Author Archives: editor

Monarch Tractor Corp.

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Monarch Tractor, an offshoot of a Wisconsin manufacturer of crawler tractors, opened a plant south of Springfield’s Harvard Park neighborhood in 1925. Monarch was purchased in 1928 by Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Corp., which took over the Springfield factory. The last Monarch … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Industry | Leave a comment

Lucretia (‘Aunt Cressy’) Moore (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Lucretia (“Aunt Cressy” or “Aunt Creecy”) Moore, “a woman of colour,” paid $25 to buy a lot at the northeast corner of Fourth and Washington streets from Elijah Iles in 1827. John Todd Stuart remembered her living there in 1828. … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Early residents | Tagged | Leave a comment

Myers Brothers Department Store

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

“The Store That Quality Built” began with Morris Myers, an immigrant from Germany who opened a general store in Athens in 1858. Myers moved his store to Springfield in 1865. Morris Myers died in 1873, leaving sons Albert, Louis and … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Department stores, Prominent figures | Tagged | 67 Comments

Albert Myers Jr. (First Citizen)

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Albert Myers Jr. (1917-2005), part of the second-generation family management of the Myers Brothers Department Store, was named Springfield’s First Citizen in 1973. His award citation noted Myers’ leadership in both business and charitable activity. Myers served as president of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Department stores, First Citizens, Prominent figures, Social services | Tagged | Leave a comment

Leslie Nimmo

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Les Nimmo (1905-2003) was a co-founder and the first chief executive officer of the Horace Mann insurance company, which is headquartered in Springfield. Nimmo, born in Waggoner, taught in the Springfield public schools for 18 years.  In 1945, he joined … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Education, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Elizabeth and Ninian Edwards home (Lincoln marriage site)

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Abraham and Mary Lincoln were married in the dining room of Elizabeth Todd Edwards (1816-88), Mary’s sister, and her husband, Ninian Wirt Edwards (1809-99), in the 500 block of South Second Street in Springfield on Nov. 4, 1842. Mary Lincoln … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures, Women | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Northern Cross Railroad

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

The Northern Cross Railroad, the first railroad in Illinois, briefly operated from Springfield to Meredosia, giving central Illinois long-coveted access to the Illinois River and then the Mississippi. The line was one of eight railroads called for in the state’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Railroads, State government, Transportation | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Margaret Cross Norton

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Margaret Cross Norton (1891-1984) was a groundbreaking archivist of public records, both as a woman and as an innovator and visionary. A graduate of the University of Chicago (bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history) and the New York Library School, … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois capital, Prominent figures, State government, Women | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Oak Ridge Cemetery

Posted on October 14, 2013 by editor

Oak Ridge Cemetery was founded as about a 28-acre site in 1856. Dedication ceremonies were held on May 24, 1860, with the highlight being a lengthy, fulsome oration by James C. Conkling (1816-99). A sense of Conkling’s speaking style — … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, Historic Sites, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Old Market House

Posted on October 13, 2013 by editor

A 1905 drawing by A.V. Arnold shows the Old City Market and City Jail, which were in the middle of Sixth Street between Washington and Jefferson streets. The offices of the Illinois State Journal are on the right, along with … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Illustrations, Local government | Leave a comment