USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns : educational, religious, civil, military, and political history : portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, also a condensed History of Illinois > Part 27
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The McHenry County Democrat was begun in April, 1877, by A. R. Bradbury, who issued a few numbers, but failed to secure a living support for the paper. In October following the paper was really established. John A. and M. C. Dufield became the pro- prietors, and in their hands the paper grew steadily. M. C. Dnfield retired Aug. 12, 1882, leaving John A. Dufield sole proprietor and editor. The Democrat is now on a paying basis, with a circulation of about 1,200. It is earnestly devoted to the interests of the party whose name it bears, to the dissemination of local news and the forwarding of home interests. Mr. Dufield, the editor, is a practical printer, and familiar with all departments of newspaper work, having followed the printer's calling from
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boyhood. Charles A. Lemmers is local editor, and conducts his department with ability.
MARENGO.
About 1852 the Marengo Journal made its appearance. It was published by Edward Burnside for five years, and was well con- ducted. It was not a financial success, however, and it suspended in 1857. Its successor was the Marengo Weekly Press, which likewise gave up the ghost after a few years' existence.
The Marengo Republican was started in 1867. It was not printed at home at first, but at Belvidere. In May. 1868, it ap- peared as a seven-column folio in a new dress and in new type. D. C. Potter was then the editor. From 1868 to the present time the Republican has been conducted almost continuously by J. B. Babcock, its present editor and proprietor. The paper is Repub- lican in politics, though the general and local news are not neglected, even in the most exciting campaigns. At a subscrip- tion price of $1.50 per annum it has a circulation of over 800 copies. The paper is liberally patronized by home advertising, and job printing is quite a paying business in this office. But few county papers are more ably edited.
HARVARD.
The Harvard Independent was started in the spring of 1865 by Thomas G. Newman, and edited by H. V. Reed as an indepen- dent newspaper till the spring of 1866, when H. V. Reed became the owner, and soon after took a Mr. Tuttle in as partner. They ran it till 1868, and sold out to Horniday & Blake. In the following September Blake withdrew from the firm by selling his interests to Smith Hooker, wlio, after a few months, sold to A. McLaughlin, and it was run for a few months under the firm name McLaughlin & Horniday, when Mclaughlin became sole proprie- tor and ran it till 1872, when he took in A. Leland as an equal partner. This firm ran the paper till 1877, when Gardner & Knox bought it, and after owning it a short time, sold to George White, wlio, after running it about one year sold it to G. W. Hanna & Son, who also ran it about one year, when James White (father of George White, a former owner) bought the paper, and was afterward sold out at sheriff's sale, when the property was bought by the present proprietor, N. B. Burtch, who, since January, 1881, has been successfully managing the paper. When
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Mr. Burtch became the owner of this paper it was practically dead, and through his exertions and ability as an editor, he has not only resurrected and brought it back to life, but has made it one of the leading papers in McHenry County. Its circulation is second to none in the county, and it is running on a good paying basis.
NATHANIEL B. BURTCH, editor of the Harvard Independent, was born in Leyden, Lewis Co., N. Y., April 6, 1842. In the spring of 1844 his parents moved to Fonda, the county seat of Mont- gomery County. When he was but ten years of age his father died, and at that early age he began learning the printer's trade with T. R. Horton, of Fultonville, Montgomery County, and rc- mained with him till October, 1857. He then, with an older brother, John H., who was also a printer, came West, arriving in Chicago the day the Crystal Palace of New York burned. He worked in the job-room of the Evening Journal two months, and then went, with his brother, to Joliet, Ill. Failing to get work at their trade, his brother took charge of a restaurant, and he went to work on the farm of William Hadsell, two miles east of Joliet, till April, 1858. From April till August, 1858, he was news agent on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, running from Bloomington to Chicago, headquarters at Bloomington. He then went to Cairo, Ill., and, with his brother John, took charge of the Cairo Times and Delta, a semi-weekly paper, L. G. Faxon, editor, and Burtch Brothers, publishers. In 1858 the levee broke throughi, and for a time they worked in water to their knees, and Nathaniel contracted the ague. He sold his interest in the paper and returned to Chi- cago, and worked on the Journal a month. He then determined to go to Pike's Peak, and went East to see his mother before start- ing. She persuaded him to remain in New York, and he worked on the Cableskill Jeffersonian till the | following spring, when he went to New York City, and worked on the morning and evening Express till the spring of 1861. He assisted in setting up the dispatch that "Fort Sumter was fired on," and then, with ten other printers, went to the Journal of Commerce office, on Wall Street, where they were joined by thirteen other printers. From there they went the rounds of the printing offices, and by 3 P. M. 147 printers marched to the City Assembly rooms, enrolled their names as recruits, and joined the old Scott Life Guards. The next day they were sworn into the service, and three days later embarked on the steamer Alabama for Baltimore, and thence to Fortress Monroe, Va. The next week they participated in the battle of Big
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Bethel, the first battle of the war. Subsequently participated in the battles of Yorktown and Richmond, and from there went to Fort McHenry, Baltimore, where Mr. Burtch had charge of the city patrol five months. He was then in several skirmishes and the battles of South Mountain and Antietam; at the latter he was shot through the thigh with two balls and six buckshot, and was left on the field for dead. He lay on the battle-field nine days, and was then taken to the hospital at Washington. A week before the battle of Chancellorsville he reported for duty, on crutches, and was assigned to a position on the signal corps, at the Lacy House, before Fredericksburg. After the battle of Chancellorsville the regiment was mustered out and returned to New York City, where they received a grand reception. Mr. Burtch went to Pough- keepsie, and while at work on the Poughkeepsian set up the first MSS. Joslı Billings ever gave a daily paper. In September, 1863,. he returned to New York and enlisted in the secret service, but was discharged a month later at St. Louis, Mo., for disability, and went to Fond du Lac, Wis. The next January he began work on the Fond du Lac Democrat. He subsequently ran the Oconto, Wis., Lumberman three months, and then went to St. Paul, Minn., and worked on the Press two years. He then, with four others, went to Minneapolis and started the Chronicle; subsequently changed to Tribune. While in Minneapolis he was taken sick, and told by the doctors that he had consumption. He sold out his interest in the paper and went to New York City, and as soon as able began to work on the New York Express. A year later he returned to Wisconsin, and worked on the Watertown Republican till the next spring, when he went to Scranton, Pa., and, in partner- ship with his brother John, published the Scranton News thirteen months. He then worked another year on the New York City Express, and then returned to Wisconsin, and was foreman of the Whitewater Register seven years. He then bought a half-interest in the Richland Observer, at Richland Center, and a year later sold out and bought the office of the Harvard Independent, which he has made the best paper in the county. Mr. Burtch was mar- ried March 22, 1864, to Sarah B. Douglas, a native of St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and a danghter of Benjamin and Ruby (Bishop) Douglas, hier father a cousin of Stephen A. Douglas. To them have been born three children-Nellie M., born at St. Paul, Minn., May 16, 1866; Jennie E., in Jersey City, N. J., May 11, 1868, and Charles E., in Jersey City, Nov. 21, 1872. Mr. Burtch is a mem-
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ber of Harvard Lodge, No. 147, A. O. U. W .; Harvard Legion, No. 24, A. O. U. W., and J. B. Manzer Post, No. 215, G. A. R. He is Recorder of the legion, and Adjutant of the post. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church.
MO HENRY.
The McHenry Plaindealer has had a remarkably successful career, and is in all respects a well-conducted local newspaper. Thongh young in years it has attained a large circulation, and exercises a potent influence in the field of politics. The first number of the Plaindealer was issued Aug. 4, 1875, by J. Van Slyke, who still continues its editor and proprietor. Mr. Van Slyke is an able and ready writer, as every department of his paper bears witness. The journal now circulates about 1,600 copies in McHenry and adjoining counties. It receives a generous share of advertising patronage, and turns out a large amount of job work. Mr. Van Slyke has recently improved the facilities of his office by the addition of a new press, and is now better pre- pared than ever before to give his patrons a good paper. The Plaindealer is a seven-column quarto, Republican in politics, and zealously devoted to home interests.
J. VAN SLYKE, editor of the McHenry Plaindealer, was born in Ogdensburg, N. Y., Aug. 21, 1837, a son of Jesse M. and Frances Van Slyke, his father a native of Germany, and his mother of Irish descent. His father died June 7, 1858, aged sixty-seven years. His mother is living in Antwerp, N. Y., aged about eighty years. Our subject attended school till eleven years of age, and then went into a printing office and served an apprenticeship of three years. He worked a year and a half in the office after his term as ap- prentice was over, and then went to Sackett's Harbor and remained a year. When seventeen years of age he was employed as Captain's clerk on the steamer Black Hawk, and went to China, California, round Cape Horn, and thence home. Then went to Boston and was employed on the Daily Traveler as printer and reporter three years and a half, when he went to Watertown, N. Y., and from there, in 1858, to Canton, N. Y., and was foreman in the Canton Plaindealer office till 1861, when he bought the paper and published it eight years. In 1869 he sold his paper and bought the Gloversville, N. Y ., Standard. A year later he came to Illinois and bought a half- interest in the Clinton Public, which he sold in 1870, and came to McHenry County, and for five years was associate editor and
--**
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business manager of the Woodstock Sentinel. In 1875 he came to McHenry and established his office and began the publication of the Plaindealer, one of the best local papers in the State. Mr. Van Slyke enlisted in September, 1862, in Company K, Eleventh New York Cavalry, and was commissioned Captain of his company. He was married Nov. 27, 1858, to Rachel, daughter of William Mills, of New York. They have had four children-Fred C. (de- ceased), Ida, Jesse and Maud. Politically Mr. Van Slyke is a Republican. He is a member of McHenry Lodge, No. 158, F. & A. M.
RICHMOND.
The Richmond Gazette was established May 1, 1876, by B. B. Begun, who had it in full charge only a few months when he took in George S. Utter, of Geneva, as an equal partner. They edited and published the paper till July, 1876, when Mr. Begun died. After this event the paper was managed by Mr. Utter till October, 1879, when John E. Nethercut, of Rockford, purchased it, and has since been its editor. It started with a moderate circulation, but has grown to 700. It is Republican in sentiment, though it deals more in the general news of the community and State than in politics. It is an eight-column four-page paper, and is furnished to subscribers at $2.00 per year, with a reduction of 50 cents if paid in advance. Its columns are filled with paying advertise- ments, and a good job printing business is done by the editor in connection with the paper. Mr. Nethercut was born in New York City, March 29, 1854. When young he learned the shoe- maker's trade with his father, and received a common-school edn- cation. When a boy he came with his father to Geneva, Wis., and was reared there. At the age of eighteen he entered the Herald office of that place to learn the trade. There he remained about one year, when he went to Milwaukee and remained two years working in a printing office. He spent a few months in Elkhorn, Wis., and then went to Rockford, Ill., where he entered the office of the Golden Censer as foreman, and remained about six years.
NUNDA.
The Nunda Herald is a sprightly little paper, full of local news and interesting matter, and is wholly printed at home. Its size is sixteen pages, the pages containing but three columns each, a
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feature which might be advantageously copied by other country papers, as it enables the publisher, when the press of advertising or abundance of news matter demands it, to extend his columns indefinitely by the addition of extra pages. This can be done at much less expense than usually attends the issue of " extras " when the paper is a folio or a quarto. The Herald was established in July, 1880, by its present publisher, I. M. Mallory. It is neutral in politics and devoted to the interests of the people. The editor is Secretary of the Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry Reunion Organiza- tion, and publishes much matter that is of interest to those who served in the late war. The letters of absent comrades and others is made an attractive feature. The Herald also has a good corps of local correspondents. It has a good advertising patronage, and receives a large amount of job printing.
The Weekly Advocate, published at Nunda, was established in November, 1883, by M. C. Dufield, the present publisher. It was designed to be neutral in politics, and so continued until June, 1884, when it became a Prohibition organ, with Rev. George K. Hoover, of Woodstock, as editor. It is a seven-column folio; price, $1 per year. Its circulation is now over 700 copies, and the list of subscribers is still growing. Besides devoting much space to temperance interests and local news, it has seven columns of advertisements. The paper has already attained a circulation of between 700 and 800 copies. It is published weekly, at the re- markably low price of 75 cents per year in advance.
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CHAPTER IX.
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THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
FIRST MEETING, 1868 .- OFFICERS ELECTED .- THE REUNION AT MO- HENRY IN 1869 .- AOCOUNT OF PROCEEDINGS. - THE REUNION OF 1875 .- THE ASSOCIATION PERMANENTLY ORGANIZED IN 1876 .- THE CONSTITUTION .- ORIGINAL MEMBERS. - SUBSEQUENT REUN- IONS .- REMINISOENOES .- OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.
June 20, 1868, there was an old settlers' meeting at Libertyville, Lake County, at which time the project of a joint Old Settlers' Association for the counties of McHenry and Lake was discussed and the following committee appointed to take measures prepara- tory to such an organization: Justice Bangs, Charles H. Bartlett, Elisha Gridley, George Gage and Joel H. Johnson. Joel H. Johnson and George Gage, of McHenry County, were authorized to call meetings in McHenry County and to appoint the time for a union meeting. The committee decided that a reunion of old set- tlers of the two counties should be held at McHenry, on Wednes- day, Sept. 8, 1869. A committee of arrangements was appointed, viz .: George Gage, H. N. Owen, A. H. Hanley, Wm. M. Jack- son, Wm. A. McConnell, J. H. Johnson and George Gillilan. Hon. Wm. M. Jackson was appointed President of the association. The organization was informal and regular meetings were not made a feature until later.
The first regular meeting of the association was held at the date appointed-Sept. 8, 1869. " It was," says the Sentinel of the fol- lowing week, " the largest assemblage of people that ever occurred in the county, entirely exceeding the most sanguine expectations of its originators, and astonishing all present by the brilliantly successful manner in which all the arrangements were conceived and carried out."
The officers of the meeting were: Wm. M. Jackson, President; H. N. Owen, Secretary ; J. H. Jolinson, Marshal, and George Gage, Orator. Four bands of music were in attendance. The meeting was called to order and a song, " Way out West," very effectively (310)
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rendered. Prayer was offered by Rev. W. W. Stewart; the band rendercd " Auld Lang Syne," and Hon. George Gage delivered an eloquent oration, treating of the history and the pioneer life of the counties of McHenry and Lake.
At the conclusion of the oration, the audience partook of two barbecued oxen and other light refreshments. The following toasts were then offered: "The Judiciary of the State of Illinois." Re- sponded to by Hon. T. D. Murphy. "The Bar of the State of Il- linois." Responded to by Colonel L. S. Church. "The officers and soldiers of Lake and McHenry counties during the late war." Responded to by General Geo. C. Rogers, of Waukegan.
Henry McLean, John E. Ragan and Colonel Edward Joslyn made brief speeches, and the exercises of the day concluded. This first old settlers meeting was voted a grand success by everybody who attended.
Oct. 14, 1875, the old settlers of Lake and McHenry counties held a reunion at McHenry. The officers of the day were Wm. A. McConnell, President; Charles H. Bartlett, Nelson Landing and E. Gridley, Vice-Presidents for Lake County; E. G. Ayer, George Gage, N. Donnelly, Vice-Presidents for McHenry County. J. H. Johnson, Marshal. Hon. John Wentworth, "Long John," delivered the address; Richard Bishop also gave entertaining rem- iniscences. Several bands of music were present. A roasted ox formed a feature of the entertainment. The crowd was large but rain interfered with the complete success of the meeting. The ex- ercises concluded with a ball at the Riverside House in the evening.
The Old Settlers' Association was permanently organized and a constitution adopted May 10, 1876, at a meeting held at McHenry for that purpose. John G. Ragan, Esq., of Lake County, called the meeting to order and Hon. George Gage, of McHenry, was chosen Chairman. Chas. A. Partridge, of the Waukegan Gazette, and J. Van Slyke, of the McHenry Plaindealer, were chosen Assist- ant Secretaries.
A committee was appointed for the purpose of drafting a con- stitution and by-laws, viz .: J. H. Johnson, J. Van Slyke and Mark Hickox, of McHenry County; Charles A. Partridge, J. G. Ragan and Albert Kapple, of Lake County, who reported the fol- lowing constitution, which was adopted:
ARTICLE 1 .- The name of this society shall be "The Old Settlers' Organization of McHenry and Lake counties," and its object shall be to keep alive the memory of olden times by annual reunions.
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ART. 2 .-- Any person of good moral character who has resided in the State twenty-five years or more, and is now a resident of either McHenry or Lake county, may become a member of this society by sending his or her name, address, place and date of birth, and date and place of settlement to the recording secretary, accom- panied by an initiation fee of 50 cents; except it is expressly under- stood that no fee shall be exacted from widows or maiden ladies.
ART. 3 .- The officers of this society shall consist of a president, one vice-president at large from each county, a corresponding secretary from each county, a recording secretary, a treasurer and an executive committee consisting of seven members, the presi- dent of the association being ex-officio chairman of the committee, and three members being from each county.
ART. 4 .- The several officers of the society shall perform such duties as usually pertain to their respective offices, but all matters relating to the society shall be under the control and management of the executive committee.
ART. 5 .- The officers of this society shall be elected by ballot at a meeting to be held in the village of McHenry, on the fourth Wednesday in January of each year.
ART. 6 .- New members may be admitted at any time by the recording secretary on compliance with the conditions in article two, provided that twenty-five years shall have elapsed since the writer's first residence in the State of Illinois.
ART. 7 .- The executive committee, through the local papers or otherwise, shall give notice of the time of the funeral of any of the deceased members; and all members, if possible, shall attend said funeral, wearing the society badge; and it shall be the duty of members of the society to notify the recording secretary of the deatlı of any member as promptly as possible, giving such par- ticulars as may be deemed desirable as matters of record, and the secretary shall keep a record of all events of this nature that may come to his knowledge.
ART. 8 .- This constitution may be altered or amended at any meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present.
Of those present at the above named meeting, the following were admitted as members of the society: O. W. Owen, Mrs. Harriet Owen, Richard Compton, Mrs. Mary Compton, A. V. Smith, Mrs. E. A. Smith, Mark Hickox, Mrs. B. H. Hickox, John G. Ragan, Mrs. Hepsibah Ragan, A. H. Hanly, Mrs. Susan Hanly, Job Toles, Mrs. Samantha Toles, Justus Bangs, Mrs. Caroline
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Bangs, W. H. Hoffman, Mrs. Mary S. Hoffman, Joel H. Johnson, Mrs. Maria Johnson, Lorenzo Hinckston, E. M. Denis, Albert Kapple, Mrs. Corena Kapple, George Gage, Mrs. M. P. Gage, E. A. Beers, M. D., Mrs. Esther M. Beers, Jehial Compton, Charles A. Partridge.
The Old Settlers' Association held their second reunion after the organization of the society at McHenry, June 14, 1877.
The next Old Settlers' Reunion was held at Woodstock, June 13, 1878. The exercises took place on the Fair Grounds, in the presence of about 5,000 people. The meeting was called to order by the president; the choir sang "The Star Spangled Banner;" Rev. R. K. Todd offered prayer; the McHenry band gave music; and Joel H. Johnson, Esq., delivered the opening address. Hon. John F. Farnsworth (" Long John") delivered the principal specch of the day. It was a good one, and excited hearty laughter and applause. Remarks followed by Colonel Gordon S. Hubbard, of Chicago; B. W. Raymond and Judge Morrison, of Chicago. The exercises concluded with "Auld Lang Syne." Mrs. Margaret Gillilan, the first white woman who came to the county, was pres- ent, and received much attention. Colonel Gordon S. Hubbard, one of the earliest settlers west of Chicago, and formerly an Indian trader, also received his share of honors. A game of ball for the boys, and a dance in the evening concluded the exercises of th day.
At a meeting of the Old Settlers' Association held at McHenry, Feb. 26, 1880, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year : President, Justus Bangs, of Wauconda; Vice-Presidents, Joel H. Johnson, McHenry County, John G. Ragan, Lake County; Treasurer, Wesley Ladd, McHenry; Secretary, J. Van Slyke, Mc- Henry; Corresponding Secretaries, C. A. Partridge, Lake County, M. C. Dufield, McHenry County; Executive Committee, Hon. F. K. Granger, Hon. Neill Donnelly, Job Toles, for McHenry County; H. B. Burrett, Lorenzo Hinkston, W. C. Howard, for Lake County. Voted to hold the next reunion at Wauconda, June 16.
The annual meeting of the Old Settlers' Association of Mc- Henry and Lake counties was held at McHenry, Sept. 6, 1883, and was a grand success in every particular. John G. Ragan presided, and Rev. Joel Wheeler acted as Chaplain. Hon. Richard Bishop delivered the address of welcome. Speeches followed from the President, Mr. Ragan, Hon. T. D. Murphy, Geo. Waite, Hon. E. M. Haines, of Lake County, F. Markus and Hon. H. W. McLean.
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An original poem, composed for the occasion by Peter Goff, of Chicago, was presented but not read owing to the lateness of the hour. The attendance was large and the exercises were unusually interesting.
OLD SETTLERS' MEETING.
The ninth annual re-union and picnic of the Old Settlers' As- sociation of McHenry and Lake counties was held at Slusser's Park, Hainesville, on Thursday last, Aug. 21. The day was all that could have been wished, the shower the night before hav- ing laid the dust and cooled the atmosphere, making it one of the most pleasant days of the season.
At an early hour the crowd, men, women and children, began to arrive, and by noon was estimated at fully 1,000 persons, all bent on having a good time.
About one o'clock the meeting was called to order by the presi- dent pro tem. and the following programine was carried out :
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