'■$¥*• *W%i "L I B R.AR.Y OF THE U N IVERSITY Of ILLINOIS 977325 tAAAVx llkw* -It?..* *i ■ ■""■-; \h ■mm Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/historyofwillcou01maue AUGUST MAUE HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY ILLINOIS By AUGUST MAUE IN TWO VOLUMES ILLUSTRATED VOLUME ONE HISTORICAL PUBLISHING COMPANY Topeka-Indianapolis 1928 K> *c sQ. I INTRODUCTION I see from my house by the side of the road, By the side of the highway of life, The men who press with the ardor of hope, The men who are faint with the strife. But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears, Both, parts of an infinite plan; Let me live in my house by the side of the road And be a friend to man. Let me live in my house by the side of the road Where the race of men go by; They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong, Wise, foolish — so am I. Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat, Or hurl the cynic's ban? Let me live in my house by the side of the road And be a friend to man. (From "The House by the Side of the Road" by Sam Walter Foss). Such a road passes through Will County. For hundreds of gener- ations, the races of men have been going by. Today, as never before, the endless streams pass on this highway of life. The latest estimate says that human beings occupied the Western Hemisphere one million years ago. Who shall say that those early people did not follow this trail? Before man came, Nature ruled supreme and God prepared for the abundant life which came in due time. Birds followed this road in s I their mysterious semi-annual migrations. Within the bounds of Will County, they rested over night in safety in the wooded ravines of Dellwood. Here they sang their evening songs and here they slum- bered, confident that He who directed their flight would guard their resting place. Buffalo journeyed this way in their annual pilgrimages because they found easy going on a smooth trail. The beating of many hoofs made a firm roadway upon which underbrush found no root-hold. When man came this way he held to the trail prepared by the animals. For centuries they passed and repassed in their journeys iii iv INTRODUCTION from the inland seas to the mighty ocean. Perchance some found their way in boats over the merging waters extending from the lake to the river in the season of rains. Many times the Red Man came on errands of peace to barter for the abundance of the prairies. More often, perhaps, he came in the habiliments of war seeking trophies which would show his prowess in coups, or his strength in single combat. Soon the White Man traveled this way, now on errands of mercy; then for love of adventure ; and again for profit in trade and commerce. Like the Red Man they passed and repassed, ever increasing in numbers as speed conquered space. Who shall say when the end will be? Then let us live in this house by the side of the road where the races of men go by. Perchance some are good and some are bad; others are wise and still others are foolish. Not as scorners nor yet as cynics shall we ponder but rather as friends. Let us forget the bad and learn the good, that we may appreciate the goodness of the Creator who labored a hundred million years that we might enjoy life to the uttermost. The history of Will County will fascinate every one who yields to the romance of the explorers or the enthusiasm of the pioneer. The life of the first settlers is rich in adventure and story. Industry and commerce challenged the newcomers just as it does now. The future beckons onward and upward into new realms of greater achievement. "Though the territory whereon the drama has been played may be limited, the motives of the men and their actions have been infinite in their diversity; the play has run through the whole gamut of human motives, from the self abnegation and humanitarianism of Father Marquette to the selfishness and arrogance of the mercenary traders." Joliet, 111., Sept. 25, 1928 AUGUST MAUE, BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX Adam Groth Company 676 Adams, Hon. Frederick Ray 616 Adams, John C 980 Addleman, O. L 893 Adelmann, George W 870 Adler, Jacob C 754 Adler, Jacob C. Sr 1092 Ahlvin, Victor 1115 Alderman, George W 1033 Alexander, James Healy 825 Allott, George H 901 Anderson, David R 601 Anderson, Henry 847 Anderson, Waldemar 1017 Arbeiter, George J 621 Arnold, Romus, M. D 822 Aspel, James 886 Austin, Hon. Ralph C 599 Bachmann, Henry 1011 Bahlman, Charles 970 Bailey, Bernard F 766 Baldwin, Sarah Jane 788 Ball, George 1139 Barnes, John H 819 Barr, Richard J 991 Barrett, Edward C 1083 Barrett, John O 1082 Barrett, William J 890 Barry, Wilbur A 670 Baskerville, J. Arthur 770 Bates, William O 1053 Batterman, George A 959 Batson, Ceward C 730 Bauch, Jacob P 725 Baumann, August 735 Baumann, Charles P 734 Baumgartner, Walter H 942 Bayley, William T 1012 Beach, Joseph A. H 797 V Bechstein, Christian 749 Bechstein, William H 701 Belay, James W 751 Bell, James A 1055 Beltzner, August 637 Bennitt, Col. Fred 1048 Bensen, Eugene J 790 Bergan, Martin 1067 Berger, Charles W 888 Berscheid, John W 904 Bertrand, Edwin W 1138 Bielfeldt, Elmer H 636 Biesterfeld, Henry 1034 Birkett, John R 939 Bittermann F. J. Company 761 Bittermann, Ferdinand J 760 Black, Barrett 787 Blatt, Daniel N 810 Blim, Charles H 761 Bloomfield, Matt, M. D 757 Boardman, Frank C 814 Bode, Henry F 1052 Bolstad, Theodore 794 Bolton, DeWitt L 1109 Bostwick, Link C 1079 Boughton, Wilbur W 1008 Bourgo, Alfred M 785 Bowles, Marion (Kelly), M. D 1077 Bowles, William A 1078 Boyd, James S 1027 Braham, Leonard W 666 Brannon, Londus, M. D. 840 Bretz, Frank E 795 Brewster, Edward A 758 Briese, Paul A 1127 Britz, Nicholas J 1015 Brown, Horace H 796 Brown, Raymond S., M. D 826 Brumund, Frank G 634 Brunson, Elial S 879 VI BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX Burke, James E 631 Burke, Niies 1125 Bush, Charles F 777 Cameron, Lloyd W 1128 Cappel, Albert C 710 Cappel, Emil D 708 Cappel, Fred 709 Cappel, John 718 Carey, John F., M. D 662 Carlson, Clarence A 694 Carlson, Gustaf A 684 Carlson, John L 663 Carnaghi, Frank J 1045 Carter, W. H 900 Casey, Earl C 626 Chalstrom, John E 1064 Chamberlin, Fred M 712 Champion Machinery Company, The 698 Cheadle, Charles B 692 Cinotto, Dominick 924 Citizens Bank of Frankfort 874 Citizens State Bank of Peotone, The 979 Clare, William Henry 593 Clark, I. J 1063 Clark, Philip 914 Clow, John B 813 Clyne, John T 597 Coldwater, John 807 Commercial National Bank of Wil- mington, The 1033 Conrad, John P.__ 971 Conrad, John P. F 988 Cooper, Elmer L 695 Cooper, Gilbert 689 Corlett, Edward 994 Cornish, E. G 691 Corp, Archibald 729 Crabb, James M. Sr 936 Cryder, W. H 931 Dailey, Aloysius P 899 Daly, John F. 1087 Darby, Edmund P 1138 Daugherty, Dr. F. B 1039 Davidson, Mrs. Lois 858 Davis, Thomas C 841 Deininger, Henry W 985 Delander, Albion F 680 Deutsche, F. C 979 Deutschman, Franklin A. 806 Devine, John 836 Diersen, John C. 956 Di Nunzio, Lorenzo 827 Donahue, James (Joliet) 1088 Donahue, James (Lockport) 876 Donna, S. V 921 Dooley, Frank B 1113 Dorsey, James 898 Dow, Welcome L 857 Downey, Irma Read 851 Ducett, W. W 837 Duensing, Elmer F 1133 Egan, Thomas F 1089 Ehlers, Alfred W 619 Ehlers, H. E 962 Eldred, Charles D., M. D 753 Elwood, William N 771 Emde, Fred H 976 Erickson, Gustaf B 696 Eskilson, Christian B 1037 Essington, Clyde G 940 Essington, Elmer R 1007 Evans, Bernard A 799 Fahey, Patrick D 744 Fahrner, Arthur H., M. D 1020 Farley, Charles Joseph_l 669 Farmers State Bank of Beecher, The 963 Fay, William E 698 Fedde, Edward H 981 Ferguson, J. Lee 848 Field, David E 645 First National Bank of Braidwood__ 908 Fish, Charles Manning 737 Fletcher, William R., M. D 632 Flexer, Howard N., M. D 639 Flint, Axel 682 Flint, Thomas 681 Folk, Jay Albert 685 Folk, Julius W., Dr 686 Force, Richard 1089 Francis, Fred A 740 Francis, Thomas L 922 Frankfort State Bank 723 Freeman, Michael 667 French, Charles R., D. D. S 705 Frey, Jas. H 1097 Frick, Dr. Walter C 915 Fritz, Fred H 880 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX vn Geist, Ervin T 598 George, Homer 1036 Gerdes, Harry G 950 Gerlach, Theodore R 1074 Geuther, Fred 1099 Geuther, Milton C 700 Gilkerson, Herbert N 1056 Godden, Rev. William C 859 Golobrig, Anton 1127 Goodmanson, Peter A 1116 Goodson, H. A 1106 Goodspeed, Edith I 728 Gray, Charles E 854 Green, Dennison D 1035 Gross, Oscar 802 Gustafson, E. J 845 Hack, Henry 965 Hacker, George F 765 Hacker, George J 710 Hafenrichter, Ezra E 1030 Hafenrichter, Reuben R 1029 Haldemann, Arthur J 1139 Haley, John P 721 Haley, Patrick C 720 Haley, Robert E 774 Handorf, John F 743 Handorf, John M. Sr 1016 Hansen, James 1124 Hansen, Otto 1137 Harris, Eugene Nelson 784 Harsh, Wallace G 990 Hartmann, Otto 1112 Hartong, C. F 933 Harwood Post No. 5, Joliet 673 Hasenjaeger, Fred L 872 Hasey, Charles O 778 Hayden, John P 756 Hayne, Robert 1031 Hazel,, Edmund J 1111 Hebert, Alfred J 775 Hedgcock, J. Franklin 1095 Hedges, Walter V., M. D 723 Heggie, James G 804 Heilman, Rev. Howard M., D. D.__ 987 Heintz, James M 943 Henebry, Joseph A 1026 Henley, Fred W 1021 Hennessy, Rev. P. J 736 Henry, Claude O 951 Hensel, Richard 706 Herkert, Leo M 968 Heun, William H 653 Hicks, Henry F 944 Higby, Lauren Frank 902 Hill, George R 648 Hinricks, Charles F 638 Hintz, Edward C 788 Hinz, Edward C 1070 Hinze, William J 969 Hirsch, Charles E 716 Hitchens, Rev. J. J 1022 Hoerrmann, Frank S 949 Holl, William 1135 Hollstein, Wesley R 1101 Hoover, Paul V., D. D. S 1129 Houston; Grant, M. D 1001 Houston, Lloyd B 781 Howk, Fred Matteson 623 Huey, Walter B., M. D 779 Hulbert, Clinton R 1040 Huston, Eugene C 1076 Hutchinson, Albert E 786 Hutton, F. S 874 Hyatt, Frank E 780 Hynd, Truby 923 Ideal Concrete Company, The 690 Ireland, Thomas John, D. D. S 699 Ivec, Martin J., M. D 792 Jackson, Nicholas J., M. D 1088 Jackson, Thomas C. 918 Jeffrey, Archibald C 1072 Jenco, John M 856 Johnson, Charles A 1118 Johnson, Frank A 1086 Johnston, Milton S 852 Joliet Wall Paper Mills, Inc., The__1066 Jones, Ben. D 1059 Jones, Frank R 948 Julian, N. N 860 Jurres, William 983 Kahler, C. H 894 Kaiser, Oscar C 1129 Kane, Joseph L 1094 Kearns, J. R 781 Keig, Alfred Joseph 654 Keig, John J 1004 Kelly, J. V 794 Vlll BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX Kellsner, William 1071 Kennedy, Rev. Philip L 1043 Keyes, Nye P 913 Kieper, Arthur C 958 King, Harless W 782 Kingston, Dr. E. A 928 Klein, Bernard, M. D 1019 Klose, John 742 Klose, John Philip 741 Kochevar, Joseph 773 Kodiak, Stephen 976 Koerner, Henry F 1102 Kohl, Joseph 824 Kohlhagen, Frank J 946 Korst, Anthony J 789 Krapp, Emil P 1097 Krohn, Walter G 600 Kruger, Chester R 994 Krause, Julius J 1094 Krusemark, Albert H 766 Lambert, Avery F 929 Lankenau, William 722 La Piana, Francis, M. D 751 Larson, Paul K 995 Laraway, Oscar Robert 613 Lauer, Clarence F 659 Lauffer, Nicholas 715 Leach, Arthur C 650 Leach, Henry 652 Leach, Roy B., M. D 665 Lennon, Daniel P 1090 Leonard, A. G. Jr 891 Leppert, John 1140 Leppert, William 815 Le Riche, George A 668 Ley, Joseph A 683 Limacher, Frank J 759 Lindborg, Andrew 703 Longley, James L 674 Luecke, John 966 Luehrs, Walter F 1032 Luhring, Henry G 1103 Luhring, John A 727 Luther, C. J 884 Lynch, Daniel 661 Lyons, James 1084 McCabe, William R 1120 McClellan, E. R 935 McCoy, Robert D 843 McDougall, A. D 841 McGowan, John E 910 McGovney, Ona E 800 McGovney, Ozias W 678 Mclntyre, Archibald D 919 Mclntyre, James W 885 McLaren, Lewis L 1051 McMahan, Ernest G., M. D 808 McRoberts, William A., M. D 1121 MacDonald, William H., Jr 881 Macdonald, Norman 838 Mackin, John 877 Macpherson, Rev. Walter H., L. H. D 1123 Mager, Ben W 719 Mall, Harry F 707 Manning, Robert G 1116 Markgraf, Albert E 608 Mason, Charles T 752 Maue, Edward G 733 Meader, Louis 863 Meradith, Alfred A 1028 Merkel, Henry, M. D 889 Merrill, James H 853 Merriman, Edward 1001 Meyer, Henry R 986 Meyer, William F 839 Miley, Michael R., M. D 964 Miller, Carl A 1013 Miller, Frank 867 Mills, Cassius A 1120 Mitchell, John, A. B., M. D 991 Mokena State Bank, The 701 Molaschi, Eugene 1117 Moore Brothers Company, Joliet 744 Moore, Edwin M 864 Moore, Hinman R 999 Moore, Lewis 746 Moore, Ralph A 850 Moriarty, Herbert H 750 Morris, George Lee 677 Morris, Raymond 1122 Morrison, John E 1002 Muehlenpfordt, Carl H 920 Muehler, Martin B 1042 Muldowney, Patrick 927 Murphy, Rev. Charles 871 Mussman, W. F 957 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX IX Neal, Thomas J 1027 Nelson, Arthur H 907 Nelson, John N 926 New Lenox State Bank 731 Noble, Charles A 618 Nowell, Charles S 779 Nussmeyer, F. A 763 O'Connell, John 875 Obsitnik, George L., Jr 628 Oberheide, Ferdinand, Jr 1038 Offerman, Alois A 657 Ohman, Paul 622 Oliver, William H 643 Olsen, Wald 1049 Oram, Ernest G 1105 Orr, Pence Billings 672 Ostermeyer, William 966 Overman, Lee B 928 Owens, J. C, M. D 984 Patterson, A. J 1006 Patterson, Harris A., M. D 818 Patterson, John W 828 Patterson, William Dodge 830 Pearson, Lewis 937 Pennuto, Frank E 842 Pennuto, James 844 Perona, Battista 917 Perry, E. J 835 Pesavento, David A 882 Petersen, George P 772 Peterson, Carl H 846 Pfoff, M. L 955 Phelps, Andrew S 747 Phelps, Fred W 746 Phelps, Herbert R 823 Piepenbrink, August 1023 Piepenbrink, Henry C 961 Piepenbrink, Henry F 992 Pilcher, Carl Alvin 811 Plagge, William 1073 Plainfield Grain Company, The 1024 Plainfield State Bank, The 930 Pohl, Henry R 834 Powers, George F 1054 Pralle, J. H 1050 Pratt, Fred S 646 Reab, Harvey H 717 Reed, Walter C 1107 Rehn, Hjalmar 607 Rich, Frank D., M. D 688 Robinson, Kinsey 1098 Roberg, F. E., M. D 660 Robson, Andrew 905 Robson, James A 908 Rodeghiero, John 1009 Rohe, Charles J 954 Rohe, Fred B 1069 Rollert, Edward A 1050 Roschek, George 998 Rossi, Felix J 1081 Rossi, Henry D 1081 Rossi, Peter, Sr 1080 Rowell, Robert S 687 Ruggles, Hamilton L 791 Russell, Charles Adams 776 Scheibner, George F 878 Schleeter, Charles 1046 Schluntz, Henry J 767 Schmednecht, Fred 891 Schmidt, Frank 1126 Schmidt, Fred 1127 Schoene, Paul G. 642 Schwartz, Edward A 809 Schweer, Arthur F 1076 Sehring, Hon. George F 704 Shaunessy, Thomas 1010 Shaw, Fred J 1031 Sholtes, Nicholas 1100 Shreeve, Jane A. (Richards) 656 Shreffler, Arthur Lee, M. D 625 Shutts, Peter 831 Skeel, John F 855 Sloan, Frank 1114 Smith, James A. 911 Smith, Lewis Wilbur 1041 Smith, William W 624 Smith, Wilson F 952 Sonneborn, George 973 Spangler, Elry 812 Spangler, Henry M 1005 Spencer, Herbert W 1018 Sprague, Charles Norman 768 Sprague, George C 868 Sprague, Thomas Killmer 769 Spurr, Don A 906 Stade, Harry L 969 Stanton, Frank W., M. D 821 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX Stauffenberg, Edward A 989 Steen, William H 916 Steevens, D. J 958 Steiner, Fred W 1000 Stelling, William H 953 Stellwagen, Henry 714 Stephen, John 832 Stephen, Raymond A. 833 Stephen, Robert E 732 Stephens, L. C 849 Stone, M. F 866 Storm, Harry W 1104 Strohm, William C 615 Struzynski, L. M., M. D 836 Sullivan, Dr. C. 975 Taylor, Henry 897 Tesdall, Oliver H 1047 Testin, Thomas Joseph 783 Tezak, John A 1045 Themer, William J 1060 Thompson, James M 960 Tilsy, Lewis 747 Touzalin, Leslie A 793 Tower, George H 818 Treharne, Josiah 1130 Tryner, Joseph 1108 Turner, J. W 982 Uhde, John F 816 Van Dyke, Earl H 932 Van Horn, Merton G 934 Van Pelt, Rev. Henry George 635 Voight, Reed 1119 Voitik, Walter 847 Volz, William P 869 Walker, John Daniel 912 Wallace, Ray Beach 798 Walsh, Fred J 603 Walter, Fred W 996 Walter, Michael 997 Ward, Arthur J._ 892 Ward, W. G 1136 Warning, Christ H 724 Warning, Fred 1057 Watson, Andrew G 1070 Watson, Royal L., M. D 1061 Way, H. L .__ 862 Webb, Michael 858 Weber, Alphons J 941 Weber, Henry J 1021 Weese, Julius G 802 Wehmhoefer, Henry 972 Wehrley, John H 951 Weinberger, Harry D 1136 Weishaar, Frank I 630 Weitzel, Harry S., M. D 799 Welch, William S 764 Welsch, Walter W 790 Werner, John C 1134 West, Archie L 945 Wheeler, Frank W 640 White, Adam G 1110 Wietting, Fred C 1068 Wilhelmi, Simon P., D. D. S 764 Wilke, F. Herman 967 Will County National Bank, The 605 Willard, Francis D 803 Williams, Stephen J., Jr 1131 Wilson, Charles E 604 Wilson, Howard E 762 Wilson, Leonard G 896 Winkler, Edward T z. 883 Witwer, Andrew S 609 Wolf, John M 820 Woodruff Family 596 Woodruff, Harry Wheeler, M. D 611 Wollett, Carl G 801 Worst, Fred W 1003 Wraith, Robert H 1132 Wylie, S. L 925 Yost, Henry J 861 Yost, Philip 861 Young, George W 938 Young, Rugar 614 Yung, Herman P 978 Zechliii, Bernhard A 1014 Zerbes, Joseph A 664 Zidek, Frank J 787 HISTORICAL INDEX Aboriginies 80 Allouez, Father 153 Ancient Fires and Lights 519 Animal Life 67 Animals, Native 106 Arrow Maker 104 Bar, Members of, The 448 Bee Hunters, The 496 Beecher 362 Bird and Animal Life 145 Birds Bridge 355 Braidwood 345 Building, Joliet 270 Burial Customs 86 Bus Lines ■- 418 Canal, The 413 Channahon Township 171 Characteristics, Indian 99 Chicago in 1833 135 Churches 451 Civil War Days 326 Coal Discovered 69 Coal Mining 346 Corn, Genesis of 101 Crete Township 178 Crete, Village of 181 Custer Township 188 Custer Village 188 Des Plaines Valley 70 Dixie Highway 180 Drainage Channel, Chicago 74 Du Page Postoffice 195 Du Page Township 189 Dwelling, A 493 Eagle Lake 363 "Early Will County Days" 234 Elwood 249 Explorers 150 Fever and Ague 490 First White Child, Another 504 Florence Township 198 Fort Dearborn 160 Fort Nonsense 266 Fossils 67 Frankfort Township 205 Frankfort, Village of_I 212 Fur Trading Posts 156 Geological Formation 65 Glacier Period 77 Green Garden Township 216 Grintonville 355 Goodenow Village 182 Hadley Postoffice 229 Herald-News, Joliet 486 "Hiawatha" 93 Hickory Creek Settlement 166 Highways 420 Homer Township 223 Hospitals 1_ 477 Huts, Indian 106 Illinois Admitted to Union 160 Indian Chiefs 96 Indian Customs, Changes in 111 Indian Mound, The Latest 516 Indian Nature 113 Indians, The 93 Indian Troubles 126 Indian Tribes 97 Jackson Township 239 Joliet 253 Joliet Mound 266 Joliet Township 253 Kilpatricks Currency 521 Lawyers 445 Lincoln Fields 179 XI Xll HISTORICAL INDEX Lincoln in Will County 502 Lockport 291 Lockport Township 282 Lockport Township High School 295 Manhattan 300 Manhattan Township 296 Marquette and Joliet 150 Millsdale 176 Mokena 211 Monee 305 Monee Township 301 Mound Builders 83 Mounds, Will County 85 New Lenox Township 308 New Lenox, Village of 315 Newspapers 483 Nicolet, Jean 150 Old Fort 498 Penitentiary, Illinois State 273 Peotone, City of 321 Peotone Township 317 Pioneer Days 183 "Pioneer Days in Will County" 494 Plainfield Township 329 Plank Roads 423 Plant Life 67 Prairies, Description of the 142 Prairies and Forests 141 Press, The 483 Railroads 431 Red Men, Tribes of 81 Reed Township 342 Revolutionary War Period 156 Ritchey 368 Romeo 196 Sac War, Our 523 Saint Francis, Sisters of 467 St. Lawrence-Mississippi Divide 72 Schools, Joliet 272 Settlements, First 160 Settlers, Early 141 Settlers, Pioneer 168 Shaubena, Chief 123 Snowstorm — 1854-55 523 Spencer, Village of 315 Stage Routes 417 Stock Running at Large 522 "Tour of the Prairies" 142 Trails, Indian 98 Transportation 412 Treaties, Indian 128 Treaties of Prairie Du Chien 130 Treaties of St. Louis 129 Trial, An Indian 123 Troy Township 352 Underground Railroad 512 Walker, Rev. Jesse 121 Wampum 105 Washington Township_l 357 Waterway Development 427 Waterway, The Deep 426 Wesley Township 365 Wheatland Township 369 Wheatland Plowing Match 372 Will Township— 395 Wilmington, City of 408 Wilmington Township 399 Wilton Township 405 ILLUSTRATIONS Adams, Frederick Ray 616 Beecher, Street Scene 360 Bennitt, Col. Fred 1048 Berger, Charles W. 888 Berscheid, John W. 904 Bittermann, Ferdinand J. 760 Boughton, Mrs. Emma J. B 1008 Boughton, William D 1008 Braidwood, East School 344 Braidwood, Main Street 344 Brannon, Loudus 840 Catholic School, Lockport 288 Chalstrom, J. E 1064 Chamber of Commerce 128 Chamberlin, George N. 712 Chicago Street, Joliet 96 Clare, William H. 593 Control Works 272 Court House, Will County 65 Crabb, James M., Sr 936 Delander, A. F. 680 Dixie Highway, Crete 192 Erickson, Gustaf B. 696 Fahey, F. Matthew 744 Ferguson, J. Lee 848 Fletcher, William R. 632 Fritz, Fred H. 880 Gilkerson and Family, Herbert N 1056 Goodspeed, Edith I. 728 Handorf and Family, Mr. and Mrs. John M. 1016 Hasenjaeger, Mr. and Mrs. Fred L._ 872 Haley, Patrick C. 720 Harris, Eugene Nelson 784 Hennessy, P. J. 736 Herkert, Leo M. 968 Hicks, Henry Francis 944 High School, Joliet Township 160 High School, Lockport 360 Hill, George R. 648 Hulbert, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Ray__1040 Ivec, Martin J. 792 Jeffrey, Archibald C 1072 Jenco, John M. 856 Kingston, Dr. E. A. 928 Kodiak, Stephen 976 Kohl, Joseph 824 Krohn, Walter G. 600 Lockport Township High School 296 Luehrs, Walter F. 1032 McGovney, Ona E. 800 McMahan, Ernest G. 808 Markgraf, Albert E. 608 Mason, Charles T. 752 Maue, August Frontispiece Mokena, Main Street 208 Moore, Edwin M. 864 Muehlenpfordt, Carl H. 920 Old Canal, Wilmington 400 Orr, Pence B. 672 Owens, J. C. 984 Owens, Mrs. Mary H. 984 Park, The, Crete 192 Penitentiary, Cell House 272 Peotone High School 320 Peotone, Street Scene 320 Piepenbrink, Henry F. 992 Plainfield Grain Company 1024 Plainfield School 208 Post Office, Joliet 96 Public Library, Joliet 128 Xlll XIV ILLUSTRATIONS Rich, Frank D. 688 Rossi, Peter, Sr. 1080 Russell, Charles Adams 776 School, Washington St., Joliet 256 Sehring, Hon. George F. 704 Shreeve, Jane A. 656 Smith, Mrs. Jemima H. 952 Smith, Wilson F. 952 Smith, William W. 624 Soldiers' Widows' Home, Wilmington 400 Sprague, Charles Norman 768 St. Francis Academy, Joliet 256 State Street, Lockport 288 Steiner, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. and Son, Grundy 1000 Stephen, John 832 Thompson, James M. 960 Uhde, Mr. and Mrs. John F 816 Union Station, Joliet 160 Walker, John D. 912 Wheeler, Frank W. 640 Wilson, Leonard G. 896 Zerbes, Joseph A. 664 History of Will County CHAPTER I. PREPARING A DWELLING PLACE. PRODUCTIVE PLACE — FORMATION — CHANGES— GEOLOGICAL AGES— SOIL— PLANT LIFE— ANIMALS— MINERAL WEALTH— COAL DEPOSITS— DISCOV- ERED IN ILLINOIS— DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 65-69 CHAPTER II. THE DES PLAINES VALLEY. ITS FORMATION— GEOLOGICAL SURVEY— LOCATION— AREA— TOPOGRAPHY- DIVIDE BETWEEN LAKES AND THE MISSISSIPPI— THE DES PLAINES AND DU PAGE RIVERS— CHICAGO DRAINAGE CANAL— VISION OF MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE— A PART OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BASIN— A PROPHESY 70-76 XV 2—VOL. 1 xvi CONTENTS CHAPTER III. THE GLACIER PERIOD. CHANGES THROUGH AGES— MAGNITUDE OF ICE SHEETS— MOVED SOIL AND ROCKS OYER WILL, COUNTY AND ILLINOIS— EVIDENCES OF GLACIERS IN ILLINOIS— IN THE DES PLAINES VALLEY— RECEDED NORTHWARD___77-79 CHAPTER IV. THE ABORIGINES. TRACES OF MAN'S EXISTENCE IN EARLY AGES— THE RED MAN— MIXTURE OF RACES— DES PLAINES VALLEY THE GREAT HIGHWAY OF DIFFERENT TRIBES— THE MOUND BUILDERS— EXCAVATIONS IN WILL COUNTY— EVI- DENCES DISCLOSED—LEVELS 80-92 CHAPTER V. THE INDIANS. 'HIAWATHA*'— TRADITIONS— BLENDING OF TRIBES— CHIEFS— HABITS AND CUS- TOMS—FISHING AND HUNTING — GRAINS— CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL- DOMESTIC ARTICLES— THE BOW AND ARROW— OTHER IMPLEMENTS- ARROW MAKER— WAMPUM— POTTERY — TRIBES— TRAILS — CHARACTERIS- TICS — RELIGION— WARS AND INDIAN TROUBLE 93-127 CONTENTS xvii CHAPTER VI. INDIAN TREATIES AFFECTING LANDS IN THE PRESENT WILL COUNTY. PURPOSE OP THESE TREATIES— RIGHTS OP THE INDIAN— KINDS OF TREATIES —PURCHASE OF LANDS— IMPORTANT TREATIES— AS AFFECTING DIFFER- ENT TRIBES — TREATIES AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN— THE VILLAGE OF CHI- CAGO IN 1833— "FIRE WATER" — TREATY BENEFICIARIES 128-140 CHAPTER VII. THE PRAIRIES AND FORESTS. SETTLERS FROM THE EAST AND EUROPE FASCINATED BY THE PRAIRIES— FERDIN AND ERNST WRITE OF THE PRAIRIES — WASHINGTON IRVING'S "TOUR OF THE PRAIRIES"— MRS. STEELE — VEGETATION— ANIMAL AND BIRD LIFE — THE BUFFALO— THE TRADE IN BUFFALO ROBES — DEER- RATTLESNAKES— WILD EGGS 141-149 CHAPTER VIII. THE FRENCH AND THE SPANISH IN WILL COUNTY. EARLY EXPLORERS— MARQUETTE AND JOLIET— JEAN NICOLET— FATHER ALLONEZ'S WORK AMONG THE INDIANS— FRENCH OCCUPATION-hFUR TRADING POSTS ESTABLISHED— REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD— SPANISH OCCUPATION OF WILL COUNTY 150-159 xviii CONTENTS CHAPTER IX. FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN WILL COUNTY ILLINOIS ADMITTED TO THE UNION— MISSIONARIES— FATHER WALKER— INDIAN EXPERIENCES— EARLY SETTLEMENTS— THE SCOTT FAMILY— OTHER PIONEER SETTLERS 160-170 CHAPTER X. TOWNSHIPS. CHANNAHON TOWNSHIP— CRETE TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE OF CRETE— PIONEER DAYS IN EASTERN WILL COUNTY— CUSTER TOWNSHIP— DU PAGE TOWN- SHIP — ROMEO— FLORENCE TOWNSHIP— FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP— MOKENA — FRANKFORT— GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP— HOMER TOWNSHIP— EARLY WILL COUNTY DAYS— JACKSON TOWNSHIP— ELWOOD 171-252 CHAPTER XI. JOLIET TOWNSHIP. DES PLAINES VALLEY— EARLY SETTLERS — FIRST WHITE MAN— PIONEER GRIST MILL— PRICE OF LAND— FIRST OFFICERS— MERCHANTS — GRAIN TRADE — STONE QUARRYING — EARLY BUSINESS MEN — JOLIET MOUND— BUILDING — SCHOOLS— PENITENTIARY 253-281 CONTENTS xix CHAPTER XII. TOWNSHIPS, CONTINUED. LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP— LOCKPORT— LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOLr— MAN- HATTAN TOWNSHIP— MANHATTAN — MONEE TOWNSHIP — MONEE — NEW LENOX TOWNSHIP— VILLAGE OF NEW LENOX — PEOTONE TOWNSHIP — PE- OTONE — PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP— PLAINFIELD— REED TOWNSHIP— CITY OF BRAIDWOOD— TROY TOWNSHIP 282-356 CHAPTER XIII TOWNSHIPS CONTINUED. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP— BEECHER— EAGLE LAKE— WESLEY TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND PLOWING MATCH— WILL TOWN- SHIP—WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP— CITY OF WILMINGTON—WILTON TOWN- SHIP— WALLINGFORD— WILTON CENTER 357-411 CHAPTER XIV. TRANSPORTATION IN WILL COUNTY. INDIAN CANOE— TRAILS— WAGON ROADS — CANAL— STAGE ROUTES— BUS LINES- HIGHWAYS — PLANK ROADS — WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT — RAIL- ROADS 412-444 xx CONTENTS CHAPTER XV. THE BAR IN WILL COUNTY. PREVIOUS TO 1884 — EARLY DAY LAWYERS— JUDGES— MEMBERS OF WILL COUNTY BAR 445-450 CHAPTER XVI. THE CHURCHES. EARLY MISSIONS— PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ORGANIZED — FIRST CONGREGA- TIONAL CHURCH ORGANIZED— ST. PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH BUILT— FATHER PLUNKETT— CHRIST'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH— METHODISTS— UNI- VERSALIST— GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN— GERMAN LUTHERAN- SWEDISH LUTHERAN— BAPTISTS— SISTERS OF THE THIRD ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS 451-476 CHAPTER XVII. HOSPITALS. SILVER CROSS HOSPITAL, INCORPORATED IN 1891, "WATCHER'S CIRCLE," COR- NER STONE LAID IN 1893, TRUSTEES, FIRST OFFICERS, FIRST PATIENT— ST. JOSEPHS HOSPITAL, FOUNDED IN 1881, TYPHOID AND SMALLPOX EPI- DEMICS, THE FIRST BUILDING USED FOR HOSPITAL, FIRST ACCIDENT CASE, NEW BUILDINGS 477-482 CONTENTS xxi CHAPTER XVIII. THE PRESS. THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN JOLIET— THE JOLIET REPUBLICAN— TRUE DEMO- CRAT—RECORD—PHOENIX SUN— OTHER EARLY NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS- PAPER MEN — POLIET HERALD-NEWS 483-489 CHAPTER XIX. EVERY-DAY LIFE OF THE PEOPLE. FEVER AND AGUE— A DWELLING— PIONEER DAYS IN WILL COUNTY— THE BEE HUNTERS— OLD FORT— LINCOLN IN WILL COUNTY— ANOTHER FIRST WHITE CHILD— UNDERGROUND RAILROAD— THE LATEST INDIAN MOUND — "ANCIENT FIRES AND LIGHTS OF WILL COUNTY"— KILPATRIGK'S CUR- RENCY—STOCK RUNNING AT LARGE— SNOWSTORM— OUR SAC WAR.490-526 History of Will County CHAPTER I. PREPARING A DWELLING PLACE. A PRODUCTIVE PLACE— FORMATION— CHANGES— GEOLOGICAL AGES— SOIL- PLANT LIFE— ANIMALS— MINERAL WEALTH— COAL DEPOSITS— DISCOV- ERED IN ILLINOIS— DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY For a hundred million years God wrought that man might live. The wonderful Illinois Basin, of which Will County is a part, lies in the center of the most productive area in the world. Nowhere else will be found such a vast area rich in minerals, with the variety of climate, and the variations in soil which make it possible to produce all that man needs. Man, with a finite mind, may hesitate to attempt to set forth the history of this wonderful region. The forces of na- ture are slow but sure. Nothing is hastened at the expense of thoroughness. The end always justifies the means as well as the time used in Her work. Between the Alleghany Mountains on the east and the Rocky Mountains on the west, stretched a great inland sea. The waters extended from what is now Hudson Bay on the north- ern extremity to the Gulf of Mexico on the southern end. Man reads the records in the rocks which were formed at the bottom of this sea. 65 5__V0L. 1 66 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Through eons of ages the sun lifted the water to clouds which were borne by the winds to the lands on the east and west. Over the lands the water was precipitated as rain. The floods returned again to the sea to repeat the operations. As they flowed downward they carried in solution or in suspended particles, the dregs from which rocks were formed. The waves sorted this material in layers of sand, or clay, or broken shells. In time these deposits molded until cementation and pressure changed sand into sandstone, clay into shale and the shells into limestone. Gradually the bottom of this sea was elevated until the re- ceding waters showed the surface as a rough and broken land, mostly bare rock with fragments here and there where the edges clashed under the mighty forces of gravity and contrac- tion. Deformation and unequal erosion began as soon as the surface had lost its moisture. Wind and weather transformed the surface. The flood of waters from the torrential rains carried the detritus to the sea. Once more this region was depressed to form a long medi- terranean sea with irregular coast lines both east and west. The mighty streams brought the burdens of rock-waste to the sea where they were sorted and molded as before. Again and again these mighty changes took place, extend- ing through millions and millions of years. At one time the waves of the Gulf of Mexico, as we know it now, washed the place where Cairo now stands. At other times vast arms of the sea extended inland along irregular lines on the eastern shore as well as upon the western. The changes were wrought in ages of time. Each was so long that human intelligence cannot comprehend it. The rec- ords have been left in the rocks which are found here and there in widely separated areas; by remains which formed molds of plants and animals thus leaving fossils; by drillings HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 67 which are brought to the surface when wells are sunk for water, oil, or gas. Fossils preserve the forms of animals and plants which lived in the past. From them, the geologist is able to make up the history of life. He constructs pictures for us of ani- mals and plants that lived from time to time. Great skill has been acquired in reading these records. The structure of the teeth indicates whether the animal was a flesh eater or a vege- tarian. A single bone may indicate the size and structure of the animal which roamed these regions in geological times. Time and again one kind of animal disappeared to be succeeded by others which were suited to the climate and vegetable growth about them. Most surely God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. In the ages which have been outlined in the preceding para- graph, in the processes which took place in successive stages of world forming, wrinkles were formed. Irregular rock for- mations jutted forth in many places. Finally the sea subsided for the last time and left a rolling upland with residual soil deposited in irregular layers over the surface. The weathering of the surface proceeded more rapidly than it does now because inclement climate prevailed. Soil was moved about by wind and water into positions suited to the growth of plants. The development of plant life made animal life possible. Plant life appeared with varied forms. Forests grew with trees sheltering weaker plants. The region assumed form and appearance similar to that which you have seen in your travels, or pictured in your texts. Strange animals roamed the forests while others galloped over the open spaces. Reptiles swam the streams, grotesque in form and slow in movement. Birds found homes in the trees and insects buzzed in the air. Onlv man was missing from 68 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the tumult on land and the commotion in the air. God knows best. Mankind would have been lost in the struggle. The earth was in the making, providing the soil with rich stores beneath and suitable plant growth and animal life above, to await his coming in the fulness of time. Consider the events so remote that we can scarcely compre- hend the time. How wonderfully they affect our well-being. What blessing they bring to us in many, many ways. Surely the all-wise Creator prepared our dwelling with infinite care and foresight. The preceding pages gave the reader a brief outline of the rock formation when the sea was the ruling force. In those periods of formation the great mineral wealth of Illinois was created. One of the greatest of these is coal. While the plants and animals of the sea were building rocks the plants upon land were making preparation for coal. God provided abun- dance of sunlight and moisture. The leaves of the trees gathered the carbon from the air and converted it into coal. This was deposited in layers and sealed over with shale rock and soil where it is preserved through the ages until man brings it to the surface. Forests included huge ferns fifty to sixty feet high, min- gled with soft wood, evergreens, rapid-growing trees which became tall and slender, commingled with smaller plants un- derneath. All were of rank growth in a moist, hot climate. These forests matured, died, and changed through chemical action into peat bogs which were compressed later and con- verted to coal. In the territory now comprised in the State of Illinois this process of growth, decay, and submerging to store coal, oc- curred at least six times. Many sections contain six veins of coal in successive order from thirty-feet below the surface to many hundreds. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 69 Coal was first discovered in Illinois in 1679, near the pres- ent site of Ottawa. Outcroppings of "black rock" were found by Father Hennepin, one of the missionaries and explorers who came out from France. He knew that it would burn but the abundance of wood made coal unimportant. The first rec- ord tells us that in 1810, it was mined in Jackson County along the bluffs of the Big Muddy River. In that year a flat-boat was loaded and sent to New Orleans, thus early showing the desirability of a deep waterway. In 1832, several boat-loads were taken out and shipped. In 1833, 6,000 tons were mined in St. Clair County and transported in wagons to St. Louis. Here and there these stores of coal were used in a small way until the development of industry made the demand for large quantities. Chicago, Joliet, and other industrial centers about the head of Lake Michigan used large quantities. This brought the mining industry into Will County and Braidwood became the leading mining town in Illinois. CHAPTER II. THE DES PLAINES VALLEY. ITS FORMATION — GEOLOGICAL, SURVEY — LOCATION — AREA— TOPOGRAPHY- DIVIDE BETWEEN LAKES AND THE MISSISSIPPI— THE DES PLAINES AND DU PAGE RIVERS — CHICAGO DRAINAGE CANAL — VISION OF MARQUETTE AND LA SALLE — A PART OF THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER BASIN— A PROPHESY The valley of the Des Plaines River possesses a peculiar interest in the history of Will County, as it does in the history of Illinois and of the United States. In the account of the glacial formation of our state it was the channel through which the impounded waters escaped to the Mississippi River. Man has restored this connection by building the Chicago Drainage Canal through which the waters flow once more to the Father of Waters. Its physical features brought about the early dis- covery and exploration, and shaped its present industrial ad- vantages and the future development. The deep waterway project and the constructions now under way in the outskirts of Joliet evidence these things. The following account of the valley and the river is taken from Bulletin Number 11 of the Illinois State Geological Sur- vey: "The long basin of the Des Plaines River lies only a few miles west of Lake Michigan, in the northeast corner of Illinois. From northern Kenosha County in Wisconsin southward through Lake, Cook, Du Page, and Will counties in Illinois, the basin has a length of ninety miles. Its width, however, is never over twenty-five miles and for a large part of the dis- tance is less than fifteen. Its area is about 1,400 square miles. 70 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 71 The northern portion of this basin is narrow, and is drained almost wholly by the trunk river and a single tributary, Salt Creek. Its area (above Summit) is about 634 square miles. The southern portion is wider and more complex, for it in- cludes the north-south basin of the Du Page River, the largest tributary of the Des Plaines, and several rather long creeks from the east. A few miles below the mouth of the Du Page, the Des Plaines unites with the Kankakee to form the Illinois River. The elongated form of the Des Plaines basin is largely, if not wholly dependent on the deposition of glacial drift. At the close of the glacial period, when the district finally emerged from the waning ice sheet, the bed rock had benn concealed by an irregular blanket of loose earth material or "drift," de- posited in part by the glacier itself and in part by the waters that came from it. Conspicuous among the newly built surface features was a broad U-shaped belt of rolling ground, stand- ing a little above its surroundings, and encircling the south end of Lake Michigan through Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. This belt is known as the Valparaiso moraine. This great moraine is crossed obliquely by the Des Plaines River between Summit and Joliet, and from its slope comes a large part of the water discharged by the river. The Valparaiso morainic belt is, in fact, a system of parallel ridges; first, a central ridge which makes up the main body of the moraine; second, an outer ridge, lower or narrower, which divides the Du Page basin from the Des Plaines proper, north of Joliet, and which for several miles south of Joliet is separated from the main moraine by a crescent shaped plain; and third, an inner ridge, lying east of the central belt, and separated from it by the basin of Salt Creek. The Des Plaines issues from a flat swamp, or slough, near the boundary of Racine and Kenosha counties, Wisconsin, where drainage is so imperfect that in wet weather part of 72 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the marsh discharges northward to Root River a part south- ward to the Des Plaines. From this ill-defined divide the little stream runs south along the depression which separates the two westernmost of the lake-border till ridges, gathering drainage from other creeks among the morainic hollows, turning to run eastward for a few miles in Kenosha County, then resuming a southerly course and entering Illinois between the two till ridges which at that point compose the whole lake-border system. West of Waukegan the river passes through the west ridge; and thence southward past Liberty ville, Wheeling, Franklin Park and Maywood, it follows the broad inter-mo- rainic basin immediately east of the Valparaiso moraine. En- tering the Chicago plain by way of this broad pass, which is in itself an arm of the lake plain nearly shut off by a long sand spit at Oak Park, the river winds around a beach ridge at Riverside swinging again eastward around a rock elevation at Lyons. In the distance of sixty miles from the head of the Des Plaines to the Riverside dam the river falls ninety feet, or at an average rate of l 1 /^ feet per mile. From Riverside down- stream for three miles, the Des Plaines descends fourteen feet on the exposed ledges, or about five feet per mile, to the Ogden dam. At this point it lies within ten miles of Lake Michigan, and is less than twelve feet above it. Here, then, near Summit, is the divide between the lakes and the Gulf, the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi. In time of flood a large portion of the Des Plaines discharges over the dam and through a ditch to the Chicago River and the lake, while the remainder follows the lower Des Plaines down to the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. This double discharge was operative under natural conditions before the Ogden dam was built. The natural divide was five miles farther east, near Kedzie Avenue, at the east end of a great swampy tract, known as Mud Lake. So flat is the plain at this point that the escape HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 73 of the Des Plaines from the lake plain westward through the deep notch in the moraine seems highly accidental. From Summit it makes for the head of the abandoned chan- nel of the "Chicago outlet" where the waters of Lake Chicago once poured across the moraine toward the Illinois valley. With uncertain course, the river runs for a long distance on the flat channel floor. This stretch between Summit and Lemont is known as the "12-mile level." Since the construction of the sanitary canal, the Des Plaines is confined to an artificial chan- nel by earthworks. Approaching Lemont, the river finds bed rock rising to the level of the valley floor, and still higher on either side in rock bluffs. Near the left bank of the Des Plaines and parallel to it down the outlet, run the Illinois-Michigan canal and the Chicago drainage canal. Both of them are largely cut in solid limestone. Beyond Lemont the rock declines again to about the level of the valley floor, and the channel is cut through the thick till structure of the moraine. Bending southward, the river runs past Romeo; and now there appear at the top of its bluffs, terrace remnants of an old outwash plain or valley train — the original filling of the valley, deeply trenched by the out- let. At Romeo, the Des Plaines begins to descend a long series of shallow rapids, which lower it eight feet in the ten miles to the Joliet pool. At Lockport, on the old canal, and farther down, near Joliet, are three locks made necessary by the rap- ids. Here the bed rock rises some thirty or forty feet above the floor in bluffs on both sides of the valley, forming a flat rock terrace twenty feet lower than the fragments of the out- wash plain. These two terraces, the one of gravel and sand of the outwash, and the other of rock, mark important steps in the history of the river, and of Lake Chicago of which it was the outlet. At Joliet, the river is confined artificially, passing through the west side of the city. A single dam crosses it at Jackson Street. Below Joliet the descent of the river is steep 74 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY for two or three miles to Brandon's bridge, where it broadens, forming Joliet pool. This pool, otherwise known as "Lake Joliet," occupies a broad, shallow depression (ranging to ten feet in depth) in the floor of the old outlet. It extends five miles down the val- ley, below Brandon's bridge, allowing the river no perceptible fall in that distance. The level of the river here is about sev- enty-six feet below Lake Michigan. The pool is probably due to a deepening of the floor of the ancient river, where it passed from the hard Niagara limestone out on to the weaker lime- stones and shales of the Cincinnati formation. Below Joliet pool, the slope of the river is again moderate for three miles. Just beyond the mouth of the Du Page River another pool, "Lake Dupage," is entered. This is ninety feet below Lake Michigan, and extends three miles down the val- ley. Half a mile below it the Des Plaines joins the Kankakee, at the head of the Illinois River. — "Physical Features of the Des Plaines Valley," by J. W. Goldthwait. The foregoing account of the Des Plaines valley includes man-made parts within recent years. These were the Illinois- Michigan Canal, the Chicago Drainage Channel, the diverting of the river to prepare for this channel, the Ogden dam, the power plant between Lockport and Joliet, and now (April, 1928), the beginning of the deep waterway project for which constructions are under way. Nevertheless artificial channels and obstructions are comparatively unimportant when com- pared with the changes which were made by Nature. She worked with irresistible power in unlimited time. Through the ages the waters labored to prepare a highway through which mankind might travel to newer fields and richer harvest. Another striking feature is the vision of the first white men who came this way, Marquette and La Salle. They saw the possibilities of communication over waterways connecting Lake HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 75 Michigan with the Gulf by way of the Mississippi River. Too tardily perhaps, we are realizing what they saw. The story of the Laurentian waters is not remiss here be- cause it includes the history of Lake Chicago and the Chicago outlet. Both of these are causative in the geology of the valley and the valley in turn was an agency in shaping the history of mankind in the county as well as in Illinois. The Great Lakes are really a part of the St. Lawrence River basin in the highlands north of the west end of Lake Superior w T here we find a small river. One may imagine the Lakes shrinking until winding streams flow in the lowest parts of the basin. Thus one may see (in imagination) a river flow- ing near the "Soo," thence onward through Huron to the On- tario country, receiving in turn branches from Michigan and Erie and Southern Ontario and thence down the St. Lawrence to the sea. Again one may imagine that this river was blocked at vari- ous places so that water accumulated to form the lakes as we are familiar with them. Thus they become blocked river valleys. The water of the Great Lakes once flowed to the sea by way of the Chicago outlet and the Illinois-Mississippi river. Later they found their way out by way of the Mohawk Valley to the Hudson, and still later by the present route through the Saint Lawrence. Who shall say that the present route is permanent? Geologists tell us that the great plain which contains the lakes is tilting to the southwest. A few centuries may see some of the waters diverted to the Mississippi and a few thousand years may leave the Niagara Gorge high and dry. But man has al- ready caused some water to flow through the Chicago outlet. If the tilting does not cease, he may delay the change for cen- turies by restraining the overflow and thus saving Niagara Falls. 76 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY As we think on these things, we wonder what forces caused these changes, these dams in the river valleys to produce the wonderful lake system, the Great Lakes, which have aided our country so much, and whose usefulness is just beginning. The Creator never lacks instruments for His wof k. Flowing water had wrought through countless centuries grinding the rocks into soil. This moved hither and thither and mixed until plants grew and animals flourished. Then he sent the glaciers to re- build once more that a mighty people might live. CHAPTER III. THE GLACIER PERIOD. CHANGES THROUGH AGES— MAGNITUDE OF ICE SHEETS— MOVED SOIL, AND ROCKS OVER WILL COUNTY AND ILLINOIS— EVIDENCES OF GLACIERS IN ILLINOIS— IN THE DES PLAINES VALLEY— RECEDED NORTHWARD When what is now Northern Illinois emerged from the Mediterranean sea referred to in the preceding pages, air and water reduced them to particles to form soil. These agencies of decay transformed the surface and prepared it for plant life which was in turn followed by animals. Minerals were laid down and sealed to provide rich stores for man. Age suc- ceeded age, each doing its share. How much time did this take? Who can be sure? At least as long as it took to fold the Alleghany Mountains, wear them down to a plain, uplift them again and deform them by erosion. While these things were going on in the Eastern Highlands, the Illinois Basin was reduced to a level plain, a lowland almost level with the sea. This plain was then raised by an irregular warping movement, making some new rivers and reviving others and these in turn formed valleys and hills, uplands and plains. These valleys and hills, uplands, and plains were not to re- main. The great ice sheet spread outward in a circle from two centers. Labrador and Keewatin. Why this great field of ice developed so far from the North Pole, has never been ex- plained. These reasons are offered by geologists: The Plane- 77 78 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY tary relations of the earth may have changed; the ocean-cur- rents may have shifted by deformations underneath the sea; the continent may have risen above the snow-line; the at- mosphere may have changed so that geographic changes caused a cool climate. We are prone to think of glaciers as narrow streams of ice moving down some valley to melt as soon as it reaches the warmer regions. We are impressed by the irresistible force which drives them downward. The icebergs which break away from their faces, fill us with awe. But this ice sheet which moves outward from the Canadian Highlands covered 4,000,- 000 square miles, as large as the ice sheet which forms the Antarctic continent. The ice was thick enough to cover the mountains in the northern Alleghany regions. In the Des Plaines valley, com- putations which have been made indicate a mass 9,000 feet thick, and over Joliet and Chicago it was 12,000 feet. For a hundred thousand years it modified and shaped the hills and plains which preceded it. A warmer climate melted the ice and an age of warm weather prevailed. This was succeeded by an- other glacial era to be followed by an interglacial one. It is thought that five different glaciers spread over Will County. The advancing glacier gathered residual soil and rock de- bris. This was carried intact until the melting ice released its hold and deposited the "drift." It melted slowly, the drift ac- cumulated in large ridges or moraines. If it melted rapidly, a thin sheet was laid down over the plain. At least four distinct moraines are given for Illinois as follows, beginning at the south: Shelby ville Moraine, Bloomington Moraine, Marseilles Moraine, and Valparaiso Moraine. The last named is of most interest here because the Des Plaines Valley cuts through it and parts of it are found in Will County. The southernmost limit of glaciation is placed as far south as the mouth of the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 79 Wabash River. Back of each of these moraines may have been a lake, such as may have been in the Morris Basin. The traveler coming into Chicago on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad is impressed by the level area be- yond Oak Forest about midway between that station and Mid- lothian. In the season of heavy rains the water seems im- movable. This is the Chicago Plain which was formed by the shallow waters of Lake Chicago. As the ice receded rapidly northward from the Valparaiso Moraine, the water accumu- lated between the moraine and the ice to form the lake named above. The basin filled and poured forth over the lowest point where Summit now is. This is known as the Chicago Outlet. It began the erosion which was the chief cause in the formation of the present Des Plaines Valley. It must have been a mighty stream for its width is one mile, or more, in the greatest width. This flow of water from the Lake to the Gulf has been restored, in a small way, by the Chicago Drainage Canal. The Deep Waterway will carry this idea still farther. The glacier receded northward beyond the Straits of Mack- inac and the impounded waters found a new and easier way to the sea. The termination of the ice age left the Great Lakes which we have today. They extended outward to the south and the east, as well as westward at Duluth. The evidence of this is found in old beaches in the bordering states. The fol- lowing extract is taken from "Geographic Influences in Ameri- can History," by A. B. Brigham: "No other inland navigation compares with that of the Laurentian Lakes, and what it may become in the century just begun it would be rash to foretell. Every lake washes the borders of rich lands, andt hese lands reach across the prairies." CHAPTER IV. THE ABORIGINES. TRACES OF MAN'S EXISTENCE IN EARLY AGES— THE RED MAN— MIXTURE OF RACES— DES PLAINES VALLEY THE GREAT HIGHWAY OF DIFFERENT TRIBES — THE MOUND BUILDERS— EXCAVATIONS IN WILL COUNTY— EVI- DENCES DISCLOSED— LEVELS There are found abundant traces of the existence of men in North America during the glacial epoch have been found. This ice era began 250,000 years ago and ended 80,000 years ago. Hence it is fair to assume that human beings occupied this continent as long as 100,000 years. Are the Indians the direct descendants of these aborigines? Or were there suc- cessive waves of migration in which the incoming race de- stroyed the residents? Many things may take place in one thousand centuries. Not all evidence has been found to sub- stantiate all the changes. In the light of the most recent dis- coveries, we are assured that many changes did take place. Entire tribes migrated to new homes, either to seek food or to avoid others who pressed them from the rear. The reader can imagine great leaders rallying the warriors to the defense of the women and children. Many brave sol- diers fell defending their loved ones from the enemy. At other places the attacking party was successful, the men were slain and mothers, wives, and children, were rushed into bondage, to be gradually absorbed into the conquering tribe, taking some of their own customs into the lives of their captors as well as receiving some from the other side. Thus, through the cen- 80 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 81 turies there was a blending of the people until a uniformity- prevailed, a sameness which extended from the land of the Eskimo to the southernmost point of South America. The information which we have is not sufficient to deter- mine whether the Red Man descended from the Pleistocene man or whether he came down from migrations from Asia. The contour of the bed of the Northern Pacific indicates that dry land intervened where the Behring Sea is found. This was comparatively recent and made such a passage entirely feasi- ble. Speculation on these two sources is interesting but not necessary for a good understanding of the history of Will County. They probably came from the old world. Whether this influx was pre-glacial or post-glacial is unknown, but we are certain that they have been here a long time. They remained undisturbed and had no communication with Asia for 20,000 years. We may consider them natives. Through thousands of generations they have acquired physical traits which are a distinguishing feature. The mental traits are equally unique. Consequently their language as well as their legends are dif- ferent from those of the old world. The social observances and customs put them by themselves. Some were in the sav- age state while others had developed into barbarians. The philosophy of life, religion if you please, was by means simple. Illustrations of this fact will appear in a later discussion. The Red Men are a different stock from the Eskimos. From Hudson Bay to Cape Horn all are the same. All were just simply Indians. Tribal characteristics were found to distin- guish one group from another. For example, Shawnee, Ojib- way, Kickapoos, are all Algonquin. Mohawks and Tuscaroras are Iroquois. Algonquin and Iroquois differ as French and English differ. Sioux, Blackfeet, and others of the Northwest are Dacotahs. The tribes of the Southwest form another group. The Incas of Peru still another. Each group had distinguish- 6— VOL. 1 82 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY ing characteristics but it is hardly possible to classify them upon a grade of culture. Where they were secluded and undisturbed they became tillers of the soil from necessity since no liveli- hood could be had without it. Yet through all the groups there is a homogeneity which makes one race. The Europeans have mixed because they had reached a higher state of development. The blondes of the Northland have intermarried with the brunettes of Iberia, producing the endless variety which we see in Europe. In Africa a few have kept apart and maintained a distinct group. The greater part of the so-called Dark Continent have mixed freely. In no other grand division do we find the uniform mingling which North America had when the whites came. If there were dif- ferent races in the beginning they had lived here long enough to make the best blend in the world. The reader asks, "What has all this to do with Will County history?" It goes without saying that our county is a part of the larger unit, the Illinois Basin, and this in turn is the pivotal part of the United States. But our history is connected with that of the whole in a more intimate way by means of the Des Plaines Valley, the great highway for so many different tribes over so long a period of time. On this road they passed and repassed, sometimes as enemies but more often as friends. The great leaders had expert runners who acted as messen- gers from tribe to tribe. It was not uncommon for such men to travel from Michigan to Florida in nine or ten days. Many trips in other directions and over distances equally long were common. Some of them followed the trail along the Des Plaines. Traders, such as the Iroquois, passed this way to bar- ter for supplies not found in their own region. War parties came through by the same route, because the well-worn trail beaten hard by the impact of many hoofs in the migrating herds of buffalo, was easy to follow. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 83 The maps on archaeology show Illinois as "unworked re- gion." Recent discoveries, made in 1927, in two places make it a major field of exploration and discovery. One of these fields is in Will County. The discoveries have been made by Will County men, Messrs. George Langf ord and Albert Tennik. The discoveries of these men in the Fisher Mound near the begin- ning of the Illinois River which is the union of the Kankakee and Des Plaines (and DuPage) rivers, was published in the American Archaeologist, Volume 29, Number 3, July, Septem- ber, 1927. More of this account will be presented in later paragraphs. But our history is connected with that of the whole in a more intimate way by means of the Des Plaines Valley. The Mound Builders. — When the writer was a boy, his his- tory of the United States began with a short chapter on the "Mound Builders." It was a vague and wild speculation about a race of people who were different from the Red Man. A race possessing a culture better than ours. The picture included an account of a vanishing empire whose people were overthrown by the Indians who were savage fighters ever seeking the blood of others. It was a fascinating story with pictures of mounds in the shape of serpents in the act of swallowing monsters. Youthful imagination created terrible beings which menaced mankind. This was a thrilling account which was connected with the story of the serpent in the Garden of Eden. This vast and hazy history was easy to write and easier to believe. It prevailed for many years. Fiske, in his "Discovery of America," says: "There is no reason for supposing that there was an empire of any sort in ancient North America, and no relic of the past has ever been seen at any spot on our planet which indicates the former ex- istence of a vanished civilization even remotely approaching our own. The sooner the student of history has his head 84 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY cleared of all such rubbish, the better. As for the mounds, which are scattered in such profusion over the country west of the Alleghanies, there are some which have been built by Indians since the arrival of white men in America and which contain knives and trinkets of European manufacture. There are many others which are much older, and in which the genu- ine remains sometimes indicate a culture like that of the Shaw- nees or Senecas. With the progress of research, the vast and vague notion of a distant race of 'Mound Builders , became narrow and defined. It began to seem probable that the builders of the more remarkable mounds were tribes of Indians who had ad- vanced beyond the average level, in horticulture, and conse- quently in density of population, and perhaps in political and priestly organization. There were times in the career of sun- dry Indian tribes when circumstances induced them to erect mounds as sites for communal houses or council houses, medi- cine lodges or burial places; somewhat as there was a period in the history of our own fore-fathers in England when cir- cumstances led them to build moated castles, with drawbridges and portcullis; and there is no more occasion for assuming a mysterious race of 'Mound Builders' in America than for assuming a mysterious race of 'Castle Builders' in England." — "The Discovery of America," pp. 140-146. The excavations which have made Will County a major region in archaeology were made by Messrs. Langford and Tennik, near the source (beginning) of the Illinois River. The quotations which follow are taken from the article in the American Anthropologist (Volume 29, No. 3, July, 1927) : "In Northeastern Illinois, about sixty miles southwest of Chicago, where the Des Plaines and Kankakee rivers converge to form the Illinois, is an old Indian village and mound site which after extensive excavation has yielded interesting dis- closures. In this region evidence of aboriginal occupation is HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 85 generally denoted by surface deposits of chipped flint, frag- mentary pottery and occasional polished stone artifacts. More than one culture is doubtless represented but there is no way of determining this. The mounds to be described give oppor- tunity for such determinations. Their outstanding features are: numerous superimposed graves arranged strategraph- ically and culturally making at least three occupations with brachycephals above and dolichocephals below; in inter- mediate pre-European culture prolific in small triangular chert arrowpoints, day pots and artifacts of stone, bone, copper, and shell. Post-European- objects are few and confined to the surface. The locality, formerly part of the Cornelius estate in Will County, on the Will-Grundy County line, is known as the Dan Fisher farm. It may be reached by automobile from Joliet on State Road No. 7, driving eleven miles to Channahon, then leaving the concrete and crossing the Des Plaines River over Smith's bridge. From there the right-hand road follows the left bank of the river past Fisher's, the latter being about five miles beyond Channahon. This site is a glacial limestone gravel deposit overlain by a veneer of dark surface soil, with sandstone and clay of the Lower Coal Measures beneath. The land is about thirty feet above the Des Plaines River and overlooks a lowland which extends from the water inland seventy-five yards, or more. One hundred feet back from the low bluff's edge are two circu- lar eminences: the "Big East Mound" of 5 feet high and 50 feet in diameter, and the "Big West Mound," 6 feet by 60. Near them are the smaller and almost unreognizable "Small East"; "West", "Southeast", and several other mounds and around these are about 40 circular pits, from 15 to 30 feet in diameter, several feet deep and bordered by raised gravel ridges. In November, 1906, Messrs. Howard Colmer and George Langford noticed colored glass beads which had been brought 86 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY up by some burrowing animal. Two feet below the surface they found an adult male skeleton together with a rusty iron knife, silver crescent and pendant, small glass beads, bits of cloth, a carved bone and pieces of copper plate. The next spring found four more skeletons were uncovered with numer- ous pieces of silver near them. They found reliquaries, crosses, round brooches, pendants, bracelets, and arm bands, also a small mirror, patched iron pot, pierced clamshell, bone pin, cloth fragments, large glass beads, pieces of copper plate, and one large stemmed arrow-point of pinkish flint. The silver brooches were embossed "G. C." and "Montreal," denoting George Cruikshank, a Montreal silversmith of post-Revolution- ary times. This would indicate that they were buried near the close of the 18th century. The excavations revealed three levels, or layers, of graves. The upper layer disclosed post-European objects in the first find but later explorations showed only one, the body of an infant accompanied by glass beads. The arrow heads and re- jected parts were such as were found with Indians when the whites knew them. The middle level revealed remains which had not been disturbed much. The skulls and bones were of a smaller people. Arrowpoints were unstemmed, triangular in shape, and made of chert. Long, slender "drillpoints" were found. No notched arrowpoints were uncovered. The lower layer contained remains which indicated larger men and women. They faced north in crouching positions with no relics excepting a few ornaments made from marine shells. Four flints were found in one grave but they evidently were not man made. Burial customs for those found in the upper level could not be determined because the remains had been disturbed by cultivation, by the burrowing of animals and by careless ex- cavators who preceded these two. The middle level some were buried prone while others were in a crouching position. The HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 87 relics seemed to be such as had been used for necklaces and other ornaments. In the lower level they lay upon their sides with knees drawn up and arms bent with hands beneath the chin. The mosaic of pebbles beneath the head was very strik- ing. Usually some odd stone formed a centerpiece surrounded by the uniform stones arranged in a mosaic. A majority had the heads west and feet east. A pot of artifacts was found in almost every grave. Large clay pots were found with female adults and smaller ones with children. Frequently the bones of one hand were within the pot. The pots contained clam shell spoons covered with a gritty brown film. Bits of bones were found in some which seemed to have held broth or stew. No signs of altars were found excepting one excavation which was a hole three feet across and one foot deep, filled with ashes. Remains of human bones were in the ashes and the gravel around the pit show the effects of fire. No indication of bundled burials or cremations were disclosed." The location and description of the mounds was quoted ex- actly. The account of the discoveries is a free version by the editor who wished to eliminate technical details. The account of the artifacts can be given best in Mr. Langford's own words: "There was no sign of grain nor any tools which suggested cultivation of the soil. No seeds or fruits appeared nor were there any traces of perishable material, such as cloth, hide, hair, woven reeds or wood with few exceptions. Apparently the people of the Lower and Middle Levels at least, subsisted upon fish, flesh, and fowl. Of cloth, the only suggestion is a small piece about one inch square which appears to be coarse matting. It adhered to one of two copper ear discs on the face of W M 73. These discs heavily encrusted with green oxide, had also preserved two round flat and pierced buttons made of leather or wood, discs and buttons evidently being fastened together and used as ornaments. In two other in- stances the buttons had been preserved by contact with the 88 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY copper discs. Of three copper bead necklaces, the string hold- ing them was recognizable although reduced to powder. Of wood, I found several small chunks in the upper level. These were too soft to handle. Small crumby pieces of bark lay em- bedded in the Ash Layer. Marks of hardened grease appear in some of the clay pots, and the shell spoons are frequently encrusted with a hard, gritty brown film. Some of the bone artifacts have particles of gritty film adhering to them, tena- cious enough in several instances to fasten various articles to each other. The dog is the only animal observed that can be considered domesticated. It occurs in the Upper Level but not with certainty below, and I find no sign of it beneath the Ash Layer. The bison is absent. Of chipped stone implements, no notched or stemmed piece occurs below the Black Seam. The polished stone implements are celts only. Grooved axes and clubs, pierced tablets, effigies and other polished pieces which are occasionally picked up in neighboring localities, remain as yet undiscovered on the Fisher site. Pipes, too, are absent, at least I have found none, either of stone or clay, in any of the mounds. The objects to be enumerated are clay pots, and artifacts of copper, shell, stone and bone. The occurrence of marine gastropods fabricated into ornaments is interesting. Two other shorter and thicker shell beads were at the throats of broad heads in the Middle Level. These may have been made from the thick river clam shells. They are the larg- est at the center, tapering to both ends. At least four species of clams abundant in the Des Plaines River served as food for the aborigines and some of the shells were fabricated for use. Seventy-five per cent or more of the clay pots contained shell spoons, the hinge portion being trimmed down and the large and double-notched to form a stub handle. Several were scalloped on the lower margin and one had four long prongs which made it appear like a combination spoon and fork. I secured shell pendants from three burial places, all placed upon HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 89 the breast. Two are pierced with tiny holes at one end, and all three have two large holes in the center. Animal bones oc- curred abundantly in the diggings. Deer bones were the most common, and among these the scapula predominated. Only the articular end was preserved, although the blade could oc- casionally be recognized by splinters. Foot bones were plenti- ful; the upper ends of humeri and fermora absent. From the numerous specimens I have thus far identified the deer, elk, bear, canids, wildcats, otter, beaver, mink, weasel, skunk, rac- coon, muskrat, rabbit, wild turkey, heron, goose, and soft- shelled turtle, and have recognized small rodents, birds, fishes, and turtles. Frequently unfabricated animal bones served as charms or for other purposes, being found beneath skulls in company with stone and bone artifacts. Often they so occurred in pairs. Deer and elk phalanges were cut off at the proximal end and hollowed for some purpose. Many such pieces in close association with the skeletons were doubtless used, contrast- ing with the numerous burned and unburned fragments scat- tered through the diggings between the Black Seam and the ground level." The summary of observations on the Fisher Mounds is given in Mr. Langf ord's words. It is concise and sums up the import of the discoveries so far as they have progressed. The corre- lation with neighboring localities is also presented in full. "The following summary is not presented as a statement of conclusions but as a working basis for further study. Strati- graphically considered, the two big mounds appear divisible into layers or levels each consisting of several zones as evi- denced by the human burials and relics with particular atten- tion to each grave's plane of origin, measurements of skulls and burial postures. Upper Level, Zone 1. — This is post-European culture pre- sented near the surface of the two big mounds by trade silver 90 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY and glass and kaolin beads. In the small Southeast Mound aboriginal pieces of bone, copper, shell, and flint, accompanied glass beads, silver ornaments and other European objects. The skeletal evidence is scanty but the skulls, statures, and burial postures are probably much the same as in the zone below. Upper Level Zone 2. — There were no European objects; only notched or stemmed flint or chert arrowpoints, and pos- sibly a few small crude clay pots. The few skeletons ascribed with reasonable certainty to this zone are of moderate stature with short or round high heads, broad noses, short faces and low orbits. No ashes overlay the skeletons which were in vari- ous postures upon the back or side facing in no particular direction. Middle Level, Zone 1. — The culture is represented by pol- ished bone artifacts, small triangular chert arrowpoints, copper celts, chisel-like stone celts and clay pots crudely made with little or no ornamentation. Here was a varied assemblage of skeletons of from moderate to good stature with all shapes of heads; long, meso, and short; broad and meso noses, long and meso faces and low and meso orbits. There were no ashes but head and shoulders were occasionally covered with large gravel. Most of the burials occurred at the rim of each large mound. Although a few were to be found nearer the center and such graves were dug deeply. The burial postures varied as in the level above. Middle Level, Zone 2. — This section wherein the graves were below ground level, contained the great bulk of human skele- tons, clay pots and artifacts, the latter consisting of crude bone, copper polished stones, chert and shell objects. The shell pieces were spoons, pendants and tube beads carved from clam shells. Small triangular and slender arrowpoints together with a few leaf-shaped blades comprise the chert pieces. Polished HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 91 stone artifacts were represented by a few small celts. The clay pots are small to large with bark-like, sometimes smooth surfaces undecorated or covered with "antler-point" designs. The skeletons, mostly female adults and young, are of modest stature and physical development with short high heads, some of which are comparatively broad with broad noses, long faces and meso to low orbits. The graves were frequently overlain by beds of ashes mixed with dirt, charcoal, clam-shells, and splintered animal bones. Middle Level, Zone 2. — Burials in this zone were without post or artifacts. The skeletons are of small stature, with round, high heads, narrow noses, long faces and high to low orbits. No ashbeds or debris covered the skeletons, which lay sprawling in various directions. Lower Level, Zone 1.— No pots or artifacts of any kind occurred here, nor were there any ashes or debris around the skeletons, the latter lying in pure gravel with only slight dis- coloration or change in texture above to betray the graves beneath. The skeletons show good stature and physical devel- opment, with meso high heads, narrow noses, long faces, and meso orbits. There were irregular crouching burials usually upon the left side with face half up or down, knees and legs not laid close together and faces looking north. Lower Level, Zone 2. — The culture is scanty; two small pendants with WM 76 and one tube with EM 98 made from marine gastropod shells, and four doubtful flints with E M 28. The skeletons are medium in stature and physical devel- opment with long high heads, narrow to meso noses, long faces and meso to low orbits. E M 41 is broadnosed. Of seven adults surely in this zone, and two slightly uncertain, all were crouch- ing burials studiously arranged with knees and legs together, 92 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY faces looking north. Eight lay upon the left side, one upon the right. The Fisher Site, correlated with a neighboring local- ity. In the September 1919 issue of the American Anthropol- ogist, I described "The Kankakee Refuse Heap", a sharply restricted pre-European camp site on the Kankakee River about one and one-half miles above where it empties into the Illinois. The locality unlike others in this region, abounds in small triangular chert arrow-points and rejects, utilized bone and antler, rude hammer stones, grooved sandstone pieces, broken shells, burned animal bones and potsherds tempered with both shell and grit. Many of the latter bear "antler- point" decoration. Recently I have found two inconspicuous burial mounds upon the site but the human bones buried in clay are too poorly preserved for a study of their characteristics except that they were of small people. My article referred to the locality as unique in this region, mainly because of the great abundance of small triangular and, slender chert arrow points together with the rejects and refuse of their manufacture. It also contains shell spoons, polished bone cylinders, edged hammerstones, grooved sandstones, polished antler points cut or bored, hollowed out, deer and elk phalanges, and bone pins. These and the potsherds, also the animal bones, agree with those from the Fisher site. Clay deposits exposed on the Kankakee River Banks offered abund- ant material for the manufacture of pottery. The culture of the surrounding country is characterized by notched arrow- points made from flint, chalcedony and other stone, and some of these appearing among the "Refuse Heap" relics may be correlated with the upper level of the Fisher site. Not one piece punch-stamped or rouletted ware has appeared among the numerous "Refuse Heap" potsherds. These facts, together with other evidence, go to show that the "Kankakee River Re- fuse Heap" and Fisher Middle Level are the same and preceded the prevailing and better known culture of this region." CHAPTER V. THE INDIANS. "HIAWATHA"— TRADITIONS— BLENDING OF TRIBES— CHIEFS— HABITS AND CUS- TOMS—FISHING AND HUNTING — GRAINS — CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL- DOMESTIC ARTICLES— THE BOW AND ARROW— OTHER IMPLEMENTS- ARROW MAKER— WAMPUM — POTTERY— TRIBES— TRAILS— CHARACTERIS- TICS— RELIGION— WARS AND INDIAN TROUBLE From Longfellow's "Hiawatha" we take this sentiment as an introduction to the account of the Indians. Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow, Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches, And the rain-shower and the snow-storm, And the rushing of great rivers Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains, Whose innumerable echoes Flap like eagles in their eyries; Listen to these wild traditions, To this Song of Hiawatha ! Ye who love a nation's legends, Love the ballads of a people, That like voices from afar off Call to us to pause and listen, 93 94 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Speak in tones so plain and childlike, Scarcely can the ear distinguish Whether they are sung or spoken: Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha ! Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple, Who have faith in God and Nature, Who believe, that in all ages Every human heart is human, That in even savage bosoms There are longings, yearnings, strivings For the good they comprehend not, That the feeble hands and helpless, Groping blindly in the darkness, Touch God's right hand in that darkness And are lifted up and strengthened: Listen to this simple story, To this Song of Hiawatha ! Ye, who sometimes, in your rambles Through the green lanes of the country, Where the tangled barberry-bushes Hand their tufts of crimson berries Over stone walls gray with mosses Pause by some neglected graveyard, For a while to muse, and ponder On a half -effaced inscription, Written with little skill of song-craft, Homely phrases, but each letter Full of hope and yet of heart-break, Full of all the tender pathos Of the Here and the Hereafter: HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 95 How do we know the history of the Indian? The Red Man was a Stoic whose mind was seldom revealed to a white man. His contact with whites made him more communicative, never- theless his philosophy of life, his traditions, and his religion, are not easy to understand because he conceals rather than re- veals. He had no written language. Picture writing was used and some records are preserved. He passed his traditions from generation to generation but the Red Man, the child of nature, was a poet and this colored the traditions in each reiteration. His stocism is illustrated in the account of the "Sacred Pack" which came from a member of the Fox Tribe after four genera- tions of contact with whites. This will be given in succeeding pages. Mounds are found in numbers in Will County as in other parts of the State. Many of our own remain unexplored. Indian trails have been fixed to show regions traversed and possible migrations. In preceding pages, under Aborigines, we spoke of the blend- ing of the tribes from the land of the Eskimo to Central Amer- ica and even to Cape Horn. Sir John Lubbock states it thus: "Their manners and customs, their opinions and mental habits, had, whenever they were inquired into, at the earliest dates, much in common. Their modes of war and worship, hunting and amusements were very simple. In the sacrifice of prison- ers taken in war; in the laws of retaliation; in the sacred character attached to public transactions solemnized by smok- ing the pipe ; in the adpotion of persons taken in war, in fami- lies; in the exhibition of dances on almost every occasion that can enlist human sympathy; in the meagre and articial style of music; in the totemic tie that binds relationships together, and in the system of symbols and figures cut and marked on their grave posts, on trees, and sometimes on rocks, there is a perfect identity of principles, arts, and opinions." 96 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The Red Men of North America, sometimes called the Red Indians, have been presented in many lights by historians, prose writers, poets, and fiction writers. The poet presents an ideal- ized being with the human traits found in the best European stock. Longfellow's Hiawatha is the most familiar character of this type. The reader admires Hiawatha for his patience, his endurance, his devotion to his people, and sacrifices which he made that they might prosper. The romance of his life enchants us. The artist has pictured him in many paintings. Is this the real Indian character or is the glorified being of our imagination in which we vision the attributes which we are most anxious to see? The historian presents King Philip as a patriot of the high- est order. Pontiac is shown as one who sought to redeem the land of his fathers. Black Hawk and Keokuk are glorified in story and in sculpture. Tecumseh is brought forward as a statesman among the Red Men from the Mississippi to the Atlantic and from the Lakes to the Gulf. The Indians were unstable in their government as well as in their dwelling places. They migrated at short intervals either in search of food and clothing procured by hunting and fishing, or in conquests through tribal warfare. One tribe absorbed another or fragments of two or more tribes united for common defense against invading warriors. Oftimes disease destroyed the greater part of a tribe thus leaving a fragmentary organi- zation which was easily enslaved by invading people. In times of plenty they feasted and when game was scarce, they starved. For such a people language, government, religion, manners, and customs are followed with difficulty. Nevertheless, quite a definite philosophy of life was established and religion be- came more or less fixed. It is our purpose to present these as the accounts progress. In so far as the history of Will County is concerned, three groups are of interest because, either directly or indirectly, they CHICAGO STREET, JOLIET, ILL. POSTOFFICE, JOLIET, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 97 are associated with the territory now included in Will County. The Algonquins are the first and most numerous, extending from Kentucky to the Mississippi River and eastward as far as Maine. This group included many tribes, but those most intimately associated with Will County are Mascoutens, Sacs, Foxes, Pottawottamies, and Illinois. The Iroquois, or Five Nations of New York included Mo- )C hawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas. They came through the Des Plaines Valley frequently on war expeditions against the Illinois and other tribes. Less frequently they journeyed through this highway to trade for goods which could be bartered with the whites. None of this group became per- manent residents. They left an imprint in the language and customs through intermarriage but never enough to make radi- cal changes. The Dacotahs of the Northwest, known as the Sioux family traveled this route in war parties or in expeditions for trade. These were nomads who were engaged in war, most of the time. No permanent residents are recorded. The Winnebargoes about Green Bay, were of this family. They are mentioned frequent- ly in the accounts of the labors of Father Marquette, Father Allouez, and of Tonty, and others. The region between Lake Michigan on the east and the Mississippi River on the west, known as the Illinois Basin, is a region of great fertility where the soil overlies beds of coal of unmeasured value. The Indian's manner of living made no demand upon the stores of fuel underneath the surface. For him the dead wood found in the primeval forests sufficed to keep his small fires burning. He was inured to the cold and his cooking was less complex than our own. His conservation of fuel, or rather his saving of labor, is summed up in this state- ment by an observing Red Man, "White Man makes big fire and sits way off. Indian makes small fire and sit close up." 7_VOL. 1 98 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY But, the virgin soil of the prairies produced abundant pas- turage for herds of game. Thus food was abundant and skins for clothing and shelter were easy to get. The alluvial soil in the river bottoms was easy to cultivate while the ground water was sufficient to grow his crops even when the season was dry. The rivers teemed with fish. Wild fruits were to be had for the gathering. These things meant much wealth to the Indians and con- sequently, conquest followed conquest. Tribes were extermin- ated, or driven out, or subjected to slavery and absorption by the conquering peoples. The Red Man was of a migratory na- ture, restless when game was scarce and food was hard to ob- tain. The Illinois Basin was the scene of many wars. The vic- torious ones may have lived in comfort for a few decades, or for many generations, but eventually others came to drive them away for he who lives in superfluous abundance grows weak in body and vaccillating in mind. Thus many nations found a home here, as neighbors some- times but more often conquerors. Highways of trade and routes of travel known to them have since become canals, rail- road routes, concrete roads. Through Will County the Des Plaines Valley is the great thoroughfare. A mere list of the present day routes evidences this: The Illinois and Michigan Canal and The Chicago Drainage Channel; the Chicago and Alton Railroad and the Sante Fe Railroad; routes 44 and 44 A of the State Highway System under construction. School histories were disposed to picture the natives as lazy loafers who sat around idling and smoking, permitting the squaws to provide food and fuel, to carry the burdens on the march, to erect the houses, dress the skins for clothing and wig- wams, raise the crops, and care for the children. The early whites jumped at conclusions because they found a people whom they did not understand. The stoicism of the Red Man ac- centuated his peculiarities. To him hunting was labor; fish- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 99 ing to procure the necessities of life became a task; tracking game was a profession in which skill was acquired through years of study. The women did manual labor that the husband and father might retain the celerity and precision demanded of him as a provider and protector. The Red Man was a skilled hunter. He knew the haunts and habits of the game he followed. His skill in stalking was only equalled by his ability to use the weapons he carried. As a hunter, he never killed more than he could use. The white man might have learned much from him in this regard. That his supply of food and clothing might endure, he practiced con- servation, migrating if need be, to allow sufficient reproduction to take place. Fishing provided a goodly portion of the food needed. Spears were used; crude nets were employed; weirs of brush and twigs were fashioned in the streams to catch the fish. His knowledge of the habits of fish was good and sufficed to direct him in the catch. The agriculture of the aborigines of North America did not come from Europe. It is a result of the gradual development of a people who developed a civilization of their own. This is designated as a semi-civilization in many of the books on pre- historic times. The grains of the Old World are entirely absent. American agriculture centers around maize, an American plant. This is a wonderful crop so far as raising it is concerned. It was possible to find land suited to the crop in alluvial land in river bottoms. This soil was easily cultivated with the rude tools which they devised. The same fields were used year after year. The fertility of the soil was maintained by fertilizing with fish, or by annual inundations of the alluvial plains which were used, such as the one at Utica in the valley of the Illinois River or the one in the valley of the Rock River. 100 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY "The Indians for the most part, cultivate some maize, and are great reverers of this useful grain. As soon as the first ripe ears of maize are brought to the chief he institutes a grand feast where music and dance delight the company, and where the pipe of peace is industriously smoked. The benefits of maize to the white settlers are manifold. As soon as the ears have attained some maturity it furnishes a good healthy food. The ears are either boiled in water, or roasted by the fire. From its meal bread is prepared, and they make a porridge from it which, with milk, is an excellent dish. Besides this it is fed to all cattle, especially horses and pigs. Even its dry stalks are carefully preserved in stacks, to serve as fodder for horses and cattle during the winter." Ferdinand Ernst, September 25, 1919. The following account of corn is taken from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society for January, 1919. It pre- sents an excellent account of this grain which is a wonderful crop. The flowering of the corn and the shooting of the ears is one of the marvels of nature. As we gaze, we see .the hand of the Creator performing anew the miracle of feeding thousands with less than five loaves and two fishes. We see the abode of the clods of the valley made into the House of Bread ; abundance comes to take the place of want; wealth and opulence fill the room of pinching poverty. We should marvel not then, that the red man danced for joy when the green corn was fit for food. That the corn dance was expressive of his thankfulness to the great Spirit for his bounteous blessings. We should mar- vel indeed if civilized man did not thank God also for his bounty for the same cause. Look on the waving, ripening field, when the maple and oak leaves are turning red. Its tasseled plumes are waving jauntily the ensign of victory. Watch the bended caskets, bursting with golden fatness. The fulfilment of prom- ise, the reward of faith and intelligent effort. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 101 The Genesis of the corn plant is shrouded in the mystery of creation. It was called Indian corn probably by common consent and usage by the first white man who came in contact with it for the same reason that the Aborigines of this country were called Indians. Columbus started on his great western voyage with the purpose of sailing to India and having sailed till he reached the shore, he naturally imagined he had found India and called the wondering natives that he met, Indians and as they were the primitive farmers who were then raising corn, he naturally named it Indian corn. While the origin of the plant is surrounded by mystery, its actual existence as a food plant, is well authenticated by the records of the world, extending over many centuries. At the time of the discovery of America, its cultivation as a domestic cereal, was extensive over the whole western continent. It was among the first objects that attracted the attention of those who landed upon our shores. In A. D. 1002, it is recorded that Thor- wald, brother of Lief, saw wooden cribs for corn upon the Min- gen Island, and Karsefn in 1006 and Thorwald also saw and brought aboard their ship, ears of corn from the portion of land that is now called Massachusetts. Columbus found it cul- tivated extensively in Hayti on his first western voyage in 1492. In 1498 reported his brother having passed through eighteen miles of cornfields on the Isthmus. Magellan was able to sup- ply his ships with corn from Rio Janeiro in 1520 and after that American explorers mentioned this corn from Columbus' time to that of the arrival of the French at Montreal in 1535. De Soto landed in Florida in 1593 and speaks of fields of corn, beans and pumpkins that they found there in great abundance. In 1605, Champlain found fields of corn at the mouth of the Ken- nebec River and Hudson in 1609 saw a great quantity of maize along the river now known as the Hudson. Captain Miles Standish relates that when the Puritans landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, they found about five hun- 102 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY dred acres of ground that showed the evidence of a former corn crop and that later they discovered a cache where the crop was stored. It was this maize that carried the colony safely through the first long and dreary winter and when spring came, they began to plant the new plant themselves. "We set the last spring some twenty acres of Indian corne and sowed some six acres of barley and peas; our corne would prove well and God be praised, we had a good increase." We will note that Miles did not send the good John Alden, to plant this field or deputize him to write the report of it All of which proves that Miles Standish was a better and more efficient officer in the commis- sary department than he was a lover. The Indians at that time knew the value of applying fertilizers to their fields. In Mex- ico, they used ashes for this purpose ; the Peruvians used bird guano, gathered from the small islands off the coast and went so far as to protect the bird and assure the supply, by putting to death anyone who disturbed them during their nesting sea- son. The North American Indian, used dead fish as a fertilizer; the Plymouth colonist were taught by the Indians: "Both ye manner how to set your corne and after how to dress and tend it, and were also told, except they gather fish and set with ye corne in old grounds, it would come to nothing." This makes plain to us how hard it is now to raise a corn crop in classic old New England, compared with the fat fields of Illinois. The point of origin of this plant is left practically to an un- aided guess by the botanists based upon the characteristics of it and its apparent development. There is no doubt that Indian corn originated in America. At the discovery of the western hemisphere; it had been in cultivation so long, that many of its forms, had reached nearly the perfection they have today. There is the same difficulty in positively identifying its pro- genitor as in the case of many prehistoric vegetables now culti- vated for food by men. It probably originated in Paraguay, or HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 103 on the upper plateau of Mexico and subsequently developed into its present form and productive usefulness. Corn is so essential to the life and welfare of the native tribes of North America, that it has formed the basis of their religion; the subject of their songs, and the object of their prayers to deity. From Journal of Illinois State Historical Soc- iety, January 1919. The Red Man manufactured articles for domestic use and for commerce (barter). The calumet or peace pipe was per- fected in the land of the Dacotahs; arrow heads were imported from other regions when material was not at hand; weapons of war and chase were traded as occasion demanded or as opportunities offered. The tribes were sufficient unto them- selves if necessity demanded it for they could produce all that was required for their simple mode of life. Yet they were quick to take up new things when they were obtainable. While the bow and arrow are inferior to the rifle, in hunting it possesses the great virtue of silence. Among many tribes, arrow making was a trade, or profession, the manufacturer be- ing able to barter his goods for all that he needed for food, clothing, and luxuries. They used flint in Will County. Tumuli of the Aborigines produce arrow-heads of other materials but it is reasonable to suppose that these were brought or that the material was imported. One acre on East Washington Street, Joliet, on a point of the bluff south of Hickory Creek produced a cigar-box full of arrowheads after one ploughing in the spring, after it had been under cultivation fifty years. Did the arrow-maker have a factory on this hill? The American Indian as a manufacturer excelled in many things perhaps. But the outstanding accomplishment is the manufacture of arrow heads. Many accounts have been given to show how it was done. The favorite is that it was done by a chipping process under a drill of some kind. Just what the 104 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY drill was nobody seems to know. Sometimes it is called the flaking process but what this means is not clear. The process not spoken of in books but the one which seems to be the most nearly correct is that the flint was baked in oil to soften it. While in this condition it was easily worked with such tools as the workman had at his command. After it had been worked in this soft state it was exposed again to the air when occidation took place and changed it back to its original hardness. Fire pots have been discovered which indicate that something of this kind was known and that this process was used in making the arrow heads, spear heads, knives, and etc. Within six months, that is, during the year 1927-1928, an Indian chief from the Northwest, an educated man, and one who is worldly wise, was asked to explain the process of manufacture of arrow heads and spear heads. He said, "The making of arrow heads is a lost art. My judgment is that it was done by a process of heating in oil. Just what the oil was or what the process was, I do not know. Other Indians who have given it thought confirm my opinion." A hunter could shoot an arrow through the body of a buffalo. Such a weapon was formidable in battle as well as in the chase. The writer has seen Ute lads who had no trouble in shooting rabbits on the run. The western Jack is not a slow mover. The Indians resident in Will County were equally expert in manu- facturing and hunting. Arrow-maker — From Hiawatha. Only once his pace he slackened, Only once he paused or halted, Paused to purchase heads of arrows Of the ancient arrow-maker In the land of the Dacotahs, Where the Tales of Minnehaha HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 105 Flash and gleam among the oak trees, Laugh and leap into the valley. There the ancient Arrow-maker Made his arrow-heads of sandstone, Arrow-heads of chalcedony, Arrow-heads of flint and jasper, Smoothed and sharpened at the edges, Hard and polished, keen and costly. Wampum was the money of the Indians before they came in contact with the whites. Indeed, it prevailed long after the Europeans began to trade with the Natives because he was cautious, and shunned new things, excepting whiskey (fire- water). Wampum had but little intrinsic value and yet there was a real worth because it represented much labor. It was no easy task to make it with the crude tools of the Indian. Drill- ing was the most difficult because the shells approached the hardness of his drills. Much of this Indian money was used in Will County as well as in Illinois and the Nation. In 1821, the American Fur Company began to operate in Illinois. In that year wampum was valued at $5.50 per thousand beads. Since the dollar exceeded the value of the dollar of 1928 manyfold, one must not be misled. It would not be amiss to say that $100 per thousand would be correct for today. That year the Com- pany sent 2 D 100 pieces to Chicago to be used in buying furs. Five dozen scalping knives were valued at $1.20 per dozen. Duck shot was sold at 20 cents a pound. The Indian understood barter better than trading for cash. He would think of values in terms of furs, or wampum and then compare with the denominations used by white men. The art of pottery was known to all of the tribes who lived in Will County. It is interesting to have this explanation of the discovery of this art. Basket weaving had been developed. 106 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY In order to use it for cooking, it was necessary to protect it from the fire over which it was placed. The Indian woman daubed the outside with mud made from clay. After the fire had gone out she noticed burned pieces which had hardened. After many such experiences, and it is easy to imagine that once, when the mixing was thorough and the composition of clay and water was just right, such a covering may have come off without breaking. Behold a bowl, hard, impervious to water, and able to resist fire. From this it was easy to proceed to more elaborate forms and with the artistic taste, to ornamentation. "Among the most characteristic specimens of ancient Amer- ican pottery are the pipes. Some of these are simple bowls, smaller indeed, but otherwise not unlike a common every-day pipe, from which they differ in having generally no stem, the mouth having apparently been applied direct to the bowl. Many are highly ornamented, others are spirited representations of monsters or of animals, such as the beaver, otter, wild cat, elk, bear, wolf, panther, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, manatee, eagle, hawk, heron, owl, buzzard, raven, swallow, parroquet, duck, grouse, and many others. The most interesting of these, per- haps, is the manatee or lamantin, of which seven representa- tions have been found in mounds of Ohio. There are no mere rude sculptures, about which there might easily be a mistake but the truncated head, thick semi-circular snout, peculiar nos- trils, turned, furrowed upper lip, singular feet or fins and re- markable moustaches, are all distinctly marked and render the recognition of the animal complete. This curious animal is not at present found nearer than the coast of Florida, a thous- and miles away." (From "Prehistoric Times" by Sir John Lub- bock.) The huts of the Mandans was circular in form thirty, forty, or even sixty feet in diameter, the diameter being determined by the length of the timbers available. The earth was dug out HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 107 to a depth of two feet. When thrown out about the pit it raised the surface considerable. This was roofed over with a frame- work of timbers over which was placed a layer of willow boughs. Over these was placed a layer of earth, the dome being covered with wet clay which was quite impervious to water. Those who have seen sod-houses on the western plains or the adobe huts of the southwest will readily understand this construction. These houses were clean and sweet-smelling, or foul and nasty according to the habits of the wives and mothers. This description is inserted here because it suggests the plans for the "pits" on the Fisher site, in southern Will County, excavated by Mr. Langford. (See Aborigines). The Walla Walla Indians of Columbia made their homes by digging a hole eight or ten feet deep and covering it over with poles. Brush was put on the poles and the whole was covered with a thick layer of dirt which sloped outward to shed water. An opening was left at one side for a door through which they descended on a ladder made of a forked stick or by notching a pole if a branched one could not be found. Dead pines were quite easily found. These could be trimmed so that branches served as steps to the ladder. Ten or dozen or more people lived in this hole. Little fire was needed for warmth and not much more for cooking because they liked salmon raw. This dwelling refuted the modern notions about ventilation for these were a vigorous people. Who shall say that Mr. Langf ord's "pits" on the Fisher site were not houses like these? The Hodenosote of the Sacs is given here as it is given in Armstrong's book on the Black Hawk War. Since this tribe lived within the bounds of Will County at times and migrated through on the Sauk (Sac) Trail going east to Detroit and re- turning, each year, it is directly related to our history: "Sau- kenuk was not a mere aggregation of wigwams and tepees, but a permanent Indian abode, composed of the large bark-covered 108 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY long houses known as ho-deno-so-tes, ranging from 30 to 100 feet in length and 16 to 40 feet in width. Many of them were the home of an entire gens, comprising the families of the grandparents, children, and grandchildren, their husbands, wives and children. They were built and constructed of poles for framework and bark for covering. In shape they resembled our arbors. Selecting saplings of proper size and length, they felled, trimmed, and sharpened the lower ends and sunk them into the ground in two straight rows, equidistant apart. The distance between these lines or rows of poles were regulated according to the taste of the builders and length of their poles. The size of the hodenosote was governed by the number of persons it was intended to shelter and accommodate. Having firmly imbedded the lower ends of these saplings or poles in two lines at interims of about four feet, their tops were in- clined to the center meeting and lapping at the desired height. They were securely lashed together with strips of strong, tough bark or hickory withes. When this was completed, other sap- lings were cut and split into equal halves and laid transversely upon these upright poles, commencing near the ground and upward at about three feet apart, lashing them fast to each in- tersection with throngs of deerskin or bark until the center or top was reached. This being done, they had a substantial framework upon which to rest their bark casing or weather boarding. For this purpose they obtained large blocks or bark — usually from elm trees, cutting it to the proper length and straightening the edges so they should meet and leave little or no cracks. These pieces of bark were laid upon the frame work and securely bound to it by cutting small holes in the bark and running throngs of buckskin through them and tying them around a perpendicular or horizontal pole in the framework. At both ends of the framework poles were set in the ground, extending up to its intersection with the end arch and securely fastened thereto, and placing poles horizontally thereon for the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 109 bark covering, leaving a doorway of about three feet in width in the center at each end, lashing a cross-piece at a distance of about six feet above the ground and covering the framework of the ends with bark, thus leaving an open doorway at each end of the hodenosote. This was closed by hanging the well- tanned skin of the buffalo from the cross-piece above and ex- tending to the ground." This building was occupied by an entire gens or kin and could accommodate sixteen families. The fire served four fam- ilies thus conserving fuel. Smoke escaped through openings in the roof. These houses were fairly windproof and contained fires but they were cold. Since the Indians migrated southward to Missouri for winter hunting, this was not so bad because they afforded sufficient heat for spring, summer, and autumn. As a rule, not all of the compartments were occupied, so the extra ones were used for storage purposes. Their beds were spread upon elastic poles whose ends were supported upon cross-pieces. Furs and peltrees were abund- ant so that the occupants were able to rest with comfort. The wigwam was the prevailing type of house with Indians of the prairies, and was used much in Will County tribes, at Channahon, Twelve Mile Grove (Wallingford), and Plainfield, where they had good sized towns. Southern Will County along the Kankakee, had the same house. It was easily constructed from material at hand, a few poles, and skins which were abun- dant while buffalo were found. It is interesting to know that in July 1928, the same wigwam was used by Indians in Northern Michigan, using canvas in place of skins. This was a region where lumber is cheap and other building material is obtained readily. Yet, the Red Men, who were living among the Whites and were schooled in the things which are taught to our own children, reverted to the simpler dwelling. The food of the Red Man included the products of the hunt as well as the fish which abounded in lakes and streams. Pol- 110 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY lution was unknown and the scattered population never ex- hausted the supply of fish. He conserved game by moving to new hunting grounds and by warfare which kept other tribes out of his area. Their crops of corn and pumpkins was supple- mented by wild fruits in season. Acorns were abundant and were the principal food among some western tribes. Wild rice was known and used. Grass-hopper meal was a nourishing food made by drying the insects and grinding them in a rude mortar. Boiled duck eggs, about ready to hatch were considered a great delicacy by the Winnebagoes and the Sacs, and Foxes. Indians traveled in single file. This custom is prevalent among those now living on reservations in the West, even those who have been quite thoroughly trained in the government schools. One can easily see how this would be the mode of travel because they followed paths made by moving herds of buffalo, deer, and elk. A war party of two or three hundred warriors moving in single file would leave a well-worn path devoid of sod. Rains coming after such a passage would wash out a trench where there was any considerable slope. Succeed- ing showers would soon make a gully which would not make a comfortable roadway. The next party which came along would follow parallel to this first trail thus making a double roadway. The routes of these trails was always the shortest road be- tween the ends of the journey. This resulted from the use of the trails left by the wild animals. Instinct guided them in the shortest route, swerving aside for major obstacles, only. The Sauk trail is one most clearly marked through Will County. The Sacs and Foxes travelled this route in their yearly journey from their town on the Mississippi to Maiden, Canada, whither they went to get their annuities from the English gov- ernment. Men, women, and children made the trip, taking household outfits and wigwams on the pole drags fastened to the backs of ponies. They left a broadroad well beaten by many feet. This route came in from the west through Kendall Coun- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 111 ty reaching the Des Plaines River just below Joliet where shal- low waters made fording easy. After crossing the river, it followed the higher land along Hickory Creek to the present Lincoln Highway. This concrete slab follows the trail eastward along what is now known as Ridgeroad and around Lake Michigan and then on eastward. The ridge (Ridgeroad) was & buffalo trail made by the herds in their migrations, thus estab- lishing a hardened surface free from vegetation and affording good going for man on foot. Thus was established the route which is maintained by the most highly developed road known to man, the concrete slab. Illinois route number 22 from the Fox River Valley to the Kankakee follows quite closely the trail used by the Indians. The concrete road down the valley of the Illinois River is an- other route used by the Indians. Their trails became our roads in many places. A recent bulletin from the American Geographic Society (1928) notes a remarkable revolutionary change in the folk customs of the American Indian, the most striking in 500 years. "Practically all of the wild horses of the West came from the few animals which escaped from the army of Cortez in Mexico, between 1520 and 1530, or from the still fewer horses that De Soto's adventures left on the west of the Mississippi in 1542. Although horses had lived in North America in prehistoric times, as shown by fossil bones, none had existed on the con- tinent for many thousands of years when Europeans first landed. "The Indian lived without the help of domestic animals save the dog. When he moved, he w T ent on foot. As a result, both the hunting and agricultural Indians lived in semi-permanent villages; and the hunters did not range over a large territory. "But when the escaped Spanish horses had multiplied and began to appear in herds on the western prairies, the Indians caught them, tamed them, and began hunting the buffalo from 112 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY horseback. Soon they adopted a roving life, following the herds on horseback until their winter's supply of meat was obtained and cured. This movement over a greater territory brought the tribes into regions previously recognized as the abode of other tribes, and war followed. The western tribes soon were in a continual state of warfare, for which the horse was largely responsible. "So rapidly did the herds of horses increase 'mustangs', they came to be called, that they were in a fair way to equal the buffalo in numbers. The advance of civilization and the fencing of the prairies put an end to their increase, however, and in late decades they have run wild in relatively few regions in the least-settled parts of such states as Nebraska, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. "There is nothing more mysterious or more respected among Indians than the calumet. Less honor is paid to the crowns and scepters of kings than the savages bestow upon this. It seems to be the God of peace and of war, the arbiter of life and of death. It has but to be carried upon one's person and displayed, to enable one to walk safely through the midst of enemies, who, in the hottest of the fight lay down their arms when it is shown. For that reason, the Illinois gave me one to serve as a safe guard among all the nations through whom I had to pass during my voyage. There is a calumet for peace and one for war, which are distinguished solely by the color of the feathers with which they are adorned; red is a sign of war. They also use it to put an end to their disputes, to strengthen their alliances, and to speak to strangers. It is fashioned from red stone, polished like marble, and bored. The calumet, or pipe of peace, was a Pass and Safe Conduct among all of the Indians of North America. It is a large tobacco pipe made of red, or black, or white marble. The stem was a hollow reed of considerable size, decorated with feathers intermingled with locks of hair from the head of a woman. They were sure that great misfortune would come to HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 113 them if they violated the public faith of this emblem. No scepter of any other people has had such a high respect over so vast a territory. Joliet and Marquette carried a calumet presented to them by Sacs and Foxes in Wisconsin. It functioned among the so-called fierce tribes along the lower Mississippi far re- moved from the source and speaking a different language. Would that we had such a symbol for the nations of whites of earth ! "The Indians were stoics, trained to suppress their emotions, and schooled to an extreme dignity of bearing in public life and especially before strangers. At home and at ease, they were talkative and good-natured and fond of jokes. Hunting and fighting were strenuous things with them. Nevertheless be- tween times the men relaxed and spent much time in games, such as ball, or with quiet guessing games, or games of chance similar to dice. The women labored more steadily having much drudgery in the regular routine of preparing skins for clothing, in preserving meats, in cultivating crops and gathering fruits. Yet they found much time for gossip. Newspapers and tele- phones were unknown, but gossip carried far and traveled swiftly. "The Indian nature was characterized by 'Hearne thus/ Imperturbility in all situations is one of the most striking and general traits of the Indian character. To still his muscles to resist the expression of all emotion, seems to be the point of attainment; and this is particularly observed on public occa- sions. Neither fear nor joy are permitted to break this trained equanimity. Even among relations it is not customary to in- dulge in warm greetings. The pride and stoicism of the hunter forbid it. The pride of the wife, who has been made the crea- ture of rough endurance, also forbids it." Another remarkable evidence is found in the Algonquin language. Elliott who translated the Bible for them in 1661, 8— VOL. 1 114 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY found it necessary to coin a word for "love" because their language had no word to express it Another writer calls attention to the fact that he found the Cree Indians swearing in French because their language con- tained no oaths. The writer (editor) does not give credence to this lack of affection and lack of emotions. Stoicism was a fixed attribute but the suppression of the emotion does not indicate its ab- sence. Authentic instances are on record where the father accepted the death penalty to redeem the son; others where a warrior suffered death in conflict to save the life of his chum. School craft records, as an illustration of their affectionate dis- position that he "once saw a Fox Indian on the banks of the Mississippi near whose wigwam I had, unnoticed by him, wan- dered, take up his male infant in his arms, and several times kiss it." The following account of the reception of Father Marquette in a village of the Illinois is typical : "At the door of the cabin in which we were to be received was an old man, who awaited us in a rather surprising attitude, which constitutes a part of the ceremonial that they observe when they receive strangers. This man stood erect, and stark naked, with his hands extended and lifted toward the sun, as if he wished to protect himself from its rays, which nevertheless shone upon his face through his fingers. When we came near him, he paid us this compli- ment: 'How beautiful the sun is, Frenchman, when thou comest to visit us ! All our village awaits thee, and thou shalt enter all our cabins in peace/ Having said this, he made us enter his own, in which were a crowd of people: they devoured us with their eyes, but, nevertheless, observed profound silence. We could, however, hear these words, which were addressed to us from time to time in a low voice : 'How good it is, my broth- ers, that you should visit us/ " HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 115 After we had taken our places, the usual civility of the coun- try was paid to us, which consisted in offering us the calumet. This must not be refused, unless one wishes to be considered an enemy, or at least uncivil; it suffices that one makes a pre- tense of smoking. While all the elders smoked after us, in order to do us honor, we received an invitation on behalf of the great captain of all the Illinois to proceed to his village where he wished to hold a council with us. We went thither in a large company, for all these people, who had never seen any Frenchmen among them, could not cease looking at us. They lay on the grass along the road ; they preceded us, and then re- traced their steps to come and see us again. All this was done noiselessly, and with marks of great respect for us. When we reached the village of the great captain, we saw him in the entrance of his cabin, between two old men, all three erect and naked, and holding their calumet turned toward the sun. He harangued us in a few words, congratulating us upon our arrival. He afterward offered us his calumet, and made us smoke while we entered his cabin, where we received all their usual kind attentions. Seeing all assembled and silent, I spoke to them by four presents that I gave to them. By the first, I told them that we were journeying peacefully to visit the nations dwelling on the river as far as the sea. By the second, I announced to them that God, who had created them, had pity on them inasmuch as, after they had so long been ignorant of him, he wished to make himself known to all his peoples; that I was sent by Him for that purpose; and that it was for them to acknowledge and obey him. By the third, I said that the great captain of the French informed them that he it was who restored peace every- where ; and that he had subdued the Iroquois. Finally, by the fourth, we begged them to give us all the information that they had about the sea, and the nations through whom we must pass to reach it. 116 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY When I had finished, the captain arose and resting his hand upon the head of a little slave whom he wished to give us, he spoke thus, 'I thank thee, Black Gown, and thee, Frenchman/ addressing himself to Monsieur Joliet, 'for having taken so much trouble to come to visit us. Never has the earth been so beautiful, or the sun so bright as today; never has our river been so calm or so clear of rocks, which your canoes have re- moved in passing; never has our tobacco tasted so good, or our corn appeared so fine, as we now see them. Here is my son whom I give thee to show thee my heart. I beg thee to have pity on me, and on all my nation. It is thou who knowest the Great Spirit who has made us all. It is thou who speakest to him and who hearest his word. Beg Him to give me life and health, and to come and dwell with us, in order to make us know him.' Having said this, he placed the little slave near us, and gave us a second present, consisting of an altogether mysterious calumet, upon which they place more value than upon a slave. By this gift he expressed to us the esteem that he had for Monsieur Our Governor, from the account which we had given of him; and by a third, he begged us on behalf of all his nation not to go farther, on account of the great dangers to which we exposed ourselves. The council was followed by a great feast, consisting of four dishes, which had to be partaken of in accordance with all their fashions. The first course was a great wooden platter full of sagamite, that is to say, meal of Indian corn boiled in water and seasoned with fat. The master of ceremonies filled a spoon with sagamite three or four times and put it to my mouth as if I were a little child. He did the same to Monsieur Joliet. As a second course, he caused a second platter to be brought on which were three fish. He took some pieces of them, removed the bones therefrom, and after blowing upon them, to cool them put them in our mouths as one would give food to a bird. For the third course, they brought a large dog, that had just been HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 117 killed; but, when they learned that we did not eat this meat they removed it from before us. Finally the fourth course was a piece of wild ox, the fattest morsels of which were placed in our mouths. After this feast, we had to visit the whole village which consisted of fully 300 cabins. While we walked through the streets an orator continually harangued to oblige all the people to come to see us without annoying us. Everywhere we were presented with bells, garters, and other articles made of the hair of bears and cattle, dyed red, yellow, and gray." (From The Jesuit Relations — Thwaites.) The religion of the Red Man was well advanced. It had passed in monotheism of considerable spiritual life. He was in- clined to worship through symbols. "The Indian lived in a world of terror, surrounded, as they imagined themselves by these manitous, and their lives were struggles to appease the manitou beings and to bribe or compel them to give aid and not to harm. The Indians trap would not catch animals and his bow would not shoot trice unless he had the good will of their manitous; hence to both, offerings had to be made, and in the same way the wind, water, and all forces of nature had to be propitiated. In every project of his life the Indian be- lieved himself watched and warned by special protectors, who communicated with him by means of dreams and omens the disregard of which was sure to be attended with the most dis- astrous consequences. To this belief can be attributed much of the seemingly illogical conduct of individuals and the fickle- ness and wavering purposes of tribes. A dream, the cry of a bird, the unexpected appearance of some animal, would seem to the Indian a direct revelation and order from a supernatural power. In the midst of this world filled with inanimate objects possessed of some magic power man was helpless without the support and aid of some personal manitou. Hence the principal 118 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY spiritual experience of the Indian occurred when he won the control of some power as a personal guide. At the age of pub- erty, the boy withdrew to an isolated place and purified him- self by vomiting, bathing, and fasting; he then worked himself into a trancelike state by dancing and often by using drugs, until some manitou appeared and promised to be his guardian. The missionaries attributed their success in converting the Illinois to Christianity to the fact that these prairie Indians be- lieved in a greater manitou, identified by the missionaries as the "Great Spirit". Father Allouez in 1665 wrote, "I have learned that the Ilinoulk, the Outagami (Foxes) and other sav- ages toward the south hold that there is a great and excellent genius, master of all the rest, who made Heaven and Earth; and who dwells, they say, in the East toward the country of the French." In such language the Christian spiritualized the crude creation myth of the central Algonquins; this "great and excellent genius" of Allouez was simply their culture hero, the fabulous great rabbit who had some association with the sun; he it was who created by magic power the earth, covered it with game, and taught his people various crafts. . He accom- plished his purposes by his magical powers, his trickery, and his powers of deception. The explanation of the great rabbit, the Gitchi Manitou, is to be sought in the Indian's child-like fondness of explaining the origin of objects by a myth rather than a spiritual significance." (From "Centennial History of Illinois" Alvord.) The following account from "The Black Hawk War" by Hon. Perry A. Armstrong, is illuminating. He says, "When Colonel Lawrence came to Rock Island and began the erection of Fort Armstrong, May 12, 1816, not only the Sauks, as shown by Black Hawk's statement in the former chapter, but all the Indian tribes of that vicinity were alarmed at the action of our Government in thus building a fort on Rock Island, and were ready to resent this action. The feeling of HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 119 reverence for the Good Spirit, which Black Hawk says inhabited the cave under Fort Armstrong, which 'was white, with long wings like a swan's but ten times larger' extended alike to the Foxes, Pottawattamies and Winnebagoes. Following the ancient Israelites, of whom these Indians were a prototype, this cave was holy ground, whereon they dare not tread with shodden feet, nor approach in unclean garments. To their un- tutored minds this Spirit of the Cave was more than a mere gibbering, chattering, sightless ghost. It had a real, corporeal, tangible existence. Hence, they were very indignant at what they deemed a species of sacrilege manifested by the whites in building their fort over the cave." Among the Sacs and Foxes, as well as other tribes all food was held in common in the gens. Each could use what he wished for his own use and for his family. However, he was not permitted to sell any part of it or give it to an outsider. An exception was made to strangers. It was considered a crime to refuse food to a stranger. James Adair, writing of the Indians of Will County and the Illinois basin in 1775, said, "They are so hospitable, kind-hearted and free that they would share with those of their own tribe the last part of their own provisions, even to a single ear of corn, and to others, if they called when they were eating, for they have no stated meal time. An open, generous temper is a standing virtue among them; to be narrow-hearted, especial- ly to those in want, or to any of their family, is accounted a great crime, and to reflect scandal on the rest of the tribe." "A sauk, when traveling in his own country, if but to an- other village than his own, inquired for a hodenosote of his own gens. If he did not find it, he inquired for one of his own gentes or phratry, and finding it he was kindly received, though he had never seen a single member of the household. He was welcome to all he needed in the way of refreshments and rest. "They had their State House of Sanedrian, corresponding with 120 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the Jewish Sanhedrin, where the head men and chiefs convened to consider public affairs, and where, at other times, the people met to sing, dance, feast and rejoice in the Presence of the Good Spirit. If a stranger called there, he received a hearty wel- come and kind treatment." Accumulation of wealth was unknown among the Red Men. Their mode of life did not call for a medium of exchange such as we have in our money. True, they had wampum or shell money but there was little need of it because most exchanges were by barter. The arrow-maker had need of a medium since he could not have used all that came to him by direct barter. Experts were few, however. Communism prevailed among all of the tribes of Will County, and food, clothing, implements of war and chase were shared freely. Each warrior was able to make his own weapons and thus could expend as much time upon finish and ornament as his inclination and skill permitted. In this way, individual pieces often acquired unusual value and became heirlooms. The custom of burying the belongings with the dead, prevailed so that the personal property passed with each death. In the account of the long houses, we saw that each was at liberty to use any part of the stores for his individual needs. The women (squaws) were rarely the enslaved beings pictured in most school histories. One must recall that respect for womankind is the surest and best evidence of civilization. Among a barbarous people one would not look for that gallant consideration which we experience among our own people to- day. The women ruled the households and woe unto him who failed to provide. This quotation is to the point here, "The wo- men governed the hodenosote, and while their stores were in common, each adult was expected to contribute their labor and skill towards keeping the hodenosote in supply of food, and woe to the luckless husband or lover who was too shiftless to do his share of the providing. No matter how many children or HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 121 whatever goods he might have in the house, he might, at any time, be ordered to pick up his blanket and budge, and, after such orders, it would not be healthful for him to attempt to disobey." Rev. Jesse Walker had charge of the Des Plaines Mission in 1829, and started the first class at Walker's Grove south of the present village of Plainfield. Here was an Indian village of a thousand people of the Pottawatomie tribe. These were a peaceful people, kindly disposed and friendly with the whites at all times. When they were under the influence of whiskey they were apt to be troublesome, just as whites were trouble- some and uncertain. The following quotation from a history of Will County gives an interesting account of a custom of this tribe, "They set apart a certain number of their women as council women whose duty it was, whenever the head men held a council, to sit in an inner circle, listen silently to all that was said, and record, in their memories, the decisions arrived at by their lords. They were not allowed to speak in the council, or to gossip about it among themselves or with others, and only to speak when called upon officially in relation to any matter thus recorded. It is said that these women were highly esteemed by the tribe, and were selected with great care, a fact which we can readily believe, for they must have been possessed of rare and admirable quali- ties." A test of character (religion?) is found in the stand which a person takes for principle, or honor. The following illustration is taken from Shaubena's memories. It is an interesting account of Indian honor and his sacred word : In the spring of 1833 two young Pottawatomi Indians, named To-qua-mee and Co-mee, were indicted by the court at Ottawa for being concerned in the Indian Creek massacre. Sylvia and Rachel Hall, the Indian captives who had been carried away by the Indians and after- ward released testified that they knew these Indians, having 122 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY seen them at their father's house at different times, and saw them on the day of the massacre, in company with the murder- ers. On this testimony these Indians were arrested and bound over to court, six chiefs belonging to different bands, among whom was Shaubena, giving bonds for their appearance. At the appointed time the bondsmen and prisoners were on hand, but the time of holding court having been changed, they were not tried. The prisoners, thinking they would not be wanted at court, a short time afterward went west with their band. George E. Walker being at that time Sheriff of La Salee County, it became his duty to hunt up and bring back the prisoners. Walker was an Indian trader and understood the Pottawatomis language, was acquainted with the prisoners, and had much influence with the band to which they belonged. Therefore he went alone in search of the runaways and found them west of the Mississippi River, far out in the Indian coun- try. On arriving at their home a council of warriors was called, at which they decided that the accused should accompany Walker to Ottawa, and stand trial in accordance with the bonds. The two Indians bade farewell to their friends, telling them they would never meet again, as they expected to be executed on their arrival in Ottawa, and, to all appearances, were re- conciled to their fate. For many days the Sheriff with his prisoners traveled together through the Indian country, camp- ing out at night and all sleeping under the same blanket. Some- times the Indians would go off on a hunt to supply the camp with food, and could have made their escape at any time, but they had pledged their honor to accompany Walker to Ottawa, and not even the preservation of their lives could induce them to forfeit it. At all times the Sheriff was in their power, and it would have been an easy matter to have killed him and re- turned to their people without fear of being sought after; but such is Indian honor. On reaching Rock Island the Indians requested Walker to stay behind out of their company, so peo- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 123 pie would not know that they were under arrest, and in this way they passed through an Indian encampment. As Sheriff Walker was returning with his prisoners on the old Sac and Fox trail, they were met by Peter Demot, an old pioneer hunter who had been many years among the Indians. The party were mounted on ponies with rifles on their shoulders, the Sheriff leading the way and the prisoners following after in single file. Demot recognized To-qua-mee as an old friend with whom he had hunted two years before, and was pleased to meet him again. To-qua-mee appeared dejected in spirits, telling his friend that he was on his way to Ottawa to die, say- ing he was willing to be shot as a brave, but disliked to be hung by the neck like a dog. Court came on, the Indians were tried, and during the trial there was great excitement in Ottawa as the friends of the murdered families collected around the court room with rifles in their hands, threatening to shoot the prisoners if liberated. There was no jail in Ottawa at the time, and the Sheriff was obliged to guard the prisoners with a posse of men to prevent them being assassinated by those seeking revenge. At the trial, Sheriff Walker testified that he never gave the prisoners any encouragement that they would be acquitted and their strict regard for their honor in delivering themselves up voluntarily for trial, caused many to believe them innocent. When the prisoners came into court, To-qua-mee's face was painted in such a way that the scar which formed an import- ant feature could not be seen, and Co-mee's phiz was in so many colors that the two Misses Hall could not swear positively to the identity of either of them, consequently they were acquitted."— From "Memories of Shaubena." This great chief, Shaubena, was born in a Pottawatomie village in 1775 or 1776, in the southern part of Will County on the Kankakee River, in what is now Wesley Township. His father was of the Ottawa tribe and came from Michigan in 124 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 1766. In infancy, Shaubena went with his parents to Canada, staying at an Indian village east of Detroit where they lived until he was seven years of age when they returned to his na- tive village in Will County and grew to manhood there. He married the daughter of a Pottawatomie chief named Spotka who had a village on the Illinois a short distance above the Fox River. Shaubena succeeded this chief at his death a few years later. "Soon after Shaubena became chief, the band left the Illinois River on account of sickness, and made a new home thirty miles north of their old one at a grove of timber now in De Kalb County where they were found in the early settlement of the county. This grove, which still bears the name of the chief, is a fine belt of timber near the head waters of the Big Indian Creek, and surrounded by high rolling prairie. Here, at this grove was a good spring, a sugar camp, an excellent place for cornfields, the country healthy and abounding in game. At this grove the band lived nearly a half century, and, accord- ing to the statement of their chief, they were a happy people." As a young man, Shaubena was employed as a guide and interpreter for two Ottawa priests who were missionaries. In this capacity he traveled extensively over the West and made the acquaintance of many chiefs, among whom was Tecumseh. In 1810 Tecumseh appeared in the West to form an alliance for warring on the frontier settlements. He visited Black Partridge, Comas, Senachwine, and Coma all of whom were known to the Indians who lived within the present confines of Will County. Senachwine's name appears upon many deeds to land because he was the chief of the tribe which held much land here. None of these joined Tecumseh. Later in the summer, Tecumseh appeared at the Indian vill- age of Shaubena while they were playing ball. On the follow- ing day a favorite dog was killed to make a feast for the visit- ors. Shaubena traveled with Tecumseh to the Illinois villages and journeyed as far north as Green Bay and Prairie du Chien. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 125 The following year they went into the southern states to secure allies, reaching as far down as the Gulf Coast. Tecumseh was an orator who carried conviction when he spoke and secured action favorable to his plans. Shaubena was influenced by him and won over to his cause. He served with his hero, Tecumseh, until his death. This was Shaubena's last effort against the whites for he became the friend and helper in every opportunity to befriend them. He could be relied upon in case of trouble. In the summer of 1827, Winnebago chiefs came to Shau- bena's village to get him to join in the war which was impend- ing and which, later, was known as the Black Hawk war. Shau- bena and his warriors listened to the speeches in favor of a union. In reply, he said "In my youthful days I have seen large herds of buffalo on these prairies, and elk were found in every grove; but they are here no more, having gone toward the setting sun. For hundreds of miles no white men lived; but now trading posts and settlers are found here and there throughout the country, and in a few years the smoke from their cabins will be seen to ascend from every grove, and the prairies covered with their cornfields. Like elk and buffalo, the red man must leave the land of his youth, and find a new home in the far West. The armies of the whites are without number, like the sands of the sea, and ruin will follow all tribes that go to war with them." Af ter these talks, all of his warriors voted to remain at peace. Soon after this incident Shaubena and one companion went to Big Foot Lake, the home of Chief Big Foot, now Lake Ge- neva, to consult with him. After some heated discussion, Shau- bena was taken prisoner, bound, and confined to a wigwam un- der guard. A council was called by Chief Big Foot who wished to kill the prisoners. The warriors refused to concede to his demand and the prisoner was released with his horse and all of his belongings. He left at once, but not until a warrior cau- 126 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY tioned him to hasten because Big Foot intended to follow to kill him. Shaubena had a good horse and managed to reach Chi- cago ahead of his pursuer. From this time on, he was active for the whites, informing them of danger and directing their escape. In the summer of 1833, the Fox River settlers were warned by Shaubena's son, Pypegee, and his nephew, Pyps. The set- tlers were panic stricken and left their homes for Fort Beggs at Plainfield. The following account is taken from "Shaubena's Memories": "The settlers at Plainfield being so far away from other frontier settlements, were not notified by Shaubena of the commencement of hostilities, and were surprised when the in- habitants from Fox River came fleeing from the dreaded enemy, crying, Indians! Indians V Some of the fugitives were in wagons; some on horseback, others on foot; many of them were bareheaded and barefooted, having left everything behind in their flight. On arriving at Plainfield they concluded to build a tempo- rary fortification and remain here during the war. The cabin of Rev. S. R. Beggs was selected, and around it they erected barricades constructed of fence rails, logs from outbuildings, etc., and by way of courtesy, called it Fort Beggs. Here in this temporary fortification, without arms or means of defense, the settlers remained a number of days. But when the people of Chicago heard of their exposed condition they raised a company of twenty-five mounted rangers, and thirty friendly Indians, un- der the command of Captain Naper, and came to their rescue. On the following day Captain Naper, with his rangers, went on a scout through the Fox River settlement in search of In- dians, while David Lawton, with the friendly Indians, agreed to visit the Big Woods (now Aurora) and meet at the cabin of George Hollenback, where he expected to meet Captain Naper, with the rangers. But instead of meeting friends, he found himself surrounded by about a hundred hostile Indians, who HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 127 took him prisoner, and threatened to put him to death. Lawton had been with the Indians a number of years, married a squaw and by her obtained from the Government a reservation of land near the present site of Yorkville. After a long parley, and through the intercession of his Indian friends, Lawton was lib- erated, and as soon as free he and his companions put their horses on a gallop for Plainfield. After stopping there a few moments, they continued their flight to Chicago. Lawton be- lieved that the rangers under Captain Naper were killed, as they did not meet him according to agreement. He said the country was full of Indians, and the fort, in all probability, would be attacked that night, advising the settlers to leave it immediately and flee to Chicago. This report of Lawton caused a great panic among the settlers; some were in favor of going in a body to Chicago, others thought best to scatter through the woods, but a majority decided to remain in the fort and defend it if attacked. Bonfires were built and kept burning all night around the fort, so that the Indians could be seen if they approached it. James Walker was elected captain of the party, and all remained at their post expecting to be attacked during the night, but no enemy appeared. Two days after this panic, Captain Naper with his company of rangers returned to Fort Beggs and reported the Indian Creek massacre, and of the Indians burning houses and killing stock all through the settlements. Under the escort of the rangers, the settlers left Fort Beggs the next morning for Chicago and reached their destination without being molested. It is said that the Indians lay in ambush at the crossing of Flag Creek, but on finding the settlers accompanied by an armed force, abandoned the intended attack." CHAPTER VI. INDIAN TREATIES AFFECTING LANDS IN THE PRESENT WILL COUNTY. PURPOSE OP THESE TREATIES— RIGHTS OF THE INDIAN— KINDS OF TREATIES —PURCHASE OF LANDS— IMPORTANT TREATIES— AS AFFECTING DIFFER- ENT TRIBES— TREATIES AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN— THE VILLAGE OF CHI- CAGO IN 1833 — "FIRE WATER"— TREATY BENEFICIARIES Mr. J. Seymour Currey in his recent history of Chicago, sets forth the purpose of these treaties in the following con- cise words: "From the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, there was a series of Indian treaties extending over thir- ty-eight years, particularly affecting the region of Illinois. Some of these treaties were merely declarations, of friendship, others provided for territorial cessions, while some renewed the conditions of former treaties and included as participants additional tribes. The provisions of these treaties were often not clear to the ignorant chiefs, who, after the agreement was made and ratified, would raise objections and demand another council. The Government would then frame up a new treaty, including the former provisions as well as added ones, and again the chiefs were gathered to sign away, usually unwit- tingly, still more of what remained to them. The odds were all against them with their unstable conditions of land tenure, their ignorance and barbarity on the one side, and the keen, often unscrupulous wits of the Government agents on the other side. Finally came the Treaty of Chicago in 1833 which pro- vided for their removal to the west. It was long before the 128 PUBLIC LIBRARY, JOLIET, ILL. CHAMBER OP COMMERCE, JOLIET, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 129 significance of this agreement came home to them, and they realized but slowly the seriousness of the Great Father's in- tention to send them away from their dwellings to new lands." (Journal of Illinois State Historical Society.) Another writer has said that divergent views must be ex- pressed regarding the rights of the Indians so long as his- torians continue to write. He said: "It is very easy to espouse the cause of the Indian as the proprietor of the soil, the child of the forest and of the plains, cheated by dishonest and un- scrupulous government agents, with the use of whiskey and the gaudy and attractive wares and merchandise that resulted in the United States securing title to an empire for a few cents an acre. "And, on the other hand, to remember the Indian as the vices of the white man's civilization had made him, and to then conclude, that, after all, the requirements of civilization and progress — the survival of the fittest — made it a foregone con- clusion that he must pass away." (Frank R. Grover — Journal of Illinois Historical Society.) In the history of Will County we are interested especially in the treaties which made the Red Men move on toward the setting sun. The villages at Plainfield, Channahon, Twelve Mile Grove (Wallingford and Wilton Center) were important settlements for the natives and we have a natural desire to know what caused them to be abandoned. Hence we shall give those treaties which seem to bear on our territory. Trea- ties were of three kinds. First, to secure peace with the In- dians; second, to secure peace between hostile tribes and third, to secure cessions of land. The Treaty of Greenville in 1795, did not relate to territory in Will County but it started movements of settlers which had a bearing later, upon the early history. The Treaty of 1804, at Saint Louis, was with the Sacs and Foxes who were closely related to Indian history in our coun- 9__VOL. 1 130 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY try. Black Hawk claimed that the chiefs who signed were leaders in warfare but were not authorized to sign for their people at home. The disputes about this were the chief cause of Black Hawk's war. The Treaty of August 24, 1816, at Saint Louis was with the Ottawa, Chippewas and Pottawattomies. By it, these tribes ceded a strip twenty miles wide along the Chicago River, from Lake Michigan, southwestward including the Chicago Portage and thence along the Des Plaines River. This was secured to facilitate the building of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. It permitted the Indians to hunt and fish within the ceded terri- tory so long as the land remained the property of the United States. The next treaty we note is that of August 29, 1821, at Chi- cago. Pottawattomies, Ottawas, and Chippewas were present. At this gathering, the Pottawattomie chief, Matea, made his eloquent address from which many quotations have been made by writers on Indian history. Five million acres were purchased for a few hundred dollars. The next treaty was at Prairie du Chien on August 19, 1825, with the Sioux, Chippewas, Sacs and Foxes; Menomines, Iowas, Winnebagoes, Ottawas, and Pottawattomies. This treaty differed from the usual ones because its primary pur- pose was not to secure land from the natives. The fifteen arti- cles of the treaty dealt exclusively with fixing the boundaries and respective rights of hunting, provided for enduring peace between the tribes, and removed all causes of difficulty by hav- ing the United States settle everything. The tribes were sup- posed to acknowledge the controlling power of the United States and to give them what they deemed proper, if any trouble. Since our Government had done that in all preceding difficul- ties and continued the policy as long as there was any Indian problem, the simple native did not sign away any privileges. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 131 Mr. Schoolcraft, an Indian agent at that time at the Sault wrote an account of this treaty. He said, "We finally left Mackinack for our destination on the Mississippi on July 1, 1825. The convocation to which we were now proceeding was for the purpose of settling internal disputes between the tribes, by fixing the boundaries to their respective territories, and thus laying the foundation of a lasting peace on the frontiers. And it marks an era in the policy of our negotiations with the Indians which is memorable. No such gathering of the tribes had ever before occurred, and its results have taken away the necessity of any in future, so far as relates to the lines on the Mississippi River." This party reached Prairie du Chien on the 21st, making the journey in twenty-one days. Since this convocation in- cluded tribes from far and near, tribes whose comings and goings reached the Great Highway in Will County, and helped to make that early history, quotations are given from School- craft again. No other presentation could give more of the various tribes assembled and give the character of the people who lived here before the whites came. Truly, they were no mean people. "We found a very large number of the various tribes as- sembled. Not only the village, but the entire banks of the river for miles above and below the town, and the island in the river was covered with their tents. The Dakotahs, with their high pointed buffalo skin tents, above the town, and their dec- orations and implements of flags, feathers, skins and personal 'braveries/ presented the scene of a Bedouin encampment. Some of the chiefs had the skins of skunks tied to their heels, to symbolize that they never ran, as that animal is noted for its slow and self-possessed movements. "Wanita, the Yankton chief, had a most magnificent robe of the buffalo, curiously worked with dyed porcupine's quills 132 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY and sweet grass. A kind of war flag, made of eagles' and vul- tures' large feathers, presented quite a martial air. War clubs and lances presented almost every imaginable device of paint; but by far the most elaborate thing was their pipes of red stone, curiously carved, and having flat wooden handles of some four feet in length, ornamented with the scalps of the red-headed woodpecker and male duck, and tail feathers of birds artificially attached by strings and quill work, so as to hang in the figure of a quadrant. But the most elaborately wrought part of the devices consisted of dyed porcupines' quills, arranged as a kind of aboriginal mosaic. "The Winnebagoes, who speak a cognate dialect of the De- cotah, were encamped near; and resembled them in their style of lodges, arts, and general decorations. "The Chippewas presented the more usually known traits, manners and customs of the great Algonquin family — of whom they are, indeed, the best representatives. The tall and war- like bands from the sources of the Mississippi — from La Point, in Lake Superior — from the valleys of the Chippewa and St. Croix rivers and the Rice Lake region of Lac du Flambeau, and of Sault Ste. Marie, were well represented. "The cognate tribe of the Menomonies, and of the Potta- wattomies and Ottawas from Lake Michigan, assimilated and mingled with the Chippewas. Some of the Iroquois of Green Bay were present. "But no tribes attracted as intense a degree of interest as the Iowas, and the Sacs and Foxes — tribes of radically diverse languages, yet united in a league against the Sioux. These tribes were encamped on the island, or opposite coast. They came to the treaty ground, armed and dressed as a war party. They were all armed with spears, clubs, guns, and knives. Many of the warriors had a long tuft of red horse hair tied at their elbows, and wore a necklage of grizzly bears' claws. Their head dress consisted of red dyed horse hair, tied in such man- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 133 ner to the scalp lock as to present the shape of the decoration of a Roman helmet. The rest of the head was completely shaved and painted. A long iron shod lance was carried in the hand. A species of baldric supported part of their arms. The azian, moccasin and leggins constituted a part of their dress. They were, indeed, nearly nude, and painted. Often the print of a hand, in white clay, marked the back or shoulders. They bore flags of feathers. They beat drums. They uttered yells at definite points. They landed in compact ranks. They looked the very spirit of defiance. Their leader stood as a prince, ma- jestic and frowning. The wild, native pride of man, in the savage state, flushed by success in war, and confident in the strength of his arm, was never so fully depicted to my eyes. And the forest tribes of the continent may be challenged to have ever presented a spectacle of bold daring, and martial prowess, equal to their landing. "The martial bearing, and their high tone, and whole be- havior during their stay, in and out of council, was impressive and demonstrated, in an eminent degree, to what a high pitch of physical and moral courage, bravery and success in war may lead a savage people. Keokuk, who led them, stood with his war lance, high crest of feathers and daring eye, like an- other Coriolanus, and when he spoke in council, and at the same time shook his lance at his enemies, the Sioux, it was evi- dent that he wanted but an opportunity to make their blood flow like water. Wapelo, and other chiefs backed him, and the whole array, with their shaved heads and high crests of red horse hair, told the spectator plainly each of these men held his life in his hand, and was ready to spring to the work of slaughter at the cry of their chief." Generals Clark and Cass conducted the negotiations. Day after day they discussed boundaries, laboring with the chiefs and making themselves familiar with the drawings presented by the Indians. The Red Men were pleased. The United States 134 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY demanded no concessions. Many harangues were made by chiefs, men of no mean ability as orators. Mongazid, of Fond du Lac, said, "When I heard the voice of my Great Father, coming up the Mississippi Valley calling me to this treaty, it seemed as a murmuring wind. I got up from my mat, where I sat musing, and hastened to obey it. My pathway has been clear and bright. Truly, it is a pleasant sky above our heads this day. There is not a cloud to darken it. I hear nothing but pleasant words. The raven is not waiting for his prey. I hear no eagle cry, 'Come let us go. The feast is ready; the Indian has killed his brother.' " (From Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society — October, 1915.) "The next treaty was at Prairie du Chien on July 29, 1829, with the Pottawattomies, Chippewas and Ottawas. By this treaty these tribes ceded a large territory in Illinois and Wis- consin, lying between Rock River and the Mississippi, and a further tract of land between Rock River and Lake Michigan, to the west and north of the cession of 1816. On Lake Michigan it included in width the land now constituting the City of Evanston and most of the adjoining village of Wilmette." "So the treaties were executed at last, and about eight mil- lion acres of land added to our domain purchased from the Indians. South of the Wisconsin the Indians now own only reservations where they live, which, as soon as the white people settle on all ceded lands, will be sold to us, and the Indians will retire above the Wisconsin and across the Mississippi, where the bear, the beaver, the deer and the bison now invite them. The United States now owns all the country on the east side of the Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico to the mouth of the Wisconsin." (Journal of Illinois Historical Society — October, 1915.) The treaty at Prairie du Chien on July 29, 1829, concluded the transfer of lands so far as Will County is concerned. How- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 135 ever, the final treaty of September 26, 1833, concerns our his- tory because thousands of Indians passed this way through the Great Highway and some of them encamped within the bounds of the county. It seems entirely fitting to include an account of it here. Chicago, in 1833, was an insignificant frontier village. The treaty made in this place is a sad commentary on the influence of the white man upon the Indian. The scenes about the village were pathetic, in many cases. The quotations given here are from the account of Charles J. Latrobe, an Englishman of learn- ing and a traveler and writer of ability. The account, which is abbreviated, is taken from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. "A public vehicle conveyed us across the peninsula of Mich- igan, over a tract of country which five or six years ago had been traversed by nothing but Indian trails, but which was now rapidly filling with a settled population from the eastward, and all the concomitants of ploughed land, girdled trees, log huts, towns, villages, and farms. Five thousand Indians were said to be collected round this upstart village, for the prosecution of the treaty, by which they were to cede their lands in Mich- igan and Illinois. "A preliminary council had been held with the chiefs some days before our arrival. The principal Commissioner had opened it, as we learned, by stating that 'as the Great Father at Washington had heard that they wished to sell their land he had sent Commissioners to treat with them/ The Indians answered promptly 'that their Great Father at Washington must have seen a bad bird, which had told him a lie, for that, far from wishing to sell their land, they wished to keep it.' Nothing daunted, the Commissioner replied that they must take the matter into consideration. He explained to them the wishes and intentions of the Great Father and asked their 136 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY opinion. They looked at the sky, saw a few wandering clouds, and straightway adjourned as the weather is not clear enough for so solemn a council. "However, as the treaty had been opened, provision was supplied to them by regular rations; and the same night they had great rejoicings, danced the war dance, and kept the eyes and ears of all open by running howling about the village." The following account of the village of Chicago in 1833 and the description of the Indians, as given Latrobe, is given here. It gives a word picture of Chicago as it was when settlers began to come into Will County. Chicago was the trade-center in which our first inhabitants had an interest. There they must purchase their supplies and there they must find a market. The description of the Indians is of interest because they were the predecessors of the Whites, depraved by contact with whites but still an interesting people. "Then for the birds of passage, exclusive of the Pottawattomies, of whom more anon — and emigrants and land speculators as numerous as the sand. You will find horse-dealers, and horse-stealers; rogues of every de- scription, white, black, brown, and red — half-breeds, quarter- breeds, and men of no breed at all dealers in pigs, poultry, and potatoes; men pursuing Indian claims, some for tracts of land, others like our friend Snipe, for pigs which the wolves had eaten; creditors of the tribes, or of particular Indians, who know that they have no chance of getting their money, if they do not get it from the Government agents; sharpers of every degree, peddlars, grog-sellers; Indian agents and Indian traders of every description, and contractors to supply the Pottawatto- mies with food. The little village was in an uproar from morn- ing to night, and from night to morning; for, during the hours of darkness, when the housed portion of the population of Chi- cago strove to obtain repose in the crowded plank edifices of the village, the Indians howled, sang, wept, yelled, and whooped HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 137 in their various encampments, with all this, the whites seemed to me to be more pagan than the red men." "You will have understood that the large body of Indians, collected in the vicinity, consisted not merely of chiefs and warriors, but that in fact the greater part of the whole tribe were present. For where the warrior was invited to feast at the expense of the Government, the squaw took care to accom- pany him; and where the squaw went, the children or papooses, the ponies, and the innumerable dogs followed; and here they all were living merrily at the cost of the Government." "Of their dress, made up as it is of a thousand varieties of apparel, but little general idea can be given. There is nothing among them that can be called a national costume. That has apparently long been done away with, or at least so far cloaked under their European ornaments, blankets, and finery, as to be scarcely distinguishable. Each seemed to cloth him or her- self as best suited their individual means or taste. Those who possessed the means, were generally attired in the most fan- tastic manner, and the most gaudy colours. A blanket and breech-cloth was possessed with a very few exceptions by the poorest among the males. Most added leggings, more or less ornamented, made of blue, scarlet, green, or brown broadcloth; and the surcoats of every colour and every material; together with rich sashes, and gaudy shawl or handkerchief-turbans." "All these diverse articles of clothing, with the embroidered petticoats and shawls of the richer squaws, and the compli- cated head-dress, were covered with innumerable trinkets of all descriptions, thin plates of silver, beads, mirrors and em- broidery. On their faces, the black and vermillion paint was disposed a thousand ways, more or less fanciful and horrible. Comparatively speaking, the women were seldom seen gaily drest, and dandyism seemed to be more particularly the prerog- ative of the males, many of whom spent hours at the morning toilet." 138 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY "Far and wide the grassy prairie teemed with figures; war- riors, mounted or on foot, squaws and horses. Here a race between three or four Indian ponies, each carrying a double rider, whooping and yelling like fiends. There a solitary horse- man with a long spear, turbaned like an Arab, scouring along at full speed; groups of hobbled horses, Indian dogs and chil- dren; or a grave conclave of grey chiefs seated on the grass in consultation." "It was amusing to wind silently from group to group — here noting the raised knife, the sudden brawl, quashed by the good-natured and even playful interference of the neighbors; there a party breaking up their encampment and falling, with their little train of loaded ponies and wolfish dogs into the deep, black narrow trail running to the north. You peep into a wigwam, and see a domestic feud; the chief sitting in dogged silence on the mat, while the women, of which there were com- monly two or three in every dwelling, and who appeared every evening more elevated with the fumes of whiskey than the males, read him a lecture. From another tent a constant voice of wrangling and weeping would proceed, when suddenly an offended fair one would draw the mat aside, and, taking a youth standing without by the hand, lead him apart, and sitting down on the grass, set up the most indescribable whine as she told her grief. Then forward comes an Indian, staggering with his chum from a debauch; he is met by his squaw, with her child dangling in a fold of her blanket behind, and the sobbing and weeping which accompanies her whining appeal to him, as she hangs to his hand, would melt your heart, if you did not see that she was quite as tipsy as himself." "Here sitting apart and solitary, an Indian expends the exuberance of his intoxicated spirits in the most ludicrous sing- ing and gesticulation ; and there squat a circle of unruly topers indulging themselves in the most unphilosophic and excessive peals of laughter." HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 139 "It is a grievous thing that Government is not strong- handed enough to put a stop to the shameful and scandalous sale of whiskey to these poor, miserable wretches. But here lie casks of it for sale under the very eye of the Commissioners, met together for purposes which demand that sobriety should be maintained, were it only that no one should be able to lay at their door an accusation of unfair dealing, and of having taken advantage of the helpless Indian in a bargain, whereby the people of the United States were to be so greatly gainers. And such was the state of things day by day. However anxious I and others might be to exculpate the United States Gov- ernment from the charge of cold and selfish policy toward the remnant of the Indian tribes, and from that of resorting to unworthy and diabolical means in attaining possession of their lands — as long as it can be said with truth that drunkenness was not guarded against, and that the means were furnished at the very time of the treaty, and under the very nose of the Commissioners — how can it be expected but a stigma will at- tend every transaction of this kind? The sin may lie at the door of the individuals more immediately in contract with them ; but for the character of the people as a nation, it should be guarded against, beyond a possibility of transgression. Who will believe that any act, however formally executed by the chiefs, is valid, as long as it is known that whiskey was one of the parties to the treaty?" On the 21st of September, the Pottawattomies resolved to meet the Commissioners. Three or four days later the treaty was concluded. The Indians received as compensation for this vast grant $100,000.00, "to satisfy sundry individuals in behalf of whom reservations were asked, which the commissioners refused to grant"; $175,000.00 to "satisfy the claims made against" the Indians; $100,000.00 to be paid in goods and pro- visions; $280,000.00 to be paid in an annuity of $14,000.00 each year for twenty years; $150,000.00 "to be applied to the erec- 140 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY tion of mills, farm houses, Indian houses, blacksmith shops, ag- ricultural improvements," etc., and $70,000.00 "for purposes of education and the encouragement of the domestic arts." One remarkable feature of this treaty is the fact that by its provisions some five hundred to one thousand persons, most of them with no Indian blood in their veins, derived personal gain from the transaction; the allowance and payment of in- dividual claims, ranging in amount from a few dollars to many thousands, and as already noted, about one-third of the cash consideration was thus disbursed. Among the individual bene- ficiaries also appear the following: Alexander Robinson, $10,- 000.00 cash and $300.00 annuity, "in addition to annuities al- ready granted"; Billy Caldwell, $10,000.00 cash and $400.00 an- nuity, "in addition to annuities already granted" ; John Kinzie Clark, $400.00; allowance to Antoine Ouilmette and his family; John K. Clark's Indian children, $400.00 and various allowance to the Kinzie family." (Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, October, 1925.) The accounts of treaties given above brings us down to 1833 when settlers began to come into Will County territory. The coming of the settlers will be given in another place. CHAPTER VII. THE PRAIRIES AND FORESTS. SETTLERS FROM THE EAST AND EUROPE FASCINATED BY THE PRAIRIES— FERDIN AND ERNST WRITE OF THE PRAIRIES — WASHINGTON IRVING'S "TOUR OF THE PRAIRIES"— MRS. STEELE— VEGETATION— ANIMAL AND BIRD LIFE— THE BUFFALO— THE TRADE IN BUFFALO ROBES— DEER — RATTLESNAKES— WILD EGGS Settlers from Europe were fascinated by the prairies of Will County. The virgin soil showed a fertility unknown to them. They were accustomed to the soil which had been tilled for ages. Eastern people, from New York, Pennsylvania, and New England were enthusiastic about the prairies because no trees were to be removed and no rocks were to be stumbled over by man and beast. In 1823, Ferdin and Ernst of Hildesheim, Germany, wrote about the prairies. He traveled over Illinois on horse-back and crossed the southern part of what is now included in Illinois, hence his reports are interesting. He said that flies were ex- ceedingly troublesome to travelers on horse-back in July, August, and September. He asserts that horses were some- times killed by these pests. Two kinds were mentioned, the little green-head horse fly and the large black fly. The green- head attacked the front part of the neck where it was difficult to dislodge them. They sucked the blood of the animal and were most painful. Because of these pests, much traveling was done after sundown. Mosquitoes troubled man and beast and 141 142 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY since the latter worked most in the twlight such journeys were not very pleasant. The wild-flowers were most beautiful at all seasons. No bet- ter account can be written than that of Washington Irving, so it is reproduced here. Washington Irving in his "Tour of the Prairies", published in 1835 says, "I should despair of being able to convey any idea to your mind of the glories of the autumnal flora, covering these immense natural meadows, like a rich carpet. God has here, with prodigal hand, scattered the seeds of thousands of beauti- ful plants, each suited to its season, where there are no hands to pluck and few eyes to admire. After the early grass of the spring begins to shoot up through the blackened surface of the scorched soil, it becomes spangled with a host of flowers the prevailing color of which are white and blue. These, as sum- mer advances give place to a race in which red predominates and, when the yellow suns of autumn incline over the West, their mild rays are greeted by the appearance of millions of yellow flowers which, far statelier and of ranker growth than their predecessors, rise over their ruins and seem to clothe the undulating surface of the prairie with a cloth of- gold. The great predominance of the Heliotrope and Solidago species gives this tint to the landscape; at the same time there are many showy and beautiful plants, products of the same season, of less glaring colors. Such are the Asters, from the large and beautiful species, which displays its clusters of blue and purple flowers in the brake, to the small, delicately leaved varieties seen in the more open grounds. You observe whole districts covered with the tall and striking flowers of the tall Eupato- rium and everywhere among the long grass, the Liatries or rat- tle snake's master, shoots up and displays its spike of red flowers. Then there are the exquisite varieties of Gentiana, with their deep blue, and a thousand other flowers which I can- not undertake to describe. At this season the dwarf sumac, in HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 143 hollows and on such parts of the prairie as have remained un- touched by the autumnal fires, becomes a striking feature of the open ground from the blood red hue of its leaves and f Rati- fication. Mrs. Steel (1840), "A Summer Journey in the West" wrote thus, — * * * I started with delight (she writes). I was in the midst of prairie. A world of grass and flowers stretched around me, rising and falling in gentle undulations. * * * Acres of wild flowers of every hue glowed around me * * * what a new and wondrous world of beauty! * * * More glorious ranks of flowers. * * * Imagine yourself in the center of an immense circle of velvet herbage, the sky for its boundary on every side ; the whole clothed with a radiant efflor- escence of every brilliant hue. We rode thus through a per- fect wilderness of sweets, sending forth perfume, and animated with myriads of glittering birds and butterflies. * * * It was, in fact a vast garden. * * * You will scarcely credit the profusion of flowers upon these prairies. We passed whole acres of blossoms all having one hue, as purple, perhaps, or masses of yellow and rose; and then again a carpet of every color inter-mixed. * * * When the sun flooded this mosiac floor with light and the summer breezes stirred among the leaves, the irridescent glow was beautiful and wondrous beyond anything I have every conceived. "It was thus that the prairie looked to the pioneers and to the visitors who came to Illinois in the early part of the 19th century. Since that day the plow has turned many a furrow. Scarcely a foot of unreclaimed prairie can be found." The animal and bird life were equally abundant and inter- esting. Some wild life remains among the animals such as tent-pin gopher (striped gopher) cotton-tail rabbits, snakes of the harmless or beneficial kind, and field mice of several kinds. Birds abound but not in the great variety which prevailed one hundred years ago. Migratory birds came in at the junction 144 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and traveled northward. As they moved they swerved to the right, following the Illinois River up-stream and came to the shore of Lake Michigan through the "Great Highway", the Des Plaines valley. Most of them rested by night. Such a roost was in the dell of Dell- wood Park. One can scarcely imagine this but previous to the desecration of this dell, it contained trees and undergrowth which afforded roosts sheltered from the wind as well as wild beasts. The travelers came from their last stop in Kentucky where they had breakfasted. Thus it was that the dell showed a flora much richer in variety and more beautiful in color than any other region of Northern Illinois. The following lists of birds and animals are given to show the abundance of wild life rather than as a complete list for scientists. The lists are correct, however, even though they may not be complete. In forest areas were, Golden Eagle, Bald-headed Eagle, brown-tailed hawk, screech owl, barred owl, barn owl, great blue heron, night heron, ruffed grouse, American egret, warb- lers, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, buzzards commonly known as "stink turkeys", and crows. Most of these journey far in search of food and hence were to be seen on the prairies. On the edge of the forests were, Baltimore Oriole, warbling vireo, red-eyed vireo, brown thrasher, Bell's vireo (bell bird), tanager, bluejay, yellow breasted chat, and whip-poor-will. On the prairie were field sparrow, night-hawk, wood-duck, chewink, bob- white, dick cissel, prairie lark, meadow lark, swal- low-tailed kite, raven, plover, sand-hill crane, swans in migra- tion, prairie hen, and kill-deer. In marshes, ponds, and along streams were, Mallard ducks, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, Canada goose, brant, snipe, sand-hill crane, and king-fisher. Along cliffs were, Barn-swallow, cliff swallow, bank swal- low. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 145 Permanent residents in Will County then and now, — Crow, blue-jay, red-tailed hawk, screech owl, quail, cardinal, barred owl, downy wood-pecker, hairy woodpecker, white breasted nut-hatch, and tufted titmouse. Bird life is abundant now in prairies and forests and seems to be increasing. A comparison may be made thus for 1828 and 1928. Then in a radius of five miles one might have found 150 species nesting. Now one may find 50 species nesting in the same area. The highway for migration through Will County makes it possible to identify 110 species in one day, including sand-hill crane and all species of geese and ducks. Wild animal life is found in many of the smaller species, gopher, field mouse, white-footed mouse, red squirrel, gray squirrel, ground squirrel, gopher, musk rat, moke, wood-chuck, cotton tail rabbit, mink, and opossum. The larger species are represented by coon, prairie wolf, timber wolf, and fox. Dur- ing 1928, prairie wolves and timber wolves have been killed in Will County. The history of the American bison, or buffalo in Northern Illinois is interesting. About the time that Columbus reached the eastern shores of North America (1492) the great American bison was leaving the failing pastures of the north. He came down around the western end of the Great Lakes and followed the eastern side of the Mississippi River and thus arrived in Illinois. Fossil remains have been unearthed near the western border of Will County, among which are buffalo bones mingled with those of the mastodons which occupied this region in Geo- logical times. From these remains we gather that they were here before 1492 but the Red Man had no traditions about this early occupation. The fossil remains may have been from an occupation which occurred ages ago. The buffalo was welcomed by the Indians because he furn- ished an abundance of food which was easily taken. Some historians venture to say this food supply changed the natives 10— VOL, 1 146 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY from farmers to hunters and warriors. This is not likely since game was always abundant on the fertile prairies of Illinois, prairies which were always prized by the Indians and had to be defended by a sturdy people. Surely, life among the natives became easier because food, clothing, and shelter were readily procured. Hospitality was abundant and a better fellowship came to their hearths and homes. Since we have given the coming of the buffalo, the going (disappearance) from Will County may not be omitted. From the "Memories of Shaubena" (Shabona) we take the following: "The trade in buffalo robes in what is now Will County ceased about 1790, and that of elk skins thirty years afterward. Shaubena said, in his youthful days he chased buffalo across the prairies, but while he was still young they all disappeared from the country. A big snow about five feet deep, fell and froze so hard on the top that people walked on it, causing the buffalo to. perish by starvation. Next spring a few buffalo, poor and hag- gard in appearance, were seen going westward, as they approached the carcasses of dead ones, which were lying here and there on the prairie, they would stop, commence pawing and blowing, then start off again on a lope for the West. Years afterward buffalo bones were found in large quantities on the prairies; in some places, many acres were covered with them, showing where a large herd had perished, and their trails, lead- ing to and from watering places, were plain to be seen." Passenger pigeons were so numerous that they passed in clouds rather than in flocks. The author recalls such a cloud which passed over eastern Will County half a century ago. In the distance, it resembled a dark cloud which appeared to be agitated by wind. The moving of many wings produced this effect upon the eye. Roosts were found in many places, the best known being on the bluffs south of the gravel works on the Channahon road. The bluffs were covered with trees, na- tive timber undisturbed. In these trees the birds passed the / HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 147 night, assembling in such numbers that the trees were frequent- ly broken down by the weight of the birds. Hunters came there at sunrise to shoot the birds as they went out in the morning to go to their feeding grounds. This bird is now extinct. The last one died in the zoological park at Cincinnati twenty years ago. Deer were abundant as late as 1850. They disappeared rapidly after that because settlers came in immediately follow- ing that date. Firearms and dogs were destructive to game. Turkey, bear, panther, lynx, and otter, were driven out or N killed by 1860. Rattlesnakes were numerous when the first settlers ap- peared upon the prairies. The bite of this snake was considered deadly at that time and is still considered so. Deaths from the bite of the rattlesnake are recorded but were not numerous. The reptile was not aggressive and always gave warning be- fore striking. While it was not apt to flee from man, it pre- ferred flight to fight. They were found near low lands or marshes most frequently. When they appeared near habita- tions they were found in pairs, male and female together. They were exterminated rapidly, becoming extinct more than sixty years ago. One good German woman helped in haying and placed the hay upon the wagon without a fork, using her hands instead, as was the custom in the fatherland. After finishing the load and taking it to the stack, she went to the house to get the mid- day meal while the men unloaded. When about half-way down, the man on the wagon found a live rattler of good size. After that, she loaded with a fork. The following account is taken from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, April, July, 1924. It describes conditions on the praries: "In those days rattlesnakes were more than common. It was the custom to wear heavy, high leather boots as a protection from the reptiles and to carry a 148 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY bottle of whiskey as first aid. He would ride along on horse- back, snapping off the rattlers heads with his long cattlewhip, often killing as many as twenty-five a day. Mr. Meharry's in- separable companion while herding was a brown dog, Old Shep, who would kill almost as many as his master. The dog seemed to have an instinctive hatred for the reptiles. If he surprised one stretched out in the sun, he would seize it by its neck and shake it to pieces before the snake could defend itself. But if the snake was coiled and ready for battle, Old Shep was more deliberate. He would seemingly forget his prey, in the meantime keeping his sharp eye on it, until the snake would partly uncoil. Then he would have it by the neck and all the fun was over." Where the E. J. and E. R. R. yards and shops are now was formerly a horse pasture owned by the Joliet horseman. One day he sent the hired man, a negro, to the pasture to bring in a certain horse. As usual, he carried a halter of leather to which was attached a long rope. The man entered the pasture where the grass was knee high. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a snake following him. He ran away and it following him gaining speed as he ran faster and faster. In terror he fled from the pasture to the road where there was no grass. Then he discovered that he was dragging the rope and mistook it for a snake. He was not bitten. Wild eggs were abundant. Prairie hens were numerous. In the spring, after nesting had begun, settlers would set fire to the prairie grass. When it had passed the eggs were easily gathered for use in the home. Ducks and geese nested in the lowlands and marshes. These eggs were gathered for domestic use. The nests of coots and rails were also robbed. These were known as wild eggs. Lincoln tells of the time when he could buy wild eggs by the peck, for twenty-five cents a peck, in Kentucky. The same conditions prevailed in the first years of Will County. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 149 The common gray rat and the larger brown rat are not natives. They are Tartars coming into Eastern Europe about 1700 and reached England about 1755. The rat travels by land on foot and by sea in ships. Records show that he had reached St. Louis in 1831. From this as a center, this plague spread northward through Illinois while Chicago served as a center of distribution for Northern part of the state. CHAPTER VIII THE FRENCH AND THE SPANISH IN WILL COUNTY. EARLY EXPLORERS— MARQUETTE AND JOLIET— JEAN NICOLET— FATHER ALLONEZ'S WORK AMONG THE INDIANS — FRENCH OCCUPATION— ^FUR TRADING POSTS ESTABLISHED— REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD — SPANISH OCCUPTION OF WILL COUNTY Neither the French nor the Spanish had permanent settle- ments in Will County. The French explorers passed and re- passed using the Great Highway and the Spanish soldiers passed this way but once. However, Marquette resided her<* during one winter and established a somewhat permanent con- nection with our history. The first was Jean Nicolet who reached the French settle- ments in Canada in 1618. He was a young man of ability, seeking adventure in a new land. Champlain sent him to live with the Algonquins and Nipissings who resided westward from the French settlements. He was to learn the language of these people that he might act as an interpreter for future expeditions which were to go into the west. His was not a familiar face when he returned to Three Rivers in the company of Algonquin traders who came in their annual pilgrimage for trade and barter. His outdoor life together with the food and clothing of the Indians, made him much like his companions from the interior. During his years of travel with these tribes, Nicolet had journeyed through extended regions around the upper lakes which are now called Huron and Superior. Many stories were 150 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 151 told of tribes in the west who lived on the shores of a fresh- water sea, a people who journeyed in large canoes, and had neither hair nor beards. After a rest of about one year, he be-, came restless again and was ready for the mission upon which Champlain dispatched him. He planned to penetrate farther westward and learn, at first hand, of these people. Accounts of the period indicate that he expected to find an oriental people because he believed that they were close to the Asiatic coast. How little did he guess what intervened ! He started on July 1, 1634, traveling up the Ottawa River and across Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay and onward to the Huron Village. Here, among old friends, he readily obtained seven men to act as guides, and canvas and equipment for the journey. They went as far as Sault Ste. Marie. Nicolet was the first white man to reach this place and he was the first white man to open communications with the ancestors of the modern Ojibways who still reside in that region. From Sault Ste. Marie, Nicolet and his companions retraced their path to the Straits of Mackinaw. From here he jour- neyed southward to the head of Green Bay where he encoun- tered the Winnebago tribe. He was surprised to find that his knowledge of Algonquin and Nipissing availed him but little. This is accounted for by the fact that these were western peo- ple, the first of the Dacotah stock who spoke a different tongue. They were able to understand his message, recognized that he came as a friend, and celebrated his coming with feasting. Nicolet was without any fear of treachery perhaps because he intended no evil for these simple minded ones. He pushed on up the Fox River until he reached the village of the Mascoutins who once again greeted him in the familiar Algonquin tongue. The reader recognizes once more that the Red Man was a traveler. He journeyed far in search of food, for the purpose of barter, and for adventure in warfare in which the warrior might count coup and go home as a brave. He gave no medals 152 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY for honor or for distinguished service. Nevertheless the war- riors won distinction and honor among his fellows and count- ing coup was one way. He had a just pride in these things. The Mascoutins, who were Algonquin stock, told many stories of other waters which lay to the southward. He learned of the pasage from the lake to the Illinois River. The accounts of the Indians were not understood, partly because he used poetic language, a common practice among a simple people and partly because the White Man's imagination induced him to vision that which he longed to see. Nicolet did not continue his journey. No reasons were given for this omission, for such it seems to have been. The great Illinois Basin and the great Valley of the Father of Waters were left for Joliet and Marquette. Nicolet returned to the shore of Lake Michigan, journeyed northward to join his friends, the Hurons. Earley in the summer of 1635, he joined the flotilla which made the annual pilgrimage to Three Rivers. His services were recognized by Champlain by appointing him official interpreter at that trading post. Soon after this the administration of affairs in- Canada fell upon the intendent, Jean Baptiste Talon. He was alert and active giving his personal attention to finance and good order and the administration of justice without favor. He occu- pied himself with the discoveries of Nicolet and sought to gain the advantage of the provision of that intrepid explorer. The energetic Talon sent expeditions to the north to solve the Hudson Bay problem. When this was underway he turned to the west, to the region visioned by Nicolet for which he had pictured a wonderful future. Again the reader must recall that these leaders sought mercenary ends, hoping to fill the coffers of the king with gold from the profits of trade with the Indians. The Illinois Basin, the land of their dreams, has produced riches beyond the wildest dreams of their greatest HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 153 visionaries. But, how different is the source of its wealth from that which they sought to develop. Father Allonez came to Sault St. Marie on September 2, 1665, to work among the Indians as a missionary. From this mission and trading post, he journeyed westward along the southern shore of Lake Superior, going nearly to the western extremity. He found, here and there among the natives, Frenchmen who were adventurers and traders, often more savage than the savages among whom they lived. They were known as coureurs des bois, men who were described as a law- less gang, half traders and half explorers, bent on lustful pleas- ures, men of wonderful physical endurance not easily discour- aged by perils or discomforts of the wilderness. They obtained furs by fair means or foul, traded where they pleased, and held themselves subject to no one. The Red Men recognized them for what their lives indicated. They besought Father Allonez to reform them. By making this request, they demonstrated their faith in his religion. If it had the redeeming grace which he set forth, surely it would regenerate the lawless Frenchmen and remove a disturbing element in the settlements. How soon the simple native was undeceived ! At La Pointe Mission, the good priest met many messengers from distant tribes to the west and the south. In the inter- course with these traders and warriors, he heard much of the Mississippi and the great sea into which it flowed. He made many trips seeking native pure copper. The Sioux (Nadoue- siouek) told of the vast prairies and the game, and of the tribes still farther westward. The Des Plaines passage was explained to him but he failed to traverse it. However, he established faith in the project and demonstrated what could be done by those who came after. Father Marquette reached Quebec from France in Septem- ber, 1666. Here he reported to his superior officer and devoutly 154 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY returned thanks to his Heavenly Father for having come so near to the land in which he sought to render service. He proceeded to Three Rivers where he was in training for three years, learning the language of the natives, and acquiring the art of providing himself with food, clothing and shelter in the wilder- ness. There was much to learn which was not found in books. He applied himself with great zeal and was ready to go for- ward in 1668. Marquette proceeded to Sault Ste. Marie where there was a mission which was prosperous. From here he went west to the extremity of Lake Superior where he worked among the natives for two years. The Indian tribe among whom he had labored were driven out by hostile tribes and the missionary returned eastward to the island of Mackinaw. While here he received a most welcome message from the Governor of Can- ada. This was brought to him by his former acquaintance and friend, Joliet, whom he had known and admired at Three Rivers. Joliet was commissioned as an explorer and Marquette was to accompany him to act as interpreter and guide.. The priests were known to all of the tribes as "black robes" and as "medi- cine men" of the whites. The natives trusted them and were kindly disposed to traders who came with them. During the winter these two men made their preparations for the journey. They gathered information, two canoes, and five oarsmen. In May they started, going up the west shore of Lake Michigan into Green Bay from which they entered the Fox River. They followed this stream upward to the portage which took them to the Wisconsin River. They passed down this stream into the Mississippi which was followed as far south as the Arkan- sas. Here they found natives with firearms, thus demonstrat- ing a contact with Europeans. The return journey was slower and more difficult. On coming to the mouth of the Illinois, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 155 they ascended that stream and thus came into the Des Plaines and the Great Highway and through this to Chicago. The two men returned to Green Bay and the Mission of St. Xavier. Marquette had promised the Kaskaskia Indians that he would return to them to teach them the gospel. But exposure and fatigue had broken his health so that he had to remain to recuperate during the summer. In the autumn he made the return journey with two Frenchmen as companions. They pro- ceeded slowly because his illness returned. On December 4th they entered the Chicago River and passed up the west branch to Summit where they passed the winter of 1674-75. In the spring, Marquette had recovered sufficiently to enable them to proceed slowly on their way. In eleven days they reached the Kaskaskia village. He taught them for a few days and estab- lished the Mission of the Immaculate Conception. The good man felt that he had but a few weeks to live and started back, accompanied by many of his devoted friends who took him through Will County for the last time to the shores of Lake Michigan. From here he and his companions paddled around the southern end of the lake and proceeded upward along the eastern shore. On May 18, 1675, he passed away in a rude shelter near where Luddington now stands. From "Illi- nois History Stories" by W. H. Campbell we take this tribute: "The most lovable as well as the most prominent character con- nected with the exploration of the Middle West was the heroic Father Marquette. His is one of the lives untouched by selfish- ness and untainted by greed, that stands out like a great prom- ontory in the sea of passion and cruelty and scheming that swept over the New World during the first centuries of its his- tory. He was molded of the material of which martyrs are made. He never desired ease or fame. He loved humanity and wild na- ture. He lived as he had hoped to live and died as he had prayed to die, far from the habitations of men, in the midst of 156 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the interminable forests beside the waterways leading to the Great Lakes, his face turned toward Heaven, and only a few faithful converts to mark his passing." The French occupation of the St. Lawrence and Mississippi valleys was of a dual nature, material and spiritual. The trader and the priest came together, the latter preceding be- cause his messages appealed to the simple minded natives. Their own religion, spiritual in nature and with a belief in one God readily took on the Catholic teachings. The trader fol- lowed almost immediately, prospering because the missionary had established faith among the Indians. The French and In- dians were friendly through a long period of years. Fur-trading posts were established in many places to be converted into forts as occasion demanded. Such a fortification was located on the south side of the St. Joseph River about one mile west of the present town of Niles, Michigan. This was on a trail (route) used for many generations as the tribes mi- grated in quest of game, or war parties traveled that way. After Wolfe took Quebec and Montreal capitulated, the British sent a detachment of the Sixtieth British Regiment called the Royal Americans, to take charge of the fort at St. Joseph. They hoisted the English flag and took up a carefree, easy life. The natives were disturbed but little in the routine of trading and remained peaceable. During the Revolutionary war, France induced Spain to join the contest against Great Britain. St. Louis became the northernmost post and the Spanish capital of Louisiana. In 1781, Don Francesco Cruvat was the governor with a most lengthy and enlightening title. It is given here because it is a description of the man as well as his province: "Brevet Lieu- tenant Colonel of Infantry, Captain in the Regiment of Louisi- ana, Commander and Lieutenant Governor of the western part and district of Illinois, for His Most Catholic Majesty the King HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 157 of Spain." The nearest British flag was the one flying at St. Joseph so Colonel Crevat must take the fortification. The expedition was not undertaken in summer when a direct route might be taken across country where food was plenty and going was easy. It must be in the dead of winter when the ground was frozen and covered with snow. Game was not on the prairies and Grand Prairie afforded no fuel for fires in the camps at night. These were hardy soldiers for no weak- lings were found in these distant outposts. Vigorous as they were, they dared not attempt to cross the prairies. Rather, they followed the wooded land along the streams that they might have fuel and food. By day they trudged on through the snow carrying heavy burdens for beasts of burden were few. The French soldiers always light-hearted and gay, frequently burst into song and thus cheered the stoics in the little army. By night they sat about the camp-fire recounting deeds of valor in other expeditions, deeds which grew more noble with each recounting. Their line of march took them upstream along the Kankakee River to the portage leading to the St. Joseph River. This took them through what is now the south- ern part of Will County. The fort was captured without diffi- culty. The British garrison relied upon Indian spies. The Red Men had nothing to lose so they were careless. One account states that the fortification was so accustomed to being cap- tured that one more made little difference. The British flag was lowered and the standard of His Most Catholic Majesty was placed on high. The soldiers plundered the fort with system and dispatch for they were master hands at that work. Supplies and food for their own use were retained and the rest was given to the Indians in their own ranks and to those about the fort. They were generous with the other fellows' supplies. After a few days for rest and refreshment they made the return to St. 158 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Louis. Thus for a few weeks, Will County was under the Span- ish flag. Nothing more was done after this. No records ap- pear later excepting one which cites Don Charles Tayon who was second in command in the expedition, who it is stated "had rendered important services to the Spanish Government from the year 1770, and was second in command at the siege of St. Joseph which he contributed to take." He afterwards received a commission for his merits. It is not easy to understand the overlapping of claims and the consequent disputes of those early days. Travel was ex- ceedingly difficult by water and much slower by land. Com- munication was very slow and unreliable because messengers might misrepresent the mesage, and those using another tongue might not understand. In the days of 1928 when one travels over concrete roads at fifty miles an hour, or by air service at twice that speed, when registered mail carries the informa- tion so rapidly and so surely, when one may dine in Chicago one day and in New York City the next, it is, indeed, necessary to take much on faith. The following letter will be interesting and reliable first-hand information : "New York, October 9, 1768. "My Lord: "Some advices lately received from Fort Chartres, of a strange Mixture of French and Spanish Government on the opposite Side of the Mississippi, so that there is no knowing to whom a Country belongs. A French Officer, Monsr. St. Ange, commands on the Mississippi, and receives Orders both from Don Ulloa and Monsr. Aubry. Don Ruis a Spanish Cap- tain, is appointed Governor of the Missouri. These two Com- manders are said to be entirely independent of each other, and expressly forbid to consult together on any public matters. All traders are prohibited going up the Mississippi without a Pass signed by Don Ulloa, and are obliged to go down to New Or- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 159 leans to give an Account of their Trade, and an order has been published for all young People of a certain age to take up Land and Marry, or quit the Country. The works undertaken* by the Spaniards on the Missouri have been destroyed by an overflowing of the River, and of the People they sent up into that Country only fifteen remain; all the rest have deserted. The French Inhabitants appear to be so much disgusted, that it was expected many of them would become British Subjects. The Priest who retired to the West Side of the River when the King's Troops took possession of Fort Chartres, has had some quarrel with the Spaniards and is returned again, and become a Subject to His Majesty. The Trade of the Country is re- ported to be in a bad State, but I have not yet heard any par- ticular Account of its Situation. "A Tryal was made this year to strengthen the Bank of the Mississippi near the Fort, that might prevent its being washed away by the Torrents of the River, and it has met with the success that was hoped for. No part of the Bank was carried away this Spring, and it is thought, if the work is continued, that the Fort may be preserved. "These letters advise also, that a hunting Party from Fort Chartres, had been attacked by a party of Indians of the Oua- bache, who killed most of them, and carried away nine Scalps and eight Horse-loads of Peltries into their Village at St. Vin- cent. That the same Indians afterwards attacked some Hunt- ers upon Green River, which joins the Ohio about ninety miles below the Falls. "I have the honor to be with the greatest Regard, Respect, and Esteem, My Lord, your Lordship's Most Obedient, and Most humble Servant, "Thomas Gage. "Right Hon. Earl of Hillsborough, One of His Majesty's principal Secretarys of State." CHAPTER IX. FIRST SETTLEMENTS IN WILL COUNTY ILLINOIS ADMITTED TO THE UNION— MISSIONARIES— FATHER WALKER— INDIAN EXPERIENCES— EARLY SETTLEMENTS— THE SCOTT FAMILY r — OTHER PIONEER SETTLERS In 1818, when Illinois was admitted as a state, it showed a population of forty thousand. Since the people were eager to get into the Union, it is fair to assume that many transients were counted and that the areas counted may have overlapped some. At any rate, census returns showed the required num- ber of people and Illinois became a state. All that portion north of Alton and Edwardsville was a wilderness. There was a fort at Peoria with troops and a few traders under the imme- diate protection of the soldiers. Fort Dearborn at Chicago was also occupied, with three or four families adjoining the fort and safe-guarded by it. French traders were found oc- casionally, but most of them had withdrawn to the north and west, fbr they were ever restless in the presence of settlers and soldiers. Couriers of the woods, (cureurs de bois) were found among the Indians, but they were as much Indian as they were white. Many of them were squaw men and lived as the Indians lived. There were hunters and traders, adventurers, caring little for the comforts of civilized life and restless whenever permanent occupation of the land seemed imminent. They were a hardy group of men but acomplished nothing toward permanent settlements. In fact, some of them w T ere a hin- drance to the first whites. 160 JOLIET TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL, JOLIET, ILL. UNION STATION, JOLIET, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 161 The Methodist Church, while not so zealous as the Jesuit Society, sent out missionaries early and through the efforts of these faithful workers, one of these missionaries was the first settler in Will County. The order of the coming of the settlers is interesting. First, were those from the South, Virginians and Kentuckians, because southern Illinois was settled by them; Buckeyes and Hoosiers followed soon, to be followed by Irishmen, Germans, Englishmen, Swiss, Norwegians, Swedes, and later, "contrabands" from the South. These different peo- ples have mingled and intermarried so as to become a homo- geneous people. The latter part of the nineteenth century wit- nessed the coming of the people from Southern Europe. Ital- ians, Greeks, Russians, Austrians, and the various peoples from Southeastern Europe. Even the Finns from Northern Europe have some groups of families among us. Reverend Jesse Walker was the first missionary to settle in the County. It is worth while to follow his career both in and outside of Will County. Jesse Walker, known as Father Walker, is the typical circuit rider of the Methodist Church in Illinois. Walker's life is of interest and gives a good picture of one of the most significant of the early circuit riders. His history is intimately connected with the early history of Will work is taken from the Journal of the Illinois State Historical County, about Plainfield. The following account of his life and Society. July, 1919: "Father walker was born in Virginia in 1766 and, like many other Virginians, came west to the valley of the Mississippi. He had few educational advantages and but little connection with the Methodist Church until he was twenty years of age. He was converted at this age and accompanied circuit riders. He was urged to become a circuit rider, but, knowing the hardships of the life, he hesitated because he did not wish to expose his wife to the hardships. H_yOL. 1 162 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY In 1802, he yielded to the call to preach and labored four years in Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1805, William McKen- dree, later Bishop McKendree, set out for Illinois taking Walker with him. In 1806, Walker was assigned to Illinois. It would be interesting to know where this pioneer preached and what people heard him, but little exact information of those first years has come down to us. It is recorded that he held the first watch-night service and the first camp-meeting in the state. His first year was passed in the American Bottom. At the end of the year he reported a membership of two hundred twenty, a gain of one hundred per cent. For the next twelve years Walker labored in Missouri, then in Illinois, and then in Missouri. For seven of the twelve years he was presiding elder, in Illinois four years and three years in Missouri. In 1819, at the annual conference, he was left with- out an appointment and was assigned as a conference mission- ary. He was to go to the uncared for in the bounds of this conference, and to aid other preachers. This work did not suit him and in 1820 he was assigned to St. Louis as a mis- sionary. His work in St. Louis was successful, but he failed to secure the approval of the conference in 1821 and for three years he was unassigned. In 1824 he was assigned as a mis- sionary to the Indians of the Illinois valley, as far as Fort Dear- born at Chicago. Some are inclined to look upon these years as a failure since he did not convert the natives. But, the impression he (Walker) made upon their minds was such as doubtless would have resulted in the best conse- quences, (could he have been retained among them), is evident for the veneration they long bore and probably still bear for Father Walker (as they called him), and their strict adherence to his precepts (even among their hunting parties in the re- cesses of the forests), such as abstinence from spirituous liquors, avoiding profanity, and observing the Sabbath. It is of interest to note that these Pottawatomies among whom he HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 163 worked, remained loyal to the whites during the Black Hawk war. It would be too much to assert that this was due to Walker, for we find other influences at work that kept them loyal, but we may be sure that the work of Walker tended to keep them peaceable. In the year 1825, two events of interest occurred. S. R. Beggs tells us that Walker established the first Methodist class in Peoria. During this same year Walker made a trip to Chi- cago. It is altogether in accordance with the character of the early circuit rider and especially Walker to say that he preached while in Chicago. There is nothing to show that he did, but he would have been sick or unable to gather five or six together if he did not. Such would be the first Protestant sermon in Chicago. * * * Walker was made superintendent in 1831 of the Mission District which included the Chicago Mission. This year he also served the Desplain Mission. That readers may form some faint idea of the personal ap- pearance of our hero, let them suppose a man about five feet six or seven inches high, of rather slender form with a sallow complexion, light hair, small blue eyes, prominent cheek bones, and pleasant countenance, dressed in drab colored clothes, made in plain style peculiar to the early Methodist preachers, his neck secured with a white cravat, and his head covered with a light-colored beaver, nearly as large as a lady's parasol, and they will see Jesse Walker as if spread out on canvas before them. As to his mental endowments, he was without education, except the elementary branches of English imperfectly ac- quired, but favored with a good share of common sense, culti- vated some by reading, but much more by practical intercourse with society, and enriched with a vast fund of incidents, pe- culiar to a frontier life, which he communicated with much ease and force. His conversational talent, his tact in narra- tive, his spicy manner, and almost endless variety of religious 164 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY anecdotes, rendered him an object of attraction in social life. Unaccustomed to expressing his thoughts on paper, he kept his journal in his mind, by which means his memory was much strengthened and his resources for the entertainment of friends increased. He introduced himself among strangers with much facility, and as soon as they became acquainted with him, his social habits, good temper, unaffected simplicity, and great suavity of manner for a backwoodsman, made them his fast friends. As a pulpit orator he was certainly not above mediocrity, if up to it; but his zeal was ardent, his moral courage firm, his piety exemplary, and his perseverance in whatever he undertook was indefatigable. * * * But few men, even in his day performed more hard labor or endured more privation, than Jesse Walker, and certainly no one per- formed his part with more cheerfulness and perseverance. In the last few years there has been a special effort to give Walker the attention due him. In 1850 his remains were re- moved to a cemetery in Plainfield and a small stone placed on his grave. In 1911 a large and suitable monument was erected by the Rock River Conference and a pilgrimage -made to his grave by the Conference held in 1911. Both the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, then joined in services honoring his memory." It is very much to be regretted that the manuscripts left by Father Walker, respecting his life and works, which must have been of great historic value, were burned, a large portion of them in a fire which consumed the house of James Walker, his son-in-law. That part of his writings which were saved from this conflagration were afterward burned when D. C. Searles' house was destroyed by fire. The following incident is enlightening, since it depicts In- dian character as well as the mutual regards which the early people had for each other: "During the Black Hawk war, one of the council of women of whom we have spoken, came to HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 165 Mrs. James Walker, the daughter of Father Walker, who had been a teacher at the mission, and who was highly esteemed by the Indians, and left with her her infant boy, to whom she had given the name of Shon-on-ise, charging her that if she did not return, she (Mrs. Walker) must be a mother to him. Mrs. Walker agreed without reflection, to do as she was asked to do. The council woman was then on her way to Milwaukee to attend a council. It so happened that she was attacked with cholera and died, leaving to Mrs. Walker the charge she had accepted. This duty she performed faithfully, and the Indian boy was brought up in the family with Mr. Walker's children and received the same advantages of education as his own, and when he became of age was given a generous outfit. But Shon-on-ise at once showed the truth of the adage, 'once an Indian always an Indian/ for he immediately turned his pony's head toward the setting sun and sought out his tribe in the Far West. Having the advantage of education he became an influential chief among the Indian tribes, and made fre- quent visits to Washington in furtherance of their interests. On such occasions he always called to see Captain James Walker and his foster mother. In this village, as elsewhere, the Pottawatomies were gen- erally well disposed toward the settlers, giving them but little annoyance except when under the influence of good-no-tash. This article, which under another name, plays the mischief among white people as well, was a source of great trouble and, indeed, of danger to the mission and to the early settlers, and it became necessary to keep strict watch and to use arbi- trary measures to keep it from them. On one occasion, Cap- tain James Walker, finding that by some unaccountable means the Indians had access to the contraband article, determined to find out how they got it. Being perfectly familiar with In- dian customs, and speaking their language, he disguised him- self in their attire and walking into their encampment or vil- 166 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY lage, he seated himself among them, as he found them gathered for some special purpose. Presently a man stole in whom he recognized as a trader from the Fox River, and began to deal out the firewater. He soon came to Captain Walker, who jumped to his feet and called out the name of the trader. The trader was much chagrined. The traffic ceased for some time. Godfrey's Tavern, at the junction of Route 4 and the Plain- field road, on the south edge of Section twelve (12) in DuPage Township was an early settlement. It was a station for stage- coaches, being the place where they changed horses when going into Chicago and when returning. More is given under Du- Page Township. The settlements on Hickory Creek were among the very first. W. R. Rice in a letter says that in June, 1829, he and his father William Rice and Miller, left Fountain County, Indiana, to look at the Far West. He says: "We struck the Iroquois which we followed to the Kankakee, which, in turn, we followed to the Des Plaines. We followed the Des Plaines upstream to Hickory Creek. Going up this a mile or two, we found a Mr. Brown and old Col. Sayre living in an old Indian bark shanty near where Dr. Allen's house stands (the old Davidson place) ; and about eighty rods northwest across the creek was an old man of the name of Friend, who had a log cabin partly built." The account is correct. The man, Brown, died soon after and was buried on the Davidson place, the first white burial in Will County. The Indian bark shanty was very near where the Viaduct on East Washington Street crosses the Michigan Central Rail- road. Friend's log cabin was on the north side of Hickory Creek, a little to the west and south of the Joliet Lumber and Fuel Company, 2320 East Cass Street. Other settlements along Hickory Creek will be mentioned in the township history. Robert Stevens settled on Section Two in 1830 and brought his family in 1831. This farm of Mr. Stevens became the first HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 167 fair grounds. A beautiful grove of oaks was found here and an abundant spring supplying water. This area is now known as "Brooklyn" and lies south of Second Avenue, southward to Fifth Avenue. David Maggard took up a claim on the west side of the Des Plaines River about opposite the Steel Mills, on the bluff opposite the Horseshoe works. Both of these men were here before the surveys had been made and were squat- ters. This fact makes it difficult to locate the land exactly. Maggard's cabin was the first erected in the present city lim- its. His home stood on the edge of the Sac (Sauk) Trail. This trail, at that early date was a national highway. The Lincoln Highway approximates this trail coming into Joliet from the east and going out on the northwest toward Aurora. The pres- ent flow of water in the river is high on account of the Chicago Drainage Channel, but in the early days (1828-29-30) it could be forded where the riffles were in shallow places where the water flowed swiftly. Reed's Grove was in section thirty-six (36) in Channahon Township and in section thirty-one (31) in Jackson Township. This is south and west of Elwood. Charles Reed, Joseph Shoe- maker, and Wesley Jenkins settled in Reed's Grove in 1831. Yankee Settlement was started in 1831, when Holder Sisson, Selah Lanfear, and Orrin Stevens settled in the West-central part of the Township of Homer. Mr. Lanfear settled on the northwest one-fourth of Section 29. About the same time Ly- man Hawley settled on the northeast one-fourth of Section 30. Mr. Hawley opened a store on Hawley's Hill which is now on the Frazier farm. A blacksmith shop was started and for a time, it seemed that a town might grow on this hill, but fate decided otherwise. Thorn Grove, which exists now in name if not in trees, cov- ered sections 1, 2, 11 and 12, in Monee Township and section 6, in Crete Township. The grove extended into Cook County for several miles, running northward from the part in Will county. 168 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 1833-1834, Major Price, William Osborn and Asa Dade settled on Thorn Creek. DuPage settlements (Township 37 North, Range 10, East of the 3rd Principal Meridian) were made much earlier because the first settler was attracted by the beauty of the land between the two branches of the DuPage River, branches which unite just before entering Wheatland Township. The following liberal transcript is taken from "History of Will County," published in 1878: Stephen J. Scott was a native of Maryland who settled on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in 1825. Being dissatisfied with the sandy region of western Michigan he crossed to the western shore and settled at Grose Point, now known as Evanston. There were then no white people north of Peoria, outside of the garrisons and a few fam- ilies under the immediate protection of the forts. Chicago had two or three families of Indian traders outside of the fort. Mr. Scott while out hunting with his son, Willard, a young man of twenty-one, came upon the DuPage River near Plain- field. The beauty of the stream and the adjacent prairies and groves impressed him and he followed the stream upwards until he came to the place where the two forks unite in Section 7. Attracted by the beauty of the location, the fertility of the prairie soil, and the convenient adjacent timber, he left his home on the lake shore and, in 1830, moved his family into the comfortable log house which he had built. William Scott, who came with his father in the hunt, and afterward settled with them in the log-house home, had ac- quired a good knowledge of the Indian language and under- stood the Indian's disposition. He had great influence with the Pottawatomie tribe and at a council in the Big Woods in 1832, was largely instrumental in preventing that tribe from joining the Sacs (Sauks) in their murderous war upon the early settlers. Young Scott had been adopted into the tribe and received an Indian name, Kish-wash, an Eagle. The young HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 169 man commanded the respect of the natives by his honesty and undaunted bravery. On one of his early hunting expeditions he wandered as far as Holdeman's Grove in Grundy County and there found a wife in the family of Hawley. Troutman's Grove, in Sections 1 and 12, in Channahon Township, was settled in 1831 by Joseph McCune and John Troutman, and in 1833 by Robert Thornburg. At this writing, none of these family names appear in the titles to property in that part of the township. Jedediah Wooley, Jr., came in 1831 and settled in Troy Town- ship in Section 16, the southern part, on the river. He com- menced a mill on the river bank in that year. The Sauk (Sac) war interrupted the work which was not completed until 1834. Rexford brothers settled there in 1834 and rented Wooley's Mill. The village of Troy remains in that settlement now (1928), decadent, but still a village with a little activity. Forked Creek runs through the western part of Wesley Township, crosses the southwest corner of Florence Township and passes through the City of Wilmington, to flow into the Kankakee River. A group of people from Virginia settled along this creek as early as 1834. They needed wood and water as well as tillable land, so they kept near the river. The earli- est were John Frazier, Hamilton Keeney, John Williams, Rob- ert Kilpatrick, James Kelly, James Jordan, John Howell, and George Beckwith. Thomas Hatton and Richard Yates settled across the river in the present Township of Custer in 1834. This was some- what near the French Settlement known as Bourbonnais Grove, and therefore was not isolated. Five-mile Grove in Sections 7 and 8, in Manhattan Town- ship. Mr. Stevens settled here in 1832 and Ephraim and Ed- ward Perkins came in 1833. The Jones and Rudd families came in 1835. The importance and influence of wood and water was much in evidence here. Five-mile Grove was small includ- 170 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY ing not more than forty acres, some of which still remains (1928). The settlers avoided this part because the prairie sur- rounding the land was already taken up. Twelve-mile Grove covered something more than one thou- sand acres. This attracted squatters early. There was good water, good timber, and good land for cultivation around it. Some of the grove remains at Wallingford, coming down to Wilton Center. Samuel Holcomb settled there in 1832 and Abram Huyck in 1835. These names are no longer listed among the land-owners in that part, but Huyck's Grove survives in the name of the school which is still known as Huyck's Grove School. Monee Township had about two thousand acres of timber in the northeast corner, and therefore had some early settlers. In 1834, J. S. Dilly came in; in 1835, John M. Cehase, N. C. Tib- bitts, S. W. Cooper, Nicholas Young, and Rud Carney; in 1836, S. W. Gaines, Aaron Bond, Otis Philips, Hollis Newton, and a man named Hall. Otis B. Philips opened the first school in 1836. Some of these names survive but most of them have been replaced by Germans who came in some twenty or thirty years later. The earliest Settlements have been noticed with the excep- tion of Joliet Township. The history of Joliet is so intimately connected with the history of the township that it may be given in that part of this work. In this part it has been our purpose to give the early beginnings for convenience in reference as well as reading. Each township has a history of its own with characteristic features which may not be overlooked. CHAPTER X. TOWNSHIPS. CHANNAHON TOWNSHIP— CRETE TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE OF CRETE— PIONEER DAYS IN EASTERN WILL COUNTY— CUSTER TOWNSHIP— DU PAGE TOWN- SHIP — ROMEO— FLORENCE TOWNSHIP— FRANKFORT TOWNSHIP— MOKENA —FRANKFORT— GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP— HOMER TOWNSHIP— EARLY WILL COUNTY DAYS — JACKSON TOWNSHIP— ELWOOD. Channahon Township. — The history of the townships is taken most largely from a "History of Will County" published in 1878, by Wm. Le Baron, Jr., and Company. The work on the townships was compiled by W. H. Perrin and H. H. Hill. They were near enough to the first years of our history to present the facts which were obtained from people who had personal knowledge of the events. For convenience for refer- ence, they are given here in alphabetic order. Channahon Township borders on the Great Highway along the Des Plaines. This region was a favorite dwelling place for the Indians. Indian towns and villages were located in this vicinity for many generations before the Whites came. Mounds are still found there, some of which are still undisturbed by White men. Excavations which have been made across the river from Dresden Heights have been described in a preced- ing chapter. In this chapter we are interested in the early settlers and give the accounts as found in the book mentioned above. "In that beautiful portion of our county which lies between the Des Plaines and Du Page rivers, and near the meeting of 171 172 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the waters, now included in the Town of Channahon, some settlers came as early as 1832, while the Indian still cultivated corn on the bottom and fished along the streams. This was a favorite spot with them, and they long lingered there. Their canoes passed up and down the rivers, and in the mounds which are still distinguishable they buried their dead. Somewhere near Treat's Island an Indian was buried as late as 1835. He was placed in a sitting posture partly out of the ground, and a pen of saplings placed around him. He is supposed to have been a chief, as the Indians passing up and down always visited his grave, and left various articles upon it as tokens of respect. A little flag was also kept flying over it, which was cared for by the Treats. North of Joliet, the writer remembers to have seen the grave of an infant in the top of a tree. It consisted of two hollow slabs in which the body was placed, being fastened together and to the tree by strips of bark. Perhaps it is a misnomer to call this a grave, and why they thus disposed of an infant's body we know not, unless it was a dim reflection of the Savior's words, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven.' Be- lieving that the child's spirit had gone straight to the 'happy hunting fields,' they placed the body as near as possible to the sky. Among the earliest settlers in Channahon was Isaac Jes- sup, Wm. E. Peck, E. C. Fellows, H. D. Risley, Peter McCowan, Capt. Willard, Michael Morehouse, Jedediah, Walter and E. G. Eames, Joseph N. Fryer, Russell Tryon, George Tryon, 'Uncle Bont' Schermerhorn and his four sons — Peter, Jacob B., Cor- nelius and Isaac — and John Ward. These came in 1832-3-4. In 1835, Dr. Peter Schermerhorn, Joseph Lewis, Samuel Lewis and Dr. Wm. Lewis, Isaac and Burke Van Alstine, Wm. Alt- house and a colored gentleman for whom we have never heard any name but 'Dick.' Several of these settlers were representa- tives of the old Dutch families on the Hudson, coming from Schodack and vicinity, and, like their ancestors, knew good land when they saw it, and then settled down to stay. Joseph HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 173 Davis and his sons came in 1836. Isaac Jessup, long a promi- nent citizen, died in 1853, at the age of 66. He, too, bore the honorable title of Deacon, and was county treasurer in 1843-46. His sons still perpetuate his name. A daughter of his, Mrs. E. Jessup Eames, had considerable reputation as a poetess some years ago ; and another, Sarah, who died in 1863, was not alto- gether unknown to local fame. H. D. Risley was from Salina, New York, and being elected sheriff of the county in 1840, he removed to the old county jail, where he remained four years. He was also a canal contractor in canal times. The Van Alstines are still extant and residents of the vicinity, and so is their 'Nigger Dick/ the same old sinner he was forty-odd years ago. There seems to be little change in him since the time he came up to attend a ball in 1836, when his ox-team got wedged so inexplicably betwen the old Demmond Block and the precipice in its rear, save that he has grown a little grayer. Dick has the honor of being the first, and for a long time the only, rep- resentative of his race in Will County. J. B. Schermerhorn was county commissioner in the years 1848-49, and supervisor of Channahon 1854-56. Dr. Peter Schermerhorn was for some years a practicing physician in Channahon and vicinity, and afterward removed to Ottawa, where he died. Wm. B. Peck, generally known as Judge Peck, having been a county judge where he came from in the County of Columbia, State of New York, was a prominent man, something of a politician, and county commissioner four years — 1839-42. He died in the year 1849, in the seventy-first year of his age. E. C. Fellows, the well known lawyer, and the earliest lawyer in the county, came to Channahon at the same time and married a daughter of Judge Peck. He came to Joliet in 1835. It is but recently that he has deceased. Of his ability as a lawyer, especially as a criminal lawyer, everybody in Will County is well aware. George Tryon was supervisor of Channahon for the years 1850- 52. E. H. Jessup, one of Isaac Jessup's sons, was supervisor in 174 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 1862, and John S. Jessup, another son, represented in part our county in the Legislature in the year 1872. He was the first victim of minority representation. J. N. Fryer has been super- visor from 1866 down to date, and perhaps will be as long as he lives. Michael Morehouse was a native of Connecticut, born in 1791, a good, honorable and intelligent man, who died in 1876. Dr. Knapp and George Tryon came together from Vermont, and were the first settlers in the part of the town where they located, now on the beautiful 'wide water' made by the canal, and the favorite resort of Fourth of July picnics. The Indians were dwelling on the bottom of the Des Plaines, and at a spot across the river, a little lower down, known then as the 'sugar bush/ in considerable numbers. They were under the super- vision of one of old Bourbonnie's sons, a half-breed. Seymour Treat and son had settled at the island still known by his name, in 1833. The Treats were great friends of the Indians, never refusing them food or shelter, though their supplies were not very abundant. The Indians held the family in high regard, and when they received their last annuity, they gaye him $1,000 as a remembrance, which furnished him the means to go on with the mill which he was building. He had a son and daugh- ter. The son was known as Dr. Treat. The mill was built at the lower end of the island. The Indians were friendly to the early settlers, and never troublesome unless they had drunk too much firewater. They called this liquid good-na-tosh — clearly a misnomer. As the settlers were not familiar with the Indian language, they had to resort largely to the natural lan- guage of signs, at which the Indians are as expert as the deaf- mutes. Dr. Knapp tells an amusing story as to how an Indian tried to make him understand what he meant when he wanted to sell him some 'ho-mo-sis-paw-quet' — that is, bee-sugar or honey. This is a story that can't be told except in pantomime, and nobody can do it justice but the doctor. If you ever see HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 175 him, get him to tell it. It is the best specimen of pantomime we ever saw." "The village of Channahon was laid out by the Canal Trus- tees by whom it was named Snifton after one of their number. Through the influence of Judge Pack it was changed to Channa- hon — an Indian word, which means, the meeting of the waters — a beautiful and appropriate name." — From Forty Years Ago. The early history of Channahon Township as well as that of all other townships in the county is taken most largely from the history which was written in 1878. The two men who wrote it, W. H. Perrin and H. H. Hill, were good students and careful writers. They had first-hand information from the early settlers who were alive at that time. No better record could be found then there. The later history contains less of vital interest because pioneers always have the adventure which adds so much to history. The present site of the village of Channahon was the site of an Indian town of some considerable size (1,000) for many years. The excavations which have been recorded in an earlier chapter indicates that the Aborigines had residence there for a long time. It was perfectly natural that the white people should settle there when they came. The opening of the canal brought transportation without which no community can pros- per very long. For many years preceding 1918, the village of Channahon was decadent. But the building of the concrete road, Route 7, brought quick and easy travel through the town and revived it to a great extent. It had become decadent be- cause the Rock Island Railroad did not go through the town and because the coming of the railroads made the canal of little value. Perhaps the Deep Waterway may add to its growth. More of the timber remains about Channahon than any other one section of the county. The rough land was not of very much use for agriculture and therefore the timber was allowed to remain. During the past year, timber wolves have 176 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY been seen in the vicinity. This variety seems to come from the timbered region of Wisconsin in the severe weather of winter. For several years a few specimens have been taken each year. Other wild animals of any size do not remain. Cotton tails, woodchucks, oppossum, are still found to some extent. Much of the land is too shallow for farming. Several sec- tions have no value excepting for pasture and it is not of much use unless the season is wet. All of the tillable land has been drained and is cultivated successfully. Modern machinery in- cluding tractors, gang plows, disc-harrows, combines which cut the grain, thresh it, and deliver it into the wagon ready for the bin, and at the same time scatter the straw ready for the plow, are coming into use. Truck farms are found in the bottom land near the canal and the river. Wonderful crops are taken from these farms by the industrious people who operate them. During the last three or four years this line of farming has passed almost entirely into the hands of Greeks and Ital- ians. They are successful farmers because they know the work and are industrious, usually having a family of children to as- sist in the work. These farms have been made possible by the concrete road which make it easy for them to take their pro- duce to the Chicago market in motor trucks in a few hours. Much of the produce of these farms is sold along the highway to the people who pass in automobiles. Millsdale is a freight station on the Santa Fe Railroad and is of importance because it is a feeding station for sheep and cattle bound for the Chicago market. Mr. Arthur Mills who owns the large farm surrounding this station operates this feeding station at a good profit. He raises alfalfa upon his land and sells it to the people who unload their stock to be fed at his station. Sheep are frequently held here to await a better market at the Union Stockyards at Chicago. They can be HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 177 rushed to the market on short notice when word comes that the prices are right. Channahon, thirty and forty years ago, was noted for its good school. It maintained what would be called a high school, as early as forty-five years ago. The school building was a two- story structure of the usual type built in those times. Two floors and two rooms with a narrow stairway for entrance and exit. This building was destroyed by fire in 1922. It was re- placed by a four-room building built on the ground floor plan with an assembly hall between two pairs of rooms in either end. It is of brick construction, fire proof throughout, modern in every way. There are four teachers under the supervision of W. G. Smith. Mr. Smith teaches a two-year high school which accommodates the boys and girls of the neighborhood who can not afford to travel to the larger schools farther away. After they have finished two years here most of them are able to complete the four year course in the Joliet Township School. There are three teachers in the grades doing excellent work. Channahon schools are as good as any of the schools in Will County. Channahon had a Methodist Church which was built years ago and maintained with more or less success through all the year. This building was destroyed by fire which was started by lightning in 1925. It was replaced by a new building of brick, a pleasing edifice which will seat 350 people. The services are maintained in this regularly by the Methodists. The entire township is served with telephones and rural de- livery bringing all of these comforts to the farmers as well as the people in the Township. These together with the radios which are found in almost every home bring them in imme- diate touch with the affairs of the outside world. The farmers are no longer secluded. The influence with this contact with the outer world is shown in the homes of the people which contain modern conveniences throughout. 12— VOL. 1 178 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Crete Township. — The first settlements in Crete Township were in Thorn Grove in the northwest corner. In 1833-34, Major Price, Wm. Osborn and Asa Dade settled there; in 1835- 36, Minoris Beebe, Shipman Frank, Inartus Marsh and four sons (Jonathon, Edwin, Horatio and Henry), James L. Dean, Wm. Bryant, J. Stalcop, William R. Starr, Willard Wood, Dea- con Samuel Cushing, Norman Northrop, John H. Bennett, Moses H. Cook, Henry Milliken, Charles Wood, Hazen Adams, John Kyle and son, Enoch Dodge, Henry Ayers, David Haner, John E. Hewes and J. W. Safford. These were the first comers in eastern Will County. Twenty years elapsed before other settlers came. By that time rail- roads were built and the land was taken up rapidly. Since the eastern part of the county was settled largely by Germans, one has a desire to know what prompted them to leave the fatherland. Emigration from Germany occurred in small numbers to Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1683. A larger exodus took place from 1700 to 1710, due to the influence of William Penn, who visited the Rhine Valley and offered in- ducements to go to America. In 1807, a larger migration was made. Many Germans whose property had been confiscated sought refuge in America and indentured themselves to set- tlers to pay their passage. Ship captains took chances in bring- ing them over and auctioned them off to the settlers in pay- ment for transportation. Being sure of employment, they came freely. They worked out their freedom and then worked out their farms by clearing the forests away. In 1749-54, about two thousand landed in America. The immigration to the Mississippi Valley began in 1833. This exodus was much larger and was caused by more forceful influences. From the time of Napoleon down to 1848, the gov- ernment of Germany was despotic, supporting an established church. The great revolution of 1848 grew out of the education of a class of liberals. German universities developed rapidly in HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 179 those fifty years and the better informed sought more freedom in government. When the revolution failed, many of these lib- erals left the country. They sought refuge in America and brought in liberalism in politics as well as religion. This group settled in cities. Soon after this the peasant class came out of the fatherland to escape military service. They were found in large numbers in the Union army during the Civil war. They were ready to fight when it meant freedom for themselves rather than the promotion of the welfare of some prince in Germany. These imigrants were men of thrift who set about making homes for themselves. They were liberty-loving people. They were patient and industrious. They were of high character and came where they might find material prosperity and free- dom to think for themselves. Route 1 of the Illinois Highway extends through Crete. This is known as the Dixie Highway. It was the first concrete road built in Illinois. It has brought prosperity to the town of Crete and its development has been very rapid during the last five years. This prosperity is manifested by the building of many beautiful homes, by the extension of the city limits and improvements of the streets. The rise in value of real estate is an excellent evidence of its growing importance. South of the village of Crete is the Lincoln Fields, the most luxurious race track in the United States, built during 1925-26- 27, at an expense of more than two millions of dollars. The Dixie Highway was widened to double width to accommodate the large numbers who attend these races. East of Crete is the Lincolnshire Country Club, which is a real estate project of real merit. At this writing (1928) the golf course is half completed. Residence lots have been sold in large numbers. Much money has been expended to develop the prosperity of the village and it bids fair to become an im- portant and extensive suburb of Chicago. 180 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The account of the early history of Crete Township as given in the preceding paragraphs shows that it was settled early by eastern people. This was due to the fact that it was near the Indian trail which became the highway for prairie schooners and later the Lincoln Highway. Here again, trans-, portation was an important cause. The building of the rail- road about 1858, increased the facilities for moving in and out, and the township settled up rapidly. The Dixie Highway is Route 1 of the Illinois Highway sys- tem. Number 1 shows that it was the first concrete road con- structed. Upon it traffic is always heavy and exceedingly con- gested on Sundays and holidays. It enters the township on the edge of Section 5, and goes southward, bearing slightly to the east. During this year it has been made double-width from Crete northward, to accommodate the heavy traffic which comes to the Lincoln Fields Jockey Club. The township is also well supplied with stone roads east and west, giving good access to the concrete road. These good roads have increased the in- dustry of the entire township. Forty years ago, Crete Township was devoted quite largely to the raising of beef cattle. The Baker farm at" Goodenow Station was the mecca for all Hereford buyers. The eastern part of the township at that time was owned by Chicago men who operated stock farms on which they raised the white faces. It was a flourishing industry. One six-months-old calf sold for a thousand dollars. This set everyone on fire with enthusiasm for this breed. Many farmers mortgaged their farms to buy a half a dozen head to start a herd. Immediately prices began to fall and many of these farmers never succeeded in paying off the mortgages. The Chicago people abandoned what had been but a mere pastime for them. The Baker farm still continues to raise Hereford cattle of the very best type. The management makes it pay very well, indeed. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 181 The remainder of the township is devoted very largely to the dairy business, because good roads make it possible for the milk trucks to pick up their products at convenient points. This has brought prosperity to the farmers throughout the town- ship. The grain is raised in large quantities. The yield per acre is very good. Much of the grain is fed at home. The remainder finds a ready market at Lincoln Fields as well as at the ele- vators at the stations along the railroads. The farming is carried on as in other townships with the latest improvements, machinery, tractors, gang plows, disk harrows, as well as binders and in some cases combines which harvest and thresh at the same time. Every farmer has his own automobile and his family no longer is confined to the farm home. This has brought a broadening in the lives of all. The Village of Crete is a thriving town and promises soon to become a city. During the past four years, many new homes have been built under the direction of the most important real estate dealer, Fred B. Rohe. He has the vision for the future and faith in his fellow men which foresee a city. He is a leader in the community and does much to develop it as well as the neighborhood around. East of Crete is the Lincolnshire Country Club, of which the golf course is about completed. Surrounding this golf club are home-sites which are being taken up rapidly. It is a beautiful country with forests and prairies, hills and streams, together with level areas which will make it a beautiful residence section. At this writing the future of Crete is very promising indeed. The school house which was built in 1870 was re-modeled in 1923 into a four room building- modern in every detail. In it were four teachers taking care of two grades in each room. It was one of the best village schools in the county. This summer (1928), this school house was burned to the ground. Preparations were made at once to re- build. The people voted a bond issue of $65,000 without a dis- 182 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY senting vote. Plans have been made and excavations have be- gun for a six-room building with a gymnasium attached. It is a ground floor plan with all of the rooms opening on the ground floor outside as well as to the corridors which lead to* the gymnasium. The German Lutheran school which has been maintained for many years in the village was held in one room of the pub- lic school building until 1921. In that year they built a modern building of brick in which they have their school at the present time. Professor Edward Stelter has had charge of the school for several years. He is an able teacher and conducts a very good school. During this year he plans to move to Chicago and his position in Crete will be filled by another. Goodenow Village, which started when an elevator was built to receive grain, remains about as it was 40 years ago with a store, a garage, a lumber yard, an elevator and a post office, together with the homes in which the men who operate them live. John Bahlman conducts a general store in which one may buy anything he needs at a reasonable price. The grain comes in smaller quantities than formerly, because much of the pro- duce of the farm is fed to the live stock. However, the sale of stock feed has made it possible for the elevator man to do a good business. South of Crete about a mile and a half is located the Lincoln Fields Jockey Club. This was built in 1925-26, at a cost of two and one-half thousands of dollars. It is the most modern and complete race course in the United States. The capacity of the stand is very large and hundreds of horses are in training continually on its tracks. Thousands of Chicago people are found in attendance at the races. Automobiles are parked by the acre, thousands of them being there every day. It is a thriving institution and during the three years in which it has been operated no report of trouble has been heard. Its patrons seem to come filled with hope and go away happy, thinking that HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 183 they have had a good time. Meanwhile, the institution pros- pers, bringing much money to the promoters. "Pioneer Days in Eastern Will County."— By E. P. Farrell— Born in one of the pioneer farm houses near the big timber one mile west of Crete, my earliest recollections bring to mind big snows, howling wolves, long winters, and delightful summers. This was about three score and ten years ago. At that time the great fertile sheet of untouched prairie land lying between the Indiana state line and the Illinois Central right-of-way, bounded on the north by Cook County and the timber line, and on the south by the Kankakee River, was a sight once seen, never to be forgotten. Here upon the prairie and in the bordering timber were wolves, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, and now and then a stray deer, wildcat or bear, the latter generally a rambler from the Michigan woods. Nor would I forget the beautiful striped "kitty" who nightly sought the hen roosts and made his pres- ence known by a strong pungent odor on the night air. These animals were either trapped or shot, some for food but the greater number for their pelts. On the prairie was the home and feeding ground of tens of thousands of wild geese, ducks, brants, cranes, plovers, quail, and prairie chicken. For a number of years early settlers lived well on wild game. One could stand by his cabin door and shoot to his heart's delight. Not only did the ducks and geese furnish food in abundance but every settler gloried in huge feather beds and fluffy pillows filled with the choicest of feathers. Mother had six of these beds, all from wild feathers. The prairie rattlesnake was found in many places and was to be feared. He was no respector of either man or animal. His bite was quickly followed by copious doses from some neighborly whiskey jug. If the victim survived the drink he got well; if not, he died of the snake bite. 184 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The section referred to above was practically unsettled. As far as the eye could see there was naught but great billows of waving prairie grass as the soft winds swept over the bosom of this virgin region. Here and there could be seen beautiful patches of prairie flowers sentineled by an imposing array of tall gumweeds. These gum stalks were as provident to us chil- dren in that day as the Wrigley building is today to those who are members of the worlds great gum chewing brigade. In early fall we trooped across the prairie snapping the tops of the stalks that the sap might ooze out, and in about ten days return to pick, masticate and pack our winter's supply of chewing gum. This was generally packed in empty wooden pill boxes. As to industries in the home, everything was hand made at home. Mother had her spinning wheel and her loom-spinning, weaving and tailoring was a home industry. Once a year cheese was made in the old washboiler, and how the children of that day looked forward to eating some of the thick curd caused by the cooking process. For lights the candle moulds were gotten out in early fall and dozens and dozens of candles were made that we might have lights during the long winter hours. The winters in the early sixties were very severe and the snow falls heavy. Coal and patent heating plants were un- known. It was go to the woods and bring home your fuel. So severe was one winter that stock was known to freeze while in their stalls. Men went out and brought in whole coveys of quail and prairie chickens frozen stiff. Women went about their house work with heavy woolen shawls tightly drawn over their shoulders while men sucked away with a vengeance at their corn cob pipes trying to keep ice from forming on the end of their noses. By the way, tobacco came packed in barrels, and was not made of cabbage leaves and beet tops. Modern labor saving implements had not appeared. It was cradle your grain and scythe your grass. The old water jug al- ways went along with the scythe, and how refreshing the water HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 185 was. To take a drink one inserted his two first fingers of the left hand in the handle of the jug, swung the jug on to the elbow, raised it skyward, and no sweeter music was ever heard than the gurgle of that water as it went out of the jug and down a parched throat. The old fashioned flail is now a rare curios- ity. Right well do I remember a terrific whack I received on my head while trying to handle this crude threshing machine. Farmers were up before daylight and often labored long into the night. After the close of the civil war, shanties began to appear here and there, and during the seventies the last open section of land was occupied and worked. This section was in the central southern part of Will Township and was owned by Conrad Tatge, once county clerk. Before the sections were closed stock had the choicest of grazing and the farmer had his pick of the richest grass for winter feed. In that early day a queer custom developed. Any settler could go out into the open spaces in early summer, select and cut around the grass he desired for later use. There was an unwritten law kept sacred among early settlers that the grass chosen belonged to the one making the mark around it. That law was never vio- lated and can be held up today in strong contrast with the laws written and never kept. As grain was hard to market and the price low, farmers took to stock raising. As the grazing ground disappeared the herder appeared. His business was to round up early in the spring, all the young stock into one great herd, drive it down into the big swamp lands near Mom- ence and there let them graze until frost demanded that they be driven home. The total cost per head for the entire season was one dollar and twenty-five cents. The cattle came home in good condition, were grain fed for about two months and then shipped to Chicago to market. East of Peotone in 1871, some of the best prairie farm land in Illinois could be bought at sixteen dollars per acre. Within the last few years some of this 186 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY land has sold under the auctioneer's hammer at two hundred and fifty dollars per acre. Referring back to the early days, the prairie was dotted with numerous ponds and sloughs, the home of millions of mosqui- toes. Malaria and ague combined made life for many scarcely worth the living. However, soon there came a wonderful remedy in the shape of tile draining. Under it the ponds dis- appeared, sloughs became rich farm land and ague and its attendant evils were destroyed. Upland prairie hay, that choice food for stock, is known in Northern Illinois no more. Yet, at one time a companion and myself standing on a small elevation East of Peotone counted over two hundred large stacks of this choice hay, all cut from land that had never known a plow. Eastern Will County was first settled by the pioneering Yan- kees. A little later came English, German, and Irish settlers, the Germans finally outnumbering all other nationalities, and to- day their descendants are there, wealthy, law-abiding, staunch American citizens. Crete was where the first torch of civiliza- tion flared forth in Eastern Will County. Here came the hardy Easterner after a long tedious journey by ox and covered wagon, and here he and his posterity remained and are known to this day. In 1869, Peotone was a little one street station. Its chief attraction was saloons, beer kegs, flies, and mosquitoes. A grain market was established and the farmer began hauling his products to town. Soon however, he discovered that when the grain was delivered the driver oftimes proceeded to get glori- ously drunk. This fact soon changed a lot of the marketing to other points. Then, all at once like a flash of lightning from a clear sky, came a temperance wave into Peotone. City election followed close, and upon count of the ballots cast a majority of one was found in favor of temperance. That ballot was the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 187 magic wand that brought forth a new Era. During the seven following years, filth, degradation, and pauperism disappeared. The people became inspired with a new and higher idea. Their great aim was to make a model city out of their home town. This was accomplished, for today there is not a city in Illinois of like population that ranks higher in schools, churches, fine buildings, and staunch and worthy citizens. Who has not heard of Peotone, the spotless town? To be a resident of Peotone gives one a high class rating throughout the length and breadth of Illinois. Another early attraction, long since torn down, was the tall towers erected at the time Illinois was being surveyed. One stood south of Monee, another in Washington Township, one in Green Garden Township, and a fourth near Manteno. The old Dutch wind-mills, one in Monee, one near Washington, one in Bremen, and one in Peotone, were visible for miles around. The one in Peotone, minus its long arms, is still grinding away but under a new power. These mills were of Holland type and their giant wings revolving in the sky seemed to be living factors beckoning civilization to the rich prairie lands of Eastern Will County. The towers, the grist mills, and the early settlers are no more, but some of the progeny of those hardy pioneers still live, an honor to their parentage and the county in which they live. Although much is left unwritten, yet I would not close this article without paying tribute to the "boys in blue" who rushed to the defense of our flag in '61. Every cemetery in Eastern Will County contains honored graves where sleep these valiant ones. Others died amid the horrors of Andersonville, and other southern prisons. Those that came home helped to develop the country ere they too laid aside life's burden. The once strong G. A. R. Post at Peotone is no more. In all reverence let us un- cover as the flag rests at half mast. 188 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Custer Township came into existence in 1875, when it was separated from Reed Township, which had included all of that part of Will County which is now included in Reed and Custer townships. The first settlement within the present bounds of this township was made in 1834 by Thomas Hatton and Richard Yates. The region from the present village of Custer Park eastward, along the Kankakee River was occupied for many generations by the Indians who had towns in this region. Far- ther up the river beyond the boundary of Will County was a French settlement, which is still known as Bourbonnais. It is a city of about three thousand people. The history of this township is so intimately connected with Reed Township that it may well be given in connection with that. Custer Township has prospered because transportation has improved. This may be said perhaps of every township in the county. A concrete road is being built from Wilmington to Kankakee on the south side of the river following the general course of the stream throughout. Another road is being built this summer from Kankakee to Wilmington upon the north side of the stream. Both of these roads will bring summer residents to both sides of the stream. The village of Custer remains about the same size that it was forty years ago. Busi- ness, however, in the grocery stores, the oil stations, and the garage, is much better during the summer months because of the summer residents. Many summer homes are built along the Kankakee to the east and to the west of the village. Thus it is that this section of the county is being taken up rapidly by these transients. They find relief here from the congested regions of Chicago. The concrete roads make it possible to reach the village easily. The farmers who have been struggling upon their farms which have thin soil will share in the prosperity of the village because they will find a market for poultry and produce which HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 189 they did not have before. Large quantities of melons are raised because the sandy soil makes it possible to secure good crops. The village school has been maintained in a one-room build- ing for several years. The building is an old structure which was moved in from two miles south in 1922. It has outlived its usefulness and this summer a new building is being con- structed, modern in every detail, to give the children the ad- vantages which they deserve. Du Page Township. — The winter of the "deep snow" found a family or two in Du Page Township. In Central and North- ern Illinois, the deep snow is a chronological event, from which the old settlers who witnessed it date all important items in their history. There are at this date, however, very few left who witnessed that great fall of snow, which occurred in the winter of 1830-31, almost half a century ago. Occasionally we meet one who experienced the privations incident to four feet of snow for two months, which was the depth of this "great white carpet" we have so often been called upon to notice. To tell of all the sufferings and trials of the few who bore the brunt of that snowstorm in this section of the country, would be to repeat an "oft-told tale." We forbear. As stated above, there were a few families here that winter. Pierce Hawley, Stephen J. Scott and his son, Willard Scott, and Ralph Stowell came to this township in the fall of 1830 and settled in the grove of timber bordering the Du Page River. Hawley was originally from Vermont, but first settled, after coming to the country, in Sangamon County, then embracing nearly half of the state. Later, he removed to Holdeman's Grove, and in the fall of 1830, settled in this township, as noted. The Scotts came from Baltimore, the "Monumental City of the East," and set- tled, upon their arrival in Illinois, at Grose's Point (now Evans- ton), and in the fall of 1830, came to Du Page Township. The 190 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY elder Scott went to California during the gold fever of 1849 and 1850, by the overland route; was seventy years of age at the time of his going, and died in the Golden State. His oldest son, Willis Scott, who came to the settlement two years later, lives in Chicago; and the other son, Willard Scott, who came with his father, is a prosperous merchant and banker in Naper- ville. Stowell came from Ohio here; but whether that was his native state or not, we are unable to say. He settled where Glover now lives, and afterward moved down on Fox River. He died several years ago. These were the families that waded through the deep snow of 1830-31, in this township. In 1831, the settlement was increased by the arrival of Israel P. Blodgett, Robert Strong, John Dudley, Harry Boardman, Rev. Isaac Scarritt and Lester Peet. Blodgett came from Mas- sachusetts, and settled where Royce now lives. He was the father of Judge Blodgett, of Chicago. The Judge is remem- bered in the town as a boy of rather delicate appearance, who was very studious, attended the public schools and taught by way of improvement and of defraying his own expenses. The result is his present exalted position. The father moved to Downer's Grove, where he died some years ago and where his widow now lives. Strong, Boardman and Peet were from Ver- mont. The former was born in 1806, and when eight years old, his father removed to Pennsylvania, and five years later, re- moved to New York. Upon arriving at man's estate, and hav- ing taken to himself a life partner, Mr. Strong came to Illinois, arriving in Chicago in July, 1831. He at once proceeded to Plainfield, but found the land all "claimed" in that section. He says there were then twelve families living at Plainfield, or Walker's Grove, and they told him there was "no room for any more immigrants." He left his family at the house of Timothy B. Clarke, and went out prospecting for a location. He chose the place where he still lives, and bought it from two men named Selvey and Walker, who had a claim on it. He took possession HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 191 at once and settled his family on the spot, and for forty-seven years they have occupied it. Selvey was an early settler, and was here during the Sac war. He was at one time very wealthy and owned a great deal of land in this section and a large num- ber of lots in Chicago. Mr. Clarke remembers his selling lots on Lake Street, in the very heart of the city, at $50 a lot; and his father once bought from Selvey the lot on which the Union Hotel now stands, corner of Canal and Madison streets, for $53. Boardman came from New York, and made the trip around the lakes, landing in Chicago in the summer of 1831. He was originally from Vermont, but like Strong, had lived for some time in New York before emigrating West. Mr. Boardman was an active man in the settlement, and favored every enter- prise for the good of his town. The first reaper used in Will County was bought by him and operated on his farm, in 1846, which was the year previous, it is said, to the one used by Granger, in Homer Township, mentioned in the "Combination Atlas" of the county. It was a McCormick reaper. Board- man had known McCormick in New York, before removing to Illinois, and meeting him in Chicago one day, McCormick proposed to sell him a reaper. Mr. Boardman had a large crop of wheat, and said to McCormick, "Suppose I should buy one of your machines and it would not work, I would lose a large part of my wheat crop." Whereupon McCormick proposed to enter into a bond, agreeing to pay the damage if it did not do what he claimed for it. Said Boardman: "I don't know that your bond is any better than your word." But finally he bought a machine on those conditions, and McCormick gave a bond, guaranteeing it as above stated. It was shipped to him and he cut his crop of wheat, it fully coming up to the guarantee given by McCormick. Two of his neighbors bought reapers the same season, and thus those labor-saving machines were introduced in the county. He was one of the first county com- missioners, an office he filled with credit to himself and satis- 192 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY faction to others. He died in May, 1877. Peet settled here in 1831, near the county line, where Swartz now lives, and died a few years after his settlement. Rev. Scarritt was a Meth- odist minister, and came originally from some one of the East- ern states, but his wife was a Virginia lady. He settled a little east of where Mr. Strong lives, and upon the election of his son, P. P. Scarritt, sheriff of Will County, the elder Scar- ritt moved to Joliet and made a home with his son, where he died, several years ago. This comprised the residents in the town at the close of the second year after the first settlement was made within its borders. In 1832, the year of the Black Hawk war, but few additions were made to the settlement here. Seth Westcott, John Barber and John Miller are all of whom we have any account of locat- ing here during the year 1832. Westcott came from New York, but was originally from Vermont. He settled on the south side of the river, where his son, Seth Westcott, Jr., now lives. The elder Westcott has been dead three or four years. John Barber came also from Vermont, and settled near Barber's Corners. He had twin sons, whose names were Francis and Franklin ; the latter lives now on the old homestead, a prosper- ous farmer, and the picture of health and vigor. The father died a few years ago, after having been confined to his bed for nearly twenty years from rheumatism, and for several years had been blind and incapable of feeding himself. John Miller, another Vermonter, settled east of Barber's Corners, and was quite a prominent man of the township. He was the first super- visor after township organization, and was the only representa- tive that DuPage has ever sent to the State Legislature. He died in the spring of 1851, but a few weeks before his term of service as supervisor had expired. In 1833, Samuel Good- rich also from Vermont, settled a few rods west of Strong's. He removed to Minnesota a good many years ago, and died there in 1876, or about that time. DIXIE HIGHWAY, CRETE, ILL. THE PARK, CRETE, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 193 Col. William Smith settled here in 1834. He came from New York, and removed to Joliet a few years after coming to the country, where he was long known as one of the prominent men of the city, and where he died a few years ago. In 1833, quite a little colony came to the township from Western New York, consisting of Andrew Godfrey, Shubel Swift, Peter Steward, Hiram Warren, Joseph R. Bessey, a fam- ily named Clifford, and Hannibal Ward. This colony made claims and settlements in the valley of the Du Page River, and all are now gone from the township except Hiram Warren. Shubel Swift lives at Waukegan, and Steward lives at Naper- ville. Sylvester Ward, a son of Hannibal Ward, lives near Bar- ber's Corners, and is one of the prosperous and wealthy farm- ers of the county. Hannibal Ward, a cousin of Sylvester Ward, is operating the latter's cheese factory, in the southern part of the town. Warren still lives on the place where he originally settled. Samuel Whallen was also from New York, and came to the Du Page Settlement in 1836. He lived to be ninety-four years old, and died in the township about five years ago. Thomas J. Sprague, another New Yorker, came out on a pros- pecting tour in 1837, and returned the next year and settled. He lives now at what is called Sprague's Corners, a wealthy farmer. This comprises most of the early settlers up to the time when the rush of immigration began. Settlements were made here as early as 1830, but, as Du Page possessed but a small scope of timbered land, there was room for but few inhabitants, until the virtues of the prairies were discovered years later. The early settlers all chose timbered localities, many believing that the prairies would never be of any value save for pasturage. Some even ventured the prophecy that their children would never live to see the prairies settled. In ten years from the time the first claim was made on the Du Page River, there was not a section left vacant in the entire township. Quite a large number of the first settlers of Du 13— VOL. 1 194 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Page, perhaps a majority of them, were from Vermont, and were an intelligent class of people. The only one now living, of those who settled here previous to the Sac war, is Robert Strong, and he, as already stated is on his original claim. Willis Scott, of Chicago, and Willard Scott, of Naperville, were here at that time, but were boys or young men. Mr. Strong is the only old landmark left in the beautiful valley of Fountaindale, and is a man much respected in the neighborhood. He is the oracle, so far as regards the early history of this township, and but for him many of the particulars given in this chapter must necessarily have been left to conjecture. The first mill in Du Page Township was a saw-mill built in 1836 by Alden & Scott. In 1840, another saw-mill was built by Ward, a little above the one just mentioned. Both were on the Du Page, and were washed away during a season of high water, and the old dams are still observable where these orig- inal mills were located. The only grist-mill was a little concern by Pierce Hawley, supplied with horse-power, and used to grind both corn and wheat. The "bolting" was done by hand, and we are told that it turned out a very fair quality of flour; not in quantity and quality with Norton's mill, at Lockport, but then, it satisfied the pioneers, who were often glad to get either flour or corn meal and even that of an inferior quality. Ralph Stowell kept the first tavern in the township, where Glover now lives, and also kept the stage-house after stages were put on the route between Chicago and Ottawa. Shubel Swift also kept a tavern in the early times, at what was called "the Junction," being the junction of the Chicago, Plainfield and Joliet roads. Du Page has no village within its limits, nor has ever had a store really deserving the name, but a few little stands, at various times, merely for neighborhood accommoda- tion. The first bridge was built across the Du Page where the Joliet and Naperville road crosses, about 1836 or 1837. It was built of logs, and was a rough affair. A number of good, sub- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 195 stantial bridges span the two branches of the Du Page in the town at present. The first post office was established at the stage-house already mentioned, and Mr. Stowell was the first Postmaster. The office was originally called Fountaindale, but finally changed to Du Page Post Office, by which name it is now known. As Du Page Post Office, it has traveled all over the township two or three times. Was first kept at the stage- house, then at Barber's Corners, at Col. Smith's, at the Junc- tion, again at Barber's Corners, and, indeed, it is hard to designate a place in the town where it has not been. There was, at one time, another post office in the southwest part of the township, called "Long John," and was established during the popular period of the man for whom it was named. (John Wentworth.) The man who made the effort to get the office was said to be an Abolitionist, and Long John swore that no Abolitionist should have it, but that he would get it for any good Democrat, and so A. C. Paxson was made Postmaster, and he made the Abolitionist his deputy, and thus whipped the devil around the stump. But, Long John post office has passed away, and Du Page is now the only post office in the town, of which Samuel Angleman is Postmaster. The first school was taught in this township by Josiah Gid- dings, in the winter of 1832-33, in a little house built for the purpose, a few rods west from where Mr. Strong lives. The house was a rude affair, of hickory logs split open and notched down on edge with the split side in; the cracks between the logs stopped with sticks and mud, and a chimney of the same material. This early pedagogue went to Wisconsin, where he lived at the last heard from him. When the first school dis- tricts were laid off, Will then being a part of Cook County, this original schoolhouse of Du Page Township was in School District No. 1 of Cook County, and thus entered in the "book of the law and testimony." Du Page has always maintained its early reputation for schools, and spared neither pains nor 196 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY expense to disseminate knowledge among its inhabitants. In 1872, it had 11 school districts; 375 pupils enrolled; 22 teachers employed, and 10 good, comfortable schoolhouses. The amount of special tax levied was $2,454.31; amount paid teachers, $2,- 350.62. Total expenditures of the year, $3,749.23, leaving a balance in the treasury of $435.85. Romeo, the village of that name which is located in the southeastern corner of Du Page Township and in the north- eastern corner of Lockport Township, was a companion town with "Juliet" (Romeo and Juliet). The adjacent quarries were in operation then because stone was an important building material. The canal was projected and railroads were visioned so realtors "platted" a city and sold lots. Nothing came of it. Lockport began to grow, Joliet developed rapidly and Romeo was forgotten. The change of "Juliet" to Joliet, des- troyed the companionship of the two places and Romeo was no more. Present titles to property in Romeo are without re- gard to the first plat of the town. The change in building material from stone to concrete made "The Stone City" a misnomer. One time, two trainloads of stone a day on the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific R. R. was the regular run. The Chicago and Alton carried just as many. Now "rubble stone" are never mentioned in laying foundations, and but few craftsmen know the meaning of rubble. Du Page Township remains entirely agricultural today as it was fifty years ago but vastly improved. The first feature to note is the excellence of the highways in this township. All of the public highways of the township have gravel surfaces, kept in good condition all of the time and passable in all kinds of weather. Route 4A of the State Highway system comes into the township from the south along the old stage route from Joliet to Chicago. It comes into the township along this road until it reaches the east side of section 27 when it turns north to the old Chicago Road which it follows in an easterly HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 197 direction towards Chicago. This route carries heavy traffic at all times. On Sundays and Holidays it is almost a continual stream of automobiles. The good roads leading up to the concrete highway make it possible to transport on heavy trucks. Very much of the pro- duce is carried on these trucks. Cattle for feeding are brought in by the same means and when ready for the market are taken back from Chicago in the same way. The township was given over very largely to feeding cattle for beef until four years ago. Since that time dairy business has come in rapidly. This is due in part to the high price of feeders but mostly to the fact that trucks gather the milk from many stations through- out the township. Thus the farmers are able to market their product without difficulty in transporting which hindered them in former years. The Chicago market takes all of this product that they can produce. In former years the southeast portion of this township, especially that corner which lies east of the river had exten- sive quarries. Building stones were in demand to supply the builders in Chicago. The coming of concrete construction has closed practically all of the quarries. Crushed stone is still produced in large quantities but the stones which are crushed are no longer taken from the ground. They are easily ob- tained from the immense ridges of stone which were excavated to make the Chicago Drainage Canal. The Illinois and Michigan Canal is abandoned. It is an empty ditch not much more than a scratch upon the surface when one compares it with the Chicago Drainage Canal. The completion of the Drainage Canal rendered the old canal use- less as far as Joliet because boats could travel upon the larger canal with ease since mules were no longer the propelling power. The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal was constructed by the Chicago Trainage Commission with the primary purpose 198 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY of making an outlet for the sewage of that city. The State as well as the Nation insisted that it become a ship canal so that it might be used in the future as occasion required. This Chan- nel was completed in 1893 and served its purpose for drain- age for the great city without detriment for the cities along the Illinois Valley. The Deep Waterway for which actual construction work was commenced on November 6, 1920, is being pushed forward rapidly at this time. Contracts were awarded in 1926 for the construction of a lock and dam at Starved Rock; gates and valves for Lockport and Marseilles, and for locks and dam at the lower edge of the city of Joliet. Right-of-way has been obtained throughout and contracts have been let for all of the work which is being pushed forward rapidly. The lock and dam at the Brandon Road is well under way at this writing. Plans are complete for five bridges over the waterway in Joliet. This Deep Waterway will increase the value of real estate in the southeast portion of Du Page township because it will make factory sites available outside of the congested area of Chicago. Thus one improvement brings another and the development of one industry reflects upon another to further the interests of all. Florence Township is a full Congressional town, contain- ing thirty-six full sections, and is described in the survey as Town 33 north, and 10 east of the Third Principal Meridian. It is bounded on the north by Jackson Township, on the east by Wilton, on the south by Wesley, and on the west by Wilming- ton. It is watered by Prairie Creek flowing through the north- western part, and by Forked Creek and its branches flowing through the southern portion. These furnish excellent stock water to the farms lying adjacent. Stone, adapted to founda- tions for houses and for making lime, is found in some parts, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 199 and quarries are worked for these purposes. Some dispute as to who was the first settler of this township has arisen in consequence of the nearness of some of the first settlements to the northwest corner, across the line from which other early settlements were made in adjoining townships. We have no doubt, from close investigation, that Lewis Linebarger is just- ly entitled to that honor. Several others of the Linebarger family came to Jackson Township in the year 1832, and, as we have seen in the history of that township, returned to Indiana on the appearance of the Indian troubles. The next spring, Lewis moved out and settled at what has since been known as Starr's Grove, though the neighborhood was then really con- sidered a part of Reed's Grove. Perhaps, from this circum- stance, Linebarger has been incorrectly accredited to Jackson Township. Linebarger built a log cabin, which was the first and made other improvements. He did not enter the land, but subsequently sold his claim to Arthur Potts, and removed to Oregon. Arthur Potts, though not the next to make his appearance as a settler, was yet in the township of Westley in 1834, and moved on the claim purchased of Linebarger a year or two later. Potts was a native of Indiana. He lived here until 1854, and then removed to Iowa, having sold his farm to Duncan Mclntyre. Another of the Linebargers also settled in here in 1834. He, too, moved to Oregon. Henry Moore was here in 1834. He was a native of Indiana, a good farmer, and removed to Iowa many years ago. In 1835, the township received an addition to its population that proved to be an addition, not only as to numbers, but in worth, in energy, in industry, and in general benefit to the community. Henry Althouse is a native of Prussia. He came to this country in 1819, landing in Baltimore that year. All 200 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY that he had in the world, when he stepped ashore, was the clothes on his back, plenty of energy and a thorough know- ledge of the baking business. In the business of baking he en- gaged, working at the trade in Maryland, Virginia and Ohio. In 1835, he concluded to turn farmer, and, with that intent, came to this place and laid claim to a piece of land. To this he added, by the utmost energy and industry, until, at one time, he owned 1,500 acres. Having a view to the comfort and wel- fare of a large family, he divided it up and gave to each of the nine surviving children a good farm and other property of value. He moved to Wilmington, where he occupied the fine residence of the former banker, Daniels. He lived beyond four score, retaining his faculties to the last. John Kahler was also one of the earliest citizens of this vicinity, having settled here in 1835. James Martin came in 1836. He was a native of Ireland, and proved to be a first-class citizen of this community. When he first came to the neighborhood, he assisted in the building of Dr. B owen's mill at Wilmington. The school records show him to have been one of the first school trustees, in 1842. His son William occupied the old homestead until his death. James W. Martin, another son, was a successful farmer, acquiring several good farms in Florence and Wesley townships. Later he became interested in politics and became a leader. He dis- posed of his land and removed to Joliet where he acquired con- siderable real estate. He was elected County Treasurer for two terms and served his county well. Four sons survive, Robert, an attorney in Joliet, who was State's Attorney for the County; Walter, who is also an attorney associated with his brother, Charles, of Wilmington, who is mayor of that city, and John who is a prosperous farmer in Wesley Township. About this time came Walter and Thomas Monteith. They were from New York. They lived here about ten years, and then removed to Oregon. Since their removal to that State, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 201 report says they have become very wealthy. David Bell was one of the next to settle here. He was a native of New York, and came first to Wilmington, where he earned a little money working at the trade of carpenter, bought a little land in the southwest part of the township, and by constant industry and good management became wealthy. In 1837, Duncan Mclntyre and Daniel Stewart came from New York. Mclntyre took a claim on Section 28, the farm later owned by Selah Morey, and built a cabin. Being unmar- ried at the time, he took to live with him Nelson Wright and family, who had emigrated from New York with him. Sub- sequently, Wright removed to Oregon, and Mclntyre sought elsewhere for a housekeeper; and in the connection a little romance is related. Some years before, Mclntyre and some friends, while on a tour of inspection in the neighboring town- ship of Wesley, were suddenly surprised by seeing coming to- ward them a man leading a little girl, then a mere child. The man informed them that they were emigrants from Michigan, and had just arrived at the place; that their wagon, with the balance of the family, had been left a little way behind, and they were seeking a place to spend the night. The man was Joseph Hadsel, and the little girl was his daughter. All of the gentlemen were struck with the quiet and simple beauty of the little girl; but no one dreamed that this was to be the future Mrs. Duncan Mclntyre. But when Mr. Mclntyre's ten- ants, the Wrights left his place, he then brought to mind the modest, intelligent face of Joseph Hadsel's daughter, who was then living with her father in the adjoining township. An op- portunity was not long in presenting itself for Mclntyre to renew the acquaintance of the now young lady, and his estima- tion of her growing as their acquaintance increased, and her regard for him being of an equally high character, they were married in 1840. Three years later, Mclntyre and his wife returned to New York, where they lived fourteen years, and 202 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY then returned to Florence, where he died some years later. Mrs. Mclntyre resided at Starr's Grove, with her mother, the former Mrs. Hadsel until her death. She was one of the oldest resi- dents of this part of the county when she passed away. Daniel Stewart, mentioned in Wilmington Township, was one of the staunchest and most honorable citizens of this neigh- borhood. In his line of business he was most successful, and accumulated a large amount of property. Walter W. Monteith, cousin of the Monteith before men- tioned, came about the year 1841, and worked for a time in Gov. Matteson's woolen mills at Joliet. On coming to this township, he settled near the center. He was one of the most popular (and deservedly so) citizens. He was the first Super- visor of the township, and held numerous other positions of honor and responsibility, in all of which he discharged the duties of the same in a most satisfactory manner. Charles Starr, after whom the little grove on Prairie Creek was named, was a native of Nova Scotia. He was the father of Judge C. R. Starr, of Kankakee. Mr. Starr came to this coun- try and to this township in 1842. He died in 1874 at a very advanced age — nearly 100 years old. In the same year, Wil- liam Van der Bogert arrived from New York. He was elected, the same year, a Trustee of Schools in the township being one of the first three. Isaac Jackson also arrived in 1842. He was a native of Nova Scotia and came with his family to Starr's Grove, having purchased 100 acres of land at that place. Mr. Jackson was a Quaker preacher, though in some points he differed from the orthodox Quakers. Before removing from Nova Scotia, he had built, at his own expense, a church, in which he preached his peculiar doctrines to all who desired to hear him, free of expense to his auditors. On leaving that country, he donated the house of worship to the congregation. After coming to this country, he frequently held religious services at school- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 203 houses throughout the county. Mr. Jackson was a most pro- found mechanical genius; and whether the circumstances called for the shoeing of a horse, the framing of a house, the building of a carriage in all to its parts, or the transforming of a piece of iron into the delicate hairspring of a chronometer, he was always found equal to the occasion. At his son Delancy's may be seen some of the instruments manufactured by him for his own use, which are pronounced by experts to be of the very finest character. He died here in 1875, at the advanced age of 90 years, his wife having preceded him in 1856. Enoch Jack- son, a son of the above, served for eighteen consecutive years as Justice of the Peace in this township, during which time not a single one of his decisions was ever reversed by the higher courts. By the year 1848, quite a number more permanent settle- ments had been made, so that the population had become near- ly one hundred. Among the principal ones who arrived during the years 1842-48, are remembered John Jordan, Rufus Cor- bett, George A. Gray, Adam White, Edward Gurney, the Bas- kerville family, Selah and Leonard Morey, William Barret, Dr. E. H. Strong, Adam White and sons John and James, C. G. Jewell, R. H. Nott, Andrew Layton, Henry Hand and Hezekiah Warner. The first move looking toward the organization of a means of educating the youth of this township originated with Henry Althouse, the next Winter after arriving here. The school con- sisted of only his own children and a child or two belonging to one of the neighbors. The school was taught in a room of Althouse's dwelling, by a young lady employed by him, and was more on the nursery style than conforming to the strict rules of the modern public school, the young lady being em- ployed as much for the purpose of taking care of the children as for instructing them. In 1841, the first steps were taken to establish a school for general and public instruction. A peti- 204 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY tion was prepared, and at the meeting of the Board of Trustees of Wilmington Township, in the Spring of the next year, pre- sented to that body praying to be admitted as a part of the Wilmington District. The petition was considered favorably, and a school was established within the bounds of Florence, during the winter of 1842-43. The attendance was only six scholars, and the term lasted but thirty-five days. Sarah Fisher is entitled to the credit of being the pioneer educator of the public school system of this township; and for her services, as Principal of this Florence Academy, or Starr's Grove institute, or whatever it was called, she received $11.50. In 1845, the number of scholars in the township, living near Starr's Grove, had increased to twenty-four, and Town 33, Range 10, was set off as a separate district. No schoolhouse had yet been erected, but schools were held in such rooms of private houses as could be spared. The first schoolhouse was erected in 1849, and was built by Selah Morey, for $250. James Martin, John Kahler and William Van der Bogert were the first trustees. Florence Township is entirely agricultural. One village is found on the Wabash in the southeastern part, village of Symerton. This is an important grain center and affords a market for the farmers of that area. All of the land is prairie with the exception of a few acres of timber on Jordan Creek in section 22. This group is com- posed of scattered trees and it does not appear that very many have been cut away. The entire township is under cultivation. The land is well drained and easily tilled. It produces good crops of corn, wheat, oats, barley, and rye. For some years previous to the World War very little if any wheat was raised. Since that time, however, cultivation of winter wheat and spring wheat has been revived and this crop now is a consider- able portion of the grain crop of the township. Thus far no Chinch bug has appeared to interfere with the wheat. Indica- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 205 tions are that no trouble will arise from this source for some years to come. Grain farming is almost universal throughout the township. During the last year some dairying has come in. The lack of sufficient good roads hinders the advancement of this line of farming. The concrete road running south from Joliet strikes the west side of the township at the north edge of section 7 and follows along the township line of sections 18 and 19 and half way across section 30 where it turns west through Wilming- ton. A good stone road is maintained along the central line of the township from north to south. A stone road is main- tained also on the south side of sections 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. This east and west road continues eastward until it intersects the concrete road, Route 22 from Joliet to Kankakee. A stone road runs north from this east and west road through the vil- lage of Symerton northward one and one-half mile and thence westward to the stone road along the central line. The re- mainder of the highways are graded dirt roads. They are maintained in good condition during dry weather but in wet weather it is very difficult to travel over them with an auto- mobile because the land is so nearly level. Nine good schools are maintained in the township. Eight years ago a movement was started looking to the consolida- tion of the rural schools. The farmers feared an added cost as well as difficulties in transporting the pupils over mud roads. It was abandoned because the people thought that it would not be successful. Attendance at the schools has been uniformly good. No churches are maintained in the township. The people worship in the churches of Wilmington and other nearby towns. Frankfort Township. — Ninety-eight years have come and gone since white men began to settle in the territory now em- 206 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY braced in Frankfort Township. William Rice is supposed to have been the first white man whose footsteps marked the vir- gin prairie in this portion of Will County. He made a kind of prospecting tour through here in 1828, but did not make a permanent settlement until in the Summer of 1831. During the spring and summer of that year, John McGovney, William Moore, William Rice and a man named Osborne settled near where the village of Mokena now stands. Not long, however, were they allowed to remain in peace and tranquillity. The notes of war were wafted to them upon the prairie winds, and the war-whoops of Black Hawk and his warriors warned them that this was no safe abiding-place. Early in the spring of 1832, safety demanded a retreat to a more thickly-settled coun- try, and they accordingly returned to the Wabash settlement, or to Lafayette, Indiana. McGovney, Moore and Rice were from Ohio, and Osborne had come from Indiana, but whether that was his native place or not could not be learned. After the close of the Indian war, McGovney and Rice came back to their claims, in the spring of 1834. Moore and Osborne, it appears, however, were fully satisfied with frontier life, and never returned — at least not to this settlement. Mr. McGov- ney pre-empted eighty acres of land, and succeeded in getting a "float" on another "eighty," a portion of which is embraced in the present village of Mokena. He is considered the first permanent settler of Frankfort Township. The land was not in market at the time he settled here, and settlers chose their locations and "squatted," provided there were no prior claims. Range 11 was sold in 1836, and Range 12 in 1838, at Chicago. Mr. McGovney died on his original place March 11, 1859. W. W. McGovney, a son, resided in New Lenox Township; another son, Ozias, was a prosperous merchant in the village of Mok- ena; Thomas G., another son, lived in Joliet, and Elijah, the youngest, lived on the old homestead until his death. The f am- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 207 ily consisted of eight children, and all lived until the youngest was 32 years old. Matthew Van Home settled here, it is said, in 1832, and remained during the Black Hawk War. He was from New York, and was good-naturedly termed by his neighbors as a Mohawk Dutchman. He settled one mile west of the present village of Frankfort, in the Hickory Creek timber, where he lived and died, and where his widow resided until her death, in the same old house where they spent more than half their lives. Peter Flayes came from New Hampshire and settled first in the vicinity of Lockport, but removed to Frankfort Township in the spring of 1837. Orlando and Levi M. Clayes, his sons, came in the fall of 1836; Charles, another son, came out and worked on their claim during the winter, and in the spring the re- mainder of the family came. They bought their claim from one Robert Smith, who was from Vermont, and settled here in 1835. None of this family remain. Grandchildren survive in other parts of Illinois. E. Atkins and a brother, John At- kins, came from Vermont, and were among the first settlers in the township after the close of the Sac War, and about the same time came Weir and Duncan, from the Wabash settle- ments. Foster Kane and Archibald Crowl were from the same section. It is said that Kane was in the settlement all through the Black Hawk war, and settled on the place afterward oc- cupied by Matthew Van Home. Crowl settled near the village of Mokena, in 1834 or 1835. He finally moved to Missouri, Kane moved South in a short time after the war was over, and afterward to Missouri, where he died many years ago. Daniel Wilson came from Ohio and settled in 1834 or 1835. Francis Owen was from Kentucky, and came in 1835. Phineas Holden and Trueman Smith were from Vermont, and settled also in 1835. Ambrose Doty came from Ohio, in 1834, and settled on the line between Frankfort and New Lenox Townships. His land 208 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY lay on both sides of the line, and his first cabin was built just over the line in New Lenox Township; but when, some years later, he built a new and more pretentious residence, he set it on the opposite side of the line, and thus became a resident of Frankfort Township. As stated, he came from Ohio, but was born in Norris County, N. J. He has been living for some years in Frankfort village. Isaac Francis also came from Ohio, but was a native of the "Ould Sod," and settled in the town in 1835. Allen and Lysander Denny, a Mr. Wood, and David Ket- chum came from New York in 1834 or 1835. Wood had two sons, Hiram and Sydney; one of them, a Methodist clergyman, moved to the Rock River country; the father and the other son moved away, also, but where, we could not learn. The Dennys settled in the Hickory Creek timber — Allen near Mokena, and Lysander on the Creek, where he built a saw-mill, and after a time sold out and moved to the village of Spencer, where he died. Allen finally returned to New York, where he died sev- eral years ago. William Knight, also a New Yorker, came in the Fall of 1834, and settled in the Grove, but sold out in a few years and returned to New York. This includes a number of the early settlers of Frankfort Township, and, perhaps, a majority of those who settled in the town prior to the land sale, are mentioned in this list. After the sale of these lands, the community rapidly filled up until not a section was left un- occupied. John W. McGovney, a son of John McGovney, noticed as the first settler of this township, was the first white child born in the settlement. He was born in the Spring of 1832, just be- fore the settler left the place for the Wabash settlements, at the beginning of the Sac war. As to the first death and mar- riage, the few survivors of the early days, are somewhat un- certain as to who they were, or when they occurred. The first physician who practiced the healing art in the neighborhood was Dr. Moses Porter, of Hadley; Dr. W. P. Holden was the HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADE SCHOOL, PLA1NFIELD, ILL. MAIN STREET, MOKENA, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 209 first resident physician in the township, and practiced many- years, but at length retired and gave the field to younger men. The first mill was built by Matthew Van Home, about 1835-36, and was originally a saw-mill only, but a run of stones was afterward added, for grinding corn. A saw-mill was built prior to this by Denny, but it was a saw-mill only. A store was opened, in 1836, by 0. and L. M. Clayes, which was the first mercantile effort in the township. They contin- ued in the business for eight or ten years, when they closed out, and one M. C. Farewell opened a store in the same house they had occupied. The latter did business under the firm name of Farewell & Case. Case lived in Chicago, and furnished the goods, and Farewell conducted the store. A post office was established in 1837, with L. M. Clayes as Postmaster, one of the merchants mentioned above. The name of the office was Chel- sea, and after the Clayes Brothers discontinued their store, the office was moved to Van Home's, and he was made Postmaster, an office he held until some years after the post office had been moved to the new village of Frankfort, as noticed hereafter. When the office was first established, the mail was brought by "horse express fast line" from LaPorte, Ind., to Joliet once a week. A village was laid out here in 1848-49 by Charles Clayes and M. C. Farewell, which was called Chelsea. The former owned the premises, and the place had some show of becoming quite a town; but upon the completion of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad it was abandoned, and the last traces of it have now disappeared. The first sermon preached in the town was perhaps by Father Beggs, who, as noticed in other parts of this work, was one of the pioneer preachers of the county. The Rev. Mr. Blackwell, another of the early Methodist itinerants, formed a class at Mr. Doty's about 1836 or 1837, just over the line in New Lenox Township, but at that day was included in this set- tlement, or this was included in that, and all known as the 14— VOL. 1 210 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Hickory Creek Settlement. Mr. Doty's residence was a regu- lar preaching-place until the era of schoolhouses, as there was no church edifice built until after the village of Frankfort was laid out. There is but one church-building in the town outside of the villages — the German Lutheran Church — which is located about three miles northeast of Frankfort village. It was built in 1877 and was a neat frame building, costing about $1,500, and had quite a flourishing membership. The church history will be again referred to in the history of the villages. The first schools taught in the town were by Mrs. Knight and Mrs. Hiram Wood, but to which belongs the honor of teaching the first, no one can now tell. They both taught in a little log schoolhouse, which stood on Section 19, built for school pur- poses, but afterward converted into a dwelling. The cheese factory of Messrs. Baumgartner & Co., was an extensive establishment. It was owned by a stock company, consisting of John and Jacob Baumgartner, George Geuther, Francis Maue and E. Higgens. They had an excellent brick factory with stone basement, built at a cost of $6,000. It is about two miles north of Frankfort village, and was built in 1875. The manufacture of butter and cheese was carried on rather largely, but not to the full capacity of the factory, owing to the lack of material. About $10,000 is the amount of busi- ness annually, but much more could have been done if a greater supply of milk could have been obtained. This industry was abandoned in 1895. The building remains today in a good state of preservation. This township was named by Mr. Cappel, an old German citizen, for Frankfort-on-the-Main, his native place, a name it has always borne. The town is largely Republican, and has always been so. It is remembered by many that at one period of its history there were not half a dozen Democratic votes in the entire town. But the latter party has gained some strength in the last few years, and the National Greenback party at pre- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 211 sent bids fair to create a revolution in its political record. The war history, like all portions of Will County, is good, and many brave soldiers are accredited to this township. Mokena is situated on the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, about ten miles east of Joliet. The original village was laid out in 1852, before the railroad was fully completed, by Allen Denny. An addition was made to it soon after, by John Mc- Govney, which was surveyed by A. J. Matthewson, County Sur- veyor. Knapp & Smith put up the first building, which was used for the double purpose of store and dwelling, and they were the first merchants in the place. The first hotel was built by Charles Gall, in 1853, and was the next building erected af- ter Knapp & Smith's store, which had been put up in the Win- ter of 1851-52, before the village was laid out and before the Railroad was completed. William McCoy built the first black- smith shop, in the winter of 1853-54. Ozias McGovney was the first Justice of the Peace in the village, and was elected in 1850, an office he held for twenty-one years uninterruptedly. He was also a lawyer by profession, but did not practice for a number of years, and later engaged in the mercantile business. A post office was established in the village in the Spring of 1853, and Warren Knapp was the first Postmaster, receiving his commission soon after the inauguration of President Pierce. McGovney bought out Smith, of the firm of Knapp & Smith, and the firm became Knapp & McGovney, and so con- tinued for a number of years. They were the first grain buy- ers, and bought from wagons and loaded into the cars without the aid of elevators. Cross & Jones built a steam mill in 1855, and about 1865, took out the machinery and shipped it to Kan- sas, when the mill building was changed in to the Mokena Ele- vator, and was owned and operated by Charles Hirsch in 1878, the only grain dealer in the village. Noble Jones speculated in grain and had an office there, but did business mostly on the Board of Trade, in Chicago. 212 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The first schoolhouse was built in 1855, and was a small frame, costing $1,000. James Pierce taught the first school in it, soon after it was completed. The present schoolhouse was built in 1872, is a substantial two-story frame, with stone base- ment, and cost, together with furniture, about $10,000, just ten times the amount of the first schoolhouse. Mrs. Sarah Baldwin was Principal of the school in 1878. Miss Swalm, assistant teacher, and Miss Clara Williams was teacher of the Primary Department. This building is in use now. (1928.) Plans are completed and contracts have been given for a new building which will have four class-rooms and a gym- nasium. This building will cost, complete in every detail, $45,000. The village of Frankfort was named for the township, and the township was named for Frankfort-on-the-Main, as al- ready noticed. Frankfort village is situated on the Joliet cut- off of the Michigan Central Railroad, about twelve miles from Joliet, and was laid out in 1855 — the same year the cut-off rail- road was built through the township. It was laid out by S. W, Bowen, who owned eighty acres of land embraced in the village. The first store was kept by a man named Higley, a very small affair, and did not continue long. The next store — and the first really deserving the name — was opened by N. A. Carpenter in the Spring of 1855, who also put up the first build- ing designed for a storehouse. The first hotel was built by a man named Doud in the summer of 1855. The post office in the village was kept by Carpenter, as a deputy under Van Home, who was mentioned in the township history as accepting the Chelsea post office from L. M. Clayes. After its removal to this place, the name of the office was changed to Frankfort. Van Home remained Postmaster for three years, but the duties of the office were performed by Mr. Carpenter, and after the expiration of the three years, William B. Cleveland be- came Postmaster. Nicholas Fortmiller kept the first black- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 213 smith shop, in 1855. He soon went to Greengarden Township to take up farming. The first schoolhouse in the village was built in 1856, and was used as a dwelling-house as late as 1878. Josiah Carpen- ter taught the first school after its erection. The first school in the village, however, was taught by Miss Lizzie Kent before the building of the schoolhouse. A well-designed schoolhouse was built in 1870; it was a two-story frame, and cost about $5,000. The principal of the school was Prof. 0. P. Blatchly, with Miss Raver as assistant teacher, and an average attend- ance of about one hundred and fifty pupils. This building was used for school purposes until 1925, when it was removed and a four-room school of brick was erected. This is modern in every detail and houses an excellent graded school. It cost $35,000. The Methodist Church was built in 1856, and was the first church edifice in both the village and the township. The soc- iety was originally organized in the "log schoolhouse," one mile east of the village, and grew out of the society formed at Doty's, as elsewhere mentioned. The building is a frame, cost about $2,000 and the present Pastor is Rev. George K, Hoover. A Sunday School is maintained. The Baptist Church was built in 1863, a frame building, costing $1,600. Rev. David Letts was the first Pastor, and lives now in Iowa. Rev. Stephen Bar- terick is the present Pastor, and has a membership of thirty or forty. The society supports a flourishing Sunday School, of which the Pastor is Superintendent. The German Evangeli- cal Lutheran (United) Church was built in 1868. It was a frame building 30x56 feet, cost $2,000 and had a membership of about forty. Rev. T. Walter was Pastor, and Superintendent of the Sunday School. The growth of the town and the in- crease in church attendance, made a new church desirable. A brick edifice was erected in 1918. It is a beautiful building, modern and complete in its equipment. It is prosperous in 214 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY every way. A beautiful parsonage was built in 1925, adjacent to the church. At this writing, (1928), Frankfort Township is having more improvements than any other township in the county. The Sauk trail of the Indians passed through near the central line of this township. Later, this became the road for Conestoga wagons and later than that, the route for the Oswego and Indiana plank road. This plank road was never realized, and the right of way was sold to the Cut-off Railroad, which be- came the Michigan Central and is now part of the New York Central lines. Later still, about 1898, an electric line was built parallel to the Michigan Central and everyone hailed it as a wonderful success. This prospered for a few years when the rapid development of automobiles made it impracticable. Then came the concrete road, now the Lincoln Highway, following the general line of the old Sauk trail. This development ren- dered the electric line useless, and it was sold for junk. The village of Frankfort is now on the Lincoln Highway. This year a concrete road comes through Green Garden Township one mile from the east edge and after coming into Frankfort, proceeds eastward to the east edge of the village of Frankfort and then goes due north to the city of Orland in Cook County, where it becomes a part of the complicated highway system around Chicago. This will give the village of Frankfort splendid highways and affords opportunity for transportation of every kind. All other main highways of the township are built with water-bound macadam. These stone roads connect the con- crete highways so that farmers have splendid outlet in every way. The village of Mokena does not have any concrete road, but it is connected with the concrete roads in the south and the east by good stone roads which are always kept in good condition. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 215 In this way it enjoys the same advantages that the village of Frankfort does. Mokena is developing rapidly, and seems about to become a suburban town for Chicago. During the past year the Rock Island Railroad has installed elaborate sig- nal service which looks forward to the electrification of the railroads. This will give Mokena splendid service to and from Chicago. Practically all of the land between Mokena and Chi- cago adjacent to this line of road is now held for real estate purposes. The next 10 years should see a remarkable develop- ment of this neighborhood. The agricultural interests in the township develop in a splendid way. All of the land is under cultivation and drained thoroughly so that all of it may be farmed. Dairying is the most important part of the farming industry. Much grain is raised but much of it never goes to market as grain. The farmers find it more profitable to feed it to the live stock and get their returns in that way. Trucks are used to gather up the milk from many stations in the township, and farmers have very little difficulty in traveling over difficult roads which were so common twenty years ago. Both Mokena and Frankfort are important business cen- ters. Mokena maintains a State Bank which serves its com- munity and the surrounding farmers. It is a prosperous in- stitution. Frankfort maintains two State Banks both of which are doing a good business and they are managed efficiently, and serve both the village and the surrounding farming com- munity. Both villages contain general stores. These have quite a struggle to make ends meet because people travel quick- ly and easily over the good roads to the larger centers. Both of the villages are prosperous. The accounts of the various leaders in this township were given in the biographical part of this history and need not be recounted here. 218 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Green Garden Township. — The land in Greengarden will not suffer in comparison with any other township in the coun- ty. Scarcely an acre, except what is taken up by the beds of Prairie and Forked Creeks, is untillable. The surface is gent- ly undulating, none being either too rolling or too flat for suc- cessful cultivation. The soil is all that the agriculturist or the "Gardener" could desire, being deep and rich, and capable of producing enormous crops of corn, oats, hay and vegetables of every kind. The two creeks named both rise near the cen- ter, and afford stockwater to the adjacent farms, except in the dryest seasons, when they are sometimes dried up. The township is entirely devoid of a natural growth of timber, and this accounts for the tardiness of its settlement. When the township of Crete, in the eastern part of the county, and all of the western portion of the county had been well settled, this vicinity was just beginning to receive a few apparently unwill- ing squatters. They came from the heavily wooded States of Vermont and New York, or the equally densely timbered coun- tries of the old world, and, finding the land adjacent to the lit- tle belts of timber already occupied, were loath to venture out upon the prairie, as the landsman is reluctant to venture upon the untried waves of the great ocean. The absence of timber for fuel, fencing and building purposes was certainly a great drawback. Not until 1865 was it known that within a few miles was a condensed forest of fuel that would supply all this country for ages to come. Then, too, the prairie, as a field for farming operations, was only an experiment. It looked much to them as if an absence of timber might indicate a dearth in those qualities of soil necesary to produce good crops. The subjugating of the prairie, though, in comparison with the clearing of the eastern farms, a trifle, was, in their eyes, no small matter. The little barshare plow, with the wooden mold- board, in common use in the East, was not to be thought of to HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 217 turn over the thick prairie sod, matted with grass-roots, as hard almost as hickory withes. But soon the inventive genius of the Yankee supplied an article, though somewhat rude and unwieldy, with which most of these prairies have been brought to cultivation. The original "sod-plow" is now seen no more forever, as it has long since outlived its usefulness. It consisted of a large share, cutting a furrow two feet in width, with iron bars for a mold-board. The beam of the machine was fifteen feet in length. No handles were needed, though sometimes they were attached, but were used only for the purpose of start- ing or throwing it out of the ground. To this immense machine were hitched from five to eight yoke of oxen. The breaking was usually done late in the spring; and, with the turning- over of the sod was deposited seed, which produced an inferior crop of corn the first year, growing and ripening without fur- ther attention. From this crop has come the brand of a fa- vorite drink in the Western country. Hay was cut with scythes and gathered with hand-rakes. Wheat was cut with cradles and threshed by causing horses to tread upon it. These ancient landmarks have all passed away, and but few who wielded them remain to tell us the story of these and the many other peculiar institutions of the olden time. The first to venture out on the almost unknown waste of the prairies of Green- garden Township was M. F. Sanders, from Vermont. The date of his advent was 1847, and he has consequently been a resi- dent thirty-one years. The "Squire," as he is familiarly called, is well off in this world's goods, having not only survived the hard times incident to pioneer life, but had something "laid by for a rainy day." He was the first justice of the peace, and, in that capacity, performed the first marriage ceremony in the township. G. M. Green, or "the Deacon," as he was familiarly called, was also a native of Vermont, and came to the place about the 218 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY same time. He was a man of good qualities and well worthy to bear the cognomen universally bestowed upon him. He re- moved from this place to Joliet, where he died some years ago. Following these two families, and mainly through their in- fluence, were a number of families from the same state. Within three or four years, Rev. James Hudson, Daniel Haradon, Da- vid McClay and Hiram Twining arrived from Vermont and settled in the same neighborhood — the northwest part of the township. These people, it seems, were mostly of one religious faith — being that denominated Christians — not the branch sometimes called Disciples or Campbellites, but the branch founded by Smith and others some seventy-five years ago, and who would under no circumstances acknowledge any other name but that of Christian. In Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and some of the Eastern States are many of this persuasion; but in this section a church of this faith is rare. Horace Mann, one of the greatest acknowledged educators of this country, did his last work as president of Antioch College, at Yellow Springs, Ohio, the college then being one of the educational institutions of the denomination. Elder Hudson, soon after his arrival, organized the little community into a church; and as such it was very prosperous for a few years, and drew around it a large number of enlightened and substantial peo- ple. But the good man's labors were not of long duration. His body was laid away beneath the prairie sod soon after his work in this wild field had been successfully inaugurated. Hiram Twining still resided on the old place. His house, built before roads or partition lines were definitely known, proclaims itself to be one of the ancient landmarks, by not "being placed due east and west," but varying from that usually accepted rule several degrees. In this house many of the early religious and other meetings were held. The first township and school elections took place here, it being nearer the center of population than others of sufficient size for the purpose. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 219 About the same time, the Baileys and the Bemiss family arrived — the former from New York, and the latter from Mich- igan. Morrison and Martin Bailey were brothers. They were men of intelligence, and were counted as leaders in society and politics. Morrison Bailey was the first teacher that ever pre- sided over a school in the township. At the first township election, held in 1853, Martin was elected Moderator, one of the four overseers of highways, justice of the peace and super- visor. Morrison Bailey was the first township clerk. The Bai- leys removed a few years later. The Bemiss family consisted of Simeon and three grown sons — Ephraim, James and Edwin. In the first election, this family was also honored with six offices. Simeon was elected commissioner of highways; James, clerk pro tern, and justice of the peace ; and Edwin, road overseer, collector and constable. This family also removed from the township after a short resi- dence. Augustine Hauser, John Young, A. A. Angell, D. G. Jaynes and William Hutchinson were also early settlers. Hauser was a native of Switzerland, and came here with a little fortune, which he proposed to double in a short time in the manufacture of cheese. But it seems he was a little ahead of the time ; for the business, which to those embarking in a few years later was the means of realizing to them fortunes, was the means of his complete failure, and he left the township several thousand dollars poorer than when he came. The article manufactured by him was, it is said, of superior quality; but the reputation of western cheese was not yet made, and, on account of the prejudice of dealers and consumers for the eastern product, Hauser's scheme proved a failure. In the mean time, while the settlement in the northwestern part of the township was well under way, another settlement was being formed a little further east and south. The first settlement was, in every respect, a Yankee enterprise, while 220 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the other was as positively German ; and, while the former had for its central point its church organization, so also had the latter. The Dierks family and the Strassens, though not the earliest German settlers, came about 1851, bringing with them a preacher of their own faith, and immediately set about the organization of a society, and subsequently of erecting a house of worship. Probably, the very first German in the township was John T. Luehrs, later of Monee, who had come to this vicin- ity three years before. Following him, in 1849, was his brother, F. Luehrs. The Dierkses were cousins to Luehrs, and came over at the instance of their relatives who had preceded them. The Dierks family consisted of Simon, Fred and G. A. Dierks, who have since all removed to Nebraska. On the recommenda- tion of Luehrs, amongst numerous other families scattered all over this part of the state, came to the township in 1850, 0. H. Remmers, B. B. Henry, A. and G. G. Beiken. Peter and William Young, from the same country, but who had been living in Ohio, also came in 1850. The Youngs were not satisfied here, and sold out, William returning to Ohio and Peter moving further south. Fred Hassenjager and Peter Bowlander, the latter later a resident of Monee, were also among the earliest Germans. Hassenjager is an example of what industry and economy may accomplish in the face of deprivations and hard- ships incident to a pioneer life. When he came here, he was as poor as the poorest, now he is among the wealthiest citizens of this part of the county. One of the most important public acts of the township oc- curred about the close of the period of the two settlements named, and was the separation of the two portions of Trenton Township, now designated as Manhattan and Greengarden. It seems to have been the understanding from the first that, when both sections should have attained to a population suffi- ciently strong for separate organization, such division should HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 221 take place, though it was hardly expected that it would take place so soon. However, owing to the rapid filling-up of each, it was found not only feasible, in 1853, but there were many reasons adduced for separate organization, and thus a "peace- able secession" was accomplished. Petitions were, therefore, presented to the proper authori- ties, and, by them, a division was made, accompanied with an order to hold elections. The election was accordingly held in this township, the first meeting taking place at Hiram Twin- ing's house, on the 5th day of April, 1855. Martin Bailey was chosen moderator and J. N. Bemiss, clerk, pro tern. The re- sult of the ballot was the election of Martin Bailey, as super- visor; Morrison Bailey, clerk; Edwin Bemiss, collector; George M. Green, assessor; A. A. Angell, overseer of the poor; Martin Bailey and J. N. Bemis, justices of the peace; Edwin P. Bemiss and A. A. Angell, constables, and John Young, Simeon Bemiss and D. G. Jaynes, commissioners of highways. Of these, Mar- tin Bailey had been justice before, during the union of the two townships, and administered the oath to the judges and clerk on this occasion. At the first election, there were twenty-seven voters pres- ent. It will be noticed that the present officers are German, while the first corps of officers were as decidedly Yankee. Dur- ing the first few years, the settlement was marked by a pre- ponderance of Americans ; but of later years, the German ele- ment not only increased more rapidly, but, in reality, most of the Yankee population has disappeared, having sold out their farms to the Germans. In 1851, a post office was established in the Yankee settle- ment in Green Garden Township with Rev. James Hudson as postmaster. The office was called Greengarden, and has been in existence ever since, though for the last two or three years its location has been within the bounds of Manhattan Town- ship. These country postoffices, like some orphan children, have 222 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY a kind of vagrant existence, with no certain home, but travel from place to place at the pleasure or forbearance of their keepers. Greengarden Postoffice has been no exception, as it had many homes. Sometimes it was sought, and at other times it did not know where to take up even a temporary abode. Green Garden Township is strictly rural as it was half a century ago. It is one of the best agriculture sections of Will County. All of the land has been drained so that it may be cultivated. Farmers are prosperous giving most of their time to the raising of grain for which they now have con- venient markets along the Illinois Central Railroad, the Mich- igan Central Railroad, and the Chicago, Milwaukee and Gary Railroad which is a new road built about twenty years ago. The township retains the school districts in the shape in which they were laid out at first, each one being two miles square. Each district maintains a school for eight months in the year. The attendance has fallen off during the past decade so that it is less than one-third of what it was a quarter of a century ago. This is due in part to the increased size of the farms and in part to the fact that the residents are older people. A concrete road is being constructed which passes through the township from north to south, one mile from the east edge of the township. At the north edge of the township it swings eastward and strikes the village of Frankfort on the east edge. This road will be completed during the present summer (1928). A stone road crosses the township from north to south along the central line. This stone road is connected with Monee by a good stone road which runs east from the town hall in the center of the township. It was completed in 1927. Plans are complete to finish this road westward to Manhattan thus giv- ing it two good roads across the entire township and the con- crete road along the east edge. Green Garden has not had as many good roads as other townships in the county because it HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 223 was farther removed from road building material than any other one. Here again improved transportation by means of trucks has aided very materially. While the first settlers in Green Garden Township were known as Yankees because they originated in the east, the present population is almost entirely German. They are hon- est, industrious, home loving people, devoted to their family, and faithful to their friends. Homer Township.— The classical land of Homer — the site of the famous "Yankee Settlement," and peopled from the old and refined states of the Union, is one of the finest townships of Will County. The first settlements in Homer Township was before the Sac war, during which period some of the settlers fled with their families to the Wabash settlements and others to Fort Dearborn at Chicago, but returned to the settlements and joined Sisson's company in the blockhouse so often referred to In these pages. The following names were among those be- longing to Captain Sisson's company in the blockhouse during the Indian war: Benjamin Butterfield, Thomas Fitzsimons, James Glover, John McMahon, Joseph Johnson, James Ritchey, Edward Poor, Joseph and James Cox, John Helm, Salmon Goodenow, Joseph McCune, Selah Lanfear, Peter Polly, David and Alva Crandall. Of these, Joseph Johnson and his two sons are supposed to be the first settlers in Homer Township. They were from Ohio, and came in the fall of 1830, and were in the town during the winter of the deep snow, and suffered all the hardships of that dreary winter. The elder Johnson died in the summer of 1846. James Ritchey came from Ohio, and settled here in the spring of 1831. He made a trip through the country in November of 1830 and selected his location, and moved out in the following spring. During his first trip to the country, in the fall of 1830, he says, as he wandered through 224 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY dismal swamps, dark forests and lonely prairies he for the first time in a long trip wished himself safe back at home. Joseph and James Cox came from Indiana in 1831, but whether that was their native state or not we are unable to say. John Mc- Mahon is the first who settled in what was termed Gooding's Grove. He made a claim there and sold it to Gooding, upon his arrival in 1832. McMahon came from Indiana but was originally from Ohio, and was here during the Indian war. Salmon Goodenow was from Ohio, but had lived some time in Indiana before settling in this township in 1832. Joseph Mc- Cune was his brother-in-law, and after the war was over, re- turned to Indiana, where he remained for a time and then came back and settled in what was called Jackson's Grove. Goodenow moved down about Reed's Grove, where he passed the remainder of his days. John Helm came from Indiana and settled in Gooding's Grove in 1832. He went to Indiana during the war, and when it was over, came back to the Grove and found James Gooding on his claim, and sold it to him for $10, and shook the dust of Yankee Settlement from off his feet. Benjamin Butterfield, who lived on the place afterward occu- pied by Jireh Rowley, and which Rowley bought from him on his arrival in the country, was an Eastern man, but had been living some time in Indiana before removing to Homer. He is noticed in Lockport, also, and as removing to Iowa, where he was living when last heard from. Peter Polly and a younger brother were in the fort, and came from Indiana in the sum- mer of 1832. Selah Lanfear was from New York, and came to the settlement in 1832. He is said to have first settled in Lockport Township. Yankee Settlement extended to the river in Lockport Township, and it is a rather difficult task some- times to keep all on their respective sides of the fence. David and Alva Crandall were from New York, and came to the settle- ment in 1832. Both were in the fort and Alva was orderly sergeant of Captain Sisson's company, while David was a pri- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 225 vate in the same command. John Blackstone, or Judge Black- stone, who settled at Hadley Postoffice, was first lieutenant of this military company, while John Ray, a brother-in-law of Blackstone's, was second lieutenant. They were from Ohio, and married in the Glover family. Thomas Fitzsimons was from New York, and came in 1832. He started to California during the gold excitement of 1849 and 1850, and died before reaching his destination. James Glover was from Ohio, and settled in the town in 1831 or 1832. He went to Iowa in 1854, and was alive at the last heard from him. Two others belonged to the military band who were Homer settlers, viz., Ashing and McGahan, but of them little could be ascertained. This, so far as can now be ascertained, comprised the settlement of Homer Township, or, as it was then called, Yankee Settlement, at the time of the Black Hawk war, and the names above given were in the blockhouse in 1832, and were members of Captain Sis- son's company. Nearly all of them are gone to join that army of white-robed saints over on the other shore, where the pale- face and the savage do not war with each other, but sit down in peace together in the Father's kingdom. None are known to be alive now except James Ritchey and Edward Poor; the former is extremely sprightly, except his blindness, for a man of his years, and possesses a most wonderful memory. In fact, his recollections of the time spent in the fort are as vivid as though of recent occurrence. Mr. Poor, as stated, lives in New Lenox Township. Several of the others were alive when last heard from, but as they have removed to other states there is no definite information concerning them. Their captain, Holder Sisson, died but a few months ago, as noticed in the history of Lockport Township. Luther C. Chamberlain came from New York in 1832, and purchased a claim to eighty acres of land in Homer Township, and a claim to eighty acres of Canal land, then returned to New York, and in January, 1833, came back, bringing his two 15— VOL. 1 226 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY sons with him. His son, S. S. Chamberlain (now of Lockport), rode an Indian pony through from New York, which his father had purchased at Plainfield on his first trip. Through representations made by Mr. Chamberlain on his return home from his first trip to this section, when he came back in 1833, the following gentlemen came with him to look at the country: Ebenezer Griswold, Warren Hanks (a bachelor at the time), Captain Rowley and his son, J. B. Rowley (the latter still liv- ing in Homer), Oscar Hawley (oldest son of Lyman Hawley, and for a number of years clerk of Will County), Abram Snapp (father of Hon. Henry Snapp of Joliet), and Dr. Weeks (the father of Judge Weeks of Joliet). The most of these returned for their families, and came back and settled in this township, of whom were Dr. Weeks, Captain Rowley and Mr. Snapp; here they lived, honored and respected citizens to the day of their death. Mr. Chamberlain settled where Rev. Mr. Cowell now lives, and planted the beautiful row of maple trees that are now the admiration of all who pass that way, and are said to be the first trees planted in Homer Township. He died in May, 1878, at the age of ninety years. S. S. Chamberlain said he slept in Lockport for the first time on the night of February 27, 1833, and that there was not another man living in 1878, so far as his knowledge extended that could with truth say the same. He said that he heard his father and Captain Rowley remark that the prairies of Homer would never be settled in their lifetime, and they would always have it for the range of their stock, and in four years there was not an "eighty" left vacant. Deacon James Gooding, the father of William, Jasper A. and James Gooding, Jr., was from New York and came to this township and settled in Gooding's Grove in 1832. He was sixty years of age when he came to the settle- ment, and lived at the Grove bearing his name until his death. His son, William Gooding, who is mentioned in the history of Lockport Township, planted a nursery and cultivated an ex- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 227 tensive orchard here, perhaps the first effort at fruit-growing in the township, or even in Will County. Benjamin Weaver came from New York in the fall of 1833, and died in 1870, at the advanced age of ninety years. John Lane was also from New York, and came to the settlement in 1833. He was the inventor of the first steel breaking-plow ever used in Northern Illinois or in the Western country. He has been dead many years. Frederick and Addison Collins were from New York State, and were brothers. Addison was a lawyer by profes- sion, and had practiced for a time in Rochester before remov- ing West. He went to the Legislature from this county, and it is said that it was through him that Governor Matteson's little speculation in Canal scrip was discovered. But this is familiar to all our readers, and is withal an unpleasant theme, so we will pass it without further allusion. Addison Collins died in this town in March, 1864. Jireh Rowley came from Monroe County, New York, in 1833, and settled on Section 19, where he lived about three years when he sold out and entered land on Section 34, where he lived until his death, which occurred in December, 1844, on the place now occupied by his son, A. G. Rowley. Calvin Row- ley, another son, came out in 1832, driving a peddler-wagon all the way through from New York. He made a claim, on which he erected a cabin, and in which the family moved upon their arrival. Calvin Rowley moved to the city of Rockf ord. Hiram Rowley, another son, lived in Chicago, and J. B. and Phineas K. Rowley, two other sons, lived in this township, where they were prosperous farmers. The Rowleys bought their claim from Benjamin Butterfield, who had entered the land where "Squire Rowley" now lives. The elder Rowley had married a second wife before leaving New York — a Mrs. Gray, who had several children, and they came West with the Rowley family. They came round the lakes on their way here, in an old schooner, and landed at Chicago, when Chicago was not, but a swampy 228 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY marsh called Chicago, since grown into the recognized metrop- olis of the Northwest. Their landing at Chicago, and their trip from there to Homer, is graphically described by Squire Row- ley in an article written in 1876 for the Joliet Sun: "On or about the 17th of July, 1833, the sail-vessel Amaranth an- chored in Lake Michigan, nearly opposite Fort Dearborn (Chi- cago) after a voyage of three weeks out from Buffalo, New York, and having on board about seventy-five souls, and among them was the writer, then a boy about ten years old. The vessel was relieved of her cargo by means of small boats, and the passengers after being taken on shore, were entertained as best they could be, 'in and around' the residence of Herman Bond, which was built of logs and sods, and was located near the foot of Monroe Street. Chicago then consisted of the fort at the mouth of the river, the house of John Kinzie, and some French shanties on the North Side, the hotel kept by Ingersoll, at the forks, a store at Wolf Point, the intersection of Lake and South Water streets, the frame of what was afterward called the Mansion House, on the north side of Lake, between Dearborn and State streets, a few other shanties, and the 'pala- tial residence' of our host. After taking in Chicago the next day, three of the several families who had journeyed together thus far chartered some 'prairie schooners' and 'set saiP for their destination, in what is now the town of Homer, Will County. This colony was composed of the families of Capt. Jireh Rowley, John Lane and Charles M. Gray, the latter, now and for many years past, freight agent of the Michigan South- ern Railroad at Chicago. We made our way as we could through the tall rosin weeds, with very little track, to Law- ton's (now Riverside) and thence to Flagg Creek. Here we found the body of a log cabin and the owner, Mr. E. Wentworth, whose place in after years became quite a noted stage stand. We fought the mosquitoes until morning, and after partaking of our frugal meal, we launched out upon the prairie, and at HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 229 noon halted at the Big Spring near Lilly-Cache Grove, and upon what is now the farm of Thomas J. Sprague. After refresh- ments, we moved on, crossing the Des Planes River at what was known as Butterfield's Ford, opposite the present town of Lockport, and near nightfall arrived at our destination, all weary and sad. Calvin Rowley (now of Rockford) who came on prior to the Sac war, was here and had erected a log cabin in the timber, about a mile and a half east of the river. Here we stayed until other and better places could be provided. On looking around we found already here, Selah Lanfear, Luther Chamberlain, Holder Sisson, Capt. Fuller, Armstead Runyon, Edward Poor, James Ritchey, John Blackstone, John Stitt, and a few others settled in what was afterward called the Yankee Settlement." We offer no apology for this lengthy extract, but deem it very appropriate in these pages. It is but the reflex of hundreds of the early settlers and their early experiences, as many of our readers will be able to testify when they peruse this work. The first postoffice was established in Homer Township in 1836. This was the Yankee Settlement, bear in mind, and the Yankees were wide-awake, intelligent people, and would not be deprived of their mail and other reading matter. The office, was called Hadley, for Hadley, Mass., from which some of the settlers came who were active in getting it, and Reuben Beach was appointed postmaster. A store was opened by Pratt & Howard, and Hadley became quite a business place, with some chance of becoming a town. At one time it boasted two stores, a postoffie, blacksmith shop, church, etc., but railroads and the canal changed the order of things, and the glory of Hadley waned. Before the office was established here, the settlers of Homer went to the postoffice on Hickory Creek, at "Uncle Billy" Gougar's, for their mail matter, and right gladly forked over their quarters (which was then the postage on letters, payable at the office of delivery) for the long-wished-f or letter 230 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY from the old home in the Yankee States. When the postoffice was established at Hadley, the mail was carried on horseback from Chicago, but a few years later, a mail-route was formed between Michigan City and Joliet, and then it was brought to Hadley over this route in a kind of open hack or stage. The first store in the township was kept by Norman Haw- ley, on Hawley Hill, in 1835. The goods were hauled from Chicago by ox-team express, then the usual mode of transpor- tation. This spot once made some pretensions toward becom- ing a village; but, as Josh Billings said of the attempt of the tv/o railroad trains to pass each other on a single track, "it was a shocking failure." Mr. Lanfear built the first house on the hill; the first schoolhouse in the township was built there, then a blacksmith shop and the store itself. Reuben Beach built a sawmill on Spring Creek about 1838 or 1839, and several years later, Jaques & Morse built a steam sawmill. These were the only efforts made in the mill business in this town- ship. Before Beach put his mill in operation, the settlers used to haul what little lumber they were forced to use, from Col. Sayre's mill on Hickory Creek. With the lumber thus pro- cured some of their first shanties were built, while others were built of logs, "chinked and daubed/' and had chimneys made of sticks and mud. The first school in Homer was taught by D. C. Baldwin, the veteran hardware merchant of Lockport, and was taught in the winter of 1834-35, on Section 19, in a little log shanty with stick chimney, which had been put up as a "claim hut" and abandoned. It is said by some that a Miss Sallie Warren taught a school before Baldwin, but from the most reliable facts now to be had, we are of the opinion that Baldwin preceded her. The next summer after Baldwin's school, Miss Abigail Raymond taught a school in a building that had been put up for a cow stable, on the place of Deacon Lanfear. The first house for school purposes was built on Hawley Hill, by the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 231 neighbors, who donated the time, labor and material. An old settler — but young enough then to shoot paper wads in that primitive building — thus alludes to some of the comforts and conveniences pertaining to it: "Our seats and desks were made of split puncheons, and our 'persuaders' and 'reminders' were the young hickories growing around the schoolhouse." Among the scholars who attended this early temple of learning, were some of the brightest men of Will County, of whom we may mention Hon. Horace Anderson, Hon. Henry Snapp, Judge C. H. Weeks, N. L. Hawley, Esq., Judge E. S. Williams, of the Cook County Circuit Court, and others. Mrs. Fred Collins, then Miss White, taught a school in the settlement in a little log cabin, still standing on Mr. Collins' farm, in 1838. But the schools of Homer have increased since that day, as we find in 1872, there were in the township eight districts and nine school- houses. There were 412 pupils enrolled, sixteen teachers em- ployed, at a cost of $2,213.53. The total expenditures of the year were $2,683.30, leaving a balance in the treasury of $122.67. The first church organized in Will County is said to have been the Presbyterian Church at Hadley, in this township, by Rev. Jeremiah Porter, the pioneer of the American Home Mis- sion Society in the Northwest. The society was organized about 1833 or 1834, and Rev. Mr. Porter and Elder Freeman, both of Chicago then, preached alternately for some time at this place; and people of all religious beliefs within a radius of ten or fifteen miles would come together and worship God without the restraints resulting from closely-drawn sectarian lines, as at the present day. Mrs. Mason says they owned a yoke of oxen and Mr. Gooding a wagon. On Sunday they would hitch their oxen to his wagon, and both families jump in, and off they would go ten miles to "meeting." Churches there were none. Religious services were held in the groves — "God's first tem- ples" — and at the cabins of the settlers. The first church was 232 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY built at Hadley about 1838 and 1839, and was church and school- house combined. The people met in it, of all denominations, and were not selfish nor confined to one particuler sect. But the church there passed away and the society drifted into the Congregational Church, near the center of the township. This edifice was erected in 1862; it was a near frame, and cost $1,500. Rev. George Slosser was the first preacher. The membership was rather small; decreased by death and removal, but was in a flourishing state in 1878. Rev. Mr. McKee was the pastor at that time and William Storm, Superintendent of the large Sun- day school. The Baptist Church at Hadley was originally organized by Elder A. B. Freeman, as already stated. He was the first Baptist preacher in Northern Illinois, and is said to have baptized the first person on the western shore of Lake Michigan in April, 1834. The church was built there a year or two before the Congregational Church above mentioned. It had a large membership and a flourishing Sunday school, but no regular pastor at that time. As stated in the introduction to this chapter, Homer has neither railroads, large towns nor villages; but one or two small country stores, a blacksmith-shop or two, a post office at Had- ley and at Gooding's Grove, and two neat and tasty little church edifices. Aside from this, the town is devoted wholly to agri- cultural pursuits, and as to the productiveness of the land, it is not surpassed in the county, and scarcely in the State." When Homer was first settled, its prairies were considered the most beautiful that the enthusiastic Yankee had seen. They were just rolling enough to resemble the billows of the ocean after a storm had passed, and the thick grass, three or four feet high, overtopped with fragrant blossoms, might — with- out violence to the comparison — have been taken for the land of Beulah, which Bunyan "saw in his dream," lying on the borders of the Celestial City. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 233 The early history of Homer Township, which has been given as it is found in the publication of 1878, said that Homer had neither railroad, large town nor village. This is true in 1928. Perhaps not entirely because the Wabash Railroad run§, through the southeastern corner of the township for a distance of about one-third of a mile. In 1878, it had a Post Office at Hadley and one at Gooding's Grove. Both of these have dis- appeared because rural delivery made them unnecessary. Blacksmith shops are no longer maintained, although the build- ing stands at Gooding's Grove as well as at Hadley. Homer has a good stone road crossing the township from east to west and another stone road crossing most of the town- ship one mile south of the Cook County line. Two cross roads of stone connect these two. The development of the State high- way system will undoubtedly bring a concrete road through the northern section, passing through Gooding's Grove and going straight west to intercept Route 4 to Chicago. Homer still remains largely agriculturally inclined. There are many good homes and it contains more people than any other township, without villages. Its schools are well patron- ized and well supported. The people are never found lacking when it comes to the support of schools, either in paying taxes or in giving attention to the many little details which help to make a good school. The first settlers came into the Yankee Settlement, and this name indicating the place from whence they came. Most of the farmers of the township at the present time are of German parentage. During the past ten years a goodly number of farmers of the Slavish peoples have come in. All of these are honest, industrious people who devote themselves to their homes and to farming. 234 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Early Will County Days. — (By Mrs. J. D. Frazer, mother of J. D. Frazer, deceased, and grandmother of James Frazer of Homer 1928 and Lyle Frazer, formerly of Homer, now in New Lenox. Published in Joliet News, Sept. 18, 1906.) In the year 1833 three men living in the town of Pittsf ord, N. Y., who had become tired of working among the stumps and stones decided to go to the then far west. Their names were Captain Jirah Rowley, Mr. Garrett and John Saneson, the inventor of the steel plow, who was my father. They had heard such glowing descriptions of the prairies in Illinois where all that was necessary to raise a crop of corn was to break the sod with an axe, chop a place and drop in a kernel. Then the problem was the best way to get there and at last they thought best to go by water. They went to Buffalo and chartered a schooner to bring them to Chicago. In four weeks arrived in Chicago, stayed one night in that place. The vessel was owned by Captain Ransom. When we arrived in Chicago it was found that it was marked with a "C" which meant "condemned." As far as I know I am the only living one today that took that trip on the condemned schooner. The only way to travel about on the prairie at that time was in a prairie schooner. I suppose many old settlers remember them. They were large covered wagons with five or six yoke of cattle to draw them. Captain Rowley left Chicago the next day and came to the town of Holmes then known as Yankee settlement. There was a log house on the site that is now owned by Charles Wilson. Two of Captain Rowley's sons were there. They went the year before and when their two families arrived there were about twenty in all. Captain Rowley's family consisted of himself and wife and three sons. Mrs. Rowley had four chil- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 235 dren with her by a former marriage — all grown. Their name was Grey. My father, mother and four children and a young man named Steve Hartwell comprised our family. I recollect very little of that trip from Buffalo to Chicago as I was a child only three years old. Some few things im- pressed me. I remember Aunt Rowley and mother complain- ing about those hard sea biscuits and wished for a piece of good bread. I had a bowl of molasses and water to dip my biscuit in and thought it delicious. Just then the schooner gave a lurch and away went their cups of tea and biscuits to the floor. When the big boom of the schooner used to swing around I learned to drop down on the deck and let it swing over me. Then, too, I remember the boat sometimes refused to move. I think we made a stop at Detroit and the young people went on shore and picked strawberries. My father was fortunate in finding a log house built that some one had deserted. It was on the farm that Hall Reed lives on. My people suffered many hardships. The first winter the house wasn't properly "chinked" and mother used to tack up quilts and blankets to keep out the cold. The chimney was poor. The lower part was built of stones and then topped out with sticks and clay. It was built outside of the house and sometimes it used to catch fire and how it used to smoke. It was the case of a chimney that would not draw. Father had another built as soon as he could get it done and a great black log was rolled on every morning. Mother did the cooking a number of years in that old fire place. The baking was done in a tin set up in front of the fire and also in a bake kettle, that was a kettle set on hot coals with a cover and hot coals on it. My father made the crane and pot hooks. With what pleasure 236 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY I remember that old fire place and now imagine I can see every stone in the hearth we all used to sit around. We had no matches in those days. The fire must be covered at bed time to keep and if it burned out we had to go to the nearest neighbor's to borrow some coals. That was fun for us children. The door of the house was hung on wooden hinges and had a wooden latch with a string attached. Father replaced them by hand forged hinges and latch. At that time there were no trees, road or any improvements, nothing but the wild prairie grass and flowers of every kind and waving in the wind like the ocean. In the next two years, 1834 and 1835 a great many young men came from the East. They were rail splitters and found plenty of work to do as many farms were taken up and all had to be crossed so corduroy roads must be built, that is, logs cut and laid together over the swamps. All our supplies came from Chicago, even if it was no more than a spool of thread or a broom. At one time' we were six weeks without flour. Then a prairie schooner came from Kankakee with a load and it was worth $16 a barrel. The first apples were brought in the same way from the southern part of the state. When we first came to Illinois, Indians were very numerous. I very distinctly remember the first ones that came to the house. It happened that the men folks were away, mother and the four children were alone. There were two beds in the room with a narrow space between them. Mother put the chil- dren into this space, then took her arm chair and sat just be- tween the beds, as she afterwards expressed, "she would go first/' The Indians left their tomahawks sticking in the cor- ner of the house, came to the door, looked in then went on. After that they used to come in frequently. They were always friendly to us and used to give me beads. I never remember HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 237 of an Indian asking for anything to eat. My sister gave a squaw a biscuit one day and she spun it on the floor like a top. One squaw brought in her papoose tied to a board which she carried on her back. I felt very sorry for one, she came to the door crying and sat down and made a little grave in the dust to make us understand that her papoose was dead. In a few years a school house was built. It was made of logs with benches made of split logs hewn off, some holes bored in and legs driven in them. Along the wall was a very rudely constructed desk. When I started for the school I had but one book and that was an elementary spelling book. I was called out on the floor once in the forenoon and once in the afternoon to read and spell. I spent several years with only that book. I went through it from cover to cover, abreviations and all. In the back were three stories ; The Lawyer and Farmer, The Old Man and Rude Boy and the Country Maid and Her Milk Pail. I had no slate, pencil or tablet, just the spelling book. I often think how different it is now with such interesting books with the beautiful illustrations, how happy children ought to be. When I was about ten years old a new book was introduced into the school called, "The National Preceptor." Oh, how I wished to have one of those books. At last my mother made a trip to Joliet and I became the happy possessor of the long wished for book. I have it yet as one of my most precious treasures. As I look back I can only recall one of my old school- mates, that is Mrs. Frank Collins of your city. We had no papers or magazines in those days. The Bible, English reader, spelling book, and almanac, were about all the books we had to read. I was about 9 years of age when my father had in his employ a man with literary turn of mind. He heard of a place where he could get books to read. Among those he got were Burn's poems. I used to read it over and over, and committed many of the poems to memory. 238 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY My people brought from York state, peach pits and apple seeds which they planted the fall they came and in three years we had a few peaches and the apple trees did nicely. My oldest sister was thoughtful enough to bring flower seeds and soon had the side of the house covered with morning glories. The first religious services were held in private houses. I very well remember the first minister I ever saw. It must have been 1834 or 35. His name was Asbur Chenwith. He was a Methodist and my idea was that he was a being to be afraid of. I have a very vivid recollection of the riot on the I. & M. canal. One morning at daybreak a man came to the door and warned every able bodied man to appear forthwith, armed and equipped to quell a riot. My father immediately put his flint- lock musket in order and went to the scene of bloodshed but all was quiet when he arrived. One man by the name of Lona- gon was killed. He was chopping some pumps to pieces or something of that sort. In those early days there were few amusements for the young people in comparison with those of the present time. My father in Pittsford, N. Y., was a member of the choir in the Presbyterian church where he sang and played bass viol for many years. Every Sunday evening the music book was brought out and we all sang and often the young people for miles around would come in. As I look back at the seventy-five years that have passed and think of the great change that has taken place in the country, it seems more like a beautiful panorama than reality and it is a wonderful thing to have seen the old prairie schooner and an automobile, the spinning wheel and the modern sewing machine, the old flail to thresh the grain and the up-to-date threshing machine. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 239 Surely truth is more wonderful than fiction. Signed — Mrs. J. D. Frazer, (Sept. 17, 1906.) Jackson Township. — Jackson is one of the earliest settled townships in the county, the date of its first settlement being almost coincident with that of Chicago. Chicago was laid out August 4, 1830, and the first settlement was made at Reed's Grove six months later. This grove being situated at the cor- ners of Jackson, Channahon, Wilmington and Florence Town- ships, has given rise to no little misunderstanding as to the location of some of the early settlers of this vicinity; and we shall not be surprised if some of our statements do not receive immediate indorsement. Several parties, or colonies, who set- tled in the Grove, though in the immediate neighborhood, since townships lines have been established have proved to be in different townships. This fact also makes the narration of events in one township, without at the same time bringing in the history of other townships, quite difficult; and a small amount of repetition will therefore be necessary. Reed's Grove received its earliest white settler in 1831. At that time, Indians were plenty in this part of the State, and the Grove was one of their favorite resorts and dwelling places. The territory now embraced in these townships was occupied by the tribe or nation called Pottawatomies. The relations be- tween these people and their early white neighbors were of the most friendly character. They hunted, visited and drank to- gether, as peaceably as the more modern occupants of the county. To Charles Reed belongs the credit of being the first settler, not only of Jackson Township, but of the grove which still bears his name. Reed was a man of energy and spirit. He had a family of grown up children, some of whom were al- ready married; and, being desirous of seeing them settled in homes of their own, such as he was unable to provide for them 240 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY in the older settled States — he resolved to emigrate to this place. Accordingly, he with his two sons-in-law, Charles Koons and Eli Shoemaker, and Joseph Shoemaker (brother of Eli), set out for this place in the early Spring of 1831, and reached the grove March 2, of that year. At that time, but few families had settled in the whole section now embraced in Will County. Dwellers at a distance of twenty-five miles were considered neighbors. Joseph Shoemaker, though mentioned here as a member of this settlement or colony, did not in reality settle in Jackson Township. He is usually accredited as the first set- tler of Wilmington Township; but this, too, seems to be an error, as his cabin was just on the north side of the line sub- sequently located between Wilmington and Channahon. Reed, with the balance of his family, removed from the township more than twenty-five years ago, and while the country was yet indeed new. George Kirkpatrick and brother and James Hemphill lacked but a few months of being the first. They came from Ohio, and settled here in May following the advent of Reed. Of these, George Kirkpatrick still resides in the town- ship, but the other two are dead. James Hemphill died in 1863. During the Spring of the next year, 1832, two new com- panies settled in the township. Wesley Jenkins, Thomas Un- derwood — brother-in-law of Jenkins — and Jefferson Ragsdale were from North Carolina. Of the "Jenkins Colony," as it was called, none are left, all having removed to other parts. The Linebarger colony arrived here from Indiana in the spring with Jenkins. The company consisted of Henry, John, George and Lewis. The last named, however, settled in the town of Florence, a short distance from the others. They were Carolininas, and had left there years before and had resided for a time in Indiana, near the Wabash. Of these, Henry Line- barger lived here but four years, dying here in 1836. George HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 241 Linebarger was a resident of the village of Elwood. He was a very useful citizen, a leader in the Methodist Church, and one of its most pious members. John Linebarger as has been stated, came into the township in the spring of 1832. The Indian uprising of 1832 and 1833, caused unrest and John Linebarger, with some others, returned to Indiana where he resided until 1850. In that year, he re- turned to Illinois and Will County and bought a farm near Wilmington. In 1868, he moved to Elwood where he engaged in the grain business for many years. In the later years of his life he moved to a farm near Bonfield and resided there until 1886, when he passed away. Peter Eib, with his three sons, George, Levi and Augustus, was from the State of Virginia. The elder Eib was very fond of his gun, and an excellent marksman. He found here plenty of game on which to practice his skill. It was not an uncom- mon thing to see from fifty to one hundred deer in a single drove. Turkeys, wolves and other game were so plenty as to make them almost a nuisance. Mr. Eib passed away years ago, but his sons remained amongst the best citizens of the com- munity. In 1832, emigration to these parts, and indeed to all North- ern and Western Illinois, received a very severe check. Pre- viously, the whites and red men had been on the best of terms; and specially in this region there seemed to be no jealousies existing between the two races. Land and game were so plenty, and the white settlers were so few, that the Indians here did not feel as though their rights were being encroached upon. And then again, the tribes dwelling in this part of the State were of a more civilized character than some others. In- deed, some of the leaders or chiefs were so much so that when the proposition to build the Michigan & Illinois Canal was be- ing agitated, they were not only willing to have the improve- ment made, but gave it all the encouragement they could; and 16— VOL. 1 242 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY it is said that among the first acts of Congress relating to the project there is a clause permitting the free use of the Canal forever to these people. However, before the completion of the work, the stealthy stroke of the Indian's paddle, propelling his canoe, had ceased. The causes which led to their removal were just beginning to take shape, when the emigrants whose names have been given, had barely completed their journey. Black Hawk, of whom mention is made in a former chapter, his fol- lowers and allies had become restless and jealous of the white people, who were in that part of the country steadily encroach- ing on both the real and fancied rights of their red brethren. These jealousies eventually broke out into actual conflict, and the State and national military were called out to quell the deadly trouble that seemed to be rising. Of course, great excitement prevailed everywhere, and in sparsely-settled neighborhoods like this, with no commensurate means of resist- ance at hand, and with a people in their midst who, though professing friendship, were yet known to be of a treacherous nature, the most serious apprehensions were entertained. In this state of fear and anxiety the inhabitants of this vicinity were living when, about the latter part of May, 1832, news was brought to the neighborhood of the massacre of several fami- lies and the capture and abduction of two young ladies near Ottawa. In those days, this was considered only an adjacent neighborhood, and very naturally the alarm created in this place was intense. A meeting of all the citizens was immedi- ately called, and it was quickly resolved that, in consideration of their utter inability to repel an attack, it was best to remove to the more thickly settled country on the Wabash, whence many of them had formerly emigrated. Accordingly, on the following night at 10 o'clock, there were found nearly twenty wagons and teams gathered at Five-Mile Grove prepared to start. At about the time fixed for their departure they were joined by some parties who reported the Indians approaching. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 243 This precipitated their flight, and great confusion prevailed. One man had loaned his ox-yoke, and had sent for it, as he could not harness his cattle without it; but when the announce- ment was made that the enemy were near, he snatched a rail from the fence, and with a half-dozen strokes of the ax fash- ioned it into a substitute, which in a moment more was bound on the necks of his oxen with w T ithes of hickory, as quickly cut from the brush, and he was one of the first to start for the Wabash. It had been intended to take the cattle and all of their house- hold goods; but so great was their hurry that everything of the kind was left behind. The gads were applied to the hides of the oxen, and the flight was as rapid as possible. Their way lay through the townships of Manhattan, Wilton and Rock- ville, crossing the Kankakee at one of its fords. After travel- ing some miles, finding that they were not pursued, two of the men determined to return and bring forward the stock which had been left behind. However, when they came to the settlement no stock could be found, having wandered off into the woods. One of the men then bethought him of a bag of maple sugar which had but recently been manufactured from the sap of trees which grew here. Throwing this across his horse, he, with his companion, set out to overtake the main party. They had traveled but a few miles when they perceived, at a distance, two real Indians rapidly following them. They very naturally conjectured that these were only scouts of a large party of human butchers and put spurs to their horses. On looking back, they found that the Indians were pursuing them rapidly. The bag of sugar was a real burden and difficult to carry, so it was allowed to slip to the ground. Thus relieved, horses and riders dashed forward with increased rapidity. In- dians are notoriously fond of sugar, and this was quite a prize, and, as they stopped to examine, taste and eat, the pursued parties left their would-be captors far behind As they came 244 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY up with their friends, they were just crossing the Kankakee. As soon as the report that they were being pursued had spread to the company, confusion was worse than confounded, and the alarm vented itself in the shrieks of the women, the cries of the children and the curses of the men, mingled with the bellow- ing of the sharply goaded oxen. One team seemed to partake of the excitement, but instead of rushing for the other side, stood stock still, unable to move. The driver, in his despera- tion, believing the wagon mired, hastily unhitched the oxen from the load, and placing his wife, who was the other occup- ant of the wagon, on one ox, he bestrode the other, and, apply- ing the lash with renewed vigor, they gained the other shore and soon overtook the train. The relation of such incidents, at this date, causes no little merriment, but at the time of their occurrence were very serious indeed. Even those who were participants tell the story of "Five-Mile Massacre," and laugh heartily; though it is said that the hero of the bag of sugar was ever afterward quite sensitive on that point, and, al- though a man of piety, no man could say "sugar" to him with- out runing great risk of being knocked down. On the evening of the second day, having found that the last incident related was only a scare from some friendly Pottawatomies, the party halted, and it was proposed to have supper and a night's rest. But here, again, were enacted the scenes of the crossing of the Kankakee. Just as the fires had begun to blaze, preparatory to cooking the much-needed meal, a horseman galloped into camp and stopped just long enough to say that the Indians were after them in earnest. Thus, their supper and sleep were dis- pensed with,, and not until three nights and days had passed did they stop long enough to take a nap, or eat, except as they fled. After several days more of travel, during which they received no further alarms they reached Danville, whence they learned troops had been sent to take care of the savages, and all fear and anxiety were at an end. Soon after, Black Hawk HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 245 and his people were removed to the other side of the Mississippi River; and, all fear of molestation having passed, most of the former residents of this neighborhood returned. They found the most of their cattle and hogs, and their crops were un- molested. The cows, however, "had gone dry", and the corn v/as sadly in need of cultivation. The wagon was recovered from the bed of the Kankakee, and even the greater part of the bag of sugar was restored by the hand of one of the friend- ly red men, who had only pursued them to inform them that there was not the least danger. In the Fall of 1832, arrived Jacob and Joseph Zumalt. The Zumalts removed to California some years ago. They were natives of Ohio. The most systematic and extensive, and at the same time one of the most important, settlements of this part of the county was made in 1834. This colony consisted of R. J. Boy- Ian, Peter Brown and two sons — John and Ara — and Smith Johnson. These parties were from New Jersey, and came well prepared, and with a full understanding of the enterprise in in which they were embarking. Most pioneers in those days "pulled up stakes," as the saying was, and moved with but little previous knowledge of the country to which they were going. In many cases they were guided by unreliable reports, sometimes seemingly by instinct and sometimes entirely by accident. But in the case of Boylan and his company, the greatest care was taken. Maps were consulted, the most reli- able reports were procured and read, and all of the informa- tion obtainable was procured and used. R. J. Boylan, a pract- ical surveyor and a man of excellent judgment, was sent for- ward to select, survey and locate the land. He came to this neighborhood, and having located twenty-one eighties, or 1,680 acres, notified the balance of the colony, who came on at once, and occupied the land. Hardly a finer selection could be made than this, consisting of land on, and in the vicinity of, Jackson Creek. Of the original colonists, Mr. Boylan was the last to 246 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY pass away. He was a very active man, having been identified with almost every enterprise of any consequence in this section of the country. His house is the only stone dwelling in the township, and is situated on the bank of the fine little stream named in honor of the "Hero of New Orleans." Though the original Browns and Johnson have passed away, they have left behind numerous descendants and kindred, who occupy the old and original selections, as made in 1834. Henry Watkins and sons, Henry, Jr., Benjamin and Peter, arrived from New York in 1834. None of this family now reside here, all having moved away. About the last-named date, a schoolhouse was built at Reed's Grove, and Henry Wat- kins was employed to teach the first school therein. Edward Kirk was also one of the oldest settlers in this part of the county. He had come to the county a year or two pre- vious to his settling in Jackson in 1835. As early as 1833, an organization for religious purposes was effected. This consisted of a Methodist class, of which William Thornburg was appointed First Leader.- This little organization was what has since developed into the Elwood M. E. Church. From a paper prepared and read before the Elwood Church, by Rev. G. J. Kinne, we are permitted to lay before our readers a complete though brief history of this old- est Church in the township and one of the oldest in the county. Soon after the establishing of the class alluded to, a school- house was built in the vicinity, and in this services were held for a number of years. Among the old pioneer preachers who visited the place and preached to the people, are mentioned the names of Jesse Walker, John Sinclair, S. R. Beggs, S. H. Stock- ing. Under their preaching, the Church prospered and grew in numbers, influence and wealth until, in 1852, they found themselves able to build a house of worship. The site selected was nearly a mile west of the village and of its present loca- tion. The cost of the building was $1,800. In 1866, it was deter- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 247 mined to remove the building to the village. It was thought that the location at the Grove, on account of the growing vill- age at so short a distance, was not the most suitable site for an increasing membership. During the migration of the house which so many had learned to love, meetings were held in it daily. The Baptist Church of Elwood was built in 1859, at a cost of about $2,000. Rev. Mr. Renfrew was the first preacher. This church never flourished. It was soon closed and the mem- bership affiliated with other denominations. The building was remodeled about 1912 and made into quarters for the Masonic Lodge of Elwood which is a flourishing institution. In 1863, the Reformed Lutherans of this township living in the vicinity of Jackson Creek organized and built a neat little church on the southwest corner of Section 15, at a cost of $1,200. Rev. Rufus Smith, Edward Loomis, S. Bosley, Henry and Christopher Lichtenwater and Christopher Faut were amongst the leading projectors of the work. Rev. Smith was the first preacher, and for a time labored in this corner of the Lord's vineyard with good acceptance ; but, by and by, his opin- ions in regard to the subject of religion underwent a change, and with him coincided many of his flock, and it was decided to abandon the organization. Accordingly, about five years after the house was built, the congregation assembled and a motion was made and carried that the house be "deeded to the Lord," and that He look after its interest in the future. The instrument was drawn up in due form and regularly signed, but whether delivered or recorded we are not permitted to know. Since that event, the house has been occupied irregul- arly by different denominations. At this time, (1928) it is known as the Brown Church, a name which it has carried for the last forty years. It is in good condition and serves as a house of worship at frequent intervals. Until very recently, within eight years, a Sunday 248 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY School was maintained quite regularly. The ladies of the El- wood Methodist Church have looked after it, the people of the neighborhood are liberal in contributing, and everyone has a kindly interest in the Brown Church. Therefore, it appears that the congregation, sixty years ago, acted better than they knew when they "deeded to the Lord". Surely He has looked after its interest well. The United Brethren held religious services in the north-' eastern part of the township for over twenty-five years. In 1865, they erected, on the northeast corner of Section 11, at a cost of $2,000. The building was a neat frame, 30 feet in width by 45 feet in length, and would seat one-hundred and fifty to two hundred persons. Rev. Mr. Marglist was the Pastor, and Isaac Overholser was Superintendent of the Sunday School in 1878. The church of the United Brethren, erected on the north- east corner of Section 11, was located on Providence Ridge, a name still known to the older people of that vicinity. Church services had been discontinued for some years and no use was made of it excepting for funerals. It was demolished by a cyclone in 1914 and has not been rebuilt. A small storehouse was erected to house the tools and equipment used in the ceme- tery. On the northwest corner of Section 24, stands the German Methodist, or, more properly speaking, the Church of the Evan- gelical Association. This is also a frame building, and was erected in 1865. It is 28x36 feet in size, and cost $1,400. It was erected at the instance of William Poleman, John Gise, Isaac Moyer, William Kriemier, Jacob Wible and other prominent members of the Association. Rev. Rieman Snyder was the resident pastor and M. Moyer superintendent of the Sabbath school. Preaching and other religious services have been held here for over twenty years by this denomination. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 249 The German Methodist Church, or the Church of the Evan- gelical Association, flourished for many years. About fifty years ago, dissension arose in the congregation over some question of theology or of practice in worship, and they divided into groups. The group which withdrew, built a church across the road, thus establishing two churches. For many years they were known as the "Twin Churches". In 1928, the original church built in 1865, was torn down. The other one has sur- vived but shows signs of decay, which indicate a weakening of the congregation. The originators of the church in 1865, have passed away and their descendants have moved to other places. Only a few remain in the immediate neighborhood. The year 1854 was eventful for numerous localities between Joliet and Bloomington, as it marks the completion of what was then called the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad, now called the Chicago & St. Louis, and the location of most of the vill- ages and towns along the line. Before that date, a town in Jackson Township was not thought of; and, had it been, any other portion would have been as likely to be fixed upon as its present site at Elwood. As soon as the road was completed, steps were taken to establish a station at this point, and this being accomplished, the village followed as a consequence. A convenient trading point was at once provided, and the country and its products demanded tradesmen, mechanics and profes- sional men. The town was surveyed and platted and lots offered for sale in 1854 and 1855, by Messrs. Spencer, Gardner and Myers, gentlemen interested in the road. The first house built in the town was erected by William Turner, formerly of New York. In this building he displayed the first stock of goods ever of- fered for sale in the township. Turner was also appointed Postmaster, and kept the office in his store. Joseph Partee, who had also been living in the neighborhood, built the first 250 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY dwelling, and James Barrett built the second. George Blair built the first blacksmith-shop. To these were added stores, shops and dwellings, and the town grew quite rapidly, so that, in 1869, it was found advisable to incorporate the same. Only a few scraps of the original records and lists escaped the fire of 1874, so that no complete list of its officers or narration of its public acts can now be given. It is, however, remembered with certainty that William Muhlig was first President, and R. Spafford, John Linebarger, William Eversoll and T. A. Mapps were members of the Board of Trustees. W. F. Keith was first- Police Magistrate. In 1873, the town was re-organ- ized under the general law of the State. The officers were: John H. Bridge, President; John Linebarger, C. D. Wickes, Bateman Lloyd, John Pinneo and J. J. Lichtenwalter, Trustees; W. H. Kinne, Clerk; and W. W. Gifford, Treasurer. On the night of the 28th of May, 1874, a fire swept over the business part of the town, which, for destructiveness, taking into account the size of the place, exceeded that of Chicago of two years before. The fire broke out in the store of William Nicholson, which stood near the center of the business portion, and in a few hours every store but one and the hotel had given way before the fiery element. This was a serious blow to the little town. Prior to this, it had been, though slowly, yet stead- ily increasing. The loss of property was estimated at $30,000, of which not more than $1,000 was insured. Though some of the burned district has been rebuilt and business is carried on as before, some of the proprietors were so much crippled as not to be able to start again, and the village still feels the loss sustained. The present population is about four hundred. Jackson Township is one of the prosperous townships of the county. It contains some of the best farms to be had in the county. Some timber still remains along Jackson Creek but all of this is used as pasture land so that there is no under- brush to provide new growth when the old trees are removed. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 251 As a consequence the trees are bound to disappear because when one is cut down there is none to take its place. Elwood which originated in 1854 when the Chicago and Al- ton Railroad was built became a flourishing village and con- tinued so for about one-half a century. The development of automobiles and the building of good roads made it easy to travel. Farmers naturally journeyed to the larger cities at Joliet, Wilmington and even some as far as Chicago. This took the business away from the stores in Elwood. Hardware stores were abandoned entirely. Blacksmiths found no work and closed their shops to follow other occupations or to move elsewhere for their regular work. The general stores changed hands at short intervals for a period of about fifteen years. In 1918-19 the nature of the business changed somewhat and these stores -became places where refreshments might be bought and staple groceries could be procured. At this time (1928) they seem to be fairly prosperous. One business is noticeable here, that is, a successful bakery has been started. This seems to prosper because housewives seem to dislike to do their own baking and because tourists buy some bakery goods. Thus it is that times change conditions. The concrete road passes along the east edge of the village on the east side of the railroad track. This has made it possible to operate a garage and service oil station, all of which do a good business. Elwood always maintained good schools even though for some years the school building was practically unfit for use. A new building was built in 1916 with three rooms, modern at that time. These rooms are somewhat out-of-date at the present but are still sufficiently good to make a good school possible. Two rooms are maintained for the grades and one is devoted to a two year high school. Miss Fanny Bruce teaches the upper grades and Miss Peterson teaches the lower grades; W. P. Flaherty is principal and teaches the high school. The increase 252 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY in the school was brought about by the consolidation of three districts, two in Jackson Township and one, formerly District 15, in Channahon Township, are consolidated into one district. Pupils from the rural part of the district are transported in modern school buses. This change to a consolidated school has proven satisfactory to all concerned. Two churches are maintained in the village, one Methodist and the other a Presbyterian. The Methodist Church building burned about twelve years ago and was immediately replaced by a new building which includes an auditorium, parsonage, and community hall. This church is prosperous. The Presby- terian Church finds some trouble in maintaining services be- cause the congregation is small. Elwood undoubtedly will improve and grow from now on because many people live in Elwood and work in Joliet. The concrete road over which a good bus service is maintained makes this feasible at all times of the year. CHAPTER XI. JOLIET TOWNSHIP. DES PLAINES VALLEY— EARLY SETTLERS — FIRST WHITE MAN— PIONEER GRIST MILL— PRICE OF LAND— FIRST OFFICERS— MERCHANTS— GRAIN TRADE- STONE QUARRYING — EARLY BUSINESS MEN— JOLIET MOUND— BUILDING- SCHOOLS— PENITENTIARY The early history of the Des Plaines Valley has been given in chapters one, two, and three; the aborignes have been ac- counted for at some length; the Red Man has had attention; these accounts are, to some extent, the history of Joliet. How- ever, we are interested in the early history of the white set- tlers. The following table is interesting because it gives dates pertaining to so many families which are represented in Joliet now (1928). It was prepared with much care in 1877 and recorded in LeBaron's History of Will County. It is reproduced here from that work: Major Robert G. Cook, New York, 1831 ; John B. Cook (his father), New York, 1831; Philip Scott, New York, 1831; Rea- son Zarley, Ohio, 1831; Robert Stevens, Indiana, 1831; David Maggard, Indiana, 1831; Benjamin Maggard, Indiana, 1831; Jesse Cook, Indiana, 1831; Daniel Robb, 1831; William Bills- land, Indiana, 1831; Aaron Moore, Ohio, 1832; R. E. Barber, Vermont, 1832; Col. Sayre, New Jersey, 1832; Seth Scott, New York, 1832; Charles Clement, New Hampshire, 1833; Rev. George West, M. E. minister, 1833; Rodney House, Connecticut, 1833; Charles Reed, Indiana, 1833; William Hadsell, New York, 1833; Dr. A. W. Bowen, New York, 1834; Elias Haven, New 254 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY York, 1834; Philo A. Haven, New York, 1834; Orlando H. Ha- ven, New York, 1834; James Haven, New York, 1834; Dr. Da- vid Reed, New York, 1834; M. H. Demmond, New York, 1834; Wm. B. Hawley, New York, 1834; Benj. F. Barker, New York, 1834; Benjamin Richardson, from the East, 1834; James Rock- well, Connecticut, 1834; Abner Cox, Indiana, 1834; I. P. King, Indiana, 1834; Joseph Zumalt, Indiana, 1834; Jacob Zumalt, In- diana, 1834; Charles Sayre, New Jersey, 1834; James McKes, Kentucky, 1834; Daniel Clement, New Hampshire, 1834; Rich- ard Hobbs, Indiana, 1834; N. H. Clarke, 1834; Thomas H. Black- burn, 1834; 0. D. Putnam, 1834; Harlow Webster, 1834; Geo. H. Woodruff, New York, 1834; N. H. Cutter, Massachusetts, 1834; Jay Lyons, 1834; Chas. W. Brandon, New York, 1834; James C. Troutman, Ohio, 1834; Edward Perkins, New York, 1834; Fenner Aldrich, 1835; Hervey Lowe, New York, 1835; F. Collins, Hoosier, 1835; Oliver W. Stillman, Massachusetts, 1835; Robert Duncan, Detroit, 1835; Thomas Culbertson, Dela- ware, 1835; Charles W. Hopkins, New Jersey, 1835; S. W. Bowen, New York, 1835; Dr. Zelotus Haven, New York, 1835; Hugh Henderson, New York, 1835; Wm. A. Boardman, New York, 1835; Russell Frary, New York, 1835; Michael Shoe- maker, New York, 1835; John L. Wilson, New Yori£, 1835; Richard L. Wilson, New York, 1835; Charles L. Wilson, New York, 1835; Abijah Cagwin, New York, 1835; H. N. Marsh, New York, 1835; J. Beaumont, New York, 1835; George Hig- ley, Ohio, 1835; Levi Jenks, New York, 1835; William Walters, Indiana, 1835; 0. F. Rogers, New York, 1835; Rev. J. H. Pren- tiss, New York, 1835; George Squire, 1835; Wm. A. Chatfield, Indiana, 1835; C. C. Pepper, New York, 1835; Francis Nichol- son, New York, 1835; W. R. Atwell, New York, 1835; John M. Wilson, New York, 1835; Allen Pratt, Massachusetts, 1835; Bar- ton Smith, Indiana, 1835; Jonathan Barnett, New York, 1835; E. M. Daggett, Indiana, 1835; George Howlitson, Scotland, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 255 1835; Asa Rowe, 1835; Elias Hyde, New York, 1835; S. B. Hop- kins, New Jersey, 1835. In 1836 we may notice among the arrivals in the new settle- ment, George Woodruff, Joel A. Matteson, R. Doolittle, Edmund Wilcox, Uri Osgood, Thomas R. Hunter, E. C. Fellows, and Francis L. Cagwin, from New York, and Otis Hardy and H. Hartshorn, from Vermont; Orange Chauncey, Albert Shepard, James Stout, Thomas, Edward and Bennett Allen, John CuFry, J. J. Garland, W. J. Heath, J. C. Newkirk, William Blair, Rufus Calton, Stephen H. Palmer, E. E. Bush, Theodore Woodruff, H. K. Stevens, David Richards, G. W. Cassedy, and a great many others, whose native states we have not learned. When the first white man came to Joliet Township in 1831, there were plenty of Indians in the present limits of Will County, and though of the friendly Pottawatomies, yet the very fact that they were surrounded by savages, whose ferocity, when aroused, is scarcely equaled by wild beasts, coupled with the fact that low mutterings were now and then borne to them on the gale, of the threatening troubles with the Sacs, then on the verge of taking the warpath, all conspired to divest the wilderness of its romance, and render their every-day life, to say the least, unpleasant. The Pottawatomies, though friendly as already stated, were looked upon with much suspicion at times, and required a good deal of watching to prevent their petty thieving, a penchant for which is a native characteristic of the red man. While the Black Hawk war was raging in 1832, the few settlers who remained upon their claims built a fort in the present city limits of Joliet, which they called "Fort Nonsense," but as it is graphically described in the general history, we pass it with this slight allusion. Nearly half a century has passed since Black Hawk led his painted warriors over the prairies of Illinois, and the wilderness where a few hardy pioneers braving danger, planted a feeble settlement, 256 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY has "flourished and blossomed like the rose." The Indians have long since taken up their line of march toward the "land of the setting sun"; their council fires burn away in the "untrod- den West," and the little settlement on the Des Planes River, which had its birth, as it were, in the midst of an Indian war, has grown into a prosperous community, with a prosperous city in its midst. The half dozen families that settled in Joliet Township in 1831, have increased in numbers, and, including city and township, aggregate several thousand. In all new communities, one of the first things thought of is a mill. This branch of enterprise engaged the attention of the people of Joliet Township at a very early period of its settle- ment. When we look around us at the magnificent mills of to- day and the unbounded facilities for procuring our supplies of meal and flour, it seems almost impossible to realize the lim- ited means of obtaining bread by the pioneers of fifty years ago. What would we think at the present day, of having to go to Peoria to mill, with a wagon and team, and a rainy sea- son coming on, of being detained six weeks?" And yet there are those living within sound of the church bells of Joliet, who remember such an experience. The first attempt at a mill in Joliet Township was made by one John Norman, in 1833-34. It was built at the head of an island nearly opposite the peni- tentiary and was rather a primitive affair. He built a dam across one branch of the river, and thus turned the current in the other. In this his wheel was placed, the shaft communi- cating with the machinery of the mill. It was a small log structure, and its capacity for grinding rather limited, as we have been told that fifteen bushels of grain in twenty-four hours was good work for it. The next mill was McKee's, built on the west side of the river, just above Jefferson Street, the frame of which was still standing in 1878 a monument to pioneer enterprise. Several sawmills were built in the town. A. Cagwin built one on Hickory Creek in which was sawed the ST. PRANCES ACADEMY, JOLIET, ILL. WASHINGTON STREET SCHOOL, JOLIET, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 257 lumber for the first frame house in Joliet. Clement & Clark, and the Haven Bros, built mills in the early times, as noticed in the general history of the county. But the day of useful- ness of these original mills has long since passed, and the more modern inventions and improvements fill their place. There are (1878) in the town eighteen comfortable and com- modious school houses, five of which are built of stone, and the others are substantial frame buildings. The first bridge in the township of which we have any account was built over the Des Planes River in the latter part of 1837. At that time, two substantial wooden bridges were built about where the lower and middle bridges now are. They were both washed away, however, in the next spring, which was a season of un- precedented high water, and many a day passed before they were rebuilt, or other accommodations provided for crossing the river than a "dug-out" or ferry boat, when it was too high to ford. But at the present day, the town is well supplied with excellent bridges, wherever those useful and convenient inven- tions are needed. In the early settlement of this section of the country, claims were usually made by "squatting" wherever the newcomer found land or a situation that suited him, provided there was no prior claim. Building a cabin and enclosing and cultivating a patch of ground established a preemption right to their claim — that is, a right to purchase it, when it should come into mar- ket, at the Government price of $1.25 per acre ; and at the land sales, though there might be ever so many speculators present, they dare not bid against a settler, unless they chose to risk rousing their vengeance. They (the settlers) had organized a regular court to protect and settle their claims, which was a kind of "higher law," and woe unto him who trespassed upon the rights of this court or the settlers. A compromise was finally effected between the settlers and speculators whereby, the latter paid for the land and the settlers gave them half, 17— VOL. 1 258 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY and thus securing to themselves a reasonable amount of land for nothing. The land sale of 1835 caused a great rush of immigration to this section and a rage for land speculation, and soon all the most valuable and available lands were taken up or secured by the speculators. In 1850, the county adopted township organization, and this further added to the con- venience of laying claims and locating lands. Upon the or- ganization of townships, this one received the name of Joliet — a name conspicuous in the history of Illinois as that of one of the early French explorers, Louis Joliet. The first super- visor of Joliet Township was Charles Clement, who held the position for three years successively. The present township (1878) officers are as follows, viz.: Frederick Rappell, super- visor, and John Scheidt, John Lyon, William Gleason, assistant supervisors; Kelly, township clerk; W. D. Fay, school treasurer; J. T. Millspaugh, police magistrate; R. Doolittle, Ed- mund Wilcox, J. P. Murphy, Patrick Shanahan and William P. Webber, justices of the peace. As already stated, Charles Reed is regarded as the first permanent settler in the original town of Joliet, or "Juliet." David Maggard, however, settled in what is at present the city of Joliet, some three years before Reed. But at the time Mag- gard built his house, which was nearly opposite the rolling mill, there was no City of Joliet, and it was years after the birth of the city before it extended its limits to include Maggard's original cabin. Charles Reed, the pioneer of Joliet, finally went to Winnebago County, where he died in 1875. Charles Clement settled permanently in the spring of 1834. He commenced mer- chandizing after he had been here some time, a business he continued for many years. In 1839, he with others started the first newspaper in Joliet, which is more particularly referred to in the history of the city press. The first merchant in Joliet was a man named Cox, who commenced the mercantile business, in a very limited way, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 259 about 1833-34. It was for this man Cox that H. A. Cagwin clerked when he first came to the place. Further than this, we know little of this first store and first merchant. The next store was opened by M. H. Dernmond, who used one room of his residence for a storehouse, as soon as it was finished. In the meantime, while waiting for the completion of his house, his goods were stored in Chicago, in the first warehouse ever built in that city. In January, 1835, Dernmond bought Mc- Kee's claim, except his mill property, and laid it off into town lots — McKee having previously divided it into acre lots only — the plat being recorded in June, 1830. Soon after laying out the West Side, Clement built a saw-mill, and under the firm name of Clement & Clark, a brisk lumber trade was at once inaugurated. This year, Dernmond set the example, since so extensively followed in Joliet, by putting up the first stone building. It is the block of business houses on the West Side, opposite the National Hotel, and upon its completion was ap- propriately celebrated by a ball, at which all the young people for miles around congregated. The grain trade, which is one of the most important branches of business in Joliet, was begun in an early day. John M. Wilson and Charles Clement were the first grain merchants of the place, and used an old barn on Block 16 for storage pur- poses. Their net profits for the first year, and the only one, in which they handled grain, are said to have amounted to the immense sum of nine dollars. They made a corner in the mar- ket and retired from the business at the end of the first year. But without attempting to follow the grain trade through all its stages, from Wilson & Clement's "corner" to the vast pro- portions it has since assumed, we will endeavor to give some- thing of its present status (1878.) There are now five able firms engaged in grain, viz. : Carpenter & Marsh, A. Cagwin & Co., E. R. Knowlton, H. C. Teed, Wheeler & Co. and J. E. Bush. Carpenter & Marsh are the heaviest dealers. As an illustra- 260 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY tion, we give their shipments for one week, taken from a news- paper publication of 1874: Monday 48 carloads Tuesday 44 carloads Wednesday 21 carloads Thursday 33 carloads Friday 30 carloads Saturday 42 carloads Total for the week 218 carloads They handle annually not far short of three and a half mil- lion bushels of grain, and all of which is shipped direct to Eastern markets. Their elevator capacity is about thirty thou- sand bushels, and twelve to fifteen men are employed in loading and unloading grain. Last year, this firm alone handled 3,750,- 000 bushels of grain, most of which was corn and oats, but a little wheat and barley. A. Cagwin & Co. handle annually about five hundred thousand bushels of corn and oats, most of which is shipped direct to the East. The elevator used by this firm was built by Carpenter & Marsh, and will store from fif- teen thousand to twenty thousand bushels of grain. It is owned by M. O. Cagwin. H. C. Teed, Wheeler & Co., handle about five hundred thousand bushels annually, and have storage room for about thirty thousand bushels in Michigan Central Ele- vator. They also handle pressed hay, mill feed and wool, which, together with grain, they ship East, viz. : to Canada, New Eng- land and Pennsylvania. E. R. Knowlton handles about three hundred thousand bushels of corn and oats, which are shipped East. He has two elevators, one of which was built by Cagwin, in an early stage of the grain business, and will store about eighteen thousand bushels of shelled corn, and the other about twelve thousand bushels of oats. His cribbing capacity is about five thousand bushels of ear-corn. J. E. Bush, whose ware- V HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 261 house and elevator stand near the Jefferson Street bridge, han- dles about six hundred thousand bushels of corn and oats annually, and ships both to the East and to Chicago — to the latter place by canal. He has storage room for about forty thousand bushels. As will be seen, most of the grain handled in Joliet is shipped direct to Eastern markets. This is done by the "Cut-off" division of the Michigan Central Railroad, a very important road for the business of Joliet, as it avoids the delay and expense of shipping by Chicago. Much of the grain and stock going east over the Chicago & Rock Island and Chi- cago & Alton Railroads are here transferred to the "Cut-off" Railroad, and do not go to Chicago at all, which, added to that bought at this point, makes Joliet quite a center of trade. Next to the grain interest, and perhaps even surpassing it in importance and as a source of actual wealth to the city, was stone quarrying. Joliet stone is known throughout the state, and to a considerable extent in many other states. From the inexhaustible supply of the finest building and flag stone, the large number of stone buildings and most excellent sidewalks, the city has justly received the pseudonym of the "Stone City." The neighborhood of Joliet is as prolific of stone as some neigh- boring sections of coal. Indeed, from a ramble among the quarries, we should judge the supply to be sufficient almost to build a "Chinese Wall" around the entire state. So far, it has been impossible to form any accurate idea of the extent or quantity of stone in this vicinity, as the number of quarries in successful operation required no labor to open them other than the scraping off of the trash from the surface, and no cause exists for going to any depth for superior qualities of the "raw material." As pertinent to the subject, we quote from the Geological Survey of Illinois: "Only from twelve to fifteen feet of beds furnishing 'dimension stone' are now quarried, as the bottom of this brings the quarryman down to the water- level, and the supply has thus far been so abundant as to make 262 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY deeper explorations unnecessary. * * * The stone itself is a very compact, fine-grained, clinking, magnesian limestone, but thin seams of greenish clay run irregularly through the whole mass, which, upon long exposure in situations alternately wet and dry, must ultimately cause the most solid layers to split up. The separation in the quarry into 'ledges/ often twen- ty-four, thirty and forty inches in thickness, simply results from the presence of somewhat thicker partings of this same greenish, shaly clay. These beds were formerly described as composed of light buff stone, while the deeper portions of the quarries now furnish 'blue stone'. The difference results from the difference in amount of oxidation of the small portion of iron disseminated through the whole mass, the change having resulted from atmospheric influence. The same change must ultimately take place in all the 'blue stone' which is brought to the surface." Who was first to engage in quarrying, as a regular business, we have been unable to ascertain, but are of the opinion that as the city grew, and developed, enterprising individuals grad- ually and mechanically, as it were, drifted into it to supply the increasing demand for building stone. M. H. Demmond, who is mentioned on another page as having built the first stone house in 1835, must have been the first quarryman, though it does not appear that he extended the business beyond his own immediate wants. From that insignificant beginning the stone business has continued to increase until it had reached vast proportions, and the quarries in and around Joliet, in ordi- nary times, gave employment to more than five hundred men. One of the large quarries here in operation was that of W. A. Steel, who employed a large number of men, and shipped im- mense quantities of stone to every part of the country, and commanded a large trade throughout this state, having shipped some sixty thousand carloads to the Government works at Rock \ HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 263 Island alone. The custom houses at Des Moines, Iowa, and Madison, Wisconsin, and the capitol of Michigan were built principally from his quarries. But our space forbids a more extended notice of Mr. Steel's well-known quarries. Bruce & Co. had one of the oldest quarries in the vicinity and employed a large number of men. From having been long in the business, they commanded a large trade and shipped extensively to other sections of the country. The Joliet Stone Company's quarries were among the largest and best in operation. The company was organized in 1877, under the state law, with G. H. Munroe, president; G. M. Campbell, secretary and treasurer, and D. C. Hays, superintendent. They employed from twenty-five to one hundred men and had the most complete steam machinery for sawing and rubbing stone in use. The company purchased and opened a quarry in Alabama, which they worked extensively. The Werners were largely engaged in the stone business. Charles, William and Adam Werner operated separate quar- ries, of which Charles, perhaps, did the largest business. Wil- liam Davidson & Bro. opened their quarries in 1845, and shipped largely to different parts of the country. Their quarries were on the Rock Island Railroad and the canal, thus affording them excellent facilities for shipping. Bannon and Kronmeyer both owned and operated large quarries, the former on the west side of the river and the latter on the canal, just south of the prison, and had a large trade both at home and abroad. There were other quarries around the city, perhaps, some of which we believe were doing but little business while others were standing wholly idle. In this brief glance at the stone interests of Joliet, it will be seen that the business was one of immense volume and value. Concluding our brief sketch, we would note the fact that the United States Government had subjected this stone to new and critical tests, as compared with the stone from all the important quarries in the country, and both the 264 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY War and Treasury Departments for years recognized its su- periority and drawn on Joliet for immense quantities of it for the erection of public buildings throughout the country. But all this stone business passed, and 1928 finds but little rubble stone quarried. The coming of concrete for buildings ar.d bridges, and roads, created a demand for crushed stone. Today one finds mountains of crushed stone of several sizes. Trainloads leave Joliet each day for Chicago and other cities. The following "Joliet City Directory" published in 1858, is interesting. It shows many changes and shows how some fam- ilies and some institutions and perpetuated : Banks: Merchants and Drovers', Will County, Osgood's Exchange Office, Hatton & Co.'s Exchange Office. Lawyers: Bowen, S. W., Fellows, E. C, Goodspeed & Bar- tleson, Hilderbrant, T. Q., Osgood, Uri, Parks & Elwood, Ran- dal & Snapp, Roberts, J. Ma, Street, J. E. R. E. Barber will furnish abstracts of titles from Will County records. Physicians: Bailey, F. K., Brownson, M. K, Danforth, W., Harwood, E., McArthur, A. L., McCann, J., Meade, A. B., Reece, J. H., Simonton, W. B. Druggists: Brown, J. EL, Bray, E. M., Gankhoffer, Jos., McCann, J., Simonton, W. B., Woodruff, G. H. Ironmongers: Mills, J., Strong & Co. Land Agents: Bowen, S. W., Parks & Elwood, Reese, J. R., White & Lowe. Lumber Merchants: Elliott & Co., Fish & Adams, Hardy, Otis, Hollister & Co., Wheeler & Co. Joliet Stone Works: Anderson, Spencer & Co., Hart, P., Hauser, S., Kelly, J., Walworth & Co., Wilson & Cunningham, Schwalm, F., Taylor & Co. Marble Works: Munger, C. E., Ward, G. H. Iron Founders and Plow Factors: Jones & Cagwin. Newspapers: True Democrat, Joliet Signal. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 265 Sash and Door Factors and Steam Plaining Mills: Hunt & Ward. Shingle Factor: King, M. J. Dry Goods Merchants: Curry, J., Duncan, R. C, Dutton, 0. B., Reichert, J., Swain & Hebbard, Worrell Brothers. Merchant Grocers: Belz, J., Godard, H. B., McEvoy, M., Nicholson, F., Potter & Co., Simonds & Scarrett, Stone, S. W., Sleeper, D. C, Whittemore, A. F. Booksellers: Bray, E. M., Fox, 0., Savage, E. Hotels: Bissell's, Central, Exchange, National, Joliet. Cabinet Makers: Blackwell & Kimball, Daley, E., Hecht, C, Walker, J. H. Warehousemen: Cagwin & Higginbottom, Dow, A., Wheeler & Co. Flour Merchants: Howke, Hyde & Co., Grinton, W. Watchmakers and Jewelers : Kinney, T., Verley, J. D., Put- ney, D. F. Boot and Shoe Merchants: Fuller, N., Mack, F., Shaw Brothers. Merchant Tailors: Quinn, J. H., Stephens, S., Williams, J. C, Webber, J. Clothiers: Loner, C, Einstein, M., Mack, Brothers & Co., Kaufman, F., Metzgar, Is. Milliners: Bray, Miss, Kavanagh, Mrs., Stevens, Mrs., Si- monds, Miss. Dentists: Carpenter, E. R. E., Thompson & Allen. Painters: Adle & White, Beaumont, J., Dorr & Schott, Wright & Cook. Carriage and Wagon Makers: House, R., Hyde, E., Lamp- ing. Hatter: Keeler, R. R. Harness Makers: Mendsen, Jas. Ruger & Kaffer, Schra- der, H. 266 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Wholesale Liquor Dealers: Devanny & Kelly, Droesler, V. Daguerreian: Balch, H., Compton, Mrs. Fort Nonsense was built upon the hill now occupied by St. Peter's Lutheran Church. The hill was a round knob difficult of ascent in those days. The bluff at the right was broken and abrupt, and a silvery cascade during some seasons of the year, with a cedar-lined dell, formed a picturesque background. The fort was of the stockade order, with a blockhouse at the north- east corner, projecting beyond the stockade, with portholes for downward, as well as "straight-out" shooting. This was built by a part of the regiment which was sent to the relief of the settlers of Danville, through the efforts of Gurdon S. Hubbard, who was there at the time. In this old fort the Zarley family, including "our Cal," found a refuge for some weeks. The stock- ade and blockhouse were still standing when the writer came to Juliet in 1834, but was torn down soon after, and we presume its logs were appropriated to the profane use of boiling some- body's dinner. The old blockhouse, however, served during one summer (1834) for the first school taught here by Miss Persis Cleveland, of which more will be said when we come to schools. The Historical Joliet Mound. — Mrs. John Frazer, 624 Ham- ilton Street, Lockport, formerly of Hawley's Hill, now known as Mount Hawley in Homer Township, contributed the follow- ing account of Joliet Mound. This account was published in the Joliet News in 1913. "One of the time-honored land-marks in this vicinity is the Joliet Mound. The pioneers knew it as one of the most beautiful and picturesque bits of scenery in this section of the country. Even as far back as 1877, it had not yet been robbed of its beauty in forest and native shrubs and flowers. One of the News fraternity was superintendent of a little Sunday school at the east of this Mound. At that time Jacob Stryker HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 267 was the moving spirit in the original Mound corporation that manufactured tile of various kinds. A very well written article is herewith published regarding the business history of the plant. Next Monday, what there is left of the machinery and utilities will be sold at public auction by Fred R. Stryker. There will be many regrets in losing the Stryker family in this vicin- ity, as they have been active in every good word and work. Here is the article above referred to: The site know T n for these many years as the "Mound," was, in its original state, a very beautiful spot, it being an eleva- tion averaging about 80 feet in height, and about twenty-four acres in extent. Large trees bordered its sides, and its grassy expanse with trees at picturesque intervals, made a natural park commanding a charming view of the surrounding coun- try. But being a "thing of beauty" did not insure its being a "joy forever," unless one counts as joy the financial gain reaped from its destruction. The uppermost stratum of this glacial deposit was about 60 feet in depth, and consisted of coarse gravel. A great part of this gravel was removed and shipped in boats on the I. & M. canal to Chicago, where it was used to build streets. This first stratum was underlaid with potter's clay to a depth averaging 12 feet. Underneath this were large boulders, hard-pan and sand deposit. In the year 1858 the ground was broken by the three circuit judges of Cook county, J. M. Wilson, Grant Goodrich and W. W. Farewell. These men were the organizers and first officers of the Joliet Mound Co. It was not incorporated until 1862. It was the first factory of its kind west of Ohio, and one of the first in the country. For over 20 years, from the time of its organization, the products manufactured were fire-brick, bath brick and sewer, 268 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY pipe. The material for the same was shipped on the I. & M. canal in boats from La Salle county. The shipping facilities were excellent at that time, due to the proximity of the canal and the private slip and wharf constructed by the company. In later years the shipping facilities were made still better by the C. R. I. & P. railroad running through the property for about three-fourths of a mile. At a still later date a street railway was constructed north of the property, and an electric railway on the south. Later a change took place in the officers of the corporation. Due to the panic of 1873, the organizers were financially em- barrassed, and the property went through a long litigation and was re-organized in 1880 by the present stockholders who were their creditors. The factory was re-built and transformed into an exclusive drain tile factory. This change necessitated the re-modeling and re-building of the works. This was done under the super- vision of F. R. Stryker, who, since that date, has been general manager of the works, and is now closing out- the business. The company was compelled to stop manufacturing tile for want of material. During the 32 years there was produced over one hundred million feet of drain tile ranging in size from 3 to 18 inches in diameter. It may be of interest to know that the patterns for the first power tile machine manufactured were built and pat- ented in the shop of the Joliet Mound Co. During a period of 35 years there were a number of the workmen who labored continuously in the works from 10 to 30 years, and during this time all the horses which became dis- abled or aged were kept on the premises while able to enjoy life, and at the end of that time were shot. The manager never allowed an animal that did good service to go into the market. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 269 The Mound elevation is now all gone and the ground leveled and prepared for sub-divisions. The old landmark will soon be a thing of the past. The following tradition is from Historical Edition of Joliet News published in 1884: There is an interesting tradition of this period which re- lates to Mound Joliet. The great Indian Chief Pontiac, of Michigan, could not be reconciled to this transfer to the Eng- lish whom he cordially hated. He continued to contest their claims to possession, and beseiged Detroit for six months, but was finally worsted. After a treaty had been concluded be- tween the English and the Western tribes in 1764, disgusted with the outcome he left the region where he had been for so many years a great leader and warrior, and with the remnant of his Ottawa warriors (about 200) with their families, retired farther West. According to a tradition, which we are dis- posed to accept as true, he settled on the banks of the beautiful Kankakee near the present city of Wilmington. The same tradition gives us an account of his death, altogether different from the one found in most early histories of the time. He had merged the remnant of his tribe into that of the Potta- wattamies, who disputed with the Illinois the possession of Northern Illinois. In 1769 a council of the two nations was called at Mound Joliet to settle these claims. During a speech which Pontiac was making in behalf of the tribe with which he had identified his fortunes, he was assassinated in the most cowardly manner by Kineboo, head Chief of the Illinois. This act of treachery not only broke up the council, but led to a long and bloody war which resulted in the destruction of the great Illinois village "La Vantam," which occupied the ground where the town of Utica was laid off in 1835, and to the tragedy of Starved Rock, and to the almost complete destruction of the once great nation of the Illinois. 270 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Building. — The building record for July, 1928, sets a new high mark in construction in Joliet. It means that Joliet has a good future. The following account is from the Herald News: "The greatest month in the history of Joliet construction has just passed with the issuance of nearly a million and a half dollars in permits by the city building inspector. Two factories, a large office building, a distributing plant for the Standard Oil Company, a garage, a clinic, a church and a store are included in permits totaling $1,386,635 issued dur- ing July. The figure is more than five times the total for June. Per- mits for $261,300 building were issued during that month. The nearest approach this year was made in April when about oner third as much building was allowed. The total then was $478,- 725. These figures for July would be considerably augmented with the addition of building outside of the city, according to John F. Neiswender, city building inspector. The Kaiser-Ducett company has three contracts outside the city which amount to $450,000. There is about $350,000 in residential building going on outside of the city. These pros- pects have been included in the amount listed for July by the building inspector. This leaves $564,068 which consists of building in the down- town and residential districts alone, and $22,567 in repairs and remodeling. The largest permit for the month was $350,000 issued to the Public Service Company for the building in process of con- struction at Ottawa and Cass streets. The building will eventu- ally comprise ten stories to be used as quarters for the com- pany^ offices and displays, quarters for the Western United Gas and Electric Company and general office purposes. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 271 Hansen and Petersen are in charge of construction to be finished shortly after the first of the year. The Kaiser-Ducett Company is constructing a $200,000 dis- tributing plant for the Standard Oil Company on its property on Cass street, near the Farrell Manufacturing plant. Three large buildings and several smaller structures are in- cluded in the plant to be used for the distribution of petroleum products of the oil company in the northern Illinois territory outside of Cook County. This company also has a contract for a new felt mill for the Ruberoid Company which will represent an investment of ap- proximately $200,000 when completed. The building is being put up to house machinery for a complete process in the manu- facture of the company's products. The Watson garage is under construction on West Jeffer- son Street. The building when completed will have cost $30,000. A building to cost $37,500 will house the Woodruff Clinic at Ottawa and Webster streets. A new church is being erected by the St. George Serbian Orthodox Church listed with the building inspector at $30,000. The remainder of the construction is made up of smaller shops and residential buildings together with repair and re- modeling jobs going on about the city. More than $1,335,000 is represented in twelve large build- ing projects now in process in and about the city. Some of these are represented in the total figure of $1,386,- 635 in building permits for July, the largest in the history of Joliet. Others were started months ago. Five of these build- ings will be finished early in the fall. Concrete pouring for the foundation of the Public Service building the largest of these, is now finished and the erection of steel about to begin. The building represents an invest- ment of $350,000. 272 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Work on buildings to be used as a distributing plant for the Standard Oil Company, on its property on Cass Street near the Farrell Manufacturing plant is well under way. The work is being done by Kaiser-Ducett Company and will cost $200,000. Steel work is completed on the $140,000 building to house Dinet and Company at Ottawa and Cass streets. Efforts are being made to have the building ready for occupancy some time in October. One of the features will be an open court in the center of the building from the first to the third stories. The court, 36 feet long by 25 feet wide, will be so arranged that every portion of the store will obtain an ample amount of light. Steel is beginning to go up for the Sears-Roebuck building on Ottawa Street. The building is to cost $85,000. Excavation has been finished for the new Woodruff Clinic being erected on the northeast corner of Ottawa and Webster streets, and work on masonry is being started. The building will be two stories high, approximately 65 by 75 feet, fronting on Ottawa Street. It will be built of steel and tile with a stucco exterior finish. The architectural design will be similar to the Chamber of Commerce. On the first floor of the building there will be a central reception room similar to the patio in the Chamber of Com- merce. There will be a mezzanine balcony on the second floor, around which the offices of doctors, will be located. Another reception room will be provided on the second floor. The build- ing is to cost $50,000. Excavations for a new $30,000 building for the Watson garage are being finished on Jefferson Street. Schools. — The following year's report of the Joliet City Schools is interesting, especially when presented along with INTERIOR OF CELL HOUSE, NEW ILLINOIS STATE PENITENTIARY, JOLIET, ILLw CONTROL WORKS, LOCKPORT, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 273 earlier history. The report covers the school year ending on July 1, 1928. ' When the city school board closed its fiscal year July 1, its books show that it had a balance of $3,242.31 according to the annual report that is being compiled by Miss Hazel Cowell, assistant county superintendent of schools. The balance this year is approximately a thousand dollars less than that of last year. The report shows that the receipts of the city schools for the past year were $642,686.53 and the expenditures totaled $639,444.22. The biggest item in the list of expenditures is that of sal- aries which amount to $375,473.63. It cost $555,444.22 to operate the city schools last year. This figure included salaries, repairs to buildings and grounds, re- placement of equipment and all maintenance costs. Added to this total is $40,000 applied on the principal of the bonded in- debtedness and $44,000 interest on bonds. The bonded indebt- edness of the city school at this time is $870,000. It cost the high school $529,676.26 to operate that school and the junior college. In addition to these expenses the high school board paid out $60,000 on the principal of the bonded indebtedness and $46,498.22 on interest. Total receipts for the high school board were $708,200.34 so that it had a balance on July 1, of $72,025.86, the report shows. Penitentiary. — In 1857, the Legislature authorized the building of a new penitentiary, to be located at Joliet. Com- missioners were appointed to superintend the work. They purchased a tract of land on Section 3 of this township, of 72.19 acres, with a front on the Canal of 55 rods. No better selection could probably have been made. The ground is underlaid by our limestone strata to such a depth as to render all tunneling 18— VOL. 1 274 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY out an impossibility. There was a fine natural spring on the property, and considerable stone, valuable for its construction, and large quarries in the vicinity. The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad passes between it and the Canal . Boyington & Wheelock, of Chicago, were selected as the architects, and a most extensive and beautiful plan was projected. John B. Preston was appointed superintendent of construction and engineer, but served only a short time, as his duties as superintendent of the Canal required his time. On his resignation, George R. McGregor was appointed to fill the place. Work was commenced in August, 1857, and by January 1, 1858, $125,000 of work was under contract with Sanger & Casey. Sixteen acres were inclosed by a wall six feet thick and twenty-five feet high. A beautiful warden's house occu- pying the center of the south front, with wings which contain the cells, was commenced on the plan drawn by the architects we have named, furnishing 900 congregate cells and 100 soli- tary and 100 female. In May, 1859, prisoners began to be re- moved from Alton, and by June, 1860, all were removed. At the start, the prison was leased, but in June, 1867, the state assumed control, and three commissioners were tempo- rarily appointed. They were subsequently elected by the people. A warden, deputy warden, chaplain, matron and physician were chosen, and the work has been completed on the original plan. Within the walls, also, many buildings, sheds, etc., neces- sary for the mechanical operations carried on, have been from time to time erected, and for many years the walls inclosed an immense amount of mechanical and manufacturing establish- ments, and it was a vast hive of industries, where those who have forfeited their right to freedom are required to serve the state. The original estimate of the cost was $550,000. The sum of $300,000 was originally appropriated to operate it. In 1869, $350,000 more were appropriated, and in 1871, $175,000. In HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 275 1871, the law was revised for its government, and the appoint- ment of commissioners vested in the governor and subject to his removal. The commissioners were also authorized to lease the labor of the convicts, and this was the plan now pursued as far as possible. During the last year of Gov. Palmer's ad- ministration the institution became self-sustaining. The leas- ing ceased in 1906. Very little manufacturing is done now (1928). The outstanding features which characterize and differen- tiate the New Illinois State Penitentiary from others may be enumerated as follows: 1. System of housing wherein are combined complete and efficient supervision, ample security, and healthful, sanitary "rooms" rather than "cages." 2. A system of classification and segregation accomplished by dividing the "yard" into sections corresponding to the dif- ferent "grades" whereby it is possible to house, feed, work and allow recreation to each class by itself and permitting the ap- plication of different kinds of treatment best suited to meet the needs of individual cases. 3. A system of co-operation and co-ordination between the divisions of Criminology, Prisons, and Pardons and Paroles, whereby each has the benefits of the experience of the others. The work of constructing the new Illinois State Penitentiary is in charge of "The Penitentiary Commission," created by an act of the Illinois Legislature in 1997. Ths original ecmmris- sion consists of 3£?. John Lambert, of Joliet; Mr. James A. Patten, of Evanston; and Mr. Ira C. Copley, of Aurora. Upon the death of Mr. Lambert, Mr. Leslie C. Small, of Kankakee, was appointed, and became the secretary of the commission. The commissioners served without pay. They have devoted much time and study over a number of years. They selected Mr. W. Carbys Zimmerman (of the firm of Zimmerman, Saxe & Zimmerman), of Chicago, as the architect. Months of spe- 276 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY cial study and research throughout this and many European countries were devoted to the project before even tentative plans were drawn. Nearly every important penal institution in the United States, England, Holland, France, Germany, Italy, and even the new prisons of Egypt and Greece, were visited by the architect, and those in charge were interviewed at length not alone upon planning and construction matters, but also upon administrative systems. The new Illinois Penitentiary of today is the result of intensive and continuous study as the work has progressed from year to year and, to quote, "It con- tains the most advanced and forward-looking constructive ideas developed in prison work in the United States or any European country." The prison proper is located about in the center of the "State Farm" of 2,193 acres, one and one-half miles west of Lockport and about six and one-half miles northwest of the Old Joliet Prison. The "yard" contains 64 acres (being the largest known), and is surrounded by a smooth concrete wall I.14 miles long and 33 feet high, 14 inches thick at the top and 24 inches at the bottom, and in its building new principles of engineering were applied which have been adopted by other states. All the buildings are of fireproof construction, — con- crete, brick, steel, and "wire" glass, — and have been constructed very largely by inmate labor, under competent supervision. Mr. Henry W. Tomlinson has been the superintendent of con- struction from the beginning of the first building, which was started August 25, 1916. The radical difference between the new Illinois piw and all other modern institutions is in the design of the housing arrangements. In the circular cell house it has been possible to combine complete and efficient supervision, ample security and healthful, sanitary "rooms" rather than "cages," — while the cell houses have the same appearance from the outside they will vary in the arrangement of the rooms. The typical cell HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 277 house has 248 single cells — others will have the rooms larger and grouped to afford dormitory accommodations for from three to six men. All of the buildings are of concrete construction faced with light colored pressed brick with terra cotta cornice and trim- mings. The outside walls are insulated against temperature changes. In the completed new prison there will be eight cell houses, thus permitting classification by means of small units which is a prerequisite to a successful carrying out of a graded sys- tem. Each house has 248 cells. In the center of each cell-house is the officer's observation and control tower which he enters from underground. From this tower he has a clear view of the interior of each cell at all times, as the cell fronts are made of steel sash and polished plate "wire" glass. This places the responsibility for thorough and constant supervision on the officer in charge, where it should be, as he cannot avail himself of the customary excuse that he was about his duties elsewhere when wrong acts are being committed. From this tower he also controls the entire lighting and locking systems. The operation of the locking system is by hydraulic pressure. Tuberculosis has always been a great menace to the health of men in prison. One of the greatest preventives of this disease is sunlight. In these new cell houses the direct rays of the sun shine into each cell for at least two hours each day the sun shines. The cells on the south side receive sunlight through their outside windows — those on the north side re- ceive rays directly through the specially designed skylight and the glass fronts of the cells. In the new institution a typical room or cell is intended for but one inmate. The dimensions are 6' 8" wide, 10' 6" long and 8' 0" high, giving approximately 550 cubic feet of air or five and one-half times as much as is provided in many of the cells 278 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY in the old Joliet prison. Each of the new cells is provided with a lavatory, a toilet, steam heat, electric light, a bed, table and chair. At one end is an outside window and at the other end an overhead transom sash both of which the inmate can control to secure natural cross ventilation and pure fresh air. The walls and ceilings are painted with an impervious enamel so they can be washed with soap and water or with an antiseptic if necessary. The ceilings are buff, the walls a soft light green with darker green trimmings, the colors having been selected in accord with the psychology of color. The effect is cheerful, wholesome and not coldly "institutional." Every corner is rounded so that there is no place for lodgment of vermin, dirt or disease germs. Thus the prisoner has such privacy and accommodations as to be protected against the physical and moral foulness of an adjoining criminal, his every necessity for a healthful life, has been provided and he is safely housed in a room which although sanitary, is far from luxurious, and in which he can retain his self-respect. The dining room is located in the center of the group of eight cell houses. It is 200 feet in diameter and seats the entire population of approximately 2,000 at one time. It is encircled by a corridor from which radiate enclosed passages to each of the eight cell houses and to the chapel, laundry and bath building, work shops, etc. The prisoners from each dormitory are seated in a section by themselves and, as they enter by eight doors the time required to serve and seat the entire num- ber or to vacate the building is no more than is required for a single section. To facilitate the economical serving and secure a more healthful diet by providing the food hot and appetizingly the cafeteria system is used, service being provided by eight steam tables — located at the points of ingress. To these stations the dishes are returned to be washed. In the center of the dining hall is a stand for the prison band of 32 pieces. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 279 Illinois is the first state in the Union to make a successful attempt to get away from the old traditional ideas of what a prison plan and design should be. The new Illinois State Peni- tentiary demonstrates the possibility of introducing new fea- tures in prison construction that lend themselves to the pro- gram of rehabilitation rather than to mere punitive handling or treatment of those committed to it as criminals. It is be- lieved by those who have made an exhaustive study of the treatment of prisoners that the time spent in prison should so be used as a period of training and development of character as to make it possible for the prisoner, when his time is up, to live less a menace to society than before. The time was when no thought was given to this, and the result of punitive meth- ods alone has been that men have often left prison in a bitter and vindictive frame of mind against society — a potential lia- bility rather than an asset. Even now the popular thought, largely entertained by the public in general, is that "prison" is a place where transgressors are sent only to be confined, with the idea of punishment and safe keeping uppermost. This latter is necessary, of course, but, under the laws of a very large percentage of those committed to prison, — hence, the im- portance of having a prison so designed that it will lend itself to such a system of prison management as will insure a prac- tical course of training and development of stable character during the period of incarceration. The segregation from so- ciety while "doing time" is the punishment — the confinement within barriers is a necessity, but the rehabilitation of the man and his return to society as an asset is the final objective. Such a plan has been worked out by the penitentiary com- mission for the benefit of Illinois, and building operations have progressed to such a point as to demonstrate the soundness and value of the underlying principles. These are : Healthful living conditions and security of confinement, combined with segregation and classification, permitting of different kinds of 280 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY treatment in preparation for the several stages of advance- ment in the development of character under the Progressive Merit System. The basic principle of separation and classifi- cation is carried throughout, so that it is possible to house, feed, work, and allow recreation to each class by itself as completely as though each were confined in a separate institution, and more completely than has heretofore been possible in any sim- ilar institution. On this date (July 21, 1928) the population of the Illinois State Penitentiary reached 3,239. The new penitentiary at Stateville leads with 1,601 inmates. The following account is from the Joliet Herald News for July 21, 1928: "All records for inmates at the state prison here have been shattered as the county in three penal institutions is above the 3,200 mark. "Figures obtained from the prison yesterday show 1,469 inmates at the old prison, 1,601 at the new prison at Stateville, 84 at the honor farm and 85 women inmates, making a total of 3,239. "There are two factors attributed by Warden Elmer J. Green for the large number of inmates. Warden Green pointed out that the courts are dealing out longer sentences in an effort to stem crime, while the parole board is requiring prisoners to serve a longer length of time than was formerly the custom. "Warden Green is confronted with a hard task of finding employment for this vast army of men. A large number are used in construction work at the new prison, others in the shops and quarry. "There are 84 men stationed at the honor farm, but every morning a detail from 60 to 100 men is taken from the new prison at Stateville to do farm work. Great care must be taken in selecting men for this work because of the certain amount of liberty allowed the farm workers. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 281 "Men who have proven by their conduct that they merit trust are selected for the farm detail. "There is very little possibility that the state will be able to abandon the old prison during the next five years, unless a large sum is appropriated for new cell-houses at the Stateville prison." CHAPTER XII. TOWNSHIPS, CONTINUED. LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP— LOCKPORT— LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL— MAN- HATTAN TOWNSHIP— MANHATTAN — MONEE TOWNSHIP — MONEE — NEW LENOX TOWNSHIP — VILLAGE OF NEW LENOX — PEOTONE TOWNSHIP — PE- OTONE— PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP— PLAINFIELD— REED TOWNSHIP— CITY OF BRAIDWOOD — TROY TOWNSHIP Lockport Township includes a portion of the "Great High- way", which passes through Will County. Aborigines passed through on their expeditions of peace and war. Interesting, indeed, would be the account of their journeys, how they trav- eled, what plans they had, what rejoicings there were after a successful tour or what sorrowings there were when they failed. The Indians passed and repassed through many gen- erations. Sometimes they traded and sometimes they warred. They, too, had a wonderful history, but nothing remains to record these things excepting remains from tombs and a few traditions. From these we gather much which has been given in a previous chapter. The white man left more records. Father Marquette came this way. Joliet sought his fortune through this route. The later settlers left records and these are our theme in this account of Lockport Township. The first permanent settler in Lockport Township was Arm- stead Runyon, who came to the neighborhood in October, 1830, He was born in Kentucky, but removed to Ohio when but fif- teen years old, where he remained until 1827, when he came to 282 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 283 Danville, Illinois. Here he remained until his removal to Lock- port, as above stated. His first winter in this section was that of the "deep snow," so vividly remembered by the few old set- tlers still surviving, and who were here that memorable winter. Mr. Runyon had a large amount of stock, most of which he left at Danville, except some hogs which he brought with him, thinking they would winter on nuts and acorns, but they all perished during the deep snow, as he had nothing to feed them. The next spring, as soon as the snow had sufficiently disap- peared to allow travel with safety, he took his men and went to Danville after the remainder of his stock and for provisions. The high waters, consequent on the melting of such quantities of snow, detained him six weeks beyond the time he expected to be gone, and his family ran short of provisions before his return. Mrs. Boyer, of Lockport, a daughter of Mr. Runyon's, informed us that for several weeks before he returned they had nothing to live on but salt pork and corn bread made of meal so musty that it did not seem fit for a dog to eat. She remembered but two families then living in what is now Lock- port and Homer Townships besides her father's, viz., Edward Poor and a man named Butler, who lived where Mr. Milne now lives. Of Butler she remembered but little except that he lived there; but whence he came or whither he went she had for- gotten. When her father decided to remove to this section, he gathered up, brought his family and hired men to the place and lived in a tent until he got his cabin ready to move into. Mrs. Boyer remembered very distinctly how the prairie wolves used to come round that tent and render the night hideous with their blood-curdling howls. When the news came of the Black Hawk war, and that the savages were moving in this direction, Mr. Runyon was plowing in the field, which he continued until noon notwithstanding the exciting rumors. He then gathered together his family and what goods he designed to take, and moved on to Hickory Creek, where the settlers were to rendez- 284 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY vous preparatory to retreating toward Danville. But upon his arrival there he found they were already gone. His company consisted of his own family, Edward Poor's, Holder Sissons's and Selah Lanfear's. Finding that the Hickory Creek people were gone, they held a council of war, and, at Mr. Runyon's suggestion, went to Chicago, or Fort Dearborn, instead of Dan- ville, as originally intended. He was also the first to propose to come out from Chicago and build the blockhouse which was built on Mr. Sisson's place, as noticed further on. Indians were plenty in this section when they first settled here, but of the friendly Pottawatomies; and Mrs. Boyer remembers an en- campment, or Indian town, on both sides of her father's place, and their trail from the one to the other was by the house. They used nearly always to come in when passing, but did nothing wrong and generally behaved very well. While Mr. Runyon was gone to Danville, and detained so long, it was reported that the smallpox was at the Indian camps, and Mrs. Runyon refused to let any of them come into her house ; when they were seen approaching, the proverbial latch-string was drawn in. This very seriously offended the "noble red men," but they offered no molestation. Mr. Runyon went to Cali- fornia in 1849, where he lived until his death, which occurred in September, 1875. His daughter, Mrs. Boyer, made a trip there to see him the summer before he died. Though one of the very earliest in this section, he had been away so long that none but the oldest settlers remember him personally. Many of the early settlements of Lockport were made by New T Yorkers — men of intelligence and enterprise — qualities still distinguishable at the present day. Among these early pioneers, we may mention the following from the Empire State: Holder Sisson and his brother-in-law, Cyrus Bronson, Selah Lanfear, Lyman Hawley, and his son Warren Hawley, Nathan Hutchins, William Thomas, William Gooding, Isaac Preston, A. J. Mathewson, David C. Baldwin, Edward P. Farley, Col. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 285 James Wright, James S. Baker, Justin Taylor, Horace Morse, Hiram Norton, and Henry Bush. Sisson was one of the first settlers in the township, and located on the east side of the river in October, 1831, on what has since been known as the Hanf ord place. He was born in Rhode Island in 1790, and died in April, 1878, at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. Though born in Rhode Island, most of his life had been spent in New York, until his removal to the West. He served six months in the War of 1812; was captain of a company during the Black Hawk war, and built a fort or blockhouse on his place near the village of Lockport, in the spring of 1832. He first located in Indiana, near the present city of Evansville, at which time the country was new and very sparsely settled. During the fifteen years he remained there, he improved five farms, and, finding no market there for his produce, built flatboats and carried it to New Orleans. As an example of his indomitable energy, of the four trips he made to the Crescent City, he re- turned from two of them on foot. From this Indiana settle- ment he returned to New York, but did not remain long, until he again removed to the West, as already noticed, in October, 1831, and settled in this township. When the Black Hawk war broke out, the families of the few settlers were removed to Fort Dearborn (now Chicago) for safety; they made the trip to that haven of peace in ox-teams, and on the return to the settle- ment of the men, Mr. Sisson was elected captain, and proceeded at once to build a blockhouse, and make preparations for de- fense. On receiving his command, he was ordered by General Scott to proceed with his company to Indian Creek, in LaSalle County, and bury the unfortunate whites massacred there by the Indians. In November, after settling in Lockport, he went to Michigan where he had sold a drove of cattle "on time" while living in the Wabash country, to try to make some col- lections ; but the trip was a fruitless one, as well as one of pri- vation both to him and his family at home, which at that time 286 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY consisted of a wife and five little children. The winter set in, and he was detained long beyond the time he had intended re- maining; his family was almost without provisions, or any of the necessities of life. During his absence his wife had to go out and cut wood in the forest and carry it to the cabin to keep her children from freezing. There were few neighbors, and they were at a distance; Indians were plenty, but mostly of the friendly Pottawatomies, and under these circumstances, the heroic woman endured the long absence of her husband ignorant of his fate, and hardly daring to hope for his return, owing to the severity with which the winter had set in. His sufferings and perils were great, and a man of less courage and energy would have sunk beneath them. As he was return- ing from his fruitless trip, while crossing Mud Lake with his Indian pony, the ice gave way and pony and rider were sub- merged; the weather was piercing cold and the snow nearly two feet deep. It was night, and in his frozen clothes he rode on to his home, not knowing whether he would find his wife and children alive or dead. Upon his arrival, finding them all well and comfortable as could be expected under the circum- stances, he sat down and wept like a child. But we draw a veil over the meeting, and, as the novelists say, leave it to be imagined; to describe it is beyond the power of any who never experienced a similar meeting. Soon after the close of the Black Hawk war, he sold his claim to Comstock Hanford and removed to the west side of the Des Planes, on the bluff where George Wightman (who married Mr. Sisson's youngest daugh- ter) lived. The second night after his removal to this place, a prairie fire, one of those terrors to the early settlers, came well-nigh ruining him. Sixty tons of hay, standing in ricks, were burned, and handfuls of the cinders could be picked up on the spot where the ricks stood many years after. Of 170 head of sheep, they were all burned to death or injured so that they died from the effects, with the exception of six or HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 287 eight; and of forty head of cattle, many died from the scorch- ing, and those left he was obliged to sell for a dollar or two apiece to prevent them from starving on his hands, as he had nothing left to feed them. William Gooding, together with the family of his father, who are also mentioned in the history of Homer Township, came to Illinois in 1833. He had been prevented from coming earlier on account of "wars and the rumors of wars" of Black Hawk. He and his wife and infant son were the first pas- sengers to come around the head of Lake Michigan with the United States mail, and arrived in Chicago in May of the year mentioned, when the metropolis of the Great Northwest was mighty in nothing but its mud and mire, and contained but about one hundred and fifty inhabitants besides the garrison. Three days later, they arrived in Gooding's Grove, then a part of Cook County. In 1836, he was appointed chief engineer of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which position he held until its completion, in 1848. As already stated, there were plenty of Indians here when the white people began to settle in the vicinity, but they were friendly, lazy, and not at all times disposed to heed that com- mandment forbidding us to steal. Says the "Will County Gazet- teer," of 1860: "From the observations of the first white set- tlers in this vicinity, it is evident that what is now Lockport had long been a favorite resort of the Indian tribes which had occupied this section of the country. The spreading oaks, the clear running brooks, the rapid river, all made this one of the brightest spots in this paradise of the red man. Here their graves are found, their caches, or places for hiding their corn, etc., and arrow-heads, stone hatchets and other evidences of their having lived and died here. Even after the settlements by the whites commenced, the Indians often came here to spend the hunting and fishing season. Another reason why this be- came an important stopping-place for them was, that here was 288 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the best ford across the Des Planes River, and a crossing could be effected here in consequence of the rapid fall and numerous channels into which the river was divided in extreme high water, when it could nowhere else." But the time came when, "Lo! the poor Indian," with the star of empire, had to wend his way westward. Their old hunting-grounds have changed into broad, cultivated fields, and herds of domestic animals now graze where they once chased the wild deer. Their war- whoop is no longer heard, their council-fires have gone out in the forests and few now living remember them from personal knowledge. Mrs. Wightman said she very well remembered the last Indians she saw in this settlement. She and others of her father's children were sitting on the fence eating butter and bread, when two Indians came along on their ponies, and snatched the butter and bread from their hands. Mr. Rogers, who lived in the neighborhood, had called for something and witnessed their act to the children, became incensed, and seiz- ing Mr. Sisson's horse-whip rode after the Indians and whipped them every jump for a mile or more. She was a small child at the time, but remembers the occurrance and that they were the last she ever saw in the country. Mr. Bronson says that when they took up their line of march for their new hunting- grounds beyond the Mississippi, they presented a rather sad and mournful spectacle, as they trudged along on foot in true Indian file, with heads bowed down and a melancholy and de- jected cast of countenance, that might well have become the bard of Bonny Doon, when he wrote: "Farewell my friends, farewell my foes, My peace with these, my love with those." The first white child born in Lockport Township is sup- posed to have been Orrin Runyon, who was born on the 27th of May, 1833. He lives now in California. This is doubtless correct, as at that time there were but a few families in the *" ~****$&fe&»"# " ^T "' W"& y "WB mm :s 1 CATHOLIC SCHOOL, LOCKPORT, ILL. £^XSL- 62r. NwCNC.\0$^^05; ^ t-4, STATE STREET, LOCKPORT, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 289 town. The first birth on the west side of the Des Planes River, in the present limits of Lockport, was Eliel S. Bronson, a son of Cyrus Bronson, born April 23, 1835. The first marriage was that of Louisa Webb and Michael Noel, and the matri- monial knot was tied by C. C. Van Home, a justice of the peace from the Hickory Creek settlement. The following circumstance is, perhaps, not out of place in this connection. A son of Nathan Hutchins went to Chicago with a wagon and team. He carried a load of produce to be exhanged for groceries and such goods as were needed at home. They were then living near Rockford, having moved to that section in 1836. The young man's team was found stabled by some one who recognized it, and word sent to Hutchins, who came and took it home. It had been there several days, the proprietor of the stable feeding and caring for it without know- ing to whom it belonged. From that day to this, the young man has not been heard of. It is said that he had a little money and whether he ran away or was murdered is, and will per- haps remain forever, one of the unrevealed mysteries. The first practicing physician in Lockport Township was a Dr. Miner, who came to the settlement in the winter of 1833- 34, and lived on Mr. Runyon's place for a year or two. He was an Eastern man, but from what state could not be ascertained. The first minister of the Gospel in this section of the coun- try was a young man from Massachusetts, of the name of Greenwood, sent out by the Home Mission of the Presbyterian Church, and who preached for a year and a half at the house of the elder Bronson, on the west side of the Des Planes River. After leaving his labors in this town, he went to the wilds of Wisconsin, and once got lost in what was well known in an early day as the "Big Swamp" of the Badger State, and came very near starving to death before he found his way out. He had some property and when believing he was doomed to perish in the dismal swamp, sat down and wrote his will, threw it on 19— VOL. 1 290 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY the ground and lay down by it to die. But reviving somewhat after awhile, got up and pursued his way in a kind of listless manner, until the crowing of a cock infused new life into him and assured him that relief was at hand. He found the cabin of a settler, who took him in, gave him food, and where he remained until his exhausted energies were fully restored. The next preachers to proclaim salvation in this township were the Methodist itinerants, Revs. Blackburn and Beggs, the latter removed to Plainfield, to rest from a long life of labor in the vineyard of the Lord. Another of the early preachers of that day was a Congregational minister of the name of Foster, who used to preach at the schoolhouse, long before there was a church edifice in the town. The old fellow had a way of wiping his nose on his coat-tail, when preaching, a performance not altogether agreeable to his hearers; and so Dr. Daggett, with some others, raised a contribution and bought the good old preacher a beautiful red bandana, which, with due solemnity, they presented to him. The elder Mr. Bronson was in Chicago one day with his team, and when about starting home was ac- costed by a very polite, courteous gentleman, with a slight foreign accent, who asked to ride out with him. He brought him out in his wagon, found him very intelligent, and was well pleased with him. Acting upon the injunction to be kind to the wayfaring man, for many have so entertained angels una- wares, he kept him over night, and in the morning sent him on to Joliet. A few days later Mr. Bronson was in Joliet, when the same gentleman came up and spoke to him, apparently very glad to see him. He then learned that it was Father Plunkett, sent to Joliet to take charge of the Catholic Church there, and whose melancholy death is noted in the history of that city. Education received attention at a very early period in the history of Lockport. The first school of which we have any account was taught in 1835, by a young lady from Joliet, whose name is now forgotten. She afterward married a man named HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 291 Eastman, and removed to Chicago. The next was taught by a Miss Royce, of Dupage Township. Both of these schools were before the day of schoolhouses, and were taught in a little room built by Captain Sisson as an addition to his dwelling and in- tended for a kitchen, but surrendered it for school purposes. The first schoolhouse was built by the neighbors en masse, and was a small log cabin. The work and material were donated — one man giving logs, etc., while another cut down a tree, sawed it up and made "shakes," or boards, to cover it. A log was cut out for a window, a large fireplace with a stick chim- ney, and benches made by splitting open a small tree, boring auger-holes and putting in legs, is a pen photograph of this primitive schoolhouse. There are some who assert that the first school was taught by a Miss Warren, of Warrenville, Du- Page County, as early as 1834, just in the edge of Lockport, near what was known as the Barnett place. The town site for Lockport was chosen by the canal com- missioners, and the village laid out by them. It was selected with a view of making it their headquarters, and soon after its selection, they erected their Canal office here, which has ever since, with some improvement, been used for that purpose. The village was laid out under the supervision of William B. Archer, by a surveyor named Wampler, and the first sale of lots took place on the 22d day of November, 1837, and lots sold to the amount of $6,000. The Canal office was the first building of any importance erected in the town, and doubtless had con- siderable influence in inducing the first settlers of the village to come to the place. The Canal commissioners, as well as many other persons of intelligence, probably over-rated the advan- tages of this locality for a commercial and manufacturing town. The first store was established in Runyontown (now North Lockport) by a man named Kellogg, and was but a sort of grocery store, a rather small affair. Goss & Parks kept the 292 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY first dry goods store at the same place, and at the laying-out t)f Lockport proper, removed within its limits, Goss and Ste- phen Godding opening a store in partnership, and Parks like- wise opening one on its own hook. After the retirement of Stephen Gooding, Oliver P. Gooding took charge of this, and soon other mercantile establishments were opened, and Lock- port grew rapidly. The first building of any pretensions erected was the Canal office, as already stated. There were, however, several cabins and huts put up within the present limits of the village, by the early settlers, long before it was laid out as a village. The first tavern was built by Horace Morse, but Mr. Runyon, we believe, kept travelers before this tavern was built, though he did not pretend to keep a regular hotel. The first postoffice was established in 1836, over on the west side of the river, at the stone mill, and Edward P. Bush was the first post- master. The office remained at the mill until 1839, when it was removed across the river to the east side, where it has ever since remained. While at the mill, the mail came once a week, and was brought on horseback. In 1839, coaches were put on the Chicago and Ottawa route, and the mail then came that way, which was considered, in that early day, quite an improve- ment, and a considerable advance toward civilization. The first representatives of the legal profession were Gen. James Turney and John W. Paddock, both long since dead. The Methodist Church was organized in Lockport at an early date. In 1838, this was included in Joliet Circuit, with Rev. William Crissey, pastor, and Rev. John Clarke, presiding elder. In the winter of 1838, Rev. Mr. Crissey formed the first class in Lockport, consisting of G. L. Works, class-leader, his wife, D. Rreesee and wife, M. Brooks, R. Lowrie, Polly Mc- Millen, Dira Manning, A. Heath and Julia Reed. In the spring of 1842, Col. Joel Manning joined on probation, and was ap- pointed class leader, a position he held for fifteen years. In 1852, Lockport was made a station, and, in 1854, it and Plain- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 293 field were united. In 1854-55, during the pastorate of Rev. M. Reed, the present fine stone church was built, at a cost of $7,000; and, in 1867, a second parsonage was built, costing about $3,000, on a beautiful lot opposite the church. The Baptist Church was organized in 1844, by Rev. Solomon Knapp, with twenty-one members. Some years later, their church was built, a neat little frame building, which cost about $1,500. The Congregational Church was organized in 1838, with nine members, viz.: Erastus Newton and wife, John Gooding and wife, Harvey Raymond, Dr. Chauncey White and wife, and William B. Newton and wife. The church was built in 1839, at a cost of $2,000. The first minister was Rev. Isaac Foster, and following him in the order given were Rev. Jona- than Porter, Rev. Alanson Porter, Rev. Joel Grant, Rev. Mr. Whiting, Rev. George Slosser, Rev. Alfred L. Riggs, Rev. H. C. Abernethy, Rev. Mr. Post, Rev. A. B. Brown, Rev. J. E. Storm, and Rev. S. I. McKee. The Roman Catholic Society was organized here at the commencement of the building of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and was at first attended by the priests in charge of the Joliet Mission. The first resident priest at Lockport was Father Dennis Ryan, and the first church was a small frame shanty, moved from Lemont, which, with some improvements, was used for a house of worship until 1877. In 1877, the elegant stone church was begun. When finished, this was the finest church in the city, and handsome ornament to the place. It cost about $25,000. The architects were Egan & Hill, of Chicago, and the stone was furnished by J. A. Boyer, of Lockport. Father Dorney was the priest in charge, and to his energetic efforts was the parish indebted for this magnificent church. This church is still a splendid edifice visible for miles because of its commanding position on the hill. 294 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The City of Lockport is now a residential section for Joliet and Chicago. It has a large number of commuters for Chi- cago each day, people who find employment in schools, offices, and factories. Many others use the electric line to take them to Joliet for the various industries of that city. A good street car service is maintained. A bus line runs between the two cities and a concrete road makes it possible to pass back and forth quickly. It has the Chicago and Alton Railroad connecting it with Chicago and all points south. It has the interurban electric line which is one of the few lines which has survived in the com- petition with busses and trucks. It is a flourishing institution and bids fair to continue for many years. The concrete road, Route 4 of the Illinois State Highway System, makes it possible to drive back and forth over good roads. There are three large manufacturing industries in the city of Lockport. The Barrows Lock Company which has been lo- cated there for more than a quarter of a century. This firm has uniformly good business amounting to more than a quarter of a million dollars per year. It furnishes steady employment to many men at good wages. The Northern Illinois Cereal Company has been located in Lockport for fifteen years. It took over the plant of the Morton Flour Mills which could not compete with the larger concerns of the northwest where wheat was easily obtained. This cereal company is a prosperous con- cern. Its business amounts to more than half a million dollars per year. The Texas Company has a plant which covers half a section of land upon which they have storage tanks by the score, refining plants and all of the other equipment neces- sary for producing the various products from crude petroleum. The crude oil comes by a pipe line from Houston, Texas, and other points in the southwest. Large shipments are also re- ceived in tank cars. A business of this concern amounts to millions of dollars per year and reaches into many states. The HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 295 Illinois and Michigan Canal office is still maintained in this city. While the old canal is no longer filled with water between Joliet and Chicago, below Joliet there is some traffic. The Lockport office manages all of the details of that institution. Lockport has good paved roads. It is a city of beautiful homes, located upon the higher land above the valley. The schools of Lockport are very good and consist of three grade schools and the township high school. The township high school takes care of about 190 students. It has a capacity for many more and will be able to take care of the increased attendance for another decade. The grade schools, three in number, the Lockport City Grade School which employs twelve teachers; the Taft School which is sometimes known as the South Lockport School employs eight teachers; and the Fair- mont School employs eleven teachers. This last named school has a new building in the process of construction at the present time. The new structure includes a modern gymnasium with all of the modern equipment for that part of the school work. All of these schools are well managed by able school men. Lockport Township High School was organized in the year 1908 and housed in a new $50,000 building, located on the block bordered by Jefferson, Madison, Twelfth and Thirteenth Streets. In the year 1911, there were 152 students in the build- ing and the school graduated twenty students. The attendance gradually increased until it was deemed feasible to build a new addition to the original structure which cost in the neighbor- hood of $85,000. This addition was erected in 1925. Just prior to this, a sixteen acre athletic field had been purchased by the Board of Education and during the last year, the three tennis courts on that field have been paved. The attendance during the fall of 1928 has reached the mark of 270. Forty-five seniors were graduated in the spring of 1928. 296 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The school is a member of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges and is accredited by the State Department, by the University of Illinois and also by the Uni- versity of Chicago. A wide choice of subjects is offered to stu- dents in the academic, commercial, vocational, domestic science, music, and athletic departments. There is a band of forty-five pieces and an orchestra of twenty-four pieces. Two Girl Scout Troops are an integral part of the high school. The school has charters from the National Athletic Scholarship Society and from the National Honor Society. A school paper is published every month and a school annual at the end of the year. The Board of Education is composed of Mr. H. A. Godfrey, president, who resides at Fairmount; Mr. Joseph Hyland, who is employed at the Northern Illinois Cereal Company; Mr. Mur- ray Ladd, president of the Illinois Cereal Company; Gilbert Pierce, who owns and operates a farm, and Doctor Roblee, prac- ticing physician in Lockport and Joliet. James M. Smith, B. A., M. A., a graduate of the University of Chicago, is superintendent of the high school. He came to Lockport from Harvey in 1925. Mr. Smith served in France during the World War. Manhattan Township. — The Township of Manhattan was known as Trenton. When Will County adopted township or- ganization, what are known as Green Garden and Manhattan were in one, known as Trenton. In 1858, the population had increased sufficiently so that the township was separated and named Manhattan. The first settler in Manhattan Township was Orin Stevens, but of him little can now be learned further than that he had made a settlement at Five-Mile Grove. He was keeping a sort of tavern there when the next settlers came in, in 1834. The Perkinses were the next to settle after Stevens, and consisted of Ephraim Perkins and four sons, viz., Orin, Edward, Eph- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 297 raim and Pliny Perkins. They were from Trenton, New York, and Edward came out in June, 1834, and bought out the man Stevens. Where Stevens was from, when he settled at Five- Mile Grove or what became of him after he sold out, are items of the township history lost in the things of the past. Edward Perkins was a single man when he first came to the settlement, but returned to New York in the fall and married, and brought his young wife to the West. Jerrod Gage came about this time, and he and Perkins entered into partnership in the dairy busi- ness at Five-Mile Grove. The next spring (1835), Perkins' father and brothers came out, and also Gage's father and his family. The elder Gage had been an extensive dairyman in "York State," and being an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, the "Sage of Ashland" and renowned Kentucky statesman, once made him a mammoth cheese, and presented it to him during one of his campaigns. Hiram Harvey also settled at Five-Mile Grove, about 1835 or 1836, and was from the East, but what particular state we were unable to learn, nor do we know what became of him. These few settlements around Five-Mile Grove seem to have been all that were made in the township until a quite recent date, as compared to other portions of the county. As this little grove was the only timber in the town, and it required a score or two of years for the people to find out that the prairies were habitable, probably accounts for the long gap that occurred just here in the arrival of newcomers to this section, as the next we find coming in about 1847 and 1850 and which we will not notice. John Young came from New York City in 1849, and settled in this township, where he remained until 1876, when he re- moved to Joliet. Freeman Gay came from the bleak shores of the Pine Tree State, about 1847 or 1848, and settled in this neighborhood, where he remained a number of years, and finally removed 298 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY into Jackson Township. From Jackson he moved to California where his descendants live now. William Nelson, a prominent citizen of the town in the early days came here from Trenton, New York, but was an English- man by birth. He settled in this section in 1848, and gave the town the name of Trenton, when it and Greengarden were known as one township, as noticed in the beginning of this account. He sold out, some years ago, and removed into Jack- son Township. William and Charles Bissett were from Bonny Scotland, and came to the settlement in 1848. Charles died in a short time after their settlement here. William went to California during the gold excitement of 1849 and 1850, where he still lived the last known of him. A man named Borders settled here in 1849. He was from Ohio, and did not remain long in the settlement. What became of him no one knows or seems to care. Clarke Baker came from New York, and bought land here in 1847, but did not settle on it until 1850. This comprises a number of the first settlers of Manhattan Township up to a period when the tide of immigration poured in with a rapidity defying the power of the historian to keep pace with names and dates. When township organization went into effect, in 1850, there were but ten legal voters in the terri- tory now comprised in Manhattan Township, and, as already stated, was not sufficient to form a township of itself, but was, with Greengarden, known as Trenton Township, and so re- mained until 1853, when they were separated and organized under their present names. William Nelson was the first sup- ercisor of Trenton Township, and held the office in 1850; was succeeded by M. Bailey, who served during 1851 and 1852, when the towns were divided, and John Young elected supervisor of Manhattan for 1853. Clarke Baker was elected in 1854, and held it for two years, when Mr. Young was reelected, and held the office from 1856 to 1860, inclusive. In 1861, Clarke Baker HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 299 was again elected and also in 1862, and in 1863, was succeeded by G. A. Buck, who served until 1865, when J. E. Baker was elected, serving from 1865 to 1869, inclusive. G. A. Buck was then reelected, and served 1870-72, and was succeeded by S. Robinson, in 1873-74, When Clarke Baker was again elected, and held the office for four years. Other township officers were Clarke Baker and Hiram Olney, justices of the peace; Hiram Olney, town clerk; Michael Haley, constable, and George A. Buck, school treasurer. The first church structure ever erected in Manhattan Town- ship was the Episcopal Church, built in 1857, under the minis- terial charge of Rev. Clinton Locke, who at the time was rec- tor of the Episcopal Church in Joliet, and now of Grace Church, Chicago, and whom we noticed as officiating in the reception of President Hayes in his visit to Chicago. The first schoolhouse was built in 1852, and in it was taught the first school in the township. For as before stated, there were but few children in the settlement for several years, and consequently not much need felt for schoolhouses. In 1872, a little more than a score of years after the second era of immigration set in, we find the town contained eight school districts and eight good, sub- stantial schoolhouses. There were 415 pupils enrolled and 13 teachers employed; the district tax levy for the support of schools was $1,135.22, and $1,422.35 the amount paid to teachers. Manhattan Township has prospered from the very first settlement and at this time contains many prosperous farmers who devote themselves almost exclusively to grain farming. They can do this to advantage because the soil is naturally very fertile and because it has been cultivated a shorter period of time than many other townships. In the north part of the township, dairying has been begun with success. The John Baker farm now owned by Dr. Shreffler of Joliet has perhaps the best Guernsey herd in Will County. Across the road from this farm is another large dairy farm operated by Mr. Holder- 300 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY man. He has a barn built within the past year which is the best dairy barn in Will County. It is the largest and best equipped building of its kind in the entire township. The concrete road, Route 22 of the Illinois State Highway system connecting Joliet and Kankakee passes through Man- hattan. A bus line is operated over this highway making four trips a day. These buses afford good connection with Joliet as well as Kankakee. Strange to say this concrete road has not detracted very much from the business of the City of Manhat- tan. It is a large grain center with four elevators. Two of them owned and operated by the Manhattan Farmers' Grain Company and two owned and operated by the Baker, Jones, and Company. Both firms do an extensive business through- out the year, buying grain and selling supplies to the farmers. There are four garages and like all automobile businesses all of them are prosperous. One is operated by Cunningham and Brown who handle Fords mostly. Another is operated by R. W. Cockle. Another is operated by Timm Brothers who have an extensive truck business in connection with the garage. Another is operated by Alva Weber who handles Hudson-Essex cars. The town still has a blacksmith shop owned and operated by Edward Hutchinson. Mr. Hutchinson is a real blacksmith and is prepared to do any work in his line. There are four grocery stores. Perhaps this is two too many because they are not as prosperous as they might be. There are two hardware stores — Schroeder's Cash Store and the Consumer's Hardware and Supply Company. August Tennyson maintains a modern drug store fully equipped in every detail. There are two banks — Manhattan State Bank and The First National Bank. If banks are any index to business, Manhattan must be a success- ful business town because both of these banks are prosperous. There are two doctors — Dr. G. H. Brannon and Dr. Pederson. Dr. R. 0. Duguid looks after their teeth. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 301 The school is a two-story brick structure with four teach- ers in the grades, and two in the high school. In the high school they teach the first two years leaving the third and fourth year for a larger institution. Most of the graduates of the Manhattan High School come to the Joliet Township High School to finish up their credits. The Catholics maintain a splendid church edifice which has a large number of families to its charge. The Evangelical Association maintains a small church. The Methodists have a regular pastor and the Episco- palians have services semi-occasionally. The community maintains a good spirit of cooperation. They have a public library ; they maintain a coliseum for com- munity gatherings of a recreational nature; they support a good picture show at the end of each week. Monee Township. — Among the number who emigrated to this county soon after the close of the troubles alluded to, were a number of families from Ohio. John S. Dilly, John M. Chase, S. W. Cooper, S. W. Gaines, Nicholas Young and Aaron Bonell, were the original and first settlers of Monee Township, and, like all early emigrants from the heavily timbered regions of the East, sought the neighborhood of the little groves, found here and there throughout this part of the state. All of these men, with their families, settled in the northeastern part of the township, in the vicinity of Thorn Grove. A notable feature of many pioneer settlements is the rough character of its mem- bers. Many early settlers have been people who, having been reduced in means and character in their original dwelling- places, have fled to a strange and new country, in the hope of recuperating their fortunes, and either to run away from their characters or reform their doubtful habits. Then, too, in a new country, the restraining influences of church society, added to which may be counted that of the law, are much less felt 302 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY than the older settled sections. But this settlement seems to have been a notable exception to the rule, every man of the primary settlement proving himself worthy of the name of a "good citizen." Indeed, one of the number bore the title of Parson, and as such ministered to the people in things spiritual, while he at the same time cultivated the soil. John M. Chase is credited with building the first house in the township. Chase was a well-to-do farmer, and a man who enjoyed the confidence of his neighbors, as witnessed by his election to the office of justice of the peace and several other honors conferred upon him. Howover, he did not remain here long enough to merit the title of permanent resident, but sold out his improvements after a few years' residence and re- turned to Ohio. In 1834, William Hollis Newton came from the State of New York. Otis Phillips was also from New York, but came a year after Newton. He lived here several years and then removed to Wisconsin, where he has since died. He is, without doubt, entitled to the honor of being the pioneer educator, as he taught the first school established in this part of the grove. J. E. Phillips, later residing near the village of Monee, came from New York the next year — 1836 — and settled at Thorn Grove. He was a farmer, in moderate circumstances, but spent much of his time in hunting. Indeed, we may well believe that many of the early residents were wont to obtain a subsistence from the use of the rifle. Thorn Grove, in the time of which we write, abounded with game of different kinds, and the tables of the early settlers were generously spread with meats that are now rare, and are only eaten as a luxury. And yet, while thus well supplied with venison, turkey, wild chickens and ducks, many articles of food, now common, were almost entirely dispensed with. Tea, coffee, most spices and sugar were obtainable at greater ex- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 303 pense than many of them could afford, and home-prepared sub- stitutes took their places. Rye coffee, sassafras tea, and corn bread instead of wheaten, with mush and milk, constituted their fare. In the matter of clothing and furniture, their al- lowance and quality were still more primitive. Silks and broad- cloths, furs and kids, were reserved for a later generation. There were no fine carpets on their puncheon floors, no ex- pensive pictures on the walls or tapestry at the windows. Such luxuries were neither obtainable nor desired. The little mar- keting that was done required long journeys to the nearest stores; and goods of every kind, owing to slow and expensive transportation, were very dear. The houses of the pioners were not stately or imposing structures, such as have more recently taken their places. A one-story, one-roomed log cabin was about the most stylish house in the neighborhood. In the construction of the first houses, there was not used a sawed board in the whole build- ing, and, in some, not a single piece of iron — not even a nail. Wooden hinges and latches (with the string out) for doors, puncheons for floors, clapboards for roofs, and wooden pegs, on which to hang clothing, were some of the makeshifts to which they were obliged to resort. The year 1837 was one of the worst in the financial history of the country, and especially of Illinois, that ever occurred; and for a time emigration to these parts was, in a measure, checked. Occasionally a new settler made his appearance. Guided, some by letters and others, as it were, by instinct, they dropped in from time to time, but not for several years after the earliest date mentioned did the township settle rapidly. At first, all the settlements were made in the edges of the timber, but when all of the land in the vicinity of the wooded portions had been occupied, shanties here and there on the prairie began to ap- pear. By the year 1850, seventeen years after the first settler made his appearance, the following additional residents are 304 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY noted: John S. Holland, Stephen, Jacob and James Goodenow; George, Emerson and Minet E. Baker; A. J. Smith, Eugene Lashley, August Klien and Simeon Abbott. Of these, some are dead, some have removed further west or returned to their native states, and some are still residents of the township. Stephen Goodenow and brothers (Jacob and James) were from the several states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and came to this part of the country about 1845. George and Franklin Goodenow, relatives of the above, settled in the ad- joining township, the former of whom is proprietor of the town of Goodenow, on the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad. As before intimated, the first land occupied was that in the eastern portion of the township, in the vicinity of Thorn Grove. In 1854, however, the Illinois Central Railroad was completed, and a station being established in the western part, on that line of road, improvements began to be made in that neighbor- hood. Since that date, the west side of the township has taken the lead in population. By an act of Congress, each alternate section of land in this and other township through which this railroad passes (excepting lands already entered, the school section and the "reservation") was transferred to the Illinois Central Railroad Company to assist in building the road. In transferring the land to the company, the price of the remain- ing Government land was raised to $2.50 per acre, being double its former price, and at that price nearly one-third of the land was purchased by settlers. The lands occupied by settlers prior to the road was bought at $1.25 per acre, and that from the Railroad Company from $2.50 to $10.00, according to loca- tion and date of purchase. The Indian reservation, sometimes called Coon Grove, consisted of about three-fourths of Sections 28, 29, 32 and 33. This land had been deeded by treaty to a small family or tribe of Indians, and by them was held until a comparatively recent date, when it was put upon the market by their agent, Henry M. Ward, and sold to different parties HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 305 who now occupy it. The ancient aborigines, to whom the land belonged, had long since removed from this part of the country. As before intimated, the first school was taught at the "Grove" by Otis Phillips. Like the township records, the school records of the township have been lost, and nothing positive can be stated in regard to this school except that it was in a little cabin owned by Mr. Phillips, the teacher. The date was, no doubt, about 1836. All schools in the State of Illinois at that date were supported by private means, and of course, this was a subscription school. It is further remembered that Mr. Phillips was not only a good teacher, but a good man and well worthy of the title of "pioneer schoolmaster." The year 1853 was an eventful one for this section of the state, which had, prior to that time, been without commercial privileges, except as carried on by means of wagons with Chi- cago. The enterprise of building a railroad through this part of the state had long been talked of, and some legislation had resulted therefrom; though but few realized the importance of the scheme until the road was completed. The village of Monee was laid out by Henry M. Ward, for August Herbert, in 1853. August Herbert was in the Mexi- can war, and being honorably discharged at the close, he was given a warrant entitling him to 160 acres of the unoccupied Government land, wherever he might choose to locate. So, in 1849, he found his way to this township, and located the south- east quarter of Section 21. When the railroad was located though it did not run through Herbert's land, it ran so close that his land became available as a part of the town site. He therefore sold to the railroad company forty acres; and this, together with what Herbert laid out, embraces the principal part of the village. In 1853, Herbert built the first house in the village. He also built in partnership with others a ware- house ; built a storehouse and opened a general store, in which he continued until about two years ago, when he removed to 20— VOL. 1 306 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Grant Park. Though Herbert erected the first building (later a portion of Kettering's Hotel), a house had been brought by Simeon Abbott, from the southern part of the township, which was used by the employes of the railroad company as a lodg- ing-house. This house occupied one of the most prominent cor- ners in the village, and was used by Messrs. Sonneborn & Son for a tailoring establishment. Mr. Abbott lived in the house for a time, and then removed to Iowa, where his descendants still live. The first store building was erected in 1853, by 0. B. Dutton, the same later being in use by August Schiffer. Among the other early residents of the village were Adam Vat- ter, Bronson Wiley and Theodore Wernigk. Of these, Vatter was a carpenter, who gave most of his attention to the erection of churches; and nearly all of the German churches in this, Greengarde, Peotone and Crete Townships are works of his. Wiley was the first blacksmith, and Wernigk was the first physician. Laban Easterbrooks is also one of the oldest res- idents, having resided in the village for twenty-one years. " 'Squire Brooks," as he was familiarly called, was a native of Rhode Island, and always enjoyed the friendship and busi- ness relations of Gen. Burnside, of that State. Mr. Easter- brooks was a carpenter, and Burnside was cashier of the Land Department of the Illinois Central Railroad; and, through that relation, came to possess large tracts of land in the township of Greengarden. The General, having been acquainted with the 'Squire, and wishing some improvements made on his land, employed him to look after his estate — have it fenced and build houses on the same. The post office was established here in 1853, with 0. B. Dut- ton as Postmaster. Monee Township together with the village of Monee have prospered from the first and at this writing there is no indica- tion of any decay. The township lies on both sides of the Illinois Central Railroad which crosses it from northeast to HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 307 southwest. This railroad is perhaps the most prosperous of any in the United States. This prosperity is attributable to the Panama Canal which has shifted transportation from an easterly and westerly direction to a northerly and southerly direction. One indication of the success of this railroad is found in the fact that in the year 1924 and 1925 they expended one and one-half million dollars in Will County alone. The farm land of Monee Township is inferior to that of the township east and w r est of it. The village of Monee is the highest point on the Illinois Central Railroad. This indi- cates an elevation which exceeds that of the surrounding areas. The soil is heavy clay loam which holds the moisture in the Spring longer than most soil and retards the planting of the crops. This late planting together with the nature of the soil sometimes hinders raising a good crop. The extreme western edge as well as the extreme eastern edge have more black soil and get better results. Dairying is now the chief industry with the farmers. They find a ready market at their gates because trucks gather up their products each day for the Chicago mar- ket. The village of Monee contains four stores dealing in general merchandise. Three of these are owned and operated by men whose families are as old as the town itself. These three are: Sonneborn Brothers, August Plagge, and George S. Miller. The fourth one is a newcomer in the village but not in the township. This is Romeo Illgen. Two hardware stores are founded in the village, F. D. Homan and R. Merker. John Con- rad sells farm implements far and wide and Emery Woeltje runs a garage. The Monee Grain and Lumber Company is a prosperous firm doing a large business. The prosperity of the town is indicated by the fact that they have two prosperous banks. The Eastern Will County State Bank and the Mokena State Bank. 308 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The Chicago and Interurban Traction Company maintain a line from Blue Island through Harvey, Chicago Heights, Ste- ger, Crete, Monee, Peotone, and on to Kankakee. This com- pany struggled along until 1927 when the road was sold for junk, pulled up and hauled away. Thus it is that the onward march of inventions spoils the best laid plans of men. This year a concrete road forty feet wide is under con- struction, parallel to the Illinois Central Railroad. The plans are to complete it this year (1928). The width of the road indicates the faith of the State Engineers who believe that it will become the most used highway north and south. The Illinois Central Railroad maintains an electric suburban ser- vice as far as Ritchey. Monee and Peotone hope to have it soon. This suburban service together with the concrete road should mean rapid growth for this town. Dr. C. 0. Sullivan takes care of the health of the people. Rev. A. B. Gaebe looks after their spiritual welfare in the Evangelical Church which is a splendid edifice with a large congregation. Rev. Gaebe serves them unusually well. The school is a four room building of brick built twenty- five years ago. It has modern conveniences and the pupils are well cared for. Three teachers look after the grades and one teacher looks after the two year high school which has about twenty-five students. These high school students finish the four year course at Harvey, or at Chicago Heights, or at Kan- kakee. Mr. J. D. Knater is Principal. Mrs. Knater teaches the high school and the Misses Lehmann look after the lower grades. New Lenox Township.— The name New Lenox was taken from Lenox, New York. The first supervisor under township organization was J. Van Dusen, and came from Lenox, New York, and when asked to name his township by the county com- missioners, gave to it the name of his native town. Previous HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 309 to that it was known as Van Home's Point, from a point of timber near the center of the town, and at a still earlier date it went by the name of Hickory Creek Settlement. Maple Street is a road running through the north part of the town from east and west, and was so named because the first settlers planted maple trees along the road. In New Lenox Township was embraced the larger portion of what, in the early times, was termed the Hickory Creek Set- tlement — a neighborhood celebrated for its hospitality. New Lenox is known as Township 35 north, Range 11 east of the Third Principal Meridian and is well drained and watered by Hickory Creek and its North Fork. These streams, at the time of early settlement, were lined with fine forests, much of the timber of which has since been cut away. Per- haps one-fourth of the town was timbered, while the remainder is prairie, much of it rolling, while some of it is so uneven as to be termed knolly. It is intersected by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and the Joliet Cut-off of the Michigan Central, the history of which is given in another department of this work. The township is devoted almost entirely to farm- ing and stock-raising. Corn and oats are the principal crops and are grown in abundance, while much attention is devoted to raising and feeding stock, of which large quantities are shipped from this section annually. Taken altogether, New Lenox is one of the wealthy towns of Will County. Its popula- tion, in 1870, was about 1,120 inhabitants. The first whites to erect cabins in the Hickory Creek tim- ber, were, probably, two men named, respectively, Joseph Brown and Aaron Friend, but of them very little is known. They were here as early as 1829, and Friend was a kind of In- dian trader. He always had a rather rough set of French half- breeds and Indians around him, and when the latter moved West to grow up with the country, he followed them. Chi- cagoans used to come down, and they would get up a ball at 310 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Friend's; and once upon a time, some young fellows from Chi- cago had their horses' tails shaved there. He went to Iowa after the retreating Indians, and died there, when his wife came back to Illinois, and went to live with her daughter, on what was then called Horse Creek. Of Brown, still less is known beyond the fact that he died here in the Fall of 1830. In 1830, the summer and fall preceding the deep snow, several newcomers settled on Hickory Creek. Of these, perhaps the Rices were the first, and came early in 1830. They were from Indiana, and consisted of William Rice, Sr., his son William, and their families. They laid claim to the place where William Gougar afterward settled. They built a log cabin on this place and had broken five acres of prairie, when John Gougar came on in the fall of 1830 and bought them out. After selling out to Gougar, they made a claim where the village of New Lenox now stands, put up a shanty, and, after a few years, moved out somewhere in the vicinity of the Town of Crete. In Sep- tember, 1830, John Gougar came from Indiana and, as stated above, bought Rice's claim. A man named Gro'ver had been hired by the elder Gougar to come out with his son and assist in preparing quarters for the family, who moved out the next June. William Gougar, Jr., another son lived within a mile of the village of New Lenox. He went to California during the gold fever of 1849-50, and remained about three years and a half, during which time he did reasonably well in the land of gold. Lewis Kercheval came from Ohio and settled in this town- ship, arriving on the 19th day of October, 1830. His wagon was the second that crossed the prairies south of this section of the country. In his trip to the new country, in which he designed making his future home, he had no way-marks across the trackless prairies but his own natural judgment as to the direction of this promised land. The compass, then unknown, except to a favored few, he did not have, and thus was forced HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 311 much of the time to travel by guess. Upon his arrival here, he erected a tent in which to shelter his family until he could build a house, or cabin, as the habitations of the early settlers were usually called. This tent was simply four posts driven in the ground, with slabs or puncheons laid across for a covering, and quilts hung around the sides. He cut logs in a short time, and raised a cabin when his wife and daughters, who were anxious for a more substantial house than the tent, "pitched in" and assisted the husband and father to "chink and daub" this primitive palace. Perhaps it did not deserve the name of palace, but it was their home in the wilderness, and as such, a palace to them. In two weeks from the time of their arrival, their house was ready and they moved into it. His first winter in the settlement was that of the "deep snow," the epoch from which the few survivors who remember it, date all important events. During the time this great fall of snow remained on the ground, and which was four feet deep on a level, he used to cut down trees, that his horses and cows might "browse" upon the tender twigs. With little else to feed his stock, from sleek, fat animals in the fall of the year, they came forth in the spring — those that survived the winter — nothing but "skin and bones." But it used to exhaust his wits to provide food for his family at all times during that first winter. Once they ran out of meal, and though he had sent to Chicago for a barrel of flour (the mode of communication with Chicago not then being equal to what it is at the present day), it was long in coming; and before its arrival the larder had got down to a few biscuits, laid aside for the smallest children. A daughter said her father declared if the flour did not come he would take as many of his children as he could carry on his back, and attempt to make the settlements, but good luck or Provi- dence was on his side, and the barrel of flour came before they were reduced to this extremity. 312 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Samuel Russell came from the Nutmeg State among the very early settlers, and bought land of Gurdon S. Hubbard, of Chicago. He settled in this township and lived here for a num- ber of years. Judge John I. Davidson came out in the fall of 1830, and bought Friend's claim. He was originally from New Jersey, but had lived some time in Indiana, and after purchas- ing the claim of Friend, returned to Indiana, and removed his family to the settlement in the spring of 1831. He had two daughters, one of whom married a Mr. Thompson, who resided in the township until his death. The other married a Mr. H. N. Higginbotham, of Field & Leiter's, Chicago, who was the leader in the World's Fair of 1893, and a millionaire merchant. His son now resides on the old homestead (1928). Joseph Normal was from Indiana, and settled here in 1830, before John Gou- gar came to the settlement. He eventually returned to Indi- ana and died there many years ago. A man named Emmett was here during the winter of 1830-31, but where he came from, we do not know. He went off with the Mormon Prophets and Elders, and perhaps became one of their number. A man of the name of Buck also spent that winter here, and he, too, turned Mormon, and followed the elect to Nauvoo. The winter that Buck spent in this settlement, which was that of the deep snow, he had nothing in the way of bread during the entire winter except that made from two bushels of meal, and yet he had a wife and three children. He had two cows, one of which he killed for beef, hung her to the limb of a tree, and when he wanted meat, would take an ax and chop off a piece of the frozen cow. John Gougar gave him half a bushel of corn, which with his two bushels of meal and cow, was all that he is known to have had to keep his family during the winter. Gougar once found him during the spring in the woods gathering what he called "greens," and asked him if he was not afraid of being poisoned. He replied that one would act as an anti- dote to another. John Stitt was another Indianian, and settled HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 313 here in 1831 or 1832. He moved to Missouri, where he died a few years ago, Colonel Sayre settled here probably about 1829, as he was here when John Gougar came, in 1830. He lived alone, and as he had few associations, living a kind of hermit-life, little was known about him. He built a sawmill near where the Red Mills now stands in Joliet Township, though he lived in New Lenox Township. Mansfield Wheeler, who settled on Hickory Creek in 1833, went into partnership with him in this mill. This mill fell into disuse in 1890. James C. Kercheval was a son of Lewis Kercheval, men- tioned in an earlier part of this chapter. Though but a boy, he took part in the Black Hawk war until the settlers were forced to flee to the older settlements for safety. He died in 1873. The Francis family, so closely associated with the early history of New Lenox, were of English stock which migrated to Ireland in 1690 and intermarried with Scotch people who had come into northern Ireland. In 1815, William Francis came to Ohio, Brown County, where he resided with his family until 1831. In that year Abraham Francis married and moved to New Lenox Township. Taking up land in sections 9 and 16, much of which is still owned by the descendants, grandsons and granddaughters of Abraham Francis. Four sons, Allen, John, Charles, and George L., resided on one road with farms joining. Here they reared their families. Only one, George L. Francis, remains at this writing (1928). He is a leader in his community, a farmer who uses latest and best methods. He resides on the farm which he has owned for so many years. Henry Watkins, father of the pioneer school-teacher, came from New York and settled in New Lenox Township in the fall of 1831, where he lived until his death, about fifteen years ago. Of others who settled on Hickory Creek at a very early period, we may mention Michael and Jared Runyon, Isaac and Samuel 314 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Pence, Joseph, Alfred and James Johnson, and Henry Higgin- botham. Higginbotham bought out Colonel Sayre in 1834, and the sawmill firm before alluded to became Wheeler & Higgin- botham. The Johnsons settled near the line of Yankee Settle- ment, on Spring Creek. The Pences and Runyons were among the very early settlers. The Pences were in the settlement before the Sac war, but the exact date of their coming is not remembered. As stated in the beginning of this chapter, settlements were made on Hickory Creek as early as 1829, which were among the first made in Will County, perhaps Plainfield, or Walker's Grove having a little the precedence. As a natural consequence of this early settlement, births, deaths, and marriages occurred here at an early period. The death of Mr. Brown, mentioned as one of the first settlers on the creek, who died in the fall of 1830, was the first death in this township, and is supposed to be the first person who died in Will County. The first white child born in New Lenox Township, and perhaps in the county, was Elizabeth Norman, born in January, 1832, and Margaret Louisa Cooper, nee Francis, was the next child born in the township, and was born the 3d of January, 1834. The first practicing physician in the Hickory Creek Settlement was Dr. Bowen, now of Wilmington, and the first preacher was Father Beggs, or Rev. Mr. Prentiss, who located in Joliet in an early day. We are informed by A. Allen Francis who derived the in- formation from the man himself that Joseph Shoemaker was the first settler in what now comprises Will County, probably arriving in the spring of 1828, in what is now known as Reed's Grove, in the township of Jackson. We have it from Mr. Fran- cis, also, thatt he first marriage in the county was that of Jede- diah Woolley, Jr., of Troy Township, to Betsy Watkins, daugh- ter of Henry Watkins, of New Lenox Township, January, 1832 ; and that Father Walker preached the first sermon, in 1832, in the fort or blockhouse, and Stephen Beggs, the second. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 315 The first mill built by Joseph Norman, on Hickory Creek, about 1833 or 1834. Colonel Sayre's mill was built previously, but was just over in Joliet Township. The first bridge was built across Hickory Creek, near John Gougar's. It was built of logs, and was a rough affair. The Village of New Lenox. — This pretty little village is sit- uated on the banks of Hickory Creek and on the Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, thirty-three miles from Chicago, and about six miles from Joliet. It is surounded by a beautiful grove of timber, and grand old forest-trees shade it in summer and pro- tect it against the storms of winter. The village of New Lenox was laid out in 1858 by George Gaylord, of Lockport, and sur- veyed by A. J. Mathewson, county surveyor. The village is known on the original plat by the name of Tracy, and was given in honor of the general superintendent of the railroad at the time of the laying-out of the village. But with a modesty rarely met with in the present day, he shrank from such no- toriety, and at his urgent request, the name was changed to New Lenox, to correspond with the name of the township. A man of the name of Robinson built the first residence in the village, and Van Home put up the next one. Both of these were built before the village was laid out. The village of Spencer is situated on the Cut-off Division of the Michigan Central Railroad, about nine miles from Joliet, and is two miles from New Lenox village. It was surveyed by A. J. Mathewson, county surveyor, for Frank Goodspeed and Albert Mudge, who owned the land on which it is located. It was laid out in 1856, about the time the railroad was built through this section. The first storehouse erected in the place was the one occupied by Russel Kennedy in 1856, the same year the village was laid out. The postoffice was established in 1857, and James Holmes was appointed postmaster. The first grain elevator was built in 1857 by the railroad company, 316 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY and, on its completion, was dedicated by a rousing ball, in which the boys and girls of the surrounding country participated to their entire satisfaction. In 1875, H. S. Carpenter built an- other large elevators, and this, likewise, was similarly dedicated. New Lenox Township contains one village, New Lenox, which is almost in the exact center of the township. Three railroads intersect at this point, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, the Wabash Railroad, and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad. This grouping of railroads would in- dicate that the village might have developed more rapidly than it did. It remained stationary up to 1923 when some indica- tions of growth began. The facilities for getting in and out of Chicago over the Rock Island road induced many Chicago people to build homes there. This rapid growth continues at the present time and following the electrification of the Rock Island road commuters have become more common. The following people operated general stores in the village : Archie Corp, Charles F. Garman, H. H. Sabin. Grocery stores are maintained by George Osmus, and George C Peterson. William Moore and Son operate a garage. The Garman Broth- ers also operate an oil station which does a good business. The New Lenox State Bank was organized in 1927 and began busi- ness in that year in a commodious bank building. It has had a prosperous year. Hacker and Company established a lumber yard during the summer of 1928. New Lenox was for many years the mecca of all Methodists in this part of the state because it maintained one of the best camp meetings in the state. The coming of good roads and automobiles together with the rapid spread of daily papers through rural delivery and then finally the coming of the radio made it difficult to secure attendance at the camp meetings. Four years ago the old-fashioned camp meeting was abandoned. Since that time the Methodist organization has maintained the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 317 Epworth League Institute for young people. This institute is doing good work but does not have a large attendance. New Lenox has always maintained good school facilities. A new building is just being completed which includes three class rooms and a commodious gymnasium. The people are united in their desire for good schools and support them heartily. Peotone Township. — In 1850, when the Township of Wilton was formed, Town 33, Range 11 or what is now known as Peo- tone, contained only two voters, and it was, therefore necessary to include it with some other township, and as Wilton was al- ready pretty well settled, it was concluded to embrace within its limits the two Congressional towns. It was not until 1858 that the voting population of this section was considered suffi- ciently strong for separate organization. During a period embraced between the years 1849 and 1858, about twenty-five families came to the township, most of whom became permanent settlers. Many of these, however, settled during the years 1855 to 1858. The most of the earliest settlers selected the little streams which flows through the township from the northeast to the southwest, and is a branch of Forked Creek. In 1859, when some settlements had been already made in every adjoining township except Will, this locality was but just beginning to come into notice. The first actual settlers were Daniel B. Booth and James Allen, from Massachusetts. These two men made the first improvements in the township. Both located on the land later owned by Samuel Goodspeed, having entered one-half of Sections 19 and 30, through which, it will be noticed, Forked Creek runs. While Booth remained, he gave most of his attention to butter-making. It had not become generally understood that this land was well adapted for agri- 318 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY cultural purposes, and Booth's idea seems to have been that in pasturage was its principal value; and when he found his dairy business a failure, he resolved to dispose of his interest and remove to a more congenial clime. From here he removed to Joliet, in 1855, and from thence to Texas, where he has since died. Allen seems also to have been dissatisfied with the coun- try, as he stayed but a few years, and returned to the East. These two men could scarcely be deemed permanent settlers, and are hardly deserving of that credit. The year 1855 is, in reality, the year from which the real prosperity and substan- tial settlement of the township dates. In that year, Ralph Crawford, Samuel Goodspeed, and the Cowing brothers came in and made improvements which have not only proved sub- stantial, but which have increased in number and value. These men, too, have stuck to the township, borne its burdens, and shared in its trials and all of its enterprises. Crawford had really been in the township the year before, had bought his land, done some breaking, and made other im- provements. John C. and James H. Cowing were amongst the most sub- stantial inhabitants of this vicinity. They had also been in the state some years, but were originally from New Hampshire. P. Armstrong, now of Peotone, came with Goodrich as a laborer, and entered some land, but gave it up and removed to the village. The next year, 1856, Arnold, Tobias and Cor- nelius Fahs, Moses Wright, Milton Smith and James F. John- son made their advent. The Fahs brothers were from Mary- land, Wright from New York, and Smith and Johnson from Michigan. George Reynolds and William W. Kelly settled here in 1857, the former coming from New York and the latter from Boston. Both Reynolds and Kelly have since removed to Chicago. The above, with Thomas Lockey, Smith Shaw and William P. Benn, are all that are now remembered, who became permanent resi- HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 319 dents before 1858, at which date the village of Peotone com- menced to grow. From that date, for a number of years, the township settled rapidly. Indeed, at that date, nearly all of the land not held by the Illinois Central Railroad had been occu- pied by actual settlers or bought by speculators. It was at that date that a move was made looking toward the separate organization of the eastern half of Wilton Precinct into a sep- arate township. The usual formalities of signing and present- ing a petition to the county board having been observed, and an order from that body having been obtained, the first annual township meeting was appointed for April 6, 1858. At this meeting, Samuel Goodspeed was elected moderator, and George Reynolds, clerk pro tern. The oath was administered to the officers in charge of the election by Richard Constable, a justice of the peace, of Wilton. The result of the ballot was the elec- tion of Moses Wright, supervisor; George Reynolds, clerk; Moses Wright, assessor; William W. Kelly, collector; James H. Cowing, overseer of the poor; Milton Smith, James F. Johnson and John C. Cowing, commissioners of highways; Cornelius Fahs and Ralph Crawford, justices of the peace; and James Fahs and James H. Cowing, constables. At that date there were in the township 25 voters. In 1858, every township in Will County had established schools except Peotone. This was, previous to that date, en- tirely destitute of schol accommodations. There were a few children sent to the township of Wilton, where schools had been in operation for eight or ten years; but the distance was so great that only during the finest weather could they be made available. A year after the organization of the town- ship, however, a movement was made toward putting in op- eration the means for establishing schools in the midst of the settlements within the bounds of the Peotone Township. On the 28th of February, 1859, the voters of the township met at the house of J. F. Johnson and elected Samuel Goodspeed, A. H. 320 HISTOPwY OF WILL COUNTY Fahs and Tobias Fahs, school trustees; and by the trustees, Ralph Crawford was elected treasurer, which office he held for the next fourteen years. At the meeting just mentioned, the trustees divided the township into four school districts. Two of these, the one in the Goodspeed neighborhood, and the other at the station, which was then attracting settlers, built houses and opened school the same year. The next year, the Third, and the next, the Fourth Districts established schools and built houses. Both of the first schoolhouses are still in use — the one for the purpose for which it was erected, the other, with some additions, doing duty as a church. By 1866, the number of dis- tricts were increased to six, and in all except one were school- buildings. At that time, which was seven years after the first steps were taken to establish the system in the township, there were 453 persons under 21 years of age, 301 of whom were entitled to the benefits of the common-school system, being be- tween the ages of 6 and 21 years. Of these, 248 were reported as having attended school the previous year. The people of the township were at that time making up for lost time, 246 per- sons out of 301 being a large proportion for a newly-formed township. Another seven years, we find, increased the number of schools to 9, and the number of enrolled scholars to 366, out of 398, entitled to school privileges. The Township of Peotone did not receive settlers early. It was prairie land which did not yield readily to the plows which the farmers had at that time. Water for the stock as well as for families' use was not easy to obtain. Therefore people were slow to take up the land. However at this time the town- ship is one of the leading ones in the county. The farm land had been well drained where it was necessary by the organiza- tion of drainage districts which made it a community project. These waterways are kept in good condition and serve their purpose very well. Much of the farming is given over to the «k_ STREET SCENE, PEOTONE, ILL. HIGH SCHOOL, PEOTONE, ILL. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 321 raising of grain. The land is fertile and yields good crops. During the last four years dairying has become more impor- tant because the trucks gather the milk and thus furnish an easy market. Good roads are coming into the township rapidly and this will help in this development. The City of Peotone is the most prosperous perhaps out- side of Joliet. The merchants are energetic and up to date in every way. The general merchandise stores are maintained by H. A. Frahm, Arnold Harken & Company, Harry Conrad, Duwe and Schroeder. A confectionery store is operated Iby Cavallini and Parenti. John Conrad's Sons maintain a hard- ware store which is as good as any in the county with a com- plete stock which is always up to date. Two grain companies are in the city — the Farmers' Grain Company and Esson & Barbour. The Continental Bridge Company is the only manu- facturing establishment in the city. It is a prosperous concern employing sixty men. Two banks are maintained, the Bank of Peotone and the Citizens' State Bank. Both of these insti- tutions are prosperous and have the confidence of the people. Dr. F. B. Daugherty is the dentist who has an office in the city. Dr. Frank A. Holzhauer looks after the health of the people and D. V. Knowlton sells drugs. The schools in Peotone have kept faith constantly with the improvement of the city. They have maintained a good grade school system and a four-year high school which is attended by large numbers from the rural schools around the city. In March, 1928, the school building was destroyed by fire just be- fore the Board of Education was ready to accept the addition to the high school. After the fire it was found that they could salvage more than half of the new addition. The board imme- diately took steps to rebuild, changing the plans so that the grade school part is adjusted to the high school building. The entire new building will be ready for use about November, 21— VOL. 1 322 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 1928. It is modern in every detail and provides the latest equipment for both grades and high school. Mr. A. R. Evans is the superintendent in charge. The churches of the community have been maintained through the years. The attendance is good and the support in a financial way is always liberal. For a number of years the city and the surrounding country have maintained a fair for exhibiting live stock, machinery, and the various products of the farm. The premium list is liberal and covers all details. It is always well attended and is an established institution which does much to upbuild the agri- culture of the surrounding territory. This interesting account of "Way Back" is contributed by the Peotone Vedette for February 23, 1928: "One September morning in 1861 an elderly man in a top- buggy, who for more than twenty years was a resident of West Peotone, and the writer then a boy of about nine years, left the hamlet of Bloom (only a hamlet then, Chicago Heights now), and drove south through Crete and down over the prairie east of Monee Grove looking for a station on the I. C. Railway called 'Peotone.' We failed to discover it either on the prairie or on the horizon. However, over to the west we could see a string of little freight cars of all colors, red, yellow, green, etc., being drawn southward by an engine with a funnel shaped smokestack. By and by the smoke rose straight up near what looked like it might be a grain elevator. It was. When we came nearer we could see six or eight buildings strung along the railroad about half a mile from north to south. The Laidaw place at the north end and D. L. Christian's place at the south, and in between was the two story station house on the west side of the tract (not tracks), the store of V. L. Morey, the shanty saloon of Johnny Higgins, then a block away another Morey brother lived in a house where Mrs. Lockie now lives, and across the road from that west the two story smithshop HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 323 where 'Col/ Fahs blacksmithed, and lived upstairs. He looked the part of the 'Village Blacksmith' (all but the spreading chestnut tree), being a brawny man with a big gray beard, and he did everything in ironwork. The schoolhouse on the lot it now occupies, completes the picture. "From the east the open prairie came to the railroad track. Wagon trails led off easterly in various directions. West of the railroad the prarie came right up to the store and the houses which have been mentioned. Towards the west two or three trails led off in different directions. The first house to the southwest was the Robert Rains place three miles out. The next, two or three miles further. Northwest the Beards, the Palmers and the two or three settlers were a bit nearer. The only schoolhouse in West Peotone was five miles out, and was called the Ralph Crawford school and he lived a half mile away. That schoolhouse was 14x28, not plastered but lined with thin matched boards. The coal house was over by the hedge and had neither roof, sides nor floor. Some of the chil- dren came two and three miles. "The station house at Peotone was a combined passenger, freight house and residence. The telegraph instrument re- corded the messages on a paper tape. In the winter of 1861-62 the building burned down. The agent was a nice young fellow. He had brought a bride from Louisville, Ky., not long before. The writer was vastly concerned to hear that all her silverware had been melted down with the house. She was a lovely young lady and certainly shone while she remained at Peotone, but she did not let her young man stay there long. She gave the writer's mother the first egg plants he ever saw and full direc- tions for preparing them for the table, but they did not make a hit with him. "In 1861 the deer and the wolves were not all gone. The first deer I ever saw was a doe about eighty rods distant, with two fawns trailing after her and I did not know what they. 324 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY were. I have seen a wolf gnawing at a dead horse in broad daylight in a swail about twenty rods west of where the resi- dence of the late M. Collins stood later. Mr. Collins had not yet arrived to become the station agent. Timber wolves came down from Monee Grove and the woods of Northern Indiana. I know, for I have shot at them, big fellows, the size of a police dog, and they were not like the cowardly prairie wolf. They continued to come occasionally for several years. They were not panicky when shot at but just loped away like it was a matter of no consequence. "The rattlesnakes were not all gone either and now and then we killed one in the school yard. "Morey's store was the city emporium. Upstairs Freddie tinkled away on the only piano in these parts. Freddie was a nice, pretty boy and afterwards went to Germany to study music and finally came back a handsome hard boiled young man. "Out west of 'town' a couple of miles Layton Palmer had a flock of several hundred sheep. He pastured them on the prairie this side of the creek. A big boy was sheep herder by day, and a tight board fence enclosed the yard just this side the creek, and by it a pole 16 or 20 feet high with a seat at the top was for a man to sit on with a gun to watch by night. The pole was there a long time after the sheep and the yard had gone. Palmer had a great fancy for a trotting horse. Sitting in a high wheel sulky, his whiskers waving in the summer breeze he would push a gray 'hoss' around a track he had laid out on the prairie not far from the sheep yard, with all the en- thusiasm of a veteran trainer. He was a good old sport but the I. C. Express finally got him at a town crossing. "In the summer in those first years the prairie was like a flower garden. Sweet Williams, buttercups in the low grounds, star flowers, shoestring lavender plumes, many varieties of sun- flowers large and small, bluebells, two kinds of tall rosin stalks HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 325 with spikes of yellow flowers, red tufts of flowers on a rather coarse plant, and hidden down under the long grasses little modest blossoms white and cheerful looking, wild roses every- where, water lilies and other flowering plants in the ponds, scarlet blooms that blazed out of the pools in the creeks and many other flowers whose very names I have forgotten gave color and charm to the landscape. Only the wild roses in some unswept corner of the fields or by some neglected road- side and now and then a bluebell in the shelter of a hedge or some little flower that has escaped the civilizing plow of man, still continue to lift their sunny faces to those who once de- lighted in the glory of them and their sisters. Where Peotone now stands in urban pride the soft airs of the summer evening once wafted the faint perfumes of God's broad fields of beauty. Now the scent of the lowly cabbage boiling in the kitchen din- ner pot welcomes the laborer as he treks homeward from his day's toil. Such is civilization. "Bird life on the prairie was abundant. In the fall clouds of ducks would rise from the cornfields with a thunderous boom. In the spring the hopeful sound of the crowing prairie chickens filled the early morning air. Some wise fellows have claimed that the prairie rooster did not 'drum' with his feet as did some species of partridge. But sitting on horseback I have seen them strutting about with their head plumage erected, take a little run, drum the ground with their feet, stretch out their necks and crow, all in one performance, the whole flock only a few rods away. I have had a prairie hen stick to her nest as I plowed past her up and down the field until I had to turn the plow out to avoid running over her. How they preserved their lives on the open prairie, with their little ones, from predatory animals, only the Creator who made them scentless and inconspicuous at such times could be fully cognizant. "Christmas time, 1863, a fierce blizzard swept over the whole West. Cattle froze to death in the half protected yards. Men 326 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY froze on the prairie. Children stayed all night in the country school. Our soldier boys down south suffered severely. It lasted a week. The following August we had a tremendous rainstorm one afternoon and night which flooded the streams and swept every bridge away. Out southwest of town the farmers' cattle were caught on the wrong side of the river-like creek. Next morning a bunch of farmers sat on their horses looking across the stream and wondering how they were going to get their cows home. By and by, a ten-year-old Scotch girl came riding down the road on a gray stallion work horse, rode him straight into the water, swam across the twenty-five or thirty rods of it, drove the cows in and brought them across while the farmers sat on their horses and looked at her do it. She learned to swim in old Scotland on the North Sea and was not afraid of water. When she grew up the writer married her." — Auldays. The Peotone Vedette for July 14, 1928, contributes this in- teresting history of Civil war days. It has not been published before and adds much to our own history as well as to the history of the nation : "Late in 1864 the number of men volunteering to serve in the Union armies was rapidly declining and the Government at Washington decided to resort to the draft. It was generally believed throughout the North that the Union cause would eventually win, but the Confederate forces were fighting tena- ciously and in many ways they had the advantage because they were fighting on their home soil and were nearer their bases of supplies. "In many parts of the North there was a great deal of dis- loyalty and out-and-out opposition to the drafting of men for the Union armies. In New York and other cities there were serious riots. The Northern morale was at a low ebb and the future appeared dark indeed to thousands of citizens who had sacrificed much to aid the Union cause. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 327 "Such was the situation when the citizens of the pioneer township of Peotone were informed that the draft would be put in operation unless the township furnished six volunteers. At that time, Peotone had 34 registered voters. Practically every available man had volunteered for military service and no one knew where the six men could be found. "At a meeting of the citizens it was decided to bond the town for $4,000, the money to be used for 'bounties' to be paid to men who would volunteer. No one seemed to favor the drafting of men. "There was not time enough to go through with the red tape of calling an election to vote on the bonding proposition. The sum of $4,000 was raised by subscription with the under- standing that all were to vote for the bonds and that the sub- scribers were to be reimbursed when the money was raised in the legal way. By the way, just think what $4,000 meant to thirty-four pioneer settlers ! "That scheme was carried through as planned and there was no draft in Peotone. "Ralph Crawford was appointed a commissioner to attend to the details and when he found a man who could be induced to volunteer for the lump sum of cash bounty offered him, Mr. Crawford would accompany him to Joliet where the recruiting officer gave Crawford a certificate for the man in the following form: " 'Office Provost Marshal, Sixth District, Illinois, Joliet, Feb. 9, 1865. " 'I hereby certify that John Fish has this day enlisted and been mustered into the service of the United States, and cred- ited to the Town of Peotone, Will County, Illinois. " 'Abel Longworth. " 'Captain and Provost Marshal, 6th Dist, 111.' 328 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY "In this way Mr. Crawford came into possession of twelve of these certificates and Peotone had furnished just twice as many men as had been asked for. "The twelve certificates all signed by Abel Longworth and bearing various dates between February 9 and March 17, 1865, are now in the possession of the editor of the Vedette, through the courtesy of Elmer J. Crawford, who found them while going through his late father's papers. "The names of the twelve men are John Fish, Thomas Cooper, J. H. Peterson, C. C. Cross, John Wainwright, Samuel S. Beal, Albert Andre, Henry Goodspeed, John H. Shufelt, Jo- seph Brown, Lyman A. Bradlay and John Simonds. "The only one of these names that means anything to the writer is that of Henry Goodspeed, who was the son of Samuel Goodspeed, one of Peotone's earliest settlers. "Can any of the older readers of the Vedette give us any information regarding any of the other men? "It was not necessary for Mr. Crawford to secure citizens of Peotone to fill the quota for the town. He could pick up men wherever he could find them and have them credited to his town. "This system of offering a cash bounty to a man who would agree to Volunteer' gave rise to the evil of 'bounty jumping.' A 'bounty jumper' was a man who collected the bounty offered by a town and after reaching the military camp would desert and going to another town would collect another bounty, and again enlist under an assumed name, repeating this perform- ance as often as he could with safety. "Occasionally the 'bounty jumper' was detected and pun- ished for deserting. The modern methods of identification had not been thought of in the '60s and the 'bounty jumper' nearly always escaped merited punishment." HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 329 Plainfield Township has had considerable space in this his- tory because the earliest settlement was made there, and be- cause the renowned evangelist and mission worker, Jesse Walker, worked outward from Plainfield for some years. The first settlement in Walker's Grove dates back a century. The Indian town dates back perhaps two centuries so Plainfield has been on the map a long time. The Red Man selected the townsite because it was a veritable paradise. This name is justified today by the beautiful town with well kept streets, attractive homes and sociably inclined people. The farming region round about is equally attractive and productive. Much of the early history of Plainfield centers about Father Walker. Much also, centers about Rev. S. R. Beggs. "Rev. S. R. Beggs, another veteran Methodist preacher, is an early settler at Plainfield, and the oldest settler of the place now living. He settled here in the summer of 1831, near where he still lives. Father Beggs was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1801, and when four years old his father removed to Kentucky, where he remained two years, and then settled in Clarke County, Indiana, on the Ohio River, seventeen miles above the falls. Here the family were subjected to all the pri- vations incident to a new home in a great wilderness, that of chills and fever being included. As an illustration of the times, Mr. Beggs says he was seven years old before he ever possessed the luxury of a pair of shoes. At an early age he entered the ministry, and became an itinerant Methodist preacher, labor- ing in Indiana, Missouri and Illinois, settling, as above stated, at Plainfield in 1831. To show the hardships those early preach- ers underwent to plant the Gospel in the wilderness, we again quote from Father Beggs' book. Referring to his year's labor, he says: "My quarterage this year was $23; my clothing, that I had brought from home, was by this time so nearly worn out that it was necessary to replace it with new. Some of the 330 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY sisters spun wool and made me a coat of blue and white cotton, a pair of white cotton pants and one of mixed. One of the brothers gave me his old hat, which I got pressed, and then I was fitted out for Conference." Think of this, ye high-sal- aried, stall-fed pastors, who proclaim the Word from marble desks, in gilded temples, resplendent in your broadcloth and white cravats! Think ye, will not these self-denying men of God, who braved danger, hunger and cold to spread the Gospel, receive the brighter crown when they arrive in the Kingdom? We are not writing a religious history of the county, but the long associations and administrations of Father Beggs and Walker in this particular portion of Will County, are so inter- woven and connected with its history that to omit it would be to leave out the most important part of it. In 1836, Mr. Beggs was appointed to the Joliet Circuit, and commenced the work of building the first Methodist Church, also the first church edifice in Joliet, as noticed in the first part of our work. Dur- ing the Sac war, his house, then considered the strongest build- ing in the Plainfield settlement, was constructed into a fort. Two log pens which he had built for a barn and shed, were torn down and made into fortifications around his house, into which the settlers all crowded. But Indian outrages growing more alarming every day, it was finally decided to risk trying to get to Chicago. The settlers were formed into a company, and James Walker elected captain. Being only teams enough to carry the people, their effects were left behind, many of which were taken or destroyed by the Indians before the whites were permitted to return. But the cloud of war rolled away before Scott's legions, and the people could finally return in safety to their homes. In 1829, a Frenchman of the name of Vetel Vermette settled at Plainfield. He did not remain very long in the settlement, however, but sold his claim to Jedediah Woolley, Sr., and left for some other land. Of him very little is known, as few are HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 331 living who remember him. In the summer of 1830, Reuben Flagg, from Vermont, came to Plainfield with his family. He was two months on the road, and arrived in the settlement on the 9th of July. Chicago at the time consisted of about a dozen houses, mostly the huts of Indian traders and half- breeds. From Detroit, Flagg was accompanied by Woolley, noticed as buying out the Frenchman Vermette. In a letter written by Mr. Flagg to H. N. Marsh, in 1851, he stated that when he settled at Plainfield, there were, besides Walker and Vermette, Timothy B. Clarke and Thomas Covel, and that he knew of no others then in the county, except three families on Hickory Creek, viz., a Mr. Rice, Mr. Brown and Mr. Kerche- val, and the nearest white settler on the west was at Dixon's Ferry. He is said to have hauled the lumber to Chicago to build the first frame house erected in that city, and which was sawed in James Walker's sawmill, on the DuPage, near Plain- field. Timothy B. Clarke, from Trumbull County, Ohio, came to Plainfield in 1830. He emigrated to Illinois in 1820, and settled in Tazewell County when that part of the state was an almost unbroken wilderness. He remained there about eight years, when he removed to Fort Clarke (now Peoria), remaining there a year or two, and moved up and made a claim within seven miles of Ottawa. This claim he afterward sold to Green, who built a mill on it, so extensively patronized by the early settlers of Northern Illinois, many coming to it from a distance of from fifty to one hundred miles. From this place, Mr. Clarke removed to Plainfield settlements, as already noted, in 1830. This was before the Sac war, and the Indians, who were quite plenty in the neighborhood, were friendly but exceedingly troublesome. They would go into the fields and help themselves gratuitously to corn, potatoes and anything else they wanted, without so much as "By your leave, sir." He could not stay there in peace, and so, in 1834, moved up into DuPage Town- 332 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY ship, near Barber's Corners. The elder Clarke was a carpen- ter and builder, and erected the first frame house in Chicago, then a little suburban village in this section of the country. In that house the Indians were paid off before leaving for their new hunting-grounds toward the setting sun. He removed to Missouri in 1835, and from there to Iowa in 1847, but returned to DuPage, and died at his son's in 1848. B. B. Clarke was six- teen years old when his father removed to Plainfield in 1830, and remembers distinctly the Indian troubles of that rather stormy period. He served in the Black Hawk war, first in Walker's company, which soon disbanded, however, and after- ward enlisted in Captain Sisson's company. During the most perilous times, he went from Plainfield to Ottawa with a team after provisions, with a guard of only four men. They made the trip in safety, though several hats were found along the trail pierced by bullets, whose wearers had been murdered by the Indians. Mr. Clarke says that when his father first re- moved to Plainfield, the nearest mill was in the vicinity of Peoria, distant 130 miles. His father went there' once to mill — bought grain there to save hauling it both ways — and the "rainy season" setting in, the waters arose (there were no bridges) and as a consequence, he was gone six weeks. His family, in the meantime, had to live on potatoes, and by pound- ing corn in a kind of mortar, which was sifted and the finest of it was made in bread, and the coarse into hominy. The elder Clarke was a soldier in the War of 1812, and had a soldier's claim to land in the Military District lying between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and had bought the claims of other sol- diers to lands there. He sold a quarter section of land in this military territory for $75, and took pay in augers, which, next to the ax, was the principal implement used by the pioneer. He also had a claim to canal lands in DuPage Township, a part of which was owned by his son, B. B. Clarke, as late as 1878. The latter went to California in 1850, overland with teams, HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 333 and was five months on the way. He remained about two years in the Golden State, and then returned to the old home. A brother, Hiram Clarke, went out in 1849, when the gold fever first broke out, and William, another brother, went with his brother, B. B., in 1850. At this latter period, so many had crossed the plains with teams that the grass had been devoured by their stock for a space of two miles on both sides of the trail, and they would take their teams in the evening to the grazing and remain by them during the night to prevent their being stolen. Mr. Clarke tells the following incident of the early times: He and one of his brothers took a lot of ponies to Chicago, for the purpose of selling them to the Indians when they received their stipendiary remuneration, as Wilkins Mi- cawber would put it, and stable accommodations being more meager than now in the Garden City, could find no barn in which to put their stock, were forced to turn them loose in a lot. Hearing a racket among them during the night, his brother went out to learn the cause, when he found an Indian trying to get them out. Without a word, he fell upon the savage with his big horsewhip, and the faster he ran the faster he rained the blows upon him, the Indian indulging in the guttural "Ugh ! Ugh!" every jump. Arriving at the fence, he made no effort to climb it in the ordinary way, but scrambled to the top and fell over on the opposite side. This caused them some alarm, lest he should return with assistance, but the night passed with- out further molestation. Another of the very first in this settlement was Thomas Covel. He came from Ohio in 1830, made a claim near Plain- field village where he remained for a time, then sold out and moved up on Salt Creek, where, some years later, he died. Though one among the very first settlers, beyond this no in- formation of him could be obtained. John Cooper, a brother- in-law of Clarke's, came from Ohio in 1830. After remaining in this place a few years he removed to Iowa, and from Iowa 334 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY to California in 1852, and resided there until his death, in 1872. James Gilson was another of the early ones who settled here in 1830. He came from Tennessee, and lived near the village and kept a shop on his farm and did quite a business in repairing guns. He was a pioneer by nature, and when the country began to settle up around him, he "moved on" to Iowa in search of a location more congenial to his tastes, and there died. From New York, the settlement of Plainfield received John and Ben- jamin Shutliff and Jedediah Woolley, Sr. John Shutliff and Woolley came in 1832, and the former, after a few years, sold out and moved away, but where we could not learn, Woolley bought out Vermette the Frenchman, then sold the claim to Rev. Beggs and improved another farm on the east side of the grove, on which he lived several years, sold it and removed into Troy Township, about eight miles from Plainfield. Ben- jamin Richardson was from the East, but what state we could not learn. He settled here in 1834, and in a year or two moved to Joliet, where he is noticed further. Benjamin Shutliff set- tled in this town in 1834, and was a brother of John Shutliff. In a few years, he moved "West to grow up with the country." Jonathan Hagar was born in the City of Quebec, C. E., and, when ten years of age, removed with his parents to Vermont, where he resided until 1829, when he came West and settled in Michigan, and five years later removed to Ohio. In 1835, he came to Plainfield, making the journey from Cleveland to De- troit by steamer, and from thence to Chicago by stage. The village had been laid out the year before (1834) by Chester Ingersoll, as elsewhere stated, and contained, on Mr. Hagar's arrival, a blacksmith shop, tailor shop, a wagon shop, two tav- erns and perhaps one or two other houses, of which a man named Royce owned a shop, in which he manufactured fanning mills. James Gilson had a shop on his farm, and being quite a genius, did an extensive business in repairing guns. Mr. Hagar was one of the first merchants of Plainfield, and was always HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 335 one of its active and enterprising business men. He could stand in his store door of mornings and see the wolves scamper- ing across the open common of the village. Jason Flanders came from New Hampshire in 1834, and settled in Plainfield Township. He came overland in wagons to Troy, New York, thence by water to Detroit, and the remainder of the way by land, arriving at his destination in June. He had six children, one of whom was state's attorney of Will County, Hon. James R. Flanders, of Joliet. The Green Mountain State furnished the settlement Lorin Burdick, S. S. Pratt, Oliver Goss, Thomas Rickey, Deacon Good- hue and Hardy Metcalf. Burdick was one of the early settlers of Plainfield — a man of exalted charity and benevolence and an enterprising citizen. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and one of the heroes of the battle of Plattsburg ; had one son in the Mexican war, and three in the Civil war; and a brother Timothy Burdick, also a soldier of 1812, died of sickness in the army in Mexico during that war. We extract the following from the Plainfield correspondence of the Commercial Adver- tiser. Speaking of Mr. Burdick, it says : "He hauled the first lumber from Chicago used in building the courthouse in Joliet; hewed the timber used in building the first bridge across the Du- Page at Plainfield, and assisted in building the first sawmill in this section of the country, located on the DuPage ; also in erect- ing the first church, the first schoolhouse in Plainfield, and the first hotel in Lockport. He donated liberally in money toward purchasing the land for the first burying-ground, and assisted in laying it out, and is one of the early settlers to whom Plain- field owes her existence. His sudden illness, resulting in death August 3, 1878, was caused by taking Paris green through mis- take for sulphur, which he was in the habit of using. Deacon Goodhue settled here in 1832. He entered land about a mile northeast of Plainfield village, on the Chicago road, and when he died in 1856, still lived on his original claim where he settled. 336 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Goss came to the settlement in 1834, and made a claim just south of the village, where he died in 1842. Metcalf came in 1834 or 1835, made a claim, sold out and moved away many years ago — where, no one now remembers. Pratt settled in the township in 1835, where he still lives. Rickey settled here in 1834, and died more than thirty years ago. The first white child born in Plainfield Township, of whom there is any definite information to be had, was Samantha E. Flagg, a daughter of Reuben Flagg, and was born September 9, 1830. This is also supposed to have been the first birth among the whites in Will County. The first death was that of Albert Clarke, in 1831, a son of Timothy B. Clarke, mentioned among the first settlers of Walker's Grove. The first marriage re- membered was James Turner to a Miss Watkins, in 1831 or 1832, and were married by Rev. Mr. Beggs. The first physi- cian who ever practiced medicine in this neighborhood was Dr. E. G. Wight. He came from Massachusetts and settled in Naperville in 1831, and the circle of his practice was bounded by Chicago, Mineral Point, Ottawa and Bourbonnais Grove, and was more than a hundred miles across either way. He built the first frame house in Naperville, and removed to Plain- field in 1847, but had been practicing here since 1831. He died in 1865. He became blind when scarcely past middle life, and for eight years his son, R. B. Wight, went with him to his pro- fessional visits and led his horse. He finally went to an occulist at Rochester, New York, who partially restored his sight, and for fifteen years before his death he could see to get about with comparative ease and safety. The experiences of this pioneer physician would fill a volume. Perhaps the first resident physi- cian was Dr. Charles V. Dyer, who came to the settlement in the fall of 1835, and practiced medicine during the winter. But the settlement being small, the next spring he concluded to risk his fortune in the then unpromising marshes of Chicago. The subsequent greatness of that city and the prominence of the HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 337 Doctor there up to the time of his death, prove the wisdom of his decision, and illustrate the mutability of human conditions in the careers of both individuals and cities. The first black- smith in the town was one of the Shutliff s, who opened a shop in 1833-34, and did the light work the settlement needed. The first bridge in the township was built across the DuPage at Plainfield, and was a rough wooden structure. The timbers were hewed by Lorin Burdick, as noticed in the sketch given of him elsewhere. The rude affair presented a striking con- trast to the excellent stone and iron bridges at present span- ning the DuPage and Lilly-Cache. The first mill built in Plainfield Township or Walker's Grove, was by James Walker. It was a horsepower mill, which he brought with him from Ottawa, and at once set to work. But he built without delay both a saw and grist mill on the Du- Page, which was swept away by a flood in 1838. At this mill was sawed the lumber of which a man named Peck built the first frame house erected in Chicago, and which stood on the corner of LaSalle and South Water streets. Reuben Flagg, as elsewhere noted, hauled the lumber to Chicago, and with an ox-team at that. Matthews, as mentioned in another page, built a mill north of the village of Plainfield which, with some additions and improvements, was in operation as late as 1880. It was owned by Noah Sunderland, but was run by M. H. Avery, who had a prosperous business with it. It had three runs of stones, with all the modern attachments. Quite an item in the history of Plainfield Township was Clarke & Co.'s cheese factory, erected in 1877, just outside of the limits of the village of Plainfield. It was a frame building with stone basement, and had a sufficient capacity to consume twenty thousand pounds of milk per day. Cheese was the principal product of the factory, and they turned out sixty cheeses a week, of fifty- two pounds weight each, besides making a small quantity of butter. 22— VOL. 1 338 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY The first school in Plainfield Township was taught by a man whose name is now forgotten, in the winter of 1833-34, and the first regular schoolhouse was built in 1833 of rough logs with a stick chimney, the exact type and counterpart of many others described in these pages. But the schools have kept pace with the other improvements, and, in 1872, we find there were eleven school districts, five hundred pupils enrolled, twenty- two teachers employed, two graded schools and a comfortable schoolhouse in each district. The amount paid teachers was $3,026.38; total expenditure for the year, $4,597.90, leaving a balance in the treasury of $1,381.05. William Bradford, Daniel, Chester and Enoch Smith, Ches- ter Ingersoll, John Bill and J. E. Matthews came from the old Bay State — the home of Charles Francis Adams and Ben But- ler. The Smiths settled in the town in 1832. David sold out and died soon after; Chester went to Wisconsin in 1833, and what became of Enoch no one now remembers. Chester Inger- soll was here during the Sac War, and had a son who lived in Homer Township. He laid out the south part of- the village of Plainfield, sold out his lots and entered other lands three miles northeast of the village; improved a large farm, sold it ulti- mately, and, in 1849, went to California, where he died some years later. Bradford settled here in 1834. He entered land below the village of Plainfield, on which he died the year fol- lowing. John Bill was a wagon-maker by trade, the first mech- anic of the "stripe" in the settlement, and located here in 1834. He entered land and made a claim about a quarter of a mile from the village, where he lived until 1876, when he removed to Maryland, and died soon after. Matthews came to the settle- ment in 1831, and made a claim on the river just above the present village of Plainfield. In 1835, he built a mill here which with some additions and improvements, served that community for more than forty years. It was built of timbers hewed by hand. It was no easy task to place green timbers by hand. HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 339 Matthews went to Oregon when people first began to emigrate to that magnificent country. Another early settler of Plain- field was John Fish, who come to the place as early as 1833. He was from Indiana, and in a short time moved up on Salt Creek fourteen miles west of Chicago, where he died. Edmund Reed came from Kentucky in 1833-34, and finally moved up near Racine, and whether he is yet alive could not be learned. W. W. Wattles also settled here in 1833. He came here from Chi- cago, but his native place could not be ascertained. He bought out Timothy B. Clarke, finally sold out himself, and moved up north of Chicago. Robert Chapman, Scofield and a few other early settlers located about Plainfield and Walker's Trove. La Cache Creet (familiarly known as Lily Cache) is inter- esting to the historial because the origin of the name connects it with very early times of Will County. The earliest map available (1858 or 1859) gives the name "La Cache" thus verify- ing the account here given. Jean Gabriel Cerre' lived in Kaskaskia and St. Louis for many years. He came from France to a French country; later he became a subject of the English king; still later a citizen of Virginia and American; then he was a Spanish subject; and again a subject of the French Empire and then an American citizen once more. In this he was not unique for Will County territory followed the same rotation. Cerre' administered law as a Virginia judge, and made laws as a Spanish syndic. The full story of his life would form an interesting volume but we are concerned more especially with what happened in Will County. Jean Gabriel Cerre' was born on August 12, 1734, at Mon- treal. Louis XV was the French King and Beauhernois acted as Governor-General of Canada. Peace prevailed throughout the country but the English on the south were inclined to agriculture and the French to adventure and yielded readily to the call of the wild and followed distant waterways and 340 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY crossed wide plains. When Cerre' was nine years old, two brothers (La Verendrye) returned from a journey of discov- ery in which they reached the Rocky Mountains. Their ac- counts inspired him to seek adventure and at twenty-one he was at Kaskaskia. He sought wealth by trading with the Red Men. In 1763 he was on his way from Montreal to Kaskaskia in loaded canoes bearing goods to be traded with the Indians who gathered at Kaskaskia twice each year. As he entered the Chicago Portage and the Des Plaines valley, the Red Men de- manded tribute for the right to pass through the Great High- way. This he refused abruptly. The Indians withdrew, held a council and decided to stop him on his way down as he passed their village. (At Channahon). What diplomacy could not procure, force might. In the council meeting some of the war- riors opposed the robbery. The majority prevailed but a friendly native reported the action to Cerre\ Cerre' decided that he would pass by strategy in the dark- ness of the night if possible, and if this failed he would fight. To lighten his canoes to enable them to pass the shallow places readily, he unloaded most of his goods and hid them in the grove which bordered the creek to the west of the Des Plaines. Here the bales were buried in the ground and covered with care. The surplus earth was removed with care to conceal the burial places (caches). Armed with guns, knives, and hatchets, the Indians moved down the river. At the village, he left the guards with the boats and called on the Indians for a talk. This was readily agreed upon. Cerre' represented that the Great Father, the French king, owned the land and had authorized him to travel and trade. The most dire consequences were promised to those who interfered. His "big talk" prevailed and he was granted permission to proceed. He said that presents had been pre- pared by the French king for them but that he had withheld HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 341 them because of their treachery. They repented and he gave them the bundles which he had prepared for this purpose. The bundles contained a few pieces of bright calico, powder, and shot, tobacco, and flint and steel for making fire. The Indians were overjoyed and sent men with him to uncover the caches and carry the goods beyond the village where he reloaded his canoes and proceeded on his journey from where the Des Plaines and Kankakee join to form the Illinois River. Thus La Cache Creek was named. Alliteration readily changed it to Lily Cache' as we now hear it spoken. From this early history of Plainfield Township and the city of Plainfield, we see that it furnished lumber for Chicago and was quite a village before Joliet or Lockport had made a start. The city has held its own through the century, for the first set- tlement was made there 100 years ago. For many years it was without a railroad. The communication with the outside world for half a century was by means of the stage line. The coming of the E. J. & E. Railroad brought transportation facilities and later, the interurban electric line from Aurora to Joliet made it easy for the people to get back and forth between both cities. The building of the concrete road, Route 22 of the Illinois sys- tem of highways, made the interurban useless, but it made it possible for that organization to establish bus lines from Aur- ora to Joliet, passing through Plainfield. These seem to be prosperous at the present writing. The listing of the business houses of the city is not always the most interesting history, but no better way can be found to indicate the condition of a city. Therefore, we give the fol- lowing list: Grocers, Harry H. Bayles, Nicholas Seleman, Louis A. Thompson; General Merchants, Ralph W. Hill and A. C. Steiner; Meats, Fred Self ridge, Oscar Howard; Plumbing, Dar- ius V. Maltby and W. L. Brockway; Hardware and Agricul- tural Implements, J. R. Jones and Lambert & Fiddyment. Two garages, Cromer Motor Company and N. W. Hartong; Drugs, 342 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY Chas. W. Hallock and Krebb's Bros., two doctors, R. A. Har- court and J. C. Owens; Furniture, Geo. C. Luce and Men's Furnishings, Edw. Whitley. Plainfield State Bank is a pros- perous institution. The Plainfield Enterprise is a growing paper published by U. S. G. Blakely. It is the oldest country township paper in Will County. It has always maintained Republican politics, and has been a help in building up the county. The Evangelical Church is maintained quite regularly, the new pastor being installed at this writing. The Rev. Thomas Charters has charge of the Congregational Church, Rev. A. Annette of the Baptist Church, Rev. Samuel Taylor of the Methodist Church and Rev. Herman Ezell has charge of St. Mary's Catholic Church. All of these are prospering institu- tions. Reed Township. — This is now the smallest township in the county, containing only the west half of the Congressional Town 32, Range 9, east of the Third Principal Meridian. For the fifteen years ending 1875, it was the largest, embracing within its limits all of that territory now constituting Custer. The first name given to the township, by the Commissioners, was Clinton, which, however, was changed, at the first meeting of the Board of Supervisors, to Reid, in honor of one of the pioneers of this section. On the first maps and in the first re- ports, the orthography of the name is found as here indicated; but on the later maps and reports it is spelled as indicated at the head of this article. For what reason this change has been made, or if made by common consent or practice — the later method being the more natural way — we are unable to inform our readers. The land, for the most part, is a level plain or prairie. In some portions, more especially in the southern, it is covered with timber of a small growth. In this portion the surface is HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 343 more broken, but cannot be considered hilly. It is not crossed by any stream of water, but all of that supply is obtained from wells. Good water abounds at a depth of from twenty to forty feet. The land is of a poor quality for agricultural purposes, the soil being quite thin, with a species of quicksand under- lying. The surface of the township of Reed, to look upon, like the apples of Sodom, is all that is desirable ; but like that deceptive fruits to the agriculturist, it is only a source of sorrow. For a number of years after the first settlement was made, and a compensation for his expenditure of strength and time, it was believed that this section was a failure and numerous tracts were sold for taxes from year to year, and the epithet "land poor" seemed to apply with propriety to its owners. But be- hold the wisdom of the Creator ! In this region, which man so irreverently denounced, was stored by Him, for many thou- sand years, an article for the use of man's extremity, which renders this one of the most valuable tracts in the State. All hoarded up, eighty feet under the ground, and condensed into a small space, is suddenly found the fuel with which to supply the deficiency that had always been felt existed in the prairie country; and, all at once, the land which could have been bought "for a song" jumps to $100 per acre, and, within the space of ten years, a city of five thousand inhabitants buds and blossoms, as it were, by magic. Owing to a scarcity of timber and a want of water, the township was one of the latest in the county to settle. Twenty years before, settlements had been made along the Des Plaines and Kankakee. Not until the opening-up of the railroad could an emigrant be induced to lose sight of the belt of timber lying along the banks of the streams of water. When that event transpired, and fuel and other commodities were transported to a distance from their place of growth or manufacture, a life on the prairie began to appear possible, and this section began 344 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY to develop. Prior to 1854, the date of the event named, prob- ably not more than four or five families had shown the hardi- hood to venture so far from the original settlements. William Higgins, who came to this vicinity (being just a few rods west of the township line, in Grundy County) in 1850, said that when he arrived here, James Curmea had been living on Section 6 about six months. Curmea was a native of Ireland, had been peddling through the country, and, becoming tired of the busi- ness, settled at the point mentioned. He entered all of the section, and, though a large land-owner as regards real estate, he was poor, the soil proving to be of a very unfruitful nature\ He lived on his land until 1865, when the discovery of coal in this section suddenly made him a rich man. His farm, which had cost him $1.25 per acre, and which, a few weeks before, could have been bought for $10, was considered worth $100; and shortly after, he actually sold it for the last price named. The tract now belongs to the Wilmington Company. Curmea took his money, removed to Morris and started a bank. William Smith was a Yankee, from the hills of Vermont. He could scarcely be called a "settler," as his business was that of hunting, and his home was wherever his dog and gun could be found. His range was from the head of the Kankakee to its mouth, but his headquarters were in this township. The report of his rifle years ago ceased to be heard, and then it was known that "Smith the hunter" was gone to a "happier hunting ground." Patrick and James Dwyer came in 1850. Wm. Sterrett and Timothy Keane were also old settlers. Den- nis Glenny was a stone-cutter on the Illinois & Michigan Canal. He was another native of Erin. He came to the township in 1856, and his descendants still reside here. Besides those al- ready named, there were but few who could lay claim to being permanent settlers; and neither were there any additional set- tlements until the discovery of coal. Even in 1878, there were, / HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 345 perhaps, not more than twenty families outside of the city limits. Though Reed Township was organized in 1850, the portion now embraced in Custer contained, until 1865, nearly all the inhabitants; and, though Custer is but three years old in name, it, and not Reed, is the original township; so that in reality, what is now called by the name of Reed, is a new town with the old name. The division occurred in 1875, on the petition of citizens of the eastern portion of the township. As now con- stituted, the west eighteen sections were organized April, 1875. City of Braidwood. In many respects, this city is peculiar, and in its growth certainly is a wonder; and, to any but inhabitants of the West, who are somewhat used to such phenomena as a large city springing from the ground in a decade, it would be considered a marvel. In 1865, where Braidwood now stands, was nothing but a sea of tall grass, or in the winter a boundless field of snow, reaching out to meet the horizon, with scarcely a cabin inter- vening. As stated before, it was considered worthless with only a few farmers who were almost starving. In 1878, Braidwood had a population of 5,000, with seven churches, three schools and gigantic systems of mining mach- inery. In 1864, William Henneberry, while digging a well discov- ered the first coal. He had already sunk the well to a reason- able depth, but had failed to find water. Procuring a drill he continued his search, by boring to a greater depth. When about eighty feet below the surface, he came upon what proved to be a fine vein of coal. As soon as the fact became known, great excitement prevailed, and a shaft was sunk at a point known at Keeversville. This shaft fully realized the expectations of 346 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY its projectors, and but a short time intervened before works of simple character were erected for the purpose of raising the product. Individual and small company enterprises were thencefor- ward organized with varying success. The parties originating the same usually having more enthusiasm than capital, their efforts generally proved comparative failures. In 1865-66, J. D. Bennett, M. B. Killbourn, C. L. Whitcomb, Seth Turner and C. D. Wilbur leased some land, proposing to operate for coal. Wilbur was the State Geologist, and was a great enthusiast on the subject of coal desposits. Their work was, however, but scarcely begun, when a com- pany of gentlemen from Boston completed an organization for the same purpose, and Bennett and his company sold out to them. The Boston organization became known as the Wilm- ington & Vermillion Coal Company, J. M. Walker being the President, and A. T. Hall, Treasurer. With ample means at their command, the success of the work was fully assured, and the company continued in successful operation for forty years. By 1880, the demand for coal had fallen off because mines were opened in other places. Seven hundred men were in the employ of the company at Braidwood. Of these one-half were colored. The colored miners worked by themselves. In the summer season the miners were employed about one-half of the time. They received eighty-five cents per ton in the sum- mer and ninety cents per ton in winter. The miners averaged 2~y 2 tons per day. Two shafts were operated to the capacity of 30,000 tons per month. General stores operated by the com- pany for the sale of food and clothing were common then as they are now. The Company employed at their two shafts, 425 men, about 300 of whom were at work all of the time, the remainder wait- ing their turn for employment, which was given to all from two to four days each week. About 130,000 tons of coal were HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 347 raised per year, the capacity of the shafts being over 200,000. The total expense of the Company amounted to about $18,000 per month. James Braidwood has, perhaps did more than any single in- dividual to develop the coal industry in this region; especially, was this the case in its early history. He came from Scotland to America, in 1863, and to this vicinity, in 1865, and assisted in sinking most of the early shafts. In 1872, he, in company with some others, sunk the Braidwood shaft. Subsequently, the works were burned, and, in 1876 he started on his own resources, the shaft later known as the Braidwood shaft. He was not connected with the pool, but employed his men and sold his coal at prices independent of all corporations, most of his product being disposed of to the Bridgeport Rolling Mills at Chicago. The history of Braidwood and Reed would be incomplete without an account of the strike. This account comes from Maltby's History. The panic of 1872-73 caused capitalists to withdraw their money from manufacturers and other enter- prises which formerly gave employment to people without money or credit. Thus thousands of men and women all over the country were without the means of gaining a livelihood. As a consequence, a competition amongst laborers reduced wages, and still many, who would gladly have worked for smaller hire, had nothing to do. Labor arrayed itself against capital and manufacturers continued to withdraw thier means and invest in bonds and mortgages which were not threatened, and which, therefore, they considered safer, though not affording as great profits. This apparent conflict kept increasing until absolute necessity on the one hand and safety on the other have led to the organization of opposite parties. In 1877, this general strife culminated in a strike on the part of employes in all de- partments requiring labor. Mechanics, miners, railroad men and common workmen were infected with a premature desire 348 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY to suddenly right their fancied or real wrongs. Trains were stopped, shops were closed and machinery of all kinds stood idle. This was the state of affairs in July, 1877. On the 1st of April, of the year mentioned, the coal companies of Braid- wood had asked of their employes a reduction of 15 cents for Summer and 25 cents for Winter on each ton of coal mined, the reduction to take effect at once. The men would not accede to the terms proposed, and at once they stopped work, arguing that an unfair advantage was being taken of them in that many of them had bought lots of the companies and had Im- proved the same, making it impossible for them to remove with- out serious loss. The companies were determined, however, and to keep their works in operation brought in miners from other localities, whom they employed by the day. After a month, several hundred colored miners were brought, who went to work for the companies at the reduction formerly proposed. Though deep mutterings were heard on all sides and some threats were made, nothing serious took place and hopes were entertained that the threatened trouble would finally blow over. But toward the last of July the general strikes occur- ring, and riots becoming common in many places throughout the land, the spirit of defiance took possession of the strikers, and they determined to drive out the "blacklegs," who, upon being apprised of the intention of the strikers, though promised protection by their employers and the county authorities, fled from the city. Some went to Wilmington, some to Morris, and others, who could obtain no means of conveyance for themsel- ves and families, camped on the prairie. At this juncture, the Sheriff despairing of preserving order, the Governor was called on to furnish soldiers to quell the hourly-expected outbreak. Accordingly, Gov. Cullom ordered 1,300 soldiers to the scene of the trouble, 200 of whom occupied the city about three weeks, the others returning to their homes in a few days. On the ap- pearance of the soldiery, the "blacklegs" returned to the city HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 349 and resumed work. At the end of the three weeks alluded to, the excitement attending the riot, as well as the disturbances themselves, ceased, railroads were in operation, factories were opened, and business generally was as brisk as before, and this community partaking of the modified sentiment prevail- ing in other parts, the trouble which had for some weeks threatened bloodshed was at an end. Many of the strikers took their former places in the mines, and some, with some of the "blacklegs," departed to other fields of labor. Peace and good feeling was so far restored that the visitor saw no trace of the once threatened rebellion. While the excitement was at its highest pitch, Gov. Cullom visited the city and spoke to the people, counseling peace and good order, and promising pro- tection to the laborers to the extent of the full power of the State or of the United States army. The soil of the surround- ing country, though but poorly adapted to agricultural pur- suits, is yet quite well adapted to grazing and the dairy busi- ness, and this latter industry is just now receiving attention. The history of Reed Township as well as the city of Braid- wood is so closely connected with the coal industry that they ^cannot be separated.. In 1880, Braidwood had a population of about five thousand. It was perhaps the most important min- ing town in Illinois. Soon after that, coal was taken out in many regions farther south. As they went southward in the State they found veins of coal which were much thicker than at Braidwood. Some of these reached a thickness of eight feet in Franklin County and at Springfield. These heavier veins made it cheaper to lift coal because the miner could take out more in a day. Gradually the industry weakened at Braid- wood. The production decreased from year to year. In 1916, the mine at Godley just a little ways from Braidwood was closed. In 1918, the one at Torino ceased to operate. In both of these villages, a large number of men were thrown out of employment. They removed their families nearer to their 350 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY work, most of them going to Southern Illinois. At this writ- ing, Godley contains perhaps ten houses which are occupied. Torino has been almost entirely abandoned. Only two or three of the houses in the village are occupied and they are almost unfit for use. In 1923, South Wilmington mine was closed down. While this was in another county it has a part in our history because some of the people at Godley, Torino, and Braidwood, found employment in South Wilmington. In 1928, one small mine without a railroad was operated north of Braid- wood. In July of that summer, Skinner Brothers sold the mine to the Northern Illinois Coal Corporation, familiarly spoken of as the "strip mine". This company closed the Skinner mine at once thus throwing out of employment 60 men. Skinner Brothers almost immediately opened up the old mine at South Wilmington where they will give employment to many of those who worked for them in the mine at Braidwood. This brings us to the history of the "strip mine" which has been in operation about four months. The name of the com- pany which operates this mine was given above. It is the latest development for mining coal in Illinois. For three years pre- ceding this summer, they made careful survey of the territory and found that there are thirty-three million tons of coal in Will County. This lies near the surface, from thirty to forty- five and fifty feet below the ground. The new way is to take off the top soil and thus leave the coal exposed. It lies more or less evenly distributed to the depth of three feet. After the top has been taken off the coal is taken up by electric shovels and placed in the cars. The machines which are used to strip off the covering of dirt are the latest and most ponderous electric machinery. One weighs 800 tons. They move forward and backward and are adjusted by means of machinery so that the revolving platform is level and all of this is done by means of electricity. One man operates the entire machine. He is assisted by two oilers and HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 351 two pit men who work below with shovels to help clean up over the coal. This machine is operated for six days without stop- ping, in shifts of eight hours each. It moves forward 300 feet in 24 hours taking off soil for a width of 30 feet exposing three thousand tons of coal ready to be loaded on the cars. On August 10, they took out twelve hundred tons of coal. This has been the average run for a number of weeks. Another ma- chine is being installed which will make the capacity three thou- sand tons a day. All of this machinery is the very latest for operation by electricity. It is impossible to describe the strength of this outfit. One may get some conception of it when he knows that the steel cables which are used in handling the scoop are two inches in diameter. When the coal industry of former years was at its heighth thirty thousand tons a month was a good run. One-hundred and thirty thousand tons a year was a good average. The re- cords tell us that those old mines had a capacity of two-hun- dred thousand tons per year with five-hundred men employed. In this modern way we have one machine which lifts into the cars thirty thousand tons a month with one hundred thirty-five men concerned in the entire operation. The Rossi Macaroni Company manufactures the Lincoln Brand of macaroni and spaghetti. This brand is known for its excellence throughout the United States. The National Journal of the macaroni factories is also published at Braid- wood. The factory employs forty people. The clothing factory employs about thirty giving employ- ment to young men and women who do piece work and acquire skill which enables them to make fifteen, eighteen, and twenty dollars per week. Two grade schools are operated, one in Lower Braidwood where they have two teachers taking care of about sixty chil- dren. When the coal mining industry was at its heigth this school had six rooms with an average attendance of five hun- 352 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY dred. The other school on the East edge of the village employs three teachers in the grades taking care of one hundred chil- dren. This is less than one-fourth of what it was in the gala days for Braidwood. Reed-Custer Township High School is a four year high school with four teachers employed. In 1928, the enrollment was forty-seven. It is a good school rendering service to many who could not go elsewhere. Superintendent Dille has charge of the high school. Troy Township. — Jedediah Woolley, Sr., was one of the earliest settlers of Plainfield, but of that township it could hardly be said that he became a permanent resident, as he removed from it before the land came into market. He, how- ever, lived there some time, and there experienced some of the trials and privations of pioneer life incident to this country at a period prior to 1835. In the year named, he removed to Troy Township, made a claim and settled permanently. His son, Jedediah Woolley, Jr., had already made some improve- ment, having built a saw-mill on the Du Page,, which flows through the township. The saw-mill was completed and in operation by the Fall of 1834. His was the first mill enterprise in Troy, and one of the very first in the county. It was looked upon as a great addition to the industries of the community, and furnished lumber for most of the early buildings in this vicinity. The canal and railroad, though dreamed of, had not been built, and the only commercial communication with the village of Chicago was by means of wagons, and so most of the houses prior to that date were built entirely of logs. A dwell- ing of the character in use in those days would be almost a curiosity now; and, as compared with the fine farm houses and almost palatial residence of Troy and vicinity, would, at least, be considered a novelty. Jedediah Woolley, Jr., was County Surveyor when Will was was a part of Cook County, and surveyed the county. A man HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 353 named Chipman was partner with the younger Woolley in the saw-mill. Chipman was from the State of Ohio. He did not find the country all that he had anticipated, and, after a short residence, he returned to the Buckeye State. Alf ord McGill, a son-in-law of the Elder Woolley, moved to the township at the same time. It was McGill who guided the Knapps and the Tryons of Channahon, to the place of their location, and recommended it as the finest soil in the country. Cary Thornton was a native of Pennsylvania, but had lived in the State of New York prior to coming here, in 1835. At that date, he came West, and attended the land sale and purchased a half -section of land. The next year, 1836, he, with his brother William, moved from New York to the land purchased the year before, each occupying one-half. The location of the land was in the southern part of the township. Cary Thornton removed to the city of Joliet in 1866. Josiah Holden, a brother of Phineas Holden, who settled in New Lenox at an early date, was in the township as early as 1836. He moved away and died many years ago. Dr. Alex- ander McGregor Comstock, whom, from the name we imagine, to have been a Scotchman, came here from New York, about 1837. He moved the city of Joliet and Hied of cholera, during the reign of that fatal plague years ago. He was the first res- ident physician, and a man of much intelligence and of excel- lent attainments. Horace Haff was from the Black River coun- try, of New York, and settled in this township about 1837. By him the township was named West Troy, probably from the city of the same name, near which he had formerly lived. A portion of the name was afterward dropped, leaving it as we now have it. Andrew and Marshall King came to this place from Indiana, and settled in the north part of the township. Andrew died here, October, 1849. Marshall moved to Texas, where he died several years ago. 23— VOL. 1 354 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY After the settlements already mentioned, but few additional were made for some years. The panic of 1837, continuing for several years, put a check upon immigration, and not until the completion of the Canal, which passes through the southeast corner, did the township again grow in population. In several ways, the Canal contributed to the rapid development of this part of the State. The works were pronounced complete in 1848, and boats began to ply along the line. Formerly, grain and produce of all kinds had to be hauled by wagon over bad roads, to the nearest market, which was Chicago, and supplies of groceries and other necessities had to be obtained there by the same means, and, consequently, emigrants looking for homes, located at points where commercial advantages were more convenient. When the Canal was completed, bringing these facilities to this portion of the State, immediately a new impetus was given to the settlement of Troy Township. Again, a number of the laborers on the works being now out of em- ployment, and having saved some of their earnings, located on the adjacent lands. Quite a number of our Irish citizens date their arrival in the township, with the completion of the Can- al. The subject of education has received its share of atten- tion by the Trojans. The first school was taught in a little log structure, erected for that purpose, on Mr. Thornton's place. This was about the year 1836 or 1837, but who was the pioneer educator is not now remembered. The first teacher whose name can be recalled with sufficient distinctness to fix dates, was Miss Rebecca Boardman, who taught here in 1840-41. From this small beginning was developed, in proportion to the development of the country, a system of education in this town- ship, that compares favorably with any township in the county. Though the Gospel was preached at an early date in this township, owing to its proximity to Joliet, and other points HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 355 where churches and all the means of affording religious ad- vantages abound, no church-buildings are to be found here. Bird's Bridge is on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, about five miles south of Joliet. It received its name from a man of the name of Bird, who formerly lived near the bridge, a hundred yards below the place. A grain warehouse and elevator were erected here by H. S. Carpenter, of Joliet, about the year 1867. Grintonville, or Grinton's Mill, is another little hamlet on the Du Page River, five miles from Joliet. It was regularly laid out by Wm. Grinton and called after his name. Mr. Grin- ton was an early settler, and built a mill here about the year 1845. It was a three-story building, with three runs of buhrs. In the early times, when much of the clothing was made at home, and the cloth from which it was cut was spun and woven there, woolen factories or carding machines were common all over the country. Sheep were raised principally for their wool, and nearly all the product was consumed in the neighborhood. Now, a mill for the purpose of making rolls, is a novelty. The wool-picking, the carding, the spinning, the weaving, are all of the past; and even the making of the clothing, though there is a sewing machine in almost every house, is largely done by manufacturers. A factory for the purpose of converting wool into cards preparatory to spinning, was built here by the Mc- Evoys; but for many years it has stood idle, though at one time it did an extensive business. The factory was built about 1848 or 1849. Troy Township made a splendid beginning with the mill at the river. This was one of the very first mill enterprises in Will County and was considered a great advantage to the in- dustries of our county. It furnished lumber for most of the buildings in this vicinity. A store was started and Troy at that time promised to be quite a town with possibilities for being a city. The railroads and the canal passed the village by quite a 356 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY ways off, and the village never increased in size. At the pres- ent time, there are three or four houses which are occupied. There is an oil station and also a large dance hall which is used occasionally. Bird's Bridge was started many years ago when- the Illinois & Michigan canal was an important factor in trans- portation. This is still a good market for grain. The Rock Island Railroad came through and it was possible to ship on that road, hence it has remained to the present day in a pros- perous condition. Grintonville or Grinton's Mill was another little hamlet on the Du Page which made a good start and ended in failure. While no towns or villages have developed in the township, many people find summer residence in cottages along the Du Page River. This is a beautiful stream of water and is a favor- ite resort for hundreds of people each summer. CHAPTER XIII. TOWSNSHIPS CONTINUED. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP— BEECHER— EAGLE LAKE-WESLEY TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP— WHEATLAND PLOWING MATCH— WILL TOWN- SHIP—WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP— CITY OF WILMINGTON— WILTON TOWN- SHIP— WALLINGFORD— WILTON CENTER Washington Township. — This township is situated in the extreme southeastern part of the county, and is the most dis- tant from the county seat of any township, being from its cen- ter, in a direct line from Joliet, twenty-seven miles and by rail not less than thirty-five. Since the division of Reed Township, this is one of the two greatest in area in the county, including within its limits all of Congressional Town 33 north and 14 east, and about one-fourth of Range 15. The township pres- ents more than an ordinary variety of soil and surface, being in some portions quite flat and in others rolling; in some por- tions a deep, rich soil, and in others lacking in this character. It is watered by the small stream which drains Eagle Lake, which also furnishes stock water for the northeastern, central and southwestern parts. Eagle Lake, formerly much larger than at present, covers an area of a quarter of Section 7, and the swamp adjacent, nearly all of this and Section 18. Before the work of draining the lake was begun, hundreds of bushels of cranberries were annually produced and gathered here, but now this industry is destroyed. The Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad passes through the western part, furnishing an outlet for its products and a 357 358 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY means of communication with other parts of the country. Prior to the completion of this line, most of the marketing was hauled direct to Chicago, or shipped by the Illinois Central at Peotone or Monee. Most of the land in this township, being outside of the Illinois Central limits, was sold to original set- tlers or to speculators for $1.25 per acre, and was occupied within a period ending about 1857. The first settler in the township was a man of the name of Jesse Dutcher. But little is known as to whence he came or whither he went; but, in 1851, he was found here occupying some land a couple of miles north of Washington Center. The line running through the Center, and continuing through Crete, and thence to Chicago, with its southern terminus at Vincennes, Ind., was the main traveled road between these two extremes, and was one of the most used thoroughfares in the State. Marketing of all kinds was hauled from Vincennes and all intermediate points by way of this road to Chicago. As a consequence, little settlements sprang up all along the line, and at short distances, houses for the accommodation of the trav- eler and teamster, and for the profit of the owners, were opened. These houses were scarcely deserving of the name of hotel or tavern, but were owned by parties who were opening farms, and having built cabins of more than ordinary size, established this species of lodging-house in connection with their farming operations. Such an establishment was Dutcher keeping at the time remembered by the earliest settler, in 1851, and for two or three years later. How long he had been there, we are unable to say; but those who saw him there at the date named, judging from the looks of his house and other improve- ments, credit him with a half-dozen years' previous residence. Dutcher was also a preacher, and, as now remembered, was of the Methodist persuasion. Along this general highway other habitations sprung up in due time, and the "big-road" settlement was distinct for many HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY 359 miles up and down its course. Among these were John Rose, William Strain and Joseph Maxwell. John Rose was probably the third settler in the township, and is almost entitled to the credit of being the first, as the settlements previously named could scarcely be called permanent. Certain it is that the Rose family is now the oldest family in the bounds of Washington Township. Mr. Rose was a native of Ireland, and came to this part of the country in 1851. He settled on the west side of Sec- tion 3, which, it will be noticed, is near the line of the former "big road." John Rose died in 1858. William Strain was also a native of Ireland. He came to this place in 1852. Joseph Maxwell came from Ohio with T. L. Miller, and still resides here. Philip Nolan was also one of the earliest settlers in this part of the township. Nolan had lived in Chicago a couple of years before removing to this vicinity in 1851. Joseph White was one of the prominent men of the early times in this neigh- borhood, though his residence here was but brief, extending from the year 1854 till about 1858. It was at his house, on the Dutcher farm, that the first township election was held, in 1856; and at this election he was chosen one of the first Justices of the Peace. After the exodus of Dutcher, White installed himself as landlord and farmer, and continued here until 1858, when he removed to Indiana. While these settlements were being made, another, known at the time as "The Settlement," was being made in the north- east corner of the township, in the vicinity of Eagle Lake. Among the first settlers in that neighborhood were Henry Bahlman, Peter Bohse, Andrew Carstensen, Pade Kruse, Char- les Fuller and William Bliss, most of whom have since removed to other places. By 1856, farms were also being opened in the southern and western parts of the township. The Germans, who are now 360 HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY more than half owners of the township, were beginning to ar- rive; and by the year last named, there were about twenty ad- ditional families, among whom are remembered; Rensellaer and Edwin C. Richards, W. and C. Lyon, Joseph Irish, Horace Morrison, William and M. Watkins, Richard Lightbown, Isaiah and Stephen Goodenow, Robert and David Dunbar, John B. Bowes, John Miers, Peter Dohse, H. Spanler, John Tatmire and Aaron and Miles Johnson. The township was yet a part of Crete, and voted and transacted all political business with that precinct. In the year mentioned, however, a move was made toward establishing this as a separate precinct. A peti- tion was prepared and presented to the Board of Supervisors; and no good reason appearing to the contrary, an election for the purpose of organization and for selecting township officers was by them ordered to take place on the 1st Tuesday of April, 1856. As has been stated, the election was held at the house of Joseph White, and the record which is still extant indicates that there were thirty voters present. The oldest organized church in the township is St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, near Eagle Lake. This organization was accomplished in 1850; but, as has already been stated, there were not more than two families resident in Washington Town- ship, and they, as has been intimated being of other belief; in regard to religious matters, it will be surmised that the organi- zation could not have been effected here. The church was at first established a mile north of its present location, in the township of Crete. A building for religious and educational purposes was erected there at the date named, and church and school were kept open there until 1864. Rev. Gustav Pol- lack was the organizer of the enterprise, and was Pastor for fifteen years. In 1864, it having been determined to build a new house of worship, a new location was selected for the same, though school has been kept open at the old site till the present time. ELLIOTT STREET, BEECHER, ILL. ^\CvN\