St. Charles Township

St. Charles Township

At a meeting of the voters of St. Charles, Kane County. State of Illinois, convened at Horace Bancroft's Building agreeable to ten days public notice on Saturday the twelfth day of .\pril A. D. 1845 for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of incorporating said town of St. Charles. On motion G. W. Richards was chosen President and Charles W. Howard, Clerk. The president and Clerk were duly sworn Resolved that the voters proceed to vote. The vote being taken, resulted as follows.

St. Charles township and the village of St. Charles were, in the early days, the most important part of the county, and for years St, Charles was the center of the general activities of the northern part of the district. In an early day this township was the seat of many Indian settlements and the trails of the redmen were numerous. One of the most noted was known as "Waubonsie's trail," which tV>llo\ve(l tiie ri\-er on tlie west baiii-c and took in aU the prominent springs in that vicinity. As late as 1845 this trail was plainly visible across the land afterward owned by C. D. Wing, J. D. Brown and C. H. Haines. Another trail led west from Chicago to Rock River across Fox river near where the St. Charles dam now is and followed the ravine west and over the prairie. The third came from the northeast and a fourth diverged from the Chicago trail near Wayne Station and crossed the river at the bend now known as Five Islands, about a half mile below the present Illinois Central railroad bridge.

The first settler to arrive in what is now St. Charles township appears, by general consent, to ha\'e been William Franklin, who came with his family in March, 1834; although it is claimed that Evan Shelby came in the fall of 1833 and selected land and partly completed a cabin into which his family moved in May, 1834. Following the Shelby and Franklin families the next comers were Dean and Read Ferson, who came from Windsor county, Vermont, and Ira and George Minard, of Windham county, Vermont, came west as far as Chicago with them at that time. In the fall of 1834 Ira Minard built a log house on the farm afterward owned by John H. Ferson. Calvin Ward came with his family from Massachusetts in 1835. Albert Howard and Rice Fay took up a claim in the fall of 1834. In the summer of 1834 Friend Mark, of New York, settled on land afterward owned by Mr. Kimble and built a cabin. Walter Wilson, William Arnold and Alexander Laughlin came about the same time.

In the fall of 1834 a considerable number of settlers arrived from New Brunswick, among whom were Mrs. Moses Young, Stephen Young, Joel Young, D. C. Young, Jerusha Young (who afterward became Mrs. J. T. Wheeler), Samuel Young, Robert Moody and J. T. Wheeler. Gideon Young came in 1835. Archibald Moody arrived in 1836, and John Kittridge, of Manchester, New Hampshire, in the summer of 1834. A settler named Crandall claimed part of the land on which the city of St. Charles now stands, and built a log house in the spring of 1834. This claim, together with about forty acres in the Little Woods, he sold to James Herrington, of Geneva. Melvin Marsh came in 1834 and settled on what became the Foley farm. He sold out to Martin Switzer, who came from Canada in 1838. T. E. Grossman, from New York state, came about the same time. Timothy Adams Wheeler, from Cavendish, Vermont, arrived in the fall of 1834, but returned to Vermont owing to an injury he received, but afterward came back to St. Charles and died here. His brother, Amos R. Wheeler, came in 1835.

Other settlers of 1835 were Solomon Dunham and his son-in-law, Mark W. Fletcher (afterward a prominent politician in the county) ; Joseph Pemberton and Nathan Perry. The claim of Solomon Dunham has since expanded into the fine Dunham stock farm near Wayne, which comprises over one thousand two hundred acres of land. Miss Alzira Garton died in the fall of 1835 and was buried at Brown Grove. This was the first death in the settlement.

The first marriages were those of James T. Wheeler and Jeruslia Young, January 15, 1835. and Dean Person and Prudence Ward, at St. Charles, which was then called Charlestown, September 14, 1836. Charles B. Gray came in 1835, as did also Thomas Stewart.

The earliest minister of the gospel was Rev. John Clark, a Methodist, who was a missionary to the Indians as early as 1833. In 1837 he moved to the Fox river valley and located on a farm afterward owned by C. B. Dodson, between Geneva and Batavia. The first blacksmith who settled in the township was Daniel Mar\in. who came in 1835. Ephraim and O. W. Perkins came in 1835 from New Hampshire; also William Tyler and his son, Ira D., from Cayuga county, New York. James Mead in 1840 erected a tavern known as the "Western Enterprise."

Among the settlers of 1836 were Timothy Baker, John Glos, of Germany, W. D. Baird, Leonard and David Howard, Zebina Brown, George Parker and John Andrus, from Buffalo. O. C. Baird put up part of the St. Charles Hotel in 1837. James T. Durant and Bryant Durant settled here in 1836. They were from W'are, Massachusetts. N. H. Dearborn came from Plymouth, New Hampshire, in 1836, and built the first frame dwelling in what is now St. Charles in the summer of that year. Dr. T. P. Whipple came from New York in 1836, as did Dr. Nathan Collins, from New Hampshire; Horace Bancroft, of Vermont; James Bancroft, Asa Haseltine, of Rockingham, Vermont, and Volentine Randall, of Washington county. New York, who is said to have built the first frame building on the west side of the river on the southeast corner of Main and Third streets ; Joseph T. Sibley, who married a sister of Leonard Howard ; Major W. G. Conklin and his brother. Smith Conklin, from Cattaraugus county, New York, and Major D. B. Hunt, from Boston, Massachusetts.

The earliest manufactories were the sawmill, erected in 1836; Locke's wool-carding and cloth-dressing mill in 1837; John Penney brick-making, 1838; Daniel Marvin, blacksmith shop, 1835; the making of spinning wheels and farm rakes, before 1840. A cooperative creamery was organized and a large factory erected in 1852; butter and cheese making started about 1867; foundry business was started about 1842, gradually growing to large proportions. The file factory, which still continues to do business, was organized by a stock company about 1878. The manufacture of paper commenced in 1841 and by 1866 was doing a large business with a capital of $100,000 and employing nearly one hundred hands. The great fire of February 5, 1866, destroyed the mill, which was not rebuilt. In 1840 three stores of brick and stone were erected on East Main street and what was then known as the Mansion House on the west side. The first store was opened in a frame building two stories high, erected in the spring of 1836 by Minard, Person & Hunt, on the ground now occupied by Wilcox's grocery store. In 1842 W. C. Irwin and Elisha Freeman built two stores on the west side of the river. One of the earliest mercantile establishments occupied the old frame building on the corner of East j\Lain and Second streets. The firm was R. V. M. Croes and a man named Brownlee. In 1844-45 there were engaged on the east side of the river the firms of C. A. Brooks, Wait & Dole, Stevens & Green,

David Strader and B. T. Hunt ; on the west side were E. Freeman, L. M. Blaisdell & Co., Thomas & Howard, John F. Wright and M. F. Burdge. W. J. Conkhn and others were running a mill on the west side at that time, and Bund)' & Evans were operating the old east side sawmill.

The most serious public disturbance tliat occurred in St. Cliarles in the early days was the Richards' riot, which is spoken of more in detail in the general county history under the chapter of Resurrectionists.

One of the remembered occasions of early days was the duplicate celebration of the 4th of July, 1S46. The whigs and democrats united in a national celebration on the east side of the river, and the abolitionists, under the lead of John Farnsworth, Calvin Ward and others, had a celebration on the west side. The east siders procured two cannon which were placed side by side on the hill. At the foot of the hill an oven was built to do cooking for the crowd. The abolitionists borrowed a large tent capable of holding one thousand people, which they set up on the west side ; dishes were procured in St. Charles, Elgin and other places and jireparations made for a great celebration. Eminent speakers were secured, enthusiasm was very great, and the town was filled with many people who came from many miles around. Everything went well until about two p. m., when a sudden thunder storm and a furious wind arose. The big tent, which was filled with people, was torn from its fastenings and collapsed, leaving the people to crawl from under as best they could. They fled in all directions, wading through the deep water which filled the gutters. A number were seriously injured but no one killed. The storm eft'ectually broke up both celebrations.

St. Charles enjoys the distinction of having furnished, i:)r at least ha\ing been the place of enrollment, for the only company furnished by Kane county to the Me.xican war.

The first attempt to establish a bank was made by Elisha Freeman about 1853. when he opened a small office on West Main street. The village organized under a city charter April 22. 1875. Dr. J. K. Lewis was the first mavor; T. W. Edmunds, first city clerk; first treasurer was S. B, Huls, and the first citv attorney was Frank McMasters. The aldermen were Charles Chovin, E. A. Brownell, F. L. Alexander, A. W. Kelley, T. L. Ryan and John F. Elliott.

In late years the location of the Cable I'iano Company at St. Charles and the establishment of other industries have given the place a new iiupetus. It is one of the best located cities in the county and has one of the best water powers. If present indications go for anything it will, in the not far distant future, lie one of the industrial and manufacturing points of the Fcx ri\-er valley.

The first school taught in St. Charles was opened in the fall of 1835, in a log house. It was taught by Prudence Ward, afterward Mrs. Dean Ferson. The first building erected for school purposes within the city limits was built of boards and slabs in the fall of 1836. In 1837 a frame school building was erected by Thomas E. Dodge, contractor. Among the early teachers was Arethusa Fisk. who taiiglit in 1837. James T. Wheeler taught there between 1837 and 1842. Until about 1853 all the schools were private or select, each pupil paying a certain sum by the week or term. After that year the public-school system went into operation and select schools became things of the past.

The earliest church organizations were the Congregationalists, Methodists and Universalists. The Congregationalist being organized by Rev. N. C. Clark in 1837. Services were for a time held in private residences and school houses. A church was erected in 1842 on the corner of West Third and Walnut streets. The Methodist Episcopal society erected a stone church at an early day which was enlarged in 1852. The Universalists organized prior to 1840 and erected a building in 1842; this being the first belonging to that denomination in the state. The Baptist society organized previous to 1850, and built a church about 1851. Rev. Xiles Kinney and Rev. David Matlock were early ministers. The Catholics have held services in St. Charles since 1840, and erected a church in 1852 which has been enlarged and improved at various times. Swedish Lutherans. Free Methodists. Episcopalians, African Methodists and Spiritualists have at various times organized societies.

Nearly seventy years ago. in 1840 or 41. the pioneer Catholics of St. Charles met for divine worship at the homes of John Barry (where the Mosedale house now stands). John 0"Connor (the old Jennings home), "SI. Flannery's. and several others. ]\Iass was celebrated by Fathers Doyle and Feely, priests sent from Chicago to attend the Catholic settlers of Elgin. In 1845 Rev. William Feely was appointed first resident pastor at Elgin, and from that date to 1853 he attended the Catholics of St. Charles, usually once a. month. In 1851, under the direction of Father Feely, the present church was built by James O'Connor, assisted by his brothers Patrick and Dennis Long. James O'Connor had built a Catholic church in Ottawa in 1848. and modeled St. Patrick's after it. The land for the church had been generously donated by Mr. Darwin Millington.

The church is located on West Fourth and Cedar streets. St. Patrick's was completed and dedicated in 1852 by Bishop Van De Vilde, second bishop of Chicago. About 1853 Rev. Patrick O'Dwyer was made first resident pastor. He remained until i860. Father O'Dwyer had a wide field of labor, attending to the Catholics of Elburn and West Chicago (then Turner Junction), members of the fold in Batavia and Geneva attending the church in this city. For many years at that early date the Catholic congregation was large and prosperous. But w-hen we of this day and age remember the many sacrifices made, privations endured and difificulties surmounted, our hearts are filled with aflfection and gratitude and we must admire the fortitude and zeal of the pioneer priest and layman. Following are the names of a few of the first Catholic settlers, descendants of whom largely constitute the present congregation : John Barry. John O'Connor. Dennis Long, M. and P. Flannery. Patrick

Joyce, Cornelius Raid, Hugh McClone. Patrick Muraine. Thomas Roche, Peter Turbet, T. Ryan, John Sheehan, M. 0"Kane. M. Shearin, Dennis McAuley, WilHam Bayleson. Thomas McCabe, Thomas Halpin, Barney Cassidy, Thomas Doyle, Felix McFarlane, Patrick Jennings, P. Garrity, Thomas Collins, William Doherty, Thomas Murphy and brother, M. Murphy ; P. Fay, Michael Murphy, Patrick Pillan, M. Lawler, P. Moran, Mrs. Kerwin, P. and D. O'Malley, John Kelly, M. Brennan, A. McNevin, B. Kennedy. M. Dillon, Thomas Foley, George Welch, Frank Lennartz, James Kavanaugh, John McCoy, M. Keating, and many others. The early settlers of Geneva (which city is still included in St. Patrick's parish) were the Quinns, Landers, Wheelers, Clancys. Bowens, McGreens, Mastersons, Lawlers, Navins, and Mrs. Crotty ; the Cannon, Hogan families coming later, also the Adamson and Joyce families. Among the members of the present day, residents of St. Charles, are the Keegans, Morgans, O'Brien, Daleys, Naughtens, Munhalls, Murphys, Schraders, McCluskeys, Devlins, Gartners, Rempes, and many others ; also a large number of foreigners representing nearly every nationality of continental Europe. Following is a list of the pastors of St. Patrick's church down to the present date. The dates here given are taken from the church register and are approximately correct. From 1840 to 1853, Fathers Doyle and Feely, visiting priests from Elgin; '53 to '60, Father James O'Dwyer; '60 to '62, Father Murphy ; '62 to '63, Father McGivern ; '63 to '64, Father O'Sullivan; '64 to 65, Father Rigby; '65 to '67, Father O'Neil; '67 to '70, Father Campbell; '70 to '75, Father M. Pendergast; '75 to 'tj, Father O'Connor; '-jj to '80, Father D. Spellman; '80 to '81, Father M. Zara; '81 to '83, Father Burch ; '83 to '86, Father Gaulet, Sr. ; '86 to '90, Father John Madden ; '90 to '97, Father A. Gaulet, Jr. ; '97 to 1905, Father M. Stack. This record brings us down to the present pastor, Rev. Tmiothy Ryan, who came to St. Patrick's in October, 1905.

Rev. Father Ryan was born in Tipperary. Ireland, April 21, 1864. and began his education in the national schools of that country. He prepared for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin, and was ordained June 23, 1889, by Archbishop Walsh of Dublin, for the arch-diocese of Chicago. Father Ryan was assigned to St. Cecelia's church, Chicago, as assistant pastor for thirteen years. In 1902 he was appointed pastor of the Catholic church at Harmon, Illinois, and remained at that place until coming to St. Charles, in 1905. In his three years' pastorate many improvements have been made.

The interior of the church has been redecorated in the most artistic manner, electric lights, new carpets, new doors, imtil dear old St. Patrick's looks like a new church; and the spiritual needs of his people have never been lost sight of.

Through his efforts has been established Mt. St. Mary's Academy under the supervision of the Dominican Sisters of New York. This institution of learning was opened in September, 1907, and was one of the happiest events for the Catholic education in this parish and in the whole community, and will pro\e a powerful auxiliary in promoting the spiritual good of the parish and a lasting nuMiument to the zeal arid energy of the pastor, Rew Father Ryan, respected and esteemed bv all whu know him.

South Elgin

In 1S70 it was written: "The village of South Elgin (formerly Clintonville) is well situated on both sides of Fox river about thirty-nine miles from Chicago by railroad and three miles south of the city of Elgin. It is in the tCAvnship of Elgin.

"The first settlers were Joseph P. Corron. Truman Gilbert. Dr. Joseph Gefft and Dr. Nathan Collins. Air. Corron located himself about three-quarters of a mile east of the river on the propert}- where he now lives. He arrived in the spring of 1835.

"Messrs. Gilbert, Teft't and Collins came in the fall or winter of 1835-6. Gilbert and Teft't both built log cabins near where the sheds of the Ballantine distiller}- now stand, and Dr. Collins built one on the west side of the river. Dr. Collins afterward located in St. Charles, where he died a few years after his removal from Clintonville. The village was laid out on the east side by Truman Gilbert about the year 1849, and on the west side by Dr. Joseph Tefft and B. ^^^ Ravmond, the same year, or soon after. Additions have been by T. Gilbert and the heirs of Dr. Collins, a son of the latter being at present a practicing physician of the place. Joseph P. Corron also laid out an addition to the east side in Alay, 1855.

"The first dam was started by Gilbert and Teft"t in the fall of 1836. It was left unfinished through the winter, and the flood of the next spring (1837) carried it away. Gilbert and Collins built the second dam (now standing) about 1838. A sawmill was built on the east side, the same year.

"The first school building was a small frame one which stood on the lot or near where the present east schoolhouse stands. It was built about 1850, and was used also for religious meetings. The present school buildings were erected about the year 1858.

"There was a Methodist Episcopal society organized here at an early dav, but they never were strong enough to erect a house of worship. The Free Methodists erected a church in i860.

"The Galena & Chicago U. R. Road, now the C. & N.-W. Ry., reached this place late in the winter of 1849, f^m which time the village dates its growth.

"A large distillery was built near the railroad track by Nathan Williams in 1846 or 1847. and run by various parties for twelve or fifteen years, since which it has mostly remained idle.

"Two flouring mills were built about the same time. 1849 or 1850. The west mill by Hiram J. Brown, and the east one by G. M. Woodbury. Woodbury built the distillery attached to the east mill about two years later. This distillery and mill passed through many hands with varying fortunes, but the distillery part has not been run for a number of years. Both the distilleries are now in litigation with no certain owners.

"Woodbur\-'s flour mill is now run by Mr. T. H. Foster, who is doing mostlv merchant work. It contains four run of stone and has a capacity of one hundred barrels of flour dailv.

"The west side flour mill is now owned by Mr. William Pauton, who purchased it in 1854. He has rebuih it (1856-57), and it is now one of the best mills on the river. It contains four run of stone, and is at present doing mostly merchant work.

"A paper mill was built about 1852 by Dr. Erastus TeiTt, or by some one whom he bought out. The property is at present owned by Mr. O. Davidson, of Elgin, and is operated under a lease by B. Hagelow & Co., who employ eleven hands and turn out two thousand five hundred pounds of paper daily. It is manufacturing roofing and siding felt exclusively.

"The tannery of Geahan & Hutchinson is doing (|uite an extensive business in the tanning of all descriptions of leather, wool-pulling, etc. It employs eight hands. This company commenced work in the city of Elgin, hut removed to this place in 1870.

"The large iron foundry of Bosworth & Davidson is doing an extensive business in the manufacture of school furniture, mostlv, a large proportion of which is shipped to St. Louis. It employs about twenty hands, and is doing a good business.

"The first bridge over the river at this point was built bv subscription about 1850. This was washed away in 1857, and another took its place which remained until it was replaced by the present iron structure in 1868.

"The village has had rather a slow growth, the principal cause of which has been the location of distilleries in its midst and the nncertaintv attending the distilling business.

"But a new prospect seems opening before it. Mr. O. Davidson has bought up a large share of the water power and nearly all the vacant land in the vicinity, and the intention, no doubt, is to establish, as soon as matters get into settled condition, permanent manufacturing interests. I. C. Bosworth is interested with Mr. Davidson in a portion of the water power, and these two gentlemen evidently intend business.

"The water power is ample and shipping facilities are good." Since 1870 all these institutions have one by one disappeared and the buildings burned down. For years this place was a deserted village. It is aroused somewhat since the A. E. & C. Ry. was constructed.