USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > Biographical Sketches of Some of the Early Settlers of the City Chicago Part 1 > Part 9
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The next year his firm purchased a few bags of grain of the surrounding farmers, which were sent to his mills in Otsego County, New York; this shipment of wheat, we believe, was the first ever made from Chicago to so Eastern a market.
During this period, though making Chicago the principal theatre of his labors, he was yet a resident of the State of New York, dividing his time nearly equally between this city, his home in Otsego County; New York City, and traveling on business. In '39, the famous struggle between the old Safety Fund, and the so-called Red Dog, or free banking system, was at its height. As a Representative from his native county he was sent to the Legislature. Carrying with him the same com- prehensive and far-seeing views as a legislator, that ever char- acterized him as a business man, he was intrumental, in no small degree, in carrying through, though opposed by the great pre- ponderance of the money power of the State, that deservedly popular system of redemption and exchange, which has since that time been in effect.
Each succeeding year his business in Chicago continued to increase, so that in 1840, his shipments had so much enlarged, that in the purchase of hides and skins alone, he not only ex- hausted his supply of merchandise, but was obliged to bring money from the East. In 1842, he established a partnership with Cyrus Clark, Esq,, of U'tica, under the firm of Walker &
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Clark, for receiving Western produce; to bring himself nearer the chief point of business, he resolved to close out his affars in Otsego County, and in May, 1845, he removed his family to our city.
In 1847, came the great crisis in the grain trade which car- ried down the oldest and best houses in the Union. Though not escaping without some most terrible losses that would have intimidated ordinary men; with a courage undaunted by re- verses-with a nerve and will, egnal to the emergency, his craft was guided to a safe anchorage from the fearful breakers that engulped his less fortunate competitors ; and his firm continued to hold its position as the leading grain and produce house in the West.
In 1851, it was found that C. Walker & Son of Chicago, Walker & Kellog of Peoria, and Walker & Clark of Buffalo, were the largest purchasers of grain from the farmers, in the United States. So that the few bags of grain, which in 1839 were sent on their eastern journey and the few bushels of 1840, had, in 1851, grown to 1,500,000 bushels.
At this period a severe attack of that malignant disease, the cholera, destroyed his health and compelled him to leave the financial management of the business to his oldest son, who con- tinued the same under the firm of C. Walker & Son and C. Wal- ker & Sons, till 1855, when he retired from the business alto- gether, leaving it to his two sons and others, who continue the same under the firm of Walker, Bronson & Co., prosecuting the business with all the vigor of its founder, this firm have during the past year, handled over five and a quarter millions of bushels of grain, an amount, we think, which will bear compar- ison with that of any other establishment in our own country or in Europe. Mr. Walker retires, we understand, the oldest grain merchant in the Union, having steadily remained in one of the most hazardons speculations in the world over thirty-one years. Acting upon the principle that he who can so cheapen and make efficient the avenues of trade, as to bring the productions of the country so much nearer a market, that the farmer can receive but one penny more the bushel for his grain, brings mil- lions to his country, he feels amply repaid for the great risks he has run; and whatever benefit may have accrued to himself, that he has rendered an ample equivalent to those whom he has served.
While thus engaged as a pioneer in his own peculiar business he has been none the less efficient in promoting works of public utility. Prominent in all those great schemes which do so much towards developing the resources of the country, he has ever been one of the foremost in opening up and turning to account those great thoroughfares which vein our broad prairies, and wind their deep channels through our hills and valleys, and which, with every throb of animated industry, quicken into life
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new avenues of trade, turning their accumulated wealth to swell the commercial tide that has so strongly set to the heart of our western metropolis.
When the Galena Rail Road was recuscitated, in 1847, Mr. Walker was chosen one of its Directors. He entered into the project with all his heart. In its gloomiest days, his faith never faltered; his confidence in the ability of the country to build the road never failed. When it was found that more subscrip- tions were necessary, he, as one of a Committee for soliciting additional subscriptions, traversed the country westward, and as far north as Beloit. His courage never wavered. When, in its darkest days, at a meeting of the Board, all confidence seemed to have departed from a majority of the Directors, he, with two or three others, remained firm in his confidence that the work would go through without failure. "A Committee of the Be- lieving" was appointed to take measures to prevent immediate disaster, composed of himself, J. Young Scammon, Esq , and one other. Their measures were successful ; and when, on the return of its President, Mr. Ogden, from New York, it became neces- sary that the Directors should become individually liable for a large sum of money, to secure the iron to lay the first divison of the Road; Mr. Walker did not hesitate to be among the first to do so; and to the credit of the Board be it said, that all the Chicago Directors, but one, pledged their individual liability for the progress of the work. Mr. Walker remained in the Di- rectory from the first, and took an active part in the construction and management of the Road.
In Feb., 1856, the enterprise of pushing forward, across Iowa, the counterpart of the Galena Railroad, was projected ; and the Chicago, Iowa, and Nebraska Railroad was organized, having its eastern termination at the young and growing town of Clinton, on the western bank of the Mississippi. Of this Company Mr. Walker was one of the main directors and its president.
During the summer of 1856, he, in connection with others, erected and put in operation, at Beloit, Wis., an excellent paper mill, and a large reaper manufactory ; and from a very superior quality of clay, upon his farm in Morris, Ill., commenced the manufacture of " Green Mountain Ware." expecting, in time, to supply Chicago and the Northwest with a quality of stoneware equal to any in the United States. He also was largely engaged in farming in the interior.
The conviction, that he who does the most towards opening up the great channels of trade, so that the poor man's labor will gain a level with the rich man's capital, is a practical philanthrophist, he was in theory and practice a thorough utili- tarian. In private life, a plain man and thoroughly democratic ; he recited the incidents of his boyhood and early struggles with a degree of well-earned satisfaction, and none more ready, in every consistant way, with kind words or material countenance
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and aid, to cheer onward honest and persevering industry. From the first, a faithful and influential member of the church, and a most exemplary man, we think we do no injustice to any other citizen to say, that while we are frank to concede there are others who have added to themselves greater wealth, to none is Chicago more indebted for her unexampled prosperity than to the late Charles Walker.
In closing this brief notice of one so highly esteemed, we may fitly add the words of another: "In the internal improvements, which have done so much to develop the exhaustless resources of the State, in Railroad enterprises, which have poured a flood- tide of wealth and business into our commercial metropolis of the Northwest, in every public work, whose intention and effect was to build up and promote the healthful growth of the City, he has ever been in the foremost rank of public-spirited men. In short, taking into consideration the varied incidents of his active life, his indomitable perseverance and industry, and the financial ability he has exhibited, Mr. Charles Walker has had few equals and no superiors, as a skilful business man and a good citizen."
THOMAS CHURCH, ESQ.
BY JAMES TAYLOR, PH. D. Author of "Moral and Social Manners," etc.
INTRODUCTION.
There is a laudable craving in the human heart, to know the history of those who have become distinguished, whether such distinction is the result of personal merit, or of the peculiar cir- cumstances by which they are surrounded. It has been said, that " some are born great, some have greatness thrust upon them;" but certain it is that, however favorable circumstances may be, it requires an inherent power to seize, at the right mo- ment, the advantages which time and circumstances may offer the enterprising and watchful. The life of Thomas Church fur- nishes interesting material, in connection with the early settle- ment of Chicago, and is a very prominent example of what may be accomplished by a steady perseverance in an honorable course of industry, integrity, and self-reliance.
The name of Thomas Church will ever be remembered with respect and affection by those who knew him best, and were able to appreciate the many estimable qualities which so well fitted him to take an active part in the early settlement of Chi- cago, with the interests of which he was identified from the year 1834, to the time of his death, on the 25th day of June, 1871.
The honorable and exemplary life of Thomas Church well deserves a record, which will hand his name to posterity, and keep green the memory of his many virtues, his goodness of heart, and noble aspirations.
Ox the front page of the "Family Bible." as is customary in rural homes, the record of the Church family was kept, from which it appears, that Thomas Church was born, in the Town and County of Onondago, in the State of New York, on the 8th day of December, A. D. 1800. His father died while Thomas was in his infancy. His mother's maiden name was Olive Raw- son, who had been bereft of her husband, and afterwards, by a second marriage, became the wife of Thomas Yates, a man of moderate means, but industrious, enterprising, and honorable. In the household of his step father, young Church was brought up. Mr. Yates was the owner of a distillery, and the boy, Thomas, was employed in such matters as his strength would permit him
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to perform. It was his business to carry, on horseback, the meal from the mill, and to assist in clearing a small farm, where they raised wheat for the family consumption. They had three cows, and a span of horses, with which, when the roads were passable, Mr. Yates used to do teaming, from Albany, for the neighboring merchants. The family were in good circumstances, compared with their neighbors. They were very temperate, for Thomas never new but of one pint of rum being sent for, and that was on account of sickness, except, on another occasion, when two quarts of whisky were purchased, when they had a 'logging bee."
When Thomas was twelve years old, the father removed to the town of Benton, Ontario County. From this time he used to assist his mother, and, at times, went to school. He occasion- ally did little chores for the neighbors, for pay, and one day earned six and a-half cents, for gathering stones from a hay meadow. Small as were these earnings, he had a purse of his own, and was anxious to increase his store. When he was four- teen years of age, his parents removed to Bennington, Genesee County, on the border of civilization, and there he practiced a pioneer life, helping to clear, with his two younger brothers and his father, as much land as they were able. Here were spent five years, their home a log house, roofed with split-staves and bark, split and hewed logs for the floor, and stakes set in auger- holes, with a board on them for seats ; a broad chimney, funnel- shaped, big end down, plastered within with clay and straw. The manufacture of maple sugar formed a part of their employ- ment, and very much interrupted the attendance at school.
And now occurred one of those events which illustrate on what trifles our destinies depend. A disagreement between Thomas and his step-father took place, as to whether he should have the large or the small knife to cut basket wood. His father told him, that "unless you have everything your own way, you will not do anything." This charge was denied, and he was then told: "If he did not like to remain at home, he could leave." The young man replied : "If I thought you were in earnest, I would jump the bars as quick as you like." And upon this he let fall the axe, "jumped the bars," and left his home. That jump-from home into the world-was ever re- membered as a mighty event.
And now, launened upon the world without knowing where to go-without money-without friends-with only the clothes he had on-no friends to aid or advise! His thoughts turned to. those who were better off, who had the advantages of education, wealth, parents, kind friends that would help them. He envied those who had learned a profession or trade. He stood alone- without help-almost without hope! But he had health and youth, and as the first sadness wore away, hope revived, he felt stronger, and resolved that, with an honest purpose, and with the help of God, he would on himself rely; that he would take-
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no step backward, and he hurried on to seek employment. About three miles from his home, he engaged to tend a mason for two weeks, for which he was to receive twelve bushels of wheat and six York shillings in money. The man he had worked for was a miller. There came to the mill a brother of young Church, with a grist. Thomas told him that he had twelve bushels of wheat, for which he could get only thirty- seven and a-half cents a bushel, but he wanted to help pay the clearing, and if his father would send his bags, he could have the wheat.
The boy soon came back with the bags and got the wheat; but young Church was afraid his father might relent; but he did not. The wheat was gone, and he now had a capital of six York shillings. However, he agreed to work for the same man, Mr. Owen Cotton, for one year. at ten dollars a month, the pay- ment to be made as follows: fifteen dollars in cash, fifteen dol- lars in orders on a dry-goods store; half the balance in horn cattle, and the other half in grain, at barter price, riz., fifty cents a bushel, the market price being thirty-seven and a-half cents. In this situation he learned to run a linseed oil mill, a grist mill, and a saw mill; and, as Mr. Cotton was often from home. young Church acted as clerk, sold lumber, grain, and oil, and often went with produce to the neighboring towns and exchanged it for raw material. Thus he gained some knowledge of trade, improved his education, and saw a little of the world. He had now made the acquaintance of Miss Rachel Warriner, and this inspired his ambition. Times improved, money became more plenty, and he exchanged his cattle and grain with Mr. Cotton for a little farm. He worked another year, during which time he sold the farm for cash, and, at the end of his term, he again agreed to work for six months for the sum of sixty dollars.
At the expiration of the two and a-half years, he had $227.00 in cash, and a new suit of clothes. Rachel waited, and, in 1823, they were married.
With new responsibilities, new plans were laid, and often thrown aside; but, ultimately, it was concluded to buy a small farm, and establish a home. With this view, Mr. Church went to Chatauque county, selected and bought a small piece of land, built a cabin on it, and then returned home on foot, by the way of Buffalo. There he was overtaken by a snow-storm, and de- tained one whole day. This delay was the cause of a radical change in all his plans.
Buffalo was then a village of 2500 inhabitants, and Mr. Church did not know any one. He had heard, however, of an acquaintance of his cousin, and this man he sought out. He found him keeping a little store, and as busy as a beaver, notwithstanding the bad weather. While sitting in the store, the idea occurred to him, Why cannot I do something of
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this kind? And this thought occupied him during the remain- ing walk home of thirty miles. Of course, his wife was con- sulted. Her advice was-"Go to Buffalo-if your heart is set upon this enterprise, it will be successful." To Buffalo accord- ingly they went, in February, 1824, leased a spot of ground, and erected on it a small store and dwelling. When a stock of goods had been laid in, their money was exhausted, and customers were anxiously looked for. The first sale amounted to three cents. A one dollar bill was presented, and taken, and ninety-seven cents in silver given in exchange. Woful to relate-the bill proved to be on a broken bank! This mishap was a source of much self-reproach, that he should have taken a young wife to a strange place, locked up all his means in a business he knew nothing about; and here was a pretty begin- ning .- He did not tell his wife for some time. A bank note detector was now purchased, and soon matters began to mend. The venture proved successful. Trade increased; and the first year Mr. Church cleared $200. This was probably one of the pleasantest years of his life. It was his first venture in business, and the first year of his married life. All things prospered with him; and he had good reason to look forward to a success- ful business career, and a happy domestic life.
They remained ten years, during that time the lot he had occupied had grown in value, from $150 to $4000. In fact, Buffalo had become a city, competition came in, and it was this suggested a removal further west.
In the spring of 1834, Mr. Church embarked with his effects on board of a small schooner, bound for Chicago. Ever since 1832, when Gen. Scott's army had returned from the Black Hawk war, reports had been circulating of the great fertility of the soil of Illinois, and of the advantages which Chicago would offer to the adventurous settler. Congress, too, had made an appropriation of land to the State for the purpose of constructing a canal from Chicago to the Illinois river.
Far-seeing men discerned in this great enterprise an un- broken chain of water communication between the Mississippi and the great lakes, a sure prognostic of the future develop- ment of Illinois, and a bright harbinger of the brilliant destiny in store for her. Mr. Church himself was not insensible to these great advantages, although he, in common with the early settlers of Chicago, had no idea of the rapidity of the future growth of the city. It was supposed, too, that Congress would soon make an appropriation for the improvement of the harbor at the mouth of the Chicago river.
The schooner on which Mr. Church had embarked, arrived at Chicago on the second day of June, 1834, and anchored about three-quarters of a mile outside of the mouth of the river. No vessel had as yet passed over the bar into the river. The passengers came ashore in boats, and landed their goods in the
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same way. We may mention here, that the first vessel that entered the Chicago river was the schooner Illinois, Capt. Pick- ering. This adventurous officer succeeded in passing the bar in safety in the fall of 1834. It was considered, as indeed it was, quite a feat, and an epoch in the history of the State. That night a jubilee was held in the cabin of the schooner, at which plenty of champagne was drunk, toasts given, and speeches made.
There were about four hundred people in Chicago on Mr. Church's arrival, besides the garrison at Fort Dearborn, which embraced 200 U. S. troops. The business of the place was all done on Water street. Mr. Church endeavored to buy a lot there, but was unsuccessful. The land called canal lands was principally owned by the State. Individuals who owned lots would not sell them. Individuals claiming the canal lands by possession, designated their claim by having a stick of timber or an old stove on it, and asked $500 or $600 for their right of possession. But speculation in lands was not what Mr. Church came to Chicago for. He desired to get into business, and wished at least to own the property on which he lived. He succeeded, finally, in purchasing two lots. Nos. 111 and 113 Lake street, for $250 cach, and immediately erected a store and dwelling house on the property, 20 by 40 feet, and two stories high. There were few or no regularly traveled streets in Chicago at that time. The travel from the Fort to the branching of the river was along the river bank and on some ridges that crossed ravines leading to the stream. Mr. Church's store was the first one built in Chicago fronting on Lake street. Mr. J. K. Botsford had built a store on Dearborn street a little while before, the end of which reached to Lake street :- but at that time there were not enough houses built to give direction to Lake street. In building his house, Mr. C.'s greatest difficulty was to get assistance enough. After buy- ing a raft of timber in the river, he had to get it sawed by hand into joists and rafters, in the same manner that ship-timber is sawed. The frame being prepared, a derrick was rigged, and the frame raised to its place by a pair of oxen. His weather boards were brought from the Wabash country, by what were called " prairie schooners ;" wagons drawn by five or six yoke of oxen. This land voyage occupied several days, the crew taking their provisions with them, and camping out at might. After selling out their cargo and part of their oxen at Chicago, they would take on board a return load of salt, groceries, or dry goods, and 'set sail' for home again. A great deal of Mr. Church's early trading was done with the captains of these prairie schoon- ers. They continued their trips till the march of civilization rendered them no longer necessary.
In the spring of 1835, Mr. Church went to Buffalo for a stock of goods. It took five days to get to Detroit by stage. Send-
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ing his goods by lake, he returned by way of Detroit and Mich- igan City. There was no regular wagon road, and all vehicles ran along on the beach of the lake. It took two days to come from Michigan City to Chicago. There were fourteen passen- gers on this trip. A lady and two gentlemen rode on the top of a wagon loaded with baggage. The other eleven passengers walked on before. The lady was Mrs. JOHN S. C. HOGAN, wife of the then postmaster at Chicago. Her husband, and Mr. JOHN L. WILSON, afterwards Sheriff of Cook county. were also in the party.
On arriving home, Mr. Church found that his goods had got there before him. During his absence, James Whitlock, Esq., Register, and Col. E. D. Taylor, Receiver of the General Land Office, had been negotiating with his wife for the preparation of a building for the use of the office, and she had agreed with them that, on his return, Mr. Church would fit up and furnish two rooms, in the upper story of his store, for their purpose. He immediately hired the necessary assistance, and set about the fulfilment of the contract. The rooms were finished by the first day of June, 1835, and the land sales of that year immedi- ately commenced. The attendance of buyers was very large and the bidding quite spirited. The purchasers stood out on Lake street in front of the land-office, and the constant tramp- ing of such a crowd made the place very muddy. To obviate this, and to give the public a dry place to stand, Mr. Church caused a large quantity of gravel to be brought from the lake shore, and spread daily over the street. The receipts from the sales of land in two weeks were over half a million of dollars. Mr. Church's profits on the goods sold at the same time and for three weeks thereafter, five weeks in all, was $800. The next spring, Mr. Church built an addition to his store, making it one hundred and eighty by twenty feet, and replenished it with a fresh stock of goods. In the year 1838, his retail sales for cash amounted to over $41,000. That year, and the preced- ing, was a hard year with merchants generally. The great com- mercial smash up of 1837 had shaken the country to its remot- est extremities, and even Chicago felt, its disastrous effects.
There are some very interesting incidents connected with Mr. Church's early experience of merchandising in Chicago. In 1837, he purchased at one time seventy-five tons of goods, the freight on which, from New York to Buffalo alone, was $1100. Late in the fall of 1837, sugar was very scarce here, and Mr. Church went to St. Louis, bought a large quantity, and had it re packed in barrels. This was necessary, as it had to be trans- ported in wagons from Ottawa here, and the roads being none of the best, there was some danger that the teamsters might get stuck in the sloughs. In case this accident should happen, they coula roll the barrels to terra firma. This lot of sugar cost eight and three-fourth cents per pound in St. Louis, and it sold
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