{"1": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3493", "width": "2192", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "*.-o f\\n*^o^\\n.V\\no\\nOat\\n^WA\\\\\\no. *.V.T* A\\n^^0^ r^\\n^oV^ :^iM^n: ^Ao\u00c2\u00ab o^\\n^P\\no_\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2\u00e2\u0080\u00a2AT 5i. V\\n^V.^", "height": "3475", "width": "2157", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "V _ ^^v\\nV J, J, J\\n.0*.^-.% -V\\nOn\\n0 O\\n-WS^ aV-^. o^^i^fJiSt- c.^-^^ :^g\u00c2\u00abi^y^/; ,v-\\no\\n0\u00c2\u00b0\\nO\\n0^\\nV .1-f- o^\\n0* T7r* v*^ o.l* _^G\\n*\u00c2\u00b0-v\\n.-i o.\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0s-i-\\n-e.", "height": "3476", "width": "2139", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3498", "width": "2040", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3487", "width": "2011", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3493", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "HISTORY OF ROCKFORD", "height": "3464", "width": "1988", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3493", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "1988", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "THATCHER BLAKE\\n[ffennanicMis Kent and Thatcher Blake were tlie first settleix\\n(It Iwicktonl. Tliey came tmni (ialena in tlie snnimei- of l,s:!4|", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "HISTORY\\nOF\\nROCKFORD\\nAND\\nWINNEBAGO COUNTY\\nILLINOIS\\nFrom the First Settlement in 1834 to the Civil War\\nBY\\nCHARLES A. CHURCH\\nM\\nWITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM NEGATIVES TAKEN BY MEMBERS OF NEW ENGLAND\\nSOCIETY, AND OTHERS\\npubli6bc bxi tbc IMcw EnglanO Societis of Rocl^forCt, mi.\\nROCKFORD, ILL.\\nW. r. LAUD, BOOK AXD JOB PRISTER.\\n1000.\\nL", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "14844\\n1\\nLibrary of Contiress\\nTwo CoPlfS RECFIVfO\\nJUL 5 1900\\nCnpyrighf \u00c2\u00abntiy\\nffetf\\nSECOND COPY.\\nOtliverepd to\\nOHD\u00c2\u00a3R DIVISION,\\nilll 6 190Q\\n64827\\nCOPYRIGHT\\n1900\\nBy the new ENGLAND SOCIETY\\nOF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "Both justice and decency require that we should bestow on our forefathers\\nan honorable remembrance. Thucydidbs.\\nTO THE nmoRY or\\nTHE EARLY 5ETTLER5 OE POCKEORD\\nWHO FOUNDED THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY\\nUrON THE NEW ENGLAND MODEL, AND GAVE TO IT THE\\nBEST ELEMENTS OF CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION,\\nTHIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY\\nDEDICATED BY\\nTHE AUTHOR.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "\u00c2\u00a9fficcrs IRew ]\u00c2\u00a3ngland Society\\n1900*1901\\nPresident\\nVice-President\\nSecretary\\nTreasurer\\nARTHUR H. FROST\\nGEORGE M. BLAKE\\n(Vacancy to be filled)\\nJOHN L. CLARK\\nJ^\\nEiecutive Committee\\nFrank J. Leonard\\nMrs. G. W. Maguire\\nW. C. Tapt\\nMrs. E. W. Chandler\\nMrs. Edna Southgate\\ntbistorical Committee\\nCharles L. Williams\\nMrs. Harriott Wight Sherratt\\nMrs. E. p. Catlin\\nMrs. Anna C. Vincent\\nS. J. Caswell", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "CONTENTS\\nCHAP. PAGE\\nI. Geographical Review .1\\nII. Geology and Topography op Winnebago County 6\\nin. The Mound-Builders and the Winnebago Indians 10\\nIV. The Black Hawk War 16\\nV. Stephen Mack.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 John Phelps.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Joseph Kemp 22\\nVI. Germanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake 26\\nvn. Picturesque Rockford.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Its Flora and Fauna 32\\nviii. Daniel Shaw Haight.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Other Settlers of 1835 35\\nEX. The Pioneers of 183G .40\\nX. John C. Kemble the First Lawyer.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Other Settlers of 1837 45\\nXI. Organization of the County.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The F irst Election 51\\nXII. Location of the County Seat at Winnebago 58\\nXIII. The Ferry.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Early State and County Roads 61\\nXIV. The Village Christened.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The First Surveys 65\\nXV. The Rise of Methodism.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 First Methodist Episcopal Church 68\\nXVI. First Crime.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 First Marriages and Births.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Claim Fights 75\\nxvii. The County Divided.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Mile-Strip Contest. Minor Notes 81\\nxviii. New England Congregationalihm.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The First Church 87\\nXIX. First Patriotic Celebration. The Postoffice. First Courts 97\\nXX. The Stage Coach.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Early Hotels.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Village Plats 102\\nXXI. Dr. a. M. Catlin.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The Foote Brothers.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 First Seminary Idea 107\\nxxn. Dr. Josiah C. Goodhue.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Dr. Alden Thomas 110\\nxxiii. Dr. George Haskell.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The Gipsy: the First Steamboat 114\\nxiiv. James M. Wight.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Jason Marsh.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Other Pioneer? 1838-39 118\\nXXV. Trials of the Pioneers.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Scarcity of Provisions 131\\nxxvi. Rockford Houses in 1838.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Later Buildings.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 H. H. Silsby 134\\nxxvn. The First Baptist Church.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Jacob Knapp.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Dr. Thomas Kerr 138\\nxxvin. Village Incorporated.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Land Sale.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 First Temperance Club 148\\nXXIX. Rockford Cemeteries 151\\nXXX, The Seven Years War over the Site of the County Seat 154\\nXXXI. Plan of Secession and Proposed Annexation to Wlsconsin 160\\nxxxii, Rockford s Attitude toward Repudiation of State Debt 166\\nXXXIII. The Lyceum.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Settlers of the Early Forties.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Minor Notes 168\\nxxxiv. Organization of Agricultural Society.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The First Fair 172\\nXXXV. The Reign of Terror \u00e2\u0080\u0094The Banditti of the Frontier 174\\nXXXVI. Robbery of McKenney and Mulford.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Colonel Davenport 182", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "CHAP.\\nXXXVII.\\nXXXVIII.\\nXXXIX.\\nXL.\\nXLI.\\nXLU.\\nXLUI.\\nXLIV.\\nXLV.\\nXLVI.\\nXLVII.\\nXLVIII.\\nXLIX.\\nL.\\nLI.\\nLII.\\nLIII.\\nLIV.\\nLV.\\nLVL\\nLVII.\\nLvni.\\nLIX.\\nLX.\\nLXI.\\nLxn.\\nLXIII.\\nLXIV.\\nLXV.\\nLXVI.\\nLXVII.\\nLXVIII.\\nLXIX.\\nLXX.\\nLXXl.\\nLXXII.\\nLXXIII.\\nLXXIV.\\nLXXV.\\nCONTENTS.\\nPAGK\\nTransportation Navigation of Rock River.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Plank Roads 188\\nNew England Unitarianism.-First Church.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Rev. A. H. Conant 194\\nEarly Elections.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Political Reminiscences 201\\nLouis Kent: the Only Slave in the County 208\\nThe Polish Claims.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Delay in Obtaining Land Patents 210\\nPioneers in Local Journalism 215\\nThe First Dam.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The Water Power.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 High Water of 1844 222\\nPostmasters of Roceford.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Its Only Postmistress 226\\nOrganization op the Universalist Church 229\\nFirst Bridge.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 First Foundry and Machine Shop 231\\nWorcester A. Dickerman.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Rockford as he saw it in 1844 235\\nThe Social Life of Rockford in the Early Forties 248\\nPredominance of the New England Type in Early Rockford 253\\nRiver and Harbor Convention.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Winnebago Delegates 257\\nThe Reform of the Judiciary.-Constitutional Convention 260\\nThe Galena and Chicago Union: the First Railroad 266\\nRepresentative Rockford Citizens: 1842-50 273\\nDeparture of Mr. Haight.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Local Statistics.- Other Notes 281\\nEmmanuel Church (Episcopal) 284\\nRockford Female Seminary,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Anna P. Sill.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Aratus Kent 287\\nState and Local School Funds.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Early Rockford Schools 296\\nAdoption of Township Organization 304\\nSecond Congregational Church 306\\nIncorporation of Rockford as a City.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Minor Notes 313\\nElections of 1852-53.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Elihu B. Washbdrne 319\\nThe Water Power.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The Manny-McCormick Suit 321\\nEmerson, Lowell, Whipple and others Lecture in Rockford 326\\nA Fragment of Political History.- Rockford Banks.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Notes 329\\nRockford Settlers 1851-54 333\\nThe Free Public School System 341\\nThe First Library.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Wesleyan Seminary 344\\nBayard Taylor s Tribute.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Fraternities.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Notes 347\\nMurder of Sheriff Taylor.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Execution of Countryman 350\\nKenosha and Rockford Railroad.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Early Mansions.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Notes 352\\nFatality at a Charivari.- Trial of Governor Bebb.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Notes 358\\nThe Lincoln-Douglas Debate 860\\nRockford Settlers 1855-59 362\\necclesustical histort 1850-60 368\\nConclusion 378", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "ILLUSTRATIONS\\nThatcher Blake,\\nMap of Northkirn Illinois,\\nFirst Methodist Church,\\nFirst Congregational Church,\\nResidence of Daniel S. Haight,\\nSecond Court House,\\nOld Second National Bank Block,\\nW. 6. Conick s Residence,\\nMandeville House,\\nBrinckerhoff House,\\nOld Seminary Building,\\nScience Hall, Rockford Collecje,\\nEast State Street, as seen in 1855,\\nFrontispiece\\n17\\n89\\n89\\n129\\n129\\n177\\n177\\n233\\n233\\n289\\n289\\n337", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION\\nIN the days of ancient Rome Janus was the guardian deity of\\ngates. As every gate turned either way, so Janus was rep-\\nresen ted with two heads. One was of a youth, to indicate begin-\\nning the other was of an old man, suggestive of the end. The\\nfirst looked toward the future; the second, toward the past.\\nThe student, like Janus of old, surveys the past; and only\\nfrom this point of view can he intelligently interpret the pres-\\nent, and in some measure forecast the future.\\nAs a community becomes older, and the habits of its people\\nbecome fixed, the study of local history receives attention. A\\nmovement was recently begun in this state for the purpose of\\ncreating popular interest in state and local history and these\\nsubjects will doubtless receive more attention than formerly.\\nThis volume does not claim infallibility; but it does purport to\\nbe a thorough and conscientious effort to present in miniature\\nthe life of this community during a period of twenty-seven years\\nfrom its first settlement. It is primarily a history of Rock-\\nford but no history of the city would be complete unless con-\\nsiderable attention were given to the county, as a background.\\nNearly all the early settlers have passed away. This fact makes\\nthe fund of reminiscences smaller than might be desired. It is\\nbelieved, however, this volume contains a larger number of local\\nfacts than were ever before presented in a single work. This is\\ndue to the fact that the author has been fortunate in obtaining\\naccess to sources of information that were not available to\\nany of his predecessors. It is hoped that the treatment of all\\navailable material has been such that no future historian of\\nRockford will be obliged to go over the ground in order to sub-\\nstantiate the facts herein set forth. The Roman poet, Ovid,\\nmade Janus say: Everything depends on the beginning.\\nThe author hopes that upon this foundation a later historian\\nwill rear the superstructure of a complete history of the Forest\\nCity to the close of the century.\\nClio, the muse of history, is represented as wearing a wreath\\nof laurel, and holding a half-open parchment roll, upon which\\nshe has inscribed the deeds of heroes and the songs of love.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nCiio and her sister-muses were nymphs of the sprinji^s that bick-\\nered down the sides of Helicon and Parnassus, the waters of\\nwhich were supposed to possess the property of inspiration.\\nThus the historian of the old school painted ideal heroes and\\ntheir exploits, with the grouping made very largely according\\nto the taste of the artist.\\nThis age demands a sterner realism. The modern histo-\\nrian is a patient plodder and a delver after facts. He must\\nclear and arrange the buried fragments of the past, and so\\nfar as he may reconstruct the shifting tableaux of human life,\\nso that king and subject, wise and simple, high and low, rich\\nand poor, capital and labor, virtue and vice, crown and spade,\\ncrook and plow, sword and pen, and all that makes the thought\\nand act of life, may be to the present what they were to the\\npast. The inventive genius of Rockford has produced a ma-\\nchine that will paint a portrait of high artistic excellence, with\\ncomparative ease. The next wonder may be a device to grind\\nout history, with neither sweat of brow nor weariness of brain.\\nThe author has received the cordial co-operation of the\\nofficers and executive and historical committees of the New Eng-\\nland society. He is indebted to many friends for valuable aid\\nin personal reminiscences. He has received the utmost courtesy\\nfrom early settlers and others interested in the work and to\\nthem is due, in large measure, whatever success may attend its\\npublication. He is especially indebted to collections of manu-\\nscripts gathered some years ago by the late Hon. E. H. Baker\\nand the late H. H. Silsby. Lewis F. Lake, M. A. Norton and\\nH. C. Scovill have placed the records of their respective offices\\nat his disposal. The clerks of the several churches have loaned\\ntheir records and the early records of Rockford seminary have\\nbeen frequently consulted. The author is also indebted to Mrs.\\nHarriott Wight Sherratt, Mrs. Katherine Keeler,Mrs. E. P. Cat-\\nlin, Chas. H. Spafford, Hon. Wm. Lathrop, S. J. Caswell, and\\nH. N. Starr, for the loan of family manuscripts and valuable\\ninformation personally given. The splendid resources of the\\npublic library have been utilized, and without them this volume\\ncould not have been prepared upon it present scale.\\nCHARLES A. CHURCH.\\nHocKPOBD, III., May 22, 1900.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER T.\\nGEOGRAPHICAL REVIEW.\\nTHE territory now comprised within the state of Illinois first\\nnoraiuall}^ formed a part of Virginia. The primal rights\\nof the native Indians were never recognized by the explorers\\nfrom the old world. The English crown, by virtue of discov-\\neries made by the Cabots and thecolonies planted by Sir Walter\\nRaleigh, took formal possession of that portion of the new\\nworld known as Virginia, .^his name was given the new pos-\\nsession by the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth, in honor of herself. In\\n1606, early in the reign of King James I., two companies were\\nformed for the colonization of America. Virginia was divided\\ninto two parts. To the London Company the king granted\\nSouth Vii ginia, which extended from Cape Fear, in North Car-\\nolina, to the Potomac. To the Plymouth Company he gave\\nNorth Virginia, which stretched from Nova Scotia to Long-\\nIsland. The region between the Potomac and the Hudson\\nwas left as a broad belt of neutral territory. Under the revised\\ncharter of 1609 these grants were to run in straight zones\\nacross the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They\\nincluded all the islands lying within one hundred miles along\\nthe coast of both seas aforesaid. So little was then known of\\nthe geography of North America, that it was believed the con-\\ntinent at this latitude was no wider than in Mexico. Hence\\nEngland made extensive grants of land on this continent in\\nutter ignorance of its extent and configuration. This charter\\nwas subsequently annulled by quo WiUTHiito, and special com-\\nmi.Msious issued, in which the king declared that the charter was\\nabi ogated for the benefit of the settlers; but that it should\\nnot affect their private or civil rights, but only the political\\nrights of the company at home.\\nThe English colonists in Virginia, however, did not penetrate\\nfar into the interior. Thus the royal claim to the land through-\\nout from sea to sea west and northwest did not secure the\\ntitl of the English crown to this vast domain. The French\\nwere the first actual settlers in the great Mississippi valley.\\nDuring the latter part of the seventeenth century Father Mar-\\n(juette, Joliet, La Salle, Touti and others explored the shores of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "2 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe Father of Waters and his tributaries, and believed they had\\nfound a terrestrial paradise. La Salle descended the Mississippi\\nto the Gulf of Mexico. He named the country Louisiana, in\\nhonor of his king, Louis XIV, By virtue of these explorations\\nFrance made formal claim to the territory lying on either side\\nof the Mississippi. Possession is said to be nine points in the\\nlaw. According to this doctrine France, and not England, was\\nthe first European power to establish its claim to the Illinois\\nterritory by actual occupation. Between the years 1695 and\\n1705 colonies from Lower Canada founded the villages of Kas-\\nkaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes. The French government united\\nits possessions in Canada with those in Louisiana by a chain\\nof posts, from Quebec to New Orleans and Le Grande Monarque\\nmade numerous grants to his favorites. The large number of\\ngrants of land made during this period indicate that Illinois\\neven at that early day had attracted general attention. Thus,\\nwith English colonies on the coast, and French occupation in\\nthe valley of the Mississippi, it was only a question of time\\nwhen there would come a final struggle for the possession of\\nthis vast territory.\\n^This crisis came with the French and Indian war, the issue\\nof which committed the destiny of the west to the Anglo-Saxon\\ncivilization. By the treaty of Paris, in 1763, Great Britain\\nobtained all the French territory east of the Mississippi, with\\nthe exception of the island of New Orleans. France ceded New\\nOrleans and all of Louisiana west of the Mississippi to Spain.\\nIn all the great continent of America, France retained not a\\nfoot of ground.\\nThe special claim made by Virginia to the Illinois territory\\nwas based upon the bold conquest of this region by Colonel\\nGeorge Rogers Clark. In 1778 Colonel Clark conducted a series\\nof brilliant campaigns against the military posts at Kaskaskia,\\nCahokia and Vincennes. These posts and those upon the lakes\\nwere in possession of the British, under the command of Henry\\nHamilton, whose headquarters were at Detroit. From these\\nposts the Indians were supplied with munitions, and were thus\\nenabled to harass the settlements in Kentucky with their cruel\\nguerrilla warfare. The French villages, the only settlements in\\nthe region, were seats of British power. If these posts could be\\ntaken, and the capture of the British soldiers effected, the entire\\nregion would be won for the Old Dominion. This result could\\nonly be effected by force and the scheme appealed to the bold", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "THE CONQFEST OF THE WEST.\\nspirit of Colonel Clark. He presented the matter to Patrick\\nHenry, who was then i;overnor of Virginia. Henry s ardent\\nsoul quickly caufiht the tinnio, and he secretly rendered such\\nassistance as came within his j)owoi-.\\nThe outcome justified Colonel hirk s most sanguine expec-\\ntations. His brilliant exploits constitute one of the most\\nromantic chapters in pioneer history. The results were very\\ni:roat, and doubtless prepared the way for the purchase of Lou-\\nisiana, If Clark had failed to conquer and hold the llUnois and\\nVincennes, there is reason to believe that the Ohio river would\\nhave been the boundary between the American and the British\\npossessions. The colonial charters furnished color of title; but\\nthe American claim actually rested on the conquest and occu-\\n])ation of the west by Colonel Clark and the backwoodsmen.\\nThus the west was won by the westward movement of the\\nbackwoodsmen durino- the Revolution; by the final success of\\nthe Continental armies in the east; and by the diplomacy of\\nFranklin, Jay and Adams in the treaty of Paris. Failure at\\nany one of these points would have given the British the\\npossession of the west. Colonel Clark spent his last years alone\\nin poverty, in a rude dwelling on Corn Island, until he went to\\nthe home of his sister. When Virginia sent him a sword he\\nreceived the compliments of the committee in gloomy silence\\nand then exclaimed: When Virginia w^anted a sword I gave\\nher one. She sends me now a toy. I want bread. He thrust\\nthe sword into the ground, and broke it with his crutch. His\\ngrave is in Cave Hill cemetery at Louisville, marked by a little\\nheadstone bearing the letters, G. R. C. It is said that not half\\na dozen persons in the United States can point it out. Fortune\\nwas unkind to him, and republics seemed ungrateful; but his-\\ntory must pay its just tribute to his genius, his patriotism, and\\nhis prowess.\\nVirginia assumed the title to this extensive territory, first\\nby right of her charter, and secondly by the conquest of her\\nown arms. These claims, though challenged by the other\\nstates, were successfully nmintained bv the Old Dominion; and\\nthe territory was at once organized into a county called Illinois.\\nThis word is derived from the Algonquin word Inini, or Ulini,\\nwhich means a perfect and accomplished man. The Illinois were\\nan Indian tribeof the Algonquin nation, who occu{)ied a portion\\nof the state which now bears their name. These events occurred\\nduring the administration of Patrick Henry as governor of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "4 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nVirginia, aud therefore he may be said to have been the first\\ngovernor of Illinois.\\nBy the treaty of Paris in 1783, which terminated the Revo-\\nlutionary war, the Illinois territory passed forever from the\\ncontrol of Great Britain. It was not clear, however, to whom\\nthe title was transferred. During the war four states had made\\nclaims either to the whole or to parts of this domain. They\\nwere Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Virginia. The\\nfirst two colonies had received royal permission to extend from\\nsea to sea. But Virginia was the lordly Old Dominion, which\\nhad actually conquered and held the disputed territory.\\nAt this juncture Maryland arose to the occasion in 1777,\\nwith a novel and practical suggestion. As a condition of rat-\\nifying the Articles of Confederation, Maryland insisted that the\\nfour claimant states should surrender their claims to the United\\nStates, and that the latter should create a domain which should\\nbe owned by the confederacy in common. In 1780 congress\\nrecommended to the several states such cession of their several\\nclaims, and the ci eation of a national domain. Thus there\\nwere planted the fruitful seeds of national unity.\\nIn pursuance of this recommendation Connecticut, Massa-\\nchusetts, and New York surrendered their claims, which were\\nmore or less shadowy. The magnanimity of Virginia was\\ngenuine. The Old Dominion made a complete surrender of the\\nmagnificent territorv of which she was in actual possession. In\\nthis concession she was greatly influenced by Thomas Jefferson.\\nOctober 20, 1783, the general assembly passed an act which\\nauthorized the delegates of the state in congress to convey to\\nthe United States, on certain conditions, her entire territory\\nnorthwest of the Ohio river. One of these conditions was that\\nthe ceded territory should be formed into states not less than\\none hundred, nor more than one hundred aud fifty miles square\\nor as near thereto as circumstances would admit. Accordingly\\non March 1, 1784, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur\\nLee and James Monroe, the delegates for the commonwealth in\\ncongress, presented to the United States a deed of cession of\\nthe territory northwest of the Ohio river. By the Ordinance of\\n1787 congress provided that not less than three nor more than\\nfive states should be formed from this territory, as soon as\\nVirginia should alter her act of cession and consent to the\\nsame. Virginia, by her act of December 30, 1788, promptly\\nratified the act of congress of the preceding year, anything to", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "ILLINOIS ADMITTED AS A STATE.\\nthe contrary in the deed of cession of the 8ai l territory by this\\ncommonwealth to the United States not\\\\vithstandin Thus\\nwas accomplished the transfer of this jiublic domain to the\\nUnited States.\\nBy the act of congress of May 7, 1800, the Northwest Ter-\\nritory was divided. That portion east of a line drawn from\\nthe mouth of the Kentucky river to the British possessions, was\\ncalled the Ohio Territory. The remainder, west of this line, was\\ncalled Indiana Territory, and comprised the present states of\\nIndiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. William Henry\\nHarrison was appointed ftovernor. Indiana Territory was\\ndivided by act of conp:ress approved June 11, 1805, and that\\n])ortion corresponding to the present southern portion of\\nMichigan was set apart, under the name of Michigan Territory.\\nIn 1809 the Indiana Territory was again divided. That portion\\nlying west of the Wabash river and a line from that river due\\nnorth to the British possessions, was constituted a separate\\ngovernment, under the name of Illinois. This area included\\nthe present states of Illinois, Wisconsin, and peninsular Michi-\\ngan, The seat of government was fixed at Kaskaskm, where a\\nterritorial legislature, which consisted of the governor and the\\njudges, convened in June, 1809. Thus the machinery of the\\nfirst grade of civil government was put in operation in Illinois\\nTerritory.\\nIn 1812 the Territory of Illinois was advanced to the second\\ngrade of territorial government. This organization continued\\nuntil 1818. In January the territorial legislature petitioned\\ncongress for admission into the union as a sovereign state. A\\nbill for this purpose was presented in congress in April, and\\nthrough the influence of Nathaniel Pope, the territorial delegate,\\nthe northern boundary was extended from the line indicated in\\nthe petition to latitude 42\u00c2\u00b0 30 The reason for the change of\\nthe northern boundary line will be more fully explained in a\\nsubsequent chapter. The act of congress of April 18, 1818,\\nprovided for the admission of lUinoisinto the union. In August\\nof the same year the Illinois convention adopted a constitution\\nand ordinance accepting the terms of admission prescribed by\\ncongress. The final act by which Illinois attained its present\\ngeographical and political status was a resolution of congress,\\nadopted December 3, 1818, which formally declared the admis-\\nsion of the state into the union.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER II.\\nGEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nTHE Geological Survey of Illinois Volume V. furuishes the\\nmost complete information concerning the geology and\\ntopography of Winnebago county. This work was })ublished\\nby the authority of the legislature of the state. The article\\ndevoted to this county was contributed by James Shaw, and\\nmany of the facts given in this chapter were taken therefrom.\\nThe geology of Winnebago county is simple in character.\\nThere is first the usual quaternary deposits, which consist of\\nsand, clays, gravels, boulders, subsoils and alluvium. Then\\nfollow the three well-known divisions of the Trenton limestone,\\nwhich outcrop along the streams and hills, and show themselves\\nin railroad cuts, wells and quarries in different parts of the\\ncounty. These divisions are the Galena, Blue and Buff lime-\\nstones of the western geologists. A perpendicular section, as\\nnear as could be constructed, exhibited the following strata\\nQuaternary deposits, average depth about fifteen feet; Galena\\nlimestone, ninety-six-feet; Blue lim.estone, thirty -five feet; Buff\\nlimestone, forty-five feet. These measurements of the limestones\\nwere made at actual worked outcrops. At the time Volume V.\\nof the Geological Survey was published no evidence of the St.\\nPeter s sandstone had been discovered, although it was then\\nbelieved that it came near the surface at Beloit and Rockton.\\nIn 1885, however, when Rockford began boring artesian wells,\\nthe St. Peter s sandstone was discovered. Its upper surface\\nwas irregular, varying from one hundred and seventy to two\\nhundred feet below the surface of the ground. This strata\\nvaries from two hundred to two hundred and fifty feet in thick-\\nness. Mr. Shaw gave it as his opinion that the Trenton\\nlimestones were at the time of his survey the only ones that\\nhad been exposed or excavated in the county.\\nThe surface geology comprises alluvial deposits, loess, and\\nthe drift proper. The usual alluvial bottoms exist along the\\nRock, Pecatonica and Sugar rivers. These are from one to five\\nmiles wide. On the latter two the deposit is deep, black, and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "LIMESTONES.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ECOXOMir GEOLOG Y.\\nrich, and supports in places a heavy j^rowth of timber. The\\ndeposit alonj;- Rock river is not so rich, and is coni})osed more\\nof sands and clays, with occasional strips of better soil. A\\nnumber of the bluffs alon r; Rock river are composed in part of\\nloess clays, in which no fluvatile shells were noticed. This\\nformation is of quite limited extent.\\nThe drift proper is very lar^^ely developed. It is composed\\nof loose detrital matter, which is often of considerable thick-\\nness, brought fi om long distances, and deposited over large\\nareas of the county. This material is thought to have been\\nbrought from the metamorphic regions of the north by the\\naction of water. The railroad track from Beloit to Caledonia\\ncuts at intervals through long, undulating swells of laud. These\\nswells are pure, unmodified, unstratified drift. Other railroads\\nexhibit the same beds along their tracks, though in a less\\nmarked degree. Every township in the county has these gravel\\nbeds, and their underlying associate deposits of clay and sand.\\nTwo-thirds of Winnebago county is underlaid by the Galena\\nlimestone. It is a heavy -bedded, yellowish, dolomitie lime-\\nstone, compact and irregular. There are several notable\\nquarries and outcrops. The first heavy outcrop of the Galena\\nlimestone on Rock river in this county is about three miles\\nabove Rockford. All the cuts on the Galena division of the\\nChicago Northwestern railway, which runs across the south-\\nern part of the county, show the lead-bearing rocks. One of\\nthe heaviest outcrops is east of Harlem station, on the railroad\\nrunning from Rockford to Caledonia. The strata are massive\\nand solid, and furnish splendid material for railroad masonry.\\nThe Blue limestone succeeds the Galena in the descending-\\norder. It is largely developed in the northern and north svest-\\nern portions of the county. It is a thin-bedded, bluish-gray\\nlimestone. The first two cuts east of Shirland, made by the\\nWestern Union in its excavations for a track, are perhaps the\\nbest exposures of the Blue limestone.\\nOnly a limited portion of the county is underlaid by the\\nBuff limestone. The chief outcrop of this formation is at the\\nvillage of Rockton, where it is forty-five feet in thickness.\\nThe county is not without resources in economic geology.\\nThe three formations of the Trenton rocks, previously noted,\\nfurnish building stone of good quality. Age does not affect\\nit, and buildings erected sixty years ago are still well preserved.\\nThis is especially true of the Galena limestone. The quarries", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "8 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WIANEBAGO COUNTY.\\nat Argjle, Rockford and at other points north and south of\\nHarlem supply material for railroad masonry. The Buff also\\nfurnishes stone of good quality for ordinary mason-work, and\\nis easily quarried and worked. At present there is only one\\nquarry of the Blue limestone in the city.\\nSands and clays for economic purposes are found almost\\neverywhere alono- the banks of the rivers, and may be obtained\\nfrom thickly strewn drift deposits. For some years a fine\\nmolding sand was obtained north of School street in Rockford,\\nbut this supply is now exhausted. About two miles northeast\\nof the city there is a large surface of molding sand, which has\\nbeen used by all the foundries in Rockford for the past ten\\nyears. There is also a quantity of molding sand in the vicinity\\nof Rockton. Lime of excellent quality is obtained in lara e\\nquantities in and around Rockford. Near Brown s creek there\\nis a bed of white clay and good red brick is obtained from the\\nclay in other parts of the county.\\nThere is also a supply of good building sand. Limestone\\nfor rubble masonry abounds in almost unlimited quantity about\\nRockford. Large footing stone is obtained, but nothing for\\nornamental purposes. There is no available sandstone in the\\ncounty. There is a general uniformity with the geological for-\\nmation of the Rock river valley. Bog iron exists around many\\nof the springs, but this deposit has no economic value. The\\nground is impregnated with iron, which is soluble in water, so\\nthat it disintegrates lime mortar in the foundations to the\\nextent that it is necessary to use cement in place of lime for\\nfoundations. The county possesses very little mineral wealth.\\nThe deposits of peat are not of great value. The peat is not\\na.vailable for fuel, and can only be used as a fertilizer. Copper\\nin its pure state has occasionally been found but there is no\\ndeposit of the metal.\\nThe topography of the county may be briefly noted. It is\\nwell watered with fine streams. Rock river enters the county\\nabout six miles from its northeast corner, at Beloit, runs nearly\\ndue south to Rockford, then bends gradually to the w^est and\\nenters Ogle county. It affords water-power at Beloit, Rockton\\nand Rockford. Pecatonica river enters the county from the\\nwest, eight miles from its southwestern corner, and flows in a\\ngeneral easterly and northerly course about twenty miles, and\\nempties its turbid waters into Rock river near the village of\\nRockton. Sugar river enters the county from the northwest,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "IXDIAN NAMES.\\nand flows into the Pecatonica near the villaj^e of Harrison.\\nOther streams are Kishwaukee river, and Killbnck, Kent s,\\nKeitli s, and Kinnikinick creeks.\\nThe Indian names of these streams have their sip;nificance.\\nPecatonica means the crooked stream, or muddv water.\\nSinissippi, the Indian name of Rock river, sij::nifles the rocky\\nriver. Kishwaukee means clear waters. The name Winne-\\nbago is translated fish-eater.\\nA considerable portion of the county- was covered with timber\\nof varions qualities. There was much scattering,- timber and\\nbrush-land in the northwestern portion alon} Sugar river and\\nits tributaries, and on portions of the northern bank of the\\nPecatonica. This area is interspersed with occasional swampy\\ntracts. In the southern portion of the county, along- and near\\nthe Kishwaukee creeks, the face of the country is rough, hilly,\\nbrushy, and was covered with an occasional growth of timber.\\nA few miles below Rockford, along the northern bank of Rock\\nriver, and extending north and west from the same, there is a\\ntract of barrens covered with brushwood, and a light growth\\nof white oak and other timber. The other portions of the\\ncounty are chiefly prairie, interspersed with small and beautiful\\ngroves. For agricultural purposes the county is not considered\\nequal to Stephenson on the west, nor Little Boone, its\\neastern neighbor.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER III.\\nTHE MOUND-BUILDERS AND THE WINNEBAGO INDIANS.\\nPROF. J. W. FOSTER, in his Pre-historic Races of the\\nUnited States, says The subordinate valleys of the Rock\\nriver, the Fox, Kankakee and Illinois, show abundant evidence\\nof former occupancy by the Mound-builders, and whilst the\\nmounds are inconspicuous, they are not destitute of relics, and\\nthe human remains are indicative of a race whose skulls are\\nmarked by peculiarities which distinguish them from the red\\nman.\\nThree classes of mounds were found in Winnebago county.\\nThere was the common round mound, from ten to thirty feet\\nin diameter, and from two and a half to five feet high. These\\nmounds were quite numerous along the banks of the Rock,\\nKishwaukee and Pecatonica rivers. The oblong-shaped mound\\nis much less common, but is frequently remarkable for its great\\nlength. One was found within the present limits of Rockford\\nwhich measured one hundred and thirty feet in length, twelve\\nfeet wide at the base, and three or four feet high. Mounds of\\nthe third class have a fancied resemblance to some form of\\nanimal life, and are called effigies. The most commonforms\\nof these are called Bird and Turtle mounds, and are found\\nin many localities in the county. Some fine specimens of\\nthis class, as well as the round and oblong mounds, are still\\ncarefully preserved on the grounds owned by the Misses Beattie\\nand Mrs. Clara G. Sanford, north of the city water-works, on\\nthe west side of the river. The round mounds were frequently\\nconstructed for the purpose of sepulture, the elongated for\\ncircumvallation or as game-drives, while the effigies were\\nprobably ceremonial.\\nA number of archa3ologists believe that the builders of\\nthese mounds were a race inhabiting this country before the\\nAmerican Indian; and in the absence of any information con-\\ncerning their origin, the}^ are denominated mound-builders.\\nOther recent authorities incline to the opinion that the mounds", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "TADIAN MOUNDS. 11\\nwere constructed by the ancestors of the Indians. Their\\nearth-works are found in laro;e numbers in Rockford and\\nvicinity there are probably not less than five hundred within\\nthe limits of Wiunebaj^o county. These earliest inhabitants\\nhad no beasts of burden, and naturally their travel and traffic\\nwere largely by canoe up and down the rivers. Their settle-\\nments, therefore, and their monumental mounds were uniformly\\nlocated near or upon the river banks and in the vicinity of the\\nconfluence of streams these united evidences of a dense popula-\\ntion are generally abundant. Near the mouth of Kishwaukee\\nriver more than one hundred have been surveyed by Prof. T. H.\\nLewis, and ])robably as many existed near Rockton before their\\ndemolition during the progress of railroad construction and\\nother im])rovements. When the cut was made in East Rockford\\nin grading for the Galena Chicago Union railroad in 1852,\\nmany mounds were destro3 ed and gruesome evidence of the\\nsepulchral purpose of some of them was given by the fragments\\nof human skeletons disinterred.\\nWinnebago county does not figure prominently in Indian\\nhistory. The Winnebagoes occupied it as a portion of their\\nreservation at one time. The earliest Winnebago traditions\\nrelate to their residence at Red Banks, on the eastern shore of\\nGreen Ray, in Wisconsin, where they traded with the French.\\nThis tribe was first met by the Jesuit fathers near the mouth\\nof Fox river, at the head of Green Bay. Confusion may arise\\nfrom the fact of two rivers with the same name in the same\\nstate. One stream rises in Waukesha county and flows in a\\ngeneral southerly direction and enters the Illinois river at\\nOttawa. The other rises near the southern boundary of Green\\nLake county, flows westward to Portage City, thence north-\\nward until it exjmnds into Lake Pacawa after a tortuous\\ncourse it enters Lake Winnebago, issues from the northern end\\nof this lake, flows northeastward and enters Green liay. These\\nstreams are distinguished respectively as Fox river, and Fox\\nriver of Green Bay. The latter is always understood whenever\\nthe name is mentioned in connection with the history of this\\ntribe.\\nThe Winnebagoes belonged to the Dacota or Sioux nation.\\nDuring the era of authentic history they wandered to southern\\nWisconsin and northern Illinois and Iowa. In 1812 the Win-\\nnebagoes of Illinois occupied a section, of which this county\\nformed a part. To the south were the Illinois tribes, and the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "12 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ndisputed territory between the two shifted north and south as\\nthe fortunes of war favored the one or the other. In time, how-\\never, the Winnebagoes were driven well back within the present\\nlimits of Wisconsin, and were subsequently regarded as a tribe\\nof that state. The territorial claims of these contestants were\\nnot finally settled until 1825. By a treaty negotiated at Prairie\\ndu Chien August 19 of that year between the United States, the\\nWinnebagoes, the Sacs and Foxes, the Pottawatomies and\\nother attending tribes, the boundaries of the Winnebago coun-\\ntry were finally determined. Thus was peace established after\\na nearl^^ continuous warfare of almost two centuries.\\nThe records of the interior department at Washington show\\nnot less than twelve treaties negotiated between the United\\nStates and the Winnebagoes, during the period of fifty-one years\\nfrom 1816 to 1867. The most important treaty was negotiated\\nat Prairie du Chien, August 1, 1829, by which the Winnebagoes\\nceded to the United States certain lands in Illinois, of which\\nWinnebago county west of Rock river was a part. The consid-\\neration was eighteen thousand dollars in specie, annually, for\\nthe period of thirty years which said sum is to be paid to said\\nIndians at Prairie du Chien and Fort Winnebaygo, in proportion\\nto the numbers residing within the most convenient distance of\\neach place respectively; and it is also agreed, that the said\\nUnited States shall deliver immediately to said Indians, as a\\npresent, thirty thousand dollars in goods and it is further\\nagreed, that three thousand pounds of tobacco and fifty barrels\\nof salt, shall be annually delivered to the said Indians by the\\nUnited States for the period of thirty years.\\nCaleb Atwater was one of the commissioners on the part of\\nthe United States government in negotiating this treaty. In a\\nbook in which he gives an account of the proceedings of this\\ncouncil he takes occasion to remark at considerable length on\\nthe beauty and force of Indian oratory as displayed on that\\noccasion. He says their persons are the finest forms in the\\nworld. As he stands erect, with eyes flaming with ardor, and\\na mind laboring under an agony of thought, the Indian is a\\nmost impressive orator. When he speaks before his assembled\\nnation on some great national subject, he shows most forcibly\\nthat he feels an awful responsibility in what he attempts to\\nadvocate in behalf of his people. Mr. Atwater relates that he\\nhas seen a chief, when he approached the sale of his country in\\nhis speech, turn pale, tremble with fear, and sit down perfectly", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "LWIAX ELOQUENCE, 13\\nexhausted in bod.v from tlie effect. In council on RUchoccaHions,\\non eithei Hide of the .speaker, sit all the chiefs and warriors of\\nhis nation behind him, within sound of his voice, sit the women\\nand children. His subject then becomes of the highest conceiv-\\nable importance to himself and his entire natiou. In such a\\nposition the character of his eloquence is easily conceived. It\\nabounds with tigures drawn from every object which nature\\npresents to his eye. He thanks the Great Spirit that he has\\ngiven them a da,y for holding their council without clouds or\\nwith few, as the case may be; that the several paths between\\ntheir homes and the council fire have been unattended with\\ndanger; and hopes that during his absence the beasts may not\\ndestroy his corn, nor any bad bird be suffered to fly about the\\ncouncil with false stories. Thus far the speaker may have pro-\\nceeded without enthusiasm but should he touch u])on the sale\\nof his country, his whole soul is in every word, look and gesture.\\nHis eye flashes tire, he raises himself upon his feet, his body is\\nthrown in every attitude, every muscle and nerve is strained to\\nits utmost tension. His voice is clear, loud, distinct and com-\\nmanding. He becomes, to use his own expressive phrase, a,\\nman. Then he recalls, with deep pathos and genuine eloquence,\\nthe time when his ancestors inhabited the entire continent, and\\nhow they have been diiven by the white man from river to\\nriver, and from mountain to mountain, until they now have no\\nhome in which they may live in peace.\\nArticle V. of the treatv at Prairie du Chien granted sections\\nof land to certain Indian descendants of mixed blood who did\\nnot wish to migrate with their tribe. Thirty-six of these\\ndescendants were given one section of land each two received\\ntwo sections each and three received two sections jointly. The\\ntotal grant was fort^ -two sections, divided among forry-one\\ngrantees. These grants were unlocated or floating lands.\\nFrom this fact came the word float, by which these sections\\nwere popularly known. The grantees were allowed to select a\\nsection, and their choice was to be approved by the Indian\\ncommissioner and by the president of the United States. There\\nwere several of these floats in Rockford township. The east\\nhalf of section fourteen and all of section thirteen west of Rock\\nriver, containingsix hundred and thirty-seven acres, were located\\nfor Catharine Myott. Further reference to this tract will be\\nmade in a subsequent chapter. Section twenty-one was locate l\\nfor Thereso Leoiier, child of Mauh-ualit\u00c2\u00abe-see: section twentv-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "14 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntwo was selected for James Leciier and section twent3 -seven\\nfor Simon Leciier. These sections now comprise the most\\npopulous and wealthy portions of West Rockford, with its\\nthousands of beautiful homes. There were other floats\\nlocated in this immediate vicinity, some of which may be noted.\\nSection eleven in Rockford township was claimed by Domitille,\\nchild of John Baptiste Pacquette. Besides the section above\\nmentioned, Catharine Myott was given another section, of\\nwhich the west half of section ten forms a part. One section\\nin Winnebago county was given to Brigitte, the child of\\nHee-no-kau. These lands could not be sold without the consent\\nof the president of the United States. The Indians were the\\nwards of the nation, and the approval of the president was\\nrequired by the treaty for their protection from dishonest\\nspeculators; but this precaution was not always successful.\\nThere is no evidence of local record that the transfer of Brigitte s\\nclaim by the original grantee has ever been approved by\\nthe president. A full list of these floats located in this county\\nmay be obtained from the Tract Book in the office of the\\ncircuit clerk.\\nUpon the close of the Black Hawk war, by the terms of the\\ntreaty negotiated by General Scott, September 15, 1832, the\\nWinnebagoes ceded their lands lying east of the Mississippi, in\\nWisconsin, and accepted a reservation in Iowa, designated as\\nthe Neutral Ground. The Winnebagoes were loth to emigrate,\\nand their removal was finally effected by the goverment in\\n1837. By another treaty, concluded November 1, 1837, they\\nfinally ceded all of their lands lying east of the Mississippi river.\\nBy the terms of this treaty they were to remove west of this\\nriver within eight months thereafter. Their reservation was\\nsubsequently changed several times, until in 1865 they were\\npermanently located on their Omaha reservation in Nebraska.\\nIn 1890 there were twelve hundred and fifteen Winnebagoes\\non this reservation and nearly an equal number were scattered\\nover Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, where they\\nnow live chiefly by agriculture, with a strong predilection for\\nhunting.\\nThe Winnebagoes were men of good stature and dignified\\nbearing, with the characteristic black hair, black, glistening-\\neyes, and red skins of the Indian race. They maintained the\\nposition of a tribe of independent feelings and national pride.\\nThe claim made for them of considerable mental capacity is", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "WlNNEIi.UK) NAMES. 15\\nsustained by the cranial iiieaKureiiieuts made some years a ^o\\nat the Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia. In these\\nexaminations their crania were shown to have an average\\ninternal capacity of eighty -nine cubic inches, and a facial angle\\nof seventy-nine degrees.\\nThe so-called Winnebago war occurred in 1827, in the\\nvicinity of Galena. It was more of a scare than a war, and has\\nno locfil interest.\\nFor many years after the Winnebagoes had removed from\\nthis section, small companies would occasionally return to visit\\ntheir former hunting-ground. As Israel could not sing the\\nsongs of Ziou in a strange land, so these red men of the forest\\ncould not forget their early home. The love of country and\\nkindred is the same in subject or in king. It is a universal\\npassion that makes the wide world kin. The Creator hath\\nmade of one blood all nations of men.\\nThe Winnebago has given a name to a lake,afort, avillaae\\nand a county in Wisconsin, and to a village, a township and\\na county in Illinois. The Wisconsin Indian village is the pres-\\nent city of Beloit. Fort Winnebago is a historic spot. Its site\\nis within two miles from the present city of Portage, Wisconsin.\\nThe fort was built in 1818-29, at the solicitation of John Jacob\\nAstor, of the American P^ur Company, to protect his tradefrom\\nthe Winnebagoes. Jefferson Davis was one of the first lieuten-\\nants in the original garrison.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER IV.\\nTHE BLACK HAWK WAR.\\nTHE Sauk or Black Hawk war directed the attention of east-\\nern settlers to the Rock river valley. The history of this\\noutbreak also has a local interest from the fact that this famous\\nIndian warrior, in his flight from Rock Island, followed the\\ngeneral course of Rock river through this county, into Wiscon-\\nsin territory, where he was defeated and captured.\\nMa-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiah, or Black Hawk, was a chief of\\nthe allied tribes of the Sacs and Foxes. He was born at the\\nSac village, on the site of Rock Island, in 17()7. About 1833 a\\nbook was published at Rock Island, which purported to be an\\nautobiography of Black Hawk. Subsequent editions of this\\nwork have been published. Governor Ford, however, in his\\nHistory of Illinois, places little value upon this work. He says\\nit was dictated by Colonel Davenport, an old Indian trader, and\\nAntoine Le Clair, a United States interpreter for the Sacs and\\nFoxes, and edited and published by J. B. Patterson. Governor\\nFord believed that Black Hawk knew comparatively little of\\nthis alleged autobiography although it has been recognized as\\nauthority by reliable writers upon this subject.\\nThe Sacs, according to an Indian tradition, were first\\nplaced by the Great Spirit in the vicinity of Montreal. Their\\nenemies conspired to drive them from their home to Mackinac\\nand other points, until they built a village near Green Bay, on\\nwhat is now Sac river, a name derived from this circumstance.\\nThe Foxes were first found on the northern shore of Lake\\nOntario. From there they were driven to Detroit, thence to\\nMackinac, and from there to the river which bears their name,\\nat a point near its entrance into Green Bay. The Foxes sub-\\nsequently abandoned their village, and formed a treaty of\\nalliance with the Sacs. Neither tribe was sufficiently strong to\\nsuccessfully meet its enemies. Hence they became one nation,\\nand the bond of friendship was never broken. This allied tribe\\nbelonged to the Algonquin nation.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "I Vs.,\\nr\\n1^ S\\no\\nv\\n5-t\\ns\\ns\\nO\\na\\nlij\\nr\\nH\\na\\no\\nz\\nu.\\nO\\na", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "TREATIES WITH THE SAC CHIEFS. 17\\nThe Sacs and Foxes reniaiued for some time in the vicinity\\nof Green Bay. But as early as 1718 they had obtained a firm\\nfooting on Rock river. A party of young men descended the\\nRock to its mouth, and upon their return they presented a\\nfavorable report of the country. Theentire tribe then migrated\\nto the southwest, drove the Kaskaskias from the country, and\\nfounded a village on the point of land at the confluence of Rock\\nand Missi8si])pi rivers. At the beginning of this century the\\nSacs and Foxes occupied lands in northwestern Illinois lying\\nbetween the Winnebagoes and the Mississippi river.\\nIn 1804 a treaty was negotiated at St. Louis between\\nWilliam Henry Harrison and five chiefs of the Sac and Fox\\nnation. Mr. Harrison was then governor of the Indiana\\nTerritory, and of the district of Louisiana, superintendent of\\nIndian affairsfor the district, and commissioner plenipotentiary\\nof the United States for concluding the treaty. By this treaty\\nthe Sacs and Foxes ceded their land on Rock riverand territory\\nelsewhere to the United States. The treaty provided that the\\nIndians should retain these lands until they were required for\\nsettlement. During the war of 1812 with England, through\\nthe influence of Colonel Dixon, a British officer at Prairie du\\nChien, a portion of this tribe allied itself with the English. This\\nfaction was called the British Band, and Black Hawk was its\\nacknowledged leader. The other portion of the tribe remained\\npeaceable during the war, and reaffirmed the treaty of 1804 at\\nPortage des Siouxs, in September, 1815. The hostile warriors\\nprofessed repentance for their violation of good faith, and at St.\\nLouis, in May, 1816, they confirmed the treaty of 1804. A small\\nparty, however, led by Black Hawk, persistently denied the\\nvalidity of the treaty of 1804 as well as all subsequent agree-\\nments. He contended that certain chiefs, while at St. Louis in an\\nintoxicated condition, were induced to sell the Indian country\\nwithout the consent of the nation. Competent authorities have\\ndiffered concerning the equity of the treaty of 1804; but the\\nSacs and Foxes as a nation never disavowed it. On the con-\\ntrary, they reaffirmed it in the treaties of 1815 and 181G.\\nAmicable relations existed between the Sac and Fox nation\\nand the United States from the close of the war with England\\nuntil 1830. In July of that year Keokuk, another Sac chief,\\nmade a final cession to the United States of the lands held by\\nhis tribe east of the Mississippi. According to this tieaty, his\\npeople were to remove from Illinois to the country west of the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "18 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nMississippi, and they quietly removed across the river. This\\ntreaty was negotiated without the consent o! Black Hawk, and\\nhe determined to resist the order of the government for the\\nremoval of his tribe west of the Mississippi. This resistance\\nbrought affairs to a crisis.\\nDuring the winter of 1830-31 Black Hawk and his tribe\\nleft their village, as usual, and crossed the Mississippi on a\\nhunting expedition, to procure furs wherewith to pay their\\ndebts to the traders, and buy new supplies of goods. They\\nre-crossed the river in April, and on their return they found\\ntheir village in possession of the pale-faces. The United States\\nhad caused some of these lauds, which included the chief town\\nof the nation, to be surveyed and sold. A fur-trader at Rock\\nIsland had purchased the very ground on which their village\\nstood. Black Hawk ordered the settlers away, and destroyed\\ntheir property. A truce was arranged, but it did not perma-\\nnently settle the difficulty and May 18 eight settlers addressed\\na memorial to Governor Reynolds, in which they stated their\\ngrievances. The governor immediately communicated with\\nGeneral Gaines, of the United States army, who was then in\\ncommand of the military district. General Gaines repaired to\\nRock Island in June, with a few companies of regular soldiers.\\nUpon ascertaining the critical situation, he called upon Gov-\\nernor Reynolds for mounted volunteers. The governor honored\\nthe requisition, and in response to his call fifteen hundred vol-\\nunteers from the northern and central counties rallied to his\\nsupport at Beardstown, and were placed under command of\\nGeneral Duncan, of the state militia. This army, after a few days\\nmarch, joined General Gaines below Rock Island, where the two\\ngenerals formed a plan of action. General Gaines took posses-\\nsion of the village June 26 but Black Hawk and his band had\\nquietly departed during the night in their canoes for the west-\\nern shore of the Mississippi, where they raised the white flag of\\ntruce. They subsequently re-crossed the river, and thus claimed\\nprotection. June 30 General Gaines negotiated a treaty with\\nBlack Hawk and his chiefs and braves, by which they agreed to\\nremain forever on the western gide of the river; and never\\nto re-cross it without permission from the president of the\\nUnited States or the governor of the state. Notwithstanding\\nthe treaty, in the spring of 1832 Black Hawk attempted to\\nre-assert his right to his former territor3\\\\\\nHostilities began in April, when Black Hawk and his band", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "DEFEAT AT STILLMAS S lU N. If)\\nre-cro8sed the Mississippi, under pretense of paying a visit to\\nhis Winnebao^o friends in Wisconsin, The manifest purpose of\\nthis visit was to form an alliance with the Winneba^oes in\\noffensive warfare. General Atkinson, who was then in com-\\nmand of Fort Armstrong, sent messengers to warn Black Hawk\\nto return. The warrior did not heed the warning, but contin-\\nued his march until he reached Dixon s Ferry, where his braves\\nencamped. The news of Black Hawk s return to Illinois reached\\nGovernor Reynolds, who raised a force of eighteen hundred\\nmen, under command of General Whiteside. This army arrived\\nat Dixon on the 12th of May. Meanwhile Black Hawk had\\ndeparted and encamped on Rock river thirty miles above.\\nWhile at Dixon an ambitious officer named Stillman asked\\nthe privilege of making a reconnoissance on Black Hawk s\\ncamp. It was granted with reluctance, and Major Stillman\\nstarted with two hundred and seventy-five men on the advent-\\nure. When the volunteers approached the camp of Black Hawk,\\nhe sent a party of six men to meet them, under protection of a\\nwhite flag. By some mistake, undisciplined volunteers fired\\nupon them, and two were killed while in retreat. Black Hawk\\nwas justly indignant, and he resisted the attack with his usual\\nspirit. The result was the slaughter of eleven volunteers, and\\nthe others fled in confusion. This was the first blood drawn in\\nthe Black Hawk war. On the following day General Whiteside\\nled his entire force to the scene., near a creek since called Still-\\nman s Run. To this day the visitor to the little village of\\nStillman Valley is shown the spot where the eleven soldiers are\\nsupposed to have been buried. No stone marks the place, and\\nit is known onlv bv tradition.\\nThe news of the Indian war spread rapidly throughout the\\neast, and the administration sent nine companies to the scene,\\nunder command of General Scott. He arrived at Fort Dearborn\\nin Chicago, July 8. The cholera had broken out among his\\nmen on the way, and he was thus detained at the fort. As soon\\nas the cholera had subsided General Scott removed his quarters\\nfrom Fort Dearborn to the banks of Desplaines river. From\\nthere he sent the main body, under command of Colonel Cum-\\nmings, to the site of Beloit, then a deserted Winnebago village.\\nAt that point orders came from the general in chief command\\nfor the army to march down Rock river to Fort Armstrong on\\nRock Island, at which place General Scott had arrived by a\\nhasty march across the country by way of Naperville.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "20 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe further details of this war will be briefly noted. Black\\nHawk retreated up Rock river into Wisconsin, and was hotly\\npursued. The army trail, made in following Black Hawk s\\nband to the head-waters of the Rock, passed through the First\\nward of Rockford. Stephen Mack was the guide. This trail\\nmet the river bank above the city at the dry run which is now\\nbridged on North Second street, near the residence of H. H.\\nHamilton. In July Black Hawk determined to try to save\\nhimself by crossing the Mississippi river. He was overtaken at\\nBlue Mounds, on Wisconsin river, by General Henry s division.\\nA battle ensued on the 21st, in which the Sac chief lost fifty\\nwarriors while crossing the river.\\nBlack Hawk continued his retreat after the battle until he\\nwas again overtaken August 2, near the mouth of the Bad Axe\\nriver, in Wisconsin. In the battle which followed nearly the\\nentire remnant of Black Hawk s army was killed or drowned\\nin attempting to cross the river. Black Hawk fled to Prairie\\nLa Cross, a Winnebago village, where he surrendered to Chaetar\\nand One-eyed Decora, two Winnebago chiefs, who delivered him\\nto General Street, the Indian agent at Prairie du Chien, August\\n27. The campaign had lasted seventy-nine days.\\nThe speech of Black Hawk, addressed to General Street, at\\nPrairie du Chien, after his defeat at the battle of the Bad Axe,\\nis a splendid specimen of Indian eloquence, and reveals a\\npatriotism unsurpassed by the noblest Roman. Eloquence\\nis born of strong passion, and is never a trick of rhetoric nor\\na mere intellectual feat. The following, from this humiliated\\nsavage, is worthy of Burke or Webster\\nYou have taken me prisoner with all my warriors. I\\nfought hard. But your guns were well aimed. Thebulletsflew\\nlike birds in the air, and whizzed by our ears like the wind\\nthrough the trees in the winter. My warriors fell around me;\\nit began to look dismal. I saw my evil day at hand. The\\nsun rose dim on us in the morning, and at night it sunk in a\\ndark eloud, and looked like a ball of fire. That was the last\\nsun that shone on Black Hawk. His heart is dead and no\\nlonger beats quick in his bosom. He is now a prisoner to the\\nwhite men they will do with him as they wish. But he can stand\\ntorture, and is not afraid of death. He is no coward. Black\\nHawk is an Indian. Farewell, my nation! Black Hawk\\ntried to save you, and avenge your wrongs. He drank the\\nblood of some of the whites. He has been taken prisoner, and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "DEATH OF BLACK HAWK. 21\\nhiw plaiJH are atopped. He can do no more. He is near his end.\\nHis sun is setting, and he will rise no more. Farewell to Black\\nHawk!\\nOn the 10th of September the Indian prisoners were taken\\nto Jefferson Barracks, below St. Louis. From there Black Hawk\\nwas sent to Washington, where he was presented to President\\nAndrew Jackson. April 2G, 1833, he was sent to Fortress Mon-\\nroe, where he remained until the 4th of June, when he was\\npermitted to return to his people. Upon his return be was\\nrestored to his tribe as a chief subordinate to Keokuk. Black\\nHawk died October 3, 1838, at the age of seventy-one years.\\nHe was dressed for burial in a uniform presented to him when\\nin Washington by the president. The body was placed in the\\nmiddle of the grave, in a sitting posture, on a seat constructed\\nfor this purpose. On his left side, the cane given him by Henry\\nClay, was placed upright, with his right hand resting upon it.\\nMany of the old warrior s trophies were placed in the grave.\\nBlack Hawk was free from many of the vices that others of\\nhis race contracted from their association with the white people.\\nHe never used intoxicants to excess. As a warrior he knew no\\nfear, and on the field of battle his feats of personal prowess\\nstamped him as the bravest of the brave. In social relations\\nhe was affable and true. His devotion to his wife, with whom\\nhe lived more than forty years, was strong and manly. In the\\nhome he was an affectionate husband and father.\\nThe Black Hawk war made no military reputations; but\\nZachary Tajior and Abraham Lincoln bore an humble part.\\nMr. Lincoln never alluded to it as anything more than an inter-\\nesting episode in his life. In satirizing the military pretensions\\nof another, he said Do you know, Mr. Speaker, I too am a\\nmilitary hero? I fought, bled and came away. If he saw\\nany live fighting Indians, it was more than I did but I had a\\ngood many bloody struggles with the mosquitoes.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER V.\\nSTEPHEN MACK.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 JOHN PHELPS. JOSEPH KEMP.\\nSTEPHEN MACK was the first white man who made a per-\\nmanent settlement in Winnebago county. The exact date\\nis unknown, but it was probably about 1829. It is also quite\\ncertain that he was the first settler in the Rock river valley.\\nThe student of local history is indebted to Edson I. Carr, who\\nhas given in his History of Rockton the best information con-\\ncerning this adventurer; and the author is indebted to Mr. Carr\\nfor many of the facts given in this chapter.\\nMack was born in Poultney, Vermont, during the latter part\\nof the last century. He was for a time a student at Dartmouth\\ncollege, but it does not appear that he was ever graduated.\\nHis love of adventure was shown in early life. Soon after the\\nwar of 1812 he came to Detroit with his father, who held a\\nposition under the government. The younger Mack subse-\\nquently joined a government expedition around the lakes from\\nDetroit to Green Bay. While there Mack learned from traders\\nthat the Rock river country presented favorable opportunity\\nfor a trading post. He accordingly made the journey with an\\nIndian pony, and arrived at a point near the site of Janesville\\nthence to Turtle Village, near what is now Beloit. While there\\nhe learned of an Indian camp to the south, at Bird s Grove,\\nabout a mile and a half from the mouth of Pecatonica river,\\nand he started for that point. He lost the trail and descended\\nthe Rock until he came to a Pottawatomie village at Grand\\nDetour, where he remained several years. Mack established\\ntrade with the Indians, and took their furs in exchange for\\nmerchandise. .His journey to and from Chicago were made by\\nIndian ponies. During this time Mack married Ho-no-ne-gah,\\na daughter of the Pottawatomie chief. This alliance, however,\\ndid not establish a perpetual bond of friendship between Mack\\nand the tribe. He incurred the enmity of the red men because\\nhe refused to sell them whisky and firearms. While on a trip\\nto Chicago a plan was laid to murder him and take his goods.\\nHis faithful Indian wife discovered the plot. She mounted a\\npony, met him a considerable distance from the camp and gave\\nhim warning. Together they started for the camp of the Win-\\nnebagoes at Bird s Grove. There they were made welcome and\\ngiven protection, and there they made their home.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "CHARACTER OF HO-NO-NE-GAH. 23\\nHo-no-ne-gah, thoufj-h boru of a savage race, exhibited\\ntraits of a more refined womanhood. She was a true wife, and\\nthoroughly devoted to her home and children. Her husband s\\ntribute of devotion was sincere. She was modest and disliked\\nto appear conspicuous. She knew the remedies which the Great\\nSpirit had spread before her in nature, and with these she\\nvisited the sick. The needy were also blessed by her gracious\\nministry. Ho-no-ne-gah always wore the habit of her race.\\nOnly once was she known to don the dress of her white sisters.\\nBut she felt so ill at ease that she soon cast it aside, and ever\\nafterward appeared in the attire of her tribe. Mrs. Jesse Blinn,\\nwho still remembers her, testifies to her excellent taste in dress\\nand to her skill in the use of the needle.\\nUpon the outbreak of the Black Hawk war. Mack was living\\nat peace with his Winnebago friends. Black Hawk visited this\\ntribe in his flight up Rock river, and attempted to induce the\\nwarriors to accompany him into Wisconsin. Mack opposed\\nthis alliance, and thereby incurred the displeasure of the Sac\\nchief. The Winnebagoes remained at their old camp, and Black\\nHawk proceeded without them. But the feeling was so strong\\nagainst Mack during this visit of Black Hawk that the chief of\\nthe Winnebagoes advised him to leave the camp for personal\\nsafety. There is a story that he sought seclusion on what is\\nnow called Webber s Island, where he was supplied with food by\\nhis wife until the storm had passed. It is not certain whether\\nthis is history or romance.\\nMack foresaw that a speedy settlement of the Rock river\\nvalley would follow the Black Hawk war. The Pecatonica was\\nthen considered a navigable stream for one hundred miles from\\nits mouth, and Rock river for one hundred and fifty miles into\\nWisconsin Territory. Mack believed that the bluff at the mouth\\nof Pecatonica river was an available site for a town. Accord-\\ningly in the autumn of 1835 he took possession of this tract,\\nupon which he resided until his death. He planted a village,\\nwhich was called Macktown. The place still retains this name,\\nalthough the promising settlement of sixty years ago, save the\\nold substantial farm house, has disappeared. Mack had a bold\\npolicy of expansion, and valued a corner lot near his store at\\none thousand dollars. When he was told that his land was too\\nuneven for a town, he replied that it is far better than Mil-\\nwaukee.\\nMack engaged in various business enterprises. He kept a", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "24 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ngeneral store and did a successful business. He brought bis\\ngoods from Chicago on Indian ponies, before the advent of\\nwagons. In 1838 he established a ferry across Rock river,\\nwhich was managed for a time by William Hulin. It was then\\npurchased by Jesse Blinn, who carried on the business under a\\nlicense issued by the county corhmissioners court. About 1842\\nMack built, mainly at his own expense, a bridge in the place of\\nthe ferry. This was the first bridge across Rock river in the\\nstate. This structure was carried away by a freshet June 1,\\n1851. Another bridge, which had been built previous to the\\nfreshet one mile farther down the river, changed the course of\\ntravel, and Macktown fell into decline.\\nPolitical honors came to Stephen Mack. He was elected\\nassociate justice in 1849, and held the office until his death.\\nHe was appointed the first township treasurer of the school\\nfund of Rockton. Upon the adoption of township organization\\nin 1850, he was a candidate for supervisor, but was defeated by\\na few votes by Sylvester Talcott.\\nMack had takenHo-no-ue-gahtobehis wife under the Indian\\nform of marriage. In order to fully protect the title of his\\nchildren to his estate, he and his wife were re-married September\\n14, 1840, by William Hulin, a justice of the peace. This action,\\nhowever, was probably unnecessary. It is a principle in inter-\\nnational law that a marriage is recognized as legal whenever it\\nis held to be such in the country in which it was solemnized.\\nThis principle would be applied to the marriage rite among\\nIndians and similar races. On the 4th of April, 1840, Mack\\nexecuted his will. The full text of this instrument is given in\\nMr. Carr s History of Rockton. By this will he divided his\\nproperty equally among his wife and eight children.\\nHo-no-ne-gah died in 1847. She was the mother of eleven\\nchildren, two of whom died in infancy. Louisa and Mary were\\nstudents at Rockford seminary for a time, but their free Indian\\nnature could not long endure such restraint. Louisa and her\\nhusband, according to latest information, were residing in\\nChippewa county, Wisconsin. Caroline, the youngest, was a\\nbabe when her mother died.\\nIn 1848 Mack married Mrs. Daniels, of Harrison. The cer-\\nemony was performed at Beloit. His subsequent domestic life\\nwas not as happy as it had been with Ho-no-ne-gah. February\\n14, 1849, Mack executed a codicil to his will. Since the date of\\nthe former instrument changes had occurred in his family.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "MACK S LIFE A MYSTERY. 25\\nThree fhiUlivii had been born, one child and Ilo-no-ne-\u00c2\u00abi:ah had\\ndied, and he had remarried. The codicil equally divided his\\nestate anion i his wife and children.\\nStei)lien Mack died very suddenly April 10, 1850. At the\\ntime of his death he owned land in several adjoininj;- sections,\\nwhich ao;\u00c2\u00ab2;re 2:ated about one thousand acres. He was buried\\non his farm beside his Indian wife. Thirty years later. May 19,\\n1880, their remains were removed and buried in the Phillij)8\\ncemetery, near Harrison.\\ny^ Many reasons have been given why this educated gentleman\\nof New p]ngland should have souj^ht a life on the frontier, and\\nmarried a woman of a savage race. It is said death claimed\\nt he idol of his first love. Others believe an insidious appetite\\ndrove him to this western wilderness. It may have been a keen\\nforesight by which he caught a glimpse of the marvelous devel-\\nment of the west. Whatever the motive, he kept his secret\\nuntil he passed beyond the judgment of men. His career was\\nstrange and romantic. He is remembered asdignitied in bea.iing,\\ngenial and courteous, a kind husband and father, a true friend,\\nand an honest man.\\nIn the summer of 1833 John Phelps, in comp\u00c2\u00abiny with a\\nFrenchman, started down Pecatouica riverfrom Mineral Point,\\nWisconsin, in a canoe, on a voyage of discovery. These men\\ndescended the Rock, and made a brief stop at the mouth of the\\ncreek where Germanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake located\\nclaims a year later. Mr. Phelps and his companion were pleased\\nwith the site, and would have located there had it not been\\nfor the scarcity of timber. Forthisreason they continued their\\njourney down the river, and selected a site now occupied b^ the\\ntown of Oregon, in Ogle county.\\nNeither Mack nor Phelps ever lived within the limits of\\nRockford but a history of the city would scarcely be complete\\nwithout a record of the facts given in this chapter.\\nJoseph Kemp was in this section from 1830 to 1840, and\\nagain from 1842 to 1844. He has not been in this county since\\nthe latter date. Mr. Kemp first came from a point below Rock\\nIsland on the Mississip])i, then to Rockford by way of lU)ck\\nriver. He did not, however, permanently reside in what is now\\nthe city of Rockford. In July, 1899, he was still living, at Mich-\\nigan City, in his eighty-ninth year, and was seen by Charles L.\\nWilliams.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VI.\\nGERMANICUS KENT AND THATCHER BLAKE.\\nIT was stated at the beginning of Chapter IV. that the Black\\nHawk war was the immediate occasion of the settlement of\\nthe Rock river valley. There were, however, remote and more\\ngeneral causes. The peace following the great Napoleonic con-\\nflict in Europe had stimulated emigration to this country.\\nPresident Monroe s administration had passed into history as\\nthe era of good feeling. The Erie canal and the construction\\nof railroads, steamboats and stage lines had created a period\\nof expansion. The great undeveloped northwest, east of the\\nMississippi river, was then quite well known, and presented a\\nsplendid opportunity for capital and enterprise, Illinois occu-\\npied a central position. The Illinois and Michigan canal had\\nbeen chartered, and a large number of railroads had been\\nsubsidized by the state. A tide of inflated prosperity was\\nswiftly carrying every department of industry and speculation\\ntoward the financial breakers of 1837. Under these conditions\\nthe actual history of Rockford began.\\nGermanicus Kent was born of English ancestry in Suffield,\\nConnecticut, May 31, 1790, nearly one hundred and ten years\\nago. In early manhood he went from his native state to New\\nYork. In 1819 he went from there to the south with testimonials\\nof first-class business ability. He first stopped for a short time\\nin Blacksburg, Virginia. About 1822 Mr. Kent went to Hunts-\\nville, Alabama, where he was for some years engaged in the dry\\ngoods business in partnership with Preston Yeatman. June\\n7, 1827, Mr, Kent married Miss Arabella Amiss, who was born\\nin Culpepper, Virginia, April 9, 1808. The ceremony was per-\\nformed at Blacksburg, Mr, Kent was subsequently a partner\\nin the firm of Patton, Donegan Co., at the Bell Cotton factory\\non Flint river, about nine miles from Huntsville, The firm\\nowned a dry goods store at Huntsville at the same time, but\\nMr. Kent was not personally interested in it. It has been said\\nMr. Kent was an abolitionist, but this statement is not fully", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "FIRST ARRIVAL ROCKFORD. 27\\nestablinbed. At one time be owned several slaves, and hrou i!;ht\\none of them to this state.\\nMr. Kent went from Alabama to Galena, Illinois, where his\\nbrother, the Rev. Aratus Kent, a Presbyterian clerg^ man, was\\nstationed as a home missionary. This brother was deeply\\ninterested in higher education, and his name will re-appear in\\nthis book. At the time Aratus Kentleft Huntsville he possessed\\nan amount of ready money that was considered a competence\\nfor those days.\\nThatcher Blake was born at Turner, Oxford county, Maine,\\nMarch 16, 1809. He resided in his native state until 1834,\\nwhen he started for the west by way of Boston, Albany, Buf-\\nfalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis. At\\nSt. Louis he conversed with the soldiers who had been in the\\nBlack Hawk war. who gave interesting descriptions of the Rock\\nriver countr3 and Galena. The latter was then being rapidly\\npopulated by reason of its extensive lead mines. Mr. Blake\\ntherefore visited Galena. There he became acquainted with\\nGermanicus Kent. This acquaintance ripened into friendship,\\nand they arranged to explore the Rock river valley.\\nIn June, 1834, these gentleman started from Galena, in a\\ndemocrat wagon, on their tour of exploration. They went\\nnorth into Wisconsin Territory to the Pecatonica river, about\\nfour miles from what was then known as Hamilton s Diggings,\\na small mining village operated by a son of Alexander Hamil-\\nton. A man named Ransom had settled on the Pecatonica at\\nthis point, of whom they procured a canoe. Their purpose\\nwas to explore the Pecatonica and Rock rivers with a view of\\nsettlement if the country should meet their expectations. Their\\nfirst landing was at a point now included in thecity of Freeport.\\nIt was then an Indian camp, known as Winneshiek s Village.\\nWinneshiek was the name of a chief of a band of Indians which\\nnumbered from two to three hundred. Mr. Kent went ashore\\nand explored the country some distance from the river. The\\nIndians gathered about Mr. Blake in such numbers that he\\nbecame alarmed, and was compelled to row from the shore and\\nremain in the middle of the stream, as a precaution against\\nrobbery of their moderate supply of provisions. From Winne-\\nshiek s Village they continued their journey and made frequent\\nlandings to explore the country. They ascended the Pecatonica\\nto its junction with Rock river, and came down the latter until\\nthey arrived at the mouth of the small tributary to which the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "28 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nname of Keut y creek was subsequeutly given. They selected a\\nsite on the west side of the river. Rock river was then consid-\\nered navigable and a waterway to the north and south. The\\nsite of Rockford, on a navigable stream, midway between Chi-\\ncago and Galena, was at once recognized as possessing superior\\nadvantages. Kent and Blake then proceeded down the stream\\nto Dixon s Ferry, which received its name from John Dixon, the\\nfirst white settler of Lee county, who located at that point in\\nthe spring of 1830. There they sold their canoe and returned\\noverland to Galena, by the road leading from Peoria which\\ncrossed Rock river at that point. This trip covered nine days.\\nSoon after their return to Galena they prepared for a second\\njourney. They procured supplies, and with a heavily laden\\nlumber wagon and a single span of horses, they started over-\\nland for their new El Dorado. There were no roads, nor even\\nIndian trails. Their route was the Galena and Dixon line of\\ntravel as far as Chambers Grove. From this point they took\\na northeasterly course through an unknown country. Their\\njourney covered four days. On the evening of Sunday, August\\n24, these pioneers arrived at their destination. The party con-\\nsisted of Germanicus Kent, Thatcher Blake, a Mr, Evans, and\\nanother man whose name is unknown.\\nThe settlement of Rockford was not a romantic adventure.\\nThese men wore no badges of eminence. They were not flattering-\\ncourtiers of a foreign prince, and possessed no commissions or\\npatents. They did not thrust their swords into the virgin soil\\nand solemnly take possession in the name of an alien king.\\nThey did not kiss the earth in token of devotion, nor recite to\\nthe empty air the purpose of their coming. There were no\\nwintry skies, no breaking waves, nor stern and rock-bound\\ncoast. They were not exiles from the land of their birth, nor\\ndid they seek the treasures of the mine. Neither did they come\\nin quest of a faith s pure shrine nor freedom to worship God.\\nKent came to build a sawmill, and Blake was a tiller of the\\nsoil. The significance of their coming was in the fact that the3\\ncame to stay. Thus did Germanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake\\nmake the first actual and permanent settlement in what is now\\nthe city of Rockford. In this quiet, prosy way did these sturdy\\npioneers illustrate Goethe s observation that the ideal can onl,y\\ncome from the development of the real.\\nMr. Kent was the ruling spirit in this enterprise. He was\\nthen in the prime of life, and had already proven himself to be", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "SALI J OF IXDIAN FLOATS.- 29\\na thoroughgoing; man of affairs. AVith Dante he could say:\\nIn the midway of this our mortal life I found me in a gloomy\\nwood. Mr. Kent was the director and provider of those who\\nwere to begin the work of transformation from the gloomy\\nwood to the Forest City. Those who came with him were\\ndrawing pay, and were without expense. It was otherwise with\\nMr. Kent. Every day brought its expense, and no income. He\\nhad sold his southern home, and his family at Galena was\\npatiently awaiting developments. He could not retrace his\\nsteps. He could only look to the future, and trust for the best.\\nMr. Kent kept a journal, and under date of August 18, 1834,\\nhe writes: Hired Mr. Blake at eighteen dollars per month to\\nlive with me on Rock river, to take charge of my business, and\\nto do all kinds of work, to remain with me from one month to\\ntw^enty-four months.\\nBoth Kent and Blake located claims. Mr. Kent s claim\\ncomprised a tract of land which included the Tinker estate and\\nthe water-power, and extended south to Montague s Addition\\non the west it included the estate now owned by the family of\\nthe late Judge Church, and extended north to half section line the\\neastern line followed the bank of the river. Mr. Kent, however,\\nonly held temporary squatter s possession of this tract, and\\nhe obtained full legal title to only a small portion of it. Mr.\\nKent s name does not appear prominently in the real estate\\ntransactions of his time, except as the agent of others. Sections\\ntwenty-one, twenty-two and twenty-seven, which include a\\nlarge portion of West Rockford, were Indian floats, to which\\nreference was made in a preceding chapter. These sections were\\nsold by their respective owners to Daniel \\\\Yhituey, of Green\\nBay, Wisconsin, for eight hundred dollars each. The deeds\\nwere executed February 12, 1840. Mr. Whitney gave power of\\nattorney to Charles S. Hempstead, of Galena. Mr. Hempstead,\\nthrough Kent and Briuckerhoff as agents, sold the greater ])art\\nof these sections to Isaac N. Cunningham, Abiram Morgan and\\nRichard Montague, who became, in a sense, the proj)rietors of\\nthe corresponding portion of West Rockford.\\nMr. Blake s claim included parts of sections twenty and\\ntwenty-nine. A claim was made in the autumn of 1834 by Mr.\\nKent for an English gentleman named John Wood, of Hunts-\\nville, Alabama. Mr. Wood, however, did not take possession\\nof this claim until the following spring. The first work done\\nby these pioneers was the erection of two log cabins. Mr. Kent s", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "30 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ncabin was on a site directly east of Mrs. Tinker s brick house,\\nand was removed when South Main street was opened. Mr.\\nBlake s cabin was built in the grove on the claim which he had\\nchosen.\\nDuring the autumn and winter Mr. Kent made trips to\\nChicago and Galena. He employed a number of workmen, who\\nhad come from Galena, in various kinds of work. Among these\\nwas the construction of a dam and a sawmill on Kent s creek.\\nThe timber for the mill was cut from the grounds now occupied\\nby Rockford college. In the following January, when the ice\\nwas sixteen inches thick, a sudden thaw swept away the dam.\\nTo this day the observer will notice that the rock at the bottom\\nof the creek, near the Swiss cottage, shells off, and the force of\\nthe water and ice made a deep hole in the bottom of the creek.\\nThe stream was then twice or three times its present width, and\\nits current was proportionally stronger. Such was the fate of\\nRockford s first dam, which was built very near the spot where\\nHon. Robert H. Tinker s suspension bridge spans the stream.\\nEarly in the following spring workmen began digging the race;\\nthe construction of the second dam, just below the first, was\\nundertaken in June, and the mill was completed in July. When\\nthe dam was completed the water arose so as to make a twelve-\\nfoot head, and covered the land now occupied by the several\\nrailroads as switch-yards. The water sometimes backed nearly\\nto State street. Several years later the citizens determined to\\nremove this dam, because they believed it bred malaria; and\\nthis resolution was executed without due process of law.\\nBesides the cabins already noted, Mr. Kent began the erec-\\ntion of another and better log house, in the fall of 1834, which\\nwas completed the following spring. This structure consisted\\nof an upright and a wing, and was considered an uncommonly\\ngood house for those days. Mr. Kent s family probably came\\nfrom Galena in May, 1835. Mr. Blake boarded in the family\\nfor two years, and only occupied his own cabin in the grove\\nwhen he found it more convenient to do so while tilling his land.\\nThe business of the settlement during the first years included a\\ngeneral store, a blacksmith shop, sawmill, a primitive hotel,\\na crude system of banking, and mail facilities of a private sort.\\nAll these were under the general proprietorship of Mr. Kent.\\nIt may be safely said that few men in trade, commerce or\\nmanufacturing survived the financial crash, and the depression\\nwhich swept over the country in 1837 and later, Mr. Kent was", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0052.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "^fR. KI J\\\\ TS REVICRSKS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094niS DEATH. HI\\npoorly prepared for the storm. His ready capital bad become\\nexhausted, and he was now in debt for money, merchandise\\nand property. His goods had been sold on credit, and collec-\\ntions were impossible. His property was depreciated and\\nunsalable, and embarassment and failure were unavoidable.\\nMr. Kent made the best settlement of his affairs possible under\\nthe circumstances, and honestly surrendered everything. His\\ncapital which he brought with him, his buildings and improve-\\nments, his plans and preparations, and even his prospects were\\ngone; and he saw no star of hope in the Rockford which he had\\nfounded and helped to build no opportunities which he might\\nretrieve. And so in 1844 he bade her a long and sad farewell and\\nwent to Virginia, where he made his home the remainder of his\\nlife. He engaged in trade in Craig, Fayette and Montgomery\\ncounties. Mrs. Kent died in Blacksburg, Virginia, May 26,\\n1851. Mr. Kent lived with his daughter, Mrs. Mary Irby Black,\\nthe last five years of his life, in feeble health, in Blacksburg,\\nwhere he died March 1, 1862.\\nThis man will ever stand foremost in the history of Rock-\\nford, in point of time and early events. In his character and\\nlife there are are elements that arrest and fix attention, and\\nwhich merit grateful remembrance. Kent school, in South\\nRockford, Kent s creek and Kent street are named in his honor.\\nFortune was more kind to Mr. Blake. He resided on his\\nfarm until 1851, when he removed into Rockford and engaged\\nin real estate business. For two years preceding his death Mr.\\nBlake operated extensively in timber lands in Wisconsin. Mr.\\nBlake died October 8, 1880. Mrs. Blake was living in Novem-\\nber, 1899, at an advanced age, and feeble in mind and body.\\nMrs. Clarence Bean is their daughter. The Blake school is\\nnamed in honor of Thatcher Blake.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0053.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VII.\\nPICTURESQUE llOCKFORD.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ITS FLORA AND FAUNA.\\nMOST of the country around Rockford was ori(i:inally prairie.\\nThe first settlers found the west side of what is now the\\ncity largely wooded, reaching south below Knowlton street,\\nand north as far as Fisher avenue, and extending west beyond\\nthe creek, and to the high ground of South Rockford, and up\\nthe south branch also on the East side from near State, south\\nto Keith s creek, and east to creek and to Sixth street. North\\nof State, on the flat, was wood and brush up as far as the\\nbrewery. John H. Thurston gives this vivid description of the\\neast side of the river as it appeared in the spring of his arrival\\nThe season of 1837 opened early, and as the earth became\\nclothed in green, it presented the most beautiful landscape I\\nhave ever seen. Innumerable flowers dotted the scene in every\\ndirection. What is now the Second ward was covered with\\ntall, thrifty white oak timber. The fires had killed most of the\\nunderbrush, and it was a magnificent park from Kishwaukee\\nstreet west to the river, and from Walnut street south to the\\nbluffs at Keith s creek.\\nRock river is a historic waterway, and presents a great\\nvariety of picturesque scenery. Southey s apostrophe may be\\naddressed to her: Thou art beautiful, queen of the valley!\\nthou art beautiful. The Rock has practically two heads: the\\nsmaller, in a rustic stream which flows from the north into\\nswamp-girted Lake Koshkonong the larger, in the four lakes\\nat Madison, the charming capital of Wisconsin, which empty\\ntheir waters into the Avon-like Catfish or Yahara, which in turn\\npours into the Rock below Lake Koshkonong. The river, at\\nRockford, before it was dammed, was nine or ten feet below its\\npresent level, and about four rods narrower, with clear gravel\\nbed, and no mud or swamp about its shores. The water was\\nvery clear and pure before the cultivation of the land on its\\nbanks had caused the wash of soil bv the rains. There is an", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0054.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "REMINISCENCE OF MARGARET FULLER. 33\\ninteresting; historic spot on the river some miles below Rock-\\nford. Maro;aret Fuller visited Oregon in 1843. There she found\\nnew themes for her muse. At the riverside there is a fine spring;\\nwhose waters are cool and unfailing. On the bluff above it\\ntoday are growing gnarled and twisted cedars. In the branches\\nof one there was an eagle s next. Beneath its shade Margaret\\nFuller wrote her poem, Ganymede to his Eagle. The spring\\nstill sends forth its pure stream, and hundreds of people visit\\nthe spot. Under the shadow of the trees which falls upon the\\npool, they read the marble tablet set in the solid rock above,\\nwhich bears this inscription: Ganymede s Springs, named\\nby Margaret Fuller (Countess d Ossoli), who named this bluff\\nEagle s Nest, and beneath the cedars on its crest wrote Gany-\\nmede to his Eagle, July 4, 1843.\\nThe level at the intersection of State and Madison streets,\\non the East side, was about ten feet higher than at present. At\\nthe intersection of State with First the level was about ten feet\\nlower than it is today. Between these two points the ground\\nwas six feet above its present level. From the river bank to\\nMadison was therefore quite a steep ascent. West of the river,\\nthe ground was low, as it now appears at the knitting facto-\\nries, and so continued nearly to Main street, as it yet remains\\nin some places.\\nSouth of the depot of the Chicago Northwestern railroad,\\non the West side, and from ten rods west of Main street, the\\nland was low, only a little above the creek, with the exception\\nof the ridge near the creek. When the dam was built this area\\nwas called the pond. This depression has been filled, and the\\nsite is mainly devoted to railroad purposes.\\nThe bluffs at the college grounds descended steep to the\\nwater s edge, unbroken and unworn. They were covered with\\ngrass, brush and trees on the top and sides. There were many\\nred cedars, some of which were large and gnarled. The whole\\nformed a pleasant and romantic spot.\\nAt first there were no roads, and the first track would be\\nfollowed until a road was worn or a change made. The cross-\\ning of streams and sloughs was difficult. East of the city, and\\nrunning nearly parallel with the river, was a wagon road made\\nby the army wagons and trains at the time the troops under\\nMajor Smith passed on their way to the battle of the Bad Axe, in\\nWisconsin, in 1832, where Black Hawk was defeated. This road,\\nhowever, did not run on the line needed by the settlers, and it", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0055.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "34 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwas soon obliterated. The Indian trails were of little use. The\\nred men always went single file, so that their trails were but\\nnarrow paths, and of no special value to the settlers. These\\ntrails were easily traceable as late as 1840, and possibly later.\\nFew antiquities, save arrows and hammers, were found, and\\nthe early race left little to mark its occupation of this region.\\nOnly a small number of Indian graves were found, and these did\\nnot indicate careful burial. Some traces of burying on scaffolds\\nand in trees were supposed to remain but little information\\ncan be obtained upon this point. The headless Big Thunder\\nskeleton sat in his stockade on the court house mound in Bel-\\nvidere as late as the autumn of 1838. But neither his renown\\nas a warrior and chief, nor common reverence for the dead, pro-\\ntected his bones or marked their grave.\\nThe Indians had taken their final departure previous to\\n1834. There were afew Pottawatomies in the vicinity of Rock-\\nton. Rock river was apparently the dividing line between the\\nPottawatomies and the Winnebagoes. The latter had removed\\nto their western reservation. Those who occasionally returned,\\nsingly or in small companies, to revisit their former home, were\\nharmless to the settlers.\\nWild flowers were abundant, both on the prairies and in the\\nwoods. They were of great variety and beauty. Hickory-\\nnuts, butternuts, black walnuts and hazelnuts were plenty. In\\nfruits, there were crab apples, wild plums, thorn apples, grapes,\\nblackberries, raspberries and strawberries.\\nGame was plenty. It consisted of deer, wolves, wildcats,\\notter, coon, muskrat, squirrel, woodchuck, wild geese, ducks,\\ncrane, heron, plover, snipe, prairie hens, partridges, quail, loon,\\ngull, and pigeons. Mr. Thurston says: Having never shot a\\ngame bird previous to my arrival in Rockford, the vast quan-\\ntity of feathered game which I saw migrating northward in\\nthe spring of 1837 excited my unbounded surprise and admi-\\nration. Fish of the varieties now found in this locality was\\nabundant. Wild honey was obtained in considerable quantity.\\nThe small birds then found still remain, except those taken for\\ngame. Snakes were quite numerous. The rattlesnake and the\\nmassasauga were poisonous, and the blowing adder and a\\nvariety of water snake were also so considered. Today a snake\\nis rarely seen, except in woodland and on river bottoms.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0056.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER VIII.\\nDANIEL SHAW HAIGHT. OTHER 8ETTLER8 OF 1835.\\nTHE first settler of what is now East Rockford was Daniel\\nShaw Haight, who arrived April 9, 1835. Mr. Haight\\ncame to Illinois from Bolton, Warren county, New York. A\\nyear or two previous to his appearance on Rock river he had\\nselected a claim near Geneva, Kane county. He sold this claim,\\nand in company with two or three men, he came to Rockford\\non a tour of inspection. He selected a tract of land, which\\ncomprised a large part of what is now the First and Second wards.\\nMr. Haight went back to Geneva for his family, and in May he\\nreturned to Rockford with his wife and child Miss Carey, who\\nwas Mrs. Haight s sister, and a hired man. Mrs. Mary Haight\\nand her sister were the first white women to settle in the county,\\nas it is supposed they preceded by two or three weeks the arrival\\nof Mrs. Kent. Mrs. Haight appears to have been equal to the\\nduties and trials of pioneer lite. She had no acquaintance with\\nbooks or literature; but she possessed a good mind, and was\\nalert, shrewd, and affable to strangers. Mr. Haight was a\\nrugged, roistering pioneer, and a shrewd man of affairs.\\nUpon his arrival Mr. Haight put up a tent under a large\\nbur oak tree, which his family occupied until his cabin was\\ncompleted. This dwelling, built in the summer of 1835, was\\nthe first structure on the P^ast side. It was built on the eastern\\npart of the lot which now forms the northeast corner of State\\nand Madison streets. This spot was at the brow of the table-\\nland, from which the descent was rapid toward the river. The\\nhouse was built in regular pioneer style, without the use of\\na single nail. The main part was about eighteen feet square,\\nbuilt of oak logs. It had a puncheon floor, two windows and\\na door. The cellar was simply an excavation under the centre.\\nSuch a house, says Mr. Thurston, may be built with an\\naxe and an auger, and is a warm, comfortable dwelling.\\nHaight made an addition in 36, with a space between ten\\nfeet wide and roofed over, which had a shingle roof and floor", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0057.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "36 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nof sawed lumber. Mr. Haight s second house was on the north-\\neast corner of State and Madison streets. It was a frame\\nstructure, and completed in 1837 by Thomas Lake and Sidney\\nTwogood. This house was divided and a portion removed to\\nthe northeast corner of Walnut and Second streets. It is the\\noldest frame structure now standing in Rockford.\\nThe first public religious service in Rockford was held the\\nsecond Sunday in June, 1835, at the house of Germanicus Kent,\\nand was conducted by his brother, the Rev. Aratus Kent, of\\nGalena. It has been said that on that day every soul in Rock-\\nford attended divine worship. The audience comprised Mr. and\\nMrs. Kent, Mr. and Mrs. Haight, Miss Carey, Thatcher Blake,\\nAlbert Sanford, Mr. VanZandt, who was Mr. Kent s millwright,\\na man in the em ploy of Mr. Haight, and two other persons whose\\nnames are unknown. Thus it will be noted that in early June,\\n1835, there were less than a dozen persons in Rockford. This\\nsmall number may be explained by the supposition that several\\nworkmen, who had been temporarily employed by Mr. Kent,\\nhad removed from the settlement.\\nIt is impossible to give the name of every settler in what is\\nnow Rockford township at the close of the first year after Mr.\\nKent s arrival. In the autumn of 1834 Mr. Kent solicited a\\nnumber of his southern friends to settle in the rising colony.\\nReference was made in Chapter VI. to John Wood. Another\\ngentleman who thus responded was James B. Marty^n. He was\\na native of the County of Cornwall, England, and had emigrated\\nto Huntsville, Alabama, where he had made the acquaintance\\nof Germanicus Kent. Mr. Martyn arrived in Rockford late in\\nthe summer of 1835. He subsequently removed to Belvidere,\\nwhere he engaged in the milling business.\\nJames Boswell and James Wood also came from the south\\nabout this time. Mr. Boswell settled on a claim about half a\\nmile north of State street, on the west side of the river, imme-\\ndiately above Dr. Haskell s orchard. The next year Mr. Boswell\\ntraded with Mr. Spaulding for property directly opposite, on\\nthe east side of the river.\\nEliphalet Gregory was born in Danbury, Connecticut,\\nApril 23, 1804. He came from New York in June, with his fam-\\nily. His claim extended east one-half mile from Kishwaukee\\nstreet, and south from State to his brother Samuel s claim.\\nHis first log house was near Keith s creek, between Sixth and\\nSeventh avenues, and west of Seventh street. A part of his later", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0058.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST PHYSICIAN. 37\\ntjjrout bouse still stands on Charles street. Mr. Gregory died\\nFebruary 16, 1876.\\nSamuel Gregory arrived in Rock ford December 8th. His\\nclaim was approximately bounded by what are now Sixth and\\nFourteenth avenues, and Ninth street and Churchill Place. His\\nlog house was on Seventh avenue, by Keith s creek, between\\nNinth and Tenth streets. Mr. Gregory spent his last years in\\nPekin, New York, where he died in May, 1886. His sons are:\\nDelos S., John Clark, Homer, and James B. There were also\\nfour daughters: Mrs. Delia A. Johnson, deceased Mrs. Addie\\nS. Witwer, of Chicago Mrs. Edna J. Hulbert, deceased: and\\none who died in infancy.\\nEphraim Wyman arrived in September, He was a native\\nof Lancaster, Massachusetts. In 1824, when he was fifteen\\nyears of age, he removed to Keene, New Hampshire, and from\\nthere he came to Rockford. He followed the business of baker\\nfrom 1835 until 1850. In the latter year he went to California,\\nwhere he remained three years. Mr. Wyman owned and platted\\na tract of land in the heart of WestRockford, to which reference\\nwill be made in a subsequent chapter. A street on the West\\nside bears his name. Mr. Wyman was county treasurer and\\nassessor in 1844-45. In his last years he was afflicted with\\nblindness. Mr. Wyman was a worthy gentleman, and is kindly\\nremembered. He died in the autumn of 1893. Mrs. Wyman\\nstill resides in Rockford. Their only child died when less than\\nfour years old.\\nLevi Moulthrop, M. D., had the distinction of being the\\nfirst resident physician in Winnebago county, as now organ-\\nized. Dr. Whitney had probably preceded him at Belvidere,\\nwhich at that time was included in Winnebago county. Dr.\\nMoulthrop was descended from Mathew Moulthrop, who settled\\nat Quinnipiac, now New Haven, Connecticut, April 18, 1638,\\nand who was one of the original signers of the Plantation\\nCovenant, ratified June 4, 1639. Dr. Moulthrop first came\\nto this county in the autumn of 1835, and permanently settled\\nhere in the following spring. He was born near Litchfield,\\nConnecticut, November 1, 1805. He received his early educa-\\ntion in his native town, and completed a course of medicine\\nand surgery at Fairfield college, in the state of New York. In\\nthe spring of his arrival in this county, he settled upon a claim\\nof several hundred acres near Kishwaukee, now in New Milford\\ntownship, and began the practice of medicine. June 30, 1840,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0059.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "38 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nDr. Moulthrop was married to Miss Margaret, eldest daughter\\nof Sampson George, and died after a brief illness, September\\n12th of the same year. His son, Levi Moulthrop, was born in\\nthe spring of the following year. Dr. Moulthrop is said to have\\nbrought the first copy of Shakespeare into the county. He was\\na member of the Masonic fraternity, a Democrat in politics, and\\na communicant of the Episcopal church.\\nRichard Montague came July 1st from Massachusetts, and\\npurchased a tract of land near the city. A street in South\\nRockford, an island in Rock river and a ward school bear his\\nname. Mr. Montague died July 16, 1878. His son, S. S. Mon-\\ntague, became an expert railroad surveyor.\\nAdam Keith came from Indiana. He was born in Pennsyl-\\nvania, in 1795. From there he went to Ohio, thence to Indiana.\\nHis name was given to Keith s creek. Mr. Keith removed from\\nIllinois to Wisconsin in 1846. He died at Beaver City, Nebraska,\\nin 1883, at the age of eighty-seven years.\\nWilliam E. Dunbar settled in what is now South Rockford,\\nand was a leader in the organization of the county. Mr. Dunbar\\nserved as county recorder from 1839 to 1843. He died Octo-\\nber 16, 1847.\\nP. P. Churchill was born in Vermont in 1804. He pre-\\nempted a farm of one hundred and sixty acres east of the city.\\nMr. Churchill died January 11, 1889. He is remembered for his\\nsimple ways, kind heart and upright life.\\nAmong other settlers in the township during the year were:\\nJohn Vance, John Caton, Joseph Jolly, Charles Hall, Lewis\\nHaskins, Milton Kilbarn, William Smith, Luke Joslin, Israel\\nMorrill, D. A. Spaulding, Lova Corey, Alonson Corey, Abel\\nCampbell,EzraBarnum, Anson Barnum, James Taylor, William\\nHollenbeck, John Hollenbeck, V. Carter, Joseph F. Sanford, Jon-\\nathan Corey, Daniel Beers, Mason Tuttle, and Mr. Noble. The\\nfollowing were also employed by Mr. Kent during the year\\nSquire Garner, Gaylor, Perry, Norton, Phineas Carey, Jefferson\\nGarner, Nathan Bond, Charles J. Fox, James Broadie and wife.\\nAll these were not within the present city limits, but they were\\nresidents in the vicinity. They made the hamlet their place of\\ntrade, and assisted in its growth.\\nThe foregoing list, however, did not comprise the total\\npopulation of the county. Settlements had been made in nearly\\nall the townships. In June, 1860, Judge Church delivered an\\nhistorical address before the early settlers. At that time Judge", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0060.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "SETTLERS IN THE TOWNSHIPS. 39\\nCliurch j:^ ave the following list of settlers in what are now the\\ndifferent townships, in September of 1835: NewMilford: Sam-\\nuel Brown, William R. Wheeler, Richard Hoj aboom, Phineas\\nM. Johnson, John Adams, John B. Lonp;, Mr. Paddleford, James\\nCampbell; Guilford: Henry Enoch, William E. Enoch, J. A.\\nPike, Abraham I. Enoch, John Kelsoe, Mr. Rexford, Colonel\\nJames Sayre, Abel C. Gleason, John Brink, William G. Blair;\\nButler, now Cherry Valley: Joseph P. Griggs; Harlem: William\\nMead, ChaunceyMead, Zemri Butler; Roscoe: Robert J. Cross,\\nRobert Logan, Elijah H. Brown, William Brayton Rockton\\nThomas B. Talcot t, William Talcott, Henry Talcott, John F.\\nThayre, Isaac Adams, Pearly P. Burnham, Darius Adams,\\nDavid A. Blake, Ellison Blake, John Kilgore, John Lovesse;\\nOwen: James B. Lee, Richard M.Walker; Burritt: Isaac Hance,\\nJohn Mcintosh, A. M. Sherman, John Manchester and family,\\nElias Trask, Alva Trask Lysander, nowPecatonica: Ephraim\\nSumner, William Sumner, Mrs. Dolly Guilford, Elijah Guilford,\\nThomas Hance; Elida, now Winnebago: David A. Holt; How-\\nard, now Durand: Harvey Lowe, Nelson Salisbury, who made\\nclaims in 1835, but did not occupy them until the spring of 1830.\\nThese, with their families, property, houses, and other\\nimprovements, made that first short period determine all the\\nfuture. They possessed and enjoyed the land. Others were\\nfollowing close behind. The future seemed promising, and they\\nhad only to prepare for it. Considerable ground was broken\\nfor cultivation but the newly broken soil was of little use until\\nits turf had rotted and mellowed. There was thus probabl3\\nlittle raised that year in crops, except possibly sod corn, pota-\\ntoes, vines and garden vegetables. Winter wheat, however, was\\nsown for the folh:)wing spring.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0061.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER IX.\\nTHE PIONEERS OF 1836.\\nTHE tide of emigration, which may be said to have begun in\\n1835, continued for several years. When the Rockford\\nSociety of Early Settlers was organized, January 10, 1870, its\\nconstitution provided that male residents of the county who\\nsettled therein previous to 1840 were eligible to membership.\\nIn this and the preceding chapter is given a partial list of those\\nwho came previous to and including 1836. In succeeding\\nchapters will be published an incomplete roster of settlers of\\n1837-39, inclusive. According to the Old Settlers standard\\nof eligibility to membership, these names belong to the historic\\nroll of honor.\\nOne of the first emigrants of this year came from the old\\nworld. Thomas Lake was a native of Blackford, in the Parish\\nof Sel worthy, County of Somerset, England. He sailed from\\nBristol in 1832, and arrived in New York after a voyage of\\nseven weeks and three days, just as the cholera was beginning\\nits westward march with such alarming fatality. Mr. Lake s\\nreminiscences of the time between his arrival in New York and\\nhis settlement in Rockford four years later, is a vivid picture of\\nthe hardships of pioneer life. Soon after his arrival in Chicago\\nin October, 1835, he met an old acquaintance, Sidney Two-\\ngood, from Cleveland. Mr. Lake also saw Dr. J. C. Goodhue,\\nwhom he had called to see Mrs. Lake, who was ill. The Doctor\\nadvised Mr. Lake to settle in Rockford. He and his friend\\nTwogood accepted this advice and arrived in Rockford, and\\nfor a time they followed the carpenter s trade. Mr. Lake also\\ntook up a claim, which was subsequently known as the Willis\\nSmith farm, and now owned by P. Byron Thomas. Mr. Lake\\ndied at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Jane Lake, in Guilford,\\nin the autumn of 1886.\\nHerman B. Potter was a native of Connecticut. He reached\\nRockford in October. Mr. Potter purchased a farm about two\\nmiles south of State street on the Kishwaukee road. Later he", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0062.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "SELDEN M. CHURCH. 41\\ncame to the city and built a house where the First Congrega-\\ntional church now stands. This home was purchased by Mrs.\\nChamberlain. Mr. Potter was a promiuent citizen in the early\\nhistory of the county, and was at one time a member of the\\ncounty commissioners court. In 1850 Mr. Potter visited Cal-\\nifornia. In 1853 he removed his family to Iowa, where he\\nresided until his removal to Galesburg, Illinois. Mr. Potter died\\nat Galesburg, March 16, 1880, at the age of seventy-five\\nyears.\\nSelden M. Church was a son of New England. He was born\\nin East Haddam, Connecticut, March 4, 1804. His father\\nsubsequently removed to Livingston county, in western New\\nYork. The son came to Chicago in 1835 with a team thence\\nhe went to Geneva, in Kane county, whei e he remained until he\\nsettled in Rockford in the autumn of the following year. During\\nhis early residence in the township, when the Winnebago\\nIndians made occasional visits to their former hunting-ground.\\nJudge Church frequently visited their camp, and obtained such\\nknowledge of their language as enabled him to intelligently\\ncarry on conversation with them. From an early date until\\nthe time of his death. Judge Church was a notable figure in the\\nofficial and business life of the community. He filled the offices\\nof postmaster, county clerk and county judge. The last posi-\\ntion he held eight years. In 1847 he was a delegate from this\\ncounty to the constitutional convention. Judge Church was a\\nmember of the general assembly in 1862 a member of the state\\nboard of charities in 1868 and was one of the commissioners\\nchosen by the government to locate a bridge at Rock Island.\\nJudge Church died June 21, 1892. He builded wisely for the\\neducational and moral welfare of Rockford. Mrs. Church and\\ndaughters, Mrs. Katharine Keeler and Miss Mary Preston,\\nreside on the family estate on South Avon street. The title to\\nthis property has not changed in more than half a century.\\nAbiram and Mary Morgan left their home in Massachusetts\\nin September on a visit to this western country. They were\\ncharmed with the Rock river valley, and determined to settle\\nhere. They purchased a quarter section of Nathaniel Loomis,\\nand erected a small log house on almost the exact site of the\\nspacious old Horsman mansion. Mr. Morgan also purchased\\nsection twenty-two, which was originally an Indian float. Mr.\\nMorgan possessed a competence, which became the basis of a\\nlarge estate for his family. His religious sympathies were with", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0063.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "42 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe Baptist church. As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Morgan had\\nestablished their home, they desired that it should be shared\\nby their only daughter and her husband. This daughter, pre-\\nvious to the departure of her parents from Massachusetts, was\\na young school girl attending Charleston seminary, where she\\nformed an acquaintance which led to her romantic marriage.\\nCharles I. Horsman was then a young man in business in Bos-\\nton. It was an instance of mutual love at first sight, and they\\nwere married February 10, 1834, when the bride was nineteen\\nyears of age. Mr. and Mrs. Horsman took their departure\\nfrom the east soon after the arrival of her parents in Eockford.\\nThey came by way of Pittsburg, thence by the Ohio and the\\nMississippi rivers to St. Louis, thence overland to Rockford.\\nMrs. Horsman has given a vivid picture of their reception at\\nthe parental home. As the shades of night were falling, on the\\nsecond day of December, they reached Rockford, on the east\\nside of the river. They were cold, hungry, weary and disheart-\\nened. The river was full of floating ice, so that the ferry was\\nnot available; but a man agreed to row them across in a small\\nboat, and they eagerly assented. Then they walked up from\\nthe river arm in arm, through the stately oaks, until they came\\nto the home where the young wife s parents were waiting to\\nreceive them. In referring to that incident in later years, Mrs.\\nHorsman said that as the door was thrown open to welcome\\nthe daughter and her husband, when the flood of light threw\\nout its rays into the night, and the aroma of hot coffee greeted\\ntheir keen senses, it seemed as if the gates of Paradise had been\\nopened to them. On this very site Mrs. Horsman resided until\\nher death in 1889. Mr. Horsman died March 2, 1875.\\nSampson George, an English gentleman, came to thiscounty\\nin September. In his youth Mr. George had been educated in\\nthe profession of the law, in the office of his father but he had\\na decided preference for agricultural pursuits. Mr. George pur-\\nchased a claim of eight hundred and eighty acres of land, held\\nby Joshua Fawcett. Five weeks after his arrival Mr. George\\nwas taken ill and died October 31st, leaving a widow and five\\nchildren. He was buried on his farm southeast of the village.\\nLater the remains were removed to the West side cemetery.\\nCharles Henry Richings, M. D., was the second resident\\nphysician. He followed very closely Dr. Moulthrop. Dr. Rich-\\nings was born in England, February 26, 1815. He received\\nhis medical education in Belgium, and settled in Rockford July", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0064.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "HIRAM R. ENOCH. 43\\n18. The j)ractiee of bis profeBsiou aud hiBiuveHtmeulH returued\\nhim a comfortable fortune. Dr. Richings was a communioaot\\nof the Episcopal church. His death occurred Aug;u8t 13, 1884.\\nHis widow resides on the homestead on West State street. His\\nson, Dr. C. H. Richings, is a well known practitioner.\\nBethuel Houghton came from New Hampshire, in October.\\nHe engaged in the bakery business, and at one time he was\\nassociated in this way with Ephraim Wyman. Mr. Houghton\\nleft reminiscences in manuscript, which have been of service in\\nthe preparation of this volume.\\nHiram R. Enoch was a native of Warren county, Ohio.\\nFrom there he removed with his parents to Will county,\\nIllinois, and thence he came to Guilford township. Probably\\nno citizen of Rockford possessed a larger fund of local history\\nthan did Mr. Enoch, and he rendered valuable assistance in the\\npreparation of historical articles. Mr. Enoch was county\\ntreasurer eight years. His best known work was as editor and\\nproprietor of the Rockford Journal. After his removal from\\nRockford Mr. Enoch was in the employ of the government, in\\nthe pension bureau. His death occurred at Washington, D. C.\\nIsaac Newton Cunningham was the first of four brothers\\nto settle in this county. He was the second sheriff of Winnebago\\ncounty, and held this office four years. He died in Rockford\\nDecember 24, 1865. His name will frequently appear in later\\nchapters.\\nJacob and Mary Posson came from Schoharie county, New\\nYork. In 1837 Mr. Posson purchased land four miles east of\\nRockford, upon which he lived five years. In 1842 he bought\\nproperty on the northeast corner of Second and Market streets.\\nWhile building a cooper shop on this site he received injuries\\nfrom which he died November 1, 1842. His son, H. A. Posson,\\nhas resided in the county sixty-two years, and has probably\\nlived in Rockford township longer than any other resident\\nexcept Mrs. Thatcher Blake. Mr. Posson was wounded at the\\nbattle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and his arm was amputated the\\nfollowing week. He was in the local mail service four years\\nfrom 1890, under Postmaster Lawler.\\nDavid S. Shumway came in the spring, and settled on a\\nfarm in New Milford. He was a native of Vermont. The familv\\nwas known as Green Mountain Yankees, and was of Huguenot\\ndescent. One son, R. G. Shumway, was born in Vermont; R. B.\\nShumway is a native of Ohio three sons, Alvaro, Roland H.,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0065.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "44 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand Monroe, were born on the old farm in New Milford also\\nthree daughters, who died young during the sickly seasons of\\nearly days, Roland H. Shumway has acquired a national\\nreputation as a seedsman, and has amassed a large fortune.\\nNathaniel Loomis and his son, H. W. Loomis, came from\\nNew Jersey. Other settlers in the county were Charles Works,\\nAlonzo Corey, Charles P. Brady, Spooner Ruggles, Henry P.\\nRedington, Jonathan Wilson, A. G. Spaulding, Scott Robb,\\nNuman Campbell, John Peffers, Heman Campbell, Homer\\nDenton, John Robb, Edward Smith, Joseph Ritchie, Herman\\nHoit, Martin W.Borst, Philip Culver, Thomas Williams, Joseph\\nVance, Austin Andrews, Edmund Whittlesey, Joseph Miner,\\nAlbert Fancher, Eli Burbank, Mr. Barnaby, and Miss Danforth,\\na sister of Mrs. Israel Morrill, and who became the wife of D. A.\\nSpaulding, the first government surveyor of northern Illinois.\\nJohn Greenlee and John Armour, from Campbelltown,\\nArgyleshire, Scotland, settled in the spring of this year at\\nHarlem, and formed the nucleus from which has grown the\\nlarge and flourishing colony known as the Scotch Settlement.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0066.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER X.\\nJOHNC. KEMBLE: THEKIltST LAWYER.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 OTHER SETTLERS UF 1837.\\nTHE emigration of 1837 was equal to that of the precedinjr\\nyear. John C. Kemble was the first lawyer who practiced\\nin this county. Mr. Kemble and Dr. Goodrich had offices on\\nSouth Madison street, directly below Potter Preston s\\nstore. Mr. Kemble s log house was built near the northwest\\ncorner of First and Walnut streets. Mr. Kemble was a gentle-\\nman of ability, and had been a member of the general assembly\\nof New York from Rensselaer county. Mrs. Kemble was a\\nmember of one of the old Dutch families in New York. Accord-\\ning to the custom of the day, a colored servant was assigned\\nthe duty of ministering to her comfort. Her maiden name was\\nPotts, and she met and married Mr. Kemble in Chicago. Her\\nservant, Isaac Wilson, familiarly known as Black Ike, came\\nto Rockford with Mrs. Kemble in the latter part of 1837. It\\nhas been said that he was a slave at this time; but such was\\nnot the fact. When Isaac was a boy slavery was abolished in\\nNew York by an act of gradual emancipation, and he became\\nfree at a certain age. He had become so attached to the family\\nin the east that he voluntarily followed Miss Potts to Chicago,\\nthence to Rockford, where he resumed his duties as a servant.\\nThese statements are made on the authority of the late Harvey\\nH. Silsby, who boarded with the Kemble family in the spring of\\n1830. About this time ex-Governor Marc^ and wife of New\\nYork were guests at the Kemble home. Mr. Marc}- had been\\ngovernor three consecutive terms, and had attracted attention\\nas a member of the United States senate by his reply to Henry\\nClay s assault on Van Buren, and by his answer to Daniel Web-\\nster s speech on the apportionment. The Governor came to\\nRockford with his own handsome team and carriage, and his\\ndrives about the country with the Kembles were notable inci-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0067.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "46 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ndents in the social life of the village. Mr. Kemble became insane,\\nand in 1840 he was taken to an eastern asylum, where he died\\na short time afterward. Mr. Kemble had two sons. Albert,\\nthe elder, was an artist. He went to Italy for study, where he\\nmarried, and died. Edward became an editor, and founded\\nthe California Star, the first English newspaper in San Fran-\\ncisco. For many years after the death of Mr. Kemble, Black\\nIke had a fruit and lunch counter on North Madison street,\\nand is well remembered by old residents.\\nJohn Lake was born March 27, 1821, in Selworthy Parish,\\nEngland. His father died when he was quite young, and he was\\nearly thrown upon his own resources. When sixteen years of\\nage he determined to follow his uncle, Thomas Lake, to Amer-\\nica, and arrived in Rockford about December 1st. After three\\nyears on a farm, Mr. Lake spent a year as an apprentice to the\\ncarpenter s trade, under Thomas Thatcher. At the expiration\\nof that time he began the business of contractor and builder on\\nhis own account. In the winter of 1852-53 Mr. Lake formed a\\npartnership with the late Phineas Howes, in the lumber trade.\\nThe firm s yard was on the site of the Chicago Northwestern\\npassenger depot on the East side. After the railroad bridge\\nwas completed across the river, the firm removed its yard to\\nthe West side, near the present Northwestern freight depot.\\nThe business was continued there until the summer of 1856,\\nwhen it was sold to Mr. Freeman. In November of that year\\nMr. Lake revisited his native country. He returned in Febru-\\nary, 1857, and early in the following spring he again embarked\\nin the lumber business, on the southeast corner of State and\\nThird streets, with his former partner, Mr. Howes. This part-\\nnership was dissolved in the autumn of 1859, by the sale of the\\nstock to Cook Brother, lumber dealers on the West side. From\\n1860 to 1868 Mr. Lake was a partner with the late Henry\\nFisher, in the lumber business on the West side. In May, 1867,\\nMr. Lake again revisited England, and after an extended tour\\nof the continent he returned in the autumn of the same year. In\\nthe spring of 1868 Mr. Lake and Seely Perry formed a part-\\nnership in the lumber trade, on the corner of Third and State\\nstreets, which was continued until 1874. The residences of\\nthese gentlemen were built from nearly the same plans. In\\n1874, and again in 1877, 1889 and 1891, Mr. Lake revisited\\nEurope. Mr. Lake was connected with the Rockford Insurance\\nCompany from its organization in 1866 until its sale in 1899.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0068.jp2"}, "69": {"fulltext": "\u00e2\u0096\u00a0lOHS LAKE.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 JOHN THURSTON. 47\\nHe was its first vice-president, and served in tbateapacity until\\nJanuary, 18GG. wlien lie was chosen president to succeed Dr.\\nRobert P. Lane. Mr. Lake served the Second ward as alderman\\nten years ending with 1883. He has been a supervisor, and\\nchairman of the board of education. For sixty-two years Mr.\\nLake has been known as a man of affairs, of strict integrity and\\nexceptional executive ability; he isa self-made man. Mr. Lake\\nand Seely Perr^^ own the three-story brick block on the north-\\neast corner of State and Second streets. October 11, 1849, Mr.\\nLake married Miss Aimed a M. Danley, of Harlem. Three of\\ntheir seven children died in infancy. Those surviving are: Mrs.\\nWilliam H. Crocker, of Evanston: and Mrs. Charles M. Clark,\\nMrs. William M. Prentice, and Frank L., of Rockford. Mr. Lake\\nis a prominent Odd Fellow, and has served as grand master of\\nthe grand lodge of Illinois, and representative to the sovereign\\ngrand lodge of the United States for six consecutive years. Mr.\\nLake is an attendant at the First Congregational church.\\nHenry Thurston and his son, John H., then a lad thirteen\\nyears of age, arrived in March. In company with William P.\\nDennis, of Massachusetts, they had come from Troy, New York,\\nby sleigh and wagon to Chicago. There they met Daniel S.\\nHaight and Benjamin T. Lee, of Rockford, both of whom had\\nknown the elder Thurston in the east and they persuaded the\\nparty to settle in Rockford. While in Chicago they met John\\nC. Kemble, who had made the journey by stage from Troy, and\\nthe company reached Rockford soon afterward. The son grew\\nto manhood and continuously resided in Rockford until the\\ndeath of his wife in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston resided more\\nthan forty years in the brick house on South Madison street,\\nwhich has been used for several years as an annex for the high\\nschool. Mr. Thurston published his Reminiscences in 1891.\\nThey are a valuablecontribution to local history. Mr. Thurston\\nwas uneducated in the learning of the schools; nevertheless he\\nhad a retentive memory, a ready wit, and a natural aptitude\\nfor writing that have made his little volume of Reminiscences\\nquite popular with all classes of readers. He has graphically\\nportrayed that circle of pioneer social life in which he moved.\\nMr. Thurston died September 19, 189G.\\nWilliam P. Dennis was a well known citizen, who held several\\nminor offices. He first lived in a log house on the site of Dr.\\nCatlin s residence, on South First street. Mr. Dennis died in\\nRockford, February -4, 1880.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0069.jp2"}, "70": {"fulltext": "48 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nSamuel D. Preston came from New York. He traveled over-\\nland from Medina, with his wife and one child. He lived on\\nNorth Madison street, and later his home was on the site of the\\noffice of the Rockford Lumber and Fuel Company. Mr. Preston\\nwas prominent in the early business and political life of the\\ncommunity. He was county treasurer four years. Mr. Preston\\ndied February 11, 1844. He was the father of Mrs. L. J. Clark,\\ndeceased Miss Anna T. Preston, deceased and Miss Mary\\nPreston, a resident of the city. Mr. Clark, his son-in-law, built\\nthe old stone house on the southwest corner of Madison and\\nOak streets.\\nEleazer Hubble Potter was born in Fairfield county, Con-\\nnecticut, and emigrated with his parents to western New York\\nwhen he was about seventeen years of age. Mr. Potter was\\nfully committed to the New England idea that the church and\\nthe school-house form the real basis of the prosperity of a city.\\nHe therefore took an active interest in building up its religious\\nand educational institutions. Mr. Potter made the acquaint-\\nance of Samuel D. Preston at Medina, and when these gentlemen\\ncame to Rockford they formed a partnership in business. Mr.\\nPotter afterward became a prominent banker. He built the\\nhouse now occupied by Rev. Mead Holmes, who has enlarged\\nand otherwise improved it. He also built the fine residence of\\nHon. Gilbert Woodruff. Mr. Potter died at his home in this\\ncity, September 1, 1861, at the age of fifty-five years. He was\\nthe father of Mrs. William Lathrop, and Commodore Potter,\\nwho resides with his daughter, Mrs. Sabin, at Belvidere.\\nNathaniel Wilder was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts,\\nJune 30, 1794. From his native state he removed to Keene,\\nNew Hampshire, and from there he came to Rockford with his\\nfamily, in March. He opened a blacksmith shop in a log build-\\ning on South Main street, between Green and Cedar streets, and\\nowned considerable property in that vicinity. Mr. Wilder was\\nprobably the third blacksmith in Rockford. He continued in\\nthis business twenty-five years, and then engaged in the coal\\ntrade. At one time he was a member of the Second Congrega-\\ntional church, but his later faith was Unitarianism. He died\\nJuly 11, 1884, at the age of ninety years.\\nGeorge W. Brinckerhoff came to Rockford during this year.\\nHe was in partnership with Germanicus Kent in various business\\nenterprises. Although Mr. Brinckerhoff was quite prominent\\nat one time, little is known of his later life.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0070.jp2"}, "71": {"fulltext": "a. A. SANhVRD. 49\\nGoodyear Asa Sanford was born in Hamden, Connecticut, in\\nAuf^ust, 1814. He was en\u00c2\u00ab?aj2^ed in farming in the east until he\\ncame to Alton, Illinois, in December, 1836. In the followinpj\\nyear he came to Rockford and engaged in mercantile business.\\nMr. Sanford always took an active interest in politics, and was\\none of the early sheriffs of the county. He was also school com-\\nmissioner from 1845 to 1847. Mr. Sanford was a member of\\nthe banking firm of Dickerman, Wheeler Co., which began\\nbusiness January 1, 1855. The firm name was changed the next\\nyear to Lane, Sanford Co. The Second National Bank was\\norganized April 29, 1864, with Mr. Sanford as cashier. He\\nsucceeded to the presidency, which he held at the time of his\\ndeath, March 16, 1894. As a banker and man of affairs, Mr.\\nSanford was very prominent for more than half a century.\\nRev. John Morrill and wife made their home in the little\\nvillage in February. Mr. Morrill s important work in stimu-\\nlating the religious life of the community will be considered in\\na subsequent chapter. Mrs. Morrill was eminently fitted for\\nthe work to which she was called.\\nDavid D. Ailing was born at Westfield, Connecticut, April\\n27, 1813. At seventeen years of age he began an apprenticeship\\nto the carpenter s trade. He came to Rockford in October, upon\\nthe advice of G. A. Sanford. Mr. Ailing built a number of dwell-\\nings in the little village, and was a contractor during his entire\\nactive life in Rockford. He constructed the old First Congrega-\\ntional church, on the West side. He owned valuable property\\non South Main street. Mr. Ailing died August 1, 1898. He\\nwas the father of Mrs. P. W. Danky and Frank Ailing.\\nJohn Beattie was one of the first emigrants from Ireland to\\nthis county. He was born of Scotch ancestry in the north of\\nIreland, June 21, 1811. He learned the carpenter s tr;ide in his\\nnative country, and continued this occupation after his settle-\\nment in Rockford. He was successful in business, and became\\nthe owner of a beautiful site in the finest residence portion of\\nthe city, which is now the home of his daughters. Misses Mary\\nI. and Anna. Several business houses on West State street also\\nbelong to his estate. These valuable lots were tendered him in\\npayment for work on the old courthouse, more than half a\\ncenturv ago. Mr. Beattie at first refused them and it is said\\nhe wept the day he became their possessor, because ho felt that\\nhe had been defrauded. Mr. Beattie was highly esteemed for\\nhis sterling character. He was reared in the Presbyterian", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0071.jp2"}, "72": {"fulltext": "50 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WIXNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nfaith, although he was not a member of any church at the time\\nof his death. Mr. Beattie died December 3, 1889. Mrs. Beattie\\ndied December 7, 1891. Two sous, Edward W. and George D.,\\nreside in Montana. Two sons and a daughter are deceased.\\nJohn Piatt was born in West Haven, Connecticut, March\\n8, 1813. He came from Alton, Illinois, to Rockford in May,\\nand engaged in mercantile business. In 1839 he removed to\\nPecatonica township and became an extensive laud-owuer. He\\nreturned to Rockford in 1845, where he resided until his death\\nin 1881. Some years later Mrs. Piatt married Robert H.\\nCotton. She passed her eighty-fifth year, December 11, 1899.\\nBenjamin Kilburn was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts,\\nAugust 8, 1808. He settled permanently in Rockford in 1837.\\nHe had visited the county the preceding year, selected a place\\nfor a home, procured lumber for a house, engaged a man to\\nbuild it, and then went back to Massachusetts to adjust his\\naffairs. Upon his return to Rockford he was accompanied by\\nMrs. Kilburn s brother, Henry Maynard. Mr. Kilburn s first\\nhouse was on the site of the Hotel Nelson, where it stood until\\n1891. Mr. Kilburn subsequently purchased a quarter-section\\nin the northwestern part of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Kilburn had\\nseven children. Five died in infancy or early youth. Edward\\nB., a son, enlisted in the Seventy-fourth Illinois Volunteers, and\\ndied in the hospital at Murfreesborough, in 1863. Mr. Kilburn\\nopened a stone quarry on his place, which proved valuable, and\\nis still operated by his son-in-law, T. W. Carrico. Kilburn avenue\\nwas named in honor of Mr. Kilburn. He died in 1860. Some\\nyears later Mrs. Kilburn married Mr. Fales. She died in the\\nsummer of 1899.\\nJohn Miller, with his wife and three sous, Jacob B., Thomas\\nand George, arrived about them.iddleof May. Jacob was better\\nknown as Old Jake. He was the second resident lawyer, and\\nas a forcible speaker he was in great demand by the Whigs of\\nthis section in the exciting campaign of 1840.\\nAmong other settlers in the county during the year were:\\nIsaac Toms, William Twogood, Elisha A. Kirk, William Jones,\\nWilliam Peters, Richard S. Stiles, Eli Hall, Levi Taft, Hiram\\nRichardson, Simeon Harmon, Lewis Keith, P. S. Doolittle,\\nJoseph Hayes, Seth Palmer, and his daughter, Mrs. William\\nConick, who has resided in the county sixty-two yeavB.\\nThe late Judge Church is authority for the statement that\\nthe population of the county in June, 1837, was 1,086.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0072.jp2"}, "73": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XI.\\nORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. THE FIRST ELECTION.\\nIN the summer and autumn of 1835 the settlers in this section\\nbegan to agitate the question of local government. This\\nmatter was promptly brought to the attention of the state\\nlegislature.\\nThe counties organized in northern Illinois prior to 1835\\nwere much larger than they are at present. At that time Cook,\\nLa Salle and Jo Daviess counties extended from Lake Michigan\\nto the Mississippi river. Jo Davies was organized in 1827. It\\nthen extended east of Rock river, and included the territory uow\\ncomprised in nine counties. This singular name for the county\\nwas not given by the citizens. The name designated in the\\noriginal bill was Ludlow, in honor of the naval hero of that\\nname. A member of the legislature moved to strike out the\\nword Ludlow, and insert the name Daviess, in honor of Colonel\\nJo Daviess, who fell at Tippecanoe. Another member facetiously\\nmoved to amend the amendment by inserting before Daviess the\\nword Jo. The reason assigned was the fact that there was\\na member of the house by the name of Da vis, and that the peo-\\nple might think the honor was intended for him and that it\\nwould be indelicate for the house, by any act, to transmit his\\nname to posterity, as a precedent. This motion prevailed the\\nsenate concurred in the amendment, and thus the county\\nofficially received the name of Jo Daviess. This immense tract\\nof wild, unpopulated country extended eastward to the thin!\\nprincipal meridian, and has been reduced in size by the organ-\\nization of eight other counties.\\nCook and La Salle counties were organized in 1831 It was\\nthe evident intention at that time to subdivide these counties\\nat a later day, to meet the demands of an increased popula-\\ntion. A map of Illinois, printed in 1835, owned by the late", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0073.jp2"}, "74": {"fulltext": "52 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COO NTT.\\nHon. Ephraira Sumner, and now in possession of his son, Hon.\\nE. B. Sumner, represents Cook county with territory attached\\non the north for judicial purposes. La Salle has northern terri-\\ntory annexed for the same purpose, correspondinp;to portions of\\nMcHenry, Kane, Winnebago andOglecounties, andall of Boone\\nand DeKalb, as at present organized. Jo Daviess is shown\\nwith annexed territory on the east and south. The distinction\\nbetween Cook and La Salle counties proper, and their annexed\\nportions, appears to have been in the fact that the former were\\nsurveyed, while the latter were not. Although Jo Daviess\\ncounty was organized eight years before Mr. Sumner s map was\\nprinted, the map does not even represent the county as sur-\\nveyed. The conditions, however, in Jo Daviess were peculiar.\\nThe country near Galena included a mining camp, with quite a\\nconsiderable population, and thus required a local government.\\nHence the organization of the county preceded by several years\\nthe government survey of the land.\\nThe state legislature at that time held its sessions at\\nVandalia. An act, approved and in force January 16, 1836,\\nprovided for the organization of McHenry, Winnebago, Kane,\\nOgle and Whiteside counties, and the reorganization of Jo\\nDaviess. Section two of the law created Winnebago county,\\nwith boundaries as follows: Commencing at the southeast\\ncorner of township number forty-three, range number four, east\\nof the third principal meridian, and running thence west to the\\nsaid meridian; thence north along the line of said meridian, to\\nthe southeast corner of township number twenty-six, in range\\nnumber eleven, east of the fourth principal meridian thence\\nwest to the dividing line between ranges number seven and\\neight; thence north along said line to the northern boundary\\nof the state; thence east along said boundary line to the north-\\neast corner of range number four, east of the third principal\\nmeridian thence south to the place of beginning.\\nWinnebago was thus formed from the attached portions of\\nJo Daviess and La Salle counties. That part of the county east\\nof the third principal meridian was taken from La Salle; the\\nportion west of this meridian was detached from Jo Daviess. As\\nat first organized, Winnebago county was almost exactly\\ndouble its present size, and included all of Boone county, and\\nthe eastern two township ranges of what is now Stephenson\\ncounty. Winnebago has never been enlarged or reduced from\\nits original form on its northern or southern boundary.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0074.jp2"}, "75": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST CENSUS. 53\\nSection uiiie of the law to eHtablish the county ordered an\\nelection to be hold at the houseof Gernianieiis Kent, on thefirst\\nMonday in May, for sheriff, coroner, recorder, surveyor, and\\nthree county commissioners, who should hold their offices until\\nthe next succeedinf^ general election, and until their successors\\nwere qualified. The election, however, was not held until the\\nnext August.\\nNo county created by this act was to be organized, and an\\nelection held, until a majority of the voters of the prospective\\ncounty had addressed a petition for the same to the judge\\nof the sixth judicial circuit, or, in his absence, to another circuit\\njudge. The voters were also required to give sufficient proof\\nthat the proposed county contained not less than three hun-\\ndred and fifty white inhabitants. This task was undertaken\\nby Dr. Daniel H. Whitney, who had settled at Belvidere. As\\nthe first census enumerator. Dr. Whitney diligently spied out\\nthe laud, and discovered the requisite number of white inhab-\\nitants.\\nThese facts were communicated to Judge Thomas H. Ford.\\nHe thereupon issued an order, dated July 15, 1836, for an\\nelection to be held at the house of Daniel S. Haight, on the first\\nMonday in August. The ninth section of the statute had des-\\nignated an earlier date and another place for this election but\\ninasmuch as the organization of the county depended upon a\\nprescribed population, a subsequent section of the law necessa-\\nrily referred the time and place of such election to the presiding\\njudge of the circuit. Under the first constitution of Illinois, all\\nelections for state and county officers were held the first Monday\\nin August. The time of these elections was changed by the sec-\\nond constitution, in 1847, to the Tuesday next after the first\\nMonday in November. Germanicus Kent, Joseph P. Griggs and\\nRobert J. Cross were chosen judges of election. Judge Ford s\\norder has been framed, and is preserved in the office of Captain\\nLewis F. Lake, the circuit clerk, as an interesting relic of those\\nearly days.\\nIt has been said that politics and religion are the chief\\nconcerns of men. The iron pen of history must record\\nthe fact that politics then had the right of way for the time.\\nThe prospective election awakened intense enthusiasm. The\\nelectors were to vote also for a member of congress and two\\nrepresentatives in the state legislature. But the special interest\\ncentered in the selection of three candidates for county commis-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0075.jp2"}, "76": {"fulltext": "54 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nsioners. Kentville and Haightville, as the West and the East\\nside settlements were respectively called, had already become\\nstrono^ rivals. The Gaelphs and Ghibellines, in the mediaeval\\nFlorentine republic, did not more earnestly strive for suprem-\\nacy. No caucus or convention was called, and the factions\\ninformally divided the honors. Simon P. Doty,whohad settled\\nin Belvidere in 1835, was the candidate for commissioner for\\nthat part of the county. Thomas B. Talcott was the northern\\ncandidate. Mr. Haight was anxious to ha,ve the third elected\\nfrom this bailiwick, but he was oblig ed to yield this point to\\nhis West side rival, who placed William E. Dunbar in the field.\\nThe election was held on Monday, August 1st, in a decidedly\\nprimitive manner. Written or printed ballots had not then been\\nintroduced into Illinois. Under the old constitution, all votes\\nwere to be given vive voce until otherwise provided by the gen-\\neral assembly and up to this time no change had been made.\\nThis method kept the interest at a high pitch, and enabled the\\nvoters to tell at any moment the relative strength of the several\\ncandidates. It is a gigantic stride from the vive voce vote of\\n1836 to the Australian ballot of today. At that time there\\nwas not a copy of the Illinois statutes in the county to direct\\nthe judges of election in the discharge of their duties. Mr. Kent,\\nhowever, knew something of the election laws of Virginia and\\nAlabama, Robert J. Cross was familiar with those of New York\\nand Michigan, and Mr. Griggs was acquainted with the laws of\\nOhio. The election, therefore, was not allowed to goby default\\nfor so slight a cause as ignorance of the laws of their adopted\\nstate. D. A. Spaulding had some acquaintance with the laws\\nof Illinois, and he was made one of the clerks of election, and\\nentrusted with the duty of making the poll-books. Simon P.\\nDoty, Thomas B. Talcott and William E. Danbar were elected\\ncounty commissioners; Daniel S. Haight, sheriff; Daniel H.\\nWhitney, recorder; Eliphalet Gregory, coroner; and D. A.\\nSpaulding, surveyor. The results of the election for member of\\ncongress and representatives in the general assembly are given\\nin a subsequent chapter devoted to this subject.\\nOne hundred and twenty votes were cast at this election.\\nThe names of the voters were as follows David Caswell. George\\nCaswell, David Barnes, P. P. Burnham, Thomas Crane, Thatcher\\nBlake, Seth Scott, Joshua Fawcett, John Barrett, Jeremiah\\nFrame, John F. Thayer, William Randall, John Welch, Joshua\\nCromer, John Slavins, David Blake, William Barlow, Joseph", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0076.jp2"}, "77": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST VOTERS.\\nli. Baker, Daniel Fairchild, fjivinp:Hton Robins, Alfred Shattuck,\\nAlva Trask, William Smith. Ira Ilaskins, Joliii P.uiits, Simon\\nP. Doty, Milton S. Mason, Timothy CaHweil. Charles H. Pane.\\nRoyal Brio;ir8, Solomon Watson, Abram Watson, Ralzimoud\\n(lardner, Mason Sherburne, John K. Towner, John G. Lock-\\nridg:e, John Allen, John Lovesse, A.E.Courtri(i:ht, Henry Enoch,\\nEphraim Sumner, S. Brown, A. R. Dimmiek, Samuel Hicks, H.\\nM. Wattles, T. R. J. Eno-lish, OliverRobins, J. P. Grigos, Aaron\\nV. Taylor, Luke Joslin, William Sumner, David D. Elliott, John\\nHandy, Jacob Pettyjohn, Daniel S. Haight, Jacob Keyt, John\\nTiCfonton, John Kelsoe, William R. Wheeler, M. Pawing, Charles\\nWorks, Sidney Twojiood, PhineasChurchill, Thomas li. Talcott,\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2Vustin Andrews, Thomas Lake, Benjamin McConnell, Benjamin\\nDePue, Txnvis Haskins, Aaron B. Davis, Joel Pike, R.M. Waller,\\nJulius Trask, William Carey, Ephraim Wyman, P. I). Taylor,\\nWilliam Brayton, Israel Morrill, Harlyn Shattuck. David De-\\nWitt, James B. Youn^-, Abel Thurston, John Kaudler, John\\nAdams, Milton Kilburn, Richard H. Enoch, Joseph Chadwick,\\nDaniel Piper, John Hance, Henry Enoch, Jr., Peter Moore,\\nSylvester Sutton. V^. B. Rexford, William G. Blair, Daniel H.\\nWhitney, James Jackson. Isaac Adams, Isaac Harrell, E. A.\\nNixon, John Wood, William Mead, Joseph Rogers, A. C. Glen-\\nsou, Heur^ Hicks, John Briidv, E. Gregory, L. C. Waller, James\\nThomas. G. Kent, Chauncey Mead, George Randall, W. H.\\nTalcott, William E. Dunbar, S. A. Lee, Charles Reed, Carles\\nSayres, Robert J. Cross, D. A. Spaulding, Benjamin White,\\nJacob Enoch. The votes of two men, John Langdon and\\nThomas Williams, were rejected. Not a single voter of this list\\nis now living. The last survivoi- was Harlyn Shattuck, who\\ndied in 1899, near Belvidere.\\nOn Wednesday, August 3d, the county commissioners-elect\\nmet in special session at the house of Daniel S. Haight, for the\\ntransaction of business necessary to complete the local govern-\\nment. Each commissioner administered the oath of office to\\nthe other. Lots were drawn for the terms of one year, and two\\nand three years res|)ectively. I). A. Spaulding was elected clerk\\nof the county commissioners court and Robert J. Cross was\\nchosen treasurer. William E. Dunbar was sent to Vandalia,\\nthe capital of the state, with the election returns. The term\\ncourt might seem to imply that this body possessed judicial\\npowers, but such was not the fact. Under the constitution of\\n1818, three commissioners were elected in each county for the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0077.jp2"}, "78": {"fulltext": "56 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntransaction of all its business. Tiiis court performed the duties\\nand exercised powers corresponding in a general way to those\\nentrusted under the present law to the board of supervisors.\\nAt this first session of the court the commissioners divided\\nthe county into seven precincts, as follows Yellow River, which\\nincluded the towns of Silver Creek, Ridot, Freeport, Lancaster,\\nand the south haJf of Rock River, in Stephenson county Rock\\nGrove, which included the north half of Rock River, all of Buck\\nEye, Rock Grove, and the east half of Oneco, in Stephenson\\ncounty, and Laona and Howard (now Durand) in Winnebago;\\nPeeketolika, corresponding to the towns of Seward, Lysander\\n(nowPecatonica)and Burritt; Kishwaukee, now the townships\\nof Cherry Valley, New Milford, and part of Rockford township\\nRockford, which included the present townships of Winnebago,\\nGuilford, the larger part of Rockford, and the south half of\\nOwen and Harlem; Rock River, including the townships of\\nShirland, Harrison, Rockton, Roscoe, north half of Owen and\\nHarlem, and Manchester in Boone county; Belvidere, which\\nincluded all of Boone county except Manchester township. This\\nprecinct contained two hundred and fifty-two square miles yet\\nat the first presidential election in 1836, it could poll only\\ntwenty-three votes. Rock River precinct was twenty-four miles\\nin length, and from six to twelve in width, and included six\\ntownships. At the presidential election previously mentioned\\nthis immense territory could poll but twenty votes. The\\nnumber of precincts was subsequently increased to ten.\\nAt this session of the court an order was issued, which fixed\\nthe time and place of holding an election in each precinct, for\\nJustices of the peace and constables. The date chosen was\\nAugust 27. In only three of these precincts, however, were\\nelections held on that day. In Belvidere John K. Towner and\\nJohn S. King were elected justices of the peace, and Abel Thurs-\\nton and Mason Sherburne, constables. In Rock River, Sylvester\\nTalcott and Robert J. Cross were elected justices of the peace,\\nand John P. Parsons and D. A. Blake, constables. In Peeke-\\ntolika, Ephraim Sumner and Isaac Hance were chosen justices,\\nand William Sumner and Thomas Hance, constables. These\\njustices were the first judicial officers in the county. A second\\nelection for the four remaining precincts was ordered to be held\\nOctober 14th. Upon the election of these officers at this time\\nthe county organization was completed. There was as yet no\\ncounty seat. The act to establish the county, however, had", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0078.jp2"}, "79": {"fulltext": "FIRST CLAIMS ALLOWED. 57\\nprovided that until public buildino;a should be erected for the\\npurpose, the courts should be held at the house of Daniel S.\\nHaight or Genua iiicus Kent, as the county commissioners\\nshould direct.\\nThe first claims against the county were presented at this\\nsession. Germanicus Kent, Robert J. Cross and J. P. Griggs, as\\njudjxes of election, and D. A. Spaulding and S. A. Lee, as clerks,\\nwere allowed one dollar each. D. A. Spaulding was allowed\\nfifty cents for stationery furnished for poll-books.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0079.jp2"}, "80": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XII.\\nLOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT AT WINNEBAGO.\\nTHE law establishing Winnebago county designated Robert\\nStephens and Rezin Zarley, of Cook county, and John\\nPhelps, of Jo Daviess, as commissioners, to locate the perma-\\nnent seat of justice. These commissioners, or a majority of\\nthem, were authorized to meet on the first Monday in May,\\n1836, or as soon thereafter as may be, at the house of Daniel\\nS. Haight, for the discharge of their duty. John Phelps never\\nmade his appearance. The other two commissioners met July\\n14th, at the place specified by law, for the selection of a site for\\nthe county buildings.\\nAt the county commissioners court on Thursday, August\\n4, 1836, the report of the special commissioners was presented.\\nThe reader will avoid confusion by noting the distinction be-\\ntween the three county commissioners elected by popular vote,\\nand the special commissioners designated by the statute to\\nlocate the county seat. The latter reported that on the 14th\\nday of July they had met at the house of Daniel S. Haight, and\\nthat two days later they had selected a site on lands owned by\\nNicholas Boilvin Co., on condition that the proprietors should\\nexecute a warranty deed to thecounty of thirty acres of land, so\\nlong as it should remain the seat of justice. On the same day\\nCharles Reed presented to the county commissioners a deed of\\ntwelve blocks, containing two and one-half acres each, situated\\nabout two miles up the river from the ferry crossing.\\nThe law was very specific concerning the location of a site.\\nIt provided that if the site chosen should be the property of\\nindividuals, instead of government land, the owners thereof\\nshould make a deed in fee simple of not less than twenty acres\\nof said tract to the county or in lieu thereof they should pay\\nthe county three thousand dollars, to be used in the erection of\\ncounty buildings. Mr. Reed may have presented his deed in", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0080.jp2"}, "81": {"fulltext": "TBL FIRST CONVEYANCL OF LAND. 59\\ngood faith, but it was not accepted because it contained an\\nobjectionable clause to the eiffect that the county should hold\\nthe property so lonj^ as it should remain the seat of justice.\\nThis reservation defeated his scheme.\\nThis tract of land came into possession of Nicholas Boilvin\\nabout one year previous. Mr. Boilvin was at one time a j2:ov-\\nernment agent for the Winnebago Indians. The several transfers\\nof this property form an interesting chapter of local history. It\\nwas noted in Chapter III that by the treaty negotiated at Prairie\\nduChien, August 1, 1829, between the United States and the\\nWinnebagoes, grants of land were made to certain descendants\\nof this tribe. Catherine Myott, a half-breed Indian woman, was\\none of the two who had received two sections each. Previous\\nto this contest over the county seat, one of these two unlocated\\nsections had been sold to Henry Gratiot. By a deed executed\\nAugust 25, 1835, Catherine Myott conveyed the other unlocated\\nsection to Nicholas Boilvin for eight hundred dollars. This was\\nthe first individual conveyance of land in Winnebago county.\\nThis deed was filed for record in Cook county, September 3,\\n1835, and recorded by Daniel H. Whitney, recorder of Winne-\\nbago county, September 8, 1836. This instrument was the\\nfirst filed for record in this county. The tract located for Mr.\\nBoilvin, by virtue of the treaty of 1829, is the east half of\\nsection fourteen and all that part of section thirteen west of\\nRock river, in Rockford township, and contains six hundred and\\nthirty-seven acres. At the time Mr. Reed made the offer of his\\ndeed to the county commissioners, the property belonged to\\nNicholas Boilvin, of Chicago, Charles Reed, of Joliet, and Major\\nCampbell.\\nAs soon as the organization of the county began to be\\nagitated, Boilvin and his associates determined to secure the\\nlocation of the county seat on their site. The entire tract was\\nplatted September 14, 1836. It was known as Nicholas Boilvin s\\nplat of the town of Winnebago, and the plat was filed for record\\nSeptember 17, 183(5. Reed appeared as the principal manager.\\nThere were two hundred and fifty-one blocks, and these were\\nsubdivided into two thousand four hundred and thirty-six lots.\\nThe streets were uniforndy eighty-two and one-half feet wide,\\nand bore north and south, east and west. The lots were forty-\\nnine and one-half feet front, and one hundred and thirteen feet\\nand nine inches deep, except the lots in the water blocks, which\\nran back from Water street to low-water mark. The allevs", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0081.jp2"}, "82": {"fulltext": "60 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwere twenty feet wide. The town was christened Winnebap:o.\\nReed built a two-story house, to be used as a hotel and store,\\nwhich is still standing a few rods above John H, Sherratt snew\\nresidence. A free ferry was established a lirae-kiln and a\\nblacksmith shop were built and a road opened through the\\ntimber east from Winnebago, to meet the state road from\\nChicago to Galena, at a point on Beaver creek. Nothing was\\nleft undone to secure the county seat; but the decision of the\\ncommissioners, like the law of the Medes and Persians, could\\nnot be changed.\\nNotwithstanding the fact that the special commissioners\\nwere given full power by the statute to locate the county seat,\\ntheir selection was arbitrarily set aside by the commissioners\\ncourt. This rejection, however, was based upon a reason which\\nwould have been considered valid by any court. The question\\ndid not again come before the people until 1839. Pending the\\nlocation of the county seat, the commissioners ordered that the\\ncircuit and county commissioners courts should be held at the\\nhouse of Mr. Haight.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0082.jp2"}, "83": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIII.\\nTHE FERHV. EARLY STATE AND COUNTY ROADS.\\nn HE ferry was the first mode of transit across the river.\\nFerries were established by special acts of the legislature,\\nwith regular charters, in territory not under county organiza-\\ntion. The issue of licenses for conducting ferries came under the\\njurisdiction of the commissioners courts in organized counties.\\nIn 1836, at the September session of this court for Winnebago\\ncounty, Germanicus Kent was authorized to establish a ferry\\nat Rockford, at what is now State street. He was required to\\npay a license of ten dollars for one year. Rates of ferriage were\\nestablished as follows For each carriage, wagon or cart, drawn\\nby two horses, oxen or mules, sixty -two and one-half cents the\\nsame drawn by one horse, thirty-seven and one-half cents for\\neach additional horse, twelve and one-half cents; for man\\nand horse, twenty-five cents; each horse, mule, or head of\\ncattle, twelve and one-half cents; hogs, sheep and goats per\\nscore, fifty cents; each footman, six and one-quarter cents.\\nThese terms were for transients. Farmers were given a yearly\\nrate. Free ferriage was given to the citizens of the county after\\nthe village became incorporated. The proprietors were reim-\\nbursed from the village treasury.\\nAt the same session of the court Vance Andrews were\\nauthorized to establish a ferry at Winnebago, on the same\\nterms for license and ferriage as given Mr. Kent. C. Doolittlc,\\nby his agent, H. M. Wattles, was granted the privilege of\\nestablishing a ferry where the line between Rockford and Owen\\ntownships crosses Rock river, on the same terms. In the spring\\nof 183G, Harvey Lowe and Nelson H. Salisbury, who had made\\nclaims in Howard in the preceding autumn, returned with their\\nfamilies. May 18th thoy crossed the river at the point now\\nspanned by Trask s bridge. They were the first to cross in the\\nboat which had been launched that day. They had been detained\\nthere about a week, and during that time they had assisted in\\nbuilding the boat. This ferry, which was established through\\nthe agency of Love and Salisbury, to enable them to cross their", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0083.jp2"}, "84": {"fulltext": "62 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nclaims, subsequently became the thoroughfare in the direction\\nof Mineral Point, and formed a convenient crossing for all\\nemigrants to the country north of the Pecatonica.\\nIn 1837 the ferry licenses of Kent and Vance were extended\\nanother year, at the same rates. Mr. Kent conducted the ferry\\nat Rockford from 1836 to 1838. In the latter year a license\\nwas issued to Kent Brinckerhoff. The rates of ferriage were\\nchanged and the license fee raised to twenty dollars. These\\ngentlemen were succeeded by Selden M. Church, who continued\\nthe business until the first bridge was built.\\nSkiffs were used for carrying passengers, and a scow for\\nhorses and other property. A scow was made from the halves\\nof large split logs hewn down to proper thickness, and planked\\nin the ordinary manner. A large cable was stretched across\\nthe river, supported by posts on either side, which kept it in\\nplace. From the ends of the scow smaller ropes ran to pulley\\nblocks running on the cable. By shorteoing one of these ropes\\nand pushing the boat from the shore so that the current could\\nstrike it obliquely, the craft was given the required momentum,\\nand the rapid current propelled it over. The scow could carry\\ntwo teams at a time. Teams were driven upon the scow, and if\\nany danger was apprehended from frightened horses, the driver\\nwould block a wheel to the scow with a chain. A platform at\\neither end of the boat, supported by levers attached to each\\nside, was lowered to the solid landing, and thus formed an easy\\nentrance and exit. A railing at the sides and base at the ends\\ninsured perfect safety. The countersign was Over! which,\\nwith various repetitions and inflections, always preceded the\\nstarting of the boat.\\nThere was a ferry-house on either side of the river. The\\nferryman resided in the one on the West side. It was a frame\\nstructure built on the site of the public library building, in\\n1839, by Allen Brown, for Kent Brinckerhoff. Its dimen-\\nsions were fourteen by fourteen feet, one story, boarded up and\\ndown, with shingle roof. James Taylor, a bachelor, was the\\nfirst ferryman. He was succeeded by Giles C. Hard, and he in\\nturn by John Fisher, after whom Fisher avenue was named.\\nHe was a native of New Hampshire, a strong and muscular\\nman, of strict integrity. Mr. Taylor was assisted by Asher\\nMiller. Their combined strength was sometimes severely tested\\nin getting a row-boat, loaded with passengers and mails, across\\nthrough the ice, when the ferry-boat could not run.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0084.jp2"}, "85": {"fulltext": "SURVEY OF THE STATE ROAD. 63\\nWhen Gennanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake made their\\nsettlements, there were no state roads in this vicinity. Indian\\ntrails wended their way through prairie and forest, but these\\ndid not \u00c2\u00abiTeatly facilitate the trav el of the white man. At that\\ntime Chica and Galena were the only well known points in\\nnorthern Illinois. The first settlements in the state were made\\nin the southern ])ortion; and as the tide of emigi ation poured\\nfrom the east into the Rock river valley, after the Black Hawk\\nwar, each session of the legislature laid out a number of state\\nroads.\\nBy an act approved January 15, 1836, James Gifford, Dan-\\niel S. Haight and Josiah C. Goodhue were appointed special\\ncommissioners to view, survey and locate a road from Meach-\\nara s Grove, in Cook county, to Galena, in Jo Daviess county.\\nThe bill directed that the commissioners should make Elgin\\non Fox river, in Cook county, Belvidere on Squaw Prairie, in\\nthe county of La Salle, and Midway at the ford on Rock river, in\\nthe county of J o Daviess, points on the said road, and shall fix the\\nsaid road on the most advantageous ground, for a, permanent\\nroad, having reference to said points. This road was opened\\nwithout delay, and State street in Belvidere and in Rockford is\\na portion of this highway, which extends nearly across the\\nstate in a general northwesterly direction from Chicago.\\nBy the same act David AV. Whitney, Stephen Mack, and John\\nP. Bradstreet were designated commissioners to locate a road\\nfrom Belvidere to the mouth of Pecatonica river, at Mack-\\ntown, which was named in his own honor by its founder, Stephen\\nMack. By an act of the legislature, approved March 2, 1839,\\nBenjamin T. Lee, of Winnebago county, Ephraim Hall, of\\nDeKalb, and Isaac Marlett, of Kane, were made commissioners\\nto view, survey and locate *a state road from where a certain\\nroad terminates at the AVill county line, to Aurora, on Fox\\nriver; thence, by the county seat of DeKalb county, Rockford, in\\nWinnebago county. Trask s ferry, Pekatonikee; thence to the\\nstate line, in a direction towards Mineral Point. The said\\ncommissioners shall lay out a state road from the town of\\nWinnebago, in Winnebago county, intersecting the State road\\nin the direction to the Will county line. Mr. Marlett, the\\nthird commissioner, was the father of Mrs. O. V. Barbour, of\\nRockford. About 1839 Charles street was opened as a more\\ndirect route to Chicago, by way of St. Charles: hence the name.\\nBut it was of little value in this respect beyond Cherry Valley.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0085.jp2"}, "86": {"fulltext": "64 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nIn March, 1839, an act of the legislature was approved, by\\nwhich twenty-five thousand dollars were appropriated from the\\nstate internal improvement fund, which had been created two\\nyears before. This money was distributed among the northern\\ncounties. It was to be applied by the commissioners courts of\\nthe counties receiving the same, exclusively to the construction of\\nbridges, and the improvement of public roads in their respective\\ncounties. Winnebago county received three thousand one hun-\\ndred and fourteen dollars and eighty-three cents, with the\\nproviso that the bridge across Cedar creek, on the State road\\nleading by Bloomingville to the mouth of the Pickatonike, and\\nthe improvements of the Great Western mail route or road from\\nthe east to the west line of Winnebago county, shall first be\\nmade and paid for from the sum appropriated to said county.\\nUpon the organization of the county, the commissioners\\ndevoted considerable attention to receiving petitions for the\\nappointment of viewers to locate roads. The rapid settlement\\nof the county, in a day preceding the railroad, demanded the\\nbest possible facilities for transportation. Every property-\\nowner was anxious to secure a public road near his homestead,\\nand was willing to give whatever land was necessary. The\\nrecords of the county bear testimony to the fidelity with which\\nthe commissioners transacted this important business.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0086.jp2"}, "87": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIV.\\nTHE VILLAGE CHRISTENED.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE FIRST SURVEYS.\\njVI R. KENT was in a sense the first proprietor of the colony.\\n1 He gave it the name of Mic^fraj. This name, which is said\\nto have been proposed by Mrs. Kent, was sufjgested by the fact\\nthat the settlement was about halfway from Chicago to Galena.\\nMidway, Rock River, Jo Daviess county, Illinois, June 17,\\n1835, is thename and date Mr. Kent gives in a letter to a friend.\\nThe law of 1836 which established the State road, noted in the\\nlast chapter, referred to Midway at the ford on Rock river.\\nA letter written by Mr. Kent in the autumn of 1834, ad-\\ndressed to J. B. Martyn, of Alabama, directed that gentleman\\nto Midway as follows: At Galena call on my brother. From\\nGalena go directly east until you come to and cross Apple river,\\nthence turn in a southeasterly course to Plum river, and from\\nthere to Cherry Grove. There leave some timber on your left,\\nand a small grove on your right [later known as Twelve-Mile\\nGrove] and then keep on until you strike Rock river, from which\\na blind path will lead you to Midway. These instructions were\\nabout as definite as Launceloffi direction to the Jew s house, in\\nthe Merchant oi Venice Turn up on your right hand at the next\\nturning, but at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the\\nvery next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly\\nto the Jew s house. Nevertheless, Mr. Martyn found Midway.\\nUnder date of October 17, 1837, Mr. Kent writes a letter\\nfrom Rock ford. The settlement was therefore known as Mid-\\nway from one to three years. It is said a rose by any other\\nname would smell as sweet; but it is doubtful if the ambitious\\nyoung community would have become the commercial and edu-\\ncational center of the Rock river valley, handicapped by the\\nprimitive name of Midway. The original proprietors early\\ncame to this conclusion. Authorities differ as to the origin of\\nthe name Rockford. One writer says the place was known as\\nRockford by the Indians; and that this name was suggested to\\nthem by nature. Upon the site of the present dam was a solid\\nrock bottom, where the water was usually so shallow as to afford", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0087.jp2"}, "88": {"fulltext": "\u00e2\u0080\u00a26 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAOO COUNTT.\\neasy crossing with their ponies. Hence it was called by them\\nthe rock-ford.\\nJohn H. Thurston gives a somewhat different, though not\\nnecessarily a conflicting, version. He says Daniel S. Haight,\\nGermanicus Kent, William H. Gilman of Belvidere, John P.\\nChapin and Ebenezer Peck of Chicago, and Stephen Edgel, later of\\nSt. Louis, met at Dr. Goodhue sofflce, on Lake street, in Chicago,\\nto name the claim, or mill privilege, which they hoped at some\\ntime would become a town. Midway, though an appropriate\\nname, was not in favor. Various names were suggested and\\nrejected, until Dr. Goodhue said: Why not call it Rockford,\\nfrom the splendid rock-bottom ford on the river there? The\\nsuggestion seemed an inspiration, and was at once unanimously\\nadoped and from that day to this, Dr. Goodhue has been given\\nthe credit of the present name. The date of this christening is\\nuncertain. Mr, Thurston savs it occurred in the summer of\\n1835; but the statute of January, 1836, still designated it\\nMidway. News traveled slowly, however, in those days; and\\npossibly the solons at Vandalia had not learned of the change.\\nThe first 8urve3 s in Winnebago county were made early in\\n1836. Don Alonzo Spaulding, a pioneer of 1835, was the gov-\\nernment surveyor. One of his associates was Hon, Charles B.\\nFarwell, of Chicago, who in 1886 succeeded the late General\\nJohn A. Logan as a United States senator from Illinois. In\\nOctober, 1835, Mr. Spaulding began the extension of the third\\nprincipal meridian, at a timber corner about two miles north\\nof the point where this meridian crosses the Illinois river, on\\nthe western boundary line of LaSalle county. Mr. Spaulding\\nextended the third principal meridian north to its intersection\\nwith the Wisconsin boundary line. He then returned on the\\nline to the corner of townships forty-one and forty-two north,\\nrange one east, and commenced the stand-line running east\\nalong the southern boundary of townships forty-two north,\\nranges one, two and three east and then surveyed the range and\\ntownship lines in these three ranges to the north line of the state.\\nHe subdivided townships forty-four and forty-six, Rockford\\nand Rockton, before leaving the field in January, 1836. Mr.\\nSpaulding resumed his surveys in the spring of that year, and\\nsubdivided township forty-five, range one east, and townships\\nforty-four, forty-five and forty-six, ranges two and three east.\\nIn 1839, 1840, and 1841, under another contract, Mr. Spauld-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0088.jp2"}, "89": {"fulltext": "THE RIVALRY BETWEEN KENT AND HAIGHT. \u00c2\u00abT\\ning subdivided, iu ranges ten and eleven, east of the fourth\\nprincipal meridian, from the northern line of the state southward\\nnearly thirty miles. It will thus be seen that Mr. Spaulding\\nsurveyed the range and township lines in all of Winnebago\\ncounty, and the western range of Hoone; and subdivided all of\\nWinnebago except New Milford and Cherry Valley townships.\\nMr. Spaulding, however, was not responsible for the fact\\nthat the streets of East and West Rockford do not squarely\\nfiieet at the river. Mr. Spauldingstated that in January, 1836,\\nMr. Kent requested him to lay out two or three streets, parallel\\nwith the river, on the West side, as the beginning of his town.\\nThere were probably ten or twelve blocks, the corners of which\\nwere defined by stakes. This survey of blocks and streets was\\na personal transaction with Mr. Kent, and entirely separate\\nfrom Mr. Spaulding s survey of townships and ranges for the\\ngovernment. In the spring of 1836 several persons interested\\nin the east side of the river wished Mr. Spaulding to lay off the\\nbeginning of their town. After making a preliminary examina-\\ntion, he found that he could not make the front street or the\\nstreet next the river, on the most suitable ground and have\\nthe cross streets correspond with the streets on the west side of\\nthe river. He then examined his work on the West side, and\\nfound that it could be changed so as to conform to the East\\nside. At that time no improvements had been made which\\nwould have been affected by the prospective change and a slight\\nmodification would have made the streets on the two sides of\\nthe river harmonize, as though there had been no river dividing\\nthe town. Mr. Spaulding explained to Mr. Kent the advantage\\nof such harmony to both sides of the river; but Mr. Kent was\\nunwilling to comply with his suggestions. Forty-five years\\nlater Mr. Spaulding made this explanation to relieve himself of\\nthe responsibility for the city streets as they now touch the river.\\nThe rivalry between the two sides of the river could not be\\ncompromised. Nature provided that the river should be a bond\\nof union in which there is strength but the two factions made\\nit a cause of division. Both Kent and Haight foresaw that the\\nprosperity of Rockford would largely depend upon the develop-\\nment of the natural water-power; but neither would make any\\nconcession, even for the general good. William E. Dunbar had\\nsettled on the West Side in 1835; but he subsequently removed\\nto the East side, purchased land of Mr. Haight, and joined him\\nin a common rivalry against his former neighbor.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0089.jp2"}, "90": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XV.\\nTHE RISE OF METHODISM. FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHUECH.\\nIT has been said that John Wesley j^ave oue huudrefl aud fifty\\nthousand dollars to the poor, and at his death he left to the\\nworld two silver spoons and the Methodist church. The latter\\nhas proved a splendid legacy. Methodism has always been a\\npioneer. It received its baptism of divine energy in the days of\\nJohn and Charles Wesley. George Whitefleld caught the holy\\nflame, and came to America to preach a more simple gospel to\\nthe common people. Methodism has since kept pace with the\\ncourse of empire that westward takes its way.\\nMethodism was established in Winnebago countv in 1836.\\nIt was therefore the vanguard of the church militant to enter\\nand possess the land. The official record of the first society has\\nnot been preserved. It is an interesting fact that early and\\nauthentic information was given by Bishop Vincent thirty-five\\nyears ago. At that time he was pastor of the Court Street\\nMethodist church. On Sunday, October 2, 1864, Rev. Vincent\\npreached a sermon on Methodism in Rockford, which has been\\npreserved. Thirty-five years ago there were living witnesses of\\nthe first effort to organize a Methodist church, and others who\\nhad seen the stately tree grow from the grain of mustard seed.\\nThis sermon is supplemented by an excellent historical address\\ndelivered by Rev. (i. R. Vanhorne, D. D., August 6, 1882, in the\\nCentennial Methodist church, which is on file in the records of\\nthat church. These sermons furnish the only available infor-\\nmation concerning the first church organized in Winnebago\\ncounty.\\nGalena was the first appointment within the bounds of the\\npresent Rock River conference. It was at that time, in 1829, in\\nthe Illinois conference, which comprised the states of Indiana\\nand Illinois. The Indiana conference was formed in 1834. After\\nthis separation of Indiana from the Illinois conference, the latter\\nstill covered a vast region. In the autumn of 1835 Rev. William\\nRoyal was appointed to the Fox River mission. Rev. Samuel\\nPillsbury was associated with him. This mission circuit extended", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0090.jp2"}, "91": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST CLASS. 6\\nuorthward from Ottawa. In June, 1886, Rev. I illsbury preached\\na sermon at the home of Henry Enoch, in Oiiilford township,\\nseven and one half miles east of Rockford. This was the first\\nservice in the county conducted b^- a Methodist clergyman. On\\nthat occasion Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Beers and Mr. and Mrs. Sam-\\nuel Gregory traveled six miles in a heavy lumber wagon drawn\\nby a 3 oke of oxen. Verily, these godly pioneers were not car-\\nried to the skies, nor even to church, on flowery beds of ease.\\nTheir religion cost them something; but they received manifold\\nmore in this present time, and in the world to come life ever-\\nlasting. This first service was followed during the summer by\\noccasional sermons by Rev. Royal at Mr. Enoch s house; and\\nMrs. p]noch often prepared Sunday dinners for the congrega-\\ntion. On his way to conference at Springfield, in the autumn\\nof 1836, Rev. Royal passed through Rockford. Monday after-\\nnoon, September 2d, he preached in Samuel Gregory s log-\\nhouse, which stood on what is now block fourteen in Gilbert\\nWoodruff s Second Addition to Rockford. At the close of the\\nsermon Rev. Royal organized the first Methodist class, which\\nconsisted of five persons: Samuel Gregory, Joanna Gregory,\\nMary Enoch, Daniel Beers and xMary Beers. These pioneer\\nMethodists have been honored by five memorial front windows\\nin Centennial church. Mr. Gregory and Mrs. Beers were living\\nwhen Dr. Vanhorne prepared his memorial address sevent-een\\nyears ago.\\nRev. Vincent, in his sermon, made this reference to that\\nhumble beginning: I visited a few days ago the remains of the\\nold log house, scarcely a mile east of the river, and near the\\nrailroad, where this organization of Methodism took place. It\\nwa\u00c2\u00ab in an humble place, but in the midst of a glorious land and\\nunder a benignant heaven that this little germ was planted,\\nand it has grown rapidly, and the five have become nearly a\\nthousand who live under the shadow of Rockford Methodism\\ntodaj and who can tell of the number who have gone up from\\nthe field of conflict into the temple of triumph?\\nAt the conference of 1836 Bishop Roberts appointed Dr.\\nArnold to the Sycamore circuit, of which Rockford was a part.\\nThe few Methodists gathered for worship as often as possible\\nat Mr. Gregory s house. In 1837 the conference met at Rush-\\nville, when Bishop Roberts sent William Gaddis, with Robert\\nLane as assistant, to the Rockford circuit. This circuit belonged\\nto the Chicago district, over which John Clark was presiding;", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0091.jp2"}, "92": {"fulltext": "70 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nelder. Mr, Lane sodii retired from the field, and he was succeeded\\nby Leander S. Walker. At the conference of 1838, at Alton,\\nBishop Soule returned Mr. Walker to Rockford as preacher in\\ncharge, with Nathan Jewett as assistant. During the early part\\nof Mr. Walker s pastorate he preached in the house of James\\nBoswell, north of the brewery. The Methodists subsequently\\nworshipped in a building; erected by Mr. Haight on the site of\\nthe American House. This building was used for various par-\\nposes. In the summer of 1 838 the Methodists built a parsonage\\non First street, between Prairie street and Lafayette avenue,\\nfacing west. This was the first Methodist parsonage built within\\nwhat is now the Rock River conference. Another memorable\\nevent occurred during this year. The first quarterly meeting-\\nwas held late in the summer, in a barn belonging to Mr. Haight,\\nnear the intersection of State and Third streets, and is known\\nin local history as the stage barn. The services began on\\nSaturday, and continued through Sunday. Bishop Morris\\npresided at the conference held in Bloomington in 1839, and\\nreturned Nathan Jewett to Rockford as preacher in charge.\\nThe Rock River conference was organized August 26, 1840,\\nat Mt. Morris. Bishop Waugh presided over this conference,\\nwhich was held in a grove. Rockford was retained in the Chicago\\ndistrict, with John T. Mitchell as presiding elder, andSemphro-\\nnious H. Stocking as circuit preacher. August 25, 1841, the\\nconference was held at Platteville, Wisconsin, when Bishop\\nMorris sent John Crummer to Rockford. The Methodists were\\nthen holding services in the brick schoolhouse on the East side\\npublic square. The (Jniversalists appointed their service at the\\nsame hour and place, and differences arose. The Methodists\\nwithdrew from the schoolhouse; the pastor removed his family\\nup-stairs, and finished the lower story of the parsonage as\\na chapel.\\nAugust 3, 1842, the conference met in Chicago, and Bishop\\nRoberts assigned Rockford to the care of Silas Bolles. At this\\ntime the Methodist church was worshiping in what was after-\\nward known as the old seminary building. This structure\\nhad been begun as aCongregatioual church, but was abandoned\\nfor the church built on the West side by Kent and Brincl-;erhoff.\\nIn 1842 the Methodists bought this property of the county\\ncommissioners, and held it for some years.\\nSeptember 20, 1842, the First Methodist church became an\\nincorporate body, with five trustees, as follows: Horace Miller,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0092.jp2"}, "93": {"fulltext": "PURCHASE OF FIYE LOTS. 71\\nJames B. Martyu, Samuel Gregory, Daniel Beers and Willard\\nWheeler. At the conference in Dubuque, Iowa, August 30,\\n1843, Rockford was made a station, and Bishop Andrews\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2cot Richard Blanchard. November 10th of that year the\\ntrustees of the society purchased of Daniel S. Haight the lot on\\nwhich the parsonage had been built five years previous. The\\nconsideration was two hundred dollars. In 1849 the trustees\\nsold the property to George Shearer, for three hundred dollars.\\nThe lot is now occupied by Thomas Sull^- s residence.\\nNathaniel P. Heath succeeded Mr. Blanchard in 1844. He\\nwas sent by Bishop Morris, who presided at the conference in\\nMilwaukee. In August, 1845, the conference met at Peoria,\\nand Bishop Morris sent Charles D. Cahoon to Rockford. He\\nfilled this appointment only once, and died September 25th.\\nHis remains are buried in the Cedar Bluff cemetery. Of the\\nfifty-eight pastors who were assigned to Rockford pulpits from\\n1836 to 1882, Mr. Cahoon is the only one who died among this\\npeople while in the pastorate. John Lucock wassent to fill out\\nthe term of Mr. Cahoon. During his pastorate the society\\nresolved to build a church. December 6, 1845, a subscription\\npaper was circulated. The quarterly conference had already\\nappointed John Lucock, Willard Wheeler, G. Holmes, James\\nB. Martyn, Horace Miller, Samuel Gregory, Edward Fitch, and\\nEliphalet Gregory as a building committee, to superintend the\\nerection of the edifice, which was to be called The First Meth-\\nodist Episcopal Church of Rockford. This subscription list\\nhas been preserved, and is now in the archives of the society.\\nThe amount subscribed was two thousand three hundred and\\ntwelve dollars.\\nIn August, 1846, Nathaniel P. Heath was re-assigned to\\nthis charge, at the request of the society, by Bishop Hamline,\\nwho presided over the conference at Galena. February 25,\\n1846, the trustees purchased of William H. Gilman, lots one,\\ntwo, three, four and five, in the east half of block thirty-one,\\nfronting on South Second street, between Oak and Walnut.\\nThe consideration was three hundred and twenty-five dollars.\\nThis part of the town was then called the Barrens, and was\\na hunting-ground for the boys. These lots, except lot one,\\nare the same upon which the Centennial church and parson-\\nage now stand, and which were occupied by the First church\\nand parsonage. The contract for building the First church\\nwma made with M. H. Regan, in 1846, but it was not completed", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0093.jp2"}, "94": {"fulltext": "72 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nuntil 1848. The brick for the church was made by Hiram\\nRichardson the stone for the foundation was donated by Jesse\\nBuckbee.\\nThe conference of 1847 was held in August, at Chicago.\\nBishop Waugh assigned James E. Wilson to Rockford. He\\nremained one year. The church was completed and dedicated\\nduring his pastorate. March 13, 1848, a second subscription\\npaper was circulated. The document contained this proviso\\nThat the seats in said church shall be free for all, in accord-\\nance with the discipline and usages of said church, if not free\\nthese subscriptions to be null and void. The amount pledged\\nwas two thousand and sixty -nine dollars. This document is\\nalso preserved. The dedication of the church occurred June 1.\\n1848. Leander S. Walker preached the dedicatory sermon.\\nThe cost of the church was about seven thousand dollars. The\\npulpit of this sanctuary had an unique history. Several years\\nbefore, Samuel Gregory had taken careful forethought for his\\nburial, and cut down a stately wahiuttree, sawed it into boards\\nand solemnly stored them away for his coffin. Nature seemed\\nto resent the insinuation, and the country became so healthy\\nas to render his efforts useless. Before Mr. Greogory had an\\nopportunity to die, William Logue came to Rockford with an\\nabundance of undertaking supplies, and Mr. Gregoi-y relegated\\nthe well seasoned boards to the loft of his barn. When the\\nFirst church needed a pulpit, he brought forth his treasure of\\nwalnut and literally laid it on the altar. When the Centennial\\nchurch was built, the historic desk given by the first class-leader\\nwas carefully taken apart, and fashioned into the beautiful\\npiece of furniture upon which the Bible now rests. Mr. Gregory\\nlived more than forty years after this strange preparation for\\nhis burial and that which was intended to encase a dead body,\\nnow holds the living word.\\nCanton was the seat of the conference in 1848, when Bishop\\nMorris sent James C. Parks to Rockford. He was the first\\npreacher who remained two years on this charge. During his\\nfirst year, in 1849, the society built a grout parsonage on\\nthe corner lot just south of where the present parsonage stands.\\nJuly 18, 1849, the annual conference was held at Rockford,\\nwith Bishop Janes presiding. Bishop Hamline presided at\\nthe conference in Plainfield, July 17, 1850. He assigned to\\nRockford, William P. Jones, who remained one year. He was\\nsucceeded by Francis A. Reed, who received his appointment", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0094.jp2"}, "95": {"fulltext": "REV. JAMES RAUME. 78\\nfrom Bishop Wau^b, wlio presided over tlie coufereuoe, belli\\nJuly 17tb, at Peoria. It was durinj^ the pastorate of Mr. Reed\\nthat the Second Methodist Episcopnl chureii was organized.\\nThese were successful vears for local Methodism. At the end of\\nhis term he reported four hundred members and twenty proba-\\ntioners.\\nFrom 1841 to 1853 Rockford bad been a part of the Mt.\\nMorris district. In the latter year, the conference, which met\\nat Chicago September 14tb.redistricted the work, and the Rock-\\nford district was formed. Bishop Scott sent Luke Hitchcock\\nto the district as presiding elder. William Tasker was assigned\\nto the First church, and West Rockford was left to be sup-\\nplied by Mr. Chatfield.\\nLewiston was the seat of the next conference, which was\\nheld September 13, 1854. James Baume was sent from this\\nsession by Bishop Morris to East Rockford. He served the\\nchurch two years. Mr. Baume went to India as a raissionarj\\nin 1859, and remained seven years. He was stationed at Luck-\\nnow, where his daughter, now Mrs. Henry D. Andrew, was born.\\n.Mr. Baume returned in 1866, and in that year he was assigned\\nto the First church by Bishop Clark. Mrs. Baume died in 1867.\\nMr. Baume s second wife is a sister of Mrs. Thomas G. Lawler.\\nIn 1883 Mr. Baume returned to the foreign field. He first went\\nto Naini Tal, a resort in the Himalaya mountains, and thence\\nto Bowen church in Bombay. He returned in 1893 to Rockford,\\nafter having given seventeen years to foreign missionary fields.\\nMr. Baume died in June, 1897. Circuit Judge Baume, of Galena,\\nis a son. At his death it was said of him He esteemed the Chris-\\ntian ministry the choicest, most privileged and far the highest\\nplace on earth. and he therefore had that calm and\\nimpressiveness which come to a man in the presence of such\\nexalted persuasions.\\nFrom the Aurora conference, September 12, 1856, Bishop\\nSimpson sent Hooper Crews to this charge. During his second\\nyear the society again swarmed, and the Third Street church\\nwas formed. At the conference of August, 1858, which met at\\nWaukegan, the three societies in Rockford were respectively\\nnamed First Church, Court Street and Third Street. The next\\nconference was held at Galena, in October, 1859, when Tiishop\\nAmes reappointed Francis A. Reed to the First church. Mrs.\\nReed died during his first year. The Swedish Methodist Episco-\\npal church was organized in July, 1861, during his second year.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0095.jp2"}, "96": {"fulltext": "74 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAOO COONTT.\\nThe portraits of many of these pioneer Methodist ministers\\nadorn the parlors of Centennial church. There is also a picture\\nof the First Methodist church. The union of the First church\\nand the Third Street church under the name of the Centennial\\nchurch, will be considered in a later chapter.\\nA complet list of the early presiding elders who have served\\non the districts in which the Rockford appointments have been\\nlocated, are as follows 1836-40, John Clark, Chicago district\\n1840-41, John T. Mitchell, Chicago district; 1841-42,8. H.\\nStocking, Mt. Morris district 1842-44, John T. Mitchell, Mt.\\nMorris district 1844-48, Cooper Crews, Mt. Morris district;\\n1848-50, Philo Judson, Mt. Morris district; 1850-53, Richard\\nHaney, Mt. Morris district; 1853-54, Luke Hitchcock, Rock-\\nford district 1854-58, Rev. G. L. S. Stuff, Rockford district\\n1858-60, Cooper Crews, Rockford district; 1860-64, Richard\\nA. Blanchard, Rockford district; 1864-65, W. T. Harlow, Mt.\\nMorris district; 1864-68, L. A. Sanford (six months), Rockford\\ndistrict; 1864-68, H. L. Martin (three years and six months),\\nRockford district; 1868-72, W. C. Willing, Rockford district\\n1872-76, W. P. Gray, Rockford district; 1876-80, Henry L.\\nMartin, Rockford district; 1880-84, C. E.Mandeville, Rockford\\ndistrict.\\nOf the sixty sessions of the Rock River conference, eight\\nhave been held in Rockford. The first convened \u00e2\u0080\u00a2with the First\\nchurch, July 18, 1849. Edmund S. Janes was the presiding\\nbishop. August 26, 1857, the conference convened in Court\\nStreet church, with Lewis Scott as presiding bishop. At the con-\\nference held with the First church, September 23, 1863, Bishop\\nScott again presided. October 9, 1872, the conference met in\\nthe Third Street church, with Bishop Isaac W. Wiley presiding.\\nThe next conference in Rockford met October 13, 1880, in Court\\nStreet church. Bishop Hurst presided. The charge of heresy\\npreferred against Dr. H. W. Thomas was considered and referred\\nto the presiding elder of his district. September 21, 1884, the\\nconference convened with Ontennial church. Bishop Henry W.\\nWarren presided. Bishop Mallalieu presided at the conference\\nheld with Court Street church, September 27, 1887. The eighth\\nconference convened with Centennial church, October 3, 1899,\\nwith Bishop Hurst in the chair.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0096.jp2"}, "97": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XVI.\\nFIRST CRIME.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 FIRST MARRIAGES AND BIRTHS. CLAIM FIGHTS.\\nTHE first crime brought to lii^ht in Winnebago county was\\ncommitted in the summer of 1835. The body of a mur-\\ndered man, terribly mutilated, was found in the woods, about\\ntwo and a half miles south of the settlement. This discovery\\nsent a thrill of horror to the hearts of the pioneers, who began\\nfor the first time to feel distrustful. The countv had been\\nsettled by an excellent class of citizens, and this murder was the\\none dark shadow of these first years. The crime was at first\\nattributed to the Indians; but this accusation was not war-\\nranted by their general treatment of the whites. The remains\\nof the stranger were buried in the woods where he met hisdeath.\\nThe crime remains a mystery to this day but the poor fellow\\nwas doubtless murdered by an unsuspected Judas for his claim.\\nThe settlers allowed the tragedy to pass unrecorded in local\\nhistory and not until forty years later appeared the first\\npublished statement of the affair. This first crime was the\\nfirst death of a white person in the county, so far as known.\\nThe second death was that of Sampson George, to whom refer-\\nence was made in a preceding chapter.\\nThe first marriage was that of Dr. Daniel H. Whitney and\\nSarah Caswell, and was solemnized by Rev. Seth S. Whitman,\\nof Belvidere, December 10, 183G. The first marriage ceremony\\nwithin the present limits of thecounty was that of Jeremiah Rob-\\nerts and Harriet Clausen, and was performed December 11,1836,\\nby Sylvester Talcott, a justice of the peace. The first marriage,\\nhowever, reported in the registry in the county clerk s office is\\nthat of William P. Randall and Miss Delia Driscoll, solemnized\\nFebruary 13, 1837, by William R. Wheeler, a justice of the peace.\\nDr. Daniel Hilton Whitney, the first benedict, was a historic\\ncharacter. He was not the Daniel Whitney who figured promi-\\nnently in the early transfers of land in sections twenty-one,\\ntwenty-two and twenty-seven, in Rockford township. Dr.\\nWhitney settled in Belvidere in 1835, and was elected the first\\nrecorder of Winnebago county, which in 1836 included Boone", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0097.jp2"}, "98": {"fulltext": "76 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNT!.\\ncounty. Dr. Whitney was tall, of commanding- presence, with\\nswarthy complexion, coal-black hair, and eagle eye, and withal\\nthe very incarnation of dynamic force. At one time Dr. Whitney\\nwas not a believer in revealed reli^on. Rev. EleazerT. Ball, a\\nPresbyterian pastor of Belvidere, when on his death-bed, sent\\nan invitation to Dr. Whitney to come and see a Christian die.\\nUpon his brow had come the first breath of the eternal morn-\\ning, and into his soul the thrill of thriumph. With Paul he could\\nsay: 0 grave! where is thy victory Death to him was but the\\nkiss of an angel, to waft the gentle spirit homeward to its God.\\nWhat, to this, is the hero s clarion, though its blast should ring\\nwith the mastery of a world Dr. Whitney died February 17,\\n1864, aged fifty-seven years. There was much in his life and\\ncharacter that appealed to the love of romance; and he is\\nkindly remembered to this day. Dr. Jones, a grandson of Dr.\\nWhitney, is practicing medicine at Belvidere.\\nMelissa J. Long, daughter of John B. Long, born in Febru-\\nary, 1836, is entitled to the distinction of being the first white\\nchild born in the county. The first male child, Ogden Hance,\\nwas born in what is now Pecatonica township. George E.\\nDunbar, son of William E. Dunbar, was born in 1836, in a little\\nlog house situated about one block south of Kent street, on\\nMain. Mrs. T. W. Carrico, a daughter of Benjamin Kilburn,\\nwas also among the earliest accessions by birth to the popula-\\ntion of the village.\\nThe protection of land claims was one of the diflSculties that\\nconfronted the early settlers. Stephen A. Douglas doctrine of\\nsquatter sovereignty was not practicable in dealing with slavery\\nin the territories; and perhaps the renowned and doughty little\\ngiant never designed that it should be. But in Winnebago\\ncounty, during the first five years after the arrival of Kent and\\nBlake, the fact of actual possession was the only title to the\\nsoil. The land in this vicinity was not brought into market\\nuntil 1839 and the Polish claims, which will be considered in\\na subsequent chapter, did not permit the land in two townships\\nto be opened to sale until several years later. Claims were made\\nupon lands, deeds were executed and money paid for lands that\\nwere still in technical legal possession of the government. In\\nsome instances several transfers were made before the original\\ngrantor obtained his patent from the government. Three facts", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0098.jp2"}, "99": {"fulltext": "SQUA TTER SO VKREIGNTY .jmU IARY. 77\\nproduced this peculiar condition in tlie real estate market. The\\nfloats which were given certain half-breed Winnebago Indians\\nby the treaty of Prairie du Chien, were located on desirable\\nlands by shrewd land speculators, who i)urchased the floats\\nfrom their wards. These claims weregiven j)recedence. Another\\ncause was the claim of a Polish count to Rockford and Kockton\\ntownships. The third factor was the settlement by the pioneers\\non lands several years before they were advertised for sale at\\nthe land ofl^ce. Thus this feature of local history is quite\\ncomplex. Many of the earl^ instruments were not deeds, but\\nsimply transfers of claims, or agreements to sell the land when\\nthe titles of the grantors had been obtained. Those transac-\\ntions indicate the utmost confidence in the good faith of the\\ngovernment, and this confidence was never misplaced.\\nUnder these circumstances, however, trouble among claim-\\nants was inevitable. There was no golden age in which the\\nbrethren always dwelt together in unity. The transfigured\\nmenagerie, of which Dr. Board man speaks, when the lion and\\nthe lamb should lie down together, was not fully realized on the\\nbanks of Kock river. The law allowed a settler to hold such\\nland as he could enclose. His ambition was sometimes greatei-\\nthan his ability to enclose, which was occasionally done by\\nplowing a furrow around the claim. The first fences were of\\nsplit rails or sods. The latter were quite extensively built at\\nfirst, but were soon abandoned. They were made by building\\nthe sides of cut turf and filling the middle with earth. WliPii\\nwell made, these fences were quite attractive to the eye. Their\\ninsufficiency, however, soon drew attention to hedges, and aftfi-\\ntrials of many kinds, the osage orange was extensively used.\\nThe county was not entirely free from that depraved and des-\\nperate class, who usually keep inadvanceof the administration\\nof justice by the regularly established institutions of law. lUit\\nthese soon found that the moral atmosphere around them\\nrendered their situation not only uncomfortable, but actuallv\\ndangerous; and they were warned either to reform oremigrate.\\nAlthough difficulties frequently arose among settlers in\\nregard to their respective titles to land, there were few of so\\nserious a nature that they were not peaceably and satisfactorily\\nadjusted by the claims committee. This was a sort of squattf-r\\nsovereignty judiciary, which was established in almost every\\ncommunity. When complaint was made, a meeting was called,\\na chairman appointed, and a verdict rendered, which wa\u00c2\u00ab very", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0099.jp2"}, "100": {"fulltext": "\u00e2\u0096\u00a0\u00e2\u0096\u00a01\\n78 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ngenerally respected. A settler who had made what was consid-\\nered a favorable selection of laud, or one that was likely from\\nthe growth of the county to become valuable, occasionally\\nfound in the morning that a board shanty had been put up\\nduring the night on his claim. This cabin would generally be\\noccupied by three or four men, friends of the jumper, who\\nhad come with him to assist in maintaining his seizure. These\\nintruders usually had their shanties ready to put together. The\\nwork was done at some convenient sawmill where lumber could\\nbe obtained. It was then loaded on a wagon at night and by\\nmorning they would have the house put up, and be ready to\\nmaintain their position by force of arms in what they called\\ntheir castle. The decision of the settlers court, in the matter\\nof jumping claims, was usually in favor of the man who had\\na family, and who intended to become an actual settler and\\nit was always carried out to the strict letter.\\nAn instance occurred in Rockford in the winter of 1838-39,\\nin which the jumper refused to submit his pretensions to the\\ndetermination of this tribunal, but persisted in completing his\\nbuilding upon land which had been previously recognized as\\nbelonging to another. The neighbors turned out almost en\\nmasse, carefully raised the building and placed it upon ox sleds,\\nand with their teams hauled it into town. On the top of the\\nbuilding sat Mark Beaubien, a young man, who tied together a\\nnumber of red handkerchiefs into a flaming banner, which he\\nwaved in triumph over that portion of the land of the free.\\nOn either side of the cabin, which was now playing the role of a\\ncircuit-rider, marched the citizens in procession, one hundred or\\nmore in number. Their destination was the residence of George\\nW. Brinckerhoff, who, it was alleged, had counseled the jumping\\nof the claim, and who would be interested therein should it be\\nsecured. They quietly deposited their freight in Mr. Brincker-\\nhoff s front yard, and told him they had found his property\\nastray on the prairie; and, fearing some injury might come to\\nit, they had deemed it their duty as good neighbors, to return\\nit to him. They also expressed the hope that he would exercise\\npolice regulations over his wayward property. The citizens\\nthen quietly dispersed and it is said no further trouble arose\\nfrom that source.\\nAnother case occurred at Twelve-Mile Grove, in 1844, which\\nresulted in the death of one of the claimants. Two men started\\nat the same time to pre-empt forty acres of land in that neigh-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0100.jp2"}, "101": {"fulltext": "MURDER AT TWELVE-MILE GROVE.\\nborhood. One of them, named Pierce, found on roachiug: the\\nplace that Andrus had forestalled him, and was putting up a\\ncabin. Pierce immediately started for Dixon on horseback. Bj\\nhard riding he reached his destination the same day, made his\\nentry atthe land office, received his ceitificate, and immediately\\nreturned. When he arrived on the tract in dispute, he found\\nthereon the cabin which had just been completed. His opponent\\nhad labored all night and had finished his cabin, and was now\\naway at breakfast. Pierce quickly summoned two or three of\\nhis friends; and, on the principle that possession is nine points\\niu the law, they entered the shanty, locked the door and awaited\\ndevelopments. When .\\\\ndrus returned he found that he had\\nbeen locked out of the cabin, and he immediately rallied to his\\naid a number of neighbors. Terms of capitulation were offered\\nand refused, and hostilities began. The inmates could not be\\ndislodged and as a last resort the assailants tried to overturn\\nthe cabin. They had raised one side several feet, when a shot\\nwas fired from within, and they dropped their load. As the\\ncabin recovered its perpendicular with great force, the board\\nwhich covered the window fell in, and one of the attacking party\\nfired through. Pierce sprang though the window, ran a few\\nsteps and fell dead, shot through the heart. The participants\\nin the disturbance were apprehended for riot. One of them was\\ntried for murder; but it could not be proved who fired the fatal\\nshot, and all were acquitted.\\nThe treatment of a Mr. Brown, who came to Rockford in\\nthe winter of 1837, with a large family and a very small purse,\\nhas been told by other writers. Brown built a log cabin, and\\nmoved from his wagon into his new home. He was thereupon\\ntold that his castle must be pulled down, as the claim belonged\\nto Mr. Spaulding, who was then at St. Louis. Mr. Brown wan\\nnot easily intimidated, and defended his rights. One day a\\ncrowd, under the influence of liquor, besieged his cabin. Brown\\nconfronted them with a musket. Terms of settlement were\\nproposed. If you will leave this claim, we agree to get you a\\nbetter one, build a house, and furnish you with provisions.\\nThe ruse was successful. The terms were accepted, and the\\nbarricade removed, when the goods were ejected from the cabin,\\nwhich waa torn down, and the logs rolled together and burned.\\nBrown s effects were hauled into the woods, and his family\\nexposed to the elements on a cold, stormy night, until compas-\\nsionate friends gave them shelter. Upon Mr. Spaulding s return,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0101.jp2"}, "102": {"fulltext": "80 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nhe denied all pretension to the ownership of the claim. Other\\ninstances occurred in the county; but as land titles became\\nsettled, these controversies ceased.\\nJonathan Weldon, who settled at Westfield, was unpopular\\namong the early residents. John H. Thurston says it was a\\ncommon story in early days that Richard Montague emigrated\\nfrom New Hampshire mainly that he might be at a comfortable\\ndistance from Weldon. Mr. Montague was somewhat dismayed\\nupon his arrival inRockford, to find that Mr, Weldon was to be\\nafellow citizen. Mr. Weldon was intellectual and shrewd, though\\nseriously deformed. In one instance he successfully opposed\\nthe entire bar of the county when it was proposed to open a\\nroad through his laud. Weldon did not live at peace with his\\nneighbors and one night he was taken from his house by a\\nmasked party and carried to the prairie, where they made\\npreparations, as he then believed, to hang him. However, after\\na consultation, they took him to the school house, and left him\\nin the fire-place, covered with tar and feathers. Mr. Weldon,\\nhowever, must not be dismissed without reference to another\\nphase of his character; and this has been presented by one who\\nknew him well. In a letter to the late Hon. E. H, Baker, from\\nP^ureka, California, under date of November 24, 1886, C. A.\\nHuntington, formerly of Rockford, writes Without exception\\nhe was the most remarkable man I ever knew. A man who\\nnever walked a step in his life, yet traveled more miles than any\\nfarmer of his time. He settled without a dollar in the grove\\nnear Rock river, and took up a large farm well chosen with both\\nprairie and timber. His children, when young, two sons and\\ntwo daughters (whose mother was also a cripple and never\\nwalked a step in her life), while yet in their childhood so plied\\ntheir young hands to work, that in a few years under the pru-\\ndent management of parents, both of whom had judgment\\nand tact, that they had fields fenced and plowed, they had a\\ngood stock of horses, mules, swiue, cattle, poultry, and money\\nin abundance. Mr. Weldon was a man of education, and in\\nspite of all the impediments of frontier life and all the disadvan-\\ntages under which he labored, a cripple himself with a decrepid\\nwife, he educated his children, all of whom took rank among\\nthe best settlers of the county, and one, his oldest son, became\\na clergyman.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0102.jp2"}, "103": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XVII.\\nTHE COUNTY DIVIDED.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 MILE-STRIP CONTEST. MINOR NOTES.\\nAn act of the legislature, approved March 4, 1837, provided\\nfor the reorgauization of Winnebago county, and the creation\\nof Stephenson and Boone. The latter was named in honor of\\nColonel Daniel Boone, the first white settler of Kentucky. By\\nthis act Winnebago county was reduced to one-half its original\\nsize. The reader will find it necessary, in tracing the boundary\\nlines, to have before him maps of Winnebago and Boone coun-\\nties; also some acquaintance with the township survey system.\\nConfusion will arise if it is not remembered that the townships\\nin Winnebago county, west of the third principal meridian, are\\nnumbered from a different base-line from those east of this\\nmeridian. It must also be borne in mind that the ranges west\\nof the third principal meridian are numbered, not as ranges\\nwest of the tAir^ principal meridian, but as east of the fourth\\nprincipal meridian.\\nThe first section of this law creates Stephenson county from\\nthe eastern portion of Jo Daviess and the western two ranges\\nof Winnebago, as the latter had been organized the preceding-\\nyear. The next section defines the new boundary of Winnebago.\\nThe line begins at the northeast corner of Stephenson, as formed\\nby the preceding section; thence running east on the state line\\nto the section line between sections five and six, in township\\nforty-six north, range three east of the third principal merid-\\nian; thence south on said section line to the south boundary\\nof township forty-three north, range three east; thence west on\\nsaid township line to thethird principal meridian thence north\\non said meridian to the southeast corner of township twenty-\\nsix north, range eleven east of the fourth principal meridian;\\nthence west on said line to the range line between ranges nine\\nand ten east of the fourth principal meridian; thence north to\\nthe place of beginning.\\nThe third section of this law contemplated the boundaries\\nof Boone as they now exist, except the mile-strip on the west.\\nThis law was seriously defective in defining the boundary lines.\\nThe intention of the legislature, however, was obvious, and was", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0103.jp2"}, "104": {"fulltext": "82 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\naccepted until two years later, when the act of March 2, 1839,\\ncorrected the errors, which may have been either verbal or typ-\\nographical. This act also proposed to extend Boonecounty ou\\nthe east to include the western range of townships in McHenry\\ncounty, provided the voters in those townships should so elect.\\nAs Boone never extended farther east than at present, it may\\nbe inferred that the settlers residing on the range in question\\nvoted against annexation to Boone. The writer was once told\\nby the late Judge Lawrence, of Boone county, that about 1846\\nthis question was again submitted to the voters of these west-\\nern McHenry townships, and that an election was carried in\\nfavor of annexation to Boone, but that this expression of the\\npopular will was defeated by a dishonest postmaster, who\\nchanged the election returns while they were in his office to suit\\nhis purpose.\\nBy comparing the boundary lines of Winnebago and Boone,\\nas defined by the act of 1837, with an atlas of the counties, it\\nwill be observed that the eastern boundary of Winnebago was\\nexactly one mile east of its present line. Thus established,\\nBoone was only eleven miles wide. The western tier of sections,\\nwhich clearly belonged to Boone under the government survey,\\nwas denied her and given to Winnebago.\\nThis manifest injustice to Boone county was a thorn in the\\nflesh of her citizens, and finally precipitated what is known as\\nthe mile-strip contest, the most bitter controversy of those\\nearly days. The statement is twice made in Rett s History of\\nBoone county that the assignment of this mile-strip to Win-\\nnebago in 1837 was a compromise to conciliate conflicting\\ninterests in this county. These conflicting interests were\\nprobably the ambitions of East and West Rockford for the\\ncounty buildings. The extra mile-strip may have been given to\\nWinnebago, at the instance of clever manipulators, to increase\\nthe voting strength of that part of thecountyeastof Rock river.\\nIn 1843 the question of annexing this mile-strip to Boone\\ncounty came before the legislature. An enabling act, approved\\nFebruary 28th, provided that sections six, seven, eighteen, nine-\\nteen, thirty and thirty-one, in townships forty-three, forty-four,\\nforty-five and forty-six, range three east, should be annexed to\\nBoone, if the voters on the mile-strip should so elect. The strip\\ncomprised what is now the western tier of sections in the town-\\nships of Manchester, Caledonia, Belvidere and Flora, in Boone\\ncounty. An election was ordered to be held at the house of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0104.jp2"}, "105": {"fulltext": "VICTORY FOR BOONE COUNTY. 88\\nvSainiiel Keith, in the villa*j,e of Nevvburg, Winnebago county.\\nMay 4, 1843. The citizens of Rockford were deeply interested\\nin the result, although the county seat had recently been re-lo-\\ncated on the West side, and the voters the preceding year had\\nexpressed a preference for that side. They were not, of course,\\nallowed to vote. Only those on the mile-strip had a voice in\\nthe matter. The election called out ninety-five votes. Fifty-one\\nwere for annexation to Roone, and forty-four against it a\\nmajority of seven in favor of Roone. This election added\\ntwenty-four sections of valuable land to our eastern neighbor,\\nand thus greatly increased her taxable property. Had this\\nelection been held several years- earlier, the result might have\\nbeen a factor in determining the location of the county build-\\nings. Rut under the circumstances, it had no such influence.\\nAdditional facts upon this point are given in a later chapter\\ndevoted to the prolonged controversy over the county seat.\\nIn 1845 the legislature passed an act which provided as\\nfollows That it shall be lawful for the county commissioners\\ncourt of the county of Roone, by an order to be entered upon\\nthe records of said court, to require the recorder of the county\\nof Winnebago, and the clerk of the commissioners court of said\\ncounty, to transcribe into a book, to be provided for that pur-\\npose by the county commissioners court of the said county of\\nRoone, all records of said offices relating to the following de-\\nscribed territory of land, to-wit: Sections six, seven, eighteen,\\nnineteen, thirty and thirty-one, in each of the townships of\\nforty -three, forty-four, forty-five and forty-six, in range three\\neast of the third principal meridian.\\nThis act referred to the mile-strip; and its provisions were\\nfaithfully executed. The county commissioners of Roone pro-\\nvided the necessary books, and required the clerk and recorder\\nof Winnebago county to transcribe therein all records and\\norders relating to the strip. When completed, this transcript\\nwas regularly certified and forwarded to the proper official in\\nRoone, and placed among the recorded proceedings of its court.\\nThis transaction completed the record of the transfer for that\\ncounty.\\nThe first tax levy was ordered by the county commissioners\\ncourt, at its March term, 1837. One-half per cent, tax was levied\\non town lots, horses and mares, neat cattle above three years\\nold, watches, carriages, and wagons, and atax of one-fourth per", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0105.jp2"}, "106": {"fulltext": "84 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUSTT.\\ncent, on stock in trade. Through some technicality, this levy\\nwas declared illeg:al, and a second levy was made. At that time\\nfarm lands were not taxable. They were not placed upon the\\nmarket at the land offices until two years later, and for three\\nyears thereafter they were exempt from taxation. It was not\\nuntil 1842\u00e2\u0080\u009443 that any county revenue was obtained from this\\nsource. The revenue required to meet the expense of the county\\nuntil the lands became taxable was derived from assessments\\nagainst personal property. Under this order the total amount\\nlevied was five hundred and sixty-two dollars and fifty-nine\\nand one-half cents. Of this sum, two hundred and ninety-eight\\ndollars and twenty -nine and one-half cents were assessed upon\\npersonal property; and two hundred and sixty -four dollars\\nand thirty cents on lots in the town of Winnebago, owned by\\nnon-residents. At that time the assessment was made by the\\ncounty treasurer, and the taxes were collected by the sheriff.\\nR. J. Cross, the treasurer, consumed fifteen days in making this\\nassessment. His compensation was thirty dollars, or two dol-\\nlars per day. He was also allowed nine dollars and twenty -eight\\ncents, for receiving and disbursing the taxes when collected.\\nThis commission was two per cent, on four hundred and sixty-\\nfour dollars, the amount actually collected.\\nThe revenue law of February, 1839, changed the manner of\\nassessing and collecting taxes. The county commissioners\\ncourts were authorized to appoint one or more assessors, not\\nexceeding one for each justice s district; also a suitable person\\nfor collector. The Whig county convention of 1840 made\\nnominations for county assessor and collector; but they must\\nhave been only as timely suggestions to the commissioners\\ncourt. An act of February, 1841, restricted the commissioners\\ncourts to the appoinment of one assessor for the county. From\\n1838 to 1844, Goodyear A. Sauford collected all the taxes of\\nthe county, which aggregated from two hundred and thirty-\\nseven to six hundred and forty dollars per annum during those\\nyears. These collections were made in part by virtue of his\\noffice of deputy sheriff, and the balance by special appointment.\\nThis system was superseded a few years later by the township\\norganization law.\\nThis chapter may properly close with a reference to the day\\nof small things. The first frame building in Rockford was erected\\nin 1836, by Sidney Twogood and Thomas Lake. It was a", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0106.jp2"}, "107": {"fulltext": "FIRST FRAME liUILDING. m\\nstory-aud-a-lialf structure, aud stood ou the southwest eoiiier\\nof State and Madison streets, and faced east. It was first\\noccupied as a general store by Harry VV. I undy and George\\nGoodhue. The latter was a ne})he\\\\v of Dr. Goodhue. Thistirni\\ncontinued in business there onlv about two years, and then\\nremoved to Beloit in the spring of 1838. Many years later this\\nbuilding was removed to the lot adjoining the railroad track\\non the same side of the street, where it remained until a few\\nyears ago, when a stone building was erected on the site. The\\nsecond frame structure was built for Daniel S. Haight, on the\\nnortheast corner of State and Madison streets, and to which\\nreference has already been made. While tiiis building was in\\nprogress, however, Mr. Haight employed a force of carpenters\\niu constructing a small frame dwelling house on lot nine of\\nthe same block. He lived in this as soon as it was enclosed.\\nThis was the first frame house in Ilockford occupied by a family.\\n.Mr. Haight had vacated his first log house for the Miller family.\\nJames B. Martyn, who came from Alabama upon Mr. Haight s\\nsolicitation, claimed to have built the first frame house in the\\ncounty in 183G, on his claim on the State road, one mile east\\nof the intersection of State and Third streets. Mr. Martyn died\\nat Belvidere in 1881.\\nThe first theatrical performance was given October 29,\\n1838, in the old Rockford House. The manager of the company\\nwas the elder Jefferson, father of the world-renowned Joseph\\nJefferson. Joe was but a youth, and acted in Lord Lovell,\\nthen a new play. The company was weather-bound in Rockford\\nwhile enroute from Chicago to Galena. The river was not pass-\\nable by reason of heavy moving ice. The last time the famous\\nimpersonator of Rip Van WinUe was in Rockford he related\\nthis incident to a local reporter.\\nThe first tail(\u00c2\u00bbr in Rockford was William H. Tinker, who\\ncame from Massachusetts. He was in the village in 1836, but\\nhe did not consider the outlook very promising, and he left the\\nfield. In June, 1837, Parson King Johnson, from Brandon,\\nVermont, came to Rockford, and found Mr. Tinker s cutting\\nboard in the rear room of Bundy\u00c2\u00bbS: Goodhue s store. Mr. Tinker\\nreturned to Rockford, and the firm of Tinker Johnson became\\nthe first in that line in the village. The firm occupied the upper\\nroom in a building on the site of 111 South Madison street.\\nMr. Tinker is now living with a son at St. Paul, and is about\\neighty-six years of age. He visited Rockford last year. Mr.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0107.jp2"}, "108": {"fulltext": "86 SISTORY OF ROCKFOUD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nTinker is au uncle of Hon. Robert H. Tinker, and married Miss\\nElizabeth Barnum,an aunt of Mrs. Harriott Wight Sherratt.\\nThe first shoemaker was Ezra Barnum. He was father of\\nAnson Barnum and Mrs James M. Wight, and grandfather of\\nMrs. Sherratt. Mr. Barnum came from Danbury, Connecticut,\\nin the summer of 1837. A history of Danbury shows the Bar-\\nnums to have been an old family of that city. One of the eight\\nfounders of the city, with this name, died in 1695. Mrs. M. T.\\nTrowbridge is descended from a branch of this family. The\\nhistory was written in part by J. M. Bailey, the well known\\nhumorist of the Danbury News.\\nThe first brick was made in the autumn of 1837 by Cyrus\\nC. Jenks, in Guilford, about three and a half miles northeast\\nof the town. The larger portion of this brick was used for\\nchimneys. The first brick house was a small, square structure,\\none story, on the southeast corner of block eighteen, on First\\nstreet, opposite the public square. It was built in 1838, by\\nJohn H. Morse. The first carpenter cannot be determined with\\naccuracy but it is probable that Thomas Lake and Sidney\\nTwoffood were the first skilled workmen. The first saloon was\\nopened in 1837, by Samuel Little, an Englishman. He put up\\na small one-story building near 316 East State street. The first\\nblacksmith was probably one of the men employed by Mr. Kent.\\nThe second was William Penfield. His frame building was on\\nthe northeast corner of Madison and Market streets. William\\nP. Dennis was the first house-painter, and in 1837 he displayed\\nhis skill on Mr. Haight s first frame house. The first drug-store\\nwas opened early in the summer of 1838, by Dr. Marshal, a\\nScotchman. It was on the north side of State street, about\\neighty feet from the river. He was once called to prescribe for\\nDr. Haskell, who refused to take his medicine. It proved to be\\nseventy grains of calomel. The first bakers were Ephraim\\nWyman and Bethuel Houghton, who did business in 1838 as\\npartners on South Main street. The first store was kept by John\\nVance, in a log cabin on South First street, opposite the hay\\nmarket. He subsequently started a provision store at Winne-\\nbago, when that village seemed likely to become the county seat.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0108.jp2"}, "109": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XVIII.\\nNEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONALISM.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE FIF{ST CHURCH.\\nNI ]\\\\V England Conoregationalism came witli the early settlers.\\nThis institution was firmly established within three years\\nafter the arrival of Mr. Kent and Mr. Blake, and it has main-\\ntained a strong and influential position in Rockford until the\\npresent time. The First Congregational church was organized\\nMay 5,1837, with nine members: Rev. John Morrill. Herman\\nB. Potter, Israel Morrill, Richard Morrill, Elizabeth P. Moirill,\\nMary J. Morrill, Sophia N.Morrill, Minerva Potter, and Eunice\\nBrown. The only survivor of this membership is Richard Morrill,\\nwho is now living with his son in Minnesota. Mr. Morrill is\\nninety-four years of age. He is an uncle of Mrs. A. M. Catlin,\\nof Rockford. The church was founded bv Rev. John Morrill, at\\nthe home of his brother, Israel Morrill, on the west side of the\\nriver. It is therefore the oldest church in Rockford, inasmuch\\nas the First Methodist church, formed the previous year, ceased\\nto exist. The three .Morrill brothers and their wives constituted\\njust two-thirds of the original membership. Two weeks later.\\nMay 19th, there were five accessions: Edward Cating, Charles\\nWorks, Asa Crosby, Mary Crosby, and Mary Danforth. Miss\\nDanforth was a sister of Mrs. Israel Morrill. Their sister Sarah\\nwas the wife of D. A. Spaulding, the surveyor. Mrs. Spaulding\\ndied at Alton, Illinois, August 22, 1887. She was seventy-six\\nyears of age. During the year the following were also received\\ninto membership Mary Works, wife of Charles Works, Deborah\\nBarnum, wifeof EzraBarnum, EleazerH. Potter, Adeline Potter,\\nSamuel I). Preston, and Mary Preston. The last named mem-\\nber is Mrs. Selden M. Church, who is the only survivor among\\nthe women of that first year s congregation. During its first\\nyear the church had attained a membership of twenty souls.\\nIsrael .Morrill and H. B. Potter were the first deacons.\\nThe first confession of faith and form of covenant, adopted\\ntemporarily at its organization, was that recommended by the\\nWatertown presbytery. One year later, May 4, 1838, this was\\ndisplaced by the articles of faith and covenant of the Rock", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0109.jp2"}, "110": {"fulltext": "88 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nRiver Congregational Association. At the first meeting it was\\nunanimously voted that all persons, before uniting with the\\nchurch, should sign a pledge of total abstinence from all intox-\\nicating drinks as a beverage. Under date of August 11, 1837,\\nthere is found the following entry The resolution touching the\\nslavery question being agitated, it was resolved that for the\\npresent the subject be postponed, to receive the attention and\\naction of the church at some future time. No other record\\nupon this subject, however, has been found.\\nRev. John Morrill was the first pastor. Very little is known\\nof him previous to his removal to the west. He had come in a\\nfarm wagon from New York as a home missionary to this\\ncounty, where his brother had previously settled. Mr. Morrill\\nserved as pastor one year from May, 1837. He officiated at\\nthe organization of the Presbyterian church in Belvidere, March\\n17, 1839, and was its stated supply until March of the follow-\\ning year. The late Mrs. Eunice Brown Lyon is authority for\\nthe statement that Mr. Morrill received no formal call to the\\npastorate of the Congregational church. He was the leading\\nspirit in its organization, and he may have assumed the work\\nwith the understanding, explicit or implied, that he should\\nserve as its pastor for a time. Mrs. Brown also says that the\\nbrethren were somewhat slack in paying the pastor s salary.\\nThis delinquency, however, was redeemed by the ladies, who\\nsecured pledges for a goodly sum. Mr. Morrill was a devout\\nman, who labored for the spiritual growth of the people. He\\nplaced emphasis upon pecuniary reward only so far as it was\\nnecessary for his support. This pioneer minister died at Peca-\\ntonica February 16, 1874.\\nSoon after its organization the church held services in the\\nstage barn, built by Daniel S. Haight, near the intersection\\nof State and Third streets. Only a few years ago this structure\\nwas standing on the farm of Isaac Rowley, near the city. In\\nthe summer of 1838 the trustees began the erection of a frame\\nstructure on the west side of North First street, on a site near\\nthe residence of Irving French. When the building had been\\nenclosed and shingled it was learned that Messrs. Kent and\\nBrinckerhoff had obtained about eight hundred dollars from\\nfriends in New York, for a church. Instead of turning over this\\nmoney to the society to complete the church, these gentlemen\\nbuilt an edifice on their own side of the river. This building\\nwas raised in the summer of 1838, and enclosed the same sea-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0110.jp2"}, "111": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0111.jp2"}, "112": {"fulltext": "FIRST METHODIST CHURCH\\nIJiiilt ill 1S4(1 (111 tht sitt- nf till Ci iiteiiiiial CliurL-h\\nm\\nFf\\nnm\\nirr\\nmi\\nmt\\nm-\\n-s\\nFIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH\\nBuilt in lS;iS by (Jerinaiiicus Kent and (JeorKe W. Brinckerlioff, on the southwest\\ncorner of Churcli and (ireen streets Tlie huildins was used as a place of\\nworship by the Second Congregational church from 1849 to 1858", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0112.jp2"}, "113": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST CHURCH EDIFICE. 89\\nSOU. Wheu it was completed they turued it over to tlie society\\nfor worship, but retained their uouiiual title. At that time they\\npossessed no legal title to the land from the government.\\nThose eastern friends knew but little of the power for good of\\nthis beautiful little church, in laying the foundations of a pros-\\nperous Christian community. The unfinished building on North\\nFirst street was abandoned, and was never afterward used by\\nthis church as a house of worship. It was, however, devoted to\\nother purposes, w hich will be noted in subsequent chapters.\\nThe building erected by Kent and Brinckerhoff was the\\nfirst church edifice in Rocktord: It stood on the southwest\\ncorner of Church and Green streets. It was a frame structure,\\nclapboarded, in Doric style, forty-five feet square inside, and\\nstood on a foundation of blocks of trees cut in the adjoining-\\ngrove, with sills resting upon them about three feet above the\\nground. In fact, the greater poi tion of the building material\\nwas obtained from adjacent lots. The building fronted to the\\neast, and had three windows on each side. A porch about ten\\nfeet wide extended across the front, covered by an extension of\\ntlie roof, which was supported by four fluted wooden columns.\\nOn the east end of the roof stood a cupola, or belfry, about\\neight feet square, ten feet high, and covered by a hip roof. This\\ncupola had a bell, whose tones seemed sweeter to the worship-\\ners on a quiet Sabbath mornins than anv other which thev\\nhave heard in Rockford since that time. This bell was taken\\naway by the owner. Rev. Cyrus L. Watson, upon the close of\\nhis pastorate. The building was plastered, and painted white\\ninside. Two doors led to the sanctuary from the front two\\naisles extended from these, which made four rows of pews. The\\npulpit at the west end was large, high, and enclosed by panel\\nwork, and withal was capable of withstanding a siege. The\\nsingers gallery was formed by raised pews at the eastern end\\nof the auditorium. This structure was plain, but neat and\\nsubstantial, and its pure white exterior, with a background of\\noak trees in the surrounding forest, made it beautiful for situa-\\ntion, and the joy of its friends. This sylvan sanctuary was\\noccupied by the First church about six years.\\nThe Ladies I oreign Missionarv Societv was organized in\\n1838, just one year after the founding of the church. The orig-\\ninators of this movement, like the founders of the church, were\\nlargely from New England, who had been interested in foreign\\nmissions and education in their eastern homes, and who had", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0113.jp2"}, "114": {"fulltext": "90 HISTORY OF ROCKFOtlD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nnot left their zeal behind them, although they might properly\\nhave considered themselves on home missionary ground. The\\nobject of the society is briefly stated in its preamble: In view\\nof the deplorable condition of millions in this and foreign lands,\\nwho are destitute of the word of life, and esteeming it a duty\\nand privilege to fiid by prayer, contribution and influence the\\ngreat work of evangelizing the world, we, the ladies of Rockford,\\nfeeling that united influence is far the most powerful, agree to\\nform ourselves into a society for the promotion of this object.\\nThe first year there were thirty-six contributors. In May, 1838,\\nthe society made its first appropriation to a girls school in Din-\\ndegal, in southern India. All sectarian feeling was merged in a\\ncommon desire to fulfill the great commission. Episcopalians,\\nBaptists and Unitarians were among its early members. As\\nnear as can be ascertained, a Sunday-school was organized in\\nthe spring of 1839.\\nThe second pastor was Rev. Cyrus L. Watson, who served the\\nchurch from November, 1838, to May, 1841. He was a genial,\\nsocial, elderly gentleman, a good pastor, and he was highly\\nesteemed. His death occurred at Battle Creek, Michigan. Rev,\\nWilliam S. Curtis, D. D., supplied the pulpit from November,\\n1841, to August, 1842. Dr. Curtis subsequently became pastor\\nof the Westminster Presbyterian church. His death occurred\\nin 1885, and his funeral was held June 1st, from the Westmin-\\nster church. Dr. Curtis son, Edward L. Curtis, is a professor\\nin the Yale divinity school. Prof. Curtis married a sister of\\nRev. B. Vj. S. Ely, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. The\\nsenior Curtis was succeeded by Rev. Oliver W. Norton, who was\\npastor from September, 1842, until some time in the following\\nyear. He possessed that argumentative type of mind which\\nwas common among the clergymen of the old school. Rev.\\nLansing Porter served a brief pastorate from February, 1844,\\nto April, 1846.\\nIn the spring of 1846 the church dedicated a new house of\\nworship on the East side. It was a brick structure, and stood\\non the northeast corner of South First and Walnut streets, on\\nthe site of the engine house. Its dimensions were forty by sixty\\nfeet; the walls were twenty feet high. A projection at the rear\\nformed a recess for the pulpit. The roof was one-quarter pitch,\\nwith a square tower on the center of the front, rising about\\ntwenty feet. From this tower a bell called the people to their\\npublic devotions. The bell belonged to Rev. Norton, and he", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0114.jp2"}, "115": {"fulltext": "REMINlSrENCES OF THE BRICK CHURCH. 91\\ntook it with him when he went away. W. A. Dickerman, as\\nagent for the church, subsequently purchased a Meneely bell in\\nNew York, weighing six hundred and forty pounds. When it\\nwas brought to town by team it was first delivered in a ware-\\nhouse. So anxious were the people to hear a bell in Rockford,\\nthat a platform was extemporized, so that it rang out loud\\nand clear, and attracted all the parishioners, before it was taken\\nto the church.\\nNo picture of this church is known to have been preserved.\\nThe exterior was finished nearly in the Tuscan style of arch-\\nitecture, and it presented a very attractive appearance. A\\nvestibule extended across the interior front, with a choir gal-\\nlery overhead. In this vestibule were held the prayer- meetings\\nof the church. Two aisles extended from the vestibule to the\\npulpit at the reai- of the church. The pews were shut in by\\ndoors in the old-fashioned way. This building had a seating-\\ncapacity of about three hundred and fifty, and cost not farfrom\\neight thousand dollars. Galleries were subsequently built, with\\naseating capacity of onehundred and fifty. This church contin-\\nued to be the house of worship for this congregation until 1870.\\nThe construction of a new house of worship is frequently,\\nand perhaps generally, followed by a change in the pastorate.\\nSuch was the experience of this society soon after the dedication\\nof its new church. The I esignation of Rev. Lansing Porter was\\nfollowed by a call to the Rev. Lewis H. Loss, whose pastorate\\nbegan in August, 1846.\\nMany recollections of those early days are recalled by citi-\\nzens who are still residents of the city. Everybody went to\\nchurch in those days, said H. H. Waldo on one occasion, while\\nin a reminiscent mood. 1 sang with the ladies, the Misses\\nSilsby and others, in the First Congregational church, when it\\nwas where the East side fire station is now. I could write a\\nbook of the pranks and jokes of the members of that choir and\\nmv earl v friends. I remember oneSundav Jason Marsh came to\\nchurch wearing the first pair of prunella shoes that we had ever\\nseen. He stuck them up conspicuously on the railing. I came\\nin from the country with my boots all covered with mud. and\\nespying those prunella shoes, put mine up beside them. He\\ntook his down, and was never known again to sit with bis feet\\non the choir rail.\\nCatlin Spafford, continued Mr. Waldo, used to be door-\\nkeeper at the First church, and while the minister was praying,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0115.jp2"}, "116": {"fulltext": "92 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COONTT.\\nwould allow uo one to take a seat. I reached church one cold\\nday just as Dr. Loss had started prayer, and it was no fun\\nstanding outside. Cat., says I, how much lono;Gr will he be?\\nHe pulled out his watch. Fifteen minutes; he s just praying\\nfor the Mexican war, Mr, Spafford answered. In reply to\\nthe question as to whether he remembered any of the girls of\\nthose days, Mr. Waldo said: Well, 1 should say so. There\\nwere a lot of them, but they are all dead and gone to heaven\\nnow. There were Mrs. Knowlton, Mrs. Hitchcock, Mrs. George\\nW. Barnes, Mrs. General Chetlain, who was Miss Edwards,\\nand others.\\nUpon the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the church,\\nDr. Goodwin prepared a memorial address, which abounded in\\nthose felicitous character sketches for which he was noted. A\\nfew of those personal allusions to the members of the church\\nand congregation who worshiped in the old brick church are\\nquoted herewith. E. H. Potter was indeed a pillar both of the\\nchurch and the community, a granite column whose firmness\\nand solidity of character no force of circumstances or opinions\\nof others could shake. His place in the sanctuary was as fixed\\nand constant as that of the seasons, and his support of the\\ngospel and all Christian charity was relied on with a confidence\\nlike that we repose in the laws of nature. Joel Potter, his\\nbrother, was also a pillar, but of a somewhat different type. He\\nwas of a more gentle and flexible mould, more delicate in feeling\\nand sensibility, less self-poised and resolute, at least in manner,\\nthough not wanting in strength of conviction and of character.\\nHe was a leader in the spiritual concerns of the church, as the\\nother was in its material affairs. His wise spiritual exhorta-\\ntions came from a soul that knew how to commune with God\\nand had learned the ways of the Spirit. Deacon Skinner w^as\\nundemonstrative, humble-minded, plain and even rustic in his\\nnature and habit, but disclosing, like certain rough minerals, a\\nhidden ore of gold to those who examined it. Deacon Crosby\\nwas one of those silent, modest, thoughtful and steadfast souls\\nwhose power lies in their character, rather than in what they say\\nand do. Deacon Baker was familiarly known and revered as\\nGood Deacon Baker. Dr. Goodwin s memory of him was like\\nthat of a long, mellow, sunshiny afternoon in autumn, when\\nthe sun seems to shine lovingly and hngeringly on all things,\\nand to impart a golden luster to everything on which it shines.\\nBela Shaw was a man whom to know at all was to esteem. His", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0116.jp2"}, "117": {"fulltext": "FIRST PIPE ORaAN.-in FUS HATCH, ORGANIST. 98\\nurbanity of manner, the combined inteorrity and gentleness of\\nhis bearing, his uniform kindness and courtesy, and the soul of\\nhonor and integrity that shone throujih it all, and gave to his\\ncharacter a diamond luster these traits marked him as the\\ntrue gentleman, Volney A. Marsh was a devoted member, and\\nsuperintendent of the sabbath-school. William H. Townsend\\nproved his faith by his works. He was modest and sensitive as\\nawoman, retiring and almostshy in his disposition, and shrank\\nfrom all display or publicity. He was the very soul of honor\\nand integrity. He felt the slightest breath of suspicion as a\\ndeadly miasma that infected the seat of life and struck at the\\nvitals of his character. David S. Penfield, a member of the\\nsociety, was highly esteemed for his Christian character. He\\nwas one of the pillars upon which the church and society leaned\\nfor support. Samuel I. Church was one of its earliest and most\\nconstant supporters. AVilliam T. Wallis was distinguished for\\nhis generous social qualities, refined courtesy and gentleness of\\nspirit. He was a true Christian gentleman and helper\\nThe pipe organ used in the church was built byH. H. Silsby\\nand his brother. The organist at one time was Rufus Hatch,\\nwho subsequently removed to New York, and became one of the\\nmost famous operators of Wall street. During his residence in\\nRockford he was engaged in the dry goods business, on East\\nState street, near the site of Mr. Coyner s drug store. His home\\nwas on South Madison street, where Miss Kate O Connor s\\nresidence now stands. Mr. Hatch removed from Rockford\\nabout 1856. His house was purchased by Dr. Hale, who lived\\nin it until he built another on the corner, where Mrs. Hale now\\nresides. W^hen Mr. Hatch became wealthy, he presented the pipe\\norgan which is now in use in the present house of worship, to\\nDr. and Mrs. Goodwin. The Doctor was pastor when this church\\nwas dedicated. This splendid gift, which cost about four thou-\\nsand dollars, was Mr. Hatch s personal token of esteem for Dr.\\nGoodwin. Some time later Dr. Goodwin preached a sermon on\\nMusic, in which ho referred to its high place in Christian wor-\\nship. At the cloHe of this discouise Dr. Goodwin said that he\\nand Mrs. Goodwin relinquished all claim to the organ. It is\\nhenceforth neither mine nor yours, but the Lord s, to whom I\\nnow dedicate it.\\nMrs. E. P. Catlin recalls the time when the young people\\nwere not so prominent in the devotional meetings as in these\\nlater years. Upon this point Mrs. Catlin writes this interesting", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0117.jp2"}, "118": {"fulltext": "94 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nreminiscence The social life of the church was of a very sedate\\nand discreet quality in those days. The prayer-meeting could\\nhardly be called a social function. I heard one of sainted mem-\\nory liken it to a pole under a sagging clothes-line. It always\\nbraced her up at the right point. AVe young people rarely\\ninvaded its sacred precincts, and I recall how we admired the\\ncourage of the sisters who dared to say a few words in these\\nmeetings. I am sure we could detect a little apprehensive quiver\\nin their voices, lest they receive merited rebuke, but the sweet\\nwords of counsel or admonition uttered by Mrs. Mary Potter,\\nMrs. Mary Penfleld and Mrs. Sarah Catlin are among those\\nbeautiful early memories. The singing by the church choir\\nwas truly a part of the worship, and not a musical entertain-\\nment merely. Prominent and dignified members of the church\\nwere willing to assist in the singing. We can recall the clear\\nsoprano of Miss Sill, principal of the seminary, and the deep\\nbass of Squire Marsh, whose position as one of the first lawyers\\ndid not prevent his giving his services gladly. The little wheezy\\nmelodeon contributed its quota when the day of the tuning-fork\\nhad passed. In all this the children andVery young people had\\nnoplace. In comparing this social life with the present,\\nnothing is more marked than the absence of young people\\nin the church membership, as well as in its relations.\\nWhile some of our church entertainments bring and deserve\\ncriticism, the younger element is certainly more in evidence\\nnow, and adds very materially to our efficiency and enjoyment.\\nDr. Loss pastorate continued until November, 1849. He\\nwas a man of ability and thorough education. He went from\\nRockford to Joliet, where he had charge of a church until 1856.\\nHis last pastorate was at Marshalltown, Iowa, where he died.\\nIn his last illness he longed to see his old friend and physician,\\nDr. Lucius Clark, of this city and his church sent for the Doctor\\nand paid his traveling expenses.\\nDr. Loss was succeeded by the Rev. Henry M. Goodwin, D.\\nD., who perhaps gave to the church its most distinctive pastor-\\nate. It extended from August, 1850, to Januarj^, 1872. This\\nperiod of more than twenty-one years constitutes fully one-\\nthird of its entire history. The interim between the departure\\nof Dr. Loss and Dr. Goodwin s acceptance of a call was sup-\\nplied by Prof. Joseph Emerson, of Beloit college. Dr. Goodwin\\nwas a native of Hartford, Connecticut. He was graduated\\nfrom Yale, and the Rockford church was his first parish. A", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0118.jp2"}, "119": {"fulltext": "lU JV. IIF.SRY M. GOODWIS, D. I). 95\\nlong and close acquaintance with Dr. Goodwin was necessary\\nin order to form a correct estimate of his character. With the\\nreserved quiet of the scholar, he opened not his heart to each\\npasser-by. His people enjoyed his sermons, and carried\\nthoughts from them through the busy week; thoughts that\\ninspired to high endeavor, and stirred a feeling of reverence\\ntoward the pastor. The intellectual quality and literary finish\\nof his sermons did not always insure general appreciation. He\\ndid not aspire to be a popular preacher, in the modern use of\\nthe term. Some of his admirers would have been surprised if\\nthey had been told that Dr. Goodwin possessed a keen sense of\\nhumor, and that he could tell a bright storv in acharming wav.\\nHe was criticised for not always recognizing acquaintances on\\nthestreet; vetthis same abstracted scholar knew the littleones\\nof the flock by name; and no one could be more tender in his\\nministrations when sickness and sorrow came into the home.\\nDr. Goodwin was a progressive thinker; and in certain lines\\nhe was far in advance of his time. On one occasion he remarked\\nthat the name of one of the church papers, the /lc7r 7nce, should\\nbe changed to the Retreat. Had the term higher criticism\\nbeen in vogue in his day, he would have been classed with such\\ncritics. His broad Christian charity caused some anxiety\\namong his more conservative friends. This fact was illustrated\\nduring revival services about 1800, when Dr. Goodwin invited\\na Unitarian minister, with others, to join in the meetings. The\\ncensure thus incurred was not nieasui-ed or unspoken. One\\nzealous man gave utterance to his amazement and indignation\\nat the service in (question. He was allowed free and full expres-\\nsion of his feelings without protest. After he had finished, Dr.\\nGoodwin arose, and in gentle, dignified tones, repeated Leigh\\nHunt s famous poem, Abou Ben Adhem may his tribe in-\\ncrease. Ben Adhem truly loved his fellow men, and so the\\nangel, who came to him by night, recorded his nameamong the\\nfirst of those whom the love of God had blest. The moral was\\nobvious; and the silencp that followed this recital was of that\\nquality that could be felt. Xo finer illustration of Dr. Good-\\nwin s all-embracingand forgivingchnrity could have been given.\\nDr. Goodwin was an enthusiastic disciple of Dr. Horace\\nHushnell. In his work. The Vicarious Sacrifice, Dr. liushnell\\nformulates in a clear and forcible nmnner the moral influence\\ntheorv of Christ s atonement. Dr. Hushnell and Dr. Goodwin\\nbelieved that the substitutiouarv and the governmental views", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0119.jp2"}, "120": {"fulltext": "96 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwere inconsistent with an enlightened conception of God. For\\nthis position they were not infrequently charged with heresy.\\nDr. Bushnell s later book, Forgiveness and Law, is believed\\nto contain some modification of his former radical views. But\\nDr. Goodwin reverently and earnestly preached this doctrine of\\nthe divine sacrifice during his entire pastorate and since his\\nday it has been taught by many progressive thinkers in the\\nCongregational church and during the last ten years it has\\ngained rapidly in other evangelical bodies. Dr. Goodwin testi-\\nfied to his regard for his illustrious teacher by naming his\\nson Horace Bushnell Goodwin.\\nDr. Goodwin s pleasant home while in Rockford was on\\nKishwaukee street. His lots extended from the corner on First\\navenue to Col. Lawler s home. The house, which stood near what\\nis now 206 Kishwaukee street, now stands in the rear of the\\nCarpenter Block, and fronts on First avenue. Mrs. Goodwin\\nwas an aunt of Mrs. Clara G. Sanford and Miss Blanche Goodall.\\nBefore her marriage she was a teacher at the seminary.\\nMany of the young men and women of that period, whose\\nfaces are now turned toward life s setting sun, are sure that of\\nDr. Goodwin it could be said Blessed are the pure in heart,\\nfor they shall see God.\\nSoon after leaving Rockford, Dr. Goodwin wrote a book\\nentitled Christ and Humanity, which was published by the\\nHarpers. It was dedicated to his friend in these noble words\\nTo Horace Bushnell, my revered friend and teacher, whose pro-\\nfound and sanctified genius has made the world his debtor, and\\nwhose eminent services to Christianity in the reconciliation of\\nfaith and reason await the verdict of the future ages, these later\\nstudies of Christian doctrine are filially and affectionately in-\\nscribed by the author. This work was written while the author\\nwas enjoying an extended sojourn in Germany. In 1875 Dr.\\nGoodwin was called to the chair of English literature by the\\ncollege at Olivet, Michigan, which he filled for several years.\\nHis death occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Weld, in\\nWilliamstown, Massachusetts, March 1,1893. Dr. Goodwin was\\nseventy-one years of age. His remains were brought to Rock-\\nford for burial.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0120.jp2"}, "121": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XIX.\\nFIRST PATltlOTIC CELEBRATION.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE POSTOFFICE.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 FIRST COURTS.\\nTHE patriotism of the little village did not differ essentially\\nfrom the prevailing type. It necessarily found its expres-\\nsion in more primitive ways than it does at the present time.\\nThere was such a display of eloquence and gunpowder as the\\ntimes afforded; and the amusements differed somewhat from\\nthose of today.\\nThe morning of July 4, 1837, was welcomed with the boom\\nof all available artillery. William Penfield s blacksmith s anvil\\ndid heroic service. The boys spentalongtimeindrillingahole\\nfor priming. One held a drill down with a lever, while another\\ndrilled. (The subsequent owner of the anvil would not allow\\nthe patriots to use it in later years for salutes but they took it,\\nnevertheless, and made it ring.) A hickory liberty-pole was\\nraised near what is now 310 East State street. Patriotic exer-\\ncises were held in Mr. Haight s barn, which stood in the grove\\nnear the intersection of State and Third streets. The bay was\\nfloored for the speakers, and the threshing-floor was occupied\\nby the ladies. Charles I. Horsman read the Declaration of\\nIndependence, and Hon. John C. Kemble was the orator of the\\nday. Dinner was served in the old Rockford House, by the\\nproprietor, Henry Thurston. The main part of the building-\\nhad been covered with a roof, and was sided to the first-story\\nwindows. Loose boards were laid for a floor, tables were\\narranged, and, in the absence of crockery, the cold meat was\\nserved on shingles. The tickets for this dinner were sold at one\\ndollar each, and this feature of the celebration was a financial\\nsuccess. J. Ambrose Wight, in a letter written many years\\nlater, referred to the celebration in this wise: The seventeen-\\nyear locusts were on hand and gave us such music as they had\\nsufficient at least in quantity. And in seventeen years again\\nthey were on hand in the same vicinity that is, their successors\\nwere. After the celebration there wasadinner with toasts given", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0121.jp2"}, "122": {"fulltext": "98 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand liquors swallowed. But a temperance society was organ-\\nized in the barn during the afternoon. The elder Mr. Potter,\\nEleazer or Herman, I forget which but who lived near by in\\nthe grove, was the leader in the movement.\\nThe celebration was concluded with a public ball, the first\\nin the county, given in Mr. Haight s barn. John H. Thurston,\\nin referring to this event, says: Some shirting was tacked to\\nthe studding about one room for a ladies dressing-room. The\\norchestra consisted of three pieces. In this day they would be\\ncalled violins but sixty-three years ago they were simply com-\\nmon fiddles. The leader, Mr. Thurston says, was old Jake\\nMiller, whose only dancing tune was Zip Coon. Thus passed\\nthe first celebration of the national holiday in Rockford.\\nThis observance of the day, however, was not the first in\\nthe countj July 4, 1836, when Belvidere was in Winnebago\\ncounty, the citizens of that village let loose their patriotism in\\nquite unconventional fashion. Dr. Daniel H. Whitney has given\\nthis vivid pen-picture of the day Young Morn shook from\\nher purple wings as glorious a Fourth as ever kissed Aurora s\\ncheek when she unbarred the gates of light, and no more patri-\\notic and grateful hearts beat in American bosoms on that\\nglorious day than did those of the citizens of Boone, as with all\\navailable material at our command, an old rifle, a tolerable\\nshot-gun and a pocket pistol, the old settlers took their position\\non the mound, raised a liberty-pole, from which fluttered in the\\nbreeze a pocket handkerchief having the portraits of the presi-\\ndents around its border, and being the nearest approach to a\\nnational flag of anything in these diggings. We read the Dec-\\nlaration of Independence, fired a national salute, gave three\\ntimes three that frightened the Indian from his wigwam, and\\nthe red deer from his covert.\\nThe first postmaster was Daniel S. Haight, who served from\\nAugust 31, 1837, to June 26, 1840. The first mail arrived\\nabout September 15th. Previous to this time the small pack-\\nages of mail had been brought from Chicago by parties who\\nmade trips to that city for supplies. An order for mail upon\\nthe postmaster at that ofiice, to which each man attached his\\nname, was left at Mr. Haight s house. The first mail was\\nbrought on horseback, the second by a carrier, and the third\\nby open wagon with two horses. After the postoffice had been\\nestablished, the contract for carrying the mail was made with", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0122.jp2"}, "123": {"fulltext": "ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST MAIL. 99\\nJohn D. Winters. About this time Winters became associated\\nwith Frink, Walker Co. Still later Winters was on the line\\nwest from Rockford, and finally Frink, Walker Co. carried\\nthe mail on the through line. Previous to January, 1838, the\\nmail arrived from Chicago once a week. In 1839-40 the mails\\narrived from the west and east each three times a week. The\\nnorthern and the southern mails came once a week the mail\\nfrom Mineral Point arrived on Saturday, and the mail from\\nColtonville came on Wednesday.\\nThe first mail, in September, arrived with no key, and it\\nwas returned unopened. When the second mail arrived a key\\nhad been provided, but the postmaster was not equal to the\\ncombination, and he turned it over to Giles C. Hard, who solved\\nthe problem. Its contents, about a hatful, were received with\\na general handshaking. The postage was twenty-five cents for\\neach letter, and stamps wereunknown. That amount of money\\nthen represented the highest respectability; the mail-bags were\\ntherefore lean, while the letters were plump. These missives were\\nread and re-read until they were almost committed to memory.\\nThey came from loved ones far away, and were regarded with a\\ndegree of sanctity. Letters from the east were from fifteen to\\nthirty days in transit. Should the postmaster find that letters\\nhad been written to several persons, and enclosed in one envel-\\nope as a measure of economy in postage, he was supposed to\\ncollect twent^ -five cents from each person so receiving a letter.\\nMr. Haight erected a small building sixteen by twenty-six feet,\\none and a half story, in the summer of 1837, for a postoffice,\\nnear 107 South Madison street. There were about twenty-five\\nboxes. This building was used until the following year, when\\nMr. Haight erected a more commodious structure, near 312\\nEast State street, with ante-room and boxes. This building\\nwas used for this purpose during several administrations.\\nThe act establishing the county had provided thnt until\\npublic buildings should be erected, the circuit courts phould be\\nheld at the house of Mr. Kent or Mr. Haight, as the county\\ncommissioners should direct. At the first session of this court\\nit was ordered that, pending the location of the county seat,\\nthe circuit courts should be held at the house of Mr. Haight.\\nAn examination at the circuit clerk s office reveals the almost\\nincredible fact that no records of this court previous to 1854,\\nexcept the simple dockets of the judge, have been preserved.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0123.jp2"}, "124": {"fulltext": "100 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe conclusion must be drawn that this docket was the only\\nrecord made at the time. Memoranda kept by individuals have\\ngiven facts upon which the offlcial records are silent.\\nThe first circuit court convened at the house of Daniel S.\\nHaight, October 6, 1837. This is the frame building which\\nstood on the northeast corner of Madison and State streets,\\nand a part of which is now on the northeast corner of Second\\nand Walnut streets. At that time there was no elective judic-\\niary. Under the old constitution, the justices of the supreme\\ncourt and the judges of the inferior courts were appointed by\\njoint ballot of both branches of the general assembly. Un-\\nder this same fundamental law, these courts appointed their\\nown clerks. The state s attorney was also appointed. The\\nstatute of 1835 provided that the general assembly, on joint\\nballot, at that session, and every two years thereafter, should\\nchoose one state s attorney for each judicial circuit.\\nAt this first court Hon. Dan. Stone, of Galena, was the pre-\\nsiding judge. Seth B. Farvvell was appointed state s attorney\\npro tem; and James Mitchell, then of Jo Daviess county, clerk.\\nMr. Mitchell held this position until 1846, when he was chosen\\nsuperintendent of the lead mines. He was succeeded as clerk by\\nJason Marsh, who was appointed by Judge Thomas C. Brown.\\nThe offices of circuit clerk and recorder were separate until the\\nsecond constitution went into effect, when they were united,\\nand this officer was made elective.\\nThe petit jurors on duty at the first term were: Edward\\nGating, James B. Martyn, Joel Pike, William Pepper, Richard\\nMontague, Isaac N. Cunningham, Thatcher Blake, Henry\\nThurston, Charles 1. Horsman, David Goodrich, James Jack-\\nson, and Cyrus C. Jenks. There were but two trialsby jury, and\\nthese were of very little importance.\\nThe sessions of May, 1838, and April 18, 1839, were also\\nheld at Mr. Haight s house; although, for convenience, a room\\nin the Rockford House, on the corner west, was actually used\\nwhen more room was required. The first grand jury was impan-\\neled at the May term, 1838. The names of this jury were\\nAnson Barnum, Lyman Amsden, Isaac Johnson, James Sayre,\\nH. M. Wattles, .\\\\sa Daggett, H. W. Gleason. Samuel Gregory,\\nAsa Crosby, Daniel Beers, Walter Earle, Isaac Hance, Benjamin\\nT. Lee, E. H. Potter, Paul D. Taylor, Lyman B. Carrier, Aaron\\nFelts, Cyrus C. Jenks, James B. Martyn, Livingston Bobbins,\\nHenry Enoch, and Luman Pettibone. Anson Barnum was", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0124.jp2"}, "125": {"fulltext": "EMINENT liARRlSTICRS. 101\\nappointed foieiiian. At this term the usual order was reversed,\\nin that the judge occupied one of the few chairs in the house,\\nwhile the jury sat on the bench.\\nThe first building erected for the use of courts and religious\\nmeetings was built by Mr. Haight, in the summer of 1838, on\\nthe southeast corner of Madison and Market streets, on the site\\nof the American House. It was a frame structure, about sixteen\\nby thirty-two feet, with one story. This house, with additions,\\nis now the residence of William G. Conick. In this building were\\nprobably held the sessions of November, 1839, and April, 1840,\\nSeveral of the lawyers who attended the courts in those days\\nattained distinction in their profession. Among these may be\\nmentioned Judge Drummond, then of Galena, who removed to\\nChicago and became a judge of a federal court; Thompson\\nCampbell, of Galena; Joel Wells, who canvassed the district for\\ncongress; Norman B. Judd, of Chicago; and Seth B. Farwell\\nand Martin P. Sweet, of Freeport. The famous John Went-\\nworth, Long John, made his maiden speech in Rockford, as\\nattornej^ in a case that promised to bring him prominently\\nbefore the public. Mr. Wentworth made frequent visits to\\nRockford in later years; and for several terms he represented\\nthe Belvidere district in congress.\\nSeptember 12, 1840, the county purchased the abandoned\\nbuilding on North First street, which had been commenced b3^ the\\nFirst Congregational church two years before. The considera-\\ntion was six hundred dollars. The deed was executed by H. B.\\nPotter, E. H. Potter and S. D. Preston. Since the building had\\nbeen abandoned by the Congregationalist people it had been\\nused as a carpenter s shop. When the county obtained posses-\\nsion the building was partially finished so that the courts could\\nbe held there. The session of September 10, 1840, and subse-\\nquent sessions were held at this place, until the transfer of the\\ncourt house to the West side.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0125.jp2"}, "126": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XX.\\nTHE STAGE COACH.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 EARLY HOTELS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 VILLAGE PLATS.\\nTHE state roads naturally prepared the way for the stage\\ncoach. The railroad had not then reached this western\\nregion, and the only common carrier was the coach and four.\\nStage lines were then running from Chicago in several direc-\\ntions. They carried mails, passengers and light parcels. Frink,\\nWalker Co. became famous throughout this region as the\\nproprietors of the one stag\u00c2\u00a9 line which connected Chicago with\\nRockford. It is impossible to determine the precise date when\\nthe stage coach began to make regular trips on this line as far\\nwest as Rockford. It is certain that it had thus become an\\nestablished institution not later than January 1, 1838. On\\nthat day the arrival of the stage coach in Rockford attracted\\nthe attention of the people of the village, and large numbers\\ncame from the surrounding country to witness the spectacle.\\nThe stage office in Chicago was for a long time at 123 Lake\\nstreet, and later at the southwest corner of Lake and Dearborn.\\nFrink, Walker Co. first ran their stage lines only from\\nChicago to Rockford. The coaches were always drawn by four\\nhorses. In 1840 the schedule time from Chicago to Rockford\\nwas advertised to be twenty-four hours. Horses were changed\\nat intervals of fifteen miles, at stations built for this purpose.\\nFrink, Walker Co. s stage barn in Rockford was the well\\nknown barn near the intersection of State and Third streets,\\nand faced north and south. It was built in 1836 for Mr. Haight\\nby Sidney Twogood and Thomas Lake. Few buildings in the\\ncounty have served more diverse uses. It was there the first\\npatriotic exercises were held there the First Congregational\\npeople first held public services on the East side. When Frink,\\nWalker Co. purchased the building, it was moved a few rods\\nwest, and turned to face east and west. There the first quar-\\nterly meeting of the First Methodist church was held in the\\nsummer of 1838.\\nCoaches left the main office in Chicago every Sunday, Tues-\\nday and Thursday, and returned on alternate days. The fare\\nfrom Chicago to Rockford was five dollars. Mrs. Charles H.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0126.jp2"}, "127": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST TAVERNS. 103\\nSpafford writes as follows of ber first journey From Chicago\\nI traveled by stafte, oue of the old Frink Walker s, stopping\\nat night in one of the extremely primitive wayside inns of that\\nearly period. The accommodations were not extensive nor\\nluxurious in these little hostleries. I was awakened in the night\\nby a light in my room, and saw a man at the foot of my bed,\\nbusy with two large mail bags. It was the postmaster chang-\\ning the mail. Remembering the limitations of the place, I\\nimmediately took in the situation, and made no outcry. It was\\na dreary ride from Chicago to Rockford in the old stage, and I\\nwas very glad to arrive at the end of my journey, where my\\nbrother was waiting for me at the Rockford House.\\nFrom Rockford to Galena the stage line was conducted for\\na time by John D. Winters, of Elizabeth, a little town south of\\nGalena. The route first passed through Elizabeth, but subse-\\nquently the more direct route was by way of Freeport. The\\nfirst stopping-place west of Rockford was Twelve-Mile Grove.\\nMr. Winters retired from the business after a time, and then\\nFrink, Walker Co. had the entire line from Chicago to Galena.\\nWilliam Cunningham, who still resides in this city, was in the\\nemploy of this firm at one time as a driver between Twelve-Mile\\nGrove and Freeport,\\nThe first hotel in Rockford was the Rockford House. The\\nearly public houses were more generally called taverns. Before\\nthe Rockford House was built, Mr. Kent and a number of the\\nother settlers had entertained strangers, but not as regular\\nhotel-keepers. The Rockford House was built by Daniel S.\\nHaight and Charles S. Oliver. It stood on the site of the Young\\nMen s Christian Association building. The wing was finished in\\nthe autumn of 1837, when the house was opened by Henry Thurs-\\nton. The third story, which was divided into two rooms, was\\nreached by a ladder, which was made by slats nailed to two\\npieces of the studding, in the first story of the main building.\\nThe proprietor s son John was an important functionary. He\\nmade the beds and escorted the guests up the ladder when they\\nretired. He was admonished by his sire not to drop the melted\\ntallow from thedip upon his guests. Mr. Thurston s successors as\\nlandlord wereLathrop Johnson, Daniel Howell, Andrew Brown,\\nJ.Schaeffer, Abel Campbell, E. Radcliff, Major John Williamson.\\nThe second hotel, the Washington House, was built in 1838\\nby two brothers, Jacob B. and Thomas Miller, and opened to", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0127.jp2"}, "128": {"fulltext": "104 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe public the following year. It stood sixty feet front on State\\nstreet, with large additions in the rear, with basement kitchen,\\ndining-room, and sleeping apartments above the dining-room.\\nThe street in front was graded down, and ten or twelve steps\\nwere built. This elevation above the street-level proved quite\\na serious objection, and the house was abandoned, and it stood\\nvacant for some years. The ground was then excavated, the\\nhouse turned to the street, and lowered to the grade. The name\\nof this hotel was changed to the Rock River House. A part of\\nthe building stands on 307 East State street, and is occupied\\nas a fruit store. Another part is the saloon building on the\\nsoutheast corner of State and Madison streets. The successive\\nproprietors of the house were Jacob Miller, David Paul, Mc-\\nKenney Tyler, E. S. Blackstone, W. Fulton, H. D. Searles, L.\\nCaldwell.\\nThe Log Tavern, known as the Stage House, was opened in\\n1838. It was built on the old Second National Bank corner.\\nBrown s Cottage was opened in 1850, by Andrew Brown. The\\nname was changed to the American House in 1852 by G. S.\\nMoore. The Waverly and the Union House, near the North-\\nwestern depot, on the West side, were opened in 1852. The\\nInn, which was located where the Chick House now stands, was\\nopened in 1840 by Spencer Fuller. The Eagle Hotel was\\nopened in 1841. It was located on South Main street, in the\\nthird block below State.\\nIn 1837-38 several towns were projected in Winnebago\\ncounty. One was on the east side of the river, on what was\\ncalled Big Bottom, nearly opposite the stone quarry. A man\\nnamed Wattles staked out his farm into lots and streets, and\\ncalled it Scipio; but even its classic name did not give it pres-\\ntige. The proprietor built the only house ever completed. The\\nstakes remained for several years, until they were plowed under\\nby the owner, who could not give away his lots.\\nAnother town was started by the river, at what is known\\nas the old Shumway place. At one time there were from thirty-\\nfive to forty frames erected there but only a few of them were\\never enclosed. This fact gave the place the appropriate name\\nof Rib-town. Later many of these frames were torn down\\nand removed. Several were taken to new farms, and others\\nwere brought to Rockford. It is certain that two or three\\nRib-town frames were re-erected in the city. One was owned", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0128.jp2"}, "129": {"fulltext": "HON. EI HRAIM SUMNER. lOf)\\nby Jonathan Hitchcock, and located on North Second street;\\nand another by a Mr. Ricard, on the same street. One frame\\nwas placed beside the Shumway house, as a part of it. Mark\\nBeaubien finished one two-story house, and occupied it with his\\nfamily for two or three years, when they removed to Chicago.\\nIn 1839-40 George W. Lee platted a town on the west or\\nupper side of Kishwaukee river, at its junction with Rock river,\\nin what is now New Milford township. Quite a town was act-\\nually built, with two stores and a blacksmith shop. A large\\nbuilding for a seminary was enclosed and partially finished, but\\nit was never used for this purpose. Although an excellent\\nbuilding, and standing in a sightly place, it was allowed to\\nremain until all the windows were broken out. The frame was\\nfinally torn down and the lumber hauled away. This first\\nattempt to found a seminary in Winnebago county will be\\nconsidered in the next chapter. Both Rib-town and Mr. Lee s\\nplat were named Kishwaukee; but the former was abandoned\\nbefore George W, Lee platted the second. The latter was some-\\ntimes called Leetown, in honor of its founder.\\nColonel James Sayre, a settler of 1835, projected the village\\nof Newburg. He built a sawmill and afterward put up a grist-\\nmill in the same building, which began to grind early in the\\nwinter of 1837-38. Colonel Sayre carried on the business for\\nseveral years. It was the first gristmill built in the northern\\ncounties, and was of great value to the settlers. Mr. Thurston\\nsaj s he went there with a bushel of wheat on his pony the third\\nday after the machinery started. There was no bolting appa-\\nratus, and the meal was sifted by hand. The machinery was\\ncrude, and the mill was abandoned. Newburg is today only a\\ncross-roads, with nothing to remind the visitor of the time\\nwhen it was considered a rival of Belvidere and Rockford.\\nPerhaps few persons now living have ever heard of the\\nYanceborough postoffice. Vanceborough was another name\\nfor Twelve-Mile Grove, on the State road, about halfway from\\nRockford to Freeport. Ephraim Sumner settled near there in\\n1835. Mr. Sumner was born in Winhall, Vermont, February 9,\\n1808. In 1810 his parents removed to Darien, New York, where\\nthey remained until 1821, when they settled in Massachusetts.\\nMr. Sumner engaged in milling and farming near Twelve-Mile\\nGrove, and became an extensive land-owner. He represented\\nthis district in the twenty-sixth general assembly, and held\\nseveral minor civil offices. Mr. Sumner married a sister of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0129.jp2"}, "130": {"fulltext": "106 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThatcher Blake, Their children are Hon. E. B. Sumner and\\nMrs. Annie S. Lane. Mr. Sumner was one of the very few early\\nsettlers who accumulated a large fortune. His last years were\\nspent in Rockford. Mr. Sumner died October 18, 1887. February\\n11, 1845, Mr. Sumner was commissioned postmaster at Vance-\\nborough. He was to retain the office during the pleasure of the\\npostmaster-general. The commission is signed by C. Wickliffe,\\nwho was postmaster-general during the administration of John\\nTyler. The seal is the figure of a man on horseback, with a small\\nmail-bag upon his back. Both man and horse are apparently in\\ngreat haste to reach the next station. This commission, now\\nin possession of Hon. E. B. Sumner, is well preserved, although\\nit was issued fifty-five years ago. The elder Sumner built a\\nstone house at Vauceborough, which is still in a good state of\\npreservation, and has well nigh outlived the memory of the\\ntown. These primitive villages along the old stage lines were\\nsuperseded by the railway station, and they now scarcely live\\nin memory.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0130.jp2"}, "131": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXI.\\nDR. A. M. CATLIN. THE FOOTE BROTHERS. FIRST SEMINARY IDEA.\\nDR. A. M. CATLIN emiorated to Illinois from the Western\\nReserve, in Ohio, in February, 1838, in company with the\\nRev. Hiram Foote and Silas Tyler. This party traveled the\\nentire distance in wagons. They were of New England stock,\\nand were part of a movement to found an institution of learn-\\ning similar to the one then flourishing at Oberlin, Ohio.\\nThe brothers, Hiram, Lucius and Horatio Foote, all clergy-\\nmen, were prominent in this movement. They w^ere more or\\nless influenced by the example of the Rev. Charles G. Finney,\\nthe famous revivalist and founder of the Oberlin institution.\\nMr. Ira Baker, Rev. Lewis Sweasy, James S. Morton, a Mr.\\nField, and others moved from the Western Reserve toRockford\\nabout the same time, and under the same influences. Upon\\ntheir arrival in Rockford, the only hotel to be found was a\\ndouble log cabin, and the only bed discovered by Doctor Catlin\\nfor himself and boy was a thinly covered, dislocated and dislo-\\ncating stratum of oak shakes, supported at the sides bj the\\nnaked logs\u00e2\u0080\u0094 a Spartan bed for a cold night. Horace, a fourth\\nbrother of the Footes, had preceded the others by a year, and\\nsecured a log cabin on Rock river, about two miles above Rock-\\nford. Into this single room, with a small loft, were crowded\\nthree families, with several children.\\nDr. Catlin moved to a log cabin on the bluff overlooking\\nBig Bottom, four miles north of Rockford. A Hoosier by the\\nname of Shores had worn a slight track between his home back\\non the hills and a plowed field on the Bottom, and this was the\\nonly road near the Doctor s new home. A small, inconstant,\\nnear-by stream, like the road, lost itself in the dr^ prairie.\\nAt that time Dr. Catlin intended to abandon the practice\\nof medicine. To feed his little family, he hired a broken prairie\\nof Herman B. Potter, who lived two miles south of Rockford.\\nThis land, six miles from home, the Doctor cultivated under\\ndifficulties, for it soon became known to the scattered people\\nthat he was a physician, and, like Cincinnatus, he was called\\nfrom the plow. He was not a man to deny the necessities of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0131.jp2"}, "132": {"fulltext": "108 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nothers; aud a iaiQst his wishes at the time, he was drawn into\\nthe practice of his profession, which he contiuned until near the\\nday of his death, nearly sixty years later. He had practiced in\\nearly life in New York and Ohio, and his entire professional serv-\\nice lasted seventy years. He died iu 1892, at the age of ninety-one.\\nOn one occasion while at work on the Potter place. Dr.\\nCatlin was summoned to visit a sick person on theKishwaukee.\\nHe took his horse from the furrow near sunset, and, sending;\\nhis boy of eight on foot six miles northward to the lonely cabin\\non the prairie, he himself rode southward to his patient. He\\nsoon learned that his profession was a jealous mistress, and\\nabandoned farming.\\nThe missionary educational managers had selected the\\nmouth of the Kishwaukee as the site of their institution. A\\nlarge building was begun, but never completed, and the useless\\nframe survived for years as evidence of the untimeliness of their\\neffort. An Indian wigwam still survived on the same site. The\\nIndians, after their bloody victory over the indiscreet militia\\nat Stillman s Run, had abandoned the region, and the military\\nexpedition, which included Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson\\nDavis, had been withdrawn. Silver brooches, arrow heads and\\nthe like were found beside the deep, narrow Indian trails that\\nwound about the bluffs and across the prairies. Kishwaukee,\\nhowever, soon had about forty frame dwellings, and Dr. Catlin,\\nMr. Tyler, Mr. Field, Mr. Johnson and others resided there.\\nLucius and Horace Foote had staid by the log house of the\\nlatter, and Dr. Catlin, whose wife and Mrs. Lucius Foote were\\nsisters, was induced by this fact and other reasons, to build in\\nthis neighborhood, which he did. He hewed the logs and the\\nfloor puncheons, and split the roof shakes with his own hands.\\nHis door and door-frames were made from purchased material,\\nbut lacked glazing or other filling for the skylight. As he sat\\none evening under his own vine and fig tree, not yet planted,\\nthere passed a load of noisy revelers. As they drove furiously\\nby, they shook out a wagon end-board that exactly filled the\\nskylight aperture, and completed the house, which the builder\\nprobably enjoyed as much as any he ever occupied that is, in\\nthe recollection of it.\\nAlthough Rockford was from the first clearly indicated as\\nthe coming metropolis, by the ford which gave its name, yet\\nKishwaukee below and Winnebago above were boomed. In\\nthose days they could compare population with Rockford.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0132.jp2"}, "133": {"fulltext": "SIX TY PRESCRIPTIoyS IN ONE D. 1 1 09\\nDr. Catliu finally settled in Rockfoni about 1839, and entered\\nupon a medical practice which, if not larp;e, was very wide, ae\\nit carried him from Roscoe and above on the north, to Still-\\nman s Run on the south, and from Twelve-Mile Grove and\\nbeyond to Relvidere. Much of this was nipht riding. After the\\nsettlers horses had done their day s work, and after the fall of\\ndarkness, in the silence of the night, when watchers became\\nnervous, in the midst of storms and when the ])riraitive house-\\nhold lights burned pale, was the accepted time to send for the\\nmedical comforter; and the nocturnal Hollo, Doctor! was\\noften heard above the storm at the physician s door. He was\\nnever ill, and never refused to answer the call. Even when his\\nown horse failed, he was mounted behind the messenger, and\\nrode out in the night to relieve the sick. Once he was persuaded\\nto mount the back of a sturdy messenger, who bore him and his\\nprecious medicine-bag through the swellings of ic^ Kishwaukee.\\nThe year 1846 was signalized by much sickness. Nearly\\nevery family living on low laud had malarial fever, and the\\ndoctors were bus}^ people. At one time Dr. Catlin could get\\nbut four or five hours sleep out of the twenty-four, and he would\\nbecome so exhausted that he frequently slept while riding from\\nhouse to house. One day s ride, for example, included a trip of\\nseveral miles north of Rockford, and then a tour south beyond\\nthe Killbuck, and a return by Cherry Valley, closing the day s\\nwork in the following morning. Thirty calls were made, and\\nsixty patients prescribed for on that occasion. During this\\nseason Dr. Goodhue was asked what could be done for the sick.\\nTo this grave question the Doctor made this characteristic\\nreply I don t know unless we build a big smoke-house and\\ncure them, referring to the almost universal pallor. Dr. Catlin\\nwas an indulgent creditor, and fully shared the burden and\\npoverty of early days.\\nAs a practitioner, Dr. Catlin was distinguished by a combi-\\nnation of conservatism and independence of thought and\\nmethod. It was said of him by one who knew him well, that\\nas a careful examiner, close reasoner, and with ability todefine\\nand state cause and effect. Dr. Catlin had few superiors. This\\nfact, with his large experience and unobtrusive, non-self-assertive\\nspirit, attracted the regard of his brother practitioners; so that\\nhe was often consulted by them in difficult cases. Near the close\\nof his life he was honored by them with a spontaneous tender of\\na reception and banquet, an honor which he highly appreciated.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0133.jp2"}, "134": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXII.\\nDR. JOSIAH C. GOODHUE. DR. ALDEN THOMAS.\\n1 HE year 1838 was signalized by the advent of several phy-\\nsicians who became prominent in early local history.\\nAmong this number was Dr. Josiah C. Goodhue, who settled in\\nthe autumn, with his family. He had been here the preceding\\nautumn on a tour of inspection. Dr. Goodhue had attained\\nsome distinction before he became a citizen of this county. He\\nwas born in 1803, at Putney, Vermont. His mother is said to\\nhave been a cousin of Aaron Burr. The Doctor was graduated\\nfrom the school of medicine at Yale, and began practice at St.\\nThomas, Upper Canada, in 1824. While there he was married\\nto Miss Catherine Dunn. A brother, Sir George Goodhue, was in\\nthe employ of the Canadian government. The Doctor emigrated\\nfrom Canada to Chicago in 1835. Hewas the first resident phy-\\nsician in that city outside the garrison of Fort Dearborn. When\\nChicago was incorporated as a city in 1837, Dr. Goodhue was\\nelected the first alderman from the First ward. There were six\\nwards in the city at that time. William B. Ogden was chosen\\nmayor in that year. Dr. Goodhue designed the first city seal of\\nChicago, and it became known as his little baby. He was quite\\nproud of his offspring. The Doctor was the real founder of the\\nfirst free school system of Chicago. He was one of a. committee\\nappointed to solicit subscriptions for the first railroad chartered\\nto run from the city, the Galena Chicago Union.\\nIn his practice in Chicago, Dr. Goodhue was associated with\\nDr. Daniel Brain ard. Their office was on Lake street, near the\\nold Tremont House. John Wentworth and Ebenezer Peck were\\nengaged in the practice of law in the same building. Dr. Good-\\nhue was one of the men who drew the act of incorporation for\\nRush Medical college, and was a member of the first board of\\ntrustees.\\nDr. Goodhue s first house in Rockford was what was then\\nknown as the ball alley, on the northwest corner of Madison\\nand Walnut streets, where the Golden Censer brick building was\\nsubsequently erected. He afterward purchased a home on the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0134.jp2"}, "135": {"fulltext": "THEFT OF ma THUSDER S SKULL. Ill\\nsite of the watch factory; and the house was moved away when\\nthe factory was built. The lot had at one time a pleasant\\np:rove, with no fence. Reference was made in a preceding chap-\\nter to the fact that Dr. Goodhue gave to the city of Rockford\\nits name.\\nDr. Goodhue had thirteen children, five of whom died under\\nfive years of age. Four sons and four daughters attained adult\\nlife. One son, George Washington Goodhue, died of yellow\\nfever, in Mexico, during the war with that country. Another\\nsou, William Sewell, died from illness contracted during the\\ncivil war. He had read law with James L. Loop. Dr. Good-\\nhue s oldest daughter, Mrs. C. F. Holland, widow of John A.\\nHolland, and step-mother of H. P. Holland, now resides in\\nhioago. Mrs. Hoyt Barnum, another daughter, is a resident\\nof Rockford.\\nDr. Goodhue is said to have taken the skull from the bodv\\nof Big Thunder, the Indian chief, whose resting-place was on\\nthe court house mound in Belvidere. Big Thunder was a noted\\ncharacter among the Pottawatomies. His name may have\\nbeen suggested, according to Indian fashion, by his heavy, roll-\\ning voice. His burial-place was selected on the highest point\\nof ground. No grave was dug. The chief was wrapped in his\\nblankets, and seated on a rude bench, with his feet resting on\\nan Indian rug. His face was turned toward the west, where he\\nexpected a great battle to be fought between his tribe and\\nanother. A palisade, made of split white ash logs, from which\\nthe bark had been peeled, was placed around his body, and\\ncovered with bark. The battle which Big Thunder looked for,\\nnever came; and his war-spirit never re-animated his mouldering\\nclay and joined in the victorious whoops of his braves over their\\nvanquished foes. The Indians, as they passed the coop of their\\nfallen chief, would throw tobacco into his lap; and Simon P.\\nDoty, an early settler, during a torturing tobacco famine, would\\nsystematically purloin the weed from Big Thunder. In those\\ndays Belvidere was on the stage route from Chicago to Galena;\\nand Big Thunder became the prey of relic hunters. His skull\\nfound its way, by Dr. Goodhue, into Rush Medical college, and\\nit was probably destroyed in the great fire of 1871.\\nDr. Goodhue was an interesting and eccentric character.\\nA story was current in the earlvdavs to the effect that a certain\\ndoctor had heard that Dr. Goodhue had said that he had killed\\nMr. Smith s child. The offended practitioner determined to call", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0135.jp2"}, "136": {"fulltext": "112 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COONTT.\\nupon Dr. Goodhue and make inquiry concerning the rumor.\\nDr. Goodhue saw him coming, surmised at once his errand, and\\nmet his offended friend at the door in his most cordial manner,\\nlam very glad to see you, sir; come in. This reception\\nembarrassed the visitor, but he unburdened his mind in this\\nwise: Dr. Goodhue, I hear that you have said that I killed\\nSmith s child. Dr. Goodhue interrupted him with this start-\\nling revelation Haven t you killed more than one? Lord,\\nI ve killed more than forty. If you haven t killed more than\\none, you are no doctor at all The Doctor gave the name of\\nCedar Bend to the seminary grouud, that slopes toward the\\nriver, upon which there were many cedars.\\nDr. Goodhue s death was the result of an accident, on the\\nnight of December 31, 1847. He was called to make a profes-\\nsional visit to the family of Richard Stiles, four miles west on\\nthe State road. After caring for his patient, he accompanied\\nMrs. Stoughton, a neighbor, to her home. The night was dark,\\nand he fell into a well, which was then being excavated, and had\\nnot been covered or enclosed Mrs. Stoughton had asked him to\\nwait until she returned with a light but before she came back the\\nDoctor had made the fatal fall. He survived only a short time\\nafter he was taken from the well. His death was deplored by the\\nentire community. He was a positive character nature had\\nliberally endowed him in qualities of mind and heart. Dr.\\nGoodhue was an attendant at the Unitarian church. Mrs.\\nGoodhue was an Episcopalian. She died October 14, 1873. A\\nson of Dr. Goodhue died November 14, 1880.\\nDr. Alden Thomas was born at Woodstock, Vermont, Nov-\\nember 11, 1797, and was a lineal descendant from John Alden. He\\nwas married to Elizabeth Marsh, June 15, 18M. In the autumn\\nof 1839, the family came to Rockford. They had lived in the\\nmeantime at Bethany and Holly, New York. During the first\\nfew weeks in Rockford the family lived in the Brinckerhoff\\nhouse, which still stands on the corner north of the government\\nbuilding. Later Dr. Thomas resided for a few months in a\\nhouse which stood on the site of the Emerson warehouse, just\\nsouth of the Chicago Northwestern railroad bridge. In the\\nfollowing spring Dr. Thomas built a house opposite the court\\nhouse. He practiced medicine about five or six years, and then\\nremoved to a farm two miles south on the Kishwaukee road,\\nwhere he lived about two years. The family then returned", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0136.jp2"}, "137": {"fulltext": "A N EA RL Y DRUGGIST. 113\\nto the villapje, and lived for a time in a house still standing^ on\\nSouth Second street, and later in the grout house near the\\ncorner west of the First Congregational church, which Dr.\\nThomas built. He opened a drug store soon after his return\\nfrom the farm, and continued in this business until a short time\\nbefore his death. Dr. Thomas was a member of the First\\nCongregational church, and played the bass viol there forsome\\ntime. A book of music, with words and notes copied by him in\\na clear, beautiful hand, is now in possession of his daughter,\\nMrs. VV. A. Dickerman. Dr. and Mrs. Thomas are held in loving\\nremembrance by the early residents of the city.\\nDr. Thomas children are: Mrs. W. A. Dickerman, E. P.\\nThomas, and the late Mrs. S. J. Caswell, of this city, and F. A.\\nThomas and Mrs. Evans Blake, of Chicago. Henry, the young-\\nest son, enlisted in the army during the civil war, and was\\ndrowned while returning on a furlough. Dr. Thomas death\\noccurred March 21, 1856.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0137.jp2"}, "138": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIII.\\nDR. GEORGE HASKELL. THE GIPSY THE FIRST STEAMER.\\nON the morning of April 16, 1838, Dr. Haskell and family,\\nMo wry Brown and wife, Samuel Haskell, H. H. Silsby,\\nIsaiah Lyon, Caleb Blood and William Hull boarded the steam-\\nboat Gipsy at Alton, Illinois. The destination of this party\\nwas Rockford. The river was high, the bottom lands were\\noverflowed, and the boat sometimes left the channel of the\\nMississippi and ran across points of land, and once went through\\na grove of timber. When the Gipsy arrived at Rock Island and\\nran alongside the wharf-boat, a strong wind from the east\\nturned the bow out into the stream. As the boat turned, the\\nrudder struck the wharf-boat, and broke the tiller ropes. This\\naccident rendered the boat unmanageable, and it was blown\\nacross the river to Davenport, Iowa. While at Rock Island\\nDr. Haskell contracted with the captain that upon his return\\nfrom Galena he would steam up Rock river to Rockford. At\\nSavanna, Samuel Haskell, William Hull and H. H. Silsby left\\nthe Gipsy. They had come to the conclusion that the boat\\nwould never reach Rockford and in company with Moses\\nWallen, of Winnebago village, where the county seat had been\\nlocated by the special commissioners, they started afoot for\\nRockford. They stopped over night at Cherry Grove, and the\\nnext morning they traveled to Crane s Grove, on the stage\\nroute from Dixon to Galena. There they hired a coach and\\nteam, which brought them that evening to Loomis Hotel.\\nMr. Silsby writes that a few days after his arrival he arose\\none morning as soon as it was light, to see if he could discover\\nany sign of the Gipsy. He was rewarded by the sight of dense,\\nblack smoke, near Corey s bluff, which seemed to be moving up\\nthe river. Soon the Gipsy came in sight, and the people gath-\\nered on the banks of the river and cheered the boat as it ascended\\nin fine style until nearly over the rapids, when it suddenly\\nturned, swung around, and went down stream much faster than\\nit ascended. It rounded to and tried it again, and soon turned\\ndown stream a second time. After several attempts, with the\\naid of a quantity of lard thrown into the furnaces, the boat ran", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0138.jp2"}, "139": {"fulltext": "IMMORTALIZED liY WHITHER. 115\\nup the swiftcurrent, and soon tied up to the bank in front of Piatt\\nSi Sanford s store, which stood near the water s edge, in the rear\\nof the Masonic Temple site. The Gipsy was the first steamer\\nthat visited Rockford. It was a stern-wheeler, not less than\\none hundred feet in length, and perhaps thirty in width. It had\\na cabin above the hold, and an upper deck, open and uncov-\\nered. There were several state-rooms. G. A. Sanfordand John\\nPiatt had come to Rockford the preceding year, and had formed\\na partnership in conducting the first store on the West side. Mr.\\nSanford sold his interest to Dr. Haskell. The following year\\nMr. Piatt retired and Dr. Haskell became sole owner. When\\nthe Gipsy arrived the Doctor s eleven tons of merchandise were\\nremoved from the boat to the store. A merchant at Beloithad\\nshipped ten tons from Rock Island to Beloit, which were to be\\ndelivered at that point. The people came in from the country,\\nand chartered the boat for an excursion up the river, and car-\\nried passengers. The captain said he never witnessed such a\\nscene before. They danced all night, and kept the cabin in an\\nuproar day and night until they reached Rockton. The music\\nwas furnished by Andrew Lovejoy, who played the flute, and\\nanother man with his fiddle.\\nDr. Haskell was a native of Massachusetts. He was born\\nat Harvard, March 23, 1799. His father, Samuel Haskell,\\nremoved to Waterford, Maine, in 1803. In 1821 the son went\\nto Phillips Exeter academy, and entered Dartmouth college in\\n1823. He left his college class in his sophomore year, and\\nstudied medicine until 1827, when he received the degree of M,\\nD. from the college. While in college, he taught one term of\\ndistrict school in East Haverhill. One of his pupils was John G.\\nWhittier; and the schoolmaster in Whittier s Snow-Round\\nwas his former teacher. On page thirty-four of Samuel T. Pick-\\nard s Life and Letters of Whittier, is found this allusion to the\\nhero of this poem Until near the end of Mr. Whittier s life, he\\ncould not recall the name of this teacher whose portrait is so\\ncarefully sketched, but he was sure he came from Maine. At\\nlength, he remembered that the name was Haskell, and from\\nthis clue it has been ascertained that he wfis George Haskell,\\nand that he came from Waterford, Maine. Dr. Haskell never\\nappeared to have been aware of the fact that hisgifted Haverhill\\npupil had immortalized him in Snow-Bound. Dr. Haskell\\nalso received this tribute as a teacher from his illustrious pupil,\\nas given in a later chapter of Mr. Pickard s biography He", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0139.jp2"}, "140": {"fulltext": "116 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\n[Whittier] was accustomed to say that only two of the teach-\\ners who were employed in that district during his school days\\nwere fit for the not very exacting position they occupied. Both\\nof these were Dartmouth students: one of them George Has-\\nkell, to whom reference has already been made. Dr. Haskell\\nbegan the practice of medicine at East Cambridge, Massachu-\\nsetts, in 1827, and removed to Ashby, in the same state, in the\\nfollowing year.\\nDr. Haskell came to Illinois in 1831, and settled at Edwards-\\nville, and two years later he removed to Upper Alton. While\\nthere he became one of the founders of Shurtleff college, of which\\nhe was trustee and treasurer. The Doctor built up a large\\npractice, which he soon abandoned. November 7, 1837, the\\ncause of the slave received its first baptism of blood. On that\\nday Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy was murdered at Alton, for his bold\\nutterances in behalf of an oppressed race. Dr. Haskell enter-\\ntained radical anti-slavery views, and he determined to leave\\nthat portion of the state in which the pro-slavery sentiment\\nwas largely predominant.\\nFrom the time of his arrival in Rockford until his removal\\nfrom the city about twenty -eight years later. Dr. Haskell was a\\nbroad-minded, representative man of affairs. He conducted for\\na short time a mercantile business on the river bank, as the\\nsuccessor of Piatt Sanford. But his ruling passion was hor-\\nticulture. He entered from the government quite a tract of\\nland lying north of North street, and built the house on North\\nMain street now occupied by George R. Forbes. He planted a\\nnursery and became an expert in raising fruit. It is said that\\none year he raised sixty bushels of peaches. The severe winter\\nof 1855-56 killed his trees, and from that time he devoted his\\nattention to more hardy fruits. His later Rockford home was\\non North Court street, near the residence of Hon. Andrew\\nAshton. Dr. Haskell was generous and public-spirited. He\\nand his brother-in-law, John Edwards, presented to the city\\nthe West side public square, which was named Haskell park, in\\nhonor of the former. A street, called Edwards place, forms the\\nsouthern boundary of the park. A ward schoolhouse in West\\nRockford also bears Dr. Haskell s name.\\nIn 1853 Dr. Haskell became a convert to Spiritualism, and\\nhis long and honored membership with the First Baptist church\\nceased on the last day of that year. It has been stated that he\\nwas first alienated from the church by his lack of esteem for", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0140.jp2"}, "141": {"fulltext": "BECOMES A SPIRITUALIST. 117\\nElder Jacob Kiiapp, who was then a promiiieut member. Mrs.\\nHaskell followed her husband, and withdrew from the church\\nMay 6, 1854. Dr. Haskell entered upon his new religious life\\nwith that energy and enthusiasm which had signalized his for-\\nmer adherence to Baptist doctrine. April 15, 1854, he began\\nthe publication of the Spirit Advocate, an eight-page monthly.\\nThe paper was an able propagandist of the new faith. A com-\\nplete file of this paper has been preserved in theRockford public\\nlibrary. Twenty-three numbers were published. In the issue\\nof March 15, 1856, the editor announced that the publication\\nof the Advocate would be discontinued, and that it would be\\nconsolidated with the Orient, under the name of the Orient and\\nAdvocate, with headquarters at VVaukegan. In his farewell\\naddress to his constituents, Dr. Haskell said While hitherto\\nlaboring in the cause of human advancement from the thrall-\\ndom of bigotry, error and superstition, we have had the con-\\nsciousness of having acted honestly in proclaiming theglorious\\ngospel of the blessed God. We feel that the cause is of God\\nand must prevail; and the combined force of men and devils can\\nnot prevent its final triumph. The great contest between\\ntruth and error has commenced; and the advocates of error\\nand superstition are arraying all their forces to withstand the\\nonward march of truth and harmony but truth must triumph\\nover all opposing foes.\\nThe best and most charitable commentary upon this proph-\\necy is in the lines of Tennyson\\nOur little systems have their day\\nThey have their day, and cease to be.\\nIn 1866, Dr. Haskell removed to New Jersey. There he was\\nengaged in founding an industrial school, and purchased with\\nothers a tract of four thousand acres, which was laid out for a\\nmodel community. In 1857 Dartmouth college gave the Doctor\\nthe degree of A. B., as of the year 1827.\\nDr. Haskell died at Vineland, New Jersey, August 23,1876.\\nThe late George S. Haskell, widely known as a seedsman, was\\na son and Mrs. Henry P. Kimball is a daughter. Dr. Frank\\nH., Willis M. and Carl Kimball are grandsons. His nephew,\\nRev. Samel Haskell, pays him this tribute in Pickard e work,\\npreviously noted He was a man of scholarship and enthusi-\\nasm, a friend of struggling students, many of whom he befriended\\nin his home and with his means.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0141.jp2"}, "142": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIV.\\nJAMES M. WIGHT.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 JASON MARSH.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 OTHER PIONEERS OF 1838-39.\\nI AMES MADISON WIGHT was born in Norwich, Massachu-\\ny.) setts, in 1810. He was admitted to the bar of Queens\\ncounty. New York, in 1837, and immediately afterward came\\nwest. He first joined his brother, J. Ambrose Wight, in Rock-\\nton. But he found no field in that village for the practice of\\nhis profession; and he came in 1838, to Rockford, where for a\\ntime he taught school. In his early life he served a few terms\\nas city attorney of Rockford. He was one of the pioneer law-\\nyers of northern Illinois, and built up a large practice. He was\\nfor many years local attorney for the Chicago Northwestern\\nrailroad and for other corporations. He was also for a time a\\nmember of the state legislature, and served on the Judiciary\\ncommittee. Mr. Wight was a member of the constitutional\\nconvention of 1870, called to draft a new constitution for sub-\\nmission to the voters of the state. To Mr. Wight, law was not\\nmerely a profession it was an absorbing and delightful study.\\nHe was above all, a student a perfect cyclopedia of general\\ninformation, famJliar with the literature of many languages,\\nwhich he read in the original, and a passionate lover of classi-\\ncal music and art. Mr. Wight was a cousin of George Bancroft,\\nthe famous historian. To many lawyers of today, Mr. Wight s\\nsense of professional honor might seem a little strained but\\nfor him there was only one standard, the standard of a Chris-\\ntian gentleman, and to that conception his business principles\\nwere subordinated. Mr. Wight died in Rockford in 1877, leav-\\ning to his children the heritage of an honest name, and the\\nmemory of a modest, blameless and tender life. Mr. Wight was\\nthe father of Mrs. Harriott Wight Sherratt, Miss Mary Wight,\\nand Miss Carrie, who died in 1891. In his religious views, Mr.\\nWight was a Channing Unitarian. The Wight school in the\\nSixth ward was named in his honor. His home was the resi-\\ndence now owned by Judge L. L. Morrison.\\nJason Marsh was born in Woodstock, Windsor county, Ver-\\nmont, in 1807. At the age of sixteen he removed to Saratoga,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0142.jp2"}, "143": {"fulltext": "COLONEL OF SEVENTY- FOURTH. 119\\nNew York. In 1831 he was admitted to the bar in Adams, Jef-\\nferson county, where he first practiced. In 1832 Mr. Marsh\\nmarried Harriet M. Spaftord, a sister of Charles, John andCatlin\\nSpafford. Mr. Marsh came to Rockford in 1839. He was\\naccorapfinied by his wife and children, a brother and wife, and\\nhis three brothers-in-law. Soon after his arrival he and the\\nthree Spafford brothers built the brick house three miles south\\nof State street, on the Kishwaukee road, now occupied by F.\\nJ. Morey. A large farm was attached. Mr. Marsh drove daily\\nto the village, where he practiced his profession. His later\\nhome was the residence subsequently owned by the late W. W.\\nFairfield, on East State street. These beautiful grounds are\\nnow subdivided. In 1862 Mr. Marsh entered military service\\nas colonel of the Seventy-fourth Illinois infantry. He was\\nseverely wounded at the battle of Missionary Ridge in the autumn\\nof 1863, and returned home. Two months later he again went\\nto the front. In the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta\\nhis old wound troubled him, and he resigned. Colonel Marsh\\nwas a man of fine presence, rather above medium height, portly,\\nand perhaps slightly pompous, with blue eyes. The corner of\\nthe left eye was slightly marred by a wound received in his\\nyounger days. He was accustomed to comb the hair low over\\nthe eye, and thus unconsciously gave to the eye a little wicked\\nexpression. Colonel Marsh was very courteous, and extremely\\nfond of society. He dehghted in picturesque costumes. His\\nfavorite suit was a blue dress coat with gilt buttons, buff vest\\nand light pantaloons. Colonel Marsh was a lover of games;\\nchess was his favorite. He forgot everything when engaged in\\na game of chess, and spent long afternoons and evenings at\\nthis pastime, oblivious of everything else; much, of course, to\\nthe detriment of his business. Colonel Marsh, or Squire Marsh,\\nas he was often called, was a gentleman of striking character-\\nistics. He preserved the courtliness of the old-school gentleman.\\nHis social nature was of a generous kind. He was at home\\neither in long-continued argument, or he could adapt himself\\nto the lighter conversation of gallant and graceful nothings of\\nfashionable society. His habitual attire combined the present\\nand the past with striking effect. His blue swallow-tail coat,\\nbuff vest and gold-headed cane are intimately afssociated\\nwith his sturdy personality in the minds of all who remember\\nhim. Colonel Marsh was a man of well-stored mind, and made\\nhis mark as a lawyer at an early day. His last years were", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0143.jp2"}, "144": {"fulltext": "120\\nHISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nspent on his farm near Durand. His death occurred at the home\\nof his daughter in Chicap^o, March 13, 1881. He was buried in\\nMrf F H t \u00c2\u00b0^f ^^^^\u00c2\u00ab7^^\u00c2\u00ab- His surviving children are:\\nr formerly of Rockford Mrs. William Ruger\\nof Batona, Florida; and Cerdric G., of Chicago. Ogden C died\\nsoon after his father. J. M. and Volney Soutfgate a^e nephews\\nFrancs Burnap was born at Merrimac, New Hampshire\\nJanuary 4 1796. He belonged to one of the old historic famU\\nBrooL n^I n^Tt \u00c2\u00abf ^^ajor-Geueral\\nBrooks, of Revolutionary fame, who was afterward governor\\nof Massachusetts for seven terms. His father was Rev Jacob\\nBurnap who for fifty years was pastor of the First Congreo-a-\\nAugust, 1839, and began ttie practice of law in Winnebago and\\nneighboring counties, in the state supreme court, and In the\\nfederal courts. His industry and patient persistence in his pro-\\nfession were proverbial. He loved chancery practice, and in the\\nknowledge of this department he had few equals in the state\\nMr. Burnap was a man of integrity, and boldly avowed his\\nopinions, however unpopular. He belonged to the Libertv\\nparty in its early days, and proclaimed his radical anti-slaverv\\nsentiments when abolitionism was a term of reproach even in the\\nfree north and west. He was also a believer in total abstinence\\nand woman suffrage. Mr. Burnap was a thorough student\\nHis books were his beloved companions. He was a fine lincruist\\nand was proficient in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French aud^Ger\\nman. As a friend, he was kind, courteous, and dignified in all\\nhis social intercourse. While he was affable in manner, he was\\nfirm in his principles, even to sternness. The tenacity with\\nwhich he clung to his opinions, and earnestlv defended them\\nsometimes excited enmity. He practiced in his profession until\\n1864, when ill health compelled him to retire. Mr. Burnan died\\nin Rockford December 2, 1866. He was the senior practitioner\\nof the Rockford bar, which adopted resolutions of respect at\\nhis death, and attended his funeral in a body. In the forenoon\\npreceding his death he dictated his will, in the full possession of\\nhis mental faculties. Mr. Burnap never married, and he lived\\na somewhat isolated life. Mrs. Lucy M. Gauss, of St. Louis\\nformerly a teacher in the Rockford schools, is a niece\\nDuncan Ferguson was a native of Scotland. He was born\\nin Glasgow, in November, 1810. He attended the University\\nof Orlasgow two seasons; was employed several years in the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0144.jp2"}, "145": {"fulltext": "DUNCAN FERGUSON.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THOMAS D. ROBERTSOS. 121\\nland surveys, and soon thereafter he was engaged in the trif^o-\\nnometrical surveys of Great Britain, which he continued for ten\\n3 ear8. He was employed most of tliis timein Ireland. In 1837\\nhe left his native land and came to the United States. He first\\nsettled in Pennsylvania, where he remained two 3 ^ears, in the\\nemploy of two railroad companies, as drauj^htsman. Mr. Fer-\\nguson removed with his family to Rockford in 1889. In 1840\\nhe was elected surveyor and justice of the peace. He held the\\noffice of surveyor until 185G. In 1862 he was appointed asses-\\nsor of internal revenue. He held this position eight years, and\\nthen resigned. For ten years Mr. Ferguson was supervisor\\nfrom the Seventh ward of the city. March, 3, 1873, he was\\nelected chairman of the county board, to succeed Hon. Robert\\nJ. Cross, who had died February 15th. Mr. Ferguson retained\\nthis position untill881. In 1877 he was elected mayor of Rock-\\nford, and served one year. He held the offices of city engineer,\\nassessor, county treasurer, and commissioner of the county\\nunder an act of the legislature for the improvement of Rock\\nriver. Mr. Ferguson was a member of the First Baptist church\\nuntil the schism led by Dr. Kerr, when he became identified\\nwith the Church of the Christian Union. Mr. Ferguson was a\\ngenial, courtly gentleman, of high character. His death occurred\\nMay 14, 1882.\\nThomas D. Robertson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland,\\nMarch 4, 1818. His parents removed to London when he was\\na small child. He lived with a brother for a time on the Isle of\\nSheppey, at the mouth of the Thames, where he attended\\nschool. He was subsequently engaged with an older brother\\nin the publication of the Mechanic s Magazine. Mr. Robertson\\ncame to the United States in 1838. He stopped for a time in\\nChicago, and arrived in Rockford in December of the same year.\\nMr. Roberson studied law in Rockford and at Madison, Wis-\\nconsin. He was admitted to the bar, and was a prominent\\npractitioner for some years. In 1848 Mr. Robertson and John\\nA. Holland opened the first banking house in Rockford in a\\nbuilding adjoining the European Hotel site on West State street.\\nFrom that time he gradually abandoned the practice of law,\\nand devoted his attention to banking and real estate. Mr.\\nRobertson was a leader in the movement to secure the exten-\\nsion of the Galena Chicago Union railroad to Rockford. He\\nhad charge of the collection of the subscriptions to the capital\\nstock in Boone, Winnebago and Ogle counties. Mr. Robertson", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0145.jp2"}, "146": {"fulltext": "122 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nhas continuously resided in Rockford for sixty-one years. No\\nother person has been as prominent in its business circles\\nfor so long; a time. The church and Christian education have\\nalways received his financial support. He is a trustee of Beloit\\ncollege and Rockford college. Mr. Robertson s career has been\\nsignalized by strict integrity and exceptional business ability.\\nHe is probably the largest property-owner in the city. His chil-\\ndren are William T.Robertson, vice-president of the Winnebago\\nNational Bank, and Mrs. David N. Starr, of Florida.\\nIra W. Baker arrived on Rock river October 6, 1838, on\\nSaturday, at sundown, with his family of eight, from a grand-\\nmother of seventy to a babe of four. At half past ten the next\\nmorning all went over the hill a mile away to attend church, at\\nthe house of Mr. Batchelder. It was a double log house of two\\nrooms. The door between the rooms was the pulpit. The Rev.\\nHiram Foote preached. No scene could better depict the early\\nsabbath in church. Organ and choir, long-drawn aisle and\\nfretted vault waft no truer praise. The soft sky and the air of\\nthe Indian summer, silent woods of gorgeous hues, the reverent\\nworshipers, strangers in form but kindred in heart, the solemn\\nand touching service, and the polite and tender greetings and\\nfarewells were home and church to the true and earnest pio-\\nneers. Even the little Swiss clock, hanging high in the corner,\\nwith its long weights and pendulum, seemed thoughtfully and\\nregretfully to mark the passing moments, and when it must\\nstrike t;welve it gave due notice, and softly struck its strokes.\\nPerhaps like Tell of its native land, it had prepared for extra\\nwork due on such occasions, for it kept right on with thirteen\\nor fourteen, and so forth, until elders and urchins alike smiled\\nupon its little distorted anatomy. The clock, house and owner\\nare now gone, and perhaps all who gathered there; but the\\nchurch and home of the pioneer are the church and home of today\\nHon. Edward H. Baker, son of Deacon Ira Baker, was born\\nin Ferrisburg, Vermont, April 5, 1828; and when ten years of\\nage he came with his father to Winnebago county. Mr. Baker\\nreceived his education at Knox college and Illinois college at\\nJacksonville. He studied law and was admitted to the bar.\\nAt one time he was in partnership with his father-in-law, Jason\\nMarsh. Upon the organization of the Rockford Kenosha\\nrailroad, Mr. Baker was chosen secretary of the company. He\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2was elected mayor of Rockford in 1866, and served one year.\\nAt the time of his death Mr. Baker was a director of the public", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0146.jp2"}, "147": {"fulltext": "DAVID S. PENFIELD. 123\\nlibrary. His death occurred January 26, 1897, The circuit\\ncourt, which was then in session, adjourned, out of respect to\\nhis memory; Hon. Charles A. Works pronounced a euol^y, and\\nthe bar attended his funeral in a body. Mr. Baker excelled as\\na toastmaster. He was a thorough student, and acquired a\\nlarge and varied fund of information. He was an authority\\nupon Masonic matters, and in colonial and local history. He\\nhad true historic instinct, and his writings often display fine\\npoetic feeling.\\nHenry N. Baker, another eon of Deacon Baker, was also a\\nnative of Ferrisburg, Vermont, For many years he was engaged\\nin the real estate and loan business in East Rockford, Mr.\\nBaker was for some time president of the board of education.\\nHe removed from the city in 1899.\\nDavid S. Penfield was the first of three brothers to settle in\\nRockford. He was a native of Pittsfield, Vermont, and was\\nborn in 1812. Mr. Penfield and the late Shepherd I^each were\\nschoolboys together in their native place, and the friendship\\nthen formed continued through life. Together they emigrated\\nto Michigan, where they remained a short time, and then con-\\ntinued their journey on horseback to Illinois, and came to\\nRockford in 1838 by way of Dixon, There was then no stable\\ncurrency. Large numbers of private banks furnished a currency\\nof more or less value, and each state had its own issues. The\\nexchange of money in traveling from state to state was there-\\nfore attended with not a little difficulty, and considerable risk.\\nThe unsettled country was infested with bandits, and travelers\\nwere never sure, when seeking entertainment for the night,\\nwhether they would escape the snare of the fowler. Mr, Penfield\\nand Mr, Leach adopted a rule that is very suggestive. When-\\never they came to the house of a settler where flowers were\\ncultivated, there they concluded they would be safe. Upon their\\narrival in Rockford, Mr. Penfield and Mr. Leach purchased a\\nlarge tract of land on the West side. They were also in mer-\\ncantile business on the site of 322 East State street, and there\\nemployed the first tinner in Rockford. Their stock included\\nhardware, groceries and other lines, and invoiced about three\\nthousand dollars. Mr. Penfield lived for a time in a house\\nowned by Lyman Potter, on North Second street. He formed\\na partnership with his brother John G, in the real estate and\\nloan business; and subsequently became a member of the bank-\\ning firm of Briggs, Spafford Penfield, which was merged into", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0147.jp2"}, "148": {"fulltext": "124 BISTORT OF ROCKFORI) AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe Third National bank. Mr. Penfieldwas a verj? unassuming\\nojentleman, and was universally esteemed. He died May 20,\\n1873, at the a^e of sixty-one years. Some years ap;o Mrs. Pen-\\nfield gave the site to the Young Men s Christian Association on\\nwhich its splendid building now stands. Their children are:\\nMrs, Henry Robinson, deceased Mrs. C. R. Mower, of Rockford\\nand Mrs. Stephen A. Norton, of San Diego, California.\\nShepherd Leach, to whom reference was made in the preced-\\ning paragraph, was an extensive land-owner, and amassed a\\nlarge estate. Mr. Leach was gifted with keen business sagacity,\\nand was successful in nearly every enterprise. He had an\\nextended acquaintance among business men was straightfor-\\nward in his dealings; and withal, was a man who possessed\\nmany qualities worthy of emulation. Mr. Leach died July 9,\\n1885. Mrs. Edgar E. Bartlett and Mrs. J. B. Whitehead are\\ndaughters.\\nWillard Wheeler came from St. Thomas, Upper Canada, in\\nSeptember, 1839. He was the second tinner in the town. Mr.\\nWheeler was a brother of Solomon Wheeler. He built the house\\non South First street where Mrs. Julia A. Littlefield resides. To\\nMr. Wheeler belonged the honor of being the first mayor of\\nRockford. He died April 24, 1876.\\nThe Cunningham brothers are among the last survivors of\\nthat early period. Samuel Cunningham was born August 15,\\n1815,inreterboro, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire. This was\\nDaniel Webster s county, and where he and his brother Ezekiel\\npracticed law. Mr. Cunningham heard Mr. Webster deliver an\\noration, and voted for him for president in 1836. Mr. Cun-\\nningham came to this county in the spring of 1839. His active\\nlife was devoted to agriculture. He served one term as county\\ncommissioner. Mr. Cunningham is a splendid specimen of the\\nsturdy New England type, and the very soul of honor. He has\\na retentive memory and an interesting fund of political remi-\\nniscence. His brother, William Cunningham, came to Rockford\\nin the spring of 1838. He has spent much of the intervening\\ntime on the Pacific coast, but is now living a retired life in\\nRockford. The writer is indebted to these brothers for valuable\\nhistorical information. Another brother, Benjamin Franklin\\nCunningham, preceded Samuel to Rockford in the spring of\\nthe same year. He owns a beautiful home below the city, on\\na rise of ground which commands an extended northern and\\nsouthern view of the river. A fourth brother, Isaac Newton", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0148.jp2"}, "149": {"fulltext": "JOEL B. POTTER\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE HERRICK FAMILY. 125\\nCunninp:hain, previously noted, caiije to Rockford at an earlier\\ndate.\\nJoel B. Potter was born in Fairfield county, Connecticut,\\nin 1810. From there the family removed to Orleans county,\\nNew York. He received a collegiate education and prepared\\nhimself for the Presbyterian ministry. His health failed, and\\nhe never resumed this calling. In 1839 he came to this county,\\nwhere his brothers Herman B. and Eleazer had preceded him.\\nIn the same year Mr, Potter built the house now owned by\\nJudge Morrison, He carried on a farm for some years, and was\\nsubsequently engaged in the drugbusiuess on East Statestreet.\\nHe conducted the store alone for a time, and later with his\\nson-in-law, J, F. Harding, as a partner, until the death of Mr.\\nHarding, in 1867, when Mr. Potter retired from business. Mr.\\nPotter and his family were members of Westminster Presbyte-\\nrian church. Mr. Potter died November 30,1880. Mrs.Potteris\\nstill living. Advanced age does not impair her intellectual vigor,\\nMrs. Caroline A. Brazee and Mrs. E. S. Gregory, of Rockford,\\nand Miss Frances D. Potter, of Chicago, are daughters.\\nThe Herrick family came from eastern Massachusetts in\\n1838-39. Elijah L. Herrick, Sr., and three sons, Ephraim,\\nElijah L. Jr., and William, arrived in Rockford in 1838 and\\nthe following year there came three sons, George, Edward, and\\nSamuel, and four daughters, Phocebe, Sarah, Martha, and\\nHannah. About 1849 the father of the family built a cobble-\\nstone house, which is still standing on Fourteenth avenue. The\\nHerrick family, though typical New England people, possess one\\ninteresting trait peculiar to the Scottish clans. It is said this\\nentire family, with one exception, lived in the vicinity of Rock-\\nford for forty years, within such distance that all could come\\ntogether in a few hours notice. This remarkable fact is seldom\\nparalleled when the size of the family is considered. The father\\ndied May 18, 1852; Mrs. Herrick March 28, 1876; Phoebe,\\nJuly 13, 1854; Sarah, January 21, 1885 William, February\\n13,*^1885; Ephraim, January 7, 1888; Martha, Julyl8, 1898.\\nEdward died near Newell, Iowa, September 15, 1899. While\\na resident of this county he lived on a farm in Cherry Valley\\ntownship. He removed to Iowa in 1880, and settled on\\na farm, where he died. He was seventy-seven years of age.\\nOne son and one daughter survive. His wife died about eight\\nyears ago. George and Hannah Herrick never married. They\\nreside in Rockford. E.L. Herrick and familv and Miss Hannah", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0149.jp2"}, "150": {"fulltext": "126 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nare members of Westminster Presbyterian church. The other\\nmembers of this family attended the First Congregational\\nchurch.\\nE. L. Herrick was born at Andover, Massachusetts, Sep-\\ntember 30, 1820. Mrs. Herrick, previous to her marriage, was\\na teacher in Rockford seminary. She came in September, 1852,\\nand taught three years. They have three children Elizabeth\\nL., professor of French language and literature at Rockford\\ncollege; Charles E., assistant cashier of the Manufacturers\\nNational Bank and Frank J., of the firm of Bedwell Herrick.\\nMrs. William Marshall, now residing in Florida, is a daughter\\nof Mr. Herrick.\\nSamuel Herrick was only four jears of age when his parents\\ncame to this county, and he has continuously resided here\\nsince that time. His daughters, Hattie and Clara M., are\\nteachers in the Rockford schools.\\nThe three Spafford brothers came to Rockford in 1839, in\\ncompany with their brother-in-law, Jason Marsh. Their father\\nwas Dr. John Spafford. The eldest son, Charles H. Spafford,\\nwas born in Jefferson county. New York, January 6, 1819.\\nHe was educated at Castleton, Vermont. He had chosen the\\nprofession of the law, but his decision to come west changed his\\nplans in life. Mr. Spafford performed a conspicuous part in\\nthe development of the city. He held the ofiices of postmaster,\\ncircuit clerk and recorder. He was president of the Kenosha\\nRockford Railroad Company. Mr. Spafford, in company with\\nhis brother John, and John Hall, built Metropolitan Hall block.\\nThe stores and offices were owned separately and the hall was\\nheld in common. Mr. Spafford also, with others, built the\\nblock now known as the Chick House. Although Mr. Spafford\\nmade alarge amount of money, he sustained reverses of fortune.\\nWhen the banking house of Spafford, Clark Ellis went into\\nliquidation, he paid all the liabilities of the firm, which were\\nforty-five thousand dollars. Mr. Spafford s splendid service in\\nthe early struggles of Rockford college will be noted in the chap-\\nter devoted to that subject. March, 8, 842, Mr. Spafford was\\nunited in marriage to Miss Abby Warren. In March, 1892,\\nMr. and Mrs. Spafford celebrated their golden wedding. Their\\nchildren are ^Irs. Carrie S. Brett, Mrs. Charles H. Godfrey, and\\nCharles H. Spafford, Jr. Mr. Spafford died in September, l892,\\nat the age of seventy -three years. He was a genial gentleman\\ncourtesy was the habit of his life.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0150.jp2"}, "151": {"fulltext": "SP AFFORD BROTHERS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 PmNF. AS HOWES. 127\\nAmos Catlin Spafford was born September 14, 1824, in Ad-\\nams, Jeffei son county, New York. After lie came west be followed\\nfarming- in this county until 1848. .\\\\bout a year later be was\\ninterested in a sawmill on the old water-power on the East side.\\nIn 1850 he went to California, whore he remained two years.\\nAbout 1854 he became a member of the bankingfirm of Briggs,\\nSpafford Pcnfield. Upon the organization of the Third Na-\\ntional bank in 18G4, Mr. Spafford became its president, and\\nheld this position thirty-three years, until his death. In 1876\\nhe was one of the state commissioners at the centennial exposi-\\ntion. Mr. Spafford died suddenly at Adams, New York, while on\\na vacation, August 22, 1897. Mrs. Spafford died May 22, 1898.\\nThoirchildren are: Mrs. J. W.Archibald, who resides in Florida;\\nMiss Jessie I. Si)afford, professor of mathematics and physics at\\nRockford college; George C. Spafford, cashier of the Third\\nNational Bank, and Miss Nettie L. Spafford. Genuine worth is\\nself-revealing. Mr. Spafford was a man whose face was an\\nimmediate passport to confidence, and it was a true index to his\\ncharacter. His genial disposition, sterling worth and absolute\\nintegrity shone out in every feature and expression. He was\\nunostentatious, kind-hearted and neighborly in manner, and\\nstood for the best things in the life of the city. He was con-\\nservative in judgment, yet efl^cient and progressive in business.\\nHe was a leading representative of the influential men whose\\nstrong and forceful characters have made Rockford a synonym\\nfor solidity, enterprise, morality and prosperity.\\nJohn Spafford was born November 26, 1821. During his\\nlong life in Rockford he was engaged successively in farming,\\ngrocery, and grain and lumber trade. In 1856 he became the\\ngeneral agent of the Rockford Kenosha Railroad company.\\nUntil within two years of his death, Mr. Spafford was president\\nof the Rockford Wire Works Company and the Rockford Sus-\\npender Company he was also interested in manufacturing a\\nlubricating oil, and in a planing-mill. Mr. Spafford died De-\\ncember 5, 1897. His manner was ever gracious toward all sorts\\nand conditions of men. Mrs. Spafford and one daughter, Miss\\nKate, survive. Two daughters are deceased.\\nPhineas Howes was a native of Putnam county, New Y ork,\\nand was born September 25, 1817. He came to Rockford in\\n1839, and in that year he erected a small house on East State\\nstreet, which is still standing. Mr. Howes was a carpenter aud\\njoiner, and followed this trade for many years. He purchased", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0151.jp2"}, "152": {"fulltext": "128 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO CODNTT.\\na tract of land in Cherry Yalley township. For about fifteen\\nyears he was a partner with John Lake in the lumber trade.\\nBy strict attention to business, Mr. Howes accumulated quite a\\nlarge estate. His death occurred October 11, 1894. Mrs. C. H.\\nWoolsey is a daughter. Mrs. Howes was a sister of the late\\nHarris Barnum. She died December 10, 1877.\\nWilliam Worthington was born at Enfield, Connecticut,\\nJuly 5, 1813. He came to Rockford in the spring of 1838.\\nAbout 1840 he built a brick blacksmith s shop on the south-\\nwest corner of State and First streets, where the Crotty block\\nnow stands. This shop was eight or ten feet below the present\\ngrade. Later Mr. Worthington built a wagon shop on the\\nsame lot, about the same size, of wood, one story. This was the\\nfirst wagon shop on the East side. There were then no other\\nbuildings on those corners. Mr. Worthington was the next\\nblacksmith on the East side, after William Penfield, and was\\nprobably the fourth in the village. About 1842 Mr. Worthing-\\nton formed a partnership with Hosea D. Searles, and opened\\na drug store. This was the founding of the business now car-\\nried on by Worthington Slade. Mr. Searles had come from\\nConnecticut the year before, and wasfamiliarly known as Doc.\\nMr. Worthington s children are: Miss Julia, William, Frank,\\nand Charles. His death occurred April 11, 1886. Mr. Worth-\\nington s partner, Doc. Searles, had a fund of humor and\\nanecdotes with which he entertained his patrons. He possessed\\nmechanical skill, which- he utilized by making the first soda\\nfountain in the village. It was made of wood, with a lever of\\nthe same material, about ten feet long. He also built a rotary\\nsteam engine, which he sold to the Mt. Morris seminary.\\nLaomi Peake, Sr., a native of Herkimer county, New York,\\nemigrated from St. Thomas, Upper Canada, to Rockford, in\\nSeptember, 1839. He was one of the few pioneers who brought\\nready capital. He came with about five thousand dollars in\\nmoney, which was a princely sum for that time. Mr. Peake\\nwas the first person who made a harness in Rockford, although\\na man preceded him who did repairing. Mr. Peake purchased the\\nnortheast corner lot on First and State streets, sixty-six feet\\nfront on First street, by one hundred and fifty-six feet on State\\nstreet, for one hundred dollars, and erected a brick building\\ntwenty-two by thirty-five feet, with two stories and a basement,\\nat a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. The corner of this lot is\\nnow occupied by the Manufacturers Bank. In 1852 he com-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0152.jp2"}, "153": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0153.jp2"}, "154": {"fulltext": "SECOND COURT HOUSE\\nUiiilt ill 1^4t, nil the Cmirt llniiwe Siiuare\\nDANIEL S. HAI6HT S RESIDENCE\\nRuilt ill 1K3T. on the northeast corner of State anl IMadisoii streets now standing on the\\nnortheast corner of Second and Wahiut streets Tlie first session of the\\ncircuit court was held in this house", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0154.jp2"}, "155": {"fulltext": "LAOMT FEAKE -WILLIAM HVLIN.-THE BARSUMS. 129\\npletod a second brick block on the same site, and finislied a hall\\non the third floor, at a total expense of about ei lit thousand\\ndollars. Peake s hall was the first public hall i[i Uockford. This\\nblock was destroyed bv fire in November, 1857, and the side\\nand rear walls were left standing. The corner store was\\noccupied at the time by C. A. Huntinj2;ton and Robert Barnes,\\nas a book-store, at a rental of four hundred and fifty dollars\\nper year. ElishaA.Kirk and Anthony Haines purchased the\\nproperty in the autumn of 1858, for four thousand dollars, and\\nrebuilt the block the followint^ year. In 1841 Mr. Peake built\\nthe small brick house directly west of Mrs. Anthony Haines\\nresidence, on the same lot, where seven of his twelve children\\nwere born. In 185G he built the substantial stone house which\\nis now the residence of Mrs. Haines. Mr. Peake died November\\n8, 1891, at the age of eighty-four years. He was the father of L.\\nPeake, the harness-dealer on West State street. Mrs. Peake\\nresides in East Rockford, and is eighty-three years of age.\\nWilliam Hulin was a native of Salem, Massachusetts. He\\nsettled in Rockton township in 1837 or 38. August 5, 1839,\\nhe was chosen a justice of the peace, and from that time he was\\ncontinually in the public service. He resigned from the office of\\nclerk of the county court a few days before his death, which\\noccurred December 10, 18G9. Mr. Hulin was about sixty-one\\nyears of age. In the early forties he removed to Rockford.\\nHis home in this city was the residence of Dr. C. H. Richings,\\non North Main street. In 1855 he married the widow of Merrill\\nE. Mack. Mr. Hulin was a high-minded gentleman, in whom\\nthose who knew him best placed perfect confidence. Mr. Hulin\\npreserved files of early Rockford papers, which are now in the\\npublic library. He edited a work on school law, with forms,\\nwhich was of value to teachers.\\nDaniel Barnum was a native of New York, born in 1778.\\nIn 1838 Mr. Barnum, with his wife and six children, came to\\nWinnebago county, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres\\nof land in Cherry Valley township. Mr. Barnum removed to\\nRockford and spent his last days in retirement. He died Nov-\\nember 8, 1870, at the age of ninety-two years.\\nHarris Barnum, son of Daniel Barnum, was born in Dan-\\nbury, Connecticut, September 8, 1819. He came with his fat her\\nto Rockford in 1838. His early manhood was spent on his fath-\\ner s farm. In 18G6 he engaged in the shoe business in Rockford\\nwith the late Daniel Miller, but soon sold his interest. From", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0155.jp2"}, "156": {"fulltext": "130 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\n1870 to 1874 he was associated with Duncau Ferguson, now\\nof Denver, in the real estate and loan business. In 1874 Mr.\\nBarnum was one of the organizers of the Forest City Insurance\\nCompany, of which he served as treasurer until incapacitated\\nby illness. Mr. Barnum held the offices of alderman and super-\\nvisor. Mr. and Mrs. Barnum have had five children, three of\\nwhom are living: Mrs. Alta Williams, and Misses Blanche and\\nEmily. Mr. Barnum was a man of excellent business ability and\\nstrict integrity. With these qualities he acquired a large estate.\\nMr. Barnum died February 26, 1899, in his eightieth year.\\nHon. Horace Miller was a native of Berkshire county, Mass-\\nachusetts, and was born in 1798. He came to this county\\nin 1839, and settled on a large tract of land near the mouth of\\nthe Kishwaukee river, which in an early day was known as the\\nTerrace farm. At one time he owned twelve hundred and fifty\\nacres. From 1850 to 1852 Mr. Miller represented this county\\nin the state legislature. He resided on his farm until about\\n1861, when he came to Rockford and lived a retired life until\\nhis death August 5, 1864. Mr. Miller was father of WilHam H.\\nMiller, a well known citizen. Mrs. Brown, widow of the late\\nJudge Brown, is a daughter.\\nMr. and Mrs. John Benjamin came from Canada in 1839,\\nand settled in Guilford township. Mr. Benjamin s step-daugh-\\nter, Mrs. Sarah A. Cook, who still resides in East Rockford,\\nhas the distinction of being the first matron of Rockford semi-\\nnary. She served in this capacity from 1849 to 1852. The\\nstudents were served with meals in a frame structure directly\\nopposite the first seminary building, on the east side of North\\nFirst street.\\nAmong the other pioneers of 1838 were Alfred P. Mather,\\nWilliam Hamilton, Levi Monroe, and Richard Marsh. In 1839\\nthere came Courtland Mandeville, Frederick Charlie, Thaddeus\\nDavis, Sr., Stephen Crilley, D. Bierer, Chester Hitchcock, John\\nBull, H. Hudson. Others who came previous to 1840 were:\\nSylvester Scott, James Gilbert, Artemas Hitchcock, John W.\\nDyer, Samuel C. Fuller, Newton Crawford, Jonathan Hitchcock,\\nDr. D. Goodrich, Hollis H. Holmes, Stephen Gilbert, and Bela\\nShaw. Judge Shaw died suddenly May 31, 1865. Five broth-\\ners, Thomas, William, John, Robert and Benjamin Garrett,\\nwith their parents, settled in Guilford township. Thomas died\\nJanuary 20, 1900. He was a Manxman, born on the Isle of\\nMan, February 11, 1827.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0156.jp2"}, "157": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXV.\\nTRIALS OF THE PIONEERS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS.\\nONE of the greatest privations of the early settlers was the\\nscarcity of provisions, which at that time were obtained\\nfrom the older settlements in the southern portion of the state.\\nThe pioneers possessed limited means, and few were individually\\nable to bear the expense of a journey of such distance. Sev^eral\\nneighbors would unite their small sums, and send one of their\\nnumber for supplies. The difficulties of travel were great; there\\nwere rivers to cross, either forded or swam streams and sloughs\\nto be waded muddy roads and ponderous wagons. Under\\nthese circumstances, the time of the messenger s return was\\nuncertain. Later, when a trade in provisions had been estab-\\nlished, the same obstacles kept them at almost fabulous prices,\\nand the settlers were sometimes reduced to the verge of absolute\\ndestitution. Flour sold from sixteen to twenty dollars per\\nbarrel, and on one occasion Thomas Lake purchased three bar-\\nrels at twenty-two dollars each. Pork was thirty dollars per\\nbarrel wheat sold from three to four dollars per bushel New-\\nOrleans sugar twenty-five cents per pound and other provis-\\nions in proportion. This condition rendered it impossible for\\nthe great majority of the settlers, with their scanty means, to\\nscarcely procure the necessities for their support. For six weeks\\nin the winter of 1837-38 there was atobaccofamine, which was\\na terrible privation to the slaves of the filthy weed. Judge\\nE. S. Blackstone said the people in the early forties were too\\npoor to cast a shadow. Mr. Thurston ventures the assertion\\nthat in 1841-42 there were not twenty farmers in the county\\nwho possessed a suit of clothes suitable to wear at church or at\\ncourt, which they had purchased with the fruits of their labor\\non their farms. Some who had passed the prime of life became\\ndiscouraged and returned to their homes in the east to die.\\nBarter was practiced ev^en in payment for performing the mar-\\nriage ceremony. Abraham L Enoch, a justice of the peace, once\\ntook a bushel of beans as his fee. Joel B. Potter, a clergyman,\\nwas compensated for two ceremonies in wheat, and one day s\\nbreaking. Ephraim Sumner swam Pecatonica river twice one\\ncold night, to perform the rite, and received fifty cents.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0157.jp2"}, "158": {"fulltext": "132 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nHad it not been for a beneficent Providence, who stocked\\nthe woods and prairies with :i^ame and the rivers with fish, many\\nwould have suffered for the necessities of the barest subsistence.\\nAs late as 1841 the scarcity of fruit was a great trial. There\\nwas little, and often none, not even canned fruit. There were\\ndried apples, and the housewives made mince-pies of them.\\nSometimes, in case of sickness, the ways and means looked\\nrather dark, and the mother and her whole family might be\\ninvolved. In such cases none filled a more important place\\nthan Miss Betsy Weldon, whom a few will remember. Strong\\nand well herself, she could fill the place of nurse, housekeeper,\\ndressmaker, milliner, and general repairer of clothing. She was\\never ready to respond to cases of need.\\nThe late Judge Church once told this story I have in my\\nmind one who is now among the most prosperous farmers, who\\nfound himself without the means of procuring for his family a\\nsingle meal, and he, with one of his neighbors similarly situated,\\ndetermined to try their luck at fishing. The} proceeded to Rock\\nriver, and met with success entirely beyond their expectations.\\nWhen returning, each with as many fish as he could well carry,\\nsaid one farmer Well, we have got our fish, but what have\\nwe to fry them in? Fry them in! replied his hopeful and\\nsatisfied companion. Why, fry them in water! And could\\nyou in those days have visited the log cabins scattered over\\nthese prairies, that are now groaning under the load of a boun-\\ntiful harvest, and covered with all the evidences of comfort that\\nwealth can purchase, you would have found many a man going\\nto his hard day s toil from as scanty a breakfast as of suckers\\nfried in water.\\nIt is well that Winnebago county was settled by such a class\\nof sturdy pioneers men of will and purpose, who knew no such\\nword as fail; who pushed out in advance of civilization, with\\nthe determination of the old Norse baron, who engraved upon\\nhis shield, as heraldic device, a pickax, surmounted by the\\nmotto, Where there s no hole for me to pass, I ll make one.\\nIt must be evident to the casual observer that only a small\\nportion of the human family possess the qualifications for pio-\\nneers. It is not the business of the pioneer to seek good society\\nbut to make it. Contrary to Mr. Carlyle s dictum, the society\\nof that day was not founded upon cloth. The social status\\nwas based upon respectability. In the rural districts a family\\nwould sometimes drive twenty or twenty-five miles in a lumber", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0158.jp2"}, "159": {"fulltext": "TRinUTE TO PIOSEER WOMEN. 133\\nwagou, to visit a iiei\u00c2\u00ab\u00c2\u00bblibor. In the villajre amusemeiita were\\nextemporized to dispel the lonesoinenesH of the long; winter\\nevenings. Among the most popular was the mock court.\\nThe sessions of the court were held in Mr. Miller s store, where\\npent-up Uticas of s])read-eagle eloquence were allowed full\\nexpression. Each member of the court had hi.s sobriquet some\\nof these were not suggested by the muses. Another popular\\nsummer amusement with a certain class was the awkward\\nsquad, which performed frequent evolutions around Sam\\nLittle s saloon. They always produced a smile.\\nThe noble band of women displayed the fortitude of true\\nheroines. They shared the toils, endured the privations, coun-\\nseled in difficulties, encouraged in despondency, and nursed in\\nsickness. At the first reunion of the Society of Early Settlers,\\nheld at the Holland House, February 2, 1871, Charles I. Hors-\\nman responded to the toast, The Mothers and Daughters of\\nthe West, in which he paid them this tribute:\\nI don t know whyl have been selected to respond to this\\ntoast, only that the ladies and I have always been good friends,\\nand I find them my best friends in prosperity and in adversity.\\nMan works from sun to sun,\\nWoman s work is never done.\\nMr. President, the truth of this old adage was literally verified\\nin the early settlement of this county It was the women that\\ncarried the laboring oar, and it was to their untiring industry\\nby day and night that we, the men, mainly owe the measure of\\nsuccess we have achieved. It was her words of encouragement,\\nand smiles of approbation that cheered us on in the darkest\\nhour of trial. They were not the effeminate angels that Willis\\nwrites of. with lips like rose-leaves torn, but sterling women\\nthat met the stern realities of life, and were equal to the occa-\\nsion; and, Mr. President, what would we poor fellows\\nhave done when burning up with fever, or chilled to death with\\nthe ague! But for the kind offices of wife and mother and sister\\nto smooth our pillow, bathe our fevered brows, and moisten\\nour parched lips, many of use here tonight in robust health\\nwould be lying under the clods of the valle^ All honor, say\\nI, Mr. President, to the mothers and daughters of the west,\\nthose who, with their enterprising fathers and husbands, left\\ntheir own pleasant hills and vallej s to tread upon the receding\\nfootsteps of the red man.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0159.jp2"}, "160": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVI.\\nEOCKFORD HOUSES IN 1838.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 LATER BUILDINGS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 H. H. SILSBY.\\nIN April, 1838, there were only four houses north of State\\nstreet, in West Rockford the ferry house on the site of the\\npublic library building; Abiram Morgan s lo^ house, on or very\\nnear the site of theHorsman residence; a log cabin on the bank\\nof the riv^er, about one hundred and thirty rods above State,\\noccupied by Rev. John Morrill, and D. A. Spaulding, the\\ngovernment surveyor a board and plank house near the site\\nof A. D. Forbes residence, occupied by John and Calvin Has-\\nkell, nephews of Dr. George Haskell. South of State street\\nthere were quite a number of cabins. Nathaniel Loomis and\\nhis son, Henry W. Loomis, lived in a log house near the south-\\neast corner of State and Main streets and much of the valuable\\nproperty in this block still belongs to the Loomis estate. On\\nthe west side of Main, D. D. Ailing had an unfinished house.\\nDirectly north was a two-story frame house, which remained\\nunfinished for several years. On the same side, opposite the\\ngovernment building, still stands the residence of George W.\\nBrinckerboff. On the corner north of the Chicago Northwest-\\nern depot, Nathaniel Wilder hadahouseof one and a half story.\\nOn the east side of Main, opposite the new depot, Wyman\\nHoughton had a story-and-a-half building used as a bakery\\nand boarding house. South of the C, B. Q. depot, on the\\nwest side of Main, James Mitchell had a small house. On the\\nsame side of the street, near the bank of the creek, stood Mr.\\nKent s house and sawmill. There was a log hut eight or ten\\nrods below the mill that had been used as a blacksmith s shop,\\nand a store near the river. William E. Dunbar had lived in a log\\ncabin about one hundred yards south of the creek, and twelve\\nto fifteen rods east of Main street. Sanford Piatt s store was\\non the river bank, south of State. BenjaminKilburnhadaframe\\nhouse on the site of the Hotel Nelson, There was a total of\\neighteen buildings in the village on the west side of the river,\\nbeside the cabin built by Mr. Blake in the grove to the west.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0160.jp2"}, "161": {"fulltext": "EAST SIDE HOUSES.\\nThe East side was somewhat larger. The Rockford House\\nwas for some time the only hotel between Belvidere and Free-\\nport. On the southwest corner of State and Madison streets\\nstood Bundy Goodhue s store. Directly south was a build-\\ning erected by Mr. Haioht. The first floor was the postoffice,\\nand the second was occupied by Tinker Johnson as a tailor\\nshop. On the northwest corner of Madison and Walnut was a\\nball alley owned by Charles Oliver. On the southeast corner of\\nState and Madison was Potter Preston s store. They suc-\\nceeded Rundy Goodhue on the opposite corner, where they\\nremained until the death of Mr. Preston, when Mr. Potter con-\\ntinued the business alone for a time. East of Potter Preston s\\nfirst store was the foundation of the Washino-ton House. On\\nthe northeast corner of State and Main was Daniel S. Haifjjht s\\nunfinished frame house. On East State street Mr. Haight was\\nputting up a one-story building for a postoffice, which a few\\nyears later was occupied by Worthington Searles as the sec-\\nond drug store in the village; this building is still standing-\\nnear the Kenosha depot. East of the postoffice site, on the\\nalley, was Mr. Haight s first log house, occupied by John Miller\\nas a boarding house. East of the alley, on State, was Samuel\\nLittle s saloon. On North First street was a story-and-a-half\\nhouse occupied by Samuel Corey, a brother-in-law of Mr. Haight.\\nNorth of Mr. Haight s frame house was a story-aud-a-half\\nhouse owned by William Hamilton; and at the northeast cor-\\nner of Madison and Market was William Penfield s blacksmith s\\nshop. Between the swell-front and the brick house south on\\nSouth Second street owned by Samuel I. Church, stood a house\\nwith a story and a half, owned by Dr. David Goodrich. In the\\nrear of this, on the alle^ was a log structure occupied as a\\nschoolhouse about 1837-38. On the site of the streetcar barns\\non Kishwaukee street, was Anson Raruum s double log house.\\nAt the southeast corner of Second and Walnut was John Phelps\\nhouse, afterward owned by William P. Dennis. On the west\\nside of First street, opposite the tire station, was John C. Kem-\\nble s house; and on the river bank, north of Walnut, James\\nClark was building a store, in which he kept a general stock.\\nThe stage barn built for Mr. Haight in 183G by Tiiomas\\nLake and Sidney Twogood, stood near the intersection of State\\nand Third streets. John Vance e log structure, built for a store,\\nwas on South First street, opposite the hay market. There w^as\\na log house about ten rods southeast of the stage barn,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0161.jp2"}, "162": {"fulltext": "136 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COirNTY.\\noccupied by a Mr. Kingsley, who came from Belvidere to work\\nfor Mr. Haight on the Rockford House. James Boswell s cabin\\nwas near the Peacock estate. Jacob Posson s cabin was in the\\nvicinity of block twenty-one, Gregory Penfield s Addition.\\nThese, with the East side ferry house, and a small log hut used\\nfor a stable, were all the buildings within half a mile of theinter-\\nf-ection of State and Madison streets, on the east side of theriver,\\nin April, 1838. Mr. Haight erected at least seven buildings on\\nthe East side, beside three barus, and one-half of the Rockford\\nHouse. In 1839-40 he build the large two-story brick house\\neast of Longwood street, which is still standing. Mr. Haight\\nclaimed that one hundred thousand brick were used in its\\nconstruction.\\nIn the spring and summer of 1888 Harvey H. Silsby, Mowry\\nBrown, William Hull and William Harvey built the house now\\nstanding north of Mrs. W. A. Dickerman s residence, for Dr.\\nHaskell, who afterward sold itto John Edwards. In the autumn\\nwas erected by Dr. Haskell the brick building which was known\\nlater as the Winnebago House, on Andrew Ashton s corner.\\nWhen laying out the ground for the cellar Mr. Silsby persuaded\\nDr. Haskell to set his building six feet from the line of the\\nstreet. The Winnebago House was the. first brick store built\\nabove Rock Island on Rock river. Into this store Dr. Haskell\\nmoved the stock of goods from the building on the river bank\\nwhich had been occupied by Piatt Sanford and he and Isaiah\\nLyon continued the business. In 1843 Mr. Lyon closed out\\nthe stock, and converted the building into a hotel, under the\\nname of the Winnebago House. Mr. Lyon s successors as pro-\\nprietor were N. Crawford, C. C. Cobern, P. C. Watson, James B.\\nPierce, Isaac N. Cunningham, and D. Sholts. The building-\\npassed into IVIr. Seaton s hands in 1854, and was afterward\\nrearraged into stores.\\nAfter finishing Dr. Haskell s brick block, Mr. Silsby and\\nMowry Brown built a house for G. A. Sanford near the center\\nof the block, south of Porter s drug store, on Main street. This\\nhouse is now standing near the Chestnut street bridge. Ben-\\njamin Kilburn built his house near the Trask bridge road that\\nseason. The rear of the Beattie house was built the same sum-\\nmer.\\nIn September, 1839, Mr. Silsby and Phineas Howes entered\\ninto a contract to build a trestle bridge over the Kishwaukee", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0162.jp2"}, "163": {"fulltext": "DEATH OF MR. SlLSBl 187\\nriver at Newburp^, once called Sayreavillc, after its founder,\\n(yolonel Sayres. Newburg was then in Winneba}j[;o county, on\\nthe mile-strip. The bridge was built of heavy timbers framed\\ntotrether, and floor timbers laid from one bent to another to\\nsupport the floor. This bridge extended several hundred feet\\nsouth of the river across a marsh to solid ground. Thirty-two\\nyears later Mr. Silsby crossed this bridge with a loaded wagon.\\nMr. Silsby rendered great service to the writer in locating\\nthese buildings of the early days. His trade, that of contractor\\nand builder, doubtless fixed the dates of their erection in his\\nmind. No other individual furnished a more valuable fund of\\ninformation in the preparation of this work. He knew the\\nvillage from the beginning, and he retained his excellent mem-\\nory unimpaired to the last. Mr. Silsby died suddenly April\\n7, 1899, in Kansas, after having spent the winter with his\\ndaughter in Rockford. He was eighty-one years of age. Mr.\\nSilsby was born in Acworth, Sullivan county, New Hampshire,\\nNovember!, 1817. He went in 1837 to Upper Alton, where\\nhe remained until he cameto Rockford the following year. After\\nworking at his trade for some years, he embarked in mercantile\\nbusiness. Mr. Silsby was survived by three daughters, two of\\nwhom reside in Rockford. They are Mrs. Harriet Griswold\\nand Mrs. Levi Sanders. George A. Silsby, of Mitchell, Soutli\\nDakota, formerly in the shoe business in Rockford, is a son.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0163.jp2"}, "164": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVII.\\nTHE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 JACOB KNAPP.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 DR. THOMAS KERR.\\nTHE oldest Baptist organization west of Chicago is the First\\nBaptist church of Belvidere. On a Sunday in March, 1836,\\nRev. John S. King preached the first sermon in the Kishwaukee\\ncountry, at the primitive home of Timothy Caswell. The First\\nBaptist church was founded in July, 1836, and was the first\\nreligious organization in Belvidere. Its first pastor was Prof.\\nSeth S. Whitman, who served ten years. Prof. Whitman was a\\nnative of Shaftsbury, Vermont. He was graduated from Mad-\\nison university; and later, in 1827, he was one of the three who\\nformed the flrstgraduatingclassfrom Newton Theological insti-\\ntution. Immediately after his graduation, he was called to the\\nchair of Biblical interpretation at Hamilton Theological insti-\\ntution. This chair he occupied seven years, until his health\\nfailed, when he came to Belvidere. Prof. Whitman also per-\\nformed duty as a civil oflBcer in that early day. In 1841 he\\nwas clerk of the circuit court under the appointment of Judge\\nDan. Stone, and postmaster of the village. Belvidere, in 1836,\\nwas included in this county; hence a reference to the church in\\nthat village has a place in this chapter.\\nThe First Baptist church of Rockford was organized Decem-\\nber 22, 1838, at the home of Dr. Haskell. It is thus the second\\nBaptist church planted in northern Illinois, and the third relig-\\nious orga^zation in Rockford. Prof. Whitman and Deacon\\nNathaniel Crosby from Belvidei e were present. Prof. Whitman\\nwas chosen moderator, and Dr. Haskell, clerk. A declaration\\nof twelve articles of faith and a church covenant were adopted.\\nSixteen residents of Rockford presented church letters, as fol-\\nlows: James and Martha Jackson, from Indianoplis, Indiana;\\nAbiram Morgan, from the First Baptist church, Springfield,\\nMassachusetts; Pierce and Evelina Wood, from Conneaut,\\nOhio; John and Susan Emerson, Machias Point, Maine; Wil-\\nliam B. Brainard, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Ransom and Lucy\\nKnapp, George and Eunice P. Haskell, Mowryand Lucy Brown,\\nIsaiah Lyon, and Caleb Blood, from Upper Alton.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0164.jp2"}, "165": {"fulltext": "cossriruENT members. 139\\nIn June, 1888, the church celebrated its semi-centennial.\\nThe Rock River Association had been invited to hold its regu-\\nlar session in Rockford. It was proposed to celebrate this\\nanniversary at the time the Association should meet, although\\nthe exact date of organization was later in the year. The\\nAssociation accepted the invitation. At that time the pastor,\\nRev. W. A. Stanton, Ph. D., prepared an excellent historical\\naddress, to which the writer is indebted for many of the facte\\ngiven in this chapter.\\nJust one-half of the constituent membership of the church\\ncame from Upper Alton. This enrollment included several men\\nof sturdy character and progressive ideas. Dr. Haskell has\\nalready been introduced to the reader. Isaiah Lyon honored\\nevery position to which he was called. Mr. Lyon was born in\\nWoodstock, Connecticut, in February, 1804. He was a cousin of\\nGeneral Nathaniel Lyon, who was killed at the battle near Wil-\\nson s creek, in 18G1. About 1825 Mr. Lyon went to St. Louis,\\nthence to Upper Alton, and from there he came to Rockford.\\nHe was in mercantile business, proprietor of the Winnebago\\nHouse, and for thirty-one consecutive years a justice of the\\npeace. He resigned ou account of declining health, after he was\\nseventy years of age. Mr, Lyon s sterling qualities inspired\\nconfidence, and the poor always found in him an adviser and\\nhelper. He was prosperous in business, and acquired a consid-\\nable estate. Mr. Lyon died January 22, 1883. His only child\\nis Mrs. S. F. Weyburu, who is now residing in Scrauton, Penn-\\nsylvania. Abiram Morgan was one of the most prominent\\ncitizens of early Rockford, and maintained his membership with\\nthe church until his death, January 0, 1855. Ransom Knapp\\nwas a brother of Rev. Jacob Knapp, the revivalist. Caleb Blood\\nhad been a student at Shurtleff college, and became a Baptist\\nclergyman. He was a grandson of Rev. Caleb Blood, whose\\nministry in New England from 1777 to 1814 was well known.\\nJanuary 12, 1839, three weeks after its organization, the\\nchurch extended a call to Rev. A. Chapin, of Shurtleff college, at\\na salary of three hundred dollars a year. He declined the call,\\nand until May, 1841, the church depended upon occasional\\nsupplies. Among these were Prof. Whitman, of Belvidere, and\\nRev. John Sears. Dr. Haskell was deacon and clerk, and withal\\na pillar of strength. He had built a brick block on the site of\\nHon. Andrew Ashton s store, with a hall on the second floor\\nfor public meetings; and here the church held its services until", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0165.jp2"}, "166": {"fulltext": "140 HISTORY OF ROCKFURD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nMay, 184-1. The missionary spirit was fostered. There is a\\nrecord of a vote, March 9, 1839, to ^ive twenty-five dollars to\\nthe Illinois Baptist convention.\\nIn December, 1839, the church was legally incorporated,\\nand plans for a house of worship were considered. In the fol-\\nlowing- spring, lot six in block eleven was purchased. This is the\\nnorthwest corner of Main and Peach streets, and is now owned\\nby the W. A. Knowlton estate. The church had enjoyed no\\npreaching for three months, and in April, 1840, it was decided\\nto have regular services, with or without preaching. A system\\nof benevolence, to begin June 1, was adopted. In July follow-\\ning a call was extended to S. C. Jameson, a student at Brown\\nuniversity but it was declined.\\nSeptember 23, 1840, the Rock River Baptist Association\\nwas organized at Belvidere. During 1839-40 churches had\\nbeen organized at Round Prairie, Roscoe, Pecatonica, and\\nSugar River. The Rockford church appointed six delegates to\\nattend the Association. Dr. Haskell was chosen moderator,\\nand Prof. Whitman, clerk. The total membership of the six\\nchurches of the Association was two hundred and nineteen. The\\nminutes of this first Association were published in full in eight\\nsmall pages. A copy is preserved in the Rockford public library,\\nand is probably the only one in existence. A complete file of\\nthe minutes of the Rock River Baptist Association for fifty-nine\\nyears has been preserved in this library. The early numbers\\nwere collected by Rev. E. C. Mitchell, D. D., while he was pastor\\nof the State Street Baptist church.\\nThe erection of the new house of worship proceeded as rap-\\nidly as possible. This sanctuary stood close to Main street,\\nand faced the east. It was a balloon frame, about thirty by\\nforty feet, clapboarded, with no cupola. There were three win-\\ndows on either side, but none in front or rear. Three or four\\nsteps at the front led to a porch, the covering of which was an\\nextension of the gable end of the roof. This projecting roof\\nwas supported by four square columns. The interior consisted\\nof a single room. From the door there was one center aisle,\\nand on either side a row of pews which extended to the side\\nwalls. At the right and left were seats, slightly raised, for the\\nsingers. At the west end was the pulpit, upon a platform\\nsecurely boxed.\\nThe first sermon preached in this church was on May 9,\\n1841. It was not then completed, and temporary seats were", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0166.jp2"}, "167": {"fulltext": "EARLY PASTORS. Ul\\nused. Prof. Whitman was the preacher, and from that time\\nuntil November 12th of the same year, he re\u00c2\u00ab:;ularly supplied\\nthe pulpit, at five dollars a Sunday. As a stated supply. Prof.\\nWhitman may be considered in a restricted sense as the first\\npastor.\\nThe Rock River Baptist Association held its second annual\\nsession with the Rockford church September 18 and 19, 1841.\\nThe delegates at Bel videre the preceding: year had been instructed\\nto invite the Association to meet in Rockford at this time, and\\nthe invitation had been accepted. The introductory sermon\\nwas preached by Rev. Luther W. Lawrence, of Bonus. The total\\nmembership of the churches in the Association had increased\\nsince the first session from two hundred and nineteen to two\\nhundred and sixty.\\nThe first resident pastor was the Rev. Solomon Knapp. He\\ncame from Des Plaines, Illinois, November 12, 1841, served less\\nthan a year, and resigned September 19, 1842. His salary was\\nat the rate of three hundred dollars a year. During his pastorate\\nthere were nine additions by baptism and eight by letter. From\\nhis departure until the autumn of 1843 the church was without\\na pastor.\\nA call was then extended to Rev. Warren F. Parrish, of\\nMassilon, Ohio. He was a convert from Mormonism to the\\nBaptist faith; and it is said the threats made b\\\\ the Mormons\\ngreatly annoyed him and his wife. The church paid him a sal-\\nary of three hundred dollars and house-rent the first year the\\nsecond year he received four hundred dollars. Of this amount,\\nthe Home Missionary Society paid one hundred dollars. This\\nis the only year, in the entire history of the church, when it\\nreceived any assistance from this source. The First Baptist\\nsociety of Rockford was organized January 6, 1845. During\\nthe summer of that year there was a lack of harmony between\\nthe pastor and people, and September 1st Rev. Parrish tendered\\nhis resignation. He continued his residence in Rockford, and\\nhis membership with the church until June 15, 1860, when he\\nwas excluded. He had preferred charges against Dr. Clark, who\\nwas then pastor, for preaching heresy as to the Biblical teaching\\nabout usury. The church exonerated Dr. Clark, and rebuked\\nRev. Parrish. He continued to agitate the matter, however,\\nuntil he was excluded. Upon his confession of error, he was\\nrestored January 4, 1862. In 1866 he removed to Kansas,\\nwhere he became insane, and died.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0167.jp2"}, "168": {"fulltext": "142 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nAbout a month after the resio;nation of Rev. Parrish, the\\nchurch invited Rev. 0. H. Read, of Porta^eville, New York, to\\nsupply six months, from October 13, 1845. The terms were\\none hundred dollars in money, a. cook stove, delf, and furniture\\nwith which tokeephouse; but he was to pay his own house rent.\\nRev. Read was unwilling to remain longer than the six months.\\nRev. Luther Stone came from Rock Island and served as\\npastor from June, 1846, to June, 1847, with a salary of four\\nhundred dollars. In October, 1846, the church granted letters\\nto eight members, to form a church at Harlem. Deacon R. T.\\nMabie was one of the number. After a struggle of two years\\nthe Harlem church disbanded, and Deacon Mabie reunited with\\nthe church November 18, 1848.\\nFrom July 18, 1847, to October, 1848, the church was again\\nfavored with Prof. Whitman as a stated supply. His health\\nfailed, and he retired for three years from pastoral duties. He\\nthen took charge of a Baptist church at Madison, Wisconsin,\\nwhere he died after eight months of service, January 2, 1852.\\nThe Baptists of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin owe\\na great debt to this cultured Christian gentleman. Dr. Frank\\nS. Whitman, a prominent physician and politician of Belvidere,\\nis a nephew.\\nIn the autumn of 1848, Elder Jacob Knapp removed from\\nthe east, and November 18th he united with the First church\\nby letter. The church was then without a pastor, and arrange-\\nments were soon made with Elder Knapp for holding revival\\nmeetings. The little frame building was too small, and the\\nchurch secured the use of the court house, where it continued to\\nhold services until the new stone structure was completed. Elder\\nKnapp continued his labors until June, 1849. At the annual\\nsession of the Rock River Association, held that month, the\\nchurch reported sixty-two additions by baptism and seventeen\\nby letter. These accessions increased the membership to one\\nhundred and sixty.\\nElder Knapp was one of the most remarkable men of his\\ntime. He was born in Otsego county. New York, December 7,\\n1799. He was graduated at Hamilton Theological seminary\\nin June, 1825, and ordained in the following AugusJ; at Spring-\\nfield, New York. After serving the church at Springfield for five\\nyears, and the church at Watertown for three years, he began\\nhis career as an evangelist. For fifteen vears his home was at\\nHamilton, New York, and for twenty-five years atRockford.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0168.jp2"}, "169": {"fulltext": "ELDER JACOB KNAPP. 143\\nElder Knapp claimed to have preached about sixteen thou-\\nsand sermons, baptized four thousand candidates, and was the\\nmeans of making one hundred thousand converts by his revival\\nministry, of whom two hundred became ministers of thegospel.\\nElder Kuapp s mind was characterized by strong logical tend-\\nencies, and his sermons abounded in homely illustrations, apt\\nquotations from the Hible, and a good knowledge of human\\nnature. The sight of a Unitarian or Universalist had much the\\nsame influence upon him that red flannel has upon a certain\\ndomestic animal. In commenting upon the cold intellectuality\\nwhich was supposed to distinguish the Unitarians, Elder Knapp\\nsaid that when they went to hell, they would so change the\\natmosphere of the place that all the little devils could skate on\\nthe ice. In stature, Elder Knapp was short, squarely and\\nstoutly built, his voice was deeply sepulchral, and his manner\\nself-possessed. He was fertile in expedients and possessed an\\nindomitable will. He was quick at repartee, in which he was a\\nconsummate master. An instance is recalled when he was inter-\\nrupted in a sermon by a smart young man in the gallery who\\ninquired as to who was the father of the devil. Quick as a flash\\ncame the retort from the evangelist: Young man, keep your\\nown family record. On one occasion Elder Knapp met two\\nclergymen on the street, when one said to the other, so that the\\nElder could hear: Have you heard the news they say the\\ndevil is dead. Elder Knapp reached out both arms, placed\\none hand upon each minister in fatherly compassion, and\\nexclaimed Poor, fatherless children He sometimes drew\\ncomparisons which were not complimentary to his own denom-\\nination. He charged certain members with inconsistency in\\ntheir doctrine of never falling from grace and their practice of\\ncontinually so doing; whereas the Methodists believed in falling\\nfrom grace, and lived up to it.\\nTothisday the widest differences of opinion prevail astothe\\nsincerity and true Christian character of Elder Knapp. Many\\nof his fellow citizens believed his daily life was quiteinconsistent\\nwith the higher ideals which he taught from the pulpit; while\\nothers considered him the very incarnation of godl^* zeal as a\\nveritable John the Baptist, warning the people in terms of\\nawful grandeur to flee from the wrath to come. President\\nKnott, of Union college, testified Elder Knapp is unequaled\\namong uninspired men. Dr. Thomas Armitage, in his History\\nof the Baptists, says: The writer heard him preach many", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0169.jp2"}, "170": {"fulltext": "144 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntimes, and judp^ed him, as he is apt to judge men, more by his\\npra^^ers than his sermons, for he was a man of much prayer.\\nHis appearance in the pulpit was very striking, his face pale,\\nhis skin dark, his mouth wide, with a singular cast in one eye\\nbordering on a squint he was full of native wit, almost gest-\\nureless, and vehement in denunciation, yet so cool in his\\ndeliberation that with the greatest ease he gave every trying\\ncircumstance its appropriate but unexpected turn. Elder\\nKnapp died March 3, 1874, on his farm north of Rockford,and\\nwas baried in the West side cemetery, with his feet toward the\\nwest, in accordance with his strange request. MissKittie Sher-\\nwood, his granddaughter, has been laboring for many years as\\na home missionary among the colored people in the south.\\nElder Knapp s Autobiography was published in 1868.\\nThe immediate successor of Elder Knapp was Rev. Ichabod\\nClark, D. D. He came from Galena, Illinois, in July, 1849, and\\nlabored continuously for five years. Mrs. Clark died September\\n16, 1854. Dr. Clark desired a change of scene and labor, and\\nNovember 5th of that year he left Rockford to engage for a\\ntime as superintendent of missions for the Illinois Baptist Gen-\\neral Association. During his absence the pulpit was regularly\\nsupplied by Rev. Justin A. Smith, D. D., the veteran editor of the\\nStandard, the Baptist publication in Chicago. In August, 1855,\\nDr. Clark resumed the active pastorate, which he retained until\\nJuly, 1860. This was the longest pastorate in the history of\\nthe church. Four hundred and fifty-two members were added\\nto the enrollment, of whom two hundred and eleven were by\\nbaptism.\\nThe stone edifice now occupied by the church was completed\\nin 1850, and was then the finest church building in the village.\\nThe dedicatory sermon waspreached June 20th,byRev. JirahD.\\nCole, before the Rock River Baptist Association, which was then\\nin session with the church. The building cost six thousand dol-\\nlars; the total cost of the lots, building and furniture was seven\\nthousand five hundred and eleven dollars and seventeen cents.\\nAmong the prominent pew-holders were William Hulin, Charles\\nI. Horsmau, J. B. Howell, H. W. Loomis, Daniel Dow, Isaac\\nAndrus and John Beattie. Not all the pew-holders were mem-\\nbers of the church, and a few were not even included in the\\ncongregation. This church is the oldest house of worship in\\nthe city. Its solid walls have resisted the tooth of time and the\\nfury of the elements for a full half century. When the old frame", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0170.jp2"}, "171": {"fulltext": "LICKSriA TES A ND C L ERKFi. 1 45\\nchurch was vacated, it entered upon a career of itineracy. It\\nwas sold to the Unitarians, who removed it to their lot. Still\\nlater it was used by another church, and for secular business\\nbefore it was torn down.\\nRevival services were frequently held from 1850 until Rev.\\nClark s resip:nation. In 1858 there were one hundred and two\\nbaptisms. June 6th of that year fifty-eight received the right\\nhand of fellowship. This year the church reached its high-water\\nmark, .\\\\fter fifteen years of long and faithful service, Dr. and\\nMrs. Haskell adopted Spiritualism, and severed their connec-\\ntion with the church in 1853 and 54, respectively.\\nJuly 31, 1858, letters were granted to thirty-four members\\nwho wished to organize another church in East Rockford. The\\nNew Hampshire confession of faith w^as adopted by the First\\nchurch January 2, 1859. When Dr. Clark closed his pastorate\\nin 18G0, the church had a membership of two hundred and\\nseventy-seven. When he came to Rockford there were one\\nhundred and sixty Baptists in the town when he went away\\nthere were three hundred and fifty-seven. Dr. Clark died at\\nLockport, Illinois, in 18G9, and was buried in the West side\\ncemetery.\\nSeveral members of the church were licensed to preach.\\nAmong these was Rev. Samuel Haskell, a nephew of Dr. Haskell,\\nto whom reference was made in Chapter XXIII. Mr. Haskell\\nwent from Rockford to Suffield, Connecticut, where he prepared\\nfor college. In 1845 he was graduated from Brown university,\\nand in 1 847, from Hamilton Theological institution. From\\n1847 to 1852 he was pastor of the First church in Detroit,\\nMichigan; from 1852 to 1871 in Kalamazoo, and from 1871\\nto 1888 in Ann Arbor. In 18GG he was president of the Michi-\\ngan State Convention. He is now retired from the pastorate,\\nand lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Other licentiates were T.\\nAdna Orcott, J. P. Carry, T. L. Breckenridge, J. A. Dobson,\\nVoluey Powell, and George Bornschlegel.\\nEarly clerks of the church were: George Haskell, M. I).,\\nDecember 2, 1838, to November, 1844; Duncan Ferguson,\\nNovember 2, 1844, to June, 1846; Volney Powell, June, 1846,\\nto June, 1847; Duncan Ferguson, June, 1847, to March, 1848;\\nVolney Powell, March, 1848, to October, 1853; Giles Mabie,\\nDecember, 1853, to April, 1855; Henry Sears, October, 1855,\\nto July, 1857; 0. A. Goodhue, July, 1857, to September, 1858;\\nS. P. Crawford, September, 1858, to October, 1862; W. G.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0171.jp2"}, "172": {"fulltext": "146 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nFerguson, October, 1862, to July, 1865; Ahaz Paxeon, July,\\n1865, to November, 1866.\\nDr. Clark was succeeded by Dr. Thomas Kerr, who received\\na call immediately after the resignation of his predecessor. Dr.\\nKerr was born in Aberdeen, Scotland May 24, 1824. He received\\na liberal education at Gordon s college and the University of\\nAberdeen. The latter is one of the oldest of two or three universi-\\nties in Scotland. Dr. Kerr has a brother who for forty years was\\nprofessor of architecture at King s college in London, and is now\\nprofessor emeritus. Dr. Kerr came to America in 1844. He\\narrived in New York September 1st. While in that city he\\nattended a winter s course of scientific lectures in Columbia col-\\nlege. In 1850 Dr. Kerr received his degree in medicine at the\\nIowa state university, then located at Davenport, but now at\\nDes Moines. The same year the Doctor began the practice of\\nmedicine at Elgin, Illinois, where he remained seven years. Dur-\\ning the latter part of this period Dr. Kerr felt constrained to\\nenter the ministry and in June, 1857, he was ordained as a\\nBaptist clergyman at Elgin, by the Fox River Association.\\nAmong those who officiated at his ordiuation was Rev. Charles\\nHill Roe, of Belvidere, an honored name in local Baptist history.\\nDr. Kerr became pastor of the Baptist church at Dundee, in\\nKane county, in thelatterpart of 1857. During this pastorate\\nhe continued to practice medicine at Elgin, as he found he could\\nnot absolutely retire at once from his former profession. In the\\nautumn of 1859 Dr. Kerr was called to Waukegan and June\\n1, 1860, he began his pastorate in Rockford.\\nTo Dr. Kerr belongs the honor of preaching the first war\\nsermon in Rockford after the bombardment of Fort Sumter.\\nSunday morning the news came that President Lincoln had\\nissued a call for seventy -five thousand men. It was one of those\\ncritical moments in the nation s life. Under its solemn inspi-\\nration, Dr. Kerr preached an impressive patriotic discourse in\\nthe afternoon in the First church, and for the first time in local\\nhistory the American fiag was displayed from the pulpit. Dr.\\nKerr preached the first funeral discourse over a dead soldier,\\na brother of Lucius Day, whose remains had been returned to\\nRockford for burial. These memorial services were held in the\\nstreet in front of the old court house.\\nAfter one year s service, Dr. Kerr was given a vacation of\\nthree months, during which time he visited Palestine. In 1864\\nDr. Kerr was a member of the Christian Commission for three", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0172.jp2"}, "173": {"fulltext": "EXCLUSION OF DR. KERR. 147\\nweeks, under the appointment of its chairman, George H. Stuart.\\nHis commission was signed as secretary by B. F. Jacobs, the\\nfamous Sunday-scliool worker. Upon his ret urn Dr. Kerrraised\\nseveral hundred dollars, by popular lectures on his observations\\nat the front, for the benefit of the Christian Commission fund.\\nDr. Kerr s official reports were hi ^hly complimented by Chair-\\nman Stuart. These appointments of clergymen were always for\\na short time, in order that a large number might be invited to\\nserve, and because such appointees were usually in charge of\\ntheir own local fields.\\nDr. Kerr s first Rockford pastorate closed November 1 1866,\\nwhen he was called to Hannibal, Missouri. After a brief pastorate\\nby Rev. James Lick, D. D., Dr. Kerr was again called to his\\nold charge in Rockford, and he began his second pastorate\\nJuly 11, 1869. His discourses were not considered evangelical,\\nand he was charged with not preaching Baptist doctrines. Dr.\\nKerr tendered his resignation August 28, 1870. In October\\nthe church called a council. This council met on the 14th,\\ndeposed Dr. Kerr from the Baptist ministry, and advised the\\nchurch to exclude him from membership. Upon this advice,\\nDr. Kerr and fort3 -eight members were excluded, who, though\\nowning the larger part of its property, left the church undisturbed\\nin its title to, and possession of it. With his friends. Dr. Kerr\\norganized the Church of the Christian Union, upon a basis of lib-\\neral rehgious thought. It is now the oldest independent church\\nof its kind in the country and preceded by five years a similar\\nmovement led by the late Prof. David Swing, in Chicago. Dr.\\nKerr, with a slight intermission, has preached in Rockford\\nnearly forty years. American church history records compar-\\ntively few parallels of such long service in one community. The\\ncareer of Dr. Kerr after his radical departure and of his church\\nbelongs to a later period of local history.\\nDr. Kerr is a commanding figure and a strong personality.\\nHis presentations of religious thought, though not expressed\\nin evangelical terms, are inspirational, restful and spiritual\\nand enkindle a spirit of reverence in responsive hearts. The\\nquestion as to whether essential Christianity can be permanently\\nmaintained in the hearts of men, apart from the historic and\\npersonal Christ, is thefundamental point at issue between evan-\\ngelical and liberal Christianity; and upon this question the\\nlatter is on trial for its life.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0173.jp2"}, "174": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXVIII.\\nVILLAGE INCORPORATED.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 LAND SALE.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 FIItST TEMPERANCE CLUB.\\nEARLY iu 1839 the little village aspired to the dignity of an\\nincorporated town. Thegenerallaw of 1831 provided that\\nwhenever the white males over the age of twent^ ^-one years,\\nbeing residents of any town in this state, containing not less\\nthan one hundred and fifty inhabitants, shall wish to become\\nincorporated for the better regulation of their internal police,\\nit should be lawful for them to do so. The ambition of the\\nvillage was sustained by the required population.\\nA meeting of the citizens of Rockford was held, pursuant to\\npublic notice, at the Rockford House, April 1, 1839. David\\nGoodrich was called to the chair, and James Mitchell was chosen\\nclerk. It was resolved that the two villages of Rockford, east\\nand west sides of Rock river, be incorporated into one town.\\nCommittees were appointed to ascertain the number of inhabi-\\ntants within the prescribed boundaries of Rockford to draft an\\nact of incorporation for the town; and to confer with Mr.\\nBrinckerhoff concerning free ferriage for the citizens of the\\ncounty.\\nAn adjourned meeting was held April 3d, but no business\\nwas transacted. A second adjourned meeting was held on the\\nfollowing evening. The committee on census reported that\\nthe number of inhabitants was two hundred and thirty-five.\\nThe committee appointed to confer with Mr. Brinckerhoff made\\na report to the effect that he would furnish free ferriage to the\\ncitizens of the county on condition that the trustees of the town\\nwould remunerate him, at the close of each year, with such sum\\nas a committee of three should determine, after ascertaining\\nthe receipts and expenses of the ferriage. One member of the\\ncommittee was to be chosen by the trustees, another by Mr.\\nBrinckerhoff, and these two were to appoint a third. At this\\nmeeting, by a two-thirds vote, as required by law, the town\\nwas incorporated. An election for five trustees was held April\\n10th. There were chosen Dr. Goodhue, Daniel S. Haight, Sam-\\nuel Little, Ephraim W^^man and Isaiah Lyon.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0174.jp2"}, "175": {"fulltext": "THE TO WN ONE MILE SQUA RE. 149\\nThe statute provided that the boundaries of a town incor-\\nporated under its provisions should not exceed one mile square.\\nThe trustees restricted the limits as thus prescribed by the law.\\nThey organized by the election of Daniel S. Haight, president\\nAnson Barnum, clerk; eTohn C. Kemble, attorney. Isaiah Lyon\\nwas elected collector and treasurer; Henry Thurston, assessor\\nfor the first district John Haskell, for the second Nathaniel\\nWilder for the third S. D. Preston, for the fourth.\\nRockford continued its simple municipal life under this sys-\\ntem until January, 1852. These years were quite uneventful,\\nso far as municipal affairs were concerned. The complete rec-\\nords of the proceedings of the board of trustees for those twelve\\nyears are contained in a single small volume. This book is well\\npreserved, in the office of the city clerk. Routine business occu-\\npied the almost exclusive attention of the board; and frequently\\nless than a page is required to record its proceedings.\\nThe lands in Winnebago county did not come into market\\nuntil the autumn of 1839. The lands in Rockford and Rockton\\ntownships were not offered for sale until 1843, by reason of the\\nfamous Polish claims, which will be considered in detail in a\\nsubsequent chapter. The land office for this district in 1839\\nwas at Galena. The opening of the lands to sale and entry in\\nthat year was an interestingevent to the settlers of Winnebago\\ncounty. Some of them had their farms well under cultivation,\\nand had raised a sufficient surplus, so that they were able to\\nsecure their farms when the sale began. The uniform govern-\\nment price for land was ten shillings an acre. Speculators were\\nalways around the land office on days of sale, waiting for the\\nfirst chance to make a claim. A common interest bound the\\nsettlers together, and they usually maintained their rights in\\nequity against the sharp practices of the land sharks.\\nMany of thesettlers, however, did not possess ready money.\\nStock and grain had become plenty by this time, but they\\ncould not be sold for cash. Money at one time commanded\\nthirty per cent. Some of the farmers had their claims bid in on\\nshares. Lands were also bid in by men who had money, on\\ncondition that their advances should double in three years\\nthirty-three and one-third per cent, interest the money-loaner\\nfurnished the money, and gave a bond to the claimant to\\nredeem at the expiration of three years, if the money should\\nbe paid on or before that day. The money-loaner supposed his", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0175.jp2"}, "176": {"fulltext": "150 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntitle was ^ood, as it was entered in his own name, and paid for\\nin full with his money. It was decided otherwise, however, by\\nthe supreme court, which treated it as a mortgage. There was\\nmuch litigation on this point.\\nThe Aberdeen Bank of Scotland purchased large tracts of land\\nin 1839, in McHenry, Winnebago and Boone counties. There\\nwere purchased four thousand six hundred and forty acres in\\nBoone county alone. Mr. Taylor, the agent of the bank, a short\\ntime after he made the entry, went down the Mississippi river on\\nthe steamboat War Eagle, and when near St. Louis, he was\\ndrowned by falling from the boat. It has been said he leaped\\ninto the river; but there is no known reason to justify a suspic-\\nion of suicide.\\nReference was made in a preceding chapter to the organiza-\\ntion of a temperance society, July 4, 1837. H. B. Potter was\\nchosen president, and M. W. Allen, secretary. The first annual\\nmeeting was held July 4, 1838, at Winnebago. Bev. Hiram\\nFoote delivered an address. E. H. Potter was chosen president,\\nand Horace Foote, secretary. The second annual meeting was\\nheld in West Rockford, July 4, 1839. Prayer was offered by\\nRev. John Morrill, and an address was given by Rev. Cyrus L.\\nWatson. The pledge was circulated and sixty-one names were\\nsecured, which made the total membership one hundred and\\nsixty-eight. Among the members during the first three years\\nwere H. B. Potter, Germanicus Kent, Samuel Haskell, Israel\\nMorrill, I. P. Bartlett, Samuel Gregory, I. M. Johnson, George\\nHaskell, John Emerson, James M. Wight, Dr. J. C. Goodhue.\\nFebruary 22, 1840, it was resolved That this society has\\nlearned with concern, and deep regret, that several distilleries\\nare about being erected in this and the neighboring counties, by\\nmeans of which we are led to fear and believe a large proportion\\nof our surplus produce is to be rendered worse than useless;\\nthat the kindest gifts of Providence will by this means be trans-\\nformed into the worst of evils.\\nThe records of this first temperance society are preserved\\nin good condition, in possession of Mrs. Harriott Wight Sher-\\nratt. The last entry was made in April, 1842, by James M.\\nWight, secretary.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0176.jp2"}, "177": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXIX.\\nROCKFORD CEMETERIES.\\nrOUR sites have been used in West Rockford for the purpose\\nof a cemetery. The first burial in the villaf^e of Rockford\\nwas that of Henry Harmon, who was drowned at the ferry in\\nRock river April 7, 1837, on block thirty-five of J. W. Leavitt s\\nplat of the orip:inal town of West Rockford. The Commercial\\nHotel, South Church street, is on the southeast corner of this\\nblock. The second interment was of the body of Sarah Kent, a\\ndaup^hter of Germanicus Kent, upon the same block, in 1837.\\nThese were followed by the burials of Addison Phillips, who\\naccidentally shot himself in March, 1839, and John Haskell, a\\nbrother of Dr. George Haskell, also in that year. Mrs. James\\nMitchell and some others were buried upon block thirty-five,\\nwhich was the only place of interment on the west side of the\\nriver until about 1840. The proprietors of that portion of the\\ntown west of the section line dividing sections twenty-two and\\ntwenty-three, then gave to the citizens of West Rockford a plat\\nof ground for cemetery purposes corresponding to block fifty-\\nthree in Morgan and Horsman s Addition to the city of Rock-\\nford, on the south side of State street. This block now includes\\nthe estate of Dr. C. H. Richings. Mrs. Montague, wife of Rich-\\nard Montague, was the first person buried in this ground. She\\ndied February 17, 1842. From that time this plat of ground\\ncontinued to be the place of burial until 1844. The original\\nproprietors of the town, by an agreement with the citizens,\\nexchanged this place of burial for a site corresponding to what\\nwould have been blocks thirty-seven and forty-eight of the\\noriginal plat, on the north bank of Kent s creek. This tract\\ncorresponds with the switch-yards, round hoitse and stock-\\nyards of the Chicago Northwestern railroad. The bodies\\nwere removed from the cemetery near State street and reburied\\nin the new grounds. In the year 1844 the citizens, after several\\nmeetings, organized an association, and in February, 1845,\\nthey obtained a charter incorporating the Rockford Cemetery\\nAssociation. Under this charter they elected their trustees and", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0177.jp2"}, "178": {"fulltext": "152 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nother officers, and kept up the organization in accordance with\\nall the provisions of the act. The first trustees named in this\\ncharter were John W. Taylor, Ephraim Wyman, Cyrus F.\\nMiller, Richard Montague and Benjamin Kilburn.\\nFrom 1844 to 1852 this site remained the place of burial\\nfor the Rockford Cemetery Association. During this time the\\nnumber of graves had increased to about one hundred and\\nseventy-five. The bodies that had been buried on block thirty-\\nfive remained there until 1852.\\nThe extension of the Galena Chicago Union railroad to\\nWest Rocktord again made it necessary for the Association to\\nremove its cemetery, as the grounds had been selected by the\\nrailroad company as the site for its depot. A portion of this\\ntract was condenmed by the company for this purpose. The\\nAssociation thereupon made arrangements with the railroad\\ncompany for the sale of the entire property, except seventy feet\\nfronting on Cedar street. The company paid the Association\\none thousand and nine hundred dollars. The frontage of seventy\\nfeet on Cedar street was subdivided into twelve lots, and sold to\\ndifferent persons for three thousand eight hundred and twelve\\ndollars and twelve cents.\\nIn April, 1852, the trustees took measures to procure a\\nnew charter for their more extended needs. In the following\\nMay the Association purchased of Charles Reed, George Haskell\\nand Nathaniel Wilder, the present cemetery grounds. This tract\\ncontained thirty-three acres, for which the Association paid\\ntwelve hundred dollars. On the 29th of May, 1852, the Asso-\\nciation made a contract with David D. Ailing to remove all the\\nbodies in the original place of burial on block thirty-five, and\\nthose in the later cemetery.\\nAt the special session of the legislature in June, 1852, the\\nAssociation obtained a new act of incorporation. The sum\\nrealized from the sale of its former property left a good margin\\nafter the later purchase. Quite extensive improvements were\\nmade with a portion of this reserve. This cemetery is a beau-\\nful spot in summer, well kept, and contains many splendid\\nmonuments. One of the most noticeable is the plain granite\\nshaft over the grave of Hon. Ephraim Sumner. The granite\\nwas quarried at Barre, Vermont. The height of the base and\\nshaft is forty feet, and the weight is twenty tons. This monu-\\nment was put up in 1894.\\nAt an early date Daniel S. Haight appropriated an acre of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0178.jp2"}, "179": {"fulltext": "CEDAR BLUFF CEMETERY. 153\\np;rouud for a cemetery on the East side. It was situated ou\\nthe east side of Longwood street, about ten rods north of\\nState. The j^round was open prairie. There was no shade from\\nthe summer sun, and the wintry windsintensified its desolation.\\nAn act approved February 18, 1847, provided for theincor-\\npoi-ation of the Cedar Bhiff Cemetery Association. E. H. Potter,\\nWillard Wheeler, BelaShaw,vSelden M. Church, IIollisH. Holmes\\nand Lucius Clark and their successors were made a body politic\\nand corporate for this purpose. The Association was not fully\\norganized, however, until November 28, 1851. Twelve acres\\nin section twenty-three were purchased fromBela Shaw, for four\\nhundred dollars, subject to the dower of Rebecca Shaw. The\\ntract was surveyed by Duncan Ferguson, April 3, 1853. It\\nremained the only burying-ground on the East side until the\\norganization of the Scandinavian Cemetery Association.\\nLove that survives the tomb has been called the purest\\nattribute of the soul. This love finds an expression in the mon-\\numents erected over the graves of the dead. Moreover, the\\ncemeteries of a people are in a measure an index of their relig-\\nious hope. The funerals of today have less of the gruesomeness\\nthat characterized such occasions thirty years ago. Likewise,\\nour cemeteries have been made more beautiful by the cultiva-\\ntion of the artistic sense, and by a deeper realization of the\\ntruth that death is but the doorway to a freer air and a\\nbroader view, and an infinite expansion of sanctified power.\\nThe cemeteries of Rockford are worthy of the character of its\\npeople.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0179.jp2"}, "180": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXX.\\nTHE SEVEN YEARS WAR OVER THE SITE OF THE COUNTY SEAT.\\nTHE attempt in 1836 to locate the county seat had proven\\na failure. The county business had been transacted in the\\nmeantime in various places in the village. The proprietors of\\nWinnebago did not consider the refusal of their deed of cession\\nto the county, noted in Chapter XH., as a finality. On that very\\nday began the famous controversy over the location of the\\ncounty seat, which was continued for seven years with great\\nspirit, and not a little bitterness on all sides. The proprietors\\nof Winnebago had expended considerable money in their town\\nplat, and they were anxious to have the county buildings com-\\nmenced at once, and thus settle the question. A favorable\\ndecision would insure increased value and ready sales of their\\ntown lots. On the other hand, the county commissioners\\nopposed the site of Winnebago, and placed every obstacle in\\nthe way of such location. Various propositions were made by\\nthe proprietors during this and the succeeding year to induce\\nthe commissioners to take some action that would secure them\\nin the location that had been previously made. All these over-\\ntures were either refused or evaded. The persistent refusal of\\nthe county commissioners led to state legislation.\\nBy an act of the general assembly, approved March 2, 1839,\\nthe question was submitted to a popular vote. It was made\\nthe duty of the clerk of the county commissioners court to give\\nnotice of an election to be held on the first Monday in May,\\n1839. The law provided that if it should appear that within\\none hundred of a majority of all the votes cast were in favor of\\nthe town of Winnebago, that town should remain the perma-\\nnent county seat. But if any other place, after the first election,\\nshould receive a majority of all the votes given, such place\\nshould be the seat of justice. If more than two places received\\nvotes, and no one place received a majority, there should be an\\nelection held on the first Monday of each succeeding month,\\ndropping off at each election, the place receiving the smallest\\nnumber of votes, until some one place should receivea majority\\nof all the votes polled.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0180.jp2"}, "181": {"fulltext": "SIX ASPIRANTS FOR COURT HOUSE. 155\\nThese provisions gave Wiuiiebago a decided advantage;\\nbut even then the town was unable to win the prize. At the\\nelection six aspirants received votes, as follows Rockford, three\\nhundred and twenty Winnebago, seventy-live Roscoe, two\\nWillow Creek, five Pecatonica, one Scipio, one. Total vote\\ncast, four hundred and four, of which Rockford had a majority\\nover all of two hundred and thirtj -pix. In commenting on this\\nelection, the late Judge Church said: Whether there was any\\nOsawattomie [evidently another form of the word Pottawat-\\nomie] voting at that election, I am unable to say, but one thing\\nis certain there were two hundred more votes polled than at\\nthe general election in August following.\\nThe prospective village of Winnebago reached the highest\\npoint of all its greatness on the day when its ambitious claims\\nwere rejected by the county commissioners court. Like Cardi-\\nnal AVolsey, it fell like a bright exhalation in the evening.\\nFrom that time it began to decline. In April, 1844, many of\\nthe lots were sold by the sheriff to satisfy delinquent taxes; and\\nin 1847 the plat was vacated by a special act of the legislature.\\nSome years later Mrs. Campbell, widow of Major Campbell,\\nby her attorney, appeared in Rockford, and made a claim for\\ndower interest, on the ground that when her husband took\\nthe benefit of the bankrupt law, he assigned his interest in the\\nWinnebago village property without her consent. Some were\\nintimidated into paying these claims; and others successfully\\ncontested tliem.\\nCharles Reed was an excellent judge of land, and traveled\\nfrom Fox river to Apple river, selecting and making claims.\\nMr. Reed was a native of Virginia. He served in the war of\\n1812, and was taken prisoner at Detroit, when Hull surren-\\ndered. He again enHsted, and was in the battle of theThames,\\nwhen Tecumseh was killed. Mr, Reed first settled in Illinois at\\nJoliet. He was one of the commissioners to locate the county\\nseat of Ogle county in 1836. Mr. Reed was influential in secur-\\ning the passage of the act for the organization of Winnebago\\ncounty. From Winnebago village he removed to Rockton,\\nwhere he died August 20, 1803, at theage of seventy-nine ear8.\\nMr. Reed was highly esteemed as a citizen, neighbor and friend.\\nIn pursuance of the popular vote in favor of Rockford, the\\ncounty commissioners, on June 8, 1839, selected the public\\nsquare on the east side of the river as the site for the court\\nhouse. Anson Barnum and Daniel S. Haight were authorized", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0181.jp2"}, "182": {"fulltext": "156 HISTORY OF ROCKFOHD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nto accept stone and other buildiug material. A large quantity\\nof brick and lumber was contributed by the citizens. This\\nmaterial remained on the public square for a longtime, because\\nthe county had no money to continue the work. At a special\\nsession held June 17, the court selected the southeast corner of\\nblock nine as a site for a jail. This is the site now occupied by\\nthe Rockford Gas Light and Coke Company. No jail, however,\\nwas built upon that location.\\nAt the session of September 28, 1841, a proposition was\\nsubmitted to the commissioners court, to furnish a suitable\\njail and quarters for the county offices in West Rockford until\\npermanent buildings could be constructed. This proposal\\nwas signed by Messrs. George Haskell, Charles I. Horsman,\\nAbiram Morgan, John W. Taylor, David D. Ailing, Nathaniel\\nLoomis, Ephraim Wyman, Horatio Nelson, Derastus Harper\\nand Isaiah Lyon. Upon executing a bond in the penal sum\\nof one thousand dollars, this proposition was accepted. Decem-\\nber 11th these gentlemen reported to the commissioners court\\nthat the building for the county offices was ready for use, and\\nthe same was accepted by the court. This was a frame struct-\\nure on the southwest corner of Main and Chestnut streets,\\nopposite the Hotel Nelson. This building was occupied by the\\ncourt until a court house was built, and only recently torn down\\nto make room for a brick block. The donors, at this December\\nsession, were given an extension of five months to complete the\\njail. This was a log structure, about twelve feet square, with\\nplank door, and window barred with irons set into the logs\\nabove and below. It stood east of the present court house, in\\nthe same block. Whenever a desperate character was confined\\ntherein it was necessary to station a guard. Previous to the\\nerection of this primitive prison, the nearest jail was at Galena.\\nWhen I. N. Cunningham was sheriff, he owned a substantially\\nbuilt house a short distance from town, and his brother William\\nonce prevented a prisoner from escaping at night by fastening\\none end of a chain to his ankle and the other to the ankle of\\nthe prisoner, and both were secured to the strong puncheon\\nfloor. Sixty years ago William Cunningham was a dangerous\\nman to resist. The old log jail did duty after a fashion until\\nthe brick jail was completed.\\nAbout this time a controversy arose concerning the precise\\nmeaning of the statute under which the election of May, 1839,\\nhad been held. That portion of the third section of the law", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0182.jp2"}, "183": {"fulltext": "OPINIONS OF THK ROCK FORD 1i.\\\\R. 157\\nenclosed in parenthesis was anibip^uous. The point at issue\\nwas whether the law actually authorized an election to select a\\nseat of justice, or merely to decide the general question of remo-\\nval. This question was before the commissioners court at its\\nSeptember session in 1841. Each commissioner held a different\\nopinion. William Hulin held that the county seat had been\\nremoved from Winnebago, but had never been relocated. Ezra\\nS. Cable maintained that all the provisions of the law had not\\nbeen complied with, and therefore the county seat remained as\\noriginally located. William E. Dnnbar believed the county seat\\nhad been actually removed to Rockford. This deadlock must\\nbe broken before progress was possible. May 10, 1842, the\\ncommissioners court requested the bar of the city to submit\\nopinions in writing concerning the legal effect of the popular\\nvote. Opinions were prepared by Anson S. Miller, Francis Bur-\\nnap. Thomas 1). Robertson, JamesM. Wight and Jason Marsh.\\nMr. Miller s opinion was quite elaborate. The attorneys were\\nunanimous in the o})inion that the county seat had been changed\\nfrom Winnebago to Rockford, in accordance with the evident\\nintent of the law. At the session of July, 1842, the commis-\\nsioners court authorized the judges of election in the several\\nprecincts to take the sense of the voters at the August election\\non the question whether the county buildings should be perma-\\nnently located in East or West Rockford. Several precincts did\\nnot vote on the question but the general result was favorable\\nto the West side, inasmuch as the temporary location of the\\ncounty offices on that side had already given it a degree of\\nprestige. This vote had no legal effect, however, because the\\nlaw had given the commissioners court full power in the prem-\\nises. But it did have a certain persuasive influence.\\nIn April, 1843, Daniel S. Haiglit, E. H. Potter, Hollis H.\\nHolmes, Laomi Peake, Daniel Howell and John A. Brown, of\\nthe East side, submitted a proposition to the county commis-\\nsioners to build a court house and jail, to cost four thousand\\ndollars. This proposal was considered, but complications pre-\\nvented its acceptance. A few days later, April 22d. citizens of\\nW^est Rockford made a similar ])roposition. On condition that\\nthe commissioners select the site on the West side, the citizens\\nagreed to erect such buildings as the county commissioners\\nshould direct, and according to such plan and finish as the com-\\nmissioners should furnish for a court house, county offices and\\njail, the said buildings to be commenced before the first day of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0183.jp2"}, "184": {"fulltext": "158 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nJune next, and the jail to be finished before the first day of\\nJanuary, 1844. The remainder of the said buildings were to\\nbe finished by the first day of November, 1844. The donors were\\nto perfect and convey to the county a good title to the land on\\nwhich the said buildings should stand, to the amount of two\\nand a half acres. This proposition was signed by Messrs.\\nGeorge Haskell, Charles I. Horsman, H. W. Loomis, M. Burner,\\nCharles Hall, Thomas D. Robertson, George W. Dewey, David\\nD. Alhng, H. R. Maynard, Alden Thomas, S. Skinner, George\\nBarrows, John Fisher, Derastus Harper, Daniel Dow.\\nNothing had been done on the East side toward erecting\\ncounty buildings with the material which had been contributed\\nand the proposition from the West side citizens was accepted,\\nwith five conditions. These were first, that security be given to\\nthe acceptance of the commissioners or any two of them, in term\\ntime or vacation within twenty days; second, that the security\\nbe a bond for twenty thousand dollars, and the buildings be\\nworth not less than six thousand dollars third, that said bond\\nbe placed in the hands of the clerk of the court within three\\ndays from its acceptance; fourth, that the subscribers to the\\nproposition, or a majority of them, enter into a contract in\\nwriting within twenty days to erect the buildings as offered in\\ntheir proposition; fifth, that the contract be placed in the hands\\nof the clerk of the court within three days from its approval.\\nThe commissioners ordered that block twenty-five in West Rock-\\nford be the site of the buildings.\\nThus closed a contest which had continued for seven years.\\nAn opinion prevails to this day that the cession of the mile-strip\\nto Boone county insured the location of the county buildings\\non the west side of the river; and that the voters on the strip,\\nif they had remained in this county, would have held the balance\\nof power, which would have been exercised in the election of two\\ncommissioners from the east side of the river. The ofl^cial rec-\\nords are clearly against this tradition. The county seat was\\npermanently located in April, 1843 whereas, the election on\\nthe mile-strip did not occur until the following month. The\\nresult was due to a single citizen. William Hulin was elected a\\ncounty commissioner in 1841, while a resident of Rockton, on\\nthe east side of the river. During his term of office he removed\\nto West Rockford. Mr. Hulin s friends claim that his sympa-\\nthies were always with the West side; while others maintain\\nthat this change of residence was quite naturally followed by a", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0184.jp2"}, "185": {"fulltext": "AN ERROSEOVS TRADITION. 159\\nchange of sec^tional preference. In either event, Mr. Hulingave\\nthe caf^tino- vote in favor of the West side.\\nIt is quite certain, however, that the cession of themile-strip\\nhad been regarded with favor for years by the citizens of the\\nwestern part of the county. It is even alleged that the scheme\\nwas deliberately planned in AVest Rockford, to reduce the vot-\\ning strength on the east side of the river. The citizens on the\\nstrip petitioned the legislature to be annexed to Boone; and as\\nearly as Decenjber 24, 1840, a bill was introduced in the senate,\\nfor a change in the boundary line of Boone county. December\\n30th, the bill was read the third time and passed. The bill came\\nbefore the house January 13, 1841. It was subsequently\\namended and referred to a select committee. The Rock River\\nExpress of January 16, 1841, published a brief but vigorous\\nprotest against the proposed cession. The bill, however, was\\nlost. Had it passed that session, it would doubtless have had\\nits influence in the contest over the county seat. But the bill\\ndid not become a law until two years later. In the meantime\\nthe question had been settled in a different manner.\\nThe brick jail was completed and occupied January 1, 1844.\\nThe court house was finished in July of the same year, and wa^\\naccepted by the county commissioners. Derastus Harper and\\nJohn Beattie were the architects. It was one story, about fifty-\\nsix feet long, thirty-five feet in width, and seventeen feet high.\\nThe court room was fifty-four by thirty-three feet nine feet in\\nthe rear of the bench was partitioned off into jury rooms. Two\\nrows of slips made in the st3 leof those erected in the churches,\\nfilled the room outside the bar, and accommodated three hun-\\ndred persons. The entire edifice, including the pediment and\\nfour fluted columns in front, was built in the Grecian Doric\\norder of architecture. The public square, jail and court house\\nwere furnished by the citizens of West Rockford without the\\noutlay of a dollar by the county. The stone building in which\\nthe county records were kept, was built in 1851. All these\\nbuildings have been removed from the square.\\nThe first term of court held in the new building was in\\nAugust, 1844. The presiding judge was Thomas C. Brown;\\nJames Mitchell, clerk; G. A. Sanford, sheriff. Many bright\\nstars in the legal firmament of that day practiced in Winnebago\\ncounty. Belvidere, Freeport, Galena and Chicago sent their\\nbest talent. The famous Mat. Carpenter, of Wisconsin, came\\nto Rockford on professional business half a century ago.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0185.jp2"}, "186": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXI.\\nPLAN OF SECESSION AND PROPOSED ANNEXATION TO WISCONSIN.\\nSIXTY years a^o Winnebago county figured prominently in\\na movement of secession from Illinois, for the purpose of\\nannexation to Wisconsin. The few surviving- settlers of northern\\nIllinois will recall the prolonged controversy over the northern\\nboundary of the state. This agitation covered the entire period\\nbetween the admission of Illinois in 1818, and the admission of\\nWisconsin thirty years later. The story forms one of the most\\ninteresting chapters in the history of the commonwealth. The\\nfinal adjustment is a perpetual witness to the prophetic genius\\nof Nathaniel Pope, the territorial representative of Illinois in\\ncongress. In the light of subsequent history, it was nothing\\nless than genius that enabled this man, alone and unchallenged,\\nto add fifty miles to the northern boundary of Illinois; and\\nthus make her, with her commercial metropolis on the lake\\nfront, the keystone in the magnificent arch of great western\\nstates. As a statesman and patriot, Nathaniel Pope is worthy\\nto be placed at the head of the illustrious column which includes\\nLincoln, Douglas, Grant, Yates and Logan.\\nThis movement was widespread, and the feeling at times\\nwas intense, and even bitter. The war cry of fifty-four forty\\nor fight did not more thoroughly arouse the enthusiastic\\nDemocracy over the Oregon boundary line fifty-six years ago,\\nthan did this inter-state controversy enkindle the sectional\\njjrejudices of the settlers in the disputed territory. The village\\nof Rockford played quite a part in this struggle. There was\\nbrought to light in this city about a year ago a copy of the\\nofficial proceedings of a mass meeting held in Rockford July 6,\\n1840. This convention was composed of delegates from the\\nnorthern fourteen counties of the state. Its purpose was seces-\\nsion from Illinois and annexation to the proposed new state of\\nWisconsin.\\nHistory has never fully explained the causes of this move-\\nment. Tradition alone has interpreted its true animus. The", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0186.jp2"}, "187": {"fulltext": "REASONS FOR THE MOVEyfENT. 161\\napparent motive was a restoration of the boundary line as\\noriginally establifslied between the two states that might be\\nformed of the territory north of an east-and-west line running\\nthrough the southerly bend of Lake Michigan. This line, it was\\nclaimed, had been arbitrarily and unfairly extended fifty miles\\nnorth when Illinois became a state.\\nThe real reasons for this movement were two: First, the\\nsettlers in the northern and the southern portions of the state\\nhad little or no interest in common. The northern portion was\\nsettled principally by people who had come from New England\\nand New York. They were industrious, thrifty and progressive.\\nThey built towns and cities as by magic. The southern part of\\nIllinois was settled by emigrants from the slave-holding states.\\nThey were generally poor, as the well-to-do people did not emi-\\ngrate. In those days the poor man in the south was scarcely\\nabove the Ne^o in the social scale. This class came into south-\\nern Illinois from slave-holding states to escape the limitations\\nof their former poverty. Between the people of the southern\\nand the northern portions of the state was a great gulf fixed.\\nEach misunderstood the other. The Illinois and Michigan\\ncanal was opposed by the people of southern Illinois for fear it\\nwould flood the state with Yankees. This conflict of interest\\nand opinion was a continuation of the struggle between the\\ncivilizations of Plymouth and Jamestown. The Puritan and\\nthe class distinctions of the cavalier had entered the western\\narena, where a few years later Lincoln and Douglas fought\\nthe historic battle of the century.\\nThe second reason for this sectional divorcement was the\\ndesire of the northern people to escape the burden of the enor-\\nmous state debt, which had been created by the gigantic scheme\\nof internal improvements. In 1840, during Governor Carlin s\\nadministration, the total debt of the state, principal and inter-\\nest, was fourteen million six hundred and sixty-six thousand\\nfive hundred and sixty-two dollars and forty-two cents. The\\ntreasury was bankrupt; the revenue was insufficient the people\\nwere not able to pay high taxes, and the state had borrowed\\nitself out of credit. The state never repudiated its debt, but it\\nsimply could not pay it at that time. Moreover, the state had\\nlittle to show for this vast expenditure. Southern Illinois\\ndominated the state, and the people in the sparsely settled\\nnorthern counties were not responuible for the creation of the\\nstate debt.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0187.jp2"}, "188": {"fulltext": "162 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNKBAOO CODNTT.\\nSuch was the condition of affairs when the mass convention\\nwas held in Rockford in the summer of 1840. In order to more\\nfully understand the historic situation at that time, it will be\\nnecessary to briefly refer to the document which gave a plausible\\npretext to the separatist movement. This was the ordinance\\nfor the government of the Northwest Territory, adopted in\\n1787. This ordinance provided for the division of this vast area,\\nfor territorial purposes, which of course had no bearing upon\\nthe present matter. It further provided that not more than\\ntwo states should be formed from the territory north of an\\neast-and-west line running through the southerly bend of Lake\\nMichigan.\\nIn 1818 Illinois Territory petitioned congress for admission\\ninto the union on an equality with the original states. The\\npetition defined the northern boundary of the state in accord-\\nance with the provisions of the ordinance of 1787. When the\\npetition came before congress, Mr. Pope was instructed by the\\ncommittee to report a bill in pursuance of the petition. Before\\nthe bill became a law it was amended by the extension of the\\nboundary line from the southerly bend of Lake Michigan to\\nforty-two degrees thirty minutes. Thus was added to Illinois\\na territory fifty miles from north to south, which now includes\\nthe northern fourteen counties of the state. These important\\nand radical changes were proposed and carried through both\\nhouses of congress by Mr. Pope, entirely on his own personal\\nresponsibility. The territorial legislature had not petitioned\\nfor them, but the great and lasting advantage was so apparent\\nthat the action of Mr. Pope received the unqualified endorse-\\nment of the people.\\nWhen Wisconsin began to aspire to statehood, it was upon\\nthe language of the ordinance of 1787, above quoted, which\\nwas declared a compact to remain forever unalterable, that our\\nnorthern neighbor based her claim to the territory north of the\\noriginal line.\\nThis question of boundary became an issue in local politics,\\nand it was not until 1848, when Wisconsin became a state, that\\nall hope of the restoration of the original line w^as abandoned.\\nIn accordance with this widespread movement, which is\\nsaid to have begun at Galena, a mass meeting was held at the\\nRockford House, in Rockford, July 6, 1840. One hundred and\\ntwenty delegates, who represented the entire territory in dis-\\npute, were in attendance. Among the supporters from Rockford", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0188.jp2"}, "189": {"fulltext": "THE ROCK FORD CO^i VENTION. 1 6 3\\nand the immediate vicinity were Dr. J. C. Goodhue, William E.\\nDunbar, Jason Marsli, Thomas D. Robertson, Horace Miller,\\nDr. Levi Moulthrop, Alonzo Corey, John W. Taylor, and Ger-\\nmanicus Kent, of Rockford Daniel H. Whitney and James M.\\nLoop, of Belvidere; and Martin P. Sweet, of Freeport. Dr.\\nGoodhue was chosen permanent chairman of the convention.\\nOne committee was appointed to prepare an address to the\\npeople of the disputed territory. A second committee was\\ninstructed to report resolutions declaratory of the right of\\nWisconsin to the territory in dispute. The preamble declared\\nthat it was the general if not the universal belief of the residents\\nof the tract of territory in dispute, that the same by right and\\nby law is a part of the Territory of AVisconsin; and that their\\ninterests would be advanced by the restoration of the original\\nline, as defined by the ordinance of 1787.\\nThe resolutions declared first, that it was the opinion of\\nthe meeting that the intention of the framers of the ordinance\\nof 1787 for the government of the Northwest Territory, was\\nthat if congress formed one or two states north of theeast-and-\\nwest line above mentioned, that the states south of the line\\nshould not extend north and beyond it; second, that congress,\\nin thus extending thenorthernboundary of Illinois, transcended\\nits power and violated the provisions of the ordinance.\\nIt was also resolved that if the governor of Wisconsin Ter-\\nritory should issue a proclamation for an election of delegates\\nto a convention for the formation of a state government, under\\nthe resolutions relating to the southern boundary, approved\\nJanuary 13, 1840, the citizens of the territory in dispute should\\nelect delegates to the convention, according to the ratio fixed\\nby the resolution.\\nThe sixth resolution provided that a central committee\\nof five be appointed to carry into effect the resolutions of the\\nconvention, and to inform the executive of Wisconsin of the\\nstatus of public opinion. It was finally resolved that a copy of\\nthe proceedings of the convention should be signed by the\\npresident and secretary and forwarded to the governor of the\\nTerritory of Wisconsin,\\nOther boundary conventions were held in various parts of\\nthe district. A convention at Oregon City, January 22, 1842,\\nadopted resolutions similar to those approved at Rockford\\neighteen months earlier. The delegates even went to the point\\nof declaring that the ordinance of 1787 should not be changed", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0189.jp2"}, "190": {"fulltext": "164 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwithout the consent of the people of the orij^inal states, and of\\nthe Northwest Territory.\\nA meeting was held in Galena, March 18, 1842, of which\\nCharles S. Hempstead was president. Strong resolutions were\\nadopted. One declared that the annexation of the district to\\nIllinois was an unlawful, arbitrary proceeding, and a dangerous\\nprecedent.\\nIn June. 1842, the commissioners court of Winnebago\\ncounty submitted this question to a popular vote of the county\\nai the August election. The returns were as follows: Forannex-\\nation to Wisconsin, nine hundred and seventy -one; opposed to\\nannexation, six.\\nA meeting of the citizens of Belvidere was held September\\n7, 1842, when it was decided to call a special election for the\\nfourth Monday in September, in pui-suance of the recommenda-\\ntion contained in the proclamation of Governor Doty, of the\\nTerritory of Wisconsin. Such an election was held, with a result\\nsimilar to that in Winnebago county.\\nThis prolonged agitation accomplished no result. The\\nmovement suddenly lost its momentum and became a spent\\nforce. The esssential principle involved in the resolutions that\\nwere adopted at Oregon City was whether the congress of the\\nUnited States under the constitution, had no power to amend\\na prior act of confederated states. In view of the subsequent\\nevolution of the federal idea, under the splendid leadership of\\nWebster and Marshall, it seems surprising that such a prepos-\\nterous claim should have been seriously considered.\\nThe beneficent results arising from the policy of Nathaniel\\nPope and the failure of the separatists are incalculable. No\\nreflections are cast upon those who desired separation. They\\nacted from worthy motives, but they could not foresee the\\nfuture. Time has shown their error to have been that of judg-\\nment rather than of heart. The people of Wisconsin, however,\\nhave never been fully reconciled to the situation. From the\\nstandpoint of state pride, it may be said that in the collapse of\\nthe movement was the magnificent city of Chicago, the queen\\nof the north and the west, saved to Illinois. The wealthiest,\\nmost populous and progressive counties were preserved to our\\ncommonwealth, which has become the pride of the nation. In\\n1840 the people of northern Illinois were more in sympathy\\nwith the ideas and institutions of Wisconsin, because they had\\na common origin in the east. With the lapse of time the two", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0190.jp2"}, "191": {"fulltext": "ILLINOIS A PIVOTAL STATE. 165\\nportions of the state have beeu wrought into a bond of indis-\\nsoluble unity.\\nMoreover, there were national reasons why Illinois should\\nnot be dismembered. In all previous confederated republics\\nthere had been danj^er of dissolution. Illinois, by reason of her\\ngeoo;raphical position, is a pivotal state. With a port on the\\nchain of lakes, her western shore bounded by the Father of\\nWaters, and her southern and eastern borders drained by the\\nWabash and the Ohio, the commercial power of the Prairie\\nState extends southward to the gulf, and eastward to the sea.\\nMr. Pope foresaw that none of the states in the west could ven-\\nture a dissolution of the union without the assistance of a state\\nwhich nature had planned should be large and powerful.\\nNathaniel Pope belongs to the roll of forgotten statesmen.\\nThe sphere of his activity was limited. He did not in his day\\nreceive the recognition to which he was entitled. He builded\\nwiser than he knew. He foresaw possibilities which his genera-\\ntion did not fully comprehend. In the clear light of today,\\nthat shines from the grandeur of the Prairie State, it must be\\nsaid that Nathaniel Pope was a constructive statesman of the\\nfirst rank.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0191.jp2"}, "192": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXII.\\nrockford s attitude toward repudiation of state debt,\\nTHE history of the bonded indebtedness of the states begins\\nwith the period from 1830 to 1840. At the bej^inning of\\nthat decade the aggregate debt of the several states amounted\\nto only thirteen million dollars. Then began an era of extrav-\\nagance in which certain states made enormous expenditures for\\ninternal improvements, and for funding their debts, negotiated\\nlarge loans on long time. Within the twelve years succeeding\\n1830 the aggregate debt of the states had arisen to more than\\ntwo hundred millions, an increase of more than sixteen hundred\\nper cent.\\nAs a relief from this burden, several states repudiated their\\ndebts. The constitution of the United States prohibits a. state\\nfrom passing laws impairing the obligation of contracts;\\nand the supreme court had repeatedly affirmed that this clause\\nincludes cases to which the several states may be parties.\\nThese decisions, however, indicated that the value of this\\ncontract clause depends upon other laws which provide for the\\nenforcement of contracts. If a state owe a debt, her obligation\\ndepends upon existing laws for the enforcement of contracts\\nagainst the state. If there are no such laws, the contract, though\\nlegal, may be practically worthless, if the state chooses to dis-\\nregard its provisions. Under these circumstances, Mississippi,\\nFlorida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana,\\nGeorgia, Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia actually repudiated\\ntheir debts.\\nIllinois narrowly escaped the odium of repudiation. At this\\ncritical period Thomas Ford became governor. On this point\\nhe says in his History of Illinois: It is my solemn belief that\\nwhen I came into office, I had the power to make Illinois a repu-\\ndiating state. After July, 1841, no effort was made to pay\\neven the interest on the debt; and her bonds declined to four-\\nteen cents on the dollar. Ford was elected governor in 1842;\\nand his title to fame securely rests upon the fact that he stemmed\\nthe tide, so that the larger portion of the debt was actually\\npaid during his administration.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0192.jp2"}, "193": {"fulltext": "GOVERNOR FORD. 167\\nNotwithstanding: the fact that the citizens of Winnebago\\ncounty desired annexation to Wisconsin, in part by reason of\\nthis debt, there was no attempt made to repudiate the debt so\\nlong as they remained in the state. On the other hand, the\\ncitizens took an unequivocal position against such a ruinous\\npolicy. A call was issued for a meeting February 5, 1842, to\\nconsider the condition of the public credit. This call was signed\\nby S. M. Church, S. D. Preston, George S. Haskell, Germanicus\\nKent, D. S. Haight, G. A. Sanford, Francis Burnap and otheis.\\nIt had been surmised that Illinois would refuse to pay its debt.\\nThis call was endorsed by a vigorous editorial in the Rockford\\nPilot, which closed with these words: As this is a question of\\nvital consideration to every citizen, we trust that a full attend-\\nance will be had on that occasion that by your presence and\\nyour voices you may show to the world your opinion in regard\\nto these surmises. Think not that your individual credit is\\nindependent of that of your state and nation. All power and\\nall public acts emanate directly from the people, who are the\\nsovereigns of the republic and whatever honor or shame falls\\nto your state, must be shared among you. The citizens meet-\\ning was in sympathy with this editorial comment and the\\nmoral influence of Winnebago county w-as thus placed on record\\nagainst a repudiating policy that would have brought the state\\ninto everlasting disgrace.\\nGovernor Thomas Ford, whom the people of Illinois should\\never hold in grateful remembrance, was born at Uniontown,\\nPennsylvania, in 18U0. He held various civil offices in his\\nadopted state. In 1841 he was assigned as judge to the sixth\\njudicial circuit, and while serving in Ogle county in this capac-\\nity, he received notice of his nomination for governor by the\\nDemocratic convention. He was elected in August, 1842, and\\nwas inaugurated in the following December. Governor Ford s\\nHistory of Illinois is a readable and entertaining book, and\\nwill increase in value with the lapse of time. Governor Ford\\ndied at Peoria, November 2, 1850. The abject poverty of his\\nlast days was declared by the Mormons to be directly due to\\nthe curses pronounced against him by their prophet, Joseph\\nSmith. Like many other illustrious men. Governor Foid com-\\nbined intemperate habits with a high sense of official honor.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0193.jp2"}, "194": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIII.\\nTHE LYCEUM, SETTLERS OF THE EARLY FORTIES. MINOR NOTES.\\nTHE lyceum was oue of the popular institutions in the early\\ndays. The lecture bureau was unknown, and the opportu-\\nnities for intellectual improvement were limited. A celebrated\\nFrenchman said that when he wanted a new book, he wrote\\none. So the earlier residents of the village were dependent upon\\ntheir own resources for literary entertainment. In this day the\\ndebating club is usually a feature of the district school; but\\nsixty years ago the professional men of the village found recre-\\nation and profit in the arena of debate. Among the questions\\ndiscussed in the winters of 1841-43 were the following: Is the\\nBritish government justifiable in waging the present war with\\nChina? Would a protective tariff be sound policy for this gov-\\nernment? Are we morally bound to abstain from all intoxi-\\ncating drinks? Is Rock river a young river? The membership\\nof the lyceum included Dr. Goodhue, Charles Latimer, James\\nM. Wight, Anson S. Miller, Francis Burnap, Jason Marsh, J.\\nA. Brown, William P. Dennis, Cyrus F. Miller, S. M. Church,\\nCharles I. Horsman, T. D. Robertson, W. E. Dunbar, and other\\nrepresentative citizens. During the winter of 1840-41 James\\nM. Wight delivered a lecture on The March of Mind, and Mr.\\nBurnap gave two addresses on The Rise and Progress of Law.\\nThe Whig Hill Lyceum considered its organization of such\\nimportance as to have it entered on the records of the county\\ncommissioners court. At a meeting held at the home of Milton\\nKilburn, there was a debate on this grave problem: Which is\\nthe better citizen, the thief or the liar? The question never\\nseems to have been authoritatively settled, and it is said the\\ntwo classes are known to still exist.\\nAnother society was the Mechanics and Artisans Institute.\\nAt one meeting it wrestled with the problem Ought the con-\\ngress of the United States to enact a general bankrupt law?\\nAfter a lapse of more than- half a century, and with the light of\\nseveral experiments, it is still an open question, from a moral\\npoint of view.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0194.jp2"}, "195": {"fulltext": "LAWYERS OF EARLY FORTIES. 169\\nOrriu Miller came to Rockford in 1843, aud en^jja^ed in the\\npractice of law. He was a brilliant and able attorney. Mr.\\nMiller married a daup^hter of Willard Wheeler. About 1871 he\\nremoved to the Pacific coast. His death occurred at Pomona,\\nnear Los Angeles, in February, 1891. He was about seventy\\nyears of age. His remains were brought to llocktord for inter-\\nment. Mr. Miller was a cousin of Mrs. William Brown.\\nAnother early lawyer of the village was Grant B. Udell.\\nHis name is occasionally found on old legal documents; but he\\nseems not to have been generally remembered.\\nAnson S. Miller was a prominent lawyer and politician half\\na century ago. He was elected state senator in 18 iG, was post-\\nmaster of Rockford under appointment of President Lincoln,\\nand probate judge from 1857 to 18G5. Judge Miller was one of\\nthe presidential electors in 18G4, aud was chosen by the electo-\\nral college to carry the vote of Illinois to Washington. Judge\\nMiller was one of the old-school characters, dignified, slightly\\npompous, with a fund of good stories which he could relate ad\\nlibitum. Judge Miller died January 7, 1891, at Santa Cruz,\\nCalifornia. For twenty years precediughis death he had resided\\nin California. Judge Miller was eighty-two years of age. His\\nfather was Luther Miller, a native of Connecticut.\\nCyrus F. Miller, a brother of Judge Miller, was born near\\nRome, New York. He came to Winnebago county in 1839 or\\n40, and was for many years a well known member of the local\\nbar, aud justice of the peace. Mr. Miller removed to Chicago in\\n1871, directly after the great fire. He practiced law in that city\\nuntil 187G, when he returned to Rockford. His death occurred\\nJune 4, 1890, at Beatrice, Nebraska, aud his remains were\\nbrought to Rockford for burial. Mr. Miller was about seventy-\\nfive years of age. Luther L. Miller, an attorney in Chicago, is\\na son; and Mrs. Israel Shoudy, of Rockford, is a daughter.\\nAsher Miller, another brother, now a resident of California,\\nwas also an early settler. The father and three sons came\\nto Rockford about the same time.\\nDaniel Dow is a native of Perthshire county, Scotland. He\\ncameto Rockford in 1841, and opened abootandshoestore, and\\nlater he carried a general stock of merchandise. He purchased\\ngoods at St. Louis, and his first trip to that city was made by\\nteam to Galena, thence by the Mississippi to his destination.\\nMr. Dow continued in business until 1859, when he retired and\\ntraveled extensively. Upon his return to Rockford he began", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0195.jp2"}, "196": {"fulltext": "170 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ndealing in ^rain. Mr. Dow served the Third ward as alderman\\nfor six years. He is the owner of the valuable Dow block on\\nSouth Main street.\\nLewis B. Gregory is a native of Seneca county, New York.\\nHe was born in 1820, of New England ancestry. His father\\nwas Rev. Harry Gregory, a Methodist minister. Mr. Gregory\\nacquired a seminary education. He came to Rockford in 1843,\\nand began teaching the same year. Mr. Gregory is probably\\nthe oldest living teacher in the county. After teaching several\\nterms, he became interested in business on the old water-power\\non the east side of the river. He was a nephew of Samuel and\\nEliphalet Gregory, settlers of 1835. Mr. Gregory was married\\nin Rockford to Miss Lucy E. Spafford, a daughter of Dan and\\nJulia Spafford, who settled in Rockford in 1844. Mrs. Gregory\\ndied July 2, 1888. Their children are: Mrs. George N. Safford,\\nEdward S. and George B., of Rockford Carroll S., of Beloit and\\nLouis L., a physician of Chicago. One son, Charles, died in\\ninfancy. Mr. Gregory s present wife was Mrs. Stanbro, form-\\nerly of Memphis, Tennessee.\\nGeorge Tullock is a well-known citizen of Scottish birth. He\\nwas born in 1815, and came to Rockford in 1841. At Chicago\\nMr. Tullock hired his passage with a teamster but the roads\\nwere so bad that he started ahead on foot, and arrived in Rock-\\nford three days ahead of the team. Mr. Tullock was employed\\nby Daniel Dow nearly four years as a shoemaker. He then\\nbecame a farmer.\\nIn January, 1843, a party of Pottawatomie Indians camped\\nin the woods east of the town for several weeks. They were on\\ntheir way to Milwaukee. They were straight, fine-looking\\nIndians, mostly dressed in skins. There were about one hun-\\ndred of them. One deeply scarred veteran claimed to be one\\nhundred years old.\\nThe winter of 1842-43 is known in local history as the\\nhard winter. The early settlers of the northern part of the\\nstate remember its first snow-fall, which began November 7th,\\nand continued until the 10th the extreme cold of the long\\nwinter, the scarcity of food for stock, and the loss of many cat-\\ntle from hunger and cold by reason of the scarcity of barns and\\nsheds for protection. The country was new; the settlements\\nwere sparse; and it was often miles across the dreary stretch of\\nsnow-covered prairie between settlements. Many of the houses", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0196.jp2"}, "197": {"fulltext": "THE BARD WINTER. 171\\nof the settlers were poor and open, without a tree or shrub to\\nprotect them from wind and snow. Durinp; this hard winter\\nthe snow averaged thirty inches in depth. It fell before the\\nground had frozen, and lay in such a body that the ground did\\nnot freeze at all, except in occasional places. The snow drifted\\nto a height even with the top of the rail fences, and then froze\\nso hard that it bore horses and cattle on its surface. During\\nthat winter great slaughter was made among the deer. The\\ndogs, borne by the frozen snow, caught such numbers that the\\nforests were cleared of them.\\nIn August, 1841, there was a sudden change in the post-\\nmaster at Rockford. Edward Warren had been appointed in\\nMay to succeed Daniel S. Haight. Mr. Warren was a brother of\\nMrs. Charles H. Spafford. He built the upright part of the house\\nnow owned by Dr. Daniel Lichty, on the corner of Third and\\nWalnut streets. Mr. Warren was succeeded in the summer of\\n1841 by Selden M. Church, who, in turn was followed by Charles\\nH. Spafford, through Mr. Warren s influence, it is said. Mr.\\nWarren and Mr. Church were Whigs. Mr. Warren subsequently\\nwent to Paris, and was a student in the Latin Quarter during\\nthe revolution of 1848.\\nIn the autumn of 1844, Nathaniel Crosby, of Belvidere, con-\\nveyed to the General Convention of the Baptist Denomination\\nin the United States for Foreign Missions, by deed, lots in\\nblocks five, seven, eight, nine, twenty-eight and forty-nine, the\\nwhole of block forty-six, and south park lots two and six in\\nEast Rockford. These lots were considered a generous gift.\\nThe files of the Rock River Express and the Rockford Pilot\\nshow a creditable line of advertisements. In the Express of\\nMarch, 1841, are found the cards of Tinker Johnson, tailors\\nG. Haskell Co., dry goods and groceries; John W. Taylor\\nand C. Hitchcock Co., also dealers in dry goods. In the\\nissue of March 6th S. M. Church makes this announcement as\\nassignee: All persons indebted to Germanicus Kent are\\nrequested to call and adjust the same immediately. The Pilot\\nof January, 1842, publishes an advertisement for Volney A.\\nMarsh, who kept a general store in the north wing of the Win-\\nnebago House; the professional cards of T. D. Robertson^\\nA. S. Cyrus F. Miller, Charles F. Latimer, Grant B. Udell and\\nFrancis Burnap, attorneys; F. M. Putney, proprietor of Rock-\\nford House David Paul, Washington House Wyman cV: Hough-\\nton, clothing Chicago Democrat and Godey s Ladies Book.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0197.jp2"}, "198": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIV.\\nORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. THE FIRST FAIR.\\nAS early as August, 1840, a committee was appointed to draft\\na constitution and by-laws for the Winnebago County\\nAgricultural Society. This committee deferred its report until\\nthe next March term of the county commissioners court, in\\norder to avail itself of the privilege of organizing the society\\nunder the statute to incorporate agricultural societies, which\\nwas passed March 28, 1839. The act required the county\\ncommissioners to give due notice of the intention to form such\\nsociety at that special term only, and precluded a legal organ-\\nization in this county at an earlier date, under the provisions\\nof the statute.\\nThe Agricultural Society was organized April 13, 1841. Dr.\\nHaskell was elected president Robert J. Cross, vice-president\\nGeorge W, Lee, secretary Charles I. Horsman, treasurer Hor-\\nace Miller, Richard Montague, P. M. Johnson, James S.Norton,\\nNewton Crawford, I. N. Cunningham, Jonathan Weldon, direct-\\nors. An adjourned meeting was held July 5th, when President\\nHaskell delivered an address, which has been preserved in full.\\nSeptember 8th a meeting of the officers was held to complete\\narrangements for the first cattle show. It was decided that the\\nfairshould be heldannually in Rockford, alternating on the east\\nand west sides of the river that all the available funds of the\\nsociety be distributed in premiums, and that the premiums be\\npaid in agricultural publications.\\nThe exhibition was held on the 13th of October. The stock\\nwas exhibited in the grove near the northeast corner of First\\nand Oak streets, which was known as the Oak Openings, where\\nthe ground was covered with a beautiful tuft. A few splendid\\nspecimens of the primitive oak trees remain in the vicinity.\\nCattle and horses were tied to the trees the sheep and hogs\\nwere confined in rail pens. The display of domestic articles\\nand garden produce was made in the hall of the Rockford\\nHouse. Charles I. Horsman exhibited a squash weighing one\\nhundred and twenty-eight pounds. There were several loads\\nof grain standing in the street in front of the Rockford House.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0198.jp2"}, "199": {"fulltext": "rnhWIII M LIST. 173\\nAt two o clock the society and visitors formed a procession,\\nunder direction of Jason Marsh, the marshal of the day, and\\nmarched to the court house, on the East side. Rev. Joel B.\\nPotter offered prayer, and Dr. Goodhue delivered an address.\\nHe was eloquent in his prophecy of the future which awaited\\nthe farmers of this fertile valley. After these exercises dinner\\nwas served at the Rockford House. At half past five the com-\\nmittee on awards made its report. The premium list was brief.\\nThere were seven premiums offered for horses, six for cattle,\\nfour for hoos, and two for sheep one for the best cultivated\\nten acres of land, one for the best twenty-five pounds of butter,\\none for the best cheese weip;hinj2; over fifteen pounds, one for the\\nbest ten yards of flannel manufactured in the county, one for the\\nbest fiftv skeins of sewing^ silk manufactured in the count v, and\\none for the best ten pounds of sugar from the beet manufactured\\nin the county. Thus was held, in a single day, the first cattle\\nshow in northern Illinois.\\nThe editor of the Rockford Pilot referred to the event in this\\nunique specimen of primitive journalism The cattle show\\ncame off yesterday in good style. The day was fine, the women\\nwere fine, the pigs were fine. The display of stock certainly\\nexceeded our anticipations. Surely we live in a wonderful age.\\nMobs, miracles and morality are developing in a manner that\\nwould have bothered the brains of our forefathers. Here we are\\nin a country that six years ago lay in the precise state in which\\nit was moulded in the palm of the great Builder not a tene-\\nment had ever been erected in this precinct to cover the head of\\na white man. Yesterday we saw a thousand people collected\\nfor the great object of improvement in thescience of agriculture,\\nand a display of domestic stock that would have been credita-\\nble to any portion of the United States. We saw silk that had\\nbeen manufactured by the hands of the ladies of our place, and\\na variety of products that show the rapid strides that we are\\nmaking toward perfection in the noble science of agriculture.\\nThis society kept up its organization and anniuil exhibits\\nfor some years, when it ceased to exist. In 1852 another society\\nwas formed, out of which the present organization has devel-\\noped. The latter was organized under a general law, approved\\nin 1855. Until 1858 the society held its exhibitions on leased\\nground. In that year, twelve acres of land were purchased of C.\\nI.Horsman, for six hundred dollars per acre. Later purchases\\nwere made, which increased the grounds to twenty-two acres.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0199.jp2"}, "200": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXV.\\nTHE REIGN OF TERROR. THE BANDITTI OF THE FRONTIER.\\nTHE frontier is always the prey of the banditti. From 1837\\nto 1845 the Rock river valley was infested with a notori-\\nous gang- of outlaws. Among the leaders of this band were\\nJohn Driscoll, William and David Driscoll, his sons John Bro-\\ndie, and his three sons, John, Stephen and Hugh Samuel\\nAikens, and his three sons, Richard, Charles and Thomas;\\nWilliam K. Bridge, Norton B. Royce, Charles Oliver, and Charles\\nWest. Besides these chiefs of the robber confederacy, there\\nwere a large number of subordinates scattered throughout the\\ncountry.\\nThe leaders of this gang were among the first settlers, and\\nthus had the choice of locations. John Driscoll came from\\nOhio, and settled near Killbuck creek, Monroe township, Ogle\\ncounty. William Driscoll settled at South Grove, in DeKalb\\ncounty. David Driscoll resided a short distance east of the old\\nvillage site of Lynnville, in Ogle county. John Brodie lived in\\na grove of timber in Dement township. Samuel Aikens and his\\nson Charles and William K. Bridge settled at Washington\\nGrove, and Thomas and Richard Aikens and Norton B. Royce\\nat Lafayette Grove, scarcely half a mile distant. Charles Oliver\\nsettled at Rockford, and made his home at the Rockford House.\\nHe had a good address, and was given four thousand dollars by\\nhis father when he left the parental home. About 1837, while\\nhe was an unknown member of this band of outlaws, he came\\nwithin a few votes of being elected a justice of the peace, over\\nJames B. Martyn. Charles West made his home at Inlet Grove,\\nin Lee county.\\nThe operations of this band extended through the western\\nand northwestern states. Along the entire line there were con-\\nvenient stations, in charge of men who, to all appearance, were\\nhonest, hard-working settlers. Such was William McDole, a\\nquiet, industrious resident of Rockford. Under this ar.range-\\nment, a horse stolen at either end of the line or elsewhere could\\nbe passed from one station to another, and no agent be absent", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0200.jp2"}, "201": {"fulltext": "JUDG E FORD S A D VICE. 175\\nfrom his home or business for more than a few hours at a time\\nand thus for years they remained unsuspected. At that time\\nfew counties were sufficiently organized to en force efficient police\\nregulations. This section was sparsely settled the pioneers\\nwere poor, and money was scarce. There were few jails, and\\nthese were scarcely worthy of the name. For several years after\\nthe settlement of Winnebago county, the nearest jail was at\\nGalena. There is a story to the effect that the sheriff of this\\ncounty once took a culprit to Galena, and upon his return to\\nRock ford his late prisoner was among the first to greet him.\\nThis primitive condition of society was the opportunity of\\nthe border outlaw. Counterfeiting, horse-stealing, robbery and\\neven murder were of such frequent occurrence that the settlers\\nwere driven to desperation. They resolved to adopt radical\\nmeasures for relief for if these outrages were continued, prop-\\nerty was iuvsecure, and life itself was in constant jeopardy. In\\nthe spring of 1841, a delegation of reputable citizens of White\\nRock and Paine s Point, in Ogle county, called upon Judge\\nFord, who was then holding circuit court at Oregon, for con-\\nsultation. Judge Ford was a fearless man, and naturally well\\nequipped to meet the peculiar conditions of pioneer life. Judge\\nFord knew that the settlers were at the mercy of the banditti,\\nand that it was useless to invoke the civil authorities. He\\ntherefore advised them to organize a company, which should\\ncall upon the men whom they knew to be lawless, take them by\\nforce from their homes, strip them to the waist, and lash them\\nwith a blacksnake. He recommended thirty-six lashes as the\\nfirst chastisement, and sixty for a second offense and that the\\nleaders should be given ten days in which to leave the country.\\nJudge Ford s advice was followed to the letter. A decree\\nfrom the bench could not have been more faithfully executed. In\\nApril about fifteen citizens met at a log schoolhouse at White\\nRock and organized a company known as the Ogle County Reg-\\nulators. By-laws and rules were adopted, and the membership\\nincreased to hundreds in Ogle and Winnebago counties. Ralph\\nChaney, then in his twentieth year, was an active member of\\nthis organization. Mr. Chaney is now a retired citizen of Rock-\\nford; and to him the writer is indebted for information of those\\nstirring experiences.\\nJohn Earle was the first victim of this savage justice. It\\nwas proved that he had forced or induced a young nmn under\\ntwenty years of age to steal his neighbor s horse. Earle s coat", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0201.jp2"}, "202": {"fulltext": "176 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand vest were removed, and his arms pinioned. Six or seven\\nmen were chosen from the company to administer five lashes\\napiece. Mr. Chaney relates thab a deacon of thechnrch inflicted\\nthe most vigorous strokes. The result was quite unexpected.\\nAt the next meeting of the Regulators, Earle applied for mem-\\nbership, was admitted, and became a good worker.\\nThe second instance occurred in the afternoon of the same\\nday. The culprit s name was Daggett. Before coming to the\\nwest he had been a Baptist minister. He was not a shining\\nexample of the perseverance of the saints, a distinctive doctrine\\nof that church for he had fallen from grace with a dull, sick-\\nening thud. The Regulators were not agreed concerning his\\npunishment although his guilt was generally believed A bare\\nmajority of one or two voted to release him. That night,\\nhowever, the minority tied Daggett to a tree and gave him\\nninety-six lashes. Dr. Hobart examined him occasionally, to\\nprevent fatal injury. This chastisement was denounced by the\\nmore conservative Regulators.\\nSoon after their organization, John Campbell was chosen\\ncaptain of the Regulators. A short time after they had begun\\ntheir work of extermination, Mr. Campbell received an epistle\\nfrom William Driscoll, in which he offered battle with the most\\nterrible oaths. The Regulators were challenged to meet him\\nTuesday, June 22d, at his home in South Grove. Mr. Campbell\\nwas generally recognized as the right man to lead such an\\norganization. He was a devout Scotch Presbyterian, who had\\ncome from Canada,\\nAt the appointed time one hundred and ninety-six men,\\narmed with rifles and muskets, responded to the challenge.\\nThey were mounted on good horses; with the stars and stripes\\nunfurled to the breeze, and a bugle, they formed in line, two\\nabreast, and began the march to the field of battle. When they\\narrived at South Grove they found seventeen members of the\\ngang in a log house, barricaded for defense, armed with fifty-\\nfour guns of different kinds. The Regulators halted just outside\\nof gunshot and held a council of war. Before making an attack,\\nit was resolved to send a messenger to the house, to ascertain\\nthe plans of the inmates. Osborn Chaney volunteered to beard\\nthe lions in their den. When within forty rods of the house the\\nmen broke through the door, and ran away; and Mr, Chaney\\ndid not get an opportunity to speak with any one of them.\\nSoon after Mr. Chaney returned to the company he was fol-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0202.jp2"}, "203": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0203.jp2"}, "204": {"fulltext": "SECOND NATIONAL BANK BLOCK\\nBuilt about 1848 by Nathaniel Looniis, on the south-east corner of State and Main streets\\nW. G. CONICK S RESIDENCE\\nBuilt in 1838 by Daniel S. Haight, on the present site of the American House. Sessions\\nof the circuit court for November, 183!), and April, 1840, were\\nprobably held in this house", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0204.jp2"}, "205": {"fulltext": "MURDElt OF JOHN CAMPBELL. 177\\nlowed by a man named Bowman, who said he had a message\\nfrom John Driseoll, to the effect that if the Regnlators wished\\nto confer with him, he would receive the message from Bow-\\nman, and from no one else. William Driseoll alsosent word by\\nthe same messenger that he had three hundred allies at Svca-\\nmore, and that they would meet the Regulators on the prairie\\ntwo hours later. The latter repaired to a level pieceof ground,\\nexamined their guns, and awaited developments. In due time\\nDriseoll arrived, with the sheriff of DeKalb county and two\\nother officials, who wished to know the meaning of the demon-\\nstration. Captain Campbell stood in a wagon, and in a vigorous\\nspeech gave them the desired information. Meanwhile Driseoll\\nsat on his horse about four feet distant. He was silent, but in\\na terrible rage. Mr. Chaney says he heard the grating of his\\nteeth, and believes that then and there Campbell received his\\ndeath sentence from Driseoll. The officials from DeKalb county\\nexpressed their sympathy with the Regulators, and the Dris-\\ncolls promised to leave the state within twenty days. The\\nRegulators disbanded for the day, and went home. The Dris-\\ncoUs did not keep their word. On the contrary, a meeting of\\nthe desperadoes was held on the following Saturday night at\\nthe house of William Bridge, at Washington Grove, where the\\nmurder of Campbell was planned.\\nOn Sunday, June 27th, David and Taylor Driseoll, who had\\nbeen chosen to murder Campbell, accomplished their purpose.\\nMr. and Mrs. Campbell had just returned from church at the\\nlog schoolhouse at White Rock. While going from the house\\nto the barn about twilight, he was shot through the heart by\\nDavid Driseoll. Ral[)h Chaney was making his home with his\\nbrother Phineas about three-quarters of a mile distant. He\\nheard the report of the gun and the cries of the family. He\\nand Phineas immediately went to the assistance of the Camp-\\nbell family. Mr. Campbell walked about forty feet, and fell dead.\\nNews of the tragedy spread quickly to Rockford and other\\ntowns. Mrs. Campbell was a witness of the murder, and there\\nwas no doubt about the identity of the assassins. On Monday\\nthe sheriff of Ogle county and a posse arrested John Driseoll\\nat the home of his sou David, near Lynnville. Mr. Chaney\\ngives this incident of the arrest: When he was arrested he said\\nI always calculate to hold myself in subjection to the laws of\\nmy country. A daughter who was stopping there, a woman\\ngrown, large and strong, when the sheriff announced that he was", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0205.jp2"}, "206": {"fulltext": "178 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO CODNTT.\\na prisoner, turned and faced her father, and their eyes met,\\nand there was that kind of a look I can hardly describe, passed\\nbetween them, and as she held his eye she nodded her head to\\nhim. Nothino; said, but such a look I never saw in the world.\\nThe sheriff and his posse then went to South Grove in search\\nof William DriscoU. The elder Driscoll was seated in a wagon\\nbetween two guards. A company from Winnebago county had\\npreceded them, and had arrested William and his younger\\nbrother Pierce. The sheriff took his prisoner to Oregon and\\nlodged him in jail.\\nAbout nine o clock Tuesday morning a party went to the\\njail, and with heavy timbers battered down the door. They\\ntook John Driscoll from his cell, put a rope around his neck,\\nand dragged him to the river as rapidly as possible. The sheriff\\npursued, but before he could overtake them, they had entered\\na boat with their prisoner and were soon on the other side of\\nthe river. There they met a man from Washington Grove, who\\ntold them there was a party at that place who had taken the\\ntwo sons, WiUiam and Pierce. They then proceeded with\\nJohn Driscoll to Washington Grove, where they met the Rock-\\nford division. By this time, about ten o clock in the forenoon,\\nthe crowd had increased to about five hundred. Nearly every\\nclass of people was represented. The horsemen dismounted,\\nsecured their horses, and stacked their arms around a tree.\\nThey formed a hollow square around the tree, and brought the\\nthree Driscolls into the centre. Among the lawyers present was\\nE. S. Leland, who acted as the leader, and conducted an exam-\\nination of the prisoners. A mob court was instituted. The\\nsenior Driscoll was asked how many horses he had stolen in his\\ntime to which he replied that he supposed he had taken as\\nmany as fifty. Could you not say a hundred? asked an\\ninquisitor; and the old man, with a faint smile, said It might\\nbe. He confessed that he had paid young men from fifteen to\\ntwenty-five dollars to steal a horse from a neighbor, simply to\\nsatisfy a grudge, when he received no pecuniary reward from\\nthe theft. William Driscoll was similarly interviewed. Pierce\\nDriscoll was examined, but no evidence was found against him,\\nand he was given his liberty.\\nJohn and William Driscoll were then told that David and\\nTaylor had been identified as the murderers of Campbell\\nalso that the evidence had proved them to be accessories\\nin the plot at Bridge s house on the preceding Saturday", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0206.jp2"}, "207": {"fulltext": "LYNCHING OF THE DRISCOLLS. 179\\nevening. After further deliberation, Mr. Leland called for an\\nexpression of opinion upon the jjiuilt of the prisoners, by the\\nuplifted right hand. The decision was almost unanimous\\nagiainst them. The vote upon their punishment was equally\\ndecisive that they should be hung, then and there; and they\\nwere given one hour in which to prepare for death. The con-\\ndemned men implored their executioners to change the method\\nof death from hanging to shooting. This request was granted\\nby a unanimous vote. The senior Driscoll had stood in the\\nmeantime with the rope around his neck, and he asked Mr.\\nChane^ to remove it.\\nThe arrangements for the execution occupied about an hour\\nand a half. Jason Marsh, of Rockford, was present, and pro-\\nposed to Charles Latimer, as an additional formality, to defend\\nthe prisoners, and present their case before the mob court. Mr.\\nMarsh then made the opening plea for the prisoners; and I\\nmust say, writes Mr. Chaney, he did himself credit, and full\\njustice to the prisoners in his speech. Latimer followed in\\nbehalf of the people, and made a very able speech. There were\\nseveral ministers of the gospel on the scene, who spent the time\\nallowed the prisoners in prayer and conversation with them. It\\nwas an occasion of great solemnity. Righteous wrath was\\nexpressed in the resolute and orderly execution of mob justice.\\nWhen the hour for execution arrived, about one hundred and\\ntwenty men were drawn up in a line, in single file. This line\\nwas divided in the center. John Driscoll was led out by Captain\\nPitcher, in full view of his executioners. He was made to kneel\\nten paces in front of the west half of the line. His eyes were\\nblindfolded, and his arms pinioned behind him. At the signal,\\nevery gun, save one, was fired in a single volley. John Driscoll\\nfell forward on his face without a struggle or groan, or the\\napparent movement of a muscle.\\nWilliam Driscoll was then brought out and placed at the\\nsame distance before the center of the other half of the line. He\\nwas blindfolded, pinioned, and made to kneel upon the ground.\\nAs Judge Leland counted three, the volley of more than fifty guns\\nwas as the sound of one. William Driscoll was dead. The father\\nand son fell about forty feet apart. A grave was dug between\\nthem, about two and one-half feet deep, and fourfeet wide. The\\nold man was first taken and placed in the grave, without coffin\\nor shroud; and then the son was laid by his side. Their caps\\nwere drawn over their faces, and thus they were buried, without", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0207.jp2"}, "208": {"fulltext": "ISO HISTORY OF ROCKFOPd) AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe presence of a mourning friend. Mr. Chaney assisted in car-\\nryinji- the elder Driscoll to the grave, and discovered that the\\nbones of his head were literally broken to pieces, and the region\\nof the heart perforated with bullets. In William Driscoll s vest\\nfront were found forty bullet-holes. After their execution one of\\ntheir gu ard stated that William Driscoll in his prayer confessed he\\nhad committed five murders, and prayed to be forgiven. It is said\\nthat Just before he was led out to die, William called his brother\\nPierce and said They are going to kill me, and 1 want you to\\ntake that money of mine that is hid and give my children a lib-\\neral education, and spend it for their support until they become\\nmen and women and grown. There is a plenty of it. Pierce\\nexpressed his willingness to do so, but said: I don t know\\nwhere your money is; you have never told me. William tried\\nto tell him, but exclaimed 0 my God 1 can t do it\\nA strange sequel occurred many years later. The farm that\\nhad been owned by William Driscoll became the property of a\\nman named Byers. One day in autumn, while he was thresh-\\ning, three men came on horseback and entered the grove west\\nof the house. After surveying the premises, they located a spot\\nand began digging. Byers ordered them to stop, but he was\\nconfronted by a revolver and an order to return and mind his\\nown business. After their departure, Byers went to the spot\\nand found a hole which they had dug in the ground, and beside\\nit a small empty box, and at the bottom of the hole the mark\\nand place from which the box had been dug. No explanation\\nwas ever found. A reward of five hundred dollars was offered\\nin August, 1841 for the capture of David and Taylor Driscoll,\\nby a committee of the citizens of Ogle county.\\nDavid Driscoll never returned. It was reported that about\\ntwo years after the murder of Campbell, he was shot dead in\\nIowa by a sheriff who was attempting to arrest him. Taylor\\nDriscoll was indicted for the murder of Campbell, and kept in\\ndifferent jails nearly two years; and by changes of venue and\\nconfusion of witnesses, he was at length given his liberty.\\nThroughout these sti-ange proceedings the Regulators were\\nsustained by the ablest lawyers and best citizens throughout\\nthe country. Doctors and scholars, ministers and deacons\\nregarded this terrible example of lynch law as a public neces-\\nsity. One notable exception to this general public sentiment\\nwas the Rockford Star. In its issue of July 1, 1841, its editor,\\nMr. Knappen, denounced the lynching in severe terms. He also", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0208.jp2"}, "209": {"fulltext": "A FAMOUS ISDICTMEST. 181\\npublished in the same number of the Star a communication of\\nsimilar import, signed Vox Populi, said to have been written\\nby Jacob Miller,\\nSome months after the execution of the Driscolls, the mat-\\nter was brought before the attention of the grand jury in Ogle\\ncounty. Judge Ford then resided at Oregon, and it is said this\\naction was taken at his suggestion. At the September term of\\nthe circuit court, indictments were found against one hundred\\nand twelve citizens. Among these were four Chaney brothers,\\nRichard, Phineas, Osborn and Ralph, three of whom became\\nresidents of Rockford and Horace Miller, Jason Marsh ami\\nCharles Latimer, of Winnebago county. The case was cnlled\\nfor trial at the same term of court. Jndge Ford presided,\\nand Seth B. P^ arwell appeared for the people. Some of the\\njurors were under indictment for complicity in the affair. Several\\nwitnesses were called, and pleas made; and without leaving\\ntheir seats the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. No\\none expected a conviction; but it was considered desirable to\\nhave the matter settled according to the regular form of law.\\nThus closed the trial of the largest number of defendants ever\\nindicted under one charge at one session of a grand jury known\\nto the judicial history of this section.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0209.jp2"}, "210": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVI.\\nROBBERY OF m KENNEY AND MULFORD, COLONEL DAVENPORT.\\nTHE execution of the Driscolls was only the beginning of the\\nwork of extermination although it was the sole instance\\nwhere such desperate measures were considered necessary to\\naccomplish their purpose. Robberies and murders continued,\\nand the people lived for years under a literal reign of terror.\\nSeptember 19, 1843, the store of William McKenney, near\\nthe site of 318 East State street, in Rockford, was robbed of a\\ntrunk containing nearly twelve hundred dollars. Bradford\\nMcKenney, his brother, who slept in the store at the time, gives\\na vivid account of the robbery in Mr. Thurston s Reminiscences.\\nThe narrative, in its use of adjectives and interjections, requires\\nsome revision in order to make it conform to the canons of\\ngood literary style. The robber, in his hasty flight, left eight\\ndollars in silver, in the trunk. The next day several dollars\\nwere found at another place and the next spring James Gilbert\\nfound sixty-two dollars only a few rods from where the trunk\\nwas rifled of its contents. A reward of two hundred dollars\\nwas offered for the apprehension of the thief and the recovery\\nof the money but he was an expert, and eluded capture.\\nThe community was startled two weeks later by another\\nbold depredation. Monday evening, October 2, one of the four-\\nhorse coaches belonging to Frink, Walker Co. was robbed\\nfour miles from Rockford, while enroute to Chicago. It is said\\nthe baggage of the passengers was stolen from the rear of the\\ncoach while in motion, and that the fact was not discovered\\nuntil its arrival in Newburg. The next morning the trunks\\nwere found a few rods from the road. They had been broken\\nopen and all property of any value had been taken. A plan\\nhad been laid to secure a large amount of money which had\\nbeen on deposit in the land office at Dixon, and this was the\\nobject which it was intended to accomplish by the robbery of\\nthe stage coach at this time. It was known that a considerable\\nsum of money, which had been received from the sales of public", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0210.jp2"}, "211": {"fulltext": "WILLIAM MULFORD ROllBEI). 183\\nlands, was on deposit at Dixon, and was about to be removed.\\nA leader of the banditti had asked the receiver when he intended\\nto go to Chicajxo, where the deposit was to be made. The\\nreceiver was a prudent man, and his suspicions were aroused.\\nHe therefore replied that he would leave Dixon one week later\\nthan he really intended to start; he thus batHed the plot of the\\nrobbers. The Rockford Foiuni, in commenting; on this affair,\\nsaid: What renders these transactions still more exciting is,\\nthat they are performed by those who are perfect scholars in\\nthe business movements of the town. No immediate clue to\\nthis robbery was obtained.\\nIn November, 1844, William Mulford, residing on his farm\\nin Guilford, four and a half miles east of Rockford, on the Cherry\\nValley road, was robbed of five hundred dollars in money. It\\nhad been falsely reported that Mr. Mulford had received about\\nfourteen thousand dollars a short time before; and this rumor\\nhad reached the robbers. October 28th a man who gave the\\nname of Haines called on Mr. Mulford and professed to be in\\nsearch of employment. His real purpose was to obtain money\\nby other means than honest toil and he had come to look over\\nthe premises. On Saturday, November 9th, about eight o clock\\nin the evening, three masked men, armed with pistols, knives and\\nclubs, forced an entrance into the house. The leader ordered\\nMr. Mulford to sit down. He then took the candle from the\\ntable, cut it into three pieces, lighted them, placed one in each\\nof the two windows, and with the third he began his search of\\nthe house. With the most direful threats the family were forced\\nto submission. The keys to the bureau drawers were demanded.\\nThey were told that they were in the stable behind the horses.\\nThis was a ruse to give Mr. Mulford an opportunity to reach\\nhis rifle in another part of the room. When the men went to the\\nbarn he attempted to reach the gun, but anotlier man, who\\nhad been stationed at the door, held a pistol close to his head\\nand ordered him to desist. The robbers could not find the keys\\nin the barn, and returned in a rage to the house. They swore\\nthey would chain the old devil, and set the house on fire, and\\nby that time they would tell where the keys were. Mrs. Mul-\\nford imagined she heard the clanking of chains, and told the\\nrobbers where the keys could be found. They unlocked the\\ndrawer and found the money in an envelope, just as it had been\\ntaken from the bank. One of the gang was identified as Haines,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0211.jp2"}, "212": {"fulltext": "184 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwho had called in search of emploj ment. It was subsequently\\nlearned that two men, armed with rifles, stood outside, and\\nfor their benefit the candles were placed at the windows.\\nThe long period of border brigandage reached its climax in\\nthe murder of Colonel Davenport. On the western shore of\\nRock Island, overlooking the main branch of the Mississippi,\\nand facing the Iowa side, fifty-five years ago stood a beautiful\\nresidence. For more than thirty years it had been the home of\\nColonel George Davenport. He was generally esteemed for his\\ngenerous impulses and social qualities. His wealth had been\\nacquired as an Indian trader. Governor Ford gave him the\\ncredit of being the author of the life of Black Hawk which pur-\\nported to be the Autobiography of the old warrior.\\nOn Friday, July 4, 1845, Colonel Davenport s family joined\\nthe people of the Illinois mainland, in an observance of the\\nnational holiday. While alone in his parlor. Colonel Davenport\\nwas assaulted by three men, blindfolded, pinioned and dragged\\nup a flight of stairs to a closet containing an iron safe. The\\nrobbers obtained between six and seven hundred dollars in\\nmoney; but they were not satisfied, and demanded more. The\\nold man pointed with a feeble hand to a dressing-table. The\\nmurderers missed the drawer containing the money, and opened\\nanother, in which they found nothing of value. Believing that\\ntheir victim intended to deceive them, they beat and choked him\\nuntil he became unconscious. They revived him by dashing\\ncold water in his face, and again demanded more money, with\\nthe same result. They then threatened to fry him upon coals\\nof fire if he did not disclose the hiding-place of his money. The\\nold Colonel fell back exhausted, unable to answer. After his\\nassassins left he regained consciousness, related the circum-\\nstances of the assault, and died about nine o clock of the same\\nevening.\\nThus far the perpetrators of these bold outrages had eluded\\ncapture. But Nemesis was on their trail; and in due time she\\nwill summon a cloud of witnesses to bring them to justice. In\\nthe spring of 1845 Charles West, of Lee county, was arrested\\nfor the robbery of a peddler named Miller, and a portion of the\\ngoods was found in his possession. West was committed to\\njail at Dixon, and during his confinement he proposed to turn\\nstate s evidence, and disclose all he knew concerning his confed-\\nerates. It was an instance where the devil was sick, the devil", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0212.jp2"}, "213": {"fulltext": "TRIAL OF CHARLES OLIVER. 185\\na monk would be. His proposition was accepted, and West\\nmade what he professed to be a full confession, and declared\\nthat Charles Oliver and William McDole, of Rockford, were\\nmembers of the band. He also iave the names of the outlaws\\nwho committed the robberies at McKeuuey s store and Mulford s\\nfarm-house.\\nThis startlinp; intelli i:ence soon reached Rockford, and cre-\\nated great excitement. Upon the strength of West s statements,\\nOliver and McDole were immediately arrested, and an officer\\nwas dispatched to bring West to llockford, to give his testi-\\nmony at their examination. Oliver and McDole were given a\\nlipnrlng about the 7th of June. West testified that he was at\\nOliver s house about a year before, when the plans of the gang\\nwere discussed in detail. McDole and Sutton were also j)resent\\nat the same time. McDole and Oliver talked about a pal named\\nBurch in connection with the McKenney robbery. McDole dis-\\ncovered where the money was kept, and Burch entered at the\\nwindow and obtained the booty. In the proposed raid upon\\nMr. Mulford, Oliver and McDole were to ascertain the situation\\nof the house, and Burch and one or two others were to get the\\nmonev.\\nSuch, in brief, was the testimony given by West. His story\\nwas generally believed. Oliver and McDole were required to\\ngive bail in the sum of fifteen hundred dollars each, for their\\nappearance at the next term of court; in default of which they\\nwere committed to prison. A few days later Bridge, one of the\\nleaders of the banditti residing in Oglecounty, was arrested and\\nplaced in jail at Rockford. A guard was necessary for some\\ntime, for their protection.\\nThe trial of Oliver began in the circuit court August 26,\\n1845. His indictment was for receiving money stolen from W il-\\nliam Mulford, in Nov^ember, 1844. Hon. Thomas C. Brown was\\nthe presiding judge. The jurors were: Giles Mabie, Calvin Has-\\nkell, J. Heath, Jr., George Dixon, Phineas Howes, Ezra C.Tracy,\\nAsa Farnsworth, Asa Crosby, Andrus Corbin, Harvey Higby.\\nThere was an unusual display of legal talent. The district\\nattorney was James M. Loop. He was assisted by Thomas D.\\nRobertson, Jason Marsh, James M. Wight, and Miller Miller.\\nMartin l\\\\ Sweet, of Freeport, and M. Y. Johnson, of Galena,\\nwere the counsel for the defendant. Among the witnesses on\\nthe stand were: William Mulford, Charles H. Spafford, G. A.\\nSauford, D.Howell, E.S. Blackstone, William J. Mix, of Oregon,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0213.jp2"}, "214": {"fulltext": "186 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nCharles West, of Lee, and S.C. Fuller, the jailer. The last named\\nwitness testified that the prisoners tried to bribe him to furnish\\nthem with brace and bits so that they might effect their escape.\\nEach offered Mr. Fuller fifty dollars at first, and then increased\\nthe sum to five hundred. During the trial Oliver was defiant,\\nand confident of acquittal. But since his arrest Retributive\\nJustice had been forging another chain of convicting evidence.\\nDuring the summer Jason Marsh had received a letter from\\nthe warden of the penitentiary at Jackson, Michigan, to the\\neffect that a prisoner in his charge knew about the robbery,\\nand was willing to testify. Mr. Marsh went to Michigan and\\nfound the prisoner to be Irving A. Stearns, who had formerly\\nresided in this county, and who had left the state soon after the\\nrobbery. He had been convicted of some crime in Michigan\\nand sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Marsh pretended not to rec-\\nognize Stearns but told him that he wanted to know what he\\nhad to say upon the subject, and that he would know if he told\\nthe truth. Mr. Marsh found the testimony of the prisoner very\\nimportant, and communicated the facts to the governor, who\\ngave to Mr. Marsh a conditional pardon for Stearns. The pris-\\noner s communications to Mr. Marsh, however, were made\\nwithout any promise of consideration whatever. Mr. Marsh\\nreturned to Rockford, and at the time for the court to convene,\\nhe sent for Stearns, and upon his arrival he was placed in close\\nconfinement until he was wanted in court. Oliver knew nothing\\nof these facts. When the name Irving A. Stearns was called\\nas a witness for the people, Oliver was startled, and sat crest-\\nfallen by the side of his counsel. Courage and hope had fled\\ntogether. Stearns testified that the secrets of the Mulford rob-\\nbery had been given by Oliver, and that Oliver had offered him\\nsome of the stolen money in exchange for a horse. His evidence\\nwas straightforward, and a rigid cross-examination failed to\\nweaken it at any point.\\nThe case was given to the jury Saturday afternoon. The\\njury was out an hour and a half, when it returned with a ver-\\ndict of guilty, and a sentence of eight years confinement in the\\npenitentiary. Thus terminated the most exciting criminal case\\never tried in Winnebago county. The case was managed with\\ngreat ability on both sides. The argument of James Loop and\\nthe exploit of Jason Marsh have become familiar traditions of\\nthe local bar of the olden time.\\nBridge took a change of venue on all his indictments to Ogle", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0214.jp2"}, "215": {"fulltext": "CONVICTION OF McDOLE. 187\\ncounty. When his case was called he plead guilty, and was\\nsentenced to the penitentiary for sev^en years. McDole s trial\\nbegan November 26, 1845, and the case was given to the jury\\nDecember 1st. After an all-night s session the jury brought in\\na verdict of guilty, with a sentence of seven years in the peni-\\ntentiary. The attorneys for the state were Marsh Wight,\\nMiller Miller, and T, D, Robertson. McDole was defended by\\nJohn A. Holland, Grant B. Udell, of Rockford, and Martin P.\\nSweet, of Freeport. The court ordered that one month of the\\nterm of imprisonment be spent in solitary confinement.\\nJohn Long, Aaron Long, and Granville Young were exe-\\ncuted at Rock Island in October, 1845, for the murder of Colonel\\nDavenport. This execution practically completed the work of\\nextermination which had been begun by the Ogle County Regu-\\nlators on Tuesday, June 29, 1841.\\nBurch was indicted for the murder of Colonel Davenport.\\nHe took a change of venue to another county, and made his\\nescape from jail. The three Aikens brothers died as they had\\nlived, although they escaped the penitentiar3^ Bliss, Dewey\\nand Sawyer, confederates in Lee county, were sent to the peni-\\ntentiary. Bliss died in prison. The way of the transgressor is\\nhard.\\nThe Prairie Bandits, wTitten by Edward Bonney, is a stir-\\nring tale of those early days. Bonney was a newspaper man,\\nwho did some detective work. His book was first printed about\\nfifty years ago, and there have been several subsequent editions.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0215.jp2"}, "216": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVII.\\ntransportation: navigation of rock river.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 plank roads.\\nrHE earlj settlers foresaw that this section of country could\\nnot become prosperous without improved facilities for\\ntransportation. At that time the navigation of Rock river\\nseemed to offer the most feasible solution of the problem. Jan-\\nuary 11, 1840, a meeting of the citizens of Winnebago county\\nwas held at Rockford. There was no newspaper in the town\\nuntil some months later, and the only report of the convention\\nwas published in John Wentworth s paper, the Chicago Demo-\\ncrat, in its issue of February 12th. The purpose of the meet-\\ning was to consider the expediency of asking congress for a\\ngrant of unsold land in the valley of Rock river, the proceeds to\\nbe applied to the improvement of the stream. Dr. Goodhue\\nwas chosen president George Stevens, George W. Lee and\\nCharles I. Horsman, vice-presidents; John C.Kemble, secretary.\\nResolutions were introduced by George W. Lee, and unanimously\\nadopted. They were as follows:\\nResolved, That the increasing commerce of the lakes and\\nthe Mississippi river and the surplus productions of the Rock\\nriver country require a speedy action on the part of the numer-\\nous population settled throughout the territory lying between\\nLake Michigan and the upper Mississippi, to effect the removal\\nof the obstructions to steamboat navigation in Rock river.\\nResolved, That the interests of the government of the\\nUnited States, holding in its control the great portion of the\\nunsold lands in the region of Rock river, are essentially con-\\nnected with those of the people in effecting the navigation of\\nRock river from the termination of the Milwaukee and Rock\\nriver canal to its junction with the Mississippi river; and that\\nsuch an improvement will increase the value of the public\\ndomain in Iowa, by opening to that territory the benefits of\\nan eastern market.\\nResolved, That application be made to the congress of the\\nUnited States for the appropriation of one hundred and fifty\\nthousand acres of the public lands, the proceeds of which to be", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0216.jp2"}, "217": {"fulltext": "THE ROCK FORD COSYKNTIOS. 180\\napplied to the improvement of the iiaviu:ation of Rock river,\\nand that we apply for the same to be selected from the residue\\nof those not taken up by the settlers or other purchasers at the\\nt^ovornment land sales, and within twenty miles of either bank\\nof Rock river.\\nResolved, That a committee of five personsbe appointed by\\nthis meetinpj to draft a memorial to cono-ress, embodying the\\nfacts necessary to sustain the views expressed in the above reso-\\nlutions, that said memorial be circulated for the signatures of\\ncitizens residing; in the vicinity of Rock river.\\nWhereupon, George W. Lee, John C. Kerable, Jason Marsh,\\nJ. B. Miller and S. C. Fields were chosen said committee.\\nResolved, That we earnestly solicit the co-operation of the\\npeople of the different counties in Illinois, and those of the ter-\\nritories of Wisconsin and Iowa, who feel interested in opening\\na water communication (through Rock river) between the lakes\\nand the upper Mississippi, to hold meetings and circulate memo-\\nrials expressive of their views, and embracing the objects set\\nforth in the proceedings of this meeting, and to forward the\\nsame to their re])resentatives in congress.\\nDr. Goodhue, George W. Brinckerhoff, and Daniel S. Ilaight\\nwere chosen a committee to correspond with the people of the\\ncounties on the river on the subject of the resolutions.\\nThis convention did not lead to any practical results. The\\nagitation, however, was continued for some years. February\\n28, 1844, the Rockford Forum announced that the steamboat\\nLighter from St. Louis would ascend Rock river on the opening\\nof navigation in the spring. Patronage was solicited and the\\nForum advised the citizens to make exchanges of grain for\\nprovisions. The Lighter arrived in Rockford in the latter part\\nof June. On the 1st of July thestearaer made a trip to Roscoe,\\nThe visit of the Lighter renewed the interest in the improve-\\nment of the river. July 13th a meeting was held at the court\\nhouse to consider the subject. Committees were appointed\\nand resolutions adopted. November 22, 1844, a river conven-\\ntion was held at Sterling. Delegates were present from Ogle,\\nWinnebago, Lee and Whiteside counties. William Pollock,\\nwho had been employed to make a survey, presented a report.\\nHe stated that he had made an examination of Rock river from\\nthe mouth of the Pecatonica to Sterling, a distance of about\\none hundred miles: and estimated that the total cost of renmv-\\ning all obstructions between these points at four thousand", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0217.jp2"}, "218": {"fulltext": "190 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthree hundred and sixty-six dollars and seven t.y-flve cents. This\\nwas an insignificant sum, and was probably far below what\\nthe actual cost would have been. The general government had\\ndone nothing in response to the petition sent in 1840 and the\\nassistance of the state legislature was invoked. February 25,\\n1845, an act was approved for the improvement of Rock river.\\nDuncan Ferguson, of Winnebago, John Dixon, of Lee, Spooner\\nRuggles and William W. Fuller, of Ogle, and Theodore Winn,\\nof Whiteside, and their successors were made a body politic and\\ncorporate under the name of the Board of Commissioners for\\nthe improvement of the navigation of Rock river. The com-\\nmissioners were authorized to remove all the obstructions to\\nsteamboat navigation between the mouth of Pecatonica river\\nand the mouth of Hock river. For the purpose of creating a\\nfund for making these improvements, it was provided thatatax\\nshould be levied for the year 1845, of seven and one-half mills on\\nevery dollar s worth of assessable personal property in Winne-\\nbago, Ogle, and Lee counties. In October, 1845, operations\\nwere actually begun at Rockford, under the direction of Alonzo\\nHall. A cofferdam about fifty feet wide was built through the\\nrapids. A wheel at the lower end, propelled by the current,\\nbaled out the water, A steamboat channel was excavated in\\nthe autumn and winter, and the rock piled outside the dam.\\nThe improvement ruined the ford; and was absolutely use-\\nless for navigation, as the rapids at the mouth of the river in\\nordinary stages of water would not float a steamer. Similar\\nattempts at improvement were made in the other counties dur-\\ning the year. The money which remained on hand after these\\nexpenditures was to be refunded pro rata, as provided by the\\nlaw, to the counties from which it had been collected.\\nThis failure, however, stimulated further effort. The pro-\\nmoters of the scheme became more audacious than before. Not\\nonly was it decided to make Rock river navigable to the mouth\\nof the Pecatonica; it was now also proposed to seek the aid of\\nthe government in the construction of a ship canal which should\\nconnect Lake Michigan with Mississippi river. January 1 and 2,\\n1846, a ship canal convention was held in Rockford. Delegates\\nwere present from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.\\nMartin P. Sweet, of Freeport, said this section needed a railroad\\nto the east, and free navigation to the south, so that the people\\ncould have a choice of markets. He believed the government\\nshould aid in constructing such a waterway. A committee was", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0218.jp2"}, "219": {"fulltext": "I. AT Eli (VNVI WriOSS. 191\\nappointed to draft resolutions expressing the sense of the con-\\nvention.\\nOn Friday, January 2d, the committee presented its resolu-\\ntions, which were unanimously adopted. It was declared that\\nin the judgment orf the convention, the project of connecting\\nthe great lakes with the Mississippi river was purely national\\nin its character; that the cheapest and best mode of effecting\\nthis communication was by means of slack-water navigation\\nof Rock river, and by a properly constructed canal connecting\\nit with Lake Michigan; and that the completion of this work\\nin connecting the Atlantic ports on the east with the Gulf of\\nMexico on the south would form a strong bond which would\\nunite more firmly the north and the south for mutual defense.\\nA committee was appointed to draft a memorial to the proper\\nauthorities for the survey of the route, and to present a memo-\\nrial to congress, praying for the construction of a ship canal.\\nMartin P. Sweet was made chairman. The members of the\\ncommittee from this county were Jason Marsh, John A. Holland\\nand James M. Wight. A committeeof fivefromeach county was\\nalso chosen to obtain an expression of public sentiment con-\\ncerning the project. The members of the committee from Win-\\nbago were C. I. Horsman, S. M. Church, William Hulin, Robert\\nJ. Cross, Alonzo Hall.\\nShip-canals, however, are not constructed bj resolution,\\nand the usual results followed. In the winter of 1865-6G the\\nsubject was revived, and February 22d a convention was held at\\nRockford. Letters were read from General Stephen A. Hurlbut, of\\nBelvidere, Hon. John F. Farnsworth, and others. Another con-\\nvention was held at Beloit March 15th. But better railroad facili-\\nties had by that time indefinitely delayed, if not forever defeated\\nthe construction of an inter-state waterway. Had it not been\\nfor the advent of the railroad, the improved navigq,tion of Rock\\nriver would in time have been recognized as a public necessity.\\nIn the autumn of 1899 the subject was again considered by the\\ncitizens of Rockford and those residing along the course of the\\nriver; but up to February, 1900, no definite results had been\\naccomplished.\\nThe improvement of navigation facilities was not the only\\nmeans by which the settlers sought relief from imperfect trans-\\nportation. Chicago was the nearest grain market. The only\\ncommunication with that city was by stage and wagon. In", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0219.jp2"}, "220": {"fulltext": "192 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTl.\\nthe spring; and autumn months, when the deep soil of the prai-\\nries was saturated with water, the journeys were slow and\\ntedious. A farmer who had drawn a load of produce to Chicago\\noften received a discouraging margin of profit. A charter had\\nbeen obtained in 1836 for a raih oad between Chicago and\\nGalena. The county, however, was thinly populated, and the\\npeople were too poor to make subscriptions. Moreover, eastern\\ncapitalists had little confidence in the future of Illinois. The\\nstate was burdened with debt; and many of the people openly\\nadvocated repudiation. This uncertainty about a railroad\\ncontinued more than ten years. Meanwhile the citizens w ere\\nconsidering other plans. In 1844 preliminary surveys were\\nmade for a plank road from Chicago to Rockford.\\nA committee of citizens residing on the proposed route\\nwas held at Elgin September 20, 1844. This committee had been\\nchosen to collect facts relating to plank roads, and to furnish\\nestimates of cost. J. Young Scammon, of Chicago, and Jason\\nMarsh were members of this committee. Edward B. Talcott,\\nan experienced engineer, was sent by the committee to Canada\\nto examine the plank roads there in use, and to ascertain their\\ncost and manner of construction. On the 19th of November\\nthe committee submitted its report, also a detailed statement\\nprepared by Mr. Talcott. He estimated the cost of the road\\nat three hundred and twelve thousand seven hundred and\\nthirty-one dollars and twenty-nine cents. Public meetings were\\nheld along the line.\\nJanuary 21, 1845, the Chicago and Rock River Plank Road\\nCompany was incorporated by special act. The commissioners\\nappointed to receive subscriptions in Belvidere and Rockford\\nwere Alexander Neely, Lyman Downs, Joel Walker, Daniel\\nHowell, C. I. Horsman and Jason Marsh. Among the commis-\\nsioners from Chicago was Walter L. Newberry, who became the\\nfounder of the magnificent Newberry reference library in Chi-\\ncago. The corporation was given absolute right of way, with\\npower to institute condemnation proceedings when necessary\\nfor the purchase of land. The demand for plank roads became\\ngeneral throughout the state; and in February, 1849, an act\\nwas passed for the construction of plank roads under a general\\nlaw.\\nMr. Colton, in his Forum, discouraged the construction of\\na plank road from Chicago to Rockford. He said eastern capi-\\ntal could not be secured for such a doubtful enterprise and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0220.jp2"}, "221": {"fulltext": "FAILURE OF THE PLANK ROAD. 193\\npredicted that sooner far could it be obtained for a railroad\\non the same ground, and we fully believe that one will be built\\nbefore a plank one will be completed. Public sentiment\\nshowed that Mr. Colton was a prophet without honor in his\\nown country but time vindicated his claim to the gift of\\nprophecy. No plank road was constructed, under the provis-\\nions of the charter. The thunder of the iron horse was heard\\nin the distance; the day of the railroad was at hand.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0221.jp2"}, "222": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXVIII.\\nNEW ENGLAND UNITARIANISM.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 FIRST CHURCH. REV\\\\ A.H.CONANT.\\nA NUMBER of the early settlers from New England were\\nUnitarians of the old school. An effort to organize this\\nsentiment was made as early as 1841. The first meeting for\\nthis purpose was held February 3d. A subscription list of this\\ndate was found among the papers of the late Francis Burnap.\\nIt contained pledges amounting to one hundred and sixty dol-\\nlars for the support of a Unitarian clergyman. At the same\\ntime a committee was appointed to promote this interest. An\\nadjourned meeting was held on the 13th at the West side school-\\nhouse, and an organization completed. Richard Montague,\\nIsaac N. Cunningham, Francis Burnap, Ephraim Wyman and\\nJames M. Wight were elected trustees. A statute of 1835 con-\\ncerning Religious Societies provided that immediately after an\\nelection of trustees, a certificate of the same should be filed for\\nrecord with the recorder of the county. The filing of such rec-\\nord constituted the trustees a body corporate and politic. The\\ntrustees complied with this law. The Rock River Express of\\nFebruary 20th announced that Rev. Joseph Harrington would\\npreach at the court house on the following Sunday.\\nThere is no record of any progress during the next two years,\\nand it may be concluded that there was only an occasional\\npreaching service. Early in March, 1843, Rev. Joseph Har-\\nrington, of Chicago, came to Rockford and preached every even-\\ning of one week on the distinctive doctrines of Unitarianism.\\nThe meetings were well attended, and a new interest awakened.\\nOn the following Sunday, March 9th, a church was organized,\\nwith the following covenant We whose names are subscribed,\\ndo unite ourselves together in Christian fellowship to partake\\nof the Lord s supper, and to receive the spiritual benefit that\\nmay be derived from membership with Christ s visible church\\non earth. And may God grant his Spirit to help our manifold\\ninfirmities, and lead us in heart and in practice unto him who is\\nthe way, the truth and the life. This language is decidedly", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0222.jp2"}, "223": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST EDIFICE.\\nevanprelical in spirit. It is Uuitarianism as interpreted by Wil-\\nliam Ellery Cliauninfi; and James Freeman Clarke. It differs\\nlittle from the progre.ssive orthodoxy of today. The constit-\\nuent members of the church were: Joseph IIarrino;ton, Sarah\\nF. Dennis, Isaac N. Cunninf^ham, Nancy G. Cunningham, James\\nCunninp;ham, Sarah M. Cunniuf^ham, Samuel Cunningham,\\nEmily C. Cunningham, John Paul, R. B. Paul, W. D. Bradford,\\nCatherine F. Goodhue, ICphraim Wyman, James M. Wight, John\\nR. Kendall, Susan Goodrich.\\nIn December, 184:4, steps were taken to secure a place of\\nworship. It was proposed to purchase the unfinished Univer-\\nsalist church, which had been abandoned. Several hundred\\ndollars in subscriptions, conditional and otherwise, were raised,\\nbesides a sum for an organ. These subscription lists are still\\nin existence. But the project was not successful. Another unsuc-\\ncessful effort was made to build in 1846.\\nDecember 13, 1845, the Unitarian society was organized\\nat the home of Ephraim Wyman. The trustees chosen were\\nEphraim Wyman, Thatcher Blake, and Richard Montague.\\nFor a number of years little was done. The church had\\nservices whenever a traveling clergyman was available. This\\ncondition continued until 1849, when Rev. H. Snow volunteered\\nto strengthen the waste places in this branch of Zion. The\\nUnitarians were not sanguine, and at first Mr. Snow received\\nlittle encouragement. But a new start was made. The church\\nhad hitherto held services in the court house; but now they felt\\nthe need of another place. The frame building which had been\\nused by the First Baptist church was for sale. This old edifice\\nma} well be called a church cradle. It successively rocked the\\nBaptists, Episcopalians, Unitarians and Presbyterians. It was\\nan illustration of the common origin of all believers who belong\\nto the true household of faith. At this time the Unitarians\\nowned a lot on the northeast corner of Church and Elm streets.\\nThey had received two hundred and fifty dollars from the Amer-\\nican Unitarian Association, and with this they purchased the\\nold Baptist building, which they removed upon their lot. For\\nabout a year Mr. Snow preached two Sundays in the month,\\nand the other Sundays at Belvidere. Mr. Snow invited Rev. A.\\nA. Livermore, who was then at Keene, New Hampshire, to act\\nthe generous Christian part by presentinir a communion service\\nto the church. The ladies of Mr. Keene s church complied with\\nthe request.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0223.jp2"}, "224": {"fulltext": "196 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nMr. Snow s health failed in the spring of 1850, and he was\\nobliged to resign from his pastorate. He had been faithful in\\nhis efforts to lay an enduring foundation. Mr. Snow applied to\\nthe American Unitarian Association, and to Dr. Hosmer, an\\neminent divine and educator, to send a successor. Dr. Hosmer\\nsent John M, Windsor, who had recently graduated from the\\nUnitarian school at Meadville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Windsor\\ndevoted his entire attention to the Rockford church, and gave\\none sermon each Sunday. About this time the accession of Mr.\\nand Mrs. Melancthon Starr inspired the congregation with new\\nenergy and courage.\\nThe church enjoyed a fair degree of prosperity for several\\nyears. In 1853 it was proposed to build a more comfortable\\nplace of worship. A lot was purchased on the corner of Chest-\\nnut and Church streets, and generous subscriptions were secured.\\nMr. Windsor was sent east to solicit contributions from the\\nUnitarians of New York and Massachusetts. Mr. Windsor went\\nto New York early in the spring of 1854 to collect the promised\\nmoney, and never returned. Work was begun on the new church\\nin the same spring. The plan of the edifice was that of the\\nEpiscopal church in Beloit, with some changes and better work-\\nmanship.\\nIn the autumn of 1854, when the pulpit had become vacant,\\nthe society, through Mr. Starr, began correspondence with\\nJohn Murray, who had iust graduated from Meadville. This\\ngentleman was engaged as a stated supply for six months from\\nthe first of October, with a view to a call to the pastorate if it\\nshould be mutually agreeable. Mr. Murray began his labors\\nat the time stated. Mr. Crawford, the contractor, had agreed\\nto have the new church ready for occupancy early in October,\\nOn the strength of this promise, the old church cradle had been\\npreviously sold to the Presbyterians, possession to be given\\nDecember 1st. The church kept its promise, but the contractor\\ndid not; and the services were held in Dr. Haskell s schoolhouse\\nfor a time. Before the expiration of the six months Mr. Murray\\nhad accepted an invitation to remain a year. Upon the com-\\npletion of the church, the Rockford Amateurs gave a vocal and\\ninstrumental concert in Warner s hall, to aid in its furnishing.\\nAbout one hundred and fifty dollars were realized. A Unitarian\\nchurch in Chicago sent two massive chandeliers, pulpit and gal-\\nlery lamps, a pulpit sofa and a Bible. A melodeon had been\\npreviously purchased.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0224.jp2"}, "225": {"fulltext": "NEW CHURCH DEDICATED. 197\\nThe church was dedicated April 18, 1855. Friends cauie\\nfrom Chicago, Geneva and Belvidere. Rev. Rush R, Shippen, of\\nChicap:\u00c2\u00a9, preached the dedicatory sermon. On Sunday, May\\n6th, a Sunday-school was organized, with twenty-five scholars,\\nwith Rev. H. Snow as superintendent. On Sunday, July Ist,\\nthe Lord s supper was celebrated, after a long interval. In\\nDecember a new declaration of faith and purpose and articles\\nof organization were adopted.\\nRev. John Murray s pastorate closed on the last Sunday in\\nMarch, 1857. The pulpit was supplied by Rev. Addison Brown,\\nRev. W. W. King, and Rev.L. B. Watson. The latter two were\\nUniversalist clergymen of Chicago.\\nJune 8, 1857, a call to the pastorate was sent to the Rev.\\nAugustus H. Conant, of Geneva, Illinois. Mr. Conant, though\\nhighly esteemed in his parish, had given offense to some by his\\nradical utterances against slavery. He therefore promptly\\naccepted the call, at a salary of one thousand dollars, with cer-\\ntain privileges of vacation for missionary work Sunday after-\\nnoons during a part of the year. Rev. Conant began his pastoral\\nwork July 12, 1857. The congregation then numbered about\\nseventy. He purchased a home of Mr. Cosper, on the corner of\\nGreen and West streets, for three thousand and five hundred\\ndollars. This residence is still the home of his daughter, Miss\\nCoretta Conant, and his granddaughter, Miss Louise Conant,\\ninstructor in art and history of art at Rockford college.\\nMr. Conant enjoyed an extended personal acquaintance\\namong distinguished representatives of the Unitarian faith, and\\nother cotemporaries. Among these were William Ellery Chan-\\nning, Theodore Parker, James Freeman Clarke, Horace Greeley,\\nO. B. Frothingham, Margaret Fuller, Fred Douglas, and Robert\\nCollyer. Among Rev. Conant s guests at his Rockford home\\nwere Ralph Waldo Emerson, Prof. Youmans, Bayard Taylor,\\nTom Corwin, John Piorpont, and T. Starr King. James Free-\\nman Clarke, in his Autobiogna])hy, refers to Rev. Conant as a\\nsaint and an apostle.\\nAugustus Hammond Conant was born October 16, 1811, at\\nBrandon, Vermont. When a young man he left his native state\\nand settled as a farmer on theDes Plaines river, in Cook county.\\nIllinois. His parents were members of the Baptist church, and\\nhe was baptized into that fellowship before he came to Illinois.\\nOne day he entered the store of the Clarke Brothers, in Chicago,\\nwhere he saw a copy of the Western Messenger. He becam\u00c2\u00a9", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0225.jp2"}, "226": {"fulltext": "198 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ninterested in the paper, and he was ^iven several copies to take\\nhome. These Clarkes owned a book-store in Chicago, and were\\nbrothers of James Freeman Clarke, who was then the editor of\\nthe Messenger. Upon reading these papers, Mr. Conant resolved\\nto consecrate his life to the ministry. Mr. Conant kept a jour-\\nnal of his daily life as a pioneer farmer from January 1, 1836,\\nto the latter part of May, 1840. It presents in brief a vivid\\npicture of life on the frontier, as lived by an ambitious young\\nman who was obliged to make his own way in the world, and\\nat the same time prepare himself for the ministry. Brief quota-\\ntions will tell the story. Under date of September 28, 1836,\\nand later, he writes Worked at shoemaking made a coffin\\nfor H. Dougherty; plastered my house; dressed pig and calves\\ntorn by wolves; dug a well; killed a badger; killed a wolf; corn\\nhalf destroyed by blackbirds; set out shade trees; read Cow-\\nper; took up a bee-tree to hive for honey; hunted a deer; snow\\na foot deep; attended a Christmas party.\\nMr. Conant returned east May 25, 1840, and began study\\nat the Cambridge divinity school, under Prof. Henry Ware, Jr.\\nAfter finishing his course Mr. Conant began his ministry in 1841\\nat Geneva, IlHnois, where he preached sixteen years. A pamphlet\\nentitled Fifty Years of Unitarian Life, gives a pleasant picture of\\nMr. Conant s pastoral life at Geneva. The pamphlet is a record\\nof the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Unitarian\\nchurch at Geneva. His journal kept during this time is a reve-\\nlation of the man and of his time. Under date of January 7,\\n1842, and later, he writes: Read Neander; made a chair;\\nworked on a sermon drew straw Read Neander; horse died;\\nmended a pump; read Bushnell; read the Methodist discipline;\\nhelped my wife to wash; worked on a sermon made benches\\nfor the school finished sermon made soap.\\nThe church at Rockford prospered under Mr. Conant s min-\\nistry for a time. He was a man of high ideals and noble enthu-\\nsiasms, and was filled with the missionary spirit. Rev. Robert\\nCollyer said of him: He was as quick to leap to the appeal of\\na crippled cobbler, and as strong to save him, as if the Master\\nhad come out of heaven to bid him do it, and had told him he\\nshould have for his deed an endless renown, and the praises of all\\nthe choirs of heaven. But there came a serious declension\\nin the financial and numerical strength of the church. In July,\\n1861, the reliable income of the society had fallen to four hun-\\ndred dollars a year, and six months salary was due the pastor.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0226.jp2"}, "227": {"fulltext": "MR. CONANT AN ARMY CHAI LAIN.-HIS DEATH. 199\\nSome of the former members had removed from the city, and\\nothers had been overtaken with financial reverses. Under these\\ncircumstances, Mr. Conant tendered his resignation to take\\neffect the first Sunday in July, 18G1.\\nThe civil war had now begun, and Mr. Conant enlisted in\\nhis country s service immediately after his resignation. He\\nwent to the front as a chaplain in the Nineteenth Illinois volun-\\nteer infantry. Among the privates of this regiment was Thomas\\nG. Lawler. Mr. Conant had some controversy while in camp at\\nElizabethtown, Kentucky, with Dwight L. Moody, who had\\nbeen sent out by the Young Men s Christian Associatian of\\nChicago. At Nashville, February 8, 1863, Mr. Conant passed\\nfrom earth to bathe his weary soul in seas of heav^enly rest.\\nHis death was due to exposure and over-exertion at the battle\\nof Murfreesborough. His death was universally lamented. He\\nwas one of those rare souls whomeverv one loved, and who had\\nnever incurred an unkind feeling from any one. At his death\\na soldier in the ranks paid him this tribute: The brave and\\nnoble chaplain, who never turned aside for bullet or shell, but\\nwhere balls flew thick and fast sought out the wounded and\\nministered to their wants, is dead. Never while I live can I\\nforget him as I saw him on the field, with his red flag suspended\\non a ramrod, marching fearlessly to the relief of the suffering;\\nappearing to the wounded like a ministering angel. When we\\nsaid, Chaplain, you must rest or you will die, he always\\nreplied, I cannot rest, boys, while you suffer; if I die, I will die\\nhelping you. His remains were buried at Geneva, and Rev.\\nRobert Collyer, then of Chicago, preached the funeral discourse.\\nDr. Collyer subsequently wrote a biography of Mr. Conant, with\\nthe title, A Man in Earnest. Mrs. Conant died March 20, 1898,\\nin her eightieth year. Her remains were taken to Geneva for\\ninterment.\\nAfter Mr. Conant s resignation, services were maintained\\nwith some regularity but the church gradually declined. Fred\\nMay Holland began pastoral labors January 4, 1863. Differ-\\nences arose. The conservative element became dissatisfied with\\nthe pastor on account of his radical or Parkerite tendencies.\\nMr. Holland was succeeded by William G. Nowell, who was\\nordained April 14, 1864. Mr. Nowell left the church in June, 1865.\\nThe last pastor was Rev. D, M. Reed, a very scholarly gentleman.\\nMr. Reed wished some recognition of his denomination in the\\nname of the church. In accordance with his request, the name", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0227.jp2"}, "228": {"fulltext": "200 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwas changed to the United Unitarian and Universalist church.\\nThe name, however, in legal matters was simply Unitarian.\\nThe church was subsequently sold, and in 1890 the proceeds\\nwere divided pro rata among the original subscribers. The late\\nMelancthon Starr was known to have contributed four thousand\\ndollars. Many of the members of the church united with the\\nChurch of the Christian Union, and others became identified\\nwith the Second Congregational church. The old church was\\nlast used as a furniture warehouse.\\nThe history of American Unitarianism has been unique. Its\\nbirthplace was Boston, and the time about 1812. It was a\\nnatural reaction from the stern Calvinistic theology. The golden\\nage of American letters was cotemporary with the rise of Uni-\\ntarianism. Its influence in literature is attested by the names\\nof Channing, Margaret Fuller, Alcott, Dwight, Elizabeth Pea-\\nbody and Emerson. In criticism are the names of Whipple,\\nRipley, Ticknor and Lowell. In history are Palfrey, Bancroft,\\nPrescott and Motley. In statesmanship and oratory are the\\nelder and the younger Adams, Daniel Webster, Edward Everett,\\nCharles Sumner, and George William Curtis. In poetry there\\nare Bryant, Lowell, Longfellow and Holmes. Notwithstanding\\nthis remarkable list of men and women of genius, the Unitarian\\nchurch has always been weak in numbers. In Chicago there are\\nonly three churches, while there are more than one hundred of\\nthe Methodist faith. The Unitarian church has been a leavening\\nrather than an original constructive force. It has not been too\\nintellectual, but it has been too exclusively intellectual. The\\nfinal test of a religious faith or creed is its inherent spiritual\\nenergy. The dynamic force of religion is devotion to a Person.\\nPerchance the contribution of Unitarianism to religious history\\nis in its illustration of the truth that the purest religion is not\\nmerely a system of ethics, however noble; but an enthusiasm,\\na passion. Many Unitarian leaders have realized this truth,\\nalthough the rank and file of the laity have not done so. In\\nintegrity and high character, the Unitarian church of Rockford\\nwas a worthy representative of Unitarianism but it shared the\\nfate of many of its sister churches.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0228.jp2"}, "229": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XXXIX.\\nEARLY ELECTIONS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 POLITICAL REMINISCENCES.\\nUNDER the first constitution of Illinois, the commissioners,\\nsheriff and coroner were the only constitutional county\\nofficers. The latter two were elected every two years. The\\nother county oflficers were created by statute. They were filled\\nby appointment made either by the county commissioners\\ncourt or by the governor. Previous to 1835 a recorder for\\neach county was appointed by the governor; and a surveyor\\nwas chosen by the commissioners court. The statute of 1835\\nmade these officers elective on the first Monday in August of\\nthat year, and every fourth year thereafter. Previous to 1837\\ncounty treasurers and clerks of the commissioners courts were\\nappointed by said courts. An act approved February 7th of\\nthat year made these oflfices elective on the first Monday in\\nthe following August, on a corresponding day in 1839, and in\\nevery fourth year thereafter. Up to 1837 a judge of probate\\nwas appointed for each county by the legislature. An act of\\nMarch 4th made this oflice elective, with the title of probate\\njustice of the peace, on the first Monday in August of that year,\\non a corresponding date in 1839, and in every fourth year\\nthereafter. Under an act approved February 27, 1845, the\\ntenure of oflBce of probate justice of the peace, recorder, clerk of\\nthe county commissioners court, surveyor and treasurer was\\nreduced to two years. This law took effect on the first Monday\\nin August, 1847. Under the constitution of 1848 the term of\\noflfice of the county and circuitclerks was extended to four years.\\nAugust 1, 183G, occurred the first general election in Win-\\nnebago county. The choice of county officers was given in a\\npreceding chapter. On that day there were also elected a mem-\\nber of congress and two representatives in the state legislature.\\nUnder the apportionment of 1831 the state was divided into\\nthree congressional districts. In 1836 the third district, which\\nincluded Winnebago county, extended from the Wisconsin bound-\\nary to a line below Springfield, and entirely across the state", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0229.jp2"}, "230": {"fulltext": "202 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nfrom east to west. The northern half of the state was sparsely\\nsettled, and comprised one congressional district. At the first\\nelection in this county William L. May, the Democratic candi-\\ndate for congress, received seventy-three votes, and John T.\\nStuart, forty-four votes a majority for May of twenty-nine\\nvotes. Mr. May was elected and served two years. His home\\nwas at Springfield.\\nPrevious to 1840 the senatorial district of which Winnebago\\nformed a part, included the entire Rock river valley, as well as\\na large tract below the mouth of Rock river. This vast area,\\nextending from Dubuque almost to St. Louis, was entitled to\\none senator and two representatives in the legislature. The\\nfirst election in Winnebago county for representatives resulted\\nas follows: John Turner, seventy-four votes; Charles R. Ben-\\nnett, seventy-three; Elijah Charles, thirty-four; James Craig,\\nforty; L. H. Bowen, eight. James Craig and Elijah Charles were\\nelected.\\nUnder an early statute, presidential elections in Illinois were\\nheld on the first Monday in November. Ab the presidential\\nelection in 1836, only one hundred and fifty-eight votes were\\npolled. This was an increase over the August election of thirty-\\neight votes. The Harrison electors received seventy votes, and\\nthe Van Buren electors, eighty-eight; a Democratic majority of\\neighteen.\\nIn 837 Harvey W. Bundy was elected recorder, to succeed\\nDaniel H. Whitney, of Belvidere, who had become a resident of\\nthe new county of Boone. Herman B. Potter was elected county\\ncommissioner to succeed Simon P. Doty, of Belvidere. Charles\\nI. Horsman was elected probate justice of the peace. Milton\\nKilburn had served as judge of probate the preceding year,\\nunder appointment. Nathaniel Loomis was chosen clerk of the\\ncommissioners court; Robert J. Cross was elected county\\ntreasurer.\\nAt the general August election in 1838, John T. Stuart, of\\nSpringfield, was the Whig candidate for member of congress.\\nHis Democratic opponent was Stephen A. Douglas, who was\\nalso of Springfield. Mr. Stuart received a majority of ninety-\\nthree in Winnebago county, and was elected. Mr. Stuart was\\nperhaps the first prominent man to recognize the genius of\\nAbraham Lincoln, and by the loan of books he had encouraged\\nhim to study law. Mr. Lincoln, after his admission to the bar\\nin 1837, became the law partner of his benefactor. When Mr.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0230.jp2"}, "231": {"fulltext": "PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1S40. 203\\nStuart began to receive political honors, he necessarily gave\\nless attention to his profession. Thus the conduct of the busi-\\nness largely devolved upon Mr. Lincoln.\\nWinnebago county forged so rapidly to the front that in\\n1838 it was conceded one of the representatives in the general\\nassembly, and Germanicus Kent was elected, Hon. James Craig\\nwas re-elected. Isaac N. Cunningham was elected sheriff of the\\ncounty; Cyrus C. Jenks, coroner; Don Alonzo Spaulding,\\nsurveyor; Elijah H. Brown, commissioner.\\nIn 1839 William E. Dunbar was elected recorder; and John\\nEmerson, surveyor.\\nThe presidential campaign of 1840 was one of the most excit-\\ning in American political history. The hero of Tippecanoe was\\nthe idol of his party, and no leader ever received a more enthu-\\nsiastic support. Winnebago county had now become a Whig\\nstronghold, and the party waged an aggressive campaign\\nagainst the Loco-Focos, as the Democrats were then called.\\nApril 11th the Whigs held a convention at Rockford, and nom-\\ninated a full county ticket. Among the local leaders of this\\nparty were Selden M. Church, Jacob Miller, H. B. Potter, G.\\nA, Sanford, Isaac N. Cunningham. Democratic principles were\\nchampioned by Jason Marsh, Daniel S. Haight, Henry Thurs-\\nton, P. Knappen, J. C, Goodhue, H. W. Loomis,C. I.Horsman,\\nBoone county had been organized from the eastern portion of\\nWinnebago, and the western two ranges had been transferred\\nto Stephenson. In the August elections the Whigs polled six\\nhundred and thirty-seven votes, and the Democrats, two hun-\\ndred and eighty-five. The total vote was nine hundred and\\ntwenty-two, with a Whig majority of three hundred and fifty-\\ntwo, Thomas Drummond, of Jo Daviess, and Hiram Thornton,\\nof Mercer, both Whigs, carried the county by good majorities\\nfor representative, and were elected. I, N, Cunningham was\\nelected sheriff; Alonzo Piatt, coroner; and Ezra S, Cable, com-\\nmissioner.\\nThe presidential campaign overshadowed local issues. Mr.\\nThurston, in his Reminiscences, gives this interesting sketch of\\nthe stirring incidents of that year The sparseness of the pop-\\nulation, the limited amount accessible of the current literature\\nof the day, to which some of the settlers had been accustomed\\nthe almost entire deprivation of the pleasures of social life\\namong the older people, caused them to enter into a political\\nor local contest with a vim which almost invariably became", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0231.jp2"}, "232": {"fulltext": "204 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\npersonal before it was decided. When the tight was ended, the\\npassions cooled down, and sober second thought had resumed\\nits sway, it frequently happened that both parties joined in a\\ngeneral pow-wow and celebration. It was so in 1840. The\\nWhigs of this locality imitated the tactics so successfully prac-\\nticed throughout the union. They had no cider, either hard or\\nsweet, but they did possess in abundance all the paraphernalia\\nused by the party in the populous parts of the country. They\\nput up a log cabin in regular pioneer style, on the southeast\\ncorner of State and Madison streets, for political headquarters,\\nprofusely decorated with coon-skins and other regalia pertain-\\ning to the times imported speakers from Galena, Chicago and\\nintervening points; got up processions, and with Frank Parker\\nblowing an E flat bugle, and China Parker a clarionet\u00e2\u0080\u0094 neither\\nof them having the slightest knowledge of music, and each\\nblowing with might and main in a vain effort to drown out his\\ncompanion marched about the village wherever they could\\nsecure a following. The village drum was in possession of the\\nDemocrats, and consequently not available for Whig celebra-\\ntions.\\nJacob Miller was the most popular among the local Whig\\norators. He was familiar with the vernacular of the westerner,\\nand drew his illustrations from their daily life. At the close of\\na harangue he would sometimes produce his fiddle and scrape\\nthe Arkansas Traveler. The whole assembly joined in a gen-\\neral break-down, and the orator of theday was borne in triumph\\non the shoulders of his friends to the nearest bar.\\nThe presidential election occurred in November. The Whigs\\ncast seven hundred and sixty-eight votes in the county, and the\\nDemocrats, three hundred and twenty-one; total, one thousand\\nand eighty-nine Whig majority, four hundred and forty-seven.\\nAbraham Lincoln was one of the five Whig candidates for pres-\\nidential elector in Illinois. The facilities for communication\\nwere so meagre that the official vote of the state was not known\\nin Rockford until late in December. A messenger from the cap-\\nital, with the official vote of the state, passed through Rockford\\nten days in advance of its publication in the Chicago papers,\\nand communicated, it is said, the news to the prominent men of\\nthe Democratic party, in each village, for betting purposes.\\nIllinois was one of the seven states that elected Van Buren\\nelectors. This vote may have been intentionally kept back by\\nthe Democratic officials at Springfield.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0232.jp2"}, "233": {"fulltext": "DEA TH OF PRESIDES T HA TiRlSON. 205\\nThrough a technicality in an alleged non-compliance with\\nthe law, the legality of Mr, Cunningham s election to the office\\nof sheriff in August was questioned and he again appealed to\\nthe voters at the November election, and received an emphatic\\nendorsement.\\nThe Rock River Express of December 4th published this\\nadvertisement in display type: For Salt River, the steamboat\\nVan Buren, only four years old, will leave on the 4th of March\\nnext, for Salt River. For freight or passage, aj^ply to the White\\nHouse. Hypocrites will be in attendance to amuse the passen-\\ngers free of charge. The local campaign closed with a Harri-\\nson ball, at the Washington House, February 9, 1841. On\\nthe evening of March 3d the Democrats gave a Van Buren ball\\nin honor of the able and enlightened administration of Martin\\nVan Buren.\\nApril 4, 1841, just one month after his inauguration, Pres-\\nident Harrison suddenly died. The event filled the country with\\nsorrow. At a meeting of the citizens held in Rockford on the\\n10th, a committee, which represented both political parties,\\nwas chosen to submit resolutions on the death of the president\\nto a mass-meeting of the citizens. These resolutions wereunan-\\nmously adopted.\\nIn the spring of 1841 a bitter local fight was made on the\\nelection of justices of the peace in Rockford precinct. The can-\\ndidates were Dr. Haskell, Peter H. Watson and John T. Shaler.\\nTwo justices were to be elected but to satisfy all aspirants, it\\nwas proposed to elect later a third justice for the precinct. The\\nbusiness did not require another justice, but it was thought such\\nan arrangement would be politically convenient. The court,\\nhowever, held that the election of Mr. Watson was illegal, and\\nno third justice was ever elected in the precinct,\\nA congressional election was held in August, 1841, instead\\nof the preceding year. The candidates were John T. Stuart\\nand J. H. Ralston. Winnebago county cast four hundred and\\nninety-three votes for the former, and two hundred and twenty-\\nthree for the latter. Mr. Stuart was re-elected. William Hulin\\nwas elected county commissioner.\\nIn 1842 Judge Thomas Ford was elected governor by the\\nDemocrats. That party in Winnebago county nominated the\\nfollowing ticket: Senator for Winnebago and Ogle counties,\\nJames Mitchell for representative, John A. Brown, editor of\\nthe Rockford Pilot; sheriff, John Paul; commissioner, Spencer", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0233.jp2"}, "234": {"fulltext": "206 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO CODNTJ.\\nPost; coroner, Nathaniel Loomis. The Whigs nominated\\nSpooner Ruggles for senator; George W. Lee, reprsentative\\nG. A. Sanford, sheriff; Isaac M. Johnson, commissioner; Har-\\nvey Gregory, coroner. Mr. Lee withdrew, and Darius Adams,\\nof Pecatonica, was substituted. The official vote of the county\\nfor senator, representative and sheriff was as follows Ruggles,\\nfour hundred and sixty-nine; Mitchell, four hundred and ninety;\\nAdams, five hundred and forty; Brown, three hundred and\\nseventy-six; Sanford, five hundred and fifty-nine; Paul, one\\nhundred and twelve. Spooner Ruggles, Darius Adams, Spencer\\nPost, G. A. Sanford and Nathaniel Loomis were elected to the\\nrespective offices.\\nBy the act of March 1, 1843, the state was divided into\\nseven congressional districts. The first election under this\\napportionment was held on the first Monday in August of the\\nsame year. Under this apportionment, Winnebago and Han-\\ncock counties were in the sixth district. Hancock county was\\nthe seat of the Mormon settlement, under the leadership of\\nJoseph Smith. The Mormons generally voted the Democratic\\nticket; and with their support, Joseph Hogue, of Galena, was\\nelected member of congress. His Whig opponent was Cyrus\\nWalker, of McDonough county. At the county election Ezra S,\\nCable was elected commissioner; William Hulin, recorder; S. M,\\nChurch, clerk; Bela Shaw, probate justice; Ephraim Wyman,\\ntreasurer; Volney A, Marsh, school commissioner; Duncan\\nFerguson, surveyor.\\nThe presidential election of 1844 was scarcely less exciting\\nthan that of four years previous. The Whigs carried the county\\nfor Henry Clay, the idol of the party. The Whig ticket recei ved\\nfive hundred and forty-six votes; the Democratic, three hundred\\nand sixty-eight; a majority of one hundred and seventy-eight for\\nMr. Clay. In August Mr. Hogue was re-elected member of con-\\ngress, over Martin P. Sweet, of Freeport. TheRockford Forum\\nof August 14th denounced the apportionment act, which placed\\nthe Mormon stronghold in this district, and thus legislated it\\ninto the Democratic ranks. Anson S. Miller was elected mem-\\nber of the legislature Anson Barnum, sheriff; Artemas Hitch-\\ncock, coroner.\\nIn 1846 Thomas J. Turner, of Freeport, Democrat, was\\nelected member of congress over James Knox, of Knox county.\\nWait Talcott received two hundred and twenty-six votes as the\\ncandidate of the Liberty party. Anson S. Miller, of Winnebago,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0234.jp2"}, "235": {"fulltext": "COLONEL EDWARD D. BAKER. 207\\nwas elected state senator as a W hi o-; Robert J. Cross, repre-\\nsentative; Hiram R, Maynard, sheriff and Artemas Hitchcock,\\ncoroner.\\nAfter the Mormons removed from Hancock county the dis-\\ntrict again became Whig, and in 1848 the party elected Edward\\nD. Baker, of Galena, member of congress. Colonel Baker was\\nborn in London, England, February 24, 1811, He came to the\\nUnited States at the age of five years, with his father, who died\\nin Philadelphia. The son removed to Springfield, Illinois. He\\narose rapidly to distinction, and in 1844 he was elected a mem-\\nber of congress. He served his adopted country with signal\\nability in the Mexican war; and upon his return to Illinois he\\nsettled at Galena. After serving one term in congress, he set-\\ntled in San P rancisco, California, in 1852. Colonel Baker was\\na brilliant orator. His speech on the death of Senator Broder-\\nick, of California, who fell in a duel with Judge Terry, in 1859,\\nis one of the masterpieces of American oratory. For an hour the\\nhomage of tears was paid to Baker s genius and to Broderick s\\nmemory. His closing words are remarkable for their noble\\npathos: The last word must be spoken, and the imperious\\nmandate of death must be fulfilled. Thus, O brave heart! we\\nlay thee to thy rest. Thus, surrounded by tens of thousands, we\\nleave thee to thy equal grave. As in life no other voice among us\\nso rang its trumpet blast upon the ears of freemen, so in death\\nits echoes will reverberate amidst our mountains and our\\nvalleys until truth and valor cease to appeal to the human\\nheart. Good friend! true hero! hail and farewell\\nColonel Baker was subsequently elected United States sen-\\nator from Oregon. His debate with Breckinridge in the senate\\nin 18G1 attracted national attention. In the history of the\\nsenate, says Mr. Blaine, no more thrilling speech was ever\\ndelivered. The striking appearance of the speaker, in the uni-\\nform of a soldier, his superb voice, his graceful manner, all\\nunited to give to the occasion an extraordinary interest and\\nattraction. Colonel Baker left his seat in the senate and\\nentered military service. He was killed while commanding a\\nbrigade at the battle of Ball s Bluff, October 21, 18G1.\\nIn 1850, Thompson Campbell, of Galena, was elected mem-\\nber of congress. At the same time Richard S. Molony, of Belvi-\\ndere, was elected to represent the adjoining eastern district,\\nwhich then included Chicago.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0235.jp2"}, "236": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XL.\\nlyEWrS KENT THE ONLY SLAVE IN THE COUNTY.\\nTHE Northwest Territory bad been consecrated to freedom\\nby the Ordinance of 1787. This principle was reaffirmed\\nby the first constitution of Illinois. When the state had become\\na member of the union, however, and was thus given control\\nover its own internal affairs, a desperate effort was made to\\nintroduce slavery. This effort was partially successful, and the\\nfamous Black Laws gave the commonwealth an odious rep-\\nutation at one time.\\nOnly one man ever lived in Winnebago county as a slave.\\nHis name was Lewis Kent, although he was more familiarly\\nknown as Lewis Lemon. In 1829, when Germanicus Kent was\\na citizen of Alabama, he purchased of Orrin Lemon a colored\\nboy named Lewis. He was born in North Carolina, and had\\nbeen taken bv his master to Alabama. He was about seventeen\\nyears old at the time he was sold to Mr. Kent for four hundred\\nand fifty dollars in cash. When Mr. Kent decided to remove\\nnorth, he proposed to sell Lewis; but the colored man preferred\\nhis old master. Mr. Kent made an agreement with Lewis when\\nthey arrived at St. Louis. It was in substance that Lewis should\\npay him for his freedom at the expiration of six years and seven\\nmonths, the sum of eight hundred dollars, with ten per cent,\\ninterest. Lewis obtained his freedom, however, in four years\\nand four months. On the 6th of September, 1839, Mr. Kent\\nexecuted and placed in the hands of Lewis a deed of manumis-\\nsion. At a session of the county commissioners court held in\\nMarch, 1842, Mr. Kent filed for record the instrument which\\nofficially proclaimed Lewis Kent a free man. The transcript of\\nthis document, which is on file in the county clerk s office, is the\\nonly evidence in Rockford of the existence of slavery, and that\\none of its victims here found freedom and a home. The follow-\\ning is the text of this document\\nBe it remembered that at the present term, March, A, D.\\n1842, of the county of Winnebago, state of Illinois, Lewis\\nLemon, a free man of color, presented the evidence of his being", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0236.jp2"}, "237": {"fulltext": "DEED OF MANUMISSION. 209\\na free man by the following; writinpf of Gerinauicus Kent, of\\nsaid county, which being: duly acknowledged by him, is ordered\\nto be filed and entered on record\\nTo all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting That\\nwhereas the undersigned, Germauicus Kent, of Rockford, Illi-\\nnois, did in the year A. D. 1829, being then a resident of the\\nstate of Alabama, purchase of Orrin D. Lemon, since deceased,\\na colored boy named Lewis, then about seventeen years of age,\\nas a slave for life and whereas, upon the removal of the under-\\nsigned, from said state of Alabama, to said state of Illinois;\\nnow this is to certify that said Lewis by my removing him to\\nsaid state of Illinois, and his residence there ever since, did\\nbecome free and emancipated from all services due to me as a\\nslave, and that he is, and by right ought to be, free forever\\nhereafter. And this is to further certify that said Lewis was\\nborn a slave of said Orrin D. Lemon, then residing in Wake\\ncounty (N. C.) from whence he removed to Madison county,\\nAlabama, where I purchased said Lewis of him. The said Lewis\\nis aged about twenty-seven years; in person he is five feet, eight\\ninches high, well built, rather stout, and weighs about one hun-\\ndred and seventy pounds; his features are good, dark yellow\\ncomplexion, open and frank countenance, mouth prominent\\nand large lips.\\nIn witness whereof 1 have hereunto set my hand and seal at\\nRockford, Illinois, this sixth day of September, A. D. 1839.\\n[seal.] Germanicus Kent,\\nIn presence of W. E. Dunbar and William Hulin.\\nState of Illinois, Winnebago county, ss.- This day before\\nme, Selden M. Church, clerk of the county commissioners court\\nof thesaid county, cameGermanicus Kent, known to me to be the\\nreal person described, and who executed the within instrument\\nof writing, and acknowledged that he executed the same for the\\nuses and purposes therein expressed.\\nGiven under my hand and private seal (there being no offi-\\ncial seal provided) at Rockford, this 11th day of March, A. D.\\n1842. [seal.] Selden M. Church,\\nClerk County Commissioners Court Winnebago Co.\\nAfter his manumission Lewis obtained some land, and\\nearned his livelihood by the cultivation of garden produce. He\\ndied in September, 1877. His funeral was attended by members\\nof the Old Settlers Society.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0237.jp2"}, "238": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLI.\\nTHE POLISH CLAIMS. DELAY IN OBTAINING LAND PATENTS.\\nEVENTS of local interest occasionally have their historic\\nbackground in national and even international affairs.\\nA notable instance was the celebrated Polish claims made in\\n1836 to a portion of the territor^^ which now comprises the\\ntownships of Rockford and Rockton. It is one of the most\\ninteresting chapters in the history of Wiunebago county. Local\\nhistories have briefly referred to the incident, but no complete\\nstatement of the affair has previously been written.\\nThe checkered career of Poland furnishes the historic back-\\nground. The reader of history will recall the PoHsh rebellion\\nof 1830-31. Previous to that time her territory had been\\npartitioned between Russia and other powers. The impulse to\\nthis uprising of 1830 was given by the French, and was begun\\nby a number of students, who proposed to seize the Grand Duke\\nConstantine in the vicinity of Warsaw. The city and the troops\\nenlisted in the movement, under the command of General Chlo-\\npicki, a veteran of the wars of Napoleon. Upon the suppression\\nof this uprising in the following year, the leaders were sent into\\nexile. They naturally sought refuge in this country.\\nThe forlorn condition of these exiles enlisted the sympathy\\nof the American people, and congress rendered them some\\nassistance. An act was approved June 30, 1834, which granted\\nto these Polish exiles, two hundred and thirty-five in number,\\nwho had been transported to this country by the order of the\\nemperor of Austria, thirty-six sections of land. These sections\\nwere to be selected by them, under the direction of the secretary\\nof the treasury, in any three adjacent townships of the public\\nlands, surveyed or unsurveyed, in the state of Illinois or the\\nterritory of Michigan. After this land had been surveyed, it\\nbecame the duty of the secretary of the treasury to divide the\\nthirty-six sections into equal parts, and to distribute them by\\nlot among the exiles. They were to reside upon and cultivate\\nthese lands for ten years, and at the expiration of this time\\nthey were to obtain their patents upon the payment of the min-\\nimum price per acre.\\nV", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0238.jp2"}, "239": {"fulltext": "COUNT CHLOPICKl. 211\\nThe exiles arrived in America in 1835, and their committee,\\nat the head of whom was Count Chlopicki, arrived in Rockford\\nin the autumn of the followiuoj year. The Count was an elderly\\ngentleman, well informed, and apparently an excellent judge of\\nland. Upon his arrival in the Rock river valley, he selected\\ntownships forty-four and forty-six, range one east. These are\\nRockford and Rockton. The intervening township of Owen was\\nnot taken, and thus was violated one of the provisions of the\\ngrant, which stipulated that the land should be selected in three\\nadjacent townships.\\nMuch of this land was already in possession of American\\ncitizens when the Count arrived upon the scene. They had onlj\\na squatter s title, inasmuch as there was then no pre-emption\\nlaw that would apply in this case, and the government had not\\nplaced the land upon the market. The settlers had enclosed\\ntheir farms and made such improvements as they were able.\\nMoreover, the several Indian floats in these townships might\\nhave precedence over the claims of settlers or exiles. But these\\nfacts did not disturb the plans of the doughty Count. He dis-\\nregarded the squatter rights of the settlers, and made a formal\\nselection of their land, and reported his choice to the secretary-\\nof the treasury.\\nWhile in this section Count Chlopicki had been a guest of Ger-\\nmanicus Kent. Tbat gentleman explained the situation to his\\nvisitor, and the latter declared that the settlers should not be\\ndisturbed. He thus set their fears at rest in a measure. But\\nthese assurances were not entirely satisfactory, and after the\\nCount s departure a sum of money was raised and Mr. Kent\\nwas sent to Washington to make further inquiry. The anxiety\\nof the settlers was increased by the fact, as already stated, that\\nthey held no titles to the land upon which they had settled.\\nUpon Mr. Kent s arrival in Washington, he found that his\\napprehensions were well founded. The Count had not kept his\\nword; he had chosen the very townships he had promised Mr.\\nKent he would not select. Mr. Kent went directly to the land\\noffice and made his complaint before the commissioner; but he\\nwas told that every settler in the county was a trespasser, and\\nthat ho had no legal right to a foot of the land which he had so\\nunceremoniously taken. It is said facts are stubborn things.\\nMr. Kent and the settlers knew that the commissioner was cor-\\nrect, but they did not become alarmed. Perhaps they thought\\nthat in union there was strength. The secretary of the treasury", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0239.jp2"}, "240": {"fulltext": "212 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ndid not, however, order the subdivision of the lands, because\\ntheir selection by the Polish a^ent was not in compliance with\\nthe law, and thus the matter rested for some years.\\nThe selection of these lands by the Polish agent, while\\nsquatter s possession was held by the settlers, complicated the\\nwhole question of titles. The settlers had certain rights in\\nequity, but inasmuch as no pre-emption law was then in force\\nthat would bear upon the case, the g-overnment did not at that\\ntime formally recognize their claims. In view of this fact, it is\\nnot a matter of surprise that the Polish count, in his desire to\\nselect good lands for his exiled countrymen, should disregard\\nclaims that the government did not recognize. Moreover, this\\nsection of the Rock river valley had been framed in the prodi-\\ngality of nature. Its soil was good, its atmosphere invigorat-\\ning, its scenery a perpetual delight. The possession of such land\\nalways promotes domestic happiness and commercial strength.\\nThe lands in this vicinity belonged at that time to the\\nGalena land district, and with the exception of Rockford and\\nRockton, were opened to sale and entry in the autumn of 1839.\\nThese townships, which included the thirty-six sections in con-\\ntroversy, were withheld from sale for nearly eight years after\\nthey had been surveyed.\\nMatters continued in this unsettled condition until 1843.\\nIn the meantime the land office had been removed to Dixon,\\nthrough the influence of John Dixon, who settled there in 1830,\\nand after whom the town was named. In 1840 Mr. Dixon went\\nto Washington, and through the influence of General Scott and\\nother army officers, who were his personal friends, he secured the\\nremoval of the government land office from Galena to Dixon,\\nThe settlers in Rockford and Rockton could not procure pat-\\nents of the lands which they had occupied for some years. The\\nattention of congress was repeatedly called to the situation. The\\nsettlers addressed petitions to that body until their grievance\\nreceived attention. The Polish agent had forfeited his claim in\\nnot selecting his lands in three adjacent townships. The exiles\\nhad also forfeited their rights in not making an actual settle-\\nment on the lands. Congress therefore, April 14, 1842, passed\\nanother act, authorizing the entry and sale of these lands in\\nthese two townships. This relief was due in large measure to\\nthe efforts of Hon. 0. H. Smith, of Indiana, Hon. Robert J.\\nWalker, of Mississippi, and Hon. Richard M, Young, of this\\nstate, senators in congress.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0240.jp2"}, "241": {"fulltext": "LA ND SA LE A T DIXON. 213\\nWhen the settlers had been finally delivered from their\\ndilcnnna by a special act of conr^ress, they began to make prep-\\narations to perfect their titles to their lands. The inhabitants\\npetitioned the president for a public sale. Fifteen months\\nelapsed before their petition was gran ted, and October 30, 1843,\\nthe land in these townships was offered for sale, and was sold\\nNovember 3d. It was the most notable land sale that ever\\noccurred in the district. Rockford had been incorporated as a\\ntown four years before. Daniel S. Haight had platted the East\\nside, north of State asfar east as Longwood, and south of State\\neast to Kishwaukee. A portion of this had been platted as\\nearly as 1836 and Mr. Haight had sold the lots to the settlers\\nand given them quit-claim deeds to the same several years\\nbefore he had obtained his own patent from the government.\\nWhen the land was finally offered for sale at the land office, Mr.\\nHaight was authorized to go to Dixon and bid in the entire\\ntract for the settlers. A committee, appointed for this purpose,\\nprepared a list of names to whom the deeds should be given\\nafter the sale. This committee consisted of Willard Wheeler,\\nDavid S. Penfield, E. H. Potter, of Rockford, and Nathaniel\\nCrosby, of Belvidere. This committee was in session several\\ndays, passed upon every lot in the town on the East side, and\\ndecided quite a number of disputed claims. Mr. Crosby was not\\npresent, but it was understood that a majority should have\\npower to act. Thus a number of the first settlers of East Rock-\\nford purchased their land twice. The first purchase, of town\\nlots, was from Mr. Haight; the second was made through Mr.\\nHaight as agent, from the general government. Inasmuch,\\nhowever, as the land office took no notice of the fact that the\\nland had been platted, it was sold at the usual price of a dollar\\nand a quarter per acre. The second purchase was therefore\\nmore of a formality than an additional burden. With the land\\nsold in bulk, at a dollar and a quarter per acre, the second pur-\\nchase of a town lot, from the government, was at a nominal\\nprice, merely its relative value to an unplatted acre of land.\\nThis second purchase, however, perfected the title.\\nAt this point it may be necessary to state that Mr. Haight s\\nfirst sales of land were perfectly legitimate transactions. The\\npurchasers knew at the time that a second purchase would be\\nnecessary to procure a perfect title. There was recently found\\namong some old })apers of the late Francis Burnap a list of the\\ntown lots in East Rockford and the names of the persons to", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0241.jp2"}, "242": {"fulltext": "214 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwhom the deeds should be given after the land sale. The docu-\\nment comprises seventeen pages of legal cap, and is perfectly\\npreserved. At the same sale at Dixon the land on the west side\\nof the river was bid in for the settlers by Ephraim Wyman. The\\nWest side committee was composed of G. A. Sanford, Derastus\\nHarper, and George Haskell. The certificates of title were\\nturned over to Mr. Wyman by the committee. When Mr.\\nWyman went to California, about 1850, these certificates were\\nleft in a trunk, in charge of G. A. Sanford. During Mr. Wyman s\\nabsence they were totally destroyed by rodents; and these\\nfacts are set forth with grave precision by Mr. Wyman, in a\\ncertificate, duplicates of which are on file in the abstract oflBces\\nof the city.\\nt^ Thus for a period of nine years from Mr. Kent s settlement\\nwere the early residents of Rockford and Rockton unable to\\nobtain titles to the lands which they had selected and improved,\\nby reason of the illegal intrusion of an exiled Polish count. The\\nsequel is one of those facts that is stranger than fiction. Only\\none of those exiles ever subsequently appeared in Rockford or\\nWinnebago county. He was employed for a time as a cook, in\\n1837, by Henry Thurston, the landlord of the old Rockford\\nHouse. The later history of the exiles is unknown. Jl\\nMr. Haight s plat of East Rockford was filed for record\\nNovember 7, 1843, four days after the land sale. The east part\\nof the original town of Rockford, west of Rock river, included\\nall that part of the city lying south of a line drawn from the\\nBeattie residence west to the Horsman estate, and east of a\\nline drawn from the latter point to the west end of the Chicago\\nNorthwestern railroad bridge. It was platted by Duncan\\nFerguson, November 9, 1843, and filed for record by Ephraim\\nWyman, November 28, 1843.\\nJ. W. Leavitt s town plat included all that part of West\\nRockford situated between Wyman s plat on the east, and\\nKent s creek on the west and south. This plat was made\\nAugust 17, 1844, and filed for record October 5, 1844.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0242.jp2"}, "243": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLII.\\nPIONEERS IN LOCAL JOURNALISM.\\nTHE first newspaper published in the county was tlie Rock\\nRiver Express. Its publication be^an in Kockford May 5,\\n1840, by B. J. Gray. In politics it was Whioj of the most radi-\\ncal type. There was a scarcity of local news. In a village of per-\\nhaps three hundred inhabitants, there was very little of a local\\nnature that could be published. The primary purpose of the\\npaper s existence seems to have been to promote the election of\\nWilliam Henry Harrison to the presidency. Its ambition was\\nsatisfied; but after it had been published one year, the press\\nand printing material were sold and removed from the village.\\nA file of this paper, nearly complete, has been preserved in the\\npublic library.\\nThe Rockford Star was founded in the autumn of 1840, as\\na Democratic paper. The printing material was owned by Dan-\\niel S. Haight, Daniel Howell, and Adam Keith. The office was\\nlocated on the southeast corner of Madison and Market streets,\\nin the building erected by Mr. Haight, for religious, court and\\nother purposes. This old building still shelters one of the craft,\\nWilliam G. Conick, on North First street. The editor, Philan-\\nder Knappen, was simply a tenant. J. H. Thurston was the\\ndevil in the office, a role which, according to his own state-\\nment, he was eminently qualified to fill. He also became quite\\nan expert compositor. Mr. Thurston subsequently obtained\\nemployment on John Wentworth s paper, the Chicago Demo-\\ncrat, on the strength of a letter of Mr. Knappen, to the effect\\nthat he was a rapid compositor, could set a clean proof, and\\ncould sometimes make sense from Knn])pen s own manuscript.\\nApril 28, 1841, the editor of the Star was married to Miss\\nEliza Simons, of Harlem. Mr. Knappen extended a general\\ninvitation to his friends through his ])aper to attend a social\\nparty in the evening at the Rockford House. This unique invi-\\ntation was in part as follows: To all our friends, without\\nrespect to political sentiments. We anticipate the pleasure\\nand honor of meeting a respectable representation of our\\nfriends, both Whig and Democrat (for there are no party priu-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0243.jp2"}, "244": {"fulltext": "216 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nciples involved in matrimony), from Newbury, Belvidere, Kish-\\nwaukee, Harlem, Winnebag:o, Roscoe, Pekatonik, Beloitanda77\\nthe surrounding vicinity. We had intended to issue a card on\\nthis occasion, but on more mature reflection we thought it pos-\\nsible that some persons might be overlooked, and thus we have\\nthe appearance of making flesh of one and fish of another. As\\nwe are no respector of persons, and wish the notice and invi-\\ntation to be general, we have chosen to give notice through\\nboth the Express and Star. Mr. Knappen had sent a special\\ninvitation to Long John Wentworth to be present. Mr.\\nWentworth had already started on one of his frequent trips\\nto Rockford; and he expressed his congratulations by following\\nthe bride and groom all the evening with a tallow dip in his\\nextended band, which reached nearly to the ceiling.\\nMr. Knappen had been in Rockford but a short time when\\nthe Driscoll tragedy occurred. He did not understand the tem-\\nper of the people and his strong denunciation of the summary\\nexecution of the outlaws aroused intense indignation. The cit-\\nizens proceeded to punish the editor. Soon after the issue of\\nthe paper the office of the Star was entered in the night and\\nthe type reduced to pi. When the editor beheld this wreck of\\nmatter, he stirred the pi with a stove shovel, and mixed the\\nfonts of type in every case in the office. Mr. Knappen turned\\nover the subscription list to Mr, Howell, of the Rockford House,\\nwhere the office force boarded, and abandoned journalism in\\nthis unappreciative village. Mr. Howell did not realize anything\\nfrom the assets placed in his hands. Thirty years later Mr.\\nThurston divulged the fact that D. S. Haight, Charles Latimer\\nand Adam Keith were the perpetrators of this mischief. The\\nDemocratic luminary had been side-tracked in its orbit.\\nThe Rockford Pilot began its brief career July 22, 1841.\\nMr. Thurston says he helped distribute the Star pi, and with\\nthis material assisted in issuing the first four numbers of its\\nsuccessor. The Pilot was published as a Democratic paper\\nuntil October, 1842 it could no longer steer clear of the rocks.\\nThe editor, John A. Brown, had been defeated for representa-\\ntive the Democrats had sustained a local defeat of their entire\\nticket; and on the 30th of October he published the following\\nrequiem With this number the Pilot dies. Its death is a nat-\\nural and quiet one. No violence from enemies or overburdening\\nby friends has hastened its dissolution. It dies from the want\\nof proper support. In a land groaning under the burthens of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0244.jp2"}, "245": {"fulltext": "J. AMBROSE WIGHT. 217\\nsuperabundant harvests, and smilinji; in the lipjht of the richest\\nblessings of a bounteous Providence, it died of ira.nt. Grief\\nisnotwordy, and its requiem must bechanted by others. To the\\nfriends who assisted it in life we tender our heart-warm thanks.\\nWe are not conscious that it had any enemies; if it had, in its\\nname we forgive tliem all.\\nDuring a portion of this time the Better Covenant, a Uni-\\nversalist paper, was printed at the Pilot office. Its editor was\\nWilliam Rounseville.\\nFebruary 17, 1843, J. Ambrose Wight began the publica-\\ntion of the Winnebcif^o Forum, a Whig paper, with material\\nwhich had been used in printing the Rockford Star. Mr. Wight\\ncame from New York. He attended the academy at Benning-\\nton, Vermont; and among his classmates were Henry Ward\\nBeecher, and Rev. K. H.Chapin, theeminentUniversalist divine.\\nMr. Wight was graduated from Williams college in 1830, and\\nimmediately thereafter he removed to Illinois. His first visit to\\nWinnebago county was December 11, 1836, in company with\\nTimothy Wight, of Chicago. Mr. Wight thus refers in a letter\\nto that time: Rockford had not arrived. I remember\\nthat there was a beginning of the Rockford House, but the\\nbuilding had gone no further than a cellar, and some timbers\\nhewed and lying on the ground. Mr. Wight proceeded to\\nRockton, where he was interested in a general store until 1840,\\nwhen he engaged in farming for a time. Mr. Wight says of his\\nlife in that village: I had not gotten to be very rich in goods\\nat Rockton; but I did get a wife there. She was the oldest\\ndaughter of Rev. William M. Adams, who died in March, 1842,\\nat Mineral Point. In 1841 Mr. Wight came to Rockford, and\\nread law with his brother, James M. Wight; in the summer of\\n1842hewas admitted to the bar and began practice. Reserved\\na short time as deputy postmaster under S. M. Church, in 1842.\\nMr. Wight retired from the Forum August 18, 1843, when\\nhe sold the paper to Mr. Colton. The terms were easy. Mr.\\nWight said He asked me my price. I told him if he would\\ntake it off my hands, we would be square. In April, 1844, Mr.\\nWight removed to Chicago, and became editor of the Prairie\\nFarmer. The paper during his management of thirteen years\\nachieved great succei^s. In 1849 he was also associated with\\nWilliam Bross, in the editorial management of the Herald oi\\nthe Prairie, the western organ of the Presbyterian and Congre-\\ngational churches. He purchased Mr. Rross interest in 1851,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0245.jp2"}, "246": {"fulltext": "218 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand two years later he sold his own interest. In 1856 Mr. Wight\\nentered the ministry, and became pastor of the Presbyterian\\nchurch at Olivet, Michigan. He remained in this pastorate\\nuntil forced by ill health to resign, in 1863. The next year he\\nwas an editorial writer on the Chicago Tribune. In 1865 he\\naccepted a call from the First Presbyterian church of Bay City,\\nMichigan, where he remained until 1888. Mr. Wight was an\\nable minister and a brilliant newspaper correspondent. His\\nalma mater conferred upon him the title of Doctor of Divinity in\\n1871. Mr. Wight died November 14, 1889, at Bay City, at the\\nage of seventy-eight years.\\nAustin Colton was more successful than his predecessor in\\nthe management of the Forum. He was anativeof Northamp-\\nton, Massachusetts. He had learned the printer s trade in the\\noffice of the Massachusetts *Spj and was subsequently employed\\nfor a time in Harpers publishing house in New York. Mr. Col-\\nton came west in April, 1839, and arrived in Rockford in the\\nfollowing month. He was emploj ^ed in the pioneer s vocation\\nof log-building, fencing, and farming about four years, when he\\npurchased the Forum. Mr. Colton continued the paper under\\nthe old name until the close of the first volume in February,\\n1844, when he re-christened it the Rockford Forum. Under his\\nmanagement the Foium became the first successful newspaper\\nin Rockford. Its circulation increased from two hundred to six\\nhundred. After Mr. Colton had written for glory and printed\\non trust for ten years he concluded to retire from the business.\\nIn December of that year he sold his plant to E. W. Blaisdell,\\nJr. Mr. Colton became a farmer, and continued in this vocation\\nuntil his retirement from active life. This veteran editor died\\nNovember 2, 1893, at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. Colton\\nstill resides in Rockford. A. Lincoln, Albert L. and Royal F.\\nColton are sons. Miss Miriam Colton is a daughter.\\nMr. Blaisdell took his brother, Richard P. Blaisdell, into\\npartnership. The Republican was published until 1862, when\\nit was purchased by Elias C. Daugherty, and merged into the\\nRockford Register, of which he was proprietor.\\nElijah Whittier Blaisdell was born July 18, 1826, in Mont-\\npelier, Vermont, where he resided until the removal of the family\\nto Middlebury. Later his father, who was a printer, removed\\nto Vergennes, where he published the Vergennes Vermonter,\\nwhich was founded by Rufus W. Griswold, whose Poets and\\nPoetry of America is well known. The son succeeded the father", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0246.jp2"}, "247": {"fulltext": "E. W. BLAISDELL. 219\\nas editor of the Vermonter and while editiop; that paper, he\\nwas appointed postmaster of Verj^ennes by President Zachary\\nTaylor. Mr. Blaisdell held this office four years. He came to\\nRockford in the latter part of 1853, and about January, 1854,\\nhe began his journalistic career in this city as editor of the\\nForum, and changed the name of the paper to the Republican.\\nMr. Blaisdell attended the meeting in Bloomington May 29,\\n1856, at which the llei)ublican party was organized in Illinois.\\nAbraham Lincoln addressed the convention and Mr. Blaisdell\\nthen became convinced that Mr. Lincoln would lead the new\\nparty as its candidate for the presidency. General Palmer, in his\\nbook, The Bench and Barof Illinois, saya the Republican wasthe\\nfirst paper to support Mr. Lincoln for the office iu which he won\\nimmortal fame. Mr. Blaisdell was elected a member of the leg-\\nislature in 1858, and voted for Mr. Lincoln for United States\\nsenator. After serving his term he studied law, was admitted\\nto the bar, and practiced for many years. Since his retirement\\nfrom active life Mr. Blaisdell has given attention to literary\\npursuits. He has written The Hidden Record, a novel; The\\nRajah, apolitical burlesque; and a drama, Eva, the General s\\nDaughter, founded on incidents of the Black Hawk war. He is\\nnow editing a volume of miscellaneous poems, of three hundred\\npages. Mr. Blaisdell has been twice nuirried. His first wife,\\nFrances Robinson, died soon after he came to Illinois. His\\npresent wife was a daughter of Judge Ville Lawrence, of Ver-\\nmont, and sister of the late Chief-Justice Lawrence, of Illinois.\\nAnother daughter of Judge Lawrence married John Pierpont,\\nwho was chief -justice of the supreme court of Vermont. Mr.\\nBlaisdell has five sons: Byron Richard, of Chicago; Elijah\\nWarde, an artist residing in New York City Henry, George, and\\nShelley Pierpont, of Rockford.\\nIn September, 1848, Henry W. DePuy established the Rock-\\nford Free Press, as a Free Soil or Barnburner organ. It was\\npublished until February, 1850, when it was discontinued for\\nwant of patronage.\\nThe Rock River Democrat was founded in June, 1852, as a\\nDemocratic paper, by Benjamin Holt. David T. Dickson after-\\nward purchased an interest. In 1855 Rhenodyne A. Bird pur-\\nchased Mr. Holt s interest. The paper was published by Dickson\\nBird until May 1, 1864. It was then purchased by Isaiah S.\\nHyatt, who continued its publication until June 12, 1865, when\\nthe plant was sold to the Register Company.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0247.jp2"}, "248": {"fulltext": "220 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAOO COONTT.\\nElias C. Dauo;herty founded the Rockford Register in Feb-\\nruary, 1855, as a Republican paper, and a strong opponent of\\nthe extension of slavery. Mr. Daugherty continued its publica-\\ntiou until June 12, 1865, when the business and that of the\\nRock River Democrat were purchased by a stock company,\\nknown as the Rockford Register Company, by whom the paper\\nwas published for many years.\\nThe Rockford Weslejan Seminary Reporter was begun as\\na monthly publication in October, 1857. Only four numbers\\nof this paper were issued. It was published by Rev. W. F.Stew-\\nart, in the interest of the proposed Wesleyan seminary.\\nThe Democratic Standard was founded October 30, 1858,\\nby Springsteen Parks, as a Democratic organ. After about\\na month the Standard was published by Henry Parks alone,\\nuntil February 5, 1859, when David G. Croly became proprie-\\ntor. On the 18th of Ma^^ following the proprietorship was\\nchanged to D. G. Croly Co. The company was John H.\\nGrove. On the suspension of the News, April 30, 1 860, and the\\nretirement of Mr. Croly, the publication of the Standard was\\ncontinued by John H. Gove and James S. Ticknor for a few\\nmonths. The paper was then sold to James E. and Joseph H.\\nFox, who established the Daily News. It was a Republican\\npaper, and the first number was issued December 1860. A few\\nweeks later they began the publication of the Weekly News,\\nwhich was continued until September 21, 1861. The plant was\\nthen sold to E. C. Daugherty, and its publication was discon-\\ntinued.\\nThe first Daily News was established by David G. Croly,\\nFebruary 8, 1859. The paper was neutral in politics. Its\\npublication was continued until April 30, 1860, when it was\\nsuspended for want of patronage.\\nMr. and Mrs. Croly won national reputations in journalism\\nand letters after their departure from Rockford. David Good-\\nman Croly was born in New York City November 3, 1829. He\\nwas a professor of phonography, and a reporter for the New\\nYork Evening Post and Herald before he came to Kockford.\\nAfter his retirement from the Rockford News Mr. Croly became\\ncity editor of the New York World, and later was its managing\\neditor. Mr. Croly s active journalistic career closed in 1878,\\nwhen he retired from the editorship of the New York Graphic. He\\nwas the author of biographies of Seymour and Blair, History\\nof Reconstruction, and a Primer of Positivism. He died in 1889.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0248.jp2"}, "249": {"fulltext": ".lEh KIE JVKEr 221\\nJane Cunnin z:liain Croly, more familiarly known as Jennie\\n.hirie, was born in Market Har borough, England, December 13,\\n1831. Her father came to the United States when she was ten\\nyears old, and settled at Pou !:]ikeepsie, New York. She married\\nDavid G. Croly in 1857. In 18(J0 Mrs. Crolv became editor of\\nDemorest s Quarterly Mirror of Fashion, and when that j)eri-\\nodioal and the New York Weekly Illustrated Newswereincovpo-\\nrated into DemoresVs Illustrated Monthly, slie became editor\\nof the new journal, and retained this position until 1887. Mrs.\\nCroly has also been editorially connected with several other\\nNew York papers. Mrs. Croly s pen^iame of Jennie June was\\nderived from a little poem written by Benjamin F. Taylor, sent\\nto her when she was about twelve years old by her pastor at\\nPou^hkeepsie, with the name underlined, because, he said, you\\nare the Juniest little girl I know A mong .Mrs. Croly s books are\\nTalks on Womeu sTopics, For Better or Worse, A Cookery Book\\nfor Youn^: Housekeepers, Knittinp; and Crochet, Letters and\\nMonograms. In 1856 Mrs. Croly called the first woman s con-\\ngress; also the second, inl8G9. Inl8G8 she founded the Sorosis,\\nand was its president until 1870, and again from 187G to 1886.\\nThe Daily Register was started by E. C. Daugherty, Junel,\\n1859, as a Republican paper; but it was discontinued at the\\nend of three months. Its publication was resumed in 1877.\\nThe Rock River Mirror was established September 6, 1859,\\nby Allen Gibson. It was neutral in politics, and was printed at\\nthe Register office.\\nThe Spirit Advocate, published in 1854-56, was noted in the\\nchapter devoted to Dr. George Haskell.\\nThe Rocktou Gazette was started in 1857, by Funk\\nPhelps. Soon after its first issue Mr. Funk retired, and its pub-\\nlication was continued about a year by H. W. Phelps. The\\npaper was not well sustained, and the printing material was\\nremoved to Burlington, Wisconsin.\\nThe Pecatonica Independent was established in May, 1859,\\nby J. E. Duncan. Its publication was continued a little more\\nthan a year, when the plant was i-emoved to Darlington, Wis-\\nconsin.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0249.jp2"}, "250": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLIII.\\nTHE FIRST DAM.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE WATER-POWER. HIGH WATER OF 1844.\\nTHE attempt to utilize the water-power was the first step in\\nthe transition of Rockford from a hamlet to a manufact-\\nuring city. February 28, 1843, an act of the legislature was\\napproved, to improve the navigation of the rapids in Rock\\nriver at Rockford, and to incorporate the Rockford Hydraulic\\nand Manufacturing Company. The corporation was given\\npower to construct a dam across the river, which should raise\\nthe water not more than seven feet. The company was also\\nrequired to erect and maintain such locks as might be necessary\\nfor the passage of steamboats drawing three feet of water. At\\nthat time the navigation of Rock river was an open question,\\nand the government might assert its control of the river as a\\nnavigable stream. Adam would obstruct navigation; hence\\nthe company was required to construct locks for the passage\\nof boats, whenever they should become necessary. The law\\nspecified the rates of toll which the company should be entitled\\nto collect for the passage of boats through the locks; and it\\nwas given power to detain such craft until the toll should be\\npaid. Daniel S. Haight, Germanicus Kent, Samuel D, Preston,\\nLaomi Peake, Charles I. Horsman, George Haskell and J. C.\\nGoodhue were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions\\nto the stock. The capital stock was placed at fifty thousand\\ndollars, divided into five hundred shares of one hundred dollars\\neach. The corporation was given power to increase its capital\\nstock to any sum not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand\\ndollars. The law expressly provided that the state might, at\\nany time after the construction of the dam and locks, assume\\nthe ownership of the same; the state, however, was to keep\\nthem in good repair. All the hydraulic power was to remain\\nabsolutely the property of the company. July 22, 1843, books\\nwere opened for subscriptions to the capital stock. By an act", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0250.jp2"}, "251": {"fulltext": "THE HYDRA FLIC COMPANY. 22n\\nof tlie leoislature, approved February 11, 1845, the law of 1843\\nwas amended.\\nIn the sprinpj of 1844 theRockford Hydraulic Company- was\\nfully organized. The dam was located a few rods above the\\npresent water-works. Directly above, the main channel of the\\nstream shifted abruptly from the east to the west shore. On\\nthe east side, at the site of the dam, the water for two-thirds\\nthe width of the stream, was about three feet deep in summer,\\nwith eight or nine feet in the channel. This site for the dam\\nwas chosen because it was generally believed that if the dam\\nwere located at the head of the rapids, the town would be built\\nthere. Had the dam been built at the ford, on the rock bottom,\\nit would have required a larger outlay of cash. This article\\nwas scarce, while timber, brush, stone andearth wereabundant.\\nEdward S. Hanchett, of Freeport, had charge of the con-\\nstruction of the dam when it was commenced. He abandoned\\nthe work, and he was succeeded by C. C. Coburn. Eighty acres\\nof the best timber land were stripped of material to build the\\ndam and repair the breaks. This brush dam was built to a level\\nwith the banks. A frame-work was then raised on the brush,\\nto which plank was spiked. The work of graveling then began.\\nThe rock and gravel were obtained along the bank of the river\\nfrom sixty to eighty rods above the dam. There were head-\\ngates at either end, built high above the comb of the dam, with\\ngates which opened like the gates of a lock on a canal, wide\\nenough for the passage of steamboats. At each side of these\\ngates were openings to admit the water to the races, which\\ncarried it to the mills below. As the water raised on the brush,\\nthe fish, coming down the river, would lodge on the dam during\\nthe night; and in the morning the people would get sturgeon,\\npickerel, black bass and catfish. The dam was completed in\\nthe autumn of 1845. In its issue of September 24tli the Forum\\nsaid As we hear the roaring sound of the falling waters\\n(which can now on a still morning be heard for several miles\\naround) daily increasing in strength and power, as the sheet of\\nwater becomes thicker and heavier, as the dam is made closer\\nand tighter, we cannot but realize more forcibly the immense\\ninfiuence which these hydraulic works are to exert upon our\\ntown and country if the dam remains firm and permanent.\\nThe mill-race on the East side extended to Walnut street,\\nand was twenty feet in width. At the head of the race Gregory,\\nPhelps Daniels had a sawmill. At the south side of State", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0251.jp2"}, "252": {"fulltext": "224 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nstreet was Nettleton s grist-mill, the first in Rockford, which\\nwas started in 1846. Just below, James B. Howell operated\\ncarding and fulling machinery. Wheeler Lyon s sawmill was\\nat Walnut street. The race on the West side was about fifteen\\nrods in length. At the head Thomas D. Robertson and Charles\\nI. Horsman built a sawmill. Just below, Orlando Clark had\\nan iron foundry in a stone building. Itis significant that three\\nof these six plants were sawmills. Pine lumber had not come\\ninto general use, and the only available material for frame\\ndwellings were the trees of the adjacent forests.\\nApril 28, 1846, the west end of the dam went out. About\\ntwo hundred feet, including the bulkhead, were swept away, and\\nmore than an acre of ground was washed out. The Hydraulic\\nCompany immediately decided to repair the dam, and the work\\nwas completed during the year.\\nMarch 20, 1847, the dam gave away at the east end, and\\ncarried away the sawmill of Gregory, Phelps Daniels. About\\none hundred and fifty feet of the dam were washed out at this\\ntime. This break was repaired by Mr. Nettleton. Phelps and\\nDaniels sold their interest in the wrecked sawmill to Lewis B.\\nGregory and A. C. Spafford, who rebuilt it. The mills then had\\ngood water-power until June 1, 1851, when the entire dam went\\nout, breaking away at the west bulkhead. Several changes on\\nthe East side then followed. Mr. Howell removed his carding\\nmachine to New Milford, where he remained until the next year,\\nwhen he returned to Rockford, to the West side, just below the\\nBartlett flouring mills. Wheeler Lyon s mill was removed\\nacross the race near Joseph Rodd s mill, and became a part of\\nhis plant.\\nIn February, 1849, the legislature provided for the improve-\\nment of the navigation of Rock river, and for the production of\\nhydraulic power, under a general law. It appears by an entry\\non the county records, that under this law the company filed a cer-\\ntificate of incorporation April 13, 1849, before the abandonment\\nof the enterprise. The organization of the present water-power\\ncompany, two years later, will be considered in a later chapter.\\nThe high water in 1844 throughout the northwest has a\\nlocal interest, although this immediate vicinity was not flooded\\nas was the central portion of the state. At and below St. Louis\\nthe Mississippi river was twenty miles wide, and flooded the\\nAmerican bottom from three to twenty feet deep. At St. Louis", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0252.jp2"}, "253": {"fulltext": "NUSS RESfTED. 225\\nsteamboats were loaded from the windows of the second story\\nof the stores on the level. At Kaskaskia a steamboat ran out\\ntwo miles from the main stream, laid the {5ann;-plank from the\\ndeck to the window of a nunnery, and took theinniates aboard.\\nA bout three hundred miles above Galena a steamer was grounded\\nthroe miles from the channel of the Mississippi. The machinery\\nwas taken out, and preparations were made to burn the hull\\nfor the purpose of securino- the iron, when the water arose and\\nfloated the boat into the chaimel. In the vicinity of Rockford\\nthe roads for most of the summer were impassable for anything\\nbut oxen. There has been no such season of continued high\\nwater in this locality since that time.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0253.jp2"}, "254": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLIV.\\nPOSTMASTERS OF ROCKFORD.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ITS ONLY POSTMISTRESS.\\nT^HE early official records of the postoflEice department at\\nWashington are very meagre. There are no local records,\\nas these are supposed to be kept at Washington. In 1890 Hon.\\nRobert R. Hitt addressed a letter to Hon. John Wanamaker,\\nwho was then postmaster-general, asking for information upon\\nthis subject. That official replied that the records were incom-\\nplete during the early history of the service, and he could only\\ngive the time of appointment and resignation of the first post-\\nmaster. The later information has been obtained from the\\nfiles of the Rockford newspapers in the public librar3^ This is\\nthe only source from which the facts given in this chapter could\\nbe secured. The research involved considerable time and labor,\\nand it is impossible to give the exact date upon which the com-\\nmissions were issued.\\nDaniel S. Haight was the first postmaster. His commission\\nwas dated August 31, 1837, and he served until May, 1841.\\nMr. Haight was succeeded by Edward Warren, a brother of\\nMrs. Charles H.Spafford. Mr. Warren served until August, 1841.\\nSelden M. Church was the third postmaster, and served two\\nyears, when he was removed. The announcement of this change\\nwas made in three lines by the Rockford Forum. In the entire\\nhistory of Rockford there is nothing more marked than the\\nevolution of its newspapers from the most primitive sort to the\\npresent daily of metropolitan proportions.\\nIn August, 1843, Charles H. Spafford was appointed post-\\nmaster. There is a tradition that Mr. Church was quite active\\nin obtaining the office and, to balance the account, Mr. War-\\nren, who was not lacking in infiuence, used it in securing the\\nappointment for his brother-in-law. Mrs. Spafford recalls inter-\\nesting reminiscences of those days. She says The postofiice\\nbusiness was not large at that time; there were no clerks. The\\nmail came at night, and required the postmaster to get out at\\nmidnight or very early morning to change the mail. What\\nseems more strange, the postoffice money was kept at the house", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0254.jp2"}, "255": {"fulltext": "MELANCTEOS SMITH. 227\\nin mj dressing bureau. Mr. Spafford was accustomed to come\\nhome late in the eveninjx, brin 2,in\u00c2\u00ab a bag of money. In those\\ntimesof burglaries all this occasioned me agooddealof anxiety,\\nas I was alone so much of the time when Mr. Spafford was at\\nthe office; especially as houses were not securely built in those\\ndays. I was not sorry when the robber band that had been com-\\nmitting the burglaries around, were secured and taken to Joliet.\\nIn July, 1845, Charles I. Horsman received the appoint-\\nment. The postoffice was removed to the West side, nearly\\nopposite the Winnebago House. The office has remained on\\nthe West side to this day.\\nB. G. Wheeler was appointed in May, 1849, and served\\nfour 3 ears.\\nIn June, 1853, Charles I. Horsman received a second\\nappointment, and served until 1857.\\nG. F. Hambright succeeded Mr. Horsman, in March, 1857,\\nand held the office four years.\\nMelancthon Smith was commissioned by President Lincoln\\nin 18G1. Mr. Smith subsequently enlisted in the service of his\\ncountry, and went to the front with the Forty-fifth Illinois reg-\\niment. He was first chosen captain of his company. The regi-\\nment was known as the Lead Mine Regiment, and w^ent into\\ncamp at Galena. Upon the organization of the regiment he\\nwas chosen major, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-\\ncolonel. Colonel Smith won distinction at Donelsonand Shiloh.\\nDuring his absence the postoffice was in charge of Mrs. Smith.\\nJune 25, 1863, Colonel Smith was mortally wounded at the\\nstorming of a fort at Vicksburg by General Logan s division.\\nHe lingered three days in a state of half-consciousness, and died\\nSunday morning, June 28th, in the thirty-sixth year of his age.\\nHis remains were brought to Kockford for burial. Funeral\\nservices were held July 11th, at the home of his father-in-law,\\nJohn Edwards. His remains lay in state in front of the house.\\nThe discourse was delivered by Rev. F. M. Holland, pastor of\\nthe Unitarian church, of which Colonel Smith was a member.\\nSunday afternoon, August 2d, Dr. H. M. Goodwin preached\\na memorial sermon in the Second Congregational church. Con-\\ncerning Colonel Smith s Christian patriotism. Dr. Goodwin said\\nThe religious character of Colonel Smith partook of the sin-\\ncerity and conscientiousness which pervaded all his life and\\nactions. Religion was not something one side of his life and\\ncharacter, separated from it by a gulf of silence and mystery", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0255.jp2"}, "256": {"fulltext": "228 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nbut it entered into the substance of his daily life, and formed\\nthe warp and woof of his whole character. It was a thing of\\nprinciple, and not of feeling- or belief merely. His religious con-\\nvictions were the result of personal thought and experience,\\nand not a mere traditional belief were formed and adhered to\\non the same principle which actuated all his other convictions\\nfidelity to his own reason and conscience. Before deciding to\\nenter the army, he made the question a subject of devout and\\nearnest prayer, and the decision when made was a religiouscon-\\nsecration to the service of his country, expecting never to return,\\nbut to die on the field of battle.\\nAfter Colonel Smith s death the local politicians supported\\nDavid T. Dixon as the logical candidate for his successor in the\\npostofflce. A petition, however, was numerously signed by the\\ncitizens, asking for the appointment of Mrs. Smith. Melancthon\\nStarr, who was a cousin of Colonel Smith, went to Washington\\nand presented the matter to President Lincoln. The president\\nendorsed her application, and sent a letter to the postmaster-\\ngeneral, of which the following is a copy\\nExecutive Mansion, Washington, July 24, 1863.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Son.\\nPostmaster-General: Yesterday little indorsements of mine\\nwent to you in two cases of postmasterships sought for widows\\nwhose husbands have fallen in the battles of this war. These\\ncases occurring on the same day brought me to reflect more\\nattentively than I had before done, as to what is fairly due\\nfrom us here in the dispensing of patronage toward the men\\nwho, by fighting our battles, bear the chief burden of saving\\nour country. My conclusion is, that other claims and qualifica-\\ntions being equal, they have the better right, and this is espec-\\niall} applicable to the disabled soldier and the deceased soldier s\\nfamily. Your obedient servant, A. Lincoln.\\nMrs. Smith accordingly received the appointment, and\\ncompleted the term. Mrs. Smith became the wife of General A.\\nL. Chetlain, of Chicago. She is a sister of Mrs. Julia A. Clem-\\nens, of Rockford.\\nMrs. Smith was succeeded by Hon. Anson S. Miller, who\\nassumed the duties April 1, 1865. He retained the office until\\n1871, when Charles H. Spafford was appointed. The succession\\nto date is as follows Abraham E. Smith, Thomas G. Lawler,\\nJohn D. Waterman, Thomas G. Lawler, John D. Waterman,\\nThomas G. Lawler. Colonel Lawler and Mr. Waterman have\\ncontinued their official see-saw for twenty years.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0256.jp2"}, "257": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLV.\\nORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSALIST CHUKCH.\\nrHE Unitarian church did not at first include all the adhe-\\nrents of a liberal Christian faith. At a meetinji: held in the\\nbrick schoolhouse, in East Kockford, April 24, 1841, a Univer-\\nsalist church was organized by the election of Daniel S. Haight,\\nEzra Dorman, and Thomas Thatcher as trustees. This election\\nwas recorded in the recorder s office, as provided by law. It is\\nnot probable that the official records of this church have been\\npreserved. It is known, however, that preaching services were\\nheld at the court house on the East side, and at the school-\\nhouse a portion of the time during the next ensuing few months.\\nIn 1841 the Universalists were sufficiently strong to consider\\nthe erection of a house of worship. In those days the citizens\\nregarded any church, of whatever name, as a factor in promot-\\ning the general welfare of the village. Hence the name of a\\ngenerous, public-spirited citizen would be found among the\\ncontributors to the support of liberal and orthodox churches\\nalike. The original subscription list for the Universalist church,\\nwhich is still extant, is an interesting document. Mr. Haight\\ngave a lot which he valued at one hundred dollars the same\\namount in carpenter s and joiner s work; forty-two sleepers\\nin my wood-lot near Rockford, seventeen feet long, at three\\ncents per foot, twenty-one dollars and forty-two cents; and\\nfifty dollars in money. Almost the entire subscriptions are in\\nwork or material. William Worthington subscribed ten dollars\\nin blacksmith s work; Charles Latimer, twenty dollars, how\\npaid is not stated; A, M. Catlin, in produce or building mate-\\nrial, twenty-five dollars; J. M. Wight, one thousand feet of\\nlumber at Stokes Jewett s mill, twelve dollars.\\nOn Thursday, July 22, 1841, the corner-stone of theTniver-\\nsalist church was laid on a site near the Eastsidepublicsquare.\\nThe large assemblage included people of other denominations.\\nPrayer was offered by Rev. Mr. Van Alstine, and a discourse\\nwas delivered by Rev. vSeth Barnes. This structure was never\\ncompleted. A stranger, in passing the unfinished building,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0257.jp2"}, "258": {"fulltext": "230 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ninquired of Dr. George Haskell concerning its purpose. The\\nDoctor replied that it was an insurance policy against hell-fire.\\nAll the original supporters of this project are gone and not even\\ntradition has given the cause for its sudden abandonment.\\nThus the Unitarian church became the one liberal household\\nof faith.\\nStrong Universalist churches are rare. These apostles of\\nthe wider hope have never become a vigorous ecclesiastical\\nbody. A few years ago a clergyman of that denomination\\ncontributed to one of the reviews an article entitled Confessions\\nof a Universalist. He took an optimistic view of the future of\\nhis church; yet he considered with remarkable fairness its\\napparent limitations. A brief extract from this article is very\\nsuggestive. The gentleman said We have also suffered, and\\ndo suffer, from the presence of a class of easy-going optimists,\\nwhose general idea of this life appears to be that a good-natured\\nCreator is coaxing his rabbit-multitudes of creatures easily along\\ntoward an infinite cabbage-garden of a heaven, where they will all\\neat cabbages forever These amiable persons mistake their con-\\nstitutional impurturbabiiity for the serene repose of faith, and\\nare therefore immovable by any instrumentality less powerful\\nthan dynamite. A meeting-house full of them can be made as\\nenthusiastic as a half-acre of damp toadstools.\\nThis frank acknowledgement should be balanced by a rec-\\nognition of the moral worth of the leaders of the old school of\\nUniversalism. They were men of strong character and genuine\\nspirituality. They believed that every man, by divine and\\ngracious help, must work out his own salvation. They recog-\\nnized, in the tragic severity of the retributive laws, the Creator s\\ntribute of respect to the possibilities of his creature. With sol-\\nemn joy they learned by the return of their deeds upon their\\nheads, that they were under moral discipline. Conversely, these\\nmen believed that, as darkness can resolve itself into light, so\\nwill the evil be dissolved in the good that the eternal streams\\nof goodness will wash away the evil that the hand of Omnip-\\notence is able to press the tears of repentance from the heart,\\nthough it seem hard as steel. Thus, under the name of Univer-\\nsalism, have been brought together the two poles of a careless\\noptimism, and a sublime faith in the beneficent severity of the\\nmoral order of the world.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0258.jp2"}, "259": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLVI.\\nFIRST BRIDGE.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 FIRST FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP.\\nTEN years elapsed from tlie first settlement of tlie village\\nbefore Rock river was spanned by a bridge at Rockford.\\nA bill had passed the legislature, approved February 27, 1843,\\nauthorizing Daniel S. Haight, George Haskell, S. D. Preston,\\nCharles I. Horsnian, and their associates to build a bridge.\\nWhen comi)leted in a manner so as not to obstruct the naviga-\\ntion of the river, and accepted by the county commissioners\\ncourt, it was to be a public highway, and kept in repair by the\\ncounty. But nothing was done until nearly one 3 ear later,\\nwhen the construction of the county buildings on the West side\\nemphasized this need to the citizens of the East side, where the\\ncourts had been held. The entire people felt that a bridge must\\nbe built, although few had means enough to conduct their own\\nbusiness successfully. Citizens of the West side, including the\\ncountry west of the village, had built the court house and jail\\nwithout a dollar s expense to their neigobors on the east side\\nof the river. F^ut the progressive citizens were willing to assume\\nanother burden. At a meeting held in December, 1843, a com-\\nmittee consisting of E. H. Potter, D. Howell, Willard AVheeler,\\nC. I. Horsman and G. A. Sanford, were appointed to solicit sub-\\nscriptions. A persistent effort throughout the county secured\\npledges to warrant the construction of an oak lattice bridge.\\nAll the money raised at this time was by subscription. The\\nmost liberal contributors were Frink, Walker Co., the stage\\nproprietors. January 22, 1844, the committee let the contract\\nto Derastus Harper. This gentleman was a competent work-\\nman. He subsequently went to Chicago, became the city engi-\\nneer, and designed the first pivot bridge across the Chicago\\nriver. The lumber was cut from trees on government land on\\nPecatonica river, rafted down the Rock, and sawed at Mr.\\nKent s mill. The covering for the lattice wasbasswood boards,\\ncut from logs in Mr. Blake s grove, and sawed at Kent s mill.\\nC. I. Horsman and William G. Ferguson drew the logs. By\\nAugust or September, Mr. Harper had suflBcieut material on", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0259.jp2"}, "260": {"fulltext": "232 HISTORY OF EOCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nhand to commence laying the bridge. This was done nearly in\\nthe rear of the Masonic Temple site, on the piece of level bottom.\\nThe bridge was of three strings of lattice-work, made from oak\\nplanks, fastened with oak pins. There was no iron in the struct-\\nure, except the nails that held the half-inch basswood boards\\nwhich covered the lattice when the structure was completed.\\nThere were stone abutments on either shore. Christmas night,\\n1844, the lattice was in place a distance of about seventy feet\\nfrom the west shore, supported by temporary trestles. Ice\\nformed about the trestles from the west shore. The water arose\\nand lifted the entire structure, including the trestles, when it\\ntoppled over with a crash. The pride and fond anticipations\\nof the village went out with it. Such discouragement is seldom\\ndepicted on the faces of the entire community. All shared in\\nthe disappointment; but the energies of the citizens were not\\neasily foiled. A united effort was made in a short time, and\\npromises were again secured. The abutments, piers and one\\nsection were left, and some of the material was saved which had\\nfloated down stream. The fallen lattice was taken from the\\nwater, and each plank numbered with red chalk and excepting\\na few that were splintered, they were again placed in proper\\norder. After the ice went out in March, 1845, the structure\\nwas again raised, without accident. Cheerfulness and hope-\\nfulness assumed full sway; and after many discouragements\\nthe bridge was open for travel, July 4, 1845. It was a time of\\ngreat rejoicing. The public-spirited citizens of Rockford felt that\\nIndependence Day had been properly celebrated. When the\\nlast plank had been laid, E. H. Potter mounted a horse, and\\nwas the first man to ride across the bridge. It was estimated\\nthat two thousand people crossed the bridge that day. There\\nwere two roadways, separated by the centre lattice, which pro-\\njected about five feet above the planking.\\nPerhaps no other public improvement in Rockford ever so\\ntested the courage and financial strength of the community.\\nThe burden fell heavily upon the committee. The contract with\\nMr. Harper was for five thousand and five hundred dollars. A\\nfinancial statement made July 15, 1845, showed that only two\\nthousand eight hundred and forty-seven dollars and ninety\\ncents had been collected. The committee had borrowed five\\nhundred dollars on their personal credit, for which they were\\npaying twelve per cent. There was also a balance due Mr.\\nHarper of one thousand two hundred and ninety-seven dollars.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0260.jp2"}, "261": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0261.jp2"}, "262": {"fulltext": "MANDEVILLE HOUSE\\nBuilt in 1S::!7 liy Richard MoiitaK H Still staiidiiifr\\nBRINCKERHOFF HOUSE\\niiilt liy Georse W. Bi-inckerliofT in 1838, on the nortliwest corner of Main and Green\\nstreets. Still standing", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0262.jp2"}, "263": {"fulltext": "BRIDIIE TAX LEVY. 233\\nThe bridf^e served its day and generation very well, but it\\nwas subject to many calamities. The dam broke three times\\nafter the bridge was completed. When the west end broke in\\nApril, 184G, the pressure of the water on the upper side of the\\ncentre and principal pier removed the foundation on that side,\\nand settled the bridge in the center on the up-stream side nearly\\nto the water, and gave it the appearance of being twisted\\nnearly one-fourth around. The bridge stood in this position\\nfor some months, when a contract was made with William\\nWard to raise it into position. The bridge sustained some injury\\nwhen the eastern portion of the dam broke in April, 1847. On\\nthe 25th of February preceding, a law of the legislature had been\\napproved, providing for a special tax to be levied upon the tax-\\nable property of Rockford precinct, for the purpose of repairing\\nand maintaining the bridge, and for the payment of the debt\\nincurred in its construction. Newton Crawford, Bela Shaw,\\nEphraim Wyman and Daniel McKenney were appointed bridge\\ncommissioners by the act, and vested with ])ower to declare the\\namount of tax to be levied, which was not to exceed fifty cents\\non one hundred dollars. These commissioners were appointed\\nby the act, until theirsuccessorsshould be elected annually at the\\nAugust election. When the dam went out the third time, in June,\\n1851, the bridge withstood the rush of waters, although it was\\nwrenched from its position. It reminded one of a cow-path or\\na rail-fence, and had a very insecure look. Though twisted\\nfrom end to end, it kept its place very tenaciously until it was\\nreplaced by the covered bridge in the winter of 1852-53. Its\\nmemory should be treated with respect. It enabled people to\\nattend their own respective churches, for nearlj everybody\\nwent in those days Congregationalists on the West side, and\\nthe Methodists on the East side. Postoffice and county build-\\nings were accessible to all. It proved a bond of union between\\nthe two sides.\\nThe first foundry and machine shop was built in the autumn\\nof 1843, or early in the spring of the following year. It stood\\non the site of Jeremiah Davis residence, on North Second street.\\nThe proprietors were Peter H. and William Watson. Their\\nfather s family came from Canada, and settled on a farm in the\\nEnoch neighborhood in Guilford. Peter Watson was at one\\ntime assistant secretary of war during the civil conflict, and at\\na later period was president of the New York and Erie railroad.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0263.jp2"}, "264": {"fulltext": "234 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe foundry was runuing- in the spring of 1844, The proprie-\\ntors obtained a contract for large pumps and pipes for raising\\nwater from the lead mines at Galena. March 11, 1845, William\\nWatson sold his interest in the business to his brother, and\\nengaged in the manufacture of fanning-mills. Peter H. contin-\\nued the foundry until August, 1845. His successors in the busi-\\nness at this stand were in turn R. F. Reynolds, D. K. Lyon, John\\nStevens, H. H. Silsby, Laomi Peake, and James L. Fountain.\\nThe last named proprietor removed the material and patterns\\nto New Milford about 1852. The last year Mr. Silsby conducted\\nthe business, in 1849, it was prosperous. People came a dis-\\ntance of forty miles to get their work done. Mr. Silsby was often\\nrequired to work nights in order to keep up with his orders.\\nJames Worsley was the expert moulder during all these years,\\nand he was master of his trade. He was afterward in theemploy\\nof Clark Utter until his retirement from the business by reason\\nof old age.\\nOrlando Clark, who has been erroneously credited with\\nbuilding the first foundry, came from Beloit in 1847, and estab-\\nlished himself in business on the West side race, where he\\nremained until 1851, when he went into business with Mr. Utter\\non the new water-power. Mr. Clark built the residence in South\\nRockford which is now the home of Judge John C. Garver.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0264.jp2"}, "265": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLVII.\\nWORCESTEIJ A. DICKP:UMAX.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 IIOCKFORD AS HE SAW IT IN 1844.\\nWORCESTER A. DICKERMAN was born in Green county,\\nNew York, September 10, 1820. He came to Rockford in\\n1844. Upon his arrival he immediately went into partnership\\nwith his cousin, G. A, Sanford, under the firm name of W. A.\\nDickerman Co., in the dry goods business. Their st6re was a\\ntwo-story brick structure on the old Second National Bank\\ncorner. After four years they removed to a buildiug which\\nstood on the site of H. H, Waldo s book-store, where the busi-\\nness was continued for several years. The banking house of\\nDickerman, Wheeler Sanford was then founded, which did\\nbusiness in the old building on the southeast corner of State\\nand Main. Mr. Wheeler retired and was succeeded by Dr. R. P.\\nLane. The firm name was Lane, Sanford Company, with Mr.\\nDickerman as the silent partner. This firm did a private banking\\nbusiness until the national banking system was introduced, in\\n1865. The firm was given the second banking charter, under the\\nname of the Second National Bank.\\nUpon the retirement of Mr. Dickerman from the banking\\nbusiness, he devoted his attention to insurance. He was one of\\nthe incorporators of the Rockford Insurance Company, and\\nfrom 1884 to the time of his death he served as examiner in the\\nmercantile department. Mr. Dickerman was school commis-\\nsioner from 1847 to 1849. In 1847 he was united in marriage\\nwith Miss Caroline Thomas, eldest daughter of Dr. Alden\\nThomas; and in 1897 they celebrated their golden wedding.\\nMr. Dickerman was prominent in church work. He was a mem-\\nber of the First Congregational church until 1849, when the\\nSecond church was formed. He became a charter member of the\\nyounger society, and in his later years he was familiarly known\\nRfi its senior deacon. Mr. Dickerman was for some Time the pur-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0265.jp2"}, "266": {"fulltext": "236 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nchasing agent for Rockford seminary. The highest type of gen-\\ntleman is born; not made. Emerson says: When private men\\nshall act with vast views, the lustre will be transferred from the\\nactions of kings to those of gentlemen. Mr. Dickerraan\\nbelonged to this class. He was upright and genial and prob-\\nably never made a personal enemy. Full of years and crowned\\nwith honor, Mr. Dickerman passed away July 19, 1899. His\\nimmediate surviving family are Mrs. Dickerman; Miss Kather-\\nine, a daughter; and a son, Harry W,\\nA short time before his death Mr. Dickerman prepared for\\nthis volume a chapter of reminiscences of Rockford as he saw it\\nin 1844. It is a pleasant running commentary on men, places\\n-and things. An exact reproduction of his reminiscences would\\nnecessarily involve a repetition of statements already familiar\\nto the reader; but the remainder of this chapter is substantially\\nas Mr. Dickerman gave it to the author, although it contains a\\nfew slight repetitions of facts previously given.\\nA ride in an open lumber wagon of about three days, com-\\ning from Chicago with Alonzo Corey, who had been in the city\\nwith a load of wheat, brought us to Rockford. Though some-\\nwhat tiresome, we expected some inconveniences, and accepted\\nthem gracefully. To one who had hved among the Catskill\\nmountains, the open prairies had much of interest. Garden\\nPrairie was very attractive. Mr. Corey would say Wait until\\nyou see the Rock river country. The State road from Belvi-\\ndere was principally through wooded land. As we came toBela\\nShaw s place, unexpected improvements appeared a row of\\nthrifty young poplar trees set in front, a half circle formed\\ninside, with an avenue from that to the dwelling also an ave-\\nnue from the street to the barn. Mr. Shaw was a justice of the\\npeace; very dignified, guarding well the morals of the commu-\\nnity. He was an excellent specimen of a Canadian English\\ngentleman. From Mr. Shaw s residence to the village, there\\nwere about one and a half miles of prairie, which afforded a very\\nextended view in all directions. The high ground on the east\\nwas timber-land, known as Big Woods. South, west and\\nnorth the outlook was attractive. Stages in passing were often\\nstopped by request of passengers to take in the beautiful view.\\nThere were a few patches of cultivated land and small dwell-\\nfngs, but nothing to obstruct the view in any direction. And\\nnow, says Mr. Corey, this is the part of the Rock river valley", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0266.jp2"}, "267": {"fulltext": "FinSiT VIEW OF ROCKFORD. 237\\nof wliicU I have told you. Truly, I had never seen a prottier\\npicture. I think there were no buildinp;8 between Mr. Shaw s\\nhome and the villajj^e, which was completely shut out of view\\nby the forest, and no church spires to indicate its location.\\nFi ink, Walker Co. s stage barn near the present waterinf^-\\ntrou ;h on Kishwaukee street, was the first buildino;. A two-\\nstory bnildino-, corner of State and First street, occupied in\\npart by Laoini Peake, a harness-maker, was the best in town.\\nThere were then no other shops. Mr. Peake was an ener etic,\\nindustrious man. A little farther west was the postoffice.\\nCharles H. Spafford was the postmaster. He was a genial,\\nupright, frank-hearted man, well adapted to the business, and\\nvery popular. His two brothers, John and Catlin, were on a\\nfarm three miles south on the Kishsvaukee road. Mr.Spafford s\\nsuccessor under James K. Polk s administration, was Charles\\nI. Horsman, who removed the office to the west side of the\\nriver. Willard Wheeler had a store and tin-shop near hy. He\\nwas a very decided character, sometimes called obstinate;\\nalways aiming to head off the West-siders, who were alert and\\nready to guard their own interests. Near at hand Searle\\nWorthington had the only drug store in town. Dr. Searle was\\nquite a politician, and the store was a sort of political head-\\nquarters. William Worthington was a quiet man, and highly\\nesteemed. He was fond of music, and particularly the drum.\\nOn the south side of State street Lewis Holmes had a shoe-\\nshop. The Washington Temperance House came next, kept by\\nso-called Judge Blackstone, a popular landlord. Volney Marsh\\nand Thomas D. Robertson, young nmrried people, were among\\nhis fashionable boarders. Across East State street, on the\\ncorner, was the Rockford House, known as the stage house, kept\\nby Andrew Brown, a very good landlord. Directly north was\\nthe New York store, kept by A. H. H. Perkins, a genial, active\\nbusiness man. He was ])opular, and had a good trade. On\\nthe southwest corner of State and Main, now called Madison,\\nwas a two-story brick building. It was the largest in town,\\nwith the most complete stock of goods, owned and conducted\\nby E. H. Potter. He was a very decided, upright businessman,\\nprominent in thechurch and everything that pertained to good\\ncitizenship and the prosperity of the village, and particularly\\nEast Rockford. He was the father of Mrs. William Lathroj)\\nand Commodore E. E. Potter. He built and occupied the brick\\nbuilding now owned by Rev. Mead Holmes as a residence. Mr.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0267.jp2"}, "268": {"fulltext": "238 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nPotter had a brother, Herman B. Potter, a farmer, and a man\\nhighly esteemed. His dwelling stood on ground now occupied\\nby the First Congregational church. He also had another\\nbrother, Joel B. Potter, a farmer, who resided two miles from\\nthe village. He was formerly a Presbyterian clergyman. His\\nhealth had failed, but he was still an active and valuable man\\nin the church. I first knew him as Sunday-school superintendent\\nin the Congregational church. The second story of the Potter\\nstore was occupied by Jason Marsh and James M. Wight, the\\nprincipal law firm in the town. They were public-spirited citi-\\nzens. Mr. Marsh was abold, daring man, a fluentspeaker, ready\\nfor any emergency, and well adapted to a new country. He was\\nvery active in securing the arrest and conviction of noted bur-\\nglars and horse-thieves in connection with the Mulford robbery.\\nSome of these had been the more dangerous because they were\\nwell-known citizens. Their duplicity was shown in their appar-\\nent anxiety to ferret out horse-thieves, while at the same time\\nthey were keeping them fully advised of all proceedings. Mr.\\nWight did not make a specialty of pleading at the bar; but he\\nwas a thorough lawyer, and highly appreciated as a counselor.\\nThe descent from the Potter store to the river was quite steep.\\nThe surface of the river was four feet lower before the dam was\\nbuilt. Teamsters with heavy loads called it the hardest hill,\\nfrom the river bank to Madison street, between Chicago and\\nRockford, The road was quite sandy, and frequently the teams\\nwere doubled in order to make the ascent. On the south side of\\nState, Mrs. Preston, since Mrs. Selden M. Church, had a dwell-\\ning, and was married there. The crossing of the river was by\\nferry-boat, which would carry two teams at a time, John Fisher\\nwas ferryman, and he was assisted by Asher Miller. Rock river\\nwas a clear, beautiful stream at its ordinary stage. So small a\\nportion of the prairies was under cultivation that the soil did\\nnot wash into the stream. Its banks sloped gently from the\\nford, as far up as one could see. There was a small island near\\nthe present water-works, and another farther north. Both were\\nnearly submerged by the effect of the dam. A large number of\\nteams crossed the river at the ford. In ordinary stage of water\\nit w^as from two to two and a half feet deep, all rock bottom.\\nIt was quite an attractive sight when several teams followed in\\nsuccession. In this way they saved the ferriage fee. Many\\nteams were employed in transporting merchandise from Chicago\\nto Galena and points up the Mississippi. On their return trips", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0268.jp2"}, "269": {"fulltext": "GOODS PURCHASED IN NEW YORK. 239\\nthey often bought wheat and sold it in Chicago. At times,\\nwhen the ice in the river had not become strong enough, and\\nabout the season it was breaking up, neither ford, ferry nor row-\\nboats were available, however important one s business might\\nbe. Sometimes this condition continued several days. The\\nbridge, when completed after much delay and discouragement,\\nformed a bond of union between the two sides but it must not\\nbe supposed that perfect harmony existed among the leading\\nmen in the management of their respective sides, William E.\\nDunbar, E. H. Potter, Willard Wheeler and Dr. Searle were on\\nthe East side and Charles I. Horsman, G. A. Sanford, John A.\\nHolland, S. M. Church and T. D. Robertson were citizens of the\\nWest side. They were representative men, loyal to the interests\\nof Rockford, but much more loyal to their respective sides.\\nSharp conflicts were frequent.\\nOn the West side, between the river and Main street, there\\nwas one building, a dwelling, on the north side of State. There\\nwas none on the south side until reaching the corner of State\\nand Main. A two-stor}- brick building, nearly new, w as occupied\\nb}^ G. A. Sanford as a general store. He kept the largest and\\nbest stock of goods on the West side. He had about eleven\\nhundred dollars invested, and enjoyed a very good trade. He\\nwas a leading man in all new enterprises for village improve-\\nment on the West side he was thoroughly interested in whatever\\ncontributed to the religious, educational or business prosperity\\nof the village. Mr, Sanford was a man of great energy, and\\nhad just completed a term as sheriff of the county. He had\\nmany desperate characters to deal with and nothing but his\\ndetermined bravery enabled him to succeed. Mr. Sanford was\\nacquainted with every resident in the county, and was held in\\nhigh esteem. He took in a partner, then twenty-four years of\\nage. The manner of doing business was quite different from\\nthe present, and some particulars may be of interest.\\nThe money was in great variety, gold and silver as well as\\npaper. There were no banks, and funds were exchanged as\\nfar as possible by such as could buy New York exchange in Chi-\\ncago. Gold, for purchasing goods, was carried in money-belts\\nto New York. Hiram R. Maynard was about to go into busi-\\nness. He entrusted his monej and gave full authority to the\\njunior partner to purchase a general stock. In the aggregate\\nit was quite a sum of money, for the time, to take along. He\\nwould have been a good subject for the thieves that infested the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0269.jp2"}, "270": {"fulltext": "240 HISTORY OF ROCK FORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ncountry if they had known his treasure. The partner started\\nfor New York on Thursday, February 20, 1845. He had a fine,\\nlarge buffalo-robe to protect him from the weather. The ice in\\nthe river was breaking up but two strong men in a row-boat\\ncrossed among floating cakes of ice, and took a mud wagon\\nstage on the East side. The roads were bad, but two nights and\\na part of three days brought him safely to Chicago on Satur-\\nday. The partner stopped at the American Temperance House,\\nwell kept by Brown Tuttle. This was a newer and better\\nbuilding than theTremont or Mansion. The Sherman was the\\nonly brick hotel in the city, located on its present ground. The\\npartner attended the First Presbyterian church on Sunday.\\nThis was a one-story, frame structure. There were nothing but\\nframe churches in Chicago at that time. On Monday he took\\nthe stage by way of Michigan City to Detroit stage again from\\nDetroit through Canada to Buffalo, traveling night and day\\nrailroad from there to Albany; flat rail; and two days from\\nthere to his old home in the Catskill mountains. As the goods\\ncould not be shipped until the opening of the Hudson river and\\nthe Erie canal, he delayed purchasing until that time. The\\ncanal boats were loaded in New York, and towed to Albany.\\nIt was considered very good time if goods came from New York\\nto Rockford in three weeks. The partner returned by way of\\nthe lakes, and arrived in Rockford May 1st, and most of the\\ngoods were received during the month. Mr. Maynard s stock\\nalso came in good lime, and he expressed himself well satisfied\\nwith his selection.\\nThe sign of W. A. Dickerman Co. was seen on the brick\\nstore, corner of State and Main. It was about twenty by fifty\\ndeep; counter on one side, and the east end was now filled with\\na well selected stock of dry goods, groceries, crockery, hard-\\nware, and some drugs. Such a stock was kept as found ready\\npurchasers from all parts of the county. The partners were\\nnever happier in a business way than then. Before harvesting,\\ngrain was all cut with hand cradles, and raked and bound by\\nhand, which required additional help and greater supplies. I\\ntook our team and went to Galena, which then had a large\\nwholesale grocery trade, mainly in the mining region. Steam-\\ners brought their supplies from New Orleans and St. Louis, and\\nshipped away their lead. I purchased a supply of goods and\\nreturned within a week. This purchase gave us a complete\\nstock until fall purchases could be made in New York.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0270.jp2"}, "271": {"fulltext": "WEST STATE STREET. 241\\nOn the Ashton corner was a two-story brick hotel, called\\nthe Winnebajz:o House. Thence west there werenobiiiIdin :;s on\\neither side of State, until we arrive at the court house, which\\nwas the pride of the whole county. The new buildin i^ was well\\nadapted to the needs of the coinnninity. The main buildinp;\\nwas a court room, with two roomn in rear for jury, and awing\\non each side, occupied respectively by the county clerk, recorder,\\nsheriff, circuit clerk, and probate justice of the peace. The\\nlast office was held by Selden M. Church, who occupied the west\\nwing. The court room served a good purpose for lectures and\\npublic gatherings. It was then the only public hall in town. A\\nbrick jail in the rear, near the present location, was really the\\nbest in the country, and considered very secure. Samuel C.\\nFuller, the jailer, was a man well fitted for the time; he was\\nready for any emergency, and perfectly fearless. He had the\\nMulford robbers and several desperate horse-thieves in charge\\nat one time. A special guard was kept at night for a time dur-\\ningtheirconfinementawaiting trial; also to convey them across\\nthe country to the penitentiary after their conviction.\\nOn the McPherson corner, north of the courthouse, was the\\nresidence of Dr. Alden Thomas. He was a natural gentleman,\\nreliable, and active in church and society work. He had nearly\\nretired from medical practice. On the Horsman estate, which\\nretains its trees and natural appearance more than any other\\nplace in the city, resided Abiram and Mrs. Morgan. Though\\nrather a small house, their good cheer made it abound in hos-\\npitality. Their daughter and her husband, Charles I. Horsman,\\nwere very genial, and made their home attractive. They were\\nfond of society. Parties were frequent, and guests from Belvi-\\ndere and Freeport were usually in attendance. No party was\\nconsidered complete without the presence of Mrs. Morgan.\\nTheir church home was the First Baptist, where they were gen-\\nerous contributors.\\nWest on State street, this side of Kent s creek, which was\\nthen quite a large, beautiful stream, was a cemetery, npar Mrs.\\nRichings residence. But another retired place had been selected\\nin the woods, which it was supposed would not be disturbed\\nfor many years and most of the bodies had been removed\\nthere. When the Galena \u00c2\u00abS: Chicago Utiion railroad was built,\\nthe company wanted the grounds. The proceeds of that sale\\npurchased the beautiful West side cometery, and furnished a\\nfund for its improvement. Thf bodies were again removed.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0271.jp2"}, "272": {"fulltext": "212 HISTORY Oh ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand owners of lots in the former grounds were given lots in the\\nnew cemetery.\\nThe first house west of the city limits was occupied by a\\nScotch shepherd. His sheep often came down and fed in the\\nwoods. In hot weather they found a comfortable place under\\nthe Congregational church, which was built on a block founda-\\ntion, about two feet off the ground. Nearly every family kept\\ntheir own cows, as there was a large range for them in which to\\nrun. It was sometimes difficult to find them if they did not come\\nhome at night. To remedy this perplexity, many put bells on\\nthem. Each owner aimed to get one that hecouldrecognizeata\\ndistance. It was quite pleasant music when several cows came\\nhome together. There were but few enclosed farms between\\nKockford and Twelve-Mile Grove.\\nBefore going down on Main street we hear the stage-driver s\\nhorn. Frink, Walker Co. s tri-weekly mail stage is coming in\\nfrom Galena. See that skilled driver cracking his long whip\\nover his horses How beautifully he drives down State street\\nHe is the admiration of all the boys, as he reins up his pranc-\\ning horses at the Winnebago House. In fact, he attracts every-\\nbody. It equaled a special train at this time, for he brings\\ndistinguished company Judge Thomas C. Brown, M. D. John-\\nson, Thomas Drummond and E. B. Washburne, of Galena;\\nThomas J. Turner and Martin P. Sweet, of Freeport. They\\nmade a specially quick run, less than eighteen hours from Galena.\\nThey came to attend circuit court. It was expected then to see\\nseveral lawyers from other counties attending courts. The best\\nhorses and most gorgeous coaches started and came in from\\nthe two ends of the line, to and from Rockford. They crossed\\nthe river on the ferry-boat to the stage house on the East side,\\nand then to the stage barn, where a fresh relay of horses and\\nanother driver were provided and soon the passengers are\\nmoving rapidly toward Chicago. About the same time the\\nstage rushes in from Chicago, and brings the United States mail.\\nThen comes the rush for letters by all who have twenty-five\\ncents to pay the letter postage. In this stage come the lawyers,\\nAllen C. Fuller, James M. Loop and Stephen A. Hurlbut, of\\nBelvidere. The excitement of the arrival and departure of the\\nstages for two days is now over, and we will go down Main\\nstreet.\\nThe Horsman lot, Porter s corner, is vacant to the court\\nhouse. Where Daniel Dow s block now stands, he had a small,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0272.jp2"}, "273": {"fulltext": "FEVER AND AGUE. 3i8\\none-story buildinoi:, a shoe-shop, in which he worked. George\\nTullock worked for him. They were young men. This shop\\nwas a popular resort in the evening to discuss the news of the\\nday. In the autumn, on bright sunny days, fever and ague\\nsubjects found the front a pleasant lounging-place. They sat on\\nboxes and joked each other about his pale, sallow face. Their\\nrecitals about jarring the house, and shaking themselves out of\\ntheir boots, either amusing or frightening their families, were\\nquite ridiculous. Fortunately, most of the houses were only\\none story at that time. Here comes Uncle Stone, an old vet-\\neran, who lives near the cemetery, on the bank of Kent s creek,\\nby the mill-dam, which is a regular breeder of ague. Hehashada\\nhard tussle with it fortwoor three years. How about thechills\\nthis year, Uncle? I had an awful time yesterday thought\\nI would shake my teeth out; folks all sick; but I m goin ter\\nwear the ager out this year or quit. It comes only once a week\\nnow. Well, you don t look much like conquering such a\\npowerful enemy it is more likely that you will be laid away in\\nthe cemetery. As a parting salute to Fever and Ague, I say\\nthat I never heard a good word spoken for you though you\\nmingled in good society, you always commenced the fight when\\nwe were convalescing from bilious or typhoid fever; and how-\\never polite our solicitations, you never left until driven away by\\ngood health.\\nVery near Mr. Dow s shoe-shop was G. A. Sanford s resi-\\ndence, with many additions. This was my home about two\\nyears. A part of it may now be seen on the lot south of Keyt s\\nlivery stable, near the centre bridge. A house on this lot was\\nthe first one occupied as a store by John Piatt and G. A. San-\\nford, and as a dwelling by them and 1). D. Ailing and their\\nwives. On the Chick House corner was a dwelling house occu-\\npied by Albert Sanford and Hiram R. Maynard. Both were\\nrecently married they were men of strict integrity, and were\\nhighly esteemed for generous, kindly acts in daily life. Albert\\nwas one of those genial, social neighbors who could brighten\\nthe dark places of many sick and discouraged ones, and always\\nready to lend a helping hand. On the east side of Main street,\\nnear Loomis store, was a dwelling occupied by H. W. Loomis,\\nhis father and mother. On the Winnebago Bank corner was a\\ndwelling occupied by H. L. Rood, an active man, but not then\\nengaged in business. He was gentlemanly and affable; looked\\nafter the strangers, and was ever readj to show them the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0273.jp2"}, "274": {"fulltext": "244 HISTORY OF ROLKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nvillage, for which he always predicted a bright future. H. R.\\nMaynard built a oiie-story store on the Masonic Temple corner,\\nwhich he occupied a short time. It was then used by C. A. Hunt-\\nington as an academy. The Second Congregational church was\\norganized in this building in 1849. It is now used as a black-\\nsmith s shop near Mrs. Brett s block. Near the south corner,\\nnow the site of the Brown Building, was a small cabinet-shop.\\nBoston rockers, Windsor chairs, wooden seats, other articles\\nof furniture, and coffins were manufactured here. I do not recol-\\nlect any other buildings on this side of the street until arriving\\nat Ephraim Wyman s bakery. This was located near the ford.\\nIt was convenient for emigrants and teamsters to get their\\nsupplies, as many camped out, and slept in their wagons at\\nnight. This was cash trade, and valuable, as the village pat-\\nronage was small. Kent s creek was forded somewhat east of\\nMain street. Wyman s bakery was the place where the young\\nmen could indulge in the luxury of his home-made beer and\\nginger-bread, and enjoy his good cheer. We remember him as a\\ngenerous, whole-souled man. His business naturally attracted\\nthe hungry and destitute; and if worthy they were never turned\\naway. His daily life was exemplary, and his counsel good. The\\nrecords of Winnebago county show that very important trusts\\nwere committed to him and he never proved false to the con-\\nfidence reposed in him. Opportunities were not lacking for him\\nto secure a competence, but he preferred the consciousness of\\ndoing right at all times. Like many of the early business men,\\nhe came to the close of his life in limited circumstances, and left\\nthe inheritance of a good name. After the bridge was built he\\ncame up on State street, and started a boarding house.\\nThe log and frame dwelling, supposed to be the first build-\\ning on the west side of the river, was occupied by Germanicus\\nKent. When Main street was opened it was removed across\\nthe creek. Mr. Kent was associated with Mr. Brinckerhoff. They\\nnominally owned several tracts of land south and west of the\\nvillage, which have since become very valuable. They were\\nunsuccessful in their enterprises. Mr. Brinckerhoff left town\\nbefore I came, and Mr. Kent s family removed the year that I\\narrived. I had but little personal acquaintance with them\\nbut I always heard them spoken of in the highest terms. There\\nwas a dwelling where the Emerson stone warehouse now stands,\\nsouth of the Northwestern railroad track, occupied by Deras-\\ntus Harper, the bridge contractor. On the northeast corner of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0274.jp2"}, "275": {"fulltext": "SUNDA Y AT THE Ft RR Y. 2i7,\\nthe same block, was a dwelling owned and occupied by Nathan-\\niel Wilder, a o;ood blacksmith, from Keene, New Hampshire.\\nHe was a f\u00c2\u00bbeniiine New Eno:land Yankee. Block seventeen, next\\nnorth, was covered with a fine growth of oak, with no build-\\nings. On the corner north of the postoffice was a dwelling built\\nby Mr. Brinckerhoff. It was the first house for a great many\\nnew-comers until they could build. Sometimes three families\\nwere thus accommodated at the same time. The building still\\nstands on the same ground. The prettiest building on the\\nstreet was called The Cottage, and was occupied by John W.\\nTaylor, who came here with his young wife from Albany, New\\nYork. They were genteel, excellent people. For a time Mr.\\nTaylor sold goods in a store on the corner of Main and Chest-\\nnut; but it was closed when 1 came. David D. Alling s carpen-\\nter s shop, a little north of it, still stands. His dwelling was\\nnear it. Mr. Ailing was fond of hunting, and very successful.\\nHe usually had some dried venison hams hanging in his shop.\\nMr. Ailing built the house for \\\\V. A. Dickerman, on North Main\\nstreet, before that street was opened. The house was one of\\nthe best, and almost the first that was covered with pine lum-\\nber. This house is now owned by William F. Woodruff. A\\nhouse where the Blaisdell block now stands completed the\\nbuildings on South Main street, which was the most thickly\\nsettled of any part of the West side.\\nWe have very pleasant recollections of the Congregational\\nchurch, a building forty feet square, on the corner of Church\\nand Green streets, which was then attended by all the Congre-\\ngatioualistsand Presbyterians on both sides of the river, as well\\nas by many Unitarians. The New York friends of Kent and\\nBrinckerhoff, who principally furnished the funds for the erec-\\ntion of the little church, knew but little of its power for good in\\nlaying the foundations of a prosperous Christian community.\\nThe attendance there embraced all the church-goers except the\\nBaptists and Methodists. Let us go down to the ferry-boat\\nSunday morning, and see who come across the river. Among\\nour acquaintances who attend this church are: Charles Works\\nand family, James Works, Peter B. Johnson and James B.\\nJohnson and their families, Gabriel Dunning and family, Dea-\\ncon Ira Baker and family, Alfred P. Mather, Horace Foote,\\nWilliam E. Dunbar, Jason Marsh, Volney A. Marsh, James M.\\nWight, Charles H. Spafford, John Spafford, R. H. Potter, Her-\\nman Potter, Joel B. Potter, Asa Crosby, B. G. Wheeler, Dr. A.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0275.jp2"}, "276": {"fulltext": "246 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nM. Catlin, and their families; theHerrick family, Lewis Greg::ory,\\nJudge Bela Shaw, William P. Dennis, Anson Barnum, Henry\\nSilsby, Mr. Tinker, and H. Burrows and family The statement\\nwas made some time ago that the first church bell used in\\nRockford was placed on the Presbyterian church. I do not\\nknow of any such bell; but I do know that Rev. Mr. Norton,\\nwho preceded Rev. William Curtis in the Congregational church,\\nbrought a bell and had it placed and used in that church.\\nWhen he left, the church did not purchase it, and he took it\\naway. I also know of a Meneely bell, weighing six hundred\\nand forty pounds, which I purchased in New York. This was\\nfor the brick Congregational church on the corner of First and\\nWalnut streets.\\nOn North Main street a brick blacksmith s shop stood on\\nthe site of Louck s restaurant, occupied by Stephen Skinner, a\\ngood blacksmith, a man of strict integrity, and a deacon in the\\nCongregational church. His residence was just north of the\\nshop. On the west side of Main street, at the north end of the\\nWinnebago House, Cyrus F. and Anson S. Miller had a law\\noffice. They were good lawyers. Anson S. was quite promi-\\nnent as a politician. Adjoining their office, in the same build-\\ning, Isaac Andrus had a small store. He was quite an active\\nman in the First Baptist church. Where the Presbyterian\\nchurch now stands, Michael Burns, a tailor, resided. He was\\nalways posted in the news of the town, attended closely to his\\nbusiness, and was active in church work. Near by was Austin\\nColton s residence, which may now be seen just north of the\\nPresbyterian church. He was editor and proprietor of the\\nRockford Forum, a good weekly paper for the time, creditable\\nto himself and to the village. On the north side of North street\\nwas John Beattie s residence, where his familj still resides. Main\\nstreet ended at William A. Talcott s residence. A road ran\\neast about a block, then north, following about that distance\\nfrom the river, to the entrance of Dr. Haskell s residence, front-\\ning the river, now occupied by George Forbes. He selected the\\nhighest part of this ground, which slopes to the west, south and\\neast. There were no buildings to obstruct, and it was a beau-\\ntiful view, surrounded with an orchard of thrifty fruit trees.\\nApples were in great variety, early and late, and pears, peaches\\nand plums just coming into bearing. I think it extended to\\nCourt street, and north to Fisher avenue. The Doctor was\\nclosely identified with the interests of the town. He had a fair", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0276.jp2"}, "277": {"fulltext": "A TThJMPT A T SILK CUL TURE. 247\\nluedical practice, from which he was retiriug. It was the cus-\\ntom to be very generous iu doses of medicine. His hand-made\\npills assured his patients that he had not called simply for a\\nvisit. As there were no dentists, the only remedy for aching,\\ndecayed teeth was to extract them, and that with turnkeys.\\nAll physicians were experts in this line of torture. The memory\\nof experience in that line is not at all effaced by years. I made\\na friendly call at the house, and found Mrs. Haskell and her\\ndaughter preparing and knitting silk stockings for themselves.\\nSilkworms had been fed from mulberry leaves grown on their own\\ntrees, and the silk wound and twisted from their cocoons. The\\ndaughter is the mother of Dr. F. H. and Willis Kimball. The\\nfamily, were genuine New Englanders, industrious and economi-\\ncal. There had been quite an excitement overgrowing mulberry\\ntrees, for ornamental, shade and fruit trees, and silk culture.\\nThey made a quick growth, but did not prove a profitable\\ninvestment.\\nFollowing the river road from the Beattie grounds north,\\nnear the river bank, was a beautiful boulevard, of which we\\nwould be proud today. The next house was nearT. D. Robert-\\nson s residence. Continuing north on Main street, was a house\\noccupied by James Taylor, an industrious farmer. He did\\nexpress work about town occasionally, with his oxen and cart.\\nFarther north, on the line of Harlem avenue, near Auburn\\nstreet, was a large two-story building, erected for a hotel by\\nCharles Reed, who was so confident that the State road from\\nChicago to Galena would cross the river at this point, that he\\nnot only put up the hotel, but had a full section of land laid off\\ninto blocks and lots, and called his village Winnebago. In his\\nopinion, it was a very unwise thing when the state road was\\nlaid across the river at Rockford. About the 20th of October\\nwe had a heavy snowstorm. We fitted up a lumber wagon box\\non a sleigh, took in a jolly company of young ladies and gen-\\ntlemen, and had a genuine enjoyable sociable, or sewing soci-\\nety, as it was then called, at the Reed house.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0277.jp2"}, "278": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLVIIl.\\nTHE SOCIAL LIFE OF ROCKFORD IN THE EARLY FORTIES.\\nTHE aristocracy of a community is always founded upon\\nwhat its people believe to be the chief good. Whenever\\nthe emphasis is placed upon noble family descent, the aristoc-\\nracy is founded upon blood. If intellectual culture is the sum-\\nmum bonum, the charmed circle will be composed of artists,\\npoets and literati. When money is considered the first object\\nof pursuit, wealth will be the basis of aristocracy. In the social\\nlife of ancient Rome, the patricians were the descendants of the\\nfirst settlers. From that day to this aristocracy has rested in\\na measure upon good birth. The fact that a man is well born\\nis accepted as a letter of credit the wide world over.\\nThe open sesame to good society in the early days of\\nRockford was not noble blood, nor culture, nor wealth. If any\\naristocracy had developed, it rested upon common respecta-\\nbility. The society of Rockford from fifty to sixty years ago\\nwas of the highest class. It was characterized by a delightful\\nArcadian simplicity. The settlers were not burdened with the\\ncare of large houses, and costly furniture, and expensive ward-\\nrobes. The axiom that one might as well be out of the world\\nas out of fashion was the invention of a later date. It was not\\nconsidered good form for a lady to make a formal afternoon\\ncall when she might suppose that the lady of the house would\\nbe absent, and leave her card with the maid, with solemn pro-\\ntestations of regret that the lady of the house was not at home.\\nIn fact, there were no domestics; hence the servant girl problem\\ndid not threaten domestic tranquility and the general welfare.\\nInstead of a large number of calls in an afternoon, friends would\\nmake an afternoon and evening visit. Gentlemen were allowed\\nat these functions. Meetings for benevolent purposes were held\\nat private houses, and substantial refreshments were served\\nwhich the guests could eat. Societies were then founded which\\nstill have an existence. Hospitality was of the true and genu-\\nine sort. A walk of two or three miles did not require much", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0278.jp2"}, "279": {"fulltext": "NOTABLE WEDDINGS. 249\\neffort, althon ;h there were no sidewalks nor street lamps. A\\nhand lantern, brilliantly illuminated with a candle or oil lamp,\\nand cheerful company, would dispel the most dense Egyptian\\ndarkness. Sometimes a little company would ^o in lumber\\nwagons three to five miles into the country for a rehearsal of\\nchurch music with a friend. The music and the social converse\\nwere alike enjoyable. Literary entertainments were occasion-\\nally given at the court house.\\nWeddings were not of very frequent occurrence; but they\\nwere the large social gatherings, and the invitations were quite\\ngeneral. The marriage of M. H. Regan and Miss Louisa Dewey\\noccurred in 1845. He invited the young people to a wedding\\nsupper at the American House in Belvidere. They made quite\\nan attractive appearance, writes Mr. Dickerman, as they started\\nin their private conveyance. There were no top buggies or\\ncarriages in Rockford at that time.\\nThe wedding of Charles H. Spafford and Miss Abby Warren\\nwas solemnized March 8, 1842, at the residence of Jason\\nMarsh. The Rockford Pilot says the party was large and bril-\\nliant. The bride had come to Rockford in the autumn of 1841,\\nto keep house for her brother, Edward Warren, the second post-\\nmaster of the village. Mr. Warren had built the upright part\\nof the present residence of Dr. Lichty, on the corner of Third\\nand Walnut streets. It was built of brick, and entirely finished\\nin black walnut. Mrs. Spafford s father, Joseph Warren, was\\na son of Dr. John Warren, who was surgeon-general in Wash-\\niagton s army, and a brother of General Joseph Warren, who\\nwas killed at the battle of Bunker Hill. Mrs. Spafford s father\\nreceived his education at Cambridge. His death occurred when\\nhis daughter was five years of age. Mrs. Spafford was also\\ndescended from Governor John Collins, the last colonial governor\\nof Rhode Island. vShe was educated in the east and upon her\\nsettlement in Rockford she became prominent in the social life of\\nthe village. Her religious sympathies have alwa^ s been with\\nthe Unitarian church.\\nMay 20, 1845, Selden M. Church and Mrs. Mary Preston\\nwere united in marriage. Mr. Thurston gives this incident in\\nhis Reminiscences: At one p. m. sharp that day, I drove up\\nto the front of the Rockford House with Black Lucy, the hand-\\nBomest horse in the town, hitched in the shafts of an open buggy\\nwith wood axles, basswood dash, seat upholstered with a buffalo-\\nrobe, and clean harness\u00e2\u0080\u0094 the best in town from the livery of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0279.jp2"}, "280": {"fulltext": "250 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nTj^ler Thurstou, which equipage 1 had in charge for the occa-\\nsion, and handed the reins to the Judge. He was followed as he\\ndrove off by the benedictions of the assembly. We had no shoes\\nto throw after them, as they were required for personal use,\\nand rice had not yet come into vogue; but God-bless-yous and\\nour best wishes did follow in the wake of the disappearing\\nvehicle.\\nIsaiah Lyon and Mary Hitchcock were married March 31,\\n1841. The bride s father was Jonathan Hitchcock. He had\\nrecently built the brick house at 111 North First street, now-\\noccupied by E. S. Tebbetts as a residence and dental rooms. The\\nbridal party were given a charivari. This is of French origin,\\nand is said to have been introduced into the west by the settlers\\nof that nationality at Kaskaskia.\\nThere was considerable social intercourse between Rockford\\nand the neighboring towns. The settlers of Belvidere and Rock-\\nford were of the same general class. Prof. Whitman, who was a\\nstated supply at one time in one of the local pulpits, was widelj\\nknown as a Baptist clergyman and educator. Mrs. Whitman\\nand Mrs. R. S. Molony, a.lso of Belvidere, were nieces of Miss\\nMatilda Hoffman, the young lady to whom Washington Irving\\nwas engaged. She died in April, 1809, at the age of eighteen.\\nBy way of a digression it may be said that Irving slept with\\nher Bible and prayer-book under his pillow, and they were his\\ninseparable companions. His devotion to her memory caused\\nhim to remain a bachelor. In his private note-book he wrote:\\nShe died in the beauty of her youth, and in my memory she\\nwill ever be young and beautiful. In St. Mark s Eve, in\\nBracebridge Hall, he plaintively says: There are departed\\nbeings whom I have loved as I never again shall love in this\\nworld who have loved me as I never again shall be loved\\nMiss Hoffman died in the arras of Rebecca Gratz, a beautiful\\nJewess of Philadelphia. Irving visited Sir Walter Scott in 1817\\nand upon the strength of his vivid description of this lady, Sir\\nWalter made her the heroine of Ivanhoe, Rebecca, the most\\nromantic creation of female character that the author ever con-\\nceived.\\nDr. Molony represented his district in congress from 1851\\nto 1853, as a Democrat. Chicago was then included in that\\ndistrict. Senator and Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas were occasional\\nguests at the Molony home, which was a social centre in the\\nneighboring village.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0280.jp2"}, "281": {"fulltext": "SOCIETY LEADERS. 251\\nMr. and Mtk. Abirum Morgan were leaders in social circles.\\nMrs. Morgan was one whom everybody esteemed. Her kindness,\\nready sympathy, genuine hospitality and superior housekeep-\\ning made her log-house as a palace-home, where all loved to\\nvisit; and the genius of the place remained to the third gen-\\neration. Their grandchildren are Mrs. Underwood and Mrs.\\nOgden, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Horsman. A third daughter\\ndied when a child, and was buried in a corner of the homestead\\ngrove, where her grave could be seen for many years. The\\nremains were finally removed to the West side cemetery. A\\ngrandson of Mr. llorsman has developed literary talent, and\\nhe has written articles for the magazines, which have been pub-\\nlished during the past year.\\nMrs. Spafford says that among her first acquaintances were\\nMr. and Mrs. John W. Taylor. In their home was the essence\\nof hospitality. Mr. Taylor was always the courtly and attent-\\nive host, and Mrs. Taylor lent a charm to whatever place she\\noccupied by the sweetness and grace of her manner. Mr. Taylor\\nis now residing in New York City. His sister was the first Mrs.\\nT. D. Robertson.\\nJames Mitchell was one of nature s noblemen. There were\\nFrancis Burnap,the ancient bachelor and astute lawyer, with his\\nwig, which never quitecovered the natural hair; JudgeShaw,an\\nold-school gentleman and David Penfield, whom many remem-\\nber with respect. The three Potter brothers and their families\\nleft their impress upon the community until this day. The\\nkindly nature and ready sympathy of Mrs. Alden Thomas\\nendeared her to all her friends. Volney Marsh, with his tuning-\\nfork and an old-fashioned singing-book, with which he kept\\ntime, was a familiar figure in the singing-gallery. Brad\\nMcKenney was quite a prominent character in th(\u00c2\u00bbse da^ s. It\\nhas been said he was heard more in public than any other man\\nin the community. He was known far ancJ wide for his kindness\\nof heart, and he would leave his business to nurse the sick when-\\never his services were needed.\\nThe Sanford brothers, Albert, Robert, and Goodyear Asa,\\nwere representative society men. Robert died November 22,\\n1871, at Virginia City, Montana, aged fifty years. Mrs. A. C.\\nSpafford, the first Mrs. John Spafford and Mrs. I. N. Cunning-\\nham were sisters. Mrs. W. P. Dennis was a fine housekeperand\\na lady of refinement. Shepherd Leach was popular in social\\ncircles. Rev. William S. Curtis, pastor of the First Congrega-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0281.jp2"}, "282": {"fulltext": "252 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntioual church, was hiohly esteemed. His wife was Miss Martha\\nLeach, a sister of Shepherd Leach, Jason Marsh was the Beau\\nBrummell of his day. Rev. Lansing Porter had a wide personal\\nacquaintance.\\nThere was a scarcity of young society, and young ladies\\nwere at a premium. A well known young man of the village\\nwent quite a distance into the country to call upon some young\\nladies. The old gentleman, their father, arose from his chair at\\nnine o clock and announced that he was the last person up in\\nthe house, and that it was his time to retire.\\nWhatever may have been the differences between the East\\nand West sides in business affairs, in the social life of the com-\\nmunity there were no two sides of the river. A common feeling\\nof sympathy made them one people. H. H. Waldo comments\\nin this wise upon Rockford society in the forties and fifties\\nSociety was free from artificial distinctions. The pioneer days\\nwere the red-letter days of my life. I would like to live them\\nover again. There was a more fraternal feeling among men in\\nthe same line of business. Competition was not so strong. The\\npopular amusements were instructive as well as entertaining.\\nThe larger number of social distinctions are natural rather\\nthan artificial. Friendships are formed upon the basis of social\\naflinity, which is as truly a natural law as chemical affinity. The\\npublic ball was one of the popular amusements among a class\\nof residents of the olden time. These balls were usually held at\\nthe Rockford House, the Washington House, or the Winnebago\\nHouse. Christmas and New Year s werg usually chosen for\\nthese events. Guests came from considerable distance. At a\\nunion ball held at the Winnebago House, January 22, 1845,\\nmanagers were elected from Rockford, Whig Hill, Beloit, Ros-\\ncoe, Belvidere, Cleveland, Byron, Grand Detour, Oregon, Dixon,\\nand Charleston. The sporting element has been admirably\\nportrayed by Mr. Thurston, in his Reminiscences. They have\\nthe genuine flavor of an interesting phase of life in a new com-\\nmunity. Hunting and fishing were favorite pastimes. Barn-\\nraisings were seasons of social interest as well as of mutual\\nhelpfulness. Occasionally a marriage would be followed by a\\ncharivari, which, happily, has become obsolete in civilized com-\\nmunities.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0282.jp2"}, "283": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER XLIX.\\nPREDOMINANCE OF THE NEW ENGLAND TYPE IN EAULY liOCKFORD.\\nEMERSON observes that an institution is the lenpjthened\\nshadow of one man; as, the Reformation of Luther; Meth-\\nodism, of Wesley and that all history resolves itself into the\\nbiography of a few stout and earnest persons. Thus, he says,\\nevents grow on the same stem with persons; are sub-persons.\\nThe larger number of the early settlers of Rockford came from\\nNew England. Some emigrated from New York and other\\nstates, but the New England element predominated. These\\npioneers impressed their personality upon this community, and\\nit has remained until this day. The New Englanders, in their\\nnative home, were a homogeneous race; even the Chinese were\\nscarcely more so. With the exception of a few Huguenot families,\\nwho came from the old world at the close of the seventeenth\\ncentury, and who, from religious sympathy and other causes,\\nwere easily grafted on the primeval vine, they were all descend-\\nants of English stock.\\nIndustry, thrift, and a high sense of personal honor are\\nprominent traits in the typical son of New England. Soil and\\nclimate determine in some measure the character of a peo|)lp.\\nThe rocky soil of New England required the husbandman to\\npractice the virtue of industry. In a speech given at a dinner\\nof the Pilgrim Society in Plymouth, in 1855, Wendell Phillips\\ngave this unique characterization of the Puritans: How true\\nit is that the Puritans originated no new truth How true it is,\\nalso, Mr. President, that it is not truth which agitates the world.\\nPlato in the groves of the Academy sounded on and on to the\\nutmost depth of philosophy, but Athens was quiet. Calling\\naround liim the choicest minds of Greece, he j)ointPfl out the\\nworthlessnesH of their altars and the sham of public life, but\\nAthens was quiet, it was all speciihithm. When Socrates\\nwalke l the streets of Athens, and, questioning every-day life,\\nstruck the altar till the faith of the passer-by faltered, it came\\nclose to ACTION, and immediately they gave him hemlock, for\\nthe city was turned upside down. I might find a better illustra-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0283.jp2"}, "284": {"fulltext": "254 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntion in the streets of Jerusalem. What the Puritans gave the\\nworld was not thought, but action. Europe had ideas, but she\\nwas letting dare not wait upon would, like the cat in the\\nadage. The Puritans, with native pluck, launched out into the\\ndeep sea. Men, who called themselves thinkers, had been creep-\\ning along the Mediterranean, from headland to headland, in\\ntheir timidity; the Pilgrims launched boldlj out into the Atlan-\\ntic, and trusted God. That is the claim they have upon pos-\\nterity. It was ACTION that made them what they were.\\nThat which is purchased at the greatest cost is usually the\\nmost highly treasured and thus the industrious farmer and\\nartisan became frugal. It was a point of honor with a true\\nNewEnglander to maintain his family and pay his debts. This he\\ncould not do except by a persevering industry, and a methodical\\nand prudent management of his affairs. He must be economi-\\ncal if he would be generous, or even just; for extravagance\\nsooner or later weakens the sense of moral obligation. These\\ntraits of industry and thrift were pleasantly satirized many\\nyears ago by a southern writer, in the following paragraph\\nWe of the south are mistaken in the character of these people,\\nwhen we think of them only as peddlers in horn flints and bark\\nnutmegs. Their energy and enterprise are directed to all objects,\\ngreat and small, within their reach. At the fall of a scanty\\nrivulet, they set up their little manufactory of wooden buttons\\nor combs; they plant a barren hillside with broomcorn, and\\nmake it into brooms at the bottom, and on its top they erect\\na windmill. Thus, at a single spot, you may set the air, the\\nearth and the water all working for them. But, at the same\\ntime, the ocean is whitened to its extremities with the sails of\\ntheir ships, and the land is covered with their works of art and\\nusefulness.\\nThe early New Englanders have been charged with coldness\\nand severity of manner. For an austere people, however, they\\nhave been easily enkindled with noble enthusiasms. There are\\ncertain traits prominent in their type of character, such as their\\nlove of order and the habit of self-control, which hasty observers\\nhave mistaken for tokens of a want of earnestness. But seldom,\\nif ever, has there been a more sublime rage than was shown near\\nBoston, in April, 1775, and for eight years thereafter. The\\naccusation most frequently repeated against those stalwart\\npeople is that of religious intolerance. Christian charity, how-\\never, has been a slow and painful evolution through the centu-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0284.jp2"}, "285": {"fulltext": "THE NEW ENGLAND CHARACTER. 6fi\\nries; and the New En 2:lander was but a sharer iu the world-wide\\nspirit of intolerance. Perhaps they held their spinal columns\\ntoo rigidly erect, and carried their heads too high to view with\\ntender sympathy the weak and sinful world about them. Nev-\\nertheless, they bore aloft the standard of righteousness before a\\nlawless generation, and planted in the new world the seeds of\\npatient, practical and self-denying morality. Their posterity\\nhave sold their birthright for the pottage of license and disre-\\ngard of the moral law. Whatever of justice there may be in the\\nstrictures upon those ancient worthies, it maybe observed that\\nno Chauning, nor Sumner, nor Garfield has ever been nurtured\\nin the atmosphere of a Sunday beer-garden.\\nWhen Judah was in exile in Babylon, her prophet Ezekiel\\nhad a vision of a brighter day. Afterward he brought me\\nagain unto the door of the house; and behold, waters issued\\nout from under the threshold of the house eastward for the\\nforefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters\\ncame down from under, from the right side of the house, at the\\nsouth side of the altar. This river was primarily a symbol of\\nthe transformation that should be wrought in Canaan to make\\nit a fit dwelling-place for the ransomed of the Lord who should\\nreturn to Zion. A feature of Messianic prophecy is the promise\\nof the renewal of nature and the reconstruction of societv. In\\nthe prophet s vision, the stream of blessing proceeded from the\\ntemple of Jehovah and the virtue of its waters was received as\\nthey flowed by the altar of sacrifice. In the mind of the devout\\nHebrew, Jehovah was always to be found in his visible sanct-\\nuary. The Lord was in his holy temple. So the institutions\\nof an enlightened civilization have proceeded from the Christian\\nchurch, through the sacrifice of the noble men and women of\\nthe past, who have served her with a lover s devotion. The\\nearly colleges of this land, with very few exceptions, were the\\noffspring of the church, and consecrated by its prayers.\\nIt could not be said that every settler of llockford belonged\\nto the highest class; but the determining force in the commu-\\nnity camt^ from those high ideals of culture and religion, and\\nthose habits of economy, industry, integrity and temperance\\nwhich hav\u00c2\u00ab made the true Liiglander a representative of the\\nbest elements in our civilization. It was ordained in the begin-\\nning that seed should bring forth fruit after its kind. It is none\\nthe less true in social and moral life. The moral status of a city\\nor country as truly^indicates the character of its pioneers, as", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0285.jp2"}, "286": {"fulltext": "25G HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe rich, ripe fruit of the vineyard tells the secret of its seed and\\nculture.\\nHon. R. R. Hitt, in an address delivered in August, 1899,\\nbefore the old settlers of Seward in this county, said the state-\\nment that the early settlers builded wiser than they knew, was\\na reflection upon their intelligence. He insisted that the pioneers\\nknew what they were doing, and had some conception of the\\noutcome. Certain it is that whatever Winnebago county is\\ntoday, is directly traceable to their agency. They have been the\\narchitects of her institutions. They laid broad and deep the\\nfoundations of her industrial, educational, moral and religious\\ninterests, and from time to time they have superintended the\\nsuperstructure. The large majority of this vanguard have\\nceased from their labors, and their works do follow them. As\\nthe few who remain behold the institutions of learning that have\\nbeen reared in every town, and the resources provided for the\\nhumblest as well as for the strongest as they look over the\\nprairies reclaimed from barrenness and barbarism through\\ntheir toil and privations; as they consider the various religious\\ninfluences that are quietly softening and humanizing the moral\\nnature, they have the satisfaction of knowing that they have\\nnot lived in vain.\\nThere is a tendency in this age to remove the ancient land-\\nmarks which the fathers have set. The sabbath has lost much\\nof its former sanctity. Parental authority has become a lost\\nart, or a lost virtue and there has been a widespread insubor-\\ndination to constituted authority; and the mad chase for\\nwealth has established false standards of worth, and weakened\\nthe moral fibre of the people. These are not the reflections of a\\npessimist, but the conclusions of the casual observer. If this\\nrepublic is to endure, there must be a speedy return to the\\nhomely virtues and the high ideals of the fathers. For where-\\nsoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.\\nIn the Old Testament the eagle, or the bird of prey, represents,\\na foreign army summoned by Jehovah to execute his chastise-\\nment upon a corrupt nation. The interpretation is this Wher-\\never there is corruption, there will be inflicted the judgments of\\nhim who rules in righteousness.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0286.jp2"}, "287": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER L.\\nRIVER AND HARBORCONVENTION.\u00e2\u0080\u0094WINNEnAGOCOUNTY DELEGATES.\\nPRIOR to 1846 ChicaoQ was a port of delivery only, and\\nbelonged to the district of Detroit. The former city was\\nmade a port of entry by act of congress in 1846. Some improve-\\nments had been made in the harbor previous to 1839, when the\\nwork was discontinued for want of funds. A bar had formed,\\nwhich extended across the entrance of the channel, so that ves-\\nsels could enter only in fair weather, and even then with con-\\nsiderable difficulty. It was only in response to the unremitting\\nefforts of citizens, by memorials and personal influence, during\\nthe yearsl839-41, that congress, in 1843, appropriated twenty-\\nfive thousand dollars to continue the improvements. The next\\nyear thirty thousand dollars additional were appropriated for\\nthe same ])urpose. Up to this time two hundred and forty-seven\\nthousand dollars had been expended yet the harbor was still\\nincomplete, if not positively dangerous. John Wentworth,\\nChicago s able representative in congress, had secured the incor-\\nporation of another appropriation in the river and harbor bill\\nof 1846, by a decisive majority; but President Polk interposed\\nhis veto.\\nThe president and the minority in congress were thus com-\\nmitted against the policy of river and harbor improvement.\\nThis course j)rovoked general criticism, and especially in the\\nwest and resulted in the call for the famous river and harbor\\nconvention, which met in July, 1847. It was one of the most\\nnotable events of the ])eriod. Preliminary conferences had been\\nheld in Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, and New York, and such\\nencouragement had been received that a meeting was held in\\nChicago, November 13, 1846, to complete the arrangements\\nfor the convention. William Moseley Hall, who took the initia-\\ntive in calling the convention, was from 1845 to 1848, agent at\\nSt. Louis of the Lake Steamshi]) Association, connecting by\\nFriuk, Walker Company s stage lines, and later by Illinois\\nand Michigan canal packets, with Illinois river steamers to St.\\nLouis.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0287.jp2"}, "288": {"fulltext": "25S HISIVRT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe convention assembled in Chicago July 5, 1847. Dele-\\ngates were present from eighteen out of the twenty-nine states\\nof the union. New York sent over three hundred and still larger\\nnumbers came from Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana and\\nIllinois. The total attendance was estimated to be from six to\\nten thousand. Many of the leading men of the nation were\\npresent. Among them were Thomas Corwin, William Bebb,\\nStanley Matthews, Schuyler Colfax, David Dudley Field, Thur-\\nlow Weed, and Horace Greeley. Thirty-five counties in Illinois\\nsent delegates. Abraham Lincoln was one of the number. Mr.\\nLincoln was the only Whig representative in congress from the\\nstate. He at this time made his first visit to its commercial\\nmetropolis. Chicago was then a city of fifteen thousand popu-\\nlation.\\nThe delegates assembled in a spacious pavilion. Edward\\nBates, of Missouri, presided, with vice-presidents from seventeen\\nstates. The vice-president from Illinois was Charles S. Hemp-\\nstead. The convention continued in session three days. In his\\nreport of the proceedings, Thurlow Weed pronounced it a\\nlarger deliberative body than had ever been assembled in this\\ncountry. Letters generally favorable to the avowed objects\\nof the convention were read from Daniel Webster, Thomas H.\\nBenton, Henry Clay, Martin VanBuren, and others.\\nBoth of the leading parties sought to make political capital\\nout of the event. It was only with the utmost adroitness that\\npartisan dissensions were prevented. This feat was diflBcult,\\nbecause the occasion of the convention was a political act by a\\npartisan president. Tuesday, David Dudley Field, a Democrat,\\naddressed the convention and in the afternoon of the same\\nday Jason Marsh, of Rockford, introduced the following reso-\\nlution: Resolved, That the delegates to this convention are\\npained at the expression of ill-feeling evinced this morning dur-\\ning the time that David Dudley Field, of New York, occupied\\n(by invitation) the stand and in future pledge themselves to\\nregard the rights of all members of the convention, who confine\\nthemselves to the rules prescribed and passed by this conven-\\ntion.\\nAnother resolution, introduced by S. Treat, of Missouri,\\nprovided that no proposition or remarks, not directly con-\\nnected with recognized river and harbor improvements of a\\nnational character, shall be entertained by this convention.\\nThe resolutions adopted enthusiastically asserted that it", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0288.jp2"}, "289": {"fulltext": "WINNEBAGO COUNTY DELEGATES. 359\\nwas the rip:ht and duty of the general government to facilitate\\ncommerce by improving harbors, and clearing out navigable riv-\\ners; and that theretofore appropriations made for the improve-\\nment of inter-oceanic rivers and lakes had not been in fair\\nproportion to those made for the benefit of the Atlantic coast.\\nA resolution in favor of a railroad from the states to the Pacific,\\nintroduced by William Moseley Hall, was also adopted. The\\nclosing speech was delivered by the president, Edward Bates,\\nwhich tradition has pronounced a masterpiece of American\\noratory theretofore unexcelled. No report of this great ora-\\ntion has been preserved.\\nWinnebago county was represented at this convention by\\nthirty delegates, as follows: Daniel S. Haight, Anson S. Miller,\\nS. G. Armor, Thomas D. Robertson, William Hulin, Spencer\\nPost, Charles H. Spafford, 0. Jewett, J. A. Wilson, Jason\\nMarsh, Newton Crawford, Cyrus F. Miller, Goodyear A. Sanford,\\nW. A. Dickerman, R. R. Comstock, Jesse Blinn, J. B. Peterson,\\nAustin Colton, Shepherd Leach, C. A. Huntington, J.M.Wight,\\nJ. B. Johnson, Samuel Cunningham, Horace Miller, E.M.Miller,\\nW. P. Dennis, H. Barross,D. Corey, M. H.Regan, Dr. Carpenter.\\nThe most complete report of this historic convention is\\npublished in Fergus Historical Series, Number Eighteen, which\\ndevotes about two hundred pages to the subject. Several num-\\nbers of this work, which have now become rare and valuable,\\nmay be found in the Rockford public library.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0289.jp2"}, "290": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LI.\\nTHE reform OF THE JUDICIARY.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.\\nUNDER the first constitution of Illinois, the justices of the\\nsupreme court and the judges of the inferior courts were\\nelected by the joint ballot of the legislature. This system made\\nthe courts in a sense the creatures of the legislature, rather than\\na co-ordinate branch of the government. The legislature is\\nalways governed more or less by partisan expediency and the\\nreflex action upon the judiciary compromised its independence.\\nTwo celebrated instances may be briefly noted.\\nWhen Thomas Carlin became governor, as a Democrat, in\\n1838, he claimed the power of appointing a new secretary of\\nstate, without a vacancy existing in that office. Alexander P.\\nField, a Whig, had served in that capacity during; the two pre-\\nceding administrations. Governor Carlin based his right of\\nappointment upon the doctrine that a secretary of state under\\nthe first constitution was a confidential adviser of theg overnor,\\nand ought therefore to be of the same political faith. The Gov-\\nernor accordingly nominated John A. McClernand. The senate,\\nalthough Democratic, passed a resolution to the effect that the\\ngovernor did not possess the power to nominate a secretary,\\nexcept in case of a vacancy. After adjournment the Governor\\nagain appointed Mr. McClernand, secretary of state, who there-\\nupon demanded possession of the office from Secretary Field.\\nThe latter refused. Mr. McClernand then filed an information\\nin the nature of a quo warranto, before Judge Breese, in the\\ncircuit court of Fayette county, who decided in favor of the\\ncomplainant. Secretary Field took an appeal to the supreme\\ncourt, where the cause was reversed. There were then four jus-\\ntices of the supreme court. Justice Smith was a Democrat, and\\nChief-Justice Wilson and Justices Lockwood and lirown were\\nWhigs. Three opinions were written. Justices Wilson and\\nLockwood concurred; Justice Smith dissented; and Justice\\nBrown declined to sit in the cause, because he was a relative of\\nMr. McClernand. Chief- Justice Wilson rendered the decision of\\nthe court, which held that the Governor could not remove the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0290.jp2"}, "291": {"fulltext": "GALENA ALIEN CASE. 261\\nsecretary of state at pleasure; that when an appointment had\\nbeen made, the appointinpj power was suspended until a vacanc^^\\noccurred. The decision was the cause of a partisan outcry\\nap:ainst the so-called Whig court, because it prevented a\\nDemocrat from holding- one of the principal offices of the gov-\\nernment. This opinion was contrary to the principle generally\\naccepted at this day, that the appointing power, when exercised\\nby a single person, or by a body of men who can conveniently\\nact, necessarily possesses the power of removal from office.\\nThe second and far more im])ortant instance was the cele-\\nbrated Galena alien case. The alien vote of the state was about\\nten thousand and it was estimated that nine-tenths of this\\nvote was Democratic; and if they were excluded from the polls in\\n1840, it would determine the presidential election in favor of the\\nWhigs. The constitution of 1818 provided that in allelections,\\nall white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one 3 ears,\\nhaving resided in the state six months next preceding the elec-\\ntion, shall enjoy the right of an elector. The Whigs had long-\\ncontended that this provision did not authorize any but citizens\\nto vote while the practice, ever since the constitution was\\nadopted, had uniformly been to allow all residents, whether\\ncitizens or aliens, to vote, who had resided in the state six\\nmonths. In order to test the right of aliens to vote, without\\nnaturalization, an agreed case was instituted at Galena, where\\nthere was a large alien vote in the mining district, between two\\nWhigs, to recover the penalty of one hundred dollars, under the\\nelection law of 1829, because the defendant, who had acted as\\njudge at the August election of 1838, had received the vote of\\nan alien. Judge Dan. Stone, before whom the case was tried,\\ndecided that an alien was not entitled to the elective franchise,\\nand therefore imposed the fine prescribed by the statute. The\\ndecision had great political significance, because it was believed\\nby both parties that the alien vote of the state held the balance\\nof power.\\nAn appeal was taken to the supreme court, where it was\\nargued at the December term, 1839, and then continued to\\nthe June term, 1840, when the exciting presidential campaign\\nwas in progress. If the case were decided adversely to the\\naliens, the state might be lost to the Democracy, and there was\\na general apprehension that such would be the decision. Judge\\nSmith, the only Democratic justice then on the supreme bench,\\ndiscovered a clerical error in the record. A motion to dismiss", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0291.jp2"}, "292": {"fulltext": "262 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwas thereupon founded, because it appeared by the record that\\nthe case argued was alleged to have occurred at a time when\\nno general election could be held, namely, August, 6, 1839. The\\nyear 1838 was meant. For the purpose of correcting the rec-\\nord, a continuance was granted to the December term, which\\nwas subsequent to the presidential election, which was held in\\nNovember. The achievement of discovering the flaw in the\\nrecord was considered a remarkable stroke of legal acumen.\\nWhen the case was called for final decision, the constitutional\\nquestion of the right of an alien to vote was evaded, and it was\\ndecided that inasmuch as the alien, whose vote was in question,\\nby admission of both parties, possessed all the qualifications\\nrequired by the law of 1829, the court erred in imposing\\nthe penalty. In the meantime, the November election in 1840\\nwas held. Both houses of the legislature were largely Demo-\\ncratic, and Stephen A. Douglas was made secretary of state.\\nDuring the progress of these proceedings, a bill had been\\nintroduced for the reorganization of the judiciary. Two great\\npolitical questions had been brought before the supreme court\\none had already been decided against the wishes of the Demo-\\ncratic party, and it was thought the other, still pending, would\\nbe decided in the same way. The Democrats proceeded to rad-\\nical measures of redress. Mr. Douglas, who had been one of the\\ncounsel for the aliens, boldly charged in a speech before the\\nlobby, that the main question had been purposely evaded by\\nthe court, in order to conciliate the Democrats, and defeat the\\nbill. By an act of February 10, 1841, the general assembly\\nlegislated out of ofiice the nine circuit judges, and increased\\nthe number of supreme court justices from four to nine. In\\naddition to their duties as a supreme court, and their function\\nas a council of revision, the law imposed upon them all the\\ncircuit court business of the state. Since 1835 the supreme\\njustices had been relieved of circuit duty, and acted solely as a\\ncourt of appeals, errors and revision. The change was an\\nextreme partisan measure, and characterized by Governor Ford\\nas confessedly violent, and somewhat revolutionary. Before\\nits approval the bill was presented to the council of revision,\\nwhich returned it with its objections. The bill, however, was\\nrepassed, notwithstanding the objections of the council, in the\\nsenate by a large majority, and in the house by a majority of\\none. A protest was signed by a minority, among whom was\\nAbraham Lincoln. The five additional supreme court justices", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0292.jp2"}, "293": {"fulltext": "ATTEMPT TO REMOVE JUDGE BROWN. 268\\nelected by the legislature under this law were Sidney Breeze,\\nWalder B. Scates, Samuel H. Treat, Stephen A, Douglas, and\\nThomas Ford, who had been judge of the circuit which included\\nRockford. All these justices were Democrats. Thereafter all\\nDemocratic apprehensions were allayed concerning the party\\nvote, nor did the majority of that court (juestion the right of\\nthe executive to appoint his own secretary of state.\\nAt the session of 1842\u00e2\u0080\u0094 i3 an effort was made to remove\\nJudge Thomas C. Brown, on the ground of incompetency. He\\nhad been a member of the supreme court since the adoption of\\nthe constitution in 1818. Judge Brown was a genial gentleman,\\nbut he possessed no legal attainments. Upon the reorganization\\nof the court, Judge Brown, whose home was at Shawneetown,\\nwas assigned to the remote Galena circuit, in the hope that he\\nwould resign. This plan failed and four lawyers, Charles S.\\nHempstead, Thomas Drummond, Thompson Campbell and A.\\nL. Holmes, filed specifications that he had not natural strength\\nof intellect, and lacked the legal training requisite to a proper\\ndischarge of the duties of his high office. The senate refused to\\nparticipate in the examination of these charges, and the house\\nfinally asked to be discharged from further consideration of the\\nsubject.\\nIn 1847 another attempt was made to remove Judge\\nBrown. A petition was numerously signed by the bar and\\ncitizens of Rockford. This petition, with all the signatures\\nattached, has been preserved. Judge Brown, however, retained\\nhis position, and remained upon the bench until the reorgani-\\nzation of the supreme court under the constitution of 1848.\\nThese two decisions of the supreme court were notable\\nevents in the evolution of an elective judiciary in Illinois. Under\\nthe present system, the entire judiciary of the state is elected by\\nthe people. More than a century ago Alexander Hamilton said\\nin the Federalist: The standard of good behavior for the\\ncontinuance in office of the judicial magistracy, is certainly one\\nof the most valuable of the modern improvements in the prac-\\ntice of government. In a monarchy, it is an excellent barrier\\nto the despotism of the prince; in a republic, it is a no less excel-\\nlent barrier to the encroachments and oppressions of the repre-\\nsentative body. And it is the best expedient which can be devised\\nin any government, to secure a steady, upright and impartial\\nadministration of the laws. Under the elective system, how-\\never, a precedent has been established of continuing a judge in", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0293.jp2"}, "294": {"fulltext": "264 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\noffice during good behavior. Thus an elective judiciary is\\nessentially consistent with the philosophy of Hamilton. More-\\nover, the judiciary, which in Hamilton s time was considered\\nthe weakest department of the government, has become recog-\\nnized as a co-ordinate branch, deriving its powers, as do the\\nlegislative and the executive, from a popular constitution and\\nhas attained its present position of honor and public confidence.\\nIn pursuance of an act of the general assembly, approved\\nFebruary 20, 1847, a constitutional convention assembled at\\nSpringfield, June 7th of the same year. The delegates from\\nWinnebago county were Selden M. Church and Robert J. Cross.\\nThe delegates from the neighboring county of Boone were Dr.\\nDaniel H. Whitney and Stephen A. Hurlbut, both of whom were\\nwell known in Rockford at an early date. The Journal of Pro-\\nceedings indicate that all of these gentlemen took part in the\\ndiscussions. Upon the organization of the convention, Mr.\\nChurch was appointed a member of the standing committee on\\nthe organization of departments and offices connected with\\nthe executive department Mr. Cross, a member of the commit-\\ntee on the bill of rights; Mr. Hurlbut, on the judiciary depart-\\nment; and Dr. Whitney, on incorporations.\\nEarly in the session Mr. Church introduced the following\\nresolution Resolved, That the committee on the bill of rights\\nbe requested to inquire into the expediency of so amending the\\nsixth article of the present constitution that it shall provide\\nthat there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude\\nin this state, otherwise than for the punishment of crimes\\nwhereof the parties shall have been duly convicted. Nor shall\\nany person be deprived of liberty on account of color. June\\n26th Mr. Cross introduced the following resolution: Resolved,\\nThat the committee on elections and the right of suffrage be\\ninstructed to inquire into the expediency of changing the time\\nof holding elections from the first Monday in August to the\\nTuesday next after the first Monday in November, and the\\nmanner of voting from vive voce to ballot. Mr. Cross also\\nled in an effort to secure in the new constitution a provision for\\na state superintendent of schools, with a liberal salary.\\nThe convention continued in session until August 31st,\\nwhen the new constitution was adopted. It was ratified by the\\npeople March 6, 1848, and in force from April 1st next follow-\\ning. The adoption of this new constitution was a notable event", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0294.jp2"}, "295": {"fulltext": "THE NEW CONSTITUTION. 205\\nill the trauHitiou of Illinois from a primitive, pioneer state to a\\ngreat commonwealth. Many chanj^es were made. A section,\\nintroduced bv Mr. Hurlbut, of Boone, provided for township\\norganization in the counties, whenever desired. The time of\\nholding the general elections was changed from August to\\nNovember; the method of voting changed from vive voce to\\nballot; the judiciary was made elective; and many improve-\\nments were made along other lines. This constitution remained\\nin force until 1870. A new constitution was adopted in conven-\\ntion in 1862, but it was rejected by the people. The delegate\\nfrom Winnebago county to this convention was Porter Sheldon,\\na brother of C. W. Sheldon, of Rockford.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0295.jp2"}, "296": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LII.\\nTHE GALENA AND CHICAGO UNION THE FIRST RAILROAD.\\nJANUARY 16, 1836, a charter was granted to the Galena\\nChicago Union Railroad Company, to construct a railroad\\nwith a single or double track, from Galena to Chicago. The\\ncapital stock was to be one hundred thousand dollars, with the\\nprivilege of increase to a sum not exceeding one million dollars.\\nWilliam Bennett, Thomas Drummond, J. C. Goodhue, Peter\\nSemple, J. M. Turner, E. D. Taylor, and J. B. Thomas, Jr.,\\nwere made commissioners for receiving subscriptions to the\\ncapital stock. At that time Galena was the leading village of\\nthis western country. This fact explains the precedence given\\nto that name in the title of the road. The company was given\\nthree years in which to commence operations. Either animal\\nor steam-power might be used. The charter was obtained\\nmainly through the influence of EbenezerPeck andT. W.Smith.\\nThe Galena Chicago Union was the first railroad chartered\\nto be built from Chicago, upon which work was immediately\\nbegun. The road became an important factor in the great\\ntransportation system of Chicago, as well as the towns along\\nthe line.\\nThirteen months after the charter was granted, the survey\\nof the proposed route was begun by an engineer, James Sey-\\nmour, and was extended from the foot of North Dearborn street\\nas far as the Des Plaines river. Work was suspended in June,\\n1838, but resumed the following year, and piles were driven\\nalong the line of Madison street, and stringers placed upon\\nthem. It soon became evident, however, that Chicago s finan-\\ncial strength was not equal to her ambition, and the enterprise\\nwas temporarily abandoned. The suspension of operations was\\na source of profound regret to the citizens of the Rock River\\nvalley, who had made several attempts to obtain better connec-\\ntion with Chicago, first by means of the contemplated road,\\nand later by canal. These schemes did not prove feasible, and\\nother plans were substituted.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0296.jp2"}, "297": {"fulltext": "FIRST RAILROAD MEETING. 2G7\\nThe agitation was continued in Winnebago county for sev-\\neral years. The first railroad meeting in Rockford was held\\nNovember 28, 1845, Anson S. Miller was chosen chairman,\\nand Selden M. Church, secretary. The meeting was addressed\\nby Hon. Martin P. Sweet. It was resolved that those counties\\ninterested in the construction of a railroad from Galena to Chi-\\ncago be recommended to send delegates to a convention to be\\nheld in Rockford, January 7, 184G, for the purpose of taking\\nmeasures for the construction of the road at the earliest possible\\ntime. Jason Marsh, T. D. Robertson, and William Hulin were\\nappointed a corresponding committee to carry out the object\\nof the meeting. The following delegates were appointed to\\nattend the convention from Winnebago county: Horace Miller,\\nA. C. Gleason, Robert Barrett, Harvey Gregory, Robert J.\\nCross, Asa Farnsworth, Stephen Mack, Thomas B. Talcott,\\nLeman Pettibone, Guy Hulett, Snyder J. Fletcher, Alonzo Hall,\\nDaniel Baker, E. S. Cable, Harvey Woodruff, Joseph Manches-\\nter, George Haskell, Willard Wheeler, E. H. Potter, Newton\\nCrawford, J. C. Goodhue, S. M, Church, Anson Miller, Jason\\nMarsh, and T. D. Robertson.\\nDecember 5, 1845, a meeting was held in Chicago to select\\ndelegates to the Rockford convention. Mayor A. Garrett pre-\\nsided, and Isaac N. Arnold was secretary. The meeting was\\naddressed by J. Y. Scammon,of Chicago, and William Baldwin,\\nof Boston. The following delegates were chosed to attend the\\nconvention at Rockford Isaac N. Arnold, J. Y. Scammon, J.\\nB. F. Russell, Mark Skinner, Thomas Dyer, E. W. Tracy, John\\nDaulin, Stephen F. Gale, William H. Brown, Walter L. New-\\nberr3% William E. Jones, Bryan W. Raymond, F. C. Sherman,\\nWilliam Jones, Mayor A. Garrett. Meetings were held at Belvi-\\ndere December 20th, and at Freeport December 25th, for the\\nselection of delegates to the convention.\\nThe convention was held at Rockford January 7, 1846,\\nDelegates were present from the counties proposed to be trav-\\nersed by the line. Cook county sent sixteen delegates; De\\nKalb, one; McHenry, fifteen; Rock, three; Ogle, eighty; Boone,\\nforty-two; Lee, one; Kane, fifteen; Stephenson, forty; Winne-\\nbago, one hundred Jo Daviess, six; a total of three hundred\\nand nineteen delegates. It will be observed that Winnebago,\\nand probably other counties, sent a larger delegation than had\\nbeen authorized by the preliminary meeting. The convention\\nwas called to order at twelve o clock, by T. D. Robertson, who", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0297.jp2"}, "298": {"fulltext": "268 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nnomioated I. N. Arnold for temporary chairman. Mr. Robert-\\nson was chosen secretary, pro tem. The committee appointed to\\nnominate permanent officers presented the following report:\\nThomas Drummond, of Jo Daviess, president; William H.\\nBrown, of Cook Joel Walker, of Boone Spooner Buggies, of\\nOgle; Elijah Wilcox, of Kane, vice-presidents; T.D, Robertson,\\nof Winnebago; J. B. Russell, of Cook; S. P. Hyde, of McHenry,\\nsecretaries.\\nThe president, on taking the chair, addressed the meeting\\non the great importance of the outcome to northern Illinois\\nand the northwest, and expressed the hope that all their tran-\\nsactions might be characterized by an intelligent view of the\\nsituation. J. Y. Scammon, of Cook, offered a resolution that\\na committee of one from each county be appointed to report\\nresolutions which would express the views of the convention.\\nThe chair appointed the following committee: J. Y. Scammon,\\nof Cook; George T. Kasson, of McHenry; Charles S. Hemp-\\nstead, of Jo Daviess; M. G. Dana, of Ogle; James S. Waterman,\\nof DeKalb; William H. Oilman, of Boone. John A. Clark, of\\nStephenson; A. B. Wells, of Kane; S. M. Church, of Winnebago;\\nL. G. Fisher, of Wisconsin Territory. Walter L. Newberry, of\\nChicago, offered the following: ^Resolved, If a satisfactory\\narrangement can be made with the present holders of the\\nstock of the Galena Chicago Union Railroad Company, that\\nthe members of this convention will use all honorable measures\\nto obtain subscriptions to the stock of said company.\\nAn animated debate followed; and after a full discussion of\\nthe powers of the charter and possible benefits, the resolution\\nwas adopted by an overwhelming vote.\\nThe following resolutions, presented by J. YoungScammon,\\nin behalf of the committee appointed for that purpose, reported\\nthe following resolutions, which were adopted without a dis-\\nsenting vote:\\nResolved, That the wants of the farmers and businessmen\\nof northern Illinois require the immediate construction of a\\nrailroad from Chicago to Galena. That the value of farms\\nupon the route would be doubled by the construction of the\\nroad, and the convenience of the inhabitants immeasurably\\nprofited thereby.\\nResolved, That in order to accomplish the object of this\\nconvention, it is indispensably necessary that the inhabitants\\nand owners of property between Galena and Chicago should", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0298.jp2"}, "299": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIPTION BOOKS OPENED. J69\\ncome forward and subscribe to the stock of the proposed rail-\\nroad, to the extent of their ability; and that if each farmer\\nupon the route shall take at least one share of the stock (one\\nhundred dollars), the completion of the road would be placed\\nbeyond continp;ency.\\nThis action enkindled enthusiasm along; the entire line, but\\nbefore the necessary subscriptions had been secured, Messrs.\\nTownsend and Mather, who owned the original charter, offered\\nthe same, tog:ether with the land and such improvements as\\nhad already been made, to the citizens of Chicagjo, for the sum\\nof twenty thousand dollars. The terms contemplated the pay-\\nment of the entire sum in stock of the new company ten thou-\\nsand dollars immediately after the election and organization of\\nthe board of directors, and the remaining- ten thousand dollars\\non the completion of the road to Rock river, or as soon as\\ndividends of six per cent, had been earned. This proposition\\nwas accepted. The purchasers subscribed from their own\\nmeans for the expense of the survey on December 6, 184G, and\\nthe following: year the work was begun, under the supervision\\nof Richard P. Morgan.\\nIt was decided to open subscription books at Chicago and\\nat Galena, as well as the several settlements through which the\\nroad was to pass. The task of canvassing among the farmers\\nbetween the proposed termini was undertaken by William B.\\nOgden. J. Young Scammon solicited funds in Chicago, but\\nthe subscriptions came in slowly. Only twenty thousand dol-\\nlars were obtained at the outset from all the real estate men\\nand others who might have been supposed to have been espec-\\nially interested. Certain business men in Chicago opposed the\\nconstruction of the road on the ground that it might divert\\nbusiness from Chicago to other points along the line. Mr. Ogden\\nmet with better success in the rural districts. Even the women\\nwere willing to undergo many privations of a personal charac-\\nter, that they might assist in the construction of an iron high-\\nway, which they believed would prove of great benefit to the\\nsucceeding generations. The citizens of Rockford and farmers\\nin the adjoining districts made liberal subscriptions to stock.\\nJohn A. Holland and T. D. Robertson were the most active\\nlocal promoters of the enterprise.\\nThe original plan was to secure as large a local subscription\\nto the capital stock as possible, and then apply to eastern cap-\\nitalists for such advances, either in the form of subscriptions to", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0299.jp2"}, "300": {"fulltext": "270 mSTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ncapital stock or loans, as mi^ht be found necessary. The inter-\\nest in the enterprise, however, was such that by April 1, 1848,\\none hundred and twenty-six subscribers had taken three hun-\\ndred and fifty-one thousand and ei^ht hundred dollars worth of\\nstock. It was therefore concluded that the road should be con-\\nstructed and owned by residents of the territory through which\\nit was to pass. It was determined, however, to interview\\nfriends of the project in the east, to obtain such suggestions as\\ntheir experience in railroad matters might enable them to give.\\nEastern capitalists advised the construction of the road as far\\nas the subscription might be available and later, if money\\nwere needed, it might be obtained in the east. There was\\nanother factor in the problem. Ilhnois was burdened with an\\nenormous debt, and repudiation had been imminent. Eastern\\ncapitalists were therefore not prompt in response to calls for\\nloans to be expended in internal improvements.\\nIn September, 1847, a corps of engineers was engaged for\\nsurveys, and work was begun. Unexpected obstacles were\\nencountered, and it was impossible for the directors to make\\nthe first contract for construction until near the close of the\\nyear. Contracts for the grading and bridging of twenty-five\\nadditional miles were made in March, 1848. Meanwhile, in\\nFebruary, 1847, an amended charter had been secured, under\\nthe terms of which a new board of directors was elected April\\n5th of the following year. Changes were subsequently made as\\nfollows: Thomas D. Robertson, of Rockford, was elected\\ndirector, vice Allen Robbins, resigned, April 5, 1849; Dexter A,\\nKnowlton, of Freeport, vice J, Y, Scammon, resigned, in 1850.\\nThe canvass for subscriptions made along the line by Mr.\\nOgden was subsequently supplemented by Charles Walker, Isaac\\nN. Arnold, John Locke Scripps and John B, Turner. In\\n1848 B. W. Raymond and John B. Turner visited the seaboard\\nto enlist eastern support in the project. The journey was not\\nas successful as they had hoped yet they reported to Chicago\\nsubscriptions for fifteen thousand dollars worth of stock and\\nthe promise of a loan of seven thousand dollars additional.\\nThe financial success of the enterprise seemed to be so far\\nassured by this time that the management purchased a limited\\namount of rolling-stock,\\nMr, Ogden, the president of the company, and also a mem-\\nber of the city council of Chicago, endeavored in the latter\\ncapacity to secure the passage of an ordinance giving the com-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0300.jp2"}, "301": {"fulltext": "THE ROA D R EA CHES ROCK FORD. 271\\npany the right of way into the city, with other incidental privi-\\nleges. The ordinance failed to pass, but the road was granted\\nthe privilege of consti ucting a tom])orary track, in order to\\nfacilitate the hauling of necessary material through the city.\\nThe first civil engineer of the reorganized company was John\\nVan Nortwick, and in June, 1848, his assistant, George W.\\nWaite, drove the first grading peg, at the corner of Kinsie and\\nHalsted streets.\\nIn September, 1848, the directors purchased two engines\\nfrom eastern companies. The first, the Pioneer, arrived in Chi-\\ncago October 10th following. They were clumsy in appearance\\nand workmanship but they rendered efficient service. The\\nPioneer was unloaded from the brig Buffalo, on the Sunday\\nfollowing its arrival in Chicago. It proved to be a memorable\\npurchase. At first it ran simply as a motor for hauling material\\nfor construction but December 15, 1848, it started from Chi-\\ncago at the head of the first train which left the city over the\\nfour miles of track. In the rear of the Pioneer were six freight\\ncars, extemporized into passenger coaches. The engineer in\\ncharge was John Ebbert. As the road developed, Mr. Ebbert\\nwas promoted until he became master mechanic of the road.\\nHis death occurred in Chicago August 21, 1899, at the age of\\neighty-five years. The first engineer, however, who ran the\\nPioneer as far west as Rockford was I. D. Johnson. In 1854\\nMr. Johnson was married to Miss Delia, a daughter of Samuel\\nGregory. To them were born six children, three of whom sur-\\nvived the father. Mr, Johnson died at his home in Chicago,\\nFebruary 24, 1899, and was buried in Rockford, He was aman\\nof straightforward character, and as an engineer he was careful\\nand courageous. The Pioneer was on exhibition at the world s\\nColumbian exposition in 1893, under the charge of its former\\nmaster. Engineer Ebbert, and attracted great attention as an\\nexample of primitive ideas in locomotive construction. It is\\nnow an exhibit at the Field Columbian Museum.\\nThe line was extended to Elgin, forty miles west, in January,\\n1850. Nearly one hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars had\\nbeen expended for construction up to that time. The rolling-\\nstock was then an object of admiration but it is now only of\\ninterest as a relic of the day of small things. The track was\\nlaid as far west as Belvidere in the spring of 1852. On Monday,\\nAugust 2, 1852, a train on the Galena Chicago Union railroad\\narrived in East Rockford. Its advent was signalized bv the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0301.jp2"}, "302": {"fulltext": "272 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAOO COUNTY.\\nringing of bells and the firing of cannon. The iron horse was\\ngreeted by the populace as the successor of the horse and wagon\\nand oxen and driver and whip. From that day Rockford began\\nto make rapid strides in wealth, population, and commercial\\nimportance and the Forum took the flattering unction to its\\nsoul that Chicago and Galena might be soon looking this\\nway with a jealous eye lest they become eclipsed in greatness\\nby the city of the Rock river valley.\\nBy the year 1857 quite an extension of the line had been\\ncompleted. A double track had been extended thirty miles\\nwest, as far as Turner Junction, and large additions to the roll-\\ning stock had been acquired. The expense thus incurred\\nincreased the total outlay up to that time to nine million dol-\\nlars. Before the close of 1858 the company had extended its\\nmain line to Freeport, one hundred and twenty miles from Chi-\\ncago. Notwithstanding the fact that there was no little enthu-\\nsiasm in Galena over the extension of the line to that point.\\nFate decreed that Galena should be connected with Chicago by\\nanother line. The Galena Chicago Union sold its right of\\nway to the Illinois Central. It has been said that had thegreat\\nCentral system made a connection with Rockford at that early\\ndate, the population of the city would have been materially\\nincreased. At the close of 1858 the Galena Chicago Union\\ncompany was free from a floating debt but it had a funded\\nindebtedness of three million seven hundred and eighty -three\\nthousand and fifteen dollars.\\nThe system owned and operated by the Chicago North-\\nwestern Railway Company, as it exists at the present time, is a\\nconsolidation of not less than forty-five distinct roads. June 2,\\n1864, was effected a consolidation of the Galena Chicago Union\\nand the Chicago Northwestern companies, under the name of\\nthe Chicago Northwestern Railway Company. The old Galena\\nChicago Union had been legitimately built, and was never\\nbonded and when it was purchased by the Chicago North-\\nwestern, the stock held by the old subscribers in the Galena\\nroad was exchanged for stock in the new company. The con-\\nsolidation was effected by the late Samuel J. Tilden, one of the\\ngreatest railroad lawyers of his time. The Galena had been a\\nprofitable road and its consolidation was one of the first in\\nnorthern Illinois.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0302.jp2"}, "303": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LIIl.\\nREPRESENTATIVE ROCKFORD CITIZENS: 1842-50.\\nMARSTIALI. H. REGAN was born in Rochester, New York,\\nand his early life was spent in his native state and in Can-\\nada. Mr. Re\u00c2\u00ab2:an came to Rockford in 1842. He enj^aged in\\nthe lumber trade, in which he spent his active business life. He\\nwas also a contractor and builder, did a large business, and\\naccumulated a competence. Mr. Regan was the architect of the\\nold First Congregational church, on the corner of First and\\nWalnut streets. He was a prominent citizen in early Rockford,\\nand a Democrat in politics. His first wife was Miss Louisa\\nDewey, whom he married in Rockford in 1845. They had six\\nchildren. The first Mrs. Eber Carmichael and the late Mrs. 0.\\nA. Richardson were daughters. Mr. Regan s second marriage\\nwas with Miss Adelaide Stewart, a native of Vermont. Their\\nson, Hon. Frank S. Regan, is an attorney, and astockholder of\\nthe Rockford Abstract Company. In 1898, through a local\\ndisaffection in the Democratic party, Mr. Regan was elected a\\nniember of the legislature as a Prohibitionist. His only prede-\\ncessor of the same political faith in thisdistrict was Hon. James\\nTiamont, who is now a member of the editorial staff of the Chi-\\ncago Lever. The elder Regan died in Rockford in 1875.\\nJames B. Howell settled in Rockford November 8, 1843.\\nHis business was that of a wool-carder and cloth-dresser. When\\nthe first dam was completed, Mr. Howell operated a carding\\nand fulling machine on the south side of State street. He erected\\na building in 1846, and began business in 1848, and continued\\ntherein until the dam went out in 1851. He then removed his\\nmachinery to New Milford. He returned to Rockford and some\\nyears later he formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, M.\\nH. Regan, in the lumber business. After Huntington Barnes\\nbook store was destroyed by fire, Mr. Howell engaged in the\\nbook trade. His stand was the east store in Metropolitan Hall\\nblock, which for many years was occupied by B. R. Waldo, in\\nthe same line of trade. L. A. Trowbridge began business as a\\nclerk in this store in 1801. Mr. Howell has been treasurer of the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0303.jp2"}, "304": {"fulltext": "274 mSTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntownship school fund since 1888. He was preceded by his\\ndaughter, Miss Ella, who held the oflSce from 1882 until her\\nmarriage in 1887. Mr. Howell was a constituent member of\\nthe State Street Baptist church. For many years he has lived a\\nretired life, and in his old age he is highly esteemed by a wide\\ncircle of friends. Comparatively few men can faithfully discharge\\nevery duty of life without occasionally making an enemy thereby.\\nMr. Howell has enjoyed the rare good fortune of being an excep-\\ntion to this rule.\\nBenjamin A. Rose was born in Philadelphia, in 1817. In\\nearly manhood he removed to Chemung county, New York, and\\nin October, 1844, he came to Rockford. His first home was\\nnext to D. D. Alling s house, on South Main street. In 1848 he\\nbought a lot on North church street, and built a brick house.\\nIn 1855 Mr. Rose purchased the Jackson farm on Montague\\nstreet, just outside the city limits, where he resided until his\\ndeath in 1883. Mr. Rose was county clerk from 1847 to 1849.\\nHe was one of the clerical force in the banking house of Robert-\\nson Holland, and remained in the bank one year after removing\\nto the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Rose were charter members of the Sec-\\nond Congregational church. Mrs. Rose died in December, 1896.\\nDr. Lucius Clark became a resident of Rockford in 1 845. Dr.\\nClark was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, June 10, 1813. He\\nwas the third in a family of seven sons, five of whom became\\nphysicians. The Doctor received his education in his native\\ncity. He pursued his medical studies at Berkshire Medical Col-\\nlege, Massachusetts, and at Geneva Medical College, in New\\nYork, and received the first diploma given by the latter institu-\\ntion. Mr. Clark practiced at Marion, Palmyra, and Chili, in\\nNew York, for ten years, previous to his settlement in Rockford.\\nDr. Clark was a member of the American Medical Association,\\nand of the Illinois State Medical Society. During the war he\\nwas in the field a short time as president of the board of exam-\\nining surgeons for the state of Illinois. He was for many years\\na trustee of Rockford seminary. In 1836 Dr. Clark married\\nJulia A. Adams, of Hinsdale, Massachusetts. She died in\\n1861. In 1864 Dr. Clark married Charlotte M. Townsend, of\\nthis city. Dr. Clark possessed rare social qualities. His genial-\\nity dispelled all reserve, and broke down the artificial barriers\\nof formality and exclusiveness. He had a fine presence, and he\\nwas careful to the point of fastidiousness in his dress. Dr. Clark\\nwas fond of a joke. On one occasion, after hearing a sermon", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0304.jp2"}, "305": {"fulltext": "DR. LUCIUS CLARK. 275\\nby an intimate acquaintance, the Doctor complimented his\\nfriend on his sermon but remarked that he had a book at home\\nwhich contained every word of it. The clergyman, who was\\nnaturally restive under this imputation, called upon the Doctor\\nfor an explanation, when the latter produced the dictionary. Dr.\\nClark s home life was ideal, and his relij^ious nature was strong\\nand independent. He ranked hi \u00c2\u00bb;h in his profession, and dis-\\nchar 2;ed every duty of life as a citizen and friend with strict\\nfidelity and reverent sympathy. His death occurred November\\n5,1878. Dexter Clark, M. D., followed his brother Lucius to\\nRockford, where he resided until his death, except the time\\nspent in California, where he went in 1850. Dr. Dexter Clark\\nwas for many years a prominent member of the Second Conp;re-\\np:ational church, and superintendent of its Sunday-school.\\nMany of the older residents will remember his noble Christian\\nqualities, his ardent enthusiasm and his generous sympathies.\\nAnother brother. Dr. E. N. Clark, settled at Beloit; andafourth\\nbrother, Dr. Asabel Clark, resided at Detroit, Michigan. Dr.\\nLucius Clark had two sons who succeeded him in the practice of\\nmedicine: Dexter Selwyn, and Lucius Armor. Dr. D. Selwyn\\nClark died February 12, 1898. No citizen of Rockford had a\\nhigher sense of professional and personal honor, and his death\\nwas universally lamented. The death of Dr. L.A.Clark occurred\\nJuly 23, 1899, in the house in which he was born fifty years\\nbefore. He had a wide reputation as an expert surgeon. Dur-\\ning his residence on the Pacific coast he was employed as a\\nsteamship surgeon for some years, and was a passenger on the\\nfirst voyage of the Colema, which, after long service, foundered\\na few years ago. Dr. Clark was also surgeon for the Illinois\\nRailroad Company, which position he held at the time of his\\ndeath. His wife and one daughter survived him. For more\\nthan half a century the Clark family was represented in the\\nmedical profession of Rockford. In the death of Armor Clark\\nthere passed away the last of this historic family of practitioners.\\nC. A. Huntington came to Rockford in 1845. He had left\\nhis family in July at Racine, Wisconsin, until he could find a\\ndesirable place for settlement. November 5th of that year he\\nbegan his first term of school in Rockford in a building owned\\nby H. R. Maynard, which stood on the site of the Masonic Tem-\\nple. In the following 3 ear L. B. Gregory retired from teaching,\\nand Mr. Huntington succeeded him as teacher in the old court\\nhouse building on North First street, where he remained until", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0305.jp2"}, "306": {"fulltext": "276 HISIVRY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe fall of 1848. Mr. Huntington then taught in the old Bap-\\ntist church on North Main street. Among Mr. Huntington s\\nfirst pupils in Rockford were Capt. E. E, Potter, Leander H.\\nPotter, Carrol Spafford, B. Rush Catlin, E. P. Catlin, Samuel\\nMontague, Hiram E. Enoch, Hiram H. Waldo, Sara,h Preston,\\nAdaline Potter, Selvvyn Clark, and Clinton C. Helm. In the\\nautumn of 1849 Mr. Huntington was elected school commis-\\nsioner, and served eight years. In that same year he also opened\\nthe first book store in Rockford, on the site of the Third Na-\\ntional Bank. He subsequently removed to the corner store in\\nLaomi Peake s block, where the Manufacturers National Bank\\nnow stands. There he and Robert Barnes conducted a book\\nstore, and a book bindery on the second floor. November 27,\\n1857, this block was destroyed by fire. Huntington Barnes\\ncarried a stock of eleven thousand dollars, on which there was\\nan insurance of three thousand dollars. Mr. Huntington resided\\nin Rockford until 1864, when he removed to California.\\nHon. William Brown was born in Cumberland, in the North\\nof England, June 1, 1819. His father s family removed to the\\nUnited States in 1827, and the senior Brown purchased a farm\\nin Oneida county, New York. William Brown began the study\\nof law in Rome, New York, and was admitted to the bar. In\\n1846 he became a citizen of Rockford, During his first winter\\nin the west he taught a district school. Judge Brown was hon-\\nored with several public offices. He was chosen a justice of the\\npeace in 1847. In 1852 he was elected state s attorney for the\\ndistrict comprising Stephenson, Winnebago and Jo Daviess\\ncounties, and served three years. At the expiration of that\\ntime he was elected mayor of Rockford. In 1857 Judge Brown\\nformed a partnership with William Lathrop, which continued\\nthree years. He then became a partner with the late H. W.\\nTaylor, with whom he was associated until 1870. In 1864 he\\nwas elected a member of the legislatui e as a Republican. Judge\\nBrown was first elected judge to fill the vacancy caused by the\\npromotion of Judge Sheldon to the supreme bench. He was\\nsubsequently elected for three full terms. His career on the\\nbench covered twenty years. Judge Brown and Caroline H.\\nMiller, a daughter of Hon. Horace Miller, were married Septem-\\nber 19, 1850. Their elder son, Edward W. Brown, has been\\nthree times elected mayor of Rockford. At the conclusion of\\nhis present term he will have served six consecutive years, the\\nlongest mayoralty in our municipal history. Judge Brown s", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0306.jp2"}, "307": {"fulltext": "HIRAM H. WALDO. 277\\nother children are Frank R. Brown and Mrs. H. W. Buckbee.\\nJudp:e Brown was an able lawyer, a conscientious judge, and a\\nChristian f^entleman. By prudent management he acquired a\\nlarge estate. He was a liberal supporter of the Centennial\\nMethodist charch, and was generous in the use of his money in\\ncharity and public enterprises. The Brown Building is named\\nin his honor, and a controlling interest is owned by his family.\\nJudge Brown died January 15, 1891.\\nHiram H. Waldo was born in Elba, Genesee county, New\\nYork, November 23, 1827. He came to Rockford in 184G, when\\nhe was nineteen years of age, and completed his early education\\nin the district schools. He studied in summer, and taught in\\nthe winter, for several 3 ears, until 1851. Mr. Waldo taught\\nin the Redington district, in the old First Baptist church,\\nCherr} Valley, Guilford, Harlem, in the basement of the First\\nMethodist church as assistant to Seely Perry, and as assistant\\nto C. A. Huntington, on First street. While at Cherry Valley he\\nwalked to Rockford, a distance of eight miles, to attend a lecture\\nby John B. Gough. Mr. Waldo subsequently spent two years\\nin Chicago, where he secured a clerkship in the postofRce, under\\nPostmaster Dole, and was promoted to the superintendency of\\nwestern distribution. Mr. Waldo remained a short time under\\nPostmaster Isaac Cook. He returned to Rockford when Charles\\n1. Horsman became postmaster the second time. Mr. Horsman\\ndid not give his personal attention to the office, and Mr. Waldo\\nassumed this responsibility. He paid Mr. Horsman fivehundred\\ndollars a year from the earnings of the office, and retained the\\nbalance as his compensation. Mr. Horsman, however, gave\\nhim a guarantee that he would receive an equivalent to his\\nsalary in Chicago. Mr. Waldo opened a book store in 1855, in\\na frame building which rested on poles, where the Grand Union\\ntea store now stands. He remained there four years, and then\\nremoved into his present stand, in 1859, where for forty-one\\nyears he has done business without interruption. He is the\\nonly merchant now in business of all those engaged in trade\\nwhen he began. Mr. Waldo, however, was not the only early\\nbook dealer on the West side. JohnM, Perry, a brother of Seely\\nPerry, had abook store on the site now occupied by L. Moulth-\\nrop s dry goods store. Mr. Perry sold this stock to J. W.\\nSeccomb. Mr. Waldo served as school commissioner of Winne-\\nbago county from 1857 to 1859, and again from 1863 to 1865.\\nHe took an honest pride in the teachers institutes, which were", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0307.jp2"}, "308": {"fulltext": "278 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nattended by all classes of people, instead of teachers only, as at\\npresent. Mr. Waldo believes that his efforts in that direction\\nhave never been surpassed. In politics Mr. Waldo claims the\\nunique distinction of always having voted with the minority.\\nHe was an Abolitionist when there were only seven in the county.\\nHis affiliations in later years have been generally with theDera-\\ncratic party. Upon the failure of the Second National Bank, Mr.\\nWaldo was appointed receiver by Commissioner Eckles, and has\\npaid eighty-five per cent, of the indebtedness. Since the organ-\\nization of the Church of the Christian Union in 1870, Mr. Waldo\\nhas been an enthusiastic supporter of Dr. Kerr. It is said that\\nin the nearly thirty years of its existence as an independent\\nchurch, Mr. Waldo has never missed a service. Perhaps no man\\nin town is as well known as H. H. Waldo. He has a ready wit,\\nand the range of his information is broad. He is a shrewd\\nobserver of men and affairs and has an inexhaustible fund of\\nreminiscence at his instant command. His knowledge of the\\nsocial life of Rockford covers more than half a century, and,\\nwith one or two exceptions, surpasses that of any other citizen,\\nL. F. Warner is a native of Connecticut. He read law with\\nHon. Reuben Booth, who had been governor of the state. A\\nstatute of the commonwealth then required a student to read\\nlaw three years before admission to the bar. Mr. Warner came\\nto Rockford in November, 1848. Chicago at that time gave no\\npromise of so far outstripping Rockford The Galena Chicago\\nUnion had built a construction track a few miles from Chicago.\\nIn 1848 East Rockford was larger than the West side, and had\\nmore wealth. Mr. Warner has always been a Democrat. He\\nwas a delegate to the famous convention a,t Charleston, in 1860,\\nwhich resulted in a breach in the party, and the nomination of\\nStephen A. Douglas for the presidency at a later convention.\\nMr. Warner has served Rockford as city attorney. He is now\\nthe senior member of the Rockford bar. In 1898 he completed\\na full half century of continuous practice in his profession.\\nMelancthon Starr is an honored name in Rockford history.\\nMr. Starr was born in Albany, New York, April 14, 1816. In\\n1840 he went to Tallahassee, as a commission merchant, where\\nhe represented several New York houses. His principal business\\nwas the purchase of cotton and its shipment in large quantities\\nto the north. Mr. Starr, however, was a lover of freedom, and\\nhe became so disgusted with the scenes incident to slaverv that\\nhe removed north. He became cashier of the banking house of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0308.jp2"}, "309": {"fulltext": "MELANCTHON STARR. 279\\nNevins, Towusend Co., on Wall street, New York. His resi-\\ndence was at Jersey City. Mr. Starr removed to Rockford\\nin 1850. He first conducted a dry ^oods business on the\\nSecond National Bank corner. He was assignee of Charles 1.\\nHorsman s bank when it failed. In 1855 Mr. Starr became inter-\\nested in what was afterward called the Winnebago National\\nBank. This bankino; house was founded in 18-18 bv Thomas D.\\nRobertson and John A, Holland. Later John S. Coleman\\nbecame a partner, and the firm was Robertson, Coleman \u00c2\u00abfc Co.\\nOn the death of Mr. Holland, Mr. Starr was admitted to the\\nfirm and after Mr. Coleman s death the firm was Robertson\\nStarr, which continued until the organization of the Winnebago\\nNational Bank, in 1865. By reason of the respective charac-\\nteristics of these gentlemen, the house of Robertson Starr was\\nsometimes called the firm of the Law and the Gospel. Mr. Rob-\\nertson was president, ard Mr. Starr was vice-president until his\\ndeath. In 1857 Mr. Starr sold his homestead on North Main\\nstreet to Elias Cosper. It was his intention to return east but\\nthe death of Mrs. Starr changed his plans, and he re-purchased\\nhis former home, where he spent his last years. Mr. Starr was\\nthe beloved patriarch of a large family circle. December 16,\\n1839, he was married to Lucretia M. Nevins, at Norwich, Con-\\nnecticut. She possessed literary attainments and great force of\\ncharacter. Their six children are: Harry N., Mrs. John P.\\nManny, Mrs. C. W. Brown, Chandler, David N.,and Miss Lucre-\\ntia. The mother died in 1857. In 1861 Mr. Starr married\\nEllen M. Townsend, who still resides in Rockford. Mr. Starr\\nwas a man of the world in the best sense, and left quite a large\\nestate. He was one of nature s noblemen. It has been said\\nhe never left a promise unfulfilled. He treated all men with\\nrespect. The poorest man was made to feel in the presence of\\nMelancthon Starr that he was a gentleman, and he always\\nreceived the same courteous treatment as though he were\\nthe possessor of unlimited wealth, and moved in the highest\\nsocial circles. Mr. Starr was a rare type of that rapidly-\\ndeparting class, the old-school, Christian gentleman. There\\nwas not a grain of cynicism in his nature. The geniality of his\\ndisposition was as constant as the stability of his character.\\nA beautiful trait was his sympathy for his old friend, the late\\nEphraim Wyman, who in his old age was reduced to very mod-\\nerate circumstances. Nearly every Sunday Mr. Starr visited\\nhis friend, and cheered his last years with his sympathy and", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0309.jp2"}, "310": {"fulltext": "280 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\npurse. Mr. (Starr was a Unitarian. He was a communicant of\\nof that church until its membership disbanded, when he became\\na regular attendant at the Church of the Christian Union. Mr.\\nStarr died, universally esteemed, November 29, 1885.\\nJohn Edwards was born at Acton, Massachusetts, August\\n18, 1800. He was in business in Lowell before his removal to\\nthe west. Mr. Edwards was living at Alton, Illinois, during the\\nexcitement which resulted in the death of Rev. Elijah P. Love-\\njoy, America s martyr to free soil and free speech. On that\\noccasion Mr. Edwards took an honorable and decided position\\nin favor of the freedom of the press; and stood on guard\\nat Mr. Lovejoy s bed, with a loaded musket in his hand, the\\nnight before that brave Abolitionist was murdered by the pro-\\nslavery mob. Mr. Edwards came to Rockford in 1850. He\\nwas the first dealer in pine lumber in the city. His first yard\\nwas near Peter Sames wagon factory, near the Northwestern\\nrailroad track. Most of his lumber at this yard came by team\\nfrom St. Charles, and the amount of stock on hand at one time\\nwas from ten to twelve thousand feet. His second yard was on\\nthe northwest corner of Church and State streets, and the lumber\\nwas hauled from Elgin. At times he had difficulty in getting the\\nlumber from the terminus of the railroad at Elgin. The teamsters\\nwho hauled wheat to that place would throw off a portion of\\nthe load when stalled in the mud at Pigeon Woods, and leave\\nit there. Mr. Edwards encouraged the development of the\\nRockford water-power; was interested in the work of the semi-\\nnary, and during his last years he was its agent. Mr. Edwards\\nwas an upright, worthy gentleman, of New England stock. His\\nhome was the present residence of George R. Forbes. His death\\noccurred June 14, 1871. Mrs. Edwards was a woman of fine\\npresence and force of character. She spent her last years with\\nher daughter in Chicago, and died at about ninety years of age.\\nTheir three children are Mrs. A, L. Chetlain, of Chicago, form-\\nerly Mrs. Melancthon Smith Mrs. J ulia Clemens, of Rockford\\nand the Rev. John Edwards, a retired Presbyterian clergyman.\\nHis wife was a sister of the late Melancthon Starr.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0310.jp2"}, "311": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LIV.\\nDEPARTURE OF MR. HAIGHT.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 LOCAL STATISTICS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 OTHER NOTES.\\nDANIEL S. HAIGHT, the founder of East Rockford, like his\\nWest side rival, did not remain in Rockford to see the fru-\\nition of his early settlement. Mr. Haip;ht removed from the\\nvillage in the winter of 1847-48, and settled in Texas, near\\nShreveport, Louisiana. He revisited Rockford in 1857. The\\ndate of his death is unknown to his old friends in Rockford.\\nThere is a tradition, which is commonly accepted, that he was\\na soldier in the Confederate army, and that he died after the\\ncivil war at Fort Worth, Texas. No worthy record of his life\\nand work has been preserved but next to Mr. Kent, his name\\nis most prominent in early history.\\nIn the autumn of 1845 an eccentric character, who p;loried\\nin the name of Julius P. Bolivar McCabe, made his appearance\\nin Rockford. He prepared a historical sketch of the villaj^e,\\nwhich was published in the Forum of December 3, 1845, which\\nj^ave a statistical resume of Rockford, which the writer called\\none of the most tastefully built towns in Illinois. There were\\nsix conp;regations Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians,\\nMethodists, Universalists and Unitarians; a branch of the\\nAmerican Bible Society one classical and three select schools,\\nwith one hundred and fifty-eight pupils; eleven dry goods stores,\\nwith a winter stock which aggregated sixty-five thousand dol-\\nlars; a printing office; three hotels; fourteen lawyers; six phy-\\nsicians; three justices of the peace; two drug stores; two jewelry\\nstores; two harness shops; one iron foundry; two sawmills;\\none fauning-mill factory; one furnace and machine shop; a dis-\\ntinguished portrait and landscape painter two land agencies\\ntwo wagon shops three groceries one edge-tool maker two\\ndentists; two meat markets; four tailor shops; one bakery;\\nfive shoe shops; two cabinet shops; one copper and tinsmith\\nshop five blacksmith shops two cooper shops two paint shops\\none livery stable, and one fashionable barber shop. The popu-\\nlation of the East side was six hundred and eighty West side,\\nfive hundred and ninety-eight; total in village, twelve hundred\\nand seventy-eight. Of this population, four hundred and seventy", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0311.jp2"}, "312": {"fulltext": "282 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwere natives of New York two hundred and thirty-seven of\\nthe six New England states; one hundred and sixty-two of\\nIllinois, including one hundred and nineteen who were born in\\nRoekford. Luther Miller, father of Anson S. and Cyrus F.Miller,\\nthen in his seventy-fifth year, was the oldest man in the village.\\nMrs. Elizabeth McKinney, aged seventy-six years, was the\\noldest woman. There were only two colored persons in the\\ntown. On the East side there were one hundred and fifty-one\\nhouses on the West side, one hundred and twenty-six total,\\ntwo hundred and seventy-seven. In describing the courthouse,\\nthis statistician said: It is crowned with a beautiful and\\nwell-proportioned cupola, which rises fifteen feet above the roof\\nof the building.\\nFebruary 23, 1844, Charles Latimer, a former lawyer and well\\nknown citizen of Roekford, was shot at Potoski, Wisconsin. A\\nfew days previous to the fatal affray, Latimer became involved\\nin a quarrel with a Mr. Gloster and another gentleman, which\\narose from a discussion of the right of foreigners to vote. It\\nwas proposed to settle the difliculty by a duel; but by the inter-\\nposition of friends, it was thought that the matter had been\\namicably adjusted. On Friday morning, however, as Gloster\\nwas passing along the street, Latimer accosted him, drew a\\npistol and fired. The wadding lodged on Gloster s breast, but\\nthe ball passed over his shoulder. So heavy was the charge\\nthat the stock of the pistol was shattered by the discharge.\\nGloster immediately retreated, but was followed by Latimer,\\nwho had armed himself with two loaded pistols and a bowie-\\nknife. As Latimer advanced to Gloster, he said: Are you\\nready? One or the other of us must die today Gloster replied\\nthat he was not, and went to procure a double-barreled shotgun\\nloaded with shot. On Latimer s approach Gloster warned him\\nto keep back but Latimer still advanced, and raised his pistol,\\nwhich missed fire. At this juncture Gloster fired, and most of\\nthe charge took effect in Latimer s breast. As he fell, he tried to\\nfire again, but failed. He expired almost instantly. Gloster\\nimmediately delivered himself to the authorities, and after a\\npreliminary hearing he was discharged. Mr. Latimer, who had\\nbeen rather intemperate in his habits, was said to have been\\nperfectly sober at the time of the affray.\\nAt the April term of the circuit court, in 1844, a case was\\ntried which involved the liability of stage proprietors. Samuel", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0312.jp2"}, "313": {"fulltext": "THE FORTT-NINERS. 283\\nB. Hall recovered a^^aiust Messrs. Frink, Walker Co. a verdict\\nfor one hundred and seventy-five dollars, for a trunk which was\\nstolen from a stage belonpjinfi: to the defendants, in which the\\nplaintiff had taken passage. It appeared conclusively that the\\nj)laintiff was a passenger in defendant s stage while enroute\\nfrom Uockford to Chicago, and put his trunk on board, and\\nthat the same was stolen before it arrived at Newburg, without\\nany fault or negligence of the defendants. The jury, however,\\nwere satisfied that they were liable as common carriers, with-\\nout any default.\\nFebruary 17, 1846, a convention of physicians of northern\\nIllinois and southern Wisconsin was held in Rockford, when\\nthe organization of the Rock River Medical Association was\\nperfected. Its object was mutual protection and improvement\\nin professional knowledge. Dr. Goodhue was elected president\\nG. Hulett and George Haskell, vice-presidents; S. G. Armor,\\nsecretary and treasurer; censors, Lucius Clark, A.M. Catlin, A.\\nThomas. The first annual meeting of the society was held in\\nRockford the 19th of May following.\\nThe gold excitement drew many to California in 1849-50.\\nAmong those who went from Rockford were Giles C. Hard, A.\\nC. Spafford, D. K. Lyon, H. B. Potter, Dexter Clark, William\\nHamilton, H. H. Silsby, Isaac Rowley, ObadiahE. Lamb, a Mr.\\nSmith, a Mr. Lewis, Sylvester Robinson, and Henry L. Simpson.\\nMr. Robinson died at Mud Springs, forty-five miles east of Sac-\\nramento, a few days after his arrival. Mr. Robinson was a\\nnative of Connecticut, and came to Rockford in 1847. He was\\nfather of Mrs. E. P. Catlin and H. H. and N. S. Robinson. Mr.\\nSimpson died while on his return home, at Peru, Illinois, in\\nMarch, 1851. His remains were brought to Rockford for bur-\\nial. Mr. Simpson was father of E. L. Simpson and Mrs. Z. B.\\nSturtevant. He came to Rockford about 1839. He built a\\nbrick house which still stands on Leonard Schmauss lot on\\nNorth Second street; and part of another brick house on the\\nsouthwest corner of First and Market streets. Mr. Simpson was\\nengaged in the business of blacksmith. He owned a one-half\\ninterest in a grist mill at Cherry Valley, and property in Rock-\\nford. Mr. Lamb died in California. As in all similar ventures,\\nsome were successful while others received no adequate returns\\nfor their journey into the far country.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0313.jp2"}, "314": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LV.\\nEMMANUEL CHURCH. (EPISCOPAL.)\\nTHERE are no early official records of this church and the\\nwriter is indebted to Levi Moulthrop, one of the oldest resi-\\ndent churchmen, for the facts given in this chapter. The Rt.\\nRev. Philander Chase, D. D., first bishop of the diocese of Illinois,\\nmade his first episcopal visitation to Rockford, August 28,\\n1841. Prior to this time there had been no public services of\\nthe Episcopal church held in the county. There had been only\\na very few families of the faith who had settled in Rockford.\\nLevi Moulthrop, M. D., was the first churchman who came into\\nthis county. Dr. Moulthrop arrived in the autumn of 1835. He\\nbrought the first American Prayer Book, which is now in the\\npossession of his son, Levi Moulthrop, the dry goods merchant.\\nThe first church family who settled in the county was that\\nof Sampson George, who came from Yorkshire, England. They\\narrived in the settlement of Rockford September 24, 1836. The\\nfamily consisted of Mr. George, his wife, Ann, and five children,\\ntwo daughters and three sons. The children had received\\nbaptism in England. Mr. George brought a letter from their\\nparish priest, commending the family to the spiritual care of\\nany clergyman of the American church into whose jurisdiction\\nthey might come. They also brought two English Prayer\\nBooks. The death of Mr. George occurred five weeks after the\\narrival of the family in Rockford. There was no priest nearer\\nthan the missionary at Galena, and he could not be definitely\\nlocated, owing to the extent of territory under his charge. Thus\\nthe first churchman was buried without the offices of the church.\\nDuring the next few years several other families of the church\\nsettled in the county. Among these were Jonathan Weldon,\\nChauncy Ray, and John W. Taylor. The former two settled\\non farms about six miles southwest of the town, and the latter\\nremained in the village, and engaged in the dry goods business.\\nAt the Bishop s first visitation the services were held in the\\nold court house building on North First street, which served a\\nsimilar purpose for other households of the faith. The holy", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0314.jp2"}, "315": {"fulltext": "FIRST CELEBRMION OF THE EUCHARIST. 285\\neucharist was celebrated for the first time in the county, and\\nholy baptism administered. The Bishop preached. John Wad-\\nleigh Taylor, infant son of John W. and Jane P. Taylor, was\\nbaptized.\\nAugust 4, 1842, the liishop made a second visitation to Rock-\\nford. Theservices morning and afternoon were held in the same\\nbuilding as in the preceding year. The sacraments of the holy\\neucliarist, baptism and confirmation were administered. One\\nof the baptisms was that of Levi, infant son of Mrs. Margaret\\nMoulthrop. Those who received confirmation were Miss M. E.\\nWeldon, Mrs. Margaret Moulthrop, Salmon R. and Spencer S.\\nWeldon. The Bishop preached two sermons. Aside from these\\nyearly visitations by the Bishop, the few church families in and\\naround Rockford were without the sacraments of the church,\\nexcept an occasional service by some missionary priest from a\\ndistant point.\\nIn 1845 the Rev. Alfred Lauderback, of New York state, was\\nappointed by the domestic board of missions to the missionary\\nfield of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, with Belvidere\\nand Rockford as chief points of location. This fact meant more\\nregular and frequent services for Rockford. The new mission-\\nary s first service was held August 10, 1845. Father Lauder-\\nback ministered in this section two years, when he was sent to\\ntake charge of the parish which had been recentl3 organized at\\nGalena, Illinois. From this time for several years occasional\\nservices were held in the village bv the Rev. Dudlev Chase, a\\nson of the Bishop, and the Revs. Humphrey and Millett, of\\nBeloit, Wisconsin; Pulford, of Belvidere; Johnston, of Pekin,\\nand Miller, of Bonus, Illinois, the father of Orrin Miller, an early\\nRockford attorney. Services were generally held in the new\\ncourt house.\\nThe present parish was organized May 1, 1849. A meeting\\nof the parishioners, both men and women, was convened, at\\nwhich the Rev. Dudley Chase presided and the parochial organ-\\nization was effected in accordance with the prescribed canonical\\nform. The articles of association were signed by Chauncy Ray,\\nJonathan Weldon, Horace Starkey, Duncan J. Stewart, John\\nConrad, S. R. Weldon, and SpencerS. Weldon. Upon theorgan-\\nization of the parish, the parishioners proceeded to the election\\nof a vestry. Those elect\u00c2\u00ab^d were: senior warden, Horace Star-\\nkey; junior warden, Chauncy Ray; vestrymen, John Conrad,\\nDuncan J. Stewart, S. R. Weldon.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0315.jp2"}, "316": {"fulltext": "286 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe Rev. Dudley Chase was called to be the first rector. He\\naccepted the call, but afterward declined, as he preferred to\\naccept a charge in Chicago, where he organized the parish of the\\nAtonement on the West side, which was afterward merged into\\nthe cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.\\nNovember 15, 1852, the Rev. Charles Reighley, of Chicago,\\nwas called to the rectorship of the parish. With the consent of\\nthe new bishop, Rt. Rev. Henry John Whitehouse, the call was\\naccepted, and the first rector entered at once upon his work.\\nBishop Chase had died September 27, 1852, and had been suc-\\nceeded by Bishop Whitehouse. A lot was purchased on the\\ncorner of North Church and North streets, for two hundred\\ndollars, and a church building erected at a cost of nineteen\\nhundred dollars. The new church was consecrated by Bishop\\nWhitehouse, August 23, 1853, by the name of Emmanuel\\nChurch, Rockford.\\nSucceeding the Rev. Charles Reighley have been the follow-\\ning rectors in the order named Revs. Anson Clark, Michael\\nSchofield, William T. Smithett, Thomas Smith, S. B. DuflSeld,\\nJ. E. Walton, S. D. Day, C. S. Percival, F. W. Adams, A. W.\\nSnyder, D. C. Peabody, Wyllys Rede, and N. B. Clinch.\\nThe Rev. D.C. Peabody became rector March 1, 1886. Dur-\\ning his rectorship the present rectory was purchased, and the\\nFairfield Memorial Parish House erected, at a cost of forty\\nthousand dollars. The latter was the gift of one parishioner,\\nMrs. Eleanor G. Fairfield, and was erected as a memorial to her\\nlate husband, W. W. Fairfield. An additional thirty feet of\\nland adjoining the church lot on the west was purchased, at a\\ncost of sixteen hundred dollars, and many other permanent\\nimprovements made in the parish.\\nEmmanuel church, like the Episcopal church in America,\\nhas calmly pursued the even tenor of its way. Centuries ago the\\nforefathers, in iconoclastic zeal, discarded the beauty and sub-\\nlimity of her ritual. With a sort of reversion to type instinct,\\nnon-conformist churches have from time to time since then\\nincorporated portions of her ritual into their service. Like air\\nand sunshine, it appeals to the great universal, and will ever\\nmaintain its place in public worship. Four of the greatest\\nspiritual forces of the centuries, Frederick W. Robertson, Fran-\\nces Ridley Havergal, Phillips Brooks and Archdeacon Farrar,\\nhave found in this venerable church a congenial atmosphere for\\nthe highest development of the religious nature.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0316.jp2"}, "317": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LVI.\\nROCKFORD FEMALE SEMINARY.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ANNA P. SILL.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ARATU8 KENT.\\nTHE subject of higher education received attention at an early\\ndate in this section. As early as 1836 or 37 a joint stock\\ncompany was formed at Belvidere, for the purpose of building\\nand maintaining an institution to be known as Newton academy.\\nMarch 4, 1838, an instrument of writing issued from Boone\\ncounty, by Dr. Whitney, commissioner of sales for the county,\\nconveying to John S. King, Hiram Waterman, A. D. Bishop,\\nWilliam Dresser and F. W. Crosby, trustes of Newton academy,\\nand their successors in office, for the use of the academy, block\\ntwenty in the original town of Belvidere. This tract of ground\\ncornered with the southeast corner of the public square, and is\\nnow occupied bp the residence of H. C. DeDunn. The building\\nwas commenced, and so far completed as to be tenantable, and\\nProf. Seth S. Whitman taught a school therein. He was suc-\\nceeded by another teacher whose name has been forgotten. In\\nAugust, 1843, the academy, grounds and franchises passed\\nfrom the association, and became the property of John Wal-\\nworth, in trust, to be used by him foreducational purposes, and\\nnone other. In the same month Mr. Walworth conveyed the\\nproperty to Arthur Fuller, a brother of the famous Margaret\\nFuller, subject to all the conditions named in the conveyance to\\nWalworth. Miss Fuller went to Belvidere inpei son, and bought\\nthe property, and had the deed executed to her brother. Mr.\\nFuller occupied the academy as a teacher about two years,\\nwhen he conveyed the property to John K. Towner and Eben\\nConant, subject to the same conditions. Mr. Conant was father\\nof Rev. A. H. Conant, who was pastor of the Unitarian church\\nof Rockford. The son used the academy as a school room and\\nhouse of worship. His doctrines did not meet the approval of\\nthe membership of the other churches, and neither his school\\nnor his church met with special success; and in January, 1852,\\nMessrs. Towner and Conant conveyed the property to the Rev.\\nCharles Hill Roe, a Baptist clergyman. From that time, for\\nmany years, the academy was used as a private residence; then\\nas a barn, and was finally destroyed by fire.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0317.jp2"}, "318": {"fulltext": "288 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nAbout 1839 a seminary was founded at Mt. Morris, in Ogle\\ncounty. The attempt to establish a school at Kishwaukee was\\nnoted in a preceding chapter.\\nAs early as 1843 there was some discussion of the need of a\\ncollege for the upper Rock river valley. A general convention\\nof the churches of the northwest was held at Cleveland, Ohio,\\nin June, 1844, at which education received much attention. It\\nwas decided that a college and a female seminary should be\\nfounded in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, respect-\\nively. A resolution was adopted that the exigencies of Wis-\\nconsin and northern Illinois require that those sections should\\nunite in establishing a college and a female seminary of the\\nhighest order\u00e2\u0080\u0094 one in Wisconsin, near to Illinois, and the other\\nin Illinois, near to Wisconsin. The delegates, upon their\\nreturn, called a convention at Beloit in August, 1844. Three\\nsubsequent conventions were held at Beloit, because it was\\nbelieved from the first that the college should be located at that\\nplace. The resolution of the first convention, afiirmiug the\\nneed of both college and seminary, was re-affirmed in these sub-\\nsequent conventions, representing especially the Presbyterian\\nand Congregational ministry and churches in all the region.\\nThe union of these two churches in this movement may be\\nattributed to the fact that each was weak as it stood alone,\\nand only in union was there strength. At the fourth conven-\\ntion, held at Beloit in October, 1845, Beloit was selected as the\\nseat of the college, and a board of trustees was elected, to whom\\nwas committed the development of both institutions. The first\\nmeeting of the trustees was held the same month. Upon the\\noriginal board were Rev. Aratus Kent and Hon. Wait Talcott.\\nThe charter for Beloit college was approved by the governor of\\nthe territory of Wisconsin, February 2, 1846. Middle college,\\nthe first building, was begun in the autumn of that year.\\nThen began the discussion of a site for the seminary. Rock-\\nton and Rockford were rivals. But Beloit had been selected for\\nthe college; and from the Puritanical point of view of those\\ndays, Rockton was considered not a desirable distance for a\\ncollege for young ladies. Thus Rockford was given the prefer-\\nence. The Rockford Forum of October 29, 1845, published a\\ncall for a meeting at the Methodist church, on Monday evening,\\nNovember 3d, to consider the location of the serainarv. This\\ncall was signed by thirty-four citizens, led by T. D. Robertson.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0318.jp2"}, "319": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0319.jp2"}, "320": {"fulltext": "OLD SEMINARY BUILDING\\nfBegjan for the First Congregational church, subsequently owiieil by the covmty\\nas a court house. Miss Sill began her preparatory school hei-e. It was also occupied\\nas a place of worship by several churches Last stood on Gilbert Woodruffs grounds.\\nTorn down autumn of lisyj]\\nSCIENCE HALL. ROCKFORD COLLEGE", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0320.jp2"}, "321": {"fulltext": "THE PR EPA RA TOR Y SCHOOL. 289\\nAt this meetinp: it was resolved to attempt to raise the sum\\nprescribed by the Beloit trustees as necessary about three\\nthousand five hundred dollars. A committee was appointed to\\nsolicit subscriptions, consisting; of Jason Marsh, George Has-\\nkell, VVillard Wheeler, Asa Crosby, Anson S. Miller, P. B. John-\\nson, and Horace Foote. The Forum of November 5, 1845,\\ncontains a full report of this meeting, also a lengthy editorial.\\nCitizens pledged the required amount. The Forum of December\\n3d mentions, in a sketch of the city, that the trustees of Beloit\\ncollege have located the seminary at Rockford. A charter was\\ngranted February 25, 1847, to the following gentlemen as\\nincorporators: Aratus Kent, D. Clary, S. Peet, F. Bascom, C.\\nWaterbury, S. D. Stevens, A. L. Chapin, R. M. Pearson, G. W.\\nWilcox, A. Raymond, C. M.Goodsell, E. H. Potter, L. G. Fisher,\\nWait Talcott, Charles S. Hempstead and Samuel Hinman. These\\nsame gentlemen were the incorporators of Beloit college. The\\nboard of trustees was to consist of sixteen members, with power\\nto increase the number to twenty-four. But disasters affecting\\nthe business interests of the village prevented the fulfillment of\\nthe pledges which had been made, and delayed the enterprise\\nfor a time but it was never abandoned.\\nMeanwhile, June 11, 1849, Miss Anna P. Sill began a pre-\\nparatory school, under the name of the Rockford Female Semi-\\nnary. The recitations were held in the old court house building\\non North First street. Miss Sill came to Rockford from the\\neast, with the expectation that her school would develop into\\nthe seminary which had been planned by the trustees of Beloit.\\nThis preparatory school was not the seminary proper, but\\nrather its forerunner, and entirely under local management.\\nMiss Sill was assisted by the Misses Hannah and Eliza Richards.\\nThe number of pupils the first term was seventy, most of whom\\nwere under ten years of age. The opening of this school appar-\\nently gave an impetus to the consummation of the former plans\\nfor a seminary. The trustees were Rev. L. H. Loss, Jason Marsh,\\nAnson S. Miller, C. A. Huntington, S. M. Church, Rev. J. C.\\nParks, Bela Shaw, T. D. Robertson, E. H. Potter, Dr. George\\nHaskell, Asa Crosby. The academic year was divided into four\\nterms of eleven weeks each.\\nIn 1850 the citizens again made pledges aggregating more\\nthan five thousand dollars for buildings, and the ladies pledged\\none thousand dollars for the beautiful grounds. This original\\nsubscription list is still in existence, though eaten away in places.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0321.jp2"}, "322": {"fulltext": "290 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nIt was found among the papers of the late Charles H. Spafford.\\nThe word original is here used because the subscriptions of\\n1845-46 were apparently never redeemed. The list is probably\\nthe only one in existence. Thus by September, 18, 1850, the\\nseminary proper was assured as a permanent institution of\\nRockford, for the higher education of young women.\\nDuring the first two years of Miss Sill s residence in Rock-\\nford she continued independently her preparatory school. But\\nin 1851 the school was formally recognized by the board of\\ntrustees of Beloit college as the preparatory department of Rock-\\nford female seminary, under the charter which they had already\\nobtained. Full preparatory and collegiate courses of study\\nwere defined, and, upon examination, fifteen were admitted into\\nthe first collegiate class in September of that year. The year\\n1851 is thus regarded as the date of the founding of the semi-\\nnary, according to the original design. The recitations were\\nconducted in the old court house building, already noted. The\\nseminary had been granted full collegiate powers by its charter,\\nbut it was called a seminary, as was customary for such insti-\\ntutions at that time. The name was not changed to Rockford\\ncollege until 1892. Seven of this first class of 1851 graduated\\nin 1854. Only one, Mrs. William Lathrop, is now a resident of\\nthe city. The course then covered three years, and was later\\nchanged to four years.\\nThe present seminary grounds were purchased from Buell\\nG. Wheeler, The land originally extended to the river, but a\\nportion was taken by the Chicago Iowa railroad. The prop-\\nerty was not condemned, as the trustees preferred to sell rather\\nthan enter into any controversy. The grounds never extended\\nfarther east or north. They were never enlarged, and were\\nreduced only on the west. The deed to this property was also\\nfound among Mr. Stafford s papers, and apparently had never\\nleft his possession. The reason therefor may be explained. Mr.\\nSpafford was county recorder at the time; he was also a trustee\\nof the seminary, and the treasurer of the board. The document\\nwould thus naturally remain in his possession. This deed and\\nthe original subscription list, previously noted, were presented\\nto the college at the last commencement season by Mr. Spaf-\\nford s family, and are now among its permanent records. The\\ncity of Rockford owes a debt of gratitude to three of its early\\ncitizens for the very existence of this institution. At a critical\\nmoment in the formative period, Charles H. Spafford, Eleazer", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0322.jp2"}, "323": {"fulltext": "SEP A RA TE no A RD OF TR USTEES. 291\\nH. Potter and Dr. Lucius Clark mortj^af^ed their homes and\\nraised several thousand dollars to insure the success of the sem-\\ninary. This self-sacrifice by these gentleman, who had faith in\\nthe future of Rockford, and who appreciated the value of higher\\neducation, has never been properly recognized, forthe apparent\\nreason that their course has not been generally known.\\nAfter the purchase of the grounds Mr. Wheeler said they were\\nsold for much less than their real value. Mrs. Wheeler was\\ndeeply interested in the success of the seminary and thus the\\nproperty was obtained at a low price. Mr. Spafford also pre-\\nserved a transcript of an itemized estimate of the cost of the\\nfirst building, made by John Beattie, This document called for\\nan outlay of seven thousand nine hundred and twenty-seven\\ndollars and thirty-five cents.\\nJuly 15, 1852, the corner-stone of the first building was\\nlaid by Rev. Aratus Kent, president of the board of trustees.\\nHe spoke from the words: That our daughters may be as\\ncorner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.\\nAfter the acceptance by the board of trustees of the finan-\\ncial pledges of the citizens of Rockford in 1850, it was deemed\\nbest that each institution should manage its own affairs. A\\nprovisional local board appears to have been created at this\\ntime and in 1852 the seminary passed into the control of a\\nseparate board of trustees. The principle of co-operation, how-\\never, continued to prevail, and certain gentlemen were on the\\nofficial boards of the college and the seminary. In the lapse of\\nyears this number gradually diminished, until now Thomas D.\\nRobertson is the only one connected with the boards of the\\ntwo institutions. The first formal appointment to the perma-\\nnent faculty of the seminary was made in July, 1852, when\\nMiss Sill was elected principal. In July, 1854, the collegiate\\ncourse was divided into four departments: mental and moral\\n[)hilo8ophy; mathematics and natural science; history and\\nEnglish literature; ancient languages. The department of\\nmental and moral philosophy was assigned to the principal. Miss\\nMary White was chosen teacher in mathematics and natural\\nscience.\\nIn 1854 work was begun on Linden hall, the western wing.\\nIt received its name from the residence of one of its New En-\\ngland friends. From this place and from New York the larger\\npart of the fund was obtained for its construction. In the\\nfifties Miss Sill raised a large sum of money among her eastern", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0323.jp2"}, "324": {"fulltext": "292 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nfriends, especially in Boston, for the seminary, apparently to\\nraise a deficit. Up to September 8, 1854, Miss Sill had secured\\nin subscriptions the sum of three thousand six hundred and\\nfifty-nine dollars and sixty-seven cents. This fact appears from\\na financial statement made by Charles H. Spafford. According\\nto the Rockford Democrat of August 1, 1854, Mr. Milwain was\\nthe architect of Linden hall, and the plans and specifications\\ncalled for an addition forty-one by sixty-four feet, and four\\nstories. Linden hall was first separate from Middle hall, and\\nthen connected by a frame passage-way.\\nIn 1866 a second addition, Chapel hall, with its connecting\\ncorridors, was begun, and completed two years later. In 1871\\nLinden hall and Middle Hall were connected by a corridor.\\nOf the first collegiate class admitted in 1851, seven were\\ngraduated in 1854, eight in 1855, sixteen in 1856, ten in 1857,\\neleven in 1858, ten in 1859, eleven in 1860, and nine in 1861\\na total of eighty-two in eight years. There were then three\\ndepartments: collegiate, normal and academic. During that\\ntime there were eighty-five others who entered the seminary,\\nbut did not complete the course. Forty-one were in the junior\\nclass in 1861. The whole number who shared in the instruction\\nof the collegiate course during the first ten years was two hun-\\ndred and six. One hundred and eighty-three had received\\ninstruction in the normal course; and the whole number of\\npupils for a longer or shorter time connected with the institu-\\ntion, including the preparatory courses, from the beginning in\\n1849, to July, 1861, was fifteen hundred and thirty. During\\nthis time there was contributed to the seminary from all sources\\nthe sum of thirty-nine thousand two hundred and twenty-eight\\ndollars.\\nThe influence of this seminary and later college upon the\\nintellectual, social and moral life of Rockford may be recognized\\nand appreciated but it can never be fully estimated. The city\\ndoes not contain a more enduring monument to the wisdom of\\nits founders.\\nMany godly men and women have labored for the success\\nof this Christian college and those of a later day have reaped\\nthe harvest. This chapter would be incomplete without a more\\nspecific reference to Miss Anna P. Sill and Rev. Aratus Kent.\\nAnna Peck Sill was born in Burlington, Otsego county. New\\nYork, August 9, 1816. She was the youngest of ten children,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0324.jp2"}, "325": {"fulltext": "MISS SILL S EARLY LIFE. 293\\naud iuherited the intellectual and moral qualities of a long line\\nof Puritan ancestry. Her father, Abel Sill, was a farmer, who\\ndied in 1824, in his fiftieth year, when Anna was seven years of\\nage. Her mother was the eldest daughter of Judge Jedediah\\nPeck, who, it is said, was the first in New York to urge legisla-\\ntive action for the establishment of common schools, and the\\nabolition of imprisonment for debt. In 1831 Miss Anna made\\na public profession of religion. In the autumn of 183G she\\ntaught a district school in the neighborhood of Albion. About\\nsix weeks of this time, during the vacation season, she attended\\na school at Albion, and in November, 1837, she entered Miss\\nPhipps Union seminary, one of the first female institutions of\\nthe state, as a regular student. One year later she became a\\nteacher, and probabl^^ continued her studies at the same time.\\nHere she remained five years, until July, 1843. During her last\\n3 ear at Albion she wrestled with the problem of her life-work.\\nShe had a holy enthusiasm for humanity; but a thick veil,\\nwhich faith and prayer alone could rend, obscured her path\\nof duty. She was inclined toward the foreign missionary field,\\nif she could be accounted worthy of such honor. To her pastor\\nshe writes: I have hardly dared to ask my Heavenly Father\\nso great a privilege, but have prayed that at least I might be\\npermitted after death to go as a ministering spirit and whis-\\nper sweet words of peace to some poor heathen soul. When\\nan opportunity came for her to go to India, however, she had\\nbecome convinced that her mission was, in part, to prepare\\nothers for the field.\\nAfter some time Miss Sill s thoughts were turned from\\nAlbion toward the west as afield of missionary and educational\\nlabor. She corresponded with Rev. Hiram Foote, who was then\\nat Racine, Wisconsin, with whom she had some acquaintance.\\nThe reply was not favorable, and Miss Sill opened a seminar^\\nfor young ladies at Warsaw, October 2, 1843. This was the first\\nseminary entirely under her control. She remained there until\\nMarch, 1846. In the following August she was invited by the\\ntrustees of the Gary collegiate institute, in Oakfield, Genesee\\ncounty, to take charge of the ladies department. This invita-\\ntion was accepted, and she taught there until the spring of\\n1849. At this time the location of a seminary at Rockford was\\nagain under consideration. Friends of the enterprise had heard\\nof her success as a teacher. Among these was Rev. L. II. Loss,\\nthen pastor of the First Congregational church. He invited her", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0325.jp2"}, "326": {"fulltext": "294 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTT.\\nto come to Rockford and opeu a school for young ladies as pre-\\nparatory to the prospective seminary. Miss Sill accepted the\\ninvitation, and arrived in Rockford May 24, 1849.\\nMiss Sill and the seminary are thenceforth so vitally related\\nthat the life-story of one is the history of the other. In the\\nsummer of 1884, after thirty-five years of successful leadership.\\nMiss Sill resigned, and retired to the more quiet but not less\\nhonored position of principal emerita. She accepted the situ-\\nation as for the best interest of the seminary, with Christian\\nfortitude. She who had been the directing force for so many\\nyears, must thenceforth live outside the circle, a passive specta-\\ntor of the young and progressive life. This was perhaps the\\nseverest trial of her life.\\nMiss Sill lived five years after her retirement from active\\nlife. She died at her room in the seminary, June 18, 1889. The\\nfuneral was held in the chapel on the 20th. The introductory\\nservices were conducted by the Rev. Walter M. Barrows, pastor\\nof the Second Congregational church. The funeral discourse\\nwas preached by her former pastor, Rev. Henry M. Goodwin,\\nD. D. Prayer was offered by the Rev. W. W. Leete.\\nAnna P. Sill lived a life of entire consecration. Self was laid\\non the altar of sacrifice, that it might be wholly consumed in\\nthe holy flame. When the path of duty became clear, she threw\\nthe enthusiasm of her strong and generous nature into the\\nfounding of a school for the Christian education of young-\\nwomen. Its honorable history shows that her faith was not\\ndelusion nor mere enthusiasm but that there was a providen-\\ntial guidance of her way, and a divinely-ordered connection\\nbetween the work and the instrument. At the alumnae reunion\\nimmediately after her death, Mrs. Marie T. Perry paid her this\\nnoble tribute With her wondrous endowment of head and\\nheart, and an indomitable will, she set up her standard in the\\nwilderness, and with a courage that knew no faltering, a vigil-\\nance that was ceaseless, patiently, hopefully prayerfully,\\nwrought out the dream of her life the school of her love.\\nHer power over her pupils was rare and marvelous. Day after\\nday, by word, look and act, she forged the unseen chain that\\nat last she riveted around them. The impatience of youth might\\nseek to shake it off and break it the pleasures of life and the\\ndictum of the world might strive to undo its fastenings, but\\nsooner or later, disloyal legions would wheel into line and do\\nvaliant service in the cause of truth and right. Emerson", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0326.jp2"}, "327": {"fulltext": "ARATUS KENTS GREAT WORK. 29.-\\nobserves that there is nothing so great as a great soul and it\\nmay be said that upon the thousands who came under her\\nbenign influence, light from her celestial garments streams.\\nRev. Aratus Kent was born January 15, 1794. He was a\\nson of John Kent, a merchant of Suffield, Connecticut, and a\\nbrother of Gerinanicus Kent, the first settler of Rockford. They\\nbelonged to the family from which came the famous Chancellor\\nKent, of New York. Mr. Kent was fitted for college at West-\\nfield academy. At nineteen j^ears of age he entered the sopho-\\nmore class at Yale. He united with the church under President\\nDwight, August 15, 1815. Mr. Kent graduated from Yale in\\n1816, and then spent four years in theological studies in New\\nY ^ork. He was licensed to preach by the presbytery of New\\nYork April 20, 1820. From November 21, 1822, until April\\n11, 1823, he was a student at Princeton theological seminary.\\nHe was ordained January 26, 1825, at Lockport, New York.\\nMr. Kent subsequently applied to the American Home Mis-\\nsionary Board for a place so hard that no one else would take\\nit. He was sent to Galena, Illinois, then a mining city, where he\\nimmediately began his labors. His first years in the west were\\nspent in home missionary work. October 23, 1831, he organ-\\nized the First Presb3 terian church at Galena. His three chil-\\ndren died in infancy; one in 183-7, another in 1838, and a third\\nin 1840. Mrs. E. P. Thomas, of Rockford, is an adopted daugh-\\nter. Mr. Kent was a leader in the founding of Beloit college\\nand Rockford seminary, and out of a meagre salary he contrib-\\nuted to Christian education. Mr. Kent died November 8, 1869,\\nat the age of seventy-five years. He was honored in life, and his\\nmemory is held in reverence.\\nAround Mr. Kent was a senate of men like unto him. Eight\\nof the sixteen incorporators were clergymen. Rev. Stephen\\nPeet, father of the churches in Wisconsin, died in 1855 yet that\\nbrief remnant of his life enabled him to add the founding of\\nChicago theological seminary, as the completion of what he\\nhad done in aiding the building of the churches, and of Beloit\\ncollege and the seminary. Rev. Dexter Clary, another incorpo-\\nrator of the two institutions, died June 18, 1874. Charles M.\\nGoodsell, of Geneva, Wisconsin, became one of the founders of\\nCarlton college, at Northfield, Minnesota.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0327.jp2"}, "328": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LVII.\\nSTATE AND LOCAL SCHOOL FUNDS. EARLY ROCKFORD SCHOOLS.\\nTHE public school system of Rockford had its beginning in\\nnational and state legislation. The foundations of the\\nsystem were laid more that a century ago, about four years\\nbefore the United States entered upon national life under the\\nconstitution. May 20, 1785, an ordinance was passed by con-\\ngress, then assembled in New York, for a system of rectangular\\nsurveys of the lands in the western territory, and it was\\ntherein provided that there shall be reserved the lot num-\\nber sixteen of every township for the maintenance of public\\nschools within the township. The territory thus designated\\nwas the Northwest Territory, from which Illinois was created.\\nThe Ordinance of 1787, for the government of the North-\\nwest Territory, provided that religion, morality and knowledge\\nshall forever be encouraged. Thus early was recognized\\nthe value of popular education. The next step was in 1818,\\nwhen Illinois sought admission into the union. In April of that\\nyear congress passed an act enabling the people of the territory\\nof Illinois to organize a state. Certain propositions were therein\\nmade to the convention of the territory, which, if accepted,\\nwould be binding upon the state and the federal government.\\nThree of these referred to education. First, that section number\\nsixteen or its equivalent in every congressional township shall\\nbe granted to the state, for the use of schools in such township.\\nSecond, that three per cent, of the net proceeds from the\\nsales of all the public lands in the state shall be given to\\nthe state for the encouragement of learning, of which one-sixth\\npart shall be exclusively bestowed on a college or university.\\nThird, that two entire townships in the state, to be designated\\nby the president of the United States, shall be reserved for the\\nuse of a seminary.\\nThese propositions were accepted by an ordinance adopted\\nat Kaskaskia, August 26, 1818. December 3d following, con-\\ngress approved the constitution. Thus Illinois came into the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0328.jp2"}, "329": {"fulltext": "FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL LA W. 297\\nunion with these valuable grantw of laud for the maiuteuauce\\nof education.\\nBy the term early schools is meant those schools which\\nwere maintained under various laws of the state prior to 1855.\\nThe first public school law was passed in 1825, seven years after\\nIllinois became a state. Common schools were established free\\nto white citizens between the ages of five and twenty-one. Dis-\\ntricts containing not less than fifteen families could be formed\\nby the county courts, upon petition of a majority of the voters\\nthereof. Voters were authorized at the annual meeting to levy\\na tax in money or merchantable produce, at its cash value, not\\nexceeding one-half of one per cent., subject to a maximum lim-\\nitation of ten dollars to any one person. The state also appro-\\npriated two dollars out of every one hundred dollars received\\ninto the treasury, and disbursed the interest on the school fund\\nproper among the several counties and these sums were dis-\\ntributed by the counties among the respective districts.\\nThis law was bitterly opposed, and in 1827 it was amended\\nso as to be virtually nullified, by providing that no person should\\nbe taxed for the maintenance of schools, unless his consent was\\nfirst obtained in writing. The state appropriation of two dol-\\nlars out of every one hundred dollars received into the treasury,\\nwas also withdrawn.\\nThe school laws were revised at nearly every session of the\\nlegislature. These were all radically defective in that the state\\ndid not impose a tax, but made it discretionary with the dis-\\ntricts whether such tax should be levied. The law of 1845 made\\nit optional with districts whether they would levy a tax. The\\nmaximum was fifteen cents on the one hundred dollars. Many\\nimportant changes were made. By this act it was provided\\nthat on the first Monday in August, and biennially thereafter,\\nthere should be elected a school commissioner in each county.\\nThe law of 1849 limited the local tax to twenty-five cents per\\none hundred dollars. The statute of 1851 provided that a\\nmajority of legal voters could levy a tax not exceeding one\\ndollar on every hundred dollars, for building and repairing\\nschoolhouses.\\nThe school fund proper of the state consists of three per\\ncent, of the net proceeds of the sales of the public lands in the\\nstate, one-sixth part excepted. This is known as the three pei\\ncent, fund, or school fund proper. Under an act of l^ ebruary 6,\\n1835, this fund was loaned to the state at six percent, interest.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0329.jp2"}, "330": {"fulltext": "298 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe interest on this fund constitutes one of the sources from\\nwhich the common school fund of the state is derived. The\\nprincipal of this fund is now |613,362.96.\\nThe college fund consists of one-sixth of three per cent, of\\nthe proceeds of the sales of public lands in the state. This fund\\nwas also loaned the state in 1835. In the same year it was\\nprovided that the interest on this fund should be annually\\nloaned to the school fund, for distribution with other funds,\\namong the several counties in the state. February 18, 1857,\\nthe interest on this fund, less one-fourth of one per cent., was\\nset apart to the maintenance of the state normal university.\\nThe principal of this fund is |156,613.32.\\nThe seminary fund is derived from the proceeds of the sale\\nof seminary lands, which consist of two townships given the\\nstate by the general government, for the founding and support\\nof a state seminary. This fund was also loaned the state in\\n1835. In the same year it was provided that the interest on\\nthis fund should be annually loaned to the state school fund.\\nIn 1857 the interest on this fund, less one-fourth of one percent.,\\nwas devoted to the maintenance of the normal university. The\\nprincipal of this fund is |59,838.72.\\nThe surplus revenue fund was created by congress in 1836,\\nby an act which deposited with the states, in proportion to\\ntheir representation in congress, the money that had accumu-\\nlated in the national treasury, mainly from the sale of public\\nlands. Prior to this act an unsuccessful effort had been made\\nto distribute this money among the states as a gift from the\\nnation. The objections to this plan were overcome by deposit-\\ning the money with the states, subject to return upon call of\\ncongress. About twenty-eight million dollars were distributed\\namong the states in this way, and none of it has ever been\\ncalled for. Illinois received $477,919.24. A portion of this\\namount was expended in internal improvements, and the bal-\\nance, 1335,592.32, was by an act of the legislature of March\\n4, 1837, made a part of the common school fund of the state,\\nand loaned to the state at six per cent.\\nThe most munificent donation from congress was the six-\\nteenth section of every congressional township. This amounted\\nto nine hundred and ninety-eight thousand four hundred and\\nforty-eight and eighty-nine-hundredths acres. It has been said\\nthat if these lands had been properly cared for, they would have\\ngiven the people such an ample public school fund as would", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0330.jp2"}, "331": {"fulltext": "SWAMP LAND FUND. 209\\nhave saved them from local taxation. The local sale of these\\nlands and the handlin*^ of such funds were delegated to township\\ntrustees by the law of the state. The principal of this fund\\nvaries in different townships, from less than one hundred dol-\\nlars to more than one hundred thousand dollars. Unfortu-\\nnately, most of these lands were sold at an early day, when the\\npeople were poor and prices low. Some township trustees were\\nwiser, and held them for higher prices. The Chicago Tribune\\nbuilding and McVicker s theatre are built on school lands, still\\nowned by the township, and pay an enormous rental. The\\ntownship fund of the state in 1898, including a conservative esti-\\nmate of the value of unsold lands, aggregated $15,479,457.42.\\nThe principal of the township school fund of Rockford is|4,000.\\nA local school fund is derived from fines and forfeitures. In\\n1853 the fines collected and criminal forfeitures on bail were\\nadded to the school fund. The present law provides that all\\nfines, penalties and forfeitures which may be imposed in any of\\nthe courts of record, and before any justice of the peace, except\\nthose incurred for violation of the ordinances of incorporated\\ncities and towns, shall be paid to the county superintendent of\\nschools, and the same shall be distributed annually by him, in\\nthe same manner as the common school funds of the state are\\ndistributed.\\nSeptember 28, 1850, congress granted to the states of the\\nunion, all overflowed and swamp lands, thereby made unfit for\\ncultivation, within their respective limits. These lands were\\nsubject to the disposal of the legislature, provided that so much\\nof the proceeds of such sales as may be necessary shall be\\ndevoted to reclaiming the same by levees and drains. By an\\nact of the legislature, June 22, 1852, these lands were granted\\nto the counties in which they were respectively located, upon\\nsimilar terms upon which the state had received them, for edu-\\ncational or other purposes, at their discretion. January 15,\\n1855, the state auditor of public accounts certified that one\\nthousand eight hundred and one and nine-tenths acres was\\nthe total amount of such lands in Winnebago county. In\\nMarch, 1855, the board of supervisors appointed Duncan Fer-\\nguson, Milton Kilburn and Edmund Oviatt a committee to\\nexamine these lands, and report. These swamp lands were\\nlocated in townships twenty-eight, twent.y-nineand forty-three.\\nMany of them were near the village of Winnebago. These lands\\nwere first sold by C. A. Huntington, the school commissioner,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0331.jp2"}, "332": {"fulltext": "300 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nat high prices, aud during prosperous times. Little cash was\\npaid, and the purchasers gave mortgages for the balance.\\nValues declined, and the purchasers could not redeem their\\nproperty. Thereupon the supervisors ordered them resold,\\nwhich was done by H. H. Waldo, who succeeded Mr. Hunting-\\nton as school commissioner, for about what they were actually\\nworth.\\nThrough some obscurity in the statutes of 1852 and 1854\\nupon the subject, there was prolonged litigation as to whether\\nthe proceeds should constitute a county fund, or be distributed\\namong the townships. The money finally passed into the con-\\ntrol of the superintendent as a. county fund. The principal of\\nthis fund in Winnebago county is $5,980.06.\\nBy way of recapitulation it may be said the principal state\\nand local funds for the support of higher and common school\\neducation are now as follows: Direct state taxation, direct local\\ntaxation, school fund proper, college fund, seminary fund, sur-\\nplus revenue fund, township fund, fines and forfeitures, and the\\nswamp land fund.\\nThe cause of popular education languished for eighteen\\nyears from the passage of the first law in 1825. In 1844 a com-\\nmon school convention was held in Peoria, which earnestly\\npleaded among other things, for a state superintendent of pub-\\nlic instruction. The legislature, at the session of 1844-45,\\nyielded in some measure to the force of this reasoning. By an\\nact of 1845, the secretary of state was made ex officio state\\nsuperintendent of public instruction. In reference to local tax-\\nation it was required that a two-thirds legal vote of any dis-\\ntrict should concur in ordering the tax. The large property-\\nholders, especially those who had no children, often threw their\\ninfluence against a local tax levy, and the school revenue was\\nconsequently small. Many of the features of the school law of\\n1845 were incorporated into the law of 1855.\\nThe first school in Winnebago county was taught by Miss\\nEunice Brown, who afterward became Mrs. J. G. Lyon. This\\nschool was on the site of II South Second street, in the rear\\nof what is known as the John Early residence, and taught in a\\nlog house. This was about Jaly, 1837. In the spring of 1838\\nMiss Brown taught on the W^st side, in a building on what is\\nnow the court house square. Mrs. Lyon died at her home in\\nEockton December 7, 1889.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0332.jp2"}, "333": {"fulltext": "ROSTER OF EARLY TEACHERS. 301\\nIn 1837 Miss Frances Bradford taught school in a log cabin\\nwhich belonged to Willinm E. Dunbar. In 18G9 the late\\nMrs. John H. Thurston prepared a list of early Rockford\\nschools, which, with some amplification, is substantially repro-\\nduced. Israel Morrill and Miss Sarah E. Danforth taught in\\n1838 on the West side; Miss Wood, in 1839, on the West\\nside; James M. Wight, in the winter of 1838-39, in the\\nbuilding: on the corner of Madison and Market streets, on\\nthe site of the American House; Miss Hyde, in 1839, in the\\nsame place; Andrus Corbiii, in 1839, in a house owned by him-\\nself on the West side; Mr. Jackson, in the winter of 1839-40,\\nin the house on the corner of Madison and Market streets; Miss\\nHepsabeth Hutchinson and Miss Maria BakcM-. in 1840, on the\\nEast side; Mrs. Mary Jackson, in 1838-39. on the West side;\\nMiss Wealthy Bradford, in 1841-42, on the West side; Lewis\\nS. Sweezy, in 1841-42, in thebrickschoolhouse on the southeast\\ncorner of the public square, East side; Miss Harriet Barnum,\\nin 1841, in a private house. East side; Miss Minerva C.Fletcher,\\nin 1842, in a log house that stood opposite the First Congre-\\ngational church. East side; Elijah Holt, in 1841-42, in the brick\\nschoolhouse, East side; John Paul, in 1841, in the first house\\nsouth of the railroad, Main street, Westside; Lewis B. Gregory,\\nin the brick schoolhouse, P]ast side, 1843-44; Miss Fronia\\nFoote and George Waterman, in 1843\u00e2\u0080\u009444; Miss Julia Barnum,\\nin 1844, in private house. East side; Miss Adaline Warren, pri-\\nvate house. East side; Miss Augusta Kemfield, in 1845, East\\nside; C. A. Huntington, from 1845 to 1849, in the old court\\nhouse on North First street, and on the West side Miss Elizabeth\\nWeldon was assistant to Mr. Huntington H. H. Waldo, in 1848,\\nin Baptist church, West side; D. W.Ticknor,from 184Gto 1849,\\nin the brick schoolhouse, East side, assisted in turn by Miss\\nElizabeth Weldon, Anson Barnum, John W. Andrews, and D.\\nDubois; H. H. Waldo, in 1849-50, Miss Hannah ^rorrill,1848,\\nEast side; Robert A. Sanford, 1848, West side.\\nIn 18.^0 Mr. Bowles taught in the brick schoolhouse on the\\nEast side; Mrs. Squires, in 1850, on what is now 111 Madison\\nstreet. East side, and afterward on West side; Mrs. King H.\\nMilliken, in 1850, East side; Miss Mary Dow, Miss Delia Hyde,\\nand George E. Kimball, 1850-53, in the basement of the pres-\\nent First Baptist church building. West side; Miss Sarah A.\\nStewart and Miss Mary Joslin, in 1850, in a building where the\\nMasonic Temple now stands; Seely Perry, in the basement of", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0333.jp2"}, "334": {"fulltext": "302 HISrORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe First Methodist church, on Second street; B. Rush Catlin,\\nin 1852, in basement of First Methodist church Misses Char-\\nlotte and Harriet Leonard, in 1851-52; Miss Stowell and T,\\nJ. L. Remington, in 1851, in the brick schoolhouse, West side;\\nRev. C. Reighley, in 1852, on the East side Miss Fanny Avery,\\nin 1852, on the East side; Mr. Stevens, in 1853, in the brick\\nschool house. East side; Miss Lizzie Fern, in 1853, on the East\\nside; Mrs. Carpenter, in 1853, West side; Rev. L. Porter, in\\n1852; Mr. Stowell, in 1853; Rev. Addison Brown and Miss\\nFrances A. Brown, on the West side; Miss Julia Galloway, in\\n1854, in the lobby of the First Conf^regational church. East\\nside; Darwin Dubois, in 1854, in First Methodist church; Mrs.\\nJulia and Miss Chapman, in 1854, on West side; Miss Belle\\nBurpee and Miss Ethalinda Thompson, in 1855, on the East\\nside; Halsey G. Clark, in 1855, in old court house. East side,\\nwith Miss Lizzie Giffen as assistant; Miss Emma Brown, in\\n1857, on the East side; Freeman, in basement First Bap-\\ntist church. West side; Wesley Sovereign, in First Methodist\\nchurch, East side Mrs. Jones, on West side; Miss Elizabeth\\nFisher, West side; Miss Gunsolus, East side; Mr. Johnson and\\nMr. Gifford, West side.\\nNearly all of these schools were private. The teachers were\\npaid mainly by the parents. The teacher made out his own\\nbills and collected them. There was then no regularstate or local\\ntax, and the only public school money was derived from the\\ninterest on the several state school funds, and the township\\nfund obtained from the sale of the sixteenth section. Private\\nteachers, who conformed to certain requirements of the law,\\nreceived some compensation from the pubhc money, in propor-\\ntion to the number of pupils under their instruction.\\nThe early public school records of Rockford township have\\nbeen lost. It is therefore impossible to obtain exact information.\\nThere appears, however, to have been a school district, with a\\nschoolhouse, on each side of the river. The East side public\\nschool was in the brick building on the southeast corner of the\\npublic square. This schoolhouse was erected at an early date,\\nby private subscription. L. B. Gregory taught there soon after\\nhis arrival in Rockford. His examination for certificate was quite\\nbrief, and was held in E. H. Potter s store. The directors were\\nE. H. Potter, William E. Dunbar, Willard Wheeler, and Dr. A.\\nM. Catlin. Mr. Gregory was asked to spell baker. He replied\\nthat he could not but the certificate was granted.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0334.jp2"}, "335": {"fulltext": "n ROW Iff or p.\\\\TEnyAUS}f. ao.T\\nIn the classical institute, in the basement of the First Bap-\\ntist church, from 1855 to 185G, of which H. P. Kimball was\\nprincipal, one class pursued the re ?ular studies of the freshman\\nyear in college, and entered one year in advance. A score of\\nstudents left this institution and entered eastern colleges. Two\\nyears study was considered sufficient to advance scholars\\nthrough a full preparatory course of mathematics and the\\nusual books in Latin and Greek, giving them a sufficient and\\nthorough preparation.\\nSeely Perry taught a preparatory school for young men\\nabout a year and a half, in the First Methodist church. At this\\nschool quite a number of students prepared for college. Among\\nthese were the late Dr. Selwyn Clark Alexander Kerr, who is\\nnow emeritus professor of Greek in the University of Wisconsin\\nRev. John Edwards, brother of Mrs. Clemens. On account of\\nill health, Mr. Perry turned over the school to a brother of Dr.\\nE. P. Catlin.\\nBesides the houses used for schools on the East side already\\nnoted, were: one on Kishwaukee street, near bridge; one on\\nlot in rear of engine house on South First street; one on South\\nMadison street. Not less than eight buildings were used for\\nschool purposes on the East side. A sum of money was once\\nraised to build a second public schoolhouse on the East side;\\nbut it was never erected. The money was finally paid into the\\nmunicipal treasury, upon the order of the city council.\\nJohn A. Holland and others build a schoolhouse for private\\npupils, on South West street. It was occupied exclusively by\\nthe children of those who erected it. It was therefore not a\\nlarge school, but somewhat exclusive. The contract was made\\nwith Seely Perry for furnishing building material.\\nAnother schoolhouse is now on South Main street, used as\\na blacksmith shop, near Mrs. Brett s block. The Second Congre-\\ngational church was organized in this building. There was also\\na small schoolhouse on the south side of Green street, between\\nChurch and Court. It was a white frame building. Abbie Parker,\\na sister of the late G. W. Parker, taught there at one time.\\nThe development of the public school system is an excellent\\nillustration of the growth of paternalism first, on the part of\\nthe general government and second, in the gradual advance\\nof the state toward the present standard. In a strict sense,\\nthe free school system was founded in 1855, and will be consid-\\nered in a later chapter.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0335.jp2"}, "336": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LVIII.\\nADOPTION OF TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.\\nTHE constitution of 1848 provided for a county court, as\\nthe successor of the county commissioners court, and\\nauthorized the legislature to enact a general law, providing for\\ntownship organization, under which counties might organize,\\nby a majority vote of the people. In the early days of Illinois\\nas a state, southern ideas and institutions dominated the com-\\nmonwealth. The commissioners form of local government orig-\\ninated in this country with the Virginia planters. The system\\nof township organization had its origin in New England. But\\nthe root of this form of local government may be traced to the\\ndistricting of England into tithingsby King Alfred, in the ninth\\ncentury, to curb the widespread social disorders which dis-\\nturbed his realm. The change under the second constitution of\\nIllinois was due to the influence of New England settlers in the\\nnorthern portion of the state. The Illinois township system,\\nhowever, is not closely modeled after that of the New England\\nstates.\\nThe legislature, by two acts approved February 12, 1849,\\nsupplemented these two constitutional provisions by the neces-\\nsary legislation. The first created a county court, the judges\\nof which should be elected on the Tuesday after the first Mon-\\nday in November, 1849, and quadrennially thereafter, and\\nassume their duties on the first Monday in December following.\\nThere were also to be elected at the same times and places, two\\nassociate justices of the peace, who, with the judge, constituted\\nthe county court, which succeeded the county commissioners\\ncourt.\\nThis county court was short-lived, so far as Winnebago\\ncounty was concerned. The second statute, also approved\\nFebruary 12, 1849, provided that at the next general election\\nin November, 1849, the voters in any county might vote for or\\nagainst township organization. Consequently, at the same\\ngeneral election in November, 1849, the voters of this county\\nelected both a county court to succeed the county commission-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0336.jp2"}, "337": {"fulltext": "SEI A R 4 TE CLERK FOR CO! TNTY BOA RD. 305\\ners court; and voted to adopt township organization. Section\\nfour of the new law provided that if the voters so elected, the\\ntownship organization should be in force the first Tuesday in\\nApril, 1850. At that time the associate justices ceased to be\\nmembers of the county court, under the provision of section\\nsix of article seven of the new constitution. The associate\\njustices, however, were elected for several years as justices of\\nthe peace for the county at large.\\nIt may seem, at first thought, that two such laws would\\nnot have been passed by the legislature, as the second might\\nnullify the first. But it will be observed that the township\\norganization system did not become operative unless the people\\nso voted; hence there was a possibility that they would not\\nconflict.\\nFrom 1849 to 1855 the clerk of the county court was also\\nclerk of the board of supervisors, under section eight of article\\nsixteen of the township organization law\\\\ By virtue of an act\\nof February 9, 1855, the clerk of the county court of Winne-\\nbago count} ceased to be ex officio clerk of the board of super-\\nvisors, after the first Monday of the following April. Under\\nthis law Duncan Ferguson was appointed; and a separateclerk\\nof the board was thereafter bieunially appointed, until the law\\nwas repealed.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0337.jp2"}, "338": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LIX.\\nSECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.\\nTHE Second Congregational church was organized in the\\nautumn of 1849, with forty-seven members. Nearly all had\\ntaken letters from the First church under date of October 18th.\\nThe application for letters, in part, was as follows We, whose\\nnames are underwritten, believing we shall be serving\\nthe cause of Christ by so doing, propose to form ourselves, in\\ncompany with such others as shall desire to unite with us, into\\na Congregational church to be styled the Second Congrega-\\ntional church of Rockford. Tradition has given no cause for\\nseparation from the parent church, other than the one assigned\\nin the foregoing declaration. The resolution of dismissal rec-\\nognized the right of every person to be governed by the dictates\\nof his own conscience still it was the sense of the church that\\nthis action was premature and uncalled for. A vacant church\\nbuilding and a growing population on the West side seemed to\\njustify a separation; and time has fully vindicated its wisdom.\\nDuring its entire history Rockford has been a stronghold of\\nCongregationalism.\\nThe first meeting preliminary to organization was held\\nOctober 30, 1849, at the schoolhouse in West Rockford. This\\nbuilding is still standing on South Main street. Rev. Lansing\\nPorter was called to the chair, and Worcester A. Dickerman\\nwas appointed clerk. A committee of three was chosen to pre-\\nsent at a future meeting, articles of faith, covenant and rules\\nof government for the proposed church. Benjamin A. Rose,\\nDexter G. Clark and Thomas D. Robertson constituted this\\ncommittee. It was resolved that the public organization of\\nthe church should take place November 14th and Samuel J.\\nRussell, Worcester A. Dickerman and Robert Clow were chosen\\nto make the necessary arrangements.\\nAn adjourned meeting was held November 7th. A resolu-\\ntion was adopted, by which the following named persons, who\\nwere then present, organized the church: Robert Clow, Burton\\nP. Franklin, Rachel Franklin, David D. Ailing, Rebecca Ailing,\\nAlexander Patterson, Helen Patterson, Ellen Patterson, Jane", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0338.jp2"}, "339": {"fulltext": "ARTICLES OF FAITH. 307\\nGordon, Thomas I). Robertson, Goodyear A. Sanford, Elizabeth\\nH. Sanford, Worcester A. Dickerman, Caroline M. Dickerman,\\nMichael Burns, Deborah Burns, Samuel J. Russell, Lucy Rus-\\nsell, Dexter G. Clark, Benjamin A. Rose, Antoinette W. Rose,\\nEliza Hanford, Rebecca Spurr, Harriette W. Piatt, Rial K.\\nTown, Clarissa Town, Mary Bond, Emily G. Sanford, Susan G.\\nFuller, Elizabeth B. Field, Mary A, Frink, Lemira L. Meyers,\\nLucy C. Hyde, Sarah D. Hyde, Esther Ann Hyde, Henry C.\\nHyde, Gershom C. Hyde, Alonzo Gorham, Hannah L. Gorham,\\nMercy A. Gorham, Ann Levinp:s, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Porter, Anor\\nWoodruff, Mrs. Eliza Woodruff, James Porter, Ebenezer Hyde,\\nMrs. Barbara Porter.\\nThomas D. Robertson, from the committee appointed at\\nthe former meeting, presented a report on articles of faith,\\ncovenant, and rules of government. This report was accepted\\nand adopted. The articles of faith were thoroughly orthodox,\\naccording to the standard of the time. The orthodoxy of today\\nis somewhat elastic; but half a century ago the term stood for\\na clearly defined and rigid system of Christian doctrine. This\\nCongregational creed consisted of nine articles. The three arti-\\ncles relating respectively to the fall of man, the atonement and\\neschatology are reproduced in full:\\nArticle IV.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 We believe that our first parents were created\\nholy; that they fell from that state of holiness by transgressing\\na divine command, and that in consequence of their apostacy,\\nall men, unless redeemed by the Holy Ghost, areenemiesof God\\nand under the carse of the divine law.\\nArticle V.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 We believe that Jesus Christ, our Mediator, is\\ntruly God and truly man, and by his sufferings and death on\\nthe cross, he atoned for the sins of the world, so that the offer\\nof salvation is sincerely made to all men, and all who repent\\nand believe in him will be pardoned and saved.\\nArticle IX.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 We believe that Jesus Christ will appear at\\nthe end of time to raise the dead, and judge the world that the\\nrighteous will be received into life eternal, and the wicked will\\ngo away into everlasting punishment.\\nThis preliminary organization was completed by the elec-\\ntion of officers. Rial K. Town and Alonzo Gorham were chosen\\ndeacons; Thomas D, Robertson, clerk and treasurer Benjamin\\nA. Rose and Samuel J. Russell, prudential committee; Good-\\nyear A. Sanford, Worcester A. Dickerman and Dexter G. Clark,\\nassessment committee.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0339.jp2"}, "340": {"fulltext": "308 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe public organization of this church occurred Wednesday,\\nNovember 14, 1849. Previous to these formal exercises Mrs.\\nSarah J. Clark, Mrs. E. W. Spaulding and Mrs. Jane C. Hough-\\nton, who had been included in the original letter of dismission\\nfrom the First church, but were not present at the first meeting,\\nwere received; also Mrs. Mary Haskell and Miss Ehza Holmes.\\nThe Congregational council was composed of the following\\ngentlemen: Rev. Hutchins Taylor, moderator; Rev. Dexter\\nClary, Beloit Rev. Lewis Benedict, Rockton Rev. R. M. Pear-\\nson, Grand DeTour Rev. Lansing Porter, Rockford Horace\\nHobart, delegate from Beloit. Rev. R. M. Pearson was chosen\\nscribe of the council; prayer was offered by Rev. H. Taylor;\\nand Rev. L. Benedict preached the sermon. The covenant and\\narticles of faith were read by the clerk, and publicly approved\\nby the church. An address to the church and deacons was\\ndelivered by Rev. Dexter Clary. The council then formally\\ndeclared the Second Congregational church of Rockford to be\\nduly and orderly organized.\\nNovember 18th Asher Miller, who had been included in the\\noriginal letter of dismission, was received, upon the same.\\nThe new church continued to receive accessions from time to\\ntime from the older society, as the West side increased in\\npopulation.\\nSince the mother church had vacated its first house of wor-\\nship on the corner of Church and Green streets for the new brick\\nstructure on the East side, the former had been unoccupied.\\nThe Second church now returned to the house which manv of\\nits members had abandoned less than four years previous.\\nMessrs. Kent and Brinckerhoff had failed in business, and the\\nold edifice was sold by their assignee to the Second church. It\\nwas placed on a rock foundation and refitted for worship.\\nThe first pastor of the new church was Rev. Lansing Porter.\\nThis gentleman had served the First church as its pastor a\\nlittle more than two years. The records of the Second church\\ndo not show that any formal call was extended to Rev. Porter.\\nBut he assumed this position as soon as the organization had\\nbeen effected, November 7, 1849, and served four years.\\nMr. Porter pursued two years of his college course at Ham-\\nilton, and two years at Wesleyan college, and was graduated\\nfrom the latter in the class of 1839. He then took the full three\\nyears course in Yale theological seminary, and a year of post-\\ngraduate work at Auburn theological seminary. Mr. Porter", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0340.jp2"}, "341": {"fulltext": "EXCOMMUSICA TTON OF It A f KSUDERS. .309\\nwent to Ohicago in 1843, and from there he came to Rockford,\\nwhen he was less than thirty years of a^^e. Mr. Porter s first\\npastorate was that of the First Congregational church, llock-\\nford. Mr. Porter is now living at Hamburg, New York.\\nIn 1851 the church was found to be too small, and its\\ncapacity was increased by the addition of forty feet to its length.\\nThus improved, it continued to serve its purpose for seven\\nyears. During Rev. Porter s pastorate the church vvas blessed\\nwith temporal and spiritual prosperity. A high standard of\\nChristian living was maintained, and the obstinate backslider\\nwas promptly excommunicated. Two examples from the\\nrecords of 1852 may be cited. In April the prudential commit-\\ntee reported on acertaincase that in the absence of allevidence\\nof her repentance for her sin, notwithstanding repeated labors\\nwith her, and the extension of her suspension, the committee\\nrecommend that she be excommunicated. Therefore the church\\nrecommend that she be excommunicated from this church.\\nA few mouths later this resolution was adopted: Whereas,\\nwas suspended from this church for immoral and\\nunchristian conduct, for the term of six months from January,\\nand whereas he has given no satisfactory evidence of repent-\\nance, therefore resolved that he be and hereby is excommuni-\\ncated from this church. In this day the word excommuni-\\ncated has a peculiarly solemn and ecclesiastical sound.\\nOn one occasion there was quite a serious discussion over\\nthe problem whether the congregation should face the music\\nduring that part of the service. The pulpit was in front of the\\ncongregation, and the choir in the rear. There was a difference\\nof opinion as to whether the congregation should face the min-\\nister during the singing, or turn around and look at the choir.\\nIt sometimes presented a ludicrous appearance when the occu-\\nj)ants of one pew would rise and face the minister, and others\\nin front might be turned in the opposite direction, facing the\\nchoir. Finally a vote was taken, and by a small majority\\nit vvas decided to face the minister. Every one accepted the\\nsituation, and peace prevailed. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerman and\\nG. A. Sanford sang in the choir.\\nDecember 31 1853, Rev. Porter severed his pastoral relation.\\nAt a meeting held December IGth of the same year, it was voted\\nto extend a call to Rev. Joseph Emerson. This call was\\naccepted. May 21, 1854, a Congregational council convened\\nin the church for the transaction of business incident to the", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0341.jp2"}, "342": {"fulltext": "310 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nsettlement of the pastor. The installation services occurred on\\nthe following day.\\nRev. Emerson was a son of Rev. Daniel Emerson; a cousin\\nof Ralph Emerson, of Rockford, and a second cousin of the\\nfamous Ralph Waldo Emerson. Joseph Emerson was born in\\nDartmouth, Massachusetts, in 1806, and died at Andover,\\nMassachusetts, in 1885. Mr. Emerson was graduated from\\nYale college in 1830, and from Andover theological seminary\\nin 1835. He received his ordination in 1836. His pastorate\\nin Rockford was eminently successful. He built the house\\non North Church street, where Ralph Emerson now resides.\\nSome of his friends thought he was building his home too far\\nfrom the village away up in Dr. Haskell s orchard.\\nThe pastorate of Rev. Emerson was signalized by the erec-\\ntion of the second house of worship on South Church street.\\nJuly 19, 1855, the society voted that it was expedient to take\\naction toward building a new church. A committee, consisting\\nof D. G. Clark, G. A. Sanford, T. D. Robertson, John Edwards\\nand John S. Coleman, was appointed to carry out the same.\\nIn 1856 subscription papers were circulated. A building com-\\nmittee was composed of John Edwards, D. G. Clark, J. G. Man-\\nlove, G. A. Sanford, Ralph Emerson, and T. D. Robertson. A\\ncorrespondence was opened with Renwick Auchmuty, a firm\\nof architects in New York, and from them was received, in the\\nsummer of 1856, plans and specifications for the structure.\\nThe committee invited proposals. The most favorable response\\nwas received from David and James Keyt, of Piqua, Ohio. The\\ncommittee, before letting so large a contract, desired to obtain\\ndefinite information concerning the character and standing of\\nthe bidders. John Edwards was sent to Piqua to make an\\ninquiry. The result of his mission was so satisfactory that the\\ncontract was let to the Messrs. Keyt for the sum of twenty-\\nthree thousand four hundred and seventy-eight dollars and\\nseventy-eight cents.\\nThere was some difference of opinion on the choice of loca-\\ntion. Certain members strongly urged the erection of the church\\nnorth of State street but it was decided, by a vote of eleven to\\ntwo, that it should be built on the corner of South Church and\\nChestnut streets. The lot was purchased from L. H. Rood for\\nthree thousand dollars. Work was begun on the building May\\n17, 1857, and was completed in the autumn of 1858. The\\nplans provided for a stone porch in front, and a lecture room in", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0342.jp2"}, "343": {"fulltext": "DEDICATION OF THEIR SECOND HOUSE OF WOliSHIP. 311\\nthe rear. Upon 8ip;riiiig the contract, the rear exteiiwiou was\\nomitted, because the committee couhl not depend upon obtain-\\ning money to pay for the same and wtill later the porcli was\\nalso abandoned, which reduced the expense about fourteen\\nhundred dollars. The building committee met great difficulty\\nin prosecuting the work, and during its progress the financial\\npanic of 1857 came upon the country. It was one of the most\\nsevere strains in the money market in the history of the coun-\\ntry. October 13th of that year the New York banks suspended\\nspecie payment. The committee had fortunately negotiated a\\nloan for six thousand dollars, with a gentleman in New Jersey,\\non the Ist of October. This loan was made, as were nearly all\\nthe loans, on the personal notes of the building committee. The\\nloan of four thousand dollars was also secured by a mortgage\\ngiven by G, A.Sanford, T. D. Robertson and AV. A. Dickerman,\\non their individual property. This document was preserved\\nfor many years as a memorial of the courage of the builders.\\nUnder these circumstances, there were some who favored the\\nsuspension of the work; it was proposed to leave off the spire;\\nbut the committee continued the work to completion.\\nFarewell services were held in the old church on Sunday,\\nNovember 28th. After this little sanctuary had outlived its use-\\nfulness in a growing city, it was donated to the people in Owen\\ntownship, where it was again used as a house of worship.\\nThe new church was dedicated Thursday, December 2, 1858.\\nThe dedicatory sermon was preached by the pastor, from Isaiah\\nOG 1, 2 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and\\nthe earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto\\nme? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things\\nhath mine hand made, and all those things hav^e been, saith the\\nLord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and\\nof a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. This church\\ncontinued to be the house of worship for nearly thirty-four\\nyears, until the spring of 1892. It has been said that P. P.\\nBliss, the famous gospel singer and composer, wrote his best\\nknown song, Hold the Fort, in this church. Among the distin-\\nguished persons who have entertained Rockford audiences from\\nits pulpit are Rev. Lyman Abbott, D. D., and Mrs. Julia Ward\\nHowe.\\nJuly 30, 1859, Rev. Emerson tendered his resignation and\\non August 23d an ei clesiastical council convened at the church,\\nand dissolved the pastoral relation. The church did not long", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0343.jp2"}, "344": {"fulltext": "312 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nremain without an under-shepherd. At a regular meeting of the\\nchurch December 7, 1859, a call was extended to Rev. Jeremiah\\nE. Walton. This call was accepted, although there is no record\\nof his installation. This pastorate continued until December,\\n1863.\\nMr. Walton graduated from Williams college, in 1853, and\\nfrom Hartford seminary, in 1856. He came to Rockford from\\nTroy, New York, when a young man, full of hope and enthusi-\\nasm. Mr. Walton entertained religious views similar to those\\nheld by the late Horace Bushnell, and especially those concern-\\ning Christian nurture. After his removal from Rockford Rev.\\nWalton took orders as a priest in the Episcopal church. He\\nsubsequently returned to Rockford, and became the rector of\\nEmmanuel church. Mr. Walton resides at Marshall, Michigan.\\nThe pipe organ was constructed in 1863, at a cost of about\\ntwo thousand five hundred dollars. Rev. M. P. Kinney was\\ncalled to the pastorate August 10, 1864; and an ecclesiastical\\ncouncil was convened Nov. 29th, Rev. Frank P. Woodbury,\\nD. D., was called November 23, 1870. He was succeeded in 1888\\nby the late Rev. Walter Manning Barrows, D. D. His successors\\nhave been Rev. Wesley C. Haskell and Rev. Peter Snyder.\\nOf the constituent members, eight are still living: Thomas\\nD. Robertson, Mrs. Caroline M. Dickerman, Mrs. Emily G. San-\\nford-Dodd, and Mrs. Rebecca Ailing, of Rockford Judge Henry\\nC. Hyde, Mrs. Sarah D. Hyde-French, and Miss Esther A.Hyde,\\nof Freeporb, Illinois; and Mrs. Hannah L. Gorham-Weldon, of\\nSanta Barbara, California. Mrs. Emily Sanford-Dodd was the\\nwife of Albert Sanford, who died in 1854. In 1877 Mrs. Sanford\\nmarried Jacob S. Dodd, and removed to New Jersey. After the\\ndeath of Mr. Dodd in 1884, Mrs. Dodd returned to Rockford.\\nMrs. Rebecca Ailing is the widow of the late David D. Ailing,\\nShe was born in December, 1813, and came to Rockford in 1837\\nwith her husband. The last death among the charter members\\nwas that of Mrs. Harriette Platt-Cotton, which occurred April\\n9, 1900, at her home in Rockford. John Piatt died in 1880.\\nMrs. Piatt married Robert CottoD, and was again left a widow.\\nThe accessions to the church in 1850 were twenty-nine;\\n1851, thirty-five; 1852, fifteen; 1853, sixteen 1854, twenty-\\nfour; 1855, fifteen; 1856, twenty-seven; 1857, twenty-nine.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0344.jp2"}, "345": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LX.\\nINCOUPORATION OF KOCKFOKD AS A CITY. MINOR NOTES.\\nI^HREE nearly cotemporary events contributed to the pro-\\noTess of Rockford from the simple villap;e to its more com-\\nmanding position as a city. The advent of the railroad, the\\nfirst in importance, has already been noted. The organization\\nof the new water-power company is reserved for a later chapter.\\nThe third factor was the incorporation of Rockford as a city.\\nAs early as 1851 the citizens realized that the local govern-\\nment was no longer adequate to meet the needs of the rapidly\\nincreasing population. In the autumn of that year steps were\\ntaken for the organization of a city government. In pursuance\\nof a call signed by Jason Marsh, G, A. Sanford, Willard Wheeler,\\nIsaiah Lyon, George Wyatt, Newton Crawford, C. I. Horsman,\\nW. A. Dickerman, W. P. Dennis, Jesse Blinnaud William Hulin,\\na meeting was held at the court house November 29th. It was\\ndeemed advisable at this conference to submit the question\\nof city organization to a vote of the citizens. The trustees of\\nthe town thereupon ordered an election for this purpose to be\\nheld January 3, 1852. There was no excitement to call out the\\nvoters, as the prospective change was generally accepted as a\\nmatter of course. One hundred and nine votes were cast for\\norganizing under the general law of 181:9. The city government\\nof Springfield, Illinois, was adopted as a basis of organization.\\nThe first election under the new order was held April 19,\\n1852. The candidates for mayor were Willard Wheeler and E.\\nH. Potter. The election resulted in the choice of Mr. Wheeler.\\nThe aldermen elected were: Sumner Damon, First ward; E. H.\\nPotter, Second ward; H. N. Spalding, Third ward; C. N.\\nAndrews, Fourth ward. The first meeting of the city council\\nwas held on Monday, April 2Gth, at the counting-room of\\nEleazer 11. Potter. William Lathrop was appointed city clerk.\\nAn ordinance was passed creating the following city officers:\\nclerk of the council, attorney, treasurer, marshal, assessor, col-\\nlector, engineer and two street commissioners. These officers\\nwere to be appointed annually by the city council at its first", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0345.jp2"}, "346": {"fulltext": "314 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nreg;ular meeting after the annual municipal election. At the\\nsecond session of the council, held May 1st, the following city\\nofficers were appointed William Lathrop, attorney Hiram R.\\nMaynard, treasurer; Duncan Ferguson, assessor; K. H. Milli-\\nken, collector; Duncan Ferguson, city engineer; Thatcher Blake\\nand William McKenney, street commissioners.\\nAn act of the legislature of June 18, 1852, authorized the\\ncity of Rockford to borrow money, not exceeding ten thousand\\ndollars, for the purpose of constructing a bridge. Bonds were\\nto be issued, in the sum of one hundred dollars each, bearing\\ninterest not exceeding ten per cent., and were to be redeemed\\nwithin twenty years from issue. This sum was evidently insuf-\\nficient for the purpose and an act of the legislature of Febru-\\nary 3, 1853, authorized the cit^^ to borrow a maximum sum of\\nfifteen thousand dollars. Bonds were to be issued in sums not\\nexceeding one thousand dollars each, payable within twenty\\nyears, and to draw interest not exceeding ten per cent. The\\nact of 1852 was repealed. There is a tradition that Jason\\nMarsh was sent east to negotiate the sale of the bonds, for\\nwhich he charged a commission of ten per cent. This fee was\\nvery reluctantly paid. Today Rockford can borrow money\\nat a very low rate of interest, and command a liberal premium\\non her bonds. The second or covered bridge was built in\\n1854, with the funds derived from the sale of bonds the preced-\\ning year. This bridge stood until December, 1871, when it was\\ntorn down and succeeded by the first iron bridge.\\nThere was some technical irregularity in the incorporation\\nof the city; and an act of the legislature approved February 8,\\n1853, legalized the previous official acts of the mayor and coun-\\ncil. Section two of this law provided That all official acts of\\nthe council and of the mayor, or either of them, of said city,\\ndone or performed since their election as such, and prior to the\\nperiod this act shall take effect, and which would have been\\nvalid in case the original incorporation as a city had been legal,\\nbe and the same is hereby legalized.\\nA special charter was granted to the city by the legislature\\nMarch 4, 1854. By this act the general law of 1849 was declared\\nto be no longer in force, so far as Rockford was concerned,\\nexcept for the purpose of supplementing proceedings had or\\ncommenced, so as not to impair the legal consequences of any\\npast transaction. This charter was amended February 14, 1855,\\nApril 26, 1859, and February 22, 1861. An act to reduce the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0346.jp2"}, "347": {"fulltext": "EARLY MA TORS AND CLERKS. 315\\ncharter of the city of Rockford, and the several acts amendatory\\nthereof into one act and to reviwe and amend tlie same, was\\napproved February 15, 18G5. Rockford was jroverned by this\\ncharter until the city was reorj anized under the p:eneral law.\\nThis general Ifiw. enacted in 1872, repealed the general law of\\n1849, and abolished the system of special charters. Between\\nthese dates there appear to have been two methods for the\\nincorporation of cities in force at the same time: by a general\\nlaw, and by a special charter. It may be presumed that a city\\ngenerally obtained greater powers under a special charter than\\nby a general law and the former method of incorporation was\\nmore generally adopted by the cities of the state.\\nThe constitution of 1870 abolished special legislation, which\\nfor half a century had been a cumbersome method of incorpo-\\nrating cities, colleges and business enterprises. Moreover, the\\nold system afforded great opportunities for corruption in the\\nlegislature. The evolution of legislation in Illinois, from the\\nspecial to the general, is an interesting study to the student of\\npolitical history.\\nPrevious to 1887 the mayor was elected annually. The\\nchief executives of the city prior to 18G4 were as follows: Willard\\nWheeler, April 26, 1852, to April 25, 1853; Hiram R.Maynard,\\nApril 25, 1853, to April 22, 1854; Ulysses M. Warner, April 22,\\n1854, to April 25, 1855; Edward Vaughn, April 25, 1855, to\\nApril 29, 1850; James L. Loop, April 29, 1856, to May 4,\\n1857 William Brown, May 4, 1857, to May 3, 1858 tSeely\\nPerry, May 3, 1858, to May 2, 1859 Charles Williams, May\\n2, 1859, to May 2, 1864. Mr. Williams served live consec-\\nutive terms. This honor has been conferred upon no other\\ncitizen. Mayor Brown will have served six years upon theexpi-\\nration of his present term, but he has been elected only three\\nterms.\\nThe city clerks to 1866 were as follows: William Lathrop,\\nMay 1, 1852, to June 6, 1853; John K. Farwell, June 6, 1853,\\nto December 6, 1853; Lyman F. Warner, December 6, 1853, to\\nMay 16, 1855; Samuel W. Stanley, May 16, 1855, to May 5,\\n1856; Hobart 11. Hatch, May 5, 1856, to May 23, 1857;\\nEdward Vaughn, May 23, 1857, to May 10, 1858; Louis W.\\nBuruham, May 10, 1858, to May 12, 1859; Porter Sheldon,\\nMay 12, 1859, to May 7, 1860; Rufus C. Bailey, May 7, 1860,\\nto April 2, 1866.\\nThe following named gentlemen served the city as attorney", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0347.jp2"}, "348": {"fulltext": "316 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ndown to 1863: William Lathrop,May n,1852,to Juue6,1853;\\nLyman F. Warner, June 6, 1853, to May 1, 1856; Samuel W.\\nStanley, May 1, 1856, to May 26, 1856; Orrin Miller, Jr., May\\n26, 1856, to May 23, 1857; James M. Wi^lit, May 23, 1857, to\\nMay 10, 1858; Harris D. Adams, May 10, 1858, to August 6,\\n1858 Porter Sheldon, August 9, 1858, to May 7, 1860 Chris-\\ntopher M.Brazee, May 6, 1860, to June 22, 1863.\\nIn 1855 steps were taken for the organization of a fire\\ndepartment. Its need had daily become more apparent. A\\ncommittee, appointed by the city council, purchased four small\\nengines, named Constantine, Alexander, Sevastopol and Nicho-\\nlas. The Sevastopol was received in the latter part of October,\\nand February 21, 1856, a public trial was made of the engines,\\nall of which had arrived. The result was not altogether satis-\\nfactory, and the machines with Russian names were dis-\\ncarded. In May and June, Winnebago Engine Company Num-\\nber One, and Washington Number Two were organized, and\\nnearly a year later the efficient engines bearing those names\\nwere received Subsequently Union Engine Company Number\\nThree was formed, and an engine procured. These three engines\\nconstituted the fire apparatus of the city as late as 1869. The\\nfirst six chief engineers were Edward F. W. Ellis, Samuel I.\\nChurch. M. A. Bartlett, Howard D. Frost, A. G. Springsteen^\\nGardner S. Allen. The first four first assistant engineers were\\nGardner S. Allen, James E. L. Southgate, Charles T. Jellerson,\\nHiram H. Waldo.\\nThe tax levies for the first few years under the new regime\\nwere as follows: 1854, seven and one-half mills on each dollar of\\ntaxable property, both real and personal 1855, ten mills on\\neach dollar; 1856, one and three-quarters per cent, on each dol-\\nlar; 1857, one and one-half per cent. 1858, one and five-eighths\\nper cent. 1859, two and one-half per cent. 1860, two per\\ncent. 1861, two per cent. It will be observed that the rate\\nincreased each year up to 1859.\\nThe City Hotel was opened in June, 1852, by James B.\\nPierce, who had been connected with the Winnebago House.\\nThe Citv Hotel stood on the southeast corner of State and\\nChurch streets. It was one of the old land landmarks on the\\nstreet, and was torn down to make room for Hon. E. B. Sum-\\nner s brick block, occupied by the Forest City National Bank.\\nThe Rockford Forum of July 7, 1852, appeared in mourn-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0348.jp2"}, "349": {"fulltext": "DEATH OF CLAY AND WEBSTER. 317\\nu\\\\^ for the death of Hoiiry Cla^ uiiich occurred June 29th.\\nBells were tolled upon receipt of the intelligence. A mass\\nmeetin*^ of the citizens was held at the court house July Ist, to\\nmake arrangements for a public tribute to the memory of the\\ngreat statesman. Anson S. Miller was chairman, and John A.\\nPhelps, secretary of the meeting. Newton Crawford, William\\nBrown, John A. Phelps, John Edwards, Selden M. Church,\\nAnson S. Miller and Mayor Wheeler were appointed a commit-\\ntee to complete arrangements. Memorial services were held at\\nthe Baptist church July 24th. Prayer was offered by the pas-\\ntor, and Ex-Governor Bebb pronounced an eloquent eulogy.\\nIt has been said man is, as he is related to other men. Henry\\nClay could be measured by this standard. He was the greatest\\nparliamentary leader of his time, with Douglas and Blaine as\\nclose seconds.\\nThe First Baptist church purchased a bell from the foundry\\nof Riucker Company, of Chicago, in July, 1852. Its weight\\nwas fifteen hundred and forty pounds, and cost about six hun-\\ndred dollars.\\nHon. John P. Hale, the candidate of the free Democracy\\nfor the j)residency, delivered an address at the court house in\\nRockford, October 15, 1852. The audience was estimated at\\nfive thousand, and many came from neighboring counties. Mr.\\nHale s address was dignified and candid, and made a favorable\\nimpression.\\nIn October, 1852, the Bank of Rockford was organized under\\nthe general banking law of the state. Charles I. Horsman was\\npresident, and Charles C. Wilcox, cashier. A sworn statement\\nof its condition on the first Monday in July, 1853, reported a\\ncirculation of $49,995. Levi Moulthrop began his business life\\nas a clerk in this bank, when he was twelve j ears of age, and\\nremained five years. The bank suspended in 1857.\\nOctober 27th the Forum a second time appeared in mourn-\\ning, for the death of Daniel Webster, which occurred the preced-\\ning Sunday. Although Mr. Webster s death made a profound\\nimpression throughout the country-, it did not so stir the hearts\\nof Rockford citizens as did the passing of Henry Clay. Men loved\\nHenry Clay; they admired Daniel Webster. One moved men;\\nthe other expounded jiriuciples. The work of Webster is the\\nmore enduring. He will rank in history with Hamilton and\\nMarshall. On the Sunday following the death of Mr. Webster,\\nTheodore Parker preached a memorial discourse in Boston, in", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0349.jp2"}, "350": {"fulltext": "318 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwhich he boldly criticised his subject. In view of the fact that\\nthis oration is regarded as one of Parker s masterpieces, a local\\ncotemporary estimate is of interest. The Forum, edited by A.\\nColton, made this editorial comment: That erratic divine,\\nTheodore Parker, has improved the opportunity to preach a\\nsermon upon the death of Mr. Webster, His attempt to\\ncriticise the career of Mr. Webster is like a phosphoretic spark\\nprescribing for a thunderbolt. It has been well observed that\\nit is an illustration of the ass kicking the dead lion.\\nIn March, 1853, Julius J. Trask, a settler of Winnebago\\ncounty, died in California. His brother, Alva Trask, the first\\nproprietor of Trask s ferry on Pecatonica river, died in Califor-\\nnia some months previous.\\nThe term, Forest City, as applied to Rockford, had its\\norigin in an article written by a correspondent of the New\\nYork Tribune, which was published in the autumn of 1853. The\\npreservation of the native forest trees made the name appro-\\npriate, and Rockford is so designated to this day.\\nIn pursuance of an act of the legislature approved Febru-\\nary 14, 1853, Thomas H. Campbell, state auditor of public\\naccounts, offered for sale at public auction at the court house\\nin Rockford, November 18, 1853, all state lands in Winnebago\\ncounty. About twelve hundred acres were sold. The law fixed\\nthe minimum price at three dollars and fifty cents per acre.\\nThese lands were given the state by act of congress of September\\n4, 1841, for the purpose of creating an internal improvement\\nfund.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0350.jp2"}, "351": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXI.\\nELECTIONS OF 1852-53.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ELIHU II. WASHBURNE.\\nIN the presidential election of 1852 Winnebago county main-\\ntained its position as a Whig stronghold. The presidential\\nelectors received 1,023 votes; the Democratic electors, 820;\\nFree Soil electors, 725.\\nUnder the apportionment of August 22, 1852, the legisla-\\nture divided the state into nine congressional districts. The\\nFirst district comprised the counties of Lake, McHenry, Boone,\\nWinnebago, Stephenson, Jo Daviess, Carroll and Ogle.\\nThe campaign of 1852 was signalized by the election of E.\\nB. Washburne as a member of congress from the First district.\\nMr. Washburne received 1,102 votes in Winnebago county;\\nThompson Campbell, his Democratic opponent, 851 and New-\\nman Campbell, GIO votes. The advent of Mr. Washburne into\\nnational politics is worthy of more than a passing notice. Elihu\\nBenjamin Washburne was a member of the celebrated Wash-\\nburne family. He was born in Livermore, Maine, September\\n23, 181G. In 1830 he entered the Harvard law school. Among\\nhis classmates were Richard H. Dana and William M. Evarts.\\nHe was admitted to the bar in 1840, and at once settled at\\nGalena, Illinois, and entered into partnership in the practice of\\nlaw with Charles S. Hempstead, one of the incorporators of\\nRockford female seminary. Mr. Washburne remained in con-\\ngress from 1853 until March 6, 18G9. From this long and\\nhonorable service he was familiarly known as the Father of\\nthe House, and in that capacity he administered the oath as\\nspeaker to Schuyler Colfax three times, and once to James G,\\nBlaine. By reason of his insistence that the finances of the gov-\\nernment should be administered with the strictest economy,\\nMr. Washburne was called the Watch-dog of the Treasury.\\nMr. Wasburne called the attention of Governor Yates to hir*\\ntownsman, Ulysses S. Grant, who wished to enter military ser-\\nvice. When the hero of thecivil war became president, he honored\\nhis old friend with the appointment of secretary of state, and\\nlater he made him minister to France. This position he held\\nduring the Franco-Prussian war. At the request of Bismarck,", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0351.jp2"}, "352": {"fulltext": "320 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nand with the permission of the French minister of foreign\\naffairs, Mr. Washburne exercised his oiRcial influence for the\\nprotection of the Germans in Paris. AVhen the empire was\\noverthrown, Mr. Washburne was thefirst foreign representative\\nto recognize the new republic. He remained in Paris during the\\nsiege, and was at his post when the commune ruled the city.\\nThe emperor of Germany recognized his services by conferring\\nupon him the Order of the Red Eagle. He declined this honor\\nbecause a provision of the constitution of the United States\\nprohibited it. Upon Mr. Washburne s resignation in 1877, the\\nemperor sent him his life-size portrait and he was similarly\\nhonored by Bismarck, Theirs and Gambetta. Mr. Washburne\\ndied in Chicago October 22, 1887. His rugged independence\\nand absolute integrity gave him the full confidence of the people.\\nAbraham I. Enoch was elected a member of the legislature\\nfrom the Forty-seventh senatorial district. His vote in Win-\\nnebago county was 1,063; Lyman F. Warner, Democrat, 840;\\nEzra S. Cable, 659. Mr. Enoch was born in Dayton, Ohio, July\\n24, 1819. He came to this county with his father s family in\\n1835, and settled in Guilford township. Mr. Enoch was hon-\\nored by several public offices, and in 1866 he was again elected\\na member of the legislature. Mr. Enoch removed to Rockford\\nin 1867, and began the manufacture of plows. In 1844 Mr.\\nEnoch married Catharine J. Davis. They had seven daughters:\\nMrs. D. C. Putnam, Mrs. H. H. Carpenter, Mrs. Charles A.\\nWorks, and Misses Clara, Harriett A., Emma A. and Lois A.\\nReverses of fortune came to Mr. Enoch, bub he sustained them\\nwith the courage and honor of a high-minded Christian gentle-\\nman. Mr. Enoch died in 1883.\\nWilliam Brown was elected state s attorne3 for the Four-\\nteenth judicial circuit. His majorities in the several counties\\nwere: Winnebago, 650; Stephenson, 480 Jo Daviess, 87; total,\\n1,217. His opponents were Francis Burnap, John C. Kean and\\nFrancis S. W. Bradley.\\nCharles H. Spafford was elected circuit clerk by an even one\\nthousand votes King H. Milliken was elected sheriff; Alfred\\nA. Chamberlain, coroner.\\nAt the county election in 1853 the entire Whig ticket was\\nsuccessful. Selden M. Church was elected county judge; Asher\\nBeach and Alfred E. Hale, associate justices; William Hulin,\\ncounty clerk C. A. Huntington, school commissioner Duncan\\nFerguson, county treasurer; Duncan Ferguson, surveyor.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0352.jp2"}, "353": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXII.\\nTHE WATER-POWER COMPANY.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 THE MANNY-M CORMICK SUIT.\\nJULY 15, 1851, many of the leadinp; public-spirited citizens of\\nthe town associated themselves together under the name\\nof the Rockford Water Power Company. These gentlemen were:\\nThomas D. Robertson, John A. Holland, R. P. Lane, G. A,\\nSanford, W. A. Dickerman, S. M. Church, Orlando Clark, C. I.\\nHorsman, John Edwards, John S. Coleman, John Fisher, Wil-\\nliam Hulin, Isaiah Lyon, Melancthon Starr, C. H. Spafford,\\nLucius Clark, J. J, Town, Henry Potwin, H. R. Maynard, Jas.\\nH. Rogers, B. McKenney, John Piatt, Albert Sanford, Chas. C.\\nHope, H. P. Kimball, Robert Clow, Vanduzer and\\nMcCoy. This organization was effected in pursuance of the\\ngeneral law enacted by the legishiture in 1849, for the improve-\\nment of Rock river and the production of hydraulic power.\\nIn September, 1851, the ownersof the water and land under\\nthe old company entered into an agreement with the new\\ncompany, whereby the two interests were consolidated; and\\nsteps were immediately taken for the construction of a per-\\nmanent dam on the rock bottom of the old ford, from which\\nthe city derives its name. In the spring of 1853 the dam and\\nrace were completed and accepted by the company. The length\\nof the dam is between seven hundred and eight hundred feet.\\nThe water-power is divided into twenty thousand parts, and is\\nheld and sold in this proportion.\\nThe first great impetus given to the manufacturing inter-\\nests of Rockford was the advent of John H. Manny, in 1853.\\nMr. Manny was born in Amsterdam, New York, November 28,\\n1825. His father, Pells Manny, settled at Waddam s Grove,\\nin Stephenson county. The younger Manny s attention was\\ncalled to the need of a reaper by his father s purchase of a head-\\ning machine, which proved unsatisfactory. The father and son\\nthereupon so reconstructed the header as to practically make a\\nnew machine. They obtained a patent on the header and began\\nits manufacture on a small scale. It proved to be too expen-\\nsive, and was abandoned. Mr. Manny then directed his atten-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0353.jp2"}, "354": {"fulltext": "322 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\ntion toward perfecting a reaper, and after many vicissitudes,\\nwhich brought him to serious financial embarrassment, his\\ninventive genius and indomitable energy were crowned with\\nsuccess. Mr. Manny built eighty-four machines in 1852.\\nIn July, 1852, a reaper trial was held in Geneva, New York,\\nin which Mr. Manny s reaper came into competition with eleven\\nothers. The excellence of Mr. Manny s machine was established.\\nIn the spring of 1853 Mr. Manny was urged to come to\\nRockford by Orlando Clark. The preceding year Isaac Utter\\ncame from the east, and formed a partnership with Mr. Clark,\\nunder the firm name of Clark Utter. In the spring of 1853\\nthere were manufactured one hundred and fiftj of Mr. Manny s\\ncombined reapers and mowers, in Clark Utter s factory. It\\nis also said that John A. Holland told Blinn Emerson, who\\nwere then in the hardware business, that it would be desirable\\nto have Mr. Manny come to Rockford for two reasons first,\\nthere was better water-power; second, the firm was extending\\nliberal credit to Mr. Manny for stock.\\nThe popularity of the Manny reaper demanded larger capi-\\ntal. In the spring of 1854 Wait and Sylvester Talcott became\\nassociated with Mr. Manny as partners, under the name of J.\\nH. Manny Company, and during the year eleven hundred\\nmachines were made. In the autumn of 1854 Jesse Blinn and\\nRalph Emerson were added to the firm, and its name was\\nchanged to Manny Company. In 1855 the famous trials of\\nthe Manny reaper were made in Europe, which gave to his\\ninventions a reputation abroad, Mr. Manny continued to\\nimprove his reaper, and obtained twenty-three patents upon\\nnew devices.\\nIn September, 1855, C. H. McCormick, of Chicago, began suit\\nin the federal court to enjoin the Manny Company from using a\\ncertain device, upon the ground of infringement of patent. The\\ncase was heard before Justice McLean and Judge Drummond,\\nat Cincinnati, although the court records were kept in Chicago,\\nwhich belonged to the same circuit. Attorneys of national rep-\\nutation were retained. Mr. McCormick s counsel were Reverdj\\nJohnson and E. N. Dickerson. Peter H. Watson, who had\\nobtained Mr. Manny s patents, was given entire charge of the\\ndefendants case. Mr. Watson had formerly resided in Rock-\\nford, and later he became assistant secretary of war. He\\nemployed George Harding, Edwin M. Stanton and Abraham\\nLincoln. It is said E. B. Washburne had recommended Mr.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0354.jp2"}, "355": {"fulltext": "RALPH EMERSON S RECOLLECTIONS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 323\\nLincoln to Mr. Manny. When all the parties had arrived at\\nCincinnati, Mr. Lincoln wuh informed b} Mr. Watson that Mr.\\nStanton would close the case for the defendants. This was a\\ngreat humiliation to Mr. Lincoln. Although he had prepared\\nhis argument, Mr. Lincoln did not argue the case. Mr. Lincoln\\nfirst met Mr. Stanton at Cincinnati. Mr. Stanton treated him\\nwith great discourtesy during the trial, and referred to him as\\na railsplitter from the wild west. Notwithstanding these indig-\\nnities, Mr. Lincoln was impressed with Mr. Stanton s great\\nforce of character and when six years later a man of iron was\\nneeded. President Lincoln made Mr. Stanton his secretary of\\nwar. No other incident in the life of Mr. Lincoln better illus-\\ntrates his moral greatness. The trial resulted in a victory for\\nthe Manny Company. The decision was announced January\\n16, 1856. The defendants expenses of the suit were sixty\\nthousand dollars, and this large sum was made from the\\nbusiness in a short time. Mr. McCormick appealed the case to\\nthe United States supreme court, where the decision of the lower\\ncourt was aflSrmed, and Mr. Mann^- s rights as inventor were\\nfullv sustained.\\nIda M. Tarbell s Life of Lincoln, republished from her serial\\nin McCIure s Magazine, gives an incident of this trial, which the\\nauthor obtained from Ralph Emerson, who saj s:\\nMr. Stanton closed his speech in a flight of impassioned elo-\\nquence. Then the court adjourned for the day, and Mr. Lincoln\\ninvited me to take a long walk with him. For block after block\\nhe walked rapidly forward, not saying a word, evidently deeply\\ndejected.\\nAt last he turned suddenly to me, exclaiming: Emerson,\\nI m going home. A pause. I am going home to study law.\\nWhy, I exclaimed; Mr. Lincoln, you stand at the head\\nof the bar in Illinois now What are you talking about?\\nAh, yes, he said, I do occupy a good position there, and\\nI think that I can get along with the way things are done there\\nnow. But these college-trained men, who have devoted their\\nwhole lives to study, are coming west, don t j ou see? And they\\nstudy their cases as we never do. They have got as far as Cin-\\ncinnati now. They will soon be in Illinois. Another long\\npause; then stopping and turning toward me, his countenance\\nsuddenly assuming that look of strong determination which\\nthose who knew him best sometimes saw upon his face, he\\nexclaimed, I am going home to study law! I am as good as", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0355.jp2"}, "356": {"fulltext": "324 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nany of them, and when they get out to Illinois I will be ready\\nfor them.\\nMr, Lincoln once visited Rockford on professional business\\nin connection with this suit. It was on a hot summer after-\\nnoon. Mr. Lincoln and one of the clients sat on an old log on\\nthe bank of the river and discussed the matter. Mr. Lincoln\\nwore a long linen coat, and presented that picture of ungainli-\\nness with which the world is familiar. Mr. Lincoln was a guest\\nat Mr. Manny s home, which was a small frame building\\nthat stood on the site of the Milwaukee depot. The company\\npaid Mr. Lincoln one thousand dollars, which was the largest\\nfee he had received up to that time.\\nThe prolonged mental strain incident to perfectinghis inven-\\ntions and the trial of the suit undermined Mr. Manny s health.\\nHe fell a prey to consumption, and January 31, 1856, he passed\\naway, in his little modest home on South Main street, when he\\nhad just passed his thirtieth birthday. He never realized the\\nwealth which his inventions would bring to others, nor the\\nprestige which they would give to the Reaper City, nor the great\\nname which he had made for himself.\\nMrs. Manny received a royalty of twenty-five dollars on\\nevery machine manufactured. This amount was subsequently\\nreduced. Financial reverses overtook the company in 1857,\\nbut it weathered bhe storm, and built an extensive plant.\\nDuring the next few years after the arrival of J. H. Manny,\\nother manufacturers began business on the water-power. D.\\nForbes Son established their iron foundry in 1854, and in\\n1864 the malleable iron works were added to the business.\\nJoseph Rodd came to Rockfordfrom Canada in the autumn\\nof 1853, and a few years later he embarked in the milling busi-\\nness on the east side of the river. Mr. Rodd s home was the\\nresidence of Colonel Lawler on Kishwaukee street.\\nIn 1854M.Bartlett Company built one of the finest stone\\nstructures on the water-power for a flouring mill. The Troxell\\nmill was established in 1853 on the East side, and in 1855 it\\nwas purchased by Mr. Bartlett.\\nT. Derwent Sou began the milling business on the water-\\npower in 1859.\\nMessrs. Bertrand Sames were engaged in the manufacture\\nof cultivators in the middle fifties.\\nW. D. Trahern came to Rockford in 1848 and manufactured\\nthreshing machines on the old water-power, under the firm name", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0356.jp2"}, "357": {"fulltext": "THE MANNYS-N. C. THOMPSON, 325\\nof Traheni *t iStiiart. In 185G Mr. Stuart retired and was suc-\\nceeded by Mr. Dales. Later Mr. Trahern manufactured iron\\npumps. He died November 2, 1883.\\nIn 1854 John P. Manny bep:an the manufacture of knife\\nsections in Rockford for John H. Manny s reapers. He suc-\\nceeded in producing a knife section that was hardened by his\\nown peculiar process in oil teniperin*; which has never been\\nsurpassed to this day.\\nF. H. Manny came to Rockford in 1859 and a few years\\nlater he was enoaf::ed in manufacturing the John H. Manny\\ncombined reaper and mower.\\nN. C. Thompson came to Rockford in 1857, and for years\\nhe manufactured exclusively the John P. Manny reaper and\\nmower.\\nWilliam Gent came to Rockford in 1857, and was associated\\nwith John Nelson in scroll work, and later he assisted the\\ninventor in perfecting his knitting machine. Mr. Gent was con-\\nsidered one of the best working mechanics in the state. He\\ndied June 20, 1887.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0357.jp2"}, "358": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXIII.\\nEMERSON, LOWELL, WHIPPLE AND OTHERS LECTURE IN ROCKFORD.\\nTHERE has been one movement in the history of the Ameri-\\ncan mind which gave to literature a group of writers enti-\\ntled to the name of a school. This was the great humanitarian\\nmovement, or series of movements, in New England, which\\nbegan with the elder Channing, ran through its later phase in\\ntranscendentalism, and spent its force in the anti-slavery agita-\\ntion and the enthusiasms of the civil war. This movement was\\ncotemporary with the preaching of many novel doctrines in\\nreligion, sociology, science, education, medicine and hygiene.\\nNew sects were formed. There were Millerites, Spiritualists,\\nMormons, Swedenborgians and Shakers.\\nThis intellectual and moral awakening found its expression\\nin the lecture platform. The daily newspaper had not assumed\\nits present blanket-sheet proportions; and the leaders of these\\nvarious phases of new thought carried their message to the\\npeople in person.\\nIn the autumn of 1853 the Young Men s Association was\\norganized, for the purpose of bringing to Rockford the most\\npopular lecturers of the day. Among its members were Rev. H.\\nM. Goodwin, C. H. Spafford, H. H. Waldo, H. P. Holland, E.\\nW. Blaisdell, J. E. L. Southgate, William Lathrop, R. A. San-\\nford, E. H.Baker, Rev. J. Murray, E. C. Daugherty, A.S. Miller.\\nThe first course was provided for the winter of 1853-54.\\nIt began with two lectures, November 29th and 30th, by E, P.\\nWhipple, in the First Baptist church. It is almost incredible that\\none of the local newspapers should not have even given the\\nsubject of his lecture. From the other, however, it is learned\\nthat Mr. Whipple s theme for this first lecture was Heroic Char-\\nacter, and that he delineated graphically and beautifully the\\nhero-soldier, led on by his love of glory the hero-patriot, actu-\\nated by his love of country the hero-reformer, moved by his\\nlove of humanity and the hero-saint, animated by his love of\\nGod. The subject of his second lecture was Eccentric Charac-\\nter. The Forum s criticism was not very appreciative.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0358.jp2"}, "359": {"fulltext": "HORACE GREELETS IMPRESSIONS OF ROCK RIVER. 327\\nThe third lecture was p^iven December 10th, at the Bapti\u00c2\u00abt\\nchurch, by Horace Mann. His subject was Young Men. The\\nDemocrat, in reportino^ the lecture, took this flattering unc-\\ntion to its soul As we looked around over the larjre assem-\\nblage of youth, beauty, intellect and fashion, and noted with\\nwhat anxiety the sea of heads were turned tovvard the speaker,\\nas if to catch the words ere they left his lips, we experienced a\\ndeep feeling of pride, and thought to ourselves, few places in\\nany land, of equal age, population, etc., can boast of a more\\nhighly refined, intellectual community than are to be found in\\nour own little embryo city.\\nThe fourth lecture was given in the City Hall, by George\\nWilliam Curtis, December 12th. His subject was Young\\nAmerica, and for an hour and a half the speaker entranced his\\naudience with his noble thought and pure diction. After refer-\\nring to the Alps, Mr. Curtis said But there are loftier mount-\\nains than the Alps; there is a lovelier landscape than that\\nunfolded by Italy, with all its richness and all its beauty. There\\nis a land more beautiful, more voluptuous, more soul-satisfy-\\ning a region far away, but which every man has visited a\\nparadise into which no care, no sorrow, no vice ever enters;\\nwhere Barnburners and Hunkers lie down together; where all\\nheads are silver-gra\\\\% woolly where painters praise each oth-\\ner s pictures; musicians are not jealous of their fellow artists;\\nladies with blue do not dislike brown eyes in others; where\\nmusicians on wintry, moonlight nights, serenading delightful\\ndamsels, blow their fingers and their instruments only for love.\\nMillions have sailed for the shores of this fair countrv, with the\\nfaith of a Columbus or a Franklin, and millions have failed to\\nreach them like the child running to catch the setting sun only\\nto grasp the cold grey of the evening, so we essay to gain the\\nfavored land it is the California to which thousands sail, only\\nto get wrecked on Cape Horn it is the eyes of his mistress to\\nthe ardent lover, just before she jilted him. This favored land\\nis the land of Fancy, pictured on the ardent soul of youth.\\nHorace Greeley followed Mr. Curtis. His theme was The\\nReforms of the Age. He spoke of the abolition and temperance\\nmovements, woman s rights, and the abolition of the death\\npenalty. Mr. Greeley wrote his impressions of the Rock river\\nvalley at some length for the New York Tribune, from which\\nthis characteristic paragraph is taken: I have traversed the\\nRoman Campana (which is only a great wet prairie surcharged", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0359.jp2"}, "360": {"fulltext": "328 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nwith malaria and ruins), glanced at the great pastures of Bel-\\ngium, and ridden across the prairies of central and northern\\nIndiana by daylight, lamplight, and moonlight; but still I\\nwas nowhere in a discussion of the value and attractiveness of\\nprairies for I had never been on Rock river. But now, gentle-\\nmen I give you fair warning that I take a back seat no longer\\nwhen the felicities of western life and the genial fertility and\\nEden-like character of the prairies is under discussion for I\\nAave been on Rock river! I should like more springs, more\\nrunning streams, and less lime in the water but then Paradise\\nis beyond Jordan, or some other stream, and is not wisely\\nsought even on Rock river.\\nThe next speaker was Prof. Joseph Emerson, of Beloit, who\\nspoke on Greek Civilization. W. H. Channing was announced\\nfor January 27th, but no reference to the lecture is found.\\nRalph Waldo Emerson delivered the seventh lecture in the\\ncourse February 3, 1854, in Warner s Hall. Emerson s\\nlecture, says H. H. Waldo, was not without its comical fea-\\ntures. His subject was History, I beheve it was the same as\\nhis essay with that title. One scintillation was this Time\\nvanishes to shining ether the solid angularity of facts. Carth-\\nage was, but is not. This was only saying there was nothing\\npermanent. He gave this thought in a matter-of-fact style.\\nThe hall was packed, but half the audience were sleepy. The\\nlecture was pronounced by some to be a failure.\\nLectures were given during this season by Bishop Potter,\\nChancellor Lathrop; Judge Doolittle, of Wisconsin, on The\\nCharacter of Washington; Bayard Taylor, two lectures, on\\nthe Arabs, and Japan and the Japanese. March 27, 1854, Ole\\nBull and Patti were in Rockford.\\nThe course for 1854-55 included Rev. E. H. Chapin, Josiah\\nQuincy, John G. Saxe, John Pierpont, James Russell Lowell,\\nand Bayard Taylor. Dr. Chapin spoke on Modern Chivalry;\\nMr. Saxe gave a poem-lecture on Yankee Land John Pierpont s\\ntheme was The Golden Calf Lowell spoke on English Ballads,\\nand Bayard Taylor, on India.\\nThe course of 1855-56 was opened by Henry Ward Beecher,\\nwho spoke on Patriotism. He was followed by Wendell Phil-\\nlips. T. Sarr King and Dr. Chapin were engaged for this course.\\nDuring the next few years Rockford was favored with P. A.\\nShillaber, Park Goodwin, John B. Gough, and Prof. Youmans.\\nIn 1860 the Young Men s Association ceased to exist.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0360.jp2"}, "361": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXIV.\\nA FRAGMENT OF POLITICAL HISTORY.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 ROCKFORD DANKS, NOTES.\\nPOCKFORD has claimed the honor of the birthplace of the\\nRepublican party, so far as a congressional nomination\\nunder that name is concerned. Seven cities fought for Homer\\ndead; likewise many places have contended for the honor of\\nthe first party organization. Rockford s claim to the first con-\\ngressional nomination is certainly not unreasonable; and even\\nif it cannot be sustained, it will at least call attention to a not-\\nable political event.\\nWhen the Kansas-Nebraska bill was passed by congress in\\nMay, 185t, there was a general feeling in the old Whig and\\nDemocratic parties that the encroachments of the slave-power\\ndemanded more vigorous resistance. With this end in view,\\na call was issued xiugust 8th, to the voters of the First Con-\\ngresnional district, for a mass meeting to be held in Rockford\\non the 30th instant. This call was signed by forty-six citizens\\nof Rockford, only five of whom are now living. The meeting\\nwas called to order in the courthouse, and from there adjourned\\nto the grove west of the Baptist church, between Court and\\nWinnebago streets. E. B. Washburne had been elected a mem-\\nber of congress as a Whig two years before, and was of course\\na candidate for re-election. There were other Richmouds in the\\nfield Turner and Sweet, of Freeport Loop, of Rockford and\\nHurlbut, of Belvidere. None of these were openly avowed can-\\ndidates; but each was anxious for the prize. A committee on\\nresolutions of one from each county was nominated. There was\\nambition mixed with patriotism. It was a time of breaking up\\nof old parties, and the future was uncertain. How far would\\nit be safe to declare against the action of congress? This was\\na serious question. The leaders were against Washburne, but\\nthe people were with him. There is a tradition that the com-\\nmittee on resolutions was directed somewhat by the suggestions\\nof Stephen A. Hurlbut, in preparing anti-slavery resolutions so\\nradical that Mr. Washburne, it was thought, could not accept\\na nomination upon them. But Mr. Washburne was equal to", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0361.jp2"}, "362": {"fulltext": "330 HISTORY OF ROCKFdRD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nthe occasion. He declared that the resolutions met his most\\nhearty approval; whereupon James Loop remarked, in lan-\\nguage more emphatic than pious, that Washburne would swal-\\nlow anything. Mr. Washburne was thereupon nominated as a\\nRepublican by this mass convention.\\nThe regular Whig convention for the district was held Sep-\\ntember 6th, and Mr. Washburne was also made the nominee.\\nHis nomination was opposed by Mr. Hurlbut, who on the day\\nof the convention is reported to have said When you say that\\nE. B. Washburne is a good man, 1 agree with you. But when\\nyou say he is a wise man and a statesman, there is a chance for\\nan argument. It has been said Mr. Washburne is a man of\\nlearning. But I say that as a man of learning, E. B. Washburne,\\nof Fever river. Galena, possesses frightful limitations. Mr.\\nHurlbut was a consummate master of sarcasm, which he often\\nused without mercy. But it has been said that while Hurlbut\\ncould make the better speech, Washburne won the votes and\\non the whole, he was the more successful politician.\\nIn the evening Mr. Washburne entertained his friends at a\\nbanquet at the City Hotel. Some time after this Whig conven-\\ntion, Mr. Hurlbut met H. H. Waldo, who had supported Mr.\\nWashburne, and complimented him on his splendid fight, and\\nsaid that, considering the material at hand, he had done well.\\nThus was made one of the first, if not the very first, Repub-\\nlican nomination for member of congress. The strong anti-\\nslavery sentiment of both parties had been intensified by the\\nrepeal of the Missouri compromise, under the leadership of Ste-\\nphen A. Douglas, and the passage of the Illinois Black Laws,\\nthrough the influence of John A. Logan. Like Saul of Tarsus\\nbefore he saw agreat light, Logan was dominated by prejudice\\nand, like Paul after his change, he bravely befriended those he\\nformerly oppressed. General Logan always had the courage\\nof his convictions and his political change was sincere.\\nIn 1854 Mr. Hurlbut thought he could take a more radical\\nposition on the slavery question than Mr. Washburne. He had\\nleft the south because he was in sympathy with northern prin-\\nciples. Stephen A. Hurlbut was born in Charleston, South Car-\\nolina, in 1 815, and settled in Belvidere in 1845. He was the\\nson of a Unitarian clergyman, and a brother of William Henry\\nHurlbut, for many years editor-in-chief of the New York World.\\nHe was commissioned a brigadier-general in 1861, commanded\\nthe Fourth division at the battle of Shiloh, and for that service", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0362.jp2"}, "363": {"fulltext": "STEPHEN A. HURLBVT-ROCKFORD BANKS. 331\\nhe was promoted to the rank of major-general, and assigned\\nto the command of the Department of the Gulf. General Hurl-\\nbut was the first commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the\\nRepublic; was appointed minister resident to the United States\\nof Columbia, by President Grant. From 1873 to 1877 he rep-\\nresented the Fourth district in congress. In 1881 General\\nHurl but was api)ointed United States minister to Peru, and\\ndied at Lima in the spring of the following year. Abraham\\nLincoln once said that Stephen A. Hurlbut was the ablest ora-\\ntor on the stump that Illinois had ever produced.\\nEdward D. Baker, E. B. Washburne, John F. Farnsworth,\\nStephen A. Hurlbut and Robert R. Hitt were men of national\\nreputation who have served the several districts in which Rock-\\nford has from time to time been located. This record is scarcely\\nless notable thau that of theold Western Reserve district, which\\nwas represented by Elisha Whittlesey, Joshua R. Giddings and\\nJames A. Garfield, whose terms aggregated fifty-one years.\\nThe banking house of Spafford, Clark Ellis was founded\\nin November, 1854. The firm consisted of C. H. Spafford, Dr.\\nD. G. Clark, and E. F. W. Ellis. Dr. Clark came to Rockford in\\n1848. Two years later he went to California, and returned in\\n1853. Dr. Clark died October 4, 1861. Spafford, Clark Ellis\\ndid business in the stone building on the alley, on the south\\nside of State, between Main and Church, now owned by Hon. E.\\nB. Sumner. This bank went into liquidation, and Mr. Spafford\\npaid its obligations in full.\\nIn 1854 was also established the banking house of Briggs,\\nSpafford, cVc Penfield, in East Rockford, which became the Third\\nNational Bank. The members of the firm were C. C. Briggs, A.\\nC. Spafford, and David Penfield.\\nJanuary 1, 1855, the banking firm of Dickerman, Wheeler\\nCompany began business on West State street. The firm\\nconsisted of W. A. Dickerman, Buel G. Wheeler, G. A. Sanford,\\nR. P. Lane. This house became the Second National Bank.\\nFuller Tomkins began banking business in the Worthiug-\\nington Block, East Rockford, in 1853. The firm consisted of\\nA. C. and E. L. Fuller, and Enos and N. C. Tomkins, all of\\nBelvidere. The firm was later called E. L. Fuller k Company.\\nE. H. Potter Company and Edward N. Kitchel were also\\nin the banking business on the East side. These banks, with\\nRoberson Holland, founded in 1848, and Mr. Horsman s", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0363.jp2"}, "364": {"fulltext": "332 HISTORY 01 ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nbank, established in 1852, and wiiiehhave been noted in preced-\\ningchapters, complete the roster of Rockford banks to 1861. It\\nwas a day of unstable currency, when wild-cat money was\\nabundant, but worthless. This fact made banking a precarious\\nbusiness as compared with the splendid system of today.\\nIn 1852 the first party of Swedish emigrants arrived in\\nRockford. They left their native land with no thought of com-\\ning to this city. Some were destined for Chicago, but upon\\narriving there, they were told there were better opportunities\\nin the country. About twenty-five came to Rockford in 1852.\\nAmong these were S. A. Johnson, John Nelson, Andrew Hollem,\\nP. G. Hollem, Alexander Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Hokan-\\nson, P. A. Peterson, Sr., and wife, P. A. Peterson, Jr., Claus\\nPeterson. John Stibb came in 1854. His son, Frank G., was\\nthe first male born in Rockford of Swedish parents, and Mrs.\\nAugusta Lind, daughter of Jonas Anderson, was the first\\nfemale. Emigrants continued to arrive annually for some\\nyears. The cholera in 1853-54 checked emigration, and later\\nthe civil war had the same result and it was not until 1867\\nthat the greatest Swedish emigration was reached in a single\\nyear. The Swedish early settlers have a society, whose records\\nare kept in their native language.\\nIn June, 1852, the Rock River Mutual Fire Insurance Com-\\npany was granted a charter by the legislature. The company\\ndid quite a business for a time, but it was finally unsuccessful.\\nIn 1853 the three-story, double-store brick block on the\\nsouthwest corner of State and First streets, was built by Abra-\\nham I. Enoch, and his brother-in-law, Daniel Davis. Mr. Davis\\nwas a forty-niner, and returned from California with quite an\\namount of ready money.\\nAt the election in November, 1854, Wait Talcott was elected\\nstate senator; William Lyman, reprepresentative John F.\\nTaylor, sheriff; A. A. Chamberlain, sheriff.\\nUnder a statute of February 27, 1854, the judge of the\\ncounty court of Winnebago county was given jurisdiction in\\nlaw and chancery, where the amount involved did not exceed\\none thousand dollars. This law was repealed February 12, 1863.\\nThe earnings of the Galena Chicago Union railroad for\\nAugust, 1854, were $103,000. The earnings for the corres-\\nponding month the preceding year were $48,000.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0364.jp2"}, "365": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXV.\\nrtOCKrOHD SKTTLERK 1851-54.\\nIN the early history of the county, Rocktoii, by reason of its\\nwater-power, was a rival of Rockford. As the latter be^an\\nto foro^e more rapidly to the front, several of the settlers of\\nRockton from time to time sought the larger opportunities of the\\ncounty seat. This exodus from the northern neighbor might be\\ncalled the Rockton migration. Among those who came from\\nRockton to Rockford were James AI. and J. Ambrose Wight\\nand William Ilulin, to whom reference has been made in early\\nchapters, and 8eely Perry, Jesse Blinn and Wait Talcott.\\nSeely Perry was born at Stockbridge, Massachusetts,\\nAugust 22, 1822, and was graduated from Union college at\\nSchenectady in 1845. Mr. Perry came to Rockton in 1840, and\\nin 1851 he settled in Rockford. After teaching one year he\\nengaged in the lumber trade, in which he has continued for\\nnearly half a century. In 184G Mr, Perry married Elizabeth\\nBenedict, who died in 1874. She was the mother of Lewis Seely,\\nand Mrs. Eva Moore, of St. Louis. In 1876 Mr. Perry married\\nMarie Thompson. They have one daughter. Miss Marie. Mr.\\nPerry was elected mayor of Rockford in 1858 and served one\\nterm. He is now the oldest living ex-mayor of the city. Mr.\\nPerry has also served the city as alderman, member of the\\nboard of education, and a director of the public library.\\nJesse Blinn was born in 1809 in Vermont, and from there\\nhe removed to Conneaut, Ohio. He came to Rockton in 1838\\nin 850 he settled in Rockford, and his family a year later. He\\nopened the first exclusive hardware store in the city. His stock\\ninvoiced |5lO,000. He subsequently became a manufacturer on\\nthe water-power, to which reference has been made. Mr. Blinn\\ndied in 1879. Mrs. Blinn is a native of New Hampshire. She is\\nde.scended from Lord James Louden, whose estate is still pre-\\nserved in Scotland. Mrs. Blinn has some autograph lines writ-\\nten by Robert Burns, commemorating his visit to I^ouden cas-\\ntle. Joshua R. Giddings was entertained at Mr. Blinn s home\\nwhen he made a political address in Rockford in 1854. Mrs.\\nBlinn is residing with her daughter, Mrs. H. P. Holland.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0365.jp2"}, "366": {"fulltext": "334 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nRalph Emerson was the son of Rev. Ralph Emerson, a Con-\\ngregational clergyman, and a professor in Andover theologi-\\ncal seminary, the oldest Congregational divinity school in the\\ncountry. Another son is Professor Joseph Emerson, of Beloit.\\nMr. Emerson was born in Andover, Massachusetts, in 1831. He\\ncame to Rockford in 1852, and was later a partner with Jesse\\nBlinn in the hardware business until they became interested in\\nthe water-power. The Emerson company has proved one of\\nthe most successful manufacturers in the west. This result may\\nbe attributed to Mr. Emerson s unusual executive ability. He\\nhas made a generous use of his large wealth in contributions to\\nvarious religious enterprises, Mr. Emerson married Adaline\\nTalcott, a daughter of Hon. Wait Talcott. They have had\\neight children. Two sons died in infancy, and in 1889 Ralph was\\nkilled by falling from a building during a fire on the water-\\npower. Their daughters are Mrs. Adaline E. Thompson, Mrs.\\nHarriet E. Hinchliff, Mrs. Mary Lathrop, Mrs. Belle E. Keith,\\nand Mrs. Dora B, Wheeler, whose husband is a professor of\\nbiology in the University of Texas. In April, 1900, Mrs. Emer-\\nson was appointed by Governor Tanner to represent Illinois as\\na commissioner at the Paris exposition.\\nHon. Wait Talcott was a son of William Talcott, and was\\nborn at Hebron, Connecticut, October 17, 1807. He came to\\nRockton in the autumn of 1838. He was one of the incor-\\nporators of Beloit college and Rockford seminary. In 1854 he\\ncame to Rockford and began his career as a manufacturer on\\nthe water-power with his brother, Sylvester. In 1854 he was\\nelected state senator from the district comprising Winnebago,\\nCarroll, Boone and Ogle counties. Upon the passage of the in-\\nternal revenue act. President Lincoln appointed Mr. Talcott\\ncommissioner of internal revenue for the Second congressional\\ndistrict. This appointment was dated August 27, 1862, and\\nMr. Talcott served five years. Mr. Talcott preserved files of\\nChicago and Rockford newspapers, and upon his death, which\\noccurred November 7, 1890, his sou William A. Talcott, pre-\\nsented them in excellent bound condition to the Rockford\\npublic library.\\nJohn S. Coleman was a native of Delaware county. New\\nYork. In 1851 he removed with his family to Rockford and\\nbecame a member of the banking firm of Robertson, Coleman\\nCompany. He built the stone house on North Main street, now\\nowned by William Nelson. Mr. Coleman was a trustee of Rock-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0366.jp2"}, "367": {"fulltext": "JA}fES L. LOOP-WILLIAM LATHROP. 33.\\nford seminary and treasurer of the board, and a member of the\\ncity council. He was a man of h\\\\^\\\\\\\\ character and unostenta-\\ntious life and manner, and his death was deeply mourned by\\nthe community. Mr. Coleman died April G, 18G4, in his fifty-\\neighth year.\\nJames L. Loop was born in Steuben county, New York, in\\n1815. He settled in Belvidere in 1838, and some years later he\\nformed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Stephen A. Hurl-\\nbut, in the practice of law. He was prosecutinp; attorney for the\\nnorthern district of Illinois in 1843-5. From 184G to 1850 Mr.\\nLoop was secretary of the Illinois and Michigan canal, which\\noffice he resigned. In 1852 Mr. Loop removed to Rockford and\\nformed a law partnership with William Lathrop. In 1856 he\\nwas elected mayor of Rockford and served one term. Mr.\\nLoop s death occurred February 8, 1865, when he was fifty\\nvears of ag-e. The remains were taken to Belvidere for burial.\\nBy the common consent of the Rockford bar, James L. Loop\\npossessed the finest legal ability of any man who ever practiced\\nin this city. His intellect was strong and his resources were at\\nhis instant command. His grasp of legal principles was due to\\nhis acute, intuitive sense of what was right between man and\\nman, which was a gift from nature. Mr. Loop was always the\\ngenial gentleman. Like so many other gifted men, he was his\\nown worst enem^ and his sad, untimely death was an impres-\\nsive object lesson that strong drink is no respecter of persons.\\nWilliam Lathrop is a native of Genesee county. New York.\\nHe came to Rockford in January, 1851. He was a partner with\\nJames L. Loop from 1853 to 1857. In 1856 Mr. Lathrop was\\nelected a member of the legislature, and served one term. In\\n1876 he succeeded Stephen A. Hurlbut as member of congress\\nfrom the Fourth district, and served one term. During his long\\nresidence in Rockford Mr. Lathrop has enjoyed a large and\\nlucrative legal practice. His clientele has come from the influ-\\nential portion of the community. He has in some respects the\\nfinest law library in the city, and the author takes pleasure in\\nacknowledging his obligations to Mr. Lathrop for the free use of\\nhis library and for information personally given. Mr. Lathrop\\nmarried Adaline Potter, a daughter of E. H. Potter. Their\\nchildren are Mrs. Anna Case, of Charles City, Iowa; Miss Julia,\\na member of the state board of charities, and Edward, Rob-\\nert and William\\nHon. John Early was born in Middlesex county, Canada", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0367.jp2"}, "368": {"fulltext": "386 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nWest, March 17, 1828. lu 1816 he removed with his parents\\nto Boone county, and in 1852 he settled in Eockford. He\\nserved three terms as assessor of Rockford. In 1869 he was\\nappointed one of the first board of trustees of the reform school\\nat Pontiac. In 1870 Mr. Early was elected state senator from\\nthe Twenty-third district, composed of Winnebago, Boone,\\nMcHenry and Lake counties. His senatorial colleague was\\nGeneral Allen C. Fuller, of Belvidere. After the state had been\\nre-districted he was elected senator in 1872, from the Ninth\\ndistrict, which included Winnebago and Boone counties, and\\nagain in 1874, for the fall term of four years. By the election\\nof Governor Oglesby to the United States senate and Lieuten-\\nant-Governor Beveridge becoming governor, Mr. Early became\\nacting lieutenant-governor of the state. Mr. Early died Sep-\\ntember 2, 1877. He was father of A. I), and John H. Early.\\nMrs. Early and Miss Bertha reside in East Rockford.\\nLieutenant-Colonel Edward F. W. Ellis was born in Milton,\\nMaine, April 15, 1819. He was admitted to the bar in Ohio.\\nIn 1849 he went to California, where he was unsuccessful in\\ncommercial speculation, and resumed the practice of law; in\\n1851 he was a member of the California legislature. Colonel\\nEllis came to Rockford in 1854 and became a member of the\\nbanking firm of Spafford, Clark Ellis. Upon the outbreak of\\nthe civil war Colonel Ellis raised a company for the Fifteenth\\nregiment, called the Ellis Rifles. He was chosen lieutentant-\\ncolonel, but was acting colonel at the time of his death. At the\\nbattle of Shiloh he was in command of the Fifteenth, which be-\\nlonged to General Hurlbut s division. On Monday morning his\\nregiment was exposed to a terrible fire and Colonel Ellis was\\nstruck in the breast by a ball, and instantly expired. Colonel\\nEllis was a tall, noble-looking man, of much decision of charac-\\nter. The city of Rockford mourned bis death with profound\\nsorrow. Colonel Ellis home was the historic homestead lately\\nowned by Dr. W. H. Fitch, on West State street. In 1856 the\\nproperty was transferred to Colonel Ellis, and there he lived\\nwith his wife and children. The latter were Blanche, now Mrs.\\nChandler Starr; Alma Hortense, now Mrs. Fisher, of California,\\nand Edward. The home was always characterized by generous\\nhospitality.\\nHenry P. Kimball was a native of New Hampshire, and was\\ngraduated from Rochester university. Mr. Kimball came to\\nRockford in 1852, and taught school for some time. He had a", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0368.jp2"}, "369": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0369.jp2"}, "370": {"fulltext": "CO\\n5)\\no\\n05\\n0)\\no\\no\\no\\nJ3\\n3\\nPh\\nI,\\nin\\nin\\noo\\nz\\nlU\\nLU\\n(fl\\nH\\nUJ\\nu\\na\\nf-\\nUJ\\nH\\nH\\nUI", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0370.jp2"}, "371": {"fulltext": "DISTINGUISHED PFULIC SPEAKERS. 337\\nlocal reputation as a horticulturist. As secretary of the Agri-\\ncultural Society, Mr. Kimball achieved a unique distinction as\\na successful fair advertiser. Upon his invitation many of the\\nmost distinguished men of the last generation visited Kockford\\nand made addresses. Among these were General Grant, Attor-\\nney-General Taft, Benjamin F. Butler, John A. Logan, Chief-\\nJustice Waite, General Martindale, Wade Hampton, James R.\\nDoolittle, Matt Carpenter, Benjamin F. Taylor and Will Carle-\\nton. In 1875 Mr. Kimball invited Jefferson Davis to deliver an\\naddress. This invitation created such excitement that Mr. Davis\\nwithdrew his acceptance, Mr. Kimball married Miss Ellen, a\\ndaughter of Dr. George Haskell. Their sons are Dr. Frank H.,\\nWiUis M., and Carl Kimball, Mr. Kimball died May 10, 1889,\\nwhen sixty years of age.\\nJohn Nelson was a native of West Gothland, Sweden, born\\nApril 5, 1830. He came to Rockford in 1852. His life was\\nuneventful until a short time before his death, when he perfected\\nthe Nelson knitting machine, which revolutionized the knitting\\nof hosiery. After General Grant had returned from his tour\\naround the world, he visited Mr. Nelson s factory, and declared\\nthat he had never seen such perfect machinery for this purpose.\\nMr, Nelson died April 15, 1883. The Hotel Nelson is named in\\nhis honor.\\nA. E. Goodwin, M, D,, was born August 11, 1827, at Chel-\\nsea, Vermont. He was graduated from Berkshire medical col-\\nlege at Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Goodwin came to Rock-\\nford in 1854. During the civil war he was a surgeon in the Elev-\\nenth Illinois infantry and in the One Hundred and Eighth. He\\nwas wounded at Vicksburg. Dr. Goodwin was a member of the\\ncity board of education and of the public library board. Dr.\\nGoodwin died May 14, 1889. His ooly surviving child is Mrs.\\nRobert Rew.\\nChester C. Briggs was a native of Vermont. He was born\\nin Dover, September 6, 1817. He was graduated from Dart-\\nmouth college, and edited the Green Mountain Freeman, an\\nanti-slavery paper. In 1853 Mr. Briggs came to Rockford and\\nbecame the senior member of the banking firm of Briggs, Spaf-\\nford Penfield. He was subsequently financial manager of\\nthe Kenosha Railroad company. In 18G8 he became associated\\nwith the firm of Briggs, Mead ct Skinner, in the manufacture\\nof agricultural implements. The firm name was later changed\\nto Briggs Enoch, Mr, Briggs died January 24, 1892.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0371.jp2"}, "372": {"fulltext": "338 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nJames G, Manlove was a native of Dover, Delaware, where\\nhe was born December 15, 1812. He was admitted to the bar\\nin Wisconsin, and settled in Rockford in 1851, and began the\\npractice of law. He held the oflSces of police magistrate, justice\\nof the peace, town clerk and alderman, and the confidence\\nwhich the people reposed in him is attested by his repeated\\nelections as town clerk and justice of the peace. Mr. Manlove\\ndied November 6, 1891.\\nRobert P. Lane, M. D., was born in Hopewell, Bedford\\ncounty, Pennsylvania, in 1818. He studied medicine with an\\nuncle in his native state. Dr. Lane came to Rockford in 1851.\\nHe was a leader in the organization of the Rockford water-\\npower company, and gave his personal attention to the con-\\nstruction of the dam. He was a member of the banking firm of\\nLane, Sanford Company one of the organizers of the Second\\nNational bank, and continuously served as its president from\\n1864 until 1881, when he resigned to accept the presidency of\\nthe Rockford Insurance Company. He had a fine personal\\npresence and unusual suavity. He served as a member of the\\nlibrary board and was senior warden of the Episcopal church\\nfor forty years. Dr. Lane died March 7, 1891.\\nAnthony Haines was a native of Marietta, Pennsylvania,\\nborn April 21, 1829. He came to Rockford in 1854, and\\nformed a partnership with Elisha A. Kirk for buying and ship-\\nping grain over the Kenosha railroad. In 1880 he, with other\\ngentlemen, organized the Rockford Street Railway company, of\\nwhich he was elected president and general manager. Mr.\\nHaines, at the time of his death in 1898, was vice-president of\\nthe Manufacturers National Bank.\\nCharles 0. Upton was born in North Reading, Massachusetts,\\nin 1832, and came to Rockford in 1854. Mr. Upton has been\\nprominent in the banking business of the city. He was a direc-\\ntor of the Second National bank twenty years and the last two\\nyears was its vice-president. In 1889 he led in the organiza-\\ntion of the Manufacturers National Bank, and was its presi-\\ndent ten years. Mr. Upton served the public in the city council,\\non the county board, and as treasurer of Rockford one term.\\nHe now resides in Chicago.\\nCarlton W. Sheldon is a native of New York, born in Victor\\nMarch 14, 1828. He came to Rockford in 1852, entered the\\nlaw office of Jason Marsh, and was admitted to the bar in the\\nautumn of the same year. In 1869 he entered the employ of", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0372.jp2"}, "373": {"fulltext": "LEADER IN FOUNDING LIIiRARY. 389\\nthe Rockford Insurance Company as adjuster, and remained\\nfive years, and in 1874 he was elected secretary of the Forest\\nCity Insurance company, and held this position five years,\\nwhen he resumed the practice of law. Mr. Sheldon has four chil-\\ndren Charles E., Georo;e, Mrs. Dora S. Hart, and Miss Ethel.\\nIsaac Utter was a native of New York. He came to Rock-\\nford in 1852, and formed a partnership with Orlando Clark, on\\nthe water-power. For twenty-one years he was associated\\nwith Levi Rhoades, in the manufacture of paper. Mr. Utter\\nwas a stockholder in the People s Bank and in the AVinnebago\\nand the Second National. He was a man of ^reat energy, and\\ngood judgment in business affairs. Mr. Utter died May 7,\\n1888. He was father of Mrs. J. M. Fraley.\\nAlexander D. Forbes was born in Perthshire, Scotland,\\nDecember 13, 1831. He came to Rockford in 1854, and in\\npartnership with his father, Duncan Forbes, began busi-\\nness on the water-power. In 18G4 they established the first\\nmalleable iron works west of Cincinnati. The father died in\\n1871. Mr. Forbes is now president of the People s bank.\\nMajor Elias Cosper was born in Worcester, Ohio, in 1824.\\nHe came to Rockford in 1854, and entered the banking house\\nof Robertson, Coleman Company, as teller, and in 1857 he\\nbecame its cashier. Upon the outbreak of the civil war Mr.\\nCosper sold his interest in the bank and entered the service\\nwith Company E, Seventy-fourth regiment. After the battle of\\nChickamauga he was promoted to the rank of major and pay-\\nmaster of the army. Upon his return to civil life, Mr. Cosper,\\nin company with T. D. Robertson, Melancthon Starr, and John\\nP. Manny, organized the John P. Manny Reaper Company, and\\nwas its manager. Since 1874 Mr. Cosper has been connected\\nwith the Rockford Tack Company, and is its secretary and\\ntreasurer. Mr. Cosper may be called the father of the public\\nlibrary. He spent much time in soliciting subscriptions and\\nwas a member of the board of directors for more than twenty\\nyears. Mr. Cosper has a fine private library of about thirteen\\nhundred volumes.\\nJohn G. Pen field is a native of Vermont and settled in\\nRockford in 1854. Since that time he has been continuously in\\nbusiness as a broker and dealer in real estate and insurance.\\nMrs. Penfield gave the lot to the First Congregational church on\\nwhich the parsonage now stands. They have three daughters:\\nMrs. Charles E. Sheldon, Mrs. Helen Revelle and Miss Kate.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0373.jp2"}, "374": {"fulltext": "340 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nWilliam A. Knowlton was a native of Chautauqua county,\\nNew York, and removed to the west when a young man. He\\ncame to Kockford in 1853 from Freeport, Illinois. After the\\ndeath of J. H. Manny, Mr. Knowlton became business agent\\nfor Mrs. Manny. He retained this position several years, and\\nwas eminently successful. Mr. Knowlton was subsequently\\nengaged in various manufacturing enterprises. He sustained\\nfinancial reverses, and in the autumn of 1891 he removed to\\nChicago, where he died September 17th of the following year.\\nMr. Knowlton was sixty years of age. His surviving family\\nconsisted of Mrs. Knowlton and five children Mrs. Helen Gib-\\nson, Mrs. Fred S.Hardy, Misses E valine and Mary, and William\\nA. Knowlton, Jr. Miss Evaline recently died in the east.\\nJohn P. Manny was born in Amsterdam, New York, March\\n8, 1823. He settled at Waddam s Grove, Stephenson county,\\nin 1842. He came to Rockford in 1852, and for several years\\nhe manufactured knife sections for J. H. Manny s machines.\\nEarly in the sixties he perfected several inventions, which were\\nhandled by N. C. Thompson. After the war Mr. Manny became\\ninterested in the John P. Manny Company, in which he was\\nassociated with Elias Cosper, T. D. Robertson and Melancthon\\nStarr. This company and Mr. Thompson paid him royalties\\nupon his inventions, and the Mississippi river was the dividing\\nline between their respective territories. Mr. Manny s income\\nfrom this source was at one time forty thousand dollars a year.\\nHe purchased the John S. Coleman estate on North Main street,\\nwhich was his home for many years. This property is now\\nowned by William Nelson. While residing at Waddam s Grove\\nMr. Manny married Miss Eunice Hicks. George J. was their\\nonly son who attained his majority. He died in 1892, leaving\\none son, Dwight, an employe of the Winnebago National Bank.\\nMiss Florida Manny, a daughter, is also a resident of the city.\\nMrs. J. P.Manny died in 1864, and in 1867 Mr. Manny married\\na daughter of Melancthon Starr. They had four children Mrs.\\nCharles Sackett, John Starr Manny, Virginia and Henry Manny.\\nMr. Manny died November 16, 1897.\\nAmong other well-known citizens who came to Rockford\\nduring this period were Horace Brown, T. J. L. Remington,\\n1850; J. M. Southgate, Andrew G. Lowry, Horace Buker, 1852;\\nJacob Hazlett, D. A. Barnard, Samuel Ferguson, 1853 Henry\\nFisher, Melancthon Smith, T. W. Carrico, William and George R.\\nForbes, 1854.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0374.jp2"}, "375": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXVI.\\nTHE FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.\\nTHP] free public school system of Illinois dates from 1855.\\nIn December, 1853, a laro;e common school convention met\\nat Jersey ville, composed of many adjoinino; counties, and one at\\nBloominoton, for the whole state. These movements produced\\nresults. The general assembly, which met the followiup; Febru-\\nary, separated the office of state superintendent of public\\ninstruction from that of secretary of state, and made it a dis-\\ntinct department of the state government. The state superin-\\ntendent was required to draft a bill embodying a system of free\\neducation for all the children of the state, and report to the\\nnext general assembly. March 15, 1854, Governor Matteson\\nappointed Hon. N, AV. Edwards, state superintendent. In the\\nfollowing January Mr. Edwards presented a bill which became a\\nlaw February 15, 1855. For state purposes the school tax was\\nfixed at two mills on the one hundred dollars. To this was\\nadded the interest from the permanent school fund. Afreeschool\\nwas required to be maintained for at least six months in each\\nyear, and it was made imperative upon the directors of every\\nschool district to levy the necessary tax. Thus the free school\\nsystem of Illinois began when the taxing power of the state\\nwas invoked in its behalf.\\nThe school law was bitterly opposed, and narrowly escaped\\nrepeal. Sir William Berkeley, the royal governor of Virginia,\\nsaid in 1670 I thank God there are no free schools nor print-\\ning, and I hope we shall not have these hundred years. The\\nspirit of this pious wish prevailed in southern Illinois and\\nthere was a repetition of the old conflict between the two dis-\\ntinct classes of people in the two portions of the state. The\\nsouthern portion was poor, while the northern portion was well-\\nto-do and it was only as it was made to appear to the south-\\nern portion that it was receiving more from the state school\\nfund than it was contributing, that the people acquiesced in the\\nlaw.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0375.jp2"}, "376": {"fulltext": "342 BISTORT OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe charter of 1854 had conferred upon the city council of\\nRockford full power over its schools. June 20, 1855, the coun-\\ncil passed its first school ordinance under the new school law.\\nThe city was divided into two school districts: East side,\\nnumber one; West side, number two. A board of school in-\\nspectors was appointed, consisting of George Haskell, A. S. Mil-\\nler, and Jasou Marsh, after whom the Marsh school was named.\\nIn December the board voted to purchase of A. W. Freeman\\nhis lease of the basement of the First Baptist church for a school\\nin district number two. Mr. Freeman was employed to teach at\\n$800 per year. At the same time H. Sabin was engaged for the\\nfirst district, and the old court house on the East side was\\nleased.\\nThe council had provided by ordinance for a school agent\\nfor each district, whose acts were to be approved by the coun-\\ncil. July 27, 1855, the agent for the first district was author-\\nized to purchase from Solomon Wheeler, the tract on which\\nthe Adams school now stands. September 10th a contract\\nwas made for the construction of the building. April 28,\\n1856, a contract was made for a schoolhouse in the second dis-\\ntrict, on the site of the Lincoln school the contractors were E.\\nN. House, M. H. Regan, and James B. Howell. The progress\\nof the buildings was delayed by unfavorable weather, and the\\nlate arrival of school furniture.\\nAugust 14, 1857, in the afternoon and evening, occurred\\nthe formal dedication of the two union school buildings.\\nPrevious to this time Rockford had no schoolhouse of its own.\\nThe first district school had three principals from 1857 to\\n1884. The first was Orlando C. Blackmer, who was appointed\\nMarch 10, 1857. His assistant was S. F. Penfield. Mr. Black-\\nmer is a brother of Mrs. N. C. Thompson. He is now living at\\nOak Park.\\nHenry Freeman, Mr. Blackmer s successor, is a native of\\nMassachusetts, born within twenty miles of Plymouth Rock.\\nHe was graduated from Teachers seminary, Andover, Massa-\\nchusetts, in 1839, and taught for one year in the preparatory\\ndepartment. Prof. Freeman began his life-work as principal of\\nthe high school at Bridgeton, New York, in 1840. In 1845 he\\nwas offered the principalship of Salem academy, at Salem, New\\nJersey, where he remained five years, until he was elected prin-\\ncipal of Wallkill academy, at Middleton, New York. In 1855\\nhe was called to the position of principal of the high school and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0376.jp2"}, "377": {"fulltext": "HESRY FREEMAN\u00e2\u0080\u0094 OTHER PRINCIPALS. 343\\nsuperintendent of schools of Freeport, Illinois. In 1859 the\\nboard of school inspectors invited Prof. Freeman to take\\nthe position of principal and superintendent of schools of East\\nRockford, at a salary of one thousand dollars a year. This\\nposition he filled twenty-one years, until he re8i jjned in 1880.\\nDuring: this long service hundreds of pupils came under the\\ninfluence of the principal. Prof. Freeman had high ideals of\\nlife, and his strong character was a potent factor in promot-\\ning that which was for the best interest of the pupils. His con-\\nscientious efforts were appreciated, and occasionally his former\\npupils gather informally at his home and recall reminiscences\\nof those formative ^ears.\\nThe third and last principal was Prof. McPherson, who\\nremained until 1884. George G. Lyon was chosen principal\\nof the Second district school, March 10, 1857. He was suc-\\nceeded by E. M. Fernald, E. N. Weller, J. H. Blodgett, and\\nW. W. Stetson.\\nOctober 21, 1861, the number of school inspectors was\\nincreased from three to five. In 1884 the city of Rockford was\\nmade one school district, with one high school, in pursuance of\\nan ordinance drawn by Hon. Alfred Taggart.\\nProvision was made for the construction of Kent school-\\nhouse for South Rockford, soon after the arrangements had\\nbeen made for the East and West side schools. This school\\nfor the greater part of the intervening time has been in charge\\nof one man. Prof. O. F. Barbour, a native of Ohio, came to\\nRockford in 1859, and was for a time engaged in the dry goods\\nbusiness. In September, 18GG, he became principal of the Kent\\nschool, and has retained this position for thirty-four years.\\nFor more than twenty years Mr. Barbour has also been a\\nmember of the library board.\\nThe general law of 1872 for the incorporation of cities was\\nsilent on the school question, and when Rockford was organ-\\nized under the general law, it retained the school features of its\\nspecial charter. School boards are elected by popular vote in\\nother cities of the state, and have the taxing power. Rockford\\nstands alone, with its board of school inspectors, appointed by\\nthe mayor, which has only advisory power. No subsequent\\nstatute concerning boards of education will apply to Rockford,\\nand it would require new legislation at Springfield to change\\nthe board from an appointive to an elective body.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0377.jp2"}, "378": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXYII.\\nTHE FIRST PUBLIC LIBRARY.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 WESLEYAN SEMINARY.\\nThe agitation for a public library began in 1852. Several\\nyears elapsed, however, before a library was established, and\\ninformation concerning these early efforts are very meagre.\\nThe Sinissippi Division No. 134 of the Sons of Temperance,\\nof Rockford, surrendered its charter to the grand division April\\n15, 1852. Its former members resolved to reorganize under\\nthe name of the Rockford Library Association. All members\\nof the division who had paid their quarterly dues to the close\\nof the preceding quarter, were to be equal sharers in the library.\\nA request was made in the Forum of April 21st for the return\\nof all books belonging to the library. Thus, so far as known,\\nthe first circulating Hbrary was the small number of books\\nowned by the Sons of Temperance. The Forum of October 27th\\npublished a call for a meeting of the trustees of the Library\\nAssociation for October 30th, and for the annual meeting of the\\nstockholders on the first Saturday of November. No other\\nreference to the library is found immediately thereafter.\\nAt the annual meeting of the Young Men s Association,\\nSeptember 11, 1855, it was proposed to extend its sphere of\\nusefulness by providing a library and reading-room, A com-\\nmittee of three was appointed to confer with the old Library\\nAssociation, with a view of obtaining its books. So far as can\\nbe learned, this effort to establish a library and reading-room\\nwas not successful.\\nIt was not until March, 1857, that the first successful effort\\nto establish a library was made. In that month a subscription\\npaper was circulated, with the following statement of its object\\nWe, the undersigned, agree to take the number of shares\\nset opposite our names, in an association to be incorporated\\nunder the general law of this state, for the purpose of the estab-\\nlishment of a public library in the city of Rockford. Said library\\nto be under the management and control of aboard of trustees,\\nto be elected by the stockholders.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0378.jp2"}, "379": {"fulltext": "LIBRARY CLOSED\u00e2\u0080\u0094 nOOKS SOLD AT AUCTION. 845\\nShares to be fifty dollars each. Ten dollars per share i)ay-\\nable upon the formation of the association, and ten dollars per\\nshare per annum thereafter, in such amounts and at such times\\nas shall be determined by the said board of trustees. Shares\\nsubject to forfeiture by the trustees for non-payment of install-\\nments.\\nThe first four names upon the list pledp^ed twelve hundred\\ndollars, and by the autumn of 1858 six thousand dollars had\\nbeen pledged. William L. Rowland collected a considerable\\nportion of this amount, and a schedule of cash payments has\\nbeen preserved by him. The library was duly orp:anized Octo-\\nber 14, 1858. Eooms were secured on the third floor of Rob-\\nertson, Coleman Company s bank. James M. Wight, Seely\\nPerry, Selden M. Church, Elias Cosper, and Thomas D. Robert-\\nson constituted the first board of trustees Elias Cosper was\\nchairman; Spencer Rising, treasurer; F. H. Bradley, librarian.\\nThe original board was composed of gentlemen of exceptional\\nliterary equipment. Others rendered efiicient aid in the selection\\nof books. Among them was William L. Rowland, who was\\nsubsequently apppointed librarian of the public library. The\\nbooks, although few in number, possessed very high merit.\\nThe number of volumes at this time was about one thousand\\nnumber of magazines and newspapers, thirty-eight. During\\nthe next few years the library steadily received accessions.\\nAccording to the annual report of the stockholders, made Octo-\\nber 11, 1860, there were 1,134 volumes. There had been\\ndrawn during the year ending October 4th, 1,669 volumes.\\nThis was an increase of 396 over the preceding 3 ear. Several\\ngentlemen acted as librarian for short terms, and received a\\nnominal compensation. Among those who rendered this ser-\\nvice were John F. Squier and Hosmer P. Holland.\\nThis library served its purpose several years; but during\\nthe war popular interest began to decline. The library was\\nfinally closed, and about 1865 the books were sold at public\\nauction in a building on North Main street, directly north of\\nMr. Ashton s block. Some of these books are now in the ])ublic\\nlibrary, and quite a number, in excellent condition, are in the\\nprivate library of Robert H. Tinker. The first library was\\norganized under a general law, and was entirely supported by\\nprivate subscriptions and annual fees. It was not until 1872\\nthat the legislature enacted a law which provided for a tax\\nfor the support of public libraries.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0379.jp2"}, "380": {"fulltext": "346 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nIn the summer of 1856 a movement was begun for the\\nfounding: of a co-educational seminary in Rockford, under the\\ncontrol of the Methodist Episcopal church. February 14, 1857,\\nan act of the legislature was approved, to incorporate the Rock-\\nford Wesleyan seminary. The incorporators were E. F. W.\\nEllis, T. D. Robertson, D. W. Ticknor, and W. F. Stewart.\\nThere were to be twelve trustees, appointed by the stockholders,\\neight of whom should at all times be members of the Methodist\\nEpiscopal church. Aboard of three visitors was to be appointed\\nby the annual Rock River conference. The company was to\\nhave a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars, divided\\ninto shares of one hundred dollars each.\\nA farm of about two hundred and sixteen acres was pur-\\nchased of William M. Rowland. It adjoined Judge Church s\\nfarm on the west, and extended north to the State road. The\\npurchase price and accrued interest amounted to nearly twenty\\nthousand dollars. A large portion of this tract was platted\\ninto town lots, and it was proposed to build a college suburban\\ntown. The sale of lots occurred April 29, 1857. The sub-\\nscribers to stock purchased lots. Rev. W. F. Stewart had been\\ntransferred from the Ohio to the Rock River conference, and had\\nbeen assigned to the Second or Court Street church. Rev. Stew-\\nart was made purchasing agent for the seminary by the annual\\nconference.\\nAugust 31, 1857, the ceremony of breaking ground for the\\nseminary buildings took place under the direction of Rev. T. M.\\nEddy, who was in attendance upon Rock River conference, which\\nwas then in session in Rockford. Several hundred people were\\nin attendance. An address was made by Rev. J. C. Stoughton,\\nagent of Clark seminary and Rev. W. F. Stewart gave a brief\\nhistory of the origin of the seminary movement.\\nWhen the ground was broken, fifty-seven thousand dollars\\nhad been subscribed. The enterprise, however, was unsuccess-\\nful. Quite a number of houses were built, but in time several of\\nthem migrated into town on rollers, and the land reverted to\\nfarming purposes.\\nIn October, 1857, Rev. Stewart began the publication of the\\nRockford Wesleyan Seminary Reporter, in the interest of the\\nseminary. Only four numbers were published. Both Rev. Stew-\\nart and Rev. Stoughton have died within the past few mouths.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0380.jp2"}, "381": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXVIII.\\nBAYAKD Taylor s tribute.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 fraternities.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 notes.\\nBAYARDTAYLOR, inaletter to the Tribune, published in\\ntlie ispriiig of 1855, paid Rockford this j2:eiierous tribute:\\nI last wrote to you from Rockford, the most beautiful town in\\nnorthern Illinois. It has the advantage of an admirable water-\\npower, furnished by the Rock river; of a rich, rolling prairie,\\nwhich is fast being settled and farmed on all sides, of a fine build-\\ning material in its quarries, of soft yellow limestone, resembling\\nthe Roman travertine; and of an unusually enterprising and\\nintelligent population. Knowing all these advantages, I was\\nnot surprised at the evidences of growth since my first visit a\\nyear ago. People are flocking in faster than room can be fur-\\nnished, and the foundations of two new hotels, on a large scale,\\nshow the requirements of the place. I was pleased to note that\\ntaste keeps pace with prosperity here, as elsewhere in the north-\\nwest. The new Unitarian church is a simple but very neat\\nGothic edifice, and the residences of Mr. Holland and Mr. Starr\\nare very fine specimens of home architecture. The grounds of\\nthe former are admirably laid out there is nothing better of\\nthe kind on the Hudson.\\nThe charterof Winnebago Lodge No. 31, Independent Order\\nof Odd Fellovvs, was issued by Geo. W.Woodward, grandmaster\\nof Illinois, in 1847, to the following named charter members:\\nSelden M. Bronson, Ansel Kenfield, Dewitt Clinton Briggs,\\nFrederick H. Maxwell, and Rev. Nathaniel P. Heath. The lodge\\nwas instituted August 11, 1847. The place of meeting was\\nHorsman s block, on the West side.\\nRockford Lodge, No. 102, Masons, was organized February\\n13, 1851, under a dispensation from C. G. X. Taylor, the grand\\nmaster. The following named citizens constituted its first\\nmembership: Alfred E.Ames, William Lyman, Henry Carpenter,\\nC. H. Spafford, William Hulin, E. H. Baker, Ansel Kenfield,\\nJohn Fraley, James P. Burns, W. F. Ward, Jesse Blinn, and\\nBuel G. Wheeler. E. H. Baker was the last survivor of this\\noriginal membership.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0381.jp2"}, "382": {"fulltext": "348 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nSocial Lodge, No. 140, Odd Fellows, was instituted Febru-\\nary 6, 1854.\\nWinnebago Chapter No. 24, Masons, was organized Decem-\\nber 12, 1854, under a dispensation from Louis Watson, grand\\nhigh priest. The following constituted its first membership\\nA. Clark, Chauncy Kay, W. F. Parrish, H. Miltimore, John A.\\nHolland, L. P. Pettibone, R. H. Cotton, Abiram Morgan, G. D.\\nPalmer, and Ansel Kenfleld. This chapter was constituted\\nunder another charter in December, 1855.\\nStar in the East Lodge No. 166, Masons, was organized\\nFebruary 12, 1855, under a dispensation from James L. Ander-\\nson, grand master. The charter members were E. F. W. Ellis,\\nR. H. Cotton, W. M. Bowdoin, William Hulin, S. G. Chellis,\\nJos. K. Smith, Joseph Burns, C. I. Horsman, B. G. Wheeler, G.\\nW. Reynolds, John A. Holland, C. H. Richings, D. G. Clark,\\nAdam McClure, Holder Brownell.\\nThe dispensation for Rockford Encampment, No. 44, Odd\\nFellows, was granted August 5, 1857, to the following patri-\\narchs as charter members James Fleming, J. H. Clark, Hugh\\nStrickland, Enos C. Clark, G. A, Stiles, Joseph Schloss, and\\nRobert Smith. The encampment was instituted by Deputy\\nGrand Patriarch A. E. Jenner, August 26, 1857.\\nThe Rockford Burns Club was organized November 5, 1858.\\nIt is an association of Scottish- Americans, who meet annually\\non the birthday of Robert Burns.\\nJohn A. Phelps, a Rockford attorney, died July 28, 1854.\\nThe bar of the city adopted resolutions of respect, and attended\\nhis funeral in a body.\\nSeptember 6, 1854, the city council passed an ordinance\\nfor the construction of sidewalks.\\nAbout 1855 James S. Ticknor was appointed agent of the\\nAmerican Express Company, and held this position until 1881.\\nMr. Ticknor came to Rockford in 1854. He was preceded by\\nhis brother, D. W., who came in 1846, and taught school. The\\nbrothers were in the drug and book business a short time. J.\\nS. Ticknor died September 18, 1899.\\nFebruary 15, 1855, a charter was granted the Rockford\\nCentral Railroad Company. The incorporators were Rockford\\ncitizens. It was proposed to make a connection with the Illi-\\nnois Central at Mendota, and run through Rockford to the\\nWisconsin pineries, and make a north and south line to Cairo.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0382.jp2"}, "383": {"fulltext": "DEATH OF JOHN .1. HOLLAXD. 340\\nPiles were driven in Rock river at Ilockford, for a bridge, which\\nare now used by the Burlinpjton company. Tlie route was sur-\\nveyed, but no track was laid.\\nIn February, 1855, the Rockford Gas Light and Coke Com-\\npany was incorporated. The incorporators were Simon M.\\nPreston, William Lyman, John Piatt, Henry Fisher, and Jesse\\nBlinn, A few j ears later Thomas Butterworth was made its\\nmanager, and he finally became the owner of the plant.\\nMay 17, 1855, occurred the sale of several hundred acres\\nof canal lands in Winnebago county. These lands were selected\\nas a part of the grant to the state of Illinois by the general\\ngovernment, to aid in building the Illinois and Michigan canal.\\nIn 1855 the legislature passed a very stringent prohibitory\\nliquor bill, known as the Maine law. The bill was not to go\\ninto effect unless approved by a majority of the popular vote\\nat an election to be held June 4th of that year. The vote\\nin Winnebago county was a splendid endorsement of the bill.\\nEvery township in the county sustained the measure. The vote\\nin Rockford was as follows: for the law, 752; against, 71. The\\nvote of the county was: 2,153 in favor of the law; against it,\\n363. The bill was lost, however, in the state.\\nJuly 14, 1855, the starch factory belonging to Lewis, Smyth\\nCompan}^ was destroyed by tire. The loss was about $15,000.\\nThe death of John A. Holland occurred September 29, 1855,\\nat Mount Vernon, Ohio, while he was on a visit to his father-in-\\nlaw, who resided there, in company with his family. The remains\\nwere brought to Rockford for burial. Resolutions of respect\\nwere adopted by the Masonic bodies and by the bar of the city.\\nThe funeral was held at the Unitarian church on Sunday. Rev.\\nMr. Murray, the pastor, preached the discourse. John A. Hol-\\nland was born in what is now West Virginia. He came to Rock-\\nford in 1845, from Worcester, Ohio, where he had practiced\\nlaw. He formed a partnership with T. D. Robertson in the\\npractice of his profession. He was the attorney for the Galena\\nChicago Union railroad, and assisted the Illinois Central in\\nsecuring the right of way from Chicago to Cairo. Mr. Holland\\nwas an attendant at the Unitarian church, but was not a mem-\\nber. He was a man of comprehensive mind, great energy and\\nsagacity, and always operated ujjon a large scale. He was a\\nleading spirit in every public enterprise. The Holland House\\nwas named in his honor. Mr. Holland was father of Hosmer P,\\nHolland. His second wife was a daughter of Dr. J. C. Goodhue.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0383.jp2"}, "384": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXIX.\\nMURDER OF SHERIFF TAYLOR.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 EXECUTION OF COUNTRYMAN.\\nTUESDAY, November 11, 1856, John F. Taylor, sheriff of\\nWinnebap^o county, was instantly killed by Alfred Coun-\\ntryman. On that day Alfred and John Countryman came to\\nRockford fromOo^le county with some cattle, which they offered\\nfor sale at such low prices as to arouse suspicion. The cattle\\nwere sold for a sum below their market value. The purchasers\\ndelayed payment until notice had been given the sheriff, and\\npapers made out for the apprehension of the brothers, which\\noccurred about nine o clock in the morning. They were then\\narrested on suspicion and before they were taken to jail Sher-\\niff Taylor searched them for concealed weapons. He found pis-\\ntol balls in Alfred s pockets, and upon inquiring for his revolver\\nthe prisoner replied that he had none. Sheriff Taylor, assisted\\nby Constable Thompson, then started with the prisoners for\\nthe jail. Just as they reached the steps Alfred Countryman\\nbroke away from the sheriff leaped over the fence on Elm street,\\nand ran down that street, with the sheriff in pursuit. At the\\nnext corner, near the livery stable of Hall Reynolds, the sher-\\niff had nearly overtaken Countryman, and was about to seize\\nhim, when the latter drew a pistol which he had concealed, and\\nfired. The sheriff staggered a few paces, and fell. His only\\nwords were I m shot catch him.\\nCountryman ran to the woods north of Kent s creek, with\\nhundreds of infuriated citizens in pursuit. John Piatt was the\\nfirst to overtake him. He took his pistol from him, and, with\\nassistance, secured his arrest. Amid threats of lynching, the\\nprisoner was placed in jail and securely ironed. Samuel I.\\nChurch, the sheriff-elect, briefly addressed the crowd and\\nassured them that the prisoner was secure.\\nSheriff Taylor was thirty-one years of age, and left a wife,\\nand a son a year and a half old. He was an excellent officer,\\nand was held in high respect by the community. The funeral\\nwas held Thursday on the public square, adjoining the jail,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0384.jp2"}, "385": {"fulltext": "THOUSANDS WITNESS EXECUTION. 351\\nunder the charge of the Masonic fraternity. The board of\\nsupervisors were in attendance in a body. The discourse was\\npreached by Rev. W. F. Stewart.\\nCountryman was indicted and tried for tlie murder of Sher-\\niff Taylor, at the following February term of the circuit court.\\nThe prosecution was conducted by U. D. Meacham, the state s\\nattorney, assisted by William Brown. The counsel for the\\ndefense was Orrin Miller and T. J. Turner. The following gen-\\ntlemen constituted the jury: Levi Tunks, Philo C. Watson,\\nAnthony M. Felmly, Silas G. Tyler, Jacob B. Place, G. R. Ames,\\nAllen Rice, Charles Works, J. W. Jenks, Edward Peppers, J. W.\\nKnapp, S. P. Coller. The trial began on Monday, February\\n23d. The case was given to the jury on Thursday; and Friday\\nmorning they returned a verdict of guilty. Judge Sheldon pro-\\nnounced the sentence of death upon Countryman. One of his\\ncounsel, Mr. Miller, tried to obtain a stay of proceedings, so as\\nto bring the case before the supreme court. But Judge Caton\\nrefused to grant a writ of error.\\nOn Friday, March 27th, Countryman was executed on the\\nfarm of Sheriff Church, a short distance from the citv. The\\nexecution was witnessed by eight thousand people. In the\\nabsence of a military company, the two fire companies, armed\\nwith sabres and carbines, formed a hollow square at the jail,\\ninto the center of which the carriages, which were to form the\\nprocession, were driven, and as the procession moved to the\\nplace of execution, the fire companies formed a strong guard.\\nUpon arriving at the scaffold. Rev. Hooper Crews offered an\\nearnest prayer. The prisoner made a short speech and professed\\nrepentance and forgiveness for his crime. At seventeen min-\\nutes past two the bolt was withdrawn, and Countryman was\\nswung into eternity. His father, sister and one brother wit-\\nnessed the execution. Before the body was taken down, Sheriff\\nChurch addressed the crowd as follows: These painful proceed-\\nings being now concluded, and the sword of justice about to be\\nreturned to its sheath, I hope never again to be drawn with so\\nmuch severity, I would thank you all for the good order you\\nhave maintained\u00e2\u0080\u0094 your conduct does credit to the city, and I\\nhope you will observe the same decorum in retiring.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0385.jp2"}, "386": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXX.\\nKENOSHA AND ROCKFORD RAILROAD.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 EARLY MANSIONS.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 NOTES.\\nIN 1856 was projected a railroad to connect Kenosha on Lake\\nMichigan with Rockford. It was a part of the orginal plan\\nthat this line should extend from Rockford to Rock Island.\\nJanuary 20, 1857, a charter was granted to John M. Capron,\\nEgbert Ayer, Thomas Paul, John Cornell, W. B. Ogden, John\\nBradley, Jason Marsh, George Haskell, David S. Penfield, Rob-\\nert P. Lane, C. C. Briggs, C. H. Spafford, A. S. Miller, Jesse\\nBlinn and Seely Perry. The company was to have a capital\\nstock of eight hundred thousand dollars, to be divided into\\nshares of one hundred dollars each, and was authorized to con-\\nstruct a road from a point near the state line in McHenry\\ncounty to Rockford. This road was built as a means of reliev-\\ning Rockford from burdens imposed by the highfreight and pas-\\nsenger rates of the Galena Chicago Union.\\nBooks for subscriptions to the stock of the road were\\nopened early in November, 1856, and on the 25th of the same\\nmonth the company was organized by the election of the fol-\\nlowing officers: President, C. H. Spafford; vice-president, R. P.\\nLane; secretary, E. H. Baker; treasurer, A. C. Spafford; execu-\\ntive committee, J. Bond, J, M. Capron, R. P. Lane, D. S. Pen-\\nfield and Seely Perry. The subscriptions were made largely by\\nfarmers along the line, who gave mortgages on their real estate\\nto secure their payments. The company negotiated these mort-\\ngages in payment for iron, labor and other expenses in the\\nbuilding of the road. When these obligations matured many\\nof the subscribers could not redeem them, and the holders of\\nthe mortgages foreclosed them.\\nThe contract for the construction of the road to Harvard\\nwas made in March, 1857, and the work was begun shortly\\nafterward. The eastern division of the road was under the con-\\ntrol of another company, organized under a charter from the\\nWisconsin legislature. The progress of construction was im-\\npeded by financial embarrassments, arising from the great de-\\npression which spread over the country in 1857, and the enter-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0386.jp2"}, "387": {"fulltext": "THE MANNY MANSION. 353\\nprise lano^iiiehed. In August, 1858, the company applied to\\nthe council of Rockford for a loan of the city credit to the\\namount of .f 50, 000 to aid in the completion of the road. An\\nelection was held September 2d, and the measure was carried by\\na majority of more than five hundred. This is the only instance\\nin the history of Rockford of the loan of the credit of the cor-\\nporation to a railroad.\\nNovember 21, 1859, the road was completed between\\nRockford and Harvard, and the event was celebrated by a ban-\\nquet at the Holland House the same evening. In 18G4 the\\nGalena Chicago Union Railroad Comj)any was absorbed by\\nthe Chicago Northwestern, and the Kenosha Rockford\\nroad, as a matter of course, soon came under the same control.\\nThe most beautiful home in Rockford during the period cov-\\nered by this history, was that of Mrs. J. H, Manny, on South\\nMain street. The Manny mansion was built in 1854, by\\nJohn A. Holland. The grounds had a frontage of three hundred\\nand twenty-five feet, and extended from the northern limit of\\nG. N. Safford Company s lumber j-ard to a point below Kent s\\ncreek, and were fronted by a stone fence. The beauty of these\\ngrounds was due, in large measure, to John Blair, a Scottish\\nlandscape gardener, who came from Canada at Mr. Holland s\\nsolicitation. He laid out the grounds, and set the standard for\\nlandscape gardening in Rockford, and in this way he left his im-\\npress on the city. Mr. Blair subsequently laid out the grounds\\nof the Elgin insane asylum. It is said he now lies near Victoria,\\nBritish Columbia. After the death of Mr. Holland, in 1855,\\nfinancial reverses overtook his family, and about 1860 this\\nsplendid estate passed into the ownership of Mrs. J. H. Manny.\\nThe fine estate which adjoined Mrs. Manny s on the south\\nwas owned by Rev. Lansing Porter, the first pastor of the Sec-\\nond Congregational church. He built the stone fence which\\nfronted the property. Mr. Porter sold this home to Elias Cosper,\\nand he in turn sold it to S. C. Withrow, who, in the course of a\\nfew years, completed a beautiful home.\\nThe Rockford Register, of August 30, 1856, made this an-\\nnouncement We have been shown the plans for a beautiful\\nresidence to be erected by Mr. Seely Perry. It is to be of\\nbrick, built in the Italian style of architecture, with cupola,\\nverandas, etc., and it is estimated will cost some f 5,000 or\\n$6,000. The lot chosen for its erection is on the height above", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0387.jp2"}, "388": {"fulltext": "354 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nMr. Marsh s fine residence, east side of the city, and commands\\na splendid prospect. This has in late years been familiarly\\nknown as the Schmauss property, and is now occupied as St.\\nAnthony hospital. Forty years ago it was called Perry s\\ncastle. Mr. Perry, however, called it Perry s folly.\\nIn 1861, C. C. Brig:gs erected a substantial residence on\\nEast State street. It was built of Milwaukee brick, two stories,\\nwith cupola, and ornamented by a veranda, extending the\\nentire length of the building on the west. Its estimated cost\\nwas |9,000. It stands today like a deserted castle, frowning\\nupon the pleasant modern homes that have intruded upon its\\nformer spacious grounds.\\nJudge Church s substantial stone residence on South Avon\\nstreet was built in 1857, and is today one of the finest houses\\nin the city.\\nGilbert Woodruff s spacious mansion was built by E. H.\\nPotter. When financial reverses came to him, he disposed of\\nthe property to C. A. Shaw, father of Mrs. J. M. Southgate.\\nThe fine residence owned by Mrs. David Keyt, south of the\\ncity, was built by Orlando Clark, of the firm of Clark Utter.\\nAllen Gibson, secretary of the Kock River Mutual Insurance\\nCompany, built the residence now owned by Thomas D. Rob-\\nertson. Mr. Gibson expended |20,000 in the construction of\\nthis house and later improvements.\\nThe year 1856 is memorable in history for the fierce strug-\\ngle for freedom in Kansas. On the 19th and 20th of May,\\nCharles Sumner delivered his celebrated speech in the senate,\\non The Crime Against Kansas. It was marked by the usual\\ncharacteristics of his more elaborate efforts, exhibiting great\\naffluence of learning, faithful research, and great rhetorical fin-\\nish and force. It was, in the words of the poet Whittier, a\\ngrand and terrible philippic. On the 22d of May following.\\nSenator Sumner was brutally assaulted in the senate chamber,\\nby Preston S. Brooks, a representative from South Carolina.\\nCircumstances combined to create an enormous demand for Mr.\\nSumner s speech.\\nThe following letter, written by Hon. E. B. Washburne to\\nFrancis Burnap, of Rockford, is interesting in this connec-\\ntion, because it has never before been published, and by reason\\nof Mr. Washburne s prophetic utterances. The full text of the\\nletter is as follows", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0388.jp2"}, "389": {"fulltext": "wAsnnirn.wE S uNPimusHED letter. 355\\nHouse of Representatives, June 2, 185G.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 3/f Dear Sir:\\nThe demand for Sumner s speech is so p:reat that it will [be] some\\ntime before your order can be filled. They cost two dollars per\\nhundred, instead of one. We want to get a big edition of Bis-\\nsell s great speech made in 1850 for circulation in our state.\\nI find the twenty-dollar draft from you here. The excitement\\neverywhere in the north is terrific. If we make no mistakes, and\\nact earnestly and discreetly, the rule of the slave-power now\\nceases. Mr. Sumner is getting along. He was terribly beaten,\\nbut his blood will be avenged.\\nYours truly, E. B. WASHBURNE.\\nF. BuRNAP, Esq.\\nIn 1854 Anson S. Miller laid the foundation for his new\\nhotel on the southwest corner of State and Court streets. The\\nhotel was planned on a large scale. The foundation walls were\\nfour and a half feet thick at the base. The structure was to be\\nbuilt of cream-colored limestone, four stories high, with an\\nattic and basement, which made it nearly equivalent to six\\nstories. The size was to be one hundred feet on State street,\\nby one hundred and twenty on Court, and its estimated cost\\nwas $40,000. Mr. Miller was unable to realize his ambition,\\nand the work was abandoned after the walls were laid.\\nThe Winnebago National Bank block was completed for\\nRobertson, Coleman Company, in 1855. Messrs. Ticknor\\nBrother and 0. Dickerman built the block adjoining, of same\\ngeneral style, a few months later.\\nIn June, 1855, a joint stock company, organized under the\\nauthority of an act of the legislature, began the erection of the\\nHolland House, an extensive hotel which received its name\\nfrom John A. Holland. The hotel was completed the following\\nspring, and April 30th an elaborate inauguration festival was\\ngiven by the citizens to Messrs. Pierce Bingham, the proprie-\\ntors. Isaac N. Cunningham, the former landlord of the Winne-\\nbago House, was chairman of the committee on arrangements,\\nand presided at the tables. Brief addresses were made by\\nJudge Church, Mayor James L. Loop, Jason Marsh, Dr.\\nLyman, William Hulin, Melaucthon Starr, C. I. Horsman and T.\\nD. Robertson. Like most enterprises of this kind, undertaken in\\nthe interior cities of the west, the property was unremunerative,\\nand passed into private hands. A man by the name of Bald-\\nwin held mortgage bonds, and foreclosed. He bid in the prop-", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0389.jp2"}, "390": {"fulltext": "356 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nerty at the sale, and then sold it to Robertson Starr. Mr.\\nStarr purchased the interest of his partner, and sold the hotel\\nto his son, H. N. Starr. Later owners were W. B. Sink and C.\\nW. Brown. The Holland House was destroyed by fire Christ-\\nmas eve, 1896. The records of the old Hotel Company are\\nsaid to be in the vault of the Winnebago National Bank.\\nThe telegraph line was completed to Rockford in October,\\n1855. It was owned by the Chicago Mississippi Company. The\\nline connected at Freeport with the hne on the Illinois Central.\\nAt the presidential election in November, 1856, Winnebago\\ncounty gave John C. Fremont a magnificent vote. Every town\\nin the county was carried for the Pathfinder. The total vote of\\nthe county was 4,154. The county gave a majority of 3,179\\nfor Fremont over Buchanan. The First Congressional district\\ngave majorities for Fremont and Washburne of more than\\ntwelve thousand. William Lathrop was elected representative\\nSamuel I. Church, sheriff; H. T. Mesler, coroner; Morris B. Der-\\nrick, circuit clerk. Mr. Church was brother of Judge Church,\\nand came to Rockford in 1848. He purchased a quarter of the\\nschool section; later he made it his home, where he died in 1886.\\nIn 1856 a military company was organized, under the name\\nof the Rockford City Greys, which enkindled the enthusiasm of\\na large number of the young men of the city. In the summer\\nof 1858 Colonel E. E. Ellsworth was engaged as drillmaster,\\nand under his instruction the company attained a high degree\\nof proficiency. In September, 1858, an encampment was held\\non the fair grounds, which continued four days. Companies\\nfrom Freeport, Elgin and Chicago were in attendance. This\\ncompany continued in excellent condition until the outbreak\\nof the civil war, when, under the name of Rockford Zouaves,\\nmany of the company volunteered in the three months service,\\nunder the call of the president for seventy-five thousand men\\nand as part of the Eleventh Illinois volunteers, were detailed\\nto garrison duty at Cairo and at Bird s Point.\\nColonel Ellsworth was a splendid specimen of young man-\\nhood. He was received as a social lion by the young people of\\nthe city. He was frequently a guest at the home of Charles H.\\nSpafford, and at the time of his death he was betrothed to his\\nelder daughter, now Mrs. Carrie S. Brett. In 1860 Colonel\\nEllsworth organized a company of Zouaves in Chicago, and\\nthe following year he accompanied President Lincoln to Wash-\\nington. Upon seeing a confederate flag floating from a hotel", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0390.jp2"}, "391": {"fulltext": "^1 TLA STIC CA BLE CEIJJIIRA TIOS. ir, 7\\nin Alexandria, Virginia, he niHhed to the roof and tore it down.\\nOn his return from the roof he was mot and shot dead by Jack-\\nson, the owner, who in turn was shot by one of Ellsworth s\\nmen, Frank E. Brownell. Colonel Ellsworth s blood was the\\nfirst shed in the civil conflict.\\nAugust 17, 1858, the completion of the Atlantic cable was\\ncelebrated by the citizens of Rockford with great demonstra-\\ntions of enthusiasm. On that day the queen of England and\\nthe president of the United States exchanged messages. The\\nevent was celebrated in Rockford by a salute of fifty guns, fired\\nby the City Greys, and the church bells were rung. Public exer-\\ncises were held in the evening at the court house. Addresses\\nwere made by James L. Loop, Judge Miller, E. W. Blaisdell,\\nJudge Church, William Hulin, and Dr. Lyman. The speech of\\nMr. Loop was exceptionally brilliant, and replete with noble\\nthought. One paragraph from this address is quoted Great\\nBritain and the United States the two great maritime nations\\nof the globe, have met in mortal combat upon that briny\\ndeep; they have fought for the sea s supremacy, they have\\nmaintained on either side with all their prowess and power\\ntheir respective country s glory, and well and gloriously have\\ntheir names resounded through the world\u00e2\u0080\u0094 but no victory\\never won by either upon the ocean can compare with this joint\\nvictory we have met to celebrate.\\nOctober 27, 1858, Salmon P. Chase addressed the citizens\\nof Rockford, on the political isues of the day, in Metropolitan\\nHall.\\nIn 18G0 the census of the city of Rockford, taken by Thos.\\nBoyd, showed a population of 7,04(3, and 8,117 in the town-\\nship. In 183G there were 350 white inhabitants in the county,\\nwhich included Boone, and the eastern half of Stephenson. In\\nJune, 1837, after Winnebago had been reduced to its present\\nsize, the county had a population of 1,086. In 1839 the village\\nof Rockford had 235 inhabitants, and in December, 1845, there\\nwere 1,278. In 1840 there were 2,503 in Rockford township,\\nand in 1855 there were G,620.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0391.jp2"}, "392": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXXI.\\nFATALITY AT A CHARIVARI. TRIAL OF GOVERNOR BEBB. NOTES.\\nON Tuesday evening, May 19, 1857, acharivari resulted in the\\ninstant death of one of the party. Hon. Wilham Bebb,\\nex-governor of Ohio, was residing in Seward township. His\\nson, M. S. Bebb, had just returned from the east with his bride.\\nTwelve young men of the neighborhood proposed to charivari\\nthe bridal party. They assembled at the Governor s house about\\neleven o clock at night, and began their performance with cow-\\nbells, tin-pans, three guns, and other articles which could con-\\ntribute to the hideous din. The Governor at length appeared\\nwith a shot-gun and ordered them to retire. They paid no\\nheed, and Mr. Bebb fired one barrel, which took effect in the face\\nof William Hogan. The party then approached nearer the house,\\nas for an assault, when the Governor discharged the second\\nbarrel at the leader, Lemuel Clemens, and instantly killed him.\\nThe crowd then speedily dispersed.\\nThe trial of Governor Bebb, for manslaughter, began Feb-\\nruary 4, 1858, in the circuit court, Judge Sheldon presiding.\\nThe prosecution was conducted by U. D. Meacham, the state s\\nattorney, who was assisted by T. J. Turner. The counsel for\\nthe defense was the famous Tom Corwin, of Ohio, assisted by\\nJudge William Johnson, James L. Loop, and Judge Anson S.\\nMiller. The trial began in the court house, and in order to\\nsecure more room, an adjournment was taken to Metropolitan\\nHall.\\nThe greatest interest was manifested in the trial, by reason\\nof the reputation of the defendant, and the celebrity of Mr.\\nCorwin. A large number of ladies were daily in attendance.\\nThe jury consisted of the following named gentlemen: John\\nSpafford, Putnam Perley, William A. Phelps, Joel W. Thomp-\\nson, Horace Hitchcock, L. D, Waldo, Baltus Heagle, Benjamin\\nF. Long, John Morse, S. M. Preston, R. K.Town, Isaac Manes.\\nBoth sides of the case were argued with great ability. The\\ncentral figure was, of course, Mr. Corwin. The Register, in\\nreporting his address to the jury, said: It was just such a", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0392.jp2"}, "393": {"fulltext": "TOM CORWmS PLEA. 359\\nspeech as Tom Corwiii alone can make, anil was listened to\\nwith breathless attention. It lasted some four hours, during\\nwhich time he went over every particular of the case, applying\\nthe law to each point, and showing under what circumstances\\na man may kill another, and also detailing in great beauty of\\nlanguage the manner in which the people had become possessed\\nof the inalienable right to enjoy their homes in peace, and undis-\\nturbed.\\nThe case was given to the jury at five o clock Monday after-\\nnoon, and at nine o clock they returned with a verdict of not\\nguilty. The Register concluded quite a full report of the trial\\nwith a commendation of the jury for their righteous decision.\\nM. S. Bebb, whose marriage was the occasion of this dis-\\nturbance, became a well-known citizen of Rockford. He had\\nquite an extended reputation in the scientific world, and was\\nrecognized as the highest authority upon some species of the\\nwillow. Mr. Bebb was for some years a member of the public\\nlibrary board.\\nLast June the Chicago Tribune published an interview with\\nHon. Luther Laffln Mills, who made some extraordinary state-\\nments concerning Mr. Corwin s method of conducting the case.\\nIt was stated that he came to Rockford weeks in advance of\\nthe trial, made the personal acquaintance of all the farmers\\nand their wives, and so completely impressed his strong per-\\nsonality uj)on the peo])le that the acquittal of hisclient followed\\nas a matter of course. This interview was republished in a\\nRockford paper, but it is declared by old residents to be a very\\npretty piece of legal fiction.\\nThe Commercial Block, now known as the Chick House,\\nwas built in 1857, by T. D. Robertson, C. H. Spafford and R.\\nP. Lane. The block was sixty-six feet front by one hundred\\nand two in depth, with basement under the whole. The first\\nstory was divided into three stores, fronting on Main street,\\nand two offices or shops on Elm street.\\nThe Register of January 31, 1857, estimates that the grand\\ntotal for improvements during 185G was .f 529,350. Among\\nthese was the Metropolitan Hall block, built by Charles and\\nJohn Spafford and John Hall, at a cost of :$1(J,000. During\\nthis year Thomas Boyd built the four-story, marble-front\\nblock on West State street, now known as the European Hotel\\nIts cost was estimated in the trade review at $10,000.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0393.jp2"}, "394": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXXII.\\nTHE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE.\\nrHE famous Lincoln-Douglas debate was an event of local\\ninterest as well as national significance. In April, 1858, the\\nIllinois state Democratic convention endorsed Stephen A.\\nDouglas for the United States senate. Abraham Lincoln was\\nnominated by the Republican party at Springfield, June 17th.\\nJuly 24th Mr. Lincoln sent a challenge to Judge Douglas to\\ndiscuss the political issues of the day in a series of joint debates.\\nThe latter accepted the challenge, and named one city in each\\ncongressional district, except the second and sixth, where they\\nhad already spoken. Ottawa, Freeport, Galesburg, Quincy,\\nAlton, Jonesboro and Charleston were the points chosen for\\nthese discussions.\\nThe second and most famous debate was held at Freeport,\\nAugust 27th. It was the greatest political event ever held in\\nthis congressional district. Thousands were in attendance from\\nthe northern counties, and the excitement was intense. A\\nspecial train was made up at Marengo, and run over the Ga-\\nlena Chicago Union road. It consisted of eighteen coaches,\\neight of which were filled with Rockford citizens.\\nMr. Lincoln s doctrine was that the government could not\\nendure permanently divided into free and slave states that\\nthey must all become free, or all become slave. In Mr. Lin-\\ncoln s opinion, the principal point of debate was Judge Doug-\\nlas doctrine of popular sovereignty, in connection with the\\nDred Scott decision. These two positions, in his judgment,\\nwere in direct antagonism, and were, in reality, a shameful\\nfraud.\\nIt was at this debate that Mr. Lincoln propounded the four\\ncelebrated questions to Judge Douglas, the answers to which\\nswept away his last chance for securing the presidency in 1860.\\nPrevious to the debate, a conference was held at the Brewster\\nHouse, at which E. B. Washburne and Joseph Medill urged Mr.\\nLincoln to refrain from such interrogations. But Lincoln was\\ninsistent. He said that if Judge Douglas answered them one", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0394.jp2"}, "395": {"fulltext": "MR. HITTS REMINISCENCE. 301\\nway he would loae his prestige with the south; and if he\\nanswered them the other way, he could not retain the leader-\\nship of the northern wing of his party.\\nThe result justified Mr. Lincoln s prophecy. Of that\\nanswer at Freeport, as Mr. Herndon puts it, Douglas instantly\\ndied. The red-gleaming southern tomahawk flashed high and\\nkeen, Douglas was removed out of Lincoln s way. The wind\\nwas taken out of Seward s sails (by the house-divided speech),\\nand Lincoln stood out prominent.\\nThe election occurred on the 2d of November. Mr. Lincoln\\nreceived a majority of over four thousand of the popular vote,\\nyet the returns from the legislative districts foreshadowed his\\ndefeat. At the senatorial election in the legislature, Judge\\nDouglas received fifty-four votes, and Mr. Lincoln forty-six\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\none of the results of the unfair apportionment law then in oper-\\nation.\\nRobert R. Hitt, the able representative of this district in\\ncongress, was the official stenographer of these debates. These\\nfamous addresses, which made Mr. Lincoln s national reputa-\\ntion, and which, more than anything else, contributed to his\\nelection as president, owe their permanent form to Mr. Hitt s\\nstenographic notes, the originals of which Mr. Hitt still hoards\\namong his literary treasures. They were published in full by a\\npublishing house in Cincinnati, in 1860.\\nMr. Hitt relates the way in which the Chicago Tribune failed\\nto print a line of Lincoln s historic speech at Freeport in the\\nDouglas debate the greatest of all Lincoln s addresses before\\nthe civil w^ar. Mr. Hitt was reporting the speech, and was\\nwriting out his notes for the next morning s paper, when Owen\\nLovejoy, the abolition agitator, arose in the rear of the hall\\nand delivered a harangue, which is now forgotten, but which,\\nfor the moment, roused the meeting to a frenzy of enthusiasm,\\nwhile Lincoln s had seemed rather tame. Joseph Medill, the\\nproprietor of the Tribune, was carried away with Lovejoy s\\nspeech, and came up to Mr. Hitt s desk excitedly, ordered him\\nto stop transcribing his notes of Lincoln s speech, and to let\\nthe Tribune have every word of Lovejoy s harangue in the\\nmorning. The Tribune next morning was all Lovejoy, and\\nthere was only a word about Lincoln s oration. This is an\\nillustration, says Hitt, in telling the story, of the fact that\\nthe contemporaneous impression of a great occasion does not\\nalways coincide with the judgment of history.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0395.jp2"}, "396": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXXIII.\\nROCKFORD SETTLERS 1855-59.\\nCHARLES WILLIAMS was a native of Massachusetts. He\\ncame to Rockford in 1855, and with his son Lewis, was\\nengaged in the hardware business. Mr. Williams was the war\\nmayor of Rockford, serving from 1859 to 1864. His home was\\nthe residence now owned by John Barnes. Mr. Williams died\\nin 1876. He was father of Miss Elizabeth Williams and the late\\nMrs. C. L. Williams.\\nWilliam M. Rowland came to Rockford in 1855. He was a\\nnative of Connecticut, and when a young man he removed to\\nAugusta, Georgia, where he was interested in the Iron Steam-\\nboat Company. Soon after the repeal of the Missouri compro-\\nmise, Hon. Alexander H. Stephens, member of congress, inform-\\nally received the prominent citizens of Augusta. Mr. Rowland\\nis said to have been the only gentleman present who did not\\noffer congratulations to Mr. Stephens upon the repeal of that\\nlaw, but assured him that it would prove a calamity to the\\nsouth. Mrs. Rowland was a daughter of Rev. Henry Wight, D.\\nD., a graduate of Harvard, and for forty years pastor of a Con-\\ngregational church at Bristol, Rhode Island. Mr. Rowland died\\nApril 29, 1869. William L. and Robert C. Rowland are sons.\\nWilliam L. Rowland was graduated from Yale college in\\nthe class of 1852, and removed to Rockford with his father s\\nfamily in 1855. When the public library was founded in 1872,\\nMr. Rowland was appointed librarian, and he has continuously\\nretained this position. Under his able and conscientious super-\\nvision, the library has grown from an exceedingly humble\\nbeginning to an institution worthy of a much larger city. The\\nRockford public library is universally conceded to be unsur-\\npassed by any other library in the country of its size, for the\\nuse of the student and specialist. The library will be Mr. Row-\\nland s monument. An uncle of Mr. Rowland, Rev. John B.\\nWight, a Unitarian clergyman, was the author of the first pub-\\nlic library law of Massachusetts, enacted in 1851. Mr. Wight\\nwas sent to the legislature from Wayland for the express pur-\\npose of securing the passage of this law.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0396.jp2"}, "397": {"fulltext": "DEATH OF COLONEL NEVIUS. 3G3\\nBenjamin Blakemau was a native of Stratford, Connecticut.\\nHe came to Rockford in 1856, and carried on the lumber busi-\\nness, first on South Court, and later on South Main street.\\nAbout 1871 he formed a partnership with William Dobson, in\\nmanufacturing. Mr. Blakeman is now retired from business.\\nHis daughters are Mrs.Theron Pierpont, Mrs. Anna C. Vincent,\\nMiss Harriett, and Mrs. A. D. Early, deceased.\\nColonel Garrett Nevius, a native of New York, came toRock-\\nfoi d in 1858. He was a member of the Rockford City Greys, and\\nin 1861 he enlisted with the Eleventh Illinois Volunteers, and\\narose to the rank of colonel. He was killed in the charge of\\nRansom s brigade on the enemy s works at Vicksburg, May 22,\\n1863. Memorial services were held on the court house square,\\nin Rockford, where the remains lay in state, and an address was\\ndelivered by Dr. Kerr. His body was then sent to New York for\\nburial. Colonel Nevius was only twenty-six years of age.\\nNevius Post, G. A. R., was named in his honor.\\nRobertH. Tinker was born at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands,\\nin 1837, where his father, Rev. Reuben Tinker, was a mission-\\nary, sent out by the Presbyterian church. Mr. Tinker came to\\nRockford in 1856. He built the Swiss cottage, on Kent s\\ncreek, the most picturesque home in the city. The plan of his\\nunique library, on two floors, with winding stairway, was sug-\\ngested to Mr. Tinker by his visit to Sir Walter Scott s library,\\nnearly forty years ago. In 1870 Mr. Tinker married the widow\\nof John H. Manny. He was elected Mayor of Rockford in 1875,\\nand served one term. Mr. Tinker has been interested in various\\nmanufacturing enterprises.\\nJohn H. Hall came to Rockford in 1855, and engaged in\\nthe grocery trade. He served the city as alderman, and as a\\nmember of the school board. The Hall school is named in his\\nhonor. Mr. Hall was father of Mrs. H. N. Baker, and Henry\\nand Miss Helen Hall. His death occurred in 1882.\\nLucius M. West was born at Vernon Center, New York, June\\n19, 1820. He was united in marriage to Miss Sarah A. Sturte-\\nvant, of his native county. In 1858 Mr. and Mrs. West and\\ntheir three sons came to Rockford. In 1862 Mr. West built\\nthe store now occui)ied by M. M. Carpenter, where he carried on\\ntrade in rubber goods and boots and shoes. About 1874 he\\nengaged in the manufacture and jobbing of enamel carriage top\\ndressing, which has attained a world-wide reputation. Mr. West\\nwas actively identified with the religious interests of the city.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0397.jp2"}, "398": {"fulltext": "364 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nIn 1875 he appointed a religious service for Woodruff s Addi-\\ntion, and for three years and a half conducted a mission school\\nthere, and furnished the building at his own expense. Deacon\\nWest was benevolent, and freely gave of his means to relieve\\nthe sick and needy. He died August 20, 1893.\\nCharles L. Williams was born in Sherburne, Chenango\\ncounty. New York, October 20, 1828. He was graduated from\\nHamilton college in 1847, and in 1851 he received the degree of\\nM. A. from his alma mater. Mr. Williams came to Rockford in\\n1859, and engaged in mercantile business. He married a\\ndaughter of Mayor Charles WilHams and subsequently pur-\\nchased his father-in-law s house on North Main street, which\\nincluded the lots now belonging to John Barnes and Mrs. Julia\\nP. Warren. Mr. Williams took an active interest in organizing\\nthe public library, and from 1872 to 1878 he was a member of\\nthe board of directors. Mr. Williams has four children Mrs. C.\\nR. Smith, of Chicago; Mrs. W^. D. Williams, of Omaha; Miss\\nSarah, and Lewis A. Williams.\\nDaniel N. Hood was born in Salem, Massachusetts, Septem-\\nber 25, 1834, and came to Rockford in 1858. Prof. Hood was\\nfor many years at the head of the musical department of Rock-\\nford seminary, and for more than ten years of this period he\\nwas organist of the Second Presbyterian church in Chicago.\\nProf. Hood now resides in Boston. He is father of Mrs. Frank\\nD. Emerson.\\nGilbert Woodruff was born near Watertown, New York,\\nNovember 20, 1817. He came to Rockford in 1857, and soon\\nafter he purchased and platted a farm which is now known as\\nWoodruff s Addition. Easy terms of payment were given pur-\\nchasers of lots. Mr. Woodruff is therefore in a real sense one\\nof the builders of Rockford. He has been president of the Rock-\\nford National Bank since its organization; president of the\\nForest City Insurance Company since its organization in 1873\\nand president of the Forest City Furniture factory since 1875.\\nIn 1842 Mr. Woodruff was united in marriage to Miss Nancy\\nFay. They had five children Mrs. Sarah Parmele, Volney D\u00e2\u0080\u009e\\nMrs. Emma Ferguson, William F., and Mrs. R. W. Emerson.\\nMrs. Woodruff died in 1877. In 1879 Mr. Woodruff married\\nMrs. Augusta Todd. Mr. Woodruff was mayor of Rockford\\nfrom 1873 to 1875.\\nHorace W. Taylor was born in Granby, Massachussetts,\\nFebruary 1, 1823. He was was graduated from Amherst in", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0398.jp2"}, "399": {"fulltext": "M. L. GORHAM.-N. C. THOMrSOX.-THOS. BUTTERWORTIJ. 8G5\\n1848. In 1857 he came to Rockford and was admitted to the\\nbar in the autumn of the name year. For forty years Mr. Tay-\\nlor was a well-known member of thele ?al profession of this city.\\nIn 18GG he bef2;an his work as master-in-chancery under\\nappointment of Judge Sheldon. This position he held until his\\ndeath, except an interim from 1872 to 1876. Mr. Taylor was\\nelected a member of the legislature in 1878, and served one\\nterm. His death occurred at asanitariumat Kenosha, August\\n29,1898. His immediate surviving family are: Mrs. Taylor,\\nand two daughters, Mrs. J, R. Crocker, of Chicago, and Miss\\nAma. Mr. Taylor was the first president of the New England\\nSociety of Rockford.\\nMarquis L. Gorham was a native of Vermont, and came to\\nRockford in 1857. He obtained a patent for a seeder manufact-\\nured by Clark Utter, and for a corn cultivator made by N.\\nC. Thompson. He was also the inventor of the first twine\\nbinder, the patent for which was sold to C. H. McCormick. Mr.\\nGorham died at Philadelphia in 187G, while attending the cen-\\ntennial exposition, when he was only about forty-five years of\\nage. His daughter, Mrs. Alice Harrison, died in 1882, and the\\nlast surviving child, Mrs. Lillian Harrison, died in 1890.\\nNorman Cornelius Thompson was born in Knoxville,\\nGeorgia, May 25, 1828. Mr. Thompson entered Yale college,\\nand during his junior year his father s home and store were\\ndestroyed by fire. This misfortune changed his course in life.\\nMr. Thompson came to Rockford in 1857. He built one of the\\nlargest manufacturing plants on the water-power, and his\\nimmense output contributed in no small degree to the prestige\\nof Rockford as a manufacturing city. Mr. Thompson was a\\npublic-spirited citizen, and a generous supporter of the First\\nPresbyterian church, Financial reverses overtook him in 1884,\\nwhich resulted in the suspension of his bank in East Rockford,\\nand his retirement from his manufacturing industry. Mr.\\nThompson died July 4, 1898. N. F. Thompson, of the Manu-\\nfacturers National Bank, is a son, and Miss Norma C. Thompson\\nis a daughter.\\nThomas Butterworth was born in Manchester, England,\\nSeptember 6, 1827. He learned brick-laying in his native coun-\\ntry. In his twentieth year he came to America, and landed at\\nNew Orleans. On account of yellow fever, he immediately went\\nto Cincinnati. He entered the employ of Stacy Company, the\\nproprietors of the Cincinnati gas works, and in their interest", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0399.jp2"}, "400": {"fulltext": "366 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nhe was sent to repair the works in Rockford about 1856. The\\nlatter plant was then owned by Lane, Sanford Co. He\\nremained in Rockford and assumed the management of the\\nworks. He also continued the business of contractor, and built\\nBrown s Hall, the old People s Bank building on State street,\\nand other buildings. He subsequently sold his contracting\\nbusiness, and in time became the sole owner of the gas plant.\\nIn 1878 Mr. Butterworth was elected a member of the legisla-\\nture, as a Democrat, and served one term. His death occurred\\nat Ashville, North Carolina, April 5, 1885. His surviving family\\nwere Mrs. Butterworth, and seven children Mrs. Will TuUock,\\nMrs. E. M. Botsford, Mrs. Paul P. Schuster, Mrs. Hosmer\\nPorter, Mrs. Geo. Roper, and Chester and William Butterworth.\\nWilliam H. Townsend came to Rockford in 1857, from\\nSpringfield, Pennsylvania, He was in affluent circumstances.\\nHis home was on South Third street, well known in later years\\nas the residence of Dr. D. S. Clark. Mr, Townsend was a stock-\\nholder and director of the Rock River Mutual Fire Insur-\\nance Company, and the later reverses of the company were a\\nsource of such anxiety to him that he became deranged. June\\n2, 1869, his body was found in Rock river, about four and a\\nhalf miles south of the city. Mr. Townsend was about sixty\\nyears of age, and had been a member of the board of education.\\nHe was held in high esteem, and his death was a great shock to\\nthe community. Mr. Townsend was father of Mrs. D. S. Clark.\\nF. H. Manny came to Rockford in 1859. He was a cousin\\nof John P. and John H. Manny. For some years he was en-\\ngaged in manufacturing on the water-power. His home was the\\nresidence owned later by W. F, Hudler, on the South side. He\\nmet with reverses in 1875, went to Waukegan, and from there\\nto Chicago. Mr. Manny died in Chicago April 15, 1899, at the\\nage of eighty-two years. The remains were brought to Rock-\\nford for interment. He had one son, James, who so far as\\nknown by his friends, is no longer living, and three daughters,\\nthe first and second Mrs. Farrington, and Miss Harriett.\\nAmong other well-known citizens who came to Rockford\\nduring the period covered by this chapter are the following:\\nGeorge Trufant, George H. Dennett, Wm, McKinley, 1855; A.\\nC. Burpee, 1856; David Keyt, S. F. Penfield, D. S. Hough, H.B.\\nHale, W. H. Smith, C. A. Shaw, 1857; John R. Porter, 1859.\\nOther citizens engaged in active business during the fifties\\nwere L. H. Todd, dealer Jn boots and shoes; Thomas Ennett,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0400.jp2"}, "401": {"fulltext": "THE rnOPHIETORS OF ROCK TON. 3G7\\ncoutractor; D. Miller, bootK and Hlioes; J. W. Seccomb, books;\\nC. T. Sackett, painter; W. G. Johnson, painter; Robert Smith,\\nhatter; J. B. Agard, grain buyer; Joseph Burns, dry goods;\\nWm. Lyman, physician John Fraley, druggist; Israel Sovereign,\\nhardware dealer. James B. Skinner, who conducted a black-\\nsmith shop on North Main street, became the founder of the\\nmanufacturing firm of Skinner, Briggs Enoch. He was father\\nof Mrs. C. F. Henrv and Mrs. A. C. Grav.\\nSeveral early settlers should have been mentioned in their\\nproper chronological order. Among these were the Talcott\\nfamily. The first permanent white settlers of Rockton, with\\nthe exception of Stephen Mack, were William Talcott and his\\nson, Thomas B. They came from Rome, New York, with horse\\nand wagon, in 1835. The father removed his family to Rock-\\nton in 1837. Wait, Sylvester and Henry Talcott were younger\\nsons. William Talcott held a captain s commission in a com-\\npany of New York state niilitia during the second war with\\nEngland. His death occurred September 2, 18G4. Thomas B.\\nwas one of the first three county commissioners elected in 1836.\\nHe died at Rockton October 1, 1894. The Talcott family were\\nthe first proprietors of the northern village. Samuel Talcott\\nsettled there in 1843.\\nLevi Rhoades was born at Hinsdale, New York, June 25,\\n1830. In 1847 he came to Rockford. He learned the cooper s\\ntrade, and during the war he laid the foundation of a large\\nestate in supplying the demand for barrels. He continued in\\nthis business until 1884. Mr. Rhoades was interested in many\\nmanufacturing enterprises, and was a man of great force and\\nexecutive ability. He was elected mayor of Rockford in 1876,\\nand served one year. His death occurred November 19, 1891.\\nW. D.Trahern was born in Louden county, Virginia, March\\n24, 1824. In 1848 he came to Rockford, and the following\\nyear he began the manufacture of threshing-machines. In 1862\\nMr. Trahern engaged in the manufacture of iron pumps. Mr.\\nTrahern was successful in business, a considerate employer, and\\nwas highly esteemed. He died November 2, 1883. O. P. Tra-\\nhern is a son.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0401.jp2"}, "402": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXXIV.\\nECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1850-60.\\nDURING the pastorate of Rev. F. A. Reed, the congregation\\nof the First Methodist church became so large that he\\nsuggested the formation of another church on the West side.\\nIn 1851 the Methodists living on the West side held their Sun-\\nday and Thursday evening prayer-meetings at the home of the\\nleader, James B. Skinner, on North Main street. The organi-\\nzation of what is now the Court Street Methodist church was\\ncompleted January 1, 1852, in the First church. The charter\\nmembers, as nearly as can be ascertained, were as as follows\\nJames B. Skinner, Charlotte L. Skinner, William Hazard,\\nLouisa Hazard, Elizabeth Keyes, Rev. Wm. Fowler, Mrs. Eliza-\\nbeth Fowler, Daniel Ticknor, Thomas Peters, Ann Peters, Clark\\nFisher, Francis Richards, Lucy Richards, James Preston, Ann\\nPreston, Jonathan Hitchcock, Mrs. J. Hitchcock, Asael Ives,\\nMary Ives, Dr. Charles N.Andrews, Mary Dewey, Joanna Davis,\\nGeorge Boyd, Alzira Andrus, George Reeves, Elizabeth Reeves,\\nG. W. Reeves, W. J. Cole, Mary Cole, William Hamley, John\\nTravis, Mrs. Travis, John Austin, Mrs. Austin.\\nThe following board of trustees was elected William J.\\nCole, James Taylor, Charles N. Andrews, Jonathan Hitchcock,\\nand James B. Skinner. In 1852 the Dorcas Society was organ-\\nized. January 14, 1853, a lot was purchased on North Court\\nstreet, and the erection of a church was soon begun, with John\\nAustin, architect Jonathan Hitchcock, mason; and W. J.Cole,\\ncarpenter. During the erection of the church, the congregation\\nworshiped in Boyd s Hall. Rev. Luke Hitchcock was presiding\\nelder.\\nThe conference of 1853 sent Rev. Chatfield, who remained a\\npart of the year, and then returned to Michigan. Rev. William\\nTasker, pastor of the First church, assumed oversight of the\\nchurch until the next conference. In September, 1854, Rev. W.\\nF. Stewart was appointed pastor. The dedication of the new\\nchurch occurred in November, 1854, conducted bj Revs. Hooper\\nCrews, Bolles, Stuff, and Agard. The cost of the building and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0402.jp2"}, "403": {"fulltext": "THE FIRST MASS. 369\\ngrounds was seven thousand dollars. A revival followed the\\nopening of the new church, and during that conference year one\\nhundred and forty persons were added to their numbers.\\nIn 18G4 Court Street church was set off in the Mt. Morris\\ndistrict, and William T, Harlow was appointed presiding elder.\\nThis division of territory was unsatisfactory, and in 18G5 this\\ncharge was returned to the Rockford district, where it belonged,\\nand where it has since remained. August 2G, 1857, the confer-\\nence met with this church. This conference was signalized by\\nthe passage of stringent anti-slavery resolutions, and in break-\\ning ground for the Wesleyan seminary, to which reference was\\nmade in a preceding chapter. The first pastors served in the\\nfollowing order: 1853-54, Rev. Chatfield 1854-55, Rev. W. F.\\nStewart; 1856-58, Rev. Luman A. Sanford; 1858-60, William\\nP. Gray; 1860-61, Revs. James R. Goodrich, William E.\\nDaniels, T. B. Taylor. Rev. J. H. Vincent, founder of the Chau-\\ntauqua movement, and now a bishop of the church, was pastor\\nfrom 1861 to 1864. During his absence on a trip to Europe,\\nthe pulpit was supplied by Rev. Daniel P. Kidder, D. D.\\nInformation concerning the early history of St. James\\nRoman Catholic church is very meager. The records are said\\nto have been destroyed in the Chicago fire of 1871. Mass was\\ncelebrated in the homes of Catholic settlers of Rockford by\\npriests located at New Dublin and Freeport, previous to 1850.\\nFather Gueguen said mass and baptized children in 1840.\\nThe permanent organization dates from 1850. John McAnar-\\nney is said to be the oldest resident Catholic in the city. In\\n1851 Artemas Hitchcock and wife conveyed to Rt. Rev. James\\nOliver Van de Velde, for one hundred and fifty dollars, lot one\\nin block twenty-six, as found in Duncan Ferguson s map of the\\nvillage. A second conveyance was from John Lee and wife to\\nAnthony Regan, bishop of Chicago, of lot two in the same block,\\nfor four hundred dollars. Father Hampston was appointed\\npriest of the parish in 1851 by Bishop Van de Velde. He was the\\nfirst resident pastor, and built the first church in 1852. It was\\na small, one-story frame structure, with a seating capacity for\\ntwo hundred people. The citizens of the town contributed a\\nportion of the money with which the church was erected. Father\\nHampston died while in charge of the parish, and is buried under\\nthe present church. He was a man of studious habits, modest\\nand retiring in manner, and highly respected by the citizens.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0403.jp2"}, "404": {"fulltext": "370 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nThe present St, James church was begun in 1866, and dedi-\\ncated the followingyear, under the pastorate of Rev. J. S. O Neill.\\nThe pastors of St. James church have been as follows Revs.\\nJohn Hampston, George Hamilton, William Lambert, J. Bulger,\\nJohn P. Donelan, J. S. O Neill, Joseph McMahon, T. J. Butler,\\nJames J. Flaherty. The only surviving pastors are Fathers\\nMcMahon and Flaherty. The latter started the parochial school\\nin 1886, and in 1891 completed the present brick structure.\\nThe school is in charge of the Dominican Sisters.\\nDean Butler was a priest of more than local reputation. He\\nwas born in Limerick, Ireland. He completed his education in\\nthe College of the Propaganda, in Rome. He possessed unusual\\nmusical abihty and while in Rome was a member of the pope s\\nchoir. It is said Dean Butler was the papal ambassador at the\\nbaptism of the Prince Imperial, son of Napoleon III. and Eugenie.\\nDuring the civil war. Dean Butler was chaplain of the Irish Bri-\\ngade. He was a man of literary tastes, and for some years was\\na member of the Rockford public library board. Dean Butler\\ndied at Rome in July, 1897.\\nThe formal organization of Presbyterianism in Rockford\\noccurred in 1854. There were Presbyterians, however, in the\\ncity before that time. These naturally affiliated with the Con-\\ngregational churches, and were not an unimportant element in\\ntheir strength. The building begun as a Congregational church\\non North First street, and afterward abandoned, was often\\ncalled the Presbyterian church. It was really the joint effort\\nof Congregationalists and Presbyterians. The Presbyterian\\nclergy of this country have been distinguished for piety and cul-\\nture, and the church has been a stalwart champion of the fun-\\ndamental Christian doctrines. The writer is indebted for the\\nfacts given herewith to historical addresses delivered by Rev.\\nJames Cruickshanks and Rev. J. K. Fowler.\\nEarly in 1853 a few devout adherents of this faith lay the\\nfoundations of a Presbyterian church in Rockford. The first\\nmeeting was held in the summer in the old court house (the\\nabandoned Congregational church) on the east side of the river.\\nRev. R. G. Thompson, of Beloit, preached the first sermon to a\\ncongregation of twelve persons. Services were subsequently\\nconducted at intervals by members of the Chicago presbytery,\\nuntil the arrival in December of Rev. Hugh A. Brown. In\\nNovember, 1853, these services were held in Peake s Hall and", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0404.jp2"}, "405": {"fulltext": "REV. J. M. FARTS CALLED. 371\\nin the court house. In December services were ref::ularly held\\ntwice each sabbatii first in liorsrnan s Hall, and later in War-\\nner s hall, over C. F. Henry s clothinjij store. February 1,1854,\\nthe little band resumed worship in the court house, where, July\\n8th of the same year the formal or :!:anization of the First Pres-\\nbyterian church of Rockford was duly effected, with thirty-eight\\nmembers. Rev. G. F. Goodhue, of Marengo, presided.\\nThe original members of this church were as follows Wil-\\nliam Johnson, Christina Johnson, Margaret Johnson, Deborah\\nBurns, Charles M. Priestly, James Forbes, Esther Armstrong,\\nIsabella Marshall, Elizabeth Clow, William McCall, James Nes-\\nbit, Jolin Bull, Rebecca Kozier, Thomas Meredith, Grace\\nHinch, John Martin, A. Ferguson, Mary Parlaud, Janet Shep-\\nherd, Mary Johnson, Archibald Johnson, Michael Burns, Shep-\\nley Piiestly, Fanny Moore, Petrina Forbes, Peter R. Marshall,\\nRobert Clow, Sarah Forbes, Jane Blaine, Anna Nesbit, Sarah\\nBull, David Meredith, Nancy Meredith, Elizabeth Linn, Mary\\nMartin, Mrs. A. Ferguson, William Shepherd, and John Tul-\\nlock. William Johnson, Michael Burns, Thomas Meredith and\\nShepley Priestly were chosen to the eldership, and Robert Clow\\nand William McCall were elected deacons, who were ordained\\nand installed in their respective offices on the following day.\\nA choir was employed September 17th to lead in the service of\\nsong, and November, 1855, the choir, by a resolution passed in\\nthe session, was allowed the use of an instrument for use in pub-\\nlic worship. In October, 1855, H. C. Meslor and William Shep-\\nherd were elected and installed as ruling elders.\\nDecember 3, 1855, the clerk of the session was instructed to\\napply to the board of domestic missions for an appropriation\\nof three hundred dollars to aid in the support of Rev. Hugh A.\\nBrown, as the stated sui)ply of the church. February 10, 1857,\\nRev. Moses Ordwa} of thepresbytery of Chicago, was requested\\nto be present at a meeting to make choice of a pastor. Rev.\\nHugh A. Brown was chosen. He declined the call, though he\\ncontinued to supply the pulpit until January 1, 1858, when\\nRev. John M. Faris, of the Richland presbytery, synod of Ohio,\\nwas unanimously chosen pastor.\\nThe first report to the presbytery in 1855 shows that the\\nmembership had increased to fifty-five, the families to thirty-\\neight, and the congregational expenses to six hundred and\\ntwenty-five dollars. Rev. Faris pastoratecontinued four years\\nand a half, until October, 18G2, when failing health made his", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0405.jp2"}, "406": {"fulltext": "372 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nresignation necessary. His pastorate was successful. The\\ncommunicants increased the first year from seventy-seven to\\nninety-seven, and the congregational expenses from seven hun-\\ndred to thirteen hundred dollars.\\nRev. Faris successors have been Revs. Faunt LeroySenour,\\nJ. S. Grimes, A. J. Leyenberger (now shortened to Berger),\\nJames Cruickshanks, J. K. Fowler, J. R. Sutherland, George\\nHarkness, B. E. S. Ely.\\nIn September following the organization the congregation\\nworshiped in the old Unitarian church, on the northeast corner\\nof Elm and Church streets. Services were held in the old court\\nhouse from November, 1854, until March 1, 1855, when the old\\nUnitarian church was purchased. The society used it for a time\\non the old site, and then removed it to the northeast corner\\nof State and Winnebago streets, where the church continued to\\nworship until December 20, 1868, when they took possession of\\ntheir present house of worship.\\nThe sabbath-school antedates the church six months. It\\nwas organized the last Wednesday in December, 1853, with\\nfifteen pupils, promptly after a stated supply had reached the\\nfield. Mr. Brown may have directed the school for a time, but\\nMichael Burns was the first superintendent.\\nThe First Swedish Lutheran church was organized January\\n15, 1854, with seventy-seven communicants and thirty-two\\nchildren. Late in the summer of 1855 it was decided to build a\\nchurch. The original estimate of cost was seven hundred and\\nseventy-five dollars. Its actual cost, however, was sixteen\\nhundred dollars. This church was erected on the corner of\\nNorth First street and what is now Lafayette avenue. It was\\na frame structure, forty -five by thirty-eight feet, and twenty-\\neight feet high. It had a seating capacity for three hundred\\npersons. The dedication occurred November 23, 1856. Dr.\\nHasselquist preached the dedicatory sermon. This building is\\nstill standing, and forms a part of J. Friedman s double house\\non North First street.\\nThe first pastor was Rev. A. Andren, who was called in the\\nspring of 1856, and entered upon his duties in August of the\\nsame year. Rev. Andren built a parsonage on the church lot\\nat his own expense, with the understanding that at the termi-\\nnation of his pastorate the church should buy the building at\\nits original cost. Rev. Andren s pastorate continued until the", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0406.jp2"}, "407": {"fulltext": "THE CHRISTIAN CHI RCH.- WESTMINSTER PRESIi YTERIA N. 373\\nclose of 1860, wheu he removed to Attica, Indiana. In May,\\n1860, the church decided to withdraw from the synod of North-\\nern Illinois, and join the Angustana synod. At that time the\\nchurch had one hundred and fifteen communicants.\\nThe present church was built in 1883, at a cost of about\\nsixty thousand dollars. It is the largest auditorium in the city,\\nwith a seating capacity for eighteen hundred. Its membership\\nis fifteen hundred, with eight hundred children. This is the larg-\\nest membership of any Swedish Lutheran church in America.\\nThe Christian church was organized March 18, 1856, with\\ntwenty-five members. They first held meetings in the old court\\nhouse. The first records are meagre. An edifice was completed in\\n1856. It stood on the site of the Trinity Lutheran church, and\\nits estimated cost was |1,748. The clergy of the Christian\\nchurch discarded the prefix Reverend. The first elder was Issac\\nShaver, who served one year. He was succeeded by L. J.\\nCorrell, who remained two years. Lorenzo D. Waldo, who came\\nto Rockford in 1845, was for thirty-two years an elder of\\nthis church, and an honored and faithful minister of the gospel.\\nMr. Waldo died July 12, 1888. He was father of Billings R.,\\nHenry D., and Misses Jennie, Mabel and Ada Waldo.\\nThe Westminster Presbyterian church was organized Jan-\\nuary 3, 1856, with twenty-two members. Many of these had\\ntaken letters from the First Congregational church. A frater-\\nnal feeling prevailed at the time of separation, but there was a\\nconviction among those who were distinctivelv Presbvterian\\nthat there was an opportunity for a society of that faith. The\\norganization of the church occurred in the old Congregational\\nchurch. It was first called the Second Presbyterian church,\\nand the name was subsequently changed to Westminster.\\nThe constituent members were as follows Thomas Garri-\\nson, Mrs. Electa Garrison, Ralph Giddings, Mrs. Cornelia Gid-\\ndings, Joel B. Potter, Mrs. Adaline B. Potter, E. S. Rose, Mrs.\\nJerusha C. Rose, Eliza W. Rose (now Mrs. E. T. Cleveland),\\nCharles Williams, Mrs. Sarah S. Williams, Frederick A. Hart,\\nMrs. Sylvia Hart, Eusebia More, Eliza White, Stephen Rose,\\nMrs. Amanda H. Rose, Frances Rose, Stephen Rose, Jr., J. H.\\nWheat, Mrs. Frances E. Wheat, Juliet F. Wheat. Three of this\\nnumber are still residing in Rockford Mrs. Adaline Potter, Mrs.\\nE. T. Cleveland (formerly Miss Eliza ^L Rose), and ^^rs. Frances\\nE. Wheat. Joel B. Potter, Charles Williams, J, H. Wheat and", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0407.jp2"}, "408": {"fulltext": "374 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nJ. S. Rose constituted the first board of elders. The first dea-\\ncons were Stephen Rose and Ralph Giddin^s. Rev. Morrison\\nPluggins was the first pastor, who served until 1859. He liter-\\nally gave his life for his people, and died during his pastorate.\\nAs he consciously drew near the end, he said: A pastor s\\ndeath-bed is his people s.\\nThe first place of worship was the historic court house on\\nNorth First street. In the summer of 1856 a chapel was com-\\npleted on the ground now occupied by the lecture room of the\\nchurch. This chapel soon proved too small, and public worship\\nwas conducted in Metropolitan Hall, pending the erection of\\nthe present church, which was dedicated in 1858.\\nThe following have served the church as pastors or stated\\nsupplies: Revs. Morrison Huggins, L. H. Johnson, Charles\\nMattoon, Charles A. Williams, W. S. Curtis, J. H. Ritchie, T. S.\\nScott, S. L. Conde, W. M. Campbell, W. T. Wilcox.\\nThe Winnebago Street church had its origin in a Sunday-\\nschool, which was started May 20, 1856, and which held its ses-\\nsions in a grove on the river bank. From the grove, in Octo-\\nber, the school went, by invitation of the directors, into the\\nnew Kent schoolhouse. The Sunday-school continued to grow\\nuntil a church became a necessity. The sabbath-school was\\nunder the supervision of the Court Street church. The church\\nwas organized March 4, 1864, at the home of Israel Sovereign.\\nThe presiding elder, Richard A. Blanchard, acted as chairman.\\nThe roll of members numbered twenty-eight. The following\\nboard of trustees was elected Israel Sovereign, Fred. A. Arnold,\\nJosephus Lakin, Benjamin F. Whittle, and Stephen Thayer.\\nGround was broken for the new church August 8, 1864. The\\ncorner-stone was laid August 24th. The address was made by\\nRev. Thomas M. Eddy. The cost of the church was eight thou-\\nsand dollars, and was dedicated February 12, 1865, by Dr.\\nEddy. The parsonage was built in 1867, at a cost of twelve\\nhundred and fifty dollars. Rev. Robert Bentley served as pas-\\ntor from 1864 to 1866 Rev. William D. Skelton from 1866 to\\n1869; Henry L. Martin, 1869 to 1871.\\nOne of the results of the religious revival of 1858 was the\\nformation of the Young Men s Christian Association. The first\\nmeeting preliminary to organization was held May 4, 1858, at\\nthe First Presbyterian church. A motion prevailed that an\\nAssociation be formed, and an adjournment was taken to", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0408.jp2"}, "409": {"fulltext": "YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. 175\\nTuesday evening, May 11th, The next meeting:, however, was\\nnot held until the 18th, when the constitution was sif^ned by\\nsixty persons, all of whom were members of the varions evan-\\npjelieal churches of the cit^ May 25th, the Association met at\\nthe Baptist church. Rev. Hooper Crews delivered the inaug-\\nural address, and the constitution was signed by forty-five\\npersons. On the following Tuesday evening, June 1st, the\\nAssociation elected a portion of their officers, and at their\\nnext meeting, June 8th, the organization was comi)leted.\\nThe officers were as follows: President, Horace \\\\V. Taylor;\\nvice-presidents, S, F. Penfield, C. E. Buswell, AVilliam Wasson,\\nLewis Williams, R, P. Lane, William Brown, V. Daniels; corre-\\nsponding secretar^^ E. C.Daugherty; recording secretary, O. A.\\nPennoyer; treasurer, William Culver; librarian, C. E. Wingate.\\nA standing committee and a committee on library and lectures\\nwere appointed. The lecture and library committees were\\nrequested to procure Sunday evening lectures, as often as once\\nin each month, from the pastors of the city and others.\\nDuring this formative period several animated discussions\\nwere held concerning the eligibility of Unitarians to member-\\nship. Among the leaders of the affirmative were Rev. A. H.\\nConant and Melancthon Starr. The Association was pros-\\nperous for about three years. The last president was Lucius M.\\nWest. The outbreak of the civil war drew many of the young\\nmen into military service, and the Association ceased to exist\\nabout 18G1. The meetings were held on the second floor of the\\nstone building on the southeast corner of Stnte and Wyman\\nstreets. Last year Charles L. Williams found the records of the\\nAssociation among his household effects, and presented them\\nto the present Association.\\nThe Third Street church was the second daughter of the First\\nchurch. It was organized January 9, 1858, with about eighty\\nmembers, while Rev. Hooper Crews was pastor of the ])arent\\nchurch. Messrs. Benjamin Holt, Willinm Brown, Charles Foster,\\nSolomon Wheeler, George Troxell, Willard Wheeler, William\\nWorthington, Francis A. Horn and James Chick constituted\\nthe first board of trustees. Two lots were purchased on the\\neast side of North Third street for twelve hundred dollars.\\nThe church was built by John Early in 1858 at a cost of four\\nthousand dollars. It was dedicated by Hooper Crews, Satur-\\nday, October 9, 1858. Rev. Thomas M. Eddy, the well-known", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0409.jp2"}, "410": {"fulltext": "376 HISTORY OF ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\neditor and author, preached the following Sunday morning. A\\nsmall parsonage was built adjoining the edifice on the north in\\n1859, at a cost of six hundred dollars. In 1866 the church was\\nenlarged and improved at an outlay of eighteen hundred\\ndollars. In 1871 the society bought a parsonage on State\\nstreet, nearly opposite the Baptist church, for three thousand\\nand nine hundred dollars. This property was subsequently\\nowned by Henry C. Gill. In 1874 the society sold the former\\nparsonage on Third street for thirteen hundred dollars. This\\nchurch was visited by several successful revivals.\\nThe Third Street church became strong and influential. Rev.\\nNathaniel P. Heath served from 1858-60; Rev. Luman A.\\nSanford, 1860-62. Mayl9,1876,theFirstchurchandthe Third\\nStreet church concluded to unite their fortunes and spend their\\nfuture as one body, under the name of the Centennial church.\\nThe State Street Baptist church was organized in 1858.\\nDuring Rev. Ichabod Clark s pastorate of the First Baptist\\nchurch, letters were granted to thirty -four members who wished\\nto organize a society on the east side of the river. This pur-\\npose had its origin in the prayer-meetings held by the Baptist\\nwomen in that part of the city. The first formal step toward the\\nnew church was the organization of a Sunday-school, July 4,\\n1858. July 13th, a prayer-meeting was held in the vestry of the\\nWestminster Presbyterian church, at which notice was given\\nthat two weeks from that date a second meeting of those inter-\\nested in the new movement would be held.\\nThe organization of the church was formally completed in\\nthe vestry of the Presbyterian church August 17, 1858, with\\nthe following constitutent members C. E. Buswell, A. S. Bus-\\nwell, Eliza Barker, Charles Barker, Sophia C. Chamberlain,\\nBrewster H. Chamberlin, Susan Cram (Mrs. P. Mesick), Armina\\nCram, Ruhanna Compton, Amanda Crane, Abby M. Dennis,\\nJames T. Dunn, Jane L. Dunn, Ann A. Dunn, Thompson Dunn,\\nStephen Gilbert, Sarah Gilbert, Maria Gilbert, Jacob Hazlett,\\nJane Hazlett, Catherine Hazlett, Margaret Hazlett (Mrs. J. P.\\nLargent), James B. Howell, Cardina M. Hathawaj^ H. H.\\nGuthrie, Ellen Miles, George Mills, Susan Mills, Chichester Mills,\\nElizabeth M. Mills, Erastus B. Perry, E. R. Riggs, Charlotte A.\\nRiggs, Sarah A. Stearns. Six of this number are still living in\\nRockford Jacob Hazlett, Mrs. Jane Hazlett, Catherine Haz-\\nlett, Mrs. J. P. Largent, Miss Eliza Barker, and J. B. Howell.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0410.jp2"}, "411": {"fulltext": "STA TE STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. 377\\nThe first board of deacons consisted of E. R. Riffprs, J. T. Dunn\\nand C. E. Buswell; Chichester Mills, clerk; R. Smith, treasurer.\\nThe next day, Rev. Edward C. Mitchell arrived in the city.\\nAugust 31st he was called to the pastorate, which he accepted\\nSeptember 14th. The terms were three hundred dollars in\\ncash, an equal amount in board for himself and wife, and two\\nhundred dollars additional if circumstances permitted. One of\\nthe first steps was the engagement of Prof. D. N. Hood to con-\\nduct the music. The church was prosperous during Dr. Mitch-\\nell s pastorate. A sociable was held in Metropolitan Hall, and\\nplans perfected for a house of worship. A little chapel was\\nerected on the corner of Market, State and North Fifth streets,\\nwhich is still standing. This chapel was dedicated February 2,\\n1860. Its cost was eighteen hundred dollars. It had sittings\\nfor two hundred and fifty people. This house was built at a\\ncost of ceaseless industry and sacrifice, and with some of the\\nforms of special effort incident to pioneer times. For nearly\\nnine years this chapel remained the home of the society.\\nThe organization was first called the Second Baptist church\\nof Rockford, but on the choice of a permanent location, the\\nname was changed to indicate its relationship to the city, to\\nthe State Street Baptist church, October 26, 1 858.\\nThe present house of worship was dedicated November 18,\\n1868 the cost was more than thirty-four thousand dollars.\\nDr. Mitchell s successors have been Revs. Spencer F. Holt,\\nHenry C. Mabie, E. K. Chandler, A. R. Medbury, C. R. Lathrop,\\nJ. T.Burhoe, R. F. Y. Pierce, Langley B. Sears, J. T. Burhoe.\\nRev. Burhoe s first pastorate was the longest in the history of\\nthe church. It began in September, 1883, and closed in Febru-\\nary, 1892. His present pastorate began in November, 1898.\\nDr. Mitchell, the first pastor, died in New Orleans, in Febru-\\nary, 1900. He held positions of influence in his denomination.\\nHe was professor of Biblical literature at Shurtleff college; held\\nthe chair of Hebrew and Old Testament interpretation in the\\nBaptist Union theological seminary professor of Hebrew in\\nRegent s Park college, London president of a Baptist theo-\\nlogical school in Paris; acting president of Roger Williams uni-\\nversit}^ at Nashville, Tennessee; president of Leland university,\\nNew Orleans. He also did considerable literary work. In 1879\\nhe revised and edited Davies Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon\\nwith this he issued the Principles of Hebrew Grammar. In 1880\\nhe issued a new translation of Gesenius Hebrew Grammar.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0411.jp2"}, "412": {"fulltext": "CHAPTER LXXV.\\nCONCLUSION,\\nTHE presidential election of 1860 marked an epoch in Amer-\\nican history. The nation had come to the parting of the\\nways. Mr. Lincoln s prophecy that the government could not\\npermanently endure half slave and half free, was about to be\\ndemonstrated before the world. Mr. Lincoln, by reason of his\\nprofound insight into the political situation, which he had\\nshown in his debates with Judge Douglas, was the logical can-\\ndidate of his party.\\nThe nomination of Mr. Lincoln was received with great\\nenthusiasm by the citizens of Rockford. In August the Rock-\\nford Wide Awake Club was organized. Its object was co-oper-\\nation for the success of Republican principles and the election\\nof Mr. Lincoln.\\nSaturday, September 1st, was a Republican rally day. The\\nWide Awake Clubs from neighboring towns were present. The\\nspecial attraction was Cassius M. Clay, the celebrated orator\\nof Kentucky. The exercises were held on the court house\\nsquare, and it was estimated that fully twelve thousand people\\nwere in attendance. The first speech was made by Hon. James\\nH. Baker, secretary of state of Minnesota. Mr. Clay was intro-\\nduced by Judge S. M. Church. His oratory, said the Register^\\nis not of the fervid kind, but he is a calm, cool, deliberate\\nspeaker, laying out his ideas into square blocks of solid argu-\\nment and building up an edifice supported by facts and figures\\nwhich it is absolutely impossible to undermine or batter down.\\nDuring September and October, a series of joint discussions\\nwas held by Judge Allen C. Fuller, of Belvidere, and John A.\\nRawlins, of Galena, on the political issues of the day. One\\njoint debate was held in each county of the First congressional\\ndistrict. Judge Fuller was the Republican candidate for presi-\\ndential elector, and Mr. Rawlins was the candidate of the Doug-\\nlas Democracy. One discussion was held in Rockford Septem-", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0412.jp2"}, "413": {"fulltext": "ELECTION OF A BRA UA M LINCOLN. 3 79\\nber 29th. These debates have a historic interest by reason of\\nthe subsequent prominence of the participants. Jud^i^e Fuller\\nbecame the war adjutant of the state, and in this capacity he\\ndisplayed great executive ability, and was the able supporter\\nof Governor Yates, in the organization of the military forces\\nof the state. Judge Fuller still resides in Belvidere. Upon the\\noutbreak of the war in 18G1, Mr. Rawlins came promptly to\\nthe support of the union cause; he was the confidential friend\\nand adviser of General Grant during his campaigns, and in\\n1869 he became his secretary of war.\\nAmong other gentlemen who made addresses in Rockford\\nduring the campaign were Judge Lyman Trumbull, Stephen A.\\nHurlbut, Governor Bebb, Melancthon Smith, Colonel Ellis,\\nJames L. Loop and Judge Church. Richard Yates and Owen\\nLovejoy made speeches at Belvidere October 9th.\\nThe presidential election was held November 6th. Winne-\\nbago county cast 3,985 votes for Abraham Lincoln and 817\\nforjudge Douglas; Richard Yates received 3,986 votes for\\ngovernor, and Mr. Allen 826.\\nThe election of Mr. Lincoln was perhaps the most notable\\nevent in the life of the nation. The shouts of victory had\\nscarcely died away when one southern state after another\\nopenly revolted from the authority of the union. The election\\nof Mr. Lincoln brought the sword, rather than peace. But the\\nsword was drawn in a holy cause. For two hundred and fifty\\nyears the irrepressible conflict between freedom and slavery had\\ncontinued. The land of the free had made iniquity her law.\\nMillions of bondsmen wet the soil with tears and blood. Cause\\nand Effect, the chancellors of God, had come to enforce the\\ntruth that there were rights that states must keep or they shall\\nsuffer for their sins. Victor Hugo says of Napoleon at Water-\\nloo: For Bonaparte to be conqueror at Waterloo was not in\\nthe law of the nineteenth century. When the earth is suf-\\nfering from a surcharge there are mysterious moanings from\\nthe deeps that the heavens hear. Napoleon had been impeached\\nbefore the Infinite and his fall was decreed. He vexed God.\\nWaterloo is not a battle; it is the change of front of the uni-\\nverse. So the Slave- Power had overleaped itself, and could no\\nlonger resist the advance of a more enlightened Christian civil-\\nization.\\nAbraham Lincoln was the divinely-appointed man for the\\nhour. There seem to be certain superhuman adjustments that", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0413.jp2"}, "414": {"fulltext": "380 HISTORY Ot ROCKFORD AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.\\nphilosophy does not explain, that work out righteous results.\\nHuman wisdom does not foresee them they do not destroy\\nhuman freedom, but they do achieve their results with infallible\\ncertainty. The leaders of such events are like ^Eneas in the\\nfable they are often covered with a cloud woven by divine fin-\\ngers, and men do not see them. But when they are needed the\\ncloud breaks away, and they stand before the world prepared\\nto do their work. Such a man was Abraham Lincoln. He was\\ncalled to lead in a war made holy by the quickened moral con-\\nscience of the nation. Poets, and reformers, and statesmen\\nhad cast up the highway for the King, who should visit the nation\\nwith chastening. This judgment day was at hand, because\\nPhillips, and Garrison, and Sumner had come beca use Whittier,\\nand Lowell, and Harriett Beecher Stowe had come because\\nLincoln, and Seward, and Chase had come because Grant, and\\nSherman, and Sheridan had come because the great and terri-\\nble day of the Lord had come", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0414.jp2"}, "415": {"fulltext": "I Ml) I:/\\nAgricultural society organized, 172.\\nAllinp. 1) 1).. 49, 152, 15G, 243. 245.\\nAmuHcuient.s, villiijj:t 13i{.\\nAndrue, Isaac, 246,\\nArticles of Confederation, 4.\\nAtlantic cabli celebration, 357.\\nAttornevH, city, 316.\\nAtwatcr. Caleb. 12.\\nBaker, Col. Edward D., 207.\\nMaker, Hon. E. H., 122-123. 347.\\nBaker. Henrv N., 123.\\nBaker. Ira, 92, 122, 123.\\nBanditti of the Frontier, 174-187.\\nHanks:\\nBriggp, Spafford Penfield, 123,331.\\nUickerman, Wheeler Co., 49, 331.\\nE. H. Potter Co., 331.\\nFuller Tomkins, 331.\\nIlorsman a Bank, 317. 331.\\nKitchel, Edward N., 331,\\nLane, Sanford Co., 49, 235.\\nRobertson Holland. 331.\\nSpaffoni, Clark Ellis, 331.\\nWinuebaiTO National Bank. 355.\\nBarbour, O. F., 343.\\nBarnard, D. A., 340.\\nBarnum, Anson, 38, 86, 100, 155.\\nBarnum. Daniel, 129.\\nBarnum, Ezra, 38, 86, 87.\\nBarnum, Harris, 129-130.\\nBaume, Rev. James, 73.\\nBeattie, John, 49, 144. 159, 246.\\nBeattie, Misses 10, 49.\\nBebb, Gov., trial of, 358-359,\\nBeers, Daniel, 38, 69, 71, 100.\\nBertrand Sames, 324.\\nBig Thunder, 34, 111.\\nBirths, first, 76.\\nBla^k Hawk, 16-21.\\nBlack Hawk War. 14. 16-21. 63.\\nBlack, Ike, 45, 46.\\nBlackmer, 0. C. 342.\\nBlackstone, E. S.. 104,131, 185. 237.\\nBlaisdell, E. W., 218-219.\\nBlake School, 31.\\nBlake, Thntoher. 27. 31.36,63,87,\\n106.\\nBlake. Mrs. Thatcher, 31. 43.\\nBlair, John. 353.\\nBlakeman, Benjamin, 363.\\nBlinn, Jesse, 313, 322, 333.\\nBoilvin, Nicholas. 58, 59.\\nBoBwell, James, 36.\\nBrett, Mrs. Carrie, 126. 244, 356.\\nBridqes:\\nFirst Rockford. 231-233.\\nSecond Rockford, 314.\\nBridge tax lew. 233.\\nBriggs, C. C, 337. 354.\\nBrinckerhoff, Geo. W.. 29, 48, 62, 70,\\n78, 88. 189, 244, 245.\\nBrown, Andrew, 103, 101.\\nBrown, E. W., 276.\\nBrown, Eunice. 87. 88.\\nBrown, Horace, 340.\\nBrown. JudgeThoma8,100, 159,185,\\n242, 2G3.\\nBrown, Judge William, 130, 276-277.\\nBund.v, H. W., 85.\\nBuudy Goodhue. 85.\\nBnrnap, Francis, 120. 157. 1G7, 168,\\n171, 194,213.251.354.\\nBurhoe, Rev. J. T.. 377.\\nBurns, Michael. 246, 371.\\nBushuell, H(\u00c2\u00bbrace, 95, 96.\\nButterworth, Thomas, 349, 36.5-366.\\nCampbell, John, murder of. 177.\\nCampbell, Thompson. 101.\\nCanico. T. W., 50.\\nCatlin, Dr. A. M., 107-109. 229.\\nCatlin, Dr. E. P., 47. 303.\\nCrttlin, Mrs. E. P., 93, 283.\\nCemeteries, 151-153.\\nCensus, County, first, 53.\\nCensus, resume, 357.\\nCensus. Village, first, 148.\\nChanev, Ralph. 175, 17( 177. 179.\\n181.\\nCharivari fatalitv. 358.\\nCharters, Rockford. 314-315.\\nCharters, Roj-al, 1.\\nChase, Salmon P.. 357.\\nChetlain, Mrs.. 92. 228.\\nCHriicHKS\\nBaptist, First. 138-147.\\nBaptist. State Street, 376-377.\\nCatholic, St. James. 369-370.\\nChristian, 373.\\nCongregational. First, 87-96.\\nCongregational, Second. 306-312.\\nEpiscopal. 284-286.\\nLutheran, First Swedish. 372-373.\\nMethodist, Court Street. 368-369.\\nMethodist, First, 68-74.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0415.jp2"}, "416": {"fulltext": "382\\nINDEX.\\nChurches continued.\\nMethodist, Third Street, 375-376.\\nMethodist, Winnebago Street, 374.\\nPresbyterian, First, 370-372.\\nPresbyterian, Westminster, 373-374.\\nUnitarian, 194-200.\\nUniversalist, 229-230,\\nChurch, Samuel I., 93, 351..\\nChurch, Judge S. M., 29, 38, 41, 50,\\n62, 132, 167, 168, 171, 191, 226,\\n239, 241, 249, 264, 354.\\nChurch, Mrs. S. M., 87, 238.\\nChurchill, P. P., 38.\\nCircuit courts, first, 100.\\nCity tax levies, 316.\\nClaim fights, 76-80.\\nClark, Dr. D. S., 275,303.\\nClark, Dr. Dexter, 275, 331.\\nClark, George Rogers, 2, 3.\\nClark, Rev. Ichabod, 144, 145.\\nClark, Dr. Lucius, 274-275, 291.\\nClark, Dr. L. A., 275.\\nClark, Orlando, 224, 234, 322.\\nClary, Rev. Dexter, 295, 308.\\nClay, Henry, 45, 258, 317.\\nClerks, city, 315.\\nColeman, John S., 279, 310, 334-335.\\nColton, A., 192, 193, 218.\\nCommercial Block, 359.\\nCommissioners court, 55, 58, 154,\\n157, 164, 201.\\nConant, Rev. A. H., 197-199, 287.\\nConick, W. G., 101, 215.\\nConick, Mrs. William, 50.\\nConstitution of 1818, 55, 261.\\nConstitutional convention of 1848,\\n264.\\nCorey, Alonzo, 163, 236.\\nCorwin, Tom, 197, 358-359.\\nCosper, Elias, 197, 339.\\nCotton, Robert H., 50.\\nCotton, Mrs. Robert H., 50 312.\\nCounty commissioners, 54, 58.\\nCounty divided, 81.\\nCounty jail, first, 156.\\nCounty jail, brick, 159.\\nCounty officers made elective, 201.\\nCounty seat contest, 154-159.\\nCounty seat located, 58.\\nCountryman, Alfred, execution of, 351.\\nCourt house, first, 70, 88, 89, 101.\\nCrawford, S. P., 145.\\nCrews, Rev. Hooper, 73, 351.\\nCrime, first, 75.\\nCroly, David G., 220.\\nCrosby, Asa, 87, 92, 100.\\nCross, Robert J., 39, 53, 54, 55, 57,\\n84, 121, 172, 191,. 264.\\nCunningham Brothers, 124-125.\\nCunningham, I. N., 29, 43, 136, 156,\\n172, 194.\\nCannlngham, William, 103, 156.\\nCurtiB,Prof. E. L., 90.\\nCurtis, G. W\u00e2\u0080\u009e 200, 327.\\nCurtis, Rev. W. S., 90, 251.\\nDacotas, 11.\\nDam, first, 222-224.\\nDavenport, Col., 16, 184, 187.\\nDavis, Jefferson, 15, 108, 337.\\nDennett, G. H., 366.\\nDennis, W. P., 47, 86, 168.\\nDickermau, W. A., 91, 235-236, 240.\\nReminiscences of, 235-247.\\nDickerman, Mrs. W. A., 113.\\nDixon, John, 212.\\nDoty, Simon P., 54.\\nDouglas, Stephen A., 76, 160, 161,\\n250, 262, 263, 330, 360-361.\\nDow, Daniel, 144, 158, 169-170, 242.\\nDriscolls, the, 174-181.\\nDrummond, Thomas, 101, 242, 263,\\n322\\nDunbar, William E,, 38, 54, 55, 67,76,\\n163, 168, 239.\\nEarly, Hon. John, 335-336.\\nEbbert, John, 271.\\nEdwards, John, 116, 280.\\nElections\\nCounty, first, 54.\\nPrecinct, 56.\\nPrevious to 1850, 201-207.\\nOf 1852-53, 319-320.\\nOf 1856, 356.\\nOf 1860, 379.\\nEllis, Col. E. F. W., 336.\\nEllsworth, Col. E. E., 356-357.\\nEly, Rev. B. E. S., 90, 372.\\nEmerson, Prof. Joseph, 94, 334.\\nEmerson, Rev. Joseph, 309-310.\\nEmerson, Ralph, 322, 323, 334.\\nEmerson, Mrs. Ralph, 334.\\nEnoch, Abraham I., 39, 131, 320.\\nEnoch, Henry, 69, 100.\\nEnoch, Mary, 69.\\nEnoch, H. R., 43.\\nFair, first, 172-173.\\nFarnsworth, Hon. J. F., 191.\\nFarwell, Seth B., 100, 181.\\nFerguson, Duncan, 120-121, 145, 190.\\nFerguson, Samuel, 340,\\nFerry, 60, 61-62.\\nFisher, Henry, 46.\\nFisher, John, 62.\\nFoote Brothers, 107-108.\\nFoote, Rev. Hiram, 293.\\nForbes, A. D., 339.\\nForbes, Duncan, 324, 339.\\nForbes, Geo. R., 116, 246, 340.\\nFire department, 316.\\nFloats, Indian, 13, 14, 29, 41, 59, 77,\\nFord, Thomas H., 16, 53, 166, 167,\\n175, 181, 262.\\nForty-niners, 283,", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0416.jp2"}, "417": {"fulltext": "388\\nLWPEX.\\nFoundry, first, 233-234.\\nFraley, John, 367.\\nFraternitieB, 347-348.\\nFreeman, Henry, 342-343.\\nFrench, Irvin, 88.\\nFrench occupancy of Illinois, 1, 2.\\nFrink, Walker Co., 99, 102, 103,\\n182, 237, 243.\\nFuller, Arthur, 287.\\nFuller, \\\\5argaret. 33, 197. 200, 287.\\nFuller, Gen. Allen C, 242, 378-379.\\nGalena alien case, 261.\\nGap Light and Coke Company, 349.\\nGeological survey, 6-9.\\nGeorge, Sampson, 42, 75, 284.\\nGibson, Allen, 354.\\nGiddingH, Joshua R., 333.\\nGipsy steamboat, 114-115.\\nGleason, H. W., 100.\\nGoodall, Blanche. 96.\\nGoodhue, Geo., 85.\\nGoodhue, Dr. J. C, 40. 63, 66, 85,\\n109,110-112,148, 163, 168, 173,\\n188, 189.-\\nGoodrich, Dr., 45.\\nGoodwin, Dr. A. E., 337.\\nGoodwin, R. v. H. M., 92, 93, 94, 95.\\n96, 227. 294.\\nGorham, M. L., 365.\\nGrand jurv, first, 100.\\nGrant. U. S., 160, 379.\\nGreeley, Horace, 197, 327-328.\\nGregory, Eliphalet, 36, 54, 71.\\nGregorv, Joanna, (39.\\nGregory, L. B., 170, 223, 275.\\nGregorv. Samuel, 36, 37, 69, 71, 72,\\n100, 271.\\nGriggs, Joseph P., 53, 54, 57.\\nHaight, D. S., 35-36, 47, 54, 55, 60,\\n63, 60, 67, 70, 85, 86, 88, 97, 9H,\\n99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 148. 155,\\n167, 171, 189, 213. 214. 215, 281.\\nHaines, Anthony, 129, 338.\\nHale, Dr. H. B., 366.\\nHale, John P.. 317.\\nHall, Alonzo, 191.\\nHall, John H., 363.\\nHall school, 363.\\nHali.8\\nMetropolitan, 126, 358, 359.\\nPeake s, 129.\\nWarners, 196,371.\\nHard, Giles C, 62, 90.\\nHard winter, the, 171.\\nHarper. Derastus, 156, 158, 159, 214,\\n231, 232.\\nHaskell. George, 36.86.114-117,138,\\n139, 156, 158, 167, 172, 214, 246,\\n247, 289.\\nHaskell, Rev. Samuel, 114, 117, 145.\\nHatch, Rufus, 93.\\nHazlelt. Jacob, 340.\\nHempstead, Chas. S.,29, 164, 263,289.\\nIlonrv. I utrick, 3.\\nH.-rriVk fuiiiily. 12.5-126.\\nHitchcock, Jonathan, 105.\\nllitt, Hem. R. R., 256.331,361.\\nHolland, John A., Ill, 121, 187, 191,\\n239. 279, 349.\\nHolland, H. P., 345, 349.\\nHo-no-ne-gah, 22-25.\\nHood, D. N., 364.\\nHOTKLS:\\nAmerican House, 70, 101, 104.\\nBrown s Cottage, 104.\\nCitv, 316.\\nEagle. 104.\\nHolland House, 355-356.\\nInn, The 104.\\nLog Tavern, 104.\\nRockford House, 100. 103, 148, 162,\\n172. 173, 174,252.\\nRock River House, 104.\\nUnion, 104.\\nWashington House, 252.\\nWaverly, 104.\\nWinnebago House, 136, 171, 241,\\n242. 246, 252.\\nHorsman, C. I., 42, 97, 133.144, 156,\\n158,168,172,173,188, 191, 192,\\n231, 241.\\nHorsman, Mrs., 42, 241.\\nHough, D. S., 366.\\nHoughton, Bethuel, 43, R6.\\nHowell, Daniel, 103. 157, 192, 231.\\nHowell, J. B., 144, 224, 273.\\nHowes, Phineas, 46, 127, 136, 185.\\nHulin, William, 24, 129, 144, 158,\\n159 191\\nHuntinfioB, C. A., 80, 129, 244, 275-\\n276,277.289.\\nHurlbut. Gen. Stephen A., 191. 242,\\n264, 265, 329,330,331.\\nHydraulic company, 222-224.\\nIllinois, state, 5, 6.\\nIllinois, territory, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.\\nIndiana territory, 5, 17.\\nIrving, Washington, 250.\\nJefferson, Joseph, 85.\\nJefferson, Thomas, 4.\\nJenks, Cyrus C, 86, 100.\\nJennie June, 221.\\nJohnson, I. D., 271.\\nJournalists and Journalism, 215-221.\\nKeith, Adam, 38\\nKemble, J. C. 45^97, 149, 188, 189.\\nKf\u00c2\u00bbmp, Joseph, 25.\\nKent. Aratus, 36, 289, 291. 295.\\nKent, Germanicus, 26-31, 48, 53, 54,\\n57, 61 62. 63. 65, 6( 70. H6, 87.\\n88. 99, 103, 163, 167, 171, 208,\\n209, 211, 214, 244, 281.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0417.jp2"}, "418": {"fulltext": "INDEX.\\n384\\nKent, Lewis, 208-209.\\nKerr, Dr. Thomas, 121, 146-147.\\nKeyt, David, 310, 354.\\nKilburn, Benjamin, 50, 7(\\nKilburn, Milton, 38.\\nKimball, Henrv P., 303, 336-337.\\nKimball, Mrs. H. P,117.\\nKirk, E. A., 50, 129.\\nKishwaukee, village, 105, 108.\\nKnapp, Rev. Jacob, 1 17, 139, 142-144,\\nKnowlton, W. A., 340.\\nLake, John. 46-47.\\nLake, Lewis F., 53. y\\nLake, Thomas, 36, 40, 46, 84, 86,\\nLand sale at Dixon, 213-214.\\nLane, R. P., 235, 338.\\nLa Salle, 1, 2.\\nLathrop, William, 313, 314, 335.\\nLatimer, Charles, 168, 171, 181, 282.\\nLawler, Thomas G., 96, 199, 228.\\nLeach, Shepherd, 123, 124, 251, 252,\\nLeavitt s town plat, 214.\\nLecture courses, 1853-1860, lectures\\nby E. P. Whipple, Horace Mann,\\nGeo. W.Curtis, Horace Greeley, Bay-\\nard Taylor, Ralph Waldo Emerson,\\nJ. G, Saxe, James Russell Lowell,\\nand others, 326-328.\\nLee, Geo. W., 105, 172, 188, 189.\\nLeetown, 105.\\nLincoln, Abraham, 21, 108, 160, 161,\\n202, 228, 262, 322-324, 334, 356,\\n378-80.\\nLincoln-Douglas debate, 360-361.\\nLogan, John A., 160, 330.\\nLondon Company, 1.\\nLoomis, H. W., 44, 243.\\nLoomis, Nathaniel, 41, 44.\\nLoop, James L., Ill, 163, 185, 186.\\n242 330 335\\nLoss, Rev. Lewis H., 91, 92, 94, 289.\\n293\\nLovejoy. Rev. Elijah P., 116,280,361.\\nLowell, James Russell, 200, 328.\\nLowry, A, G., 340.\\nLyceum, 168.\\nLyon, Isaiah, 114, 136, 138, 139, 148,\\n149, 156, 250.\\nMack, Stephen, 20, 22-25, 63.\\nMcKenney robbery, 182.\\nMail, first, 98.\\nMaine temperance law, 349.\\nManlove, J. G., 338.\\nManny. F. H., 325, 366.\\nMannv, J. H., 321-324.\\nManny, Mrs. J. H., 324.\\nManny, John P., 325, 340.\\nManny-McCormick suit, 322-324.\\nManny mansion, 353.\\nManufacturers, 1850-1860, 324-325.\\nMarriages, first, 75.\\nMarsh, Jason. 91. 94, 118-120,126,\\n157, 163, 168, 173, 179, 181, 185,\\n186, 191, 192, 238, 2.52, 289.\\nMarsh school, 342.\\nMarsh, Volney A., 93, 171.\\nMartyn, James B.,36,65, 71, 85,100,\\n174.\\nMaynard, H. R., 50, 239, 243, 244.\\nMayors, 315.\\nMidway, 65, 66.\\nMile-strip contest, 81-83.\\nMiller, Anson S., 157, 168, 169, 171,\\n185, 187, 206, 246, 289. 355.\\nMiller, Asher, 62, 238, 308.\\nMiller, C. F., 152, 168, 169, 171, 185,\\n187, 246.\\nMiller, D.. 367.\\nMiller, Horace, 70, 71, 130, 163. 172,\\n181.\\nMiller, Jacob, 104, 181. 189.\\nMiller, John, 50.\\nMiller, Orrin, 169.\\nMitchell, Rev. E. C. 140. 377.\\nMitchell, James, 100. 148 159. 251.\\nMolonv, Dr., 250.\\nMontague, Richard, 38,152,172,194.\\nMontague school, 38.\\nMorgan, Abiram, 29, 41, 138, 139,\\n156, 241, 251.\\nMorgan, Mrs., 41,. 241. 251.\\nMorrill family, 87.\\nMorrill, Rev. John, 49, 87, 88.\\nMoulthrop, Dr. L., 37, 163, 284.\\nMoulthrop, L., 277, 284, 285, 317.\\nMoundbuilders, 10, 11.\\nMulford robbery, 183-184.\\nMyott, Catherine, 14, 59.\\nNavigation Rock river, 188-191.\\nNelson, John, 337.\\nNevius, Col. Garrett, 363.\\nNewburg, 105.\\nNew England influence, 253-256.\\nNorthwest Territory, 4, 5, 163.\\nNorton, Rev. 0. W., DO.\\nOliver, Charles, 103, 174, 185. 186.\\nOrdinance 1787, 4. 296.\\nPatriotic celebration, first, 97.\\nPeake, Laomi, Sr., 128-129,157,237.\\nPenfield, David S., 93, 123, 213, 251.\\nPeufield, J. G., 123, 339.\\nPenfield, Mrs. J. G., 339.\\nPenfield, S. F., 342, 366.\\nPenfield, William, 86, 97.\\nPerry, Seely, 46, 47, 277, 303, 315.\\n333, 345, 352, 353.\\nPerry, Mrs. Marie T., 294.\\nPeters, William, 50.\\nPhelps, John, 25.\\nPhillips, Wendell, 253-254.\\nPioneer (locomotive), 271.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0418.jp2"}, "419": {"fulltext": "INDEX.\\n385\\nPioneers of 1838, 130.\\nPioneers, previous to 1840, 38-39, 50,\\n130.\\nPioneers, trials of, 131-133.\\nPlank road, 191.\\nPiatt, John, no, 115, 116. 243,\\nPlvmoutli Company, 1.\\nPolish ClainiH. 149, 210-214.\\nPolitical reminiscences, 201-107, 329-\\n331.\\nPope, Nathaniel, 5, 162, 164. 165.\\nPorter, Rev. Lansing, 90, 252, 308,\\n353.\\nPorter, John R., 366.\\nPosson, family, 43.\\nPostmaster, first, 98.\\nPostmasters of Rockford, 226-228.\\nPottawatomies, 22, 34, 111, 170.\\nPotter, E. H., 48, 87. 92. 100, 101,\\n157, 213, 231, 232, 237, 289, 291,\\n313.\\nPotter, H. B., 40, 87, 98, 107, 108,\\n238.\\nPotter, Joel B., 92, 125, 131, 173, 238.\\nPotter Preston, 45.\\nPrecincts created, 56.\\nPresiding elders, roster of, 74.\\nPreston, Samuel D., 48, 87, 101, 149,\\n167.\\nPublic librarj, first, 344-345.\\nRailkoads\\nGalena Chicago Union, 266-272.\\nChicago Northwestern. 272.\\nKenosha Rockford, 352-353.\\nRockford Central, 348.\\nRailroad convention. 267-268.\\nRawlins, John A., 378-379.\\nReed, Charles, 58, 59, 60, 155, 247.\\nReed. Rev. D. M., 199.\\nReform of Judiciarv, 260.\\nRegan. M. H., 71, 249, 273.\\nRhoades, Levi, 367.\\nRib-town, 104.\\nRichings. Dr. C. H., 42-43.\\nRiverand harborconvention, 257-259.\\nRobertson. Thomas 1)., 121-122, 157,\\n158. 163, 168, 171, 185, 237, 239,\\n279. 289.\\nRobinson, Sylvester, 283.\\nRockford s attitude toward repudia-\\ntion of 8tat4? debt. 1()6-167.\\nRockford Citv (irevs, 356.\\nRockford houses in 1888, 134-136.\\nRockford, incorporated as a city, 313.\\nRockford seminary, 287-295.\\nRock River Baptist Association, or-\\nganized, 140.\\nRock River conference, 68-74.\\nRock River Medical Association, 283.\\nRock River Mutual Insurance Co., 332.\\nRodd. Joseph, 224. 324.\\nRoe, Rev. C. H. 146, 287.\\nRose, Benjamin A.. 274.\\nUowlaii.l, William L., 345. 362.\\nRowland, William M., 362.\\nRowley, Isaac, 88.\\nSacs and Foxes, 16. 17.\\nSackett, C. T., 367.\\nSanford. Albert, 36, 243, 251.\\nSunford. Clara (i., 10. 96.\\nSanford. fi. A 49. 84. 115, 116. 136,\\n159. 167. 185, 214, 231, 235, 239,\\n243, 251, 310.\\nSanford, Kolx-rt-, 251.\\nSayrc, James. 105.\\nSchools, free public. 1855- 61, 341-343.\\nSchool funds, 297-300.\\nSchool houses and teachers, early,\\n300-303.\\nScipio, 104, 155.\\nScott, (ien. 14, 19.\\nScott. Sir Walter. 250. 363.\\nSearles. H. D., 104, 128.\\nSeccomb, J. W., 277.\\nSecession convention, Rockford. 162.\\nSecession from Illinois, proposed, 160-\\n165.\\nSeminary at Kishwaukee, 107-108.\\nSeventv-fourth regiment. 119.\\nShaw, Bela, 130. 233, 236, 237, 289.\\nShaw, C. A.. 354, 366.\\nSheldon, C. W., 265, 338-339.\\nSheldon, .Judge, 351.\\nSheldon, Porter, 265.\\nSherratt, Harriott Wight, 86, 118.\\nSherratt, John H., 60.\\nShumway family, 43-44.\\nSilk culture, 247.\\nSill, Anna P., 94, 289, 290, 291, 292-\\n295.\\nSilsby, H. H., 45, 114, 136-137, 234.\\nSkinner, Dea., 92. 246.\\nSmith. Abraham E., 228.\\nSmith, Melancthon, 227-228.\\nSocial life in the early forties, 248-252.\\nSons of Temperance, 344.\\nSouthgate, J. M., 120. 340.\\nSouthgat^, Volney, 120.\\nSovereign, I., 367.\\nSpafford, Amos Catlin. 91, 127, 224.\\nSpafford. Charles H.. 126. 171, 185,\\n226, 227, 228, 249, 290, 320, 352.\\nSpafford. .Mrs. Charl.-s H., 103, 126,\\n171. 249,251.\\nSpafford, John, 127, 359.\\nSpaulding. I). A., 44, 54, 55. 57, 66,\\n67, 79. 87.\\nS(iuier, John F., 345.\\nStage barn, 70. HH. 102.\\nStagecoach. 102-103.\\nStarr, .Melancthon, 196, 278-280.\\nState roads, 63.\\nStillman s Run, 19, 108, 109.\\nStone, Judge, Dan, 100, 261.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0419.jp2"}, "420": {"fulltext": "386\\nINDEX.\\nSunday at the ferry, 245.\\nSwedish emigrauts, first, 332.\\nSweasy, Rev. Lewis, 107.\\nSumner, E. B., 52, 106.\\nSumner, Ephraim, 39, 52, 56, 105,\\n131.\\nSurveys, first, 66.\\nSweet, M. P., 101,163,185, 187, 242.\\nTaggart, Hon. A., 343.\\nTalcott, Henry, 39, 367.\\nTalcott, Sylvester, 56, 75, 322, 334,\\n367.\\nTalcott, Thomas B., 39, 54,267, 367.\\nTalcott, William, 39, 367.\\nTalcott, William A., 334.\\nTaylor, Bayard, 197, 347.\\nTaylor, H. W., 364-365.\\nTaylor, James, 62.\\nTaylor, John F., 350-151.\\nTaylor, John W., 152, 156, 163, 171,\\n245, 251.\\nTaylor, Zachary, 21.\\nTax levy, first, 83-84.\\nTelegraph line reaches Rockford, 356.\\nTemperance society, first, 150.\\nThompson, N. C, 325, 340, 365.\\nThomas. Dr. Alden, 112-113, 158, 235,\\n241.\\nThomas, Dr. H. W., 74.\\nThurston, Henry, 47, 97, 100, 103,\\n214.\\nThurston, John H., 32, 34, 35, 47, 66,\\n98, 103, 131, 182, 215, 249.\\nTicknor, J. S., 348.\\nTinker, Robert H., 86, 345, 363.\\nTinker, WiUiam H., 85.\\nTodd, L. H., 366.\\nToms, Isaac, 50.\\nTownsend, W. H., 93, 366.\\nTownship organization, 304.\\nTrahern, W. D., 324, 367.\\nTreaty of Paris (1763), 2; (1783), 3,\\n4.\\nTreaties, Indian, 12-14, 17, 59, 77.\\nTrowbridge, L. A., 273.\\nTrowbridge, Mrs. M. T., 86.\\nTullock, George, 170.\\nTwelve-Mile Grove, 65, 78, 79, 103,\\n10.5, 109, 242.\\nTwogood, Sidney, 36,40,84, 86,102.\\nTwogood, William, 50.\\nUdell, Grant B., 171, 187.\\nUpton, C. O., 338.\\nUtter, Isaac, 234, 322, 339.\\nVance, John, 86.\\nVanceborough, 105, 106.\\nVanhorne, Rev. G. R., 68.\\nVillage plats, 104-106.\\nVillage of Rockford incorporated, 148.\\nVincent, Bishop, 68, 69,\\nVirginia, 1, 2, 3, 4.\\nVoters, first election, roster of, 54-55.\\nWaldo, Hiram H., 91, 92, 235, 252,\\n277-278, 330.\\nWaldo, Lorenzo D., 373.\\nWallis, W. T., 93.\\nWalton, Rev. J. E., 286, 312.\\nWarner, Lyman F., 278.\\nWashburne, Elihu P., 242, 319-320,\\n322, 329, 330, 331, 354-355, 360.\\nWater-power company, 321.\\nWarren, Edward, 171, 226.\\nWaterman, John D., 228.\\nWatson, Rev. Cyrus L., 89, 90.\\nWatson, Peter H., 233, 322.\\nWebster, Daniel, 20, 45, 317.\\nWeldon, Jonathan, 80, 172, 285.\\nWentworth, John, 101, 110, 188, 215,\\n216, 257.\\nWesleyan seminary, 346.\\nWest, L. M., 363-364.\\nWheeler, B. G., 227, 235, 290.\\nWheeler, Willard, 71, 124, 213, 231,\\n239 313\\nWhitman, Rev. S. S., 138, 140, 141,\\n142, 250.\\nWhitney, Daniel, 29.\\nWhitney, Dr. Daniel H., 53, 54, 59, 75,\\n76.98,163,202,264.\\nWhittier, John G., 115,\\nWight, J. Ambrose, 97, 217-218.\\nWight, James M., 118, 157, 168, 185,\\n191, 194, 229, 238.\\nWight, Miss Mary, 118.\\nWight school, 118.\\nWilcox, Rev. W. T., 374.\\nWilder, Nathaniel, 48.\\nWilliams, Charles, 315, 362.\\nWilHams, Charles L., 25, 364, 375.\\nWinnebagoes, 10-15, 19, 34, 59.\\nWinnebago county organized, 51-57.\\nWinnebago village, 58, 59, 60, 61, 108,\\n154 15.5.\\nWinters, John D., 99, 103.\\nWoodruff, Gilbert, 48, 69, 364.\\nWorks, Charles, 87.\\nWorthington, William, 128, 229, 237.\\nWyman, Ephraim, 37, 86, 148, 152,\\n156, 194, 214, 233, 244, 279.\\nYates, Richard, 160, 379.\\nYoung Men s -Association, 326-328,\\n344.\\nYoung Men s Christian Association,\\n103, 215, 374-375.", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0420.jp2"}, "421": {"fulltext": "ERI^ATA.\\nOn page 50, the name Henry Maj-nard should read Hiram\\nR. Maynard.\\nOn pao;e 6G it is stated that Charles B. Farwell succeeded\\nJohn A. Logan in the United States senate in 188G. It should\\nread, in 1887.\\nOn pages 163, 185, and 242, James M. Loop should read\\nJames L. Loop.\\nIn the last line of the first paragraph on page 43, the name\\nDr. C. H. Richiugs should read Dr. Henry Richings. Also on\\npage 129, in the paragraph on William Hulin, the same substi-\\ntution of the two names should be made.", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0421.jp2"}, "422": {"fulltext": "H 1\\nb", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0422.jp2"}, "423": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0423.jp2"}, "424": {"fulltext": "**rr\u00c2\u00bb .o* tt. ^o^\\ntjr C I^lffT/^/^ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process.\\n4 ^MlZ/yy Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxide\\nJ r\\\\ tismUfa^-^ Treatment Date:\\nvt^^...\\n^v...^^ :^/h:.\\nPRESERVATION TECHNOLOGIES. L.P.\\n1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive\\nCranberry Township, PA 16066\\n(724)779-2111", "height": "3458", "width": "2136", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0424.jp2"}, "425": {"fulltext": "\u00c2\u00b0-^?^OT* ^^J J l^^** k\\nHECKMAN\\nJINDERY INC.\\nDEC 89\\nSy^ N. MANCHESTER,\\nINDIANA 46962", "height": "3464", "width": "2097", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0425.jp2"}, "426": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3564", "width": "2225", "jp2-path": "historyofrockfor00chu_0426.jp2"}}