USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 41
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PHYLARMAN DAGGETT is a native of Newport, Vermont, and was born Au- gust 17, 1812. Ile first came to Illinois in 1836, and remained about a year in Will county, and in 1837 settled in Lyndon upon the same place where he now resides. Mr Daggett married Miss Mary Willey, a native of Derby, Vermont. Mrs. Daggett died without children. Mr. Daggett then married Mrs. Jane D. Newhall, at Lyndon; they had one child by this marriage, Mary F. Mrs. Dag-
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gett died, and Mr. Daggett afterwards married Mrs. Philena L. Jeffers; chil- dren: Helen A., and Harvey. Mr. Hazard's house was the only one in the present village of Lyndon when Mr. Daggett settled there. Mr. Daggett has been a member of the Congregational Church at Lyndon since 1839, is a sincere and devout Christian, and has devoted his attention largely to Church and Sun- day School matters.
WESLEY ANDERSON came to Lyndon in 1837. He divided his time be- tween teaching school and clerking in a store. At one time he was in business for himself. He was elected County Judge in 1860, and served in that capaci- ty for one year. He married Miss Martha E. Harris, October 20, 1847; one child, Charles F. Mr. Anderson died at Lyndon May 26, 1871. Mrs. Ander- son still resides at that place.
JARED D. CONYNE came from Lewis county, New York, and settled in Lyndon township in 1839. He worked on the mill race then being extended by Ray, Harmon, Spencer and Dix. He formerly lived on a farm owned by him one and a half miles north of Lyndon, but has of late years resided in the vil- lage, where he owns a fine residence. He married Miss Orrell M. Warner; one child has been born to them, a daughter, named Orrell, who married Truman G. Wilder.
GEORGE DENNIS came from Trenton, New Jersey, and settled in Lyndon township prior to 1840. It required moral courage and back-bone for a young man to leave all the social advantages of an old settled country and come to the far West, where he would be almost entirely deprived of the society of young people. Mr. Dennis, though fond of fun, was manly, and very much re- spected by all who knew him. He married Miss Dodge, a sister of Job Dodge -now of Peru, Illinois-and is now living at Princeton, lowa.
ELI SUMMERS was born June 1, 1783, and died August 8, 1870. He came to Lyndon township with his two sons and a son-in-law, H. B. Freeman, and settled in the east end of the great bend. All were farmers except Earle, who was a blacksmith. Mr. Freeman was a native of Connecticut, and a shoe-maker by trade. The others came from New Jersey. Christopher Nott, a grandson of Eli Summers, remained two years, and is now a practicing physician at Kan- kakee, Illinois.
A. I. MAXWELL came from New York State with the Coburn family, ar- riving at Lyndon in July, 1837. Soon afterwards he married Miss Hulce, who had also come West with the Coburns. Their children have been: Hiram, Samuel A., Louisa, Mary, and one son who died in the army at the commence- ment of the war. Hiram resides in Minnesota; Samuel A. married Miss Es- ther Austin, daughter of Dennis Austin, and is a resident of Como, having charge of the Como public school; Louisa and Mary are married, the former living at Mendota, Illinois, and the latter in Minnesota; both were popular school teachers in Whiteside county prior to their marriage. Mr. Maxwell is a mill-wright and house carpenter by trade. In 1837 he worked on Haines' mill in Union Grove, and run it a short time, sawing hard wood lumber. He after- wards attached a pair of burrs, and ground grain. This mill had been built in 1836, but the dam washed out, and it was rebuilt in 1837. Mr. Maxwell also worked on the Hamilton school house in 1837. In 1840 he assisted to construet the first frame school house in what is now Union Grove township, at Unionville. Many of the buildings of the early settlers were also constructed in whole or in part by his handicraft.
VILLAGE OF LYNDON.
The original village of Lyndon was laid out and platted in 1837, the pro-
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prietors originally being Messrs. John C. Pratt, William D. Dudley, Adam R. Hamilton, Elisha Hazard, Chauncey G. Woodruff, Col. Ebenezer Seely, Dr. Augustin Smith, and P. Daggett, and consisted of eighteen blocks, with one ad- ditional block reserved for a public square. The proprietors could not have selected a more beautiful location for a town. It is situated on the north bank of Rock river, upon a plateau of sufficient height to prevent overflow, and af- ford a fine southern exposure. The lots on the south side of First street and extending to the river were reserved for a levee, as the proprietors, at the time of laying out the village, anticipated a large river business. Boats had passed up and down the stream before that time, carrying freight both ways, and it was but natural that they should look to the river as the great channel upon which their grain and produce could be taken to market, and goods received in return. After the organization of the town several steamers were loaded with grain at the Lyndon levee for St. Louis and other southern ports, so that their antici- pations were in a measure realized; but the navigation of the river did not last long. Nevertheless Lyndon prospered, and was for a long time one of the first towns in the county, and its immense water power, if properly utilized, as it un- doubtedly soon will be, cannot fail of again placing it in the front rank.
In 1869 the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad was completed, and as its track ran close to the town, anticipations of a brighter day were very generally entertained. It was, however, outside of the limits of the old town, so that in order to have the track within the village, an addition, called the Railroad Addition, was laid out and platted March 6, 1869, the proprietors of which were George Greene, Aaron P. Holt, Thomas W. Trumbull, M. M. War- ner, Sarah Forth, Louisa Forth, Charlotte M. Aljoe, Samuel G. Scott, James H. Maxwell, and Sarah M. Maxwell. The Addition comprises thirty-seven blocks, and is situated on the southeast part of section 16, township 20, range 5. The railroad depot is upon this addition, and at present nearly all the business houses, the old town being nearly deserted, save by dwellings, for which it fur- nishes some beautiful sites. A further addition, known as Fitch's Addition, George W. Fitch and Martin Conyne proprietors, was laid out and platted, June 4, 1874. This addition comprises seven blocks, and is situated on part of the southwest quarter of section 15, township 20, range 5. Still later another ad- dition, called the Mill Addition, has been laid ont and platted, which contains seven blocks, besides the water lots adjoining the river. The mills, and the factory of the Farmers' Co-operative Manufacturing Company, are located on this addition. Sperry's Addition, containing two blocks, and fractional parts of two blocks, lying on the river north of the old town, was laid out and platted some time after the latter was platted.
The first frame house in the old part of Lyndon was erected by Dr. Augus- tin Smith, in 1836. The same building was used in 1839 by John Roy as a store, Mr. Roy being the first person to open a store in the place. The first ho- tel was kept by S. Wilson, in 1841. Liquor was occasionally sold at this hotel when under the proprietorship of Mr. Wilson, but when it passed into the hands of Mr. Roy it was kept so strictly temperate that the place received the name of "Saint's Rest." The lower or old ferry has been abandoned for sev- eral years, the upper ferry crossing the river just below the mill dam. The business houses and shops at present are: three grocery stores, one dry goods store, one drug store, one millinery store, one cabinet and furniture store, one hardware store, one livery stable, one barber shop, one restaurant, one meat market, one wagon shop, one lumber yard, three blacksmith shops, and two hotels.
The village of Lyndon was incorporated in 1874, under the general law of
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the State for the incorporation of cities and villages, and the first election held, as provided in the act, on the third Tuesday of April of that year. The elec- tion was held at the Town Hall, and a pretty full vote polled. The following gentlemen were elected Trustees : John W. Hazard, Dr. A. P. Holt, Charles C. Sweeney, J. L. Bates, Leander Church, and M. A. McKerg. The first meet- ing of the new Board of Trustees was held at the office of Dr. A. P. Holt, on the 2d of May, 1874, and a temporary organization effected by appointing J. W. Hazard, chairman, and Leander Church, clerk. An election for President of the Board for the ensuing year was then held, which resulted in the choice of J. W. Hazard. The Board also elected E. B. Hazard Village Clerk, and William M. Burkitt Treasurer, for the year. The usual commit- tees were also appointed. Mr. C. L. Parkhurst presented a petition for a license to sell intoxicating liquor, which was laid over until a subsequent meeting, and finally granted, the license fee being fixed at $125. The necessary ordinances for the government of the village were also passed and approved during the year. In 1875, the following Board of Trustees were elected : John W. Hazard, Charles C. Sweeney, James L. Bates, M. A. McKerg, W. H. Williams, and John Whallon. John Whallon was elected President, E. B. Hazard, Clerk, and Wm. M. Burkitt, Treasurer. . At the charter election held this year a majority of votes were cast in favor of granting licenses for the sale of intoxicating liquor, and several were granted by the Board in pursuance thereof. The following gentlemen were elected Trustees in 1876: W. H. Williams, Orrin M. Crary, P. M. Jewell, Alex. Wilson, G. G. Seger, and E. B. Hazard. W. H. Williams was elected President, Wils Greenlee, Clerk, and John W. Hazard, Treasurer. At this election the people voted not to grant any li- censes for the sale of liquor. The Board of Trustees for 1877 is composed of the following gentlemen : W. H. Williams, Orrin M. Crary, P. M. Jewell, Alex. Wilson, G. G. Seger, and E. B. Hazard. President, W. 11. Williams; Clerk, Geo. W. Andrews; Treasurer, John W. Hazard. The vote this year was also against granting licenses for the sale of liquor.
The Lyndon Hydraulic Manufacturing Company was organized in the spring of 1872, under the general manufacturing law of the State, with a capital of $60,000. The officers were: President, Justus Rew; Secretary, John Whallon; Directors, Justus Rew, George W. Fitch, George L. Coburn, George P. Rich- mond, Pardon A. Brooks, B. E. Orton, and John W. Hazard. The Company erected a dam during the same year across Rock river at the head of the rapids, a little north of the village of Lyndon. The dam is seven feet high and eleven hundred and eighty feet long, giving a head of eight feet, and securing a power of thirty thousand inches of water, and cost $30,000. The Company also eree- ted a Merchant Flouring Mill the same year, with five run of stones. The mill is 45 by 50 feet in size, three stories in height above the basement, and is known as the Lyndon Mill. It cost $35,000. The mill was afterwards transferred to Church & Patterson, with use of sufficient water power, and by the latter gentle- men to L. P. Johnson.
The Paper Manufacturing Mill is situated near the Flouring Mill, and was built in 1873, by the Orton Bros., at a cost of $12,000. In 1875 it was trans- ferred to Johnson & Hubbard who furnished the water wheels, and all the machinery at an additional cost of $21,000. The building is one hundred and sixty feet long, and fifty feet wide, and two stories high above the basement. In addition to the main building is the boiler house, sixteen feet long and twenty-four wide, constructed of brick, with stone basement. The mill uses two thousand inches of water, and manufactures two tons of straw wrapping paper per day.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
The Victoria Flouring Mill, on the same water power, was built in 1873 by Hoole & Putnam. It is a two and a half story frame building, fifty feet long and forty feet wide, with stone basement, and cost $18,000. The mill uses one thousand inches of water under a head of eight feet, supplied by the Lyndon Hydraulic Company, and manufactures seventy-five barrels of flour, and six hundred bushels of feed per day. In 1875 Mr. Putnam sold his interest to Alexander Wilson, and the mill is owned and conducted by the firm of Hoole & Wilson.
The Farmers' Co-operative Manufacturing Company of Lyndon, was organ- ized under the general law of the State of Illinois in 1873. In 1875 the Company commenced the erection of their building for manufacturing purposes, and finished it in 1876. It is a brick structure, the main building being one hundred and sixty feet long and eighty feet wide, two stories high, with stone basement, and the addition eighty feet long and eighty feet wide, one story high, with iron roof. The design of the Company is to manufacture all kinds of farm- ing implements. The first President of the Company was L. C. Belding, of Carroll county. At the second election, Ambrose Denton was chosen President, Alexander Wilson, Treasurer, and Charles R. Rood, Secretary. The present officers are : Samuel J. Baird, President; John Whallon, Secretary, and W. C. Snyder, Treasurer. The building erected by the Company is admirably adapted for manufacturing purposes.
The Congregational Church and Society of Lyndon was organized on the 27th of June, 1836, and was the first religious society organized in Whiteside county. Theinitiatory steps looking toward the organization of this society were taken by Adam R. Hamilton, William D. Dudley, and Chauncey G. Woodruff, and their families, the earliest settlers of Lyndon, and fresh from the great revivals which occurred in New York and other Eastern States during the winters of 1830 to 1835. The meeting was held at the house of William D. Dudley, and presi- ded over by Rev. Elisha Hazard, the agent of the American Home Missionary Society, who had come to the West to organize churches and societies under its patronage. The meeting adopted the Confession of Faith, and the Covenant, and enrolled the following names on the church book ; Adam R. Hamilton, Nancy Hamilton, John M. Hamilton, Adam R. Hamilton, Jr., Nancy A. Ham- ilton, Lovica Hamilton, Mary E. Hamilton, William D. Dudley, Triphena Dud- ley, Louisa Dudley, Liberty Walker, Chauncey G. Woodruff, Sophia Woodruff, Julia Woodruff, Ephraim A. Hubbard, O. L. Turner, Joshua T. Atkinson, and Emily Atkinson. In 1838 an addition of eighteen members was made to the church by letter from the East. These embraced the families of William L. Clark, Anna Dudley, Daniel F. Millikan, George Garlick, Augustin W. New- hall, J. M. Kneeland, and Alexis Hubbard. In 1839 there came to the church the families of Charles S. Deming, Artemas Cady, P. Daggett, Solomon Hubbard, Brainard Orton, and John Roy. Besides these twenty-two others came by pro- fession of faith. The places of worship alternated at first between the bluff school house, and houses in the village. In the village meetings were held at Dr. Smith's house, the upper story of Mr. Newhall's house, Gould's building which was used for school house, Circuit Court and Church, Atkinson's house, Gilbert's store room, Chamber's store room, and the first school building erected in Lyndon. The church building was erected in 1850 at a cost of about $2,500. Its size is thirty-two feet wide by forty-eight long, and directly faces the south, which position, owing to the peculiar formation of the village, brings it almost broadside to the street. It was a fine church edifice for the West in its day. The first pastor of the society was the Rev. Elisha Hazard, who continued from 1836 to 1842. Rev. Nathaniel Smith followed, remaining until 1846, when
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VILLAGE OF LYNDON.
Rev. Wm. W. Blanchard became pastor, and remained until 1850. He was sue- ceeded by Rev. Mr. Ward, who remained only a short time, when Rev. A. Chapman was called to the pastorate, and remained five years. Rev. H. Judd came next, and continued in charge until the fall of 1862. Rev. W. D. Webb was next called, and continued his labors for five years, and was succeeded by Rev. Simon Gilbert, who labored for a term of two years. Rev. John Gray fol- lowed with another two years term. Rev. Charles Machin is the present pastor. Adam R. Hamilton was chosen the first deacon of the church, and so continued until his death. The only associate Deacon Hamilton had in this office during his life, was Daniel F. Millikan, who was chosen in July, 1840. After Deacon Hamilton's death, Martin Conyne was chosen in his place. In February, 1877, Alexis Hubbard was chosen third deacon, making the present deacons of the church, Daniel F. Millikan, Martin Conyne, and Alexis Hubbard. John Roy was appointed the first clerk of the church, and continued in that office for a quarter of a century. He was succeeded by Alexis Hubbard, the present elerk. The present trustees of the church are, Draper Richmond, Jerome Sands, and Edward Lancaster. The present membership of the church is eighty-six.
The Methodist Episcopal Church and Society of Lyndon was organized by Revs. W. Buck and G. L. S. Stuff in 1841, the first members being Chauncey G. Woodruff and Leonora Hazard. Soon afterwards the following persons united with the church : Dr. Augustin Smith, Lucy Smith, Lucy Ann Ware, J. D. Odell, Samantha Reynolds and Harry R. Smith. Lyndon was at first a remote part of the Savanna circuit, and then became attached to the Union Grove circuit. Preaching was first held at the Chambers' store building, and afterwards at the residence of Mr. Atkinson, until the Town Hall was built, when services were conducted in that building. One of the most successful revivals experienced by the church took place in the winter of 1859-'60, when about one hundred persons were converted and united with the church. It then formed a part of the Union Grove circuit, and was under the pastoral charge of Rev. A. Cross. In 1874 a church edifice was erected at a cost of $2,500. It is sixty feet in length and forty feet in width, and is a very neat and commodious structure. The church has now one hundred and three members in full communion, and fifty on probation. Rev. J. Wardle is the present pastor. The Sunday-school connected with the church has a membership of one hundred and seventy. Mr. P. M. Jewell is the Superintendent, and is assisted by twelve teachers.
The Baptist Church and Society was organized on the 9th of September, 1837, by the adoption of a constitution and the articles of faith and practice. The organization was called the Baptist Church of Lyndon. The church con- tinned in successful working order until recently, when the meetings were dis- continued on account of the death and removal of nearly all the members. The meetings of this church, like those of the Congregational and Methodist Churches, were held in private houses until the building of the Town Hall, and afterwards at that place. The society did not ereet a church building. The last regular meeting was held at the Town Hall on the 13th of October, 1875. The society, however, keeps up its organization, and has an occasional minis- terial supply.
The first school-house erected in the village of Lyndon stood a little west of the present site, and was a one-story frame building, thirty-six feet long and twenty-four feet wide, with two windows in each end and four in each side. The floor was inclined, and the seats of pine made in the old style. The build- ing was put up in 1840. The first teacher was Lewis Jessup, a graduate of Williams College, Massachusetts. Mr. Jessup taught three years, and had charge of the entire school, consisting of seventy-five or eighty scholars, gath-
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
ered from all parts of the county. This was the first school above the ordinary grade established in the county, and at which Edward P. Scott, Joseph E. Roy, Joseph Ware, Col. W. M. Kilgour, William Prothrow, Emma Roy, R. B. Col- cord, and many other prominent and influential sons and daughters of the carly settlers received their early education. Mr. Jessup was succeeded by Mr. Stone, and he in turn by Mr. Bush, Miss Putnam, Mr. Hillis, Edwin Roy, Ellen New- hall, Clinton G. Taylor, H. H. Smith, M. R. Kelly, Edward P. Scott, Col. D. R. Clendenin, Martha Millikan, Clista Hatch, Miss Wisner, George Manning, Ed- win Chapman and O. M. Crary, the present incumbent, who is now on his eighth year. During the continuance of this school the following persons have been prepared for college : John Rice, Henry H. Smith, Samuel Deming, Frank Millikan, Lucy Ann Ware, S. D. Belt, Emma Ware, Col. D. R. Clendenin, Ed- win Chapman, Hiram Rice, John Jeffers, Alexis Hubbard and Charles Jeffers. The cost of the first school-house was $600. The next school building was erected in 1851, is fifty feet in length and thirty-six feet in width, two stories in heighth, and cost $2,500. It is now used for the Primary and High School departments. The new building was erected in 1875, is two stories high, and contains the Intermediate and Grammar departments. The following is the present corps of teachers : Prof. O. M. Crary, Principal, and teacher in High School; Miss Jennie Shannon, teacher in Grammar department; Miss Cora Pat- terson, teacher in Intermediate department; and Miss Gnssie Roberts, teacher in Primary department. The High School comprises one grade, with a course of four years; the Grammar department, one grade with a course of two years; and the Intermediate, two grades of one year each. Diplomas, signed by the Principal and the School Board, are given to the members of the graduating class who pass a satisfactory examination on completing the High School course. Scholars not residing in the district are received in the High School, Grammar and First Intermediate departments, at the tuition prescribed by the School Board. Those from a distance can obtain rooms and board in private families at reasonable rates. The number of pupils enrolled in the school is two hun- dred and ten, of whom ten are transient. The school is well seated, and has a good apparatus, together with Unabridged Dictionaries and Appleton's New American Encyclopedia. The Board of Directors consists of L. E. Rice, Pres- ident; John Roberts, Clerk; and Alexis Hubbard.
The Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M., of the State of Illinois, in 1876 granted a dispensation to H. C. Helms, Draper Richmond. John Whallon, William M. Burkitt, George C. Scott, John J. Hurlburt, Jabez S. Smith, Hiram Austin, F. A. Decker, George W. Andrews, Henry D. Kniskern, J. H. Helms, C. H. Bird- sall, Henry Edson, Cyrus Reynolds, E. B. Hazard, Martin Conyne, Orrin M. Crary, John Roberts, Caleb B. Smith, Edward F. Nash, George C. Morris, Wm. Burns, Garrett G. Seger and M. V. Sanderson, to organize Lyndon Lodge, No. 750, A. F. & A. M. The first meeting under the dispensation was held August 28, 1876, the officers consisting of J. J. Hurlburt, W. M .; M. V. Sanderson, S. W .; Jabez S. Smith, J. W .; John Roberts, S. D., and the Lodge was duly organized. On the 4th of October the Lodge received its charter from the Grand Lodge of the State. The present officers of the Lodge are : J. J. Hurlburt, W. M .; M. V. Sanderson, S. W .; Jabez S. Smith, J. W .; John Roberts, S. D .; Kelly Smith, J. D .; L. L. Scott, Secretary; and Henry E. Helms, Treasurer. Quite a num- ber of members have been received into the Lodge since its organization, and it is in a prosperous condition. The Lodge was dedicated Thursday evening, Oc- tober 18, 1877.
In '1855 the young people of Lyndon organized a literary society called " Our Society," the capital being a library which, in a short time, numbered over
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OUR VALLEY.
two hundred volumes, most of which were standard works. Their meetings were semi-monthly, and literary productions were required of the members, and it was a law of the society that everything should be original in its character. In 1859 J. D. Odell was ordered by the society to write and deliver a "poem," on January 12, at their anniversary, which was a matter he had never contem- plated; but obedience being the law, he addressed the society with the follow- ing rhythm, which he afterward claimed threw him into poetical bankruptcy :
OUR VALLEY-AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS.
In this far extended valley Where the rippling waters rally To the eastward from the mountains, To the westward from the fountains, To the southward from the forest, Where the crystal lakelet borrow'st Melting snows, from sylvan bowers, And the spring-time genial showers Fills the lakelet to o'erflowing; While the sun's rays brightly glowing O'er its bosom-soft, and mildly -- Till it breaks its bounds, and wildly Courses seaward, till it meeteth Other rippling rills-it greeteth. Neither lingers, neither loiters, 'Till they form the " Father Waters," Where it slowly, southward windeth, 'Till its home in ocean findeth- Filled its mission through this valley Like a narrow winding alley. Nourished alway from the mountain, From the water -- lake and fountain,
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