USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > The History of Stephenson County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches war record statistics portraits of early settlers history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, &c. > Part 48
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THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The fact that the business houses of Freeport, as also the manufactories and a large proportion of the private residences, are composed of material used in their construction not easily ignited, explains in a measure the freedom of the city from disastrous conflagrations. This, in conjunction with an efficient, thoroughly organized and disciplined department, would render the city almost fire-proof, if not an actual salamander. Underwriters would never, or scarcely ever, be called upon to regulate the rates of insurance, and adjusters or middle- men between individuals and corporations, carrying policies, would be rare.
Before Freeport assumed the dignities and prerogatives of municipal authority, fires were visitations at such long intervals that the most primitive means only were employed for their extinguishment. As the settlement became a town, gradually approximating in business and appearance toward a village, both pretentious and ambitious, the necessity for conservators of the public peace and public safety found frequent expression, and they were in turn supplied. The judiciary and constabulary sought to preserve the one, while the other was maintained by militia and social organizations, supplemented by the bucket brigade, which was composed of every able-bodied male resident of Freeport, who responded to the by no means numerous alarms which were sounded from the belfries of the village meeting-houses. This condition of affairs continued for years, rather because there was no occasion for change than because of the absence of that quality of public spirit and enterprise seemingly indigenous to growing societies.
On the evening of January, 13, 1854, a meeting of citizens was held at the court house to discuss the propriety of organizing Freeport into a city, and in
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little more than a year from that date occurred one of the most destructive fires that has ever visited the city incorporated in harmony with the demands made at the meeting convened in January.
About 2 o'clock on the morning of February 20, 1855, the square bounded by Stephenson, Mechanic and Chicago streets, in the center of busi- ness and the heart of the city, was the scene of a conflagration which destroyed thousands of dollars' worth of property, and, though entailing great damage, was compensated for in the creation of a fire department which has since flour- ished, and is to-day one of the valuable institutions of Freeport. The fire of February 20, 1855, broke out in a building occupying the present site of No. 79 Stephenson street, then used as a bakery carried on by Spratler & Hoebel, and destroyed the stores of Engle & Strohm, hardware merchants, John Hoebel, grocer, also buildings belonging to G. M. Clayton, before its advance was checked. The citizens formed several lines from the fire to a creek located a square's distance from the scene of operations and sought to extinguish the flames by means of bucketfuls of water passed from the fountain-head to the burning buildings. But this was found to be impossible, and, as a last resort, gunpowder was employed to stay the fire's advance, which accomplished its object, but not before a loss had been sustained which it required years of care and labor to restore.
Further delay in the organization of a force and procuration of means to repulse future attacks of the enemy was not indulged ; meetings were held for the purposes mentioned, and the City Council decided to appropriate a sum sufficient to enable the city to purchase the engines and equipments desired. Action was had on the question without delay, a loan of $4,000 was negotiated, leave having been obtained therefor at an election holden December 22, 1855, and in September, 1856, two fire engines, the Black Hawk and Winnesheik, were set down in Freeport, objects of interest and admiration to the inhabitants for miles around. Two companies were at once formed to man the engines and guard the city against a repetition of the horrors endured in the spring of 1855. These companies were composed of the brawn and intelligence of the city, officered by competent men and marshaled by Holden Putnam, who entered the army at the breaking-out of the war, and fell at Mission Ridge.
Upon the opening of hostilities, a large representation from the depart- ment enlisted for the war, and did as excellent service in the contest for national supremacy as they had done in contests with the elements. This had the effect of weakening the force to some extent, and for several months their absence was felt. In July, 1862, however, an increase of the department was agitated, and a movement set on foot to purchase a new engine for the German company. A subscription paper was circulated to raise money for this purpose, and a committee appointed, consisting of D. B. Schulte and John Hoebel, authorized to expend the fund thus created. These gentlemen accord- ingly visited Chicago and purchased the " Torrent," of the department of that city paying therefor and equipments the sum of $1.200. It was brought to Freeport during the month of August, 1862, christened and established in a warehouse, the " Black Hawk " and " Winnesheik " being stationed in the engine house corner of Stephenson and Walnut streets. From this event the history of the Freeport Fire Department practically dates its beginning. It should be stated that the Winnesheik company surrendered its engine to the city previous to the purchase of the "Torrent," and a new company was organized to be known as the " Union." The " Torrent" still exists and is handled as effectively to-day as when first introduced to admirers at Janesville,
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Wis., in September, 1865, when she carried off the first prize, a silver trumpet, still in possession of the company. In the same year (1863), the Union and Black Hawk companies surrendered their engines to the city, and, retir- ing from active service, left the field clear to the "Torrent " for the space of four years. During this period the city was visited by fires which at times threatened to culminate in disastrous conflagrations. All these fires were suc- cessively controlled and extinguished by the engine and its company, and to their efforts is due the absence of serious loss attending the burning of Steffen's brewery, Boyer's store, the Exchange Block and other buildings.
On September 18, 1866, an election was held to pass upon a proposition to borrow the amount necessary for the purchase of a steam fire engine. The proposition was rejected, but, in May of the following year, the City Council decided to purchase a steam engine, and on the 30th of August of that year the engine arrived in the city, where on the day following it was tested. A company was at once organized, known as Steamer No. 1, which still continues in active operation and contributes materially to the safety of the city from the devouring element. This steamer, in conjunction with the Torrent and a hook and ladder company, composed the fire department of Freeport for nearly seven years. The Black Hawk and Union engines had been disposed of to out- side parties ; their usefulness in the city, at least, having long since vanished. The resources of the "boys, " although limited, proved to be ample, and no demand was ever made which failed of a full and effective response. Yet the increase in population, number of buildings and value of interests generally, necessitated a corresponding increase in the facilities for controlling and extin- guishing fires. With a view to this end, Steamer No. 2, of the Silsby pattern, was purchased in 1874, and is handled by a force eminently capable of acquit- ting itself in a manner that will commend its efforts.
The present department is composed of two steamers, one hand engine, one hook and ladder and three hose companies, officered as follows : D. B. Steck, Chief Fire Marshal ; Andrus Rogers, First Assistant ; Joseph Seifert, Second Assistant.
Freeport Steamer, No. 1 .- Foreman, William Weinhold ; E. Chamberlin and Joseph Kaley, Assistants ; Secretary, Leonard S. Stoskopf ; Treasurer, Charles G. Sanborn ; Engineer, James Edwards.
Freeport Steamer Hose. No. 1 .- Foreman, C. H. Heard ; Assistant, Will- iam Musser ; Secretary, L. Karcher.
Col. Stephenson Steamer, No. 2 .- Foreman, August F. Voight; Assist- ant, John Moritz ; Secretary, Albert H. Wagner ; Treasurer, James Stack ; Engineer, John Rodemeyer.
Col. Stephenson Hose, No. 2 .- Foreman, Frank Lohr; Assistant, Richard Weik ; Secretary, Jacob Waldecker; Treasurer, Otto Wagner.
Torrent Engine, No. 1 .- Foreman, Philip Arno ; Jacob Maurer and John Kerch, Assistants ; Secretary, Oscar Zeigler ; Treasurer, Philip Burkhart.
Torrent Hose, No. 1 .- Foreman, Louis Brun ; Assistant. H. W. Rotz ; Secretary, J. W. Koch ; Treasurer, H. Knauf.
Rescue Hook & Ladder, No. 1 .- Foreman, Luther Herbeg ; Assistant, Frank Hettinger ; Secretary, Frederick Kruse ; Treasurer, F. J. Koehler.
POLICE.
The present system, organized some years ago, has served its purpose effectively and maintains order. The force is composed of six patrolmen under the control of the City Marshal.
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The department is uniformed and governed by rules and regulations simi- lar to those adopted for metropolitan organizations.
EDUCATIONAL.
The country schools throughout the West fifty years ago, whether consid- ering the buildings, teachers or regulations, were generally of a character that would be denominated exceedingly limited. The buildings were usually sorry apologies for a modern tenement, or a room 12x14 in some incomplete residence. The seats were slabs or puncheons elevated at a distance from the floor, sug- gestive of dangerous possibilities to small scholars, who were required to sit thereon, however painful the experience. The teacher was ordinarily a man of fact, who regarded all else but his duties as fictions unworthy his condescension. He always occupied an old-fashioned arm-chair about the center of the room, adjoining a small round table, which supported, in addition to the text-books comprising his limited course, a birch rod of tried strength, length, breadth and thickness, as the pupils had oftentimes had sensible evidence.
With these surroundings, that would, in this day of superior educational facilities, be regarded as discomforts not to be endured, scholars were taught the alphabet, their "abs," reading sentences containing words of two syllables only, and many other incidents peculiar to school life, which, in that age, inspired the intellectual, but to-day provoke the mirthful and cause mental inquiries if such things could be. But recurrence to these days often engages the reflections of pioneers, who see no compensation in the labor-saving apparatus employed to aid ambitious youth in his ascent of the hill of knowledge.
Gibbon relates that, during a cruel persecution at Ephesus, seven noble youths concealed themselves in a cave, when they fell into a sleep which was miraculously prolonged for a hundred years. On awakening they found every- thing so changed, to conform to the advanced age, that they burst into tears and prayed God that they might be permitted to return to their slumbers again. Such are the feelings of many who were scholars half a century ago, regarding with feelings of indignation the neglected facilities of the present, when fond memory brings the light of other days about them.
The pedagogues of fifty years ago were earnest in their efforts, and the advanced state of education during these the final decades of the nineteenth cen- tury are, in a great measure, the result of their labors. The pupil of those times, too, was a character of the day beyond comparison or caricature. He usually appeared at school prompt to the minute, barefoot in summer, his trowsers of home manufacture kept in place by a couple of pieces of ticking, to which he appropriated the term of " galluses," and his head protected from the penetrat- ing rays of the summer's sun by a chip hat, or cap deftly fashioned by a mother's or a sister's hands. Thus embellished, the young man of promise came early, and from his advent upon the scene to his exit therefrom joined constant issue with the teacher with such requests as " Lemme speak to sis," "Lemme go out," "Lemme ha' a drink," etc., etc., until the expiration of the day's term, when he is permitted to go home, where, after the chores are done, he slips off his trowsers, hangs them to the bed-post by the " galluses," and, soon reveling in the dim land of dreams, becomes forgetful of the trials that will be born again with the morrow.
Among the early settlers of Illinois there were many men of unusual ability ; not men of extensive education, but men who made their marks upon the times, and, had they received the advantages of early training, would have proved themselves giants in intellectual and moral forces. Many names will
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come to the readers from the fountains of the past, of men who have left the impress of their characters upon the sands of time, and pleasant memories to those who survive them. The men of thirty and forty years since have nearly all passed away, yet a few remain, connecting links of the eventful past and buoyant present. In the natural order of things, these, too, must soon be gathered home, for Death's sickle, which harvests all flesh, is in constant motion. Both those who have gone, as also those who will follow, have left enduring monuments to commemorate their achievements, and hand down to pos- terity an unprejudiced record of lives spent in providing for the prosperity, morality and happiness of generations yet unborn. The growth of those who come after them, in knowledge, in mental culture and training for society, the management of national affairs, to speed the cause of truth, religion and prog- ress in the right direction, were subjects in which the pioneers of Stephenson County, not less than the State of Illinois, took a personal interest. A good school in settlements was regarded as important in those days as the providing of necessaries for one's family, and what the schools are to-day they have been made as a result of the efforts employed in that behalf when Freeport slumbered in the future.
In the procuration of facts and data out of which to formulate, at best, an imperfect history of the early schools of Freeport, the historian has encoun- tered infinite difficulties. The uncertainties of date, location, teachers, pupils, studies pursued and other incidents connected therewith, have not been dis- puted by facts, simply because facts were inaccessible to research or inquiry. With regard to the exact year in which the pioneer school of Freeport was born, authorities differ widely, some asserting it was brought forth in the fall of 1837, other in 1838, and still others insisting that its coming was delayed until 1839, when a few children gathered from day to day in an unfinished room on Galena street, as pupils of a pedagogue whose name is not of record. The gen- eral opinion, however, seems to be that the first school taught in Freeport was opened by Nelson Martin, in the winter of 1837-38. His base of operations was an unpretentious log house, erected by O. H. Wright or L. A. Crocker, near the bank of the Pecatonica River, at present described as between the branch and the Illinois Central track, not far from the foot of Galena street. In this modest and comfortless temple of learning, about twenty scholars, com- posed of the sons and daughters of settlers in the vicinity, congregated and received their first introduction to the primitive manner of impressing knowledge on the susceptible mind employed fifty years ago. Among these were Frederick, John, Elmus and Thomas Baker ; John, Ellen and Elizabeth Thatcher ; Chloe, Ann, Rebecca, Jane, Elizabeth, Orange P. and W. W. Smith ; A. C., Eliza, Sara and Hamilton Hunt; Polly Strockey ; Enos and Salome Fowler ; Michael Reed, and Levi, William and Olive Davis. The latter became Mrs. Isaac C. Stonemen in after years, and died in Freeport May 26, 1880, one of the oldest lady settler in the vicinity at the time of her death. Mr. Martin opened school under reasonably favorable auspices, and began the education of the pio- neer youth with a reasonable promise of realizing his object. Learning in those times, especially among the young and unmarried, of both sexes, was an unknown quantity of bliss all yearned to experience. The opportunity presented was flattering, and the effort was made to aid those who were ambitious to avail themselves of this opportunity. According to sources of information, presum- ably authoritative, there were no sessions of school during the presence of the summer solstice, their initial opening being postponed until that month when, to express it poetically,
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" The russet year inhaled the dreamy air, Like some tanned reaper in his hour of ease, When all the fields are lying brown and bare."
The new dispensation in the wilderness progressed without the happening of any notable event to disturb the serenity of its daily existence from frost, until winter, with its aged locks, appearing upon the scene, completed the ruin of the foliage and gathered the swift-flowing Pecatonica in its icy embrace, when an incident occurred which is said to have put a period to "school-keeping," and temporarily embargoed the cause of education in the vicinage. It seems that Mr. Martin had admonished his pupils to restrain their impetuous desire to test the strength of the ice on the river, accompanying his admonition with the promise that those who failed to be governed accordingly would receive the butt end of the law. John Thatcher, however, with confidence in the substan- tial quality of the forbidden ground, disregarded the injunction, and was called upon to plead, answer or demur to its violation. His inability to submit an acceptable defense was followed by the imposition of the penalty, which was administered with such fidelity that the "school"-excepting the Davis and Hunt children-becoming appalled at a sense of their insignificant capacity for resistance should they be similarly tempted and punished, withdrew their patron- age, and after a few weeks of uncertainty the school was closed.
Another summer was passed without any effort on the part of teacher or pupil to reach an understanding, but in the fall a Mr. Everett made his appear- ance, and in the winter of 1838-39 wielded the birch in the same school edifice, the attendance including Rivers Fowler, the Wilmot children, W. H. and H. W. Hollenback, A. P. Goddard and a few others, in addition to those who the previous year, Gamaliel like, had sat at the feet of Mr. Martin. The glory of this institution departed with the advent of spring. F. D. Bulkley also is said to have taught this season. During the summer, the little building-14x10, seven feet high to the eaves, and with but one window-after serving the purpose of a "grocery," with all that the term implies, was hitched to a "breaking team" and moved up town near to where the opera house now stands, where it was set up for a schoolhouse and church. School was taught in it that winter by Fred- erick Buckley, and on Sabbath days there was preaching, at which Gen. John A. Clark and Col. T. J. Turner, with a lady singer, made up the choir. A few years after, the building was removed once more, and became a cow-stable, serving in that capacity until it was burned down.
About 1840, Miss Wright, who subsequently married L. O. Crocker, taught school in a frame house at the corner of Galena and Chicago streets, erected in the fall of 1836 by William Kirkpatrick. The premises remained intact until quite recently, when they were torn down to give place to the present handsome brick structure, occupied by Hoebels & Moogk's drug store. Rothilda Buck also taught here, as did Lucinda and Marilla Williams; the latter subsequently became Mrs. Beaushaine, of Webster City, Iowa. After these, Judge William Buckley administered the internal affairs of a schoolhouse erected by Mr. Knowlton for the purposes of aiding in the cause of education, and the build- ing of Knowltontown, then in its infancy.
Early in the forties, the growing population requiring increased school facilities, arrangements were made for building what is remembered to-day as the " old red schoolhouse," although it long since met the ultimate fate of frame buildings. It was built by subscriptions collected from householders and bachelors, which latter, it might be observed, were by no means scarce in the community, and completed, some say, in 1843. The building was a one-story
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frame, 18x30, stood on the present site of Wertman's wagon-shop, and was painted red, from which remarkable feature its name was derived. The cost of the building is stated to have been about $300. In this house, D. H. Sunder- land opened school during the winter of 1845-46, remaining through the term at a monthly compensation of $20 and " found ;" in other words, " boarding round." His average attendance was about fifty pupils daily, including all nationalities and colors, and to Mr. Sunderland belongs the honor of prepar- ing Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield for the military distinction that official has since acquired, for he was a scholar in the "red schoolhouse " and sat among the boys. Here, too, came " Black Abe," a senegambian household colporteur, employed in the family of "Father " Brewster, but anxious to be a scholar and with the scholars stand; notwithstanding which some of these declined to amend the exist- ing prejudice toward emigrants from Afric's burning sands, considerable trouble was occasioned. Abe was placed at the same desk ( the only one hap- pening to be vacant at the time) occupied by a student named Silas -. Silas rebelled at this intrusion, and, upon returning home at the close of the day, related his grievance. The next morning Mrs. - visited the school in a con- dition of mind the opposite of cheerful, and defined her position with an absence of ambiguity that was convincing. Mr. Sunderland was young and modest in those days, and accepted the situation without demurrer; but after the calm which succeeds the storm, made its appearance, Mr. S., by an eloquence per- suasively irresistible, acquitted himself of blame, and obtained pardon for Abe, who remained a scholar and toiled up the hill of science to the famous rule of three.
Other teachers succeeded Mr. Sunderland, but in time the building was changed into a livery stable, and, one night, went up in smoke.
The following is said to be a list of teachers who figured in the early days of Freeport, but, departing, neglected to leave behind them either metaphorical foot-prints in the sands of time, or tangible evidences of their existence to guide the historian 'in his laborious research after facts : Nelson Martin, 1837-38 ; F. D. Bulkley, 1839 to 1842; Mr. Everett, 1839-40 ; Frederick Buckley, Miss Wright. 1841-42; Rothilda Buck, Miss Cornelia Russell, the present Mrs. Hazlett, Mr. Bently, D. H. Sunderland, Judge William Buckley, the Rev. Messrs. Coon and Dickey, George Scovill, A. B. Campbell, George W. Lutz, Louise Burchard and others.
The public schools of Freeport were placed under the control and manage- ment of the Board of Education of Freeport School District, and the system of graded schools has been in operation now since about 1851.
The " old red schoolhouse " was used as such until 1850, by which time the attendance became so numerous as to necessitate the procuration of en- larged quarters, notwithstanding the existence of private schools in the grow- ing village. During the early days of school-teaching in Freeport and vicinity the means employed to liquidate bills incurred therefor were obtained from patrons. This lasted until the act appropriating certain lands in each county to school purposes was adopted, when the proceeds derived from the sale of lands thus set apart were obtained and distributed until the passage of the special act cited, which of course contained provision for the support of the schools by the levy of a tax on the personal property held in the county.
When the contracted dimensions of the red schoolhouse compelled other provisions for the accommodation of the ambitious young idea, it was decided to build another schoolhouse that would supply every absence of convenience and room complained of. Accordingly, a tax was voted for the purpose, lots were
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procured on Exchange street, now Galena avenue, and what was for many years known as the "Union School " was commenced. This building was completed in 1852, at a cost of, say, $3,000, and immediately taken possession of for a high, middle, and grammar school, the primaries then being taught in the basements of the Presbyterian, Evangelical and Methodist Churches. In 1856, additions were made to the "Union School" building at a cost of several thousand dollars, and to-day, in complete repair, it gives promise of many years of service in the cause of education.
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