USA > Wisconsin > Rock County > Beloit > Past made present : the first fifty years of the First Presbyterian Church and congregation of Beloit, Wisconsin together with a history of Presbyterianism in our state up to the year 1900 > Part 26
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NOTE .- During the Revolutionary war the Connecticut Colony built for coast defense three galleys, one of these was called The Crane, in honor, doubtless, of this family, who so loyally stood by the colony. July 16, 1776, at solicitation of Gen. Washington, the galleys Whiting and Crane were ordered to New York to assist in the defense there under direction of Washington.
NOTE 2 .- The Crane family armorial was a silver shield, having a hori- zontal red bar and three crosslets and a crane above, or in technical terms, " argent, a fesse between, three crosses crosslet, fitchee Gules, crest a crane proper." One family added also the motto, "Qui pascit corvos (sparrows) non obliviscitur gruis."-"He who feeds the sparrows does not forget the crane."
On Wednesday, July 15th, 1891, the Semi-Centennial of the settlement of Beaver Dam, Wis., occurred the dedication in that city of the Williams Free Library building. This beautiful modern structure, built of cut stone, and costing with the lot about thirty thousand dollars, was presented to the city by banker John J. Williams. (See page 275.) He has since passed away, but the building is his permanent memorial.
A census printed in the Beloit Journal of May 26, 1853, gives the total population of Beloit as 2,374, and number of dwelling houses 551. It also reports the Presbyterian church membership of that date (63 males, 72 females ) 135.
The Journal of December 22, 1854, says, "The railroad from Chicago to Beloit is now completed."
The Hackett public fountain on West Bridge Street, Beloit, Wis., was presented to the city by Mrs. Ella Adams, as a memorial of her father, John Hackett, Esq. (See page 36.)
Gridley Chapel.
Gridley Chapel, at the corner of Strong and Barstow avenues, Beloit, was recently built and furnished by William B. Strong as a memorial to his father. (See pp. 38-40.) The walls are of red brick, the interior is finished in Georgia pine, it seats 250 and cost about $3,500. It was dedicated August 27, 1899, as a Union Church, and, with its regular services, pastor and Sun- day school in that neighborhood of new homes, has already begun to be a permanent power for good.
A TRANSCRIPT FROM THE RECORDS.
The hand writing of our first session clerk, A. J. Battin, was remarkably perfect. The letter sent by the church to its absent members in California and their reply (see page 54) are here given in fac-simile as recorded by Mr. Battin.
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1853 The annual Church meeting was held this day, and an election was held to Jany 3" supply the vacancy in the Eldershiver the place of those whose terms of service halv Monday expired, and also to supply a vacancy in the Deaconshiv for the same reason. The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, and opened with prayer. Minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
A revolution was then passed that we proceed to the election of three Elders to server for three years each. from this date, whereupon Bros. Asahel Clark, Oterry- Means and Aaron Natron were duly elected.
A revolution was then passed that we proceed to the election of two Deacons, to serve for two years each, from this date, Whereupon Bros. E. S. Caprovando Charles Jeck were dily elected.
Bro: John Fisher chr. was re-elected Treasurer, for the ensuing year. A resolution was passed that the bleck of the Session should be also Clerk of the Church, and a standing rule for future action.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. A. J. Gattin lelk.
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1852 Brethren
July 30th Each for himself is no stranger to the plaques of his own heart; suffer therefore Friday. aword of exportation. Watch unto prayer. Cluster with us around one common mercy seat; and may our prayers in your behalf , meet with a ready response at your hands, and say your fervency attest yourearnestness to secure the blessings, which are no necessary for your spiritual welfare. Let it be seen and fell ; that you are the children of god; and may your conversation and department; be a constant rebuke to the spirit of ungodlines, that prevails around you. Oh be faithful to your Saviour, to your . selves, and to all within the reach of your influence . We beseach you to follow after righteousness, faith, love, patience, meknes. Endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold, on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses; and may your hearts be comforted and established in every good word, and work. And may the love of Jode, our Heavenly Father, the grace of Jesus Christ our Favour, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Ghost abide with you forever. Amen. A.S. Battin Celle. Signed. A. Eddy Moderator.
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1853. The following letter was received from the brethren in California, in andever to the one Jeby 6th sent them in accordance with a resolution housed at a special meeting of the Jesion convened on Thursday July 29th 1852, and read before the church this day
Nevada Lesty, Nevada Co- California. Dec: 8th 1852.
To the First Resbyterian Church in Beloit, Mis,
Dearly Beloved,
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God's his providence hav planted, prwlines in different places " Wehave left the home we love, and it's kindred , ties , and the Church , with which we have been so closely united. Jis twee, we have passed through dangers by land and by water, and the scenes and society with which we must necessarily muv= gle are rugged. It has been a great-relief to us, to feel that the arme of god's loving, mercy were thrown around non Our way was also made les grievous by tokens of sympathy we so often received from our relations; and it was what we expected.
But when we received your line of "greeting", which was perused with nosmall degree of interest, we must-way, that our path seemed brighter, suver; and that the ties with which we are bound to our Mother church, were drawn closer and stronger". It has been read by Brothers O. A. Smith. Stocking, Culbert, Helm, and myself, and Ineed not tell you, with emotions that forbid utterance. you have rightly viewed ris, as having left home and the church of our choice, and where we feel the breathing forth of such tender solicitudes and friendly exportation on your account, we have an additional proof of the attachment that exists betweennon Whilei've evere present with you, the hours spent in those stated reasons for concert and prayers were too often pregnant with petitions fervently pressed to the mercy seat for brethren and sisters absent, not to feel that we should be held in grateful, les embrance. Letters from ouw several families, informing us how often the walls of that ripper roomaremade vocal in the fervent supplication in our behalf, strengthen, we inor presentimento And when your letter freighted with such assurances of love; enchi admonitions of kindness; Auch exportations of anxiety concerning, wo; our belief was confirmed that prayers were often put up for those absent in California, and that truly we were of one family
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NOTE about Mrs. Lucena Dearborn and Dr. D. K. Pearsons. - Mrs. Rice Dearborn, mentioned on p. 33, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Foster, in Beloit, September 25, 1899, age 83 years. She came to Beloit in 1838 as Lucena Cheney.
During the Beloit College commencement of 1898, Dr. D. K. Pearsons told how, on a summer day in his youth, there stopped at his father's door several covered wagons, in one of which he saw a young matron and four pretty girls who made a decided impression on him. He followed them west in his mind, soon learned that they had gone to Beloit, Wis., and that was what first directed his attention to this place.
The five girls in that wagon were sisters, daughters of Isaac Cheney. The young matron was Mrs. Moore, carrying her infant son Webster and becoming, next winter, the mother of a little girl, who is now the wife of Wm. B. Strong. The four blooming girls were Caroline Cheney (Mrs. Hill), Azuba (Mrs. Joseph Carr), Lovisa (Mrs. Dyer of Chicago), and this Lucena. By unconsciously leading the generous Dr. Pearsons to Beloit those blooming cheeks of sixty-two years ago certainly did not bloom in vain.
Mrs. Dearborn was one of the charter members of the Beloit M. E. church, and about twenty years afterwards united with the Presbyterians. For several years she taught school in Beloit and one of her pupils was George A. Houston (see pp. 54 and 59), who died at Rockford, Ill., October 20, 1899.
The tornado which blew down our Presbyterian church steeple on Mon- day, June 11th, 1883 (see page 108), expended its destructive force in a brief space of time and on a narrow path. Coming sud- denly from the South- west at about ten minutes of six, p. m., it first de- molished the covered N. W. R. R. bridge, shown on page 82, leaving it the mass of ruin here de- picted. The force then seemed to divide or to take two narrow paths. One part, rushing up the river, lifted the roof of Hamlin and Race's store NORTHWESTERN R. R. BRIDGE, BELOIT, WIS. Tornado Ruin, June 12, 1883. Looking S. E at west end of central bridge, and almost at the same instant demolished the east side paper mill, causing there the loss of one life. The other part tore off the metal roof and front battlement of the Triple block on the south side of East Bridge street, corner of State, doing no damage to buildings south or to the Parker Block (now Wm. B. Strong's) or the Salmon Block next west, as the accompanying view shows. Having
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truck that solid Corner Block at an elevation of about twenty feet from the ground, the tornado immediately afterwards bounded upwards and, passing Northeast over a thickly settled portion of the city, twisted off the steeples of the Presbyterian, Baptist and Congregational churches without overturn- ing so much as a shed at the ground surface All of this destruction occurred within two or three minutes and was followed by a heavy down- pour of rain. Had the tornado struck ten minutes later many men and women would probably have been coming around that southwest corner of State and Bridge streets on their way home from work. The T 1883, in one cornice of the rebuilt block is a memorial of the owner's gratitude that the material loss there incurred involved no loss of human life.
BAILY
ROOM'S
DRY Goole, BORT & BAILEY, CANEN
SOUTH SIDE OF EAST BRIDGE ST., BELOIT, WIS. After the Tornado of June 11, 1883.
West Broad street, where the new Northwestern depot is now being erected (July, 1900), was, in the early times, a street of pleasant homes and several of our Presbyterian families lived there. Just before those trees and houses on the north side of that street were removed last January, the accompanying picture was taken. The last house on the right was the residence of David P. Miller. Next to that, East, was the McAlpin home. Mr. and Mrs. McElhenny also lived on that side, I believe. The nearest of the houses represented was the residence and office of dentist, Dr. Sher- wood, and became later the home of jeweler, H. N. Sherman. That portion of a brick building shown at the extreme right is the S. W. corner of the rear of what used to be the old hardware store of L. G. Fisher.
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NORTH SIDE OF WEST BROAD ST., BELOIT, JANUARY, 1900.
The first leader of a young people's meeting in connection with our church was Lucy Ann Brown, who joined at the first communion (pp. 48, 68, 102). She was one of the earliest organists of the church, a most devoted christian and died in Beloit in 1855, at the age of 19.
The first member of the church to become a minister (p. 69), Lyman
LUCY A. BROWN, 1836-1855.
REV. LYMAN JOHNSON.
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MISS BESSIE CLARK.
Johnson, is still in active service as an independent street preacher and as an editor at Toledo, Ohio.
The first member of our Christian En- deavor society to pass away was Miss Bessie Clark (p. 84), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Clark, who died at Beloit, Wis., April 24, 1894, aged twenty years.
The first of our Presbyterian young men to become a college president, Louis E. Holden, was not the tenth produced by Beloit College as stated on page 69, but the eleventh. The full list, with class year of each, is as follows :
Peter McVicar, '56, Ex. Washburn, Kansas, Mo.
James W. Strong, '58, Carleton, Noth-
field, Minn.
Thomas C. Chamberlin, '66, Ex. Wis. University, Madison.
Henry C. Simmons, '69, Fargo College, N. Dakota (died Dec., 1899). Thomas D. Christie, '71, Tarsus, St. Paul's Institute, Asiatic Turkey. Edward D. Eaton, '72, Beloit College.
Joseph H. Chamberlin, '72, Marietta, O.
C. Frank Gates, '77, Euphrates, Harpoot, Asiatic Turkey.
George M. Herrick, '78, Washburn, Topeka, Kansas.
Alfred C. Wright, '80, Congregational Training School, El Paso, Tex. Louis E. Holden, '88, Wooster University, Wooster, O.
Of Prof. J. J. Blaisdell, as the writer remembers him, the accompanying likeness represents his appearance when teaching. But behind that intense look was a capacity for humorous expression. Once when a student an- swered Professor's question about the previous lesson by saying, "I have forgotten." Blaisdell replied, "No, Mr. N. you do injustice to your mem- ory. The trouble with you is, not that you have forgotten, but that you never knew."
Albert D. Burns (pp. 69, 122), a senior in Beloit College and one of our candidates for the ministry, was acci- dentally drowned in Rock river Janu- ary 26, 1900.
Hampered by narrow means he had struggled long and successfully for an education and the effort had devel- oped in his heart a deep sympathy for all who thus strive. The one sermon, which he had just written and preached (from Matthew, XI, 28), was an expression of that feeling.
LOUIS E. HOLDEN, M.A., D. D.
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Although not a brilliant student he was so dili- gent that his in- tellectual pow- ers were grow- ing every day. He was not only honest but also manly in every way, and above all, Christlike in character. He had been presi- dent of our young people's Christian En- deavor society and had been elected and was serving with his usual fidelity as president of the College Y. M. C. A. society. On the "Day of Prayer for Col- leges," he con-
PROF. J. J. BLAISDELL.
ducted the college morn- ing prayer meeting with impressive earnestnessand attended several other ser- vices. Friday morning, feeling the need of some exercise before the after- noon examinations, he went up the river skating, alone and so met his death.
His fellow students all respected him and many loved him. Nearly all the 400 students of the college and academy followed the bier to the depot, and rep- resentatives of the faculty and students, with his pastor, accompanied the remains to his home at Sweetwater, 111.
ALBERT DENNIS BURNS.
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THE OLYMPIANS, 1867.
Our boys, who play ball, will doubtless like to see this picture of the old Beloit Olympians, champions of the State in 1867-68, Naming them from left to right, the upper row are, Edwin S. Chadwick, c. f., Wm. A. Cochran, pitcher, Robt. M. Town, 2b., George Marston, r. f .; the lower row are, Milo C. Jones, 1. f., Alfred Burrall, 1b., Charley Bicknell, s. s., Willard T. Hyde, 3b. and Harmon B. Tuttle, (sitting lowest,) catcher and captain. Tuttle, Town and Chadwick each stood fully 6 feet 1 inch.
The club began to attract notice in 1866 when it numbered forty mem- bers. W. A. Cochran of '67, son of our Elder, was then their President; Town of '68, Vice-President; John C. Grant, Secretary and Ed. F. Carpenter of '70, Treasurer. Carpenter and L. S. Sweezey of '68 were right fielders, Colton and H. C. Hammond, left fielders, and the official scorer was Charles B. Salmon. I am not sure whether tallies were still recorded by cutting notches on a stick, but there were plenty of them to be notched. The pitcher had to swing a straight arm and give the kind of ball wanted; and any one could run on a fly hit. Hence these scores :
October 8, 1866. Olympians vs. Bower City of Janesville, 61 to 8. October 24, 1866. Olympians vs. Badger Club of Beloit, 32 to 19.
(The Badgers were, Bullock, c., Bailey, p., Allen, s. s., Lawrence, 1b., Taggart, 2b., Willett, 3b., Field, l. f., Barr, c. f., Esplen, r. f.)
November 10, 1866. Olympians vs. Unions of Rockton, 43 to 8.
May 28, 1867. Olympians vs. Whitewater, at Janesville, 59-19. Time, 3 hours and 55 minutes.
June 8, 1867. Olympians vs. Whitewater, at Beloit, 49 to 33.
June 15, 1867. Olympians vs. Capital, of Madison, at Beloit, 23 to 12.
In that game Cochran was running fron 3d to home. The ball thrown to cut him off came low to the catcher who stood directly on his path, but as the man stooped to take the ball Cochran jumped right over him without being touched and gained his base.
Their most exciting contest, however, was with the Cream City Club of Milwaukee, champions of the State, (and not bashful). The first game
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with them was played at the Badger grounds, on the prairie south-west of town, (now Hackett's addition and built up), June 19, 1867. I remember that Cochran, who led the batters, let the first ball pass him. "How was that ball?" said the Milwaukee pitcher. "That was all right" replied Cochran, "Give me another like it." He got one and hit it,so squarely and so far over the prairie that when he had gone around the bases the ball had not yet reached the diamond. That three and a half hours game resulted, Olympians, 44, including five home runs; Cream City, 25, with two home runs.
In the second game, played at Milwaukee, the Olympians were defeated. The third and decisive contest was held at Janesville. In that game a high fly ball seemed likely to drop just outside the fence near first base. Burrall ran and climbed the fence and, standing on the top stringer, took the ball at arm's length as it came down. For that occasion the Cream City's had imported a pitcher from the National club, of Washington, D. C. But the Olympians won the game and championship by the score of 61 to 12.
Like the old Olympians, the present Beloit College Base Ball Team con- tains several Presbyterian boys, including four sons of Presbyterian minis- ters. The photograph of 1898 shows with the nines their first coach, Dr. Hollister, to whose training much of their success is due. Thanks to good instructions from both the Hollisters, the College nine of 1899-1900, also here represented, has taken high rank among the strongest college players of the west. Beaten by close margins, they have also defeated Illinois, Ann Arbor, Notre Dame, Oberlin and Northwestern Universities, and closed this year's play by defeating Madison University, 5 to 1 and 10 to .2.
Beloit Base Ball Team, 1900. Names. as numbered on the cut :
FIRST NINE. CLASS YEAR.
1. Edwards B. Brown, captain, second base, 1901. Sig.
2. Merle T. Adkins, pitcher and right field, - 1903. Sig.
3. Orlie G. Morey, pitcher and right field,
4. Robert L. Brown, short stop,
1902. Sig
1902. Beta.
6. John A. Dupee, center field and catcher,
7. William H. Allen, third base,
8. Conrad Jacobson, catcher,
1900.
9. Don. J. Slater, first base, Academy.
SECOND NINE.
10. W. T. Clark, '03. 11. D. C. Planck, '03. 12. F. W. Dupee, '03. 13. A. W. Badger, '02. 14. F. E. Cronkhite, '03. 15. R. Allen Merrill, '03. 16. J. A. Newlands, '03. 17. J. McQuade, '03. 18. Lorentzen, Academy. 19. Manager, Wm. T. Whitney, 1900, Sig.
(NOTE .- The prowess of our boys in foot ball, tennis and golf does not call for any record here.)
Getting Pearls in Sugar River.
In August, 1897, some of our Beloit Presbyterian boys followed the pre- vailing craze for seeking pearls in the clam shells of Sugar river, ten miles west of Beloit. Their tent was pitched on the high river bank, a few rods north of the road, two and a half miles west of Shirland station, south-west
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Academy.
5. Edward S. Merrill, left field and pitcher,
1903. Phi Psi.
1902. Phi Psi.
9
14
3
2
8
16
17
BELOIT COLLEGE BASE BALL TEAM, 1900. FIRST AND SECOND NINES.
BELOIT COLLEGE BALL, NINE AND SUBSTITUTES OF 1898.
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of Beloit. Visiting it I found no occupants but, on going a little farther up stream, saw and sketched the accompaning scene, which explains itself.
The pearl fishers grub up the clams from the river bottoni, sometimes- as here, collecting them in a bag, and make a pile of the shells on shore. Then they go through the unpleasant task of opening the hundreds of shells and feeling for pearls, usually in vain.
This stream affords twelve kinds of clams, several of them pearl bear- ing, and has yielded many small pearls, some being of considerable value. In a thick, rough backed shell one of our boys found a white pearl of per- fectly globular shape and of pure lustre like a drop of dew, but of compara- tively small size. It was large enough, however, to be honorably set in a ring and worn as a noticable solitaire.
Getting pearls from -
clam shell- in Sugar River,
.W. F. B.
Aug, 1897 --
GETTING PEARLS FROM CLAMS IN SUGAR RIVER.
The Eclipse Wind mill.
(Correcting the foot note on page 149.)
Rev. L. H. Wheeler, mentioned on page 148, when a missionary to the Indians at Odanah, Wis., invented a self-regulating, pumping wind mill. After coming to Beloit he tried to place it on the market but without satis- factory result. Afterwards by his sons with C. B. Salmon, Secretary, and S. T. Merrill, President, was formed the Eclipse Wind Mill Company, which by the year 1876, had given the invention a successful start. In 1880 Sal- mon and Merrill retired and the business, thereafter until 1890, was con- ducted as the Eclipse Wind Engine Company by W. H. Wheeler as Presi- dent. During this period from 1880 to 1890 the plant was rebuilt twice on account of expanding business and finally located at its present site. It was also during this time that the Friction Clutch business and Engine making were added by Mr. Wheeler and conducted by him until 1893. During this same period also Mr. Charles H. Morse, of Chicago, became prominently
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identified with the work and he, in 1893 and 1894, finally consolidated the various interests as " Fairbanks, Morse & Co.," adding several important lines of manufacture. To-day it is the second largest iron working plant in the State and the largest manufactory of gas engines in the world, with pos- sibly one exception.
In the view down Rock River, given on page 41, we are looking directly away from the Fairbanks, Morse & Co., plant, which is behind us, at the north-east. The large building with the tallest chimney in the center of the picture, is the West Side Paper Mill, south of which are seen the shops of the Beloit Iron Works, where Fred Messer was Manager. (see page 91.) About two years ago the Iron Works made for a paper company in Japan a paper making machine, which has since become famous over there as a per- fect machine. On the reputation of that they have recently received and filled a sixty thousand dollar order for two tissue paper making machines, each 102 inches wide, for the new paper company at Shanghai, China.
Still further south on that side are the Gaston Scale Factory, (page 38), the widely known Thompson's Plough Works and various mills. At the right of this view are seen the extensive buildings of our second largest manufacturing plant, that of the Berlin Machine Works, Porter B. Yates, President and General Manager; L. D. Forbes, Secretary and Treasurer. They are manufacturers of Special Wood Working Machinery, with sales- rooms in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, (the Main Office and Works being at Beloit), and employ from three to four hundred men. Besides the demand for their machines in this country they have filled orders from Hol- land and Belgium, Johannesburg, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Russia and recently one from Germany.
Over the south end of the Berlin Works appears the steeple of the Epis- copal church and beyond that the High School building.
The tall chimney at the extreme left of the picture belongs to the former . East Side Paper Mill, now the power house of the Beloit Electric Co.
NAMES OF CHILDREN IN THE GROUP, PAGE 74.
(The names of those in each row are given in regular order from left to right. )
Upper row of nine : Agnes Foster, Gertrude E. Blazer, Beth Church, Nelson Steele, Will Vallee, Roy Shaw, George Hauser, Clarence Vallee, Elon F. Farnsworth.
Next lower row of eight : Florence Burger, Willie Krouse, --? -? , Frank Rhaddamacher, Edna Rogers, Florence Graves, Elizabeth Buchanan, Harold Shaw.
Third row, eight : Lawrence Miller, Harry Hyzer, - Shaw, Berwyn Helm, Blanche Conklin, Mamie Conklin, Florence Shaw, B. Warren Brown.
Lower row of seven : Richard R. Blazer, Helen Vallee, Elsie Davis, Lucile McPherson, Gladys Rogers, Francis Hill, Robert Cresswell, (two years old ).
The two given on page 76 are, Marjorie and Gladys Gregory, children of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Gregory, and grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Waterman.
XXX.
CORRECTION.
The statement on page 184, that Major Oakley served about two and a half years as Postmaster should read that he was appointed for and served the full term of four years.
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