Month: July 2018

Shooting Affair at Dayton – 1869

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gunslingerShooting Affair at Dayton

About 6 o’clock P. M., on Wednesday evening, Feb 10th, Elijah Martin, a young man about 19 years of age, was quietly passing through the village of Dayton, in this county, driving a cow and having two or three dogs with him, when Charles Lott, aged about 25 years, meeting him, took out a revolver and shot one of Martin’s dogs. There were some words, and Lott fell to beating Martin, Lott being apparently in liquor. The boy, as soon as released, ran home to get his gun. His parents not allowing him to take it, he ran to a neighbor’s and borrowed a gun, and started in pursuit of Lott. He found him between Isaac Green’s house and barn, and at once fired upon him, but without effect. Lott returned the fire with his revolver, also without effect. Martin, after exploding a cap or two upon his second barrel, (his gun being a common fowling piece) fired a second time, the shot taking effect in the lower part of Lott’s abdomen and upper part of his thighs. Lott fell and was conveyed to his house. The gun being loaded with No. 6 shot, and fired from a distance of 30 yards, the wound can only be dangerous from its peculiar location in the abdomen. Martin’s father and mother were close behind him trying to dissuade him from his purpose as he attacked Lott, but without effect. Lott is having good surgical attendance, and is as yet considered in no danger. Martin is still at large.1

  1. Ottawa Free Trader, February 13, 1869, p. 1, col. 1

Miles Masters (1846-1910)

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Masters, Miles

Miles Masters was born December 4, 1846, in Berlin township, Bureau county, Illinois, the son of John and Maria (Belknapp) Masters. He grew up on his father’s farm with his four brothers. On January 31, 1865, he enlisted in company A of the 148th Illinois Infantry at Princeton, Ill. He received his discharge at Tullahoma, Tennessee on June 19, 1865 and returned home to Bureau county, Illinois, where he worked as a miller.

In 1891 he came to Dayton and joined with Mary S. Green, John Green, and A. E. Butters to incorporate as The Dayton Milling and Power Company. In 1894 he purchased and refit the Dayton Mills, advertising “Having purchased and refit the Dayton Mills to a full Roller Process on Wheat, we take this method as one of the means of informing farmers, and the public in general, of our now Superior Facilities for Doing FIRST-CLASS WORK in all BRANCHES of CUSTOM GRINDING.”

Around 1890, he began to show symptoms of mental distress. Association with persons afflicted with spiritualist mania caused him to change from Methodism to spiritualism. His mental condition deteriorated until, in 1901, he was committed to the asylum in Kankakee.

“Mr. Masters has become convinced that reincarnation has taken place – that the spirit of one of the greatest philosophers the world has ever known is now in his body taking the place of his own spirit. He also imagines that he can converse with the dead and living at will – even those in the flesh at a great distance. He also imagines that he has constructed a wonderful invention.”1

He recovered enough to return to his home in Chicago, but in 1906, he was admitted to the Danville Soldiers’ Home. From there, he was transferred in 1907 to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Soldiers’ Home. His mania had not abated and an article in the Milwaukee Journal reported that, according to Miles Masters, who called himself “The Creative”, the end of the world was at hand.

“Democracy, Catholicism, Protestantism, Socialism and commercialism and all manner of the first Christian era dispensations are now to be assigned to oblivion.” After relieving himself of this prophecy the Creative volunteered a little information concerning himself and his mission. “I come to you as a man proclaiming the rights of man in fulfilling the creative laws of his being and have spoken as man never spoke before of the oneness and wholeness of God and man. This power has been given me from the higher spiritual spheres and is to last nine years. “2

Miles Masters died January 2, 1910, at the Soldiers’ Home in Milwaukee. He was buried in the Dayton Cemetery on January 5th.

  1. Ottawa Free Trader, 2 Aug 1901, p. 7, cols. 1-2
  2. Milwaukee Journal, 9 Jan 1909, p. 3, cols. 1-2

July 4th, 1840, in Dayton

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Fourth of July

                                                                    July 4th, 1840

The birth of American liberty was celebrated in a becoming manner, in the town of Dayton, La Salle county, Illinois. The day was ushered in by a national salute from Capt. Ira Allen, who deserves credit for the manner in which he discharged the duties assigned him. Never perhaps has the day been celebrated with greater patriotic pride than on this occasion. The unity and harmony manifested, is a sure guarantee of the immortality of the day. The Declaration of Independence, prefaced by a few appropriate remarks from C. G. Miller, was then read, after which an oration was delivered on the occasion by Hon. Wm. Stadden, which, notwithstanding the short time allotted to him to prepare the address, was characterized by its forcible and strong appeals to the human heart to perpetuate the liberties purchased by the blood of our fathers; after which we partook of a dinner prepared by Wm. L. Dunavan, who spared no pains to accommodate his guests in a manner so as to render general satisfaction. After which the following toasts were drunk:
[the following lists only the name of the toast and omits the rather long text]
The day we celebrate
1776
George Washington
Gen. Lafayette
Thomas Jefferson
Our country
The constitution
The Heroes of the Revolution
The signers of the Declaration
The American citizens
Our happy Republic
The state of Illinois
The Fair

volunteer toasts

By Charles Hayward. The Independence we now celebrate – It must and shall be defended, supported and sustained, by the blood and sinew which has and will descend from those noble patriots who fought and bled for what freemen now enjoy.

By Lucien Delano. Political and Religious Freedom – While American blood and Freemen’s arms sustains the one, let the Age of Reason and Common Sense protect the other.

By William Hickling – The “Striped Bunting” – wherever unfolded to the breeze it commands respect.

By David Green. The Ladies – the fairest work of the Creator. We admire their charms and appreciate their virtues and intelligence, and will ever be ready to throw our arms of protection around them.

By Wm. Hickling. The day we celebrate – The 64th Anniversary of American Independence is this day recorded, and the fact is shown to the world, that a democratic government thus far has been successful.

By Sam’l. Hayward. Liberty – It can only be maintained by watching Priests, with equal care, that you would a King.

By J. B. Johnson. The Ladies – The binders of our affections, the folders, the gatherers and collectors of our enjoyments.

By a Guest. – The Heroes of the Revolution – There are but five who now survive, but may the innumerable blessings which they obtained, through a long and perilous war, be handed down from posterity to posterity.

By Brice V. Huston. Thomas Jefferson – The Author of the Declaration of Independence. The great Champion of civil and religious freedom.

By Ira Allen. The Abolitionists – May they be lathered with Aqua Fortis and shaved with Lightning.

From the Illinois Free Trader, July 24, 1840, p. 2, cols. 4-5