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 26
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The village of Bartlett was located on Section 34. The original plat was made by Luther Bartlett and the railroad company in 1873. Mr. Bartlett owned the land there and gave one-half interest in the same to the railway company upon condition that the station would be located there. The first house on the village site was that of Mr. Tammis. The second was erected by John Carr and the third by James Cornish; all were built in the fall of 1873. Next spring Cyrus W. Metcalf erected a residence. The Bartlett Manu-
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facturing company was organized about this time. They proceeded to erect a factory and began manufacturing patent neck-yokes, etc. A large store was built by H. B. Sayre in 1874. It was leased to Hayne & Gower and opened with a large general stock of merchan- dise. In 1878 Waterman Brothers erected a store building. Dr. E. C. Guild opened a drug store in 1874. In 1877 Mr. Hemenway also begun selling goods in this village. In 1874 the postoffice was established, with Luther Bartlett as postmaster. In 1873 Thornton Russell opened a blacksmith's shop in the village. A lumber yard was established in 1873 by Bartlett & Shields. A cheese factory was established by Henry Waterman about the same time. A large schoolhouse was erected in 1876 and was attended by seventy-five scholars at the start.
The Congregationalists had an organization there in 1874 and erected. a church in 1878. The first minister was Rev. Henry Ja- cobs. They established a Sunday school at the same time.
Spaulding was a little station about thirty-two miles from Chi- cago, and Hammond was another little hamlet farther on. Ontario- ville was a small village in Hanover township.
Palatine is one of the agricultural townships of Cook county. Originally the surface was mostly prairie. Several groves stood out prominently on the landscape. One was called Deer Grove and another Frye's Grove. Others were called Englishman's Grove, Highland Grove and Plum Grove. At the latter there was originally an Indian burying ground. As early as 1836 George Ela settled in the township. Others to arrive about the same time were Orrin Ford, A. H. McClure, Asa Dunford, Asahel Harris, Amos Bailey, Ezekiel Cady, Harris Webster, Palmer Webster, M. W. Sawyer, · Loren Edgerton, B. B. Lincoln, Lyman Staples, Thomas F. Wilson, Elisha Pratt, John Slade, Thomas S. Clark, Edward Castle, Luman Clark, Elias Wood, Daniel Johnson, Thomas Bradwell, Joel Wood, M. S. Johnson and others. .
The town of Palatine was organized in 1850. At the time the town was named, Yankton was proposed, but failed by one vote to be adopted. The meeting to organize the town was held at the house of John Slade. The first officers were Thomas S. Clark, super- visor; D. B. Wood, clerk; H. Webster, assessor; M. Faskett, col- lector; John Slade, overseer of the poor; Daniel Stanard, E. Cady and Luman Clark, commissioners of highways; Milton Faskett and Fleming Gaines, constables; Thomas Bradwell and H. N. House, justices of the peace. The town was divided into nine road dis- tricts and $25 was raised to pay current expenses. The first road extended from Deer Grove in the direction of Chicago. The early population of Palatine township were mostly Germans. They were industrious and accordingly the farms soon became well improved with substantial houses and barns. Schools were started at an early date. Religious societies also made their appearance during the
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'30s. A Lutheran organization was established as early as 1838. The village of Palatine on the Northwestern railway is about twenty- six miles from the courthouse, Chicago. It was established at the time the railroad was built. On the town site were four houses when the railroad was extended through this section. Smith Pratt erected the first building. Others were built by Mr. Faust, Joel Wood and Adolphus Bennett. In 1855 the depot was built. John Guthrie, blacksmith, located there in 1855. The Rothschild brothers started a store about 1856. The first postoffice there was called Elk Grove, but was finally changed to Palatine. In 1866 the village was incorporated. Only two votes were cast against incorporation. The first trustees were Joel Wood, Myron H. Lytle, H. Schirding, Solon M. Johnson and F. G. Robinson. A schoolhouse was built as early as 1855 in Palatine and one of the first teachers was Lucina Spring. The building was enlarged in 1864. The Masonic hall was used as a schoolhouse for a while in 1869 and a much larger school building was erected. A small newspaper called the Enterprise was conducted here in the '70s. A Methodist Episcopal church was organized as early as 1839 at Plum Grove. About the same time a schoolhouse was located there. Another Methodist organization was founded in 1840 at Deer Grove. A frame church was built there after several years. The Disciple's church at Palatine was organized in 1858 with twenty-five members. They first worshiped in a private house, later in the schoolhouse, and finally built their church in 1865. The Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran church was organized in 1868 with twenty members. They bought the church which had previously been owned by the Disciples and used the same for some time. St. Paul's United Evangelical church was organized in 1872 with a membership of fifteen. The first pastor was Jacob Furrer. The vil- lage of Palatine has always been prosperous, with good stores, shops and manufacturing enterprises.
Riverside township, as created, comprised but four sections-25, 26, 35 and 36-in the southeast corner of Proviso township. This was one of the first portions of the county to become settled. As early as 1828 David and Barney Laughton built and opened a trading house near Lyons and Riverside. There they lived for many years and their house was familiar to the residents of the county. Hunters stopped there for refreshments and they were compelled to keep a sort of tavern. They also kept liquor at an early date. Stephen Forbes located in Riverside as early as 1831. He became one of the first sheriffs of Cook county. He was in Chicago as early as 1829. He and the Laughton brothers were intimate friends.
The township of Riverside was organized in 1870. A petition was presented to the County Board asking that the sections above referred to be set off from Proviso and be made an independent town. The petition was granted. At the first election of officers thirty-nine votes were polled and the following officers were chosen :
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Thomas Wright, supervisor; Joseph Ditto, assessor; J. H. Best, clerk; T. G. Kinman, collector; L. Y. Schermerhorn, M. Fox and A. Edgerton, commissioners of highways; C. G. Case, S. R. Cole, justices of the peace; W. P. Harris and George Nig, constables. These men proceeded to set the machinery of the town in operation. They made important improvements at the start and took control of revenues and improvements. In 1869 the Riverside Improvement company was organized and at once began to form a village. Among the company were Emery E. Childs, Leveret W. Murray, Henry Seelye, David A. Gage, Alpheus C. Badger, George Kimbark, and William Allen. A tract of 1,600 acres was secured from Mr. Gage, who owned what was called "Riverside farm," one of the finest in the county. The company began immediately to lay out streets and walks, put in gas and water pipes, drain the site, and in other ways prepare for building. Among the first residents were David A. Gage, John C. Dore, H. C. Ford, E. E. Childs, L. Y. Schermerhorn, E. F. Nexsen, Charles Gladding, E. Wright, J. P. Merrill, W. E. Chandler, H. F. Jemison, J. H. Hollister, David Blakely, D. F. Chase and John A. Rice. Also among the first were L. W. Murray, Watts De Goyler, W. L. B. Jenney, Rev. H. Trowbridge and others. The town was prosperous from the start. Residences were built rapidly and an excellent class of people gathered there. Within two years there were good stores and successful schools and religious societies. The Presbyterian church was organized in 1872. The church was a union one built by the Riverside Improvement com- pany. The Episcopalians were organized in 1883 and had a small church on Parkway road near the depot. During the winter of 1874-75 the first important school was taught and the building was a frame structure with two rooms. The first teachers were W. H. Downing and his sister.
The township of Leyden was mostly prairie at the date of the first settlement. A strip of timber ran along the Des Plaines river and a few clumps of timber were found elsewhere. Trees along the river were very large. Occasionally one three feet in diameter was found. The soil in this township was not as good as in some other portions of the county. In this township were the large Indian res- ervations of Alexander Robinson and Claude La Framboise. They occupied a large tract on both sides of the Des Plaines river. They were granted by the treaty of 1829 before the township was sur- veyed and accordingly the boundaries do not correspond with the ordinary section lines. The first permanent settler was probably David Everett, who located on the La Framboise reserve in 1833. He was a Methodist and services were held at his house the same year. His home was a log structure which had formerly been used by a squatter or as a trading post probably by Frenchmen. Mrs. Everett was the daughter of Rev. Jesse Walker, one of the first min- isters of Chicago. In 1834 Mr. Brooks and Mr. Sherman arrived
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and settled on Section 3. About the same time Mr. Higgins, Wil- liam Rowley, Aldrich Rowley, Ezra Ellis, William Ellis, Samuel and Abel Spencer, Mr. Hewitt and William Draper settled in the township and became permanent residents. A little later other set- tlers were Henry Boesenberg, J. W. Frye, Henry Rounge, M. L. Dunlap and others. The Spencers kept hotel in a log house on the east side of the river. Later they opened another on the west side of the river. They came from Cazenovia, New York. The post- office was thus named Cazenovia, but a little later the name was changed to Leyden. The postoffice was kept in a residence for some time. At the time the plank road was built in 1850 the company erected a saw mill at the Des Plaines crossing and there the planks of the road were mostly sawed. After running eighteen months the mill was transformed into a grist mill.
The township was organized in 1850. The meeting was held in the house of Richard Fuller. E. Alger served as moderator and William Emerson, clerk. The following officers were chosen: M. L. Dunlap, supervisor; Richard W. Everett, clerk; William Emer- son, assessor ; Samuel Hummel, collector ; Richard W. Everett, over- seer of poor; Thomas Croghan, Ezra Alger and John Frye, com- missioners of highways; John M. Pennoyer and William Dunlap, justices of the peace; Samuel Hummel and Edward B. Stanley, con- stables. The town was first named Monroe, but immediately after- ward the name was changed to Leyden. The town was divided into ten road districts and a tax was levied to meet current expenses. The town authorities also reorganized the school districts and im- proved the facilities of securing an education. Regulations con- cerning the running at large of stock were adopted and a pound was built. One hundred dollars was raised with which to purchase plank to be used in building drainage ditches. When the Laughtons lo- cated on the Des Plaines Alexander Robinson was employed by them to assist in the Indian trade.
Turner Park was a small place about eleven and a half miles from Chicago and located on the East branch of the DesPlaines river. The Turner Park association laid out the original lots with the design of building up a large town. Six blocks were first laid out and afterward additions to the same were made. The first store was opened in 1874 and a little later the station house was erected. About the same time a blacksmith appeared. A schoolhouse was built in 1869. The Germans had a religious organization there about the same time. The village of River Park or Franklin was on the west bank of the Des Plaines on the Milwaukee railroad, and was located on part of the La Framboise reservation. The original plat was laid out in 1872. R. S. Rhodes erected six buildings there in 1872 and sold the same on easy payments to purchasers. A church was erected there by the Presbyterians about 1873. The members numbered fifteen. Rev. J. B. McClure was the first pastor.
Vol. II-17.
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A Sunday school was organized in connection with the church. The depot was erected in 1874 and at that date a postoffice was estab- lished. A little schoolhouse was built about the same time. The station of Monheim was started in 1874. At that date a postoffice was opened by Henry Boesenberg. A creamery was established there early. A grocery and general store were commenced also. Orison was a small station near Monheim. River Grove is a village of a later date.
The old Jefferson township was settled at a very early date. İt occupied a central position, and as the soil was unusually good set- tlers were attracted to that vicinity. However, the territory was somewhat low and in early times was covered with water. To add to this unpleasant state of affairs, the citizens were negligent in regard to the question of drainage. They even took action against becoming a part of the Chicago drainage system early in the '50s. Later this injury to the town was repaired by the construction of numerous ditches and sewers. The site was originally prairie, crossed with Sand ridge and Union ridge, the latter extending from Elijah Wentworth's hotel to Whiskey Point. As a whole the town- ship was elevated about twenty to twenty-five feet above Lake Mich- igan. The ridges were approximately from thirty to forty feet above the lake. The drainage was effected from the North branch of the Chicago river.
Among the first settlers was John Kinzie Clark, who located there as early as 1830. He is conceded to have been the first resident in this township. He was a squatter, of course, and hence had no rights except those granted by the preëmption laws. His log cabin was located in the timber on the North branch of the river, about eight miles from its junction with the South branch, the Clybourns and several residents of Chicago assisting him to erect his small resi- dence. Here Mr. Clark resided until 1836, when he sold to Mr. Brownell and removed to Northfield.
Mr. Clark seems to have been the only resident of the township prior to about 1831-32. At this date or a little later the Bickerdikes settled not far from the Clark residence. The Nobles owned land in this township very early and may have lived within the township limits during the early '30s. Joseph Lovett settled near Mr. Clark in 1833 and his residence stood about one mile northwest of Whiskey Point. It was not until 1838 that the land of this township was thrown into the market, so that all settlers prior to that date were squatters. Another early settler was David Everett. Elijah Went- worth located on Sand ridge as early as 1836. He opened a tavern and received much patronage from emigrants westward bound.
Mr. Wentworth's tavern became such a landmark that the ridge was often called "Wentworth's Ridge." Among others who settled in the township about 1836 were Winthrop Merrill, Wm. E. Sayre, Gustavius V. Smith, Israel G. Smith, Major Noble, Martin Kimbell,
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James Townsend, Philip Townsend, Richard Townsend, John An- derson, S. S. Abbott, Thomas Burkel, Laomi Butterfield, John Sweeney, Abner Ellison, and a little later came John Robinson, Hiram Sanford, Reese Eaton, Edward Simons and others.
Milwaukee avenue at a very early date was a wagon track extend- ing from Kinzie street, Chicago, northward through Jefferson town- ship and then on to Niles and Northfield in the direction of Deer- field. This was the most important highway leading northward from Chicago in early years. Accordingly the citizens of Chicago as well as the settlers along the road were interested in its early improve- ment. The County Board early made appropriations for keeping it in repair, and the towns through which it passed levied taxes for the same purpose. It was duly surveyed upon petition of Silas W. Sherman, and Asa F. Bradley was the surveyor to mark its final course. Abram Gale located in the township as early as 1835. Upon his arrival Charles Chapman had just located within the limits. Mr. Gale selected a tract on the ridge that afterward became known as Galewood. The house, however, was not built until 1838. Richard Y. Spikings, Leighton Turner, Able Kay, D. L. Roberts, Chester Dickinson and William P. Gray located in the township late in the '30s or early in the '40s. Taverns were opened by George N. Pow- ers, S. S. Abbott and D. L. Roberts. The latter purchased the tav- ern owned by Elijah Wentworth in the village of Jefferson. This building was a strong block-house, two stories high. In 1845 a postoffice was established at Jefferson with E. B. Sutherland as post- master. He was succeeded the following year by Chester Dickin- son. The school section was offered for sale in 1840. At that date its valuation was from $4 to $12 per acre.
In 1850 the township was organized as a township under the new law. Prior to that date the citizens had voted either at Chicago or in Monroe township. One of the voting places was at Higgins' tavern on the west side of the. Des Plaines river. The new Jefferson town was made to coincide with the Congressional township of the same name. At the first meeting there were present the following men : Martin Kimbell, William P. Gray, Edward Simons, Chester Dickinson, David L. Roberts, Zina Byington, S. S. Abbott and Major Noble. The first election was held in April, 1850, at the resi- dence of Chester Dickinson. George Merrill served as moderator ; D. L. Roberts, clerk. The first officers elected were as follows : Martin W. Kimbell, supervisor; Robert J. Edbrook, clerk; Russell Morton, assessor ; Alexander Clark, collector ; George Merrill, over- seer of the poor; Daniel Booth and Major Noble, commissioner of highways; John H. Butterfield, constable. The officers immediately proceeded to divide the township into road and school districts, levy a tax on property, fix a legal height for fences and provide for dig- ging ditches and constructing sewers. Early in the '50s the com- missioners of highways performed the duties of a drainage board,
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and seem to have been negligent because there was much complaint. In 1859 a separate drainage board was organized. The village of Jefferson was organized in 1870, the first officers being William P. Gray, supervisor ; S. S. Abbott, assessor; Frank D. Wulff, collector, and D. N. Kelsey, clerk. In 1856 the town hall was erected at a cost of about $2,500. From the start Jefferson spent immense sums for drainage purposes, and the result was shown a little later in the splendid farms and gardens in this portion of the county.
In 1872 the village organization was made effective. Thirty citi- zens petitioned for the change and a total of eighty-two votes were polled, seventy-two being in favor of village organization and ten opposed. William P. Gray was the first president of the Board of Trustees. As early as 1869 the first artesian well was sunk on the farm of M. W. Kimbell, and a depth of 653 feet was reached at a cost of about $4,000. Later several others were dug in the same vicinity ; the water usually came a few feet above the surface but not with great force. About ten or a dozen wells were sunk and sev- eral are in existence at the present time.
As early as 1836 the township was divided into school districts. Reese Eaton was one of the first teachers. He was succeeded by L. H. Smith. Mr. Kimbell taught several terms in his own residence. Children came to his house from as far as four miles. By 1837 there were four schoolhouses within the township limits. The first regu- larly organized school district was established in 1842 and Edward Simons, Gustavius V. Smith, Philip Townsend, Nyram Sanford and W. E. Sayre were the first trustees. Two years later, School district No. 2 was duly organized by the citizens assembled in the tavern of Mr. Kimbell. By 1849 Jefferson probably had, as a whole, the best schools in the county outside of Chicago proper. The school buildings by that time were numerous, well constructed and well attended. Among the early settlements in the township were: Ma- plewood, Cragin, Humboldt, Avondale, Mont Clare, Montrose, Whiskey Point, Grayland, Forest Glen, Bandow, Kelvyn Grove, Jef- ferson, Bowmanville, Summerdale and Irving Park. In 1869 the citizens concluded to build their first high school building. At first it was proposed to conduct high school in the town house. The first attempts failed, and it was not until 1870 that a high school was finished and opened under the principalship of J. B. Farnsworth. The high school building was not erected until 1883. It cost about $30,000 and was a credit to the township. Soon afterward it was found necessary to erect another.
As early as 1833 religious services were held in Jefferson town- ship. The first settlers prior to that date attended meetings at the residence of Daniel Everett in Leyden township and in 1833 Rev. Mr. Payne, a Congregational minister, conducted services in the first schoolhouse built in the township. A little later Methodist quarterly meeting was held at Whiskey Point. This meeting was the founda-
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tion for the rapid growth of Methodism in this section of Cook county. Mark Noble, Sr., a strong church man, preached to Jef- ferson township congregations at an early date. Several other or- ganizations sprang up and by 1860 the township was well represented with religious services. The Jefferson Congregational church was organized with seven members in 1861. St. Johannes German Evan- gelical Lutheran church was established in 1876 by Rev. Augustus Reinke. The Union Congregational church at Bowmanville was founded as early as 1878 and was known as the Union Protestant church. Mrs. Mary A. Petersen was a leading member at the start. This society had an early Sunday school with large membership. The Congregational church at Cragin was established in 1873 by Rev. J. M. Williams. In 1874 the Reform Church of Irving Park was commenced with a membership of sixteen. In 1860 the Baptist church of this township was organized. Its services were held in the railroad station and in the schoolhouse. The Church Extension so- siety of this denomination do important work to this day. Jefferson village was laid out by D. L. Roberts in 1855. Numerous additions were platted and within a few years the village contained several thousand population, excellent schools, churches, business houses and shops.
Maplewood lies in the southeast corner of Jefferson township. The first house there was built in 1870 by Mr. Hoffman. The second was built the following year by Mr. Daniel Reynolds. Other build- ings were erected by Crony & Farlin, Mr. Rhoades, L. Welch, C. M. De Libbey, David A. Cashman, T. W. Taylor, James Lee and Mr. Whitman. The station was built in 1870 and the postoffice established two years later with Mr. Reynolds as postmaster. The site of Maplewood originally embraced the southeast quarter of Section 25.
Irving Park is distant from Chicago about six and a half miles. It was located near the center of the township on the farm of Major Noble. Charles T. Race. W. B. Race. John R. Wheeler, and John S. Brown were the founders of Irving Park. The original plat em- braced the northeast quarter of Section 15 and was laid out in 1869. Later additions were made by John Gray, A. E. Brown, while later Baxter's addition was annexed. In 1871 the postoffice was estab- lished and L. B. Hill was postmaster. The Christian Union of Irving Park was established in 1883, and this little hamlet had its carly schools, churches, and was soon a thriving and prosperous business point.
Humboldt, situated a short distance north of Humboldt park, originally comprised eighty acres on Section 36. This suburb was located on a ridge, and prior to 1870 was little less than a cultivated field. Hansbrough & Hess divided the tract into sixteen blocks. Henry Greencharm became interested in this site and at the date of its commencement. and in the end was called the "Father of Hum-
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boldt Park," owing to the sacrifices he made 'and the money spent to secure its establishment. He erected several houses, and resi- dents began to appear. He secured the organization of the Hum- boldt Park Literary union, also an Odd Fellow lodge. In a short time a branch of the railway was run to this point, largely through Mr. Greenebaum's influence. A little later street car tracks were extended to this point. Many Scandinavians and Germans settled here and gave the hamlet the appearance of a foreign town.
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