History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 230

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

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JOIIN UNOLD, merchant, LaGrange, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1829, son of George and Mary Unold. He came to Conk County in 1356, and located in Chicago, where he engaged in the harness business, which trade he learned in early life. This he fallowed for one year, then went to Fullersburg, DuPage County, where he carried on the harness business and engaged in the gro- cery trade. In 1867 he came to Lyons Township, and started his present business in groceries, feed, coal and wood. He also car- ries a full line of paints and oils, In 1852 he married Miss Martha Iloppach. They have had nine children, four now living-Louis, George, Amelia and Oteldo. Mr. Unold has been school director for fifteen years. Louis and George are carrying on the business which he established. Mr Unold was in the war of the Rebellion. lle enlisted in 1962 In Company D, tosth Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and was transferred to Company I, of same regiment, and was promoted Second, and then First, Sergeant. He participated in the battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Buzzard's Roost, Ken- esaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, and other engagements of hia

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command. He was wounded at the battle of New Hope Church by a piece of shell in the left leg. On the second day of Sherman's march to the sea the Captain of his company was wounded, and Mr. Unold look his place. He was in Silver Creek, N. C., and Bentonville. In the spring of 1865 he was promoted 10 Captain of Company I. He was mustered out in June of the same year.

J. L. WEI.L.S. farmer. P. O. Western Springs, was born in Massachusetts in 1816, son of Augustus and Rebecca Wells. He came 10 Cook County in 1SqS, bul in The spring of 1849 he returned East, and in 1354 came with his family and located in Chicago. He was employed as machinist for the Illinois Sione Company for

four years. In 1858 he went lo Lyons Township, and located on his present farm, which contains ninety acres. He has been en. gaged in farming since that time, and has occasionally worked al his trade. In 1846 he married Miss Sarah Leroy. They had two children, one now living, Henry L. Mrs. Wells died in 1856, and he married in 1858 Miss Martha Vial, daughter of Joseph and Louisa Vial. They have had Two children, one now living. Aana L. Mr.and Mrs. Wells are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. Wells has been Church clerk since 1874. and Sunday school superintendent for fourteen years ; he has also been Town Clerk and Township Trustee for three and a half years,

HISTORY OF PALOS.

The town of Palos is situated in the southwestern portion of the county, and is bounded on the north by I.yons, on the east by Worth, on the south by Orland, on the west by Lemont Township and Downer's Grove, in DuPage County. In size it is an exact congressional township, and is traversed by the Illinois & Michigan Canal and by the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad. For some reason, perhaps because of its limited railroad facilities, and also owing to its distance from the city, the attention of builders of suburban towns has never been directed toward Palos, and it has therefore to be classed with the agricultural portion of the county.

The first white people to settle within the present limits of the town of Palos was the Paddock family. who located on Section 33. in 1834. In the same year came Schuyler Brown, who settled on Section 31; the next year came John McCord, then a young man, just starting out in life for himself. He took a claim in Section 35, and three years later was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Paddock. Mr. and Mrs. McCord lived on their farm in Palos umil in 1866 they removed to Will County, and later, in 1871, to Blue Island. Here they continued to reside until called from the cares of this, to the rewards of another and better world. Mr. McCord's death occurred in 1873. at the advanced age of seventy years, his good wife surviving him until in 1882 she died, aged sixty-eight. Two sons, Ira and Andrew McCord, the latter born in 1842, the former in 1848, still live in Palos Township, and are counted among its wealthiest and most influential citizens.

Samuel Mahaffay was also a settler of 1834. In that year he located in the town of Palos on Section 34, anıl on the farm where he now lives. In 1835 he married Miss Jane Paddock, this being, so far as is known, the earliest wedding in the township. Being asked to give the names of the okl settlers who were living in the settlement when he came in 1834, Mr. Mahaffey said: " As well as I can now remember, they were as follows: Robert Lucas, now dead, was living cast of my place, about half a mile; Elijah Starr's place was about the same distance in a southeast direction, and in what would be now just over the line in Orland: the Went- worths, Uriah and Benjamin, the former not now living, were located on a farm two miles to the northeast, while Richard McClaughry was two miles away to the west. A half mile farther west and you came to the house of James Paddock, who now lives in Mokena. DeWitt Paddock's farm was only one mile west of my own; he now lives in Mokena. Four miles west, and near what would now be the town of Lemem, were the farms of John Russel, Seeley Spaulding and Adam Baycc."

Adam Boyce and Joseph Harrington came in 1834, the latter locating on Section 19, the former on Section 30 ; Robert Lucas came also about the same time and settled on Section 35, as did George Pettijohn, who located on Section 28. Of these last mentioned, Boyce, Harrington and Lucas are deceased.

M. A. Powell, now numbered among the oldest liv- ing settlers of the township, came in March, 1837, and Incated on Section 28, half of which he still owns, and which forms one of the finest farms in the county. Mr. Powell says that at the time he arrived there were but nine families in the township, most of whom have already been mentioned. These nine were, however, the families of James l'adduck, Samuel Mahaffay. Lewis Bush, John McCord, George Pettijohn. Joseph Har- rington, Adam Boyce, Schuyler Brown and Robert Lucas.

Mr. Powell was the first Postmaster in the township, the office, known as Orange, and kept at his house, being established thirty-five years ago ; later, the name was changed to Palos, which title it now bears. It is still kept by Mr. Powell, who has thus seen thirty-five years of continuous service in handling the mail.

Lewis Bush came to Cook County in 1836, and in the same year located on a piece of land in Palos Township in Section 3t. The first six years of his resi- dence here, however, he worked on the Illinois & Michigan Canal ; after which he settled down to farm- ing on the place where he now lives.

George J. I.intz came to Cook County int 837, and worked on the canal until in 1840, when he lucated in Palos, and three years later purchased the farm of two hundred and ninety acres in Section 21, and where he now lives.

Matthew McClaughry came to Cook County in 1834, and located on a farm in Palos ten years later. Here he lived until in 1872 he removed to Blue Island, where he now resides.

Patrick O'Kane, still a large landowner in Palos, came to Chicago in 1839, and seven years later removed to Palos, and located on his present farm in Section 32. With the above have been mentioned those to whom belongs the particular distinction of being the first settlers of Palos. To them, however, a broader title is due, that of pioneers of Cook County ; they came here when the country was in a wild and undeveloped condi- tion, and by their labors they have contributed no little towards placing the county in its present creditable position among the agricultural-producing districts of the State. Among those who came later and before the fifties, were William and James Heatherwick, who set- tled on Section 32 : Patrick Carrahan, now living on

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Section 22 ; James Maloney, on Section 8; J. B. 1852-53 ; James Williams, 1853. John McCord, 1858- Shields, on Section 5 ; Thomas Horan, who also 59 : Waterman Reed, 1859-62 ; James Donahue, 1862- 63 ; P. B. Shiekls, 1863-65 ; William Shultz, 1865-68 ; Le Roy McClaughry, 1868-70; Ira McCord, 1870-71 ; John D. Shea, 1871-73; John Mallon, 1873-76; Tim- othy O'Kane, 1876-77; G. A. McClaughry, 1877-78 ; John Mallon, 1878-80; G. A. McClaughry, 1880-84. located on Section 8; and l'eter Warner, who came in 1845 and located on Section 28. The Conley family came to Cook County in 1846, and first located in Blue Island, but a year later, Morris Conley, the father, located in Palos, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1872. Two sons, John and James, now live on farms in Sections 23 and 26 of this township.

Michael McMahan located in Palos in 1858 on Sec. tion 23 ; John McMahan came a year earlier and located on Section 14, where he now lives ; John Mallow came in 1856 and located on the farm where he still lives; John Murray came in 1857 and located in the Powell neighborhood, where he now resides.

This township was organized in 1850 under the name of Trenton, the first election being held on the zd of April of that year. The name, however, was changed to that of Palos, almost immediately afterward, as in the town records under date of July 2, " Town- ship of Palos " is used, though no mention is made as to the exact date of the change. The first town meet- ing was held April 2, 1850, at the house of John Chat- field, which then stood on Section 22, near the feeder. The officers chosen on that occasion were : M. A. Powell, Supervisor; Jolin McCord, Clerk; Lewis Bush, Assessor; J. P. Campbell, Collector; John McCord and John Collins, Justices ; George Pettijohn, Overseer of the Poor; Matthew McClaughry and Mark Burroughs, Commissioners of Highways. It was also decided at that meeting that a fence, well built and five feet high, should be deemed a lawful fence, and appropriate pen- alties were enacted, to be inflicted on the owners of stock which should trespass on grounds thus lawfully enclosed. A further motion prevailed that all money's derived from this source should be employed in building bridges and constructing roads, of which at that time the township stood in great need.

On the 13th of April the Commissioners of High- ways met and divided the townships into road districts, as follows : Districts Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, were identical with the school districts of the same numbers ; District No. 5 contained Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, with Jeremiah McCarty as Overseer. Dis- trict No. 6 contained Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17 and 18, with John King as Overseer.

The first road laid out after the town organization was ordered on the application of Richard Cleveland, of Lemont, and was surveyed and constructed as the joint undertaking of the two townships. Its course was as follows : "Beginning at the southeast corner of Le- mont, and the southwest corner of Palos, and running thence north on or near the line between the aforesaid townships, to the center of the road Icading from Des- plaines to Thornton." The order establishing the road is signed by Augustns Dolan and Richard Cleveland, Commissioners for Lemont, and by Asa Bushnell, M. McClaughry, Commissioners for l'alos.

Following is the roster of those filling the principal town offices, given from 1851 to the present time. It should be noted, however, that the Clerk's record con- tains no mention of any elections held from 1853 to 1858; also no record was made of the election of 1866.

Supervisors .- Alexander Roberts, 1851-53; Patrick Kain, 1853. Alexander Roberts, 1858-59: 1 .. Bush, 1859-61 ; James B. Shield, 1861-67 ; H. H. Gibbons, 1867-68; John Conley, 1868-71 ; N. Powell, 1871-73; John Conley, 1873-75 : Jeremiah Dca, 1875-80 : Stephen Hallagan, 1880-84.

Clerks .- John McCord, 1851-52 ; Patrick Kain,

Collectors-Patrick Kain, 1851-53 ; John Collins, 1853. M. A. Powell, 1858-61 ; Dennis Curran, 1861- 62 ; Morris Horan, 1862-64; M. A. Powell, 1864-65 ; James Maloney, 1865-68; Nelson Bush, 1868-69; James Maloney, 1869-70; LeRoy McClaughry, 1871-73; Ja- cob Kollar, 1873-77 ; James O'Connell, 1877-80; John l'owell, :880-84.

Assessors-George Pettijohn, 1851-52 ; John Drum- mond, 1852-53 : James Williams, 1853. Lewis Bush, 1858-59 ; James Maloney, 1859-64; Lewis Bush, 1864- 65 ; John McMahan, 1865-68; Waterman Reed, 1868- 69 ; John McMahan, 1869-71 ; Patrick Couthlin, 1871- 73; John D. Shea, 1873-74; John L. Sullivan. 1874- 75 ; John McMahan, 1875-81 : Timothy O'Kane, 1881- 83; John McMahan, 1883-84.

Justices - John McCord and James D). Tuhory, 1851-58; John McCord and James Maloney, 1858-62: Waterman Reed, 1862-68 ; John Sullivan and Patrick ()'Kane, 1868-73; James Maloney and John Sullivan, 1873-77 : Christian Mikelson and John Wachter, 1877- 81 ; Otto Runge and John Wachter, 1881-85.

The first school taught in the township was at the house of M. A. Powell, in 1838, and Mrs. Chatfield, a widow, was the first teacher. Two years later Thomas Harding, George Pettijohn and Mr. Powell put up a log school-house in the center of the south half of Sec- tion 28. The first term of school taught in this house was by Miss Ellen Savage, one of a number of teachers who about that time came out to this western country from the East. There are at present seven public schools in the township, having a total enrollment of two hundred and sixty-six pupils; of this number the percentage of attendance is 132.4.

WILLOW SPRINGS.

This is a post hamlet situated in the extreme north- west corner of the township, and also extending into the town of Lyons; is a place of considerable age, having been in existence since 1840. The name Willow Springs was given to it on account of the fact that on the side hill, and just south of the canal here, was sit- uated a magnificent flowing spring, whose sparkling waters bubbled up from beneath the roots of a large willow. When navigation on the canal was opened this place became a station on the line, and, the boats stop- ping here to fill their water barrels from the spring, the station was by common consent given the name which it now bears. No less enduring has been the spring itself; but the old willow has long since disappeared, and in its stead a prosaic little brick structure has been built about the waters, which still flow on unmindful of the changes thus made by the hand of man.

The first permanent settler within the present limits of the village was George W. Beebe, who came here in 1842 and built a log cabin on Section 32, in Lyons, his house standing only a few rods from the town line. Here he opened a tavern, and boarding house for the laborers on the canal, on which Mr. Beebe was himself a contractor, This was the first house built in the village. Mr. Beebe has been dead for several years, but his widow is still living on the old place, with a son, Wallace Beebe, who is the present station agent at the

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Springs. The first merchant here was a man named Jarvis, who early in the fifties built a store house on the banks of the canal. He did not remain long, as it ap- pears, and for a number of years the place was without a store of any kind. Then John Sherwood opened a general store in the same house built by Jarvis, but which had in the meantime been removed from its for- mer site on the banks of the canal, some eighty rods south, and almost in the center of the present town. Mr. Sherwood was also the first station agent here for the railroad company. The first post-ofice, and which was also known as Willow Springs, was situated nearly two miles southwest of the present site of the town, and was kept by Alexander Martin. When Mr. Sherwood opened Itis store in the village the office was changed, and he became the second Postmaster, holding the po- sition until, four years ago, he was succeeded by J. H. Banks, the present incumbent. Mr. Banks, who has also a grocery store and saloon in connection with the post-office, is the son of Edmund Banks, an old settler, who came to Chicago in 1838 and settled near where is now Sag Station.

Joseph M. Abbit, merchant, has been in business here for the past four years. He is a son-in-law of George W. Beebe, the first settler of the place, and has resided in the vicinity of the Springs for nearly thirty years. Among the carly settlers in Palos who located in the vicinity of Willow Springs were John Spear, Peter Green, Owen Finnegan, John Williams and Jacob Kollar; of these Green, Finnegan and Williams are now deceased.

Archeological .- There is in the town of Palos the ruins now clearly discernible of what were once evidently French or Indian fortifications. These ruins, which are situated on the farm of Theodore Lucas, some three miles southwest of Willow Springs, are yet so well preserved as to enable one toclearly trace their former extent and size. From their location on a rising piece of ground, and the area which they once evidently inclosed, the con- clusion is arrived at that they were of considerable im- portance and well designed in their construction for affording refuge and protection to a large number of persons. As to who built them, no one knows; but here is certainly a rich field for the antiquarian who delights to dig among such ancient ruins, in his efforts to bring to light the long hidden mysteries of an almost forgotten past. Thomas Kelly, a farmer, living in Section 18, says that in some researches he has made among those ruins not long since, he found a number of relics, among which was a curiously wrought powder horn, evidently of an antique pattern, and having on its surface inscrip- tions in a language which he was unable to read. The attention of Prof. A. 1), Hager, of the Chicago Historical Society, has already been directed to these discoveries by Mr. Kelly, and in all probability investigations will shortly be made which will throw much light on the question as to who constructed these fortifications and for what purpose they were built.

PALOS TOWNSHIP BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

LEWIS BUSH, farmer, P. O. Palos, was born in Addison County, "t., in t8It, son of John and Prudence Bush. le came to Cook County in 1836, and located in Palos Township, and was engaged for six years in the construction of the Illinois & Michi- gan Canal, after which he engaged in farming and general stock- raising upon his present farm of 380 aeres. He was married in 1843 to Miss Mary Ritchey, daughter of James and Eva Ritchey. They have had eleven children, nine now living-Nelson, John, James, George, Henry, Prudence, Lincoln, Mary and Maggie. Mr. Bush has been Township Trustee for twenty-six consecutive years. Supervisor three years, and member of the school hoard for several years. His oldest son, Nelson, was in the late war of the Rebel-

lion in Company F, 100th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and his fath- er was in the War of 1812. Mrs. Bush's parents came to Illinois in 1832 and located in Will County, where they now reside. During the Black Hawk War they took refuge in Fort Dearborn. Her father is now eighty-four and her mother eighty-two years of age,

JOIIN CONLEY, farmer, P.O. East Orland, was born in Ononda- ga County, N. Y., in 1834, son of Morris and Ellen Conley, who came to Cook County in 1846 and located in Blue Island, where they remained for one year. His father was there engaged for two years in the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Cansl. He then located on a farm in Palos Township containing 260 acres, where he resided until his death, which occurred in Mareb, 1872. at the age of sixty nine years; his mother died In December, 1872, at the same age. On aitaining his majority the subject of this sketch engaged in farming. which pursuit he has since followed, He now owns 360 aeres in Cook County, 120 acres in Kankakee County, 200 in White County. Ind,, and five lots In Englewood. Ile was married in 1861 to Miss Johannah O'Connal, daughter of Edward and Bridget O'Connal. They had one child, deceased. Mrs. Conley died January 10, 1884. Mr. Conley is a member of St. James' Catholic Church. He liss filled the offices of school trustee of Palos Township, Highway Commissioner, County Su- pervisor from 1868 to 1871, during the building of the east wing of the old court-house; and was County Commissioner from 1876 to 1879. during the building ol the new court-house.

ELLEN GLEESON, P. O. Worth, wife of James Gleeson (de- ceased at the age of sixty-three), was born in the County of Tipper- ary, in the Parish of Nenagh, Ireland, in 1835, daughter of Martin and Catharine Hennesy. She came 10 Cook County, with her parents, who located on a farm in Palos Township. where they re- sided until her father's death, in 188t, at the age of sixty-nine years. Iler mother is atili living, at the age of seventy-three years. Mrs. Gleeson was married in 1854 to James Gleeson, in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have had thirteen children. ten now living-Thomas, Martin, James, Ellen, John, Timothy, Morris, Ann, Joseph and Sarah. Mr. Gleeson enlisted in the war of the Rebellion in 1862 in Company F. 100th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was in the battles of Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and other en. gagements of the command. At the time of enlisting he was made Corporal, and was afterward promoted to Sergeant. He wss wounded at the battle of Chickamauga by a gun-shoz through the left hand, disabling that member. Mr. Gleeson was Road Com- missioner of Faios Township for six years and school director a number ofyears. lle died in July, 1882. Mrs. Gleeson lives with her family on the old homestead, which contains eighty acres.

JAMES HEATHERWICK, farmer, P. O. Orland, was born in Scotland in 1844, son of William and Jane Heatherwick. He came to Cook County with his parents in 1845, who located on the farm In Palos Township where they now reside, his father at the age of seventy-two, and his mother at seventy-six. Mr. Heather- wiek was married in 1882 to Miss Lizzie Hutchings, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth IIntchings ; they have one child, Jennie. Mrs. Heatherwick's parents were among the early settlers of Cook County. Mr. Heatherwick is a member of the I. O. O. F. lie has served as school director for eleven years. In 1862 be enlisted in Company F. 100th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge. Dalton, Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nash- ville, and other engagements, sixteen in all. He was mustered out at the close of the war, In 1865.

GEORGE J. LINTZ, farmer, P. O. South Mount Forest, was born in Germany in 1816, son of Jacob and Mary Ann Lintz. He came to America with his parents in t832, and in 1537 located in the township of Palos, He was engaged in the construction of the Illinois & Michigan Canal ontil ts40, after which he worked by the month until 1843, when he purchased the farm where he now resides, containing 294 aeres. He was married in 1845 10 Miss Louisa Adams, who died in 1854, leaving three children- Amelia, Emily and Julia, and he was married ia 1856 to Miss Eliz- nheih Zeigler. Mr. Lintz has been Commissioner of P'slos Town- ship for two terms, and school director for sixteen years.

ANDREW McCORD, farmer, P. O. East Orland, was born in l'alos, Cook County. in 1842, son of John and Harriet (Paddock) Me- Cord. His mother eame to Cook County with her parents in 1834, his father the next year, and they were married in 1838. They localed on a farm in l'alos Township antil their removal in 1866, to Will County. In 1871 they located in Blue Island, Cook County, where they resided until the father's death in 1873. at the age of seventy, and the mother's in 1882 at the age of sixty-eight. Mr. MeCord served in the late war, enlisting in 1862 in Company F. tooth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Stone River, Perryville, Jonesboro, Missionary Ridge, Franklin, Nashville, Atlanta, and other engagements. He was mustered out in 1865. He was married in 1868 to Miss Frances McClanghry,

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daughter of Matthew and Catharine McClaughry. They have five children-Sarah, Frances, Jason S., Ezra J. and fra D.

IRA McCORD. farmer, l'. O. Orland, was born in l'alos, Cook County in 1848, son of John and Harriet (Paddock) McCord. Ilis mother came to Cook County with her brothers and sisters in 1834. his father in 1834. They were married in 1838, after which they located on a farm in Section 35, Palos Township, where they re- sided until 1866. They then moved to Will County, and subse. quently to Blue Island, Cook County, where the father died in [873, at the age of seventy, his mother in 1882, at the age of sixty. eight years. On attaining his majority Mr. McCord engaged in farm- ing, which pursuit he has since followed; his farm contains 395 acres, lle is also extensively engaged in raising blooded stock, ffe was married in 1870 to Miss Mary McClaughry, daughter of Matthew and Catharine McClaughry. llis wife died In 1975, leaving two children, John and Andrew L., and he was married in 1880 to Miss Catharine King. Mr. McCord is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity. A. F. & A. M., and Royal Arch and Knight Templar. St. Bernard Commandery, No. 35. lle is also trustee of the estate of the McCord heirs, which is located in the business portion of Chi- cago.

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History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 230

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