USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 33
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In 1852, the little company was increased by the addition of Mr. and Mrs. William Neff and Mrs. Mary Miller (first wife of Mr. Thomas Miller). Rev. James McChesney and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mather and Mrs. Sarah E. Somers (a daughter of Mr. William Emerson) were added to it in February, 1855. In the same month, the church at Danby (now Pros- pect Park), which had been organized in Jan- nary, 1850, was dissolved, and of its members, Mr. Stephen Van Tassel and wife, Mr. Alfred Standish and wife, Mrs. R. Rudock, Mrs. Mar- tha Dean, Mrs. Fidelia Ober (wife of Mr. David Ober), Mrs. Mercy Churchill, Mrs. Cornelia Brooks and Mrs. H. Ackerman immediately joined the church of Babcock's Grove.
In the antumn of 1856, the meetings began to be held in the Baptist Church at Du Page Center (now Stacy's Corners), in the township of Milton, that point being more central for the congregation as changed by the recent ad- ditions. The church, however, still kept as a preaching station its old place at "The Grove."
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YORK TOWNSHIP.
The body had become strong enough in 1860 to consider the matter of "building meeting- houses at Danby and Babcock's Grove." A re- sult of this movement was the organization, in February of that year, of the "Congregational Society of Danby," for the purpose of erecting a building and caring for the financial affairs of the church. No corresponding work was ef- fected at Babcock's Grove.
April 27, 1861, the church unanimously "re- solved that this church shall hereafter be known as the ' First Congregational Church of Danby,' and its regular place of worship shall be in that village."
Of the church whose history is here dropped, Rev. Charles Boswell was the first pastor and clerk. He died, in the pastorate, in 1852 or 1853. Rev. Harry Jones seems to have been a preacher here, as well as at Danby, in 1853. But Rev. James McChesney was pastor of the church during the greater part of its existence, remaining with it after its location at Danby. He acted also as Clerk, and the public is in- debted to him for the preservation of his faith- ful records of the early times. The first Deacon of the church was Mr. William Emerson, who held that office until his death, which occurred about 1856.
From 1861 to 1866, no church organization existed in the village. The death or removal of early supporters and the confusions incident to the war conspired to prevent such work ; but preaching was sustained pretty regularly and the Sunday school was frequently in a vigorous condition. Among its early Superintendents were successively Rev. Mr. Boswell, Mr. W. Em- erson, Mr. Phineas Ames, Mr. Adam Hatfield, Mr. Seth Churchill, Mr. - Davis and various men who had acted as temporary preachers.
In 1859, the schoolhouse now in use was built, and the congregation removed thither.
In the autumn of 1864-since which time the writer has been familiar with the town his- tory-and the succeeding winter, Rev. Mr. Wa-
teman was Superintendent. J. T. Reade served from March, 1865, to the close of 1866. This brings the school inside the time when a more permanent church force began to be operant.
During the years 1865-69, the population of the village was increased by the coming of many familes specially interested in Christian institutions and public-spirited in giving freely for their support.
In the summer of 1866, Mr. (now Rev.) James Tompkins, then a student of Chicago Theological Seminary, had been preaching to the congregation for several months, the meet- ings being held in the schoolhouse. On the 26th of July of that year was formed
The First Church of Christ, Babcock's Grove, and on August 2, a council of the neighboring churches and clergymen met and gave it a brotherly recognition. Six denominations were represented in the original membership of fourteen. It was, as it is claimed to be, a Union Church of Evangelical Christians, and at first kept free from all ecclesiastical connec- tions. The persons thus allying themselves were :
Joseph B. Hull and Fanny E., his wife; Isaac Claflin and Mary W., his wife; Josiah T. Reade and Christia (now deceased), his wife; Allen B. Wrisley and Lucy, his wife; Mrs. Clarissa Frisbie (now deceased); Mrs. Margaret A. Mil- ler (now deceased), second wife of Mr. Thomas Miller; Mrs. Emily Fish ; Miss Lydia M. Hull (now deceased); Miss M. Albina Harris (now Mrs. Frauk Hull); and R. Franklin Claflin.
The meetings continued to be held mostly in the schoolhouse. But, in about two years from its organization, the church having increased well in numbers and means, a beautiful chapel was erected on the lot at the northeast corner of Main and Maple streets, the spot now oc- cupied by the residence of Mrs. John Bracken. It was dedicated on December 3, 1868. This building was destroyed by an incendiary fire on the night of August 27, 1869.
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
Up to this time thechurch property had been owned by the church itself, an incorporated body. Immediately after the loss of its edi- fice an " ecclesiastical society " was formed to manage financial affairs. This body thought best to change the church location, aud there- fore built its new house on North Main street. This was used for worship till 1873.
The pastors of this church were: Rev. James Tompkins, from its origin to May, 1869; Rev. Osmar W. Fay, from June, 1869, to November 2, 1869; Rev. Henry T. Rose, from May, 1870, to October, 1871; and after this Rev. Josiah A. Mack, for a time not recorded exactly. The first Deacon of this church was J. T. Reade, and Isaac Claflin was its first Clerk.
The village, having been incorporated in 1869 as the "Town of Lombard," the church underwent a corresponding change of name.
The First Congregational Church of Lom- burd was formed October 22, 1869, with thir- teen original members. With the exception of three, they came directly from the "First Church of Christ," and were as follows:
Nathaniel S. Cushing and Elizabeth B .. his wife; Newton Chapin and Caroline B., his wife ; A. B. Chatfield and Emma L., his wife; J. Benson Vallette and Ruth M., his wife; Mrs. Margaret A. Miller (now deceased); Mrs. J. E. Ambrose; Miss Eva C. Cushing; Noah Shep- ardson; and Charles M. Lewis (now deceased).
An ecclesiastical society to work in connec- tion with the church was also formed, and a church building was immediately commenced at the southwest corner of Main and Maple streets. It was dedicated May 29, 1870, and is still used as a place of worship.
On January 20, 1870, a council of Congre- gational Churches and clergymen met and rec- ognized this church as a member of Congrega- tional sisterhood.
Rev. O. W. Fay, having closed his connec- tion with the older church, became pastor of this immediately upon its organization, and
continued with it till 1872. The first Deacons were N. S. Cushing and Newton Chapin, and the first Clerk was J. B. Vallette.
The First Church, Lombard .- In 1873, the impolicy of sustaining two churches of the same general faith having been thoroughly dem - onstrated, the two were discontinued, by agree- ment, and on May 2 of that year, the present organization, bearing the above name, was formed. It is " Evangelical " in its creed, and Congregational in its polity, and belongs to Chicago Association. It occupies the " south side " church, having sold the other building.
The church had no regular pastor until April, 1874. Rev. Charles Caverno then commenced his work, in which he still continues. Nathan- iel S. Cushing and Allen B. Wrisley were the first Deacons. The first Clerk and Treasurer was William L. Rogers (now deceased).
There are now eighty resident members. The financial affairs are cared for by an allied society of the usual form. Among the enter- prises that look hither for their inspiration is the church library, partly of religious, but mostly of general literature, numbering about eight hundred volumes, and now open to the general public .- J. T. READE.
BUSINESS MEN.
I. Claflin, real estate.
B. T. Teets & Sons, hardware.
August Koerber, miller.
C. Fabri, harness-maker.
R. Grunwald, shoe-maker.
P. Arnoldi, shoe-maker.
A. B. Wrisley, soap manufacturer.
W. Stuenkel, butter and cheese factory. He receives 6,000 pounds of milk daily and makes 300 pounds of cheese; also 200 pounds of but- ter daily.
A. E. and D. C. Hills, general store.
A. E. Hills, general auctioneer.
Gray & Malcomb, hardware and farm imple- ments.
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WINFIELD TOWNSHIP.
L. Marquart & Bros., general store, feed and grain.
John Q. Reber, grocer. E. M. Ackerman, butcher.
John Fischer, blacksmith and wagon-maker. C. W. Oleson, physician and surgeon. Joseph Gregory, carpenter and builder. Richard Wells. ice cream and confectionery. Dave Frank, mason and contractor. Henry Assman, mason and contractor. Levi Castleman, painter.
N. S. Cushing, retired.
Martin Hogan, section boss, Chicago & North Western Railroad.
John Patterson, station agent, Chicago & North Western Railroad.
Melvin Ballou, conductor, Chicago & North- Western Railroad.
O. F. Long, engineer, Chicago & North-West- ern Railroad.
M. C. Carroll, fine groceries, flour, etc.
CHAPTER XIII.
WINFIELD TOWNSHIP -WARRENVILLE -WATER CRESSES-THEIR CONSEQUENCES-NEWCOMERS AND DISTANT NEIGHBORS - PARTIES AND RAISINGS - RAILSPLITTING - FOURTH OF JULY - THIE SCHOOLGIRL'S HANDKERCHIEF-TIIE OLD SAW-MILL-THE HOTEL AND DANCING HALL -WHAT WAS IN A TRUNK OF OLD PAPERS -CHURCHES-THE WARRENVILLE
ACADEMY-GARY'S MILLS-METHODIST CHURCH AT THE PLACE-A SHYLOCK MEM-
BER EXCOMMUNICATED -WINFIELD-TURNER JUNCTION -JOIIN B. TURNER.
A ' we drink at the fountains of nature, how little do we know of her subterra- nean secrets. In arid deserts, and sometimes even in fruitful countries of considerable ex- tent, no living springs are found, but they occur along the banks of the Du Page River at many places, and in profusion at Warren- ville. Here they burst out of the ground un- tarnished with the tincture of lead or iron pipes-the bane of water in all large eities- and in their pebbly-bottomed rivulets a tangle of water-cresses overspreads their trickling courses to the river. It is said that where speckled trout are found in the streamis of a country, no fever and ague exists there. This does not go to show that trout are an antidote to the ague. Nor is it claimed that water-cresses make pure water, but it is claimed that pure cold water makes water-cresses, the same as a healthful, well-drained country abounding in mountain torrents makes speckled trout. Both the trout and water cresses are refined produc-
tions in animal and vegetable life from the laboratory of nature, the handiwork of her geological composition whose formula is a sealed book to us.
The delightful springs attracted the attention of the first settlers at what is now Warrenville and its vicinity, and the following are their names in the order in which they came : Eras- tus Gary, now living at Wheaton ; Jude P. Gary, who died in 1881 on his farm, and The- ron Parsons, all came in 1832 and made claims. Alvah Fowler and Col. J. M. Warren, both of whom now live in Warrenville, came and made claims in the spring of 1833. Ira Herrick and Jacob Galusha, neither now living, came the same year, and made claims near Warrenville. Israel Lord and Alfred Churchill both came to the vicinity and made claims in 1834.
These were the true pioneers of what is now Winfield Township. To add to these names those who arrived soon afterward would multi- pły words without knowing where to stop, as
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
so many settlers soon followed them. Daniel Warren, a native of Massachusetts, had settled at Naperville in 1833. His family consisted of a wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Morton, and the following children : Philinda H., who married Alvah Fowler, of Warrenville ; Louisa G., who married Frederick Bird, and then Silas E. Warren as her second husband ; Julius M. Warren, after whom Warrenville was named, and who now lives at the place ; Sally L., who married A. E. Carpenter, brother of Philo Car- penter, of Chicago ; Harriet N .. who married C. B. Dodson, of Geneva ; Maria and Mary (twins), the former of whom married S. B. Cobb, of Chicago, and the latter Jerome Beech- er, of the same place ; and Jane, who married N. B. Curtis, of Peoria.
In the spring of 1834, Alvah Fowler, together with a large number of adventurers, made a tour of discovery to the north up the Desplaines River. After leaving the present site of May- wood, no white settlers were found, but the am- ple groves on its banks were alive with Indians, whose wigwams seemed to be omnipresent. At Half Day's village, in the present county of Lake, were forty or fifty families housed in their rude huts, killing the hours after the time- honored custom of their race, whose wants are limited according to their disinclination to work. There was a large burying-ground at the place, and a white flag flying over it as a sacred charm to honor the dead.
To the north, there were no neighbors but the Meachams, the Dunklees, the Churchills and the Babcocks. At Brush Hill and at Downer's Grove, were settlements, and at Naperville, which was at their doors, comparatively speak- ing, and was the parent colony of all. To the west was the Fox River Valley, where clusters of houses had already been put up at Elgin, St. Charles, Geneva and Aurora, and near the pres- ent site of Batavia Mr. Dodson had a saw-mill on a western tributary of the river. All these settlements seemed like neighbors together.
They visited each other at parties, and assisted each other at raisings. The latter was one of the olden-time institutions, now almost obsolete, but then in the heyday of its glory, and, while it served a practical purpose, it also toned up the social feeling and became the means by which distant neighbors could form a knowl- edge of each other's character and a measure of their merits on general principles.
After Col. Warren had made his claim in 1833, he returned to his native place, and the next year (1834) on coming back he found two new-comers. Grant Goodrich had come to the place and made a claim of 200 acres on the west side of the river, intending to make a farm. He hired sixteen acres of ground "broke," and in the programme took off his broadeloth coat, rolled up his sleeves and, with the assist- ance of Sidney Able, went to work at splitting rails to fence it. Here were two men, the one destined to become Judge of the Superior Court at Chicago and the other its Postmaster, maul- ing an iron wedge into an oak log by alternate strokes, not for amusement, but to make rails to fence in a corn-field. But these hours of labor were not without relief. Fourth of July came, and something must be done to leaven the vir- gin soil with patriotism, and Naperville was the " stamping ground " for all such gatherings.
The morning came. There were no bells to ring They did not need any such stimulent to set their patriotic blood to tingling in their veins. When the crowd had assembled, young Goodrich was honored with an invitation to read the Declaration of Independence, and he soon became the most conspicuous man in the crowd. The next thing was to get a copy. Here was the fatal balk, for none could be found in all Naperville, and faces all round be- gan to look rueful, till a sweet little girl stepped forward and offered her pocket handkerchief, on which this immortal document was printed, justly proud of the service she had rendered to the convention. Young Henry B. Blodgett,
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the son of the stalwart blacksmith, now Judge of the court of the United States, at District in Chicago, then thirteen years old, sat near the honored elocutionist of the day, and paid strict attention to the words. Let us return to business. Col. Warren wanted to buy out the claim of Mr. Goodrich. He contemplated build- ing a saw-mill, and needed the land on both sides of the river whereupon to build his dam. Mr. Goodrich's hands were blistered splitting rails, and he was in a suitable frame of mind to sell. Col. Warren paid him 50 cents per hundred for the rails he had split, and a rea- sonable price for the breaking, and he quit- claimed to him.
Col. Warren erected his house the same sea- son, hauling the lumber for it from Dodson's mill. This was the first frame house ever built at the place. His eldest sister kept house for him. The next year he built a saw-mill, and the place became a lively resort for mechanics, teamsters and farmers, as soon as the mill began to turn ont lumber, a material so much needed in the country. A house was soon erected, where the strong men who rolled the logs to the saw car- riage with "cant-hooks " boarded, and in the upper story of it a room was finished off for a school, and here the lady who subsequently be- came Principal of the academy at the place, Mrs. Holmes, taught its first school.
The next year, 1836, a schoolhouse was built by subscription. It is now remodeled into a private dwelling and occupied by Joseph Hud- son. A post office was established at the place in May, 1838, Col. Warren, Postmaster, who kept the office at his house. He is Postmaster at the present time.
The same year, 1838, be built a fine hotel and spacious hall in it for dancing. It was pat- ronized by the elite of Chicago as well as Naperville and the Fox River towns, and here it was that John Wentworth made his debut into social circles, and the lady who firstinitiat- ed him into the graceful motions of the cotil-
lion, still calls to mind the pleasing remin- iscence. No more refined and truly æsthetic circles than these dancing and private parties have ever graced the elegant drawing rooms of even Chicago since that eventful period.
Their influence has elevated the aims in life of many a man and woman now in the best ranks of society, and perhaps some of them in their twilight hour of life, in thinking of old scars in their hearts not yet quite healed over, can fix their dates in Col. Warren's old dancing hall.
Amidst a trunk full of old Warrenville pa- pers from which scraps of history have been gathered by the writer, the following verses at- tracted his attention, and are here inserted to show the sentiment of the times. Their author is unknown. Perhaps he gave them to some inamorata who lost them and they fortunately found a place among these old musty records, to be rescued from oblivion in the pages of this book .
"O fly to the prairie, sweet maiden, with me, "Tis as green, and as wild, and as wide as the sea, O'er its emerald bosom the summer winds glide, And waves the wild grass like the vanishing tide.
" Let us hie to the chase, lovely maiden, away, And follow the fawns as they gambol and play, On the back of the courser so lithe and so free, While circling and bounding o'er heather and lea.
" The woodman delights in his trees and his shade, But the sun leaves no tinge of the cheeks of his maid His flowers are blighted, its colors are pale And weak is the breath when their perfumes exhale.
" Soft zephyrs ere play in the prairie breeze, And furrow the grasses like waves of the seas, And waft o'er the landscape its sweets from the West. Aromas delicious, with fragrance possessed.
"O fly to the prairies, sweet maiden, with me, Each flower here dimples and blushes for thee, And nightly the moon in her star-studded sky Twinkles love in her ray while the katydids cry.
" There is nothing to cloy in the wilds of the West, Each day hath its pleasures where love is confessed, My cottage now empty is waiting for thee, Will you come to my bower and share it with me ?"
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HISTORY OF DU PAGE COUNTY.
The same cooling springs now lave the banks of the river that then did, and the same water- cresses bathe their roots in their pools. They might have had something to do with the fine sentiments that then lived and grew there. If so, their mission may not yet be ended. This we will leave to the future, while the progress of events is continued.
The village of Warrenville was platted by Julius M. Warren May 7, 1844. He was then a Representative of his distriet, and again in 1850.
Since the era of railroads, it has lost its equilibrium with other towns in the scale of progress ; but the end is not yet.
That a brighter prospect will yet open before it seems certain, as the magnitude of Chicago will create a demand for its beautiful grounds for residences, and a way to reach them by railroad.
The following is a list of the business men of the place :
Cheese factory-Consumes 8,000 pounds of milk ; makes 200 pounds of butter, and 500 pounds of cheese daily. R. R. Barnard is pro- prietor.
The Warrenville Grist and Merchant Mill was built by Smith & Fowler in 1847.
It came into possession of Lamb & Co. in 1857 ; was burnt Angust 11, 1879 ; was rebuilt, and commenced running in March, 1880. It is a full roller mill, using the celebrated Gratiot Conieal Vertical Gradual Reduction Machine. Uses 500 bushels of wheat, and manufactures 100 barrels of flour per day. Brands-Peace- Maker and Reliable.
Blacksmiths-J. M. Hollister, J. W. Watson, George F. Ressequie.
Merchants-C. A. Bowen, J. D. Hawbecker. Boot and shoe-maker-D. Stafford.
Notary Public-J. Hudson. Justice of the Peace-A. T. Jones.
House painter-Henry Wyman.
Carpenter-L. V. Ressequie.
Clergyman-Rev. -. Adams.
WARRENVILLE ACADEMY.
This institution, while in its prime, was to the country around what Oxford is to the En- glish Church to-day. The old building now stands a silent monument of its once beneficent mission. To the teachings within its walls many retrospections of youthful ambitions revert baek with pleasing emotions from men and women now mature with life's experiences. Who can tell its history best ? thought I, while . looking at the untrodden grass that has en- croached upon the threshold of its door.
For the necessary information I wrote to its early Principal, and the following is her reply, together with her historical sketch, which is better than any other one could write, for who else could measure the value and rehearse the story and make it live again, at least in mem- ory, as she has done it in her own unaffected style :
" ROCKFORD, July 7, 1882.
"MR. BLANCHARD : I send you a brief, and, I feel, quite imperfect, manuscript. It may, however, serve as the basis of a better article. I found it difficult to get statistics ; dates may not be correct. I wrote to some who were as- sociated with me during the years I was en- gaged there, but the answers were not satisfac- tory, so I have given you the best I have at hand.
" You will see that I have not written this to be recognized as its author, only to give the facts in my possession as the groundwork of what you may say on the subject.
" Yours very respectfully, " S. W. HOLMES.
"In the settlement of every new country, one of the first objects of the settlers seems to be to organize some effective system of education. In Du Page County, Warrenville aimed to take the lead in that direction. As early as 1843- 44, two schools were opened in Warrenville, one under the auspices of the Baptist denomi- nation with the design of founding a collegiate
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WINFIELD TOWNSHIP.
institution, the other under the supervision of Misses H. W. Bryant and S. Warren. Both these schools flourished for a time, and did good work, but both, for some reason, were given up. After that time, several teachers had commenced operations there, but had abandoned the project and gone into more promising fields of labor. In 1850, the good people of Warrenville and vicinity, aided by · strong, earnest friends from Chicago, who were desirous of sending their children to some healthy country place to be educated, succeeded in raising an amount necessary for the erection of a suitable building for the accommodation of a school. The institution was duly in- corporated by an act of Legislature, a Board of Directors was chosen, the financial and edu- cational charge was intrusted to Mrs. S. W. Holmes. The school was opened in September 1851. Competent teachers were secured. Mrs. Holmes converted her own home into a board- ing-house for pupils from abroad. The patron- age was fair. The number of pupils taught in the school for the next four or five years was between one and two hundred each year. In 1855-56, B. F. Taylor was engaged to take charge of the male department of the institut- tion, and a fine class of young men were sent out from Chicago to fit for college under his instruction. This measure promised well, but owing to Mr. Taylor's resignation, proved an unfortunate one for the material interests of the school. After some delay, a gentleman was found to supply Mr. Taylor's place, but the delay was fatal. Mrs. Holmes, although ably assisted by Mr. C. Howes and Miss M. C. Knight, feeling that it would be difficult to tide the school over the crisis, resigned her position. The Directors took the finances in charge, and the school passed into other hands. The fort- unes of the school for the next three or four years were fluctuating, when Mrs. Holmes was recalled, and, assisted by Mrs. M. V. Bull, again took charge of the institution. Mrs.
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