Whiteside County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 11 of those read), 1877

The township now known as Hahnaman was originally a part of Portland Precinct, then of Rapids Precinct, and so remained up to 1852, when its boundaries were defined and name given by the Commissioners appointed by the County Commissioners' Court, but owing to the small number of inhabitants was attached to Hopkins township for judicial purposes until 1859, when the organization became fully complete. The town is largely made up of what is known as swamp lands, fully four-fifths of the area being such lands. Efforts were early made in the history of the township to have these lands drained, as the soil was found to be exceedingly rich and fertile wherever it conld be cultivated. Finally the county, in 1863-64, resolved to drain the swamp lands in all the towns where they were situated, by proper ditching. Previous to this action, however, the county had thrown these lands upon the market, and had realized from Hahnaman alone about $26,000. The county ditch in this town commences about two miles from the east line of the town, and runs about four miles, where it strikes the east line of Tampico. It has not proved a success as yet, as far as Hahnaman is concerned, although by being deepened, and having branch ditches running into it, as is now proposed, it is thought that every acre of the original swamp lands can be reclaimed and brought under a good state of cultivation. At present over one-half of these lands remain unimproved. The balance of the town is rolling, and of good soil, with the exception of a few sand ridges. On one of these, a short distance north of the resiidence of Mr. Amos Reeves, is what is called the " little blow out," a basin scooped out of the sand. A description of these "blow outs" is briefly given in the history of Tampico. The crops raised in this town are those usually found in all the towns of the county.

The earliest settlers in Hahnaman were William Renner and family, who came from Pennsylvania in 1841, and settled at Deer Grove. Mr. Renner died in 1859, at the age of 51 years, and was buried in Bureau county. He left eight children, five boys and three girls. Two of the former died while soldiers in the Union army. Lemuel Scott, a pensioner of the war of 1812, came next in 1845. He came from Vermont, and also settled at Deer Grove, and died at the house of Mr. Renner in 1849. The widow Renner is still living in Hahnaman, a neighbor of Mr. Reeves. In 1854 the widow Ryder, with several sons, settled in the township, and in 1855 came W. M. Halsted, James Chandler, Benj. Ackland and Martin Clark, from Indiana; Wm. Johnson, from New York, and Wm. Humphrey, from La Salle county, in this State. In the following year, 1856, came John Van Valkenburgh, from New York, Wm.'Brakey, Geo. Brakey and Wm. McNickle, from Pennsylvania; Peter Ford and Thomas Langan, from Ireland, and in 1857, Amos Reeves, from New York, and "Reuben Davis, from Ohio. Dr. Davis originally settled in Montmorency township, as will he seen in the history of that township. During that year what is known as " Paddy's Island," located in the eastern part of the town, was also pretty well settled. In 1858 a large number came and settled in the town.

The first house, or rather cabin, was built of logs at Deer Grove, by William Renner, in 1841, and the few that were built previous to 1857, were of that material, or as near to it as could be had. In 1857 the first frame buildings were erected.

The J^st school house was built in 1857 in what is known as Brakey's settlement. It was sixteen feet square and seven feet high. Mr. Amos Reeves, the present Supervisor of the town, taught school there in the winter of 1857- '58, and was consequently the first school teacher in the town. He had an attendance of twenty-two scholars during that winter, some of them coming a distance of five miles. Now there are five school districts in the town, each having a good school house, with an average of forty-five scholars.

The first white child born in the town was a son of De Witt and Catharine Ryder, in the fall of 1855. His name is Isaiah Ryder, and he is now a resident of Kansas. The first wedding was that of H. V. Hinman to Miss Jane L. Brakey, the happy event occurring in 1859. The wedded pair are now living in Kansas. The first death was that of the widow Ryder, which occurred in 1855. She was about 53 years of age, and was buried in a private burial place now on the farm of Cornelius Cunningham. No regular religious services were held in the town until about a year ago, when a preaching place was established by the Methodists at Deer Grove, services being held in the school house at that place. There being no meeting houses in the town, members of the different denominations attend church either at Tampico, Sterling, or Rock Falls.

The first election for town officers was held at the school house in District No. 2, on the 3d of April, 1860. Reuben Davis was chosen Moderator, and Amos Reeves, Clerk. Twenty-six votes were polled.

At the second town meeting held at the school house in District No. 1, on the 2d of April, 1861, a tax of $125 was voted to defray town expenses. Thirty cents on the one hundred dollars was also voted to be raised for road purposes. Thirty-six votes were polled at that election.

The annual election held in April, 1864, was declared void by reason of alleged illegal votes being polled. For that reason many of the officers then declared elected did not qualify, and those who did soon afterwards resigned, thus leaving the town without officers. A special election was therefore called, and held on the 21st of May following, and resulted in the re-election mainly of the officers chosen at the April election.

On the 6th of February, 1865, a special election was held for the purpose of voting for or against levying a tax to raise a sum of money sufficient, with the county and government bounties, to secure men to fill the quota of the town under the last call of the President of the United States to replenish the Union armies. Thirty-five votes were cast, thirty-one of which were for the tax, and four against it. The records do not show what was done in reference to this tax. The town afterwards stood a draft, three men being conscripted by its means.

A special election was held on the 30th of September, 1869, for the purpose of voting for or against the town subscribing for one hundred shares of $100 each to the capital stock of the Illinois Grand Trunk Railway, now known as the Prophetstown branch of the C, B. & Q. Railroad. Twenty-one votes were polled, all of which were in favor of subscribing to the stock and issuing bonds in payment thereof. The railroad /company afterwards did not feel willing to agree to the terms of the bonds, but wanted five per cent, of the amount paid down, and the balance when sufficient stock was subscribed to grade, bridge, and tie that part of the road between Mendota and Prophetstown. To. test the question whether the town would agree to the requirements of the railroad company in reference to the terms of the bonds or not, another special election was held on the 25th of June, 1870. Nineteen votes were polled at that election, eight of which were in favor of the company's proposition, and eleven against it. No change was, therefore, made in the terms of the bonds, and they were issued on the 1st of January, 1871. These terms were that one-fifth of the bonds should become due in five years from date, and one-fifth annually thereafter until the whole amount should be paid, the interest to be ten per cent, per annum. The company finally took the bonds, $10,000 in amount, and issued to the town a certificate of stock to that amount. Two thousand dollars have been paid on the bonds, and the town has two thousand dollars more ready to pay.

A special election was also held on the 17th of February, 1877, to elect a committee of three to investigate the legality of the action of the Board of Supervisors of the county in turning the unexpended part of the swamp land fund of the county into the school fund, the committee to employ counsel and take such other steps as may be necessary to obtain information regarding such action, and make a report at the next annual town meeting. Amos Reeves, Manson Robbins, and A. S. Fee were elected the committee, and they reported at the appointed time that, according to the best legal authority they could obtain, the county had illegally transferred the swamp land fund to the school fund before completing the draining of the swamp land under the act contemplating the drainage of the land.

Probably the earliest traveled road is the one known as the Sterling and Green River road. Indications show that this road was originally an Indian trail, and was afterwards used by white men in going from Rock River Valley to the Green River country and beyond. Horse thieves used it early, and even up to a date within the recollection of some of the younger inhabitants of that section, as a favorite road upon which to " switch " off their stolen equines. Many recollect the time when hardly a day passed without inquiries being made as to whether strange horses and men had not passed along the route going southward. The first legally laid out road was the one commencing at the north line of the town, between sections 3 and 4, and running in a direct line to Deer Grove, known as the Sterling and Deer Grove road. This road was laid out in 1856. The next legally laid out road commences also at the north line of the town, between sections 5 and 6, and runs south in a direct line to the southeast corner of section 19; thence west to the town line. This road was laid out in 1857. Other roads followed as the town became settled and the demands of the settlers required.

One thing is due to the town of Hahnaman, and should be favorably mentioned. Soon after the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, the majority of the young men of the town enlisted as soldiers in the Union service. The town was young then and sparsely populated, yet the inhabitants felt that they must bear their share of the burden demanded by the crisis to maintain the unity of the States. Ten of these young men enlisted with the Yates Sharpshooters in October, 1861, viz: 0. H. McNickle, H. P. Hinman, Thomas Harvey, Amos Reeves, William Humphrey, Mahlon Humphrey, Crosby Ryder, H. D. Ryder, Henry May, and one other. Hinman became afterwards Second Lieutenant. Henry May was killed at the battle of Atlanta, in 1864. Mahlon Humphrey died at Cairo, in 1862, of fever. Lieut. Hinman was wounded in the knee, while on skirmish duty in front of Atlanta, in 1864. John Renner enlisted in the 57th Illinois regiment, and was taken prisoner near Corinth, in 1863, and confined at Andersonville prison for four months. His sufferings were so severe that he has not been a well man since. E. L. Halsted enlisted in one of the Chicago batteries in 1862. Henry Fluck and Henry Pott enlisted in the 75th Illinois Volunteers. Pott lost an eye in the service. Patrick Fahey also afterwards enlisted in the same regiment. J. C. Reeves joined the 9th New York cavalry regiment in 1861.- James Renner, Walter Johnson, T. B. Davis, John Chambers, Albert McNickle, H. S. Humphrey, and some others enlisted in different Illinois regiments, the names of which we could not ascertain. With the exception of Henry May and Mahlon Humphrey, it is believed that all came back at the end of their enlistment, or at the close of the war, the most of them at the latter period.

The Assessor's books of the town for 1877 show 10,781 acres of improved land, and 12,040 unimproved. The total assessed value of all lands is $132,- 350. Number of improved lots, 8; unimproved, 24; number of horses, 518; cattle, 1,434; mules and asses, 6; sheep, 16; hogs, 1,825; carriages and wagons, 154; sewing and knitting machines, 43; melodeons and organs, 8; value of personal property, $23,840; railroad property, $26,814; assessed value of all property, $183,112.

The population of Hahnaman in 1870 was 624, of which number 423 were of native, and 201 of foreign birth. The estimated population of the town in 1877 is 800. Popular vote in November, 1876, 99.

Deer Grove. Deer Grove Postoffice was established in 1873, W. H. Wheeler being commissioned as Postmaster. The first settlement in Deer Grove, as will be seen elsewhere, was made by William Renner. Mr. Wheeler came in 1873, and built a frame house and made other improvements. Soon after this came Cady J. Burgess, Harvey Durr, Henry Pott, M. Patterson, and others. Mr. "Wheeler opened a store in 1873, and ran it for two years, when lie sold out to Charles L. Dewey, the present owner. In 1875 an elevator was built by Stilson & Forward, of Tampico, who ran it for a year and then disposed of all their interest in it to Charles L. Dewey. On the resignation of Mr. Wheeler in 1875, Mr. Dewey became Postmaster, making him at present a public official, merchant, and buyer and shipper of grain, stock, and produce. A good market is furnished by Mr. Dewey, as he pays the same prices for grain and hogs as are paid in Sterling, thus making it a point of interest to Hahnaman farmers. Lately a store has also been put up by Joseph Burke, a blacksmith shop by T. H. C. Dow, and a shoe shop by E. Brigham. There are at present fifteen families in the place.

Amos Reeves is a native of New York State, and came to Whiteside county with the intention of making it his home in 1857. Upon arriving here he heard of the cheapness and fertility of the so-called swamp lands, and upon looking them over purchased a large tract upon which he now resides. In the winter of 185(3-'57 he taught school in what is known as Brakey's settlement. When the town of Hahnaman was organized he was elected its first Town Clerk, but, before the expiration of his term, resigned to enlist as a volunteer in the Union army, joining the celebrated Yates Sharpshooters. He remained in the service during the entire war, and, although participating in many battles and skirmishes with courage and zeal, came back unwounded. Almost immediately upon his return he was elected Supervisor of his town, and from 1869 to 1875 was continuously Town Clerk. In 187G he was elected Supervisor, and again in 1877, now holding the office. He is one of Hahnaman's public-spirited men, and is always at the front when her interests are at stake. Mr. Reeves is a bachelor in the prime of life.

Dr. Reuben Davis is a native of Ohio, and came to Whiteside county in 1854, settling first in Montmorency, purchasing land on section 22 of that town. He remained in 3Iontmorency until 1857, when he moved to Hahnaman and purchased the large farm upon which he at present resides. The people of the town early discovered his fitness for public position, and at the first election after the town was organized he was elected Collector. He was afterwards repeatedly elected Supervisor and Assessor of the town. Perhaps no man in Hahnaman has taken a more leading and active part in forwarding the interests of the town than Dr. Davis. He is a thorough agriculturist, justly priding himself upon the success of his crops and the superiority of his stock. During the first part of August, 1877, he entered into the mercantile business also, with one of his sons, at the village of Tampico, erecting a fine brick store for the purpose.