USA > Illinois > Lee County > Early Lee County, being some chapters in the history of the early days in Lee County, Illinois > Part 9
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The "History of the Illinois River Baptist Associa- tion," prepared by Gilbert S. Bailey for and published by the Association in 1857, says that the annual meeting of the association was held in Princeton in 1838 and ad- mitted to membership "Dixon and Buffalo Grove in Lee County with fourteen members." At this meeting a com- mittee was appointed to prepare sketches of the origin of the churches, and its report, in part, reads as follows:
"Dixon and Buffalo Grove. Two Baptist sisters from the Mulberry street church, in New York, set- tled with their families in these places some years before the removal of the Indians, and continued alone until the commencement of the white settle- ments introduced a few Baptist brethren around them. In the latter part of May, they were visited and gathered into a church by elder Thomas Powell. Three were received and baptized into the fellowship of the church at that time."
It appears from this authority that the annual meeting of the association was held in Dixon in June, 1842, when the Dixon church had forty members, and that Dixon and Buffalo Grove were dismissed the following year, to unite with the Rock River Association.
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LEE COUNTY'S FIRST PHYSICIAN.
Dr. Green Forrest, a Kentuckian, announced in the Northwestern Gazette and Galena Advertiser of April 25, 1835, and the subsequent numbers for six months, that he had "located, permanently, one mile northeast of Dixon's Ferry, where he can be found at all times when not absent on professional business."
That he was there before the day of the first advertise- ment is shown by John Dixon's account books, which contain undated charges of a dollar for "11 light sash," and seventy-five cents for "12 glass," and a load of hay, price not stated, and these precede a charge of one dollar and a quarter for shoeing a horse "Mar. 5," and a charge, "Apl. 1," for a load of hay, price not stated, and a credit dated "Mar. 9, 1835." The last dated charge against him on these books is that of August 21, 1835.
Dr. Forrest lived on what was known for years as the Woodford farm, above the Assembly grounds. Later he built and lived in a log house that stood at the southwest corner of East River street and Ottawa avenue. It is stated by John K. Robinson, in Kurtz's History of Dixon and Palmyra, that Dr. Forrest went back to Kentucky, but the time of his departure is not known now. There are circumstances, however, that make it reasonably certain that he left Dixon in 1835.
A Dr. Spencer, son of John C. Spencer of New York, once Secretary of War and later Secretary of the Treas- ury, was living in Dixon in September, 1836, when Dr. Oliver Everett arrived there in his search for a location. Spencer immediately importuned Everett to stay so that he might return to New York, saying he did not want to live so far from his old home and friends, but had prom- ised Mr. Dixon he would stay until a successor appeared. When Everett decided to locate there Spencer gave him
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DRS. RUTLIDG AND EVANS
several books, one being a copy of Byron's Poems. Long afterwards Everett found those parts of Don Juan de- scribing the mutiny of the ship's crew were underscored by pencil marks. Later there was a mutiny on one of the vessels of our navy, and the leaders of the crew seem to have followed the conduet described by Byron. One of that mutinous crew was Dr. Spencer's brother, and for his participation in the mutiny he was hanged at the yard arm. These facts were related to the writer on several occasions by Dr. Everett.
In the account books kept by John Dixon there is an account reading "Doctor Rutlidg"-"1832, May 9, commenced," but there is nothing showing what was commenced or how long it was continued, nor is there any amount charged. Following this is the last entry- "Dinner for six men $1.50," but it is without date. There are several charges, beginning December 25, 1834, and ending March 30, 1835, against "Dr. Evans," for letters, evidently meaning the postage on letters. The books give no other information of these men, or either of them.
As Dr. Everett made his home in Dixon in 1836 and remained there for more than fifty years, the rest of his life, he is entitled to be called the first physician in Lee county.
EARLY POLITICS.
The Northwestern Gazette & Galena Advertiser says that at an election in August, 1836, the vote in the Dixon precinct of Ogle county for members of the House of Representatives was, Elijah Charles (elected), 10; Lu- ther H. Bowen of Savanna, 10; John Turney of Galena, 10; James Craig (elected), 8, and - Bennett, 1.
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At the congressional election in 1838 the Third district, containing the thriving towns of Decatur, Springfield, Quincy, Bloomington, Galena and Chicago, had two candi- dates-John T. Stuart, Whig, and Stephen A. Douglas, Democrat. Andreas' History of Chicago says Douglas received 18,337, Stuart 18,405. C. C. Brown, vol. 7, p. 110, Publications, Illinois Historical Library, says the total vote was 36,461, and Stuart's majority 14. Dr. J. F. Snyder, in his article upon James H. Ralston (Publica- tions Ill. State His. Soc .. v. 13, p. 223) says Douglas had 18,213 votes and Stuart 18,248.
The Sangamon Journal (Springfield) of September 8, 1838, says the official vote was Douglas 17730, Stuart 17807.
The Illinois State Register and People's Advocate (Vandalia) of October 12, 1838, says the official vote, "as corrected," was Douglas 18242, Stuart 18247, and that the vote in Ogle county was Douglas 273, Stuart 532.
In a letter dated November 10, 1884, J. Young Scam- mon writes to the Inter Ocean that "Douglas was in- Chicago on the day of the election, and he received so large a vote in Cook County that he had no doubt of his election. He was so elated that when he started for Jacksonville, where he then resided, he took his seat on the front of the stage with the driver, and traveled on down to Lockport, receiving the congratulations of his
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
friends on the way. When he got to the latter place he found that the canal men and hands had voted against him because in the Legislature he was in favor of the 'shallow cut,' and opposed to a deep canal. Mr. E. B. Talcott was then an assistant engineer on the canal works and resided in Lockport. He engineered the bolt and induced the scratching of Douglas' name from Dem- ocratic tickets and substituting Stuart's. This was a discouraging aspect of the case, but as Douglas pro- ceeded southward on his journey he found that this de- fection did not extend far below Lockport, and that Ottawa and Peru and the residue of the canal regions had given him the usual democratic majorities. But when he arrived at Peoria, which was then the central point whence the stages converged, he found that the military tract was less favorable to him than he had ex- pected, and the belief was there that Stuart was elected by a small majority. It was so close, however, that the result was claimed by both parties, and doubt was not removed until the official returns reached the office of the Secretary of State, which showed that Douglas was elected by S majority. Mr. James Matheny, who was at that time a young and very ardent Whig, said he believed 'the Democrats had been cheating us,' and if any one would pay his expenses he would saddle his horse in the morning and go to every county-seat and examine the poll-books. Mr. Stuart paid his expenses and he made the examination, traveling over the whole district and examining all the poll-books. He found quite a number of errors, but they all canceled each other, except in one precinct, where the poll-book showed that in carrying over Stuart's vote from one page where he had a majority his votes were put in the Douglas column on the next page, and Douglas' into his. Correcting this mistake the decision of the returns was reversed, and Stuart elected by twelve or thirteen votes. This was
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S. A. DOUGLASS
done and the facts certified to the Secretary of State, and Stuart got the certificate."
Scammon says that the voting was viva voce, and that is the fact, no ballots being cast, and no ballot box being used, so his reference to scratched tickets is incompre- hensible.
Frederick R. Dutcher, who was then living in Dixon, discovered an error in the addition of the votes in the precincts in Lee county, and he promptly made his discovery known to John S. Roberts of Springfield, who, in turn, laid the matter before Douglas. In a few days Dutcher received the following letter:
Springfield, Oct. 2d, 1839.
DEAR SIR :
Mr. Roberts has just placed in my hands a letter from you show a mistake in the Poll Book of your precinct of 3 votes. Every vote is importan at this crisis. You have my grateful acknowledgements for the kindness you have already shown. But I must ask of you the favor to carefully add up the votes in each of the other precincts and see if there have been no mistakes in the addition of them by the Clerks & Judges. This can all be done at the Clerk's office where you will find all the Poll Books of the county. When you shall have examined all the Poll Books I wish you would get the Clerk of the Co Comrs Court to call to his assistance two Justices of the Peace & to make a new return correcting the mistakes, This has been done in many other coun- ties and will be in all soon. It is important that this should be attended to immediately as the time is fast approaching when I must leave for Washington. Please send the names of the illegal voters and also the witness by whom they can be proven to be illegal. I am with great respect
your friend,
S. A. DOUGLASS.
F. R. Dutcher, Esq., Dixon, Lee Co.,
Ill.
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
Dutcher immediately re-examined the Lee county books and then carefully examined the books in Ogle, White- side and Carroll, only to find that the errors there coun- terbalanced.
The great majority of the electors in the Dixon pre- cinct voted for Stuart, in retaliation upon Douglas for his support of John Phelps in the fight for the county seat.
The first political convention held in Lee county con- vened in November, 1839, and was due to the activities of Frederick R. Dutcher. He received the following let- ter in October of that year:
SIR :
The State Central Corresponding Committee have deemed it advisable to call a State Convention of the Democratic Party, at Springfield, on the 2d Monday in December next, for the purpose of adopting a more efficient system of organization, and also to nominate candidates for Presidential Electors. The propriety of this measure has been pressed upon the consideration of the Committee by many of our friends from different parts of the State, and its necessity is rendered the more urgent by the zealous, energetic, concerted movements of the Federal party in this State. That Party has recently held a State Convention in this place; has adopted an efficient system of organization. with their State, County and Precinct Committees ; have nominated their Can- didates, for Presidential Electors; and have instruct- ed those Candidates to mount the stump, and har- rangue the people wherever they can find them as- sembled; and, in short, are prepared for and have avowed their determination to make a vigorous and determined effort for the prostration of Democratic principles, and the ascendancy of Federal Whiggery, in this State, and the Nation. The result of such an issue we do not doubt or fear. We are willing and ought to be prepared to meet them boldly and
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CALL FOR STATE CONVENTION
fearlessly upon their own ground, and fight them in the manner, and upon the issue they have formed.
For the purpose of being fully prepared for the contest, equally well organized, and upon an equal footing at the opening of the campaign, you are re- quested to immediately consult with our friends, and call a meeting in your county, and appoint delegates to the proposed Convention.
Each County is requested to send a number of Delegates at least double the number of their Sena- tors and Representatives in the General Assembly; and each County, no matter how small, two Dele- gates, and as many more as it chooses.
As our Government is emphatically a Government of the People, deriving its existence from them, we would recommend an expression of opinion in your Resolutions upon the subjects that agitate the coun- try, and upon the following, particularly :
1st. The Constitutional Treasury Bill, as rec- ommended by President Van Buren.
2d. A National Bank, as recommended by Mr. Clay.
3d. The GAG BILL, depriving officers of the right of speech, as introduced by Mr. Crit- tenden, in the U. S. Senate, and by Mr. Otwell, in the Illinois Legislature.
4th. The Repeal of the Salt Tax and the sup- pression of the Salt Monopoly, as recommend- ed by Mr. Benton, Mr. Woodbury, and other distinguished Democrats in Congress.
5th. The right of the Governor to nominate a Secretary of State, as provided by the Con- stitution, and exercised by Gov. Carlin.
6th. The decision of the Supreme Court in- stalling A. P. Field in office for life.
An expression of opinion upon the above, and such other subjects as shall occur to you as import- ant to the country, is desired in order that the Dele- gates may bring with them the sentiments of the people upon these interesting questions.
We would further recommend that at your meet-
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
ings you appoint a Corresponding Committee for your County, at or near the County Seat, to consist of three persons, and also a Committee of Vigilance of three persons in each Justice's Precinct of your County, to continue as permanent Committees until others shall be appointed, and to be composed of sound and efficient Democrats, who will use all fair and honorable means to sustain the Principles and Candidates of the Democratic Party. You will please forward the proceedings of your meeting to the State Register, at this place, and to the other nearest Democratic paper, for publication. We are very respectfully your fellow citizens.
VIRGIL HICKOX, JOHN TAYLOR, ROBERT ALLEN, JOHN CALHOUN, CHARLES R. HURST, JOHN S. ROBERTS, DAVID PRICKETT, Corresponding Committee.
Springfield, October 10, 1839.
Dutcher consulted with some of his fellow Democrats and formed a committee that called a county convention and then organized a precinct committee that issued the following :
"NOTICE
A meeting of the democratic party of the Dixon precinct will be held at the Western Hotel on Friday 15th inst at 6 o'clock P M for the purpose of ap- pointing four delegates to meet at the same place on the 16th inst at 12 o'clock to meet delegates from the different precincts of this County to appoint del- agates to meet the State Convention to be held at Springfield on the 2nd Monday in December next for the purpose of nominating Candidates for the Pres- idential Electors and such other business as may be deamed necessary for the better organising the Democratic party of this County also pass resilu-
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DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
tions reliteve to the Questions in a certain letter reed from the State Corresponding Committee.
FREDERICK R. DUTCHER,
HARVEY MORGAN, DANIEL FROST, Corresponding Committee. Dixon Nov 14th 1839."
No record of the other proceedings of this precinct committee was preserved. The record of the county con- vention still exists and it reads thus :
"At a Democratic meeting of Delegates appointed from each precinct pursuant to a call from the Cen- tral Corresponding Committee of Lee county con- vened at the Western Hotel in Dixon the 16th inst at 12 o'clock for the purpose of appointing delegates to attend the State Convention at Springfield on the 2d Monday in December next-and such other busi- ness as might be deemed necessary.
Samuel Johnston was called to the chair & Fred- erick R Duteher appointed secretary
The object of the meeting having been stated by the chair
Resolved that a committee of three be appointed by the chair to recommend to this meeting suitable delegates to attend the State convention at Spring- field and Draft resolutions expressive of the views of this meeting.
The following persons composed said committee Wm. P Burroughs
Daniel Frost
Jeremiah Whipple
who after retiring a short time made the following report, which was unanimously adopted-
Whereas a crisis now exists in this nation, which every true republican must feel the Importance of to the Democratic party, and whereas we believe the principles adopted by Martin Van Buren are the true principles of the party and should be supported by every true Democrat, Therefore Resolved that the delegates to Springfield to nominate candidates for presidential electors be instructed to vote for
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
such men as will support the principles of the pres- ent administration-
1st. Resolved, That the Subtreasury Scheme is the true method of receiving and disbursing the Public Revinue, also that it is the duty of every true Democrat to sustain Martin Van Buren for the next presidency in order that he may more fully carry out the views of the administration Party-
2d. Resolved, That we believe it is the duty of the Democratic party in this State to be more cau- tious in appointing men in office as it appears that a majority of Democratic appointments are conserva- tives and Whigs and that none but true and Tryed Democrats should Receive Important appointments to office from the Democratic Republicans of this State.
3d. Resolved, that in nominating John A. Mc- Clernand Secretary of State Gov Carlin exercised the right guaranteed him by the constitution of this State, and should be supported by every true Dem- ocrat.
4th. Resolved, That the decision of the Supreme Court of this State installing A P Field in the office of Secretary of State for life is both unconstitutional and entirely at variance with the principles of Re- publican Institutions.
5th. Resolved, that the Sistem of plundering and Swindling carried on by the Banks throughout the union has been the means of building up an aristo- cratic party, styling themselves Whigs, and that we predict the downfall of Federal Whigery, and their handmaids, whenever the Political jugling of the one, and the corruption of the other, shall be more apparent to the Honest Yeomanry of the country.
6th. Resolved, that the transactions of the State Bank of Illinois have become oppressive to the ma- jority of the people, extending discounts to the few for Political effect and agrandisement, also Resolved that we believe the charter should be repealed, and a more equal and efficient sistem of Banking Intro- duced.
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WHIG CONVENTION
The following delegates to meet at Springfield the 2d Monday in December were then appointed Frederick R Dutcher
Wm. P Burroughs Edward Southwick
Resolved, that the delegates be empower to fill vacancies should any occur in their number.
Voted that the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the chairman an Secretary and published in the Chicago & Galena Democrat & State Register.
SAMUEL JOHNSTON, chairman FREDERICK R DUTCHER, Secretary."
Dutcher was the only Lee county delegate who attended the state convention. -0 -
The Northwestern Gazette & Galena Advertiser says the Whigs held a convention at Dixon May 8, 1840, and nominated Thomas Drummond of Galena, for many years judge of the United States courts, and Hiram W. Thornton of Millersburgh, Mercer county, a land agent and lawyer who had been a blacksmith, for members of the lower house of the legislature. In talking with me of this convention E. B. Washburn laid emphasis on the fact that Thornton was a blacksmith. These nominees were elected.
The delegates attending from Lee county were Cyrus Chamberlain, Thomas MeCabe, Oliver Everett, G. A. Martin, John Cutshaw, H. A. Coe, F. W. Coe, Joseph Crawford, J. B. Cutshaw, Jeremiah Murphy, James M. Santee, W. W. Johnson, John Moss and David Welty.
The Gazette, of a later day, gives this much of the vote :
Van
Drummond
Thornton
Campbell Valzah
Dixon precinct 152
111
Lee county
254
256
201 212
Thompson Campbell, a Galena lawyer, afterwards Sec- retary of State, later a member of Congress, and Dr.
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
Van Valzah, one of the first of the Pennsylvanians to settle in Stephenson county, were the Democratic nomi- nees.
In 1842 the vote in Lee county for governor was Ford, Democrat, 237; Duncan, Whig, 238; Hunter, Free Soil, 7; for lieutenant governor, Moore, Democrat, 236; Hen- derson, Whig, 254; Collins, Free Soil, 7.
In 1844 the vote in Lee county was Polk, 315; Clay, 244; Birney, 48.
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The Democrats of the Second Congressional district, comprising Cook, De Kalb, Du Page, Kane, Lee, Rock Is- land and Whiteside counties, held their convention in Dixon on the fifteenth of September, 1852, Col. John De- ment being the chairman. The delegates from Lee county were John Dement, John V. Eustace, Richard F. Adams, John Gilmore and Hiram Wood. The nominee was John Wentworth of Chicago, and he was elected, by a vote of 7538 to 6437 for Cyrus Aldrich of Lee, the Whig and 2149 for James H. Collins of Chicago the Abolition candidates. The vote in Lee county was Wentworth 508, Aldrich 565, Collins 55.
AMBOY.
From a private letter, written by one of her pioneer business men, the following is quoted to show some inci- dents in Amboy's beginning :
Greenwich, Mass., Nov. 14th, 1854. ALFRED E. PATTEN, Osceola, Iowa.
I am writing you sitting in my chair with my port- folio in my lap, as I do not feel able to bend over a table. *
*
I will commence at the time we separated at Al- bany. I regret that you had promised to go to Clarke County, Iowa, for I thought you might do just as well in Ill., but to my doings. Chann and myself took horse and buggy the next day after you left, in search of a location for the business we talked of and to see the country, likewise we spent about one week in riding and of course saw a good deal of the country between Albany and Chicago. I think I am pretty well posted in the matter. The country a little back and north of Albany is quite rolling, though not quite so much as back of Albany where we went. I presume it would not have been as rolling if we had gone six or eight miles farther to the east. You may depend that the land baek of Al- bany in that country to Sterling on Rock River will be the best wheat lands at present of any in Northern Illinois, and still it is not one-tenth part broken or fenced as yet. I tell you the country is most beau- tiful from Albany to Sterling. I crossed it twice. Well, the first night we staid with Hyram Fish. He married Mr. Sprout's daughter of our place you know. We had a special time of it you may depend. He lives at Gap Grove and has a little bit of a house, nice and cozy though old. You will recollect he is the man that must have a nice horse and buggy. He built the cottage adjoining his father's house, but things are changed. He kicked up his heels in great glee at seeing me, offered such as he had, said that
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EARLY LEE COUNTY
was good enough and would not put himself out a cents worth for us. Well he enjoys himself and no mistake. He lives on the main road from Dixon to Albany, Fulton City, etc. He has 80 acres I think of land. Bought it two years ago for 6 or 8 per acre, now worth $25. to $35. per acre. He lives in plain sight of A. Powers' place. W. Town staid with us at Fish's. He was just starting for Minnesota, bag and baggage. He wants to make a fortune in a day, but don't know how to do it, wants to do it without work. We started next morning for Dixon and so on down the Illinois Central R. R. After traveling some 12 miles southeast of Dixon we ran unexpectedly on a place by the name of Amboy. When we first saw it, it struck my fancy, for we were on quite an eleva- tion and looked down upon it, it looked fine. We were on our way for Mendota 17 miles south at the junction of the Military Track and Illinois Central. I told Chan. I would have a lot or so whether or not, before we got there (that is Amboy), and in great glee we decended a slope of one-half mile or so to the tavern and depot. The company have laid out a good deal of expense here already. The tavern which belongs to the company cost some twelve thou- sands. This was finished when I was there the last time and would be opened the next week. It is a fine affair. I went pretty much over it and into the observatory on the top of it. They have a large freight house done, likewise a very large round house capable of holding 23 engines at once with a very large turn-table in the center. The track work is done to this likewise but the top is not on. Their buildings when all done will cover several acres and all of brick. They calculate to employ some three hundred hands. It is said they intend to make this a kind of shifting station for engineers and engines. They will stop for meals also. There are other ex- pectations, though they may not be realized. The greatest is, that the County Seat will be removed from Dixon to Amboy. Dixon is in the edge of Lee County, only one town between it and the two other Counties, and Amboy is within one mile or so of the exact center. The Company has made some offers
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