History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 174

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

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the King of Hanover, and served two years, Ile then practiced medicine in Stuttgart until January, tho6, when he came to Chicago. In April, 1879, he graduated from the Homeopathic Medics! Col- lege. Chicago. Mr. Lowenthal is a member of l'ullman Lodge. 1. 1). O. F. la 1863 he married Miss Ernestina Kahn, a native of W'nrlemberg. They have five children-Lizzie, Sallie, Anna. Albert and Frederick. Mr. Inwenthal is Justice of the Peace, Village Collector and Acting Police Magistrate.

JOIN LYNCH, farmer, P. O. Washington Heights, came to Cook County in 1844 and worked for Thomas Morgan seven years. Ile then bought a farm in Section 17, Township 37. Range 14. where he has since lived, Mr. I.ynch was born in Ireland in April, 1825, coming to the United States in 1842. In isst be married Miss Margaret Martin, a native of Ireland. They have three children-John Eugene; Jane Mary, now Mrs. John Kelly, of Washington Ileights; and Margaret Agnes, now Mrs. Joseph I. lleck, Mrs. Lynch died November 1, 1874. They are members of the Catholic Church.

AMIRA A. SMITH, farmer, came to Cook County in the fall of 1864 with his father-in-law, Rev. Henry Meader, who bought a farm uf furty acres northwset of Washington Ileights, Since the death of his father-in-law December 4, 1867, he has farmed and dealt in hay. He was born in Dearborn County, Ind., June 3. 182g, where he was raised on a farm. In his early days he worked at the carpenter trade. Ile married Miss Matilda J. Meader, of Augusta, Me., June 3, 1852. Her mother died in May, 1877, at the age of eighty.seven years. They have three children-Ellen V., Mary and llenry L. Ile has been a member of his district school board two years.

A. B. STEVENS, dealer in coal, lime, sand, cement and mason's materials, came to Conk County in 1869, and went into the employ of the Lake Shore & Rock Island Railroad, In 1869 he came to Washington Heights and opened the transfer station, which he continued until 1876, In 1873 he began the cool business. lle was born in Jordan, Onondaga Co., N. V., May 24, 1837, His parents moved to Iluron County, Ohio, where they lived until 1951, At the age of fourteen years he began railroading for the Cleveland, Columbia & Cincinnati Railroad. In 1862 he enlisted in the Igth Ohio Battery, from Cleveland, and served three years. He then served at General Palmer's headquarters as clerk. Mus. tered out April. 1865. Ile was married the same year to Miss Mel- ville Miller, in Kentucky, They have two children-Nettie N. and Jessie. Mr. Stevens is a member of Masonic Order, Union Veteran Club, Chicago and Betheny Church, Washington Heights. Ile has served as Village Trustee several terms, and is now president of the school board. During the time of the existence of Mer- chants' Union Express Company he had charge of their office at Auburn, N. V.

MARTEN VAN DER STARK, farmer and stock-raiser, north. east quarter of Section 17, Township 37, Range ta, P. O. Wash- ington Heights, came to Cook County in 1848. Ile worked by the day some time, then bought his present place, and has since lol- lowed larming. Hle was born in Holland, Germany, December 11, 1823, and was raised a farmer, coming to the United States in 1848. lle married, April. 1858, Miss Marchie Kluet, born in Holland. They have ten children-Garret, Cornelius, John, Elizabeth, Cora, Martin. Bennie, Nellie, Anna and Catharine. They are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Van Der Starr is Road Commissioner ol his district.

WILLIAN WILLIAMSON was born at Thornhill. Dum- friesshire, Scotland, January 29, 1840. Ile was educated partly at the Mechanic's Institute, and partly at the University of Glasgow. Ile came to the United States in 1863, and finally located at Chi- cago in 1868, in which year he entered the service of the Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, making his home some time later at Washington Heights. Mr. Williamson was married at Edinburgh, Scotland, to Miss Christiana Murray Smith, sister ol Alexander Smith, port and essayist, author of " A Lile Drama." etc., etc. Mr. and Mrs. Williamson have had seren children, five of whom are living-Alexander Smith, John S. Kennedy, Janthe Chichester, Christina Murray and Agnes Bell.

UPWOOD.

Upwood, a name given to the old Morgan settle- ment, forms to-day a physical part of Washington Heights. Thomas Morgan purchased this portion uf the ridge from an earlier settler and owner named Blackstone, who according to a statement made by uld Mrs. Wilcox, possessed about 9,000 acres of land in the neighborhood. This Blackstone is said to have entered mercantile life in Chicago, and to meet his business de-

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HISTORY OF CALUMET AND WORTH.

mands was compelled to dispose of the greater portion of his real estate.

WORTH TOWNSHIP.

The town of Worth is situated in the central south- ern portion of the county, and contains thirty-six square miles. It is a rich and productive agricultural district, whose finely cultivated farms abundantly attest the thrifty and prosperous condition of their owners, Stony Creek, a beautiful little stream, traverses it in a south- easterly direction, discharging its waters into those of the Calumet, about a mile east of Blue Island, a portion of which village is also situated in this township. In the annals of Blue Island Village, already fully written in the history of Calumet Township, is necessarily in- cluded much concerning the early settlers of the town of Worth, and to which the reader is therefore referred. The villages of Oak Lawn and Worth, located on the Chicago Division of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad, are small places, which have sprung into ex- istence within the past four years, and since the road above mentioned was built. The latter place contains a store, also an M. E. church built in 1883, and has perhaps a population of one hundred. Oak Lawn, or Oak Park, as it is sometimes called, has neither store nor church. It is, however, a picturesquely beautiful spot, and owing to its easy access from the city, has no doubt better things in store for it, when it shall have attracted the attention of seekers after desirable suburb- an homes. Before the organization of the townships in 1850, Worth formed a part of what was then known as York Precinct, being composed of the towns of Worth, Bremen, Palos, Orland and I.emont, The first town meeting held in the township was at the house of Carl- ton Wadhams, in Blue Island, April 2, 1850. This house is still standing on Western Avenue, which in addition to being the main street of the village, is also the dividing line between the two townships, and is one of the few remaining landmarks of days long since past. A. Wingate was chosen moderator, and John Britton clerk, after which the following persons were elected as the first town officers: Charles D. Robinson, clerk; Henry Douglass, Supervisor; Benjamin Sanders, Asses- sor; S. D. Huntington, Collector, and H. S. Rexford

and William Barnard, Justices. The subjoined roster gives the names of those chosen to fill the principal of- fices of the township, from 1851 to the present time.

Supervisors-F. Chamberlin, 1851-54; Stephen Rex- ford, 1853-54; L. M. Ousterhoudt, 1854-57; D. O. Robinson, 1857-58; Benjamin Sanders, 1858-59; A. K. Breed, 1859-60; L. M. Ousterhoudt, 1860-61; Louis Chatroop, 1861-62; H. S. Rexford, 1862-63 ; D. O. Robinson, 1863-64; H. S. Rexford, 1864-69; Theo- dore Gunther, 1869-78; Christian Krueger, 1878-80; Andrew Reiner, 1880-82; Fred. Zacharias, 1882-84.

Clerks -C. D. Robinson, 1851-53 ; H. S. Rexford, 1853-54; William Seyforth, 1854-55; C. B. Sammons, 1855-59; L. C. Chatroop, 1859-60; C. B. Sammons. 1860-64; D. O. Robinson, 1864-66 (During this year Mr. Robinson, who had also been elected Justice, died. and the other Justice, failing to qualify, new officers were chosen at theelection held in 1867) ; Fred. Diefen- bach, 1867-74 : E. P. Hanson, 1874-78; George Kuhm. 1878-79; Fred. Diefenbach, 1879-82; S. D., Jones, 1882-84.

Assessors-John Wilcox, 1851-53 ; Carlton Wad- hams, 1853-54; C. D. Robinson, 1854-55; A. Wingate. 1855-56; William Seyforth, 1856-60; Thomas McClin- tock, 1860-62; T. W. Lackore, 1862-63; C. J. Poch- man, 1863-64; W. B. Brayton, 1864-65; C. J. Poch- man, 1865-67; A. Wingate, 1867-68; Theodore Gun- ther, 1868-69; Ferdinand Daemicke, 1869-84.

Collectors -S. D. Huntington, 1851-53 : Thomas Wilcox, 1853-54: J. C. Whitman, 1854-55; O. M. Wat- tles, 1855-57; O. Smith, 1857-58; Henry Bose, 1858- 59 ; John Sorgumfrie, 1859-60; Charles Ellfield, 1800- 62; Theodore Gunther, 1862-64 ; Charles Pochman, 1864-67 ; James Frisbee, 1867-68 ; Edward Wilson, 1868-70 ; I. P. Bishop, 1870-71 ; Daniel Klien, 1871- 74 ; Christian Newkirch, 1874-78; A. Driesc, 1878-81; I. A. Wingate, 1881-82 ; A. C. Boeber, 1882-84.

Justices-H. S. Rexford and Christian Duensing, 1856-66 : Daniel O. Robinson and John Holmes, 1866 -67 : H. S. Rexford, 1867-70 ; William Bertrand, 1867-69 ; W. B. Boutwell, 1869-70 ; Charles Pochman and T. W. Lackore, 1870-73; W. F. Philips and Jacob Barney, 1873-76 ; William Shields and Rodney A Dilg, 1876-77 ; Asa Farmer, 1877-84; C. B. Sammons, 1877-81 ; E. B. Bestos, 1881-84.

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HISTORY OF LAKE TOWNSHIP.

The township or village of Lake, for it is all one corporation, is bounded on the north by Thirty-ninth Street. on the east by State, on the south by Eighty. seventh Street and on the west by the township of Lyons. It was incorporated as a village with the above given boundaries in February, 1865; but by a subse- quent act of the legislature in 1867 the charter was amended, giving enlarged and special powers to its authorities, who as village officers legislate for and govern the entire territory embraced within the con- gressional township. The town of Lake includes within its limits a number of villages, if the word vil- lage may be used in a generic sense and regardless of any political significance, but none of them are incor- porated; each being as much a part of the town of Lake as the West Division of the city is a part of Chi- cago. In 1865 Lake had less than seven hundred inhabitants; it now has, as estimated by the census of 188o, a population of over 33.000.

The first township election was held in the fall of 1865 and Charles G. Ayers was chosen Clerk."

The officers in 1868 were William Gardner, Clerk; A. Colvin, Assessor; Daniel Burckey, Collector; Charles Hoyle and Z. Colman, Trustees. In the winter of 1868-60 the time of holding elections was changed by the State Legislature from November to April, in con- sequence of which no election occurred until in April, 1870, the officers chosen in 1868 holding over until the the former date.

Following is the list of town officers chosen at the annual elections, held from 1870 to the present time.

Supervisors-Z. Colman, 1870-75 ; A. B. Condit, 1875-79; George Muirhead, 1879-83; William Darling- ton, 1883-84.

Assessors-A. Colvin, 1870-74: George Muirhead, 1874-79: C. S. Redheld, 1879-83; F. M. Smith, 1883- 84.

Collectors-Daniel Burckey, 1870-74; E. Y. Mont- gomery, 1874-75; Peter Caldwell, 1875-76; Peter Mur- phy, 1876-81; Frank Becker, 1881-83; John O'Neil, 1883-84.

Clerks-G. B. Thorp, 1870-71; Matthew Fleming, 1871-75; Rudolph Biester, 1875-78; Edward Byrne, 1878-84.

Trustees-A. M. Hoyle, 1870-74: J. L. Gerber, 1870-71; Peter Rider, 1871-73; William Brinkler, 1874-76; John Tabor, 1873-75; Joseph Shirly, 1876-78; Vincent P. Cory, 1875-77; Levi Montgomery, 1877- 79; Patrick Nolan, 1879-82; Rudolph Biester, 1879- 81; G. 1. Chettield, 1881-84; John Wall, 1882-84.

Constables-Patrick Grady, 1869-73 ; J. S. MeElli- gott. 1873-81 : Thomas Gahan, 1873-85 ; John ( ;. Kelley, 1873-77 ; Michael Doran, 1873-85 ; Edward Cecil, 1877-81 ; George McChase, 1881-85 ; Jacob Cubm and David Bourke, 1881-85.

Justices-R S. Barrows, 1869-73 ; G. Titus Will- iams, 1873-81 ; W. F. Thompson and H. H. Handec, 1873-77: W. N. Smith, 1873-85 ; Matthew Fleming and V. P. Cook, 1877-81 ; M I. Tierney. 1877-85 : John R. Cook. V. P Cory and G. W. Hovaling, 1881-85

.Owing In the destruction of the village freurds by fire in 1873, N Mas found impossible tu ameriain the names of its first officers, other than for the Years givelı,

FIRST SETTLERS .- Among the old settlers who were here before the village organization, were Hugh Chit. tick, who came in 1855, and located at Fifty-ninth Street and Ashland Avenue : Samuel Beers, John L. Gerber, Joseph Oswald and Daniel Berckic, who settled in the locality about the same time ; Ira J. Nichols, F. A. llawe and William Brooker are also to he numbered among those who located here in an early day ; Mr. Brooker settled in what is now the resident vicinity of Englewood, in 1856. S. S. Cracker and John Caffry, the latter, who is frequently spoken of as "the father of the town of Lake," located in what is now the Stock Yards district, carly in the fifties. Mr. Caffry made the first road in the neighborhood, and has ever been fore- most in any move Inoking to the advancement of the interests of this locality. Michael Rich, now living at Fifty-ninth Street ; Milton F. Patrick, of Englewood, and George W. Wait, now of Hyde Park, were among those who owned farms here many years before the country was peopled as it is to-day.

In those times the township of Lake included what is now the township of Hyde Park, the southern boundary being fixed at what was known as Holman's Bridge on the Indiana line. The country then was so sparsely populated that, even including all this territory, at the most exciting elections scarcely seventy-five votes could be polled.

The first post office at the Stock Yards station was an independent one, and was established in 1865. W. F. Tucker was the first Postmaster, at a salary of $1,200 per annum. David Sterritt was the first carrier and is yet in the service. The office was first located in the basement of the Transit House, where it remained until, six years ago, it was removed to the building it now occupies, adjoining the Town Hall. James Galbraith succeeded Mr. Tucker until in December, 1879, when John Madday was appointed. About this time it was made a division of the Chicago office, and in June, 1883, Charles E. Piper, the present superintendent, took charge.

POLICE .- Prior to 1868 Lake had no police force other than Constables, of which there were four, and who in addition to their regular official duties, also did police work. In the year mentioned a force of four regular policemen was organized, with the Town Super- visor, ex-officio, at its head as chief. The names of these first policemen were John Kelly, Patrick Delaney. Thomas Gaban, and John Collins.

In t873 the force was increased to eight men, with Thomas Gahan as sergeant, who served in this capacity until May 1, 1880, when he was inade captain, and John W. Sweeney was appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the promotion of Gahan. At this time the force numbered twenty-six men. In 1881 the officers were Thomas Gahan, captain; John W. Sweency, sergeant, and Daniel Musser, roundsman. The following year no change in officers was made, except to appoint a roundsman, J. W. Joslin, at the Stock Yards station. In August, 1883, Frank M. Smith was made chief of police, the force then numbering thirty-five men. The officers of 1883-84 are F. M. Smith, chief; Thomas Gaban, captain; John W Sweeney, sergeant at the

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HISTORY OF LAKE.

Stock Yards: Daniel Musser, sergeant at Englewood; William Ryan, roundsman at the Yards station, and J. W. Joslin, filling the some position at the Englewood station. The force is composed of men well discip- lined, and officered by those who have been connected with it from almost its organization, and who bring to the performance of their duties not only experience, but a thorough acquaintance with the town and the citizens whose interests they serve.

THE PRESS .- The first newspaper published in the town of Lake was the Weekly Sun, established by Har. vey L. Goodall, doing business under the firm name of H. L. Goodall & Co. The first number of the Sun was issued on the 29th of November, 1869, and the paper has been published continuously ever since. This enterprise, which was a success from its beginning, was followed on the sith of January, 1873, by the establish- ment of the Weekly Drovers' Journal, the first live-stock market paper ever published in the world. The greatly increased volume of the live-stock trade, of which Chi- cago even then had become the acknowledged center, seemed to demand the publication of a daily edition of the latter paper; in response to that demand the Daily Drovers' Journal was started, January 17, 1876. Jan- uary I, of the succeeding year, a semi-weekly edition was begun. The business, mechanical and editorial, of these several editions, were all under the personal direc- tion of Mr. Goodall, who even then had been engaged in journalism for over twenty years. The daily and semi- weekly soon won, as the weekly had already done, very general recognition among stockmen, as a standard authority and as a valuable coadjutor to the interests of the live-stock trade. On the 25th of July, 1883. a daily edition of the Sun was started, and as it acceptably sup- plied a demand for local news, its success was, from the beginning, almost phenomenal. By the establishment of this enterprise Mr. H. L. Goodall became the active owner, publisher and controlling editor of two dailies, one semi-weekly and two weekly papers, and all in the full tide of success. His brother, Hiram P. Goodall, is manager of the advertising departments, which he con- ducts with consummate tact and ability.

Mr. H. L. Goodall, though not yet fifty years of age, is a veteran in journalism, having established in his time nearly a score of newspapers, and has the gratify- ing reflection that none of them, while under his direct management, proved failures. One of his earlier ven- tures was the founding of the New York Daily Tran- script, a newspaper that eventually became, under other management, the official paper of that city. He was born in Lunnenburg, Essex Co., Vt., May 28, 1832, and is a lineal descendant of Mrs. Dustan, of whose capture by the Indians and her escape in a birch canoe, after she had slain her captors, all readers of pioneer history are well informed. At the age of sixteen years Mr. Goodall left home and essayed the battle of life alonc. His adventures and experiences since that time have been varied and extraordinary. His "ups and downs" as a sailor boy, and as a penniless wanderer in foreign lands, his mastery of the cotton manufacturing business, and of the arts of daguerreotyping and photography, his tour of Europe with Howe's Circus in the capacity of treasurer, his reportorial and editorial experiences, his services as a soldier in the war for the Union, his estab- lishing and publication of the first Union newspaper on recovered Rebel soil-all these can only be mentioned as forming an imperfect index of the experiences, trials and triumphs which seem to have marked every step of his life. He is now, however, comfortably and per- manently settled, and enjoys to a marked degree the

confidence and esteem of the community in which he has fixed his home.

The Lake Vindicator, a neat and well edited weekly paper, was started in January, 1883, by William Halley, who is still its editor and proprietor. At first its circu- lation was confined to the town of Lake, but now it has a growing subscription list in Hyde Park, Cicero, the Fifth Ward of Chicago, and the city itself as well. It aims to give the local news of all these localities, In national politics it is anti-monopoly democratic. Mr. Halley is a journalist of considerable experience, and of acknowledged ability ; he has conducted newspapers in Canada and in several States in this country. He is a practical printer, and has been, as he himself expressed it, everything from a printer's devil to managing editor of a daily paper.

The Daily Commercial was established in 1877, as the Union Stock Yards Circular, In 1882 it was pur- chased by C. A. Gould and Robert Harrold, the pres- ent proprietors, who changed its name and obtained for it a rating as second-class matter at the post-office, and placed it on the same footing as to postal privileges as any regular daily newspaper. The paper is published daily in the interest of the live-stock trade, and besides giving the daily market reports at the yards, sales, receipts and shipments of hogs, cattle and sheep, it pre- sents in brief form the grain, provision, wool, and other markets of interest to stock dealers and tradesmen generally. C. A. Gould, an old newspaper man, well known on the Pacific Coast and in the East, being formerly connected with the American Associated Press, is the editor and reporter, and by his excellent work has done much towards building up the liberal patronage which the paper now enjoys. The present circulation of the Commercial is fully fifty thousand copies per week ; and so reliable are its reports of the condition of the market, that the commission dealers send out hundreds of copies of each day's issue, in order to keep their customers fully advised as to the state of trade at the Yards.

The Courier .- This paper, which is a new enterprise in the town of Lake, was started on the 6th of Novem- ber, 1883, by the Courier Publishing Company, com- posed of the following gentlemen: A. Schneider, president; Vasco D. Brown, superintendent, and Paul Mockenhaupt, secretary. The Courier, notwithstanding the number and character of its competitors already in the field, has met with flattering success from the first; so marked indeed that the proprietors have already de- cided to issue it in tri-weekly editions. It is clean, bright and newsy, and though especially devoted to the local interests of the towns of Lake and Hyde Park. is so far as politics are concerned an independent sheet.

FIRE DEPARTMENT .- The paid Fire Department of the town of Lake was organized January 1, 1882; pre- vious to that time, there was only a small volunteer force. The officers of the department since its organi- zation are given as follows: Fire Commissioner, Frank Becker, January, 1882, to June, 1883, and Jobn Wall from 1883 to present time. Fire Marshal, M. J. Tobin, January, 1882, to February, 1882; Norman N. Holt, February. 1882, to May, 1883; M. J. Tobin, May, 1883, to September, 1883; F. J. Sweenic, September, 1883, to present time. The officers at the different stations now, are as follows: Hook and Ladder and Hose Com- pany No. 1, with four men, Joseph Forrest, lieutenant commanding. At this station, which is located at the corner of Wallace and Forty-third Streets, Marshal Sweenie makes his headquarters. Hose Company No. 2, at Root and Butterfield streets, with three men, Charles

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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

Coherney lieutenant in command. Hook and Ladder and Hose Company No. 3. at Fifty-first and Atlantic Streets, with three men; John Becker lieutenant in command. Hook and Ladder and Hose Company No. 4. at Sixty-third Street and Wentworth Avenue, with three men; George Byrne lieutenant in command. Steam Engine Company No. 5, with eight men; M. Me- C'abe, captain: Jacob Strauch, lieutenant, and Thaddeus Healy, engineer; station at Forty-fifth Street and Centre Avenue. A summary of the alkwe gives the de- partment a total strength of twenty-three men, including officers; fifteen horses are employed, and in case it should he needed the department has over four thousand feet of hosc, all in excellent condition. In addition to and as an auxiliary force to be relied upon when occa- sion demands, is the Stock Vards engine, the private property of the Stock Yards company. This engine company, which is composed of four men, in addition to looking after and protecting property in the Stock Yards, also responds, on the second alarm being given, to calls for their services in that portion of the town in the immediate vicinity of the Yards, From the above it is readily seen that Lake has, perhaps, as cffective and well organized a fire department as any of the sub- urban towns about Chicago. Another steam fire engine was also ordered from an eastern manufactory, which was delivered and added to the department in January of the present year. It is officered and manned as fol- lows: David Noonan, captain; Thomas Cummings, lieutenant; Patrick Crowley, engineer; Joseph Fretzen- schof, assistant engineer; Charles Otis and Charles Pen- nington, pipemen; Thomas Roberts, cart driver, and Jolin O'Leary, engine-driver.

SCHOOLS .- The entire district of the town of Lake is well supplied with school-houses, modern in their construction and well appointed in all their arrange- ments for the comfort and convenience of both teachers and pupils, But as the growth of the town, from what may be said to be its inception, dates back less than twenty-five years, so have its schools, its churches, in fact all its institutions sprung into existence and reached their present development within the same period. The public school system of the town has from the begin- ning, however, been in the hands of men deeply inter- ested in the cause of education, and who, realizing the importance of a wide diffusion of knowledge among the people, have builded schools, and thus provided for the ever increasing need of the times for a thorough and efficient system of popular instruction.

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 174

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