History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 29

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time > Part 29

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

He was one of a party consisting of thirteen clerks, and one hundred and twenty men besides, the latter being all Canadians. The party traveled in thirteen batteaux. The destination was Mackinac on the lakes. The route was long and the journey dangerous. The party without accident ascended the St. Lawrence and in due course of time reached Toronto, then called Yorktown. So many of the Canadian voyageurs had deserted the expedition en route, that at this point Mr. Matthews the commander decided to change his plans, and instead of continuing to coast lake Ontario, he hired teams to haul his boats and goods over the Young-street road to Lake Simcoe, then embarking and taking on board two yoke of oxen. He coasted Lake Simcoe to the point nearest the Nottawasaga River, and then with the aid of the oxen made another portage to that river about six miles; then re-em- barking they proceeded to the mouth of the river and continued their voyage, coasting along the shores and around the islands of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron to Mackinac Island, which they reached July 4, 1SI8. Mr. Hubbard is the only surviving white man who was an inhabitant of the vast region from Mackinac to far south of Chicago at that early period. Young Hubbard remained at Mackinac, working in the company's warehouse, until the middle of September, when, joining the Illinois Brigade, con- sisting of one hundred men, under the agent, Antoine Des Champs ; he set out, via Lake Michigan, for the Illinois country. The party had a full stock of supplies, such as would be required in trade with the Indians, and the fleet consisted of twelve batteaux. Passing through the straits. they crept along the east shore of Lake Michigan, stopping only when compelled to do so by heavy or head winds on their voyage. On the last day of October or first of November. ISIS, the party reached Fort Dearborn, then all there was of Chicago. Mr. Hubbard re- mained there three days, being the guest of Joho Kinzie, at his house on the North Side. He then, with the party, pushed into the interior country. They went, via the South Branch and through Mud Lake (near Bridgeport), and laboriously carrying their goods upon their backs, and dragging their batteaux across the intervening land, came to the Desplaines River, which they descended to the Kankakee, and thence down the Illinois River. Mr. Hubbard was ordered to the trading-post at the mouth of Bureau River, then in charge of a Frenchman named Bebeau, who could neither read nor write. Young Hubbard was detailed to keep the accounts and assist in the details of the business of this post, by Mr. DesChamps. Ile reached his appointed post early in Novem- ber, but was allowed by the agent to proceed down the river to St. Louis, where he met his father and brother, who were on their way to Arkansas. On the trip he saw no white men, except members of his own party, until he reached Portage de Sioux, about eighteen miles above St. Louis, then a town of some six hundred inhabitants. Ahout the middle of November he returned to Bebeau's trading-post, where he remained performing his clerical duties until spring. At that time, the trade with the Indians being over, he returned by the same weary route. in the same bat- teaux, how laden with furs, and manned by many of his com- panions and voyageurs of the downward trip, to Mackinac, the headquarters of the American Fur Company. From that time till 1823, his duties during the summer months spent at Mackinac were to assist Mr. Matthews, who had charge of that department. in receiving. assorting and packing the furs and peltries of the American Fur Company, and shipping them to New York, John Jacob Astor of that city being the president of the company. He made trips to the interior every winter, returning to Mackinac each summer. During the winter of 1819-20, he was in charge of a trad- ing-post at the mouth of Muskegon Kiver. The following winter he spent in charge of a post near the present site of Kalamazoo, Mich. In the late fall of 1321 he again visited Chicago on his way to Crooked Creek, a tributary of the Illinois River, skirting the northern boundary of what is now Brown County, and emptying into the river a few miles below the present town of Beardstown. Ile spent the succeeding three winters in charge of the business of the company at Iroquois.

On his second visit to Chicago he found the same inhabitants outside the fort as at his former visit, viz .: John Kinzie and family, and Antoine Ouilmette, his Indian wife and half-breed children. From that time he became identified with the history of Chicago, although he did not become a permanent resident until many years after. For the four succeeding years he passed through the region now known as Chicago, and then as a geo- graphical point called Fort Dearborn, many times each year. His supplies were all brought by water navigation to that point, and nearly all his furs were shipped from there. Chicago was the objective point of the Indian trade during those years. and young Hubbard, then the most active and vigorous agent of the company, became known to every man, woman and child at the fort. Subsequent to 1822, no person lived about the mouth of

III

CHICAGO FROM 1816 TO 1830.

Chicago River who did not know this young, brave, and vigorous fur-trader.

Mr. Hubbard remained in the employ of the American Fur Company two years beyond the term for which he was bound- seven years in all-during which time he had accumulated some wealth, and had acquired what was better, the entire confidence of every man connected with the trade of the Northwest, both Ameri- can and Indian. Ilis wages, as has been stated, were, during the five years of his indenture only nominal-$120 per year *- but, for the succeeding two years, while he remained in the employ of the company, he received $1, 300 per year and was. during the last year of his engagement a special partner. He severed his connection with the American Fur Company in the spring of 1827. During the last year of his engagement, he, at his own solicitation, was allowed to open up an inland trade, on the Iroquois, his station being at the site of the present town of Watseca. While there he laid his plans, afterwards carried out, for an immense trade all along the line of what afterwards became famous as Hubbard's trail.

During the period of Mr. Hubbard's engagement with the American Fur Company, he made twenty-six voyages to and from his interior posts and via Chicago, to the headquarters at Macki- nac. In 1827, having purchased of the company its franchises and good-will, he commenced business for himself. He no longer confined his trade to the water-ways as had been formerly done, but, scuttling his boats for safety within the South Branch of the Chicago River, he fitted out what at that time might be termed a most formidable caravan, consisting of nearly fifty heavily-laden ponies, which he had bought of the Pottawatomie chief Big Foot at his village fifty miles away, at the head of what is now known as Geneva Lake, Wisconsin. With this outfit he moved south toward the Wabash River, and established trading-posts all along the line, nearly to the mouth of the Wabash, at intervals of thirty to fifty miles. The trail thus first marked out by Hubbard's caravan, and for years after traveled between his trading posts, became famil- iarly known as " Hubbard's trail," and was for fifteen years the only well known and constantly traveled road between Chicago and the Wabash country. Danville, now the shiretown of Vermillion County, was the principal inland depot of supplies, and there Mr. Hubbard made his home for several years, although his business kept him mostly on the trail between his various posts. Thus it happened that, al- though not at the time a resident of Chicago, he was present at the partial burning of the fort in 1827; and, during the " Winnebago scare " which succeeded, made his memorable ride from Chicago to the Wabash country for help, the particulars of which are related elsewhere.

As the settlements increased along the line of trading-posts established, the Indian trade gradually languished, and, one after another, Mr. Hubbard abandoned them on the south, until, after the extinction of the Indian title in 1833, and the certainty that his Indian customers would leave the country within two years, he abandoned the trade altogether, and became a permanent resident of Chicago, transferring his wonderful energy to his new home. This occurred in 1834. The intimate connection of Mr. Hubbard with the history of Chicago since that date is apparent on nearly every page, and in nearly every topic. It is unnecessary to repeat. He stands prominent as one of the foremost merchants for the succeeding twenty years, during which period, besides carrying on one of the largest shipping, commission, packing, and forwarding trades in the city, he held nearly every office of trust and honor that his fellow-citizens could thrust upon him. It may be said here that he never violated any trust bestowed, and, in his old age, he lives among the scenes of his active and useful life, with a character above reproach and a reputation untarnished by the busi- ness vicissitudes of half a century.

In the spring of 1831 Mr. Hubbard married Elenora Berry, daughter of Judge Elisha Berry, of Urbana, Ohio. They had one child, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Jr., who was born in Chicago, February 22, 1838, and is now (1883), an honored citizen of the town where he was born. Mrs. Ilubbard died February 28, 1838.

In IS43 Mr. Hubbard married Miss Mary Ann Hubbard, daughter of Alhira Hubbard, Chicago, who, with her honored hus- band still lives after forty years of married life, the worthy wife of the oldest and one of the worthiest of Chicago's citizens.

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

Prior to 1830 there was no town of Chicago. The region round-about, and the embryo settlement out- side Fort Dearborn, had been known by that name,

*Mr. Huhhard's father died in 1810. Out of the very moderate pittance of $120 per year. during the years of his indenture, he set apart for his widowed inother one-half of his earnings. A letter from the agent. January 26, 1821, to his mother. then at Middleton, Conn., sprak- in the highest terms of her faithful son. and notes the inclusure to beruf $75, which he had set apart for her before leaviog for his winter trip.

which had been applied since the time of the early French explorations quite indiscriminately to the Des- plaines River, to all the marshy district lying about its source, and extending to and embracing the site of the present city .*

The canal commissioners t appointed by the Legis- lature of 1829 were empowered to "locate the canal, to lay out towns, to sell lots, and to apply the proceeds to the construction of the canal." The members of this board were Dr. Jayne of Springfield, Edmund Roberts of Kaskaskia, and Charles Dunn. These commissioners were the official fathers of the city. They employed James Thompson to survey and plat the town of Chicago on Section 9, Township 39, Range 14. The completion of this survey, and the filing of the plat bearing date August 4, 1830, marks the date of the geographical location of the town, riow the great city of Chicago.

The part of Section 9, platted as above, was bounded as follows: Commencing at the corner of Madison and State streets, on the south by Madison Street to its in- tersection with Desplaines; on the west by Desplaines; on the north by Kinzie; and on the east by State Street. It embraced the little settlement at Wolf Point and the lower village on the South Side, and comprised an area of about three-eighths of a square mile.

The population of the new town and suburbs, out- side the fort (where two companies of United States infantry, under command of Major Fowle, were stationed), numbered, including the white families, half- breeds, and three or four French traders, not to exceed a hundred. Colbert's Chicago (pp. 5 and 6), gives the following regarding the residents of Chicago in 1829 and 1830.

" In 1829, the residents of the town besides the garrison were the following: John Kinzie, # residing on the North Branch ; Dr. Wolcott, Indian Agent, and son-in-law to Mr. Kinzie, residing near the site of the present Galena freight depot, just east of Clark Street (he died in the fall of 1830) ; John Miller, keeper of a log tavern, near the forks of the river, at Wolf Point, North Side; John B. - Beaubien, residing near the lake shore, a little south of the fort: three or four Indian traders whose names have not been pre- served, residing in log cabins west of the river."

The more elaborate "directory," given by the same author at the date of the finishing of Thompson's plat of the town, shows considerable increase of the resident population, or that the "census" of the previous year was imperfectly taken. It reads as follows:

"At this time (August 4, 1830,) the commercial strength of Chicago was composed and located as follows:

"Taverns-Elijah Wentworth, north side of the river, near the fork; Samuel Miller, west side of the river, just north of the fork; Mark Beaubien, east side of the river, just south of the fork.$

"Indian Traders-Robert A. Kinzie, near Wentworth's tavern; Mr. Bourisso (Leon Bourassea), just south of Beaubien's

. The earlier maps do not designate the present Chicago River by that name, although many of them mark the region about the mouth of the present Chicago, as "Chicagou," while on the same map the river Desplaines was designated as the Chicagou River. It was also recognized as a locality under the name of Chicago in the official records of Fulton County, then embracing the present county of Cook. Concerning this, Hon. John Wentworth in a his- toric lecture published in Fergus's Historical Series, No. 7. says: " From St. Clair County, what is now Cook County was set off in the new county of Madison; thence in the county of Crawford; in 1819, in the new county of Clark; and so little was then known of the northern country that the act creat- ing Clark County extended it to the Canada line. In 1821 we were set nff in the new county of Pike; in 1823. in the new county of Fulton; and in 1825, in the new county of Peoria. I have not only caused the county records of these counties to be examined, but have also corresponded with their earliest settlers, and i can find no official recognition of Chicago until we reach Fulton County. The Clerk of that county writes me that the earliest mention of Chicago in the records is the order of an election at the term of the Fulton County Commis- sioners Court. September 2, 1823, to choose one major and company officers, polls at Chicago In be opened at the house of John Kinzie. The returns of this election cannot he found, if they were ever made." Chicago was also a voting precinct of Peoria County, an election being held there as early as August 7, 1826.

+ For a full account of the development of the canal project, and the prog- ress of the work to the time of its completion, see the article on "Canal," which appears elsewhere in this volume.

: John Kinzie died January 6. 18>8.

$ Wentworth's tavern was on the West Side, and Miller's on the North Side.

II2

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

tavern; Log Cabin, near foot of North Dearborn Street; J. B. Beaubien, present site of Illinois C'entral depot.

"Butchers-Archibald Clybourne,# North Branch.

"Merchants-George W. Dnle.+

"James Kinzie and family, William See and family, and Alex- ander Robinson and family, resided near Wentworth's tavern. The old Kinzie house, on the north side of the river and opposite the fort, was then unoccupied and in a dilapidated state. The Government agency-house, known as 'Cobweb Castle,' was left unoccupied by the death of Dr. Wolcott. In its vicinity were small log buildings occupied by the blacksmith, Mr. McKee, and Billy Caldwell, an Indian chief, who was also interpreter for the agency. At this time, or soon after, G. Kercheval and Dr. E. Harmon and James Harrington had arrived, and were making claims on the lake shore in the succeeding spring."

List of voters at an election held at Chicago August 2, IS30 :*

I. Stephen J. Scott, Chicago.

2. John B. Beaubien, Chicago.

3. Leon Bourassea, Chicago,

4. B. H. Laughton, six miles southwest (now Riverside),

5. Jesse Walker,t Methodist minister, Plainfield, Ill., Fox River.

6. Medore B. Beaubien, Chicago; now (ISS3) lives at Silver Lake, Kan.

7. Jean Baptiste Chevalier, Chicago.

S. James Kinzie, Chicago ; see sketch of Kinzie family.

9. Russel E. Heacock, Chicago ; see his biography.

Io. James Brown, unknown,

II. Joseph Laframboise, Chicago ; Indian chief by marriage.

+ 47 ACRES

1 | 40 ACRES AUnaMINIMA

KINZIE

JANE

DMIDEE

FOSTER FOSTER

FOSTEA

PHEVARD

DUNN

JOU!

SOCIETY.+

JEFFERSON

CLINTON

HEND WORTH

CANAL

WATER

JO.WATER

MARKET

FRANKLIN

WELLS

St 33-

LA SALLE

QUANDVAN

CLARK

DEARBORN

1830

EVANS

DELL

RANDOLPH

IN-

-37

449

515

-57

-5/8-

THOMPSON'S PLAT.

The poll-book used at an election held at the Chicago precinct of Peoria County, at the house of James Kinzie, August 2, 1830, gives additional informa- tion as to the inhabitants of Chicago and the surrounding country, embraced within the precinct of that time. The public are indebted to the Hon. John Wentworth for its publication. It appears in his lecture published in Fergus's Historical Series. No. 7, p. 16. The list em- braces the names of thirty-two voters, some of whom were not residents of Chicago, although living within the limit of the precinct t and sufficiently near to at- tend the election. The list is given below, with resi- (lence so far as can be ascertained.

* Clybourne's place might he said to be almost outside the limits, it being on the west side of the North Branch, nearly two undles alwie Wolf Point. Hr was, however, the butcher nut only for the garren but for the citizens, and might thus be counted in. Besides the wife and children of Archibald, his family included his father Jonas, and a half-brother, john K. ( lark. .

+ The name of George W. Dudle is erroneously inserted in the above list. He did not arrive until May 4. 1621. per sune author, p. s.

* The limits of the preeinet fald the first) embraced all that part of Peoria County out of the mosthaf the Da Page River,where it empties its waters into the Desplames River. The area was greater than all of Cook County, aithough not extentling to its present western limits,

12. John L. Davis, Chicago ; Welch tailor, afterward went 15 Milwaukee ; lived there in 1882.

13. William See. Chicago ; minister and blacksmith. See bingraphy.

14. John Van Horn, unknown.

15. John Wann, unknown,

16. David Van Eaton, unknown.

17. Stephen Mack, Chicago ; clerk of American Fui Company.

IS. Jonathan N. Bailey, Chicago (first I'nstmaster) ; lived in part of old Kinzie house.

19. Alexander MeDale, unknown.

20. John S. C. Hogan, Chicago.

21. David Mckee, Chicago ; blacksmith Born in 1800; moved

In AAurora, III.

22. Billy Caldwell, Chicago.

23. Joseph Thibeant, Chicago.

* Two other pull fists have been published isee appendix to secund histurn lecture of How, John Wentworth, Fergie's Historical Series, No. 7. pp. 4. 51 One is of the voters at a special election for Justice of the Peace at the Chitas" precinet, of Pourin County, at the house of John Kinzie on Saturday, july 21. 1830, which contains filty-six names; the other is for a special electom at John Kinzie + hatte for Justice of the Peace, for Peoria County, November es, IN':" on which twenty-six names appear. At the latter cha tron Stephen Forles s. elected, receiving eighteen votes, against eight vutes rast for Bet, Willi.In » , Bw foff particulars of these early elections are recorded in the atti Je on peutn . in this volume,

+ Auja rintendent of missionary work from Peoria to Chicago i Hurthut, p. 597). His family came in 1832 t Hurtbut, p. 502, note.)

"+ ++ FRO.A Flat in Fosstasion OF' THE HISTORICAL

SOUTH

WATER

F0410

OWEN

210

PICK

- CHICAGO

20-

A ROBINSON

KINGSTON

CHICAGO

WEST

EAST

41-

410

319

SQUARE

GOODRICH

WASHINGTON

OM" KEE JHMINTHE

JANE

CARROLL

MILLES BULLER

WILLUALLA

Do.

FOSTER

NORTH WATER

CLYBOURN

TOSTER

LAKE

nELL

-34

RAWLEY

Os.

TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH

Entered by birch I Wentwortli

Entered by R. Stereni

---

Canal

Mitered by

Rich

Slike Sert

l'eterÜntarihÈ

جـ

Land

Richard Birkerdike . Jun.

Pugun Burton

Hall

FULLERTON

Manyneed

THIRTY NINTH

Entered by Zachariah Grunts

SOUT

Elmund S.Kimberly

Enterad Ly Solomon Crops Junior

Entered by Ezekiel Phillips

John

ONICH

Samuel Cutright

STREET

liamo HAlexander Hasigne

Samuel Pierce

Wich Hod

"STREET

WJonathan Alden Tuller Horatio.Cleaveland

illium H. Scott Scene

saunee

.24 Enteral 6,00

Blanchard

Canal Land

1830.

**** IN - .

CHICAGO

MAP OF

The

... NORTHWESTERN

Canal Land

Hiram Iluganin

Rapus Nout

Entered by Jeferson T. Cross

kell

FIRST

s Place Sa

TWENTY SECOND"

RANCE 14 EAST

.J" LAVENUE

Hillinm Taylor

-- 28-

STREET

Canal Land

George Smith

John Montgomery

Conyricht Secured by A. S. ANDREA9, 1ML

G.MFight

NOR

THIRTY

the years 1828 and 1838. The Information is taken from " Book of Original Entry." Streets as shown were laid out subsequent to 1830. NOTE .- The names given on various tracts of land are those of the primary patentees, or persons by whom entry was made, entered or patented between

TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH

WESTERN

AVENUE

Entered by

Julin Montgomery

George Smith

Seth Scott

Ei Gleason

Entered by Oven R. Storene

Canal

Entered or

Entered by

RichardBn keğitike Sere 'elereutneyhè

Land

Richard Bu serlike Inn

Canal Land

High Co.Galvas

unery SiHambourth

ANK

Truman Co Wright ·høyere

ROAD ..

Willuun Nummers

.kremich Bronze

John K. Clark

William

Hall

TULLERTON

TWENTY SECOND

George Windy

Milhom Fitheun

huune . Inn Green

TWELFTH

MADISON

Jahin Wright

Josiah Cliplon

CHIO400

THIRTY NINTH

Entered OF

William Bennett

Philo Carpenter

Daniel Elston

William Fithian

Flamind &. Kimberly

Entered Er Jotunon Crops Junior

George Miliardy chatahtes

HALSTEO

John

CHIC

STREET

Canal land Sit.

William Filhin

AH.

bao Hellexander

Samuel Pierce

ion

TOWI

STREET

STATE

of Inchanie

Canal Land

Gar "-"

1.38 € /-

of 1812

Site of

Canal Land

27,

1830.

CHICAGO

MAP OF

the years 1826 and 1836. The Information Is taken from " Book of Original Entry." Streets as shown were lald out subsequent to 1830. NOTE .- The names given on various tracts of land are those of the primary patentees, or persons by whom entry was made, entered or patented between

RANCE 14 EAST

It'sbon & Store

Ln Fremboies &

ORIGINAL

Tra fing Hlouya

Elijab \fentworth

Th.

03421

Rotring owy

enpor

STREET

Jonathan . Alden Taller Hurutto.C'traveland

---

forge Smell

Elyah R. Horton

Flames Herrington

STREET

Canal Land

Entered by Ezekiel Pluttips

Canal Land

Samuel Cutwright

William Taylor

. lenynero

and

Entered by biperson I.Cross

Alexander.Dale

Land

NORTH

Zucheriah Grunt

John Welch

Canal Land

*17

Canal Land

Trus

NUSISOM

Sugar Indervan

G.Brought

Umal Land

UTHWESTE

Elma Faller

William Hyde

und

Pagen Burton

ASHLAND

AVENUE

theum Ilugunin

BRANCH

Wiak

Porge H.

William De

CAND

TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH

STREET

113

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

Afinzio House Jonathan N. Bailey"

FORT DEARBORN

Gravel.

henne! cut by

Lan! Wolcott

hierste

BigRam with

onfell

Cupola 4.V.

Shop

Garden for the Garrison

Cala

Cultputed Field

Oot Brakbag

Ditch

MAP

Belowjing tu The Fort

Factort Honte

Beach

Mouth of Cincago River

HRAWH DE

C'rugto

F. HARRISON .JR .. ANT D. U CIVIL ETONIEEL

House Warehouse

For the Purpose of showing the proposed Harbor JinurovmeRis -

Raul

Fort Cemetery

Old & Manth ollin

With additions and changes byynt Suggenrd ly the Memory of Kany Seitlety.

THE ORIGINAL.

ARCHIVED AND APPROVED BY

WILLIAM HOWARD, U. L CITIL ENGINEEL

FEOHUARY 24. 1810.

MICHIGAN

the

Wash house &

andl.

Sand

K E

114

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

24. Peter Frique, Chicago.

25. Mark Beaubien, Chicago.

26. Laurant Martin, Chicago.

27. Jean Baptiste Secor, unknown,

28. Joseph Bauskey, unknown.

29. Michael Welch, Chicago.

30, Francis Ladusier, Chicago ; single, died at Archibald Cly- bourne's.

31. Lewis Ganday, unknown.

32. Peresh Leclerc, Chicago ; Indian interpreter.

The French names are mostly of Indian traders who ever followed the Indian tribes with whom they had be- come allied, first in the interest of their trade, and later from family or tribal relations which had come from intermarriage. Most of them had Indian wives.

A few not shown in the foregoing list were, at that date, living in Chicago. Among them was Stephen Forbes, who taught a private school in what was known as the " Dean house" during the spring months of 1830. He went to Ohio during the summer of that year, returned with a wife in September, and they to- gether re-opened his private school. The following sketch of the Forbes family is taken from Hurlbut's " Chicago Antiquities :

" STEPHEN FORBES was born in Wilmington, Vt., 26th July, 1797 ; his parents were John and Anna (Sawyer) Forbes. He married in Newburgh, Ohio, 25th March, IS30, Elvira (born in Moncton, Vt., 30th November, 1806), daughter of Noble and Aurilla (Booth) Bates. Mr. Forbes first came to Chicago in the summer of 1829, and returned to Ohio the ensuing fall ; came back to Chicago in the spring of 1830, and taught school three months, and then went to Ohio again, and returned here with Mrs. Forbes in the month of September, of that year. They lived in the Dean house, so called, just by the outlet of the river. The boats, which unloaded the vessels, turned in there just by this house. The house was a block or timber-built one, being of logs hewed on two sides, with two main rooms, with an addition of one room. The school was kept in this house, Mrs. Forbes and her class occupy- ing one room, and Mr. F. and the boys the other. Of the chil- dren of this school, a boy and girl came from the garrison; the girl, whose name was Julia Shuttleworth, was the daughter of an En- glishman, a soldier in the fort. The other scholars were mostly French or half-breeds. Late in 1831, Mr. F. removed to where Riverside is now, or near there, where the Laughtons lived, but returned to Chicago in 1832, in consequence of the Indian troubles. David and Bernardus H. Laughton were Indian traders, and a few years before had a store at Hardscrabble, on the Chicago South Branch. The wife of the last-named gentleman was a sister of Mrs. Forbes. MIr. Forbes returned to live at Laughton's, and when both those gentlemen died within a few weeks of each other; he helped to bury them. Mr. F. was the first Sheriff of Cook County elected by the people, 1332. These items, with others, we received from Mr. F. at an interview on his eighty-first birth- day, July 26, 1878. The above portraits were copied from photo- graphs taken about 1868 ; the autograph signature of Mr. F. is the same as the one which accompanies his letter ; that of Mrs. F. was written in her seventy-second year. Mr. F. had a paralytic attack some years since, but continued to walk out frequently in pleasant weather. He died suddenly of apoplexy, in Chicago, at the house of his son-in-law, Nathan S. Peck, on Tuesday evening, Itth February, 1879."

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

History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 29

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340