Benton Township

Benton Township

The early settlers of this township were Nelson Laadon, Jeremiah Stowell, Hanson Minsky, Henry I. Paddock, Philo Paddock, Jeremiah Porter, John R. Nichols, Chester Butterfield, Samuel P. Ransom, Rev. Salmon Stebbins, Edward Putnam, Sr., and Oren Jerome. Nelson Landon was the first settler and built the first house in what is now the town of Benton. He came in the Fall of 1835, and built a habitation on the ridge about a mile south of the State line, on land which he still owns. Mrs. Landon was the first white woman that came into the town as an inhabitant.

As an instance showing the price of provisions at that day, Mr. Landon states that during the Winter of 1835-6, he paid the following prices : For flour, (35 per barrel ; for pork, (25 per barrel ; for butter, 50 cents per pound ; for potatoes, (3.50 per bushel ; and for other articles of provisions, in pro¬ portion.

The name of Benton wai given to this town in honor of Thomas H. Ben¬ ton, at that day one of the leading statesmen of the Union. No formal expres¬ sion of the inhabitants, as to the name of the town, was called for by the Com¬ missioners having the matter of laying off and naming the towns in charge. Col. Moulton, one of the Commissioners who resided in the town, suggested the name of Benton, and stated that it would be satisfactory to the inhabitants, and it was adopted by the Commissioners as the name of the town.

The town of Benton is a district of country not very prolific in historical events. It is strictly a rural town. It has no village in it, nor collection of houses that may be called such ; nor has it a store, tavern, grocery or public building of any kind within its limits, save its churches and school houses. Some thirty years ago, there was a tavern in the western part of the town, kept by Ezra Newell, at the forks of the Milwaukee road, about two mile3 north of the town line. Probably but few persons now living remember this fact.

In the progress of its history, this town has had its noted and prominent characters, some of whom demand here a passing notice. Nelson Landon, who has been mentioned as the first settler in the town, who became one of the wealth¬ iest men in the county, was for several years prominent as a County Commis¬ sioner, and as a leading spirit in the removal of the county seat to Little Fort. To him the credit of success in this movement is largely due.

Capt. Morris Robinson, who ha9 been mentioned as prominent in the removal of the county seat, was in early days an inhabitant of this town. He was a marked man, and a person of much native capacity. In point of intellect, he was a sort of " rough diamond," but without much moral culture. He was a sailor by profession. In 1835, he was Captain of a schooner called the " Hiram," which that year brought lumber and other freight to Kenosha, Wis., then called Pike Greek. About the same time, or perhaps the next year, he landed lumber at a place called Boughton's Landing, near the State line, some six or eight miles south of Pike Creek. He was put forward by Elmsley Sunderlin and 'other leaders in the county seat question to work up public sentiment in favor of Little Fort, and to devise plans of operation to effect the removal to that place. He proved equal to the emergency, and sustained his reputation as a man of sagacity and ability. He claimed, however, in after years, that his labors were never rewarded, and died disheartened - cursing those whom he alleged had been faithless to their engagements.

Henry I. Paddock, who is mentioned as one of the early settlers in this town, was noted for his eccentricities. He never filled any public position, but was generally out on public occasions, and attracted attention for his oddity and native wit. He was a man without education; of a genial and humorous nature ; a kind-hearted neighbor, and a true friend. He was noted as a horsetrader, in which he excelled from his excellent judgment in horses. His wife, whose name was Rachel, was a woman of strong mind and considerable ambi¬ tion. In some respects, she was perhaps his superior. In most matters of business, he submitted to her opinions. Whenever she interposed, so much so that it became a matter of general remark in the neighborhood; this, in¬ stead of being a source of humiliation, he seemed rather to enjoy; at least he accepted the situation. In his intercourse with others, his manner was jovial and humorous, and whatever the occasion, in referring to himself, or in advancing an opinion, he would style himself " Rachel/* or give it as the opinion of Rachel.

The first town meeting in this town was held on the first Tuesday in April, 1850, at the school house near B. T. Cook's. Chester Butterfield was chosen Moderator, and A. Q. D. Leach, Clerk. The first town officers elected were as follows : For Supervisor, H. L. Putnam ; Town Clerk, A. Q. D. Leach ; Assessor, Calvin Truesdell ; Collector, C. Burrington ; Commissioners of High¬ ways, J. M. Moore, J. W. Bacon, C. Butler ; Overseer of the Poor, Chester Butterfield ; Justices of the Peace, E. H. Ellis and L. W. Bull ; Constables, A. G. Buell and P. H. Paddock. The number of votes cast at this town meet¬ ing was 86.

The total assessed valuation of property in this town, for the year 1850, including both real and personal, was 981,711. The amount of tax computed on the same was $1,234.10. The total assessed valuation of property in the town for the year 1877 was $251,800.

The first school taught in this town was at the house of Rev. Salmon Stebbins, on the Milwaukee road, a short distance north of Newell's tavern, before mentioned, in the year 1840, by Miss Emily Stebbins. The expense was borne by the patrons of the school, as was the case with all other schools in the county in early days.

The first post office in this town was called Otsego. It was originally estab¬ lished at what is known as the New York House, then a public house kept by Jeremiah Porter, in what is now the township of Waukegan. Mr. Porter was from Otsego County in the State of New York, and when this post office was established, he, having the privilege of giving its name, gave it the name of Otsego in remembrance of the county from which he had emigrated. The office was afterward removed into the town of Benton. This was the only post office in the county east of the Aux Plaines River, until that established at Little Fort in 1841. It was on the stage road from Chicago to Milwaukee as then traveled. In May, 1851, a po3t office was established on the Sand Ridge road, in the east part of the town, called Wellington, and Peter Lown appointed Postmaster. This road had then become the stage route from Chicago to Milwaukee. After the county seat was located at Little Fort, the route of this* stage line, which had formerly run by way of the New York House and thence by way of South Port (now Kenosha), was changed to run by Little Fort, to supply the mail at that place.

The Otsego and Wellington post offices were discontinued several years since. A post office has lately been established on the railroad at the State line station called Spring Bluff, being now the only post office in town.

The first school house built in the town was a log building, on or near the site of what was afterward known as Howe's School House. It was built, as were all the school houses in the county in early days, by contribution of the inhabitants. It was erected about the year 1841.

Rev. Salmon Stebbins was the first minister of the Gospel who settled and preached in this town. He was of the Methodist denomination, and came in 1837. He was a marked man, and a preacher of great power. He was one of the pioneer ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Northern Illi¬ nois, traveling and extending his labors over a large district of country. In those days church edifices were rare ; the religious meetings were generally held in school houses, indeed, every school house was occupied as a house of worship. School houses, even, for many years were few and far between, all being built by private subscription. It was the custom of Elder Stebbins, in traveling over the country from point to point, whenever he came to a school house to stop in the neighborhood and invite the inhabitants to assemble and listen to a discourse. Preaching being rare, and the Elder being a man of impressive manner, he scarcely ever failed to obtain an audience. The Elder is still living, at an advanced age, in the enjoyment of health, at a place called Pikeville, in the southern part of Kenosha County, Wis., near the State line.

The first religious organization in this town was the formation of a class by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the house of Rev. Samuel Stebbins, in the year 1838, under his direction.

In 1842, the membership had increased to about one hundred, out of which, about the beginning of the year 1843, three classes were formed. This divi-