USA > Illinois > Atlas of the State of Illinois, to which are added various general maps, history, statistics and illustrations > Part 22
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Schoolcraft, the explorer, visited the region, and was delighted with the fertile soil and mild sensons.
In 1820, Alexander Wolcott succeeded to the Indian Agency, and soon thereafter was united in marriage to Ellen M. Kinzie. This was the pioneer wedding of the region, for which purpose John Hamlin, a Justice of the Peace in Fulton County, was summoned hither.
In 1821, Lewis Cass arrived at Chicago in a hirch hark ca- noe, and made a treaty with the Indiaus, by which he obtained the right to build a railway from Detroit to Lake Michigan.
Alexander, son of Jean Beauhien, was born here in January, 1822.
On the third day after the massacre, Mr. Kinzie with his family and clerks was sent acrass the lake by a friendly chief, to be delivered to the British as prisoners of war. Of During the same year, David Mckee came to take charge of the blacksmith shop at the agency.
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Archibald Clybourne reached Chicago on August 3, 1823, having mude the journey on horseback from Parishurg, Vir- ginia. He at once took up a elaim on the west side of the North Branch, three miles from the forks of the river. During this year tho troops were removed from the garrison.
In the summer of 1823, Majors Long and Keating visited Chicago, exploring tho route for the canal, and subsequently made the following report :
" The appearance of the country near Chicago offers but few features upon which the eye of the traveler can dwell with pleasure. There is too much uniformity in the scenery ; tbe extensive water prospect is a waste uncheckered hy islands, unenlivened by the spreading eanvas, and the fatiguing mo- notony of which is increased hy the equally undiversified prospect of the laud scenery, which affords no relief to the sight, as it consists merely of a plain in which but few patches of thin and serubhy woods are observed scattered here and there.
" The village presents no checring prospeet, as, notwith- standing its antiquity, it consists of hut few huts, inbabited by a miserable race of men, scarcely equal to the Indians from whom they are descended. Their log or hark houses are low, filthy and disgusting, displaying not the least trace of comfort. The number of trails eentering at this point, and their apparent antiquity, indicate that this was probably for a long time the site of a large Indian village. As a place of business it offers no inducement to the settler."
In the spring of 1825, Robert A. Kinzie joined his brother at Prairie du Chien, remaining there for two years.
Stephen Scott, with his wife and son, Willie, made a elaim at Gresso Point in 1826.
Mark Beaubien, wife and four children, came in the same year from Detroit. There heing no trail into the eity, an Indian was employed to pilot tho team into the settlement. A log cabin and patch of ground were purchased of James Kinzie for $100, and the pioneer hotel was established. Chicago then had five houses.
Rev. Jesse Walker preached an occasional sermon during the year, in a log hudding erected for a school house.
In the summer of 1827, the fort heing unoccupied hy troops, the store-house at the southeast corner was struck by lightning in the night and set on fire. Gurdon S. Hubbard and Robert A. Kinzie swam the river and extinguished the flames.
Russell E. Heacoek, the earliest lawyer, came from Indiana in July.
The property of Chicago was assessed hy tho county of Vermilion, within wbose limits it then stood, at a trifle over $3 for 1827, and Sheriff Reed paid it from his owu pocket rather than make the trip from Dauville to colleet it.
At this date, there lived on Wolf Point Alexander Robin- son, tbe Pottawattomie chief, horn in Canada, of Scoteli parents, and his brother-in-law, a Frenchman, named Molliere. The earliest event of 1828 was the death of John Kinzie, who expired on January 6, and was buried near the mouth of the river.
John H. Kinzie was appointed, hy President Adams, Agent for the Winnehagoes at Portage City, Wisconsin.
The Winnebago war caused the reoccupation of Fort Dear- horn, which had heen for five years without a garrison. The birth of a daughter of Mr. Hcacock is recorded.
Among the itumigrants of 1829 were Anson H. Taylor, Charles Taylor, E. D. Harmon and John Miller, the latter opening a tavern.
COUNTY HISTORIES.
and Patrick Welch at Hardscrabble Grove, up the South Branch.
The North Side was a continuous hody of timber, John Kinzie elearing a patch for a cow pasture. Westward, to the Des Plaines, all was open prairie, and along the South Branch were strips of timber. The court honse square was a duek pond, and the southern prairies were overflowed.
Included in the pioneers for 1831 were George W. Dole, Riebard J. Hamilton, John Nohlo, Isaac D. Harmon, Mark Noble, Sr., wife and daughters, Mark Nohle, Jr., P. J. V. Owen, Gholson Kercheval, C. L. Harmon, P. F. W. Peck, Elijab Wentworth, who opened a hotel, and Stephen Forbes. Tho Noble family brought $8,000 in gold. On June 15, Rev. Stephen R. Beggs preached iu a room at the old garrison, and on the following day, in a log school house thirty yards west of the forks of the river, organized the first elass of the Meth- odist Church. In July is recorded the arrival of the schooner Telegraph at the mouth of the river, and subsequently that of the schooner Marengo. The winter was the most severe in the history of Chicago, and will ever be remembered as that of the "deep snow" -- pioneers coming at a later date taking sec- ond rank. No mails arrived, but the little colony seut a half breed to Niles, Michigan, semi-monthly, to procure newspapers.
Tho Chicago of 1831, as sketched by Mrs. John H. Kinzie, commenees with the ancient family residenee on the northern bank of the river, thirty rods from the lake, which was hidden by a vast range of sand hills, covered with stunted cedars and pines. This house was occupied by J. N. Bailey, the Post- master. Next eame the residence of John H. Kinzie. To the westward was the Ageney house, a compact log building with two wings, surrounded by the residences of the black- smith, striker and laborers employed by the government. Within resided Mrs. John Kinzie, a son and two daughters. Next was reached a vacant cahin erected by John Miller. Three miles up tho North Branch stood the Clyhourne resi- denee. On Wolf Point were Elijah Wentworth's tavern, the cabins of Alexander Robinson and Billy Caldwell, Pottawat- tomie chiefs, the elaim of William Lee, the trading establish- ment of Gholson Kereheval, and a square log budding erected for school and chapel uses. Four miles up the South Branch still stood the Lee house, occupied hy Russell E. Heacoek. A canoe ferry transported people across the South Branch, where Mark Benubien had just completed a two-story hotel building with bright blue shutters. Thence to the fort was wet prairie without a building. In a rickety tenement south of the fort, erected hy Sutler Dean, Stepben Forhes and wife kept school. Near the river bank was the residence of Jean Baptiste Beau- bien. The river then flowed a half a mile southward around Fort Dearborn, which was inelosed by high pickets, with large gates to the north and south. The garrison comprised two companies, with Lieut. David Hunter in command. John S. C. Hogan was clerk to the Sutler. Beyond the parado ground were the company gardens, well filled with eurrant bushes and young fruit trees. Mrs. Kinzie declares that this comprised nearly all the white inhabitants of Chicago and their homes.
A picture of the city at this period, hy John Noble, Jr., shows, in addition to the above, George W. Dole, Store-keeper at the fort; Col. Richard J. Hamilton, residing on the North Side; Dexter Graves and Jeduthan Smith, who were making claims, and Joseph and Glade Flambois, near the South Braneh. Mr. Nohle says he was tho thirty-fifth male member of the colony on arrival, and that the total population, in June, 1831, did not exceed seventy-five souls.
On July 4, 1831, James Kinzie eondueted an auction salo of lots on Lake and South Water streets, which brought ahont $50 each. During that summer, John Noble went on horse- back to Plainfield, forty miles, for a suek of wheat flour.
In 1830, the town of Chicago was platted hy James Thomp- son, and lots brought at auction from 810 to $200, the State giving a church site to every denomination, nearly all locating about the court house square. Mark Beauhien found his The Blackhawk war commenced in the spring.of 1832, and volunteers and settlers hegan at onee to rally to Fort Dearhorn, which appears to have heen for some time without a garrison. Jean Baptiste Beauhien organized a company, and Robert A. Kinzie raised a scouting party of Pottawattomies. enbin standing in tho center of a new street, aud purchased two lots on which to erect the Sauganash Hotel. Stephen J. McKee is recorded among the births, and Samuel Miller and James Harrington among the arrivals. Robert A. Kinzie en- tered a fractional quarter section along the lake and river, and The settlers along the Fox River gathered in such numbers at Chicago that temporary shanties had to be ereeted for them from a raft of lumher brought to port hy the Nohles. On July 8, the steamer Sheldon Thompson brought Gen. Scott and two companies of regulars, among whom the cholera pre- vailed. So fierce were its ravages that nearly one hundred persistently disregarded the advico of his mother to locate on Wolf Point, the remaining 58 acres, to which he was entitled. E. D. Harmon and James Harrington made elaims to the southward of tho fort. Dr. Alexander Woleott, the Indian Agent, and Lieut. Furman, of the garrison, were among the deatbs. Samuel Miller opened a hotel. Joseph Porthier | soldiers were buried in a pit at tho corner of Lake street and came to work in the government blacksmith shop. John Wabash avenue. The only death recorded among the settlers is that of a Mr. McConnell, a new arrival, at tho cahin of the Clark settled above Archibald Clybourne, en the North Branch,
Noble heys, which was horned on account thereof. Many of the fleeing fugitives then returned to their homes. The steamer William Penn brought troops and stores to tho fort.
The palmy days of the little colony seem to have commenced with the close of tbo campaign, which served greatly to advor- tise the region, and immigrants flowed in nt an unprecedented rate. Among the arrivals were John and Johu S. Wright, John Bates, Jr., George T. Pearson, Capt. Seth Johnson, Philo Carpenter, William Jones, Gustavus C. Pearsou and Edmund S. Kimhorly. Edward E. Hunter made a claim on the North Branch. Rev. Jesse Walker purchased a log building west of the North Braneb, and dedicated the front portion to religious worship. The records show that John S. C. Hogan was Post- master, and Archibald Clyhourne had n slaughter-house. John S. Wright opened a stoek of goods, and John Wright and Pbilo Carpenter entered quarter sections on the West Side. Mark Nohle, Sr., hought 360 acres five iniles up the North Branch, and his sons purchased for stock raising 150 head of cattle iu Macoupin aud Sangamon Counties, hut the Indian war eaused the animals to he butchered to feed the troops and tho colony.
From the year 1832, different steamers made occasional trips to Chicago-the Daniel Webster, Monroe, Columbus, Anthony Wayne, Bunker Hill and others. The most noted among them was the steamer Michigan (the first), huilt and owned hy Oliver Newherry.
In June, 1833, the troops in Fort Dearborn were changed, and Rev. Jeremiah Porter emo with the new garrison as Cbaplain, organizing the first Presbyterian Church in the Northwest, except that at Galena. Of the twenty-five mem- bers, sixteen helonged at the fort, where serviecs were tem- porarily beld. A Sunday school, composed largely of French and half-breed ehildreu, was organized by John S. Wright. Rev. Mr. Freeman and Dr. John T. Temple organized a Bap- tist congregation, and ereeted a church on the south side of the river. Miss Eliza Chappel established a private school. Charles Ingersoll superseded William W. Wattles as landlord of the Travelers' Home. Rev. Henry Whitehead was among the arrivals.
On July 15, 1833, D. L. Reeder arrived from Buffalo hy the schooner Michigan, and the next day, with Solomon Lin- eolo as a partner, established the pioncer tailor shop at the corner of Lako and Wells streets.
On August 17, Capt. Leonard C. Hugunin arrived from Oswego with the schooner " Westward, Ho !" whieb he claims was the first vessel which ever passed up the river to the forks. He was accompanied by his brothers Hiram and Peter T. Gurdon S. Huhhard became a permanent resident.
James Allen was detailed by the government to supervise the ereetion of the piers theu under construction in the harbor, Congress having appropriated $30,000 for that purpose.
The first briek building was erected that season on the cor- ner of North Water and State streets, but the brick crumbled away, so poorly were they burned. John H. Kinzie built the Green Tree Tavern in October. A large number of new struc- tures were raised. Philo Carpenter was the first druggist, and George W. Snow erected the earliest halloon frame building.
The Beauhiens commeneed in August the erection of a Catholic chapel, south of the fort, in which services were li ld in the autumn, Father St. Clair being the first resident priest.
The village of Chicago was organized on August 10, 1833, the Trustees heing P. J. V. Owen, George W. Dole, Madore Beauhien, John Miller and E. S. Kimberly. The legal voters numbered twenty-eight. For erecting an estray pen, Samuel Miller was paid twelve dollars. The jail was of logs, well holted together, and placed on the northwest corner of the pub- lie square.
Among tho new structures of that year were the Preshy- terian Church and the frame stores of P. F. W. Peek and Philo Carpenter. The prominent arrivals of the year were S. B. Cobh, Alexander Fullerton, Grant Goodrich, E. H. Had- duek, Giles Spring, Walter L. Kimball, J. D. Caton, Charles Cleaver, Star Foot and William B. Egan. Walter L. Newherry came and made some landed investments.
In November appeared the first number of the Chicago Democrat, under the editorship of James Calhoun, the found- ers being a party of a dozen residents, headed by Hiram Hugunin.
On September 27, commissioners of the government gathered 7,000 Pottawattomies iu tents on the north hank of the river,
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aud made n treaty by which was obtained twenty million acres in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, for the sum of $1,200,000, and a larger territory west of the Mississippi. In October, the Indians received $90,000 in goods and $50,000 in silver.
Mark Noble, Sr., elaims to have erected on the North Side the first hrick residence in the settlement, previously occupying the deserted Kinzie residenee, from which tons of sand wero shoveled out, and where Methodist prayer meetings were fre- quently held.
Early Chicago had few charms to those pioneers who came to follow ugrieulture, and one by one they withdrew to the ridges on the westward. When Chicago had a population of hut 100, thio settlement eentering at Naperville had 180. The fortunate ones seem to he those who came with the praises of Scott's campaigners ringing in their cars, and acquired large landed possessions.
On October 20th to 24tli, 140 acres of land in tho heart of the city were sold on one, two and three years' tinie, 10 per cent. interest, for $38,865. John S. Wright was the first to givo an impetus to town lots.
At that date the lands on the Des Plaines had not even been surveyed, but real estate speculation had reached a high point of excitement, and was participated in by all classes. Most of the provisions for the colony were hroughit from Ohio, by ves- sels which went back in ballast. A grand ball was given on February 5, at Graves' Assembly Rooms, Judge Caton being one of the managers.
The second brick building was the residence of Heman Bond, and the third the store of G. S. Hubbard, on the corner of La Salle and South Water streets, wbieb loomed up for miles over the prairies. Under Father St. Palais, the Catho- lics erected a church on the corner of Lake and State streets. Rev. Mr. Hallam organized an Episcopal Church in October, 1834, which in the following year crected a brick chapel, the ancient St. James'. A regular weekly steamhoat appeared, and 150 cargoes were discharged by vessels. John Watkins opened a school on Nortb Water street. E. II. Hadduck, Dexter Graves and John Murphy kept publio houses.
J. T. Temple established a stage line to St. Louis, J. D. Caton piloting the first conveyance to Ottawa. A drawbridge was huilt at Dearborn street, and a general wolf hunt took place in October, forty being killed. The first Tremont House was built. James A. Marshall arrived from England.
The law requiring the organization of the militia, the Governor, in June, 1834, ordered an election of Colonel for the Militia of Cook County. A party of leading citizens, in. cluding Robert A. Kinzie, George W. Dole, Hiram Pearsons, Dr. W. B. Egan, Giles Spring and J. S. C. Hogan met at the Sauganash Hotel, corner of Lake and Market streets, ono evening, ordered considerable champagne, and discussed the dual question, who should he Colonel and settle the wine bill. Jean Baptiste Beaubien was sent for, and, flattered beyond measure hy the honor, accepted the nomination and paid the scoro. The selection was soon after carried out in a hilarious manner at Lawton's on the Desplaines, the affair constituting the greatest spree in our early history.
Augustus Garrett came to Chicago a bankrupt, after a long residence in New Orleans and Cincinnati, and soon had a thriv- ing business established. He left a large property to his wife, who died childless, bequeathing her possessions to establish the Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston.
On June 1, 1835, Col. E. D. Taylor ond James Whitlock opened the Land Office, the sales for the first six months being over half a million dollars. The first firo engine camo in December, and Hiram Hugunin was elected Chief Engineer of the Department.
Among the best known of those pioneers here in 1835, who are still living, are:
Walter L. Kimball, Hibbard Porter, Mrs. E. H. Hadduek, Hugh T. Dickey and wife, James Couch, S. B. Cobb and wife, Gen. David Hunter, Mark Beauhien, Isane Cook, J. K. Bots- ford and wife, John D. Caton and wife, N. B. Judd and wife, Grant Goodrich and wife, Isaae D. Harmon, Stephen F. Gale, Cyrenus Beers, Philo Carpenter, H. O. Stone, A. N. Fullerton, Charles 'Follansbee and wife, James H. Rees, E. S. Kimberly and wife, John L. Wilson, Tuthill King and wife, Leonard C. Hugunin, Gholson Kereheval, Dr. J. N. Dyer, Rev. Jeremiah Porter, J. Young Scammon, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Fernando Jones, Thomas Hoyne and wife, Alexander Wolcott, E. D. Taylor, Wm. B Ogden, Mrs. Ira Couch, Mrs. Dr. Maxwell, Mrs. Maria Hilliard, Mrs. Archibald Clybourne, Mrs. Dr.
COUNTY HISTORIES.
Egan, Mrs. P. F. W. Peck, Bnekner S. Morris, Mrs. C. B. Hosmer, R. M. Hongh, Asahel Pierce and wife, E. B. Talcott, B. W. Raymond, Mrs. J. D. Harmon, Mrs. Luther Nichols, E. M. Haines, Abraham Gale and wife, Timothy Wright, Capt. J. M. Turner, Mancel Talcott, Mrs. F. C. Sherman, John C. Haines and wife, Mrs. Thomas Church, W. H. Clark.
Mr. John L. Wilson states that at this period Chicago had a population of not over 1,000, and hardly six girls of mar- riageable age. Tbe sebool section, a mile square, with tbo reservation of four blocks, had been sold for nearly $-40,000, and there were not thirty-five school children in the district. The earliest publie sebool house was erected on Clark street. In November, the wharf leases were sold at auction for 999 years.
Judge Caton says the date of the last Pottawattomie war dance was about the last of August, 1835, when 5,000 Indians assembled ou the North Side, entirely naked, save a strip of cloth around the loins. Their bodies were covered with a variety of paints, and they were principally armed with toma- hawks and war clubs. They paraded the settlement for an hour, and passed down to Fort Dearborn, having created genuine alarm among the women and children.
In September, a party of men and boys killed a linge bear in tho lumber along the South Branch, and roasted him at a grand barbecue on Lake street.
Iu 1835, the Canal Bill passed the Legislature, and the joy- ous event was commemorated at Chicago by the firing of twelve guns for every Representative voting in its favor. On this oc- casion the hand of a sailor was hlown from his arm against the tin-shop of J. K. Botsford, and the boys hurned up Philo Car- penter's tar barrels, for which the village afterward paid. On July 4th, the entire population went to Bridgeport to witness the first exesvation of earth, Dr. W. B. Egan being the orator of the occasion. The " Clarissa," the first vessel huilt in Cbi- cago, was launched. The Indians were deported to the West by Capt. J. B. F. Russell. The speculative excitement of this pariod was extraordinary.
The earliest execution took place on the prairie to the south- ward. John Stone was the victim, and John Wentworth served on the jury which convicted him.
On the evacuation of Fort Dearborn, in 1837, Jean B. Beaubien elaimed the right to locate on the military reserva- tion a tract of 160 acres, and would have quietly succeeded had he not commenced a suit of ejectment against the govern- ment officer in charge, which brought ahout a decision by the Supremo Court adverse to his claim.
The earliest public exhibition took place in the dining-room of Mark Beaubien's famous Sauganash House, and the earliest theater was a dingy den on Dearborn street, near the river.
Tho Beaubiens, young and old, got up quarter races along the lake shore, almost every day of the racing season, making up shake purses to he run for hy the Indians on their ponies. Another amusement was the charivari, freely practiced upon wedding parties.
The ecnsus of 1837 showed a population of 4,170. The city of Chicago was chartered in March, and William B. Ogden was elected Mayor. The panic of that year hronght great pecuniary distress, lands on the west side of the river selling on execution at $5.00 per acre. John S. Wright states that, in 1838, real estate could not be sold at any price. The per- sistency with which the canal project was sustained doubtless alone prevented the city from becoming a total wreck.
In 1838, Walker & Co. shipped thirty-nine bags of wheat. In the year following, the first daily journal, the American, mado its appearance. The year 1840 brought about a largo number of withdrawals from business. A Board of School Inspectors was appointed, and a reservoir established at the corner of Lake street and Michigan avenue. In 1841, certain real estato was offered at less than five por cent. of the prices of 1836.
From 1842 to 1850 was a period of slow growth. In 1847, the city was enlarged by three and one-half square miles. In 1848, R. C. Bristol erected a steam elevator, the Board of Trade was organized, and 678 people died from cholera. The canal was completed in the spring, and operations were begun with five hoats, which ran between Chicago and La Salle, he- coming-the fast mail and passenger line to the Southwest. The fare was $4.00, the speed five miles an hour, and the horses three in numher, relieved every eight miles. In August, Capt. J. W. Connett brought the Red Bird Line of three boats from the Erie Canal to Chicago, the route being from Buffalo to
Toledo, thence by the Miami Extension Canal to Cincinnati, thenee down the Ohio to Cairo, up the Mississippi to the mouth of the Illinois, and so on still upward to Chicago. Gas came in 1849, as also J. B. Rice's theater. The Galena Railway traek was huilt to Elgin in 1850, and all the earlier trunk lines finished within the few years succeeding, replacing a daily caravan of "prairie schooners," variously estimated at from 500 to 1,500.
The United States census for 1850 gives Chicago a popula- tion of 29,963.
In 1853, a general banking law caused the opening of nine banks of issue, based on the State stocks. The year 1854 was marked by the cholera, there being 931 deaths in July. In 1855, Stephen A. Douglas gave ten acres of ground to found the University of Chicago, and J. Y. Seammon, William Jones and William B. Ogden added cash donations.
Tho next summer, the schooner Dean Richmond took a cargo of wheat to Liverpool.
The pauic of 1857 was a severe blow, its effects lasting until dissipated by the war. During that period tho streets were raised in grade, and George M. Pullman astonished the world by lifting large brick buildings to the new level. Next came a street railway, in the South Division.
The city, in 1860, bad a population of 112,172. The rail- way system had expanded to 4,500 miles of tributary trade, and the export of provisions and breadstuffs had acquired large volume. The event of the year was the Republican National Convention at Chicago, at which Abraham Lincoln was nomi- nated for President.
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