USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume I > Part 68
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The hospital farm contains about four hundred and eighty acres, of which one hundred and fifty were donated to the institution by the citizens of Elgin, and the remainder was purchased by the state. The ground slopes gradually upward from the river and the buildings stand on an elevated plateau, three thousand feet from the river bank and seventy feet above the water level. The main river road passes through the farm in front of the hospital. The grounds immediately surrounding the building are to be laid out in walks and drives and handsomely ornamented with shrubbery and forest trees.
The general plan of the edifice includes a center building, with two irregularly shaped wings, and a rear building for the domestic department and machinery. The center building is occupied by the officers and employes, the north wing by female patients, and the south wing by male patients. The frontage of the main or center building is sixty-two feet, and that of each wing five hundred and twelve feet, making an entire frontage of one thousand and eighty-six feet. The central structure is four stories, and the wings three stories in height, built of Dundee brick, with stone caps and sills from the quarries near Joliet, giving the whole a very substantial and imposing appearance.
The hospital boasts a full equipment of modern improvements in the way of speaking tubes, dust flues, hot and foul air ducts, fire apparatus, railways and dumb waiters for distributing food, double-bladed iron fans for forced ventilation. rotary washing machines, a centrifugal wringer, appliances for steam cooking, library, chapel, amusement hall, etc., etc. The wards, of which there are twelve in each wing, or twenty-four in all, are light and airy, with bay-windows and conservatories for flowering plants. The exterior outline and internal arrangement are substantially the same as in the Government Hospital for the Insane at Washington, D. C., which is acknowledged to be one of the best in the world.
It was originally supposed that only three hundred patients could be accommodated in this building when completed. The last report of the trus- tees shows, however, that it will accommodate four hundred and sixty. The institution is under the immediate management of Dr. Edwin A. Kilbourne, its medical superintendent and chief executive officer. He is assisted in the
CITY HALL, ELGIN.
NORTHERN INSANE ASYLUM, ABOUT 1870.
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medical department by Dr. R. S. Dewey and Dr. Henry S. Brooks, the patients receiving all needed care and attention at their hands.
The first movement for the establishment of the Northern Insane Hos- pital was in 1869, when the legislature enacted two laws, one making an appropriation for this institution and the other for the Southern Insane Hospital at Anna, near Cairo.
In accordance with the law Governor John M. Palmer appointed a com- mission of nine persons to select a location for the proposed Northern Hospital. The following gentlemen constituted the commission : Samuel D. Lockwood, of Kane county; John H. Bryant, of Bureau; D. S. Hammond, of Cook; Merritt L. Joslyn, of McHenry; Augustus Adams, of DeKalb; Benjamin F. Shaw, of Lee; William Adams, of Will; William R. Brown, of Massac, and A. J. Matteson, of Whiteside.
These gentlemen visited various towns in the northern counties of the state and carefully considered the advantages of each site offered for their acceptance, but finally decided that the city of Elgin offered the best induce- ments and fixed the hospital permanently at this point. The offer made by our citizens included one hundred and sixty acres of land, valued at $16,000; a spring, valued at $2.500, and railroad freights on the Chicago & North- Western Railroad to the amount of $3,000.
When the commissioners had determined upon the location their con- nection with the institution ceased. The adoption of plans for the building and the responsibility of its erection devolved upon a board of three trustees appointed by the governor. The original board consisted of Messrs. C. N. Holden, of Chicago; Henry Sherman, of Elgin, and Oliver Everett, M. D., of Dixon. In 1873 the Hon. C. W. Marsh, of Sycamore, was substituted for Dr. Everett, and in 1875 Mr. Edwin H. Sheldon, of Chicago, was appointed to succeed Mr. Holden.
The north wing was first built, then the rear building, and finally the center building and south wing. The north wing was opened for the reception of patients on the 3d day of April, 1872. The formal inspection by committees of the legislature, preparatory to the opening, occurred on the 2d day of February. The governor of the state and many other distinguished gentle- men were present upon that occasion, when the honor of a complimentary dinner was bestowed upon them by the ladies of the city.
The center building was completed and occupied in April. 1874. The south wing was ready for occupancy on the 30th day of July, 1874. but in consequence of the lack of an appropriation for the maintenance of the patients therein the wing was not opened until April, 1875.
The tract of land belonging to the institution was originally four farms. The Chisholm farm, containing one hundred and fifty-five acres, was donated by the city of Elgin, and three adjoining farms were added by purchase, making the total area of the tract five hundred and ten acres. Ninety acres of the tract is used for park purposes, in which is placed the various buildings and recreation grounds for the patients, two hundred and fifty acres are under cultivation, while the balance is used for pasture land.
The tract joins the city of Elgin on its southern borders and is bounded
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on the east by the Fox river, from whose banks the land rises with a gentle slope for two thousand feet to a plateau fifty feet above its surface, upon which are situated the buildings.
The buildings consist of main building, annex, male infirmary, infirmary for women, one cottage for women and two for men. The main building, infirmary for men, one cottage and annex are arranged in a line facing the river. About eight hundred feet from the buildings and parallel with them extends the highway and the interurban line of the A. E. & C. Electric Railway to Aurora. The grounds between these buildings and the highway are used for recreation grounds for patients. Winding about through the grounds are cement and gravel walks, skirting the closely cut lawns, which in turn are shaded by hardy trees. This park is traversed by a ravine and has natural depressions sufficient to relieve what would otherwise be a monotonous plain. Here and there are rustic cottages and bridges, presenting to the eye on every side most beautiful landscapes. To the north of the main building are the greenhouses and a large palmhouse, which were built and are maintained by the income from a bequest of Jonathan Burr.
An inspection of the inside equipment of the buildings will convince one that facilities are provided not only for the comfort and well-being of patients, but those tending to their recovery. To accomplish this the very strictest rules of cleanliness are enforced throughout. The mechanical restraint has been reduced to the minimum, so far as the number of available nurses and attendants has permitted.
Whenever the weather permits, the lawns are made daily use of by the patients for exercise and outdoor sports. There is no doubt that the majority of patients, even in winter, enjoy much more outdoor exercise and fresh air than they did prior to coming to the institution.
During the winter months special entertainments are provided in the large amusement hall, as well as in the wards. Various entertainments are being given at the rates of at least three every week. A large class of women has been organized for the purpose of doing fancy work. under the supervision of a specially trained attendant. A large number of workingmen have been ยท mployed outdoors, much to the benefit and saving of the institution.
The capacity of the institution during the years 1903. 1904 and 1905 has averaged about one thousand one hundred and fifty patients. The present population is about thirteen hundred, and when the three new cottages appro- priated for by the forty-fifth general assembly of Illinois are completed the population will increase to about fourteen hundred.
The following men have served as superintendents of this institution and contributed their share in the development of the institution. Special credit is due to the late Dr. E. A. Kilbourne, the first superintendent of the hospital :
Dr. E. A. Kilbourne, 1870 to 1890.
Dr. H. J. Brooks, 1890 to 1893.
Dr. Arthur Loewy. 1893 to 1897.
Dr. John B. Hamilton. 1897 to 1899.
Dr. Frank S. Whitman, 1899 to 1906.
Dr. V. H. Podstata, became superintendent July 1. 1906.
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KANE COUNTY HISTORY
THE CHURCHES OF ELGIN.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
R. W. Padelford, then clerk of the church, wrote in 1875 :
"This church was organized on the 14th day of July, A. D. 1838, in the log cabin of Brother Hezekiah Gifford, one of the pioneers of Elgin.
"The constituent members of this church consisted of thirteen persons, five of whom hold their church relationship at the present time, to wit: Hezekiah Gifford, Abel D. Gifford, Harriet E. Gifford, Clara J. Kimball and Nancy Kimball. Three are identified with other churches and five have passed into eternity.
"The Sunday services of the church were held in a barn and in private dwellings for several months, and afterwards, until 1843, in a small frame building called the Elgin chapel, which was owned and occupied conjointly by the Congregationalists and Baptists.
"From 1843 onward it was owned and occupied by this church until the erection of their cobblestone edifice in 1849, which was their church home for twenty-one years.
"About the Ist of June, 1870, their present church edifice was commenced and pushed with such vigor as to enable them to occupy the basement for worship on the 18th of December following, and was fully completed, fur- nished and dedicated on the 5th of October, 1871, at a cost of about $35,000.
"During the period of their church history, embracing about thirty-seven years, they have enjoyed a good degree of spiritual and temporal prosperity. Five hundred and twenty-four persons have been added to the church by baptism and five hundred and eight by letters from other churches.
"Twelve ministers of the gospel have been sent forth from their member- ship to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ. Seven pastors have served as under-shepherds of the Lord, as follows: Rev. Joshua E. Ambrose, five years and a half, from 1838 to 1843. He baptized sixty-three and received by letter sixty-three. Rev. Adoniram J. Joslyn, eleven and a half years, from 1844 to 1855. He baptized one hundred and ninety-eight and received by letter one hundred and ninety-four. Rev. Levi Parmely, about four years, from 1856 to 1860. There were baptized in the time thirty-four and received by letter sixty-one. Rev. Benjamin Thomas, one and a half years, from 1860 to 1862. Fifty-two were received by baptism and twenty-six by letter during his pastorate. Rev. Charles K. Colver, four years, from 1863 to 1867. He baptized seventeen and received by letter sixty. Rev. Wm. P. Everett, three and a half years, from 1869 to 1872. He baptized eighty-five and received by letter sixty-six. The present pastor, Rev. Leo M. Woodruff, commenced his labors in September, 1872. He has baptized seventy-five and received by letter thirty-eight.
"The officers of the church are as follows: Leo M. Woodruff, pastor; Abel D. Gifford. R. W. Padelford, Hezekiah Gifford, Wmn. F. Sylla, deacons; R. W. Padelford, clerk; A. D. Gifford, R. W. Padelford. Wm. E. Bent,
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Increase C. Bosworth, Hezekiah Gifford, trustees. Number of members in 1875 three hundred and eighty."
On the 3d of July, 1870, the old Baptist church was formally withdrawn from, with appropriate allusions by the pastor, Rev. W. P. Everett. Among the honored members and founders of this church were the Schoonhovens, Kennedy, Westons, Hull, Walker, S. J. Kimball. A. J. Joslyn, Philo Sylla and others. The society worshiped in this building twenty years. It was built of the material of which several of the best early residences were con- structed-cobblestones-found abundantly in our gravel knolls. After its abandonment it suffered much decay, but was thought good enough to teach the children in until its removal, when the new Franklin school was constructed.
Following Rev. Woodruff came Dr. D. B. Cheney, who was succeeded by Dr. H. O. Rowlands, after whom came Rev. Vosburg, Rev. Walker, Dr. DeBlois and Dr. J. S. Kirtley, who this year ( 1908) resigned to go to Duluth. The membership has increased to over twelve hundred. The Emmanuel church, on Bent street, was built under the patronage of the society.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Rev. N. C. Clark came to Illinois under a home missionary commission in 1833, two years before the settlement of Elgin (some months before there was a white settler in Kane county) and first located at Naperville, DuPage county. February 15, 1836, Mr. Clark visited Elgin by invitation for the pur- pose of consulting with the settlers here respecting the organization of a church. Mr. Clark preached a sermon in the log house of Jas. T. Gifford, Esq .. where Rev. John H. Prentiss, of Joliet, had preached the day before (Sabbath, February 14). This house stood near the present intersection of Villa and Prairie streets, a few feet north of the west end of the small triangular park.
Three months later Mr. Clark again visited Elgin by invitation, and on the 12th day of May, 1836, the Congregational church, the oldest in the city, was organized, composed of the following members, who presented letters from sister churches: George McClure. Philo Hatch, Reuben Jenne. Jas. T. Gifford. Laura Gifford, Experience Gifford. Ruth G. Dixon, Relief Kimball, Mary Ann Kimball.
In September, 1837, this church assumed the support of Mr. Clark for one-half of the time, he dividing his labors between Elgin and St. Charles. In 1839 this church assumed his whole support.
During the first years of the existence of this church Sabbath services were held in the house of Jas. T. Gifford; when there was no preaching, a sermon was read. In 1838 the "Elgin chapel" was built and occupied jointly with the Baptists. This house stood on the northeast corner of DuPage and Geneva streets ; its dimensions were 24x28 feet.
In 1843 the Congregationalists sold their interest in this chapel to the Baptists, and July i of that year the cornerstone of the edfice ( formerly occu- pied on Villa street, now the Swedish church ) was laid. The basement of this building was occupied for worship from May. 1844, till July 29. 1847, when the
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, ELGIN.
A
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A
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, ELGIN.
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completed building was dedicated to the worship of God. This house was rebuilt and enlarged in 1869 and 1870.
During the thirty-nine years of the existence of this church it has had nine pastorates and seven pastors, as follows: Rev. N. C. Clark, from Sep- tember 1, 1837, till June 13, 1845; Rev. Marcus Hicks, from July 17, 1845. till April 19, 1847; Rev. N. C. Clark, from July 29. 1847, till July 13, 1851 ; Rev. Wm. H. Starr. from September 1, 1851, till his death, March 6, 1854; Rev. Wm. E. Holyoke, from March 20, 1854, till September 14, 1858; Rev. J. T. Cook, from April, 1859, till April, 1860; Rev. N. C. Clark, from May I, 1860, till September 1, 1862; Rev. Fred Oxnard, from September 1, 1862, till November 1, 1866; Rev. C. E. Dickinson, who commenced labor with the church May 12, 1867.
This church has enjoyed fourteen or fifteen seasons of revival. The years 1839. 1857 and 1874 witnessed the largest accessions to its membership. but some have been added during almost every year of its existence.
In the spring of 1841 sixteen members were dismissed to be organized with others into the Congregational church of Dundee. May 28, 1848, twenty were dismissed to be organized into the Congregational church of Udina, and February 5, 1853, twenty-three were dismissed to be organized into a Presby terian church in Elgin. The whole number of members from the first has been nine hundred and eighty. Present membership, three hundred.
In 1856 Rev. C. M. Woodward became pastor and in 1857 some efforts were made to build a house of worship. Three hundred dollars were expended for plans, etc., but the project was dropped for want of sufficient subscriptions to warrant going on with the work. In the fall of 1857 Mr. Woodward was reappointed for another year.
Rev. G. L. S. Stuff was again pastor from the fall of 1858 to the fall of 1860, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. Q. Fuller, who continued here two years.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The first sermon ever preached in Elgin was by a Methodist minister, in 1835. In the summer of 1836, one or two families by the name of Ham- mers, and others favorable to Methodism, settled at Hoosier Grove, four miles east of Elgin, and during this year Rev. Wm. Royal, who was then on Fox River circuit, established an appointment here and formed a class. It had seven members, viz. : Joseph and Mrs. Russell, his son Joseph Russell, Jr., and his wife, George Hammers, Rebecca Hammers and Elizabeth Hammers. Geo. Hammers was the leader in 1836, and was succeeded by Benjamin Burritt. This was the beginning of the Elgin Methodist church.
On the 12th day of December, 1836, Rev. Washington Wilcox preached at the house of Solomon Hamilton, about two miles west of the village, being probably the second Methodist sermon in the town of Elgin. Mr. Hamilton was one of the chief pillars in the Methodist church of Elgin from its forma- tion until his death, nearly twenty years afterward. After this year of labor, Mr. Wilcox reported two hundred and eighty members on his circuit, a terri- tory which now embraces over fifteen thousand.
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In 1838 the Elgin circuit was formed. It was forty miles square, with thirty-two preaching places.
In 1839 the preaching place in Elgin, which hitherto had been migratory, was located on the east side of the river, and for a time worship was held in the union chapel, corner of DuPage and Geneva streets, a part of which is now the Martin flats. A camp meeting was hield this year, which greatly advanced the interests of the church. The circuit now embraced all that part of the country lying between Fox river and the lake, north of a line drawn from Chicago to St. Charles. During this year, measures were taken to erect a church, which, however, was not completed until 18440, and when done was a small affair, only 25x42 feet, but amply large for the congregation.
The land on which this house stood, and which is the present church lot. was donated by J. T. Gifford. The timber for the frame was given by the Hammers. George Hammers shaved the oak shingles for the roof, and Horace Benham did the carpenter work for $150, receiving $3 in cash and the balance in sundries. When the present brick church was built, the old frame building was sold to the colored Baptists, and removed to their lot on Dundee street, where it was occupied by them until its destruction by fire on the 28th of March, 1875.
In 1839. Rev. John Nason and Rev. J. M. Snow were sent to the circuit. In 1840, it was made a station, with one or two outside appointments, and Rev. Sias Bolles, now of Minnesota, designated to labor here. In this latter year the following persons were elected as the first trustees of the society : Solomon Hamilton, Burgess Truesdell, James P. Corron, Benjamin Burritt and Jonathan Hinsdell.
The next year Rev. Wm. Vallette was sent to the charge. He after- wards located, on account of ill health, and for several years practiced medi- cine in this place.
Revs. S. P. Keys, W. Wilcox, G. L. S. Stuff,-Early,-Brown and R. K. Bibbins served the church during the remainder of the decade.
In the fall of 1850 Rev. S. Bolles was again sent from the conference as pastor, and in the summer of 1851 the congregation had increased to such an extent that an addition to the church was built for their accommodation. Mr. Bolles was continued in charge another year, and in the summer of 1852 still another addition was built in the form of a wing. The preacher's salary at this time was $500. Pastors in succeeding years were S. Guyer one year, W. P. Jones one year, and Silas Seal two years.
In 1861 the twenty-fifth year of Methodism in Elgin was completed and its establishment celebrated. An interesting meeting was held to commemo- rate the event. when addresses were delivered by Revs. E. Q. Fuller. A. D. Field, H. Crews, J. W. Agard. M. Sherman and N. C. Clark.
But in this year the war of the Rebellion broke out and while it continued everything of a moral and religious nature suffered from its blighting influence. In 1864 there were only one hundred and sixteen members in the society. with a church and lot valued at $1,000 and a parsonage at $1,200.
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The pastors succeeding Mr. Fuller were Rev. W. P. Gray, from the fall of 1862 to the fall of 1864; Rev. John Gibson, from the fall of 1864 to that of 1865, and the Rev. W. D. Atchison, from the fall of 1865 to that of 1868. While the latter was in charge it was agreed at a meeting of the official mnem- bers held March 17, 1866, to erect a church, and on the ist day of May fol- lowing the work was commenced. It was so far built that the congregation occupied the spacious basement the next winter, and during the succeeding summer it was completed and dedicated on the 8th of September, 1867. The sermon on the occasion was preached by Kev. T. M. Eddy, then editor of Northwestern Christian Advocate, who, with the help of others, secured pledges on that day to the amount of some $15,000 to liquidate the indebted- ness. Some of these pledges proving unreliable, and interest, etc., increasing the indebtedness, it was found in 1871 that the obligations of the society were still some $10,000 or $12,000, but this amount was greatly reduced by the persevering efforts of Rev. D. J. Holmes, who was pastor at that time.
In October, 1868, Rev. W. H. Gloss was appointed pastor, continuing two years; in 1870, Rev. D. J. Holmes, continuing one year, and in 1871, Rev. N. H. Axtell, continuing three years. Rev. W. C. Dandy, D. D., was appointed October, 1874.
The presiding elders until the conference of 1851 were Rev. John Clark, Rev. John T. Mitchell. Rev. James Mitchell and Rev. A. S. Risley. Since 1851 they have been : Rev. John Sinclair, until the conference of 1855; Rev. E. H. Gammon, until 1858; Rev. Luke Hitchcock, until 1859; Rev. J. W. Agard, until 1863; Rev. L. A. Sanford, until 1864; Rev. S. P. Keys, until 1865; Rev. H. Crews, until 1869; Rev. W. C. Willing, until the fall of 1873. and Rev. W. P. Gray.
The membership of the church in 1875 was about four hundred. It has grown since until now ( 1908) there are nearly nine hundred members.
THE CATIIOLIC CIIURCH.
J. A. Spillard wrote in 1875:
"The first priest who visited Elgin ( a missionary ) was Rev. M. DeSt. Palais, a zealous Frenchman, and at present bishop of Vincennes. He officiated here, perhaps, once in three months, for over four years. Then came Father Doyle, after whom came Rev. Wm. Feely, who was priest from 1845 to 1852. It was during his mission that James T. Gifford donated a lot on Gifford street, and Father Feely at once commenced the erection of the present church on the same. From 1852 to 1857 Rev. Jas. Gallagher, and from 1857 to 1859 Rev. M. Carroll ministered to the wants of the Catholics in this vicinity. After Father Carroll came Rev. A. Eustace, who remained from 1859 to 1868, which brings us down to the advent among us of Rev. T. Fitzsimmons, whom every one knows as an earnest worker in the temperance cause, and who has accomplished very much good in Elgin. In addition to this Father Fitzsimmons, with the Catholic congregation, is erect- ing an academy or seminary on Center street, at a cost of about $15.000. to
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KANE COUNTY HISTORY
be managed by a religious community of sisters. He donates a beautiful building on Gifford street to the sisters, where they expect to accommodate thirty or forty young lady students ( boarders), and also educate some of the younger children of the parish. The Catholic community here, although not very numerous, is as intelligent and enterprising as any in the state."
St. Mary Academy, successfully completed by Father Fitzsimmons in 1874. has been open every year since, and a large list of alumni tell of their attachment to the old school. In 1872 Father Fitzsimmons organized the Young Men's Catholic Temperance and Benevolent Association, which con- tinued for years and did much good in establishing the standards of the community.
Following Father Fitzsimmons, who resigned in 1877 and died suddenly in Chicago, on December 8. 1880. came Rev. John Mackin. He celebrated his first mass in Elgin on September 2, 1877. By 1879 he had the old church remodeled and the transept built. He also induced the Sisters of the B. V. M. to locate here and gave them charge of the parochial school. He later built the beautiful parochial residence on Gifford street at a cost of $6.000. Father Mackin continued in charge of the Elgin parish until his death, when he was succeeded by Father McCann, who was appointed December 6. 1899.
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