USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 20
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
To those who are as yet unfamiliar with the many beanties of their own county, and especially this favored spot. the picturesque town of South Grove will offer a pleasing panorama. The land is pleasantly undulating ; the undersoil seems adapted for the drainage of the surface and vege- tation is early and of rapid growth. There is scarcely an acre of waste land within its borders. More wheat is grown here than in any other town- ship except Pierce. The highest point of land be- tweeu Chicago and the Mississippi river is in the southern part of South Grove. Owen's creek. a beautiful stream of water, crosses the entire length of the town on its way to the Kishwaukee. through prairie, woodland and meadow. In its course the stream widens several times, forming small lakes. and mimie harbors. its clear water contrasting beautifully with the dark green foliage, and is not only a delight to him who finds "tongues in trees and books in running brooks." but also to the devo- tee of Isaak Walton. In the grove wild fruits and flowers of all kinds abound : the plum, thorn apple. gooseberry. the violet. spring beauty, mandrake and maidenhair fern.
The township was organized in 1850 and John S. Brown was elected first supervisor. He was fol- lowed by William M. Byers, and some descendant of this gentleman has filled the office at intervals up to the present time. A great camp meeting was held at the grove in 1860. at which leading ministers from abroad addressed vast audiences, and much religious interest was aroused. At a much earlier day there were occasional religious revivals, which were remarkable for the great carnestness exhibited by the converts among that primitive population, and. it may be added. by extraordinary and exciting scenes in their meet- ings. Among many anecdotes still related with great gusto is the following: A very worthy but previously profane convert rising to his feet to urge his hearers to greater zeal and earnestness in religious duty, fell. unconsciously. into his old mode of expression and exclaimed : "Brethren, I like to see a man. if he pretends to be a man, to be a h-ll of a man : and if he pretends to be a Christian to be a h-Il of a Christian."
Hotels are things of the past, but they were "in- stitutions" in their day when the St. Charles and Oregon State Road, running through South Grove
nearly at its center. was the great highway of the region and traveled by teams heavily loaded with grain. even from so far west as the Mississippi river. One of the hotels. that which stands on the farm of Mr. Masterson, and occupied by him as a dwelling house, was kept for a while by Mr. Bee- man. It is still in a good state of preservation. especially the hall. which was dedicated to the goddess Terpsichore; and many a resident of De Kalb county will remember as long as he lives the pleasant gatherings at Beeman's when what was wanting in elegance was made up in merriment. The other was kept by Mr. Adee near the grove, and it is not to be wondered at that that gentle- man is now so well off in life when it is remem- bered how exorbitant were his charges-forty or forty-five cents being required for only supper. lodging. breakfast and hay for a span of horses or a yoke of oxen.
But while the hotels were so well patronized it was a hard time for the farmers. Again and again the teamsters who had taken the loads of grain --- the product of the whole season's hard toil-over that long. weary way to Chicago, would not bring back money enough even to pay their trifling bills -a few groceries, a little bundle of cloth, perhaps a pair or two of cheap shoes. besides food for their families, being all the avails of a year's hard strug- glings. But the men and women of this region put their shoulders to the wheel and called upon the gods, and by and by Hercules came in the form of a railroad.
During the rebellion South Grove furnished one hundred and three volunteers and raised for the war eleven thousand. one hundred and twenty- seven dollars. Mr. JJohn S. Brown, in 1862. raised a company of soldiers for the Fifty-second Regiment. He was made captain. The Safford brothers both enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth, both were wounded and both made cap- tains. Henry was afterward elected sheriff of this county. in 1868. While these officers served their country in a more public capacity than did the privates. their services are remembered with no more gratitude than is due the boys in blue in the common ranks.
With the coming of the railroad, or its near prospect. there was a rush of settlers. the Curriers, Mcclellans. Beckers. Rickards, Masons. Doanes,
.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Mckenzies and Christmans were among the num- ber who came and most of their descendants still own property in town. Mrs. S. S. Currier, who, with her husband, came to South Grove in 1853 from New Hampshire, was for many years promi- mently connected with the literature of New Eng- land, furnishing many articles of the best publi- cations of her day. She was the author of "Alice Tracey, or Through the Wilderness," "By the Sea" and "The Trapper's Niece." She died in 1895. Hugh McQueen came from Scotland in 1868. He was a true type of the Scotch Presby- terian Christian, one of the type that has made "Old Scotia loved at home, revered abroad."
Although in early days there was a prospect of a railroad, it was not until 1887 that it became a reality. It was then built by the Chicago & Great Western Company and passed from east to west through South Grove. A station was established near its western border named Esmond, and the postoffices of Deerfield, Prairie and Dustin were merged into the Esmond postoffice, with Martin Kennedy as postmaster. He held the office until the republicans came into power, when he was succeeded by William Mckenzie, the present in- cumbent. Kennedy Brothers, Messrs. Daniel and Martin, opened the first store and until very re- cently continued as proprietors. They have now sold their stock of goods and Will McKenzie is the only merchant in the town. Kennedy Brothers started the first elevator and are successfully op- erating the same. A very pretty church was built two years ago and the population of the little town has now grown to about a hundred people, making their livelihood through deals with the farmers who have made South Grove one of the most prosperous farming communities of the county. The I. I. & M. Railroad runs through a section of South Grove.
The first supervisor of the town was John S. Brown, in 1850; William M. Byers, 1851-2; Jesse Tindall, 1853-4; John S. Brown, 1855-6; James Byers, Jr .. 1857-8: John S. Brown, 1859; W. T. Adee, 1860-1; William M. Byers, 1862-3; George A. Gilis, 1864-5; James Byers, Jr., 1866-7; A. C. Thompson, 1868-71; William M. Byers, 1872-5; James Gibson, 1876; Henry Christman, 1877-8; James Byers, 1879-1904; M. McMurchy, 1904-07.
FRANKLIN.
Franklin. the northwest township of the county, has more streams of running water and more timber than any other township of the county. The townships of Franklin, Kingston and Genoa, that of the northern tier of the county, was in- cluded in the Polish survey and put on the mar- ket several years earlier than the twelve towns south of it. This accounts for the fact that the survey of lands do not coincide with those of the towns below it. The settlement of Franklin be- gan in 1836 and it is now believed that the first settlers of Franklin were Andrew and William Miles and Samuel Corey. When they came to Franklin that part of the township known now as the Suter farm was still occupied by a small settlement of Pottowattomie Indians. Here they ground their corn and had their place of worship. They had a totem pole surmounted by an idol, where they had their religions offices. This idol was in the possession of Ebe Lucas' family for many years. The other settlers that came into the town this year and the year following were Daniel Gilchrist, T. H. Humphrey, Theophilus Watkins, Samuel, Charles and Henry Hicks, Andrew Brown, Harry Holmes, Allen Gardner, W. T. Kirk, a Mr. Owen, from whom Owen creek takes its name, B, M. Dean, John McDowell, Alvah and James Ben- nett, Daniel Cronkhite, Martin M. Mack, Spence Myers, Ira Dibble and Squire J. M. Riddle. In 1837 the IIicks brothers huilt a mill near what was known afterward as the Hicks ford and later this locality is spoken of as the Hicks' Mill coun- try. In 1837 those who came suffered from the financial depression that was general over the country and when that land came into the market they were unable to pay the dollar and a quarter, an acre, so their claims were purchased by Dr. Hobert in 1842. Around Hicks' Mill sprang up quite a village. There were stores and blacksmith shops aud it bid fair to be one of the thriving burgs of the county. Dr. Hohert at the time of the purchase of the Hicks' claim was a man of considerable wealth. He was president of the Claims Association of that locality and was promi- nent in town and county affairs. Thoroughly edu- cated and enthusiastic in the practice of his pro- fession, he was a man of fine appearance. possessed great ambition and acquired a large amount of
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
property, but to the surprise of all who knew him died of delirium tremens in the early '50s. Hicks' Mill postoffice was instituted in 1841. with Samuel Hicks as postmaster, and the receipts of that office for that year were seven dollars and seventy-two cents. Blood's Point was also an early postoffice, a place well known over the country, as it was just across the line in the county of Boone, and many of the settlers had that a> their place of business. Lacey postoffice was established on the east side of the town and remained quite a village until the building of the railway in 1826. The I.acey postoffice the first year of its existence shows an income of a dollar and twenty-four cents.
The first marriages recorded in this locality were Jones Abernethy and Betsey Rand. Miles Abern- ethy and Lucy Hatch, Daniel Hatch and Miss Abernethy. The first school was taught by Betsey Rand in a log schoolhouse on section 20, in 1842. and this has long since been replaced by a more pretentious building.
Thomas W. Humphrey, who came to this town at an early day. was a prominent citizen and lawyer and a man of education and refinement. He died at an early age in 1814. His eldest son, General T. W. Humphrey, was at that time eight years of age. Martin M. Mack was the county commissioner and a mau well known throughout the county. W. T. Kirk was one of the large Jand-owners of this township and at one time had in his possession fifteen hundred acres. He served his town many years as supervisor. The people in the neighborhood of Hicks' Mill were generally from the southern states, especially Ken- tucky and Tennessee, while those who came at a later day were from the New England and middle states. Dr. Bassett was the first physician. He subsequently removed to Sycamore and was one of the early physicians of that township.
The tornado of 1853 struck the township of Franklin, passing through Kingston. It picked up the house of John Young. first lifted it up. shattered it, and it was carried off in pieces which were never found. Mrs. Young was instantly killed. It next struck the residence of Ira Dean, and a lady relative visiting there had her back broken and died soon afterward. Two boys at the house were blown out of the window. but were not seriously hurt. Many other houses and harns were unroofed and destroyed. A similar
storm passed through the town in 1860. striking Franklin near the Kishwaukee river. When the tornado struck the river it scooped the water ont. leaving its bed dry for an instant. It then passed through the timber and took everything before it, making a roadway of ruin about twenty rods in width.
The village of Kirkland was platted in 1826 and has grown to be one of the thriving towns of the county. It has a population of between eight or nine hundred, has a splendid graded school, of which Professor I. E. Conover is superintendent. The first church was built in this village in 1885. The Methodist church service was held in the publie school building until 1886. when the pres- ent edifice was completed. The Swedish Lutheran church was built in 1888, and the Congregational church bought this six years later. The hotel is owned and operated by J. D. Morris, present coro- mer of the county. Aside from being a well built town. Kirkland can boast of the largest sheep sheds on the Milwaukee road between Chicago and the mountains. They are owned and operated by John McQueen, and have a capacity of one hun- dred thousand sheep. The town is well supplied with stores of every nature and has been since its organization a prominent railroad center.
Fairdale, formerly known as Fielding, was platted in 1826 and for a time was much larger and more prosperous than Kirkland. The first building in this town was erected by Lewis Keith and he carried a line of general merchandise. L. W. King started the first drug store. Henry O'Rourke Imilt the first building. The Methodist church, which stood about three miles west of the village, was moved into Fairdale soon after it was started and a new building now replaces the old one and is one of the most spacions Methodist churches in the county. After Kirkland became a coaling and watering station. where all trains stopped, it grew rapidly, outstripping Fairdale on the west, and owing to its splendid railroad service does a freight business and the percentage of bnsi- ness is of greater proportion- than many towns four times its size.
Franklin furnished ninety-nine men for the na- tion during the Civil strife. and of the number entering the service quite a number became promi- nont. Among that number was Thomas W. Hum- phrey, who, being left an orphan at the age of
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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
eight years, struggled with the hardships of fron- tier life and began at a very young age to operate the farm owned by his mother. Ile acquired an excellent education for his circumstances, worked his way through the Beloit College, became deputy circuit elerk of De Kalb county, married at twen- ty-one, and during the same year purchased the Humphrey homestead. He was always a bold. brave, venturesome youth, whose integrity and manliness of character made every one his friend. For years he taught country school during the winter and in 1861 crossed the plains to California and on the expedition heroically rescued an emi- grant and his family from a tribe of hostile In- dians. Returning in 1862, he raised a company of volunteers from the borders of De Kalb. Boone and McHenry counties. Many of the boys enlist- ing in his regiment had been his students in the country school. This company was made a part of the Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry and Mr. Humphrey was elected major. He devoted himself with energy and ardor to the profession of arms and soon held a commanding position in the regi- ment. He was promoted to the position of lieu- tenant-colonel for meritorious service and upon the resignation of Colonel Avery was made colo- nel. He took part in the storming of Vicksburg on the 19th and 22d of May, 1863, was wounded on the first day, but continued at the head of the regiment. On the 22d he was ordered to lead his regiment across a bridge in the face of an enfilad- ing fire from the enemy. He put himself at the head of the regiment and was one of the three who finally passed over. He took refuge behind a hill and while here was stunned by the explosion of a shell and was reported killed, but during the night crawled back to camp. Horace Greeley in his valuable work. "A Great American Conflict." in giving his report of the disastrous battle of Gun- town, where Colonel Humphrey lost his life, says : "The command of the expedition in pursuit of Forest was given to General Sturgis in spite of the fact that he had proven himself an incom- petent officer." He speaks in highest terms of Colonel Humphrey. The army were compelled to march on double quick during the sultry forenoon of June 10th and were completely exhausted on reached the place of battle. Instead of waiting for his artillery and organizing his army for a gen- eral movement, General Sturgis ordered one regi-
ment to charge at a time. When the orders reached Colonel Humphrey he suggested to Gen- eral Sturgis that it would be better to wait until he could be supported by the regiment but that he was there to obey orders. Without any further conversation he headed his regiment for the enemy and was one of the first to lose his life. He was mortally wounded, placed in an ambulance, and carried twelve miles to the rear. but before reaching the destination he died from loss of blood, occasioned by the jar of the ambulance. His body was then taken in charge by one of his aids, placed in a single buggy and taken to Mem- phis, a distance of sixty miles. There the body was embalmed, placed in a steel casket and sent to his home in Franklin. His brevet as brigadier general was issued two days previous to his death and reached his home in Franklin while his body was a corpse at the old homestead. At the time of his death General Humphrey was twenty-nine years of age and no man in De Kalb county had a brighter military future. Beneath the old wal- nuts and oaks of the family home the largest con- course that ever 'assembled at a funeral in De Kall gathered to do honor to the memory of the martyred here. The funeral was conducted by Major-General Stephen Hulbert, of Belvidere, who escorted the remains from Memphis to Franklin. The funeral sermon was preached by W. A. Atch- ison, the Methodist preacher, who was chaplain of one of the regiments that went to the front in 1861. The Thomas W. Humphrey post, G. A. R .. was organized in Kirkland in 1885, with the Hon. Charles F. Myer as commander. Franklin sent John B. Nash, who became captain in the One Hundred and Fifth : Lieutenant Hiram Harring- ton, who died during the war; Lieutenant Samuel Munson, John M. Schoonmaker and John W. Burst, all of the One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Infantry. Lieutenant Burst entered the Fifteenth Infantry, but lost his sight while on duty in Mis- souri, by the poison of a scorpion. After nearly six months' blindness he recovered, and full of ardor for the great cause re-enlisted in the One IIundred and Fifth, and after two years' faithful service, in the battle of New Hope Church. he lost his leg by the explosion of a shell. His leg was amputated in the field hospital and the next day he was taken across the mountains forty-five miles to Kingston, Georgia. The second morning he
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
was placed on a train in the freight car and taken to Chattanooga. On arriving there he was at once carried into the receiving tent and the wound was examined. Gangrene had set in and he was ordered to the gangrene morgue. Another am- putation was promptly made, but the wound did not heal and a third amputation was made after his arrival at home about the middle of July. 1864. He was commissioned captain but never mustered in, the commission being received after the loss of his leg. Major Burst was appointed postmaster. in 1866, at Sycamore, and entering the railway mail service was appointed in Isst by Governor Oglesby as warehouse registrar and at the request of Jeremiah Rusk. secretary of agriculture, was appointed inspector of emigration in Chicago. In 1894 he was quartermaster general of the G. 1. R. In the fall of 1896, during the famous free silver campaign, he was one of a party or- ganized by General Alger and composed of Gen- erals Howard, Sickles, Stuart and Marden and Corporal Tanner. They made a tour of thirteen states in the interest of William McKinley. After MeKinley became president Major Burst was again appointed inspector of migration in Chicago, which office he is still holding.
The others who lost their lives and who enlisted for service in the war from the town of Franklin. we give the following: Thomas W. Humphrey. Iliram S. Harrington, W. Miles. Wesley Witter, John Stokes, Eustus Lusher. Henry Kline, Alonzo Randall, J. Il. Strawn. W .L .. Foss, C. E. Foss. A. G. Foss. S. L. Cronkhite, Isaac Weaver. Perry C. Rowan. Danford Gorham, J. G. Griffin and John Eckert.
In 1866 the Methodist church was built at Charter Oak, where a postoffice had been main- tained for many years. After the building of the railway and the building up of Kirkland, the Methodist church was organized there. People gradually removed from this locality into Kirk- land, so that at present the memberships of the Bethel church in Mayfield and of the Charter Oak church have been taken out, the members uniting with the organization at Kirkland. The Baptist church of Sycamore was organized in this town- ship in 1850. In 1904 the I. I. & M. road was l.uilt through the town of Franklin, touching Kirkland on the sonth.
The citizens of Franklin who are well known outside of the limits of their town are I. R. Drake, who was a farmer on section 29, served his town several years as supervisor. J. W. Ellithorpe. farmer and storekeeper east of the present village of Fairdale, He was a man of good ability and was at one time mentioned prominently as a can- didate for senator, and had it not been for the treachery of some of the politicians of his own town might have been nominated.
Hon. C. F. Myer was born in Germany and came to Franklin in 1862. Before a year had passed he had become proficient in the English language and was teaching a district school. He enlisted in the - regiment, returned to Franklin and married a daughter of John MI. Schoonmaker and engaged in farming. Mr. Myer, being a man of splendid attainments. succeeded well in business. served as town supervisor for many terms and in many other capacities. In 1892 he served in the legislature at Springfield and is at present visiting his mother, who still lives in Germany.
G. W. Ault, a product of De Kalb county, born in Mayfield township, attended district and graded schools, served as clerk in the bank at Kirkland. then assistant cashier and finally became a partner with D. B. Brown, upon whose death he succeeded to the busines> and is at present managing one of the strong financial institutions of the county. Mr. Ault is a man of but thirty-eight years and his sound business judgment and his success as a financier speaks well of his uncommon ability in this direction.
The sons of Daniel Gilchrist, one of the early pioneers. Warren. and Charles, have been promi- nent in township affairs. Warren served nearly a quarter of a century in the office of assessor, was a man respected and liked by every one. Ile died on his farm about ten years ago. Charles Gilchrist is a bachelor and leads rather a retiring life ; is a man well read and is of that nature that to know intimately is but to respect. Few men with the opportunities for an education that was offered him in pioneer days are better posted on current affairs than is Mr. Gilchrist. The only fault that we can fined with Charles is that his beautiful home east of the village was not shared by a mistress that might have added sunshine and made this bachelor even more happy and contented than he now is.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Another gentleman in the town of Franklin that deserves special mention is the genial Scotch gen- tleman, John McQueen. Born on the other side of the water, he had attained his majority when he left Auld Scotia's shore for the land of promise. IIe at present conducts the largest sheep industry in this section of the country. He at present owns the sheep sheds which have a capacity of one hun- dred and fifty thousand sheep. In addition he is the owner of fifteen hundred acres of land in the vicinity of Kirkland, which is used during the summer and fall for feeding the vast numbers of sheep that are brought to Kirkland from the west and are here prepared for final marketing. This industry naturally gives employment to a large number of people and gives a splendid demand for the produce of the farm. Two families of this township deserve especial mention and have con- tributed largely in the building up of this com- munity. W. T. Kirk, prominent in town and county affairs and at one time the largest land- owner in the township, settled here in 1837. He had a large family of children, who were engaged in business in Kirkland at different times. Wil- liam Rowan, progenitor of the Rowan family, set- tled here in the early '40s. He had a large family of sons, who had attained their manhood when they came to Franklin township. Boyd D. Rowan was one of the successful financiers of De Kalb county and organized the present Kirkland Bank. Stephen G. Rowan was prominently identified with the public affairs of Franklin township. He reared a family of five children, who are making excellent success in life. Bainbridge Dean in his life time was the owner of the "Prairie Home" farm of six hundred acres, was supervisor of his town for many years and in company with Boyd Rowan established the bank now owned by G. W. Ault.
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