History of New Douglas, Madison County, Illinois
Madison County ILGenWeb Coordinator - Beverly Bauser
The first settler in New Douglas Township,
located in the northeast corner of Madison County, was Daniel
Funderburk. He was a native of South Carolina, born in 1786, and
served through the War of 1812 under General Smith. Daniel and
his wife, Mary, immigrated to New Douglas in 1819, and for
several years they were the only residents of that territory. In
1823, he taught the first school in a small cabin built near his
residence. Daniel’s wife, Mary, died August 7, 1838. Hers was
the first death of the township. Daniel died on December 11,
1838, leaving behind a family of eleven children, including his
first-born son – John – who was the first born in New Douglas
Township. Sarah Funderburk, Daniel’s daughter, was the first to
marry in the township in 1834, to Aaron Voyles.
John L.
Carlock arrived in the township about 1831. On December 14,
1833, he entered the first track of land in the northwest
quarter of the township, where he improved the forty-acre farm.
He later moved to Adams County. The Methodists held their early
meetings at his residence.
Cornelius Wood, a
brother-in-law of Carlock, located on a place southwest of
Carlock’s about the same time. He improved a small farm there
and filled the office of Justice of the Peace. He later moved to
Bond County.
Robert Greening arrived in 1830, living to
the south of Wood’s farm. He was a strict member of the Baptist
Church, and meetings were conducted at his house regularly for
many years. Jackson Allen, a native of Virginia, came to Madison
County in 1837, and settled in New Douglas Township in the
Spring of that year. He lived some distance out in the prairie,
where he improved a good farm until he lost his wife in 1862. He
then lived at his daughter’s home nearby until his death in
1870. John P. Lindsey settled in the township in 1840. He was
the second to settle out on the prairie.
In 1857, Alonzo
Foster (his father, Oliver Foster, was a pioneer settler of
Fosterburg) arrived in New Douglas Township – which was an open
prairie - and laid out the town of New Douglas. The town was
platted September 5, 1860, and contained 20 acres east of the
present Main Street. Later, Foster and Mr. Owens laid out an
addition on the west side of the street. Alonzo Foster donated
land for the city cemetery in the north part of town. It has
been enlarged several times.
The post office in New Douglas was established in 1863, and mail
was received twice a week from Staunton. J. W. Lord was the
first postmaster. In later years, postmasters include Frank
Alsop, W. W Livingston, Dora Blair, Eugenia Prange, John
Johnson, E. W. Bunn, and L. R. Wall.
Early Businesses in
New Douglas
In 1860, Costen Sawyer erected the first business
house, in which he opened a small stock of goods. The same year,
he built a blacksmith shop and employed John Trype. Trype
afterward conducted a shop of his own.
The second store
was started by Dr. William F. Rubottom in 1863. Rubottom was the
first physician in New Douglas. He practiced medicine for about
five years, and then went west.
The first hotel in New
Douglas was constructed in 1876 by Rodo Latowsky. A general
grocery store was added to the hotel, and Latowsky and his three
sons (Oscar, Ehrhart, and Hugot) continued to operate them until
about 1918. A second hotel was later constructed by Wesley
Reaves.
Alonzo
Foster built a home on the corner of Main Street and Sorento
Road. He lived there for many years with his family. Later the
home was sold to Otto and Cora Latowsky. Across the street from
the Foster home was the John Vollentine and Joe Crowder homes.
Vollentine was one of the original members of the Old Settler’s
Association. He donated the park where the Old Settler’s picnics
were held (on Main Street).
The Murdock and Fletcher
Flour Mill was established in 1879. They later sold to Amos and
Anna Easton.
I. A. “Red” Olive operated a hardware story
for many years. Marney and Foster maintained a grocery store in
the building that later became the village hall. The building
was also used by the New Douglas Fire Department.
Robert
Alsop owned and operated a grocery store, and also ran an
undertaking establishment. Later, Hugo Latowsky established an
undertaking business and furniture store, in an addition built
onto the Latowsky store building. This was used until a modern
undertaking parlor was constructed on Sixth Street.
Paul
Douglas was a harness maker and shoe cobbler. Mrs. Tillie
McMullen was the village dressmaker. William Kline and “Dart”
Foulke operated barber shops, and J. F. Smith owned a wagon shop
and blacksmith shop.
The New Douglas livery occupied a
prominent place in the history of the village. At one time, a
horse and buggy met all the incoming trains and hauled travelers
and their baggage from the station to uptown. Many “drummers” or
salesmen would be among the travelers, and after completing
their work in New Douglas, they would hire a rig to take them to
neighboring towns of Sorento, Staunton, or Alhambra.
Brothers August and William Prange constructed the brick flour
mill in the south part of town, near the railroad station. It
was later operated as a feed mill by Edward Rosenthal and son.
In addition to operating the flour mill, they branched out into
the merchandising business, operating a general store. They also
established the Prange Bank.
On February 27, 1875, a
violent cyclone passed through the west part of town, traveling
northeast. It demolished 11 buildings, including 2 churches, the
schoolhouse, and the Masonic Hall. Reverend Henry C. Young, the
Methodist minister, was killed while conducted an afternoon
meeting.
By 1962, out of all the old business houses of
the 1900s, only the Van Delph Building, later know as Bunns
Drugstore, and the Masonic Hall were still standing. The
drugstore owned by Robert Livsey was destroyed by fire on July
4, 1895. The Robert Alshop building was used as a telephone
office, and operated by Mrs. Mae Bunn Schoenmetzler for 35
years. It has since been torn down. The Nickle Plate Railroad
Depot has been moved to the Catholic church yard, and converted
into a parish hall.
Early New Douglas Schools
The
first schoolhouse in New Douglas was erected by Daniel
Funderburk in 1823. He was the first settler in the New Douglas
Township, and built a log schoolhouse near his home. Funderburk
died in 1838. The second schoolhouse, a log building, was
erected in 1839. Nelson Sparks was its first teacher. Other
early school teachers include Joe Crowder, L. T. Kennedy, A. N.
Lewis, W. E. Lewis, E. W. Bunn, E. M. Sievers, and Elizabeth
Fletcher.
A two-story frame schoolhouse was constructed
in 1879. This was used until about 1901, when half of the
building was moved to Main Street by Robert McFarland, who
operated a popular ice cream parlor and confectionery. The other
half was used as a residence by George Eardley. In 1904 a new
brick schoolhouse was constructed in the northwest part of town.
This was used until 1953. The building was later owned by the
American Legion. Later, a modern, four-room grade school was
constructed, with gymnasium and cafeteria. New Douglas became
part of the Highland Community School District, and the high
school students attended there.
Early New Douglas
Churches
The New Douglas Southern Methodist Church was
constructed in 1867. The Baptist church was build in 1869, and
the Catholic church was constructed in 1870. The Lutheran church
was constructed in 1874, and the Northern Methodist church was
built in 1877. The Christian church was built in 1878. Of these,
only the Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, and Christian were still
standing in 1962.