Lanark Lodge, No. 423, was chartered Oct. 4, 1865, with 36 members. First officers: C. Cogswell, W., W. Beans, S. W., F. D. Tracy, J. W. Present membership 58.

Masonic - Lanark Chapter, No. 139, commenced work under charter dated Oct. 7, 1870. First officers: G. A. Smith, H. P., E. Northey, K., D. W. Dame, S.

I.O.O.F. - Rock Creek Lodge, No. 424, was chartered October 11, 1870, with six members. Present membership, 62.

The A.O.U.W. have an organization that is in good working condition.

Banking - The First National Bank of Lanark was organized in the Winter of 1870, with a capital of $50,000, which was afterwards increased to $100,000, and subsequently reduced to $50,000. Has a surplus of $10,000. This bank does a large business, and has sold exchange on Chicago to the amount of $480,000; New York, $45,000; Milwaukee, $120,000; total $645,000. Robt. Paley, President; John Paley, Cashier.

Stock and Grain Shipments - Lanark is a great grain and stock shipping point. The following figure show the amount of business transacted by H. B. Puterbaugh's grain elevator and stock yards, from January 1, to December 22, 1877:

126 cars oats, estimated value $ 20,109.73
97 cars corn, estimated value 16,615.24
12 cars rye, estimated value 2,400.00
18 cars barley, estimated value 3,150.00
6 cars wheat, estimated value 1,980.00
Amount seeds shipped, beside retail trade 5,239.97
175 cars live hogs, estimated value 131,250.00
37 cars cattle, estimated value 37,000.00
2 cars sheep, estimated value ____514.17

Total amount $218,259.11

Furnished M. Prescott, on joint account __58,857.21

Total aggregate value $277,116.32



From January 1 to December 31, 1877, the shipments made by C. W. Stone were as follows:


No. cars wheat 12
No. cars oats 105
No. cars corn 162
No. cars rye 13
No. cars barley 24
No. cars stock 63 - 379



The Carroll County Banner was founded in May, 1864, by John R. Howlett, a native of New York, who continued its publication until September, 1867, when the office was sold to James E. Millard, at which time the Banner had a circulation of nearly six hundred copies. The first number of the paper under Mr. Millard's management was issued Sept. 14, 1867, and was continued with only fair support until Jan. 18, 1871, when, having an opportunity to sell the material and fixtures in the office, and having been elected to the office of County Superintendent of Schools, the publication was stopped. The material was moved to Davis, Ill., and from thence to Pecatonica, Ill., and is now used in the office of the Pecatonica News.

The next week after the sale of the Banner to Mr. Millard, Mr. Howlett changed the name of the Shannon Gazette, which he owned to the Carroll County Gazette, and commenced its publication at Shannon. For reasons best known to himself, and to secure a better location for the paper, Mr. Howlett, in the early part of the year 1868, removed the office to Lanark, and continued the publication of the Gazette at this place. By an agreement with Mr. Millard, at the time of the sale of the Banner office, Mr. Howlett had agreed not to publish a paper in Lanark, for the space of one year, and, on application of Mr. M--, he was restrained, by injunction, from publishing a paper in Lanark. Thereupon, the Gazette was sold to John M. Adair, who continued its publication for a period of some six months, when Mr. Howlett again became associated with its publication, and finally assumed complete control.

On the morning of April 29, 1872, the office was destroyed by fire. The material in the office was valued at $5,000, and there was an insurance of only $1,800 on it. The day following the fire, the citizens of Lanark, headed by the leading business men, formed a stock company and purchased the necessary outfit for a new office. The publication of the paper was continued, with an interruption of but a few days, under the auspices of the Gazette Printing Company, with Mr. Howlett as editor and manager. The new arrangement was prolonged for nearly a year, when the office was transferred to Mr. H., and the Gazette was published without further change up to near the time of his death, which occurred in the latter part of July, 1875.

On the 3d of July, 1875, Mr. George Hay assumed control of the office; and on the 4th of September, W. W. Lowis was taken into partnership, and the paper was continued under their management until Nov. 7, 1876, when Mr. Hay sold his interest to F. H. B. McDowell, of Chicago. The partnership of Lowis & McDowell was continued until Feb. 1, 1877, when Mr. McDowell purchased the interest of Mr. Lowis. The paper has a bona fide circulation of nearly 1,000 copies, and its subscription list is constantly increasing. It is published in the form designated "a nine-column folio," is now published "at home," and has the largest circulation of any paper in the county. It is independent Republican in political complexion, and is progressive and earnest in its public policy.

The Brethren at Work Publishing House is, from present indications, destined to become the largest printing establishment in this part of the state. The house has an excellent outfit: a large Potter press, Gordon press, Peerless cutter, and other conveniences usually belonging to a first-class newspaper office. They are well prepared for all kinds of pamphlet and ordinary book work.

The Brethren at Work is a neatly printed weekly of eight pages, published in the interest of the German Baptist (Dunkard) Church, and is owned and edited by J. H. Moore, S. H. Bashor and M. M. Eshelman.

The paper was established in this wise:

J. H. Moore, a minister, who followed house painting for a livelihood, and preached every Sunday besides, lived in the county, near Urbana, Ill. Here, in 1872, he commenced writing and had published several pamphlets in defence of the doctrine believed by his people. The pamphlets attained a wide circulation.

M. M. Eshelman, a school teacher, living near Lanark, also published several pamphlets and one book of a few hundred pages.

In the Spring of 1876, times being hard and work scarce in Champaign County, J. H. Moore came to Carroll County, to carry on house painting, having had the promise of work here. He and Eshelman having met a few times, corresponded considerable, they both worked as house painters during the Summer, and spent their leisure hours drawing up plans for a paper, which they had had in contemplation a few years.

They corresponded with J. T. Meyers, of Germantown, Pa., who was publishing a monthly half German and half English paper, called the Brethren's Messenger.

In the month of September, 1876, this office outfit was moved to Lanark, taking up but a small portion of a large brick building they had rented. They soon had a large Potter press put up, and, Sept. 14, 1876, issued the first number of the Brethren at Work, then a small four-page paper.

As the denomination had no other paper in the West, it increased in circulation very rapidly, reaching nearly four thousand the first year.

Moore moved his family to Lanark in September, 1876.

J. T. Meyers remained East.

In the month of November, 1877, the interest belonging to J. T. Meyers was purchased by S. H. Bashor, the most successful evangelist in the church.

The paper is strictly religious, fearless and outspoken. It rings out clearly and distinctly what it believes. The editors are not afraid to speak against sin of every grade and order.