Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 62

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724

USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I > Part 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JO DAVIESS COUNTY, situated in the north- west corner of the State; has an area of 650 square miles; population (1910), 22,657. It was first explored by Le Seuer, who reported the discovery of lead in 1700. Another Frenchman (Bouthil- lier) was the first permanent white settler, locat- ing on the site of the present city of Galena in 1820. About the same time came several Ameri- can families; a trading post was established, and the hamlet was known as Fredericks' Point, so called after one of the pioneers. In 1822 the Government reserved from settlement a tract 10 miles square along the Mississippi, with a view of controlling the mining interest. In 1823 mining privileges were granted upon a royalty of one- sixth, and the first smelting furnace was erected the same year. Immigration increased rapidly

and, inside of three years, the "Point" had a popu- lation of 150, and a post-office was established with a fortnightly mail to and from Vandalia, then the State capital. In 1827 county organiza- tion was effected, the county being named in honor of Gen. Joseph Hamilton Daviess, who was killed in the Battle of Tippecanoe. The original tract, however, has been subdivided until it now constitutes nine counties. The settlers took an active part in both the Winnebago and Black Hawk Wars. In 1846-47 the mineral lands were placed on the market by the Government, and quickly taken by corporations and individuals, The scenery is varied, and the soil (particularly in the east) well suited to the cultivation of grain. The county is well wooded and well watered, and thoroughly drained by the Fever and Apple Rivers. The name Galena was given to the county-seat (originally, as has been said, Fredericks' Point) by Lieutenant Thomas, Gov- ernment Surveyor, in 1827, in which year it was platted. Its general appearance is picturesque. Its early growth was extraordinary, but later (particularly after the growth of Chicago) it received a set-back. In 1841 it claimed 2,000 population and was incorporated; in 1870 it had about 7,000 population, and, in 1900, 5,005. The names of Grant, Rawlins and E. B. Washburne are associated with its history. Other important towns in the county are Warren (population 1,327), East Dubuque (1,146) and Elizabeth (659).

JOHNSON, Caleb C., lawyer and legislator, was born in Whiteside County, Ill., May 23, 1844, educated in the common schools and at the Military Academy at Fulton, Ill .; served during the Civil War in the Sixty-ninth and One Hun- dred and Fortieth Regiments Illinois Volunteers; in 1877 was admitted to the bar and, two years later, began practice. He has served upon the Board of Township Supervisors of Whiteside County; in 1884 was elected to the House of Representatives of the Thirty-fourth General Assembly, was re-elected in 1886, and again in 1896. He also held the position of Deputy Col- lector of Internal Revenue for his District during the first Cleveland administration, and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention of 1888.

JOHNSON, (Rev.) Herrick, clergyman and educator, was born near Fonda, N. Y., Sept. 21, 1832; graduated at Hamilton College, 1857, and at Auburn Theological Seminary, 1860; held Pres- byterian pastorates in Troy, Pittsburg and Phila- delphia; in 1874 became Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology in Auburn Theological

306

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

Seminary, and, in 1880, accepted a pastorate in Chicago, also becoming Lecturer on Sacred Rhet- oric in McCormick Theological Seminary. In 1883 he resigned his pastorate, devoting his atten- tion thereafter to the duties of his professorship. He was Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly at Springfield, in 1882, and has served as President, for many years, of the Presbyterian Church Board of Aid for Colleges, and of the Board of Trustees of Lake Forest University, Besides many periodical articles, he has published several volumes on religious subjects.

JOHNSON, Hosmer A., M.D., LL.D., physi- cian, was born near Buffalo, N. Y., Oct. 6, 1822; at twelve removed to a farm in Lapeer County, Mich. In spite of limited school privileges, at eighteen he secured a teachers' certificate, and, by teaching in the winter and attending an academy in the summer, prepared for college, entering the University of Michigan in 1846 and graduating in 1849. In 1850 he became a student of medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago, graduating in 1852, and the same year becoming Secretary of the Cook County Medical Society, and, the year following, associate editor of "The Illinois Medical and Surgical Journal." For three years he was a member of the faculty of Rush, but, in 1858, resigned to become one of the founders of a new medical school, which has now become a part of Northwestern University. During the Civil War, Dr. Johnson was Chair- man of the State Board of Medical Examiners; later serving upon the Board of Health of Chi- cago, and upon the National Board of Health. He was also attending physician of Cook County Hospital and consulting physician of the Chicago Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary. At the time of the great fire of 1871, he was one of the Direct- ors of the Chicago Relief and Aid Society. His connections with local, State and National Soci- eties and organizations (medical, scientific, social and otherwise) were very numerous. He trav- eled extensively, both in this country and in Europe, during his visits to the latter devoting much time to the study of foreign sanitary con- ditions, and making further attainments in medi- cine and surgery. In 1883 the degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Northwestern Uni- versity. During his later years, Dr. Johnson was engaged almost wholly in consultations. Died, Feb. 26, 1891.

JOHNSON COUNTY, lies in the southern por- tion of the State, and is one of the smallest counties, having an area of only 340 square miles, and a population (1910) of 14,331-named for Col.

Richard M. Johnson. Its organization dates back to 1812. A dividing ridge (forming a sort of water shed) extends from east to west, the waters of the Cache and Bay Rivers running south, and those of the Big Muddy and Saline toward the north. A minor coal seam of variable thickness (perhaps a spur from the regular coal- measures) crops out here and there. Sandstone and limestone are abundant, and, under cliffs along the bluffs, saltpeter has been obtained in small quantities. Weak copperas springs are numerous. The soil is rich, the principal crops being wheat, corn and tobacco. Cotton is raised for home consumption and fruit-culture receives some attention. Vienna is the county-seat, with a population, in 1890, of 828.

JOHNSTON, Noah, pioneer and banker, was born in Hardy County, Va., Dec. 20, 1799, and, at the age of 12 years, emigrated with his father to Woodford County, Ky. In 1824 he removed to Indiana, and, a few years later, to Jefferson County, Ill., where he began farming. He sub- sequently engaged in merchandising, but proving unfortunate, turned his attention to politics, serving first as County Commissioner and then as County Clerk. In 1838 he was elected to the State Senate for the counties of Hamilton and Jefferson, serving four years; was Enrolling and Engrossing Clerk of the Senate during the session of 1844-45, and, in 1846, elected Representative in the Fifteenth General Assembly. The following year he was made Paymaster in the United States Army, serving through the Mexican War; in 1852 served with Abraham Lincoln and Judge Hugh T. Dickey of Chicago, on a Commission appointed to investigate claims against the State for the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and, in 1854, was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court for the Third Division, being elected to the same position in 1861. Other posi- tions held by him included those of Deputy United States Marshal under the administration of Presi- dent Polk, Commissioner to superintend the con- struction of the Supreme Court Building at Mount Vernon, and Postmaster of that city. He was also elected Representative again in 1866. The later years of his life were spent as President of the Mount Vernon National Bank. Died, No- vember, 1891, in his 92d year.

JOLIET, the county-seat of Will County, situ- ated in the Des Plaines River Valley, 36 miles south west of Chicago, on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and the intersecting point of five lines of railway. A good quality of calcareous building stone underlies the entire region, and is exten-

- -

ILLINOIS STATE PENITENTIARY, JOLIET.

Cell House.

ILLINOIS STATE PENITENTIARY, JOLIET.

Women's Prison.

307

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

sively quarried. Gravel, sand, and clay are also easily obtained in considerable quantities. Within twenty míles are productive coal mines. The Northern Illinois Penitentiary and a female penal institute stand just outside the city limits on the north. Joliet is an important manufac- turing center, the census of 1900 crediting the city with 455 establishments, having $15,452,196 capital, employing 6,523 hands, paying $3,957,529 wages and $17,891,836 for raw material, turning out an annual product valued at $27,765,104. The leading industries are the manufacture of foundry and machine-shop products, engines, agricultural implements, pig-iron. Bessemer steel, steel bridges, rods, tin cans, wallpaper, matches, beer, saddles, paint, furniture, pianos, and stoves, besides quarrying and stone cutting. The Chi- cago Drainage Canal supplies valuable water- power. The city has many handsome public buildings and private residences, among the former being four high schools, Government postoffice building, two public libraries, and two public hospitals. It also has two public and two school parks, three daily and three weekly papers. Pop. (1890), 23,264; (1900), 29,353; (1910), 34,670.

JOLIET, AURORA & NORTHERN RAIL- WAY. (See Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway.)

JOLIET, Louis, a French explorer, born at Quebec, Canada, Sept. 21, 1645, educated at the Jesuits' College, and early engaged in the fur- trade. In 1669 he was sent to investigate the copper mines on Lake Superior, but his most important service began in 1673, when Frontenac commissioned him to explore. Starting from the missionary station of St. Ignace, with Father Marquette, he went up the Fox River within the present State of Wisconsin and down the Wis- consin to the Mississippi, which he descended as far as the mouth of the Arkansas. He was the first to discover that the Mississippi flows to the Gulf rather than to the Pacific. He returned to Green Bay via the Illinois River, and (as believed) the sites of the present cities of Joliet and Chicago. Although later appointed royal hydrographer and given the island of Anticosti, he never revisited the Mississippi. Some historians assert that this was largely due to the influential jeal- ousy of La Salle. Died, in Canada, in May, 1700.

JOLIET & BLUE ISLAND RAILWAY, con- stituting a part of and operated by the Calumet & Blue Island-a belt line, 21 miles in length, of standard gauge and laid with 60-1b. steel rails. The company provides terminal facilities at Joliet, although originally projected to merely run from that city to a connection with the Calumet &

Blue Island Railway. The capital stock author- ized and paid in is $100,000. The company's general offices are in Chicago.

JOLIET & NORTHERN INDIANA RAIL- ROAD, a road running from Lake, Ind., to Joliet, Ill., 45 miles (of which 29 miles are in Illinois), and leased in perpetuity, from Sept. 7, 1854 (the date of completion), to the Michigan Central Rail- road Company, which owns nearly all its stock. Its capital stock is $300,000, and its funded debt, $80,000. Other forms of indebtedness swell the total amount of capital invested (1895) to $1,- 143,201. Total earnings and income in Illinois in 1894, $89,017; total expenditures, $62,370. (See Michigan Central Railroad.)

JONES, Alfred M., politician and legislator, was born in New Hampshire, Feb. 5, 1837, brought to McHenry County, Ill., at 10 years of age, and, at 16, began life in the pineries and engaged in rafting on the Mississippi. Then, after two winters in school at Rockford, and a short season in teaching, he spent a year in the book and jewelry business at Warren, Jo Daviess County. The following year (1858) he made a trip to Pike's Peak, but meeting disappointment in his expec- tations in regard to mining, returned almost immediately. The next few years were spent in various occupations, including law and real estate business, until 1872, when he was elected to the Twenty-eighth General Assembly, and re-elected two years later. Other positions successively held by him were those of Commis- sioner of the Joliet Penitentiary, Collector of Internal Revenue for the Sterling District, and United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. He was, for fourteen years, a member of the Republican State Central Committee, dur- ing twelve years of that period being its chair- man. From 1885, Mr. Jones was manager of the Bethesda Mineral Springs at Waukesha, Wis., but found time to make his mark in Wisconsin politics also. Died July 8, 1910.

JONES, John Rice, first English lawyer in Illi- nois, was born in Wales, Feb. 11, 1759; educated at Oxford in medicine and law, and, after prac- ticing the latter in London for a short time, came to America in 1784, spending two years in Phila- delphia, where he made the acquaintance of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Benjamin Franklin; in 1786, having reached the Falls of the Ohio, he joined Col. George Rogers Clark's expedition against the Indians on the Wabash. This having partially failed through the discontent and desertion of the troops, he remained at Vincennes four years, part of the time as Commissary.

308

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

General of the garrison there. In 1790 he went to Kaskaskia, but eleven years later returned to Vin- cennes, being commissioned the same year by Gov. William Henry Harrison, Attorney-General of Indiana Territory, and, in 1805, becoming a member of the first Legislative Council. He was Secretary of the convention at Vincennes, in December, 1802, which memorialized Congress to suspend, for ten years, the article in the Ordi- nance of 1787 forbidding slavery in the Northwest Territory. In 1808 he removed a second time to Kaskaskia, remaining two years, when he located within the present limits of the State of Missouri (then the Territory of Louisiana), residing suc- cessively at St. Genevieve, St. Louis and Potosi, at the latter place acquiring large interests in mineral lands. He became prominent in Mis- souri politics, served as a member of the Conven- tion which framed the first State Constitution, was a prominent candidate for United States Senator before the first Legislature, and finally elected by the same a Justice of the Supreme Court, dying in office at St. Louis, Feb. 1, 1824. He appears to have enjoyed an extensive practice among the early residents, as shown by the fact that, the year of his return to Kaskaskia, he paid taxes on more than 16,000 acres of land in Monroe County, to say nothing of his possessions about Vincennes and his subsequent acquisitions in Missouri. He also prepared the first revision of laws for Indiana Territory when Illinois com- posed a part of it .- Rice (Jones), son of the pre- ceding by a first marriage, was born in Wales, Sept. 28, 1781; came to America with his par- ents, and was educated at Transylvania University and the University of Pennsylvania, taking a medical degree at the latter, but later studying law at Litchfield, Conn., and locating at Kaskas- kia in 1806. Described as a young man of brilliant talents, he took a prominent part in politics and, at a special election held in September, 1808, was elected to the Indiana Territorial Legislature, by the party known as "Divisionists"-i. e., in favor of the division of the Territory-which proved successful in the organization of Illinois Territory the following year. Bitterness engendered in this contest led to a challenge from Shadrach Bond (afterwards first Governor of the State), which Jones accepted; but the affair was ami- cably adjusted on the field without an exchange of shots. One Dr. James Dunlap, who had been Bond's second, expressed dissatisfaction with the settlement; a bitter factional fight was main- tained between the friends of the respective parties, ending in the assassination of Jones, who

was shot by Dunlap on the street in Kaskaskia, Dec. 7, 1808-Jones dying in a few minutes, while Dunlap fled, ending his days in Texas .- Gen. John Rice (Jones), Jr., another son, was born at Kaskaskia, Jan. 8, 1792, served under Capt. Henry Dodge in the War of 1812, and, in 1831, went to Texas, where he bore a conspicuous part in securing the independence of that State from Mexico, dying there in 1845 -- the year of its annexation to the United States. - George Wallace (Jones), fourth son of John Rice Jones (1st), was born at Vincennes, Indiana Territory, April 12, 1804; graduated at Transylvania Uni- versity, in 1825; served as Clerk of the United States District Court in Missouri in 1826, and as Aid to Gen. Dodge in the Black Hawk War; in 1834 was elected Delegate in Congress from Michigan Territory (then including the present States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa), later serving two terms as Delegate from Iowa Terri- tory, and, on its admission as a State, being elected one of the first United States Senators and re- elected in 1852; in 1859, was appointed by Presi- dent Buchanan Minister to Bogota, Colombia, but recalled in 1861 on account of a letter to Jefferson Davis expressing sympathy with the cause of the South, and was imprisoned for two months in Fort Lafayette. In 1838 he was the sec- ond of Senator Cilley in the famous Cilley-Graves duel near Washington, which resulted in the death of the former. After his retirement from office, General Jones' residence was at Dubuque, Iowa, where he died, July 22, 1896, in the 93d year of his age.

JONES, Michael, early politician, was a Penn- · sylvanian by birth, who came to Illinois in Terri- torial days, and, as early as 1809, was Register of the Land Office at Kaskaskia; afterwards removed to Shawneetown and represented Gallatin County as a Delegate to the Constitu- tional Convention of 1818 and as Senator in the first four General Assemblies, and also as Repre- sentative in the Eighth. He was a candidate for United States Senator in 1819, but was defeated by Governor Edwards, and was a Presidential Elector in 1820. He is represented to have been a man of considerable ability but of bitter passions, a supporter of the scheme for a pro-slavery con- stitution and a bitter opponent of Governor Edwards.

JONES, J. Russell, capitalist, was born at Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio, Feb. 17, 1823; after spending two years as clerk in a store in his native town, came to Chicago in 1838; spent the next two years at Rockton, when he accepted a

309

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

clerkship in a leading mercantile establishn.ent at Galena, finally being advanced to a partner- ship, which was dissolved in 1856. In 1860 he was elected, as a Republican, Representative in the Twenty-second General Assembly, and, in March following, was appointed by President Lincoln United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. In 1869, by appointment of President Grant, he became Minister to Belgium, remaining in office until 1875, when he resigned and returned to Chicago. Subsequently he declined the position of Secretary of the Interior, but was appointed Collector of the Port of Chi- cago, from which he retired in 1888. Mr. Jones served as member of the National Republican Committee for Illinois in 1868. In 1863 he organ- ized the West Division Street Railway, laying the foundation of ample fortune. Died Apr. 11, 1909.

JONES, William, pioneer merchant, was born at Charlemont, Mass., Oct. 22, 1789, but spent his boyhood and early manhood in New York State, ultimately locating at Buffalo, where he engaged in business as a grocer, and also held various public positions. In 1831 he made a tour of observation westward by way of Detroit, finally reaching Fort Dearborn, which he again visited in 1832 and in '33, making small investments each time in real estate, which afterwards appreciated immensely in value. In 1834, in partnership with Byram King of Buffalo, Mr. Jones engaged in the stove and hardware business, founding in Chicago the firm of Jones & King, and the next year brought his family. While he never held any important public office, he was one of the most prominent of those early residents of Chicago through whose enterprise and public spirit the city was made to prosper. He held the office of Justice of the Peace, served in the City Council, was one of the founders of the city fire depart- ment, served for twelve years (1840-52) on the Board of School Inspectors (for a considerable time as its President), and contributed liberally to the cause of education, including gifts of $50,000 to the old Chicago University, of which he was a Trustee and, for some time, President of its Executive Committee. Died, Jan. 18, 1868 .- Fernando (Jones), son of the preceding, was born at Forestville, Chautauqua County, N. Y., May 26, 1820, having, for some time in his boyhood, Millard Fillmore (afterwards President) as his teacher at Buffalo, and, still later, Reuben E. Fen- ton (afterwards Governor and a United States Senator) as classmate. After coming to Chicago, in 1835, he was employed for some time as a clerk in Government offices and by the Trustees of the

Illinois & Michigan Canal; spent a season at Canandaigua Academy, N. Y. ; edited a periodical at Jackson, Mich., for a year or two, but finally coming to Chicago, opened an abstract and title office, in which he was engaged at the time of the fire of 1871, and which, by consolidation with two other firms, became the foundation of the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, which still plays an important part in the real-estate business of Chicago. Mr. Jones held various public positions, including that of Trustee of Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville, and for years was a Trustee of University of Chicago. Died Nov. 8, 1911 .- Kiler Kent (Jones), another son, was one of the found- ers of "The Gem of the Prairies" newspaper, out of which grew "The Chicago Tribune"; was for many years a citizen of Quincy, Ill., and promi- nent member of the Republican State Central Committee, and, for a time, one of the publishers of "The Prairie Farmer." Died. in Quincy, August 20, 1886.

JONESBORO, the county-seat of Union County, situated about a mile west of the line of the Illi- nois Central Railroad. It is some 30 miles north of Cairo, with which it is connected by the Mobile & Ohio R. R. It stands in the center of a fertile territory, largely devoted to fruit-growing, and is an important shipping-point for fruit and early vegetables; has a silica mill, pickle factory and a bank. There are also four churches, and one weekly newspaper, as well as a graded school. Population (1900), 1,130; (1910), 1,169.

JOSLYN, Merritt L., lawyer, was born in Livingston County, N. Y., in 1827, came to Illi- nois in 1839, his father settling in McHenry County, where the son, on arriving at manhood, engaged in the practice of the law. The latter became prominent in political circles and, in 1856, was a Buchanan Presidential Elector. On the breaking out of the war he allied himself with the Republican party ; served as a Captain in the Thirty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and, in 1864, was elected to the Twenty-fourth General Assembly from McHenry County, later serving as Senator during the sessions of the Thirtieth and Thirty-first Assemblies (1876-80). After the death of President Garfield, he was appointed by President Arthur Assistant Secre- tary of the Interior, serving to the close of the administration. Returning to his home at Wood- stock, Ill., he resumed the practice of his profes- sion, and, from 1889, served as Master in Chancery for McHenry County. Died Oct. 16, 1904.

JOUETT, Charles, Chicago's first lawyer, was born in Virginia in 1772, studied law at Charlottes-

310

HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.

ville in that State; in 1802 was appointed by President Jefferson Indian Agent at Detroit and, in 1805, acted as Commissioner in conducting a treaty with the Wyandottes, Ottawas and other Indians of Northwestern Ohio and Michigan at Maumee City, Ohio. In the fall of the latter year he was appointed Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn, serving there until the year before the Fort Dear- born Massacre. Removing to Mercer County, Ky., in 1811, he was elected to a Judgeship there, but, in 1815, was reappointed by President Madi- son Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn, remaining until 1818, when he again returned to Kentucky. In 1819 he was appointed to a United States Judgeship in the newly organized Territory of Arkansas, but remained only a few months, when he resumed his residence in Kentucky, dying there, May 28, 1834.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 62

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857- Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 724

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724