Wilmington Township

Wilmington Township

The village of Wilmington was laid out in 1836, and as this and its immediate vicinity was the objective point toward which the early settlers naturally cast their eyes, the early history is necessarily embraced in that of the township. However, in 1854, having attained a population required by law, it was deemed best by most of the leading citizens to organize the village as a separate corporation. It was argued that this would give the village authority to build sidewalks, abate nuisances, control the liquor traffic, and, perhaps, obtain some revenue from the trade in the way of license, and numerous other advantages not enjoyed while merely constituting a portion of the township. Therefore, a notice, signed by '"' Many Citizens,' requesting the residents and freeholders to meet at the schoolhouse on Saturday, the 24th day of June, to take into consideration the incorporation of the town, was posted in various public places by S. W. Munn ten days before the date specified in the notice. At the meeting, Peter Stewart was called to the chair, and James F. Alden was selected as Clerk. The advantages of incorporation were then argued pro and con. (mostly pro), after which a vote was taken, resulting in favor of organization 12 to 1. A day was then appointed for the election of a town board, and on the 3d day of July the election took place. Of the election, Peter Stewart and James F. Allen occupied the position designated at the primary meeting. Sixty-three votes were cast, and D. W. Smead, J. D. Henderson, Samuel C. Thompson, J. A. Seebor and James F. Alden were elected Trustees ; James LL. Young was chosen Clerk; Anthony Riker, Street Commissioner, and Fred. Walrath, Constable. Thus was the incorporation of the village fully accomplished, and under this organization it continued eleven years. D. W. Smead was chosen first President. His successors were as follows: 1855, H. Warner; 1857, Anson Packard; 1858, Israel Massey ; 1859, S. W. Munn; 1860, William Harbottle; 1861, John D. White; 1862, John S. Jessup; 1864 E. H. Jessup.

About the date last named, the question of changing the charter of the town, so as to give the incorporation some additional powers and a more genteel title, began to be agitated, and resulted in obtaining from the Legislature a charter, February 15, 1865, "constituting the inhabitants of said town a body corporate, by the name and style of city of Wilmington." Under this charter, the first election was held on the third Tuesday of March of the year named.

John H. Daniels received the most votes for Mayor, and Edward Alden, R. P. Morgan, Jr., William H. Vaughan, M. F. Blish, V. Banyard and J. B. Johnson were elected Aldermen. The succeeding Mayors have been J. D. Henderson, W. H. Odell, J. H. Daniels, D. U. Cobb and the present efficient

The early settlers of Wilmington, unlike the pioneers of most other localities, were religious people, and they had but constructed a habitation, which barely sheltered them from the inclemencies of the weather, bofore they began to take measures for the establishing of a house for the Lord. Like the ancient Israelites, they experienced no trouble in worshiping God, even in the wilderness, and Peter Stewart's barn answered the purpose of a tabernacle. In this barn, services were held, and, in 1838, two years after the first settler made his appearance in the vicinity, in it was organized the Presbyterian Church. The organization was effected by J. G. Porter, now a venerable servant of the Master, and resident of Naperville. Among the original members were the two Stewart brothers and Daniel McIntosh with, their wives. Rev. Mr. Porter continued to preach for the little society once a month for a year or two, holding the services sometimes in the barn and afterward in the little frame schoolhouse erected about this time. Afterward he was called to the Church, regularly installed, and served the Church as Pastor for twelve years. A part of the present building was erected in 1840, at a cost of $1,400. Since then some additions have been made which make it quite a commodious and comfortable house. The present minister is Rev. R. K. Wharton. In connection with the Church is a prosperous Sunday school, of which H. L. Cady is Superintendent. The membership of the Church is 121, and of the Sunday school about 150.

At about the same date that the Presbyterian Church was organized, the Methodists began to hold religious services here, and a class was formed, though the society was not organized as a separate charge until 1868. In 1840, a held until 1857, when their present fine edifice was built. The building is a large, solid, stone structure, with basement, forty-five feet in width and ninety in length, and cost $15,000.

The society has been quite prosperous, and numbers at present 180 members. Rev. E. W. Drew is the present Pastor. Prof. H. R. Beggs is Superintendent of the Sunday school. The Episcopal Church was organized in 1857, and was placed in charge of the Rev. Charles B. Stout. In 1857, a small church building was erected on the site of John Fisher's residenee. Previous to this, the society had worshiped in one of the public halls of the city. In 1867-68, their present tasty house was put up, at a cost of $7,000. The present membership of the Church is thirty-five. Rev. W. H. Hopkins is Pastor and Superintendent of the Sunday school.

The Catholics established a society at Wilmington in 1855, and built a small house of worship at the date named. This society has been a most flourishing one, and has grown to large proportions. In 1865, having entirely outgrown their first church accommodations, they built, at a cost of $12,000, their present large brick edifice, capable of seating 500 persons. The membership, including all baptized persons, is nearly 1,000, 650 of whom are communicants, representing over 200 families. A small parsonage was erected some years ago, which was burned in 1875. The next year a very fine building of this character, containing library, drawing-rooms and every modern convenience, took the place of the burnt one. This building cost the society $6,000. The first priest was the Rev. Mr. Enthout. The present priest, the Rev. Hugh O'Garra McShane.

Religion and education usually go hand in hand; and as the first settlers were religious people, they also interested themselves in the subject of education, and the people of Wilmington have ever been on the alert to adopt whatever measures would tend to improve the morals and enlighten the minds of the youth. The little frame schoolhouse already alluded to had outlived its usefulness by 1849, and a more commodious building was demanded and erected on the site of the present fine structure. A two-story brick, capable of accommodating 200 pupils, was built. For its day, it was considered a very handsome and convenient affair, and by many supposed to be ample for all time to come. A curious and amusing incident is remembered in connection with the construction of this schoolhouse. When the building was almost ready for occupancy, and but little time for its completion remained, it was found that there was not a pint of oil in the whole town with which to mix the putty for glazing the windows. It must be remembered that an order could no+ then be sent to Chicago in the evening, with a certainty of its being filled and delivered the next morning - the railroad made its appearance five years later. However, unlike the five foolish virgins of Scripture reputation, an inventive genius was on hand, and suggested the substitution of lard which could be had in abundance (if only the virgins had thought about that, how much mortification they might nave saved themselves). The suggestion was adopted, and the whiting and the lard mixed made a very fair looking article. The windows were accordingly glazed, and a good job it seemed to be. But some time after school had opened there came a warm day, and suddenly, crash! a pane of glass slipped from its place and disturbed the quiet of the school. Directly another and then another, until more than half the glazing on the south side was worse than a wreck. 'Then it was discovered that lard was worse than no grease for glazing purposes, and the balance of the panes were removed before the temperature had caused additional havoc. In 1869, the 'brick schoolhouse'' was found to be entirely too small for its purposes, and other rooms had to be leased temporarily to accommodate all who desired to attend. The division of the school in this manner was attended with numerous disadvantages which the saving of money could not compensate, and so it was concluded that economy indicated the erection of a new and still more spacious building.

Therefore, in the year last named, the City Council passed -an ordinance, appropriating $30,000 for the erection and furnishing of the present temple of learning. If not the finest and most convenient school-building in the county, it certainly is one of that description. It is a large brick three-stories high,. besides hasement, and will accommodate 700 pupils. It is located on what was originally designed for a park, and is one of the finest sites in the city. This is a wonderful improvement over the little frame structure of forty years ago, and indeed over its successor of 1849. The schools of Wilmington have certainly kept pace with the other institutions of this vicinity, and the citizens of Wilmington have good reason to feel proud of their excellence. Besides the graded system at the schoolhouse just described, the authorities have also established a primary school, and erected a building on the west side of the river, to accommodate the dwellers in that quarter of the city. The school system of this city is peculiar, being an adjunct of the city corporation, and immediately under the control of the City Council. Toa Board of Inspectors elected by the people, is delegated the immediate duty of looking after the interests of the schools. A little "'special legislation,'' while the proposition to build the $30,000 schoolhouse was under consideration, helped the friends of the enterprise out of a difficulty. As stated, the ordinance appropriating $30,000 was passed July 27,1869. The Board of Inspectors, who had been elected for the purpose of disposing of this anticipated fund, had been elected on the 16th of March, and.had performed several important acts, looking toward the erection of the house, when it was suddenly discovered that the election of the Inspectors, though subsequent to the passage of the bill authorizing their election, was prior ta its approval, and that their acts were at least of doubtful validity. As soon as this fact became known, a deputation was hurried off to Springfield, the Legislature being still in session, and an amendment legalizing the election of the Board obtained.

Wilmington Lodge, No. 208, A., F. & A. M., was authorized by the Grand Lodge of the State of Llinois, October 7, 1856. This is comparatively one of the "'ancient'' lodges, as the number of lodges in the State at present is nearly eight hundred. The charter members were Joseph Shirk, Cyrus Stowe, Hezekiah Warner, Franklin Mitchell, George E. Cavanaugh, William G. Cutshaw and William A. Tinsler, the first three of whom were respectively Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens. The officers in charge at present are: J. B. Johnson, W. M.; H. W. Blood, 8. W.; John P. Ransom, J. W.; I. Cracraft, Treas.; O. D. Row, Sec.; Austin Smith, 8. D.; W. H. Mitchell, J. D.; S. D. B. Lines, Tiler, and William Hart, Chaplain. Meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

This Order, in 1870, obtained from the Grand Chapter a charter for establishing a subordinate chapter at this place. The charter was granted October 7, and designated this as Wilmington Chapter, No. 142, and constituted William H. Odell as High Priest, Franklin Mitchell, King, and Alexander McIntosh,

Scribe. The balance of the original members were H. Jones, L. A. Baker, F. L. Quigley, C. J. Jukes and S. D. B. Lines. The regular meetings are held on the first and third Fridays of each month. The two societies occupy a large room in the third story of Empire Block, which they have fitted up for their mysterious purposes in a very tasty and elegant manner.

The present officers of the Chapter are W. H. Odell, H. P.; Franklin Mitchell, King; William Hart, Scribe; E. W. Willard, R. A. Captain; H. W. Blood, Prin. Soj.; F. Larned, Captain of Host; Vincent Banyard, Treasurer ; L. A. Baker, Secretary, and S. D. B.. Lines, Sentinel.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows organized a lodge of that character March 26, 1872, the original members of which were: . H. H. Wise, William Harbottle, F. Vitenhoff, L. I. Gildersleeve and L. Lorch. From this original hive have swarmed the lodges at Braidwood, Elwood and Wilton Center. A remarkable fact in the history of this Lodge, is that in all of its existence of sixteen years, but one death has occurred. M. P. Kilbourn is present Representative; John R. Babcock, N. G.; T. W. Kahler, V. G.; J. P. Ransom, See. ; T. S. McIntosh, Treas. The Lodge is styled Will Lodge, 301, and meets every Monday in Empire Block. The present membership is forty-seven, though, at times, it has been greatly in excess of that number.

One of the most important interests, and doubtless destined to be the greatest in this section, is that developed by the vast water-power supplied by the Kankakee River; and, but for some unfortunate circumstances, would ere this have been more fully utilized. The improvement of the river in some of its features dates back many years. In 1835-86, an act was passed by the Legislature of the State, authorizing the [linois & Michigan Canal. The project had been agitated for a number of years by both the State and General Govertment - by the former as a commercial enterprise, and by the latter as both a commercial and military necessity. The war of 1812 had shown the necessity of a work of this kind, for the purpose of transmitting supplies for the army, should a foe ever ascend the Mississippi River above the mouth of the Ohio, and Government accordingly donated a large amount of the public lands in aid of its construction. Work was begun on the Canal the year following the passage of the Canal act by the State Legislature, and was completed in 1848. The original idea was to make it a ship-canal, but a very inferior work was the one completed at the date named. However, this has been deepened, widened and otherwise so improved that small steamboats now make trips, not only the entire length of the Canal, but from the city of Chicago to St. Louis. When the Canal was ready for use, it was found that at the lower end there was a lack of water, and that an extra feeder was necessary for its supply. It was therefore decided to construct a dam across the Kankakee at a point which, allowing for sufficient fall, would meet the extra demand. The dam was built at a point in the Kankakee River, near the center of Wilmington Township.

From this point a canal was constructed, on the north bank of the river, crossing the Des Planes River by aqueduct near the northwest corner of the township. The dam alluded to created slack water to the city of Wilmington, and below the dam, to the mouth of the river, it was already navigable. This, however, lacked a means of raising boats to the level of the water above the dam. In 1870, a company of gentlemen from Boston, perceiving the great advantages which must necessarily result from a further improvement of the river, formed a gigantic stock company for the purpose, prominent among whom were Gov. William Claflin, E. P. Carpenter and Joel Hills, who were respectively President, Managing Director and Treasurer. Work was begun, this date consist of the raising of the State dam, to which allusion has been made, two feet, thus creating navigation to Wilmington; the construction of a tight earth dam at the city, fourteen feet in height; the building of an overflow dam at the head of the island, five and a half feet high; and the construction of a monster dam, sixteen feet in height, a mile above the city. At each of these dams are locks of the most substantial character, and of a size to admit | boats eighteen feet in width and one hundred. in length, and carrying one hun- | make the Kankakee navigable for the boats described, a distance of twenty-one miles, and make an outlet for this region, by water, to Chicago and St. Louis. Boats are run regularly from the mouth of Horse Creek to Chicago every week

Township. The original design was to extend the line of dams and logks to the Indiana line, to tap the bog-iron fields, and to construct a canal to the Braidwood coal fields, thus not only bringing the two materials in contact, but also making a water outlet for the vast fuel product. Not only have these works made all this possible, but the fall of nearly fifty feet of this large volume of water makes a water-power variously esti-_ mated at the driest season at from four thousand to eight thousand horsepower. But a comparatively small portion of this has yet been utilized. 'The | flour-mill, already alluded to and operated by Messrs. Fisher & Pennington, is | situated at the lower end of the race. This mill contains six runs of stone, and has a capacity of five hundred barrels daily. Messrs. McIntyre & Co. (or McIntyre & Whitten) built near the bridge, at about the time the water-works were begun, a fine flour-mill of about the same capacity as the lower mill. At about the same date, Messrs. Chapman & Jukes erected, at the upper end of the island, a building designed for a bolt and nut factory ; but, owing to the | financial crisis which swept over the country in 1872, the enterprise failed. |

The building was bought a few years ago by Dr. S. E. Trott, who turned it into a paper-mill. M. D. Keeney put in the necessary machinery, and the mill is now in successful operation. Straw-board of a good quality is manufactured from rye and oat straw, at the rate of seven tons per day. Some years ago, a distillery was started in a brick building erected near the bridge, but the parties interested failed, and the high waters subsequently damaged the building so that for many years it stood idle. This Dr. Trott also reconstructed and has introduced into it a planing-mill, turning-lathe and other machinery. The system of water-works for the use of the city in case of fire was introduced last year, and connected with machinery at Whitten's flour-mill and Trott's planing machine. Hydrants, to which pipes are laid, connecting them with the pumps at the mills, are placed at convenient points in the city, so that all of the business portion and part of the residence property is fully protected. A fire company, of which C. W. Barnhart is Chief Engineer, has been organized, and this system, in connection with a hook-and-ladder company, which is organized on an independent basis, gives the city ample protection. At a moment's warning, the power of either mill can be transferred to the pumps, and in an instant two streams of water, each two inches in diameter, from any hydrant, can be made to play on a burning building. The whole system, consisting of the Holly pumps, pipes, hose and hydrants, has cost about $1,500.

The river, on several occasions, has been the cause of much anxiety to the citizens of Wilmington, and the cause of no small amount of damage to property in the immediate vicinity of its banks. On the 14th day of February, 1867, the floating ice gorged at the lower dam - then the onlv one - and in a few hours all of the business part of the city was under water. 'The main business street afforded navigation for boats of good size. A considerable amount of goods was damaged in the stores, and business was entirely suspended for some days. The bridges, including the railroad bridge, were swept away, and some buildings near the bank of the river were Somewhat injured by floating ice. It is thought that the building of the other dams will hereafter prevent any such mischief.

An industry, which bids fair to develop into large proportions, is that of the manufacture of butter and cheese. Indeed, though but in its incipiency, the business has already become one of considerable importance. In 1844, E. Allen of this place, commenced buying butter and grading the same, for the St. Louis market. So careful was he in his selections that Wilmington butter soon attained an enviable reputation, sa much so that Mr. Allen could not supply the demand, even at a higher price than was usually obtained for other brands. He continued in the butter trade until a few years ago, when he resolved to erect a creamery. In 1875, he built his cheese and butter factory, at an expense of about $6,000, and began buying milk and manufacturing butter, paying for the milk 70 cents per hundred pounds. The enterprise proved quite successful, and last year he began the manufacture of cheese. He is making at present about 75,000 pounds of butter, and 365,000 pounds of cheese per year. The average price received for butter is 33 cents, and that for cheese 9 cents. Much of the cheese nmianufactured finds a market in

Europe. The Wilmington Dairy Association was incorporated June 21, 1877, with William Burke, Joseph Shirk and John Bovee as its officers. Buildings costing $6,000 were erected, and the manufacture of butter and cheese begun. At the rate at which they are now manufacturing, they will turn out 42,000 pounds of butter and 600,000 pounds of cheese per year, the receipts for the former averaging 30 cents, and the latter 84 cents per pound. They consume at present 15,000 pounds of milk per day, and have a capacity of 40,000. The present officers are Lawrence Tinsler, President; William Burke, Secretary, and William Martin, Treasurer.

One of the most important events in the history of this part of the State, was the construction of the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad, now known as the Chicago & St. Louis. The road was completed through this section in 1754, and the first train of cars passed through Wilmington on the 4th of July of that year. From that date the real prosperity of the country, within a breadth of fifteen to twenty-five miles on either side of the road, began. Farming lands, which had previously been held at from $2 to $5 per acre, immediately went up to three times these prices. Towns and villages already established grew as they had not grown before. New towns sprang up all along the line. Land, which the Government had been offering for sale for twenty years, was snatched at by immigrants and speculators. Thus, in a few years after the completion of the road, though its management was at first comparatively poor, the population doubled. Farms were opened, stores established, shops built and life and animation took the place of that state of lethargy and dullness which had heretofore prevailed. The road has continued to increase in efficiency and capacity, and has come to be looked upon as necessary to the very existence of the country through which | it passes.

Probably no event has had such a depressing influence on this community as the failure, in 1873, of J. H. Daniels, banker and speculator, of this city. Daniels had come to the place in 1855, and was the first to establish a bank. His career here was one of exceeding brilliancy; and to say that the people honored him with their confidence and credit, is but to state the feeling of the people for him in mild terms. Their confidence in his integrity was unbounded, and as a proof of the same, they deposited their substance with him for safe (?) keeping, in preference to investing in enterprises designed to build up and develop the city, to the extent of almost the last penny. When, seemingly, the last dollar had been deposited, the ears of the populace were scarcely able to believe themselves, when it was suddenly announced that it was necessary for the bank to suspend for a short time; but when afterward it was learned that the concern was hopelessly involved and would pay but eight cents on the dollar, the depositors went home and read the first three verses of the fifth chapter of the First Epistle of James, and other similar passages, and pondered long and deeply.

The following history of the press of Wilmington has been kindly furnished by E. D. Conley, Esq., editor and proprietor of the Wilmington Advocate:

Wilmington's first newspaper, the Wilmington Herald, was established in this place in 1854 by D. H. Berdine. Whether misfortunes never come singly or not, that year marked the advent of the cholera in our midst, also. The Herald was a joint stock institution, gotten up by a number of citizens; and the setting-up of the press and material was literally a nine-days wonder in the eyes of many villagers. Cholera swept off one of the printers - John J. Post - and sickness and disaster threatened the Hérald's success. In less than a year afterward, R. W. Waterman, a large stockholder, obtained control of the office and placed it in charge of William H. Clark, of Michigan, who was to edit and publish the sheet (a six or seven column folio), at a salary of $15 per week. Clark watched his opportunity. The stock gradually merged in the hands of a few, and that few mortgaged it; a snide '' mortgage sale,'' made in the presence ofa chosen few, was had, and the Herald passed into the hands of Clark, the consideration being $7.00! It run along three or four years, when Joseph Braden, of the Joliet Zrwe Democrat, came down to Wilmington with an old Ramage press to trade for the Herald press - a Foster; but the citizens got wind of it and mobbed the office. How the aggrieved and swindled original stockholders settled the matter, the writer does not remember; but it was patched up somehow and security given. In 1856, or thereabout, Clark removed from this place - office and all - to Kendall County, where he established the Kendall County Clarion. The present publisher of the Advocate was chief "devil" of the Herald office for some time, while J. H. Reubenau, nowaC. & A. express-train conductor, was the principal typo when not engaged in stealing Waiterman's dry wood.

W. R. Steel, Esq., established the Wilmington Independent here in 1861 ; so, if the Herald's coming brought with it cholera, the Independent, not to be outdone, brought the pomp and circumstances of war. The Independent became Republican in politics, and had quite a good circulation in the Kankakee Valley. It was purchased by Alexander McIntosh in 1861. It was run along until the Fall election in 1872, when it suspended publication and was sold under a mortgage. H. H. Parkinson, under a lease, run it a year longer, when the paper died, and the material was sold to parties abroad. In the meantime, June, 1870, the People's Advocate was started by Jacob H. Warner, at the instance of many who, in political issues, opposed the policy of the Jndependent. When the Advocate was 35 weeks old - February 18, 1871 - E. D. Conley, Esq., purchased a half interest and became its chief editor. But partnership proved a bad horse to ride, and dissolution in ownership followed. In May, 1872, Mr. Conley bought the office for $2,000 cash, and from that date. to this the Wilmington Advocate has been issued regularly, and is generally recognized as a fixed and solid institution.

Another Wilmington Herald and a paper known as the Wilmington Free Press have, within a few years, been issued in this.city ; but both proved short lived.