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 64
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In Angust, 1834, Col. John D. Stevenson, with his family, arrived from Louisiana, and settled near Mr. Kellogg. Col. Stevenson was born in New York City, but came West when he was 10 years old, and went to New Orleans in 1829. He brought a small stock of goods and " kept store " in his log cabin until 1836, when he built a new store, thus becoming the first merchant or " trader " in all the territory now embraced within the limits of Ogle, White- side, Carroll, Winnebago, Stephenson and Lee Counties. Col. Stevenson still resides in Polo, with his son-in-law. Samuel H. Shoop, Esq., a merchant of the city. who married his daughter Virginia H. Stevenson. Miss. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, a noted physician of Chicago, and well known in literary circles as the author of "A Winter in the West," is another of Col. Stevenson's daughters.
Among others who came in 1834 were Mr. Pearson Shoemaker (present pro- prietor of the " Orient " House at Polo), with his family, and Mr. Sackett.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
In March, 1835, Oliver W. Kellogg and Hugh Stevenson surveyed and platted the town and called it St. Marion, although the name of the post office, then established, was Buffalo Grove. St. Marion was in Buffalo Grove Pre- cinct, of Jo Daviess County, until 1836, when Ogle County was erected and it became a precinct of the new county.
Among those who settled in the vicinity in 1835 were George R. Webster, from Delaware County, New York, Stephen Hull and William Merritt.
Solomon Landis and John Clark settled at Elkhorn Grove, in 1835.
The first school was taught by Simon Fellows, in the Winter of 1834-35, in O. W. Kellogg's house.
Oliver W. Kellogg and George D. HI. Wilcoxon built a saw-mill on Buffalo Creek, near the center of the grove, in 1836, which was of great service to the settlers The mill was near the village of St. Marion (which, until the next year, was only a little group of log cabins), and was put in operation late in the Fall. This mill long since disappeared and now only very slight traces of the old dam and race remain to mark the spot where it stood. This was the first mill within the present limits of Ogle County, which was ther. a part of Jo Daviess County, although soon after their arrival, the Sanfords built a saw- mill on a bend of the same stream, near " Two Mile Grove," within the pres- ent limits of Whiteside County.
In 1836, the permanent settlement of what is now the township of Buffalo: may be considered as finally established, and immigration began to increase. This year, John Waterbury, Solomon Shaver, William Wainsley, B. Beardsley, Abram Schryver, Duncan A. Grant, Thomas Worden and William Nichols, with their families, came together from Delaware Co., N. Y., with teams, being seven weeks and two days on their toilsome journey, and settled in this vicinity.
During this year, also, the first frame buildings were erected in St. Marion, one, a house built by William Merritt, and the other a house and store by Col. J. D. Stevenson.
Messrs. Wales, Hunn & Chandler opened the second store at St. Marion, in 1836, followed by Elijah and Theodore Winn, in 1839-40; L. N. & C. R. Barber, in 1843 ; Job Arnold, in 1844, and Helm & McClure, in 1849.
Virgil A. Bogue came in 1836, with his family. His wife died soon after his arrival ; and he married Harriet Nichols. Mr. Bogue was a prominent and influential man and exercised considerable influence in the community. He was very peculiar, however, very social, but somewhat erratie and made many personal enemies. He was a man of ability, and afterward became Judge of the County Court.
The first school house was a frame structure, built by subscription, in 1836-7. This building served the double purpose of school house and church. In 1858, it was converted into a United Brethren Church, and was occupied by that people for about two years, when it was sold. It is still standing, and is the present residence of Mr. Ephraim Isham.
About 1839, the name of the village of St. Marion was changed to Buffalo, and so continued until after Polo was founded by Zenas Aplington and others, when gradually it came to be called " Old Town," and in 1878 was generally known by that name.
In 1843, the first public schools were organized under the laws of the State. The entire township was embraced in one school district. William M. Mason, Joseph Kellogg, Timothy Perkins, D. L. Henry and Horace Chatfield com- posed the first Board of School Trustees, and there were sixty scholars in the district. The first term of the district school was taught by Mr. Alfred M.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
Webster, the second term by Mr. Chanceford R. Barber, and the amount paid to the teachers for the school year was $76.29.
In 1852, a steam saw-mill was erected by Cornelius Woodruff, which was purchased by George D. Read, Esq., in the Fall of the same year, and the mill furnished a large number of ties for the Illinois Central Railroad, then being built.
In the same year, Alfred IIelm erected a distillery, and operated it until 1856, when it was converted into a steam flouring-mill, by Theron Palmeter, and became useful to humanity.
When the railroad was completed and the new town of Polo, about one mile east, sprang into existence, Buffalo lost its prestige, became "Old Town," and in 1878 there was no store within its limits.
A brief sketch of an institution which was opened in 1853, and exercised a powerful and salutary influence in this part of the county and State, for two years, will form a fitting close for this brief history of the old town of St. Marion, afterward Buffalo. This was
THE ROCK RIVER NORMAL SCHOOL.
This school was established at Buffalo, in 1853, by the energy and perse- verance of Prof. John W. Frisbee. Mr. Frisbee was a native of Delaware County, N. Y., and graduated with honor at the State Normal School of Albany, N. Y., in 1847. He taught school in his native connty until May, 1849, when he came West and located at Buffalo, full of enthusiasm in the noble work to which he devoted his life, engaged in teaching, and secured the confidence of the people and the affection of his pupils to a remarkable degree. In the Winter of 1849-50, he taught a private school in the building occupied by Isaiah Wilcoxon as a dwelling and post office, the school being " up stairs." In the Winter of 1851-2, he taught in the old school house, a new one having been erected, and at the same time the Winter term of the public school was taught by Misses Phrocine (afterward Mrs. J. W. Frisbee) and Adelaide White- side. In the Winter of 1852-3, Mr. Frisbee's school was in a room over Johnston's shoemaker shop, now the residence of Charles E. Reed. But this did not fill the measure of his ambition. He had long cherished the idea of establishing a normal school, and to the accomplishment of which object he devoted all his energies. In the Spring and Summer of 1853, he erected, aided by subscriptions (in shares of $10, to be refunded in tuition), a building on the east side of the State road, a few rods south of the town plat, on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 17, Township 23 N., Range 8 E.
This building was two stories in height, and built of what is termed " grout," and, in fulfillment of his long cherished hopes, he opened the " Rock River Normal School " in August, 1853. Following is a copy of Mr. Frisbee's first circular, which possesses historical interest :
ROCK RIVER NORMAL SCHOOL.
(Located at Buffalo Grove, Ill.)
This School will open Monday, August 8, 1853, quarter to continue eleven weeks. The WINTER TERM will commence the first Monday in November, and continue twenty-two weeks. This Institution is designed : 1. For those who have not had the advantages of an early educa- tion. 2. For those who are preparing to teach. 3. For those who desire a complete course of English Studies. Tuition per quarter of Eleven Weeks : For Common Branches, $3.00; for lligher Branches and Mathematics, $4.00. Persons may procure their tuition at one-fourth less than the full price by taking a share ($10) or shares in the Institution. The Principal will be happy to meet his friends at the School Building, on the opening of the Institution (Monday, August 8th), at 10 A. M., when he will explain more fully the plan of the School, and give opportunity to those desirous of aiding it to become subscribers.
Buffalo Grove, August 1, 1853.
---
J. W. FRISBEE, Principal.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
The school was conducted with remarkable ability for two years, but the brilliant principal did not live to realize the full fruition of his hopes. He was elected County Superintendent of Schools, and while conducting a Teachers' Institute at Oregon, in October, 1855, contracted the seeds of disease, from over work, which terminated his useful life, November 26, 1855, at the age of 28 years. Hon. J. D. Campbell, in his Centennial sketch of Buffalo Township, says :
The deepest sorrow was manifested over the loss of this brilliant teacher and accomplished gentleman. The writer cannot forbear to record here his grateful memory of the kindness of this noble hearted man to him in his youthful days, when we roamed the flowery dells and climbed the heetling cliffs of " old Delaware County" together.
It is proper to add that his old pupils and friends, in 1858, subscribed a fund sufficient to erect an appropriate monument to his memory, which was erected over his grave in the old cemetery at Buffalo ; and his name is now mentioned gratefully and affectionately by his pupils of twenty-four years ago, who still remember his faithful and earnest devotion to the cause of education and religion.
After Prof. Frisbee's death, the school was continued until the following Spring by Dr. J. H. More and Romeyn Whiteside. In the Summer of 1856, the public school taught by Mrs. Phrocine Frisbee and Hattie E. Frisbee (now Mrs. J. H. More) was, for convenience, held in the Normal School building. In the Winter of 1856-57, Mr. N. B. Heth taught school in the building, fol- lowed by Mr. Orello Cone, in the Winter of 1857-58, and by Mr. John W. Clinton in the Summer following.
The building was taken down about 1862, and a portion of its walls used in the construction of sidewalks.
Buffalo Grove was called "Nanusha " by the Indians, the word signifying " Buffalo," from the fact that the grove called by that name was formerly a favorite resort for these animals, and immense quantities of buffalo bones were found in this locality after the arrival of the white settlers. Hence the name, " Buffalo Grove."
About 1849 or 1850, Zenas Aplington, who owned a portion of the land on which the original town of Polo was afterward built, moved the frame house built in 1836 by William Merritt in the old town of St. Marion (afterward called Buffalo) to his farm and located on the prairie about a mile, a little north of east of Buffalo. On the north side of the house he planted some locust trees. When the town was afterward surveyed, these trees were found to be in a street, which was named Locust street from that fact, and his house was about in the center of Lot 1, Block 21, near Franklin street. There was also a log cabin near the southern limits of the original town, occupied by Jared Webster, and these were the only buildings standing on the prairie at that time.
In the Winter of 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad Company was incor- porated, and in the Spring and early Summer following, several routes were sur- veyed through Ogle County from Dixon to Freeport. These surveys were com- pleted before August, and then before location was definitely made, right of way must be secured, as will be seen from the following copy of a letter to Chester K. Williams, Esq .:
RECEIVER'S OFFICE, DIXON, ILL., August 1, 1851.
DEAR SIR: I take the liberty of enclosing you one of the relinquishments which the Central Railroad Company will require every man to sign who gives the right of way through his land.
Much will depend, so far as the location of the road is concerned, upon the cost of the right of way, and would recommend that you agitate the subject among those in your vicinity who own land on the surveyed route from here to Freeport, and inform them of the necessity of giving
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
the right of way. Your early attention to this matter may be the means of having the road located in the neighborhood of your place. I am, sir,
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
CYRUS ALDRICH.
The location of the road south of this point unmistakably indicates the origi- nal design to have been to pass through Buffalo, but owing to difficulty in secur- ing the right of way, and objections on the part of some of the prominent citizens of that town owning real estate, the original design was changed and the road was located about a mile cast of the original survey through Apling- ton's farm, where the present city of Polo was founded.
Early in the Spring of 1852, the road having been located, contracts were awarded and vigorous work commenced all along the line. Mr. Aplington had the contract for eight miles, extending northward from a point about a mile south of the present limits of the city. Soon after securing the contract, Mr. Aplington moved another frame building from Buffalo, placed it on the north- east corner of Block 21, corner of Franklin and Locust streets, and used it for an office and store, and here was the first store in Polo. He also built a black- smith shop, which was, after the town was laid out, on the north side of Locust street. near the southwest corner of Lot 7, Block 22.
In March, 1853, or earlier, a town plat, called by the proprietors the "Town of Polo," in honor of Marco Polo, the celebrated Venetian traveler, had been laid out and surveyed by Charles W. Joiner, County Surveyor of Ogle County, assisted by Cyrus Torrey and John Nyman, chainmen. This town plat was " partly on the northeast quarter of Section No. 16, and partly on southeast quarter of Section No. 9, in Township 23, North Range 8 East of Fourth Principal Meridian." It was bounded on the north, on the west side of the railroad, by North street, and on the east side of the railroad by Dixon street ; on the east by Prairie street ; south, it extended to what is now Webster street, and the western boundary was marked on the plat as the "Buffalo and Free- port road," now Division street.
On the 21st day of March, 1853, Mr. Joiner certified on the back of the original plat that he had " laid out and surveyed the within town plat, called the Town of Polo;" and he further certified "that said town was laid out at the instance and request of Benjamin B. Provost, John Dement and Zenas Aplington, the proprietors of the same." Mr. Provost was the Chief Engineer of the Illinois Central Railroad, and Dement was a well-known citizen of Dixon ; Aplington, the farmer, whose farm had thus become the site of a future city.
The original plat embraces about one-sixth of the present territory of the city of Polo. Various additions have since been made, among which were Chatfield's First and Second, Aplington's First and Second, Luckey's, Hull's, Burns & Goodhne's, Rufus Perkins', Barber's, Fisher's, Waterbury's First and Second, Herrick's, Cutts' and others.
The first public sale of lots after the town was laid out was in May, 1853, but the plat was not acknowledged by the proprietors until February, 1854, and was recorded March 15, 1854, when those who had purchased lots began to want deeds.
The railroad was practically completed in December, 1853. Memoranda in the possession of C. K. Williams, Esq., enable him to state that the con- tractors had completed their work before December 1, 1853. The bridge across Rock River, at Dixon, however, was delayed, and was not completed for the passage of trains until about a year later, the first train crossing about January 1. 1855 : but trains were previously run on the new road from Freeport south
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
to Forreston and Polo, and the road was ironed further north. Mr. Bassett states that he shipped lumber, and other materials for building, from Chicago, via the Galena & Chicago Union, from Freeport, thence to Forreston, on the Illinois Central, in the early Spring of 1854. The road was completed, ready for traffic, before the completion of the bridge at Dixon.
In the total absence of reliable records from which to obtain accurate in- formation, it is impossible to determine from the memories of those who were here at that time, how much the town was improved during the Summer of 1853, while the railroad was approaching completion. It does not seem probable that the purchasers of lots in May, 1853, would permit them to remain inimproved for any considerable time. Western towns were not built in that way. Mr. Martin F. Bassett, who came to Polo in August, 1853, states that Harrison Coller commenced building a house on the west side of Franklin street, ust north of the stone building occupied in 1878 by J. D. Campbell, Esq., in the Fall of 1853, and pushed it to completion as rapidly as possible. How many others were engaged in similar work cannot now be determined, but it is certain chat some improvements were made during the Summer and Fall of 1853. The first brick building erected in Polo was built by Zenas Aplington, at the northi- east corner of Mason and Franklin streets, which is still standing. There is a difference of opinion, or of remembrance, rather, in relation to the date of the erection of this building, but from the best information at hand it appears prob- ible that the excavations were made and the foundation walls laid in the Sum- ner of 1853; that the walls of the brick superstructure were erected later in the same year; and that the building was so far completed that late in the Fall Mr. Aplington moved his goods from the old store into the basement, and added new stock soon after. Mr. Bassett states that Mr. Daniel Higley bought a mall stock of goods and occupied the old store vacated by Mr. Aplington, shortly after the latter moved into his new building. Mr. Aplington finished is building during the Winter following, and in the Spring of 1854, opened is store on the first floor.
Among the first wants to be supplied in a town just springing into exist- ence, as Polo was at that time, was hotel accommodations. The first to be built was a story and a half house, with a wing, on Lot 12, Block 14, on the east ide of Franklin street, north of the alley in the rear of Aplington's building. It was built by Aranda Kellogg, in the Fall and Winter of 1853-4, who after- vard sold it to Ahira Sanford. About the same time, John Jay built a public house on the southeast corner of Block 23, corner of Franklin and Dixon treets. The precise date of the erection of these taverns cannot now be de- ermined, but they were both said to be open to the public in the Spring of 1854.
In the Spring of 1854, the larger part of the town was yet owned by Messrs. Provost, Dement and Aplington, but from that date the work of build- ng the new town was vigorously prosecuted. The music of the saw and the hammer was heard on every hand. During that season, a large number of buildings were erected, and the population had increased so rapidly that, in the Vinter of 1854-5, a school was opened, by Lucy A. Bassett, in a small build- ng erected by Mr. Williams, known as the "Williams Building," on the horth side of Mason street, near Division. The following Summer, she taught chool in a building near the corner of Division and Locust streets.
In 1855, Harrison Sanford built a two-story brick building on the south- ast corner of Block 21, corner of Mason and Franklin streets. This building was designed for a hotel, and, when completed, was opened as the "Sanford
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
House." Subsequently, another story was added to this house, and a new wing was built ; but it was considered unsafe, and was razed to give place to a better structure about 1870. Soon after the Sanford House was built, in the Fall and Winter of 1855-6, Mr. Pearson Shoemaker built a hotel on the southwest corner of Block 9, on the corner of the railroad way and Depot street. This, in 1878, is called the Orient House, and the original builder is the proprietor.
The corner stone of the Presbyterian Church was laid in 1855, and the edifice was completed and dedicated to the Living God in 1857.
A Lodge of A., F. & A. M. was organized in 1855, followed in March, 1856, by a Lodge of Odd Fellows.
In 1856, the first printing office was established in Polo. From it was issued, for a few months, a Democratic paper called the Polo Sentinel, F. O. Austin, publisher. [See " Press," on page 447].
The act incorporating the town of Polo was approved February 16, 1857, and this act was amended February 18, 1859. Soon after its incorporation, the charter was accepted, and the town was legally organized by the election of a Board of Trustees. [See "Political Organization."]
The first Station Agent at Polo was S. Y. Perce, until the road was com- pleted. The first physicians were Drs. Wm. W. Burns and Robert Fisher. The first attorney was T. O. Baird, who remained but a short time; the first to locate permanently was the Hon. John D. Campbell, in 1855, followed by J. W. Carpenter soon after.
In 1858, Messrs. Goodwillie, Cairns & Jimmerson erected a steam planing- mill, sash, door and blind factory, at a cost of $4,000, which has been in operation but a portion of the time since.
In the Fall of the same year, Mr. F. O. Wilder commenced the manufacture of melodeons, but abandoned the enterprise about a year afterward. Mr. Cor- nelius Woodruff erected a stone building on the east side of Franklin street, : short distance south of Mason, at a cost of $5,000. Polo Lodge, I. O. O. F .. added the third story to this building, finished and furnished it for an Odc Fellows' Hall, which at that time was considered one of the finest ir the State. During the year 1858, fifty-five buildings were erected, valued a $35,000.
In 1868, Mr. William Illingworth erected a flouring-mill in Polo, at a cos of some eighteen thousand dollars, which was subsequently purchased by Messrs. Black Brothers, and has proven to be a profitable enterprise and : great convenience to the citizens of the township and surrounding country.
In the Fall and Winter of 1870-1, "Exchange Block" was erected, on the northwest corner of Mason and Franklin streets, on the site of the old Sanford House, by Messrs. Wayne & Schell, at a cost of $23,000. It is a fine bricl building, three stories, 44x88 feet. The Exchange National Bank occupie. the southeast corner of the building, on the first floor. The Post Office and Mr Chaffee's confectionery store occupy the first floor fronting Franklin street, and the store fronting Mason street is occupied by II. W. Fagley as a dry good store. The Exchange Hotel occupies the two upper stories and the north roon on the ground floor. This hotel was opened by Col. J. H. Prescott, in May 1872; and in 1878, under his management, it is one of the best managed coziest, most home-like hotels in the State.
In 1877, the City Building was erected on the east side of Franklin street a short distance south of Mason. It is a handsome brick building, one story high, and contains the city offices and police station.
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HISTORY OF OGLE COUNTY.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
From 1844 to 1858-9, the growth of the town was vigorous and rapid. In 1857, the new town contained an estimated population of 1,000 and at the close of 1858 its business interests were summed up as follows :
Two printing offices and newspapers, three hotels, nine grain dealers, seven dry goods stores, two drug and book stores, two hardware stores, two millinery stores, one melodeon factory, one wind grist-mill, one steam planing-mill, three blacksmith shops, two bakeries, fifteen carpenters, four shoe shops, three law- yers, two coal yards, one wagon factory, one wood turner, three tailors, one cooper shop, three harness shops, one tin shop, one paint and oil store, two painters, two dentists, four practicing physicians, one funiture room and cabinet shop, and four lumber yards.
In the next year, 1859, Geo. Huntley & Co. began the manufacture of R. K. Frisbee's patent broadcast sower and drill combined.
In 1878, the principal business interests of the city are represented as follows :
General Merchandise .- C. F. Barber, September, 1859 ; Bingamen & Cunningham, 1860; S. H. Shoop, 1864 ; M. Meyers & Son, 1869 ; O. Z. Hicks, 1867 ; D. L. Miller, 1867.
Dry Goods .- H. W. Fagley, 1876 ; D. G. Hayes, -; E. Welch, 1876. Groceries .- A. Ellicott, 1866 ; Finfrock & Baker, 1870 ; Joseph Geeting, 1872; S. Beard & Brother, 1874 ; L. A. Newcomer, 1877; Grangers' Com- mission Store, 1876.
Druggists and Apothecaries .- J. L. Spear, 1865; T. Aldrich, 1866.
Books and Stationery .- The Druggists.
Paints, Oils and Notions .- Smith & Thomas, 1870.
Boots and Shoes .- J. J. Thompson, 1872.
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