USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Sketches of the history of Ogle County, Ill., and the early settlement of the Northwest > Part 8
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The first school ever taught in this county was at O. W. Kellogg's house, in Buffalo Grove, in the winter of 1834-5, by Simon Fellows. In 1836, the build- ing now occupied as a church by the Uni- ted Brethren, at Buffalo Grove, was erected for the double purpose of a church and school-house-being the first build- ing erected anywhere in this vicinity, for educational purposes. In the winter of 1836, there was a singing-school in this school-house. The building was built by subscription.
34
IIISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Town of St. Marion (now Buffalo) Laid Out-First Saw-Mill-Wilson's Mill-Buffalo in 1837.
In 1835, the citizens of Buffalo Grove received several accessions to their num- bers, among whom were John D. Steven- son, George Webster and the Waterburys, all of whom are now living in the vicin- ity. Previous to 1835, the inhabitants of the Grove were obliged to go to Dixon's Ferry for their mail matter. In the winter of that year, a Post-Office was es- tablished at the Grove and Elkanah P. Bush appointed Postmaster. At this time there was no Post-Office at Roek- ford. Bush did not remain in office for any length of time, but was soon removed and O. W. Kellogg appointed in his stead.
In 1835, O. W. Kellogg and Hugh Stevenson laid out what is new the town of Buffalo, and called it St. Marion. About this time, V. A. Bogue was the only lawyer in the county, and to him were referred all intricate questions of law, his judgment being considered final.
The first crop of winter wheat raised near Buffalo Grove was in 1834, from which time up to 1845, very little spring wheat was grown.
The first saw-mill erected in Ogle county was the one now owned by John D. Stevenson, at Buffalo Grove. This mill was built in 1836, the proprietors be- ing O. W. Kellogg, George D. Wilcoxen and Reason Wilcoxen.
Up to 1888, almost the only money in circulation, was of the "red-dog" stripe. Good money was very scarce, but these pictured "promises to pay" were very Abundant in proportion to the scarcity of gold and silver. The harvests were abundant, but there was no market, ex-
cept in the lead mines. Cash had to be paid for sugar-wheat not being consid- ered equivalent to it.
It may be interesting to note here that the only member of O. W. Kellogg's family now living, is his daughter, the wife of E. B. Baker, Postmaster at Dix- on. Mr. Kellogg became involved and lost his property, and, as a matter of course, his friends deserted him when his misfortune overtook him. He after- wards became a Minister of the Gospel, and died in Dixon. His wife, who was in every way a superior woman, survived him only two or three years.
"Wilson's Mill" was begun in 1835 by Joseph M. Wilson and James Talbot, and commenced grinding corn in June 1836. Wheat was ground there in the fall of the same year. Phelps' saw-mill on Pine Creek was running in 1836; it is still in operation.
C. G. Holbrook, Esq., says: "When we came from Dixon in 1887, and came up on the rising ground three miles north of that place, there was not a single foot of ground to be seen which the hand of man had touched. Men were located in the country, but were in the hollows and groves where they could not be seen." Since settlements have been made, many of the prairie flowers have disappeared, being destroyed by the cattle and the fires. When settlers first arrived here, there was no underbrush in the groves, as the spring fires always kept it down, and one eould sce almost as far in the groves as in the prairies.
Lawsuits were commenced in 1836 and continued until 1839, growing out of the
55
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
First Settlement at Oregon-Organization of Ogle County-Seat of Justice at Dixon-First Election.
original claims of Ankeney and Chambers in Buffalo Grove. How the suits were decided is a matter of no particular impor- tance to our readers, but it is interesting to notice the perpetuation of the quarrel. J. W. Jenkins, in 1835, built the first house in the present town of Oregon. In the year preceding. Martin C. Hills, Je- hiel Day and a Mr. Goodwin made a claim on the prairie bordering on the river, and adjoining the village of Ore- gon, on the south. In 1835, John Phelps, now living in Texas, settled on his farm a short distance from Oregon, and shortly after, in company with some others, laid out that town. Thomas Ford, afterwards Governor of the State, arrived in 1836, and was soon followed by W. W. Fuller, James V. and John Gale; the latter two are now the oldest settlers residing in the place. The first school in Oregon was taught by a Mr. Whitney, in 1839. In 1836, there were no settle- ments on the East side of the river from Oregon to Inlet. In that season, how- ever, a piece of ground was broken near Washington Grove by a Mr. Stevenson, another near Oregon by William J. Mix. The country on the west side of the river was being more rapidly settled.
At the session of the Legislature held in 1835-6, Ogle county was organized, and embraced the territory now included in the three counties of Oggle, Lee and Whiteside. The county seat was located at Dixon, and the first Circuit Court con- vened there in October, 1837, Hon. Dan- iel Stone, Judge, presiding. William W. Mudd was Sheriff, and William J. Mix was his Deputy. Smith Gilbraith,
of Dixon, was Clerk, and Thomas Ford, Prosecuting Attorney. The name Ogle was given in honor of Capt. Ogle, at the suggestion of Gov. Ford. During his lifetime, Capt. Ogle was a resident of the southern part of the State. Among the jurors chosen at the first Circuit Court, will be found many familiar names. Among the Grand Jurors were John Whitaker, Lester Evarts, William Wams- ley and G. D. Il. Wilcoxen; and among the Petit Jurors we find E. Kimball, Jared Sanford, James V. Gale, Elisha Doty and John D. Stevenson.
The first election in Ogle county of which we have any record was held at Oregon on the 24th day of December, 1836. The following is the record, as we find it in the County Clerk's office :
"At an election hell at the house of John Phelps in Oregon City, in the County of Ogle and State of Illinois, on the 24th day of De- cember, 1836, the following named persons re- ceived the number of votes annexed to their respective names for the following described offices, to wit:
Isaac Rosecrans, for County Commissioner
Ezra Bond, 66
66
Wm. J. Mix, 66
Cyrus Chamberlain, 66 66
S. St. John Mix,
V. A. Bogue, 66 66
Wm. W. Mudd, for Sheriff.
Jeremiah Murphy, for Sheriff.
Lester H. Evarts, for Coroner
James V. Gale, for Recorder 138
B. T. Phelps, for Recorder_ 15
Joseph Crawford, for Surveyor, 119
Wm. Sanderson, for Surveyor.
Certified by
JAMES V. GALE, G. W. ROSECRANS, JONATHAN W. JENKINS, Judges of Election.
GEORGE CHANDLER,
SMITH GILBRAITH,
Clerks of Election.
It is related that a party of voters from
56
IIISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Meeting of the Board of Commissioners-Formation of Election Precincts-Settlement of Byron.
Guffalo Grove lost their way on their re- turn from attending the above election, while in the region of Pine Creek, and did not reach their homes till several hours after their companions, who had preceded them.
At this time, instead of the present township organization system, the county affairs were principally administered by a Board of Commissioners. The first Board chosen consisted of V. A. Bogue, (now our County Judge,) S. St. John Mix and Cyrus Chamberlain. The first County Court was held by Commissioners Bogue and Mix, at Oregon, on the 3d of Janu- ary, 1837, Smith Gilbraith being Clerk. The second term of this Court was held at the house of F. Cushman, in Buffalo Grove, in the following March. At this sitting of the Court, the county was di- vided into election precincts as follows : Bloomingville, (now Byron,) Oregon City, Grand Detour, Buffalo Grove, Dixon and Inle ..
A petition was presented by L. An- drus and others, asking for the appoint- ment of viewers to locate a road from Dixon's Ferry to Grand Detour; thence to Oregon, on the west side of the river; thence to Bloomingville. The petition was granted and the present road was laid out shortly after. A license was also granted for establishing a ferry at Grand Detour.
The town of Byron, which was early called Bloomingville, was first settled in 1835. Jared Sanford came from the "Military Tract" in the month of June, in that year. On arriving at Rockford, by his pleasant story of the country
through which he had passed, and es- pecially of a mill site he had found near wherc. Byron is now situated, he induced Perry Norton and James Sanford to re- turn with him. They, being as well pleased with the country as he was, laid claim to all the country in the vicinity, according to the custom of those times. Mr. Norton is a native of New-York, and at the time of which we are now writing had been visiting his brother at Galena, where he "hired out" to Germanicus Kent, and had gone to Midway, by which name Rockford was then known, to per- form the work he had been hired to do. Mr. Norton, in company with several other young men who were at work with him, came to Midway in the previous fall, where they kept "bachelor's hall" during the winter. In the spring, Mr. Mr. Norton's family, which was the first, came to Midway. At the time that Messrs. Norton and Sanford left Rock- ford, there were but two families there. In the fall of '35, P. J. Kimball and M. M. York settled at Byron, and in the spring of '36 came S. O'Brian, Asa Spald- ing, Simon Spalding and James Spalding. The family of Mr. Shepherd was the first to come to Fairview, as the place was called before the name was changed to Bloomingville. In the winter of '36-7, a number of families, including those of Erastus Norton, S. St. John Mix and Lucius Reed, settled in the place. The first school-house in the place was built during this winter, and we believe the first school was taught in the summer fol- lowing.
After the organization of Ogle county
57
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Division of the County-Regular Preaching of the Gospel-Gangs of Desperadoes in the Country.
in 1836, a great deal of excitement and strife ensued in regard to the county seat. The first Commissioners were favorable to Dixon, and held their sessions there. In 1838, the Oregon party succeeded in electing their candidates, and the county business was at once transferred to Ore- gon. The Commissioners soon made a contract for building a court house, and thus fixed the county seat. As soon as this was done, the people of Dixon com- menced agitating the question of a di- vision of the county. John D.xon had posted, in Galena, notices of his inten- tion to apply for the formation of a new county-the proposed territory including Oregon on the north. John Phelps, of Oregon, chanced to be in Galena and dis- covered the notices which Dixon had posted, and he immediately posted like notices of his intention to apply for a di- vision of the county, the southern line of his county just including the present town of Dixon. Learning this fact, and being fully aware that if Mr. ; Phelps' project was successful, it would greatly detract from the importance of his town, Mr. Dixon at once called upon Mr. Phelps, when a compromise was agreed upon and the present limits of the two counties were fixed, and a joint petition was sent to the Legislature, the prayer of which was granted. The act for the sep- arate organization of Ogle and Lee coun- ties, is dated February 27th, 1839. Ho- ratio Wales, now residing at Buffalo Grove, was the first Sheriff after the new organization. In the spring of 1839, the first Circuit Court was held at Oregon, Judge Ford presiding.
We find in the Mt. Morris Gazette of July 17, 1851, a statement that the first regular preaching of the Gospel in this region was in 1834-5, by Rev. Mr. Sugg, a young Methodist missionary, who herc began his ministerial labors. Before he had spent a single year in his Master's service, he was called to his reward. In 1835, Rev. James M. Kean was sent into. this field by the Conference. Mr. Kean died at Elkhorn Grove about two years ago.
S. M. Bowman was the first man who ever lectured on Temperance in Dixon. It was at a Fourth of July celebration at an early day.
CHAPTER XII.
From 1835, for many years following, the northern part of the State was in- fested by numerous bands of desperadoes, whose principal business was robbery, horse-stealing and counterfeiting. Many of them "ranged" through Ogle and the adjoining counties. Among the most notorious in this section were William K. Bridge, the leader of the gang, Norton B. Royce, - Driskell, William Driskell, Taylor Driskell, Charles Aiken, Richard Aiken, - Broady and Hugh Broady ; Broady's Grove took its name from the Broadys. The depredations of this gang troubled the settlers to a great extent. So frequently were their lawless acts com- mitted, that there was no security for property of any kind. About the year 1840, the desperadoes were so numerous as to be able to control elections in this
58
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
The Regulators-Burning of the Court House at Oregon-Extreme Measures-Judge Ford.
county, and often procured some of their own number to sit on juries, by which means they were acquitted of all charges.
In the summer of 1840, a court house was built, and the people were congratu- lating themselves upon having a proper building for holding Courts. They had long been harassed by the gang of vil- lains who rendezvoused at Washington Grove, and they hoped that the new fa- cilities they now had would aid them in bringing the scoundrels to justice. In this, however, they were disappointed, the depredations proving more frequent and being more boldly carried out. At last, finding the law powerless in their defence, [ eventually led to the formation of the the people formied a band of Regulators, with the avowed intention of taking the Jaw into their own hands. The Regula- tors were commanded by a Mr. Campbell. a fugitive Canadian patriot, who was uni- versally esteemed by his neighbors as a man of sterling character.
The court house erected in Oregon was never occupied for the sittings of Court. On the night previous to the opening of the Court, the court house was fired by the desperadoes, in the hope of being able, during the excitement of the fire, to liberate some of their confederates who were confined in jail. In this they were frustrated, although they succeeded in knocking the jailor down. Assistance was promptly at hand, and the prisoners were safely removed.
Previous to the formation of the band of Regulators, Norton B. Boyce had been convicted of counterfeiting and sentenced to the Penitentiary. Judge Ford presi- ded during the trial, and after the pris-
oner had been sentenced, Judge Ford remarked that he was then going away on business, and should be obliged to leave his family behind him; and should the desperadoes dare to injure his family or property during his absence, he would fol- low them until he overtook them, when the first tree should be their gallows; and if the injury should be done while he was trying any case, he would leave the bench and follow them up till they were exter- minated. Such language as this, from a judge on the bench, assured the people that Regulators had nothing to fear in a Court presided over by him; and this Regulators.
A man named Daggett had been horse- whipped at Payne's Point in the spring of 1841, and the notorious Bridge and some others, obtained of Esq. Wood a warrant for those who inflicted the pun- ishment. The Sheriff being absent, the warrant was placed in the hands of Coro- ner James Clark, who, however, did not succeed in serving it-and so the affair ended.
One Daniel Ross was taken by the Reg- ulators and made to hold on to the limb of a tree just high enough to allow his toes to rest upon the ground. Whenever he attempted to let himself down, the prompt and vigorous application of the cow-hide on his seat of honor, compelled him to take the old position.
These extreme measures of course aroused the most bitter feelings among the horse thieves and their associates, and they at once resolved to be revenged. One Sunday, as Capt. Campbell and his family
59
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Murder of Mr. Campbell-Trial and Execution of the Driskells-The Rock River Register, the First Newspaper.
were passing from the gate to the house door they chanced to look aboul, and saw two men not very far from them. As they discovered the men, one of the latter drew up his rifle and shot Mr. Campbell through the heart, killing him instantly. Mr. Campbell's son-a "chunk of a boy," as he is described to us-ran into the house for his father's riffe, and bringing it out fired at the men, but they were out of reach and escaped.
This outrage, connected with others which had been committed by the gang', roused the citizens to more vigorous measures in self-defence. Old man Dris- kell and his son William were suspected of the murder and were at once arrested and taken to Oregon. The Regulators soon assembled en masse at Stevenson's Mill, on the creek running through Washington and Lafayette Groves, and proceeded to try the culprit. A tempe- rary court was organized, counsel was granted the prisoners, witnesses were ex- amined and cross-examined, and as fair a trial awarded them as could be given under the circumstances. It was decided that they must be immediately executed. A number of men with rifles were de- tailed to carry the sentence into execu- tion. One of the prisoners was led out and shot, and then the other was led out, and after being shown the body of his dead relative, he was exhorted to confess that he had committed the crime charged against hini. This he refused to do, but acknowledged that he had committed other crimes for which he deserved death.
The friends of the Driskells afterwards procured a bill of indictment against the
Regulators, charging them with murder. The Regulators and their friends at once procured similar bills against every per- son who was present at the execution, the whole numbering about one hundred and twenty-five men ; and as all were under indictment, it was impossible to find any witnesses, and all were cleared.
The remedy adopted by the citizens was a terrible one, but we cannot now call in question its wisdom. We must reflect, in judging of this matter, that the desperadoes were the most numerous, and were able to control the elections, thereby placing their own friends in pow- er and confiding to them the execution of laws intended as a defence against their lawless ness. it was apparently the only remedy, and the carly settlers showed much conrage in making use of it.
CHAPTER XIII.
The first newspaper in this county was the Rock River Register, the first No. of which was issued in Mt. Morris on the first day of January, 1842, by Jonathan Kuodle. We End in the first column of No. three, the catliest copy within our reach, the followi. g:
TERMS,
Provided 400 subscribers be obtained :
The Rock River Register will be neatly and tastefully printed on a super-royal sheet of good quality, and published weekly at $2.50. in advance. per annum, or $3, if not paid in udrunce. $1.50, in advance, for six months :- otherwise no subscription will be received for less than a year.
60
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
First Wedding in Mt. Morris-Advertisements in the Register-Boundary Meeting at Oregon.
TERMS,
Provided 600 subscribers be obtained:
$2, in advance ;- $2.50 in postponement. $1, in advance, for six months.
1-No paper discontinued until all arrear- ages are paid, but at the option of the pub- lisher.
It was a small five-column sheet, printed on paper of a very inferior quality. The early numbers contains a Thermometrical Register, an Almanac, Market Reports from Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago and New-Orleans. In No. four we find the following :
MARRIED .- In this place on Sunday, Jan. 2, by the Rev. S. S. Walker, Michael Chesire, to Margeret McAllister.
[There, that, January 2, A. D. 1842, is the Mt. Morris NUPTIAL EPOCHI This is the first case of Matrimony which has ever occurred in Mt. Morris. ]
We also find the business cards of Hen- ry Roberts and HI. A. Mix, Attorneys at Law at Oregon ; James J. Batty, Physi- cian and Surgeon, at Mt. Morris; a dun from S. Cumins, and from the same gen- tleman a notice that he has removed to his new brick store, and has just received a larger and better stock of goods than is found within fifty miles of him; an ad- vertisement of a stray bull from Henry Sharer ; one of a stray heifer from Na- thaniel Swingley ; an administrator's no- tice in the matter of the estate of Win. Driskell; an advertisement of boots and shoes from O. F. Palmer; a notice that D. Brayton & Son have have opened in Mt. Morris a large stock of everything usually kept in a country store; one that Miss Shepherd will give instructions in
drawing and ornamental needlework ; a few 'legal notices and newspaper propectuses, and at last the following announcement :
BOOKS, WRITING PAPER, QUILLS, PENCILS, WAFERS, Blue and Black Writing Ink, and Inkstands, Percussion Caps, Matches, &c. &c. ALSO,- ALMANACS FOR 1842. FOR SALE AT THIS OFFICE. January 1, 1842.
The "motto" of the Register was cred- ited to Rev. T. S. Hitt, and reads, "We hope to be recognized as fellow-laborers in the noble work of enlightening the human mind."
No. 3 of the Register for January 15 , 1842, contains a call for a meeting on the Boundary Question, to be held at Oregon, on the 22d of that month. A subsequent issue contains a report of the proceedings of the meeting, which, as a matter for reference, we copy here :
"At a general meeting of the citizens of the county of Ogle and others, convened by public notice at Oregon City, en the 22d January, inst., for the purpose of considering the expe- dieney of advising and effecting a separation of this section of the State from the State of Illinois and annexing the same to Wisconsin. "The meeting was organized by the appoint- ment of Col. D. Brown as Chairman, and Jo- seph B. Henshaw as Secretary.
" The following gentlemen were then ap- pointed a committee to draft resolutions ex- pressive of the sentiments of the meeting, viz : S. N. Sample, E. A. Hurd, D. T. Moss, W. W. Fuller and J. Swan, who retired for that pur- pose.
"A central committee of three were elected.
61
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Central and Corresponding Committees Appointed-Preamble and Resolutions Adopted.
to correspond with other committees and per- sons on all subjects of this meeting, with pow- er to appoint precinct committees. The following gentlemen were elected to compose the central committee, viz : James V. Gale, Joseph B. Henshaw and E. S. Leland.
"The central committee appointed the fol- lowing gentlemen correspondents of their re- spective precincts :
"Oregon Precinct-The Central Committee.
"Bloomingville-II. Norton and A. Wilbur.
"Maryland-N. Swingley and C. Marshall.
"Buffalo Grove-J. D. Stevenson and H. Wales.
"Grand Detour-S. Cumins and B. Butter- field.
"Washington Grove-J. Day and C. Rice.
"Brooklyn-D. Reed and R. Young.
"Monroe-H. Hill and I. Shearer.
"The committee appointed to draft resolu- tions returned and reported the following:
" WHEREAS, By an ordinance entitled 'an ordinance for the government of the North- western Territory,' it was ordained and declared by the Congress of the United States that there should be formed in the Northwestern Territory not less than three nor more than five States; and that in pursuance of said ordinance the States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois were formed; And Whereas. it was also ordained and declared by the ordinance aforasaid, that . the boundaries of those States should be sub- jeet so far to be altered that if Congress should find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States on that part of the said Territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or ex- tremity of Lake Michigan;' And Whereas, by virtue of the last mentioned power the State of Michigan and the Territory of Wisconsin have been formed north of said line; And Whereas, it is ordained and declared by the ordinance aforesaid, that the fifth article there- of, (that which defines the boundaries, ) shall be considered one of the articles of compact between the original States and the people and
States in the said territory, and forever to re- main unalterable, unless by common consent.
"Therefore Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting that that part of the Northwest Territory which lies north of an 'east and west line through the southerly bend or ex- treme of Lake Michigan' belongs to and of right ought to be a part of the State or States which have been or may be formed north of said line.
"2d. Resolved, That Congress has established by said ordinance the southern boundary of the State which may be formed north of the State of Illinois, and that line cannot be al- tered without the consent as well of the origi- nal States as the people in the said Northwest Territory.
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