USA > Illinois > Jo Daviess County > The History of Jo Daviess County, Illinois, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion history of the Northwest, history of Illinois Constitution of the United States > Part 49
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Jas. Doyle, Walter Furlong, John Pierce, Dennis Byrne, J. Dowling, Ber- nard Gray, D. G. Bates, S. Mudd and John Reed. At the close of the exercises, Ninian Edwards, Governor of Illinois; A. P. Field, Secretary of State; Judge R. M. Young and Chief Justice William Wilson were admitted as honorary members of the Association.
March 26, 1829, Fleet S. Clopton, of the firm of Clopton & Vanmatre, of Galena, was shot at Mineral Point, by H. Richardson and - - Wells, on account of a quarrel about a lead mine. Richardson fired at Vanmatre, the shot passing through the latter's thigh and entering the body of Clopton. A second shot, from Wells, entered Clopton's back above his hip, and he fell. He lived sixteen hours.
During the Winter of 1828-'9, probably, Rev. Aratus Kent applied to the American Home Missionary Society "for a place so hard that no one else would take it." About the same time, forty-four citizens of Galena subscribed and pledged the sum of $530 to "to any clergyman who shall come and discharge the duties of his sacred order for the space of one year, or to pay in proportion for a shorter period." This pledge was sent to the American Home Missionary Society, with an application for a minister. That society, probably concluding that Galena was just the place Mr. Kent wanted, appointed him on the 21st of March, 1829, and he arrived here in April following. On the 10th of May he preached his first sermon, in an unfurnished frame house, then being erected by Mr. William Watson, on Bench Street. His congregation was composed entirely of young people, as there were no old people here then. Mr. Kent was born in Suffield, Conn., January 15, 1794, graduated from Yale College in 1816, devoted four years to theological studies in New York, and was licensed to preach by the Pres- bytery of New York April 20, 1820. He was well known and much beloved, not only by the people of Galena, but of Northern Illinois, for many years.
May 1, 1829, weekly mail service ordered from Vandalia to Fever River by the Postmaster General.
Galena News Room, opened by James Jones, May 9, 1829. Mr. E. Coleman opened a select school on Monday, May 18, 1829. Thos. K. Rice was also teaching a select school at the same time.
In May, 1829, the people of Galena were much excited by a case of small pox on the steamer " Red Rover." Doctors Crow, Muir, Newhall, and Philleo certified that they had "examined Mr. Wilson, mate of the steamboat 'Red Rover,' and were satisfied that he had small pox," and a notice from these physicians urged upon the people the necessity of vaccin- ation, as they had visited the boat in large numbers. It does not appear that the disease prevailed here to any extent.
In 1829 (probably, although, it may be a little a earlier), a regimental organization was effected, and J. M. Strode, a lawyer, who thought " Yan- kee " was spelled " Yanky," was tlie colonel.
On the 22d of August, 1829, Col. Strode issued a regimental order, notifying " all persons subject by law to military duty in Jo Daviess County that on the fifth day of September next, there will be election held in the first and second battalions for three captains, three first lieutenants and three second lieutenants, in each battalion in their respective company bounds."
The first company was bounded as follows ;
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
Beginning at the ford of the Sinsinawa River where the road leading from Galena to Menominee crosses the same, inclu ling all persons living on the southeast side of said stream from that point to its mouth; thence down the Mississippi River to the mouth of Fever River; thence such a course as shall include Shannon's Mill on the Small Pox; thence such a course as will include Hempstead's furnace, Cottle's furnace and all the settle- ments on both sides of the Small Pox as high up the same as when a due north line will strike the northeast corner of Col. Mitchell's garden on Fever River; thence up the south- east side of Fever River to Lockwood's furnace, including it and the settlements at it; thence such a course as to include Meeker's farm, to the place of beginning. The place of holding election for officers in the first company shall be at Harris' grocery, Main Street, in the Town of Galena.
The other companies were as particularly bounded, and the order was signed " By order of J. M. Strode, Colonel of the Jo Daviess regiment, 3d brigade, 1st Division Illinois Militia; Stanislaus Mudd, Adj."
In accordance with the order, the militiamen of the first company met at Harris' grocery on Main Street, on the 5th of September, 1829, and elected Jesse B. Thomas, Jr., Captain; Milton M. Maughs, 1st Lieutenant; Daniel S. Harris, 2d Lieutenant.
The new steamboat Galena, Capt. D. G. Bates, was advertised to leave St. Louis August 22, 1829, but the following extract shows the date of her arrival at Galena, on the 29th day of October:
The new and long-looked-for steamboat GALENA, D. G. Bates, Master, arrived here on Thursday morning last. Much benefit has already been witnessed by her first arrival; for flour fell from ten dollars to eight dollars per barrel within two hours after she came to this port-Galena Advertiser, Nov. 2, 1829.
In the general history of the county it is stated that, so far as is known, the first wagon loaded with lead from Galena to Chicago was in 1833. This is incorrect. That was probably the first ox-wagon, but in August, 1829, Mr. J. G. Soulard's wagon and mule team took a load of lead (3,000 pounds) "to Chicago near the southernmost bend of Lake Michigan." The Galena Advertiser of Sept. 14, 1829, says: "This is the first wagon that has ever passed from the Mississippi River to Chicago. The route taken from mines was to Ogee's Ferry on Rock River, eighty miles; thence east course sixty miles to the Missionary establishment on the Fox River of the Illinois; and thence in a northeasterly course sixty miles to Chicago. Making the distance from this place to Chicago, as traveled, 200 miles. The trip ont was performed in eleven, and the return trip in eight days."
The first frost in 1829 occurred on the 3d day of September.
Sept. 14, 1829, fresh butter was selling in Galena at 372 cents per pound.
Monday evening, February 1, 1830, a meeting of the citizens of Galena was held at the house of Moses Swan, on the corner of Main and Green Streets, for the purpose of organizing for protection against fire.
Moses Meeker was called to the chair, and J. B. Brown appointed Sec- retary. At this meeting it was
Resolved, That there be a company formed, styled the Galena Fire and Protection Company.
Col. J. M. Strode, Capt. M. C. Comstock, and Capt. C. D. W. Johnson were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions from the citizens for the purpose of procuring forthwith fire-hooks, ladders, axes, etc. Robert Gra- ham, M. M. Maughs, and John Atchison were appointed a committee. "to examine forthwith all stoves, fire-places, and chimneys in this town," and to request proprietors to keep on hand a number of buckets equal to the num- ber of their stoves and fire-places, with the further request " that they will,
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on any alarm of fire being given, repair immediately to the place with said buckets," and aid in extinguishing the fire. The meeting adjourned to meet again on Thursday, at four o'clock P. M. As the citizens were grop- ing their way home in the darkness, a fire was discovered emerging from the roof of a drinking-house kept by Major T. B. Farnsworth, near the corner of Main and Green Streets. Here was an opportunity for these primitive firemen to exhibit their prowess in fighting the fiery fiend, and the " b'hoys " scampered to the scene of action, mounted the roof, and cut- ting away a portion of the shingles and boards, discovered the position of the fire, and extinguished it with a few well aimed buckets of water. The ' Major was absent on a fishing excursion, and the jolly firemen helped them- selves to " sperets."
There are no records of subsequent meetings, but the company was duly organized, Mr. Wann says, by the choice of C. D. W. Johnson as Cap- tain, succeeded afterwards by Captain H. H. Gear. The town was divided into four fire wards, and a notice in the Galena Advertiser of Feb. 22, con- tains the following:
Inasmuch as the " Fire Implements " will be distributed in the several wards, and to avoid difficulty in the event of fire, the following arrangement is deemed necessary, viz .: For the First Ward, D. R. Davis, Director; M.C. Comstock, L. R. M. Morse, James G. Soul- ard, R. M. Brush, N. T. Head, Lewis Oldenburg, J. B. Brown, Daniel Wann, John Atchison, W. P. Tilton, Leonard Goss, William Hempstead, Frederick Stahl, B. M. Foley, Philip Byrne, Harvey Mann, John Foley, and A. Baker, Esqs.
For the Second, B. Dignan, Director; A. T. Crow, John Reed, E. S. Lattin, H. Rolette T. B. Farnsworth, Moses Meeker, Moses Swan, D. S. Harris, H. Newhall, D. G. Bates, J. F. O'Neil, Owen Riley, Samuel Reed, Garey White, William Boggess, Jentry McGee, William Townsend, and Charles R. Bennett, Esqs.
For the Third, Major John Campbell, Director; J. M. Strode, E. McSweeney, Addison Philleo, Robert Graham, J. R Vineyard, J. K. Hammett, James Jones, G. C. Parker, Pat- rick Gray, Jolın Turney, James Bennett, William Campbell, James Poland, Patrick Markey, James Campbell, Thomas Bennett, N. Dowling and Z. Bell, Esqs.
For the Fourth, Matthias Shears, Director; T. S. Smith, Benson Hunt, John S. Miller, Daniel Harrison, Joseph Bartroe, Mason Taylor, Esqs., and others names not reported.
Axemen, M. M. Maughs, Director; Sylvester Baker, Michael Byrne, A. C. Swan, S. D. Carpenter, John Howe and Alfonzo Delauney, Esqs. Property Guards : Benjamin Mills James Barnes, William Bennett and R. M. Young, Esqs.
This was the first fire organization in Galena, and embraced nearly all the leading men of the town-judges, lawyers, doctors and merchants-all ran with their buckets and axes when a fire occurred.
The following item shows what was considered a remarkable feat of traveling in 1832:
RAPID TRAVELING .- Two gentlemen arrived at this place on the steamboat Enter- prise, in twenty days from the City of New York, out of which they were detained, in waiting for conveyance, five days .- Galenian, July 18, 1832.
On Saturday, May 26, 1832, Simeon Kelsey was shot in Main Street, Galena, by Charles McCoy. They were both miners, residing about ten miles from town. McCoy surrendered himself to the civil authorities, was examined and discharged. This was the first event of the kind that ever occurred in Galena.
The Galena Academy was in operation in the Summer of 1832, during the Black Hawk War, under the superintendence of Mr. J. Wood, assisted by Mrs. Wood and Mr. Robinson. The first quarterly examination occurred on Monday, July 30, 1832, and the Advertiser of that date spoke highly of the skill of the teachers and the proficiency of the pupils.
The cholera prevailed to a fearful extent in 1832. The steamboat War- rior, with a detachment of soldiers from Fort Armstrong, arrived at Galena
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· August 31 with quite a number of cases on board; several had died. It -was a gloomy time for the settlers, and there was mourning and sorrow in many a household, for the terrible scourge added to the horrors of the Indian war. The disease did not finally subside until November.
Adulteration of articles of food is supposed to be a modern invention. The following announcement in the Galenian of December 19, 1832, shows that the custom may date back farther than is generally supposed. The Galenian says: "Fine yellow corn meal has been brought to this place and sold for London ground mustard."
. The citizens of Galena held a public meeting at the Court House on Monday, Dec. 22, 1834, to consider the subject of fires. William Smith, Chairman, Dr. H. Newhall, Secretary. At this meeting the town was divided into four districts, and four committees appointed to examine stove- pipes, chimneys, etc. It would seem from this that the organization in 1830 had failed to accomplish its purpose, or had become extinct.
1st District-From Abner Edes' tavern to Meeker's furnace. Committee, Moses Hallett, Matthias Shears and Abner Edes.
2d District-From Meeker's furnace to the street running north of Dr. Newhall's dwelling house (Hill Street). Committee, A. L. Crow, John Dowling and James Bennet.
3d District-From Newhall's house to Cross Street between Atchison's store and Baldwin's coffee house (Warren Street). Committee, B. Dignan, P. F. Schimer and H. Newhall.
4th District-From Baldwin's to the lower end of town. Committee, Col. A. G. S. Wight, M. Byrne and D. B. Morehouse.
T. B. Farnsworth, Wm. Townsend and Leonard Goss were appointed a committee to collect the fire hooks, ladders, etc., heretofore prepared and deposit them in some convenient place' for use in case of fire.
A resolution was adopted requesting the Senator and Representative from this district to procure the passage of a special act authorizing the citizens to incorporate the Village of Galena.
Another meeting was held at the Court House August 25, 1835, to consider the question of procuring fire engines and forming a fire company. Dr. H. Newhall, Chairman, Daniel Wann, Secretary. Capt. H. H. Gear, William Waddell and Daniel Wann were appointed a committee to circulate a subscription paper for that purpose. The meeting adjourned to Wednes- day evening, Aug. 26, when the committee reported that the sum of $1,557 had been subscribed, and that they thought that the further sum of $215 could be secured, making $1,772, which the committee thought would be sufficient to procure an engine of the first class.
The same committee was instructed to purchase an engine.
The subject of incorporating the town of Galena was then taken up; addresses were made by Col. J. W. Stephenson, Capt. H. H. Gear and John Turney, Esq., when it was unanimously resolved that the town ought to be incorporated. John Turney was requested to give the necessary notice for calling a town meeting of the citizens to take a vote on the matter.
Notice was given accordingly, and on the 7th of September a town meeting was held at the Court House; Benjamin Mills was chosen presi- dent and Geo. W. Campbell, clerk. Sixty-five votes were thrown for incorporation. One against. Record of this meeting was filed with the county commissioners Oct. 2, 1835.
September 15, 1835, a meeting was held for the election of Trustees of the Town of Galena, which resulted in the election of M. C. Comstock, Dr. H. Newhall, Reuben W. Brush, John Howe and John S. Miller,
Card IL, Bedford STATES ATTORNEY GALENA
THE LIBRARY OF 732
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
Until 1827 the only government exercised was administered by the superintendent of lead mines. At that date the County of Jo Daviess was organized and civil authority was exercised by the County Commissioners Court, while the superintendent still exercised some authority. The only attempt at local self-government by the people of Galena seems to have been repeated efforts to protect themselves against fire, and this had now resulted in a town or village organization.
October 3, 1835, the newly elected trustees held their first meeting in the court house, and organized by the election of M. C. Comstock, presi- dent, and William B. Green, clerk. H. H. Gear was elected town treasurer, and James Kemp, town constable and collector.
At the next meeting of the trustees, on the second day of December, 1835, present, Comstock, Miller, Howe and Newhall.
The president and trustees of the Town of Galena ordained as follows:
The limits of the town shall extend from the house built by Mr. Snyder, and now owned by H. H. Gear (then standing in the continuation of Main Street, a little south of Green Street) to the house built by J. S. Miller (on Branch and Dodge Streets) and now owned by Abner Eads, and extending due east and west from the above mentioned houses one half a mile and including said buildings.
It was also ordained :
The town shall be divided into four districts, the first to include all that part lying south of the cross street which passes Farnsworth & Ferguson's and Atchison's stores (Warren Street); the second, shall extend from said cross street to Perry Street; the third from Perry Street to Meeker's old furnace (near Franklin Street), and the'remaining part of the town shall constitute the fourth district.
At this meeting stringent ordinances were passed for the protection of the town against fire. Stove pipes must not be passed through roofs or partitions unless properly protected. No hay, straw, chips or shavings could be burned in town within forty feet of any building on penalty of five dollars. Any person occupying any shop or other building wherein shavings or other combustible material may be contained, shall, under pen- alty of five dollars, remove the same at least twice a week by Wednesday and Saturday. No person in removing chips, shavings, etc., shall scatter or throw them into the streets or alleys or permit the same to be done under penalty of five dollars. No person shall carry any fire in, into, or through any street or lot except the same be placed or carried in some close or safe vessel, under penalty of five dollars. The same penalty was attached to firing any squib, cracker, gun powder or fire works or any gun or pistol in said town.
A fire warden was ordered to be appointed in each district, whose duty it was made to visit and examine once within the first week of each of the months of October, November, December, January, February, March and April of each year, every house, store and shop in his district, and ascertain and report to the board of trustees all violations of these ordinances.
There does not appear to have been any further use for the board of trustees. Having provided regulations for the prevention of fires, their duties apparently ended. The appointment of fire wardens, if any were mnade, was not recorded, and the next meeting of record was held August 30, 1836, at which the only business transacted was the passage of the fol- lowing order:
Ordered, That an election be held at the court house in Galena on Thursday, Septem- ber 15 next, for Trustees for the Town of Galena. Polls of election to be opened at eight o'clock A. M. and to continue open until six o'clock P. M., and that John Campbell, N. T.
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
Head, and Matthias Shears be appointed Judges of said election, with power to fill any vacancy and to appoint clerks.
Thus, from the records now accessible, and the files of the Northwest- ern Gazette, it would seem that the united efforts of the citizens had been directed since 1830, principally toward providing protection against fire, and the first municipal organization had confined itself entirely to legislat- ing against fire.
On the 2d day of July a bill passed by Congress entitled " An Act to amend an act entitled an act authorizing the laying off a town on Bean River, in the State of Illinois, and for other purposes, approved February 5, 1829," was approved. The full text of this bill will be found in the Local History (pp. 325). Under its provisions Samuel . Leech, of Quincy, and Daniel Wann and John Turney, of Galena, were appointed Commis- sioners, and entered at once upon their duties. James Craig was appointed Surveyor, and for the second time the Town of Galena was surveyed by United States authority. This important matter is fully treated in the Local History.
The second meeting for the election of Trustees for the Town of Galena was held on the 15th day of September, 1836, and N. T. Head, Dickinson B. Morehouse, Philip F. Schirmer, Abraham Hathaway and Robert B. McDow- ell were elected. There is no record to show the number of votes thrown, but the Gazette says, " great apathy existed, and not more than half the votes in town were polled.
The new board met and organized September 19, 1836. Abraham Hathaway, President; W. B. Green, Clerk; Dr. H. Newliall, Treasurer; Robert M. Miller, Town Constable and Collector of Fines. This board proceeded at once to business, and immediately after perfecting its organization, passed an ordinance entitled " A Law appointing and prescribing the duties of certain officers therein named." Chapters I. and II. established the office of Street Commissioner, and defined his duties. To him was committed the custody of all real estate belonging to the corporation; the collection of rents due it; the location of streets under direction of the Trustees; the repairing of streets and wharves, paving, Mac-adamizing streets, etc., and he was made Surveyor by virtue of his office.
Chapter III. defined the duties of the Town Treasurer. This officer was to recover all moneys belonging to the corporation, and deposit them in the Branch Bank of the State of Illinois, at Galena.
Section 4 of Chapter III. appointed W. B. Green Street Commis- sioner.
Chapter IV., passed on the 20th, defined the duties of the Clerk.
Chapter V. created the office of Town Inspector, who was to be appointed each and every year, whose (principal duties appeared to be to abate nuisances.
September 21, the following orders were passed:
It is hereby ordained that the survey of the Town of Galena, made by James Craig in 1836, by authority of the United States, under the superintendence of the Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States, shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, the survey of the Town of Galena, and that the map of the same furnished by him shall be carefully preserved in the clerk's office, together with the field notes of said survey.
The town was divided into three street or road districts, as follows:
All that part lying below Cross Street (Morrison's alley) was the first district, and Jesse Morrison appointed Supervisor. The second district was
1
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
between Cross Street and Diagonal Street, S. D. Carpenter, Supervisor. The third district was above Diagonal and Cross Streets, George Madeira, Supervisor.
September 27, the Trustees passed " An ordinance for tlie appointment of Assessors," specifying the number (two) and prescribing their duties.
The same day an order was passed " for the graduating of Main Street, and paving sidewalks in the Town of Galena. This order provided for " graduating the west side of Main Street, at the expense of the corpora- tion, sufficient for one track from the sidewalk." When this was done the owners of lots on the west side of Main Street, from United States Warehouse to Franklin Street were required to pave the sidewalk in front of their premises, " with good strong bricks or flag-stone, said pavements to be six inches wide." This is the first known provision for sidewalks in Galena.
October 7, 1836, Main Street was ordered to be graded. October 24, George W. Campbell and R. W. Brush were appointed Assessors for the corporation for the present year.
November 3, 1836, Ordered, That the corporation of Galena assume the payment of balance due on engines, and that orders issue on the Treasurer to H. H. Gear and Daniel Wann for the same, with interest until paid.
This is the first order involving present or future payment of money made by the Trustees, and in this the amount is not specified. It will be remembered that in August, 1835, the citizens of the town had subscribed liberally for the purchase of a fire engine, and the committee, consisting of Messrs. Wann, Gear and Waddell, instructed to make the purchase. It appears, however, that the committee decided it to be advisable to order two from the builders. They were small engines, known as the "Selye"* and arrived here probably in September, 1836.
June 25, 1836, the committee notified the public that " the engine was shipped from Rochester and arrived in Buffalo last Fall, and in all proba- bility has reached Chicago ere this, and is expected here daily." They desired the subscriptions to be paid up. On the 9th of September a call was published in the Northwestern Gazette for a meeting of citizens on tlie 10thi to select suitable candidates for Trustees, and to organize two fire com- panies. The following notice explains the order of the board, and also determines the fact that the engines had arrived prior to September 17, and explains why they reached here via Green Bay.
The undersigned committee appointed by the citizens of Galena to raise, by subscrip- tion, funds to procure two fire engines, beg leave to report, that the sum of $1,794 was sub- scribed for that purpose, and about a year since the committee ordered the engines, the cost of which was $2,431.76, including the sum of $235.56, being costs and charges of trans- portation. The committee have received from the subscribers the sum of $1,494, leaving a balance due on the subscription of $300. The committee is bound to the engine builder for the balance due,say $937.76-which amount they are liable to be called on for. Capt. Gear, one of the committee, has advanced the sum of $117.78 on account of freight and charges on the engines; this amount, with the sum due the builder, in all, say $1,055.54, remains to be provided for. The committee therefore most respectfully ask of the citizens to place them in funds to meet their engagements. The engines have arrived in good order, with the necessary apparatus, subject to the inspection of the subscribers. When they were ordered the builder was instructed to forward_them to Buffalo, and from thence to Chicago;
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