USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 16
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The population of the township outside of the village of Albany in 1870, as appears by the census reports of that year, was 199, of which 147 were of native birth, and 52 of foreign birth. The estimated population is now 350.
VILLAGE OF ALBANY.
The earliest settlers in what is now known as the village of Albany were Mitchell and Edward Corbin, brothers-in-law, who came in 1835 from the State of Ohio. Mr. Mitchell made claim to what is now known as Upper Albany, and Corbin to Lower Albany .. During that year the former built a small cabin on a mound still to be seen in the present lumber yard of Hon. E. H. Nevitt. and the latter put up a tent around a tree at the edge of the bluff near the cor- ner of Main and Maple Streets. The tree, being a large one, afforded consider- able protection to his improvised dwelling, and gave rise to the report, which is still in circulation, that he lived in a tree. It appears that neither of these gentlemen had any idea of becoming permanent settlers, and only made their claims for speculative purposes, for no sooner did other parties come in with the bona fide intention of making their homes in the town then they willingly sold their interest in the lands, and hied to other parts. There was a great deal of that kind of business done in Illinois and other Western States and Territo- ries at that day, many parties following it as their only occupation. Their method would be to find out first by exploration some locality which offered natural ad- vantages either for the location of a village or city like that at Albany, or by reason of the fertility of the soil a home for the farmer and producer, and then cause these advantages to be spread abroad as far as possible. They were usual- ly shrewd men, and could spot an advantageous position as soon as their eyes fell upon it. Although simply speculators, considerable credit is due them for opening up to settlement many a splendid commercial position at an early date which otherwise might not have been noticed, or if noticed, not until at a much later period and when other and inferior localities had been selected and were well in their growth.
In the spring of 1836, Wm. Nevitt, father of Hon. E. H. Nevitt, and Willis C. Osborne, the former from Knox County, and the latter from Fulton County, came up and purchased the claim from Mitchell. About the same time Charles R. Rood came from Washington County, N. Y., and Erastus and Isaac C. Allen from Plattsburgh, Essex County, N. Y., and purchased the claim from
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Corbin. None of the land had been sold by the Government, the entry not taking place until October, 1839. In that month Messrs. Nevitt, Rood and Allen went to Galena, made an entry and purchased the land covered by these claims, for themselves and others, Mr. Nevitt purchasing what is now known as Upper Albany, and Messrs. Rood and Allen, Lower Albany. The deeds for Upper Albany were made out to Wm. Nevitt, Lewis Spurlock, Alfred Slocumb, and Gilbert Buckingham, making them the proprietors. Chas. R. Rood, S. M. Kilgour, Randolph C. Niblack. Isaac C. Allen, P. B. Vannest, Oliver McMahan, Erastus Allen, Samuel Mitchell, David Mitchell, Alfred Bergen, Chester Lusk, and Samuel Searle, became the proprietors of Lower Albany.
It was contemplated by the proprietors of the land now covered by Upper Albany to call that part of the place Van Buren, and it was known by that nanie for some time, while the proprietors of the lower part determined to call their portion simply Albany. It was soon, however, discovered that two municipal corporations in such close contiguity would prove unnecessary, as well as annoy- ing, and finally under cover of some dispute about boundary lines, the matter was amicably compromised, and the whole town called Albany. The two towns were first platted in 1836.
In the month of December, 1839, the town or village was surveyed for the proprietors by C. R. Rood, County Surveyor, and the plat recorded in the office of the Recorder of Whiteside County on the 4th day of March, 1840. In the plat the village is described as situated and laid out on the east side of the Mis- sissippi river on a part of sections No's 24, 25 and 26, in township 21 north, range 2 east of the 4th principal meridian. The village is beautifully situated, the ground rising from the river at an angle of some twenty to thirty degrees until it reaches the height of the surrounding country. Some of the finest building sites on the Upper Mississippi can be found along and upon these bluffs, the view from them, especially from some in the lower part of the town, commanding a long stretch of the noble river, the village of Camanche nearly opposite, the cities of Fulton, Lyons and Clinton above, besides extended por- tions of bluff and prairie in the two States of Illinois and Iowa. The citizens in many instances have taken advantage of these fine sites and built upon them. The part of the town along the river bank and at the commencement of the bluffs is admirably adapted for business purposes. The streets of the village are broad and regularly laid out. Of the original proprietors of the village the following are still living: Randolph C. Niblack, residing on his old homestead in town, C. R. Rood and P. B. Vannest, in Garden Plain, Oliver McMahan, in Lyons, Iowa, and Samuel Mitchell, in Davenport, Iowa.
Log dwellings were put up in Upper Albany in the spring and summer of 1837 by Alfred Slocumb and Gilbert Buckingham. These were the first dwel- lings built in that part of the town, with the exception of the cabin of Mr. Mitchell mentioned in a preceding page. In the summer of 1838 Uriah Cook erected the first frame building. In Lower Albany Randolph C. Niblack, Sam- uel Scarle, Isaac C. and Erastus Allen, Samuel Mitchell, T. Wilcoxson, Chester Lusk, and Oliver McMahan put up the first frame buildings in the spring and summer of 1837. The one built by MeMahan was used as a hotel, thus mak- ing it the first hotel in Albany. The first brick building in the town was put up for a dwelling by Dr. W. H. Efner, father of IIon. D. S. Efner, in the sum- mer of 1840. It is still standing on the bluff, on Main street, adjoining the Methodist church, and is owned by Mrs. W. S. Barnes, and occupied by Mr. J. W. Dinneen. Oliver McMahan followed the same year with the second brick building. This was built on Water street and faced the river, and is still stand -
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ing. Mr. McMahan used it first for a dwelling and afterwards for a bank. It is now unoccupied.
Ivy Buck opened the first grocery store in the fall of 1837, and a firm by the name of Cox & Campton the second early in 1838. The store of Cox & Campton stood on the river bank near where the stone house now stands, and that of Mr. Buek on the bluff, baek of the present W. U. R. R. depot. In 1840 MeIlvaine & Happer opened the first dry goods and general merchandise store in a building near the river, now known as the old Fuller Hotel site. After that year stores of different kinds followed with considerable rapidity. Cox & Campton remained in the store for about a year. Mr. Buck continued in busi- ness also about a year. MeIlvaine & Happer continued in the mercantile line under the same firm name until 1854, when William Y. Wetzell, now of Fulton, became a partner, and the name was changed to MeIlvaine, Happer & Co. Mr. Wetzell withdrew in 1854, leaving the firm as it originally started, and under that name it continued until the firm was dissolved. Mr. Happer is still in business in partnership with his son, Joseph F. Happer, in the brick store cor- ner of Main and Union streets. Mr. Mellvaine is now a resident of Chicago.
Chas. S. Dorsey built the first saw mill in the fall of 1837 and early part of 1838, actually commencing to saw in the former year. He came from Tazewell County in this State. The mill stood on the river bank in the lower end of the town, and was run by steam. David Mitchell, Mr. Hurd and others had an interest in the mill. It ran for about four years, and then burned down. A great deal of lumber was sawed at this mill for Capt. Holt, of Rock Island, who was extensively engaged then in building barges for use on the Mississippi river and its tributaries. A chair manufactory was started in connection with this mill shortly after it commenced operation, by Alvord & Buck, but was burned with the mill, and the proprietors did not afterwards resume business.
William Clark put up the next steam saw mill, a small rotary one, on the river bank in Spurlock & Garrett's addition, in 1851. He ran it about a year when he died, and it was torn down.
In 1853 Walker, Happer & Co., built a steam saw mill on the river in Upper Albany near where the stone house now stands. This mill was built in the modern style, having planing and lath machinery attached. The Co. was composed of E. H. Nevitt and John D. Mellvaine. In 1855 Walker sold his interest to the other members of the firm, and the firm name was changed to Happer, Nevitt & Co. The new firm ran the mill until 1858, when operations ceased. The mill was destroyed by the tornado of June 3, 1860, and was not rebuilt.
A part of the present mill was built by Boice, Ewing & Co. in 1861. This Company ran the mill until 1864, when it was sold to Langford & Hall, now extensive mill owners and lumber dealers at Fulton. In 1866 David Ileffel- bower bought an interest and the firm name was changed to Heffelbower, Lang- ford & Co. In 1872 Mr. Heffelbower and Wm. MeBride purchased the entire interest in the mill and its surroundings, and the firm became Heffelbower & McBride. The latter gentlemen are its present owners. New and important additions to the building, machinery and yard have been added by the enter- prising proprietors from time to time as the occasion demanded, until now the mill ranks among the first on the river.
As near as can be now ascertained the following persons were the settlers in Van Buren and Albany, as the places were then called in 1837: Chas. R. Rood, Erastus Allen and family, Isaac C. Allen, Randolph C. Niblack, Samuel Searle, Chester Lusk and family, Alfred Bergen, Peter B. Vannest, Gregg McMahan, Oliver MeMahan, Jonathan Davis, Samuel Mitchell, Thomson Wil-
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coxson and family, Ivy Buek and family, Duty Buck and family, and Jeremiah Rice, in Albany; and Wm. Nevitt and family, Gilbert Buckingham and family, Stephen B. Slocumb, Thomas Finch, John Slocumb and family, and Uriah Cook, in Van Buren. Of these, Chas. R. Rood, Wm. Nevitt, and Stephen B. Slocumb properly came in 1836, but are classed as settlers of 1837.
Those who came in 1838 were: Cheney Olds and family, Dr. Bernheisel and family, David Mitchell, Isaiah Marshall, and Edward Ewers, in Lower Albany; and Granville Reid, Robert Kennedy, Daniel Bliss, Lewis Spurlock, Amos Nichols, John Nichols, Bennett Spurlock, and Geo. Garrett, in Upper Albany.
In 1839 came Benj. S. Quick, W. S. Barnes and family, Dr. John Clark and family, and James Hewlett and family, in Lower Albany, and Columbus C. Alvord in Upper Albany. This year was known as the "siek year," and few parties could be induced to settle anywhere along the Mississippi.
The first white child born in Albany was Josephine Davis, daughter of Jonathan and Phoebe Davis. She was born May 18, 1838.
The first marriage was that of Randolph C. Niblack to Miss Amy Buck, on the 11th of February, 1838.
The first death was that of Katie Allen, a child of Erastus Allen, aged about eighteen months. She died in the winter of 1838, and was buried on her father's premises. Following this was the death of Elijah H. Knowlton, who died in March, 1838. He was the first one buried in the cemetery where so many of Albany's citizens now sleep. His age was about thirty.
The first minister was the Rev. Mr. Bouton, a Presbyterian clergyman, who settled in the town in the spring of 1840. He was not called to Albany as a stated pastor. but preached whenever he was requested and in such build- ings as could be obtained for religious services, there being no church in the town at that day. A donation of some lots was made to him by the proprie- tors of Lower Albany, but he did not build on them, and afterwards occupied a farm a little out of the town.
The first physician was Dr. Bernheisel, who came with his wife in the spring of 1838. The Doctor is represented to have been a somewhat peculiar man, and as his wife, who possessed considerable beanty and spirit, attracted considerable attention from the gay bachelors of the town, he became unaccount- ably jealous of her, and after remaining about a year carried her off to Utah and joined the Mormons. To reward him for this heroic rescue of his wife from the wiles of the bachelors of Albany, the Latter Day Saints elected him their first delegate to the Congress of the United States. It is now said that some of these erst while bachelors, married men to-day, would like to have young gentlemen smile upon their wives so they could carry them to some Ter- ritory like Dr. Bernheisel, and go to Congress.
The first white women who settled in Albany were Mrs. Thomas Finch, Mrs. Stephen B. Slocumb, Mrs. Erastus Allen, and Mrs. Chester Lusk, all of whom came in 1837.
The first regular ferry between Albany and Camanche was run by David and Samuel Mitchell under a license granted them for that purpose by the County Commissioners, bearing date September 8, 1840. Their first boat was propelled by horse power, and this motive power was continued until 1850 when a steam ferry boat was purchased of a Mr. Gear, of Galena. One improvement called for another, and after running the Galena boat for some time, the Messrs. Mitchell had a larger and more commodious boat built for themselves. Not long after this new boat was put on, David Mitehell sold his interest in the ferry to Samuel, Still later, a Mr. Clayborne purchased an interest from
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Samuel, and the two ran the ferry until the great tornado in 1860, when the boat was destroyed. Since that time a skiff only has been used. The ferry in its palmy days was extensively patronized, a large number then seeking it as their point of crossing over the Mississippi on their way to Iowa, and States and Territories farther West. It was also largely used for transporting mer- chandise and produce over the river for points both east and west. Had the railroad been built, for which a charter was granted by the General Assembly at its session in 1851, the ferry would undoubtedly have given way in a short time thereafter to a bridge over the river between Albany and Camanche. A railroad would then have been constructed from the latter place to a point on the Missouri river, running through the heart of Iowa as the Chicago & North- western road now does. We are assured that such was the design of many of the enterprising business men of that day. But by the failure to build the railroad to Albany, the bridge project was abandoned.
The sickly season of 1839 retarded emigration to, and business in Albany, but in 1840 everything began to revive, and thenceforward for a number of years it was one of the most active business towns in this section of the country. The stage route from Rock Island to Galena, and the one afterwards from Chicago to Albany, were largely patronized and made regular runs, and the river steamers brought their full quota of freight and passengers. Even what were jocosely denominated "jerk water" lines of stages were doing a good business. The winding of the stage horn on the arrival of the lumbering vehicle into town, was sure to attract a large number to its stopping place, as it not only always brought a full complement of passengers, but also the mails. At this time, too, farmers from a long distance brought their grain and produce into town, and carried lumber home for putting up their buildings. Many of these came from as far east as Genesee Grove.
The opening of Frink & Walker's line of stages from Chicago to Albany was one of the eras of the town. Before that time, this line ran by land to Galena, and from thenee to Albany by water. The proprietors, however, soon saw that a direct line from the lakes to the Mississippi would be advantagous, and in 1844 put their coaches on this route. It was the great influx of passen- gers by this line which induced Mr. W. S. Barnes to open his large building as a hotel for the accommodation of the publie. Very soon the Eagle Hotel became known far and wide as one of the best hotels on the Mississippi river, and its landlord one of the most courteous and genial of hosts. That reputation it has kept up to the present day. The Washington Hotel, and the National Hotel, were also first class hotels, and had a deservingly large patronage.
The passage of the act by the General Assembly of Illinois at its session in 1851, granting a charter for the construction of a railroad from Beloit, Wisconsin, to Rock Island, was hailed by the people of Albany as a project which would open up to them quick and easy communication with the lakes, and thenee with eastern ports. Its construction would also demand the build- ing of a road from Camanche, directly opposite, through lowa to the far West, and of course the erection of a bridge over the river between the two points. The general route of this road was to be in the Rock River Valley, running from Beloit through Rockford, Byron, Dixon and Sterling to Albany, and then from Albany down the river to Rock Island. A road from Beloit to Chicago was already in operation. A meeting of the friends of the Rockford & Rock Island road was held in Sterling in the month of February, 1852, and by act of this meeting the route was divided into four sections, the first to extend from Beloit to Rockford, the second from Rockford to Dixon, the third from Dixon to Albany, and the fourth from Albany to Rock Island. The following resolu-
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tion was also adopted: "That out of the capital stock first subscribed, a sufficient amount should be immediately applied for completing the third section of said road." In compliance with the resolution that section was put under contract to Henry Doolittle, of Dayton, Ohio, on the 16th of February, 1853. By some means the books of subscription to the capital stock were not opened in time to ensure the commencement of the work, before the Mississippi & Rock River Junction Railroad Company, a rival organization, had so far got along with their operations as to commence building their road to Fulton. This put an end to the construction of the road to Albany, as the Galena & Chicago R. R. Company had became identified with the M. & R. R. J. road, and the combina- tion ensured a direct road from Chicago to Fulton on the Mississippi river. A rival line, it was seen, could not be made to pay. Could stock have been taken at the Sterling meeting when all the villages along the line of the contemplated road from Beloit to Albany were deeply interested in the enterprise, and anxious that it should be pushed forward with the greatest rapidity, it is not at all unlikely that Albany and Camanche would have been at this time, large, thriving towns, with a bridge connecting them, over which would have rolled heavy freight and passenger cars, the former ladened with the richest products of the Orient and the Occident. Had this been the case it is easy to conjecture what the condition of the cities at the Narrows would have been to-day. Another road was also in contemplation at, or about that time, which was to have been called the Camanche, Albany and Mendota Railroad. This project had not been pushed to any great extent before it was abandoned, but it is safe to say, that if the Rockford & Rock Island road had been completed, it would have been built sooner or later thereafter.
The construction of the Western Union Railroad, however, affords railroad facilities for Albany, but it being a north and south road does not meet the requirements demanded, as the great lines of communication and transportation run east and west. The first construction train on the Western Union road came into the limits of Albany about the middle of November, 1865, on ties laid down temporarily. About a month later the road was completed so far that passenger trains came into town, and regular passenger and freight trains have been running since.
The people of Albany have not been without their wars and rumors of wars. A big fight came very near taking place on Beaver Island directly opposite the town in the winter of 1842 and '43. Albany had what was. called a town claim on the Island, from which the inhabitants got a great deal of wood, to the cutting and carrying away of which the people of Clinton County, Iowa, finally strenuously objected, alleging that all the Island with the timber growing thereon belonged to their county. Finally to prevent further depre- dations by the people of Albany, Deputy Sheriff Aiken, of Clinton County, came to the Island one day during the above winter with a strong posse of men, fully armed, determined to drive away the Albany wood choppers, and to take such full and complete possession of the premises as would prevent their trespassing again in the future. Word was immediately sent to Albany of this action on the part of the Clinton County authorities, and it had no sooner got to the ears of the people, than they began to gather for the purpose of devising means to force the Clinton army back to their headquarters in Iowa, and "hold the fort," or in other words their claim, at all hazards. Soon forty men or more had banded together, armed with rifles, muskets, pistols, swords, pitchforks and other deadly implements, and in a few minutes landed on the Island. The bravest marched boldly up to a big fire which had been built by the Clintonians previous to their coming, and on one side of which the latter had taken position.
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The others, and the number was not inconsiderable, took to the brush, preferring to act as scouts rather than face a fusilade from their enemies. Orders were given in tones which reverberated far up and down the river for these scouts to join the main army, but at this juncture a pistol was fired, or was accidentally discharged, and neither orders, threats or coaxing could induce the scouts to believe that their method of fighting was not the most effective. What the result would have been it is hard at this late day to determine, had not flags of truce been thrown out on each side, and the commanding officers of the two armies delegated to consult over the situation of affairs, and patch up a com- promise if possible. Long and vehement were the arguments on both sides, but finally as night began to approach a compromise was effected by making a division of the timber, Albany to get 400 acres as its share. This was no sooner agreed to and hands shaken over it, than the scouts came out of their covert with the air and mein of veterans, and in lofty words claimed that their superior mode of fighting had driven the Clintonians to the wall and made them yield the point, and the survivors to this day recount to admiring listeners the brave deeds performed by them on that winter day in the Beaver Island brush. Albany did no more fighting after that until the war of the rebellion called her sons forth to fight for their country, and it is due to them to say that braver men could not be found in the Union Army.
On Sunday evening, June 3, 1860, one of the most destructive tornadoes that ever swept through the West visited the village of Albany, laying a large part of the place in ruins, causing the death of several of its citizens, and seriously injuring many others. The storm came from the Northwest, and after doing terrible execution in Iowa, and particularly in the village of Camanche, crossed the river, almost devastating Albany, as we have stated, and then pur- sued its way east through the county. A full description of its terrible work will be found in the general local history of this volume.
The following is as nearly an accurate list of the business men, and houses, prior to 1850, as can be obtained: James Hewlett, hardware and harness, about 1842; B. S. Quick, wagons and buggies; Pease & Wetzell, dry goods and groceries; Delmar & Stevens, dry goods and groceries; Hoyt, Faxon & Durfee, harness; J. J. Bolls, boots and shoes; Durant & Haines, dry goods and grocer- ies; O. MeMahan, Albany Bank; A. B. & J. B. Emmons, blacksmith and wagon shop; MeIlvaine & Happer, dry goods and groceries; Washington Olds, notions; Vannest & Stagg, blacksmiths; Charles Boynton, tin shop; W. S. Barnes. dry goods and groceries; John A. Langston, saddle and harness maker.
The population of the village of Albany is now estimated at 500.
A Post office was established at Van Buren, now Upper Albany, in the winter of 1837 and '38, and Willis C. Osborne appointed Postmaster. In 1839 the name of the office was changed to Albany, and Gilbert Buckingham appoint- ed Postmaster. In 1843 he was succeeded by Samuel Happer, but was reap- pointed in 1846, and continued in the position two years. From 1848 to 1851, Wm. Y. Wetzell was Postmaster, and from the latter year until 1854, Win. S. Barnes held the place. In 1854 Mr. Buckingham was again appointed, and held the office until 1857, when Andrew B. Emmons secured the position, the latter retaining the place until 1860 when he resigned, and was succeeded by Cornelius Knapp. In 1863 W. W. Durant was appointed, and has held the position to the present time.
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