USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Rockford > History of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois, from the first settlement in 1834 to the civil war > Part 34
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The fine estate which adjoined Mrs. Manny's on the south was owned by Rev. Lansing Porter, the first pastor of the Sec- ond Congregational church. He built the stone fence which fronted the property. Mr. Porter sold this home to Elias Cosper, and he in turn sold it to S. C. Withrow, who, in the course of a few years, completed a beautiful home.
The Rockford Register, of August 30, 1856, made this an- nouncement : " We have been shown the plans for a beautiful residence to be erected by Mr. Seely Perry. . . It is to be of brick, built in the Italian style of architecture, with cupola, verandas, etc., and it is estimated will cost some $3,000 or $6,000. The lot chosen for its erection is on the height above
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HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
Mr. Marsh's fine residence, east side of the city, and commands a splendid prospect." This has in late years been familiarly known as the Schmauss property, and is now occupied as St. Anthony hospital. Forty years ago it was called "Perry's castle." Mr. Perry, however, called it "Perry's folly."
In 1861, C. C. Briggs erected a substantial residence on East State street. It was built of Milwaukee brick, two stories, with cupola, and ornamented by a veranda, extending the entire length of the building on the west. Its estimated cost was $9,000. It stands today like a deserted castle, frowning upon the pleasant modern homes that have intruded upon its former spacious grounds.
Judge Church's substantial stone residence on South Avon street was built in 1857, and is today one of the finest houses in the city.
Gilbert Woodruff's spacious mansion was built by E. H. Potter. When financial reverses came to him, he disposed of the property to C. A. Shaw, father of Mrs. J. M. Southgate.
The fine residence owned by Mrs. David Keyt, south of the city, was built by Orlando Clark, of the firm of Clark & Utter.
Allen Gibson, secretary of the Rock River Mutual Insurance Company, built the residence now owned by Thomas D. Rob- ertson. Mr. Gibson expended $20,000 in the construction of this house and later improvements.
The year 1856 is memorable in history for the fierce strug- gle for freedom in Kansas. On the 19th and 20th of May, Charles Sumner delivered his celebrated speech in the senate, on The Crime Against Kansas. It was marked by the usual characteristics of his more elaborate efforts, exhibiting great affluence of learning, faithful research, and great rhetorical fin- ish and force. It was, in the words of the poet Whittier, "a grand and terrible philippic." On the 22d of May following, Senator Sumner was brutally assaulted in the senate chamber, by Preston S. Brooks, a representative from South Carolina. Circumstances combined to create an enormous demand for Mr. Sumner's speech.
The following letter, written by Hon. E. B. Washburne to Francis Burnap, of Rockford, is interesting in this connec- tion, because it has never before been published, and by reason of Mr. Washburne's prophetic utterances. The full text of the letter is as follows :
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WASHBURNE'S UNPUBLISHED LETTER.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 2, 1856 .- My Dear Sir : The demand for Sumner's speech is so great that it will [be] some time before your order can be filled. They cost two dollars per hundred, instead of one. We want to get a big edition of Bis- sell's great speech made in 1850 for circulation in our state. I find the twenty-dollar draft from you here. The excitement everywhere in the north is terrific. If we make no mistakes, and act earnestly and discreetly, the rule of the slave-power now ceases. Mr. Sumner is getting along. He was terribly beaten, but his blood will be avenged.
Yours truly,
E. B. WASHBURNE.
F. BURNAP, ESQ.
In 1854 Anson S. Miller laid the foundation for his new hotel on the southwest corner of State and Court streets. The hotel was planned on a large scale. The foundation walls were four and a half feet thick at the base. The structure was to be built of cream-colored limestone, four stories high, with an attic and basement, which made it nearly equivalent to six stories. The size was to be one hundred feet on State street, by one hundred and twenty on Court, and its estimated cost was $40,000. Mr. Miller was unable to realize his ambition, and the work was abandoned after the walls were laid.
The Winnebago National Bank block was completed for Robertson, Coleman & Company, in 1855. Messrs. Ticknor & Brother and O. Dickerman built the block adjoining, of same general style, a few months later.
In June, 1855, a joint stock company, organized under the authority of an act of the legislature, began the erection of the Holland House, an extensive hotel which received its name from John A. Holland. The hotel was completed the following spring, and April 30th an elaborate inauguration festival was given by the citizens to Messrs. Pierce & Bingham, the proprie- tors. Isaac N. Cunningham, the former landlord of the Winne- bago House, was chairman of the committee on arrangements, and presided at the tables. Brief addresses were made by Judge Church, Mayor James L. Loop, Jason Marsh, Dr. Lyman, William Hulin, Melancthon Starr, C. I. Horsman and T. D. Robertson. Like mostenterprises of this kind, undertaken in the interior cities of the west, the property was unremunerative, and passed into private hands. A man by the name of Bald- win held mortgage bonds, and foreclosed. He bid in the prop-
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HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
erty at the sale, and then sold it to Robertson & Starr. Mr. Starr purchased the interest of his partner, and sold the hotel to his son, H. N. Starr. Later owners were W. B. Sink and C. W. Brown. The Holland House was destroyed by fire Christ- mas eve, 1896. The records of the old Hotel Company are said to be in the vault of the Winnebago National Bank.
The telegraph line was completed to Rockford in October, 1855. It was owned by the Chicago & Mississippi Company. The line connected at Freeport with the line on the Illinois Central.
At the presidential election in November, 1856, Winnebago county gave John C. Fremont a magnificent vote. Every town in the county was carried for the Pathfinder. The total vote of the county was 4,154. The county gave a majority of 3,179 for Fremont over Buchanan. The First Congressional district gave majorities for Fremont and Washburne of more than twelve thousand. William Lathrop was elected representative ; Samuel I. Church, sheriff; H. T. Mesler, coroner; Morris B. Der- rick, circuit clerk. Mr. Church was brother of Judge Church, and came to Rockford in 1848. He purchased a quarter of the school section; later he madeit his home, where he died in 1886.
In 1856 a military company was organized, under the name of the Rockford City Greys, which enkindled the enthusiasm of a large number of the young men of the city. In the summer of 1858 Colonel E. E. Ellsworth was engaged as drillmaster, and under his instruction the company attained a high degree of proficiency. In September, 1858, an encampment was held on the fair grounds, which continued four days. Companies from Freeport, Elgin and Chicago were in attendance. This company continued in excellent condition until the outbreak of the civil war, when, under the name of Rockford Zouaves, many of the company volunteered in the three months' service, under the call of the president for seventy-five thousand men ; and as part of the Eleventh Illinois volunteers, were detailed to garrison duty at Cairo and at Bird's Point.
Colonel Ellsworth was a splendid specimen of young man- hood. He was received as a social lion by the young people of the city. He was frequently a guest at the home of Charles H. Spafford, and at the time of his death he was betrothed to his elder daughter, now Mrs. Carrie S. Brett. In 1860 Colonel Ellsworth organized a company of Zouaves in Chicago, and the following year he accompanied President Lincoln to Wash- ington. Upon seeing a confederate flag floating from a hotel
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ATLANTIC CABLE CELEBRATION.
in Alexandria, Virginia, he rushed to the roof and tore it down. On his return from the roof he was met and shot dead by Jack- son, the owner, who in turn was shot by one of Ellsworth's men, Frank E. Brownell. Colonel Ellsworth's blood was the first shed in the civil conflict.
August 17, 1858, the completion of the Atlantic cable was celebrated by the citizens of Rockford with great demonstra- tions of enthusiasm. On that day the queen of England and the president of the United States exchanged messages. The event was celebrated in Rockford by a salute of fifty guns, fired by the City Greys, and the church bells were rung. Public exer- cises were held in the evening at the court house. Addresses were made by James L. Loop, Judge Miller, E. W. Blaisdell, Judge Church, William Hulin, and Dr. Lyman. The speech of Mr. Loop was exceptionally brilliant, and replete with noble thought. One paragraph from this address is quoted : "Great Britain and the United States-the two great maritime nations of the globe, have met in mortal combat upon that briny deep; they have fought for the sea's supremacy, they have maintained on either side with all their prowess and power their respective country's glory, and well and gloriously have their names resounded through the world-but no victory ever won by either upon the ocean can compare with this joint victory we have met to celebrate."
October 27, 1858, Salmon P. Chase addressed the citizens of Rockford, on the political isues of the day, in Metropolitan Hall.
In 1860 the census of the city of Rockford, taken by Thos. Boyd, showed a population of 7,046, and 8,117 in the town- ship. In 1836 there were 350 whiteinhabitants in the county, which included Boone, and the eastern half of Stephenson. In June, 1837, after Winnebago had been reduced to its present size, the county had a population of 1,086. In 1839 the village of Rockford had 235 inhabitants, and in December, 1845, there were 1,278. In 1840 there were 2,563 in Rockford township, and in 1855 there were 6,620.
CHAPTER LXXI.
FATALITY AT A CHARIVARI .- TRIAL OF GOVERNOR BEBB .- NOTES.
N Tuesday evening, May 19, 1857, a charivari resulted in the instant death of one of the party. Hon. William Bebb, ex-governor of Ohio, was residing in Seward township. His son, M. S. Bebb, had just returned from the east with his bride. Twelve young men of the neighborhood proposed to charivari the bridal party. They assembled at the Governor's house about eleven o'clock at night, and began their performance with cow- bells, tin-pans, three guns, and other articles which could con- tribute to the hideous din. The Governor at length appeared with a shot-gun and ordered them to retire. They paid no heed, and Mr. Bebb fired one barrel, which took effect in the face of William Hogan. The party then approached nearer the house, as for an assault, when the Governor discharged the second barrel at the leader, Lemuel Clemens, and instantly killed him. The crowd then speedily dispersed.
The trial of Governor Bebb, for manslaughter, began Feb- ruary 4, 1858, in the circuit court, Judge Sheldon presiding. The prosecution was conducted by U. D. Meacham, the state's attorney, who was assisted by T. J. Turner. The counsel for the defense was the famous Tom Corwin, of Ohio, assisted by Judge William Johnson, James L. Loop, and Judge Anson S. Miller. The trial began in the court house, and in order to secure more room, an adjournment was taken to Metropolitan Hall.
The greatest interest was manifested in the trial, by reason of the reputation of the defendant, and the celebrity of Mr. Corwin. A large number of ladies were daily in attendance. The jury consisted of the following named gentlemen: John Spafford, Putnam Perley, William A. Phelps, Joel W. Thomp- son, Horace Hitchcock, L. D. Waldo, Baltus Heagle, Benjamin F. Long, John Morse, S. M. Preston, R. K. Town, Isaac Manes.
Both sides of the case were argued with great ability. The central figure was, of course, Mr. Corwin. The Register, in reporting his address to the jury, said: "It was just such a
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TOM CORWIN'S PLEA.
speech as Tom Corwin alone can make, and was listened to with breathless attention. It lasted some four hours, during which time he went over every particular of the case, applying the law to each point, and showing under what circumstances a man may kill another, and also detailing in great beauty of language the manner in which the people had become possessed of the inalienable right to enjoy their homes in peace, and undis- turbed."
The case was given to the jury at five o'clock Monday after- noon, and at nine o'clock they returned with a verdict of not guilty. The Register concluded quite a full report of the trial with a commendation of the jury for their righteous decision.
M. S. Bebb, whose marriage was the occasion of this dis- turbance, became a well-known citizen of Rockford. He had quite an extended reputation in the scientific world, and was recognized as the highest authority upon some species of the willow. Mr. Bebb was for some years a member of the public library board.
Last June the Chicago Tribune published an interview with Hon. Luther Laffin Mills, who made some extraordinary state- ments concerning Mr. Corwin's method of conducting the case. It was stated that he came to Rockford weeks in advance of the trial, made the personal acquaintance of all the farmers and their wives, and so completely impressed his strong per- sonality upon the people that the acquittal of hisclient followed as a matter of course. This interview was republished in a Rockford paper, but it is declared by old residents to be a very pretty piece of legal fiction.
The Commercial Block, now known as the Chick House, was built in 1857, by T. D. Robertson, C. H. Spafford and R. P. Lane. The block was sixty-six feet front by one hundred and two in depth, with basement under the whole. The first story was divided into three stores, fronting on Main street, and two offices or shops on Elm street.
The Register of Jannary 31, 1857, estimates that the grand total for improvements during 1856 was $529,350. Among these was the Metropolitan Hall block, built by Charles and John Spafford and John Hall, at a cost of $16,000. During this year Thomas Boyd built the four-story, marble-front block on West State street, now known as the European Hotel. Its cost was estimated in the trade review at $10,000.
CHAPTER LXXII.
THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE.
T THE famous Lincoln-Douglas debate was an event of local interest as well as national significance. In April, 1858, the Illinois state Democratic convention endorsed Stephen A. Douglas for the United States senate. Abraham Lincoln was nominated by the Republican party at Springfield, June 17th. July 24th Mr. Lincoln sent a challenge to Judge Douglas to discuss the political issues of the day in a series of joint debates. The latter accepted the challenge, and named one city in each congressional district, except the second and sixth, where they had already spoken. Ottawa, Freeport, Galesburg, Quincy, Alton, Jonesboro and Charleston were the points chosen for these discussions.
The second and most famous debate was held at Freeport, August 27th. It was the greatest political event ever held in this congressional district. Thousands were in attendance from the northern counties, and the excitement was intense. A special train was made up at Marengo, and run over the Ga- lena & Chicago Union road. It consisted of eighteen coaches, eight of which were filled with Rockford citizens.
Mr. Lincoln's doctrine was that the government could not endure permanently divided into free and slave states ; that they must all become free, or all become slave. In Mr. Lin- coln's opinion, the principal point of debate was Judge Doug- las' doctrine of popular sovereignty, in connection with the Dred Scott decision. These two positions, in his judgment, were in direct antagonism, and were, in reality, a shameful fraud.
It was at this debate that Mr. Lincoln propounded the four celebrated questions to Judge Douglas, the answers to which swept away his last chance for securing the presidency in 1860. Previous to the debate, a conference was held at the Brewster House, at which E. B. Washburne and Joseph Medill urged Mr. Lincoln to refrain from such interrogations. But Lincoln was insistent. He said that if Judge Douglas answered them one
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MR. HITT'S REMINISCENCE.
way he would lose his prestige with the south; and if he answered them the other way, he could not retain the leader- ship of the northern wing of his party.
The result justified Mr. Lincoln's prophecy. " Of that answer at Freeport," as Mr. Herndon putsit, Douglas "instantly died. The red-gleaming southern tomahawk flashed high and keen. Douglas was removed out of Lincoln's way. The wind was taken out of Seward's sails (by the house-divided speech), and Lincoln stood out prominent."
The election occurred on the 2d of November. Mr. Lincoln received a majority of over four thousand of the popular vote. yet the returns from the legislative districts foreshadowed his defeat. At the senatorial election in the legislature, Judge Douglas received fifty-four votes, and Mr. Lincoln forty-six- one of the results of the unfair apportionment law then in oper- ation.
Robert R. Hitt, the able representative of this district in congress, was the official stenographer of these debates. These famous addresses, which made Mr. Lincoln's national reputa- tion, and which, more than anything else, contributed to his election as president, owe their permanent form to Mr. Hitt's stenographic notes, the originals of which Mr. Hitt still hoards among his literary treasures. They were published in full by a publishing house in Cincinnati, in 1860.
Mr. Hitt relates the way in which the Chicago Tribune failed to print a line of Lincoln's historic speech at Freeport in the Douglas debate-the greatest of all Lincoln's addresses before the civil war. Mr. Hitt was reporting the speech, and was writing out his notes for the next morning's paper, when Owen Lovejoy, the abolition agitator, arose in the rear of the hall and delivered a harangue, which is now forgotten, but which, for the moment, roused the meeting to a frenzy of enthusiasm, while Lincoln's had seemed rather tame. Joseph Medill, the proprietor of the Tribune, was carried away with Lovejoy's speech, and came up to Mr. Hitt's desk excitedly, ordered him to stop transcribing his notes of Lincoln's speech, and to let the Tribune have every word of Lovejoy's harangue in the morning. The Tribune next morning was all Lovejoy, and there was only a word about Lincoln's oration. This is "an illustration," says Hitt, in telling the story, "of the fact that the contemporaneous impression of a great occasion does not always coincide with the judgment of history."
CHAPTER LXXIII.
ROCKFORD SETTLERS 1855-59.
C HARLES WILLIAMS was a native of Massachusetts. He came to Rockford in 1855, and with his son Lewis, was engaged in the hardware business. Mr. Williams was the war mayor of Rockford, serving from 1859 to 1864. His home was the residence now owned by John Barnes. Mr. Williams died in 1876. He was father of Miss Elizabeth Williams and the late Mrs. C. L. Williams.
William M. Rowland came to Rockford in 1855. He was a native of Connecticut, and when a young man he removed to Augusta, Georgia, where he was interested in the Iron Steam- boat Company. Soon after the repeal of the Missouri compro- mise, Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, member of congress, inform- ally received the prominent citizens of Augusta. Mr. Rowland is said to have been the only gentleman present who did not offer congratulations to Mr. Stephens upon the repeal of that law, but assured him that it would prove a calamity to the south. Mrs. Rowland was a daughter of Rev. Henry Wight, D. D., a graduate of Harvard, and for forty years pastor of a Con- gregational church at Bristol, Rhode Island. Mr. Rowland died April 29, 1869. William L. and Robert C. Rowland are sons.
William L. Rowland was graduated from Yale college in the class of 1852, and removed to Rockford with his father's family in 1855. When the public library was founded in 1872, Mr. Rowland was appointed librarian, and he has continuously retained this position. Under his able and conscientious super- vision, the library has grown from an exceedingly humble beginning to an institution worthy of a much larger city. The Rockford public library is universally conceded to be unsur- passed by any other library in the country of its size, for the use of the student and specialist. The library will be Mr. Row- land's monument. An uncle of Mr. Rowland, Rev. John B. Wight, a Unitarian clergyman, was the author of the first pub- lic library law of Massachusetts, enacted in 1851. Mr. Wight was sent to the legislature from Wayland for the express pur- pose of securing the passage of this law.
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DEATH OF COLONEL NEVIUS.
Benjamin Blakeman was a native of Stratford, Connecticut. He came to Rockford in 1856, and carried on the lumber busi- ness, first on South Court, and later on South Main street. About 1871 he formed a partnership with William Dobson, in manufacturing. Mr. Blakeman is now retired from business. His daughters are Mrs. Theron Pierpont, Mrs. Anna C. Vincent, Miss Harriett, and Mrs. A. D. Early, deceased.
Colonel Garrett Nevius, a native of New York, came to Rock- ford in 1858. He was a member of the Rockford City Greys, and in 1861 he enlisted with the Eleventh Illinois Volunteers, and arose to the rank of colonel. He was killed in the charge of Ransom's brigade on the enemy's works at Vicksburg, May 22, 1863. Memorial services were held on the court house square, in Rockford, where the remains lay in state, and an address was delivered by Dr. Kerr. His body was then sent to New York for burial. Colonel Nevius was only twenty-six years of age. Nevius Post, G. A. R., was named in his honor.
Robert H. Tinker was born at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, in 1837, where his father, Rev. Reuben Tinker, was a mission- ary, sent out by the Presbyterian church. Mr. Tinker came to Rockford in 1856. He built the Swiss cottage, on Kent's creek, the most picturesque home in the city. The plan of his unique library, on two floors, with winding stairway, was sug- gested to Mr. Tinker by his visit to Sir Walter Scott's library, nearly forty years ago. In 1870 Mr. Tinker married the widow of John H. Manny. He was elected Mayor of Rockford in 1875, and served one term. Mr. Tinker has been interested in various manufacturing enterprises.
John H. Hall came to Rockford in 1855, and engaged in the grocery trade. He served the city as alderman, and as a member of the school board. The Hall school is named in his honor. Mr. Hall was father of Mrs. H. N. Baker, and Henry and Miss Helen Hall. His death occurred in 1882.
Lucius M. West was born at Vernon Center, New York, June 19, 1820. He was united in marriage to Miss Saralı A. Sturte- vant, of his native county. In 1858 Mr. and Mrs. West and their three sons came to Rockford. In 1862 Mr. West built the store now occupied by M. M. Carpenter, where he carried on trade in rubber goods and boots and shoes. About 1874 he engaged in the manufacture and jobbing of enamel carriage top dressing, which hasattained a world-widereputation. Mr. West was actively identified with the religious interests of the city.
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HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
In 1875 he appointed a religious service for Woodruff's Addi- tion, and for three years and a half conducted a mission school there, and furnished the building at his own expense. Deacon West was benevolent, and freely gave of his means to relieve the sick and needy. He died August 20, 1893.
Charles L. Williams was born in Sherburne, Chenango county, New York, October 20, 1828. He wasgraduated from Hamilton college in 1847, and in 1851 he received the degree of M. A. from his alma mater. Mr. Williams came to Rockford in 1859, and engaged in mercantile business. He married a daughter of Mayor Charles Williams and subsequently pur- chased his father-in-law's house on North Main street, which included the lots now belonging to John Barnes and Mrs. Julia P. Warren. Mr. Williams took an active interest in organizing the public library, and from 1872 to 1878 he was a member of the board of directors. Mr. Williams has four children : Mrs. C. R. Smith, of Chicago; Mrs. W. D. Williams, of Omaha; Miss Sarah, and Lewis A. Williams.
Daniel N. Hood was born in Salem, Massachusetts, Septem- ber 25, 1834, and came to Rockford in 1858. Prof. Hood was for many years at the head of the musical department of Rock- ford seminary, and for more than ten years of this period he was organist of the Second Presbyterian church in Chicago. Prof. Hood now resides in Boston. He is father of Mrs. Frank D. Emerson.
Gilbert Woodruff was born near Watertown, New York, November 20, 1817. He came to Rockford in 1857, and soon after he purchased and platted a farm which is now known as Woodruff's Addition. Easy terms of payment were given pur- chasers of lots. Mr. Woodruff is therefore in a real sense one of the builders of Rockford. He has been president of the Rock- ford National Bank since its organization; president of the Forest City Insurance Company since its organization in 1873; and president of the Forest City Furniture factory since 1875. In 1842 Mr. Woodruff was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Fay. They had five children : Mrs. Sarah Parmele, Volney D., Mrs. Emma Ferguson, William F., and Mrs. R. W. Emerson. Mrs. Woodruff died in 1877. In 1879 Mr. Woodruff married Mrs. Augusta Todd. Mr. Woodruff was mayor of Rockford from 1873 to 1875.
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