USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 2
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CHAPTER XXIII.
BANKING AND INSURANCE.
A Financial Gibraltar-Oldest Rockford Bank-Winnebago National Bank-Bank of Rockford-Spafford, Clark & Ellis Bank-Founders of Third National Bank-Second National Bank-E. L. Fuller & Company, Bankers-E. H. Potter & Company, Bankers-Edward N. Kitchel, Banker-Private Bank of N. C. Thompson-First National Bank of Rockford-Second National Bank-The Oldest National Bank-The Third National Bank-The Rockford National Bank-The People's Bank-The Manufacturers' National Bank -The Forest City National Bank-Rockford's Youngest Bank- The Swedish-American National Bank-Increasing Deposits- Rockford Clearing House Association-Present Officers-Insur- ance-Rock River Mutual Insurance Company-Reaper City Insurance Company-Rockford Insurance Company-American Insurance Company-Forest City Insurance Company-Manu- facturers' and Merchants' Mutual Insurance Company-Security Insurance Company-Reliance Insurance Company-Insurance Company of the
State of Illinois-Mutual Companies in City and County-Life Insurance-Forest City Life Insurance Company-Rockford Life Insurance Company-Manufacturers' and Merchants' Life Insurance Company .
826-831
CHAPTER XXIV.
ROCKFORD MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Contemporary Events-First Election Under New Law-Willard Wheeler First Mayor-First Bond Issue-Special Charter-New Ward Division-The License Question-First House Numbering- Seven Wards Created-License Became Paramount Issue in 1876- A Historic Cartoon-Rockford Incorporated Under General Law -First Subsequent Election-Referendum Vote-Women's Peti- tion-The Special Ballot-High License Law-School Districts Consolidated-Party Lines Closely Drawn-Price set for Saloon Licenses-Public Parks Urged-First Street Paving-The Little Red Schoolhouse-Women Appointed on School Board-Mayor Hutchins' Controversy with Fire Marshal Heffran-In 1897 City Council Solid for License-Electric Light Contract-Other Public Improvements-Controversy Over Library Site-Reorganization of School Board-Organized Labor-First Local Option Election- Commission Form of Government-Present Mayor-Women Vote for City Offices in 1915-Minority Representation-Fire Depart- ment-Winnebago Engine Company-Washington Engine Com- pany-Union Engine Company-Roster of Fire Marshals-Fire Stations-Modern Apparatus-A Creditable Organization-Police Department-Roster of Police Chiefs-A Fine Organization as a Whole-Improved Equipments-City Engineers-Street Paving- Health Department-Board of Election Commissioners-Bonded Indebtedness-Appropriations for 1916-City Officers, 1852-1916. . 831-853
CHAPTER XXV.
ROCKFORD'S PUBLIC UTILITIES.
Rockford Street Railway Company-Organized in 1880-West End Street Railway-Organized in 1890-Consolidated Systems-Rock- ford City Railway Company-Rockford Traction Company- Rockford Railway, Light and Power Company-Rockford & Belvi- dere Electric Railway Company-Rockford & Interurban Railway Company-Rockford & Freeport Electric Railway Company- Rockford, Beloit & Janesville Railroad-Rockford City Traction Company-Water Works System-Artesian Wells-Superin- tendents-Rockford Gas Light and Coke Company-Earliest in the Field-Original Cost-Present Status-Rockford Electric Com- pany-Central Union Telephone Company-Home Telephone Com- pany
853-860
CHAPTER XXVI. A QUARTER CENTURY.
1865-1890.
Bulding Operations Up to 1880-The Fall of the Courthouse-Loss of Life-Blame Placed-A Transition Period-Severe Storms-Amos Bronson Alcott-Memorial Services for President Garfield-Mor- tuary Record of 1881-A Local Tragedy-Building Operations in 1882-3-Celebration of Semi-Centennial-Death of Notable Citizens -Events of 1885-Memorial Services for General Grant-Rock- ford's Loss of Eminent Men-Fire and Flood-Dwight L. Moody at Rockford . 860-865
CHAPTER XXVII. MANUFACTURING.
Rockford Hydraulic and Manufacturing Company-Building of the Dam-Accidents to the Dam-First Bridges at Rockford-First Foundry and Machine Shop-Rockford Water Power Company- Origin and Growth of Emerson-Brantingham Company-Advent of John H. Manny-Clark & Utter Manufacture His First Reaper -Suit in Federal Court-Famous Legal Talent Engaged-Abraham Lincoln One of the Lawyers-Death of John H. Manny-Firm Name Becomes Talcott, Emerson & Company-Subsequent Changes in Firm Style-Present Name Adopted in 1909-Lorgest Manufac- turing Plant in Rockford-History of Thompson Manufacturing Company-Mention of Earlier Manufacturers-Rockford Bolt Works-Hess & Hopkins Leather Company-Rockford Brass Works -W. F. and John Barnes Company-Rockford Watch Company- Dobson Manufacturing Company-Union Foundry and Machine Company-Rockford Silver Plate Company-Andrews Wire and Iron Works-Eclipse Gas Stove Company-Ward Pump Company -Spengler-Loomis Manufacturing Company-Ingersoll Milling Machine Company-Free Sewing Machine Company-Barber-Col-
man Company-National Lock Company-Greenlee Brothers and Company-Stonefield-Evans Shoe Company-Rockford Drop Forge Company-The King Company-Burd High Compression Ring Company-Rockford's Knitting Industry-Rockford Seamless Socks First in the Market-Nelson Knitting Company-Rockford Mitten and Hosiery Company-Burson Knitting Company-Forest City Knitting Company-B. Z. B. Knitting Company-S. B. Wilkins Company-The Furniture Industry-Forest City Furniture Com- pany-Union Furniture Company-Central Furniture Company- Cooperative Furniture Company-Rockford Chair and Furniture Company-Standard Furniture Company-Scandia Furniture Com- pany-West End Furniture Company-Mechanic's Furniture Factory-Royal Mantel and Furniture Company-Rockford Frame and Fixture Company-Rockford Cabinet Company-Rockford Desk Company-Rockford Furniture Company-Empire Manufac- turing Company-Illinois Cabinet Company-Excel Manufactur- ing Company-Rockford National Furniture Company-Rockford Palace Furniture Company-Rockford Bookcase Company-Rock- ford Superior Furniture Company-Rockford Cedar Chest Com- pany - Rockford Light Furniture Company - Illinois School Furniture Company-Old Colony Chair Company-Monarch Fur- niture Company-World Furniture Company-Former Furniture Companies-Proposed Semi-annual Furniture Exposition-The Piano Industry-Haddorff Piano Company-Schumann Piano Company-Kurtz Action Company-List of Other Manufacturers -"Made in Rockford"-Principal Industries-A Quarter Cen- tury's Growth
865-886
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Cemeteries 886-887
CHAPTER XXIX.
ROCKFORD POSTOFFICE.
First Postmaster-First Postoffice Building-Early High Rate of Postage-Succeeding Postmasters-An Early Postmaster's Trials -Changes Between 1837 and 1861-Letter of President Lincoln- Senate Refuses to Confirm Jason Marsh-Thomas G. Lawler First Made Postmaster in 1878-Free and Special Delivery Established in 1882-John D. Waterman First Made Postmaster in 1885- Lawler and Waterman Alternate for Thirty Years-Present Postmaster-Fine Government Building-Stupendous Amount of Business Transacted 887-890
CHAPTER XXX. ROCKFORD PARK SYSTEM.
A City of Parks-Park Board Organized in 1909-Twenty-five Parks, Squares and Triangles - Sinnissippi - Haskell - Haight - Fair- grounds - Vogt - Williams - Sunset - Crawford - Kimball -River View-Blinn-Myott-Hulin-Brown-Black Hawk- South-Southeast-John Spafford-Franklin-Northwestern-Boil- vin Lovelace Point-Longwood Point-Beattie-Total Area-Cost of Park System-Officers of Park District. 890-895
CHAPTER XXXI.
ROCKFORD IN BASEBALL.
Cradle of Baseball-Game Succeeded Cricket-Composition of First Ball-Famous Names-First Training Gained at Rockford-Forest City Baseball Club-Spalding and Anson Members-Short Biog- raphy of Abert G. Spalding, William T. Brown-Much Amateur Talent-First Minor League Organized-Park Provided-Rock- ford a Member of the I-I-I League.
895-898
CHAPTER XXXII.
PUBLIC CHARITIES-INSTITUTIONS AND SOCIETIES.
Rockford Hospital-Officials-Hospital Sunday Established-Many Gen- erous Donations-Talcott Memorial Home for Nurses-Emerson Hall Hospital Addition-Training School Maintained-Hospital Completely Equipped-St. Anthony Hospital-Municipal Sani- tarium-A Great Enterprise-Swedish-American Hospital-Winne- bago County Home for the Aged-Jennie Snow Home for Aged Women-Y. W. C. Association-Y. M. C. A .- Boys' Club-Win- nebago Farm School-Working Girls' Home-The Children's Home -Winnebago County Almshouse-Ladies' Union Aid Society- Visiting Nurse Association-Public Welfare Association-Swedish Union Aid Society-Humane Society-Women's Temperance Organ- izations-Central Women's Christian Temperance Union-Non- partisan Women's Christian Temperance Alliance-Temperance Guards-North Rockford W. C. T. U .- Swedish W. C. T. U .- Unions Maintained Also in South and West Rockford.
898-905
CHAPTER XXXIII.
ROCKFORD AS A MUSICAL CENTER.
Rockford Spontaneously Musical-Rockford Musical Association- Series of Festivals-Harmonic Society Organized-Louis M. Gott- schalk-The Choral Union-The Mendelssohn Club-Organizes in 1884-Large Membership-Present Officers-Mrs. Chandler Starr -Great Artists Visit Rockford-Schumann Club-Rockford Celeb- rities-Bands and Orchestras-Forest City Band Organized in 1867 -Rockford Military Band-Dedrickson's Orchestra-Haddorff Piano Company Band-Barber-Coleman Company Band-Rockford High School Band-Emerson-Brantingham Company Band-Bene- dict Orchestra-Metropole Orchestra-Opera House Orchestra- Weber Quartet-Later Singing Societies-Sveas Soner-Lyran Club -American Union of Swedish Singers-Gesang Verein-Music Department of Rockford College-Churches Are Patrons of Music 905-910
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Brown's Hall-Opera House Completed-Celebrities of Stage and Plat- form-Managers of Opera House-Moving Picture Houses- Vaudeville Houses-Palace Amusement Company. 911-915
1
CHAPTER XXXV.
CLUBS AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.
Club Development-Organizations at Rockford-Chamber of Commerce -Manufacturers' and Shippers' Association-Traffic Club-Rock- ford Club-Rockford's Merchants' and Business Men's Association -East State Street Business Men's Association-Seventh Street Business Men's Association-Fourteenth Avenue Business Men's Association-Bar Association-Real Estate Board-The Rockford Woman's Club-The Monday Club-Oldest Woman's Literary Club in Rockford-The '84 Club-The Century Club-Catholic Woman's League-King's Daughters-Daughters of the American Revolution-The Outlook Club-The Advance Club-The Mother's Study Club-The Health Club-The Burns Club-Oldest Social Club in Rockford-Germania Gesang Verein-The Round Table- The Argonauts-Unity Club-Svea Soner Society-Commercial Club-Arts and Crafts Society-Rockford Art Association-Rock- ford Art Guild-University Club-Singers and Players Club- Country Club-Motor Club-The Waltonians-The Nature Study Club-Other Out Door Clubs.
915-924
CHAPTER XXXVI.
FRATERNITIES AND TRADE UNIONS.
Rockford Friendly to Fraternities-Odd Fellows-Freemasons-Modern Woodmen of America-Elks-Knights of Pythias-Loyal Order of Moose-Vikings-Knights of Columbus-Brotherhood of American Yeomen-Royal Neighbors of America-United Workmen-Modern Brotherhood of America-Court of Honor-Guardians of Liberty- Foresters-Loyal Americans-Knights of the Maccabees-Ladies of the Maccabees-Ladies of the Modern Maccabees-Eagles-Order of Scottish Clans-National Protective Legion-National Union- North American Union-Homesteaders-Sons of St. George- North Star Benefit Association-Danish Sisterhood-United Com- mercial Travelers of America-Mystic Workers of the World- Continental Benefit Association-Danish Brotherhood-Knights and Ladies of Honor-Yeomen of America-I. O. M. A .- Owls-Royal Arcanum-Independent Order of Svithiod-Knights of Daniel- Good Templars-Woodmen of the World-Tribe of Ben Hur- Trade Unions-Union Label League-United Brotherhood of Car- penters and Joiners-International Association of Machinists- Journeymen Barbers' International - Typographical - Painters, Paperhangers and Decorators of America-National Association of Letter Carriers-Post Office Clerks-Amalgamated and Butchers' Workmen-Plumbers'-Iron Moulders'-Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Bricklayers' and Masons'-Sheet Metal Workers-Rock- ford Musicians'-Teamsters'-Garment Workers'-Co-operative Plasters' and Cement Finishers'-Lathers'-Cigarmakers'-Ice- men's-Building Trades Council-Pressmen's-Cabinetmakers' and Mill Workers-Stage Employes' Union-All Affiliated with Rockford Central Labor Union 924-928
CHAPTER XXXVII.
COUNTY FAIRS-AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS.
Early Interest Aroused-Organization of an Agricultural Society- First Fair a Notable Success-Lapse of Interest-Winnebago County Agricultural Society Organized in 1856-Many Fairs Well Attended-Distinguished Men Attend as Speakers-The Episode of Jefferson Davis in 1875-Last Exposition Held at Rockford in 1902-City Purchased Fair Grounds for Park Purposes-Farm Improvement Association-Granges and Officials-Agitation for Im- proved Highways-Foot and Mouth Scourge 928-932
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
BIRDSEYE VIEW-1891-1916.
Visit of a Notable Evangelist in 1891-Building Operations in 1892- Short Obituaries-Rockford Chautauqua Assembly Organized in 1902-A Tribute to the Late Dr. George W. Brown-Present Pop- ulation of Rockford-A Rockford Woman Appointed Head of a Government Department at Washington-Tornado in 1913-Hotels of Today-The Nelson-Hotel Leland-East Side Inn-Chick House Hotel Illinois-Hotel Poole-Hotel Du Nord-Rexton Hotel-Jar- vis Inn-National Hotel-Wealth and Population-The Author's Inspiring vision of the Future Rockford. 933-937
CHAPTER XIX.
TOWNSHIPS.
BURRITT.
No Railroad in Township-A Farming Community-No Towns Nor Villages-Wempletown a Hamlet and Formerly the Postoffice- Settled First in 1837-Names of Pioneers-Loss of a Historic Char- acter-Biography of Rev. John Wilcox-Population. 937-959
CHAPTER XL.
County Commissioners and Supervisors. 959-970
CHAPTER XLI.
The Part of Biography in General History-Citizens of Winnebago County and Outlines of Personal History-Personal Sketches Arranged in Encyclopedie Order 971-1269
.
PORTRAITS
Agnew, Henry
652
Agnew, Margaret 652
Alling, D. D .. 640
Altgeld, John P. 270
Atwood, Patten
640
Baker, E. H.
640
Barrett, R.
640
Bateman, Newton
Following Title Page Vol. I
Belknap, N.
640
Best, Jacob M. and Family. 656
Best, Simon P.
660
Best, Mrs. Simon P
660
Beveridge, John L.
266
Billick, Augusta
664
Billick, Edward W. 664
Bissell, William H.
258
Bixby, J. Milton
668
Blake, Thatcher 636-640
Blinn, Jesse
640
Blinn, W. C.
640
Blomquist, Gust E.
672
Bond, Shadrach
250
Bower, Andrew C. 676
Bower, Sarah H. 676
Brady, C. P.
640
Breckenridge, Fannie E.
682
Breckenridge, J. Arthur
680
Brown, H. (
640
Brown, M. 640
Burroughs, Niram C.
686
Burson, William W
644
Carlin, Thomas
258
Farmer, Leon
728
Chicagou (Chief)
246
Church, Charles A.
. Frontispiece Vol. II
Church, Selden M. 640-645
Churchill, P. P. 640
Cochran, George
640
Cole, W. J.
640
Coles, Edward 254
Colton, Austin
640
Conrad, Frank H. 696
Corey, A.
640
Coy, Robert E. 700
Cullom, Shelby M. 266
Cunningham, B. F. 640
Cunningham, S.
640
Cutler, Robert
704
Dale, Lycurgus M
708
Davis, Abram E.
712
Davis, T.
640
Deneen, Charles S.
274
Dennett, George H. 716
Denton, Homer
640
Doolittle, P. S.
640
Dow, Daniel
640
Duncan, Joseph
254
Dunn, Elisha C.
720
Dunne, Edward F
274
Edwards, Ninian
250
Ellis, Edward F. W
644
Enoch, A. I.
640
Enoch, H. R.
640
Erickson, Jonas
724
Erickson, Mrs. Jonas
724
Ewing, William L. D
254
Favor, Mary L.
734
Favor, Oscar 732
Ferguson, D. 640
Ferguson, D. H. 640
Fifer, Joseph W 270
Fish, D.
640
Fitch, Edward
742
Fitch, Mrs. Edward
742
Fitch, John
640
Fitch, W. H.
640
Ford, Thomas
258
French, Augustus C.
258
Fuller, L. B. 640
George, S.
640
Giffen, Alexander 746
Giffen, Mary A. 746
Gilmore, Alice A.
754
Gilmore, Leland S.
754
Gilmore, Thomas
750
Gilmore, Mrs. Thomas
750
Gilmore, Willis
754
Goodhue, D.
640
Gregory, Carrie S. 766
Gregory, James B ..
766
Gustafson, Clarence A.
770
Hall, Ellen
798
Hall, Loly B. 792
798
Hall, Wright C
Halley, William
640
Halsted, Jonathan H
802
Halsted, Mrs. Jonathan H. 802
Hamilton, John M.
256
Hance, Ogden
806
Hard, G. C. 640
Haskell, George
636-640
Haskell, G. S. 640
Herbert, Charles H. 810
Herrick, E. A.
640
Herring, J. R.
640
Hoffman, Abram M.
814
Holmes, G. O 640
Horsman, C. I. 640
Houghton, B.
640
Howe, O. Baxter 818
Howes, P.
640
Hoygard, Thomas G.
822
Hulin, William
640
Jewell, T. J. . 640
Jewett, J. R. 640
Johnson, Gust E 826
Johnson, William 830
Jones, Cassius C. 840
Kern, John M 844
Lake, John
640
Lamb, O. E. 640
Lansing, A. C.
848
Lansing, Elizabeth
848
LaSalle, Reni Robert. 246
Latham, Henry A.
852
Lawler, Thomas G.
856
Levi, Rose H
860
Levi, Samuel E.
860
Liddle, George and Family . 864
Lincoln, Abraham
Frontispiece Vol. I
Lind, Carrie S. 870
Lind, Charles A. 870
Littlefield, Daniel C. 874
Loomis, H. W.
640
Lyford, Emily M.
882
Lyford, Joseph G.
878
Lyon, I.
640
Marsh, Horace
886
Marsh, Mrs. Horace
886
Marsh, Jason
637-640
Martin, Elias
640
Martin, J. B. 640
Matteson, Joel A.
258
Maynard, Edward C. 890
Maynard, H.
640
McCartney, James W.
894
McDougall, Donald C. 902
Mellen, Clark 906
Miller, A. S.
640
Miller, C. F.
640
Miller, William
910
Montague, R. 640
Morrell, Rev. John 640
Morse, Charles S. 914
Morse, Henrietta
914
Moulthrop, L.
640
Murtfeldt, William
918
Murtfeldt, Mrs. William C. 918
Mutimer, Frederick 922
Nelson, Augustus
926
Nelson, John 645
Nevius, Garrett L. 644
North, Frank R. 930
North, Mrs. Frank R
930
Oglesby, Richard J.
262
Page, Dorson D.
934
Palmer, Jolın M.
266
Penfield, D. S.
640
Penfield, John G.
958
Pepper, Anna E.
938
Peters, William
640
Peterson, Pehr A
942
Peterson, W. A.
946
Petrie, Eliza J.
950
Petrie, John
950
Phillip, Peter P
954
Platt, John
640
Redington, H. 640
Regan, M. H. 640
Reid, Fred J.
966
Reimer, Fred I. and Family 970
Revell, Edwin M.
962
Talcott, Wait
636-640
Tanner, John R. 270
Teague, John
1052
Thompson, Emily M.
1056
Thompson, Joel M. 1056
Robertson, T. D. 640
Rothwell, William .
978
Thompson, Joel M., Sr. 1056
Thurston, J. H.
640
Tipple, Addie E.
1060
Tipple, Robert C.
1060
Tonty, Henry de.
246
Twogood, W.
640
.
Sanford, G. A.
640
Sawyer, Willis (Kit) E.
986
Sayer, J. P 640
Schmauss, Anna 992
Schmauss, John 990
Selby, Paul ...
Following Title Page, Vol. I
Sherwood, Charles M.
996
Shumway, R. B.
1000
Shumway, Mrs. R. B. 1000
Silsby, H. H. 640
Simpson, Robert 640
Skeyhan, Fred F
1004
Smith, Cecil C. 1008
Snyder, Aubrey A. 1012
Sohner, Edward
1016
Sohner, Mrs. Edward
1016
Spafford, A. C. 640
Spafford, Charles H. 1020
Spafford, John
640
Spalding, A. G.
640
Spencer, Douglas W.
1024
Starr, Ellen M.
1032
Starr, Melancthon
1028
St. Clair, Arthur
250
Stiles, John A. 1036
Stiles, R. S. 640
Strand, John and Family 1040
Sumner, E.
640
Swezey, Adoniram J.
1044
Swezey, Malinda B ..
1048
Taft, L. M 640
Talcott, S.
640
Talcott, T. B. 640
Talcott, W. A 640
Reynolds, John
254
Richards, S. S. 640
Richardson, Charles H. 974
Richardson, H. 640
Thompson, Mrs. Joel M. 1056
Rothwell, Mrs. William A.
978
Ruggles, S.
640
Salen, Swan A.
982
Salen, Mathilda 982
Wagner, Jacob W.
1064
Wagner, Marthena L. 1064
Walton, William
1068
Ward, Frank
1072
Ward, Frank R.
1076
War Eagle (Chief)
246
Waterman, J. C.
640
Webber, Henry A. 1080
Wilder, N. 640
Webber, Mrs. Henry A. 1080
Williams, Charles 645
Welch, Patrick W .1084
Williams, Henry W 1106
Weldon, A. W. 640
Williams, Mrs. Henry W 1106
Wood, John 262
Woodruff, S. M 1110
Welty, Grocelia M.
1088
Welty, Netty M.
1094
Wyman, E.
640
Wheeler, Willard
637-640
Widell, Swan O
1098
Yates, Richard, Jr 274
Wight, James M 637
Yates, Richard, Sr 262
Wiklund, Arvid 1102
Young, Hiram W
1114
Welty, Bert J.
1092
Welty, Calvin 1088
Works, Charles 640
ILLUSTRATIONS
B'nai Israel Congregation. 781
Brethren Church 781
Brown School 739
Centennial M. E. Church 780
Central Christian Church
781
Christian Science Church 780
City Hall
836
Country Club
763
Courthouse (1844)
693
Courthouse (1878)
692
Court Street M. E. Church.
788
Daniel S. Haight's Residence. 648
Elks' Club 837
Emmanuel Episcopal Church 784
First Baptist Church 781
First Lutheran Church
777
First Presbyterian Church
777
Garrison School
738
Girder Bridge
759
Henry Freeman School.
739
Home for the Aged
899
Kishwaukee School 739
Liddle Coat of Arms 866
Lincoln School 739
Mandeville House
648
Manny Mansion 649
Map of Winnebago County
Following Title Page, Vol. II
Masonic Temple 789
Memorial Hall
758
Nelson Bridge 759
Nelson Hotel 763
Old First Congregational Church. 776
Old Log Cabin 693
Old Second National Bank. 693
P. A. Peterson School.
739
Postoffice
837
Public Library
758
Register-Gazette
762
Rockford College
.785
Rockford High School 738
Rockford Hospital 898
Rockford Morning Star 762
Second Congregational Church 776
St. Anthony Hospital
899
St. James' Pro-Cathedral
784
St. Mary's Catholic Church 781
St. Paul's Lutheran Church 781
Steamer "Illinois"
759
Swedish Methodist Church.
781
Trinity Lutheran Church
777
Turner School 739
Wight School
739
Young Woman's Christian Association. 649
Charles a. Church.
HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL REVIEW.
ILLINOIS FIRST A PART OF VIRGINIA-COLONIZA- TION COMPANIES GRANT OF LAND TO THE LONDON COMPANY-GRANT OF LAND TO THE PLYMOUTH COMPANY-NEUTRAL TERRITORY-FRENCH FIRST SETTLERS IN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY-EARLY EX- PLORERS-MARQUETTE-JOLIET-LASALLE-TONTI -FRENCH COLONISTS FROM LOWER CANADA FOUNDED VILLAGES - KASKASKIA - CAHOKIA- VINCENNES-FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR-WIN- NING OF THE WEST-VIRGINIA ASSUMES TITLE TO THE ILLINOIS TERRITORY-DERIVATION OF NAME ILLINOIS-FIRST GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS- FIRST SEEDS OF NATIONAL UNITY-TRANSFER OF PUBLIC DOMAIN TO THE UNITED STATES-DIVISION OF NORTHWEST TERRITORY-WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON BECOMES GOVERNOR OF INDIANA TER- RITORY-BIRTH OF ILLINOIS TERRITORY-ILLINOIS ADMITTED TO STATEHOOD.
ILLINOIS FIRST A PART OF VIRGINIA.
The territory now comprised within the state of Illinois first nominally formed a part of Virginia. The primal rights of the native Indians were never recognized by the explorers from the old world. The English crown, by virtue of discoveries made by the Cabots and the colonies planted by Sir Walter Raleigh, took formal possession of that portion of the new world known as Virginia. This name was given the new possession by the Virgin Queen, Eliza- beth, in honor of herself. In 1606, early in the reign of King James I, two companies were
formed for the colonization of America. Vir- ginia was divided into two parts. To the Lon- don Company the king granted South Virginia, which extended from Cape Fear, in North Car- olina, to the Potomac. To the Plymouth Com- pany he gave North Virginia, which stretched from Nova Scotia to Long Island. The region between the Potomac and the Hudson was left as a broad belt of neutral territory. Under the revised charter of 1609 these grants were to run in straight zones across the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They included "all the islands lying within one hundred miles along the coast of both seas" aforesaid. So little was then known of the geography of North America, that it was believed the continent at this latitude was no wider than in Mexico. Hence England made extensive grants of land on this continent in utter ignorance of its extent and configuration. This charter was subse- quently annulled by quo warranto, and special commissions issued, in which the king declared that the charter was abrogated for the benefit of the settlers; but that it should not affect their private or civil rights, but only the polit- ical rights of the company at home.
FRENCH FIRST SETTLERS IN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
The English colonists in Virginia, however, did not penetrate far into the interior. Thus the royal claim to the "land throughout from sea to sea west and northwest" did not secure the title of the English crown to this vast do- main. The French were the first actual settlers in the great Mississippi valley. During the latter part of the seventeenth century Father .Marquette, Joliet, LaSalle, Tonti and others ex- plored the shores of the Father of Waters and his tributaries, and believed they had found a terrestrial paradise. LaSalle descended the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. He named
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
the country Louisiana, in honor of his king, Louis XIV. By virtue of these explorations France made formal claim to the territory lying on either side of the Mississippi. Possession is said to be nine points in the law. According to this doctrine France, and not England, was the first European power to establish its claim to the Illinois territory by actual occupation. Between the years 1695 and 1705 colonies from Lower Canada founded the villages of Kaskas- kia, Cahokia and Vincennes. The French gov- ernment united its possessions in Canada with those in Louisiana by a chain of posts, from Quebec to New Orleans; and LeGrande Mon- arque made numerous grants to his favorites. The large number of grants of land made dur- ing this period indicate that Illinois even at that early day had attracted general attention. Thus, with English colonies on the coast, and French occupation in the valley of the Missis- sippi, it was only a question of time when there would come a final struggle for the possession of this vast territory.
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