USA > Illinois > DeKalb County > Portrait and biographical album of DeKalb County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 105
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County, except the north tier of townships, was sold to the highest bidder, that is, so far as terra firma was concerned. The moral as well as the physical power of settlers' associations was so great that if a speculator presumed to bid on a settler's claim he was certain to find himself " knocked down and dragged out ;" and had the land officers showed the least sympathy or favor to the rascal, there can be no doubt but that an indignant and outraged yeomanry would have literally torn the land office to fragments in almost " less than no time."
After a period of unexampled peace and prosperity, it was found that this living in a " state of nature " was liable to evils for which the late session of the legislature at Miller's shanty had provided no ade- quate remedy. The case was this: A had a promissory note against B and wanted his pay. B was not exactly prepared to "fork over," and being nettled that he should be dunned, had the audacity to intimate to A that " it might trouble him to get it anyhow." Kishwaukee was then, as well as other portions of the county, attached to La Salle for civil purposes. This was a real poser. Claim jumping had been provided for, but this appeared to be a novel case. Finally the settlers concluded if they had come to share the inheritance with the " Suckers " they must do as the Suckers did, and have some one who knew something about the Justinian code, the commentaries of Blackstone and the statutes of Illinois. So, in the summer of 1835 (1836), the exigency of the case having been duly made known, the County Commissioners of La Salle laid off by proper metes and bounds Kishwaukee precinct, wherein Joseph Collier and Stephen Morey were duly elected justices of the peace, who, in due time, were inducted into office before Joseph Cloud, Clerk of the County Commissioners' Court in Ottawa. Whether these worthy " squares " ever " got to see " a copy of the Illinois Statutes is much to be doubted; it may be supposed, however, with more certainty, that they were "clever men," and withal " right smart, and calculated to do 'bout what's right." The best of all is that Mr. B. on hearing the "squares " had got back from Ottawa, put over to Mr. A's in a " giffin," laid down the " spelter" and took up his note to save cost.
The Indians were still lingering among the settlers, rather loth to leave anyhow, and some, taking ad-
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vantage of their " spiritual infirmities," were mean enough to filch away his pony, rifle and even the last blanket in exchange for whisky, or " good-he- tosh." As Nebuchadnezzar, after being turned out to grass awhile, "came to himself again," so a poor Indian, after a drunken debauch, will sometimes come to himself again and recoil upon those who let the snake out to bite him. In many things shrewd and discriminating, they know when, where and how to render " tit for tat." One instance, in illustration, where they came it over " che-mo-ko-man," will be given : A half Yankeefied Frenchman, who will be called Peter [Lamois], had made a claim upon the east side of the Kishwaukee, and had engaged a half civilized Indian boy, called Shaw-na-neese, to drive his breaking team. Now, as ill luck would have it, or " somehownother, " it came in their heads that for just about one barrel of good-ne-tosh, each, on his return to Walker's Grove, in Will County, might astonish the settlers with a nice Indian pony. The temptation to play upon the Anglo-Saxon was too strong. Shaw-na-neese, who had a mother and sister living in the Big Woods, near where Aurora now stands, was supposed to be well acquainted with the Indians, and could talk either Indian or English. So, off goes Peter for the whisky, never .once " tinking " of the foolish settler, who, for fun, set a fire on the prairie that burnt up his own stacks. In due time the barrel of good-ne-tosh was regularly set up in the cabin of the settler, and "where the carcass is there will the eagles be gathered to- gether." Shaw-na-neese talk-Indians talk-ponies plenty-good-ne-tosh plenty-so much pony, so much good-ne-tosh. Yes, humph ! the " doping " begins ; the che-mo-ko-man adding Kishwaukee at the bung by night to supply the deficit made at the faucet by day, until there was a moral certainty of perfecting the contract as to measurement. After the barrel was pretty much delivered of its contents and the sharpsters began to hint that it was time for them to " walk up,"-that is, if they could-to the captain's office and settle, the Indians being really drunk or appearing to be, began to grumble about Peter cheating them, selling no good good-ne-tosh. Ex- planation was attempted, but the thing could not be explained ; expostulation was used, but in vain ; "you 'cheat poor Indian, " and they grew madder and madder. Peter and his comrade began to have
fears for their personal safety. There was no white man near, and if there had been they could not have expected that they would be sustained in such an enterprise. All on a sudden the terrific war- whoop burst from the whole group, and, drawing their long knives, they rushed upon the liquor deal- ers like so many fiends from the pit. Just at this moment another Indian snatched Shaw-na-neese on to a pony behind himself and galloped off at the top of his speed, for what has since been called Chartres' Grove. But, alas, and well-a-day, for unfortunate Peter, when he cried " there was none to de- liver!" He had a good pair of legs, and " it came into his heart". that "jess now," if ever, was the time to use them; and bounding somewhere about a rod at a jump, he " cut for the bush," and the In- dians after him, pell-mell. As good luck would have it, however, he managed to conceal himself in the thick brush and elude their grasp, until at last, giving up their chase, they returned to Peter's shanty. Here they soon made a finish of the remainder of the poor whisky, and, appropriating for their own " special use and benefit " Peter's bag of flour, fry - pan and new broadcloth coat, they vamoosed, cut- ting up those dreadful antics which savages thirst-' ing for blood alone know how to perform. Peter's predicament was by no means enviable. He knew that he was in the wrong. He had time to think and he did " tink." He had time for thought and he "tought " if he ever lived to get out of the scrape he was " sure to quit te tam liquor business anyhow." Afar off, from the bosom of the thicket, he had be- held the plunder of his shanty, and the subsequent withdrawal of his enemies. He had no doubt but what they had gone for reinforcements and would soon return and murder him. Perhaps they were still lying in ambush " to let the life out of him." Still thinking discretion the better part of valor, he kept still till it began to grow dark, when what should he hear but the friendly voice of his old com- rade, Shaw-na-neese, cautiously calling to him from the plundered shanty, and saying to him that he had just got away from the Indians, who were intending to come and kill him as soon as it was dark, and he was advised further by the red-skin not to make his whereabouts very public-was assured that he would get up the oxen, " gather up the fragments that re- mained," hitch on to the "" truckle trackles," and
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join him with all possible dispatch in the grove. Peter and his comrade were at last under cover of the night, plodding their way over old logs, sloughs and brush, to the west side of the grove, from whence, in a cold rain-storm, and Peter in his shirt sleeves, they made good their retreat towards Walker's Grove, which they had the good fortune to reach the next day, drenched with mud and water ; and where Peter, starved, cold and hungry, was prepared to do up any quantity of muttering and swearing about the "tam Injins." Here, among the simple children of nature, behold the faint dawnings of a more perfect day! We are not only indebted to them for the knowledge of succotash and hominy, but for what they have taught us in "getting shut " of the liquor dealer.
[After referring to the attempt to build a town by the New York Company, the desire of the people to form a county organization, and the call for an elec- tion for county officers, Mr. Kellogg continues :]
The day of election for county officers at last ar- rived. The settlers, "by the grace of God free and independent," from "Norcutt's to Driscoll's" and from Somonauk to the farthest verge of Franklin, 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 design to speak disparagingly of the old cabin of Judge Love, for it was a very respectable- looking shanty for those days, and within and with- out betokened more than usual thrift, means and hospitality. There were some-alas! the truth may as well be told-too many for the security of well disposed and honest settlers, who affected utter con- tempt for all claim associations, calling them "land monopolies," declaring that one settler had just as good 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 occu- pant was entitled to the preference, to just so much as was needful to 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, all security to property in claims would be at an end; " domestic tranquillity could not be ensured," nor could the " general welfare be promoted." Claim
associations must therefore be maintained and their authority respected, or society would be resolved into original chaos, each defending himself and his by his own right arm-that is, if he was able. In 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 absorbing ques- tion. Compared with this, the question whether the " hero of Tippecanoe," or the " foxy Dutchman of Kinderhoof " should come to the Presidential chair was of no consequence. As a "tariff for revenue," or a " tariff for protection," the settlers were in for one that should insure both. In a word, they found themselves divided into two parties, denominated "Claim Jumpers " and " Anti-Claim Jumpers."
After the whittling, log-rolling, caucusing and liquoring had been done up, the respective 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, Rufus Colton and Robert Sterrett were elected County Commissioners ; Joseph C. Lander, Sheriff; Jesse C. Kellogg, Re- corder. The County Commissioners elect at once repaired to the house of Rufus Colton, where " each administered the oath to the other," as authorized by the act to create the county of De Kalb. The Com- missioners 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 Co., Wis., a member of the Legislature, alone survives. [Lee has since died.] That kind-hearted, worthy old set- tler, Lysander Darling, County Treasurer, and, it is believed, Joseph C. Lander, the first Sheriff, have gone down to the grave. Rufus Colton, the County Commissioner in the central portion of the county, was a native of New England, and a son of a Con- gregational minister. Much of his early life was spent in a printing office, where he acquired that business tact and readiness of the pen for which he
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was so justly celebrated. For several years he con- ducted a weekly journal, called the Woodstock Ob- server, in Windsor Co., Vt .; was the first Probate Justice, the first Clerk of the Circuit Court of De Kalb County ; a warm-hearted friend, and, if from lo- cal cause, over an enemy, still a generous one. During the last years of his life .a member of the Congrega- tional Church at Sycamore, and sympathizing deeply in 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 Sterrett, the County Commissioner from Somonauk, was by birth a Pennsylvanian, a man of uncomprom- ising integrity, and one always knew where to find him. He was shrewd and discriminating ; in politics a Democrat; in religion, a Calvinistic Baptist; in claim matters, as true a man as ever " broke bread." He lived respected and died lamented. His re- mains sleep quietly in his own loved Somonauk. Of the first County Clerk and County Surveyor, nothing need be said, as they are still "living characters, known and read by all men." [Both have since passed away.]
The day for the special term of the County Com- missioners' Court having at length fully come, self- made and constituted attorneys, men having business at Court, boys and lawyers, curious to " see the ele- phant," and "how the thing worked," were seen pouring into the village of Coltonville from all direc- tions. This village was 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 of Centerville, Brush Point and Sycamore, or Orange, as Sycamore was then .called; for the "county seat " then consisted of a neat hewed-log cabin with ample " linters " and fix- tures, standing on the bluff southeast of the present residence of C. S. Colton [in 1885 the residence of -- ], 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 postoffice, a tavern, a justice, a physician and an attorney's office. In addition to the ordinary busi- ness, it so happened that on this memorable day, some two or three sharply contested lawsuits were pending 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 Commissioner from the interior, as may well be 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 foolscap, sundry articles of stationery, and some of " Rogers' best cutlery " in his pockets, was already seen standing at the door-there being no room for him in the inn, when the whole multitude within and without,
" Began to feel, as well they might, The keen demands of appetite.
It was readily perceived that if the good landlady was to get dinner for 75 or 100 " 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 incomprehensible 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. Busi- ness 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 Lan- der, with the assistance of the by-standers, having set the table and given it a business-like aspect, and Hon. Levi Lee having produced and laid thereon a " bound book," a cast of merchant's ledger with the accounts torn out, the best that could be produced, it was proclaimed in stentorian tones, at last, that "the County Commissioners' Court of De Kalb county was in session and ready for business." The Court having taken a recess for dinner and again resumed business, applications for merchants' and tavern licenses were presented and granted, of course on condition that the applicant file a bond, pay a cer- tain sum into the treasury, together with the sum of one dollar for the use of the clerk, agreeable to the statute in such cases made and provided. [In divid- ing the county into election precincts] one would think the line here and another there; but it was universally conceded that the east line of the county began "somewhar" near the big slough bridge east of Winslow Norcutt's, or where Homer Roberts now lives ; consequently, quite a portion of Kane County,
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sometimes called " Upper Canada," and sometimes " Arab Settlement," were " bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh."
In relation to the names of the groves, Somonauk takes its name from the creek bearing the same name, and in old times could be safely spelt 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 hunting 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 chain of groves south- west 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 it should receive 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 Norbo first settled there. The grove further northeast, Chartres', 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. Hick- ory Grove, north of Genoa, is so called because hick- ory was so abundant there. 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 band 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 com- mon grave. Humanity shudders at the thought of this bloody transaction. In truth it might be said, however, that the horse-stealing, robberies and mur- ders of the " banditti of the prairies " had become, as it was thought, intolerable. Yet it cannot be safely argued that the end justified the means. None of the old neighbors of the Driscolls who resided at this grove, believe him to have been connected with 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 mas-
sacre of the Driscolls, this grove took the name of South Grove, because it lies south of the main body of timber on the Kishwaukee.
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Major Evans Wharry's Reminiscence.
HE following reminiscence was given by Major Evans Wharry to V. Hix, in March, 1879, and by the latter prepared for the City Weekly. Leaving out the introductory clause, we copy as follows : The Major and a Mr. Sharer, both members of the New York Land Company, came here in 1836, with the view of taking up a large tract of land in the interest of the company. They landed in Chicago in May, 1836, and after remaining in that city for a couple of weeks started for Galena, by way of Rockford. Reaching this locality, they met with Dr. Madden, formerly a resident of Brush Point, Mayfield, and at that time a member of the Illinois General Assembly. The project of the formation of De Kalb County, then a part of Kane County, was being talked up, and the Doctor, being favorably impressed with the Major and the mission upon which he was bent, pre- vailed upon him to stop here and assist him in a scheme which he had in view, which was no less than to locate a shire town for the new county. The Major, thinking favorably of the project, consented, but did not think the selection of a site for the new county seat which the Doctor made, a good one. The site in question was what is now the Thomas Wood farm, half a mile north of the river bridge, and formerly well known as the Clark Wright place. The land there is comparatively low and level, and as the Major's eyes took in the elevated situation south of the river, and upon which the city of Sycamore now stands, he was at once of the opinion that it should have been selected. But the Doctor was al- lowed to have his own way, and the Major at once commenced improvements on the quarter section chosen, a portion of which the Doctor was to have for his influence in the legislation needed to locate the capital town of the county. In fact, the Doctor and Major were mutually interested, and both hoped to realize handsomely out of their venture in a pecun- iary way. The Doctor, by agreement between the
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two, was to have 50 of the 160 acres. He returned to Springfield to see to the appointment of a Board of Commissioners to locate the county seat, and the Major went to work in the interests of the new town, and had the same platted and placed on record at Geneva. He purchased Norwegian Grove, lying a little to the east, paying for the same the sum of $400, and removed Dr. Norbo, a Norwegian, who gave the name to the grove, to Geneva; purchased two or three teams of oxen, erected a store on the premises now owned by Roswell Dow. He also bridged the river, constructed a dam, cut a mile race from a point near the southwest corner of Nor- wegian Grove, through the lowlands just north of the river bridge, traces of which remain to this day, and erected a saw-mill, and sought to make the place a prominent one for those days. At that time the old State road, running west from Geneva to the Missis- sippi, ran along the north side of Norwegian Grove, and this fact may have had something to do with the selection of Dr. Madden as a member of the Legislature.
While the Doctor was busy in the Legislature the Major was busy at home. Commissioners favorable had been selected by Madden and things promised a happy terniination. The Doctor, however, had a deeper purpose in view than the Major had at first suspected, but which soon showed itself. Madden came back in advance of the Commissioners and in- sisted that he must have more than the 50 acres at first agreed upon. At this the Major was taken somewhat aback, but finally consented to increase the number of acres to 75, the amount of land the Doctor thought he ought to have. This would have been willingly acquiesced in by the Major; but just upon the eve of the selection of a site by the Com- missioners the Doctor became still more greedy and demanded 100 acres. Then the Major's ire was thoroughly aroused, and in the height of his indig- nation he vehemently told the Doctor to go to gehenna ; that he would never give him that amount of land. The two were now at sword's points, and the Doctor at once set about to secure the location of the county seat at Brush Point. Apprised of his purpose, the Major quietly but actively began to be- stir himself to defeat the Doctor, and at once hired riders to traverse the county to enlist the citizens in his behalf. The Commissioners came, two of them,
and 150 men from all parts of the county met them upon their arrival. The place of meeting was at the Major's store. The day was spent in consultation. There were several parties in this part of the county who had a location for the county seat in view, among them Captain Eli Barnes, who then owned what is now the John Burke farm, on the De Kalb road. There was where the Captain wanted it lo- cated. Then there was Mr. Calvin Colton, of Col- tonville, who desired its location at his place. And it was wanted by a party from Genoa.
On the next day, the interest increasing, there were 200 men assembled at the Major's headquar- ters. The party was mounted on horses, and finally, in company with the Commissioners, they all started out to inspect the different competing localities for the county seat. They crossed the river and halted first upon the site the Major had all the time fav- ored and which, after his quarrel with Madden, he determined to secure, if possible, and that was where the city now stands. Here the Major pointed out in eloquent terms the natural advantages of the place, after which the party took up the line of march. It was a jolly crowd and a jolly occasion. There was running of horses, whooping and all manner of fun afloat. Reaching the Captain Barnes place they lis- tened to a stump speech from that redoubtable indi- vidual and then struck for Coltonville. This locality was soon inspected and away they broke for Brush Point. After reaching there the Major invited the party to ride to the west for a distance of about 60 rods, which was done, and they found themselves in the middle of a large flat covered with water. This, the Major said, was the place the Doctor had selected for the county seat, for the reason that it would never lack a supply of water! Then a derisive shout went up at the expense of the Doctor and the party took up the line of march for Genoa. From Genoa they finished the circuit by bringing up at the Major's store. Here a further confab followed until finally one of the Commissioners, Mr. Walker, told the party to go home, but to return on the morrow, when the county seat would be located.
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