USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
In May, 1834, Adolphus Bliss commenced a settlement at Inlet Grove, to which was added that summer or autumn Ozra Wright and two or three others. About this time Paw Paw Grove at- tracted the attention of Charles Morgan, J. Alcott and David A. Town, first settlers in Wyoming township. Mr. Harris, the father of Benjamin Harris, who came with his father and brother and a large train of relatives, settled at this grove. These were followed by a Mr. Gillett and Levi Kelso, Esq., who settled at the north side of the grove. During this time, when settlements were springing up like magic in different parts of the county, the
58
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
settlement at Dixon's Ferry was by no means neglected, but it being the center of attraction of a large scope of country, because of the United States mail and store supplies reached at this place, there were additions made to the community. In the summer of 1834 a Mr. Bush, brother-in-law of Judge Logan, lately deceased in Chicago, opened a farm below Dixon on the north side of the river, now owned by J. T. Lawrence. The same summer John K. Robin- son, now of Mendota, opened a farm on the north side of the river two miles below Dixon, and was joined afterward by two sons of John Dixon. This farm has been since known as the Graham farm.
Probably the third house erected on the south side of the river in Dixon was by Judge Wilkinson, on the corner of Water and Ga- lena streets, and was built near the time James P. Dixon erected his house. mentioned above. Judge Wilkinson purchased the Kirk- patrick place.
In Dixon, as in all places of central interest, the spirit of compe- tition was early manifested. The future of the locality seemed to be impressed upon the minds of some of the most enterprising citizens, and they began to cast about to best establish themselves for the in- coming tide. Mr. Bush, below Dixon, established a ferry across the river opposite his farm. A Mr. Kirkpatrick, who settled one and a quarter miles below Dixon, attempted to start a town on his prem- ises called Burlington, but stakes and a euphonious name will not build a city any more than an act of congress, recognizing the Rock river as a navigable stream, will send the great steamers up her chan- nel without legislating a greater supply of water to float the craft with her cargo ; so the enterprise, laudable as it may have been, failed, as did also the ferries above mentioned.
"In the autumn of 1834," says Mr. J. K. Robinson, "Mr. Holl- ingshead made arrangements for the erection of a log house south- east of Grand Detour, which was built in January 1835." Mr. Holl- ingshead. not finding the country congenial to his tastes, returned to Kentucky. Cyrus Chamberlin, Esq., who came to this vicinity in 1835, purchased this farm, on which he lived, occupying the position of county commissioner for a number of years until his death, which he met in a ripe old age.
In the winter of 1834 Grand Detour was taken by Leonard Andruss and W. A. House, where for many years the former ran a plow factory in connection with Mr. Deere, now of Moline.
In 1835 Judge Wikinson built a saw-mill at the foot of Peoria street. Mr. Talmage, and other mechanics from Buffalo, New York, came to Dixon to perform the work. It seems that this mill, how- ever, was run but a short time by Messrs. Huff & Thompson. and
59
AFTER THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
converted into a distillery and vinegar factory. This was the first saw-mill in the bounds of Lee county, and it is to be regretted that it so soon met a sad fate. In the same year Smith Gilbraith also bought in Dixon, and figured largely in the public affairs of the town until his death.
In the spring of this year, 1835, Mr. Joseph Crawford arrived in Dixon, where he still resides, having served as first surveyor in Ogle county, which then embraced Lee, and afterward was first surveyor in Lee county. Mr. Crawford cultivated a farm near the Grand De- tour. The Messrs. Cutshaws arrived in Dixon the same year, and were Dixon's first carpenters. During the previous year, 1834, the township of Dixon was surveyed by the government, although the citizens were not prepared to effect an organization for some years later. About this time. as before stated, Dixon's Ferry was surveyed and platted for the first time, and will be more particularly noted in the chapter on the city of Dixon. In prospect of the growing town, and for the accommodation of the traveling publie, the first house built by Ogee and Mr. Dixon was converted into a tavern in 1835, and in the early part of 1836 Messrs. Chapman and Hamilton opened a store in the "block " part of this building. Dixon could now boast of a post-office, store, and a house of public entertainment. It was about this time that Mr. John Dixon removed to his farm, which was situated a little southeast of where the Northwestern depot now stands. During 1835 Mr. Hamilton, above mentioned, erected the first frame house built in the town. This residence stood opposite the house of James P. Dixon.
" Other improvements in the vicinity of Dixon were made as early as 1835. Dr. Forest, from Kentucky, opened the Woodford farm. George A. Martin commenced improvements on the Truman farm. Mr. E. W. Covell was building up on the north side of the river, and Caleb Talmage was improving a farm about one mile south of Dixon. Dr. Forest had erected a log house on the corner of Water and Ottawa streets, and John Wilson had erected a blacksmith shop on Main street. On September 3, 1836, Dr. Oliver Everett came to Dixon, where he still resides as one of the oldest citizens of the city."
About this time Mr. Badger, then an aged gentleman, located with several sons near the present city of Amboy, and was soon fol- lowed by Benjamin Wasson, L. C. Sawyer, Asa Searls, Joseph Doane, and John Dexter. The same year Mr. Wily settled in Franklin Grove, and became one of the contestants of an early claim trouble, which was adjusted by arbitration, Mr. John Dixon and two others serving as arbitrators in the case.
Other families were being added to the little settlements begun in
Badaw
60
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
other parts of the county. John Gilmore settled in Brooklyn town- ship, and R. Town, B. Harris, and J. Alcott in Wyoming.
In the autumn of 1836 the village then consisted of the "old mansion," the original home of Mr. John Dixon; James P. Dixon's house before described ; a small frame building opposite Mr. James Dixon's, built by Mr. Hamilton the previous year; also on the opposite side of the street from this, and a little east, stood a small building which had been erected and occupied by John Wil- son, an old bachelor, who occupied a small addition to the smith shop as his residence. In 1837 the latter was finished above, floor laid, and walls plastered, after which it was occupied as a court- house. The first court of Ogle county, which at that time embraced Lee, was held in this building. It was afterward occupied by the engineer corps of internal improvements.
In the winter of 1836 and 1837 Peter Mckinney and H. Thomp- son opened a new hotel, called the Western Hotel, which is now the northern part of the Huntley House. These gentlemen had charge at the same time of the "Tavern" in Dixon's original log house.
In the month of December of this year the original county of Ogle was organized, then including the present territory of Lee county. Referring to the poll list, there were but two hundred votes cast, although it was claimed to be a hotly contested election; and all legal voters of six months residence were entitled to a vote.
Up to 1836 the wandering tribes of Indians still lingered in the vicinity of Lee county, but during this year they bid adieu to their former hunting grounds and the graves of their fathers, and turning westward they sought a retreat from the advancing civilization of the white man, beyond the surging waters of the Mississippi. Their removal gave assurance of safety to the homes and families of the pioneers. This change was the signal for the advance of the pio- neer corps from Kentucky and Tennesee, who laid off claims by driving stakes, turning a furrow, or beginning a cabin house. By the autumn of 1837 the claims covered all the prairie lands skirting the timber. The holders of this land secured their title to the same from the government under the preemption laws. These claims had to be respected, as the pioneer settlements were a "law unto them- selves," in mutually protecting each others' interests. The writer has been told of a stranger coming forward to bid in lands that had been covered with a previous claim, when a number of pioneers tied him to a tree and leveled their rifles at him, when he recalled his bid, and on being released he withdrew, leaving the claimants to secure their lands from the government without further competition.
Abych. Powers
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS B L
63
AFTER THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
In 1837 a claim association was formed for the protection of members in their "reasonable claims made according to the enstoms of the country." The following list of names shows the citizens who became original members in 1837 and 1838: Samuel C. McClure, Hugh Moor, Samnel Anthony, John H. Champlin, James Moor, A. Menten, S. N. Anthony, Henry Moon, Cyrus Chamberlin, Will- iam G. Elder, Josiah H. Moores, J. D. Pratt, Robert Murry, Ed- win Hine, I. S. Boardman, jr., J. B. Dills, Alonso Dickerman, John Richards, Caleb Tallmage, Charles Franks, Smith Gilbraitlı, Oliver Everett, Joseph Crawford, Timothy L. Miner, Samuel M. Bowman, James Kent, Moses Crumby, Major Chamberlin, Daniel Koons, Nehemiah Hutton, James M. Santee, William P. Burroughs, Thomas S. Bunner, Charles F. Hubbard, John Carr (by C. F. Hub- bard), William Graham (by C. F. Hubbard), Edward Brandon, G. Metzlar, J. Caldwell, J. Young, James P. Dixon, John Dixon, J. Murphy, James Evans (by John Dixon his agent), James W. Stephenson (by S. Gilbraith), John W. Dixon, Joseph Courtright, B. B. Brown, Samuel Johnston, Jessee Bowman, James Hawley, Thomas McCabe, W. C. Bostwick (by his agent John Dixon), John Wilson, John Brandon, J. W. Hamilton, Ward Rathbone, Daniel O'Brien, Stephen Fuller, and Jessee P. Baily.
As soon as settlements were established along the main thorough- fares stage lines were opened and coaches were run regularly on the more important routes. A main line was established between this point and Galena. There were other lines centering at Dixon and connecting with the main line to the Galena mines, as follows: The Naperville and Chicago line; the Troy Grove and Ottawa, and the Windsor, Princeton and Peoria line. Dixon was the great transfer station on the stage lines that traversed the country then as the railroads do now. In the early settlement of the country "every dwelling house," says a writer, " was a place of entertainment, and the hospitable dwellers of the then hastily erected houses, most of which were of logs, were always ready to furnish the weary traveler with the best that the country afforded." But as the travel through this country increased it became necessary that Dixon should be provided with more extensive accommodations than private dwell- ings could give ; and in the latter part of 1836 and the first of 1837 the Western Hotel was built, and during the same year the Rock River House was erected by Messrs. Crowell and Wilson. This was afterward known as the Phoenix.
In this year, 1837, S. M. Bowman and Isaac S. Boardman opened the first dry-goods store in Dixon, on the corner of River and Galena streets. Others had conducted a general notion trade before this,
5
64
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
' which we have before mentioned in their proper places ; but of a general dry-goods stock this firm was the pioneer of Lee county.
In 1837 the number of families had increased in the different settlements of Lee county. There were thirteen additions in Dixon, besides others in the vicinity. In Wyoming, Charles Morgan, J. D. Rogers, and others ; in Amboy, A. B. Searls and L. D. Wason in- creased the number in their several neighborhoods.
About this time, or in 1836, William Guthrie made claim on sec- tion 35 in Viola township; and Evens Adrian, of Ireland, followed in the same township, and now owns a farm of eleven hundred acres of land.
Attention was now being given to education in the older settle- ments. Dixon built the first school-house in 1837, and a school opened in the following year. This building was a small one-story frame structure, erected at the expense of the friends of the cause, detailed in the chapter on educational matters. This was the only public building in the town until 1840, and served the purpose of court-house, meeting-house, town-hall, and school-house.
The first death recorded in Dixon was in the autumn of 1836. A man by the name of Lafferty died in the building on the corner of Water and Galena streets, and was the first interment in the ceme- tery.
The following extract from an old day-book used by Mr. John Dixon during his dealings with the Indians may be of interest to the reader, showing the manner of traffic with those people :
Chief Crane,-Pachunka.
Grey Head Pottowatamie.
Two shirts,
6
Gun worm, 1
Tobacco,
1
Steel on axe, 2
Two combs,
2
Making spear out of file.
2
Paint,
2
Bushing gun,
1
Corn,
2
Mending hoe,
1
Powder,
3
Blanket, 25
Salt,
1
Squaw axe,
2
Spear,
6
Shirt,
4
New axe for old one,
2
Looking glass,
2
Mending axe,
1 Flints,
1
One pair red leggins,
5
Two knives, 3
It is interesting to glance over the curious names and descriptions of some of the Indians trading with Father Dixon a half-century ago. Among his customers were : "Old Blue Coat," "Squirrel Cheeks," "Yellow Man," the old "blind man's son," "Sour Head Ox," "Doctor's Husband," "Raw Bone Black Face," "Limpy,"
65
THE ORGANIZATION OF LEE COUNTY.
"Consumption," "Blinky," "Daddy Walker." "Man that has a sick wife," "Old Grey Head's fat son." "Canoe Thief," "Old White Head Pottawatomie's son."
THE ORGANIZATION OF LEE COUNTY.
Previous to 1836 Jo Daviess county embraced all the northwest part of the state, including the present territory of Lee, which was embraced in what was called the Rock River precinct of Jo Daviess county, and in the fall of 1836 the polls were opened for the presi- dential election in that precinct in Dixon.
In December, 1836, Ogle county was organized; and the first court convened in the county was held in Dixon, September 1837. Judge Stone was on the bench, and Thomas Ford, who was after- ward chosen by the people governor of the state. acted as district attorney by appointment of the judge.
On the 27th of February, 1839, the act of the general assembly creating Lee county was approved by the official authority of the governor of Illinois, and it became a law recognizing Lee as one of the counties of the commonwealth. Messrs. D. G. Salisbury, E. H. Nichols and L. G. Butler were appointed commissioners to locate the county-seat, and in the prosecution of the duties imposed to their trust these gentlemen, on the 31st of May 1839, selected Dixon as the capital of the new county.
The following piece of ingenuity, called in an early day " sharp practice," may be of interest : In 1839, when the state legislature was in session in Vandalia, then the capital of the state, Mr. F. R. Dutcher, now of Amboy, but then residing in Dixon, and Mr. Smith Gilbraith visited Vandalia to present a petition to the general assem- bly praying for the creation of the county of Lee, the name being sug- gested by Mr. Dutcher in honor of Gen. Lee, who in after years be- came notorious as the defender of the Confederate cause and surren- dered to Gen. U. S. Grant at the close of the rebellion. On arriving at Vandalia Messrs. Dutcher and Gilbraith found a Mr. Boague in advance of them with a remonstrance from Buffalo Grove and Grand Detour. The latter gentleman, however, had not his complete list of names to his remonstrance, and was anxiously looking for other papers from home that would give him a large majority of remon- strators over the Dixon petitioners. The Dixon gentlemen knew if Mr. Boague got in the full list of signatures to his remonstrance that their cause would be defeated ; and to forestall this Mr. Gilbraith perpetrated a very shrewd piece of business, by presenting himself at the post-office on the arrival of the mail from the north and in- quiring of the postman, "anything for Boague?" A package was
,
66
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
handed over, which went down into the great-coat pocket, and Mr. Boague anxiously looked for the desired document in vain. And what made the situation more serious was that there was not sufficient time to send back to his constituents for a duplicate list of remon- strators before the adjournment of the legislature. Messrs. Dutcher and Gilbraith were not satisfied with this piece of irregularity to secure their purpose, but knowing Mr. Boague to be an abolitionist orator, they encouraged the project of that gentleman to deliver an abolition speech on a certain evening, to which the members of the legislature were invited. The effect was, as designed, to alienate the sympa- thies of the members of the general assembly from the orator and his cause. This gave the situation to the petitioners, who obtained the object for which they prayed.
Mr. Dutcher was not only one of the prime movers in securing the creation of the county of Lee, but suggested the name which it bears. He came to Dixon on May 9, 1838, armed with a letter of introduction from Judge Massey, of New York, to Stephen A. Doug- las, of Illinois, and on reaching Vandalia he inquired for Mr. Dong- las. Douglas was pointed out to him, who was in the playful act of trying, though a very small man, to climb a very tall Kentuckian who was standing in the hall of the state house. Mr. Dutcher was appointed postmaster in Dixon in 1839, and in the same year was elected magistrate, in which office he served until 1846. In 1840 he rode over the entire county of Lee on horseback and took the census for that year, which enumeration amounted to 2035.
The first election of county officers was held on the first Monday in August of the same year, which resulted in the election of the fol- lowing persons : county commissioners, Charles F. Ingals, Nathan R. Whitney, and James P. Dixon ; Isaac Boardman, elerk of com- missioners' court ; Aaron Wakely, sheriff; Joseph Crawford, county surveyor; H. Morgan, probate justice ; G. W. Chase, recorder. The commissioners' court conducted the affairs of the county, in- cluding that which is now done by the townships. The county com- missioners held their first session in the Dixon school-house on Sep- tember 13, 1839, for the purpose of organizing said county, and were duly qualified by administering the proper oath of office to each other ; after which Isaae S. Boardman, jr., gave approved bonds and took the oath of office as required by law. The court proceeded to determine the terms of their respective offices by lot, which resulted in three years' service to Charles F. Ingles and one year's term to Nathan Whitney. There being but two members elect present, the court adjourned to meet on the following Monday, at which time James P. Dixon presented his certificate of election and took the
67
THE ORGANIZATION OF LEE COUNTY.
oath of office as a member of the court. His term of office was de- termined to be two years. They having provided that the term of commissioners should be for three years, it was determined as above that two should vacate the office before the expiration of the legal term, that thereafter one might be elected annually.
At this session the court divided the county into six election pre- cincts, and appointed judges of elections for the several divisions : Gap Grove precinct, west of the river in the northwest corner of the county ; election to be held at the house of William Martin ; judges of election were Thomas J. Harris, William Morelin, and William J. Johnson. Dixon precinct, embracing the present townships of Dixon and Nelson, with a portion of South Dixon, and northeast Nachusa. The place of elections was the Dixon school-house ; judges of election were James Sairtu, Samuel M. Brown and Thomas McCabe. Franklin precinct, which embraced what is now four town- ships - Nachusa, China, Ashton, and Bradford - held elections at the house of Jeremiah Whipple ; judges of election being Cyrus Chambers, Jeremiah Whipple, and Daniel Cooper. The Winnebago precinct embraced the territory of six present townships, Hamilton, East Grove, May, Harmon, Marion, and the south half of South Dixon ; the election to be held at the house of David Welty ; judges of election, David Welty, Henry W. Bogardner, and Nathan Brooks. Inlet precinct embraced the three townships of Amboy, Lee Centre, and Sublette ; elections to be held at the house of Benjamin Whita- ker ; judges of election were Daniel M. Dewey, Daniel Frost, and Asa B. Searls. Winnebago precinct embraced all of Lee county east of the third meridian, including six present townships. Elections held at Malugin's school-house; judges of elections were David A. Town, Zachariah Malugin and J. K. Robinson.
The clerk of the commissioners' court was instructed to procure a seat for the court as soon as convenient for him to comply with said order. The court issued treasury certificates for the first time in favor of the several members of the court.
The commissioners' court met in special session, October 2, 1839 ; at which time a county election was ordered, to be held in the several precincts of the county, for the purpose of electing two jus- . tices of the peace, and two constables in each precinct respectively. At the same session the court ordered that the clerk give public notice that sealed proposals would be accepted at the December term of the court for the building of a stone court-house on the pub- lic square in Dixon. The court subsequently received proposals for building the court-house in brick, and also for the building of a county jail. The court awarded the building of the court-house, per bid, to
68
HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
Samuel M. Bowman, and the building of the jail was awarded to Zenos Aplington and G. G. Holbrook. The court-house was to be built for the consideration of $6,800, in accordance with the bid sub- mitted ; the commissioners contracting to pay an additional sum for work not before specified. The jail was to be built for $1,495.
On March 7, 1840, John Morse was appointed first assessor for the county, and at the same term of the court the county was di- vided into sixteen road districts, and the following gentlemen were appointed road supervisors in their respective districts : District No. 1, John Morse; No. 2, William W. Bethea; No. 3, S. A. Ma- son ; No. 4, Lewis Davis; No. 5, Solomon Shelhammer ; No. 6, William Seward ; No. 7, James Hawley ; No. 8,-Scott ; No. 9, Otis Timothy ; No. 10, Charles S. Badger ; No. 11, Charles Stark ; No. 12, Johnathan Peterson ; No. 13, Curtis T. Bridgman ; No. 14, Henry W. Chocland ; No. 15, Abraham V. Christiance ; No. 16, John Sims.
The following list gives the names of the first county officers : county commissioners, C. F. Ingals, Nathan Whitney, and J. P. Dixon, elected in 1839 ; county judge, H. Morgan, elected in same year ; county clerk and recorder, G. W. Chase, in 1839 ; county . recorder, M. Fellows : county treasurer, John Morse ; sheriff, A. Wakely ; superintendent of schools, E. R. Mason ; county surveyor, Joseph Crawford, from 1839 to 1844 ; coroner, Samuel Johnson, from 1839 to 1841 ; circuit judge, Daniel Stone, in 1840.
The first term of the circuit court convened in the Dixon school- house on the third Monday in April, 1840. Judge Stone, of Ga- lena, presided. The members of the first grand jury had been sum- moned on the third of the month to appear at the opening of the court, as above. and consisted of the following citizens : William Martin, Noah Beede, Reuben Eastwood, John H. Page, Oscar F. Ayres, Elijah Bowman, John Brown, Thomas McCabe, Cyrus Chamberlin, Cyrus R. Miner, Erastus De Wolf, David H. Birdsall, George E. Haskell, Daniel M. Dewey, David Baird, James Bain, Joseph F. Abbott, Peter T. Scott, Nathan B. Meek, John Willson, Zachariah Malugin, John K. Robinson, and Jacob Kiplinger.
At the same time and for the same session of the circuit court a petit jury was paneled, consisting of the following persons : Oliver Hubbard, Simon Fellows, James M. Johnson, Benjamin H. Steward, William F. Bradshaw, Hiram Parks, Jeremiah Murphy, Josiah Mooer, Charles Edson, Joseph Crawford, Samuel McClure, John Chamberlain, Edward Morgan, Amos Hussey, Daniel Frost, John Done, Richard F. Adams, Sylvenus Peterson, Asa B. Searls, R. B. Alben, William Guthrie, John Gilmore, jr., David Welty, and
as
69
THE ORGANIZATION OF LEE COUNTY.
James S. Ball. The above lists may have been changed some from the above footing by relieving some and substituting others. We may notice in this connection that there has never been a district court organized in this county up to the present writing (1881), the circuit court holding jurisdiction over the criminal code.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.