Malta Township

Malta Township

ALTA Township is bounded on the north by South Grove, on the east by De Kalb, on the south by Milan and on the west by Ogle County. The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad enters the township on section 24, and running almost due west enters Ogle County from section 19. There is no natural timber in the township, and it was not therefore settled until a late day, the first settlement being made in i8sr by Ezekiel Whitehead. But little of the land had been taken up at the time, but was soon afterwards entered by various persons more for speculative purposes than with a design of making for

Previous to 1856 the township had been a part of De Kalb. At this time there was a sufficient population to entitle it to a separate government, and the Board of Supervisors accordingly organized it under the name of Milton. When organized it embraced the north half of the present township of Milan. Subsequently its name was changed to Etna, and soon after to Malta, the name of the village that had sprung up on the line of the railroad.

Since its first settlement the town has increased materially in wealth and general prosperity, and is now considered one of the best in the county.

The schools in the township are in good condition. From, the County Superintendent's report for the year ending June 30, 1884, the following facts are gleaned: There were in the township eight school districts, each having a good frame school-house, the total value of which was estimated at $10,700. One of the districts had a graded school, the remainder being ungraded. There were 496 persons under 21, of whom 364 were over six. Of this number 303 were enrolled in the public schools. During the year 15 teachers had been employed, receiving an average of $34.43 per month, - the highest being $66.67 and the lowest $25. The tax. levy for school purposes was $33.88.

Malta Township reported a total of 21,967 acres of improved land in 1884, on which the local assessor placed a valuation of $309,410. On lots there was an assessment of $39,143 ; on personal property, $77,318. Among the items of personal property listed were the following: Horses, 763; cattle, 2,119; mules and asses, 12 ; sheep, 448; hogs, 2,390; carriages and wagons, 276; watches and clocks, 261 ; sewing and knitting machines, 114; pianos, n; melodeons and organs, 38.

HE village of Malta was surveyed and platted by Horace W. Fay, County Surveyor, in August, 1856. The land was then owned by Charles C. Sheppard and T. C. Wetmore. It was located on the northwest quarter of section 23, township 40 north, range 3 east. There have since been two additions made and recorded.

The first house was erected in the fall of 1856 by J. M. Orput. It was a story and a half frame and used by him as a dwelling house and for mercantile purposes. In this house Mr. Orput opened a stock of staple and fancy groceries, and therefore has the honor of being the first merchant in the place. He also dealt in lumber, coal and grain, buying the first grain shipped from this station. In the spring of 1857 Mr. Orput formed a partnership with John Atwood, and under the firm name of Orput & Atwood the business was continued, dry-goods being added to the grocery stock. In the fall of 1857 Dwight Booth purchased the stock.

Shortly after Mr. Orput began business, Shedd & Fuller erected a warehouse and began purchasing grain. A portion of this warehouse was subsequently converted into a hotel and was the first in the village. Frank Graves was the first landlord.

The present Orient House was erected in the fall of 1858 by Daniel Sprague, but opened by D. E. Fennell. It was the first house erected exclusively for hotel purposes, and has been used constantly as such to the present time.

The postorfice was established here in the winter of 1856-7. W. F. Shedd was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by Mr. Wicks, ar.d he, in turn, by Henry Madden, Alfred Ball, F. H. Brundage, and A. S. Kinsloe, the incumbent. A money order department was connected with the office in July, 1872. David Campbell drew the first order, in favor of

In 1857 a school-house was erected in the village. It jwas a frame structure, about 24 x 40, and was used until 1873, when the present two-story frame building was erected , at a cost of $6,000. This building has four rooms, and four teachers are regularly employed. In the spring of 1885 the corps of teachers was as follows : D. G. Hays, principal ; Bertha Beitel, Edna Mettlar, Josie Morse.

The religious well being of the people is cared for by the Baptists, Congregationalists and Methodist Episcopals, each of which have church edifices.

J. V. Willett, R. Pendergrass, A. McCrea, J. V. Cornish, Henry Shaver, William H. Haish, P. Barnes, R. Fox, A. S. Kinsloe, William M. Kempson, F. Rist, M. L. Dedrick and William Spickerman.

One of the first industries of the place was the grist-mill erected by Clement & Dodge in 1857. It was a two-story frame structure, about 40 x 60 feet, with two run of buhrs. The owners ran it until about 1859, when they leased it to Booth & Sprague, who ran it for a time, at a loss, and then sub-let it to Caleb Peters. In 1861, while being run by the latter, it was totally destroyed by fire. Clement & Dodge sued Mr. Sprague for the value of the mill, and for several years the case was before the courts of the State. Judgment was finally rendered against Sprague in the Circuit Court; the case was appealed and the verdict sustained by the Supreme Court. It is said to have cost Mr. Sprague about $18,000.

In 1867 a second mill was erected by Caleb Peters, assisted to some extent by the citizens of Malta. It was also a two-story frame, a little smaller than the first, but with two run of buhrs. It is yet running, and is the property of C. W. Haish.

Malta was incorporated by special charter in 1869, its first election being held April 5, resulting in the election of G. W. Smiley, President of the Board of Trustees; C. Anderson, J. V. Willett, James Welch, S. T. Wright, Trustees ; C. W. Haish, Treasurer ; S. E. Powers, Clerk; J. C. Westgate, Police Justice; W. H. Scofield, Constable. The trustees and clerks since that date have been as follows :

On the I7th of March, 1884, the question was submitted to a vote as to whether the town should incorporate as a village under the general act. There were 31 votes cast for incorporation, and 53 against.

The issue in all charter elections has usually been that of license or no license. About one year in five the anti-license people have a majority.

Source changes here: from Past and Present of DeKalb County, Illinois, by Gross, Lewis M, published 1907; 4,895 words in this source stream.

Malta Township

What has been responsible for Malta's growth was also responsible for her lack of growth when other parts of the county were being settled in the '30s and '40s - her topography. The country presented a broad expanse of prairie land with no timber and as the early settlers depended on the groves for material for their log houses, this was a consideration not lightly overlooked, and it was not until the year 1851 that government land was entered by home seekers. Ezekiel Whitehead was the first comer and he was followed soon after by G. C. Shepherd, H. A. Mix, Mark Howard and others.

The billowy prairie lands which retarded early settlement formed the most important factor of growth, for the grain raisers found them very oroductive. In three years after the first settlement was made the farmers petitioned the Galena division of the Northwestern road, which by this time had been built as far west as Dixon, to establish a station as a shipping point to accommodate them. The road granted the request and named the place .Malta.

Previous to this the land had been partially controlled by De Kalb township, but in 1856 it was found to have population enough to form a township itself and the board of supervisors accordingly organized it under the name of Milton. which was subsequently changed to Etna and finally to Malta, the name of its business center that had sprung up. E. Whitehead represented his town on the board of supervisors in 185G and today the men who uphold Malta's interests at the sessions at the county seat are B. B. Smiley and T. W. Dodge.

The village of Malta was surveyed and platted in August, 1856, and the first house was erected that fall by J. M. Orput, who opened a stock of staple and fancy groceries and also dealt in lumber, coal and grain. The following spring he' formed a partnership with John Atwood, now one of the leading merchants of De Kalb, and the business continued until the fall of 1857, under the name of Orput & Atwood. dry goods Inning beeen added to the grocery stock. This was the beginning of the business of Malta, which now occupies a prominent feature of the town.

The postoffice was established in the winter of 185G, with W. F. Shedd as first postmaster. With a scries of changes, F. D. Pease now has charge, with Miss Nettie Pease as deputy.

One of the early industries of the place was the making of flour, etc., from the grains and cereals raised in such abundance, and as early as the year 1857 a steam grist mill was built by Clement & Dod.cre. The financial crisis of 1857 affected this industry as it did business all over the countrv and the mill failed to meet the expectations of its proprietors. After four years of existence it burned and the people felt the need of a substitute and as soon as the war closed a subscription was taken and another mill erected by Caleb Peters. For many years it did a good business, but now elevators take care of the vast amount of grain brought to the place. Malta is acknowledged to be the best grain market in the county and regardless of the condition of the roads (in bad weather the fertile condition of the snil is just as evident in the highways as it is in the Farm land a rod distant) grain wagons come from all directions ami arc unloaded at the elevators. Until tliis year one elevator, run by J. C. Pierce, lias had the handling of all grain shipped and unlike most merchants who have the monopoly of a business, Mr. Pierce has given the best possible prices. But the traffic was more than he could handle, it sometimes being necessary for the farmers to stand in line nearly all day before they could be waited upon. The old mill was purchased by a Chicago commission firm, Van Wie & Xoorehead. in 1898, fitted up with all of the latesl appliances as an elevator, and is now in successful operation.

With the large, rich farming community about if. the village of Malta has substantia] support in its growth. The town was incorporated in 1869; the firs! election resulted in making (;. W. Smiley presidenl of the village board; C. Anderson. .1. \ . Willrett, James Welch. S. T. Wright, trustee-: .1. ('. Westgate, police justice ; and W. H. Scofield, constable. Since that time the town has been a thriving little plan'.

Among the early settlers who helped to make Malta what she now i-. were: P. Pendegrass, S. T. Wright, Chauncey Eooker, now dead. .1. ( '. 1'ieree. 1». A. Smith, now in Nebraska, W. S. Wolston, living at preseni in Iowa. D. F. Pease. Henry Claxton, one of the oldesl residents of Malta at present, T. S. and G. A. Ingersoll, Captain John Sergeant, Captain 0. W. Corbett, Henry Madden, Mrs. Francisco and a number of others. While these were some of the prominent peopli >>i early days their usefulness in many instances is not yet a thing of the past, for several are in business there now.

But it is the farmers round about Malta who now play an important part in her every day life. Among the principal farmers who own or work farms are P. F. Delhridge. M. Eedmond. Charles Doane, J. E. Doane, August Anderson, Mrs. C. W. Smiley. William Malia. H. IT. Harrington. L. Farley, Joseph Greek. Thomas Delbridge, T. .T. Tindall and scores of others, having farms ranging from sixty to one hundred and sixty acres.

Mr. Mames Orpul built the first house in the village of Malta in tin' fall of 1856 ami carried a stock of groceries. He also dealt in lumber, coal and grain, buying the first grain shipped from this

1856. The present, hotel was built in 1858. The first hardware store was started by J. R. Evans in 1858. Henry Madden was the first druggist. The first blacksmith was John Schultz ; the first wagon maker was Walter Tenia : the first furniture dealer was William Lebrant; the first shoemaker was John Swanson, and the first harness maker was J. 0. Westgate. The first sehoolhouse was built in

The Baptists. Methodists ami Congregationalists have built churches, which still have regular services. The Episcopalian and Uuiversalist churches have ceased to hold service.

Those who have served a- supervisors of this town are George W. Smiley. G. A. Ingersoll, Dan F. Pease, Albert McCrea, Alfred Ball. Jacob V. Willret, Charles W. Ilaish. B. W. Smiley. Frank I'ease. Edward Bone, Ben F. Hurt. Those who have served a- supervisors from the township are E. E. Whitehead, T. ('. Wetmore, Dr. Henry Madden, M. C. Dedrick, who served more than twenty years. G. W. Smiley, William IT. Wollston. Daniel ['ease. A. W. Townsend and T. W. Dodge.

Tin' village of Malta wa- visited in 1ST2 by a destructive fire in the business portions. This pan of the village was again rebuilt of wood and remained intact until the fire of 1894, when the business portion of Malta sull'ered heavy loss. The lire started at half pasl ten and the nighl being dark and threatening, few people were on the streets. The fire started in the store of Mr. Haish by an explosion of a kerosene lamp. The fire spread rapidly and in less than two hours thirteen buildings were consumed and the loss estimated at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

The buildings consumed were ('. W. llai-h's double store, the Hopkins buildings, occupied by Oscar Scott. W. L. Stevens' store, Samuel Veale's store, occupied by Badgley & Jacobs, druggists, W. E. Harp's, John Ball's, F. Barker's, George Burke',-, the Wright building and the D. F. Tease -tori'. Messages were sen! to De Kalb for assistance, but upon the arrival of the De Kalb firemen they found the De Kalb engine would not fit the engine house connections and it was impossible to get any water from that source. The fire fight- ing was kept up by the bucket brigade. A drenching rain set in. which helped stop the spread of the fire, but caused great loss to parties having good? uncovered. The town was rapidly rebuilt with brick structures, and mi the whole the [ire, which was considered at the time a great catastrophe, has proved a benefit to the village.

South Geove

South Grove was na «l Driscoll's Grove before the township organization of the county in 1850. It was then .ailed Vernon, and finally South Grove, as it was the firsi grove south of the large woods along the Kishwaukee in the north part of the county. 'Die first settlers of tlie large woods along the Kishwaukee in the north part of the county. The first settlers of this township were Solomon Wells, Nathaniel Hatch and William Driscoll. David Driscoll took up a claim in 1836. The farm occupied by William Driscoll is now owned by his son Decatur. The farm of Solomon Wells, which was bought of the Driscolls, is now owned by George Adee. The Nathaniel Hatch farm is the one now owned by William Masterson. Benjamin Worden settled on his homestead about 1838. The Orputs settled Orput's Grove in 1839, where are now the James Gibson and Robert Byers homesteads. Barnabas Hatch and Dexter Beeman came in 1810. In 18 11 James Byers, Sr., came with his wife and family of three sons and two daughters from Delaware county. New York. They located on the farm which is now owned by William Byers. The next war came Jesse Tindall and family, in 1843 Jonathan Adee. and in 1844 Matthew Thompson with their large families settled on farms now owned by their descendants. Henry and Oliver Safford came from Massachusetts in 1845 and located where John Masterson now lives. Oliver went to California and Henry afterward owned the farm which is now James Casey's. John S. Brown came from Michigan in 1846, and located on what is now the Asa Byers homestead, .lames Gibson and wife came from Scotland in 1848 and purchased the Orpttt farm some years later. In 1851 James and Thomas Renwick worked for -lames Byers. Sr., and a few years later bought of Henry Mix, a land speculator, the land now

The land was unsurveyed when first settled and a "claim" was held by staking out the land and plowing a i'linou around it. or by blazing in the grove. The Driscolls claimed about three hundred acres of the grove and later settlers respected their claim and purchased of them --claim rights," and in addition paid the governmenl on.' dollar and a quarter per acre after the land was surveyed. James Byers, Sr.. bought of them for three hundred dollars the right to seventy acres of timber and as much prairie as lie chose to plow around.

In 1842 or 1843 the governmeni survey was made and the land put in the market. The land office was located at Dixon. John Dement was receiver. It was a very anxious time for the settlers who had no money to pay for their land, so they banded together against would-be purchasers and agreed to protect each others" rights from ttie "land sharks," who would rob them of their homes. There was no "ciaim jumping'" in South Grove, so the argument of fists, firearm- and tar were not used here, as in some localities.

Alter the .Mexican war land warrants wi'i-c issued, giving each soldier otic hundred and sixty neie- ol' bind to lie located wherever he chose. These could at one time be bought in the market for oil" hundred and twelve dollars, making land very cheap, seventy cents an acre. The first settlers came in their wagons. The journey from New York took four weeks, the family walking m iieh of the way to spare the horses.

Tin' Frink and Walker line of four-horse stages ran from Chicago to Galena daily, the lead mines being then a craze. These stages brought the mail to the postoffice at the home of James Byers, Sr.. who was first postmaster. His first year's salary was the magnificent sum of two dollars and sixty-four cents. The office supplied the country for fifteen miles around. The papers that came were the Chicago Democrat, edited 1>\ John Wentworth, Greeley's New York Tribune, and the only magazine was Godey's Lady's Book. The postmaster's children read everything that came to the office, except the letters, and the penwritten postmarks of these served a- lessons in geography, but letters were few. for the postage was twenty-five cents.

The first religious services in the town were held by Rev. Isaac Norton, a Freewill Baptist minister. For tin- sum <>f thirty-five dollars Mr. Norton agreed to hold services twice a month fur one war. commencing in the 'all of 1842. Levi Lee, history; was the first Methodist preacher to hold religious services in South Grove. The class was organized in 1842, which continues in existence. Services wi re held I'm- a time in the South Grove schoolhouse and tor the last few years at Clare Methodist Episcopal church. This church organization is made up of four smaller congregations - the Mayfield Town Hall charge, the South Grove

the one of the Clark schoolhouse, ate Episcopalian appointment held at the Clare school. Tli. -. constitute one excellent church society, which everts a splendid influence over the circuit.

The first school was taught in the winter of 1841-2 by -lame- By< rs, Sr., in a small room in his cabin. The pupils came from distances of five or sis miles. The text-1 ks used were tic Elemental spelling book, Daboll's arithmetic. English reader, geography and a copj book and any other text-books the} happened i" have. They paid tuition in corn, potatoes and pork. In 1842-3 the inhabitants clubbed together and built a log schoolhouse by voluntary labor in the center of the grovi Mr. Byer's salarj original!; was in ten dollars a month and hoard himself, and ow ing to the gn at scarcity <-< rnonej took In- paj a- above stated. The young men ami women about the Grove will never forget thai school - ho^ the kind, genial voice of the teacher, softening down its rugged Scotch, cheered them over the frightful alps of -a. h. al.." and -tun limes one are two." - how the eyes were always blind to any fun anil the laugh was ever a- long and loud as that of the merriest urchin. No wonder thai those boys and girls, a portion of them, "played the mischief with some of the teachers who succeeded this model one.

The first public schoolhouse was erected in the grove. It was of Logs, hut nicely built, and considered quite a capacious one; though it was. after a lime, pretty well filled with its sixty scholars. It was twenty by twenty-two feet and well lighted, having a window live or six panes in width and two in height at each end of the building. Mr. H. C. Beard and Mr. T. K. Waite of Sycamore were anion" the successful teachers in the loo- schoolhouse. The second schoolhouse was built on a line sile donated to the district by Mr. James Bvers, Sr.. in 1854, and in 1868 another - a very pleasant and commodious one, the former having been destroyed by fire - was erected in the same place.

The first building was of logs, made without nails, doors of ""shakes" pinned together and were opened with latch strings hanging from the wooden latch. The chinks were stopped with clay. The first dwellings had puncheon floor.- hut the schoolbouse floor was of boards. These were obtained by drawing loos to Levi Lee's sawmill on the Ki-hwaukee, near Kingston, eighteen miles, where they were -awed into hoards. Half the board- were paid for sawing. The shake shingles were made with an ax. wedge and throw; they were held in phue on the roof by poles. The -eats were slabs with sticks lor legs. There was a window on each sidi of the house. The chimneys were then made of two boxes, the smaller inside and the space between Idled with mud. When the mud was dry and hard the inside box was burned and the chimney was complete. The first comers used a fireplace, very apt to smoke, but the schoolhouse was warmed by a box-shaped iron stove.

The girls wore dresses of linsey woolsey and looked as pretty as their granddaughters do in their silk-. One girl's best dress was made of white sheeting, colored with black walnut hark. I i dye was not a success ami the children made fun of it. The boys' suits were of a cheap gray coats were --W.IIIIIMU--I -." a loose blouse affair, coming well over the hips and belted around the waist. The feet w.ae dressed with moccasins made of sole leather. Sylvester Sutton made them. Some wore shoes made by the traveling cobbler. Hats were home made of coon or rabbit skin or cloth.

The evening entertainments were the spelling schools, in which contests the girls usually won. hut they took no part in the debates on the question whether fire or water was the stronger element, or whether there was more pleasure in anticipation or in participation. The judges chosen to decide the "weight of argument'"' were William T. Adee. John Orput, William Byers and others of the older boys. There were singing schools, too. ami after houses were large enough, parties. The schoolhouse served also as a place for religious meetings, and the Rev. Mr. Norton of honored memory was the first minister. The first funeral in town was that of the little daughter of James Byers, Sr. The funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Levi Lee. The interment was on the east side of the grove and the land was afterward donated to the town for a cemetery by James Byers. Sr. Many years afterward the South Grove church was built at Dustin and it has since served as the place of worship for people of all denominations.

The food for the settlers' first year was mostly cornmeal, pork and potatoes. A pound of tea lasted a family a year. The next year wheat was raised. It was ground at St. Charles, thirty miles distant. The fruits found in the woods were crabapples, plums and gooseberries.

The wheat was cut with a cradle and tramped out by horses on a cleared place on the prairie and was cleaned from chaff by pouring in the wind. It was drawn to Chicago, a round trip of five days. A load of forty bushels sold for forty cents a bushel, half cash and half trade. The hotel charges were fifty cents for supper, breakfast and lodging and hay for two horses, dinner a shilling, so that the farmer could at best bring home not more than five or six dollars in cash and cheap cloth, leather for shoes, salt and a few groceries.

The first hotel in town was kept by Solomon Wells, later by Jonathan Adee on the now George Adee farm. There were no taxes on land until it was surveyed, and only a small tax on personal property. Money was scarce; labor, grain, pork and potatoes served instead. The wages in harvest were two bushels of wheat a day, or about fifty cents. When wheat became a cash article there was money to pay the government for land.

The first plows used were made by C. W. Branch, father of Hiram Branch, of Kingston. The mold board was made of straps of iron about two inches wide with spaces of the same, width. The woodwork was made by Nathaniel Hatch, who hewed the timber for a beam and carefully selected crooked sticks in the grove for handles. Four yoke, of cattle were used to break the tough prairie sod. The first reaper was a McCormick bought by John S. Brown and James Byers, Sr., for one hundred and thirty dollars, in 1847 or 1848.

In 1853, when it was rumored that a railroad would lie built through the town, speculators purchased nearly all (if the government land left, but the railroad failed to materialize. The purchasers entered with land warrants and bought for eighty cents pei- acre land now worth sixty and sixty-five dollars per acre.

In is.")! Ichabod Richmond, an erratic, enterprising genius, built a sawmill and grist mill on Owen's creek, section 26, but a quantity id' water sufficient to operate it was not found, except in case of a freshet. A similar experiment was made by Barnaby Hatch further down the stream.

The history of this fertile region is interwoven with many romantic and even tragic incidents. It is said that "Brodie's Grove," situated near the west line of what is now the town of Dement, was the rendezvous of an organized band of bandits. Benjamin Worden lias related that about the year 1840 he had a fine team of horses, considered in those days very valuable property, and nightly slept in his stable, much against his will, in order to protect himself from horse thieves. "< >ld Brodie" had taken a fancy to Worden, and hearing of this practice inquired the reason why. Worden responded that there were many thieves about and he feared that his horses would be stolen, whereupon the old man informed Ben that lie need have no fears, as his property was safe. "Uncle Ben" did not doubt Ins sincerity. However, walking across the prairie one day he discovered a cavity carefully dug out and covered with boards and nicely arranged sods. so that no trace of a cave could be found. Its nearness to this lonely grove, together with the foregoing incident, proved to his mind conclusively that this was a place of concealment for the booty of those daring marauders, who as history further states, "roamed the billowy prairies in those early days as pirates rove the seas." This and other stories and a record of the tragic fate of many will he found on the pages of current history.

Many incidents are cited which show the skill, daring and courage of the pioneer women, amid prairie fires and attacks from wolves and the red man, for at that time the howl of the wolf was nightly heard and the Indian trail was here found, the chief Big Thunder, with his braves, making the surjounding woodland the place 'of temporary abode.

To those who are as yet unfamiliar with the many beauties of their own county, and especially this favored spot, the picturesque town of South Grove will offer a pleasing panorama. The land is pleasantly undulating; the undersoil seems adapted for the drainage of the surface and vegetation i- early and of rapid growth. There is scarcely an acre of waste land within its borders. More n heat is grown here than in any other township except Pierce. The highest point of land between Chicago and the Mississippi river is in the southern part of South Grove. Owen's creek, a beautiful stream of water, i rosses the entire length of the town on its way to the Kishwaukee, through prairie, woodland and meadow. In it- course the stream widens several times, forming small lakes, and mimic harbors, its clear water contrasting beautifully with the darl green foliage, and is not only a delight to him who finds "tongues in trees and books in running brooks," but also to the devotee of [saak Walton. In the grove wild fruits and Hi. wer> of all kinds abound : the plum, thorn apple, gooseberry, tin violet, spring beauty, mandrake ami maidenhair fern.

The township was organized in ls-">o and John s. Brown was elected first supervisor, lie was followed by William M. Byers, ami some descendant of this gentleman has filled the office at intervals up i" tin' present time. A great camp meeting was held at tlir grove in I860, at which leading ministers from abroad addressed vast audiences, ami much religious interest was aroused. At a much earlier day there were occasional religious revivals, which were remarkable for the great earnestness exhibited by the converts among that primitive population, and. it may be added, by extraordinary and exciting scenes in their meetings. ViiiuTig mam aneedutes -till related with great gusto is the following: A very worthy but previously profane convert rising to his feet to urge hi- hearers to greater zeal and earnestness in religious duty, fell, unconsciously, into his old mode of expression and exclaimed: "Brethren, I like to see a man. if he pretends to be a num. to be a h - 11 of a man: and if be pretends to be a Christian to be a h - 11 of a Christian."'

Hotels are things of the past, but they were "institutions" in their day when the St. Charles and Oregon State Road, running through South Grove nearly at its center, was the great highway of the region and traveled by teams heavily loaded with grain, even from so far west as the Mississippi river. One of the hotels, that which stands on the farm of Mr. Masterson, and occupied by him as a dwelling house, was kept for a while by Mr. Beeman. It is still in a good state of preservation. especially the hall, which was dedicated to the goddess Terpsichore; and many a resident of De Kalb county will remember as long as he lives the pleasant gatherings at Beeman's when what was wanting in elegance was made up in merriment. The other was kept by Mr. Adee near the grove, and it is imi to be wondered at that that gentleman i- 11- w so well off in life when it is remembered how exorbitant were his charge- - fort] or forty-five cents being required for only supper. lodging, breakfast ami hay fur a span of horses or a yoke of oxen.

was a hard time for the farmers. Again and again the teamster- who had taken tin' leads of grain - the product of the whole season's hard toil- over that long, weary way to Chicago, Mould not bring back money enough even to pay their trifling bills - a few groceries, a little bundle of cloth, perhaps a pair or two of cheap shoes, besides food for their families, being all the avails of a year's hard smugglings. But the men and women of this region put their shoulders to the wheel and called upon the gods, and by and by Hercules came in the form of a railroad.

During the rebellion South Grove furnished one hundred and three volunteers and raised for the war eleven thousand, one hundred and twentyseven dollars. Mr. John S. Brown, in 1862, raised a company of soldiers for the Fifty-second Regiment. He was made captain. The Safford brothers both enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth, both were wounded ami both made captains. Henry was afterward elected sheriff of this county, in 1868. While these officers served their country in a more public capacity than did the privates, their services are remembered with no more gratitude than is due the boys in blue in the common ranks.

With the coming of the railroad, or its near prospect, there was a rush of settlers, the Curriers, McClellans, Beckers, Rickards, Masons. Doanes,

McKenzies and Christmans were among the number who came and most of their descendants still own property in town. Mrs. S. S. Currier, who, with her husband, came to South Grove in 1S53 from New Hampshire, was for many years prominently connected with the literature of New England, furnishing many articles of the best publications of her day. She was the author of "Alice Tracey, or Through the Wilderness," "By the Sea" and "The Trapper's Niece." She died in 1895. Hugh McQueen came from Scotland in 1868. He was a true type of the Scotch Presbyterian Christian, one of the type that has made "Old Scotia loved at home, revered abroad."

Although in early days there was a prospect of a railroad, it was not until 1887 that it became a Teality. It was then built by the Chicago & Great Western Company and passed from east to west through South Grove. A station was established near its western border named Esmond, and the postofnees of Deerfield, Prairie and Dustin were merged into the Esmond postoffice, with Martin Kennedy as postmaster. He held the office until the republicans came into power, when he was succeeded by William McKenzie, the present incumbent. Kennedy Brothers, Messrs. Daniel and Martin, opened the first store and until very recently continued as proprietors. They have nowsold their stock of goods and Will McKenzie is the only merchant in the town. Kennedy Brothers .started the first elevator and are successfully operating the same. A very pretty church was built two years ago and the population of the little town has now grown to about a hundred people, making their livelihood through deals with the farmers who have made South Grove one of the most prosperous farming communities of the county. The I. I. & M. Railroad runs through a section of South Grove.