USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 29
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The business men are all substantial men, and nearly every one has been engaged here a lifetime: C. D. Hussey perhaps the longest. His father was one of the very earliest settlers of the township and Mr. Hussey lives on the old homestead to this very day, just on the edge of town. He is in the lumber and coal trade. M. V. Peterman is another lifelong merchant of the place. Dry goods exclusively are sold by him. L. A. Trottnow has one of the best grocery stores in Lee county. He is tremendously active in business life. He is interested in every movement that will improve the village. He is a power. The genial postmaster is James H. Lincoln. The Phenix Hotel is managed by Mrs. Lou Zoeller. A. Kullmer is proprietor of the bakery and restaurant. Frank D. Kelly has a large dry goods and hardware business: George Ives' drug store is one of the best in the county. Ed L. Lott has the meat market: Frank Maronde, hardware: Phillips Bros., barbers: George Westfield, barber shop: H. N. Brattan, furniture and undertaking: Robert Jacobs, livery: A. Meredith, ice cream and confectionery ; H. W. Dysart is one of the big grain buyers of the county. He also sells seeds, flour and feed. The Farmers' elevator, run by E. A. Pegram, manager, is the other elevator, and also sells seeds and grain : coal too. In the neighbor- hood of 600,000 bushels of grain is marketed here per annum. J. S. Tompkins has the paint, oil and wall paper store: G. W. Ling.
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feed sheds; William Trottnow, shoe repairing; Andrew Dierdorff, real estate and loans; O. E. O. Orner, farm implements; Will Miller, harness; Linnie Bratton, "Home Restaurant"; John Maronde, shoes; Henry A. Dierdorff, plumbing and heating estab- lishment; John Kelly, blacksmith; Henry Sunday, implements and blacksmithing; Charles Howard, cement blocks; Frank Lager, jeweler; Charles Hunt, harness; H. C. Stultz, grocer; Fred Blocher has a remarkably fine clothing store; New Colonial Theatre, JJ. C. Cook, proprietor; Glenn Wright, pool and billiards.
Way back to the days of Dr. Hewitt, Franklin Grove always has been provided with the best of surgeons. Dr. F. M. Barker; Dr. W. C. Smith, Dr. Adam Grim. Dentist: Dr. W. L. Moore. Veterinarians: J. H. Root and William Hepfir.
The Sterling Tea & Produce Co., Bert Morgan, manager, does an enormous business in poultry and eggs and ice.
Societies and club life always have been features of this vil- . lage. Franklin Grove Lodge 2264, A. F. & A. M., is very pros- perous. So too Nathan Whitney Chapter 129. Officers of the blue lodge are: Charles Kelly, W. M. ; W. L. Moore, S. W .; G. S. Ives, J. W .; G. D. Black, Treas .; N. A. Whitney, Secretary; J. R. Dysart, Tyler. Of the Chapter: J. R. Dysart, H. P. ; N. K. North- rup, K .; H. Reinhart, Scribe; Dr. A. Grim, Treas. ; N. A. Whit- ney, Secy. ; G. Lookingland, Sentinel. Of the O. E. S .: Mrs. Nel- lie Stewart, W. M. : N. A. Whitney, W. P. ; Mrs. Katherine Cover, A. M .; Mrs. Drucilla Banker, Conductress; Mrs. Mattie Ramsdell, Assoc. Conductress : John W. Cover, Treas. ; Annis M. Roe, Secy. ; Mrs. Carrie Rim, Ada ; Miss Marjorie Grim, Ruth ; Mrs. Zilpah Peterman, Esther: Mrs. Edna Trottnow, Martha; Mrs. Lilla Dysart, Electa ; Mrs. Grace Remley, Chaplain ; Mrs. Grace Stultz, Marshal; Mrs. Vera Gross, Warden ; Fred C. Gross, Sentinel.
Knights of Pythias, Grove Lodge 504: Foster Mattern, C. C .; Reinhart W. Smith, V. C .: Simon D. Remley, Prelate; Grover Lott, M. of A .; Robert W. Crawford, M. of W .; John W. Cover, M. of F .: Henry W. Sunday, M. of E .: Robert Ramsdall, I. G .; Amos Wilson, O. G. : George E. Schultz, K. of R. & S.
The clubs, the Clio, the Priscilla, and the Sorosis, are very active and influential. Of the Clio it may be said Chautauqua work is its specialty. Mrs. Nellie Hansen is president ; Mrs. Jen- nie Sunday is vice president ; Mrs. Maude Phillips, secretary ; and Mrs. Grace Stultz is treasurer. The membership is limited to twenty-five and it is filled.
Fel 1-21
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Of the Priscilla Embroidery Club, Mrs. Jennie Riegle is presi- dent; Mrs. Jennie Sunday is vice president; and Mrs. Hannah Conlon, secy. and treas. The membership is limited to thirty, and filled.
Of the Sorosis Club, Mrs. Hannah Conlon is president; Mrs. Elizabeth Crawford is vice president and librarian ; and Miss Lulu Miller, secy. and treas. Study for 1913-1914: "Taming of the Shrew"; "All's Well That Ends Well"; "Comedy of Errors." Required reading: William Shakespeare; a critical study. Lim- ited membership: 20 active; 20 associate. Special days for Illi- nois and its laws ; current events; American and other countries.
Besides these, there are the M. W. A., the strongest order in the village, about 200 members; the Stars of Equity; and the Mystic Workers.
Grove City Camp No. 45: Consul. Foster Mattern: Worthy Adviser, Robt. Ramsdell ; Banker, Henry A. Dierdorff; Escort, Don C. Hussey : Clerk, William F. Miller; Watchman, Amel Bet- tine; Sentry, Harold Kelly : three trustees. S. D. Remly, W. O. Sunday, W. W. Phillips. Officers M. W. A. Camp.
Mystic Workers of the World: Prefect, W. E. Trottnow; Monitor, Miss Mary Brown : Secy., Mrs. Annis Roe : Banker, S. A. Durkes; Marshal, Mrs. Mand Phillips; Warder, Miss L. M. Weit- zel: Sentinel, N. A. Whitney; Supervisors, Mrs. Harriet Ains- worth, Mrs. Hannah Conlon, Mrs. W. B. Holley. Membership 71.
LIVEIT
FEED STAHLY
GALENA AVENUE, LOOKING FROM A POINT BETWEEN THE COURTHOUSE AND THE NACHUSA HOUSE From an old photograph
L
DIXON IN 1832
CHAPTER XXII
DIXON
In such a frontier outpost as was Dixon, in its very early years, the life of the settler might be said to have been more or less precarious, especially after the Indian war of 1832 and the threat- ened Winnebago outbreak of the year following. Dangers, how ever from Indians were less to be feared than dangers from the thieves and counterfeiters and claim-jumpers, who sought the new country as an asylum, and for the purpose of plying their craft.
In each community associations were formed by settlers and these associations adopted constitutions and by-laws and amalga- mated themselves with the associations of other conmmmities so that at a moment's notice, if the local body found itself unable to cope with the offenders, others reinforced still others. It was a sort of endless chain.
Almost everything of local and general worth pertaining to Dixon, has been noticed, except perhaps the Bull-Anderson claim jumping incident. A poor settler in Sublette township was hold- ing down a claim. A neighbor named Anderson, who owed him a grudge, came to Dixon and representing to one Bull, who bought claims once in a while, that he was the owner of the claim, sold it to Bull and the latter at once stepped over to the United States land office and paying the money, entered it in his name.
The moment the news reached Sublette precinct, the local association started to Amboy, where large reinforcements joined, and together the mass of men journeyed to Dixon to pay their respects to Bull, innocent of wrong as he was. Just south of Dixon the greater number of the committee tarried in the tim- ber while a committee went into the old Western Hotel to get Bull. To represent Bull in the proposed trial. Messrs. Badger and Blair were chosen and, when Bull was called, he very natur-
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ally was indignant. He was picked up and passed over the heads of the people and thrown unceremoniously into a wagon. At this time the committee poured out from the woods. The wagon had started for the jail to lodge Bull there for safety.
At that particular time the notorious Bridge, of Ogle county, was confined, pending his trial. Constable N. G. H. Morrill when he saw the crowd, thought it had come over from Ogle to lynch Bridge, then in jail here, and he demanded that they release the prisoner to him. But Constable Mor- rill was tossed aside unceremoniously. Bull at last was enabled to get a hearing and when Badger and Blair learned that he was a respectable man who at times bought claims in a legitimate manner, he was acquitted and later the neighbor settled the account by giving to Bull his note for the money paid for the claim. But not all the defendants got off so easily. Many were ordered out of the county and not one instance is recorded of the man who failed to go when ordered. The claim jumpers claimed that so long as title to the land was in the United States, there was no property in bare claims and so their sale was illegal and after the claimant had abandoned the claim, it was anybody's privilege to take it up. The claim jumpers society held otherwise and subsequently the Legislature acknowl- edged property rights in claims and sundry laws were passed to protect the claimant in those rights.
In 1837 the claim association was formed at Dixon's Ferry and the following persons were made members by signing the agreement : Sanmel C. MeClure, Hugh Moore, John Chamberlin. Samuel Anthony, Jolm H. Champlin, James Moore, A. Menten, S. N. Anthony, Henry Moon, Cyrus Chamberlin, William G. Elder, Josiah Moore, J. D. Pratt, Robert Murray, Edwin W. Hine, Isaac S. Boardman, J. B. Dills, Alanson Dickerman, John Richards, Caleb Tallmadge, Charles Franks, Smith Gilbraith, Oliver Ever- ett, Joseph Crawford, Timothy H. Miner, Samuel M. Bowman, James Kent, Moses Crombie, Major Chamberlin, Daniel Koons, Nehemiah Hutton, James M. Santee, William P. Burroughs, Thomas S. Banner, Charles F. Hubbard, John Carr, William Graham, Edward Brandon, G. Wetzler, J. Caldwell. J. Young. J. P. Dixon, John Dixon, J. Murphy, James Evans, (by John Dixon, his agent ), James W. Stephenson, John W. Dixon. Joseph Conrt- right, B. B. Browne, Samuel Johnson, Jesse Bowman, James Holly. Thomas MeCabe, W. C. Bostwick, John Wilson, John Brandon, Jude W. Hamilton. Ward Rathbone, Daniel O'Brien, Stephen Fuller and Jesse P. Bailey.
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The reader will notice that this list of names contained men from Galena to Peoria, and that Moses Crombie from Inlet, is included.
But very few of those men actually lived in Dixon. Most of them were hold-claims and when this large class of men came to the ferry on business, it then was a very busy place.
During the Black Hawk war, a man, and army sutler, named Tilson, established himself in the Dixon cabin as sutler and trader and in the winter of 1833-4, John K. Robison taught the Dixon and Kellogg and one or two other children in one of its rooms.
Ogee built the tallest part of this cabin, of hewn logs and this was the part used by John Dixon for merchandising purposes.
When Mr. Dixon bought the ferry from Ogee, this upright portion was all that was built. Immediately upon taking posses- sion, Mr. Dixon built a double cabin of rough logs close to it. Sub- sequently when he finished the block house portion and made it habitable, he joined it to his double cabin by a connecting portion of split shakes.
The roof was built of shakes; the chimneys were built of stone, partly on the outside of the house. A small lean-to was built on the north side, which latter was used for a kitchen.
By looking at the picture of it presented in this book. a small building will be noticed on the north side of the river. This was the fort built by Zachary Taylor and his regulars while encamped during the Black Hawk war. It was built for the pur- pose of protecting the ferry during the war and he named it Fort Dixon. This building was rather longer than wide. Around it port holes were left through which to fire in case of attack.
Around all this, an embankment of earth was thrown abont five feet high and covering a square of ground about 500 feet. The fort stood about 350 feet north of the present north end of the bridge and about seventy-five feet to the westward.
Up until about the year 1843 the old fort still stood. The old Galena stage road ran to the westward along this south embank- ment and between it and the river. Then it turned at the south- west corner of the embankment and traversed a northwesterly course through Ogle and Carroll counties and on into Jo Daviess county. To this very day, the old diagnoal road is used for a con- siderable distance through Carroll county between Milledgeville and Lanark and I have traveled it many times.
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This old log house, the first to be erected in Dixon, faced south, being placed at a slight angle to the river and directly across the old trail from Peoria, now Peoria avenue. It stood about 200 feet from the river. The next honse built in Dixon stood immediately to the east of the corner now occupied by the City National Bank, on the spot on which the directors' rooms rest today. It was a log building, built by JJames P. Dixon, and was about sixteen feet square, with a small lean-to built against its east side. In this building the postoffice was located when Mr. John Dixon was postmaster. This house disappeared about the year 1855. Some have maintained that the old north side block house stood until that year, but this is a mistake. In the year 1836, our first regu- lar merchants, Chapman & Hamilton opened their store in the block house part of the original mansion and Father Dixon who had done a limited amount of trading and had continued to run the ferry, removed to his claim, a few rods southwest of what now is the Chicago and Northwestern passenger station.
In the autumn of 1836, the size of the place had increased by the appearance of the first frame house built by Jude W. Hamil- ton, the merchant just across the street from Mr. James P. Dixon's house. As a matter of fact, the little house had been erected in 1835. It was a little mite of a thing; not more than fifteen or eighteen feet across the front and perhaps twenty feet running backward to include the little kitchen built on its north side. Another house which in 1836 had been built was the one built in 1835 by James Wilson for a blacksmith shop and which has been more particularly described in that portion of this work apportioned to the courts held early in the county while we were a part of Ogle county. Another log building, afterwards covered with sid- ing, was located on the southwest corner of River and Crawford streets. It was built by a Doctor Forrest, who was the original claimant of the subsequent Woodford farm up the river on the north side. Subsequently Smith Gilbraith lived in it and one of the old settlers made the statement that when he reached Dixon, he handed over all the money he possessed, $300, to Smith Gil- braith to keep for him, because the house was the only one that had a cellar, and cellars those days were considered impregnable. Later this house became a saloon named "The Hole in the Wall."
One Colonel Johnson kept boarders or private tavern in a log building built on the southeast corner of Galena avenue and River street where the Eli Baker building stands today.
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Such were the physical proportions of Dixon in the autumn of 1836, not a very healthy six-year old!
At the same time the census showed the following residents of Dixon: James P. Dixon, Peter MeKenney, Samuel John- son, Jude W. Hamilton, James B. Barr and Edwin W. Hine. These gentlemen had families here with them. The remainder of the census, unmarried were, Dr. Oliver Everett. Smith Gil- braith, James Wilson, Daniel B. MeKenney, who was a member of Peter MeKenney's family. On farms immediately contignons there lived Stephen Fuller, Caleb Tallmadge. E. W. Covell, John Dixon and George A. Marshall.
There was not merchandising enough in those days to make it profitable. Tavern keeping was the most lucrative business of the early days and that accounts for the seemingly large number of taverns which were to be found in the very newest settlements. and for that matter, all along the great thoroughfares like the Chicago road.
The first hotel built in Dixon was the Western, already men- tioned. It was opened in the winter of 1836-7 by Peter MeKen- ney and Horace Thompson and that same old hostelry stands today, on Hennepin avenne, next south of Beier's bakery. Sub- sequently it became known as the Mansion House, the Revere Honse and half a dozen other names.
Over on what now is known as Adelheid Park, a townsite was platted called Burlington, and for a time it contained as many or more houses than Dixon. Stephen Fuller lived there when first he came to the country. In 1836 it still had three log honses, so that it will be seen that while the movement of people to a common center was slow, townsite speculators were active and very wide awake for the future.
Two very important things happened in Dixon in the year 1834, for Dixon: the name of the postoffice was changed from Ogee's Ferry to Dixon's Ferry and the Government surveyed what then was called Dixon township.
But to return to the year 1836; the six families for a little while were reduced to four by the removal of two of them. Caleb Tallmadge lived on the Peoria road, a mile south of town, E. W. Covell and George A. Martin lived on claims on the north side of the river. Joseph Crawford lived on his claim in the bend of the river from the day he landed in Dixon in the year 1835. And. too, the year 1836 was the year Stephen Fuller was living in Bur-
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
lington. While Thompson and MeKenney operated the West- ern, they also managed the old tavern in the Dixon mansion.
Considerable mystery has been allowed to accumulate around the location of the old Phenix House, which in the early day was built here. In the year 1837 the old Rock River House was built on River street, about fifty feet west of the southwest corner of Galena avenue and River street. It was run first by Crowell and Wilson, then by George Holly and Isaac Robinson; afterwards in 1846 it was destroyed by fire.
About the year 1840 followed the famous old Dixon House, built on First street at the southeast corner of the alley between Galena and Hennepin avenues. This was built by Henry Mcken- ney, father of Uriah McKenney of this city, and was run as the Dixon House until about the year 1855, possibly 1857, when it was moved around to the spot occupied at this time by the E. J. Countryman store on the west side of Galena avenue. There it remained as a hotel, run under many names until it was torn down by the purchaser, I. B. Countryman, who built the present Countryman store there.
In the year 1837 the first dry goods store was opened by Samuel M. Bowman & Co., on the southwest corner of River and Galena. This firm continued in business there until the winter of 1839-40 when Joseph T. Little and S. G. D. Howard opened the second dry goods store in the building. Bowman, by the bye, made the first temperance speech in Polo which ever was deliv- ered in this part of the country.
On River street, a Frenchman named Calmeze, kept a grocery store in 1838-9, from which he sold candles of unusual length, and which, according to tradition, contained whiskey. This building was located east of the corner of Galena avenue and subsequently was occupied by Elias Bovey as his lumber office, and has been referred to as The Hole in the Wall.
In 1837 the number of families in Dixon had increased to thirteen and Dixon considered herself a very likely place. In the year 1843, when incorporation was desired, Dixon had forty- four voters, every one of whom east his vote in favor of ineor- poration. By the year 1845, the place had a population of 400.
The year 1840 was a great year for Dixon. Through the instrumentality of Mr. Dixon, the land office was removed from Galena to Dixon. The removal was the sensation of the state. Tn 1838 Father Dixon had been appointed Commissioner of Internal Improvements, a great honor, and from his appoint-
GOVERNOR CHARTERS' LOG CABIN AT HAZELWOOD
From a photograph made about 1860
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
ment he was presumed to carry considerable weight in Illinois politics, but to secure the removal of the land office seemed incredible for a long time.
At that time Colonel John Dement was receiver of the land office, and with the removal to Dixon of his office he was com- pelled to come along. This year was an important one in secur- ing Colonel Dement ; just as important a factor in the life of the town as the land office. Indeed, if the removal brought Dement here, it did a vast amount for Dixon. For fifty years the name of Colonel John Dement was most powerful. Active in politics always, he commanded a vast amount of influence, and that influ- ence always was exerted first for the interests of Dixon before he permitted himself to consider his own interests.
At this point it may well be said that the name Dixonville, applied sometimes to this place, was so applied without any license whatsoever. The postoffice was named Dixon's Ferry, then Dixon. Many men of learning, notably United States Senator Young, addressed letters to Father Dixon at Dixonville, but the superscriptions always contained the real name of the postoffice. The name Dixonville came to be used a little because certain map men, hearing the name, applied by rumor to the place, immedi- ately placed it on their maps. I have the various maps which contained this name. Naturally, frequent reference to the maps gave the observer the false idea that this place was named Dixon- ville, but after a little while the map men learned their mistake and corrected it in all future maps.
Attracted by reports of the beauties of Rock River, a number of persons of cultivated tastes, of leisure, refinement and consid- erable property, closed out their holdings in the eastern states and migrated to Dixon. The number included, too, others, who had been affected by the terrible panic of 1837. Among the num- ber were the Grahams, the Charters, the Lawrences, the Roundys, the Zimmermanns, the Reardons, the Strongs, John Shillaber and many others. These people were all people of rare education. Some had considerable means and they surrounded themselves with almost feudal establishments. All were lavish entertainers. Some had been army officers, some had been sea captains. Prob- ably the best known was Governor Alexander Charters, a rare old Irish gentleman, originally from County Antrim, Ireland.
Along in other pages of this book the important features of Dixon's history have been related. The details of unimportant
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
daily events should have no place in history, yet to satisfy the grub, some of them must be picked up and mentioned.
In 1840 the population of Lee county was 2,035. Dixon pre- cinct had 725; 125 persons in the latter were farmers, 17 in merchandising, 55 in manufacturing, sawmills principally; 12 professional men and one school with 30 pupils.
November 6, 1845, Friendship Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 7, was chartered by the Kentucky grand lodge. The first officers were Samuel Johnson, W. M .; E. G. Nichols, S. W .; W. A. Mer- ritt, J. W .; John Arnam, treas. ; S. A. Martin, secy. ; M. P. Kerr, S. D .; Alvin Humphrey, J. D.
In 1845 the population of Lee had increased to 3,282. Dixon had six lawyers, four church societies, one church building, one select and one district school with combined attendance of sixty pupils. There were 149 school children under twenty years old; three physicians, five dry goods and three grocery stores, four blacksmith shops, three wagon shops, three tailors, two shoe- makers, one painter, two cabinet makers, two saddle and harness shops, one bakery, two hotels, one the old Western, kept by Aaron L. Porter, and the Phenix, on River street. There also was a young men's lyceum. The population of Dixon was 400. In 1846 the first big fire swept away the store of Stiles and Eddy, on the southwest corner of Galena and River streets, and the Phenix Hotel, just a little to the west, were burned.
In the autumn of 1846 Dixon's first briek block was built in Dixon ; two stores of two stories and attie were built on the north side of First street, where today it stands adjoining the Union block on the west. James and Horace Benjamin built the west one and A. T. Murphy the east one.
In the attic of the Murphy building the first Odd Fellows' lodge was organized and its meetings were held there for a long while. Until stairs were built later, a ladder was used to reach the rooms.
The first corporation to be organized in Lee county was "The Dixon Hotel Company" in 1837. The names of the incorpora- tors will be found in the following letter from Secretary of State Woods ; its objects as well :
July 19, 1913.
Frank E. Stevens. Dixon, Ill.
Dear Sir :- In answer to your inquiry without date just received, you are advised that "DIXON HOTEL COMPANY"
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
was incorporated by special Act of the Legislature in 1837. The law is to be found on page 242 of the "Private Laws of 1837."
The names of the incorporators and powers granted are set forth in the following sections :
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That John Atchison, James Evans, Charles S. Boyd, Wm. C. Bostick, Charles Chap- man, John Dixon, Smith Gilbraith, James P. Dixon, L. S. Huff, John Brown, and Samuel Johnson, their associates and sule- cessors, be and they are hereby constituted a body politie and corporate, under the name of the "Dixon Hotel Company," to be located in the town of Dixon, Ogle county; and by that name shall have power to contract and be contracted with, and may sue and be sned, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, in all courts having competent jurisdiction, and shall be vested with all the powers and privileges necessary to the object of their incorporation, as are hereinafter defined and limited.
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