USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 45
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giving up his trade after having a long and bitter contest, and he soon afterward moved away. Look- ing back over nearly twenty-seven years spent in this city, during which time the temperance senti- ment has predominated, the writer believes he can see the effects of temperance on the rising gener- ations. He knows of many towns the same size where the leading citizens are heavy drinkers and where many families mourn the loss of the head through strong drink and the parents are today battling with this evil in their children.
The people of today could scarcely be made to believe that as late as 1860 the best farms in this section would scarcely bring twenty dollars an acre, and other land, fairly improved for the times, could be bought for fifteen dollars per acre. The writer has been offered farms in this county as low as five dollars per acre and has bought and sold in this township at fifteen dollars. We look upon the rapid settlement of some sections as phe- nomenal, and it is true, but scarcely more so than in this county, where in 1843 the one hundred and sixty acres upon which our county seat is located was subject to entry and was entered by three citi- zens of the county, they trusting the county for their pay. The year 1856 was a fairly prosperous one, and all the products brought good prices. During the last years of the '50s labor of all kinds was low, as we have seen, the best laborers asking employment at one dollar a day and finding little at such starvation prices, but living was cheap, corn being twelve and fifteen cents a bushel, wheat forty to sixty cents, but after all people adapted themselves to the times and everybody was happy.
In 1861 the war came and with it an impetus to every department of work and business. Speak- ing of the war reminds us that Sandwich had the honor of having the first nniformed company to the front raised in the state. Immediately on ar- rival of the news of the firing on Fort Sumter and the need of men, a meeting was called for volun- teers and the call met a ready response. As soon as it was known that a company was going from here under command of L. H. Carr, a veteran of the Mexican war. a meeting of those willing to assist was called. J. H. Carr, who had erected a large store, placed it at the disposal of the citi- zens and then on a quiet Sabbath day gathered the men and women of the little village to uniform the brave company who were to march so soon to the
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front. Sewing machines and willing hands were set to work, so that at the arrival of the train which was to bear them away all were fitted with cheap clothes, but they presented quite a soldierly appearance. It was a busy time. war was a new factor and none could surmise how long it would be before the soldiers would return, and as the newly made soldier- marched out every head was bowed in grief. Captain L. H. Carr might be called a native of this county. He came to Sand- wich and engaged in the grain trade. Hle was a public spirited and enterprising business man. ITis counsel and cash were ever at the disposal of his friends. and because of these pleasant qualities he was not a successful accumulator of wealth. With the first call to arms he enlisted, and when the rank> were full his experience in military affairs and the general favor in which he was held placed him at the head of the company, so eagerly forc- ing itself into service. This company went to Chi- cago. thenee to Cairo. where they were placed on guard over the city. which was in hour- ly expectation of invasion from without and insurrection from within. This com- pany became a part of the old Tenth Reg- iment. doing valiant anty. Captain Carr was killed by a sharpshooter at Island No. 10. It was the first company to enter the field, so it was with the last mustered out. Organized as three months men in April, 1861. it was reorganized as three year- men in the United States service in July. and when the term of enlistment was out in 1864. re-enlisted as veterans, following Sherman in his proud march to the sea. How long ago this all seems to us who participated in it, and yet we have men on the young side of life who were sol- diers in this strife. and the few who went out in this company remained until its discharge in 1865. Among those honored names are: Captain D. R. Ballon. a prosperous farmer of Kendall county, who went out as sergeant and returned as captain : F. A. Munson, who also went out as ser- geant and returned with the same rank: Edward Hovell. who died in the service in 1862: George Woodward. now foreman of a large lumber firm in
Moline. Illinois: John M. Culver. a merchant : Thomas Corke. a musician. and Edward Ester- brook. Alas! alas ! how many events of those days are brought to mind when we mention these names.
M. B. Castle was the first banker in this locality and continued in business until the time of his
death. S. B. Stinson was the first attorney. One of the largest manufacturing industries of the county and the pioneer in this field was the Sand- wich Manufacturing Company, organized by An- gustus Adams & Sons. It is now a stock com- pany, with L. W. Simmons, president : G. W. Culver. vice-president : J. B. Adams, secretary and treasurer : W. C. Phelps. assistant : H. A. Adams, superintendent : C. H. Lowe. buying and shipping clerk : J. W. Sweet, bookkeeper : E. M. Hills. ad- vertising clerk; Il. L. Hills. traveling agent. and J. H. Kearns. assistant. The Sandwich Manufac- turing Company is now extending its operations and getting into the harness for winter work. They find their business constantly increasing with each year and need to improve their machinery and increase their force. In the machinery room, under the charge of Motte Eames. they are now employing about thirty men, with the probability of having to increase to forty soon. They are now at work at corn shellers. In the molding room, in charge of John Ledoyt. there are about thirty men, and they are molding and casting four and a half tons of iron per day into the various patterns required for this business. Everything moves there with the precision of clock work. The genial Sam Mitten has charge of the furnace. One of the most curious engines is used for making ma- chine keys. There is no other one like it in the world. and as a consequence this company sells vast quantities of their keys, supplying among others the MeCormick factory. to which they have just shipped two tons. One machine does the work of eight men and does it much better. The elevators are superintended by J. B. Doan, who has long been in the employ of this company. Away in one corner is a quiet room where Robert Jenks and S. Perrago amuse themselves in making patterns, and here day after day these men delve in this most important position. where. if they make an error all subsequent labor is worthless. but they make none.
The Enterprise Company is under the manage- ment of I. I. Rogers. president : J. H. Culver. vice-president : G. R. Wallace, Henry Packer. Wil- liam Davis, William Marks and F. Baldwin. B. F. Latham is secretary and William Radley assistant. Mr. Packer is the genial superintendent of the place. All who have been residents of this place for years know of the ability of Mr. Packer. which
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has been put to practical use by this enterprising company. It has twenty-five men employed, with the intention of increasing during the winter. Ben Latham is still secretary, assisted by William Rad- ley. and under the care of these gentlemen every- thing will be kept in good order. The company has just shipped one of their wind mills to Brazil, being the second sent to this country, and these are the forerunners of a large trade. The com- pany is now building the A. II. Packer sheller and are now giving their attention to the manu- facture of barb wire. Burr Kennedy has had charge of the blacksmith shop since it started. and still retains the position. T. W. Beale is the pat- tern maker, while Porter Barnes has charge of the paint room and G. Wallace is engineer.
Some years ago R. W. Love in the examination of the Marsh harvester saw where he thought he could make a decided improvement, and after some time he brought out a new harvester, being inter- ested in this with T. L. French. He had acquired large experience and a large trade in these ma- chines, and he succeeded the Sandwich Enterprise Company in the organization of the Harvester Company. This business is very intimately con- nected with the Sandwich Manufacturing Com- pany. The Harvester Company control the terri- tory, while the Sandwich Manufacturing Company look after the machines and repairs.
The city of Sandwich perfected an organization November 19, 1872. The mayor elected was W. W. Sedgwick. The aldermen were H. A. Adams, Jones, Brigham. Wallace, Enos Doan and M. B. Eames.
The Lathams early settled in this community. Joseph Latham. father of Thomas and Hubbard Lathan. was of Connecticut birth and had been long engaged in the fish business in New York. He was a man of superior business ability and at times held controlling interest in the Fulton mar- ket. the great fountain of supply for New York city. The Latham family first came to Bristol in the '30s and visited Somonauk to attend a camp meeting on
Somonank creek. and was told that a claim was for sale. Here Mr. Latham found the first camp meet- ing he had ever seen, about a mile and a quar- ter north of this city. Dr. Arnold was one of its leading spirits. Satisfied with the location and land he purchased the claim in 1838. turning the horse that he had ridden in as part of the purchase
price. After this Mr. Latham returned to New York for his family and to close up business. He induced his brothers, Joseph and Hubbard, to ac- company him. The emigration here brought Cap- tain Pratt, J. H. Furman and many others. Mr. Latham started for the Pacific coast during the gold excitement of 1849 and after a trip of six months their ox teams at last were on the shores of the Pacific. There he spent five years, returning home considerably enriched. He gave his farm to the family and again returned to California on a trip lasting seven years. Other members of the family visited California and accumulated consid- erable property. One of the brothers started to this locality from Albany, New York, by way of the Erie canal to Buffalo, thence took a high pres- sure steamer, named General Wayne, for Chicago. The trip lasted two weeks. At Chicago they hired a three-horse team to bring them to Somonauk, where they landed on the 22d day of September. 1838. About the first week Mr. Latham helped mud up a log house for the winter and assisted in building a stick chimney. The winter was passed in making preparation for the next summer's farming, getting out tools, etc. Some of the amusements for the boys up Somonauk creek were the hunting of the wolf, the deer. the prai- rie chicken, and occasionally a horse race. Besides there was the usual enjoyment of parties in "stay- ing up with the girls." but these were rather scarce. The leaders of society among the young ladies were the two daughters at Mr. Potier's, two at Esterbrooks, at. Squaw Grove, Miss Beveridge, the two Harman girls, two at Piersons, the three daughters of Mr. Lay, three Furmans, three at Clark's. Miss Fay and Miss Price, making quite a society of young people.
In order to market the grain the settlers took the usual trip to Chicago. On one occasion when they had got to the Halfway House, the flat was covered with water and the barn floor was also covered with ten inches of water where the horses stood through the night, and from there to Chi- cago they waded through inud and water. selling their grain at thirty-seven and a half cents a bush- el, bringing back a load of goods. These trips consumed five or six days. The custom of this sec- tion was to carry your own lunch and feed for the horses, paying for nothing but lodging, supper and breakfast. with the horses to hay.
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Mr. Israel Rogers, another of the pioneers of this community, came here in 1842, and the next year bought forty acres of land for fifty dollars and pre-empted one hundred and twenty. When the time expired to prove his pre-emption claim he was still unable to pay for it and got his hired man to pre-empt. When this time expired h+ gathered together his wheat saved for that pur- pose. and just as he was ready to start to Chicago with it there came a hard rain, rendering the roads impassable. He started on foot, leaving hi: team and wheat to follow, and with his papers made his way to Chicago to the bank of R. D. Swift to borrow the thirty dollars required until his wheat could get in. Here he got a loan of thirty dollars by turning over to Mr. Swift his claim on the one Iindred and twenty acres. all to be forfeited if he did not redeem in ten days, he to pay a dollar a day for the use of the thirty dol- lars. In eight days the wheat was in and sold, and Mr. Rogers repaid the thirty dollars and was in undisputed possession of one hundred and sixty aeres. The next year he ran two breaking teams and began to get ahead. Four years after he pur- chased another eighty and has continued to pur- chase since, until he now owns eight hundred acres of land here. having given away two farms to his children here and one to a son in lowa. Besides this. he owns four hundred acres in Ford county, Illinois, with large landed interests in lowa. Mr. Rogers long ago adopted the faith of the Latter Day Saints, and because of his shrewd business ability he has been placed in the responsible posi- tion of bishop of that church. Mr. Rogers has ever faithfully performed his d'uties, and that he has been willing to aid with his counsel and means is also true. The writer, when carrying on his business amid adversities from 1848 to 1851. Mr. Rogers came to him unsolicited and told him if he needed aid he would lend it. The time has never come when the help was needed. but it speaks just as forcibly for the generous nature of the man as if it had been granted.
Almon Gage, one of the best known of our citi- zens and the original founder of Sandwich, at- tained his full maturity before he got the western fever. being forty years old when he decided to move. At that time he was living in Wyoming county. New York, where he had accumulated quite a property, enough to purchase a farm, all
of which was swallowed np by unfortunate en- dorsement for friends. This proved to be a bless- ing in disguise, as it determined him on the re- moval. so he packed his family and goods on one of the prairie schooners of the day and started overland for his new home. lle located in the town of Somonauk. his brother Alvirus having preceded him. His family consisted of wife and three children : Almarin, now living here but en- gaged in business in Chicago; Jesse, the unfor- tunate victim of a rebel bullet in the late war : and Eliza. now the wife of George W. Davis. When he directed his course to Somonauk he scarcely ex- pected to locate there. but finally decided to do so and purchased a claim of A. Grover for five hun- dred dollars, besides securing from the government one hundred aeres. so that he had two hundred acres of valuable land, on which the city was after- ward located. He was a good business man and. was far sighted, undertaking enterprises while others doubted.
August Adams. aside from his business connec- tions, was nominated and elected for state senator, and in 1855 voted for Lyman Trumbull. who was eleeted United States senator. Mr. Lineoln was the candidate of the whigs. and General Shields of the democrats. Mr. Lincoln withdrew when he only lacked six votes of the election and urged his friends to support Lyman Trumbull. Mr. Adams was opposed to the Kansas and Nebraska bill and later became a stalwart republican. As it was in the olden times, he was esteemed and it was an honor to he associated with a man like MEr. Adams. He had nine children. all sons but one, a flower plucked in infancy. These men have grown to be considered among the most useful and respected of their localities. Mr. Adams is always to be found on the side of the weak, always stand- ing manfully against viee. always upholding the best interests of the times in his community and in the nation.
Wells A. Fay came to this state in 1836 from Onondaga county, New York, at the age of twenty- two years, following his friend. John T. Carr, who came and looked up a location for the family, com- ing by lake and canal to Detroit. He, in company with several others. hired a conveyance to take thein aeross the state of Michigan, reaching Chi- eago in September, 1836. Starting out from Chi- eago. he reached Holderman's Grove. then the post-
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office for this region, where twenty-five cents had to be paid for a letter, and making his departure he swam the Fox river two miles below Milling- ton, and Mr. Carr, looking out for a claim having timber, finally located it on Somonauk creek, on his present farm. That fall his father and the family came, but the father died in Chicago from exposure incident to the journey at that inelement season of the year. Mr. Fay commenced a home immediately on his location of land, doing such work as he could find, such as splitting rails in the fall, in the winter teaching school, and the next spring he commenced active work on the farm, taking his mother, then sixty-three years old, as matron of the establishment, and a niece, two years old, afterwards Mrs. John Merritt. In 1842 Mr. Fay married Harriett, eldest daughter of Sam- uel II. Lay. The first house Mr. Fay built in the fall of 1836 was a primitive log house, in which he lived about six years. building twice since, erect- ing the present house in 1856. Mr. Fay has in his home farm one hundred and sixty acres under the best improvement, which he is still managing per- sonally. When he came to this locality he had not money enough to pay his way. being compelled to walk part of the distance from Chicago to Ilolderman's Grove. The last night out he stopped at a little town called Shanahan, almost worn out with his walking, having been turned away from three places before he could find a place to stop over night. When he commenced he had no means and had to get a day's work so he could get along until he could raise a crop. He worked for a farmer, taking his pay entirely in breaking, and by that means he got five acres broken the first season. While he was away from home his mother and niece would not see a neighbor for over a week. He has been especially active as a Christian worker, always being on the side of good morals, and the fruits of his good judgment have developed into Christian workers in his children.
REMINISCENCES OF L. P. KELLOGG.
L. P. Kellogg contributes the following as his experience of pioneer life: . He came to Illinois in the fall of 1844 and spent the first winter in the town of Harmony, MeHenry county. moving on his farm in Genoa township in the spring of 1845. where he broke enough land for temporary use, spending the remainder of his time in team-
ing. tle used to make the trip to Chicago with anything he could procure, returning with mer- chandise and immigrants. His hotel was where night overtook him on the way. He generally did his teaming with horses, but at times drove from three to five yoke of oxen. He was married Jan- mary 20, 1847. The week after his marriage he went to move a family from near Belvidere to near Ottawa and came near losing his life. He started with four horses, but only got home with two. After reaching Ottawa he concluded to take back with him a load of coal. There was no well defined wagon road, but only an Indian trail to follow. In crossing a slough on his return the wagon broke through the ice and settled in the water and earth up to the hub. He could not get out without unloading and had to carry the entire load by hand a distance of ten rods. His fingers were all bleeding and he suffered intensely from the cold, but there was no help for it; the work had to be done and there was no house within twenty miles. He left the coal and drove hard to make some house to shelter himself and team, but too late. One of those winter blizzards came on with hail and rain. His team could not follow the trail and it was soon so dark that it was impossible to see anything. There was no cover on his wagon to shelter himself, nothing for his team to eat, the winds howling like demons and he lost in the wilderness. He concluded his best course was to unhitch his team, tie each horse to a wagon wheel and wait till the coming of the morn. His team was tired out, the trail was lost and it would have been folly to attempt traveling any more that night. Covering the horses as best he could, he then took the end gate out of his wagon and holding it before him to break the force of the wind he walked around the wagon the entire night. The night was a long and hard one, but hope was kept alive within him by think- ing of his newly wed wife at home. Two of his horses died before morning, chilled to death.
On this trip he passed near the old log house on Indian creek, where twenty-one white women and children were massacred by the Indians. This trip was only one out of many hard ones that he experienced while following teaming. He lost five horses in the first four years. Once when the thermometer registered forty degrees blow zero lie
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lay out, wandering on the open prairie the entire night. having lost his way in one of those blizzards. He did not dare to stop walking. nor give way to the desire for sleep, for he well knew that death would follow.
Thinking a good dog would be some comfort to his wife when he was away. he bought a young pup and took him home, but one night the wolves came up to his house. carried him off and killed him.
Mr. Kellogg took up his claim on section 3. Genoa township in 1845, where he still lives. He says that although he has had a hard time in life. he has the satisfaction of knowing that he was never sued nor sned any man in his life. He has tried to live in peace with his neighbors, enjoying their respect and esteem. In 1855 he experienced religion, since which time he has tried to live a consistent Christian life. although connected with no religious society. The Bible is his daily study and daily he gathers his household around him and offers up prayer and praise to God.
SIXTY YEARS AGO.
HISTORICAL ADDRESS BY HON. S. B. STINSON.
In the month of June, 1851. just 46 years ago, I left a temporary home in Troy, New York, to which place I had come three years before from the home of my childhood among the hills of the Granite state. With no certain point of destina- tion in view, but fully determined to make for my- self a home somewhere in the Great West, which at that time was already attracting the attention of the somewhat over-populated East. I purchased a ticket by railway to Buffalo, beyond which no railroad had then been constructed. A voyage of five days by the good steamer "Illinois," as | well remember the name. took us the length of noble Lake Erie, more than 250 miles up the Detroit. river, past the city of that name, then not as large as Aurora now is, through Lakos St. Clair and Huron. through the Straits of Mackinac. past the old fort on the island of the same name, then maintained by the government. whose white walls fairly glistened in the rays of the rising sun, whilst we lay-to long enough to discharge and re- ceive freight and passengers, and to lay in a good supply of Mackinaw trout for breakfast: then on
over the waters of beautiful Lake Michigan for another day and night, when in the quiet of a Sunday morning we made our landing at Milwau- kee. a little city of 20,000 inhabitants then, but a very ambitious and hopeful rival of the city of Chicago, distant about 80 miles up the lake. and then containing a population by the census of the preceding year-1850-of a little less than 30.000. After two or three days spent in Milwaukee and vicinity, I took a steamer again for Chicago, where I landed on the 20th day of June. Here I found a bustling little city, somewhat larger than Aurora now is, but having great expectations, which. as we all know. have been realized far beyond their wildest dreams. It is scarcely possible to make real to the mind the wonderful transformation in the spare of 16 years which has taken place in the then little city by the lake. Its area, then a few sections of land clustered about the month of the river. now covers more than 18; square miles. Its population then 30,000 and now nearly 2.000.000 of people. Of railroads Chicago then had only a line of 40 miles, extending to Aurora, with a short branch to St. Charles, a single track of strap rails, that is a strip of iron abont like a heavy wagon tire, spiked down upon pine timbers resting upon cross ties, and this was the only railroad then existing in the great State of Illinois. except- ing another line of abont 50 miles of the same style of construction extending from Springfield to Naples on the Illinois river.
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