USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois : being a general survey of Cook County history, including a condensed history of Chicago and special account of districts outside the city limits : from the earliest settlement to the present time, volume II > Part 24
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In November, 1873, the Industrial School for Girls was opened at South Evanston. Credit for the establishment of this institution is given to the ladies of the Illinois Centennial association. At first there were but six inmates. Later the school expanded and became useful.
In 1872 the Methodist Episcopal church was organized at South Evanston. The first place of worship was in a schoolhouse. Rev. A. G. Sutton was the first pastor.
The village of Rogers Park derived its name from Philip Rogers, an Irishman, who came to America in 1838, and six years later set- tled on the Ridge where the place now stands. At that date, as he was about the only settler in that vicinity, the place was called Rogers Ridge. Mr. Rogers died in 1856 and his estate was divided The present village of Rogers Park and Ravenswood are built on the land formerly owned by him. The town site was platted by the Rogers Park Building association in 1870. Immediately the vil- lage began to grow and has become one of the prominent centers of the county. In 1878 the inhabitants incorporated themselves as a village under the name of Rogers Park. At the first election of officers in April, 1878. the following trustees were chosen : James Carter, D. W. Keene, C. H. Ceperly, J. J. Pitkin, Matthias Mann, and Andrew Jackson. The latter was elected president of the board. Early in the '70s the Methodist Episcopal church at Rogers Park was organized with a membership of about twenty.
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At first the pulpit was supplied by professors from Northwestern university. Rev. Andrew Yonker was the first regular pastor. Soon a mission was established in connection with the church.
New Trier township was partly settled before the land was thrown into market by the government. As early as 1836 squatters began to locate on the high lands in this portion of Cook county. One of the first was Erastus Patterson, who located on the hill near Winnetka. In the year 1836 he built a log house on Section 16 and Alexander McDaniel assisted him to set the logs in their places. Soon after locating there, Mr. Patterson began keeping tav- ern on a small scale for the accommodation of travelers and new settlers. Mr. McDaniel was not yet a resident at the time he as- sisted Mr. Patterson to erect his house. He was there on a pros- pecting tour, but in October of the same year, having become satis- fied with the location, he bought a claim on what afterward was known as Peck's place, on the present site of Winnetka. The next spring he bought a tract, where later John Garland settled and , built a log house a short distance south of the railroad station.
At this date, Antoine Ouilmette resided at Gross Point and Mr. McDaniel and Mr. Patterson, when they first came to this vicinity, stopped for a short time with his family. The house occupied by the Ouilmettes was a double hewed-log structure that had been in ex- istence for many years previous. It was the largest and most sub- stantial structure in this portion of the county. The family of An- toine consisted of his wife Archange, a half-breed Indian woman, and their eight children-Joseph, Mitchell, Louis, Francis, Eliza- beth, Archange, Sophia and Josette. There also lived with them Lucius R. Darling, the husband of Elizabeth, and John Deraphi, the husband of Sophia. Although the mother was a half-breed, the children were nearly white and were unusually intelligent and prepossessing.
Land in the vicinity of Winnetka was occupied by Perry Baker. and Simeon Loveland previous to 1837. Soon after Mr. McDaniel settled at Wilmette Anson K. Taylor, Philip Martin and A. M. Tolly located near him, the latter two at or near Glencoe in the extreme northcastern part of the county. Mr. Tolly really lived in Chicago and was a printer connected with the Democrat.
In 1838 Wendell Allis and his sons Jacob and John settled in- this township. About the same time Timothy Sunderland, Harrison Lowe and Simon Doyle settled on the lake shore in this township: A little later Charles H. Beaubien, a cousin of Mark Beaubien of Chicago, and Joel C. Stebbins also settled here. Within the next two years John Ellis, John Foster, Marcus Gormley, Michael Gorm- ley, Robert Daggert, Joseph Feltman, Lambert Duolicum, Joseph Fountain, Auruna Hill, Edward Dalton, John Armstrong, Edward Crain, Dennis Cliffert, Samuel Jerome, James Hartry, John Malter and Peter Schmitt settled in this township. Still later, other settlers
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were Franz Engels, John J. Schreiner, Brady Schaefer, Peter Schaefer, Herman Passbach, Hubert Herrig, John Lauerman, John Wagner, John Barre, John and Jacob Schmitt, John Schildgen, Reinhard Manzig, Joseph Schneider and Andrew Reinwald.
The town of New Trier was duly organized in 1850 at the house of John Garland as per order of the county clerk. At the first meeting of the citizens Jesse Mattison acted as moderator and William H. Garland as clerk. The following were the first officers elected : James Hartry, supervisor; John Garland, clerk; Andrew Hood and Anson H. Taylor, justices of the peace; Michael Gorm- ley, assessor; John Lauerman, collector; Anton Schneider, overseer of the poor, and Michael Deidrich, Michael Gormley and James Hartry, commissioners of highway. The officers proceeded imme- diately to divide the town into road districts and to make pro- vision for the care of a number of poor persons. The necessity of good roads was realized and at the first meeting the citizens dis- cussed the question of assessing a tax for that purpose. The supervisor elected was instructed to solicit from the County Board assistance to aid in completing ditches, etc. Soon after the first settlement a school was opened in the Patterson log cabin. Later a small schoolhouse was constructed on the present site of Win- netka. Still later other primitive school establishments were built.
Winnetka was laid out by Charles E. Peck and Walter S. Gurnee in 1854. James L. Wilson bought the first lot. Anson H. Taylor in 1856 was the first postmaster. The name Winnetka signifies "Beautiful Place." In the northern portion is a spot known as Lake View, one of the most attractive points on the west shore of the lake. The village of Winnetka was incorporated in 1869, the first trustees being Artemus Carter, Jared Gage, Timothy Wright, David Wilder, Thomas Bassett, and Mr. Atwood. The first village offi- cers were O. W. Belden, treasurer; R. M. Graves, assessor ; Nicho- las Simons, marshal and collector, and H. W. Kenny, clerk. Arte- mus Carter was the first president of the board of trustees and John T. Dale the second.
In 1869 Christ church was erected by John Garland. It was first used as a union meeting house, but later became Christ church of Winnetka. The Congregationalist church was organized in 1874.
The first settler at Wilmette was Anton Ouilmette, after whom the place was named. Other early residents of that vicinity were J. G. Westerfield, H. A. Dingee, Alex McDaniel, Henry W. Blodg- ett, Simon V. Kline and others. The settlement was at first called Gross Point. In fact the north half of Cook county was called by that name for several years after the county was organized. It was a general term referring to the point of land extending into the lake in this locality.
The village of Wilmette was incorporated in 1872, the first trus-
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tees being A. C. McDaniel, C. F. Boggs, A. T. Sherman, B. M. Munn, Amos Schants and John A. Westerfield. Mr. Munn was the first president of the board. Charles A. Vale was clerk.
The Methodist church at Wilmette was established in 1878, and the First Congregational church in 1875. School was probably taught here in the old Ouilmette homestead, no doubt as early as the '30s.
Gross Point, a small place southwest of Wilmette, was incor- porated in 1874, the first trustees being M. Schaefer, Frank Engels, John Bleser, Joseph Passbach, Bernhard Braun, and Adam Braun.
The German Catholic church was established here at an early date. St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church was organized in 1843. This congregation became one of the strongest in this portion of the county. Later a school was established and was largely at- tended by Catholic children. The village of Glencoe was incor- porated in 1869. The Congregational church of Christ at Glencoe was founded in 1870. The Methodists and Baptists also had early organizations in this vicinity.
The old Lake View township was an important one during the period of its existence. It commanded a beautiful view of the lake and was settled at a very early period. Just north of the northern boundary was the Clybourn family and a little farther north was the Ouilmettes. As early as 1837 Frederick Sulzer located at what afterward became Ravenswood. His father Conrad settled near him at the same time. Also about that time Samuel Rohrer located at Rosehill. Between 1844 and 1847 the following settlers also located in the old Lake View township: David Hood, John Beck, Peter Bletsch, Henry Fortmann, Joseph Klein, John Tillman, Henry Reinberg, Michael Breit, Peter Rinn, Frank Schmitt and Peter Monroe, and a little later the Hansens located near Rosehill. As early as 1854 the Lake View tavern was opened near Graceland avenue on the lake shore. It was built by James H. Reese and Elisha E. Hundley. This was the beginning of quite a settlement at that point. A little later Pine Grove became a sub- division of Lake View proper. The settlers in this portion of the county demanded, at an early period, a better road to Chicago. This demand, in the end, led to the construction of the Lake View pike road along what was then known as the extension of the Green Bay road. Another settlement in the old township of Lake View was called Andersonville. All of these settlements have long since become a part of the North side. One of the first schoolhouses was built at Andersonville.
In 1857 the township of Lake View was organized. I. S. Shippy was moderator of the meeting and John Mauritzen, clerk. Rob- ert Edson was chosen as county supervisor ; Conrad Sulzer, assessor ; Nicholas Kranz, collector ; John Mauritzen, clerk; Isaac C. Shippy, justice of the peace; Louis A. Brown, Jacob Wolfe and Francis
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Baer, commissioners of highway; John Reese, constable; John Bugner, overseer of the poor. The township was divided at this meeting into two districts, one from the northern boundary of Chicago to Albert street and the other from Albert street to Grace- land avenue. Lake View township was not organized as a town un- til 1865. At that date the citizens determined on a town organiza- tion and elected the following officers : James H. Reese, supervisor ; Nicholas Kranz, assessor; Samuel B. Chase, Nicholas Mann and Louis A. Brown, commissioners of highways; Baptiste Portmann, collector.
The boundaries of the town were fixed as follows: "All of Sec- tions 6, 7, 18 and 19 and that part of Section 30 east of Western avenue and the North branch of Chicago river and all of Sections . 17, 20 and 29, also fractional Sections of 5, 8, 16, 21 and 28 west of Lake Michigan, the same being that part of Township 40 north, Range 14 east." This boundary gave the town jurisdiction over the bottom of Lake Michigan for a considerable distance from the shore.
The new town was no sooner organized than the officials began a systematic and concerted plan of improvement. Roads and bridges were constructed and the low lands were properly drained by ditches and sewers. In 1872 the town hall was built at a cost of $17,000. In 1866 a police force was duly organized and a Board of Health was established. Rosehill station was called Havelock; J. H. An- derson was postmaster. W. H. Bryan was postmaster at Ravens- wood and C. S. Wells at Wright's Grove. Two important improve- ments of this township were Rosehill and Graceland cemeteries. An account of these tracts will be found elsewhere in this work. The settlement of Lake View was very rapid. This led early in the '50s to the establishment of several important schools. One was built on Evanston avenue at School street. Another on Diversey street. The schools of Ravenswood were excellent almost from the start. Miss A. T. Shotwell taught school early in the town- ship.
In 1873 the citizens assembled for the purpose of considering the question of building a high school. After debate the question was submitted to the people and was decided in the affirmative. The building was accordingly erected at a cost of about $15,000. The first principal was A. F. Nightingale, the present efficient superin- tendent of Cook County schools. Professor Nightingale had an able corps of assistants. An important improvement in the '70s was the Lake View water works. The first pump was set in operation in 1876, but so great was the growth that another was started the following year. Important manufacturing interests added greatly to the population of this portion of the county. Among the most important were the Deering Harvester works, North Chicago Mal- leable Iron works and the Northwestern Terra Cotta works. An- other valuable industry was the celery trade.
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Ravenswood was founded about 1868 by John M. Wilson, Jared H. Hinckley, Leonard Hodges, Merrill Ladd, Samuel Powers, R. S. Parker, Cyrus P. Leland, Chauncey T. Bowen, Daniel A. Jones, Clarendon Harris, John H. Kedzie, Field, King & Co., Seth Shel- don, Jr., Luther L. Greenleaf, M. Van Allen, Alexander T. See- berger, John Williams, Lucius A. Willard and Israel Sunderland, under the title of the Ravenswood Land company, but the lots were not laid out until the following year. Later additions were made to the original tract. In 1869 the company built a schoolhouse and later a hotel and otherwise endeavored to make the site attractive to residents. The Chicago fire of 1871 checked but did not prevent the growth of this town.
The Methodists organized a class as early as 1872. Rev. Mr. Clendening was the first pastor. The Congregationalists, under / William A. Lloyd, were organized as early as 1870 and at the same time started a Sunday school. The first church was built in 1871. The Episcopalians also had an early organization a this place. The Ravenswood Historical society was another important organ- ization. The Ravenswood Women's Christian Temperance union. which has been in existence under various names almost to the present time, was organized in the '70s and among its membership were many of the most prominent ladies of the town. In 1842 the first Catholics settled in the vicinity of Rosehill. By 1850 they were there in sufficient numbers to have a religious society. The first regular pastor was Rev. H. Fortmann, and the society took the name of Saint Henry's parish. The first services were held at the house of Peter Schmitt. In 1850 their first small church building was erected. During the '60s the orphan asylum of the Guardian Angel was established at Rosehill by the Catholic congregation. The first trustees were as follows: Ferdinand Kalvelage, Peter Fischer, Peter Zimmermann, Dennis Stolz, Clemens Venn, Lorenz Biehl. John Herting, Anton Schager and Anton Franzen. The first building was erected in 1867 and was destroyed by fire in 1879. A new building was soon thereafter built at a cost of about $35,000.
The United States Marine hospital was located on Graceland avenue and commanded an excellent view of the surrounding coun- try and the lake. It was finished in 1873 and cost a large sum. Another institution built in this locality early was the Martha Wash- ington home. It was first opened in 1872. Emmanuel church of the Evangelical association was established about 1871; Rev. J. B. Kraemer was one of the first pastors. Fullerton Avenue Presby- terian church was organized in 1864 by Rev. W. Lord and L. J. Halsey and others. The Third German Evangelical Reform Fried- en's church was established early in the '80s with membership of about forty. Rev. Alexander Arronet was the pastor. The Lake View Congregational church was organized in the winter of 1881-2 by Rev. J. C. Armstrong. In November of that year the first Vol. II-16.
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church built was erected at a cost of about $6,000. The Saint Al- phonsius Roman Catholic church was organized in the fall of 1882 by Rev. Father P. Hahn. St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran church was organized January, 1884; Reverend John E. Mueller was the pastor. Deering's Methodist Episcopal congregation was an early organization. Several newspapers have been issued in this part of the city, among which were the Telephone, Townsman and others. Numerous secret and other societies have flourished down to the present.
Niles township was settled before the land was formally thrown into market by the government. As early as 1831 Joseph Curtis located on Section 17. He built a rude log house and a little later kept tavern, as did nearly all the early settlers from necessity. John DeWees, the following year, settled about one-half mile north of Mr. Curtis. Both of these first settlers were Englishmen. Soon afterward John Schadiger and Julius Perrin, in conjunction, built a rude log hut on the North branch of the Chicago river, within the limits of what is known as the village of Niles. This was formerly called Dutchman's Point, and is referred to many times in the early records of the county. It is uncertain how it came to be called by that name. It is presumed, however, that it derived its name from the fact that the first five or six families to settle on the point of river and timber extending westward from the North branch were Germans, or as they were generally called then, Dutchmen, and that the point thus received its name. It was a familiar landmark in early times.
About 1833 William Clark, who had previously lived in Chi- cago, settled in this township. . He built a log cabin on Section 30. About the same time Thomas Jefferson and his son, Thomas, Jr., lo- cated near Mr. Curtis. In 1834 many settlers poured in, because the township contained tracts of the most excellent farming land. Among the first were Christian Ebinger, John Plank, John Ebinger, and Frederick Ebinger. Several of these early settlers worked at Fort Dearborn, probably on the piers or the harbor, during 1834. The most of these first settlers located on what was called the Ridge in this township. The Ebingers kept tavern. In early times no pioneer turned from his doors a prospective settler. Those who had already established homes were exceedingly anxious to have others locate near them, and hence the early settlers were invariably very hospitable, and in many instances kept public house.
Other early settlers in the township were John O'Dell, Robert Robinson, John Miller, and Elam Crain. John Miller built a saw mill which for many years was known as Miller's mill. It sup- plied the lumber for many of the early houses, fences, etc. It is said that Mr. Miller obtained for his first thousand feet of lumber the sum of $70. John Roland, Andrew Brown, James Wheldon, Thomas Brown, John Brown, Benjamin Emerson, George Hes-
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lington, a Mr. Barletts, Lyman Butterfield, Samuel E. Ferris, Joel O'Brien, Thomas Jowarski, John Rickard, Jacob Comstock, Ste- phen Gage, John Marshall, Benjamin Hall, Benjamin Lupton and others were early settlers during the '30s and '40s. It is said that Benjamin Hall kept the first general tavern at Dutchman's Point. It is also said that he sold liquor, and in all probability secured a license from the County Board. John Schrigly succeeded Mr. Hall as tavern keeper at Dutchman's Point. Nearly all of these early settlers were good hunters, because at that time game was abundant. Lyman Butterfield and John Schrigly are said to have been partic- ularly skillful with the rifle. The latter kept a pack of dogs, and with their assistance captured many wolves, for the hides of which the County Board paid a premium. Other early settlers were Nicholas Meyer, William Huffmeyer, William White, John Schnei- der, John Rodgers, four Hoffman brothers, named John W., Nich- olas, Michael and Matthias; Lucas and Peter Haupt, John Finke, Peter Schwarz, Jacob Kercher, and many others. The open prairie was a large marsh between the Evanston ridge and the timberland skirting the North branch.
The township was organized in 1850 under the general law. At an election held in April that year, Samuel E. Ferris served as mod- erator and James Milne as clerk. Samuel E. Ferris was elected supervisor ; Pierpont Anderson, clerk and collector ; Christian Eb- inger, assessor and overseer of the poor ; Samuel E. Ferris, Nathan- iel Snell and Robert Robinson, commissioners of highway; Robert Pink and Charles W. Buller, justices of the peace; Hamlet B. Snell and Pierpont Anderson, constables. The town officers proceeded to raise $150 and to set the machinery of the township in opera- tion. A pound was soon built and several bridges were thrown across the river. The County Board assisted in the construction of the river bridges. There were five road districts. As early as 1838 churches were organized on the Ridge. Religious services were held in private residences. In 1850 there were five school dis- tricts in the township.
The village of Niles is on the North branch not far from Nor- wood Park. The first residences on the village site were those of John Schadiger and Julius Perrin. They stood on the right bank of the river. These houses were built about the year 1833. Mr. Phillips kept the first store at Niles, and is said to have been the first postmaster in the township. He was succeeded by George Beech. The first hotel there was called the North Branch hotel. In 1840 Benjamin Lupton began blacksmithing at Dutchman's Point, and this shop was operated later by John Grey and Robert Heartt. In 1838 or 1839 a Scotchman named Ballantine taught school in the village of Niles. He was succeeded by a Miss Phil- lips, who charged a tuition of $2 per scholar. Another early teacher was Cordelia Wheaton. The first schoolhouse was a rude log struc-
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ture, but about 1849 a substantial building was erected. About 1857 the brick schoolhouse was built. The German Lutherans had an early organization in this township, as did the Methodists. The Church of the Evangelical association was located in the township in 1867. The house was a small frame structure which was after- ward used for a barn.
The village of Niles Center may be said to have started with the house erected by Henry Harns about the year 1854. The second was built three years later by Peter Bergmann, and during the year George Kay and A. J. Snell also erected houses on the village site. Carl Breitzmann started a blacksmith's shop at an early date. Sam- uel E. Ferris was a blacksmith in this township a number of years before this date. In 1858 a general store was started by Henry Harns. Soon afterward Peter Bergmann also opened a general store. He was succeeded by Peter Blaneufer. About this date a schoolhouse was established about half a mile south of the village. It was used by the early religious societies of that community, par- ticularly by the Evangelical Lutherans. The first postmaster was Henry Harns, and a little later George C. Klehm succeeded him. The German Evangelical Lutheran church was duly organized in 1867. It was said that the first membership some time before this date was about thirty-five. Rev. Emil Reucher was probably the first pastor of this church. A little later he was succeeded by Rev. F. Werner. The building was erected in 1868 and was a two-story brick structure. The basement was used for a schoolroom, and the upper story for the church purposes. St. Paul's Evangelical Lu- theran church was organized in 1881. The school was started the same year by Rev. Frank Detzer. St. Peter's Catholic church at Niles Center was established in 1868, and at first had a membership of about thirty-five. The frame church was built at a cost of over $3,500. The schoolhouse there was erected in 1873 under the di- rection of Rev. A. J. Thiele. The village of Morton Grove was started in 1879, and soon there were stores, a postoffice, schools, religious societies, etc.
Maine township was settled at an early date. Captain Wright located on Section 22 as early as 1832 and soon afterward Messrs. Brooks, Edick, Bessey and Sherman located near him. Eben Co- nant located on Section 34. Among others who came at an early date were Harry Phillips, Peter Guthrie, Thomas Walton, Samuel Johnson, Mancel Talcort, Samuel Rand, John Dougherty, Daniel Goodenough, J. W. Walton, A. H. Conant, Dr. Austin and Messrs. Hopson, Foote, Taylor, Kincade, Allison, Bradwell, Clay, Kenni- cott, Parsons, Salisbury, Socrates Rand, Hiram Hugunin, Judge Hoard, Mr. Long, John Boyd, Hiram Jefferson, Curtis Clark, Phin- eas Sherman, Jarius Warner, Thomas Stephen, George F. Foster, Thomas P. Robb, James Granns, Evan Jones, Luther Ballert, John Ward and many others.
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