Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 57

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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were fine. The display of stock certainly ex- ceeded our anticipations. Surely we live in a wonderful age. Mobs, miracles and morality are developing in a manner that would have both- ered the brains of our forefathers. Here we are in a country that six years ago lay in the precise state in which it was moulded in the palm of the great Builder-not a tenement had ever been erected in this precinct to cover the head of a white man. Yesterday we saw a thou- sand people collected for the great object of im- provement in the science of agriculture, and a display of domestic stock that would have been creditable to any portion of the United States. We saw silk that had been manufactured by the hands of the ladies of our place, and a variety of products that show the rapid strides that we are making toward perfection in the noble science of agriculture." This society kept up its organ- ization. and annual exhibits for some years, when it ceased to exist.

A general law for the incorporation of agri- cultural societies was passed by the legislature in 1855, which went into effect February 15 of that year. The second Winnebago County Agri- cultural Society was organized under this law February 6, 1856. The following officers were elected : H. P. Sloan, president ; Horace Starkey, vice-president ; Robert Ogilby, secretary ; E. W. Blaisdell, Jr., corresponding secretary ; Thomas Y. Kirkpatrick, recording secretary ; Hiram R. Enoch, treasurer. The board of directors was composed of Robert J. Cross, Milton Kilburn, Lewis W. Owen, R. H. Saunders and Horace Miller. A constitution was adopted at this meet- ing. On July 5, 1856, it was voted to lease ten acres of "Horsman's pasture" for exhibits. The first fair was held in September, 1856, in a tent. On September 5, 1857, the society voted to pur- chase twelve acres of C. I. Horsman for $600 per acre. Later purchases were made which in- creased the grounds to twenty-two acres. In 1857 Newton Crawford was elected secretary and served three years. In 1858 the Rockford City Grays held an encampment on the fair grounds. Hiram R. Enoch was elected secretary in 1860 and served one year. In 1861 Henry P. Kimball was elected secretary and served continuously twenty-two years, with the exception of 1878, when Hiram R. Enoch was chosen. Mr. Kim- ball was an eccentric character, and his methods of advertising made the exposition of Winne- bago County the best known of any in the

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country. Celebrities in the varied walks of life were invited from year to year to deliver ad- dresses. In 1866 General John A. Logan was the oratorical attraction, and in 1867 General Stephen A. Hurlbut, of Belvidere, delivered an address. Matt Carpenter, of Wisconsin, one of the most famous United States senators of the West in his time, was the speaker in 1873.

On July 1, 1875, Secretary Kimball, under tbe authority of the board of directors, extended an invitation to Jefferson Davis to be present at the annual exhibition in September, and de- liver an address. Mr. Kimball, in his letter of invitation, said : "As a partial compensation for your services and incidental expenses, I here- with offer you the sum of five hundred dollars. I also guarantee you a convention of forty thousand of the representatives of the industry, culture and progress of the great Northwest, who will receive you with courteous civility, unless, indeed, I have greatly misinterpreted the clemency, the hospitality and Christian magna- nimity of our people." This invitation and its acceptance created such a furor in northern Illinois that Mr. Davis was compelled to with- draw his acceptance. The correspondence be- came a matter of national notoriety.

When Mr. Davis' promised attendance was announced, the memories of the Civil war were revived, and a protest was made to the former Confederate chieftain, giving him to understand that his presence would be an offense almost beyond toleration. In giving expression to the popular feeling the G. L. Nevius Post, G. A. R., of Rockford, was the first to move, and caused to be issued the following protest :

"Whereas, we learn with regret that Jefferson Davis has been invited by the board of directors of the Winnebago County Agricultural Society to deliver the annual address at our county fair; and, whereas, we look upon it as an insult to the loyal citizens of Winnebago County to invite the arch traitor, Jefferson Davis, to ad- dress the relatives and surviving friends of thir- teen thousand men murdered at Andersonville alone by his orders ;

"Resolved, That while as an organization we have nothing to do with politics, yet, as loyal citizens and former soldiers, we feel it our duty to speak in behalf of the memory of our fellow comrades, who are no longer able to speak for themselves.

"Second. That we protest against the action

of the board of directors, and pledge ourselves that we will not attend the fair, nor contribute anything toward making it a success, if the board of directors persist in bringing forward this arch traitor and coward.

"Third. That these resolutions be signed by the members of this post and published in the county papers."

The protest was signed by 126 members of the post, and a printed copy thereof forwarded to Mr. Davis, upon the receipt of which he ad- dressed to Mr. Kimball his letter of declination.

Several distinguished speakers made ad- dresses at the county fair during the next few years. In 1877 Governor Wade Hampton, of South Carolina, was the guest of honor. He was introduced by Hon. William Lathrop and was given a courteous hearing. Hiram R. Enoch was elected secretary in 1878, and he secured Governor Cullom, of Illinois, for the annual ad- dress. Mr. Enoch extended an invitation to Roscoe Conkling, but that gentleman was unable to come. In 1879 Mr. Kimball was again chosen secretary. He added to his laurels as an adver- tiser by securing General Benjamin F. Butler and Chief Justice Waite as speakers for the fair. In September, 1880, General U. S. Grant, Hon. Alfonso Taft, father of former President Taft, and Governor Cullom were guests of the agri- cultural society and made brief addresses. Mr. Kimball retained the secretaryship of the society until 1883. He was succeeded by his son, Frank HI. Kimball, who served two years. In 1885 C. C. Jones was chosen secretary and retained the office six years. The distinguished guests of the fair management in 1890 were Mrs. Zerelda Wallace, mother of General Lew Wallace, and Governor Oglesby. S. Fletcher Weyburn was chosen secretary in 1891, and served two years. In 1893 J. B. Whitehead was chosen secretary, and served nine years. The society held no fair in 1893, on account of the Columbian Exposi- tion in Chicago.

The last secretary was A. J. Lovejoy, who was elected in 1902. This proved to be the last year in which an exposition was held at Rock- ford. On April 8, 1904, the fair grounds property was sold to the city of Rockford for park pur- poses.

FARM IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.

The extension work of the national depart- ment of agriculture and the state agricultural

IR Month and safe

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

college and experiment stations for the diffusion of a better agriculture, is represented in this county by the Winnebago County Farm Improve- ment Association. With 1916 it entered on its third year. It was originally organized by leading farmers of the county, with the support of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, the latter body financing the initial steps. The association has enjoyed the services as execu- tive officer of A. M. TenEyck, one of the earlier graduates of the Wisconsin College of Agri- culture ; most of his active life having been passed as a member of the agricultural college faculties in Kansas, North Dakota and Iowa, principally Kansas.

The activities of the association have been devoted to soil testing and surveys, to deter- mining the needs and treatment required; to combatting the hog cholera, which wasteful scourge thereby has become much less prevalent ; to encouraging the development in the various townships of facilities for pulverizing the local lime rock for liming the land, thus correcting acidity so as to permit growing clover and al- falfa ; promoting the growing of alfalfa and sweet clover ; and building of silos; to extensive variety tests in corn and oats, to determine those best suited to maximum returns in this section ; to demonstrations of the best farm practice by automobile tours of all interested in seeing what a given township may do; to the practice of treating oats for smut prevention and testing corn for seed; to breeding the best varieties of corn in the improvement of local strains ; to better conditions in farm leases, by the general adoption of the share system, the discontinuance of the yearly lease and building up the soil and the facilities of leased farms ; to organize breeders of live stock; to organize the milk producers for the betterment of the dairy industry, the more profitable handling of dairy herds and dairy farms and the increase of condensing factories and other competitors for the milk supply of the country as a ground- work for the expansion of this interest; and numerous other duties pertaining to the en- hancement of the agricultural interest. Other phases of better conditions coming into view with 1916 were community betterment ; the organization of the livestock shippers for their common protection, and the advancement of the beef and hog feeding industry ; and better pro- vision in the handling of farm credits, both in

land purchase and the purchase of live stock and improved equipment for handling the farms.

The work of the association met with more or less hostility in some quarters at the outset, but with the advent of 1916 a much better state of public sentiment was visible. The local town- ship meetings held by the association showed much larger attendance and increased interest ; several towns making the annual event one for all-day sessions. The demand on the executive officer, in office consultations and telephone calls from the farms, had risen to thousands an- nually. Calls for consultation from other counties seeking to organize under the provisions of the government formed an important demand. The funds for the organization came in an appropriation of $1,200 a year from the govern- ment and $2,000 by the county board, and in memberships at a cent an acre for farmers, and patron and supporting memberships of $5, $10 and $25, with some still more liberal, aggregat- ing in all something over $6,000. The associa- tion at the opening of 1916 had over a thousand members, being the largest in the state.

GRANGES IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

The following is a complete list of the state granges in Winnebago County, with the names and addresses of the master, lecturer and secre- tary of each grange:

Guilford Hope Peter Ralston, Miss Elsie Marsh, Miss Georgia Marsh, all of rural route 3, Rockford. Union-Harry Whale, Miss Ethel Whale, Miss Ruby Bartholomew, all of route 10, Rockford. Harmony-F. C. Shepherd, route 3; Miss Frances Miller, Miss Alice Pickard, route 9, Rockford. Maple Grove-Frank H. Johns, Mrs. W. H. Glenny, Miss Mabel M. Smith, all route 6, Rockford. Center-Charles Higgins, route 2; Mrs. William Geddes, route 6; Mrs. David Rit- chie, route 2, Rockford. Riverside-E. B. For- saith, 534 Rockton avenue, Rockford; Mrs. H. C. Easton, G. F. Hubbard, route 1, Rockford. Centerville-Melvin C. Smith, Mrs. John E. Johnson, Russell H. Coffin, route 7, Rockford. Burritt- Frank Kasch, route 8, Rockford; Miss Garnet Maasch, route 2, Winnebago; Albert Lightfoot, route 3, Pecatonica. County Line- Charles Wright, Egan; Mrs. E. M. Leonard, Byron ; Miss Edith Johnson, Winnebago. West- field-R. W. Boom, Winnebago; Mrs. William

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

McGregor, Byron; J. E. Wright, Winnebago. Oak Grove-Fred Whelan, 1, Rockford ; Mrs. Nellie Hamilton, 1, Rockford; M. P. Schriber, 3, Rockford. Kinuickinnick-Frank F. Moore, Miss Ethel Wilcox, Miss Anna Holmes, all Ros- coe. Riverdale -Walter W. Liddle, Mrs. Carrie Keener, Mrs. L. Trueman, all Rockton. Harris- ville-A. L. Lawson, Monroe Center, 1; Miss Bessie Blair, Monroe Center; Mrs. Cora Camer- on, Cherry Valley. Rockland-E. L. Lobdell, Mrs. W. H. Phelps, Mrs. E. R. Keeney, all Rockton. New England-Stewart Derwent, Mrs. Zoe Derwent, E. F. Derwent, all Pecaton- ica. Prairie View-John Judd, Mrs. Sylvia Swartz, Miss Anna Doty, all Pecatonica. Po- mona Grange-Walter Potter, master, 3 Peca- tonica ; Mrs. Will Glenny, lecturer ; R. W. Bur- ritt, secretary, both Rockford 6.

AGITATION FOR IMPROVED HIGHWAYS.

The reorganization of the road law of Illi- nois through the Tice act, with powers for deal- iug with the problems under larger units than the helpless township, found Winnebago County prepared to profit by the change. It had pressing problems on its hands in the entire lack of communications a large part of the year be- tween the northwest parts of the county and the county seat; with a well defined demand for betterment of these conditions. In other parts of the county communities had borne the burden of attempts at betterment of conditions with almost hopeless results in many townships ; this despite taxiug themselves to the limit allowed by law.

The first fruits of joint construction of the newly selected state aid roads by state and county funds in 1915 came in two sections of concrete road, about three miles in extent, located just beyond the macadam roads of Rock- ford township, the latter built with the city taxes; one section being on the Trask Bridge road in Owen and Burritt townships; the other on the West State road beginning at the Win- nebago township line. The seasons of 1915 and 1916 were devoted to preparation of plans and to familiarizing public opinion with the steps for bonding the county for constructing the state road system forthwith. In view of the relief of the townships from the burden of caring for those highways making severest demands on their funds, rapid headway was made in the

sentiment for building the state roads without waiting on the slow installments of the state appropriations. The question was forwarded in the general discussion by the campaign com- mittee of the Good Roads section of the Win- nebago Couuty Farm Improvement Association ; by discussions in the local granges of the county ; by the Rockford Chamber of Com- merce and by public meetings, preparatory to the submission of the question of bonding the county for the road building at the November election, 1916.

FOOT AND MOUTH SCOURGE.

The scourge of the foot aud mouth disease which spread over the country, both east and west, late in 1914 and early 1915, causing great losses among owners of herds of beef and dairy cattle aud droves of hogs, did not appear iu Winnebago County till the infectiou elsewhere had abated to a degree that promised final es- cape. Late iu the winter of 1915, however, an outbreak of the contagion was discovered in Burritt Township. It finally passed from one of the infected premises there to a farm in Rock- ford Township, being carried on the feet of a team which visited the farm of D. M. Smith in southwestern Rockford. Before it was known what had happened it had been spread through the milk supply in Rockford to a number of other places in Rockford and in Cherry Valley townships; about a dozen places altogether in the three townships being directly involved. The strict quarantine arrangements brought severe inconvenience to all parts of the county. Much business affecting both country and city was suspended for months. Breeders of live stock lost their market in other states. Strict provisions of the state and federal government were enforced rigidly, not without some remon- strance from various neighborhoods, but under compliance with the necessities of the situation. The losses repaid by the state and federal governments amounted to over $18,000. Nine herds of cattle were infected by the spread of the contagion. All the cattle and hogs of the infected places were slaughtered and buried in quicklime. The payroll of the common labor employed in the disinfection of the premises, under the direction of the federal government, amounted to $1,620.

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

BIRDSEYE VIEW-1891-1916.

VISIT OF A NOTABLE EVANGELIST IN 1891 - BUILDING OPERATIONS IN 1892-SHORT OBIT- UARIES-ROCKFORD CHAUTAUQUA ASSEMBLY OR- GANIZED IN 1902-A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE DR. GEORGE W. BROWN-PRESENT POPULATION OF ROCKFORD - A. ROCKFORD WOMAN APPOINTED HEAD OF A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT AT WASH- INGTON-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 POPU- LATION-THE AUTHOR'S INSPIRING VISION OF THE FUTURE ROCKFORD.

QUARTER CENTURY 1891-1916.

The History of Rockford and Winnebago County is already considerably longer than was originally contemplated by publisher and editor ; and some of the incidents of the last quarter century, which do not come under a specific chapter heading, are briefly told in a single chapter.

Rockford's first pleasure resort was Harlem Park. A company was incorporated in April, 1891, and the park was dedicated May 28. For many years the park was a popular resort, but its decline began with the development of the splendid township park system. Harlem Park is now owned by the Rockford & Interur- ban Railway Company.

One of the most notable events in the relig- ious history of Rockford was the union evan- gelistic services conducted by Rev. B. Fay Mills, which began October 21, 1891, and closed November 2. His success recalled the days of Whitefield. So widespread was the tide of re- ligious feeling that on one day the saloon- keepers closed their places of business as a tribute to Mr. Mills. His method was quiet and dignified, utterly devoid of the emotional ap- peal of the traditional evangelist.

The Brown building, a six-story office block, was also completed in 1892. It is named in

honor of the late Judge William Brown, and his heirs are the principal owners.

The year 1892 was signalized by the intro- ductiou of university extension courses, which were popular for some years. The first two courses were given by Prof. Harry Pratt Jud- son, now president of the University of Chicago. Other lecturers were Prof. R. G. Moulton, Prof. C. R. Henderson, and Prof. George R. Vincent, also of that university, and Phoebe T. Sutliff, president of Rockford College.

William A. Knowlton, one of the leadiug manufacturers on the water-power at one time, died September 17, 1892. He came to Rockford in 1853 from Freeport, and after the death of John H. Mauny, he became business ageut for Mrs. Manny. Mr. Kuowlton was subsequently engaged in various manufacturing euterprises, but was overtaken by financial reverses in 1891. His surviving children are Mrs. Helen Gibson and Mary and William Knowlton.

Few cities in the country were more seriously affected by the financial stringency of 1893 than was Rockford. Manufacturing was almost completely paralyzed for several years.

In 1895 Rockford lost by death its oldest two business men, with the single exception of H. H. Waldo, A. C. Burpee passed away February 25. He came to Rockford in 1856, and immediately cmibarked in the furniture business, which he continued nearly forty years, and in which he was successful. Harry B. Burpee, who suc- ceeded him in business, and H. S. Burpee, cashier of the Rockford National Bank, are sons ; Mrs. A. McGregor Huffman and Miss Mary Burpee are daughters.

On October 28, 1895, John R. Porter fell from a window of his storeroom on the third floor to the pavement, and died within twenty minutes. Mr. Porter embarked in the drug business in Rockford in 1859, and removed the following year to the corner of West State and South Main. For fifty-six years "Porter's corner" has been a landmark, whose exterior has under- gone no perceptible change. Mr. Porter is suc- ceeded in the management of the store by his . son, H. C. Porter. Dr. John R. Porter is an- other son.

The city lost a landmark in the death of Worcester A. Dickerman, July 19, 1899. He came to Rockford in 1844, and embarked in the dry goods trade with his cousin, G. A. Sanford. In 1855 he became the senior member of the

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

banking firm of Dickerman, Wheeler & Com- pany. After Mr. Dickerman retired from bank- ing, he devoted his attention to insurance and from 1884 to his death he was examiner in the mercantile department of the Rockford Insur- ance Company. Mr. Dickerman's children are Harry W. and Katherine Dickerman.

William A. Talcott died in Jerusalem, Pales- tine, December 19, 1900. He and Mrs. Talcott had left Rockford the preceding June, and were making a tour of the world. Funeral services were held from the home January 26, 1901, and on the following day a public memorial was held in the Second Congregational Church, Mr. Talcott was a son of Hon. Wait Talcott, and was born September 28, 1839, in Rockton, the first white male child in that township. He became a member of the firm of Talcott, Emer- son & Company in 1860, and was identified with it under its varions names until he retired from active life a short time before he went abroad. Mr. Talcott was second to no citizen in his loyalty to everything that promoted the welfare of Rockford. He gave liberally to the church, charities, missions and all legitimate sports. Rockford College and Rockford Hospital were objects of his special interest. Mr. and Mrs. Talcott entertained more distinguished gnests at their home than any other family in Rock- ford. Wait Talcott is their only surviving child.

The Rockford Chautauqua assembly was or- ganized in 1902, and the opening address was delivered Angnst 14 by General Fitzhugh Lee, who had been consul-general at Havana. His subject was "Peace and War in United States and Cuba." Other notable speakers of the year were Richard P. Hobson, R. M. LaFollette, Sam Jones and General John C. Black. The at- tendance reached its highest mark in 1903, with 90,000 admissions. The assembly was popular for a time, but was discontinued after a few years.

In the passing of Henry W. Price, May 20, 1903, Rockford suffered the loss of one of its , greatest city builders. Mr. Price came to Rock- ford in 1858 and embarked in boot and shoe trade. In 1860 he began the mannfacture of gloves, and tanned his own leather. He devel- oped a business which extended over the entire conntry, and in 1885 his sales were $600,000. In 1886 he built the Price block on Sonth Wy- man street at a cost of $30,000. Mr. Price's

first reverses came in 1890 in heavy investments in realty in the North end, and in 1893 he was forced to make an assignment. With nncon- qnerable spirit he renewed the struggle and re- covered a part of his lost fortune. Mr. Price promoted many enterprises, all of which were for the advancement of Rockford,

Hon. Andrew Ashton, one of the commanding figures in Rockford's business life, died August 19, 1910. In 1874 and 1876, while a merchant in Dnrand, he was elected a member of the General Assembly. He with a few others held the balance of power in the Honse, and secured the election of David Davis to the United States Senate, and indirectly his choice as acting vice- president of the United States. Mr. Ashton came to Rockford in 1878, purchased the Wal- lach block, and became a dry goods merchant. In 1903 he erected the six-story Ashton block, one of the finest buildings in the city. In 1890 Mr. Ashton was a Democratic candidate for Congress against R. R. Hitt, and so great was his personal popularity that he came within 500 votes of election in an overwhelmingly Republican district. Mr. Ashton was a plain, blunt, incorruptible man.

The eighteenth annual state conference of charities and corrections was held in Rock- ford October 11, 12, 13 and 14, 1913. Most of the sessions were held in the Second Congrega- tional Church. On the evening of October 13 Hon. E. F. Dunne, governor of Illinois, delivered an address.

The death of Abraham E. Smith occurred January 19, 1915, at Victoria, British Columbia, where he had served as United States consul seventeen years, since his appointment by President McKinley. Mr. Smith was for many years editor of the Rockford Gazette, and post- master of Rockford from 1875 to 1879. He had been honored with the appointment of post- inaster of Woodstock, Ill., by President Lincoln, before coming to Rockford. His strong per- sonality was felt in the many circles in which he moved. Attorney A. Philip Smith is a son.

An oil painting of Rockford's most historic character hangs in the Kansas state capitol at Topeka. It is that of Dr. George W. Brown, who died in Rockford, February 5, 1915, at the age of ninety-four years. In 1854 Dr. Brown removed from the east to Lawrence, Kansas, where he fonnded the "Herald of Freedom," the first free state newspaper published in Kansas

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 57

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