USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 79
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found with a gun-wound and horribly chopped with an ax, lying in a ditch in the orchard. There could be only one theory, and that was that Koester was the author of this terrible crime. The horrible story of Mera was retold, and his tragic deatlı. Vengeance was pledged from mnouth to mouth, and had the criminal been then found, there can be little doubt what the result would have been. Fortunately, before he was found the feeling had considerably toned down. Ten years ago hanging for murder had well-nigh, as one criminal actually said, " played out" in Illinois, but the recent execution of several who had been proved guilty has very much changed the sentiment of her citizens in regard to lynching. The story of Keoster's escape and capture is short. He rode his horse to Ashkum, where he abandoned it, and walked to Clifton, the next station north, where he took the train to Chicago and went directly to Iowa, from which place he wrote a letter to some rela- tives in Nebraska, by which tell-tale letter he was traced and arrested.
Artesia was set off from the townships of Loda and Onarga, March 17, 1864, and organized by the election of J. S. Pusey as supervisor ; W. G. Riggs, clerk, and E. L. Gibson as assessor. The principal offi- cers of the township are at present : J. G. McClave, supervisor ; M. M. Meacham, clerk ; J. C. Harlan, assessor, and J. M. Lindenmeyer, col- lector. The justices of the peace during the political life of the town- ship have been : Ira A. Manley, Japheth Hull, J. K. Smith, L. Grove, Calvin Newlin, Samuel Kerns, J. M. Riggs, M. M. Meacham and John Newlin. At the first election, in 1864, there were seventy-six votes cast. At the last election the number had increased to 271, which indi- cates an increase in population of about 100 per cent every ten years.
BUCKLEY.
Ira A. Manley, who, during nearly all of the life of this village has been a prominent business man here, came to reside here in 1856. He had entered into a contract with the railroad company for the land upon which the village stands, and rightly judged that this would be the place for a shipping point. He proposed to lay out a town plat and make this the central place for business between the two, Loda and Onarga, on either side. He secured a station, and named it from a relative in Philadelphia, Bulkley. The following year Franklin Pierson came to visit him. This was a queer place to come.on a visit. There was nothing here but a station, not even a switch, and the scat- tering farmers back a few miles had hardly heard either of Bulkley or Manley. But Pierson was captivated with the situation. It was good hunting, and that was enough. He concluded to remain. They two did tlie grading and furnished the ties for a switch, and then Pierson
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built the house where he now resides, and Manley went into the grain trade.
W. J. Riggs, from Chester county, Pennsylvania, had been in the northern part of this state for a short time, and came here in 1859 and built and occupied the first store here. This was the building now occu- pied for a paint shop. Pierson was a public-spirited man, and hence was obliged to make a hotel of his house, and for several years it was the only one in town. This same year Manley assigned his contract for the land to John A. Koplin, of Philadelphia, and he secured a post- office here, and named it Buckley, dropping out the l from the first syllable for euphony's sake, but retaining the name as nearly as it was for Manley's sake. The station is still called Bulkley. In 1862 Mr. Koplin came here and laid out the town in July of that year, on the N.W. ¿ of the N. } of Sec. 26, six blocks, four of which, between Rail- road avenue and Oak street, were laid out in lots. Several additions have since been made by various parties. Mr. Koplin went into busi- ness with Mr. Riggs, and continued with him for some time. They built the store now occupied as a public liall, and Mr. Koplin built the house now occupied by Mr. Hartshorn. Mr. Manley continued to deal in grain, and for some years in lumber, and put up a small grain warehouse and corn-mill.
During the war the supply of sugar was so restricted, and the price so advanced, that it became an object for the western farmers to raise their own, and the raising of sorghum became very general. Messrs. Man- ley & Koplin put up a mill, 30 x 50, well supplied with the necessary machinery to reduce the cane to syrup. They paid farmers an average of about $15 per acre for their cane, and ran the mill tliree falls, usually for about two months each, making about one thousand ·bar- rels each season, which was sold to Belcher, in Chicago, for refining. The barrels were brought from Chicago. Mr. Koplin then sold his interest in it to Manley, who soon abandoned the business and con- verted the building into a tow-inill, but did not carry out the plan. Riggs & McClave then bought the building and put in a planing-mill. After running it a year they sold the building and the property to the district, and the building underwent another change, so that now, instead of tow and lumber, the rising generation of Buckley is prop- erly " flaxed " and " dressed down " within its walls.
Mr. Manley continued the grain trade until 1872, when he sold to J. S. McClave, who commenced the building of the elevator, but sold it before completion to Chase & Hurlbutt. J. B. Meserve built the north elevator in 1870. The following year W. L. R. Johnson joined him in business, and remained with him a year. Mr. Meserve was -
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carrying on the grain business at Roberts, and removed there. The elevator he built here is 60×60, with a capacity of 20,000 bushels. Mr. Johnson has continued the grain business, building the small flax- house in 1872, and conducts a like business at Thomasboro. The flax- seed trade is a growing one, and one that to the farmer is fairly remu- nerative. About 1863, E. W. Blatchford, a man largely interested in the manufacture and trade in oils, and a business acquaintance of Mr. Koplin's, called his attention to the advantages which the farmers of this part of the state would reap from engaging in flax culture, and proposed to loan seed for planting to those who would undertake to engage in the business. Mr. Koplin became at once interested in the matter of a new industry for farmers, and urged its introduction. It soon spread over this and the adjoining counties, and is believed to have proved a decided advantage to the producers, especially where they have, as at Buckley, a market for the straw. The average crop is eight bushels, and by experiments in chemical quantitative analysis, it is found to exhaust the soil about the same that wheat does. The first trials were made in 1864, and in fifteen years there has been but one crop failure. The seed now raised here goes direct to Amsterdam, New York, and the practice of loaning seed is still continued to a con- siderable extent. It has become a large business, second here only to the corn crop. The manufacture of tow for bagging was first com- menced here by Pusey & Crane, in 1870, but lacking the experience they sold to 'Jerome & Dement, of Dixon, who were engaged largely in that business. They sold to the Decatur Bagging Company, who have similar mills at Onarga, Paxton, Rantoul and Decatur, and a fac- tory at the latter place for making bagging for cotton bales. The build- ing which Pusey & Crane put up was on Pierson's land, west of the village; but in order to get more room for spreading the straw to deglutinate it, it was removed to the farm southwest of town. The building is 36×112, having in it three tow-making machines, press, etc. The danger from fire is so great that the engine is in a separate building. The company pay $3 per ton for the straw. The buildings and machinery cost about $5,000. The engine is run entirely by the refuse woody matter from the straw. One ton of straw makes about 500 pounds of tow. The mill employs fifteen hands and three teams. The mill is in charge of Mr. John Heaney, superintendent, who has had experience in the business in the north of Ireland, and in St. Law- rence county, New York. Horace Lincoln came here in 1866, from Waukegan, where he had been county treasurer of Lake county, and engaged in trade, occupying the old store which Mr. Riggs had first built. In 1871 he built his present fine brick store, 22×60, two stories
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and cellar, at a cost of about $5,000. He afterward took his son in as partner, and the firm of H. Lincoln & Son is one of the substantial business firms of this portion of the county.
Dr. Nice was the first physician liere. He was an excellent doctor and a good citizen. He soon returned to Philadelphia, however, where he has amassed a fortune. Mr. Riggs, after continuing in busi- ness liere ten years, returned to Chester county, Pennsylvania. His life here, both as a leader in business affairs and as a pioneer in the educational and religious work of this place, will be long remembered by those who knew him here. Always active in every good work ; full of zeal, tempered with a just sense of the proprieties and duties of his position ; a credit to himself and society ; respected by all. Mr. Koplin commenced the banking business in 1872, and lias conducted it success- fully since, managing tliat and liis large real estate business in a safe and careful manner. In 1876 he was elected to the legislature, and served very acceptably in tliat capacity.
M. M. Meacham came here in 1864, and engaged as superintendent first, and afterward as partner, in the sorghum mill. He improved the farm just south of town, and built the house where Mr. Koplin now resides. He then engaged in farming east of the creek, and for six years past has been in the drug and book trade in Buckley.
Thomas McClave came here from Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1864. He went on a farm on the S.E. ¿ of Sec. 22, just northwest of Buckley, where his son still resides. His widow lives in Buckley with her mother, Mrs. Greely, who is believed to be the oldest person residing in the township. She was born in Maine in 1788, from whence she moved to Warren county, Ohio, at the age of thirty, coming here with her children in 1864. She is still strong in mental vigor, and in good physical strengtlı. Her son Joel died liere in 1869, leaving a family of four children. It reminds one of " old times" to see and converse with one who was' born before the United States became a nation, and who spent the average years of a generation in the plantation of Maine before it became a state.
Thomas Quirk, who is track master for this section of the railroad, is one of the veterans in the company's employ. He commenced work on this part of the road in the fall of 1853, and has been in the employ of the company continually except one year. A portion of the time lie was in charge of the wood-yard at Spring Creek. He has resided at Buckley thirteen years. He was here during those terrible winters which are remembered only by few here now. The road was new, and no farms, buildings or fences kept off tlie severe winds. In Janu- ary, 1855, a snow fell, which was followed by terrible cold and high
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winds. For two weeks the men employed by the railroad tried to keep the track clear; every cut was filled, and when shoveled out was quickly filled again by the driving snow; men enough could not be obtained along the line of the road to keep it in condition for moving trains. Every locomotive on the road was snowbound, and most of them frozen up. He undertook to walk one day from Spring Creek to Onarga, and he was supposed by his friends, for a time, to have been lost.
The first school was held in the house just northeast of town, on section 24; then for a time school was held in the house now owned by Dr. Balch. In 1866 the district bought the tow factory and four acres of land, and fitted up a good and substantial two-story school-house, containing room for three schools. Mr. J. M. R. Spinning has charge of the schools, with two assistants.
The "Buckley Inquirer" was started in 1873 by J. T. Riggs and J. B. Lowe. It is independent in politics ; is published each Saturday, and is now under the management of Gen. E. W. Warren and J. B. Lowe.
The postmasters of Buckley have been the following: W. G. Riggs, W. S. Carter, W. S. Bonnell, John Newlin. The latter left North Carolina when he was a lad, because he did not like to live in a slave state, and came to Vermilion county, where he spent the greater part of his life among the Quakers, who had, like himself, run away from slavery and settled around Elwood, Vermilion and Pilot Grove. He was postmaster of Georgetown for sixteen years, serving under " Tip- pecanoe and Tyler too," and was a justice of the peace there for many years. Soon after coming here to live the people forced both offices on him here, and rather than prove an unworthy citizen, he " gave bonds" and entered on the discharge of lis trusts.
Franklin Pierson has served as constable here nineteen years and deputy sheriff for twelve years. He received two votes for judge of the supreme court, and would have got more liad it been generally known he was running. As it was, it gave him the title of "judge," by which he has since been known far and wide. Many another man has acquired title with less real ground to base it on.
Louis Volverding & Co. built the corn-inill in 1877, and in 1878 built the cheese-factory portion of the building, which is 20×34, two stories higlı. They use the Elgin vats, and take the product of from 100 to 150 cows. They have made 6,000 pounds of cheese in a month. They run it winter as well as summer, their room being heated by steam to prevent freezing. The business bids fair to increase. They find a market at home for all their product.
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It is remarkable that in the course of business there has never been a business failure in Buckley. As a rule, it is stated, taken through- out the country, about ninety per centum of all who engage in trade or business enterprises fail ; but here, with the exception of some small enterprises which were commenced without capital, no failure has occurred ; and only one fire has occurred that was of a serious nature. Henry Crosby had a furniture factory which was destroyed by fire about 1870.
INCORPORATION.
A meeting was held January 2, 1871, at the school-house, to vote for or against incorporating as a town. It was decided that those should be entitled to vote who resided on lots in the original town, or in any of the additions which had been platted. The vote resulted in favor of incorporating, by thirty-four to six. January 10, an election was held in the freight house of the Central railroad for five trustees. The voting was by yeas and nays, and the following were elected : Eli Strawn, E. D. Hartshorn, J. B. Meserve, J. G. McClave and E. Luther. At the first meeting of the trustees Eli Strawn was chosen president ; J. D. Riggs, clerk ; E. D. Hartshorn, treasurer ; Franklin Pierson, con- stable; and J. Haney, street commissioner. About the first business done was to provide by ordinance against allowing stock to run at large, and against allowing boys to jump on passing trains. To say that either of these ordinances have ever been strictly observed would hardly be historically true. The officers of the corporation at present writing are : John Stager, F. Pierson, C. Hurlbutt, G. Greely, H. Strawn, and L. L. Marsh, trustees; E. W. Warren, clerk; W. H. Hartshorn, treasurer.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist church was organized by Rev. Thomas Cotton, largely through the exertions of W. G. Riggs, about 1860. Mr. Riggs had long been a member of that church in his eastern home, and on coming here the destitution in religious matters moved him to action in behalf of church and Sabbath school. He was thoroughly imbued with religious zeal, and did much to mold the sentiment of the new settle- ment by the earnestness with which he advocated, both by precept and example, and by a godly life, the cause of religion and morality. Mr. Thomas Cotton, who was sent by conference to this field to work up the interests of the church, was a man of earnest christian life, who made his work a labor of love. Making no pretensions to eloquence, the lack was doubly made up by devotion to the cause, and earnestness in the Master's work. Soon after he closed his labors here, and while
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stationed at Pontiac, he and every male member of the church, save three, enlisted in the army of the Union, and carried what Secretary Stanton called the " sword of the Lord and of Gideon " to the front, and from there to the sea. Every one of them returned well and hearty. Mr. Cotton is now engaged in the missionary work at Purdy, Tennessee, near Pittsburg Landing. Robert Hamlin, a man of exemplary christian character, was appointed first class-leader and steward. He continued to serve as leader until he removed to Nebraska in 1879. J. G. Mc- Clave was appointed steward in 1864. The church numbers about 100 members. The Sabbath school was organized about the same time with W. G. Riggs as superintendent. He continued to act until 1874, since which time J. G. McClave has been the superintendent until this year. Mrs. John Newlin is the present superintendent. The school numbers about 100, and has a good library. The church edifice was erected in 1861 and 1862, 30×50, and cost $2,000.
The Presbyterian churchi was organized November 19, 1870. A committee appointed by the Bloomington presbytery, consisting of Rev. P. D. Young, Rev. Mr. Noerr and Elder P. Risser, met in the Methodist church. Mr. Noerr preached the sermon, when the com- mittee acting for presbytery proceeded to constitute the church with the following members : Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Meserve, Mr. and Mrs. E. Darwin Hartshorn, Miss May Hartshorn, Mrs. L. C. Luther, Mrs. Louisa Huston, Mrs. Julia Levering, Mrs. L. Hurlbntt, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Keehn, Miss Annie Keelin, Mrs. C. A. Pierson and Miss E. J. Ducker. Messrs. Meserve, Keehn and Hartshorn were elected elders. Rev. Mr. McNair, of Paxton, supplied the pulpit two years; Rev. S. V. McKee's pastorate commenced May, 1876, and continued two years ; and the Rev. C. P. Spinning is the present supply. The church decided to build, and in 1871 Messrs. Hartshorn, Ira A. Manley, and E. Luthier were appointed a building committee, who pushed the work forward as fast as possible, and in Angust, 1872, the church was ·dedi- cated. It cost $3,184. The church numbers now about thirty, exclusive of those who have removed without being regularly dismissed. When the Sabbath school was established, Henry Crosley was chosen super- intendent, and has been succeeded in office in turn by B. F. Levering, Rev. M. McKee and W. H. Hartshorn. The school has an average attendance of about sixty.
As early as 1866 a number of German families had moved here from Downer's Grove, Cook county, who were members of the Luth- eran church. Rev. Mr. Meir and others occasionally preached here in the school-house, and in private houses. In 1869 the church was organized, and William Alden, Henry Wolf and Fred Luhsen were
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elected trustees. They proceeded to build the church edifice, which is 24×40, and cost about $1,600, and the school-house 20×34, which accommodates about sixty pupils. The school is maintained by the members of the church, in the same manner as the church is supported. It is sustained eight months in the year. The teaching is in German. Rev. Mr. Swess and Rev. George Blenken have, in turn, served this church. The membership is about fifty. A Sabbath school is main- tained.
SOCIETIES.
The Buckley Lodge, No. 634, A.F. and A.M., was organized and run under a dispensation a few months before the charter was granted, October 5, 1869, with the following original members: E. D. Hartshorn, H. C. Ball, A. J. O'Hara, James Outtrim, Joel R. Smith, Japheth Hull, Ira Q. Sanborn, A. T. Drom, J. G. McNall, H. E. Bil- lings, S. O. Roberts, H. Lincoln, T. Hurst, William Carter, Levi San- born, P. J. Daniels, W. B. Flora and S. A. Didama. H. E. Billings was W.M .; H. C. Ball, S.W .; S. O. Roberts, J.W .; H. Lincoln, treas- urer; Joel R. Smith, secretary ; Ira Q. Sanborn, S.D .; A. T. Drom, J.D .; W. S. Carter, tiler. At the granting of the charter the following additional names were recorded as the charter members: J. W. Riggs, Calvert Hartshorn, M. B. Waterman, A. J. Whittaker, M. L. Water- man, C. J. Nelson, A. W. Niles, Nelson Soper, T. Temple, J. B. Meserve, Ira A. Manley, J. G. McClave. The following have served as masters: H. E. Billings, 1870; W. H. Meserve, 1871; Ira A. Manley, 1872; Joel G. McClave, 1873, 1874 and 1875 ; W. H. Meserve, 1876 and 1877 ; J. G. McClave, 1878 and 1879. The present officers are : J. G. McClave, W.M .; W. A. B. Tate, S.W .; E. Luther, J.W .; William . Coultas, J.D. ; J. R. Smith, tiler; J. A. Koplin, treasurer ; C. Hurlbutt, secretary ; A. H. Ruehe, S.D. The present member- ship is fifty-five. Lodge meets the Wednesday evening before the full moon', thius escaping the implication of being a "dark lantern " society.
The Buckley Lodge, No. 450, I.O.O.F., was instituted in 1871, with the following charter members: Simon Didama, W.G .; J. S. McClave, V.G .; Dr. M. Butler, treasurer ; J. M. Hueston, secretary ; L. L. Marsh, William H. Cleave and Woodruff Beals. The following have served the lodge as W. G's since that time: J. M. Hueston, A. G. Schleh, J. S. McClave, L. H. Hamlin, L. L. Marsh, James Patty, John S. Freeman, A. H. Ruehe. The present officers are: A. H. Ruehe, N. G .; Robert Watt, V. G .; L. L. Marsh, secretary ; H. Ruehe, treasurer; L. L. Marsh, lodge deputy. There are twenty-five mem- bers. The lodge meets in Lincoln's hall Monday evenings.
The Buckley Band contains the following members and pieces : A
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H. Ruehe, leader, E flat cornet ; F. Kerns, E flat ; J. G. McClave, E. flat ; W. H. Cleave, B flat; J. M. Carter, B flat ; E. W. Warren, first. alto; Henry Krumwiede, second alto; J. D. Riggs, tenor; J. F. Foster, tuba ; W. S. Marsh, bass-drum ; Elijah Pierce, tenor-drum. .
" The Farmers Pioneer Fire and Lightning Insurance Company of Buckley " was organized and received its charter November 19, 1874. The call for a meeting for organizing was addressed to the farmers of Loda, Fountain Creek, Artesia, Ash Grove, Onarga and Crescent. A's there were none present from Fountain Creek, Douglas was substituted for that township. In December, 1874, the organization was perfected by the election of nine directors, of which D. H. Metzger was elected president and C. W. Sprague, secretary. Mr. Colebank was one of the chief movers in this enterprise, and to him, more probably than to any other one man, the existence of the company is due. He also made the first application for insurance, but died before a policy was issued. His death was a serious loss to the company and to the community in which he lived. The annual report for 1879 shows 103 policies, the amount of risks being $97,587. At first risks were limited to $2,000, but afterward the maximum was increased to $3,000. The present officers are : J. Outtrim, president ; W. R. Veatch, treasurer; C. W. Sprague, secretary. The company has been remarkably successful from the first.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Samuel M. Major, farmer and stock-raiser, Del Rey, took up his residence on his present place in 1853. He came from Tippecanoe county, Indiana, where he was born April 4, 1830, and was married there in May, 1853, to Miss Annie F. Lee, also a native of Tippecanoe. She died October 19, 1856. They had one child, Flora A. In Sep- tember, 1861, he enlisted in the 9th Ill. Cav., and remained in service until March, 1865. He entered as a private, and was raised to the rank of second lieutenant on his discharge. He took part in the battles of Guntown, Tupelo, Nashville, Salem and the other engagements of the regiment. After the war he returned home and followed farming. October 14, 1876, he married Miss Katie Stephens, who was born in Licking county, Ohio. He owns 172 acres in this county. His father, James H. Major, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, July 19, 1802. February 9, 1824, he married Miss Mary Hartpence, of New Jersey. She died January 7, 1875. They had ten children, five of whom are living : Robert D., Mary, Samuel, Susan and Olive. He moved to Tippecanoe county, Indiana, in 1829, and from there to Iroquois county, Illinois, in 1853, and has lived here since. He was among the earliest settlers of Artesia township, of which he has served as
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supervisor for four years. Mr. Major is now living with his son Samuel on the old homestead.
. Robert D. Major, farmer and stock-raiser, Del Rey, moved to Will (now Kankakee) county, Illinois, in 1852, and in 1853 came to his pres- ent place and has lived here since, with the exception of four years in Chatsworth, Illinois, where he was engaged with a hardware and lum- ber firm. He was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, December 10, 1824, and January 7, 1847, he married Miss Hannah M. Richards, of Onondaga county, New York. She died April 19, 1848. January 11, 1860, he was married to Miss Ellen A. Hitchcock. She was born in Niagara county, New York. They have three children : Willie J., Hattie D. and Nellie D. Mr. Major has taken no part in the political affairs of the county, excepting the offices connected with the school and road. He owns 124 acres in this county, located about five miles northeast of Buckley.
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