McHenry County, Illinois - Chapter 9: The Old Settlers' Association, 1885

Chapter 9: The Old Settlers' Association

First Meeting, 1868. - Officers Elected. - The Reunion at Mo- Henry in 1869. - Account of Proceedings. - The Reunion of 1875. - The Association Permanently Organized in 1876. - The Constitution. - Original Members. - Subsequent Reunions. - Reminiscences. - Officers and Members of the Society.

June 20, 1868, there was an old settlers' meeting at Libertyville, Lake County, at which time the project of a joint Old Settlers' Association tor the counties of McHenry and Lake was discussed and the following committee appointed to take measures preparatory to such an organization: Justice Bangs, Charles H. Bartlett, Elisha Gridley, George Gage and Joel H. Johnson. Joel H. Johnson and George Gage, of McHenry County, were authorized to call meetings in McHenry County and to appoint the time for a unioD meeting. The committee decided that a reunion of old settlers of the two counties should be held at McHenry, on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 1869. A committee of arrangements was appointed, viz.: George Gage, H. 1ST. Owen, A. H. Hanley, Wm. M. Jackson, Wm. A. McConnell, J. H. Johnson and George Gillilan. Hon. "Wm. M. Jackson was appointed President of the association. The organization was informal and regular meetings were not made a feature until later.

The first regular meeting of the association was held at the date appointed - Sept. 8, 1869. " It was," says the Sentinel of the following week, " the largest assemblage of people that ever occurred in the county, entirely exceeding the most sanguine expectations of its originators, and astonishing all present by the brilliantly successful manner in which all the arrangements were conceived and carried out."

The officers of the meeting were: "Wm. M. Jackson, President; H. N. Owen, Secretary; J. H. Johnson, Marshal, and George Gage, Orator. Four bands of music were in attendance. The meeting was called to order and a song, " Way out West," very effectively rendered. Prayer was offered by Eev. W. W. Stewart; the band rendered " Auld Lang Syne," and Hon. George Gage delivered an eloquent oration, treating of the history and the pioneer life of the counties of McHenry and Lake.

At the conclusion of the oration, the audience partook of two barbecued oxen and other light refreshments. The following toasts were then offered: " The Judiciary of the State of Illinois." Responded to by Hon. T. D. Murphy. "The Bar of the State of Illinois." Eesponded to by Colonel L. S. Church. "The officers and soldiers of Lake and McHenry counties during the late war." Eesponded to by General Geo. C. Rogers, of Waukegan.

Henry McLean, John E. Eagan and Colonel Edward Joslyn made brief speeches, and the exercises of the day concluded. This first old settlers meeting was voted a grand success by everybody who attended.

Oct. 14, 1875, the old settlers of Lake and McHenry counties held a reunion at McHenry. The officers of the day were Wm. A. McConnell, President; Charles H. Bartlett, Nelson Landing and E. Gridley, Vice-Presidents for Lake County; E. G. A.yer, George Gage, N. Donnelly, Vice-Presidents for McHenry County. J. H. Johnson, Marshal. Hon. John Weutworth, "Long John," delivered the address; Eichard Bishop also gave entertaining reminiscences. Several bands of music were present. A roasted ox formed a feature of the entertainment. The crowd was large but rain" interfered with the complete success of the meeting. The exercises concluded with a ball at the Eiverside House in the evening.

The Old Settlers' Association was permanently organized and a constitution adopted May 10, 1876, at a meeting held at McHenry for that purpose. John G. Eagan, Esq., of Lake County, called the meeting to order and Hon. George Gage, of McHenry, was chosen Chairman. Chas. A. Partridge, of the Waukegan Gazette, and J. Van Slyke, of the McHenry Plaindealer, were chosen Assistant Secretaries.

A committee was appointed for the purpose of drafting a constitution and by-laws, viz.: J. H. Johnson, J. Van Slyke and Mark Hickox, of McHenry County; Charles A. Partridge, J. G. Eagan and Albert Kapple, of Lake County, who reported the following constitution, which was adopted:

Article 1. - The name of this society shall be "The Old Settlers' Organization of McHenry and Lake counties," and its object shall be to keep alive the memory of olden times by annual reunions.

Art. 2. - Any person of good moral character who has resided in the State twenty-five years or more, and is now a resident of either McHenry or Lake county, may become a member of this society by sending his or her name, address, place and date of birth, and date and place of settlement to the recording secretary, accompanied by an initiation fee of 50 cents; except it is expressly understood that no fee shall be exacted from widows or maiden ladies.

Art. 3. - The officers of this society shall consist of a president, one vice-president at large from each county, a corresponding secretary from each county, a recording secretary, a treasurer and an executive committee consisting of seven members, the president of the association being ex-officio chairman of the committee, and three members being from each county.

Art. 4. - The several officers of the society shall perform such duties as usually pertain to their respective offices, but all matters relating to the society shall be under the control and management of the executive committee.

Art. 5. - The officers of this society shall be elected by ballot at a meeting to be held in the village of McHenry, on the fourth Wednesday in January of each year.

Art. 6. - New members may be admitted at any time by the recording secretary on compliance with the conditions in article two, provided that twenty-five years shall have elapsed since the writer's first residence in the State of Illinois.

Art. 7. - The executive committee, through the local papers or otherwise, shall give notice of the time of the funeral of any of the deceased members; and all members, if possible, shall attend said funeral, wearing the society badge; and it shall be the duty of members of the society to notify the recording secretary of the death of any member as promptly as possible, giving such particulars as may be deemed desirable as matters of record, and the secretary shall keep a record of all events of this nature that may come to his knowledge.

Of those present at the above named meeting, the following were admitted as members of the society: O. W. Owen, Mrs. Harriet Owen, Eichard Compton, Mrs. Mary Compton, A. V. Smith, Mrs. E. A. Smith, Mark Hickox, Mrs. B. H. Hickox, John G. Ragan, Mrs. Eepsibah Ragan, A. H. Hanly, Mrs. Susan Hanly, Job Toles, Mrs. Samantha Toles, Justus Bangs, Mrs. Caroline

The next Old Settlers' Eeunion was held at "Woodstock, June 13, 1878. The exercises took place on the Fair Grounds, in the presence of about 5,000 people. The meeting was called to order by the president; the choir sang "The Star Spangled Banner;" Kev. E. K. Todd offered prayer; the McBenry band gave music; and Joel H. Johnson, Esq., delivered the opening address. Hon. John F. Farnsworth (" Long John") delivered the principal speech of the day. It was a good one, and excited hearty laughter and applause. Remarks followed by Colonel Gordon S. Hubbard, of Chicago; B. W. Raymond and Judge Morrison, of Chicago. The exercises concluded with "Auld Lang Syne." Mrs. Margaret Gillilan, the first white woman who came to the county, was present, and received much attention. Colonel Gordon S. Hubbard one of the earliest settlers west of Chicago, and formerly an Indian trader, also received his share of honors. A game of ball for the boys, and a dance in the evening concluded the exercises of th day.

At a meeting of the Old Settlers' Association held at McHenry, Feb. 26, 1880, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Justus Bangs, of Wauconda; Vice-Presidents, Joel H.Johnson, McHenry County, John G. Ragan, Lake County; Treasurer, Wesley Ladd, McHenry; Secretary, J. Van Slyke, Mc- Henry; Corresponding Secretaries, C. A. Partridge, Lake County, M. C. Dufield, McHenry County Executive Committee, Hon. F. K. Granger, Hon. Neill Donnelly, Job Toles, for McHenry County; H. B. Burrett, Lorenzo Hinkston, W. C. Howard, for Lake Connty. Voted to hold the next reunion at Wauconda, June 16.

The annual meeting of the Old Settlers' Association of Mc- Henry and Lake counties was held at McHenry, Sept. 6, 1883, and was a grand success in every particular. John G. Ragan presided, and Rev. Joel Wheeler acted as Chaplain. Hon. Richard Bishop delivered the address of welcome. Speeches followed from the President, Mr. Ragan, Hon. T. D. Murphy, Geo. Waite, Hon. E. M. Haines, of Lake County, F. Markus and Hon. H. W. McLean.

An original poem, composed for the occasion by Peter Goff, of Chicago, was presented but not read owing to the lateness of the hour. The attendance was large and the exercises were unusually interesting.

Old Settlers' Meeting

The ninth annual re-union and picnic of the Old Settlers' Association of McHenry and Lake counties was held at Slusser's Park, Hainesville, on Thursday last, Aug. 21. The day was all that could have been wished, the shower the night before having laid the dust and cooled the atmosphere, making it one of the most pleasant days of the season.

At an early hour the crowd, men, women and children, began to arrive, and by noon was estimated at fully 1,000 persons, all bent on having a good time.

The address of Mr. Mills was a masterpiece of eloquence and logic and no one present would dispute, after listening to him, all that is claimed for him as being one of the most eloquent and talented orators in the State. No synopsis we could give would half do him justice, and we therefore give below his address in full : Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :

Under the venerable forest growth of this beautiful region we meet to-day to celebrate a jubilee. Here are gathered the young and old to think and talk of earlier days, the former to learn and the latter to teach, and all to rejoice because of a great history and the happy survival in our midst of those brave men and women who were among the early settlers.

history is kept alive ; the living lips of the fathers tell to the sons the accurate story of a memorable past, whose record, truer than tradition, is repeated by the very men who made it. Fortunate it is for the youth of the State that the past, filled with endeavors and events, is so near its present that they can learn a great history by converse, and that, for their own living,, they can draw an inspiration from the very presence and words of the enterprising, judicious and intrepid pioneers of Illinois.

As time advances, history becomes more intense. The sixtyseven years of Illinois as a State of the Union are crowded with a historical significance to which centuries of a remoter epoch could offer no comparison. In 1818 its population was 50,- 000; in 1880 it was over 3,000,000; in 1859 its corn production was 115,000,000 ; in 1879, 326,000,000 bushels ; in 1859 its wheat production was 24,000,000, in 1879, 51,000,000 bushels. Its metropolis, Chicago, with a population of over 600,000, is the product of fifty years.

Tour beautiful Woodstock and McHenry began as late as 1836, and Waukegan was known as such no earlier than 1847, when the distinguished jurist, loved by his neighbors and honored by his country, the Hon. Henry W. Blodgett, suggested the new name in place of that of The Little Fort, then more than a century old, a relic of the earliest day. JSTo generation of men ever witnessed a grander growth in industry, enterprise and civilization ; no historic era in ancient or modern days exhibits such rapidity and stability of progress. . ,

Fifty years ago this was a wilderness, without roads, except Indian trails; with forests deep and dark ; with prairies of tall grass ; with only jealous savages to welcome, and a cabin of logs for the home of the immigrant. Here, then, came and began this intense history of development, the young pioneer. He had . journeyed from New England, or neighboring places; his conveyance was a rude wagon ; his companions, the young wife and children; his weapon of defense, the implement of his industry, the ax with the honest blade.

Every age has its type of manhood ; the ancient sculptured beauty and the philosopher ; the Middle Ages painted the battles of rival countries and placed their hero-making art in the nailery of time. The hero of the nineteenth century is the pioneer. He seeks discovery all round the world. He is Livingstone in Africa the Arctic explorer, foolish or wise in the enthusiasm of his time facing the freezing storm to find the open sea ; above all, he is the sturdy youth who cleaves the forests, wins lands waiting with fertility, builds towns and cities and creates great States.

The old settlers of Illinois are of the class whose type is the heroism of the age. They laid the foundations of the State. Their spirit and toil none even now can fully know; the Western wilds of a half century ago are beyond our horizon ; the Indian seems almost like a figure in a romance ; the log cabin is supplanted; the ax and the plow are minor implements compared with recent inventions. The vicissitudes of the pioneer, his hardships in forest and field, his unfailing pluck and spirit and his indomitable industry are a heritage for youth and an inspiration for the generations hereafter.

It is well that we meet these pioneers ; they teach a thousand lessons. They were brave enough for Western wilds, persistent enough to make long and wearisome and dangerous journeys through a strange land and to a strange destination. They had the breadth of vision to know the limitless possibilities of the West, the spirit to develop them and the courage and persistence of success.

From this beautiful place of Nature they look abroad to-day. Every eye is clear to 6ee the grand result - -great, wide-spreading farms, with homes of comfort ; barns filled with cattle, and granaries accustomed to splendid harvests ; the dark woods made beautiful for pleasure ; the school-house in every hamlet and the church beckoning the hearts of men to higher things.

The enjoyment of the old settlers inspires us who are younger ; by toil and bravery and manly character they won this day and have the right to claim its triumph. To us the lesson comes that enterprise is the true spirit of the time, bravery the honoring characteristic of the American, patient industry the foundation of his success, and the school and church the climax of his civilization. In the atmosphere of this celebration we learn that there is no maxim higher than manhood, no adage superior to industry and courage, and no success greater than a community composed of men and women who love labor, erect homes, and in law and peace are friends together under the protecting and guiding guardianship of religious sentiments.

To Lake and McHenry counties we may say your beginnings were made by splendid men, your woods were hewed by their industrious forestry, your fields were tilled and made fallow for the

And in all the story of this magnificent growth no fact is a greater continuation of the pioneer's endeavors than the patriotism of these counties. How many hundreds rushed to the deense of the flag in those sad days when the nation's life was threatened. Regiments went forth from Lake and McHenry, and in them to-day there is not a graveyard where a soldier does not lie, dead from his country's battle. There is scarcely a home from Waukegan to the western limits of McHenry County that does not mourn a boy or man who died for his nation.

Thus the spirit of the pioneer expressed itself in the heart of the patriot son ; and the sentiment of the ax and the plow in the early advances of the first settlers, to make a State, was proclaimed again by the voices and sustained by the stout arms of the farmer boys who fought for and saved a nation.

Old settlers of Lake and McHenry counties, it is indeed to me an honor to speak to you among whom live great men - Blodgett, McAllister, Upton, Haines, Murphy and men like these - you, who, likewise great, have helped to make the State and placed upon its shoulders near the lake the decoration of your industry and patriotism.

The next speaker introduced was the Hon. Charles Whitney, of Waukegan. His remarks were based, not upon the written but unwritten history of McHenry and Lake counties, and were addressed more particularly to the younger portion of the assembly. He is an easy, polished speaker, and his remarks were listened to with the closest attention by all.

The next in order was the poem, written for the occasion by Dr. S. F. Bennett, of Richmond, author of the " Sweet Bye and Bye." To those who know Dr. Bennett and have read his productions, we have no need to say it was good. He prefaced his poem by stating that he came to this part of the country when a small boy, something over forty years ago, and consequently knew personally of some of the trials and vicissitudes the early settlers were obliged to undergo, and had intended to commence in his poem at the beginning and follow them down to the present time, but for want of time had been obliged to stop after getting the log house built and the mammoth chimney on the outside. He would have liked to have followed on and given his hearers a regular oldfashioned Methodist meeting, a pioneer wedding, etc., but his time had been so limited he had been unable to do so. However, the Doctor, as usual, did honor to the subject and occasion, and, like the addresses reported above, we cannot do it justice in any other way, so give it in full :

The Pioneers Invocation

From piny woods of rock-bound Maine, With hearts of oak, the heroes came ! Undaunted by regrets or fears, Vermont sent forth her mountaineers ; The Empire State, too, swelled the train, And Massachusetts greeted Maine ; From valleys smiling in the sun, From streams that, hasting, seaward run, From lakes, like mirrors framed in hills, Whose bosky summits felt the thrills The morning song-bird sings and trills, Rejoicing to be free ; From orchards which a father's hand Had planted in an untried land, With faith in God and courage grand, And thoughts of liberty ; From homes their hardy hands had reared ; From gardens that to them appeared The gates of Paradise ; From altars where the voice of prayer Had floated on the morning air -Away to fairer skies ; The toil before him each one spurned, With faces blithely westward turned - The fathers, mothers, girls and boys, Sought homes in glorious Illinois.

Not then, as now, the iron rail Stretched o'er the hilltop, through the vale, And bore the steed whose thews of steel No pining of fatigue can feel. The white-bowed wagon lumbered through The virgin forest, treacherous slough, And, while the morns to evenings wore, The household gods and treasures bore. 'Twas toil, but toil wilh pleasure blest; The evening brought its boon of rest, Although the roof they yet could see Was only heaven's canopy. Perchance the night bird's cry of fear, Or wolf or panther prowling near, Might sometimes blunt their pleasure's zest, And break a space the sense of rest ; But morning, with its gladsome call, Restored the light of hope to all. The days wore on to weeks, but ills Could not subdue their iron wills ; A feast of game the day begun, Supplied by trusty dog and gun ; The streams gave up their finny prey To grace the meal at closing day;

The landscape's ever varying view Brought, hourly, pleasures ever new ; The air, untainted, sweet as when Earth first became the home of men, Secured to each that priceless wealth, The bounding pulse and glow of health.

But home at last - a Western home, Amid McHenry's stretch of bloom, Or where Lake's prairies wide and fair With perfume loaded all the air! The prairies, seas of living green, With groves of beauty set between ; Bright lakes that sparkled in the sun, And slept in peace when day was done ; Sweet streams whose singing Nature's bars Had set to music of the stars - A heritage, O land most fair, The very sons of God might wear! Italy's sunny vales might be To other eyes more fair than thee ; Thy purple vineyards, lovely France, To some might richer, seem, perchance ; The Emerald Island's slopes of green Are charming in the summer's sheen ; Old England's gardens' sweet surprise May seem the fields of Paradise, Or earthly heaven, to English eyes ; But oh, to us no land so fair As Lake and blest McHenry are! No other land, to mortal view, Smiles under skies so heavenly blue! No other land such blessing bears Of healthful and enchanting airs ! Not e'en the Switzer's silvery lakes The prize of beauty from us takes! No land, not e'en the Land of Dreams, Has purer, brighter laughing streams ! O Land of Beauty - this our pride I We would no other land beside !

Such is the land that blooms to cheer The hardy Western pioneer. No roof awaits him ready made To shelter from the sun or shade ; So seize the ax ! The wood of green Is waiting in the sunlight's sheen, With only it and thee between A house as brave as e'er was seen ! The forest monarchs quivering feel The wounding of the gleaming steel, And soon the thunderous echoes tell

Where one by oae the monarchs fell, While patient oxen slowly move The boles to rear a home of love. Notch well the ends with jealous care, That each to each, well fitted, bear The roof anon to shelter there !

Now come the^neighbors, stalwart men, And merry in their ways as when, With laugh and shout of careless boys, In Eastern homes they sought their toys. Roll log on log safe into place ! The rugged structure grows apace! Its walls of oak will laugh to scorn The onset of the wildest storm, And scoff the gnawing tooth of time, The Summer's heat, the Winter's rime, And, be the need, we well might know 'Twere proof against the Indian foe. Now rear the rafters, saplings tall, To overlook and^cover all ! Ah, blithe is he the task who wins To fasten them with wooden pins, And so arrange that they may take The curious shingle called a "shake." Rough is the covering, in sooth, To one who knew an Eastern roof, But competent to shield from rain, E'en though the snows an entrance gain. "Rived" from a tree picked out with care, Like baby boards the "shakes" appear, And, guiltless of the smoothing plane, A work at once too nice and vain, In shaggy "courses" soon they lie Between the family and sky ! No nails must mar the buildings plan - Leave such to less enlightened man ! And fasten them with wooden pin And arrowy sapling, tall and trim. Now split from log of toughest oak The "chinks" each gaping crack to choke, For, use with skill the greatest care, Between the logs such openings are. And here again the wooden pin Secures the chinking safely in ; The tough clay at the structure's side, Or from the cellar scattered wide, Supplies the mortar, guiltless lime, (Whose use were foolishness sublime) To close each crevice all secure, And make each inmate's comfort sure.

No doors or windows yet have we I How this dilemma solve ? Ah, see ! The gleaming ax once more descends, And through the oak an opening rends, Where soon, ere lies, perchance, the floor, Will swing a massive oaken door, Oa oaken hinges safely hung, Which shrilly creaks whene'er 'tis swung ! Another opening, wide and high, Reveals a patch of land and sky, Where, built of skillful masonry, The massive fireplace soon will be ; Its walls, of rocks that drifted lay About the fields but yesterday ; Its mantle, massive beam of oak ; Its chimney, whose capacious throat Curves outward from the building's side, Is built of sticks, with clay inside. Roll in the back log, two feet through, And lay the forestick just and true ; Fill in between with smaller wood, (The pile would make a wagon load), And soon a fire shall hiss and roar To drive the frost beyond the door !

Heaven bless them, bless them every one, For what they are, what they have done! And as they journey, one by one, To that fair land beyond earth's sun, God grant their Paradise may be A Heaven of glad felicity !

[Note by the Author : "The Pioneers" is not a finished poem. Its original plan took in a much wider scope - so wide, indeed, that I did not have time to finish the work in time for the "Old Settlers' Meeting," but had to bring it to an abrupt close. I have since written 280 additional lines, but much more remains to be written, and so I conclude to publish at this time only what was read at the meeting, hoping at some future time to give my friends the whole poem in book form. S. Fillmore Bennett.]

Hon. Geo. Gage, one of the oldest settlers of the association, was then called for, and made a few very happy and well-timed remarks. He said that as the speakers who preceded him had said about all there was to say, he would be obliged to do as the boy did who went after the cows, viz.: " Scatter." He referred in feeling terms to the old settlers who had passed away since our last meeting, and paid a glowing tribute to their memory as belonging to the army of pioneers who had done so much to make this country what it was. His remarks throughout were both pleasing and instructive, and brought back to the memory of many old settlers the days of long ago.

Hon. James Pollock, John G. Ragan, Mr. Whitmore and others were then called for, who came forward and made remarks, and after music by the brass and martial bands, the exercises at the stand were closed.

Then came the social part of the reunion. Old settlers renewed acquaintances of forty years ago, and by the hearty shake of the hand and pleasant smile that illuminated countenances on which old Time had left his mark of three score years and ten, one could but know that it was a real pleasure for them to meet under such favorable circumstances and in such a pleasant place, in this year of grace 1884.

To Mr. Slusser the association are under great obligations for the hospitality extended to them, one and all, on this occasion. His beautiful park was thrown open, and nothing was left undone that would tend to the pleasure and comfort of both old and young. His hotel and grounds are the handsomest and best arranged of any summer resort in the Northwest, and all who go there are sure of hospitable treatment and good fare.

To the quartette, Miss Clark, organist, the Antioch Brass Band and the Martial Band the association would return thanks for the splendid music furnished for the occasion.

Thus ended the Old Settlers' Reunion of McHenry and Lake counties for the year 1884. That each one who was with us this year may be spared to meet with us one year hence is the wish of your humble servant.

Old Settlers Of Mo Henry Codnty

The following list of old settlers of McHenry Couuty, with dates of their coming to the county, was aken from the secretaries' books of Old Settlers' Association :