USA > Illinois > Cook County > Palatine > Palatine centennial book: history of Palatine, Cook County, Illinois > Part 2
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When the Mason Sutherlands came to town they lived in the brick part of the residence at 123 North Bothwell Street. After Capt. Sutherland died near Vicksburg in the war between the States, his wife kept up the home on Bothwell Street until her death. The Sutherlands had six children : Charles M., Edward H., Maria, Emma and two who died in in- fancy. Emma married Henry Matthei and her granddaughter, Mae Howes, has the little handbell her great-grandmother, Nancy Boynton Sutherland, used to call school to order. Mrs. Howes' mother, Anna Matthei Brockway, lives with her.
The Sutherland children did not want for play- mates. Their cousins, the four Staples children lived nearby. Mary Sutherland had married Lyman Staples back in Vermont and in 1837 the young couple came by way of the lakes to Chicago. They walked out Milwaukee Avenue and started across the prairie with its sloughs and sink holes and its dangers from snakes and wolves. After walking eight miles they came to a house near the present location of Jefferson Park. They were urged to stay here but continued on until they came to the second house this side of Chicago, located on the Des Plaines River. This was Mr. Rand's place and was located a half mile north of the present site of the village of Des Plaines. As it was nearly sundown, they were persuaded to stay here overnight and finish their remaining eight miles in the morning.
They arrived at the Asahel Harris place, their destination, the next morning at eleven o'clock.
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T.C.ROBINSON. FURNITURE
SALT
POCKWAY
1860
At the left, two views of the west side of North Brock- way st. between Slade and the railroad. They were taken 53 years apart. Mr. Robinson took an active part in the formation of the village in 1866.
Below: Building erected by John Patten one of the earlier stores. Following its completion the builder held a housewarming in which he invited the entire community. The family of John Flury resided and operated a bakery in this building. It occupies the present site of the Pala- tine National Bank. The original building now faces south on Slade Street and is occupied by William Roper.
1855
إنكم لميتم ٣٠سنط
Picture at the left will be easily recognized by many of the older residents of Palatine today and many people will remember Jim Toynton who is standing in front of his drug store, now Coleman's. The hardware store was oper- ated by Henry Meyer in 1900. It was purchased by W. H. Brockway and William Ost who formed a partnership. About 1910 Brockway became sole owner. All earlier stores in Palatine were built above street level.
1913
Here they found their temporary lodgings to be a one-room structure. The floor boards covering the earth had no nails to hold them down. The windows were holes cut through the sides, and there was a door at each end of the room. The boards were so warped that windows were unnecessary, since the light streamed through the cracks. Their first din- ner was made up from a larder containing flour, water, salt and potatoes.
There was no furniture of any kind. The first project they undertook was to build a bed, after much labor, with an axe and an auger which a neighbor, Harris Webster, had provided. This was the first bedstead in the settlement, and it was proudly exhibited to the neighbors.
The Staples claimed land near what appears on current road maps as Staples Corner, (locally known as Kitty Korner) and settled down to dairying and stock raising. The improved homestead (now as- bestos shingle covered) stands on the north side of Dundee road between Quintens and Route 53.
An anecdote is told about Aunt Mary Staples (Mrs. Lyman Staples) which explains why the In- dians referred to her as a "she devil." She was ren- dering fat for lard one day when she saw some Indians approaching. She climbed up into the raft- ers and as the Indians entered the cabin she poured the hot grease on their bare backs. The terrified Indians left in great haste, howling with pain. It is said they never ventured near her home again as they believed she was possessed.
Lyman Staples served on the school board for 30 years and as road commissioner for 17 years. Their children were Mason L., who married Clar- entine Waters, daughter of Ben Waters; Merritt A .; Francelia (Mrs. Andrew Fosket), and Emily, who married John Wilson of Palatine. A brother, James T. Staples came later and married Delia Bellows in 1854.
Grove Bennett and his younger brother, A. J., took up their government claims in Deer Grove in 1837. A. J. was a carpenter and builder. After the Civil War, in which he served with the 10th Wiscon- sin volunteer infantry, he returned to Palatine and worked on the lakes as a steward with Captain Cherry.
Grove staked his claim and like many others was attracted by the quick money on the Illinois Canal and in the Galena lead mines. He returned in a few years and farmed until 1873 when he purchased the house at 222 North Benton Street in the village.
He and his wife, Hannah McKee Bennett, had three children, Albert L., Austin, and Delia.
Albert's son, Richard, lived in Palatine until his death in 1954. Delia Bennett Anderson is still living in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
A letter written in 1899 by Seth Webster gives an authentic account of the Webster family. An ex- cerpt follows :
Harris Webster was born in Lenox, Madison County, New York, on March 17, 1815. He came to Illinois March 11, 1837, with his brother, Palmer and wife, settling on a farm of 80 acres with 20 acres timber on the south side of Deer Grove. Both brothers staked out their farms and then worked hard to obtain the money to purchase the land at the government sale. Harris worked at teaming on the canal at Summit.
I believe he worked there nearly two years and
even then had to borrow $10 in order to have enough to pay for the farm. The price of the land was $1.25 an acre. Other settlers would step in and attempt to stake the same claim and they had quite exciting times.
Harris and Palmer each cut the timber and split the rails to fence their farms. Harris cut all the timber to build his house. It was made of logs, of course, and considered very good at that time, the logs being hewn on both sides and plastered.
Their dinner in the woods often consisted merely of buckwheat cakes which had to be chopped be- fore they could be eaten. Provisions were scarce and hard to get even for those who had plenty of money. Pork was 25 cents a pound and so poor that it would not fry without butter or lard. Har- ris thought he would like to have some fowls so at the beginning brought a hen from Elk Grove tied in a pocket handkerchief. He walked the 8 miles as they had no teams then, simply oxen.
The country was then an unbroken prairie, cross- ed and recrossed by Indian trails. There were many prairie-hens and quail, and they did not seem much afraid, often coming around the door for crumbs. Wolves and deer were plentiful-the wolves howling around the house at night for something to eat. One night a hungry wolf, more venturesome than the rest, grabbed a two-month old pig from the pen and ran. Hearing the pig squeal, Harris and Palmer gave chase. Before long the wolf dropped the pig and they picked it up and brought it home. It was hurt scarcely at all, simply scratched where the teeth held it.
The few neighbors depended on each other to obtain supplies from Chicago. So when one went, although he might not have a cent to start with, he would soon have from $1 to $25 to buy things for the rest. Everyone was friendly and willing to help each other. And though the friendly visits were not made often, they were enjoyed much more than the fashionable calls of today.
Harris Webster was married November 17, 1844, to Charlotte A. Jones of Bloomington. Three chil- dren were born to them, all at Palatine: Arminda Caroline, born November 30, 1845, married on Sep- tember 9, 1868, to Colonel L. Whitcomb; Seth, born April 16, 1849, married on July 13, 1873, to Ellen P. Patten. She died February 5, 1885. Seth married Clara F. Johnson December 24, 1893; Ida Bell, born February 16, 1857, married March 11, 1880, to James A. Whitcomb.
Harris Webster kept the home farm until 1874 or '75 when he sold it and built a house in Palatine. He was the first assessor of the township and held the office for 18 consecutive years. He also served one-year-terms as collector and supervisor. He was enumerator for the district comprising the township of Palatine in 1880, being at that time the oldest in- habitant of the township.
One spring he went with Lyman Staples over muddy and bottomless roads to Elgin to borrow money, $50 each, of a man whom they heard had some to loan, but when they got there they found to their dismay he had loaned it at 25 per cent.
Harris Webster's wife wrote this description of an impromptu dance :
One day, I think in 1838, a man came along and asked for some dinner. (I think nowadays people would have called him a tramp). Of course they gave him some and were glad to see someone.
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Palatine's famed brick block erected by Henry Batterman in 1884. Palatine bank of C. H. Patten occupied the corner. The first offices of the P. L. Z. & W. then called Wau- conda, Rockford, & Elgin Traction Co. occu- pied corner office on the second floor. The up- per floor provided quarters for Palatine Maennerchor and the Palatine Opera House.
The fountain, made possible by public sub- scription of $100 provided water for horses and the public. A small bowl at its base took care of the dogs. Across the street at the right is a tavern which is now the Starck building, the ground floor is today occupied by the Palatine Drug.
Stand pipe erected in 1898. En- closure at bottom is pond for stray horses.
LEALATINE
Shown is the Matthei store about 1890 at the present Schoppe corner. Previously the store was operated by Matthei and Schierding. Mr. Matthei was married to a sister of his partner. The small store attached to the residence was a photograph gallery 60 year ago. It was, also, the office of the Palatine Enterprise 50 years ago.
Palatine's first depot was a freight car. It was followed by a one room building in which early public meetings were held. The depot at the left is supposed to have been erected about 1860. In the days when train dispatching was done by telegraph, an op- erator was stationed in the "bay window" and no train could pass through Palatine un- less the semaphore so indicated. Trains stopped at Palatine for water and many freight trains took to sidings to allow fast trains to pass.
Everyone was friendly in those early days. Well they found he had an old violin with him, would he stay and play for a dance that night? Of course he would, so Harris jumped onto his horse and went to invite the guests.
First he went to John Robertson across the grove, found him with his face all bundled up with tooth-ache. Would he come to the dance? Yes, tell Nancy I will be after her. So he did the errand and went around among the few and invited all. When he got home it was dark and the guests be- gan to arrive. They had a fine dance and the fid- dler went on his way. Quite a contrast to the dances of the present day, but I will venture to say much more heartily enjoyed. At that time Harris lived with his brother, Palmer, in a small house of two rooms. The kitchen, a lean-to with floor of split logs they smoothed as best they could, called a puncheon floor. They were still living there when Harris and I were married.
(Signed) Mrs. Harris Webster.
James Morris was the son of George Morris a former British soldier who had taken the oath of al- legiance to the United States. In 1845, James came to Cook County from Washington County, N. Y. He claimed land and built a home several miles east of Staples Corner where he and his wife, Sarah Beebe Morris, raised their six children. Until it burned some years ago, this house was at the intersection of Dundee and Wilke Roads. His son, Charlie, lived there until his death in 1941. This was also the birth- place of Charlie's daughter, Edith Morris Chidley, who now lives on the Sunset Turkey farm. The three granddaughters of Charlie's oldest brother, George, are Mae Gibbs and Dorothy Gibbs Mair of Palatine, and Madge Gibbs Skidmore of Arlington Heights.
The intersection of Quintens road and the North Western railroad even today is often referred to as Clay's Crossing because Ed and John B. Clay set- tled there with their parents in 1846. Both boys were born in England and came to America in their in- fancy. They lived a few years in New York state before coming west to Wheeling Township and final- ly to Deer Grove. Ed recalled when he and some other children were playing in an unfinished school house near Wheeling that a large band of Indians approached and surrounded the building. The In- dians pushed their guns through cracks between the logs, but after thoroughly frightening the children, they withdrew without harming anyone. Both Ed and John B. married and raised their children on their original piece of land. Edwin's children were Newton J. and Irving O. Clay. John married Laura L. Campbell in 1853 and they had a daughter, Lin- nie. Mrs. Clay died in 1853 and Mr. Clay married Clara Martin. Cassius Clay was his son by the sec- ond marriage. Clay's Crossing later boasted of a store operated by Smith Pratt and a blacksmith shop run by Warren Bellows.
Baldwin Road is named for the family of John and Lydia Root Baldwin, who came by covered wa- gon from New York state to Wheeling about 1844 and to Deer Grove two years later. John and his brother, J. Granger Baldwin, located on opposite sides of this road about 1/2 mile east of the Quintens Road intersection. Anson married a Michigan girl who came to visit her uncle, Thomas S. Clark of Highland Grove. Their daughter, Edna (Mrs. Hen- ry Heise) and her daughter, Mercie, live in Palatine at 49 N. Hale Street. Mrs. Heise's other daughter,
Priscilla Heise Oswald, also a Palatine resident, has two children, Winifred and Charles.
Elisha Pratt and his family were neighbors to the west of the Baldwins. They came from Onon- daga County, N. Y., in 1840. After renting the Har- ris Webster farm for three years, they located on 160 acres of prairie, land now owned by Jack Deny- zer, where they built their home and a store. The store was moved to the village in 1855. Elisha Pratt's family consisted of two sons and one daugh- ter by his first marriage and two daughters and a son by his second wife. His son, Smith, married Cordelia Baldwin, sister to Anson Root Baldwin.
When he was a boy of thirteen, Smith Pratt re- called driving to Dundee with oxen to have some wheat ground into flour. As soon as he returned the next evening, his mother hastened to bake some bis- cuits. They came from the oven black as coal and even the hogs wouldn't eat them. His father real- ized that the disaster was probably caused by wheat smut. He dumped the remaining grain into large tubs of water and was able to separate the good kernels from the bad. After the grain was dried and a second trip made to Dundee for grinding, the long awaited biscuits were pronounced most pal- atable.
ENGLISHMAN'S GROVE
Thomas Falls Wilson and the Atkinson brothers were early settlers in Englishman's Grove. This dis- trict, southwest of Deer Grove, included land each side of Palatine Road between Ela and Roselle Roads. Thomas Bradwell, two Swick families, and John Kitson were other residents of this grove.
Thomas Wilson, who claimed sec 9 in 1840, came from North Ireland with his parents, Andrew and Jane (Falls) Wilson, as a boy. During the time the family lived in Schenectady County, N. Y., two more sons, James and William, were born. The three brothers came to Illinois about 1838.
Thomas and James worked the Asa Dunton farm of 40 acres. In 1840 James returned to New York state to bring his father and mother out to Illinois. James and his father each bought 40 acres, Andrew Sr. afterward purchased 80 acres more from the government, all located near sec. 9. (present loca- tion of four silos).
Thomas Falls Wilson was licensed to preach in 1849, and served on the Lake County circuit for five years. Older Palatine residents remember hearing his "beautiful, but long" prayers, when they were children. Mr. Wilson's first wife, Mary (Norton) whom he married in New York state in 1832, died at Palatine in 1850. In his later years Mr. Wilson lived in the house which his children built for him at 200 N. Bothwell street.
Thomas and Mary's son, John, born in Palatine in 1841, became a noted veterinarian. He used part of his father's farm for breeding and training car- riage horses for New York and Chicago customers. The map* indicates the circular track which was outlined by silver maples. Old time neighbors used this track, too, for their sulky races. Animals which pulled the horse cars in Chicago were sent to Dr. Wilson's farm for rehabilitation. Emily Staples, daughter of Lyman and Mary Staples, married Dr. Wilson in 1861. Their children were Ray, Ben Wesley, and Lyman Thomas.
*Township map 1886.
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When Ben was a child, the farmhouse burned; and Dr. John built the house in the village which faces the west end of Slade St. at Cedar. His great- grandchildren Mary, Paul and John live there now.
Dr. Wilson's large acreage extended east a con- siderable distance and to the railroad tracks on the north. Wilson St. is named for him.
Ben Wilson, a veterinarian like his father, mar- ried Jenny Williamson, daughter of Rollin William- son. They lived in the house at 356 W. Slade St.
Ray Wilson and his wife, Lorena (Husson) of Elgin, lived at 338 W. Slade St. Their children were Paul and Olive.
James Wilson sold his farm and moved into Palatine in 1870. He operated a 76 acre nursery in the north section of the village. Mr. Wilson built a brick house which stood at the end of N. Bothwell St., when that street ended at Richmond St. About the beginning of the century this street was opened, the house turned and moved to the east side of Both- well, No. 255. Two conspicuous remnants of the Wil- son nursery are the trees at Sherman and Plum Grove and the grove of hemlock and larch on the east side of Plum Grove, south of Robertson. James' first wife was Sophia Fulkerson. There are no de- scendants in Palatine.
The third Wilson brother, William, remained a farmer. His wife was Emily Sutherland. Their chil- dren were Dolly, William (a former postmaster), and Lizzie Pahlman.
Although it appears that the three Atkinson brothers scattered in later years, it is possible to lo- cate their original holdings. No descendants have been found in Palatine. Thomas Atkinson lived at the northeast end of the grove, and an Inverness road is named for him. Archibald located at the south end; and Ralph in the center of the grove on the east side.
Tom Atkinson worked at his carpenter's trade to finance the journey across America, after he landed at Quebec from England. He and his family took a flatboat from Fort Pitt to the Ohio, following the river route to Chicago. For a while Tom and his brothers worked in the lead mines at Galena. This was the customary way to get "quick and easy" money for land purchases. While Tom lived at Eng- lishman's Grove quarterly church meetings were held in his large barn. His wife, called a "ranter," preached here, and also in the log school house. About 1848 Tom built a fine new house; and the or- iginal Kitson bricks still serve in the foundation un- der the improved residence owned by Stanley F. Pepper.
Ralph Atkinson was persuaded by Thomas Brad- well to sell his home to an Englishman, Stephen Hailfrink. Instead of clearing away trees, Mr. Hail- frink set out pines and cedars either side of a long drive leading to an English-type farmhouse which he built for his bride in 1847. This house still stands, with additions made in 1926, when it became the home of Arthur T. McIntosh.
The story of Archibald Atkinson's house is fur- nished by papers* at the Palatine Public Library. One is the original Land Grant, dated March 10, 1843, signed by President Tyler, conveying 80 acres to Archibald Atkinson. The price was about $1.25 an acre, probably. The second paper is an inden- ture between Archibald and Philis Atkinson, dated Feb. 14, 1846, conveying the property to John Swick for $337.50. The third indenture, dated Jan. 2, 1866, *given by Edith L. Duncan, Pasadena, California
executed by R. S. Williamson, conveyed the property to Mary Vogt of Chicago for $2,644.98. Mrs. Duncan, former owner of this home, adds this bit of history:
The house is in three parts: the oldest probably built by the Atkinsons right after they acquired the 80 acres. In the late '60's the Vogts added to the east of the original building, and in the '20's we added the shingle addition. The present kit- chen, breakfast room, and hall were in the or- iginal building; also, of course, the rooms above over the corresponding lower rooms. The dining room and library, and two bedrooms upstairs over them were the Vogt's addition. The ceilings were only 6'9" in the oldest part. I believe the bricks in the Vogt addition were Kitson bricks but those in the oldest part probably not. All are hand made.
John Swick and his wife, Sarah (Van Valken- berg), the second owners, were both born in 1797. Their son, Martin, married Charlotte Rollins, whose son, John, married Helen McCabe. Their children are Lee and Helen Swick of 105 N. Bothwell St., Palatine.
The first John Swick's cousin, Thomas, was born in New Jersey in 1809. He settled on 60 acres in Englishman's Grove in 1846. It is fairly certain that his original holdings included the second farm east of the Palatine and Ela roads intersection, on the south side. Thomas married Catherine Fulkerson in 1836. Their sons were Hiram, Henry, Hudson, and Thomas. There are no direct Palatine descendants.
These farmers and others were often advised by Thomas Bradwell. He was landed gentry and maintained servants to run his property which he claimed in 1844. (sec. 17). This was west of Brad- well school and road, both named for him. He is said to have had law offices in Chicago; and the authority to perform marriages. If a man needed money for the purchase of land he could usually ob- tain it from Bradwell. No note or mortgage was given; but Bradwell required that the land be placed in his name as well as the borrower's. The frequen- cy with which his name appears in the chains of title in this area is an indication of the number of forfeited loans. Thomas Bradwell's granddaughter, Annie Lytle, married Charles S. Cutting.
John Kitson Sr., and his wife, Ann, came to Am- erica from Haddersfield, England in the 1840's. They lived in Michigan and Des Plaines before moving to Palatine, about 1848. They had several children, including Carrie (Kitson) Smith; James and John Jr. Ethel V. Kitson, James' daughter, lives in Barring- ton. The only descendant living in Palatine is Ruth Wilson, 350 W. Wilson St.
The elder John Kitson had learned the pottery trade in England and with his sons' help ran a brick- yard in Palatine at his property on N. Quintens Rd. Carrie (Kitson) Smith recalled* that as a child of 7 she had spent the summer of 1855 trimming the wet brick clay, preparatory to firing it. These beau- tiful bricks, which possess an unusual color were used to build "the Kitson house," now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Avery Wolfrum. The seven years previous to the building of this house in '55, were spent by the Kitsons in a log cabin on the hill northwest of the present home. As nearly as can be determined, John Kitson's clay pits were in the slough at Pala- tine Road and Crescent St., which is being filled at the present time.
*This anecdote related to Mrs. Wolfrum by Carrie's son.
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PLUM GROVE
The first settlement south of the present site of Palatine was made at Plum Grove. That is the wooded area, now approximately two miles south of Palatine, on both sides of Meacham road. Most of these pioneers emigrated from Vermont near the town of Stockbridge. A modern travel guide de- scribes Stockbridge as "a simple crossroads com- munity on a little hummock in a valley."
One of the earliest persons to arrive was James Whitcomb, who reached Plum Grove in the fall of 1837. He immediately leased about a section of land in order to hold it for other Vermont people who he knew would follow later. His brother, Benson, came the next spring and established himself on the east side of the grove. Others of that family followed, and by 1840, Lot Whitcomb and his cousin, Justus, were also settled on large sections nearby.
Being a man of wealth, Lot built a fine home which was considered one of the finest residences in the area in those days. Later, he got the Oregon fever and headed overland to that territory with six yoke of cattle and three wagons. Six months after- ward he became a prominent captain of a large steamer on the Portland river.
Justus Whitcomb was also wealthy. The land which he staked out covered two square miles. At the start of the present century, the land was better known as the property of Charles Hartung.
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