USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 6
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
of the legal voters of Kane should on a given dar vote for such new county. The Geneva influence being then, as sinee, perhaps, the controlling one in relation to the county seat question in Kane of course, favored the measure, lest their county seat should be drawn from the "river," and it carried. Therefore, in pursuance of organic law the com- missioners' clerk of Kane ordered an election to be held at the house of Frederick Love for the election of county officers in the new county of De Kalb, July 3. 1837. The day of the election of county officers at last arrived. The settlers "by the grace of God." "free and independent" "from Norentt's to Driscoll's," were seen "flocking to the house of Frederick Love" and certain big trees thereunto belonging. for it soon became apparent that all could not begin to get in at once. Let it not be understood, however, that there is any de- sign to speak disparagingly of the old cabin of "Judge Love," for it was a very respectable look- ing shanty for those days and within and without betokened more than usual thrift, means and hos- pitality. There were some-alas! the truth may as well be told-too many for the security of wall disposed and honest settlers, who affected utter contempt for all "claim associations." calling them "land monopolies," declaring that one settler had just as good a right to cut down "Uncle Sam's timber" and fence up his prairie as another. This might have been true in the abstract and yet the first claimant and occupant entitled to the prefer- ence to just so much as was needful for him and no more. All pre-emption laws are based on this principle : "First come, first served." It was clearly seen by the more reflecting that if the contrary doctrine should prevail that all security to property in claims would be at an end ; "domes- tie tranquility could not be insured, nor could the "general welfare be promoted." Claim as- sociations must therefore be maintained and their authority respected or society would be dissolved into original chaos, each defending himself and his by his own right arm, that is if he was able. Ia what way can the reasonable claim of the settler be best secured until the lands shall be surveyed and brought into market was then the all-ab- sorbing question. Compared with this the ques- tion whether the "hero of Tippecanoe" or the "Foxy Dutchman of Kinderhook" should come to the presidential chair was of "no account." As
to a "tariff for revenue" or a "tariff for protec- tion" the settlers were in for one that should in- sure both. In a word, they found themselves di- vided into two parties, denominated "Claim jump- pers" and "Anti-claim jumpers." After the whit- tling, log-rolling, caucusing and liquoring the re- spective parties rally their hosts at the polls and quietly await the issue. On counting the votes it was found that the "Anti-Claim Jumpers" ticket was elected by a very handsome majority. Levi Lee. Rntus Colton and Robert Sterrett were elected county commissioners ; Joseph C. Lander, sheriff ; Jesse C. Kellogg, recorder; and thereupon the county commissioners. elect, immediately retired to the house of Rufus Colton, where "each admin- istered the oath of office to the other," as author- ized in "The act to create the county of De Kalb, appointed Jesse C. Kellogg, clerk of the county commissioners'court : Eli Barnes, county surveyor ; and Lysander Darling. county treasurer ; ordered a special term to be held in a few days at the same place to lay off the county into "justices' districts and election precincts" and before the guns of the glorious Fourth came booming over the "land of the free and the home of the brave" De Kalb was a "Sis" in the sisterhood of counties in the Prairie state. Of the county commissioners Hon. Levi Lee, now a citizen of Walworth county. Wiscon- sin. and as before stated a member of the legis- lature, alone survives. That kind hearted. worthy old settler, Lysander Darling, county treasurer, and it is believed Joseph C. Lander, the first sheriff. have gone down to the grave. Rufus Col- ton, the county commissioner in the central part of the county, was a native of New England and the son of a Congregational minister. Much of his early life was spent in a printing office, where he acquired the business tact and readiness of pen for which he was so justly celebrated. For several years he conducted a weekly journal called the Woodstock Observer in Windsor county. Ver- mont, was the first probate justice, the first clerk of the circuit court of DeKalb county: a warm hearted friend, and if from local causes ever au enemy, still a generous one. During the last years of his life a member of the Congregational church in Sycamore and sympathizing deeply with the "down trodden and oppressed" he has gone down to the grave and his remains repose in hope in the Methodist burial ground in Sycamore. Robert
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Sterrett, the county commissioner from Somonauk, -there being no room for him in the inn-when was by birth a Pennsylvanian, a man of uncom- the whole multitude, within and without promising integrity, and one always knew where "Began to feel, as well they might, The keen demands of appetite." to find him ; he was shrewd and discriminating. in politics a democrat : in religion a Calvinist Baptist, in claim matters, as true a man as "ever broke bread." He lived respected, and died lamented. His remains sleep quietly in his own loved Somo- nauk. Of the first county clerk and county sur- veyor, nothing need be said as they are "still liv- ing characters, known and read by all men."
April 26th, 1855.
The day for holding the special term of the county commissioners' court of De Kalb county. having at length fully come, self-made and con- stituted attorneys, men having business at court, boys and loungers, curious to see the "elephant" and how the thing worked. were scen pouring into the village of Coltonville from all directions. This village, being a common center between Levi Lee and Robert Sterrett. really in advance of most of the prospective paper towns of those days, the powerful competitor with Centerville, Brush Point, Centerville and Sycamore, or "Orange" as Syca- more was first called for the county seat. then con- sisted of a neat hewed "log cabin" with "linters" and fixtures, standing on the bluff. southeast of the present residence of (. S. Colton, overlooking the "Rapids" on the west fork of the south branch of the Kishwaukee, on, or near the site of the old "Indian Town" and containing under one roof, a dwelling house for a large family, a store. a post- office, a tavern, a justice, a physician and attor- neys' offices. In addition to the ordinary business, it so happened that on this memorable day some two or three sharply contested lawsuits were pend- ing before ".Justice Colton." and attorneys. parties, constables, jurors, witnesses, men wanting license to keep a "quiet and orderly house" where they could get their neighbors drunk in "pursuance of law" were soon seen in patient "waiting upon court." anxious to have their business done up. The county commissioners. from the "north and from the south country" had arrived. The county con- missioners of the interior, as may be well supposed, had an unusual "press of business." The clerk, having the records of the former court, in the top of his hat. half a quire of fools cap, sundry articles of stationery, and some of Rogers' best cutlery in his pockets, was already seen standing at the door
It was readily perceived that if the good land- lady was to get dinner for seventy-five or a hun- dred "hands" that she would need what little elbow room could well be spared in the kitchen, and how she did it must ever be to some an incomprehen- sible mystery, and yet she did, and behold it was very good. One thing is quite certain in those palmy days the prairie grass did not grow under the feet of that landlady. Business being urgent, however, it was thought best to locate a spare table in the shade on the north end of the house and open court out of doors. Sheriff Lander with the assistance of the bystanders, having set the table, and given it a business-like aspect and the Hon. Levi Lee having produced and laid thereon a "bound book," a cast of Merchant's Ledger with the old accounts torn out. the best that could be produced, it was proclaimed in stentorian tones at last that "the county commissioners' court of DeKalb county was in session and ready for business." The court having taken a recess for dinner and again resumed business, applications for merchant and tavern licenses were presented and granted. of course, on the condition that the applicant file a bond, pay a certain sum into the treasury together with the sum of one dollar for the use of the clerk, agreeably to "the statute in such case made and provided." The court also proceeded to divide the county into justice districts and election precincts and to determine the place of holding elections in each election precinct. It may here be necessary to explain that "justice districts" and "election precinets" though not necessarily. yet for the sake of con- venience, were made in DeKalb to inelnde the same territory. it being the object of the first to supply the people with the necessary justices and constables, and it being the object of the second to supply the same with convenient places for the exercise of the elective franchise in all elections for county and state officers. This mode of trans- acting local business with such amendments and alterations as circumstances from time to time required, was kept up until superseded by town- ship organization. under the new constitution. the lines. determining the bounds of these sub-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
divisions-there being "no survey line" in the county-of course, were sometimes quite uncer- tain. One would think the line to be "hur" an- other "thar," but it was universally conceded that the east line of the county began "some- whar near the Big Slough Bridge, east of Win- slow Norcutt's or where Homer Roberts now lives," consequently quite a portion of Kane county, sometimes called "Upper Canada" and sometimes the "Arab Settlement" were "bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh."
In relation to the names of groves-Somonauk takes its name from the creek bearing the same name, and in old times could be safely spelt in any way that first came to hand. "Squaw" Grove has its name thus because it was much frequented by the squaws when the men were gone on their hunt- ing excursions and "Pappoose Grove" because Pappoose may be a little squaw. "Ross Grove" from Joseph Ross, the first settler; "Johnson's" from Johnson, the first settler, "Paw-Paw" from Paw-Paw in Michigan or some other place; "Lost Grove," because it seemed to have strayed away from all the rest of the groves and to have got lost and there stopped. The chains of groves southwest of Sycamore, united by isthmuses, and perhaps by a common sympathy, of course, would be called "Union Grove." Most of the early settlers in the grove southeast of Sycamore, having come from Ohio, what more natural than that it should re- ceive the name of "Ohio Grove"? The beautiful little grove a little northeast from Sycamore was so named because a Norwegian doctor by the name of Norbeau. first settled there. The grove further northeast "Charters" because a Frenchman by that name was its first settler, and the grove northwest of Sycamore "Big Grove," because when compared with other groves it was big. "Hickory Grove" north of Genoa is so called because hickory is su abundant there, and last of all Driscoll's Grove took its name from the far-famed Driscolls, one of whom had settled here, from whence he was kid- napped and taken to a little grove in Ogle county, by a company of lynchers, where he, with his father, after undergoing the mock forms of a trial and conviction, were shot down like dogs and tumbled into a common grave. Humanity shud- ders at the thought of this bloody transaction. In truth it might be said, however, that the horde stealing. robberies and murders of the "banditti"
of the prairie, had become, it was thought, intol- erable. Yet it cannot be safely argued that the end "justified the means." None of the old neigb- bors of the Driscoll, shot from this grove, believed him to be connected in any of these enormities, though his father and relations might have been. The old scripture principle that "the son should not bear the iniquity of the father" it seemed, was of no avail to him. After the massacre of the Driscolls, this grove took the name of "South Grove," because it lies south of the main body of timber on the Kishwaukee, which name it still re- tains.
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The pioneers located on the southern sides of groves in sunny exposures beside streams and springs, and fenced only as much land as would suffice for a little corn and gave themselves up generally to the pleasures of the chase, game being abundant. They were hardy people, fond of pioneer life, regardless of the forms and ceremo- nial restraints of advanced civilization, but noted for their neighborly kindness and hospitality.
Many of them moved farther west when too many settlers crowded around them and hunted game on "their preserves." Thus many who came in 1835 left no record of their stay here, and we can only record the names of those who settled permanently, and even many of those who were permanent settlers have been forgotten.
In 1836 the spring did not open propitiously for the new settlers in the Kishwaukee distriet. All the timber land had been elaimed and big prices were demanded by claimants for portions of the timber not already occupied. Every item of food except fish and game was scarce, and there was no mill nearer than Green's mills at Ottawa. Many settlers this year pounded their corn in In- dian mortars with pestles and no wheat flour was obtainable for months at a time. The decaying sod and sluggish streams and standing pools caused nearly every one to shake with ague. "Pov- erty, rags, a scarcity diet and the shakes were the fashion of the times," and medical attendance was in some cases of "fever and ague" out of the question, and what they did have was of a primi- tive character. Some of the people who could get no medical attention, had Indian medicine men
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
try their skill which was by incantation or as old settlers afterward expressed it "cured by pow wow."
Those who died were buried in coffins made by coopers or carpenters. for in those days there were many pioneers who had served as apprentices and had learned trades. Few of the early graves are marked. but in some instances the first burials were the beginning of some of our cemeteries. The burial of Mrs. Peyton Russell in Kingston in 1836 marked the beginning of the pretty Kingston cent- etery : that of David Ilall in the Genoa cemetery.
In the fall of 1836 an election was held and Orange precinct with "Syckamore." then north of the creek. as the voting place, and Somonauk pro- cinet then included all of what is now the south half of the county. were parts of LaSalle county. Van Buren had two hundred and thirty-five and Harrison ninety-three votes. Dr. Henry Madden; the democratie candidate from Orange precinct. defeated his whig opponent by a vote of one hun- dred and eighty-nine to one hundred and forty- eight. August 1. 1836, the Orange precinct elect- ed Mark Daniels justice of the peace and Joel Jenks constable.
Henry Madden, of Brush Point. now Mayfield, was a man of education. intelligence and shrewd- ness. and represented a district comprising all the territory north of Iroquois county to the state line, and its western boundary was the Rock river and the eastern boundary. Cook county. When time came for him to leave Vandalia he started on horseback. rode to Ottawa, stayed all night, passed through Bloomington. Decatur, following nearly the line now marked by the Illinois Cen- tral Railroad after he left Bloomington. traveling over two hundred miles.
The creation of a new county was urged upon Dr. Madden as Geneva was too far to go to trans- act business at the county seat and the roads were almost impassable at times, and there were no bridges over the streams. Another fact that urged the Kishwaukee district to separation was the fact that some villages had been started at different points and the town boomers hoped the county seat might be a factor in building up their town.
The southerners did not always have their court house in a town, and the southern people being in a majority were apt to try to locate one without regard to the future of a prospective city. The
chief business of the state legislature was at that period to create new counties, and if many of the more populous communities could have had their way one hundred and two would not be the number of counties at present.
The year 183: saw a large addition to the pop ulation of our county and all of the present town- ships were settled except Malta. Milan, Afton, Pierce and Victor, and they were considered un- desirable because they had no timber nor running streams and game on the prairie was not as plenti- ful as in the timber. Many of our first settlers came from timbered countries and those who first moved upon the prairies were thought to be fool- hardy to go so far from wood and water and the protection afforded by the woods in winter. The hard times borne by the settlers during 1836 had a quieting effect upon claim jumpers and they went cast to their former homes or passed on to other fields of conquest.
Sawmills were erected along the banks of the Kishwaukee and for a time the people purchased the output for new house> as fast as lumber could be manufactured, and to this day there are many buildings standing made from our hardwood in- digenous to our state. that for lasting qualities are better than the new pine lumber of this day.
On the Ith day of March, 183 ;. the act for the creation of the county of De Kalb was passed and in the same bill the counties of Stephenson. Win- nebago and Boone were created if this should be sanctioned by the whole body of voters in the respective counties from which they were de- tached. The whole act. although containing some irrelevant matter, is here given :
"AN ACT TO CREATE CERTAIN COUNTIES THERE- IN NAMED.
"See. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assem- bly. That all that tract of country within the following boundaries, to wit : commencing on the northern boundary of the state where the section line between sections three and four. in town
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
twenty-nine north, range five east of the fourth principal meridian. strikes said line, thence east on the northern boundary of the state, to the range line between ranges nine and ten east, hence south on said range line to the northern boundary of Ogle county, thence west on the northern boundary of Ogle county to and passing the northwest corner of the county to the line between sections thirty-three and thirty-four in township twenty-six north, range five east, thence north to the place of beginning. shall form a county to be called Stephenson, as a tribute of respect to the late Colonel Benjamin Stephenson.
"Sec. 2. That the boundaries of Winnebago county shall be as follows, to wit: commencing on the state line at the northeast corner of the county of Stephenson. thence east on the state line to the section line between sections five and six, in township forty-six north. range three east of the third principal meridian, thence south on said section line to the south boundary of town- ship forty-three north. range three cast, thence west on said township line, to the third principal meridian, thence north on said meridian to the southeast corner of town-hip twenty-six north, range eleven east of the fourth principal meri- dian, thence west on said line to the range line between ranges nine and ten cast. thence north to the place of beginning.
"Sec. 3. And that all that tract of country be- ginning at the northeast corner of township forty- six north, range four east, thence south with the line dividing range four and five cast, to the southwest corner of township forty-three north, thence west on said line to the southeast corner of Winnebago county, thence north to the place of beginning on the north boundary of the state, shall form a county to be called Boone in memory of Colonel Daniel Boone, the first settler of the State of Kentucky.
"Sec. 4. That all that tract of country begin- ning at the southeast corner of township thirty- seven north. range two east of the principal meri- dian, thence north to the northeast corner of town- ship forty-two north, range two, east of the third principal meridian, and thence along the northern boundary of township forty-two in ranges three. four and five, east of the third principal meridian, thence south on the southeast corner of township thirty-seven north, range five east, thence west on
said township line. to the place of beginning, shall form a county to be called De Kalb.
"Sec. 5. The counties of Stephenson, Boone and De Kalb hereby created shall be organized in the following manner, to wit: for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice of Stephen- son county. the following persons are appointed commissioners, viz : Vance L. Davidson and Isaac Chambers, of JJo Daviess county, and Minor York, of Ogle county, who, or a majority of them, be- ing duly sworn before some justice of the peace of this state, faithfully to take into view the con- venience of the people. the situation of the settle- ments, with an eye to future population and eligi- bility of the place shall meet at the house of Wil- liam Baker, in said county, on the first Monday in May next, or as soon thereafter as may be, and proceed to examine and determine on a place for the permanent seat of justice for said county, and designate the same: Provided, that said county seat shall be located on lands belonging to the United States, not occupied by the citizens of said county, if a site for said county seat on such lands can be found equally eligible, or upon lands claimed by citizens of said county; but if said location shall be made upon land claimed by any individual in said county, or any individual hav- ing pre-emption right or title to the same, the claimant or proprietor upon whose lands, claim or pre-emption right the said seat of justice may be located, shall make a deed in fee simple to any number of acres of said tract. not less than twenty to the said county; or in lieu thereof such claim- ant or owner or owners of such pre-emption right shall donate to the said county at least three thou- sand dollars to be applied to building county Imildings, within one year after locating of said county seat, and the proceeds of such quarter section. if the county seat shall be located upon government lands as aforesaid. or the proceeds of such twenty acres of land if it be located on lands claimed or owned by an individual or individuals ; or the said three thousand dollars in case such claimant, or owner or owners, shall elect to pay that sum in lieu of the said twenty acres, shall be appropriated to the erection of a sufficient court house and jail; and until public buildings are erected for the purposes the courts shall be held at such place as the county commissioners shall direct.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF DE KALB COUNTY.
"Sec. 6. An election shall be held at the house of William Baker, in said county, on the first Monday of May next, for one sheriff, one coroner, one recorder, one county surveyor, three county commissioners and one clerk of the county com- missioners' court, who shall hold their offices until the next succeeding general election and until their successors are elected and qualified; which said election shall be conducted in all respects agreeably to the provisions of the law regulating elections : Provided, That the qualified voters present may elect from among their own number three qualified voters to act as judges of said election, who shall appoint two qualified voters to aet as clerks.
"Sec. ". For the purpose of fixing the perma- ment county seat of Boone county the following named persons are hereby appointed commission- ers, viz: John M. Wilson of Will county. James Day of La Salle county and James H. Wood- worth of Cook county, who or a majority of them being first duly sworn before some justice of the peace of this state. as required in the fifth sec- tion of this act. shall meet at the house of Simon P. Doty, in said county. on the fourth Monday in April next. or as soon thereafter as may be. and shall proceed as is required in the fifth sec- tion of this act. to locate the county seat of said Boone county.
"Sec. S. For the purpose of fixing the perma- nent seat of justice for the county of De Kalb, Benjamin Thruston of La Salle county. James Walker of Cook county and Germanicus Kent of Winnebago county are hereby appointed commis- sioners, who or a majority being first duly sworn before some justice of the peace of this state. as is required in the fifth section of this act. shall meet at the house of Frederick Love in said coun- ty, on the first Monday in June next. or as soon thereafter as may be, and shall proceed in all respects as is required in the fifth section of this act : provided. That the qualified voters of Kane county shall meet at the usual places of holding elections in said county on the first Monday in May next and vote for or against the county of De Kalb. and if a majority of said voters shall be in favor of making the said county. then the county of De Kalb shall be created. but if it shall appear that there is a majority against the divi- sion then the said county shall remain as it now is
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