavalry, and, at the battle of Pea Ridge, to Lieutenant Colonel. At the close of the war, he was breveted Brigadier General for meritorious services. Charles W. Houghton, Captain in the Eighty-fifth Regiment of infantry; T. F. Patterson, Captain in same regiment; Charles H. Chatfield entered as a private, was wounded, came home and veteranized, and was elected Captain in same regiment, and was killed at Chickamauga; Samuel Young was Lieutenant in same regiment; C. H. Raymond, First Lieutenant in same; George O. Craddock, entered as private, and was promoted to a Lieutenancy in same regiment before close of war; A. J. Bruner (killed in Missouri), J. H. Mitchell and A. T. Davis were Lieutenants in the Seventeenth Infantry; J. H. Schulte, Captain, and W. W. Nelson, Lieutenant, in the One Hundred and Eighth Infantry; W. H. Rochester, Lieutenant in Twenty-seventh Infantry; J. W. Chatfield, Second Lieutenant in same regiment; A. H. Frazer, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and then Captain in the Fifty-first Infantry; Robert Huston, Lieutenant in same regiment; Charles Reichman, Second Lieutenant in Twenty-eighth Infantry; F. S. Cogshall and W. W. Turner, Lieutenants in Eighty-fifth Infantry; Frank A. Mosely and John B. Brush, Lieutenants in One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Regiment (one hundred days). The rank and file, too numerous to be mentioned in this limited space, were of the sturdy "sons of the soil," who bore themselves bravely in the front of the fray. To those who laid down their lives upon Southern battle-fields, Requiescant in Pace.

THE VILLAGE OF BATH.

Bath was laid out in 1836 for John Curtain, who owned the land. It was surveyed by Abraham Lincoln, Deputy Surveyor of Sangamon County; and the plat of the original fifteen blocks, surveyed by the martyred President, is now in the possession of Maj. Gatton, but so defaced that little is to be learned from the document. The plat was acknowledged before Thomas Moffatt (afterward Judge Moffatt, of Springfield), and recorded by Benjamin Talbot, Recorder of Sangamon County, under date of December 13, 1836. Maj. Gatton bought out Curtain, and thus became one of the proprietors of the town. There have been several additions made to the original fifteen blocks of Bath, among which we may notice those of Dummer & Mahoney, Ross, Gatton, Bunton & Martin, and Ruggles' Addition.

Mr. Lincoln and his surveying party, during their work at Bath, boarded with Charley Richardson, who acted as one of the chain-carriers. The following good story is told as having occurred, while the surveyors were domiciled at Mr. Richardson's. A party of sportsmen from Schuyler County came over on a hunt, and, as the hotels were all full at the time (with Sunday-school and temperance excursionists), they were "taken in " by Mr. Richardson, and provided for as well as the nature of the case would permit. "Billy" Brown, one of the Schuyler County "tads" (who had partaken bountifully of deer meat and wild honey), like John on the Isle of Patmos (Richardson lived then on Grand Island) had a vision during the night, in which he saw the world on fire, an event he seemed desirous to evade. Rising from the soft side of one of the puncheons of Mr. Richardson's cabin floor, still half asleep, he looked through a crack between logs of the wall, and saw the blazing furnace of an Illinois River steamer with her prow turned shoreward, near where the cabin stood. Her shrill whistle, for the purpose of awakening the men at the woodyard, was mistaken by Brown for Gabriel's trumpet. Dropping upon his knees, he engaged in fervent prayer, much to the amusement of Mr. Lincoln and the others of the party. Brown did not hear the last of his devotional exercises while the hunters remained, and perhaps not for many a day after their return home.

The first house erected in the present village, deserving the name of dwelling, was built by Maj. Gatton, or rather he had it built. His brother, R. P. Gatton, came up and superintended its erection, and when it was completed Maj. Gatton moved into it. When his house was erected, there was a little pole cabin standing in the precincts of the present village, which had been built by a man named Carey. Gatton's house was of hewed logs, as already noticed in the township history, and is still standing.

The first store was opened by Nelms & Gatton in 1842, and soon after them Col. West began merchandising, and kept the second store in Bath. The first blacksmith is the same as mentioned in the township history. The mercantile

business steadily increased until Bath became a successful competitor of Havana, the oldest town in the county.

The first post office was established in 1842, and B. H. Gatton appointed Postmaster. He carried the mail himself from Havana to Bath for six months, for which Uncle Sam neglected to pay him, notwithstanding the old gentleman has always been considered good for his debts to his public servants. His first quarter's pay as Postmaster amounted to the rousing sum of 43 cents, principally cash. John S. Wilbourn succeeded Mr. Gatton as Postmaster. After various changes in this department, U. B. Lindsley has succeeded to the office.

Gatton & Ruggles built the first mill in Bath, about 1850-51, at a cost of about $12,000, which had two run of buhrs. After several years' operation, it became the property of a man named Robinson, who took out the machinery and moved it across the river, and the frame was moved down on the railroad and converted into a grain elevator, which purpose it still serves. Craggs, noticed among the early settlers, built a saw-mill in the bottom, some years after the one mentioned above, which was bought by Marshall, and was afterward moved into the village. He made several additions to it, changed it into a flouring mill, and finally made a fortune out of it during the war. He sold it to Cameron & Fletcher. Some years ago, it was burned, and the present "Bath Mills" built. The structure is a substantial frame, with three run of buhrs, and cost about $6,000. The first tavern was kept by Col. West, in what is now the Central Hotel, though it has been enlarged and improved since its first occupation as a place of public entertainment. It is now kept by Mr. Barr, and is the only hotel in the village. Before it was opened by Col. West, Maj. Gatton used to entertain the wayfaring men who chanced to come this way.

The grain trade at Bath was, at one time, the most extensive in the county, except Havana. The first dealer was Maj. Gatton, who commenced the business very early. He bought grain here for about four years, when J. M. Ruggles became his partner. This partnership continued at intervals from 1846 to 1860. The first was under the firm name of Ruggles & Co., and extended from 1846 to 1849, when Gatton had a violent attack of gold fever, sold out and crossed the plains to California. On his return, business was resumed with Ruggles, under the firm name of Gatton, Ruggles & Co., when Gatton took a relapse of the gold fever, and again made an overland trip to California. When he again came back to Illinois, the old partnership was renewed, as Gatton & Ruggles. The first elevator was built by Gatton, but the most of the shipping by him and his firm was by river, in barges and canal boats. Barges were often loaded at their wharf and shipped direct to New York, Boston and New Orleans. There are two large grain elevators and grain warehouses on the railroad, with large storage capacity. Mrs. Simmons now owns the one built by Gatton. The other is owned by the Havighorst estate. The

grain trade at present is carried on by Gatton,* Low & Foster, of Havana, and Wilson, Garm & Co., of Beardstown. The latter firm do the largest business, and ship by the river exclusively, owning their own boats and barges, and will, eventually (Mr. Gatton says), absorb the entire grain trade of the place. Before the completion of the Springfield & North-Western Railroad, the business at this point reached an average of 500,000 bushels annually, but has been diminishing ever since its completion, owing to the fact that those in the eastern part of the township, who used to come to Bath with their grain, now ship over that road.

CHURCH AND SCHOOL EDIFICES.

The first church erected in the village of Bath was by the Old School Presbyterians, in the lower part of the town, assisted by all "sects, kindred and tongues," with the understanding that it was to be free to all denominations. But no sooner was it finished than the doors were shut against them. This denomination, however, at no time was very strong, and finally became almost extinct by removals and death, when the church was sold to the authorities, moved into the public square, and converted into a town hall. The Methodist Church was built soon after the Presbyterian, on a lot donated by Gatton for the purpose. It is a frame building, and cost about $1,500. The membership is twenty-five, and Rev. Mr. Lowe is Pastor. A flourishing Sunday school is maintained, under the superintendence of Warren Heberling. About sixty-five is the average attendance of the school.

ance.

A few years later, the Christian Church was built, at a cost of about $1,500. It is also a frame building, and was built on lots donated for the purpose by Gen. Ruggles. The membership is small, and no regular pastor is in attendRev. J. A. Daniels, a local minister of the Baptist denomination, fills the pulpit occasionally, with now and then a visiting brother of their own creed from some neighboring diocese. A Sunday school, somewhat limited in attendance, is carried on, of which Stephen Brown is Superintendent.

The name of the first pedagogue in the village of Bath is not now remembered. The first schoolhouse was the building erected for a Court House, when Bath was the seat of justice of the county, and which reverted to the proprietors of the town when the county seat was moved back to Havana. They sold the building to the School Board, and thus it became a temple of learning instead of a temple of justice. It was used as a schoolhouse until the erection of the present elegant brick, which stands in the old Court House Square, and was built in 1872, at a cost of $8,000. It is a handsome structure, and an ornament to the town. Prof. McKean was Principal for the term just closed, with Mrs. McKean, Miss Norbury and Mrs. Hudnall as teachers.

Freemasonry and Odd Fellowship, those benevolent organizations that follow close in the footsteps of civilization, are represented by flourishing Lodges

* Since this was written, Maj. Gatton has removed to Missouri and located in Gunn City, Cass County.

it:

in Bath. The Odd Fellows were the first to establish a Lodge here. From B. F. Rochester, Secretary, we received the following facts in regard to "Bath Lodge, No. 125, I. O. O. F., was instituted July 29, 1853, by M. H. L. Schooley, D. G. M., assisted by the following gentlemen, who represented the Grand Lodge: J. W. Naylor, Grand Marshal; V. G. Sims, Grand Secretary; L. H. Doss, Grand Treasurer; S. P. Guin, Grand Warden; Zachariah Gatton, G. G., and P. O. Brien, G. C. The charter members were Harvey Oneal, R. P. Gatton, J. J. Taylor, George W. Pettitt, U. B. Lindsley, G. H. Havighorst and John H. Havighorst. The first officers were Harvey Oneal, Noble Grand; J. J. Taylor, Vice Grand; G. H. Havighorst, Secretary; R. P. Gatton, Treasurer; John H. Havighorst, Conductor; G. W. Pettitt, Warden, and U. B. Lindsley, Inside Guard. A list of 138 signatures are attached to the roll of membership, and, at present, there are 15 active members, among whom is J. A. Burlingame, who was initiated August 15, 1853, and has ever retained his membership, is a Past Grand, and, we presume, the oldest member of the Order in the county. Within the past five years, the Lodge and its members have contributed nearly $800 for the relief of the members and their families. It owns real estate and lodge-fixtures valued at $1,000, and its warrants are regarded as cash. The officers-elect for the term commencing July 1, 1879, are as follows, viz.: John F. Bond, N. G.; John L. Ashurst, V. G.; John M. Martin, Treasurer, and B. F. Rochester, Secretary. The meetings of the Lodge are on the Monday evenings of each week."

Bath Lodge, A., F. & A. Masons, was organized under dispensation in June, 1866, issued by Jerome B. Gorin, Acting Grand Master. The charter members were William W. Turner, Charles Reichman, Charles W. Houghton, John P. Foland, John H. Johnson, Thomas Webb and J. M. Beesley, of whom Charles W. Houghton was named in the dispensation as Master, Charles Reichman, Senior Warden, and John H. Johnson, Junior Warden. October 3, 1866, it was chartered as Bath Lodge, No. 494, and its charter signed by Most Worshipful II. P. H. Bromwell, Grand Master. The first officers elected under the charter were: Charles W. Houghton, Master; Charles Reichman. Senior Warden; J. C. Wright, Junior Warden; J. H. Johnson, Treasurer; J. M. Beesley, Secretary; Warren Heberling, Senior Deacon; T. P. Renshaw, Junior Deacon, and W. W. Turner, Tiler. The present officers are: Warren Heberling, Master; J. H. Dierker, Senior Warden; M. Frank, Junior Warden; B. H. Gatton, Treasurer; J. S. Duncan, Secretary; G. W. Moore, Senior Deacon; J. S. Allen, Junior Deacon, and F. E. Shirtcliff, Tiler, with forty-four names on the roll of membership. The Lodge is in a flourishing condition, owns the elegant and handsomely furnished hall in which it meets, and its affairs are conducted by an efficient corps of officers.