USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Rockton > The history of Rockton, Winnebago County, Illinois, 1820 to 1898 > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01074 5401
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The HISTORY J
OF ROGKTON,
WINNEBAGO COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
1820 to 1898.
BY
EDSON I. CARR.
ROCKTON, ILLINOIS. HERALD OFFICE PRINT. 1898.
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3
HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
1330372
PREFACE.
To prevent as far as possible the history of Rockton from being lost to coming generations, has been the chief motive in writing this book. Aside from the information obtained from various records, the author is greatly indebted to a num- ber of old settlers, who have furnished very may facts which would have been lost to the next generation. To all such the author would return very grateful thanks, especially so to William Halley, W. F. Packard, Mrs. Jesse Blinn, Seely Perry, Mrs. David Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Merrill, E. J. Chase, T. M. Coons, Geo. Royden, E. W. Martin, N. B. Kincaid, Mrs. S. Stevens, J. J. Clover, E. J. Veness, W. H. Farmer, D. Newell, J. C. Truman, Leonard Thurston and many others.
To gather all this material from a great variety of sources, has taken much time and some expense, but it has been un- dertaken more as a labor of love, than from any pecuniary benefit the author may derive from the sale of the book.
If the citizens of Rockton and those who have formerly lived here appreciate the effort to faithfully preserve the his- tory of the town and its people, the author will be very thank- ful.
Respectfully submitted, EDSON 1. CARR.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
Rockton, one of the northern tiers of townships in Winneba- go county, Illinois, is beautifully located in the famous Rock river valley, and unsurpassed for its fertility of soil and the in . telligence and integrity of its inhabitants. Little was known of this desirable section of the country, prior to the Black Hawk war of 1832. After the close of that war in 1833, the men who had composed the army of some 3,000 soldiers, mainly drawn from the southern part of the state, very readily ac- quainted their neighbors of the rich and desirable lands of the north part of the state, and quite an emigration thereto was stimulated, and also from the eastern states.
Previous to this time this section had only been visited by some enterprising Indian traders, who could see quite a busi- ness speculation in trafficing with the natives for their rich products of furs. The best known of these Indian traders in this vicinity was Stephen Mack, who on the advent of the first white settlers in 1835, lived with his Indian wife with a tribe of Winnebago Indians in the grove about two miles down the river, which was subsequently known as Bird's grove, on lands now owned by Caleb Bentley, Esq., of this town. The remains of the old fire-places where this tribe was encamped so many years are still distinctly visible.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
The following paragraph was kindly contributed by Corne- lius Buckley, Esq., of Beloit, who has made the early history of Rock river valley a study for years:
"There are excellent reasons for believing that what is now called Bird's grove, on the left bank of Rock river, was known to, or at least was visited by white men very early in the 18th century, and prior to 1720. E. W. Martin informed me that in 1875 he was present and took the dimensions of several old su- gar maples, which had been felled in the grove, the largest of which-162 rings from the outer bark-bore evidence of having been tapped for maple syrup. Several of the trees showed ev- idence of having been tapped when quite young. The tapping was done with a chisel and gouge, leaving a cavity near the heart of the tree which the natural outer growth had covered and entirely concealed. Thiscavity was so concealed by an out- er growth of 162 rings, demonstrating according to the usual method of reckoning the age of trees, that the chisel and gouge had been used 162 years prior to 1875, or as long ago as 1713. Several trees bore similar evidence of age and tapping. Of course no Indian in these parts as long ago as the first quarter of last century, possessed such instruments. This could be easily demonstrated, when we pause to consider that Ft. St. Louis, now Starved Rock, near Utica, on the Illinois river, was less than eighty miles distant, and it was occupied as a fortress as late as 1718, and even later, we can at least intelligently comprehend how a band of roving Frenchmen may have made maple sugar there before 1728."
STEPHEN MACK.
Stephen Mack the Indian trader had the honor of being the first white man who settled in Rockton township, and proba- bly in Rock river valley. He was born in Poultney, Vermont, in the month of February, in the latter part of the past century. He attended Dartmouth college, in New Hampshire, for a time, but seemed to have left the college before he graduated. He came west to Detroit with his father's family, soon after the close of the war of 1812, where his father held some position under the government, and might havehad some connection with the fur trade business. Ambitious to start out in life for himself, and prompted by his love of adventure, Stephen Mack joined a government expedition, around the lakes from De-
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
troit to Green Bay. While there he came in contact with some fur traders, and learning from them that the Rock river coun- try would be a good place to establish a trading post, he: ac- cordingly struck across the country with an Indian pony, and arrived on Rock river near the place where Janesville was af- terwards located. He then followed down the river until he came to an Indian settlement then known as the Turtle village near the present Beloit junction. Here he learned of the Indi- an camp at Bird's grove, and started out to find it from such directions as he could gather from the tribe, but taking the wrong trail he went on down the river until he finally reached a Pottawatomie village at Grand Detour. Here he located and for two or three years traded with the Indians there, taking their furs in exchange for his articles of traffic, and carrying his merchandise to and from Chicago on the backs of Indian ponies.
Mack's relation with this tribe was not productive of the best of feeling; and although he had taken the chief's daught- er, Ho-no-ne-gah, for his wife, still his life was in danger, be- cause he refused to sell firearms and liquor to the tribe. Du- ring one of his trips to Chicago with three of his ponies, a plan was fully matured to dispose of him on his return and take possession of his effects. His Indian wife learning of their in- tentions, was on the lookout for her husband's return, and meeting him far out from camp, apprised him of his danger. It was quick work for her to mount one of the ponies, and to- gether they started out for the Winnebago tribe at Bird's grove, where they were gladly welcomed and promised protection. It became their future home for a number of years.
His Indian wife was a very faithful and devoted woman. She - was largely absorbed in the care of her home and children, save when sickness of the early settlers called for her kind and skillful care and attention. Then with her supply of na- ture's remedies which the Great Spirit had so kindly spread out all around her, she would seek out the afflicted and bring sunshine and relief to many a suffering one who fell a prey to the ills of a new country. The high tribute of respect to Mack's Indian wife was genuine and sincere, and although of a dusky hue, she possessed a noble soul and did all she could to make those around her comfortable and happy.
Not only in sickness were her many virtues shown in a mark-
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
ed degree, but the poor and destitute around her incident to the struggles of many an early settler, shared of her provisions in a generous manner. She delighted in doing good. Only once was she known, to assume the garb of her pale-face sisters, and then it was by great solicitation; but she felt so ill at ease, and afraid to make herself conspicuous, she soon laid it aside and for ever after was content with the costume of her tribe. Mrs. Jesse Blinn who was a near neighbor, says of her: "She was very skillful in ornamenting her clothing. She made herself for extra occasions an Indian dress of fine blue broadcloth, with a border five inches deep all around it, worked with vari- ous colored ribbons; her taste in blending colors to have a pleas- ing effect was very fine, and her needle work almost perfect. Many articles about her home bore witness of her skillful handiwork. Being a Pottawatomnie, she like her tribe, felt a- bove the Winnebagoes in skill, and showed much ability in fashioning many articles of merchandise."
Mrs. Mack's relatives from Grand Detour, often came to visit her, and on such occasions she would array herself in her best garments, visit their tents and for a brief time be a child of nature again. She died in July, 1847, leaving a child about a year old. She was the mother of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy.
Mack was living in peace and quietude with the Indians at the breaking out of the Black Hawk war. After the battle of Stillman Valley, when that renowned chief visited this tribe to induce them to follow him on his journey northward, Mack used his influence against such a movement; and although Black Hawk was very angry with the white trader, the little tribe remained on their old camping ground, and the great chief marched on without them.
It is said that the feeling was so strong against Mack during the visit of Black Hawk, that the chief of the tribe advised him to go away for a time for personal safety. Accordingly he pri- vately went to an island in the river, now known as Webber's island, where he was supplied with food by his faithful wife until it was safe for him to return. This may be an actual fact or a romance, but it is given for what it is worth.
In accordance with a treaty made with Gen. Scott, in Rock Island in the fall of 1832, the Indians were to be removed from the state in 1833, which was officially done by the war depart-
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
ment at a cost to the government of $50,000. In speaking of this outlay of government funds, Mack used to say that he could have done the job for $10,000. Several roving bands of Indians remained in the state for years afterwards, but they had no fixed place of abode.
With the indications of a speedy settlement of Rock river valley, Mack conceived the idea that the bluff at the mouth of the Pecatonica river would be a good place to locate a town in view of river navigation, and was in correspondence with a Mr. Bradstreet, of Albany, N. Y., on the advent of the first white settlers in 1835. It was then considered that the Peca- tonica river was a navigable stream for one hundred miles from its mouth, and Rock river one hundred and fifty miles up into the territory of Wisconsin. With this large' prospect in view, the mouth of the Pecatonica river was a very desira- ble location for a town.
Accordingly Mack took possession of this tract of land in the fall of 1835, and permanently resided there until his death in 1850. The place took the name of Macktown, which it still retains, although the once flourishing settlement has entirely disappeared, save the substantial farm house which he built there in his lifetime.
Mack had his town platted as he owned all of section twen- ty-three south of Pecatonica river and sold many lots. In the height of his prosperity he valued a corner lot near his store at $1,000. When told that his land was too uneven for a town, he said "it is far better than Milwaukee."
He established a ferry across Rock river about 1838, and it was run for a time by William Hulin, who afterwards became quite a prominent man in the county. This ferry was then bought by Jesse Blinn and carried on by him till the building of the Mack bridge, and licensed under the regulations of the county commissioners' court, which allowed the ferryman to charge for wagon and two horses, 621/2 cents; single wagon and one horse, 3712 cents; man and horse, 25 cents; and each foot- man 614 cents. A ferryman who exceeded these charges was liable to have his license revoked for which he had paid $10.
About 1842-3 Mack built a bridge in the place of the ferry, mostly at his own expense. This was the first bridge across Rock river in the state. After going through various stages of repairs from damages by ice and floods, it was entirely car-
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
ried away in the great freshet Sunday morning, June 1st, 1851, and was never rebuilt, as another bridge had been previously established a mile farther down the river which so changed the course of travel and Macktown was left so far to one side of the road to neighboring towns that its growth was greatly retarded. As Rockton with its developed water power began to grow, Macktown correspondingly began to decline in pros- perity. Many buildings were taken down and moved across the river to add to the general growth of Rockton.
Mack was a man who had received a good education, and possessed a large share of executive ability. He took an ac- tive part in the formation of the new county and its develop- ment. By Indian treaty stipulation with the government, half-breed children had a certain amount of land or its equiva- lent in money. By a settlement with a government commis- sioner Mack received about $5,000 on account of his children by an Indian mother. This amount of money at that early day enabled him to employ men and make a good deal of improve- ment, and to possess himself of a large quantity of land. He also loaned money to many an early settler to enter his land. At the time of his death he owned besides his large Macktown farm, land in section twenty-six, and all of section twenty-eight south of the Pecatonica river, amounting in all to about one thousand acres. On the latter tract he built a house and es- tablished a dairy farm which was in charge of a man by the name of Stocker. A son of this man married Mack's daughter Mary.
Mack kept the first store and was patronized by the first set- tlers as well as by the Indians, bringing his goods from Chi- cago on Indian ponies before the advent of wagons. This traf- fic must have been very remunerating in those early times, especially so with his Indian customers. In later years he associated his cousin, Merrill E. Mack, with him in his store.
Although Mack had taken his squaw wife under the Indian form of marriage, but to put to rest any question of legality on this point and make his children full heirs-in-law he and his wife were remarried September 14, 1840, by William Hulin, justice of the peace.
Mack was elected associate justice in 1819, and held the of- fice as long as he lived. He was appointed the first township treasurer of the school fund, and at this time Wait Talcott,
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
Henry O. Brown and William Halley were township trustees. On the adoption of township orgaization in 1850, Mack was a candidate for the first supervisor, and was only beaten by a few votes by his popular rival, Sylvester Talcott.
Some time after the death of his Indian wife Mack mar- ried a Mrs. Daniels, of Harrison, for a second wife. The marriage was performed in Beloit. He died very suddenly on the 10th of April, 1850, and was buried on his own farm beside his Indian wife who had been his faithful companion for so many years.
Mack had eleven children by his Indian wife, two of whom died in infancy. The oldest living child was Rose, a mute, who was sent to the deaf and dumb asylum at Jacksonville. She afterwards married a mute and became a teacher there.
Mary married Charles Stocker.
William married Julia Stocker, sister of Mary's husband, and had two children before he left Macktown. He assisted in set- tling up his father's estate and showed considerable business talent. He carried on a brick yard for a time in Macktown, in connection with his brother-in-law Charles Stocker.
Louisa attended the Rockford Female Seminary for a time, but confinement was too much for her free. untamed. nature. Whenever she took a notion to come home, she would start off without giving notice, and walk the whole distance. She mar- ried L. L. Curtis. They now live at Glenn Flora. Chipawa Co., Wis.
Thomas and Edward are the names of two other boys. There was one by the name of Henry, who died in 1847, about nine years of age.
Matilda and Caroline were the youngest of the family. Car- oline was but a babe when her mother died, and about four years of age at the death of her father. Matilda had a part of section twenty-eight allotted to her on the settlement of her father's estate. This tract was subsequently platted and is now known on the assessment book as "Matilda Mack's sub- division." Shortly after the settlementof their father's estate, the children all left Macktown, some settlingin Minnesota and some in Wisconsin, where they now reside.
The remains of Mack and his Indian wife were buried on a part of his farm and the lot surrounded with a fence. Thirty years after when the graves were sadly neglected, they were
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
removed to the Phillips cemetery, near Harrison by some of Mack's old friends. The following extract from the Rockton Herald, of May 21st, 1880, will explain this transaction:
"The remains of Mack and his Indian wife were removed on Wednesday from where they were buried on the Mack farm over thirty years ago, and interred in the Phillips cemetery in district No. 3. The bones were in a good state of preserva- tion, even the hair and comb of Mrs. Mack were little changed, but the coffins were so badly decayed as to easily crumble to pieces when disturbed. It is intended to erect a suitable stone to commemorate their remains. A glass bottle was deposited with the remains containing a printed paper as follows:
"If in the course of time this paper should meet the eye of any person, be it known that the remains buried here are those of Stephen Mack and his Indian wife, Ho-no-ne gah.
"Stephen Mack was born in Poultney, Vermont, February, 1799,* and settled in this county about 1822 as an Indian trad- er, and continued as a resident until his death in 1850. Mrs. Mack having previously died.
"At the time of Mack's death he owned all of section twenl- ty-three in this township south of the Pecatonica river, and resided thereon at the time of his death. He was buried not far from where he lived by the side of his wife on his own land. Soon after his death, his children sold the land and went to Minnesota with their mother's friends, and at this time there are no relatives of Mack here.
"The place where he was first buried being in a large field, and the land under cultivation over his remains, the under- signed friends of Mack and his wife in their lifetime, have moved the remains to this place, and placed a tombstone over the same. This is done out of respect and friendship for our departed friends.
"Stephen Mack was the first permanent white inhabitant of Rock river valley. He was a good citizen, a generous friend, a gentleman in deportnient and an honest man.
J. R. JEWETT, WILLIAM HALLEY, R. H. COMSTOCK."
Rockton, May 19th, 1880.
Henry Lovesee, now of Roscoe, tells when working for Mack
*Some think this is not correct, for he must have been from ten to fifteen years older when he died than this date would make him.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
in the fall of 1837, of taking a load of corn with an ox team to lake Koshkonong to Thiebeau, an Indian trader, and returning with a load of furs. There was only one settler on the entire route. On his return the weather became extremely cold, and his only provision some corn bread was frozen so hard that he had to break it up with a hatchet into small bits and thaw it out in his mouth. Tired, cold and hungry he arrived at Mack's late at night.
Here we close the brief life sketch of Stephen Mack. In many respects he was a remarkable man. Born of sturdy New England parentage, cradled among the green hills of the old Green Mountain state, his youthful spirit struggled for a larger scope than the narrow environments of his humble home. What could have prompted a man of his ability to hide away so many years from civilization may never be known. One has it that death had robbed him of the idol of his man- hood's cherished affections, and he sought for solace away from the scenes which had brought him so much sorrow. Others say an insidious appetite was creeping in upon him, when he arroused himself and fled from the haunts of civiliza- tion, choosing rather the home of the children of nature. And again through a keen foresight he may have caught a glimpse of the wonderful development of the west, and wanted to be first to see the rising sun of civilization and prosperity spread all over the great prairies. How far his great aspirations were realized cannot be told, yet he succeeded in being a man of prominence in his time, and his name will be handed down in the annals of Rockton as a man of many virtues, of strict integrity and of unquestionable honesty of purpose.
STEPHEN MACK'S WILL.
Know all men by these presents, that I, Stephen Mack, of Pecatonic, Winnebago county, and state of Illinois, being of sound health in body and mind at this time, but knowing the uncertainty as to a continution of these blessings, and believ- ing it the bounden duty of every man of family so to settle and arrange his worldly affairs as to render needless all litigation and contention about his estate after his decease, as well as a supreme law of God and Nature, that the father shall provide to the best of his ability for his offsprings.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON.
Therefore be it known, that I do hereby revoke all former wills and that I do now and forever will and decree, that when- ever it shall please the Almighty God to recall my spirit from its earthly tenement, my funeral charges shall be paid, that all just debts be paid, and that all property of which I may die possessed, and that shall remain after the above-mentioned payments are made, shall be equally and equitably divided a- mong my wife and children, whose names are as follows, viz: My wife Ho-no-ne-gah, my children Rose, Mary, William, Lou- isa, Thomas H. and Henry C. Mack, to each and every of them an equal share, or one-seventh of the whole, and that should any one or more of them die before attaining to maturity, his or her share shall be equally divided among the survivors.
I do furthermore will and decree, that my administrators, if not appointed by me before my decease, shall be appointed by the proper court of probate, and they shall be appointed with a view of their acting as guardians to my children during their minority, or until some one of them shall be competent to act for him or herself, at which time the administrators and guard- ians shall account with him or her for all the property they may have received from iny estate, reserving to themselves a fair remuneration for their services as guardians and adınin- istrators, and that the child, be it he or she, first attaining to competency and receiving the property from the administra- tors as above designated, shall from that time become the sole guardian for the others, and shall apportion to each and every of the others, brothers and sisters, their equal and just share as fast as they become competent to manage for themselves.
It shall be the option of my wife at any time to withdraw her share from the rest and conduct for herself or to leave it in the hands of the guardians with the children. It is furthermore mny will that my children be well educated and that their guardians pay particular attention to this subject, also that they have all reasonable support and allowance during their minority.
From a probability of many changes in my property from sales and purchases, &c., I refrain from designating any por- tion of it at this time, but a reference to my deeds and to the records will show in part of what my property consists, the bal- ance is known to my wife.
I hereby appoint the Rev. William Adams and Merrill E.
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HISTORY OF ROCKTON,
Mack, both of this place, my executors and administrators, and guardians of my children; and I require of them a true and faithful fulfillment of all and every part of this my last will and testament, should they survive me. Should I survive both or either of them, or should I have other causes to alter this part of my will by the appointment of others in their stead, I shall do it with a codicil appended hereto. Should the place of guardians to my children become vacant by decease or other- wise, after my decease, the court of probate will appoint suit- able persons to fill the vacancies.
Now therefore, praying that the Great Ruler of this vast uni- verse may prolong my days in peace and happiness, and that he may continue his watchful care over my wife and children forever; that he may never suffer them to depart from the path of rectitude, truth, honor and integrity, and that he may lead them in the path of the true religion of Jesus Christ, I in the presence of God and the subscribing witnesses hereunto set my hand and seal, at Pecatonic, Winnebago county, and state of Illinois, this fourth day of April, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and forty. - STEPHEN MACK. [SEAL] Witnesses:
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