USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Biographical Sketches of Some of the Early Settlers of the City Chicago Part 1 > Part 10
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here at the rate of six pounds for a dollar. It was customary to buy everything by the dollar's worth. The smallest change in money was a half dime. Sixteen of these, or eight dimes, passed for a dollar.
It was about this time that a change took place in the business of Chicago. Instead of importing all articles of necessity, Chi- cago now began to export provisions. Chicago merchants, too, now began to give credit to dealers in the country, to buy their produce, to borrow money on warehouse receipts, and to appoint foreign agents to do their business for them. Mr. Church, however, did not engage in this branch of traffic, but added to his other importations, paints, glass, oils, iron, and domestic dry goods. In 1840, he moved his old store, and built a forty feet front, fire- proof brick building on Lake street, Nos. 111 and 113, and moved his goods into it, taking into partnership his best clerk, Mr. M. L. Satterlee, late of the firm of Satterlee, Cook & Co.
After a successful business of three years, Mr. Church bought out Mr. Satterlee, and this partnership was dissolved in 1843, when Mr. Church disposed of his interest in the store, and in- vested his means, which were now considerable, in the purchase of real estate. In his transactions in real estate, he was as for- tunate as in his mercantile career. One of the predominant traits in his character, though not the ruling one, was caution. He was never disposed to embark in hazardous undertakings; but he has uniformly succeeded in whatever he has undertaken.
An estimate of Mr. Church's property, on retiring from mer- chandising, showed a clear value of $37,000, and this was the result of twenty years' prudent enterprise, during which time he never was embarrassed to meet his engagement, and has always paid one hundred cents on the dollar, and never had a law suit which required the argument of an attorney.
Mr. Church now invested his means in real estate, having gained, by experience, a knowledge of the rapid rise in value ; and so successful were his investments that, in the year 1856, his interest and rents amounted to $10,000; and, in 1857, to double that amount. The property was estimated, January, 1857, at $300,000, and his income $22,554.50 per annum. The havoc of panies has rendered these estimates subject to great vicissitudes; but, like the receding wave of the flood-tide, the rise of the reflux exceeds the depression, and an advance is maintained.
The rise in the value of land in Chicago, commenced at an carly day. In 1830 or 1831, twenty feet of ground on Lake st., west of, and adjoining No. 113, sold for $7. In 1834, the same ground was sold for $250. In 1836, it was sold for $8000, it having then a building on it not worth over $2000. It is now worth or $1500 per foot, the snug little sum of $30,000.
In June, 1836, the great Canal sale commenced, and a large
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amount of canal lands were sold. The terms were, a quarter down, and the balance in one, two, and three years, with interest on the deferred payments at six per cent. in advance. That was all, however, that was ever paid, as a few years afterwards the State compromised with the purchasers, giving them one- half of the whole quantity of the land for the one-quarter of the price which they had paid. In 1838, the State offered their lands on twenty years time, ten per cent. of the purchase money down, and six per cent. interest for the balance. They took in payment, too, State Stock, which was then depreciated to such an extent that thirty dollars of it could be bought for ten dol- lars. Such an opportunity to invest money profitably in lands has never occurred since; but at that time nobody wanted to buy, for there was very little money in circulation. In 1839, at the Fort Dearborn sales, lots on Michigan avenue were pur- chased at a little over $1 per front foot, lots of 48 feet front selling at $51. The same lots are now worth forty thousand dollars. Since that date, land has been steadily increasing in value.
In the summer of 1834, the first Tremont House was built on the north-west corner of Lake and Dearborn streets. It was burned down in 1839, that being the first large fire that had ever happened in Chicago. Mr. Ira Couch immediately built the second Tremont House. on the site of the present edifice, and kept it till it too, was burned down in 1849. In the fall of 1849, Mr. Couch erected another noble structure. It was called by the croakers at first "Couch's folly " in derision, some persons thinking it much too large for a place like Chicago. But immense as it is, it has been thronged with guests, and its popularity is increasing every year. In 1871, the Tremont House was again ravaged by the flames, and is again rebuilt in a style still more magnificent.
Mr. Church, notwithstanding his close attention to business, his active. mind and benevolent disposition has always led him to the discharge of his duty as a citizen ; active in the pro- motion of whatever would benefit the interests of Chicago, he felt a pride in its rapid progress. For eight or nine years, Mr. Church was city assessor of the south division, and also Com- missioner for the opening of streets and alleys, for the partition of real estate, and in awarding widow's dower; for the planking and paving of streets, and for appraising the damages and bene- fits arising from the establishment of lines of wharfage and dockage on the river. In the entire course of his official con- duct, requiring the making of maps of subdivisions of the city, and placing the abstract titles on record, we have not heard of a single mistake, or a single complaint of unfairness or partiality.
In 1849, Mr. Church was nominated for mayor of the City of Chicago, by the Whig party, but was defeated.
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On the organization of the Fireman's Insurance Company, Mr. Church was elected president, and filled the office with great credit, commanding the respect and esteem of his brother di- rectors. As a token of their respect, in 1863, they presented Mr. Church with a handsome gold watch; value, $250. The character of Mr. Church is too well known to require eulogy, but the object of a biographical sketch is to hand down to posterity the record he has made with his cotempories.
In 1854, when the cholera raged in our midst with such alarming fatality-when the angel of death held high revel in our streets-when strong men and little children alike were stricken down on every side - when medical skill and the tenderest care were unavailing to stay the progress of the plague or to snatch its victims from its deadly grasp-when all business was paralyzed and when hundreds were fleeing from the pestilence, Mr. Church remained at home, discharged his usual duties, and ministered to the wants of the sick around him. He was not alone in this. Many others of our citizens, like him, devoted themselves to the noble work of alleviating the sufferings they could not prevent.
Successful in his pecuniary circumstances, Mr. Church was not less prosperous in his domestic relations. He was happy in his first marriage, in the possession of the choice of his heart's first affections ; in whom he found a congenial help in his early struggles, and a companion in his early successes. To her was born five children, two of whom survive and are married to very estimable gentlemen now living in Chicago. In April, 1839, Mrs. Church died, which was the cause of great affliction to her husband and family. His two children were deprived of a mother's fostering care, and his happy home had become deso- late. Hired help can not supply the place of parental affection. and, for a time, there was sorrow in that dwelling.
In the fall of the same year, at the sick-bed of a neighbor, Mr. Church accidentally met Mrs. Rebecca Pruyne; knowing that she had no other interest than a neighborly sympathy, he thought it a manifestation of a kind heart, and became favorably impressed. She was a lady of comely appearance, respectably connected, was the widow of the late Peter Pruyne Mr. Pruyne was senator of this State, and Rebecca was daughter of S. W. Sherman, of this city. She had one child. Mr. Church had two children ; it was a legal proportion, she was entitled to her thirds. This casual meeting ripened into an acquaintance, and, ultimately, into a mutual sympathy and attachment, and, in November. 1839, they were married. The alliance proved mutually satisfactory, and, as their pecuniary circumstances were ample for their moderate habits, they had only to seek happi- ness in the rational enjoyments suited to their tastes. Their quiet of home life, they diversified by travel; they visited the homes of their enrly youth, and gratined themselves in again
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viewing the scenes with which their affections and memories were entwined. These travels were extended to many places of interest. . Mr. Church was, in the meantime, carrying on his enterprises in real estate, building largely, and watching with great interest the progress of the city, until June, 1871, when, after a short illness, he died, regretted by a large circle of friends. Obituary notices were published in the daily press, and the directors of the Firemen's Insurance Company passed the following resolutions :
Resolved-That the news of the death, on Sunday evening, of our first and only president, Thomas Church, fills our hearts with sorrow, and is an event greatly to be deplored.
Resolved-That his death is not only a loss to this company, but to the community in which he has so long honorably and exemplarily lived.
Resolved-That we will, in a body, attend his funeral, and that we extend to his family our sympathies, and that these resolutions be spread upon the records of the company, of which he has so long been an honored and useful president.
Mr. Church was a large and fine looking man, of plain and un- affected manners, and modest and retiring in his deportment. We are not informed whether or not he was connected with any religious society, but from our personal knowledge of his char- acter, we should pronounce him to be Christian at heart and in practice, whether he was so in name or not. He was one of our wealthiest citizens, but he was esteemed and respected far more for his estimable qualities, for his sound good sense, for his active usefulness, and for his quiet and unostentatious benevo- lence, than for the adventitious glare of mere wealth.
Although part of the present sketch was in type before it was submitted to the present editor, he has been permitted a sight of an autobiography of the late Thomas Church, It is replete with very interesting matter bearing upon the history of Chi- cago during nearly forty years of close observation. These observations will form invaluable material in preparing a his- tory of Chicago, but are too lengthy to be even glanced at in this sketch we extract the following: "I feel very grateful and thank a divine Providence for the good and kind husbands that our daughters have. They are thrifty, industrious, and good providers for their families. The eldest, Geo. A. Ingalls, is a lawyer; the second, Ephram Ingals, is a doctor; the youngest, S. D. Kimbark, is an iron merchant. Neither of them use pro- fane language, or tobacco, and are quite temperate. They all came home last Thanksgiving-day, each brought their eldest, child, and I believe the arrangement is, that on next Thanks- giving-day, our extension-table is to be spread so as to admit three more little ones. I feel proud of our boys, and have reason to hope that they will continue in well-doing; remain good men, good husbands, and good fathers !"
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