Elijah P. Lovejoy Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

ILReviewer: Since I haven't heard from the owner I'm reluctantly archiving this cache. If the owner wishes to reactivate this cache in the next couple of months, please e-mail me at IllinoisGeocacher@yahoo.com and I'll unarchive it as soon as I can.

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Hidden : 4/1/2003
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is placed carefully on top of the tallest point in Alton Illinois. After you reach the summit of the hill the terrain is rolling hills.

Elijah Parish Lovejoy -was born in Albion, Maine, November 9, 1802. He graduated from Waterville College (now Colby College) in 1826 and came to St. Louis as a school teacher.

In 1831 he joined the First Presbyterian Church, decided to become a minister, and returned to the East to study at Princeton Theological Seminary. He was licensed to preach in April, 1833, by the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia. He was ordained by the Presbytery of St. Louis in 1834 and was elected its Moderator in 1835. In St. Louis he was pastor of the Des Peres Presbyterian Church (the "Old Meeting House"). He published a religious newspaper, The St. Louis Observer, and began to advocate the abolition of slavery. Despite the bitter feeling against him., Lovejoy persisted in arguing the fights of freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom from slavery. After seeing a slave, Francis J. McIntosh, burned at the stake, his editorials became so strident against slavery that he became an object of hatred by both Southerners and slave-holders. His press was wrecked by a mob in July, 1836, and he moved to Alton in the free State of Illinois.

In Alton, Lovejoy became the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery in 1837 and the first pastor of the present College Avenue Presbyterian Church. He actively supported the organization of the Ant-slavery Society of Illinois which enraged the Alton citizens. He continued writing and publishing the Alton Observer even after three presses had been destroyed and thrown into the Mississippi River.

On the historic night of November 7, 1837, a group of 20 Lovejoy supporters joined him at the Godfrey & Gilman warehouse to guard a new press until it could be installed at the Observer. As the crowd grew outside, excitement and tension mounted. Soon the pro-slavery mob began hurling rocks at the warehouse windows. The defenders retaliated by bombarding the crowd with a supply of earthenware pots found in the warehouse. Then came an exchange of gunfire. Alton's mayor tried in vain to persuade the defenders inside to abandon the press. They stood fast. One of the mob climbed a ladder to try to set fire to the roof of the building. Lovejoy and one of his supporters darted into the darkness to over-turn the ladder, for they knew they would be doomed if a fire was set. But again a volunteer mounted the ladder to try to ignite the roof with a smoking pot of pitch. As Lovejoy assisted Royal Weller in putting out the fire on the roof of the building, Lovejoy received a blast from a double-barreled shotgun. Five of the bullets fatally struck Lovejoy. He died in the arms of his friend Thaddeus Hurlbut. The mob cheered and said all in the building should die. Amos Roff tried to calm the mob and was shot in the ankle. Defenders of the press then laid down their weapons and were allowed to leave. The mob rushed the building, found the press, and threw it out a window to the riverbank, broke it into pieces and dumped the broken parts into the river, The body of Lovejoy was left undisturbed, remaining there until morning, guarded by friends who finally carried him home. He was buried on his 35th birthday, November 9, 1837, in an unmarked grave in the Alton City Cemetery, the location known by a black man, William "Scotch" Johnston, who assisted in the burial.

Years later, through the generosity of Thomas Dimmock, Lovejoy's body was exhumed and re interred at the present site. Dimmock purchased the small but appropriate marble scroll which marks the grave on which is inscribed the Latin words which translates:
"Here lies Lovejoy - Spare him now the grave." He also purchased the New England granite block beneath the scroll and the wall which encloses the grave site.

The story of Lovejoy and the Abolitionists is the story of the enduring vigil for freedom of thought, speech, and the press. For a moment in 1837, Alton, Illinois, was the scene of a battle for freedom that was felt across the nation. The mob action at Godfrey & Gilman warehouse was the first, but unrecorded, battle of the Civil War.

THE FOLLOWING WAS COPIED FROM AN OLD ALTON SCHOOL TEXT BOOK
(visit link)

The dedication of the Lovejoy Monument took place Monday, November 8th, 1897. It was the 60th anniversary of the death of the man who gave his life for free speech and a free press. A monument was dedicated to Lovejoy's memory and to the beliefs for which he died. A statue of Victory stands at the top of the main shaft and large eagles with outstretched wing, top the two side columns. These express the ideas of triumph and fulfillment. The monument was designed by R. P. Bringhurst, of St. Louis, assisted by Louis Mullgardt of St. Louis. The contract was given to the Culver Stone Company, of Springfield, Illinois, and Honorabie L Pfieffenberger supervised the work for the association. The building committee consisted of Directors L. Pfeiffenberger, John E. Hayner, and Edward Levis, with Honorable Thomas Dimmock advisory member.

The monument, is a huge granite column some 93 feet high, topped by a bronze statue of Victory, 17 feet high, weighing 8,700 pounds. This column, in three sections, weighing respectively 16, 18, and 22 tons, is one of the largest columns in the area. It stands in the center of a terrace, 40 feet in diameter, surrounded on three sides by granite outside walls, 8 feet high on the outside and having a seat on the inside. The terrace is reached by 8 granite steps. At the side of the steps are two granite sentinel columns, 3O feet high. Mounted on the columns are two bronze eagles, with an 8 foot wingspread. On each of the four sides of the die is a bronze panel with an inscription. The name Elijah Parish Lovejoy is placed on the back of the monument in granite letters about 15 inches high. With the exception of the bronze, the monument is built entirely of light Barre granite.

Its cost was $30,000.00. It is worthy of the man and of the cause for which he died.


The Monument Inscriptions

The idea, of the monument association in preparing the inscriptions, was to let Lovejoy speak for himself as an editor, minister of the gospel, and opponent of slavery. A quotation from his writings was placed under each of these heads. The fourth inscription is in honor of the men who stood by him in defense of his rights, and risked their lives and property. The inscriptions and historical data are:

(South Front)
(Medallion of Lovejoy)
ELIJAH P. LOVEJOY
EDITOR ALTON OBSERVER
Albion, Maine. November 8, 1802
Alton, Illinois, November 7, 1837

A MARTYR TO LIBERTY

"I have sworn eternal opposition to slavery, and by the blessing of God, I will never go back."

(North Front)
CHAMPION OF FREE SPEECH
(Cut of Lovejoy Press)
"But, gentlemen, as long as I am an American citizen, and as long as American blood runs in these veins, I shall hold myself at liberty to speak, to write, to publish whatever I please on any subject-being amenable to the laws of my country for the same."

(East Panel)
MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL
MODERATOR OF
ALTON PRESBYTERY
"If the laws of my country fail to protect me I appeal to God, and with him I cheerfully rest my cause. I can die at m y post but I cannot desert it."

(West Panel)
SLAVE VICTORIES!
This monument commemorates the valor, devotion, and sacrifices of the noble Defenders of the Press, who, in this city, on November 7, 1837, made the first armed resistance to the aggressions of the slave power in America.

In addition to these epitaphs in bronze the following explanatory inscriptions are placed on the granite bases below the urns:
Erected
by the State of Illinois
and citizens of Alton.
1896-'97
Dedicated
In gratitude of God,
and in the love of Liberty,
November 8, 1897

This cache is placed on the grounds of the cemetery by the monument. It is a very short walk to the cache and about 20 stairs to climb, so pregnant women, children, seniors, and the guy with crutches can do this one, no wheelchair would dream of completing this task (sorry). The park hours are
1/2 hour after sunrise and 1/2 before sunset, but there is no gate to lock you in.This area is hunter free, well maintained and beautiful. Cache accuracy is 15 feet with WAAS reading.

p.s. bring a pen, pencil, crayon, or marker to sign the log.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybbx ybj.[BRING YOUR OWN PENCIL]

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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