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 55
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562
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Interested parties to the number of eight or ten came together by appoint- ment, bringing with them their axes, saws and whatever implements they hap- pened to possess, and built it on the mutual assistance plan. Small trees were felled and cut to the length of twenty feet. Notches were cut in each end to admit others designed to rest thereon. Then the logs were laid up, in the manner of constructing a rail pen. When the building had been raised to a sufficient height, openings were cut for a door, fireplace and windows. The cracks between the logs were "chinked"-that is, partially filled with small pieces of wood, wedged in, and then daubed with mud. The roof was made of "clapboards," or very large shingles, split from the bodies of straight- grained trees, and these were held in their places by the weight of poles laid thereon. In the building of King Solomon's Temple, it is found worthy of record that it was constructed " without the aid of ax, hammer, or any tool of iron." In our temple of learning it is worthy of note that, with the excep- tion of a few nails in the door, not a piece of iron entered into its composition. The door was made of the boards of which, formerly, a dry goods box had been constructed ; was hung on wooden hinges, and fastened with a wooden latch, which only the ingenuity of the backwoodsman could invent, being raised by means of a leather thong attached to it, and hung through a small auger-hole a few inches above. The floor was made of "puncheons," or logs split in two parts, each of which, with it flat surface turned upward, rested on the ground. The desks were broad boards, resting on pins driven into the wall. The seats were constructed of slabs, into the ends of which were inserted wooden pins, serving as legs or supports. These benches were placed in front of the desks, and while the children studied from their books the sharp edges of the desks served as supports for their backs. The chimney and fire-place were composed of small sticks, built up after the manner of the house, and plastered with mud, the fire-place being very ample to admit of large logs used for fuel .. The same Summer that the public school was opened at Beebe's Grove, a school was taught by E. Smith in District No. 2. The next year (November, 1841), Dis- trict No. 3 was organized and school established there. The school land, being the section cornering with the village of Crete, on the southeast, was sold in 1841, at an average of about $2.00 per acre. In 1850, the number of districts had increased to six, since which time no new districts have been formed.
The following items, extracted from the books of the Township Treasurer, Willam L. Adams, and of the Treasurer of the fractional township, J. C. Doescher, will doubtless prove interesting to many readers, as indicating the present condition of the schools :
Town 14.
Town 15.
Number of schools.
6
1
Number of persons under 21.
744
124
Number of persons between 6 and 21.
497
83
Number of months taught during the year.
40
8
Value of school property
$8,250
$300
Amount paid for teaching
1,865
235
Total paid for support of schools
2,696
264
Charlie A Kolden
CHICAGO FORMERLY OF FRANKFORT TP.
IAL LIBRARY OF THE WIMMERCITY OF ILLINOIS
565
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
By no means least among the enlightening and elevating influences in a community is a good newspaper, and as such deserves to be classed with the pulpit and the rostrum. The Enterprise, which is all that its name indicates, was established at Crete in 1875. Its first number appeared on the 25th of December of the year named. C. E. Carter, who had been in the newspaper business in Wisconsin, originated and founded the paper, and by him it has been edited and published ever since. The Enterprise is a sprightly eight- column quarto, full of local and foreign news, and enjoys a good patronage, both by way of subscriptions and advertising. It is issued every Friday. It is independent in politics and religion.
The Crete Sash, Door and Blind Factory, located at the village, is worthy of more than a passing notice. This institution was founded in 1869 by Messrs. Conrad Tatge, Christopher Knabe, William Hahnlein and F. Sennholtz. Two years later, a stock company was formed, with a capital of $21,000, with Walter Loock as Manager, and Gustavus Brauns as Secretary and Treasurer. Twenty hands are employed in the manufacture of the articles before mentioned, and also of moldings and stair-rails. Lumber for use is brought directly from the pineries. The product of the factory finds sale in the southern part of the State and in Indiana.
A fire, insurance company, called the Crete Farmers' Mutual, with a capi- tal of $20,000, is one of the institutions of this township. Conrad Tatge, Henry Scheive, John O. Meier and Gustavus Brauns were the originators of the scheme, the last-named being the first Agent and Secretary. Its province is to insure farm-buildings and other careful risks, the rate being about 1 per cent.
The call of the President for soldiers to suppress the rebellion was heard by many in this township, and hearing, they left all-homes, firesides, friends and kindred-and followed the beat of the drum to the field of battle. A number of the brave boys who left us never returned. Their bones lie mingled with the soil of the country which they went out to rescue from the hands of traitors. The names of some of them are here given. Among those who were killed or died of wounds or disease contracted in the army are remembered : A. Quackenbush, John W. Cole, Robert Cave, M. H. Cook, Orlando Hewes, William Conskay, Conrad Ingleking, August Myer and James M. Mulliken. Whether there were others or not, we could not learn, but surely this was enough ; and, though the prayers of brothers, sisters, parents and friends ascended day after day for their safe return, the sacrifice was demanded, and it had to be made.
In 1850, the township of Crete, embracing all of what now constitutes the townships of Crete and Washington, was formed. The first township election occurred on the 2d day of April of the year named. The meeting was called to order by Willard Wood. Moses H. Cook was elected Chairman or Moder- ator, and E. W. Beach was chosen Secretary. They were sworn to perform the
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566
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
duties of their offices according to law, by J. Marsh, a Justice of the Peace. At . this first election, there were 109 votes cast, of which the following persons. received majorities for the respective offices : N. Brown, Supervisor ; Z. Han- derson, Clerk; J. Luce, Assessor ; D. Wilkins, Collector; Horace Adams, Overseer of the Poor; A. Wilder, S. W. Chapman and William Hewes, Com- missioners of Highways; H. E. Barret and O. H. Barret, Constables, and H. Sprague and J. Marsh, Justices of the Peace.
The present voting population of the township is not less than three hun- dred and fifty, though the highest vote ever cast has been but 334.
The present township officers are: John O. Meier, Supervisor ; Emil Walter, Clerk; Henry Hattendorf, Collector ; Henry Cole, Assessor ; A. Darling, William Diersen and H. N. Doescher, Highway Commissioners ; Charles Smith and D. E. Hewes, Justices of the Peace, and Frank Pease and Lorenz Tillotsen, Constables.
VILLAGE OF CRETE.
The village of Crete was laid out in 1849, by Willard Wood, who lived here, occupying the site since 1837. Mr. Wood built at the place now occupied by the Hewes House, at the last-named date, and kept the house as a hotel. As mentioned in the history of Washington Township, places for the accommoda- tion of the traveling public sprang up all along this great highway, and among the number was the Wood Tavern. Of course it was not the commodious hotel that now occupies the corner, but a small log structure; though the use of that corner, with numerous changes and additions, has always been devoted to . that purpose. Until about the time of the laying-out of the town, the same log cabin was the hotel ; but, at the date named, it gave place to a more pre- tentious affair. Wood then erected a building 26x36 feet, which he occupied until 1865. In 1873, the Hewes brothers, Daniel and B. F., came into pos- session, and built the main part of the house, and have occupied it ever since.
The first merchant to locate here was H. H. Huntley. He opened his store directly after the town was laid out, in 1849. Z. Handerson came in a year later, and opened another store. George Gridley had been blacksmithing here for some years before the town was laid out.
Dr. H. H. Hitchcock, now of Chicago, was the first physician at the Cor- ners, but removed from here about the time the village started. Dr. G. W. Minard, who still resides in the place, was a student of Hitchcock's, and suc- ceeded to his practice.
The post office was established at the Corners in 1836, and was named Crete; and from this the village, in 1849, and the township, in 1850, have derived their names. Crete is one of the most enterprising towns on the line of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad. It is composed of men of ability and thrift, as indicated by buildings, both public and private, which are of a superior charac-
567
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
ter. Some of their fine stores and private residences would appear respectable in towns of ten times its size and pretensions.
VILLAGE OF GOODENOW.
This town was the direct product of the building of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, and was laid out by George W. Goodenow the same year. Mr. Goodenow, at the same time, built a storehouse and put in a general stock of merchandise. The same year, William Kophmeir erected a hotel and saloon, and Herman Brinker built a wagon-shop and dwelling.
Next year James Darling built a blacksmith-shop, which was at once occu- pied by Samuel Rose. Darling removed to Kansas. Mr. Goodenow was first Postmaster, and still occupies the position. The village is situated on the south- east corner of Section 32, about four miles south of Crete. It is a fine location for a town, and but for the hard times which have intervened since its beginning, would doubtless by this time present a greatly improved appearance.
MONEE TOWNSHIP.
The " war of the races " came to a crisis in 1832. Probably no year in the history of Illinois has been more eventful than the one named. Certainly, no year has brought so much anxiety and excitement to Northern and North- western Illinois, as did the year 1832. Previous to this time, it is true, there was considerable unrest and fear experienced by the inhabitants from their red neighbors, the Indians. Though to all outward appearances they were on friendly terms, yet the farmers, conscious that they were encroaching on the assumed rights of the others, and knowing full well their treacherous dispositions and their sensitiveness on the subject, were all the while apprehensive of trouble. During the year named, all their forebodings and much more were realized. Black Hawk and his allies had been wrought up to such a pitch, that neither threats nor promises by the Government or the State would longer avail, and war between the two races seemed inevitable. The State and nation were prompt to deal with the belligerents, but not until a number of wholesale butch- eries had been perpetrated were the Indians brought into subjection and removed from the State. In the mean time, thoughi no actual demonstration occurred in this section, yet all were in such a state of suspense and anxiety that the county was for a time entirely deserted, some going to the nearest for- tifications for protection, and others returning to the East to be out of harm's way until the trouble might blow over. After peace and order had been re- stored, those who for a time had left their pioneer homes returned, bringing with them many new settlers. Among the number who emigrated to this county soon after the close of the troubles alluded to, were a number of fami- lies from Ohio. John S. Dilly, John M. Chase, S. W. Cooper, S. W. Gaines, Nicholas Young and Aaron Bonell, were the original and first settlers of Monee
568
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Township, and, like all early emigrants from the heavily timbered regions of the East, sought the neighborhood of the little groves, found here and there throughout this part of the State. All of these men, with their families, settled in the northeastern part of the township, in the vicinity of Thorn Grove. A notable feature of many pioneer settlements is the rough character of its mem- bers. Many early settlers have been people who, having been reduced in means and character in their original dwelling-places, have fled to a strange and new country, in the hope of recuperating their fortunes, and either to run away from their characters or reform their doubtful habits. Then, too, in a new country, the restraining influences of church and society, added to which may be counted that of the law, are much less felt than the older settled sections. But this settlement seems to have been a notable exception to the rule, every man of the primary settlement proving himself worthy of the name of a " good citizen." Indeed, one of the number bore the title of Parson, and as such min- istered to the people in things spiritual, while he at the same time cultivated the soil. Of these old pioneers only two still remain. The rest are all gone to other parts, or have departed to that "bourn from which no traveler returns." S. W. Cooper still resides on the old place. He has from the first been ranked as one of the soundest men in the township, and as such has enjoyed the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens to an unlimited degree. He was the first Supervisor of the township when the two townships now denominated Monee and Will were a single precinct, and were known as Carey. S. W. Gaines is the other survivor. Whatever can be said of a man of good reputation also attaches to his name. He has accumulated a handsome property, and now enjoys the fruits of his hard toil and early hardships incident to a pioneer life.
John M. Chase is credited with building the first house in the township. Chase was a well-to-do farmer, and a man who enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors, as witnessed by his election to the office of Justice of the Peace and several other honors conferred upon him. However, he did not remain here long enough to merit the title of permanent resident, but sold out his improve- ments after a few years' residence and returned to Ohio.
Aaron Bonell and sons continued to reside here for a number of years, and then removed to the southern part of the State. Dilly and Young are both dead. Young was the preacher alluded to. After his death, the balance of the family all removed further West.
In 1834, William Hollis Newton came from the State of New York. He is also dead. He was a good citizen, and was well liked by all who knew him. W. H. Newton, Jr., is one of the wealthiest men in the township, and enjoys the reputation of being the model farmer in this portion of the country. His residence, with the numerous houses and barns for poultry, stock, grain and tools, alinost equals the number found in a respectable-sized village.
Otis Phillips was also from New York, but came a year after Newton. He lived here several years and then removed to Wisconsin, where he has since
569
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
died. He is, without doubt, entitled to the honor of being the pioneer edu- cator, as he taught the first school established in this part of the grove. J. E. Phillips, now residing near the village of Monec, came from New York the next year-1836-and settled at Thorn Grove. Mr. Phillips has proved to be one of the reliable citizens of this section, and has been as intimately associated with all of the events transpiring in this vicinity as any other man ; and to him we are, in a great measure, indebted for whatever may be valuable in this nar- rative. The same year, came from Ohio, William Kinney. He was a farmer, in moderate circumstances, but spent much of his time in hunting. Indeed, we may well believe that many of the early residents were wont to obtain a subsistence from the use of the rifle.
Thorn Grove, in the time of which we write, abounded with game of dif- ferent kinds, and the tables of the early settlers were generously spread with meats that are now rare, and are only caten as a luxury. And yet, while thus well supplied with venison, turkey, wild chickens and ducks, many articles of food, now common, were almost entirely dispensed with. Tea, coffee, most spices and sugar were obtainable at greater expense than many of them could afford, and home-prepared substitutes took their places. Rye coffee, sassafras tea and corn bread instead of wheaten, with mush and milk, constituted their fare. In the matter of clothing and furniture, their allowance and quality were still more primitive. Silks and broadcloths, furs and kids, were reserved for a later generation. There were no fine carpets on their puncheon floors, no expensive pictures on the walls or tapestry at the windows. Such luxuries were neither obtainable nor desired. The little marketing that was done required long journeys to the nearest stores ; and goods of every kind, owing to slow and expensive transportation, were very dear.
The houses of the pioneers were not stately or imposing structures, such as have more recently taken their places. A one-story, one-roomcd log cabin was about the most stylish house in the neighborhood. In the construction of the first houses, there was not used a sawed board in the whole building, and, in some, not a single piece of iron-not even a nail. Wooden hinges and latches (with the string out) for doors, puncheons for floors, clapboards for roofs, and wooden pegs, on which to hang clothing, were some of the makeshifts to which they were obliged to resort. Perhaps none but those who have experienced the events witnessed and passed through by them, are fully competent to describe them ; and, certainly, none but such as have witnessed them can fully comprehend the changes which have taken place, both in the appearance of the country and the condition of its inhabitants. The people are accustomed to cry "hard times ; " but if they could be placed back in time forty years, and be required to fill the places of those old pioneers, deprived of all social and com- mercial privileges, as were they, they would learn a lesson that neither essays nor speeches can teach. Even in the new settlements of the now Western country, things are very different. Now the railroad and telegraph precede
570
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
emigration, and postal facilities are coincident. For these our fathers were obliged to wait twenty years.
The year 1837 was one of the worst in the financial history of the country, and especially of Illinois, that ever occurred; and for a time emigration to these parts was, in a measure, checked. Occasionally a new settler made his
appearance. Guided, some by letters and others, as it were, by instinct, they dropped in from time to time, but not for several years after the earliest date mentioned did the township settle rapidly. At first, all the settlements were made in the edges of the timber, but when all of the land in the vicinity of the wooded portions had been occupied, shanties here and there on the prairie began to appear. By the year 1850, seventeen years after the first settler made his appearance, the following additional residents are noted: John S. Holland, Stephen, Jacob and James Goodenow; George, Emerson and Minet E. Baker; A. J. Smith, Eugene Lashley, August Klien and Simeon Abbott. Of these, some are dead, some have removed further west or returned to their native States, and some are still residents of the township.
The Bakers were from Ohio. They lived here a few years after the date last named, and then again took up their line of march toward the setting sun, their last resting-place being in the State of Iowa.
John S. Holland came here in 1845, made some improvements, and died a few years after. The family have all removed-one son to Chicago, where he now resides.
A. J. Smith was here before 1845, and resided in the township until about 1855, at which date his death occurred. He was a native of Ohio, was a good man, and was one of the earliest Justices of the Peace.
Ebenezer Lashley, for the last fifteen years a resident of Douglas County, of this State, came to this township from Ohio. He was one of the best informed of the early residents of the county, and his removal was a source of regret to all his neighbors.
Stephen Goodenow and brothers (Jacob and James) were from the several States of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and came to this part of the country about 1845. George and Franklin Goodenow, relatives of the above, settled in the adjoining township, the former of whom is proprietor of the town of Goodenow, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad. Stephen Goodenow now resides in the village of Monee.
As before intimated, the first land occupied was that in the eastern portion of the township, in the vicinity of Thorn Grove. In 1854, however, the Illinois Central Railroad was completed, and a station being established in the western part, on that line of road, improvements began to be made in that neighborhood. Since that date, the west side of the township has taken the lead in population. By an act of Congress, each alternate section of land in this and other townships through which this railroad passes (excepting lands already entered, the school section and the "reservation ") was transferred to
571
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
the Illinois Central Railroad Company to assist in building the road. In transferring the land to the Company, the price of the remaining Government land was raised to $2.50 per acre, being double its former price, and at that price nearly one-third of the land was purchased by settlers. The lands occu- ' pied by settlers prior to the road was bought at $1.25 per acre, and that from the Railroad Company from $2.50 to $10.00, according to location and date of purchase. The Indian reservation, sometimes called Coon Grove, consisted of about three-fourths of Sections 28, 29, 32 and 33. This land had been deeded by treaty to a small family or tribe of Indians, and by them was held until a comparatively recent date, when it was put upon the market by their agent, Henry M. Ward, and sold to different parties who now occupy it. The ancient aborigines, to whom the land belonged, have long since removed from this part .of the country.
Monee Township is bounded on the north by Cook County, on the east by Crete, on the south by Will and on the west by Greengarden. About one- fourth formerly consisted of timbered land ; but the supply of fuel and building material in former times demanded the sacrifice of a considerable portion, and the amount of woodland is now much smaller. In 1850, the township was included with Will in a single precinct, though not that Will added anything to the voting population, for at that date Will had not within its bounds a single inhabitant. So, in reality, considering the population, Carey Township was what is now called Monee. The township of Carey was organized, with all others of the original townships named in the first division of the territory, in 1850, on the 2d day of April of the year named. From a few miscellaneous papers still in existence in the Clerk's office, we find that C. W. Cooper was first Super- visor ; J. E. Phillips, Assessor, and W. H. Newton, Clerk. The records of Carey Township have been lost, and we are, therefore, unable to make any fur- ther definite statements in regard to the first organization. In 1859, that por- . tion of Carey now known as Will was struck off, in accordance with the wishes of its inhabitants ; and, the village of Monee having been established and so named, the old name of Carey was dropped and the name to correspond with the village was adopted. The organization of the township, as at present con- stituted, is : John Kolstedt, Supervisor; E. R. Freese, Clerk; Fred. Rave, Assessor; Jacob H. Barlage, Collector; Adam Gorman, Henry Deters and George Kolstedt, Commissioners of Highways; John A. Heins and Henry Conrad, Justices of the Peace ; Peter Bischman and Gustav Kettering, Con- stables, and August Ehrhardt, School Treasurer.
As before intimated, the first school was taught at the "Grove " by Otis Phillips. Like the township records, the school records of the township have been lost, and nothing positive can be stated in regard to this school except that it was in a little cabin owned by Mr. Phillips, the teacher. The date was, no doubt, about 1836. All schools in the State of Illinois at that date were sup- ported by private means. and of course this was a subscription school. It is
572
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
further remembered that Mr. Phillips was not only a good teacher, but a good man and well worthy of the title of "pioneer schoolmaster."
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