Wauconda Township

Wauconda Township

Wauoonda is one of those fractional townships upon the west line of the county. It is bounded upon the north by Goodale ; on the east by Fremont ; on the south by Cuba, and on the west by McHenry County. As a Congres¬ sional township it is known as Township 44, north Range 9 east.

Among the early settlers were Justus Bangs, Elisha Hubbard, Mark Bangs, Peter Mills, A. J. Seeber, D. H. Sherman, John C. Wooster, Daniel Martin, W. H. Hawkins, Thomas F. Slocum, Stephen Rice and R. R. Crosby.

The township is watered by Bangs1 Lake, Slocum's Lake and two or three small ponds not named. Bangs' Lake takes its name from Justus Bangs, Esq., who was the first settler in the vicinity, and Slocum's Lake from Thomas F. Slocum, who was likewise an early settler in that vicinity. The lands were originally mostly woodlands and oak openings. It has, however, a small prairie, formerly known to some extent as Rice's Prairie, lying immediately south of the village of Volo, containing an area of about 600 acres.

From the abundant supply of timber in this township, it has become quite thickly settled, the population being made up of an intelligent and industrious class of farmers. It has two very flourishing villages - Wauconda and Volo. The former is located in the south part of the township, upon the west side of Bangs' Lake, on the Chicago and McHenry road. The latter is located in the north part of the town, upon the route of the old Lake and McHenry plank road. It affords two stores, a hotel, and such mechanics as are usually found in like country villages.

Limestone is found in abundance in the vicinity of Volo, and the burning of lime at this place has been a source of considerable profit to individuals who have engaged in the business.

The village of Yolo was originally called Forks ville, from its being situated at the forks of the McHenry and Chicago and Little Fort roads. Before any house was built here, this spot became known as the Forks.

Justus Bangs built the first house in what is now the town of Wauconda, in 1836, on the bank of the lake which thereafter became known as Bangs' Lake. The first school in this township was taught by Mrs. Euphemia Valentine, in the Fall of 1839, in a house built for purposes of a school by R. R. Crosby and E. S. Johonnott, in the northeast part of the town, on Section 1.

A Post Office was established in this township, before the village of Wau¬ conda was commenced, at Slocum's Lake, called Cornelia. After the village of Wauconda commenced to grow up, the office at Cornelia was discontinued, and an office was established at Wauconda. The name of Wauconda was selected, it is said, by a young man, then a school teacher at that place, who had been reading an Indian story wherein this name occurred, and to which he for some reason took a strong fancy.

The name of Wauconda was given to the township by the Commissioners, in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants as expressed by a petition to the Commissioners, unanimously signed, and to which there was no remon¬ strance, in the following words :

" We, the inhabitants of Township 44, Range 9, in the county of Lake, solicit your consideration to the propriety of selecting the name of Wauconda for the above township, it being the name of the most important' post office in said town."

The first town meeting held in this town under the township organization was convened at the village of Wauconda, on the first Tuesday in April, 1850. Jonathan Wood was chosen Moderator, and La Fayette Mills acted as Clerk. The following persons were elected as town officers :

Peter Mills, Supervisor; La Fayette Mills, Town Clerk; James S. Davis, Assessor ; E. L. Huson, Collector ; A. J. Seeber, Andrew Cook and J. T. Mc¬ Kinney, Commissioners of Highways; Hazard Green and J. H. Wesscher, Justices of the Peace ; E. L. Huson and Seth Hill, Constables.

The assessed value of property for the year 1850, including both real and personal, was $61,907.00. The amount of tax computed on the same was $827.18. The total assessed value of property for 1877 was $252,631.

Ancient mounds, the repository of human bones, were formerly visible in various parts of this township. One of these remained for some time undis¬ turbed, in the central portion of the village of Wauconda.

In 1856, an association was organized for building and conducting an academy in the village of Wauconda, who procured a lot and erected a very commodious building for that purpose. In 1857, the association became incorporated by a special act of the Legislature, procured through the exertions of Hon. W. M. Burbank, then the Representative from Lake County. The following persons were chosen as Trustees: Justus Bangs, Andrew Cooke, Thomas F. Slocum, J. R. Wells and Dr. W. M. Burbank, who employed Benton Rogers as prin¬ cipal teacher. The institution continued in successful operation for about ten years, when it was discontinued and the building was rented to the district for a public school.

Mr. H. B. Burritt, an enterprising citizen of the place, becoming one of the District Directors, urged the propriety of a purchase of this building by the dis¬ trict and making it a graded school. In the Spring of 1871, it was accordingly purchased by the district, and thoroughly repaired, and has since been used for a graded school, accommodating a large number of scholars from other townships and adjoining counties. Prof. C. A. Allen is the present principal teacher, whose reputation as a teacher is of the first order.

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Wauconda was organized Septem¬ ber 3, 1853, under the direction of Rev. Charles French, preacher in charge. The following persons were chosen as the first Trustees, viz. : Cyrus Bowen, Richard Bonner, Nathan Wells, Lewis H. Todd and Charles Fletcher. The first minister was Rev. Robt. Beattie. A house of worship was built at Wauconda in the Fall and Winter of 1855-6. The present Trustees are Richard Bonner, L. H. Todd and George Hubbard.

A church edifice of the Roman Catholic Church is being built at the village of Wauconda, and will be completed and dedicated in November, 1877. It is a fine, commodious building. The Trustees are James Murry, Chas. Davlin, Felix Givens, Hugh Davlin and Owen McMahon.

The first Baptist Church organization of Wauconda was in the Fall of 1838, by Elder Joel Wheeler of McHenry. Meetings were held at the house of Mark Bangs, at Wauconda, and Zebina Ford's, two and one-half miles east of Wauconda, until 1856, when the church called the Methodist Church was built in common by all sects, and occupied by the Methodists and Baptists on each alternate Sabbath, until February 28, 1870, when the Baptist Church and Society reorganized and elected a Board of Trustees, consisting of G. R. Wells, A. P. Werden, Thos. Rawson, H. B. Burritt and A. C. Bangs; and in the Summer following, built a church, at a cost of about #5,500, which was dedicated on the 20th of October, 1870, free of debt - Rev. G. L. Brooks, Pastor from 1855 up to 1874.

The house of worhip of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Yolo, in this township, was built in 1872. The present Trustees are John Gale, Ambrose Wrought, Albert Wrought, B. T. Huson and D. C. Townsend.

There is also at Yolo a German Catholic Church building, which was first built about 1869. It was destroyed by fire before it was completely finished, and afterward robuilt.

The village of Wauconda became incorporated as a municipal incorporation, under the general laws of the State, August 18, 1877. The following were elected the first Trustees: J. A. Hubbard, Robert Harrison, Daniel Oaks, Peter Johnson, A. C. Bangs and P. S. Swenson. The following were chosen officers for the ensuing year : President, Robert Harrison ; Clerk, A. Calkins ; Street Commisioner, Stebbins Ford ; Constable, Henry Golding.

The population of the village is about 325. The plat of the village was laid out February 6, 1850. Its business and growth have continued to advance, year after year, until it has become one of the most flourishing villages in the county.