USA > Illinois > Grundy County > History of Grundy County, Illinois > Part 30
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Greenfield township occupies the sonth- east corner of Grundy County, and includes an area of six miles square. Braceville township bounds it upon the north, Good- farm upon the west, Round Grove (Living- ston Co.) upon the south and Es- sex (Kankakee Co.) upon the east. The surface is very level, with gentle undnla- tions along the banks of ereeks and sluices. The highest land is in the southern part with a gradual deseent as you go north- ward. Unfortunately for drainage, the banks of the streams are generally a little higher than the lands some distance baek; so in order to get rid promptly of the su- perfluous water, it is needful to ent drains thirongh these rolls.
The soil is a riel black loam from one to two feet in depth, and with proper drain- age and cultivation, its prodnetiveness can not be excelled.
The timber originally consisted only of a few groves, scattered along the banks of the Mazon. One of these on the sontli line of the township, known as Currier's Grove, was
* By Dr. C. M. Easton.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
widely known among the early settlers, re- ceiving its name from a family who set- tled in the immediate neighborhood dur- ing the early years. As we go down the S'ream we find another fine timber lot on seetion fourteen, now the premises of L. C. Fuller. On sections one and twelve was another grove of considerable size, probably the largest in the township. The varieties were such as were indigenous to this part of the State, namely; oak, hickory, walnut, clin, basswood, etc.
The Mazon Creek, the largest of our wa- ter courses, has its origin in Broughton, Livingston County, and running north en- ters Greenfield upon the south line, a half mile east of the center. Bearing to the northeast to the south line of section one, on the farm of F. O. Andrews, it turns to the northwest, and runs ont on section two.
Cranery Creek, a stream of considerable size, draining a portion of Essex, comes into our town from the east and unites with the Mazon on section one. Another creek coming from the south, and draining a goodly portion of the southeast part of the town, empties into the Mazon a little farther up, near the residence of the late Robert Wood. Two creeks rising in Round Grove enter Greenfield, one near the south- west corner, the other a mile farther east, and running to. the northeast, coalesce on section twenty-two, and on section fourteen, pour their united waters into the Mazon. These streams, like all others dependent en- tirely for supplies upon surface water, get very low in dry scasons, and, perhaps, all except the Mazon, at times go dry. Though insignificant at low water, when swollen with heavy rains they are very torrents; and in the years gone by, when bridges
were not, they were sources of embarrass- ment and often danger to the inhabitants.
"HOW WE WENT TO MILL."
The winter of 1858-9 was one of those wet. open winters that has always wrought ruin to Illinois roads, and ruffled the sweetest tempered souls that tried to travel them. The streams were full and covered with ice, but not strong enough to bear a team. Then flour was not kept in the markets as it now is; but farmers grew their own wheat and got it ground as needed. In our neighborhood we had been borrowing one of another, waiting for a "harder freeze," until all were out and something must be done. D. R. Doud, still living four miles northwest, started to Wilmington to mill, but striking one of these treacherous streams, his horses broke through the ice and went down, wagon fol- lowing. With considerable difficulty he got his horses out and across; carried the sacks of wheat-about fifteen-across; took off the wagon box, slid it aeross; uncoupled the running gears and tagged them over; so after long hours of fearful labor and ex- posure, he found himself again upon terra firma, and on his " way to mill." After reaching Wilmington he found he could not get his grinding done and must at last return home empty. The novel part of our story remains to be told. Governor Madison at that time held control of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and for some reason no trains were run for several days, coming to Gardner. Doud secured a hand- car, a dummy without gearing, with plat- form abont four by five feet, and he and Allen Slyter, a local preacher, and the writer, got aboard. Holding aloft a couple
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
of boards to catch the southwest breeze, we rattled down the track, and across the rag- ing Mazon.
Here we were joined by John Booth, now in Kansas, riding a little bay mare owned by Doud and known as "Queen." As our story proves, Queen was one of the most sensible and docile of her race. The old mare was hitehed to the ear by a long rope and away " we all went to mill." To get old Queen over the cattle-gnards and bridges, all we had to do was to lay down our boards and lead her over. Upon the return trip to make room for grist and pas- sengers, we laid the boards upon the sides of the car, stood the sacks thercon, while the passengers stood between the rows of bags, or perched on top. Coming home we had abont fifteen hundred pounds of flour and bran, and two extra passengers- one a woman who left the car at the first station. We pushed the dummy across the Kankakee River, and then attached our lo- comotive (old Queen) with plenty of steam and a wide " open throttle " we made good time for home.
When we reached the first cattle-guard, we were for a little time nonplussed; onr sacks were npon the boards that had served for a bridge going over, and could not well be moved. Between the sacks was a space, when the "train hands" were off, the length of the car, some five feet in length by one foot and a half in width. Here was just barely room for a horse to stand, and at Doud's word, Queen took and was pushed over. This was repeated again and again, until we reached the Mazon; here we halted for a hasty council. The bridge was 280 feet in length, and some 25 feet above low water; to undertake to cross
it as we had the small ones seemed peril- ons; to swim the faithful mare through the stream full of running ice would be cruel indeed. Queen stepped " on board " with her nsnal promptness and was safely wheeled across the eddying mass of iee and waves. The old bridge long since went down under a freight train, and a fearful wreck was the result. Without further adventure we reached home "in good order," with an abundance of " stuff" to make the " staff" upon which to lean for many weeks.
The first to settle in this part of Mazon Precinet (two years later named Greenfield) were Dr. James Miller and Nelson La Force, who moved here from Chicago, April 8, 1848. They bonghit the northeast quar- ter of section three and put up a honse on the north line. This was the first building on the thirty-six square miles of which we write, and is yet standing, sheltering a ten- ant. In this house the Doctor with his fam- ily lived for many years, and here George Miller, now in Florida, was born, the first birth in our territory. Doctor Miller had a crippled leg and always went on crutches; yet during the early years he attended to quite an extensive praetice among the pio- neers besides overseeing the farm. After a time he moved to Gardner and kept a drug store on the west side; here he ministered in medicine until about four years since, when he closed ont and moved to Florida; here, in nnending summer, amid the orange groves and everglades, we leave him to while away his declining years. The old farm is now owned by J. C. Lutz, who bought it a year ago of Miller, paying $60 per acre.
Nelson La Force was born in New Jer-
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sey and drifted to New York city in his youth, from there to Chicago, which was then only a small town without a railroad. Stopping there for a couple of years he coneluded the quickest way to fortune would be over some "government land," and so persuaded Dr. Miller to come onto this prairie with him; when the quarter seetion was divided he (La Force) took the south half. Ile went back to New York and was married in 1852; a year later re- turned with his wife and settled down on the little farm in the west. Here was their home until a year ago when he sold to Taylor Williams of Sterling, and moved to Gardner. Here, fixed in a pleasant home, although bearing down the "shadowy side of life," they are enjoying well the fruits of their labor.
Taylor Bradfield built the second house in our precinct in the spring of 1849, near the northeast corner of section ten, for many years the home of Robert Glass. Ile came here from Trumbull County, Ohio, remained here a few years on seetion ten, sold out to Joseph Robinson and built a new house on the farm now owned by F. O. Andrews, on the Mazon. The house was afterward moved to Gardner, Jackson street, and is known as the Blake place. Bradfield moved from here to lowa.
Robert Glass moved here from Guernsey Co., Ohio, in April, 1849, and bought the northwest quarter of Sec. ten, and erected a cabin on the west line, opposite the Field- er place. He afterward bonght the north- east quarter of the same seetion, built a good house and continued to reside there until the spring of the present year (1882) when he sold to Mr. Taylor Williams and moved to Sedgwick County, Kansas,
where he now lives. Mr. Glass sojourned here for a third of a century, and through all these years he enjoyed the full confi- dence and esteem of all who knew him. A son, Frank Glass, is at this writing, a resident of Braceville. The old farm has this summer been tested for coal and is found to be underlaid with a valuable vein of the dusky diamonds, varying in thick- ness from two feet ten inches to six feet. Three drillings gave each three feet and a half.
Robert Finley, another of the pioneers, came here from Guernsey Co., Ohio, in June, 1849, and settled npon the north- east quarter of seetion nine, having a land warrant. The tract cost him $134. A little later he bought the northwest quarter for 8175. During the building of the Chicago & Alton railway, in 1854, one of the team- sters employed jestingly told Mr. Finley that his "land would some day be worth $200 per acre." Since that Gardner'vil- lage has spread over quite a proportion of the original purchase, and he has lived to see small lots of less than one-fourth acre sell for more than the money named. Mr. Finley built his first cabin a little west of where Mrs. Purvis now lives, on Jackson street. It was constructed of slabs eut at a horse saw-mill, on the West Mazon. Later, he put up a frame house on the site where Jolin Allison now lives. The old farm (N. E. qr.) has long since been divided- the north half laid off into town lots and decked with comfortable dwellings, while here and there a residence of costly and elaborate finish varies the scene. Father Finley is now in his eighty-sixth year, and is living near where he built his first rude cabin, thirty-three years ago. Sickness and
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
financial reverses have years since robbed the pioneer of his broad fields, and forever blighted the hopes of his early manhood; but, for bread he wanteth not, till the last inn is reached, where all inst lie down and forever sleep. Daniel Fuller came from the State of New York in 1849, and first located on the northeast quarter of section six. After a little time he moved onto the southwest quarter of seetiou eight, now owned by Mike Bookwalter. He sold out here in 1834 and moved to Iowa, from there to Nebraska. He is represented as being a shrewd fellow and a skilled hunter; that the timid deer, which were then plenty upon the prairies, fell before his unerring rifle at long range.
Robert Wood, one of our first settlers, was born in Wayne Co., N. Y., moved from there to Quiney, Michigan, from there to Illinois; came here in 1849, or the early part of 1850, and located on the southwest quarter of section 22, now owned by Thos. Crooks. He lived here five or six years, and sold out to C. K. Snyder and his brother, and moved to Missouri; soon tiring of that country, he came back and bought out John Kelso, ou the east bank of the Mazon, see- tion 12. Here he resided until three years since, when, ripe in years, rich in experience, his brow furrowed with many eares, his hair whitened by the frosts of seventy winters, he lay down " to sleep with the Eternal."
Another to anchor upon this prairie in the early years was George Willis. He arrived here from Guernsey Co., Ohio, May 10th, 1850, and bought the southwest quarter of seetion four, built a cabin ont of split logs on the site where J. W. Hull now lives, on Main street. He lived in the little house the first summer without a
floor; in the fall he went to the timber and split out slabs and put one down. Mr. Willis lived here about ten years, when he sold out and moved back to Morrow Co., Ohio. From there he went to Lyn Co., Kansas, where he now lives. S. V. Hart- ley, a well-to-do farmer living a mile west of Gardner, came here with George Willis in 1850. He (Hartley) was then a lad of eleven summers. (See biography.) The east half of Mr. Willis' old farm has been divided and subdivided, and now a score of village lots have taken the place of the old wide fields. The west half still serves the purposes for which intended, and is owned and enltivated by A. M. Bookwalter.
Franklin Morgan came here from the State of New York in April, 1849, and bought the southeast quarter of section five, now owned and enltivated by B. D. Parker, and the northeast quarter of section eight, now owned by Mrs. Arnold, west half, and A. Easton, east half. Mr. Morgan built his house-probably the second one in onr territory-upon the place where Mrs. Ar- nold now lives, but just on the east side of the slnice. He remained here until 1854, when he sold ont, and after several moves brought up at Plymouth, Indiana, where he now lives. Mr. Morgan was quite a sehol- arly fellow, and much given to putting up jokes upon his neighbors.
Joseph Elliot came to Illinois from near Boston, Mass., and for a time stopped in Du Page County. He came to Mazon Pre- einet, and in 1849, took up a quarter sec- tion-one eighty on seetion 24, and the adjoining eighty on section 23. He lived for awhile in a rough shanty upon the farm now owned by Mrs. Ilenrietta Dodge. His shanty experience was unpleasant; the
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IIISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
winter was exceedingly eold, and the bleak unbroken winds of the prairie whistled through every crevice of the rude dwelling, making a musie for the benumbed oceu- pants not at all inviting. He afterward built a house upon his own premises, where he lived for about twenty-five years, when he sold out and moved with his son-Henry Elliot-to California. Two years since he contracted small pox and died, and his saered dust forever sleeps on the slope be- yond the mountains. Ilenry Leach now owns and cultivates "the old farm " and it is one of the best kept places in Green- field. Upon an unlucky day some four years since, the humble cottage, for a quar- ter century the home of " Unele Joe " El- liot, went up in flame and smoke, and the imposing farm house of Mr. Leach now marks the spot.
John Kelso, one of the early settlers, eame here from Indiana in 1849, and located on the east bank of the Mazon-on section 12. After a few years he sold to the late Robert Wood and moved to South- eastern Kansas, where he died some ten years ago. The farm was sold a year sinee to James Mix, a speeulator in coal lands from Kankakee.
Milo Wilcox eame to this eounty at an early date, and for a few years lived near the West Mazon; in 1849 he took up the southeast quarter of seetion 15, and put up a little house on the bank of the ereek. IIe lived here but a short time when he sold to Charles Roe, a Methodist preacher. Mr. Wileox finally moved down onto the northi- east quarter of section 12, now a part of the Wilson estate, where he died. George Wileox, a son, is now a well-to-do farmer in Pilot township, Kankakee County. My-
ron, another son, was married three years sinee in Chicago, to quite a noted woman, and taking his wife he went to China as a Methodist missionary. With all that vital foree begotten by early life and training upon these Western prairies, he now pours salvation into the untutored ears of the " heathen Chinee."
George F. Spencer came from Monroe County, New York, and located upon the southeast quarter of section one, putting up a house on the east bank of Cranery Creek, where he still lives.
Mr. Spencer brought with him from the East a good constitution and good habits; these were his stock in trade, and these have won him a competeney. He had an- other quality and a virtue too, a contented mind. Of the sixteen tax payers that were here when Mr. Spencer came, he is the only one now residing upon the original purchase, and one of three, to remain in the township. Mr. Spencer has made himself a fine home, large orchard, fine shade and ornamental trees, good fenees, good build- ings and all that belong to a well-ordered farm. He has lived here through thirty-two eventful years; thriving villages have sprung up around him, railroads have been built on every side. The rank grasses of the early years have given way to golden grain; where the wild deer roamed una- larmed and the wolf dug his hole unscared, he sees a harvest of ripening eorn. The lonely hut of the pioneer has been replaced with homes of luxury and splendor, and Lazarus with his rags has made room for Dives in his golden armor. School-houses have been built around him, and the chil- dren of education are pressing back the tribes of the ignorant.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Nelson Clapp came here in 1849, and built a little house on the bank of the sluice, on the northwest quarter of Sec. 22. Ile lived there a short time when he sold ont and moved ont on Grand Prairie. About ten years ago, when on his way home from Gardner, he was taken suddenly ill-we think with cholera morbus, and stopped at C. K. Snyder's, where he died.
Benjamin Banister came the same year as Clapp and built on the east line of sec- tion fifteen. The place is now the north half of Wm. Kewin's farm.
Thos. McCartney came here from Ohio about the same time, and lived a half mile north of Banister's, late the home of Frank Glass.
We have now briefly noticed about all that were here at the time of township or- ganization, April, 1850. Prominent among those who came a little later, were Alexan- der and Kennedy Brown, J. W. Hull and Robert Atkinson. Brown sold out several years since and moved away. HIull and Atkinson are both citizens of Gardner, the latter a dealer in grain and coal.
We are under obligations to Nelson La Force, J. W. Hull and Robert Atkinson for most of the facts connected with the first settlement of Greenfield.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The Greenfield highways are generally laid out upon the section lines; there are a few exceptions, to wit: the road running south from Snyder's mill in Gardner to the Livingston County line-five miles, passes through the center of five sections, and the road running south from the iron bridge, known as Nason's, passes through sections 14 and 53, eighty rods from the east line.
During the early years, while travelers could keep upon the native prairie sod, but little attention was paid to roads; but as the years went by and travel increased and was concentrated by the fencing of thic farms, throwing up grades and opening ditches became a necessity. Although con- siderable work had been done and quite a sum of inoney expended, our roads, where much traveled, were in wretched condition. Three years ago James Cook bought a grading machine and began operation upon our highways, and the work has been kept up since, nntil now nearly all our roads are well graded. Under the thorough work of our highway commissioners for three years, our roads have steadily improved; but in wet seasons they continue the bane of this otherwise delightful country. It is a fact, well demonstrated, that prairie muck is a poor material for constructing roads. Mac- adamized roads are expensive, but some- thing of the kind must be made before we can have good roads in wet seasons.
The first bridge to span the Mazon in Greenfield, was a wooden structure at Na- son's (" three mile house "), built by John F. Peck, of Gardner, in the winter of 1867-8. It was 200 feet in length and 20 feet above low water; this bridge stood the ravages of flood and time until 1878, when it was condemned by the commission- ers, and replaced by an iron bridge 150 feet in length. There were two spans of 75 feet each, supported by stone butments with a middle pier. The structure of stone and iron, looking as permanent as the stream itself, was taken from its moorings by a cyclone the following summer, and the present one, of heavier iron, put in its place. Bridges were
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
built across the ereeks at Goodson's and Snyder's on "Snyder's Lane," some time before the first bridge at Nason's; both of these were wood; the latter was re- placed a year since ('81) by stone butments and iron superstructure; the former at this writing (September, 1882), is being torn down to make room for stone and iron. An iron bridge-stone butments-was put in across the creek, four miles south of town on the "mill road " last year, and this year one is going in at Andrews of the same material. Many of the bridges over the smaller streams being " worn out in the service," are being replaced this year by iron. The Greenfield highway com- missioners will expend this season, five thousand dollars for iron bridges.
FIRST BIRTH, DEATH AND MARRIAGE.
Greenfield's first birth was George Mil- ler, born in spring of 1850, to Dr. and Mrs. James Miller. George grew to matu- rity, worked some on the farm, clerked in his father's drug store in Gardner; was married four years since and moved to Florida, where he now resides.
The first death, was that of George Beal, who came here from Guernsey Coun- ty, Ohio, with Robert Finley's family in the spring of 1849. He was a young man yet in his " teens"-full of hope and prom- ise; but a hot season, undne exposure, and surface water, brought on dysentery, from which he died before the first summer in the west had ended. The obsequies were conducted in Mr. Finley's log cabin, where he had died. A neighbor offered a prayer, three or four chanted a mournful hymn, and two or three rude wagons followed the remains to Wheeler burying ground, where
they were interred; there still he sleeps, the first of our " saered dust."
. The first marriage was that of Henry Brown to Amanda -- (we have failed to get the whole name), a sister-in-law of Dan- iel Fuller, the officiating justice. The mar- riage was solemnized at Fuller's house, now owned by M. Bookwalter, and known as the " Bachinan farm."
The date of this, the first nuptial tie was "June or July, 1851. The magie words which made the twain one, are said to have been these: "Henry do you love Amanda? ' Yes.' Amanda do you love Henry? 'Yes.' Then I pronounce you man and wife by God."
EARLY ELECTIONS AND OFFICERS.
In another place we have noticed the organization of township and origin of name. This was at first "town meeting" held at the house of Milo Wilcox, where Calvin Cotton now lives, first Tuesday in April, 1850.
At this meeting seventeen votes were polled, and the following officers eleeted: Supervisor, Franklin Morgan; town elerk, Nelson La Force; assessor, Robert Glass; overseer of poor, Taylor Bradfield; collector, Nelson La Force; highway commission - ers, Robert Finley, Robert Wood, and John Kelso: constables, Thomas McCart- ney and Jachin Banister; justice of the peace, Daniel Fuller; path-master, Tay- lor Bradfield. At the next town meet- ing, April 1, 1851, the same officers were re-elected, exeept Robert Finley, highway commissioner, who was replaced by Dan- iel Fuller, and Thomas MeCartney, con- stable, by Daniel Otis. Two patlı-masters were elected: Taylor Bradfield and Joseph Elliot. Twenty-three votes were polled at
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this election. During this year La Foree concluded to go back to New York-think- ing, no doubt, that the pleasure that a wife could give was preferable to the honors of office. Oliver Williams was appointed his successor and held both offices (clerk and collector) until April, 1853. A. J. Brown was elected clerk to succeed Williams, but failing to qualify, James W. Snyder was appointed. In addition to those mentioned who officiated during the early years, were Dr. James Miller, supervisor and, later, justice of the peace; William B. Royal, supervisor; Chester K. Snyder, town clerk; Milo Wilcox, justice of the peace; D. B. La Force, assessor. The present town offi- cers are: Louis Germain, supervisor; John II. Coles, town clerk; IIenry Leach, assess- or; II. K. Lovejoy, collector; C. K. Snyder, G. W. Melbourn, and A. W. Root, com- missioners of highways; Isaac B. McGin- nis and J. H. Coles, justices of the peace; Isaac C. Persels and Fred. G. Thompson, constables; J. H. Coles, B. D. Parker and Wm. Kewin, school trustees. From seven- teen voters in 1850, we have increased to about 325 in 1882. At the last Presiden- tial eleetion we cast 305 votes. Politically Greenfield is most emphatically Republican -at the election of the lamented Garfield the "tally-sheet" showed 39 Greenback tick- ets, 41 Democratic and 225 Republican.
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