The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc., Part 73

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company
Number of Pages: 932

USA > Illinois > Peoria County > The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc. > Part 73

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In 1698 an Englishman by the name of Daniel Cox. passed down the Illinois river, and in the memoirs of his explorations entitled "Cox's Carolina " he speaks of the beautiful lake and adjacent country. He named the river Chicagou and the lake Pinka- tori. P. de Charlevoix visited the site of Peoria, from Canada, on Friday, October 3, 1721.

From the formal declaration of LaSalle of the French possession of the Mississippi valley, after his descent to the mouth of that river, on April 9. 1682, until the year 1763 France held dominion over the country. In the latter year it was ceded to England, but that Government did not take formal possession till two years later, and was forced to abandon it in 1778; when the State of Virginia assumed control of all the country west of the Ohio river and organized the county of Illinois. The following year a French colony named La Ville de Maillet was established by M. Hypolite Maillet, on the border of the lake, a mile and a halfabove the outlet, on land that was afterwards a part of the farm of John Berket. The location being considered unhealthy, the colony removed to New Peoria - Fort Clark - down at the lower extremity of the lake. near Liberty street. This was the original French settlement, and out of it grew the celebrated " French Claims," which were so fruitful of litigation in the establishment of titles to real estate among the American settlers in the early part of this century, and which were finally set aside by the indefatigable labors of Charles Ballance. The French erected their cabins near the lake shore, and occupied long narrow lots extending back toward the bluff, the size varying with the industry of the occupant. They were almost entirely devoid of education, and lived chiefly by hunting and fishing. About 1781 the inhabitants he- rame alarmed and abandoned the settlement, but returned two years after. At the time Capt. Thomas E. Craig burned the village in the early part of November, 1813, it con- sisted of not more than twenty-five families, who were without a church or a school, and had less than 200 acres of land under cultivation. Their dwellings were mere hovels. The first residence was built in 1778 or 1779. By the year 1796 the old village had been entirely abandoned and removed to New Peoria. Neither the old nor new village wns ever laid out, and the inhabitants held no other title but possession, the lands were only made valuable in proportion to the labor they expended upon them.

On the third day of August, 1795, the Indian title was extinguished by a treaty in which, with other lands ceded, was included "one piece six miles square at the old Peo- ria Fort a village near the south end of the Illinois Lake on said Illinois river." The adjoining lands were not surrendered until 1804.

During the war with England an expedition defeated the Indians in the Fall of 1813, and Capt. Thomas Craig believing the French settlers to be in collusion with the red men, burned their village. While the troops were quartered here they built Fort Clark, at the intersection of Liberty and Water streets, on the lake shore. It was thus named in honor of Col. George Rogers Clark, of Virginia, who commanded the first expedition against the Western Indians, then the allies of Great Britain. In June, 1818, the fort was evacuated and, in the Fall of the same year the Indians set fire to it, which con-

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sumed the more combustible parts. Some of the old timbers were found when excava- tions were being made there but a few years ago.

From the time the French village was destroyed, in the Fall of 1813, till the Spring of 1819, no white man lived at Fort Clark, as the place was called after the erection of the fort of that name. The former occupants all left, never to return.

On Monday, the 19th of April, in the 19th year of the 19th century, T. Russell, of Kentucky, Joseph Hersey, of New York, Abner Eads, Josiah Fulton, Seth Fulton, S. Dougherty and J. Davis reached Peoria. On the 10th of June Capt. J. Warner arrived with a keel boat, from St. Louis, with a company consisting of Isaac De Boice, James Goff, William Blanchard, David Barnes and Charles and Theodore Seargent, for the pur- pose of catching and packing fish. Several of this party afterwards settled in this vicinity. During the following Winter two men, Lyman Andrews, of New York, and John Barker, of Ohio, arrived with their families. In the Spring of 1821, John Hamlin, of Massachu- setts, came here, and in 1822 established an Indian trading post, as clerk of the Ameri- can Fur Company. In 1825 he shipped the first produce to Chicago in boats.

The growth of this settlement was slow until 1825, when it had attained a population of 1,236. That year Peoria county was organized. It embraced thirty-two or thirty-three of the present counties of the State, extending from the Mississippi on the west, to the Indiana line on the east, and to Wisconsin on the north. It included Chicago and Galena in its limit :. Fort Dearborn, a trading house of the American Fur Company, being the extent of the former city. Peoria was the county seat, and the first election for County Commissioners was held March 7th, 1825. The whole number of votes cast was sixty- six. Nathan Dillon, Joseph Smith and William Holland were chosen as Commissioners ; Norman Hyde, Clerk; Samuel Fulton, Sheriff ; Aaron Hawley, Treasurer, and William E. Phillips, Coroner. The county was organized the next day and a Court-house ordered built. It was erected of hewed logs, and was 14x16 feet in size. It stood on the bank of the river, south of old Fort Clark, on block 51. It had a cellar beneath it which was used alternately as a jail and a stable. Religious service was held in the Court room on Sundays, and it served as a lodging room at night for those in attendance upon Court. It was pulled down in 1843 and a steam flouring mill, afterwards known as the " Old Red Mill," built by Orrin Hamlin upon its site.

Peoria was first laid out by William S. Hamilton on the 10th of July, 1826. On March 1st, 1831, the legislature passed an act under which the Town of Peoria was finally incorporated, but owing to dispute concerning the land title, the people did not avail themselves of the law until the 18th of July, 1835, on which day a vote was taken and it was duly incorporated as a town ; and Rudolphus Rouse, Chester Hamlin, Rufus P. Burlingame, Charles W. McClallen and Isaac Evans were elected trustees. The board met the same day and chose Mr. Rouse president. On the 23d of the same month they met at the store of Rufus Burlingame and elected Cyrus Leland as clerk and Mr. Burlingame treasurer ; and passed a resolution that the town should embrace an area of one square mile. In the meantime Charles Ballance had resurveyed the town site on May 27, 1834. This plat did not interfere much with the " French Claims."

During the Black Hawk War in 1832, many of the settlers in the northern and west- ern portions of the county came to Peoria for protection ; and that year Fort Clark was rebuilt on the old site, but never occupied. A company numbering twenty-five persons was organized and called the Peoria Guards. There were then fifteen to twenty log cabins and two frame houses in the village. The next year five new frame houses were erected. There was but one building west of Washington street, and lots sold on that street for forty dollars.

The first flouring mill in this section of the State was erected in 1830, by John Hamlin and John Sharp, on the Kickapoo, three miles west of the city. It had two run of stones and made about 50 barrels of flour per day, much of which was shipped by flat boats to

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

New Orleans and sold at $1.373 and $1.50 per barrel. In 1833 the mill was bought by Joshua Aiken, and the following October Mark M. Aiken, of Hillsborough Co .. New Hampshire, arrived here and became interested in the mill. On the 15th of October. 1837. William and Asahel Hale and George G. Greenwood began to build another mill. further up on the Kickapoo. This mill did a large business for years, and was widely known as Hale's mill. In 1850 there were four mills in operation in the city, and the amount of flour exported.aside from home consumption, was 33.753, barrels valued at $151,- 877.50. Five years later the value of the flour manufactured was estimated at 8650,000. In 1855, with six mills in operation, 98,000 barrels were manufactured. In 1870 flour was the leading manufacturing interest, and there were eight first-class mills, with a capacity to consume daily 12.600 bushels of wheat, producing 2,800 barrels of flour and righty-five tons of mill feed. This flour was shipped South and East and even to Euro- pean markets. The capital invested was 8602.000. They employed about one hundred and thirty hands at an annual cost of 891,200. They consumed 603,000 bushels of coal, at a cost of $50,600: consumed 2,765.200 bushels of grain. valued at 83,235,612; used 573,500 empty barrels, costing $288,875. and manufactured the same number of barrels of flour, which, with 16,407 tons of mill feed, was valued at 83,907.485. From that date the milling interests began to decline, owing to various causes.

In January, 1834, the County Commissioners' Court ordered proposals for building a new Court-house. The bids accepted at the next meeting were those of Charles W. McCallen for the masonry and George B. Macy for the carpenter work. This Court- house cost about 815,000, and was completed in 1836. Previous to this time, during warm weather the Grand Jury held its sessions under a crab apple tree, and the petit jury deliberated in a potato hole, as it was humorously called, a circular excavation, probably for a cellar, at some previous period, located near the old log Court-house. A log jail was built about the same time on the alley between Monroe and Perry streets. It stood on the lot now owned by B. F. Ellis, and was sixteen feet square and fourteen feet high. It cost about a thousand dollars. A new jail was built in 1849, of brick and stone, at a cost of about $11,000. The building is still standing on the corner of North Washington and Fayette streets in the Fourth Ward. Isaac Walters was clerk of the Court in 1834 and had his office and residence in a log cabin on the site of Toby & An- derson's plow factory, now occupied by H. & J. Schwabacher. At this time there were only two practicing attorneys in Peoria, Hon. Lewis Bigelow and Col. Chas. Ballance.

There were no schools in the place until about the time it was incorporated, nor no commodious place of worship, although a Methodist church was organized in the Fall of 1833. Prior to that time the religious and intellectual culture was embodied in the do- mestic circle.

Peoria was governed as a town, by a Board of Trustees, which had been gradually increased to nine members, until the 5th of May, 18445, when it assumed the city form of government.

The following named gentlemen served as President of the Board of Trustees : Rudolphus Rouse, 1835-6; George B. Parker, 1836-7 : Rudolphus Rouse, 1837-8 ; Ru- dolphus Rouse, 1838-9; Rudolphus Ronse, 1839-40 ; Rudolphus Rouse, 1840-41 ; Peter Sweat, 1811-2; Lewis Howell, 1842-43 ; John King, 1843-44; Halsey Merriman, 1844-45.

The town having attained a population of 1,619 souls, aspired to become acity ; and the Legislature having passed " An act to incorporate the city of Peoria," an election was held at the Court-house on the 21st day of April, 1845, and of the one hundred and ninety-seven votes cast, one hundred and sixty-two favored the adoption of the city charter. entitled an act incorporating the city of Peoria. An election was held on the 28th of April, 1845, for the purpose of choosing a Mayor and eight Aldermen, which re- sulted in selecting William Hall, Mayor, and for Aldermen, Jesse L. Knowlton, Peter

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

Sweat, Charles Kettelle, C. Cleveland, Chester Hamlin, John Hamlin, Hervey Lightner and A. P. Bartlett. On May 5th, 1845, the oath of office was administered to the Mayor and Aldermen, and Peoria started out on her career as a city. £ Jesse L. Knowlton was appointed clerk. Since that time the following gentlemen have filled the position of Mayor for the terms opposite their names :

William Hall. 1845

Charles Ballance 1855

Henry T. Baldwin 1865 and '66

Charles F. Stearns 1846

Gardiner F. Barker 1856 and '57

Philip Bender.

I867

William Mitchell 1847 and '48

William R. Hamilton IS58 and'59

Peter R. K. Brotherson_ 1868 and '69

Jacob Gale. 1849

John D. Arnold. I860

Gardiner F. Barker 1870 and '71

Dennis Blakeley 1850

William A. Willard 1861 Peter R. K. Brotherson. 1872 and '73

George C. Bestor

1851

Gardiner F. Barker

1862

John Warner 874 and '75

Jonathan K. Cooper

1852

Mathew W. McReynolds 1863

Leslie Robinson 1876 and '77

George C. Bestor 1853 and '54

Jacob Gale. 1864 John Warner ___ 1878, '79, '80 and '81

It will be observed that from 1868 the term of office was extended to two years, which was owing to a change in the laws by the session of the Legislature that year.

During the early years of the city government the Mayors exercised judicial author- ity, but after the adoption of the new State Constitution in 1848, the Supreme Court de- cided that it prohibited them from exercising that power. For some years the Mayor re- ceived no salary ; later he was allowed $500 a year, and since it has been increased.

The city of Peoria is now divided into nine wards, each of which is entitled to two Aldermen, making eighteen in all, half of whom are elected each year, for a term of two years. The present Board of Aldermen, '79, is composed of the following mem- bers :

First ward - S. B. Hart and Joseph Herwig.

Second ward - J. G. Higgins and J. F. King.

Third ward - J. C. Dolan and F. J. Kelly, resigned.

Fourth ward - N. Bergan and H. Fellrath.

Fifth ward - L. B. Day and E. P. Sloan.

Sixth ward - A. Barnewalt and A. M. Studer.

Seventh ward - D. S. Brown and C. D. Clark.

Eighth ward - H. B. Gibson and Daniel Rowan.

Ninth ward - John Biggins and Wm. McLean.

The City Council holds its regular meetings on the first and third Tuesday evenings of each monthı.

The other city officers are :

City Clerk - H. H. Forsyth.

Treasurer - F. D. Weienett.

City Attorney - M. C. Quinn.

City Engineer and Surveyor - N. R. Gibson.

Superintendent Water Works - Thos. J. Kelly.

Supt. Streets - Patrick Kelly.

Collector Water Rents - Henry G. Belcke.

Supt. Police - Martin C. Daily.

Capt. Night Police - E. C. Mc Whirter.

Chief Fire Department - J. H. White.

Gas Inspector - Frank Mclaughlin.

Market Janitor -F. W. Honser.

Board of Health -J. N. Niglas, H. Mansfield and Mark M. Aiken.

Under the law termed the Mayors' Bill, enacted by the General Assembly in 1872, the mayor had the appointing of all the city officers, save the City Treasurer. This law was repealed at the last session of the legislature in 1878-9; and now the Board of Alder-

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

men elect the city officers except the Mayor and Treasurer who are chosen by the people; and the Police Force which is appointed by the Mayor, and the members of the Fire De- partment except the Chief who is chosen by the Council.

Since Peoria was incorporated as a city its growth has been substantial and pro- gressive, each year witnessing an increase in the magnitude of its business and the erec- tion of sightly and permanent new buildings. It can boast of one of the most elegant court-houses and one of the best jail buildings in the State, and its Chamber of Com- merce is not surpassed by any similar building in the West, outside of Chicago and St. Louis. Numerous fine business blocks of imposing and pleasing architectural appearance grace its several leading business thoroughfares. One publie building which the city very much needs and well deserves is a U. S. custom house and post-office. An effort is being made by some enterprising citizens to procure an appropriation by Congress for this purpose which will probably result in another edifice which will be an ornament to the place. The principal manufactories are located along the river and in the lower end of the city, while many of its palatial residences crown the crest of the bluff.

The streets and avenues are broad, and though, in numerous instances not intersect- ing each other at right angles, they usually slope gently toward the lake and river with sufficient fall for easy and ample drainage.

Peoria being near the geographical center of the State, and in a beautiful and healthy location, it was deemed by many people the most befitting place for the State capitol. Accordingly an effort was made in the Legislature in 1843 to that end. In 1847 the sub- ject was again brought before the General Assembly, but without any satisfactory results to the agitators. But when the question for building a new State house came up in 1867. the city of Peoria determined to make a formidable effort to secure the removal of the seat of government from Springfield to this city. The city offered 8400,000 and a beau- tiful site of twenty acres upon the bluff overlooking the city and lake. The press of the entire State was enlisted upon one side or the other, although a large majority of the papers were in favor of Peoria. If an election had been held by the citizens of the State. Peoria would undoubtedly have been chosen. The citizens brought the entire Legislature to Peoria in palace sleeping cars. They arrived on a beautiful morning in March, and for the entire day were feted and dined to their heart's content. Carriages were placed at their disposal to ride around and view the city and its surroundings. A steamboat was chartered and steamed out upon the surface of Lake Peoria so as to give the party a fine view of the city and the proposed site for the new building. Even its strongest op- ponents were forced to acknowledge the great natural advantages Peoria possessed for the new Capitol building. When the Legislature returned to Springfield there was a hard fight over the removal, but money finally won, and the appropriation for the building was voted for Springfieldl.

Besides carrying forward her municipal improvements. Peoria has subscribed more than six hundred thousand dollars toward building the railroads which center here and contribute so largely to her commerce and prosperity, and has paid it all up but one hundred thousand dollars. The total bonded indebtedness of the city now aggregates 8685,500. The total valuation of the property of the city as listed and assessed for 1879 was 86,798,1>7. The municipal tax for that year was $2.17, and the aggregate tax, in- cluding county and State levy, as equalized by the State Board of Equalization, was $1.27 on the hundred dollars valuation. The population of the city is estimated at 38,000 to 39,000.

CHURCH HISTORY.

Of churches there are thirty-five in Peoria, divided up as follows : One Apostolic Christian, four Baptist, one Christian, one Congregational, one Episcopal, one Reformed

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HISTORY OF PEORIAA COUNTY.

Episcopal, one German Evangelical, two Lutheran, one Friends, one Latter Day Saints (Mormon), six Methodists, one Swedenborgian, four Presbyterian, one German Re- formed, four Catholic, one Universalist and two Hebrew.

The Apostolic Christian Church. This church was organized in Peoria, by Johannes Kreienbiel, in the year 1852, with about six members, and the first sermon was preached by Joseph Werker, of New York State. From that time up till 1874 their meetings were held in the houses of the members, but in the latter year their present church on Green Street was built at the cost of about $1,000, and services in the German language are held there twice every Sunday. The present officers of the church are Messrs. G. Boesig, John Schneider and W. Schmidt, trustees. There are about sixty members, and the church property is valued at about $25,000.

The First Baptist Church. In the year 1836 the first steps were taken looking to the establishment of a Baptist church in Peoria. At that time there were ten members of that order who united together for the worship of God according to the tenets of their faith. August 14, of the year above named, the church was constituted with Henry Headly, J. R. Stanton, A. M. Gardner, Adam Gardner, William Swinerton, Alpheus Richardson, Ruth Chichester, Mary Stanton, Mary Frye and Malinda Harrison. Of this number Alpheus Richardson was some years after excommunicated on account of heresy. He had adopted the doctrines of Swedenborg.

In 1837 the church reported one baptism and twenty members. About this time Henry Headly was ordained to the work of the ministry. In the Fall of that year Rev. Alexander Ridler took charge of the church. From November, 1839 until June, 1842, Rev. A. M. Gardner was pastor. In 1839 there were thirty-three members on the church roll. The year following it fell off to twenty-six, the next year to twenty-two, but in 1842 there were twenty-eight members. In the Fall of 1843, Elder I. D. Newell be- came pastor. Saturday, August 24, 1844, a resolution was adopted that an effort be made to build a church. Up to this time the society had no regular place of worship. At a meeting held the 12th of September following an organization was effected under the law. Benjamin Frye, George W. Willard and Smith Frye were elected trustees, and it was resolved to purchase a lot in Block 9, from Mr. T. L. Mayne, at $200. At the same meeting Elder Newell was authorized to make a trip East to solicit funds to aid in the construction of a " meeting house." His trip was successful and he raised between $1,700 and $1,800.

At that time it was expected that such a sum was amply sufficient for the construc- tion of a fine edifice. The result was a structure of which for years the congregation had reason to be proud. It was a brick with basement, fine audience-room, steeple, and every thing nicely finished. In the hurricane of 1858 the steeple was carried away and was never rebuilt. The building still stands on Hamilton Street, adjacent to the jail. But to what base uses has the house dedicated to God been put. It has been occupied as a beer saloon and billiard hall, and again as a variety theater. Subsequently it was occupied by Mr. A. J. Cole as a business college. Now it is occupied by the society of Union Turners.

The first revival of religion enjoyed by the church followed soon after the comple- tion of the building. The dedication took place October 17, 1846. April 7, 1844, the first Sabbath school connected with this church was organized, with Elder Newell as superintendent and Theodore Adams as assistant.

In the midst of the revival that followed the completion of the church, Elder Newell resigned to become the agent of Shurtliff College.

November 7, 1846, Rev. H. G. Weston was called by the church. For about twelve years' time he continued pastor. Those were stormy years in the history of the church. There were charges and counter charges, and even excommunication was a matter of frequent occurrence.

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HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.

We give below, as showing the prevailing sentiment about that time, a resolution passed by the church July 8, 1848, as follows :

" Whereas we learn with deep regret that some of the members of this church have attended the circus ;

Resolved, That attending the circus, promenade concerts, or the drinking or using spirituous or malt liquors, by any member of this church, will render the person so offending a proper subject of discipline."

From 1851 until 1856, the membership increased from 100 to 166. From October, 1843 to November 1847, the church received aid from the American Baptist Home Missionary Society, but since that time it has not only been self-sustaining but has frequently aided weaker sister churches.

May 1, 1847, the basement of the church just completed was leased for two years for a female seminary. In 1851 this school, which was called the " Peoria Institute," was in a flourishing condition. Mr. C. C. Bonney, now an attorney in Chicago, was principal ; Miss Adeline Walker, assistant ; and Prof. C. W. Van Meter, who has since achieved a world wide reputation as a philanthropist, was teacher of music.

December 31. 1858, Rev. H. G. Weston dissolved his connection with the church. From that time until April 29, 1859, there was no regular pastor in charge. On that date Rev. Mr. Sayer was called and soon signified his acceptance.

As a tree grown top-heavy is sometimes seen, through disturbing causes, to part with a limb, so with a church. When the membership becomes numerous and the interests various and conflicting, it sometimes occurs that there is a split in the church. This happened to the Baptist church June 10, 1859, when letters were taken out by Mr. and Mrs. L. Holland, Mr. and Mrs. Lenhart, Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Petherbridge, Sarah and Phoebe Bastow, Mr. and Mrs. Vann, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Mudgett and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Randall, Mrs. Bushnell, Sanderson, Bacon, and Mayne, Mr. and Mrs. Garrett. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, and Miss MeKiver. These parties split off from the First Church and established themselves under the name of the Tabernacle Church. The 9th of October, 1863, they knocked once more at the door of the mother church and were graciously admitted.

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The History of Peoria County, Illinois. Containing a history of the Northwest-history of Illinois-history of the county, its early settlement, growth, development, resources, etc., etc., Part 73

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company Number of Pages: 932

Author: Johnson & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Johnson & Company
Number of Pages: 932