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Shelby
County Chautauqua
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Mention chautauqua in Shelbyville, and most
people think of the lovely
white building in Forest Park. Douthit's
Lithia Springs Chautauqua, across the river, is now part of the Lake
Shelbyville Recreation Area.
Douthit's chautauqa had been operating
successfully for years before the city residents opened a competing
venture and allowed alcohol, which Douthit absolutely forbade. The
Lithia Springs Chautauqua was a haven for temperance workers, social
reformers, and suffragettes.
John Sobieski, A Lineal
Descendant of King John III of Poland was a member
of Rev. Jasper L. Douthit's
Unitarian church in Shelbyville, Ill., and, for years, served as
platform manager at Douthit's Lithia Springs Chautauqua. Douthit
published the first edition of Sobieski's autobiography, liberally
sprinkled with an endless account of his travels, his work, his
political career, social reform and priceless stories of historic
events ‹ and the original Chautauqua in Shelby County.
Be sure to visit The
Jasper Douthit Project.
Excerpts reprinted from The Annotated Life-Story
and
Personal Reminiscences of Col. John Sobieski (A lineal Descendant
of King John III, of Poland), by permission from EcoLitGy
Communications as part of the Jasper
Douthit Project.
p. 238
The next year, 1887, I lectured in Illinois in the
first part of the season, and during the summer my
time was put in in prohibition
camp-meetings. Mr. Frank Sibley and J. A. Van Fleet had organized
twenty-seven prohibition camp-meetings, running
through a half dozen States: Illinois,
Wisconsin,
Indiana,
Michigan, and Ohio. The
speakers
were John P. St. John, Van Buren Bennett, C. H. Mead, A. A. Hopkins, George W. Bain, Frank Sibley, and John Sobieski.
It was during this series of camp-meetings
that I met for the first time Rev.
Jasper L. Douthit.
Of him I shall speak further along in my book.
Brother Van Buren Bennett had been a soldier
in the army, a radical Democrat, and drank
whiskey some; but he had been converted, and
joined church and the Prohibition
party. He
proved to be one of our ablest and strongest
speakers.
It was during this series of camp-meetings
that I did my last work with John B. Finch. It
was at Bowling Green, Ohio. Little did I think
then that I was speaking with him for the last
time; but so it proved. I spent a couple of days
with him two weeks before his death. He never
looked better, and told me he never felt better.
But a couple of weeks afterward, picking up a
little evening newspaper at Marshall, Minnesota, I
read this simple announcement: ³John B. Finch,
the Prohibition leader, dropped dead in Boston
last night.² My! how it thrilled me. I was speechless,
as it were. In a few minutes I received a
telegram announcing his death. I at once canceled
all my engagements and started for
Evanston. At his funeral there were delegations
from fifteen or twenty States. I saw men weep
like children, as he was placed in the tomb.
p 271 ff
CHAPTER XXVII.
My work in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York,
Canada,
Rhode
Island ‹ Lithia Springs ‹ Rev. Jasper L. Douthit ‹ His history‹ My work
in Illinois, Missouri, etc.
That fall and part of the winter I labored in
Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, Mr. Folsom being
with me, using the stereopticon.
In the spring of
1894 I took a trip East, going as far as East
Greenwich, Rhode Island. On my way East I
spoke at Toronto, Canada, and Potsdam, New
York. Then I returned West, speaking in Chicago;
then through to Missouri. After resting a few
days at my home, I took a trip south as far as
Arkansas, speaking at Bentonville, Rogers, and
other parts of Arkansas. I then returned, and
went west to Nebraska, lecturing in Nebraska
until the first of August, when I returned to
Illinois and to Lithia Springs, where I was to
remain during the entire camp.
Lithia Springs is a beautiful place, six miles
east of Shelbyville; one of the most romantic spots
in all the State of Illinois. It is a valley about
one fourth of a mile wide, between two hills. The
hills and sides are covered with timber. There
are several springs in the valley, and two of them
are only a rod apart: one is a white-sulphur
spring, and the other is an iron spring. The
analyses show that the composition of the waters
of the springs is entirely different. Experts who
have analyzed the water declare that it is not
excelled by the water at Saratoga, New York, or
the celebrated Manitou Springs of Colorado, for its
excellent medicinal qualities. In all the West it is
doubtful if there is a more attractive spot than
Lithia Springs. These springs are owned at this
writing by Rev. Jasper L. Douthit, the Unitarian minister, who resides
in Shelbyville.
Mr. Douthit¹s people came originally from
the Carolinas. His great-grandfather settled in
Shelby County at an early day. His forefathers
were "Hard-shell" Baptists. Mr. Douthit¹s father
held many places of honor and trust in Shelby
County. He was the father of eleven children, nine
of whom are now living.
Jasper was the eldest of the family. He early
evinced a desire for books and schooling, both of
which were very hard to obtain in southern
Illinois at that time; but by his indomitable will
and perseverance he has succeeded in obtaining
both. He received his education at Wabash
College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the Shelbyville
Seminary, and later took a thorough theological
course at Meadville, Pennsylvania. There
are few ministers in Illinois who have a larger or
better assorted library. He was born and reared
a Democrat, his first vote being cast for James
Buchanan; but for some reason he doesn't seem
to be proud of it. His next vote was cast for
Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
In 1857 he was united in marriage to Miss Emily
Lovell, of Massachusetts. Miss Lovell was
a school-teacher of rare ability. She is very quiet
and reserved, and one has to be well acquainted
with her before one can appreciate her great merits
as a woman. In all of the battles which Mr. Douthit
has fought against slavery and intemperance, she
has stood bravely at his side; and he gives her
credit for the best work of his life.
During the Civil War Mr. Douthit was a
thorough patriot, supporting the national government,
often at the peril of his life. As soon as the
rebellion had ceased, he began his struggle
against the liquor traffic, which he has kept up
relentlessly until this day. Mr. Douthit early
became identified with the Unitarian Christian
movement, and was ordained to that ministry.
He has been instrumental in helping to establish
a half dozen independent churches in southern
Illinois. He also has been engaged in journalism
for many years, and is at the present time the
editor and proprietor of Our Best
Words, an independent
monthly established in 1880. It advocates
all righteous reforms.
About ten years ago he began the Lithia
Springs Assembly. It was started first as a means
of fighting the liquor evil, but it has gradually
widened its scope until it has become a regular
Chautauqua assembly. By the wise and trustworthy
management and energy of himself and his
son George, it has become one of the largest and
the most successful assemblies in the West. The
best talent of the nation has been secured. Such
speakers as T. DeWitt Talmage, Sam Jones,
Henry Watterson, Carlos Martyn, Ballington Booth,
George W. Bain, John G. Woolley, Hale Johnson,
Senator William E. Mason, William J. Bryan, Dr.
W. W. Fenn, Dr. Nash (President of Lombard
University), Bishop McCabe, Booker T. Washington,
Bishop Arnett, ex-Congressman George
Adams, and such women as Mary T. Lathrap of
Michigan, Clara C. Hoffman, Helen Gougar, Mrs.
Daisy Carlock Pollitt, Mrs. Maud B. Booth, Mrs.
L. M. Lake, Mrs. Helen M. Barker, and others,
have served at this assembly, many of whom have
returned for several years in succession. Probably
there is no assembly in the West that in so short a
period has had so much eminent talent.
Mr. Douthit has spent his whole life in promoting
every worthy work and every good cause; and
his so broad in spirit, that he knows no party
and no sect, when good is to be accomplished. He
is perfectly fearless, has great faith, and has no
more doubt of the triumph of good over evil, truth
over error, pure religion over superstition, virtue
over vice, than he doubts the existence of the
Almighty himself. As a speaker, he is inspirational:
I have seen him capture conventions and
conferences, carrying everything before him by
storm.
He has four children, two sons and two daughters.
His elder son, George, is with him in his
business, managing the assembly and editing the
paper. His elder daughter, Mrs. Helen D. Garis,
lives in Rochelle, Illinois. She is in full sympathy
with the life-work of her parents, and has ever been
their cheerful helper. His son Robert Collyer is
a rising young Unitarian minister, and pastor of
one of the oldest churches in New England. His
younger daughter lives with him, and is one of
the most popular young ladies in Shelbyville, and
possesses remarkable gifts in elocutionary powers.
For five years I have been platform manager
at Lithia Springs. A few words in regard to two
ladies whom I have met at Lithia Springs. Mrs. Clara C. Hoffman for
twelve years has
been president of the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union of Missouri, and for some three or
four years recording secretary of the National
Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She
is one of the most remarkable women that has
been developed by that organization. For some
years she was connected with the city schools of
Kansas City. When she became connected with
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union work,
she forged rapidly to the front, and soon took her
place among the foremost women of her day.
From a purely intellectual standpoint, I doubt
whether she has her equal on the platform to-day.
It was in 1894 that I met Mrs. Daisy Carlock,
now Mrs. Pollitt, for the first time. Mrs. Daisy
Carlock Politt was the daughter of Dr. Hubbard,
of Hudson, Illinois. She came of a family
noted for their intellectual gifts and personal
beauty. She graduated from from the State Normal
School, at Normal, Illinois, ISU when she was but
eighteen years old. She shortly afterward mar-
ried a merchant of that town, Mr. Alvin Winton Carlock. After a
few years he died, and she began her great
career as a teacher. She was soon called to Berea
College, at Berea, Kentucky. She is a sister
of Elbert Hubbard, the promoter of the famous Roycroft
establishment of East Aurora, New York.
The family had always been an ardent temperance
one, so she attached herself at once to the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and with
her splendid education and ability soon became
very prominent in that organization. She was
twice elected State vice-president, and for more
than a year she was secretary of the Central Union
in Chicago. During the World's Fair her position brought her in contact
with reformers
from every part of the world. A better person
could not have been in that position, as she could
talk with each one in his own language. She won
great praise from everybody. As a speaker, she
is winsome, witty, and wise. She was so charm-
ing her personality that she captivated every-
body with whom she came in contact. It was a
great misfortune to the temperance cause when she
returned to educational work. Later she married
Rev. Mr. Pollitt, one of the leading Methodist
divines in Kentucky.
p. 311
I am a member of the First Congregational
Church at Shelbyville, Illinois, Rev. J. L. Douthit,
pastor.
p. 336
LETTER FROM JASPER L. DOUTHIT
Lithia, Shelby County, Ill., Feb. 21, 1905.
Col. John Sobieski,
Willard Hall, Chicago, Ill.
My Dear Noble Friend: I send most fraternal greetings
and congratulations of myself and family to you on the fiftieth
anniversary of your landing in America. With a great multitude
who know you and love you, I thank the good God for your long
and eminent service in temperance and other needed reforms.
Verify, I believe you have conferred more benefit upon all mankind
in these fifty years of patriotic and philanthropic labors than
you could have done as king of Poland. God bless you forever
and ever.
Sincerely yours always,
JASPER L. DOUTHIT.
Secretary of International
Chautauqua Alliance
Browse through the Index to
Sobieski's autobiography.
The Chautauquan: A monthly Magazine
April 1896 to September 1896
Vol XXIII New Series, Vol XIV
Dr. Theodore L. Flood, Editor
Meadville PA
The T. L. Food Publishing House
p 251
ILLINOIS. The meetings of the Chautauqua circle at Windsor
are well attended and the circle is increasing in numbers. ‹ Six
workers in the Harmony Circle at Springfield are accomplishing good
work. ‹ Sappho Circle of Mount Carroll is in its fourth year of
existence, and is composed of a trio of earnest young women who are
deriving much benefit and enjoyment from their studies. ‹ The
class at Murraysville enrolls five names. ‹ Six membership fees
are received from the class at Galva, with the promise of a report of
circle work soon. ‹ The Clionians of Elmwood are much interested in
this year¹s studies. ‹ New members have swelled the ranks of the
Audubon Chautauqua Circle in Chicago. ‹ The following letter is
received from Hart: ³The ladies comprising the Hart CLSC and their
husbands were recently treated to an intellectual feast in the way of
charades, tableaux, reading, and music at the home of the secretary. By
their artistic costumes the company represented a circulating library,
and a prize was given to the fortunate person naming the greatest
number of symbolic books and their authors. A delicious menu was
served, and time passed so pleasantly that the hour of midnight arrived
ere the ringing of sleigh bells announced the arrival of the
conveyances for home.² ‹ The circle at Benton Harbor has a large
proportion of Œ98¹s this year.
The Chautauquan: A
monthly Magazine
May 1890 Vol XI No. 2
p 232
Clover Leaf Club of
Shelbyville
is trying the experiment of taking shorter lessons with a view to
obtaining perfect recitations. Discussions of the topics of the
time are a part of every program.
p 247
(There were 278 graduates of the CLSC class of 1889)
Acheson, Mrs. Mattie
N.
Aldrich, Mrs. Flora S.
Alexander, Mrs. George
Allen, Miss Eva
Allen, Henry B.
Ament, Emma A.
Anderson, Miss M. Lizzie
Angle, Mrs. E. J.
Atwood, Mary Nancy
Ayres, Mrs. S. Ardelia
Babock, Mrs. Harriet
Baily, Mrs. Bethania F.
Baldwin, Eliza J.
Barnum, Mrs. Harriet E.
Barrett, Mrs. C. L.
Bassett, Miss Ida T.
Beebe, Albert Gary
Beebe, Mrs. Amelia J.
Beebe, Frances L.
Beebe, Lucy A.
Bender, Inez, J.
Bickford, Amaretta S.
Boston, Mrs. Addie M.
Bonnell, May E.
Bosworth, Mrs. Ida L.
Brayton, Minerva E.
Brawley, Mrs. Francis W. S.
Briggs, Jennie Lynn
Brown, Mrs. Carl Powell
Brown, Martha A.
Brown, Martha B.
Brown, Susie
Brown, Theresa P.
Brownell, Mrs. Pamela W.
Bryden Helen
Burrows, Loren G.
Bush, Mary Hicks
Caldwell, Elsie van
Canode, Benjamin F.
Carey, Mrs. Emily Watson
Carlock, Daisy Hubbard
Cash, Elizabeth Parmelia
Castle Emma
Champion, Missouri S.
Chandler, Mrs. Clara A.
Chapman, Mrs. Helen F.
Cheney, Minerva D.
Church, Charles A.
Churchill, Miss Blanche
Clark, Carrie B.
Clarke, Eva B.
Clark, Herbert Horatio
Clark, Maria E.
Cochran, Walter Adolphus
Collins, Nellie R.
Colman, Mrs. Laura
Colville, John
Cooper, Miss Jennie M.
Corron, Bertha E.
Cottrell, Miss Agnes M.
Craig, Emma L.
Crane, Leva A.
Crapp, Mrs. Clara J.
Crawford, Ellis Margaret F.
Crocker, Mrs. Sarah E.
Curtis, Miss Ida May
Curtiss, Anna M. F.
Davenport, Alice F.
Davidson, Hattie Lura
Dill Mrs. ella Foulke
Dowse Lizzie
Dunlap Hattie S.
Dunn, alice L.
Dunton, Fannie Louise
Dyas, Laura E.
Eames, Oliver Emerson
Eggleston, Mrs. Elizabeth C.
Everitt, Hattie Waite
Feakins, Emma W
Fellingham, Frank B
Ferry, Mrs. Mary E.
Field, Hetty
Ford, Frances M
Foster, Grace I.
Freeman, Mrs. Ella Lull
Fulton, Annie Lee
Gage, Mrs. Henry H.
Gage, Mrs. Lillie G.
Garrett, Warren H.
Gee, Hannah M
Gilberson, Mrs. Irene Collins
Gibson, Clara J.
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Gifford, Mrs. Mary
Lyman
Gill, Mrs. Maggie S.
Gillespie, John
Gillum, M D, Ira Hamilton
Goff, Effie E.
Gully, John B
Halbert, Mrs. Emma L
Hall, August N.
Hammond, Florence E
Hammond, Herbert
Harbaught, Mrs. Julia B
Haseltine, Emma B
Hatch, Mrs. Eliza H
Hatfield, MD C. L.
Hatfield, Mary E. Woods
Hawes, Mrs. Jennie R.
Haywood, Miss Lou E.
Heaton, Marienne
Heaton, Snow V.
Heslet, Frances R.
Heywood, Mrs. Adelia L
Heywood, Rosa Vilora
Hof, Miss Jemima
Hellembeak, Mrs. R D
Hompe, Angelina H
Hovey, Addie L
Howard, Mrs. Laura Arnold
Hubbard, Mrs. Julia F
Huddleston, Kate G
Huntsman, Mrs. Agnes F
Huntsman, Henry
Jeffries, Grace M
Johnson, Miss Alice M.
Justice, Mary C
King, Miss Mary Elizabeth
King, Mrs. S. N
Kistler, Mrs. Emma E
Knapp, Mrs. A. K.
Lacy, Sadie
Ladd, Grace Emeline
Ladd, Hannah M.
Ladd, Joseph T.
Lash, Miss Lillian J.
Leonard, Mrs. Anna A.
Leonard, Phletus
Levings, Sadie
Levings, Mrs. Sarah S.
Lewis, Matie Ellen
Liston, Mrs. J. B
Long, Elitha J.
Long, Mrs. Lida B
Long, Mrs. Sada W
Lord, Alice B
Lott, Hattie M
Lull, Mrs. Leonora M
Lynd, Mrs. Mary B
Lyon, Fanny E
Lyon, Miss Mary E
Martin, Mrs. Jos Earle
Maul, Emma Louise
Maxwell, Kathleen
McCoy, John
McCoy, Miss Mary Agnes
McLean, Mrs. Linn K
McQuiston, Mrs. W J
McWilliams, Mrs. Clara D
McWilliams, Gracie
Meyer, Sadie
Miles, Miss Maye R.
Miles, Miss Sallie M.
Miller, Carrie Read
Miller, Mrs. Tena
Montgomery, Jennie C.
Montgomery, Lizzie
Montgomery, Maggie
Moodey, DDS Kate C.
Nazarene, Rev. Frederick W
Nelson, Carrie
Nelson, Emma
Nelson, Minnie Stewart
Newman, Frances H J
Nicholes, Mrs. Amanda M
Northrop, Sarah E
O¹Brien, Mrs. Stella
Odell, Agnes Van Bussum
Orr, Alexander T.
Orr, James Thompson
Orr, R Kate
Paddock, Miss Minnie
Palmer, Mrs. Belle
Palmer, Lillie
Parker, Elizabeth
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Patrick, Mrs. Georgia
Patten, Le Nora Evalyn
Phelps, Harriet Curtis
Phillipson, Mrs. Emil
Picken, Lizzie
Picken, Maggie J
Pierce, Mrs. Cora Banks
Plummer, Miss Matie
Pollock, Mrs. Gertrude M
Porter, Mrs. Alice Downey
Post, Mrs. Helen A Ross
Potter, Mrs. Fanny E
Powell, Ida F
Prentice, Mrs. Ella G
Prentiss, Sarah F
Preston, Mrs. Dr. S H
Rainey, Mrs. William G
Randolph, Helen B.
Raymond, Gracia Anna
Reed, Carrie Collins
Reid, Isabel
Remington, Mrs. Annie B
Ritchie, Jennie G
Rives, Mrs. Charlotte Mayo
Rogers, Miss Sarah
Ronalds, Katharine
Ross, Florence Viola
Ruggles, Helen R
Sanders, Sue A
Scroggs, Miss Nellie Milburn
Searles, Mrs. A M
Sheibner, Mary E
Sheldon, Mary
Sherman, Julia H
Shipman, Inez L.
Shultz, Charlotte Lee
Sinclair, Louise
Slade, Mrs. Jas P
Smith, Elizabeth L
Smither, Elizabeth W
Smith, Estelle
Smith, Mrs. G. W.
Smith, Jennie
Smith, Thomas Bryant
Sither, Mrs. W B
Spalding, Frances R S
Sterling, Fannie E
Stevens, Ella Louise
Stitsel, Mrs. Nellie
Storey, Elizabeth M
Stuart, Mrs. Annie
Sudduth, Laura
Sutherland, Alphonse C
Swan, Mrs. Delia
Taylor, Alice
Taylor, Edward J
Terwilliger, Mrs. Maria G.
Thompson, Mrs. Clara V
Thompson, Jennie W
Thonren, Herman H
Towner, Mrs. Mary A
Townsend, Sarah P.
Trendly, Virginia A
Truman, Louise
Tunnicliff, Mrs. Isabel
Turner, Lucy Lewis
Turner Mabel Olive
Twyman, Martha A.
Van Buskir, Elma Root
Van Buskir, Wm. Franklin
Van Doren, Mrs. Hattie C.
Wald, Mrs. Jane Josephine
Waite, Horace F.
Walker, Permelia A
Waltmire, Mrs. Miriam B.
Webster, Mrs. Gertrude L.
Wells, Mrs. Mary C.
Whitmore, Fannie
Wilcox, Mrs. Celuda J
Wilkins, Jenny
WIlliams, Ella Elizabeth
Wilson, Kate
Wimmer, Florence M
Wing, Jennie M
Wingate, Mrs. Charles H
Wood, Edith Reynolds
Woodruff, Miss Emily C
Woods, Evelyn C
Yarwood, Miss Cora L.
Yates, Mrs. Mary R
Young, Alwilda
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