History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 10

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910

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In the following July term of the board of supervisors for the county of Lee they appropriated five hundred dollars to the payment of William Barge, Esq., for prosecuting the above case to a successful issue.

THE CITY OF DIXON.

In sketching a historical picture of the city of Dixon as the county seat of Lee county, we must refer the reader to the chapter on the early history of the county for the first settlements of what is now embraced in Lee county.

We begin the history of the city at the first survey of the original village, in the latter part of 1834 or in the early part of 1835. The evidence in this matter is not sufficiently definite at this recent date to warrant a positive assertion as to the exact time of the laying out of the first plat. This was done by Mr. John Dixon, who secured the services of surveyor Bennett, of Galena, to make the survey. At this time there were not the rudiments of a town; but the acute eye of Mr. John Dixon caught a glimpse of the possibilities of the future, and took the initiatory steps toward the building of homes on his ground at the ferry.

The original plat "included a tract of forty acres of land extend- ing from the river to half a block south of Third street, and from a half block east of Ottawa to a half block west of Peoria streets."

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

In the spring of 1836 the first store is said to have been opened by Messrs. Chapman & Hamilton in the addition Mr. John Dixon built to the Ogee house. It is due the writer and just to history to state just here that statements are contradictory as to the first store, as there are two or three claimants for the honor; this is one of the many vexa- tions that meet the historian. This conflict of statement may arise from the class of goods opened to the public, and the statement is accepted as given upon the supposition that it was a grocery and notion stock.

In the same year occurred the first death and the preaching of the first sermon in the embryo city. The first sermon was preached in the spring of this year, by Rev. James McKean, a Methodist preacher ; and the death above mentioned was that of a Mr. Lefferty, which occurred in the autumn of the same season, and was the first interment in the cemetery. According to Mr. John K. Robinson's statement, the first sermon was preached two years previous by a Methodist mis- sionary named Segg.

On September 3, 1836, Dr. Oliver Everett arrived in Dixon, where he still resides, and found a village of five dwellings, a black- smith shop, and a post-office. The dwellings consisted of four cabins and one frame, the latter having been built by a Mr. Hamilton during the preceding year (1835). The blacksmith shop was occupied by a lone gentleman, whose bachelorship occupied a lean-to at one end of his shop as a dwelling. Though originally it was a one-story build- ing, after the grading of the streets a basement was put under it, giving it the imposing appearance of a two-story superstructure. Father Dixon's house stood " two or three rods north of Main street and on the west of what is now Peoria street. Dr. Forrest's log cabin was on the corner of Water and Ottawa streets; and one block farther west was Col. Johnson's boarding house, a log building. "These, with sev- eral uncovered frames in different parts of the place, constituted the entire town of Dixon in the fall of 1836." The inhabitants of the town at that time were James P. Dixon, Peter McKenney, Samuel Johnson, Jude W. Hamilton, James B. Barr, and E. W. Hines, and their fami- lies. Those without families were Dr. Oliver Everett, Smith Gil- braith, John Wilson, and Daniel B. McKenney. At one time in 1836 there were but four families in Dixon, two of the previous six having left.

There was a log house on the corner of Galena and Water streets, where the first death occurred as before stated. In 1837 James Wil- son's smith-shop was converted into a public building for which the walls were plastered and a floor laid. In this building the first Ogle county court was held, which county then embraced the county of Lee ;

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THE CITY OF DIXON.

and after this the engineer of the " internal improvement " corps occu- pied it. At this time Dixon was an important station on the stage ronte from Peoria to Galena. Other lines centered here from different parts of the state connecting with the main line to Ga- lena,-the Chicago, the Ottawa, and the Peoria lines. This gave Dixon a prominence in connection with the traveling public, and to meet the public demand two hotels were erected in 1836 and 1837. The first was the Western Hotel, which was fol- lowed by the Rock River House by Messrs. Crowell & Wilson. The travel was so great at that time to and from the mines, old cit- izens tell us, that frequently it was almost impossible to find room in the hotels, while many would be compelled to take a "shake-down " on the floor. Not unfrequently provisions would be at short rations, as it was frequently quite difficult to obtain supplies, which had to be conveyed from a great distance and they were liable to be destroyed by storm and flood. The Winnebago waters were most dreaded, as its bed was swampy and treacherous, while it was subject to high freshets. Teams had to swim the swollen waters, when the cargo would become soaked with the muddy waters and greatly damaged for culinary purposes.

In 1837 Messrs. Boardman & Bowen opened the first dry-goods store in Dixon on the corner of River and Galena streets. In the same year a petition was presented asking the commissioners to refuse to grant license to keep groceries (saloons) in the town of Dixon. The following entry was made :

Ordered, That the clerk shall not grant to any person or persons license to keep grocery in the town of Dixon.

In the same year the first school building was erected by the fund contributed by individuals. This was a small frame structure, and in it a school was opened in the following year, 1838. This building was the public hall for town, court and school purposes until 1840.

On May 31, 1839, Messrs. D. G. Salisbury, E. H. Nichols and L. G. Butter, who were appointed commissioners to locate the county seat, met in Dixon to discharge the duties submitted to their trust. After a careful consideration of the location of Dixon, its advantages, and the pledges of its citizens to contribute to the building of the county court-house and jail, the stakes were driven for the location of the county seat where the court-house now stands.

In 1840 the court-house was built at an expense of $7,000, donated by the citizens, "Father" Dixon donating eighty acres of land which has since become a part of the town plat. The United States land office was transferred from Galena to Dixon this year, Col. John De- ment, receiver. On the third Monday in April, 1840, first circuit court opened, Judge Stone of Galena, presiding. On October 28, 1840,

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

Joseph Crawford extended the original survey of the plat of the town of Dixon.

In 1841 Mr. J. T. Little erected the building on Water street, now occupied by D. W. Mckinney & Co., as a livery stable, and occupied it as a dry-goods store, under the firm of Messrs. Little & Brooks, for a number of years, when they were succeeded by Messrs. Webb, Rogers & Woodruff. Water street was then known as River street, and was formerly the leading business street of the town.

In the same year the land-office building was erected on the corner of Second and Ottawa streets. The building is of stone, and is still standing. Dixon was spoken of at that time as a village of some im- portance, and contained many "neat dwellings."

In 1843 the village gave 40 votes for incorporation. During the same year the first church edifice was erected in the village, and the Methodist church on Second street, now known as the "Old High School building." At this time, one writer speaking of Dixon said, " There was a town here only in name; there were as yet but few at- tractions in the place that would of themselves create a town. The great drawback was the wild and unsettled condition of the country. There was as yet no milling advantages ; the settlers in and around the embryo city were compelled to go long distances for flour, and Chicago was the nearest market, and many times, a week would be consumed in transporting one wagon load of grain, and oftentimes the expense of this transportation would consume the entire amount received for the products sold. But it was the " county seat," and with a firm belief in the future proud destiny of the place, people located here."

In 1845 the village reached a population of 400, and had four re- ligious denominations : Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, and Congrega- tional ; a select and one district school, with an attendance of seventy- five pupils in the two schools. There were at this time twenty-seven establishments doing business in the usual lines represented in a coun- try town.

In the autumn of 1846 the erection of the first brick building was commenced. This was on Main street, and is now the first building west of the Lee County National Bank. The west half was built by Horace and James Benjamin, and the east half, by A. F. Murphy. The next brick building in Dixon was the one owned by D. B. McKin- ney, on the south side of Main street, and was built two or three years later.

" Up to 1850 Dixon improved but slowly, as did also the county, or indeed throughout the northern part of the state. The commnon- wealth was embarrassed with indebtedness and had but little credit, occasioned by the vast appropriations made for the internal improve-

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THE CITY OF DIXON.

ments of the state. Heavy taxation, suspension of immigration, and the languishing state of commerce and agriculture, arrested the growth of the town."

In the year 1850, however, Dixon received an impetus from the be- ginning of the hydraulic works. The dam was erected across the river, and the prospect of a manufacturing town infused new life to all classes of business.

A saw-mill was placed on the north side of the river the same year, and in 1851 the erection of a large flouring mill was commenced on the south side. These were soon followed by other mills, foundry and machine shops. A writer made mention of Dixon at this time in the following happy manner :

" There is, moreover, a dam across the river at this place, furnish- ing one of the best water-powers in all the state. A saw-mill is already in operation on one bank and a large flouring-mill is about to be erected on the other. Measures are also being taken to construct a bridge over the river at this point, which is now crossed by a good rope ferry-boat, which is in operation night and day. These considerations, together with the fact that several stores and dwellings are now in pro- gress of erection, that stages meet here from almost every direction, and that a branch of the Central road is soon to pass through this town to Galena, conspire to render Dixon one of the most desirable places of residence in the western country. Capitalists and others, we think, would find it to their interests to make us a visit, with a view to in- vestment and location."

"In May, 1851, the population of Dixon was estimated at 700 or 800. There was then in the thriving village a printing office, eight or ten stores, "and several professional men and mechanics in all depart- ments of trade :" two church buildings, three hotels, a livery stable and a market. From this time until the war Dixon improved with great rapidity. The subject of the prospective Central railroad was already being agitated by the newspaper, and the town and its prospects be- came more widely known. Those who were here at that day will remember the great thrill of excitement that electrified the village when they beheld the engineers approaching, and the many wonderful predictions that were made of the future progress of Dixon. With great suspense did the people watch the progress of this road, fearful at every delay that it might fall through and ruin the fair prospects of the promising town, but, by a degree of patience commendable in the extreme, they waited long, until at last they were gladdened by the news that track-laying had been commenced, with the assurance that it would be pushed forward with all possible diligence."

During the period extending from 1850 to 1860 or '61, the town

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

of Dixon improved with great rapidity, until the breaking out of the war arrested the tide of immigration to the county, and retarded the growth of the town.

In 1852 the flouring-mill of Messrs. Brooks, Dement & Daley commenced grinding corn, and by April 1 they were running four run of stone; two for custom and two for merchant work. This mill cost $15,000. In the following year (1853) the Nachiusa House was erected, adding greatly to the improvement of the town.

On July 31, 1852, it was written of Dixon : " Our town is improv- ing with great rapidity ; there are over thirty dwellings in course of erection ; and would be many more if there were mechanics here to put them up. A large stone hotel is being rapidly completed, and a large number are employed on the grist-mill being built on the south side of the river."

On the first Tuesday of March, 1853, the first board of trustees consisted of John Dixon, A. L. Porter, P. M. Alexander, L. Wood, and L. Wynkoop.

Beginning the following year, 1854, there were many indications of decided prosperity. During this year the Washington hotel was built on the corner of Ottawa and Main streets.

To give to the reader an idea of the true patriotism of the citizens of Dixon, we insert the following description of a Fourth of July cele- bration : "July 4, 1854. Never did we see this day pass off with more becoming style than did the Fourth of July in 1854 in our town. At eleven o'clock a procession was formed and marched to the beanti- ful grove in the court-honse square, where, after listening to prayer by Rev. Mr. Baume, reading of the declaration of independence by J. K. Rodgers, they were treated to an oration delivered by Prof. Pinckney, of Mount Morris. . Much credit is due to the ladies and gentlemen of the choir and to the musicians for the part they played. And particu- larly the trio of young men who sang Yankee Doodle "without the variations." Then came the sumptuous dinner at the Nachusa house. After this we supposed the day's performance at an end ; but no, dear reader, every moment of that day, the pride of the American people, was to be celebrated. For our part we were surprised when we heard the soul-cheering rattle of the drums, and the patriotic scream of the fife. How those martial strains did swell the already full hearts of all. With what pride and joy that column swept down the streets, ever and anon their deafening cheers seemed to swell to the very heavens.

" Night eame on, and brought a large eoncourse of people to the public square to witness the fireworks. For an hour the air was filled with the fiery missiles, and the shouts of the immense mass of people.

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THE CITY OF DIXON.

"Exchange Hall being lighted up, the young and gay there con- gregated, and had as pleasant party as could be got up in any country."

The month of July had not passed, however, before the rejoicing of Independence day was shrouded in the deepest lamentation for those who had fallen victims to the cholera scourge of that year of sad memory. A writer of July 27, 1854, referring to this epidemic, said, " Death in its most frightful form swept through our heretofore healthy town like an avalanche, carrying away within twenty-four hours eighteen souls. It is a sad duty we are called upon to perform,-that of recording the death of some of our best citizens, who but a few days ago were among us sharing the pleasures and vicissitudes of this world. Ah, how true it is that 'in the midst of life we are in death.' But we all have reason to thank our Eternal Creator that in the midst of death we have life."

There had been a few deaths from cholera previous to this, among them Mrs. Alanson Smith, and two or three railroad hands, but it made its appearance as an epidemic July 21. On Saturday the 22d the cholera broke out in full force, and during Saturday night large num- bers of the inhabitants left town to go into the country. The next day fourteen persons lay dead in the town. Not a sound, on that mournful Sabbath day, save that made by the undertaker's hammer, disturbed the quiet of the death-like village.

Here is a list of the deaths during this epidemie, made out by Drs. Everett and Abbott: Mrs. Patrick Duffee and child, Michael Har- ris, Mrs. Jacob Craver, Win. Lahee, Daniel Brookner and wife and Daniel Brookner, jr., John Finley, Joseph Cleaver (postmaster), - Cleaver (cousin to Joseph), John Keenan, Mrs. Cooley, -- Marsh, Mrs. Owen's child, John Connels, John Barnes, Elijah Dixon, W. Patrick, Benj. Vann, Mrs. Scheer, Cyrus Kimball and wife, Israel Evans, Mrs. Catharine Dailey, Mr. Peck, Edward Hamlin, Roderick Mckenzie and wife, Mrs. Huff, Mr. Jones, Mrs. C. Johnson, Owen Gallinger, and E. Boswick; making in all thirty-four deaths between July 20 and August 7.

By the coming autumn, however, the Dixon "Telegraph," under date of September 7, said : "So rapidly is the march of progress in our town that we are hardly able to keep our readers advised of all the im- provements that are going on in our midst. There are the three-story brick buildings on Water street, Col. Dement's machine shop, the race, ete. There are now in course of construction three fine churches, Meth- odist (the one occupied now), Roman Catholic, and Lutheran. P. M. Alexander and J. B. Brooks are also erecting a couple of fine brick buildings on Galena street."

On October 19, same fall, the Dixon " Transcript " made its appear-

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

ance, under the editorship of Charles Allen, and continued until Jan- uary 1857, and then disappeared.

On April 9, 1855, Messrs. Jerome Hellenbeck and J. H. Cropsey commenced the erection of a sash, door and blind factory on Third street between Peoria and Market streets. The main building (now occupied by Vann & Means) was four stories high, 32×64 feet, with an engine house 25×32 feet.

In August, 1855, a business directory printed in the " Daily Whis- per," Angust 13, contains the following list of business men and the departments they were engaged in. Counsellors-at-law-F. R. Danna, J. V. Eustace, Heaton & Atherton, J. D. Mackay, S. G. Pat- rick, F. A. Soule, Edward Southwick, and John Stevens. Physicians and Surgeons-N. W. Abbott, Oliver Everett, G. W. Holdridge, G. W. Philips, C. D. Pratt, C. S. Younglove ; C. J. Reynolds, dentist. Bankers and Brokers-S. & H. T. Noble, Robertson, Eells & Co., E. B. Stiles ; real estate, Cyrus Aldrich, Steadman & Williams. Druggists J. B. Nash, Townsend & Sheffield. Books and Stationary-J. C. Mead. Notaries public-E. W. Hine, F. A. Soule. Daguerrean art- ists - Beardsley & Co., J. B. Waxham ; Ferris Finch, portrait painter. Sash, door and blind factories - Christopher Brookner, Cropsey, Hol- lenbeck & Williams. Boots and shoes - Joseph Smalley, William Vann. Carpenters and builders, such as kept shops - Henry Brook- ner, B. F. Cram, Crawford & Shellhamer, J. M. Graham, Herrick & Hanson, A. S. Maxwell, Wynkoop & Warner; not located, about twenty. Cabinet ware - G. W. Baker, Noalı & John Brooks. Black- smiths - J. M. Cropsey, Isaac Dubois, Albert Martin, Wertman & Carter; H. Logan, gunsmith. Wagon and Carriage makers -J. Q. Adams, J. H. Richardson, Henry Schutts. Jewelers - B. H. Bacon, Josiah Heath. Marble yard - Parker & Porter. Mills- Brooks & Bailey (flour), N. G. H. Morrill (lessee of saw-mill). Bakers - Charles Hatch, Charles Reynolds. Livery stables - Frederick McKenney, Henry McKenney, Aaron L. Porter. Harness and leather - James & Andrew Benjamin, H. O. Kelsey, George B. Stiles. Foundry and machine shops - Dement & Farrell (erecting). Barbers - Anthony Julien, Z. Demory. Tailors - W. J. Carpenter, D. L. Evans, F. De- camp, S. T. Hotchkiss. General merchandise - Oscar F. Avres, B. F. Burr, James L. Camp, Geo. R. McKenney, John P. Smith, VanEpps & Ashley, Varney & Gilman, Henry & Orlando Wortendyke. Cloth- ing - Ely & Rice, Fuller & Rosenfeld, A. T. Murphy, J. Peizer, E. Petersberger. Groceries -Isaac Appler, Nathan & James Barnes, Andrew Brison, Bronson & Dresser, Andrew Brubaker, James Davis & Bro., Robert Dyke, William Johnson, J. L. Jones & Co., Henry

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THE CITY OF DIXON.

Leavitt, James McKenney, B. H. Stewart, Richard Woodyat. Hard- ware - Alexander, Howell & Co., John Farrell, George L. Herrick, Jonas Johnson. Hats and Caps - Jason C. Ayres. Millinery - Miss M. J. Bartlett, Mrs. Cornish, Mrs. Dickson. Lumber, sash, doors, cement, etc. - Flint & Loomis, Gallup & Judd, Haldane & Co., Isaac Means, Smith & Chipman, S. K. Upham & Co. Forwarding and com- mission - Champion Fuller, Murphy & Woodruff, Smith & Chipman. Hotels - Mansion, A. Smith; Nachusa House, Jerome Porter ; Warshington, Henry Remmers.

In 1855 the eyes of the people of Dixon beheld, in reality, the loco- motive and heard its welcome scream upon two roads instead of one, as the " Dixon Air Line " had reached Dixon about the same time. With the approach of the railroads came many strangers from near and far. It stimulated trade, and had a reviving influence everywhere. The prosperity of the town was no longer a matter of conjecture, but an established fact. In August of this year there were one hundred and twenty-eight places of business occupying stores, offices, shops, etc., among them two printing offices, four hotels, two planing-mills, a saw- mill, foundry and machine shop, and a flouring mill in Dixon. Before the close of 1855 the population of the town had increased to 3,000. Another feature worthy of note is the relative character of the build- ings erected before and after the railways reached here. The ideas of the people became enlarged, and with that growth came pride - pride in the appearance of their dwellings and places of business. The spirit of rivalry between towns and villages, too, was high, and as the result of this rivalry stimulated into life by the railways we point with par- donable pride to our public buildings, business blocks and elegant resi- dences.

All this growth and improvement was not the work of ill-advised speculation, nor the result of unwarranted ambition by our citizens, but the needs of the place called for it for the accommodation of the new comers that were constantly arriving and for the increased trade that naturally found its way to our city. There were one hundred and thirty buildings erected in Dixon during the year 1855.

September 30 of this year the Evangelical Lutheran church was dedicated. This building was torn down in 1880 ; it stood near James A. Hawley's residence.

November 5 a school opened in the new union school-house on Peoria street. This building cost $6,000, and was a two-story brick, 33×45 feet. It stood on the ground now occupied by J. C. Ayres' residence. The old wooden desks were discarded at this time and the first patent school furniture introduced into our schools.

During September of the same autumn a three-story brick build-

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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.

ing on Galena street was built by H. Webb, and Davis & Bro's building on the corner of Hennepin and Main streets; Nash and Noble's four-story brick (Union Hall), and Ely & Rice's three-story brick on Main street, and nearly a score of other buildings were built.

On January 16, 1856, a building owned by Mrs. Patrick, on the corner of Ottawa and Main streets, burned down at midnight, destroy- ing about $3,000 worth of law books and papers for S. G. Patrick. Herrick's block, now owned by J. C. Ayres, was erected in the same year. The beginning of this year (January 3, 1856) was noted for the organization of an Anti-Nebraska Association; the object of which was to promote the settlement of Kansas by assisting bona-fide emigrants to that territory ; and at a public meeting and by private solicitation $1,000 was subscribed by the citizens for this purpose.

The improvements of Dixon during 1857 were anticipated by the appearance of a new satellite in the literary political world called the " Dixon Republican," edited and published by Beckwith & Legget ; it appeared about January 15, 1857. It was soon absorbed, however, by the "Telegraph," and disappeared. In the spring of this year a joint stock company was formed with a capital of $20,000, for the erection of a starch factory. The building was erected in West Dixon, on the bank of the river; but it was never entirely finished. It was a stone

structure, the main building 100 × 62 feet, and two stories high. In July of the same year the corner stone of the Union Eagle Works, was laid under the inspiring influence of music and oratorical elo- quence. These works were established between the Central and Northwestern depots. April 2, 1857, the machine shops of Robinson & Randall opposite the Dixon Mills commenced business.

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History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc., Part 10

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill Number of Pages: 910

Author: Hill, H.H. (Chicago) pbl
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, H.H. Hill
Number of Pages: 910