General Everything of Champaign County

By Kennis Murphey

Edited by Will Best

Fig. 1: Portrait of Samuel T. Busey

Courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives

General Samuel T. Busey was part of the prominent Busey Family of Champaign County. Gen. Busey was born in Greencastle, Indiana in 1835. His father, Matthew W. Busey Sr heard of promising land in Illinois so he moved with his wife, Elizabeth Busey, and children to Urbana, Illinois in April 1836 (1). The Busey’s would become one of the first families to find residence in the new settlement of Urbana when the area was still mainly open plains and prairie. The Buseys rose to prominence as one of Champaign's most recognizable and revered families as business and community leaders. Samuel T. Busey earned recognition in his community and country through his sacrifices, service, and career to better the lives of those around him.

Busey’s Early Years & Military Career

Samuel T Busey was among a large family, born to Matthew and Elizabeth Busey in Greencastle, Indiana on November 16th, 1835. Only a year after his birth the family moved from Washington County, Indiana to the new city of Urbana, Illinois. Busey received his early education in a one-room log schoolhouse while assisting his father and brothers on the family farm. Not much more is known about Busey’s early life except that in 1857 he entered the mercantile business by working at local drugstore Busey & Miller beginning his extensive entrepreneurism in the county. He would go on to attend commercial college studying law at one of Bryant & Stratton’s Mercantile Colleges beginning of 1860 (2/3).

Fig. 2: Bryant & Stratton Certificate

Courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives

Life would take a turn for Busey in 1862 when he was chosen Town Collector; however, he resigned shortly after as the Civil War began. He joined Company B of the 76th Illinois Infantry as a volunteer commissioned by Illinois Governor Richard Yates. Busey and men from Champaign, Urbana, and Eastern Illinois were mustered in Kankakee on August 22nd, 1862 (4). He joined fellow commander A. W. Mack after being promoted from Captain to Lieutenant Colonel. 

The unit was immediately sent to Columbus, KY for drilling and to await further orders. The regiment was then ordered to Tennessee in October joining General Grant’s push South along the Mississippi Central Railroad. Col. Mack left the regiment shortly before Busey and his men assisted in operations to fight against Confederate General Sterling Price in Holly Springs and Waterford Mississippi at the end of November. Upon hearing word of a raid conducted on their supply depot at Holly Springs by Confederate General Van Dorn, destroying between $500,000 and $1.5 million of supplies, Busey ordered his men to return (5). Living off of the land and facing extensive rationing the 76th Illinois Infantry was able to return to Holly Springs and then to Moscow TN with minimal loss of life. The unit was then notified of Col. Mack’s resignation and Busey was promoted from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel(6).

Busey, in his new position of command, was then sent with his men down the Mississippi in May 1863 to assist in Grant’s siege of Vicksburg and engaged against Confederate troops at Big Black River, Champion Hills, and Jackson. His command won distinction for being the best-drilled and disciplined regiment in the Army of Tennessee (7). In addition to these accolades, Busey was offered a promotion to Brigadier General which he refused, preferring field service. After this campaign into the heart of Mississippi ended the 76th Illinois Infantry returned to Vicksburg where they stayed until the end of the year.  The unit saw little action until mid-1864 while returning from an expedition to Jackson encountered Confederate forces cut off from the rest of the line. The two-day battle that ensued proved to be one of the deadliest fights for the 76th in the war with 102 men lost, sixteen killed and over eighty men wounded and or missing (8). Despite the heavy losses, Col. Busey led his men through the Confederate line and back to Vicksburg. For this effort, he was recommended for command of the outpost at Natchez which the citizenry and soldiers stationed there encouraged him to do. Busey rejected this position as well citing the same reasons as the promotion to Brigadier General. The 76th spent the remainder of 1864 conducting smaller expeditions while traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

Fig. 3: 76th Infantry Memorial at Vicksburg

Taken from National Park Services web page

In March of 1865, the regiment traveled by steamer to Pensacola FL to await further commands. They joined General Frederick Steele's march towards Alabama to take Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely near Mobile on March 20th. Two and a half weeks later on April 9th the regiment led a valiant charge towards Fort Blakely assisting in the capture of the entire garrison and was the first unit to raise their colors on the ramparts (9). This last battle for the 76th also proved to be potentially deadly for Col. Busey. Seventeen men were killed and eighty-one injured including Col. Busey. Accounts vary on the events that led to his injuries, the most reputable reporting that he was struck in the eye by debris from an exploding shell and was later shot in the left thigh alongside Capt. Richard Hughes(10/11) He and the regiment were sent to New Orleans and then to Texas, where they remained until ordered to relocate to Chicago on July 22nd, 1865. The unit and Col. Busey disbanded shortly afterward on August 4th, 1865. After the war General Andrews, Steele, and Grant recommended that Busey be promoted to Brevet Brigadier General for his gallantry in leading his regiment in the assault on Fort Blakely among his other achievements (12).

Fig. 4: Samuel T. Busey in Military Uniform

Courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives

Busey’s Return to Champaign

When General Busey returned to Champaign County in June of 1865, he settled back into town, slowly turning into the do-all, everything man. He once again took up farming but in less than two years the entrepreneur was onto something new. By the fall of 1867, Gen. Busey advanced in the banking business alongside his brother, Simeon Harrison Busey, and another Urbana local, Dr. William Earhart.  They called their bank Busey Brothers & Company Banking Company which opened on January 13th, 1868 (13). The bank would avoid disaster during the numerous financial crises in the 1870s, but their luck didn’t last. 

On April 10th, 1878 when a major fire broke out in downtown Urbana burning several buildings to the ground including the Busey Brothers Bank (14). The bank was insured, and the brothers quickly rebuilt and opened again by September of the same year. In addition to his bank, Busey sought aspirations in the political world, throwing his hat into the ring, and running for Mayor of Urbana a year later.

Fig. 5 & 6: Exterior & Interior of Busey Brother's & Company Bank

Courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives

Gen. Busey of Urbana turned into Mayor Busey of Urbana. Busey ran a victorious campaign as a Democrat in the 1879 election. Busey was the first ever Mayor of Urbana to serve for more than three years, serving five terms from 1880 to 1889. Political drama stirred when a recount occurred in the 1887 election when Mayor Busey’s opponent Baldwick claimed fraud occurred, nevertheless, Busey remained victorious (15). During his tenure, the city of Urbana implemented a waterworks system, and an electric light system was put in. In 1888, retired from his position as Senior Proprietor of Busey Bank and sold his interest to his nephew George Busey (16). In 1890, Busey took steps further into the political world by running against and defeating incumbent Congressman Joe G. Cannon (Republican) of Danville for the 15th Congressional District. He was a Conservative Democrat serving in the 52nd Congress (17). Despite this success, Cannon would make a comeback two years later in 1892 defeating Busey in a close race.

Fig 7: 1890 Election Results

Taken from the Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection

Busey returned to Urbana defeated, but not done in. He remained a prominent and incredibly active member of his local community engaging with public works projects and supporting local legislation. Busey was instrumental in organizing the local Black Eagle Post No. 129 of the Grand Army of the Republic and was elected its first commander (18).

Gen. Busey tragically drowned in Minnesota at ManTrap Lake on August 13, 1909. He died with his niece, Anna McLean (an Urbana public school teacher) when their boat capsized (19). Their bodies were recovered and sent to Urbana for burial in Woodlawn Cemetery where their graves still lie.

Fig 8: Samuel T. Busey Tombstone

Taken from Find-A-Grave

Gen. Busey’s legacy can still be felt and seen today in local businesses and the community. Busey Bank remains a financial pillar of our community now operating nine branches in Champaign County and more than sixty in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and even Florida. His name is still recognized today in Urbana at the Samuel T. Busey Memorial Library better known as The Urbana Free Library. After his death, his widow, Mary E. Busey donated $35,000 for the construction of the library in honor of her late husband. The library opened its doors in July of 1918 and continues to serve our local community and preserve our history. For a gentleman who seemingly did it all, how can we best describe his achievements? His description in the 1900 Biographical Record of Champaign County provides an answer. “His life has been manly, his action sincere, his manner unaffected, and his example well worthy of emulation.” (20)

Sources

1. Urbana Daily Courier. Col S. T. Busey. Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection. April 11, 1906.

2. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 615.

3. What We Need Is A Bank. Busey Bank. Flying Color Graphics Andromeda Printing Division. 1993. Page 3.

4. Regimental and Unit Histories. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. 1902. Page 236 - 238.

5. Coffey, Walter. The Holly Springs Raid. The Civil War Months. December 20, 2022.

6. Regimental and Unit Histories. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. 1902. Page 236.

7. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 616.

8. Regimental and Unit Histories. Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. 1902. Page 237.

9.  Ibid.

10. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 616.

11. Soldiers and Patriots Biographical Album. Union Veteran Publishing Company. 1892. Page 338.

12. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 616.

13. What We Need Is A Bank. Busey Bank. Flying Color Graphics Andromeda Printing Division. 1993. Page 9.

14. Champaign County Herald. Fire! Fire! Fire!. Champaign County Historical Archives. April 10, 1878.

15. Weekly Pantagraph. Vol. 41. No. 26.  Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection. July 1, 1887.

16. What We Need Is A Bank. Busey Bank. Flying Color Graphics Andromeda Printing Division. 1993. Page 14.

17. Albion Journal. Vol. 22. No. 22. Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection. December 18, 1890.

18. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 617.

19. Urbana Daily Courier. Vol. 12. No. 193. Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection. August 13, 1909.

20. The Biographical Record of Champaign County Illinois. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. 1900. Page 618.