USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois 1876 > Part 11
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"Among the company was Alden Stanley, a noble, fine fellow (alas ! he has gone to his long home), who was standing by, very much excited. He wore a buffalo coat, made like a frock, cut off at the knees. Soon after Gard came out of the snow, his horse, for the first time, suddenly made his appearance, and seemed very much frightened. The first thing that attracted his attention was Stanley's buffalo coat, and wheeling, he kicked at it like a flash of lightning, carrying away one entire skirt. At this juncture the wolf was discovered about a mile distant, standing upon an elevation and looking back over his shoulder. Taking it all in all, this was one of the most laughable farces I ever witnessed, passing, as it did, from one extreme of feeling to another, and so suddenly too, that none knew whether to laugh or cry until we were just ready to remount and resume the chase, when it was first discovered by Stanley that he had lost one of his coat skirts. The attention of the company was drawn to the fact by Stanley's remarking that some of his comrades had dressed their sheep skin; and this brought down the house with a loud roar. After mounting their horses, the company started again, Jehu-like, in pursuit of the wolf ; and within five minutes from the time of the new start Mr. Wolf had surren- dered unconditionally to superior force. I think the wolves even, were superstitious about the Downer's Grove boys, and made it a practice to give up at once
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
when they were on their track. Many of the boys are still living, and reside at or near the grove. Of these may be mentioned Hon. W. Blanchard, D. C. Stanley, John Stanley, L. Stanley, Emerson Stanley, Charles Curtis, E. E. Downer. Ah, when we come to call the roll, there are more missing than we thought for. And now where are they ? Well, the Adamses are in Cali- fornia, the Curtises are at Wheaton, Henry Blodgett is an attorney at Waukegan, Israel Blodgett is in Califor- nia, Daniel has gone to his last resting place, Asel is in railroad business, and-and-in fact, there are not as many left as I thought there were; but there are yet enough to get up a good game of ball now and then."
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MILTON.
The settlement of this town was commenced in 1831, by Harry T. Wilson and Lyman Butterfield. Ralph and Morgan Babcock and Thomas Brown settled in the town soon after. They were followed by Joseph Chad- wick and his sons, Winslow Churchill and John D. Ackerman.
In 1850, the present township organization law was adopted, and the first town meeting was held at the house of Jesse C. Wheaton, in that year.
The town is situated nearly in the center of the county, and is six miles square. The Galena branch of the Northwestern Railroad passes directly through it.
Jesse C. and Warren L. Wheaton were the original proprietors of the village, which was laid out by them in 1853. In the fall of 1849, the railroad was com- pleted to this point, and, during the following year, Messrs. J. G. Vallette, H. H. Fuller, and a Mr. Lynch erected the first buildings. Few improvements were made until it was surveyed and platted in 1853.
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TOWN OF MILTON.
The Baptist, Wesleyan Methodist, Episcopal Metho- dist and Unitarian denominations have each their respect- ive church organizations, connected with which are Sab- bath schools, missionary societies and various benevolent enterprises. The Methodist Episcopal and Wesleyan Methodist churches had their organizations in the town prior to the settlement of the village.
The Baptist church of Wheaton was organized on the 12th of November, 1856, by a council from the neigh- boring churches, with the usual services of church recog- nition. There are now seventeen members of this church. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Garrison.
The society of the Protestant Episcopal church was but recently organized, and has no settled rector, although services are held regularly in the Universalist church.
The public school building, erected in 1875, at a cost of nearly $30,000, is the finest structure of the kind in the county. Five teachers are employed, and the aim is to make it in every respect a first-class school.
Wheaton College is located in this place. It has a liberal charter, conferring powers equal to the best col- leges, and embracing academical, collegiate and theologi- cal departments of instruction. The charter was granted by the Legislature in 1855. Forty acres of valuable land and three thousand dollars cash donation, formed the basis of its establishment. The land now owned by the college amounts to more than one hundred acres, and is valued, together with the buildings, at $75,000. There are three professorships, with an aggregate endowment $33,000. Eighteen instructors are employed. The
,
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
number of students annually enrolled is usually two hundred and fifty to three hundred.
In 1867, the county seat was removed to Wheaton. A court house was erected by the citizens, at a cost of about $20,000. The grounds, comprising four acres, have been enclosed and beautified by the planting of trees and shrubbery.
PROSPECT PARK
Is an unusually pleasant and quiet village, beautifully located on the Northwestern Railroad, about twenty-two miles west of Chicago. The railroad was completed to this place in the fall of 1849. During the same season, the railroad company erected a station house. Deacon Winslow Churchill, Seth Churchill and John D. Acker- man settled here in 1834, and were the first inhabitants in this vicinity. Dr. L. Q. Newton, the original pro- prietor of the land on which the village is built, came in 1837, and built the first frame dwelling. In the spring of 1850, the families of J. O. Vallette, Milo F. Meacham, A. Hantz, W. Wilson and Wm. Wagner were added to the settlement, and, from that time, the population of the place has slowly increased. There are stores, a Con- gregational church and a good public school building. The schools are maintained with great care in the choice of teachers and liberality in other provisions.
Several additions have been made to the village plat, within the last few years.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF YORK.
York was first settled in the spring of 1834, by Eli- sha Fish. His claim was on the south-east quarter of
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THE TOWN OF YORK.
section thirty-five. The next who came was Henry Reader, who settled in 1835, on the south-west quarter of section thirty-five. Luther Morton settled soon after, on section seven ; Benjamin Fuller, on section twenty- five; Nicholas Torode, sen., on section twenty-seven ; and, in April, 1836, John Talmadge removed to this town from Brush Hill, where he had lived since 1834, and settled on the south-east quarter of section twenty- three.
This township contains thirty-six square miles of land, and has a soil, cultivation, vales, fields, landscapes and scenery which would not suffer in comparison with many sections of country more widely and favorably known. It affords an agreeable variety of surface and soil, well adapted to the wants of the husbandman, and which, with proper cultivation, yields him most bounti- ful harvests for the support of the multitudes dependent on his industry.
The principal stream is Salt Creek, which runs through the town from north to south.
Most of the first settlers were originally from the State of New York; and, when the inhabitants were called upon to give a name to their precinct, that of York was selected with but few dissenting voices.
The manufactures of this town are unimportant. A steam flouring mill is now in operation at Brush Hill, owned by F. Gray. This mill has two run of stones.
The Northwestern Railroad runs through the town, and upon it the villages of Elmhurst and Lombard are situated.
The first settler of Elmhurst (formerly Cottage Hill) 12
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
was J. L. Hovey, who came from Painesville, Ohio. He built a small house in 1843, which he kept as a hotel, it being favorably known by the farmers along the Fox and Rock rivers, who then teamed their own produce to Chicago, as the " Hill Cottage."
The railroad was completed to this place in 1849, since which time the village has been chiefly built up.
The Melanchthon Seminary is located here.
Thomas B. Bryan, Esq., has erected a church on his grounds, in which the service of the Protestant Episco- pal church is regularly conducted by a lay reader.
The Roman Catholic church was organized in 1862. The church edifice was built in 1863. The present mem- bership is about sixty.
Lombard (formerly Babcock's Grove) is a pleasant vil- lage, situated about five miles west of Elmhurst. The first settler was Luther Morton, who worked the land and built a log house near the present railroad depot.
The first minister was Rev. Charles Boswell, who organized the Congregational church. A Union church was built in 1859, which is now known as the First church of Lombard. The public school is taught in two depart- ments, with about eighty pupils.
There is a German Lutheran Church near York Cen- tre, with thirty members. The Methodists have an organization at the Centre, and a church building.
A butter and cheese factory was erected some years ago, on the Butterfield road, east of York Centre, and has since been in successful operation.
The Mammoth Spring is near the residence of Robert, Reed. It burst through the earth's surface in the spring
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HISTORY OF LISLE.
of 1861, making a loud report. The waters have many medicinal properties.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LISLE.
This is the oldest town in the county, having been first settled by Bailey Hobson, in the fall of 1830. Among the early settlers were J. C. Hatch, Isaac Clark, Pomeroy Goodrich, John Thompson, John Sargent, Lewis Ellsworth, Thomas Jellies, Martin Escher, J., C., H. and L. Stanley, E. Bush, Mr. Willard, Henry Puffer, A. B. Chatfield, John Naper, and R. M. Sweet.
This town embraces an area of thirty-six square miles, and is bounded by Milton on the north, by Will county on the south, by Downer's Grove on the east, and by Naperville on the west. The surface consists chiefly of rolling prairie, interspersed with groves of fine growing timber. This town was formerly called DuPage, a name derived from the river, both forks of which run through it. But there being a town in Will county of the same name, this was organized in 1850 under the name of Lisle, in honor of the late S. Lisle Smith, of Chicago.
That part of the village of Naperville which lies in this town includes the public square and seven churches.
The grist mill at Hobson's was among the first estab- lished in this part of the county.
Several stone quarries have been opened in this town, from which stone is obtained for lime burning and for building purposes.
The Naperville and Oswego plank road was laid through the central part of this town. The projectors of this road thought to facilitate the communication
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
between Oswego, Naperville and Chicago, and thereby retain the travel, which would otherwise be drawn to the railroad which was being built at the same time.
The road was completed from Chicago to Naperville, but no farther. The project was a failure. The mate- rial of which the road was constructed was torn up and converted to other uses.
The following details will serve to show something of the trials endured by our early settlers, and the heroic fortitude with which they braved discouragements :
About the middle of May, 1830, Bailey Hobson, weary of the toil of clearing the encumbering forests from the rugged banks of the Ohio river, and animated by the hope of finding a home in the wilderness of the northwest, more congenial to the spirit and genius of agriculture, set out from the sparsely settled county of Orange for the more sparsely settled section of northern Illinois. His resolutions were those of the pioneers of the west. Without arms amounting to more than a jack-knife, for defense, he mounted his horse, and desti- tute of chart or compass, groped his way, as best he could, through the dense forests and deep ravines, and forded the bridgeless waters that lay in his course. Day after day was consumed in the solitary windings from hut to hut, through a region which then presented but slight indications of that civilization which has since struck its roots deep into the bosom of those forests. Rain and sunshine alternately poured through the dark- ening foliage that over-arched his pathway. Many miles were traveled where not a sound broke the silence of the dim woods, save the tread of his own steed as it bore him
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onward. The dismal surroundings of a forest path accompanied him until state lines were crossed, and the bright opening prairies were gained in the state of Illi- nois. Emerging from the heavy timber country of Indiana, into the prairie wilderness, was an agreeable respite from the dull monotony of the scenery through which he had passed.
Here was a spot fit for a moment's pause, to view with far-strained vision those undulating plains, in contemplating which
The heart swells, while the dilated sight Takes in the encircling vastness.
Moving onward to the north, with the hope of success brightening before him, he gained the south bank of the Illinois river, which he crossed in a ferry-boat at a place then called Ft. Clarke, near the present site of Peru. At this place he fell in company with four strangers, who had been spending some time in exploring the coun- try further west, which they found, comparatively speak- ing, a blank wilderness, peopled only by savages. Dis- couraged at the idea of settling in a country so wild and so remote from civilized man, they had abandoned their journey and were returning, with not the most favorable impressions of the great west. They urged Mr. Hob- son to abandon the idea also, not only as impracticable, but as a wild and hazardous undertaking. He however left them, and pushed onward, soon reaching Weed's grove, since known as Holderman's grove, where he found a settlement consisting of five little huts, occupied by as many families. Here, for the first time in his journey, he made a halt, and explored the DuPage river
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
as far as Walker's grove, near Plainfield. He after- wards explored Fox river as far as Long grove, and fin- ally made a claim six miles from Holderman's, and three miles from the main village of the Pottawattomie Indians, on Fox river. In order to secure his claim while moving his family out to it, he cut logs for the erection of what in later times has been termed the "squatter's hut." Having done this, he mounted his horse and turned homeward. To save distance, he took a new route, and struck out upon the unknown prairies, where the footsteps of neither man nor beast were to be seen, without a solitary thing to guide him, save the instinctive allurements of his own fireside, which was more than four hundred miles distant. About noon of the same day he re-crossed the Illinois river, at the lower rapids, and pursued his way until night shut in upon him, when he pitched his camp, consisting of a horse blanket and overcoat, on the banks of a small stream that flowed along the border of a grove. During the night there was a heavy fall of rain, which put out his fire, and for the remainder of the night he was obliged to hold himself in a defensive attitude against the ravenous mosquitoes. The sun rose bright and clear next morning, and he pressed onward. Late in the afternoon he overtook a company of Kickapoo Indians, who were returning from a hunting excursion, and accompanied them to their village, where he was fortun- ate enough to find a white man, a trader, with whom he passed the night. Leaving the wigwam town early next morning, he laid his course over the trackless prairie, for the waters of the Sangamon, which were reached
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TRIALS OF EARLY SETTLERS.
just as the sun went down. Here, for the first time in three day's travel, he struck the trail of his former course. A cabin stood on the bank of the stream, occu- pied by a family whose nearest neighbors were twelve miles distant. He passed the night with them, and after breakfast the next morning, re-crossed the river which he had left some five weeks previous. Retracing his former path over the wide prairies of Illinois and through the dense forests of Indiana, he reached his home about the first of July. On the first day of September, in the same year, he started with his family, accompanied by L. Stewart, for his new claim amid the wilds of the north west. They had proceeded scarcely half a mile when the wagon was upset, and the entire "bag and baggage" strewn promiscuously upon the ground. This was by no means a welcome omen of the invisible future, and created unpleasant foreboding of what might lie before them in their perilous journey. Four hours detention was the result of this first ill fortune. After the wagon was turned right side up, and their effects
gathered together, they moved on again. They soon lost sight of things which had grown familiar by time, and the forests through which they passed opened upon them new scenes. The camp fire was kindled whenever night overtook them, and a small canvas tent was their only protection from the inclemency of the weather, and all that screened the starlight and moonbeams from their pillows.
The evening of the third day found them at the Drift Wood fork of the White river. This was now to be crossed. It was a difficult stream, without bridge or
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
ferry, and having a bed of quicksand. As there was but one plan to choose, ("Hobson's choice," of course), they resolved to hazard the experiment of fording. So, increasing the load of the already burdened team with their own weight, and giving the oxen a few smart blows with the braid of buckskin, they dashed into the stream, and with great effort reached the opposite bank. The men were obliged to re-cross the stream for the herd of cattle and horses that were left behind, and the journey was resumed, until the shadows of night compelled them to pitch their tents. Thus they journeyed, day after day, leaving no visible evidence of their passage, save here and there the ashes of their camp fires, fording all the streams that lay in their course, until they came to the Wabash, which they crossed in a ferry, two miles above Terre Haute.
Coming upon the prairies, the land was marshy for a considerable distance, and their progress was slow and difficult ; but nothing of moment occurred until they arrived at the Black Swamp, which was about half a mile in width. Here they were obliged to take every- thing from the wagon and carry to the opposite side on foot. Mrs. Hobson rode across on horseback, with her babe, and the two little boys waded through the mire, at the imminent hazard of being entirely swallowed up. This passed, they journeyed on, encountering similar obstacles, often getting mired, and often being obliged to unload a part of their goods in order to proceed. Leaving the Ft. Clark road, and having no path to guide them, they now passed through an uninhabited region for the distance of one hundred miles, finding but one
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TRIALS OF EARLY SETTLERS.
habitation during six days, and being able to obtain neither wood nor water to cook their meals more than twice during the whole time. Arriving at the Illinois river, they crossed that stream at the lower rapids, and after traveling a few miles further, fell in company with Mr. Clark, whose father resided at Walker's grove. Preparations were being made for a night encampment, but Clark insisted that they should go as far as Holder- man's grove, where he intended to remain that night. Having with him three yoke of oxen, he attached two of them to Mr. Hobson's wagon, and thus assisted, they went on, arriving at Holderman's grove about midnight, having been on the road twenty-one days. Here they remained three weeks, during which time Mr. Hobson sowed some fall wheat, cut some hay for his cattle, and began the erection of a cabin on his new claim.
The family were moved to the claim, and lived in a tent until the cabin was so far completed as to admit of their occupying it. Their provisions were likely to run short, and Mr. Hobson set out on horseback to procure some. After spending two days in fruitless search of something to prevent starvation, he returned home. In a few days, he started again on a longer journey, cross- ing the Fox and Vermillion rivers, the latter of which he forded, where the water covered the back of his horse. Still onward he went, and after crossing the Illinois, and arriving at the Ox Bow prairie, he found he could pur- chase no flour, but pork was offered him, which he engaged, appointing the time when he would come for it, and returned.
Not feeling entirely satisfied with his location, he
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
resolved to examine the country still further, and accord- ingly set out in the direction of Fox river. Knowing that a solitary Frenchman was living in a grove near that stream, he thought to reach his hut, if possible, before night-fall ; but the darkness came on before he was able to find it, and tying his horse to a tree, he laid down upon the ground, and, with nothing to shield him from the cold of a November night, save his overcoat and horse blanket, slept till morning. On waking, he found, to his surprise, that he had encamped in full sight of the Frenchman's dwelling, but was separated from it by a swamp. It being very cold, he hastened to the cabin, but found the door closed and fastened. He how- ever effected an entrance by descending the chimney, encountering in his descent some smoke, considerable soot, a blazing fire, and last, but not by any means least, a huge bull-dog, who bristled up savagely at the singular phenomenon. He made peace with the dog, and sat down to warm himself by the fire. The proprietor of the cabin soon returned, and was not a little surprised, on opening the door, at finding a strange guest within. After breakfasting, Mr. Hobson made his way across the country to the DuPage river, examining the lands and localities as far as the site of his present family residence. This place satisfied him in every respect, and he at once determined to abandon the claim he had already made, and secure this as his future home. He made a few marks by which to identify it, and returned to his family, hav- ing been absent five days.
In a few days Hobson and Stewart both set out for the new claim, for the purpose of cutting timber and
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TRIALS OF EARLY SETTLERS.
building a cabin upon it. This was in December. They arrived at the DuPage, and found it frozen over. Unable to force their team into the crusted stream, they waded through it themselves, breaking a path in the ice, which the oxen were made to follow. Having succeeded in crossing, they pitched their tent, built a fire and made preparations for passing the night. During the night it commenced snowing, and continued throughout the next day. They attempted to work, but were unable to accomplish anything in consequence of the severity of the weather, which continued to increase until they were obliged to abandon their undertaking. They drove down the river, a distance of three miles, to the dwelling of Mr. Scott, who had built a cabin and moved into it a few days before. Here they passed the night, and the following day and night. On the third day the wind ceased, the severity of the weather somewhat abated, though still very cold, and they started toward home. Their course lay across a prairie for thirty miles, on which there was no appearance of a road, but they accom- plished the distance, reaching home before midnight, nearly exhausted by fatigue, hunger and cold. In the course of a few days the weather changed; some rain fell, which melted the snow, and by a succession of snow, rain and frost which followed, the earth was covered with a crust of ice, which made traveling almost impossible.
It was now near Christmas, the time at which Mr. Hobson had agreed to go for his pork.
He therefore left his family and stock in care of Mr. Stewart, and set out for Ox Bow prairie, with the inten- tion of returning in about ten days. The weather was
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
now extremely cold, and on the afternoon of the second day it commenced snowing. The storm came so fast and thick that the track was soon covered, and he had nothing to direct his course, while the atmosphere was so filled with the falling flakes that he could see only a few feet before him. Toward night a horseman passed him, but said nothing, and was very soon out of sight, leav- ing no traces of his course, as the snow filled the horse's track almost as soon as made. Night closed in upon him, with no cessation of the driving storm. Unable to see his way even a rod before him, the chance of reach- ing a habitation or place of shelter seemed hopeless, and he was about to resign himself to his fate, when he dis- covered a light at a little distance, which appeared to be coming toward him. On its nearer approach, to his inex- pressible joy and gratitude, he discovered two or three men, who had come to his assistance, from the nearest settlement. They had been made acquainted with his situation by the horseman who passed him in the after- noon. They assisted him in reaching the settlement, where he stayed till next morning, when, the storm hav- ing considerably abated, he started on his way.
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