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Iles House financed from a foundation of livestock

The Elijah Iles House is the oldest home in Springfield, Ill. Iles, known as “the father of Springfield,” constructed this Greek Revival-style home in the 1830s. Guide and former resident David Stevens described it as “a raised cottage with a masonry first floor. This style was common in the Southeast.”

That influence was evident to David when he took a trip to the southern coast. “When I was four, my grandmother took me to the Gulf, in 1931. We stayed across the compound from the Jefferson Davis House. I thought they’d moved this house down there.”

Elijah Iles was born on March 7, 1796, in Kentucky, 60 miles east of Lexington. Iles’ grandfather was an Englishman, and his grandmother Welsh. He taught school for two winters, then, according to the Sangamon County Biographies, “His father then gave him $300, with which he bought 100 head of yearling cattle. These he herded among the mountains in the eastern part of Kentucky, about 20 miles outside of civilization, on the Little Sandy River.”

After selling his cattle, he traveled, working as a clerk and land agent. In June 1821, Iles arrived in central Illinois. “He came to Illinois and opened the first store,” David shared.

Iles went on to be involved in most important aspects of Springfield’s development, the Elijah Iles House brochure shares. In 1823, he led three other men in a venture to create the “Town of Calhoun,” and the name was later changed to Springfield.

The Iles House was built on the southeast corner of Sixth and Cook, which David said was known as Aristocracy Hill. “When I was a kid, Sixth Street was full of big mansions,” he added.

Iles built his house during the 1830s, then sold it to Robert Irwin, a merchant who was also Abraham Lincoln’s banker. “He became custodian of (Lincoln’s) assets when he became President. Irwin died one month before Lincoln,” David said.

Linda Garber; the home historian, said Lincoln used to come to the Irwin’s on Friday nights to play whist.

“Irwin’s widow lived here until 1891, then Edward Hall bought it. He was a member of the First Christian congregation. Hall sold the property to the church and the house to my grandfather,” she said.
David’s grandparents were Latham and Lyna Souther. “They had to move the house and they selected a site at 1825 South Fifth Street,” states the Elijah Iles House brochure.

“They are perhaps Springfield’s first preservationists, as they saved the house from demolition, moved it to a new site, made improvements sensitive to the house’s history and architecture and lived in the house from 1910 until the second of them to die, in 1950.”

David and his brother, Logan McMinn, are the only ones left who remember living in the home at that time. “After our grandparents died, the house was auctioned off to four different owners who intended to restore it,” David said. “In 1993, the city bought it.”
The Elijah Iles House Foundation was created and carried out the restoration and preservation. The house was moved in 1996; the city gave the house to the Foundation in 1998. “We built a foundation and it took 10 years to restore. It was in terrible shape,” David said.

The home opened on September 2005 for tours. Some of the highlights of the home include the wide front porch and original plank hardwood floors made from white ash.

The house is filled with pictures by itinerant painters who David said painted primarily land and livestock. One historic picture was painted by Alfred E. Montgomery. Born a slave, he lived in Lincoln, Ill., and painted corn.

The raised basement, or first floor, is the Farrell & Ann Gay Museum of Springfield. This area contains history of Springfield, including the Illinois Watch Co.

The Elijah Iles House can be rented out for events. Tours are given on Wednesdays and Saturdays noon-4 p.m., or by appointment. It is located at 628 South 7th Street, Springfield, IL 62703-1637; call 217-492-5929 or e-mail ileshouse@juno.com for more information.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.

3/30/2010