USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 49
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ILLINOIS SCHOOL FURNITURE COMPANY.
The Illinois School Furniture Company was organized in February, 1912, with a capital of $25,000, which was increased to $50,000 in 1914. It manufactures office and school furniture, some of which finds a market in Canada and other countries. Sixty workmen are on the payroll. W. O. Jones is president; H. W. Wil- liams, vice-president ; T. E. Jacobson, secretary ; and C. F. Bollman, treasurer.
MICH_ a . C. Brothers Ich
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Emily M. Lyford.
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
THE MONARCH FURNITURE COMPANY.
The Monarch Furniture Company was incor- porated in 1914 to engage in the manufacture of kitchen furniture. Its capital is $25,000, and 25 meu are now on the payroll. Dr. F. E. Salis- bury is president ; E. K. Golding, vice-president ; F. E. Salisbury, Jr., is secretary and treasurer.
OLD COLONY CHAIR COMPANY.
The Old Colony Chair Company is the latest organizatiou to eugage in the manufacture of furniture. Its sole product is dining chairs, of which it has a great variety of patterns. The company was iucorporated in 1914, with a cap- ital of $15,000, and employs eighty men. Al Carlson is president, and A. R. Floberg is secre- tary.
WORLD FURNITURE COMPANY.
The foregoing is a complete roster of the fur- niture factories now in operation. The World Furniture Company was incorporated October 28, 1915, with an authorized capital of $50,000. The company will erect a four-story building on Eleventh street for the manufacture of dining- room furniture. The incorporators are : E. W. Swenson, J. Godfrey Grant and H. E. Swenson.
Several other factories have been built from time to time that are not now in operation. The Excelsior, Phoenix, Rockford Cabinet and Dia- mond were burned and never rebuilt. The Amer- ican Star and Palace Folding Companies failed and did not resume.
From 1916 Rockford will have a semi-annual furniture exposition, similar to those held in Chicago and Grand Rapids. The first exposi- tion was held during the month of January in the new Riverside building in East Rockford. The exposition distinctly advances the impor- tance of Rockford as a leading center in this industry. It brings to this city a splendid class of visiting business men from many of the states of the Union. It gives the furniture in- dustry of this city a hold on the trade such as it has never had before. Rockford itself will be able to interest dealers as a point which it will give them pleasure to visit, especially dur- ing the summer.
THE PIANO INDUSTRY.
In 1891 Peter Nelson came to Rockford from Chicago and organized the Rockford Piano Com- pany. Its plaut was in what was then known as the Union Shoe Company's building, now occupied by the Union Dairy Company. The firm was short-lived, and failed in less than a year. In the autumn of 1891 John Anderson, of Erie, Pa., came to Rockford and organized the Anderson Piano Company, which occupied a part of the Cream City Mirror Plate building. The company failed in 1892, and H. N. Starr was appointed assignee. He removed the fin- ished instruments to the Hale building, on Wal- nut street, where they were sold. The Ander- son piauo was subsequently manufactured at Minneapolis.
HADDORFF PIANO COMPANY.
The Haddorff Piano Company has one of the largest plants in the United States devoted ex- clusively to the manufacture of pianos. Its capacity is 12,000 pianos per annum, and there are not more than two factories having a larger output. The Haddorff was organized February 9, 1903, and has a capital and surplus of more than one million dollars. The officers are : P. A. Peterson, president ; C. A. Haddorff, vice-pres- ident; A. E. Johnson, secretary and treasurer. The company finds a domestic market for its product, and thus has made no effort to dispose of its goods through export channels.
SCHUMANN PIANO COMPANY.
In 1899 the Smith & Barnes Piano Company, of Chicago, purchased the plant of the Illinois Chair Company in the North End, which was afterward sold to George K. Barnes, of Rock- ford, who established the Barnes & Son Piano Company in 1901, and manufactured pianos under that name until February, 1904, when he sold the plant to the Schumann Piano Company. This company was incorporated with a capital stock of $300,000. It removed its manufacturing interests to Rockford from Chicago in Febru- ary, 1904. The present Chicago office is in the North American Building, State and Mouroe streets. The Rockford plant is finely equipped, with machines driven by individual electric motors, and every facility afforded for the man-
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
ufacture of artistic pianos. The annual output is 2,000 instruments. W. N. Van Matre is president, and W. N. Van Matre, Jr., is secre- tary.
KURTZ ACTION COMPANY.
Fred K. Kurtz, a native of New York City, came to Rockford in 1903, and October 14 of that year he began the manufacture of piano actions in the Union Shoe company building at Sixth street and Eleventh avenue. The business was small at first, but it steadily grew, until a stock company was organized, with P. A. Peter- son as president; Fred K. Kurtz, vice-president and superintendent; John Anderson, secretary and treasurer. In April, 1905, the company pur- chased a plat of ground on Eighteenth avenue and erected a commodious factory. This com- pany now has 700 employes on its pay-roll. Its officers are : C. H. Wood, president ; E. I. Hocker, secretary ; W. B. Thayer, treasurer.
OTHER MANUFACTURERS.
Other manufacturers January 1, 1916, were as follows: The Air Brush Manufacturing Com- pany ; Burt M. Allen; American Foundry Com- pany ; America Heating and Supply Company ; J. E. Atchison ; Atwood Vacuum Cleaner Com- pany ; Barnes Drill Company ; A. L. Bartlett and Company; Bennett Piano Company; Paul P. Bennett; Nels J. Billstrom; The Blake Company ; A. E. Block; Rockford Artificial Limb Company ; Bracket Hook Company ; J. J. Buhmeyer; Carty-Dever Packing Com- pany ; J. G. Clark Milling Company ; Com- mercial Art Shop; Coppins and Lange Com- pany; Cotta Gear Company; Cotta Transmis- sion Company ; H. G. Dickinson Machine Com- pany ; Duplex Colony Brooder Company ; Eagle Claw Wrench Company ; Eclipse Fuel Engineer- ing Company ; Ekroth Piano Company ; W. H. Ernst; Farmer Bros., ; Christian Finkbeiner; Flexotile Floor Company ; Ford Manufacturing Company ; Forest City Bit and Tool Company ; Forest City Machine Company ; Forest City Overall Company ; Forest City Sheet Metal Com- pany ; Forest City Wholesale Grocery Company ; Forest City Wire Works; J. M. Frewin and Company ; The Gleichman Company; Graham Bros. ; Green Bros. Box and Lumber Company ; Hart and Page; L. W. Herbig; William A. Her-
rick ; W. W. Hixon Company ; Hohenadel Pack- ing Company ; C. E. Hoover; Houston Manu- facturing Company; Jackson Manufacturing Company ; Gust Jernberg ; Joslyn-Chandler Electric Light Company ; F. C. Johnson; Oil and Grease Company; Keig and Stevens Bak- ery ; J. T. La Forge and Sons; F. W. Lindgren Company ; Litton Veneer Company; Lynch- Jones Bedding Company; H. C. Marsh Com- pany ; N. E. Martin; Mayalac Laboratory ; John McDermaid; Mechanics Machine Company ; J. W. Miller Incubator Company ; National Mir- ror Works; National Plating Works; Neilson Boat Works; M. N. Nelin Company ; C. T. Nel- son ; New Illinois Stationery Company, Norberg and Mattes; Norse Pottery Company ; C. E. Osborne ; Ekstrom, Redin and Company ; Reitsch Bros. Company ; Reliable Machine Com- pany ; J. G. Rider Pen Company; Rockford Art Glass Works; Rockford Belting Company ; Rockford Block and Silo Company; Rockford Brewing Company ; Rockford Carbon Manufac- turing Company ; Rockford Cement Stone and Brick Company ; Rockford Coca-Cola Bottling Company ; Rockford Concrete Company ; Rock- ford Cornice Works; Rockford Drilling Machine Company ; Rockford Glass Bending Works ; Rockford Hand Vise Company; Rockford Heat- ing and Ventilating Company ; Rockford Iron Works; Rockford Lathe and Drill Company ; Rockford Leather Washer Company; Rockford Machine Tool Company ; Rockford Manufactur- ing Company ; Rockford Metal Specialty Com- pany; Rockford Milling Machine Company ; Rockford Mitre Box Company ; Rockford Over- alls Manufacturing Company ; Rockford Paper Box Board Company ; Rockford Paper Mills Company ; Rockford Pattern Works; Rockford Plating Works; Rockford Rendering Works; Rockford Sand and Gravel Company ; Rockford Shelf Support Company; Rockford Show Case Company ; Rockford Sign Company; Rockford Steam Boiler Works; Rockford Steel Fixture Company ; Rockford Tool Company; Rockford Upholstering Company ; Rockford Vitreous Enameling Company ; Rockford Varnish Com- pany; Rockford Wall Plaster Company ; Rock- ford Watch Case Company; Rockford Weld- ing Company; Rockford Wholesale Grocery Company ; Rockford Woolen Cloth Manufactur- ing Company ; Rogers Bros. Galvanizing Works; Roseland Can and Specialty Company ; Safe and Sanitary High Chair Company; Sanitary
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
Soap Fabric Company ; Sawyer Cement Stone Company; Savage and Love Manufacturing Company ; W. Shanhouse and Sons, Schultz Belting Company ; Skandia Implement Com- pany ; Smith Oil and Refining Company ; C. E. Sovereign Company ; Standard Pattern Works ; Star Bit and Tool Company ; Sundstrand Adding Machine Company ; Superior Mirror Works; Wait Talcott ; C. P. Taylor ; T. E. Tolleson Foun- dry Company ; Robert Trigg and Sons ; Douglas Ulrici; Union Dairy Company ; United Fixture Company ; Union Fluff Rug Company ; Union Overall Company ; Union Panel Company ; G. H. Wall; Walsh Bottling Works; Mrs. J. J. Wel- don; West Manufacturing Company ; P. A. Wet- sel Company ; Whitacre-Goshert Manufacturing Company ; Whitney Metal Tool Company ; H. C. Wickwire Company ; Wilson Bottling Works ; Winlund Knitting Company ; Winwal Company ; Winnebago Machine and Tool Company ; Wire Products Company ; Woodward Governor Com- pany ; J. M. Woodward ; Ziock Paper Box Com- pany.
"MADE IN ROCKFORD."
Some idea of the magnitude and importance of the manufacturing interests of the city may be gained from the following list of articles, all of which are "made in Rockford :" Axe handles, artificial stone, air brushes, ale, agricultural implements, artificial limbs, axle grease, bed- steads, bent glass, building paper, brass goods, boxes, brick, blinds, bag holders, bustles, bits, bicycles, bed springs, bath tubs, bells, brooms, broom holders, boilers, boots, Baker's eye salve, baking powder, bags, bank fixtures, beer, Beach curling fluid, butter color, barrels, blank books, binders, bolts, barbed wire, flue stops, bedroom suites, band saws, brackets, bookcases, boats, brushes, brass pumps, buckwheat flour, bread, bread toasters, bureaus, carriages, cultivators, cotton batting, cotton yarn, carpets, clothes reels, cabinets, cigars, clothing, confectionery, check rowers, corn planters, cornmeal, churns, crack- ers, chemicals, cement, chiffoniers, carpet stretchers, casks, ironing tables, ironware, canned goods, cake, corn shellers, clocks, cough- drops, coulters, circular saws, cuffs, collars, cast- ings, concrete walks, drills, carriage top dress- ing, desks, dry plates, door frames, Devore's in- destructible awl, derricks, dog powders, dyes, dressed lumber, dynamos, electric motors, electric
appliances, elevators, extracts, egg beaters, excel- sior, furniture, folding beds, flour, mousetraps, mirrors, fence machines, feed grinders, farm ma- chinery, gate hinges, foot powder, feed fertiliz- ers, fanning mills, flour sifters, flannels, flower stands, feed mills, fly nets, fire clay, files, foot rests, force pumps, fly paper, feed cookers, fur garments, gasoline engines, gloves, glucose, gas, galvanized iron, glue, grain drills, gas stoves, gasoline stoves, graham flour, ginger ale, har- rows, hardware and blacksmith supplies, har- ness, horse collars, hosiery, hand carts, horse shoes, hanging baskets, hat racks, heaters, hose nozzles, harness oil, hose reel, hitching posts, horse powers, hay presses, hay tedders, hangers, horse muzzles, harvesters, harness soap, hose supporters, ink, iron pumps, road carts, iron working machinery, iron cutters, ice cream, jig saws, japanned ware, jellies, jewelry, jointed hanging hooks, knives, knitting machinery, knit jackets, knit underwear, leather dashers, lathes, locks, log screws, lime, lawn settces, liquid stove polish, lard oil, lamp posts, leggings, lemon squeezers, lubricating oil, ladies' underwear, leather axle washers, maps, mowers, mattresses, mantels, malleable iron mantles, mittens, ma- chine oil, monuments, mouldings, mop handles, mill supplies, milling machines, nails, nuts, neckyokes, nickelplated ware, Nudavene flakes, newspapers, nickel polish, oatmeal, oil cans, oil burners, office fixtures, plows, overalls, organs, planters, paint, post hole diggers, picture frames, pianos, pipe holders, pumps, pasteboard boxes, pumping jacks, pump cylinders, pencil sharpeners, pulleys, patterns, tables, tiling, parlor suites, potato mashers, perfumery, pedes- tals, photo plates, patent medicine, pop, paper, pillowsham holders, prison guards, punches, potato diggers, reapers, paperholders, pocket matches, rocking chairs, rock plaster, regulators, reversible broilers, refrigerators, road scrapers, rubber stamps, rye flour, shoes, rakes, razors, stencils, wire seeders, socks, stockings, sulky plows, sleighs, springs, shafting, steam boilers, strainers, steam fittings, steam pumps, shirts, sacks, sugar, syrup, string, suspenders, stair railings, steam heaters, sash, shirt boards, screen doors, silverplated ware, snuff, stove pipe, soap, sideboards, steam cocks, screws, spring hinges, scissors, sprinklers, shawls, swill car- riers, stamps, strawboard, spring beds, shoe blacking, stove polish, sewer pipe, stepladders, slippers, secretaries, surgical instruments, sad-
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
dles, sieves, snow shovels, silverware, stall guards, sewing machines, silver polish, sorghum machinery, stoves, steam engines, toilet soaps, tacks, tank heaters, tinware, teeth, trunks, cheese, chairs, teapot stands, time locks, toys, tire shrinkers, toasters, tools, twines, tubular well pumps, umbrella holders, universal syphon, upholstered goods, valises, valves, vinegar, vitri- fied bricks, watches, varnishes, watch cases, wagons, watch keys, windmills, warp, water wheels, wheelbarrows, washing machines, wring- ers, washstands, whisky, well drills, wire fenc- ing, wire cloth, wire signs, wire nails, forks, wire novelties, wrapping paper, wrought iron- ware, woolen goods, water casks, willow ware, wind engines, water pipe, water tanks, wash tubs, woolen yarn, wood jacket cans and wood filler.
There are today 225 manufacturing corpora- tions and firms in Rockford. The principal in- dustries are agricultural implements, furniture, knitting mills and foundry and machine shops. A few comparative figures will show the growth of the last quarter century. In 1891 there
were 174 factories. In 1905 there were 180 plants, operating a capital of $14,158,501, and giving employment to 7,239 wage-earners, and 618 salaried officials and clerks. In 1909 there were 205 plants, with a capitalization of $22,- 411,997, and giving employment to 9,309 wage- earners and 1,214 salaried officials.
During the history of Rockford as a manu- facturing city the usual number of factories have retired from the field for various reasons. Besides those previously noted may be mentioned the tack factory, the glucose plant, the burial case works, Rockford Shoe Company and the L. A. Weyburn Company.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
CEMETERIES.
There have been four sites used in West Rockford for the purpose of a cemetery. The first burial in the village of Rockford was that of Henry Harmon, who was drowned at the
ferry in Rock River April 7, 1837, on block 35 of J. W. Leavitt's plat of the original town of West Rockford. The Commercial Hotel, South Church street, is on the southeast corner of this block. The second interment was of the body of Sarah Kent, a daughter of Germanicus Kent, upon the same block, in 1837. The block was the only place of interment on the west side of the river until about 1840. The pro- prietors of that portion of the town west of the section line dividing sections 22 and 23, then gave to the citizens of West Rockford a plat of ground for cemetery purposes corresponding to block 53 in Morgan and Horsman's Addition to the city of Rockford, on the south side of State street. This block included the later estate of Dr. C. H. Richings. Mrs. Montague, wife of Richard Montague, was the first person buried in this ground. She died February 17, 1842. From that time this plat of ground continued to be the place of burial until 1844. The original proprietors of the town, by an agreement with the citizens, exchanged this place of burial for a site corresponding to what would have been blocks 37 and 48 of the original plat, on the north bank of Kent's Creek. This tract cor- responds with the switch-yards, roundhouse and stockyards of the Chicago & Northwestern Rail- road. The bodies were removed from the ceme- tery near State street and reburied in the new grounds. In the year 1844 the citizens, after several meetings, organized an association, and in February, 1845, they obtained a charter in- corporating the Rockford Cemetery Association. Under this charter they elected their trustees and other officers, and kept up the organization in accordance with all the provisions of the act. The first trustees named in this charter were: John W. Taylor, Ephraim Wyman, Cyrus F. Miller, Richard Montague and Benjamin Kil- burn. From 1844 to 1852 this site remained the place of burial for the Rockford Cemetery Asso- ciation.
The extension of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad to West Rockford again made it neces- sary for the association to remove its cemetery, as the grounds had been selected by the railroad company as the site for its depot. A portion of this tract was condemned by the company for this purpose. The association thereupon made arrangements with the railroad company for the sale of the entire property, except 70 feet fronting on Cedar street. The company
HORACE MARSH
MRS. HORACE MARSHI
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
paid the association $1,900. The frontage of 70 feet on Cedar street was subdivided into twelve lots, and sold to different persons for $3,812.12.
In April, 1852, the trustees took measures to procure a new charter for their more extended needs. In the following May the association purchased of Charles Reed, George Haskell and Nathaniel Wilder, the present cemetery grounds. This tract contained thirty-three acres, for which the association paid $1,200. On the 29th of May, 1852, the association made a contract with David D. Alling to remove all the bodies in the original place of burial on block 35, and those in the later cemetery.
At the special session of the legislature in June, 1852, the association obtained a new act of incorporation. The sum realized from the sale of its former property left a good margin after the later purchase. Quite extensive im- provements were made with a portion of this reserve. In 1879 the association purchased of D. C. Littlefield seventeen acres on the north side of the first purchase. This accession makes the association the owner of fifty acres. In 1884 the receiving vault was constructed, and in 1891 the chapel was erected. Henry Lord Gay was the architect of the latter beautiful build- ing. The present board of directors comprises : Robert H. Tinker, William T. Robertson, George O. Forbes and Robert Lathrop. Mr. Tinker is president, Mr. Robertson is treasurer, and Car- roll Starr is secretary.
At an early date Daniel S. Haight appropri- ated an acre of ground for a cemetery in East Rockford. It was situated on the east side of Longwood street, about 10 rods north of State. The ground was open prairie. There was no shade from the summer sun, and the wintry winds intensified its desolation. An act ap- proved February 18, 1847, provided for the incorporation of the Cedar Bluff Cemetery As- sociation. E. H. Potter, Willard Wheeler, Bela Shaw, Selden M. Church, Hollis H. Holmes and Lucius Clark and their successors were made a body politic and corporate for this purpose. The association was not fully organized, how- ever, until November 28, 1851. Twelve acres in section 23 were purchased from Bela Shaw, for $400, subject to the dower of Rebecca Shaw. The tract was surveyed by Duncan Ferguson, April 3, 1853. Accessions include a strip of land purchased of A. Anderson, in 1877; five and one-third acres purchased of A. Anderson
in 1907; and the last addition, extending to Davis street, made in 1912. Perpetual care was inaugurated in August, 1886, and the receiving vault and iron gates were erected in 1898.
The trustees of this cemetery association are : Robert Trigg, president; Robert Rew, John L. Clark, H. H. Robinson and George C. Spafford, secretary and treasurer.
The Scandinavian Cemetery Association was organized in 1869. The officers are: C. A. Lundvall, president; C. F. Nordstrom, secre- tary ; John Kullberg, A. J. Anderson and O. A. Olson, directors. There are fifty-six acres of land in the cemetery, twenty-six of which are in use.
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.
FIRST POSTMASTER.
The first postmaster of Rockford was Daniel S. Haight, who served from August 31, 1837, to June 26, 1840. Previous to this time the small packages of mail had been brought from Chi- cago by parties who made trips to that city for supplies. An order for mail upon the postmas- ter at that office, to which each man attached his name, was left at Mr. Haight's house. The first mail was brought on horseback, the second by a carrier, and the third by open wagon with
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
two horses. After the postoffice had been estab- lished, the contract for carrying the mail was made with John D. Winters. About this time Winters became associated with Frink, Walker . & Co. Still later Winters was on the line west from Rockford, and finally Frink, Walker & Co. carried the mail on the through line. Previous to January, 1838, the mail arrived from Chicago once a week. In 1839-40 the mails arrived from the west and east each three times a week. The northern and the southern mails came once a week; the mail from Mineral Point arrived on Saturday, and the mail from Coltonville came on Wednesday. The first mail pouch, in Sep- tember, 1837, arrived with no key, and it was returned unopened. When the second mail arrived a key had been provided, but the post- master was not equal to the combination, and he turned it over to Giles C. Hard, who solved the problem. Its contents, about a hatful, were received with a general handshaking. The postage was twenty-five cents for each letter, and stamps were unknown. These missives were read and re-read until they were almost committed to memory. They came from loved ones far away, and were regarded with a degree ot sanctity. Letters from the east were from fifteen to thirty days in transit. Should the postmaster find that letters had been written to several persons, and enclosed in one envelope as a measure of economy in postage, he was supposed to collect twenty-five cents from each person so receiving a letter. Mr. Haight erected a small building 16 by 26 feet, one and a half story, in the summer of 1837, for a postoffice, near 107 South Madison street. There were about twenty-five boxes. This building was used until the following year, when Mr. Haight erected a more commodious structure, near 312 East State street, with ante-room and boxes. This building was used for this purpose during several administrations.
In August, 1841, there was a sudden change in the postmaster at Rockford. Edward War- ren had been appointed in May to succeed Dan- iel S. Haight. Mr. Warren was a brother of Mrs. Charles H. Spafford. He built the upright part of the house now owned by Dr. Daniel Lichty, on the corner of Third and Walnut streets. Mr. Warren was succeeded in the sum- mer of 1841 by Selden M. Church, who served two years, and was followed by Charles H. Spafford. Mr. Warren subsequently went to
Paris, and was a student in the Latin Quarter during the revolution of 1848.
In August, 1843, Charles H. Spafford was ap- pointed postmaster. Mrs. Spafford recalls in- teresting reminiscences of those days. She says : "The postoffice business was not large at that time; there were no clerks. The mail came at night, and required the postmaster to get out at midnight or very early morning to change the mail. What seems more strange, the postoffice money was kept at the house in my dressing bureau. Mr. Spafford was ac- customed to come home late in the evening, bringing a bag of money. In those times of burglaries all this occasioned me a good deal of anxiety, as I was alone so much of the time when Mr. Spafford was at the office; especially as houses were not securely built in those days. I was not sorry when the robber band that had been committing the burglaries around, were secured and taken to Joliet."
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