History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 186

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

USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time > Part 186

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JOSEPH WINTERS was born in Germany in 1836, where he was during his youth employed in mercantile pursuits. In 1856 he came to St. Louis, Mo., where he worked in a stove foundry. In 1862 he came to Chicago, since which time he has been em- ployed in the packing business. He occupied the position of foreman in several houses. Mr. Winters entered the employ of the Anglo-American Packing & Provision Company, in March, 1877, and was in the fall of 1879 placed in charge of the dry salt curing department, Ile has charge of all the cellars, which com. prise eight departments, and has from one hundred to one hundred and fifty men employed. All English meats cured in this house are done under his supervision. He is a very competent man, having had twenty years' experience.

WOLF & I'FAELZER, wholesale and retail hutchers. Ber. nard Wolf of this firm was born in Germany in 1841, and there learned and was employed at the trade of hutcher. He came to Chicago in 1865. and for some years carried on a large trade as a wholesale dealer in mutton. In 1871 he opened a retail meat market in the city in company with Sol. Green Five years later he sold out to his partner and engaged in the wholesale trade. He moved to the Union Stock Yards in May, 1879, and was at that time joined by Louis Pfaelzer, who came to Chicago in 1865, and is an experienced butcher. They are the largest dealers in this special business in this locality. They give employment to about fifteen men.

ENEAS A. WOOD, of Wood Brothers, live-stock commission merchants, was born February 4. 1843. in Oxford County, Ont., at which place he learned his trade, that of a carpenter. He came to Chicago November 11. 1863, and was employed in the old P. & Ft. W. Stock Yards, shipping and caring for stock, for eighteen months ; then worked for W. M. Tilden, as buyer, for some eight. een months. About the fall of 1866, he went to Omaha, working as a carpenter for the U. P. R. R. and others for two years. The

commission house of Wood Brothers was formed In the spring of 1867. composed of John II. and S. E. Wood. In July. 1865, E. A. became associated with his brother James in managing a ranch of 2,900 acres of land in Atchison County, Mo., until they sold out and came to the town of Lake, in May. 1873. They then formed the partnership of Wood Brothers, which is now composed of Samuel E., James and E. A. Ile has resided here since. He wss elected a member of School District No. 2, in April, 1879, serving a three-years term. For the past two years he has been president of the Citizens' League of the town of Lake. He is an active sup- porter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, superintended the building of the present edifice, and has been trustee of the society since its organization.

FOUNTAIN W. YOUNG, assistant chief engineer of Armour & Co., was born in Down County. Ohio, March 27, 1832, and when about nine years of age moved to Cincinnati, where he was employed in packing houses. In 1847 he began to learn his trade. that of engineer, in Ilarkness, Niles & Co's locomotive works, and remained with them three years, after which he followed this occu. pation during the summer months on various steamboats, In 1858 he came to Chicago, and during the winter months was employed as engineer in packing houses. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted, and was appointed first assistant engineer on the United States gunbont "Cherokee ; " eleven months later was transferred to the United States ram " Chocklaw," and promoted lo chief engineer, and six- teen months later was made chief engineer of the United States dispatch boat "J. N. Kellogg." serving until in 1865. He then returned to Chicago and entered the employ of what is now the Chicago Packing & Provision Company as chief engineer, remain. ing in their employ until 1880. when he went with the Allerton Packing Company, and in February, 1883, entered the employ of Armour & Co., In his present capacity. Mr. Young has resided in the town of Lake since 1866, In 1878 he was nominated as Supervisor, but was defeated by a small majority, and in 188t he received the nomination of Collector. He is connected with the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of Chicago Commandery, K. T

ENGLEWOOD.

Previous to 1867 Englewood was known only as the home of a few settlers and railroad laborers. Since that time it has grown rapidly, and is to-day a most charm- ing residence vicinity. The name Englewood is derived, doubtless, from the home of the ancient outlaws, Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough ; and William, of Cloudsley. These noted characters before the days of Robin Hood and his merry men, made their home in the forests of Englewood, near Carlisle. Many centuries later the name was given to an early settlement in New Jersey, and in 1868 was suggested by H. B. Lewis as a fitting pseudonym for that part of the town of Lake which now bears its name. At that time the locality was literally a forest of luxuriant oak trees. When the settlers came here, the oaks were wantonly cut down, and the maples and elmis which to-day shade the streets and avenues of Englewood, have been planted in recent years to take the place of those which were originally placed here by the hand of nature.

The first settlers at Junction Grove, as Englewood was then known, prior to 1867, included the Wilcoxs, Nichols, Gerbers and Grossmans, the precise date of whose settlement is not known. William Wilcox died here in 1844. Daniel Burckey, whose name appears among the early officers of the town of Lake, settled on ten acres of land, near State, and what is now Sixty- third street, in 1863. John Hastings lived in the orig- inal Nichols house for some time, after 1858 Joseph Nash and family settled near State and Sixty-third street as early as 1857, and Patrick S. Fagan settled just north of Burckey's in 1865. Among other early residents were Milton S. Patrick, who lived at Sixty-third Street and Indiana Avenue: Patrick Donegan, at Done- gan's Station, now the Fifty-ninth Street Station on the Pennsylvania Railroad ; Nathaniel S. Clark, who was the second agent of the Michigan South- ern Railroad Company, settled here in 1856, and

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died ten years later ; was interred at Oakwood. Sam- those south of Sixty-seventh Street, which will be found mentioned in the sketch of Normalville. uel S. Crocker, Luther Crocker, W. S. Proudfoot and John D. Wright, settled here at an early day. K. W. H. Brooks erected the first house on Wabash Avenue south of Sixty-third Street in 1867. The sec- ond was built on the east side of the avenue for R. H. Lewis in 1868. The first house on Michigan Avenue within the limits of Englewood was built for Captain Hawks in 1869. John 1). Wright lived in the Nash house, corner of State and Sixty-third streets; this prop- erty was purchased by A. G. Warner in 1867. The recognized title to this and other property in Engle- wood was disputed by a claimant named Beech; the matter was put in litigation, but was finally compro- mised by the residents paying to Beech his claim of fifty cents per front foot before the court had given a decision on the real merits of the case. W. Jarrett, the first school teacher in the vicinity, was appointed in 1863, and settled here permanently at that time. The Grossman family located on State Street, near what is now Fifty-fifth. Michael Reich resided on Fifty-ninth Street, west of Wentworth Avenue. I. L. Gerber, who was at Halsted and Sixty-second Street, died in 1873, and was interred in Graceland Cemetery. Of these carly settlers ten are deceased, viz. : tra J. Nichols. Daniel Burckey, John Hastings, Nathaniel S. Clark, J. Darling, Milton S. Patrick, Carl Duun, J. I .. Gerber, John 1). Wright and Benjamin Ring. William Wilcox, an early settler at Washington Heights, died at Englewood in 1844. Nearly two years later N. S. Clark (lied. This list does not, however, include all the deaths The first post-office at Englewood was kept in the dammy house of the Chicago & Fort Wayne Railroad Conpany. Carf Dunn, the first conductor of the dummy which mark this period of Englewood's history. There were others, natural and violent, of which no record has been kept. "During the cholera epidemic, which raged . train, was the Postmaster and letter carrier. On the in the years 1854-55, two men, temporary residents in this locality, died, victims to the dread disease.

During the year 1867 many new settlers came in, among the number were A. G. Warner, W. H. Brooks, H. B. Lewis, H. L, Kent, A. B. Condit, N. T. Wright and John Rober ; of these W. H. Brooks is dead, and Wright and Rober have removed.

The first map of Englewood was issued in 1872. This shows the settlement extending from Fifty-fifth Street south to Seventy-first, and east from Halsted to South Park Avenue. The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, and the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne & Chicago railroads were represented with depots at Sixty-second and Sixty-third streets, also at Normal Park Way, the principal settle- ment between these two streets, east of State Street.

What is now named Perry Avenue was then called Clark Street. The Catholic church stood on the site of the present building at Fifty-fifth Street and Wentworth Avenue ; while the Protestant meeting house stood on the southeast corner of Yale and Sixty-second streets.

The location of the original buildings in the district of Englewood, as shown by the map of 1872, were as follows: On the Boulevard were the parsonage of the Catholic Church, corner Wentworth Avenue, and Cot- ton's residence, corner of State Street; Burckey's at State and Fifty-sixth streets; the Brooker green-houses, just south of his residence; John Rober's, on the line of Fifty-eighth Street, west of State; Mr. Hastings, at the corner of Gunn and School streets; William Proudfoot, at the corner of Wallace and Sixty-first streets; Patrick S. Fagan, on State south of Sixtieth Street; Daniel Burckey, on State at what is now Sixty-first Street; Tib- bitsand Sawyer's houses, at School and Chestnut streets; J. L. Gerber's, at Barney and Halsted. Ring's Hotel stood at State and Sixty-first; H. B. Lewis, A. G. War- ner, W. H. Brooks and M. S. Patrick had their resi- dences east of State and north of Sixty-third Street. The market was on the corner of what is now Went- worth Avenue and Sixty-third Street, and the school- house stood on the line of Sixty-third and west of Schoof Street. A number of small houses also stood on the west side of Yale and Harvard streets, between Sixty-third and Sixty-fifth streets, while south of the junction depot was a cluster of squatter's shanties. Dr. Dale's house was located on the corner of Mack and Sixty-fourth streets, while Mrs. Barnum's residence, at Wentworth Avenue and Sixty-fifth Street, was the most southerly dwelling at Englewood at that time, except

occasion of Mr. Dann being promoted by the company to the conductorship of a through train, he resigned his position as Postmaster, and was succeeded in that capacity by N. S. Clark, Mr. Clark dying in 1866, his wife took charge of the office and conducted it until in April, 1872, when W. N. Smith, the present incumbent, was commissioned.

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana, now the Lake Shore road, was laid through Englewood February 20, 1852, and was opened through to the city May 22 of the same year. This was soon followed by the Chicago & Rock Island, the Chicago, Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne, and then in turn by the Wabash & St. Louis, the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago, the Chi- cago & Atlantic, and the Nickel Plate. Thus eight im- portant lines of railroad connect not only Englewood but many other suburban towns as well, with the city, and have been the means of contributing very materially to their growth and prosperity.

The newspaper press is represented at Englewood by the Eye, a well edited, newsy journal. This paper was founded March 1, 1878, by F. E. Tousley and J. C. Denison. W. H. Tousley was admitted as a partner in 1880, and under this trio of experienced men this jour- nal has attained a very high place. among the weekly publications of the State. The actual circulation aver- ages 2,900.

The Dickens Review, a monthly paper published by F. D. Blish, and a campaign sheet published for a short time in 1880, complete the list of papers issued at En- glewood.

CHURCHES .- As early as 1859 an attempt was made by Ira J. Nichols, aided by many of the Protestant Church members who had at that date settled in Engle- wood, to form a religious society, but for some reasons their efforts were not successful. In the following year, however, the old brick school-house was placed at the disposal of religious societies for Sabbath meetings, which won for it the name " Cradle of the Churches." The services held in the school-house were of a union character, and the ministers who preached from time to time were of divers faiths and creeds. An old settler speaking of those times says that the audience was in- sured a complete mixture of doctrines, and were not in- frequently treated to the religious drollery of the Evans- ton students, who came here to practice pulpit oratory.

The First Presbyterian Mission society was founded in 1860 by Rev. James Bassett. This was merged into the Presbyterian society of 1869, with Mr. Bassett, who

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is now a missionary in Turkey in Asia, as pastor. A

Sunday-school was organized in 1865 by Mr. Darling; two years later, having rapidly increased, it was re-or- ganized, and Ira J. Nichols was chosen superintendent, and A. G. Warner, secretary. Rev. Walter Forsythe, the present pastor of the Church, succeeded Mr. Bassett in 1872. Under Mr. Forsythe's pastorship the Church has prospered finely, membership largely increased, the Sunday-school carried forward with a constantly aug- menting interest and attendance, and from a feeble be- ginning the Church and school are to-day strong and vigorous organizations. Mr. A. G. Warner, who has been the secretary of the Sunday-school of this Church almost from the beginning of its organization, has in his report for 1878 given an interesting historical sketch of the first Sunday-Schools of Englewood, tracing through them all the events which finally led to the in- dependent organization of the school of the First Pres- byterian Church. From this report the following is taken:

"What we term the old brick school-house, was built in 1859. and opened in Jannary, 1860. In the spring of 1860, Mrs. Kimball, Miss McCohb, Mrs. Darling, Mr. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. McCullough, Mrs. J. J. Nichols and some others, formed the first Sabbath-school in the said brick school-house, called Junction Sabbath-school, that being the name of this settlement. The school was under Presbyterian auspices. The ladies managed it for a time, when the Rev. James Bassett came and or- ganized a Presbyterian Church, Mr. Mccullough was elected superintendent of the school. There were so few inhabitants in the vicinity that the Church could not be sustained, and the organization was allowed to die out. The Sabbath-school was kept up in a feeble way by different workers, among them Mrs. Darling and Miss McCobb, of the Presbyterian denomination ; Mr. T. S. Crocker, of the Methodist ; Mrs. Hastings and Mis. Nichols, of the Baptist, until 1867. Mrs. Darling was the principal power during this time, Mrs. Nichols moving to the city and residing there four or five years. In 1867 several families moved into the village. Mr. Condit, A. G. Warner and P. B. Warner, who all feit an interest in Sunday-school work, all joined heartily to aid the school, which was managed by Mrs. Darling and Mrs. Nichols, the latter who had again returned to the village, From that time on for several years, the school and all worked in harmony, it being for a time the only religious institution in the village. Mrs. 1. J. Nichols was elected superintendent in the fall of 1867, and A. G. Warner secretary and treasurer, March 29. 1868, on which date the first record of attendance is made, and the first enrollment of scholars is recorded. In 1869 Rev. James Bassett returned from Wisconsin, and with the help of the new population organized the present Church, The buikling was erected that fall and winter, and dedicated on May 8, 1870. The trustees of the Church society invited the Sunday-school to re- move from the school-house and hold their sessions in the church. The invitation was consulered for two weeks, and accepted May 29th. At this time all denom- inations were represented in the school. The names of about fifteen Catholic children were on the roll. About this time the Catholic Sunday school was established, and the Catholic children withdrawn from our school. August 14, 1870, the first constitution of the school was adopted, under the name of the Englewood Union Sun- day-school. P. B. Warner was elected superintendent January, 1871. In 1872 the Baptist Sunday-school was organized. In the fall of 1873 the Methodist ; Novem- ber 15, 1874, the Universalist ; July. 1875, the Episco-

palian ; in the fall of 1875, the Swedish Lutheran ; in the spring of 1876, the German Evangelical ; early in 1876, the Unitarian ; and in the summer of 1878, the Congregational. These nine denominations in the formning of their several schools, have all drawn more or less scholars and teachers from our school. Yet not- withstanding this continuous drain our school has kept moving forward and upward, each year showing an increase, with two exceptions. Now eight Sunday- schools besides our own are working with success in the village. In 1872-73 the Sunday-school at Brooklyn was mainly sustained by our members. Ten or twelve of our number organized a Sunday-school at South Lynn, and we helped to sustain it until they felt able to assume the work themselves. In February, 1873, a mis- . sion school at the Car Shops was organized, and mainly sustained hy our members. In 1874 the South Engle- wood Sunday-school was assisted by our members. In 1871 Rev. Mr. Bassett, the pastor, decided to go to Per- sia, and devote his life to mission work. The school wishing to become identified in foreign mission work, voted July 2 of that year to appropriate the collections each alternate Sabbath for one year, or until $50 was raised, for the Persian mission, to be sent to Mr. Bassett, and expended by him in behalf of the schools and mis- sion work. The first collection was July 9, amounting to $1.95. Theresult of the year's collection was $69.00, which was duly forwarded to Mr. Bassett, and he selected a bright native youth, named him Englewood (Aspar: and commenced his education. The school then voted to appropriate annually São from our class collections for this Persian mission work, which has been kept up to the present time, making $394 that has been duly forwarded for the purposes named to January 1, 1883. December 28, 1873, after the Baptist and Methodist Sunday-schools had been organized, our constitution was revised, and the name of school changed from the Union School to the First Presbyterian Sunday-school."

"The erection of the church edifice was begun in June. 1868, was completed and dedicated in May of the following year, and in September, 1883, was enlarged to its present handsome proportions, thus making it one of the most imposing buildings of its kind in Englewood. Among its leading members are D). T. Hubbard, Andrew Drysdale, Captain Parker, B. K. Verbryck, Alexander Graham, James Woodruff, George B. Stillman, George Muirhead and W. Dunn. A. G. Warner and A. B. Condit are the two members now living who were here at the organization of the Church.

Methodist .- In November, 1873, Rev. James Hill, of the Northwest Indiana Conference, began preaching in the hall of the Englewood Hotel, Tillotson's Block, and in the latter part of that month organized the First Methodist Church of Englewood, with twenty-five com- municants. Among the first members of the organiza- tion were Mr. and Mrs. D. N. Hastings, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Morris, Mr. and Mrs. B. Newman, Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Worth, R. E. Brownell, Mrs. C. S. Brownell, J. W. Eastman and wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Calkins.

In February, 1874, Rev. A. Gurney, local preacher for the Methodist Church at Valpariso, Ind., was em- ployed, and being received into the Rock River Con- ference at its next session, was appointed pastor at Englewood, where he remained for two years. It was during his pastorship that the present church edifice, situated on Stewart Avenue and Sixty-fourth Street, was erected ; it is a neat and handsome structure, and cost originally $6,500.

In 1876 Rev. J. Borbige succeeded Mr. Gurney, and remained one year. In 1877 came Rev. F. M. Bristol,

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serving two years, being succeeded in 1879 hy Rev. Rob. ert Proctor, and he in 1880 by Rev. F. A. Hardin, who was pastor for three years. In 1883 Rev. N. H. Axtell was appointed, and is the present pastor.

In November, 1873, the Sunday-school was organ- ized, with J. W. Calkins as the first superintendent. The church was dedicated in the fall of 1875, by Dr. C. H. Fowler ; until it was completed meetings were held in Tillotson's Hall, and in the old brick school-house.

The society is to-day in a growing and prosperous condition, and ranks deservedly among the leading relig- ious organizations of Englewood; and like its sister churches wields a powerful influence for the advance- ment of the social as well as the moral interest of society.

Baptist .- The first step taken towaril the organiza- tion of a Baptist Church in Englewood was at a meeting held at the residence of Ira J. Nichols, who, with his wife, had been for years engaged in maintaining a Sun- day-school in the place. This meeting was held Jan- uary 31, 1872, at which a resolution was adopted ex- pressive of the wish of those present to associate them. selves together in Church capacity, ten of those present declaring their willingness to form such a Church. At a subsequent meeting, held at the residence of Brother E. K. Lewis, February 8, 1872, articles of faith and a covenant were unanimously adopted and subscribed to by the following persons : Rev. C. Garrison, I. J. Nich- ols, Melville Stephens, Florence J. Young, Bruce P. Ephlin, E. R. Lewis and Ann Eliza Hall. A Sunday- school was organized February 29, 1872, at the okdl brick school-house, of which Brother E. R. Lewis was chosen superintendent, and Bruce P. Ephlin, assistant.

During the next few months several members were added to the Church, among whom is found the name of senior deacon Norman Barney. Rev. C. Garrison, who had led in the initiatory work of the new organiza- tion, left them, and for awhile the progress of the new interest was not very encouraging.

In July, 1872, several new members came to them, among whom were Rev. F. G. Thearle and wife, Gor- ham Baker and wife.

On December 18, 1872, the Ladies' Aid Society, which has been such an important factor in the success of this Church, was organized by the election of Mrs. Nichols as president, Mrs. C. A. Baker, vice-presi- dent, and Mrs. E. R. Lewis as secretary and treasurer. On January 3, 1873, a covenant and church meeting was held at the residence of Ira J. Nichols, at which several were received to the membership of the Church, and on the Sabbath following the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was observed hy the Church for the first time, Rev. F. G. Thearle officiating. At the close of the first year of the history of the Church we find them with a membership of twenty, and exhibiting a hopeful and earnest spirit, with one or more converts awaiting baptism, and the village districted and in charge of visiting committees.

At a meeting held February 9, 1873. Rev. Edward Ellis was called as the first pastor of the Church, and on February 28 the ordinance of haptism was adminis- tered. On April 13, 1873, the Church was recognized by a council called for that purpose, and on April 17 the brethren met for the purpose of taking steps toward the erection of a house of worship. A lot had been be- queathed hy Mrs. Hastings, which was deeded to the new Church by her heirs, and during the succeeding summer the present church edifice on Englewood Av- enue was built, and dedicated September 21, 1873. The total cost of the building was $7,000. 'T'he close of the

second year showed a pastor settled, and a total mem- hership of seventy-three. The Church had contributed for church expenses $967.28, had raised $5.664.76 for church huilding, and the Ladies' society had paid toward the same object 81,097. During the spring of 1874 twenty-three members were added to the Church, and in October following Mr. Ellis resigned his position as pastor. The next minister was Rev. John Donnelly, of Omaha, who accepted a call extended, and began his labors in this parish in December, 1874, and contin- ued its pastor until January 5, 1877. Rev. C H. Kim- ball came next and served from June, 1877, to October, 1878, when he was succeedled by Rev. C. B. Roberts, who hegan his labors in July of the following year, and . remained until in March, 1882. During his pastorate the Church grew and prospered finely; 81,500 was paid on the Church debt, the Sunday-school increased in interest and attendance, and on every hand were to be seen the most gratifying evidences of the steady ad- vancement of both Church and school. The present pastor, Rev. W. P. Elsdon, entered upon his labors in response to a call from the Church, October 1, 1882. The congregation began now to increase so rapidly that by the following July it became necessary to enlarge the church edifice. This was accordingly done ; the building was raised, the basement room finished, and the entire structure extended nineteen feet in length ; the total cost of the improvements thus made being $3,000. Even with the enlarged capacity of the build- ing, the Church has now a membership fully taxing the accommodations afforded ; while the Sunday-school has also grown until it can show a regular attendance of over three hundred. J. Badenoch is the superintendent and Stephen Maynard secretary and treasurer. The Church officers are as follows : Deacons, Norman Bar- ney, B. Busbee, Bruce P. Ephlin, J. M. Edson, Albert Kulssell and F. C. Shays. Trustces, C. H. Knights, Jeptha C. Denison, Ishi Smith, Jay Barnard, Joseph Badenoch, Jr., I .. M. Wolcott, clerk, and Harrison W. Fitch, treasurer.

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 186

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