USA > Illinois > Henry County > Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 107
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In 1838 arrived George Albert and E. Walters and families, and Henry and Samuel Sullivan, with mother and two sisters, and settled in what is now Hanna. In the winter of 1835, Collin D. James, of Rock Island, organized a religious society. Services were held in P. K. Hanna's cabin. James preached to the little colony until succeeded by Rev. A. D. West. In the spring of 1836 arrived in this settle- ment, J. D. Tabor, J. P. Hanna, Charles Atkinson and George Taylor and families, and by the spring- time of 1836 there was a population of 41 souls. Here, Feb. 7, 1836, occurred the first marriage : James P. Dodge and Samantlia Colbert, daughter of Rev. G. A. Colbert,
In the early part of 1837, William Paddelford pur- chased land in this settlement, and in the fall of the same year located, with his family; and in 1838 he removed and opened a farm where his son James H. now resides.
The first frame building in the county was erected in Cleveland, by Atkinson and Wells, in 1836. The settlers in this neighborhood and those of the New York Colony, at Geneseo, in the winter of 1836, or- ganized a temperance society and held meetings, and opened up the war on Gen. Budge.
The first school was taught here in 1836, by Nar- cissie Stewart, who quit attending to other people's children, married Huntington Wells and removed to Moline, Ill.
In 1836, Thomas and Anderson Miller and Dr. Gawzer settled in this neighborhood. In 1837, came Henry Hand, and he ran the first chartered ferry, at Cleveland. Also in this year came D. P. Gave, John Williams, John Searles, Columbia Aldrich, William and James Bernard, Rev. Woodruff and son, all of whom settled in what is now Hanna township. The same year, Sanbro settled in the east part of the township, where he lived until his death. He was much esteemed and respected by all.
In 1838, William Whitehead, Thomas Hill, Adrian Van Winkle, and Wesley Hanna came. From 1838 to 1845 the settlement increased rapidly. A few, as now remembered by these early settlers, of the num- ber were J. W. Taylor, H. R. Taylor, Adam Hooker ; the Linnells, Heningers, Quillans, Meads, and James Miller and families.
Cleveland.
LEVELAND is the oldest platted and laid- out town in the county, the date of its exist- ence extending back to 1836. It is on the south bank of Rock River, section 31. Its sponsors were Charles Atkinson and Geo. D. Tabor. At the time of its platting this was Knox County. It was located on the river and on the stage road from Knoxville to Galena. The first buildings were put up-two log cabins- in the sum- mer of 1837 for George Tyler and Charles Atkinson, the latter's being a double cabin, and part of which was used for a store. Thomas Glenn and George Brandenburg did the work on them, In the course
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of time these two buildings were torn away to make room for better ones. In 1837, Whiteside, this town, was included in what is now Whiteside County, then Whiteside precinct. At the August election of this year-when Martin Van Buren was elected Presi- ident-the whole number of votes cast in the entire precinct was seventy-two, three of which were Dem- ocrat. It must have made the wily " old fox" trem- ble in his boots, particularly if the first returns that reached him were from this precinct.
E. N. Wells and Charles Atkinson put up the first frame houses in the county, in Cleveland.
In 1869 a grist-mill was erected by the Cleveland Hydraulic Company. It was directly on the river bank and was a water power. The principal popu- lation of the town for some years has been miners and proprietors of mines, operating the extensive coal mines in this immediate vicinity. A fine vein of coal, valuable for shipping purposes, is found here, a full account of which is given in another chapter. The general depression of the coal trade the past few years has somewhat crippled the prosperity of the place, causing a loss of population and business, which is expected to return as soon as there is a re- vival of business over the country.
A hotel and three stores and a few shops have been able to do all the business of the place. In 1875 a comfortable district school-house was ereeted in the place. Here was formed the first religious soci- ety in Henry County, which action was due to the pious energy of P. K. Hanna. It was a very small band at first, and for years they found plenty of room to worship in the little crowded cabins of the vicinity. But its growth was regular and even strong, and eventually they erected a commodious and comfort- able house of worship.
KEWANEE TOWNSHIP.
HAT is now Kewanee Township had no white settler in it until the fall of 1836. William, Samuel and James Carson, broth- ers, built a cabin in the grove northwest of the town of Kewanee, and wintered there, in the winter of 1836-7. The next spring they returned to Fulton County and made a crop there
and then returned to their cabin in the grove, and continued to reside here for many years.
John Kilvington, an Englishman, and Robert Coultas, also came in 1836 and built a cabin, but they too returned and made a crop and came back in 1837, in March. Cornelius Bryan came soon after the two last named.
Samuel Carson now lives in Wethersfield. Next came Luther Sleight and settled on section 33, ad- joining the present town of Kewanee. He eventually sold out his farm and went to Geneseo. He sold to Sam Alexander, who in turn sold the place again and went to Nebraska. Then came Francis Loomis, who settled and made an improvement close to Mr. Sleight's. He sold and went to Nebraska. He is remembered by the old citizens as a most excellent man in every respect. He died some years ago and we understand he left only a son living.
O. W. Brown came next, and settled on section - 34. Afterwards he removed to Wethersfield, where he now resides. Hazleton Page came in 1837. His son Asa now lives in the town of Kewanee. Capt. Sullivan Howard came in 1837 ; now living in Ke- wanee, hale, hearty and cheery, and probably no man in the county loves better to recount the story of the pioneer days, their few trials and hardships and their many triumphs, and the boundless happiness of those good old times and people. So cheerful in his nature is he that in his recollections he can only recall the bright side of the picture, remembers only the hearty enjoyment of the hours as they flew past 50 years ago, the warm-hearted hospitality and the genial souls of those men and women of the long ago, the great majority of whom has long since joined the silent multitude.
Cornelius Bryan had sons, William, Henry H. and Asbury T., who became worthy successors to a worthy sire.
These settlements were made near the south line of the township; and just across the line, in Wethers- field, were their neighbors, and, in fact, a portion of the same settlement. After the coming of those enumerated above, there were but few accessions for a few years, probably none before 1839-40.
Sylvanus W. Warner came in 1840. He was from Canada. He first located in Ohio, where he mar- ried Emeline Otis. Will R. Goodrich came to the county in 1837 with his family. He was born in
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the Sandwich Islands. He married Harriet M. Slocum, Nov. 22, 1857.
A few of these early settlers, becoming discon- tented, sold out their claims and returned to the East to their old homes, and in their places were to be found the very few accretions to the settlement for years.
City of Kewanee.
HIS is the most important commercial point between Galesburg and Princeton, and ranks high among the smaller cities of Central Illinois. It contains a population of over 4,000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a magnificent farming country, has several im- portant manufactories and is a good trading point. Abundance of an excellent quality of coal is found here and extensive mining interests are carried on. Kewanee is on the main line of the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad, and 132 miles from Chicago.
As late as 1853, where the busy and thrifty city now is, was the quiet of farm life prevailing un- broken. The house of Harry Thompson was then a quiet farm house. This building is still standing, and in good repair for its age, near the center of the present town. Nearly adjoining this were the farms of M. B. and J. P. Potter, on the west. This farm house of Harry Thompson's must have been rather a pretentious venture in the day of its erection. It is a two-story frame, standing just back of what was once known as the Phillips Block, a large two-story frame business house. We have the information from William Wolf, who owns the old Thompson house, that it yet rents for $10 a month. It is framed of those solid, heavy logs that were once supposed to be so essential to the erection of a frame house.
The work of building the old Military Tract Rail- road, now the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Rail- road, decided the birth and location of the town. Strenuous efforts were made by the citizens of Wethersfield, one mile south, to secure the passage of the railroad through their town. Owing to heavy grades and the crossing of a stream, involving a large extra expense, this was not acceded to by the company, and grading was commenced on the pro- posed route. Enterprising citizens of that day saw the result, and quickly took advantage of the loca- tion to secure a town on the railroad,
The company had at first decided to place the de- pot on the northeast quarter of section 32, but a defective title compelled a re-location, and it was changed to the northwest quarter of section 33. Matthew B. and J. P. Potter and Col. Blish owned the site. The former, after selling five acres of their quarter section to Geo. A. Morse and Silas Willard, traded the balance to Dwight Needham for his beau- tiful farm a little farther south. Mr. Needham at once sold to Capt. Sullivan Howard, Ralph A. Ten- ney-better known as "Ralph "-and Henry G. Little ; and these gentlemen sold a quarter interest to Nelson Lay. Willard and Morse's tract lay on either side of the railroad, on Main Street, and here they built a store and warehouse in 1853. This was known as the " Pioneer " store, and did a lucrative business for nearly twelve months without opposi- tion. The building stood on the lot now occupied by the residence of Mr. Joseph O'Brien, and was, in 1863, destroyed by fire.
Kewanee was laid out May 1, 1854, by Sullivan Howard, Nelson Lay, H. G. Little, R. A. Tenney, Geo. A. Morse und Sylvester Blish. Wethersfield, which was then quite a thriving village, suffered in a very short time a loss of nearly all of her business houses, which were one by one put on wheels and moved to Kewanee. The survey was made by C. C. Blish. The streets run at right angles, and are generally four rods wide, though Main Street is 100 feet in width. The first house erected on the town site was the Kewanee Hotel. It was kept for some time by Tenney & Hutchins. In February, 1856, Mr. E. V. Bronson purchased the property of R. A. Tenney, and for twenty-two years has successfully. supplied the gastronomical needs of the public. It is now run by Mr. Warner.
It was probably the intention of the founders of the town that Main Street should be the street ; and in fact it was for some time. "Phillips' Block," the first store in the town proper, was built thereon by Nelson Lay ; J. D. Schriver erected the old " Phila- delphia Store " there; Davenport & Robinson their grocery (now Miles & Minnick's); Dr. Finney had his drug store where now stands the Free-will Baptist church, and on the corner next south was the dry- goods establishment of Aaron Cooper. A few build- ings only were erected on Tremont Street, which was in wet weather very little short of a canal as far as navigation was concerned. Vet the hotel and the
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depot slowly and surely drew the trade center west- ward. C. N. Cutter erected, very early, the building occupied by Bennison Bros., and which for many years was known as "Cutter's Hall," and considered quite palatial in those days. It was moved to the lot north and a fine brick put in its place. Resi- dences sprang up rapidly in all parts of the town, grain warehouses were built, and in eighteen months the town boasted of a population of 1,500, including Wethersfield.
The following were among the leading pioneer merchants :
Fitch & Skinner, druggists, occupied the site of the present T. H. Phillips' brick house ; Joseph Montgomery, boot, shoe and clothing dealer ; Mr. James S. Howard kept the first furniture store and a hardware store, which was built by Fred. Wild. When the town was laid out, the proprietors gave it the name of Berrien, in compliment of Col. Berrien, chief engineer of the railroad. He rather objected to this, however, and being asked to name the town suggested "Kewanee," an Indian name, supposed to signify "prairie-hen." This cognomen was readily ac- cepted by the proprietors, and on Feb. 14, 1855, was legalized by a special act of the Legislature. The postoffice was established in 1854, and given the name of Kewanee. Col. Blish was appointed as in- cumbent of the office, and occupied a portion of the store of Otis & Pinney for the discharge of his du- ties. It will be remembered this building occupied the site of the Free-will Baptist church. In the fall of 1855 Col. Blish died, and Mr. R. A. Tenney, who among other enterprising acts erected the first brick residence in town, occupied by Dr. G. W. Fellows, succeeded him. Different administrations caused many changes to be made in this office. It is now held by N. H. Pratt, who has been in charge a long time. His assistant is his daughter Anna.
In 1884 the census was carefully taken, showing a population of 3,700 souls. It was incorporated as a village by the session of the Legislature of 1866-7, and is modestly content to forego the more preten- tious airs and expenses of becoming a city, although possessed of many more inhabitants than many other places that have long since put on the trap- pings of cities.
The Village Trustees are : J. H. Peirce, President ; P. B. Keller, James Porter, John Moore, A. W. Er-
rett, Samuel Jones. E. E. Baker, City Clerk ; A. W. Wood, Police Magistrate; C. C. Wilson, Village At- torney.
The proprietors of the town of Kewanee were from the start keenly alive to the fact that factories and workshops were as essential to the prosperity of the place as were store-rooms, dwellings and other busi- ness houses. They were ready to offer inducements to institutions of this kind that came along looking for a place to locate. The result of this foresight is now plainly to be seen ; it is the busiest and thriftiest town in the county to-day, and is growing apace, while the average towns of Northern Illinois have for the past few years stood still, or lost population. From Galesburg to Aurora, on the line of the Chi- cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, it ranks as the best business point, giving the road the largest trade in imports and exports between these two points.
In 1856 there were three dry-goods stores-Lang, Hardy & Co., Willard & Moss, and S. A. Smith; and there were two grocery stores-Davenport & Robin- son, and Penny Bros. Now there are 6 dry-goods, 5 hardware, 7 grocery, 3 jewelry, 3 bakeries, 2 news stands, 3 clothing, 5 boots and shoes, 4 harness shops, 3 furniture stores, 2 lumber yards, 5 meat markets, a grain elevator, 2 banks, 3 hotels, besides numerous shops, and small places of business and trade. Many of these business houses are alone on a scale with, and do a business much greater than was done by, all the houses in the town 25 years ago. The business men are of that class that have been quick to see the wants of the public about them, and have supplied them promptly and most efficiently.
The easy access to the fine quality of coal found here was another inducement for manufacturers that had its influence at an early day. As is mentioned elsewhere, a great deal of capital and employment to many miners is furnished by the coal mines. The Lathrop Coal & Mining Company, whose main office adjoins the First National Bank, when running full force, give employment to over 200 men. Coal in this mine is reached at about 100 feet, and is loaded on the cars by a very ingenious contrivance, and they ship large quantities along the line of the railroad. This company was organized in 1869. Some years ago H. H. Perkins started the Kewanee Manufac- turing establishment. The O'Brien Manufactory was started into operation in 1858. This was re-
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moved from Princeville, Peoria County, and com- menced making wagons and carriages here.
The present manufactories are the Haxtun Steam Heater Co., organized in 1875. It is incorporated with a capital stock of $500,000. It has eight acres of ground, adjoining the railroad, and has nearly four acres under roof, and has 550 employees, the large majority of whom are skilled mechanics and com- mand the highest wages. The original capital was $50,000. The company succeeded the Anderson Steam Heating Company. The plant is located in the northeast part of the town. When this company became the owners of this business, only two build- ings, 30 x 80 and 40 x 60 feet respectively, were used, and only 20 men were employed. The pay-roll now is about $22,000 per month. There are twelve sepa- rate and distinct departments in this establishment, namely : the puddle mill, rolling mill, pipe mill, iron foundry, brass foundry, machine shop, radiator shop, steam-fitting shop, brass-finishing department, boiler shop, pattern shop, and the gas manufacturing de- partment, where they manufacture their own gas for use in the pipe-manufacturing department. These works are immediately adjoining the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad, from which they have side-tracks, running not only into their grounds, but into the buildings as well, which greatly facilitates the handling of the heavy goods.
Twelve engines, aggregating 1,300 horse-power, are required to propel the vast amount of machinery necessary for their business. Each and every de- partment is supplied with special machinery, gotten up and adapted for some special purpose. In fact, the greater part of their machinery, as well as their engines, is manufactured by themselves, and is of no use other than for the particular purpose for which it was made.
With the exception of boiler iron, everything is bought in its crude shape-pig and scrap iron, cop- per and brass. They do their own puddling, rolling- mill work, etc. A ton of iron will start in at the puddling department, and after being manipulated to the proper consistency, is passed to the rolling mill, where it is converted into strips or bars of the right width and thickness. It is then conveyed to the pipe department, where it is made into pipe of any desired size. The capacity in this department is forty tons per day.
The officers of this company are W. E. Haxtun, President ; J. H. Pierce, Secretary ; and E. E. Baker, Treasurer.
At E. K. Hays' factory there is a large force of men busy at work making a great variety of imple- ments, but their specialty now is a recently patented pump, of which they are turning out great quantities. This institution commenced manufacturing plows and shoveling boards, and from this branched into nearly every implement the farmer wants, and have always done a large repairing business.
The Kewanee Wagon Company is another of the valuable and thriving institutions of the town. It manufactures all sorts of road wagons, carriages, buggies, etc., and is a successor to the O'Brien Manufacturing Company, which was organized in January, 1882, with a capital stock of $10,000. The incorporators, John Chisnall, Thomas F. Chisnall, William Howland, C. G. Taylor and August Grief, were all the old employes of the O'Brien Manufac- turing Company, and each one of them fills his place under the new organization, not only as stockholder and officer, but as a mechanic, and in charge of some particular department of the works.
John Chisnall, the President of the company, is business manager, book-keeper and head of the wood-working department ; William Howland, Vice- President, conducts the iron work ; C. G. Taylor, Secretary, wood-worker and in charge of the fine buggy and carriage department, while Thomas F. Chisnall, Treasurer, is superintendent of machinery. Each man has his wages paid him weekly, and the residue or net earning goes to the credit of the com- pany. New machinery is being added from time to time, the capacity of the concern is being increased, and the undertaking as a whole is an assured success. (See biographical sketches of John Chisnall, William Howland and C. G. Taylor, this volume.)
The Kewanee Manufacturing Company is another of the valuable additions to the town.
These many and large factories, with their tall chimneys filled with eager fires, the din of the great and small hammers pounding and forging the iron into artful shapes, have made Kewanee the Birming- ham of Northern Illinois, and promise it a great and prosperous future.
CHURCHES.
Congregational .- The oldest of the thirteen regu- larly organized Churches at Kewanee is the Congre-
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gational, whose organization was effected Aug. 7, 1855, in a school-house. During the winter previous meetings were held in the Kewanee House and at a few private residences. Flavel Bascom, D. D., pre- sided at the meeting of organization. Forty-four persons united, many of whom had been members of the same Church at Wethersfield. The church edifice was completed and dedicated March II, 1858, having been built the year previous. It was very much enlarged and beautified in the year 187 1. The Rev. Charles H. Pierce was preaching to the congregation at the time of organization, and re- mained until January, 1858. He was succeeded, as the next Pastor, by Mr. Charles C. Salter, who was ordained and installed April 20, 1859, and was regu- larly dismissed March 11, 1861. Rev. James M. Van Wagner was called to the pastorate of the Church in February, 1864, installed June 6. He re- mained until April 6, 1868. Rev. James Tompkins was called June 1, 1872, installed September 10. During the intervals between any of these pastorates the pulpit was filled by supplies. The congregation is now in a good condition. The present Pastor is A. N. Hitchcock. The membership is 300. The Sunday-school has an attendance of 400.
The Free- Will Baptist Church was organized April 29, 1865, in the Protestant Methodist Church, with eleven members. The following is a list of the original membership: Rev. William Bonar, Mrs. Mary Ann Bonar, A. B. Palmer, Mrs. Mary Ann Pal- mer, D. W. Payne, Henry Malone, Mary Malone, S. W. Warner, A. B. Gurney, Caroline E. Gurney and C. H. Gurney-eleven persons. Prior to the organization services were held in the Swedish Methodist Church, and next in the Protestant Methodist-now the Free Methodist Church. They worshiped in this latter place until November, 1865, when they removed to Cutter's Hall, where they re- mained until January, 1866, when they again re- moved, this time to the Christian Church. This building is now a dwelling. Here they met for re- ligious exercises until Jan. 16, 1870, when they wor- shiped a few months again in Cutter's Hall. About May, 1869, they commenced the erection of a church building. It was completed June 1, 1870, when they immediately occupied it. It is a very comfort- able structure, and cost, including the lot, $6,800.
Among the pastors serving this congregation are :
Revs. William Bonar, O. D. Patch, J. J. Weage and H. J. Brown.
The Free Methodist Church was organized in a private residence in Wethersfield about the year 1866 or 1867. Meetings had been held for some time previous in the residences of different persons, and in the Swedish Methodist house of worship; also in a store-room in Wethersfield. About the year 1870 they purchased their present church edi- fice of the Protestant Methodists, and have since oc- cupied it. At the organization some five or six persons were admitted as members. They have, at different times, enjoyed good seasons of revival, and now number some 35 members. The first minister was Rev. Jonathan Dick; next, William Cooley, whose wife occasionally officiated at divine service. He was followed by J. G. Terrell, during whose ministry the church was purchased, at a cost of $1,000. Next, George Coffee, followed by W. W. Kelley; he by John Whiting; he by James Thaxter, then James Kelso took charge. The present Pastor is E. M. Smashy. The Sunday-school numbers about 25 pupils.
The Presbyterian Church was organized in the Baptist Church by the Rock Island Presbytery, March 26, 1872. A preliminary meeting had been held to invite the Presbytery to this action in the house of S. M. Hurd on February 21 previous. At the organization the following persons were received as members : Daniel and Mrs. Eunice Baldwin, William E. and Mrs. Sarah A. Haxtun, R. A. and Mrs. L. Little, Jacob W. and Mrs. Hannah Jones, S. M. and Mrs. Emily Hurd, N. H. and Mrs. Lura Blakely, Effie Blakely, Mrs. C. H. Graves, George H. Lincoln, George Kliner, Mrs. J. Powers, Mrs. P. Wright, Mrs. John Whiffen, Clark Bradish, William W. Winter and Mrs. Virginia L. Winter, and - Shanahan.
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