History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 222

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

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THOMAS PRESTON, SR., was born in Sutton. England, in 1822, and immigrated to Chicago in June, 1849. In the follow- ing October he went to St. Louis, Mo., where he was engaged in The butcher business, Returning to Chicago in the spring of 1851. he was employed in various capacities, and in (S544 moved out to what is now the town of Lake, and carried on a meat market up to t860, when he moved to his present residence in the town of Cicero. lle has sixty acres of land, and has for the past twenty-four years been mainly engaged in agricultural pursuits. While residing in the town of Lake he held the office of Constable for several years, and was director of the school here for six years, Mr. I'reston married in England in 1842, Mary Ann Meads, and they have had seven children-twu sons, Thomas and William, and five daugh- lets, three of whom are living. Saralı, the eldest, now Mrs J. 1. llohman, of Austin ; Jennic. now Mrs, Thomas M. Baldrey, of Central Park ; and Eveline. the youngest, living at home with her parents. William is engaged In draying and teaming at this place. Thomas Preston, Jr., was born in Chicago September 19. 1852, and reared on his father's farm. In 1874 he entered the employ of the Adams Express Company as a clerk, and remained with them up to 1880. In October, 1880. he opened a meat market. and is the old- est dealer in this line in Central Park. Mr. I'reston is a member of the A. O. U. W., Central Park Lodge, No. 234, and holds the office of foreman in that body. He married in Chicago, March 11, IS;6, Miss Ida E. Tanner, which union has been blessed with two children, Herbert D), and Elmer D.

HENRY E. REBMANN, merchant, was born In Bavaria, Germany. in March, 1857, and when he was about eighteen months of age his parents immigrated to Erie County, N. V. In 1867 lie came to Chicago, and subsequently iearned the trade of tinner and sheet iron worker, which occupation he has followed for the past twelve years. Mr. Rebmann came to Central Park in September, 1881. He had been employed in the shops of the Chicago & North-Western Railway Company since January. On becom- ing a resident of C'entral Park he succeeded E. J. Cain, deceased, in his hardware store, and has now quite a nice business, Mr. Reb- mann is a menthier of Central l'ark Lodge A. O. U. W.

THOMAS J. ROGERS was born in Cleveland, Ohio, August 1, 1846, and moved with his parents at the age of twelve years to Waterloo, Dekalb Co., Ind., where he learned the trade of engi- neer and was employed in running stationary engines, In 1863, al Toledo, Ohio, he became connected with the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Railway Company, and was employed as a fireman on a locomotive engine. In May. 1866. he came to Chi- cago, and for the first three years was employed in the same ca- pacity on the Chicago & North-Western Railway, and since that period has been engaged as a locomotive engineer. Mr. Rogers has been an engineer on the Omaha night express for the past two years, Ile moved to Central Park in the spring of 1874, and in connection with other pursuits he opened in June, 1883. the Cen- tral l'ark Jlotel, in which he is doing a large business, Mr. Rogers is a member of the A. O. U. W., Central Park Lodge, No. 234. and the Locomotive Brotherhood of Engineers, I.odge No. 76.

JOHN C RUGEN. merchant, was born in Germany in 1851. Eighteen months later his father, Ilerman Rugen, immigrated to Cook County, Ill., and located in the town of Northfield, where he opened up a farm, and subsequently also engaged in mercantile business, The subject of this sketch assisted his father on the farm and in the store, and was for about two years a partner in the business, the firm being 11. Rugen & Son, In 1878 he came to Chicago, and for nearly a year was employed in a South Water. street commission house, after which he engaged in the grocery business. In November, 1851, he purchased the grocery stock of L. M. Hentz, at Central Park, and three weeks later moved here the contents of his Chicago ware. Mr. Rugen is carrying on bu-i- ness at the oldest grocery stanul in this place, aml has a large trade,

WALLACE M. TUTTLE was born at Wolcott, Conu., in February, 1833. Three years later his father. Kullin Tuttie, came to Chicago, arriving in the spring of t83b; the family teamed through to Bristol, Kenosha Co., Wis. Mr. Tuitle opened a farm, anıl the subject of this sketch assisted him In cultivating the same until seventeen years of age, when he returned Fast to Seymour,

Conn., and learned the trade of machinist in the ear shops at that place. Ile finally located in Chicago in 1863, and at that time became employeil in the locomotive shops of the Chicago & North- Wewern Railway Company as machinist. Some thirteen years ago he was made foreman of the tool and machinery departmem af same, which position he still holds. Ilis son, Edwin K. Tunle. has been in the employ of the company for twelve years and is now locomotive engineer. Ilix brother, William F. Tuttle, engineer at these shops, was the first white person born at Bristol, Kenosha Co., Wis, The father died in May, 1883, after a long and useful career ; their mother is still living, aged sixty-nine years.

JAMES M. WILSON was born in Chicago June 29. t547, and at the age of about sixteen years he entered the employ of the Chicago & North-Western Railroad Company to learn the trade of machinist, which occupation he has followed since. In 1875 MIr. Wilson was appointed foreman of the locomotive building and repairing department in the company's shops, in which some three hundred men are employed, and as high as fifty engines built annu- ally, besides a large number repaired Mr. Wilson is a thorough mechanic and a practical manager. His father, William Wilson, was one of Chicago's earliest settlers.

AUREL M. YOUNG, dealer in furniture, stoves, etc., was born in Germany in 1840. After leaving school he followed a sea. faring life for sixteen years. In 1870 he located at Milwaukee. Wis, where he was employed in various capacities, and in August, 1871, came to Chicago and worked as an upholsterer. Shortly after the fire of October, 1871, he embarked in business as a manufact. urer of mattresses, which he still carries on. About 1879 hc engaged in the furniture trade, and is now doing a large business in both lines. In the fall of t883 he opened a branch store al Central Park, which has proveil successful. Mr. Voung is com- pleting a very large building at this place, and intends in the spring of 1884 to move his entire manufacturing and furniture business ta Central Park. Ile is a charter member of the A. O U. W., Ori- ental Indge,.No. 97, and a member of the Grand Lodge of A. O. U. W .. of Illinois, also of the S. K, of the A. O. U. W., St. Al- ban's Legion, No. 16.

BRIGHTON PARK.

The village of Brighton Park lies in the triangle south of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which through the influence of John McCaffery was not annexed lo the city of Chicago in 186g, when the rest of the two- mile strip from the east part of the town of Cicero was thus annexed. This triangle is two miles long on its southern boundary, Thirty-ninth Strect, and contains six hundred and six acres The original town of Brighton was bounded on the north by Thirty-fifth Street; on the east by Western Avenue; south by Wright Strect, and on the west by Blanchard Avenue. This was laid out in 1840, Previous to this, however, the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 36 was laid out. This eighty acres was taken up as Government land hy Henry Seymour, father of Hon. Horatio Seymour of New York, in 1835, who held " receipt No. 2,326, dated June 26, 1835, for 8232, in full payment for the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 36, Township 39, Range 13." The patent was issued October t, 1839, and recorded February 14, 1857. This part of the section when platted was divided first into four equal portions by three lines running east and west at equal distances from each other. The north twenty acres were then divided into three blocks, numbered I, 2, 3, commencing at the east, owned respectively at the time of the subdivision by Josephine F. Paul, Elmira A. Smith and Sarah A. Thompson. The second fourth of this tract was not subdivided, was numbered Block 4. and was owned by Usher Parsons. It lies immediately north of the Chicago & Alton Railroad. Block 5. lying immediately south of this railroad, containedl twenty acres, and was owned by Alfred S. Huntington, ail the south fourth of this half of the quarter section was divided similarly to the north fourth into three equal blocks, numbered respectively 6. 7 and S, commencing at the west. Block 6 was owned by Stephen B. Estin,

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HISTORY OF CICERO.

Block 7 by Cornelius Estin, and Block 8 by Harvey F. Payton. The petition for the partition of this eighty acres was filed March 22, 1866. Usher Parsons sold to William R. Smith his block of this subdivision Septem- ber 17, 1868, but Mr. Smith died before his deed could be obtained, but not before giving Adam Smith power of attorney to sell his interest. Under this power of attor- ney Adam Smith sold William R. Smith's interest to Pierson D. Smith, Pierson D. Smith's subdivision was acknowledged April 22, 1871. It was bounded on the north by Boardman Avenue, on the east by Kinkade Street (now California Avenue), on the south by Wright Street, and on the west by Adam Smith's subdivision. The present village of Brighton Park is, however, now mainly on the southeast quarter of Sec- tion 36, instead of on the southwest quarter. John McCaffery is called the father of the place. John Me- Caffery, General Richard K. Swift, John Evans, William S. Johnson, a Mr. McCollister, of Philadelphia, and Nicholas Egglehart, were the incorporators of the place in 1851. This company built the Blue Island plank- road and bought nearly all the land adjoining for ten or twelve miles south, built the Brighton House, and sub- divided the southeast quarter of the section. Some time afterward Mr. McCaffery bought out the interests of all the other members of the company, except those of Mr. Egglehart-who held on in an undefinable man- ner-and thus the company became dead. The town then commenced to grow. John McCaffery and others began to build, N. Croworth and a Mr. Kelly built a fine house, as did also the DuPont Powder Company of Delaware. S. N. Wilson built a house. Adam Smith in September, 1871, had a re-survey made of his sub- division, at which time the section lines were established, and Adam Smith's lots put on the market by Joseph Donnersberger, his agent. Quite a number of lots were sold and houses built thercon. Thus the village of Brighton was fairly begun, the name of the town being derived from an old race-course inside the city limits and south of Archer Avenue. In building his house in 1871, Mr. Donnersberger made an excellent improve- ment. In the fall of 1871 the Brighton Cotton Mill was finished, and in 1873 the Brighton Silver Smelting and Refining Works began operations under the man- agement of Adam Smith, who employed from seventy to one hundred and thirty men, all living in Brighton, and at that time with their families composing most of the in- habitants of the town. The village kept improving all the time, J. C. Thayer and John Leggate finished their houses in the spring of 1872, and Mrs. Honkomp her's in the fall. Jacob Singer, of Chicago, built a large dis- tillery by the canal, but never ran it himself. It was leased to a Mr. Cochran from Ohio, and by him ran about eighteen months, when the whole property was confiscated by the Government, since which time the clistillery has remained closed. The post-office was started in 1873, and at first called Factoryville, but as there was already another post-office in the State by that name, the name of this post-office was changed to Brighton Park. The first and only Postmaster was and is Mathew Larney. The first store was started by John McCaffery at the corner of Archer and Western avenues. He ran it himself for some years, when he rented it to the Larney Bros., who now con- tinue to run it as a store and a saloon. The next store was started in 1874 by lars Peterson. Shortly afterward he moved it from its location on Smith Street near Pierson to the corner of McCaffery Avenue and Pierson streets. Here he kept it three years when he sold it to a Mr. Buckley, who moved it to

Halsted Street. This was a grocery. At the present time there are seven groceries in the village and five saloons. The first dry goods store was started here in 1883 by Mr. McCormick, and a second in the same year by John Noonan. In 1875 the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company established their round-house and repair shops at this place, the round-house hav- ing twenty-two stalls.

The Brighton Cotton Mill was commenced in 1871 and completed in 1872. The company engaged in the enterprise was composed of Adam Smith, Frank Cosset, Ray & Coates, and John McCaffery. The main build- ing is a five-story brick, 150x60 feet in size, a dye and dry house, 60x40 feet, and an engine house 40x40, are attached to the main building, as are also four ware- houses. The entire cost of the buildings was about $200,000. In 1876 the original company sold out to Ray & Coates, who in about one year sold out, and it fell into the hands of Mr. McCaffery. Mr. McCaffery took into company with him John j. Mitchell, Jr., William H. Mitchell, W. S. Parker and John A. Hinner, who now constitute the Brighton Cotton Mill Company and conduct the business. John McCaffery is president of the company and John J. Mitchell, Jr., secretary and treasurer. As managed by this company the business is a splendid success. The various products of the mill are all kinds of carpet yarns, twines for weaving, sad- dlers' threads, etc. The value of the annual product of the mill is about $200,000.

The Northwestern Horse Nail Company was organ- ized in 'May, 1864. The first directors were A. W. Kingsland, George I .. Smalley, Charles J. Wyeth, N. Corwith and J. R. Jones. A. W. Kingsland-commenced the business of making horse nails in 1862. At that time he had only five machines in operation. In 1864 the present company was organized, the capital increased and the business enlarged. The new works at Brighton Park were soon afterward erected. The main building covers an area 254x350 feet. The engine room is 40x 80 feet, and contains *wo Corliss engines, aggregating 550 horse power. The boiler house is 50x60 feet, and contains six boilers. In the factory there are one hun- dred of Dodge's forging machines, and seventy- five finishing machines, and every other appliance neces- sary to the prosecution of the manufacture of horse nails is in their works. These works have a capac- ity of six tons of nails per day, equivalent to one million and eighty thousand nails. About five acres of ground are inclosed in the center of the town. About two hun- dred hands are employed, the semi-monthly pay roll amounting to $5,000. The plant was originally located on West Van Buren Street, but the business developed so rapidly that the large structure at Brighton Park was soon a necessity. The present officers of this company are J. R. Jones, president : A. W. Kingsland, secretary and treasurer, and J. D. Kingsland, superintendent.

Religious .- The first Church organization effected in Brighton Park was a Union Church composed about equally of Methodists and Baptists, in 1871. This organization was continued until May 5, 1878, when the Baptists effected an organization of their own, During the time of the union a frame church edifice was erected, fifty-eight by thirty-eight feet in size, at a cost of $5,000. This building the society had to sell in order to pay off its debts. In 1879 the Church was re-organized in the school-house by the Revs. Dr. Wil- ling and Rev. George Boswell. They continued to use the school-house until the completion of their new church edifice in 1882. It stands at the corner of Thirty-eighth and Green streets, will seat three hundred

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HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

people, and cost about $2,000. The Rev. Mr. Boswell was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Longdon, Rev. Mr. McMil- lan, Rev. Mr. Thompson, Rev. Mr. Davidson, and the present pastor, Rev. George Hazzard. The member- ship of the Church is now about forty, and is in a flour- ishing condition, having been self-supporting since October, 1883.

Brighton Park Baptist Church was started May 5. 1848, with eleven members, by Rev. Henry Happell, who was the first pastor, a student at Morgan Park. Rev. Mr. Happell preached for the Church until the lutter part of 188t. The Church met at first for about six months in the old Methodist church building, then for about a year in the house of William Boxley, when they built the small frame building they now occupy, in the winter of 1879-80. It stands at the corner of Thirty-eighth Street and Blanchard Avenue, and cost about $700. At present this Church has no regular pas- tor, but depends on supplies from Morgan Park. In January, 1882, it disbanded and turned over its property to the American Baptist Society. It is now merely a mission with a congregation of about fifty. Rev. W. H. Stone is the present supply.

St. Agnes' Roman Catholic Church was established in 1878, by Father Egan, who remained from December 8 of that year to September 18, 1881. He was then succeeded by the present pastor, Father Michacl J. Ilorgan. When established this Church had a member- ship of about one hundred families, and at present has about three hundred families, or about fifteen hundred members, counting the children. The society owns ten lots worth about $500 per lot, upon which it has just erected a two-story brick building, fifty-three by one hun- (Ired and seven fect in size, at a cost of $21,000, for a parochial school. The school is under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, the superioress being Sister Euphrasia, This school opened on Monday February 4, 1884, with one hundred and thirty-eight scholars, and on the last day of the week it had one hundred and eighty-three scholars. The society intends to erect a church edifice as soon as practicable. The present value of its property is about $26,000.

Schools .- Brighton Park is in the remnant of School District No. 5-that part of it not taken into the city of Chicago in 1869. A school-house was built in 1866, a small frame structure. In 1877 the central part of the present school-house was erected, a two-story frame with four rooms, and in 188: an L was added with two rooms. In this latter year the school was graded. "The principal teachers of this school since 1868 have been Miss Fox from 1868 to 1870; Mr. Fellows, from 1870 to 1872; J. B. McGinty, from 1872 to 1879; Miss Anna M. Wilson, from 1879 to 1881, and Anthony Lenon from 1881 to the present time. Mr. Lenon's assistants are now Miss Anna M. Willson and Miss Sullivan.

BRIGHTON BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

DANIEL ACKERMAN, grower and shipper of cabbage and manufacturer of sauer kraut, was born in Switzerland in 1843. aad immigrated to Chicago in 1847 with his parents. In the spring of 1862 he came to Brighton, and bas been largely engaged in grow- ing and shipping cabbage, cultivating some sixty acres of land. He also in 1880 established a large sauer krant factory, and in coa- nection with these pursuits he also, since December. 1880, carried on a large coal business. He is an active, enterprising business man, is a director of district school, having been elceted to that office in 1982.

JOSEPH DONNERSBERGER, real estate agent, office 162 Washington Street, Chicago, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1843. and was after reaching maturity engaged in that city in the real estate business for some years. In 1870 hc came West and located at Chicago, where he at once established himself in the the real estate business. In 1871 hc located his place of resi-

dence at Brighton, where he has since resided. Mr. Donners- berger was elected Collector of the town of Cicero ia 1873, and Assessor of the town in 1874. In 1876 he was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of Cicero for a icmm of four years, and re elected in 1880, and during his membership in that body he filled the position of I'resident of the board, la the fall of 188t, he was elecied a Commissioner of Cook County from the Fourth Commis- sioner's Distriet, and December 3. 1883, was elected President of the Board of County Commissioners, an office which he is now fill- ing.

ADAMES HUTCHINSON, foreman at the shops of the North- western llorse Nail Company, was born at Streetsville, Ontario, August 16, 1945, His parents left there when he was quite young. and resided for a time in Massachusetts, Connecticut; and finally in Tienesee County, N. Y., where he was raised on a farm. Early in 1861 he enlisted in Company K. 21st New York Volunteer In- fantry, was takca prisoner at Snickerville, Va., in August, 1862. and was incarcerated for thirty days In Libby Prison. Ilc served natil mastered ont in the fall of 1863, after which he returned home to the farm. He came to Chicago in 1865 and was employed in various capacities until 1868, when he entered the employ of the N. W. Horse Nail Co. to learn the machinist trade. Mr. Hutch- iason has remained in the employ of this company ever since, and has by energy and industry raised himsell to the position of fore- maa, a position he has filled since 1878.

PATRICK 11. JOYCE, Deputy Sheriff of Cook County, is a native of western Ireland, and when three years of age his parents immigrated to America. Ilis father, Dominick Joyce, settled in Chicago in 1847. The subject of this sketch after reaching ma- tuiny was variously employed. In 1867, he opened a hotel and boarding stable near the locks of the canal, and carried it on for cight years. Subsequently he embarked in business for a timc ia Chicago, then in town of Lake, up to December, 1882. In Jans- ary, 1883, he was appointed to his present position. Previous to this Mr. Joyce had served nader Sheriff Charles Kern. He has resided at Brighton since 1881, and is a charter member of A. O. 11., No. 27, of that place, and at present holds the office of presi. deat of that society.

THOMAS KELLY, contractor, is a native of Providence. R. 1., born in 1843, and while he was young his parents moved to Washington County, Wis., where he was rcared on a farm. In December, 1860, he came to Chicago and was employed for several years in various capacities. In 1864 he moved to Brighton and engaged ia grocery business, in 1876 selling ont his interest in that business and engaging for some three years as superintendent of the Brighton Cotton Mill. Since 1879 hc has been following his present business, contracting for the building of sewers, water works, etc. In connection with other pursuits he was, also, asso- ciated with Dolese & Shepard, contractors for street improvements, from :869 to 1876. Mr. Kelly was for eleven years a member of the school board of Brighton, and in 1881 was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of Cicero, in which capacity he is still serving.

LARNEY BROTHERS, coal merchants, grocers, etc. This firm is composed of John and Matthew Larney. They are natives of Cavan County, Ireland, and came to Illinois in 1872, locating at Brighton, John was then eighteen and Matthew fourteen years of age. They were both employed in the grocery business of Thomas Kelly & Co., and Malthew was also for fificea months employed in the Illinois Trust & Savings Bank of Chicago. In 1878 these young men parchased the business of Kelly & Co., and by elose application and industry have built up a large trade. They carry a fine stock of groceries, crockery, flour, etc., and their coal busi. ness gives employment to several teams, Matthew Larney was appointed Postmaster at this place in 1874. a position which he still holds.

JAMES J LARNEY, Justice of the Peace, was born in Cavan County, Ireland, December 25, 1853, and there he was engaged in produce and egg business, He immigrated 10 Illinois in 1872, lo- cating at Brighton, Cook County. Ile worked at various things up to 1874. when he became employed as a special policeman and detective with John Emmett, which position he filled for alac months; also worked some years as special policeman and night watchmaa for the Brighton Cotton Mills. In 1879 he engaged in business as a dealer ia wines, liquors, cte. Ile was elreted Justice of the Peace in the spring of 1883, and is a member of A. O. H., No. 27, and the ladependent Order of Foresters.

JOIIN LEGGATE, machinist. Northwestern Horse Nail Com. pany, was born in Lenarkshire, Sentland, in :841. and came with his people to America in 1848. In 1856 they moved to Livingston County, 111., where John was employed on his father's farm. In 1959 he moved to Chicago and learned the trade of engineer and machia- ist. lle enlisted in August, 1863, in Company D, 89th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded four times, and after being mustered out in June. 1865. was incapacitated for a year for active work. He then followed his trade in Chicago. In 1868 he moved

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 222

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