History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 241

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 241

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

LORENZ O. VALENTIEN, barber, Lemon), was born in Germany in 1845, son of Rudolph and Anke Valentien. Hle enne to Coak County in 1800 aud located with his brother In Lemont Township, one and a half miles from the village. lle enlisted in 1961 in Company C, 13th Ilinois Volunteer Infantry, and took part in the engagements at Pocahontas, Little Rock, Shreveport and other engagements of the com- mand during the three yours' service. He was mustereil out nt Little Rock December 31, 1864. On leaving the ariny he returned to Lemont, where he remained one year with his parents, who had evine from the old country during his service in the army. Ile then went to Chicago and engaged In the tonsorial business, which he learned iu early life. After two years he established the business in Lemont. Hle was mar- ried In 1867 to Miss Sophiin Bassenhorst, daughter of William and Kathrena Bassenhorst. They have six children-Louisa, Annie, Lanma, Herman, Sophia and Josephine.

MATHEW WARNER, umm of Wells & Warner, druggists, Lemont, was born in tiermany January 5, 1847, and came to the U'uited States in 1831, with his parents, who located ih Le- mont 'Township. At the early age of eight years the subject of this sketch entered the drug sture of George Il. Hall, at Lemont, but continued his attendauce in the public scho 1, in which he received his education. He remained with Mr. Ha I until September, 1863, when he enlisted as a private in the Chiengo Mercantile Battery, Captain White; was sent first to Vicksburg. Miss., and was soon after transferred to the Department of the Gulf, moler General Banks. He was mustereil out of service In July, 1865, and returned home. He ngain entered the drug store of Mr. Hall, remaining two years after he had sold out to Mr. Matthew Borland. In 1871 he engaged In the dry goods business in Lemont, under firm name of Warner & New This firm continued three years. Mr. Warner thensold his Interest in the bussiness to his partner, and in December, 1876. was ap- pointed n Deputy Sheriff of Cook County, under Sheriff Charles Kern, from 1876 tn 1858. In 1879 he was appointed Deputy Assessor and made the assessment of Lemont, performing the dut es of the office so acceptably that he wn, elected Assessor the following vear. In June, 1880, he formed a partnership with Joel A. Wells, an curly settler of Cook County, under the fi m name of Wells & Warner, and established the busi- ness they have since continued. Mr. Wells being engaged in other business, the active management of affairs, devolves upon Mr. Warner. They carry a full line of drugs und medicines, paints, oils, varnish, wall paper, watches, clocks and jewelry. notions, etc. Mr. Warner is Democratic in po ities, und has always taken an active part in the man- agement of local party affairs. He has held every office in the gift of his fellow townsmen, and has been Village Treas-

Dilland by Google

856

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

urer and Supervisor for the past two years. lle married Miss Maggie New, of Aurora, Kane L'ounty, Dee inter 31, INGU. by which marriage he has had two children. a daughter, C'arrie, now living, and n son, since deceased.

JOEL A. WELLS, superintendent of Ihinols Stone Com- pany, Læmout, was boru April 14, 1814, at Munson, Mass. When he was about two years old his parents removed to Con- nectie it, whence, five years inter, they removed lo Coopers. town, N. Y., where they resided another five years. They then removed to Sanquoit, Oncida Co., N. Y., where the sub- Jet of this sketch remained until he attained his majority. He received an academic education. In 1836 he removed to Mobile, Ala , und engaged in mechanical pursuits. Ilis jour- ney to Alabama was attended with quite an a lventure and no little danger. He took passage from New York on the brig " Natchez," Captain Tyler, and was wrecked on the Florida Reefs. A wrecking crew transferred the cargu to their ves- sels am landed the passenger- on the island of Indian Key. where they remained over night. They were then taken to Key West, where they were compelled to remain three weeks before an opportunity to procce-l on the journey presented itself. The schooner " William E. Jester" then calling at that port for water, its commander, Captain Fontress, was induced to take them on hoard, though short of provisions, and eventually Inuded them in Mobile. He remained In the south about two years, at Mobile, Pensacola, New Orleans atid other points. Ile then engaged in public works, bavlug a con- tract on the macadinin mad between Wheeling and Cincin- nati. His work lay between Chillicothe and Bainbridge, thio, and he settled at the latter piace, was married, and resided there about five years, Hle came tu Illinois in the spring of

1845, locating at Lemont, where he was engaged as an engi- neer and machinist for Mr. N. J. Brown, contractor on the Iilinois & Michigan Canal, remaining two years. After a year spent in the East he located at Bridgeport, in this county, and started a machine shop. lle remained here about four years, doing work for contractors and for the Sinte. The next two years he was with the firm of A. S. & O. Sherman, and upon the organization of the Illinois Stone & Lime Company, engaged with it as master mechanic. The name of the company was changed to the Illinois Stone Company two or three years later. Mr. Wells has been with this company a period of thirty years, twenty-five of which he has heid his present position as superintendent. When he first came bere there was not in operation a foot of railroad or cumal in Ili- nois. He was engaged in the construction of the first canal, and has lived to see thousands of miles of railroad in oper- ation in the State. The quarry business was in its infancy when he came to Lemont : it is now the principal industry of the town, furnishing employment for hundreds of men, his company alone employing 175 men on an average through the season. Mr. Wells is one of the best known citizens, and enjoys the respect and esteem of his fellow townsmen to a high degree. lle is a Republican in politics, and has held the office of Supervisor two years and President of the Board of Trustees two years. He isn man of strong temperance principles, and was for two years president of a temperance society. He married Miss Elizabeth Crooks, of Bainbridge, Ohio, September 1. 1839, by which marriage he has had eight children, of whom Rebecca J., Amelia A., Fannie M.and William 11. are now living. The daughters are all married ; Amelia A. is living in Lemont, the wife of Dr. J. B. Rood, a leading physician of the town.

HISTORY OF ELK GROVE.

This town is in the north western part of the county, and is bounded as follows: North by Palatine and Wheeling, east hy Maine, south by Addison in Du Page County, and west by Schaumburg. It is some- what rolling prairie, and is watered by Salt Creek in its western portion, and by two small branches of the Desplaines River, one of them in the northeastern, the other in the southeastern portion. The soil is a rich prairie loam. The name of the town was derived from the name of the largest grove within its limits, Elk Grove, so named, it is said, by the Indians. This grove is mainly east of Salt Creek on Sections 16. 17. 20 and 21, the creek serving as a check or barrier to prairie fires from the West. It contained abont thir- teen hundred acres of very fine timber, the varieties being white, red and burr oak, maple hickory, and some basswood. The largest tree measured by any of the early settlers was fonr and a half feet in diami- eter. At the present time this area is rather more thickly timbered than at first, but the largest tree now standing is not over two feet in diameter.

So far as ascertainable no white inen settled in this town previous to 1834, during which year quite a number appeared upon the scene. Dr. Frederick T. Miner in the spring of that year built the first house in the town, on Section 16. J. A. Barnes also built a house that spring on the same section. Leander Col. lins built the third on Section 21, and Caleb Lanh the fourth also on Section 21. Thomas Smith settled

on Section 20 early in this year, John Whiting, Sr., settled on Section 21. George A. Knowles on the same section, Aaron Miner probably on the same section, and F. W. Page on the southwest quarter of Section 9, all in 1834. These may fairly be named the pioncer settlers of the town, although perhaps not named in the order of their arrival. In 1835 Mark Morse set- tled on Section 21, Ashhel Miuer on Section 16, and Silas Wheeler on Section 9; in 1836 Joseph Converse settled ou Section 18, John Allen on Section 20, Asat Davis on Section 18 or 19, and Ichabod, David and Joel Draper on Section 15; in 1837 John Bowe and Horace Rice settled on Section 19. Thus the town- ship was gradually settled up. In 1850, when the town was organized under the law, it had probably abont three hundred and fifty inhabitants, as indicated by the vote cast at the first election. The organization was effected April 2, 1850, at Miner's tavern. The meeting was called to order by Ira Cooper, who was elected Moderator, and R. F. Clough was elected Clerk. The oath of office was administered by B. B. Lincoln, Esq. The town was, at that meeting, divided into six rond districts, and Overseers of Highways elected as follows : John Nason for District No. i; F. T. Miner, No. 2: Mace Gay. No. 3; John Allen. No. 4 ; R. F. Clough, No. 5, and E. N. Skinner, No. 6. For general officers of the town this first election resulted as follows, each officer receiving the number of votes appended to his name: Supervisor, R. F.

Digilandby Google

857

HISTORY OF ELK GROVE.

Clough, 54; Clerk, L. T. Skinner, 60; Assessor, Mark Morse, 48; Collector, B. R. B. Miner, 40; Over- seer of the Poor, F. T. Miner, 25; Commissioners of Highways, John Allen, Mace Gay and G. H. Pratt, each 49; Justices of the Peace, J. W. Jones 53, and R. F. Clough, 52 ; Constables, I. M. Cooper, 41, and B. R. B. Miner, 39. On the Ist of June $150 was raised for roud purposes.

Subsequent elections have resulted as follows :

Supervisors .- R. F. Clough, 1851; J. W. Jones, 1852-33; 1. T. Skinner, 1834 to 155 :: Benjamin Waters, 1858; . I. E. Kennicott, 1859; Benjamin Waters, ING0; J. M. Allen 1861 to 1864 ; M. L .. Cur- tis, 1865; John Allen, 1564; Christian Busse, 186; to 1873; John Allen, 1874 to 1877; Christian Busse, 18;8 to 1883, inclusive.

Clerks. - L. T. Skinner, 1851 ; I. M. Cooper, 1852 ; L. T. Skinner, 1853; J. M Allen, 1854 to 1856 : 1. W. Jones, 1857 to 1943; Imeins Skimmer, 1864 to 1866 ; Elbert Wheeler, 1867 to 1883, inclusive.

AxxxNorx, - Ira Cooper, 1851-52; R. F. Clough, 18:3; L. W. Whiting. 1854; I. E. Kennicott, 1835; John Allen, 1856; R. F. though, 1857; D. Gonki, Is58; R. F. Clough, 1859-60: John Allen, 1861 to Iso6; Her- mau Ileimsath 1-67 to 1843; Henry Goede, 1874; Barney Finke, 1875; Henry Goede, 1:26; Herman Heimsoth, 187; to 1882 ; Fred Gehrke, Iss3.

Collectors .- J. S. Clongh, 1851-52; J. M. Allen, 1853.54 : I. M. Comper, 1855; Lneins Skinner, 1834 to 1860; S. P. Brown, 1861; Herman Heimsoth, 1862; Lucius Skinner, 1863; J. H. Curtis, 1×64; Lncins Skinner, 1865.66; H. J. Hotopp, 1867-68; Christian Henges, 1869: Henry Brenscher, 1xtu to 1-21 ; Con. rad Neideit, 1873 to 18;6; Fred Brecht, 1567 to 1883 inclusive.

Commissioners of Highways .- John Allen, F. E Seybold und Mace tiny, 1851, Mace Gay, A. F. Jones and H. Senne, 1853; E. N. Skinner. F. W. Page and H. Senne, 1853; F. W. Page, I. M. Cooper and II. Senne, 1:54; John Allen, Jr., H. Senne and Benja- min Waters, 1855; John Allen, Jr., F. Tesch and B. R. B. Miner, 1856; F. W. Page, C. L. Taylor and F Tonne, 1857: F. W. Page, Lucins Skinner and B. Reker, 1858; M. L. Curtis, Christian Busse und F. W. Page, 1859: F. W. Page, 1. M. Cooper und Herman Heimsoth, 1860; F. W. Page, Christian Busse and Herman Heimsoth, 1861 ; Christian Busse, 1862 : Her- man Heimsoth, 1863; F. W. Page, 1861: Christian Busse, 1865; Fred Toune, 1866 ; Fred Kleimder, 1867 ; William Reikhoff, 1868; William Dinnermann. 1869; Henry Fromling. 18;0 : Fred Lubring, 18;1 ; Christian Henger, 18:3; Henry lewer. 18;4 : Fred Luhring, 1825; Christian Henges, 1876: Henry Breuscher, 1877-68; Imueis Busse, 18;9 ; William Theiman, ISSO; Henry B euscher, 1881 ; Loueis Busse, 1882 ; Conrad Mahlenkamp, 1883.

Justices of the Peace .- T .. T. Skimmer and R. B. Miner, 1854: I. T. Skinner und fleury Senne, 1858 ; William A. Russell, 1859 ; M. L .. Curtis 1860; D. K. Draper, 1861 : M. L .. Curtis and Christian Busse, 1862 ; D. M. Pettibone, 1864 : W. E. Higgins and M. I. t'rr. tis, 1866 : H. Senne, Jr., 1869: M. L. Curtis and HI. Seune, Jr., 1870; Lucius Skinner, 1:73: Elbert Wheeler, 1874 75 ; Lucius Skinner und Elbert Wheeler, 1877; Elbert Wheeler and John Barnes, 1881.

Constables .- B. R. B. Miner and J. B. Whiting. 1851 ; J. S. Clough and II. Senne, Jr., 1832; J. M. Allen, 1833: William Gay, 1854 : Lucina Skinner und Herman Heimsoth, 1857 : J. H. Curtis. 1861-62 : J t'. Neideit, 1864 ; Fred Kleimder and J. II. Curtis, 1806;

H. T. Hotopp and George Fredericks, 1867; H. T. Hotopp and II. Senne, Jr .. 1868-69 : Henry Brenscher, 1840; William Skimmer, 1873 to 1877; John Barrett, 1×79; Fred Precht, 1881-82.

School Trustees .- Christian Busse. 1870 ; John Allen and Henry Laudtmeier, 18;3: E. B. Wheeler, 1874: Henry Laudtmeier, 1845; John Allen, 1826 : Christian Busse, 1877 ; Henry Landtmeier, 1878: E. B. Wheeler, 1×79; William Limmermunn, 1880; William Reikhoff, 188] ; Henry Goede, 1882.

The post-office was established in Elk Grove probu- bly in 1832, with F. T. Miner for Postmaster. F. W. Page then succeeded him, and F. T. Miner then she- cecded Mr Page, who the second time snecceded Mr. Miner. F. T. Miner then beenthe Postmaster for the third time, and was next sneceeded by Caleb Lamb. Mathew L. Curtis succeeded Mr. Lamb, and was hin- self succeeded by Mrs. Dewey. John Henry Curtis then became Postmaster and was the last Postmaster in the township, there being now no post-office there. F. T. Miner kept the office on Section 21 and on Sec- tion 15. F. W. Page on Seetion 9, and John Henry Curtis on Section 28. The population of Elk Grove in 1880 was 1,201.

Mount Prospect is a small station on the Wisconsin Division of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, twenty miles from Chicago. There is a station here and a few houses, and but two trains cach way stop each day.

Pustic Senoors .- No public school existed in this town for some years after its first settlement. Private schools were taught in private houses. Some of the first teachers were a Miss Dow, Mrs. Morse. R. F. t'longh, Mrs. Warner, and Mr. Pennoyer. In Novem- ber, 1840, a school-house was creeted, in which school was kept 'during the succeeding winter, the summer of 1811, and a part of the next winter, when it was burned. The first record of a meeting of the Board of Trustees is dated March, 1842. In the following July the town was divided into thee school districts ; in 1842 No. 4 was added, in 1846; No. 5, in 1852 No. 6, in 1867 No. 7. At the time of its organization euch district contained the following number of school children: No. 1, 12; No. 2, 43 ; No. 3, 43 ; No. 4.13; No 5. 28; No. 6, 77, and No. 7. 63. The census of 1853 shows the nmpber in ench district is as follows: No. 1, 5 ;; No. 2, 68; No. 3. 141 ; No. 4, 28; No. 5, 131 : No. 6. 1;1, and No. 7. 61, making a total of 657 school children in the township.

The present school fund is $1.122. The first treasurer of the school fund was C'aleb Lamb, the second Ira Cooper, the third R. F. Clough, and the fourth and present one, Lucius Skinner.

ELK GROVE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

JESSE M. ALLEN, former. P. O. Itasca, was born in Stockbridge, Windsor Co .. Vi .. in July, 1829, son of John and Elizabeth Allen. He came to ('rok Conmy with his parents in 1835, who loented in Elk Grove Township. There they resided until the death of the father. in 1966, at the age of sixty-six years: the mother is living at the age of eighty years. Mr.'Allen has made farming his principal business, which he has followed for over thirty years. Ile was married in 183410 Miss Veronica Bilb, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Dihh. They have six children- William B., Mary E, Charles 11., Fannie F., Walter G. and Veronico. Mr. Allen has held the office of Town Clerk, Collector and Supervisor of Elk Grove for a number of years. He was e'ecled Treasurer of Cook County in 1865, and held that office for two years. His mother, who is now living with him. was a native of New Hampshire, moving to Vermunt with her parents when three

Digiland by Google

858

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

years old, where she married Jolin Allen in 1891. They raised a family of four children-Mrs. Dr. J. H. Cooper, of Bur- lington, Wis., John, Jesse M., and Mrs. James Frake, of Chi- cago. Mrs. Allen cuine from Vermont to Chicago in 1835 with three children, her husband having previously come West and located in St. Joseph, Mich. Ju 1835 he came to Chiengo, where he met his family after their weary journey of one month on the road. They soon after made the location for their future home in Elk Grove, and In after years enjoyed the fruits of their years of industry and toil, and the hard- shilps incident to pioneer settlement in Cook County fifty years ago.

CLARK A. COOLEY, farmer, P. Q. Arlington Heights, was born in Elk Grove Township in 1847. son of Charles and Carrie G. Cooley, Ile was married in 1876 to Miss Rosa Crego, daughter of Gibson and Laura Crego. They have one child. Frunk A. Mr. Cooley, on attaining his majority, engaged in farming, which pursuit he has since followed. Hle farms 185 acres, und keeps almut twenty-five cows. Ilis father came to Cook County in 1844, and located in Elk Grove Township, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1878, at the age of fifty-seven. Mrs. Cooley's parents were nutives of New York. Her father died al the age of forty-one; her mother is living at the age of sixty-one.

HISTORY OF THORNTON.

This township, situated almost in the southeast cor- ner of the county. is bounded on the north by Hyde Park and Calumet, ou the east by Lake County, Ind., on the south by Bloom Township, and on the west by the township at Bremen. It contains nearly fifty square miles and has within its limits the villages of South Lawn, Dolton, Sonth Holland, Homewoo 1, Thornton, Lansing, and a portion of the town of Ham- mond, of Lake County, Ind. It was organized as a township in 1830; the officers chosen at different elec- tions held since that time and to the present are given as follows :

Supervisors .- 1850-52, A. H. Dolton ; 1852-53, A. G. Sweet ; 1833-55, A. II. Dolton ; 1855-56, S. E. Baker; 1856-64. A. II. Dolton; 1864-65, Sanford Case : 1865-70, C. II. Dolton ; 1870-78. Peter Schnob ; 1878-81, C. L. Vansteenbergh ; 1881-84, Henry Lansing.

Assessors .- 1850-53, Elisha Young; 1853-54, Sto- phen Crary ; 1854-55, Aaron Young ; 1855-56, C. L. Sweet; 1856-57, Stephen Crary ; 1857-58, Sanford Case ; 1858-59, Stephen Crary ; 1859-60, M. Janson ; 1860.62, Stephon Crary; 1862-65, C. H. Dolton; 1865-67, P. L. Vansteenbergh ; 1867-69, C. II. Dol- ton ; 1869-77, P. L. Vansteenbergh ; 1877-79, Henry Gnenther; 1879-81, John De Graaff ; 1881-83, H. Schuantke; 1883-84, Charles Stave.

Clerks .- 1850-55, Stephen Crury : 1855-56, S. Case ; 1836-37, Stephen Crary; 1857-62, llenry Zimmer; 1862-64, S. Case ; 1804-65, W. R. Hunt ; 1865-66. S. Case ; 1866-67, Stephen Crary ; 1867-69, Henry Zim- mer; 1869-70, Peter De Young; 1870-71, J. G. Forbes; 1871-77, George Leverett; 1877-78, W. J. Jobusou ; 1878-84, S. A. Young.

Collector .- 1850-51, A. G. Sweet ; 1851-53, Stephen Crary ; 1833-55, Lott Chapman ; 1855-56, A. C. Tas- sett ; 1856-58, Heury Case; 1858-59, Lott Chapman ; 1859-60, J. A. Richards; 1860-62, Charles H. Dolton ; 1862-67, Henry Zimmer, Sr .; 1867-69. C. L. Van- steenbergh ; 1869-70, N. Balsiger; 1870-74, Henry (ineuther : 1874-75, M. L. Axtell; 1875-76, G. F. Hartfonl; 1876-77, Charles Stave; 1877-79, George A. Dolton ; 1879-83, Heury Guenther.

Justice»,-1850, Stephen Spoor mud John Milsted ; 1851, Elisha Young ; 1852, Lott Chapman ; 1804,

Lott Chapman and Benjamin F. Ross; 1855, B. F Baker; 1858, Henry Zimmer and A. C. Fassett; 1860, Lott Chapman ; 1862, Alfred Robinson and Lott Chapman ; 1866, James Hart aml A. J. Hewes; 1870, Henry Lemusing nud Lott Chapman; 1873, James N. Shannon and Andrew HI. Dolton ; 1877, James N. Shannon and Andrew HI. Dolton. The present Jus- tices are James N. Shannon, A. H. Dolton and John M. Stewart.

THORNTON VILLAGE.

Thornton is one among the oldest villages in the county, its first settlement dating back to 1834. It is situated on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Rail- roud, twenty-five miles distant from the city, and in the midst of a rich agricultural district, whose thrifty inhabitants gleun from its fertile soil all that honest toil can bring. The first settler within the present limits of the village was William Woodbridge, who in :834 located and built a honse half way between Thornton and the Culnmet, on the east side of Thorn Creek. Not liking the spot he had chosen, Mr. Woodbridge in the following year removed to a farm of 100 acres just adjoining Thornton on the west. Subsequently he sold this farm to John Black- stone, who in later years conveyed it to Gurdon S. Hubbard, by whom it is still owned. Mr. Woodbridge on quitting the farm moved into Thornton, where he built and kept the first store in the village.

Stephen Urary, now a resident of Chicago and to whom the publisher is indebted for many of the facts pertaining to the early history of Thornton, arrived in the village in July, 1835. His father, Joseph S. Crary, also eame in the same year and located on Section 7, in the town of Bloom, near where is now the village of Homewood. Joseph and Sandford Case settled here in the spring of 1835, and in Angust of that year James Farwell purchased amd settled on the southeast quarter of Section 27, nearly one mile east of the village. Owing to certain reservations made in the Tippecanoe treaty of 1832, by which certain lands here and there

Diliand by Google

859

HISTORY OF THORNTON.

wero reserved from sale, the title to the farm pur- chased by Mr. Farwell was found to be defective. lle sold the place, subject to this cloud, to Noah Warren, and it was many years before he succeeded in estab- lishing a perfect title to the place. Stephen Spoor, the Berry family, Christian Randall, James Barton (who removed to Michigan in 1846), David Craudal and Jolin Blackstone are among those not yet men- tioned, who came to Thornton prior to 1836. Don Carlos Berry built and kept the first tavern here. in 1836; in the same year also a post-office was estab- lished, and, Mr. Berry being appointed l'ostmaster, be- came in his dual positions a man of considerable prom- inence. Up to that time the people had obtained their mail either nt Chiengo or at a place called Hlad- ley, near Mokena, in Will County. Josephy Case was the second Postmaster, succeeding Mr. Berry in 1837.

Joseph Milsted nud James Chiklers settled on the north bank of the Calumet, almost opposite the mouth of Thorn Creek, in 1$36, and about the same time came William und Elisha Young who built and opened a general trading store ou the corner of William and Margaret streets. The Young brothers remained here until 1850, when they went to California. They had, however, previons to their removal from Thorn- ton, built and rou a vessel, a moderate sized steam barge known as the Calumet Trailers and which phed between Chicago and the trading towns on the Call- met. The twiter of this ves-el exploded, killing the engineer, in 1851, while it was lying in the harbor of Chicago. In this connection it may not be amiss to mention that in the early settlement of Thoruton it was confilentially believed it was destined to become the "' head of navigation." Mr. Crary is authority for the statement that Thorn Creek, now a stream of the most insignilleant character, had then a channel forty feet in width, in which the water rnu, even at what would be called its low stages, at a depth of from four to six feet. lle also says that the water power at the village was, when he first came there, valued at $10,000. In support of this it may be cited that as carly as 1835 Messrs. Kinzie. Blackstone and Hlub- bard conceive.l the idea of building a grist mill on the banks of Thorn Creek: they employed a Mr. Sachett, a millwright, to build a saw mill, but by the time that was completed so much money had been expended that the idea of erecting the grist mill was abandoned. Relative to the great changes which have taken place in the water courses of the country. Mr. Crary also says that the story tokl, that in 1835 Peter Barton. when he laid out the village of Blue Island, chartered a schooner, which, laden with supplies, made its way up the Calumet to the mouth of Stony Creek, np which it ascended to where now stands the village, is literally truc. The Stony Creek of to-day would have to be widened and deepened considerably before it wonll float the smallest schooner on the lakes, hut that it was once a stream that wonid easily udmit the passage of a vessel drawing four feet of water, cannot in the face of the facts be doubted.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 241

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