USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris: past and present, an illustrated history of the township and the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois, in their various stages of development, together with a local biographical directory > Part 3
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RAIN .- Saturday, October 30, we had considerable rain. It commenced raining early in the morning and continued until evening, when it commenced blowing and blew very rapid nearly all night.
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EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT.
WINDOW-FRAMES .- We made our window-frames on Monday, November 1. Walter McNutt and myself commenced in the morning and finished five frames till night. It was very stormy and rainy this day. It was thought that it was the heaviest wind that was experienced in this part of the country for more than eighteen months.
SNOW .- November 3. We had snow this day, to the depth of one-half an inch, and very hard winds with it, hard indeed and cool accordingly.
ARRIVED .- From St. Louis, Emanuel Knodle, November 18. He brought our press as far as Peru. He purchased type and other printing materials.
SNOW. On Thursday morning, November 28, before daylight, it commenced snow- ing and storming, and continued most of the day. The depth of the snow was four inches.
MERCURY .- November 21, at half-past five o'clock P. M., the mercury stood at fifty - three degress. November 22, early in the morning, it was thirty-eight degrees. At five o'clock P. M., same day, it was thirty-five degrees. Tuesday, November 23, it was freez- ing most of the day.
SNOW .- Monday night, November 29. it snowed about an inch.
BUTCHERING.' John C. Coffman butchers Tuesday, November 30.
WOLF HUNT. Samuel M. Hitt, Esq., Dr. J. J. Beatty and others turned out on a wolf hunt December 1.
BUTCHERING .- At James Coffman's, Thursday, December 2.
RECEIVED .- Our press on Saturday, November 29.
GOODS RECEIVED .- On Monday, December 6, Mr. Mc -- delivered our goods in Mount Morris; also Mr. Beeller's two boxes.
REMOVED .- Our press on Wednesday, December 18, to Mr. McFarland's, in a room that he rented to us.
MOVING .- On Thursday, December 9, we moved in our new house at Mount Morris. RAIN .- A drizzling rain fell all day today and part of the night. December 14.
SNOW .- December 15 we had snow to the depth of about one-quarter of an inch.
ARRIVED .- On November 27 James Coffman and Nathaniel Swingley started from Washington county, Maryland, for Ogle county, Illinois, and arrived at Mount Morris December 16. They brought along a letter for me from my cousin Samuel Knodle.
DISTRIBUTING .- Commenced distributing type December 16, and also made a table for the forms, a galley, and other sundry articles for the office.
TRIP TO CHICAGO .- On Friday, December 17, father and Jacob Knodle started to Chicago to procure a stove for the printing-office, printing paper and many other articles.
COMPOSITION ROLLER .- I made a composition roller on Saturday evening, Decem- ber 18. I got through with it about nine o'clock. I had a little difficulty in moulding it the first trial, it being too stiff, and we had to boil it a little more until it got a little thinner.
ACCIDENT .- On Monday, December 20, I was leveling the composing-stone in the press, and by pressing on it, it cracked clean across the width of the stone.
SNOW AND RAIN .- On Tuesday, December 21, it commenced snowing and raining, and continued until the next day.
SETTING TYPE .- Commenced setting type on Monday, December 13.
LYCEUM .- I was present when the merits of the Subtreasury system were debated on Friday evening. December 24. The decision was in favor of the Subtreasury system. ARRIVED .- Father arrived from Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 26, with printing paper and stove for the office.
ACCIDENT .- On Tuesday, January 4, 1842, as I was going to the printing-office, I slipped and fell, cutting my wrist.
MERCURY .- January 4. Seven o'clock A. M., two degrees below zero. Noon, eight degrees ahove zero. Four o'clock P. M., four degrees above zero.
COMMENCED WORK .- On January 10, after having been delayed a week on account of having a sore arm.
CUTTING LOGS .- Jacob and Jonathan Knodle commenced cutting logs, to build a printing-office and workshop, January 14.
RECEIVED A PAMPHLET .- January 16, from Samuel Knodle. The postage was twenty-five cents, there being a few lines written therein.
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
VISIT .- Mr Philip Sales paid us a visit on Saturday evening, January 15. He re- mained with us all night.
SNow .- On Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, January 18 and 19, there fell snow to the depth of six inches.
ACCIDENT .-- On Monday morning, January 23, Mr. Steward met with a sad accident in cutting down a tree. It fell on him and broke his arm and leg. He lives near Days- ville. Dr. Beatty is now attending him.
EDITOR REMOVED .- On Thursday, February 24, we removed Mr. Emanuel ( Knodle) from the printing-office to Jonathan Knodle's. a distance of about one-half a mile.
A MEETING .-- There was a meeting held in Oregon city, on Saturday, February 26, on this territorial question.
FOGGY .-- This evening. March 1. it is so foggy that you cannot see one-quarter of a mile ahead, and it is thundering and lightening.
DIED .- At Mount Morris, on Sabbath morning, March 13, EMANUEL KNODLE, son of Samuel and Jane Knodle. of Washington county, Maryland, in the thirty-second year of his age.
STARTED TO THE EAST .- Mr. Lemond arrived here on the evening of March 20. He remained all night with us, and on the following morning started for Maryland. with the intention of moving to this country if he could arrange things to suit.
EXAMINATION .- The examination took place on Wednesday, March 5. On that same evening the ladies read their copies, and on Thursday evening the young gentle- men made their speeches, etc.
ARRIVED FROM MARYLAND .-- On Monday evening. April 25. Michael Stonebraker, Daniel Wolfe and brother, and several more, arrived in Mount Morris from Maryland.
FOUNDATION FOR THE OFFICE .- Finished digging the foundation for the printing- office on April 24.
PLANTING CORN .-- James Coffman commenced planting corn on Tuesday, May 3.
HAULING .- We commenced hauling plank, on Thursday, May 5, to fence in our lot and Miss Shepard's.
RAISING .- We raised our office on Monday, May 9.
MARRIED .- On Thursday, May 19, Michael Stonebraker to Catherine Coffman, eld- est daughter of James Coffman.
DIED .-- On Thursday evening. May 19. Michael Detrick.
HAIL STORM .- On Monday evening, June 27, about half-past eight o'clock, there was a hail storm. It blew the doors open. and broke twenty-five panes of glass for us and fifty or sixty for Bear's. I suppose there were five or six hundred panes of glass broken in Mount Morris.
ANIMAL MAGNETISM .- There was a lecture delivered Tuesday evening, June 25. in the seminary. There was a boy put to sleep, who, after he was asleep, commenced talking, and would answer anything that was asked him.
ARRIVED FROM MARYLAND .-- On Thursday morning, about eleven o'clock, June 30. Messrs. Hiestand. Neff and family, Bartholomew MeNntt and family and also his mother, and Benjamin MeNutt.
PLASTERING .- We had the office plastered on Saturday, July 2. by Jacob Petrie.
HAIL STORM .-- On Monday, July 4, there was a hail storm almost severe enough to break the panes of glass in the windows. It did break some of our neighbors' glass.
REMOVED .- We removed the office on Wednesday, July 6, in the part of our house that we had built on purpose for it.
VENTRILOQUIST .- There was a ventriloquist in our burg on Thursday and Friday evenings, July 7 and 8. He also went through the performance of some sleight-of- hand. This ventriloquism is first-rate.
ARRIVED .- John George Pea arrived here on July 30. He is just from New Orleans. FROZEN .- The river froze over Friday night. November 18.
CHAPTER II.
THE GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE.
The first store in Mount Morris was a general one and was opened in October, 1841, by Daniel Brayton and son Frederick, in an addition on the History of Business Enterprises west side of a small frame house, which they erect- ed that summer at about the present location of Jesse Bollinger's property, on Main street midway between Short and Wesley streets. The senior Brayton was a Methodist minister, and occasionally preached in the old seminary chapel. The firm afterward changed to Brayton & Judson; and in 1850, after the death of Daniel Brayton, the business was conducted by F. B. Brayton & Baker, who discontinued all lines except the book and drug departments. Later Mr. Brayton, whose portrait appears on the next page, assumed entire con- trol of the business, and conducted it for many years. In the early sev- enties John P. Hand became a partner. In 1873, Mr. Brayton's son, Arthur W., entered the business, and has owned and conducted it since that time. Thus it transpires that the first store in Mount Morris has continued up to the present day, and has been owned successively by three generations of the Brayton family, extending over a period of almost sixty years. During that time the firm name has contained that of the Brayton family, and for the greater part of that time the store has been the exclusive property of Daniel, Frederick, or Arthur Brayton, or a combination of father and son.
The second store of any importance was also a general store, opened several years after that of the Braytons by Samuel Bents. This store was located in a small brick building which stood on the northeast corner of Wesley and Front streets, the location of the present Seibert block. Mr. Bents sold out to S. M. Hitt and F. F. Petrie, who had previously been en- gaged in making brick in the northeast part of town. Enoch Wood suc- ceeded Mr. Hitt, and associated with Mr. Petrie under the firm name of Wood & Petrie. This firm continued the business for many years. Mr. Wood finally sold out to H. J. Farwell. Coffman Brothers later acquired the stock. The business was discontinued by them shortly before the war.
A one-story brick machine-shop was built in 1844 by Baker, Pitzer & McCoy, on the corner now occupied by the Methodist church. Here they began the manufacture of traveling threshing machines. This business they continued for five years, and their machines, which threshed grain by being loaded and driven around in a circle, became quite popular. Mr. Baker afterward manufactured what were known as "Fountain " reapers.
In the year 1844, Hitt & Coffman built a grist-mill on Pine creek, southwest of town. A short time after this they opened the third store in
(33)
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
Mount Morris. This store was managed by Prof. D. J. Pinckney, and after a year was sold to F. B. Brayton.
About 1853, Messrs. Brayton, Baker and Petrie rented an old saw-mill located on Pine creek, about a mile below the dam, and fitted it up for the manufacture of linseed oil. This work they continued for about two years, turning out about two barrels of oil per day: but, as the facilities were not very favorable, they erected a new mill near the southwest part of town upon the present farm of Jacob Hilger. This mill was a large two-story structure with a stone basement. The machinery was operated by steam, which also ran a saw-mill. The enterprise was operated under
the supervision of Jacob Hilger for about twenty years, it being then discontinued because of a scarity of flaxseed. During this time a terrible accident oc- curred in the saw-mill. Ernest W. Brayton, a brother of A. W. Brayton, and a lad of about ten years, was killed by coming in contact with the rapidly-revolv- ing saw. F. G. Petrie also lost a hand by a similar accident. The building passed into the ownership of Petrie & Sheets, who transformed it into a flour- ing mill. This proved unprofit- able, however, and the building was taken down and removed to the east side of Rock river, op- posite Oregon, where it still stands.
Orville N. Adams, of Ga- lena, opened a general store in Mount Morris about 1850, and after about eighteen months FREDERICK B. BRAYTON. took in Prof. D. J. Pinckney as a partner. They also managed the grist-mill on Pine creek for one year. After that time the partnership was dissolved, and shortly after the mill was burned down.
A copy of the Mount Morris Gazette, dated January 23, 1851, preserved by Samuel Knodle, furnishes some interesting items in relation to the business of the town at that day. Mount Morris was then one of the most important business centers in Ogle county, as the general import of the paper plainly indicates. Among the advertisements, Bryant & Petrie advertise their hardware business; Wood & Petrie advertise dry-goods, groceries, crockery, glassware, paints, books and stationery; Brayton & Baker advertise general merchandise; William Little & Son inform the
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1222054
THE GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE.
public that they are prepared with seasoned lumber to extensively manu- facture wagons, etc., and do all kinds of blacksmithing; George Brayton advertises to do all kinds of tailoring with neatness and dispatch; John Ankney announces the discontinuance of his business, and T. C. Ankney advertises his cheap auction store; Drs. B. G. Stephens and E. W. Myers publish their professional cards; William Hedges advertises to do all kinds of coopering; S. N. Beaubein advertises to make harness, saddles, etc., and trim carriages in the house formerly occupied by W. S. Blair. A notice of the Amphictyon Society appears, announcing that the following resolution will be discussed: Resolved, That the political and intellectual condition of Europe is improving. The notice is signed by A. N. Odel, Secretary. The Mount Morris Division Sons of Temperance also publish a notice, announcing meetings every Tuesday evening at their hall on Center street.
From the time of its founding in 1839, the village gradually increased in size and importance, until in 1855 it became a prominent trading point, and bid fair to become the largest place in Ogle county. But during that year the Illinois Central railroad was built through near Buffalo Grove, and the new town of Polo attracted much of the business which Mount Morris had formerly captured. The village, however, continued to grow nevertheless.
About 1854, Jonathan Mumma opened a store in the store-room west of his hotel; and in 1858, when J. M. Webb purchased the hotel, the store was sold to Potter & Webb. In 1856, Atchison & Clems conducted a cloth- ing store, and Edward Davis dispensed confectionery to the students and others.
In 1866, after the close of the war, there appears to have been a con- siderable enlivening of trade in Mount Morris, and numerous new stores were started. In that year, John Sprecher and H. H. Clevidence opened a general store in the building occupied at present by Strock's grocery, on the corner of Center and Wesley streets. They continued in partnership twenty-five years, later occupying spacious quarters in the Masonic block. In 1891, they sold out to L. C. Stanley, of Chippewa Falls, Wis., who in turn sold to A. H. Knodle & Co. F. K. Spalding came next in succession, and after several years combined with his dry-goods the grocery stock of Ed. Cripe, who had been preceded by John Keever and Daniel Wingert in the grocery business, and moved into the Seibert block. This combined grocery and dry-goods business is now conducted by G. W. Deppen.
About the same year, Lookabaugh and Middour also established their business, and conducted it for over twenty years. Also during 1866 a branch of John Etnyre's store in Oregon was established here by Mr. Briggs, but was short-lived.
Quite a number of the present business enterprises of Mount Morris can be traced back over very long periods of time, as in several cases already cited. For instance, the grocery business of Charles H. Sharer is the continuation of a long succession of changes, dating back to the es- tablishment, about 1860, of a grocery store by Henry Newcomer, father of
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
H. E. Newcomer. Mr. Newcomer sold to Henry Sharer, who took in John Swingley as a partner. The engraving on this page shows the condition of the business portion of the village at the time these gentlemen were in partnership. Note their sign upon the north wall of the building. The picture was taken in 1876, shortly after the erection of the building. But to continue, Sharer & Swingley sold out to William Rine, who took in his brother David as a partner. D. N. Wingert and John Swingley were the next purchasers, and later Mr. Wingert alone assumed the business. The
RER & SWING CROCERIES
-
-
BUSINESS BLOCK OF MOUNT MORRIS IN 1876.
succession was then Lewis Funk, Wingert & Co. (here dry-goods were added); Wingert & Sprecher (Philip T.); Wingert & Brubaker; J. A. Bru- baker & Co .; and Brubaker & Sharer (Charles H.). At the next transfer Charles Sharer took the grocery department and R. E. Arnold & Co. the dry-goods. The latter firm sold out to G. W. Hamlin, of Rochelle, in 1900, but Mr. Sharer still continues the grocery business.
The present grocery of J. Strock is another business which can be traced back quite a number of years. In 1875, William H. Bull purchased
37
THE GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE.
a stock of groceries and placed them in the brick building now occupied by Mr. Strock. After a few years in the business he sold to Benjamin Rine. Holly Clark & Ira Wingert came next, and were followed by New- comer Bros. (A. M. and W. A.) and John Tice. W. A. Newcomer and Mr. Tice purchased A. M. Newcomer's share, and in 1891 sold to J. Strock, who is the present owner.
In 1866, Andrew Newcomer, father of A. M. and W. A. Newcomer, start- ed a small store in the house on Front street, now occupied by Robert Crosby, but soon sold out to George Windle. However, when his son, W. A., returned from the army in 1876, the two went into partnership, and conducted a grocery business until the death of the former, after which A. M. and W. A. Newcomer took charge. For a time William was engaged with Tice in another grocery, as mentioned before, and Arthur was sole proprietor until William again bought a half-interest, and the firm name of A. M. & W. A. Newcomer was adopted. In October, 1898, the former retired and his son, H. G. Newcomer, became a member of the firm, now known as the Newcomer Co.
Joseph S. Nye conducted the first hardware store of any importance in Mount Morris. In 1857 he bought the tin-shop and hardware portion of the business of Brayton & Baker, and for its accommodation built the brick building on the corner of Wesley and Front streets, now occupied by C. E. Price's hardware. He continued the business for ten years, and finally moved his goods to Lanark. J. M. Smith & Pickard started a hard- ware in 1870. Later Pickard dropped out and subsequently Smith sold to I. B. Kinne, who disposed of the stock by various methods. Subsequently David Rine purchased a new stock of hardware and soon took in George Sprecher as a partner. Daniel Smith was the next purchaser, followed by Hitt, Smith & Co., B. F. Sheets & Co., Cushing & Armstrong, Armstrong & Price, J. D. Armstrong, and J. M. Piper, successively, and lastly by Clinton E. Price, the present owner.
One of the first meat markets in Mount Morris was established in 1873 by Samuel P. Mumma. He was succeeded by Samuel Middour, and Mid- dour & Mumma (Benj.). Middour sold to Mumma, who conducted the business for many years. Henry H. and Ernest E. Newcomer and James Mumma were the next purchasers, the latter dropping out after three years. The later owners have been Benj. Rine, Rine & Whitman, and Wishard & Powell, the last-named being now in possession. There have been other meat markets conducted, but none of long duration.
The local grain-buying business did not commence in Mount Morris until after the building of the Chicago & Iowa railroad from Oregon to Forreston. The first carload of grain marketed from the village was raised and shipped to Chicago by Charles Newcomer, who erected the mid- dle elevator in 1874. This elevator was sold to John Weller, and later be- came the property of H. H. Clevidence and Daniel Smith. The north elevator was built in 1875 by Daniel Sprecher, father of Lewis and Daniel Sprecher, Jr. H. H. Clevidence and John Sprecher purchased this ele- vator in 1879, and since 1894 it has been the property of the former, who
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
has been engaged in the grain business for more than twenty-six years. The south elevator was built in 1882, by Daniel Sprecher, and was sold to Daniel Smith. Thomas C. Williams, the present owner, purchased it of Mr. Smith. The grain business in Mount Morris, before the building of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad through Leaf River and the Chicago, Burlington & Northern through Stratford, was much more ex- tensive than at present. Elevators were built at these towns, and serious- ly curtailed the extensive territory from which the Mount Morris elevators formerly drew the cereal products.
Samuel Mumma first began buying stock in Mount Morris in 1873, and began shipping extensively to the city market in 1879, which he has continued to do until the present time.
The first bank in Mount Morris was established August 1, 1877, by Charles Newcomer and Isaac Rice. The latter dropped out after several years and the former continued the business until January 1, 1899, a period of nearly twenty-two years, when the business was turned over to the Citizens' Bank. Mr. Newcomer is now living a retired life, enjoying the fruits of his labors. The Citizens' Bank was established in 1893 by Joseph L. and John H. Rice, and is now the only bank in the village.
elra
The name of Hon. Isaac Rice stands second to none in connection with the growth and development of our village. CHARLES NEWCOMER. Concerning his parentage we have made mention in Chap- ter I. Dr. Isaac Rice, as he was familiarly known, was born in Washing- ton county, Maryland, October 28, 1826, and came to Ogle county in 1837, making the trip in company with his father and uncle, when they removed to the wild west. The senior Rice built a schoolhouse in this vicinity at a very early day, and Isaac " wielded the birch " in this educational institu- tion when but eighteen years of age. He also attended Rock River Semi- nary and prepared for his profession under the preceptorship of Dr. Francis A. McNeill. In the winter of 1852 he entered Rush Medical Col- lege, Chicago, and graduated in 1855. After his graduation he returned to Mount Morris and engaged in farming, in which occupation he gained
Isaac, Free
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THE GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE.
considerable renown as a successful tiller of the soil. In 1876, he located his home in Mount Morris, and in the following year he associated with Charles Newcomer in the establishment of the Mount Morris Bank, as re- lated before. In 1872 and 1874, he was a member of the State Assembly, and in the fall of 1880, he was elected to the upper house of the Legisla- ture of Illinois. January 14, 1857, Mr. Rice was married to Sarah Hiestand, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Hiestand. His wife had been one of the playmates of his youth, and later was one of his pupils in the pioneer schoolhouse. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rice: Roland, February 10, 1858, who died in infancy: Anna, March 22, 1850, who died at the age of eighteen; and Joseph L., December 23, 1866, who is now
A VIEW OF BLAIR'S HOTEL IN 1873.
Note the diminutive size of the maple, in front of the brick on the right, now grown to enormous proportions.
engaged in banking in Mount Morris. Dr. Rice died at his home in Mount Morris in 1897.
The hotel business dates back almost to the founding of the village. Daniel Brayton kept a public house from the time of the establish- ment of his store, about 1841. The first regular tavern was erected by James Clark several years later. The building is still standing, being the old brick on the corner of Wesley and Main streets, now owned by George Sprecher and occupied by Rigdon McCoy as a shoe-shop and M. F. Maloney as a residence. After running this for a short time, under the name of the. "New York House," Mr. Clark returned to his farm at Washington Grove and rented his tavern to Mr. Brayton. In 1851, W. S. Blair opened
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT.
Blair's Hotel in the brick house on the corner of McKendrie and Bangs streets. This building has since been converted into the residence of Dr. George B. McCosh. An engraving of this old house and also that now oc- cupied by N. A. Ankney, as they appeared from the the northeast in 1873, appears on the preceding page. The brick house to the right was occupied from 1863 to 1875 by Samuel Knodle, as a residence. With the exception of about two years Mr. Blair continued to conduct this hotel until about the year 1880. In 1854, Jonathan Mumma built the old hotel on the present site of Hotel Rohrer, and, under the caption of the Eldorado House, kept boarders, principally students, until 1858, when it was pur- chased by J. M. Webb; and, after 1860, it was continued for many years as Webb's Hotel. After the death of Mr. Webb, the house was enlarged and was conducted successively by Mrs. J. M. Webb, Sr., Mrs. Benj. Rine, Mrs. Mary McCoy, Andrew J. Long, and Charles Rohrer. Mr. Rohrer built the present Hotel Rohrer in 1894, and died soon afterward. Since that time the landlords have been J. I. Housewert and A. T. Olson. The hotel is owned at present by a stock company of business men of the village.
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