The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 47

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 47

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We are told that the very first indication of a town was the raising of a tel- egraph pole, with a tin pan nailed on top, which served as a landmark and guide to the surveyors engaged on the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad, or, as then known, the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad. The history of this great railroad, one of the leading roads in the State of Illinois, is so well known that any notice of it in these pages seems almost superfluous. The enterprise was begun in 1853, under the style of the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad Com- pany, with the intention of building a railroad from Joliet to Alton. The road was located by Oliver H. Lee, Chief Engineer of the company, and the work pushed forward under the supervision of Assistant Engineers R. P. Morgan, Jr., H. A. Gardner and James A. Spencer, with such vigor and dispatch that on the 4th day of July, 1854, the first passenger train passed over the new road.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Since that event, its history is so familiar to all as to need no comment here. Suffice it to say, it has made the village of Dwight what it is-a fact of which its citizens are aware, and appreciate accordingly.

In 1869, the Western Division of the C. & A. R. R., which leaves the main line at Dwight, was begun and completed, and trains running over it in 1870. This makes Dwight quite a railroad center.

The first house or cabin in the village of Dwight was built by a man from Morris, whose name is now forgotten. It was a frame building, 16x24 feet, one and a half stories higli, erected on Lot 8, Block 18, in 1853. and was built originally for a store or a kind of supply depot for the railroad hands, and finally passed into the possession of Dr. Haggerty, whose family still own it.

The first permanent residence erected in the village was by Augustus West. on Lots 18 and 19, in Block 7, and was completed in June, 1854. He still owns the property, but has built a larger and more commodious house on the original site of his first cabin. Mr. West came to the State in 1853, and early in 1854 came to Dwight, where he has ever since remained, and beheld the sickly village of a quarter of a century ago grow up into a prosperous young city.

In 1854, John Campbell put up a temporary eating house, which was the first place of public entertainment the village knew. The trains stopped at it for dinner and supper, which arrangement was continued until 1855, when it was purchased by Hiram Cornell, who came from New York, and who conducted it as a hotel for some time. The following story is told of him during his first Winter as " mine host: " He had a barrel of whisky (without which the Western hotel was never found in those early days), and from some cause, wholly unac- countable, it "froze up" during the first cold snap, nor could he get it near enough to the fire nor the fire hot enough to thaw it out ; and so it remained until Spring came with its warm days. Cornell remained in this little shanty until he built the "Dwight House." the first regular hotel in the village, in 1855. Since the erection of this hostlery, many changes have taken place in the hotel business, as well as in all other lines represented in Dwight. At present, the principal hotel of the place is the "McPherson House," and is rnu by that prince of landlords, Charles Stafford.

The first regular store was built by David McWilliams, in 1855. It was painted white, and, like the telegraph pole, surmounted by the tin pan, before alluded to, served as a way mark to all in search of the new village. It is said that the first sale made by Mr. McWilliams, after opening a store here, was a lawn dress pattern, which the workmen presented to the wife of the Station Master of the railroad. The store seems to have been a house of general accom- modation, and was used as a place of worship, and also as shelter for the new comers of those early times until they had found a permanent place to lay their heads.

Mr. McWilliams came from Pike County, Ill., but was born in Ohio, his parents removing to Illinois when he was a child. He came to Dwight in

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

1854, purchased lots and made arrangements for building, but did not settle permanently until the following year. When he settled here, there was then living in the village Simeon Lutz, his father-in-law, John Routzong, a genuine old Pennsylvania Dutchman, Augustus West, James Morgan, an American cit- izen of Irishi descent, Thomas Wilson and James S. Harrison. Morgan was a track-layer on the railroad, and kept a kind of boarding house for the accommo- dation of the railroad hands. Wilson was the Station Agent, but was of little account, and remained in the business but a short time. Harrison was also a track-layer, and made his home with the Wests, where he died, in 1876. Mr. Mc Williams is still a citizen of Dwight, a prosperous merchant and banker, and one of the leading business men of the place.

In 1855, the population of the little village was augmented by the arrival of Hiram Cornell (who bought Campbell's eating-house), George Flagler, William Clarkson, Jeremiah Travis, Wm. H. Ketchum and B. Losee, from the Empire State ; Isaac H. Baker, S. L. D. Ramsey and Dr. J. H. Hagerty, from Penn- sylvania. The latter graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1852, and was a prominent physician, and practiced his profession here until 1863, from which date until his death, September 1, 1873, he acted as consulting phy- sician only. The others were of the solid citizens of the village.

The first Postmaster at Dwight was John Conant, and the office was estab- lished in 1855. He kept it at the house of Mr. Lutz, and surrendered it to Mr. McWilliams when that gentleman opened his store in the village. The office was a small affair in those primitive days compared to it at present. H. A. Kenyon is now Postmaster.

The first wagon maker in the village was Joseph Rockwell, who came here in 1858 from Connecticut, and made the first wagon in Dwight. He also made a loom for weaving cloth, and his wife used it. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was also Mr. Conant, and both belonged to the same regiment.

The first religious meeting held in Dwight was in an unfinished building on Lot 17, in Block 6, in 1855, and but few persons were present, as but few lived in the village at the time. The first sermon preached in the village was over McWilliams' store, on the second Sunday in June, 1855, by the Rev. A. D. Field, of the Rock River Conference, who established the first religious society while here ever organized in the township or village. The religious history of Dwight will be again referred to before the close of this chapter.

As a village, Dwight was incorporated about 1868, but as the first record book has been mislaid, we have been unable to get the exact date of its organ- ization under the legislative act, or the names of the first Board of Village Trustees and officers. At present the Board is as follows, viz. : John Thomp- son, President ; R. C. Adams, William Walker, W. H. Ketchum, E. R. Ste- vens, John C. George ; C. M. Baker, Clerk ; James McIlduff, Police Magistrate ; W. M. Stitt, Town Marshal, and Henry Eldridge, Treasurer.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

An important feature of Dwight is the grain and stock business. The ship- ments from this point annually exceed those from any other place perhaps in the county. The first grain warehouse was built by John C. Spencer in 1857. but as the country was rapidly increasing in agricultural importance, in 1862 David McWilliams commenced a large warehouse, but the war, which was then assuming a fierce aspect, delayed it somewhat, and it was not until 1864 that it was completed by J. McPherson. It is still in operation ; has a capacity of 60,000 bushels, and is at present occupied by S. G. Eldridge. Another, a lit- tle north of McPherson's elevator, was built in 1866, by C. S. Newell and John Campbell. It has a capacity of 15,000 bushels, and is operated by Hugh Thompson. In 1868, C. S. Newell and J. G. Strong commenced the grain business, and put up the elevator adjoining the one last mentioned on the north. It is occupied at present by Messrs. Deffenbaugh & Co., and runs by steam, with storage capacity for 15,000 bushels. In 1873, Cadwallader & Rhodes built an elevator on the east side of the track, a little south of the Round House, at a cost of about $4,000, which has a capacity of 17,000 bushels. It is now occu- pied by Cadwallader alone. Walter Bladen also put up one a little north of Cadwallader's in this year, which stores about 12,000 bushels of grain, and is being operated at present by Hahn & Kine. Several of the elevators of the vil- lage are provided with "grain dumps," and are operated by steam. In addi- tion to its great grain trade, Dwight is one of the largest stock markets in the county, and ships a large amount yearly. The following are the shipments of freight from and to this station for six months to July 1, 1878 :

Freight shipped 7,870 tons, or 787 car loads.

Freight received . 4,510 66 451

Ticket sales to July 1, 1878 (six months)

$6,031 10

A large stone steam mill was built in 1859. The funds were subscribed by the citizens. It has three runs of buhrs, cost originally about $16,000, and is owned at present by H. E. Segert.

The first brick house was built by Dr. Hagerty, in 1871-72, and is now occupied by C. M. Baker as a drug store. Mr. Deffenbaugh built the first brick residence.

The first school house was a rather diminutive affair, about 16x24 feet, and was put up in the Fall of 1855, at a cost of $275. It was for about three years a school house, church and public hall. . The first school was taught in it by Sarah A. Snyder, and was the first in the township, as well as in the village. This was but the commencement of a thorough system of education, and the labors of the best of the citizens have been crowned with success. In 1859, it was found necessary to erect a more commodious school building. and a house was put up on the east side of the village. In 1864, this had to be enlarged, and an addition was made to the original building, making the total cost $3,500. The rapid increase of population, in a few years more, caused another extension of school accommodations, and in 1870, the elegant brick on the west side was

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

erected, at a cost of $5,000. These buildings at present suffice, and will accom- · modate nearly five hundred pupils. The Principal and teachers for the coming year are as follows, viz. : Jesse Hubbard, Principal ; Teachers-West Side- Grammar Department, Miss Frank McClure ; First Primary, Miss Emma Baker ; Second Primary, Miss Emma Rodman. East Side-Intermediate, Miss Lucy Banks ; First Primary, Miss Jennie Bradbury ; Second Primary, Miss Agnes McIlduff. Superintendent of East Side, Mrs. T. M. Wright.

As already noted, the first sermon preached in Dwight, was by Rev.A. D. Field, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1855. His circuit, known as the " Mazon Circuit," embraced all that tract of country south of the Illinois River, and extending from Morris to Avoca Township. The society was organized with six members, viz. : Simeon Lutz, John Routzong, Isaac Baker. Isabella Baker, David Mc Williams and Jeremiah Travis. John Routzong was appointed leader of the class. The Rev. Mr. Field preached a few times during the summer, and at the next meeting of the Conference, two ministers were appointed to the " Mazon Circuit," and Dwight became one of the regular preaching places. From this time forward, there was preaching every alternate Sunday in the school house, then just built. In 1862, the society was struck off from the Mazon Circuit, and Rev. O. W. Pollard appointed to the charges of Dwight, Odell and Pontiac. The society erected their first building in 1858, which was dedicated in July of that year by the Rev. Dr. Kidder, of Evanston. About 1862-63, the society had so increased in numbers, as to necessitate the enlargement of their building, and it was lengthened twenty feet. For nine years they worshiped in this building, when their present elegant church was erected, at a cost of about $16,000, under the pastorate of Rev. E. D. Hall, and dedicated in October, 1867, by Rev. Dr. Eddy, then of Chicago. It is a handsomely finished edifice. is capable of seating about 500 persons, and the society numbers 260 members, with Rev. E. P. Hall as Pastor. The Sunday school of this society was organ- ized at an early period, and is in a flourishing condition. Mr. Mc Williams was the first Superintendent, a position he held for thirteen years in succession. The present Superintendent is W. Rhodes.

The Presbyterian Church society was organized in Dwight in 1856, the next year after the Methodist. Their original members were three males and five females, and their first place of worship was the school house, in which they continued to hold their meetings until the next year, when their present church building was erected, on lots donated by James C. Spencer and R. P. Morgan. This was the first church built in Dwight, and cost originally $2,620. The pulpit was filled by various ministers irregularly, until 1869, when Rev. L. F. Walker was called to the charge. In the Fall of 1871, he was succeeded by Rev. W. L. Boyd. who filled the pulpit until 1873. There is no regular Pastor at present. The Elders of the church are Hugh Thompson, Robert Thompson, James George, James Paul and John C. George. The Sunday school is in a flourishing condition, and well attended.

John Wyllie DECEASED) UNION TP.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

The next society organized was the Congregational. December 1, 1865, the first sermon was preached in this faith, by Rev. J. A. Montgomery, a student from the Congregational Seminary of Chicago. Their meetings were held in "Gerson's Hall." On the 12th of January, 1866, a "council of del- egates " from the neighboring churches was convened, and invited to give advice regarding the permanent organization of a church, and eleven persons identified themselves with the congregation. In 1867, an effort was made to build a church, the lots procured, and the building commenced. In January, 1868. their present elegant church was dedicated, free of debt. The total cost of the building, grounds, etc., was $5,425. Rev. J. A. Montgomery was Pastor from the first organization of the church until 1873, when he accepted a call to Morris, and the pulpit is at present filled by Rev. W. C. Rogers, with about one hundred and fifteen members. It has also a flourishing Sabbath sohool. with an attendance of about one hundred and fifty, of which A. Brubaker is Superintendent.

The Baptists made the next efforts, but have not, from some cause or other. flourished as some of the other denominations have done. They own a build- ing, we believe, on the West Side, but have no settled Pastor. The German Lutheran Church was built in 1867, and cost $1,400; has about fifty members. and a flourishing Sunday school. Rev. Mr. Schleitweig, of Cayuga, is the Pastor. The German Evangelical Association, or Albright Methodists, have a handsome little frame church edifice, 22x30 feet, which cost about fifteen hundred dollars. The ministers are Revs. Willman and Shaffle, and the society has twenty-six members. A Sunday school, with an attendance of forty children, is carried on by Dr. H. G. Thole, Superintendent. The Danish Lutherans have a pretty little frame church, built a few years ago, which has a large and flourishing membership. The Pastor is Rev. Jacob Holm. There is also a Roman Catholic Church in the village, and with a membership of about fifty families. Their church is a neat and tasty little building, put up at a cost of about fifteen hundred dollars. The present Pastor is Father James Halpin, who is also Superintendent of the Sunday school, which is in a flourishing condition.

The Masonic fraternity was organized here March 1, 1862, when Livingston Lodge, U. D., was formed, with the following officers, viz .: E. N. Jencks, Worshipful Master ; W. L. Gross, Senior Warden ; J. W. Rockwell, Junior Warden ; C. S. Newell, Secretary. October 8, 1862, the Lodge received a charter, issued by F. M. Blair, Grand Master of Masons in Illinois, and coun- tersigned by H. G. Reynolds, Grand Secretary. It has a large and increasing membership, and the present officers are : Curtis J. Judd. Master ; W. S. Sims, Senior Warden, and W. S. Wilson, Junior Warden.

Dwight Lodge, No. 513, I. O. O. F., was instituted in Dwight by J. S. Hunter, of Odell, D. G. M., May 22. 1873. The first Noble Grand was C. C. Gilbert, and M. W. Tambling, Secretary. In October of the same year, a

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

charter was issued by G. M. Bross, Grand Master, to the following charter members : C. C. Gilbert, W. S. Sims, M. W. Tambling, John L. Clarke, Thomas Weldon, Hugh A. Stevens and E. P. Utley. At present, John Thompson is Noble Grand, and W. H. Robbins, Secretary.

The tub and pail factory of W. H. Conrad is quite an institution. The work is all done by machinery, which is run by steam. In connection is a planing-mill and turning lathe. Works a number of hands, and does quite a business in his way. Another is the sash and blind factory, and steam planing- mill of W. H. Walker. He was burned out, some six months ago, and lost everything, amounting to about eight thousand dollars, on which there was no insurance. His indomitable energy would not allow him to remain idle, and he immediately rebuilt, and is running again to his full capacity.

The first bank, devoted exclusively to that business, established in Dwight, was by J. G. Strong, in 1866, and continued as such for a number of years ; but at present is being wound up, preparatory to engaging in some other business. D. McWilliams & Co. gradually drifted into banking from doing that kind of business in connection with their store. They now have as handsome a bank building, adjoining their store house, and with which it communicates through the rear, as is to be found in any country town.

It has been said that no " town is a town without a newspaper." In 1868, the first newspaper was established in Dwight, and a Star appeared in its firma- ment which still shines in undiminished brilliance. On the 5th of May, 1868, C. L. Palmer issued the first copy of the Dwight Star. Says Hargreave's History of Dwight : "The Editor, C. L. Palmer, issued this paper more for amusement than profit, but in a short time it was evident that the Star occu- pied a place which could not be filled by any other claimant to popular favor." Since its commencement, the Star has been enlarged nine times, is a large quarto sheet, and is in the tenth year of its existence, and the only steam printing establishment in Livingston County. It is Republican in politics, and is still owned by C. L. Palmer, its original founder. On the 5th June, 1868, the Dwight Weekly Courier made its appearance, but, after a fitful and brief existence, it quietly passed away. The Dwight Commercial was established in December, 1877, by a stock company. composed chiefly of the business men of the town. It is Independent in politics, and is edited by C. M. Cyrus ; is a very handsome eight-page six-column paper. The Western Postal Review is edited by H. A. Kenyon, Postmaster, and published at the Star office, devoted chiefly to post office matters. We have thus taken a brief glance of the little prairie city, and traced its history from the first laying out of the village through the different stages of its progress and growth to its present standing as a commercial point. A local bard, imbued with prophetic wisdom, lifts the veil of Dwight's

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

future greatness, and through the columns of the Star thus sings of its glory fifty years hence :

DWIGHT IN 1928.

Dropped from above by the big balloon That rushes by each afternoon, A stranger came from a distant land :

His hair was bleached and his face was tanned. At the City Hotel he touched a spring,

Which wrote his name in a twinkle-ing. A glance at the open register's date Showed Nineteen Hundred and Twenty-eight.

And now you'll wait awhile before I tell you the name the stranger bore-

For I didn't look at the book very close :

It was not good manners, just under his nose.

After dinner he sat on his chair, And picked his teeth with an anxious air. " What a conductor!" muttered the man ; " I wanted to go to Bloomington,

But he dropped me here, did the young galoot, And sent me down in a parachute.

I thought I was nearing a forest of trees, And never expected streets like these ; And such big buildings-I cannot tell 'em, Hid by the cottonwood, maple and ellum."

All looked strange, but still there were Tokens of things familiar ! " This can't be Dwight !" at length he cried ; " That's what they call it," quick replied The host, who smiled as landlords do,

As he marked his room two hundred and two. " Well !" said the guest, " I once lived here, In times gone by, full fifty year : Then I was young, and spry and gay ; Now I am old and turning gray. Nobody knows me, but I once knew Lots of men here." The landlord grew Quite interested, and he said : " The men you knew are probably dead. Charley Stafford-a fat old person- Once kept this house, then called the McPherson. A merchant owned it-a rich old chap Whose property covered half the map Of what was known as the village once. (He always watched for the main chance.) He left to the church several millions, And the Methodists call him " Saint Mc Williams."

Gould, Hetzel and Eldredge followed suit : Plodding merchants of good repute. About Old Keeley ? the actual fact is That he got rich on his country practice. I knew him well ! By the old stone mill

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

He grew quite fat, and never was ill ; But once when he took the patient's dose, He brought his precious life to a close. · He prided himself on his learned diction, And diluted the truth with a good deal of fiction."

" Enough of him!" said the stranger guest, " Tell us something about the rest- Judd and Parsons, and Strong and Brad., Bakers and Thompsons, and Kenyon and Cad !"

" Well! General Parsons of the millish Kept his command in good condish ; But he lost his life in a commune riot, Since which he's been remarkably quiet. His name appears in the Patriots' list- Brave boy was Jim ! and very much missed.

Major Judd married a prim old maid Who brushed his clothes and combed his head.

Of this great State he was Adjutant General, And all the troops here went down to his funeral.

Strong grew rich and jolly again,

And died a stout old Congressman.

Brad. wrote poetry more and more,

And got to be a terrible bore ;

Died of Astronomy on the brain-

' His loss was our eternal gain !'

Post Office Kenyon kept that place,

And always won the political race.

Cad. went West for change of air,

And died a Kansas millionaire.

Bakers and Thompsons spread all over,

Children and grandchildren thick as clover.

Palmer, the printer, went last week : Died of enlargement of the cheek, Which began growing in early youth- Plain to all but himself, forsooth !"

" Give us a rest," said the man ; "I think It is just about time to take a drink." No liquors now for imbibition,

We're living under Prohibition !

To distil or not ; that was the question

Decided at last Fall election.

None to be made or sold or drank, For all of which we have to thank

The Red Ribbon flag that's now unfurled O'er the soberest country in all the world. The guest, disgusted, turned his eyes, And saw some bottles with surprise. " Oh," said the landlord, with a laugh, " That's nothing but our Phonograph : The bottled talk of great men gone- Sweet souvenirs ! shall I open one ?" Hle drew the cork, and it went round : Forth from the inside came a sound- Rapid and rasping-as long as he'd let it.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

" That's what I'm telling you : don't you forget it ! Have I no rights here ? that's what I meant ; Royal old rooster-don't care a cent " - " Hold !" said the guest, "that's our friend Joe ; I've heard him oft-he wasn't slow !" The landlord then, with purpose cruel, Opened a bottle marked Neilson &. Newell. O'ercome with incmories, the guest shed tears, Rushed from the room and stopped his ears.

A bottle of " Lewis " lay up on the rack, Ready for use when he got back. After supper he strolled around And viewed the once familiar ground. The mill was mossy with decay, And dwarfed by buildings tall and gay.

The " Strips" were parks with iron gates,

The railroads ran not a car but " freights," For passenger traffic went by balloon, Night and morning and afternoon. Large as cathedrals loomed the churches, With grand, high towers and spacious porches.

Oaklawn grounds were green and sweet, Offering a calm and cool retreat. Distance a mile from the city limits, Time by the air-car. just three minutes. Here, midst the fragrance of flowers rare, Slabs and obelisks pierced the air. Former inhabitants all were there, Sleeping beneath the solemn trees, Till God shall show them His mysteries ! Town Boards, School Boards, Supervisors, Profligates and stingy misers, Lazy folks and early risers ; Mother and daughter, father and son, Gathered together, one by one ! Epitaphs gave of the dead below Lists of virtues set up for show. Phonographs treasured the precious tones Of old John Smith and young Bill Jones. Photographs shone on the top of each tomb, Glowing with faces of life-like bloom. Said the guest, quoting against his will, "The dead, the dead are living still ! "

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 47

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884