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 58
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
and Hurd settling on their present farms, and the others stopping near Hickory or Loblalla Grove, as it was sometimes called from a food served up there to passing travelers.
David P. Navarro came in the Fall of 1853, and built the house occupied by James Crawford for a number of years. Mr. Navarro is now exhibiting with Barnum in the Eastern States his son, who is 17 years old in June, 1878, and who weighs 526 pounds. He was born in Flagg Township.
Henry Willey located near the site of Flagg Station, in 1850.
Since the first lonely settler first staked off his elaim in the edge of Jeffer- son Grove, a host of citizens have joined in forming the large population of Rochelle and vicinity. Though the pioneers lived in plain style, with but few of the present pleasures, yet nowhere could the passing traveler find a more genuine hospitality than among these jovial, great-hearted men.
One was called away in the full strength and vigor of manhood, and has lain at rest beneath the prairie sod for more than thirty years. Sheldon Bar- tholomew died December 9, 1846, aged 39 years. He was the second one to be placed in the public cemetery, which he established. The first grave was that of Lura Reynolds, the little daughter of Father Reynolds. Williard P. Flagg, the old companion of Mr. Bartholomew, lived in the village which had grown up around him until August 10, 1877, when he passed away, at an advanced age, highly respected and esteemed by all.
Chicago was the principal grain market for this section until about 1852, when a load was occasionally drawn to Rockford, Peru and St. Charles. The greater part was taken to Chicago, however, until the railroads came and gave them a market here at Hickory Grove. There were few horses used until about 1843 or 1844, and it usually consumed six days to get a load of wheat to market. In those times, as there were few good hotels along the route, the farmers generally slept in their wagons and prepared their own meals along the road. Their cooking utensils consisted of a frying pan and coffee pot, and their bill of fare consisted of hot coffee, together with bread and fried bacon. Before starting out, they provided themselves with enough coffee and bacon for the round trip, and sufficient bread to last to Chicago, where they replenished with fresh loaves.
At that time Chicago was nothing better than a great overgrown village, set down in what appeared the lowest and muddiest spot in creation. The farmers unloaded into a hopper and the elevators were no better than will be usually seen in most country towns. At times, when the roads were good, and prices a little up, there was often a big rush, and as they slowly unloaded and advanced the length of one team at a time, the unlucky farmer would sometimes be delayed several hours before he could get his grain into the hopper, and the cash therefor into his pocket. Later on it became customary to put up at hotels along the route. As the Rock River Valley became more thickly settled and the travel to Chicago increased, the number of these public houses multiplied very fast. The farmers could discriminate in regard to the quality of fare that was set before them, and, as there was brisk competition between the different houses, their patrons dined luxuriously. If there was an establishment on the road which they considered not quite up to the standard, they would drive half the night, if necessary, to reach the next place beyond. Those who run their own freight train to Chicago in those early days behind a team of oxen or horses will readily remember the old house at Brodie's Grove, Huntley's at DeKalb, Rand's on the Ohio barrens near Blackberry, Chatfield's the Valley House, Old Garfield's, Old Enterprise about a mile beyond St. Charles (then
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nearly its present size), Rob. Benjamin's, Hubbard's in Babbock's Grove, Salt Creek House, Hill Cottage, Oak Plain House, Six Mile House and Four Mile House. In the city, the favorite stopping places were the old American House and the Lake Street Hotel.
The prices for wheat in Chicago ranged from forty cents to a dollar and twenty. It seldom reached as high as a dollar, however, and generally ranged at fifty or sixty cents. Though they were not in any danger of becoming sud- denly rich selling wheat at these prices and carting it to Chicago, the " Rock River boys," as those living in this section were called, did not appear at all despondent. In fact, if the rollicking fun and enjoyment experienced in these trips could have been reduced to a specie basis, every one of them would soon have reached a state of affluence.
At those times, when they were hauling grain to Chicago, the settlers pur- chased most of their groceries and other necessaries in that city, but on other occasions they found purchasing marts nearer home. There was a little stor e at Oregon at a very early day, and after that at Grand Detour and Daysville. Before any of these were started, Hennepin and Ottawa drew most of the trade of this section, save what was done in Chicago when selling grain. For a number of years, however, Daysville was the principal trading point, it being the place where elections for this precinct were held, and their nearest post office.
Wild game, especially deer, was very abundant here till quite a late date. Frequently they could be seen on the prairies at a distance, appearing like a drove of young cattle-the fawns gamboling about with as much playfulness as young lambs. The settlers found venison a very cheap and palatable food, and a good gun was considered about as essential as a plow or a lumber wagon. In the season a good hunter could confidently depend upon bringing home a deer any day, after a little tramp, till about the time of the advent of the railroad, when they began to get very scarce. In the Winter of 1853-54, a grand deer- hunt was organized, taking in several townships and centering in the northern edge of Reynolds, in Lee County. Though it was not inaugurated by the Hick- ory Grove boys, they entered the ring when they found the slaughter was un- avoidable. Thirty or forty deer and several wolves were massacred on that occasion, and at about that time these fleet-footed champions of the Indian and buffalo seemed suddenly to disappear from our groves and prairies.
Ward Wheeler, an irregular genius, who came to Hickory Grove about the time of the railroad, one day discovered three deer on the open prairie, near the south edge of the grove. As Ward had lived mostly in the East, a live deer was a rare sight to him. He notified "Const." Reynolds and one or two others of his discovery, and they determined to try and effect the capture of the three deer by a little strategy. "Const.," who was the only one of the party carrying a gun, was stationed behind some stacks of grain, in the direct course of the deer. As they came along in the proximity of the stacks. "Const.," by a well directed fire, brought two of them to the ground, and had good hopes of securing the third, which was some distance back, and yet undisturbed, when the irrepressible Wheeler, impatient of the delay necessary to reload the gun, darted out and gave chase. The motives which actuated him are not thor- oughly comprehended, but it is believed that he thought to overtake and cap- ture the deer by mere virtue of superior fleetness.
This same Ward Wheeler was the mariner who first achieved the difficult task of navigating Kyte River. Being the owner, by descent, of a fine, low, moist farm near Brush Grove, and being approachable by no other means,
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Ward determined to see how near he could approach his swamp-environed home by navigating the Kyte. In pursuance of this noble conception, Ward con- structed a raft, and, having loaded thereon the material necessary for a house, he was soon afloat on the raging waters. The raft, however, soon went to pieces on the wire fence of Tom. Padgett, and Wheeler returned to the Grove a sadder yet wiser man.
Wolves were quite plenty here in the early days, and there was a consider- able number of raccoons and wild cats. Not many of the settlers attempted to raise sheep ; and if they had, the wolves would undoubtedly have proved quite troublesome. Father Reynolds and Harmon Minkler first introduced sheep- raising into this vicinity, and their flocks were quite frequently visited by these skulking maranders of the prairie.
Indians were, of course, seen here quite frequently by the first settlers. Till about 1850, a band of Pottawatomies traveled through here regularly every year, and camped at Jefferson Grove. Their reservation was somewhere beyond the Mississippi, and they made an annual journey to Milwaukee to see the Gov- ernment agent stationed there. Their lodges, or wigwams. were composed of some kind of tent material manufactured by themselves, which was supported by poles in the ground. These poles were not carried with them, but when they camped at a grove, as they always did, they would cut down some straight young saplings for the purpose. These were left standing, as they proceeded on their journey, and their lodge poles at Jefferson Grove could be seen as late as 1856-7. These traveling bands numbered all the way from twelve to seventy- five Indians, but there were usually about forty, and they used to stay at Jef- ferson for weeks at a time. The white settlers frequently visited their camps, and were generally received very kindly. Some of the Indians were able to use a few words of English, and a smattering of " Injun," picked up by some of the " pale faces," enabled them to communicate quite freely. They were in the habit of purchasing flour of the whites, and for the rest of their subsistence depended upon the results of their skill in the chase. The muskrat seemed a very popular article of food, and they evinced great judgment in spearing for these amphibious dwellers on the river banks. They knew where their nests were located, and as their spears penetrated the ice, they were pretty sure to impale one or more luekless rats. Their application of the culinary art to the muskrat had more regard for simplicity than cleanliness. They were usually suspended over the fire in the wigwams in their primal condition, neither skinned nor cleaned in the least, and when the hair was burned off and it was pretty well burned through, it was considered in a proper condition for serving up. In warm weather, those passing their encampment would frequently see Indians, of all ages and conditions, loitering around outside of their wigwams in all degrees of nudity, some of them as guiltless of clothing as our first parents. In Winter, when some of their young men were out hunting, when it came night, they would very often drop down in the swamp gra-s or in some grove, and, with nothing but a single blanket or shawl to protect them from the biting cold, proceed to sleep, when it would be supposed that no human being conld thus expose himself without being frozen to death. Their women were usually very busy in the manufacture of bead work and wampum, which they sold to the whites. They possessed wonderful skill, and this work was really beautiful and artistic. There was one peculiarity about them. They would always put away their work the moment a white woman entered their wigwam, though they would allow a man to observe them as closely as he wished for hours. One gentleman states that he took his wife to see this curious industry several times,
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in the belief that she would be able to comprehend the mysteries of the manu- facture if she could see the women at work ; but no sooner would she enter than the beads and shells were put away, and nothing could induce them to resume operations. The Indians were always very peaceable and law abiding, and measurably free from their very common vice, stealing.
The famous old Indian chicf Shabbona was frequently seen in this section, his residence at Shabbona Grove not being very distant. Mr. Flagg, " Const." Reynolds, and other settlers were personally acquainted with him, and they represent him as possessed of two characters very unlike. Seen among civilized men at a dinner or some public occasion, dressed similar to any other well-to-do gentleman, and no one possessed more dignity or decorum, or could converse more intelligently ; but take him among his own Indians in camp, or on a hunt, and no one in the whole band was more a " wild Injun" than he. With his family, Shabbona was encamped at Plum Thicket several weeks at one time, and his two sons, reaching " Const." Reynolds' house one evening, remained with him over night.
Though the notorious Driscoll family lived in this county, a few miles north, this particular section was not very much troubled by the depredations of horse thieves. The settlers were in constant dread, and exercised great precau- tion, but very few horses were actually stolen.
Bridges .- The Rathbun bridge was one of the first built over the Kyte. The contract had been given to some stranger who made a business of bridge- building, and, when it came to the raising, dwellers about Hickory Grove were invited to assist. An attempt to build a bridge across the Kyte at Hickory Grove was also made while yet it was a mere country settlement. The main south road was at first further west than now, though at that time it ran in a diagonal direction as at present, and was merely a crooked, irregular wagon track and not a regularly laid-out road. They forded the Kvte several rods further down-the place where the river banks were worn down in a gradual slope to the.water's edge, though grass grown, is still visible-and after crossing there they wound round to the east to reach Bartholomew's cabin, where travelers very often halted to replenish their stores. When Flagg removed to the other side of the river and built his log cabin, he laid out the present road and it was determined to build a bridge. We do not know who is entitled to the honor of originating the design for that bridge, but for simplicity and ingenuity, it could not easily be excelled. They first got out a great number of logs and prepared them in the same manner as for building a log cabin. With these they proceeded to construct an abutment on each side of the river and then piers in the middle, piling the logs one on top of another precisely as in building a house, only the sides of the abutments toward the land were left open. These houses, or pens, were built about fifteen feet high, and were to be filled up with earth and connected with beams or stringers reaching from one to the other. The filling in with earth was never done and they did not complete the bridge, but as the stringers were placed in position with a flat surface on the top, two or three feet wide, pedestrians, who understood the art of balancing, derived considerable benefit from it. In time this log structure was torn down, and in another bridge that was built " Dave " Stiles had the chief management. This one would have been a success but for one fact-it was hardly raised above the water's edge, and next Spring, when the freshet came, the whole thing was swept away. By this time a bridge had become a necessity, and their next effort resulted in a structure that was replaced some years ago by the present bridge.
a. S Hoadley ROCHELLE
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY,
Before the railroad, there was a stage line running through from Chicago on the old State road, passing Flagg Center, and diverging south to Dixon, run by the old firm of mail carriers, Frink & Walker. Some other stage up and down Rock River, touching at Daysville, furnished the people of this section an opportunity to communicate with the outside world.
The general health of the pioneers was good. That painful and exasperat- ing scourge, " Fever and Ager," found a victim occasionally, but did not make as much headway here as in a great many other places. A sort of bilious dis- order was the most general complaint. Doctors were scarce, there being only two within calling distance in those rural times. Dr. John Roe lived at Light House Point, and Dr. Lyman King was in the western edge of Jefferson Grove. Dr. Roe removed to Nebraska a few years ago, where he subsequently died. Lyman King met a more tragic fate, mortally wounding himself by an accidental discharge of his own gun while he was traveling out West.
Before the advent of the railroad, the south road, after passing Flagg's and, crossing the bridge, continued in a diagonal direction till it reached the ceme- tery ground, where it turned and proceeded directly north. The old cottonwood tree back of Turkington and Hilb's block was just west of the wagon track. A fence ran along on that side of the road, and the field beyond was planted with grain. East of that road it was an open, unfenced common, whose ancient sod had never been rent by the plowshare. The grove at that time extended con- siderably further north, and there was quite a dense tangle of crab apple trees, poplars and hazel brush on the east, but, aside from this, the site of the present city was an unbroken plain, and the countless shade trees that line the streets and ornament the yards and gardens are all of recent growth. Mills Stewart (down by the stone quarry), Flagg and Bartholomew occupied the only three houses within the little neighborhood, and it looked less like a city than an average country cross-roads.
The Village of Lane .- After the death of Bartholomew, his widow, generally known by the familiar title of " Aunt Charlotte," was married to " Mat." Powell, and before her death, which occurred during the past year, she had wedded her third husband, a Mr. Walker. Some capitalists from Rock- ford, R. P. Lane, Thos. D. Robertson and Gilbert D. Palmer, purchased quite an extensive tract from " Aunt Charlotte," including all the land comprised in the original town of Lane, and, being owners when the station was located, one of their number secured the honor of giving the town its name.
The Chicago & North- Western Railway .- The final survey for the Air Line Railroad was made in the Spring of 1853, and on the 14th of January, 1854, the iron was laid and the road completed to this point. A rival survey had been previously made on the line of St. Charles and Oregon, and the road constructed to the former place, and the ambitious denizens at the " seat " were very free in their sneers at what they termed the "Gas Line " Railroad, being very certain that it would never be built, and proportionately sure that theirs would be. But the Air Line continued to be pushed forward, be the propelling force what it would-gas or gold dollars. Several different routes were projected with the evident purpose of inducing competion among the land- owners in order to cheapen the right of way. The work on the railroad pro- gressed very rapidly during the Summer of '53, and at the date above mentioned the last rail was laid connecting Hickory Grove with Chicago. In the mean- time there was great activity at the Grove, or, as we must now call it, Lane Station. There was a great influx of people, all anxious to reap the advantages and embrace the opportunities for money-making that were sure to be developed
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
here by the new railroad. The old Lane Hotel, now the Brackett House, was built that Summer by Horace Coon, who is still a resident of Rochelle, and when the railroad was completed arrangements were made for a grand banquet in the hall over the hotel, there being no bed-room partitions at that time, but the whole second floor was one large apartment and was used for balls and other public gatherings. This banquet was originated in honor of a train of excur- sionists from Chicago, who were celebrating the completion of the new railroad. As the Chicagoans did not put in their appearance, after considerable delay the local participants in the festivities endeavored to get on withont them as well as they could. The most attractive feature of the evening was an original song written by Grandfather Cochrane and his daughter, Mrs. A. S. Hoadley. The words were composed to fit the music of a stirring old Mexican war-song; and the different parts were rendered as follows : Air, Constant N. Reynolds; Tenor, Sidney and A. S. Hoadley ; Bass, Willard P. and Lucins Flagg. The whole company were good singers, and their splendid rendering of the piece, and the general enthusiasm of the occasion, gave it a wonderful effect. The last stanza, as will be seen below, contains a prophetic allusion to the Pacific Rail- road, then hardly looked upon as within the range of remote possibilities. Here are the words of the song :
We come with a song greeting those who helong To the band who have rushed on the railroad so strong, Who have dug up the earth ere injunctions could say Your work is unfinished, so roll, roll away.
A go-ahead spirit is apt to prevail In spite of their saying, ' Their work it will fail " The railing is laid through the whole of the way ; Their doubting is sinking, so roll, roll away.
With triumph we gaze on the structure that's raised, As the great foaming steed rushes on to the play, Through the untraversed plains where the wild beasts do stray. Our triumph is coming, so roll, roll away.
The steam-horse is come to our grove in the West ; Our joy at his coming cannot be expressed ; So those who have striven to hedge up his way May charge their injunction s, and fire, fire away.
Untiring he moves from Chicago to Lane, To haul in our lumber and draw out our grain, So those who have striven his course to delay Must own he has triumphed, and march, march away.
The sound of his snorting is heard on the gale, He'll ne'er be contented until the long rail Has reached the i acific, and their mingling lay Will be music to those who are far, far away.
The steam-horse will neigh on the wave-beaten shore, And whistle a tune to the strong ocean's roar, Then wheel around eastward and make a short stay, Then, snorting and foaming, he'll roll, roll away.
Before the conclusion of the entertainment, a messenger arrived from the excursionists, who met with a disaster at station No. Forty. The engine had broken down, and they very wisely concluded not to come any further. Sev- eral baskets of provisions were taken to them on wagons, and the citizens endeavored to make it as pleasant for them as possible.
S. L. Porter was in charge of the track laying on the new railroad, and John R. Hotaling made his first appearance as a contractor, doing the grading
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
two miles east of Lane. The Major built a small shanty near the old brick yard, in the pasture north of the track, and after finishing the grading he took the job of clearing and leveling off the depot grounds and other like service. Lane was the railroad terminus for about a year, and Hotaling run a passenger wagon from here to Dixon for the benefit of the traveling public.
Business Interests .- One of the first places occupied for business pur- poses was a little log cabin down near the river, on the green plat, opposite Mr. Flagg's old house. It was once a part of Mr. Cochrane's house, at Jeffer- son Grove, and was torn down and drawn over from there a few years before the railroad came. It was at first occupied by a fellow known as " Bruin " Walker. Afterward, Lucius Flagg, brother of Willard P., used it for a dwelling while he carried on a blacksmith shop in a little shanty located a short distance west of the south end of the present bridge. This shop, which was about the first build- ing occupied for business purposes in this city, was conducted by Mr. Flagg nearly two years. During the Summer when the railroad was being built, Mr. Lucius Flagg having removed, the log cabin in which he had lived was turned into a sort of grocery and supply store, under the proprietorship of Mr. M. J. Woodward, who had been connected with the railroad in some way. This little forerunner of future commercial importance was not a very extensive affair and Woodward did not pretend to stay there much of the time. The key to the " store" was left with Mr. Flagg, at his house. and if a customer made his appearance, some one of the family would go down and wait on them, after which the concern was closed up as before. As soon as the stores up town were in operation, Woodward discontinued his little emporium, and the cabin was torn down. Its location can now be seen a few rods west of the bridge on the south side of the river, the excavation for a cellar beneath being yet visible, though covered with green sod.
About the first building erected in Lane for business purposes was a sort of shanty, with a car roof, located about on the southeast corner of Loomis & Co.'s lumber yard. It was owned by some Johnson Brothers, who started up with a stock of goods costing $40, and they prospered so well that by the next Spring they had it all on paper-their stock all gone, and nothing but slates and account books to show for it. Their groceries were chiefly of that variety that comes in kegs and barrels, and is retailed by the glass ; but they kept a small line of tea and coffee, sugar, molasses, vinegar, candles, and other neces- saries. Their establishment was known as "The Shades," but we do not know by whom this romantic appellation was bestowed upon it.
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