Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 111

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 111

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823

HENRY COUNTY.

Kemmerling settled in the neighborhood, and he raised the first crop in this township. The Carsons had gone outside the township to raise their first crop. These first improvements were made along the eastern side of the township, skirting the timber or in it. In 1841, Dr. David Norton commenced an improvement in Round Grove, to be devoted to dairying purposes. His father was widely known in the East as " Old Connecticut," and he made cheese in large quantities, but he never knew the secret of the proper coloring matter to give his cheese the rich yellow appearance, and therefore, though his cheese was the purer and better, he was at a disad- vantage in the market, and had to content himself with a lower price. He eventually gained this col- oring secret, however, and to this was due the world- wide famous Goshen cheese and butter.

In 1843, Dr. Norton got his log dairy building up, and was ready for operations. As an explanation of the then advanced state of the country, it may be stated here that he had to get his help to raise his log house from a distance of fifteen miles. But the range for his cows was unlimited. He was soon producing more cheese than he could find a remun- erative market for. He wagoned it to Chicago and there found great trouble in selling it for enough to pay for hauling it. And again, two or three good- sized cheese would be liable to overload the market. To stand now on the side of the tracks of any road from the south, and see the daily trains con- taining hundreds of cars loaded with strawberries, and still the market is never overstocked, and all this change in a short life-time, is like a fairy dreanı. The Doctor shipped to St. Louis, hauled it to Peoria, Rock Island, Galena, and tried to peddle it out, when finally he branded it " Goshen cheese," and he then could readily sell all he could make. He abandoned the business in 185 1.

In 1851, there were three families in Round Grove,-Seller's, Norton's and Charles. Dr. Norton removed to Galva when that place was started, and built the finest block of business houses in that place.

Concerning the Wethersfield Colony, a member of that organization says : "The Protestant Christians of our country were in a ferment about the years 1834-5 and '6 over the probable expansion of Ro- man Catholicism in the Valley of the Mississippi,

and that earnest efforts were made to pre-occupy with Christians of the right stamp that vast field for human industry and development. Several colonies in this county, including that of Wethersfield, owed their origin principally to this feeling. Mr. Pillsbury and his associates, Slaughter and Pike, as stated elsewhere, had been commissioned by the New York Association, in 1835, to select a location for the " An- dover Colony." Upon the return of Mr. Pillsbury in the fall of '35, he was written to by the Rev. Caleb · J. Tenney, of Wethersfield, Conn., upon the possibil- ity of locating another colony in the region of the Andover Colony, and an interview requested. The interview induced the Doctor to project another colony in Henry County, to be styled the " Wethers- field Colony. "

Dr. Tenney was an eminent divine and well ac- quainted with the prominent men of that region who would be likely to favor an enterprise by which the Papacy might be thwarted, addressed many of them in relation to the matter he had then at heart and in hand, urging various substantial reasons for suppos- ing a colony could be formed, religion and education in the West promoted, and the projectors of the en- terprise secure a liberal return for the money in- vested.

The efforts of the Doctor led to a meeting in the Con- ference room of the Congregational Church in Weth- ersfield, somewhat late in the fall of 1835. At this meeting the project assumed a tangible shape, and another meeting was appointed to be held in the same place soon after, at which an organization was effected for the purpose of locating a colony in Illi- nois, by means of which the mental, moral and re- ligious growth of that part of the country might be promoted and their own means for doing good in- creased.

Following is a complete list of the original com- pany : Rev. Caleb J. Tenney, Selden Miner, Roger Wells, Martin Kellogg, John Francis, Chancey Cole- man, Weltha Willard, Rev. John Marsh, Ann Marsh, Joshua Goodrich, George Wells, Horace Blane, Hen- ry Robbins, Sylvester Blish, Rev. Samuel Redel, William Butler, Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, Miles Ad- ams, Elizur Goodrich, Samuel Galpin, E. Porter, Rev. Horace Hooker, Wm. Tenney, Geo. P. Shipman, Russell H. Nevins, Timothy Stillman, Allen Talcott, Rev. Geo. Calhoun, Francis Loomis, Rev. Edward

HENRY COUNTY.

824

Payson, Rev. Geo. Stebbins, Rev. John Woodbridge, Gersliom and George Bulkley, Rev. Gardner Spring, Merritt Butler, Osmond Harrison, Rev. Harvey Tal- cott, Norman Hubbard, Jonathan Hubbard, Sulli- van Howard, George Richards, Jasper Gilbert, Rev. Alpha Miller, Nathan DeWolf, J. L. Belden, Nathan Kelley, Stephen Topliff, Dr. A. Welch, Geo. B. Holley, Rev. Chancey Booth, Richard T. Haines, Rev. Ralph Emerson, Robert Gipson and a few otliers not now known.

The company was styled the "Connecticut As- sociation." The stockholders in the concern resided at different points, from Maine to New York. Some of them were quite wealthy and others occupied prominent positions in the religious world. The great Temperance Agent will be recognized in the Rev. John Marsh. Dr. Payson in his day was a distin- guished Christian minister, and Gardner Spring an eminent divine in New York, at the head of one of the most aristocratic Presbyterian Churches in the nation.

The stock of this Association was valued at $250 a share. During the winter of 1835-6, 100 shares were taken and $25,000 paid into the treasury. As early as February, 1836, Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, Col. Sylves- ter Blish and Elizur Goodrich were appointed a " committee of purchase, " to proceed to Illinois and select the land. The first named gentleman was appointed because he had already performed the same duty for another colony and was supposed to be familiar with the details of such an enterprise. The last named got his appointment because he was a competent surveyor and could "run out " the lands, when necessary to determine boundaries, with- out additional cost to the company. Col. Blish was appointed on account of his eminent fitness for the post as a man of energy and prompt business habits. The route of the committee was through Baltimore, over the mountains to Wheeling, down the Ohio by steamboat, up the Mississippi to the mouth of the Illinois River, and up that to Peoria; thence to Knoxville, Henderson Grove and Andover, where was a house or two, but none of the colonists had yet arrived, nor did they till in July of that season. At Andover neither feed nor horses could be ob- tained, and the party had to foot it, a distance of 20 miles over to " Barren Grove " (with only a deserted cabin on the route, in Sugar-Tree Grove) along the south side of which they commenced at once to se-

lect the company's land. They camped out during the several nights they had to remain. It will be borne in mind that Mr. Pillsbury had been out the preceding fall and assisted in "locating " the lands for the colony at Andover, and had been on and over the ground they now proposed to select from, his " prospecting " at that time obviating the neces- sity now of protracted examination of different local- ities.

As they were sent out to enter lands for the com- pany, some, of course, had to be purchased, but he looked upon the enterprise as chimerical to a very great extent, and advised that the bulk of the money be taken back, because the land would not be set- tled up even along the grove, for one hundred years to come. The despondency of the surveyor affect- ed neither the clergyman nor the soldier, and they compelled him to trudge around, compass in hand, till they, at different times, succeeded. in selecting and entering 99 quarter-sections of land, in town- ships 14-5 and 15-5, the first entry being made May 7, 1836. The following month of March, another quarter-section was purchased, which made the en- tries a round hundred. $5,000 of the purchase fund was returned to the treasury. Mr. Pillsbury declin- ed having his name appear upon the entries, and the purchase was made of the Government by Goodrich and Blish, who deeded the land in trust, for the purposes of the association, to the secretary and treasurer, Chester Bulkley, who afterwards deeded to individual members, or to those who pur- chased of the company.

The Committee of Purchase having returned and reported their doings, a committee of three other gen- tlemen was appointed to survey and lay out a town plat, and to divide up the timber land into lots of twenty acres each. This committee consisted of Rev. Joseph Goodrich, John F. Willard and Henry G. Little. Mr. Goodrich had but recently returned from a missionary expedition to the Sandwich Islands where he had spent several years, and returned to his native land in broken health, to assist in secur- ing Protestant domination on the fertile and almost boundless prairies of the West.

November 11, 1836, the committee to survey and plat the town-Rev. Joseph Goodrich, John F. Wil- lard and Henry G. Little-arrived on the ground. The timber was divided into lots of 20 acres teach.

HENRY COUNTY.

825

John Kilvington was the only one then found living near the colony's location. He lived north towards where Kewanee now stands. He came in the spring of 1836. The committee made their home at Kil- vington's. The party wintered at French Grove, Peoria County, and the next spring John F. Willard, H. G. Little, Nelson Simons, William Wheeler, W. T. Little, Sullivan Howard and Simeon B. Stoddard re- turned to Wethersfield. Willard built a cabin, and in 1836-7 he, in company with N. Butler and Joseph Goodrich, " bached " through the winter. In the early part of 1837, Sullivan Howard put up a board cabin. He had hauled his lumber from Spoon River, seventy miles. Henry G. Little " raised " his cabin in March, 1837, and soon after William T. Little built another. In this last Abner B. Little and his family resided with his son's family. There were nine persons easy and comfortable in a single room 18 by 20 feet in dimensions. Elisha Wolcott and Caleb Little arrived in April, Evan Wheaton in June and C. B. Minor in July. Sylvester Blish and his son William, and also Selden Miner, came in August, and a little later Luther C. Sleight. In 1838 David Potter and family, John H. Wells and Francis Loomis came. There were eight children in Potter's family ; all still living, and all the boys becoming very prominent in the affairs of the county. David Potter planted the first orchard in the settlement and had the first fruit. Champlain Lester came in 1839, in the spring, and Zenas Hotchkiss in the summer. Potter raised a family of eight children, four boys and four girls.

Col. Sylvester Blish, a son of Thomas Blish, of Glastonbury, Conn., married Rhoda Cheny, Jan. I, 1811, and got his title of Colonel by promotion in the Connecticut militia. He was in the Legislature of that State in 1833. He brought his family in a wagon and landed here in August, 1837. He was the first Postmaster in Wethersfield and held that position from 1838 to 1849. He was one of the proprietors of Kewanee, and was Postmaster at that place, hold- that position until he died. He is affectionately re- membered all over the county as one of the best men that ever made the county his home. He settled on the northwest quarter. of section 4, where he really lived until he died, Oct. 8, 1855.

M. B. Potter has long been one of the leading and influential men of the county, and nearly all his life

since maturity has been spent in public office. He was Sheriff, and arrested Root in a few minutes after he (Root) had shot Jansen. He was re-elected in 1852. He also served as County Judge, and now and for many years has been a leading member of the Board of Supervisors. Judge Potter is a liberal and large-minded gentleman, a man of great natu -· ral force of character and at the same time of liberal and broad culture, and full of those eminent qualities of head and heart that deeply impress themselves upon old friends and new acquaintances. He is one of those chosen few who contribute greatly toward making this world a bright and cheerful place to live in.

H. G. Little's father, Abner, came in 1837. He was from Salem, N. H. He was the father of ten children, all of whom came to Henry County. His wife, Nancy Little, nee Nancy Tenny, of Hollis, N. H., died July 7, 1847, aged 66 years. Abner Little died Sept. 8, 1863, aged 89 years.

The colonists built a mill, and the evidences of their lack of financial ability is given in the fact that they expended over $9,000 on it, involved themselves badly, and sold the whole concern to Jeduthan Hub- bard for $2,000. Out of the long array of colonists in the list of eager organizers, only four came West and personally aided the organization in killing off the horrid Pope of Rome, and thereby " brace up" the true God. These were Col. Blish, Charles Rich- ards, Sullivan Howard and Francis Loomis. Selden Miner sent his two sons, and Gardner Spring sent one of his sons. Ithamar Pillsbury had his hands full here at Andover. James E. Carson opened a store in the settlement in 1839, but closed out in less than one year, leaving the people without a store until Garey E. Smith opened his in 1845. In 1849 Daniel McClure opened a store, and the next year William Blish commenced merchandising.

The first school-teacher was Parmelia Stewart, who taught in the Old Colony log church. She was the daughter of R. R. Stewart. She eventually laid down the birch, and married Dr. Hume of Geneseo.

Rev. Ithaniar Pillsbury was the colonists' preach- er. He contracted to give them one-fourth of his time. No regular Congregationalist Church was organized until Oct 19, 1839. Pillsbury ministered to the faithful nearly all over the county. He ante- dated the " circuit-riders," for the substantial reason

826

HENRY COUNTY.

that he "footed " it. Clothed and shod in enthu- siasm mostly, armed with a pocket Bible only, he sallied forth and bared his breast to the pitiless elements and the swollen streams, where no bridges spanned their turbid waters, the " wild varmints " of the desolate plains, and everywhere proclaimed the solemn and divine commands of peace on earth, and down with the Papists ! Pillsbury was an earnest, sincere and enthusiastic follower of Christ. His deep and solemn convictions of his faith and tenets never cooled, and there was but one road be- fore him, the path of duty, and the more rugged and difficult that way became the more eagerly and earn- estly did he push his course along it. For many years he was the leading and prominent figure in the religious movements in the county, and when he passed away from earth his flock sincerely mourned the loss of the Good Shepherd.

Rev. W. F. Vaill was sent as a missionary from Connecticut in November, 1838, and in the following vear the Church was fully organized, at the house of John H. Wells, with 15 members: Rev. Joseph Goodrich and wife, Rev. Vaill, Nancy T. Little, Mrs. Rhoda Blish, John H. Wells, Mrs. Julia Wells, L. C. Sleight, Hosea Buckley and wife, Deacon Zenas Hotchkiss and wife, and Francis Loomis.

The first election in Wethersfield precinct was held in the little log cabin of Henry G. Little, in August, 1837. The one room was 16 x 18. Three families were living in this room-Mr. Little's, Col. S. Blish and W. H. Blish : the two latter had just arrived in the county. There were two sick mnen in the room-Hazelton Page and W. H. Blish. This was the state of affairs in the leading house of that part of the county at that day, and where the sov- ereigns met to cast their votes, talk over the pros- pects of the country, and cheer each other up in their new homes in the new country. It is said that even Henry G. Little,-now of Grinnell, Iowa, who loves to dwell on the good old times, and never ad- mits there were any hardships,-even he has been known in forgetful moments to admit that on that election day his cabin was " a little crowded !"

Rev. Vaill remained Pastor eight years. Meet- ings were generally held at Colonel Blish's, but sometimes in other residences. In the summer of 1838 a log church was built, and this served the worshipers until 1849, when a frame house was

erected. A parsonage was built in 1851. When the Kewanee Church was organized many of the Congregationalists united with that Church, and in time about all went there. Rev. Samuel Ordway suc- ceeded Vaill, and he remained three years. He in turn was succeeded by Rev. Darius Gore, who re- mained about the same length of time, when R. S. Thrall came, who preached about 18 months. Then Rev. W. T. Bartle was Pastor for two years; then the next 18 months Rev. Thomas Snell, and he was succeeded by Rev. Robert Rudd-one year. Rev. B. B. Parsons was installed Aug. 17, 1859. He was followed by Rev. L. D. Pomeroy for four years, and then came Rev. Rider, two years. Then W. T. Bar- tle was again called and served them two years, and this practically ended the separate existence of the Wethersfield Church, and it became absorbed in the Kewanee congregation.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in this settlement in 1841. Meetings were held in resi- dences and the school-house until 1853, when a building was put up. The building of the church commenced in 1851, but was not completed until 1853. Again, the Kewanee Methodist Episcopal Church absorbed this church and it ceased to exist.

The Baptists commenced in 1843, with eight mem- bers : Elder Edward Otis, Charles B. Miner, Mary G. Miner, Edward Otis, Merrill Otis, Hileman Otis, Hannah and Sarah Otis. The first three above were from Connecticut, and the others from Ohio.

The Church was too feeble for a regular Pastor, and Elder Otis, Jonathan Miner and others of the flock, and occasionally a preacher from abroad, of- ficiated. Meetings were generally on the north side of the grove, and sometimes in a school-house at the west end, and often, when the weather was good, in the open air. Elder Charles E. Tinker was secured to preach one Sunday in each mouth, in 1845. Dur- ing his ministrations the Church gradually trans- ferred its membership to Annawan. Another Church was then established at Wethersfield, in May, 1851, with eleven members: Ezekiel Cole, Mrs. Maria Cole, John Ewing, Mrs. Keziah Ewing, Mrs. Jane White, Mrs. Susan Ellenwood, Mrs. Caroline Purvi- ance, Mrs. Maria F. Miner, Charles B. Miner, Mrs. Mary A. Miner and Austin Sykes. Elder J. M. Stickney commenced preaching for these in July, 1852. He was succeeded by J. S. Mahan. The

827

HENRY COUNTY.

congregation dropped to nine members. In 1854 a revival added about 50 new ones. Mahan resigned in 1855. Dr. J. M. Winn for a short time, and then Elder `S. P. Ives succeeded. In 1856 it voted to merge itself into the Kewanee Church.

YORKTOWN TOWNSHIP.

HIS is the northeast township of the county, its boundary lines on the east and north, being also the county lines. No part of it is traversed by a railroad, and hence, to some extent, its settlement was mostly the overflow from the adjoining townships that were filling so rapidly by the excitement of the first railroad building in the county in 1853-4.

Four brothers, Jacob, Barnhart, John and Judah Wolf and Benj. Goble and J. Luther, were the first settlers. Of these, we suppose from the best obtain- able authority, Benj. Goble and John Luther were here first of all as permanent settlers. J. J. Wolf still resides in the township, the only one remaining of the first settlers. Phillip Ott, now a prominent and wealthy citizen of Geneseo, came in 1854, and to this fortunate fact is due mostly the coming of the large settlement of Germans that are now thrifty farmers in this part of the county. He was accom- panied in his immigration here by his brother, Jacob Ott. The two brothers came to this State and set- tled in Cook County in 1836. They were a fine type of the Pennsylvania Germans, whose great brick and stone barns are the chief characteristics of the Ger- man and American farmers of Pennsylvania. Phil- ip Ott visited his old home and wrote to friends and influenced Germans fresh from the fatherland to come and look at the cheap, rich lands of this part of Illinois. The first of the natives to come to the township made their improvements, and after a few years sold out to some new German arrival and went West. Some of the Gobles went to Oregon.

The rush of immigration was in the high tide in 1855. Among these were George Seyller, from Du Page County, George Clemens and John Gross.

A school-house was built in 1854 on section 30, in the grove just west of the lake, and in this build- ing was taught the first school by Delia Wilmot, who came from Cook County. The building was a rough log house, and it had been put up by the neighbors

interested gathering and doing the work without money and without price.

Captain Charles Jack was an Englishiman who had worn his spurs in the British army, where he had served long and faithfully. When he came to this country he brought large wealth with him and invest- ed much of it in Illinois lands, and improved a very extensive farm near Shabbona Grove. A gentleman now living in Geneseo informs us that when a boy he saw Captain Jack's teams breaking the fresh prai- rie land where it was five miles each round of the furrow, and the Captain, with an old drawn-down chip hat, dropping corn in the fresh-turned sod. This was a common way of planting the first corn crop at one time. The corn would be dropped every third or fourth furrow and it would sprout and come between the edges of the sod, and was never touched while growing with plow or hoe, and sometimes it would produce by this simple culture a fair crop.

Captain Jack was a man of remarkable enterprise, liberality and great force of character. His will was iron, and in defense of any of his rights, small or great, he would go to the courts and pour out his money with a lavish hand. He seemingly cared nothing for money, but would wreck a world if he could in defense of a principle. He was charitable and liberal and would give without stint where he *imagined the favor asked was honest and deserving, but woe betide him who attempted by force or fraud . to wrong him of a cent.

A short time before the late war he went South on one of his annual winter visits and invested largely in sugar plantations and slaves, and then expended large amounts of money in improving his Southern property. When the war came all this investment was swept away in the fortunes of war.

Captain Jack died in St. Louis. His death was sudden and very sad. He left surviving only a daughter, who is married and a resident of Rock Isl- and, and is one of the wealthiest women in this part of Illinois.

The Evangelical Association was organized 'in 1851, at the house of Peter Luther, with 17 mem- bers. It soon increased to over 200. A church build- ing was erected in 1867 on section 27, at a cost of $3,000. The first pastor was secured in 1854, Rev. William Kalb; then John Schneider, J. C. Anthus, J. C. Spielman, John Dengel, R. Rothermund, A. Heilman, Joseph Schnee, M. Heyl, A. Gockley, P. Himmel, E. Freeden, M. Hegel, V. Forkel, A. Goet- schel, A. Wæher, C. Gagstetter.

中川彩

INDEX.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

Ackerman, Casper.

... 716

Adams, Harriet K.

.700

Adams, John

Adams, John Quincy.

Adams, Moses.

.562

Adams, Dr. W. W

.424

Albro, A. W.

.461

Aldeen, A. E.

. . 307

Aldrich, Earl P

.. 305

Aldrich, Henry S

.700

Allan, James M.

.284

Allan, Rev. W. T

. 326

Allen, John H.

.672

Allen, Royce.

700

Anderson, A. E

. 275

Anderson, A. G .

.534

Anderson. A. J

. 361

Anderson, A. L

.197

Anderson, August

.211

Anderson, Edward.

.. 262

Anderson, J. O.

.226

Anderson, John

.277

Andrews, Bela

.478

Andrews, James.

.515

Angell, Henry L.

. 430

Armstrong John

.627

Arnett, George.

.319

Arnett, Samuel

.240

Arnett, William

689

Arthur, Chester A 99

Bliss, Hosea F

.517

Blodgett, Mrs. E. J

.700

Boice, Robert D

. 223

Ash, E. H.

.361

Atkinson, Charles

.. 700

Atwater, Robert

.192

Ayers, Buenos.

. 381

Bachus, James. .. 216 Bailey, R. F .. .497 Baird, F. N ... 477

Baker, W. P

.718

Barge, David B ..

.727

Barker, S. N

.625

Barlow, Andrew

.344

Barnes, Wm. L.

. 504

Barrett, James M

.701

Bartlett, C. K.

.251

Bartlett, Wm. C.

.700

Bass, Henry

.718

Bassett, Chauncey

.650

Batton, R

.720

Bauer, Charles

· 499

Baum, Charles.

.434

Beals, R. F

.215

Becht, Anton

.432

Beck, Alfred

.701

Bigelow, Hiram

.706

Billings, John

200

Buell, John

. 708

Bissell, William H

Black, Jerome

.575

Burn, R. B.

. . 684

Blackfan, Elizabeth K

.701

Burns, J . M.

.583

Blair, James,.

.647

Burns, John.

. 594

Conover, S. N

.448

Blakely, James P

.723

Busenbark, D. N

Blish, Charles C

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Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 111

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