Grundy County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 7 of those read), 1882

IT was Montesquieu wlio declared that nation happy whose annals were tiresome; but while this speaks for the peaceful prosperity of a people it furnishes no glowing periods to the liistorian nor patriotic panegyrics for the citizen. This is especially true in the case of Saratoga. Timber lands were originally very little found here, and Nettle Creek on the west and An Sable on the east, with pleasant union of tinibei' and prairie, attracted the earlier settlements. Later, as the original location proved unliealthful, or as nearer settlers failed to find eligible timber sites, the ]>rairie land of Saratoga was invaded frrjm either side. The country embraced within the limits of this township was of the most attractive character. Save a spur of timber on the elbow of An Sable Creek, which crosses the eastern border of Saratoga, and that on Nettle Creek in the southwestern corner of the township, the eye met only a broad expanse of undulating prairie which ended only with the line of tlie horizon in the north. Through the central portion the Saratoga Creek flowed an easterly course throngh the township, and the east fork of Nettle Creek, draining the southwestern part, joined the main stream in Morris. There is but little low land here, the most of the township lying north of the second " bench." The southeastern corner, however, is characterized by the low lands which are found between the first and second rises from the Illinois River. The diagonal road which enters the township near the middle of the eastern line of Saratoga, follows upon the margin of the second bench, leaving it at the Concklin road. From this point the line of high ground continues the same general southwesterly' direction, deflecting slightly to the west, and passing the southern line of the township about a mile east of Nettle Creek. The rest of the township is admirably situated, and one would expect to find a dry friable soil were it not of prairie origin. As it is, the township is noted for its bad roads, resulting chiefly from the character of the soil, which seems to have a special athuity for water, and the highways, piked never so high, become in tlie rainy season one quaking bog of impassable mud. This question of roads is a very serious one throughout the county. Considerable expense is annually laid out in " piking " and ditching, but the character of the soil renders these expedients but partially successful even for a twelvemonth. There is plenty of accessible limestone which could probably be used profitably in making permanent improvement upon tlie highways, but the taxpayers have not yet learned that the an-

Saratoga was oriji^inally settled Vy emigrants from New York, who ci-ystallized the memories of their old home in the name which the townsliip bears. The first settlement in this precinct was made by Joshua Collins, in the spring of 1844. His father came from Oneida Connty, New York, in 1834, following the lead of the Walleys, Tablers and Cryders to Au Sable township. Here lie lived and died. His son Joshua married a daughter of Mr. Cryder, and in the following spring set up a home of his own, where hi.? widow now lives. In the same year PiiiUip Collins came to Saratoga, and Alexander Peacock. The latter was an Englisliman, and made his claim on section 33, including in liis selection the present Fair Grounds, which he bought some time later. In the southern part also came another Englishman, H. M. Davidson, about the same year. James Cronin, an Irishman, whom the canal work brought to this region, was associated with J^eacock on section 33, in the year of 1844. In the northeastern corner a considerable tract of land was secured as early as 1842 or '3, by John B. More, whose cabin, however, was built north of the Grundy Connty line. Early in 1844, Carpenter Concklin, in whose honor the central road of the township was named, took up a claiui on section 9, and was followed very soon by Ellas Bartlett, who knew the Concklin family in the State of New York. Bartlett was an unmarried man, and followed school teaching very early. Conckliu's daughter had remained behind her father's family engaged in teaching, and after being here a short time, Bartlett, struck by the similai'ity of their tastes, went to New York and brought back Miss Concklin as his wife. They subsequently engaged in teaching, and for a time conducted the Seminary at Ott;iwa. Daniel Johnson was another early settler, as was Gersham Hunt.

About 1847 or '8, the immigration of Norwegians began to appear in this township. The first came from La Salle County, with one or two from other sections. They were in ])oor financial cireuinstances, but they brought hardy constitutions and abundant enei'gy, and were not long in getting u])on an eijual footing with their more favored neighbors. Their native tastes inclined tliein to prefer the timber lands, and here and r.liere, wliere they could buy an acre or two of timber, their sheepskin coats and calfskin vests could be seen all through the northern and middle part of the county.

''The first emigration from Norway to the United States was in 1825. Cling Pearson, of llcstliamer. in Norway, came over in 1822, and on his return to his native country, gave a glowing picture of America. He found the people of Starvinger, a small town in his neighborhood, dissatisfied with their minister appointed by the government, and desirous of changing their location, and soon persuaded them to emigrate to tlie new country. They purchased a snuill vessel, a two-masted fishing sloop, for . §1,800, and fifty-two emigrants set sail in their little craft for the Western Continent. They sailed through the North Sea and English Channel to Madeira, where, getting short of provisions, they picked up a pipe of wine, and laid in a stock of supplies. They left Norway July 4th, reached

Fuiichal Auo;ust ISth, and New York on the last day of October, 1823, their number having received one accession on the journey. " In New Yorli tiiey sold the vessel for §400, and the company divided, twentyeififht goin<i: with Cling Pearson, who had secured for tiiem a free passage to Orleans County, New York. Here the colony bought land and formed a settlement, the first Norwegian community in America. But the leader of this hegira was a restless spirit, and soon set off to explore the far West. He reached Illinois and struck with its attractions, fixed upon La Salle County as the site for a new settlement of his fellowcountrymen. Cling said that when exploring the country afterward occupied by the Norwegians, that he laid down under a tree to sleep, and in his dreams saw the wild prairie changed to a cultivated region, teeming with all kinds of grain and fruits ; comfortable houses and spacious barns dotted tlie land, which was occupied by a rich, prosperous and happy people. He woke refreshed, and with renewed enthusiasm returned to his countrymen in New York, and persuaded them to emigrate to Illinois. The dream was a natural one and might have been conceived when awake, but however it originated, its most sanguine expectations have been fully realized. The early days of the Norwegian settlement in this country were full of poverty and toil, to which was added the terrible ravages of Asiatic cholera. Happily these days are past, and these difficulties surmounted ; those people are now found a wealthy, prosperous and happy people.

" The first Norwegian colony from New York came to La Salle County in 183-i, and included some of the original fifty-three who arrived from Norway in 1825. Since that others have followed from the Fatherland, and the members of the original colony have welcomed many of their old neighbors to the land of their adoption. Many of them still adhere to the Lutheran, the national church of Norway, but many are Methodist, and the Mormons have made some converts among them." *

The only church in the township is the Houges Menegbed. This is a Norwegian Lutheran church, and was organized about 1876. The society proceeded at once to build a place of worship on the land of H. Osmonson, which was erected that fall at a total cost of about $1,000, including the price of the lot.