History of Grundy County, Illinois, Part 29

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 506

USA > Illinois > Grundy County > History of Grundy County, Illinois > Part 29

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Geo. W. Watson, John P. Southworth, T. B. Rice and Charles Turner all came here before 1860, and after remaining here awhile left. Judge B. Olin came here in 1863, and in 1865 entered into partner- ship with the writer under the firm name of Olin & Armstrong. He left here in 1870 and located in Joliet, where he has served nearly nine years as county judge. Judge A. R. Jordan read law with Judge Olin, and was admitted in 1865. Next to the writer, he is the next lawyer in point of time at the Morris bar. Messrs. S. C. Stough, A. L. Doud, county attorney, R. M. Wing (his partner), S. P. Avery, O. N. Carter and J. II. Sampson are of reeent date. Judge C. Grant was admitted to the bar in 1861, and died here January 10, 1881. He was a very scholarly man and

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

had served one term as county jnlge and many years as register in bankruptcy. Leaving the lawyers to plead their own cases, we " go for the "

MERCHANTS.

As early as 1845 Col. Wm. L. Perce and Adam Lamb each had a small stock of goods for the accommodation of their canal hands. In the fall of that year P. A. Armstrong opened a general store in what had been the bar-room of the Grundy IIo- tel, which then stood where the Hopkins House now stands. He purchased the stocks of goods from Col. Perce and Mr. Lamb, and united them to his other stock, and not having room in his then store- room, he built the main part of Dr. HIand's residence for a store, and occupied it for a couple of years for a store and post-office. Gov. Mattison having opened a store in the Harvey building, which stood where the Washington Honse now stands, after operating it about a year with Henry Fish, manager, and, we believe, partner, Mr. Armstrong bought out the goods and moved his store to that building in 1847. Ile then built the building now occupied by R. Petty, then located where the Geo. M. Jones furniture store stands, and moved his store and post-office to that building. In 1848 Messrs. Inlburd & Lott opened a dry-goods store here. John P. Chapin and C. II. Gould opened a dry- goods store in the Harvey block when Mr. A. left it. But we find that we have un- dertaken a herenlean task and will trace this branch no further.

OUR FIRST WAREHOUSE.

What is known as the Lane Warehouse, just west of the canal bridge, was built by

John P. Chapin in 1847, ready for the opening of the canal in 1848. Capt. IIull also built the warehouse now occupied by Messrs. Barr & Philips in the early spring of 1848. E. M. Ross built what is known as the Red Warehouse in 1849.

OUR FIRST GROCER

was Leonard Ashton, deceased. Our next, and, as Samie Reinhart would say, " old reliable," was Miller K. Keller, who has sold more groceries than any man, living or dead-in Morris. For a quarter of a century he has been behind his eoun- ter from early morn until late at night. always accommodating, pleasant, and strictly honest. He has been a great bless- ing to the poor and a comfort to the rich. Indeed, so absorbed is he in his business that he finds no time for pleasure trips or recreation. II. F. Mallory has been very successful in the grocery line and has ac- cumulated quite a fortune at it. Our ar- tiele is assuming such length that we must pass on without further mention of our merchants.

IN BANKS AND BANKING

we have had a varied and by no means a pleasant experience. As early as 1853 Messrs. C. II. & II. C. Gool ! opened a pri- vate banking institution in a building standing where the Claypool Block now stands. This they ran until 1860 when they closed it. They did not fail, but the business ceased to be remunerative. In 1854 Geo. Selleck (deed.) opened a pri- vate banking and exchange office in Morris and did a very large business, but failed badly in 1860. In July, 1857, E. W. & F. K. ITulburd opened a private banking and exchange office under the firm name of E.

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

W. Hulburd & Co. They too did quite a business, but were forced to the wall in 1861 to the injury of their friends as well as others. In 1858 Messrs. F. S. Gardner and C. B. Crumb, without capital or experience, opened a banking and exchange office, bnt it was "no go." Weak at its birth, it did not grow strong, and died in a few short months. Nobody had confidence in the concern, hence their deposits amounted to nothing or substantially so. We never held their cheeks over night. The next were T. Hatten & Son, who succeeded C. II. & II. C. Goold, in February, 1860, and failed the next year leaving many mourners. Then came D. D. Spencer, of State Savings notoriety, who in company with Mr. W. C. Hammell opened an exchange and deposit bank, which eventuated in the Grundy County National Bank. The bank opened a branch bank at Seneca, the stock of which was purchased by the Cunneas and the bank moved to Morris under the name of the First National Bank of Morris. These two banks proved to be " solid Muldoons."

From banks we turn to

GRAVEYARDS.

For many years the question of a suita- ble spot for cemeteries was a serions one. Our first dead were interred on the ele- vated ground near the residence of R. M. Wing, but the subsoil proved to be clay, and the graves would fill with water so that the coffin was deposited in mnd and water. We next tried the bank of Nettle Creek near the residence of Judge Hopkins, but found the same difficulty there. An- other attempt was made on the A. W. Telfer farm, late Oliver farm, west of the canal and east of Morris, with like result ..

The board of trustees of Morris then pur- chased, in conjunction with Father Terry, of the Catholic church of Morris, the E. $ of the S. W. Į of Sec. 27, T. 34, 7, where the old Catholic cemetery is located, but the same difficulty was found there and it was abandoned by the city and their interest therein was sold, as before shown, to Father, now Dean, Terry in 1853. He located a cemetery there but it has been abandoned and the greater portion of the remains deposited there have been exhumed and reburied in the beautiful new Catholic cemetery near the residence of Messrs. Kennedy and Kenrick. On the 12th of February, 1853, The Morris Cemetery Association was chartered by the Legis- lature with Geo. Fisher, Geo. W. Lane, Charles II. Goold, L. P. Lott and Eugene Stan berry, incorporators.

On the 25th of August of that year this association purchased from Thomas Pca- cock, since deceased, about five acres, and from John Peacock, now deceased, about five acres of land, on the N. fr. of Sec. 2, T. 33, R. 7, lying nearly two miles east of Morris, and adjoining each other, for a cemetery, and on the 14th of September fol- lowing, authorized and appointed P. A. Armstrong to survey and subdivide said land into suitable sized lots with appropri- ate drives, alleys, etc. Owing to the course of the publie road running along the north side of the land, the ten acres so purchased, while a parallelogram in shape, the long side being from east to west, it does not lie with the cardinal courses of the compass, hence there are many triangular lots, but this adds beauty to the general features of the cemetery. The subsoil is gravel, whilst the general lay of the surface is high

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

yet undulating. The work of subdividing and driving the stakes was done with great eare and precision, Mr. Armstrong driving every stake with his own hands, to the end that they should be in their exact place, and driven in the ground perpendie- ularly. Originally free from tree or shrub, the directors caused evergreens and other nice shrubs and trees to be planted so that it is now a most beautiful "silent city of the (lead." Additional land has been purchased by the association. " God's half acre, " the Potter's field, has proved insufficient to bury the poor. The number of unknown dead huddled side by side with naught but a rough unlettered stone to mark the place is surprising. A new and larger plat will be assigned to bury the poor. Many fine monuments have been erected there, and the Morris cemetery is one of the finest in the country. Among other distinguished dead slumbering here, is Shaube-nay, the great Sauzanath, or white man's friend. By his side lie the remains of his wife, one dangh- ter and one grandchild. No stake or stone marks the spot where slumber the remains of this onee mighty king of the red men- a triple chief-on whose will hung the destinies of three great Indian tribes-Chip- pewas, Ottawas and Pottawatomies. Will the descendants of these early white settlers, whose lives were saved during the Black HIawk War, do anything to honor the mem- ory of the man who risked life and stand- ing with his own people to befriend and protect their ancestors? But this is a grave question and we turn to

OUR MANUFACTURERS.

The first manufacturing establishment of Morris was the Morris Plow Factory, in

1857. They made an excellent plow, and why it was abandoned we never could learn. The large briek building west of the court house, now carried on by II. L. Miller as a blacksmith and carriage shop, planing mill, etc., was the building oecn- pied as the plow factory. In 1873, the city gave a bonus to encourage manufact- ures. There were some $19,000 invested by the eity within a couple of years which eventnated in the establishment here of the Sherwood School Furniture Company's Works near the canal on the west side of the city, which has since been converted into the Ohio Butt Company. The build- ings and machinery of this concern are large and valuable and give employment to about 150 hands. The Anderson Paper Car Wheel Manufacturing Company on the east side of the city, have fine buildings and splendid machinery, and while they do not employ many hands to run it boeanse nearly everything is run by machinery, yet they furnish a ready market at a high price for all the rye and oat straw of the county.

The Morris Cutlery Company's Mann- factory stands at the corner of Wauponsce and Fulton streets. The building is the one mentioned as being used for a court room while building the new one. This is a new enterprise here; indeed, but few of the people of Grundy County know of its exist- ence. It is a regularly incorporated com- piny under the statute with $15,000 capi- tal stock. The stockholders are men of action, not of boasting. They are practical business men with means and energy. M. W. Steiner, Geo. Riddle, L. F. Beach, Drs. Palmer and Ferguson, M. K. Keller, J. II. Pettit, A. W. Crawford, Albert and William Smith, are the stockhokle.'s, the

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

Jatter two being thoroughly educated cut- lers from Sheffield. England. The officers are Geo. Riddle, president, Albert Smith, superintendent, and M. W. Steiner, secre- tary and treasurer. They have the very best of machinery, and can employ and suc- cessfully operate 150 hands. They already have twenty-one skilled laborers in their es- tablishment, and have up to the present manufactured eighty-four varieties or kinds of pocket knives, equal in style and finish to the celebrated Wostenholm and Sons of England. No better finished knife is made in the United States, if indeed in the world, than by the Morris Cutlery Com- pany. So fine is their work that they have more orders than they can possibly fill with the force of workmen they now have. They employ none but skilled workmen, hence they experience some difficulty in obtaining all the workmen they need. They intend to do none but first class work. This is made apparent upon inspection of their goods. To all who wish a first class pocket-knife either for orna- ment or use. we commend them to try one of home manufacture. Try a Morris knife.

IN THE BREWERY LINE.

Louis Gibhard, at his large brewery at the foot of Washington street on the east bank of Nettle Creek, manufactures a first class article of lager and ale and in large quantities.

We have some three or four manufacto- ries of cigars, besides boot and shoe makers, etc.

THE MORRIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

ocenpy the room over the court house, where they have a large collection, espe-

cially so of fossil botany, of which this lo- cality is the most prolific of any yet dis- covered in the civilized world. The Mazon fossils are known and readily recognized in every civilized country. This fine collec- tion is open to inspection at all times. The officers are, P. A. Armstrong, presi - dent; F. T. Bliss, secretary; J. C. Carr, treasurer; Prof. Kern, corresponding sec- retary. In addition to the fine collections in geology, there is a fair display in nat- ural history, engravings and pre-historic relics, etc.

OUR SECRET BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.

Star Lodge, No. 75, I. O. O. F. was in- stituted by the late James T. MeDougal, of Joliet, under a dispensation from the R. W. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, October 17, 1851. L. P. Lott, N. G .; E. M. Ross, V. G .; O. S. Newell, de- ceased, T., and A. H. Bishop, also deceased, secretary. On that night several of our best citizens were initiated, among whom were Geo. W. Lane, Henry Benjamin, de- ceased, W. S. Woolsey, deceased, Miles Gordon and P. A. Armstrong. This lodge still exists, and is in a very prosperous con- dition. It has never failed to hold its reg- nlar weekly meetings, or in visiting the sick, comforting its widows, educating its orphans or burying its dead. Shaboneh Encampment was organized in 1871, with P. A. Armstrong, C. P., F. B. Ilandwork, II. P., etc. It, too, is in a flourishing con- dition.

Cedar Lodge No. 124, A. F. and A. M., was instituted Feby. 26, 1852, with B. M. Atherton, W. M .; C. L. Starbuck, S. W .; John Gibson, J. W .; Geo. Fisher, T .; James "Gibson, sec'y; Leonard Ashton, S.

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

D .; and Lawrenee Wilkes. J. D .; all of whom are now dead, except James Gibson who now resides in San Francisco, Cal. A charter was granted Oct. 3, 1533; L. P. Lott was one of its first initiates, and has served as Master over a dozen years in all. Cedar Lodge embraces in its membership a very large portion of our leading citizens, and has been a prosperous and harmonious organization.

ORIENT ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER, NO. 31,

was constituted Oct. 23, 1856; the charter members were Franklin K. Hulburd, L. P. Lott, B. M. Atherton, Nathan B. Dodson, E. W. Lusk, C. R. Parmelee, Leonard Ash- ton. Geo. Riddle and Geo Fisher; of these nine charter members, Companions Lott, Dodson, Riddle and Parmelee alone sur- vive. Companions Hulburd and Lusk lost their lives in the Union service: F. K. Hul- burd was High Priest of this chapter up to the time of his death; since that time Messrs. Lott, Armstrong and Irons have filled that position, Companion Irons being the present chief officer. Up to the year 1858 there were but three Commanderies of Knights Templar in this State, viz .: Apollo, No. 1. at Chicago; Belvidere. No. 2, at Alton, and Peoria, No. 3, at Peoria. F. K. IIntburd had taken the orders of knight- hood in Mt. Vernon Commandery, No. 1, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Com- mandery of Ohio, before coming here to live. E. W. Lusk had also taken the or- ders in Kalamazoo Commandery, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Commandery of the State of Michigan. These two Sir Knights conceived the idea of establishing a Commandery at Morris, being midway between Joliet and Ottawa, so as to render

the chapters of these two cities tributary to the Morris Commandery; but there were serious difficulties to encounter; it either required nine Sir Knights of the jurisdiction of Illinois, or three Sir Knights hailing from different jurisdictions, to open a Command- ery for work; they had neither, but they had two hailing from other jurisdictions, and must have a third; this they obtained by procuring Rt. Eminent Sir Hosmer A. Johnson, of Apollo, No. 1, and since R. E. Grand Commander of the Grand Com- mandery of Illinois. They were extremely anxious to keep the matter a profound se- eret from the resident Sir Knights at Joliet and Ottawa, at both of which places there were a few Sir Knights, and right here another difficulty arose; they were com. pelled under the rules and regulations of the Grand Commandery, to obtain the con- sent and recommendation of the nearest Commandery; this was Apollo at Chicago. of which some of the Sir Knights of Joliet were members, and in that way the secret got out, and immediate steps were taken by Sir Knight Nelson D. Elwood and others, of Joliet, to counteract and check the Morris movement; they, with equal seerecy, prepared a petition for a dispensa- tion to open and organize a Commandery at Joliet, and like the Morris Sir Knights, they, too, were short of the requisite num- ber of Sir Knights resident there; to obvi- ate this they passed by Morris and went to Ottawa and procured the signatures of Sir Knights Oliver C. Gray and J. W. Stone, and then proenred the consent and recom- mendation of Apollo to open and organ- ize a Commandery at Joliet, and when Sir Knight Hulburd presented his petition and recommendation for a Commandery

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

to be established at Morris, to Grand Com- mander James V. L. Blaney, on the 17th of February, 1858, he found Sir Knight Elwood there with his petition in favor of Joliet; the secret then became an open one; the result was that Grand Commander Blaney decided to grant a dispensation to both, when it was agreed by and between Sir Knights Elwood and Hulburd, that the former should take precedence in number, and the latter in the name when in power of the decision of the Grand Commander., Sir Knight Hulburd selected Blaney as the name: hence, dispensations were granted on the same day to open and organize Joliet Commandery, No. 4, at Joliet, and Blaney, No. 5, at Morris; these two Com- manderies having been born on the same day, were not inaptly called twin sisters; the kindliest feeling has ever existed be- tween these Commanderies; a rivalry has existed between them, but it has only been a rivalry of courtesy and good will. Joliet Commandery was constituted by Grand Commander Blaney, March 18, 1858, and Blaney on the following day. Grand Com- mander Blaney was assisted in constitut- ing

BLANEY COMMANDERY, NO. 5,

by the following Sir Knights: N. D. Elwood (deceased), T. Hatton, Jr., W. W. Mitchell (deceased), E. W. Lusk (deceased), E. Wilcox, C. E. Munger (since G. C.), F. K. Hulburd, E. Bean, James II. Miles, . T. Ilatton, Sr., and E. J. Higgins. On the day of the constitution of the Com- mandery the following Companions of Ori- ent R. A., Chapter No. 31 received the orders · of Christian Knighthood conferred in said Commandery: Geo. Fisher (deceased), E. W. Hulburd, L. P. Lott, P. A. Armstrong,

Win. B. Grenell, J. W. Massey, Charles II. Goold, Uriah B. Conch (deceased), Geo. Dimon, Charles R. Parmelee, John Gib)- son, Jr. (deceased), and B. M. Atherton (deceased). Sir Knight F. Hulburd was installed as Commander, which office he held to 1861, when P. A. Armstrong suc- ceeded him. He was succeeded by Arnold M. Cleveland, and he by P. A. Armstrong again, who held the office some ten years and was succeeded by Charles H. Goold, who served some five years and was suc- ceeded by L. F. Beach, present Commander, who is on his third year. During the war Blaney Commandery (having received its charter Oct. 28, 1858, it having worked under a dispensation up to that date) had a hard struggle for existence, and was kept alive by a few of the surviving Knights, P. A. Armstrong advancing Grand Command- ery dues for eight years; but it is now in a very prosperous condition, and occupies an enviable position in Templar Masonry. In addition to those receiving the orders March 19, 1858, the following named Tem- plars received the orders during that year, viz .: N. B. Dodson, April 26; A. M. Cleve- land and Wm. Stanhope (deceased), April 27; Rev. W. G. Johnson, May 18; Miles Gordon, May 28; Gen. Wm. II. L. Wallace (deceased ), June 1. ( It will be remembered that this gallant officer lost his life while leading his brigade in the battle of Shiloh.) Iliram Mallory (dee'd) and Samuel Jordan, June 8; F. C. Mayo and J. P. M. Butler, June 11; J. S. Dyke (dec'd), June 30; Joh. Antis and A. J. Hutchinson, Dec. 30; and in 1859, S. E. Massey, March 7; B. II. Streeter (dec'1), June 7; in 1860, E. C. Ifol- lands, Ang. 29; Rev. Seaman Stover, after- ward Grand Prelate, Dec. 13; C. S. C.

OMEaston M.Q.

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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.

Crane, Dee. 20. In 1861, Q. D. Whitman, S. E. Miner, R. N. Goodsell and Daniel H. Ashton, Jan'y 29. This was the last work done nntil 1870. E. T. Hopkins (killed while performing his official duty, by the ruffian Miller), June 14; II. D. Hitchcock (dee'd), Oct. 31. In 1871, Geo. W. Ashton and R. L. Tatham, Feb'y 8; 1I. II. Holt- zum and A. W. Telfer, Feb'y 27; Edward Sanford and H. HI. C. Miller, May 10; Judge S. B. Thomas (dec'd) and Dr. W. P. Pierce, May 18; R. B. Ilorrie and W. W. Phillips, May 25; F. Caspori and A. J. Boyer, June 9; Geo. Mann and J. H. Pettit, June 15; in 1872, John Jacob Goriel, March 11; John, Geo. and Charles Woelfel, March 18; Leander Irons, March 25; Geo. R. Beach, April 18; Charles K. Charlton, Oct. 11; C. E. Daniels, Oct. 18; Dr. A. E. Palmer, Oct. 28; HI. B. Elliott, Nov. 25. In 1873, F. Dirst, Feb'y 20; Geo. Gaskill, Feb'y 24; J. W. Tatham. June 9; C. S. Beach. June 16. In 1874, C. E. Halbert. Jan'y 15; Jacob Geisen, Jan'y 15; A. Van Riper, April 6; Israel Cryder, May 4th ; A. F. Rodgers, May 7th; G. Dahlem, May 15th; E. W. Weis, May 221; A. K. Knapp, June 10th; E. L. Stevens, Oct. 26th; A. Stauffer, Nov. 30th; A. F. Mallory, Dec. 7th. In 1875, Dr. S. T. Ferguson, Jan'y 18th; Geo. Mason, May 17th; L. E. Daniels, May 24th; John Vandyke, May 31st; O. W. Weston, June 10th; David Nickel, June 14th. In 1876, Daniel Shaide, April 24th; J. F. Peck, May 1st. In 1877, Geo. Riddle, Jan'y 29tl; Geo. N. Widney, Feb'y 5th; Wm. B. Cogger, Feb'y 27th; A. W. Crawford, Sept. Sth; Henry G. Gorham, Oct. 29th; C. D. Ferguson, Nov. 12th; Nicholas

Quadland, Nov. 26th. In 1878, H. C. June, Nov. 18th; Henry Long, Dec. 2d; A. Kimple, Dec. 9th; J. F. Cobleigh, Dee. 16th. None in 1879. In 1880, C. II. Overoeker, Feb'y 16th; J. J. Widney, Feb'y 23d; T. H. Ross, March 15th; Nathan Small, July 15th; C. O. Barker, July 22d. In 1881, J. G. Colleps, April 25th. In 1882, Wm. Mason and D. W. MeEwen, May 1st; John A. Gouch, May 15th; Wm. Gebhard, May 29th; and John Ray, Oet. 6th. The present Commander E. Sir Knight L. F. Beach, united by eard, March 27th, 1871, and Sir Knight R. C. Auld, Dec. 26th, 1881. These are the men who compose the membership of this higher branch of masonry in Morris. Good men, and true to their obligations.

"For a chain sweetly twined by humanity's hand, Is bound like a circlet of diamonds around them, And fearless and strong as a. legion they stand

In the battle of life when the chain hath been there.

For its love knotted links have a magical charm, Earth's trials to meet and its woes to disarm; Every stranger finds a friend his sorrows to share,

While no heart beats alone where Knight Templars are."

Having spent several weeks in collecting reliable dates and facts for the history of Morris, we confess that we are tired and weary. Many things have been omitted that might have proved of interest, while other matters have received but a liek without a promise. If we have succeeded in laying the foundation for a more able pen than ours at some future day to write a fuller history of our town, then we shall have accomplished much.

CHAPTER X .*

GREENFIELD TOWNSHIP-SURFACE-STREAMS-TIMBER-ORIGIN OF NAME-TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION-GOING TO MILL-FIRST SETTLERS-INCIDENTS-WOLF AND DEER HUNTING-ELECTIONS-OFFICERS-IMPROVEMENTS AND PROSPECTS-WHAT WE ARE TO-DAY, ETC., ETC.

Greenfield! the land of grass and flowers, Of pleasant homes and happy hours; Where richest lands her treasures yield, To every tiller of the field.

Here hill and vale are never seen, But an endless plain forever green; No rivers here go rushing o'er A rocky bed with ceaseless roar.

No lakes are here extending wide, Inviting travelers to their side; But those who came could easy tell, That with earnest work they might do well.

Wealth was here for all who'd come, To till the earth and make a home; So here we write this story, true, Of what our fathers used to do.

F YOR several years before the dividing of the county into townships, the territory, afterward called Greenfield, be- longed to Mazon Preeinet. In the year 1850, a township organization was effected, the first " town meeting" being held the first Tuesday in April of that year. In or- der of business eame the "naming of the township." Seventeen voters were present and nearly every one had a name for his new home-a name dear to him because it belonged to " the old home in the East." Each pressed his elaim with all the enthu- siasm at command; but after a noisy ean- vass and several ballots, a choice was not made. Finally a committee of three-

Robert Wood, Robert Finley and Milo Wil- cox, was appointed to choose a name. Wil- cox proposed "Greenfield " after Thomas R. Green, a land speeulator of Chicago, who then owned several tracts in the town- ship. The name was sent in and adopted with a hurrah!

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History of Grundy County, Illinois, Part 29

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin Number of Pages: 506

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 506