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| History of Equality (1887) |
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Goodspeed Publishing Co.
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E
quality is situated on the Louisville & Nashville Railway, in the western part of the county. It was laid off in _____, its streets running at right angles with each other, its east and west streets running 20 degrees south of east and north of west. The streets are named Jackson, Clinton, Benton and Tazewell, while those running north and south are named Rowan, Calhoun, Van Buren, McDufie and McAvery. One block was reserved for the church, bounded by Jackson, Benton, McDufie and McAvery; one block and a half for the academy, bounded by Jackson, an alley between Benton and Tazewell, and by Rowan and the village limits. There were in the original plat 162 lots, generally 60 x 180 feet, and the area of the plat was 105 acres. The first house was built mostly for an office for the salt works in the immediate vicinity. Samuel Ensminger, who lived about two miles below in the woods, moved in and opened a hotel, a store having been opened by Capt. John Lane, in his residence. Gen. Willis Hargrave, who obtained his title in the Black Hawk war, opened a hotel west of the old courthouse on Jackson Street. John Siddall built a large two-story frame house on the corner of Calhoun and Clinton Streets, and Allen Redman built a house on the corner of Calhoun Street and the public square. It is stated that Joseph M. Street, as surveyor, laid off the town. Equality was the county seat of Gallatin County for a number of years, both before and after the separation of Saline, and as such was the residence of numerous notable men, among them being William J. Gatewood, Edward Jones and M. K. Lawyer [webmaster: should be Lawler], and the most distinguished lawyers in the State then practiced at its bar, as John A. Logan, R. G. Ingersoll, S. A. Douglas and others.
The business houses in Equality at the present time are the following: Dry goods and groceries, T. A. Davis, John W. Hales, A. F. Davenport, E. H. McCaleb, and C. W. Smith, who also keeps boots and shoes; drugs are kept by Dr. Isaac Bourland and E. H. McCaleb. The blacksmiths are Christian Helm and William Davenport, and the New Hotel is kept by Mrs. J. W. Hales. The churches in the place are the Methodist, Episcopal, Catholic, Missionary Baptist and Social Brethren.
Equality has been incorporated at various times. A meeting was held at James Caldwell's April 9, 1831. There were present the president and clerk of a former meeting held in pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of February 12, 1831, who produced the certificate of an election held April 4, 1831, that thirty-one votes had been cast for incorporation and none against it. At an election held on Saturday, March 9, 1833, Willis Hargrave, John Siddall, James Caldwell, Joseph L. Reynolds, and Leonard White were elected trustees. Willis Hargrave was chosen president and Allen Redman clerk and treasurer, and John Woods constable.
Following are some of the presidents of the board of trustees from time to time — Willis Hargrave in 1835; Leonard White, 1838; William Hick, 1841; S. K. Gibson, 1854. Under the general incorporation act of 1872, the first board of trustees was E. M. Wiederman, J. R. Hargrave, J. S. Bunker, E. B. Hargrave, John Donohue, William Davenport and J. W. Clifton, the latter being president, and W. H. Crawford, clerk subsequent presidents have been P. H. McCaleb, 1874; James R. Hargrave, 1875; Joseph J. Castles, 1876; J. S. Greer, 1877-78; Joseph Cook, 1879; P. Siddall, 180; William Davenport, 1881-82; J. W. Hale, 1883; C. E. Dupler, 1884; William McIntire, 1885; George W. Moore, 1886.
The clerks have been E. D. Bailey, 1876; O. P. Spilman, 1878; Joseph G. Bunker, 1879; B. F. Hine, 1883, and Joseph G. Bunker, 1885.
The treasurers have been C. A. Caldwell, 1876-84; M. V. Baldwin, 1884, and John W. Hales, 1885 to the present time.
The Gallatin Academy was established in Equality in 1836. Its board of trustees was William J. Gatewood, Timothy Guard, William Hick and George Livingston. It was taught in a building erected for the Methodist Church, where Lucian Gordon now lives. It flourished for six or eight years and in it were taught the higher English branches and the classics, and its scholars came from quite a distance. Rev. Benjamin F. Spilman was the first teacher, and the later ones were a Mr. McIlvane from Kentucky, John Dixon and John McCullogh, who was the last.
[Author unknown] 1887. History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin and Williamson Counties, Illinois. Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co. 122-124.
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