USA > Illinois > Will County > Souvenir of settlement and progress of Will County, Ill. A review of the lives of our presidents, political, military and commercial history of the United States and of the state of Illinois Business directory of Joliet Comp. specially for the people of the county > Part 22
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
Ninth Illinois Cavalry was organized Oct. 26, '61. The Will county contingent was made up as follows : Sidney O. Roberts, as private Co. G., prom. 2d lieut. Oct. 21, '62; prom. 1st lieut. Nov. 25, '62; res. May 1, '65; William Ahr, died at Gainsville, Ala., Sep. 21, '65; Peter Blackburn, Cyrus Bowers, Morris Brown, Joseph Howel, William Kepler, David S. Leach, missing; Ervin Ryan, Henry Sifert, James T. Shaw, Edwin F. Way, Chas. F. Way, absent, sick at M. O.
Company D .- Louis Meyer; Henry Katsa, vet., died at Mem- phis, Oct. 20, '64; Fred'k Allifield, Conrad Buck, Frederick Buck; William Conskay, died at Helena, Ark., Oct. 1, '62; John Cleronrugh, Philip Deceness, Henry Duenenig, John Everding; Henry Gaberski, bugler; Fred. Husen, (or Hause) corporal; Conrad Ingleking, died April 19, '62; Dennis Linglelett, Chris- toff Libkey, George Lanbault, John Philip Meyer, Frederick Moor, Conrad Meiss, M. O. Sept. 23, '63; Christoff Paul, Henry
234
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Rupricht, Conrad Roegers, Christoff Shaeffer; Conrad Steege, vet .; absent; sick at M. O .; Conrad Sueir, dis. for dis. Nov. 29, '62; Frederick Adrian, trans. to E .; died in Andersonville prison, Sept. 9, '64; William Hardekopp; Henry Lattz, prom. sergeant-major; August Luhman; August Meyer, died at Mem- phis, July 29, '62; Frederick Miller, sergt.
Company F .- Ransford Calhoun, priv., Robert Hawley, re- cruit, Conrad Kruckenberg, recruit, William Rube.
Company G .- Nich. Dussen, (or Daufen) vet. M. O. Oct, 31, '65, as corpl .; Henry C. Bostwick, recruit; John F. Salter, died at Camp Douglas, Feb. 7, '62. Where no record is given, the soldier served until mustered out in Oct. 1865.
Tenth Illinois Cavalry was organized Nov. 25, '61. Among the troops of this command were the following :- Herman B. Hoffman, res. March 16, '64, 1st lieut .; James B. Creamer, Pat- rick Healy, R. E. Miller, John O'Neil, John O. Boyle, Wm. H. Day, E. D. W. Sheckell, George West, Davis Keenan, John C. Andrews, Timothy Dunn, Owen McGrath, Edward Purcell, trans. to H. died at Little Rock, Apr. 10, '65; Wm. A. Pierson, vet. died at Springfield, Ill., Feb. 20, '64. Where record is not given the soldier was transferred, and mustered out in Nov. '65.
Eleventh Illinois Cavalry .- Organized Dec. 20, 1861, by Col. Robt. G. Ingersoll, received the following named recruits in the spring of 1865. They served until the fall of that year: Arthur Kelly and Timothy Shean of Joliet; John Gillispie, Thomas Heartless, James McGregor, and John Frouth of Lock- port; Moses Barce of Crete; James Henny of Grand Garden and John H. Shufelt of Peotone.
Twelfth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized during the winter of 1861, claimed the following named men: John Sneigh, trans. to 19th Ill. Inf. James Coram. David Rollins, trans. to inv. corps. John Roberts. Frederick Williams. William Schoupp. Charles Vimpany, died Nov. 19, '61. Isaac Woods, trans. to C Con .; M. O. July 17, '64. Jos. B. Mullen, dis. for dis. June 29, '64. James Bennett, trans. to A Con .; M. O. May 29, '66. Frank Patchett, killed at Alexandria, Va., April 28, '64. Robert Stebbins, died at Donaldsonville, La., Aug. 1, '64. Robert S. Washburn, trans. to H Con .; M. O. May 28, as corp. Willis Knickerbocker, dis. Jan. 3, '63. James Johnson, trans. to F Con .; dis. for dis. Dec. 27, '65. Isaac Howe, trans. to H Con .; M. O. June 10, '65.
Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized during the winter of 1861-2, had a large number of soldiers from this county: Adam Sachs, 2d lieut .; prom. capt. May 4, '62; M. O. on con. Adolph Schule, corp .; prom. 3d lieut. Jan. 10, '63; M. O. May 2, '63, on con .; Willis Danforth, resigned Feb. 7, '63; capt. Co. F. Ira D. Swain, hon. dis. April 23, '63; 2d lieut. Edwin R. Willard, M. O. Aug. 31, '65; surgeon of Con. Regt. Henry
235
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Harken, served in Co. A as Q. M. sergt. Peter Schlanter, served in Co. A. Albert Aug. Harken, private; prom. 1st sergt. June 10, '62, Co. C; dis. Jan. 11, '63. Gnstave Ed. Nagle. Johann Franzen. Johannis Becker. Henry Busch, promoted saddle sergeant; transferred to the N. C. S. as con .; dis. Aug. 21, '65. Frederick Blishm, trans. to C; con. Henry J. Caistens, prom. sergt. Jan. 1, '63. Berup Christ Claassen, prom. corp. May 1, '62; sergt. Nov. 25, '62; 1st sergt. Jan. 12, '62. John Corthauer, dis. Oct. 10, '62. John Cholett, trans. to D. John Tromm, dis. Jan. 11, '63. Christ Hagan, trans. to C; con. Wm. Hess, dis. Jan. 11, '63. Nicholas Kay, dis. Jan. 11, '63; died at Little Rock Dec. 20, '64, of wounds. Henry Keeneke, dis. May 7, '63. Christoph Koehler, trans. to C; con. Michael Mammosir, trans. to Co. D; M. O. April 18, '65. Wilhelm Mertens, trans. to C; con. Henry Toreser, trans. to C; con .; M. O. Aug. 31, '65. Emile Troethlisberger, dis. June 11, '62. Carl Schamhorst, dis. Feb. '63. Deitrich Somumocher, prom. corp. Jan. 1, '63. Ernest Strecker, prom. corp. March 1, '62; sergt. June 15, '62; Q. M. sergt. June 12, '63. Ludwig Stricker, dis. May 15, '62. Henry Sellman, trans. to C; con .; M. O. Feb. 11, '65. George Bernard Triarks, prom. corp. Ang. 1, '62; sergt. June 1, '63. Ebenezer Grundy. Augustus F. Freeman, trans. to Co. C; con. Seymour M. Fitch, prom. Reg. Q. M. S .; M. O. Dec. 31, '64. Wm. M. Rat- cliff, died at St. Louis, Oct. 4, '62. Alvaro B. Clark, dis. for dis. Dec. 20, '62. David W. Chandler, trans. to C; con .; killed at Pine Bluff, Ark., Sept. 11, '64. Harvey R. Frazer, trans .; three years' service. Amos Bowers. James L. Hyde. dis. for dis. Dec. 1, '62. Damon Baily, died at Joliet, Nov., '62. Whitman E. Gustin. Charles W. Whited, saddler. Henry R. Aulsbrook, killed at Ironton, Mo., premature dis. of con. May 4, '62. Oscar J. Bailey, died at Helena, Ark., Aug. 6, '62. Mathias Birdenstine, trans. to C; con. vet .; M. O. Ang. 31, '65. James D. Brown, died at Arcadia, Mo., Oct. 29, '62. Charles D. Field. John H. Finity, trans. to C; con .; vet .; M. 0. Aug. 31, '65. Michael Finity, trans. to C; con .; vet .; M. 0. Aug. 31, '65. Wm. J. Fuller. John Gillespy, trans. to C; con. Wm. B. Gorham, trans. to C; con .; vet .; M. O. Aug. 31, '65. Edward Hattes, dis. for dis. Dec. 20, '62. Franklin Jenks, trans. to C; con .;. vet .; prom. vet. surg. Edward P. Jepson, trans. to C; con. Martin Luther, trans. to C; con .; sergt. Benj. C. Leonard, trans. to C; con .; dis. for dis. Nov. 21, '65. Martin V. Lander, trans. to C; con .; M. O. Ang. 31, '65. David Milam, died at Helena, Ark., Aug. 9, '62. William Mahon, dis. for dis. Nov. 14, '62. Edward McIntyre, dis. April 29, '62. William L. Reed. Harper Rogers, dis. for dis. Dec. 20, '62. Casper Schlief. Charles Stone, trans. to C; con.
236
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Martin Weiskopf. Christoph Snyder, recruit. Martin Snyder, recruit; trans. to E; con .; M. O. June 7, '65.
Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized January 7, 1863, had four Will county men, viz .: James Strain, Lockport, re- cruit of 1865. Corporal Geo. F. Gooding and private George Mason, of Lockport, enlisted Oct. 15, '62, and recruit August P. Foster, of Green Garden. Mason was killed at Boddy Sta- tion, Dec. 14, '63. Command M. O. July, '65.
Fifteenth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized Dec. 25, 1863, had nine Will county soldiers, viz .: John Stewart, trans. from Co. H, 52d Inft .; M. O. Oct. 31, 1864. James T. White, dis. for dis. Feb. 27, 1864. Isaac Rice, vet .; 1st sergt .; trans. to Co. M, 10th cav .; con .; M. O. Nov. 22, 1865; 1st sergt. Frederick Elderkin, paroled prisoner; died at St. Louis. Chancey Hollen- beck, M. O. Aug. 24, 1864, as corporal. Franklin W. Moore, trans. to Co. M, 10th con. cav .; M. O. as corp. Thomas H. Pennington, vet .; trans. to Co. K, 10th cav. con .; M. O. July 15, 1865, as Co. Q. M. sergt. Hugh Massey, M. O. Jan. 9, 1865. Samuel H. Whited, trans. to 10th cav. con .; M. O. term exp.
Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized in the spring of 1863, had two Will county representatives, viz .: James Vaughn, of Frankfort, who died in Andersonville prison, June 3, 1864; grave No. 1078, and John Wimmer, of Frankfort, who died in Andersonville prison, May 15, 1864; grave No. 1180.
Seventeenth Illinois Cavalry .- Organized Jan. 28, 1864. In this command were Wm. Kirton, of Barber's Corners, died at . Glasgow, Mo., Aug. 16, 1864, and Wm. Stanton, of Peotone, M. O. Nov. 8, 1865.
ARTILLERY ORGANIZATIONS.
First Illinois Light Artillery .- Organized by companies from April, 1861, to Aug. 12, 1862, comprised among its mem- bers the following troops: Edgar H. Cooper, as private Co. D; prom. 2d lieut. March 4, 1862; prom. capt. May 29, 1863; prom. major Dec. 26, 1864. Samuel Nickerson, died at Joliet, Aug. 23, 1863. John W. Frazer, ass. to new Co. A; M. O. Sept. 25, 1864. Jasper L. Loomer, dis. for dis. Jan. 28, 1864. Wm. H. Sanborn, M. O. July 23, 1864. James Heddy, M. O. June 12, 1865. Wm. O. J. Jewett, M. O. June 12, 1865.
Battery D (Mc Allister's) .- Ed. H. McAllister, resigned May 5, 1862; capt. Matthew W. Borland, resigned April 24, 1862; deafened at Donaldson; subsequently in the one year's ser. Jas. A. Borland, as. private, prom. sergeant March 4, 1862; prom. 2d lieut. April 24, 1862; resigned June 19, '63. George J. Wood, resigned July 1, 1863; Ist lieut. Emmit F. Hill, As. Q. M. Sergt .; prom. 2d lieut. April 24, 1862; prom. 1st lieut. July 1, 1863; hon. dis. Sept. 19, 1863; severely wounded at
237
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Vicksburg; subsequently com. lieut. in vet. reserve corps. Charles L. Pratt, as .; prom. vet .; prom. 1st sergt., then Ist. lieut. Sept. 19, 1863; M. O. July 28, 1865. Edward Kiniry. Wm. H. Toppin, vet .; M. O. July 28, 1865, as corporal. Wm. Agnen. George Alexander. Dewit Button, absent; sick at
M. O. Edward B. Bluhn. Henry G. Bagg. Daniel Blue.
Runsom W. Barnes. Porter W. Bement, died at Vicksburg,
Aug. 3, 1863. Zebulon Burdick. Robert Campbell. Peter
Clayton. Ezra H. Carter. John Culter. John W. Cain.
James Corsen. Thomas Carey. John Calgay. William De- wit. William Eaton. Franklin B. Hallick. Martin Howe. Patrick Higgins. Henry J. Hoyt, dis. May 2, 1862. John P. Holt. Andrew Kusch, Thomas Lowery. Charles HI. Morgan. John Roland, M. O. as corp. Jacob C. Sawyer, M. O. as black- smith. Orton R. Willard, M. O. as sergt. Lewis Meads. Don- ald Campbell, dis. Aug. 21, 1862; 1st lieut. Enoch Allen, dis. for dis. February 16, 1862. Woodson Allen. George Eeder, M. O. Nov. 30, 1864. William Myers, dis. for dis. Feb. 11, 1865. Jacob Werner, M. O. Nov. 30, 1861. Orlando Johnson. Henry Bennett, as private; 2d lieut. Feb. 1, 1864; M. O. July 26, 1865. Brock Fraser, priv. Jas. Bond. H. P. Viall. Orio A. Viall. Zeigler Barkey, M. O. July 15, 1865; corp. Irvin Bailey, died at Camp Yates, April, 1864. Elijah E. Clapp. Albert Mea- hem. F. M. Small, or Smart, Thos. Thompson. Robert Wilson. Magnus Tait, M. O. June 19, '65, as sergt .; was taken pris. at Atlanta; sent to Andersonville. George Carey. Horace Brown. Andrew McDermott, M. O. July 24, '62. Charles C. Cope. Where record is not given the troops remained until mustered out in June, '65.
Second Illinois Light Artillery. - Organized by batteries. from August, '61, to June, '62, claimed the following named Will county soldiers: George W. Wharton, died at Fort Don- aldson. Joseph Hockman, M. O. at con .; 2d lieut. Walter Michael, dis. Sept. 24, '66, as corp. Peter Britz, same. Chas. Zosshaus, same. Martin Nixerberg. John Thorn. Frederick Bauer, trans. to K .; M. O. July 14, '65. Philip Miller, same. John Blake, M. O. as corp. John Barry, M. O. Oct. 4, '64. Hiram B. Scutt, vet .; M. O. Sept. 4, '65. Charles W. Keith, resigned April 7, '62, as capt. Charles M. Barnett, as. 1st lieut .; prom. capt., April 7, '62, sergt .; as chief of the art. for the div. Aronzo W. Coe, as 2d lieut .; prom. 1st lieut. April 7, '62; killed Dec. 9, '64, near Savannah. John A. Kelly, trans. to 100th Inf., as lieut. Co. K. Abraham Whitman, prom. sergt. Peter Countryman, vet .; M. O. June 14, '65, as corp. Robert Heath, same. M. D. L. Covert. Charles How- ard, killed at Island No. 10. Thomas Allen, vet .; M. O. June 14, '65. John Blazier, same. Thad. C. S. Brown, vet .; Q. M. S .; absent; sick at M. O. Horace Cady, dis. for dis., April,
4
238
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
'62. Charles Countryman. Frank Collins, M. O. Alonzo S. Dykman, accidentally killed at home on furlough. William Daughtery. Harlan P. Dunning, vet .; M. O. June 14, '65. Thomas Egan, same. Frank Farrell, same. John T. Gal- lagher. Uri Gillett. Christian G. Geyser, vet .; died Aug. 12, '64, of wounds received the 9th, before Atlanta. William H. Haynes, M. O. Sept. 18, '64; leg broken. James McCallen, vet .; M. O. June 14, '65, as corp. Myron Mickles. Henry Mitter, M. O. June 27, '65; shot through the lungs before Atlanta. John J. Meihlson, sick at M. O. Zacherah Miller, Charles P. Meyers, William Pratt. William G. Patney, sick at M. O. Francis Pardy, William H. Rose. John C. Riley, shot through the lungs before Atlanta. Henry Sherrill, Charles W. Sheffield. George A. Sheffield, trans. to Inv. corps, Nov. 1, '63. John Stanley. Melvin Smith, died at Hamburg. Israel Smith, dis. for dis. Henry Smith, vet .; dis. Charles H. Smith, William Wilson. Max Winner, dis. Aug. 5, '62. James P. White, vet .; died at Nashville, Tenn., April 27, '64. William Abbott, John C. Bowers. George D. Brown, sick at M. O. James B. Bedford, William L. Bly. Franklin Baer, died at Nashville, Tenn., July 27, '64. Oliver G. Corbin, Akenless Cago. John Clark, deafened at Perryville. Joseph Coy, Rob- ert C. M. Cook. Henry Carr, died at Savannah, Feb. 3, '65. George Clark, taken pris., having dropped behind the march from exhaustion. Lyman DePuy, blacksmith. Philip Deiter, John Devin, Theodore Dreistman. Thomas Damphy, claimed by 23d Wis. Thomas Francis, M. O. June 13, '65; was pris. and taken to Andersonville; escaped. Michael Hallissey, Will- iam Holder, D. C. Heilman. Allen B. Hodge, wounded in hip. James Higgins, John Irwin, John Johst, Charles Jones, Lorenzo Kelly, Thomas Lynch, John Murphy, William Montgomery, John McClusky, Bernard McEvoy, Charles McEvoy, Thomas McGuire, John McNeill, William Moak. George Mather, died near Athens, Ala., from the sting of a scorpion. Louis H. Neff. Gregory Neff, sick at M. O. James D. Pierce, John Peters. Chas. Prindle, capt. on march to sea. Doc. C. Rosa, Jos. Richen- bach. Ed. Smith, sergt. Chas. Schrier, art. Franc. H. Goodrich, Anthony Schrader, Henry Skinner, Joseph St. Julien, Lewis Wolfogle, Newton A. Ward, Edward Waterhouse, Frederick Bauer, Francis Fay, John Hanton. Daniel H. Pierce, as private, vet .; prom. sergt .; prom. 2d lieut. March 13, '65; prom. 1st lieut. June 12, '62; M. O. Aug. 9, '65. Julius D. Roberts, as. private; prom. jr. 2d lieut. April 10, '62; resigned Nov. 18, '62. Levi B. Wightman, prom. 2d lieut. June 12, '65; M. O. Aug. 9, '65. Nelson Struble, artificer. Newton A. Hill, dis. for dis. July 25, '65, as corp. Newal J. Boughton. Freeman S. Jay, artificer. Freeman S. Jay, jr., died at Boeuf river, La., Aug. 30, '63. Jacob Reichert. George F. Bond,
239
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
dis. for dis. May 30, '65. Charles Cooney. George Cole. Jeremiah Downs, died at Vicksburg, Oct. 18, '64. George A. Freelove. Francis Fentiman; died at Vicksburg, June 14, '65. Errick Larson, Nichols Rush, George Shroyer. Where record is not given the soldiers served until muster out in the fall of 1865.
Chicago Board-of-Trade Battery, organized July 31, 1862, had Lawrence F. Abbott, of Wilmington, who served from Aug. 1, 1862, to June 30, 1865.
Chicago Mercantile Battery was organized August 29, 1862. The following-named Will county men were members of this command: John W. Arnold, M. O. June 16, '65; pris. of war. Henry L. Bush, M. O. July 10, '65; sergt. Andrew J. Bart- lett, M. O. July 10, '65; sergt. Charles B. Cozzens, M. O. July 10, '65; corp. Edward L. Gooding, dis. for prom. by order War Dept .; ap. com. of sub. Aug. 12, '62. John C. Gunlock. John A. Gilbert, sergt .; dis. Jan. 26, '65, for prom. Philip E. Gunlock, M. O. July 10, '65, as corp. Charles P. Hazeltine, dis. Aug. 8, '64, for prom .; wounded at Champion Hills. Charles C. Hanford. Everett E. Hudson. Albert G. Mather, sergt. John Q. Mason. James McNaught. Sand- ford L. Parker, M. O. June 16, '65; pris. of war. Charles L. Stone, M. O. July 10, '65. Gilbert Stees. Charles W. Wal- cott, dis. for prom. March 11, '64. Harvey T. Weeks, M. O. July 10, '65; wagoner. Cornelius Ackersook, Samuel E. Ball, Joseph Boots, George Brainard, Amos L. Burdick, pris. of war; John Crauson, William Coe, William R. Fenn. Walter H. Felter; died at Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas, while pris. of war. William Gooding, James Hammersham, Martin S. Miller, Nicholas Pitts, Charles W. Sheldon, Henry H. Snow, Charles H. Van Buren, John Wismon. Where record is not given the soldier served until muster out, July 10, 1865.
Coggswell's Battery, organized September 23, 1861, claimed the following-named troops: Henny G. Eddy, M. O. Nov. 20, '64; com. 1st lieut. Francis Hubert, private; dis. for dis. Nov. 13, '62. John Archer, vet. rec't .; vet .; M. O. Aug. 14, '65. Joseph Archambault. Albert A. Anderson, died at Memphis, July 10, '62. Henry D. Baker. Joseph Chown; dis. for dis. Ang. 24, '62. John Max, George H. Nelson, Ira Potter, Frank Payne, Joseph Simonds, Lewis S. Warren, Huron Warren. Louis West, vet; M. O. Aug. 14, '65; sergt. Patrick Williams. The troops whose records are not given served until muster out in the summer of 1865.
Henshaw's Battery, organized October 15, 1862, claimed William Robinson and George W. Clark, of Joliet, 1862-65, and William W. Veach, of Joliet, 1864-'65.
Bridges' Battery, originally Company G, Nineteenth In- fantry, was organized in January, 1862, and became New
240
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Battery B, 1st Artillery. Benjamin Bennett, of Wilton, en- listed July 14, 1861, was wounded at Chicamanga, and dis- charged July 7, 1864.
Colored Recruits Sixteenth U. S. Infantry numbered among them Thomas Jackson and John Nolens, of Joliet; enlisted March 28 and 27, 1865.
In the history of secret benevolent and military societies, given in the history of cities and villages, many names of soldiers are recorded, particularly in the history of each Grand Army post.
Illinois and Michigan Canal .- This important water-way claimed the attention of the French explorers' territorial council and commercial circles of Illinois, from the earliest times. The venerable Marquette, in 1673, pointed out its feasibility. In 1812, a plan was suggested in Nile's Register. In 1818-22, Gen. Cass, H. Schoolcraft, Captain Long and others, proposed such a work. In 1826, congress donated 300,000 acres of land, or every alternate section in a ten mile strip, from LaSalle to Chi- cago. In 1829, the Board of Canal Commissioners was estab- lished with certain powers. This act was repealed to give place to the act of 1834-5, appointing a canal commission to negotiate the sale of bonds and otherwise prepare for work. In 1836, the State pledged its credit for the payment of bonds, W. B. Archer, G. S. Hubbard, and Wm. F. Thornton, were appointed com- missioners, Wm. Gooding, engineer in charge, and on July 4, that year, the work of construction was begun at Bridgeport, now in Chicago city. The Archer road was opened to Lockport, at a cost of $40,000, and many equally wild expenditures sanc- tioned by the board. This term of expenditure ended in 1841, when $5,000,000 had been expended on the canal-construction. was suspended-the contractors received $230,000 damages, and for a time, the prospering villages along the line of the proposed work, suffered from financial depression.
In 1842-3, the legislature agreed to place the enterprise under the control of three trustees, one of whom was to represent the foreign bondholders, on condition that such bondholders would augment their former loans by a grand loan of $1,600,000. After many negotiations this plan was adopted, and in 1845, work was resumed. The passage of the Thornton from LaSalle, and of the Gen. Fry from Lockport, early in 1848, heralded the approach of the completion of this great internal improvement. In July, 1848, the canal was opened for traffic, and during that and four succeeding years it proved all its projectors' hopes to. be well founded. In 1865, Chicago city entered into an arrange- ment with the trustees to complete the canal on the deep cut plan. This undertaking was completed June 15, 1871, and the waters of lake Michigan joined with those of the Mississippi. The same year the control of the foreign bondholders ceased,
241
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
and the canal reverted to the State with a balance of $95, 742. The State reserved the right to resume control of the canal at any time, by paying Chicago city the moneys which it had expended. The Legislature, on Oct. 21, 1871, passed the Refund Act, appropriating $2,955,340 to be paid the City of Chicago, being principal and interest invested by that city in deepening the canal. The same act provided for the resumption of control by the State.
Railroads .- Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad was incorporated by the Legislature of the State of Illinois in 1851, under the name of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, the object being to construct a line from Chicago to Rock Island, on the Mississippi river, a distance of 1813 miles. In October, 1851, the first shovelful of dirt was thrown out in grading this road; in March, 1853, it was the largest railroad operated in the State. Regular trips began on the Chicago & Rock Island Rail- road to Joliet, Oct. 18, 1852; to Morris, Jan. 8, 1853; to Ottawa, Feb. 14; to Geneseo, Feb. 22; to La Salle, March 10; to Peru, March 21, 1853. Chicago & Mississippi Railroad started books for subscription, opened Sept. 13, 1853, and $4,000,000 sub- scribed, on Nov. 1, 1854. An appalling accident on this road occurred near Joliet. The principal events in connection with this road since 1854, are its consolidation with the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad, Aug. 20, 1865, and name changed to C. R. I. & P. Railroad-completed to Des Moines in 1867; issue of $4,900,000 additional stock in 1867; 182 miles completed in Illinois; 46 miles completed from Bureau to Peoria; consolidated lines 222 miles; 450 miles in operation in 1867, and 1,400 miles in operation in 1884. N. D. Elwood was a director and also secretary of this railroad company, while Joel A. Matteson was one of the leading contractors in building its roads.
Chicago d' Alton Railroad .- The line proper was built under the charters granted to the Alton & Sangamon railroad, Feb. 27, 1849, and to the Chicago & Mississippi, June 19, 1852. The name Chicago, Alton & St. Louis, was adopted in 1855. In 1857 St. Louis took first place in the title, which name it bore until 1862, when Chicago & Alton railroad was adopted. The road from Alton to Springfield was built in 1853, and from Springfield to Joliet, under its second charter in 1854. In 1857 the line to Chicago was opened. The company operate over 970 miles of road. Since 1868, the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago road, known as the Jacksonville branch of the Chicago & Alton, extending from Bloomington to Godfrey, a distance of 150 miles, has been operated by the Chicago & Alton road at a fixed rental on the gross earnings, which must not be less than $240,000 per annum.
The Illinois Central Railroad .- The early history of this road is the early history of the State. The company was incor-
242
GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
porated Feb. 10, 1851. In March, 1851, R. B. Mason was ap- pointed chief engineer. The Chicago branch, from Chicago to the Junction, with the main line, 249.78 miles was completed Sept. 26, 1856, and a day later, the 705} miles of the system were completed. The first work on the road was from Chicago to Calumet Station-the latter appropriate name changed by the jingoes to Kensington in 1852. Permission to enter the city by the Lake Front was granted June 14, 1852. The bill granting lands to Illinois, passed the Senate, May 2, 1850, through the efforts of Stephen A. Douglas and Gen. James Shields. The The grant to Illinois of 2,595,000 acres of land was transferred, so to speak, to the Central Company, being 3, 700 acres per mile .. The company pays into the State Treasury annually, 7 per cent of gross earnings which amounted to $9,087,835.81 up to Oct. 31, 1882, to which the per centages of earnings for 1883 and 1884 are to be added. The villages of Monee and Peotone, in Will county, were founded during the construction of this road through the county.
The Michigan Central Railroad may be said to originate in the- old Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad, chartered as a private company in 1831, with nominal capital of $1,500,000, the company had in good faith and under many adverse fates expended nearly $117,000, when it was sold to the State in 1837. At a cost of about. $400,000, including rolling stock, it was, February 5, 1838, com- pleted to Ypsilanti. Its receipts for the first four months and eleven days of its existence were $23,963.56. They nearly doubled that in the next two months, transporting about 10,000 passen- gers, or an average of 200 for each working day. It reached Ann Arbor in October, 1839. This road was built on a continuous wooden rail or stringer of sawed timber. It was ultimately sold by the State for a small consideration, after which it grew to be one of the leading, as it is the oldest railroad in the West. In 1855 the Joliet & Northern Indiana Railroad was built from the main line to Joliet. This line forms an important link in the M. C. R. R. system, as here the through passenger and freight traffic for the West is transferred to the C. R. I. & P. Calvin Knowlton was superintendent of this road. It is known as the Cut-off
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.