E. K. Crothers

ELI KIRK CROTHERS, M. D., now deceased, was for years one of the most prominent physicians in Bloomington, one whose reputation was not confined alone to the city of his adoption, but his ability was recognized throughout the length and breadth of the land. He was born in Mt Pleasant, Ohio, October 29, 1826, and when ten years of age came with his parents to Illinois, his father making a home in Fulton county, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. In the schools of his native state, and in those of Fulton county, our subject attained his literary education. At the age of nineteen he entered the office of a physician in Vermont, Illinois, and read medicine, taking his first lectures at Mc- Dowell Medical College, St. Louis, Missouri, and his last course at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from which he received his degree. After engaging in practice a few years, he returned to Jefferson Medical College and took a post graduate course. Later he took a special course in the treatment of the eye and ear, in which he made a specialty during the last years of his life.

In 1850 Dr. Crothers located in Bloomington for the practice of his profession, and in a short time, by reason of his superior skill as a physician, built up a large and lucrative practice, doing all that it was possible for one man to do, keeping two teams and a driver and working them all down. He visited professionally all the neighboring towns, and was often called into consultation with other physicians. He was active in the discharge of his duties, attending to calls in and out of the city, as long as health would permit. When, in justice to himself, he could no longer attend to outside work, he engaged in office practice, giving special attention to the treatment of the eye and ear.

Dr. Crothers was one of the charter members of the McLean County Medical Society, and was its second president. He took an active part in its proceedings for some years, contributing some very valuable papers. He was a very close student in his profession, and his colleagues considered him authority. Dr. Byford, of Chicago, pronounced him one among the best diagnosticians of whom he had any knowledge, and Professor Gross, of Philadelphia, said about the same thing of him. He had a fine library, and made the best use of his books. Financially, he became well-to-do, owning at one time the largest drug store in Bloomington. He built three business blocks in the city, two on the south side of the square and one on Front street, all good business blocks to-day, and creditable to the city.

On the ist of May, 1851, Dr. Crothers was united in marriage with Miss Marie Louise Depew, of Bloomington, daughter of Elijah Depew, originally from Virginia, of the same family, but several removes, from the noted Chauncey Depew. The family are of English ancestry. Miss Depew came with her father to Bloomington in 1840. In Indianapolis he was engaged in the drygoods trade, in which line he continued after his removal to Bloomington. He became one of the leading business men of the city, and had an extensive acquaintance throughout the state. He was never an aspirant for office, but was an earnest worker in the Whig ranks. On the organization of the Republican party, he gave his adherence to that party, and, in fact, was one of its organizers. He was well versed in history, and David Davis made the statement that he never found him in error. Later he removed to the south part of the state, where his death occurred. While Mr. Lincoln was in the white house, he sent Mr. Depew many public documents addressed in his own handwriting.

To Dr. and Mrs. Crothers four children were born, all of whom have received good education. Noble E. is now a resident of Paxton, Illinois. Louise M. is a graduate of pharmacy. Eli K., Jr., is engaged in business in Bloomington. Rachel is a well known elocutionist.

After her marriage, Mrs. Crothers became interested in her husband's work, and studied with him for some time, and finally became his assistant. In 1877-8 she took a course in the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, and in 1880-81 a course in the Woman's Medical College, of Chicago, and also a special course in gynecology at the Rush Medical College, of Chicago, the privilege for which was secured through the influence of Prof. W. H. Byford and other friends. Returning to Philadelphia, in 1882-3, she received her degree of Doctor of Medicine. For some years she had a large general practice, and also in gynecology. She was the first successful female physician in Bloomington, and met with a good deal of opposition, even from the profession, they not taking very kindly to the idea of women entering the profession.

She kept on her way, however, and in time made even her opponents her warm friends. Of late she has confined herself to office practice. Her colleagues in the profession in Bloomington and McLean county acknowledge her ability, and esteem her highly for her work's sake. She is a member of the Christian church.

Without his knowledge or solicitation, Dr. Crothers was appointed by President Lincoln, medical examiner of soldiers during the civil war, and held the office until it became too burdensome, and practically without pay. He examined the soldiers, who, on account of wounds or disease, were home on furlough, and extended the furloughs when he thought it was necessary for the soldier's good. It made for him an immense lot of work, his district extending over a considerable portion of central Illinois. Lincoln knew him personally, having been his attorney in the only suit the Doctor ever had.

From early life. Dr. Crothers was a member of the Christain church, and for many years was an elder in his local church. He took an active interest in every department of church work, and was a strong believe in the inspiration of the Bible. His death occurred in April, 1893, and he was sincerely mourned by the family which he loved so well, the church to which he was devoted, his professional brethren, and the citizens generally, among whom nearly forty-three years of his life was spent.

is a representative ot the oldest and two of the most prominent pioneer families of Bloomington, her first husband being William H. AUin, a son of James Allin, who in 1828 entered the land from the government where the city now stands. He was a native of Virginia, born January 13, 1788, aad before coming to this state lived for a time in Indiana, where he married Miss Catherine Livingston, who was born October 23, 1801. He located at Vandalia, Illinois, when it was a mere trading post and there engaged in business until his removal to Bloomington. With an ox team he moved his small stock of goods to this place, while his wife came on horseback. Selecting a location at what is now the corner of Grove and East streets, he erected, in 1828, a two-room log cabin which is still standing although it is now covered on both the outside and inside. One room was used for a store, the other for a living room, and it was there that the first business in Bloomington was conducted, but the white settlers in this locality were then very scarce and it became rather an Indian trading post. In the living room the first session of court in Bloomington was held and as Mrs. Allin was sick in bed at the time she was obliged to be present, it being the first and only time she was ever in court. The first religious services were also held there by a circuit rider of the Methodist Episcopal church. On coming to this county in 1828, Mr. Allin entered about a section of land, but the same year he desired to enter more, and finding that another gentleman wished to secure the same tract and was watching his movements, he drew up the papers and sent his son William H., then a lad of ten years, on horseback to Springfield to enter the same. The boy started off in the opposite direction until out of sight and then proceeded direct to Springfield, crossing the wild prairies and fording unbridged creeks. The sun was his guide. He was not much missed but on coming out of the land office after making his entry he met the man who had gone there for the same purpose. He finally reached home in safety after a journey of sixty miles.

James Allin laid out Bloomington into streets and town lots, the city limits being Grove street on the south, and East, West and North streets, respectively. It was only four blocks square and comprised what is now the very heart of the city. The central block he gave to the county on condition that this be made the county seat, which was eventually done. That his shrewd business judgment was far in advance of the time, shown by the fact that he gave alternate lots to any responsible man of character who would build on and improve the same. In this way Bloomington was started and grew more rapidly than the other cities around. He laid out a number of early additions, all in the northwest part of town. In his little log store he conducted the first post office, but as his trade increased, he enlarged his store and business facilities, his goods being brought up the Illinois river to Pekin and then across the country by teams. In later years his time was principally devoted to the real-estate business, entering new lands and laying out additions to the city. On the Whig ticket he was elected to the state legislature in 1838, and as a public-spirited and enterprising citizen, he always took an active interest in public affairs. His home was a stopping place with Lincoln when a young man, and it was Mr. Allin that first predicted that he would one day be president of the United States. In his later years he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which his wife was always connected. He died May 5, 1869, and she passed away March 2, 1872, honored and respected by all who knew them. In their family were three sons, all now deceased, and one daughter, Mrs. Dr. Hoover, a resident of Chicago, William H., the eldest son, is mentioned below; James died in Kansas City, Missouri; and John, in Wilmington, Illinois.

William H. Allin was born April 25, 1818, in Indiana, and therefore was only ten years old when brought by his parents to Bloomington. As there were no schools in this region at that time, he was almost wholly self-educated by reading and study in later years. As a boy he assisted his father in the store, and when the latter failed by going security for others, he took the store and successfully conducted it. He wa one of the three men who laid out the new addition to the city cemetery, the others being Judge David Davis and James Robinson. One fine lot was reserved with the understanding that the first of the three to die was to be hurried there, and it fell to the lot of Mr. Allin, as he passed away Monday, July 27, 1857. He was successfully engaged in mercantile business for nineteen years, and became the owner of considerable land in different parts of the county. He also owned the block in the city bounded by Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and West streets, on which he located in 1845. His widow still owns and occupies the old homestead there, but has sold the half which was the garden, it being now occupied by the jail. He had the respect and esteem of all who knew him on account of the honorable, straightforward business policy he ever followed. Integrity, activity and energy were the crowning points of his success, and his connection with various enterprises was of decided advantage to this section of the state, promoting its material welfare in no uncertain manner. He liberally assisted in the building of the Normal School and also the Wesleyan University, and when the railroad was started gave the right of way through a number of his farms. He served for two terms or eight years, as county clerk of Mc- Lean county, and in politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He was present at the organization of the Republican party in the Majors building, and was one of its active supporters from its inception.

On the 20th of November, 1838, William H. Allin was united in marriage with Miss Judith Ann Major, and to them were born five children, of whom four reached years of maturity, namely: Susan, now deceased, was the wife of James Walker, of Peoria; Edward is mentioned below; Caroline is the wife of Walter Rogers, of this county; and William H. is now a resident of Maud, Kentucky. Edward Allin was born in Bloomington. May 6, 1842, and began his education in the city schools. In 1858-9 he attended Jubilee College, Peoria county, and later took a commercial course at Eastman's Business College, Poughkeepsie, New York, after which he returned to Bloomington. In 1864, he went to Kinderhook, New York, where he married Miss Mary E. Thomas, whose father's farm adjoined that of Martin Van Buren. After spending thirteen years in the east, Mr. Allin returned to his native city, where he is now living retired from business cares on account of ill health. He has two children: Caroline; and Robert T., of Peoria, who married Mary Griller and has one child, Carrie Allin.

Mrs. Bradner, formerly Mrs. William H. Allin, is still living and is a bright, active old lady, loved and respected by all who know her. She was born near Paris, Kentucky, May 9, 1 8 14. Her parents, William P. and Margaret A. (Ship) Major, were both natives of Bourbon county, that state, the former born March i, 1790, the latter August I, 1792, and they were married in 1812. After farming there for some years, he free such of his slaves as could be self-supporting and got masters for others, and then removed to Christian county, Kentucky, where he lived from 1818 to 1835. He had been much opposed to slavery for many years, and in 1835, he finally came to Illinois, locating one mile north of the court house in Bloomington. He was quite wellto-do, and here he erected what was then the finest house in the country, it being twp stories in height, with wings on each side, a porch in front and built almost entirely of black walnut. He entered large tracts of land all around his first purchase, which was made of Mr. Allin, and became the owner of more than a thousand acres on the east and west sides of Main street. He was a prominent stock raiser, making a specialty of Durham cattle, and also had from fifteen hundred to two thousand sheep.

In his own home Mr. Allin organized the first Christian church in the county, with eleven members, and gave the lot and furnished most of the money for the erection of a house of worship for the congregation. When there was no preacher available, he took charge of the church services, but he lived to see a large and prosperous church established in Bloomington, in which has been placed a memorial window to him. His daughter, Mrs. Bradner, is now the only one of the original members living. His home, church and business claimed his entire attention; he was a devoted Christian, and in all the relations of life was an upright and honorable man. Of his ten children, nine lived to be grown and five are still living: Judith Ann, now Mrs. Bradner; Labon S., a physician of Chicago; John A., a physician of Spokane Falls, Washington; Ann M., now Mrs. Jones, of Springfield, Illinois, whose husband is an ex-judge and was the first officer appointed by President Lincoln as circuit clerk of the southern district of Illinois; and James, a resident of Denver, Colorado.

In October, 1876, Mrs. Allin married George Bradner, who was born in Dansville, New York, and educated in Rome, that state. About 1840 he came to Illinois, and, with Governor Mattison, was engaged in business at Joliet for some time as a manufacturer and dealer in wool. He was also interested in the hardware trade and was a prominent and successful business man. He came to Bloomington at about the time the first railroad was built here, and continued his interest in the same lines of business until his retirement in 1876. He was one of the leading business men of this city and was held in high esteem by his associates and friends. He died December 31, 1896, when almost eighty-five years of age.

As printed in The Biographical record of McLean County, Illinois (1899). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.