Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 138

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950

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This atrocious infamy filled to overflowing the cup of our forbearance. The American peo- ple, already burning with indignation at Spain's unspeakable brutality in her treatment of the Cubans, could no longer be restrained; and on April 22d following, Congress passed an act officially recognizing Cuban independence, de- manding Spain's withdrawal from the waters of the Gulf, and authorizing the President to call into service 125,000 volunteers to carry the resolution into effect. On the next day the President's call was issued, and the celerity with which a trained and highly efficient army could be mobilized was amazing to those unfa- mlliar with the facts of our thorough militia organization. The Third Regiment of the Illinois National Guards was commanded by Colonel Fred Bennitt of Joliet. Major Joseph B. Caughey, one of its field officers, and Assis- tant Surgeon Carlton E. Starrett upon the regi- mental staff-both gallant and experienced offi- cers-were residents of Kane County. Three companies of the regiment were composed of Kane County men, viz .: Company "D" of Au- 1ora, commanded by Captain John L., Graves and Lieutenants Fred L. Thatcher and Charles F. Spicer; Company "E" of Elgin, officered by Captain (Major) Ben E. Gould, and Lieuten- ants Jacob Bode and Fred J. Smailes; and Company "I" of Aurora, with Captain Charles H. Greene and Lieutenants William Kline and Albert Lindsey. These splendid companies had many of the attributes of veterans. They had participated in eight or ten regimental, brigade and larger encampments at Chicago, Lake Ge- neva, Wis .; Rockford, Buffalo Rock, Springfield

and elsewhere. They had marched in review through the streets of the vanished "White City," and up Broadway, New York, and had taken a practice march from Aurora to Otta- wa. They had participated in a number of sham battles involving the movements of a brigade or larger force, and they had been thoroughly drilled in squad and company tac- tics- that best "school of the soldier." They had also seen actual war service in quelling at least eight great mobs and riots, in one engage- ment killing three and wounding eight of the rioters. At the great Pullman strike and riot they demonstrated their celerity in assembling for duty. About noon on July 6, 1894, Governor Altgeld telegraphed hurry orders for the Third Regiment to report at Chicago to assist in maintaining order. At 9 p. m. the regiment was in line with nearly every soldier in his place at Thirty-fifth Street and Wentworth Avenue, near the center of the riot, although some of the companies had journeyed about 100 miles.

It was near midnight on Monday, April 25, 1898, when Colonel Bennitt received Governor Tanner's order to report, with his command at Springfield, on the following Wednesday. The twelve companies of the regiment were scat- tered in ten different towns of a half dozen counties from Rockford to Joliet, from Wood- stock to Streator; yet so prompt and vigorous was the action of its commander, field staff and line officers, so thorough its discipline and pre- paredness for any emergency, that on Wednes- day morning, the 27th, every company responded to the Adjutant's call and marched with nearly full ranks to its place on the color line, fully equipped and ready to volunteer for foreign service. Rank and file, about 1,000 choice young men were in line, and when they volun- tarily mustered for United States army service on May 10th, and with uplifted hands and un- covered heads, deliberately and reverently as- sented to the prescribed oath of allegiance and obedience, the scene was deeply impressive, It is said to have been the first muster of a full regiment in this State since the close of the great war.

On May 14th the regiment left Springfield un- der orders for the organizing camp at Chicka- mauga, Tenn., where it received recruits that brought its numbers up to 1,300 men. It left this camp of discipline and drill on July 22d for Porto Rico, via Newport News, and on board

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

the transport St. Louis, it arrived off Ponce on the night of July 31st. August 3d it effected a landing at Arroya, and the colors of the Third Illinois were raised above the custom house. Guayama was captured August 9th. On Au- gust 13th, while in line of battle on the main rond leading to Cayey, before extended in- trenchments of the enemy mounting twelve or more pieces of heavy ordnance, and momentar- ily expecting a severe engagement, General Brooke commanding the column, received dis- patches from General Miles announcing the termination of the war. Our boys occupied various positions upon the island until Novem- ber 2d, when they finally broke camp and marched aboard the transport Roumania, and the next morning sailed for the United States. They reached New York on November 9th, and arrived at home about the 12th. Each member at his home, they were held on waiting orders for sixty days, and then mustered out of the United States service.

Major George D. Sherman, of the gallant old Thirty-sixth, was commissioned Major and served as Paymaster in the Spanish-American War. It is said that Kane County furnished more men for this war, in proportion to her population, than any other county in the Union; and computation will show that, if each county of this State had furnished an equal number, Illinois alone would have marshalled over 30,- 000 men-nearly one-fourth the entire call.

So, in every military emergency the people of Kane County have nobly. demonstrated their patriotic devotion; and in manly strength and vigor, mental attainment and high moral char- acter, the volunteers who have gone forth trom her homes have been surpassed by none. For brave, resourceful, soldierly qualities, others, doubtless, were their equals, but none were their superior. In peace and in war, her peo- ple have ever heeded the cry of distress and hastened generous assistance. In time of sore need, Ireland stretched over the sea her fam- ished hand, and one little city of the county instantly contributed over eighty pounds ster- ling to purchase food for the hungry. Fire swept the fair city of the lakes from existence in one vast holocaust of flame, and at once her hospitable doors opened wide with generous welcome to hundreds of homeless refugees, and from every avenue of ample supply, poured bounteous streams of benefaction to meet the requirements of every human need. Antici-

pating any uttered request, before the flames had swept their awful course, the people of Kane County were gathering supplies for the distressed, and car-loads by the score were hur- ried to the stricken city. When the shuddering earthquake wrought devastation and ruin in the historic city of the Palmetto State, within forty-eight hours the people of one small mu- nicipality telegraphed over five hundred dol- lars of collected relief. And again, when the devastating flood engulfed the city of Johns- town, measures of relief were instantly taken throughout the county.

Upon all questions affecting the public weal, such has ever been the characteristic attitude of the people of this county, settled so recently by brave, intelligent pioneers cherishing high ideals of Christian loyalty and duty. Their descendants and successors have continued steadfastly along the same lines of thought and action, and by the practice of industry, virtue, wisdom and loyalty, have kept the city, town- ship and county of their happy homes fully abreast of all the progressive movements of our proud State and Nation.

SOLDIERS' MONUMENTS.

The statutes of Illinois confer upon Boards of Supervisors of the various counties authority to appropriate public money for the erection of appropriate monuments at the respective county-seats in honor of the volunteer soldiers of such counties; and this has been admirably done in many counties of our patriotic State, but not in Kane. The careful observer, how- ever, will note that these monuments have usually been erected where the county-seat was the most populous and influential city of the county. Such is not the condition in Kane County, and the greatly preponderating influ- ence of the river cities and villages near the opposite boundaries of the county, renders such action in the near future quite improb- able.

But not in one generation is such heroism and sacrifice as that displayed by the men and women of 1861-65 forgotten; and the day may not be distant when the descendants of those men and women will, in some proper manner, testify by a county memorial their deep ap- preciation of the deathless loyalty which saved the Nation from dismemberment. An imposing monumental shaft, rising from the high land once occupied by the historic Kane County Ag- ricultural Society, overlooking Geneva and vis-

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

ible over an area of many miles-standing in full and near view of the people hourly passing over the electric railway line, marking and commemorating the camp of organization of the Lincoln Regiment, and dedicated to a per- petual and grateful remembrance of the county's heroic volunteers-would indeed be a thrilling inspiration to loyalty and an object lesson of priceless value to future generations.

But while the people of Kane County have not been moving unitedly in thus honoring her volunteer soldiery, they have by no means been negligent or remiss. Dundee, never behind in patriotic devotion or impulse, has been the first to act in this direction. At a largely at- tended public meeting held April 3, 1866, it was unanimously voted:

"That the surplus bounty fund remaining in the hands of the Town Clerk be appropriated to build a monument to perpetuate the mem- ory of those soldiers who entered the service of the United States, during the late rebellion, from the town of Dundee, Illinois, and whose lives were sacrificed in the defense of the coun- try. And that I. C. Bosworth, William Hill and Moses Wanzer, are hereby constituted a committee to receive said surplus, and to ap- propriate the same, with such additional funds as they may be able to procure for the purpose above specified, and to superintend the erec- tion of said monument."

In compliance with said resolution, the com- mittee erected a substantial monument with granite base and plinth, and graceful marble shaft, in all about fifteen feet in height, and costing about $1,000. Its location is near the principal entrance of the beautiful Dundee Cemetery upon the land covered by the first claim located within the township. This monu- ment bears the following inscription:

ERECTED BY THE CITIZENS OF DUNDEE, ILLINOIS,

IN MEMORY OF OUR DEPARTED HEROES.

It is also deeply engraven with the names of forty volunteers from Dundee Township who had died for the Nation's perpetuity. Eleven of these were members of the Fifty-second Regiment and nine of the Thirty-sixth. Thir- teen are stated to have been killed in action- four of them at Shiloh-while one died in prison. Twenty-seven were from eighteen to

twenty-five years of age at the date of death. The monument was dedicated with appropriate exercises, on July 4, 1867, the address being given by the last Colonel of the Fifty-second Illinois Infantry.

Elgin was next in point of time to take simi- lar action. At the regular town meeting in the spring of 1869 the sum of $3,000 was voted to be expended in the erection of a soldiers' monument, and F. W. Raymond, L. M. Kelley, T. E. Lawrence, H. N. Patchen and E. W. King were appointed a committee to carry the resolution into effect. Leonard W. Volk, of Chicago, was then a young artist rapidly ac- quiring fame in his profession, and he was se- lected to design and construct the memorial. The nearly completed work was destroyed in the great fire of 1871, while still in the hands of the sculptor. The plans were at once changed, and the present structure, consisting of a double granite base and high plinth, or die, with round marble shaft surmounted by a globe and eagle, was substituted. It stands near the center of the Elgin Cemetery, upon a tri- angular plat of ground that is encompassed by avenues and forms the rallying place for the veterans and "Relief Corps" on "Memorial Day," in the special services of the Grand Army of the Republic honoring their com- rades. It stands about twenty-five feet in height; and upon the west face of the die is cut the inscription :

"OUR HEROES." "ELGIN'S TRIBUTE TO HER FALLEN SOLDIERS. 1841-1865.

On the northeast and south faces are in- scribed the names of sixty-eight soldiers from Elgin, who gave their lives in the service. This list includes eight in the Seventh Infantry, one in the Seventeenth, one in the Nineteenth, six in the Thirty-sixth, seven in the Fifty-second, five in the Fifty-fifth, ten in the Fifty-eighth. one in the Eighty-ninth, twenty-two in the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh, two in the One Hundred Forty-first, and one in the One Hun- dred Fifty-third Infantry; one in the Twelfth and two in the Fifteenth Cavalry, and one in the First Artillery. This list indicates how widely the volunteers were scattered in their regimental commands.

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

On the evening of June 19, 1869, a meeting of the citizens of Aurora was held in the grand jury room of the City Hall Building, and after exchange of views a committee was raised to prepare a constitution and by-laws for a Sol- diers' Monument Association, to be submitted for the consideration of an adjourned meeting. The report of this committee was accepted and adopted at the adjourned meeting, and L. D. Brady was elected President; F. O. White, Sec- retary; and Abner Hard, Treasurer of "The Aurora Soldiers' Monument Association." The Association was reorganized under the new State law, and became a legal corporation, De- cember 24, 1872. In October, 1870, "The La- dies' Auxiliary Monument Association" was formed in aid of the undertaking, and after ma- ture consideration it was decided to erect a memorial building, not only to commemorate the valor of Aurora's patriotic volunteers whose lives were sacrificed in the service, but also to honor the living veterans, and to pre- serve such interesting mementos of the great struggle as might be obtained. Through the enthusiastic and indefatigable efforts of Post No. 20, Grand Army of the Republic, of the Department of Illinois, and of the above men- tioned local organizations, an artistic and de- sirable building was erected upon the island in the very heart of the city, beside the City Hall and Postoffice, and now adjacent to the new Carnegie Library. It is octagonal in form, of ornamental Gothic type, yet very heavy and enduring, one story in height and constructed of rock-faced ashlar sand-stone, with cut-stone trimmings and with iron finials and cresting. Its dome is surmounted by an impressive, well- executed statue in bronze, representing an in- fantry soldier at parade rest. This was con- tributed by the Grand Army Post, and cost $800. The interior was arranged for the Post Room and repository of memorials. Its walls were beautifully frescoed, adorned with strik- ing battle scenes, and well-executed portraits of Washington, Lincoln, Thomas, Farragut, and other famous army and naval heroes. Marble tablets are inscribed with the name of every soldier who enlisted from Aurora and the names of members of Post No. 20, and one is dedicated to the revered memory of "The Un- known Dead." Around the room are cases with glass doors for the reception of war relics, and such other articles of a historical or scien- tific character as shall be deemed worthy of preservation. Handsome frames are also hung,

in which are grouped photographs of each com- rade of the Post. An exquisite life-size, pure white marble statue, emblematic of the Re- cording Angel, adorns the center of the room. This most beautiful, and exceedingly appropri- ate and useful structure, was completed and dedicated July 4, 1878, at a cost of about $8,000, of which the ladies furnished $2,000. It should be ever remembered that this splendid tribute was erected by voluntary individual contribu- tions, and the taxing power was not invoked.

In 1881 the City Council, by ordinance, es- tablished a Free Public Library and Reading Room, and its Board of Directors, composed of Prof. T. H. Clark, F. O. White, W. S. Beaupre, Mrs. Pierce Burton, J. J. McLallen, E. Denney, Mrs. Thomas Galt, F. L. Bartlett and Isadore Leins, arranged with the above associations for the construction, of an annex to the build- ing, the whole structure to accommodate also the library and provide a pleasant reading- room. Such annex, harmonizing in style and material with the original building, was im- mediately erected at a cost to the city of about $6,000, and opened for public use in March, 1882. The Library Board is now transferring its equipment to the elegant new building, recently erected; and when this is completed the Post will come into possession of the whole Memorial Building for its comfort and use un- til the sad, and not distant day, when the last "Veteran Comrade" shall be mustered into the silent ranks of those who rest on "Fame's Eter- nal Camping Ground."

In 1901-2 a committee of three public-spirited and patriotic ladies, viz .: Mrs. Bowers, Mrs. Calhoun and Mrs. Ryan, raised a fund by pri- vate subscription of the people, and erected up- on a conspicuous location in the beautiful and carefully kept cemetery at St. Charles, an en- during and impressive monument upon a broad foundation of solid masonry. Its first base is six feet square and twenty inches high, the second base four feet two inches square and sixteen inches high, and the square plinth and shaft are seven feet in height, giving it a total elevation of fifteen feet. It is chiseled from the best gray granite, and cost $1,000. The inscrip- tion deeply cut in the base is:

"TO OUR VOLUNTEERS."

It was dedicated May 30, 1892.

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

Among the early settlers in the eastern part of Virgil Township was Manly Powers, whose father, Abner Powers, was a patriotic and New Hampshire soldier in the Revolutionary War. The old veteran died in 1852, and was buried in the little cemetery at Canada Corners, now Lily Lake. In 1901 the propriety of erecting a monument in memory of this Revolutionary sire was suggested, and a committee consist- ing of the Hon. John Stewart, J. J. Read (a grandson of Joshua Read, the pioneer), L. M. Gross, Superintendent of Schools of near-by De Kalb County, and John Winterhalter, was ap- pointed to have the matter in charge. The Su- pervisors of Kane County appropriated $200 toward the project, Elgin Chapter of the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution donated $25 and, in various ways, $475 more was raised. Wm. Outhouse and son, who were dealers in granite and marble work at Elgin, were also the son and grandson of that James Outhouse, who, with his father-in-law, Joshua Read, was one of the very first settlers in this region. In kindly memory of pioneer days, and in recogni- tion of family and former neighborhood ties, they generously contributed whatever more might be required, and erected in this quiet burial place, where the vanished form of the old patriot had so long ago crumbled back to mother earth, a noble gray granite shaft rising, in severe and imposing symmetry, thirty teet above its broad secure foundation. Its first base is seven feet square and twenty-four inches high; the second base five feet square and sixteen inches high. The die is three teet and eight inches square and fitty-

six inches high, and the tapering shaft is thirty inches square at the base and twenty-two feet high. Its proportions are excellent and, standing alone in that quiet rural surrounding, it is indeed an impressive memorial. In heavy letters, sunk deeply in the large base, is cut the inscription :

ABNER POWERS, 1760-1852.

"BENNINGTON, SARATOGA, VALLEY FORGE. YORKTOWN."

An immense concourse of people gathered to witness the unveiling and dedication of the monument, and subsequent celebration in the grove a mile away, on July 4, 1902. For the

services at the cemetery a delightful chorus of young people from Sycamore furnished the singing; the Rev. A. T. Horn, of De Kalb, in- voked the divine benediction; Mr. Gross, on be- half of the committee, read a brief, clear state- ment of the conditions that led up to the for- mation of the committee, reported upon its work, thanked those who had patriotically con- tributed to its success, and presented the com- pleted monument to the community and to posterity. A beautiful little girl, of the fifth generation in descent from Abner Powers, drew the cord which loosened the great American flag with which it was veiled, and the stately monument stood forth in majestic and endur- ing beauty. A brief address was given by Gen. John S. Wilcox.

CHAPTER XVII.

TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND VILLAGES.

INDIVIDUAL TOWNSHIP HISTORY - ORGANIZATION AND LOCAL CHARACTERISTICS-EARLY SETTI.E- MENTS-CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PIONEERS- EARLY INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISES -WILLIAM LANCE, A NOTED PIONEER-SOME GRASPING LAND CLAIMANTS-MANY "FIRST" EVENTS RECOUNTED-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, ETC.

AURORA TOWNSHIP.

The first white settler in Government Town- ship 38 North, Range 8 East of the Third Principal Meridian, undoubtedly was Thomas (or Jacob, as it is given in some histories) Car- penter, who built a log cabin on the east side ot Fox River about half a mile east of Mont- gomery, late in the fall of 1833, and during Christmas week of that year moved his fam- ily into it from Naperville, then a hamlet con- taining perhaps a half-dozen pioneer families. His father-in-law, Elijah Pierce, arrived in April, 1834, and erected a one-room cabin nearer the river within the limits of the present vil-

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HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.

lage; and, as the stage lines from Chicago pushed westward past Colonel Naper's place, they found a crossing here, and Pierce's one- room cabin became the stage tavern. Mr. Wil- liam Elliott, who during the same year made a claim on adjoining land, is said to have de- clared that as many as forty persons have slept during the night in that small room, which also served as kitchen and dining room. We may doubt if Mr. Elliott made just that state- ment for record as history; but, if he did, he should be regarded as good authority, since he was an exemplary man and, about this time, fell madly in love with Mr. Pierce's daughter, Re- becca, and was equally beloved by her. But the father strenuously opposed the desired marriage, probably needing her help in caring for his numerous guests, and he warned the young fellow to keep away from his place. Young Elliott walked forty miles to Ottawa for a marriage license, which the Clerk of LaSalle County refused to issue because of the. young lady's minority; yet he told Elliott that if they would have the "bans" publicly an- nounced for two weeks in open church service, the marriage would be lawful without a li- cense. This was done at Naperville by "Fa- ther" N. C. Clark, and very soon after, on Au- gust 3, 1835, during a visit of Mr. Pierce to Chicago to purchase supplies for his tavern, the young people quietly visited a neighbor re- siding a little further down the river, hastily summoned Esquire Morgan from the settle- ment that later became Oswego, and they were happily married. This was the first marriage in what is now the Township of Aurora and their daughter Emeline Elliott, born Angust 5, 1836, was the first white child born in the township.

In 1836 Daniel S. Gray came from Montgom- ery County, N. Y., joined this settlement and began improvements which resulted in the present thriving village of Montgomery. For a number of years it was known as Graytown; . but it is said that, at Mr. Gray's instance, it received its present name in honor of his former home. The village was platted in Octo- ber, 1853, by Mr. Gray and was incorporated in February, 1858. At the first village election, held March 1, 1858, Ralph Gray, Edward Gil- lett, John Lilley, A. L. Davis and A. C. Palmer were elected trustees. Mr. Gray was the first President of the Village Board. The first school, it is said, was taught in 1839 by a young 699-6

lady teacher, and the first substantial school house was erected soon after the act of incor- poration.

AURORA CITY .- The first settlement at the present city of Aurora by the McCartys in 1834, has already been briefly recorded. In the fall of the same year that the McCarty brothers began improvements at Aurora, John Peter Schneider and his brother, John Nicholas Schneider, settled at North Aurora, and at once began work upon the dam and mills which they completed and operated many years, to the great convenience and benefit of the surround- ing country-the saw-mill being located upon the east, and the grist-mill upon the west bank of the river. It was widely known as Schneid- er's Mills until about 1868-69, when it became North Aurora.

The early histories treat so much more large- ly of the settlement and development of the villages and cities, that it is difficult to trace the individuals connected with the equally im- portant, but more scattered, work of bringing into cultivation the fertile soil of the country. But during the period intervening between the years 1834 and 1840, old account books and business records show among the land-owners trading at these points-although some of them resided on farms now within the city limits, some outside the township, and some even outside the present county-Hiram Hop- kins, John Barker, Frederick Stolp, Epaphras Clark (a brother of Father N. C. Clark), John Douglas, Charles McNamara, E. Squires, Ashbel Culver, John Lilley, William Hall, George Sla- ter, John Stolp, Elihu Wright, John Warne, Levi Leach, Harrison Albee, Addison Allbee, Lyman Isbell, Joseph Means, Charles Stolp, Thomas Paxton, William J. Strong, Robert Hopkins, John Wormley, Chester P. Trask, Daniel Bloss, Charles Wagner and others. Among these will be found names historic in the annals of Kane County.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, Part 138

Author: Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 950

Author:
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950