USA > Illinois > Ford County > History of Ford County, Illinois : from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 17
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Pells' block, a three-story brick building with fifty feet front, was com- pleted in the summer of 1867. It was built by W. II. Polls, and was destroyed by fire in the year 1874.
On the 6th of November, 1867, the citizens, legal voters of Ford county, gave an overwhelming majority in favor of taking one hundred and twelve thousand dollars stock in the Lafayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railway.
Clark's block, an elegant three-story brick building, fifty by eighty feet, and
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
forty-five feet in height, was finished in the fall of 1867. R. Clark, of Paxton, was the owner.
The fall of 1867 was remarkable for the heavy sales of real estate made by local dealers. One firm in Paxton sold nine thousand acres within thirty days. The sales of the same firm, for the five weeks ending December 5. aggre- gated fourteen thousand six hundred and three acres.
The number of inhabitants added to the county during the year ending July 1, 1867, was one thousand seven hundred and fifty.
The first seven days of May, 1868, will long be remembered on account of the unprecedented amount of rain. The meteorological report shows that the amount was three and fifty-seven hundredths inches, almost as much as for any month during the preceding four months. The storms were accompanied by thunder and lightning, the pyrotechnic display being most beautiful and magnificent.
A hurricane passed over Paxton Tuesday, May 26, 1868, stripping the stee- ple from the United Presbyterian church. This was the finest church edifice in the city, and the spire was beautifully proportioned to the building. The damage resulting therefrom was estimated at about eleven hundred dollars.
Paxton was visited by a heavy fire on Monday, January 18, 1869. The fire broke out in a building occupied by Travis, Hall & Company. as a hard- ware store, the second story being occupied by L. A. Dodd as a dwelling. The losers were Travis, Hall & Company, hardware dealers, eleven hundred dol- lars ; interest in building, fourteen hundred dollars; no insurance; L. A. Dodd, household goods, five hundred dollars, insured; interest in building, one thousand dollars; uninsured; S. L. Day, interest in building, one thousand dol- lars, uninsured ; J. McCormick, druggist, loss on building, three thousand dol- lars, insured for fifteen hundred dollars; loss on stock, five hundred dollars; N. A. Hall, restaurant, damage on stock, two hundred dollars; Mrs. S. S. Lantz, daguerreotype gallery, loss on stock, three hundred dollars, insured; loss on household goods, two hundred dollars; Scott & MeDaniel. dry goods, loss on building, two thousand dollars; insured for fifteen hundred dollars; Masonic lodge, on furniture, two hundred dollars; C. II. Wyman, on building, two thou- sand dollars, with no insurance. The origin of the fire was unknown. The advantage of brick over wood as a building material was demonstrated in the case of Pells' block, which escaped comparatively unscathed, though subjected to an intense heat.
On the 27th of March excavations had been commenced for the founda- tions of five brick buildings to occupy the site of those destroyed by fire.
216
IHISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
The engineer corps, engaged in running the line of the L. B. & M. Rail- road through Paxton, arrived March 23, 1870. under charge of Colonel Morgan.
The assessment returns of Ford county. for the year 1870, amounted to two million thirty-seven thousand seven hundred and sixty-two dollars. The number of acres under cultivation were, of wheat, eight thousand six hundred and forty-five ; corn, fifty thousand two hundred and two; other field products, twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine.
Enterprise was the name of a village platted in township 27 (Drummer) at the crossing of the L. B. & M. and G. C. & S. Railroads, by J. B. Lott, in November, 1870. The location was favorable as to commercial facilities and the name of the village has since been changed to Gibson City. It is now one of the most flourishing towns of the county. As its original name implies, Gibson City is remarkable for its enterprise and thrift. It is the second town in the county in size and population, is provided with gaslight, has good side- walks, telephone connection with Saybrook and Bloomington, and other modern improvements.
A destructive storm visited Paxton and vicinity from the 12th to the 14th of January, 1871. Every building, fence and tree was encased in an jey coat of mail nearly an inch in thickness. Scarcely a building escaped damage from leakage to a greater or less extent. The greatest loss sustained was to fruit and shade trees, some of those from four to five inches in diameter being either broken off entirely or stripped of their limbs.
The Paxton flax mill was built in the summer of 1871. The main building is one hundred and eight by thirty feet.
M. L. Sullivant finished husking his corn for 1871 on the 29th day of Feb- ruary, 1872. Ilis erop aggregated four hundred and fifty thousand bushels. Mr. Sullivant was at that time proprietor of Burr Oaks farm comprising some forty-two thousand acres.
The last rail of the Lake Erie & Western Railway was laid February 22, 1872.
Kirk's Station, Clarence postoffice, was established in May, 1872, on the line of the L. B. && M. Railway, about six miles east of Paxton.
A terrible railroad accident was the cause of much sorrow in Paxton and vicinity, June, 1872. On the 17th of that month, a construction train ran from the track and four men were instantly killed and twenty-one injured. Two of the latter died soon thereafter. The coroner's jury returned a verdict in accordance with these facts.
217
HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
Independence Day, 1872, was celebrated in the courthouse park. There was a large concourse of people present, and the usnal oration, toasts, music, ete., were indulged in. There was a display of fireworks in the evening.
The first annual fair of the Ford County Agricultural Association was held, commencing September 24, 1872. The officers were William Noel, president ; M. L. Sullivant and F. T. Putt, vice presidents; George Wright, treasurer; J. J. Simons, recording secretary ; N. E. Stevens, corresponding secretary; John Bod- ley, superintendent.
October 29, 1872, the Paxton Methodist Episcopal church was dedicated, the sermon being delivered by Rev. A. P. Mead. The church had been occu- pied for a number of years, but at this time extensive repairs and improve- ments had been completed.
In October. 1872, a carload of serapers, plows, ete., was unloaded at Pax- ton, to be used in grading the Paxton & Danville Railroad.
October 27, 1872, at the union services, Rev. W. M. Richie was installed as pastor of the Paxton United Presbyterian church. The sermon was preached by Rev. J. D. Whitham, of Rankin. The resident pastors, Revs. I. Brundage, W. D. Best and J. L. MeNair, assisted in the services.
The work of drilling an artesian well was begun in 1873. During the pro- gress of the work many curious bits of wood were drawn up which were, no doubt, buried in these strata ages upon ages ago. The well proved a failure. and after boring over twenty-seven hundred feet, the work was abandoned; not. however, until it had burdened the city with a debt of some eighteen thousand dollars.
The Presbyterian church in 1884 was a frame building, forty-two by sixty- eight feet, with vestibule, and was of the gothic order of architecture. The main audience room was twenty-eight feet high, and frescoed in Corinthian style. The interior presented a very pleasing appearance. The cost of the edifice was about seven thousand five hundred dollars. The dedication took place on the 13th day of July, 1873. Rev. Dr. Bailey preached the dedicatory sermon, and at the services some twenty-five hundred dollars was subscribed toward liquidating a debt of about two thousand seven hundred and fifty dol- lars which rested on the building.
THIE SWEDES IN FORD COUNTY.
A book called "Svenskarne in Illinois" (the Swedes in Illinois) was com- piled and written in 1880 by Captain Eric Johnson, of Galva, Illinois, and C.
218
HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
F. Peterson, one of the managing editors of Swenska Tribunen (the Swedish Tribune) Chicago, and from it the following translations are made by John F. G. Hehner :
This part of Illinois has a very peculiar geographical shape, and is similar to Rock Island county. It is forty-one miles long and twenty-eight miles wide, located between Iroquois and Livingston counties. In one place it is twenty-eight miles, and in another again, eighteen miles wide, but only to again contract itself into a narrow strip only six miles wide. The county was organ- ized in 1859, and had in 1870 a population of ten thousand people. The land is nearly level and in many places very level and flat, so that the system of ditches are necessary to carry off the surplus water in wet seasons. Paxton is the leading town and county seat, and has a population of three thousand six hundred.
THE SWEDES IN AND ABOUT PAXTON.
The Swedes in Paxton and the immediate vicinity have in Swen Hedenskog their earliest pioneer. He had in Sweden been overseer of a large plantation in the province of Holland, and emigrated with his family in 1857. and settled about nine miles west of Paxton. Here, poor as he was, he experienced many privations, but came out victorious, and prospered, and was considered well-off when he moved to Nebraska a number of years ago, at which place he died. In 1859, Carl Anderson, who was a sailor by occupation, and another man by the name of Andrew Olson (both from the Province of Helsingland, Sweden) located in the neighborhood. Anderson has since removed to Colorado.
When in 1863 it became an assured fact to locate the Swedish Angustana College at Paxton, the Swedish emigration became lively to these parts, and in that year an agreement was made with the Illinois Central Railroad Company that the Swedes should settle on lands the company had for sale, in considera- tion of which the company should pay the college a commission of one dollar per acre on every acre sold to the Swedish settlers. Consul P. L. Hawkinson, of Chicago, was the company's agent in Paxton. Among others who arrived at that time was Erik Rasmus, from Gannelstorp Blekinge. He had then been in the country ten years, having emigrated in 1853. and settled at Galesburg. In the same year (1863) came to the Paxton colony, Carl Larson, Erik Carlson, John Anderson and A. M. Hanson.
The following year brought to Paxton J. H. Wistrand, who was the first Swedish merchant in Paxton, and kept a grocery store until 1875, when the col-
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
lege removed to Rock Island; he also removed there and engaged in mercantile business. Peter Hedburg appeared in Paxton the same year, and kept a lum- beryard at first, and afterward in various other occupations, and held the offices of justice of the peace and collector. Poor health made it necessary for him to seek a different elime, and in the spring of 1873 he removed to Colorado and located at Denver, where he became the Swedish consul.
Emigration to the Ford county colony continued brisk, and in 1865, the following additons from Attica, Indiana, where all had lived for many years: Fredrik Bjorklund, Carl Fager, John Swan, John JJohnson, Carl Peterson, Peter Larson, Carl Johnson, Adolph Johnson and John Nelson. Emigration to the place continned constantly till 1870. Since then nearly as many have moved out west to the western states and territories, as have come here from Sweden. About them can be said that they have fought all difficulties with heroic cour- age, and acquired an independence where their Amrican brethren and neigh- bors very often have failed. The secret here is their persevering hard labor, and strict economy.
The number of Swedes in Paxton is estimated at fifteen hundred. In no place, with the exception of New Boston, can be found as many business men (merchants) in proportion to the population, and no where do the Swedes do a better business than here. It is natural that they would not succeed as well, did not the Americans support them as well as their Swedish patrons. One of the most successful Swedish enterprises was Nels Dahlgren's plow and machine shops. Mr. Dahlgren had before been engaged with John Deere & Co. in Moline. He came to Paxton in 1865, and began on a small scale the same year. His pro- ductions, especially his plows, soon earned him a reputation as the best in the market, and the demand for them increased, and the shops were enlarged so that he was able to manufacture three hundred plows and forty cultivators in 1871.
We continue further, and find Gustaf Sandberg, who runs an important wagon and blacksmith shop; Swenning Anderson, blacksmith ; J. P. Lindstrom, dealer and manufacturer in furniture and cabinet goods; Kjellstrand & Melby, painters ; A. J. Laurence, dry goods ; John F. G. Helmer, druggist ; Peter Larson, merchant tailor; John Nelson, dealer in ready made clothing; Fred Telander, groceries and hardware; N. G. Egnall, furniture; Nels Younggreen, John Crantz, Andrew Anderson, Perry A. Berggren and Lars H. Rodeen, grocers; Sheldon & Swanson, dealers and manufacturers of boots and shoes; P. A. Berggren, photog- rapher, and Swen Lundberg, brick and tile maker, with a yearly production of five hundred thousand brick. In the matter of churches, they are here as well
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
provided for as their countrymen elsewhere. The Swedish Lutheran congrega- tion was organized by Prof. Hasselguist in 1863.
The first service was held in the old schoolhouse which belonged to the college, and served as a house of worship till 1872, when a good and substantial church was built.
The congregation is a large one, and the Sunday school is equally so. In 1884 Rev. A. Edgren was pastor of the church, and was born in Nedra Ulleryd, in the Province of Vermland, the 3d day of January, 1844. He came to Amer- ica in 1870, and graduated in Paxton the 29th of June, 1873. The Swedish Lutheran Mission church was, in November, 1878, organized with a membership of seventy-five, with Rev. A. P. Palmquist as its pastor. The following year a neat and pleasant church was built at an expense of fifteen hundred dollars. The membership has since largely increased. Society Swea has existed since 1877, and is at present in a very prosperous condition. Its principal object is to furnish its members social benefits and mutual assistance. Swea has already paid out a considerable sum as help to siek members, and has laid a good founda- tion for a library fund.
The Swedish cornet band was organized by the musically inclined Swedes, in October, 1877, with G. A. Palmblad as leader, and members of same were John A. Nelson, C. A. Larson, George Hanson, A. E. Sheldon, G. Swenson. G. A. Lundberg. A. Ilegstrom, A. J. Anderson and Gust Sandburg. In the political field John F. G. Helmer held the office of coroner four years, the office of the justice of the peace has been held by Peter Hedburg, and also Andrew Lindstrom, now residing in Chicago; and he was elected collector of taxes. David Swanson is the present postmaster of Paxton.
FARMERSVILLE.
This is a settlement of Swedes, nine miles west of Paxton, and is the center of a large, prosperous settlement, dating back to 1863 and 1864, or at about the same time the college was located in Paxton. About the countrymen there is not much of a general interest to relate, because they live scattered on farms, and we have no other history than that of their church.
A Swedish Lutheran church was organized here in the year 1863, and in 1867 a church was erected at a cost of four thousand dollars and a parsonage costing two thousand dollars-membership about two hundred and twenty-five. This colony stretches far away in the north and west, to the stations of Elliott and Gibson, and in each of them are a number of Swedes.
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5112
SIBLEY ELEVATOR, SIBLEY
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
At Gibson reside several Swedish families, who have organized two churches, The Lutheran and Mission.
The Paxton settlement branches ont south along the Illinois Central Railroad into Campaign county, and at Rantoul. East of Paxton we have Rankin, where a Swedish Lutheran congregation has existed since 1865.
STATISTICS.
ASSESSMENT FOR 1860.
Kind of Property
Number 805
Value $39.615 00
Horses
Cattle
1870
26,473 00
Mules
12
540 00
Sheep
108
108 00
Hogs
1133
2,721 00
Value of domestic animals.
$69,457 00
Indebtedness on domestic animals
11,292 00
Net value of domestic animals
$58,165 00
Carriages and wagons
324
8,471 00
Clocks and watches
303
1,652 00
Pianos
4
335 00
Goods and merchandise
6,715 00
Manufactured article
15 00
Moneys and credits
11,663 00
Unincumbered property
18,446 00
Total personal property
$105,462 00
Total valuation of lands
794,066 00
Total valuation of town lots
20,477 00
Total assessed value for 1860
$920,005 00
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Kind of Crop
Acres
Wheat
2,921
Corn
9,355
Other products
591
Acres reported under cultivation
12,867
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
TAXES FOR 1860.
Kind of Tax.
Amount
State
$4,324 02
State School
1,840 01
County
3.220 60
Special County
920 05
Road
462 63
School District 1, Town 23 Range 28
498 94
School District 2, Town 23, Range 8
70 36
School District 1, Town 24, Range 9 98 58
School District 2, Town 24, Range 9 303 01
School District 1. Town 23, Range 10
122 79
School District 3, Town 23, Range 10
85 08
School District 1, Town 23, Range 14
37 75
School District 2, Town 23, Range 14
106 43
School District 2, Town 23, Range 9
153 55
School District 1, Town 26, Range 9 625 97
436 54
School District 4, Town 25, Range 9 536 40
Back taxes for 1859
164 12
Total taxes for 1860
14,005 23
FARM DRAINAGE OF FORD COUNTY.
In the early days much of the farming in Ford county was done upon low; wet and swampy lands. During those days it was no uncommon occurrence in the springtime to see a large number of acres of the very best land in the state under from one to two feet of water. For this reason much of the most valuable land in the county was at that time considered of little value on account of the lack of drainage. In recent years however, beginning as early as 1884 the farmers of Ford county have organized drainage districts and now, practically, all of the lands of Ford county, formerly low and swampy, have been reclaimed for agricultural purposes.
It is well known among agriculturists that low swampy lands when once properly drained become the richest and most productive of lands. Whereas, formerly, when the farmer sowed his grain in the springtime with no assurance
School District 2, Town 26, Range 9
225
HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
that he would reap a harvest, now, by successful drainage of his lands he finds an almost sure harvest.
There is now under operation and maintenance in Ford county, the fol- lowing drainage districts :
Vermilion Special, cost $200,000.00
Pella No. 1, cost $12.000.00
Pella No. 2, cost $15,000.00
Union Pella and Brenton, cost $30,000.00
Wall Township, cost
$25.000.00
Lyman township, cost
$15,000.00
Lyman and Wall township, cost
$30,000.00
Little Lyman, cost
$ 5,000.00
Big Four, cost
$425,000.00
Sullivant township, cost
$18,000.00
Harmony township, cost $12,000.00
Sugar Creek, cost $18,000.00
Drummer Township uncompleted, estimated eost .. $40,000.00
The above items of cost are estimated, and while not exactly correet, they are still very close to the exact figures. It will be observed that the public drainage work among the farmers of Ford county has reached or will reach approximately the sum of six hundred thousand dollars, when all the drain- age districts now in process of construction are paid for. These drainage dis- friets have reclaimed thousands of acres of land, which, before their construc- tion, were either entirely non-productive or the erops growing thereon were largely lessened as a result of improper drainage. These districts have afforded sufficient and proper outlets for the lands within the boundaries of each dis- triet and the farmers have taken the opportunity to lay a great number of tile, so that, taking all and all Ford county has been reclaimed from numerous low, wet swamps to high grade, productive agricultural lands.
It is generally conceded that the farming lands of Ford county in pro- ductions, are far above the average of the farms throughout the state. And one of the main causes of this has been the result of public spirit among the farmers, resulting in the large expenditure of money in drainage.
The law firms that have been connected with this work are, Cloud & Thompson, Schneider & Schneider and A. L. Phillips. As a result of drain- age litigation two very important cases have been taken from Ford county to the higher courts.
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
The case of Big Four Drainage District vs Perdue et al was taken to the appellate court by the firm of Schneider & Schneider, representing the objectors and Cloud & Thompson representing the drainage district. The question which arose in that case was, "To what extent must lands be bene- fited before they can be annexed to a drainage district and assessed ?" The court held that it was necessary for the drainage commissioners to show that direct benefits acerne by giving the proposed annexed land, a better system of drainage, so as to enhance its market value.
Another case entitled Trigger vs Lyman and Wall Drainage District was taken to the supreme court by the attorneys heretofore mentioned, and the court in that case held that the commissioners could levy an assessment of benefits against the lands and that objectors to the assessment were not entitled to a hearing by a jury.
The supreme court has, however, held recently that drainage commissioners who own land in a drainage district are not competent to levy an assessment, and in at least three cases they have held such assessments unconstitutional and void.
Farm drainage and the law connected therewith is a science in itself and the farmers of Ford county have given the matter a great deal of attention. They know that Ford county is an agricultural section and that the wealth of the county lies chiefly in its farms and they have determined to do all in their power to increase the value of their lands by drainage and otherwise. They are a rugged. sterling set and have caused "two blades of grass to grow where one grew before." Generations to come will reap the reward of their industry and frugality.
FORD COUNTY FAIRS.
A publie meeting was held at the courthouse in Paxton, April 9, 1864, for the purpose of organizing a fair association. J. II. Dungan was chosen chair- man of the meeting and William A. Goodrich, secretary. A constitution for an association, to be known as "The Ford County Agricultural Society, " was unanimously adopted, in which the object was stated to be "The promotion of agricultural, horticultural, mechanical and household arts," and the following officers were elected :
President, Frederick T. Putt; vice presidents, Joshua E. Davis, J. P. Search, E. F. Havens; recording secretary, L. A. Barber; corresponding secre-
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
tary, R. R. Murdock, treasurer, John L. Murdock; directors, James F. Hall, Howard Case, Leonard Pierpont, William Baker, G. B. Winter.
Under the above organization county fairs were held in Paxton in 1864 and 1865. After this no fair was held for several years. On the 10th of February, 1872, a public meeting convened at the courthouse to reorganize under a new constitution and the by-laws of the state board of agriculture. Of this meeting, Benjamin F. Dye was chairman, and N. E. Stevens, secretary. This object, however, was not accomplished until an adjourned meeting, held April 6, 1872, when a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the follow- ing officers elected :
President, William Noel; vice presidents. M. L. Sullivant, F. T. Putt; secretary, John J. Simons; treasurer, George Wright; corresponding secretary, N. E. Stevens; executive committee; John Bodley, W. B. Holmes, Samuel Lefever, B. F. Dye, John Richardson, William T. Patton, R. Cruzen, C. F. Frew, A. H. Hanley.
Under this organization a fair was held in Paxton, commencing Septem- ber 24, 1872, and lasting four days.
On the 14th of Jannary, 1873, having ascertained that, by a clerical error, the name of the society did not conform to the requirements of the state board, a resolution was adopted declaring the name to be "The Ford County Agri- cultural Board."
The officers elected for 1873 were as follows :
President, William Noel; vice presidents, F. T. Putt, William Walker; secretary, John J. Simons; treasurer, George Wright; corresponding secretary, C. H. Frew ; executive committee, John Bodley, W. B. Holmes, Samuel Lefever, B. J. Dve, John Richardson, W. T. Patton, R. Cruzen, C. W. Meharry, A. H. Hanley. The second annual fair was held at Paxton, September 2 to 5, 1873.
Following is the list of officers for 1874:
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