Wayne Township

Wayne Township

Tus town is in-the northwest part of the county. It was first settled in May, 1834. The first family here was that of John Laughlin. Several families settled in different parts of the town during 1834 and the following year. Among these were Capt. W. Hammond, R. Benjamin, Ezra Gilbert, J. V. King, W. Farnsworth, James Davis, Mr. Guild, Joseph McMillen, Isaac Nash, Daniel Dunham, and Ira Albro. The first post-office in the town was at McMillen's Grove. Here, also, the first dwelling and-the first school-house were erected.. There were but few settlers in the town at the time when the first building was put up, and the owners of it anticipated some trouble in procuring help at the raising. They however, obviated all difficulty on that score by sending for a barrel of whiskey, which, with the subordinate services of only three men, performed the work in an expeditious and satisfactory manner.

all new countries. But little more grain was raised during the first two years than enough to satisfy the demand at home. Prices were extremely low for all kinds of produce, and market was a great way off. The proceeds of a load of corn taken to Chicago were hardly sufficient to defray the expenses of the trip. One of the first settlers informs us, however, that he did realize three dollars and twelve and a half cents from the sale of one load of forty bushels, which he took to Chicago in 1836, after using twenty-five cents for necessary expenses. There were no difficulties respecting claims in this town, and every claimant received his full quantity of land at the time of the land sale.

The surface of the town is generally uneven, consisting of rolling prairie. Wheat, oats, and corn are the chief agricultural staples. Probably no town in the county is better adapted to the culture of grain.

Fruit is cultivated to a considerable extent in this town, especially the more hardy kinds. Apple trees grow well; but the fruit is rendered an uncertain crop on account of the severity of our winters. Freqtent attempts have been made to raise pears, peaches, plums and cherries, without much success. The red English cherry, being the most hardy, does better than any of its class. Mr. Luther Bartlett, of this town, has been more persevering in his efforts to introduce choice kinds of fruit than any other person in this part of the county. Some four years since he procured, at great expense, from eastern nurseries and by importation from Europe, about five hundred dwarf pear trees, and set them out on his farm. The first two years the trees did well, and gave promise ef coming fruitfulness ; but during the summer of 1856, which followed an unusually hard winter, for this latitude, they began to exhibit signs of decay. The cold weather of the past winter was also unfavorable, and gave an impetus to the work of destruction commenced by the former season, which has almost desolated the field. There are now scarcely a dozen trees living of the five hundred planted four years ago. We think the experiment of Mr. Bartlett fully determines that this region is not adapted to the raising of choice kinds of fruit.

This town is not well supplied with wood and timber from its own resources. The " Little Woods," just over the line in Kane County, are chiefly owned by the inhabitants of this town, and afford convenient supplies of both fuel and timber. Good water is abundant. The west branch of the Du Page runs through the east part of the town. Streams of less note and many living springs of pure water are found in all parts of the town.

The attention of the farmers has been of late directed to the introduction of " blooded" stock. Wool is becoming an important article among agriculturalists. Several large flocks of fine wool sheep are .owned here, among which is that of Luther Bartlett, which has numbered over 1,000. The farms throughout the town present unmistakable evidence of thrift and industry; the dwellings display neatness and taste; and the barns are constructed on a scale commensurate with the great and growing demands of the harvest fields. Mr. Daniel Dunham, of this town, erected a barn in 1856, the dimensions of which are fifty by one hundred feet. It has sufficient capacity for 100 head of cattle and 300 tons of hay. It cost about $4,000, and is probably the largest and best arranged barn in northern Illinois. Land in this town is worth from $30 to $40 per acre. The farms range from two to five hundred acres. Among the best farms in the north part of the town are those of Messrs. L. Bartlett, W. Hammond, and L. Pierce; and in the south, those of Messrs. D. Dunham and Ira Albro.

There are seven school districts in the town, in all of which schools are sustained. The whole number of scholars who attended the different schools during the winter of 1857, was 218. The school section was mostly occupied by settlers before it came into market, and by an agreement among the pioneers of the town, that all who chanced to settle upon it should obtain their lands at government price, it was sold at ten shillings per acre.. The school fund thus obtained has increased to about $1,300.

The Congregational Church is the only organized religious body in this town. This society was formed in 1842, or thereabouts, and worshipped in the school house at the centre, until 1849, when it united with the school district in erecting a building suitable for a church and school-house. From some dissatisfaction arising from joint occupancy or ownership, the society soon after bought out the interest of the district, and became vested with the sole ownership. By the aid of the Home Missionary Society, the pulpit has been regularly supplied by a settled minister. The Rey. Mr. Foot was the first pastor. After his dismissal, the Rev. Mr. Parker became pastor; and he was succeeded by the Rey. Mr. Sykes, the present pastor, who has served the society acceptably for several years. The Sabbath school connected with this church has between forty and fifty scholars. Several other denominations hold meetings in different parts of the town.

ville," alias, Orangeville, was made in 1836, by Mr. Guild. Mr. A. Guild is the post-master at this place. It is a small settlement, containing one church, one store, and a few dwelling houses. There is a small settlement at the railroad station, consisting of two stores, one hotel, a post-office, station house, and several dwellings. The station is thirty-three miles west of Chicago. S. Dunham was the first settler at this place.

There are no manufacturing establishments in the town, if we exclude the manufacture of brooms, which has been carried on pretty extensively at Wayne Centre. The present population is about 1,100. The town is peaceable and healthful, being cursed by neither lawyers nor doctors.