Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 10

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972

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George Tullock was a well-known citizen of Scottish birth. He was born in 1815, and came to Rockford in 1841. At Chicago Mr. Tullock hired his passage with a teamster; but the roads were so bad that he started ahead on foot, and arrived in Rockford three days ahead

of the team. Mr. Tullock was employed by Daniel Dow nearly four years as a shoemaker. He then became a farmer. He died August 2, 1900.

Marshall H. Regan, born in Rochester, N. Y., came to Rockford in 1842. He was a contractor and builder and engaged in the lumber trade, in which he spent his active business life. Mr. Regan was the architect of the old First Con- gregational church, on the corner of First and Walnut streets .. He married his first wife, Miss Louisa Dewey, in Rockford in 1845. They had six children. The first Mrs. Eber Carmichasi and the late Mrs. O. A. Richardson were daugh- ters. Mr. Regan's second marriage was withi Miss Adelaide Stewart, a native of Vermont. Their son, Hon. Frank S. Regan, is an attorney. In 1898, through a local disaffection in the Dem- ocratic party, Mr. Regan was elected a member of the legislature as a Prohibitionist. The elder Regan died in Rockford in 1875.

Lewis B. Gregory was born in 1820 in Seneca County, N. Y., a son of Rev. Harry Gregory. He acquired a seminary education, came to Rockford in 1843, and began teaching the same year. After teaching several terms, he became interested in business on the old water-power on the east side of the river. Mr. Gregory was married in Rockford to Miss Lucy E. Spafford, a daughter of Dan and Julia Spafford, who settled in Rockford in 1844. Mrs. Gregory died July 2, 1888. Their children were: Mrs. George N. Safford, deceased; Edward S., deceased, and George B., of Rockford; Carroll S., of Beloit ; and Louis L., a physician of Chicago. One son, Charles, died in infancy. Mr. Gregory died February 2, 1911. Mr. Gregory's second wife was Mrs. Stanbro, formerly of Memphis, Tenn.

James B. Howell settled in Rockford Novem- ber 8, 1843. His business was that of a wool carder and cloth-dresser. When the first dam was completed, Mr. Howell operated a carding and fulling machine on the south side of State street. He erected a building in 1846, and began business in 1848, and continued therein until the dam went out in 1851, when he removed his machinery to New Milford, but returned to Rockford, and some years later formed a part- nership with his brother-in-law, M. H. Regan, in the lumber business. After Huntington & Barnes' book store was destroyed by fire, Mr. Howell engaged in the book trade. His stand was the east store in Metropolitan Hall block.

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

Dr. Lucius Clark became a resident of Rock- ford in 1845. Dr. Clark was born in Amherst, Mass., June 10, 1813, the third in a family of seven sons, five of whom became physicians. He pursued his medical studies at Berkshire Med- ical College, Mass., and at Geneva Medical Col- lege, in New York, and received the first diploma given by the latter institution. Dr. Clark practiced at Marion, Palmyra, and Chili, in New York, for ten years, previous to his settlement in Rockford. He was a member of the American Medical Association, and of the Illinois State Medical Society. During the Civil war he was in the field a short time as presi- dent of the board of examining surgeons for the state of Illinois. He was for many years a trustee of Rockford Seminary. In 1836 Dr. Clark married Julia A. Adams, of Hinsdale. Mass., who died in 1861. In 1864 Dr. Clark married Charlotte M. Townsend, of this city. His death occurred November 5, 187S. Dr. Dex- ter Clark followed his brother Lucius to Rock- ford, where he resided until his death, except the time spent in California, where he went in 1850. Dr. Dexter Clark was for many years a prominent member of the Second Congregit- tional church, and superintendent of its Sunday school. Another brother, Dr. E. N. Clark, settled at Beloit; and a fourth brother, Dr. Asabel Clark, resided at Detroit, Mich. Dr. Lucius Clark had two sons who succeeded him in the practice of medicine : Dexter Selwyn and Lu- cius Armor. Dr. D. Selwyn Clark died Febru- ary 12, 1898. No citizen of Rockford had a higher sense of professional and personal honor, and his death was universally lamented. The death of Dr. L. A. Clark occurred July 23, 1899, in the house in which he was born fifty years before. He had a wide reputation as an expert surgeon. During his residence on the Pacific coast he was employed as a steamship surgeon for some years, and was a passenger on the first voyage of the Colema, which. atter long service, foundered a few years ago. Dr. Clark was also surgeon for the Illinois Railroad Company, which position he held at the time of his death. For more than half a century the Clark family was represented in the medical profession of Rockford. In the death of Armor Clark there passed away the last of this historic family of practitioners.

C. A. Huntington came to Rockford in 1845 and in November of that year began his first

term of school in Rockford in a building owned by H. R. Maynard, which stood on the site of the Stuart building. In the following year L. B. Gregory retired from teaching, and Mr. Huntington succeeded him as teacher in the old court house building on North First street, where he remained until the tall of 1848. Mr. Huntington then taught in the old Baptist church on North Main strect. In the autumn of 1849 Mr. Huntington was elected school com- missioner, and served eight years. In that same year he also opened the first book store in Rock- ford, on the site of the Third National Bank. IIe subsequently removed to tlie opposite cor- ner. There he and Robert Barnes conducted a book store, and a book bindery on the second floor. This block was destroyed by fire Novem- ber 27, 1857. Mr. Huntington resided in Rock- ford until 1864, when he removed to California.

Hon. William Brown was born in Cumber- land. in the North of England, June 1, 1810. His father's family removed to the United States in 1827, and the senior Brown purchased a farm in Oneida County, N. Y. William Brown began the study of law in Rome, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar. In 1846 he became a citizen of Rockford. In 1852 he was elected state's attorney for the district comprising Stephenson, Winnebago and Jo Daviess con- ties, and served three years. At the expiration of that time he was elected mayor of Rockford. In 1857 Judge Brown formed a partnership with William Lathrop, which continued three years. He then became a partner with H. W. Taylor, with whom he was associated until 1870. In 1864 he was elected a member of the legislature as a Republican. Judge Brown was first elected judge to fill the vacancy caused by the promo- tion of Judge Sheldon to the supreme bench. Ile was subsequently elected for three full terms. His career on the bench covered twenty years. Judge Brown and Caroline H. Miller, a daughter of Hon. Horace Miller, were married September 19, 1850. Their elder son, Edward W. Brown, has been three times elected mayor of Rockford. Other children are Frank R. Brown and Mrs. H. W. Buckbee. Judge Brown was an able lawyer, a conscientious judge. and a Christian gentleman. The Brown Building is named in his honor, and a controlling interest is owned by his family. Judge Brown died Jan- uary 15, 1891.

Hiram H. Waldo was born in Elba, Genesce

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

County, N. Y., November 23, 1827. He came to Rockford in 1846, and completed his early edu- cation in the district schools. He studied in summer, and taught in the winter, for several years, until 1851. Mr. Waldo taught in the Redington district, in the old First Baptist church, Cherry Valley, Guilford, Harlem, in the basement of the First Methodist church as as- sistant to Seely Perry, and as assistant to C. A. Huntington, on First street. While at Cherry Valley he walked to Rockford, a distance of eight miles, to attend a temperance lecture by John B. Gough. Mr. Waldo subsequently spent two years in Chicago, where he secured a clerk- ship in the postoffice, under Postmaster Dole, and was promoted to the superintendency of western distribution, and remained a short time under Postmaster Isaac Cook. He returned to Rockford when Charles I. Horsman became post- master the second time. Mr. Horsman did not give his personal attention to the office, and Mr. Waldo assumed this responsibility. He paid Mr. Horsman $500 a year from the earnings of the office, and retained the balance as his com- pensation. Mr. Horsman, however, gave him a guarantee that he would receive an equivalent to his salary in Chicago. Mr. Waldo opened a book store in 1855, in a frame building which rested on poles, where the Grand Union tea store now stands. He remained there four years, and then removed into the present stand, in 1859, where for more than half a century lie engaged in business without interruption. Mr. Waldo served as school commissioner of Win- nebago county from 1857 to 1859, and again from 1863 to 1805. He took an honest pride in the teachers' institutes, which were attended by all classes of people, instead of teachers only, as at present. In politics Mr. Waldo claimed the unique distinction of always hav- ing voted with the minority. He was an Abo- litionist when there were only seven in the county. His affiliations in later years were gen- erally with the Democratic party. Upon the failure of the Second National Bank, Mr. Waldo was appointed received by Commissioner Eckles, and paid eighty-five per cent. of the indebted- ness. Since the organization of the Church of the Christian Union in 1870, Mr. Waldo had been an enthusiastic supporter of Dr. Kerr. It is said that up to the time of his last illness Mr. Waldo had never missed a service. Perhaps no man in town was as well known as H. H.

Waldo. He had a ready wit, and the range of his information was broad. He was a shrewd observer of men and affairs, and had an inex- haustible fund of reminiscence at his instant command. His knowledge of the social life of Rockford covered more than half a century, and, with one or two exceptions, surpassed that of any other citizen. Mr. Waldo died April 26, 1912. At this writing, November, 1915, the stock of books is being sold at auction, after a continuous business of sixty years.

L. F. Warner was a native of Connecticut. He read law with Hon. Reuben Booth, who had been governor of the state. Mr. Warner came to Rockford in November, 1848. Chicago at that time gave no promise of so far outstripping Rockford. Mr. Warner was always a Democrat. He was a delegate to the famous convention at Charleston, in 1860, which resulted in a breachi in the party, and the nomination of Stephen A. Douglas for the presidency at a later con- vention. Mr. Warner served Rockford as city attorney. In 1898 he completed a full half cen- tury of continuous practice in his profession, and at his death was the senior member of the Rockford bar. Mr. Warner died September 13, 1904.

Melancthon Starr is an honored name in Rockford history. Mr. Starr was born at Al- bany, N. Y., April 14, 1816; in 1840 went to Tallahassee, Fla., as a commission merchant, where he represented several New York houses. His principal business was the purchase of cot- ton and its shipment in large quantities to the north. Mr. Starr, however, was a lover of free- dom, and he became so disgusted with the scenes incident to slavery that be removed north. He became cashier of the banking house of Nevins, Townsend & Co., on Wall street, New York. His residence was at Jersey City. Mr. Starr removed to Rockford in 1850. He first conducted a dry goods business on the Second National Bank corner. He was assignee of Charles I. Horsman's bank when it failed. In 1855 Mr. Starr became interested in what was afterward called the Winnebago National Bank. This banking house was founded in 1848 by Thomas D. Robertson and John A. Holland. Later John S. Coleman became a partner, and the firm was Robertson, Coleman & Co. On the death of Mr. Holland, Mr. Starr was admitted to the firm; and after Mr. Coleman's death the firm was Robertson & Starr, which continued

Edward nu Billets

augusta Billick

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

until the organization of the Winnebago Na- tional Bank, in 1865. By reason of the re- spective characteristics of these gentlemen, the house of Robertson & Starr was sometimes called the firm of the Law and the Gospel. Mr. Rob- ertson was president, and Mr. Starr was vice president until his death. In 1857 Mr. Starr sold his homestead on North Main street to Elias Cosper. It was his intention to return east; but the death of Mrs. Starr changed his plans, and he re-purchased his former home, where he spent his last years. Mr. Starr was the beloved patriarch of a large family circle. On December 6, 1839, he was married to Lu- cretia M. Nevins, at Norwich, Conn. Their six children were: Harry N .; Mrs. John P. Manny, deceased ; Mrs. C. W. Brown, deceased ; Chandler ; David N .; and Miss Lucretia. The mother died in 1857. In 1861 Mr. Starr mar- ried Ellen M. Townsend, who still resides in Rockford. Mr. Starr was a man of the world in the best sense. He was one of nature's noble- men. It has been said he never left a promise unfulfilled. He treated all men with respect. The poorest man was made to feel in the pres- ence of Melancthon Starr that he was a gentle- man, and he always received the same courteous treatment as though he were the possessor of unlimited wealth, and moved in the highest social circles. Mr. Starr was a Unitarian. He was a communicant of that church until its membership disbanded, when he became a regu- lar attendant at the Church of the Christian Union. Mr. Starr died, universally esteemed, November 29, 1885. (See Chapter 41. )

John Edwards was born at Acton, Mass., August 18, 1800. He was in business in Lowell before his removal to the West. Mr. Edwards was living at Alton, Ill., during the excitement which resulted in the death of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, America's martyr to free soil and free speech. On that occasion Mr. Edwards took an honorable and decided position in favor of the freedom of the press ; and stood on guard at Mr. Lovejoy's bed, with a loaded musket in his hand, the night before that brave Abolitionist was murdered by the pro-slavery mob. Mr. Edwards came to Rockford in 1850. He was the first dealer in pine lumber in the city. His first yard was near the Northwestern railroad track. Most of his lumber at this yard came by team

from St. Charles. Mr. Edwards encouraged the development of the Rockford water-power; was interested in the work of the seminary, and during his last years he was its agent. Mr. Ed- wards was an upright, worthy gentleman, of New England stock. His death occurred June 14, 1871. Mrs. Edwards was a woman of fiue presence and force of character. Their three children were : Mrs. A. L. Chetlain, of Chicago, formerly Mrs. Melancthon Smith; Mrs. Julia Clemens, deceased ; and the Rev. John Edwards, a retired Presbyterian clergyman.

Daniel S. Haight, the founder of East Rock- ford, like his West side rival, did not remain in Rockford to see the fruition of his early settlement. Mr. Haight removed from the vil- lage in the winter of 1847-48, and settled in Texas, near Shreveport, Louisiana. He revis- ited Rockford in 1857. The date of his death is unknown to his old friends in Rockford. There is a tradition, which is commonly ac- cepted, that he was a soldier in the Confed- erate army, and that he died after the Civil war at Fort Worth, Texas. No worthy record of his life and work has been preserved; but next to Mr. Kent, his name is most prominent in early history.

The gold excitement drew many to Califor- nia in 1849-50. Among those who went from Rockford were Giles C. Hard, A. C. Spafford, D. K. Lyon, II. B. Potter, Dexter Clark, William Hamilton, H. HI. Silsby, Isaae Rowley, Obadialı E. Lamb, a Mr. Smith, a Mr. Lewis, Sylvester Robinson, and Henry L. Simpson. Mr. Robin- son died at Mud Springs, forty-five miles east of Sacramento, a few days after his arrival. Mr. Robinson was a native of Connecticut, and came to Rockford in 1847. He was father of Mrs. E. P. Catlin and H. H. and N. S. Robin- soul. Mr. Simpson died while on his return lome, at Peru, Illinois, in March, 1851. His re- mains were brought to Rockford tor burial. Mr. Simpson was father of E. L. Simpson and Mrs. Z. B. Sturtevant. He came to Rockford about. 1839, and engaged in the business of blacksmith. He owned a one-half interest in a grist mill at Cherry Valley, and property in Rockford. Mr. Lamb died in California. As in all similar ventures, some were successful; while others received no adequate returns for their journey into the far country.

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

CHAPTER V.

PIONEER INCIDENTS.

A MYSTERIOUS CRIME-FIRST WHITE DEATH IN COUNTY-FIRST MARRIAGES-FIRST COUNTY RE- CORDER-FIRST WHITE CHILDREN BORN-PROTEC- TION OF LAND CLAIMS-TROUBLE AMIONG CLAIM- ANTS-SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY JUDICIARY-AN AMUSING INCIDENT-A SERIOUS OCCURRENCE- EARLY FERRIES-FERRY RATES-EARLIEST FERRY- MEN-STATE ROADS-SUMS APPROPRIATED FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT-PROPERTY OWNERS WILL- INGLY DONATE LAND.

A MYSTERIOUS CRIME.

The first crime brought to light in Winnebago County was committed in the summer of 1835. The body of a murdered man, terribly mutilated, was found in the woods, about two and a half miles south of the settlement. This discovery sent a thrill of horror to the hearts of the pioneers, who began for the first time to feel distrustful. The county had been settled by an excellent class of citizens, and this murder was the one dark shadow of these first years. The crime was at first attributed to the Indians; but this accusation was not warranted by their gen- eral treatment of the whites. The remains of the stranger were buried in the woods where he met his death. The crime remains a mystery to this day; but the poor fellow was doubtless murdered by an unsuspected Judas for his claim. The settlers allowed the tragedy to pass unre- corded in local history ; and not until forty years later appeared the first published state- ment of the affair. This first crime was the first death of a white person in the county, so far as known. The second death was that of Sampson George, to whom reference is made in another chapter.

FIRST MARRIAGES.

The first marriage was that of Dr. Daniel H. Whitney and Sarah Caswell, and was solem- nized by Rev. Seth S. Whitman, of Belvidere, December 10, 1836. The first marriage ceremony

within the present limits of the county was that of Jeremiah Roberts and Harriet Clausen, and was performed December 11, 1836, by Sylvester Talcott, a justice of the peace. The first mar- riage, however, reported in the registry of the county clerk's office is that of William P. Ran- dall and Miss Delia Driscoll, solemnized Feb- ruary 13, 1837, by Wifiiam R. Wheeler, a justice of the peace.

Dr. Daniel Hilton Whitney, the first benedict, was a historic character. He was not the Daniel Whitney who figured prominently in the early transfers of land in sections 21, 22 and 27, in Rockford Township. Dr. Whitney settled in Belvidere in 1835, and was elected the first re- corder of Winnebago County, which in 1836 included Boone County. Dr. Whitney was tall, of commanding presence, with swarthy com- plexion, coal-black hair, and eagle eye, and withal the very incarnation of dynamic force. At one time Dr. Whitney was not a believer in revealed religion. Rev. Eleazer T. Ball, a Pres- byterian pastor of Belvidere, when on his death- bed, sent an invitation to Dr. Whitney to come and see a Christian die. Death to him was but the kiss of an angel, to waft the gentle spirit homeward to its God. Dr. Whitney died Febru- ary 17, 1864, aged fifty-seven years. There was much in his life and character that appealed to the love of romance; and he is kindly remem- bered to this day.

FIRST WHITE CHILDREN BORN.

Melissa J. Long, daughter of John B. Long, born in February, 1836, is entitled to the dis- tinction of being the first white child born in the county. The first male child, Ogden Hance, was born in what is now Pecatonica Township. George E. Dunbar, son of William E. Dunbar, was born in 1836, in a little log house situated one block south of Kent street, on Main. Mrs. T. W. Carrico, a daughter of Benjamin Kil- burn, was also among the earliest accessions by birth to the population of the village.

· PROTECTION OF LAND CLAIMS.

The protection of land claims was one of the difficulties that confronted the early settlers. Stephen A. Douglas' doctrine of squatter sov- ereignty was not practicable in dealing with slavery in the territories; and perhaps the re-

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

nowned and doughty little giant never designed that it should be. But in Winnebago County, during the first five years after the arrival of Kent and Blake, the fact of actual possession was the only title to the soil. The land in this vicinity was not brought into market until 1839 and the Polish claims, which are considered in another chapter, did not permit the land in two townships to be opened to sale until several years later. Claims were made upon lands, deeds were executed and money paid for lands that were still in technical possession of the government. In some instances several transfers were made before the original grantor obtained his patent from the government. Three facts produced this peculiar condition in the real estate market. The "floats" which were given certain half-breed Winnebago Indians by the treaty of Prairie du Chien, were located on desirable lands by shrewd land speculators, who purchased the "floats" from their wards. These claims were given precedence. Another cause was the claim of a Polish count to Rockford and Rockton townships. The third factor was the settlement by the pioneers on lands several years before they were advertised for sale at the land office. Thus this feature of local history is quite complex. Many of the early instruments were not deeds, but simply transfers of claims, or agreements to sell the land when the titles of the grantors had been obtained. These transac- tions indicate the utmost confidence in the good faith of the government, and this confidence was never misplaced.

Under these circumstances, however, trouble among claimants was inevitable. There was no golden age in which the brethren always dwelt together in unity. The "transfigured menag- erie," of which Dr. Boardman speaks, when the lion and the lamb should lie down together, was not fully realized on the banks of Rock River. The law allowed a settler to hold such land as he could enclose. His ambition was sometimes greater than his ability to "enclose," which was occasionally done by plowing a furrow around the claim. The first fences were of split rails or sods. The latter were quite extensively built at first, but were soon abandoned. They were made by building the sides of ent turf and filling the middle with earth. When well made, these fences were quite attractive to the eye. Their insufficiency, however, soon drew attention to hedges, and after trials of many kinds, the osage

orange was extensively used. The county was not entirely free from that depraved and des- perate class, who usually keep in advance of the administration of justice by the regularly es- tablished institutions of law. But these soon found that the moral atmosphere around them rendered their sitnation not only uncomfor- table, but actually dangerous; and they were warned either to reform or cmigrate.

SQUATTER SOVEREIGNTY JUDICIARY.

Although difficulties frequently arose among settlers in regard to their respective titles to land, there were few of so serious a nature that they were not peaceably and satisfactorily ad- jnsted by the claims committee. This was a sort of squatter sovereignty judiciary, which was es- tablished in almost every community. When complaint was made, a meeting was called, a chairman appointed, and a verdict rendered, which was very generally respected. A settler who had made what was considered a favorable selection of land, or one that was likely from the growth of the county to become valuable, occasionally found in the morning that a board shanty had been put up during the night on his claim. This cabin would generally be occupied by three or four inen, friends of the "jumper," who had come with him to assist in maintaining his seizure. These intruders usually had their shanties ready to put together. The work was done at some convenient sawmill where lumber could be obtained. It was then loaded on a wagon at night; and by morning they would have the house put up, and be ready to main- tain their position by force of arms in what they called their "castle." The decision of the settlers' court, in the matter of "jumping claims," was usually in favor of the man who had a family, and who intended to become an actnal settler; and it was always carried out to the strict letter.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 10

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 972

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972