The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-05-17
THE HOME OF CELEBRITIES.
inc Men of Note Who Live in Jacksonville,
sh'--Blind William HIiburn, Sol smith
Rnsscil, Father Strihiug and Others.


th'--Blind William HIiiburn, Sol smith
Russell, Father StribIinR and Others.
A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial writes as follows from Jack
ssonville, Ill. Jacksonville is n surprise
to strangers. They do not expect to see
IN new prairie State town embowered
III elms, and showing evidences of cul.
ture and refinement. Jacksonville is a
rich, proud, aristocratic city.
Among the many persons of Jackson
vile noted for their wealth, eccentricities
or intellect, William Milburn, the blind
preacher, has more than local celebrity.
In this town his boyhood was passed
here he pored over the text books of our
college, taking in knowledge painfully,
word at time, through his one failing
eye. He was for years an eloquent
Methodist preacher, and became known
widely by his appointment as chaplain
of the Congress of the United States
when a mere STRIPPING. de was after
ward pastor of rich churches in Eastern
cities, but left the church of his youth
and became an Episcopalian. He pos
sessed wonderful memory and deep,
rich voice. 1t was a sight to be remem-
bered when he came from the vestry
room, clad in his snowy gown, his figure
commanding and his face grand, and
without book or prompting, although he
is now perfectly blind, went through the
service as never q reader did before. In
the course of his sermon L once heard
him repeat Crock of Ages" No idea
can be given of the pathos and fire of
this recitation as he gave it. The audi
ence were in tears the rector in whose
stead Mr.. Milburn was acting wept
II Tolls
fire dwelt in the blind preacher, and
moved Episcopalians as it had formerly
moved the followers of Wesley. After'a
brief and brilliant career in the Church
of England, Mr.. Milburn returned to
his first form of worship, and, as an
humble Methodist, intends to finish in
Jacksonville his life and life's work.
Jacksonville is also the home of Sol
Smith Russell, the facial comedian,
known by all lovers of fun. Here he al
ways comes in summer time, and spends
his vacation in his early home. He is
young man of good habits and gener-
Gus heart His parents, being conscien-
tlous Christians, opposed his choosing
the stage. Convinced it was his field of
life, he went out of his home followed by
mothers prayers. Presents come
often to the old couple they are made
comfortable by their actor son. Off the
stage, when not acting the fool profess
sionally, Sol is digniiied young gentle
man, and is received into the best circles
of society in this prim town. His new
wife (Oliver Optics daughter, of Boston)
is handsome literary young lady, of
whom Jackson, lie is very proud
In Jacksonville old Peter Cartright,
now gone to his reward, once lived. This
eccentric backwoOds preacher was like
Bill Means dog "when he took hold,
heven and yarth couldn't make him let
60" He was stout, short man, dressed
III homespun, and wore n very broad
brimmed gray felt hat. He took very
short steps, and leaned on knotty
hickory stick. His face was round and
brown, and was covered by large knots
of warts. His hair was worn short, and
stood on end. His lower lip projected,
and his blue eyes never saw melted or
fearful, but always looked pugnacious
and warlille. Into heaven by some
means he was determined men should go.
Ii they would not follow the music |
tinllle of the bell wether, they should be
driven and whipped into eternal life.
in this strange manner / suppose he
really succeeded in bounding and scoul g.
fields of Eden before he passed into the
peaceful land.
Another equally eccentric Kentuckian.
also a Methodist preacher, was Father
Stribling, tall, gaunt, long featured
man, of most wonderful gravity, made
ludicrous by his nasal tone and big
words. In no ordinary language did
this old oddity express himself. The
most simple requests or answers were
by him twisted into quaint para
graph. Following his plow around his
corn field one day, an unseen visitor
heard him address the oxen: "Whoa |!
haw, Brutus and Cassius likewise l''
Asking for gunpowder at store, he as
tonished the lounging strangers by say
ing, i'll his peculiar, slow, drawling man.
ner: Have you any considerable
quantity of that finely pulverized and
dark colored compound which will, if
placed in a hollow tube of iron or other
metal, with various other ingredients
not necessary to specify at this particular
moment of time, and which, if ignited
by mechanical or other means, will
cause loud detonation, accompanied or
preceded by an explosion, often, if
properly superintendent, causing death
to man or beast"
Jacob Strawn was at one time the
largest cattle dealer and land owner in
the State. He weighed 300 pounds, and
drove about in low buggy drawn by
two stout mules. He never had any
thing to do with bookkeeping. He kept
the whole of his immense business in
his head. 1t was his boast that he had
never forgotten or failed to meet an en-
gagoment or made mistake in his men,
tai computation of interest and princi-
pal. He was very gruff, always in a
hurry. His courtship was governed by
this haste and brusqueness My
name is Jacob Strawn-I haven't time to
waste-I want to marry you; think
about it, and give me your answer when
[ come back this way tomorrow. After
which laconic message he drove rapidly
away to cattle sale.
John L. Alexander, another noted cat
tie man, the owner of the celebrated
Broadlands, the model farm of Illinois,
the largest east of the Rocky noun
tains, died here last year. Broadlands,
i'll Champaign county, is now subdivided
and sold
On the top of the main tower of the
Morgan county court house, in Jackson
vile, stands bronze figure of Justice
blndfOilel At the trial of William