USA > Illinois > Ogle County > The history of Ogle County, Illinois, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest, history of Illinois etc > Part 19
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Wisconsin
53,924
1,054.670
1,236,729
1.725
lowa ..
55,045
1,191.792
1,350,544 3.160
Total States.
1,950,171 38,113,253
59,587
37,600
1,321,011
1,123
Louisiana
41,346
726,915
857,039
539
Maine ...
31,776
626,915
871
Arizona
113,916
9,658
Maryland
11,184
780,894
820
Colorado ..
104,500
39,864
392
Massachusetts.
7,800 1,457,351 1,651,912 1,606
147,490
14,181
Michigan*
83,531
439,706
598,429 1,612
Idaho.
90,932
14,999
Mississippi
47,156
827,922
990
Montana.
143.776
20,595
Missouri.
65,350 1,721,295
2,580
Nebraska.
75.995
123,993
246,280
Utah
80,056
86,786
375
Washington ..
69,944
23,955
Wyoming
93,107
9,118
498
New Jersey
8.320
906,096 1,026,502 1,265
New York.
47,000 4,382,759 4,705,208
4,470
Total Territories.
965,032
442,730
1,265
Ohio.
39,964 2,665,260
3,740
Oregon .
95,2441
90,923
159| Aggregate of U. S .. 2,915,203 38,555,983
60,852
* Last Census of Michigan taken in 1874.
* Included In the Railroad Mileage of Maryland.
PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD; POPULATION AND AREA.
COUNTRIES.
Population.
Date of Census.
Area in Square Miles.
Inhabitants to Square Mile.
CAPITALS.
Population.
China ..
446,500,000
1871
3,741,846
119.3
Pekin.
1,648,800
British Empire
226,817,108
1871
4,677,432
48.6
London.
3,251,800
Russia ...
81,925,490
1871
8,003,778
10.2
St. Petersburg.
667,000
United States with Alaska.
38,925,600
1870
2,603,884
7.78
Washington
109,199
France ..
36,469,800
1866
204,091
178.7
Paris
1,825,300
Austria and Hungary
35,904,400
1869
240,348
149.4
Vienna .
833,900
Japan ..
34,785,300
1871
149,399
232.8
Yeddo.
1,554,900
Great Britain and Ireland,
31,817,100
1871
121,315
262.3
London
3,251,800
German Empire ..
29,906,092
1871
160,207
187.
Berlin
825,400
Italy
27,439.921
1871
118,847
230.9
Rome
244,484
Spain
16,642.000
1867
195,775
85.
Madrid
332,000
Brazil.
10.000.000
3,253,029
3.07
Rio Janeiro.
420,000
Turkey
16,463.000
672,621
24.4
Constantinople
1,075,000
Mexico ...
9,173,000
1869
761,526
Mexico
210.300
Sweden and Norway
5,921.500
1870
292,871
20.
Stockbolm.
136,900
Persia ...
5,000,000
1870
635,964
7.8
Teheran
120,000
Belgium.
5.021,300
1869
11,373
441.5
Brussels
314,100
Bavaria ..
4,861,400
1871
29,292
165.9
Munich.
169,500
Portugal.
3,995,200
1868
34,494
115.8
Lisbon ..
224,063
Holland
3,688,300
1870
12,680
290.9
Hague ..
90,100
New Grenada.
3,000,000
1870
357,157
8.4
Bogota.
45,000
Chili ..
2,000,000
1869
132,616
15.1
Santiago
115,400
Switzerland.
2,669,100
1870
15,992
166.9
Berne,
36,000
Peru
2,500,000
1871
471.838
5.3
Lima ..
160,100
Bolivia ..
2,000,000
497,321
4.
Chuquisaca.
25,000
Argentine Republic.
1,812,000
1869
871,848
2.1
Buenos Ayres.
177.800
Wurtemburg
1,818,500
1871
7,533
Stuttgart
91.600
Denmark
1,784.700
1870
14,753
120.9
Copenbagen.
162,042
Venezuela
1,500,000
368,238
4.2
Caraccas
47,000
Baden,
1,461,400
1871
5,912
247.
Carlsruhe.
36,600
Greece.
1,457.900
1870
19,353
75.3
Athens ..
43,400
Guatemala
1,180,000
1871
40,879
28.9
Guatemala
40,000
Paraguay.
1,000,000
1871
63,787
277.
Darmstadt
30.000
Liberia
718,000
1871
9,576
74.9
Monrovia .
3,000
San Salvador.
600,000
1871
7,335
81.8
Sal Salvador
15,000
Hayti ...
572,000
10,205
56.
Port au Prince
20,000
Nicaragua.
350,000
1871
58,171
6.
Managua,
10,000
Uruguay ..
300,000
1871
66,722
6.5
Monte Video
44,500
Honduras
350,000
1871
17,092
7.4
Comayagua
12,000
San Domingo
136,000
17,827
7.6
San Domingo
20,000
Costa Rica ..
165.000
1870
21,505
7.7
San Jose.
2,000
Hawaii ..
62.950
7,633
80.
Honolulu
7,633
..
North Carolina ..
50,704 1,071,361
52,540
593
New Hampshire.
9,280
318.300
790
New Mexico
121,201
91.874
828
Nevada
112,090
42,491
Dist. of Columbia.
60
131,700
Georgia.
58,000
1,184,109
2,108
Illinois
55,410
2,539,891
5,904
3.529
Kansas ..
81,318
364,399
528,349 1,760
Kentucky
Territories.
56,451 1,184,059 1,334,031 2,235
Minnesota.
1870.
1875.
1872.
States.
Alabama
Ecuador.
1,300,000
218,928
5.9
Quito
70.000
Hesse
823,138
2,969
15.6
Asuncion.
48,000
241.4
21
POPULATION.
1,190
Dakota
216
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES.
AGGREGATE.
COUNTIES.
1870.
1860.
1850.
1840.
1830.
1820.
Adams
56362
41323
26508
I4476
2186
Alexander.
10564
4707
2484
3313
1390
626
Bond.
13152
9815
6144
5060
3124
2931
Boone
12942
11678
7624
1705
Brown
I2205
9938
7198
4183
Bureau
32415
26426
8841
3067
Calhoun
6562
5144
3231
1741
1090
Carroll.
16705
II733
4586
I023
Cass
11580
11325
7253
2981
Champaign
32737
14629
2649
1475
Christian
20363
10492
3203
1878
Clark
18719
14987
9532
7453
3940
931
Clay.
15875
9336
4289
3228
755
Clinton
16285
1094I
5139
3718
2330
Coles
25235
14203
9335
9616
Cook
349966
144954
43385
IO20I
Crawford.
I3889
1155I
7135
4422
3117
2999
Cumberland
I2223
831I
3718
De Kalb.
23265
I9086
7540
1697
De Witt
I4768
10820
5002
3247
Douglas
13484
7140
Du Page
16685
14701
9290
3535
Edgar
21450
16925
10692
8225
407I
Edwards
7565
5454
3524
3070
1649
3444
Effingham.
15653
7816
3799
1675
Fayette
19638
III89
8075
6328
270.
Ford
9103
1979
Franklin
12652
9393
568:
3682
4083
1763
Fulton.
38291
33338
22508
13142
1841
Gallatin
III34
8055
5448
10760
7405
3155
Greene
20277
16093
12429
I1951
7674
Grundy
14938
10379
302
Hamilton
13014
9915
6362
3945
2616
Hancock
35935
29061
14652
9946
483
Hardin
5113
3759
2887
1378
Henderson
I2582
9501
4612
Henry
35506
20660
3807
I260
4I
Iroquois
25782
12325
4149
1695
Jackson
19634
9589
5862
3566
I828
1542
Jasper
II234
8364
3220
1472
Jefferson
17864
12965
8109
5762
2555
691
Jersey
15054
I2051
7354
4535
Jo Daviess
27820
27325
18604
6180
2III
Johnson
II248
9342
4114
3626
1596
843
Kane_
39091
30062
16703
6501
Kankakee
24352
15412
Kendall
12399
I 3074
7730
Knox.
39522
28663
13279
7060
274
Lake
21014
18257
14226
2634
La Salle
60792
48332
17815
9348
Lawrence
I2533
9214
6121
7092
3668
Lee
27171
17651
5-292
2035
Livingston
31471
11637
1553
759
Logan
23053
14272
5128
2333
*23
217
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS-CONCLUDED.
COUNTIES.
1870.
1860.
1850.
1840.
1830.
1820.
Macon
26481
13738
3988
3039
II22
Maconpin
32726
24602
I2355
7926
1990
Madison
4413I
31251
20441
14433
6221
13550
Marion
20622
I2739
6720
4742
2125
Marshall
16950
13437
5180
1849
Mason
16184
10931
5921
Massac
9581
6213
4092
McDonough
26509
20069
7616
5308
(b)
McHenry
23762
22089
14978
2578
McLean
53988
28772
10163
6565
Menard
II735
9584
6349
4431
Mercer
18769
15042
5246
2352
26
*21
Monroe.
12982
12832
7679
4481
2000
1516
Montgomery Morgan
25314
13979
6277
4490
2953
Moultrie
10385
6385
3234
Ogle
27492
22888
10020
3479
Peoria
47540
36601
17547
6153
(c)
Perry
13723
9552
5278
3222
1215
Piatt
10953
6127
1606
Pike
30768
27249
18819
11728
2396
Pope
II437
6742
3975
4094
3316
2610
Pulaski
8752
3943
2265
Putnam
6280
5587
3924
213I
1310
Randolph
20859
17205
II079
7944
4429
3492
Richland
12803
97II
4012
2610
Saline
12714
9331
5588
Sangamon
46352
32274
19228
14716
12960
Schuyler
17419
14684
10573
6972
b2959
Scott
10530
9069
7914
6215
Shelby
25476
14613
7807
6659
2972
Stark
10751
9004
3710
1573
*5
St. Clair
51068
37694
20180
13631
7078
5248
Stephenson.
30608
25112
II666
2800
Tazewell
27903
21470
12052
7221
4716
Union
16518
III8I
7615
5524
3239
2362
Vermilion
30388
19800
II492
9303
5836
Wabash
8841
7313
4690
4240
2710
Warren
23174
18336
8176
6739
308
Washington
17599
13731
6953
4810
1675
1517
Wayne
19758
12223
6825
5133
2553
III4
White
16846
12403
8925
7919
6091
4828
Whitesides
27503
18737
5361
2514
Will
43013
29321
16703
10167
Williamson
17329
I2205
7216
4457
Winnebago
29301
24491
11773
460g
Woodford
18956
13282
4415
*49
Total
2539891
1711951
851470
476183
157445
55162
28463
22112
16064
19547
12714
29783
21005
6937
Rock Island
AGGREGATE.
PRODUCTIONS OF AGRICULTURE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES .- 1870.
Improved Land.
Woodl'nd
Other uu- improved
Spring Wheat.
Winter Wheat.
Rye.
Indian Corn.
Oats.
COUNTIES.
Number.
Number.
Number.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Bushels.
Bushels.
19.329,952 5,061.578 |1.491.331|
10.133.207|19.995.198 2.456.578|129.921.395 42. 780.851
Adams.
287.926
112,576|
19,370|
16,191
947.616
20,989
1.452,905
759,074
Alexander
13,836
17.761
1.915
700
368.625
6,240
1,064,052
461,097
Boone
137,307
29,886
2,658
241,042
599
35,871
466,985
579,127
Brown ..
57,062
35.491
25.608
13,276
117.502
4,742
337.769
70,852
Bureau.
398.611
41,866
15,803
465,236
724
43,811
3,030,404
987,426
Calhoun
37,684
63.443
2,754
75
221,298
186
234.041
26,234
Carroll
186,864
29,793
33,302
418.073
260
25,721
1.367.965
775,100
Cass.
92.902
33.493
6,604
12.165
127,054
2.772
1,146,980
168,784
Champaign
419,368
16,789
58,50%
102.577
123,091
45.752
3.924.720
721.375
Christian
241,472
19,803
19,173
18,360
504,041
10,722
1,883,336
383.821
Clark
118.594
102.201
5,420
195.118
7,308
614,582
212,628
Clay ..
146.923
80,612
5,225
1,894
85.737
3.221
1.019.994
269,945
Clinton
150,177
48,868
8,722
500
610,888
1,619
813.257
446,324
Coles ..
208,337
45,214
3,274
2,651
154,485
8,835
2,133.111
315.954
Cook.
348.824
19,635
17,337|
144,296
4,904
20,171
570,427
1,584,225
Crawford.
105.505
78,350
27,185
60
212,924
15,497
581,964
136,255
Cumberland
75.342
40,334
5,604 6.551
550
84,697
14.798
403,075
171,880
DeKalb.
334,502
17,722
398,059
190
21.0181
1,023.849
1,087,074
De Witt.
168.539
29,548|
17,633!
106,493
11.695
11,540
1,311.635
216,756
Douglas
147,633
11,897
7,316
7,683
65,461
9,017 7,532
331,981
860,809
Edgar
265.458
66,803
14,282
13,283
247,360
37,508
2,107.615
290,679
Edwards.
57,585|
830
122,703
528
352,371
129,152
Effingham
56.330
26,206
195,716
19.759
620,247
386,073
Fayette.
187,196
93,460
16,786
42,571
1,008
11.577
565,671
154,589
Franklin
80,749
3,994
86,710
365
111.324
5,195
222.426
Fulton
228,132
123.823
4,076
193,669
223.930
131,711
1.508.763
261.390
Gallatin.
49,572
68,750Į
2,565
83,093
512
509,491
Greene ...
175,408
93,242
29.653
577,400
415
1,051,313
64,029
Gruody
193,999
6,256
4,505
21,700
150
4,930
295,971
269,332
Hamilton
93,878
3,343
129
92.347
11.672
735,25%
203,464
Haucock
43.385
18.480
181,378
232,750
133,533
1.510.401
Hardin
44.771
107
13
32,306
865
Henderson.
34,705
14,243
161,112
69,062
96,430
1,712,901
265,904
12,620
31,459
462,379
445
35,766
2,541,683
668,367
Iroquois.
22.478
63,498
57,160
10,480}
23,259
799,810
430,746
Jasper
90,867
67,023
12,250
87.808|
9.165
461,345
149,214
Jefferson
118,951
94,888
1,363
558.367
519,120
71.770
JoDaviess
156,517
45,779
282.758
555
7.185
1,286,326
874,016
57,820
3
79,141
92,191
2,46%
343,298
74,525
Kane ...
240.120
34,646
399
188,826
325
23.618
674.333
785,608
Kankakee.
10,978
10,598
103,466
480
12,935
637.399
772,408
Kendall.
14,244
2,283
90.681
1,249
5,163
681,267
468,890
Knox.
330,829
41,566
25,155
267.764
7,654
113.547
2,708,319
787,952
207,779
24.399
168,914
221
5,87€
517,352
699,069
533,724
2.350 3,273
264,134
1,121
656,363
131,386
322,212
12.071
7,409
450,793
2.260
14,829
1,656.978
903,197
Livingston
377,505
12,462
41.788
1,339
26,16%
1.182,696
Logan
321,709
17,394 18,153
9.115
55,239
196,613
29,223
2,214,468
454,648
231.059
81,224
7,343
160
861,398
2.404
1,051,544
459,417
257.032
89.450
13,675
550
1,207.181 173,652
14,511
1.034.057
166.057
28,260
2,976
106,129 73,261
900 125,628
49,182
2.648.726
272,660
Massac
25.151
33,396
30
72.316
544
133,126
McDonough
261,635
14,035
273.871
36,146
1,862,490
McHenry
230.566
57.998
401,790
270
29.264
1,145,005
McLeall
494.978
49,087
211,801
10.955
39.824
3.723.379
911,127
Menard.
134,173
34,931
13.952
36,152
45.793
4.28:
1.973.880
235.091
Mercer.
222.809
45,977
22,588
289,291
13,203
40.778
2.054,962
452,889
Mouroe ..
83,369
666
651,767
1,425
543,718
47,804
8,495
59
744.891
3.296
1.527,898
668,424
Morganl.
293.450
1,376
18,196
357.523
3,198,835
198,724
Moultrie.
144,320
13,112
17,128
6,670
1.753.141
263.992 141,540
Peoria
170,729
48,666
2,516
92,361
31.843
99,502
-969,224
Perry
93,754
68.470 5,978
13,897
26,382
9.248
1,029.725
130,610
Pike
128.953
9,302
130
1 057,497
25,303 2,309
315,958
Pulaski.
12,516
4.174
796
7.707
140,764
1.170
450
1,031,022
3,235
510.080
Richland.
75,079
50,618
2.025 20,755
243.541
2.279
20,003
1.459.653
Saline ..
72,309
809
83.011
568
Sangamon
421.748
19,932
247.658
23,073
4,388,763
Schuyler
96,195
62.477
21,294
56,221
165.724
20,841
Scott
85,331
44,633
1,610
18
266.105
930 23.686
Stark ..
138.129
12.375
2,783
124.630
1,562.621
1,008 135.362
1.615,679
960.620
Tazewell
224.126
45,268
14,846
132,417
72.410
59,027
2,062,053
505,841
Union.
75,832
5.300
44,806
249.558
52,476
2,818.027
436.051
Wabash ..
54.063
37.558
509
266.187
27.294
14,583
186,290
5.712
72.212
2,982,853
Washington
177.592
1.931
672,486
2.576
836,115
Wayne
147.352
10,486
266
164.689
8,665
1,179,291 870,521
119,653
Whitesides
239.809
37.310
457,455
261
31.658
2,162,9431
880 838
Will.
419,442
6,335
195,286 176
1,996
8,030 6.228
1,131.458 655,710
1,237,406
868.903
Woodford
225,504
37,238 25,217
15,237 23,135
178,139
2,468 108,307|
137.985 20,426
2,154,185|
744,581
DuPage.
164,874
17,243
3.851|
106,096
693
351,310
25.328
962,525
497.395
Ford
141,228
2,996
63,976
890
329.036
524
100.553
5,934
887,981
285.949
Jersey
94,147
51,427
21,072 48,117
271,181
2,193
48,30%
3.077,028
1,509,642
Lawrence
87,828
72,738
408
198.056
40,963
37.232
4,221,640
490,226
Macon.
205.259
Madison
2.127,549
Marion.
173.081
61,579
4.142
36,135
1,182,903
Mason .
209,453
31,739!
31,013
22,097
280.717
910,397
Jackson
78,548
87.642
5,991
611,951
149,931
Johnson.
312.182|
164.004
Lake
LaSalle
Lee
120,206
659,300
Macoupin
475,252 389.446 362,604
Marshall.
52,547 53.293
40,366
14,913
497,038
157,504
1,787,066
334,892 338,760
Piatt.
94.454
Pope ..
87,754
70,457
44,922
195,735
P'ntnam
37,271
17,184
28,137
334,259
86,519 414,487 204,634
Rock Island
155,214
31,239
70.393 51,085!
9,314
15,526
452,015
30.534
1,149,878
Stephenson
254,857
43.167
13,701
527,394
2.118
180.231
1,737
679.753
124,473
Vermilion
360,251
83,606 53,078
31,122
202.201
421.361
110,793
Warren.
601.054
533,398
White ..
92,398
869
184,321
418
Williamson
116.949
1,648|
170,787
180.986
Winnebago.
128,448 241,373
55,852
146,794 78.167
21.823 24.261
1,868.682
Shelly
310.179
74,908
St. Clair.
231,117
76,591
, ,016
2.550
1,423.121
476.851
Ogle ..
316.883
43,643
220
350,446 39.762
1,01t
384.446
1.399,188
161,419 67,886 16,511
Randolph
162.274
150,268
3.401
482,594
276.575 69.793
397,718
440,975 752,771
119.359 13.462 637.812 316.726
Montgomery
276,682
60,217
24,783
196.436 5,580
5.535
152.251
28,117
172.651
26.991
229,286
Henry
88,996
311,517
579,599
140,954
322,5101
1,680,225
225,074
Bond.
145,045
42,613
42,658
30
244,220
21,627
2.082,578
233.785 55,980 19.319
531,516
200
89,304
3,685
52.401
92.810
82,07b
58.912
120,343
653,209
27.164
Total
404,482
408.606
€
Phineas Chaney
OREGON
-
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF OGLE CO.
[Taken from Illinois State Geological Reports.]
This large and excellent county is bounded on the north by parts of Stephenson and Winnebago Counties ; on the east by DeKalb County ; on the south by Lee County, and on the west by Carroll County, and a small portion of Whiteside County, just touching it on the southwest corner. It is thirty-nine miles from east to west, and about twenty-one miles from north to south, making eighteen full townships of land, and about seven half townships, containing, therefore, about seven hundred and seventy- three sections, or square miles.
Rock River, a broad-flowing, swift, bubble-dancing stream, flows in a diagonal direction across the county, entering it about twelve miles from its northeast corner, and making its exit about eight miles east of its south- west corner, dividing the county nearly equally. For most of this distance the stream sweeps along in long, undulating curves except at Grand de Tour, where it doubles upon itself in short, abrupt crooks. The river valley here is unlike itself further north and south. The face of the country along the river is abrupt, rough, broken and timbered. In only a few places do the prairie vistas open down to the water's edge, affording glimpses of the broad, undulating plains, which open so wide beyond, that the blue of the sky and the green of the rolling sward, seem to mingle in a far-off blending. The little streams on either side have cut down through the hills, leaving bold outcrops of the Trenton limestones and St. Peter's sandstone.
To one familiar with the sublimity and grandeur of mountain scenery as displayed in Alpine regions, or among the canons and wonders of our own Sierra Nevada or Rocky Mountain chains, where the slow-moving glacier creeps among eternal rocks down to the evergreen forests and the smiling valleys ; where the mountain-born torrent leaps in foam along its rocky channel ; where gorge and precipice and adamantine rocks, in wild confusion piled, fill the soul with wonder-to one, we say, familiar with such scenes as these, the scenery along Rock River, in Ogle County, may seem tame; but to the inhabitant of the prairies, accustomed only to the grassy plains and green slopes of his native state, bedecked though they be in their native wildness with flowers of gayest hue, there is a charm in such scenery as a ride along the river bank from Byron to Dixon discloses.
The resemblance to the old feudal castles of England, as, half-ruined, moss-covered and ivy draped, they are preserved to us in picture galleries, is constant and recurring. The limestone bluffs, covered half way up their steep side with the accumulated talus of ages, look like mural escarpments and Cyclopean walls among the wild hills. The sandstone cliffs of various hues, now glancing like snow peaks in the sunshine, or glowing like hills of flame or yellow, when stained with the red oxide of iron, are weathered into all sorts of fantastic shapes. The rounded, tower-like, casemated masses, which stand out in bold relief at the Indian Pulpit, three or four miles below Oregon, and at other places along this heavy outcrop of the St. Peter's sandstone, need not the aid of imagination or fancy to shape themselves
13
222
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
into dome and minaret, spire or cupola, or the graceful flutings, carvings, mouldings and columns of Gothic, Doric or Corinthian architecture. If well painted in oil, some of the more striking scenes would illustrate Illinois landscapes of no mean order of beauty.
These bold, perpendicular bluff's of rock and deep ravines cut into them by the little streams, afford excellent opportunities for an examina- tion of the geology of this county, and will be again referred to in another part of this report.
At Oregon and Grand de Tour good dams are built across the river, and a part of the magnificent powers thus obtained are made available for milling and manufacturing purposes. Dams might be constructed at many other points on the river within this county, and a supply of water power be put into use unlimited in extent. Indeed, such a stream as Rock River, for water powers, is hard to find ; and some day it will enrich all this part of the state with its mills, manufactories, factories, founderies and machine shops. Other, but smaller streams, run through different parts of the county.
On the west side of Rock River, and tributary thereto, is Leaf River and Pine Creek. The former rises in Stephenson County, enters Ogle County about ten miles west of Adeline, and flowing in a southeast course, mingles its waters with those of the larger river a few miles below Byron. It is a considerable stream, and affords some fair water powers for light work. Pine Creek runs into Rock River a short distance west of Grand de Tour. It comes down from the north, making a sweeping bend toward the east. It is not a large stream, but, geologically, is one of the most interesting water courses we ever examined.
On the south side of Rock River, the two streams of most note are Stillman's Run and Kyte River. The former is a small stream, rising in the eastern prairie townships and terminating in Rock River, at the bend cast of Byron. Those familiar with the history of the Black Hawk War need not be told that this stream took its name from the retreat of a detachment of white soldiers under Major Stillman, after it had been ambushed and defcated by a band of Black Hawk's warriors. Those slain in crossing the stream were buried on a high point of land near the residence of Joshua White, Esq. So long as the little stream flows, its historic name will preserve the memory of that disgraceful scare and wild retreat from an almost imaginary danger. Kyte River is a more considerable body of water, coming in from a south- east direction. Its mouth is near the little Village of Daysville. It is a slow, lazy stream.
The country is rough, and more or less rolling, in close proximity to all these streams, except Stillman's Rnn. The rough, hilly part of the county, along the streams, is covered with a fair growth of the usual white and black oak timber. None of it could be called heavy timber, and some of it is brushy barrens. Still, all these streams, with a few isolated groves, furnish a fair supply for fuel and other economieal nses.
The timber soil is thin and white, but under proper cultivation, returns good crops of potatoes, fruits, cereals and garden products.
By far the largest portion of the county, however, is rich, undulating prairie land. All the eastern and southeastern part, all the western and northwestern part, together with much of the northern part, is prairie, as rich and beautiful as the state can produce. These prairies are covered with a soil composed of the richest prairie loam. In a part of the state where all the counties are prosperous, Ogle will rank among the foremost in
223
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
agricultural resources, and in the elements of material wealth. The amount of farm products annually raised and sold is enormous, while the real resources of the soil are not yet half developed. Wlien these resources shall be more fully developed, and the vast untouched water powers of Rock River and its tributaries shall be utilized, this county will attain a degree of prosperity which will place it foremost in that richest portion of the Prairie State lying between Rock River and the Mississippi.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.
The geology of Ogle County is of a highly interesting character. Besides the usual surface deposits, the Galena, Blue and Buff limestones of the Trenton series, and the Cincinnati group, are all developed and outerop ; while the St. Peter's sandstone, for about fourteen miles along the river, rises in bold outcrops of from twenty-five to two hundred feet in thickness. The only other outcrops of this interesting formation in the northern part of the state are at Starved Rock and Deer Park on the Illinois River, and a few other points in LaSalle County.
The following section will show the measured outcrops. They are all thicker, perhaps, than these figures indicate, except the St. Peter's sand- stone. The bottom of that formation and its full outerop, we think, was reached. The floor of Rock River, three or four miles below Oregon, where its thickest development is reached, is the top of Calciferous sand- stone or Lower Magnesian limestone :
SECTION OF OGLE COUNTY FORMATIONS.
Usual suface deposits, consisting of sands, clays, soils aud gravel beds, aggregate, perhaps 125 feet. 25
Cincinnati group, green and blue shales
Galena limestone 35
Bine Trenton limestone. 44
Buff Trenton limestone 36
St. Peter's sandstone, white, soft.
200
Lower Magnesian limestone.
The above figures indicate the maximum thickness of the surface de- posits, the St. Peter's sandstone, and, perhaps, the Buff limestone. The other members of the section we think are thicker than the above measure- ments indicate. No where could we find exposures where the full thickness could be determined. Commencing at the top, we will describe these for- mations in their descending order.
SURFACE GEOLOGY.
The usual "river bottoms" exist along the streams to a limited extent. This, together with the common prairie soil, a vegetable mold, covering most of the county, comprises the extent of the alluvial deposits. The drift formation is much more heavily developed. Over the sonthern and eastern portion of the county, and along the lower Rock River bluff's, it thins out to a considerable extent ; but over the northern and northwestern parts of the county the true drift, in the form of drift-hills and coarse gravel-beds, is very heavily deposited, reaching a thickness, as we have above indicated, of one hundred and twenty-five feet. Over the parts first mentioned fine-grained clay, some times marly and some times sandy, cover the nether rocks. These clays are almost uniformly of a light yellowish
224
HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
color. Few gravel beds and little coarse gravel can be noticed in passing over them. Boulders are of rarer occurrence than in any other portion of this part of the state. It is not a driftless region, but the drift forces have acted peacefully here, and nothing but the finer sediments and precipitates of the water were here deposited or accumulated under the action of chemi- cal, atmospheric and aqueous agencies. But in the parts of the county last mentioned, vast accumulations of coarse gravel, commingled with fine white sand, have been deposited, indicating that the drift forces and agen- eies acted here on a large scale. Around the head waters of Leaf River these gravel hills are a marked feature in the landscape. About three miles and a half north of Foreston, the Illinois Central Railroad passes through a range of these hills. The company have there opened many gravel pits and quarries, and are constantly loading trains for the purpose of ballast- ing their road. The appearance of that chain of hills is so remarkable that few travelers on the swiftly-flying passenger trains fail to notice and remark upon it. East of the track, a backbone of hills stretch away toward Ade. line, broadening and widening in the distance, until they resemble great ocean waves fixed and solid. Our pocket-level showed that the highest hump on this backbone, measuring from the base, was about one hundred and three feet, while to the level of the water in the brooks some distance off, the descent was probably twenty feet. The railroad track is cut through these gravel hills to the depth of about forty feet. For that depth the ma- terial is composed of gravel, from the size of pebbles to that of small boul- ders, mixed with a large quantity of white sand. The sand is almost as white as the St. Peter's sandstone, except where stained yellow by the oxide of iron. The gravel is very much rounded and water-worn. The deposit has marks of partial stratification in a few places. At one place, close to railroad track, a bed of gravel, almost free from sand, is cemented so strongly together by some calcareous substance that it has to be quarried like ordinary stone. It looks like a coarse conglomerate or pudding stone, and will risist, without breaking, a smart blow from a heavy hammer. Such is the internal structure of these gravel hills. On the surface they are covered with a thin soil, full of gravel and whitish boulders of small size, into which a spade could not be sunk. Toward the east the hills pre- serve their outlines for a distance of some eight miles before they sink down into ordinary gravel beds, extending for a long distance across the northern part of the county. Toward the west they extend three or four miles before losing themselves in the general roll of the prairies. The direction of main chain is exactly east and west ; the western part, as indi- cated by a very good pocket compass, bears west southwest by east northeast.
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