Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 108

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850

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 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

During the summer the church was erected. In- cluding the lot, it cost $5 ooo. The Rev. N. D. Graves was Pastor of the Church about three years. Rev. Josiah Milligan, of Princeton, preached for them for some time, when Rev. J. D. Howey was called. He occupied the pulpit over one year. The Church has no pastor at present. Thereare now 95 members, and a Sunday-school of 100 scholars.

The Baptist Church .- This congregation was or- ganized at Wethersfield, and on May 9, 1856, it was

804

HENRY COUNTY.

decided by a vote of its members to remove their place of holding service to Kewanee. There were at that time over 100 members. They worshiped for some time in different halls, and in some of the other churches. On Dec. 21, 1865, a building committee was appointed, and steps taken towards the erection of a suitable church edifice. This was completed and occupied July 7, 1867, and cost, including the site, over $8,000. There are now about 235 mem- bers, and a Sunday-school of 115 scholars. The present Pastor is Rev. J. M. Titterington.

Among those serving as pastors are: Revs. S. P. Ives, H. B. Foskett, J. La Grange, A. D. Freeman, William Storrs, A. Jones, K. W. Benton, Carlos Swift, R. L. Colwell and P. P. Shirley. The Church is now in a flourishing condition, and enjoying evident signs of prosperity.

The Methodist Episcopal Church .- This congrega- tion at first met for some time in a school-house, about one mile east of Kewanee, in a hall over the store of J. D. Schriver, and in private houses. Some of the members had been connected with the same religious body in Wethersfield, but desirous of build- ing up a Church in Kewanee, came here to worship. They organized a class of 30 persons, Dec. 15, 1855, in the school-house referred to; being then under the pastoral care of Rev. J. O. Gilbert. The principal members were A. Thornton, Wm. King, J. Shipley, Erastus Johnson, W. S. Oliver, William Bowen, W. C. 'Kent and John Schriver. The corner-stone of their church was laid Oct. 23, 1856.

This building becoming old and inadequate to the growing demands of the congregation, in the summer of 1877 a new one was constructed, which cost $10,- 000. The parsonage was purchased in 1856. June following the organization of the Church, a Sunday- school was organized. There were 60 pupils in attendance.

Among the Pastors who have served this Church are: Revs. J. O. Gilbert, John Chandler, E. Ran- som, one year, J. S. Cummings, W. P. Graves, U. J. Giddings, W. J. Beck, Benjamin Applebee, John P. Brooks, M. P. Armstrong, G. W. Arnold, B. C. Dennis, M. Spurlock. The minister in charge at present is Rev. F. H. Cumming.

St. John's (Protestant Episcopal) Church .- On Sunday, May 13, 1855, a Protestant Episcopal Sun- day-school was organized in the Kewanee House.

This was the first religious organization in Ke- wanee, and the school met the following Sunday for the first time at Odd Fellows Hall. There were 20 scholars, and R. P. Parish was Superintendent. The first full Episcopal service, with sermon, was in the summer following, by Rev. Porter, of Jubilee College. In October, Bishop Whitehouse made a visit, and held two services in the unfinished Meth- odist Protestant Church. During the summer and autumn of 1856, Rev. Philander Chase officiated occasionally in the same church. July 13, 1856, the Church was organized. The first Rector was Rev. George E. Peters, who commenced his labors in 1857, and remained two years. A church edifice was constructed in 1857, at a cost of about $5,000. The first church-bell of the town was rung from the belfry of St. John's.

The Primitive Methodist .- The organization of this Church was effected in 1865. The principal members then were Joseph Garland, John Bennison, John Bradbury, John Bamford, Moses Jones, William Bennison and J. Breckon. They niet for a while prior to organization in Cutler's Hall and in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church edifice was erected in 1873, at a cost of $2,000. Among those serving as Pastors, are as follows: Revs. J. Hewitt, Charles Dawson, Thomas Butterwick, Will- iam Jacks, Jr., Charles Dawson. Minister in charge is Rev. T. M. Harris. There are now 90 members and a Sunday-school of 87 scholars.

St. Paul's Church (German United Evangelical). -- About 1866, some of the German people living in this vicinity and professing belief in the doctrines of this religious body, organized a Church. For a short time they met in a school-house, but at once com- menced the erection of a church edifice. Nineteen persons united at the organization-the Pastor being Rev. Hilmer, who remained about one year. Their church cost some $2,500. The majority of the members, now about 75, live in the country. In 1875, another church was organized in the coun- try, three miles northeast of Kewanee. It is for the accommodation of those living in that locality.

The Church of the Latter-Day Saints .- The first meetings were held at Amboy in 1859. An organi- zation was effected here of probably 100 members. From this place they were sent out to preach, and in 1862 effected the establishment of the Church here.

805

HENRY COUNTY

In 1868, they erected their present church edifice, locating it nearly one mile north of town. Regular services are maintained here, the membership being about 100, with an attendance of about 50 in the Sunday-school. They are distinct in their faith and practices from the Utah Mormons, and have no con- nection whatever with them.

Swedish Lutheran Church-Was organized into a regular Church in 1869. Prior to that time they held meetings at private residences, and occasionally in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1870, they completed their church building, at a cost of $3,000. There were about 50 members, and a flourishing Sunday-school has been kept up from the first organ- ization. The first minister in charge was Rev. Lendholm, followed by Rev. N. Neurgren; then the Rev. John Wingstronı.

The Swedish Methodist Church was organized at an early day. It was and is quite small and has not been able to sustain a local minister or build a house of worship.

St. Mary's (Catholic) Church, Father Lyons now in charge, first met at the house of Matthew Joyce, in 1854. There were 35 heads of families belonging to the Church, among them being Lawrence Hunt, Patrick Cavanaugh, Matthew Joyce, James Hunt (deceased), James Gallagher, Thomas Caton, Ed- ward Hunt (deceased). In 1855, a small church was erected,-since much enlarged and remodeled. The first priest in charge was Father Lynch, then O'Gara, Powers, Dulhuntz, Duggan, Hannigan, Kil- kerney, J. M. Ryan and John Ryan. It now has the largest membership in the town.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in Kewanee was in a small frame building, built by George A. Morse and donated by him to educational purposes. It stood just north of the railroad track on Main Street. School was con- ducted here for nearly two years, when the structure was moved into the town proper, on the lot now the East School, and here used until it was moved again to make room for a better building. This little build- ing was soon wholly inadequate to the town's growth, and the trustees rented rooms over Schriver's store and also of Austin Sykes. These were occupied un- til 1858. To this time these two commodious rooms it seems were room enough, and the old pioneer

school-room, mentioned above, was sold, and be- came the printing-office of the Henry County Dial ; it lived through the rough experience of the printer and his " devil," and again was transferred and be- came the Christian Church, and after faithful service here was again changed and became a private resi- dence. Its varied experience and migrations remind one of "Japhat in search of a father." In 1865 the East School-room becoming wholly inadequate, steps were taken for the enlargement of the building, and the erection of two others. In 1866 the East build- ing was enlarged to double its former capacity, and the two brick structures, known as the North and West Schools, were determined upon. They were built in 1867, and first occupied in January, 1868, each containing two rooms. The schools were thor- oughly re-graded in 1866 by Superintendent S. M. Etter, afterwards State Superintendent of Public Schools. Mr. Etter was Principal of the Kewanee school three years, and laid well the foundations of the excellent graded schools that have marked the history of the place. He was followed by Mr. W. H. Russell, who was, with short intervals, for about II years in charge of the schools. From Kewanee Mr. Russell went to Chicago, and was for some years in charge of the High School at the Stock Yards. He was succeeded by the present Superintendent, Mr. E. C. Rosseter, who is also County Superintendent of Schools.

The brick buildings were erected at a cost of about $6,000.

The High School was established in 1856. It grew out of a general desire for a higher grade of education than the village school of those days could give. Kewanee and Wethersfield joined hands in this commendable movement. At first each village struggled to have the school located within its limits. The matter was finally settled by locating it on or near the dividing line between the two towns. James Elliott donated two-and-one-half acres of ground for the location, and here the building was erected. For some time only the upper story was completed for school purposes, the lower one being used for lec- tures, lyceums and a public hall. Here lectured Horace Greeley and John B. Gough, among many others of more or less note. Rev. Waldo was secured as the first Principal of the school, assisted by Miss Atwood. The first furnishing was somewhat prim-

806

HENRY COUNTY.

itive and rough. Tough pine desks and benches, run- ning half across the room, with three aisles thus formed, is the picture of the school-room as remem- bered by those who first attended the school. Of those who were school-girls at this opening of the High School we learn, among others, are the follow- ing: Laura Pratt (Mrs. Northrop), Lillie Burns (Mrs. Raymond), Nellie Little (Mrs. Geo. Perkins), Libbie Cuttia, Helen and Lucy Lyle, Fanny Lay, Ella Way, Addie Cheany, Lottie Talcott (Mrs. T. P. Pierce).

At that time there were no side-walks by which the children could reach the school, and at times the way was practically impassable. A large wagon was often used to haul the children to and from the school-house.

Mr. Waldo, at the end of his second school-year, resigned, and was succeeded by Mr. Blodgett, who was assisted by Miss Stocking. He determined on having better furniture, and got up an exhibition, and thus raised a fund and re-furnished the room. Mr. McPheran then was in charge, and he was suc- ceeded by Mr. Bradford, and he by Mr. Tabor, who made the first attempt to grade the school. He made the novel and daring experiment of arranging a course of study and had it printed. Mr. Becking- ton next succeeded, and he was followed by S. M. Etter, and he by Russell, and he by the present Mr. E. C. Rosseter. During Mr. Etter's term he ar- ranged an exhibition, and raised $83 to found a li- brary. It was a small beginning, but it was bravely invested as a start toward a library, until now, through the efforts of friends, the town and the suc- cessors of Mr. Etter, a fine library is a part of the High School. In Sept., 1870, the town of Kewanee purchased the interest of Wethersfield in the school, and has since had entire control. It was mentioned above that Mr. Russell was absent at certain inter- vals. He served about two years as principal of the schools at Moline, and during this time Mr. Gray was principal one year, and Mr. Carver for a term.

There are now six school buildings in the town, and it has arranged to construct another next year. The High School has five rooms and five teachers : Prof. E. C. Rosseter, J. Williams, Principal of the High School; Anna A. Schriver, Assistant ; Mrs. M. H. Keyes, Grammar; Miss Maggie G. Blish, In- termediate. East School : There are three buildings

on these grounds. These are to be replaced by one large new building, and the High School also is to be taken down and an elegant, large and commo- dious building to take its place next year. In the East School the teachers are Miss Jennie Chase, grammar ; Miss A. A. Johnson and Miss Anna Scott, intermediate; Miss H. Villa Card and Miss Franc Otis, second department ; Miss Escher Loomis and Miss Jennie Halline, primary. The West School is a brick building of two rooms. The teachers are Miss Ida Palmer, secondary ; Miss Hattie Maul, primary. The North School : Miss Anna Eack, sec-' ondary; Miss Franc Porter, primary. The enroll- ment is 800 ; the average attendance, 710. School is taught nine months. Total school expenses, $9,000; of this sum $6,800 is paid teachers ; $800 to janitors, and the remainder miscellaneous. Mr. Rosseter has been seven years with the Kewanee school; Miss Johnson has taught , thirteen years, Miss Halline, eight years, and Miss Loomis nine years.

LYNN TOWNSHIP.

LVIN and Abner Arrasmith were the first to find this part of Henry County and make themselves a home. They came from the " Wabash Country," in Southern Illinois, in 1834, and halted in Warren County, just west of the Henry County line, in Richland Grove, which is divided by the county line. They reached their new home Sept. 1, 1834, having traveled many weary miles of the latter part of their journey without any trail or track of any kind. They came to the grove and were almost compelled to stop, as it was storming and raining furiously. The first day they built their house, of rails and clapboards, and at early candle-light moved in. There were three per- sons in each family, and in this quickly-made pen they were safe to some extent from the pelting rain. Their fire was a log-heap near the front door, or rather the opening where some day a door might have been placed. They were busy at work the next day, and so continued, chopping, grubbing and pre- paring the ground for early crops the next season, and making hay and stacking it for their kine. Fifty pounds of flour to each family was the sum total of

807

HENRY COUNTY.

provisions for bread they brought with them. Their neighbors were at the distance of 13 miles to the south, 15 north, 32 west and 35 miles east. In Rock Island there was only the fort. It can readily be imagined how sparingly they used their flour, as it had to last them until a crop could be raised, the next year. They used mostly corn meal, which was made by pounding in a stump mortar, until a mill was built the next season, in Henderson's Grove, 15 miles away.

This was the way the Arrasmiths commenced keeping house in the desolate new country. It was the true pioneer fashion, and these people were real pioneers-brim full of pluck, industry and economy. Soon their rail house was a house of entertainment ; they had made a track-had blazed the way into the unknown land and the wilderness-and others see- ing soon followed. These wandering nomads, it seemed, when they had passed the bounds of white settlements, generally followed wherever they could see that wagon-tracks had preceded them. In this way travelers in search of lands found their way to the Arrasmiths' hostelry, and were entertained, cared for, and often and often paid their reckonings by telling these people the news from the civilized world. The Arrasmiths made the first road or trail from Richland Grove and vicinity to Rock Island. In the summer of 1836, 14 families had clustered around Richland Grove. J. W. Arrasmith was the first birth at the grove, born in 1835. Alvin says he had 25 cents in money when he landed at his new home, as there was nobody to sell to him and noth- ing to buy, it was too much money for one man to possess. He eventually discovered that it was a great mistake to bring so much solid cash with him, and he never did fully subscribe to Greeley's advice to all applicants for charity, "Take a half-dollar and go West, young man." The families had to do nearly entirely without groceries the first year. As a substitute for coffee, Alvin says, he often dug the red-root in the hard frozen ground. This decoction had something of the taste of chocolate.

In April, 1836, Alvin Jones sold his claim and moved a few rods east, and this brought him into Henry County. This was in April. His new hotel, log, 14 by 16, was, like his first place, a resort for travelers.

This was the first settlement in Lynn Township-

or, in other words, a settlement on township 15, range 1. Henry Peckenham was the next to follow Arrasmith into the county. Charles Norman came in June, Eben Townsend in July, Caleb Townsend in a few weeks after, and the next spring came Will- iam Smith.

Arrasmith planted some apple seed the first sea- son. In six years afterwards one of his trees had 56 apples. This was an important event in the county's history. It was the first crop of apples ever gathered in Henry County.

Caleb Pillsbury put up the first frame house in this neighborhood, and, like the great apple-gathering, this too was an event. The first school-house was not built until 1851. Mr. Jenks built a mill on Ed- wards River in 1846. This property passed into Guy Dailey's hands. In its earliest days it was a great institution, and deeply appreciated by the good people of the country for many miles in every direc- tion. People of this age can have no appreciation of the old-time value of the first rude horse or water mills to crack the corn and send the unbolted coarse meal to the hungry families far and wide. In 1847 portions of the Andover Swede Colony settled in what after- wards became Lynn Township, and to this day there are many of the leading men in the township who came here in 1846-7 as portions of the Andover Colony.

George .Henry Johnson came in 1849. George B. Pillsbury came in 1836. He married Elizabeth J. Greely, of New Hampshire, in 1846. He became one of the wealthiest farmers in the county. He held at one time and another nearly every official position in the township. John and C. J. Samuel- son came in 1849. Joab Tracy came in 1851.

Lynn Center.

HE principal trading point in the township is Lynn Center, where G. Bengston started a general store, and afterwards another was opened by N. Newman. A wagon and harness shop was opened and a hardware store. It is now a station on the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Railroad, has a postoffice, and for simply a way station has been noted as quite a business point.

Four miles below this place is Opheim,

808

HENRY COUNTY.

Opheim.

HIS place never had quite 100 people in it, yet the rich country around it has fur- nished considerable business and trade for the railroad. One store, a grain elevator and lumber yard comprise the business interests. The Swedish Methodists have a Church so- ciety here, and at stated times preaching. The Lutherans have a Church organization here. It is a branch of the Andover Swedona Church, from which oint preachers hold services at stated times.

Opheim was first called Edwardsville, but when it was given a postoffice the name had to be changed, as there was already another postoffice of that name in the State.

LORAINE TOWNSHIP.

ORAINE Township is a case of an attempt to give the place a French name, and a failure to spell it properly. Hence the word is corrupted, and is neither English, French nor Choctaw. This style of naming townships has prevailed in nearly every county in the State. The Commissioners who selected the names it seems generally went at it with a hop-skip- and-a-jump. Sometimes there was appropriateness, and often there was neither rhyme nor reason in the name chosen. If the counties of the State had taken advantage of the opportunity and named the town- ships in honor of the first pioneers, when every name would have been an appropriate chapter heading in ths county's history-a heading carrying a meaning and history of deep interest for posterity, there would have been some apparent comprehension of the fit- ness of things in such official action. But this cor- ruption of names after foreign places, or the much worse corruption in Indian names, often afflicting otherwise beautiful localities with some unreadable, unpronounceable name, has been much too freely in- dulged in all over the country. And everywhere the stranger passing over the land encounters names that he does not attempt to pronounce lest he be laughed at, and when tripped off the tongue by some

one who has learned by long application to give it the conventional sounds, it is without beauty and wholly meaningless. All translations from our lan- guage to another are simply corruptions -- disfiguring the original, and deforming the translation. It is probably too late now to do much toward correcting this blunder, and posterity must endure the infliction as best it may.

The first settler in Loraine Township was Corne- lius H. Kemmis who came in the early summer of 1836. He was a typical pioneer of the times, a blunt, plain, honest and good citizen ; industrious and frugal, he soon was the contented possessor of a good farm and all the substantials of life. He reared his family in habits of industry and sobriety. He died about 1876, on the place that he had im- proved, greatly respected by a wide circle of friends. He was the father of a large family of children. His widow is now living on the place where he died, with her son Frank. There is a married daughter who some years ago went West.

The next in the order of coming was William T. Crozier, another good man and true. He died but a short time ago-the spring of 1885. He left quite a large family of children.

About the same time, possibly a little before Cro- zier, came David Heller. He died in 1879, leaving a widow, who now is temporarily residing with a daughter in Sterling, Ill. Mr. Heller was a man greatly respected by all who knew him. He was a very successful farmer, and an upright and worthy citizen.

Then came Rudolph Urich, who is still among his old and many new friends, still watching with inter- est that wonderful tide of growth and improvements that have come about him since first he came here and selected his home. He has been a useful and good citizen, against whom no breath of evil has ever been breathed.

Then came Asa Blair, who died some years ago. He was a thrifty pioneer and a most excellent farmer. Three of his sons are living, two of whom reside on the old farm.

The next was the very numerous and important family of Arnetts. Phillip Arnett, the father, brought with him seven lusty boys and a daughter. This single family far exceeded in the number and value of its addition to the new settlements, some of the pretentious colonies that had been organized in the

809

HENRY COUNTY.

old States to populate the northwest territory. When the family came they were very poor, but their no-tire activity and shrewdness soon made amends for all this. And now the boys are all men in the prime of life, and more than the average financial success attends them. They are in the order of their ages: Jacob, William, George, Joseph, John, An- thony and Samuel.

Philip Sand is now one of the leading farmers in this part of the county. His farm improvements, and espe- cially his elegant residence, is the best in the township. He is an old settler among old settlers. Has a large family of boys. No single individual was a more valuable acquisition to the county than was Mr. Sand. An estimable man in many respects, and reared a family universally respected.

Another early comer was Joseph Rink, who has now lived for more than forty years on the spot where he commenced his improvement. He is a plain, old-fash- ioned, honest farmer, making no pretensions, but has made a good farm.

Then there is Martin Roos, with his large and very much respected family, who have toiled together, and in their modest way, and have come to be among the best people in the township.

The first school-house was built on Mr. Heller's land, and for several years this was the church and the general meeting place on all public occasions. It was a mnodest, puncheon-floor log cabin, but fully served its intended purposes long and well.

MUNSON TOWNSHIP.

HIS is the center township of the county, and very appropriately is she crowned queen in beauty of landscape, deep, rich soil, splendid farms, and general agricultural wealth. When all are so good it might seem invidious to say any special one was the best ; possibly there can be no best among them, only in certain lines, and in this view of the case, certainly this township stands second to none. There is no town in it, yet on the assessor's books, but more es- pecially to the traveler's eye in passing over this great, rich garden and viewing for the first time its broad, rich acres, well trimmed and better tilled farms, commodious and elegant farm houses and comfortable out-buildings for the fat cattle, and sleek

horses, and great barns, bursting with hay and grain, it presents an enchanting view of comfort, plenty, ease and content, that is one of the pleasant and wholesome sights in the wrangling, struggling world.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 108

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 850

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850