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 58
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Jonathan F. Moore, retired farmer, is a native of Orange County, Vt., born[Jan. 28, 1808, the only son of James and Eliza- beth (Fletcher) Moore, his father a native of New Hampshire and his mother of Massachusetts. He remained in his native county till 1837, when he came to Illinois and located in Kane County. In 1840 he came to McHenry County and entered 400 acres of land in Dunham Township. His means at that time were limited, but he has been a good manager and industrious, and has bought and sold again, from time to time, till he now owns 338 acres of the best land in the township. In 1874 he retired from the active life of the farm and moved to his preseut home, near the town of Har- vard, where in 1880 he erected a handsome residence. He was married Oct. 28, 1834, to Maria, daughter of Alfred and Esther Barrows. Politically he is a Democrat.
David Sinton, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, April 7, 1811. He was married in February, 1840, to Mary Jane McMendra, of County Down, Ireland. The following April they started for America and came directly to
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY. 633
McHenry County, Ill., and entered eighty acres in Dunham Township. They were successful, and added to their land from time to time till they owned 200 acres of fine land, all well im- proved. They have since sold 130 acres, and now have a pleasant home of seventy acres with a good residence and farm buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Sinton have had a family of seven children; but five are living-Allen, Mary J., Margaret, Sarah, Isabella. The de- ceased are-Margaret and Richard. Politically Mr. Sinton has af- filiated with the Republican party since its organization. He and his wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal church forty years.
Richard Sinton is a native of County Armagli, Ireland, born Deceniber, 1805. He was reared and educated in his native coun- try, and there married, May 16, 1837, Eliza McMordic, a native of County Down. In the spring of 1840 they came to America, and settled in McHenry County, Ill., on land entered from the Govern- ment. He first entered 120 acres, and two years later entered eiglity acres more. He built a log cabin, and, with the assistance of his wife, set about making a home. They were industrious and energetic, and, notwithstanding the hardships and privations they were obliged to endure, were successful, and now have a good home as a reward for their many years of toil. Mr. and Mrs. Sinton have had seven children. Mary is the wife of William Andrews, of Boone County ; Jane is the wife of William Maxon; Isabella, wife of Thomas A. Wood; Matilda is at home ; Robert, David and an infant are deceased. Politically, Mr. Sinton is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
John Snowden, retired farmer, is a native of Ireland, born in County Armagh, Aug. 11, 1817. In 1839 he came to America, and located in McHenry County, Ill., on what is known as Wild Horse Prairie, in Dunham Township. He settled on the land in July, and the following September entered it from the Govern- ment. He lived on his farm till 1880, and then moved to his present home, just south of Harvard, where he has a fine residence .. He was married April 6, 1845, to Orpha M. Allen, a native of Bradford County, Pa., who came to McHenry County in 1844. They have three children-Clinton A., a journalist, of Washington, D. C .; Vienna, now Mrs. J. L. Carpenter, of Chicago, and Milo E., a grocer, of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Snowden are members of
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
the Second Advent church. Politically he is a Democrat. He is at present Supervisor of Dunham Township.
James Wallace, deceased, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, May 11, 1828, a son of James and Margaret (Beck) Wallace. He came to America when sixteen years of age, with his uncle, Robert Wallace, and joined his parents in Boone County, Ill., but soon after settled in Dunham Township. He was married April 4, 1856, to Ann Sinnamon, a native of County Armagh, Ireland, born Nov. 22, 1834, a daughter of Henry and Mary (Rankins) Sinnamon, who came to America in 1838, and settled in Dunham Township, Mc- Henry County, Ill. To Mr. and Mrs. Wallace were born five children-James H., born July 12, 1857, died Feb. 2, 1858; Susan- nah, born April 25, 1859, is the wife of Charles Stevenson; Mary E., wife of Alexander Beck, of Bodie, Cal., was born April 7, 1862; William J., born Oct. 24, 1863, assists his mother on the farm; Margaret J., born Nov. 1, 1872, is also at home. Mr. Wallace died Jan. 29, 1873, aged forty-four years, eiglit months and eight- een days. He was, as is his wife, a member of the Episcopal church. He was an honorable, upright citizen, and was a valuable member of society, one whose place it was hard to fill.
Jonathan Wells, retired farmer, Dunham Township, was born in Halifax, Vt., June 20, 1804, a son of Joel and Chloe (Raison) Wells. When he was two years of age his parents moved to New York, and there he was reared and educated. He was married October, 1826, to Catherine DeGroat, a native of Lower Canada, and soon after his marriage bought a farm in Franklin County, N. Y., where he lived until 1843. He then moved to Illinois, and rented a farm in Marengo four years. In 1844 he bought his pres- ent farm, and in 1847 moved his family to it. In 1850 he went to California, it taking him four months and eight days to make the journey. He returned to McHenry County in 1852, and has since lived on his farm. He now owns 240 acres of choice land, and although he has given up the hard work of the farm, superintends it, as in spite of his eighty years he retains his youthful vigor to a remarkable degree. Mr. and Mrs. Wells have had five children- Harriet, John (deceased), Philia L., Edward J. and Dollie A. Politically Mr. Wells is a Republican.
Jacob A. Wood, farmer and stock-raiser, was born in Kent, Can- ada West, June 24, 1818, a son of Joseph and Charlotte (Wagoner) Wood, his father a native of New Jersey, and the mother of New York, of English and Welsh descent. His parents moved to Can-
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ada from New York in 1818. When he was eighteen years of age, in 1836, he left home and came West as far as Porter County, Ind., where he formed a partnership with a blacksmith and learned the trade, remaining with him three years. He then returned to Can- ada and worked at his trade till 1842, when he moved to Boone County, Ill. In 1846 he entered eighty acres of land in Boone County, but subsequently sold it and moved to Chemung, where he worked at his trade till 1860. He then bought the farm in Dunham Township, where he has since resided. He owns 200 acres of land, on which is a good residence and farm buildings. Mr. Wood was married in 1840, to Sarah Thompson, a native of Canada, born in 1818. They have five children-Israel, Harriet P., Thomas, Sanford H. and James E. Politically, Mr. Wood is a Republican. He is a demitted member of the Masonic fraternity.
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CHAPTER XX.
GRAFTON TOWNSHIP.
LOCATION .-- TOPOGRAPHY .- STREAMS AND LAKES .-- RAILROAD .- SETTLEMENT .- NAME .- FIRST EVENTS. - CEMETERIES. - RELICS. -SCHOOL STATISTICS. - FIRST CHEESE FACTORY .- TOWNSHIP OF- FICERS. - HUNTLEY VILLAGE .- NAME .- DATE OF SETTLEMENT .- BLOWN UP, THEN BURNED UP AND THEN BUILT UP .- FIRST EVENTS. -VILLAGE INCORPORATED IN 1872 .- OFFICERS .- CONGREGA- TIONAL CHURCH .- CATHOLIC CHURCH .- GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH .- SOCIETIES .- POSTOFFICE. - CHEESE FACTORY. -BIOGRAPHICAL.
This township is one of the southern tier, being joined on the south by Kane County, on the east by Algonquin, on the north by Dorr, and on the west by Coral. It is township 43, range 7. When first settled and before any improvements in the way of drainage had been made, this township was one of the few in the county that bordered on swamp lands, the center being the lowest point. But of late years it has in the main been converted into a good farming township, though not so well adapted to grain raising as the dairy business, which is quite ex- tensively carried on here. In the Southern and Eastern portion of the township are to be found some of the finest farins and build- ings in the county.
STREAMS AND LAKES.
About one-fourth of section 1 is covered by Crystal Lake while the Kishwaukee passes through sections 2, 3, 4, 8 and 6. The south branch of this stream rises on section 11, crosses the northwest corner of section 14 and passes through sections 15, 16, 17 and 7. Still another small branch crosses sections 32, 30 and 19, thus furnishing living water to nearly half the sections in the town- ship.
RAILROADS.
The township contains over five miles of railroad, the Galena division of the Chicago & Northwestern passing through sec-
(636)
C.C. Funthey
Thomas S.(Annthy,
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HISTORY OF MC HENRY COUNTY.
tions 33, 29 and 19. The station is located at Huntley, which is favorably situated for the trading interests of the township.
SETTLEMENT.
The first settler of this township was a .Mr. Grinnell who remained in the township but a short time when he sold his farm to Lewis Holdridge, who was the second man to come into the township.
Next came Prescott Whittemore from New York, in 1838, and made his home in the township till about twenty-two years ago, when he moved to Nebraska and died about eight years afterward. Mr. Stowell, one of the first settlers, was from Massachusett He resided in this township about fifteen years when he went to California, where he died in 1870. In 1839 William Robb ca me from New Haven. He located on section 30, where he made his home till his death, which occurred about twelve years ago. About this time came James Mullen from Scotland, who died in this town- ship many years ago. Then came an Irishman by the name of John Currin, who in a few years sold his farm to Thomas Huntley and moved to Iowa, where he died a few years afterward. Lewis Holdridge came from New York State in 1837, and remained ti 1852, when he went to California, where he died five years ago. About the year 1839 or 1840 came Richard Hadly, and after him came James Winney and John Conover, who are all residents of the township at present. The name was given to this township by Prescott Whittemore for the township of Grafton, N. H.
FIRST EVENTS.
Marion, son of William Robb, was the first child born in the township. When a young man he went to California, where he died three years ago. The date of his birth was 1839. A two- year-old daughter of Charles Stowell was the first person who died in the township. She was buried in the eastern edge of Huntley Village, on what is now the Widow Cummings farm. On the 2d of September, 1844, Sanford Haight and Miss Mary A. Sprague were united in marriage by Beman Crandall, a Justice of the Peace; this was the first marriage in the township. The first school was taught in a log school-house erected in 1842, in Dis- trict No. 7, Cynthia Thompson being the first teacher. She afterward married and returned to the East. The first religious services were held in 1839, in the house of Prescott Whittemore, by
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
Elder Marvin, a Baptist minister. The first house in the township opened as a hotel or house of public entertainment was that of Prescott Whittemore. Practically he was engaged in the hotel business ten years, it being more a matter of accommodation than for pecuniary gains. When the village of Huntley was started and a hotel opened there, Mr. Whittemore closed his house, so to speak, though his latch string was never pulled inside.
CEMETERIES.
There are but two cemeteries in Grafton Township, and these are both located at Huntley Village. About thirty years ago the Protestants laid out a burying ground south of the village. It contains about two acres and is one of the most beautiful cities of the dead to be found anywhere in the country. South of this cemetery a short distance is situated the Catholic Cemetery which was laid out in 1882. It contains about two acres, is beautifully located and kept in fine order.
Near the Free Methodist church, situated in the north side of the township near the line, three soldiers belonging to General Scott's army are buried. They died of cholera while passing through this country en route for the red man's abode.
RELICS.
While the following will not bear directly upon the history of this township yet it may be of interest to some to know that some choice mementoes are in the possession of Washington Whittemore, of this township. A chair used by Colonel Perry, the Lake Erie hero, over 150 years ago, became the property of Mrs. Whittemore by inheritance. Kettle- shaped copper warming-pans used by Mr. Whittemore's grandfather over a century and a half ago are in possession of Mr. Whittemore and are matters of considerable curiosity to the people of this age. He also has a pair of saddle pockets used over 100 years ago by Mrs. Whittemore's Grandfather Perry. Also a pocket-book used by his great-grandfather, Nathaniel Whittemore, while holding the position of paymaster in the Revolutionary war. The last time it was used was in paying the soldiers just before the battle of Bunker Hill.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
There are in the township eight school-houses. A salary of $2,998.88 is annually paid to teachers. There are 505 children of
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
a school age in the township and the school property is valued at $13,450.
FIRST CHEESE FACTORY
was built in the spring of 1866 by Messrs. Blanchard & Wood- worth on the farm of A. W. Nash, section 28. It commenced oper- ations in May and consumed the milk of 200 cows the first season. After operating it two years they sold to Messrs. Cummings & Haight who ran it till 1870, when they sold to Jackson Wood, whose son is running it at the present time.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The first township election was held at the house of Lewis Hol- dridge April 2, 1850, and the following officers elected: Thomas Huntley, Supervisor; Stewart Cummings, Clerk; E. S. Haydon, Assessor; W. S. Robb, Collector; Prescott Whittemore, Overseer of Poor; Wm. Chambers, Elisha Dayton and Sanford Haight, Commissioners of Highways; J. Holbert and J. Hoyt, Justices of the Peace; Wm. Robb and W. Smith, Constables. The present officers are: W. D. Sawyer, Supervisor; D. S. White, Clerk; B. F. Ellis and C. M. Pendleton, Justices of the Peace; R. Eatington, Constable; H. Sinett, James Lawson and Chas. Brookman, Com- missioners of Highways; John E. Cummings, Assessor; B. F. Ellis, Collector.
HUNTLEY VILLAGE
was named for Thos. S. Huntley, who owned the land and laid out the village in 1851, it being the same year the railroad came to the place. The first house in the place was built by Mr. Huntley. It was used first as a dry.goods store; it is the corner building now used as a drug store. Sanford Haight built the first hotel. It is still in existence, and now serves as a portion of Glazier's Hall; it was used by Mr. Haight as a hotel but a short time. Lewis Holdridge built the second hotel in 1851. It was used as a ho- tel about seven years, first by a Mr. Johnston, then by Mr. Fletcher. It is the building which stands directly east of the Ellis House. Fletcher sold it to Byron Thornton who was the last man who kept hotel in that building. He went to the army where he was killed. The next hotel was built opposite the depot by H. B. Brown who ran it about two years, and sold to Peter Ferris who ran it about
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
four years when he traded it to a stranger for a stock of dry-goods who soon afterward sold it to H. Phillips who ran it about one year and sold to George Scheler who kept hotel about two years and then sold to Ben Rowe who was the owner when it was burned. George Scheler built a hotel about the year 1878, which is now a portion of Skeels & Devine's store. This hotel was run by Mr. Scheler about two years when he sold out to Cummings Brothers & Haight, who rented it to O. P. Mason, who ran it but a few months. At the end of one year this firm sold it to Levi Dis- brow who kept hotel about two years when Stewart Cummings be- came the owner and proprietor and ran it one year and then sold it to William Devine, who built an addition to it and converted it into a store-room. The Ellis House comes next in order. It was started about six years ago by the present proprietor, B. F. Ellis, who is a model landlord and keeps the only house in the village. This building was among the first erected in the place and is the property of Peter Ferris.
In 1851 T. S. Huntley opened the first store. He remained in trade one year and then sold to Hoyt & Brown who built a store- room and added largely to the Huntley stock of goods. They re- mained in trade only a few years. Henry Dunn opened a store while Hoyt & Brown were in business; then a store was opened by a Mr. Grist; then Mr. Hill engaged in the dry-goods business, but they were each unsuccessful and remained in trade but a short time. The first hardware store was opened in 1862 by a Mr. Mar- shall who ran the business about three years. Wm. Schemerhorn bought the stock and ran the business five years and then turned it over to his son, Theodore, who ran it till 1881 and closed out. The same store is now occupied by T. F. Feeney who is carrying on the same business. In the year 1866 or '67 a steam grist- mill was built by the Jewell Brothers & Father. It was situated in the southeast portion of the village. It was a frame building and cost about $10,000 when completed. They ran it successfully two years and then sold out to a Mr. Shaffler who ran it till 1871 when the boiler burst and blew the mill into atoms and killed the engineer, Wm. Benedict. : Mr. Shaffler was hurled from the build- ing about ten rods. He rebuilt the mill and sold it to Mr. Spalding who ran it till 1876 when it was burned. Spalding re- built it and sold to David Williams who still runs it as a feed-mill.
F. J. Glazier opened the first harness shop in 1858. He, in company with his brother, is now carrying on the business.
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HISTORY OF MO HENRY COUNTY.
In 1856 the first shoe shop was opened by H. B. Brown and R. C. Van Hoozen.
A. M. Robinson opened the first wagon shop in 1856 or '7. Dwight Ramsdell opened the first blacksmith shop.
The first school was taught in 1851 by an Irish girl in a frame school-house, located at the west side of the village. The number of pupils was thirteen. The present school-house is a remarkably fine one for a place of this size. Here the matter of education is first with the citizens. The most proficient teachers to be had are hired.
The first car-load of hogs ever shipped from Huntley Station was by John S. Cummings. Having no scales he was compelled to guess the weight, paying three cents per pound. Mr. Cummings remembers that afterward when his stock was weighed in Chicago he found he had estimated a little too high. He also shipped the first car-load of cattle from this place. Pr ce per head, from $10 to $15.
OFFICERS.
The village of Huntley was incorporated in 1872. The follow- ing is a list of the first officers elected: John S. Cummings, President; John P. Skeels, Clerk; II. B. Brown, Treasurer; F. J. Glazier, City Marshal; D. E. Wood, Charles Bruckman, S. S. Sprague, constitute the balance of the board.
Present officers: A. W. Nash, President; E. R. Pearsell, Clerk; Thos. Grimley, Police Magistrate; Richard Eatinger, Marshal. The balance of the board consists of O. W. Mason, John Wales, M. Coyne, H. Smith, T. F. Feeney.
CHURCHES.
The Congregational Church was organized Sept. 11, 1852, by Revs. Starr and Dickeson. Prior to 1858 this church had no regular preachers, but were supplied by ministers from other charges, Rev. Clark, of Elgin, and Rev. Shapley, of Harmony, doing the principal amount of preaching. The pulpit was filled from 1858 to 1861 by Rev. L. Church, and had no regular minister from 1861 to 1863. From 1863 to 1865 Rev. C. S. Harrison was their minister, and it was through his exertions that the present commodious house of worship was built. In the matter of securing funds to erect churches he seemed to have special ability. Many church buildings have through his instrumentality been erected throughout the State. He is now a resident of Pueblo, Col. This
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HISTORY OF MC HENRY COUNTY.
church in Huntley Village is a frame building, 38 x 52 feet in dimen- sions, and was built in 1864. Since 1865 the following preachers have been in charge: Rev. Dan Chapman, from 1865-'72; Rev. W. W. Curtiss, from 1872-'74; C. H. Abbott, from 1874-'77; Rev. H. W. George, from 1877-'79; Rev. A. K. Wray, from 1879-'81 Rev. T. L. Brown, from 1881-'83; from 1883 to present time Rev. Charles Hartley.
The Catholic Church was organized several years ago in con- junction with the congregation of Catholics at Gilbert's Station. In July, 1873, the society was divided and a church established at Huntley by Father Clement Duerr, who was the first resident priest of Huntley. He remained in the place till 1880. He was succeeded by Father Stack, who remained till May, 1884, when Father John Kilkenney took charge. In 1873 they built a fine large house of worship and their membership is constantly increas- ing.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized March 1, 1871, by Rev. F. W. Richmann, of Elgin. The follow- ing is a list of the first members: John Schroder, Henry Heuer, John Frost, John Gutschow, Chas. Gruitzmacher, Wilhelm Hen- nery, Fred Miller, Fred Zimmerman. Rev. Richmann remained their pastor till 1873, when he was succeeded by Rev. Steinrauf, who remained till 1875, when Rev. Richmann was again the minister, but this time serving only as a supply; he remained till 1876, when the present pastor, Rev. John E. Baumgartner took charge of the church. The present number of communicants consists of fifty families. They built their house of worship in 1874. It is a frame building, 38 x 52 feet on the foundation. In 1878 Rev. Baumgartner added to the building a steeple and bell and furnished the church inside. The bell, weighing 1,545 pounds, swings in a steeple 105 feet high from the base.
This congregation owns a school property near the church, where the parish school is taught seven months in the year by the pastor.
SOCIETIES.
Grafton Lodge, No. 328, F. & A. M., was organized in the fall of 1858, with the followingcharter members: A. J. Rodman, Asa Northway, Wm. S. Rabb, Chas. Jones, James Furguson, John Wales, Wm. Renwick, John Cole, S. C. Rowell, Wm. Tyson, Homer Whitney and Wm. Wright. The first officers were: Asa Northway, Treasurer; John Wales, Tyler; Wm. Renwick, J. W .;
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HISTORY OF MU HENRY COUNTY.
John Code, S. W .; S. C. Rowell, Secretary; Wm. Wright, M. During the years 1861 and 1862 the society was in its most flourishing condition; its membership at that time numbered fifty. They held their meetings regularly till about two years ago, when, on account of a lack of interest taken by the few members left (the others having moved away), they held their meetings occasionally till in the spring of 1884 they surrendered their charter. At this date there were but sixteen members in good standing. The following members were holding office at the time of its dis- organization: J. S. Cuminings, Master; Henry Dean, S. W .; C. E. Cook, J. W .; A. Hitchcock, Treasurer; B. F. Ellis, Secretary; D. Glazier, S. D .; Stephen Van Luven, J. D .; F. J. Glazier, Tyler.
Huntley Brass Band .- Among the most successful and lively institutions ever established in this place was that of a brass band corps, in 1859, consisting of T. L. Parsons, Chas. Hubbard, J. S. Cummings, Jerome Glazier, John White, James Foley, Chas. Jones and Sam Clark. The following 4th of July they played against an old organized band of Marengo and carried off the Blue Ribbon. They played through the campaign of Lincoln and Ham- lin, going from home as far as Chicago. They were thoroughly organized and well drilled when the war broke out and most of its members joined the army and since then it has been a thing of the past.
Huntley Library and Literary Association was organized Jan. 15, 1880, by eighteen of the leading citizens of the place, the purpose being to disseminate among the people choice literature and elevate mankind. This association has raised a large fund (which was invested in the library) by giving literary entertainments and through their annual dues ot $1 each. Their membership has constantly increased. The library contains a large and vali- able collection of standard works, besides quite a number of mis- cellaneous works. The best periodicals and magazines are taken. First officers: J. S. Cummings, President; Cora J. Francisco, Vice-President; E. R. English, Secretary; Mrs. C. S. Hanniford, Treasurer; T. L. Parsons, Librarian. Present officers: J. S. Cum- mings, President; Minnie Clark, Vice-President; Dr. C. E. Cook, Secretary; Jessie Blanchard, Treasurer; Mrs. L. E. Smith, Libra- rian.
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