Images of

White County, Illinois

 If you have old pictures of buildings, places, or people of White County, please send them to me.

   The Castle, located across from the courthouse, was built by Rep. James Robert "Dollar Bob" Williams while serving as county judge from 1882-1886. The house was designed by Knoxville, Tenn., architect, George Franklin Barber. The home was nearly destroyed in the 1980s, but was spared and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It is now a private residence.
courthouse The Courthouse at Carmi, which was built in 1883. It originally had a tower which was removed after being damaged in a storm about 1920. It was extensively remodeled in the 1970s, when it was almost razed.  An elevator and handicapped bathrooms were added in 1997.
Southern Illinois College at Enfield, originally built in 1871 and razed in 1978, after being used as a college, high school, and apartment building for many years. At least two U.S. Senators attended the school.
Old Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Enfield, where the Methodist church stands today. It was built in the 1850s and replaced in 1897.
The Matsel Cabin, built in the 1850s about three miles southwest of Carmi. It was moved to a site near the Old Graveyard in 1995 through the efforts of the White County Historical Society, which matched a $20,000 state grant to restore the property.
The Ratcliff Inn in Carmi. The White County Historical Society established its first museum in the inn in 1960. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln stayed in the inn in 1840, and its owner, James Ratcliff, known as "Old Beaver" served in many county offices from 1818 to 1848.
Enfield High School, Built 1935, Razed 2000. Used by Wabash Area Development for their offices from 1990 to 2000. The people in from on the school are supposed to be Mrs. Raymond Ruemmler and daughter Marlene. Photo compliments of Ruth Healy of Enfield.
This is Alexander and Virginia E. Whiting Johnston.  My (Kathy Hesketh of St Louis) guess is that it was taken about 1890.  I do know that it was taken in Grayville. Alexander was the son of James Johnston and Susanah (Brown) Hon Johnston.  He was born 1821 and died 1898 and is buried in Oak Grove Cem. in Grayville.
Virginia was the dau. of Elder Charles Whiting and Selima Endicott.  Born 1824 and died 1897.  Also buried in Oak Grove.
This photo is of the First Baptist Church in Grayville.  Kathy Hesketh (katcros@prodigy.net) found the church 2 years ago on a visit.  "Zella and her family belonged to the Primitive Baptist Chruch, so I don't know if this is where they had attended or not.  The minister is not known." This building might be the current Northside Baptist Church. Elder Richard Webb of the Primitive Baptist library in Carthage, Illinois knows the minister and building shown, it is not the Northside church.
zella Zella Johnston Croslin (1889-1955) . She was born and grew up in Grayville.  Her parents were James E. O. Johnston, son of Alexander Johnston and Virginia Whiting, and Minnie Sullivan, dau. of John Sullivan and Mary (Polly) Mossbarger. Taken about 1910.  Displayed by permission of her granddaughter Kathy Hesketh in St. Louis.
Zella worked for a time at the newspaper The Grayville Independent.  Kathy Hesketh in St. Louis who provided the photo  said " I don't know what
her duties there were though.  Zella is 4th from the left, in black.  The others are unknown." I really like this photo
Here is a photo of Andrew Jackson Lee (20-Jul-1842 - 10-Sept-1926) and his wife Mary Funkhouser (26-Apr-1849 - 1932), both born in White County, Illinois. Mary's parents were Virgil Funkhouser and Nancy Hunsinger.  Andrew and Mary were married April 24, 1867 in White County, Carmi, Illinois.  Andrew J. Lee was a twin brother to George W. Lee (both sons of Peter Lee Jr. and Polly Ann King Lee Braddy of White County, Illinois).  Andrew Jackson and Mary lived in the areas of Grayville and then Macedonia in the 1920's.  Both Andrew Jackson and his twin brother George W. were soldiers during the Civil War...  They enlisted in Company K, 87th Mounted Infantry, Illinois Volunteers on August 15, 1862 for the Union. They were mustered in as privates on September 22, 1862 in Shawnetown, Illinois and were mustered out June 16, 1865. They were under Union Captain Thomas Sheridan.   Submitted by Rimell, Scott Rimell.Scott@broadband.att.com>
in 2003 email changed to <SRimell@chartercom.com>
This photo is listed as being of J.S. Hume, but I have lost the information of  his background. Please email me if you have more information.
This is a 1935 photo of Crossville High School. Perhaps the man on the bottom row, second from the left, is E. Martin Blackledge, from whose collection the picture was found. I may have a list of all the folks in my files.
This is the veterans memorial in the Carmi City Park, which is officially Veterans Memorial Park.
White County's second major courthouse is this attractive federal style building, built in 1828 and replaced in 1883. Notice the massive chimneys and fan light over the front door. Rick Stein, a local contractor, thinks some of the doors to this old building were sold after it was demolished, and one of them made its way into the Viskniskki-Conley home at 301 S. Walnut. Abe Lincoln practiced in the courthouse a number of times.
This postcard view show the iron bridge over the Little Wabash River in downtown Carmi, apparently during one of our many floods. I think this bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1913 or 1915, and was replaced by the attractive concrete arch bridge known as the rainbow bridge which served until the current bridge was constructed after WWII. The bridge, which serves Illinois Highways 1 and 14, was remodeled in 2000. Submitted by Laura L. Horton (Martin) elhzm@comcast.net.
This is an ebay photo of an unidentified African American, taken at the Hub in Carmi. At one time there was a large AA population in the county, mostly in "East" Carmi and in the Maunie area. There was a separate school for blacks in east Carmi, and a black cemetery called Sand Hill, near Maunie. Between the great migration of blacks towards cities and the poor economic and social climate of southern Illinois few African Americans remain in the area.
This is the Abner Fields family, part of the large Enfield area family. This batch may have moved to Stoddard Co. Missouri. This photo was a gift of the family.
The old college building in Enfield, from a photo taken by Cleda Savage Black. The college was built in 1870 as a church school, and served as a college and high school until the 1930s. Later it was used as apartments, but I only remember it as this sad abandoned building. Attempts to restore the building were unsuccessful and it was razed about 1980.
The Enfield depot, which was torn down about 1985. Also from the collection of Cleda Savage Black. Obviously, a very standard architectural style. The depot in Dahlgren in Hamilton county which still stands along Highway 142 is a match. Grayville's depot is the only White County train station that I know has survived to the 21st century.
The back of Enfield's old hotel. I only remember it as tacky apartments and home to a failed antiques business. It was raised in the late 1980s during an expansion of Enfield's water system. Does anyone remember "Enfield Water"? You could watch the methane gas evaporate from your cloudy glass of water, and you didn't have to use any bleach because it had so much chlorine in it. Today Enfield is hooked to the Rend Lake Water District, as is Springerton.
Kathy Hesketh sent me this file: Here is "Mr. & Mrs. John Feverston" from Grayville, IL.  That's John, son of James and Charlotte Feverston, born about 1867.  His wife's name is Mary, but don't know her maiden name.  They lived on Plum Street in 1930 in Grayville.
I have this listed as John and Viola Clark, but again, haven't found the email with information about them.
This is Stephan Mossberger and wife Caroline Lee Mossberger with 
"little Lemuel".   Stephan, born 1860  was the son of Jeremiah Mossberger and Sarah Wadkins.  Lemuel was born 1881 so the photo dates to about 1882 or 83. From Kathy Hesketh. 
Here's another photo from Grayville, IL.  On the back it says Mrs. Epperson.  I don't know any more about her just yet.
Kathy Hesketh
sheets
 I found it from my old computer.  At least now I know who these people  are.  The women are the daughters of Mary A. Whitin and James M. Weaver.  They were married Dec 23, 1852 in Posey Co. IN, but lived in Grayville, White Co. IL.  I have much more info about them if need or wanted. Kathy Hesketh

Front row  Left to right: Mrs. Emma Crawford, James Sheets, Mrs.
James (Eva) Sheets. Back row:  Mrs. Sue Inlow,  Mrs. Tommie Ann Pope
Alfred A. Nelson, 1841-1941. You can read his bio on the biography section. From Ruth Ryan.
Mr. Ayers from Grayville, from Kathy Hesketh.
The A.H. Brandt implement and tack buildings in Carmi, on the area of North Walnut street commonly referred to as the Whiskey Chute. The old city police station, jail and fire station were across the street, as were several taverns. The Brandt home is in the background with the large chimneys. This family came to White County in the 1850s and operated stables and implement businesses through 1960.
I'll have to find this shot again.
 A 1950s photo of the home of Frank E. Pomeroy, on South Walnut street, taken by Harriet Vaught. It was undergoing restoration by Rick Stein.
The Maunie home of the Brumbly family, submitted by Suzanne McCormick. We have several articles about this family.
The same home after additions were made,sometime after 1870.
House owners John and Sallie Brumblay.
Brumblay family member  Fannie Brooks Butler Arnold.
mayo
 
I have attached a photo of my paternal great-grandmother Margaret (Beck) 
Mayo and her 3 oldest sons taken in Enfield in 1897 or 1898.  The middle 
child in age is my grandfather, Raliegh Aaron Mayo, born in 1894 or 
1895.  The youngest is Daniel born in 1897 and the oldest Robert born in 
1892.  All  3 children were born in Enfield. My great-grandfather, Loied 
Mayo, was born in Wayne County about 1870.  He moved the family to 
Missouri, enlisted in the army during the Spanish-American War then 
moved the family to Mount Vernon.  My great-great-grandparents, John and 
Rachel (Brummet) Mayo lived in both White and Wayne Counties.
 
Nancy Mayo Harkins


http://www.carmi.white.k12.il.us  The school district site used to have several photo essays on the Castle, the Robinson Stewart House museum, L. Haas store and others, under the community and recreation section. This site has been changed several times so it looks pretty stripped down in 2010.
 

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The Coordinator for the White County, Illinois ILGenWeb page is Cindy Birk Conley

Created by Laurel Crook, 22 Oct 1998

Last updated 5 August 2011




Copyright ©1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 by Laurel Crook and Cindy Birk Conley all rights reserved. For personal use only. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictly prohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.