Lockport, Illinois

The first store was established in Runyontown town (now North Lockport) by a man named Kellogg, and was but a sort of grocery store, a rather small affair. Goss & Parks kept the first dry goods store at the same place, and at the layingout of Lockport proper, removed within its limits, Goss and Stephen Gooding opening a store in partnership, and Parks likewise opening one on his own hook. After the retirement of Stephen Gooding, Oliver P. Gooding took charge of this, and soon other mercantile establishments were opened, and Lockport grew rapidly. The first building of any pretensions erected, was the Canal office, as already stated. There were, however, several cabins and huts put up within the present limits of the village, by the early settlers, long before it was laid out as a village. The first tavern was built by Horace Morse, but Mr. Runyon, we believe, kept travelers before this tavern was built, though he did not pretend to keep a regular hotel. The first post office was established in 1836, over on the west side of the river, at the stone mill, and Edward P. Bush was the first Postmaster. The office remained at the mill until 1839, when it was removed across the river to the East Side, where it has ever since remained. While at the mill, the mail came once a week, and was brought on horseback. In 1839, coaches were put on the Chicago and Ottawa route, and the mail then came that way, which was considered, in that early day, quite an improvement, and a considerable advance toward civilization. The first representatives of the legal profession were Gen. James Turney and John W. Paddock, both long since dead. At present Messrs. L. S. Parker and W. S. Myers, men of ability, constitute the "learned in the law" of Lockport. The first village schoolhouse was built in 1839 ; a small frame building, about 18x32 feet, and cost perhaps $200. It was used for schools, religious services, townhall, and anything else that happened to come along. The present handsome stone building, with its fine clock, was erected a few years ago at a cost of $30,000 - quite a contrast to the little shanty built for school purposes forty years ago. The present building would be an ornament to any town. The following is the record of the school for the present year : Prof. D. H. Darling, Principal ; Misses Paxson, Gooding, Devine, Parker and Herron, Teachers.

Passage source: The History of Will County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County ... a Directory of Its Real Estate Owners; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics ... History of Illinois ... History of the Northwest .., published 1878.

Before Lockport proper was laid out, and as early as 1836, Armstead Runyon laid out North Lockport, or what was long known as Runyontown, but now called Runyon's Addition to Lockport. West Lockport was laid out by William Gooding, Lyman Hawley, William Rogers and Eli Prescott, the parties that built the stone mill. At one time this was the most flourishing part of Lockport, but both it and Runyontown have been merged into the village proper. Lockport was incorporated under especial act of the Legislature, approved February 12, 1853, and signed by J. A. Matteson, Governor. At the election for adopting the village charter, the vote was 86 in favor of and 55 against the charter. The first Board of Trustees elected were Isaac H. Steward, Henry Torrey, S. S. Chamberlain, D. C. Baldwin and Chauncy Doud. Henry Torrey was chosen President of the Board, I. H. Stewart appointed Secretary, and Chauncy Doud, Treasurer. The following is the present Board : David C. Baldwin, William Shields, Samuel Matthews, John Ryan and Jacob Lotz. D. C. Baldwin is President of the Board ; William Shields, Clerk ; F. F. Stowe, Police Magistrate ; William A. Johnson, Police Constable, and James Wright, Jr., Street Commissioner.

Passage source: The History of Will County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County ... a Directory of Its Real Estate Owners; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics ... History of Illinois ... History of the Northwest .., published 1878.

Lockport has always been the headquarters of the Canal Commissioners, and the General Superintendent, Mr. Thomas, has his ofiice here at this time. Without going into a detailed history of the Canal, which has been thoroughly given in another department of this work, we will mention one little anecdote especially pertaining to this section and to Lockport. The first boat that passed through the entire length of the Canal after its completion, was the " General Thornton," and made the passage in April, 1848. But the first that fioated on its Bridgeport-tainted waters was the " General Fry," named for one of the Canal Commissioners. It was built near where the depot now stands, and as it was an event of importance, unprecedented in the history of Lockport, everybody went down to see it launched. As it gently "slided" from the stocks into the " raging canawl," Dr. Daggett rode in on it, and the boat, seemingly conscious that it carried more than Caesar and his fortunes, acquitted itself handsomely, by dropping into the water "right side up." When the Canal was completed and opened to Chicago, in March, 1848, this boat was the first to make the trip to that city. It was the occasion of a grand excursion for the purpose of celebrating an event of great national importance. A magnificent reception was given the excursion, as Chicago, even then, knew how to entertain her country cousins. The boat was met at Bridgeport by a propeller and a large number of citizens, who took the excursionists on through the river, and for a lide out on the lake. The river was lined with people on both sides, to see the first excursion that had come through the Canal. They were taken in and "dined and wined," and a general good time had all round. There are those (Blue or Red Ribbonists, perhaps) who remarked with some emphasis, that the entire excursion got gloriously drunk. But doubtless this is a sort of " stretch of conjecture," and should be taken with all due allowance for illnatured remarks.

Passage source: The History of Will County, Illinois, Containing a History of the County ... a Directory of Its Real Estate Owners; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; General and Local Statistics ... History of Illinois ... History of the Northwest .., published 1878.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Lockport Township - it names this place 7 more 7 times.