The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-14
BIG EVENT FOR SALEM.
The Residents Talk of Nothing Else
Than Bryan the Nominee.

Salem, Ill, July 14.-The inhabitant
of this quiet town were rather slow in
getting about today. The demonstra-
ton of last night appears to have been
rather too much for them and every
body, weary from the unaccustomed
loss of sleep, reamained in bed until
the sun was high in the heavens Then
they began to assemble III small groups
about the court house square and TO
talk of the wonderful display that had
been made in honor of the return OF
William J. Bryan, the presidential
nominee OF the Democratic party.
The Oldest settlers, and the town is
full of them, recOunted stories and an
ecdOtes of Mr.. Bryan when he was
known as a barefoOted boy in this re-
gion thirty years ago. Prophets among
these old residents were numerous.
They said they always did know that
Billy Bryan was going to be some
body. They all knew his father, Judge
Silas Bryan. who settled here in the
early 40s Incidents in the life Of the
judge were recOunted, and from what
the old settlers say he was in his time
the best pleader and jury lawyer in this
part of the state and he had the repu-
tation of being remarkable cam
paigner or stump speaker.
This town was laid out by the early
white settlers long before Illinois was
admitted to the Union as a state. The
main thoroughfare of the city, the one
on which Mr.. Bryan's birthplace stands.
was the old national road surveyed
from Pittsburg to Cincinnati and Vim
cennes and st. Louis. It was over this
road that the United States mails were
transported. At the age of 19 Silas
Bryan settled in this section, coming
from Culpepper Court House, Va,
where he was born. His father was
a soldier in the war of the re ution.
On settling here Bryan began the study
of law. A year or so later he WAS ad-
mitted to practice before the courts of
the state.
A few months later he married Miss
Jennings, daughter of a prominent
farmer and one of the early settlers of
the state. Being a thrifty man, Bryan
prOspered and was soon able to put up
a palatial home. 1t was a little story
and a half building with a porch rum
ming the entire length along the front
1t had four rooms down stairs and
three up stairs, and a hallway through
the center. It was painted white and
had green blinds. The house still stands
and is now the center of attraction for
all visitors to this place, for it was here
that VIM. J. Bryan was born.
It is not different from scores of 9th
er houses along the street, though dur
ing the last 20 years or so several
houses more pretentious in size have
been erected. But Salem is an at
tractiVe town. Every one of the streets
is broad and every one has row OF
gigantic maple trees upon each side
So that the use Of an am brella in the
hot, sultry weather that now prevails
is necessary to protect one from the
glare of the sun and the lawns about
the houses are well kept.
The old stone court house, where for
twelve years Judge Silas Bryan sat
upon the bench. still stands in the cen
ter of the public square, which is the
business center of the village. This
court house was built, according to the
early settlers, along in 1855 or 1856, and
the old trees that were planted around
it at the time of its building still stand
and furnish luxuriant shade for the cit
izens who during the summer have
r1a11ch leisure time.