USA > Illinois > Will County > The History of Will County, Illinois : containing a history of the county a directory of its real estate owners; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; general and local statistics.history of Illinois history of the Northwest > Part 42
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
fully ingenious invention, is a thing of the past; the spinning-wheel, found in a few of the oldest settlers' garrets, has ceased its merry hum, and the loom, if one still exists, is known as a loom in an entirely different sense-an heir-loom. The saw-mill, too, which prepared the most of the lumber for the first houses of Wilmington and vicinity, passed gently down the river years ago.
Perhaps the man who has left a deeper, broader, longer and brighter mark on this part of the county than any other, was Peter Stewart. While some may have outranked him in education, and while others may have had the gift of oratory in a higher degree, his impress was doubtless of such a nature as to make him the acknowledged mark of manly character and of all that makes up the respected citizen.
Peter Stewart was a native of Scotland. When but a boy he left his home to seek employment and an independence in a distant portion of the country. Without education, and with scarcely sufficient knowledge of the English lan- guage to make his wants known, he went to England and succeeded in obtaining work in Lord Anglesea's garden, as a common laborer. He was, however, under the superintendence of a scientific gardener, who was at the same time a practical civil engineer, and from him he acquired a thorough knowledge of both branches by hard study after the day's work was over. He, at the same time, became greatly interested in the study of botany, and finally became thoroughly versed in the science. By industry and economy he saved sufficient to pay his passage to America. At the time of his arrival in this country, the Erie Canal was being constructed, and this proved to be a favorable opening. His knowl- edge of engineering soon gave him a paying position on these works, and when the excavation of his part of the canal was done, he built the very first lock on the whole canal. He afterward obtained a number of large contracts for build- ing public works of various kinds, among which were the grading of the Sche- nectady & Utica Railroad and the building of the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Dur- ing this time he was not unmindful of his less fortunate relatives, whom he had left in the old country ; and when he had accumulated means sufficient to war- rant, went back and brought over to the United States the balance of his father's family.
In 1835, partially to prospect in the interest of the Michigan & Illinois Canal enterprise, which was then receiving attention from both the State and General Government, and partially to look at the land in its proposed vicinity, he came to this neighborhood, selected a piece of land and returned to Amster- dam, N. Y., which had been his home, and the next Spring emigrated to this place. Already he had performed the work of an ordinary life-time, but he was still a young man and his activity continued till his death ; and to name all of the enterprises botlı benevolent and business in which he had been engaged, would be to consume more space that the design of this work will permit. One of his first works, after coming, was that of inspector of inasonry of the Michigan & Illinois Canal. He was a stanch Presbyterian, and contributed his means
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and influence to building up the society here, without stint. When a building for the use of that denomination was to be erected, the people contributed as they were able, and Peter Stewart gave the balance. He was an Abolitionist of the most ultra kind, and yet, always reasonable in his views and demands, commanded the respect of even those of contrary opinions. At one time, a com- pany of men from the South visited Wilmington, in pursuit of a fugitive slave. When their business became known, they were at once surrounded by a mob of citizens, at whose hands they could not but expect violence. Having heard that Peter Stewart was a man of influence in the town, they sent for him to intercede for them. When Stewart arrived on the ground, the would-be slave- catchers implored him to use his influence with the people for their release, and were astounded to find that he was the leader of the Antislavery movement in this neighborhood. But, after learning that they would be only too glad to return to St. Louis, Stewart counseled the citizens to set them at liberty, with an in- junction not to delay their return to their homes, which advice was duly heeded. Mr. Stewart took great interest in the organization of the township into a sep- arate precinct, and of the organization of the town of Wilmington and in what- ever would tend to their prosperity. The history of his expressive title- Colonel-which he wore with good grace, was conferred on him by common consent. On another page, is mentioned a little " unpleasantness" that took place at Lockport many years ago. The mutineers or rioters had been notified of the approach of a posse, commanded by the Sheriff of the county, but had stood resolute until their appearance on the hill. Then they began to waver a little ; but when the Sheriff delegated to Peter Stewart authority to go down alone and treat with the belligerents, many feared that he would be roughly received. But Stewart, who was the man for the occasion, went boldly forward and com- manded them to surrender, which they did unconditionally.
Peter Stewart passed on to a better land several years ago. His funeral was more largely attended than that of any other person who had preceded him in this city. He left a large, wealthy and influential family, notice of sev- eral of whom appears in the biographical portion of this work. The advent of . Cox and Stewart was nearly coincident. Following shortly after, at close intervals, were the members of Cox's family-a son Joseph, and five sons-in- law, Henry and Elias Brown, Peter Polly, John T. Basye and Peter Marlatte. Henry Brown built the first hotel, in 1838, and called it the "Eagle." He did not, however, occupy the house, but rented it to other parties, himself engaging in merchandise. His store was located on the site now occupied by Willard's drug store, and was the first business house on the south side of Crooked Creek, and the second in the town. Basye bought and operated for a time the saw-mill which had been erected by his father-in-law.
The whole family-Cox and son and sons-in-law-sold out their interests here and removed to Salem, Oregon, in 1847. A year after Peter Stewart came, his brother Daniel arrived in the neighborhood. . He settled shortly in
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what is now Florence Township, in the history of which he receives further notice.
James L. Young, familiarly called the "Senator," came to the township in 1837 and settled near the junction of the Kankakee and Des Planes Rivers, but subsequently removed to the village. He was a blacksmith, and swung the · sledge until, like Cincinnatus, he was called by his fellow-citizens to take a more responsible position. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace almost continuously since the organization of the township. At the organization of the village he was elected first Clerk. Some years ago, when he held his office in the upper story of the post office building, the boys gave his office the name of the " upper house," and styled the post office the "lower house;" and, as Mr. Young occupied the "upper house," quite naturally was conferred upon him the title of "Senator," which has tenaciously stuck to him ever since. Certainly, this distinction could not rest on more worthy shoulders.
Hon. Archibald McIntyre was the first merchant in this vicinity. His store was located on the north side of the creek, in Stewart's Addition. He was a most successful business man, and accumulated a large property. As indicated by his title, he was a member of the Legislature, as representative from this district. He was a brother of the McIntyre of the celebrated lottery firm of Yates & McIntyre, of Philadelphia. At the time of his death, which occurred a few years ago, he was President of the First National Bank of this city. He was a native of New York, and came to this place in 1837.
Dr. A. W. Bowen, though not one of the very earliest inhabitants of this place, deserves mention here, as he was interested here as early as 1838. The Doctor had been living in Joliet for four years when, at the date named, he pur- chased of Cox a half interest in the site of Wilmington ; and soon after, by a division of interests, became sole proprietor of the north part of the original town. Perhaps it may interest some of our readers, who are in any way con- cerned in the real estate, to follow for a little way the title of the land on which the city is built.
As previously stated, Thomas Cox pre-empted and entered all of the land, including the island, which he afterward laid out and called Winchester .* A short time before his departure to Oregon, he conveyed the remainder of his landed property to James F. Alden, of Maine, who had recently come to the place. After this, Alden conveyed what he had not already disposed of to his brother, H. O. Alden ; and from him, the larger portion of the upper town, including the island, was bought by the Kankakee Company. This short abstract will explain how some of the earliest deeds run from Cox, why some in the lower part of the city are traceable to Bowen, and why some of the later primary titles run from the Aldens. As stated, prior to the selection of this locality as a town site, Dr. Bowen lived at Joliet. That village, now a city of large proportions, was then an insignificant village. At the time of his
* A short time after, it having been ascertained that there was already one town of that name in the State, it was changed to Wilmington.
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
arrival at Joliet, in 1834, the territory now constituting Will and some other counties was embraced in Cook ; and, though some thought had been given to formation of a new county here, nothing positive had been done. Dr. Bowen took hold of the matter, and circulated a petition, which soon received 500 signatures, praying the Legislature to form a new county out of what is now Will and all of that part of Kankakee County which lies north of the Kanka- kee River. This was at the last session of the Legislature held at Vandalia, in 1835-6. The Doctor was in attendance at the session, and brought such influences to bear that the petition was granted, in exact accordance with the wish of the signers. In the petition was a clause locating the county seat at Joliet. In 1849, Dr. Bowen moved to Wilmington to engage in business. He practiced his profession, established a store, built what has been known as the lower mill, and took a lively interest in whatever tended to build up and pros- per the town. The venerable Doctor and his wife still reside at Wilmington, and to their kindness much of what is valuable in this work is due. In 1837, Abner Wright, father, mother, brother and two sisters came from New York to reside at this point. The father, mother and brother are all dead, while he and the two sisters still remain. In the year last named, Daniel McIntosh, a Scotchman, who had for a few years resided at Amsterdam, N. Y., immigrated to this part of the county. McIntosh had been employed on the Erie Canal Works, and was Superintendent of a division, while Seymour was one of the Canal Commissioners. He was a man of extensive business qualifications, and died leaving a large estate. In 1839, soon after Dr. Bowen had built the lower mill, John Fisher, who was a practical miller, came on from Rochester, N. Y., to work in the mill. He died a few years later and left two sons, John and Bryan, who have carried on the business ever since, more recently not only as operators but as proprietors. At present, the mill is owned and operated by Fisher & Pennington, who came into possession in 1859. One of the old stones, on which some of the first grists of corn were cracked, is still in use in this mill, though the old Bowen mill is now idle, except as a store- house.
Andrew Whitten came to this vicinity in 1840 from Canada, and engaged in the mercantile trade. He has been very successful in business, accumulating a fortune. His sons are in the banking business, and own large interests in the mill and other enterprises.
Franklin Mitchell is a native of Vermont, where he lived until 1836, when he came to Chicago. He stayed in Chicago a few months, when he removed to Joliet and resided four years. In 1840, he came to Wilmington to take charge of the Eagle Hotel, then the only one in the village. After remaining in charge of the house three years, he began the erection of the "Exchange," which he completed and occupied the next year. Mitchell, as a landlord, was a great suc- cess, and during his occupancy of the house, a space of twenty-one years, the Exchange was counted one of the best hotels in the State.
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
In 1854, Peter Stewart built the hotel which bears his name, and a few years subsequently, the Exchange was converted into store-rooms, and for that purpose it is still used.
By the year 1846-the closing of the first decade of the existence of the settlement, and which period may properly be termed the pioneer period-quite a number of persons had selected this township and village as a place of resi- dence. Among the number are remembered S. C. and J. C. Thompson, James Johnson, John L. Wilson, Henry and Robert Northam, John R. Jones, Henry Bowen, John and Robert Lyon, John G. Putman, Jonathan Barnatt and Peter McIntosh. The two Thompsons were brothers, and were natives of Scotland. S. C. was a good blacksmith, and quite a successful man in business. During the gold excitement which followed the acquisition by the United States of the Pacific Coast, he went to California and stayed a couple of years. Soon after his return from the gold-fields to this his adopted home, he died. J. C. is still a resident of the city.
James Johnson was from Erie, Penn. He was a very successful physician, but the injunction, " Physician, heal thyself," was by him unheeded, and he passed away about 1849.
John L. Wilson came from Albany, N. Y., and engaged for a time in the mercantile trade. He left here in 1850, and removed to Chicago, where he now resides. He is a brother of Charles L. Wilson of the Chicago Journal, and until recently has been connected with that paper.
John R. Jones was a native of Wales, and had been living at Detroit on the farm of Gen. Cass. He died a few years ago.
Henry Bowen is a brother of the Doctor. He was a blacksmith, but lat- terly laid aside the anvil and hammer, took up the plow and hoe, and became a farmer. Some years ago he removed to Kansas, where he now resides.
The Lyon brothers had charge of the carding machine, but subsequently removed to California.
In 1848, came one of Wilmington's most solid men. J. D. Henderson, a native of New York, had been employed in the construction of the upper dam at Joliet. He came to Wilmington in the year named, to open a storc with Dr. Bowen. With him he continued in partnership nine years, when George T. Stewart bought the interest of Bowen, and the firm of Henderson & Stewart has existed without change ever since. His fellow-citizens have shown their appreciation of him by frequently electing him to the highest office within the municipality. In 1849, the Legislature of the State of Illinois passed an act authorizing counties to change their organization to what is known as town- ship organization. The county of Will was one of the first to adopt the system, and Wilmington Township was one of the first to accept the new arrangement. The order for election was made and a preliminary was held March 1, 1850. By the order of the Commissioners, appointed for the purpose of dividing the county into townships, the township of Wilmington consisted of the Congres-
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
sional Towns 33 north, Ranges 9 and 10 east, and that part of 32 north, 9 and 10, lying north of the Kankakee River (this territory now constitutes the townships of Wilmington, Florence and Wesley). The boundaries of the township were given as Channahon and Jackson on the north, Wilton and Rockville on the east, Grundy County on the west, and the Kankakee River and Clinton on the south. By a glance at the map, it will be seen that Clinton must have been what is now known as Reed Township. The first election for township officers was held at the "Exchange," April 2, of the year named. The meeting was called to order by Don A. Watson ; Peter Stewart was chosen Moderator, and S. W. Stone, Clerk.
John Frazier was elected Supervisor ; John R. Bickerton, Clerk; Daniel Stewart, Assessor ; F. D. S. Stewart, Collector; Elias Freer, Wm. Van De Bogart and William P. Hewit, Commissioners of Highways; Archibald McIn- tyre and David Willard, Justices of the Peace ; F. D. S. Stewart and Daniel Ferris, Constables ; and Adam White, Overseer of the Poor. It will be noticed that a number of these names appear for the first time in this narrative. Some of them have come in since 1846, some are citizens of what are now Florence and Wesley Townships, and will probably receive further mention in the history of those localities. At this election, 210 votes were cast, most of which were from the immediate vicinity of Wilmington. Even at that date, but few settle- ments had been made, except very near the river. In 1851, the townships of Wesley and Florence were organized as separate precincts, and, from that date, Wilmington Township voted and transacted business alone. Franklin Mitchell was elected first Supervisor of Wilmington Township, as it now exists. His successors have been as follows : 1852, A. J. McIntyre; 1853, H. R. Whip- ple ; 1856, John J. Camp; 1858, R. S. Noble ; 1859, John D. Henderson ; 1861, D. W. Cobb ; 1863, A. J. McIntyre; 1865, Franklin Mitchell ; 1866, E. R. Willard ; 1867, John H. Daniels ; 1871, S. C. Camp ; 1874, Robert C. Thompson ; 1877, Samuel Sillman. A full list of the present officers is as fol- lows : Samuel Sillman, Supervisor ; L. L. Stephenson, Clerk ; W. J. Carter, Assessor ; Martin Carroll, Collector ; Joseph Martin, James Dunn and E. P. Smith, Commissioners of Highways ; Le Roy Baker and S. D. B. Lines, Con- stables ; James L. Young and J. P. Ransom, Justices of the Peace.
The township of Wilmington was one of the most active in the effort to suppress the great rebellion. Besides several whole companies of the Thirty- ninth and One Hundredth Regiments, very many enlisted in various other regi- ments, in this and other counties. Quite a number of the best and bravest officers of the regiments named were from this vicinity. S. W. Munn was Major of the Thirty-ninth. He is now a successful lawyer of Joliet. L. A. Baker was Captain of a company in the same regiment, and lost a leg in the service. He was afterward Postmaster of Wilmington. The present Post- master, R. S. Camp, was also Captain of a company. Capt. R. S. Bowen, who raised Company A of the One Hundredth Regiment, was also of this place.
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
He was afterward promoted to Major; was wounded at Franklin and carried to Nashville, where he died. Capt. M. McN. Stewart of the One Hundredth Regiment, was hit on the side of the head by a cannon ball. Ordinarily a man's biography stops at this point; but, only for a few minutes, Stewart believed himself dead. He still lives and performs the duties of teller in the First National Bank.
L. D. B. Lines went out in the One Hundredth and was promoted to a Cap- taincy. Capt. Hezekiah Gardner of the One Hundredth Regiment was wounded at Missionary Ridge, and had a leg amputated to prove his valor. He was afterward promoted to Major of an invalid corps, and is now on the retired list, residing in New York. Several hundred other brave men who left their homes, families and property, deserve honorable mention here, but space for- bids even a mention of their names. Suffice it to say that the township of Wilmington, of which the soldiers were a large part, did its duty well in that most trying period. The township never submitted to a draft, a sufficient num- ber having volunteered, so as not to necessitate such demand.
The people of Will County have honored this township, by the selection of several of its citizens to fill positions of honor and trust. George Strathde and Warren S. Noble have both been called to, and served the county in the capac- ity of Sheriff. John H. Daniels was elected to the Legislature, as was also Archibald McIntyre. Mrs. Sarah McIntosh was elected to the office of Super- intendent of Schools, and held the office four years, filling the position and dis- charging the duties of the same in a very satisfactory manner. Franklin Mitchell, before the county adopted the township organization act, was for sev- eral years, one of the three County Commissioners.
The subject of education received attention in this vicinity at a very early date. As early as 1838, a small private school was kept at Wilmington ; but in the year 1841, a small building having been erected, a public school was established. This first schoolhouse was a very modest affair, indeed. It was a small frame building, and stood on the site of Mrs. Rogers' residence. The ancient academy, college, institute, or whatever it may have been called, is still in existence, forming a portion of a dwelling in which John Patterson now resides. The first term of public school taught in this institute or seminary was by George Bristol. The term consisted of forty-two days, for which Prof. Bristol was to receive $31. Perhaps he did receive it, but the books of the Treasurer do not indicate the fact. There were in attendance at the school, during the session, fifty-three scholars. Authority was conferred by the County Commissioners, October 20, 1841, on Peter Stewart, Thomas Cox and Daniel McIntosh to organize a school district, within the bounds of Town 33 north, Range 9, and they accordingly met at Cox's house and made the whole town one district, appointing Jonathan Barnatt, Treasurer, and John G. Putman, Samuel C. Thompson and Abner Wright, School Directors. At the next sub- sequent meeting of the Trustees, the Treasurer reported that he had taken a .
1
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
census of all the children in the district, and found 117 entitled to public school privileges. He had also received from the School Commissioner $22.22, with which to sustain school the coming year. Previous to this, the town of Florence, or Town 33, Range 10, had not been sufficiently settled to support a school ; and, at the meeting last named, some of the citizens of that locality appeared, desiring to be attached to the Wilmington District for school pur- poses, which request was granted, and thus the district consisted of two full townships. The next Winter, Sarah Fisher taught a half-dozen scholars in that part of the district known as Reed's Grove. In 1845, the whole district, consisting of the two towns, contained 214 persons under 20 years of age, of whom 190 were in Wilmington and 24 in Reed's Grove. In 1848, Reed's Grove was cut off as a separate district, and, a short time thereafter, a new school town was formed from Town 33, Range 10, and Wilmington again became independent. The township has gradually grown in population and strength, until there are now seven school districts, each with a convenient house, in which schools are sustained every year. The number of persons of school age is just about one thousand. The total expense of supporting the public schools of this township averages, for the last ten years, a little over $5,000 per annum. In 1851, D. U. Cobb was appointed Treasurer of Schools, and has held the office continuously ever since.
Wilmington Township is a full Congressional town, consisting of thirty-six whole sections, and is bounded on the north by Channahon, on the east by Flor- ence, on the south by Reed, Custer and Wesley, and on the west by Grundy County. The surface is gently undulating, and is covered in the vicinity of the river with timber. Some of the timber along the bank is of a good quality and heavy growth, but at a distance from the stream it consists of small and seemingly stunted oak, unfit for much else than railroad ties and firewood. The township is crossed from southeast to northwest by the Kankakee, one of the most beautiful streams of water to be found in the State. The descent through this section, though not so rapid as to require a broken and barren district for its bed, as is the case with many streams affording water-power, has sufficient fall and sufficient volume of water to run more than a hundred mills. Besides the Kankakee, two fine little creeks, the Prairie and Crooked, empty into the Kankakee in the township. The former flows from the township of Florence, entering Wilmington on Section 12 and dropping into the Kankakee at the northwest corner of Section 15; and the latter enters the township and empties into the same stream at the city of Wilmington. Stone of an excellent quality is found two and a half miles below Wilmington, near the mouth of Prairie Creek. Some of this stone, used in the construction of the first houses built in the city, is as clear and white as when dressed, and seemingly almost as hard as granite. In the southwestern part appear the croppings of the great Wilmington coal-fields. The land in the neighborhood of the coal deposits is of an inferior quality. The soil is quite thin, and the sub-
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