Geneva Township

Geneva Township

At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Town of Geneva in tlie Count)' of Kane and State of IlHnois at the School House in said Town on the 28th day of January A. D. 1845 '" pursuance of a notice given ten days previous to said Meeting and agreeable to an Act to incorporate the Inhabitants of such Town as may wish to be incorporated and approved Feb. 12th 1831, and on motion Leonard Howard was chosen President and Xelson Warner Clerk, who were duly sworn, when the inhabitants proceeded to vote viva voce and then were their votes in favor of Incorporation and six votes against incorporation.

This may certify that at a meeting (legally called for that purpose) held at the Court in the \'illage of Geneva, Kane County, State of Illinois, there was polled b}' the legal voters of said Village of Geneva, Thirty-six votes in favor of becoming incorporated and two against becoming incorporated. That said votes were given by the ^^'hite ]\Iale residents of said Village of lawful age who had resided in said \'illage six months & upwards or who were the owners of some freehold property therein that the undersigned were by said voters first chosen President & Clerk of said meeting & before receiving said votes were duly sworn by a person competent to administer oath.

The city of Geneva is situated on both banks of Fox river, thirty-five miles directly west of Chicago, and being nearer thereto than any of her neighboring river towns.

The first actual settlement within the corporation of the present town was made in the fall of 1833, by Daniel S. Haight, who built a log cabin near the Geneva Springs, and occupied the same with his family. !Mr. Haight's claim embraced all. or nearly all, of the present site of Geneva, and was sold to James Herrington. December. 1834. It is stated that James Brown made a claim the same time as Mr. Haight, which joined the latter's on the north, and which was purchased by Mr. Frederick Bird in 1834. for $30. In 1834 Mr. Frederick Bird and family located a little north of the present city corporate limits, and James Herrington made purchase of the

State Industrial School For Girls. Geneva Librap.Y Building. Geneva

"Haight claim," settling with his family on same in the spring of 1835, in which year, also, Mr. Samuel Sterling joined his fortunes with those of Messrs. Herrington and Bird, these three families being the only inhabitants of what then assumed the name of Herrington's Ford.

It was in this year that a postoffice was established in the residence of James Herrington - he being appointed postmaster - and designated as "La Fox P. O." Dr. JNIiller settled in Geneva in 1836, and was the first physician The first school was taught by Mrs. Sterling, in a little room of her own cabin, in the winter of 1836, James Herrington furnishing a majority of the scholars. In May, 1837, Mr. James Herrington addressed a communication to the Chicago Democrat, in which he gave a glowing account of the Geneva settlement, and the natural advantages of the location, and stating that a sawmill was in course of erection, which would be completed the coming fall and winter, hence this must have been the first step toward bringing into subjection the waters of the Fox at this point. This mill was erected by Sterling, Madden and Daniels, on the east side, and a flouring mill erected by Howard Brothers on the west side in 1844. The first dam across the river being constructed in the same year as the sawmill, and by the same parties. A bridge was nearly completed in 1838 by Gilbert and Sterling, when high water swept the structure away, and since that time several have been built, one sharing the fate of the first, and another - erected at a cost of $22,000 - in 1837, was torn down to give place to the present elegant 'Tron Bridge," located in the winter of 1868-69 ^^ ^ cost of $16,000, being 522 feet in length. The first store in the village was kept by James Herrington, in 1835. his residence answering for store and postoffice. Charles Patten, Esquire, may well be termed the pioneer merchant of the town, he having been the first to bring in anything of an assortment of merchandise, and has been doing a mercantile business for thirty-four years in Geneva, and thirtythree years at. his present location, which has been for some years styled the "Old Corner." The first building erected especially for school purposes was the present stone structure in 1855. Although this building will not compare favorably with the elegant school buildings at Batavia and Aurora, yet an excellent school is in session during each year, and the subject of constructing a new school building - equal, perhaps, to any on the river and one that will be creditable to the beautiful city - is being pressed upon the citizens as an important move, and another year will see it assume a tangible form.

Geneva - There has been some disagreement as to how the name Geneva came to be given the county seat. "Campbell Ford" was urged as a name for the new county seat, in honor of two of the commissioners appointed to make said location, but reliable and authentic information has disclosed the fact that the name of Geneva - after Geneva, New York - was determined upon before the commissioners left Chicago, and the name first suggested by C. B. Dodson, Esquire. The election for the organization of the county was held at Geneva in the log residence of Mr. Herrington in June, 1S36, which was also the date of the location of the county seat and the adoption of its present name.

Original Tcn^'ii - The original town was owned by a number of gentlemen in different locaHties, but tlie parties most interested were Mr. James Herrington and R. J. Hamilton. It was surveyed and platted by Mark W. Fletcher - first county surveyor - in 1837, and contained about three hundred acres. It was incorporated a city in 1856. and the city council for 1871 consisted of C. B. Dodson, president ; Charles Bennett, William H. Howell. Eben Danford and Jerome N. Kendall, board of trustees, and William J. Brown, city clerk.

Churches - There are seven religious denominations in Geneva. The Congregational, Methodist, Unitarian, Episcopal, Baptist, Disciples and Free Methodist and six church edifices erected at a total cost of $18,000. The two strongest societies are the Congregational and Methodist, and each of these denominations are discussing the subject of rebuilding, in which case Geneva will soon stand a favorable comparison with her neighboring towns in the way of fine churches. The first church was erected by the Unitarian Society in 1843, the Rev. A. H. Conant being its first pastor, and continued in that capacity until 1857.

Railroads - The Di.xon Air Line, of the G. & C. L'. R. R., was completed to Geneva in 1853, '^"^^' comprises the main line of the Chicago & Northwestern, giving the most direct communication east and west, and excellent conveniences to shippers. A branch of this road was put in operation north to St. Charles in the fall of 1870, and will very soon be continued to a connection with the Freeport line at Clinton. The Ottawa, Oswego & Fox River Valley Railroad has its northern terminus at Geneva, being completed in the spring of 1 871, and furnished the most direct communication with the extensive coal fields of central Illinois.

Geneva has continued to advance with the other parts of the county and is today one of the cleanest and best residence places along Fox river.

This township was organized in 1854. The first settler was Daniel S. Haight, who came in 1834. One Crow took up a claim on the east side in 1834 and sold out in 1835. Samuel Corey built a cabin in 1834. He is recalled as an honest but rough and ignorant Hoosier. It was written of him that, being engaged to carry money to the amount of $3,000 for Captain Dodson, he would place it in his saddle and stopping at an inn. would hang his saddle, including the money, on any peg for all night.

Andrew Miles, a Hoosier, came to the township in 1833 or 1834. Mrs. C. B. Dodson, then Miss Warren, rode in in a lumber wagon in April, 1834. Frederick Bird arrived in 1834, but subsequently moved to near Rockford. These and other early settlers were largely from Indiana, and were a simple and honest people.

Andrew Miles, who died in 1836, was the first adult buried in the old cemetery. The first birth occurred in 1835. in the family of Edward Trimble.

William Sykes arrived in 1839; Lyman German about 1837; Scott Clark in 1837, about which time came Peter Sears. Robert Lester settled on the easr side in 1837 and Eben Danford about that time.

The road from Geneva to St. Charles on the west side was laid out in 1838 by Mark \Y. Fletcher, and is now one of the finest drives in the county, no road in northern Illinois presenting a finer view or a more fertile, prosperous country.

The first school was opened in the winter of 1835-36 by Mrs. Samuel Sterling on the place afterward owned by E. Danford. The schoolhouse was a log cabin home, and enjoyed the unusual luxury of a stone floor of limestone rock, the limestone laying as nature had left it some million years ago Aboi'*^ a dozen pupils attended the school.

The first county poor house was on land owned by E. Lee, on the east side. .\ substantial stone building was erected in 1872 at a cost of $15,000.

The wealthy and growing village of Batavia is situated on both sides of Fox river, about thirty-six miles west from Chicago, and two and a half miles south from the courthouse in Geneva. Two railroads pass through it : the Fox River Valley and a branch of the C, B. & Q. R. R. The place was first settled by Christopher Payne, who made a claim and built a cabin at the head of the "Big Woods" in September, 1833. J"<:lge Isaac Wilson (father of Hon. Isaac G. Wilson) bought out Payne in 1835. Quite a large number of settlers located here in 1834. Among them were Colonel Lyon, James Latham, Joel ;\IcKee. James Risk, Titus Howe, E. S. Town and William Vandeventer. Colonel Lyon is now the oldest of the original settlers living here, having arrived April 24th, 1834.

In 1835 others arrived, among them Judge Isaac Wilson, already mentioned, William Van Nortwick and his son, John, J. W. Churchill and others. Titus Howe made the first improvements in the water power by building a temporary dam and erecting a frame for a sawmill at the lower end of the island m 1835. The dam was carried away the next spring and the .same year ( 183G) \'an Nortwick, Barker, House & Co. bought out Howe, and within a year commenced building the upper dam and the Batavia mills. These improvements were completed in 1837-38. Harry Boardman became a member of the firm of Van Nortwick, Barker, House & Co. in 1836, and was the active business man of the firm.

The sawmill, commenced by Titus Howe, was removed to the upper dam and put in operation by the company. The original town plat was laid out on the east side in 1837 by Van Nortwick, Barker, House & Co. The surveying was done by John Van Nortwick. Additions were made by Latham, Wilson and others. In 1844 John Van Nortwick divided the property with the company, taking the property on the west side, including the island and onehalf the water power. The same year he built the lower dam and erected a sawmill on the island. He also laid out the village on the west side in 1844 and designated it as Van Nortwick's plat of Batavia. Additions have since been made by Mr. \'an Nortwick, McKee and others. The first bridge was built by subscription in 1837. The builders were the Howards, of St. Charles. It stood where the present stone bridge is. A bridge was built about 1843 ^t the upper end of the town, principally by James Risk, Joel IMcKee and James Latham, which did good service for some years. At present there is only one bridge across the Fox - the stone arch bridge on Wilson street, which was erected about 1844-45, and has cost altogether some $9,000, being the cheapest bridge on the river, when its great durability and small annual expense are taken into consideration. It is an honor to its projectors and builders. The first store opened within the limits of the village was by Joel AIcKee. in June, 1835. It stood on the west side, at the north end of the town, near the river. It was aftei-ward remo\ed to about the spot where the residence of A. P. Kniffin now stands.

Clyburn & Dodson opened a store the same year at Clyburnville. two miles south of the village, where a strong attempt was made to build up a town. The first hotel was opened by Charles Ballard, where the Revere House now stands, about 1837. Colonel Lyon had also kept a house and stables for the accommodation of traxelers in 1836 at Clyburnville near Mill creek. Dr. D. K. Town was the first settled physician, about 1839. though Dr. J. S. P. Lord had practiced in the place at an earlier date. The first marriage in town was that of A. P. Hubbard and Miss Jane Lyon, daughter of Colonel Lyon, in the spring of 1835. The first child born in Batavia, or "Big \\'oods?' as it was then called, and probably the first in the county, was Dodson Vanteventer, October 10, 1834. Miss Charlotte Isbell. a stepdaughter of Colonel Lyon, is claimed to have been the first female child born in the county, August^g, 1836. The first death of an adult, a :Mrs. Ward, in the spring of 1835. E. S. Town was the first justice of the peace, elected in 1836. Mr. Town was also one of the most influential and untiring friends of education in the county.

At a meeting of the legal voters of the Village of Batavia. held pursuant to Public notice at the Stone School House in West Batavia on Saturday April 26th. 1856 for the purpose of voting for or against incorporating the said Village of Batavia, T. C. Moon was elected moderator and J. C. Pindar, Clerk.

The first school in the place and. undoubtedly, in the county, was opened in the fall of 1834 in a log schoolhouse near Mr. Johnson's place.

A school building was erected about 1852, on the west side at a cost of some $1,200. The east side school building was erected in i860 at a cost of about $9,000. It is a very substantial and convenient building. The structure on the west side was erected in 1866-67, ^^ ^^ e>^pense of thirty thousand dollars. Besides excellent public schools, Bata\-ia had at one time an institution of higher grade, which flourished for quite a number of years and had an excellent reputation.

The Batavia Institute was built about 1853-54, by private enterprise at a cost of $15,000 - a very liberal sum for those days. It was built of Batavia cut stone, and was an elegant structure. Among those prominently interesed in this enterprise were E. S. Town, Dr. D. K. Town, John Van Nortwick, Joel McKee and Rev. Stephen Peet, Congregational minister.

When the public-school system went into operation the necessity for institutions of this description ceased, and it was converted into an asylum for the insane. Dr. Patterson purchased the property about 1867, and converted it into a private insane asylum.

CkurcJics - The C®ngregational church organized in August, 1835, and was called the "Big A\'oods" church. They held meetings in the log schoolhouse east of Mr. Johnson's grove. The society built th.e church, afterward owned by the Catholics in 1840. and their fine stone church on Batavia avenue about 1854. The latter building cost about $13,000, and at the time of its erection was the best church edifice on the river. The first sermon, probably, in the county, was preached by the Rev. N. C. Clark, of this denomination in August, 1834, at the house of Christopher Payne.

The Episcopal Methodists were among the very first to organize and had, perhaps, the first stated preaching in the place. The Baptist Society was organized as early as 1836. The German Methodists built a church about 1862. An African Methodist Society is also located here. They built a church in 1855 or 1856. The Catholics organized about 1855.

The "Disciples," as they style themselves, built a church in 1866. The first Sabbath school, probably, in the county was started here in the spring of 1835. It was a union school.

The first practicing attorney was J. W. Churchill, a son-in-law of Judge Wilson, who opened an office soon after he came here in 1835. He was elected a representative to the state legislature in 1836. Mr. Churchill removed to Davenport, Iowa, about 1853.

The village of Batavia has many elements which must eventually build up an extensive city. Its water power (among the very best), its immense stone quarries, and the magnificent country surrounding it, make its future altogether promising, while the enterprise of its citizens is proverbial.

The town abounds in stately mercantile, manufacturing and public buildings, elegant and substantial private residences and everywhere exhibits evidences of that thrift and enterprise that must contiinie to make it one of the best cities in the Fox river valley.