Will County, Illinois - The whole text, 1878 (part 17 of 29)

After the settlements already mentioned, but few additional were made for some years. The panic of 1837, continuing for several years, put a check upon immigration, and not until the completion of the Canal, which passes through the southeast corner, did the township again grow in population. In several ways, the Canal contributed to the rapid development of this part of the State. The works were pronounced complete in 1848, and boats began to ply along the line. Formerly, grain and produce of all kinds had to be hauled by wagon over bad roads, to the nearest market, which was Chicago, and supplies of groceries and other necessities had to be obtained there by the same means, and, consequently, emigrants looking for homes, located at points where commercial advantages were more convenient. When the Canal was completed, bringing these facilities to this portion of the State, immediately a new impetus was given to the settlement of Troy Township. Again, a number of the laborers on the works being now out of employment, and having saved some of their earnings, located on the adjacent lands. Quite a number of our Irish citizensdate their arrival in the township, with the completion of the Canal.

The subject of education has received its share of attention by the Trojans. The first school was taught in a litte log structure, erected for that purpose, on Mr. Thornton's place. This was about the year 1836 or 1837, but who was the pioneer educator is not now remembered. The first teacher whose name can be recalled with sufficient distinctness to fix dates, was Miss Rebecca Boardman,. who taught here in 1840-41. From this small beginning has developed, in proportion to the development of the country, a system of education in this township, that compares favorably with any township in the county. As indicating the progress in this direction, it may be mentioned that ten years after the completion of the Canal there were in the township six organized schools, with three hundred and two persons of proper age to receive their benefits, of which number two hundred and thirty were in attendance. A few additional items extracted from an old report to the School Commissioner, at the date indicated, 1858, will prove interesting :

In 1872, the school population had reached its maximum, as had, also, the number of schoolhouses ; and, as other statistics for that year do not vary greatly from the present, some of the most essential are appended :

In each of the districts is a comfortable schoolhouse, nearly all of which are furnished with the improved desks, maps and the simpler pieces of school apparatus.

Though the Gospel was preached at an early date in this township, owing to its proximity to Joliet, and other points where churches and all the means of affording religious advantages abound, no church-buildings are to be found here. Preaching in the schoolhouses is had occasionally, and Sunday schools are sustained. Dr. Comstock, before mentioned, was also a preacher, and, as such, not only offered to his patients, sick with the infirmities of the body, remedies for their corporeal diseases, but pointed the people to the Great Physician who heals both body and spirit. The following anecdote is told of him in the "Forty Years Ago:" " Dr. Comstock will be remembered as one of oiy most respected citizens and physicians. He was somewhat eccentric, and many anecdotes could be told of him. He was a man of strong mind and of considerable culture, both literary and professional. He could repeat the standard poets by the yard, and was at home with Virgil in the original. He was not remarkable for his style, either in dress or equipage. He was also a local preacher of the Methodist Church, and often supplied acceptably the pulpit of his own and other churches, in the absence of the regular preacher. He had a brother living in Michigan who often came to visit him, and who was in some respects very much like him, while in others he- was very unlike. He had held the position of Chaplain to Congress at one time, and was always very sleek and well dressed, and carried a gold-headed cane. He was also a physician, and also a preacher, but of the Baptist faith, although not of the ' hard-shell ' variety. I used to think of Dickens' Cheeryble Brothers whenever I saw them together. They were very much attached to each other ; and our Methodist Doctor always marked with a white stone the day when his brother came to visit him. On one occasion as our Methodist Doctor was in front of his house, about getting into his old wagon for a professional tour - house, horse and wagon very much alike in their general make-up, the Baptist Doctor drove up in a splen- did new ' sulky,' one of those unsocial vehicles which will hold but one. The Methodist Doctor saw him coming, took in at a glance the whole rig in such marked contrast to his own ; and although longing to rush up and take his brother by the hand, he coolly folded his arms, surveys for an instant the Baptist and his 'turn-out,' and with a merry twinkle of the eye exclaims: ' Close communion, carriage and all ! ' "

Troy Township is described in the Congressional survey as Town 35 north. Range 9 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and is bounded on the north, east and south by the townships of Plainfield, Joliet and Channahon, and on the west by Kendall County. It is divided into two almost equal parts by the Du Page River, which flows through it from north to south ; and this stream, together with Buck Run and their branches and the Canal, constitute the water privileges in the township. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad passes^ through the southern part, and the new railroad known as the Joliet & Mendota, now being warmly agitated, will pass through by way of Grintonville, and will, probably, soon be running. The land is about three-fourths prairie ; the balance, known in other States as " barrens," is covered with timber, some of which is of good quality, though the land embraced in the timber tract is ;iot of a& good a quality for corn raising as the adjoining prairie. There are some as fine farms in Troy as are to be found in Will County. D. C. Searles, Myron Spencer, James Paul, the McEvoys, W. A. Dix, Brady and others are among the model farmers of the county, and have large and well-improved farms. This is thoroughly an agricultural region, and the lai'ge amount of grain and stock produced find a ready market by means of the Illinois & Michigan Canal and by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, which pass through it.

Bird's Eye Bridge is on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, about five miles south of Joliet. It received its name from a man of the name of Bird, who formerly lived near the bridge, a hundred yards below the place. A grain warehouse and elevator were erected here by H. S. Carpenter, of Joliet, about the year 1867. In 1870, M. Truby purchased the establishment and remodeled it throughout, putting grain-dumps and all the modern improvements in the elevator. He conducts a general grain business under the firm name of M. Truby & Son. The elevator will store about twenty thousand bushels of grain, and the cribbing capacity is about as much more. They handle annually about two hundred thousand bushels, which they ship by canal. Recently, however, they have put in a side-track on the Rock Island Railroad, which passes within a few rods of the place, which will enable them to take advantage of the Winter markets and will necessitate much less storage. A post office was established here in 1870, and called Bird's Eye Post Office, with M. Truby as Postmaster. They get the mail over the Rock Island line, the mail-bags being thrown off daily at the side-track. Mr. Truby has erected for himself at this point a very handsome residence, costing about $3,500. The firm keep a kind of supply

Store for the benefit of their customers ; also a pretty extensive lumber-yard. There are also shops of various kinds common to a country village.

Grintonville, or Grinton's Mill, is another little hamlet on the Du Page River, five miles from Joliet. It was regularly laid out by William Grinton and called after his name. Mr. Grinton was an early settler, and built a mill here about the year 1845. It is a three-story building, with three runs of buhrs, and is owned at present by J. I. Mather, who is doing a good business in the way of milling. It is on the Du Page River, and is run by power obtained from its waters. In addition to this, there are in the place two blacksmithshops, one wagon-shop, one shoe-shop and two saloons. There are no stores here, but there is a fine opening for one, and it seems strange ihat the want has not been supplied long ere this. A post office was obtained for this point, but the appointee to the office of Postmaster being found ineligible - not having been naturalized - the proj ect for a post office failed and the place is still without one

In the early times, when much of the clothing was made at home, and the cloth from which it was cut was spun and woven there, woolen-factories or carding machines were common all over the country. Sheep were raised principally for their wool, and nearly all the product was consumed in the neighborhood. Now, a mill for the purpose of making rolls, is a novelty. The woolpicking, the carding, the spinning, the weaving, are all of the past ; and even the making of the clothing, though, there is a sewing machine in almost every house, is largely done by manufacturers. A factory for the purpose of converting wool into cards preparatory to spinning, was built here by the McEvoys ; but for many years it has stood idle, though at one time it did an extensive business. The factory was built about 1848 or 1849. It is now owned by some of the McEvoys.

The Will County Poor Farm and Asylum is located in Troy Township. The institution is at present under the supervision of C. W. Cropsey, whose able management is highly approved by the people and the Board of Supervisors who visited it at their last session. At present, there are accommodated at the Farm forty-two paupers and nineteen insane persons. A few of these unfortunate people do a small amount of manual labor, most of them, however,^ being too feeble either in body or mind to be of any service. To the establishment are attached eighty acres of land. The buildings are large and comfortable, and well adapted to the purpose for which they are designed. The whole concern speaks loudly in honor of the county and its immediate management.

Troy Township is Democratic in politics, as it has been since the advent of the Irish, and has scarcely ever failed to give a good round majority for the -candidates whose names appeared on that ticket.

In 1850, when the township of Wilton was formed, Town 33, Range 11, or Tyhat is now known as Peotone, contained only two voters, and it was, therefore, necessary to include -it with some other township, and as Wilton was already pretty well settled, it was concluded to embrace within its limits the two Congressional towns. It was not until 1858 that the voting population of this section was considered sufficiently strong for separate organization.

During a period embraced between the years 1849 and 1858, about twentyfive families came to the township, most of whom became permanent settlers. Most of these, however, settled during the years 1855 to 1858. The most of the earliest settlers selected the little stream which flows through the township from the northeast to the southwest, and is a branch of Forked Creek.

In 1849, when some settlements had been already made in every adjoining township except Will, this locality was but just beginning to come into notice. The first actual settlers were Daniel B. Booth and James Allen, from Massachusetts. These two men made the first improvements in the township. Both located on the land now owned by Samuel Goodspeed, having entered one-half of Sections 19 and 30, through which, it will be noticed. Forked Creek runs. While he remained, he gave most of his attention to butter-making. It had not become generally understood that this land was well adapted for agricultural purposes, and Booth's idea seems to have been that in pasturage was its principal value; and when he found his dairy business a failure, he resolved to dispose of his interest and remove to a more congenial clime. From here he removed to Joliet, in 1855, and from thence to Texas, where he has since died. Allen seems, also, to have been dissatisfied with the country, as he stayed but a few years, and returned to the East.

These two men could scarcely be deemed permanent settlers, and are hardly deserving of that credit. The year 1855 is, in reality, the year from which the real prosperity and substantial settlement of the township dates. In that year, Ralph Crawford, Samuel Goodspeed and the Cowing brothers came in and made improvements which have not only proved substantial, but which have increased in number and value. These men, too, have stuck to the township, borne its burdens, and shared in its trials and all of its enterprises.

Crawford had really been in the township the year before, had bought his land, done some breaking, and made other improvements. He has been exceed- ^^S^J prosperous, having accumulated a fortune since his location at this place.

Besides his fine farm, on which he lives, he has another farm in Texas of 32,000 acres. Mr. Crawford has always enjoyed the confidence and favor of all of the citizens of the township, and has been honored by them with almost every ofiice and honorable position within their gift.

As before intimated, Samuel Goodspeed bought the interest of Booth. He settled on the place in the Spring of 1855, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Goodspeed had lived in the county twenty years prior to his removal to Peotone Township, having settled in Plainfield in 1835. He has proved to be one of the most substantial citizens of this portion of the county, and has filled almost every position of honor and trust, and that to his own credit and the satisfaction of the people. He was Moderator of the first township meeting, in 1858, one of the first three School Trustees, in 1859, and has held various other ofiices since.

John G. and James H. Cowing have been amongst the most substantial inhabitants of this vicinity. They had also been in the State some years, but Tyere originally from New Hampshire. James H. Cowing has been dead about ten years. John C. was one of the first three Commissioners of Highways, and is serving in that capacity at this time.

John Poland and Daniel Gleason, two Irishmen, and brothers-in-law, were here in 1855. They both removed from the township but a short time since. Noland still owns a farm here.

P. Armstrong, now of Peotone, came with Goodrich as a laborer, and entered some land, but gave it up and removed to the village. The next year, 1856, Arnold, Tobias and Cornelius Eahs, Moses Wright, Milton Smith and James F. Johnson made their advent. The Fahs brothers were from Maryland, "Wright from New York, and Smith and Johnson fromJMichigan. Of the Fahses, only Tobias still resides here. Cornelius is dead, and Arnold removed to Chicago two or three years after his settlement here. After removing to Chicago, Arnold Fahs engaged in the lumber trade, from which he realized a large fortune. He died at that place about two years ago. Moses^W right was elected first Supervisor and first Assessor in 1858, and the next year returned to Michigan, from whence he had come. Milton Smith was an enterprising man. He died eight or nine years ago, and his family ''removed to Iowa. James F. Johnson continued to reside here until a year ago, when he sold out and removed to Kansas.

George Reynolds and William W. Kelly settled here in |1857, the former from New York and the latter from Boston. Both Reynolds and Kelly have since removed to Chicago. The above, with Thomas Lockey, Smith Shaw and William P. Bonn, are all that are now remembered 'who became permanent residents before 1858, at which date the village of Peotone commenced to grow. From that date, for a number of years^ the township settled rapidly. Indeed, at that date, nearly all of the land not held by the Illinois Central Railroad had been occupied by actual settlers or bought by speculators.

It was at that date that a move was made looking toward the separate organization of the eastern half of Wilton Precinct into a separate township. The usual formalities of signing and presenting a petition to the County Board having been observed, and an ordefr from that body having been obtained, the first annual township meeting was appointed for April 6, 1858. At this meeting, Samuel Goodspeed was elected Moderator, and George Reynolds, Clerk pro tern. The oath was. administered to the officers in charge of the election by Richard Constable, a Justice of the Peace, of Wilton. The result of the ballot was the election of Moses Wright, Supervisor ; George Reynolds, Clerk ; Moses Wright, Assessor ; William W. Kelly, Collector ; James H. Cowing, Overseer of the Poor; Milton Smith, James F. Johnson and John C. Cowing, Commissioners of Highways ; Cornelius Fahs and Ralph Crawford, Justices of the Peace ; and James Fahs and James H. Cowing, Constables. At that date there were in the township 25 voters. Since then, the township has cast as many as 237 votes - an increase of nearly 1,000 per cent. The population was at that time about 125 ; the present population exceeds 1,200.

The present officers are : Michael Collins, Supervisor ; William Young, Clerk; William Crawford, Assessor; Louis Gundlach, Collector; John Meyer, Jr., John C. Cowing and Henry Gintert, Commissioners of Highways ; F. C. Hasenmeyer and Henry Joint, Constables ; Louis Gundlach and David Morrison, Justices of the Peace ; William Dunlap, Jonathan Dennis and D. L. Christian, School Trustees ; and Peter Conrad, Treasurer.

In 1858, every township in Will County had established schools except Peotone. This was, previous to that date, entirely destitute of school accommodations. There were a few children sent to the township of Wilton, where schools had been in operation for eight or ten years ; but the distance was so great that only during the finest weather could they be made available. A year after the organization of the township, however, a movement was made toward putting in operation the means for establishing schools in the midst of the settlements within the bounds of Peotone Township. On the 28th of February, 1859, the voters of the township met at the house of J. F. Johnson and elected Samuel Goodspeed, A. H. Fahs and Tobias Fahs, School Trustees ; and by the Trustees, Ralph Crawford was elected Treasurer, which office he held for the next fourteen years. , At the meeting just mentioned, the Trustees divided the township into four school districts. Two of these, the one in the Goodspeed neighborhood, and the other at the station, which was then attracting settlers, built houses and opened school the same year. The next year, the Third, and the next, the Fourth Districts established schools and built houses. Both of the first schoolhouses are still in use - the one for the purpose for which it was erected, the other, with some additions, doing duty as a church.

By 1866, the number of districts was increased to six, and in all except one were school-buildings. At that time, which was seven years after the first steps were taken to establish the system in the township, there were 453 persons under 21 years of age, 301 of whom were entitled to the benefits of the common-school system, being between the ages of 6 and 21 years. Of these, 248 were reported as having attended school the previous year. The people of the township were at that time making up for lost time, 248 persons out of 301 being a large proportion for a newly-formed township. Another seven years, we find, has increased the number of schools to 9, and the number of enrolled scholars to 366, out of 398, entitled to school privileges.

A few items taken from the report of the Treasurer to the County Superintendent of Schools for 1877, will doubtless prove interesting, especially as compared with the preceding figures :

In each district is to be found a comfortable schoolhouse, and, in several, are buildings that are a credit to the district. Nearly all are furnished with modern desks and apparatus, and we are credibly informed that the schools of this township are in a flourishing condition.

The people have provided well for the moral and religious instruction of themselves and of all who care to avail themselves of these privileges. Besides the churches of the village, mentioned elsewhere, there are three handsome churchbuildings. The United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1860 by Rev. R. W. French, who was subsequently called to the pastorate in 1861, at which time he moved to the neighborhood. The original members were Thomas Luther, David Gilkerson and James E. Shaw, with other members of their families, and a few other persons, to the number of eighteen.

In 1867, the building was erected at an outlay of $3,600. It is a very neat and comfortable house, 30x45 feet in size, and well furnished throughout. The membership numbers at present about fifty. It is not as strong as at a former period, quite a number having withdrawn to unite with the Presbyterian Church of the village, and several families having removed to Kansas. Rev. R. W. French has been the Pastor ever since the organization of the Church. Sunday school is kept open during the Summer.

Wesley M. E. Church, of West Peotone, was organized in 1868, and a building erected in 1870, at an expense of $3,000. The building is 32x48 feet, and is a very neat and comfortable structure. Rev. R. Wright was the first minister who ofiiciated as such in the new building. The present membership of the Church is about thirty, with Rev. N. Crichter as Pastor. Sunday school is kept open throughout the year; of this, William Crawford is Superintendent.

St. John's German Evangelical Church, in the northern part of the township, was organized in 1866 by Rev. F. Baeber, with sixteen families. Mr. Baeber preached here a year and a half. The whole establishment consists of four acres of land, a parsonage, schoolhouse and church edifice. The parsonage was the fir^t building erected in 1868. In this church, services were held with varying frequency, until 1871, when the building of the chapel was completed. In 1873, the schoolhouse was built. The buildings have cost - the parsonage, $1,500 ; the church, $3,000, and the schoolhouse $400. The congregation consists at present, of about fifty families, of whom Rev. D. Behrens is Pastor and teacher. The school is kept open six months in the year, the children attending the public schools a portion of the time.

We would not forget that when the life of our country was in danger, in 1861-65, Peotone Township, though but illy able to contribute largely to its support in men or means, having been so recently settled, did her part and made several noble sacrifices ; but, unfortunately, on account of a method which then prevailed, proper credits were never given, and many of their names appear in the Adjutant General's Reports as credited to other towns. The township of Peotone is described in the Congressional survey as Town 33 north, Range 12 east of the Third Principal Meridian. It is bounded on the north by Greengarden, on the east by Will, on the south by Kankakee County, and on west by Wilton Township. The township is not greatly diversified in soil or surface, but 18 mostly of a rich, deep soil and a slightly rolling surface, broken only by the two creeks which flow through it. There are no native groves of timber ; but on many of the older farms are to be seen fine little groves of soft maple, elm and poplar, planted by the early settlers. The products of the township are those common to most parts of the county, and consist of corn, hay, oats and rye. Within the last year or two, considerable attention has been given to the dairy business, and the result has been the establishing by Messrs. Conrad & Son, of a cheese-factory, a half-mile west of the village of Peotone.

The factory was built this year, and business began August 5. The buildings are commodious and well adapted to the purpose for which they are designed. The cost of buildings and machinery was $4,000. They began operations with the consumption of 2,000 pounds of milk per day. The capacity of the factory is 14,000 pounds, which limit, it is confidently thought, will be reached in a short time.

For some years, hay has been a reliable crop, and a large amount of both timothy and the native prairie hay has been cut and shipped. However, as the prairie was gradually fenced up and tilled the natural product decreased. Farmers have been giving more attention to stock than formerly, and a larger amount of this product has been consumed at home for the purpose of wintering cattle and sheep. In 1869, Oliver Lipincott built a hay-press at the village, for the purpose of preparing the hay for the city and Southern markets.

The press is still in operation, but, for reasons already assigned, the business of hay-pressing has somewhat fallen oif. Formerly, considerable wheat was raised here, and, in 1858 to 1868, especially during the earlier years of that period, wheat was considered a staple crop ; but of late years the crop has been a failure, and its cultivation has been almost entirely abandoned. In 1872, Messrs. Elling & Rathje erected a fine mill for the purpose of manufacturing this product into flour. The mill cost nearly $12,000, and is one of the finest of its kind in the conntry. It is built on the Holland plan, with four large fans, of fifty feet each in length, which furnish power equal to forty horses. Owing to the fact already mentioned, that but little wheat is now produced here to keep the mill at work, the grain is brought by railroad from Minnesota and other places, and ground here, for consumption by those who formerly raised the article.

Village Of Peotonb

In 1855, a year after the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad, the site of the village was bought from that Company, and, in 1856, it was laid out by David Goodwillie. For a couple of years, no one seemed disposed to embark in business here, as the settlements, prior to that time, had been made mostly in the western part ; and what little business was done was transacted at Twelve Mile Grove, in the adjoining township. Gradually the eastern portion of the township began to be settled, and a demand for postal and commercial privileges began to arise, which were no sooner demanded than they were supplied.

In 1858, John F. Pickering erected a house, in which he lived and also opened a small stock of goods. In the Spring of the next year, he erected the first real store-building. Thus opened, business of various kinds began to appear; and, in the Summer of 1859, several families came to the village, bought lots and made some improvements. A post office, the first ever established in the township, was established about this time. In the Winter of 1859-60, as has been stated on another page, the first school was taught. The first teacher was W. W. Clark. Dr. Charles Stedman located here soon after, and was the first resident physician. A warehouse had been erected by Messrs. Harding & Comstock, in 1857 ; but this being the beginning of the "hard times" period, yet fresh in the minds of many of the early settlers, but little, by way of grainbuying, was done for several years. Partially owing to the same cause, the town improved but slowly until the midst of the war or near its close when money was plenty, and produce plenty and in great demand. Then, Messrs. Comstock, Gilkerson & Worden, and Messrs. Schroeder & Rathje, began buying large quantities of grain ; and, in 1868, both firms erected elevators. This was, indeed, the beginning of the period of Peotone's solid growth. Prior to 1866, not more than fifteen houses were to be found here, one of which was the store. From that time forward, for about eight years, the town improved rapidly. New dwellings, stores, shops and churches went up. During that period of prosperity, three churches, a good schoolhouse, and most of the stores and other buildings now found in the lively little town were erected. Then began to be felt another period of hard times, consequent upon the panic of 1873, since which time Peotone, like most other places, has shown no signs of special activity. In 1869, the village was incorporated. The first election was held June 6, of the year named, and the following oiBcers were selected : C. A. Westgate, President; B. S. Smith, Emanuel Wirt, Joseph Imholtz and John F. Pickering, Trustees, and John F. Pickering, Clerk. The present ofEcers are: Philip Sultzbaugh, President; E. B. Cowing, Fred. Schroeder, N S. Beedy, Martin Collins and James Barnhardt, Trustees ; Martin Collins, Clerk ; James Barnhardt, Treasurer ; John Conrad, Police Magistrate, and Fred. Wahls, Constable.

In 1869, the old school-building, which had been erected ten years before, was found to have outlived its usefulness, or rather its capacity was found too limited for its purpose. It was thought by some that additions to the old building would be the better way to enlarge the school capacity ; but it was finally resolved to build anew from the ground, and dispose of the old building for other purposes. The house erected is a very fine one, for a place of this size, and cost about $7,000

The M. E. Church was the first to organize, and one of the two first to build. The organization was effected in 1858, by Rev. John Hitchins, and consisted at first of ten members. The building, which stands in the west part of the town, was erected in 1867, and cost the society $3,000. The parsonage, owned by the Church, cost $1,000. Rev. Henry Hill is present Pastor.

The German Evangelical Church was erected the same year, the society having been recently organized. In 1870, it was set ofi" as an Independent Church, having formerly belonged to the Rockville Circuit. The building is a frame structure, and stands in the southeastern part of the village. Though to outward appearance a good building, it was poorly constructed, and must, at no distant date, be taken down and replaced by one of more substantial character. Rev. John Wellmar officiates as minister.

The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1871, by Rev. J. H. Trowbridge, with seventeen members. The building of the new schoolhouse a year or two before, and its recent occupancy, left the old schoolhouse vacant. This house had not been a stranger to the sound of the Gospel or the songs of praise. All of the denominations, during a period prior to the erecti'on of their houses of worship, had made use of this building for Church and Sunday school purposes. So when the building was vacated by the school, the society purchased it and refitted it for their use. Rev. W. F. Wood is minister of this congregation. The parsonage is the best in the village. The German Lutheran Church is the best building of the four. It was built in 1875, and stands in the southwestern part of the village. The organization of the society had been accomplished four years before, by Rev. F. Baeber. The present Pastor is Rev. Christopher'

Wobus. In connection with all of the congregations are flourishing Sunday schools, and each minister is provided with a comfortable parsonage.

Peotone Lodge, No. 636, A., F. & A. M., was established October, 1869. The charter members were Samuel Jamison, Charles A. Westgate, John B. Sollitt, Charles Gates, David Grilmore, Benjamin Sellers, Rufus K. Reynolds, August Herbert, Henry Rape, W. F. Hutchinson, D. F. Mason, J. M. French, A. A. Manson, J. D. Downing, J. L. Miller, John M. Tobias and F. Eldei^

The regular communications are held on the second and fourth Saturdays of month. The present membership is thirty-seven. The present principal officers are C. A. Westgate, W. M. ; Charles Gates, S. W. ; R. G. Jorgenson, J. W. ; Thomas Collins, Sec, and Philip Sultzbaugh, Treas.

Of all of the interesting little nooks in Will County, Twelve-Mile Grove is, without doubt, the most romantic. Not only on account of location has it this peculiar aspect, but associated with it, were it in our power to unearth it, is an ancient history of a sufiiciently wild flavor for a poem like to that of Hiawatha. Almost entirely secluded as they were from the rest of their race, with surroundings at once so beautiful and so well adapted to their style of life, we cannot but conceive that the wild people who dwelt here must in many respects have been peculiar. The little grove is said to have been one of the finest tracts of timber in Northern Illinois, and was full of deer, wild turkeys and other game, at the time of the earliest settlement by the whites. The fine little stream, a branch of Forked Creek, dividing the township diagonally into two almost exactly equal parts, flows over a rocky bed, along which the grove, on either side, lies. On every side lies the open prairie, and in approaching the timber one is reminded of the little clumps of timber described by Eastern travelers as appearing on the Great Desert, toward which their anxious eyes and weary limbs ever turn for refreshing shelter and drink for themselves and thirsty animals. Formerly this feature was much more apparent than now, the adjacent prairie having long since been occupied and planted here and there by the early settlers, not only with fruit-trees, but also with those of the forest, so that at present the whole township presents the appearance of a succession of little groves. The land of Wilton Township is of varied quality and appearance, in some portions being very rich and productive, and in others quite the reverse ; in some portions being very flat, and in others undulating. In some parts of the township stone of a good quality is found, which answers a good purpose for foundations for buildings, though it has been utilized to a limited extent for other purposes.

Wilton Township formerly embraced the township of Peotone, but was separated from it by order of the Board of Supervisors in 1858. The township, ,as now constituted, embraces all of Town 33 north, Range 11 east of the Third

Principal Meridian, and is bounded on the north, east and west by the respective townships of Manhattan, Peotone and Florence, and on the south by Kankakee County.

As before intimated, the township, or rather that portion still known as Twelve- Mile Grove, was occupied by a small tribe of Indians. The grove was reserved, by act of Congress, ratifying a treaty with these people, for their sole use and benefit; but, though they were not concerned in any way in the Black Hawk disturbance, or any other unfriendly or hostile act toward the whites, they removed from here the same year that saw the exodus of the hostile tribes. They simply abandoned their lands here, not because of any encroachments by the whites, nor because of their inability to hold the title to the land, for tbe Government would doubtless have protected them in their rights, but, perhaps, because they did not like the idea of being separated so far from others of their race.

From the best information in our possession, Joseph Lawton, one of the owners of the land, was a half-breed ; and, from him and others of the tribe of Ce-nag-e-wine, the land comprising the grove was bought, by James M. Kibbin, William T. Nelson and A. M. Wiley, ten or twelve years after the Indiana had. deserted it. A considerable portion of the land in the township was granted, to the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and, from that Company, bought by such settlers as came in after 1853. Samuel Hocum, who is usually accredited, with being the first settler at the Grove, really affiliated with the Indians, and, when they left here to reside at Council Bluffs, followed their fortunes thither. Hocum, whatever his character may have been, was, in one characteristic which distinguishes the civilized white from the uncivilized red man, of civilized proclivities, in that he lived in a house. It is said that he built the first cabin erected by white men in the township, and that it stood at the east end of the grove, on the farm now owned by Chauncey Clinton. The exodus of the Hocums, the Lawtons and the other Indians, took place about 1835, at which date Abram Huyck came to the township and settled on Section 36, since and still called Huyck's Grove. For two years, the Huyck family were the only inhabitants of the township, and Twelve-Mile Grove was deserted. Abram Huyck died about fifteen years ago, and the family removed to other parts.

When the whites first began to settle here, many traces of the former occupants of the grove were yet visible. Among the most interesting of these, asillustrating their methods of sepulture, were the tombs of three Indians, supposed, from the profusion of their decorations, to be chiefs. The sepulcher, or whatever it might be called, consisted of a little pen, built up of small sticks, laid, one upon the other, to the height of about four feet, being from four to five feet square. The whole was covered with sticks, weighed down with heavy stones. And therein, on a kind of stool, sat the three " poor Loes," looking lonesome and ghastly enough. The cracks between the sticks composing the pens were sufficiently -wide to admit of inspection, while being at the same time too small to allow of their being disturbed by wild animals. In this position, these ghastly remains sat in all of their feathers, beads and jewelry, with the flesh decaying from their bones, for a number of years, till at length a. foolish lad, who lived in the neighborhood, upset their charnel-houses, scattering their bones about the surrounding country.

In 1837, three families from Canada came in and settled at the grove. These were Franklin Chamberlin, Oliver Chamberlin and James Adams. The Chamberlins were father and son. The Chamberlins built the first frame house. The timbers were " got out," hewed and prepared from the grove, and the boards were brought from Wilmington, where a saw-mill had recently been built. Adams occupied the Hocum cabin. The Chamberlins remained here until 1845, when they removed to Black Oak, near Chicago, where they still reside.

At the time of which we write, in addition to the wild animals desirable for food, there were also wolves in great numbers. Geese, chickens, sheep and pigs were their favorite repast ; and it was almost impossible to protect them from the voracity of their natural enemy. An able and eloquent representative had risen in the Legislature and declared that, " When the denizen of the prairie is locked in the embrace of Morpheus, the shades of night have settled 'round his abode and all nature has settled to rest, then the noisome wolf rises from his lair, and, roaming up and down the land, seizes the inoifensive pig and the innocent lamb, devouring them, to the great detriment of said denizens," and the law for the protection of domestic animals against the ravages of " said wolf" had been passed, allowing to any one who would secure the scalp of one these " noisome " animals, a bounty of $1. The business of wolf-hunting at once became quite lucrative. For a number of years afterward, in the newly settled counties, nearly all of the State taxes were paid in this kind of currency. The younger Chamberlin was a skillful hunter of the wolf, killing from twenty to forty every Fall. For these, he received for the scalps $1 each, and for the pelts, 50 cents. In those times, the hardest that have ever been known in this State, this was counted a large amount of money. But, though the profit derived was comparatively great, the propagation of the wolf was neglected,, and now, a wolf, should one be captured in the county, would be counted as a curiosity.

If intelligence were necessary to " keep school " in those days, the Adams family must have been in that respect more than ordinary, as the first two terms taught in the township, in 1841 and 1842, were taught respectively by Lydia and Sallie Adams, daughters of James Adams. At about the last date named, the Mormons at Nauvoo were in all their glory. Missionaries were being sent to all parts of the country to enlighten the people on the peculiar, doctrines of Joseph Smith, as revealed in the Book of Mormon ; and among the places visited in this part of the State was Twelve-Mile Grove. Their efforts here were not without success. The Adams family, having become fully established in.

the faith, sold out and removed to headquarters at Nauvoo. A few years later, when the conflict arose between the authorities of the State and the troops of Smith, which resulted in the death of that would-be prophet, and the succession of Brigham Young to the Prophet's position, most of the Mormons removed to Salt Lake. Among the faithful who followed the fortunes of Young to the new land of promise, were Adams and his family. In crossing the plains, among the hundreds of these people who perished was Lydia Adams. Sallie afterward became one of the wives of an influential and wealthy Mormon, and still resides in that country. Several other converts were made to Mormonisra in this neighborhood, some of whom still reside here, but repudiate the doctrine of plural marriages, cleaving to the faith as expounded by Joseph Smith, Jr., now of Piano, 111.

The Chamberlins and Adams sold out their possessions here to one Reuben Putnam, more generally known as " Old Put." Putnam had the reputation of heing a horse-thief, a cattle, pig and sheep thief, and a robber of all kinds of goods on which he could lay hands. He was even credited with having in the ^rove an underground stable in which he concealed his ill-gotten gains, and in he accommodated members of a then numerous gang of horse-thieves that infested the country ; and it is not doubted that Putnam was one of the leaders. " Old Put's " favorite mark for his stock was to cut off both ears and tail, and in this way destroy all other marks that might previously have been made by rightful owners. Certain it is that he was the terror of this part of the country, and as such prevented for a time the rapid settling of the township. But finally his operations became so gigantic, and his attitude toward his neighbors became so unbearable, that forbearance ceased to be a virtue, and it was -determined to bring him to grief Suits numerous had been brought against him ; indictments had been procured ; and all legal measures had been tried to bring him to justice, but always to the defeat of those instituting such proceedings. So a few of the citizens of the neighborhood, to the number of seven, entered into a compact to rid the county of his presence. It is unnecessary to repeat the names of the seven who planned the scheme, or to give the minutiae thereof. Sufiice it to say that, one day in June, 1853, Old Put was plowing corn in his field, when suddenly, what to him appeared to be an Indian, grappled his arms from behind and held him fast ; then another, who seemed to be a negro, appeared with a tar-bucket, and another Indian came up with a bag of feathers. Quicker than it takes to tell it, two or three \ more negroes stripped him of his clothing, and a pair of sheep shears applied to his scalp, divested him of his hair. In four minutes from the time of commencing the operations, Mr. Put presented a striking appearance. So much did he resemble the descriptions of that ancient one called Scratch, that the boys who took part in the work were really struck with fear. He had been covered from head to foot with the tar and feathers ; and to add to the Satanic appearance as if having just issued from the ground, they had rolled him in the fresh-plowed dirt. After the work had been completed, he was asked if he understood the meaning of all these proceedings, and upon giving an affirmative answer, he was told that he would be allowed just ninety days to settle up his business and get out of the country, and was assured that if he were found in the neighborhood at the end of the period named, the seven had sworn a great oath never to rest day or night until he was quartered. At the end of the eighty-seventh day, it was noticed that Put still lingered, as if loath to leave the scene of the drama in which he had taken so prominent a part ; but after that date he was a stranger to Twelve-Mile Grove, having suddenly vanished.

For a long time his countenance presented rather a sallow appearance, looking much as though he was undergoing an attack of the jaundice. He spent much time in trying to find out who had been his persecutors ; but so well had they concealed their plans that for many years it was not known who had taken part in the work.

Four of the men employed in the matter are still residents of the county, and are among the best citizens. The thing proved so popular, and those concerned in it kept it so well, that others who had nothing to do with it hinted that they "knew more about it than they cared to tell." Hiram Harvey and sons came to the township from Canada in 1841, stayed three years and then removed to Five-Mile Grove, where they resided nearly four years, returning to Twelve-Mile in 1848. Jabez Harvey, one of the best-esteemed citizens of the township, went to California during the gold fever, and had returned by June, 1853, having in the mean time, seen somewhat of the manner of dealing with outlaws in that, country, at that time governed neither by the principles of law nor morals. Mr. Hiram Harvey is now over 70 years of age, hale and hearty, and in the enjoyment of all of his youthful energy. He is the oldest resident of the township. From 1841 until 1845, Alanson Williams, J. Taft, Dr. A. B. Mead, Amos Van Valtonburg and Alfred Warner made their appearance in the neighborhood. They resided here but a short period - but four or five years - and then removed to other places. During the residence of Dr. Mead, the post office of Wallingford was established near the center of the township, with Mead as Postmaster and mail-carrier, between this point and Wilmington, and for his services he received the proceeds of the office. After Lis removal, the office was removed to the head of the grove, where it has since remained. By 1848, quite a number of Irish families had also settled in the neighborhood. At the date last named, the Illinois & Michigan Canal -was completed, and a number of the laborers on the works, having saved a portion of their wages and being out of employment, concluded to engage in farming, and took up their residence here. Some of our best citizens are of Irish nativity, among whom are John Brown, Roger Waters and Thomas McCormick. In 1846, Kibben, Nelson & Co., the new proprietors of the reservation, came to the Grove with a view to making improvements and selling out the land. The land was surveyed and offered for sale ; and, there being no other timber near, coal not yet having been discovered in the county, and the railroad not yet having been projected, the people were greatly excited over the prospect of having the only source of fuel and lumber disposed of without a chance to obtain a piece ; and as a consequence, land, which can to-day be bought for $20 per acre, brought f 100. The proprietors who had bought the reservation for a trifle became rich men in a short time.

The Nelson family, of whom W. T., mentioned above, was a member, consisted of the father, John Nelson, and sons W. T., S. Q. and D. M. They came from Indiana to reside at the Grrove in 1848. John Nelson had been, in the State of his former residence, one of the first citizens of the county in which he liveJ, and was honored with many positions of trust, among which was that of member of the Assembly of the State. Mr. Nelson died two or three years after his removal to this place. W. T. Nelson now resides in an adjoining township, and the two other brothers still reside near the village of Wallingford.

George and David Dancer, brothers, from the northern part of the State, came in 1848. The former still resides here, but the latter has removed to Iowa.

Samuel C. Baker and brother Caleb settled here in 1849. Caleb is one of our most wealthy and respected citizens. Samuel C. now resides in Colorado, and is engaged in the cattle trade.

Joseph Cook was the first blacksmith. His shop at first consisted of a bellows, anvil and a few hammers, and the broad branches of a tree were his only shelter. Of him it could with propriety be said :

A horse-power saw-mill was erected by Henry Stone, now of California, in: 1850, but it run but a short time, as the completion of the railroad brought lumber of a more desirable character to within a short distance. The first goods were sold in 1856 by J. Hopkins, at Wallingford. Hopkins did not continue in the business long, but sold out to S. G. Nelson. A store was started in Wilton Center in 1857, by Barret & Hersperger, and by them it was run for about three months, when they sold to Jabez Harvey, who has continued the business without intermission or suspension for twenty years.

There were at one time three post offices in the township. The first established was the one at Ingham's Hill, near the center of the township, and then removed to Wallingford. About 1856, a post office called Pierce, was authorized at Huyck's Grove, and another at Wilton Center. Pierce Post Office-

In 1850, there were in the township, as then organized - embracing, also, Peotone - about twenty-five voters. The precinct, with the Grove as center for an indefinite area surrounding, was called Dallas. In the year named, however, the Commissioners of the county changed the name, giving the precinct a definite boundary, with Supervisor and other township officers.

The first election was held April 2, 1850. Of this meeting, Henry Stone was elected Moderator, and William T. Nelson, Clerk pro tern. Twenty-six votes were cast, of which the following persons for the respective ofiices received majorities : William Dancer, Supervisor ; Horace Kelsey, Clerk ; James M. Kibbin, Assessor ; Joel 0. Norton, Collector ; Hugh Kennedy, Overseer of the Poor; George Dancer, Samuel Hall and Alfred Warner, Commissioners of Highways ; Samuel Wilson and Patrick Boyland, Justices of the Peace, and Edward Graham and John McGowan, Constables.

In 1858, the eastern half of the precinct, now constituting Peotone Township, was, by order of the Board of Supervisors, set off as a separate township, and Wilton left with boundaries co-extensive with what we now find them.

The present officers are : S. G. Nelson, Supervisor ; G. Boynton, Clerk ; A. J. Mills, Assessor ; D. M. Nelson, Collector ; George Mackender, John White and James Cavency, Highway Commissioners ; S. G. Nelson and Jabez Harvey, Justices of the Peace ; George Rose and B. F. Dunham, Constables, and Jabez Harvey, School Treasurer. The present voting population is 240. One of the most important public acts of the township was the voting of f 35,000 to aid the Decatur & State Line Railroad, which was to cross the township and locate a station at Wilton. The road has not yet been completed, and, as one of the provisions of the call for an election was that the bonds were to be issued only when the first train of cars were run through the township, they have not yet been called for.

The township took more than ordinary interest in the great war for the preservation of the Union, in 1861 - 65. No draft was ever enforced, the quota of each call being filled by volunteers, or by substitutes, paid by subscriptions or tax. Nearly all who enlisted from this township were in the One Hundredth Illinois Infantry. Many of the brave boys who left us never returned. Of this number are remembered Alva Hoyt, Richard L. Barr, William Bruce, Ira Temple, Amos and James Gauthrop, Simon Conchlin, Ahaz Young, Giles L. Greenman, Joseph Robinson, Frank Patchett, Robert Stevens, Don A. Robinson, Henry Doncaster and James T. Ladieu. The last named died a double death in Andersonville Prison. Isaac Jenks, though he received such wounds as would have killed a common man - his head being literally shot to pieces - still lives. Jerry Kennison was promoted to the office of Captain, and S. G. Nelson was honored with the title and office of Major.

As before intimated, the first school was taught in 1841. This was the school not only for the township, but for all the country adjacent. Pupils attended this school who lived ten miles away. The number of children living in the township at that time scarcely warranted the building of a houae and the establishing of a school. The house was built by James Adams, Franklin Chamberlin and Hiram Harvey, and was a partnership concern. It was constructed of bass-wood logs, split in two parts, and laid up in the manner of a rail pen, with the flat surfaces inside. The puncheon floor, slab seats and desks and the huge fire-place, common to most of the pioneer schoolhouses such as appear in our cut on page 89, were features of this school-building. In 1849, the school township was organized, with Horace Kelsey as Treasurer, and iu 1850, the first public school-building was erected at Wilton Center, which building is still standing and doing the service as originally designed. It was, doubtless, considered a grand affair in its early days, though at present it looks somewhat antiquated - however, in a pretty good state of preservation. It is constructed of stone, which were taken from the quarry near by, the stones being raised and hauled by difi"erent parties, who gave their time and labor to the enterprise. The building is 20x30 feet, and in height is scarcely eight feet between joists. Above the door appears the following inscription, cut deep in the stone cap :

In this building, Chauncey Steele taught the first term. The schoolhouse proved to be, in addition to its use as a temple of learning, a great convenience for numerous other purpose. In it have been held political meetings, debating societies, churches and Sunday schools, indignation meetings and ratification meetings and assemblies of all sorts and sizes, except large sizes, which could not be accommodated within its modest inclosure, and were, therefore, held in the grove. Soon after the date of the building of the schoolhouse in District No. 1, a school was organized at the north end of the Grove and a building erected there ; and, within eight years, three more had been built, making, in 1858, five organized districts, each with a school building of its own, and having a school population of over four hundred.

At present, there are seven whole districts and two union. The school population is 610 children under 21 years of age, of whom 408 are between the of 6 and 21.

Village Of Wallingford

As previously stated, Nelson, Kibbin and Wiley had purchased of the Indians the tract known as the "reservation." Afterward that portion which now constitutes the site of the village was sold to H. B. Goddard, by whom, in turn, it was conveyed to Charles W. Keith, who laid out the town and offered the lots for sale.

Doubtless, high anticipations were indulged in, regarding the destiny of Wallingford, as Keith advertised it extensively. Charts of the town were lithographed and sent to every corner of the East and West. Some of them still in existence show what a nice town may be built on paper, all with streets and alleys, public squares and fine parks. But, alas, for human expectations ! the enterprise proved a failure, and Wallingford stands a monument of blasted hopes. It is now simply a little trading-point, with a score of houses, a store and a few shops. Keith, after having disposed of a few lots, sold the site and the adjoining farm to Noah Thayer, of Aurora, who still owns it.

Village Oe Wilton Center

Wilton Center was platted, originally, in 1860 ; but, subsequently, the plat was taken up and a new plat made in 1876. The plat consists of about forty acres, of which Jabez Harvey is principal proprietor. Its history is not greatly dissimilar, as to success, to its little rival at the other end of the grove. It contains two general stores, two wagon-shops, two churches, and dwellings and other buildings in proportion. The population is about one hundred and fifty.

The Baptist Church was built in 1868. It is a neat frame building, capable of accommodating about two hundred persons. The membership of this Church is forty seven, with Rev. 0. C. Dickinson as Pastor and Superintendent of the Sunday school.

Both of the above denominations had held services here for many years prior to the erection of their houses of worship, holding meetings in the schoolhouse and in private dwellijigs.

Lodge No. 640, I. 0. 0. F. was estabhshed at this place, June 15, 1877, with seven members, most of whom had belonged to Wilmington Lodge. Of the number named, A. J. Mills was N. G. ; J. G. Thompson, V. G.; Henry Storch, Secretary ; and Jabez Harvey, Treasurer. The present membership is thirty-three, the officers of which, with the substitution of Lorenz Reitz as V. (jr., and Charles Weber as Secretary, remain as at first constituted. Meetings are held on Saturday of each week.

" A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," sang the bard of Stratford-on-Avon. This township was erst known as Trenton - a name bestowed by William Nelson, the first Supervisor after township organization. When Will County adopted township organization, there not being a sufficient number of voters in this to form a township, it and Greengarden were embraced in one, under the name of Trenton, after the town in which Mr. Nelson had resided in New York. In 1853, the population having sufficiently increased, the two towns were separated, and the name of Manhattan was proposed by John Young, Esq., the first Supervisor of this one, and no objection being made by Nelson, it was duly named for the island of the Knickerbockers, since which time it has been known as Manhattan Township, 34 north. Range 11 east. It is a beautiful undulating prairie, lying in gentle eminences, having much the appearance of the swell of the ocean after a storm has passed away. No timber breaks the monotony of the prairie, except Five-Mile Grove, and which comprises less than a section of land. It is thoroughly an agricultural region, than which there is none better in Will County, with no towns or villages, or manufactories to interfere with the farming interests. Its population, in 1870, was 922 souls.

The first settler in Manhattan Township was Orin Stevens, but of him little can now be learned further than that he had made a settlement at Five-Mile Grove. He was keeping a sort of tavern there when the next settlers came in, in 1834. The Perkinses were the next to settle after Stevens, and consisted of Ephraim Perkins and four sons, viz., Orin, Edward, Ephraim and Pliny Perkins. They were from Trenton, N. Y., and Edward came out in June, 1834, and bought out the man Stevens. Where Stevens was from, when he settled at Five-Mile Grove, or what became of him after he sold out, are items of the township history lost in the things of the past. Edward Perkins was a single man when he first came to the settlement, but returned to New York in the Fall and married, and brought his young wife to the West. Jerrod Gage came about this time, and he and Perkins entered into partnership in the dairy business at Five-Mile Grove. The next Spring (1835), Perkins' father and brothers came out, and also Gage's father and his family. The elder Gage had been an extensive dairyman in "York State," and being an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, the "Sage of Ashland" and renowned Kentucky statesman, once made for him a mammoth cheese, and presented it to him during one of his campaigns. When Edward Perkins returned from New York, after his marriage, he located for a time in Joliet, as noticed in that part of this work, and was interested with Dr. Bowen in his Addition to the city of Joliet. The elder Perkins and Gage are both long dead; Edward Perkins died in this township ; Orin went to California during the gold fever, and when about to start for home, died; Pliny and Ephraim Perkins, Jr., are both living still in this State, but in what part our informant had forgotten. Hiram Harvey also settled at Five-Mile Grove, about 1835 or 1836, and was from the East, but what particular State we were unable to learn, nor do we know what became of him. These few settlements around Five-Mile Grove seem to have been all that were made in the township until a quite recent date, as compared to other portions of the county. As this little grove was the only timber in the town, and it required a score or two of years for the people to find out that the prairies were habitable, probably accounts for the long gap that occurred just here in the arrival of new-comers to this section, as the next we find coming in about 1847 and 1850, and which we will now notice.

John Young came from New York City in 1849, and settled in this township, where he remained until 1876, when he removed to Joliet. His son, Mansfield Young, a prosperous merchant of Joliet, married Miss Sarah Walker, daughter of Joseph Walker, of New York, who is said to have been a most amiable and lovely woman, beloved by all who knew her. She died in 1876, and he and his father (also a widower) now live together, the old and the young bereaved ones forming a single family. Samuel Bowen and his two sons were from the Quaker State of William Penn, and came also in 1849. Bowen had first settled in Jackson Township, where he remained some time before coming to Manhattan. He has been dead some years. Bryan Gorivan and son -settled in the town in 1848. They were from Ould Ireland, the "blissed Gim of the Say," are still living, and are prosperous farmers of the community. Martin Bergen was also from Ireland, and came to the country a poor man, but went to work, and by industry and energy became the owner of about six hundred acres of fine land, and amassed considerable other property; was honored with office, and had been for some time School Treasurer of the township, when he suddenly decamped, and his business was found to be in rather a deranged condition. His accounts as School Treasurer were short a thousand or two, but so secured that nothing was lost. His neighbors, who speak of him in kindly terms, seem to wonder at his going away when he apparently had sufficient property to liquidate all his liabilities. Freeman Gay came from the bleak shores of the Pine-Tree State, about 1847 or 1848, and settled in this neighborhood, where he remained a number of years, and finally removed into Jackson Township. He is still living there, and is a wealthy farmer of that

William Nelson, a prominent citizen of the town in the early days, came here from Trenton, N. Y., but was an Englishman by birth. He settled in this section in 1848, and gave the town the name of Trenton, when it and Greengarden were known as one township, as noticed in the beginning of this chapter. He sold out, some years ago, and removed into Jackson Township,, where he still resides. William and Charles Bissett were from Bonny Scotland, and came to the settlement in 1848. Charles died in a short time after their settlement here. William went to California during the gold excitement of 1849 and 1850, where he still lived the last known of him. A man named Borders settled here in 1849. He was from Ohio, and did not remain long in the settlement. What became of him no one knows or seems to care, as he was, to use a Southern phrase, " small potatoes " anyway, it was said.

Clarke Baker came from New York, and bought land here in 1847, but did not settle on it until 1850. He is still living, an active, energetic man of fourscore and two years, and is one of the respected citizens and wealthy farmers of the township. He is the preseni; Supervisor, an office he has held for several years, as will be found on another page. This comprises a number of the first settlers of Manhattan Township up to a period when the tide of immigration poured in with a rapidity defying the power of the historian to keep pace with names and dates. When township organization went into efiiect, in 1850, there were but ten legal voters in the territory now comprised in Manhattan Township, and, as already stated, was not sufficient to form a township of itself, but was, with Greengarden, known as Trenton Township, and so remained until 1853, when they were separated and organized under their present names. William Nelson was the first Supervisor of Trenton Township, and held the office in 1850; was succeeded by M. Bailey, who served during 1851 and 1852, when the towns were divided, and John Young elected Supervisor of Manhattan for 1853. Clarke Baker was elected in 1854, and held it for two years, when Mr. Young was re-elected, and held the office from 1856 to 1860, inclusive. In 1861, Clarke Baker was again elected and also in 1862, and in 1863, was succeeded by G. A. Buck, who served until 1865, when J. E. Baker was elected, serving from 1865 to 1869, inclusive. Gr. A. Buck was then re-elected, and served 1870-72, and was succeeded by S. Robinson, in 1873-74, when Clarke Baker was again elected, and has held the office ever since. Other township officers are Clarke Baker and Hiram Olney, Justices of the Peace ; Hiram Olney, Town Clerk ; Michael Haley, Constable, and George A. Buck, School Treasurer.

As recent as the settlement of Manhattan Township has been, the early record of mortality is somewhat cloudy and vague. The first death of which we have been able to learn definitely was that of Charles Bissett, who is noticed as settling here in 1848, and who, it is said, died in a year or two afterward. A child of Stephen Bowen was born in 1850, and was probably the first, or, at least, the first in what might be termed the second era of settlements in the town. It might be claimed that Edward Perkins was the first settler of the township to perpetrate matrimony, though he married in New York. But to come down to a more modern date, George A. Buck and Miss Sarah Baker were married at quite an early day. We do not give these, however, as being the first births, deaths and marriages which actually occurred in the town, and are inclined to think they are not ; but they are the first of which we have been able to learn anything definite. It is altogether probable that, with many German and Irish immigrants coming in, there were births at an earlier date than those given. But it is stated by some of the early settlers that children were rather scarce in Manhattan in the early days of its settlement, and that it was long before there were enough to form a school. Mr. Young, who had resided in New York City, where the crop of juvenility was ponderous, says his wife was often annoyed there by the noise and racket of children in their neighborhood ; but used to say frequently, after she had been " here a spell," that she would give much to hear the noise of children at play.

The first Justice of the Peace in the township was William Bissett, and received the office in 1849, but did not hold it long, as he sold out in 1850 and went to California. The first blacksmith-shop was kept by a man named Cunningham, in 1851. Where Cunningham came from, or whither he went, no one can now tell. There is no village in Manhattan Township, nor 'has there ever been a store within its borders, nor a post office established for its particular benefit. But very recently Greengarden post office was moved over, just inside of the Manhattan line. Joliet is the point of traffic of its citizens, and is the post office where the large majority of them get their mail matter.' It is there they haul their grain and other farm produce, and hence, stores and post offices have not been at all required in their town, and would not, perhaps, be much patronized if they were as plenty as Falstaff's blackberries.

The first and the only church structure ever erected in Manhattan Township, is the Episcopal Church, built in 1857, under the ministerial charge of Rev. Clinton Locke, who at the time was Rector of the Episcopal Church in Joliet, and now of Grace Church, Chicago, and whom we noticed as officiating in the reception of President Hayes in his recent visit to Chicago. The church edifice is a frame, and cost about fl,500. Some dozen or twenty families worship there at the present time under the pastorate of Rev. A. W. Glass. Other religious organizations have regularly-established societies in the township, and hardly a schoolhouse but serves as a temple of worship and for Sunday schools, but there are no other church edifices. The first schoolhouse was built in 1852, and in it was taught the first school in the township. For as before stated, there were but few children in the settlement for several years, and consequently not much need felt for schoolhouses. In 1872, a little more than a score of years after the second era of immigration set in, we find the town contained eight school districts and eight good, substantial schoolhouses. There were 415 pupils enrolled and 13 teachers employed ; the district tax levy for the support of schools was $1,135.22, and $1,422.35 the amount paid to teachers. The schools of Manhattan are in a flourishing state ; each district has a good, comfortable schoolhouse ; the best of teachers are employed, and school maintained for the usual number of months each year.

When Mr. Young settled in Manhattan Township, in 1849, there was not, he informed us, a rod of fence in the town, but a little in Five-Mile Grove, where Mr. Baker had bought land. Aside from that little bunch of timber, it was an unbroken prairie, well set in tall, waving grass, overtopped with wildflowers, and presenting a picture of beauty equal to the most extravagant ideas of the Western prairies to be obtained from the New York Ledger and kindred publications. The town is sufficiently rolling to drain well ; in fact, there is not a section but that is capable of being well drained. It is irrigated by Jackson and Mud Creeks, two small brooklets that usually go dry in the Summer season, but sometimes in long " rainy spells " get on the rampage and become rather boisterous streams. There are no, mills in this town, nor railroads, and as before stated, no villages or cities, or "corner lots," and hence, there is very little in the way of history pertaining to it, beyond the mere fact of its settlement, and that of its being, as already noted, one of the finest agricultural districts in the county. Although originally settled by New Yorkers, and other 'Eastern people, the foreign population has rather the ascendency at present. The German and Irish elements are well represented, and can boast of many excellent and wealthy farmers.

Acres. Bdshels

From the above figures it will be seen that Manhattan is an excellent farming district, and does its part in swelling the agricultural resources of the county.

The political record of Manhattan is Democratic by a very small majority, or has been, until the present "shaking of the dry bones of the valley " caused by the National Greenbackers, and just now it appears somewhat uncertain as to what a day may bring forth. The township bore a good record in the late war, as is shown by reference to the "Patriotism of Will County." As the deeds of its soldiers are perpetuated in the pages of that work, we' shall not go into details of their war history here. They bore the perils of the war for the

" Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud, A flash of the lightning, a break of the waye, Man passes from life to his rest in the grave.''

This township is situated in the extreme southeastern part of the county, and is the most distant from the county seat of any township, being from its center, in a direct line from Joliet, twenty-seven miles, and by rail not less than thirty-five. Since the division of Reed Township, this is one of the two greatest in area in the county, including within its limits all of Congressional Town 33 north and 14 east, and about one-fourth of Range 15. The township presents more than an ordinary variety of soil and surface, being in some portions quite flat and in others rolling ; in some portions a deep, rich soil, and in othefs lacking in this character. It is watered by the small stream which drains Eagle Lake, which also furnishes stock water for the northeastern, central and southwestern parts. Eagle Lake, formerly much larger than at present, covers an area of a quarter of Section 7 and the swamp adjacent, nearly all of this and Section 18. Before the work of draining the lake was begun, hundreds of bushels of cranberries were annually produced and gathered here, but now this industry is destroyed. The other products of the township consist of corn, rye, oats, pota^ toes and hay. Stock-raising is carried on to some extent.

The Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad passes through the western part, furnishing an outlet for its products and a means of communication with other parts of the country. Prior to the completion of this line, most of the marketing was hauled direct to Chicago, or shipped' by the Illinois Central at Peotone or Monee. Most of the land in this township, being outside of the Illinois Central limits, was sold to original settlers or to speculators for $1.25 per acre, and was occupied within a period ending about 1857.

The first settler in the township was a man of the name of Jesse Dutcher. But little is known as to whence he came or whither he went ; but, in 1851, he he was found here occupying some land a couple of miles north of Washington Center. The line running through the Center, and continuing through Crete, and thence to Chicago, with its southern terminus at Vincennes, Ind., was the main traveled road between those two extremes, and was one of the mostused thoroughfares in the State. Marketing of all kinds was hauled from Vincennes and all intermediate points by way of this road to Chicago. As a consequence, little settlements sprang up all along the line, and, at short distances, houses for the accommodation of the traveler and teamster, and for the profit of the owners, were opened. These houses were scarcely deserving of the name of hotel or tavern, but were owned by parties who were opening farms, and having built cabins of more than ordinary size, established this species of lodging-house in connection with their farming operations. Such an establishment was Dutcher keeping at the time remembered by the earliest settler, in

1851, and for two or three years later. How long he had been there, we are unable to say ; but those who saw him there at the date named, judging from the looks of his house and other improvements, credit him with a half-dozen years' previous residence. Dutcher was also a preacher, and, as now remembered, was of the Methodist persuasion. Perhaps he was not a regularlylicensed minister, as his stay, in such case, could not have been so prolonged. However, like his ancient prototype, Melchizedek, the priest of Salem, he went as he came, unknown to any of his cotemporaries, and the balance of his history is lost to this part of the world.

Four miles south and a mile west of the Dutcher Tavern, hotel, caravansary, or whatever it might be called, was, at the same date, another stoppingplace of a similar character, though, if report be true, of a little less respectability, as its proprietor was anything else than a preacher. At this place, which was near what is now known as the Sollitt Farm, James McBein " took the stranger in " and accommodated him for a compensation ; and, with this Scriptural argument, he went before the Bar Supreme many years ago to plead admission to the "Heavenly Mansion." The McBein family have all removed from the township.

By an examination of the map, it will be discovered that these two hotels or taverns were not on the same section line ; but they were on the same road, which did not follow the section line in all cases, but meandered about, following sometimes the bank of a creek, and at others being confined to the highest ridges of land. Along this general highway other habitations sprung up in due time, and the " big-road " settlement was distinct for many miles up and down its course. Among these were John Rose, William Strain and Joseph Maxwell. John Rose was probably the third settler in the township, and is almost entitled to the credit of being the first, as the settlements previously named could scarcely be called permanent. Certain it is that the Rose family is now the oldest family in the bounds of Washington Township. Mr. Rose was a native of Ireland, and came to this part of the country in 1851. He settled on the west side of Section 3, which, it will be noticed, is near the line of the former " big road." John Rose died in 1858. Heirs of the family still occupy the old homestead.

Philip Nolan was also one of the earliest settlers in this part of the township. Nolan had lived in Chicago a couple of years before removing to this vicinity in 1851. Joseph White was one of the prominent men of the early times in this neighborhood, though his residence here was but brief, extending from the year 1854 till about 1858. It was at his house, on the Catcher farm, that the first township election was held, in 1856 ; and at this election he was chosen one of the first Justices of the Peace. After the exodus of Dutcher, White installed himself as landlord and farmer, and continued here until 1858, when he removed to Indiana.

While these settlements were being made, another, known at the time as " The Settlement," was being made in the northeast corner of the township, in the vicinity of Eagle Lake. Among the first settlers in that neighborhood were Henry Bahlman, Peter Dohse, Andrew Carstensen, Pade Kruse, Charles EuUer and William Bliss, most of whom have since removed to other places.

The Bahlman family, of whom Henry Bahlman, Jr., is a member, still reside here. The modest-looking lake was, about twenty years ago, the scene of a horrible and most disgusting tragedy, with which, however, none of the citizens were in anywise connected. Parties, residents of other parts of the county, to conceal another crime, and for the small consideration of $50, committed a crime here that has justly cursed them for all time to come. The night was dark and gloomy, and well calculated to inspire the two monsters who committed the devilish deed with feelings which must be necessary to the accomplishment of such an inhuman act. Their victim was an infant, of which they had been put in charge for the purpose of procuring for it a home in some institution established for such unfortunates. But either the price received or the idea of a more effectual concealment of the original crime, impelled them to committing the little body to the depths of Eagle Lake. The details of the crime, though published in all of the papers at the time, are too disgusting for further mention, except to say that the perpetrators were discovered, arrested, tried and convicted, but by some means they escaped the just penalty of their dark deed.

By 1856, farms were also being opened in the southern- and western parts of the township. The Germans, who are now more than half owners of the township, were beginning to arrive ; and by the year last named, there were about twenty additional families, among whom are remembered : Rensellaer and Edwin C. Richards, W. and C Lyon, Joseph Irish, Horace Morrison, William and M. Watkins, Richard Lightbown, Isaiah and Stephen Goodenow, Robert and David Dunbar, John B. Bowes, John Miers, Peter Dohse, H. Spanler, John Tatmire and Aaron and Miles Johnson. The township was yet a part of Crete, and voted and transacted all political business with that precinct. In the year mentioned, however, a move was made toward establishing this as a separate precinct. A petition was prepared and presented to the Board of Supervisors ; and no good reason appearing to the contrary, an election for the purpose of organization and for selecting township oflScers was by them ordered to take place on the 1st Tuesday of April, 1856. As has been stated, the was held at the house of Joseph White, and the record which is still -extant indicates that there were thirty voters present. Rensellaer Richards was chosen Moderator and William Watkins, Clerk pro tern. They were sworn tc perform the duties of their positions according to law, by William Hughes, a Justice of the Peace, and were about to proceed to business, when it was mentioned that as William Watkins had not resided in the town a year, he was consequently ineligible. M. Watkins was therefore chosen and qualified in his stead, and the election proceeded. Rensellaer Richards was elected Supervisor and Assessor ; Edwin C. Richards, Clerk ; William B. Conner, Collector ;: William A. Bliss, Overseer of the Poor ; Joseph Irish, Joseph Maxwell and Henry Bahlman, Commissioners of Highways ; Joseph White and WiUiam. Watkins, Justices of the Peace ; and Isaiah Goodenow and J. H. Irish, Constables. The Richards family must have been both a popular and competent one, as they monopolized the three most important offices.

The names of the present officers are: F. Wilke, ' Supervisor ; Charles Holtz,, Clerk; Henry Bahlman, Jr., Assessor; August Guritz, Collector; Henry Valtner, John Tegtmeir and Edmund Smith, Commissioners of Highways ; Charles Holtz and Henry Lattz, Constables ; Rudolph Pecht and Henry Bahlman, Justices of the Peace; and Christopher Koelling, School Treasurer. The number of votes polled is about 200, though a full ballot has never been cast.

The township is well supplied with school facilities, there being, besides the seven public schools, four private schools supported by the different religious denominations. The first efi'ort to provide school advantages for the children of the township was in 1855, when Sabina Graham was employed to teach a few children, in a room of the Dutcher- White Hotel. The next Spring, a little shanty was erected in that neighborhood. This first schoolhouse was a simple Summer concern, constructed of rough boards, and was but twelve feet long and as many wide. At first it was designed for only a single Summer, but was pressed into the service for several years. Miss Graham was an excellent teacher, and her praise as a kind and diligent instructor may still be heard from some of her early pupils, now grown to be middle-aged men and matrons. In 1857, a good schoolhouse, which is still mentioned in this vicinity as the "new schoolhouse," was erected in this vicinity, and the following year the township was divided into two districts, and a second house was erected.

A few items extracted from the School Commissioners' report of that year, will prove interesting to our readers, as showing the satisfactory advance in this^ direction at the present date :

If the items in regard to attendance and number between 6 and 21 are both correct, it shows a remarkably high percentage of those entitled to school privileges taking advantage of the opportunity. Especially is this so, when the newness of the settlement is taken into account. In 1866, eight years later, we find 4 schools here, with 569 persons under 21 ; and still eight years later, in 1874, the number had increased to 6 schools, with 612 persons under 21. The present status of education may be determined from the following figures :

The present apparent meager attendance is accounted for by the fact that about four hundred children, between the ages of 5 and 14, are in attendance at the parish schools, of which there are four in the township.

The oldest organized church in the township is St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, near Eagle Lake. This organization was accomplished in 1850 -; but, as has already been stated, there were not more than two families resident in Washington Township, and they, as has been intimated, being of other belief; in regard to religious matters, it will be surmised that the organization could not have been effected here. The church was at first established a mile north of its present location, in the township of Crete. A building for religious and educational purposes was erected there at the date named, and church and school were kept open there until 1864. Rev. Gustav Pollack was the organizer of the enterprise, and was Pastor for fifteen years. In 1864, it having been determined to build a new house of worship, a new location was selected for the same, though school has been kept open at the old site till the present time.

The new building at i Eagle Lake is a very neat and commodious one, and cost the society $5,000. The old building, a mile north, was torn down a few years ago, and a new schoolhouse erected at a cost of $1,000. A dwelling for the use of the teacher was also built, at an expense of $900. At the Lake a parsonage, costing $2,200, was built in 1865 ; also a schoolhouse was erected which cost $1,200.

At the north establishment, in Crete Township, A. Albers is employed as teacher. In the school at the Lake, Friedrich Fathaur has been teacher ever since its organization. The congregation or society consists of 118 families, of whom Rev. J. F. Nuoffer is Pastor.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, located a mile northwest of Beecher, was organized in the Spring of 1865, by Rev. Gustav Pollack, who had been preaching in this vicinity. Herman Lossner was installed Pastor, in which position he is still engaged. The organization was first started with

"twenty families, which has increased to eighty-five, embracing a membership, as by other denominations, of about three hundred and fifty persons. In 1865, a two-story building, for the use of Pastor, and as a church and schoolhouse, was erected, at a cost of $2,500. In 1867, a neat parsonage, costing $1,250, was built ; and the other building has since been used for school and church purposes. It is proposed, next year, to build a church edifice 40x60 feet, at an expenditure of about $3,500, the plans of which are already procured and most of the money subscribed. At this establishment, as at all of the others of this denomination, school is kept open nearly all the year, and the common branches of German and religion are taught. At the age of 14, or confirmation, the children attend the public schools. Albert Dorn has been in charge of the school for the last three years.

St. John's German United Evangelical Church, located two miles southeast of Beecher, was established and an organization effected in 1864. Rev. Peter Lehman had been preaching in the vicinity for a year before, and organized the society at the date named, with a membership of forty families. After the Ohurch had been established. Rev. Philip Albert was installed as Pastor, and acted as such for two years. The present Pastor is Rev. Emil Keuchen, who has been in charge as minister and teacher for the last six years. The society owns a plat of ten acres, on which was erected, in 1864, a church edifice 30x44 feet, at a cost of $1,960, and, in 1876, a parsonage for $1,150. The present membership is 850 members, or 85 families. Religious and secular instruction are given to the children of the parish, six months in the year.

The Congregational Church, at the village of Beecher, was organized January, 1872, the house of worship having been erected the year before. The original members were eight in number ; the present membership is about twenty. The building was erected at a cost of $1,250, and is 24x82 feet in size. The lumber was donated by dealers - friends of T. L. Miller, of Chicago; $175 was contributed by citizens of the village, and Mr. Miller paid the balance. Rev. J. F. Smith, now Pastor of the Congregational Church, at Crete, -was the first Pastor. At present, .T. C. Hunt, a student of the Theological Seminary, ofliciates as Pastor. Sunday school is sustained with S. S. Hunt as Superintendent.

In the great struggle to preserve the Union, in 1861 - 65, Washington Township was well represented, and did its part creditably. Among those who enlisted and never returned, having fallen a sacrifice on the field, were Peter Dohse, L. M. Lyon and D. T. Moore. There were, doubtless, others ; but, from an unfortunate method of recording enlistments which prevailed at the beginning, they were accredited to other localities.

Doubtless, the most interesting industry, and at the same time one which lias given the little village of Beecher a reputation co-extensive with the country, is the breeding of fine stock, as carried on by T. L. Miller, Esq., of this place.