USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 37
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Messrs. A. Nichols & Sons disposed of their mercantile inter- ests about the same time to Derr Brothers, and then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they engaged in the wholesale industry. Derr Brothers quit business at this place some twelve years ago. Joseph Kesel, one of the pioneer settlers, is residing at Aurora. Daniel Barr died about twenty-five years ago, while his successor, George McCormick, died five years ago at his home in Mendota, where he moved after retiring from the grain business here. C. L. Smith, painter and decorator and one of the early set- tlers, passed to his reward within the past year. William Hoerner sold out his mercantile business twenty years ago and, together with his family, moved to Mendota. He was succeeded by Henry F. Gehant of Viola township, in September, 1893.
From this date a new epoch for West Brooklyn was soon to be realized. This young farmer, filled with zeal and ambition to do and to dare. began to take the necessary steps to inaugurate a movement which was intended to promote better conditions com- mercially and socially in this village, which had after nearly twenty
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years existence, less than one hundred and twenty-five inhabitants. He established up-to-date business methods at the outset, and the best merchandise that money could purchase was placed upon his shelves. A good, live advertising medium, The West Brooklyn News, was founded by him and a new era for the town inaugur- ated. Through his energy and untiring efforts the village was incorporated under the laws of Illinois, in September, 1894. The blind pigs, which had thrived uninterrupted for years, to the annoy- ance of the county court and the disgust of the law-abiding citizens of the village, were wiped out. The celebrated Richelieu was closed and law and order established. From that time West Brook- lyn has taken her place in the front ranks of the municipalities of Lee county.
Henry F. Gehant was the first mayor of the new incorpora- tion, continuing in that capacity for six years. O. P. Johnson was the second mayor, serving for two years and was succeeded by Henry F. Gchant, who served six years more or twelve years in all. F. D. Gchant followed his consin into the mayor's chair and was at the head of village affairs for four years. F. W. Meyer, our present mayor, is serving his second year and is the successor of Mr. Gehant. At the conclusion of Mr. Meyer's administration, West Brooklyn will have been incorporated twenty years.
In the meantime two grain elevators had been erected to care for the vast harvests each year in the vicinity. Both original struc- tures were burned to the ground, but were rebuilt at once. One is owned and operated at the present time by Charles F. Guffin, while the other is owned by the Farmers Elevator Company, a cor- poration consisting of the farmers of the vicinity. This corpora- tion has a capital of $15,000 and has been in existence since Dec. 3, 1907.
The village has a prosperous banking institution known as the Henry F. Gchant Banking Company, founded June 1, 1897, by Henry F. Gehant. At that time it boasted a capital of $10,000 and deposits of $50,000, but during its sixteen years of existence has developed wonderfully and today its statements show $25,000 cap- ital and deposits ranging from $150,000 to $200,000. It not only serves the community in a banking capacity, but meets the demand in matters of insurance, real estate and farm loans.
West Brooklyn has reason to feel proud of its city waterworks plant, which is owned by the municipality and which supplies water to the entire town by means of a system of water mains extending to every part of the village. As a result of the water
POST DrTit
South Side Main Street. looking west
Post Office
North Side Johnson Street, looking west
VIEWS OF WEST BROOKLYN
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supply there has developed the West Brooklyn Vohmteer Fire Department, which utilizes the great water facilities at their dis- posal to protect the town against the fire fiend. On several occa- sions they have demonstrated their worth and their ability as firemen and saved the town from total destruction. Cement side- walks and cross walks are to be found in every part of the town. The remarkable fact concerning all these improvements is that they have been accomplished without the assistance of a corpora- tion tax and still the town is without debt. Not until the present year has a corporation tax been levied in West Brooklyn. The only debt which the people owe is an appreciation to those who have handled its affairs for the past twenty years in such an able manner and nursed its financial income in such a way as to develop the most possible benefits therefrom for the people and municipal- ity in general. Their work has been remarkable when taking into consideration the small income of a few hundred dollars each year with which they had to work. The streets are lighted with elec- tricity, this last convenience coming to the village during the past year, by granting a franchise to the Illinois Northern Utilities Company to enter into the town with its system.
Perhaps two of the best general stores in Lee county are at West Brooklyn. Both have fine stocks and are well kept up by a practical management. F. W. Meyer, who is the proprietor of one of these establishments, came to this village eleven years ago and has been very successful since that time. The other store is con- ducted by M. J. Bieschke and although a more recent arrival than his competitor, he has proven himself successful. He is a member of the village council and has also served his people as village clerk.
Other mercantile establishments in West Brooklyn are two hardware and implement stores, a meat market, a restaurant, a plumbing shop, a barber shop, a drug store in connection with Dr. E. C. White's office, a cement block factory, a tile factory, a hotel, two saloons, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, a garage, a lum- ber yard, two coal yards, a paint shop, a furniture store, a livery, an opera house, a public school, and two churches.
The schoolhouse was erected in 1874 at a cost of $1,200. This structure was removed and replaced by a more modern building in 1900. Three teachers are employed and the school has long been recognized as one of the best in Lee county. The first church to be erected in West Brooklyn was the Methodist, about thirty-three years ago. The Catholic Church was built a little later, its congre-
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gation consisting of only a few families, as follows: Francis Gal- lisath, Modest and Laurent Gehant, Frank and William Halb- maier, William Hoerner, Xavier Chaon, Joseph Huibsch, Leopold and Joseph E. Henry, Delphan and Polite Bresson, Eugene Vin- cent, Martin Gruss and Albert Bieschke, Sr. The first church was of simple construction, but as the congregation grew and pros- pered larger quarters were found necessary. In 1902 they erected a splendid church at a cost of $18,000. It was 48x98 feet in size and built of brick, with a spire 125 feet high. Just previous to the erection of the church a parsonage was built at a cost of several thousand dollars, so that the congregation had expended at least twenty-five thousand dollars with the completion of the church edifice. In 1908 a disastrous fire swept away the beautiful church, but a new and better structure arose in its place, which today stands as a monument to a faithful congregation. Its interior walls have recently been decorated and new altars have been installed at a cost of $3,000. The main altar is a donation by the local court of Foresters, who presented the pastor, Rev. M. B. Krug, with a subscription of $1,000 raised among its members for the purpose of purchasing this altar and having it serve as a gift of the local court of the society to the church.
The Catholic Order of Foresters is the largest and strongest fraternal organization in town, have an up-to-date club room, and an active membership, who are always boosting their order, church and town. During the past year the court reached the one hundred mark in number of initiations and nearly all of these are still loyal Foresters. The Modern Woodmen of America are the next larg- est organization in town. This society have their own meeting place but no club rooms. The Knights of Columbus, the Woman's Catholic Order of Foresters, the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and several other societies have many members in West Brooklyn, but none of them have a local organization and the members must go to neighboring towns to attend meetings and to take an active part in the work of their respective orders.
West Brooklyn is a village of music. Many of its people are noted for their musical talents and as a result we find two impor- tant organizations having their home in this town. The older of the two, Barr's Orchestra, has been recognized throughout the entire county as the peer of any of its orchestras. During the dane- ing season they furnish the music for the vast majority of the dances and parties in the vicinity of their home town and are also
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in great demand in many parts of the county. The younger organ- ization, the West Brooklyn Cornet Band, has perhaps acquired fame more recently than their sister organization, the orchestra, and is without question the best band in Lee county at this time. Their work the past season has won this title for them and so popu- lar have they become that they now have engagements booked for an entire year ahead. Barr's Orchestra has been in existence for the past ten years while the band was organized in September, 1908.
The F. M. Yocum Telephone Company is another great insti- tution having its main offices in West Brooklyn. This concern, started by the present proprietor, F. M. Yocum, is a great aid towards the up-building and convenience of the community and is of vast good to the village.
West Brooklyn has been visited by several fires since its found- ing. One of them already has been given considerable mention in telling of the burning of the Catholic Church in 1908. Also the elevators, burned previous to this, have been touched upon. It was during the fire which destroyed the west end elevator, now the Farmers elevator, that the biggest fire and the most destruction resulted. The creamery occupying the west end of the same block was burned during this fire as was likewise a hardware store, a meat market, an implement building and several other minor struc- tures occupying over one-half of the block. It was only the heroic efforts of every man, woman and child in West Brooklyn that conquered the fire and prevented the whole of the town from burn- ing. It was immediately after this terrible fire that the Volunteer Fire Company was organized. The Pollack department store was a later fire but with the efficient work of the fire company was prevented from spreading and confined to the interior of the build- ing where it had started and where it ruined everything. Many minor fires have been recorded, but as they are of little importance we will pass them by. Several residences have been afire at dif- ferent times and a few have burned to the ground.
West Brooklyn's population is not large, perhaps an estimate of four hundred is too much. However in considering its makeup, it measures up to the standard of the medium-sized towns of our county and were it to be suddenly wiped away, would be missed immensely. It still occupies the territory covered by the original plat of the incorporation and has but a single addition to mention. We refer to the recent Gehant addition on the south side, which was the work of F. D. Gehant, who bought and platted seven acres adjoining and fronting upon Berniger street and where he is erect-
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ing the first home, a handsome building, to be occupied by himself and his family as soon as completed. Many of the lots have already been disposed of to people who will erect residences within the next year or two. On this account we can expect a more rapid growth in the number of our population than ever before, for it was not due to undesirable conditions at West Brooklyn that the moderate growth of the past has been made, but because of the fact that there were no lots to be had for the erection of more homes, to permit all those who desired, to come here and settle. Taken in this re- spect, the new addition is one of the greatest accomplishments that has ever been made for the betterment of West Brooklyn.
CHAPTER XXX
NACHUSA TOWNSHIP
Nachusa and China were together for so long a period as China township that to treat of Nachusa alone involves consid- crable repetition necessarily. But Nachusa history is worth re- peating many times. Her pioneers indeed were the salt of the carth and rendered to Lee county services which never grow old with the telling, no matter how erudely told.
Nachusa township was organized in the year 1871 and it was named after the Indian name for Father Dixon.
On Nov. 10, 1870, Col. Alexander P. Dysart presented to the board of supervisors a petition praying that a new town- ship be erected. This petition evoked powerful opposition and a strong remonstrance was presented to the board by Robert L. Irwin of China township (Franklin Grove) against the innova- tion. Both petition and remonstrance were laid upon the table until the next session of the board, leaving an interim in which to plan the battle royal.
On Tuesday, Feb. 7. 1871, on motion of Supervisor Viele, the petition was taken from the table and the board having heard and considered carefully both sides of the question, ordered that the prayer of the petition be granted, and the township of Nachusa was created. Alexander P. Dysart, who presented the petition, was a hard man to defeat and he proved his generalship in this undertaking by winning handsomely.
The carly and easy settlement of Nachusa may be attributed to the circumstance of its proximity to Inlet, imperious Inlet, on the south and Rock river on the north. Messrs. Bennett and Brown from New England were the first settlers of this town- ship, laying claims in section 14, which now belongs to Dixon township by a recent fiat of the supervisors. This was in 1835.
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"Squire" Cyrus Chamberlain located in the same year, and in section 19. A Mr. Eldridge came the same year and settled in section 19. So too did a Mr. Hollingshead, who took up his claim in section 19.
Joseph Crawford, so long and honorably known to the peo- ple of Lee county, came here in 1835 and for a year he lived with Mr. Hollingshead. From the day Mr. Crawford struck Lee county he kept a diary of his life and its transactions and it is preserved today by his son, J. W. Crawford. It is filled with interesting stories which go to make up the real history of Lee county. After the year spent with Mr. Hollingshead, Mr. Craw- ford removed to Dixon, and ever afterwards lived in Dixon, becoming its mayor, a member of the Legislature and otherwise one of its leading citizens.
Solomon Shelhamer located in Dixon township in 1837, but after remaining a short while he removed to Nachusa town- ship.
In 1836 John Chamberlain bought the Hollingshead claim, later the Stiles farm. In the same year a Mr. Fisk came out from Pennsylvania, bringing with him a stock of goods with which he began a business in the house formerly occupied by Mr. Hollingshead.
Barclay Smith came in 1836 and bought the lower ferry farm, now in Dixon township, on section 14. Messrs. Crandall, Jerry Murphy and Josiah Moores came a little later.
Down in the southern end of the township, contiguous to the old Chicago stage road, a Mr. Jones came first and located on section 20. In 1838, Dr. Charles Gardner selected a claim in section 20. He returned to his eastern home in Rhode Island and in February, 1839, he returned with his household goods traveling practically the route parsned by Governor Charters. From Newport, Rhode Island, he shipped his goods by sloop to New Orleans. From there they were taken up the Mississippi river by keel boat to the month of the Illinois river; thence up that stream to Pern, where they were unloaded and taken by team over to Inlet and the home farm.
Rev. Erastus De Wolf, from Rhode Island, related by mar- riage to Mrs. Charles Gardner, came about the same time as Doctor Gardner, and bought Mr. Jones' claim. He was an Epis- copal minister and he had much to do, I am told, with the erec- tion of the Episcopal church in Lee Center.
Alvah Hale came a little later and settled in section 33. In
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1840 John Leake came; two years later his brother, Daniel, came, bringing both families from England, the parental home.
During the years 1839 and 1840 malarial fever and bilious fever prevailed to an alarming extent throughout these new set- tlements. While it was not necessarily fatal, deaths did occur and it swept nearly everybody into a bed of sickness of varying length. It was the fever and ague with which old books teem.
On section 22, now in Dixon township, the first cemetery was established on the farm of John Hetler. It was abandoned, how- ever, soon after and the later one was established by Josiah Moores on the southeast quarter of section 23, now in Dixon town- ship. Sadly coincident with this location, Mr. Moores was the first to be buried in the new cemetery.
Joseph Brierton came here in 1836. Inasmuch as his claim is now included in Dixon township, it would be better to defer remarks about him for Dixon, although by every association he should be regarded a Nachusa man along with his other neigh- bors of the kingdom.
Mrs. M. D. Gilman in speaking of the kingdom once bearing the prefix smelling of the brimstone which the proprietor's name is apt to carry, mentions a fact that a brother of Emma Abbott built a sawmill in the neighborhood, in which lumber was sawed and shingles were made. This was in the spring of 1838. It was located on Atwood creek. The same man afterwards built a chair factory on the banks of the creek south of the bridge. Subse- quently he sold out his holdings to Atwood.
Along the Chicago road there settled Ludlam Ayres, Levi Green, Thomas Hopkins, William Parker, William Richardson, James Goddard and Don Cooper, most of them in the forties. Some of them, however, from recent changes of boundary, would have to be classed old settlers of Dixon.
The boundaries of Nachusa have been changed more fre- quently than those of any other township and one is led a merry chase to keep track of the western and northwestern boundary of the township for any length of time. Don Cooper sold his claim to Joseph Emmert, a man of means and tremendous energy. The next year he built the best improvements on the place to be found in Lee county. The residence was a fine two-story affair and the barn was a very large one, its sills and timbers all being hewed from hardwood trees. It was the first large barn built in the county. In the year 1850 Mr. Emmert built a large flour- ing mill on Franklin creek. It was the first one built in the
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township and it was almost the first one to be built in the county. At all events when completed it was the best and most com- plete.
In the year 1847 Alexander P. Dysart, later colonel of the Thirty-fourth Regiment, Illinois Volunteers, purchased the claim of Thomas Hopkins and entered other lands from the Govern- ment. In the year 1846 John M. Crawford and Samuel Craw- ford came to Nachusa township and located on lands which they held until their respective deaths.
These two families, the Crawfords and the Dysarts, were large families, and to this very day their children and grand- children are numerous. I do not know the family that ever resided in Lee county better qualified to receive honor from the historian or biographer than the Crawfords and the Dysarts. They were promient in all the useful walks of life. They were people of strong character. They were fearless; they were up- right and generous and enterprising and in the upbuilding of this county they have been powerful factors. The last of the old guard has gone to his reward, but long after the names of Craw- ford and of Dysart shall go down before the Reaper, the names of the old pioneer members of those families will live in the mem- ory of Lee county people.
The village of Nachusa was platted by Joseph Crawford, county surveyor, March 1, 1851, and Col. Alexander P. Dysart and George Bangh were proprietors of the townsite. At first it was named Taylor, but with time the names of the township and the village were made identical.
About the time of the platting A. P. Dysart and a man named Cunningham erected a store and entered the mercantile business. About 1860 John Dysart and a Mr. Riley succeeded to the business and in conjunction they erected a grain elevator.
The first postmaster was Alexander P. Dysart and almost con- tinuously ever since some member of the Dysart family has been the postmaster. The first school in the township, built of stone, was erected by Cyrus Chamberlain and presented to the school district. It was located on section 19. Mr. Chester Harrington was the first teacher. Prior to its erection, schools were taught in private houses by a man named Sheldon, who was the first teacher in the township. Cyrus Chamberlain was the first justice of the peace and he was the first master in chancery as well. He also built the first sawmill in this part of the county.
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The second schoolhouse was built of stone, on section 26, and the same later was used as a church by the United Brethren.
When Lee and Ogle counties were united as one under the name Ogle, Cyrus Chamberlain was one of the county commis- sioners. During all his life he was an active, whole-souled, gen- erous man of affairs, always ready and willing to contribute lib- erally of his time and means to push the interests of his county or his neighborhood.
After reading the delightful relation by Mrs. E. C. Smith (Sephie Gardner) of the trials of her parents, Doctor and Mrs. Charles Gardner, the history of Nachusa in a general way looms up big and forceful. The family lived on the Chicago road, six miles from Dixon, six miles from Inlet Grove, six miles from Palestine Grove and six miles from Franklin Grove. Emigrants by the hundreds passed their home. The reputation of kind Mrs. Gardner had gone back east and almost every emigrant knew Mrs. Gardner and her deeds of kindness long before entering the Inlet country. Many times indeed I am afraid the dear lady was taken advantage of by impecunions, though agueish emi- grants. Her aunt, Mrs. Erastus De Wolf, came west and bought a place about a mile from the Gardners and in Aunt Hannah's parlor the first Sunday school ever held in the township was held. The very first school, too, ever taught in the township, Mrs. Smith insists was taught in Aunt Hannah's house. Prior to that time the children had been sent to Mrs. Edson's in South Dixon. The first teacher in Mrs. De Wolf's house was Miss Betsey De- Wolf, who married Joh Barnes, a brother of Uzal and Nelson Barnes.
The first death in the township was of "Old Michael," a man who worked for Mrs. De Wolf. This was about the year 1840, and at the time Mrs. De Wolf gave the little burying ground which Michael's grave dedicated, to be used for cemetery purposes. It was in the northwest part of the farm and is called the De Wolf cemetery to this day.
In 1842, of 1841 perhaps, the first schoolhouse in the south end of the township was built and Miss Betsey De Wolf taught there: also a Miss Hunter. The school afterwards was moved to the southwest corner of the Gardner place, where it was known as the Locust Street place, from the numbers of locust trees growing there. planted by Dr. Gardner.
In 1840 Thomas Brown brought his bride to live in the little cabin just opposite the Gardners. They had been old friends Vol. 1-27
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back at Newport, Rhode Island. Among the good old names associated with the name and life of Mrs. Gardner are Mrs. Wil- liam W. Heaton, Mrs. O. F. Ayres ( who lived at Inlet for a while), Mrs. Seaman and Mrs. Silas Noble, all of Dixon; Mrs. Charles F. Ingalls, Mrs. Hannum, Mrs. Abram Brown and Mrs. Sarah Trow- bridge, names to endure as long as grateful memories are permit- ted and as long as the Lee county chronicler will take the trouble to write accurately.
I might add also the names of Mrs. William Y. Johnson, Mrs. Ozias Wheeler, Mrs. J. T. Little, Aunt Sally Herrick, Mrs. Alonzo Mead, Aunt Polly Hale. Never has story been told better of the cares of the country doctor than by Mrs. Smith when writing of her father's experience.
"My father came west with the intention of becoming a farmer and giving up the medical work, which had been so severe a tax upon him and mother in Newport, but it was simply inhuman to refuse to give what aid he could to the sick and suffering in the new country. He was far too warm-hearted to consider personal comfort when weighed against such odds.
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