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 27
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Cragin, on the Milwaukee railway, is seven miles from Chicago. It took its name from the Cragin Manufacturing company's plant. This company had located there some time before, and their em- ployes were the original inhabitants of the town. The town is situ- ated on Section 33. The Cragin company came here from Chicago in 1882. A depot was immediately built, a postoffice established and stores were opened. Another early business concern was the North- field Rivet company.
A short distance north of Cragin is Kelvyn Grove on Section 27 and on the Belt Line railway.
Whiskey Point is also a short distance from Cragin. It is stated that the first quarterly meeting of the Methodists ever held in this township was held at Whiskey Point. The origin of the name is in considerable doubt. However, all stories agree that the selling of whisky had something to do with it. One story is to the effect that an early liquor merchant buried several barrels of whisky there to keep them from falling into the hands of Indian bands.
Avondale is about five miles from Chicago. The plat was ap- proved in 1873 and was on portions of Sections 25 and 26. A post- office was established there a little later with L. B. Hull postmaster. A prosperous community settled there and soon 'schools and churches supplied the intellectual and spiritual wants of the people.
Mont Clare is located on the Milwaukee railway nine and a half miles from Chicago. It was begun in about 1871-72. Later addi- tions were made to the original site. The first postoffice was estah- lished in 1873. the first postmaster being Herbert Merrill. When first laid out the hamlet was called Savre Station. but two years later the term Mont Clare superseded the other. Church organiza- tions were here as early as 1873, a Sunday school being established by C. E. Lovett, superintendent, in 1876.
Grayland is on the Milwaukee railway, about eight miles from Chicago; it was named in honor of John Gray, whose residence joins the station. It is located on Section 22.
Forest Glen is also on the Milwaukee abont ten miles from the city. The original plat was laid out on the old W. C. Hazelton farm. and is on the northeast quarter of Section 9. The village derived its name from Forest Glen avenue. Chicago. W. C. Hazelton was the first postmaster. The station was built in 1883.
Bandow is a term applied to a postoffice that was located at 1594 Milwaukee avenue, P. W. Bandow being the first postmaster.
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Bowmanville was located on Section 12. Several additions were made at an early date and the business houses began to appear. It is located one mile west of Summerdale, and is about six and a half miles from Chicago. It was laid out on the famous Milwaukee ridge, where excellent water is found by digging from ten to twenty feet. A large hill north of Bowmanville was named Roe's hill, from Hiram Roe, who lived near it and kept whisky for sale in early times. M. Roe's name also gave rise to the name Rosehill. The first store in Bowmanville was established by Christian Brudy in 1868. He also started the first saloon there. Baptiste Putman owned the second store. The second house in the place was built by John Fountain. However, business was conducted at what be- came Bowmanville as early as 1856. Leonard Mehr opened up a saloon, and a little later Thomas Freestone began a saloon business and also kept hotel. A few years later, associated with John Rohr- bach, Mr. Freestone began the brewery business. Vollmar began business there at a later date. The name Bowmanville was derived from a Mr. Bowman, who owned considerable land there in early times. Budlong's pickle factory was established in 1869. Other business enterprises raised the population, and with increased popu- lation came schools, churches and societies.
Galewood is 8.7 miles from Chicago proper. The land was orig- inally owned by Abram Gale, from whom the village took its title. It was located on Sections 31 and 32. The station house was built in 1872, but was only a flag station until 1883. Charles G. Whit- comb was the first station agent. An important business enterprise here was the Western Brick and Tile company, which began opera- tions in 1883. Excellent brick clay was found in the vicinity of Galewood. When burned it gave brick of a fine red color that at- tracted the attention of builders and contractors.
Montrose is on the Northwestern railway, about eight miles from Chicago. The original lots were laid out on Section 15. Several additions to the original lots were soon annexed. Soon after being platted the town began to grow. A few business establishments brought the first residents, and finally schools and churches appeared. Particular attention is called to the high school which was located there at an early date. The postoffice was called Mayfair, and was established in 1883, with W. N. Stevens postmaster.
Garfield was a small hamlet laid out on Section 34 early in the '80s. The first house was built by Mr. Lathman in the spring of that year. Frank Breit and Martin Keller erected buildings soon afterward. E. S. Dryer & Co. and James F. Keeney also were in- terested in building operations here about the same time.
The little village of Pennock was located at Diversey street and Ballou, Fullerton and Crawford avenues. Lots were laid out, sub- divisions added and business enterprises made their appearance. Homer Pennock was the most prominent figure there in early days.
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The reserve given to the Indian chief, Billy Caldwell, was located on Sections 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10, this township.
Cicero was one of the early subdivisions of Cook county. When created it was bounded north by Jefferson, east by Chicago, south by Lake and Lyons, and west by Proviso. In 1869 a strip two miles in width along the eastern side was attached to Chicago, but prior to that date the township was six miles square. The principal drain- age from the start was from the famous Ogden ditch to the south- ward. Cicero for many years had a municipal government with its principal offices located at Austin. The town was organized first in 1857. In that year the county clerk ordered an election to determine upon the question of town organization. Strange as it may seem, there were but fourteen votes polled at that election, as follows: James W. Scoville, H. H. Palmer, Reuben Whaples, Geo. Scoville, Joel G. Phillips, B. F. Livingstone, Peter Crawford, Joseph Kettle- strings, William A. Scoville, H. G. Hurd, Ives Scoville, H. P. Flower, Gilbert Crawford and John Beaver. The election resulted as follows: William H. Scoville, supervisor ; James A. Scoville, as- sessor ; Reuben Whaples, collector ; H. P. Flower, clerk; George Sco- ville, Peter Crawford and Joseph Kettlestrings, commissioners of highways; George Scoville and Peter Crawford, justices of the peace; John Beaver and Gilbert Crawford, constables; Joseph Ket- tlestrings, overseer of the poor. In 1867 Cicero was made an inde- pendent corporation with powers vested in a board of five trustees. In 1869 the charter of 1868 was superseded by a new and improved one. At this date the two-mile strip on the east was added to Chi- cago.
Originally Cicero was flat and about one-half of the year was covered with water. The soil was made dry by sinking numerous ditches in all parts of the town. W. B. Ogden said, "If you want high lands dig deep ditches," and this advice was followed by the officials of Cicero. The result was that the town has a soil of such fertility as to render it almost like a garden. It is black and deep and this fact has been taken advantage of by city truck growers. By 1880 more than fifty miles of ditches costing over $100,000 had been built in the town. Ogden avenue was the most important early highway extending across Cicero. - Riverside parkway was macad- amized as early as 1850. Twelfth street was also improved, and at an early date Madison street was graded and graveled. Lake street was also improved as far as Ridgeland. Central avenue received proper attention, as also did Hyman avenue. Ridgeland avenue was early connected with Mud lake, and Center avenue was similarly drained. Other streets were graded and improved until the cost ag- gregated several hundred thousand dollars. There are several ar- tesian wells within the limits of the town.
In 1857 the school section was offered for sale, except the portion that was reserved for railway purposes. The section realized about
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$28,000. This gave the town at its start the foundation of its pres- ent school property.
Austin proper is situated on the extension of Lake street, where the old six-mile house was located at a very early date. It was first drained by sluices extending to the famous Ogden ditch. A large sewer was built on Central avenue at an early date. The early in- habitants, by digging about fifteen feet, secured an abundance of pure water. Nearly all of the wells possessed artesian pressure, as the water rose a little above the surface. Several of the early wells were flowing. The village was started in 1866 by Henry W. Austin. The United States Clock Manufacturing company located there and made donations for public improvement and brought there also many of the early residents who were connected with it. As Mr. Austin had much to do in promoting the prosperity of the village, it was named in his honor. Afterward he added a number of subdivisions. C. C. Merrick, C. E. Crafts, Henry Waller and others assisted in building up the place. The land where Austin was laid out was orig- inally entered from the government by Henry L. DeKoven and in 1865 was sold to Mr. Austin. The Clock Manufacturing company which had started out so propitiously, finally failed and the village was mostly built by private enterprise. Among the first residents were Seth P. Warner, George A. Philbrick, T. Sherwood, T. A. Snow, W. C. Heacock, L. R. Erskine, Charles Hitchcock, George M. Doris, C. E. Crafts, Fred L. Philips, E. A. Osgood, A. Lindsay, Lewis Husted, E. J. Whitehead, Charles Vandercook and W. W. McFarland; William Meredith, M. B. Crafts, Thomas Carroll, J. J. McCarthy and George E. Plum.
These men possessed sufficient enterprise, intelligence and force of character to build up the village rapidly and make it desirable as a place of residence. Through their influence largely early schools and churches were founded. The Methodists, Presbyterians, Epis- copalians, Baptists and others founded organizations there. Early schools were taught in temporary structures and finally a large building was erected at a cost of about $5,000. It is said the first school structure built was located near the Methodist church, which was used until 1871, when a much larger structure was erected. The South building was erected in 1879. The Amerson school was started in 1881 in a frame building. In 1871 the schools were duly graded, and thereafter no suburb of Chicago afforded better educa- tional facilities. A little later the establishment of the high school was an important event. There were about seventy-five high school students early in the '80s.
In 1871 a Baptist church was organized in Austin with a member- ship of about fifteen. Services were first held in a hall on Willow avenue, but later in the schoolhouse. In 1872 a building was erected on Pine avenue. A Sunday school was established at the start. St. Paul's Episcopal church was established late in 1877 and the first
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services were held on Easter day, 1878. A frame church was erected in 1880-81. The Austin Presbyterian church was erected in 1871, and it first had a membership of only eight. Rev. E. M. Barrett organized this society. The first services were held in the old frame schoolhouse and later in the town hall. Their first frame church was built in 1881 and in 1867 Rev. J. H. Bayles, a Methodist, held services in Austin. He succeeded in forming a class of twelve members, and a little later many others were added. The old school- house was their first church. Later they met in the town hall. A church was built in 1871-72. A Methodist church was built there in 1873, located near Center avenue on Chestnut street. In 1874 the Disciples of Christ established an organization in Austin. Numerous societies and lodges flourished from the start.
Oak Park was settled at an early date. Joseph Kettlestrings set- tled there as early as 1833. Two years later he built a residence in Cicero near the Proviso line and on Lake street (Chicago) extended. For the first few years Mr. Kettlestrings was employed in a saw-mill operated by Bickerdike & Noble. Mr. Kettlestrings was a squatter, and as soon as the land was thrown on the market he entered the northwest quarter of Section 7. He held same until 1848 and then sold a portion to R. K. Swift and later the tract sold passed to S. P. Skinner. The Kettlestring subdivision was made in 1856. This vicinity in early times was called Kettlestring's Grove. It referred to a clump of timber and took its name from Mr. Kettlestring. As soon as it became a village the term Oak Park was adopted. A few settlers located near Mr. Kettlestring at an early date. In 1853 S. P. Skinner built the Oak Ridge hotel and a little later Mr. Waples and Mr. Morey erected buildings on Lake street. Among them were a tavern, a store, and a schoolhouse which served as a temperance hall. George Scoville was there as early as 1855. J. H. Quick arrived in 1856, and at the same time John Leisen became a resident. Israel Heller opened a store and Mr. Quick of Harlem came about this time. In 1856 the name Oak Ridge was changed to Harlem. The latter was retained until 1867. A grocery store was established by Mr. Furbeck in 1856. An early dry goods and grocery store was conducted by William Steiner. Dr. Orrin Peak established a drug store in 1873. In 1871 the postoffice was located here and was called Oak Park. This finally gave the name to the village. O. W. Herrick was postmaster in 1871. In 1849 the first railway station was built. A new building took its place in 1851. On the start the village grew rapidly and soon schools and churches added to the good influence of this community.
The Oak Park Methodist church was established at an early date. At first it was connected with Thatcher and Austin. Services were held in this neighborhood as early as 1833. The earliest religious services in Oak Park were held in the schoolhouse. This old school- house stood on Lake street, which was formerly known as Pennsyl-
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vania avenue. In 1863 a Union church was organized and later other Methodist societies were established. This locality became one of the strong Methodist communities of the county. In 1856 the Union Ecclesiastical society was established here by James Viall, a traveling Methodist preacher. George Scoville started a Sunday school about the same time. "The Oak Ridge public school was well attended during the '60s. The Union church of Oak Park was or- ganized 1871 at the house of E. W. Hoard. A temporary organiza- tion was followed by a permanent one a little later. Steps to erect a building were taken in April of that year. The Evangelical asso- ciation of Oak Park began with eight members in 1864. Grace Protestant Episcopal church was organized in 1879 and began with a large membership. The first Presbyterian society there was estab- lished in August, 1883, with about thirty members. In 1855 public school was taught in Temperance hall, Oak Park. Sessions were held there until 1859, when a large building was erected, which, in the end, cost about $20,000. In this building was conducted for many years one of the most efficient schools in the county. The Oak Park Library association was organized in 1882 with a membership of 109. The first collection of books were shown in the Holley building on Lake street.
In 1883 James Scoville founded at Oak Park the Scoville insti- tute. The object was to provide for the citizens a free library, read- ing room, museum and art gallery. The German Benevolent society was organized with thirty-five members 1860. The waterworks were built in 1878. Ridgeland and Avenue are two small hamlets located in this township at an early date.
Lemont township was settled as early as 1833. In that year Jerome Luther located on Section 34, about three miles southeast of Lemont. About the same time F. B. Miner came to the town- ship, erected a log house and began farming. His son, Fred G. Miner, lived in the township afterward for many years. William R. Derby arrived here as early as 1834 and settled on the same sec- tion occupied by Mr. Luther. At the same time Orange Chauncey and Joshua Smith arrived in the township. Section 34 seems to have been a popular one, because four of these first settlers located thereon. It contained excellent soil and had considerable timber. Augustus Dolan settled on Section 13 in 1837 and in 1838 William C. Bell and Joshua W. Bell located on Section 25. Joshua W. Bell kept a tavern at Sag Bridge at an early date. He later moved to Chicago and was proprietor of a hotel. Richard Cleveland was an early resident of Lemont township. The building of the canal brought many transient persons to the township and accordingly sev- eral taverns were opened.
The village of Central Park was established early in the '70s by the West Chicago Land company. Previous to the building of the village several houses had stood there, but the first building in the
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village proper was erected by that company. In 1873 W. W. Wilcox erected the first store building at the corner of West Lake and Forty-second street. The next year a drug store was opened by Hunt & Eldridge on Lake street. Several others started the same year. In 1874 of the same year a schoolhouse was built. It was at first called the Tilton school, and was named in honor of George Tilton of the Northwestern railway. As early as 1860 school was taught on the village site by Rolla Pearsall. In 1870 the Baptists established a society here and first assembled in the schoolhouse which stood at Lake and Fortieth street. Two years later they es- tablished a well-attended Sunday school. In 1874 a Union church was established, the membership being made up of some half-dozen different denominations. Later the society divided. In 1878 St. Philip's Catholic church was established in the Tilton schoolhouse. Later a church was erected on Park avenue. The first pastor was Thomas Morissini. St. Barnabas' Episcopal mission was established in 1881. One of the first business enterprises of importance was the Chicago & Northwestern car shops, located here about 1873.
Brighton Park was originally called Brighton. It was laid out as early as 1840. The village was incorporated in 1851 by John Mc- Caffery, Richard K. Swift, John Evans, William F. Johnson, Nicho- las Egglehart and Mr. McCollister. These men built the old Blue Island Point road and bought considerable land adjoining the same. They erected the Brighton house, added subdivisions to the site and induced residents to locate here. Mr. McCaffery was called the "Father of Brighton Park." He did a great deal for its prosperity and growth. The Dupont Powder company erected an early build- ing, as did Messrs. Croworth and Mr. Kelly. A little later Adam Smith and S. M. Wilson erected buildings. It was an attractive location and the residents came in rapidly. The name was derived from the old race course. Another early building was put up by Mr. Donnersberger. The Brighton cotton mill was built in 1871 and in 1873 the Silver Smelting and Refining works. J. C. Thayer and John Leggate became residents at a later date. Jacob Singer built a distillery near the canal. The Northwestern Horse Nail company was established there as early as 1864.
In 1871 the Methodists and Baptists of Brighton Park erected a union church and each society, in turn, assembled there for worship. they started Sunday schools at the same time. In 1878 the Baptists erected a building of their own and soon afterward the Methodists did likewise. The Brighton Park Baptist society was first started with eleven members in 1848. St. Agnes' Roman Catholic church was established by Father Egan in 1878. In 1866 a substantial schoolhouse was erected but school had been taught here many years before. Another school building was erected in 1877.
Moreland was situated about five and a half miles from the court- house, Chicago. The settlement grew up as the result of the location
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at this point of the Northwestern railway shops. A depot was erected and houses were built for the employes of the company. C. E. Crafts laid out the subdivision and began to sell lots. He built some half-dozen houses and made other improvements. The West Chi- cago Land company laid out a large addition, as did also William M. Derby. Mr. Crafts erected ten houses. In 1881 E. A. Cummings & Co. platted a large addition and advertised-extensively. Stores and shops began to make their appearance at an early date. The postoffice was established in 1833 with Mr. Barclay in charge. Other organizations and schools soon appeared.
Clyde was a small village about nine and a half miles from Chi- cago. The plat was purchased in 1866 by W. H. Clark. The first improvements were made about 1872. Mr. Clark laid out a number of lots and advertised to sell same. One of the first buildings was the depot. The union church was built about 1874. James McKen- ney was the first resident of the place. The village grew rapidly and is now one of the substantial portions of Chicago.
Hawthorne was founded about 1873. Lots were platted and sold and then the village began to grow. Stores and shops were opened and soon schools and churches made their appearance. Temporary shops were established late in the '30s and during the '40s. Isaac and Milton W. Cleveland, sons of Richard, became permanent set- tlers of this section of the county. Joel A. Wells arrived as early as 1845 and was connected with the Illinois Stone company. Alexan- der Ried came in 1846. He opened a store a short time afterward on the canal. James N. Tripp, a carpenter, arrived during the '40s and a little later purchased a tract and began farming. Daniel C. Skelley was here as early as 1839. He became interested in the stone business at an early date.
The township was organized under the law in 1850 and at first was called Palmyra, but almost immediately afterward the name was changed to Lemont. This town was originally in the old York precinct. At a meeting to organize the new town, William R. Derby served as moderator and John Russell as clerk. The following offi- cers were elected: John Kittering, supervisor; L. Brown, clerk; August Dolan, assessor; Thomas Brackin, collector ; L. Brown and O. Chauncey, justices of the peace. The village of Lemont had its origin about 1844. The village first was composed of the shanties of the laborers on the canal. There were a few boarding houses, liquor shops and crude stores to meet the wants of the transient people of the town. A little later a better class of business men set- tled in the village. At a still later date it was transformed into one of the most prosperous villages of Cook county.
It was in 1848 that the village received its first and best impulse. In that year the canal was finished and boats began running. Nu- merous stores were established here, schools and churches were com- menced, and manufacturing establishments made their appearance.
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It was at this time also that the great stone interests which have ยท made Lemont famous were projected. More than one settler who procured his land for a song and learned that the soil was very poor and that stone extended almost to the surface, learned later that the quarries of Lemont made the locality famous throughout the whole State. Lemont stone, as a matter of fact, was shipped to St. Louis and as far down the river as New Orleans. Immense quantities were taken to Chicago and formed the early buildings of that Western metropolis. By 1854 numerous quarries had been opened and the industry was at the height of its prosperity.
In 1852 A. F. Sherman, John Kittering and William Giles organ- ized the Illinois Stone and Lime company and began taking out stone at Lemont. The upper portion of the rock layer consists of fine-grained and even-textured limestone and below is found a layer of what became known as Athens marble ; as such it had an extensive sale here in Illinois and was even shipped to Eastern cities. After a short time the concern became known as the Illinois Stone com- pany, which title it assumed in 1858. In 1854 the Singer & Talcott Stone Co. was organized and continued in operation until 1872. After that date the company continued under a reorganization. These companies employed many hundreds of men and took out vast quantities of stone without apparently decreasing the supply. Since that date many other companies have organized at times for working these valuable quarries, and the product has invariably found a ready sale.
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