Blackberry Township

Blackberry Township

The first settlers in Blackberry township were .squatters who came in and held the land bv occupation until 1842. when it was surveyed by the govern- nient and sold. The entire township is good soil and early caught the attention of settlers. In 1834 William Lance, who lived to be one hundred and two years of age, dying in 1873. came in and made his location of land in the township. He personally knew George \\'ashington. He was a native of Hunterdon county, Xew Jersey, and walked all the way from Pennsylvania. His sons. John and Charles, and daughter, Mary, came with him. The younger son drove the ox team behind which the women rode, while the men walked beside, their muskets on their shoulders. Isaac W'altrop met the caravan in DuPage county and came with them, but left soon after. The Lances located near Nelson's Grove, which land was afterward owned by Charles Souders. They had no covering at first but the wagon they had driven to the West. Their nearest neighbor was Christopher Payne, near the Big \\'oods, ten miles east. McCarty was at Aurora, Haight at Geneva and Pierce at Montgomery, which about comprised the county population at that time. Peter Dodd arrived in 1834, as did David Beeler, a son-in-law of William Lance. He built a cabin on Johnson's Mound. Harry W'hite came in the spring of 1835 : David W'. Annis came the same year, as did John Sowders. He married Mary Lance in 1835. The wedding occurred at the Lance cabin, built that year, and was the first marriage in the first house in the settlement. 'Squire Morgan came up from Yorkville to tie the knot. Hiram Hall arrived in 1835 and became an influential resident. George Trimble and L. D. Kendall located that year.

In the fall of 1835 Martha Beeler, daughter of David Beeler and William Lance's daughter. Margaret, was born, being the first child born in the township. S. Kendall, J. Calkins, S. Piatt and James Smith arrived in the spring of 1837. N. B. Spalding. M. Sperry and Larkin came about the same time. All these pioneers settled about the grove, the Easterners who came in at that time not knowing the value of prairie land. They "took to the woods" in preference to the open country. Jacob Johnson arrived with a family of seven in 1838 from Staten Island, Xew York. The village of Blackberry was afterward laid out on his farm. General Xathan Young located in 1842. He afterward removed to Kaneville. where he died in 1869. He was a brigadier in the \'ermont militia. C. H. Spalding came from Cazenovia, Xew York, with his family in 1845. He was a brother of Noah B. Spalding, at one time sheriff of the county. E. G. Morse drove a team from New York, arriving in 1841. Peter H. Johnson bought land here in

1843, coming from X'^ew York. Johnson's Mound took its name from him. He built the first frame house in the township, moving into it on July 4th,

1844. William West arrived early and located near the grove. He w-as elected the first justice of the peace, and was long an influential citizen. He removed later to Geneva and opened a bank there. When the lands were sold at public auction he was chosen agent by the settlers to bid them in at an agreed price - a responsible trust.

F. T. Morrill came from Orange county, \'ermont, in 1844 and settled at Blackberry Corners and was postmaster at Blackberry Center for twentyeight years.

The first road was laid out by W. A. Tanner, later of Aurora, from Sugar Grove to Chicken Grove, through the township in 1837. A Union church was built in 1853, among the early preachers who served them being Rev. Springer and Rev. \'an Deusen. In 1879 a cheese factory was built.

Plato township was formed of the north half of what was Fairfield district and organized in 1848 under the name of "Homer." It was soon learned however, that there was another place by the name of Homer in the state and the name was changed to Plato, undoubtedly after the Greek philosopher of that name. No settlement was made in the township until the year 1835, during the spring of which year three families came in. John Griggs and his son, John, came from Ohio and took up separate claims; a cabin being built only by the father. They lived together, did their own work, cooking, washing and ironing. A man named Judkins came about the same time and built a cabin. Mr. Griggs soon after opened his house to the public as a tavern, which was well patronized by the in-coming settlers, there being no place for a night's rest except the cabins of the Griggses and Judkins for many miles around. Judkins sold out and returned to Indiana later.

John S. Lee (from whom descended the Lees of Elgin and Plato) arrived in 1835 from Putnam county, New York. He was then nineteen years of age. He soon afterward married Miss Perry, of Campton township, the first marriage in Plato. It is claimed that Abijah Lee (who now lives at Elgin at an advanced age) was the first child born in the township - the date being September 4. 1839.

In the "305 the pioneers had to go to Naperville for a mill, but in time Mr. Boardman put up his mill near Batavia. The first road was the one leading to Naperville. which was opened by John Griggs and the Lees in driving back and forth to the mill. John Griggs. Sr., was elected the first justice of the peace in what was then Washington precinct, of which Plato was a part. In 1840 J. S. Lee was elected justice of the peace. In 1836 Dr. L. S. Tyler staked a claim upon the land which afterward became the \illage and postoffice of Udina. He was from Orange county, Vermont. John Ranstead, father of J. W. Ranstead, of Elgin, took up a claim here. A family named Merrill, afterward prominent at McQueen Station, came at the same time. Dr. Daniel Pingree came from New Hampshire in 1838. He was actively in practice for some years in California, but returned to Plato about i860 and devoted much attention to the raising of Norman horses. The next year, 1839, William Hanson came and located just south of Plato Center.

In 1840 Thomas Burnidge came with his father, at which time also came A. M. Burnidge, who has lived in Elgin for many years and has held the ofifice of constable there for the past twenty years. At a general election held August 5, 1844, thirty-nine votes were cast from which it was estimated that there were about two hundred people in the township about that time. The first store in the townsliip was opened up at Plato Corners in 1848 by Levi Jacknian, who came from Elgin. He continued but a few years. In 1854 Freeman Temple opened a store at North Plato and continued about four years, when he sold out to other parties who continued the business.

The first cheese factory in the township was erected in 1866 about two miles south of Plato Center; was operated by Duncan Johnson. It was afterward sold to Hawthorne Brothers at Elgin. Johnson built a second cheese factory at Plato Center in 1874. Another one was built in North Plato in 1873. The value of these factories to the farmers was then, and is still, very great, furnishing as it does, a home market for their dairv products, and encouraging a branch of agriculture not wholly dependent upon the weather. It was these pioneer cheese factories and creameries that laid the foundation fur the progress that has made Kane count}- the greatest dairying district in the world.

The first church erected in the township was the Congregational cliurch at Udina. which was built in 1852. Rev. N. C. Clark, of Elgin, organized the congregation in 1848, Rev. Taylor being the first minister. He was succeeded by Rev. French. The society first met in the schoolhouse. The Scotch Presbyterians built a church in the northeast corner of the township about the same time. Their first pastor was Rev. Mr. Stewart. In 1865 or 1867 a dissension arose between the younger and older members which resulted in a new church which was built not far from the old one and became known as the American Presbyterian church. The Methodists built a frame church at Plato Center in 1859, the first sermon being preached by T. M. Eddy, of Chicago. Revs. Woolsey and Call were in charge the first year. The Scotch Presbyterians erected their house of worship in North Plato in 1873, '*t a cost of $3,000. Rev. AIcDougall was the first pastor. Tlie Alethodist Episcopal church near Plato Corners was dedicated August 2, 1885, the sermon being delivered by Elder W. A. Spencer. Two thousand dollars was raised by subscription to pay for the church.

The first schoolhouse in the township was built in Plato Comers in 1840 and taught by Charlotte Griggs. In 1841 the school trustees were Stephen Archer and Franklin Bascom. with J. S. Burdick treasurer. The township was incorporated in December. 1841, by an election held at the house of J. S. Burdick. the proposition for incorporation carrying unanimously. L. S. Tyler, David Bogiie, Russell Thrall. John S. Lee and J. S. Burdick were elected school trustees. D. McNichols and Sarah Ann Burdick were named as teachers. In 1843 there was a total of one hundred and seventy-six pupils in the schools; in 1847 the reports show four hundred and seven school children in eight districts. In 185 1 there were four male and three female teachers. The highest wages paid were $12 a month; the lowest being $1.50 a week. That year the attendance was two hundred and fifty ]iupils. with ten districts and five schoolhouses.

In the early days the travel from place to place was o\er the old Indian trails and the road between Chicago and Galena which was then much traveled. The old stage route from St. Charles to Galena ran through Plato township, and the Chicago & Pacific Railway, which was built in 1875, closely followed the old stage route. The Chicago, Madison & Northern, now the Illinois Central, was built in 1888 and passes through nearly the center of the township.