Hampshire Township

Hampshire Township

Hampshire, located off the line of early travel, was late in being settled, although had adventurous pioneers seen its broad fertile acres it would not have long remained unclaimed, as it did not after Lenas Allen in 1836 came from Vermont and found a land ready for the plow, in striking contrast to the rocky hills he had left. He built a cabin in a few weeks of the trees growing abundantly, the first in the township. It stood half a century and disappeared as late as the '80s. He died on his farm February 5, 1848.

Following Allen came Thos. E. Whittemore, of New Hampshire, and Samuel Hawley, of Connecticut, in 1836. In 1838 S. A. McAlpes, Daniel Hall and W. H. Seymour, all of New York state, arrived. Stephen Haviland came about the same time. In 1838 came also Rev. Robert Williams and E. O. Garland, from New Hampshire; Joseph Dalby, direct from England; Isaac Paddock and William Trumbull, from New York; also Hilda Coon and John Aurand. Lucien Baldwin arrived from Bennington, Vermont, in 1842. Samuel C. Rowell, father of Fremont Rowell, still leading citizen and merchant of Hampshire, arrived in 1843. He was then eighteen years of age and rode on horseback from Kentucky, where he lived three years. He followed trails and wagon tracks, swam rivers, passed herds of deer and packs of wolves, depending upon settlers' cabins for shelter and food. Owing to his long hair and Southern pioneer dress he was frequently turned away by the settlers, who were suspicious of horse thieves. One such a night he spent in a raging storm, from which he was saved by getting to the cabin of a Vermonter, who had been his neighbor in the East. On her advice he cut his hair and had no further trouble. He returned to Kentucky and was married there, bringing his new wife with him on his settlement here. He opened a store at Old Hampshire in 1850 and removed to New Hampshire in 1874. Fremont Rowell still conducts the business.

Henn- Dot}', of Ashtabula county, Oliio, came in 1843 from Kennsha, Wisconsin, wliere he spent four or five years before settling here. Rev.. Robert Williams was the first preacher in the township and served the people man\- years.

The old state road to Galena passed through the township and for years was the only highway east and west. The next road was opened from St. Charles to Marengo, running through Hampshire township. During the excitement and rush for the newly discovered lead deposits near Galena, the Galena road was much traveled. An old settler has stated that he had seen as many as two hundred teams pass his place in a day. That would mean a dozen everj' hour. In those days "Hen Peck" was one of the important centers of the county. Its location made it an excellent camping place and often as many as fifty men would be in camp at one time.

Hampshire and Rutland were originally one district, named Deerfield Precinct. The postoffice was established at "Garland's tavern." on the Galena road, about a mile west of the present Hampshire village. In 1875 it was removed to the new Hampshire village. In 1876 it was known as Holstein and discontinued about 1884.

The first church in the township was erected by the German Evangelical Society in 1852 in the northeast part of the township and cost two thousand dollars. The church was organized in 1S42. Rev. Dikover being in charge for many years. The Methodists built their first church in 1876, the first preacher being Rev. B. H. Cartwright. a son of Peter Cartwright, of political fame. He was known as the "fighting parson" and was in many ways a remarkable man, who left a strong impression upon the settlement. The Catholics erected a church in the new \illage in 1877 at a cost of two thousand dollars. The Catholics of Burlington worshiped here. In 1885 the German Evangelical church was built in Hampshire.

The first schoolhouse was on the Whittemore farm, now District Xo. i. ft was made of unhewn logs. The earliest known school trustees were Lenas Allen, Samuel Hawley and T. C. \\'hittemore. The district was incorporated by a vote taken March 5, 1842. At that time there Avere one hundred and fourteen pupils in the four districts. In 1850 there were eight districts and four hundred and thirty pupils. In 1871 there were six hundred securing an education, eight teachers and eight schoolhouses. The large schoolhouse in Hampshire was built in 1876 at a cost of three tliousand five hundred dollars.

A wind and steam mJll was built in 1875 by W'illiam Rinn, after the old Dutch style with flying arms. It long served its purpose. Hathawav & Company built a cheese factory, which handled nearly all the milk in the district. The township has been and is chiefly devoted to dairying, and much of the L-elebrated "Elgin" butter comes from Hampshire.

In 1875 the first railroad was built - the Chicago & Pacific, which afterward became the C, M. & St. P. Ry. The first train passed through Hampshire in May, 1875. The township donated twenty six thousand four hundred dollars, of which sum Jacob Rinn gave ten thousand dollars.

The first village was opened by the o]jening of a general store on section 12. Here the first postoffice was established, with mail once a week. The new village of "Hampshire Center" was platted in October, 1874, by A. J. Willing and C. A. Fasseth. The building of the railroad was its origin. It was incorporated by a vote of seventy-three to two. in October, 1876. The first officers were : S. C. Rowell, president ; J. S. WyckoflF, clerk : Phillip Doty, S. C. Rowell, E. W. Whelpley, J. S. Wyckoff, Henry Rinn and A. B. Freeman, trustees.

The first bank, the Kane County Bank, was established April i, 1882, by Parker & Backus. C. H. Backus became sole proprietor in January, 1885. The Commercial Hotel was built in 1875 by Daniel Berry. It was later owned by C. H. Parks and known as the "Park's House."

Sugar Grove was settled by parties who came in May, 1834, and found an Indian encampment near the Grove. They were James, Isaac C. and Parmeno Isbell, James Carman, a Mr. Bishop and Asa ]McDole. All but McDole were from Wood county, Ohio. William O. Tanner arrived in 1835 and staked a claim on the northeast comer of the township. Rodney McDole and Theophilus Wilson came in 1836; John Harkinson about 1835; Joseph Ingham in the fall of that year. C. H. Snow was an early settler from New Hampshire. S. S. Ingham came from Oneida county. New York, in 1839.

In 1836 came Silas Reynolds, from Sullivan county. New York; Silas Gardner, Samuel Cogswell, Joseph Bishop, Samuel Taylor, Silas Leonard, Isaac Gates, N. H. Palmer and Lorin Inman ; Jonathan Gardner, James Judd, H. B. Densmore, Ira H. Fitch came in 1837, as did Ezekiel Alighell, from Rutland county, Vermont, who afterward moved to Aurora ; also P. Y. Bliss, Reuben Johnson, J. H. Fitch, Captain Jones and the Austin family.

Robert Atkinson opened a ta\-ern on the old Chicago and Dixon road in 1836. A postofiice was established in 1840 at the home of Thomas Slater, first postmaster.

The first frame house was that of P. Y. Bliss, built by "Boss Read" in 1838. Religious service was held there by "Father" Clark before it was completed. Mr. Bliss opened a store in the building June i, 1839, and for years drew trade from as far north as Dundee.

The first public library was organized in 1843 by a numljer of farmers. The books were first kept in S. G. Paull's house, on section 16, and was known as. the Farmers' Library. In 1851 it contained two hundred and sixty-four books and it is believed was the first of its kind in the county. The early trustees were Nathaniel Austin, E. D. Terrv, J. L. Adams. Luke Nichols and William Tanner.

The first town meeting was held August 2, 1850, at the house of S. G. Paull. The following officers were chosen: Supervisor, E. D. Terry; clerk, Henry Nichols; assessor, S. S. Ingham; overseer of the poor. Ezekiel Mighell ; justices of the peace, Ira Fitch, William Thompson; constables, Charles Abbott, I. J. Sanford; collector, Ira Fitch. The number of votes were one hundred and two.

The first church was erected in 1855 at Jericho, costing two thousand five hundred dollars, and was known as the Mount Prospect Free Mission church.

A cheese factor}- was built in 1866 by Joseph Ingham and J. B. Paull. Other factories have been since erected until Sugar Grove now contributes largely to maintain the reputation of the Fox River valley as the dairj- district of the world.