977.31 
 D699d 
 
 ^[Students of Thornridge High School] 
 Despise Not the Day of Small Beginn- 
 .ings — Po l ton, Illinois. (1960) 
 
'.. .'- . ■■■ 
 
j^ii-a 
 
 DESPISE NOT THE DAY 
 OF SMALL BEGINNINGS - 
 DOLTON, ILLINOIS 
 
DESPISE NOT THE DAY 
 
 OF SMALL BEGINNINGS — 
 
 DOLTON, ILLINOIS 
 
 by 
 
 the following students of Thornridge High School 
 
 Margaret DeBartolo 
 Reno Ghidotti 
 
 Valerie Henrich 
 
 Susan Kulik 
 
 Lenore Ligler 
 Carole Maodush 
 
 Jerry Miller 
 
 Terry Peters 
 
 Bonnie Petrus 
 Sandi Shackleton 
 
 Pat Synovic 
 
 Donna Zych 
 
 Student Co-ordinators 
 
 Lenore Ligler 
 
 Carole Maodush 
 
 Faculty Supervisor 
 Richard A. Cook 
 
 Published through the courtesy of The First National Bank in Dol- 
 ton, and with the cooperation of the Superintendent and admini- 
 stration of Thornridge High School. 
 
 Copyiight 1960 
 
TO 
 RICHARD A. COOK 
 
 For all unselfish efforts, his 
 Trials and tribulations, and 
 For sincere encouragement and 
 Execution of this project, 
 
 This little book is affectionately 
 
 DEDICATED 
 
 — The Dolton Project Group 
 
 'A teacher affects eternity; He can never 
 tell where his influence stops." 
 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PREFACE iv 
 
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v 
 
 Chapter 
 
 I. IN THE BEGINNING 1 
 
 II. GATEWAY TO THE GRAND PRAIRIE 3 
 
 III. A VISION BECOMES A REALITY 11 
 
 EPILOGUE 32 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 33 
 
 <J) 
 
PREFACE 
 
 History is and should be judged on its historical merit. It should 
 leave the reader with comprehension and understanding. However, 
 this is a difficult task to present to every reader. For example, Bene- 
 detto Croce in his History as the Story of Liberty states that: 
 
 Criticism of historical works encounters the same difficulties 
 as the criticism of poetry, or analgous difficulties. Some critics 
 are simply at a loss, with the one as with the other, to know how 
 to take them, and cannot catch the thread which connects them 
 to their own mind; others set upon them with criteria which are 
 extraneous and arbitrary, multiple, electric, or self-contradictory; 
 and only a few judge them honestly by that criterion which alone 
 is in keeping with their character. 
 
 Thus is Despise Not the Day of Small Beginnings — Dolton, Illinois, 
 offered to the reader — for comprehension, understanding, and enjoy- 
 ment. 
 
 I sincerely hope that your enjoyment of this paper equals the en- 
 thusiasm which has been displayed by my students throughout 
 this task — the gathering, collecting, and writing of the original form. 
 It has indeed been a major undertaking for juniors in high school. 
 Certainly, with the limitation of time which was placed upon us, the 
 difficulty in locating correct source material and in compiling that 
 material has been tremendous. Yet they have labored over this pro- 
 ject with a "soul-searching process." The time which they have spent 
 working after school, on Saturdays, and on Sundays cannot be 
 measured. 
 
 By the mere lack of physical time this paper has been limited to 
 a rather brief review of the years 1920-1960. However, the years pre- 
 ceding 1920 are as complete as we could make them — through sour- 
 ces and time. At least one major "historical find" has been brought 
 to light. This concerns the operation of a ferry across the Calumet 
 River in the early days of the 1830's (see page 4). 
 
 Indeed the task has been difficult, but for third year students in 
 high school, I should certainly say that it has been done well and 
 that the community can be justly proud of its youth-^its greatest 
 asset. 
 
 Richard A. Cook 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
 
 After completing a paper, it is the proper task of the writer to thank 
 those persons who gave their time and invaluable assistance in 
 making the final manuscript a reality. First and foremost, I should 
 like to bestow my deepest appreciation to Mr. Glenn C. Schuermann, 
 Thornton Township High School English teacher and Chairman of 
 the Speech and Drama Committee, who painstakingly gave of his 
 time and knowledge to make this final copy possible. Without his 
 assistance it is doubtful that this paper could have been finished. 
 Secondly, and not necessarily in importance, I should like to thank 
 Miss Janice Berth, Thornridge High School English teacher, for her 
 invaluable aid in reading four separate manuscript copies and check- 
 ing them for correct grammatical form. It indeed was a task well done. 
 
 Certainly it would not be possible to measure our appreciation and 
 thanks to the manuscript typists. Mr. Richard L. Balstrode and Mr. 
 Stanley M. Clauson, who gave of their time and spent many weary 
 nights with us in typing the final copies. Both Mr. Balstrode and Mr. 
 Clauson are also Thornridge High School business teachers. 
 
 There are also other individuals and parties which should be 
 recognized. In any event, the parents of the students involved should 
 be thanked for their patience and cooperation while this paper was 
 being compiled and especially during its final stages when many of 
 them barely saw their sons or daughters because they were at school 
 such a great part of the time. This teacher would also like to espec- 
 ially thank two students working on this project, Miss Lenore Ligler 
 and Miss Carole Maodush, who as student co-ordinators spent far 
 more time than they should have on this project. Indeed my personal 
 thanks is extended to them. 
 
 The residents of Dolton and the surrounding area have also been 
 extremely co-operative in assisting us in the gathering of information. 
 The local newspapers have also been co-operative, as was the staff at 
 the Pullman Public Library and the staff of the Chicago Historical 
 Society. 
 
 Lastly, I should personally like to thank my classes whom I have 
 perhaps neglected in trying to finish the final manuscript. I am sure, 
 however, that they did not mind too terribly the "respite" from their 
 regular homework assignments. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 IN THE BEGINNING 
 
 In the beginning the world was created, and for billions of years 
 water covered the earth. Then, with reptitious mighty surges the earth 
 guaked, the waters swirled, and the lands were lifted up and depths 
 were created; thus hemispheres and oceans came into being. Later, 
 ice covered parts of the land, and glaciers were formed. The ice 
 melted, and the glaciers moved. "During the Glacial period the ice 
 sheet advanced into the United States five times. At least three of 
 these invasions — the Illinoisan, Iowan, and Wisconsin — reached far 
 into Illinois, and each produced profound changes in the surface and 
 soils of the state."f As the North American ice sheet passed over the 
 region known today as Calumet, it left great deposits of sand, clay, 
 and alluvium soil. These deposits would be valuable for buildina 
 purposes, for drainage tile, pottery, and road-making materials. It 
 would be wide and spacious for population and manufacturing. The 
 soil would be rich for agriculture. It would be firm for builders of rail- 
 roads. The soil of Illinois was waiting for man. When man did come 
 he would find that the wealth of Illinois would be in her soil and that 
 her strength would come from its intelligent development. 
 
 Before 1673 the Calumet reaion was occupied exclusively by the 
 Illinois Indians, who called "themselves the 'Illini,' meaning 'men/ 
 The name Illinois, derived from the Indian name, was first applied 
 to the tribe, then to the region in which the Illini lived."$ Later, the 
 Calumet region became the home of the Potawatami Indians around 
 1675. These Indians were also known as the Miamais [sic] or the 
 Canoe Indians because they always traveled or attacked bv canoes. it 
 The Potawatamis held the Calumet area until approximately 1760 
 when they were crowded out of the lake area by other Indian tribes. 
 Moving southward, the Potawatamis met other Illinois tribes alonq 
 the southern end of Lake Michigan about as far as Michigan Citv, 
 Indiana. After many wars the Illinois tribes were finally driven south- 
 west bv the Potawatamis to an area which is now known as the 
 Starved Rock State Park. However, peace did not come to the Potawa- 
 tamis' camp. In a flurry of war hvsteria, the Potawatamis fought the 
 Winnebagos, a tribe which was north of them. It seems that after 
 one of the many battles, about eight hundred warriors from. *>ach 
 tribe which had been involved in the attack aqreed to meet and "fight 
 it out" startinq on the hiqh ridae north of Bine Island. The Potawa- 
 tamis drove their enemv north, almost to the Wisconsin border, when 
 the tide of battle turned and thev were driven back. The Potawatamis 
 made their final stand in what is now known as Thornton's Woods. All 
 but four warriors were killed. It is interesting to note that of the four 
 
 fDouglas C. Ridglev, The Geography of Illinois (Chicago: The University of Chi- 
 caao Press, 1921,) p. 1. 
 tlbid. 
 ^"Indians of this Region," a typewritten paper by Ernest S. Diekman, 1939. 
 
that survived the attack, two were Potawatamis and two were Winne- 
 bagos. It was at this time that both tribes agreed to peace terms by 
 establishing a marginal line called the Indian Boundary Line # § thus 
 forming a territorial barrier to stop hostilities of the adjoining tribes. §§ 
 
 Following the Indian Boundary Line agreement, the Potawatamis 
 returned to their daily tasks of hunting, fishing, and farming. "From 
 the standpoint of the Indian who depended mainly on the results of 
 the chase for food and clothing, the Illinois country was fully populated 
 by his people."§§§ However, as seen by the early French explorers, 
 loliet and Marquette, "the Illinois country with its level surface, fer- 
 tile soil, and favorable climate was capable of supporting many times 
 the population found among the Indian inhabitants."* Hence, the 
 procession of tne white man into the Illinois country was continuous 
 and rapid. 
 
 Various stages marked the process of taking possession of the 
 Illinois country as well as the Calumet region. 
 
 The explorer was followed by the fur-trader; then came the 
 "hunter pioneer," who competed directly with the Indian for 
 occupation of the land. He was followed by the "first settler," 
 who depended somewhat more on agriculture than did the hunter 
 pioneer. The "permanent settler" then came to improve the land 
 and to establish a home for his own and succeeding genera 
 tions.** 
 
 In 1673 when Joliet and Marquette arrived in the area now known 
 as Cook County, they claimed the region for France. Cook County, as 
 well as all of the Illinois country, remained a French territorial pos- 
 session until 1763 when France was defeated by the English in the 
 French Indian War. England possessed the territory and governed 
 until the American Revolution, after which it was ceded to the United 
 States in 1783. Under the "Land Ordinance of 1785" the land north of 
 the Ohio River, called the Northwest Territory, was divided into town- 
 ships six miles square. However, two years later the "Northwest Or- 
 dinance of 1787" provided for the governmental administration of the 
 territory north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi with the pro- 
 vision that not more than five states should be made out of the terri- 
 tory By 1810 the Illinois territory was receiving the American settlers, 
 and by 1818 Illinois was admitted to the Union as a state. From Ohio 
 to the Great Lakes the settlers continued to come, and new cities sud- 
 denly burst forth. The largest of these Lake cities was Chicago. It 
 was incorporated only as a village in 1833, but within another few 
 years, Chicago became a booming community, and the surrounding 
 prairie was settled.f 
 
 §This line was used in the description of many deeds in Cook County and Cal- 
 umet region. 
 
 §§Op. cit., Diekman. 
 
 §§§Op. cit., Ridgley, p. 129. 
 
 *Ibid. 
 
 **Ibid., p. 135. 
 
 f Henry Graff and John A. Krout, The Adventure of the American People (Chicago: 
 Rand McNally and Company, 1959), pp. 130, 132, 235. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 GATEWAY TO THE GRAND PRAIRIE 
 
 Chicago was "a dirty village of twenty hamlets"$ in 1834,$$ but 
 more important, it was the gateway to the rich farmland of the Illi- 
 nois Valley, and ultimately it would be the gateway for the produce 
 of that Valley. By 1835 Lake Michigan and the Illinois River had be- 
 come important navigable waterways and from the boats which oper- 
 ated on them there came a flood of pioneer settlers who swept into 
 the unoccupied portions of the Valley, occupying first woodland 
 and later the prairie. 
 
 The prairies of Illinois aroused the wonder of all early travelers. 
 They were generally shunned by the first comers for several rea- 
 sons: (1) Absence of trees was thought to mean that they were in- 
 fertile. (2) Timber was imperatively needed for buildings, fences, 
 and fuel. (3) They did not afford running water for stock or mills, 
 while lack of fuel left steam mills out of the guestion. (4) There 
 was no protection from the bitter winds of winter, which, above 
 all else, made that season disagreeable. Men and cattle had even 
 been known to perish in storms on the open prairie. (5) To the 
 farmer, the prairies with their tough sod and matted roots cons- 
 tituted a new and altogether unknown problem.$$$ 
 
 Therefore, not all of the emigrants moved very far into the Illinois 
 Valley. Some settled near the southern end of Lake Michiqan. One of 
 these early pioneers, a traveling hunter named J. Clark Matthews 
 was the first white settler on record* to purchase land from the Ind- 
 ians. He lived along the Little Calumet River and in 1832 was the first 
 pioneer to establish a homestead in the area which is now called 
 Dolton.** By 1833, "according to Andreas' History of Chicago, there 
 were but seven families living in what is now Dolton. In 1833 the 
 treaty with the Indians was concluded, and in 1833 a land office was 
 opened...."*** 
 
 Sometime after I. Clark Matthews had established his homestead, 
 he "took the job of operating a ferry for the State of Illinois. He charged 
 the following fees: Double Wagon — 25c, Each person — lc, Horse, 
 
 $Op. cit., Ridgley, p. 145, quoting Geography of the Middle Illinois Valley. 
 
 J$The County of Cook had been established three years before in 1831. This Is 
 Thornton Township (League of Women Voters, 1952), p. 4. 
 tttOp. cit., Ridgley. 
 
 *U.S.., General Land Office, Deed of Sale, John Tyler, President of the United States., 
 between Joseph Matthews, May 20, 1841. 
 
 ** Thomas F. Kinney, "Waterway, Tavern, and Trail Are Responsible for River- 
 dale Dolton Growth, "Calumet Waterway Victory Celebration, (September 8, 1935), 
 p. 24. 
 
 ***Isabella Dolton, "The Early History of Dolton. Illinois." This is a term paper 
 written by Miss Dolton for a sociology class and will hereafter be referred to as the 
 "Dolton Papers." There were no page numbers and the date the history was written 
 was not given. 
 
 3 
 
mule — 2c, Head of cattle all other animals — lc."§ Matthews continued 
 the daily operation of his ferryboat for a few years after 1833, and 
 with each passing year, evidently to Matthew's disgust, new fam- 
 ilies continued to arrive.§§ 
 
 One day in early March, 1837, a man by the name of George Dol- 
 ton arrived with his family. He immediately established a homestead 
 in the area. With the arrival of the Doltons, a new era of Dolton his- 
 tory was ushered in. For that story the scene must be changed from 
 the prairie land of Illinois to an ocean vessel bound for the port of 
 New York in the late eighteenth century. 
 
 The earliest record of the Dolton family appears in the late 1700's 
 when "Grandfather"! Dolton died on an ocean voyage to America.tt 
 He had come from Kluckham, Germany, with his wife. Six weeks after 
 "Grandmother" Dolton arrived in America, the Dolton's first son 
 George (1797-1861) was born on June 11 in Baltimore, Maryland. From 
 Baltimore the widowed mother and her son traveled to New Orleans, 
 Louisiana, where she married again* Following her marriage, little 
 is known of "Grandmother" Dolton and her son except that they 
 lived at Natchez and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and that at the age of 
 six, George, a precocious child, served as an interpreter for the Eng- 
 lish, German, and French immigrants who traveled the Mississippi 
 waterway on riverboats. When "Grandmother" Dolton died (1809), 
 
 §League of Women Voters, Spotlight on Riverdale, (Riverdale, Illinois, 1958), p. 2. 
 §§The authors disagree with information which concerns the operation of a ferry- 
 boat by a J. Clark Matthews as cited in Spotlight on Riverdale, The League of Women 
 Voters of Riverdale, 1958, p. 2, and in This Is Thornton Township, (A Book of Facts 
 About Local Government), The League of Women Voters of Thornton Township, 1952, 
 p. 5. 
 
 The original records of George Dolton do not mention the operation of a ferry- 
 boat by a J. Clark Matthews prior to George Dolton's arrival in 1837. However, 
 George Dolton did make an agreement with a V. Matthews to build a ferry across 
 the Calumet in 1837. the following is a copy of that agreement: 
 
 An article of agreement made between V. Matthew and George Dolton concern- 
 ing the improvement of the within described clames witneseth that the said Vin- 
 cent and George agrees to go on immediately and prepair a place for a ferry on 
 the within described clames across the Calumet River on the present conti- 
 plated River from Liverpool to Chicago by way of said clame to Chicago - and 
 also build a boat for the said purpose of said purpose of said above parties. The said 
 parties further agree to hold the said clames until the lands sell, unless sold by 
 the consent of both parties as witneseth our hands. 
 
 Chicago, Jan. 17th, 1837 Vincent Matthews 
 
 George Dolton* 
 However, since there is some discrepancy in source material, the authors have 
 included the description of the J. Clark Matthew ferryboat operation for the purpose 
 of maintaining seguence in the narrative. 
 
 * Chicago Communities (History of Riverdale Community, Chicago). Vol 6. Doc- 
 ument No. 6, pp. 7-8. Prepared for Chicago Historical Society, research committee. 
 University of Chicago. Source: Taken from the typewritten files of Miss Isabella 
 Dolton. 
 
 fThere is no known record of the "first" Dolton's name, nor that of his wife. 
 ffThe sources for the material in this paragraph were obtained by the authors 
 from scraps of paper in books of the private library of Isabella Dolton in the Dolton 
 home. These notes were apparently written by either Isabella or Edith Dolton, the 
 great-granddaughters of George Dolton. This material will be referred to hereafter as 
 the "Dolton Notes." 
 
 * "Grandmother" Dolton's second husband's name or occupation is unknown. 
 
George was placed in a foster home of a tailor in Jackson, Missis- 
 sippi, to learn the trade. For twelve years George served as an ap- 
 prentice. In 1822 George moved to Marysville, Kentucky, and shortly 
 thereafter he journeyed to Cincinnati and then to Delaware, Ohio. 
 In the spring of 1822 he opened his own tailor shop, and by mid-July 
 he had married Catherine Harter (1792-1844) of Northumberland Coun- 
 ty, Pennsylvania.** Soon after their marriage, the George Doltons 
 moved to Columbus, Ohio. By August, 1834, filled with wanderlust, 
 George and his wife migrated Westward, going first to Galena, Illi- 
 nois and then backtracked to Chicago and arrived on the sixth day 
 of October in 1835.*** 
 
 Apparently George Dolton didn't think that Chicago was "much 
 of a town."§ From the writings of Isabella Dolton, it was discovered 
 that: 
 
 ...there was serious question by the pioneers, including George 
 Dolton, as to whether the city could grow up in such an unfavor- 
 able location.. ..The region was too muddy ever to become an 
 important trade center;.. .it was too far north to be convenient for 
 people on their way to the far West... .He was also convinced 
 that the mouth of the Chicago River was not favorable for ship- 
 ping. For these reasons Mr. George Dolton went southward to the 
 Calumet River region.. ..Perhaps the possibility of acquiring more 
 government land was also a factor for leaving Chicago, for 
 George Dolton had been dealing in land for some time before 
 coming to Chicago. § 
 
 It may be assumed, however, that another reason George Dolton 
 left Chicago was the financial panic of 1837 which forced him to sell 
 out most of his real estate. §§ 
 
 So on March 7 George Dolton packed his possessions in the old 
 covered wagon which had carried his family — now increased by 
 three children — and George's Uncle Benjamin from Ohio to Illinois. 
 George Dolton drove a team of four oxen to a site approximately 
 where 134th Street crosses Indiana Avenue. There George built a 
 temporary home, since the permanent homestead was begun but 
 not yet ready. A short time later the Doltons moved into their new 
 home and began farming on the 160 acres which Mr. Dolton had pur- 
 chased from a Vincent Matthews. §§§ Here he also built a tavern, 
 
 **The Delaware Gazette. Delaware. Ohio. July 17, 1822, "At Radner, by the Rev. 
 J. Davies, in the eleventh inst., Mr. George Dolton, taylor, was married to Miss Cath- 
 erine Harter." 
 
 ***Op. cit., "Dolton Notes." 
 $Op. cit., Dolton Papers." 
 
 $Ibid. 
 
 §§Ibid. 
 
 §§§George Dolton, recognizing the potential value of a village at the intersection 
 of an old Indian and pioneer trail and navigable waterway, bought the 160 acre 
 farm located in "the southwest guarter of Section 34, range 14, east from the princ- 
 iple meridian, township 37 north from Vincent Matthews for $200. on December 
 27, 1837. (This information was obtained from the files of Isabella Dolton.) 
 
 There is no information on record to indicate that Vincent Matthews was related 
 to J. Clark Matthews who supposedly operated a ferryboat in the Dolton area. 
 
hotel, and stable for the convenience of travelers and their animals 
 who would use the toll bridge that was to be built later.t On this site, 
 which now includes the villages of Riverdale and Dolton, George and 
 his family spent their remaining years. 
 
 From 1837 George Dolton and Vincent Matthews engaged in sev- 
 eral land operations and continued the operation of their ferryboat 
 until 1841 when an act of the legislature gave permission to "George 
 Dolton, his associates and assigns" to build and maintain a toll 
 bridge.* The following information is a copy of the original act: 
 
 An Act to authorize the building of a toll draw bridge achofs 
 the Calumet River. 
 
 Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois rep- 
 resented in the General Assembly That George Dolton his associ- 
 ates and aj signs are here by authorised to build a toll draw 
 Bridge acrofs the Calumet River in the County of Cook in the 
 State of Illinois on the South west quarter of section thirty four 
 in township thirty seven North of range fourteen East of the third 
 principal meridian. Provided the said Dolton shall be the owner 
 of the said quarter section, and Provided said Bridge shall not 
 impede the navigation of said River. 
 
 Section 2. The rates of toll for pafsing over said Bridge shall be 
 as follows: for every double waggon, carriage, or vehicle, or 
 horse and rider, the sum of twelve and a half cents; for each horse, 
 mule, afs, or head of meat cattle, the sum of two cents and for 
 each head of hogs, sheep, goats or other animals not enumerated, 
 the sum of one cent. 
 
 Section 3. The said Bridge shall be commenced and completed 
 within Eighteen months from and after the pafsage of this act, 
 and shall at all times be kept in good repair so as to admit of a 
 safe pafsage of all persons and their property over it on the 
 payment of the toll herein specified. 
 
 Section 4. That in case the said Bridge shall be destroyed by 
 high water, fire, or other casualty, it shall not create a forfeiture 
 of the rights conferred by this act, but one year shall be allowed 
 for the re-erection thereof, after the happening of said casualties. 
 Section 5. This act and the powers therein granted shall be and 
 remain in force for the period of twenty years from and after its 
 pafsage. 
 
 M. L. D. Ewing 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives 
 approved Feb 17th 
 1841 Tho. Carlin 
 
 State of Illinois S. H. Anderson 
 
 Office of Sec. of State Speaker of the Senate 
 
 I Lyman Trumbull 
 Secretary of state do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true 
 
 fOp. cit., "Dolton Papers. 
 *Ibid. 
 
and perfect copy of the Enrolled law on file in my office. 
 
 Witnefs my hand & the 
 Seal of State. 
 Springfield March 4, 1841.$ 
 
 There is an amusing incident, which was told to the authors by 
 Mrs. Leonora Dolton, that concerned the toll bridge and its speci- 
 fied rates of toll. On October 6, 1841, George Dolton had taken as 
 his bridge associate a Mr. Ousterhout. Ousterhout had evidently 
 made an agreement to charge one Crane and Company Circus spec- 
 ial rates to cross the bridge. However, when the circus arrived, it was 
 discovered that the circus had an elephant which weighed several 
 tons. Since the toll rates did not specify the charge for an elephant, 
 the huge animal was permitted to cross the bridge for one cent! Mrs. 
 Dolton commented that the elephant "was the biggest bargain ever 
 to cross the bridge."! $ 
 
 Crossing charges were in effect on the toll bridge until 1856 when 
 it was purchased by Cook County and made free. 
 
 With the established operation of the toll bridge, George Dolton 
 and other early settlers must have envisioned that the village of Dol- 
 ton would someday become a very enterprising community, for they 
 had noted with speculative interest during the late 1840's and early 
 1850's that the population of "Calumet Junction" § had increased since 
 the village was first settled in 1837.§§ For example, when the Doltons 
 arrived, they were the second family to settle in the region. In 1839 
 Jonathan Perriam and his wife joined the pioneers, and Perriam built 
 a lonely outpost of a cabin which had just three buildings§§§ between 
 it and Chicago. Then between 1840 and 1846, the Matthews, first 
 settlers, Doltons, and Perriams were joined by other pioneers which 
 included the families of Sherman, Ousterhout, Osterhagen, and Con- 
 rad Zimmer who opened the first store.t Some of the new neighbors 
 "were too much for Matthews, who told his friend Jonathan Perriam 
 that he was going to clear out to the west where [he] could breathe 
 more freely, 'the neighbors are getting too blamed thick along the 
 river."tt 
 
 By 1850, because of the economic instability and political unrest in 
 Europe, many Germans and Hollanders emigrated to the United 
 States. Some of these families settled in the Little Calumet country. 
 The names of some of these homesteaders are Homeier, Bachman, 
 Berges, Reich, Rau, Schmidt, Fadtke, Propper, Diekman, Meyer and 
 Waterman, ttt 
 
 Illinois, An Act to Authorize the Building of a Toll Bridge Across the Calumet 
 River, between George Dolton and the State. February 17, 1841. 
 
 $$Interview with Mrs. Leonora Dolton, March 12, I960. 
 
 §In the 1840's, 50's, and early GO's, Dolton was also known as Calumet Junction. 
 §§Although other sources have listed such dates as 1833, 1835, etc., as the settle- 
 ment of Dolton, the authors have decided upon 1837 as the actual date of settle- 
 ment, beause it was in this year that George Dolton actually arrived in the area. 
 Through research, the authors have found that George Dolton was the second man 
 to arrive in the area in 1837. and not as Andreas' History of Chicago states, that 
 there were seven families in 1833. 
 
 §§§The Pointer, November 21. 1957. The three other buildings were the 11 -mile 
 house, a tavern, and another tavern at 34th and Cottage Grove. 
 
 fOp. cit.. This Is Thornton Township, p. 4. 
 
 tfOp. cit., '"Dolton Papers." 
 
 ftfOp. cit.. This is Thornton Township, p. 5. 
 
Arriving during the 1860's and 70's were the Dillner, Krueger, Ehlert, 
 Engel, Werner, Neidow, Petersen, Dickelman, and Haas families. 
 Others who arrived during the same period were the Lund, Tichnor, 
 Harter, Trapp, and Neff families. Most of these families came from 
 Pomerania and Germany.* 
 
 By 1866 there were so many newcomers at "Dolton's Station"** that 
 it was necessary to open a post office. On February 27, 1866, An- 
 drew Dolton, George Dolton's eldest son, was commissioned to serve 
 as postmaster by William Dennison, then the Postmaster General of 
 the United States.*** The post office was in Mr. Dolton's home, and 
 the people came there from Dolton, Riverdale, and Sandridge for 
 their mail. The "office" was a walnut case with tin boxes.t 
 
 Because of the continued growth^ of Dolton's population, some 
 form of government was necessary. Nineteen years after Cook County 
 was created in 1831, Thornton Township was plotted (1850). "Thorn- 
 ton Township's first officers were: Andrew Dolton, Supervisor 1850-52; 
 Stephen Crary, Clerk 1850-55; A. G. Stewart, Collector 1850-51; Elisha 
 Young, Assessor 1850-53; Stephen Spoor and John Milsted, Justices 
 of the Peace, 1850."§ 
 
 As the little village of Dolton went through the early stages of ec- 
 onomic, political, social, and physical expansion, it was obvious to 
 George Dolton's sons, who then owned most of the Dolton area, that 
 they ought to plot and survey their land for real estate speculation. 
 The Dolton brothers engaged Mr. Alexander Wolcott to survey their 
 land in March 1868. The plot comprised Park and Lincoln Avenues to 
 Washington Street. A second plot was made on October 13, 1869 for 
 Andrew H., Charles H., and Henry B. Dolton by George E. Dolton. The 
 plot consisted of the W.Vfe of S.W.Vi of Section 34 — a part of the 
 original homestead tract. Another plot was made by George E. Dol- 
 ton in March, 1870.§§ By this time the village of Dolton had thirty-five 
 sides of irregular shapes that were confined to an area of nine sguare 
 miles. §§§ 
 
 In 1868 when the Dolton brothers — Andrew, Charles, and Henry — 
 plotted their land, they may have done it with the vision of Dolton's 
 future growth. However, since their father had a habit of "recording 
 nearly everything on paper,"f it is very probable that they took a 
 
 *Ibid. 
 
 **Op. cit.. "Dolton Notes." Dolton's Station was also called "Dolton Junction' and 
 "Calumet Junction" before 1870. The authors assume this because these addresses 
 were found on some old nvelopes which were addressed to George Dolton. 
 
 ***Some readers may be interested to know that on the original document of the 
 postmastership commission, th name of Andrew Dolton as well as the Station is 
 spelled as follows: "Dolten." 
 
 $This walnut case "office" is still in existence today. It is located in the Dolton 
 Home on Lincoln. Avenue and is the property of the Village Library Corporation. 
 (Our own source.) 
 
 $$The population of Dolton in 1880 was 448; in 1890, 1,110; and in 1900, 1,229. 
 The followinq estimates of population were made by Mrs. R. Pebworth of River- 
 dale in an interview February 24, 1960. In 1920 Dolton's population was estimated 
 by Mrs. Pebworth to be 2,176; in 1930, 2,923; and in 1940, 3,068; <m increase of 5 
 per cent. In 1950 the population had risen to 5,556, and by 1959, the population had 
 reached 17,469. 
 
 §Op. cit.. This Is Thornton Township, p. 4. 
 
 §§Op. cit., Chicago Communities, Document 6, p. 25. 
 
 §§§Hammond Times, September 11, 1939. 
 
 fOp. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 
clue from a letter written by a Mr. A. W. Spies to their father in 
 August, 1850. The letter follows: 
 
 New York 
 Mr. George Dolton Aug. 20, 1850 
 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 ...I think something can be made of the Calumet River by good 
 management. The Calumet is a larger River than the Chicago, a con- 
 siderable Town could be placed at and about the bridge and all along 
 the shore up to Blue Island. You perceive the sand is taken from your 
 neighborhood, almost up to Chicago. Chicago itself in its business 
 part is only four feet above the River to the middle of the streets, 
 where as our land will admit of deep cellars. 
 
 The Calumet River in its long length will be a safe harbor and I 
 think must at its mouth be more capacious than the Chicago River, 
 and being nearer the extreme head of the lakes is better placed than 
 the Chicago. , 
 
 The mouth of the river once improved a city must spring up on 
 its banks. Perhaps if some inducement were offered to the Railroad 
 Company, a depot would be found at the bridges of the Calumet. 
 
 That bend of the Calumet is convenient for manufacturing purposes. 
 To awaken the inhabitants of Blue Island to the necessity of improv- 
 ing the Calumet so as to permit itself to come up, would bring in an 
 interest that would benefit the entire sections. A line drawn east and 
 west from Blue Island just cuts the South end of the lake, and a cut- 
 off could be made here advantageously and cheaper dockage and 
 less cost in freight on heavy goods from the docks of the Calumet. 
 
 ...I write to you with great frankness and without fear. I know also 
 you Western gents call all Eastern men speculators and think we 
 have no business in land, but I found not one man around you but 
 was a speculator to the last dollar he could spare. 
 
 If you are willing to work with me, and by that means help your- 
 self without speculation on me, I am anxious to have your aid for 
 the reason that you own much land in the neighborhood. 
 
 If you do not see your own interest in it, then do not trouble our 
 head about it. 
 
 I am thus frank because I wrote to you once about my land and 
 got a very indifferent answer, but from others less particular than 
 yourself, I got all the information I wanted, and having been on the 
 land I have seen every adjoining owner, and understand all the 
 capabilities of the land egually if not better than most of them, and 
 believing you to be able and intelligent and vour interest bema the 
 same as mine, we can if you will work together for mutual interest 
 and we may by our peculiar influence help each other. 
 
 But if it is going to be any trouble to you or you think by entering 
 fully into my views you are going to aive me more than a "Quid Pro 
 Quo" you need not trouble yourself about the matter. 
 
In proper time I am going to use the land and not sell it unless we 
 should make Town plots at some future day. 
 
 But I think there is something in these crude suggestions now 
 frankly thrown out and worth your thinking about and acting upon. At 
 your leisure be happy to hear from you. I intend to write soon to 
 Osterhoudt and some others and will leave some portions of the land 
 for cultivatin. 
 
 Make my respects to your good wife. 
 
 Remain Respectfully, Yours, 
 A. W. Spies 
 
 P. S. 
 
 You must not take any offence at my direct way of talking. I write 
 to be understood. 
 
 In going from Schnectedy to Saratoga we got upset out of a wagon 
 at eleven at night, and my wife was much hurt, but no bones broken. 
 
 The same accident could not well happen in your neighborhood 
 because you have no ugly hills. I am not yet quite recovered from 
 fall. 
 
 Yours, 
 
 A. W. S.* 
 
 If George Dolton and some of his early pioneer friends had lived 
 to 1890, they would have been pleased to see how well the Dolton 
 brothers had carried the "vision" of their father into reality. In ad- 
 dition, A. W. Spies would have been pleased to see how his "crude 
 suggestions... were worth... thinking about and acting upon."** In- 
 deed, Dolton had become a very enterprising community by the turn 
 of the century as a result of the working and planning of all who fol- 
 lowed in the footsteps of such foresighted pioneers. 
 
 *Op. cit., Chicago Communities, Document 6, pp. 17-19. 
 **Op. cit., quoting Spies' letter. 
 
 10 
 
CHAPTER in 
 A VISION BECOMES A REALITY 
 
 By 1892 Dolton had grown to such an extent that the village lead- 
 ers took formal steps to organize and incorporate Dolton as a village. 
 Carl Neidow and others signed a petition on December 12, 1892, 
 to call for an election to vote on the prospects of organizing the vil- 
 lage under the "Act to provide for the incorporation of Cities and 
 Villages/'! On December 28, a Cook County judge ordered that an 
 election be held at Lund's Hall in Dolton. Carl Neidow, Henry Dillner, 
 and Z. A. Neff were to serve as election judges. As a result of the 
 election, one-hundred thirty ballots were cast, and the proposition to 
 create a Village of Dolton was passed. The village was legally in- 
 corporated as such on December 30, 1892.$$ Thereafter on January 
 28, 1893, the County Judge called for the election of village officers, 
 and the following men were elected to serve the village: M. Robert 
 Weidner, President; Henry J. Dillner, Trustee; Carl Neidow, Trustee; 
 Charles C. Schnoor, Trustee; Milton H. Jennes, Clerk; and Henry 
 Mohr, who served as the first Treasurer. With the election of the first 
 village officers and the recording of the village charter on March 9, 
 1893, the formal organization of the Village of Dolton was complete. 
 
 The primary reason for the incorporation of Dolton as a village 
 was its population growth — caused by the influx in the area due to 
 railroads, agriculture, industries, and business places. 
 
 Railroads have played a very important part in the development 
 of Dolton. It was natural that Dolton should become a railroad center 
 because of its geographical location in regard to Chicago. Further- 
 more, the railroads in turn stimulated the growth of industries and 
 agricultural products. 
 
 Among some of the first railroads which were built in and around 
 Dolton were the Illinois Central built in 1851, the Chicago and Great 
 Eastern in 1865, and the Western Indiana and the PCC & St. L. (Pan- 
 handle) in the 1870's. Others were the B & OC Terminal, under the 
 name of the Chicago and Calumet Terminal, and the Chicago and 
 Western Indiana, which were routed through the town in the 1880's. 
 Still other railways which were built into Dolton were Indiana Har- 
 bor Belt, Pennsylvania, Chicago and Eastern Illinois, Pittsburgh, Cin- 
 cinnati and St. Louis, Columbus Chicaqo, Pere Marquette, CCC & St. 
 L. (Big Four), and the Belt Railway of Chicago.* However, the growth 
 and expansion of the railroads through Dolton met with opposition. 
 Residents of the area did not want the trains disturbing the country- 
 side at night, nor did they want the trains frightening their stock.** 
 
 tThe Revised Ordinances of the Village of Dolton, (Chicago: Barnard and Miller, 
 Printers, 1907), p. 3. 
 t$Ibid. 
 
 *Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 
 ••ibid. i;!; 
 
 11 
 
One elderly resident of Dolton, "Grandma" Berger, opposed the rail- 
 road coming so close to her land. She brought her rocking chair and 
 knitting to the place where the railroads intended to build and rocked 
 away on the proposed right-of-way. After much persuading by the 
 railroad men, she still refused to budge from her spot. The railroad 
 men were instructed to proceed and to work around the obstinate 
 pioneer but to be careful not to touch her.*** 
 
 Of the many railroads in Dolton, the first line recorded was the 
 Pennsylvania, which in 1869 was leased to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, 
 and St. Louis Railway Company and operated under the name of the 
 Columbus, Chicago, and Illinois Central between Bradford, Ohio, and 
 Chicago. 
 
 The sons of George Dolton, § the original founder, also played an 
 important part in the development of the railroads. The three brothers 
 donated or gave the right-of-way to the Chicago and Calumet Ter- 
 minal Railway to build on their properties. However, the railway had 
 to meet certain stipulations. First, it had to go by the south part of 
 Andrew Dolton's orchard, and secondly, at least one train had to 
 run through Dolton daily. §§ 
 
 With the expansion of the railroads and even the establishment of 
 railroad yards in Dolton, the years saw a corresponding increase in 
 population — primarily Irish Catholics. The Chicago and Eastern Illi- 
 nois Railway, however, had a train called the "Bo-Jack," which car- 
 ried workers who lived in Chicago to and from the yards in Dolton. §§§ 
 
 The railroads which ran through Dolton also affected the indus- 
 tries and agriculture which developed in the region. It was natural 
 that Dolton should become a market-garden center for Chicago and 
 that the railroad which ran through the town should serve as a pro- 
 duce carrier. 
 
 From its earliest days, according to Miss Isabella Dolton, Dolton 
 and the surrounding territory were agricultural. Hay and grain were 
 the major crops in the earliest times. Then as Chicago grew, a food 
 supply was needed for its population, and thus Dolton grew as a 
 major produce center.f During the Civil War, for example, much food 
 was furnished for the Union soldiers at Camp Douglas in Chicago. 
 
 By the late 1880's and 1890's potatoes, asparagus, sauerkraut, onions, 
 sugar beets, egg plants, lima beans, and hay and grain were the 
 major crops. In the northern part of Dolton, which was originally a 
 wooded area, orchards were predominant. These crops were then 
 either processed by the local industries of Dolton or else marketed 
 to Chicago. It was a familiar sight to see wagons leave Dolton early 
 in the morning and return late in the evening. Other crops were 
 
 ***ibid. 
 
 §Andrew, Charles, and Henry Dolton were the three sons of George and Cath- 
 erine Dolton. 
 
 §§Illinois, Cook ounty. Warranty Deed, Charles H. Dolton and wife to the Chi- 
 caqo and Calumet Terminal Railway, 1890. 
 §§§Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 flbid. 
 
 .*The only known soldier from Dolton who was killed in the Civil War was Mr. 
 William Berger. He was killed in either the Battle of Fredericksburg or the Battle 
 of Gettysburg. Citing Serbus, p. 3. 
 **Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 
 12 
 
shipped by the "Panhandle" Railroad, which carried produce in a 
 car attached to the passenger train called the "Dummy."** 
 
 The development of agriculture also stimulated to a large extent 
 many of the early industries of Dolton — especially the packing and 
 canning industries. 
 
 From 1835 to 1878 there were only two industries in the area of Dol- 
 ton — a distilling company and a lumber company. The first of these, 
 the Chicago and Riverdale Distilling Company, was located on the 
 south side of the Calumet River at Indiana Avenue.*** This industry, 
 built about 1870, originally made and sold wine for 15 and 20 cents 
 a gallon. Beer, whiskey, and compressed yeast, which was made as 
 a by-product, were also sold. The distillery was closed in 1889, and 
 the building stood vacant until about 1900 when the American Mill- 
 ing Company, manufacturers of "Supreme" cattle feed, leased it and 
 used it for four or five years. In 1908 this building was remodeled in- 
 to a sugar beet factory, where one-hundred and sixty men were given 
 steady employment for three months. The sugar beet fields located in 
 and around Dolton were worked primarily by Russian peasants. Ap- 
 parently the Russians were thought of as a boisterous group, for the 
 early residents related that they caused no trouble in the village 
 only because they lived across the Calumet River in Riverdale.$ 
 
 The second major industry of the Dolton area was the lumber in- 
 dustry. The logs were towed to the Calumet Docks by tugs from Mich- 
 igan and Wisconsin; the wood was then processed and shipped by 
 rail throughout the United States. 
 
 When it was discovered in 1885 that excellent bricks could be made 
 out of the clay in the Dolton area, a brick yard began near 147th 
 Street and the C. & E. I. Railroad. It was the May-Purington and Com- 
 pany, which employed several hundred men at one time. By 1899 a 
 second brick company, the Chicago Brick Company, was established, 
 and in 1905 the Illinois and Wisconsin Line and Cement Company, 
 a brick plant on Main Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, was 
 formed.$$ With the establishment of the brick yards in Dolton, The 
 Pointer of 1908 relates that: 
 
 The coming of the brick yards added a new element to the pop- 
 ulation; the Canadian expert brickmakers, some French, some Bri- 
 tish and some French and Indian. All were a good, homeloving 
 class and speedily made themselves a place in the town. The 
 British group joined the Methodist Church; the French were Cath- 
 olics and went either to the French Catholic Church in Kensington 
 or to the German Catholic Church in Riverdale. Among those who 
 married after coming were two Frenchmen who married German 
 Lutheran girls, sisters. $$$ 
 
 With the arrival of industries to Dolton, the city was comparatively 
 free of labor strife. However, there was one major strike in Dolton 
 a dispute between the brickmakers and their employers over the re- 
 duction of wages. The employers tried to reduce the income of the 
 workers, almost causing a lockout in the factories. The adjusting of 
 the differences between these men was settled by a board of arbi- 
 
 ** 'Suburban Index, March 9. 1960. 
 $The Pointer. November 21. 1957. 
 ttOp. cit.. Suburban Index. 
 tttThe Pointer. October 9, 1908. 
 
 13 
 
trcrtion. In all, the strike lasted about a month and ended on June 9, 
 1911. A three year contract was agreed upon, and there was no re- 
 duction in wages. The agreement was signed not only by each top 
 officer but also by every member of the Union as he returned to work.S 
 The further expansion of Dolton industry was noted in 1886 when 
 a Mr. Van Deuersen built a sauerkraut factory at Thornton Junction. 
 He brought cabbage from the surrounding farms and then packed 
 and shipped the products by rail south, west, and east. Shipping by 
 rail encouraged Dolton farmers to increase cabbage production, and 
 for years it was the principal crop for miles around. However, over- 
 production resulted, and the Van Deuersens changed from cabbage 
 canning to the buying and raising of onion sets and converted their 
 sauerkraut factory into an onion storage house. After this, according 
 to a resident of Dolton, the whole countryside smelled of onions. §§ 
 Onion sets have still remained a major crop in the Dolton area, es- 
 pecially in near-by South Holland. However, its growth was seriously 
 hampered by maggots and sub-dividers. 
 
 Employment in the large ice houses on the Calumet River and Lake 
 Calumet for men and boys of Dolton was also an important economic 
 income for the residents of early Dolton. Miss Isabella Dolton relates 
 that: 
 
 Boys of about twelve years of age would lead the horses used in 
 plowing the ice into squares, where they floated to the receiving 
 elevators. One dollar a day was considered good pay for about 
 ten hour's labor for boys, $1.50 to $1.75 for men.§§§ 
 With establishment of the major industries in Dolton, the town also 
 grew in terms of residential population, and a business district de- 
 veloped in the areas of Lincoln Avenue and Chicago Road. 
 
 The earliest records of the business places come from The Review, 
 a short-lived newspaper of Dolton in 1875. Nevertheless, Miss Isa- 
 bella Dolton states that in 1866 Conrad Zimmer opened the first store; 
 the second store was opened in 1870 by Adolph W. Lund, who had had 
 a grocery store in the old Dolton tavern on the Calumet River.f It seems, 
 however, that in 1875 Dolton did not lack emporium of business. For 
 example, Mr. Charles Millgaard had a general store; A. Reich and 
 Son, A. Lund, C. Zimmer, C. N. Marton, and J. Mueller all had dry 
 good and grocery stores. W. P. Fisher and L. Baeker had boot and shoe 
 stores. A drug and medicine store was owned and run by J. J. Gasser. 
 The Martin Brothers had a lumber yard, and John DeYoung had a 
 coal yard. Agricultural implements could be secured at either Reich 
 and Dolton's or at Callan and Nideau's. Andrew H. Dolton, O. C. Cor- 
 nish, and George A. Dolton had a business named the "Dolton Car- 
 riage Works." They sold carriages, buggies, sulkies, and sleighs. B. 
 Mohr owned and operated a furniture store. The three major builders 
 and contractors in Dolton were J. M. Davis, L. Reich, and J. Snowour. 
 C. A. Neff operated a hardware store, and A. Lund had a large hall 
 called Lund's Hall. He had entertainment of all kinds, both public 
 and private.!! 
 
 §Ibid„ June 9. 1911. 
 §§Interview with Mrs. Cora Miller, March 18, 1960. 
 §§§Op. cit., "Dolton Papers" 
 
 flbid. 
 ffThe Review, July 24, 1875. 
 
 14 
 
The business area of Dolton in 1875 also seems to have been heav- 
 ily populated with hotels. For example, there were four hotelsifft the 
 Shady Grove Hotel the Gerard House, the Central Hotel, and the Riv- 
 er Exchange.* 
 
 As the years passed, many of the stores of 1875 went out of bus- 
 iness. However, others prospered and grew by leaps and bounds 
 with Dolton. By 1908 Dolton obtained its long-needed restaurant. Mr. 
 and Mrs. August Dieck opened a restaurant across the street from 
 Lund's Drug Store on Lincoln Avenue, and the people of Dolton 
 "hailed with the idea with delight."** In the same year, Kern and 
 Kipley opened a grocery and meat market in the Pinger Building on 
 the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Chicago Street. Mr. Theodore Koch 
 was the manager of the new store and announced that the new store 
 was centrally established for the convenience of the people of Dol- 
 ton.*** In 1910 William Minardow operated a bread and cake store. 
 Mr. Edward Dillner owned and operated a saloon and summer gar- 
 den at 523 Chicago Street. This saloon was one of the favorite meet- 
 ing places of the non-abstainers of Dolton. The Pointer of 1911 also 
 announced in regard to the businesses of Dolton that Mr. Fred Ott 
 was a good house painter and paper hanger as well as a good cal- 
 cimine applier.'l In the same year, Mr. Roy F. Parker of Roseland 
 rented the Reich Building and opened a new drug store in 1911. Mr. 
 Parker was "experienced and had excellent training."t$ 
 
 Dolton at the turn of the century also had two banks — The Dolton 
 State Bank and the First National Bank of Dolton. The Dolton State 
 Bank in 1907 was in the process of constructing a new building. The 
 Pointer made the following comments regarding the progress of con- 
 truction: 
 
 Work is rapidly progressing in the new Dolton State Bank 
 building. Mr. Hanscnman, the contractor, informs us that it will 
 be ready for occupancy June 1. As Mr. Balgeman intends to open 
 the bank by June 15, there will have to be some tall hustling done. 
 A large steel, fire and burglar-proof safe has been selected, the 
 kind used in the big city banks. It is the intention of the stock- 
 holders to make the institution as sound financially as any bank 
 in the State of Illinois. § 
 Unfortunately, Mr. Balgeman's wish was not fulfilled, for on Jan- 
 uary 2, 1916, the Dolton State Bank closed its doors and went into 
 the hands of a receiver. The First National Bank, however, did not 
 suffer the same fate. It survived, although the Hammond Times re- 
 marked that the bank "was closed, as elsewhere during the brief mor- 
 atorium, but weathered the dark days of 1930 and 1931 under the 
 quidance of Dr. M. R. Weidner, 81, President of the First National 
 Bank o f Dolton."§§ 
 
 ftfOp. cit.. Spotlight on Riverdale. In 1893 extensive preparations were made f^r 
 travelers coming to the World's Fair in Chicago. In fact the entire population of Dol- 
 ton was hoping for an extensive real estate and industrial boom. Although the boom 
 never materialized, there was a marked growth in Dolton. 
 
 *In oomparison, Dolton of 1960 does not list one hotel among its business houses. 
 **The Pointer, May 22, 1908. 
 ***Ibid.. January, 1909. 
 tlbid.. June 30, 1911. 
 ttlbid. 
 
 §Ibid, November 21, 1957. 
 §§Hammond Times, September 11, 1939. 
 
 15 
 
The First National Bank of Dolton was located on the corner of 
 Lincoln Avenue and Chicago Street. In 1959 a new building was con- 
 structed to house the bank at the corner of Washington and Chicago 
 Streets. It was provided with the latest facilities of the day, including 
 a "drive-in" deposit window. 
 
 Another very important part of the life of Dolton was its news- 
 papers. This was evidenced on July 24, 1875, when Mr. Charles A. 
 Feistcom established the first newspaper in Dolton. It was called The 
 Review.§§§ As one can imagine, the newspaper was greatly wel- 
 comed and appreciated. It consisted primarily of national news items 
 with some local news and advertisements. Most of the local news 
 items and advertisements were regulated to one page, the other pages 
 being given to the events of the day. Even though the paper started 
 out very well and the Dolton residents enjoyed reading the news, 
 The Review did not last very long. It apparently lasted less than 
 three years, for an "item in the school records of 1878" refers to the 
 Hyde Park Daily Sun as the nearest newspaper.? 
 
 In 1895 another newspaper called The Reporter was established. It 
 was published in Dolton for a short time and was edited by Franklin 
 Brooks. After a few years, however, The Reporter was sold and be- 
 came The West Pullman Reporter with offices and plant in Roseland.f t 
 
 The next man to establish a newspaper and to demonstrate his 
 faith in the residents of Dolton was Thomas Kinney. It was said that 
 Mr. Kinney was always ready to contribute his means and time to 
 any worthy movement. He was alway sought after, and his advice 
 was always welcomed.ttf He printed the first edition of a newspaper 
 known as The Pointer on March 23, 1907.* 
 
 The third issue of The Pointer bore this reading, "Smallest Paper 
 in the World. Watch Us Grow." Even though the paper was small, it 
 included news items, editorials, social items, advertising, and amuse- 
 ments. In 1910 advertising rates, want-ads, and reading notices cost 
 five cents per line. 
 
 The first paper was located on Leyden Avenue in Riverdale; from 
 there The Pointer moved to 137th Street, and the business continued 
 to prosper. The third home of The Pointer was at 301 East 138th Street 
 where business came under various ownerships after the death of 
 Mr. Kinney .$ It was then acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Rausher. 
 In March, 1960, The Pointer was acquired by Raymond J. Kelly, who 
 was also the publisher of the South End Reporter in Roseland, and in 
 the same year Mrs. Leona Mangus was appointed editor.! $ The 
 Pointer has been issued weekly since 1907. 
 
 The Advertiser, a v/eekly paper, was started in April of 1959 and 
 by May of 1960 had increased its free circulation to 7,500. It is sup- 
 ported by the merchants of Dolton with their advertisements. It is 
 owned and operated by Mr. Robert O. Shackleton. 
 
 §§§Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 flbid. 
 tflbid. 
 ftfThe Pointer, November 21, 1957. 
 •Ibid, 
 tlbid. 
 $$ Interview with Mrs. Leona Mangnus, May 12, 1960. 
 
 16 
 
Even though the local newspaper have had a hard struggle for 
 existence, they have prosperea and have become an integral part 
 of the community. 
 
 With the arrival and prospering of new businesses in Dolton, the 
 government of the town was also progressing. For example, on April 
 15, 1907, the first code of ordinances for the Village of Dolton was 
 adopted and entitled The Revised Ordinances of the Village of Dol- 
 ton, 1907. To illustrate a few of the ordinances passed by the city 
 fathers, the following news items are sample under Chapter XXXIl, 
 "Misdemeanors."$$$ 
 
 Section 62. Banana peels, etc., on walk — If any person shall 
 put, place or throw any watermelon rind or seeds, or the rind of 
 any other kind of melon or any banana peel on the sidewalk or 
 to any building, such persons shall be fined in any sum not more 
 than ten (10) dollars.! 
 
 Section 64. Barbed Wire Fences — It shall be unlawful for any 
 person to build or construct, or cause to be built or constructea, 
 any barbed wire, fences or fences of which any part is barbed 
 wire, along any street, alley or public walk or drive, or through 
 or along any public park. Any person violating this section shall 
 be fined not less than one(l) dollar nor more than twenty (20) 
 dollars for each offense... and a further sum of one dollar for 
 twenty-four hours that such person shall suffer or permit such 
 fence to remain after being notified by any member of the police 
 force to remove the same.t 
 
 Section 56. Driving Vicious Animals through Streets — No person 
 shall drive or cause to be driven any vicious or excited cow, or 
 other unruly animal upon or along any street within the village 
 of Dolton. Any person violating any provision of this section 
 shall be fined not less than one (1) dollar nor more than one hun- 
 dred (100) dollars for each offense.! f 
 
 Section 23. Throwing Missiles — No person shall throw or cast 
 any stone or other missile upon or at any building, railroad cars, 
 tree or other public property, or upon or at any person in any 
 street, avenue, lane, public place or enclosed or unenclosed 
 ground in this village, or aid or abet the same, under a fine for 
 each offense of not less than five (5) dollars, nor more than 
 twenty-five (25) dollars.ttt 
 However, not all the affairs with which the Village Board was con- 
 cerned were minor misdemeanors. For example, a very serious prob- 
 lem existed since the origin of Dolton, namely, that of raw sewerage 
 being thrown into the Little Calumet River.* In 1909, however, the 
 Village Board of Dolton held a meeting at which the problem of Sewer 
 ordinances was discussed and acted upon for the first time. Among 
 
 i$$These ordinances were not only illustrative of Dolton in 1907 but also of any 
 other village or town in the United States at the same period. 
 
 §Op. cit.. The Revised Ordinances of the Village of Dolton, p. 112. 
 flbid., p. 112-13. 
 ft Ibid., p. 111. 
 tttlbid., p. 104. 
 
 * Williams R. Raeugh, "History of the Village of Dolton." This typewritten paper 
 was loaned through the courtesy of Mrs. William Reaugh. There is no known author, 
 however it is assumed the authors were former students of Mr. Reaugh. 
 
 17 
 
those present were Engineer Rossiter, Attorney Markham, Verhoeven, 
 and the rest of the members of the board. "After much heated dis- 
 cussion, the members of the board successfully passed these ordi- 
 nances."** The passage of the Sewer ordinances was not as easy as 
 one might think by merely reading the newspaper of 1909. The prob- 
 lem of the sewers had existed long before this time. There had been 
 many pros and cons over their establishment and many heated ar- 
 guments among the residents of Dolton. The following news items 
 are samples of the view of the townspeople in 1907: 
 
 Frank Lund: I believe with the local improvement board the best 
 way to put in the sewer system is to build the main sewer first and 
 then construct the branches. In that way the streets are not all torn 
 up at one time, but I am not opposed to building a sewer that will 
 cover the whole town. If the people want it, let 'em have it. 
 A. S. Diekman: I am opposed to paying for a sewer system from 
 which I can derive no benefit. If a sewer system is built only to the 
 Panhandle track it may be years before the south end will get any 
 benefit. I am for a system that will benefit all — as for an outlet, I 
 believe if the village has to condemn a right of way through the 
 Knickbacker property it will be a costly undertaking and for 
 that reason I think a better way would be to go down Main 
 Street to Indiana Avenue and thence to the river. 
 F. C. Propper: I have thirteen houses in Dolton and I want a sewer. 
 I am willing to pay my share. I would prefer to see the line go 
 down Leyden Avenue to Indiana which is a natural outlet, but I'm 
 not opposed to the Park Avenue route. What we want and need is 
 a sewer, and the quicker the better. 
 
 Fred Weber: As a member of the Village Board I want to give this 
 people what they want. Let the majority rule.*** 
 
 With the passage of the Sewer Ordinance in 1909,$ the Village Pres- 
 ident of Dolton commented that: 
 
 The Village of Dolton has just passed through one of the hottest 
 and most bitterly contested political campaigns in the history of its 
 existence. Both the Citizens party and the Peoples party nominated 
 men who went into the fight determined to win. Candidates worked 
 faithfully and hard and the result was that an exceptionally large 
 vote was polled, practically every voter in the village casting a 
 ballot. 
 
 The most pleasing feature of the campaign was the absence of 
 personalities. Hot as the fight was, this objectionable feature of all 
 political campaigns was practically eliminated. This in my opinion 
 is as it should be, especially in a small community like ours where 
 we are all neighbors, where all our interests are, and where we all 
 ought to be friends if possible, all working for the greatest good to 
 the greatest number... The largest proposition before the Board is 
 the sewer question. This is a problem for the new Board to solve. 
 This is something we are all vitally interested in, whether members 
 
 **Op. cit.. "Dolton Papers." 
 ***Ibid., Taken from a report of the Board Meeting of October 4, 1907. 
 
 jAn interesting feature is that the sewer assessment which was levied against 
 the Methodist Episcopal Church property was paid for from the proceeds of a social 
 given by the Ladies Aid. Taken from The Pointer, May 27, 1910. 
 
 18 
 
of the board or private citizens and I think that if all citizens of Dol- 
 ton will lend the Board a helping hand wherever possible, give 
 the members as much encouragement as you can, lay aside all 
 personal feelings in the matter for the common good, our sewer will 
 come along faster than any of us realize. We all want it, we surely 
 need it, so let us go ahead and build ittt 
 
 The village Board of Dolton was also faced with the problem of 
 providing water for the residents. Before 1910 Dolton's water was pro- 
 vided by two artesian wells which furnished "excellent and pure 
 water."$$J In 1910 The Pointer related that "Last Monday some of the 
 Chicago daily papers contained an article accusing the Village of 
 Dolton of stealing water from the City of Chicago. The cause of the 
 complaint was a petition of Riverdale people.. .who complained about 
 low pressure in the Riverdale mains. "§ 
 
 The water department of the City of Chicago then ordered the 
 Dolton connection at 138th Street cut off. After this, the Village of 
 Dolton decided to build a resevoir at once. The water works was 
 built, and the village installed a duplex auxiliary pump. Also at this 
 time, the Dolton Village Board installed a meter at 138th Street and 
 secured a ninety-day permit to use Chicago's water in case of a 
 breakdown at the pumping station. §§ 
 
 Later in the village history, water was pumped from Chicago and 
 was in turn retailed to the residents and industries. Each person and 
 industry had a meter to record the amount of water used, and each 
 was billed accordingly. 
 
 Other aspects with which the village government at the turn of the 
 century was involved were the fire, police, and road departments. 
 
 The first volunteer fire department was organized on February 10, 
 1898, after the Secretary of State had issued a permit for Dolton to 
 have a volunteer fire department. §§§ The first Fire Chief was Fred 
 Klaege.t In 1899, according to the Riverdale-Dolton Directory, "Dolton 
 has a good volunteer fire department, equipped with all the latest 
 material. They are always on hand in case of emergency, and it is 
 safe to say that few, if any, destructive fires have ever done much 
 damage to the village."ft 
 
 Unfortunately, the good record of the fire department did not hold 
 up every year, and in 1910 The Pointer reported that: 
 
 A big fire destroyed the residence of Charles Seymour on 145th 
 Street just south of the Chicago Street school on Tuesday evening, 
 June 24, 1910. The fire spread [sic] to the next cottage occupied by 
 Mrs. Gilbert which was also destroyed. Two other cottages one occu- 
 pied by E. O. Cook and the other by Herbert Horton were badly 
 
 $tThe Pointer, April 25, 1909. 
 $$iRiverdale-Dolton Directory, (Riverdale-Dolton: Kinney Brothers, Printers, 1899), 
 p. 37. 
 
 §The Pointer. August 5, 1910. 
 §§Ibid.. August 26, 1910. 
 §§§Ibid. 
 
 f Interview with Mrs. Klaege, April 2, 1960. Mrs. Klaege now spells her surname 
 "Klaqe." 
 
 tfOp. cit., Riverdale-Dolton Directory, p. 37. 
 ♦The Pointer, June 24. 1910. 
 
 19 
 
scorched. The firemen were at a handicap because of low pressure 
 in the water mains.* 
 
 Through the years the village fire department had improved and 
 enlarged, even though in 1960 it was still volunteer. There was ap- 
 proximately sixty volunteer firemen in 1947.** A special telephone 
 numebr was supplied to inform the volunteers as to the location of 
 a fire. The village also belonged in 1950 to an association in which 
 the surrounding towns helped each other in the work of protection 
 against fires.*** 
 
 The formal organization of the police department dates back to 
 1907 when the ordinances of the Village of Dolton were adopted. The 
 first police department consisted of the President and Board of Trus- 
 tees of the village and "such policemen as they may appoint"! In 
 the same year a police magistrate was provided to prosecute the vi- 
 olations of the ordinances of Dolton. 
 
 The early police force of Dolton was comparatively free of any or- 
 ganized crime. Nevertheless, The Pointer of 1910 relates that: "Four 
 young fellows from South Chicago thought it was great sport to start 
 rough-housing in Dolton on July 4. They had not gone very far until 
 they ran into Marshall Verhoeven and a short time afterwards they 
 arrived at the Cooler."$$ 
 
 By 1960 the primary purpose of the Dolton Police Department, other 
 than to enforce the prevention of crime, was to enforce the traffic 
 and road laws of Dolton. 
 
 From the earliest days of Dolton's history there have been roads 
 of one kind or another. At first the roads were either sand or dirt. In 
 1899 some of the major streets were built of a solid bed of crushed 
 stone and gravel. Later some streets were improved with brick. § The 
 original roads of early Dolton were Main Street, Greenwood Road, 
 Lincoln Avenue, and Chicago Road. Sheridan, Main, Washington, and 
 Lincoln Streets were a few of the first paved roads. §§ The trails which 
 were used in pioneer days followed the soundest and firmest land. 
 Lincoln Avenue had a sharp "S" curve which marks the place where 
 the original trail through Dolton was made by the Indians of the re- 
 gion to get around the softer places of the soil. The "S" curve was 
 left intact when Alexander Wolcott plotted Dolton for the Dolton 
 Brothers.§§§ 
 
 Traffic and transportation conditions improved markedly for Dol- 
 ton in 1911 when the street car lines were extended from Chicago to 
 138th Street. The lines were extended from 119th and Michigan Av- 
 enue to the village limits at 138th and Lincoln Avenue.t 
 
 **Joy Ann Thoren, "Village of Dolton, Illinois." A scrapbook and typewritten 
 paper on the history of Dolton. p. 14. 
 ***Op. cit., Reaugh. p. 18. 
 ±Op. cit.. Revised Ordinance of the Village of Dolton, 1907, p. 29. 
 tJThe Pointer, July 8, 1910. 
 
 §Op. cit.. The Riverdale-Dolton Directory, p. 37. 
 §§Op. cit.. Miller. 
 §§§It is reputed that the Dolton Brothers, since they "liked" curves, kept the orig- 
 inal "S" curve on Lincoln Avenue. From an interview with Mr. and Mrs. Herman 
 Anders. 
 
 fThe Pointer, October, 13, 1911. 
 
 20 
 
Dolton was also one of the first communities in Illinois to put in con- 
 crete sidewalks before 1913. This was certainly an improvement over 
 the board sidewalks of the late nineteenth century.tf 
 
 The sewers, streets, walks, and other improvements of Dolton were 
 not the only things with which the village was concerned. With the 
 expansion of the economic life of the village in the late nineteenth 
 and early twentieth centuries, there was also a corresponding in- 
 crease and expansion of the town's cultural life. This was noted in 
 terms of the growth of education, churches, recreation, improvement 
 of health facilities, and social organizations. 
 
 The residents of Dolton had long been concerned with the edu- 
 cation of their children, even before the village was formally orga- 
 nized in 1892. 
 
 Early in the year 1868* Dolton's first public school was a one-room 
 frame building located at the intersection of Lincoln and Park Av- 
 enues. According to Miss Isabella Dolton, the first teacher was Miss 
 Ettie Bishop from Warsaw, New York. She was paid fifty dollars per 
 month for her services. School equipment included forty-five desks 
 and seats, three teacher's desks, four settees, and two gallons of slat- 
 ing. A janitor was hired at eight dollars and fifty cents per month. His 
 duty was to care for three large rooms, one small one, and halls and 
 to build fires in the four rooms. Later his salary was raised to nine 
 dollars and fifty cents per month.** 
 
 In 1874 a tract of land was given by Andrew H. Dolton for the 
 erection of a new school when it became evident that the old school 
 was inadequate.*** The new school, which was built of brick, was des- 
 cribed in 1875 as an "outstanding educational institution" by D. S. 
 Wentworth, president of the Cook County Normal School. The Dolton 
 City Directory of 1899 states that "Dolton has a qcod public school; 
 the building is large, well ventilated and heated, it affords all the 
 common branches; G. W. Wuhleman is the principal, "t The build- 
 ing was given the name "Park Avenue School" in order to avoid 
 hurting the feelings of any prominent member of the town had the 
 school been named after an individual. An interesting feature which 
 was added to the Park Avenue School in 1877 was the establishment 
 of a colleqe on the school's second floor. In 1877-78, according to Miss 
 Isabella Dolton: 
 
 ffNewton Bateman and Paul Selby (ed.), Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and 
 iographical Memoirs, Vol. II of the Cook County edition (Chicago: Munsell Publishing 
 Company, 1905). 
 
 *In a paper, accorded to the students of William L. Reaugh, the date of the 
 erection of the first public school is reputed to be 1854. However, the authors have 
 found that in 1854 a school was located at nearby Berger which was a part of "Cal- 
 umet City," and did not officially become a part of Dolton until 1926, when it was 
 annexed to the village. 
 
 **Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 ***This is disputed in a paper given to the authors by Pearl Serbus. Mrs. Serbus 
 relates that: "In 1875, the school board purchased an acre of land from Henry Dol- 
 ton and built the first brick building." Op. cit., Serbus, p. 3. 
 $Op. cit., Riverdale and Dolton Directory, p. 7. 
 
 21 
 
D. S. Wentworth, of the Cook County Normal School, was forced 
 out for political reasons and came to Dolton to start what was called 
 the "Dolton Academy and Normal Institute." There was great en- 
 thusiasm over the plan. The school board did all that it could to 
 make the grade school building suitable, the citizens subscribed 
 money, and opened their homes to the teachers. 
 
 The latter were usually fine men and women whom Mr. Went- 
 worth brought with him. Emily J. Rice, for many years with Colonel 
 Parker in the Chicago Normal, and later in the School of Education 
 of the Chicago University, was one of them. 
 
 Pupils came from Bloom, now Chicago Heights, Crete, Brighton 
 Park, Washington Heights, Blue Island, and Crown Point. At the 
 end of the year, Mr. Wentworth was offered his old position and 
 he left Dolton taking his teachers with him. The people of Dolton 
 were much incensed and sued him for breach of contract, but they 
 gained nothing. 
 
 The next year a man from Crown Point was made head of the 
 school, but he was unable to make it go. Although this school lasted 
 only a year, the contacts and friendships made were far reaching 
 and lasting in their influence. H 
 
 Parochial schools were also established earl in the history of Dolton. 
 The German Lutheran Church (St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church) 
 established a German Parochial School as early as 1864. In 1866 a 
 small building was constructed and school was held there until 1889 
 when the church decided to enlarge and erect a larger school at 138th 
 near Lincoln Avenue. This was a one-room school also, with Mrs. J. 
 C. Winterstein serving as the first teacher. It was the custom in the 
 middle and late 1800's to send the Lutheran children one-half day to 
 the German-speaking school and the other half-day to the public 
 school until the turn of the century when this practice was discon- 
 tinued. 
 
 St. Mary's Catholic Church also provided a parochial for the Cath- 
 olic students of Dolton. However, this school was located in Chicago. 
 
 By 1901 it was apparent that another school was needed for the 
 expanding school population of 220 students. Thus the Franklin School 
 was built on Chicago Street at 147th to serve the south end of Dol- 
 ton. The original name was "Chicago Street School." It was a large, 
 two story, eight room structure consisting of four rooms on the second 
 floor, which was used in 1922 as a branch of Thornton Township High 
 School. § Before this time, hiah school students attended the Thornton 
 Township High School in Harvey, which was established in 1892. 
 However, prior to 1892 Dolton high school students had to travel to 
 Hyde Park or Englewood in Chicaqo. The branch high school in Dol- 
 ton was short-lived, and by 1928 the Dolton students were again at- 
 tending high school in Harvey:§§ 
 
 In 1909 the Dolton Board of Education announced that night school 
 at the Park Avenue Building would be offered. Fourteen people reg- 
 
 t±Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 §Op. cit.. Serbus, p. 3. 
 §§The high school students of Dolton now attend the six million dollar high school, 
 Thornridge, on Cottage Grove and Sibley Boulevard. 
 
 22 
 
istered for the first meeting. The classes were open to anyone, and the 
 superintendent, F. W. Robinson, was the teacher. Tuition was $1.50 
 a month.§§§ Although there are no records to authenticate it, the 
 night school program appeared to be short-lived. 
 
 In 1911 the school board announced its decision to abandon the 
 Park Avenue School because of the noise from the railroad trains 
 running near-by. Trains passed the building from sixty to seventy 
 times a day. Taking the lowest count of trains, it took away one and 
 a quarter hours a day from the school time. In teachers' salary this 
 represented a loss of $730 dollars a year.t More room was another 
 factor in the move. There was a demand for kindergartens that had 
 not prevailed previously. An assembly hall large enough for all the 
 people that wished to attend exercises at commencement, school en- 
 tertainments, and lectures, was badly needed.ff The new school 
 which then was built in 1911 to replace the Park Avenue School was 
 erected on Lincoln Avenue near 142nd Street and was called Lincoln 
 School. The old Park Avenue School was then converted for the use 
 of the local government, and the school became the Dolton Village 
 Hall. 
 
 From 1911 to 1928 there appears to be little mention of the schools 
 or their programs. However, by 1928 the population of Dolton had in- 
 creased to such an extent that it was necessary to build an addition 
 to the Lincoln School consisting of gymnasium, showrooms, and two 
 basement rooms. 
 
 The advent of the Depression years (1931) saw the erection of the 
 Roosevelt School at a cost of $50,000.00. In this same year the names 
 of the schools of Dolton were also chanqed. Chicago Street School was 
 changed to Franklin School, Ivanhoe School to Roosevelt School, and 
 High Lawn School* to Washington School.** The fourth school, Linc- 
 oln, remained the same. 
 
 The Depression vears also saw a drop in the enrollment in the Dol- 
 ton schools as well as a curtailment of services and a reduction in 
 teachers' salaries. However, by -949, with the expansion of the Dolton 
 residential area, a classroom addition was made to the Roosevelt 
 School, and in 1951 a classroom addition was made to the Franklin 
 School. Also in 1951 a new primary school was built in the Ivanhoe 
 Manor section of Dolton and was called the Ivanhoe Manor School. 
 By 1953 extensive chanqes werp made in the Roosevelt School, and in 
 in 1955-1956 extensive remodelina and additions were made in most 
 of the Dolton Schools of District No. 148. 
 
 Dolton's churches were also keeping pace with the expanding ed- 
 ucational facilities. Thev followed the pattern of church organization 
 common to a new and qrowina community. Usually several people of 
 the same faith banded together to form a conareaation, hired a part- 
 time minister, and met in the home of a member. As attendance at 
 these services increased, a schoolroom or other public meeting plare 
 was used to serve the need. In time a sufficient number of people 
 
 §§SThe Pointer, October 15. 1909. 
 fThe Pointer, January 6, 1911. 
 fflbid. 
 
 *Hiah Lawn School or Washinaton School played an early role in the history 
 of School District No. 148 of Dolton. However, the school is located in Riverdale. 
 **The Pointer, November 21, 1957. 
 
 23 
 
made it possible to hire a full-time pastor, and the generosity of 
 church-members and prominent citizens helped to erect an actual 
 church building. 
 
 Of course all the church histories are not identical; therefore, a 
 study of the early Dolton churches is valuable in order that one might 
 see similarities and differences. The churches organized since 1950, 
 while very valuable to the community as well as to the individuals 
 concerned, have had little effect on the growth of Dolton and conse- 
 quently will not be treated in detail in this history.! 
 
 In 1848 the first Lutheran family arrived in this area. The follow- 
 ing year, when the number of families had increased to ten, Pastor 
 W. Stubnatzke extended his services to Dolton. The first services were 
 held in the home of one of the members. As the membership grew, 
 meetings were then conducted in Berger School in 1854. Four years 
 later a congregation was organized and a constitution was adopted. 
 In 1862 a member donated a piece of land located at Lincoln 
 Avenue and Cottage Grove for a church. Reverend K. L. Moll was 
 the first full-time pastor. During his administration a Christian Day 
 School was begun. A few years later a parsonage was erected next 
 to the church. In 1882 these buildings were sold, and a new church 
 and parsonage were built on 138th Street near Lincoln Avenue. A 
 year later St. Paul's joined the Evangelical Synod of Missouri, Ohio, 
 and other states, tt 
 
 The congregation continued to grow, and it was necessary to add 
 balconies to the church and to build a new school building in 1889. 
 A still larger school building was erected in 1902 just west of the 
 church. 
 
 In 1911 English was introduced in the church; a service was given 
 in English once a month on Sunday evening. Prior to that time all 
 services had been conducted in German. In 1924 "double header" 
 services were begun at St. Paul's, with a German service at 9:30 a.m. 
 followed by an English service at 10:45. 
 
 In the period between 1913 and 1933 an extensive plan of remodel- 
 ing and rebuilding was undertaken, even during the Depression when 
 a new school was built. A pamphlet printed for St. Paul's Centennial 
 Jubilee relates an interesting incident with the building of the school. 
 "In the depression days there was a unique method of reimbursing 
 workers for their services. The ledgers in those days did not show a 
 balance on hand, but rather the amounts due for payment of services. 
 Each called worker was paid on a partial basis as the income of the 
 church would permit. As economic conditions improved, the portions 
 of their salary due them were increased and an extra $10.00 or a bit 
 more was added each month until the ledgers balanced out and there 
 were no more 'payments in arrears' shown on the books."§ 
 
 In 1951 two committees were appointed to investigate ways of im- 
 proving the physical condition of the church. Three different archi- 
 tectural firms were consulted, and each advised that the building be 
 
 $With the exception of Lorimer Memorial Baptist Church, which was originally 
 organized in Chicago in 1890. 
 
 $:j: Centennial Jubilee, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Dolton, Illinois. (Privately printed, 
 November, 1958), p. 2. 
 
 §Ibid. 
 
 24 
 
neither restored nor remodeled. The following year the congregation 
 voted to erect a new church at the corner of 138th Street and Indiana 
 Avenue, and in 1958 the new structure was dedicated.§§ 
 
 The Dolton Methodist Church had a humble beginning. From 1835 
 to 1869 the Methodists held services in the home of their members 
 whenever they could secure a preacher. A school was later built in 
 1869 in which the Sunday services were held until a church was even- 
 tually erected. In 1873 three of the Dolton brothers gave the Methodists 
 a lot at the corner of Grant and Sheridan Streets. Money was then 
 collected from -all those interested in building a church. The first min- 
 ister, Mr. Richards, who was also a part-time carpenter, organized 
 and directed the construction of the first church — the Dolton Metho- 
 dist Episcopal Church. f 
 
 The church soon became the center of the social activities of the 
 English-speaking community.ft For many years the pastors were 
 Bible students from Evanston. They did not reside in the area, but 
 came on Friday or Saturday evenings and returned the next day. A 
 parsonage was built in 1910, and a regular pastor obtained.ttt 
 
 The Sandridge Methodist Church is reputed to have been the first 
 church building in Dolton.* It was organized when a few families be- 
 longing to the German speaking branch of the Methodist Episcopal 
 Church of Chicago moved to this region in 1849. Reverend H. Dreyer 
 followed to preach to them. On August 8, 1850, the congregation was 
 organized in the home of Mr. Henry Kluckhohn with Rev. Christian 
 Wenz as pastor. Services were first held in private homes of the 
 parishioners until 1854 when a school house was built, after which 
 the services were held in that building. This building served as the 
 church home until 1884 when an addition with a tower was built.** 
 
 In the early 1900's one of the parishioners, Frank Engle, presented 
 plans for a new church to the board. His plans were accepted, and in 
 1904 a new brick church, located at Sibley Boulevard and Michigan 
 City Road, was completed. 
 
 The Sandridge Methodist Episcopal Church, as it was called at the 
 turn of the century, first gave German services and conducted Sun- 
 day school in the German language. In the early 1900's English was 
 gradually introduced until German speaking services were aban- 
 doned. 
 
 In May, 1939, the Methodist Episcopal South and the Methodist 
 Protestant Church united at a conference held in Kansas City, and 
 the Sandridge Methodist Episcopal Church then became the San- 
 dridge Methodist Church. In 1960 a badly needed addition was added 
 to the church to meet the growing needs of the congregation.^ 
 
 The Immanuel United Church of Christ was first organized in 1887 
 
 fOp. cit.. Chicago Communities. Document 8, p. 2. 
 ffThe Dolton Methodist Church, of all the early churches of Dolton. was the only 
 church to hold its services entirely in English. The other early churches of Dolton, 
 such as Sandridge and St. Paul's, held their services in German, 
 ff fOp». cit., Chicago Communities. 
 *Op. cit.. "Dolton Papers." 
 **The Diamond Jubilee. Sandridge Methodist Episcopal Church, Dolton, Illinois, 
 (Privately printed. 1925). pp. 1-9. 
 $Ibid. 
 
 25 
 
as the Evangelical Immanuel Church. Miss Isabella Dolton states in 
 her sociology term paper that Immanuel was a split from St. Paul's 
 Lutheran Church. A group of people broke away from St. Paul's in 
 
 1886 because they wished to become members of lodges, a practice 
 forbidden by the Lutheran Church.JI The first services were held in 
 
 1887 in the A. O. U. W. Lodge Hall on Washington Street, and in the 
 same year the church met in a small one-room school house located 
 on the northeast corner of Grant and Sheridan Streets. ttt The first 
 pastor was Reverend Harder, who remained at the church for many 
 years. § 
 
 Among the first families were those of Propper, Brettger, and Dillner. 
 With the erection of a church building, the congregation increased in 
 number necessitating a larger physical structure. In 1889 the building 
 was enlarged, and plans were made to start a Sunday school. In the 
 same year the congregation was also received as a member of the 
 Evangelical Synod. Due to the growing membership, Reverend Sauer 
 was called as the first full-time pastor. In 1897 the church school was 
 completed and dedicated. By 1923 a major addition was added to 
 the church. In 1936 the Evangelical Churches of North America 
 merged with the Reformed Churches of America, and the Evangelical 
 Immanuel Church changed to the Immanuel Evangelical and Re- 
 forme Church. 
 
 In 1953 the Evangelical and Reformed Churches merged with the 
 Congregational Churches and Christian Churches to form the United 
 Church of Christ; thus the Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed 
 Church became the Immanuel United Church of Christ, t 
 
 The Lorimer Memorial Baptist Church was transferred to Dolton on 
 lune 7, 1959, from Chicago. It was originally organized in 1890 in Chi- 
 cago with the assistance of Dr. George C. Lorimer and called the 
 Langley Avenue Baptist Church. In 1957 due to the changing 
 neighborhood in Chicago a committee was set up to investigate pos- 
 sible sites for a new building. A site on Lincoln Avenue near Kinbark 
 Avenue in Dolton, Illinois, was chosen because of its convenient lo- 
 cation. A Sunday School was started in a real estate office in March, 
 1958, and in August the Church moved to the Berger School gym. By 
 lune 7, 1959, the new church building was completed. 
 
 For many years the churches of Dolton were not only the places of 
 worship but the center of social activities as well. Ladies Aid soci- 
 eties and young people's organizations which were connected with 
 the churches had an important place in the town's social life and 
 were also an influential part of Dolton. 
 
 In addition to the church organizations, there were numerous fra- 
 ternal and civic organizations as well. Among the first organizations 
 on record was the Literary Society, which was probably an outgrowth 
 
 $$Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 $$$The Shopper, April, 1960. 
 
 §Clifford A. Voll, "Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed Church." A brief hand- 
 written outline of the history of the church. 
 flbid. 
 f f Lorimer Memorial Baptist Church, Dolton, Illinois, Illinois. Services of Dedication, 
 October 4-11, 1959. Pamphlet containing the program of the dedication and a brief 
 history of the church. (Privately printed, 1959.) 
 
 26 
 
of the Normal Academy founded in Dolton in 1877-1878.* After this 
 date an organization of Odd Fellows was established, but it lasted 
 for only a short time. The Masons, The Eastern Star, the W.C.T.U., 
 and the American Legion were also integral part of the early cultural 
 life of Dolton. 
 
 A number of citizens in 1909 got together at Dinner's Pavillion to or- 
 ganize the Dolton Improvement Association with the purpose of im- 
 proving conditions which existed in Dolton. Mr. Fred Weker was 
 elected president, Mr. Charles Schnoor was vice-president, Mr. A. S. 
 Diekman was secretary, and Mr. W. M. Rose was elected the first 
 treasurer.** However, this organization was also short-lived and made 
 little impression on community life. Another club which was formed 
 in 1913, the Dolton Civic Club, took the place of the old Dolton Im- 
 provement Association and by 1960 was known as the Dolton Civic 
 Association. 
 
 In the same year a force of seventy strong-willed women organ- 
 ized to form the Women's Club. These women of Dolton went to work 
 and "obtained a reputation as a force for good"*** and fought against 
 "things which might have been detriment of the village.. ..,"$ For ex- 
 ample, Miss Isabella Dolton, a prominent member of the women's 
 club, wrote that: 
 
 ...it was rumored at one time that a vacant building was to be 
 leased to a disreputable man from Chicago and a house of ill- 
 repute was to be run in connection with it. The village attorney 
 was [supposedly] backing the man and a license was to come up 
 at a Board meeting. As many of the Club members that could be 
 mustered, met and descended upon the Board in a body. The 
 protest was so strong that no license was granted and no such 
 attempt has ever been repeated.$$ 
 
 The Women's Club also founded a Health Clinic using a room in 
 the village hall where an adult and child clinic was operated by a 
 village nurse. 
 
 Businessmen of Dolton, for long an active group, also organized 
 in 1901 to form "The Riverdale-Dolton Businessmen's Association." 
 A handful of merchants had been at war and in close competition 
 with each other, and thus the purpose of the organization was to come 
 to an understanding "about the closing of the stores and weed out a 
 few dead beats who were eating up the business profits and who 
 could only be checked by some form of organization among the retail 
 merchants.":!: $$ This organization was also effective for a while, but 
 it too disbanded after several years. 
 
 There were, however, many activities and organizations which did 
 not "fold up" in the Dolton of the nineteenth century but continued to 
 operate for the good of all citizens. 
 
 Religion, business, and community organization did take up much 
 
 *Op. cit„ "Dolton Papers." 
 **The Pointer. July, 1909. 
 ***Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 tlbid. 
 $$Ibid. 
 mibid. 
 
 27 
 
of the time and energy of the local populace, but the people also 
 found time to relax and enjoy their leisure hours. However, the early 
 settlers of Dolton had to improvise and create their own amusements. 
 Around the turn of the century, records show that the social life in 
 Dolton was far from dull. 
 
 Boating was a popular pastime in the 1870's and 1880's. Practically 
 every family had a row boat on the Calumet River, and the week- 
 ends probably saw many a "traffic jam" there. "No sewers poluted 
 the Calumet in those days; white water lilies dotted the surface, and 
 a bed of Egyptians lotus making a beautiful spot near the forks."* For 
 amusement and enjoyment many families often went to Dillner's 
 Grove for picnics. Although swimming in the lake on the northwest 
 corner of Sibley Boulevard and Chicago Road was illegal, many 
 defied the law in favor of the sport on a hot summer day.** Carni- 
 vals under the auspices of the Village Board, however, were very 
 legal and caused much excitement in the village. 
 
 Elections also aroused much public feeling around this time. For 
 example, after a political election the people in town made capes 
 and hats of bright-colored oil cloth and had parades in which they 
 were participants. Marching behind local bands and carrying torches, 
 the populace harrassed the losers of the elections with jeers, cat-calls, 
 and shout of defame.*** 
 
 In the early 1900's interest often centered around the many gypsy 
 caravans and medicine shows which came to Dolton. Arriving from 
 their main camp in the Thornton Woods, the gypsies came to Dolton 
 and camped across the street from the Franklin School on Chicago 
 Road. They wore gaily colored clothes and much jewelry and tried to 
 sell to the people of Dolton many supposedly "cure-all" medicines. 
 They were welcome since they bothered no one and minded their 
 own business.f 
 
 The people of Dolton were avid fans of the sport of dog racing and 
 would bet with much fervor and anxiety on their own dogs and on 
 those belonging to their friends. They also loved to bet on greyhounds 
 which would race and try to catch mechanical rabbits.tt 
 
 With hearts pounding furiously we groped our wey to the win- 
 dows once more this time to bet our meager holding on 'a sure 
 thing/ The sleek hunqry-looking, lean greyhounds were tugging 
 at their trainers' leashes as they were led in to their various 
 stalls, barking and yelping with keen anticipation the first to cap- 
 ture the elusive rabbit that ran dizzily around the track on elec- 
 tric rails. They're OFF! arose the cry from frenzied, guivering 
 voices of the spectators. And they were off! We watched the 
 scared mechanical rabbit race around and around with many a 
 chance of being caught. The dogs were bending their effort in 
 stretching their lona graceful bodies in a final effort to make 
 distance disappear.ttt 
 
 'ibid. 
 
 **Ibid. 
 
 ** interview with Mrs. Cora Miller, March 18, 1960. 
 
 flnterview with Miss Grdce Diekman and Mrs. Mabel Diekman, March 19, 1960. 
 ffThe Pointer. March 10, 1960. 
 tttlbid. 
 
 28 
 
When the races were over, the tired, worn-out" owners and on-lookers 
 went to the nearest restaurant or tavern and had a rich meal.fft 
 
 Other recreation in Dolton was provided by the movies and their 
 forerunner, the nickelodeon. The motion picture industry had its Dol- 
 ton beginning in Lund's Hall in 1907 with the establishment of a 
 nickelodeon. §§ In 1913 the three Ruby Brothers erected the Dolton 
 Theatre building. The first southside suburban theatre, it had a stage 
 which was used for actual productions. The theater was remodeled 
 in 1948, closed in 1957, and re-opened in 1960 after further remod- 
 eling. It seated approximately 500, had a ventilating system, and 
 many fire exits.§§§ 
 
 Pranksters and ruffians also had their day, causing unwanted ex- 
 citement in the village. On lune 23, 1907, a group of "Wild Indians" 
 destroyed the front of Mrs. Neyband's saloon, located at Lincoln 
 Avenue and Chicago Street, by throwing beer bottles through the 
 plate glass windows and creating other damage to the building front 
 with about three different attacks between 12:00 and 3:00 A.M.t 
 
 If any of these early "Wild Indians" of Dolton had caused any 
 physical harm to the populace, there would have been an adeguate 
 supply of doctors and nurses. In the very early years of Dolton's his- 
 tory, "Grandma Osterhaut"$$ was one of the many persons who 
 kept the village moving as the midwife and nurse. She was the wife 
 of the man who built the Girard House in Dolton. She officiated at 
 all of the births and deaths of Dolton's residents. ttt The following is 
 an interesting quote from the files of Miss Isabella Dolton concerning 
 Grandma Osterhaut: "Woe to the person who dared dispute her au- 
 thority. When she entered a house she became the ruling power, and 
 without her express sanction, nothing was done while she remained. 
 No child ever dared touch anything belonqing to her, but they stood 
 at a distance, and watched her take snuff."* 
 
 Bv 1875, there were two recorded physicians practicing in Dolton — 
 Dr. T. . Gosser and Dr. A. ]. Sparks, who was also a surgeon and ob- 
 stetrician.** 
 
 In about 1883 a doctor named M. R. Weidner started his practice in 
 Dolton. His office was in his home, as were most of the other doctors' 
 offices at that earlv date. In the summer the only transportation to his 
 patients' houses was his buggy, and in the winter his cutter was a 
 familiar sight, t 
 
 tftlbid. 
 
 §§Op. cit., Reaugh. 
 §§§The Pointer, June 28, 1907. 
 $Ibid. 
 
 $$The spelling of this name and others included in this paper is not always cor- 
 rect because of discrepancies in the multitude of sources. 
 
 $$$The first recorded birth in Dolton was the son of I. C. Matthews. The first re- 
 corded death was Mr. Perriam's eldest son. Taken from an interview with Mr. R. 
 Pebworth. 
 
 *Op. cit., "Dolton Papers." 
 ••The Review, July 24, 1875. 
 
 f An interesting fact given to the authors bv Miss Grace Diekman and Mrs. Mable 
 Diekman was that on Dr. Weidner's 50th Wedding Anniversary he bragged of 
 having delivered about 2,400 babies. 
 
 29 
 
To meet the growing demand for additional medical care, Dr. 
 Karl Thomsen and Dr. J. A. Kohler started their medical practices in 
 Dolton around the turn of the century.tf 
 
 Luckily, not many epidemics plagued Dolton, but the citing of a 
 few should be made to point out how the village handled them. 
 
 The first of these recorded was a scarlet fever epidemic which 
 broke out with the death of two people living on 136th Street. It seems 
 that a German imigrant family which settled near there in 1908 was 
 stricken with scarlet fever, and two of the members of the family 
 died. Following this, the Health Department quarantined the homes 
 in that area. After this epidemic, scarlet fever disappeared from the 
 community.fft 
 
 Another epidemic, which was thought to be typhoid fever, started 
 in Dolton in 1910. It was believed to be caused by the water situation 
 in Dolton. As previously mentioned, § Dolton had been accused of 
 stealing water from Chicago. This created low pressure on River- 
 dale's water main, causing the water to remain almost stagnant for 
 a short time before being used by the people. The stagnant water 
 bred typhoid bacteria and thus could have caused the mild typhoid 
 epidemic. §§ 
 
 By the middle of the twentieth century the health facilities of Dol- 
 ton were well on their way in becoming as strong as those of other 
 villages of comparable size. For example, in 1946 the Thomsen Med- 
 ical Clinic of Dolton was started, but because of a shortage in scien- 
 tific equipment and building materials, the work was prolonged. The 
 building was open for public inspection in 1947. The buildin has 
 thirty-five rooms, including a medical library dedicated as a mem- 
 orial to the late Mr. Karl H. Thomsen, the father of Dr. Thomsen.* 
 
 In addition to the improvement of health facilities, the mid-twentieth 
 century also saw a number of other significant changes which had 
 taken place in Dolton. 
 
 For example, after the 1920's many of the old stores were replaced 
 by newer and more modern ones. With the rise of new building, there 
 was added increase in the prices of goods and commodities. No 
 longer was it possible to buy milk from Kaiser's farm outside the city 
 at five or six cents a quart.** 
 
 Most of the businesses in Dolton weathered the depression in the 
 30's, but by the 1950's and 1960's their progress in terms of construc- 
 tion of new buildings had been somewhat hindered.*** In 1960 it was 
 apparent that "blight" had struck the downtown area of Dolton and 
 
 tfOp. cit., Serbus. 
 fffThe Pointer, July 10, 1908. 
 §See page 19. 
 §§The Pointer. August, 1910. 
 
 *Op. cit., Reaugh. 
 * interview with Mrs. Cora Miller, March 18, 1960. 
 ***However, there were a few notable exceptions to this case in 1960. For ex- 
 ample, the First National Bank Building, the Newman Drug Store, Horneys Store, 
 and the re-modeled Village Hall, with its addition of a police and fire department, 
 led the growth in new construction. 
 
 30 
 
that new construction in the business area had not made an increase 
 corresponding to the tremendous residential growth.! To alleviate 
 this condition, the Village board in May of 1960 announced a pro- 
 posed rehabilitation project for the downtown area of Dolton through 
 the Federal Urban Renewal program. 
 
 The years between the 1920's and 1960's also saw the expansion 
 of Dolton's governmental activities and cultural life. This was seen 
 in many different ways; however, a typical example was the organ- 
 ization of the Village Library Corporation in 1954.$$ The townspeople 
 of Dolton saw fit to turn down an appropriation in 1953 for the con- 
 struction of a public library. tit Therefore, through the efforts of the 
 Riverdale-Dolton Junior Women's Club, a private library was estab- 
 lished in 1954. The library was operated on the second floor of the 
 village hall, and plans were made in 1959-60 to transfer the library 
 to the old Dolton home on Lincoln Avenue§ 
 
 $The Pointer, May, 1960. 
 ^Chicago Tribune. September 26, 1954. 
 tttCommunity Achievement Contest Report, (Dolton-Riverdale Junior Women's 
 Club), Project-Village Library Scrapbook; 1955-1956. The Scrapbook is typewritten. 
 §The home was left to the Village Library Corporation in 1959 under the terms 
 of the will of Edith Dolton, a great-granddaughter of the original George Dolton. 
 
 31 
 
EPILOGUE 
 
 The Dolton home, its former residents, and its history have become 
 so closely identified with the origin, development, and prosperity of 
 the Village from 1837 to 1960 that one who glances in retrospect can- 
 not help but feel that the continuing enthusiasm for growth so char- 
 acteristic of nineteenth century Dolton is still prevalent today. Those 
 pioneers who have gone before us would be proud of our village 
 its people ad government, its business and industry, its schools and 
 churches. 
 
 Let us not be content with what is past. Let us not be complacent 
 about what is present. Rather, let us be proud of those who have 
 made the past and of those who are making the present, and let us 
 give fair warning to those in the future to "despise not the day of 
 small beginnings." 
 
 32 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 ARTICLES AND PERIODICALS 
 
 C. & E. I. Flyer. (An Employees Magazine) Vol. XXIII, No. 8 (August, 1946). 
 
 Directory Thornton Township. (Outside the City of Harvey). (1911), Kinney Brothers. 
 (The Pointer) Publishers. 
 
 Dolton — Your Hometown. (How Your Municiple Government Operates). Date of pub- 
 lication or publisher not given. 
 
 Immanuel Evangelical and Reformed Church, Dolton. Illinois. A pamphlet relating to 
 the church. Privately printed. 
 
 Kinney, Thos. F. "Waterway. Tavern and Trail Are Responsible for Riverdale-Dolton 
 Growth," Calumet Waterway Victory Celebration, (September 8. 1935). Sponsored 
 by: Calumet Federation for the Promotion of Calumet Waterways. Calumet Water- 
 ways. Calumet Waterway Improvement Association. 
 
 Lorimer Memorial Baptist Church, Dolton, Illinois. Services of Dedication, October 4-11, 
 1S59. A pamphlet containing the program of the dedication and a brief history of 
 the Church. Privately printed, 1959. 
 
 Riverdale and Dolton Directory. (1899), Kinney Brothers. Riverdale and Dolton Printers. 
 
 Sandridge Methodist Episcopal Church, Dolton, Illinois. The Diamond Jubilee. A pam- 
 phlet of the history of the Church and the Diamond Jubilee program. Privately 
 printed, 1925. 
 
 Spotlight on Riverdale. League of Women Voters of Riverdale, Illinois, 1958. 
 
 St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Dolton, Illinois. Centennial Jubilee, November 9 to 16, 1958. 
 A pamphlet containing the history of the Church. Privately printed, 1958. 
 
 This is Thornton Township. (A Book of Facts About Local Government). League of 
 Women Voters of Thornton Township, Illinois, 1952. 
 
 BOOKS 
 
 Album of Genealogy and Biography: Cook County, Illinois. Chicago: Calumet Book and 
 Engraving Company, 1896-1897. 
 
 Bateman, Newton and Selby, Paul. (ed.). Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois And Bio- 
 graphical Memoirs. (Cook Coutnty Edition). 2 vols. Chicago: Munsell Publishing Com- 
 pany, 1901 and 1905. 
 
 Brennan, George A. The Wonders of the Dunes. Indianapolis: The Bobbs-Merrill Co., 
 1923. 
 
 Eenigenburg, Harry, The Calumet Region and its Early Settlers. Chicago: Arrow Prin- 
 ters, 1935. 
 
 Goodspeed, Rev. E. J. History of the Great Fires in Chicago and the West. New York: 
 H. S. Goodspeed & Co., 1871. 
 
 Goodspeed, Weston A. and Healey, Daniel D. (ed.). History of Cook County. Chicago: 
 Hammon Press, W. B. Conkey Co., 1909. 
 
 Graff, Henry F. and Krout, John A. The Adventure of the American People. Chicago- 
 Rand McNally and Company, 1959. 
 
 History of Cook County, Illinois. Chicago: A. T. Andreas Publisher, 1884. 
 
 Ridgley,, Douglas C. Th© Geography of Illinois. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 
 1921. 
 
 NEWSPAPERS 
 
 Calumet Index. Chicago, llinois. February 13, 1936. 
 
 Calumet Index. Chicago, Illinois. July 26, 1954. 
 
 Calumet Index. Chicago, Illinois. Nopember 14, 1955. 
 
 Chicago Daily News. October 29. 1959. 
 
 Chicago Tribune. September 26, 1954. 
 
 Chicago Tribune. March 27. 1960. 
 
 Delaware Ohio Gazette. Delaware, Ohio. July 19 1822. 
 
 Hammond Times. Hammond, Indiana. September 11, 1939. 
 
 Harvey Tribune. Harvey, Illinois. February 17, 1955. 
 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. 1907-1912. 
 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. October 10, 1913. 
 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. June, 1915. 
 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. December 24, 1942. 
 
 33 
 
The Pointer, Riverdale. Illinois. March 3. 1955. 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. March 17, 1955. 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. November 21, 1957. 
 The Pointer. Riverdale, Illinois. January 8, 1959. 
 The Review. Dolton-Riverdale, Illinois. July 24, 1875. 
 The Shopper. South Holland, Illinois. April 1, 1960. 
 South End Reporter. Chicago, Illinois. March 25, 1956. 
 South End Reporter. Chicago, Illinois. January 28, 1959, 
 South End Reporter. Chicago, Illinois. April 8, 1959. 
 Suburban Index. Chicago, Illinois. March 9, 1960. 
 
 PUBLIC DOCUMENTS 
 
 Chicago Communities. (History of Riverale Community. Chicago), Vol. 6. 
 Document No. 3. 
 Document No. 6. 
 Document No. 7. 
 Document No. 8. 
 Document No. 9. 
 Document No. 10. 
 Document No. 11. 
 
 Prepared for Chicago Historical Society, research committee, University of Chi- 
 cago. Source: Taken from the typewritten files of Miss Isabella Doltcn. (Typewritten.) 
 
 Dolton. The Revised Ordinances of the Village of Dolton. Chicago: Barnard and Miller, 
 Printers, 1907 
 
 Dolton. Municipal Code of Dolton. (Containing the General Ordinances of the Village 
 of Dolton). December 11, 1958. 
 
 Illinois, An Act to Authorize the Building of a Toll Bridge Across the Calumet River, 
 between George Dolton. February 17, 1841. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Abstract of Title, to strip of land situated in E hf of S factn of 
 SW factl or of Sec 34-37-14 in C C I. (original land of George Dolton) December 
 13. 1907. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Abstract of Title, for Car H. Thomsen. No. 1527938. Chicago 
 Title and Trust Company, January 29, 1906. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Indenture. George Dolton between John Battle. May 15, 1837. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Indenture, George Dolton and Olive R. Between Benjamin Wil- 
 der. February 28, 1855. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Sherriff's Deed, to Charles H. Dolton. October 27, 1860. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Warranty Deed, Charles H. Dolton and wife to the Chicago and 
 Calumet Terminal Railway, 1890. 
 
 Illinois, Cook County, Warranty Deed. George Dolton and Olive R. Dolton, July 20, 1855. 
 
 U. S., General Land Office, Deed of Sale. John Tyler, President of the U. S., between 
 Joseph C. Matthews. May 20, 1841. 
 
 U. S., Postmaster General of the United States of America, William Dennison, Post- 
 mastership to Andrew H. Dolten [sic] of Dolten's [sic] Station, Cook County, Illinois, 
 February 27, 1866. 
 
 UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL 
 
 Anctil, Carol. "Dolton." A school paper written for Social Studies class, Thornton Town- 
 ship High School, Harvey, Illinois. 1955. 
 
 Community Achievement Contest Report. "Dolton-Riverdale Junior Woman's Club Pro- 
 ject — Village Library." Scrapbook written by the Dolton-Riverdale Woman's Club 
 in 1955-56. (Typewritten.) 
 
 Diekrnan, Ernest. "History of Ernest Diekman Family." (Typewritten.) 
 
 ■ "District #149, Cook County." (Typewritten.) 
 
 "Indians of this Region." (Typewritten.) 
 
 "Wildlife of This Region." (Typewritten.) 
 
 "Forest Preserves." (Typewritten.) 
 
 Dolton, George E. III. Three letters from George E. Dolton III to Mrs. Klage of Dolton, 
 Illinois, dates 1942. 
 
 Dolton, Isabella. "The Early History of Dolton, Illinois." (Dolton Papers). A term paper 
 written by Miss Dolton for a sociology class. (Partly handwritten and typewritten.) 
 
 Dolton, Isabella, and Dolton, Edith. (Dolton Notes), Various assortment of miscellaneous 
 records and papers found in the library of the home of the late Isabella and 
 Edith Dolton on March 26, 1960. 
 
 Dolton, Mrs. Leonora. Various private records and papers of Mrs. Leonora Dclton. 
 
 34 
 
"History of Dolton." A school paper written for Social Studies class, Thornton Town- 
 ship High School, Harvey. Illinois. May 26, 1958. 
 
 Meyer, Bob. "The Meyer Family History." A school paper written for Social Studies 
 class. Thornton Township High School, Harvey. Illinois. 
 
 Propper, Mrs. Lena. A letter written by Mrs. Propper to Lenore Ligler, describing Mrs. 
 Propper's early recollections of Dolton. (Handwritten.) 
 
 Reaugh, William. "Village of Dolton." This paper was loaned through the courtesy of 
 Mrs. William Reaugh. There is no known author. (Typewritten.) 
 
 Schapper, Ferdinand. "Southern Cook County Before the Civil War." (The Early Sett- 
 lers and Their Families), Vol. II: 1917. (Typewritten.) 
 
 Serbus, Pearl. A brief paper on the history of Dolton given to the authors by Pearl 
 Serbus of the Suburban Index. 
 
 Thoren, Joy Ann. "Village of Dolton, Illinois." A scrapbook and typewritten paper on 
 the history of Dolton. 
 
 Voll, Clifford A. A handwritten, brief outline of the Immanuel Evangelical and Re- 
 formed Church. 
 
 Watson, Phillip. "History of Dolton." A school paper written for Social Studies class, 
 Thornton Township High School, Harvey, Illinois. 
 
 Zimmerman, J. F. "History of Incorporated Municipalities of Thornton Township." 1938. 
 (Typewritten.) 
 
 INTERVIEWS 
 
 Anders, Mr. and Mrs., Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 Bachman, Mr. Edgar, Interview, March 19, 1960. 
 DeBoard, Mr. George. Interview, March 5, 1960. 
 Diekman, Mr. and Mrs. Frank. Interview. March 19, 1960. 
 Diekman, Miss Grace. Interview, March 19, 1960. 
 Diekman, Mrs. Mabel, Interview, March 19. 1960. 
 Dillner, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur, Interview, February 16, 1960. 
 Dolton, Miss Betty. Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 Dolton, Mrs. Leonora, Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 Erffmeyer, Mr. Robert, Interview, April 2, 1960. 
 Harms, Mr. Albert, Interview. April 2, 1960. 
 Hess, Mrs., Interview, March 5, 1960. 
 Jaynes, Mrs. Harry, Interview, April 8, 1960. 
 Klage, Mrs., Interview, April 2, 1960. 
 Kreutzburg, Mrs., Interview, March 19, 1S60. 
 Lazaros, Mr. John, Interview, May 12, 1960. 
 Luttring, Mrs. Neola, Interview, March 11, 1960. 
 Mangnus, Mrs. Leona, Interview, May 12, 1960. 
 McCaleb, Mrs. Charlotte, Interview, February 24, 1960. 
 Miller, Mrs. Cora, Interview, March 18, 1960. 
 Montgomery, Mr. Willard, Interview, March 5, 1960. 
 Pebworth, Mrs. Robert, Interview, February 24, 1960. 
 Quinn, Mr. H. T„ Interview, April 2, 1960. 
 Reaugh, Mrs. William, Interview, April 8, 1960. 
 Schnell, Mr. Hans B., Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 Serbus, Mrs. Pearl, Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 Swanscn, Mrs., Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 VerHoeven, Mrs. August, Interview, March 5, 1960. 
 Vroegh, Mr., Interview, February 27, 1960. 
 Watson, Mrs. Edward, Interview, March 10, 1960. 
 Weber, Mr. Fred, Interview, March 19, 1960. 
 Wernicke, Mrs. John, Interview, March 12, 1960. 
 
 35 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 3 0112 050758678