USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > History of DeKalb County, Illinois > Part 33
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The quotas of soldiers demanded of the several towns, to answer the requisition of the call of December previous, were reported in February, as follows:
Afton, 15; Clinton, 20; De Kalb, 27; Franklin, 16; Genoa, 16; Kingston, 14; Mayfield, 13; Milan, 3; Malta, 7; Pampas, 23; Paw Paw, 26; Pierce, 17; Sycamore, 1; South Grove, 16; Squaw Grove, 19; Somonauk, 46; Shabbona, 22; Victor, 17. Total, 323.
Most of the towns, since the call was made, had partially filled their numbers by enlistments of citizens and raising funds by taxation to procure substitutes in the cities and elsewhere. Sycamore had raised money, and put into the service twelve men, which was eleven more than its quota. From $400 to $600 was usually paid to each recruit. In several towns, however, a draft became necessary, and some of the drafted men paid nearly $1000 for substitutes.
To meet the expense caused by the taxation for procuring these men, the taxes levied this year were enormous. The percentage levied by the several towns of the County for all purposes was as follows:
Paw Paw, 10 per cent .; Shabbona, 7; Milan, 6}; Malta, 43; South Grove, 63; Franklin, 53; Victor, 6}; Clinton, 10}; Afton, 6; De Kalb, 7}; Mayfield, 6; Kingston, 6; Somonauk, 7; Squaw Grove, 6}; Pierce, 7; Cortland, 6}; Sycamore, 8}; Genoa, 6.
But all now felt that the great war was nearly ended. The confederacy had been again bisected by the march of Sher- man's grand army to the sea, at Savannah; Hood's army
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HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY.
had been destroyed by the gallant boys under General Thomas ; Grant was holding Lee in his death-like grasp at Richmond; and at last, early in April, came the glad news that Richmond had fallen, and the rebel army was flying in dismay. This was soon followed by the still more joyous intelligence that peace,-the bright-winged, beautiful dove of peace,-so long wooed, was at last won. How every heart rejoiced, how every eye brightened, how every household was gladdened. by the delightful assurance that the most terrible of all wars had ended ! and gloriously ended ! that the last loyal son of De Kalb had fallen by rebel bullets! that the husband, the father, the son, would soon be home again on a long,-a perpetual furlough! that the cankering fear of the lonely watchers at home, lest he come shattered with wounds, or a mangled, loathsome corpse, had passed away forever! None can forget the glad rejoicings of that joyous occasion. Hundreds of the brave boys were soon among us again, and were received with that glad welcome which their sacrifices and sufferings deserved.
About three thousand men had been furnished by the County for the great war now gloriously ended. The official records of the State credit them to the various towns in the following numbers, probably reducing the number by estimat- ing and averaging them as if furnished for three years' service:
Paw Paw, 136; Shabbona, 137; Milan, 38; Malta, 94; South Grove, 103; Franklin, 99; Kingston, 98; Mayfield, 103; De Kalb, 223; Afton, 89; Clinton, 111; Victor, 103; Somonauk, 311; Squaw Grove, 93; Pierce, 100; Pampas, 134; Sycamore, 307; Genoa, 109. Total, 2388.
With the close of the rebellion came a prodigious fall in the value of gold, and a consequent fall in prices of farm products. Wheat fell to seventy cents per bushel, and this was a criterion of the value of other property. The crops were very poor. This was the occasion of the return of the regular Septennial wet season. There was a drouth in the summer, but at harvest time the floods poured down, destroy- ing a large portion of the ripened grain, and covering the
PUBLIC SCHOOL 1861
ma
The Public School at DeKalb.
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EIGHTEEN SIXTY-SIX.
country with a coating of slimy mud, so deep that the reapers would not operate upon it (when this was attempted in the intervals of the showers). The wet season continued during the fall.
At the autumn elections there was no opposition to the election of the following County officers: General Daniel Dustin, as Clerk; Captain R. A. Smith, as Treasurer ; M. V. Allen, as Superintendent of Schools, and D. W. Lamb, as Surveyor. Colonel D. B. James was chosen County Judge by a small majority over Hon. E. L. Mayo.
The census, taken during this summer by Mr. Timothy Wells, gave the following population :
Sycamore, 2587; Genoa, 1027; Kingston, 1181; Frank- lin, 951; South Grove, 789; Mayfield, 1029; Cortland, 1324; De Kalb, 1976; Malta, 849; Pierce, 975; Afton, 672; Milan, 524; Squaw Grove, 679; Clinton, 1016; Victor, 835; Shabbona, 1165: Paw Paw, 954; Somonauk, 2636. Total, 21,168.
1866.
The war ended, the return of the soldiers to their homes increased the population, and gave new life to all branches of business. Many of the newly returned veterans crowded into the villages and cities, and filled to repletion every branch of trade. It was really .a year of pros-perity. In anticipation of a decrease of prices, the people had pru- dently kept out of debt, paid cash for their purchases, and, foreseeing and preparing for a financial storm, all danger from its effects was averted.
Many elegant churches were erected throughout the County, pre-eminent among them the fine Gothic structure of the Methodist Episcopal Society at Sycamore, the finest tem- ple of worship in the County. It was dedicated in May, 1866, and over $5000 was raised at the dedication to clear off the debt incurred in its construction.
About two hundred Sweedish emigrants came from the land of their birth, and settled in and about the village of De Kalb 56
442
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
during this summer. They were a sober, industrious, peace- ful, frugal race, and constitute a valuable addition to the population.
On the 8th of August a most desolating hail-storm swept through a belt of the northern and central portions of the County, beating every species of vegetation into the earth, as would the tramp of an army. Farmers had just commenced harvesting their wheat and oats, and with the exception of that which stood in the shock, every acre of it was rendered utterly worthless. Thousands of acres of corn were beaten to bare stalks. Hail-stones, measuring six and seven inches in circumference, fell by millions. Children were knocked senseless ; pigs, fowls and birds were killed by hundreds. The loss, which was principally in the destruction of vast fields of grain, was estimated at a quarter of a million of dol- lars. In most portions of the County this storm was a drenching rain, which continued for several days, and threat- ened the destruction of the ripened grain.
The cholera prevailed to an alarming extent in the cities during this summer, and there were a few cases in this County.
The failure of the Sycamore Bank, on the 2d of November, was the cause of a great deal of embarrassment to the people of northern De Kalb County. Hon. James H. Beveridge, its President, and William J. Hunt, its Vice-President, with
E. T. Hunt, its Cashier, were the only stockholders.
The
people had confidence in the honesty, skill and integrity of the two former, and all classes dealt freely with the Bank. But upon the failure it was discovered that these men owned but eight shares in the institution, while the remainder was in the hands of E. T. Hunt, an amiable young man of pleas- ant manners, with whom people liked to do business, but whose expensive habits and reckless management, together with a number of unfortunate speculations, had sunk the cap- ital of the concern, and brought it down in ruin. Mr. Bev- eridge had for three years been absent at Springfield, in the performance of the duties of his office as State Treasurer.
443
EIGHTEEN SIXTY-SIX.
A public meeting of the depositors appointed a committee to examine its affairs, and they made a full report. They re- ported its debts at $95,000, and assets at less than $10,000. During the following year a settlement was made with its de- positors, by which they received fifty per cent. of their claims.
At the November election, William Patten, of Somonauk, was chosen State Senator, Robert Hampton, of PawPaw, Representative, Morris Holcomb, of Sycamore, Sheriff, Lo- renzo Whittemore, of Sycamore, Coroner, and V. D. Miller, of De Kalb, Surveyor. The total vote cast was 3049,-the smallest for many years.
The Assessor's report for this year valued the taxable per- sonal property of the County at $754,771, and the total value of real and personal property at $3,068,322. The total County tax levied was $76,733.05, and the entire tax of the County was $208,030.74. The towns, which were most of them paying ten per cent. interest upon the indebtedness incurred for payment of bounties to soldiers, showed a com- mendable degree of determination to clear themselves of their debts. Their total taxes during this year were as follows :
Paw Paw, $10,524,81; Shabbona, $8,207.62; Milan, $7,024.90; Malta, $7,790.38; South Grove, $10,982.25; Franklin, $10,793.42; Victor, $10,378.29; Clinton, $6,628.99; Afton, $7,252.12; De Kalb, $14,995.15; Mayfield, $11,- 780.06; Kingston, $10,102.26; Somonauk, $21,410.76 ; Squaw Grove, $11,274.52; Pierce, $8,720.70; Cortland, $14,490.12; Sycamore, $20,557.54; Genoa, $7,462.29. Total, $200,376.45.
It may be added that this tax, burdensome though it was, was more easily borne than would have been a tax of one- hundredth of that amount twenty years before.
The indebtedness of the County, reported in February at one hundred and eighty thousand one hundred and fifty-one dollars, of which one hundred and sixty thousand seven hun- dred and fifty-three dollars was bearing interest, had been increased in December to one hundred and ninety-two thous-
444
HISTORY OF DEKALB COUNTY.
and seven hundred and sixty-two dollars, of which one hun- dred and fifty-five thousand six hundred and seventy-nine dollars was bearing interest.
A great many cases of destruction of sheep by wolves were reported, and the Supervisors increased the bounty to twenty dollars upon each animal killed, with the prudent proviso that, as some had been detected in the profitable business of keeping tame wolves, and raising them for the bounty, no claims thus originated should be paid.
1867.
The business interests of De Kalb County have always been to such an extent agricultural in their character that upon the abundance of crops and enlargement of prices all of its pecuniary prosperity has directly depended, and no record of its history for 1867 would be complete without mention that this was the third and the most fortunate of years of great prosperity among the farmers, and consequently with all classes of the population. With the opening of spring grain commanded the highest prices ever known in the County. Spring wheat readily sold at two dollars and seventy-five cents per bushel, which a few years before has been a drug at fifty and sixty cents. Corn, which six years before was burned for fuel, was now worth one dollar and twenty cents per bushel. Cattle and other farm productions were equally high in price. Beef, which five years before was retailed at five cents per pound, now brought twenty cents. The farm- ers, who had since the war been expecting a great decline in prices, and had consequently been very cautious in their deal- ings, now began to place a higher value upon their lands. During the war no considerable rise in the value of real estate had been accomplished, but now there was a material advance. The beautiful prairies about Malta and Milan were fully doubled in value, and sold readily at twice the price of three or four years before. All over the County there was a simi- lar advance, stimulated by a promising prospect for a very large crop of grain.
445
EIGHTEEN SIXTY-SEVEN.
During this spring a new method of solving the vexed question of the location of the County Seat was invented. Upon the petition of citizens of Sandwich, which had now become the largest village in the County, Senator Patten, who was a citizen of that place, had during the previous win- ter introduced a bill into the Legislature, known as the Half- Shire bill. It provided for a re-location of the County Seat at Sycamore and Sandwich. The latter place was to be the seat of justice for the six southern towns of the County, and the former for the twelve northern towns. It was argued in its favor that the business of the County, dividing in the thinly settled country in the central portion of the County, naturally flowed to the railroad towns at the northern and southern ends, and that neither De Kalb nor Sycamore af- forded a convenient place for the transaction of the public business of the southern portion of the County.
One of the most exciting elections ever held in the County followed. To oppose this measure the citizens of De Kalb and its vicinity formed a stock company, and contributed nearly five thousand dollars to establish a newspaper office in that town. In March the De Kalb County News was issued. It was edited by Aaron K. Stiles, the former County Clerk- a man of remarkable tact, shrewdness and energy. For a week or two preceding the election the paper was issued daily, and denounced, ridiculed and caricatured the measure without stint. The people and the papers at Sandwich and Sycamore supported it. Excited meetings were held in every portion of the County. But it turned out that a majority of the people in the six southern towns, who were supposed to be benefitted by the change, were opposed to it, and a final quietus was given to the measure by the efforts of a delega- tion from that section, composed of Messrs. Beard, Woodruff, Pritchard, McEwen, and Ball, men who commanded the per- fect confidence of the people, who traveled through the northern portion of the County, undeterred by storms which enveloped the country in seas of unfathomable mud, and ad-
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
dressed meetings in every town, beseeching the people not to impose this measure upon them. It was defeated by a large majority, only the three towns of Sycamore, Somonauk and Mayfield giving a majority in its favor.
During this season the attention of the citizens of the vil- lages of the County was turned to the subject of the estab- lishment of manufactories, as necessary to increase the busi- ness of the towns. The people of Sandwich established a stock company, with a capital of seventy-five thousand dollars, which on the following year was increased to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for the manufacture of agricultural machinery. A flax factory, foundry and cheese factory were started at Sycamore, a planing mill and manufactory of sash, doors and blinds, at De Kalb, and a large flouring mill at the rapidly growing village of Malta. A beautiful public school building was erected at Cortland.
The subject of hedges for the prairie farms began to attract a great deal of attention, and over two hundred miles of osage orange hedge were set out during this spring.
Among the meteorological phenomena of the year were unusually heavy falls of snow in January, a prodigious flood in February, extraordinary and long-continued storms in March, and a very destructive hail-storm in July.
Captain R. A. Smith was re-elected County Treasurer, and V. D. Miller Surveyor, without opposition.
Since the close of the war an unusual number of burglars had infested the country, and our County was not exempt from their ravages. Sandwich, Cortland and De Kalb suf- fered most from their depredations.
The County Agricultural Society, which held its fairs at Sycamore, was revived this year, and held a flourishing exhi- bition. A Farmers' Club was also established, which held weekly meetings of decided interest and value to the agricul- tural portion of the community.
The total tax of the County was $191,301, of which $63,173 was for County purposes, $51,664 for schools, and $17,128 for payment of bounties.
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EIGHTEEN SIXTY-EIGHT.
1868.
No notable events have yet occurred in the history of our County of De Kalb during this year. Perfect peace, general prosperity, and extraordinary quietude have been the charac- teristics of the year. The crops were excellent, their prices fair, the people industrious, and well repaid for their labor. The County debt has been reduced to $85,350. The taxable property has been increased to $3.308,330. The assessors report that there are owned in the County 14,019 horses, 27,792 cattle, 375 mules, 33,849 sheep, and 20,823 hogs. The number of acres of wheat grown was 46,949, of corn 49,344, and of other field products 38,826.
De Kalb County, at theCongressional convention of the Re- publican party this year, gave her vote for the first time for one of her own citizens, Hon. Reuben Ellwood, of Sycamore.
At the election General E. F. Dutton was chosen Circuit Clerk and Recorder; C. W. Marsh, Representative to the Legislature ; Captain Edward Safford, Sheriff; Lorenzo Whittemore, Coroner; Charles Kellum, States-Attorney, and W. M. Simmons, member of the State Board of Equalization. The largest vote ever cast in the County was given at this Presidential election. Its total was 4331, of which 3441 were given to General Grant and 890 to Horatio Seymour.
The publication of this History of the County may be an event not unworthy of mention in the annals of our County, and with it this record is completed. It is a picture of growth, progress, and prosperity, not unprecedented in this growing West, but yet sufficiently remarkable to fill the minds of its first settlers with surprise In the thirty years of its existence as a County, its population has increased from a few hundreds to nearly thirty thousand. Its progress in wealth has been yet more remarkable. To the early settlers it seems but yesterday that the County was dependent on charity for the $200 necessary to procure the title to the lands on which its County Seat was located. Now it pays an annual tax of $200,000 without embarrassment.
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
The log cabins of its first settlers have been replaced by farm dwellings as elegant as any section of the country can boast. The broad, open prairies have all been converted into handsome farms, and peopled with a dense and prosperous population. Its numerous villages are the centres of refine- ment and wealth. Over the smooth, iron railway its people now travel farther in an hour than they could then go in a day, and the telegraph places them in instant communication with the whole civilized world. Their energy and enterprise have converted the desolate waste of thirty years ago into the abode of refinement and luxury, and surrounded them with the numberless advantages of old and highly cultured communities.
May the future of this people be as glorious as its past has been prosperous, and its present is auspicious.
PART FOURTH.
TOWN HISTORIES.
57
TOWN HISTORIES.
GENOA.
Few townships in this County of ours have more natural attractions than Genoa. The rolling prairie land which occu- pies the greater portion of the township is diversified by more than the average extent of natural groves, and is watered by several fine streams. The Kishwaukee flows through a por- tion of the town, giving a tolerable water-power,-not so powerful as at an earlier day, when, as everywhere, the streams were larger and their flow more constant,-but capable of being put to use, and contributing to the growth of the town and convenience of the people. Wood and water are the two great wants of this land of the prairies, and these Genoa possesses, if not in abundance, yet in much more liberal quantities than most parts of the County.
The first white inhabitant of the town was Thomas Madison, who came to the place in 1836, and built a spacious log cabin on the spot where, for thirty years after, a hotel was kept by H. N. Perkins and Luke Nichols. Mr. Perkins moved to the place in the autumn of 1837, and he, with Samuel Corey, Thomas Munnahan, and Henry Durham, bought the claim of Madison, who moved off to Texas. It was said to embrace two sections of land, and they paid $2800 for it.
In the spring of 1837 Mr. Henry Durham had moved into Madison's cabin, and opened a small stock of goods for sale to the few settlers who were now rapidly filling up the country. He was a sharp, shrewd, energetic citizen, lived in the place for nearly thirty years, and died there, having accumulated
451
TOWN OF GENOA.
a considerable fortune by trade, by hotel-keeping, and by well managed speculation in lands. He, with Samuel Corey, Henry Preston, and Daniel T. Whittemore, were among the first comers.
Whittemore had the reputation of being a leading member of the gang of horse-thieves, counterfeiters and burglars who infested the country at this early day. Genoa was always one of the headquarters of the gang.
In the spring of 1838, Mr. Perkins' house was entered by a party of them, who robbed him of $300. He had good evidence that it was taken by the Brodies, of Brodies' Grove, who were understood to be confederated with Whittemore and others at Genoa, but no prosecution was made, nor was any of the money recovered.
During the year 1838 many new settlers came in, and Genoa became quite a lively little village. Dr. H. F. Page com- menced the practice of medicine there, James S. Waterman opened a stock of goods, and one E. P. Gleason, who after- wards figured extensively as a leader of the banditti, came in, and bought the claim of Whittemore and Corey. He had the reputation of being a man of wealth, and began to talk about building flouring mills, starting stores, and otherwise contributing to the growth and enlargement of the business of the place. During the spring of 1838 he set out that fine row of maples that now constitute a conspicuous ornament of the village.
On the 4th of July, 1838, a great celebration was held at Genoa, at which George H. Hill delivered an oration to an audience of over a thousand people, gathered from Rockford, Aurora, St. Charles, and all the country round. Genoa was then as large and as promising a town as any of these places. Belvidere contained only two houses, and was by no means so important a place.
Gleason, in his subsequent career, acquired an unenviable notoriety. Not long after his arrival, while he was boarding at Perkins' log tavern, a carpet-sack well filled with counter-
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
feit money was found in his possession, and, the fact becoming notorious, his wealth was easily accounted for. He was a man of fine appearance, agreeable manners, fair in his dealing with his neighbors, and generally liked. He never passed bad money in his ordinary business transactions, but had it manufactured, and wholesaled it to his confederates. In 1839 one of his gang, a traveling pedlar, was arrested in Chicago, and during his confinement confessed his guilt, and implicated Gleason as one of the chiefs of his gang. Gleason was ar- rested, but, although the testimony of this witness had been promised, when the trial came on he could not be procured, and Gleason was set at liberty.
Not long after, a message was again sent from Chicago, saying that if our officers would again arrest Gleason, the evidence against him should be forthcoming. Three or four deputies were now duly commissioned to go to Genoa, and effect his arrest. They reached his place at midnight, and after watching till dawn, had the satisfaction of seeing him come to the door of his dwelling, when they approached and captured him. But Gleason hospitably insisted that his cap- tors should stop and get breakfast before they started away, and they consented. Meantime, he took them out into his garden to show them his fine crop of corn, of which he was justly proud. In an instant he had disappeared in the tall corn, and for several years after was not seen in this country.
Some months after, when the evidence against him had again become unattainable, Gleason came back, and started business again. He had a store, and a saw-mill, and a fine farm, all in full operation. He had married a respectable young woman of the neighborhood.
A few years after, he became ill, and a traveling doctor, named Smitch, who had boarded in his family, and was re- ported to be attached to his wife, attended him. He grew worse without any evident cause. After eating one day of some porridge, prepared by his wife and the doctor, he com- plained that it did not taste quite right, but ate heartily, and soon after died in convulsions and delirium.
453
TOWN OF GENOA.
Not long after his burial, the doctor and Mrs. Gleason were arrested on a charge of murdering him by poison. The body was exhumed, and the contents of the stomach examined. A special term was held for their trial, but the evidence of guilt was insufficient, and they were discharged.
They were soon after married, and moved to La Salle County, where the doctor died, under circumstances that led to the suspicion that he too had been poisoned. His wife soon after died very suddenly.
Such was the miserable end of one who undoubtedly was a leader in much of the crime that disturbed the early settlers of this County. He escaped the punishment of his crimes against the law, only to meet a more terrible fate.
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