USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > History of Stephenson County, Illinois : a record of its settlement, organization, and three-quarters of a century of progress > Part 49
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A story is told of a lad who was fishing with his father, on the banks of one of the small creeks. The country was totally virgin thereabout, and the tall weeds and underbrush round about the river banks furnished most excellent hid- ing places for the rattlers. As the boy, who had been sitting on the bank with his pole, got up to go to his father, who sat a short distance away he suddenly, as he supposed, stubbed his toe on a stone and uttered a sharp cry of pain. His father hurried to his assistance and immediately discovered that he had been bitten by a "racer." The poor man, frantic and cold with fear, had not the slightest idea what remedies to apply, and carried the boy home for the appli- cation of restoratives. But he was too late. The poison had all the while been coursing through his system and he died at sunset.
In spite of the dangers from Indians, snakes, and horse thieves, Oneco Town- ship enjoyed a rapid growth and prosperity after the year 1840. After the filling up of the land, Oneco village was settled, and later Orangeville, first known as Bowersville. In 1888 the railroad came through, and since that time the township has been quite accessible to Freeport and the outside world.
Orangeville, the third settlement in size in Stephenson County, is located in the southern part of Oneco Township, on the banks of Richland Creek, whose current turns its one and only mill. It is situated on the Madison branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, about fifteen miles north of Freeport by rail- road and fourteen by road.
The first settler on the site of Orangeville was John M. Curtis, who took up a claim on the spot where Orangeville now stands, and there located his farm. In 1845 John Bowers, to whom is due the credit of founding the village of Orangeville, came to Stephenson County. He first settled at Walnut Grove, in Rock Grove Township, where he remained for about a year. Then, seeking a more desirable place of habitation, he came a few miles west, and possessed himself of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Oneco Township, on the banks of Richland Creek. On this three hundred and twenty acres of ground a log cabin, and saw and grist mills had already been built and Mr. Bowers began to operate the mills soon after his arrival. A year's residence on his new farm firmly convinced Mr. Bowers that the site was suitable for the found-
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ing of a village. Although it was as late as 1845, the land about Orangeville had not been improved in the least, and the section was almost as wild as the region about Oneco had been, before its fastnesses resounded to the blows of the pioneer's axe. But, with the help of Marcus Montelius, who surveyed and platted fifteen acres of the village site, Mr. Bowers pushed boldly forth upon his venture.
In 1849 the first brick house, a structure on High street, long occupied by the post-office, was built. In the same year Charles Moore built a residence, George Hoffman a store, John Bowers a blacksmith shop, which was afterward occupied by Benjamin Hallman, and a number of farmers their residences. The old mills which had been built by John M. Curtis were still standing, but John Bowers began to improve the mill buildings in that year. The work of improvement and reconstruction was most arduous, and the greater part of the manual labor was done by Mr. Bowers himself. It was impossible to get suit- able shingles and lumber in the regions about Orangeville, and Mr. Bowers, acting as driver, hauled the material from Chicago in his own wagon. By the next year, 1850, the mill was completed at a total cost of $8,000.
The appearance of Orangeville, or Bowersville, as it was then known, was very promising, and speculators and purchasers thronged to the place where they bought up large quantities of land. The first lot in the village is said to have been sold to Daniel Duck, who paid ten dollars for it. Another early settler was William Herbert. The village offered numerous advantages to settlers. It was about the right distance from Freeport, the lots were exceed- ingly cheap, the water facilities were good, and the village seemed to be on the point of a flourishing growth. A large number of settlers came within the first ten or fifteen years, and business has never since been at a complete standstill.
The war in 1861, instead of disastrously affecting the growth of the little community, only served to increase the business done by the merchants. It was truly surprising how little effect the great national conflict seemed to have on Orangeville business, when the other villages of the county, such as Davis and Dakota, were nearly prostrated, and never fully recovered from the effects.
During the progress of the war, no surprising developments took place, and business suffered somewhat of a setback. Scarcely had the peace of Appomattox Courthouse been concluded, when the development of Orangeville began again with renewed vigor. In 1867, the settlement was incorporated as a village. That year the first village elections were held with the following results:
President of board, Charles Moore; associates, William Wagenhals, George Erb, W. A. St. John, Jacob Kurtz; village clerk, W. A. St. John; village treas- urer, W. Wagenhals.
In the year 1888 the Madison branch of the Illinois Central Railroad built its tracks through Orangeville and the village at once became a place of great importance. Numerous brick stores and office buildings were built on the main street, known as High street, and the community became a prosperous, thrifty little town. And so it remains. There will never be any great additional de- velopment in Orangeville, for the time for that is past. If Orangeville was ever to be a city, it must have become one long ago, and it never reached that status. However, its existence as a thriving village is quite assured. Orange-
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ville has always contained a decided preponderance of the German element among its citizens, and the thrift and financial prowess of a German community is well known throughout the United States.
Orangeville contains two banks, four churches, a large number of lodges and fraternal organizations, one newspaper, and a number of commercial enter- prises, including the Orangeville mills.
The People's State Bank. This is the oldest bank in the village. It is housed in the finest and newest building on High street, a brick structure, two stories in height, with provisions for office suits on the second story, and the offices of the bank on the first floor.
The institution is capitalized at $25,000, and the following are officers: President, D. A. Schoch; vice president, C. A. Bolender; cashier, George S. Wagner; directors, D. A. Schoch, C. A. Bolender, George S. Wagner.
Orangeville State Bank. The offices of the new state bank are located on High street at the lower end of the thoroughfare near the railway station. The building in which the bank is housed is a new one and the offices are most ele- gantly appointed in every respect.
The Orangeville State Bank was founded February 1, 1909, by a stock com- pany of farmers living in Orangeville and the surrounding country. It is cap- italized at $25,000, and has deposits amounting to over $60,000. The officers are: President, B. D. Yarger; vice president, Christ Wohlford; cashier, E. M. Reeser ; directors, B. D. Yarger, Christ Wohlford, C. L. Seidel, Ivan E. Rote, A. H. Hale, Samuel Boals, William F. Neuschwander, M. G. Wirsing, and W. M. Hartman.
Churches. There are five churches in Orangeville, two of which, namely the Lutheran and Reformed churches, occupy the same church edifice.
Reformed Church. The Reformed church of Orangeville is very old in point of time, having been organized May 3, 1851, by Henry Halliston, with twenty- four members, of whom Henry Ault was elder, and John Bowers and Michael Bolender deacons. For a short time meetings were held about in the private residence of the members. Then, at a meeting held the same year, it was decided to join forces with the Lutherans in the erection of a church edifice. Daniel Rean, John Bowers, and John Wohlford were appointed to serve on the build- ing committee. Plans were immediately formulated for the church building, and in September, 1852, the cornerstone was laid by the Revs. G. J. Donmeyer, Daniel Kroh, and George Weber. On September 23, 1855, as much as three years later, the church was finished and dedicated. The church cost $1,900, is a brick structure, with a wooden spire, and has a seating capacity of two hun- dred. A year ago it was redecorated at a considerable cost and now presents a highly creditable appearance. A number of ministers were present at the dedi- cation services, including the Revs. G. J. Donmeyer, Daniel Kroh, F. C. Bow- man, Arastus Kent, J. P. Decker, and the Rev. John Hoyman, the first pastor of the church.
The present membership is eighty-five, with a Sunday school of seventy-five. The value of the church building is about $2,000, and that of the parsonage, which was bought some time ago, $1,800. The Rev. W. D. Marburger is in charge, hav- ing come to Orangeville from Dakota about a year ago.
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The Orangeville church numbers among its communicants Mrs. A. J. Beam, a member of the Ebel family, who has been the first missionary from these dis- tricts to China. She departed for the east about seven years ago, and has only recently returned to Orangeville.
Lutheran Church. The Lutheran congregation was organized in 1847 under the auspices of the Rev. G. J. Donmeyer, with a very small membership. Services were at first held in a log schoolhouse in the Ault farm in Buckeye Township. Rev. G. J. Donmeyer took charge for a number of years, working in company with the Rev. Ephraim Miller, of Cedarville. The services were occasionally held in the schoolhouse, sometimes in the mill, but more often in private resi- dences.
In 1851 the Lutheran congregation combined with the Reformed church in an effort to build a church, a brick structure, costing $1,900, the same which is mentioned above in connection with the Reformed church. Since the pastor- ship of Rev. G. J. Donmeyer, a large number of ministers have occupied the pulpit of the church, which has since come to be known as "Salem Congrega- tion of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church."
The present incumbent is the Rev. M. Colber, who has been here four years. He came to Stephenson County from Middletown, Indiana, in November, 1906, and is a Pennsylvanian by birth. The Orangeville church is on a circuit with the Bellevue church near Buckeye Center. The membership is sixty, with a Sunday school of seventy-five, while the Bellevue church has a membership of forty-five, and a Sunday school of seventy. The Lutheran congregation of Orangeville possesses a parsonage which was built fifteen years ago, and is valued at $2,000.
United Brethren Association. The United Brethren church is the oldest in Oneco. It was established as early as 1844. At first services were held in schoolhouses, private residences, etc. In 1856 the present Orangeville circuit was organized, and in 1857 the Orangeville church was built. It is a brick structure which cost $2,000. Other churches have since been built in the cir- cuit which is very large, and includes McConnell, Winslow, Oneco, St. James and Orangeville.
Rev. W. G. Metzker is the minister in charge. He has been in Orangeville about a year, having come from Good Hope, Illinois (MacDonough County) in October, 1909. The Orangeville congregation numbers fifty-five members, with a Sunday school approximating fifty. The church is valued at $2,590 and the parsonage, which is a handsome residence, is valued at $3,000.
Methodist Church. Three churches are included in the Orangeville charge of the M. E. church, vix., the Orangeville church, the Red Oak church, and the Pleasant Hill church.
The Methodists have held services in Oneco Township for over half a century, but it was not until October 15, 1875, that the sect first saw fit to organize into a congregation and hold worship at stated times. On that mem- orable date, Benjamin and Mrs. Bowers, Mrs. Susan Bennett, Mrs. Sarah Heckman, Mrs. B. J. Parriott, Mrs. J. H. Cook, Mr. and Mrs. William Fred- erick, and Mr. and Mrs. William Holloway decided to form the congregation and thus became the charter members of the church. Rev. F. B. Hardin be-
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came the first pastor, and services were held in the Reformed church. After a while the Masonic hall was secured as a place of worship and services were held there for a long time. The church building now in use was built about twenty-five years ago. It is valued at $2,000, and the parsonage, a rather old structure, at $1,200. The church contemplates building a new church edifice, and it is probable that this step will be taken some time soon. Recently the church was refitted inside and out at a cost of $700, but there is great need for an entirely new building.
The Rev. W. M. Kaufmann is in charge of the Orangeville church. He came to Orangeville a year ago in November, 1909, and preaches also in the Red Oak and Pleasant Hill churches. , The membership at Orangeville is sixty, with a Sunday school of about equal proportions, while that at Pleasant Hill is forty, with a Sunday school of sixty.
United Evangelical Church. Hope church, of the United Evangelical So- ciety, is a part of the charge which includes Orangeville, Stavers, and Fair- field. It was formerly a church of the Evangelical Association, and was built about thirty years ago, to be purchased from that society when the break in the Illinois Conference occurred.
Services of the Evangelical faith were long held in Orangeville, but not until 1870 was Orangeville circuit made a separate charge. In 1880 the pres- ent church edifice was built and dedicated on January 18, of that year. It is a very commodious and well appointed frame church, thirty-six by fifty- two, with a steeple eighty-seven feet high, and an auditorium which will hold two hundred persons. The interior decorations and particularly have been frequently renewed and improved. Among the appurtenances is an organ, one of the finest in the rural sections of the county. The church originally cost the congregation $2,500 and was repurchased from the Evangelical Association in 1894 for $2,000.
The parsonage was put up a number of years ago and is valued at $3,000. Two years ago a fine new barn was added to the parsonage, and the house itself was remodelled and redecorated.
Rev. A. W. Smith occupies the pulpit of the three churches at the present time. He came from Manhattan, Illinois, April, 1909, and has been in Orange- ville nearly two years. The Orangeville congregation numbers seventy-five, while the Stavers' membership is about one hundred and fifty and the Fairfield again about seventy-five. The Sunday schools of the three churches are large in proportion to the membership.
Lodges. There are a number of lodges in Orangeville, few of which de- serve special mention. The most important are the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Mystic Workers, the American Stars of Equity, the Yeomen of America, and the two Ladies' Auxiliaries of the Mason and Odd Fellow organizations; viz., the Easter Star and Rebekah.
Orangeville Lodge, No. 687, A. F. & A. M. The Orangeville lodge of the Masons was chartered October 1, 1872, although the lodge had been working under a dispensation for a long time previous to that date. The pioneer Masons whose names appeared on the charter of the Orangeville lodge were: B. H. Bradshaw, David Jones, James Musser, Benjamin Musser, Charles Musser, I.
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G. Ermhold, J. K. Bloom, H. W. Bolender, P. Sheckler, William Potts, and D. A. Schoch. The original; officers at the time of the securing of the charter · were. B. H. Bradshaw, W. M., David Jones, S. W., and James Musser, J. W.
In 1876 the Masonic lodge erected a handsome hall on High street for the lodge home. It is a two-story structure, with a basement also in use. The latter contains a banquet room, with kitchen and stoves. The first floor is a hall for entertainments, lectures, and social gatherings. The second story contains the lodge room of the various societies which meet in the hall. Nearly all of the Orangeville secret organizations use this hall, and it is in great demand by church societies, etc., on festive occasions.
The present condition of the lodge is most satisfactory. The membership is large, with every prospect for increase. The officers in charge are: W. M., M. W. Gouse, secretary, J. I. Cadwell.
J. R. Scroggs Lodge No. 133, I. O. O. F. The Odd Fellows lodge is the the oldest organization of the kind in Orangeville. It was organized October 13, 1868, a charter issued to A. A. Krape, Thomas Spriggs, Henry Dinges, J. K. Bloom, J. J. Moore, and William Sandoe. The officers were: Noble Grand, A. A. Krape; vice grand, J. K. Bloom, and secretary, William Sandoe.
The lodge has always been most prosperous. Meetings are held weekly in the Masonic hall, on High street, where the lodge has always met. The society has a present membership of eighty persons, with the following officers now in charge : Noble Grand, J. C. Schadle; secretary, Cyrus Snyder.
American Stars of Equity. The Stars of Equity were organized in Orange- ville five or six years ago. The membership is large, and the officers are : George S. Wagner, president; H. U. Hartzell, secretary.
The Yeomen of America. The Yeomen were organized at the same time. The officers are: James Chilton, president; George S. Wagner, secretary. Meet- ings are held in the Masonic hall.
Eastern Star. The Eastern Star was founded six years ago. The officers are: W. M., Mrs. W. G. Snyder; secretary, Miss Carrie Cadwell.
Rebekahs. The Rebekahs also have had a lodge in Orangeville for about ten years. The membership is somewhat fluctuating, with a present roll of about fifty. Mrs. Harry Snyder is noble grand.
Schools. Orangeville has always had very excellent schools, but it has re- cently placed itself in the front rank of the villages of the county outside of Freeport by the founding of its new high school. The first village schoo !- house was built before 1850, and stood on the site now occupied by the Lutheran and Reformed church. In 1860, the school was first graded. In 1874 the new building was completed at a cost of $6,000. It has since continued to be in commission, but the prospects just at present are extremely bright for the build- ing of a new school. The quarters are very cramped for the high school, and more room is imperatively required.
The Orangeville High school was founded in 1909, by the Rev. W. D. Mar- burger, of the Reformed church. It offered a one year's course last year, will offer a two years' course next year, etc., until the full four years' course is filled out. The enrollment of the Orangeville school for the past year, including grades and high school, was one hundred and fifteen. Rev. W. D. Marburger
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is principal, and he, together with Miss Rutter, of Freeport conduct the high school department.
Orangeville Mills. The first mills ever built in Orangeville were put up by John M. Curtis the pioneer settler at Orangeville. He built a very primitive dam on Richland Creek in the year 1838, and erected a mill which remained in commission until his death between 1840 and 1850. At that time John Bowers purchased the property and conducted the mills for a while. In 1850, when Orangeville had been platted and had begun to be a village of some consequence, Mr. Bowers tore down the Curtis Mills, and built a new building, at a cost of $8,000. The present building is a frame structure, 40x60, three and a half stories high, with a capacity of two hundred bushels of wheat daily.
In 1857 operation at the Mills was suspended for two years. In 1859 they came into the hands of Hefty, Legner, & Company, who ran them for seven years. In 1865, they were sold to E. T. Moore & Company. The Moore family transacted the business of the mill for many years, and finally shut down some time in the eighties. For intervals thereafter the mill was idle, and continues to be so for short periods. It is at present conducted by C. W. Bennett. The grist-mill alone is utilized, and corn, barley, and rye flour are ground.
Recently a new mill has been erected in the east end of town by E. Timm. It is run by steam power, and is used as a grist-mill, saw-mill, and planing-mill.
Orangeville Creamery. The Creamery is very old, but has of late diminished in importance, owing to the monopoly of the creamery business by the trusts. The building, which was, in its day, one of the largest and most complete estab- lishments in the west, was put up in January 13, 1879 by D. A. Schoch and H. W. Bolender. The capacity of the plant was about one thousand four hundred pounds of butter daily, thus using six thousand pounds of cream every twenty- four hours.
The original proprietors have long since given up the business and it is carried on by a Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association. Improvements and changes have been made in the buildings, increasing the daily output of the factory.
Orangeville Band. The Orangeville Band, a very creditable institution for a village of the size of Orangeville, was organized in March, 1909, by Stuart Bolender. It is a brass band, of eighteen instruments. The band has played · about at various county fairs in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, and in Freeport. They expect to play this fall at the County Fair of Green County, at Monroe.
Orangeville Orchestra. Stuart Bolender is also responsible for the organiza- tion and existence of the Orangeville Orchestra, which consists of five musicians, all of them relatives of the founder, and bearing his name. It discourses sweet strains at dances in Orangeville, and upon all occasions where the services of such a musical organization are desirable.
The Orangeville Courier. The Orangeville Courier was established in 1882 by William H. McCall, who later removed to Freeport, where he is now con- nected with the Journal Printing Company. Mr. McCall conducted the busi- ness for a number of years, and succeeded in working up a large and growing subscription. But he felt that the business of running a country newspaper was
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not altogether a path of roses, and left the village to accept a more lucrative posi- tion in the city.
On leaving Orangeville, he disposed of his business to L. I. Hutchins, a brother of Dr. I. N. Hutchins, who is at present practising medicine in Orange- ville. Mr. Hutchins ran the "Courier" for two years and. then sold it to Joseph Upp. Mr. Hutchins is now engaged in the printing business in Monmouth, Illinois.
Joseph Upp remained proprietor for only six months and then disposed of the business to H. U. Hartzell, who was employed at the office at that time. This was in 1890, and on August 16 of that year, the transfer of the business was made, Mr. Hartzell becoming sole owner. He has conducted the business ever since with unbroken success.
While the career of a country newspaper in a village of the size of Orange- ville is apt to be beset with all sorts of trials and tribulations, the lot of the Orangeville Courier has been more successful than the majority. While Editor Hartzell has not made a mint of money, he has conducted a paying business as is very evident from the fact that he has remained in it for these twenty years. The Courier has a large subscription, something less than a thousand, among the farmers of the country surrounding Orangeville in northern Illinois and south- ern Wisconsin. The paper is a six column quarto published every Saturday.
S. D. Confer Medical Company. The Confer Medical Company was or- ganized in 1893 by S. D. Confer. It is doing a good business, and handles liniments, cough syrups, patent medicines, tablets, extracts, spices, toilet articles, stock remedies, etc. The officers are: President, W. S. Confer; secretary, W. D. Confer.
The business section of Orangeville presents a trim and lively appearance these days. A number of new buildings have lately gone up, and the street is now lined with a row of substantial and well appointed brick edifices. There are a large number of stores doing all sorts of businesses, and catering to various trades. The condition of the village is most gratifying. It is about third in size in the county, and has a steady population of about one thousand inhabitants.
ONECO.
The oldest village in Oneco Township, and one of the oldest in the county, is Oneco, settled as early as 1840. It is situated in the north central portion of the township, northwest of the village of Orangeville, and consists of a church, a school, and a store, surrounded by a handful of houses.
Oneco was located on the old stage road to Galena and the lead mines of southern Wisconsin, and when it was laid out and platted, there were lively hopes on the part of its promulgators that it might become the most important city of the county. Henry Corwith, acting on behalf of J. K. Brewster, took a claim of a quarter section of land, surveyed it and platted it for a town. Later all but fifteen acres of the town site was bought and occupied as a farm. These fifteen acres were twice added to by Alonzo Denio, and the original fifteen acre plat with the two additions of Denio constitute the present village of Oneco,
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