USA > Illinois > Peoria County > Peoria > Peoria city and county, Illinois; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 20
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During the period between 1821 and 1825 a number of new settlers arrived in the territory now embraced in Peoria county. Among those who settled at Peoria were William Eads, brother of Abner Eads, Judge James Latham, with whom John Hamlin had made his home in Madison county ; Joseph A. Moffat and his three sons, Alvah, Aquilla B. and Franklin, also two Miss Moffatts, daughters ; Isaac Funk, Norman Ilyde, Elijah Hyde, William Holland, John Dixon, Isaac Waters, George Sharp and Dr. Augustus Langworthy.
From an assessment made in the year 1825 by John L. Bogardus, the distri- bution of population and wealth of the new county of Peoria is well shown. At Peoria the following named persons were assessed in the amounts here given : Archibald Allen, $150; Noah Beauchamp, Sr., $200; Noah Beauchamp, $200; Jolın Barker, $400; John L. Bogardus, $500; Joseph Bryant, $300; Cornelius Brown, $150: John Dixon, $350; William Eads, $350; Abner Eads, $800; Sam- tel Fulton, $300; Isaac Funk, $200; Jesse Harrison, $50; John Hamlin, $400; William Holland, $800; E. and N. Hyde, $700; Jacob M. Ilunter, $50; Charles Love, $150 ; Augustus Langworthy, $200; J. Latham, $300; Philip Latham, $100; Daniel Like, $50; Alvah Moffatt, $60; Aquilla Moffatt, $40; Jesse McLaree, $25; llenry Neely, $150; Martin Porter, $100; Amherst C. Ransom, $100; George Sharp, $600; Joseph Van Scoik, $50; Isaac Waters, $100.
At Chicago the following assessments were made: John B. Beaubein, $1,000; Jonas Clyborne, $625 ; John K. Clark, $250 ; John Crafts, $5,000; Jerry Clermont, $100; Louis Cantra, $50; John Kinzie, $500; Joseph Laframboise, $50; C. La- framboise, $100; David Mckee, $100; Peter Piche, $100; Alexander Wolcott, $572; Antoine Wilmette, $400 thirteen in all.
At the Trading House ( Wesley City) Antoine Alscome, $50; Francis Bour- bonne. $200; Louis Beabor, $700; Francis Bourbonne, Jr., $100-four in all.
At Mackinaw Point ( near which is the village of Dillon) Allen S. Dougherty, $100; Walter Dillon, $250; Nathan Dillon, $400; Absalom Dillon, $200; Thomas Dillon, $300 : Jesse Dillon, $727; John Dillon, $93; William Davis, $200; Hugh Montgomery, $200; Alexander McNaughton, $150; Eli Redmon, $35; Henry Redmon, $35; Peter Scott, $50-thirteen in all.
At Ten Mile Creek, William Blanchard, $150; Elza Bethard, $275; Reuben Bratton, $135: Thomas Banks, $50; Hiram M. Curry, $225; Major Donahue, $200; Seth Fulton, $100; David Mather, $200; John and William Phillips, $400 ; John Stephenson, $40; Edmond Weed, $174; Jacob Wilson, $300-twelve in all.
At Farm Creek, Andrew Barker, $100; Austin Crocker, $200; Thomas Cam- lin, $300; Stephen French, $200; James Fulton, $12.50; Josiah Fulton, $150; Elisha Fish, $200; Jacob Funk, $500; Joshua Harlin, $150; George Ish, $250; Joseph Smith, $550-eleven in all.
At La Salle Prairie, Elias P. Avery, $200; Stephen Carroll, $150; Gilbert Field, $150: John Griffin, $50; George Harlan, $150; Lewis Hallock, $50; John Ridgeway, $100; Hugh Walker, $50-eight in all.
At Illinois Prairie (Tazewell county) George Cline. $70; John Cline, $264; Nathan Cromwell, $300; Jesse Egman, $100; Levi Ellis, $25; William Clark, $250; Levi Gilbert, $25; James Latta, $200; Levi McCormick, $50; Joseph Ogee, $200; Isaac Perkins. $400; John Sommers, $300; Ephraim Stout, Sr., and Jr., $500; Jonathan Tharp, $100; Ezekiel Turner, $150; Seth Wilson, $200; Samuel Woodrow. $150; Hugh Woodrow, $250-eighteen in all.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
At Fox River, Robert Baresford, $50; Fred Countryman, $50; Aaron Haw- ley. $200; Pierce Hawley, $300; John L. Ramsey, $200; Jesse Walker, $50- six in all.
At Little Detroit, Thomas N. Brierly, $100; Abner N. Cooper, $120; Peter Du Mont, $50; George N. Love, $350-four in all.
At Prince's Grove ( Princeville), John Patterson, $20; Daniel Prince, $200 --- two in all.
It will have been seen by the reader that in the year 1825 or two years after the organization of the county, there were but one hundred and twenty taxable inhabitants, one-fourth of which were assessed at Peoria, forty-four in all, living in what is now Peoria county. The others were at Chicago, Mackinaw Point, Ten Mile Creek, Farm Creek, La Salle Prairie, Fox River, Little Detroit and Prince's Grove.
CHAPTER XVII
EARLY THOROUGHFARES-FIRST ROAD LAID OUT BY PEORIAA AUTHORITIES-FERRIES AND BRIDGES-DIXON'S FERRY-THE ILLINOIS RIVER-PRIMITIVE STEAMBOAT- ING-PEORIA AN IMPORTANT RAILROAD CENTER-ILLINOIS TRACTION SYSTEM.
It is highly probable that at the time of the building of Fort Clark there was not a white man's dwelling within many miles of it and the only roads, if such they may be called, were Indian trails. However, the public surveys of Tazewell county, made in 1823, show a thoroughfare marked "Road to Fort Clark," which on the map indicated that the road run along the township line between Grove- land and Fond du Lac, at the head of a ravine through which meanders Cole creek. This was the original course of the road running from Peoria to Spring- field, and it might be taken for granted, there was a road, as described above, from Fort Clark to the lower settlements anterior to the birth of either Peoria or Springfield, and was used by the soldiers of the fort. If such is the case, then this was the first road connecting the future Peoria with the outer world.
A history of Illinois was published by Rufus Blanchard in 1883 and the map it contained shows a trail styled the "Fort Clark and Wabash Trace," running from Fort Clark to Terre Haute. Historian Blanchard says: "It was a well traveled road from the settlements of southern Ohio and Indiana to Fort Clark in an early day." This was, in all probability, the road marked on the Tazewell surveys. This survey also shows a road called "Kellogg's Trail from Peoria to Galena, 1825," on practically the route chosen for the Galena state road, after- wards laid out by way of Princeton. Of this Mr. Blanchard says: "This trail shows the first overland route from Peoria to Galena. It was made by Mr. Kel- logg, an old pioneer settler, in 1825, and subsequently became a well known route." Another road. as shown by the map, was laid out or in existence in 1822, and was designated as a mail route from Peoria, by way of Lewistown to Rushville, and diverging from the latter place to Quincy, Pittsfield and Jackson- ville.
The first road laid out by the authorities of Peoria county was that for which, at the June session ( 1825) of the county commissioners' court, Norman Hyde and Alexander McNaughton had been appointed viewers, with authority to lo- cate. This road led from the ferry landing opposite the hamlet of Peoria to the "Old Crossing" on Sugar creek, near Robert Musick's where the remains of a bridge were found. As this road trended south, it is presumed the old Fort Clark road crossed the creek at this point. Two years after the laying out of this road by the county, the legislature, on the 12th day of February, 1827, made it a state road, and it became the stage and mail route between Peoria and Spring- field. In the act of creating the state road Springfield, Musick's on Salt creek, Thomas Dillon's and Peoria were mentioned as being on its line.
On January 23, 1826, an act of the legislature was passed providing for a state road leading from Peoria to Danville, the county seat of Vermilion county. and thence to the state line. Abner Eads, Samuel Fulton and Dan W. Beckwith were named in the act as viewers to locate the road. These men performed their duty and were assisted by Orlin Gilbert and James Barnes, chain carriers, and William Rowan, who blazed the trees marking the line of direction. A special
· 135
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
act passed by the legislature in 1831, five years later, by which they received pay for their labors, was secured.
At the January ( 1826) session of the county commissioners' court, viewers were appointed to locate a road leading from Peoria to a point at the northern boundary of the county and also for a road leading from Peoria to as equally an indefinite point at its southern boundary. These roads were subsequently ordered to be opened a sufficient width for the passage of teams. At this same term viewers were appointed to locate a road from Peoria, passing the "Trading Post"-later Wesley City-and the house of Isaac Perkins, to intersect the Springfield road at or near Prairie creek.
The first road laid out leading in the direction of Chicago was provided for by the commissioners' court, when, at its September ( 1826) session, John Barker, George Harland and Samuel Fulton, viewers appointed to locate a road from Peoria to the eastern boundary of the county, made their report and the road was established. Later, in 1833, the legislature appointed Lewis Bigelow, of Peoria county, John M. Gay, of Putnam county, James B. Campbell, of La Salle county, and James Walker, of Cook county, viewers to locate a road from Peoria to the mouth of Fox river ( South Ottawa) and thence to Chicago. That part of the road mentioned to run "from Peoria to the mouth of the Fox river," was sub- stantially the one located by the viewers appointed by the county commissioners at their June session of 1826. It went by way of Metamora ( Hanover), Mag- nolia, Union Grove, Ottawa and thence to Chicago. It will have been seen by the reader that by this time, the year 1833, Peoria had secured the state roads of great importance to the settlement-one to Springfield and the south, one to Dan- ville and the east-which became the main thoroughfare for immigration, and the other. to Chicago and the great lakes.
The lead mines at Galena early attracted that class of settlers who were short of ready money, and they sought the wages paid there with which many of them subsequently bought land here and in other settlements. A thoroughfare to Galena, therefore, became a matter for the consideration of those in authority and consequently, at the September term of the commissioners' court Isaac Waters, Norman Hyde and John Ray were appointed viewers to locate a road to "the lead mines." At the March term, 1828. the order was modified so as to read, towards the lead mines as far as the jurisdiction of the court extended. From this beginning the famous Galena road came into existence and the legislature, on the 18th day of January, 1833, declared it to be a state road. It commenced at the public square and followed the line of Adams street to the limits of the city, thence by the river road to a point near Mossville, thence on a line north through Northampton. Windsor (now Tiskilwa), Princeton, Dixon's ferry, thence northwesterly to the west line of Stephenson county, where it intersected the Chicago and Galena road and from there on to Galena. From this time on roads were laid out when needed, but it was several years before another state road was established in the county.
FERRIES AND BRIDGES
The first ferry in Peoria is supposed to have been located at the foot of the bridge, but when and by whom remains in the dark. It was there in 1821, when Ossian Ross came to the mouth of the Spoon river and learned of this ferry and the only other one on the river, which was at Beardstown. He at once saw the virtue of another ferry, as the two then doing business were ninety miles apart. He, therefore, established a third one at what is now Havana and prospered, his enterprise yielding him, so history has it, an annual income of $2,000 for many years. McCulloch, in his history of the county, relates that "James Eads, son of William Eads, says his uncle, Abner Eads, established the first ferry at Peoria."
The legislature in 1827 passed an act requiring all ferry keepers charging toll
THE COLE BRIDGE, ORIGINAL TOLL BRIDGE ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER TO TAZEWELL COUNTY
THE PEORIA & PEKIN UNION RAILROAD BRIDGE, RECENTLY SUPPLANTED BY A FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR STRUCTURE
THE AIM 1 ORK - PUEDO LIBRARY
-
+- X AND
TA ONS.
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
to procure a license from the county commissioners' court before commencing operations and by the same legislative measure the court was vested with author- ity to grant such licenses, fix the toll rates and license fee and sit upon complaints against keepers not observing the law governing their vocation. By the same act ferry keepers were required to have good boats and equipment, to run their boats from daylight until dark, and, upon call, to carry passengers at any hour of the night and charge double for the service if they so desired. And it seems that passes for public servants were in vogue even at that early day, for the act also stipulated that public messengers and expresses, and jurymen while on their way to court, should be carried free of charge.
The custom had been heretofore upon the granting of a ferry license to fix the rates of toll. For example, John L. Bogardus had been authorized to make certain charges at his ferry and those licensed after him were allowed to fix the same rates. However, at the June term, 1826, the county commissioners' court fixed the tolls to be charged on all ferries crossing the Illinois river as follows :
For each foot passenger 614 cents
For man and horse 121/2 cents
For Dearborn, sulky, chair with springs .50 cents
One-horse wagon
.25
cents
For four-wheeled carriage drawn by two oxen or horses 3772 cents
For cart with two oxen . 37 72 cents
For every head neat cattle, horses or mules.
IO
cents
For each hog, sheep or goat
3 cents
For every hundred weight of goods, wares and merchandise 614 cents For each bushel of grain or articles sold by the bushel. 3 cents
All other articles in equal and just proportion.
It was further ordered by the court that the Bogardus ferry might collect double rates when the river should be out of its banks and prevent a landing at the first material bend in the ( Farm ) creek from the ferry.
At the December. 1829, term of the county commissioners' court George Miller and James Scott were licensed to keep a ferry at Hennepin, and at the June term William See, a Methodist minister, was authorized to keep a ferry on the Calu- met river, at the head of Lake Michigan. In July, 1830. the list of ferries given below paid licenses as follows:
William Haines, Pekin $ 4.00
William Eads, Trading House 2.00
John L. Bogardus, Peoria 10.00
Matthew & Chandler, The Narrows 2.00
Miller & Scott, Hennepin 2.00
James Adams, Little Vermilion 2.00
Clyborne & Miller, Chicago. 2.00
William See, Calimink.
2.00
Other ferry licenses were granted from time to time to Jesse Egman, Septem- ber 30, 1830, at Kingston ; Thompson and Wright, December, 1830, at Au Sable ; Abner Eads, January, 1831, at foot of Liberty street, near the ravine. In March, 1832, the license of Matthews & Chandler, at the Narrows, was revoked and one granted to Vincent Barton, father of W. C. H. Barton, for whom the vil- lage of Bartonville was given its name. The ferry in a year or two thereafter passed into the control of Charles Ballance. In 1832 a license to keep a ferry at a point opposite the extinct village of Allentown, between Rome and Chilli- cothe, was granted Samuel Allen.
With the advent of bridges the ferries soon went into a state of "innocuous
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
desuetude." The first attempt to build a public bridge in the county was in March, 1827, when the county commissioners' court "then proceeded to examine and ascertain a suitable site for a public bridge across Kickapoo creek and, after thorough examination, decided on the following place: 'Immediately above the present crossing of the public road from Peoria to Lewistown.' " The matter went no further than this until the December term, when the proposed location was again inspected and a contract was awarded John L. Bogardus for the build- ing of the bridge, whose bond was fixed at $500. This he gave with John Dixon and Augustus Langworthy as sureties. Bogardus failed, however, in making good his contract and at the March, 1828, term it was ordered that suit be brought against him and his bondsmen.
Another order was entered by the commissioners' court, June 13, 1829, for the erection of a bridge across the Kickapoo creek at the ford on the Lewistown road frm Peoria, "164 feet in length, to rest against two certain trees, one on each side marked 'B.'" The contract was let to John Cameron, who finished work the same year, which was accepted and a balance of $50 due him was paid. The total cost of the structure has not been recorded. Subsequently the building of bridges became more frequent and today, wherever a road crosses a stream of any importance, there a good bridge is standing for the accommodation of the public. And the Illinois, as wide as it is in this locality, is spanned at more than one point in the county, by both wagon and railroad bridges, made and erected to meet the requirements of a busy and prosperous community.
Early in the year 1912 a magnificent new bridge crossing the Illinois river was completed by the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway Company, at a cost of about $750,000, The work was begun on the structure early in 1909. It is 1,032 feet in length and the channel opening is 127 feet in the clear. While in course of construction two attempts were made to blow up the structure by dynamite. An unexploded bomb and mechanism attached to it was happily discovered in time and it is suspected that John and James McNamara, recently convicted of dyna- miting the Los Angeles Times building, in which a number of lives were lost, were implicated in the movement to destroy the Peoria bridge. This new high- way across the river, it is estimated, has increased the transportation facilities of Peoria at least one hundred per cent.
DIXON'S FERRY BECOMES TIIE CITY OF DIXON
There are not many people in this vicinity nor in the locality where the people are more interested in the matter, who are aware of the fact that a Peorian was the primary means of the founding of the city of Dixon, but such is the case. Judge McCulloch, in his history of Peoria county, gives the facts in the follow- ing short paragraph, and as they relate to men who were pioneers of Peoria county, they are here preserved as a part of local history :
"John Dixon, who had for some years been clerk of the circuit court of Peoria county, had taken a government contract to carry the mails every two weeks from Peoria to Galena. To facilitate the work Joseph Ogee, the half- breed heretofore mentioned, was sent, or went of his own accord, to establish a ferry across Rock river at the present site of the city of Dixon, which was for a short time operated by him; but his management not proving satisfactory to Dixon, the latter bought him out and removed with his family to that place. The ferry was ever afterward called Dixon's Ferry, and it was in this way and by two Peorians, the city of Dixon was started and received its name. The viewers were Joseph B. Meredith, of Peoria county; John D. Winter and Joseph Smith of Jo Daviess county, and Charles Boyd, of Putnam county. Meredith drew from the treasury of Peoria county $50 for his services as surveyor."
UPPER FREE BRIDGE
ONE OF THE EXCURSION BOATS ON PEORLA LAKE
NEW BRIDGE ACROSS THE ILLINOIS RIVER Two attempts were made to blow up the structure by dynamite
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
RIVER AND RAILROAD TRAFFIC
The first travelers of the white race came to l'eoria by way of the Illinois river and for many years thereafter, before land vehicles were available, the canoe, skiff and flatboat were used by the Indians, hunters, adventurers, voy- ageurs and settlers. The Illinois river was the favorite thoroughfare for the transportation of articles of value and until the advent of the railroad traffic by water was of no inconsiderable consequence and value.
Tradition, or history has it that the first steamboat seen at the city of Peoria was the "Liberty," which had arrived at this port in December, 1849, but from whence no one knows. In the spring of 1830 the "Triton" tied up here, having come from St. Louis with a stock of merchandise for John Hamlin. This same Jolin Hamlin, whose name appears in this volume many times, secured a half interest in the "Fairy," in 1832, which on its return trip from Peoria was lost near the mouth of the Missouri river. In 1839 the "Friendship," the "Exchange," the "Utility" and the "Peoria" were all in these waters.
By 1834 immigration to Peoria had set in steadily and river traffic increased to a comparatively large extent. The "Winnebago," the "Argus," the "Herald" and "Jo Daviess" plied between ports all along the river and carried many tons of freight to and from Peoria. All of these vessels did a passenger business and brought a number of distinguished visitors to the growing city. The "Jo Da- viess" was owned in Peoria, by its captain, William A. Hall and his brother, David. The craft was sunk near the mouth of the Spoon river early in 1836. There were other citizens of Peoria who had an interest in vessels touching here. Captain W. S. Moss, a prominent merchant, bought the hull of a damaged boat, at St. Louis, and brought it to Peoria, where it was completely rebuilt. By 1851 the traffic had become so large that Drown, in his history of the times, gives con- siderable space to the subject and mentions the landing of 1,236 vessels at Peoria during the year.
When the Illinois and Michigan canal was completed in 1848, the river trade at Peoria began to suffer. There was an alert and vigorous rival with which to contend. Chicago held out inducements to those engaged in the river business and the tide of commerce turned her back on Peoria and headed for the embryo metropolis.
In 1851, the "Illinois River Express Line," with its packet boats made weekly trips from St. Louis to La Salle, one leaving St. Louis every day except Sunday. These vessels, the "Ocean Wave," the "Connecticut," the "Gladiator," the "Ava- lanche," the "Prairie Bird" and the "Prairie State" catered principally to pas- senger business, but on their lower decks merchandise and other articles of com- -
merce were shipped in large quantities. One of the noted river men of those days was Captain Thomas Baldwin, master of the "Aunt Letty," named after his wife. He had also commanded the "Lucy Bertram." The Captain became one of Peoria's most esteemed and influential citizens and at the time of the Civil war was placed in command of the United States gunboat, Romeo.
Other boats of the early day that might be mentioned were the "Bell Gould," the "Amazonia," the "Cataract," the "Hibernia," "Sam Gaty," "Sam Young," "Louisville," "F. X. Aubrey," "Altoona," "Americus," "Brazil." "Polar Star," "Challenge," "La Salle," "Lacon," "Schuyler," "City of Pekin," "City of Peoria," "Illinois" and "Beardstown."
The advent of the railroad was the forerunner of the doom of river traffic at this port. The trade began to dwindle almost from the start until today it might well be termed a negligible quantity. But few boats touch at Peoria and most of the traffic is by the passenger boats, which depend almost entirely on their revenues from excursionists during the summer months.
Strange to relate, the city of Peoria has not one trunk line entering its con- fines, but to offset this seeming disadvantage, it is the terminal for fourteen branch roads, arteries of some of the greatest systems of railroads in the United
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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY
States. Coupled with these is the famous Illinois Traction System of interurban railways, which not only brings into the city each day visitors and shoppers, but also contributes to storehouses and busy marts shipments of vast quantities of merchandise and other valuables. A statistician connected with the Peoria As- sociation of Commerce has, by research and computation, arrived at the conclu- sion that Peoria "outranks every other city of its class in the United States in transportation facilities." The railroads centering in Peoria are :
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. (Eastern terminals, Chicago and Peoria.)
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. ( Eastern terminals, Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis. )
The Iowa Central. ( Eastern terminal, Peoria.)
The Rock Island and Peoria.
The Toledo, Peoria and Western. ( Under control of the Pennsylvania Com- pany. )
The Lake Erie & Western. ( Under Lake Shore & Michigan Southern con- trol and ownership.)
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis. (Vanderbilt system. )
The Vandalia Line-Terre Haute & Peoria. (Under control of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company. )
The Illinois Central. ( Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Division. )
The Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis.
The Chicago & Alton.
The Chicago & Northwestern.
The Peoria & Pekin Union Railway. (Terminal line.)
The Peoria & Pekin Terminal Railway.
STREET RAILWAYS
For the convenience of citizens and the traveling public, omnibus lines were the first means of conveyance in l'eoria, but these were not regularly established by organized companies, their existence being due simply to the enterprise of livery men. As the city grew and the railroads increased their passenger traffic, the need of more rapid transportation in and over the city became apparent. This led to the application of certain capitalists in 1867 for a charter, to empower the "Central City Street Railway Company" to build a line of street railway in Peoria. The board of directors were De Witt C. Farrell, John C. Proctor, John L. Gris- wold, Horace C. Anderson and Washington Cockle. These gentlemen resigned and a new board was elected in August, 1868, the project up to that time not having made satisfactory progress. William R. Burt was made president of the board, Nelson Burnham, secretary, and Edward H. Jack, treasurer. Nothing, however, was accomplished that year and the year 1869 was well on its way when, in October the last named members of the board of directors were superseded by William Reynolds, John 1. Griswold, Washington Cockle, Henry R. Woodward, Joseph W. Cochran, Joseph H. Wight and James T. Rogers. William Reynolds, president. Joseph W. Cochran, secretary, and James T. Rogers, treasurer. On October 6, 1869. the company was granted a franchise by the city council, for the construction of railway tracks over a stated portion of the city. December I. 1869, two miles of track commencing on South street was finished and four horse cars in operation. The enterprise proved a success from the start and within a month therefrom the line was continued from Main street to the vicinity of the American pottery. The company had purchased the land known as Central Park and in the spring of 1870 tracks were laid to the pleasure grounds. November 10, 1871, the Peoria Horse Railway Company received from the council a fran- chise for a double-track line along Washington street from Persimmon to Main, along Main and the Farmington road to Elizabeth street, along High from Main to Elizabeth and on Elizabeth north to the city limits; also for a single track
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