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 64
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St. John's German United Evangelical Church, located two miles southeast of Beecher, was established and an organization effected in 1864. Rev. Peter Lehman had been preaching in the vicinity for a year before, and organized the society at the date named, with a membership of forty families. After the Church had been established, Rev. Philip Albert was installed as Pastor, and acted as such for two years. The present Pastor is Rev. Emil Keuchen, who has been in charge as minister and teacher for the last six years. The society owns a plat of ten acres, on which was erected, in 1864, a church edifice 30x44 feet, at a cost of $1,960, and, in 1876, a parsonage for $1,150. The present membership is 350 members, or 85 families. Religious and secular instruction are given to the children of the parish, six months in the year.
The Congregational Church, at the village of Beecher, was organized Jan- uary, 1872, the house of worship having been erected the year before. The original members were eight in number; the present membership is about twenty. The building was erected at a cost of $1,250, and is ยท24x32 feet in size. The lumber was donated by dealers-friends of T. L. Miller, of Chicago; $175 was contributed by citizens of the village, and Mr. Miller paid the bal- ance. Rev. J. F. Smith, now Pastor of the Congregational Church, at Crete, was the first Pastor. At present, T. C. Hunt, a student of the Theological Seminary, officiates as Pastor. Sunday school is sustained with S. S. Hunt as Superintendent.
In the great struggle to preserve the Union, in 1861-65, Washington Town- ship was well represented, and did its part creditably. Among those who enlisted and never returned, having fallen a sacrifice on the field, were Peter Dohse, L. M. Lyon and D. T. Moore. There were, doubtless, others ; but, from an unfortunate method of recording enlistments which prevailed at the beginning, they were accredited to other localities. .
Doubtless, the most interesting industry, and at the same time one which has given the little village of Beecher a reputation co-extensive with the whole country, is the breeding of fine stock, as carried on by T. L. Miller, Esq., of this place.
647
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
Mr. Miller came to this place in 1852, and located land, preparatory to embarking in the gigantic enterprise in which heis now engaged. He did not, however, begin operations until 1861, in the mean time engaging in other business in Chicago. In the year last named, he removed to this place, and from that time till 1870 engaged in the cattle business in a small way, and with no definite idea of future plans or prospects. During all this time, how- ever, he carried on an extensive correspondence, and conducted a thorough course of investigation and experiment, so that, in 1870, his mind was fully made up, and his future plans fully mapped out. Then began the great work that has not only proved to be one of the most extensive in the United States, but which has also already led to a grand. success. After careful study and minute consideration, he decided, much against the then popular opinion of the leading cattle men of this country, to adopt the Hereford breed. The Durham cattle had for years been accorded, by breeders of this country and the landed gentry of England, the first place as beef-producing cattle. For nearly a century the short-horn breeds had held the prestige, though the Herefords were accredited with being good stock. A few feeble attempts had been made in this country, prior to the inauguration of Mr. Miller's enterprise, to introduce the stock ; but the great character of the competing herds already attained so overshadowed them that their efforts in this direction were almost lost sight of. When, there- fore, Mr. Miller announced his intention of breeding the Hereford stock, he was not looked upon as a competitor, but was regarded with feelings akin to pity. Even his warmest friends could not but feel apprehensive of his ultimate failure; and, perhaps, no one but himself discerned the grand success withi which his efforts have been crowned. After awhile, however, he began to be recognized as a competitor ; and since that time, he has fought his way, foot by foot, until, if his cattle do not stand pre-eminent, they at least bear the reputa- tion of equal merit with any herd or breed in the world. When it is considered that all of this change in sentiment, in the face of such gigantic opposition, during a time of such severe financial depression, has been wrought almost by one man, we come either to one or the other of two conclusions: that the character of stock which Mr. Miller handles must be of a superior quality, or that he is a man of much more than ordinary courage, good management . and pluck. Perhaps it would not be incorrect to credit the enterprise with both of these advantages.
The farm devoted to the purpose indicated lies alongside the eastern part of the village of Beecher, and consists of 1,000 acres of the finest land in the township, divided into fields of convenient size for the purpose of pasturage and raising the crops necessary for feeding the stock. On the west side of the farm, a half-mile from the railroad station, are the barns, together with dwell- ings for the family and employes. The principal barn is an immense structure, capable of sheltering, on its first floor, 200 head of cattle, and of holding, on the second floor, 600 tons of hay and other feed, reserving space in the center
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
of the floor for cutting and otherwise preparing feed. On the third floor, is the mill for grinding corn, oats and other grain for the use of the stock. Sur- mounting the building, is one of Nichol's double-fanned wind-mills, of twenty horse-power, used for driving the feed-mills, cutting hay and drawing water. The whole structure is built in the most substantial, convenient and tasty man- ner, so that it is not only finely adapted to the purpose for which it was designed, but is an attractive object, and, from its high elevation, can be seen for many miles. Beside the great barn, there are also the hay-barns, the tool- house, barns for pigs, sheep and colts, and all built in the same substantial and convenient manner.
The fine stock of the establishment consists of 250 thorough-bred heifers, of the Hereford species; 300 Cotswold Sheep, and 200 Berkshire hogs. The estimated value of lands and improvements is $25,000, and of stock, $100,000; the sales last year amounted to $30,000. Mr. Miller's trade is. largely with stock-raisers of the plains of Colorado, Wyoming and Texas, to which this breed of cattle is found to be peculiarly adapted. There are employed in the care of the farm and stock fifteen hands, some of whom have been brought from the county of Hereford, England, for the express purpose of taking care of the stock with which they had been familiar for many years.
Washington Center, prior to the location of the C., D. & V. R. R. was the central point, not only as regards location, but as to business. From about 1860 till 1870, a large amount of business was transacted here, and fortunes were made in merchandise and other trade. About 1860, Miles Johnson, who had previously been in the business at Monee, opened a store at this place. Lewis Jessen started a blacksmith-shop, and Charles Holtz opened a hotel., Johnson was appointed Postmaster, and carried the mail to and from Monee for $15 per year and the proceeds of the office. He continued in business several years, and then removed further south. Jessen, by hard hammering and blowing has. accumulated a little fortune. He still resides here.
Charles Holtz has got rich keeping a hotel and dealing in stock. After Johnson retired from the business of selling goods, Messrs. Flint & Miller put in a stock of goods and carried on the business for two years, when they sold out to Lewis Metterhausen, who immediately moved the goods to the sta- tion, into a house which he had just built. In the meantime the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, or Danville & Vincennes Railroad, had been completed, a station established, and the town of
BEECHER
laid out. T. L. Miller had begun his fine stock enterprise, secured the location of a station here, and laid out and named the new town. Thenceforward the growth of the Center was checked, and the station became the point, from which improvements have widened until the village of Beecher has not only over-
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
shadowed the Center, but by building out toward it, has nearly enveloped it in itself. Beecher was laid out in 1870 by George Dolton, for T. L. Miller, and commenced at once to build up, and develop a trade which compares favorably. at this time, with towns three times as old. As we have seen, Metterhausen opened the first store in the village, in what proves to have been the second building erected, and which also proves to have been the first store-building. Metter-hausen had been a teacher in the Lutheran school. He sold goods here for a time and then went into the liquor trade, in which he is still engaged.
James Burns built the first house-a dwelling-and sold lumber for a few months and then removed to Michigan, from whence he had come.
Shortly after this, Henry Bielfeldt built and opened a hotel. Carl Melow moved his blacksmith-shop from the Corners in 1871, and Rudolph Pecht opened a furniture store. Fred Schmidt built a second hotel, and John R. Miller moved the old dancing hall from the Corners and put in a second stock of goods. William Struve, formerly of Monee, followed Burns in the lumber and coal business. By and by the post office was removed from the Corners to Metterhausen's, and he was appointed Postmaster. Elliot Miller, son of T. L. Miller and now partner in the firm of L. Gould & Co., of Chicago, was appointed first station agent. About this time, T. L. Miller built the first warehouse, and Henry Block commenced buying grain, eventually buying the warehouse and continuing the business until the present. The period extending from 1870 to 1873, was a lively one for this vicinity. The sounds of the ax, hammer and saw were heard in all directions, new-comers were arriving almost daily, and, by the end of the period named, the village had grown in size and importance to proportions hardly expected by its most enthusiastic friends. Though its growth has not been rapid, within the last few years, it continues to show signs of animation and prosperity. There are now three warehouses, five general stores, and other stores, shops and dwellings in proportion.
A wind-mill, a short distance north of town, built by Henry Ditmers' is worthy of mention. The mill is now owned and operated by Herman Ehlers. It is built on the Holland plan, runs two sets of buhrs and is used for grinding flour and feed, most of which is custom work.
Eagle Lake is a little village in the northeast part of the township, on the margin of the little body of water of the same name. It is not a regularly laid out town, but the lots have been sold by the description of "corners and bounds." It contains about two dozen houses, a store, saloon and shops. It is simply an improved or concentrated settlement, whose establishing dates back to the location of its early settlers. Herman Lepien brought a stock of goods here about fifteen years ago, a post office was obtained, and gradually the place has assumed the style of a village. Its location is quite pleasant, and for a country place without railroad communications, does a brisk busi- ness.
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
WILL TOWNSHIP.
One of the most remarkable facts in connection with the history of the West is its rapid development. Eastern people compare the census of a quar- ter of a century ago with that of to-day, and remark, with astonishment, the wonderful increase in population and resources in this part of the country. It is true, the West has had some advantages over the East in its development. Improved machinery, a better system of communication and travel, and improved ineans of transportation, doubtless, partially account for it; but is hard to conceive that all these results could have been brought about, without bring- ing to mind that the parties concerned in the opening-up of the country were men of more than ordinary pluck and intelligence. Twenty-five years have scarcely passed since the first blow was struck, since the first shovelful of earth was moved, since the first furrow was turned and since the first shanty was erected in the township of Will, now alive with population, and teeming with herds of stock and dotted all over with the habitations of its owners. That "truth is stranger than fiction " is well illustrated in the growth of some of our Western towns and cities, which bud and blossom, as it were, in a single night. Irving's hero of Sleepy Hollow would not have been less surprised had he taken his twenty-years nap on the prairie of Will Township. His feelings upon awaking must, indeed, have been quite similar. Twenty years ago, where is now a succession of well-cultivated fields, with orchards and gardens, was nothing but an unbroken expanse of wild prairie; where were then less than a hundred inhabitants, are now almost a thousand.
Will Township was one of the last to settle, the wood and water question. being until a recent date the great desideratum.
In 1852, the first actual settler made his appearance in this locality. All of the adjoining townships had already received some population ; and two years previous. the township organization act, which gave a corps of officers to each six miles square containing enough inhabitants for organization, had been passed, while this section contained not a single inhabitant-white, black or red.
John McKenzie, who is generally accredited with being the first settler, was a Scotchman, but had lived in the country some time before removing to this locality. He lived here six or seven years and then removed to Missouri. He was in that State at the breaking-out of the war, and engaged in the service of the Government as a spy. On one occasion he was captured by the enemy and put in prison, to await trial by a court martial ; and had his case ever come to trial, he would doubtless have suffered the penalty of death, as the evidence against him was sufficiently conclusive.
James M. Gridley had been living in Crete and other places in this part of the State, since 1840. He came to this township in 1853, and built the second house. He has been one of the prominent men of the township, and one of its.
1
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
most solid citizens. Gridley was a native of New York. Joseph Baldwin was. a native of Massachusetts, but had been to California and brought back a few hundred dollars of the "yellow metal." He remained here but a few years, when he removed to Missouri with the aforementioned Mckenzie. James. Maxwell came out here in 1853, from New Jersey, and bought some land, but returned to his home in the East and lived until 1861. He says that when he- came first, in 1853, there was but one little shanty in the whole township, and is not certain that it was occupied.
In 1853, Henry Lyon came from Chicago, or rather from the Michigan & Illinois Canal, where he had been working, and settled on the land now owned and occupied by F. P. Lilley, to whom he sold out a year later, and returned to the more congenial pursuit of working on the Canal.
The next year, 1854, brought several good and enterprising families to this vicinity, among whom were H. N. Ingersoll, F. P. Lilley, Patrick McMahon and John B. Sollitt. The first of these, H. N. Ingersoll, had really been here the year before, and had purchased the land to which he moved in the Spring of 1854. Mr. Ingersoll was one of the substantial citizens of the township, and one of its most prominent men. He continued to reside liere until about three years ago, when he sold out and removed to Iowa. F. P. Lilley is still a resident of the township, and has been one of its most reliable citizens. He had been, previous to his coming here from Chicago, his former home, a workman on the canal and railroad. McMahon is a native of Ireland ; he still resides here. John B. Sollitt, now a resident of Peotone, was formerly a resident of Chicago, where he was engaged in butchering for the Chicago market.
In 1855, William Constable, James Pickard, Robert Patterson and R. O. Hutchins came, the first three from New York and the last from Vermont. William Constable has been a most successful man in business. When he came to this place he was as poor as the poorest ; but by industry, economy and good management he has made quite a fortune. His property is estimated at about $25,000. Robert Patterson, the present Supervisor, and one of our most substan- tial business men, also came poor and is now wealthy. R. O. Hutchins resided here but a few years. He had been a gunmaker, and on the breaking-out of the war, in 1861, he returned to his native State and engaged in his old trade of making fire-arms for the Government. Mr. Hutchins was the first School. Treasurer of Will Township, having been appointed to the office in 1856. Samuel Storer and Lorenzo Tobias, the former from New Hampshire and the latter from New York, came in 1856. Storer was one of the most important citizens that ever lived in the township. He was son-in-law of Gov. Windsor, of New Hampshire, having married his daughter. He was elected first Super- visor of the township, in 1859, and, the year following, was sent, as Represent- ative of this district, to the Legislature of the State. The township lost one of its most promising citizens when he removed to California, which he did in.
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
1862. Lorenzo Tobias was one of the two first Justices of the Peace elected in 1859. He died here about ten years ago. None of the family now reside here, all having removed to other parts. George W. Smith also came in 1856. He was one of the first Justices of the Peace, and also one of the first High- way Commissioners, being elected to both offices in 1859.
During the period of the three years ending 1857, there were a few others who settled in this township, but whose stay was so short that it is not thought worth while to consume space with their mention. The same may be said with respect to the following year. The years 1857 and 1858 were almost a repeti- tion of the hard times experienced in 1837, and emigration to this vicinity received a check. From 1859, however, the rush of settlers to this part of the county was very rapid, and in a short time the whole township was fully occu- pied.
The townships of Will and Monee, previous to 1859, were embraced in a single precinct, which was called Carey. In the year last named, the two sections agreed to a separation, and petitions to that effect were accordingly presented to the Board of Supervisors, who ordered a division, with boundaries and names as indicated.
On the 5th of April, 1859, in accordance with the order of the Supervisors, the voters, inhabitants of the new township of Will, met at the schoolhouse in District No. 1, and organized by the election of township officers. H. N. Ingersoll was elected Moderator, and Robert Patterson was chosen Clerk pro tem. Nineteen votes were cast, of which a majority were polled for the follow- ing persons :
Samuel Storer, Supervisor ; R. O. Hutchins, Clerk ; H. P. Tobias, Assessor ; F. P. Lilley, Collector ; H. N. Ingersoll, Poormaster ; John B. Sollitt, James M. Gridley and George W .. Smith, Commissioners of Highways ; L. D. Tobias and George W. Smith, Justices of the Peace ; and H. P. Wright and Robert Patterson, Constables.
The township has from its first settlement been noted for its good schools. The first settlers took a deep interest in whatever tended toward the education and enlightenment of the youth, and when there were only a half dozen fami- lies within its bounds, steps were taken to establish a school. In the Winter of 1855-56, it began to be talked over that a school was not only a possibility but a real necessity.
On the 18th of February, notice having been given, the legal voters met at the house of F. P. Lilley, and proceeded to organize Congressional Town 33, Range 13, into a school township by electing a Board of Trustees and a Treas- urer. F. P. Lilley, James M. Gridley and H. N. Ingersoll were chosen Judges, and R. O. Hutchins, Clerk of the election. H. N. Ingersoll, James M. Grid- ley and John McKenzie were elected Trustees, and by them R. O. Hutchins was appointed Treasurer and ex officio Clerk. A Board of School Directors was appointed, and forthwith preparations were made for the erection of a school-
Afew Gooding (DECEASED) LOCKPORT
THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
building, which was completed and ready for occupation by Fall. The first school was taught by Sarah M. Wolcott, and the Treasurer's books, which are still in existence, show that she received in the following April $6.30 of her salary.
The whole township remained in one district till 1859, when it was divided into three. A few items taken from the Township Treasurer's report to the School Commissioner for the year 1858, will doubtless prove interesting as compared with similar statistics of the present year :
Whole number of schools 1
Number of teachers employed during the year
2
Average wages paid per month. $23
Number of male scholars 9
Number of female scholars 4
Number of persons under 21 41
Number of persons between 6 and 21
25
Principal of school fund $100
In 1866, there were yet only 3 schools, but the number of scholars had increased to 99, and the number of persons under 21 had increased to 224, of whom 133 were between the ages of 6 and 21. The average monthly wages of male teachers was $50, and of female teachers $25.47.
The township school fund had been increased by the sale of the school sec- tion to $8,157, being at that time the fifth in amount in the county.
As far as the facts could be obtained, we give corresponding statistics from the reports of School Directors for 1878 :
Total number of persons under 21. 374
Total number of persons between 6 and 21.
306
Average number of months school sustained
7
Value of school property. $4,140
Highest monthly wages paid any teacher.
$50
Total expenditures for support of schools. $2,800
Number of children attending school.
270
Number of schools in the township.
9
While there is nothing of wonderful nature in the above comparisons, the increase being simply the natural effect of the rapid settlement of the township, there is sufficient to indicate that the growth of the public-school system has been equal to the other interests of the township, and the condition of the schools is in a high degree satisfactory.
While the township is not "dotted all over" with church edifices as it is with schoolhouses, we are led to believe, from our short intercourse with its people, that the moral and religious natures have not been left uncultivated. It is true, there is but one church-building or church organization in its whole bounds but, being adjacent to towns on all sides where these accommodations abound, the township seems to need only the one already erected and standing near the center. The Presbyterian Church of Will Township was organized and the building erected about the same time, 1865. There had been some preaching
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HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY.
by both Presbyterians and Methodists, and both denominations had some claims on the field ; but it was agreed on all hands that more than one church could scarcely live, and that a union of forces was the better plan. Neither party was very tenacious ; but when a party, who was not a member of either denom- ination, came forward and proposed that if the society to be formed should be Presbyterian, he would donate ten acres of land and $1,000 toward the erec- tion of a church edifice, it was decided to organize a Presbyterian Church. George W. Smith was the liberal donor, and not only did he fulfill his obliga- tion, but added to it $500 more. The original members of the society were D. J. Board, H. N. Ingersoll, George W. Smith, Thomas F. Clark, Henry Neal and James Maxwell, with their families. Most of these afterward became members of the Church. The building was erected at a cost of $7,500, and is a credit to the society, the Church and the township. The first Pastor of the Church was Rev. E. J. Hill; the present Pastor is Rev. George Dunlap. The present membership of the Church is forty-seven, and of the Sunday school, about eighty members.
This township took a most lively interest in the late war, nearly all the able- bodied men enlisting and entering the service. At one time, there more of the citizens of this township in the army than there were legal voters. Of course, the township was not drafted, nearly all of its able-bodied men having volun- teered. Several who thus left their homes friends and firesides to battle for the country which our fathers had done so much to establish, gave up their lives in its protection. Among such are remembered Benjamin F. Gridley, James H. Ingersoll, William Pickard and J. S. Cotton, the last of whom died in Andersonville prison, where so many of our brave boys suffered a double death, that of starvation.
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