Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I, Part 14

Author: Gross, Lewis M., 1863-; Fay, H. W
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 678

USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 14

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A reference to taxes levied in the road districts and townships and aid given by the county during these years since 1845 will prove the truth of this statement. Although people generally took their produce to St. Charles they found oven that dis- tance very difficult to travel in years like 1851 and it became evident that something must be done to secure better means of communication with the outside world and transportation of the products of the country to market. Heretofore all the goods sold in stores were hauled from Chi- cago or from St. Charles, causing great incon- venience and a large expenditure of money for the merchants. The Chicago. Burlington & Quincy was now in process of construction and promised relief to the southern portions of the county. The Galena division of the Northwestern road was also being built. a branch of which was extended to St. Charles, which was then a very flourishing lit- tle city and the principal market for all the north- ern part of the county. When the matter came he- fore our people to have the road extended through this county, touching Sycamore. the people were too poor to aid in the project. The plank road was established from Sycamore to St. Charles. those at this time being very popular throughout the eastern states and covered most of the dis- tance between cities, but in a year or two the plank warped and the road became almost im- passible and the planks were finally confiscated by the people living along the road and the project was given up. This was to be a toll road and

PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.

people generally supposed it would be a source of great profit.

In 1849 a road was commenced between Chicago and St. Charles and on the 12th of December of that year the first train entered that city and the scream of the locomotive was heard for the first time in the Fox river valley. In August the Chi- cago & Galena division of the Northwestern had completed their track to Elgin and had changed their route from St. Charles to that place. The citizens of that city, seeing that the salvation of their town depended upon the thoroughfare which had been opened, took the matter in their own hands and ran two trains a day from their town to the junction. Ira Minard controlled it until October, 1856, when it passed into other hands. The depot stood on the east side of the city of St. Charles on land now occupied by the Free Methodist church. In 1853 he with others ob- tained a charter for the St. Charles & Galena Air Line road, into which the charter previously grant- ed for the branch track was merged. Minard be- came president of the company and a heavy stock was taken along the line. The Chicago & Galena road commenced with the ostensible purpose of ex- tending to Galena never approached nearer that town than Freeport, but from there depended upon the Illinois Central track. In an evil hour, one, E. (. Litchfield from Cazenovia, New York. ap- peared in St. Charles, representing that he and his friends possessed sufficient means to build a railroad through if he was allowed to take a con- trolling interest in the stock. He was permitted to subscribe for it, the thoroughfare was com- mended and graded from Chicago to St. Charles, the culverts were built, also the piers and abut- ments for the bridge across Fox river and the track was laid for nine miles from Chicago. Mi- nard had staked his whole fortune of eighty thou- sand dollars upon the enterprise, while hundreds of poor men had taken stock for all they owned. It must be understood that Litchfield promised that the road would be finished and that it should not previously pass out of his hands into the Galena of any other competing line. Never was a vil- lainous scheme more successfully executed. When the controller of the stock had crippled the only man who had any power to oppose him and was assured that any opposition to his own designs would result in that man's ruin he coolly informed

Minard he had concluded to sell his stock in the Chicago and St. Charles Air Line to the Chicago & Galena Company and promised to make repara- tion for any personal inconvenience which such a course might occasion him if he would raise no objection. lle was then permitted to take his choice and there was no choice to take. The re- fusal and loss of his property could not help his friends who were already ruined nor save his town, which was then doomed, and he accordingly took the course which any other sane man would have taken. The road ended at the Des Plaines river and the grading upon the west bank of the Fox river. since it was not necessary for the in- terest of the Chicago & Northwestern Company to continue it. Seven hundred thousand dollars paid by hard working farmers and industrious mechanics across the country was lost and many farmers were reduced from wealth to poverty and the use- less piers stood along the banks of the Fox river as a monument to the perfidy of Litchfield until they were in later years occupied by the Chicago & Great Western. The real estate of the St. Charles & Chicago Air Line had acquired a large amount of value, especially that part of the prop- erty which was to be used for depot and grounds in Chicago and therefore the railroad property of this proposed line had appreciated enormously in value. There was more than enough to pay for all the work that had been done upon the road. It has been reported that Litchfield and Minard by thus selling ont their friends made a profit of over four hundred thousand dollars. It must be said in passing that the friends of Minard think he has been unjustly blamed for his course in the disaster, but it is sufficiently apparent that he was far beneath the mark of innocence. The loss of this railroad to those who had invested was the severest blow that had ever visited St. Charles and almost annihilated the village. Had that line been built through what is now Sycamore and Dixon to the river it is possible that the towns of De Kalb. Cortland and Malta would never have been built and Sycamore might have become one of the largest cities of northern Illinois. The assessed valuation of the property of De Kalb county in 1852 reached one hundred thousand dollars above the million dollar mark, and despite railroad disas- ters and a wet year the people were growing pros- perous and the prospects that the people of this

PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.

locality would soon have markets by railroads had induced many people from eastern states and also many land speculators to buy the wild prairie. And we find that all but about twenty thousand acres of our land in this county at that time had been purchased. The Chicago & Burlington was completed as far west as De Kalb county and al- though the road was crude in its construction. mer- chants were able to ship their goods easily and farmers conld send their produce to market.

The elections of 1852 were very exciting. The county was overwhelmingly democratic in politics, but there was a very strong. active freesoil party and a sturdy. enterprising minority of whigs. The omnibus bill of 1850, with the fugitive slave law as part of its consideration. had created great op- position in the north. The democrat party could easily pledge itself to that measure as its great strength lay in the south. The whigs in conven- tion pledged themselves also to the compromise of 1850, which drove many freesoilers from that party. Franklin Pierce was the democrat candi- date for president and General Winfield Scott can- didate of the whig party. The whig party natural- ly found its candidate opposed to the compromise of 1850, while its platform favored that measure and many of the freesoilers alluded to their ludi- crous political position by stating that the candi- dates were spitting on the platform that their party had made. In this county five hundred and eighty-three votes were cast for Franklin Pieree, four hundred and fifty-six for General Scott and three hundred and fifty-five for the freesoil can- didate. This ended the political existence of the whig party in De Kalb county. That party gen- erally affiliated with the republican party, which came into organized existence here in 1854. James H. Beveridge, a merchant at Freelaud Corners, in the town of Somonauk. was the first nominee of the new party for circuit clerk and recorder, was elected and held the position in this county until his election to the office of state treasurer in the early '60s. Joseph Sixbury was chosen county treasurer. Jacob R. Crossett, school commissioner, and Herman Furness, sheriff. Bills for the care of paupers were paid by the county to the amount of six hundred and thirteen dollars and the ques- tion of the purchase of a poor farm was agitated at the meeting of the board of supervisors.

The first agricultural society of the county was organized and held a crude exhibition in the vil- lage of Sycamore on land near the present Patten factory. It has been stated by those present that the entire exhibit consisted of one old white bull chained to a stake in the center of a vacant lot, two or three horses, with as many cows and colts, and a few beets and pumpkins. The branch of the Northwestern road was extended to Dixon and a train was run into that city before midnight, Jan- uary 1, 1854. Under the provisions of the charter the road was to be completed by that day, but for many miles of its course there was no grading, the ties were laid down on the prairie and leveled up with stove wood. It had neither station house, freight house. engine honse or any other building. It was necessary that everything should be built over from the foundation, but the road gave a powerful forward impulse to the country. It brought a market to the produce of all this country to the doors of its growers. It seems incredible that the speculators could not foresee the ad- vance in the intrinsic value of the land which was caused by this revolution in affairs, but yet large tracts of land which would be purchased by land warrants at seventy-five cents per acre still lay open to entry. Upon the completion of the railroad to this county the people began to enjoy some of the luxuries. Tropical fruits such as oranges and lemons were seen for the first time in our county.

At the meeting of the board of supervisors this year it was found that the expense accrued by paupers amounted to nearly seven hundred dollars vearly and in the hopes of lessening that burden the board of supervisors decided to purchase a county poor farm upon which some of this class of unfortunates could be made useful and con- tribute to their own maintenance. By order of the board of supervisors Silas Tappan and Jesse Tindall were appointed to purchase such a farm. which was to be located in one of the two middle tiers of townships, and Mr. Harrington, who was still chairman of the board. advertised for a loan of three thousand dollars with which to purchase it. In September the farm of A. H. Cartwright on the road between Sycamore and De Kalb was purchased for this purpose, the county borrowing the purchase money at the rate of ten per cent interest. Applications for license for the sale of

PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.

liquor were again made at this session of the board and were promptly squelched by a resolution of- fered by Horace Champlin and was carried unani- mously. De Kalb now sprung up, but two years previous there had been a store, a tavern and a blacksmith shop and now took on the village airs and the name of "Buena Vista," which was one of the fiercest battles of the Mexican war fought by old "Rough and Ready," was given this town and it retained that name for several years.

Sandwich also became a village and was called Newark Station. The editor of the Sentinel, the first paper published in the county, states edi- torially that he visited the villages of Somonauk and Newark Station and in his letter states that Newark Station, now Sandwich, was liable to be- come a strong competitor of Somonauk and one of the good cities of this county. That prophecy has been fully verified, Sandwich now being the third city in population in De Kalb county.

Thus in 1854 De Kalb county had railroad sta- tions at Somonauk, Newark Station, De Kalb and Cortland. "On the 31st of May, 1854, appeared in Sycamore the first number of the first news- paper ever printed in De Kalb county. The first number of this paper which was ever printed is now in the possession of the Sycamore Library and it is a valuable relic. It was called the Republican Sentinel and edited and published by H. A. Hongh. The editor announced that the politics of the paper would be Republican Democratic, which sounds oddly enough at this day. but before the year was over he was publishing in his columns the proceedings of the conventions of two parties. the Republican and the Democratic. The Sentinel gave a vigorous and enthusiastic support to the prohibitory liquor law presented to the people of the state that year for adoption or rejection, and from its columns one would have inferred that the politics of the county that season hinged on the question of prohibition. And indeed the people of De Kalb county went into this canvass with deep earnestness. On the 29th of June, 1854, a Main Law Alliance was formed and a thorough canvass of the county commenced. It cannot be stated with truth that there was an unusual amount of drunkenness in our county, but they fought the dragon with weapons of flaming fire and if it had depended upon the vote of De Kalb county the vending of ardent spirits would have been for-

ever silenced in the state of Illinois. But two towns in the entire county-Kingston and Pierce -voted against prohibition. The following is the vote of the towns:

For.

Against.

Franklin

Shabbona

Paw Paw

South Grove

Somonauk

135

Clinton

Genoa

Pampas

136

Kingston

Pierce

Squaw Grove

Victor

Sycamore

207

De Kalb

140

1189

357

Majority for prohibition, 832.

During the '50s De Kalb county took on more airs of civilization, established lodges and pro- moted lectures courses, while in the country the schoolhouse was a social center. in which debating societies were held and many of the public and local questions of the day were discussed and oc- casionally the old fashioned spelling school was indulged in and its accompaniment, the country school exhibition. In those days teachers would drill the pupils for months in preparation of these spelling matches and the best spellers of several districts were often pitted against each other and the one who was victor in the contest was consid- ered a veritable Socrates. Some of the social functions of the '50s compare favorably with those at the present time. The orthodox churches, especially held revivals lasting nearly through the entire winter. Hundreds of people were converted and church membership rapidly increased. While in the cities a few church edifices were erected. still there was but one in the country, and that was the United Presbyterian church of Somonauk township. All other exercises of a religious nature were held in the schoolhouses. The schoolhouse served as a voting place, was used for school pur- poses, for religious services, funerals, debates and. in fact, everything of a public nature.

In 1853 the Crimean war broke out in Europe. which involved . the nations of England, France. Italy, Russia and Turkey. This was one of the later struggles to put Turkey, known as the sick man, out of existence : and Russia. while defeated in her attempt to Russianize Turkey, still fought

Mayfield

PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.

vigorously against the combined nations of Eu- rope. This gave a wonderful market to the prod- ucts of the United States. Dressed pork sold at ten dollars a hundred, live pork at eight dollars, horses fit for cavalry service brought an immense price, wheat sold for a dollar and a half a bushel, corn for seventy-five or eighty cents and wealth was pouring into the pockets of the farmers. But in such times of prosperity few are looking for a reaction and many who had paid for their farms with the money secured for one crop began to buy land. giving but little cash down and in some cases their personal notes. The war suddenly came to an end in 1852 and the grain and stock in the hands of the farmers fell rapidly in price. Those who had purchased land were unable to meet their obligations, men who had bought goods at the stores on "tick" and had put every dollar they possessed into land found themselves unable to pay their debts. Some sold out what they had and loft in the night, while merchant> failed all over the country. Some of the large institutions. as well as banks, failed by the hundreds, so that in 1858 the country was paralyzed financially. Not- withstanding these hard times the '50s brought many people to De Kalb county. In 1856 more than a thousand came here from the eastern states and foreign countries to make their homes, adding to the material and social wealth of our county. By this time all public lands were sold and people had moved out on the prairie. Instead of the schools being in the neighborhood of woods and streams the little frame boxes dotted the prairies and the number of districts during this year was as large as that of any later year in our county's history.

In 1834 a barber set up shop in Sycamore, but did not depend upon his tonsorial labors alone, but did the work of dentist. In looking over files of the papers of that day we find that merchants were trying to induce the people to use kerosene oil, telling of its great advantages, of its economy and how much better light it gave than the tallow candles previously used, but people took up this illuminating fluid with diffidence. Kerosene oil was fifty cents a gallon and was thought to be very dangerous and many people a quarter of a century later, especially old people, preferred to use the tallow candle. After the financial crash following 185; the papers are full of tax sales

and there were other evidences of financial dis- aster. In the '50s sewing societies were organized ly the ladies of the Universalist and Episcopal churches. This was considered not strictly ortho- dox by some of the churches and it was many years later when all the churches had aid societies of this nature.

A band was organized in Sycamore in 1858, which event was of considerable interest to the people of the whole county. At the invitation of the people of Somonauk a benefit concert was held and was very well patronized. They extended their visits as far as St. Charles on the east and Belvidere on the north. In 1858 the first Teach- ers' County Institute was held, and the question for discussion and debate was, "Resolved, that in Schools, as Well as In Nature. Order Is Heaven's First Law, and the First Duty of the Teacher Should Be to Have Excellent Discipline." This was discussed through the entire day pro and con. and many of the teachers who participated in that discussion afterwards become prominent in other vocations of life-some lawyers, physicians and men of public affairs. In 1854 there was held at Sycamore a political mass meeting of such a po- enliar nature that a part of the record of its pro- ceeding> are worth perpetuating. In some respects it was the most notable political event of our coun- tv. It was the organization of a new party out of the three old parties, and from this meeting may be dated the existence of the republican party in De Kalb county. At this meeting delegates were appointed to attend a republican convention called to meet at AAurora. These delegates were thus ap- portioned among the three old parties represented. As most of the names are prominent ones in our present polities, the reader may be interested in seeing their former affinities. Democrats. Horace W. Fay. G. A. Colion. Joseph Sixbury, James Har- rington and Royal Crossett. Freesoilers, Pier- pont Edwards, Stephen Townsend. Thurston Carr. David West. James H. Beveridge and E. S. Greg- ory. Whigs. Reuben Pritchard. W. JJ. Hunt, A. J. Joslyn. William Byers, Dr. E. Rose and John N. Braddock. This convention was attended by many outside of the regularly appointed delegates and great enthusiasm prevailed. Opposition to the fugitive slave law was growing rapidly and dur- ing this period the operations of the underground railroad were extensive. The third annual Agri-

PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.

cultural Fair of De Kalb County was held on the 1tth and 12th of October of this year. It was a very tame and spiritless affair. only twenty-six premiums being awarded in all, and these being divided among eighteen persons. Those of our citizens who participated in the demonstration were mortified at the poor display of the industry of the county. and at the close of the fair a meet- ing of the Agricultural Society was held, at which it was resolved to put forth every effort to enlist a deeper interest in the annual fairs among the farm- ers of the county, and from the success which has attended subsequent fairs it is evident that their resolutions were carried out with energy. At the county election this year William Patten of Somo- nauk was chosen representative in the legislature, William Phelps of Sycamore sheriff. and Lorenzo Whittemore coroner. The latter held office for a period of twenty years. John Settle, the treasurer of the county and an old and respected citizen, died on the 22d of October this year in the town- ship of Pampas, and the vacancy in the office of- casioned by his death was filled by the county court by the appointment of Joseph Sixbury.

The taxable property during the year 1854 reached the magnificent sum of one million nine hundred thousand dollars, and the total tax levied was twenty-five thousand three hundred and sey- entoen dollars. The number of horses in the county was four thousand and ninety, the number of cat- tle fifteen thousand seven hundred and forty, and sheep eight thousand five hundred and eight. It is needless to state that of this tax of over twen- tv-five thousand dollars was collected with greater case than the tax of fifteen years previous of less than four hundred dollars, and at this time it was no burden to the tax-payer, while in the year 1840 a tax of five dollars meant an almost unbearable burden. "An act of congress passed in September, 1850, had donated to certain states the swamp and overflowed lands within their borders for educa- tional purposes. and this state had decided to transfer this property to the several counties to be expended at their discretion. The land had been surveyed and a commissioner of drainage ap- pointed as early as 1853. A special session of the board of supervisors of this county was held in September of this year to take measures to dispose of these lands. On motion of Supervisor William Patton it was voted that the net proceeds of the

sale of these lands should be paid to the county school commissioner and by him to the township treasurers, to be loaned out for the benefit of the school fund, in the same manner as were the pro- ceeds of the sale of the 16th, or school section, in each town. The price of the first-class land was fixed at six dollars: of the second-class at three dollars and fifty cents; and of the third class at one dollar and twenty-five cents. But no small amount of these lands had been purchased of the government by individuals, before the report of the surveyor, designating the lands selected as swamp lands, had been received by the United States authorities. It was provided that titles to these lands . should be confirmed to the original purchasers upon their paying the county the pur- chase money or relinquishing the warrant used in the entry, it being understood that the United States would refund the purchase money to those who had thus entered them. At this session a peti- tion was received for the organization of the town of Afton, which was duly accepted."

During the year 1855 the county paid its in- debtedness on the poor farm and owned their prop- erty, valued then at about five thousand dollars. and it held also a county bond valued at one thou- sand, one hundred and thirty-five dollars.

About this time an agitation sprang up in fa- vor of building a branch road from Cortland to Sycamore, and as the county seat "bugaboo" was kept rife in the minds of some of the Sycamore politicians it was stated that if Sycamore could not get railroad communication with the outside world it would lose the courthouse, so the people put their hands in their pockets and raised a sum necessary for the building of that road. which later became known as the Sycamore & Cortland Jerk Water, which in the later 'SOs was purchased and is now owned by the Northwestern road. Twenty thousand dollars was raised from this sale and was paid into the school fund of the Sycamore · district, which fund is kept intact and the interest raised therefrom goes toward the support of the public schools of the city.

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Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I, Part 14

Author: Gross, Lewis M., 1863-; Fay, H. W Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 678

Author: Gross, Lewis M., 1863-; Fay, H. W
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago : Pioneer Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 678