Wards Grove Township

Wards Grove Township

The first claimant of Ward's Grove Township is a matter of some doubt. It is understood that a few claims were made from 1834 to 1836. There is, however, no question but that Mr. Bernard Ward, after whom the township received its name, was its first permanent settler. Mr. Ward is still residing in single blessedness at the old location, where he is an influential citizen and large property holder.

It is learned from Joseph Moore that Homer and Charles Graves came west from Ohio in 1836, and made a claim in Ward's Grove Township in the Summer of the same year, near the head-timber of Yellow Creek, where they broke five acres of ground, but soon returned to Ohio, where they remained until 1838, when they again came to this township with their mother, brother William, sister Emily (now Mrs. F. M. Rogers) and half-brother Joseph Moore. These brothers became prominent residents of the township. Homer and William Graves and Mr. Moore still reside there, where the latter owns 1,527 acres of land.

James Blair carne to Ward's Grove Township in the Fall of 1836, and settled there. Mr. Blair moved into Stockton Township in 1876, with his family, where he now resides. His marriage to Catherine Marsh, 1837, was the first in the township, and his daughter Margaret, born March 4, 1838, was the first white child born in the township.

Jabez Giddings came to the township in 1836, and his brother, Smith, in the next year, and to the former Mr. Blair and Arthur Tyrrell hired out to work in the same year. Mr. J. Giddings afterwards (1840) sold out to Jacob Reber.

Among other early settlers were Asa Hutton (1838), whose infant son was the first person who died (1839) in the township; Dr. Bratton, the first physician ; Ezra Latham, who built a saw mill at the head-waters of Yellow Creek, in the northeastern part of the township, in 1839 ; George W. Flack, who came in April, 1837, and is now a resident of Iowa; John Flack, who came with his family in 1839, and died in 1842; Samuel, Charles and Miles Tyrrell, the former two of whom came in November, 1837, and the latter in November, 1838; Charles died in 1860; Samuel is still an influential citizen of Ward's Grove, while Miles is now living in Morseville, Stockton Township ; H. A. Perry, who came in June, 1839, and is now a farmer of Stockton ; Samuel Tyrrell, Sr., who came in October, 1841, with his family of four daughters and a son, of whom Mrs. Benjamin Parker, of Stockton, is the only daughter now residing in the county; Mr. Samuel Tyrrell, Sr., died in 1845; Hiram Tyrrell, who came in May, 1843, and now lives in Iowa. There are many other early settlers of the township, equally worthy of mention, many of whose biographies appear in another portion of this work.

Schools. - Bernard Ward first taught school by permitting the children of his neighbors to come to his house, where he gave them instruction, but the first organized school was taught by Mary R. Tyrrell, now Mrs. Isaac Lyons, in a cabin built in 1843, by Mr. Giddings, and owned by Jacob Reber. The first school-house was built in 1845, on section 29, and taught by Mary Tyrrell. The first Trustees of School Lands were James Blair and Samuel Tyrrell ; school organization was effected at the house of Mr. Tyrrell just before building the school-house. The Directors were Charles B. Tyrrell, Wiljiam Blair, Jr., and David Earlewine. There are now four school-houses in the township.

In almost all neighborhoods a substantial sympathy is usually extended to a citizen whose property is destroyed by fire. Many, of course, insure their property at high rates, so that much more money is taken from the neighborhood for insurance during a term of years than has been destroyed in value within the same limits. Investigate where you may, this will be found true. Hence, a number of the residents of Stockton and Ward's Grove Townships resolved to form an association within themselves by which they should pay all the losses of their members and each be insured against loss, without being obliged to support a large retinue of officers and agents at high salaries. Rush and the south fifteen sections of Nora Township were afterwards included. It is called the " Stockton and Ward's Grove Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance Company, of Jo Daviess County, Illinois," and was organized and incorporated under the act approved March 24, 1874, entitled: "An Act to revise the law in relation to Township Insurance Companies," from which the following are extracts :

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That any number of persons, not less than twenty-five, residing in any congressional or political township, or in one or more adjoining congressional or political townships in this state, not exceeding six in number, and without regard to county lines, who, collectively, shall own property of not less than $50,000 in value, which they desire to have insured, may form an incorporated company for the purpose of mutual insurance against loss or damage by fire or lightning.

SECTION 2. Such persons shall file with the Auditor of Public Accounts a declaration of their intention to form a company for the purposes expressed in the preceding section, which declaration shall be signed by all the corporators, and shall contain a copy of the charter proposed to be adopted by them. Such charter shall set forth the name of the corporation, which shall embrace the name of the township in which the business office of such company is to be located, and the intended duration of the company, and if it is found conformable to this act and not inconsistent with the laws and constitution of this state, the Auditor shall thereupon deliver to such persons a certified copy of the charter, which, on being filed in the office of the County Clerk of the county where the office of such company is to be located, shall be their authority to organize and commence business. Such certified copy of the charter may be used in evidence for or against said company, with the same effect as the original: Provided, That such charter so obtained shall be subject to control of and modification by the General Assembly.

SECTION 8. Such company may issue policies only on detached dwellings, barns, (except livery, boarding and hotel barns), and other farm buildings, and such property as may properly be contained therein, for any time not exceeding five years, and not to extend beyond the limited duration of the charter, and for an amount not to exceed $3,000 on any one risk. All persons so insured shall give their obligation to the company, binding themselves, their heirs, and assigns to pay their pro rata share to the company of the necessary expenses and of all losses by fire or lightning which may be sustained by any member thereof, during the time for which their respective policies are written ; and they shall, also, at the time of effecting the insurance, pay such percentage in cash, and such other charge as may be required by the rules or by-laws of the company.

History Of Jo Davie8S County

Religious. - The first preaching in the township was by Rev. Fleeharty, a Methodist minister, who held occasional services in Hutton's cabin. He afterwards organized a class, and, after meeting for four years at Mr. Hutton's, the place of holding service was changed to Morseville, Stockton Township.

The first regular preaching of the Presbyterian denomination was in 1844, by Rev. Littlefield, at private houses. He was followed by Rev. Powell.

The first Free Will Baptist sermon was at Mr. Flack's, by Rev. Wm. Johnson, who was followed in 1842 by Rev. Norton, at Mr. Tyrrell's. Since the Union Church, spoken of in the Stockton sketch, was built, the residents of Ward's Grove generally attend divine worship at that place.

The only town attempted was by Wm. Johnson, who laid out a village on the southwest quarter of section 19, now on the farm of Joseph Moore, but as he received no encouragement, the plan was abandoned.

In 1848, a post-office was established at the residence of Samuel Tyrrell, after which the following gentlemen were made postmasters in succession : Orange Gray, Joseph Moore, Thomas B. Carter, and Eliab Meyer ; after about ten years the office was discontinued.

This township, being the west half of township 27, range 5, was originally a portion of the Imus precinct, afterwards of Ward's Grove precinct, and at the time of township organization, 1853, it was given its present boundaries. The first officers elected were :

Supervisor - Thomas B. Carter; Town Clerk - B. Ward ; Samuel Tyrrell was the first Justice of the Peace, and has continued until the present time. He was first elected in 1839, in the Imus precinct.

Supervisor - Samuel Tyrrell (chairman of County Board) ; Town Clerk - Isaac G. Mitchell ; Assessor - Joseph Moore ; Collector - Homer A. Tyrrell ; Commissioners of Highways - Homer Graves, Wm. Blair, and John Heilman ; Justices of the Peace - S. Tyrrell and I. G. Mitchell.

AURAND ALFRED, Farmer; Sec. 32; P. O. Kent, Stephenson Co.; born in Stephenson Co. Jan. 8, 1849; came to this Co. in 1866; married Mary T. Hodge, Nov. 30, 1871; she was born in Oxford, Wis., Aug. 20, 1853; have two children: Lillian M. and Harvey M. : owns 120 acres of land; Mrs. A.'s mother, Mrs. Margaret Hodge, whose maiden name was Moore, lives with them; she was born in Luzerne Co., Pa., Nov. 13, 1808 ; married Samuel Hodge, Esq., June 30, 1829; emigrated to Wis. in 1850; came to this Co. in 1861.

CRAFT WM. Farmer; Sec. 28; P. O. Kent, Stephenson Co. ; born in Mane, Germany, July 15, 1829; came to the U. S. in 1854; married Elizabeth McCausland in Sept., 1851 ; she was born in Bath Co., Ky., Nov. 3, 1828; her father emigrated to 111. in 1845; have five children living: Henry, Mrs. Georgianna Boguereif, Frank, Mary A., and Sarah; owns 150 acres of land; Mrs. C's mother, Jane McCausland (maiden name Price), was born in Lawrence Co.,

DICK ROBERT, Farmer; Sec. 31; P. O. Pluin River; born in Co. Antrim, Ireland, May 24, 1843; parents moved to Co. Down when the subject of this sketch was quite young, and lived near Belfast till 1856 when'they emigrated to America, coming direct to this Co.; married Mary E.Wilson Feb. 6, 1868; she was born in Hanover, this Co., Feb. 4, 1851 ; her father came to this Co. from Vermont in an early day, and married in this state ; her mother was born in Southern 111. ; they have three children: Rachel Jane, Cora Ellen and Olive Veretta ; owns 200 acres of land.

GRAVES HOMER, Farmer; Sec. 5; P. O. Howardsville; born in Sciota Co., Ohio, March 31, 1811 ; came lo this Co. in the Spring of 1835; took up the claim upon which he now resides ; he returned to his native home in the Fall, and in the year 1837 again came here, coming the entire distance on horseback ; he started the 20th of March, arriving the 12th of April; was married Nov. 23, 1842, to Almira Maccomber, who was born in Worcester Co., N. Y., Feb. 23, 1822; his home was made desolate on July 23, 1865, by the deatli of his wife, and again on the 8th of Dec., 1869, by the death of his daughter Mary; has nine children living: Horace, Julia L., Homer J., Cyrus E., Emily, Charles, Annie E., John Q., George W.; Republican ; Independent in religion.

GRAVES WILLIAM, Farmer; Sec. 8; P. O. Howardsville: born April 23, 1815, in Sciota Co., Ohio; at the age of twentv-two he came to this state, stopping tirst in Stephenson Co.; in 1838 he came to this Co. ; he commenced life as a farm laborer, working by the month, and secured a piece of land in Sec. 8 ; as soon as getting $50 ahead he would go to Dixon and get forty acres more laud until he acquired the beautiful home upon which he now resides ; he was married Feb. 11, 1858, to Mary Dillon, who was born in Canada, Oct. 24, 1832 ; they have had four children: William B., George L., living; Charles H., Consider, dead; Republican; Independent in relit; ion.

L.AWFER JOSEPH, Farmer; Sec. 29; P. O. Plum River; was born in Monroe Co., Pa., Sept. 15, 1816; married Elizabeth Frantz April 28, 1839 ; she was born in Monroe Co., Pa., May 15, 1818; came to Stephenson Co. in 1856, and Jo Daviess Co. in 1857; they have seven children living: William, Mrs. Mary A. Tyrrell, Freeman, Mrs. Julia A. Shearer, Mrs. Lucinda Shearer, Lucy, wife of Wallace Gates, and Elizabeth; lost three children : James, Geo. H and Josiah ; owns 207 acres of land ; Lucy, iheir daughter, lives with them: has two children: Delma and Edith.

MITCHELL ISAAC G. Carpenter; Sec. 29; P.O. Plum River; was born in Washington Co., Pa., Feb. 15, 1816; married LycYia Stillians Nov. 12. 1835; came to this Co. in 1849; two children living: Ellen Anna Maria and Joseph W. Blair; lost three children ; has been Town Clerk fifteen years; is Justice of the Peace, and has been a successful teacher forly years: served in the 8th Regt I. V. L, Co. K : was at battles of Stoueman, Muddy Branch, Fairfax Court House, and other important engagements: one son was killed at battle of Champion Hills, Miss., May 16, 1863; Mrs. Mitchell was born in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 14, 1819.

MOORE JOSEPH, Farmer; Sec. 19; P. O. Plum River ; born Dec. 26, 1822, in Sciota Co., Ohio ; at the age of fourteen he in company with his mother and elder brothers (his father being dead) left their native state to seek a home in the West; they first stopped in Stevenson Co., this state, remaining here but a short time ; they in March, 1838, moved to this Co., settling on Sec. 5 ; in 1847 he moved on his present farm, where he has resided ever since; Mr. Moore started in life as a farm laborer, working three years at ten dollars per month, and by industry, economy and strict attention to business he stands to-day the acknowledged king farmer of Jo Daviess Co., owning 1,527 acres of land in one body, upon which graze 400 head of cattle; July 19, 1860, he married Calista Byron ; she was born Nov. 22, 1832, in Tompkins Co., N. Y. ; they have four - children: Mitlie M., Philip, Mary E., Florence; Republican ; Independent in religion.

REBER JACOB, Farmer; Sec. 21; P. O. Kent; born in Centre Co., Pa., Jan. 27, 1808; was married to Miss Sarah Kern Dec. 5, 1830 ; she was born in Centre Co., Pa., and died May 11, 1848; he has six children living by this marriage : Eliza, Mary, John, Jacob, Catherine, and Win. -G.; in 1850 married Mrs. Frese, whose maiden name was Reuinger ; she was born in Union Co., Pa., in 1824; she had two sons by her first marriage, both of whom she lost in (he army; they have six children living: Frank H., Jackson, Samuel, Ira, Adaline, Adaline; lost one child, Douglas; Mr. R. owns 418 acres of land; he was among the earliest settlers of this Co., and is one of its most respected and honored citizens.

REBER WM. G. Farmer; Sec. 33; P. O. Kent, Stephenson Co.; was born in Ward's Grove Tp., July 24, 1841; enlisted in 92d I. V. I., Sept. 4, 1862, and served during the war; went with Sherman to Martelle, Ga., and returned to Indianapolis; was troubled with sore eyes while in the army; honorably discharged at Chicago in 1865; married Miss Mary A. Fisher, Feb. 24, 1867; she was born in Lancaster Co., Pa., June 30, 1843, and came to 111. in 1855; three children living: Louemma, John O., Winnie M. ; three dead ; owns 300 acres of land.

Farming; Sec. 8; P. O. Howardsville; her maiden name was Miss Perkins; was born in Oneida Co., N. Y. ; her parents emigrated to Ohio when she -was eight years old ; then to Schuyler Co., 111.; returned to Ohio, and from there back to Vermillion Co., 111.; came to this Co. in 1847; was married to Mr. Abner W. Rogers in 1848; he was born in Lyme, N. Y., and died in 1869; one son living, Walter N. Rogers, born June 18, 1855, in this Co. ; he married Miss Ada Weelock, Dec. 25, 1876 ; they have one child, John W. ; Mrs. R. owns 647 acres of land, and her son, Walter N., 200 acres.

TYRREIX ARTHUR (Deceased); born Sept. 29, 1815, in Hancock, Hillsborough Co., N. H. ; in the year 1835 he came to this state, first stopping in Kane Co., and in Oct., 1836, he came to this Co., and seitled in Ward's Grove Tp. upon a claim; he remained here and improved his claim until the year 1849, when he started for California by the overland route; it was late in the season when they started, and they encountered many hardships, most of their stock perishing from hunger on the way; on this trip he contracted the chronic diarrhoea from which he never fully recovered ; returned to Jo Daviess Co. in 1853, and died June 13, 1872; was married to Louisa J. Partridge Jan. 8, 1846, who was born June 7, 1831 ; he left his widow and eight children in good circumstances: Omar A., Franklin S., Cassius K, Abby P., Charlotta E.. Miles M., Dudley B., Mary A., living, and Eliza A.. Julia A., dead; Democrat; Independent in religion.

TYRREI.L, S AM ITEt, Farmer; Sec. 19.: P. O. Plum River; bora Aug. 18, 1810, in Hancock, Hillsborough Co., N. H.; he remained at home working on a farm until the Spring of 1830, when he went to Lowell, Mass., and worked in the cotton mills there until the year 1837 ; in Nov. of this year he came to Jo Daviess Co., this state, settled on a claim in this Tp., in Sec. 20; was married Sept. 9, 1855, to Mrs. Lucy Tyrrell ; her maiden name was Lucy Ellis, she having been previously married to Alden Tyrrell, a cousin; she was born Nov. 7, 1813, in Springfield, Windsor Co., Vt., in 1839 ; he was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he has held almost continuously, and is now serving his ninth term of four years each ; in 1846 he was elected Treasurer of the School Board, which office he has held ever since ; he is now Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, to which office he was elected in 1856, and has served his Co. in this capacity ever since ; Mr. Tyrrell was one of the earliest settlers of this Co., and has acquired and held the confidence of his neighbors since coming here; he is a strict temperance man, not having touched spirituous liquors since he was 16 years old ; no children ; Independent in religion.

in Underbill, Chittenden Co., Vt. ; left his native state when 19 years of age; coming to Ohio, he spent the Winter there, and in the Spring of 1828 came to Galena, in this Co. ; he remained around the mining districts for some time, and in May, 1836, came to this Tp., settling on Sec. 17, where he has remained ever since ; the subject of this sketch was the first settler in this Tp., the Tp. deriving its name from him; he erected the first log cabin, in which he taught the first school in the Tp , which was taught gratuitously; has served as Justice, also as Town Clerk; Mr. Ward has always taken an active part in the advancement of all that pertains to education, and is regarded as an honest and honorable man ; never married ; Spiritualist; Republican.