USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 36
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A bridge was early built across the Elkhorn creek, near the cemetery in Como, on a State road which had been laid out from Peoria to Savanna; but as the road was never opened, except for a short part of its length, the bridge was moved to the place where it now is on the Lyndon road. A ferry was also established in the spring of 1840 across Rock river, which proved a great con- venience, as there was none from Dixon to Prophetstown.
Capt. Henry Sampson opened the first public house in Como, in 1839, and after the establishment of the mail route from Dixon to Rock Island in 1840, a post- office was established at the place. Frink & Walker, the enterprising stage men, soon put a daily line of four horse coaches on this route, and as the horses were changed at Capt. Sampson's hotel, and meals taken there, it became quite a noted place on the line. Simeon Sampson went to California in 1850, was fortunate in his undertakings, and in 1854, came back and opened a store, in which he did an extensive business for several years when he retired on account of his health, and is now living in Boston, Massachusetts, owning his large farm in Como, and a valuable property in Sterling. Stephen P. Breed in 1841 established one of the first nurseries in the county, at Como, sowing his own seed, but upon the death of his wife in January, 1847, returned to New Hampshire, and after an active life died in that State in 1871. He was noted for his honesty, and great activity of mind and body. His love of flowers and door yard adormments contributed not a little to the taste Como displayed in this regard, at that time.
Como was in the zenith of its prosperity in 1845. Charles Holmes and Lorenzo Hapgood had opened a store in 1844, and a very large business was done by them, and at the mill store of Smiths & Weber, which extended over one half of the county, including Sterling itself. There were also one or two
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other stores. The village maintained its ascendency as a trading point until about 1856, when the railroad, now known as the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, was completed. It then began to decline rapidly, and is now without a store, and its onee splendid mill rotting down. The first store in the place was opened by Alfred and James Dow, in 1840. In 1841 William Pollock opened a store, and was followed by William Merritt. The first schools in Como were taught by Miss Maria Sampson, now Mrs. A. E. Merrill, of Sterling, and Miss Mary D. Breed, now Mrs. Frank Cushing, of Portland, scholars attend- ing from a long distance around.
In 1845 Aaron W. Pitts opened a blacksmith shop, and soon commeneed the manufacture of the improved plows. Previous to 1844 all the plows in use were of home make, and generally had rods of iron for mould boards. These plows rooted the ground after a fashion, but required constant use of the foot or a paddle to make them run at all. In 1844 the first plow that would scour was brought from near Springfield, and was called the diamond plow. It con- sisted of a piece of steel cut in the shape of a diamond, and then bent to form a mould board, and shear, and was polished by grinding. These were rapidly im- proved, so that by 1846 they came into general use, and for all practical purpos es did as good work as is done to-day by the best plows. They were manufactured extensively at Grand De Tour, and Moline, and were left for sale at the country stores, and sold on time at a dollar an inch. Mr. Pitts manufac- tured quite largely in Como until about 1849, when he left and commeneed manufacturing in Peru, Illinois.
In 1847 a new road was laid out from Como through the Sampson farm, crossing the river at the Cushing farm, and thence running easterly until it struck the Dixon and Prophetstown road at Coloma. This road shortened the distance to Dixon and Peoria, and a license for a ferry across the river was ap- plied for, but as the point was only a mile from the Como ferry, it was strongly opposed, and the license not granted. A boat was then built by stockholders, and run practically free for a year and a half, when upon the election of two new County Commissioners, in 1849, a license for the ferry was obtained. An ap- peal was at once taken from the order of the County Commissioners' Court to the Circuit Court, and Knox & Drury, then prominent lawyers of Rock Island, employed by the upper ferry interest, but the appeal failed. It created a good deal of feeling at the time. The ferry ran until the opening of the railroad, when it was moved to Lyndon.
There is now nothing left to remind one of the olden times in Como, except the extreme beauty of its location, and the cordiality and intelligence of its inhabitants. The name of Como was derived from the expanse of the river just above the town, which is said to resemble Lake Como, in Italy.
GALT.
The village of Galt was laid out and platted in January, 1855, by John Galt and others. It is on the southwest quarter of section 24, and consists of twenty blocks. There are now twenty-five dwellings, four business houses, a warehouse, cheese factory, elevator, blacksmith shop, and lumber yard, besides the depot and other buildings of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, and the large school house, in the upper story of which is the Town Hall. The Galt Cheese Manufacturing Company was organized October 22, 1873, with a capital stock of $3,100. The main building of the factory is 60 by 30 feet, with an addition 16 by 24 feet, and a house over the well 6 by 6 feet. The officers of the Company are, William Pratt, President, and Robert A. Galt, Treasurer and General Superintendent. About sixty thousand pounds of cheese
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are made annually. The population of the village in 1877, is estimated at two hundred.
EMPIRE.
The village of Empire was laid out and platted July 28, 1855, by Elijah Wallace, G. S. Fraser, O. C. Stolp and Wm. M. Sutton. It is located on the southwest quarter of section 13. Joel Harvey soon after erected, in addition to the saw mill built by Hezekiah Brink, a large grist mill, a factory for card- ing, spinning, and dressing wool, and weaving woolen cloth, and also a store in which he kept alarge stock of goods; he also built several dwelling houses. The village now contains about fifteen dwelling houses, the wollen mill. grist mill, Lutheran church edifice, and a large two story school building. This school house was one of the first of the graded school buildings erected in the county, and for its construction the people of the district deserve great credit.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JASON HOPKINS was a native of Nashville, Tennesse, and was born Decem- ber 26, 1786. He remained at Nashville until he was middle aged, when he came to Illinois and settled at Belleville, and from thence went to Peoria. When the Black Hawk war broke out he volunteered in a cavalry regiment, was appointed Quarter Master, and served in that capacity during the war. In 1835 he came to Como, as previously mentioned in this chapter, where he re- mained until his death, August 19, 1853, at the age of sixty-six years. His children were William Tell, born February 22, 1837; Helen, born August 1, 1838; Francis E., born February 25, 1840, and James P., October 4, 1842. William Tell died about 1862. Helen married William Carson, of Henry county, Illinois; children, Charles, Bertie, John J. and Hattie. Francis E. married W. S. Angell, October 4, 1865; children, William H. H., Carl, and one who died in infancy. Mr. Hopkins was a cabinet maker, and worked at his trade until he came to Como. Mr. Deyo, in Sterling, has a table made by him over forty years ago. He possessed many traits of character peculiar to the citizens of ancient Rome in its Republican days-firmness, unwvering integrity, and patriotism. He was an intimate acquaintance and great admirer of General Jackson. He was altogether a remarkable man, and admirably fitted for a pioneer. The town- ship of Hopkins was named in his honor.
HENRY BRIGGS SAMPSON was born at Duxbury, Massachusetts, July 15, 1787, and was a descendant of Henry Sampson who came to Plymouth with the little band of Puritans in the Mayflower, in 1620. On the 20th of September, 1812, he married Miss Naney Turner, at Marshfield, Massachusetts, a daughter of Col. Wm. Turner, of Scituate, Massachusetts, who was also of Puritan de- scent. Mr. Sampson emigrated to Tremont, Illinois, in 1836, and from there to Como in 1839, where he died December 31, 1865. Mrs. Sampson was born at Scituate, Massachusetts, May 8, 1787, and died at Como, November 8, 1862. Their children were : Frances E., born January 8, 1814, who married Winfield S. Wilkinson, November 18, 1841; children, Mary C., Alfred E., Henry B., and Frank, the latter dying in infancy. Ann B., born March 22, 1817; married Henry A. Sumwalt, October 31, 1837; Mr. Sumwalt died in Pike county. Illi- nois, about twelve years ago, and Mrs. Sumwalt in Sterling, September 3. 1876. Henry R., born September 6, 1819; married Miss Emma Dickinson, September 28, 1858; one child, Kate P. Julia G., born June 16, 1825; married Charles N. Russell, December 25, 1851; children, Annie F., Charles T., and John N., who died in infancy. Georgiana S., born February 1, 1829; married Charles P. Mal- lett, January 26, 1847; children, Edward, died in infancy, Ellen M., Arthur F .. died in infancy, and Charles P., Jr. Florence H., born April 2, 1832; married
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Edwin C. Whitman, October 5, 1855; children, Elizabeth M., Marcus, Carrie B., Henry B., and Edwin D. Albert S., born October 1. 1834; married Miss Lucetta Cook, December 15, 1858; children, Albert H., Mary E., Frank C., and Alice T.
WILLIAM SAMPSON was born at Duxbury, Massachusetts, May 21, 1792, and came to Como in 1839. In 1815 he married Miss Caroline Sprague. The chil- dren of this marriage were : Caroline A., born March 6, 1817; William Henry, born June 18, 1819; Maria Louisa, born April 15, 1825; Virginia, born July 15, 1827; Marietta, born November 5, 1829; Josephine, born May 24, 1832; Fred- erick A., born December 19, 1835; Elizabeth J., born Angust 3, 1838. These children were born in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Two children were also born in Tremont, Illinois, but died in infancy. Caroline A. married Capt. Simeon Samp- son, and resides in East Boston; children, Walter S., Lucy S., and George. William Henry married Miss Caroline E. Hopkins, and resides in Chicago, Illi- nois; children, J. Clifford, and Charles. Virginia married William Henry Guern- sey, and resides in Minnesota; children, Flora, Edward, Josephine, and William. Frederick A. married Miss Eliza Farr, and resides in Chicago, Illinois. Maria Louisa married Amos C. Merrill, and resides in Sterling; children, Charles R., died September 5, 1850; Frederick A., Edward E., William H., Clifford S., Clara A., and Amos C., Jr. Mr. Sampson died in Chicago, in 1851, and Mrs. Sampson in the same city, September 28, 1877, at the age of 83 years.
BETSY S. SAMPSON was born at Duxbury, Massachusetts, February, 1768, and came to Como with her sons in 1839. She was the oldest person in the col- ony, and died October 5, 1854.
HORATIO WELLS was born April 10, 1796, at Greenfield, Massachusetts, and made his elaim at Round Grove in 1838. He married Miss Sarah Swan, who was also a native of Greenfield, Massachusetts, February 6, 1821. Their children were : Samuel, born September 24, 1824; Sarah, December 9, 1826; Louisa, May 26, 1831; Horatio, February 28, 1834; Charles J., August 3, 1836; Caroline, May 26, 1840; Joseph W., August 7, 1843, and two who died in infancy. Charles J. died September 22, 1872, and Joseph W. in September, 1848. Martha married Russell Lockwood, who died in 1863. Samuel married Miss Mary Jen- nings. Louisa married William MeDearborn, January 23, 1861; children, Horatio, Louisa, Arthur, and Edith. Horatio married in December, 1872; chil- dren, Clarence. Caroline married Charles Toby, March 10, 1870; children, Marshall W., and Grace E. Mr. Wells made most of his journey from Massa- chusetts, with his family, to Whiteside county, "prairie schooner" fashion. He was one of the few men who engaged, prior to the building of railroads, in the transportation of goods from Boston to the interior and western part of Massa- chusetts. This was done in wagons drawn by six horses, over the mountains, and required as much skill, and presence of mind as are necessary to handle a ship in a storm, or a train of cars over a bad railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Wells cele- brated their golden wedding a few years ago. Since then Mr. Wells has died.
GEORGE HIGLEY was born in 1793, and married Miss Phebe Chamberlain in 1817. Their children have been : Lonisa Ann, George W .- who died at the age of sixteen, Alfred Alonzo, Angeline L., Helen M., Martha Jane, George W. Jr., and Henry C. Helen M. married A. E. Jennings, February 21, 1849; chil- dren, George H., Francis C., William L., Edwin M., and Mary H.
FREDERICK SIMONSON was a native of New York, and born October 13, 1804. He married Miss Sabrina Harvey, April 25, 1827. The following have been their children : James H., born May 26, 1829; Sally, born May 2, 1831; Louisa F., born March 3, 1833; Frederick, Jr., born in 1835; Sabrina, born July 25, 1837; Flavel, born August 30, 1840; Mary, born June 24, 1842. Mary died
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October 22, 1843, and Louisa F. November 7, 1868. Sally married Abram Law, January 1, 1850; children, Victor E., Granville, Winnie, Ida May, Elmer, and Marion. Flavel married Miss Frances Thomas; James H. married Miss Lavinia Sherwin; children, Marcia, Kate, Cora, and two who died in infancy. Freder- ick, Jr., resides at the homestead. Mr. Simonson died June 30, 1869, and was buried in the timber just west of where his log cabin still stands.
FRANK ADAMS was born in 1812. Married Miss Susan Tencke. Children : Jane, Margaret, Rachel, James, Ann, and Francis. Jane married Charles Ingalls; children, Hettie. Margaret married John Richardson; children, Perce, Francis, A. D., Nettie, Burdell, and Lee. Rachael married John Charter; children, James and John. James married Miss Delia Peoples; has two children, and lives at Red Oak, Iowa. Francis married William Yeoards; has one child. Ann died in infancy. Mr. Adams came to Como in company with Jason Hopkins, and lived in a cabin on the bank of the river, near the ferry landing. Mrs. Adams was the first white woman who came to Como, and for a time was the only female in the place. They kept a boarding house, the first and only one at Como, at which everybody then took meals, and at night all slept on the floor. Prominent among these were Jason Hopkins, Brittell, Dr. Harding, Bridge, J. B. Harding, and J. D. Bingham.
JAMES D. BINGHAM was born in the State of Connecticut, April 9, 1810, and married Miss Jane Adams, August 11, 1836. The children were : Eliza Jane, born June 9, 1838; Susan, born May 19, 1840, and Frank, born March 23, 1842. Eliza Jane married Daniel Ross; children, Jennie, Jessie, and Nellie. Susan married Henry Griffin; no children. Frank married Miss Ella Hopkins; children, Dimple, and Frank. Mrs. James D. Bingham died February 26, 1848, and on the 4th of October, 1852, Mr. Bingham married his second wife, Mrs. Lura A. Chapman, by whom he had one child, Nellie B., born January 9, 1855. Mr. Bingham's second wife died in Colorado August 6, 1877. Nellie married Clarence E. Smith, in April, 1875. Frank Bingham enlisted, at the commence- ment of the late war, in Company HI., 75th Illinois Volunteers, and was promoted several times for meritorious services. Ile served out his term of enlistment, and was in all the battles and marches of his regiment during the war, and was honorably mustered out of the service. He is now living in Colorado, where he is keeping a ranch. James D. Bingham is now living in Sterling.
MRS. MARGARET ADAMS and family came to Como in 1837, in company with James D. Bingham and family. Of her children, Samuel died in Missouri, on his return home from Pike's Peak. Eliza died in 1839, and John in 1840. Robert married Miss Lydia Niles; children, Josephine, Mary and Retta.
WILLIAM POLLOCK was born June 4. 1802, in Waterford, Erie county, Penn- sylvania, and was married to Miss Sarah Mason, a native of Philadelphia, May 3, 1832. Their children were Peter V., born October 31, 1835; Mary C., born May 23, 1837; James, born August 29, 1839; John W., born October 4. 1841; Eliza J., born March 16, 1843; JJane V., born December 19, 1844, and Gertrude P., born September 30, 1846. Of these, James, Jane V. and Eliza J. died in infancy. Mary C. married L. B. Wadleigh, formerly of New Hampshire, No- vember 13, 1856; children, William M., Mary A., LeRoy P., Pauline N .. and Mand C. John W. married Miss Mary M. Smith, May 23, 1870; children, Mary C. and Pauline P .; two children died in infancy. Gertrude P. married Samuel Patterson, November 1, 1872; one child, Clara M. Peter V. remains at the old homestead, and is one of the solid farmers and stock raisers of Whiteside coun- ty. Mr. Pollock was Surveyor of the county from 1847 to 1853, and at the March term of the Board of Supervisors in 1855, was appointed Drainage Com-
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
missioner, and held the position until December, 1858. He also held various township offices.
JESSE SCOTT was born July 24, 1790, in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and in 1802 came with his parents as far west as Morgan county, Ohio, where he lived until March, 1839, when he started for Illinois, by the way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, in a one hundred ton keel boat, propelled by horse power. On this boat he built a cabin 16 by 16 feet in size, and divided into two rooms, in which the family lived, and the goods were stored during the journey. Upon reaching Roek river he turned his boat into that stream and followed it upwards until he reached Como, where he landed June 1, 1839. At that point he made a settlement, and has resided there ever since, a space of over thirty-six years. On New Year's day, 1815, Mr. Scott married Miss Anna Sherman. Their children have been: Asa, born January 26, 1817; Jane, born March 5, 1818; Josiah, born May 18, 1819; David, born December 5, 1820; Hiram B., born January 6, 1822; Adrial, born November 30, 1823; Joel S., born September 30, 1825; John, born May 26, 1827; Mary E., born June 4, 1829; Maria, born February 14, 1831; Caroline A., born August 8, 1832; Annis E., born February 22, 1834, and Emeline, born January 7, 1842. Of these children, Emeline died May 6, 1845; Annis E. September 12, 1845; Hiram, June 21, 1850, and Joel S. Novem- ber 8, 1855. Asa married Miss Elizabeth Taylor. The names of their children are given in the biographical sketch of Mr. Scott which will be found in the history of Montmorency township. Jane married Isaac H. Brittell; children, Almona, Charlotte, Orange, and Claudius. Josiah married Miss Harriet J. Coryell; the biographical sketch of Mr. Josiah Scott, giving names of children, will be found in the history of Hume township. David married Miss Louisa Stone; children, Eoline, Gertrude, Luther, Winfield, Theodore, Otho, Devrose, and Willie. Adrial married Miss Mary Sloan; children, Orson, Joel-who died in infancy, Willie, Eddy and Ida. Joel S. married Miss Polly Stillian, by whom he had one child, Esther; Mrs. Scott died, and Mr. Scott married a second wife, the children by this marriage being John, Marion, Jane, Shereer, Alice, Annis, Amy, Oscar, and Addison and Eliza-twins, the latter dying in infancy. Mary E., married Edward Scott; children, Clifford, Ennice, Hershel, Frederick, Eva, Albert, and Jessie; Frederick died at the age of fifteen. Maria married Lewis A. Davis; children, Edgar, Evamalia, Jane, Lizzie, and Bertha. Lizzie died in infancy. Caroline married Alphonso Brooks; children, Augusta, Romanzo, and Elthier. Mr. Scott is now eighty-seven years of age, and in many respects has lived an eventful life. His fund of anecdotes and reminiscences of pioneer life is inexhaustible, and their relation in his peculiar manner highly interesting. Mr. Scott made trading trips with his boat for several years after he came to Como. The boat, with its motive power, was a curiosity, and caused universal surprise wherever it made its appearance. He is probably the only man who ever did, or ever will, succeed in propelling a heavy boat against the strong eur- rent of the Mississippi river, by horse power; Mrs. Scott died in Como in 1876.
JOEL HARVEY was a native of New York State, and was born February 20, 1812. On the 24th of April, 1834, he married Miss Rachel Cole, also a native of the Empire State. Their children have been: Samuel C., born Feb- ruary 10, 1836; Elizabeth A., born March 4, 1839; Phoebe A., born January 26, 1842; Mary E., born November 5, 1847; Martha, born January 27, 1850; Julia A., born January 1, 1853; and Alice R., born January 13, 1857. Eliza- beth A. died April 27, 1844, and Julia A. December 16, 1853. Samuel C. mar- ried Miss Margaret A. Dickey in December, 1865; children, Mary A., Samuel J., Harvey, and three boys who died in infancy. Samuel C. Harvey enlisted in Company B, 13th regiment Illinois volunteers, and was appointed Second Ser-
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geant in his company. He carried a gun all through the service, and never failed to fall into line at roll-call or at the tap of the drum, participating in all the battles and marches in which his regiment took a part. As one of the brave and faithful soldiers in the Union army from Whiteside county, Samuel C. Harvey deserves due commendation. Phœbe A. married G. G. Keefer; chil- dren, Clara R., Jennie, and Henry. Mary E. married Abram Waldron; chil- dren, Joel and Albert. Martha married John F. Strock; children, Edith, who died in infancy, and Willoughby C. Alice R. married Edgar Galt, June 7, 1877. Mr. Harvey learned the wagonmaker's trade in his native State, and followed it more or less after his arrival in Whiteside county. When he came to Round Grove he bought the claim of Caleb Plummer, paying $1,500 for it, and lived in the log cabin built by Plummer. When he first came to Illinois he settled near Ottawa, but the next spring came to this county, making all of his way from New York State to Whiteside by wagon and horses. The season he arrived here was very wet, compelling him to go around by the way of Elk- horn Grove in order to cross the Elkhorn creek, there being no bridge south of that point. The roads were very few, and all the small streams and the sloughs almost impassable. To be mired two or three times a day was no unusual occurrence. After Mr. Harvey had settled at Round Grove and built his saw- mill there, John Wentworth, who had received the appointment of Mail Agent under the administration of Gen. Jackson, called upon him with a view of es- tablishing a mail route from Sterling to Fulton. Both of the gentlemen took a seat upon a log by the mill, and it was there arranged to establish the route, Mr. Wentworth agreeing that Mr. Harvey should be appointed Postmaster at Round Grove, upon condition that he would make a road, and bridge the sloughs from Sterling to Round Grove. Mr. Harvey agreed to the proposition, and, completing his part of the agreement, received the appointment as Postmaster. He not only kept the postoffice, but sufficient accommodation for both man and beast. The mail was carried from Dixon to Fulton in a two-horse wagon, by A. L. Porter, afterwards for many years Sheriff of Lee county. Mr. Harvey gave up the postoffice in 1841, and moved to Sterling. It was then abolished. Mr. Harvey was one of those energetic, persevering, vigorous, and irrepressible men whom no opposition or difficulty can dishearten. On the contrary, the more difficulties and embarrassments they have to encounter, the more they are determined to surmount them. Mr. Harvey has done more in opening up farms, laying out roads, building mills, stores, and factories, and lumbering in the pineries, than any other man in Whiteside county. His last great work was the digging of the artesian well in Sterling. He died in Sterling, September 3, 1875.
ELIJAH WALLACE came from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, in the spring of 1838, and bought the claim of Anthony Sells, near Empire. He went back in the autumn of the same year, and brought on his family, coming from Cumberland county with carriage and horses to Pittsburgh, and thence by water by the way of the Ohio, Mississippi, and Illinois rivers, to Beardstown. Illinois, when cold weather setting in, he came across the country in the carriage one hundred and fifty miles to Sterling, crossing Rock river on the ice, November 10, 1838. Mr. Moore, and his daughter Rebecca, now Mrs. George H. Wells, came with them. Mr. Moore died the next summer with intermittent fever, a disease peculiar to the climate at that time. Mr. Wallace was a farmer, and had a thorough business education. He improved a large farm, and planted upon it one of the finest orchards in the county. He died a number of years ago at the old homestead.
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