Kaneville Township

Kaneville Township

Kaneville was given the place by "Long John" \\'ent\.vorth, who was in congress from Illinois in 1848, when tlie postotifice was established in the township. The people had petitioned that the new postoffice be named Royalton, but Wentworth understood there was another place by that name, so named the postoffice "Kaneville" in honor of Elias Kent Kane, after whom the county was named.

In an early da}' this township was the seat of the usual number of controversies over land claims, owing largely to the fact that the timber was all located at one place, and every settler that came in wanteil a piece of the timber land at Lone Grove.

The first actual settlers were Joe Isbell and his brother, James Isbell. Joe Isbell arrived at Lone Grove in the fall of 1835 and built a log cabin, which was the first in the township. He soon after returned to Ohio, where he died in the spring of 1837. His brother James came from Sugar Grove and located on the claim. Amos Miner came in 1835 or 1836 from Wayne county, New York. Levi Leach came with him. Miner lived two years on his claim, too poor to own a team, and would hire his ground plowed and split rails to pay for the plowing. He bought a cow and paid for it by laboring for other settlers.

The first child born in the township was Mary, a daughter of Amos Miner, who was born November 2j, 1837. She married Rol>ert Alexander, of Campton.

In the fall of 1837 Alfred Churchill came from \'ermont. He was elected county superintendent of schools and held several offices in the county and township. In 1857 ^^ moved to Rockford. He returned to Kaneville and died there in 1868. J. H. Moore was one of the early settlers, but remained only a short time. He returned later and died in the township, his being the first death. In 1838 the Inmanns arrived from New York, also David Wentworth from New Hampshire, who located on the land afterward owned by Silas Hayes. The McNairs also came that year.

The first marriage was that of James Isbell and Sarah Moore, February 24, 1838. J. Bunker came in 1838, and built the first frame house in the township on the land afterward owned by Air. Hoyt. He died in 1862. He was the first justice of the peace in the precinct, elected in 1845.

The first school was taught in 1839 by Miss Fayetta R. Churchill, who afterward became Mrs. David Hanchett. The school room was in her father's house. Mr. Hanchett arrived in 1847.

The first postof^ce was established in 1845, being in the house of Alfred Churchill. It was named "Avon," and mail arrived weekly. Before that mail had been delivered at Blackberry, and prior to that settlers had to go as far as Na])erville. a distance of twenty-five miles, to get their letters.

William Wilson purchased a claim in 1843, and James Lewis bought a farm in the township in 1847. He came from Suffield, Conn. Both died in the '60s.

The first public road laid out in the township led from Sugar Gro\e to Ohio Grove through the village of Kaneville, and gave the people an outlet to the mills at Aurora.

In 1845 i^^^- Thomas Ravlin purchased land, paying three dollars an acre for land upon which was afterward laid out the village of Kaneville. H. S. Gardner located in 1845 '"'"^ opened the first blacksmith shop, a great convenience to the settlers. Preaching by the minister of the Methodist church was had at the school house and at the Miner residence in 1845, there being no regvilar organization at that time.

The land in Kaneville being nearly all prairie land was the last taken up by settlers, who, being accustomed to the forest land of the East, did not know and for many years did not discover the value of prairie land. They would take up wood land, and after making a clearing would plow in among the stumps sufficiently to cover up the seed that they scattered over the ground. It was many years before they realized the value of the prairie soil and began its regular cultivation.

The Sunday school and day school was taught at Mr. Bunker's house at an early day. Rev. Van Deuzer often preached there, and Rev. Augustus Conant preached several times at Mr. Churchill's house. In 1847 ^^^^ Baptists held meetings in the first frame school house which had been erected by that time.

The village of Kaneville was laid out and platted by Thaddeus Hoyt in 1861. As early as 1852 William Hall built a house and opened it as a hotel. This was the only public house until 1869, when B. and A. Cary built a hotel. In 1855 the Baptists built a church, and the Methodist Episcopal Church organization moved from Blackberry to Kaneville and built a church, which was replaced in 1875 '\v the present building. In 1857 the old school house was torn down and a new building erected. The first principal of the new school was N. F. Nichols, afterward a lawyer in Aurora. The first store building was erected in 1852 by Mr. Goodwin, who sold out to Hathorn. In 1874 Frank Sperry started in business. In 1888 the township contained eight school houses, all frame buildings ; the most expensive one being in district No. 8, which was erected in 1872 at a cost of $1,000.