USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume I > Part 11
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Yours with Respect
B Hanks
Aunt Sally Campbell is better she has rode over and made a visit.
Marcus Stearns was here last week and staid two nights he is doing very well in this country.
you must write immediately on the Receipt of this. bring a rocking chair
Kennedyville, 4 Nov AD 1838
Dear Brother
After a short delay on the reception of your letter I take this opportunity of answering it, our family is all well that is at home you are aware that
112
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
John, Elisha and George have gone to the west. they are in the wisconsin Territory on the Chippeway river they wer well the last we heard from them they will probably call on you when they return and that will be I think next May or June, this season was verry wet the fore part and the latter verry dry Crops came in very light buckwheat was hardly worth harvesting corne was but little raised on account of its not being planted what was planted done well we planted two acres and had abought Seventy bushels and two hundred and thirty of wheat three hundred of oats thirty six of peas twenty five of Buckwheat One hundred and fifty of potatoes two hundred of Appels and twenty five ton of hay we have one span of horses five cows four year- lings six calves and a coalt seventy five sheep fifteen hogs. we have built one horse barn thirty by twenty six I have got all my land paid for an a deed for the whole of it two hundred and thirty acres in number and have got all my debts paid and two hundred dollars on hand besides two hundred and forty on interest. You wanted me to give you the prices of the different articles wheat is twelve shillings per bushel corn is one dollar per bushel Oats are three shillings Buckwheat is six shillings potatoes fifty cents peas one dollar.
there is a fair prospect for the York and Erie Railroad agoing on Edward Farnum has got in head engineer of this County there is four Companies now exploaring the rout up the Cohocton and Canesteo Brigham is with the company on this river he went to the post four weeks ago they hav got as far as both an Calculate to run as far as they can until coald weath will oblige them to quit it will be ascertained this winter whether it will go up the canisteo or the Cohocton. their has ben svral changes taken place this fall in out neighborhood Franklin Glass died in September last of the Consumption Casandra Smith died three weeks ago of the asthma and the consumption Electa Smith died a week ago yesterday of the consumption it has been a hard shock to Mrs. Smith but she is a recovering slowly the rest of our neighborhood enjoys good health my health in particular has ben verry good and all of us have enjoyed good health Elishas family are all well and Jasons Old Mr. Neally was taken last Wednesday evening with a fit of Numbpalsy and is speechless yet we do not expect that he will survive long Your letter informed us of the loss you had received in the death of James it was a heavy blow sent by the great giver of all good for some good purpose we know not. I am rejoicet to hear that you hav bourne your self up in your troubles and are now in good circumstances. Give our respects to Tephaniahs family and yours in particular tell Niah that he has forgotten his promise like all other emegrants and we began to think that you had but the long looked for letter arrived at last do not let as long a time slip againe for it is pleasant to converse with freinds especially Brothers if they are at a distance If you see Daniel or Cornelius family tell them that we send our respects to them. I ad no more
This from your affectionate Brother
Brigham Hanks)
Elijah Hanks
113
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
CHAPTER VIII.
LIST OF EARLY FAMILIES.
Family Name. Place of Settlement. Time.
Where from.
Adams Aurora
1862
Chemung Co., N. Y.
Allen
Aurora
1854
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Anderson
Campton
Shien, Norway.
Annis
. Blackberry
1852
Arvedson . Carpentersville
1855
Averill
Batavia
1840
Rensselaer Co., N. Y.
Backus
Hampshire 1882
Windham Co., Conn.
Baker
Virgil
1851
England.
Balduc Aurora
1867
Quebec, Canada, French. Madison Co., N. Y.
Barber . Campton
1843
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.
Barrett Aurora
1864
Detroit, Mich. English.
Bartlett
Campton 1843
Grafton Co., N. H. Mass. English.
Baumann . Dundee
1859
Beaupre
1883
Canada.
Bergland
Sweden direct.
Beverly
Maple Park
1844
Oneida Co., N. Y. Wheelwright.
Bishop
Aurora
1854
Bosworth
Dundee
1838
Bowdish
Bowne St. Charles 1840
Tompkins Co., N. Y.
Bowron . Aurora
1857
Boyce Big Rock. 1854
Vermont.
Boyce Big Rock
1855
Springfield, N. H.
Bradley
Aurora
1855
Massachusetts.
Brady
Big Rock
and
Aurora
1836
Westchester Co., N. Y.
Britton
Plato
187- Cheshire Co., N. H.
Brown St. Charles
1838
Warren, Mass.
Brown
Aurora
1845
Jefferson Co., N. Y. (Scot-Eng.).
Brown
Batavia
185-
New York.
Brown Elgin
1872
Concord, N. H.
Brown
Aurora
1875
Rockingham Co., N. Y. English.
Brownell St. Charles
1857
Burnham
Batavia
Burnidge Plato
1857
Wyoming Co., N. Y.
Burton
Plato
1863
Burton
Aurora
1871
Burton
Aurora
1873
Butler
Aurora
New York. Wisconsin, 1839. Vermont. English. Market Harbor, England. English.
Burr
Batavia
Norwich, Vt.
Anderson. Ind. Jefferson Co .. N. Y.
1865
Leicester, Mass. England.
Elgin, 1867, N. Y. Saratoga Co., England. Otsego Co., N. Y.
Clinton Co., N. Y.
Bradley Geneva
18.46
Lee, Mass.
Ball Aurora
114
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement.
Time.
Where from. Washington Co., N. Y.
Calkins . Sugar Grove. . .
Calkins Sugar Grove .. . 1846
Steuben Co., N. Y.
Card
Aurora
1842
Wyoming Co., N. Y.
Langelanda, Sweden. Scandinavian.
Carpenter Dundee
1837.
Uxbridge, Mass.
Cary Kaneville 1860
Orleans Co., N. Y.
Chaffee Campton
1841
Windham Co., Vt.
Chase Aurora
1868
Geauga Co., Ohio, Wis.
Chipp Virgil
1878
Clayton Aurora
1867
New York City.
Rev. Clifford.
Erie Co., N. Y.
Coffin
Batavia
1852
Lincoln Co., Me.
Colton
St. Charles
1863
Rutland Co., Vt.
Cranston
St. Charles
1863 Delaware Co., N. Y.
Crawford St. Charles
1848
Crego
Blackberry 1851
Dale
Big Rock
1852
Dauberman
. Kaneville 1862
Davidson
Elgin
1854
Hillsboro Co., N. Y. English.
Davis Big Rock
1847
Wales and Ohio, 1844.
Day Aurora
Day
Aurora 1859
Otsego.Co., N. Y.
DeWolf St. Charles
1841
Doherty
St. Charles 1852
Downing Virgil
1868
Queens Co., N. Y.
Downing
1868
Queens Co .. N. Y.
Dunton Aurora
1846
Durant
St. Charles
1845
Durant St. Charles
1854
Dwyer
Rutland
1841
Dwyer Rutland
1844
Eakin
Rutland
1847
County Londonderry, Ireland.
Orange Co., Vt.
Eaton
Elgin 1838
Otsego Co .. N. Y.
Edwards . Dundee 1839
Eitelgoerge Aurora 1854
Germany.
Evans Aurora 1841
Welsh ( Pennsylvania-Canada).
Evans . Sugar Grove 1861
1851
Fasmer
1863
Prussia.
Fassett Hampshire 1865
Fedou Elgin 1886
Ferson St. Charles. . May,
1834
Sullivan Co., N. H.
Fikes . Sugar Grove . 1842
Montgomery Co .. N. Y. German.
Fink . Kaneville 1851 Onondaga Co., N. Y.
Fisher Campton
1869
Hesse-Cassel. Germany.
Belfast. Scotch-Irish. (St. Charles Valley Chronicle ). Chenango Co., N. Y. England direct.
Connecticut. Ohio. French.
New York. Ireland, 1820.
New York.
Springfield, Vt.
Eastman Plato
1840
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. Welsh.
Wales direct. Welsh.
Everts Geneva
Berkshire Co., Mass.
Otsego Co .. N. Y.
Carlson St. Charles 1873
England.
115
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement.
Time.
Where trom.
Fitchie
Plato
1885
Perthshire, Scotland.
Foley St. Charles 1861
Irish.
Fox .
Aurora
1857 Chenango Co., N. Y.
Frace
Kaneville
1852
Morris Co., N. Y. German.
Frazier Batavia and
Aurora 1866
Onondaga Co., N. Y.
Frederick
Kaneville
1846
Fulton Co., N. Y. German.
Freiler
Elgin
1883
Hartford, Conn.
Frisbee Aurora
1874
Cortland Co., N. Y.
Gage Rutland
1872
Plato
Gale
Aurora
1865 Onondaga Co., N. Y.
Gannon
Kaneville
1847
Ireland direct.
Garfield Campton
1841
Rutland Co., Vt.
German Geneva
1836
Montgomery Co., N. Y. Scot-Eng.
Gilbert Aurora
1869
Massachusetts.
Gleason
Burlington
1810
Genesee Co., N. Y.
Godfrey Batavia
1839
Orange Co., Vt.
Goding
Aurora
1864
England.
Griffith
Batavia
1846
England.
Guild
Aurora
1860
Wayne, Ill.
Hagelow Elgin
1864
Wurtemberg, Germany.
Hall
Big Rock
(N. Y. City), 6 Vt. Orphan.
Hall
St. Charles
1844
Herkimer Co., N. Y.
Halloway St. Charles
1853
Dutchess Co., N. Y. Scotch-English.
Hansor
Sugar Grove
1873
Kendall Co., Il1.
Hardy
Aurora
1860
Oneida Co., N. Y. English.
Hardy
1871
Grafton Co., N. H. English.
Harris
Aurora
1862
Sussex Co., N. J.
Harris . Big Rock
1874
Welsh-English.
Harter Kaneville
Centre Co., Pa. Ger -. Penn. Dutch.
Hatch Elgin
1834
New York.
Hawley Dundee
1850
Heath Elgin
1871
Hemmens Elgin
1858
Hinds Aurora
1842
Westernville, N. Y. Eng .- Sc .- Irish.
Hines
Virgil
1845
Erie Co., N. Y.
Hinman
Dundee
1883
Oneida Co., N. Y.
Hirsch Aurora
1861
French.
Hitchcock Aurora
1855
West Springfield, Mass.
Hodder Aurora
1854
Dorsetshire, England.
Holden Aurora
1857
Sullivan Co., N. H.
Holmes Aurora
1863
Fairfax, Vt. Scotch-Irish.
Hooker St. Charles
1839
Canada. English-Scotch.
Hopkins Aurora
1870
Native.
Howard St. Charles
1837
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. Eng .- Irish.
Hoyt Aurora
1840 Maine. Danbury, Mass. Ohio.
Hoyt Kaneville
I884 New Hampshire. English.
West Hartford. Conn.
116
KAANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement. Time.
Where from
Hubbard
Aurora
1855
Oneida Co., N. Y.
Hubbard
Aurora 1865
Madison Co .. N. Y.
Hughes
Big Rock
1845
Pennsylvania. Welsh.
Huls
St. Charles
1855
Seneca Co., N. Y. Dutch-Welsh.
Hunt
Dundee
1842
New York.
Hunt
Kaneville
Chenango Co., N. Y.
Hyde
Batavia
1845
Ingham
Sugar Grove
1839
Irwin
St. Charles
1884
Lewis Co., N. Y.
Isbell
Aurora
Isbell
Aurora
1853
Lenox, Mass.
Jones
St. Charles
1838
Washington Co .. Vt.
Jones
Big Rock 1868
Wales direct.
Joslyn
Elgin
1850
Nunda. 1837, Geneseo Co., N. Y.
Keefe
Virgil
18.45
New Brunswick. Irish.
Kelley
Elgin
1860
Schenectady, N. Y.
Kibling
Blackberry
1855
Vermont.
Kilbourne
Elgin
1871
Orange Co., Vt.
Kimball
Elgin
1834
Kimball
Elgin
1836
Kimball
Elgin
1838
Knickerbocker . Aurora
1857
Dutchess Co., N. Y.
Lakin
Virgil
1861
Essex Co., N. Y.
Lamson
Big Rock 1836
New York City. Mass. American.
Lamson
Aurora
1867
Windsor, \'t.
Langworthy Aurora
1873
Marengo.
Lee
Plato
1835
Westchester Co., N. Y.
Lee Kaneville
1844 Middletown County.
Lemon . Campton 1842
Massachusetts.
Leydon, Rev. . Aurora
1885
Catholic priest.
Lockwood
Batavia
1853
Westchester, N. Y.
Long
Franklin Co., Mass.
Long
Big Rock
1840
Greenfield, Mass.
Long
Big Rock
1840
Shelburne. Mass.
Lord
1865
Genesee Co., N. Y. English.
Loser
Aurora 1852
Luxemburg. Germany.
Lowrie
Elgin
1882
Berwickshire. Scotland.
Mallory
Batavia
1852
Milo, Yates Co .. N. Y. Scotch.
Mann
Elgin
1850
County Westmeath, Ireland.
Mann
Elgin
1867
Sweden.
Marme
Aurora
1866
Neuwied. Prussia.
Marx
Aurora
1857
Mason
Aurora
1849
Canada.
Mathews Aurora
1868
Kendall Co., Ill. English-Irish.
Maurer Naperville
1853
France direct.
McCarty
Aurora
1834
Morris Co .. N. J. Scotch-English.
McClellan Batavia
1869
Grafton Co., N. H.
-
DAY GOODS E WILLINERT
GROCERIES
CHICAGO STREET ABOUT 1866, LOOKING WEST FROM FOUN- TAIN SQUARE.
119
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement. Time.
Where from.
McClure Elgin
1846
Steuben Co., N. Y. Scotch-Irish.
McDole
. Sugar Grove 1835 Chemung Co., N. Y. Scotch-Eng.
McDole . Sugar Grove
1839
McDole Sugar Grove
1852
Chemung Co., N. Y.
Meredith Aurora
1867
Welsh, native of Wales.
Merrill
Kaneville
1853
New Hampshire. English.
Meyer Aurora
1871
Saxony.
Mighell
Sugar Grove
1837
Rutland, Vt.
Miller, C. A
1842
Scotland direct.
Miller
Aurora 1842
Tompkins Co., N. Y.
Miller . Elgin
1854
Hesse-Cassel, Germany.
Miller
. Dundee
1871
Wurtemberg, Germany.
Miner
Kaneville
1842
Minium Kaneville
1844
Crawford Co., Pa.
Montony
Aurora
1846
Elmira Co., N. Y. German-Irish.
Moody
Campton 1865 New Brunswick. Scotch.
Morris . Blackberry 1865
Monmouth Co., N. J.
Moulding . Campton 1853
Lancashire, England.
Munger Dundee
1873
Addison Co., Vt.
Newman
Elgin
1863
Hertfordshire, England.
Newton
Batavia 1854
Newton
Batavia
1854
Wyoming Co., N. Y.
Norris
Blackberry 1844
New York.
Norris Aurora
1853
Chemung Co., N. Y.
Norton . Dundee
1861
Herkimer Co., N. Y. Eng .- German.
Oppenheimer . . Elgin
1876
Fort Wayne, Ind. Auburn, N. Y. England, 1823.
Outhouse Elgin
1883
Campton Township.
Owens Kaneville
1857
New York. English.
PaDelford Elgin 1842
1858
Massachusetts.
Paull Sugar Grove 1841 Medina Co .. Ohio.
Paull Aurora
188I
Medina Co., Ohio.
Pease Plato
1860 Tolland Co., Conn. English.
Peck .Plato
1883 Ontario Co., N. Y.
Perry Big Rock 1845
New York.
Phillips
Aurora
1849
Litchfield Co., Conn.
Pingree
Rutland
18II
Plymouth Co., Mass.
Pond Aurora
1872 Addison Co., Vt. Scotch-English.
Powell Aurora
1864 Delaware Co., N. Y.
Pratt Aurora
1853
Cortland Co., N. Y.
Prentiss, Rev. . East Aurora
1884 Steuben Co., N. Y.
Prindle Aurora
1876 Litchfield Co., Conn.
Probert Elgin
1843 Rochester. N. Y. English.
Meredith Big Rock
1843
Welsh, direct from Wales.
Meredith Aurora
1870
Montgomeryshire, Wales.
Nimmo Elgin
1854
Scotland.
Osborn . Kaneville
Buffalo, N. Y.
Parker Dundee
120
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement. Time.
Where from.
Quackenbush .. Dundee
1849
Otsego Co., N. Y. Holland.
Quereau Aurora
1859
Cayuga Co., N. Y.
Ravlin, Rev .. . Kaneville
1845
Essex Co., Vt. Irish-Scotch-Eng.
Middleboro, Plymouth Co., Mass.
Reed Plato
1877
DuPage Co., Ill.
Reese
Aurora 185-
German.
Reese
Dundee
1863
Reeves Elgin
1848
Wayne Co., N. Y.
Reid
Hampshire 1865
Kingston, Upper Canada. Scotch.
Reising Aurora
1855
Ulster Co., N. Y. English.
Rice
Aurora
1843
Merrimack Co., N. H.
Riddle
Aurora
1856
Keene, N. H.
Riser Aurora
1855
Hartford, Conn. Swiss-German.
Roberts Aurora
1882
Kendall Co., Ill. Scotch-Welsh-Eng.
Root
Elgin
1845
Genesee Co., N. Y.
Roots
Blackberry 1848
Rovelstad Elgin
1872
Ryan
Elgin
1849
Ireland direct. Irish.
Safford Aurora
1862
Washington Co., N. Y. Scotch.
Satterfield
Aurora
1857
Schairer Burlington 1867
Schickler Aurora
1856
(New York. 1853). Bavarian.
Schmahl Aurora
1868
Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany.
Schmidt Elgin
1857
Schoeberlein . . Aurora 1857
Schultz Elgin 1869
Scott
Campton
1844
Scott Plato
1872
Seapy
Plato
1852
Shaw
Campton 1870
Oneida, Co., N. Y.
Shedden Plato
1842
Scotland direct.
Shellhorn
Kaneville 1885
Wurtemburg, Germany.
Shepard Blackberry 1852
New York. Ger. and Hol .- Dutch.
Sherman
Elgin
1838
Dutchess Co., N. Y.
Sholes
Hampshire
1887
Burling Township.
Simmons
1857
Pennsylvania. Irish-English.
Simpson
Aurora 1850
Bureau Co., Ill.
Sisley Hampshire 186-
1846
Seneca Co., N. Y.
Skinner Plato
1853
Essex Co., N. Y.
Smailes . Elgin
1852
England.
Smith Hampshire 1837
Baden, Germany.
Smith Burlington 1841
Caldwell's Manor, Canada.
Smith Sugar Grove 1844 Rutland Co., Vt.
Smith Carpentersville . 1878 Cabot, Vt.
Snow
Batavia
1856 Orange. N. J. England, 1851.
Lockport, N. Y.
Scandinavian.
Washington Co .. N. Y.
Prussia.
Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany.
Prussia.
Madison Co., N. Y.
California.
Geneva.
Skinner Hampshire
Raymond Kaneville 1843
Cook Co., Ill. German.
Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany.
Reynolds Sugar Grove 1836
121
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name. Place of Settlement.
Time.
Snyder
Kaneville
1846
Solfisburg Aurora
1861
Southworth . Aurora
1871
Spencer Kaneville
1862
Spooner
Batavia
1870
Raleigh, N. C.
Squires Aurora
1855
Sterling Batavia
1868
Stevens
1865
Stewart St. Charles
1855
Stolp Aurora
1842
Stone
. Elgin
1852
Stone
Aurora
1868
Bradford Co., Pa. Scotch-Irish.
Stone
Elgin
1877
Belvidere, Ill.
Struch
Burlington 1871
Germany direct.
Sturges Virgil
1854
England direct.
Sylvester Aurora
1874
Whitehall, N. Y. Canadian.
Tarble Aurora
1846
Sacketts Harbor, N. Y.
Thies Plato
1874
Thompson Sugar Grove
1845
Treadwell Elgin
1851
Trumbull St. Charles
1840
Tyler Aurora
1862
Van Fleet. . . Aurora
1846
Van Liew . . Aurora
Van Nortwick . Batavia
1835
New Jersey. German.
Somerset Co., N. J.
Cortland Co., N. Y.
Van Patten .. . Elgin
1878
Tioga Co., N. Y. English.
Wagner Aurora 1871
Waite Sugar Grove 1868
Walker
. Aurora
1868
Ward Campton 1835
Warford Geneva
1844
Waterhouse . . Aurora
1862
Watson
1853
Watson Elgin
1874
Weld
Elgin
1841
Wells Geneva
1846
North Adams, Mass.
Massachusetts.
Newark, N. J. German.
Geneva. English.
Geneva. Scotch-German.
Norfolk Co., Mass. English.
Whitford Elgin
Whitford Elgin
1840
Medina, Ohio. Colchester, Vt.
1839 Tompkins Co., N. Y.
Whitney Campton
1857
Consdorf, Germany.
Jefferson Co., N. Y.
Oswego Co., N. Y. 1854, England.
Genesee Co., N. Y.
England.
Middlesex Co., Conn. English.
New Jersey.
DuPage Co., Ill.
Knox Co., Me. Scotch-English.
\Vells Kaneville
I866
Werthwein Hampshire 1881
Westgarth . Campton 1852
White Elburn 1875
White
Where from. Lancaster Co., Pa.
Direct from Sweden. LaSalle Co.
Cortland Co., N. Y.
Montgomery Co., N. Y. Onondaga Co., N. Y.
Onondaga Co., N. Y. Germany, 1738.
Bakersfield, Vt.
Germany. Windham Co., Vt.
Windsor Co., Vt. St. Charles, Ill.
Holland.
Van Nostrand. Elgin
1843
Wade Aurora
Watts Aurora
1871
122
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
Family Name.
Place of Settlement. Time.
Where from.
Widmayer
Hampshire
1870
Wilcox . Elgin 1842
Montgomery Co., N. Y. English.
Wilcox
St. Charles 1883
Broome Co., N. Y.
Wilder
Aurora
1837
New York.
Willard
Aurora 1867
Connecticut. French-Scotch.
Williams
Geneva
1886
Madison Co., N. Y.
Wilson
Elgin
1841
Genesee Co., N. Y. English.
Wilson
Sugar Grove 1856
Winteringham . St. Charles
1864
England.
Wright
St. Charles
1859
Madison Co., N. Y.
Young
. Blackberry
1843 Orange Co., Vt.
Young
Kaneville
1871
Orange Co., Vt.
CHAPTER IX.
BEGINNINGS ALONG FOX RIVER.
The county of Kane, although among those last settled in Illinois, is now one of the most populous and wealthy in the State. It derives its name from Hon. Elias K. Kane, one of the early and prominent citizens and politicians of southern Illinois. Prior to 1836, the territory from the present north line of La Salle county to the Wisconsin line, and from what was then Cook county, on the east, to what was Jo Daviess county, on the west, was a part of La Salle county. In the winter of 1835-36, the legislature passed an act by which the present territory of Kane and DeKalb counties. and the three north townships of Kendall, were laid off into a county and denominated Kane. In the winter of 1836-7, the west half of Kane was appropriated to an organization denominated DeKalb county, and subse- quently the three southern townships were allotted to Kendall county leaving Kane with its present area-eighteen miles wide by thirty long, and embracing fifteen townships. It contains 540 square miles or 345.000 acres. The present population of the county is 78,792.
The government surveys of Kane county took place in 1839 and '40, and the lands came into market in 1842. In the early days of Illinois, the local government was mainly by counties, though they were divided into election precincts for the convenience of voting, etc. In 1850, this precinct arrangement was abandoned in Kane county, and township organization and government took their place.
The first actual settler in Kane county was Christopher Payne, from North Carolina, who arrived with his family in October, 1833, and located one mile east of Batavia. He made his journey from Carolina with an ox-team; but came originally from New York. Colonel Nathaniel Lyon and Captain C. B. Dodson settled near Batavia in the spring of 1834, there being only five other families in the county at that time. During the summer and fall, some forty families located along Fox river, among whom were Messrs. Haight. Joseph and Samuel McCarthy, Aldrich, Vandeventer, How,
123
KANE COUNTY HISTORY
McKee, Town, Churchill, Miles, William and John Van Nortwick, Ira Minard and James Herrington. At this time the country now embraced by Kane county was in possession of the Pottawattomie Indians-the wigwam of Waubonsie, their chief, being a little north of Aurora, but most of them were soon after removed beyond the Mississippi.
The first store and saw-mill in the county were built by C. B. Dodson, in the summer of 1834, at Clybourneville, one mile south of Batavia. The first flouring-mill was erected in Batavia in 1837 by Mr. M. Boardman, and was followed the same year by another at Aurora, built by Messrs. McCarty. Up to this time the nearest flouring-mills were at Ottawa.
The first school in the county was held in a log cabin on Colonel Lyon's claim, one mile east of Batavia, and was taught by a Mr. Knowles, from Vermont, with an average attendance of nine scholars.
The first post office was establishd at Geneva, or Herrington's Ford. in 1835, and called La Fox, James Herrington being postmaster.
The first celebration of the Fourth of July is said to have taken place in Elgin in 1836. The year following, S. S. Jones, Esq., delivered his cele- brated oration on the Fourth of July, to eleven hearers.
The first white child of Kane county was Dodson Vandeventer, born in the "Big Woods," October 10, 1834.
The first church was organized in Batavia in 1835. The first sermon preached in the county was by the Rev. N. C. Clark, at the log cabin of Christopher Payne, the first settler, as early as August. 1834. Indeed, Mr. Clark might well have been styled the pastor of the entire Kane county settlement for several years, and was truly one of the pioneer preachers of this region.
The first newspaper in Kane county was published at St. Charles in the fall of 1841. by John Thomas. It was styled the St. Charles Patriot. after- wards the Fox River Advocate and Kane County Herald. The paper was burned out in 1842, but Ira Minard went to Hennepin, on the Illinois river, with two teams and purchased a press and material, so that the paper was continued as the Fox River Advocate. edited by D. D. Waite.
The following extract from a letter to the Genesee Evangelist, in 1848, will give the impression of a traveler with regard to Kane county sixty years ago, and also the population of some of the villages of the county at that time :
"This county lies north of Kendall and west of DuPage, and if any preference can be given among so many counties, all of which are so beautiful and so fertile. that preference must be given to Kane. I think, after taking all things into consideration, that I may safely pronounce it the best county in the State. Although the prairie land predominates, it is interspersed with valuable groves, containing timber sufficient for fuel, fencing and building for years to come.
"Most of the county is within a day's drive of the lake, thus enjoying a proximity to market not possessed by counties further west. The new railroad from Chicago to Galena passes directly through it and affords a ready communication at all times with Chicago. But its magnificent river, which
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KANE COUNTY HISTORY
supplies so much water power and propels so much machinery, adds materially to the wealth and business of the county. This is Fox river, which rises in Wisconsin, a few miles west of Milwaukee, and empties into the Illinois at Ottawa. After running twenty, or thirty miles from its source, and before entering the State of Illinois it becomes sluggish, and for most of the way has too little fall to propel machinery with much power. By the time, how- ever. that it reaches the north part of Kane county, its descent is more rapid and it rolls on in a broad channel and nearly a straight course through the whole length of the county (about thirty miles), affording many valuable mill sites. On ascending or descending the river. the traveler passes, once in every five miles, on an average, a thriving village, divided by the stream, until he reaches the sixth before leaving the county. Each of these villages contains one or more flouring mills. A short distance north of the south line of the county is Aurora, containing some 1,000 or 1,200 inhabitants. Seven miles north of here is Batavia, a place somewhat smaller than Aurora. Like its sister village, it is separated by the channel of water which propels its machinery. A small island divides the river as it passes through the village. Two miles north of Batavia is Geneva, the shire town of Kane county, although it is the smallest of its villages. Two miles further on is St. Charles. containing some 1,200 or 1,500 inhabitants. A paper mill has been erected here and is now in operation, being the only one in northern Illinois. Ten miles north of St. Charles is Elgin, the largest and prettiest village in Kane county. The state of society here is good and the country around beautiful and fertile, thus making Elgin one of the most delightful places in the world for a residence. Proceeding five miles northward we reach Dundee, the last of the Kane county villages. The place contains some 600 inhabitants, and as its Scotch name would indicate, has several Scotch families in and around it."
The following letter. which appeared in the Kenosha Telegraph, in 1851. will give some further idea of Dundee and Elgin as they appeared at that time : and something of the county :
"Mr. Editor: The river which rises a few miles northwest of Mil- wankee, and flows so tardily to the state line, and through McHenry county, Illinois, begins, as it approaches the line of Kane county, to move more rapidly onward. Its haste to reach its destination continues through nearly the entire length of the county, affording water power which already propels a large amount of machinery, and may be made to propel much more. The river passes in nearly a straight course from north to south through the eastern part of the county, lined on each side by a narrow strip of woods, beyond which the high, rolling prairie, dotted as it is by well cultivated farms and comfortable dwellings, presents an appearance which beauty's self might envy. Six of the numerous mill-seats on the river are the nuclei of as many villages, distant from each other, on an average, less than five miles. With such a water power within them, and such a beautiful and fertile country around them. it is not strange that Kane county has reason to be proud of its villages. All of them are within ahout thirty-five miles of Chicago. All but one are connected with that city by railroad, and thus have daily or
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