Rutland Township

Rutland Township

The township of Rutland was named after Rutland. \'ermont. by E. R. Starks. who arrived in the township in 1835. and was the first settler. He came from Rutland, Vermont. At that time the township was uninhabited e.xcept for a few Indians. Starks spent the winter at Naperville, but returned to his claim the next spring. He was soon after joined by Elijah Rich, who took up a claim adjoining his. The two men built a log cabin for Starks. which was the first ever erected in the township, and there kept house. They lived there during the summer. The next year, 1836, Mr. Rich sent for his family, with whom he lived on his claim until his death in 1871,

They boarded with Starks and Rich wiien they first arrived. In 1838 Andrew McCornack arrived with his family. He died in 1875 at the age of ninety years. In 1838 Wilham Moore and William Lynch, who were brothers-inlaw, located in the western part of the township. A man named Seymour was living near there at that time. Francis and Straw Pingree came in the fall of 1837, and in the spring of 1838 Andrew and Daniel Pingree arrived. The grove near their settlement acquired the name "Pingree Grove," and has since been known by that name. A considerable village has grown up there in the last thirty years. Andrew Pingree was a minister of the gospel, and a native of New Hampshire. In 1838 there were but three cabins along the road. John Hunter was a native of Ireland and came to America in 183.^ and settled in Rutland township in 1842. He was an enthusiastic republican and a leader of the strong Irish Presbyterian sentiment in the township.

A postoffice named Deerfield was established about two miles west of Pingree Grove in 1838. Pingree Grove postoffice was established in 1848. A po.stoffice was established at Rutland (now known as Gilberts) in 1852.

The first physician in the township was Dr. McKay. Mrs. Hannah Rich died in 1838, which was the first death in the settlement. Adelia, daughter of E. Rich, was the first child born in the township; and the first marriage was that of Lewis Bandal and Miss Brady, who were married in 1839, by Elijah Rich, the first justice of the peace.

The Chicago & Galena stage route ran directly through the township, and the feeding and housing of travelers were the chief sources of such small amounts of cash as the settlers obtained.

A log schoolhouse was built in the southwest part of the township in 1840, but owing to the scarcity of children school was never taught in the building ; but it was often used as a meeting house and for other purposes. Francis King, John L. Rowe and John Flynn were elected trustees at the house of Robert Eakin in 1842. In 1848 S. B. Eakin, Alexander McCornack and Daniel Duff were elected school trustees, by whose report it appears that in 1849 there were eight school districts and a total of three hundred and eighty-four pupils; in 1850 there were four hundred and fifty pupils. By 1855 the districts had increased to eleven, and the school children numbered six hundred and nineteen.

The first church in Rutland township was erecteil by the Catholics, which was completed in 1855. The building stands on ground that was given to the church by Andrew Pingree. The first building was about two miles west of Gilberts at the old Catholic burying ground. The first priest in charge was Rev. John Guigin, a Frenchman. He was succeeded by Re\-. Scanlon. Father Gallaher was in charge for many years.

Gilbert Station was laid out and platted by Andrew Pingree and Elijah Wilcox in 1855. John Kelley acted as express agent and postmaster. He was afterward county sheriff. The first postmaster was John Mann, who was succeeded in the office by John McGraw, Nicholas Freeman and John Martin. The village of Pingree Grove was platted and laid out by Daniel and Hannah Pingree in 1882, and is now a village of five himdred or six hundred inhabitants.