USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Rockford > History of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois, from the first settlement in 1834 to the civil war > Part 29
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SWAMP LAND FUND.
have saved them from local taxation. The local sale of these lands and the handling of such funds were delegated to township trustees by the law of the state. The principal of this fund varies in different townships, from less than one hundred dol- lars to more than one hundred thousand dollars. Unfortu- nately, most of these lands were sold at an early day, when the people were poor and prices low. Some township trustees were wiser, and held them for higher prices. The Chicago Tribune building and McVicker's theatre are built on school lands, still owned by the township, and pay an enormous rental. The township fund of the state in 1898, including a conservative esti- mate of the value of unsold lands, aggregated $15,479,457.42. The principal of the township school fund of Rockford is $4,000.
A local school fund is derived from fines and forfeitures. In 1853 the fines collected and criminal forfeitures on bail were added to the school fund. The present law provides that all fines, penalties and forfeitures which may be imposed in any of the courts of record, and before any justice of the peace, except those incurred for violation of the ordinances of incorporated cities and towns, shall be paid to the county superintendent of schools, and the same shall be distributed annually by him, in the same manner as the common school funds of the state are distributed.
September 28, 1850, congress granted to the states of the union, all overflowed and swamp lands, thereby made unfit for cultivation, within their respective limits. These lands were subject to the disposal of the legislature, provided that so much of the proceeds of such sales as may be necessary shall be devoted to reclaiming the same by levees and drains. By an act of the legislature, June 22, 1852, these lands were granted to the counties in which they were respectively located, upon similar terms upon which the state had received them, for edu- cational or other purposes, at their discretion. January 15, 1855, the state auditor of public accounts certified that one thousand eight hundred and one and nine-tenths acres was the total amount of such lands in Winnebago county. In March, 1855, the board of supervisors appointed Duncan Fer- guson, Milton Kilburn and Edmund Oviatt a committee to examine these lands, and report. These swamp lands were located in townships twenty-eight, twenty-nine and forty-three. Many of them were near the village of Winnebago. These lands were first sold by C. A. Huntington, the school commissioner,
300
HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
at high prices, and during prosperous times. Little cash was paid, and the purchasers gave mortgages for the balance. Values declined, and the purchasers could not redeem their property. Thereupon the supervisors ordered them resold, which was done by H. H. Waldo, who succeeded Mr. Hunting- ton as school commissioner, for about what they were actually worth.
Through some obscurity in the statutes of 1852 and 1854 upon the subject, there was prolonged litigation as to whether the proceeds should constitute a county fund, or be distributed among the townships. The money finally passed into the con- trol of the superintendent as a county fund. The principal of this fund in Winnebago county is $5,980.06.
By way of recapitulation it may be said the principal state and local funds for the support of higher and common school education are now as follows : Direct state taxation, direct local taxation, school fund proper, college fund, seminary fund, sur- plus revenue fund, township fund, fines and forfeitures, and the swamp land fund.
The cause of popular education languished for eighteen years from the passage of the first law in 1825. In 1844 a com- mon school convention was held in Peoria, which earnestly pleaded among other things, for a state superintendent of pub- lic instruction. The legislature, at the session of 1844-45, yielded in some measure to the force of this reasoning. By an act of 1845, the secretary of state was made ex officio state superintendent of public instruction. In reference to local tax- ation it was required that a two-thirds legal vote of any dis- trict should concur in ordering the tax. The large property- holders, especially those who had no children, often threw their influence against a local tax levy, and the school revenue was consequently small. Many of the features of the school law of 1845 were incorporated into the law of 1855.
The first school in Winnebago county was taught by Miss Eunice Brown, who afterward became Mrs. J. G. Lyon. This school was on the site of 110 South Second street, in the rear of what is known as the John Early residence, and taught in a log house. This was about July, 1837. In the spring of 1838 Miss Brown taught on the West side, in a building on what is now the court house square. Mrs. Lyon died at her home in Rockton December 7, 1889.
301
ROSTER OF EARLY TEACHERS.
In 1837 Miss Frances Bradford taught school in a log cabin which belonged to William E. Dunbar. In 1869 the late Mrs. John H. Thurston prepared a list of early Rockford schools, which, with some amplification, is substantially repro- duced. Israel Morrill and Miss Sarah E. Danforth taught in 1838 on the West side; Miss Wood, in 1839, on the West side; James M. Wight, in the winter of 1838-39, in the building on the corner of Madison and Market streets, on the site of the American House; Miss Hyde, in 1839, in the same place ; Andrus Corbin, in 1839, in a house owned by him- self on the West side; Mr. Jackson, in the winter of 1839-40, in the house on the corner of Madison and Marketstreets; Miss Hepsabeth Hutchinson and Miss Maria Baker, in 1840, on the East side; Mrs. Mary Jackson, in 1838-39, on the West side; Miss Wealthy Bradford, in 1841-42, on the West side; Lewis S. Sweezy, in 1841-42, in the brick schoolhouse on the southeast corner of the public square, East side; Miss Harriet Barnum, in 1841, in a private house, East side; Miss Minerva C. Fletcher, in 1842, in a log house that stood opposite the First Congre- gational church, East side; Elijah Holt, in 1841-42, in the brick schoolhouse, East side; John Paul, in 1841, in the first house south of the railroad, Main street, West side; Lewis B. Gregory, in the brick schoolhouse, East side, 1843-44; Miss Fronia Foote and George Waterman, in 1843-44; Miss Julia Barnum, in 1844, in private house, East side ; Miss Adaline Warren, pri- vate house, East side; Miss Augusta Kemfield, in 1845, East side; C. A. Huntington, from 1845 to 1849, in the old court house on North First street, and on the West side ; Miss Elizabeth Weldon was assistant to Mr. Huntington ; H. H. Waldo, in 1848, in Baptist church, West side; D. W. Ticknor, from 1846 to 1849, in the brick schoolhouse, East side, assisted in turn by Miss Elizabeth Weldon, Anson Barnum, John W. Andrews, and D. Dubois; H. H. Waldo, in 1849-50, Miss Hannah Morrill, 1848, East side; Robert A. Sanford, 1848, West side.
In 1850 Mr. Bowles taught in the brick schoolhouse on the East side; Mrs. Squires, in 1850, on what is now 111 Madison street, East side, and afterward on West side; Mrs. King H. Milliken, in 1850, East side; Miss Mary Dow, Miss Delia Hyde, and George E. Kimball, 1850-53, in the basement of the pres- ent First Baptist church building, West side; Miss Sarah A. Stewart and Miss Mary Joslin, in 1850, in a building where the Masonic Temple now stands; Seely Perry, in the basement of
302
HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
the First Methodist church, on Second street; B. Rush Catlin, in 1852, in basement of First Methodist church; Misses Char- lotte and Harriet Leonard, in 1851-52; Miss Stowell and T. J. L. Remington, in 1851, in the brick schoolhouse, West side; Rev. C. Reighley, in 1852, on the East side ; Miss Fanny Avery, in 1852, on the East side; Mr. Stevens, in 1853, in the brick school house, East side; Miss Lizzie Fern, in 1853, on the East side; Mrs. Carpenter, in 1853, West side; Rev. L. Porter, in 1852; Mr. Stowell, in 1853; Rev. Addison Brown and Miss Frances A. Brown, on the West side; Miss Julia Galloway, in 1854, in the lobby of the First Congregational church, East side; Darwin Dubois, in 1854, in First Methodist church; Mrs. Julia and Miss Chapman, in 1854, on West side; Miss Belle Burpee and Miss Ethalinda Thompson, in 1855, on the East side; Halsey G. Clark, in 1855, in old court house, East side, with Miss Lizzie Giffen as assistant; Miss Emma Brown, in 1857, on the East side; - Freeman, in basement First Bap- tist church, West side; Wesley Sovereign, in First Methodist church, East side; Mrs. Jones, on West side; Miss Elizabeth Fisher, West side; Miss Gunsolus, East side; Mr. Johnson and Mr. Gifford, West side.
Nearly all of these schools were private. The teachers were paid mainly by the parents. The teacher made out his own bills and collected them. There was then no regular state or local tax, and the only public school money was derived from the interest on the several state school funds, and the township fund obtained from the sale of the sixteenth section. Private teachers, who conformed to certain requirements of the law, received some compensation from the public money, in propor- tion to the number of pupils under their instruction.
The early public school records of Rockford township have been lost. Itis therefore impossible to obtain exact information. There appears, however, to have been a school district, with a schoolhouse, on each side of the river. The East side public school was in the brick building on the southeast corner of the public square. This schoolhouse was erected at an early date, by private subscription. L. B. Gregory taught there soon after his arrival in Rockford. His examination for certificate was quite brief, and was held in E. H. Potter's store. The directors were E. H. Potter, William E. Dunbar, Willard Wheeler, and Dr. A. M. Catlin. Mr. Gregory was asked to spell baker. He replied that he could not; but the certificate was granted.
303
GROWTH OF PATERNALISM.
In the classical institute, in the basement of the First Bap- tist church, from 1855 to 1856, of which H. P. Kimball was principal, one class pursued the regular studies of the freshman year in college, and entered one year in advance. A score of students left this institution and entered eastern colleges. Two years' study was considered sufficient to advance scholars through a full preparatory course of mathematics and the usual books in Latin and Greek, giving them a sufficient and thorough preparation.
Seely Perry taught a preparatory school for young men abont a year and a half, in the First Methodist church. At this school quite a number of students prepared for college. Among these were the late Dr. Selwyn Clark; Alexander Kerr, who is now emeritus professor of Greek in the University of Wisconsin ; Rev. John Edwards, brother of Mrs. Clemens. On account of ill health, Mr. Perry turned over the school to a brother of Dr. E. P. Catlin.
Besides the houses used for schools on the East side already noted, were: one on Kishwaukee street, near bridge; one on lot in rear of engine house on South First street; one on South Madison street. Not less than eight buildings were used for school purposes on the East side. A sum of money was once raised to build a second public schoolhouse on the East side; but it was never erected. The money was finally paid into the municipal treasury, upon the order of the city council.
John A. Holland and others build a schoolhouse for private pupils, on South West street. It was occupied exclusively by the children of those who erected it. It was therefore not a large school, but somewhat exclusive. The contract was made with Seely Perry for furnishing building material.
Another schoolhouse is now on South Main street, used as a blacksmith shop, near Mrs. Brett's block. The Second Congre- gational church was organized in this building. There was also a small schoolhouse on the south side of Green street, between Church and Court. It was a white frame building. Abbie Parker, a sister of the late G. W. Parker, taught there at one time.
The development of the public school system is an excellent illustration of the growth of paternalism ; first, on the part of the general government; and second, in the gradual advance of the state toward the present standard. In a strict sense, the free school system was founded in 1855, and will be consid- ered in a later chapter.
CHAPTER LVIII.
ADOPTION OF TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
HE constitution of 1848 provided for a county court, as the successor of the county commissioners' court, and authorized the legislature to enact a general law, providing for township organization, under which counties might organize, by a majority vote of the people. In the early days of Illinois as a state, southern ideas and institutions dominated the com- monwealth. The commissioners' form of local government orig- inated in this country with the Virginia planters. The system of township organization had its origin in New England. But the root of this form of local government may be traced to the districting of England into tithings by King Alfred, in the ninth century, to curb the widespread social disorders which dis- turbed his realm. The change under the second constitution of Illinois was due to the influence of New England settlers in the northern portion of the state. The Illinois township system, however, is not closely modeled after that of the New England states.
The legislature, by two acts approved February 12, 1849, supplemented these two constitutional provisions by the neces- sary legislation. The first created a county court, the judges of which should be elected on the Tuesday after the first Mon- day in November, 1849, and quadrennially thereafter, and assume their duties on the first Monday in December following. There were also to be elected at the same times and places, two associate justices of the peace, who, with the judge, constituted the county court, which succeeded the county commissioners' court.
This county court was short-lived, so far as Winnebago county was concerned. The second statute, also approved February 12, 1849, provided that at the next general election in November, 1849, the voters in any county might vote for or against township organization. Consequently, at the same general election in November, 1849, the voters of this county elected both a county court to succeed the county commission-
30.
SEPARATE CLERK FOR COUNTY BOARD.
ers' court; and voted to adopt township organization. Section four of the new law provided that if the voters so elected, the township organization should be in force the first Tuesday in April, 1850. At that time the associate justices ceased to be members of the county court, under the provision of section six of article seven of the new constitution. The associate justices, however, were elected for several years as justices of the peace for the county at large.
It may seem, at first thought, that two such laws would not have been passed by the legislature, as the second might nullify the first. But it will be observed that the township organization system did not become operative unless the people so voted; hence there was a possibility that they would not conflict.
From 1849 to 1855 the clerk of the county court was also clerk of the board of supervisors, under section eight of article sixteen of the township organization law. By virtue of an act of February 9, 1855, the clerk of the county court of Winne- bago county ceased to be ex officio clerk of the board of super- visors, after the first Monday of the following April. Under this law Duncan Ferguson was appointed ; and a separate clerk of the board was thereafter biennially appointed, until the law was repealed.
T
CHAPTER LIX.
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
T HE Second Congregational church was organized in the autumn of 1849, with forty-seven members. Nearly all had taken letters from the First church under date of October 18th. The application for letters, in part, was as follows: "We, whose names are underwritten, believing we shall be serving the cause of Christ by so doing, propose to form ourselves, in company with such others as shall desire to unite with us, into a Congregational church to be styled the Second Congrega- tional church of Rockford." Tradition has given no cause for separation from the parentchurch, other than the one assigned in the foregoing declaration. The resolution of dismissal rec- ognized the right of every person to be governed by the dictates of his own conscience; still it was the sense of the church that this action was "premature and uncalled for." A vacant church building and a growing population on the West side seemed to justify a separation; and time has fully vindicated its wisdom. During its entire history Rockford has been a stronghold of Congregationalism.
The first meeting preliminary to organization was held October 30, 1849, at the schoolhouse in West Rockford. This building is still standing on South Main street. Rev. Lansing Porter was called to the chair, and Worcester A. Dickerman was appointed clerk. A committee of three was chosen to pre- sent at a future meeting, articles of faith, covenant and rules of government for the proposed church. Benjamin A. Rose, Dexter G. Clark and Thomas D. Robertson constituted this committee. It was resolved that the public organization of the church should take place November 14th; and Samuel J. Russell, Worcester A. Dickerman and Robert Clow were chosen to make the necessary arrangements.
An adjourned meeting was held November 7th. A resolu- tion was adopted, by which the following named persons, who were then present, organized the church: Robert Clow, Burton P. Franklin, Rachel Franklin, David D: Alling, Rebecca Alling, Alexander Patterson, Helen Patterson, Ellen Patterson, Jane
307
ARTICLES OF FAITH.
Gordon, Thomas I). Robertson, Goodyear A. Sanford, Elizabeth H. Sanford, Worcester A. Dickerman, Caroline M. Dickerman, Michael Burns, Deborah Burns, Samuel J. Russell, Lucy Rus- sell, Dexter G. Clark, Benjamin A. Rose, Antoinette W. Rose, Eliza Hanford, Rebecca Spurr, Harriette W. Platt, Rial K. Town, Clarissa Town, Mary Bond, Emily G. Sanford, Susan G. Fuller, Elizabeth B. Field, Mary A. Frink, Lemira L. Meyers, Lucy C. Hyde, Sarah D. Hyde, Esther Ann Hyde, Henry C. Hyde, Gershom C. Hyde, Alonzo Gorham, Hannah L. Gorham, Mercy A. Gorham, Ann Levings, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Porter, Anor Woodruff, Mrs. Eliza Woodruff, James Porter, Ebenezer Hyde, Mrs. Barbara Porter.
Thomas D. Robertson, from the committee appointed at the former meeting, presented a report on articles of faith, covenant, and rules of government. This report was accepted and adopted. The articles of faith were thoroughly orthodox, according to the standard of the time. The orthodoxy of today is somewhat elastic ; but half a century ago the term stood for a clearly defined and rigid system of Christian doctrine. This Congregational creed consisted of nine articles. The three arti- cles relating respectively to the fall of man, the atonement and eschatology are reproduced in full :
ARTICLE IV .- We believe that our first parents were created holy ; that they fell from that state of holiness by transgressing a divine command, and that in consequence of their apostacy, all men, unless redeemed by the Holy Ghost, are enemies of God and under the curse of the divine law.
ARTICLE V .- We believe that Jesus Christ, our Mediator, is truly God and truly man, and by his sufferings and death on the cross, he atoned for the sins of the world, so that the offer of salvation is sincerely made to all men, and all who repent and believe in him will be pardoned and saved.
ARTICLE IX .- We believe that Jesus Christ will appear at the end of time to raise the dead, and judge the world ; that the righteous will be received into life eternal, and the wicked will go away into everlasting punishment.
This preliminary organization was completed by the elec- tion of officers. Rial K. Town and Alonzo Gorham were chosen deacons; Thomas D. Robertson, clerk and treasurer ; Benjamin A. Rose and Samuel J. Russell, prudential committee; Good- year A. Sanford, Worcester A. Dickerman and Dexter G. Clark, assessment committee.
308
HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
The public organization of this church occurred Wednesday, November 14, 1849. Previous to these formal exercises Mrs. Sarah J. Clark, Mrs. E. W. Spaulding and Mrs. Jane C. Hough- ton, who had been included in the original letter of dismission from the First church, but were not present at the first meeting, were received ; also Mrs. Mary Haskell and Miss Eliza Holmes.
The Congregational council was composed of the following gentlemen : Rev. Hutchins Taylor, moderator; Rev. Dexter Clary, Beloit; Rev. Lewis Benedict, Rockton; Rev. R. M. Pear- son, Grand DeTour ; Rev. Lansing Porter, Rockford; Horace Hobart, delegate from Beloit. Rev. R. M. Pearson was chosen , scribe of the council; prayer was offered by Rev. H. Taylor; and Rev. L. Benedict preached the sermon. The covenant and articles of faith were read by the clerk, and publicly approved by the church. An address to the church and deacons was delivered by Rev. Dexter Clary. The council then formally declared the Second Congregational church of Rockford to be duly and orderly organized.
November 18th Asher Miller, who had been included in the original letter of dismission, was received, upon the same. The new church continued to receive accessions from time to time from the older society, as the West side increased in population.
Since the mother church had vacated its first house of wor- ship on the corner of Church and Green streets for the new brick structure on the East side, the former had been unoccupied. The Second church now returned to the house which many of its members had abandoned less than four years previous. Messrs. Kent and Brinckerhoff had failed in business, and the old edifice was sold by their assignee to the Second church. It was placed on a rock foundation and refitted for worship.
The first pastor of the new church was Rev. Lansing Porter. This gentleman had served the First church as its pastor a little more than two years. The records of the Second church do not show that any formal call was extended to Rev. Porter. But he assumed this position as soon as the organization had been effected, November 7, 1849, and served four years.
Mr. Porter pursued two years of his college course at Ham- ilton, and two years at Wesleyan college, and was graduated from the latter in the class of 1839. He then took the full three years' course in Yale theological seminary, and a year of post- graduate work at Auburn theological seminary. Mr. Porter
309
EXCOMMUNICATION OF BACKSLIDERS.
went to Chicago in 1843, and from there he came to Rockford, when he was less than thirty years of age. Mr. Porter's first pastorate was that of the First Congregational church, Rock- ford. Mr. Porter is now living at Hamburg, New York.
In 1851 the church was found to be too small, and its capacity was increased by the addition of forty feet to its length. Thus improved, it continued to serve its purpose for seven years. During Rev. Porter's pastorate the church was blessed with temporal and spiritual prosperity. A high standard of Christian living was maintained, and the obstinate backslider was promptly "excommunicated." Two examples from the records of 1852 may be cited. In April the prudential commit- tee reported on a certain case "that in the absence of all evidence of her repentance for her sin, notwithstanding repeated labors with her, and the extension of her suspension, the committee recommend that she be excommunicated. Therefore the church recommend that she be excommunicated from this church." A few months later this resolution was adopted : "Whereas, - - was suspended from this church for immoral and unchristian conduct, for the term of six months from January, and whereas he has given no satisfactory evidence of repent- ance, therefore resolved that he be and hereby is excommuni- cated from this church." In this day the word "excommuni- cated" has a peculiarly solemn and ecclesiastical sound.
On one occasion there was quite a serious discussion over the problem whether the congregation should "face the music" during that part of the service. The pulpit was in front of the congregation, and the choir in the rear. There was a difference of opinion as to whether the congregation should face the min- ister during the singing, or turn around and look at the choir. It sometimes presented a ludicrous appearance when the occu- pants of one pew would rise and face the minister, and others in front might be turned in the opposite direction, facing the choir. Finally a vote was taken, and by a small majority it was decided to face the minister. Every one accepted the situation, and peace prevailed. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerman and G. A. Sanford sang in the choir.
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