USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 19
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Walnut Grove Dairy Farm-25-43-6-J. M. Marsh.
The Lindens-2-43-5-Dr. C. C. Miller. Hillside View Farm-12-44-5-John L. Madison. The Maples-31-45-6-Robert F. Marshall. Oakside Farm-17-44-7-Charles E. Marks.
Elm Lawn-20-43-8-Mrs. F. E. Martin. Frary Dale-township 43, range 8-Laura E. Munshaw.
Merrilldale-23-45-5-F. S. Merrill. Windham Farm-25-46-5-James H. Moore. Sunny Crest-8-45-8-Burton MeCannon.
Fairview-4-45-8-Graee MeCannon.
North View-24-44-8-James W. MeNish.
Walnut Hill Stoek Farm-10-45-7-M. W. Newman.
Highland Park Dairy Farm-28-46-8-C. L. Osborn. Lilae Ifill-9-46-5-Jaeob Olbrich. Silver Spring Dairy Farm-14-43-5-S. P. Olesen.
Sunnyside-34-45-8-Chas. L. Page. Shady Lawn Farm-31-46-5-Mrs. M. J. Paul. Cozy Dale Farm-33-45-7-Frank Piska. Evergreen Aeres-31-44-5-Frederick Pulse.
Lakeside-22-45-8-Caroline M. Petersen. Clover Brook Farm-24-46-8-H. G. Reading. Meadow Brook Farm-24-46-8-II. G. Reading. Menoken Stock Farm-16-46-6-John C. Ross. Crystal Brook Farm-20-43-8-David Reid. Hickory Grove-14-43-6-Charles W. Rugh. Meadow Brook Dairy Farm-13-43-6-The Riley Est. Prairie View-5-45-8-Lucella A. Stephenson. Seebert's Caryview Dairy Farm-13-43-8-Mrs. Georgia C. Seebert. Oak Hill Farm-13-46-5-Fred N. Smith. Mayflower Farm-20-44-6-E. B. Standish. Garden of Eden-17-46-9-J. W. Sanborn.
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IIISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
West Lawn Farm-25-45-5-Alice B. Stevenson.
Waveland Farm-6-45-5-Ole A. Stalheim. Florintine-18-46-7-J. N. Turner. Ingleside-2-45-7-B. L. Thomas. Glen View Farm-27-46-8-Reuben R. Turner. Maple Dale-36-46-7-Charles H. Thompson. Hazel Ridge-24-46-8-E. G. Turner.
Clover Hill Farm-30-45-8-F. B. Thompson.
Waverly Stock Farm-22-46-6-W. D. Thompson.
Maple Lawn-32-46-6-Milo M. Wakeley.
Groveland Stock Farm-10-44-7-Frank White & Son.
Hill Crest Stoek Farm-4-44-8-W. E. Whiting.
Willobrook Farm-12-45-8-William Walkington.
Higliland Stock Farm-2-44-8-Walter J. Walsh. Fairholme Farm-11-45-5-Flora E. Whipple. Overlook-13-45-5-1I. E. Whipple. The Spring-16-46-6-J. F. Westphall. Improvement-23-43-5-W. II. Weaver.
Oakland Farm-33-44-8-John M. Walkup.
Orchard Knob-13-46-8-Walter E. Winn.
East Aeres-36-46-6-Randall D. Weitzel.
Level Acres-33-45-6-John C. Widmayer.
CHAPTER XIV DAIRY AND LIVE STOCK INTERESTS
BY W. J. KITTLE
LEADING INDUSTRY-DIFFERENCE IN METHODS-EARLY AND LATER DAY IN- TERESTS-FORMER CHEESE AND BUTTER ACTIVITIES-RADICAL CHANGE- PIONEER SHIPPERS-INTELLIGENT DAIRYING-DAIRY INTERESTS-IMPOR- TANCE OF DAIRY COW.
LEADING INDUSTRY
The leading industry of this county is dairying, which gives it a commanding position. Dairying is carried on so extensively that the county is said to have more cows per aere than any other county in the United States. While since its early days the farmers of the county have been engaged in dairying, and marketed their product direct, at present they are disposing of their milk to the large city dealers and condensaries. The city dealers have many bottling and receiving plants located throughout the county. These, with two condensing plants, furnish the points at which the dairymen deliver their milk daily, and at these plants the milk is prepared for the city consumers, or is manu- factured into condensed and evaporated products.
DIFFERENCES IN METHODS
There is a great difference between modern methods of handling milk, and those which prevailed many years ago, owing in part to state regula- tions, and also to the education of the farmer who has learned how to care for his stock and milk according to sanitary ideas. Some of the finest equipped dairy farms in the country are in MeHenry County, and several of them are rated as model agricultural plants. As long ago as 1885 the attention of the public was called to the dairy interests of this county, and from then on to the present day, they have been the subject of many articles in different journals, extracts from several of which being given below.
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IHISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
EARLY AND LATER DAY INTERESTS
From an old publication issued in 1885 the subjoined is quoted :
" The stock and dairy business of this county are fast assuming an importance which bids fair to transcend all others. The very best of pasturage and excellent water supplies abound every where in the county. The famous blue grass, so common in the South, is here in- digenous and thrives luxuriantly. These facts have led the farmers to turn their attention largely to stockraising and dairying, while at the same time they continue to give a good share of their time to the pro- duction of hay, cereals, fruit and vegetables. The dairy interests are diseussed more in detail, but in this connection it may be added that the importance of improving our stock of late years has become almost universal, until now choice herds of Holsteins, Alderney's and Herefords can be seen in all parts of this county. The combining of stock and dairy interests has been attended with the most satisfactory results.
"Until within the last quarter of the century (1860) cheese making in Illinois was a small industry. No cheese was made for export, except in the larger dairies. Factories were unknown, and the markets of the state were supplied with Eastern cheese products. The Western farmer had the best farming and grazing land in the country, as well as every facility for raising stock at less expense than the Eastern farmers: still dairying received little or no attention. Cattle were kept in great num- bers, but they were driven or shipped East for beef purposes. Butter was made and shipped to a small extent, but so little eare and skill were displayed in the manufacture of butter that Western butter acquired an unenviable reputation in the world's markets. Most of the farmers were in debt and gave their attention to stock, considering that the speediest means of raising funds. As in all new-settled countries, grains and stock received almost exelusive attention and manufacturers were discouraged. As to cheese, it was urged that only an inferior quality could be made in the West ; that the milk did not contain the necessary ingredients; that the grass, soil and elimate were not suitable. But all these false theories have been long since exploded, since the farmers went to work in an intelligent manner and understanding, and gave the dairy industry the attention its importance demanded.
"Before 1866 there was not a cheese factory in Mellenry County. In 1866 and 1867 there were eight in operation, and the number con- tinually increased. At first the business met with considerable opposi- tion. There was a laek of confidence among stockholders as to profits.
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HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
There was also great difficulty in obtaining employes possessing qualifi- eations of experience and adaptation to the work. The cheese were generally made for those furnishing the milk, at a stipulated price per ponnd, either two and a half or three cents. The factory proprietors furnished all other materia's, making and storing for a specified time. At the expiration of the time agreed upon the owners of the cheese either took it away or allowed the manufacturer to sell for them on commission. In 1867 the cheese factories in operation in this county were :
"The Hebron factory, built in the spring of 1866 by R. W. Stewart and W. II. Stewart ; a two-story frame building, 30x55 feet, enlarged the second year.
"The Huntley factory, started in 1866 by A. A. Blanchard and A. Woodworth.
"The Marengo factory, started in 1867 by Anson Sperry and R. M. Patrick.
"The Greenwood factory, in 1867; A. C. Thompson and George Abbott, proprietors.
"The Union factory, 1867; Hunderford & Durkee, proprietors.
"The Woodstock factory, 1867; C. De Cleroq, proprietor.
"The Riley factory, built in 1867 by P. B. Merrill, E. Graves and Leonard Parker."
The amount of milk used and the number of pounds of cheese pro- duced by the above mentioned factories during 1867 is thus given in the Woodstock Sentinel:
Name of Factory
Pounds Milk Pounds Cheese
Richmond (six months run)
1,830,423 134,471
Ilebron (five months run)
1,000,000 112,000
Huntley (four and three-fourths) .. 597,905 64,078
Marengo (four months run)
Greenwood ( four months run )
542,365
54,236
Union (four months run ).
429,000 43,000
Woodstock ( four months run)
243,000
22,223
Riley ( four months run)
40,000
"In addition to the above," says the same authority "there were a great many farmers in the county in 1867 who had dairies of from twenty to fifty eows and made cheese at home.
"The dairy interests have grown rapidly from the beginning. The county now (1885) contains fifty-three cheese factories and ereameries.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Also large dairies. The shipping of milk to Chicago is carried on exten- sively and with great profit to the dairyman. This branch of the dairy business is also comparatively new, but its growth has been very rapid, and it is now one of the chief industries of MeHenry County. Every railroad station in the county sends its quota of milk to feed the great city.
"At the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, J. S. Watrous of the town of Nunda, placed on exhibition samples of butter made at his factory. the Edgefield Crystal Springs Factory. This exhibit was awarded a gold medal for its superior quality, a result particularly gratifying to Mellenry County dairymen, when it is considered that not only the old states of the East were competitors for the honor, but also of sections in this country and Canada.
"The dairy statistics of 1877 together with those of 1883, are given below, and fully illustrate the rapid growth of this industry in this county :
1877
1883
"Number of eows kept.
18,378
28,179
"Pounds of butter sold.
805,832
757,935
"Pounds cheese sold.
969,229
2,213,002
"Gallons milk sold.
2,331,007
7,917,321
A RADICAL CHANGE
The radical change from butter and cheese making in this eounty to the present plan of bottling and shipping the milk produce of the farmers of the county was brought abont in 1889-90, since which time little butter and cheese have been made here and sent to the markets of the world. The milk has been daily bottled, or sent in large eans to Chicago where it supplies that great and constantly growing city, less than fifty miles distant.
In the days when cheese making was one of the leading industries of the county, the product was of excellent quality, but because of the making of what was known as "filled cheese, " really a skim-milk cheese filled with lard, and the throwing of it on the market, the good name of all Mellenry County cheese was damaged, and all of Illinois suffered.
Cyrus L. Mead, one of the pioneers of the county, when in his ninety- third year, then being a resident of Ilebron, stated that the first cheese factory in the vicinity of Ilebron was built by William and Robert
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Stewart in 1865. He says that in 1868 Harry W. Mead built a factory just north of the townsite of Hebron, it being on his farm.
The earliest bottling plant in the county was that established at Crystal Lake.
Several large corporations have established themselves in the milk- bottling business within this county, including the Borden and Bow- man concerns. The present condensed milk plants in the county are located at Union and Chemung.
There are the following bottling plants: those of the Borden Com- pany at MelIenry, Algonquin, Richmond, Ilebron, Alden, Chemung, Woodstock, Ridgefield and Marengo; those of the Bowman Company at Crystal Lake, Cary, Hartlend, Harvard, Greenwood and Ringwood; a country plant near Crystal Lake and at Greenwood; the Jolin F. Jelke plant at Huntley; the plant of Victor Mey at Huntley; that of the American Milk Company at Union : The Western Dairy Company plant at Belden ; and that of the Weiland Company at Spring Grove.
PIONEER SHIPPERS
Among the early shippers of milk to the Chicago market was L. W. Walknp who milked fifty cows, and finding that the commissions paid in Chicago left him but little profit, he, together with his brother, who later died as a missionary in a foreign land, undertook to peddle milk in Chieago, but after two months' trial became convinced that this plan was not practical, and so abandoned their project. Mr. Walkup is still a resident of Crystal Lake, states that while he was able to dispose of his milk as above stated because he was accessible to the railroad, others less fortunately situated, including the elder James Kittle, who had forty cows in his herd, were forced to make their milk up into butter or cheese and ship the same. The butter was usually packed in sixty pound ash or spruce tubs.
INTELLIGENT DAIRYING, 1921
Perhaps no better exposition of present-day dairy conditions can be given than that taken from the Harvard Independent, as follows:
"John C. Olbrich, one of the well-known Marengo farmers, was a business caller in Harvard Monday evening, and told ns a few interesting things in regard to his work: Ile is working 600 acres of land, there are four cement silos on his place, and he is milking about fifty eows.
HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
ITis milk is delivered to the Borden plant at Marengo, and at present it is averaging about 1,400 pounds daily. his monthly milk check being in the neighborhood of $1,400. Mr. Olbrich is a great worker and uses his brains as well as his hands. In conversation with us he told us that he experienced more difficulty in securing help for the house than the ordinary male help on the farm. His practice in farming is to raise the necessary feed for the stock on his own farm, for there is no money to be made if one pays it all out for expensive feed. By making use of the four silos on his farm, Mr. Olbrich can get along if there is a failure of the corn erop. There's the secret of the whole thing. Some men make a lot of milk and pull in big milk cheeks, but they spend so much for feed that they are very little ahead at the end of the year. The successful farmers, the men who make the money, are those who raise their own feed and are prepared for the emergency when the crop failure comes along."
DAIRY INTERESTS
Capital invested nearly $1,500,000 Men employed in different plants throughout the
county 500
Herds 2,500
Total milk production, pounds daily 655,000
Milk bottled, quarts daily. 267,500
Milk condensed, pounds daily .
120,000
IMPORTANCE OF DAIRY COW
The dairy cow has been the redeemer and builder of MeHenry County. Under the present reconstruction period she has kept the bank accounts of MeHenry County farmers on the right side of the ledger.
Richard Gaulen
CHAPTER XV
RAILROADS AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES
SOURCES OF PRESENT PROSPERITY-FIRST STEAM RAILROADS-PRESENT RAIL- ROADS-ELECTRIC RAILROADS- RAILROAD MILEAGE-LOCAL SHOPS-IN- DUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES-WOODSTOCK-MARENGO-IJARVARD-ALGONQUIN- ALDEN-MC HENRY-WEST MC HENRY-CRYSTAL LAKE-SPRING GROVE -TERRA COTTA-RICHMOND-FARMERS' NEW ERA TELEPHONE COMPANY.
SOURCE OF PRESENT PROSPERITY
This county owes much of its present prosperity to the railroads whose network traverse its entire arca. These railroads were among the first to be built in Northern Illinois, which today has one of the finest railroad systems in the world. Every village in MeHenry County has its railroad station, thus being afforded excellent shipping facilities. Each township, with the exception of Riley in the extreme southwestern portion of the county, has a railroad crossing some portion of its terri- tory. By these roads the dairyman and farmer are brought into close touch with Chicago and other industrial centers. Milk is shipped every morning from practically every station in the county to Chicago, and milk trains are as common on the roads passing through MeHenry County, as are the fruit trains on those of the Pacific Coast.
FIRST STEAM RAILROADS
The first railroad which was construeted through MeHenry County was the old Galena division of the present Northwestern system, then known as the Galena & Chicago Union Railway. Completed in 1854. it had stations at Huntley, Union and Marengo, which are still maintained.
In June, 1855, the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lae Railroad reached Woodstock, the following year was extended as far as Harvard, and was then rapidly pushed on to its terminus. This road is now the Wisconsin division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, and maintains stations
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HISTORY OF McHENRY COUNTY
at Cary, Crystal Lake, Ridgefield, Woodstock. Hartland, Harvard and Lawrence, all in this county.
About 1855 the construction work on the Fox River Valley Railroad was begun in the eastern part of the county, crossing it from north to south. This road was subsequently purchased by the Chicago & North- western system, and is operated under the name of the Elgin & State Line Division of the Northwestern. It has stations in this eounty at Algon- quin, Crystal Lake, MeHenry, Terra Cotta, Ringwood and Richmond.
In 1861-62 The Kenosha & Rockford Railroad was built in the northern part, and this is now also a part of the Northwestern system with stations at Hebron, Alden, Harvard and Chemung, with "sidings" at other places in the county.
The last railroad to be built in MeHenry County was the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, which enters the county in the southeastern part of Burton Township and runs in a northwesterly direction through Richmond and Hebron townships, with stations at Spring Grove, Solon Mills, and at a junction point where this road crosses Kenosha & Roek- ford division on seetion 11, Hebron Township. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad was built through this eounty in 1900 and fur- nishes an additional outlet for the freight of the county, Through the merging of the several railroads into one or more of the great sys- tems, the people of MeHenry County are now afforded the best of train service and the finest of accommodations, and all of the traffie is handled by the two great systems, the Chieago & Northwestern and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.
ELECTRIC RAILWAYS
In addition to the many miles of steam railroads in the county, there are also two electric roads, one of which in the southwestern part, with stations at Union and Marengo, is operated as the Elgin and Belvidere ; and one between Harvard and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, is operated as the Chicago, Harvard & Lake Geneva. These two lines afford much satisfaction and accommodation to the people adjacent to them, for they can board a ear for distant trading points at almost any hour of the day or night, and return within a few hours. The one between Harvard and Lake Geneva carries many passengers to the great summer resort in Wisconsin. Other lines have been projected, and one company graded a road between Marengo and Harvard over twenty years ago, but none of these enterprises reached fruition.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
RAILROAD MILEAGE
The steam railroads have the following mileage: the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul, twelve and one-third miles, and the Chieago & North- western, 1181% miles.
The electric lines have the following mileage: the Chicago, Harvard & Lake Geneva, five and one-half miles; and the Elgin & Belvidere, twenty-one and three-tenths miles, making a total of 173710 miles of steam and electric roads in the eounty.
LOCAL SHOPS
When the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was built to Ilarvard, a roundhouse and repair shop were erected there, but in the latter part of the last century were removed to Janesville. Woodstock also had a two-stall roundhouse for many years to house a special Chicago pas- senger train which ran as an accommodation, but when that was dis- continued, the roundhouse was abandoned.
INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES
While there are a number of flourishing industrial concerns in the county whose products are shipped to far-distant points and some all over the world, the staple industry is of course dairying. lIowever, it is with interest that the historian records the achievements in an in- dustrial line during the past and present in the different communities of MeHenry County.
WOODSTOCK
Prior to 1854 several mills were operated at Woodstock and produced much of the flour and rough lumber required by the community. The first saw-mill was constructed in 1852, although a flax-mill had been built in 1846, and this was subsequently converted into a planing mill in the early fifties.
In 1854 Roswell Enos opened his small but excellent tannery, but not long thereafter it was burned, and he did not replace it.
In 1856 Gilbert B. Drake and Cornelius Quinlan built a grist-mill at Woodstock, which they operated by steam power. After several years of operation it was abandoned.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
J. C. Teeple and Henry Eckert established a machine shop, which was of great value to the early settlers of this part of the county, and also carried on a foundry and made many castings. This plant was finally owned by L. HI. S. Barrows.
In 1868 Dr. C. B. Durfee began the manufacture of drain tile. This plant later became the property of the Woodstock Brick, Drain, Tile and Peat Company, which used native peat for the fuel needed. This business elosed in 1873.
The pickle factory of Squire Dingee & Company was first established by a stock company, formed in 1873, with a capital stock of $50,000. The building was erected in 1874, and E. T. Hopkins was placed in charge. The business after a time was leased to Heintz, Noble & Com- pany for five years, and this eoncern paeked in large quantities, but after a long trial went out of existence as a producer of vinegar, although pickles were still paeked. In 1880, under the ownership of Squire Dingee, the annual output was 55,000 bushels of cucumbers. The plant had fifty-five large salting vats, and employment was given to about twenty men. During the shipping season from eight to ten carloads were usually shipped per week.
Another early piekle factory was that operated by Norman Frame & Company, and it was undoubtedly the largest one in the county at that time. Norman Frame and Judge T. D. Murphy entered into partner- ship in 1881, under the above name, and carried on an extensive pickle and vinegar plant at Woodstock until they leased their plant to Squire Dingee, and the business was by him earried on until he went out of this line, a number of years thereafter.
The Pickle Growers' Union was formed in 1881, and had 100 mem- bers, at whose head was Edward Short. Associated with him were other representative pickle growers, whose object was to store the pickles pro- dueed by the members of the union so as to be able to take advantage of the better prices later in the season. During 1883, 1884 and 1885 this organization did a business of $40,000 annually in salted pickles. Their building was located near the depot, and had a capacity of 25,000. In 1884 the association had inereased its membership, and had for its offieers the following : T. MeD. Richards, president ; Mark Hieoek, treas- urer ; and Edward Short, seeretary. As the years went on, however, the farmers changed their erops, and, no longer raising piekles, the business was discontinued.
In 1858 a brewery was established a mile and one-half west of Wood- stock by John Bertehey. It was a small plant making common beer.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Later it was owned by Arnold, Zimmer & Company, which purchased the founder's rights in 1868. The new firm was continued many years and operated a large plant, the original one having been expanded, until the mammoth brewing companies at Chicago, Milwaukee and other cities monopolized the brewing industry. A never-failing spring supplied the water used by the Woodstock brewery, and ice was produced in an artificial pond nearby. In 1885 the brewery was using 25,000 bushels of malt ; had three immense icehouses, fermenting rooms, cooling rooms, bottling rooms, stables and sheds for the large number of horses and wagons used in carrying on what was the largest brewing plant in this part of Illinois. Twenty-five men were employed for twelve hours a day, and 800 barrels of beer were produced monthly, ineluding standard brands of Bohemian and export beer. This beer was sold at Woodstock, Harvard, Janesville, Rockford, Clinton, Elgin and Dundee. The brew- ing company also owned and farmed 180 acres of land on which they fed cattle for the markets. This brewery was destroyed by fire in 1902.
In 1897 Mrs. Edith Kingman Poyer established what was known as the "Northwestern Rabbitry" for the production of rabbits for their meat and skins, and was principally managed by Mrs. Poyer's brother, C. F. Kingman. It was expanded and in 1901 was said to be the largest plant of its kind in America, and yielded good returns. The plant was located at the end of Washington street, and in the frame building there were 275 cages, usually filled with fine specimens of imported hares and rabbits. One animal, "Fiery Fox," took prizes all over the country, and his owner was offered $2,000 for him. The Belgian hares were especially valuable, and thousands of pounds of these animals were shipped in refrigerator cars to Eastern markets, where fanes prices were received. A fire destroyed the plant and it was never rebuilt.
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