USA > Illinois > Will County > History of Will County, Illinois, Volume One > Part 31
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Uri Osgood moved here the same year our County was organized, and soon became very prominent in his profession and in politics and city affairs. He was elected to the State Sen- ate in 1852, and was Democratic candidate for Congress in 1858. He died suddenly in February, 1871, at the age of sixty- two.
W. E. Little, a portion of the time a partner of Osgood, was a young man of great brilliancy. He was a native of New York, but had studied his profession and practiced in Pennsyl- vania. He became politically prominent, and was elected by the Democratic party to represent this District composed of Will, Dupage, Iroquois, and Kendall Counties, in the General Assembly. He was Chairman of Judiciary Committee. He died in September, 1851, at the age of 34.
In 1839 Jesse O. Norton came to Joliet from Missouri where he had taught school for a year or two. He was a native of
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Vermont, and graduated at Williams College in 1831. He had a judicial mind and a pleasing address. He was very popular as a lawyer and a man, and was elected County Judge in 1846 and 1848-was chosen to represent our County in the State Constitutional Convention of 1848, elected to the Legislature in 1850, and in 1852 was chosen to represent this District in Con- gress, and re-elected in 1854. In 1858 he was elected Circuit Judge, and in 1862 again elected to Congress. In 1866 he re- ceived the appointment of District Attorney for Northern Illinois, and removed to Chicago. In 1869 he formed a partner- ship with Judge J. R. Doolittle. He also received the appoint- ment of Counsel to the city of Chicago. He died August 3, 1875, and his remains sleep in Oakwood.
David L. Gregg must be added to the list of the early lights of the Will County Bar. He came here as early as 1838 or 9. In 1839 he became editor of our first newspaper the "Joliet Courier." He was elected by the Democrats to the Legislature in 1840, was appointed Secretary of State by Gov. French in 1851, was only beaten two votes by J. A. Matteson for the nomination of Governor of the State, was appointed Commis- sioner to the Sandwich Island by President Pierce, and after- wards to a Nevada Land Office, where he died in 1869.
J. E. Streeter who was Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Nebraska, was for several years a Joliet lawyer. He labored under the disadvantage of a weak constitution, and his ambition was far beyond his strength. He was a fine speaker and at the commencement of our war his voice was often heard on the side of loyality to the Union. Had he possessed a con- stitution equal to his mind he would have made a brilliant record.
At the risk of getting into modern history, we must men- tion one more of our lawyers, W. C. Goodhue, the son of good old Deacon Ezra Goodhue, of Plainfield. He commenced the practice of law here in 1867, after graduating at Knox Col-
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lege. A member of the Constitutional Convention of 1870, he was one of the Committee that prepared the address of the Convention to the people of the State. He died at the age of 39, in October, 1870.
Among our earliest lawyers was Hugh Henderson, whose sons are well known citizens of Joliet, at the present time. He came to Joliet in 1836, and was one of our best known and ablest counselors. He was not an advocate. He was first in partnership with Boardman, and afterward with Wilson, and was elected County Judge in 1837, and Circuit Judge in 1839, and a member of the Constitutional convention of 1847. His mind was eminently judicial, and his opinion carried great weight. While on a visit to his native place, Norway, Herki- mer County, N. Y., he was taken sick, and died in October, 1854. With his name we close our notices of pioneer lawyers. We feel all the pride of an old settler in the able and brilliant list. With the exception of J. C. Newkirk, of Hudson, they have all gone to appear before a higher court-the court of last resort.
There are now 60 members of the Bar in Will County, but not all of whom are active in their profession. The publishers endeavored to secure portraits and sketches of all,-at least those who are still pursuing their chosen profession, but find it a larger undertaking than they could well manage. How- ever, they have secured a goodly number. Joliet has every rea- son to be proud of her bar, whether due from early example, or whether from the happy selections of those who sit upon the judicial bench (regardless of political preferences), we are unable to say; but as a whole we are quite proud of their gen- tlemanly bearing, and their honorable reputation and industry in business matters. There are many noble characters among the profession, and we are quite certain, from such flippant remarks as are found in the comic papers, that Joliet, in
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lawyers, as well as in preachers and aldermen, is peculiarly favored. The Bar of Will County consists of the following:
Samuel Porter Avery, Joliet. Edward Clay Akin, Joliet.
John Howard Breckenridge, Joliet.
Cyrus Winthrop Brown, Joliet. Royal Edward Barber, Joliet. Fred Bennitt, Joliet.
Thomas L. Breckenridge, Joliet.
Arthur Charles Clement, Joliet.
Herbert Dennie Carpenter, Joliet.
Samuel F. Goodspeed, Joliet. Francis Goodspeed, Joliet.
Thomas Henry Hutchins, Joliet.
Joseph H. Hansen, Joliet. Patrick Columbus Haley, Joliet.
Chas. Magnus Henssgen, Joliet.
Charles Augustus Hill, Joliet. August Franklin Knox, Joliet. Charles Warner Munn, Joliet. William Mooney, Braidwood. William S. Myers, Lockport. Asa Frisbie Mather, Joliet. Ozias McGoveny.
Albert O'Connell Marshall, Joliet.
Jas. Lorenzo O'Donnell, Joliet.
Charles H. Pike, Joliet.
Howard Malcom Snapp, Joliet.
Amos F. Patrick, Joliet.
Sylvester Winchester Randall, Joliet.
John S. Reynolds, Braidwood. Henry Snapp, Joliet.
William Wallace Stevens, Joliet.
Samuel C. Camp, Wilmington. John Walsh D'Arcy, Wilming- ton.
Stephen Dowse, Lockport. Dorrance Dibell, Joliet.
Buel Alphonso Fuller, Joliet. James Riley Flanders, Joliet. John Barnard Fithian, Joliet. James Goodspeed, Joliet.
Charles F. Goodspeed, Joliet. Charles F. Goodspeed, Joliet. Charles Bushnell Garney, Joliet.
William Joseph Heath, Joliet. George Stillman House, Joliet. Daniel Frank Higgins, Joliet. Edward Champlin Hagar,
Joliet.
Jas. W. Johnson, Wilmington.
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Sylvester Warner Munn, Joliet.
Frank E. Munn, Braidwood.
John Wesley Merrill, Wilming- ton.
Josiah McRoberts, Joliet.
Eneshia Meers, Joliet.
George J. Munroe, Joliet.
Benjamin Olin, Joliet.
Gavian D. A. Parks, Joliet. Egbert Phelps, Joliet. Peter Shutts, Joliet.
John I. Tait, Joliet.
Horace Weeks, Joliet. Charles H. Weeks, Joliet.
Russell Merritt Wing, Joliet.
Martin Westphal, Joliet.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CHURCHES.
EARLY MISSIONS-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ORGANIZED-FIRST CONGREGA- TIONAL CHURCH ORGANIZED-ST. PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH BUILT- FATHER PLUNKETT-CHRIST'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH-METHODISTS-UNI- VERSALIST-GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN-GERMAN LUTHERAN- SWEDISH LUTHERAN-BAPTISTS-SISTERS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS
The following history of the churches of Joliet and Will County is taken from the "Historical Edition of the Joliet News," published in 1884 by James H. Ferriss:
"As early in our history as our first winter, 1834-5, a Mis- sionary of the American Home Missionary Society, made his appearance here. This was the Rev. J. H. Prentiss, from On- ondaga County. After spending some weeks here, the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Demmond, and preaching at least on each side of the river, he returned to the east with a request signed by a number of our citizens, to the A. H. M. S., for his appointment to this place. This request was granted, and, in the spring of 1835, he came on with his family. During the summer he built one of the first (perhaps the second) houses on the bluff, living meanwhile in a hastily constructed shanty on Bluff street. He commenced preaching at once in such places as could be had in that day, and on August 12th, 1835 he organized a Presby- terian church with the following members: Simon Z. Havens, Josiah Beaumong, Cinda Reed, Emily N. Haven, Delia Butler,
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Stephen Hubbard, Daniel Reed, Elias Haven, Eliza Prentiss, Eliza Beaumont.
"Bishop Chase, a Missionary Bishop of the Episcopal Church, organized a Church in May of the same year. This was the present Christ's Church Episcopal organization.
"The first religious effort in the county was the establish- ment of Father Walker's Mission on the Du Page, one mile south of the present village of Plainfield, in 1829, known as the Fox River Mission. From this the Joliet Circuit was estab- lished in 1836, of which the venerable Stephen R. Beggs was first elder, and who organized a church here in 1857, and com- menced the work of building the first church erected in the city. There had no doubt previously been preaching, and classes organized on the ground.
"These two last named churches have continued from the day of their organization to the present, without any interrup- tion; but the church organized by Mr. Prentiss, after living a few years under his charge, and during its existence reaching a membership of 47, in 1838 was left without a shepherd and soon suffered their candle to go out.
"A revival, however, occurred in January, 1839, under the preaching and labors of Hiram and Lucius Foot, at which time a church was organized under the name of Union Church, with Congregational form of government. This church was a very flourishing one for some years, and until extinguished by Mil- lerism and other isms, about 1844.
"Thereupon was organized the First Congregational Church under the auspices of Rev. B. W. Dwight. This, with the change of name, is the present Central Presbyterian Church. A Bap- tist Church, which antedates the present one, was organized by Elder Ashley as early as 1837. This was afterwards in the charge of the venerable Solomon Knapp, and held its meet- ings in the old Court House and Jail.
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"The letting of canal contracts from 1836 on brought to our town and all along the line great numbers of Irish laborers, most of whom were Catholics. Of course a priest would soon be on the ground to look after their spiritual interests. The first one in this vicinity was Father Plunkett, who made Joliet his headquarters, although his mission led him up and down the canal from Dresden to Lemont. He commenced the build- ing of St. Patrick's Church, on Broadway, as early as 1838, and was one of the first in the Chicago diocese. The funds for its erection were mainly raised by Father Plunkett from the laborers and contractors along the canal. But his greatest efficiency, not to say usefulness, was seen in the handsome and rapid manner in which he could quell a riot. For in those days the Irishmen (now among our most quiet and order-loving citizens) had not become acclimated, and very much inclined to be pugnacious, especially when under the influence of an extra allowance of jiggers, and those were the days when "wakes" had not become obsolete, and when they came pretty often. But no sooner did the "byes" get well engaged at their favorite amusement of breaking each other's heads, than Father Plun- kett, armed with his big black leather horse-whip appeared upon the scene. No "broth of a boy" ever thought of doing anything except getting away out of the reach of his Rev- erend's gad as quickly as possible.
"It is many years now since we have heard of a Catholic priest doing police duty, but it was a necessity of the times of canal digging. Father Plunkett came to his end very suddenly. When riding on horseback through a piece of woods near Channahon, in a severe March storm, and riding very fast, with his head bent to shield his face, he struck a tree with his head, with such force as to produce instant death. We well remember his funeral. He was buried in the basement of the church he had built. It was not completed, although enclosed,
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and the bank of gravel into which the foundation of the church was run from Broadway had not been removed, and he was buried in it, at about the center of the church as it then was. Of course we need not say that all this has now been removed.
"Christ's Episcopal Church, which is the oldest organiza- tion (though the edifice, which is now torn down to make way for the new structure), was not built until 1857, by the Rev. Dr. Lock. This veteran church was organized on the 16th day of May, 1835, by Bishop Chase, the first Episcopal bishop of Illinois. Its original members were Comstock Hanford, John Griswold, Miles Rice, Orlin Westover, A. W. Bowen and wife, Julia Ann Hanford, and Amoreth Griswold. Rev. Andrew Cornish was its first rector.
"The new church building is to be of stone, and will be of the old English style, as seen in our engraving, with a chapel connected. It will cost about $15,000 and be more commodious than the old church, which was inadequate to answer the de- mands of the increasing flock. There will be several handsome memorial windows in the church, which will be finished off inside in a very superior manner. It will have a seating ca- pacity of about 700, and its dimensions will be about 120 by 60. The chapel will be added on the east side of the church proper and will be about 50 by 40 feet in size. The two will be connected by a covered archway, and together will form a striking group. This church will be ready for the semi-cen- tennial of their organization next year.
"As before stated, the first church edifice in Joliet was built by the Methodists in 1838. In 1852, a brick church was built at a cost of $10,000 including a parsonage. This building was burned down in 1859, and the same year a building on Ottawa Street was erected at a cost of $8,000. It was remod- eled at different times, and was one of the most commodious churches in the city. The Rolling Mill chapel under the care of this church was built in 1874, at a cost of $2,000.
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(Note by editor-This church property was sold in 1908. A new church was erected in that year on the northeast corner of Cass and Ottawa streets. This is modern in every detail. It is maintained with care and presided over by capable pas- tors. The present pastor (1928) is Wm. C. Godden.)
"There are several claimants to the honor of having preached the first sermon in this place. Father Beggs and others laid claim to the honor, which has never been fully decided.
"The Richards Street M. E. Church is an off-shoot of the Ottawa Street church. The building was erected in 1877 at a cost, including the parsonage, of $5,500 and was extensively remodeled during the year 1884, at a cost of $3,000, so that now it was one of the neatest and most comfortable churches in the city. A full history of this church is given in another place.
"St. John's Universalist Church was organized in 1836, by Rev. Aaron Kinney. Until the flock erected a church they used the old Court House for a time, and then fitted up rooms on Chicago Street for their place of worship. Their first church edifice was built about 1840, and dedicated by the Rev. W. W. Dean. It was a frame building and cost about $1,800. In 1856 an elegant church was erected at a cost of about $20,000 and was dedicated by Rev. Henry Walworth. It had a large and increasing membership under the pastorate of Rev. A. H. Laing."
The development of Chicago Street for business was rapid and made property valuable. The Universalist Church corner was too valuable to be idle so much of the time. In 1894 this society erected a business block with an auditorium, Sunday- school rooms, kitchen and office in the east end and stores on Chicago Street. The entrance to the auditorium is on Clinton Street. The present pastor (1928) is Rev. W. H. Macpherson.
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The First German Evangelical Lutheran is an off-shoot of the German Evangelical Lutheran on the West Side, of which Rev. Christian Sans became pastor in 1860. In 1871, the separa- tion took place, and the East Side members under Rev. Sans or- ganized under the title of the First German Evangelical Lu- theran Church. Their edifice was erected on North Ottawa Street, and cost nearly $10,000. This building was replaced in 1904 by a splendid edifice modern in every detail.
St. Peter's German Lutheran is situated on the West Side, and is under the jurisdiction of the Missouri Synod. A large stone edifice was erected at a very considerable cost. It is a handsome building, one of the handsomest in the city, standing upon the brow of the bluff, and overlooking the entire city. A large organ has been placed in the building, and the organiza- tion was conducted in a thrifty manner by Rev. C. Schuessler for many years.
The Swedish people built a church at a cost of over $7,000 during the year 1884, corner Benton and Collins Streets. It has a seating capacity of 500. Rev. V. Setterdahl, one of the first Swedish Lutherans in America, a gentleman of great abil- ity as an organizer, had charge. There was also a mission in connection with this church, on Clay Street near Collins.
The Evangelical Church was situated on the corner of Her- kimer and Cass streets. It was a small frame building well suited to the needs of the congregation. Business houses crowded around it, and made it too valuable to hold, so they sold it and built another church on Second Avenue and Hobbs Avenue. In 1926 this congregation purchased the edifice built by the Baptists at Second and Baker avenues.
The first religious endeavors of the Presbyterians were in- augurated by Rev. J. H. Prentiss, in the winter of 1834-35. It had a varying success until in 1844 the Central Presbyterian Church society was organized by Rev. W. Dwight. In 1852, they erected the edifice in Ottawa Street, and in 1871 enlarged
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it at a cost of several thousand dollars. Rev. J. H. Lewis was in charge for many years and the church and its Sunday school were both largely attended. This church was a frame building, with stone basement, and was a commodious structure. As was the case with other churches mentioned above, business crowded too close, making property valuable. A down-town church did not attract. The Ottawa Street property was sold and a large church was erected on Richards Street and First Avenue in 1895-1896. The present pastor (1928) is Edward E. Hastings. The Sunday school has modern rooms and equip- ment and is well attended. The church is prosperous.
The First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1866, with fourteen original members. The church, which is of stone, and is situated on the corner of Cass and Broadway on the West Side, was erected in 1857 at a cost of $9,000. It has since been enlarged and a steeple added. Rev. Thomas M. Gunn was in charge in 1877 and continued there for many years.
This congregation has been prosperous throughout its his- tory. In 1926, a handsome edifice was erected at the corner of Raynor Avenue and Western Avenue. It cost a quarter of a million dollars. It has gymnasium, modern kitchen, modern Sunday school quarters and a beautiful auditorium. The pres- ent pastor (1928) is Rev. Arthur W. Hoffman.
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church is one of the oldest Catholic churches in the Diocese of Chicago. The society of St. Patrick was organized in 1838, under Rev. Father Plunkett who built their elegant stone church on Broadway at a cost of about $25,000. In 1884, between two hundred and three hun- dred families worshipped at this sanctuary and there was also a well attended Sunday school. Father Powers was priest of this parish for some years. In 1868 the parish was divided and another formed on the East Side and known as St. Mary's parish and was placed under charge of Rev. P. M. Flannigan, afterwards succeeded by Rev. P. W. Riordan. In 1878, Rev.
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Maurice Burke, took charge and carried on the erection of the handsome new church building, already commenced by Rev. Father Murphy. The church was dedicated with impressive ceremonies on the 15th of August, 1882, by Archbishop Fee- han. The building is of Joliet limestone, one hundred and thirty-two feet long by seventy feet wide, and is a beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture. The cost of this magnificent structure was in the neighborhood of $65,000. It was com- menced in 1877, and on the 12th of August, of that year, the corner stone was laid by the late Bishop Foley, assisted by the reverend father of this church, Rev. Thos. B. Murphy. After eight months of labor in getting the work fairly under way, Father Murphy suddenly died, and the assistant pastor, Rev. Maurice F. Burke, was called to its charge. Father Burke's work was great and arduous, but just five years and three days after the laying of the cornerstone, the reverend gentle- man had the satisfaction of seeing his labor crowned with suc- cess, in the dedication of the building. The roof is of slate, and the hard wood finish of the interior is at once beautiful and lasting. The spire is just 202 feet high and contains a bell weighing 6,185 pounds. The auditorium is heated by steam. The walls and partitions are finished in a brownish gray, while the large arches are of Nile green and the ornamental stucco in cream color with delicate gold stripping. The altar is 40 feet high by 16 feet wide, the altar piece is a life-size figure of the Blessed Virgin, copied from Murillo's celebrated "Immaculate Conception." Above the altar is a beautiful design in stained glass. The organ is 25 feet high, and one of the finest in the city. The church has at present a total membership of over 600 families.
The rapid growth of the city of Joliet increased the mem- bership of Saint Patrick's Church so much that it was neces- sary to divide the parish again. This was done in 1918. The old edifice on Broadway was abandoned and St. Patrick's parish
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built a church on Marion Street near Raynor Avenue to ac- commodate the families in the southwest part of the city. St. Raymond's parish built a splendid house of worship in the northwest part of the city on Raynor Avenue. Both of these parishes maintain excellent schools in connection with the churches.
St. John's German Church was organized in 1852 on the West Side, and the erection of their church was immediately commenced. In 1866, a larger and more costly stone church was built at a cost of nearly $40,000. There is in connection with the church a large parsonage which is occupied by the priests and Franciscan monks. About 300 German families worship at this church. Rev. Gerard Becher was in charge, having under him the monks of the Franciscan order who have also charge of St. Joseph's hospital, a large, much-needed and well-conducted institution.
Will County Baptist History .- (Contributed by J. Stanley Brown-From "Journal of Illinois State Historical Society," October, 1919.)
The beginnings of things are always interesting, but when they relate to the struggles of a small band of pioneers in the attempt to gain a foothold for their particular form of re- ligious belief, these early records become inspiring as well as interesting.
The earliest account of an organized Baptist body that we have been able to discover in Will County dates back to the early part of 1834. In 1832, the American Home Mission So- ciety sent the Reverend Jeremiah Porter, a Congregationalist, to the Hadley district. He was accompanied by Rev. A. B. Freeman, who in all probability organized the O'Plaine Church at "Yankee Settlement," the name by which Homer, one of the first settled townships in Will County, was best known. Mr. Freeman is said to have baptized the first person ever bap-
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tized on the shores of Lake Michigan. Later the O'Plaine church was called the Hadley Baptist Church, or perhaps more correctly affiliated with that body. Hadley village was in the extreme eastern part of Homer Township, and seventy-five years ago was in flourishing condition but now it is hard to determine where the village was located. Dr. Moses Porter, the first practicing physician in this district (who resided at Hadley), gave the ground on which the first church at Hadley was built in 1840. Previous to the erection of this modest build- ing, public worship was frequently held in the groves which we are told were "God's first temples," and the people were seated on rough benches sometimes reaching from one stump to another. Owing to the natural changes in weather we may infer that these services were by no means regular. But these early settlers were of sturdy stock, and not easily daunted, and the building which stood for courage and sacrifice was at last dedicated, and occupied by the Baptists as a church until 1903. In the early forties, Rev. Solomon Knapp was pastor of this church, followed later by Rev. J. D. Dibell, father of Judge Dibell, of more than local fame. Mr. Dibell was pastor of the church in 1850. In 1905 when the building ceased to be used as a church, according to the terms of the gift, the land reverted to the farm, which by this time was owned by A. C. Cutler. The organization was transferred to Marley, and the parsonage was removed to that place, after which the church was bought by a farmer who used it for a barn. "To what base uses do we come at last."
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