Jersey County Page     Jerseyville History

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Jerseyville To-day

Charles Jacobs & Son, Millers

The present mill property of Chas. Jacobs & Son south of the C.&A. R.R. depot is the out growth of the David ROSS mill built in 1867 at the cost of about $16,000. The mill afterwards passed into the hands of Mr. Levi CORY, who conducted it until 1873, when Mr. Charles JACOBS became the owner and ran it until 1885, when he built an elevator addition to the mill with capacity for 10,000 bushes of grain. In April 1889, Mr. Jacobs took into partnership his son Frederick, and the new firm thoroughly overhauled the mill, changing the entire machinery and putting in the latest improved roller system, giving the mill a capacity of about 150 barrels per day. Mr. Chas. Jacobs is a native of Germany, born in 1821, and came to Jerseyville in 1854. He was a practical miller and served in that capacity in different mills up to 1868, when he took possession of the National Mills, and ran the same until 1873, the date of his purchase of the Ross Mill. Mr. Fred JACOBS is a native of Jerseyville, born in 1860, was educated in the Jerseyville schools and since his school days has been operating with his father in the mill business. This mill under the safe and careful guidance of Mr. Jacobs has always done a good business, and is to-day turning out a superior quality of flour. Their special brand “Genuine” finds ready sale with all our local flour dealers, and has an extensive sale in all neighboring towns. Their surplus flour goes to eastern markets – mostly to New York, where their “H.S.I.” is a popular and very saleable brand. They also do quite an extensive elevator business, the wheat and corn they buy going mostly to the Chicago market. In connection with his other business Mr. Fred Jacobs conducts a coal yard, and furnishes his customers with either the anthracite or Illinois coal, and by close attention to business and the exercise of an accommodating spirit, Mr. Jacobs has secured a satisfactory share of the coal business. The Messrs. Jacobs are affable gentlemen and are numbered among our most public spirited citizens.

First National Bank

This is the oldest banking institution in Jersey county, being an out growth of the banking house of D’Arcy & Cheney organized in 1854. In 1866 Hugh N. CROSS and George R. SWALLOW succeeded the above named firm and continued the business until 1872, when Mr. Swallow disposed of his interest, the firm then becoming Cross, Carlin & Co. This firm was succeeded in 1876 by the First National Bank, which was established under the National Banking Act with a paid up capital of $50,000, Hugh N. CROSS being elected president and continuing as such until his death, which occurred in November 1883. At the following election of officers A. W. CROSS, who had been interested in the business since 1866, and Edward CROSS, who had been connected with the institution for a number of years, were elected president and cashier respectively. The present directory consists of the following sterling and well known business men and capitalists: Col. W. H. FULKERSON, John I. WHITE, A. W. CROSS, Edward CROSS, and Leslie CROSS, who have provided in their building corner of State and Pearl streets, a fine fire proof vault containing safety deposit boxes and also the finest steel burglar proof safe, that could be procured, manufactured by the celebrated Diebold Safe Co., this being additionally secured by a Yale Time Lock. Since its organization in 1876 this bank has paid over $50,000 cash in dividends and now has in addition to its capital of $50,000 – which it is authorized to increase to $150,000, a surplus fund and undivided profits of $25,000 accumulated from its earnings, which speaks louder than anything else in commendation of the affable and reliable men, who have had charge of its affairs.

J. S. Daniels & Son, Hardware

Mr. J. S. DANIELS has been prominently connected with the hardware and stove business in Jerseyville the past sixteen years. He is a native of Lancaster county, Pa., and was born in 1835. He came to Jerseyville in 1854, and engaged in farming until the breaking out of the war in 1861, when he enlisted in the 122nd Ill. Inf. Co. G., and was mustered out in 1865 having made for himself an honorable war record. He returned to Jerseyville and was elected City marshal, which position he held six years and was subsequently two years in the employ of the C.&A. R.R., securing right of way etc. Mr. Daniels stands in the front rank of our most public spirited citizens, and has been during his residence in Jerseyville prominently identified with all public improvement enterprises calculated to advance the public interests of the city. He has served as president of the Board of Education, seven years, and has been a member of the City Board of Aldermen 10 or 12 years. In 1872 he started the business, which through close application and honorable dealing has grown to be the leading hardware and stove business in the city. In 1889 he took for a partner his son, Mr. Harry S. DANIELS, a young man of fine business promise and universally popular, and they carry a stock now ranging from $12,000 to $15,000 in value. They are dealers in the latest and best paterns of hard and soft coal burners, general hardware, tin-ware, mixed paints and shelf goods. Among their specialties are barbed and plain wire fencing and asbestos roofing, their stock in fact includes a large and well selected assortment of all goods pertaining to their line.

Fitzgibbons & Skelly, National Hotel, Sample Rooms

As stated elsewhere in these comments the old “National Hotel” is one of the few land marks left standing in Jerseyville, to speak of the early days and remind us of the thrilling events that took place within and about its historic walls a quarter of a century ago. Mr. E. M. DALY of the early proprietors of the town, was the originator of the scheme in 1837 to erect this hotel building; shares were sold at $100 each and the work commenced in the spring of 1838, and continued until the house was enclosed when the work stopped, the investors becoming alarmed lest the enterprise should not prove a paying one when finished. Negotiations were however entered into afterwards with Mr. John FROST, which resulted in his purchase of the property, and the house was immediately finished and furnished throughout and opened to the public. We give elsewhere in this paper the succession of landlords of the hotel down to the time of Mr. James YOUNG, who was the last one to keep the house on the American plan. He was succeeded by Mr. PECKHAM and he by Messrs. Fitzgibbons & Skelly the present proprietors. These gentlemen conduct the hotel on the European plan and have an arrangement to furnish meals at a neighboring restaurant if desired. They have twenty sleeping apartments neatly furnished, under the care of an experience housekeeper and have gone to much expense in refitting and refinishing the hotel throughout. Their prices are reasonable and they have a good share of the custom. Their large saloon and sample room parlors are on the ground floor of the hotel building where the choicest wines and liquors are dispensed by accommodating attendants.

H. A. Tunehorst, Fine Watches and Jewelry

No city of its dimensions in the state can boast of finer and more complete jewelry establishments than Jerseyville, and no more conspicuous jewelry house can be found in this section of the state than that of Mr. H. A. TUNEHORST, our popular and enterprising jeweler. His large stock of the foreign and American watches, clocks, diamonds, silver and plated ware, and ornamental jewelry, will compare most favorably with stocks carried in the large cities, and affords unusual facilities and advantages to his customers in making their selections. He carries also the largest stock of musical instruments in the city, giving especial attention to the famous Estey pianos and organs. His store room in the Snedeker block on State street is centrally located and is elaborately fitted up with substantial and ornamental fixtures. Mr. Tunehorst is pre-eminently a self made man; he started his business career in Jerseyville in 1877 at the old Bonnell corner, with but $300 as his cash capital. In 1880 he moved to the Snedeker building, where he laid the foundation for his present extensive jewelry and musical business. He was caught in the big fire of January 1887, and lost his entire stock excepting the jewelry he had locked in his safe. His loss amounted to $5,000 upon which he had $1,000 insurance. He found temporary quarters in the Goecke building and in August of that year, was again back in the new and elegant building erected by Mr. Snedeker, where he now is. Mr. Tunehorst started in business twelve years ago at the bottom round of the ladder, and may now be said to be on top, his untiring industry and perseverance having triumphed over obstacles before which most men would have succumbed. He has a fine and steadily increasing business and is the owner of a substantial and attractive home residence. His success is attributable to his unflagging industry and honest dealing with his customers, which fact has established confidence in his goods and representations. He is a growing man.

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