USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. > Part 58
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MARTHA E. SANDROCK, farmer, Ashton, was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, August 16, 1835, and is widow of George Sandrock. She was educated in Germany, going to school from the age of six to four- teen years. In 1848 her father with family (except herself, then living with grandparents,) emigrated to America. After her school days Mrs. Sandrock went out to work till nearly twenty-two years of age. She then emigrated, landing at the city of New York in 1857, coming directly west and locating in Bradford township. She removed to Reynolds on October 4, 1867. She belongs to the Evangelical Asso- ciation. She was married to Mr. Sandrock June 6, 1857. Her maiden name was Thiele. She has five children living. Mr. Sandrock died suddenly from lung fever, March 7, 1872, being sick only ten days. Since then Mrs. Sandrock and children have managed the farm, with a little hired help during harvest. She has had much sickness in the family since her husband's deatlı, and has had a struggle to meet pay- ments, there being $5,400 due at Mr. Sandrock's death, but is now in a fair way to have all clear in two years. She has a 240 acre farm well under cultivation and fairly stocked. The children are George, Charles, Christina, Annie C. and William.
MARTIN WAGNER, farmer, Ashton, was born in Hesse-Cassel, Ger- many, June 18, 1836. His parents are both dead. He had the usual school advantages from six to fourteen years of age in Germany. His youth till eighteen was spent in his native country. He was a tailor for three years. He emigrated to America in 1854, landing in the city of New York and coming directly west he located at Lee Center. Remaining there two years he engaged at his trade as tailor, and then he went to Chinatown and engaged at farming, working out five years and renting two years. He then moved to Reynolds township. He has held several local town offices and is a member of the Evangelical
574
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
association. He is a republican in politics. Mr. Wagner was married in March 1863, to Martha Henert. They have six children. He has a 240 acre farm under good cultivation.
JOHN TROTTER, farmer, Flag Station, Ogle county, was born in Scotland, January 3, 1835. His parents died while crossing the ocean emigrating to America, nearly 300 out of 400 passengers dying from ship fever on the passage. Mr. Trotter had a partial education in Scotland, but finished at Newburg Seminary, Vermont. His youth till thirteen was spent in Scotland at school. In the year 1848 he emigrated to America, landing at Quebec, Canada, June 4; remained till November. His father being a high Mason and having died on the way over with his wife and three children, he was taken in charge by Masons of Quebec, and correspondence commenced with friends in Scotland, who were thus found living in Orange county, Vermont. These came and took charge of the children. Mr. Trotter remained in Vermont about three years, working summers and attending school winters. He then went to Massachusetts, acting as foreman of hands engaged in cutting timber, and remained about one year. He then returned to Vermont and attended the Newbury Seminary till 1855, going in November of the same year to Rockton, Illinois. Here he worked summers and taught winters till the spring of 1860. In February of that year he removed to Reynolds township and farmed till the fall of 1862, when he enlisted in Co. I, 14th Ill. Cav., remain- ing till the close of the war. He has since been teaching, buying grain and farming. He was town assessor for five years; was census enumerator in 1880, and is a republican in politics. He was married July 6, 1873, to Sarah Patterson. They have three children. The house now occupied by Mr. Trotter is the first one built in Reynolds township by C. N. Reynolds.
GEORGE BOLEY, farmer, Ashton. Mr. Boley was born in Germany, April 14, 1834. He was in school from six to fourteen in Germany, and spent his youth till sixteen at home. After this for about six years he worked out among farmers. When nearly twenty-three years of age he emigrated to America, landing in New York city in May 1857; came directly west and located at Franklin Grove. Here he worked out among farmers for about eighteen months, and then rented land in Lee Center for three years. He removed to Bradford township, liv- ing three years, and then located in Reynolds. He has held local town offices for over sixteen years. Mr. Baley is a member of the Evangel- ical association, and has always been a republican. He was married in October 1854, to Catharine Bawer. They have three sons, George W., William, and Jacob, and three daughters, Martha E., Catharine, and Mary. He has a 160 acre farm well cultivated and stocked.
575
REYNOLDS TOWNSHIP.
CHAS. GOOCH, farmer, Ashton, was born in the county of Suffolk, England, September 1, 1835, but removed with his parents to Somer- setshire when two years old. Here he remained till 1855, and then emigrated to America, landing in the city of New York June 12, 1855. He came directly to Ogle county, Illinois, via Rockford, and commenced work for Henry Mix at spile-driving on Rock river. There being a disagreement as to wages, Mr. Gooch engaged a ferry, continuing about six weeks, and then went to Beloit, Wisconsin, to see a brother whom he had not seen for five years. His brother was fore- man in a stone quarry and he went to work for four weeks with him. Then both went about four miles east of Beloit and worked about twelve months on the Racine & Mississippi railroad. In the winter of 1856 he went to Rockton and was engaged that winter in feeding stock, going in April to Ashton and working for William Hodges in a stone quarry for about three years until Mr. Hodges died. He then commenced farming, renting land of Col. John Dement in the spring of 1861 at Washington Grove, remaining there four years. He then rented a farm of Col. Dement in Reynolds township for four years, and then he bought it and lived there four years. He then bought the next adjoining land, his present home and farm, of M. J. Braiden. Mr. Gooch is now owner of one of the best sections in Reynolds town- ship. His mother is still living, is ninety-one years old, and hale and hearty. He has been school director for seventeen years ; is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a republican. He was mar- ried April 23, 1855, to Charlotta Gardner. They have eight children. When Mr. Gooch landed in Chicago in 1855 he had but $2 as a starter.
MARGARET VAUPEL, widow of John Vaupel, farmer, Steward, was born in Baden, Germany, March 25, 1833. She went to school till thirteen years of age, then for nine years was employed as house ser- vant in different homes, remaining from one to three years in a place. She emigrated and arrived in the city of New York July 1855, going directly to Mendota. Here she remained a short time and then went to Amboy and remained one year employed in a hotel, going then to Binghamton, near Amboy, where she was employed in a hotel, where she married Mr. Vaupel, who was employed in a plow shop. After marriage Mrs. Vaupel took in washing, beside her household duties. They remained between two and three years, and a short time at Sub- lette, then removed to Bradford township and rented a small farm, re- maining about five years. He then came to Reynolds and bought eighty acres near the Evangelical church, living there about five years. Here Mr. Vaupel died in 1868. Previous to his death he sold the eighty acres and bought 160 acres about four miles directly east in Reynolds at $50 per acre. Mrs. Vaupel being left with seven small
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
children from three months to twelve years of age, and fearing pay- ments could not be met, sold back eighty acres at $40 per acre, leaving the eighty costing $60 per acre. The first two years after her hus- band's death she kept hired help during the summer. After this, Mrs. Vaupel with the children struggled alone until all of the $2,800 debt was paid. She then bought 160 acres more at an average of $45 per acre. She has paid $1,600 on one 80, and on the other $800. Her second son is tax collector. They are members of the Evangelical association and are among the industrious and worthy farmers of this township.
JOHN GRIESE, farmer, Ashton, was born in Hainebach, Germany, April 15, 1831. His father and mother, both seventy-four years old, are living with Mr. Griese. He received the usual education given in Germany, and his youth and early manhood till thirty-three years old, except five years in the German army, were spent at home on the farm. He came to America in 1864, landing in New York city, and came to Reynolds township, Sec. 19, Lee county, the same year. He has been collector two years, school director two terms. Is a member of the German Evangelical association, and in politics is a republican. He was married April 1857, to Dora Lizzie Klunchmidt. They have four children. He has a 250 acre farm stocked and under good cultivation.
ERNST WIENER, farmer, Ashton, was born in Hesse-Cassel, Ger- many, March 24, 1834. He attended school in Germany from six to fourteen, and spent two years at Bremen painting. The rest of the time till 1858 he was at home on the farm. On his arrival in America he came to Lee Center, Lee county, Illinois, remaining about two years, and then came to Bradford township and afterward to Reynolds, in 1864. He has held the office of school trustee three years, town clerk six years, school treasurer four years, and supervisor two years. He is a leading member of the Evangelical association, and is a repub- lican. He was married in 1860, to Elizabeth Huhnstock, and has a fine family of eight children (one married). Just in harvest time in 1878, about a month after finishing a new barn, it caught fire by some un- known cause and burned up with its contents, including several colts. It has since been rebuilt. He has a 200 acre farm, well stocked and un- der good cultivation. Mr. Wiener lives near the Evangelical church building in Reynolds township, and was mainly instrumental in its erection. He is one of the leading farmers in the township.
HENRY SPEEK, farmer, Ashton, was born in Wurtemburg, Ger- many, June 11, 1820. He attended school in Germany till fourteen years of age, after this he hired ont and worked on a farm till he was twenty-six. He then emigrated to America, landing in the city of New York. Going at once to Buffalo, he hired out as a wood-chopper
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REYNOLDS TOWNSHIP.
at 372 cents per cord, paying 25 cents per day for board, working one winter. In the spring he engaged in a shingle-mill at $8 per month and board, remaining two or three years. He then engaged in a saw- mill and worked about three years. Then he removed to Illinois, lo- cating in Bradford township, working one year for John Gatner. He then rented the farm, Mr. Gatner furnishing one pair of oxen the first year, and a pair of horses the next. He remained on this farm about ten years, having cleared $600 and his team. He then bought his present home of 120 acres. May 11, 1854, he married Mena Kept. They are members of the Evangelical association. They have two children, Hannah and George, and have lost four by death. His farm is clear from debt, and is under good cultivation.
J. A. GRIESE, farmer, Ashton, was born in Hainebach, Germany, November 4, 1838, and attended school from six to fourteen, and then till eighteen helped his father on the farm. His parents are both living. In 1857 they came to America, landing in the city of Baltimore, Mary- land, with $80 capital. Coming directly west to Franklin Grove, he hired out as farm hand during the summer and hauled' wood in the winter, going ten miles for his load and chopping the same himself. He continued in this work about five years, after which he rented eighty acres, working it for four years. While working the rented farm he first bought eighty and after forty acres and fenced the same and built himself a house. At the expiration of his rented farm in 1866 he bought more land, and moved on his farm where he is now living. He has held several local town offices, is a leading member of the Evangelical association, and is a republican. He was married February 28, 1863, to Anna Katy Kerst. They have seven children and a farm of 447 acres well under cultivation.
LYDIA A. HORTON, widow of Nelson J. Horton, farmer, Rochelle. Mrs: Horton was born September 29, 1832, in Otsego county, New York, and spent her youth till fourteen at school. About 1847 she moved with her parents to Bradford county, Pennsylvania. In 1851 she was married to Mr. Horton, and came west, locating in Ogle county, and remained till 1863, when they removed to the present home. In October, 1861, Mr. Horton enlisted in Co. H, 46th reg. Ill. Vols. (Capt. Stevens), and served through the war, being honorably discharged as a veteran. He went from Fort Henry to Mobile, the last struggle of the war. On his return he was found to be broken in health. Everything was done to raise him, but he continued an invalid. In January, 1877, Mr. and Mrs. Horton, after selling all their personal effects, rented their farm and went to Wisconsin, hoping to regain his health. He lingered till June 19, 1878, on their way toward home. He died from hemorrhage of the lungs on the cars.
578
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
CHINA TOWNSHIP.
The first settlements in China township were made at or near the head of what is now known as Franklin Grove. In June, 1835, Cyrus Chamberlain, Lockwood Minor and Col. Nathan Whitney arrived in Dixon. These parties were formerly near neighbors in Genesee county, New York. Whitney, a few years before this, had moved into Ohio. Chamberlain located a claim near Grand Detour in what is now Nachusa township, and Minor stopped with him. Mr. Whitney came along the north side of the grove to near the present site of Franklin, but not finding running water he made no claim, nor did he see or hear of any others who had claimed in this vicinity. He returned to Ohio in July, and in the fall came back to Rocky Falls, Whitesides county, where he spent considerable time looking for a good location. He wintered in Joliet, and in the spring of 1836 he again visited this vicinity, this time claiming a large piece of prairie three quarters of a mile square, the farm now owned by his son, A. R. Whitney ; he also bought a timber claim of twenty-eight acres. Mr. Whitney hired about ten acres of prairie broke in August. After arranging with Lockwood Minor for the breaking of twenty acres the following June, he again went back to Ohio, where he spent the winter of 1836-7. In the meantime a few families had settled at the head of the grove. The first who made claims there were James Holly and Charles Harrison. This was in 1835. They soon sold out to Adam Vroman and went to Iowa. The same year David Holly with his family settled on the S. W. ¿ Sec. 35, T. 22, China. His house was built where Jacob Miller lives, and Cummins Noe settled on the Creek south of the grove about one and a quarter miles west of the railroad depot at Franklin Grove, and about eighty rods north and a little west of Henry Hausen's house. Early in 1836 Edward Morgan, from Indiana, settled farther up in the grove near the middle of the S. ¿ of Sec. 27, T. 22, China. Late in August or early in September, 1836, Nathaniel C. Yale and his fam- ily, of New York, came here and moved into a log house which stood nearly opposite the " Dunkard " church, on what is now David Lah- man's premises. This house was built by James Holly. Here they lived till the spring of 1839, when they moved to the south side of the grove. When the Yales came there were three families, numbering sixteen souls, living at the grove : Cummins Noe, his wife and two children ; David Holly and wife, and father, Jesse Holly, two children, and Samuel Ayerhart, who lived with them ; Edward Morgan and wife, his three children, and Nicholas Kinman, a nephew of Morgan. In the spring of 1836 Cyrus R. Minor, father of Lockwood Minor,
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CHINA TOWNSHIP.
came to the new settlement, and from a man named Brown bought a claim to eighty acres of timber and " all the prairie he could see." In the following December Minor came west with his family. During this month they lived with Morgan. January 1, 1837, the family moved into their new house, which was built on the corner east of the Hughes' Hotel, where Gabriel Miller lives. This primitive dwelling had neither floor nor windows, and for a door a blanket was used. Rails were laid down upon which to place the bedding.
In March of 1837 Jeremiah Whipple came with his family in wagon from western New York. Otis Timothy, then a young man, drove his team from Buffalo, leaving there the latter part of January. Whipple was out here in 1836 with a buggy, and at that time made arrangements with Jesse Holly for the construction of a saw-mill, for which he (Whipple) brought machinery on his return in 1837. Joseph, a bachelor brother of Jeremiah Whipple, came out with him, and lived in the family for several years. They settled in the grove near the creek, near what is now known as " Whipple's cave." In July of this year Nathan Whitney returned to his claim accompanied by Jacob John. They went to work getting out timber for a house to be built on Whitney's claim. This is said to have been the first frame-house between Chicago and the Mississippi river; it was framed and partly inclosed in the fall of 1837, and completed the following spring. It was put up at a great cost of labor and money (for those times). All the lumber not made by hand was purchased in Chicago at nearly $200 per thousand. The family of Mr. Whitney arrived from Ohio in February of 1838, and lived in the "Noe house" (log) on the south side of the grove till the new house was completed ; this is now used by A. R. Whitney for a vinegar house. Jacob John, who had a fam- ily, settled where Joshua Lohman now lives.
In 1848 Harrison and W. Henry Hausen came from Maine, also Philip Stahl. The three purchased a large claim from Erastus De Wolf, which they paid for chiefly in labor. Most of it is land now owned by the Hausens, who live west of the village of Franklin Grove. It was first claimed by Noe, by whom it was sold to Bowman, of whom it was bought by De Wolf, who, after disposing of it, settled farther south on the Lee Center and Dixon road.
Dr. Gardner was also an early settler in that vicinity, having set- tled where Wagner lives, in Nachusa, in 1838.
In 1839 Thomas Brown came here with DeWolf, the latter having been here before, and made a large claim, intended for a Rhode Island colony. Dr. Gardner was also connected with this projected enterprise, but the original plan was not carried out. In 1838 Amos Hussey, of Pennsylvania, with his wife and two children, came to the grove in a
580
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
wagon. He lived in the "Noe house," on the south side of the grove, during the winter, 1838-9, and then moved to near where he is now living, a few rods north of the corporation of Franklin Grove, and built there soon after. The same year Silas P. Tolinan located a few rods east of where the Methodist Episcopal church stands, and bought from A. Vroman a claim to half a section. About this time James Holly returned from Iowa, and, together with Hussey, bought from Vroman a large tract, for which they paid $1,400. In 1839 F. De Wolf claimed the E. ¿ Sec. 24, T. 21, China, the south half of which he entered. E. C. Thomas, who settled in the grove, a family of Coopers, Michael Brewen, or " Little Mike," as he was called, and John Durfee, were early settlers. The Coopers at first lived near the mill-dam, in Nachusa township, on land now owned by Samuel Lahman. Mike made a claim east of the grove, and Durfee settled south of Whitney, where Gilbert lives. In 1843 W. C. Robinson claimed his farm in Sec. 10, T. 21, on the sonth side of the Dixon and Lee Center road, and built on the same. In this year C. Lahman and family came, in company with the Emmerts, all of Pennsylvania. Lahman settled on the farm now owned by his son David, a little north of A. Hussey, having bought the property from J. Holly, who then left the settlement. Then only the Hollys, Morgan and Ayerhart lived on the north side of the grove. Two or three years after his arrival Emmert built a grist-mill on the creek, which in a few years was bought by the Lahmans, who ran it many years. In 1844 the Riddelsbargers came, and settled on the north side of the grove. From this time till 1854 the settlement grew slowly, but when the railroad came through there was a marvelous change.
Most of the first settlers came from their eastern homes in wagons, sometimes drawn by four-horse teams. Their life at that period was simple and earnest. The spot they had chosen for their homes was one of the fairest portions of Illinois. None thought that the beautiful prairie spread out around them would ever all be settled. Franklin Grove, around which they built their cabins, was so named, it is said, after the youngest son of " Father Dixon."
The creek which flows through it into the Rock river affords much picturesque scenery. Along its banks, in places, the sandstone walls reach a height of fifty feet. The beauty of this stream is unsurpassed, if equaled, by anything in northern Illinois, excepting only a little of the Illinois river. " The different varieties of oak, hickory, walnut, elm, cherry, maple, and the soft woods except pines were found here in large trees by the early settlers. Much of the large timber has been cut off, and some of the ground is now tilled, but the area of the grove by the growth of young trees has been increased." For several years after the pioneers came deer were seen in the grove; there were also a
581
CHINA TOWNSHIP.
few wild cats. Prairie wolves and badgers were numerous. The bluffs along the creek contain much valuable building stone.
TRAGEDY.
The history of China records but one criminal murder, and this, too, in the pure, primitive days. In the fall of 1847, or early the fol- lowing winter, Moody Thompson, a widower, had bought a small place on the bank of the creek, in the grove, about one and a half miles " west of town." During the winter Thompson lived with the family of whom he had purchased. In June this family left for St. Charles, Illinois. Thompson being alone, sent for his friend Olig Gamerson to come and stay with him. Accordingly on Wednesday evening the, latter went, having come from Inlet that afternoon. On the following Saturday Jacob Wingert, while out hunting, had occasion to call at their dwelling. He found their dead bodies in bed, where they had been brutally murdered with their own axe. Their heads were split open, and they had apparently died without a struggle. Their chest was found broken open and rifled of its contents. Gold coin to the amount of $60 or $70 was found remaining in the chest. Wednesday evening Thompson had been to Mr. Riddelsbarger's to get a bag of corn. He was not seen alive after this; but one feed for his hogs seemed to have been taken ont of the bag of corn. It is thought they were murdered on the night Gamerson came. This was only three days after the family left to go to St. Charles. They were Norwegians by birth, and had been known here for nearly a year. They were thought to be upright and peaceable. Considerable effort was made to find the criminal or criminals, but the perpetrator of the crime has never been found, and a veil of mystery hangs over the horrible deed.
SCHOOLS.
For several years the dwellers at the grove got along without a school-house of any kind. One of the settlers of 1836 says that Louisa Cooper taught a school near Whipple's, about 1839; and the next was tanght by Lorenzo Whiting, in a little log cabin in Tolman's timber ; the next in a little log house on the south side of the grove, by Harry Godger. One winter Nathan Whitmore taught a school in the house of T. L. Minor. He was hired by a club of boys in the neighborhood. Girls and small boys were excluded. John M. Crawford at quite an early day taught in the James Holly log house. In 1851 the log school-house was built a little east of where Amos Hussey is living. The settlers each hauled a certain number of logs. One of their num- ber is reported to have said : " By G-d if there is going to be any quarreling about this, I will jerk my logs out."
582
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
ORGANIZATION.
The town of China was organized under the state law April 2, 1850. It was previously called Fremont. Russel Lynn, an early settler in the south part of the township, whose native township in Maine was China, urged the adoption of that name. China originally included T. 21, and the S. ¿ and Secs. 17 and 18 of T. 22 N., R. 10 E. of the 4th P. M. In 1870 the west half was set off as the town of Nachusa, leaving the present area of China nine by three miles. Town meetings were held at the house of H. S. Buckman till 1855, and subsequently, with two exceptions, for several years at the Hughes Hotel. At the first meeting Geo. R. Linn was elected supervisor, receiving thirty votes; Josiah Wheat, clerk, forty-five votes; Christian Lahman, as- sessor, thirty-nine votes ; Moses Curtis, collector, twenty-two votes ; over- seer of the poor, B. Hunnum ; commissioners of highways, Jesse Hale, W. C. Robinson, Nathan Whitney ; justice of the peace, Robt. B. Sprout; Moses S. Curtis and W. C. Robinson, constables. Forty-six was the highest number of votes cast for any one office. At this meet- ing the town was divided into ten highway districts; a fence law was passed ; decided measures were adopted to prevent stock from running at large. At the next annual meeting seventy-seven was the highest vote cast for any office. At a special meeting held at the Hughes Hotel, March 1865, seventy-six votes were cast for raising a bounty, and three votes were cast against the same. The census of 1880 shows for China, exclusive of the village of Franklin Grove, a population of 681 souls. There are six school districts in the township. China is strongly republican in politics, having given, in the election of 1880, 196 votes for Garfield, 97 for Hancock, and but 5 for the Iowa candi- date. Of 262 votes polled at a general election in 1870, 199 were re- publican. There were then about 450 legal voters in the township. In 1873 China had 90 per cent less delinquent tax than any other town- ship in the county of Lee. Besides her fine farms, large and costly barns, elegant houses, China has for several years been noted for blooded stock, including cattle, sheep, swine, and less notably, horses. In 1854 or 1855 C. Lahman brought some high-grade short-horns from southern Illinois. Henry Hansen commenced improving his cattle soon after with good results. In 1867 Henry Hausen and Samuel Dy- sart brought the first thoroughbred cattle here from central Illinois. These were short-horns. In 1871 Joseph Lahman began breeding that kind of stock. Mr. Dysart now has a herd of about fifty, one of the finest in the state. He has at different times taken many diplomas. Twice at the Iowa state fair his herd has come off victorious. In 1873 Mr. Dysart, at five different fairs in northern Illinois, took thirty-five first premiums, and eighteen second premiums, in a total of thirty-nine
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