USA > Illinois > Ford County > Historical Atlas of Ford County Illinois > Part 21
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The Paxton Brick & Tile Company was organized and in- corporated April 1, 1882, with the following stockholders: Col. Charles Bogardus, A. M. Daggett, F. L. Cook, J. P. Middlecoff, of Paxton, and P. Whitmer, of Bloomington. J. P. Middlecoff is President; F. L. Cook, Secretary, and George Grove, Treasurer. These works are in a flourishing condition, doing a very extensive business. In the past two years, they have kept their machines running twenty-two hours out of the twenty-four during working months. They employ about thirty-two men, with a pay-roll of $300 a week. The factory is located on College Hill, within the corporate limits of Paxton, and on the highest point of land be- tween Chicago and Cairo. They have a deposit of fine clay reaching to a depth of sixteen feet below the surface. The qual- ity of this clay is not excelled for the purpose of the manufacture of brick.
The Paxton Flax Mill is owned and operated by the Cham- paign Twine and Bagging Factory of Champaign, Ill., which is an incorporated company with a capital stock of $100,000. The Directors are L. C. Garwood, Moses Jerome, I. S. Mahan, F. T. Walker, B. D. Harrison, P. W. Plank, H. C. Howard. H. C. Howard is President ; John R. Trevett, Treasurer ; P. W. Plank, Secretary, and M. Jerome, General Manager and the founder of the business. The Paxton Mill is under the management of A. W. Jerome, and employs about fifteen hands the year round, with a pay-roll averaging $450 a month. They manufacture binder twine which finds a ready sale in this and adjoining States, and bagging, which is principally sold in the South, used for covering cotton bales. Congress has been favorable to the importation of jute butts which seriously affects the business, and is detrimental to the interest of flax growers. This company has five different flax mills under operation-one at Rantoul, one at Hoopeston, one at Buckley, one at Cherokee, Iowa, and this one in Paxton. The amount of flax straw worked up varies from five to twelve hun- dred tons annually, which is bought from the farmers.
COLLEGIATE AND NORMAL INSTITUTE.
The Collegiate Institute is Paxton's special pride. It owes its origin, gradual growth and high standing to the liberality and intelligence of the citizens of. Paxton and vicinity. The first move made toward its establishment was to discard the public high school, and hold out inducements for the establishment of an academy.
In the autumn of 1878, Rev. C. Thompson Kellogg opened a school in the buildings formally used by the Augustina College. At the beginning of the next year, the school was started by Charles M. Taylor, . the present Principal, and continued that year in the same buildings. During the summer of 1880, the corner-stone of the magnificent brick structure now occupied by the school was laid. This was due to the enterprise of the Principal and liberality of the community who contributed sev- eral hundred dollars toward taking out scholarships and tuition certificates to the amount of some 84,000. With this aid, improvements were made, and now the college is one of the finest buildings in Eastern Illinois. The school has incorpo- rated in its foundation, principles of economy and thoroughnees, and has systematically worked toward the accomplishment of both. There is not perhaps a school in the country where ex- penses are as low, and the standard of scholarship is rivaled at very few places. The moral atmosphere is exceptionally good. No person is allowed to remain in the institution who does not devote himself to school work. While the discipline is in a sense most rigid, it is purely democratic. The Principal is not re- garded as a tyrant nor the Faculty s set of despots; neither do the pupils take delight in tormenting, or in getting ahead of their teachers. Pupils are received as ladies and gentlemen and when they show themselves not so, they are dismissed. Parents con- cerned in the harmonious development of their children's physical, mental and moral condition cannot find a better place.
MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
In connection with this sketch of Paxton, we add some items of interest taken from data furnished by George A. Hall, City Clerk, in regard to the municipal affairs. It would give us pleasure to present a complete list of city records, but as that would be too voluminous we are obliged to confine ourselves to s very brief abstract.
Street Supervisor; Howard Case, Assessor ; John B. Buen, Collector.
May 8 was enacted the first ordinance ever adopted by the board, and it was in relation to " Nuisances." This was followed at the same meeting by one on " Misdemeanors."
November 21, a resolution was passed authorizing the Tax
Collector " to take all money that is at par." This was before the days of greenbacks and National bank bills, and the various kinds of paper money then in circulation were not all worth their face.
April 24, 1868, the first license for a liquor saloon was granted, under regulations and restrictions already prescribed by ordinance, the license fee being fixed at $100 per year, payable in advance.
October 9, 1868, James L. Canada was elected Police Magis- trate. April 12, 1865, the sum of $125 was voted to Francis Price, a civil engineer of Vermilion County, " to aid him in publishing a map of the town of Paxton," he to furnish the board, twenty- five sheet maps and two mounted maps.
August 4, 1866, the first prohibitory liquor ordinance was passed. At this time there were saloons in the town operating under licenses previously obtained, and the board ordered that these be permitted to run until the expiration of the time for which their licenses were granted. From the time when this action was taken until the succeeding election, the saloon question at- tracted much attention and discussion, and became so prominent as an issue that the voters, at the next election were given an op- portunity to decide, by ballot, for or against granting saloon li- censes.
At the first city election, held September 5, 1872, John Bod- ley was elected Mayor ; James S. Wilson, Clerk ; L. B. Farrar, Attorney ; W. Hoag, Treasurer ; and William Harper, George Wright, Samuel L. Day. N. Dahlgreen, G. J. Shepardson and B. F. Mason, Aldermen.
November 4, s saloon license was granted to A. Anderson, being the first issued under city organization.
At a meeting held December 16 was laid the foundation for the expenditure of several thousand dollars, that unfortunately proved a worthless investment. Mayor Bodley informed the Council that he was in receipt of a letter from a party in Chicago proposing to bore an artesian well in the city of Paxton if the people so desired. This announcement brought out an enthusi- astio discussion, that was indulged in by spectators as well as Al- dermen. The minutes of this meeting record the fact that " Mr. Dunlap, of Champaign, was present, and made some interesting remarks." The gentleman referred to was Hon. M. L. Dunlap, father of our present County Clerk. His remarks were adverse to the project, advising the board that it was a hazardous vent- ure, basing his opinion upon the fact that Paxton was located on ground so high that flowing artesian water could not be ob- tained, and cited numerous instances of failure in neighboring counties where the ground was much lower. At the meeting January 6, 1873, a petition was read praying the Council to ap- propriate $8,500 " for the purpose of boring or sinking an arte- sian well." This petition was signed by 210 legal voters, which was a large majority of the voting population, there being at that time less than 800 voters in the city. The prayer of this petition was granted, and an ordinance passed providing for the issue of bonds for that amount and for that purpose.
January 20, 1878, the artesian well question again came up, the finance committee reporting several proposals for sinking such a well, the highest bid being $8,000 in cash, and the lowest $7,000 in cash, or 87,400 in bonds, at 95 cents on the dollar, all being for boring to the depth of 1,600 feet. ' The bid of $7,400 in bonds at 95 cents was accepted, and a contract ordered to be drawn up ready for signatures at the next meeting.
February 4 was passed an ordinance providing for the issue of bonds known as funded debt bonds, to the amount of $1,500. These bonds were in sums of $500 each, bearing interest at ten per cent from March 1, 1878, two of them ($1,000) maturing March 1, 1874, and the remainder (8500) falling due March 1, 1875. These bonds were sold by the finance committee at a discount of five per cent., and the proceeds ap- plied to the redemption of the greater portion of the outstanding city orders. Of the bonds thus issued the first two ($1,000) were paid June 1, 1874, ninety days after maturity, and the remaining bond for $500 was paid April 12, 1875, forty-two days after maturity.
March 3, an ordinance was passed locating the well on Lot 14, Block 14, south side of State street, between Market and Taft streets.
October 20, a petition, signed by 200 legal voters, was sub- mitted, praying the Council to appropriate an additional sum of $7,000 in bonds for the purpose of continuing the work on the artesian well beyond the depth of 1,600 feet. This was granted by & unanimous vote, and an ordinance was passed embodying the action prayed for in the petition, and on the 19th of November the contract was let to Spangler, Mars & Co., and ratified Janu- ary 5, the contractors to accept city bonds at 95 cents on the dollar.
June 21, 82,500 of bonds were issued to continue the work on the well. When the previous appropriation of $7,000 was made, it was estimated that this amount would carry the well to a depth of 2,500 feet, but now it was found to have been insufficient.
July 6, the board adopted a resolution suspending the work on the well "until such time as the boring may be resumed," and a settlement was then made with the contractors. The well was down to the depth of 2,473} feet. In just two days after the passage of this resolution, a petition signed by 160- legal voters
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FORD COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
was submitted to the council praying that work on the well be re- sumed on conditions therein named, one of which was that a part of the expense be paid by private subscriptions. This proposi- tion was laid over until an adjourned meeting held the next night, when it was voted to sink the well 200 feet deeper, for which the remaining $1,000 of bonds not yet expended was pledged (being a part of the previous $2,500 appropriated), provided the citizens should raise whatever balance was necessary to satisfy the con- tractors. This was done, and the additional 200 feet completed, making a total depth of 2,6733 feet, and still no flowing water obtained. The project was then abandoned and has never been resumed.
October 2, George N. Miller was appointed City Marshal in place of William Cramer, resigned.
At the annual election held April 17, 1883, George J. Shep- ardson was elected Mayor ; George A. IIall, Clerk ; J. R. Pat- rick, Attorney ; Charles H. Langford, Treasurer ; John M. Hall, Police Magistrate ; John White, Alderman for the First Ward; A. S. Hopkins for the Second, and George Grove for the Third. At a meeting of the Council. April 24, an ordinance was passed consolidating the offices of City Marshal and Street Superintend- ent, and on the 30th of this month George N. Miller was ap- pointed under this ordinance to fulfill the duties of both offices. At the same meeting, an ordinance was passed providing for the appointment of a City Physician to advise and consult with the Board of Health, and on May 8 Dr. Elmer L. Kelso was ap- pointed to that office.
The work on the artesian well was begun in March, 1878. The first 1,600 feet was completed in November, 1874, and the final depth of 2,673} feet was reached in August, 1875, nearly two years and a half from the time of commencement. The work however, was not actively progressing during all this time, 88 there were numerous intervals of rest resulting from various causes. In payment of this work, city bonds to the amount of $18,000 were issued, in sums of $500 each, all bearing 10 per cent interest. On these bonds the city has already paid $14,- 066.14 of interest, and there remains to be paid, in yearly in- stallments, up to 1896 inclusive, interest to the amount of $9,- 160, making the sum of 823,226.14 of interest from 1873 to 1896. To this amount add $18,000 of principal, and 8945.22 of sundry incidental expenses, and the result is a grand total of $42,171.30, representing what the experiment will have cost when the last item of the debt is paid thirteen years hence. At the date of the final abandonment of the well, there were out- standing bonds to the full amount of the appropriations, $18,000, of which $8,500 were known as March bonds, and the remain- ing 89,500 as July bonds, indicating the months in which the principal and interest fell due. The principal of the March bonds began to mature March 1, 1879, and a portion of them each year thereafter up to 1883. In July, 1878, as already stated, the Council provided for refunding the March bonds into July bonds, at a lower rate of interest and to run longer. The whole amount, however, was not refunded at that time, but only the amount falling due March 1, 1879, which was 81,500. The $1.500 due March 1, 1880, and the $1,500 due March 1, 1881, were not refunded, but were paid by general taxation. The re- maining March bonds, 84,000, were afterward refunded as they became due. The first three bonds, 81,500, were exchanged for bonds drawing 8 per cent interest, and the remaining $4,000 for G per cent bonds. The first of the refunding bonds begin to fall duc July 1, 1893, which is one year beyond the date when the last of the original July bonds fall due. All the March bonds having been refunded, all the obligations now outstand- ing are July bonds, the first of which matures July 1, 1884, at which time $1,000 of them will be due and payable, and a tax has been levied to meet it. After that date, bonds to the amount of $1,000 maturo each year until 1892, when $1,500 become due, being the last of the 10 per cent bonds. In July, 1893, the 8 per cent bonds will begin to mature in similar amounts, and lastly the 6 per cent bonds, a portion paya- ble each year, until the last one matures, July 1, 1896. Of the March bonds, a portion ($3,000) has been paid as already noted, which leaves $15,000 now outstanding, of which amount the original July bonds (89,500) bear 10 per cent interest, while of the refunding bonds ($1,500 )are at 8 per cent and $4,000 at 6 per cent, and hence the interest to be paid this year (1884) will be 81,310, but the annual interest thereafter, for several ycars, will decrease $100 each succeeding year; if the bonds be paid, $1,000 yearly, as they become due, from 1884 to 1896.
The following is a list of the several townships composing the county of Ford, with the date of their organization, as a part of Ford County.
When the county was organized in June, 1859, it was di- vidled into three townships-Patton, Stockton and Drummer Grove-and out of these three have been created the following, vis .:
Rogers
organizel September 14, 1863.
Brenton
.... organized March 17, 1864.
Butto
.. organized December 18, 1804.
Dix.
organized September 12, 1844.
Wall.
.organized April 2, 1867.
Nullivant .organized September 10, 1867.
organized September 10, 1867.
Peach Orchard.
... September 15, 1868.
Pella.
.organized March 2, 1870,
Moun ..
.. organized Mareb 2, 1870.
PATTON TOWNSHIP.
When this connty was a part of Vermilion, it was called Prairie City Township, which was organized from Middlefork Township February 16, 1856. This name was changed to Pat- | all who know him.
ton September 15, 1857, on account of there being another Prairie City Township in the State. In 1858, Drummer Grove Township was organized, or set off from Patton, and included all of the territory in this county lying west of Range 9 east, and in March, 1859, all of the Pan Handle was organized from Pat- ton and called Stockton Township. Patton Township derived its name from Judge David H. Patton, its first Supervisor and the f County Judge of Ford County.
In 1863, Button was set off from Patton, and in 1867 Wall was organized out of Patton Township. This is the largest township in the county, being six miles north and south, and ten miles east and west.
The Middle Fork of the South Vermilion River enters the township in the northwest corner, and flows diagonally across it, passing out into Button near the southeast corner of the township. Along the line of this stream in this township is found about all of the timber there is in the county. At Ten Mile Grove the earliest settlers first located.
Two railroads cross this township-the Lake Erie & Western running east and west, and the Illinois Central north and south. The southwest part of the township is settled principally by Swedes. They have a Lutheran Church on the east side of Sec- tion 30, which was constructed in 1872 by C. M. Johnson. The church property is valued at $3,500. This part of the township is familiarly known as Farmersville.
It is extremely difficult at this time to ascertain with any de- gree of certainty who the first settler was or when he came, but among the earliest were John Cooder, who entered the farm now owned by William J. Trickel; Joseph Coontz, who entered the farm now owned by Frank Moharry; David II. Patton, who set- tled on Section 14, in 1849; a Mr. Dunbar, who built the house now owned by B. Q. Cherry, about 1850; Daniel C. Stoner, who entered the old homestead for his son, J. F. Stoner, in 1850; Daniel C. Stoner became a resident in 1851, and was the first Treasurer of Ford County. John Kitchen, William Ilack- worth, E. Hagin, David Crandall, John Cook, - Edwards, - Granger, William Newlin, James Hock, J. D. Hall and son Henry C., R. R. Murdock, the Day family, William Blanch- ard, William and Stacy Daniels, the Stites family, J. P. Middle- coff and Dr. Carpenter. These families came before 1857. During 1858-59, IIenry Barnhouse, William Perdue, Dr. L. B. Farrar, William Grayson, Frank Meharry, Edward L. Gill, William Goodrich, the Hanley family, Robert Blackstock, A. McElroy and a Mr. Tabor moved into the township. Remem- brance Clark moved into Patton in 1860. He came from Maine. John B. Shaw and J. C. Dunham came in 1861. George Fuoss came out here from Ohio, and entered the school section.
There are many Swede settlers in Patton who came here about 1863 and later, and among the earliest may be mentioned C. M. Johnson, Peter Larson, Peter Hanson, John Nelson, C. F. Carlson, A. M. Hanson, E. Collins. N. P. Nelson, William Holmes, Ola Nelson, John Scogg, Gus Larsen, C. A. Ostram, Peter Peterson Andrew Nelson, J. P. Youngdahl, Swan Olson, Nels Olson, J. W. Swanson John Telander, C. W. Lind- strom, C. and J. P. Swanson, and Peter Lundburg.
It is probable that William Trickel kept the first store in this township, if not in the county. The store was located on Section 13. A blacksmith shop was started at Ten Mile Grove by C. J. Buchner, who afterward moved to Paxton and built a shop near the railroad.
The first school in this township was in a log house at Ten Mile Grove, and Judge Patton was the first teacher. A Miss Lewis came from La Fayette and taught the school after the Judge finished teaching.
The following sketches are of some of the oldest settlers and business men of Patton Township :
J. D. Hall was born in Ross County, Ohio, April 10, 1821. James Hall (deceased), father of J. D. Hall, was a native of Maryland, and died in Vinton County, Ohio, 1855. Mr. Hall emigrated from Ohio to Fountain County, Ind., June, 1839, and to Warren County, Ind., in 1843. He was married to Eliza Wieman in Fountain County, Ind., in 1841. She was a native of Virginia. In February, 1852, Mr. Hall emigrated to Ford County, then Vermilion County, where he began to make im- provements on Section 33, his present home, and where he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Hall have been blessed with four children, three of whom are now living. Mr. Hall built the first frame house north of the river, in what is now Ford County. The post office, when he first settled in this county, was eighteen miles from his farm, at Higginsville. Mr. Hall began the grain business with his son, Henry C. Hall, of Paxton, in 1865, but has now retired from active life. He has 285 acres of excellent land in Patton, which he entered thirty years ago. He was the second Sheriff of Ford County.
David Patton was born in Clark County, Ky., in 1806. His father was a farmer. When quite young, he went. to Montgomery County, Ohio, then to Preble County, Ohio. He was ambitious to become a lawyer, and entered the law office of Oliver H. Smith, in Connersville, Ind. One of his fellow-stu- dents was Caleb B. Smith, who afterward was Secretary of the Interior. From Connersville, Mr. Patton went to La Fayette, Ind., and began the practice of law, where he remained about twenty years, and then moved to this township in 1849. He first located at Ten Mile Grove. He lived there until 1865 when he came to Paxton. This township was named after Judge Patton. He was the first teacher in this township and the first County Judge of the county. He held the office for fifteen years. He is now seventy-eight years old, and resides in Paxton, respected by
THE DAY FAMILY.
The Day family settled on Section 13. They comprised Sam- uel Day, the father, Peggy, the mother, and children-Jobn P., Samuel, N. B. Duy, and Cordelia, wife of James Hock. Samuel Day was a native of Kentucky. He died in 1858. IIe married Peggy Purviance in 1821. She was also a native of Kentucky, and is still living with her daughter, Mrs. James Hock, at the ripe age of eighty-six years. They had nine children, only four now living. They came from Preble County, Ohio, to this State. Samuel came here in 1854. He has been twice married; first to Susanah Swisher, who died in 1858. Ile married Miss Jennie Lyons for his second wife in 1861. Samuel Day was the first Circuit Clerk and Recorder of Ford County, John P. Day was born in 1824. Hle settled in Patton in 1857. In 1845, he mar- ried Malinda Swisher, a native of Southern Indiana. Hle served as County Treasurer several terms. John P. and Samuel Day are in company, engaged in the real estate and loan business in Paxton. N. B. Day was born in Preble County, Ohio, and settled in Patton in 1854. The Day family first lived on the farm now owned by B. Q. Cherry. N. B. Day married Barbara, daughter of Daniel C. Stoner, an old pioneer of this county. Mr. Day is now living in Paxton, and is the present Supervisor of the township.
Cordelia is the wife of Mr. James Hock, a resident of Pax- ton, and one of the oldest settlers of the town ship. They were married in 1858. Mr. Ilock is a farmer and stock-raiser, and caine to what is now Ford County from Fountain County, Ind., in 1852.
The Day brothers are all men of much more than ordinary ability, as their success in life and the number of positions of re- sponsibility and trust which they have all been called to fill, bear ample testimony. They have all succeeded well, and have plean- ant homes in Paxton, where they are known as among the sub- stantial and reliable mon of Ford County.
THE HANLEY FAMILY.
John Hanley was born in Virginia in 1808. He was brought up a farmer. In 1829, he moved to Greene County, Ohio, where he lived until 1855, principally engaged in stock-raising. He then came to Patton Township and established a lumber yard and grain office on the west side of the Illinois Central Railroad. In 1862, he bought a farm at 'T'en Mile Grove, now owned by his son, John M. Ilanley, where he lived until 1883, when he came to town, and is now living with his son, John M. Hanley. He was married to Margaret Alexander, a native of Virginia, in 1828. They have had four children-Alexander H. Hanley, now living in Chicago; William A., who died in 1868 in Xenia, Ohio ; Ella M., wife of Alexander McElroy, of Paxton, and John M., s leading hardware merchant in this city. The mother, Marga- ret, died at Ten Mile Grove in 1876. John M. Hanley Was educated in Delaware College, Ohio, and was Principal of the Public Schools in Paxton for six years.
THE STITES FAMILY.
Benjamin Stites was born in Pennsylvania in 1805. In 1832, he settled in Cincinnati and followed his trade of a mason, be- sides running a stone quarry. Ile remained in Cincinnati until 1837, when he moved to Vermilion County, Ill., and settled on a farm near Danville, until 1856, when he came to Paxton and set- tled on the homestead, where the family still reside. Benjamin Stites has been twice married. His first wife, a native of Butler County, Ohio, died in 1828. They had two children. James N. is living in New Orleans, La. For his second wife he mar- ried Susan E. Stuart, of Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio. This union was blessed by eight children, seven still living-Benjamin F., living in Hoopeston ; Hannah S., wife of Elihu Swisher, of Danville, Ill .; Phebe A., wife of Robert Bonner, living in In- diana; Margaret E., wife of Jonathan Covalt, living in Oswego, Kan .; William H. and Samuel S., living in Paxton.
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