USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume I > Part 74
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In the early days the travel from place to place was over the old Indian trails and the road between Chicago and Galena which was then much tray- eled. The old stage route from St. Charles to Galena ran through Plato township, and the Chicago & Pacific Railway, which was built in 1875, closely
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followed the old stage route. The Chicago, Madison & Northern, now the Illinois Central, was built in 1888 and passes through nearly the center of the township.
KANEVILLE TOWNSIIIP.
Kaneville was given the place by "Long John" Wentworth, who was in congress from Illinois in 1848, when the postoffice was established in the township. The people had petitioned that the new postoffice be named Royal- ton, but Wentworth understood there was another place by that name. so named the postoffice "Kaneville" in honor of Elias Kent Kane, after whom the county was named.
In an early day this township was the seat of the usual number of contro- versies over land claims, owing largely to the fact that the timber was all located at one place, and every settler that came in wanted a piece of the timber land at Lone Grove.
The first actual settlers were Joe Isbell and his brother, James Isbell. Joe Isbell arrived at Lone Grove in the fall of 1835 and built a log cabin, which was the first in the township. He soon after returned to Ohio, where he died in the spring of 1837. His brother James came from Sugar Grove and located on the claim. Amos Miner came in 1835 or 1836 from Wayne county, New York. Levi Leach came with him. Miner lived two years on his claim, too poor to own a team, and would hire his ground plowed and split rails to pay for the plowing. He bought a cow and paid for it by laboring for other settlers.
The first child born in the township was Mary, a daughter of Amos Miner, who was born November 27. 1837. She married Robert Alexander, of Campton.
In the fall of 1837 Alfred Churchill came from Vermont. He was elected county superintendent of schools and held several offices in the county and township. In 1857 he moved to Rockford. He returned to Kaneville and died there in 1868. J. H. Moore was one of the early settlers, but remained only a short time. He returned later and died in the township, his being the first death. In 1838 the Inmanns arrived from New York, also David Wentworth from New Hampshire, who located on the land afterward owned by Silas Hayes. The McNairs also came that year.
The first marriage was that of James Isbell and Sarah Moore, February 24. 1838. J. Bunker came in 1838, and built the first frame house in the town- ship on the land afterward owned by Mr. Hoyt. He died in 1862. He was the first justice of the peace in the precinct, elected in 1845.
The first school was taught in 1839 by Miss Fayetta R. Churchill, who afterward became Mrs. David Hanchett. The school room was in her father's honse. Mr. Hanchett arrived in 1847.
The first postoffice was established in 1845. being in the house of Alfred Churchill. It was named "Avon," and mail arrived weekly. Before that mail had been delivered at Blackberry, and prior to that settlers had to go as far as Naperville, a distance of twenty-five miles, to get their letters.
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William Wilson purchased a claim in 1843, and James Lewis bought a farm in the township in 1847. He came from Suffield, Conn. Both died in the '6os.
The first public road laid out in the township led from Sugar Grove to Ohio Grove through the village of Kaneville, and gave the people an outlet to the mills at Aurora.
In 1845 Rev. Thomas Ravlin purchased land, paying three dollars an acre for land upon which was afterward laid out the village of Kaneville. H. S. Gardner located in 1845 and opened the first blacksmith shop, a great convenience to the settlers. Preaching by the minister of the Methodist church was had at the school house and at the Miner residence in 1845. there being no regular organization at that time.
The land in Kaneville being nearly all prairie land was the last taken up by settlers, who, being accustomed to the forest land of the East, did not know and for many years did not discover the value of prairie land. They would take up wood land, and after making a clearing would plow in among the stumps sufficiently to cover up the seed that they scattered over the ground. It was many years before they realized the value of the prairie soil and began its regular cultivation.
The Sunday school and day school was taught at Mr. Bunker's house at an early day. Rev. Van Deuzer often preached there, and Rev. Augustus Conant preached several times at Mr. Churchill's house. In 1847 the Baptists held meetings in the first frame school house which had been erected by that time.
The village of Kaneville was laid out and platted by Thaddeus Hoyt in 1861. As early as 1852 William Hall built a house and opened it as a hotel. This was the only public house until 1869, when B. and A. Cary built a hotel. In 1855 the Baptists built a church, and the Methodist Episcopal Church organization moved from Blackberry to Kaneville and built a church, which was replaced in 1875 by the present building. In 1857 the old school house was torn down and a new building erected. The first principal of the new school was N. F. Nichols, afterward a lawyer in Aurora. The first store build- ing was erected in 1852 by Mr. Goodwin, who sold out to Hathorn. In 1874 Frank Sperry started in business. In 1888 the township contained eight school houses, all frame buildings; the most expensive one being in district No. 8. which was erected in 1872 at a cost of $1.000.
CAMPTON TOWNSIIIP.
Campton township is the geographical center of Kane county, and in natural beauty and fertility of soil is unsurpassed by any part of the county It is about half wood, half prairie land. Lilly Lake on section 19 was in early days quite a lake, but owing to the modern drainage systems that have drawn the water away, is little more than a memory. An Indial trail originally crossed the township, entering at section 25 and passing out over section 19. The public road follows the old trail most of the way.
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The township was originally part of Sandusky precinct, but in 1837 Fair- field was formed and included in 1840 Campton and Plato. The name Fair- field is said to have been given by Timothy Garfield, who came from Fair- field, Vermont. In 1850 the town was known as Milo, but the board of supervisors soon after gave it the present name of Campton.
For many years the town meetings were held in the log house of Eber Chaffee, an early settler; afterward in the school house. In 1874 it was voted to build a town hall, and a neat frame building was that year erected on sec- tion 22. The voters met here yearly and used the building as a voting place. It was an exceptional and progressive fact for the citizens to have a special building for the town hall.
The first settler was John Beatty, who staked a claim in 1835. coming from Crawford county, Pennsylvania. When he passed through Geneva Haight and Aken were the only settlers. His claim was afterward owned by C. H. Shaw. He also staked what afterward became the Burr farm. He built a log cabin in 1835, the first in the township. He soon afterward removed to Geneva and lived there. He assisted in removing the Indians in 1836. Next came Henry Warne from New York state in 1837, settling in sections 30 and 31. He built a log cabin which he soon made a tavern, and for years served the weary traveler. He died March 29, 1864; his wife, Charity Warne, February 26, 1864. In 1835 came John Whitney, whose claim was afterward owned by his son, Melvin; also James Hackett from Ohio, Luke Pike and Charles Babcock. During 1836-37 came Harry and Spalding Eddy from Genesee county. New York: John Elliott from Thornton, New Hampshire. The Eddys afterward moved to St. Charles. Atwell Burr arrived in 1836, as did James Ward of New York.
At Canada Corners the first settler was William Kendall. John Durant located there soon after. E. Reed and James Outhouse took claims near Lilly Lake about that time. John Hagaman, Thomas E. Dodge, Ansel Lake, John Tucker, George Thompson from Ohio, Edward Page, Edmund Elliott, Frank- lin Watkins from Herkimer county, New York; Eben Foss from Thornton, New Hampshire; Timothy Garfield of Rutland County, Vermont ( father of Lawyer F. Green Garfield ) : Joseph Rice, a native of New Hampshire ; Thomas Scott, James Powers, Garrit Norton of Duchess county, New York; Mose C. Richmond of Grafton, Vermont (he paid fifty dollars for his claim) ; Calvin C. Barber of Onondaga county, New York, and J. P. Bartlett came from 1836 to 1842, by which time a considerable settlement of Easterners had staked the fertile land in wood and prairie.
In 1838 the pioneers laid out and opened a fairly good road to St. Charles, which was the nearest market at that time. A yoke of oxen was hitched to a tree which was dragged over the route of the road and marked out the high- way. In an early day a considerable traffic passed east and west through the township.
Elias Crary opened his cabin as a tavern early, and Timothy Garfield did the like in 1840. Albert Dodge built a log hotel afterward known as the "Fair- field Exchange." It was on the site of the George Norton residence. A log school was built in 1836 on land belonging to Mr. Lawson. Mrs. McChire
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was the first teacher. In 1837-38 Miss Mary Lee taught in the house of A. Fisher.
The board of school trustees in 1841 were: E. Chaffee, Charles Fletcher. T. E. Dodge, Ansel Lake, H. T. Currier and Nelson Walker. The township then contained five school districts, all keeping school.
The first postoffice was established in 1849 and known as "Swinton," although it was first named "Fairfield." until confusion arose owing to another postoffice in the state having the same name. Henry Warne was appointed postmaster. The office was afterward removed to Blackberry Station. An office was also established at King's Mill and King appointed postmaster, but afterward united with one at Gray Willow, which, too, was later abandoned.
Dr. King built the first sawmill, and was the first physician and preacher in the township. He left at an early day. The old mill was run by the water of Lilly Lake creek operating an old style up and down saw.
Campton postoffice at Canada Corners was opened in 1845 and discon- tinued in 1861.
In 1886-87 the M. & N. R. R. Company built a line across the township with stations at Lilly Lake and Greystock. At that time Lilly Lake was platted as a village by Renalwin Outhouse. The railroad is now known as the Chicago & Great Western, and adds largely to the traffic advantages of the township.
The first church meetings were held by the Baptists in a log cabin near King's Mill, and a partial organization was realized. Dr. King was the pastor. It became inactive in 1872 when he left the state, but was revived when the Baptists and Methodists built a union church at Canada Corners. The Congregationalists organized about this time, the celebrated "Father" Clark and a Rev. Warner officiating. Meetings were held in schoolhouses and residences, and ultimately became dispersed and inactive as a church. The Methodists organized a church at the log school house, which continued until the church at Canada Corners in 1882 was built.
Cheese factories were early built and the dairy interests became early important. Larkin Brothers built a cheese factory at Gray Willow in 1868. and a fine factory was erected at King's Mill in 1875. Butter making was begun in 1877. Edward Thornton constructed a factory in 1884 near Lilly Lake.
The township contains some of the most prosperous farmers in the county, and in dairying it is second to none.
BIG ROCK TOWNSHIP.
This township derives its name from Big Rock creek. The first settler was a man named "Shanty" Cook, who came with his family in 1835. Justice Ament came in the fall of 1835: John Pierce in 1836; J. L. Lamson in 1837. He came from Chicago by stage. his ticket being to Big Rock creek. where he was dropped about dark and not a house or civilized being within sight. He finally found the Cook cabin, but also found the floor all occupied by "guests" who had stopped over for the night. Every cabin was a hotel in those days.
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W. H. Perry and William Perry came in 1835. In the fall of 1835 Justice Ament. the Perrys and Cooks were the only settlers. Joseph Summers and Robert Nash arrived in 1836 from Oneida county, New York. J. W. Swan came from Vermont in January, 1836, and with him was Percy Taylor. Nash, Pierce and Edward Whiddon had located at that time. Alexis Hall came in from Greenfield, Massachusetts, in 1836. In the same year came Robert Fisher : S. Samson in 1839 from New York: Robert Norton and Silas Long from Ohio the same year. L. D. and Jesse Brady and Maurice Price were settlers in 1837. Isaac Hatch came from New York in 1837 and became prominent ; James Hatch arrived in 1837: Shepard Johnson in 1839 from New York : Daniel and David Evans and Thomas Jones came about that time, and Thomas W. Glaspool in 1838. George Peck and Paul Colburn settled in 1836 or 1837. Z. Squires was here from Cortland. New York, in 1847; William Dugan in 1846; Jas. A. Davis in 1847 ; Richard Davis in 1842.
Joseph Summers opened the first tavern, and his house was made a post- office in 1839. named "Acasto," but changed to Big Rock in 1849. Orson Brooks was the first postmaster, in 1839.
William Coon was the first blacksmith, and a man named Walby opened the first store in the township. A sawmill was built by Coon & Massey on Big Rock creek in 1837. a short distance below Rockville, then Catsville. The first railroad, the Chicago & Iowa Railroad, ran through the township in 1871.
A schoolhouse was opened in 1847 on E. Whiddon's land. Colin Ament had taught in a log cabin as early as 1841. The early school trustees were : Alexis Hall, Joseph Summers. J. E. Smith, S. W. Lamson and J. W. Swanl.
In 1842 Rev. George Lewis preached to the Congregationalists, and a society was formed at Pierce's house in 1853. The Welsh Congregational church was dedicated in 1854, with Rev. John Daniel as pastor. Another society was formed in 1858, and the Big Rock Congregational church erected. The Baptists built in 1874.
Big Rock continues to be one of the most fertile and productive town- ships in the county. Its people are progressive and up-to-date, and few sights are fairer than a drive through her fields of ripening grain and verdant prairies. Scenery as fine as can be found anywhere may be seen along the banks of the Big Rock.
BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP.
Burlington township on the west of the county is dotted with groves and well drained by creeks and small streams, some of which run northwest and some southwest. Its position and altitude make it the backbone of the county. There are higher points, such as Bald Mound in Blackberry, but Burlington is higher on the average.
A Burlington voting precinct was formed (including the present terri- tory) as early as 1843. When the county was formed in 1836 it was part of the Pleasant Grove precinct, which covered the north end of the county.
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Stephen Van Velzer arrived in 1835 and laid claim to all the land in sight, including nearly the entire township. Allison Banker came from New York the same year. In 1836 Solomon Wright arrived from Putnam county, New York. and located on what was afterward the Hawley farm. Banker mar- ried one of Solomon Wright's daughters. P. R. Joslyn, of New Jersey. located in 1836; his son. Riley Joslyn, came in 1837; O. H. and T. C. Elli- thorpe, of Franklin county. Vermont, came the same year; John Holden came from Pennsylvania; A. W. Laurence from New York, and C. M. Andrews from Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1837. Stephen Godfrey arrived from Orange county, Vermont, in 1838 and bought land of Van Velzer, as nearly all new comers had to do or have a controversy. His son, Chas. B. Godfrey, still owns over seven hundred acres. David Sholes left Genesee county, New York, for the fertile West and took up a claim in 1840 and remained until his death in October. 1881, when he owned nineteen hundred acres of land. John Sholes, son of David, came about the same time. Simon Young, Sr., came in 1841 with his family, including William, Daniel. John. Simon, Jr., Stephen and David. B. F. Chapman arrived in 1842: James Mann, a soldier of the War of 1812. in 1843, by which time Eben Norton. Isaac Newton, Spafford Orlin and Joel Root, John and Stephen Ellithorpe, and J. W. Hapgood had taken up claims. Harvey A. Matteson came from Jefferson county, New York, in 1842.
It is said that at the time the land was auctioned off by the government only one man. David Finley, had cash enough to pay for his land.
Claim jumping and controversies over land were the chief source of trouble in those days, and in Burlington once led to a riot. The mob had seized the culprit, one McClanathan, and cutting a hole in the ice had given him a plunge bath. He escaped and got to the village, where the people pro- tected him from the mob. McClanathan had sold a settler a yoke of oxen. after which the purchaser had "gone bankrupt." McClanathan then tried to get his land by entering it himself at the land office.
The first store was opened on the old Galena road near where the village now stands. by S. S. Mann, later of Elgin. A brick store was afterward built. For years this was the only store in the township. Ezra Hanson opened a tavern in his log cabin. Van Velzer's wife died in 1837, the first death in the settlement. A postoffice was established in 1846. with J. W. Ellithorpe as postmaster. S. S. Mann succeeded him in 1849. Another postoffice was opened at East Burlington in 1865. The rural free delivery now gives the farmers of this district their mail each day.
The first sawmill was built by Franklin Mann and Gideon Sherman in 1850. and operated seven years, when it was removed. The first frame house was built in Burlington in 1845 by James Mann.
The first church was built by the Congregationalists in 1853. It was completed in 1858 and was a union church for many years. The Free Methodists built a small church in the south part of the township. The first preacher to minister to the settlement was Elder Eaton, of the Free Will Baptists, who came from Ohio in 1840.
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The first school was kept by Mrs. Catherine Ellithorpe in her log house in 1839. In 1840 a log schoolhouse was built about a mile from the village. Miss Nancy Hill and a Miss Larrabee taught there. Mrs. Godfrey taught in her house in 1840, and Fannie Putnam in 1842 used Van Velzer's barn as a schoolhouse.
A cheese factory was built by a stock company in 1871. Kraft & Parks erected another in 1872: a third was put up by Edward Jackson in 1874. This was the beginning of the dairy business, which has continually increased until it has become an important aid to the farmer. Burlington has not lagged in keeping up her end in making Kane county the greatest dairy district in the world.
The first wedding was that of John Holden and Hanna Van Velzer, about 1840. In 1840 two births occurred, it not being determined which was first, the one at Van Welzer's or that at Banker's.
The Illinois Central Company some years ago built a branch of that line through Plato and Burlington township, which affords the residents there an easy outlet for their products. It crosses the Fox river at Coleman Station.
HAMPSHIRE TOWNSHIP.
Hampshire, located off the line of early travel, was late in being settled, although had adventurous pioneers seen its broad fertile acres it would not have long remained unclaimed, as it did not after Lenas Allen in 1836 came from Vermont and found a land ready for the plow, in striking contrast to the rocky hills he had left. He built a cabin in a few weeks of the trees growing abundantly, the first in the township. It stood half a century and disappeared as late as the '8os. He died on his farm February 5, 1848.
Following Allen came Thos. E. Whittemore, of New Hampshire, and Samuel Hawley, of Connecticut, in 1836. In 1838 S. A. McAlpes, Daniel Hall and W. H. Seymour, all of New York state, arrived. Stephen Haviland came about the same time. In 1838 came also Rev. Robert Williams and E. O. Garland, from New Hampshire; Joseph Dalby, direct from England; Isaac Paddock and William Trumbull, from New York; also Hilda Coon and John Aurand. Lucien Baldwin arrived from Bennington, Vermont, in 1842. Samuel C. Rowell, father of Fremont Rowell, still leading citizen and merchant of Hampshire, arrived in 1843. He was then eighteen years of age and rode on horseback from Kentucky, where he lived three years. He followed trails and wagon tracks, swam rivers, passed herds of deer and packs of wolves, depending upon settlers' cabins for shelter and food. Owing to his long hair and Southern pioneer dress he was frequently turned away by the settlers, who were suspicious of horse thieves. One such a night he spent in a raging storm, from which he was saved by getting to the cabin of a Ver- monter, who had been his neighbor in the East. On her advice he cut his hair and had no further trouble. He returned to Kentucky and was married there, bringing his new wife with him on his settlement here. He opened a store at Old Hampshire in 1850 and removed to New Hampshire in 1874. Fremont Rowell still conducts the business.
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Henry Doty, of Ashtabula county, Ohio, came in 1843 from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he spent four or five years before settling here. Rev .. Robert Williams was the first preacher in the township and served the people many years.
The old state road to Galena passed through the township and for years was the only highway east and west. The next road was opened from St. Charles to Marengo, running through Hampshire township. During the excitement and rush for the newly discovered lead deposits near Galena, the Galena road was much traveled. An old settler has stated that he had seen as many as two hundred teams pass his place in a day. That would mean a dozen every hour. In those days "Hen Peck" was one of the important centers of the county. Its location made it an excellent camping place and often as many as fifty men would be in camp at one time.
Hampshire and Rutland were originally one district. named Deerfield Precinct. The postoffice was established at "Garland's tavern." on the Galena road, about a mile west of the present Hampshire village. In 1875 it was removed to the new Hampshire village. In 1876 it was known as Holstein and discontinued about 1884.
The first church in the township was erected by the German Evangelical Society in 1852 in the northeast part of the township and cost two thousand dollars. The church was organized in 1842. Rev. Dikover being in charge for many years. The Methodists built their first church in 1876, the first preacher being Rev. B. H. Cartwright, a son of Peter Cartwright, of political fame. He was known as the "fighting parson" and was in many ways a remarkable man, who left a strong impression upon the settlement. The Catholics erected a church in the new village in 1877 at a cost of two thousand dollars. The Catholics of Burlington worshiped here. In 1885 the German Evangelical church was built in Hampshire.
The first schoolhouse was on the Whittemore farm, now District No. 1. It was made of unhewn logs. The earliest known school trustees were Lenas Allen, Samuel Hawley and T. C. Whittemore. The district was incorporated by a vote taken March 5, 1842. At that time there were one hundred and fourteen pupils in the four districts. In 1850 there were eight districts and four hundred and thirty pupils. In 1871 there were six hundred securing an education, eight teachers and eight schoolhouses. The large schoolhouse in Hampshire was built in 1876 at a cost of three thousand five hundred dollars.
A wind and steam mill was built in 1875 by William Rinn. after the old Dutch style with flying arms. It long served its purpose. Hathaway & Com- pany built a cheese factory, which handled nearly all the milk in the district. The township has been and is chiefly devoted to dairying, and much of the celebrated "Elgin" butter comes from Hampshire.
In 1875 the first railroad was built-the Chicago & Pacific, which after- ward became the C., M. & St. P. Ry. The first train passed through Hamp- shire in May, 1875. The township donated twenty six thousand four hundred dollars, of which sum Jacob Rinn gave ten thousand dollars.
The first village was opened by the opening of a general store on section 12. Here the first postoffice was established, with mail once a week. The
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new village of "Hampshire Center" was platted in October, 1874, by A. J. Willing and C. A. Fasseth. The building of the railroad was its origin. It was incorporated by a vote of seventy-three to two, in October, 1876. The first officers were: S. C. Rowell, president; J. S. Wyckoff, clerk; Phillip Doty, S. C. Rowell, E. W. Whelpley, J. S. Wyckoff, Henry Rinn and A. B. Freeman, trustees.
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