What was Geneseo during the great Civil war? In the first place, the answer is—she was the commercial center of Henry county. She was the largest town in Henry county. In commerce, manufacturing, social life, literature, music, education, she was the metropolis of Henry county. She was the center of civilization in Henry county.

In those days the corn trade of Geneseo was a wonder. The Prophetstown branch of the C., B. & Q. Railway had not been built to the north, nor had the Peoria and Rock Island road been built to the south. Geneseo drew corn from full 20 miles north and south, from Andover and Bishop Hill to the south, and Prophetstown to the north. The warehouses were a perfect tangle of teams. Long lines of teams extended away past the brewery to the south, and the old cemetery to the north. Every road from every other direction was often jammed with corn teams. Many of these men would eat their dinners in Geneseo. It was a great time for hotels, restaurants and feed stables. Then men coming so far would buy large quantities of goods. There were seven churches. The Republic and Advocate were the newspapers.

Following is a complete directory of Geneseo at the end of the war:

Allan, James M., real estate agent

Alts, J., barber

Antes, R. H., dentist

Ballou, Harlie K., painter

Bauermeister, A., meat market

Baxter & Carl, har­ness makers

Beveridge, Peter H., meat market and dealer in stock

Bigelow H., lawyer

Blackiston & Boice, agricultural implements

Boice, Milton S., news depot;

Bradley, James, general store;

Breed, S. R., (homoe.) physician ;

Brix, D., botanic physician;

Brown and Hume, physicians;

Brooks, J. B. homeopathic physician

Bryant & Taylor, (E. B. and B. M. T.,) boots and shoes

Buckles, John S., lawyer

Buell, Christian, cigars

Bushnell, Seaman F., blacksmith

Byers, Jacob B., stoves and tinware

Cady & Wells, (L. Henry C. and George V. W.,) lawyers

Campbell, Leonard C., station agt., and grain dealer

Carley, William, grocery

Carpenter, James B., attorney at law

Cole, David M., shoemaker

Cook, Warren P., books, stationery and express agent, also sewing machines

Dart, Henry & Son, grocers and commission merchants

Deming ; Richard M.,jeweler

Dresser, Justus F., druggist and United States assistant assessor

Dunham, Charles, lawyer

Eastabrook, Samuel, drugs and groceries ; express agent

W. P. Cook ; Felger & Ellis, general store

Ferguson D., sewing machine agent

Ferguson, James, merchant tailor

Fisk & Sampson, grocers

Frank, Jacob, harness maker

Freeman, James A., meat market

Fry, Louis, city bakery

Furlon & Swanson, (Walter S. F. and Andrew J. S.,) leather and harness dealers

Gaines, N. and S., (Nelson and Sylvester G.,) general store

George, V. K., wagon and plow shop

Goodfellow, Isaiah R., jeweler

Graham, Ben, druggist

Gray, John, harness maker

Hoeft, August, wagon maker

Hammond, John C., general store

Hammond, Joseph, gunsmith

Herman & Waterman, (Henry H. and Levi W.,) clothing

Hickey, Francis A., wagonmaker

Hobbs & Lieberknecht, (George A. H. & A. L.,) editors and proprietors Geneseo Republic

Hosford, James S., editor Union Advocate, weekly

Hunt, Job, saloon

Hutchins, John S., proprietor "Geneseo House" and livery stable

Hutchins, Orren, billiard room

Jones, C. DeHaven, physician

Jones, Daniel, lumber dealer

Kinsey & Blodgett, Mrs., millinery

Kline, J. A. & Co., drugs and groceries

Lawbaugh & Brother, (Henry and George) harness makers

Lawrence & Rosenstone, ( Jesse L. and Nels P. R.,) boots and shoes

Lay, William, groceries

Lockwood James R., boots and shoes

Luther, George, general store

Lyon, John M., wagon maker

McBroom & Wilson, ( James McB. and Isaac N. W.,) grain dealers

McConnell, Joseph A., justice of the peace

McGinley W. and J. C. & Co., (William and Jas. C. McG. and William Clawson flouring mills

McHose, Samuel, brickmaker

Manington, John, dentist

Matson & Yaple, Mrs., milinery

Miles, J. S., dry goods

Miller, Abram, proprietor, "Geneseo House ;"

Morton, S. W. & J., (Stewart W. and James M. M.,) general store

Mott, James Z., saloon and boarding

Norton & Bros., dairy

Nourse, Henry, attorney

Nowers, Thomas & Son, general merchandise

Offerle, Lawrence, general store

Parker, Levi, livery stable

Perkins, Seth W., millinery

Perry, Ainsworth & Co., hardware, agricultural implements, etc.

Perry, Charles, notary public and insurance agent.

Perry, G. B. & N. B., (Geo. B. and Nathan B. P.,) general store

Perry, Spaulding & Co., (David L. and Charles P., and Mahlon D. S.) bankers

Raser, George, grocery

Raymond Ranssler, physician

Reed, M., music store

Rich & Har­ rington, lumber dealers

Richardson & Company, (George R. and William B. Tee,) millers

Richmond, I., Geneseo nursery

Rittinger & Dermer, (William R. and Philip H. D.,) groceries

Root & Wood, (Ashbel M. R. and Edward A. W.,) drovers

Schnabele, Philip S., general store

Shaw, E. H., clothing

Shaw, G. W., lawyer

Sheppard, Ralph L.proprietor, "Union Hotel"

Sleight, L. C. & Co., (Luther C. and H. C. S.,) wagon makers

Smith, W. G., clocks, watches and jewelry

Smith, William W., attorney, real estate and insurance agent

Sniff & Fisher, hardware, stoves and tinware

Sowers, John, shoemaker.

Stewart, Elisha M., lumber dealer

Stewart, I. N., furniture

Stewart, L. F., agent Grover & Baker's sewing machines

Sveney, Paul W., hardware

Thomas, Hushai, grain and stock dealer

Thompson, Mrs., milliner

Town, John J., dry goods

"Union Hotel," R. L. Sheppard proprietor

Van Valkenburg, Edward P., dry goods

Van Winkle, Adrian, groceries

Wait, G. E., lawyer; Wales

Amasa, meat market

Wallace, Caleb H., telegraph operator

Way & Cooper, flouring mill

Wells, George, general store

Wells, Ira R. physician and surgeon

Wells & Bidwell, (Theodore W. and Alvin W. B.,) general store

Westergren & Nordstrom, manufactures fanning mills

Whistler, C. S., dry goods

White, A. & Co., foundry

Wood, E. A. & Co., ( J. 0. Hood and S. Kendall,) commission merchants

Young & Neth, ( John D. Y. and John P. N.) general store

Zimmermann & Fromm, (F. Z. and J. F.) cabinetmakers.

History of Henry County

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Illinois Ancestors