USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 65
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Whiteside County Agricultural Society :- This Society was organized at Morrison in 1855, but for the past ten years the Fairs have been held on their grounds located on the river, just west of the distillery, in Sterling. It is in a very flourishing condition, and largely attended at all of the annual meetings. More full notice of this Society will be found on page 99 of this history.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
We add to the biographies already given in the history of Sterling town- ship, the following of some of the leading representative business citizens of the city of Sterling, and to whom it is indebted for much of its present wealth and prosperity. Space precludes giving a greater number:
THOMAS A. GALT was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1828. His education was obtained at the common school, and even this was interrupted at intervals by work on the farm upon which he was brought up. The death of his father when he was only fourteen years of age, compelled him to rely entirely upon his own exertions for a livelihood. He first engaged as a clerk in Concord, Pennsylvania, and afterwards at Strasburg, and Philadelphia, in the same State, and continued as such until 1849 when he entered into business for himself at Strasburg, in which he was quite successful. Finding
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the place unsuited to his enterprising nature he sold his property there in 1855, and upon leaving the town came to Sterling with the intention at first of visiting some relatives. Upon arriving there he found a good point for business, and determined to remain. His first enterprise was in the hardware trade in com- pany with D. M. Crawford, the firm name being Galt & Crawford. This firm continued until 1858, when Mr. Crawford retired, and Mr. Galt admitted his brother, John M., into partnership, the firm name being then changed to Galt & Brother. The business was continued under this name until 1863, when two additional partners were brought into the firm. During the same year Mr. Galt, in addition to his hardware store, commenced the manufacture of farm implements, and shortly after doing so became associated with George S. Tracy, who was then carrying on a planing mill in Sterling. Under this consolidation the mill and the manufactory were merged into one establishment, under the firm name of Galt & Tracy. The title of "Keystone Works" was shortly after- wards adopted. In 1864 the manufacturing undertaking had grown to such an extent as to demand Mr. Galt's whole attention, and he therefore sold his in- terest in the hardware business to his other partners, and retired finally from the retail trade. The wholesale manufacturing business as he continued in it became highly successful. In July, 1867, the whole premises and stock of the factory were destroyed by fire, causing a loss to the firm of some thirty thous- and dollars, the property being uninsured. The activity and vim which were characteristic of Mr. Galt's nature, were not crushed by this blow, and meas- ures were soon taken for the restoration of the firm's business. The factory in Sterling was rebuilt, and so vigorously was the work pushed forward that in three weeks from the fire the new structure was not only finished, but furnish- ed with machinery, including engine and boiler. This factory was appropriated to sash and door manufacturing, and planing mill. In the meantime, the firm purchased a water privilege and some land at Rock Falls, opposite Sterling, and commenced a new factory, including foundry, machine shops, and implement works, which were pushed on so vigorously that within three months from the burning of the old works, the new were all in working order. This manufactory was the first one of any kind erected in Rock Falls. Within fifteen months after commencing business the firm turned out about fifteen hundred agricultural machines of all kinds, besides a large amount of wood work from the planing mill. In 1870 the trade had increased so much that a joint stock company was incorporated under the name of the Keystone Manufacturing Company, with a capital of $150,000, which has since been increased to $350,000. The officers were: Thomas A. Galt, President, and George S. Tracy, Vice President and Superintendent. This Company is now among the largest manufacturers of farm implements in the West, and their trade extends throughout the United States, and Central and South America. Mr. Galt is also interested in several other manufacturing firms in Rock Falls, and Sterling. In addition to his other enterprises, Mr. Galt commenced the erection of the Galt House, in 1876, and completed it in 1877, at a cost of $65,000. A description of this structure will be found in the history of Sterling. In connection with George S. Tracy, he is engaged the present year (1877) in erecting a large block on the southeast corner of Locust and Fourth streets, at a cost of $45,000. The building is three stories in height, with a basement, and has a front of one hundred and forty-two feet on Locust street, and ninety feet on Fourth street. The first floor is divided into three large double stores. The south part of the second floor will be used for the Free Reading Room and Library, and the fronts on Locust and Fourth streets, on the same floor for offices. The Fourth street front will be occupied as a Conservatory of Music, and the main part of the
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
second and third floors is designed for an Academy of Music, to be used for publie purposes. Mr. Galt may fairly be regarded as the manufacturing pioneer of this section of the country, and his successful progress from the condition of a poor and fatherless boy to his present position of wealth and influence, is an evidence of the natural result of determined and persistent effort. He was elected Mayor of Sterling in 1867, and served one term, besides which he has held no publie official position.
ANSEL A. TERRELL is a native of Exeter, Otsego county, New York, and was born October 19, 1831. He received only a common school education, and when quite young turned his attention to the manufacture of cotton goods, and continued in that business until 1854 when he went to Northampton, Massachu- setts, and engaged with the Bay State Tool Company in the manufacture of hoes, forks, and edge tools. In 1856, he came to Illinois and became a clerk in the then extensive dry goods establishment of Cumins & House at Grand De- Tour, Ogle county, and remained in that capacity until 1859 when he settled in Sterling, and entered the grocery and crockery trade with Henry G. Harper, under the firm name of Terrell & Harper. In 1859, he sold his interest in the business to Mr. Harper, and in 1862 was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, and in 1869 a United States Internal Revenue Storekeeper, both of which positions he held until 1871, when he resigned, and became actively en- gaged with the Sterling School Furniture Company as Secretary, and finally as General Manager. He was elected School Director for the Second Ward, Ster- ling, in 1866, and succeeded in having the large and elegant school building in that Ward erected during his term of office. In 1862, he was elected Alderman for the Second Ward, Sterling, but resigned after serving one year. In 1869, he was again elected and served two years. In 1864, he was elected Supervisor of the township of Sterling, and re-elected in 1865. In all these positions he discharged the duties ably, faithfully, and to the entire acceptance of the Gov- ernment, and the people. Mr. Terrell is one of those active, thorough, go-ahead business men to whom the town in which they reside is indebted for much of its spirit and enterprise. Sterling is certainly much indebted to him for a great deal of its development.
JOSEPH M. PATTERSON was born in Mt. Joy, Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, August 12, 1837, and received a thorough academie course of education. He came to Sterling in the spring of 1857, and entered as a partner in the firm of Patterson, Witmer & Co., and continued as such until January, 1866. When the late war broke out, he entered heartily in the work of assisting to raise troops, and in 1861 joined Company B, 15th Illinois Volunteers, as an enlisted man, and was soon afterwards made Orderly Sergeant. In February, 1862, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant of the same Company, and in 1863 to First Lieutenant. In 1864, he was honorably mustered out, having served in the army three years. Ile retained his interest in the firm of Patterson, Witmer & Co., while in the service, and upon being mustered out, entered actively again into the business. In 1867, he became a member of the banking firm of Rogers, Patterson & Co., and remained with it until its dissolu- tion, and then became a member of the present banking firm of Patterson & Co. Mr. Patterson was elected Alderman for the Second Ward, Sterling, in 1868, and served two years. During the time he was Alderman he was elected Super- visor of the township, and served four years, when he resigned, having been elec- ted in the fall of 1872 as a Senator for the Eleventh Senatorial Distriet, to the General Assembly. While a member of the Board of Supervisors he served two years as chairman. In 1876, he was again elected Supervisor, and served one year, and at the charter election in the spring of 1877 was elected Mayor of the
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
city of Sterling, which position he now holds. To the duties of each of these positions he brought a clear, active, comprehensive mind, and sound judgment, and that he discharged the duties of the trusts ably and well is universally ac- knowledged. Mr. Patterson is one of the leading business men of Sterling.
R. B. WITMER was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1827, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits while a resident of that county. He came to Sterling in the summer of 1855, and during the same year engaged in mercantile business as one of the members of the firm of Patterson & Wit- mer. Business was done under that name for several years, when James Galt became a member, and the firm name was changed to that of Patterson, Witmer & Galt. Mr. Galt soon withdrew, and his place was taken by Joseph M. Pat- terson, and the firm became Patterson, Witmer & Co. In 1866, Mr. Witmer purchased the interest of the Messrs Patterson, and assumed sole charge of the business. He soon afterwards took in a partner, and the firm became Witmer & Co., and so remained until 1872 when the Sterling Mercantile Company was formed, of which he was the principal stock holder, and so continues. Mr. Wit- mer has steadily refused to accept any public position, as his extensive private business has demanded all of his time. He has been for a long time one of the leading men in the temperance movement in Sterling, and to his efforts in a great measure is due the fact that Sterling is a no license town. Mr. Witmer is an active, energetic man, and to him Sterling is much indebted for its rapid growth.
WILLIAM A. SANBORN is a native of Perrysburgh, Cattaraugus county, New York, and was born January 13, 1832. He resided in his native State un- til the spring of 1852, when he came to Chicago, but remained there only a short time, and then returned to New York. In the fall of 1853 he again came to Illinois, and located at LaSalle. During the following spring he went to Chi- cago, and in November, 1854, came to Sterling in the employ of the contractors who had the completion of the railroad in charge. Soon after settling in Ster- ling he engaged in the coal, and agricultural implement trade, and was also express agent, holding the latter position until 1858. In 1860 he established a private banking house, which he conducted until 1870, when, through his influ- ence, the First National Bank of Sterling was chartered and commenced business. He was chosen its first cashier, and has held the position ever since. When Sterling became a city Mr. Sanborn was elected its first Treasurer, and held the office for a number of years. In 1877, he was elected Supervisor of Sterling township, and is a leading member of the Board. He is an able financier, and has done much in other business capacities to add to the development of Ster- ling.
DAVID M. CRAWFORD was born in Buyerstown, Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, April 5, 1830. Previous to his coming West he was for three years a clerk in a large mercantile establishment in Philadelphia. He came to Sterling in the spring of 1850, and in 1852 became a partner in the firm of Galt & Craw- ford, remaining with it for three years, and then with Thomas A. Galt engaged in the hardware business. He remained in the hardware trade until 1858 when he established a dry goods store, in connection with his brother, J. L. Crawford. The firm continued until the death of his brother, when he assumed entire charge, and so continued until 1871, when James A. Galt, and E. Diller Davis, became partners with him, the firm name becoming D. M. Crawford & Co., and has so remained. Mr. Crawford has devoted his whole attention to business, resisting all efforts to induce him to accept public positions. As a business man and a citizen, he stands deservedly high.
GEORGE S. TRACY was born in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, June
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
28, 1829, and was brought up on a mountain farm until he was sixteen years of age. He then went to Newark, New Jersey, and commeneed the nursery busi- ness which he continued until 1849. During that year he went around the cape to California, and engaged in mining about a year, and then went to Chili, and Peru, in South America, and was engaged for five years constructing railroads in those countries. At the end of that time he returned to California, and en- gaged in mining and building, continuing in these occupations for about a year and a half, when he went back to Massachusetts. In 1857, he came to Sterling and started a planing mill, and sash and door factory, which he carried on part of the time individually, and part of the time with partners, until 1863, when he entered into partnership with Thomas A.Galt, in the manufacturing business, under the firm name of Galt & Tracy, the firm being still in existence. The business conducted by this firm is particularly referred to in the biography of Thomas A. Galt, which precedes this. Mr. Traey has served as Alderman of the city of Sterling, but has refused to take other positions, as he desired to confine his attention strictly to business. He is one of the most respected citizens of Sterling.
JAMES M. WALLACE is a native of Whiteside county, and was born Octo- ber 25, 1841. He was educated at the Mt. Carroll and Galesburg Academies and upon coming home commeneed the study of law which he had continued after returning from the army, and was admitted to practice January 1, 1867. In the fall of 1862 he went into the army as a member of Hawthorne's Battery, afterwards Henshaw's Battery, serving as Sergeant Major. This Battery was incorporated in the 23d Army Corps, and their first duty was to assist in driving Morgan, the rebel raider, out of Ohio. The Corps followed him for seven hundred and fifty miles, and finally drove him back into the rebel States, capturing before doing so a large part of his force. Mr. Wallace was in all the principal cam- paigns in East Tennessee and Kentucky, and was honorably mustered out of the service, July 19, 1865. He is in the insurance business, in partnership with his brother, Hamilton, besides conducting his legal business, and is also connee- ted with several of the enterprises of Sterling. During the present year Mr. Wallace has re-purchased the Wallace House property, and has added largely to the size of the building, besides refitting it in a splendid manner, which will make it in every respeet a first class hotel. He has also erected during the year the fine three story brick block on the corner of Third and B streets, now occupied by the Sterling Mercantile Company, and is engaged in other build- ing projects in that part of the city. While occupying the position of School Director he superintended the erection of the present elegant school building in Distriet No. 8, Third Ward. He has also been Alderman of the city, and assistant Supervisor of the township, holding each position for several terms. He is a gentleman of enterprise and ability.
BRADFORD C. CHURCH is a native of Portageville, Wyoming county, New York, and was born April 28, 1835. At the age of nineteen he came to Chicago, and was a clerk in a store in that city for five years, when he went to Kankakee, Illinois, and carried on the hardware business for three years. From Kankakee he went to Morris, Grundy county, Illinois, where he also engaged in the hard- ware trade, remaining five years. In the spring of 1868 he came to Sterling, and soon afterwards became interested in the milling business. In 1871 he en- tered into partnership with Samuel Patterson, the firm name being Church & Patterson. This firm have two mills in operation, and do the largest milling business in the county. Mr. Church was elected Mayor of the city of Sterling in 1875, and filled the position so acceptably to the people that he was re-elect- ed in 1876. He is one of Sterling's active, and most valued citizens.
[57-B.]
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
E. W. EDSON was born in Hazelton, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, in 1834, and came with his parents to Dixon, Illinois, in 1837. His education was received at Rock River University, Mt. Morris, Ogle county. Among his class- mates were Governor Shelby M. Cullom, Gen. John A. Rawlins, and Judge Moses Hallett, United States Judge in Colorado. The four roomed together for some time. When Mr. Edson left the University, he was employed for eight years in school teaching. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he joined the Sturgis Rifles, at Chicago. The company was an independent one, and per- formed guard duty at Gen. McClellan's headquarters until that officer was relieved of his command, when it was mustered out of service. In March, 1863, Mr. Edson went to California, and engaged in business in San Francisco for four years. In 1867 he returned to Illinois, and settled in Sterling, where he has since remained, carrying on the dry goods trade during the whole time. He has been School Director, and Alderman for the Third Ward, Sterling, and is now a member of the Board of Aldermen, from that Ward. Mr. Edson is a public spirited man, and takes a deep interest in all that pertains to the prosperity and growth of the city of his adoption.
AARON J. HULL is a native of the town of Lewisboro, Westchester county, New York, and was born November 13, 1833. He first came west in 1857, and remained about six months on a prospecting tour, and then returned to New York. In 1858 he came back, and located in Sterling, where he opened a whole- sale rectifying establishment, and conducted the business for seven years, when he closed out, and entered into the hardware business, on Locust street. He continued in that trade about a year, and commenced the iron foundry business, in connection with Frank T. June, the firm name being Hull & June. The business was afterwards changed, and resulted in the organization of the pres- ent School Furniture Company, of which he was President for three years. Mr. Hull patented the first school seats manufactured by the company. On the 1st of January, 1871, he resigned his position as President of the School Furniture Company, and in the following June commenced the manufacture of pumps. One of his patents is a valve to use in any kind of pump for sandy wells. On the 8th of December, 1875, he patented " Hull's Double Surface Washboard," about five hundred of which are manufactured daily by the Sterling Pump Works Company, of which company he has been President from its organization. Mr. Hull has been frequently elected Alderman of the city of Sterling, and is now one of the members of the Board from the Third Ward. Mr. Hull was edu- cated in the common schools of his native State.
JOHN S. MILLER is a native of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and was born April 13, 1849. He lived there until 1857, when he came with his father's family to Freeport, Illinois, and continued to reside there until 1864, when he moved to Chicago. In 1865 he came to Sterling, and took charge of the business of the distillery erected and run by his father, John S. Miller, Sr. Upon the death of his father, in February, 1874, he assumed sole control of the business. In June, 1877, the entire interest in the distillery came into his hands and that of his brother, William H. Miller, the firm name becoming J. S. Miller & Co. The distillery is the second largest one in the United States, the business amount- ing yearly to about one and a half million dollars, exclusive of the Government tax, which is yearly about one million seven hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Miller is a large stockholder in the First National Bank of Sterling, and has been President of the institution since 1874. He is yet a young man, and pos- sesses business abilities of a very high order,
CHAPTER XXIV.
HISTORY OF TAMPICO TOWNSHIP-BIOGRAPHICAL-HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE OF TAMPICO-NEWSPAPERS-CHURCHES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
HISTORY OF TAMPICO TOWNSHIP.
This township was originally a part of Portland Precinct, then of Rapids Precinct, remaining a part of the latter until 1852, when the Commissioners appointed by the County Commissioners' Court, defined its boundaries and gave it its name; but until its complete organization in 1860, the east half was at- tached to Hopkins township, and the west half to Prophetstown, for judicial purposes. It includes all of township 19 north, range 6 east of the fourth prin- cipal meridian. A portion of the town is level prairie, interspersed with sloughs, and the balance rolling prairie, with here and there a sand ridge. The " big slough," about a mile and a half north of the present village of Tampico, is probably the best known of any in the south part of the county. Previous to its being ditched by the county, and by side ditches, it was frequently during the winter and spring, and sometimes extending even into the summer, covered with water from a mile to two miles in width, and was a favorite resorting place for all kinds of water fowl found in this section of the country. The water would be from one to three feet decp, and often partially frozen, so that those compelled to pass over the slough had not only to contend with mire and water, but with ice. In early times those unacquainted with it would often get lost, and wander about until they became mired, and then have to rest as best they could until help came. Mr. Glassburn gives an instance, and such were not of unfrequent occurrence at the time, where a man taking a load of goods from Sterling to some point in Bureau county, got mired in about the middle of the slough, and when found was holding his horses' heads above the mud and water to prevent their sinking. The wagon was sunk so low that the boxes of goods were half submerged. It was with great difficulty that team and wagon could be extricated in such cases. In 1862 the slough was piked, and with the work put on it since, is now quite passable. The county ditch draining this slough was dug in 1863-'64 from Swan lake to Coon creck.
The great "blow out," as it is known, is situated on section 22, a little west of the center of this town. This excavation is the work of whirlwinds, un- doubtedly an indefinite series of them, and covers an area of over seven acres. Its depth is about sixty feet, the sand being blown away to the water line. No authentic data can be fixed when the sand was blown from this vast basin, every- thing relating to it being merely conjecture. When first discovered by the early settlers in this part of the State, a large red cedar tree was growing near the center of the basin, but was cut down by some vandal in 1850. The stump was standing until recently, and many of the inhabitants of the town have pieces taken from it. The species of cedar to which this tree belonged is not indig- enous to this section, and it is supposed that it was brought by the Indians from some other part and planted there. Near where it stood is a fine spring of water. This "blow out" is one of the curiosities of the town.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
The first settlers of the town were: Nicholas Lutyens, John Lutyens, and Hiram Tompkins, from the State of New York; and Jacob Barnley, from Cana- da, in 1852. In 1853 came Aaron S. Miller, from Groton, Tompkins county, New York, and Geo. W. Curtis, from Fox River Valley, although originally from New York State. Wm. Aldrich, and Rev. William Gray, came in 1854, the former from Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and the latter from New York. Rufus Aldrich, from Bradford county, Pennsylvania, Daniel Foy, from Catta- raugus county, New York, and James Conroy, from New York City, came in 1855; and J. C. Aldrich, from Bradford county, Pennsylvania; John W. Glass- burn, and T. A. Glassburn, from Gallia county, Ohio, in 1856. A. M. Smith came from Alleghany county, New York, in 1857; J. P. Badgley also came in 1857, and following them that year came a large number of others.
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