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 23
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Chicago, Joliet & Peoria Railroad, or Southwestern, connecting Joliet with Streator, formed a very important addition to the rail- road system centering at Joliet. It runs along the east bank of the Des Plaines, through Joliet, Channahon and Wilmington townships.
Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway Co., of which articles of incorporation were filed in May, 1884, in the office of the Secre- tary of the State, is said to be an institution free from any other railroad interest, and is to be operated solely by the individuals named as incorporators. Surveyors are to be put to work at once, and if the consent of the land-owners along the route is.
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obtained without trouble it is hoped to have the line completed between Joliet and Aurora in 1884. The object of the road, as stated by Senator H. H. Evans, of Aurora, is to form a belt line from Hanover township, Lake county, Ind., on the Illinois boundary line, crossing ten railroads which run out of Chicago. The incorporators are H. H. Evans, of Aurora; Erwin E. Wood, of Chicago; Daniel Robertson, of Joliet; Daniel H. Newton and James S. Newton, of Holyoke, Mass. The capital stock is $2,000,000. The route of the new road is from the boundary line near Crete, through Joliet, thence through the counties of DeKalb, Ogle, Winnebago, Stephenson, and Jo Daviess to the Mississippi river.
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, running through Wash- ington and Crete townships, was opened in 1871. Its history is one of receivers, mortgages, etc., as the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad Under its new name it is operated successfully and forms a stern competitor with the old Central for the carry- ing trade of Eastern Illinois and Western Indiana.
The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad enters the county at. the southeast corner of Homer township, runs southwest through New Lenox, Manhattan, Florence, Wesley and Custer, forming a central line between the C. & A. Railroad and the Illinois Central.
Analysis of Census Returns .- In 1832 the population of the district, organized in 1836 under the name of Will county, did not contain more than 300 white inhabitants. In 1835 when the special census was taken the number was 3,500; five years later, in 1840, the population of the county including what is now Kankakee, was 10,167, increased to 16,703 in 1850. The cen -. sus of 1860 gives the population of the county, within its new boundaries, as 29,321. In 1870 the number reached 43,013 and in 1880, 53,422. The estimate of population in 1884 gives 61,000 inhabitants. Of the total for 1850, 8,850 were males and 7,820 females; 21 colored males and 12 colored females. During the year ending June 1, 1850, there were 495 births, 142 marriages, 231 deaths. The number of families was 2,833, liv- ing in 2,796 dwelling houses.
The number of schools, colleges, etc., in 1850, was 87, teach- ers 89, pupils 3,742; taxation 82,930, public funds 84,198, and funds from other sources $3,272. The school children were, 3,664 whites, and 4 colored, of whom 3,024 were native and 644 foreign. The entire number of adults who could neither read nor write was 1,185.
Improved lands in 1850 were valued at $102,578, unimproved at $82,789; cash value of farms, $1,950,289, value of farm im- plements, $103,469. There were 3,674 horses, 16 asses and mules, 5,868 milch cows, 1,171 working oxen, and 9,628 other cattle; 21,703 sheep, 8,650 swine, $404,806 value of live stock, $62,576
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GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
value of slaughtered animals. The cereals were 230,885 bushels of wheat, 130 bushels rye, 527,903 bushels corn, 334,360 bushels oats, 2,760 pounds tobacco, 50,237 pounds wool, 1,109 bushels peas and beans, 64,274 bushels Irish potatoes, 508 bushels sweet potatoes, 1,795 bushels barley, 8,136 bushels buckwheat, $4,437 value of fruit, 10 gallons of wine, $718 value of market garden produce, 319,054 pounds butter, 55,735 pounds cheese, 32,043 tons of hay, 104 bushels clover seed, 384 bushels grass seeds, 574 pounds flax, 9,617 pounds maple sugar, 167 gallons molasses, 15,175 pounds honey and bees-wax, $4,742 value of home-made manufactures, two public libraries, 700 volumes; seven school libraries, 1,500 volumes; two Baptist churches, property valued at $1,600, three Congregational churches, property valued at $6,500, one Protestant Episcopal church, property valued at $1,000, three Methodist churches, property valued at $4,000, two Presbyterian churches, property valued at $3,200, three Catholic churches, property valued at $10,000; total 14 churches of a seating capacity of 6,100, and property valued at $26,300.
In 1860, the percentage of increase over 1850 in the figures given for that year was remarkable. There were 73 manufactur- ing establishments, employed $382,650 capital, and 415 hands, 11 of whom were females. The annual cost of labor was $131,- 196, of raw material, $441,718, and the value of products, $833,793.
In 1870 there were 61 church organizations, 58 houses of worship, and property valued at $346,651.
The Baptists had 8 churches; Congregationalists, 5; Luther- ans; 5; Methodists, 15; Presbyterians, 6; and Catholics, 8. In 1872 the statistics gave horses, 13,943; cattle, 37,076; mules and asses, 531; sheep, 5,576; hogs, 24,328; valued at $677,488. The cereals were .- Wheat, 12,546 bushels; corn, 115,524 bush- els; other field products 74, 700 bushels. Of the total population in 1880, there were 28,434 males, 24,988 females-8,188 males 5 to 17 years, 8,095 females, 5 to 17 years of age; males, 18 to 44, 11,953; 21 years and over, 14,932. Of the entire population 37,265 are native, and 16,157 foreign .- Of the first, 27,318 were born in Illinois; 1,189 in Ohio; 3,246 in New York; 413 in Indiana; 1,578 in Pennsylvania; 207 in Kentucky. Of the sec- ond, 753 are Canadians; 3,636 Irish; 2,490 Welsh and English; 1,297, Scotch, 6,002 Germans; 251 French; and 530 Swedes and Norwegians. There were 224 manufacturing establishments, employing $3,533,805 capital; 2,620 males over 16 years; 113 females over 16 years; and 110 children and youths; who received as wages, the sum of $1,164,372; value of material, $8,252,302; value of products, $12,544,737. The total number of farms, 3,665, of which 42 were under 10 acres; 86 under 20 acres; 285 under 50 acres; 1,066 under 100 acres; 2,132 under 500 acres; 49 under 1,000 acres, and 5 over 1,000 acres, showing an average
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GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
acreage of 144. Of the total number of farms, 2,719 were cultivated by owners; 571 were rented for fixed money rental, and 375 rented for share of profit. Three hundred and thirty- three thousand seven hundred and twenty-two acres were tilled, including fallow and grass in rotation, and 148,371 in permanent meadow, orchard and vineland lands.
There were 18,164 horses, 424 mules, and asses, 1 working ox, 25,686 milch cows, 33,718 other cattle, 8,598 sheep, exclu- sive of spring lambs, 51,539 swine. The wool crop (spring clip) equaled 51,816 pounds; milk sold or sent to butter or cheese factories, 2,116,036 gallons; butter made on farms, 1,571,251 pounds; cheese made on farms, in 1879, 8,390 pounds. One hundred and twenty-one acres of barley equal 2,647 bushels: 161 acres of buckwheat equal 1,362 bushels; 143,815 acres of Indian corn equal 4,072,806 bushels; 72,308 acrse of oats equal 2,701,670 bushels; 1,774 acres of rye equal 33,463 bushels; 4,023 acres of wheat equal 50,826 bushels; 29,560 bushels of flaxseed; 2,957 tons of straw; 4,047 pounds of sorghum mo- lasses, in 1879; 225 pounds of maple sugar, and 50 gallons of maple molasses; 82,732 acres of hay equal 111,513 tons; 4,327 bushels of clover seed, and 7,920 bushels of grass seed; 190,363 barnyard poultry, and 19,530 other fowl; eggs produced, 619,- 665; honey, 15,663 pounds; bees-wax, 372 pounds, 1879. Esti- mated value of farm productions sold, consumed, or on hand, (1879) $3,313,441.
The equalized assessment of taxable property in the county from 1873 to 1883 is given as follows: $24,810,823, in 1873; $21,486,578, in 1874; $20,161,545, in 1875; $18,277,898, in 1876; $15,578,113, in 1877; $14,104,092, in 1878; $13,346,368, in 1879; $13,017,125, in 1880; $13,138,084, in 1881; $13,189,- 309, in 1882; $13,005,884, in 1883. The appropriations for expenditures made in September, 1883, was $87,317.43, about $1.50 per capita of present estimated population.
School Statistics .- The report of Superintendent McKernan for year ending August 31, 1883, shows the total number of per- sons under 21 years of age, 27,261; number of pupils enrolled, 12,390; enrolled in private and denominational schools, 940; number of school building, 210; number of teachers, 377; esti- mated value of school property, $376,592; of books and appa- ratus, $6,770; total expenditures for year 1883, $188,623.16. This last amount includes a balance of $34,094.94 standing over since June 30, 1882; $30,018.90 from distribution by trustees; $105,334.87 amount of district taxes, and $19,174.45 amount from other sources of school revenue, leaving $35,423.91 on hand June 30, 1883. During the year, Superintendent McKernan received $129.84 from justices of the peace; $649.62 from State's Attorney for fines and forfeitures, and $138 for examination and registration fees.
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GENERAL HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
1
The centers of settlement in Will county in 1837, were: Plainfield, population, 400; Lockport, East Lockport, Winches- ter-now Wilmington, Joliet, population, 600; Lancaster, Yan- kee Settlement, and Emmettsburg, a few miles north of Joliet. In 1884 the postal towns of the county numbered thirty, viz: *Beecher, Bird's Bridge, +Braidwood, *Channahon, +Crete, Custer, Du Page, Eagle Lake, Endor, *Elwood, East Wheat- land, *Frankfort Station, Goodenow, Green Garden, +Joliet, +Lockport, Manhattan, Marley, *Mokena, *Monee, New Lenox, Peotone, +Plainfield, Ritchey, Spencer, Symerton, Tamarack, Wallingford, tWilmington, Wilton Centre.
* Domestic money order offices.
+ International and domestic offices. The business directory of each of these "cities and villages is given in this work, as well as the roll of taxpayers.
TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
PART IV.
EARLY SETTLEMENT - ORGANIC, OFFICIAL AND STATIS- TICAL-HISTORY OF THE PRESS, CHURCHES AND SOCIE- TIES - ROLL OF TAX-PAYERS.
W HEN the American pioneers first looked into the district now known as Joliet township, they found not a trace of white settlement and only a few Indians. Struck with the nat- ural beauty of the district, they settled here, and entered at once on that round of pioneer labors which laid the foundation of the township and city's prosperity. Only in after years, when early toils brought leisure as a reward, did those first settlers of the valley stop to inquire into the history of their new land. They learned that almost two centuries had passed since the zeal of Marquette led a party of explorers down the Des Plaines, a few of whom, on returning, named the mound near the city, Mount Joliet, in honor of the lay-captain of the expedition. Again they. learned of its relation to Indian history; of the savage councils held here; of Pontiac's murder by the Illinois at this point, and were not surprised then at their selection of a land which was admired by the learned Frenchman even as it was reverenced by the native Indians. Toward the close of the last century a few travelers passed this way en route from the Mississippi to the St. Lawrence. Early in the present century, General Cass, Henry R. Schoolcraft, and Lieutenent DeLong, explored this region, and following them came the pioneers -- men who came to stay and build, and ask others to come and share with them the wealth and peace which the new country offered.
Joliet, or Township 35, Range 10, was set off March 14, 1836, as the fourth precinct of the county. Previous to 1850, this township, like the other divisions of the county, was gov- erned by the board of county commissioners. The supervisors, since 1850, are named in the following list: Charles Clement, 1850-52; A. Cagwin, 1853; F. Aldrich, 1854; Joel George 1855; Edmund Wilcox, 1856; E. Wilcox and R. Stevens, 1857; S. W. Bowen and J. Shutts, 1858; R. E. Goodell and E. Wilcox, 1859; R. E. Goodell and H. B. Goddard, 1860; R. E. Goodell and George Woodruff, 1861; George Woodruff and J. C. Zarley, 1862; S. K. Casey and J. Shutts, 1863; W. S. Brooks and John
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JOLIET TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
Shutts, 1864-66; W. S. Brooks and E. Daly, 1867-68; W. S. Brooks and A. Schiedt, 1869-70; William Werner and D. P. Hendricks, 1871; William Werner and W. A. Strong, jr., 1872; William Werner and R. Walsh, 1873; William Werner, A. O. Marshall, James Boland and N. D. Tighe, 1874; W. S. Brooks, John Ryan, James Boland and Nathaniel Barnes, 1875; W. S. Brooks, John Ryan, Anthony Schiedt and William Werner, 1876; D. G. Murphy was elected in 1876, but declined to serve. F. J. Rapple, William Werner, John Ryan and Mansfield Young, 1877; F. J. Rapple, John Schiedt, William Gleason and John Lyons, 1878; F. J. Rapple, M. A. Flack, John Lyons and J. P. King, 1879; Thomas J. Kelly, 1880; Thomas J. Kelley, John F. Quinn, J. E. Bush, George M. Campbell, Thomas Houghton and T. A. Mason, 1881; John D. Paige, M. A. Flack, John Theiler, jr., Sebastian Lagger, jr., John E. Bush and Perry G. Somers, 1882; John D. Paige, Thomas J. Kelly, John Theiler, jr., Frank Collins, Sebastian Lagger, jr., and John E. Bush, 1883.
The elections of April, 1884, gave the following results: Supervisor .- John P. King, 1,890; John D. Paige, 922: King's majority, 968. Assistant Supervisors .- M. A. Flack, 1,762; John Theiler, jr., 1,719; William Gleason, 1,663; P. Shannahan, 1,661; Charles Werner, 1,498; Thomas J. Kelly, 1,268; Sebas- tian Lagger, jr., 1,141; John Kammerman, 1,111; John Gor- man, 973. Town Clerk .- Robert T. Kelly, 2,815. Assessor .- William Tonner, 1,805; Henry W. Cope, 998; Tonner's majority 907. Collector. - John Ryan, 1,795; John Swiggart, 1,009; Ryan's majority, 786. Highway Commissioner .- Frank Zipf, 1,476; Frank Murphy, 1,234; William Simons, 132; Zipf's ma- jority, 136. School Trustee .- J. F. Perry, 1,910; C. W. Rich- ards, 884; Perry's majority, 1,026. For paying road tax in labor, 511. Against, 727.
The following shows the number of votes cast at the town elections during the past four years: 1880, 2,226; 1881, 2,445; 1882, 2,650; 1883, 2,800; 1884, 2,850. The largest number of votes ever cast in this city, was in October, 1882, when 3,245 votes were cast.
The equalized value of lands in Joliet city and township- 1883-84, is $795,538; of lots, $1,552,342, and of personal prop- erty, $1,132,180, aggregating $3,480,061. The tax levied in 1884 amounted to $126,263.27. The population of the city (11,657) and township in 1880 was 16,149, which number, ac- cording to close estimates for 1884, has increased to about 22,- 000. According to census of 1880, there were 8,509 native Americans in Joliet city, and 3,148 foreign. In 1870 the for- mer number was 4,959 and the latter 2,304. The increase of population since 1880 has brought to the city a great number of American born citizens. The school statistics of this town- ship are given in the history of the county.
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JOLIET TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
The first settlements in the vicinity of Joliet were those on Hickory creek. When William and W. R. Rice and Millar Ainsley arrived on Hickory creek, in June, 1829, they found there, on the north bank, about two miles above its confluence with the Des Plaines, Colonel Sayre and I. Brown. A quarter of a mile northwest, on the opposite bank, old Mr. Friend had his cabin. The year following, Jared Runyon, John Gougar, James Emmett, Lewis Kercheval, and Michael Runyon, set- tled along the creek; Robert Stevens (section 2), Benjamin Maggard and David Maggard settled near the north line of Joliet township (west of Des Plaines, opposite rolling mills). Charles Reed, Joseph Shoemaker, and Eli Shoemaker settled at Reed's Grove. Reason Zarley settled on the Zarley home- stead in 1831. After the Zarley family the following named pioneers arrived: John B. Cook, Major Robert Cook, Jesse Cook, Daniel Robb, Samuel Pence, Philip Scott, Calneh Zar- ley, William Billsland, Aaron Ware, John Norman, Joseph Norman, all in 1831. In 1832, Seth Scott, William Goodwin, Aaron Moore and R. E. Barber arrived.
Mansfield Wheeler, Charles Clement, William Hadsell, Rodney House, George West, preacher; John Goodenow, Chas. Reed, James McKee and James B. Campbell came in 1833.
Joseph Zumalt, Philo A. Haven, Jacob Zumalt, Elias Ha- Haven, George H. Woodruff, A. W. Bowen, M. D., Orlando H. ven, James Haven, David Reed, M. D., M. H. Demmond, Charles W. Brandon, James Rockwell, Benjamin F. Barker, William B. Hawley, J. P. King, Charles Sayre, Abner Cox, Richard Hobbs, Daniel Clement, N. H. Clark, N. H. Cutter, I. Lyons, Sumersaux, Thomas H. Blackburn, O. D. Putnam, Harlan Webster, James C. Frontman, Edward Perkins, Mans- field Wheeler, Henry Bone, Benjamin Richardson, Erie Dodge, Asaph Webster, - Campbell, Charles W. Brandon, George R. Makepeace, H. A. Cagwin, H. D. Higginbotham, Albert H. Higginbotham, Thomas Ellis, Bailey and brothers, all came in 1834.
The settlers of the township and immediate vicinity in 1835, were: Asher Holmes, Fenner Aldrich, James Brodie, Hervey Lowe, David Rattray, Frank Collins, H. N. Marsh, Oliver W. Stillman, Allan Pratt, Elias Haven, Allen Denny, Robert Dun- can, Dr. M. K. Brownson. 1835-37 .- S. W. Bowen, Rodney House, Charles W. Hopkins, S. B. Hopkins, William A. Boardman, Edmund Allen, Hugh Henderson, Sullivan Dem- mond, Zelotus Haven, M. D., Simon G. Haven, M. D., Michael Shoemaker, Russell Frary, W. C. Wilson, J. L. Wil- son, Walter Seeley, R. L. Wilson, C. L. Wilson, Edson White, Abijah Cagwin, Andrew Boland, Abner Boland, Andrew Boland, Jr., J. Beaumont, Hopkins Rowell, Levi Jenks, Daniel Reed, M. D., O. F. Rogers, David Crozier, J.
1
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JOLIET TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
H. Prentiss, preacher, Abel Gilbert, C. C. Pepper, Hiram Olney, Francis Nicholson, Alonzo Castle, W. R. Atwell, Archibald Crowel, John M. Wilson, J. J. Smillie, Jonathan Barnett, Elias Hyde, Asa Rowe, William A. Chatfield, Andrew King, Barton Smith, C. C. Smith, E. M. Daggett, - Anderson, William Wal- ters, Joel George, George Higley, - Smith, George Squire, William Sherriff, George Howlitson, E. C. Fellows, Judge (Jus- tice) Lawler.
The actual settlers of 1836 are named in the following list: Edmund Wilcox, Joel A. Matteson, Louis Gritzner, George Woodruff, S. S. Davis, R. Doolittle. (1837)-William A. Board- man, Uri Osgoode, David L. Roberts; John Watkins, Francis L. Cagwin, Hugh Henderson, Thomas R. Hunter, Thomas Culbertson, H. Hartshorn, John Green, Otis Hardy, Theo- dore Woodruff, Orange Chauncey, Hervey Lowe, John Belz, Lewis Reed, Jr., George Erhard, Lewis Reed, - Reed, Alexander Comstock, M. D., Curtis Haven, L. De Berhardt, Dr. Scholfield, Albert Shepard, George W. Cassidy, James Stout, Robert Shoemaker; Thomas Allen, H. K. Stevens, Ben- net Allen, David Richards, Edward Allen, E. E. Bush, Colonel John Curry, J. J. Garland, Merritt O. Cagwin, W. J. Heath, Amos Fellows, J. C. Newkirk, Franklin Mitchell, William Blair, Dr. R. E. W. Adams, Rufus Colton, Isaac H. Palmer, Stepen Hubbard, Elnathan Bassett, Wallace A. Little, M. D., Giles Jackson, Henry Fish, William G. Hubbard, M. Worth- ingham, David L. Roberts, William S. Burgess, Thomas G. Burgess, Henry G. Brown. George Erhard, a Bavarian, and John Belz, an Alsatian, were the first settlers in the county from the Rhine country.
Among the settlers of 1837 were William Maginnis, George S. House, David Richards, William Symington, William Nel- son and John Fiddyment. In 1838, Alonzo Leech, Asa Mc- Donald, and Jonathan S. McDonald arrived. In 1839, Michael Gonter, Francis Xavier Munch, Jesse O. Norton, Joseph Camp- bell, and Walter J. Fiddyment.
During the decade ending in 1849, Major Safford, Thomas Keegan, Rossiter Rudd, George Bradner, Sebastian Stephen, F. X. Stuffler, Michael Stephen, John Stephen, Solomon Knapp, Thomas J. Kelly, John Greenwood, John Ley, John C. Lang, Frank E. Marsh, Isaac T. Millspaugh, Alexander McIntosh, John Bergin, F. J. Rapple, Simon Rapple, Sr., S. W. Randall, John H. Rapple, Thomas O'Connor, Anson and Joseph Patterson, Thomas Lacey, Noah Sunderland, G. F. Gurney, Rufus Corbett, John D. Henderson, Calvin Seward, Thomas Hershbach, R. H. Gurney, Gabriel Noel, J. F. Mc- Dougal (1840), John J. Flack, George Randolph Dyer, Michael Dellman, Joseph Freidrich, Isaac Nobes, William W. Prindle, Henry Snoad, William Adam, Orren W. Arnold, J. D. Brown,
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JOLIET TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
R. S. Brown, R. D. Brown, Louis Brown, H. S. Carpenter, John Clarkson, John Young, William H. Hutchins, R. H. Mapps, Albert Mapps, Henry Scheik, and Frederick Schring.
The settlers immediately after 1850 include among others: I. D. Stevens, Daniel C. Sleeper, Benjamin Stevens, R. L. Seward, Anton Scheidt, W. A. Strong, John Scheidt, Henry Schrader, H. Howk, George Honck, Doctor M. F. Hand, C. C .. Olney, Levi Mapps, John D. Paige, Edwin Porter, Frank Robeson, C. F. Passold, James G. Patterson, P. Shutts, John I. St. Julian, Conrad Schweizer, J. C. Van Auken, Joseph Stoos, Buel A. Fuller, Mansfield Young, Edward Donohue, Donohue, Allen P. Carpenter, Henry Fedde, Thomas Craughwell, William Stapleton, Marshall Truby, P. C. Haley, Doctor F. Woerndle, J. A. Henry, W. F. Keith, William Kreimeier, W. W. Stevens, Benjamin Pickle, C. W. Staehle, W. A. Steele, Daniel Richards, R. Walshe, John W. Merrill, Joseph Ruchman, John Baltz, Solomon Loner, Eugene Daly, Timothy Donohue, Henry C. Knowlton, J. P. Murphy, E. R. Knowlton, P. F. Murphy, David G. Murphy, John B. Feeley, O. Fox, Frederick Rolf, Doctor John R. Casey, Daniel Ross, John Hayden, Ernest Rudd, J. F. Wilson, S. H. Whited, John Roberts and Henry Young. This list comprises the greater number of actual settlers. With the names given in the gen- eral history of the county, and in the accompanying history of Joliet city, almost all the active spirit of the times find men- tion.
JOLIET CITY.
From the earliest times in the history of French exploration by Marquette and Joliet, this location has been known. Dur- ing the last century it formed inter-tribal ground, and here was held that great council of the Pottawatomies, Sacs, Foxes, Illi- nois and Shawnees (during which Pontiac was murdered), which resulted in the war against the Illinois and the annihilation of that tribe. There is little doubt entertained regarding the origin of the present name. In 1673 the voyageurs of Joliet's expedition conferred the name, and in French missionary annals it occurs at intervals. In 1834 one James B. Campbell, for whom the first tract of land in the vicinity was platted, cast aside all thoughts of the historic past, and named this new town Juliet- after his daughter's name. This solicism was endured for a de- cade. The people, acting on President Van Buren's suggestion, had the true name returned (D. L. Gregg introducing a bill in the Legislature), and since January, 1845, this one city of Illi- nois perpetuates a synonym for the early history of the State. It appears that in 1833 this James B. Campbell and James McKee acquired the interests of the Hall girls-Sylvia and Rachel -in the lands or floats granted them by the State Legislature
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JOLIET TOWNSHIP AND CITY HISTORY.
during the session of 1832-3. Campbell selected the fractional quarter of sec. 9, T. 35, R. 10-which contained about 67 acres, and a tract of 13 acres on Eastern avenue in the present city to represent his purchase. A portion of this tract was platted for him in May, 1834, under the name Town of Juliet, and the sale of lots was begun in June. James McKee selected as his pur- chase a tract on the west side of the river on the southeast quarter of section. Here Charles Reed, the first permanent settler of Joliet, had erected his cabin in 1833, and entered upon the work of building a mill and constructing a dam. Beyond his squatter's title there was no opposition to McKee, and the latter having en- tered his lands, offered Reed a small consideration and took possession. In January, 1834, this tract was laid out in acre lots, and in April these lots were offered for sale-Charles Clement making the first purchase. The additions to the city since 1834 and the subdivisions as given in the public records have been numerous and extensive. Juliet in 1837 had fourteen general stores, two groceries, one drug store, three taverns, a saw mill, a grist mill, six lawyers, five doctors, a Methodist and Episcopalian society. The postmasters of Joliet since the estab- lishment of the office in 1835 were: A. W. Bowen, 1835; J. T. McDougall, 1850; M. K. Brownson, 1853; Calneh Zarley, 1854; J. L. Braden, 1861; H. N. Marsh; Alonzo Leach, 1865; Anson Patterson, 1869; James Goodspeed, 1873, and W. Woods is the present incumbent of this important office.
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