USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 16
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The paper was not published regularly, as an editorial statement will show, for one day while they were getting the machinery ready expecting to print the paper another eastern mail arrived with news from the seat of war, Crimea, and news from Washington, and the machinery was stopped, additional matter put in type and the paper issued. A lecture was delivered by Judge Depp, of Virginia, which created considerable ex- citement. Judge Depp had been a slave and had become free, was well educated and a speaker of considerable force and his story gave quite an im- petus to the anti-slavery cause in this locality. It was thought by many that he was the equal of Fred Douglas.
The year 1860 was a notable one in the his- tory of De Kalb county. The years from 185% to
1859 had been one of depression. Added to these difficulties the weather had been unpropitious. The year 1858 had been one of flood and rain, while 1859 was a year of great drought. In the year of 1860 spring opened unusually early. Wheat was sown as early as February. The drought of the previous year had drawn the moisture of the subsoil to the surface from an unusual depth and with the fructifying substance held there in so- lution seemed to have covered the whole county with a coating of fertilizer. The average yield of wheat, corn, oats, flax, hay and barley was un- precedented. Even to this day the year 1860 is known as the year of the great crop. Fruit and vegetables were also produced in great abundance. It seemed to be a year of general prosperity and during the early autumn erops were marketed at prices that were unusually high and the farmers who had been debt ridden for years began to feel great relief. During the year 1860 was one of great political excitement. In 1856 the first real opposition to the slave power from a political standpoint took form and eleven states of the Union registered their disapproval of the exten- sion of slave power. The political excitement of 1860 was even greater than that of 1840 and much more was at stake for the nation. Political meet- ings were held early in the season and continued at almost every schoolhouse and public place gath- ering during the fall. The republicans were or- ganized into a body known as the wide-awakes and the democrats into an organization known as the Douglas enthusiasts. One of the most notable gatherings that ever occurred in this county was the political meeting held at De Kalb, when Cas- sius M. Clay, of Kentucky: Isaac N. Arnold, of Chicago, who was at that time congressman from this district ; John F. Farnsworth, and many other eminent speakers were present. An ox was roasted at this meeting and distributed free to the attend- ants. The wide-awakes in uniformed political body with torches and banners attended in large numbers, nearly half of the young men in the county being members of this organization. Peo- ple came from other counties and it has been es- timated that thirty thousand attended. It is safe to say that no gathering has been held in this county since that equalled this in size and enthusi- asm.
The vote in De Kalb county on the presidential election of 1860 was the largest ever polled up to
104
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
this date. De Kalb county gave Lincoln three thousand and forty-nine votes : Donglas, nine hun- dred and fifty. The republican party nomination was by this time considered equivalent to an elee- tion and 1860 marked the first strife for republic- an nomination. The candidates for recorder this year were Mr. J. H. Beveridge. who had filled the office eight years; Silas Tappan, of Squaw Grove; Roswell Dow, of Sycamore, and C. M. Brown. of Sveamore. C. M. Brown was the suc- cessful nominee. Thomas S. Terry, of Shabbona, was chosen representative : Baldwin Woodruff. of Clinton. sheriff: Lorenzo Whittemore, coroner. At this election four thousand and nine votes were given in favor of a convention to form a new constitution.
The census of 1860 gave the different towns of the county a population of over nineteen thou- sand, distributed as follow>: Genoa, one thou- sand : Kingston. one thousand and sixty ; Franklin. nine hundred and forty-three: South Grove, ser- en hundred and eighty-seven; Mayfield. one thou- sand and forty: Sveamore, two thousand two hun- dred and eighty: Pampas, one thousand three hundred and ten : Malta, six hundred and twenty; Milan. two hundred and sixty-three; Afton, five hundred and forty-five: Pierce, nine hundred and fifty : Squaw Grove, eight hundred : Clinton, nine hundred and ninety-seven: Shabbona, nine hun- dred and sixty-three: Paw Paw. one thousand one hundred and seven: Victor. seven hundred and sixty-six; Somonank, two thousand two hundred and forty ; De Kalb, one thousand nine hundred.
The year 1862 was one of general gloom. The war, which many supposed would be of short dura- tion, had assumed immense proportions and battles larger than ever had been fought on this conti- nent were transpiring ahnost weekly. Thousands upon thousands had lost their lives, or had been crippled, and added to this. the beginning of the year 1862 the Union army had gained no decided advantage. The calls for troops came in rapid succession to fill up the depleted ranks of our de- feated armies and up to this time the response was generous and prompt. Those enlisting in the Western Army had won some battles that had a telling effect upon the rebellion. such as Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Island No. 10 and the capture of Nashville. The call for troops this year came in the midst of the busy labors of the harvest field
and eight hundred of the best young men of the county enrolled themselves on the roster of the army. In October of this year a total of eleven hundred and thirty-three men was enlisted from this county. An enrollment made at this time with reference to those subject to draft showed that only thirty-three hundred remained who were able to do military duty. The enlistments so far were distributed as follows:
Number enrolled.
Number in service.
Genoa
146
90
Shabbona
.257
123
Paw Paw.
282
114
Somonauk
.624
Clinton
.250
93
Squaw Grove.
.253
97
Sycamore
.574
179
Franklin
.20%
64
Malta
.219
64
Milan
96
27
Mayfield
203
58
South Grove
.213
58
Kingston
.258
73
De Kalb.
429
107
Pampas
.383
88
Victor
201
43
Pierce
.221
41
Afton
120
16
The total number of bounties paid from the county treasury this year was three thousand four hundred and sixty-six. The assessment made in 1862 placed the total value of property in De Kalb county at two million seven hundred and twelve thousand dollars, of which one million, nine hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars was in farms. one hundred and ninety thousand dollars in town property. a little more than a half million in personal property. The actual value of the last class was probably ten times and of the for- mer classes five times the amount for which they were assessed. The returns show that there were ten thousand seven hundred and thirty-four horses, twenty-four thousand eight hundred and eighty-four cattle. sixteen thousand and twenty hogs, five thousand and ninety-two sheep and one hundred and thirty-eight mules owned in the county. It gave a comparative idea of the wealth at the present time. The money deposited in one of the half dozen banks in De Kalb county at the present time is as much as the assessed valuation of personal property in 1862.
In 1861 the Douglas democrats and republicans had formed a union ticket, the republicans, al- though four to one, giving the demoerats half the candidates nominated in the convention. The No-
ยท
105
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
vember elections of 1862 were fonght out under party organizations. A reaction had set in and the opponents of the war were making themselves heard.
W. W. Sedgwick was chosen a member of the legislature, Henry Safford was made sheriff and Jacob R. Crossett, coroner. At the autumn ses- sion of the board of supervisors the claim of the county against the United States, under the swamp-land grant, was offered at auction. W. T. Kirk offered fifteen hundred dollars, A. K. Stiles offered nineteen hundred and twenty-
five dollars, Reuben Ellwood offered two thousand and twenty dollars. W. J. Hunt offered two thousand and forty-five dol- lars and Benjamin Page two thousand and fifty dollars, all upon credit. R. Ellwood then amended his bid to two thousand and twenty dol- lars cash, and it was struck off to him. Five supervisors voted against the proposition to sell and their written protest against it was recorded. They were Messrs. C. Winne, R. M. Pritchard, T. J. Vandevere, G. W. Culver and S. Denton. Soon after it was reported that injustice had been done to the county by this sale and the board was called together for an investigation. A committee of the board presented an elaborate report, giving the full history of the swamp-land matter, which was to the following effect :
They report that in 1852 John L. Beveridge had been appointed drainage commissioner. with author- ity to drain and sell the swamp-lands, but that he was soon after succeeded by William Fordham. By April, 1853, Mr. Lamb, the county surveyor, had selected as swamp-lands thirty-one thousand one hundred and fifty-three aeres, but none of these lands had been conveyed to the county until 1858, when only five thousand, seven hundred and forty- one aeres were conveyed, the remainder, about twenty-five thousand acres, having meanwhile been sold by the United States to individuals. The policy of the United States in regard to lands selected as swamp-lands, but which it had thus sold, was to return to the county the money paid in cases in which money had been used in paying for these lands and to give land warrants in cases in which the lands had been paid for in warrants. The United States had accordingly paid into the state treasury for the benefit of this county six thousand seven hundred and eighty-six dollars in
money and a claim for about twenty thousand acres in land warrants.
Mr. Ellwood had gone to Springfield immedi- ately after the sale by the connty and had drawn six thousand five hundred and forty-three dollars and nineteen cenis in money. The land warrants had not yet been received. Messrs. Kirk and Stiles testified before the committee that they did not know that the money was at Springfield at the time of the sale. Mr. Ellwood testified that he did not know that it was, but supposed that it was or would be soon. He supposed, however, that it was a smaller amount. He offered to re-convey all the land warrants to the county if it would pay the expenses of the trip he had made to Washington to procure them.
For the land sold by Fordham nothing had been paid into the treasury. He had removed from the connty in 1855, but reported that he had received from the sale of these lands four- teen thousand five hundred and seventy-eight dol- lars and eighteen cents ; that he charged for his services three thousand four hundred and forty- three dollars, and had paid for ditching six thou- sand dollars, leaving five thousand dollars in his hands. The committee thought that very little of this ditching was ever done. He had sona for the county eight thousand seven hundred and thir- ty-one acres, a large proportion of which was land subsequently sold by the United States to individ- uals. Upon such sales the county had been com- pelled to refund to those who purchased from it, and already raised by taxation and paid over six thousand dollars for this purpose. The county had commenced suit against Fordham's bondsmen, hnt had settled it for thirteen hundred dollars.
Thus this rich heritage intended for the benefit of the connty, and which, had it been retained and wisely managed, would not have been worth more than half a million dollars, had really cost the connty several thousands of dollars more than it had received from it.
The year 1863 was pecuniarily a prosperous season for De Kalb county. It had been drained of a large proportion of its population and by this time nearly two thousand men from this county were under arms and some farms lay waste and untilled for want of men to work them. Yet the days of stump tail currency had passed and the conntry had been put upon a firm finan- cial hasis.
106
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
The tariff bill which was enacted was furnish- ing considerable revenue and wise national legis- lation had brought the currency up to a higher standard. In 1861 many of the banks of issue were in the southern states and soon failed, leaving the bank currency in possession of the owner abso- lutely worthless. The newspapers tried to post their customers as to the solveney of certain banks, but they failed with such rapidity that it was im- possible to do so. Many a farmer came to town with stump tail currency in his pocket to pay for produce. finding his money absolutely worthless. but in 1863 the necessities of war had made a market for the productions of the farmer and higher prices were received than ever before. The soldiers' bounties. the county indebtedness and private indebtedness was paid for with consider- able rapidity.
This year the board of supervisors made an appropriation of four thousand five hundred dol- lars for the construction of an extensive fire- proof addition to the courthouse. Notwithstand- ing the demands made upon the people by the great rebellion improvements that were more sub- stantial than had been made heretofore were con- summated. De Kalb built an excellent graded school building of brick, which at that time was the best building of its kind in the county. Syca- more built a large wooden building in 1863. which still remains and is used as a grade building.
All over the county churches had been built, hedges had been planted and orchards were in bearing and it is safe to state that on prairie land of this county in 1863 there were more trees than at the present time. In 1863 six hundred thou- sand more troops were called out by the president for various terms of service and although it seemed impossible that so many could be raised by vol- untary etfort, yet this county filled her quota and still remained free from the terrors of the draft.
The board of supervisors offered a bounty of one hundred dollars to each recruit from this county and appropriated twenty-five dollars for each family of absent soldiers requiring it. Cap- tain R. A. Smith, who was wounded in the sieg ' of Vicksburg and lost an arm and was wounded in the leg. received an honorable discharge for disability and returned to his home in Cortland. This year both parties resolved upon the union and a convention was called under the head of the re- publican union convention. There were sharp con-
tests for the nomination of county treasurer. Mr. William C. Tappan. of South Grove, was chosen on the sixth ballot. Some of the friends of Cap- tain R. A. Smith, who was a candidate for the same position, believed that he had not received a square deal. R. A. Smith came out as an inde- pendent candidate and was elected by a vote of two to one over the regular nominee. He was afterward re-elected and served in that position for eight years. Hiram C. Beard, of Victor. who had been a pioneer school teacher in different parts of the county, was this year chosen as school commissioner. He was a man of considerable ability and many regarded him as an able super- visor of schools. D. W. Lamb was elected county treasurer. The county indebtedness this year for all purposes was fifty thousand dollars. The jur- isdiction of the county court, which had previously extended only to probate matters, was this year enlarged, so as to give it authority to try civil suits as in the circuit court. In place of the allowance hitherto paid the judge he was now remunerated with a salary which was fixed at one hundred dol- lars per annum.
The high prices paid for sugars and syrups had at this time greatly stimulated the culture of the sorghum plant, then a new discovery. and large steam factories for the manufacture of sugar and syrup were established at Sycamore and Sand- wich. Small portable machines were in operation in various portions of the county. Isaac Christ- man. an indefatigable worker and pioneer of this branch of mannfacture, had several mills in opera- tion.
The year 1864 came in with a storm more ter- rible in its fury than the oldest inhabitant had ever known. This has since been known as the cold New Years all over the northern part of the United States. Heavy, lowering black clouds seemed to descend in a mass to the earth in prodigious drifts of snow, which were driven with great force by a powerful south wind. The coun- try was buried beneath these drifts and the mur- enry sank to forty degrees blow zero. The severity of the cold was intensified by a fierce gale, which blew for three days with great fury. Many per- sons were frozen to death and it must be remem- bered that the homes of that time were not warm and comfortable as at present. Many horses. cat- tle and hogs perished. The commodious barns of
.
107
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY,
the present day had not been built and the young cattle were allowed to run out all winter and their only protection was the straw stacks or in some cases growth of timber. More than half the fowls in the county were frozen. The railroad was blocked up and multitudes of passengers were com- pefled to remain in the cars for several days. Thousands of animals in the course of transporta- tion upon stock trains perished and were brought to market a stiff, stark frozen mass. None who lived through that fearful storm can ever forget its terrors.
This year an extensive fire at Sandwich de- stroyed several warehouses and other buildings, creating a heavy loss. A favorite shade tree in this county had always been the rapidly growing locust and thousands of acres of them had been planted for timber and as screens from the force winds of the prairie. During this year they were destroyed by a species of borer, which left hardly one tree alive in the country.
The rapid rise in gold caused by the immense issues of bills required by the necessities of the government this year caused an equally rapid ap- preciation in value in all kinds of property. Money was plenty, trade was lively and every one seemed to be growing wealthy. Gold rose during the year to two dollars and forty cents, wheat sold at two dollars, corn at a dollar and twenty cents and barley at one dollar and ninety cents per bushel. Those in trade rapidly made money by the inevita- ble rise in value of everything they purchased and large numbers, attracted by the profits of trade. moved into the villages and filled every department. of business. The wheat crop this season, however, was a failure. It was destroyed by the chinch bug.
In February the president made a call for two hundred thousand troops for a term of three years, or during the war. In April came a demand for three hundred thousand more for one hundred days. The supervisors met and extended the bounty of one hundred dollars to alt who should enfist upon the first call and offered thirty-five dollars to those who went upon the second. Two or three companies were raised for the latter term of service and were soon garrisoning the forts and guarding the communications in the rear of our great armies of veterans, now marching under General Sherman upon Richmond and Atlanta. The repeated calls for volunteers had exhausted
the supply and in the autumn of 1864 the long threatened draft came upon some of the towns of the county.
An enrollment was made and the official state- ment gives its results :
Towns.
Quota.
Credits.
Deficit.
Pampas
118
101
12
Shabbona
122
93
29
Milan
37
31
Malta
72
14
South Grove
94
76
15
Franklin
90
15
Kingston
100
70
30
Mayfield
93
76
17
De Kalb
196
192
1
Afton
81
66
15
Clinton
102
84
18
Victor
87
79
S
Somonauk
265
248
17
Squaw Grove
86
64
19
Pierce
02
17
Paw Paw
1224
110
1-
Sycamore
250
291
Genoa
100
8:
15
2,123
1,688
273
The people of Sycamore found to their sur- prise that their town was credited with forty-one more men than their quota required. This was probably due to the fact that early in the war men from other towns recorded their names as coming from that town, thus unwittingly defeat- ing their own towns of the proper credit. This created a great deal of complaint and a con- vention of the county was held at Cortland to endeavor to devise some means to right the wrong. but nothing of any avail could be done. In some of the towns meetings were called by town offi- cers, at which large sums of money were voted as a tax on the property of the town. it being under- stood that the next legislature would legalize these irregular taxes. Money was advanced by citizens upon these promises and by offering large bounties recruits were procured and the draft averted. but in others the conscription came and fell with great severity upon many citizens. It singled out many men whose absence would leave their families des- titute and dependent and who in some cases were obliged to pay a thousand dollars to secure sub- stitutes, but most of the drafted men went willing- ly and served most faithfully.
At the election in the autumn General F. W. Partridge was elected circuit clerk and recorder : I. V. Randall. of De Kalb. representative to the legislature : and IT. A. Joslyn, of Sycamore. sheriff. James IT. Beveridge was elected state treasurer- the first person ever elected from the county to
108
PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
any public office whose duties were not exercised entirely in the county. The county this year gave Abraham Lincoln two thousand nine hundred and eighty-five votes for re-election and seven hundred and forty-one for General George B. McClellan.
The Union League, a secret political organiza- tion, established lodges in most of the towns of the county and held frequent meetings. The char- ter of the Union League of America, of Paw Paw council, No. 520, reads as follows: "To all to whom these presents shall come, know ye that we the grand council of the Union League of Amer- ica. for the state of Illinois, do grant unto Robert Hampton, William P'. Ilampton. John B. Hyde, Jesse Cory. H. M. Boardman. D. D. McGibbeny and N. H. Powers and their associates of this charter constituting them a council to be known as the Paw Paw No. 520. U. L. A., to be located at Paw Paw. in the county of De Kalb. state of Illinois. Know ye, therefore, that this charter gives them and their associates that may become regular members of this League full power to re- ceive male citizens over eighteen years of age and initiate and instruct them in the work of the Union League of America on such rules and terms as the constitution of the League will permit. Also gives them full power to make such by-laws as they can agree upon, provided they do not conflict with the constitutions and rules of the grand council. Also gives them full power to eleet such officers as they think worthy and suitable for the good of the League. Also gives them full power to send delegates to this grand council as provided in the constitution of the same and gives them full power to perform all the duties of the council of the Union League of America, while they conform to the by-laws and rules of the League.
"In witness whereof we have caused this charter to be signed by the grand president and grand secretary of the Union League of America of Illi- nois and the seal of the grand council aforesaid to be affixed thereto, this 29th day of April. A. D .. 1863. Signed Mark Banks. grand president: George H. Harlan, grand secretary."
It will be noticed that the real purposes of the League are not set forth in their charter, but they devised means for the support of the government by aiding in the enlistment of officers and sup- porting such measures in political affairs as in their judgment gave the greatest security to the
Union cause. It is not necessary to state that an organization of this character met with consider- able opposition, but in our county especially they performed a great work.
A great deal of excitement was caused this year against the railroad companies because of the high prices of freight and a vicious system of warehousing and grain inspection. A convention was held at De Kalb on the subject and a commit- tee sent to confer with the companies. Some un- important concessions were made to the demands of the public. Captain J. M. Hood. of Sycamore, was appointed United States consul to Siam-the first foreign appointment received by a citizen of this county. .
During the winter of 1864-5 a bill for the re- moval of the county seat from Sycamore to De Kalb was introduced into the state legislature by Mr. Randall, of De Kalb. A committee of the citizens of Sycamore immediately went to Spring- field and endeavored to defeat its passage. The number of names upon the petition to its passage and the remonstrance against it was greater than the number of voters in the county and many names were those of persons who had been dead for many years. After an exciting discussion of the committee to whom the bill was referred they reported against its passage and the opponents of the measure returned home. The bill was sub- sequently, however, taken up by the house and passed to a third reading but it was defeated in the house.
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