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Gc 977.301 D92d 1237428
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00839 4311
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017
https://archive.org/details/historyofdupagec00dupa
Ing?byZBEal &SonsBBarclay StNY
Hillard Scott
HISTORY
- OF -
DUPAGE COUNTY,
ILLINOIS.
COMPILED UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 1876.
AURORA, ILL. : KNICKERBOCKER & HODDER, Publishers, and Blank Book Makers, Nos. 24, 26 & 28 Broadway. 1877.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year Eighteen Hundred and Seventy- Seven, by the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF DU PAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
-
1237428
PREFACE.
The following pages owe their origin primarily to a resolution of Congress, passed in 1876, recommending to the various State authorities the preparation of Cen- tennial State Histories.
In obedience to which resolution, the Governor of Illi- nois requested the County Boards of the State to pro- vide histories of their respective Counties.
At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors of DuPage County, held in June 1876, Supervisor Lakey presented the following resolution, which, on his motion, was adopted :
Resolved, That such an amount as shall be necessary, not exceeding five hundred dollars, to defray the expenses of preparing a history of the County of DuPage and the towns therein, in accordance with the proclamation of the Governor of this State, be, and the same is hereby appropriated by the Board of Supervisors.
Resolved, That said sum, or so much thereof as shall be necessary, be expended or used by the Chairman of this Board, in his discretion, who is hereby appointed a committee for that purpose and requested to make his report to the Board hereafter.
To the Board Supervisors of DuPage County-
GENTLEMEN :- The importance of presenting as full, complete and accurate a history of our County, from its earliest settlement to the present time, as possible within the limits contemplated by the resolution, made it nec-
20.00
Rohr, Nayman-
IV
PREFACE.
essary for me to employ some one, not having the time myself, to collect and complete said history, subject to my examination and approval, I secured the services of C. W. Richmond, Esq., for that purpose.
I have the pleasure to say that he has made a highly satisfactory compilation, which is herewith submitted in manuscript. The time spent in gathering and arrang- ing the statistics has been more than I at first anticipat- ed, yet I am satisfied no more time has been consumed than was necessary for the purpose.
The subjoined report of Mr. Richmond gives a gen- eral detailed plan of the history.
Very Respectfully, LEWIS ELLSWORTH, Chairman.
March 20th, 1877.
HON. LEWIS ELLSWORTH, Chairman of Board of Su- pervisors :- I herewith submit in manuscript a history of the county as prepared by your request. It will be observed that the plan adopted was to present:
First-An account of the early settlement, with facts and statistics relating to the several industries, schools and colleges, the organization of the county and its political history.
Second-A history of the part taken by the county in the late war, and an account of the services of the soldiers. In this connection an effort has been made to give the names of all who enlisted in the county during the war. This has involved the careful scrutiny of more than two hundred thousand names, and has resulted in bringing together for permanent record some fifteen hundred names, which were found scattered through nearly fifty regiments.
Third-A history of the several towns, with an account of their settlement and progress to the present time. Very Respectfully,
C. W. RICHMOND.
CONTENTS.
Addison,
I30
Addison Village,
I34
A Wolf Hunt,
161
Agricultural Society,
30
Its Organization,
30
Its Records,
30 31 31
Act of Incorporation,
32
Big Woods Claim Society,
Its Organization, -
18
Its Courts of Arbitration,
17 20
Its Decisions, -
189
Black Hawk War, -
-
13
Bloomingdale,
I34
Bloomingdale Village,
142
Building Materials,
29
Claim Protecting Societies,
16
Claim Funds, -
I5 20
County Claim Society, -
21
Its Precinct Committees, -
23
Its Board of Arbitration,
24
Claim Societies Subordinate, -
27
County Organization,
40
Origin of the name Du Page, First Settlers,
9
-
IO
First Tillers of the Soil.
I3
Its First Officers,
Its Grounds,
Its Present Officers,
32 16 17
Its Records, -
Biographical Sketches,
-
Its Records,
CONTENTS.
County Seat Location,
-
41
Court House Title,
43
Political Designations,
-
55
Character of the Surface,
27
Fuel and Timber,
27
Streams,
Soil,
-
County Officers,
Members of Legislature,
-
County Clerks,
45
Circuit Clerks,
Recorders,
Clerks and Recorders,
Treasurers,
Sheriffs,
Surveyors,
County Judges,
Coroners,
School Commissioners,
School Superintendents,
County Commissioners,
48 49 49 52
Circuit Judges,
County Seat Removal,
57
Chief Staples, -
30 188
Contract with first Teacher,
I2 39
County Institutes,
38
Changes of eleven years in Schools,
39
County Superintendent's Report,
35
DuPage River,
9 I55
Downer's Grove Village,
157
Duncklee's Grove,
I3
Fruits,
30
Fate of Green,
I4I
First School,
IO
Fort Hill Seminary,
32
-
27 29 43 44
45 45 45 45 46 47 46 47 47
Supervisors, -
County Population,
Costs of Education,
Downer's Grove,
CONTENTS.
VII
Gary's Mills,
147
Hard Times of 1832,
I3
Hard Times of 1837,
27
Hinsdale Village,
159
Hobson Bailey and Family,
10
Kent Tragedy,
127
Lisle,
Land Sharks, -
r7 1 I5 33 28
Mastodon,
58
Mexican War, -
War of Secession, -
Ladies' Aid Societies,
Summary,
Number of Infantry furnished by County,
Number of Cavalry furnished by County,
Number of Artillery furnished by County,
64 to 130
Officers and men enlisted in DuPage County, Sanitary Commission,
61
Milton,
166
Naper, Capt. Joseph,
I2
Naperville,
150
Naperville Village.
150
Newspapers,
53
Naperville Academy,
33
North-western College,
34
Number of Towns,
14
Precincts,
14
Productions of County,
29
Public Schools,
34
Prospect Park, -
169
Relation of Schools and Colleges,
37
Stone Quarries,
28
Schools, Roman Catholic,
33
Schools,
32
Settlers prior to 1835,
54
Settlement of Towns,
54
Turner Junction Village,
148
58 58 61 62 63 63 63
Lutheran College,
Military Record, -
VII
CONTENTS.
Trials of Early Settlers,
172
Wayne,
I43
Winfield,
I45
Warrenville,
149
Warrenville Seminary,
149
Wheaton Village,
166
Wheaton College,
33
York,
I68
EARLY HISTORY.
DuPage County is situated in the north-eastern part of the State of Illinois. It derives its name from that of the DuPage River, a small but beautiful stream, the eastern and western branches of which, rising in the northern part of the county, unite about four miles south of its southern boundary, falling afterwards into the Des Plaines, an eastern tributary, which, in junction with the Kankakee, forms the Illinois River.
Several towns and places in the neighborhood, as well as the DuPage River, retain names seeming to mark their connection with the explorations of early Jesuit missionaries in the State, and in this portion of the country.
The territory of DuPage County has been known by different names, as
1st-Illinois County, Virginia.
2nd-St. Clair County, Indiana Territory.
3rd-St. Clair County, Illinois Territory.
4th-Madison County.
5th-Crawford County.
6th-Clark County, State of Illinois.
7th-Pike County, State of Illinois.
10
HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
8th-Fulton County, State of Illinois. 9th-Peoria County, State of Illinois.
10th-Cook County, State of Illinois. 11th-DuPage County, State of Illinois.
It consists of a fraction over nine townships, and is bounded on the north and east by Cook County, on the south by Will and Cook Counties, and on the west by Kane County.
The distinction of being the first permanent settler in this vicinity belongs to Mr. Stephen J. Scott, who removed from Maryland to this State with his family in 1825, and made a claim near the present site of Evans- ton, then called Gros' Point.
While on a hunting tour, in the month of August, 1830, in company with his son, Willard, he discovered the DuPage River, near Plainfield. Impressed with the beauty and apparent fertility of the surrounding coun- try, here continuously rolling prairie, he resolved to explore the river, and ascended it as far as the conflu- ence of its east and west branches, now called "The Forks." The promising appearance of the scene around him soon led him to decide on making it his future home.
Mr. Scott's family came on to occupy the claim in the autumn of 1830. A comfortable log house was built on the farm now owned by Mrs. Sheldon. Other families soon settled in the vicinity, and the settlement extended for several miles along the river into the present coun- ties of Will and DuPage.
The first actual settler upon what is DuPage County was Bailey Hobson. He first visited the West in 1830, leaving Ohio for that purpose in May of that year. He
11
THE FIRST SETTLER.
made a claim six miles from Holderman's, and three miles from the main village of the Pottawatomie Indians on Fox River, and returned to Orange County, Ohio, for his family, arriving there about July 1st of that year.
On the 1st day of September, 1830, he started with his family, accompanied by L. Stewart, for his new claim in the wilds of the North-west. At midnight, twenty-one days afterward, they arrived at Holderman's Grove. Here they remained three weeks, during which time Mr. Hobson sowed some fall wheat, cut some hay for his cattle, and began the erection of a cabin upon his claim. The family then removed to the claim, where they lived in a tent until the cabin was so far completed as to admit of their occupying it. .
This was near the first of November. During that month Mr. Hobson, not being entirely satisfied with his location, explored the country around the DuPage River, and selected the site of the old Hobson homestead as a future home for his family, and returned to them. In the month of December Mr. Hobson and Mr. Stewart came up to the new claim and attempted to build a cabin, but discouraged by the severity of the weather they went down to Mr. Scott's, where they remained a couple of days, and then returned to the home near Holderman's. The privations and hardships of that winter make up a most thrilling chapter of frontier life.
In April Mr. Hobson went to Ox Bow Prairie with two yoke of oxen, bringing back some corn and potatoes. His cattle were so poor and weak that he was often
12
HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
obliged himself to carry the corn and potatoes, the team being hardly able to draw the empty wagon.
After the flood of early spring, and when the Indians began to prepare for making sugar, the Hobson family went first to Holderman's, and then across the country to Mr. Scott's and remained, while Messrs. Hobson and Stewart were building the residence of the first white settler of our county. This was occupied by the family during the month of March, 1831.
In July, Capt. Joseph Naper came from Ohio with his own family, accompanied by that of his brother, John Naper. Capt. Naper had visited the neighborhood in February, 1831, and made preparation for building a cabin near the site of the present flouring mill. In this he lived until a more commodious dwelling could be pro- vided for his family. He also built a trading house that season, and carried on quite an extensive trade with the settlers and the Pottawatomie Indians. The latter were quite numerous here at that time, but he always main- tained the most friendly relations with them.
The families of John Murray, Lyman Butterfield, Harry T. Wilson, and a man by the name of Carpenter, came with the Naper families from Ashtabula, Ohio, and settled at Naperville, which then became known as Naper's settlement.
Among the first things they did was to establish a school. The following is a literal copy of the contract made with the first pedagogue, the original being in John Murray's handwriting :
SEPTEMBER 14th, 1831.
We, the undersigned, whose names are hereto affixed, do agree to hire Lester Peet to teach a school in our respective District, for the
13
FIRST SCHOOL CONTRACT.
term of four months, for the consideration of Twelve Dollars per month. Said teacher doth agree on his part to teach a regular Eng- lish school, teaching Spelling, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and English Grammar if required. And the understanding is, that said teacher is to board with the scholars. School is to commence by the 15th of November next.
N. B .- Each subscriber doth agree to pay his proportionable part of the teacher's wages, according to the number of scholars that he subscribes for or sends. And it is likewise understood that Joseph Naper, Christopher Paine and Bailey Hobson be and are a committee to superintend said school, and to see that there is a suitable house built in due season, &c.
Joseph Naper, 6 scholars. John Naper, I scholar,
H. T. Wilson, 2 scholars. John Manning, I scholar.
Richard Sweet, 2 scholars. Daniel Wilson, I scholar.
Daniel Landon, I scholar. Christopher Paine, 3 scholars.
James Green, I scholar.
John Murray, 2 scholars.
Bailey Hobson, I scholar. Edward A. Rogers, I scholar.
Capt. Naper had engaged Mr. Scott to break ten acres of land for him, which had been intended for a crop that season, but the settlers arrived so much later than had been expected, in July, that this ten acres was sowed to buckwheat and rutabagas, of which a splendid crop was raised. This, with what was done by Mr. Hobson, was the first tilling of the soil of our county.
The succeeding winter was of unusual severity, and provisions were scarce, but they were finally obtained from the Wabash, and the settlers saw the spring of 1832 open in this prairie land with most joyful hearts.
Then followed immediately the Black Hawk war, sending the whole settlement to Fort Dearborn, Chicago, where they remained until about July, when the army of Gen. Scott passed through, and the war was over.
This brings us to the autumn of 1832, and thus has been brought to our notice the point where the first set-
14
HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
tlement was established in the county. It was then known as Naper's settlement, but our political designa- tion was "Scott's General Precinct, Flagg Creek Dis- trict, Cook County, Illinois."
Those who were here prior to 1849 are familiar with the fact that, before that time the political subdivisions of counties were called "Precincts." These constituted the voting Districts simply, the county business which was transacted at the county seat by the County Commis- sioner's Court including what is now done by the Super- visors of the respective towns. This county was divided into towns in 1849, upon the adoption of the Township Organization Law, and the names and boundaries estab- lished as they now are. Prior to that time the names of the Precincts were Big Woods, Naperville, DuPage, Webster, Deerfield, Orange, Washington, Bloomingdale, York and Cass.
The early settlers were almost wholly of English extraction, coming hither chiefly from Ohio, New York and Vermont. The population of the present day, how- ever, consists of a large admixture of Germans and Pennsylvanians.
After the close of the Black Hawk war the tide of emigration again turned to Illinois, and this county received its proportion of new settlers. The first set- tlers selected, of course, the best locations, which were adjacent to the timber. Scarcely any were to be found upon the prairie prior to 1837. All the timber land was claimed before 1835, but some of the prairie land in our county, which at that day was considered almost worthless on account of its being inconvenient to timber,
15
THE BOUNDARY TROUBLES.
was never claimed by the squatters. Many difficulties arose among the settlers in relation to the boundaries and priority of the claims of parties.
Troubles of this kind are incident to the early settle- ment of any country, where the settlement precedes the survey of the land by Government. The difficulties here, as elsewhere, created bitter feelings of animosity between neighbors, in some instances of long continu- ance. Nor were these quarrels always confined to words alone. Occasionally bloody combats occurred between belligerent parties, the one being usually the first claim- ant, the other one who had "jumped the claim." But, with the exception of one instance, which will be referred to hereafter, no lives were sacrificed. Sometimes the party in the wrong was driven from the field by the rightful claimant, assisted by his neighbors, for in those days, in extreme cases, the laws of Judge Lynch were executed in a summary manner. An understanding or implied agreement existed among the settlers, that those who obtained portions of the claims of others, by pre- emption or by purchase at the land sale, should deed to such claimants the parts belonging to them. This was called an agreement, to "deed and re-deed." Most of the land was claimed by those who intended to purchase it and make a permanent home for themselves and their families. Some of it, however, was claimed by persons then called " land sharks." This class of men merely claimed the land for the purpose of selling it to subse- quent settlers, and were not usually protected in their claims by those who were ready always to assist a bona fide settler. The claims often sold for prices which
16
HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
would, even now, be considered exorbitant for the land. A few of the land sharks made money by this swindling operation, but most of them can boast of but little wealth at the present time, as they were of that class who spend their money as readily as they obtain it, and engage in speculations more wild and more dishonorable even than stealing land from actual settlers.
The land south of the old Indian boundary line came into market in 1835. Most of the unimproved land was purchased by speculators, sometimes at a high price. The actual settlers were indeed generally, if not in every instance, secured from direct loss and injury. There was recognition of their claims at the Land Office, and also public notice that any one bidding on the land of a settler must do it at his peril. Yet, the settlers were unable to compete with the speculators. And, in view of incident disadvantage, as well as for the purpose of settling lines, and making an express agreement with each other to carry out the implied obligation before alluded to, the settlers at the Big Woods formed a soci- ety in 1836 called, " The Claim Protecting Society."
This association had for its object, besides the protec- tion of the settlers against speculators, the settlement of all disputes as to boundaries. It was provided that settlers whose boundaries were fixed beyond all dispute should measure and plat their claims, and file the same with the secretary. The other members were then bound to protect and defend them.
The following preamble and resolutions are taken
17
BIG WOODS CLAIM SOCIETY.
from the records of the Big Woods Claim Society, which was the first society of the kind formed in this county :
EAST SIDE OF THE BIG WOODS,
COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, Feb. 6, 1836. 5
Be it remembered, that we, the undersigned, inhabitants of the east side of the Big Woods, and its vicinity, have settled on lands belonging to the United States, and who have severally made their respective claims, including timber and prairie. Now, for the peace and tranquility of our said settlement, we do, severally and individually bind each to the other, in the penal sum of one thousand dollars, to protect and assist each other in keeping off all intruders that may intrude on each other's claims, in any way whatever. And we further agree to deed and re-deed to each other, at government price, whenever our said claims shall come into market-that is to say, in case our respective claims shall not agree or correspond with the general goverment sur- vey. The true intent and meaning of these presents is, that we sever- ally and individually agree to let all disputes and difficulties be sub- mitted to the following named persons, as a committee, who shall, or a majority of them, and their successors in office, settle all kinds of disputes or difficulties that may arise respecting claims, whatever. The following persons were duly appointed as said committee :
DOCT. LEVI WARD, FREDERICK STOLP, A. E. CARPENTER, WILLIAM J. STRONG, CHARLES SIDDERS.
N. B. All claims, as respecting their size, both in timber and prairie, shall be submitted to the said committee, for them to say whether any of our said claims are unreasonable in size or not. In case of any intrusion that may hereafter arise with any of our said claims, we do, severally and individually agree to pay our equal quota of expenses that may arise in defence of our claims, according to the size and nature of our claims.
The above meeting was held at the house of A. Culver, on the east side of the Big Woods. JOHN WARNE, Secretary.
The following is a list of the members of this society : John Warne, Elihu Wright, George C. Howes,
A. E. Carpenter, Narah Beardsley,
Samuel Paxton,
James Dyer, S. Hurlbut,
William Williams,
John Mosier, Darius J. Lamphear, George Munroe,
Joseph Fish, Walter Germain, Harvey Higbee,
18
HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
J. M. Warren,
John B. Eddy,
N. H. Thomas,
John Maxwell, Cornelius Jones,
John Gregg, Samuel Mosier,
Enos Coleman, Linus L. Coleman,
John Ogden, Phineas Graves, Wm. Hall, David Crane, James Brown,
B. Tubbs, jr., Joseph Thayer, Thomson Paxton,
L. Ward,
George S. Blackman, Blackman & Winslow,
Frederick Stolp,
Charles Brown,
William E. Bent,
Nelson Murray,
Charles Sidders,
J. B. & E. Smith,
Taylor J. Warne,
James Hymes,
Ira Woodman,
Jessie B. Ketchum,
Nathan Williams,
Alden S. Clifford,
Barton Eddy,
Wm. J. Strong, Robert Hopkins,
John Fox, Nathan Williams,
J. S. P. Lord,
Jesse Graves,
Joseph Wilson,
John Stolp,
Alanson Arnold,
Warren Smith,
Allen Williams,
Eleazer Blackman,
Henry M. Waite,
A. Culver,
Aurin Ralph, John Sidders,
Luther Chandler,
Dennis Clark,
Russel Whipple,
Gilbert S. Rouse,
Amander P. Thomas, Sheffield Mills,
S. H. Arnold,
Alfred Churchill, Jonas Lamphear,
Joseph Stolp, R. S. Ostrander,
Wm. R. Currier,
Reuben Austin,
A. W. Beardsley,
Marcus Griswold,
Charles Arnold, Levi Leach,
George W. Laird,
Isaac Barnes.
We insert below the record of some of the transac- tions of this body, and also several decisions relating to disputed claims.
At a meeting this 6th day of August, A. D. 1836, at the house of Thomson Paxton, on the east side of the Big Woods, Cook county :
It was motioned and seconded that this be our first annual meeting, and our next annual meeting be held on the 6th of August next, at I o'clock P. M., and to have a regular meeting every six months, or semi- annual meeting. It was motioned and seconded that the following named persons be a new committee, and they were duly elected, as follows : William J. Strong, Thomson Paxton, John Gregg, Warren Smith, Frederick Stolp.
1
Orrin W. Graves,
Eli Northam, Lerah Jones, Reuben Jones,
Wm. Hill,
David McKee,
Lyman King, Thomas N. Paxton,
19
CLAIM SOCIETY PROCEEDINGS.
It was motioned and seconded that this society be called the Big Woods Claim Protecting Society. It was motioned and seconded that at our semi-annual or annual meetings, in all cases a majority present shall have full power to do business ; and, further, that this instrument shall not be altered, in any case, except at the annual or semi-annual meetings.
It was further motioned and seconded that we bind our heirs and assigns.
It was motioned and seconded that the Secretary purchase a book, to register our respective claims ; and. further, it was motioned and sec- onded that every person shall present or give a description of his or her claim within ninety days from this date, to the Secretary, to have our respective claims recorded in a book for that purpose. Any claim- ant not complying as above, such claim by us shall be considered as null and void. It was motioned and seconded that in all cases where any suit or suits are investigated by the committee, the defaulter or trespasser shall pay all costs It was motioned and seconded that the penal sum of this, our said constitution, shall be increased from one to ten thousand dollars. Motioned and seconded that this meeting adjourn to the first Saturday in February next, at 10 o'clock A. M., to the house of Thomson Paxton.
At a meeting held this 4th day of February, 1837, at the house of Thomson Paxton, on the east side of the Big Woods, Cook County, Illinois :
Voted, That the time be extended for entering claims until the next annual meeting ; that the descriptions handed in since the time expired should be received also for recording.
Voted, That no one settler shall be protected by this Society on a claim to exceed six hundred and forty acres.
Voted, That the Secretary drop a line to those individuals that have recorded more land than this Society will protect them in.
Voted, That no member of our Society shall commence a suit at the expense of the Society without the approbation of the committee.
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