Sycamore Township (part 3 of 3)

Boynton, J. R. Hamlin, George Holcomb, Edwin P. Rose, Dr. <). M. Bryan, Dr. Page, Judge D. B. James and others, who put their shoulders to the wheel and gave new life to the little village. In the '50s came Daniel Pierce, General Dustm. George P. Wild, J. H. Rogers, Dr. \Y. W. Bryant, Moses Dean. James KHIum. E. V. Dutton, Luther Lowell, E. L. Divine, Harmon Paine, Horatio James. The Ellwood family, Reuben ami Chauncey, came first in 1837, remaining well into the 'in-, when they Left their interests here for a while ami returned to New York, returning early in the '50s. They were accompanied by their parents, their broth rs, ^.lonzo and J. E. The additions of the '50s were strong in the new life and vigor, and with the capital they brought with them belped the \ illage over mam rough places. -Yi \\nn;i. [N 18 Hi. I I Svlvanus Holcomb

On a beautiful Sabbath morning in the year 1836. in the month of June, might have been seen a few humble worshipers, gathering at the home of one Mark Daniels, who lived about one mile north of this city on the farm now owned by Philo Van Galder, nearly opposite the residence of Ered Van Galder in Sycamore township. There were then only three Methodist families in the community - the Whites, the Daniels and the Walrods. Two of these brethren, longing to he, ii' again a gospel sermon and worship to Cod. went to Kingston ami found a mill Levi Lee - a local preacher, who rami' and preached, it being the first service held in this place at this time. His texl was, "Have faith in God." Mr. Lee was owner of Lee*s mill and one of the first county commissioners and a prominent and influential citizen of that early time. At that lime there were missionaries, William Royal ami Samuel Pillsbury, sent out to look over the ground and plan the work oi the church. These nun organized the first class, composed of the following named persons: Edward White, win, was appointed class leader: Mary While, his wife; Mail Daniels and wife; Peter Walrod and wife, making six in all. In the following September there was held the first quarterly meeting service, Stephen 1!. Beggs taking charge. At that meeting occurred the lir>t baptismal service, heme- thai ol' Caroline White, infant daughter of Brother and Sister White. In a few months a log I house was built, in which was held the regular church service, which occurred once in four weeks. This log 3chool house was built on the farm now owned bj Lewis Lloyd. By this time Sycamore was included in the circuit, which extended to Rockford on the north, Mourn Morris

Charles on the cast. The first parsonage wa- built about 1840 on Brother White's farm, four miles north of tow iron the farm now owned by Captain A. F. Park. At that time some of the pastors of the church were Stephen R. Beggs, who lived at Plainfield, Illinois, dying at the advanced age of ninety years, Revs. Wiley. Frink, Decker. Lattin. Blessed, indeed, was the work of the Lord in the heart- of these devoted soldiers of the cross, and bishop, presiding elder and pastor together enjoyed 1 1^ hospitality of the old log cabin and the schoolhouse with the same pleasure as the palace ol the present day. Then it was common to entertain sixteen in a home of only two rooms when attending the quarterly meeting service, and great blessings attended their meetings. In 184.J preaching appointment was removed from the schoolhouse to the old courthouse in Sycamore, a frame building situated on State street, opposite the present courthouse building. At this time, although Sycamore was a town of few inhabitants, intoxicants were sold in hotels and many people were very wicked. Dr. Luke Hitchcock was presiding elder and S. E. Beggs pastor. These men were earnest shepherds of the people and felt deeply the need of a revival of religion. They began the work and the holy spirit came in saving power to the people. Man] people flocked from miles around to hear the word of light by those who were saved of the Lord. Among those brought to Christ at that revival of religion were our beloved Brother Sixbury and wife, Brother Carlos Lattin and wife, Brothers David and Daniel Walrod and wives and others. These men were afterward among the most useful and efhcienl class leaders in the church, and some of them are now in Heaven. This was the beginning id' better and more prosperous days in Methodism. In 1847 a new church edifice thirtyseven l'\ forty feel was built upon the present church site, the land being given by Brother Carlos Lattin. This church still stands and is used as a part of a livery barn by Helson & Walrod. Many blessed revivals attended the work of the ministry and church, and as the years passed by, one marked with special power occurred in the year 1855, under the pastorate of Revs. Tascar and Higgins, when the church was crowded nightly for weeks and more than a hundred souls entered into tinservice of the Lord, some of whom today are m the ministry of the church. Pastors in the years following were Revs. Comb, Searl, Brown aad Thayer. In the year 1850 the first parsonage was sold and a new one was built, winch still remains on the lot adjoining the church edifice and in later years the pastor's present home was built on beautiful Somonauk street. After two or more decades of years from the date of the building of the first church and the society had been greatly blessed and prospered, the present church edifice was erected. As I recall those few incidents of the early days of the history of the church, my thoughts turn to those beloved elders, pastors, leaders and stewards of the church who lived among us as citizens but were loyal to the Lord their King, and who now reign with Him in Glory. Let us cherish their memory, emulate with them good works and win with them the crown.

When the Methodist church was completed in 1847 it was the first church edifice in the city and perhaps the second one built in the county. Little can we now realize how much the building of this church meant by way of personal sacrifice to its dollars, others sums varying from that amount down to fifty, while the outside public who were anxious to see a church built here did considerable. One member of the church at the present time possesses more property than the whole Methodist congregation in the early '40s.

In 1S40 the Methodist conference for this section of the statr was held at Mount Morris by Bishop Scott and some of the presiding elders following the trail from Chicago stopped for breakfast at the residence of Brother Edward White. They traveled on horseback, and. compared with means of travel at this time, great inconvenience wa- suffered by those pioneers of the church.

The second church edifice built in this town was the First Congregational church, located on land given by Captain Barnes, on the southwesi corner or Main and Exchange streets. This building was commended at an earlier date than the Methodist church and was not completed until L850. At. a meeting of the members of the Congregational church called in 1848 they resolved to make an estimate of all the personal property of the several members and to assess the property by two outside parties. This assessmeni was made by Carlos Lattin of the Methodist society and Stephen Townsend of the Wesleyan Methodist society of Mayfield. In making this assessment they deducted the amounts owed by the several members from the total valuation, ami the tax levied from this assessment was a tenth of their entire property. The assessment made is now in possession of Emily Wood, of Sycamore, and it gives tin' members the property valuation as follows, describing all kinds of property, real and personal: David West, thirteen hundred and ten dollars; Harry Martin, six hundred and fifty-six dollars; Jesse Kellogg, nineteen hundred and twenty-nine dollars; Ellsworth Rose, two hundred and fifty dollars; .Tames N. Hammond, eleven hundred and seventy-eight dollars: Charles J. Robinson, eight hundred dollars; John F. Snow, thirty-five hundred and ninety-one dollars : C. M. Brown, eight hundred dollars : Alexander Crawford, eighteen hundred and eighty-four dollars; Aaron West, nine hundred and ninety-two dollars; Clark Wright, twenty-three hundred and ninety-four dollars ; Ashael Stow, two hundred dollars. In this wav fifteen hundred and ninetv-five dollars was raised by the congregation, while those outside the church contributed liberally, thus after six years of struggle, toil and sacrifice, the first Congregational society had an ample house of worship.

The third church organized was the Universalist. They first met in 1845 and held meetings in the first court house. The church grew larger and in 1854 built a brick house of worship on Main street, in the house now owned by Mr. Steriker. The next society organized was in 1855, and in 1851 the first St. Peters Episcopal church was built on land donated by James S. Waterman. In 1879 the present stone structure and rectory was built, the church being donated by James S. Waterman. The Baptisi church first held services in Franklin and South Grove townships and little more than a half century ago moved to Sycamore. Their present elegant modern structure was erei ted nine years ago.

The Swedish Evangelical Luthernan church was organized in 1859. The first meetings were held in the old school house in 1858. Rev. E Carlson was the first preacher and organizer of the church. They later erected a frame church at a cosl of about sixteen hundred dollars. Swedish emigrants, however, were coming in large numbers and settling in Ohio Grove and in the east part of Mayfield and the wesi parts of Sycamore township, while a large number of their nationality became residents of the city of Sycamore In 1870 Christine Nilson, the sweet singer of Sweden, : use of relatives living here came to Sycamore and sang, so that the people of her country struggling in a foreign land might have a church building adequate to the needs of the large and growing congregation. The concert was held in the Methodist church, tickets were live dollars each, and the house was crowded, hater in the evening -he sang in Wilkin's Hall to the people of her own nationality and in her native language. The proceeds of this entertainment gave them sufficient funds to build a large wooden church, which was used until 1896, when the magnificent stone edifice at the corner of Somonauk and Charles streets was dedicated.

The first Catholic church was built in Sycamore in i860, and about four years ago the present magnificent structure was erected. This parish extends over a large area and has a membership of over six hundred. A Wesleyan Methodist church was built in the early '70s. A Free Methodist church was built in 1878. The German Lutheran society purchased the old Congregational church and the latter denomination built their beautiful edifice on Somonauk and High streets. The Swedish Baptist church was built in 1892.

Sycamore has in a measure been an intellectual center for many years, and after the James block was erected in 1858 they began to maintain a lecture course, which was kept up at different intervals for many years. The first year of the course Horace Greeley, Bayard Taylor and Charles Sumner delivered lectures in the new building.

The merchants of Sycamore in the early history of the town were compelled to send to Chicago for their supplies. Fpon the completion of the Great Western road they brought their supplies from Cortland overland. This consumed much time and was ver\ expensive. In 1859 the Sycamore & Cortland road was built, at a cost of about seventy-five thousand dollars, which was paid by the citizens of Sycamore and vicinity, and it was not until the early '60s that engines began to be used over this road in the transportation of freight. For many years the goods were placed on cars and hauled from Cortland to Sycamore by horses. The people in those earlier days traded in Sycamore for miles around. The trade extended to the west and north for a distance of nearly twenty-five miles, and on the east half way to St. Charles. It extended in a southerly direction half way to Sandwich.

In 1869 the Marsh Harvester Manufacturing Company was organized and established here and their extensive plant for years employed hundreds of men. The E. Ellwood Manufacturing Company was organized in 1875. The village of Sycamore was incorporated in 1858. For ten years the village government existed, when the people organized under a civil government. A special charter was procured and approved by the governor, March 4. 1869, Eeuben Ellwood being elected first mayor. The Wilkins block was erected in 1864, and for a time was considered the best business block in the county. This was destroyed by fire in 1902 and on that site now stands the Daniel Pierce building.

In the winter of 1842-3 E. L. Mayo continued the school work of this village and was succeeded by Sheldon Crossett in 1843-4. School was held generally in the court house, hut often in private residences, and in 1846-7 Charles Eobinson taught school in the old Deacon Martin house on the south side of West State street. He was succeeded at this place by Mr. Eoswell Dow. and he received the magnificent sum of fifteen dollars a month. The directors, Joseph Sixbury and Sparock Wellington, for the next term offered him twelve dollars a month, assuring him that he should not have over thirty pupils. Mr. Dow agreed to teach the school for twelve dollars a month, provided that he should have pay in proportion for all over thirty. School opened and the number of pupils steadily increased until the roll showed an attendance of sixty-four. In 18-18-9 Mr. Dow organized a select school in the old court house building, afterwards in the Sons' of Temperance hall, and later in the Universalist church. The school was held for several years in a house standing at the southeast corner of Main and Ottawa streets.

hi the winter of 1853--1 Hannah Dean taught school in a house now occupied by Mrs. Ruel Davis, but in 1853 steps were taken for the erection of a school house, the first in the village.

A lot was secured on the northeast corner of California and Exchange streets, Hannah Dean was the first principal in the new schoolhouse. The population of the village increased and a fourroom structure was erected in 1850 on the site of the old building. In 1863 the schoolhouse was burned and the directors erected a school building during the sirmmer and fall of that year at a cost of fifteen thousand, five hundred dollars. It was constructed of wood, had eight large rooms, the requisite cloak rooms, recitation rooms, apparatus room, the superintendent's office and a large assembly hall. For years this was the best school building in this part of the state. The attendance rapidly increased, tuition pupils attending for miles around. By 1876 the attendance had so increased that a room in the basement of the Methodist church was used as a primary schoolroom. In 1887 a two-room building was erected in the west part of town. In 1880 another ward school was built on the southeast side of the town, and an addition was built to the central school. In 1898 a new ward school was built in the south part of the town and the present high school building was erected north of the central school building. The high school course was extended to a period of four years and the pupils graduating from this institution were admitted to universities without examinations. Mrs. Abbie L. Waterman, by her will, gave for the foundation of a school for girls the family residence on Somonauk street, together with sixty acres of land, on which suitable buildings for the institution's purpose were erected in 1889. She also gave as an endowment a well stocked farm of five hvtndred acres adjoining the school, Waterman Block, consisting of the three best located stores and office building in Sycamore, and valuable Chicago property. Rev. B. F. Fleetwood was appointed rector upon its organization and is at present still at the head of the institution.

During the year 1907 Sycamore has added to her industrial institutions the Hardware Supply Factory, Borden's Condensed Milk Factory and the Turner Brass Works, and is at present growing in population and wealth. The Sycamore Preserve Works was established in 1881 and its capacity has been continually increased, until at present it is one of the largest institutions of the kind in northern Illinois.

F. C. Patten Manufacturing Company now occupies the old R. Ellwood Manufacturing plant and the Marsh Harvester Building and employs a large number of men.

Sycamore being the county seat, has during her career had as residents men of ability and influence. The majority of the De Kalb county bar resides here, and in earlier days the financiers of the county found Sycamore a great convenience as a business center. Among the earlier business men were James, Charles, John C. and John A. Waterman, J. H. Rogers, G. P. Wild, John Harkness, Reuben Ellwood, member of congress in 1880-84; Chauncey, Alonzo and Ed. Ellwood. Daniel Pierce, Moses Dean and Harmon Paine. H. H. Mason and C. 0. Boynton came here ai an early day and established a brokerage firm and were men of wealth and splendid business capacity. Of the men in political life who attained to more than local prominence were Jesse Kellogg, John R. Hamlin. Marshall Stark, Dr. James Harrington. J. K. Stiles, and the Ellwoods. Those who achieved distinction as military men and attained the rank of brevet brigadier general were Daniel Dustin, E. F. Dutton. Charles Waite, F. W. Partridge, who formerly resided in Sandwich but a resident of Sycamore at the time of receiving his rank, John L. Beveridge, who was an early resident of Sycamore, but removed to Evanston in 1854 and entered the war from that place, became a brevet brigadier general and was afterward governor of the state of Illinois. Charles W. Stolbrand. who was conducting an abstract office at the time of the breaking out of the Civil war, organized a company of artillery, and rose to the rank of full brigadier and in 1866 received the rank of brevet major general. He was educated at a military academy in Sweden and at once became a valuable officer and at the close of the war was chief of the artillery of the Army of the Tennessee.

Those who attained prominence in the legal profession will be treated of in a separate article entitled the Bench and Bar, and those who were foremost in the medical profession in a chapter entitled Medicine and Surgery.

Those who have been appointed as consuls to foreign countries were Captain Hood and General F. W. Partridge, the latter serving for several years as minister to Siam. Sycamore gave three hundred and seven men for the suppression of the rebellion. Out of this number about sixty lost their lives and a large number returned maimed and crippled.

The supervisors of the township have been Dr. James Harrington from its organization in 1850 to 1856. He was succeeded by E. L. Mayo and Mayo was succeeded b] Daniel B. James. Dr. Harrington again serving in 1859, 1860 and 1861; Roswell Dow in 1862, 1863 and L864 : Samuel Alden two years: Henry Wood one year; X. S. Cottrell one year; Henry Wood one year: John B. Smith two years: E. B. Shurtleff two years: Marshall Stark from 1878-85; II. C. Whittemore, who is serving at present, has held the position for twenty-two years. Those who have held the position of assistant supervisor are E. L. Mayo. C. M. Brown. Alonzo Ellwood, 0. 0. Boynton, Charles Kellum. Luther Lowell. Beuben Ellwood, Moses Dean, Captain R. A. Smith. W. W. Marsh. Henry C. Whittemore, Byron F. Wyman, Edwin Waite and F. B. Townsend.