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 88
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In the Seventeenth General Assembly, William B. Plato was still in the Senate, but the Fifty-first Rep- resentative District was represented by Benjamin F. Hall, of De Kalb, and Augustus Adams, of Kane.
In the Eighteenth General Assembly, in the Sen- ate was William B. Plato, while in the House were William Shepherdson, of De Kalb, and John Ransted, of Kane.
In 1854 another apportionment was made, with De Kalb, Kane, Lee and Whiteside forming the Fifth Senatorial District, and the counties of De Kalb and Kane the Forty-sixth Representative District. In the Nineteenth General Assembly, Augustus Adams, of Kane, was in the Senate, while William Patten and Benjamin Hackney were in the House.
In the Twentieth General Assembly, Augustus Adams was still in the Senate, but the Forty-sixth Representative District was represented by David M. Kelsey, of De Kalb, and William R. Parker, of Kane.
In the Twenty-first General Assembly, Richard F. Adams, of Lee, was in the Senate, and William Pat- ten, of De Kalb, and William B. Plato, of Kane were in the House.
In the Twenty-second General Assembly, Richard F. Adams was Senator, and Edward R. Allen, of De Kalb, and Thomas S. Terry, of Kane, were in the House.
A new apportionment was made in 1861, and De Kalb, Du Page and Kane formed the Nineteenth Senatorial District, and De Kalb and Boone the Fifty-first Representative. In the Twenty-third Gen- eral Assembly, Edward R. Allen, of Kane, repre- sented the district in the Senate, and Westel W. Sedgwick, of De Kalb, and Luther W. Lawrence, of Boone, were in the House.
In the Twenty-fourth General Assembly, Edward R. Allen was in the Senate and Ira V. Randall, of De Kalb, and Allen C. Fuller, of Boone, were in the House.
In the Twenty-fifth General Assembly, William Patten, of De Kalb, was in the Senate, while in the House the district was represented by Robert Hamp- ton, of De Kalb, and Stephen A. Hurlbut, of Boone.
In the Twenty-sixth General Assembly, William Patten was in the Senate, and Charles W. Marsh, of De Kalb, and Elisha H. Talbott, of Boone, were in the House.
In 1870 an apportionment was made in which De Kalb, Du Page and Kane became the Nineteenth Senatorial District, and De Kalb the Eighty-fourth Representative District, with two Representatives. In the Twenty-seventh General Assembly, Charles W. Marsh, of De Kalb, and James W. Eddy, of Kane County, represented the district in the Senate, and Reuben M. Pritchard, of Shabbona, and Lewis M. McEwen, of De Kalb, in the House.
In 1872 another apportionment was made, the State being divided into Senatorial Districts as pro- vided by the constitution of 1870, each district being entitled to one Senator and three Representatives. De Kalb, Kendall and Grundy became the Thirteenth District. In the Twenty-eighth General Assembly, Miles B. Castle, of Sandwich, De Kalb County, was
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DE KALB COUNTY.
in the Senate, while Lyman B. Ray, George M. Hollenbeck and Perry A. Armstrong represented the district in the House.
In the Twenty-ninth General Assembly, Miles B. Castle, of Sandwich, was still in the Senate, the dis- trict being represented in the House by Philip Col- lins, Joshua McGrath and D. B. Bailey.
In the Thirtieth General Assembly, Miles B. Castle was Senator, and Peter S. Lott, William M. Byers and Amos D. Glover were Representatives.
In the Thirty-first General Assembly, John R. Marshall represented the district in the Senate. William M. Byers, Robert M. Brigham and Alonzo B. Smith were in the House.
In the Thirty-second General Assembly, J. R. Marshall was Senator, with Henry Wood, Hiram Loucks and John Clark, Representatives.
In the Thirty-third General Assembly, Lyman B. Ray was Senator, and Henry Wood, H. M. Board- man and Andrew Welch were in the House.
In the Thirty-fourth General Assembly, Lyman B. Ray still represented the district in the Senate, with H. C. Whittemore, Mr. Hanna and Andrew Welch in the House.
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
Washington L. Simmons, of Sandwich, was elected a member of the Board Nov. 3, 1868, and held the office until June 29, 1872, when he resigned.
James H. Furman, of Sandwich, was appointed June 29, 1872, and filled out the unexpired term of Mr. Simmons.
Samuel Alden was elected in 1882 and served one term.
CONGRESS.
When organized, De Kalb County formed part of the Third Congressional District, represented by William L. May, of Springfield, in the 25th Congress.
In the 26th Congress it was represented by John T. Stuart, of Springfield, who likewise served in the 27th Congress.
Under the apportionment of 1843, De Kalb be- came part of the Fourth District, with John Went- worth as Representative in the 28th Congress. Mr. Wentworth represented the district in the 29th, 30th and 31st Congresses. In the 32d Congress, Richard S. Molony was the Representative.
Under the apportionment of 1852, De Kalb County was thrown into the Second District. John Went- worth represented the district in the 33d Congress ;
James H. Woodworth in the 34th; John F. Farns- worth in the 35th and 36th ; and Isaac N. Arnold in the 37th Congress.
De Kalb was again placed in the Second District under the new apportionment made in 1862. John F. Farnsworth was elected and re-elected, serving in the 38th, 39th, 40th, 4Ist and 42d Congresses.
In 1872 another apportionment was made, De Kalb County being then placed in the Fourth Dis- trict. Stephen A. Hurlbut represented it in the 43d and 44th Congresses. William Lathrop in the 45th, John C. Sherwin in the 46th, and Reuben Ellwood in the 47th Congress. The latter was re-elected to the 48th Congress, De Kalb now being a part of the Fifth District.
UNITED STATES ASSESSOR.
. Alonzo Ellwood from 1862 to 1866.
Reuben Ellwood from 1866 till the office was abolished.
UNITED STATES CONSUL.
J. M. Hood, of Sycamore, was appointed Consul to Siam in 1864.
Frederick Partridge was appointed to succeed Hood.
COUNTY CLERKS.
J. C. Kellogg .1837-38
W. H. Beavers. .. 1853-56
J. R. Hamlin . 1839-42
A. K. Stiles.
. 1857-64
E. P. Young .1843
Daniel Dustin .1865-68
W. H. Beavers. .1844-48
W. H. Moore. . 1869-72
U. B. Prescott .. 1849-52
C. M. Conrad .1872-85
CIRCUIT CLERKS AND RECORDERS.
J. C. Kellogg. 1837
R. Colton. .1838-40
C. M. Brown. .1860-63
J. C. Kellogg. .1841-42
F. W. Partridge .. 1864-67
E. L. Mayo 1843-44
E. F. Dutton. .1868-75
J. C. Kellogg. . 1845-47
George C. Cox . 1876-79
Daniel Dustin .1880-85
COUNTY TREASURERS.
G. H. Hill. .1838
Lysander Darling . 1839-41
John Waterman .1842-43
H. Ellwood
1859-62
Carlos Lattin .1844-45
R. A. Smith . . 1863-72
John A. Waterman .1846
Daniel Dustin . 1873-74
William Shepardson ... 1847-49
F. T. Miller. .. 1850
R. H. Roberts
. 1877-83
C. F. Greenwood .1884
SHERIFFS.
James C. Lander .1838-39
M. Walrod
.1840-45
H. Safford
H. A. Joslyn 1864-65
M. Holcomb.
.1866-67
H. Furness
. 1850-51
E. P. Safford 1868-69
J. S. Reynolds .1870-72
R. J. Holcomb .1873-80
Silas Tappan
.1856-57
L. P. Wood. .1881-85
COUNTY JUDGES.
E. L. Mayo. . 1849-52
Luther Lowell .... .1869-76
G. H. Hill. . 1853-60
G. S. Robinson ... 1277-81
E. L. Mayo. I861-64
S. B. Stinson 1882
Luther Lowell. ... 1882-85
D. B. James I865-68
B. Woodruff I860-61
E. P. Young. .1846-47
M. Stark. .1848-49
J. F. Glidden. .1852-53
William Phelps .1854-55
Robert Hampton . 1875-76
Joseph Sixbury .1850-52
J. Little .1853
H. Safford. 1858-59
J. H. Beveridge. . 1852-59
M. M. Mack. .1848-51
Joseph Sixbury .1854
Roswell Dow ... 1855-58
.1862-63
DE KALB COUNTY.
789
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
Frederick Love. .1838-42
D. Crossett. 1861-62
Marshall Stark. .1843-44
H. C. Beard. .1863-64
James Harrington . 1845.46
M. V. Allen . 1865-68
Sheldon Crossett .1847-50
H. P. Hall. .1869-76
J. R. Crossett
.1851-56
S. L. Graham 1877-81
James Harrington .1857-58
Geo. 1. Talcott .1882-85
SURVEVORS.
Eli Barnes.
.1837-39
-
Orange Potter ... ........ 1861-62 -
D. W. Lamb. .1863-65
V. D. Miller. 1866-81 H. W. Fay .. . 1853-58
J. W. Reed
.1859-60
Charles E. Faxon 1884-85
CORONERS.
Samuel Thompson 1838-39
L. Whittemore ... .1864-69
M. McCormick .1840-41
T. D. Russell .. .1870-73
Eli G. Jewell .. .1842-43
Charles Preston. .1874.75
Chester Potter. 1844-45
M. R. Hubbell ..
1876-77
E. Wharry ..
.1846-49
James M. Sivwright. ....
Eli Barnes . 1850-53
John K Kuter .. . .. 1879-83
L. Whittemore. . 1854-61
Joseph C. Pierce. . . 1884
C. Churchill .. .. 1840-41
J. R. Crossett . 1862-63
Tatar for the Union.
ROM the formation of the Government for a period of over three-fourths of a cen- tury the institution of slavery was a source of trouble be- tween the free and slave- holding States. Bitter feelings were engendered, threats often indulged in, and compromise measures passed to avert what many had believed would ulti- mately come to pass-a bloody civil war. Increase in power, with a strong following in the free States, had made the slave-holders bold and ar- rogant in their demands. The Missouri compromise, which limited the spread of slavery in the terri- tories south of an imaginary line, was repealed by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and the friends of freedom were aroused. The Republi- can party rapidly gained in numbers and in strength, and in 1860, in consequence of the divis- ion existing in the Democratic party, succeeded in electing their candidate for the Presidency-Abra- ham Lincoln. Threats of secession were made by the Southern States in the event of Lincoln's elec-
tion, and alniost as soon as the result was known, State after State in the South, by their respective conventions, passed articles of secession. Lincoln was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1861, and is- sued an inaugural address full of kindly feelings and assurance that the rights of no State would be inter- fered with, but it was without avail to allay the fan- cied fears of the Southern people. Preparations were made for war by the so-called Southern Confed- eracy, which had been organized, and on the 12th day of April, 186r, the first gun was fired upon Fort Sumter, which, on the 14th, was compelled to sur- render to the rebel forces.
The first gun that was fired echoed and re-echoed through the North, and was as much the signal for a call to arms as the proclamation of President Lin- coln for 75,000 men which immediately followed. No call by any government that ever existed upon the face of the earth was more speedily answered. De Kalb County was behind no other section of the country. "In nine days after the fall of Fort Sum- ter," says a local chronicler, "a company of troops from Sandwich, under Captain Carr, was garrisoning the fortifications erected at Cairo, and on the 10th of May, a company of which Z. B. Mayo was Captain, and E. F. Dutton and R. A. Smith were Lieutenants, left Sycamore to join the famous 13th Illinois at Dixon.
-
S. T. Armstrong. 1882-84
N. S. Greenwood. 1859-60
D. W. Lamb
.. 1842-52
790
DE KALB COUNTY.
Patriotic citizens raised subscriptions amounting to over $30,000, which they pledged themselves to pay, if required, to maintain the families of volunteers while they were absent in the service. The Board of Supervisors subsequently met and passed liberal ap- propriations for this purpose. In October nine com- panies of De Kalb County men had gone into the service. Two were in the 13th regiment under com- mand of Captains Partridge and Dutton, one under Captain Carr in the 10th, one under Captain Stoll- brand in the 2d Artillery, one under Captain Butts in the 42d, one under Capt. Fox, two in the 8th Cav- alry under Captains Dustin and Whitney, and one in the 52d under Captain Stark."
The year 1862 will be remembered as one of gen- eral gloom. The Union armies had met with a num- ber of reverses and great apprehensions existed on every hand. All thought of a speedy triumph in the suppression of the rebellion was at an end. In its place was a fixed determination to maintain the su- premacy of the Union at whatever cost. Several calls had been made by the President for more troops to fill up the depleted ranks of our defeated armies, and inost nobly did the men of De Kalb respond to the call. In every portion of the county the ladies united to form Soldiers' Aid Societies, laboring with zeal and energy to supply the boys in the field with such delicacies as the general Government did not supply.
9
Call after call was made and responded to willingly, cheerfully, by the citizens of De Kalb, but in 1864 the supply was exhausted. In the fall of that year the quota of the county had reached 2,133 men, and 1,888 had responded, leaving a deficit of 273. In several towns a draft became necessary, and where it was possible the drafted man went into the service and fought as bravely as the man who volunteered. A number of the townships paid bounties, and drafted men who could not go were required to hire substi- tutes, at a large figure.
But the war was drawing to a close. The brave, grand armies, under command of Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Logan, and others whose names have been rendered immortal, were fast drawing in on the rebels, capturing their fortifications, taking prisoners corps and divisions of half-starved rebel soldiers, and
soon the news flashed over the wires that Lee had surrendered, that Richmond had fallen and the rebellion was virtually at an end.
Boise thus speaks of the close of the war: " About 3,000 men had been furnished by the county for the great war now gloriously ended. The official records of the State credit the various towns the following numbers, probably reducing the number by estimat- ing and averaging them as if furnished for three years' service: Paw Paw, 136; Shabbona, 137; Milan, 38; Malta, 94; South Grove, 103; Franklin, 99; Kingston, 98; Mayfield, 103; De Kalb, 223; Afton, 89; Clinton, III; Victor, 103; Somonauk, 311 ; Squaw Grove, 93; Pierce, 100; Pampas, 134; Syca- more, 307 : Genoa, 109. Total, 2,388."
A glorious record truly !
The happy termination of the war was made gloomy by the sad death of the President of the United States, that great and good man, one whom the Nation was beginning to love as its Savior, Abraham Lincoln. Struck down by the hand of an assassin on the night of the 14th of April, 1865, on the morning of the 15th he breathed his last, all the nations of the earth mourning his loss. In every vil- lage and hamlet where the church spires pointed heavenward, services in commemoration of the noble dead were held.
The war is over, but it is not forgotten by the loyal citizens of De Kalb County. In too many homes exist the vacant chair; too many mourn the loss of a kind father, a loving brother or an affectionate hus- band. In our graveyards lie the remains of many who lost their lives during that fearful rebellion, or have wasted away from disease contracted in that gloomy period. In the sunny South were left others of the brave men of De Kalb, where they will remain till the resurrection day. On our streets are daily to be seen the empty sleeve and the wooden limb of those who fought that the nation might be saved. No, the war is not forgotten, nor are the brave men who perished. Once each year the old soldiers and their friends meet at the graves of the departed, strewing them with beautiful flowers, shedding the regretful tear, but happy in the consciousness that they are at rest and have exemplified the thought, " How noble it is to die for one's country!"
DE KALB COUNTY.
791
Agriculture.
-
OTICING the article on the phy- sical features of the county, it will be seen that its soil is adapted to all the cereals peculiar to this climate. In the early day much wheat was raised, but latterly this has given place to corn, the great staple product of the North- west. In 1884 there were but 843 acres of wheat reported to the vari- ous township assessors, while of corn there was 112,546 acres. Among the other products there were in oats, 61,976 acres; meadow, 80,- 051 ; field products, 5,606; inclosed pasture, 119,116; orchard, 4,503; wood land, 13,131. In the past few years much attention has been given by the farmers to stock-raising, which has proven more productive than general farming. The dairy interest has also been rapidly increasing, many farmers devoting their time to this branch of their business, which yields a satisfactory profit; hence the large amount of meadow land. For the general farmer, De Kalb County affords extraordinary induce- ments to make money easily and rapidly.
.
Agricultural Societies.
N the fall of 1852 the first exhibition of the De Kalb County Agricultural Society was held at Sycamore. Of this exhibition Boies says : " It was in marked contrast with the ex- tensive collections of the present era. One old white bull was chained to a stake in the center of a vacant open lot, and two or three stallions, with
as many cows and colts, and a few beets and pump- kins completed the amusing exhibition." The same authority says of the third annual exhibition : "The third annual fair of De Kalb County was held on the IIth and 12th days of October, 1854. It was a very tame and spiritless affair, only 26 premiums being awarded in all, and these being divided among 18 persons. Those of our citizens who participated in the denionstration were mortified at the poor display of the industry of the country, and at the close of the fair a meeting of the County Agricultural Society was held, at which it was resolved to put forth every effort to enlist a deeper interest in the annual fairs among the farmers of the county."
On the roth day of December, 1856, S. W. Arnold wrote the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, stating that no fairs had been held for two years, but that efforts were being made to revive the society and hold other exhibitions. A meeting was held at which the following named officers were elected for 1857 : John S. Brown, President; D. B. James, Correspond- ing Secretary ; A. K. Stiles, Recording Secretary ; A. Ellwood, Treasurer. A fair was held in the fall of that year, which must have been successful, the Secretary reporting that after all expenses had been paid there was $12 remaining in the treasury.
In 1858 a fine exhibition was held, which greatly encouraged the society, and at its regular meeting it decided to locate a permanent fair ground adjoining the Kishwaukee River, directly north of the village of Sycamore, on grounds belonging to Clark Wright, Here about fifteen acres of land were secured and some improvements made. Not being able to ob- tain a perfect title to the land, at a meeting of the society in 1861, Moses Dean secured the appoint- ment of a committee to locate new grounds. At this time the citizens of De Kalb were very anxious to
792
DE KALB COUNTY.
secure the location of the fair at their place and offered such inducements that the committee decided to accept the proposal.
In reference to the proposition to remove to De Kalb, the Secretary, in his report to the State Board of Agriculture, said : "The annual meeting of 1861 was very fully attended. A proposition came up for a change of location of the society to some grounds at the village of De Kalb, which after a long and spirit discussion was voted down. Secession being about this time in fashion, and some members feeling themselves aggrieved at this action, they publicly seceded from the society with a view of forming a society at De Kalb."
The members of the committee to secure a per- manent location, and who had reported recommend- ing the society to accept the proposition of the citizens of De Kalb, were among the members re- ferred to by the Secretary. A new committee was appointed to select grounds at Sycamore. They reported shortly after in favor of securing some land of J. C. Waterman, west of the city. Subsequently about fifteen acres were purchased of Erasmus D. Walrod, the ground now occupied by the present society. The land purchased from Mr. Walrod was fitted up and for some years after fairs were held therein. In 1864 no fair appears to have been held, and no reports were made to the State Board until 1866. Misfortune seemed to have overtaken the fair and exhibitions were finally abandoned, a new organization taking its place.
The officers for the years 1858 to 1861 inclusive were as follows:
1858-Daniel Wait, Pres .; P. Waterman, Vice Pres,; W. H. Beavers, Rec. Sec .; D. B. James, Cor. Sec .; A. Ellwood, Treas.
1859-Daniel Wait, Pres .; W. T. Kirk, Vice Pres .; William H. Beavers, Rec. Sec. , W. J. Hunt, Cor. Sec .; A. Ellwood, Treas.
1860-John S. Brown, Pres .; James S. Glidden, Vice Pres .; T. C. Wetmore, Rec. Sec. ; A. K. Stiles, Cor. Sec .; William A. Nickerson, Treas.
1861-John S. Brown, Pres .; J. R. Crossett, Vice Pres .; H. L. Boies, Rec. Sec .; William H. Beavers, Cor. Sec .; William A. Nickerson, Treas.
The fair for 1859 was reported by the Secretary as " by far the most prosperous fair ever held in the county."
Union Agricultural Institute.
PON the 11th of February, 1860, pursuant to notice, a meeting was held at Sandwich, for the purpose of organizing an agricul- tural society. William L. F. Jones was called to the chair and J. A. Dickson was made Secretary. William Patten, S. Lay, J. A. Dick- son and S. Guernsey were appointed a committee to draft constitution and by-laws. At a meeting held February 18, the committee reported, and the name "Sandwich Agricultural Institute " was adopted. At a meeting held on the 25th, the following named officers were elected: William L. F. Jones, Presi- dent ; A. Adams, J. S. Fuller, Vice Pres. ; J. H. Carr, Treas .; N. E. Ballou, Cor. Sec. The first fair was held Oct. 16 to 18, 1860, the receipts of which were $400.65, the expenses $290.95. This being the day of "wild-cat " money, the Treasurer reported that a part of the balance remaining in his hand was uncurrent.
In January, 1861, the Institute voted to purchase 20 acres of land of J. A. Dickson, lying three-fourths of a mile west of the village. In March, 1861, the In- stitute was incorporated, or, it might be said, a new society was formed under the name of " Union Agri- cultural Institute." Its incorporators were William L. F. Jones, H. F. Winchester, Hubbard Latham, A. H. Palmer, A. R. Patten and N. E. Ballou. Its officers for that year were William L. F. Jones, Pres .; J. H. Furman, Vice Pres .; N. E. Ballou, Sec .; Jon- athan Able, Cor. Sec .; G. W. Culver, Treas. From 1862 to 1883 the following named have held the offices mentioned in this society :
Presidents : William L. F. Jones, 1862-7 ; Will- iam Patten, 1868; C. A. Reed, 1869; William L. F. Jones, 1870-3 ; Hubbard Latham, 1874-6; David Harmon, 1877 ; F. Baldwin, 1877-82; J. P. Adams, 1883.
Vice Presidents : J. H. Furman, [862; S. B. Stin- son, 1863-6; F. Baldwin, 1867: C. A. Reed, 1868 ; H. W. Sweetland, 1869; S. D. Colman, 1870 ; David E. Harmon, 1871-6; W. H. Sweetland, 1877; William Patten and J. P. Adams, 1877 ; J. P. Adams, 1878-82 ; F. Baldwin, 1883.
Secretaries : N. E. Ballou, 1862 ; S. B. Stinson, 1863-6; Joseph A. Dickson, 1867; N. E. Ballou
793
DE KALB COUNTY.
1868-76; Amos Shepard, 1877; J. M. Hummel, 1877-81 ; H C. Graves, 1882-3.
Treasurers : G. W. Culver, 1862-76; M. B. Castle, 1877-83.
From the Secretary's record it is judged that no fairs were held in 1861 and 1862, though in the meantime ground had been bought for the purpose, H. F. Winchester fencing the same for its use. In 1863 a fair was held, the receipts being $549. Fairs were held without intermission from 1863 to 1874. In February, 1877, a re-organization was effected, the stock of the institute being divided into 20 shares. Ten men took all the stock, paying therefor $2,000. A fair was held in 1877 under the auspices of the new association, at which their receipts were $2,154. In 1878 and until 1882 successful fairs were annually held, the association paying its premiums in full and having a good surplus each year. In March, 1883, the grounds were sold to Dieterich & Ebinger, since which time no fairs have been held.
De Kalb County Agricultural and Mechanical Society.
ARCH, 1861, a meeting was held at De Kalb for the purpose of forming an organization to advance the interests of agriculture and mechanics. A joint stock company was formed with capital stock of $2,500, and a motion was made to purchase the grounds selected by the committee appointed by the old society. The foregoing name was adopted by which the society was to be known. The following named were selected as officers for 1861: J. F. Glid- den, Pres. ; N. Saum, Vice Pres .; J. W. Smull, Sec. ; Harvey Thompson, Treas. The finest exhibition was held in September following, and was reported as being very successful. The grounds purchased from Mr. Glidden were fitted up in a satisfactory manner and for some years very successful exhibi- tions were held. This society generally secured the aid voted by the State, amounting to $100 annually. Three fairs in the county were too much, and the De Kalb fair some time since suspended.
De Kalb County Agricultural Association.
N the 12th day of March, 1870, the De Kalb County Agricultural Association was formed at Sycamore. One hundred and thirty two persons subscribed for from one to five shares each of the stock of the association. The capital stock was placed at $2,500. The fol- lowing named were elected as officers for the year 1870: Henry Wood, President; S. C. Hale, Vice- President; T. K. Waite, Rec. Sec .; Samuel Alden, Cor. Sec .; Roswell Dow, Treasurer; Alonzo Ellwood, A. H. Pond, Nicholas Saum, John M. Schoonmaker, James M. Byers, Directors.
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