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 67
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In 1837, Fuller & Lee built the only smelting furnace of the township, which was sold to Augustus Estey, who discontinued it about 1839.
At the time of township organization, in 1853, the name of the township was given in as "Gilford "; it is now spelled "Guilford." Among the first township officers were : John W. Taylor, Supervisor ; John A. Rawlins, Clerk ; Wm. Avery and Samuel W. Hathaway also held offices.
The first election was held at the Taylor school-house. E. T. Isbell was elected the second Supervisor, at which election about 150 votes were polled.
The present officers are : Supervisor-Wm. T. Gear; Town Clerk-Wm. Sinclair ; Assessor-John Baus; Collector-James Henry; Commissioners of Highways-Simon Singer, H. Belden and James Sheean; Justices of Peace- Francis Varing and E. Schoenhardt ; Constables-Philip Bausman and Frank Ehler.
Considerable mineral has been raised in this township. On the land of H. Bartell, J. W. Taylor and J. Hellman, in the western part of the township, val- uable mines have been worked. C. A. Monnier and others have rich leads in the southwestern corner of the township, the principal part of which, however, lies across the line, in Elizabeth Township.
MENOMINEE.
Dudley Simmons and Philip settled in the Township of Menominee and built cabins on section four, in 1828.
About the, same time Mr. Simmons built the first grist mill in the township. Soon after the Black Hawk War, Simmons and Shipton moved over on the Lit- . tle Menominee, near the western edge of the township, where Mr. Shipton lived until the time of his death. Mr. Simmons afterwards moved to Iowa. Jacob Drablebis broke land and built a cabin, in 1833, on a claim in the south- eastern part of the township which he afterwards sold to Harvey Mann, and moved to Iowa. James Hughlett, Benoni R. Gillett and Adolphus Hamlin were the first mineral smelters in this township. Their furnace was located near the
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I P Woodworth
WARREN TP.
THE LIBRARY
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
Sinsinawa River, on the lower Dubuque road, section 4, and was started in the Spring of 1833.
The second smelting was done by Harvey Mann, in the Spring of the year following. His location was about one half mile south of the other furnace, on the northwest quarter of section 8.
.In 1838, Gratiot and Purdivil built a blast furnace south of Mr. Simmons' farm, using the water-power of the Menominee River. This continued but a short time.
In 1836, S. D. Carpenter took up a claim on the land known as the Buena Vista Farm. He sold out to Godfrey Shissler.
In the same year, John Shipton moved to the township, but soon sold out and went to Iowa, and Thomas Prouse settled on the lower Dubuque road. From this time settlers appeared more rapidly, so that Menominee, may be con- sidered among the older townships of the county. It had a population, in 1850, of 720, and in 1860, of 853, while the inhabitants in 1870, numbered 593.
The Excelsior Mills were built on section 28, in 1860, by John Moore and John R. Gray. Mr. Moore afterwards moved to Iowa, since which time Gray has been sole proprietor. The mill was originally run entirely by water-power of the Sinsinawa River, but an engine has since been put in, both powers being now used. A post-office has been established in the mill for many years, Mr. Gray being postmaster. About 1860, a post-office was established at the house of Thomas Prouse, called " Alvina," but it continued only a few years.
When the railroad was built from Galena to Dubuque, along the river, a side-track and flag-station was established in the township, on section 18, called Menominee.
The first preaching remembered was about 1840, at Mr. Morton's house, on Buena Vista Farm, by a minister from Galena. There is now a school-house and Catholic church on the northeast part of section 30.
The first school-house was on section 6. At present there are school- houses on sections 5, 23 and 28.
Mining has always been carried on in this township to some extent, the land, however, is rich, productive and well watered by numerous springs and streams.
The present officers are :
Supervisor-John A. Gaffney; Town Clerk-B. Monneman ; Assessor and Collector-Henry Arts ; Commissioners of Highways-B. H. Wubben, Wm. H. Mann and Wm. Kanol; Constables-John Monneman and Wm. Rooney ; Jus- tices of Peace-Bernard H. Wubben and William Powers.
BERREMAN.
Thomas and John Deeds, referred to in the sketch of Pleasant Valley, probably made the first claim, erected the first cabin, and broke the first ground in this township. Of them the earliest permanent settler, N. C. Tenney, a cousin of the Tyrrells, of Ward's Grove, purchased his claim in October, 1836, in the northwestern part of the township. Here he remained until 1842, when he went to Nauvoo, and is now a Mormon Bishop in Utah.
In September, of the year 1837, the stepfather of Mr. Tenney, John Gates, Phebe, his wife, and S. B. Gates, his son, settled in the township, where John Gates afterwards died, leaving his wife and son the two oldest residents of the township.
In November, 1839, James Parkinson, with his family and brother, Isaac W., came to this vicinity and purchased a cabin and claim of a man whose name has been forgotton. James afterwards died ; his children and brother, a bach- elor, still live there, and are prominent residents. Dr. Peckham and wife, both
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
of whom are now dead, came in November, 1839, bringing Mrs. Peckham's son, Delson Tiffany, still a resident of the township, who has served it in the capacity of Supervisor, and, in many other ways, been a highly useful citizen. Jacob Troxel settled, about 1839, on land in both Berreman and Pleasant Val- ley Townships, although his house was in the one last named. He built the first school-house, on the bottom road, near the township line, on section 7, afterward entered by S. B. Gates. There are now school-houses on sections 16, 5, and a combined church and school-house on section 29.
The first death remembered was of Dr. Peckham, who was mortally in- jured while building his house, by falling from a beam, in 1840. His funeral sermon was preached at the house of John Gates, by Elder Giddings, who lived on Yellow Creek, in Stephenson County. Mr. Giddings preached the first sermon in the township, although there was about that time some preaching by Lyman Clark, afterwards "one of the chosen twelve " at Salt Lake, and by other Mormon advocates. .
Religious instruction was also dispensed by " Uncle Billy Johnson," a set- tler who paid his traveling expenses by retailing, after the sermon, thread, pins, and other notions.
The first church building erected was the Methodist, a substantial frame chapel, of tasty appearance, on section 5. No response has been received to an inquiry concerning the date of erection of the United Brethren Church, situated on the northeast corner of section 5.
The first birth in Berreman Township was a daughter of Mrs. James Park- inson, now Mrs. Jacob Klump. As before stated, the only post-office estab- lished was by Isaac W. Parkinson, who is now postmaster, although there have been several changes. The office is called "Willow," and located in Peter Bishop's store, which was the first general store opened in the township. There is now another near by, kept by Israel Solt, since 1876.
After the township was separated from Pleasant Valley, at the February meeting of the Board of Supervisors in 1857, Arthur Mahorney was made the first Supervisor. He named the township after a friend in Tennessee.
The present officers are :
Supervisor, Isaac W. Parkinson, Jr .; Town Clerk, George W. Schmeck; Assessor, Delson Tiffany; Collector, Charles Robinson ; Commissioners of Highways, N. W. Calhoun, George Ray, and Taylor Williams; Justices of the Peace, Jacob B. Klump and Lafayette Wagner; Constables, Columbus Tiffany and Henry Collins. The population of Berreman Township in 1860 was 415, and in 1870, 559.
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RICE.
Among its early settlers are Messrs. Rice, Lane, Schurl, Robinson, and Virtue, after the first of whom the township received its name.
This land, which is less used as farming land, is still very valuable, furnish- ing, as it does, some of the richest leads in the lead mining region. Passing along beside the river on the bluff road, which was graded for railroad pur- poses, in 1837, by the old Illinois Central Railroad Company, a beautiful view is presented, extending many miles up and down the river valley. All along the road, above and under it, drift leads penetrate far into the bluffs, marked on the outside by rows of clay dumps, which extend out into the river bayous. On each of these is a trainway, on which a dirt cart plies to and fro. Occasionally an engine is stationed at the mouth of one, for the purpose of pumping out the water. The largest mine now in use is that of Captain D. S. Harris, among the New California diggings, nine miles below Galena. Of it and the Marsden mines more is said in the special chapter relative to the mining interests.
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
There is a Methodist Episcopal Church on the northwestern part of section 5. The school-houses of the township are located on sections II (near the centre), and 9 (northeast part), and 27 (eastern part).
The present officers of Rice Township are :
Supervisor, James Ginn; Town Clerk, W. H. Dick; Assessor, Anthony McAllister; Collector, David Virtue; Commissioners of Highways, Bernard Lampa, John Funston, and John Bouch ; Constable, Nelson Mougin ; Justices of the Peace, David Virtue and John Spratt. The population was, in 1860, 539, and in 1870, 570.
PLEASANT VALLEY.
Alexander S. Smith, who with his family, consisting of Alexander, Jr., Mary and Ellen, came to Galena in 1824, on the steamer "Eclipse." The daughter, Mary, married John Love, and died at Galena in 1827. In 1828, Mr. Mitchell went to New Orleans. In the following year, Colonel James Mitchell, a brother of Alexander, who came to Galena in 1826 and had been living one and a half miles north of there, moved down on the Galena and Dixon road, in the rightly-named Pleasant Valley. His house, which was removed from the road several rods, was burned during the Black Hawk War, and its location has received the name of the "old camp." Alexander, Jr., and Ellen Mitchell went down to live with their uncle, but Alexander soon (1829) went South, where he remained until 1846.
After the war, Col. Mitchell rebuilt his house nearer the road, and estab- lished a tavern which he continued to keep for many years.
In 1837, Ellen Mitchell married Joseph Edwards. She now resides with her brother, Alexander, who, as stated, returned in 1846. They are the two oldest settlers of Pleasant Valley Township.
In 1834, Thomas and John Deeds, two brothers, settled on a claim which is still owned by their descendants; they were young men, and were somewhat transient in their location. They took up several claims in Berreman and Pleasant Valley Townships, on which they built cabins, broke a few acres of ground and then sold to others. Their father, Jacob Deeds, with his family, came to Pleasant Valley in 1837. They kept the first post-office and a stage station on the Galena and Dixon route.
About the same time, Mr. Kellogg and Mr. Williams settled in Pleasant Valley, and in 1835, also, James Venable. These men became permanent set- tlers. Mr. Kellogg went to California at the time of the gold fever, in 1849, but .Mr. Williams remained until the time of his death. Thomas Deeds and James Venable married daughters of Mr. Williams. Mrs. Deeds is still living in the township.
Joseph Edwards, previously referred to, came in 1836, and lived there until his death.
Eli Thomas, G. Miller and Darius Myers were also early settlers of the township, the latter having come from New York to Galena in 1843. When passing through this valley, he was attracted by its fertility and general appear- ance, and after a trip back to New York, he bought a farm in this township, where he still resides. His brother, Solomon, came in 1844.
Jacob Troxel came about 1839, with his sons, Jacob, Edward and William, still here, and Henry, who went to California.
The first school-house was built of logs, by Thomas Deeds near his farm. The second was built on Darius Myers' land, on section 9. There are now nine school districts partly within the township, all having good, comfortable build- ings. There are school-houses on sections 9, 14, 16, 20, 26 and 32. There are within the township Catholic, Winebrenarians, Presbyterian, Methodist and
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
Age-to-come Adventist Denominations, of whom only the Winebrenarians have a building. It is located on section 27. The remaining denominations hold meetings in the school-houses.
In an early day, a saw mill was built near the farm of Mr. Deeds, which has long since been torn away.
At the time of township organization, in 1853, the township of Pleasant Valley included Berreman. It was named by Thomas Deeds, who was the first supervisor.
The present officers are : Supervisor-J. D. Crowley; Town Clerk-Geo. W. Thomas; Assessor-John Sughroue; Collector-George M. Rock ; Justices of Peace-George Winters and J. C. Ruble ; Commissioner of Highways-Aaron Davis; Constables-John W. Ruble and John R. Buckley; School Trustee- E. D. Thomas.
The population of the township, in 1860, was 767, and in 1870, 943.
VINEGAR HILL.
The mines of Vinegar Hill Township were known and worked at a very early period of this country's settlement. Dubuque worked at the Cave Dig- gings as early as 1805 ; John Furlong worked there in 1823, more complete ac- counts of which appear in the General History.
The first saloon and store was opened there in 1826, by Michael Burns.
Moses Meeker made the first claims in the township with agricultural pur- suits in view. He broke fifteen acres of land on the Mineral Point road, near the south line of the township, in 1827, and planted it to corn, although he con- tinued to live in Galena.
In 1830, Harvey Mann broke twenty-five acres of land on the same road, five miles north of Galena, and also planted corn. Permanent settlers soon made claims to all the farming land, although the entire township is considered as mineral territory. As these claims were taken and improved before a survey had been made, they are in fractional parts of sections. All disputes regarding claims and boundaries were settled by arbitrators agreed upon. At the time of general land sales at Dixon, Harvey Mann was elected to "bid in" large tracts from the government, and then deed to the claimants according to the decisions of the arbitrators.
John Furlong was the father of the first child, William, born in the town- ship. The date was August 30, 1829.
In 1836, Charles Olmstead and Seth Taylor, in this township, for the first time at the lead mines, scraped together the dirt which was taken out from around bodies of mineral, and which it was customary to throw away after picking out all the pieces of mineral visible, hauled it to a stream of water, made a sluice box, and washed the mineral dirt, thereby saving ore. This prac- tice soon became customary, and is now done by all miners. The mining his- tory of this township is referred to more specifically in a special chapter on the subject.
In 1845, Mr. Carrington located a store in the north hollow. Wm. Bennett opened another between the north and south hollows in 1853, and in 1857 Jon- athan Bolton established a store near the mines in south hollow ; the two latter named stores are still doing business at this date (February, 1878).
In 1851, a post-office was established, with F. B. Sidner postmaster, but it was afterwards discontinued.
In 1838, the first election in Vinegar Hill precinct was held at the house of Fielder Parish, located on the Mineral Point road. Since that time elections have been held in the Rock school-house, in district No. 2.
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
The derivation of the name Vinegar Hill was, probably, from a town of the same name near Wexford, Ireland, from which a number of miners emigrated to this vicinity. Michael Burns afterwards told Mr. Harvey Mann, that he himself, Jno. Furlong and Thos. Carroll, with others, while in a state of "spiritual hallucination " at Burns' saloon, christened an Indian mound near there, by pouring whisky over it and declaring that "henceforth and forever, this place shall be called Vinegar Hill."
At the time of township organization, a meeting was held at the house of John Cragen, for the purpose of choosing a name for the township, at which Mr. Mann proposed the name of "Meeker," Mr. Meeker having made the first permanent claim, but Colonel Cox proposed the name of "Mann," Mr. Mann being the oldest resident still living in the township, which name was adopted and so recorded. But the sons of the Emerald Isle were not satisfied, and the name was afterwards changed to " Vinegar Hill."
The first smelting furnace and grist mill were located at a settlement now known as Millbrig, a part of which is in Vinegar Hill, and a portion in Council Hill Township.
A number of Indian mounds, relics of ancient inhabitants, are still in ex- istence in Vinegar Hill, of which the native Indians could give no account. There are two large, distinct mounds, about two rods in diameter at the base, and seven feet high, located on land belonging to John Welch, near the road leading from the turnpike to the Council Hill road, from which human bones have been extracted. These are supposed by some to be burial vaults erected in honor of eminent personages.
Schools .- In 1842, G. C. Shattuck taught a school in his own house. This is believed to be the first one opened in the township. When the school dis- tricts were established, in 1849, Harvey Mann, Caleb M. Eggleston, and Fielder Parish, were elected directors of district number two. Here the second school was taught by J. Phillips. The first school-house was built in 1850, and is lo- cated on the turnpike near the north boundary of Mr. Mann's farm. . There are now two other school districts, numbers four and five, each having schools.
Churches .- The Catholic church was the first to be built in the township; the year of its erection was 1843. It is located at the head of the north hollow. Its first priest was Rev. Father James McCauley, who was followed, in succes- sion, by Revs. Dunne, Smith, Powers, O'Connel and Father McMahan, the pres- ent pastor.
Methodist .- In 1844, the Methodist Episcopal church was built, in south hollow, near the cabin occupied by Jonathan Craig, before he sold his claim to Daniel Wann & Co., on section 27. The officiating ministers have been as fol- lows :
Revs. Wm. Palmer, Mark Leakley, Wm. Birkbeck, Jonathan Clendenning, John Williams, Anthony Williams, Isaac Springer, Jesse T. Bennett, John L. Williams, Isaac Searles, William Tasker, S. L. Leonard, E. S. Grumley, Wm. Summersides, J. T. Prior, James Lawson, G. L. Wiley, Charles Perkins, S. G. Avermill, Z. S. Kellogg, J. Nibs, Wm. Sturges, M. Dinsdale, A. W. Cumins, P. E. Knox, Wm. Haw and A. J. Davis, the present pastor.
In 1850, Vinegar Hill Township had a population of 759, in 1860 there were 872, and in 1870, 693.
The township officers are :
Supervisor-John E. Furlong; Town Clerk-Richard Seward; Assessor- Clement Temple ; Collector-Jeremiah Butler; Commissioners of Highways- Clement Temple, Leonard Slatts, Tom. McGuire; Justices of Peace-Anthony McGuire and A. McMennis; Constables-Joseph Thompson and John Liddle.
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
THOMPSON.
Not being within the principal mining district and of not very inviting appear- ance to settlers agriculturally disposed, on account of the roughness of its ter- ritory, Thompson Township was not settled at so early a date as many other portions of the county. An old county directory places the date of the first set- tlement at 1830, but does not state who inhabited at that time. Soon after the Black Hawk War, Robert Johnson and family settled on section 20, but re- moved to Missouri about 1840.
Among those who were permanent settlers at the time of the arrival of C. C. Thompson in 1839, were John Soule and family, who settled on section 5 or 6, and Gilbert Soule, his brother, who settled on section 8; two brothers named Keenan; John Isabel and wife, section 30; Wm. Isabel, section 28; Robert Johnson and family; Mr. Bird; and Marcus Hodgins, who settled on section 17, afterwards married a daughter of John Soule, and is believed to be the old- est living settler of the township. About the time of Mr. Thompson's arrival, - Walbridge and Whitfield Conlee put in an appearance, but soon removed.
As above stated, Christopher Columbus Thompson, with his brother Hiram and cousin Ichabod, settled on section 24, in 1839. There they erected a saw mill, for which they got out all the timbers by hand, after which they sawed the materials for a grist mill, 40 by 70 feet in size, of two stories, and containing two runs of stones. This they completed in 1842, and both mills were in suc- cessful operation until 1868. It was run by water power from the Apple River.
In 1845, the death of Hiram occurred, followed by Ichabod's death in the next year, thus leaving C. C. Thompson alone. He built, in 1856, a large, three- storied, stone grist mill, 30 by 50 feet in size, with three runs of stones, which lie continued to manage until 1868, when he sold out for $10,000, to Eustace (John) and Schenouth. In 1872, they sold to Barrett and another John Eustace. In 1869, Mr. Thompson put in a steam saw mill, a half mile northeast of the grist mill, which in 1874 he moved to about seventy rods southwest of the mill. It was sold, in 1877, to Wm. Miller, who moved it down near the mouth of Apple River.
Schools .- In 1857, C. C. Thompson employed Ervina Earley, and afterwards Etta Jewett, to teach the children of the three families in the neighborhood. The schools were taught in his house. A stone school-house was afterwards built near the house of Mr. Thompson, in which Miss A. Wells first taught. This was the second school-house in the eastern half of the township, the first one having been erected near the north line on the Apple River Road. There are now school-houses in sections 2, 5, 23 and 27.
Churches .- There was preaching at Mr. Thompson's house in,1844, after which occasional services were held there and in the school-house. A circuit rider named Bennett had previously preached a few times in the township, though the first regular circuit preacher was Mr. McGee, from New York, who embraced a circuit of over forty miles, receiving but $200 per annum for his services.
The Salem M. E. Church .- This church, located on a picturesque rural spot at the junction of the roads leading from Thompson's Mills to Schapsville, and from Apple River to Elizabeth, on section 23, was erected in 1869. It was the first built in the township, Christopher Columbus Thompson and William Witham being the active men to whose zeal, exertions and influence the Meth- odists are indebted for its erection, George Westaby donating the land (one acre) on which it stands. It is a commodious frame building, 28 by 44 feet ; cost $1,600, and is clear of debt. It was dedicated by Rev. S. A. W. Jewett. Rev. Archibald Smith, of the Rock River Conference, was the first pastor. He
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HISTORY OF JO DAVIESS COUNTY.
died in 1869, and was succeeded by Rev. F. R. Mastin, Messrs. Roberts, Bro- therton and Kennedy, in the order as mentioned. W. J. Liberto at present holds service fortnightly, the pulpit on alternate Sundays being filled by Mr. William Witham and other local preachers. The congregation numbers forty members, and has a large attendance at Sunday services. The people of all denominations (Catholic included), and many of no religious belief, subscribed towards its erection. Henry Evans, William Witham, Ichabod Sampson' and George Westaby were the first trustees. The present ones are William Sincox, William Witham, Charles Westaby, John Bastian and William Chapman.
The German Presbyterian Church, called Zion Church, was organized in the year 1854, with fifty members, with Elders G. Stadel and C. Winter, and Deacons John Wenzel and Ehrhard Dittmar. They erected a house of worship in 1860, 20 by 30 feet in size. The first pastor was Rev. A. Kolb, for three years, then the Rev. Rensker, for one year. After this the Rev. A. Kolb was their pastor, serving for four years. In 1864 the Rev. Jacob Schwartz was his successor until the Summer of 1865. A call as pastor was then extended to the Rev. J. Liesveld. Under his ministration the membership increased. In 1875, a call was given to Rev. J. E. Funk, of the Nazareth Church of Gasconade Co., Mo., who is the pastor at present. The present membership is one hundred. The Elders are G. Stadel C. Winter, J. Dittmar, J. Weiss and George Gruby.
There is on section 29 a Methodist Episcopal Church, of which no sketch has been furnished for this work.
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