History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 148

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875

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GEORGE'S ADDITION TO CALUMET, the plat of which was filed for record July 3, 1837; said addition being

Troy ist, wmix came from Rochester, N Y, to Chicagu on August 1, 1835, and upon August 4 ni the same yes: be st ited with his family for Calumet. Ben- ton's land company then owned the land bounded on the north by Eighty-seventh Street, on the south hy Ninety. third Street, on the east by the Callimink River and Lake Michigan, and on the west by Commercial Avenue. This district is alleged to have been purchased from Hale for 88,500; there seems to be no doubt, however, as to the price paid. Thomas Gaughan visited the company's store, inspected its stock of guns, groceries, and grog, and bought of Lewis Benton & Co. a block of land on the company's terms, which were those of the canal, one-fourth cash, and the balance in one, two and three years, with six per cent interest, In two weeks from his arrival at the city of Calumet, Thumas Gaughan ched, and was buried in the uninclosed and unconsecrated ground before referred to. His widow relinquished all but two lots to the company; and, by paying a small balance, got a clear title to those. In 1836 the company failed and those who had purchased property, being unable to get any title to their land, ceased making any payments thereupon, and it reverted to the State for non-payment of taxes; many lots were sold at the Tremont House, in Chicago, at tax sales, for fifteen, twenty-five and thirty cents each. The family uf Thomas Gaughan were: Mrs. Margaret Gaughan, John Gaughan, still living; Patrick Gaughan, who went South; Thomas Gaughan, still living; Matthew Gaughan, who was drowned in the Callimink in March, 1839, by falling out of a canoe; Mrs. Mary Culver, Mrs. Matilda F. Jackson and Mrs. Ann Sexton, all three of these ladies are dead. At the time of the arrival of the Gaughan family, Thomas Gaughan, Jr., states that there were only some ten or twelve buildings in Calu- met; one built by Crandall on the east side of the riser to validate a claim on a piece of land he had in Section 6. but not used, nor intended as a habitation; Lewis Benton was there with his stare and the few buildings occupied by his hands; Tuttle had a place on the west side of the river, so had Stone; John Mann was the ferryman, and lived in one of Benton's houses. The first white child born on the banks of the Callimink was Margaret Sexton, the danghter of Stephen Austin Sex- ton and Ann Gaughan Sexton. She married James A. Cassidy, and in honor of her nativity Lewis Benton gave her a lot: she was born in the fall of 1836.

JOHN GAUGHAN, the eldest son of Thomas Gaughan, married Thanison Kane in 1858, and has the following children: Elizabeth Jane Miller, George, Alice Smith, Arthur, Florence, Eva, and a recent importation from the land of incognizance.

THOMAS GAUGHAN, JR., was born in County Mayo, Ireland, and came to America when two years old. arriving in Chicago at the age of seven years. He stated that the early settlers in the Callimink region did nut pursue any particular trade or calling, that the funda- mental principle was "anyway to make an honest shil- ling." and that in furtherance of that theory he trapped and hunted and traded with the Indians, Mrs. Gaughan. his mother, kept a grocery, which was the first grocery there. During his early residence in Calumet he hap- jiened one day to be cutting an otter out of a musk rat house, when he was first particularly noticed by the Indians, and they-pursuant to the custom that prevails to this day, of giving names typical of the first peculiar action performed-called Thomas Gaughan, Nag-ek, or otter. This was in the Pottawatomic tongue, in the

569

HISTORY OF HYDE PARK.

Tou-wa dialect his name was Wee-sik. John Gaughan's agnomen was Ka-koosh, or pig; he was, with Thomas, first carrying a sucking-pig when noticed by the In- dians, Thomas Gaughan was well acquainted with Alexander Robinson, or Che-che-pin-qua, and is a fluent speaker of the Pottawatomie and Touwa languages, He continued hunting and trapping, and working at the carpenter trade, and prospered. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on the east side of the river, close to the One - hundred - and - sixth Street bridge. The point of land that there pro- tends into the river was called Sharloe's point, after the Indian chief whose favorite camping-ground it was. After its purchase by Thomas Gaughan the Irish inhabi- tants named it Gaughan's point; but they-the Gau- ghans-still retain its old name in referring to it, as a remembrance of Sharloc. Mr Gaughan states that, in 1836, there were about one hundred inhabitants on the Callimink, including the employés of Lewis Benton, On September 15, 1850, Thomas Gaughan married Miss Mary Stanton, of Chicago. The ceremony was per- formed by the Rev. Father Kinsella at the University of Saint Mary's of the Lake. They have the following children living: Mrs. Ellen Kelly, Matilda, Cecilia, Josephine, James Oliver, Emma, Andrew and Caroline Estella, He now resides at Cheltenham Beach, having removed from South Chicago,, in 1883, because he wanted to get among the trees and away from a multi- tude of people. He says that it is impracticable to breathe freely in a city.

In 1836 Lewis Benton built a hotel close to his store, the first hotel in Calumet, which was called the Calumet House. Mr. Gaughan thinks that a man named Spencer first kept the botel for Benton, and until it was bought by Jason Gurley in 1836. The stage- road was then along the beach from Michigan City to Chicago, and John and Thomas Gaughan well remem- ber, in the fall of 1836, a tall figure appearing at the Calumet House and endeavoring to procure a lodging. The future editor, mayor, congressman and capitalist was informed by Jason Gurley that there were no beds vacant, but that if he had no objection to occupying a bed upon the floor he could be accommodated. John Wentworth assented; but going into the hotel, asked why he could not occupy some of the beds that were apparently without prospective tenants. The host re- plied that they were all reserved for visitors from Chi- cago, who were coming to hont and fish along the Callimink. He accordingly took his supper, his bed of Procrustes, on the floor, and his breakfast, and in the morning departed for Chicago, In 1837, Gurley rented the Calumet House to Hampshire, and during his ten- ancy it was destroyed by fre. He was tried for incen- diarism, but acquitted. There appears to have been no evidence against him, and the old citizens are unani- mous in stating his utter innocence of the charge. The loss entailed upon Jason Gurley, however, made him disgusted with the Calumet region and he left for Chi- cago, and there, subsequently, kept the Mansion House. The next tavern was the Eagle, kept by Gideon Matthew Jackson, who built it in February, 1837, at the foot of what is now Ninety-second Street, and on what is now known as Harbor Avenue, then designated North Water Street; and the Calumet House was likewise on that street, about a block north of the Eagle. The Eagle was twelve feet square and ten feet high. Mr. Thomas Gaughan says it was frequented by travelers who were willing to pay full price for accom- modation and board and almost lodge themselves. Mr. Jackson, shortly after the burning of the Calumet, built

a new hotel near Ninety-second Street, and between Commercial and Houston avenues. In 1843. Mr. Jack- son moved to Chicago, and there kept the Southern Ilotel on 'Twelfth Street.

The Pottawatomie Indians received their last pay- ment from the Government in 1835, and the proviso was then made that subsequent to that payment they were to go west of the Mississippi River. The greater number of them departed, having a great pow-wow and stupendous drunk, before bidding adieu to their homes, and the places where their teepees had so often been pitched. In 1836, however, there were some in Calu- met, and just prior to the American birthday the people of Calumet determined upon ornamenting the town with a celebration of their own. In furtherance of this project, Lewis Benton proposed to John Mann that he should provide sugar and lemons if Mann would furnish the ardent beverage. Mann agreed, and Benton also contracted to furnish powder, that the customary Fourth of July detonations might not be lacking in this brilliant demonstration. There were still about five hundred of the noble red-men at Calumet, lingering by the graves of their ancestors and loth to quit the fire-water of John Mann; and they were given pro forma invitations to be present upon the celebration. The day opened bright and fair, and as the sun glinted upon the dancing waves of the flashing Calumet they too seemed to flash and sparkle with very gladness for the happy occasion. And as the sun ascended higher toward the zenith, it smiled upon the Bacchanalian preparations of the celebrants. Mann, the hierophant, bad a half barrel of whisky, and numbers of acolytes were preparing lemons under Ben- ton's auspices. When the acidulated fruit was pre- pared, it and sugar were placed in the wassail tub, and water then added, making a fruitful means of carousal. A tin-dipper was provided whereby the fluid could be handily consumed, and the revels commenced. Mr. Benton was the orator of the day, and made a speech replete with happy allusions to Old Hickory, the Bird of Freedom, the Star Spangled Banner, and kin- dred subjects. No stenographer having been present, a full report of the speech cannot be submitted. His audience, most of whom were Indians, appareled in all their native finery, frequently interrupted the orator with bursts of spontaneous applause, and many were so affected with the patriotic sentiments evolved that they pledged him in the tin chalice with the utmost bearti- ness. After Mr. Benton descended from the dry-goods box fostrum, Mr. Crandall* spoke. Ile made a few brief references to the flag that-the American Eagle and to General Jackson. His oratory was redundant with felicitous remarks. The auditory signified their hearty assent to the utterances of the speaker by clap- ping of hands and a few libations. Following him came Mr. Weeks,* who, in impassioned rhetoric, made some apropos remarks relative to Andrew Jackson, the Stars and Stripes, and the Eagle whose talons were especially constructed for the destruction of despots. The vocifer- ous plaudits of the assemblage frequently necessitated the suspension of his declamation, when the hearers took several drinks. Then Mr. Gaughan suggested that Sharloe, a chief of the Pottawatomies, should give the public a synopsis of what be knew about the Fourth of July. He did so, and carefully refrained from any reference to the hero of New Orleans, the Oriflamme or the Eagle. His speech was given in bis native tongue, and Messrs. Mann, Weezoe and Eggeman, interpreters, rendered the speech into the vernacular. Sharloe told his people that the Government would keep the promises . Crandall and Weeks were employés of Lewis Benton.

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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY

it had made to them; * that they must prepare to follow him to the new Canaan, but that they could cheerfully bid farewell to the historic ground that held the bones of their ancestors, and that had been so long trodden by the Pottawatomies, as they had the pledged word of the mighty American Nation upon which to rely for their future. The Indians listened attentively, frequent guttural "Ughs!" interrupting the speaker. At the close of the brief allocution the assemblage stormed the barrel in force, and the tin beaker was in urgent requisi- tion. A two-inch auger hole was then bored in a four- foot tree, and the hole being filled with powder and rammed tight, was exploded with a fuse amid vocifera- tions and howls from the Pottawatomie spectators. To increase the noise, anvils were hammered and frying- pans banged; the Indians in all their glory of paint and feathers rode around on their ponies, augmenting the din by their whoops. Dismounting to refresh them- selves at the barrel, they remounted-like Antæus invigorated by the kiss of his mother-to make the Saturnalia more resonant. Horse racing was then in- stituted, and the Indian riders spared neither voice nor lash to make their ponies attain all the speed possible. As may be imagined, the punch bowl became emptied, capacious though it was, but was replenished a second and a third time and emptied. The Indians thus gained an insight into the manner of celebrating the National anniversary that must have impressed them with the ameliorating influences of civilization ; at any rate this was the first and last celebration at Calumet.

INDIAN BURVING GROUND .- The place of sepulture for the deceased Indians was what is known as Indian Ridge, that forms a marked feature of the landscape around Wildwood, Kensington and Roseland. The ridge was evidently created by the lake, and left by its recession. Therein have been numbers of Indian imple- ments found, skulls, and other relics of the departed race. On Torrence Avenue, between One Hundred and Tenth and One Hundred and Eleventh streets, were uuearthed remains of skulls with teeth attached.

THE FIRST BRIDGE .- When John Mann, the ferry- man, texik to evil courses, the deliberations of the citi. zens of Calumet relative to the erection of a bridge be- came more carnest; and as the utter inutility of the ferryman became more mani est their resolves became actions; and, in 1839, a company was formed, among whom were Frank Sherman and Jonathan Young Scam- mon; a charter was secured granting powers for thirty years, and a toll-bridge was built. It was a floating bridge, built of planking and timbers, upon the barge principle of construction. The first toll-man was Gideon Matthew Jackson,t and the tolls imposed were:

For a double wagon and two horses. (or three shillings). .$ .37

If the wagon had springs. .50

Single wagon and horse .25

Horseman

Foot passenger.

.18

.06

The bridge was located at, or near, the foot of the present Ninety-second Street, and thence the road ran south to Honer's bridge, thence eastwardly to Miller's, some fourteen miles distant. and thence to Michigan City. There were no railroads in those days, and the company made money until 1842, when a new road was laid out and travel directed to what was called Cassidy's, and is now known as Chittenden's. This floating-bridge lasted until 1840, when the bridge became badly shat-

*Weezec and Eggeman were Pottawatumie Indians,

+ He died in January, also, and at his own request he was brought from Chiengo and interred in the uld burying ground opposite the foot of Ninety- second Street.

tered during a freshet, and Harbor-Master Jackson came from Chicago and had some piles driven and repairs made to the bridge. The bridge is alleged to have been built by Harbor-Master Jackson, possibly the same.Jackson who is stated to have built a light-house at Chicago, that is narrated to have fallen in October, 1831. These repairs enabled it to last until 1843, when a freshet took it away altogether. This bridge com- pany also desisted from further operations, Another corporation, however, was speedily formed, that laid out the new road mentioned; which road left the present Ninety-second Street, and turned south a little west of the corner of Houston Avenue, and ran through Cum- mings, across the tract of land now owned by the rolling mill company, and thence to Cassidy's, now Chittenden's, bridge, which was built by this company. The ferry ceaseil to exist after the crection of the first bridge. James H. Cassidy, after whom the bridge was named, came to this region about 1842, and used to keep a surt of hunters' and fishermen's retreat, and there had boats for hire for the use of duck hunters. He died in Chicago about 185g. Chittenden came hither about 1852, and located at the place Cassidy had occupied.

The second bridge was built on the Grand Calumet, about eight miles from the mouth, in 1836, by Lewis Benton, and was first called the Diggings-now Ham- mond-on account of the amount of that kind of work done there, prior to the erection of the bridge; it was next called Purser's bridge and next called Homer's bridge. The road that ran around by Cassidy's diverted the travel from the Ninety-second Street route and demoralized the hotel interest.

ANCIENT NIMRODS,-From the days of 1835-40. Calumet was the terrestrial paradise of hunters and fishermen; gentlemen, and the fairer sex also, frequented that region, and many a finny specimen was taken by the fair hand of Chicago ladies. "Abe" Kleinmann here learned that dexterity and accuracy that has made his name a household word among sportsmen, and among the rushes, and on the rivers and lake, might frequently have been seen Judge J. Lisle Smith, Dr. Henry B. Clarke, Walter Kimball, John Wentworth, " Hank " Graves, Thomas Hoyne. Philip Maxwell, William Bradshaw Egan, William B. Ogden, and Richard 1 .. , Charles I .. and John 1., Wilson. Ira Couch, then senior proprietor of the Tremont House, would hitch up four horses to a lumber wagon, dress in ragged clothes, with a silk hat minus a crown, and enjoy him- self with his Chicago friends, Then he would fill his wagon with green wood and drive back into Chicago. James Jackson, who was then proprietor of the Eagle l'avern, usually maintained several oarsmen to accomo- date his Chicago guests with boat rides. The Calumets were favorite fishing-grounds until the opening of the Civil War, when the fish were depopulated by seines and other pot-hunting contrivances. Lincoln, the prairie- tailor of Chicago, shot an immense buck, which was placed in Ike Cook's Young America Saloon for exhibi- tion. In June, 1836, a large bear was discovered on a raft assuaging his thirst; about forty people gathered and pursued him to Hog Island; where he was allowed to take his way in pcace, as the followers were not sufficiently ravenous for ursine meat to run any risk in following him further.

In 1845 John Kleinmann came to South Chicago and kept toll-house; there were then in the town the Gaughans, Albert Spiers, Charles Culver, Samuel Ray, and Martin Taylor, now in Minnesota.

The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad

571

HISTORY OF HYDE PARK.

again caused hope to blossom in the breasts of the Calli- minkites in 1848, by locating their road through the Calumet region; the road was built on trestle-work the entire distance from Calumet to Englewood, and was completed to Chicago in 1851. In 1850 a station called Ainsworth was located at Calumet.

In 1851, came Michael Doyle and his family, and settled at Ainsworth Station, the South Chicago of that day. Mr. Doyle states that then there were neither church, school, post-office. Justice of the l'eace, nor Con- stable ; and there was no store wherein provisions of any kind could be obtained nearer than Chicago. In 1852 the educational necessities of the inchoate settle- ment demanded attention, and hence came the embryo of the .

SOUTH CHICAGO SCHOOLS .- School District No. 1, comprises the entire territory of Township 37 north, Range 15 east, and contains about eight sections of land. Its boundaries are as follows : Eighty-seventh Street on the north ; Torrence Avenne on the west ; Lake Michigan and Indiana State line on the east and One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Street on the south. The district was organized on September 18, 1852, by Samuel Ray, Peter Bunt, Michael Doyle, C. F. Stewart, Martin G. Taylor and Edwin Woodman ; and C. F. Stewart, Peter Bunt and Edwin Woodman were elected trustees ; they held their first meeting May 7, 1853. M. G. Taylor was elected treasurer, and a school-house eighteen feet by twenty-two feet, and nine feet high, was ordered built by the board at their first meeting, was erected in 1853. and was known as the Ray school. The list of resident taxpayers of the district at that time comprised Peter Bunt, Samuel Ray, C. F. Stew- art, John Kleinmann, Michael Doyle, Edwin Woodman, Charles Culver, Thomas Gaughan, Jobn Gaughan, M. G. Taylor and Hiram Spears, and the whole num- ber of children susceptible of tuition under the law was fifty-five. The first teacher was Miss Cornelia Wheaton, and the average attendance at the school was thirteen. 'The second school building was erected near the site of the Bowen school, and was about the size of the Ray school. In 1871 the number of children in the district between the age of six and twenty-one was two hundred and fifty ; and the number of pupils enrolled was one hundred and three ; the daily average attend- ance was one hundred and forty-eight. In 1876 there were one thousand and eighty-nine children, requiring four schools and six teachers. The population at pres- ent in the school district is about eleven thousand ; two thousand three hundred and twenty pupils attend the public schools, and about five hundred and forty-eight children attend the various parochial and private schools in the district ; the school property, not including two buildings in course of erection, is worth $84,148.36, the apparatus $1,000, and the library $400, as per appraisal of June, 1883. The tax levy for 1882 was $29,350, and for 1883 about $59.000. The present Board of Education are: M. W. Gallistel, president ; James William Matthews, secretary ; Martin Hausler, James Conley, Alfred Wilson and T. Farrell. The schools are as follows :

South Chicago public school, corner of Superior Avenue and Eighty-ninth Street ; E. I .. Morse, prin- cipal ; Misses Mary Matthews, Lulu A. Barr, Mabel Rushmore and Mary Monahan, assistnts. The school was built in 1882, and cost some $1 2,000.

Irondale public school ; corner of One Hundred and First Street and Escanaba Avenue : erected in 1882 ; cost, $14,000. Principal, John L. Walsh ; assistants, Misses Ella Fair, Mary Fagan and Mary Neville.

Gallistol school ; on Ewing Avenue, between One Hundred and Third and One Hundred and Fourth streets, was built in 1877 and cost $3,000. A new one is in course of erection, to cost $12,000. J. H. Zeis, principal : Miss Carrie Willing and Miss Edmondson, assistants.

Taylor school ; on Sixth Avenue, between Ninety- ninth and One Hundredth streets ; was built in 1878, and cost but $2,000. This is, however, ascribahle to the generosity and public spirit of D. S. Taylor, who donated the ground and brick ; the only expenditure, therefore, was for its erection, which was as stated. An addition to the main building is being erected, to cost $8,000. C. D) Huxley, principal ; Mr. Rea and Miss Eva Jewell, assistants.

Ray school ; situated about one mile south of the Chittenden bridge ; was huilt in 1881, and cost $6,000. O. J. Andrews is principal and has no assistants.

Bowen school, wherein is also the high school, is situated at the corner of Ninety-third Street and Hous- ton Avenue ; it was built in 1876, and cost $28,000. John B. Strasberger, principal : Misses Myra Monfort,

McGinnis, Lizzie Doyle, Jennie Logan, Mary Forkin and Mary Brown, assistants.

LIGHT-HOUSE .- John Wentworth was always enthu- siastic in predicting the great future of Calumet, and was persistent in urging upon the Government the expe- diency of improving the harbor and placing therein a light-house. Finally Mr. Wentworth succeeded in getting an appropriation for a light-house, which was erected in 1851, and the hearts of the Calumetians were lightened at the possibilities of lake commerce the light- house foreshadowed. The building was erected of stone, brought down from the vicinity of Blue Island in barges, that were poled down by the bargemen. A Mr. Irwin was the mason-contractor who superin- tended its erection. At that time the lake was thirty or forty feet north of its foundation. General Webster was then the Collector of Customs at Chicago. The light was lit for the first time in 1853, by Hiram Squires. The first light-house keeper was A. B. Dalton, appointed June 25, 1852; next was Hiram Squires, appointed September 5, 1853. The harbor, however, remained as it had been ; no attempt was made to im- prove that, and the approaches to Calumet remained as nature had made them. In foggy weather captains could not tell whether the light was at Calumet or Chicago, and the light really was more a detriment than assistance to navigation. After the presentation of a protest to the Government in 1855, its discontinuance and sale was decreed. The light was discontinued July 28, 1855, and it was sold at public sale to George W. Clark for $125 (the edifice had cost $4,500) and he immediately rented it to the Oelmich family for fifty dollars a year. The Ochmichs were fishermen, and Theodore and Henry were drowned, with some five or six seamen, in a gale about 1874 ; another brother, Alex- ander Ochmich, still lives. This family remained in the light-house until 1870, when Congress made an appro- priation of $10,000 for its repurchase, and to refit it for service as a light-house. After its purchase it was sur- mounted with a cupola, and other improvements were made to it that rendered it one of the finest buildings used for light-house purposes on the lakes. It was re-established on September 7, 1873, and the light was relit by Miss Mary H. Ryan on September 9, 1873, who remained as keeper until October 23, 1880, when Ches- ter Bradley Rushmore, the present incumbent, took charge. In 1876, the old light was removed from the stone tower to the pier light-house, where it has since

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 148

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas Number of Pages: 875

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875